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Trump Talks Midterm Elections Following Kavanaugh Confirmation; Trump Speaks Ahead of Busy Week on Campaign Trial; Trump Had a "Good Talk" with Rod Rosenstein. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 8, 2018 - 13:30   ET

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


[13:30:00] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: All right, we're going to show you live pictures coming in from Orlando. You see the president's deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein. He traveled with the president from Washington down to Orlando. The president getting ready to speak before this group. We will have live coverage. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:34:53] BLITZER: Any moment now, we'll be hearing directly from the president of the United States. Live pictures coming in from Orlando. He's speaking at the annual convention of the International Association of Police Chiefs. We will take you there live once the event begins.

Just moments ago, the president did speak with a local Orlando television station, CNN affiliate, FTV, and he addressed the question of the upcoming midterm elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Everyone wants my endorsement. Actually, they all want my endorsement. I think I was 48-1 for the primaries. And I think we'll do equally or almost as well. I guess that's a pretty good number to beat, but almost as well on the general elections.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joining us now, Congressman Steve Cohen. He's a Democrat from Tennessee.

Thanks so much, Congressman, for joining us.

REP. STEVE COHEN, (D), TENNESSEE: Nice to be with you.

BLITZER: Looking back -- you are a straight shooter usually -- do you think Democrats handled the confirmation fight the right way as far as the Supreme Court nominee, now justice, is concerned? What would you have done differently, if anything?

COHEN: I think if you could have gotten Dr. Ford's testimony out sooner, it would have helped. It would have been less time for the Republicans just to force it down, the vote, and to do the curtailed FBI investigation, which was just a sham. But otherwise, I think the Democrats did a good job. They fought. They had the information they got. In my opinion, Sheldon Whitehouse was a star. Amy Klobuchar was a star. There were several stars on the Senate side, the Democratic side. The Republicans were kind of questioning your history of government. They were so despicable in the way they treated Dr. Ford. None of them had the guts to question her. And then just the way they -- the bottom line is they considered it what guys do when they are young. They get drunk and they assault women. They thought, that was cool. It was a long time ago. Let's not worry about it. They came up with lies and excuses to say, well, nobody corroborated it. She was corroborated. Nobody witnessed. The only witness would have been an aider and abettor who would have been guilty as well. People involved in the crime don't come forward and say they did it. There was no one else that witnessed it except the Judge boy. He lied. What happens in Georgetown Prep stays in Georgetown Prep. And they just got away with it. And what Susan Collins said was awful, too. She basically said Dr. Ford lied. And the president said she lied when he called it a hoax. She didn't lie. She's an outstanding woman coming forward. I feel very sorry for she and her family and what they will have to go through, what they have been through, and that the Republicans have basically called her a liar.

BLITZER: The Democratic voters were enthused going into these midterm elections, but we are now seeing a lot of increased enthusiasm among Republicans, especially in your home state of Tennessee, as a result of the Kavanaugh confirmation. The second Supreme Court justice appointed, nominated by the president. Does that worry you right now? You think in your home state of Tennessee you could be losing some of the momentum going into these final four weeks before the election?

COHEN: It does concern me, but I think there was a blue wave that was coming. The blue wave is still going to be there and it may be even stronger. There's obviously more Republicans coming out because they got their backbone up about their beer-drinking, beer-drinking-loving, good ol' boy from Georgetown Prep being questioned about his past history of sexual abuse and his lies about what FFF meant and boof and triangle, and all that stuff. He just lied. They got all upset about it. Some of them will get out and vote and it will make it more difficult. It'll make it more difficult for Phil Bredesen running against Marsha Blackburn. He said he would have voted for him if he was there. I think I would stay out of it, but I understand maybe he was trying to balance the wave which was about 60-40 in favor of Kavanaugh in Tennessee.

BLITZER: We are showing viewers live pictures of the Florida governor, Rick Scott, who is introducing the president of the United States. He is running to try to become the next U.S. Senator from Florida against Bill Nelson, the incumbent Democrat.

What does it look like in Tennessee right now? There's a competitive Senate race.

COHEN: Phil Bredesen has a tough race with Marsha Blackburn. He's a competent man. He's a moderate. To be honest, he is not nearly as liberal and progressive as I am or as I would like him to be. We had our differences in the past. I served with Marsha Blackburn and, but for her vote on the state lottery, which was my signature accomplishment, her career in the state Senate was zero, zero good. Her career in Congress has been equally as non-noteworthy. She is good on jumping in front of a parade and putting on her -- leading the parade. That's not what you need. Tennessee has had great Senators over the years. Phil Bredesen could be a Senator like Howard Baker and like Sasser to become leaders in the Senate and to judge issues based on the issue, not on party all the time.

[13:40:04] BLITZER: For Democrats to become the majority in the House, what's going to be your main priority?

COHEN: We will be concerned about health care and jobs and cleaning up the corruption. I suspect I will be on the Transportation Committee as well. The abuses of the you will Trump administration, of which there are thousands. We will figure out what we can about protecting Mueller and get information concerning his involvement with the Russians. And the emoluments clause. The courts have let our lawsuit, which Senator Blumenthal is the lead person, thought there are about 200 of us on it, go forward to say he violated the Constitution by not coming to Congress and ask for permission to take money from foreign potentates. He is taking money from Chinese, Saudis and Turks at Trump Hotel and Trump Plaza and Trump Tower. His whole life has been a fraud. The "New York Times" ran their piece yesterday. It has been a lifetime journey. Paul Simon could write to you about Donald Trump's story. It's from Queens to the park. It is full of fraud and that's what we will have to investigation in the judiciary. On transportation, we will look at a jobs bill and a transportation infrastructure bill.

BLITZER: Congressman Steve Cohen, thanks for joining us.

COHEN: You're welcome, Wolf.

