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State of the Union

Interview With U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch; Interview With Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions; Interview With Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson; GOP Still Split Over Donald Trump; Battle of the Baby Boomers In This Week's "State of the Cartoonion". Aired 9-10a ET

Aired June 19, 2016 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:20]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Aftermath: red flags raised in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

ROBERT ABELL, CO-OWNER, LOTUS GUNWORKS: We did contact the courts and let them know we just had a suspicion person that was in here.

BASH: Did the FBI miss a chance to stop the attack? The attorney general will be here live.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This son of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!

BASH: Donald Trump doubles down on his Muslim ban.

TRUMP: They're pouring in, and we don't know what we're doing.

BASH: And sends many Republicans running scared.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it was very tacky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's ill-advised. It's an unconstitutional and, in many respects, un-American statement.

BASH: Can GOP delegates really launch a revolt at the convention? A top Trump ally joins me next.

And a plea from the president.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I held and hugged grieving family members a parents, and they pleaded that we do more to stop the carnage.

With the Senate slated to vote on guns tomorrow, are there signs of compromise? Plus, the best political minds will be here with insights from the campaign trail.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Hello. I'm Dana Bash, in for Jake Tapper, where the state of our union is in mourning.

It has been a somber week in Orlando, funerals all weekend for the 49 killed in last Sunday's horrific attack at Pulse nightclub.

Two sheriff's deputies on motorcycles were injured while escorting one of the processions, hit by what police called an impatient driver. Orlando is expecting 20,000 people to march in a candlelight walk tonight following a memorial service for the victims.

The Justice Department says, tomorrow, they will release a timeline and limited transcript of the conversation between the killer and police, this as authorities continue to try to piece together a picture of the murderer's last moments and his own motivations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The investigation is ongoing, but we know that the killer was an angry and disturbed individual who took in extremist information and propaganda over the Internet and became radicalized.

During his killing spree, he pledged allegiance to ISIL, a group that's called on people around the world to attack innocent civilians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And with me now here is Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Thank you so much for coming in.

First, let's start with the news that you're going to deliver tomorrow, these transcripts. Can you give us a teaser of what exactly we're going to learn in these transcripts about the killer?

LORETTA LYNCH, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, good morning, Dana, and thank you for having me.

Yes, we are going to be releasing tomorrow more information about this investigation. It's been our goal to get as much information into the public domain as possible, so people can understand, as we do, possibly what motivated this killer, what led him to this place, and also provide us with information.

So, tomorrow, we will be releasing limited transcripts of the calls between the killer and the Orlando P.D. negotiators in the nightclub that night.

BASH: And what will the transcripts tell us?

LYNCH: They will talk about what he told law enforcement on the ground as the events were unfolding.

BASH: And what did he tell them?

LYNCH: You know, as we have said earlier, he talked about his pledges of allegiance to a terrorist group. He talked about his motivations for why he was claiming at that time he was committing this horrific act.

He talked about American policy in some ways. The reason why we're going to limit these transcripts is to avoid revictimizing those who went through this horror. But it will contain the substance of his conversations. And there were three conversations between this killer and negotiators

BASH: And he was, of course, in a gay nightclub. Did he talk about his feelings about gay Americans?

LYNCH: You know, he didn't get into that. And so we're still exploring why he chose this particular place to attack. We're asking people who have information to come forward. People have. We greatly appreciate that.

We are trying to learn everything we can about this individual's motivations. As you note, he was in a gay nightclub. This was an act of terror and an act of hate, targeted against a community, the LGBT community, the Latino community. And, of course, the LGBT community is so far -- far too often the victim of these types of crimes.

BASH: Let's talk about some of the events leading up to this.

The owner of the gun shop where the Orlando killer tried to buy level three body armor, bulk ammo, several weeks before the shooting, this owner says that his staff saw that the behavior of the shooter was suspicious, and they notified authorities. Listen to the -- what the gun shop owner said.

[09:05:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABELL: At that time, he declined any business and he left the store. We had no link, no contact. We had -- didn't know who he was, but we did contact authorities and let them know we just had a suspicious person that was in here, which we have been in regular contact with them. And any time any event happens, we reach out immediately. And there was nothing that would come of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So, why wasn't more done by the authorities to follow up on those suspicions that were reported?

LYNCH: Well, at the gun shop owner indicated, during the course of an -- actually an unrelated investigation, they were speaking with authorities. And in the course of their discussions, they did provide information about this individual, whom we now know to be the Orlando killer, coming into their shop to talk about purchases.

