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President Obama to Speak at Service; Sanders Endorses Clinton. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired July 12, 2016 - 13:00   ET

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


ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I expect we will hear those words or something like them at the ceremony today. Cedric, thank you for your time, as always.

I'm going to turn the mic over to Wolf Blitzer who's going to continue our coverage right now.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's noon in Dallas, 1:00 p.m. here in Washington. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

Up first, a nation on edge and a city in mourning. This hour, the city of Dallas honors five police officers shot and killed in that ambush attack last week.

President Obama will speak at the interfaith memorial service. The president also meets in private with the families of the officers who died. You're look at live pictures from the memorial service.

Those five police officers were gunned down by a sniper during a demonstration over the deaths of two African-American men killed by police.

Protesters held more demonstrations overnight in Atlanta. They blocked traffic near an upscale shopping mall before marching to the governor's mansion. Sixteen people were arrested.

The families of the two men killed by police are finalizing funeral plans. The funeral for Alton Sterling will be held Friday. Philando Castile will be laid to rest Thursday.

Castile's mother spoke at a news conference today along with the family's attorney.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLENDA HATCHETT, ATTORNEY: He didn't deserve to die like that. You guys want to ask questions. I have one question myself. In what country that being honest and telling the truth will get you killed. You answer that one for me. It is not just this family's loss. It is a loss for all humanity, that Philando Castile was gunned down the way he was gunned down.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: That was the attorney, the former T.V. judge, Glenda Hatchet, who says the family does plan to file a lawsuit but she gave no details.

Before Dallas, it was Orlando; before Orlando, San Bernardino; Charleston; Newtown. Today marks the 11th time President Obama has visited a city here in the united states devastated by a mass shooting.

Our National Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is joining us on the phone over at the Dallas memorial, along with our Correspondent Ed Lavandera. Suzanne, what will the president say to Dallas and the nation, that's coming up shortly?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Sure. (INAUDIBLE) we expect Air Force One to touch down momentarily here in Dallas with the president, the first lady and a bipartisan group aboard Air Force One to, obviously, pay tribute to these fallen police officers.

And what we're told is that he is going to really strike a tone, a balance, if you will, of calling for racial and ideological coming together. He is going to eulogize the dead, console the grieving and talk about the fact that this is a nation that is not as far apart as we believe. That we are not as divided as we believe, despite the fact that so many people feel that way.

The president has a real task of balancing the call for social justice. But also, talking about the good work, the amazing work that these police officers and the community do throughout the country. And many people here say, Wolf, that they are hurting. They need a voice, a voice that can unify not only this community here in Dallas but those around the country.

We understand, too, that the president might use the word, hate crime. That his spokesperson, Josh Earnest, saying aboard Air Force One that it certainly fits the definition. That this was somebody who was motivated by hate and that it was based on racial hatred.

So, that is going to be something interesting to listen for. But we are told that he really is going to call to people's better angels that there is a call and a cry for this country to come together during this very difficult time.

And, Wolf, I had a chance to actually talk to one of the senators, Texas Senator John Cornyn, and -- about what he is expecting from the president, what this community needs from the president at this time. And here's what he told me. Here's what he shared just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: Again, I think if we sort of fall back into our warring camps on things like gun control or whatever it may be, to advance political agenda that isn't going to be solved by anything we do here, I think that would be a mistake. So, that's why I am eager to hear the president do what he does very well and that is talk about national reconciliation as we come together and have an important conversation about the role of race in our society and how some people just don't feel like law enforcement is there for them.

We need to change that. And the only way we can do that is through that kind of national conversation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[13:05:01] MALVEAUX: And, Wolf, also aboard Air Force One, a bipartisan group from Texas, Representatives Johnson. And also, you have House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi. But aboard that plane, Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

And so, this is a group that they certainly hope, by the look, by the image, by the optics, that they can present a united front to the country. And, of course, President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, that president will be making comments as well, calling, again, for this country to come together -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And we'll have extensive coverage, live coverage, of this interfaith memorial service. Looking at live pictures right now. Suzanne, stand by.

Ed Lavandera, I understand some streets are now finally reopening for the first time since the shooting. Is this a sign that the investigation, at least around that downtown area, is over with, the community is coming back to at least a little bit of sense of normalcy?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that investigative work that's been done on the ground there in the streets of downtown Dallas is kind of really zeroing in on the specific community college building where the end of the standoff took place. And that's allowing the rest of the streets there around that particular building to start opening up. There have been several blocks around it that had been shut down.