BLITZER: We on standby to hear from President Trump. He is hitting the campaign trail this week with a bunch of sharp messages against the Democrats. He's now being introduced by the Florida governor, Rick Scott. Our coverage is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:46:18] BLITZER: The president just started speaking before the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the annual convention they have in Orlando. Let's listen in.

TRUMP: -- he was governor and he is your biggest fan. So thank you very much.

And also another one of your big fans, I will tell you that, is Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is with us today.

Thank you, Pam.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Thank you very much. Wherever you may be. She is in this big room someplace.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Thank you.

Incredible woman.

Thank you as well to our deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, for being here. Flew down together. The press wants to know, what did you talk about?

(LAUGHTER)

We had a very good talk, I will say. That became a very big story actually.

(LAUGHTER)

We had a good talk.

As Hurricane Michael nears landfall, we are working with state and local officials in Florida to take all necessary precautions. And we urge all residents to be prepared and to heed local officials. I told Rick Scott that we are ready for you. We have already briefed FEMA and FEMA is getting prepared. And it looks like a big one. Can you believe it? It looks like another big one. But we've handled them well. We've handled them very well. That includes the one that just left us in Florida. Never ends. But we are all prepared and, hopefully, it won't be as bad as it's looking. It looked, a couple of days ago, like it was not going to be much and now it's looking like it could be a very big one, so we are prepared. And good luck.

Today, I also want to extend my special thanks to Orlando Chief John Mina and the entire Orlando Police Department for hosting us in this great city.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: John? Where is John?

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Thank you, John. Great job. Great city. Safe city, too, John.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Thank you very much. Great job.

I also want to thank the board of IACP, and congratulations to your incoming president.

Where is the Chief Paul Cell? Where's chief?

(APPLAUSE) TRUMP: Chief? Good, chief.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I have a lot of respect for the chief. I know the chief.

That means I guess have to be here next year, Chief? Is that right? Looking like that, right? It's OK. For you, guys, anything I can do, I'll do.

Very importantly --

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: -- I want to recognize our law enforcement partners from around the world who have traveled here to share their experience and strengthen the vital cooperation we all practice together. We have great, great cooperation all over the world.

We deeply value your friendship and your partnership. Thank you very much for being here. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: This year, we proudly celebrate the 125th anniversary of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. It's a great group.

Today, I stand before you as president of the United States to tell you that my administration will always honor, cherish, and support the men and women in blue. And we are proud to do it.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

[13:50:02] TRUMP: Working together, we have achieved extraordinary progress in the fight against violent crime. We understand that reducing crime begins with respecting law enforcement. For too many years, we have watched politicians escalate political attacks on our courageous police officers. And I've never seen it more than over the last few years. It's disgraceful. Politicians who spread this dangerous anti-police sentiment make life easier for criminals and more dangerous for law-abiding citizens.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: And they also make it more dangerous for police. And it must stop and it must stop now.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Before I took office, less than two years ago, our nation was experiencing an historic surge in violent crime. In 2015, 2016, additional 128,000 violent crimes were committed nationwide compared to the two previous years. That's a tremendous number of additional crime. Over the same period, we witnessed the steepest two-year consecutive increase in murders in nearly half a century.

But we are turning that tide around very rapidly, as you all know in this room. We are taking back our streets from drug lords, gangs, and crimes. We are being tough. We're being smart. By the end of this year, murders in major cities are estimated to drop by close to 10 percent from their levels in 2016. And I have directed the attorney general's office to immediately go to the great city of Chicago to help straighten out the terrible shooting wave. I'm going to straighten it out and straighten it out fast. There's no reason for what's going on there.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I've told them to work with local authorities to try to change the terrible deal the city of Chicago entered into with ACLU, which ties law enforcement's hands, and to strongly consider Stop and Frisk. It works and it was meant for problems like Chicago. It was meant for it. Stop and Frisk.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: And Rudy Giuliani, when he was mayor of New York City, had a very strong program of Stop and Frisk, and it went from an unacceptably dangerous city to one of the safest cities in the country, and I think the safest big city in the country, so it works. Got to be properly applied. But Stop and Frisk works.

The crime spree is a terrible blight on that city and we'll do everything possible to get it done. I know the law enforcement people in Chicago --and I know how good they are -- they could solve the problem if they were simply allowed to do their job and do their job properly. And that's what they wanted to do.

So, Chicago, we're going to start working with you, as of today.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Thank you.

In the fiscal year 2018, my administration brought charges against more federal firearm defendants and more violent criminals than ever before in the history of our country. And to help former inmates become law-abiding and productive members of society, we are also working on a prison reform bill. Very, very big and comprehensive one. And the best thing that could happen, I think we've already done, we have record numbers of jobs right now in the United States. There's never been a time where more people are working in our country than right now.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: And our employment numbers in almost every category are at record lows. They are record lows. African-American, best in history. Asian-American, best in history. Hispanic-American, best in history. We are doing incredibly well as an economy, and that's a great thing. When you talk about people coming out of prison, unable to get a job, totally unable to get a job, it's a hopeless situation. Now they're getting jobs, to a certain extent, and to a large extent, because we're doing so well. And employers are forced to take people that they maybe wouldn't have done. And some of those employers call me and get back to me, and they say, Mr. President, it's amazing how good these people are. And not all of them, not all of anybody, or any category is going to be great but --

[13:55:19] BLITZER: We're going to continue to monitor the president. He's speaking before the International Association of Chiefs of Police, their annual convention in Orlando, Florida.

Much more on this and all the day's important news coming up.

Our coverage will continue right after a quick break. Brooke Baldwin is standing by.

TRUMP: And they're doing an incredible job. So --

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:05] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, there. I'm Brooke Baldwin. You're watching CNN. Thank you so much for being with me.