As was noted, because no purchases were made, no I.D. was gathered, no identifying information was available beyond the information, which was recorded and which was kept.

That's exactly what that gun shop owner should have done, and we thank and commend him for that. He then realized after, of course, the tragic events of last weekend, exactly who had been in his shop, and called FBI. And, again, we were able to put those pieces together.

Because no purchase was made, there was nothing to identify who it was. There was nothing to say a name or an address. But, again, we are asking everyone to look back at any contact they have had with this killer and do what this gun shop owner did and report it to us.

BASH: He did. He did exactly what you're supposed to do. If you see something, say something. He might not have got the I.D., but if he was that alarmed that he called the authorities, can you tell us, did the authorities try to figure out who he was?

LYNCH: Well, what I can say is that this is all part of the investigation that is ongoing now. Everything that we're learning about this individual is being looked at, is being reviewed. All of the FBI's contacts with the killer over the past years are being reviewed. We're going back and scrubbing all of that.

BASH: OK.

And, on that note, when the Orlando killer was first questioned by the FBI for possible terror ties, he worked at an armed security guard company called G4S. The company says that the FBI never notified them that he was being investigated at all.

Wouldn't you think that would be important information for any employer, but specifically since he worked for a security company?

LYNCH: Well, you know, I can't get into the specifics of that.

What I can say is that he, in fact, came under the FBI scrutiny because his co-workers were concerned about things that he was saying. So, the information that led to the investigation actually came from his co-workers. He was -- he was under investigation at that time.

BASH: So, did the company know, then?

LYNCH: He was -- he was -- well, I can't speak to what they knew at that time. And, again, we are going back and looking at everything that we did in our investigation of the killer, in our subsequent contact with him, but also all the information that we are receiving, to try and learn his motivations.

This was an act of terror and an act of hate. I'm going to Orlando on Tuesday to continue to get briefings on this matter, to get briefings on the ground from the investigators, the first responders, and to meet with the victims and talk about our ongoing support for local law enforcement and the victims.

BASH: Let me ask you about his wife. She had apparently seen violent changes in her husband's behavior. He told her about his interest in carrying out a jihadist attack.

And we now know that she -- she called and texted with her husband during the actual shootings. And he made sure that she had access to bank accounts and other important documents.

Do you expect that a grand jury is going to make a determination that she should face charges?

LYNCH: Well, because this investigation is open and ongoing, we're not commenting on anyone else's role in it right now, except to say that we are talking to everyone who knew him, and that, of course, includes his family, to determine what they knew, what they saw in the days and weeks leading up to this.

But we're not going to comment on anyone else's role in it at this point in time, because it is an open and ongoing investigation.

BASH: But it's possible she could face charges?

LYNCH: We're not going to discuss who may or may not face charges, because, again, this investigation is still in the early stages. We are still gathering information. And we're still seeking to talk to everyone who had contact with this killer.

BASH: OK. Let me ask you about a place that all of America and the world is familiar with, and that's Disney.

According to a law enforcement official, the Orlando killer visited Disney Springs the beginning of this month, just a couple of weeks ago, and also may have visited Disney World in April.

Do you believe that the shooter had Disney in his sights as a potential target?

LYNCH: You know, we don't know the answer to that right now. That is, of course, one of the things that we are trying to determine. Were there any other locations he was focused on, but, also, why did he pick this particular location? Why did he target the LGBT community, and on -- particularly on Latin night?

Are there connections to that as well? Because, of course, those are two communities that are often victimized by crimes of hate, which, of course, this -- this also included. So, we're trying to find out everything we can about his motivations.

[09:10:00]

BASH: Let me ask you about a discussion that has been going on for some time, but especially now, and that is the relationship between law enforcement and the Muslim community in sensitive cases.

And I want to play something for you that the former CIA director and National Security Agency head Michael Hayden said right here about an investigation that they were doing of Army Major Nidal Hasan, who, of course, murdered 13 people in 2009 at Fort Hood.

Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN (RET.), FORMER NSA DIRECTOR: I think the Army backed away from this -- for want of a better term, I will use yours, political correctness. They didn't want to bite off the issue that they might have gotten into had they gone after Hasan, given his -- his religious leanings.

I -- I think we -- we clearly did not do some things that -- that we should have done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Is that a concern that you have seen and you have heard or that you particularly have, too much political correctness to be able to investigate?