So, whether or not that's a sign of things kind of getting back to normal, maybe on the surface, Wolf. But I think this is one of those situations where, you know, that day will be marking this city's history for decades.

BLITZER: What's the latest on the investigation, Ed?

LAVANDERA: Well, you know, we've learned a couple of interesting things. We -- CNN has spoken with a gentleman who did -- who spoke with us on the condition that we did not reveal who he was. But he believes to be the person who sold Micah Johnson the A.K.-47 sell -- assault-style rifle, I should say, pardon me. An assault-style rifle back in -- a while back for $600.

He has been told -- he tells us that he's been told by federal law enforcement officials that the sale was legal. This happened through a Facebook firearms' group. And it -- you know, great pains. The guy is kind of struggling with the fact that -- you know, he's very worried that his gun that he sold to him was the weapon used in this attack. It's not clear if that is indeed the case though yet -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Ed Lavandera on the scene for us in Dallas. Thanks very much. You're looking at live pictures coming in from the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. This is where this interfaith memorial service will take place. And there are several choirs from various churches in the Dallas area who are already performing right now. We'll have extensive coverage. That's coming up.

Today, two dramatic displays of bipartisan unity. Right now, Republican Senator Ted Cruz. You just heard Suzanne Malveaux report. She's aboard Air Force One with President -- he -- she reported that Senator Cruz is aboard Air Force One with President Obama which just landed in Dallas for this memorial service only moments ago.

Later, the president will be joined by his predecessor, George W. Bush. They will both speak at the service. They'll meet with families of the fallen officers as well.

Right now, I want to bring in Republican Congressman Pete Sessions. His district includes parts of Dallas. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us on this important day.

How important is it that both parties, at least today and in the coming days, come together to show support for the communities affected by these shootings?

REP. PETE SESSIONS (R), TEXAS: Wolf, it's very important and that's why one of the tasks that lies before us right now is to take the immediate considerations that came directly from the police chief. The police chief spoke clearly to a group of members who were from Dallas about some of the needs that he saw as a result of what was learned, a lesson learned.

And we're attempting to get one of those piece parts passed in law that matches already a Senate piece. And that is that the police departments -- the urban police departments need what is called urban active shooter training. They do not have the most up-to-date ability to train, to coordinate, to isolate and to look at gunfire where it may be coming in.

We need to look at Dallas, perhaps, as -- although I don't want to say that it would ever happen again. But as a consideration about what happened, to relook at it about how Dallas might have more quickly, and without officers losing their lives, taken care of this active shooter. And this is very important.

And I anticipate that tomorrow night we will pass this bill on the floor of the House of Representatives. Get it to the president. It comes directly from the police chief. His request from Dallas, Texas.

BLITZER: I'm sure you were torn. You wanted to go to Dallas for this memorial service but decided to stay and deal with House business. Is that right?

SESSIONS: Well, in fact, as you know, I'm chairman of the House Rules Committee and we're handling an enormous amount of work, not only on Monday but also today, and we will during the week, to handle a piece of legislation that must get to the floor. And that's my job.

[13:10:12] And I'm going to do my job and people in Dallas know that I go back every weekend. I was back last weekend and that not only with the community and officers but also had the important briefing about the lessons that should be learned. I'm bringing that to Washington. Flew up Sunday night. We intend to get that done.

BLITZER: "The Dallas Morning News" wrote an open letter to President Obama asking for action. It says, among other things, still potent and lingering racism is at the root of the clash between white police and black Americans that has royaled (ph) relations in cities across America. It was the very thing that had drawn protesters to the streets Thursday. These grievances are real and they must be addressed. Congressman, do you want to react to that editorial in "The Dallas Morning News?"

SESSIONS: Well, I would. And while I don't want to correct them at all, I would say that what the Dallas Police Department was doing, we believe, was directly in line with the correct not only procedures but the things a community police department should be doing. And it's -- the sad part is that the Dallas Police Department was one of the finest group of officers in the country and finest department led by an African-American leader, a police chief, who was doing the right thing and bad things happened.

And, once again, it's a reminder to all of us that there are still people well (INAUDIBLE) outside the channels of trying to make your community safe.