LYNCH: Well, I can tell you -- I can tell you how we handle these investigations now.

We handle these investigations by looking into anything, everything, and everyone. But that also includes reaching out to the Muslim community for information that they may have. In many of the investigations that we do involving individuals who have been radicalized here or individuals that we learn of overseas, a lot of the information that we gain is from the Muslim community.

So, what I would say is that, certainly, we investigate these cases aggressively. No stone is left unturned. There is no backing away from an issue, there is no backing away from an interview because of anyone's background, because, for us, the source of information is very, very important.

And what I will say, though, is that it is very important for to us maintain our contacts within the Muslim community, because, often, individuals, if they're from that community and they're being radicalized, their friends and family members will see it first. They will see activity first. And we want that information to come to us.

Also, those communities are targeted as well. They are often swept up in this. And so we want to make sure that every community in the United States knows that they are under our protection.

BASH: Attorney General Loretta Lynch, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.

LYNCH: Thank you, Dana.

BASH: And coming up: Some delegates are plotting a Republican revolt at their convention. Donald Trump is trying to silence talk of an insurrection, but could it happen?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The Republican National Committee, they put out a statement. You can't do it. It's not legal. You can't do it. You're not allowed to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:16:33]

BASH: Welcome back to STATE OF THE UNION. I'm Dana Bash, in for Jake Tapper.

In the aftermath of the Orlando shootings, the Senate is preparing a series of votes tomorrow on new gun measures.

And Democrats may have found an unlikely ally in none other than the Republican presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

Asked if someone should be barred from buying a gun if he or she is on a terror watch list or a no-fly list, Trump had this to say:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have to make sure that people that are terrorists or have even an inclination toward terrorism cannot buy weapons, guns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: But will his party follow suit?

And joining me now is Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, one of Donald Trump's top advisers on policy.

Thank you so much for joining me, Senator.

SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALABAMA: Dana.

BASH: Let's talk about what's going to happen in the Senate tomorrow, vote on several proposals that would ban terror suspects from buying guns.

You have said that you support a measure by your colleague Senator Cornyn which would require authorities to prove probable cause in three days. But why wouldn't authorities just arrest that person? It wouldn't even get to the point of whether they could buy a gun.

SESSIONS: Well, they would already be arrested if they had enough proof to arrest them. So, the problem is, you have got indications on this list of people who might be involved in terrorism.

And we need to keep a list of that, need to do the best we can to monitor those people, so that they don't become an active terrorist person. But a lot of people may be wrongly on the list. In fact, I'm sure there are a lot of people on that list that shouldn't be on it.

So, if you're going to deny a person a constitutional right like free speech or the right to have a firearm, then you -- that person has to have an opportunity to explain that they shouldn't be on the list. That's all it's about. That's what the difference is. Republicans have voted consistently to ban people from having -- on

that list from having a gun, but to give them an opportunity to prove they shouldn't be on the list.

BASH: So, one of your colleagues, Senator Collins, is working on a compromise, which would limit the lists to a no-fly list and a selectee list. So, it would apply to about 109,000 people, as opposed to what you were talking about, the broader one million people or so who are on the terror watch list.

Would you back that compromise legislation?

SESSIONS: Well, Susan is so careful about those things. And she's worked really hard to figure out the differences in various lists and what kind of proof it takes to get on that list.

BASH: Exactly.

SESSIONS: So, I would be willing to listen to what she said. I am open to the details, Dana. I agree that, somehow, some way, we should be able to make this work.

BASH: Let's talk about the response that Mr. Trump had to the Orlando shooting. He said he would -- quote -- "suspend immigration from areas of the world when there is proven history of terrorism," and also focused on the parents of the shooter, who emigrated from Afghanistan.

Does this mean that Mr. Trump is now in favor of a ban on all immigration from certain countries?

SESSIONS: He simply said -- and the way I understand it, and what I think is that we should slow down. Let's have a pause and begin to analyze where the threats are coming from.

We have a toxic ideology, hopefully very small, within Islam. Certainly, most people, Muslims don't agree with this violent jihadist approach. And we need to figure out a better way to identify that.

[09:20:06]

We have written the president, Senator Cruz and I, months ago, saying give us the background of the 580 terrorists that have been convicted since 9/11...

BASH: But...

SESSIONS: ... and see if we can't see a pattern, so we can do a better job of blocking the entry of those. So, slowing down, I think, is a good idea.

BASH: What does that mean? Are you going to look specifically at certain countries? Are you going to look at certain religions? How would that actually work in practical terms?

SESSIONS: Dana, I think you -- first, you look at backgrounds. Look at the countries where we have a -- of this 580 terrorists, about 95 percent or so are from Islamic countries.

BASH: So, for example, give me some names of countries that you would look at first.

SESSIONS: Well, all I can tell you is, the public data that we have had indicate that there are quite a number of countries in that region that have sent a large number of people that have become terrorists. And so...

BASH: Are you talking about Saudi Arabia? Or are you talking about...

SESSIONS: Well, it all depends. A lot of it is on population.

BASH: Iran?

SESSIONS: Like, Pakistan has a number, people from Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen.

BASH: So, you would consider and Mr. Trump would consider banning immigration temporarily completely from those countries?

SESSIONS: Not completely.

I mean, you have got diplomats and businesspeople who have been traveling for a long time. But tightening up that, pausing on the normal flow here until we get a good database the administration has refused to give us and protect the American people, that's not unreasonable.

You don't have a constitutional right to come to America. We respect your religion in this country. We will defend your right to free exercise of religion, but a person with an ideology that goes beyond normal religion that believes you can kill gays, that kills people who change their view about the religion they have, that is a dangerous thing, and we do not have to admit people like that.

BASH: But the killer in Orlando, the Fort Hood shooter, the San Bernardino shooter, they were all Americans. They were born in America. So how would this solution stop the last several massacres, including the biggest one in this country last week?

SESSIONS: Well, their parents came here with an ideology, and it seemed to have impacted them.

For example, in Orlando, the parent was close to the Taliban, a radical element that we are fighting right now in Afghanistan.

BASH: But his father lived without breaking any laws that we know of his entire life in this country.

SESSIONS: I'm just saying, you get two people from Afghanistan, one of them believes in the United States, one of them believes in a democratic republic, and one of them believes in the Taliban.

We can't admit everybody in the world. Why don't we admit those who have the greatest chance of being prosperous in the United States, to work harmoniously with us? We don't have a duty to admit people who may be at risk or may place Americans at risk.

BASH: So let's talk about the reaction among your fellow members of Congress, Republicans.

One called it disgusting, Mr. Trump's speech. Another said it was highly offensive. As the key Trump supporter in the U.S. Congress -- we hear this in public -- what are you getting behind closed doors?

SESSIONS: Well, the talking heads have been talking about this a lot, but they should read the speech.

BASH: But these aren't talking heads. These are senators.

SESSIONS: They -- well, they are talking heads, some of them, and even if you're senators. We all are, I guess.

But they should read the speech. It's a great speech. It lays out carefully the issues and challenges we face. It exposes President Obama's unbelievably weak response, his unwillingness and her unwillingness to even acknowledge that these attacks are products of extremism within Islam. I think we have got to talk about that.

BASH: Let's talk about politics and the fact that there is a movement among some delegates to the Republican Convention to try to get Donald Trump off the ballot, to make sure that he is not the nominee.

Do you know of any effort inside the Trump campaign to call these delegates and stop them?

SESSIONS: Well, I don't think that has any chance whatsoever.

Somebody said they could have as many as 30 people. Well, they are 2,400 delegates. He's going to win this nomination, clearly.

What I would say to my people that are seeking unity, you need also to listen to the American people. Why don't we acknowledge that these trade deals haven't worked so well, as Donald Trump says? Why don't we acknowledge that immigration is now in a lawless state and needs to be restored?

BASH: But is the campaign making...

SESSIONS: I think our leaders need to be paying attention also to the people, not just complaining about things that Donald Trump might say.

BASH: But a fight at the convention is -- is not good for anybody inside the Republican Party who is looking for the kind of unity you're talking about.

Is the campaign making calls, trying to stop kind of a revolt at the convention?

[09:25:03]

SESSIONS: Well, there's not going to be a revolt.

But I would say that the administration, that the Trump campaign is definitely reaching out. We have had a number of meetings, a number of meetings with the Republican Senate leadership, House members, Congressman Ryan, Mitch McConnell, multiple phone calls and discussions.

But I would just urge them to watch what happened in this election. The American people don't want another 5,000-page trade deal. They want an end of lawlessness and immigration.

BASH: You...