There is a lesson here also and that is that things that happened in other cities and that are broadcast around the country have a significant emotional impact upon people. So, our language, the words that we use and the way that we use them, we've got to be careful.

I will tell you, Dallas not only was correct in what they were doing with the police department, but afterwards, immediately, we are looking to our community to heal itself. And this is one thing that it so important. Our community leaders gathered with our religious leaders and went directly to the African-American community and said, we hear you. We get this. We've got to continue our dialogue. Like we were doing before. But we must stand together.

BLITZER: Congressman Pete Sessions of Dallas, Texas. Congressman, thank you very much for joining us.

SESSIONS: Wolf, thank you.

BLITZER: And, once again, we're looking at live pictures coming in from the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Dallas, Texas. This is where this memorial service will take place. It'll start this hour. The president of the United States is now on the ground in Dallas. Air Force One just landed moments ago. The former president, George W. Bush, will be speaking as well. Extensive live coverage coming up.

The murders of the five police officers in Dallas, the deaths of two more African-American men at the hands of police, those tragedies certainly have put the spotlight on racial and police tensions in the United States. We'll be listening to hear how President Obama addresses those very sensitive issues at this memorial service in Dallas.

In the meantime, let's get some perspective from our Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson, CNN Law Enforcement Analyst Art Roderick and CNN Political Commentator Ben Ferguson who's joining us from Dallas.

Nia, how much of a balancing act will this be for the president?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: I mean, it's a tricky line and a tricky balancing act that he has to really walk, I think, in this. We've seen the president in these settings before where he is really the kid of consoler and chief, talking to America in the wake of some tragedy. Whether it was after the Tucson, Arizona shooting involving Gabby Giffords or more recently last year after the deaths of those nine African Americans in the Charleston church here.

Here, he has to address this tragedy that has found five officers shot dead because of their race. But also, a lot of the complaints from African-Americans that they have been unfairly targeted by police officers in their different communities.

So, you know, I think this is a president who can draw from the bible. He often does that. He draws from the scriptures. He has, often, the cadence of a Baptist preacher. I'm sure he'll draw on that here.

But it's a very tricky speech that he has to give today that has to be, I think, somber. It has to be reflective. It has to be unified. And it has to, also, I think, address some of these real issues.

BLITZER: Ben, take us inside Dallas right now. You live there. You spend all your time there. What's it like getting ready for this interfaith memorial service?

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's really been incredible to see the community come together and people that don't always agree with one another coming together. I think what most residents, especially the police that I have spoken with, many of them over the last several days, say they want the president to come in and remind the nation that our police are vitally important to safety and security. And that they have the backing of the president, and we should all be backing them.

[13:15:00]

As one police officer said to me, this president, I voted for him because of hope. And this is a moment for him to give us hope again that our police are backed by the American people. They don't really want to talk about politics. They want healing and they want people to come together. There's plenty of time, as another officer said to me, to talk policy, to talk gun control, to talk all of these different issues and things that have been frustrating people.

But, ultimately, they want to hear a president say, these police officers in Dallas are heroes. They have our backing. They were not involved in what happened in Baton Rouge. They were not involved in what happened in St. Paul-Minneapolis. They were doing their job protecting people at a protest and it cost them their lives and we stand behind them. And to see a community come together in this way, so many local leaders come together with people they don't believe with politically but to say, we stand behind our police, I think the president, if he can hit that tone and hit that message, have the policy discussions on another day or even later today, but at this moment, honor those men that died in the line of fire who were assassinated by a sniper, a shooter who wanted to kill cops.

BLITZER: Art, very quickly, because we need to take a break. We're going to resume our coverage. What do you want to see emerge from this service?

ART RODERICK, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I'm hoping this will start dialogue in the other cities around the country. I mean Dallas P.D. is a model agency when it comes to community policing and the interaction they have with the local community. But I hope this generates some conversation in other cities around the United States.

BLITZER: All right, everyone stand by. Coming up, the next steps in the healing process here in the United States. I'll speak with South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn about what the nation needs to do right now about -- and also about his efforts in the coming weeks to further the gun debate here in the United States.

Also coming up, Bernie Sanders, he takes the plunge. He has now formally, officially, publically, very enthusiastically endorsing Hillary Clinton for president of the United States. I'll talk to his campaign manager about what it means for the Sanders movement, whether we'll see more of Bernie Sanders by Hillary Clinton's side. Much more right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:21:05] BLITZER: We're looking at live pictures of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. President Obama expected to arrive there shortly to speak at this memorial service, an interfaith memorial service for the five police officers murdered last week. We're going to go there live once the service begins. You're looking at live pictures from inside the Symphony Center. This is an interfaith choir. And I'll give the various churches some recognition. The Concord Church of Dallas, St. John Baptist Church of Grand Prairie, Park City's Baptist Church, the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, Royal Lane Baptist Church, University Park United Methodist Church as well. And later there will be prayers from a Methodist minister, an imam and a rabbi. All will be delivering prayers at this interfaith memorial service before we hear from the president and his immediate predecessor, George W. Bush. The Dallas police chief, David Brown, will also speak, as will Senator John Cornyn of Texas. We'll go back there momentarily.

But right now let's turn to politics for a few moments, the race for the White House. A major event in the Democratic Party today. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders sharing the stage in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with Sanders offering his official public endorsement, congratulating Hillary Clinton for winning a hard-fought race for delegates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I congratulate her for that. She will be the Democratic nominee for president. And I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I have to say, it is such a great privilege to be here with Senator Sanders. Being here with him in New Hampshire, I can't help but reflect how much more enjoyable this election is going to be now that we are on the same side.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, let's talk about this moment in the race for the White House. Joining us now is Jeff Weaver, Bernie Sanders' campaign manager.

Jeff, thanks very much for joining us.

JEFF WEAVER, CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN, BERNIE SANDERS 2016: Happy to be here, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: So it's officially over for Bernie Sanders, is that right?

WEAVER: Well, Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee. He has endorsed her. We want her to be president of the United States. We want her to beat Trump and beat him soundly. We want to elect Democrats up and down the ballot so that we can enact this very progressive platform that the Democrat Party adopted in Orlando just this past weekend.

BLITZER: Yes, you heard Bernie Sanders at that event say this is the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party.

WEAVER: Yes.

BLITZER: So you're very happy with the platform. You're enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton and her opportunity, potentially, to beat Donald Trump right now. What exactly is Bernie Sanders going to do? He was at this event today.

WEAVER: Right.

BLITZER: But he's going to go out on the campaign trail and actively campaign for her?

WEAVER: Oh, I think you'll see Bernie Sanders from coast to coast holding mainly the kinds of events you saw during the primary and caucus season, big events. I think he's going to be appearing with down ballot candidates. I think he'll be appearing at events in support of Hillary Clinton. So I think people are going to see a lot of Bernie Sanders. I think, you know, his supporters across the country are -- were greatly energized by his primary and caucus campaign and I think they're going to be energized by his appearance in the general election.

BLITZER: Because you -- you've -- we've spoken to a lot of his supporters. We've done polls among Bernie Sanders supporters and there are millions of them out there. A lot of them, at least until today, say they don't think they could vote for Hillary Clinton. Some of them even say they would prefer Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. How is he going to try to change that?

WEAVER: Well, look, electing Donald Trump would be a disaster for all of the ideals that Bernie Sanders put forward during his campaign. The point of this campaign of Bernie Sanders was about a movement to advance a progressive vision for America, to transform America. And electing Donald Trump will move that backwards. Electing Hillary Clinton will at least move the ball forward and help us toward some of those goals.

[13:25:04] BLITZER: Because Donald Trump has made the point that on some issues, like trade for example, he and Bernie Sanders are almost on the same page. You've heard him say that.

WEAVER: I've heard it, but that's a talking point. Look, he's talked about turning the trade policy over to Carl Icahn. Our problem in this country is not that we have too few corporate types running our trade policy, it's that we have too many. So Donald Trump, you know, he's good at the sound bytes, but when you look at the substance of his policies, he's really very far away from Bernie Sanders on all of these issues.

BLITZER: And I assume Bernie Sanders will speak at the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia, right?.

WEAVER: Yes, I suspect that he will.

BLITZER: Do you know which night?

WEAVER: I don't yet. I don't yet know, but we're working on the schedule right now.

BLITZER: Does he -- and you speak for him because you're the campaign manager, have a preference who she should select as her vice presidential running mate?

WEAVER: I would let him speak to that. I haven't -- we haven't had that conversation. So I would let him, obviously, speak to that. I think certainly he would want the most progressive person possible as a running mate. BLITZER: Like Elizabeth Warren? Someone like that?

WEAVER: The most progressive person possible I think would be great.

BLITZER: And forget about Bernie Sanders. What about Jeff Weaver? Who would you like to see as Hillary Clinton's running mate?

WEAVER: Well, I think Elizabeth Warren would be a good pick for the secretary. I think having two women on the ticket would really energize the country in a new way. It would create a lot of excitement and energy, I think, at the grassroots. Obviously, Senator Warren has a great following among progressives and young people. So that would -- that wouldn't be a bad pick in my -- my book.

BLITZER: All right, Jeff Weaver, thanks very much for joining us.

WEAVER: That's my personal -- that my --

BLITZER: Of course. I made it clear --

WEAVER: Yes.

BLITZER: That you're speaking for Jeff Weaver, not for Bernie Sanders on that.

WEAVER: Yes, thank you.

BLITZER: We'll see who she picks. She's got to make a pick in the next few days. We'll see what's going on.

WEAVER: Yes, it's going to be soon.

BLITZER: Thanks very much.

WEAVER: Happy to be here. Thank you.

BLITZER: Good luck.

Let's talk a little bit more about this Bernie Sanders/Hillary Clinton event, the rest of the day's political headlines. Joining us now is our chief political correspondent Dana Bash. She's in Indianapolis at a Donald Trump event in that state later this evening. Also with us, our senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny, he's in New Hampshire where that Clinton/Sanders event took place, and Phil Mattingly is with us. He's in Cleveland already where the Republican platform committee has been meeting. It's also the site, obviously, of next week's Republican National Convention.

Let me get your reaction first to what we heard from Bernie Sanders today on stage with Hillary Clinton.

Jeff, you were there. It was a pretty dramatic show of unity.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: It was indeed, Wolf. And we finally heard Bernie Sanders say those -- those words that he has not yet said before, specifically using the word "endorse," left no room for doubt, room for question, error, among any of his supporters that he is fully, squarely behind Hillary Clinton.

And he didn't stop there, Wolf. He said he would indeed campaign in all corners of the country, as Jeff Weaver just told you. He also showed us how he might do that a little bit. A point by point takedown of Donald Trump.

Now, of course, the Clinton campaign, it's music to their ears. If there are any Sanders supporters out there even entertaining the idea of supporting Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, today, wanted to give the message that their values, if they supported him, if they supported Bernie Sanders, are not Donald Trump's values. So it was a little bit awkward, sort of like an arranged marriage, these situations are, Wolf, but, overall, given how acrimonious this campaign was, this was a pretty extraordinary moment just a short time ago today.

BLITZER: It certainly was. Dana, Donald Trump will be joined at his event later tonight by the Indiana governor, Mike Pence. He's one of the vice presidential hopefuls on Donald Trump's list, along with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, among others, who introduced Trump at an event yesterday. Is this a final job interview, shall we say, for Pence?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's certainly one of them. There's no question. The Trump campaign and Donald Trump himself, they've been really clear about what they have been doing with his short list, at least the ones that we know about, and that he's having -- he's had public tryouts. He had Chris Christie with him yesterday, as you mentioned. He had Newt Gingrich with him last week. And today is going to be an appearance with Mike Pence here in Indiana, in Pence's home state, the state of which he is governor, of course. So it --

BLITZER: Dana, hold on for a moment.

BASH: Sure.

BLITZER: I just want to tell our viewers, the president and the first lady there walking down the stairs from Air Force One right now, together with their delegation. They'll be heading over to that interfaith memorial service. It will be an emotional moment remembering those five police officers who were slain.

All right, go ahead, Dana.

BASH: Sure. So what Donald Trump is going to be doing is -- he's going to be testing the chemistry. He apparently has a pretty good connection with Mike Pence behind the scenes. That's what I'm told by several sources familiar with some of their meetings. But this is a whole new ballgame. Donald Trump, as we know, puts a lot of stock in the kind of vibe that he gets from the crowds at his rallies. And this is going to be a test for that. He's going to see how crowds respond to Mike Pence.

He is very obviously one of those who is a top contender, but there are others, according to Trump himself, who told "The New York Times" today, there are a couple of others that nobody is talking about. Maybe that's just his way of -- of having some suspense in a time when the obvious contenders seem to be right in front of us.

[13:30:14] BLITZER: Yes, we'll know soon enough.