SESSIONS: They want the -- the United States to be careful about what wars it gets into. And they want an end to gridlock in Washington.

I think...

BASH: I can't let you go, Senator...

(LAUGHTER)

BASH: ... without asking you about being Donald Trump's running mate. You are on every single list that we see.

Are you being vetted?

SESSIONS: I certainly expect not.

I have not been discussing that with them. And I don't even -- even know if anybody is being vetted, but I think you will be...

BASH: Would you like to be vetted?

SESSIONS: I -- I have only said...

BASH: And considered?

SESSIONS: ... if I were asked, I would consider it. I don't expect that to happen.

BASH: But the vetting process hasn't started at all?

SESSIONS: I don't know. I have not -- I have no idea what -- what they're doing.

I suspect that people are thinking about it. But it will be an important decision. He needs somebody who can really be a great president if something happens to him, somebody who can advance -- help him advance an agenda that I think is the American people's agenda.

BASH: Senator Sessions, thank you very much for coming in this morning. I appreciate it.

SESSIONS: Thank you. BASH: Thank you.

And up next: George W. Bush coming out of retirement to raise money for Republican senators worried Trump will cost them their seats. Will the ex-president speak out against his party's choice?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:58]

BASH: Welcome back. I'm Dana Bash.

Anyone but Trump, that's the rallying cry for a group of Republican delegates who still think they can dump their party's presumptive nominee. One idea is to try to push through a so-called conscience clause that would allow delegates bound to Trump to vote for someone else.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Who are they going to pick? I've beat everybody, but I don't mean beat, I beat the hell out of them. Right?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I beat the hell out of them. And we're going to beat Hillary and it would be helpful if the Republicans could help us a little bit, you know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And joining me now is Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. First question, senator, is do you support the idea that convention delegates should be able to vote their conscience, be unbound if they are currently bound to vote for Donald trump?

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R), CHAIRMAN, HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Well, good morning, Dana. I'm not a delegate. I really do not know. Nobody can really predict what's going to be the outcome of our nomination process. I know there's a number of movements afoot.

I'm not part of that process. I have my own race here in Wisconsin. I'm going to concentrate on the areas of agreement, growing our economy, strengthening our military, defeating ISIS, securing our borders, making sure that we have judges appointed to the Supreme Court. So those are the issues, you know, economic growth so that we have -- create better opportunities for the American public for the folks here in Wisconsin. I mean, that's the think I'm going to concentrate on.

BASH: You mentioned your race there in Wisconsin. New poll from Marquette University shows you down nine points with likely voters. A lot of Republicans are worried Donald Trump is dragging down vulnerable Republicans, you are one of those Republicans. Is Donald Trump dragging you down? JOHNSON: Dana, we just began our campaign. I know my opponent announced over a year ago he's so desperate to return to the United States Senate. I'm actually accomplishing things. So I've been approaching this campaign, I'm doing my job as the chairman of Senate Committee and Homeland Security Government Affairs. It's a serious responsibility. I take it seriously.

So I'm not really looking at the polls right now. Remember six years ago I didn't even announce, didn't even decide to run for Senate about six months out.

BASH: Yes.

JOHNSON: It's about the same position we're in right now. So again I'm not worried about polls. I'm just doing my job.

BASH: According to a paper from your home state you said just before an event last month "I'm going to certainly endorse the Republican nominee and obviously it looks like that will be Mr. Trump." Have you endorsed him?

JOHNSON: It has been my intention to support the Republican nominee. And again nobody can predict the outcome of this thing. So I think things remain reasonably uncertain. But is my intention to support --

BASH: So are you endorsing Mr. Trump right now?

JOHNSON: I intend to support the Republican nominee and certainly support the areas of agreement, growing our economy, defeating ISIS, strengthening our military, securing our border. I mean, those -- no two people agree 100 percent on everything. So I'll support the areas of agreement.

BASH: Support but not endorse, what's the difference?

JOHNSON: Well to me endorsement is a big embrace. It basically shows that I pretty well agree with an individual on almost everything. That's not necessarily be the case with our nominee, so I'll certainly be an independent voice where I disagree with a particular nominee. I'll voice it, whether it's Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, or anybody else. I'll voice those disagreements and I'll certainly support the areas of agreement.

BASH: OK. Let's talk about the letter that you wrote to the FBI Director James Comey asking for more information about the agency's actions during and after and even before the shooting in Orlando. Do you think that the agency mishandled the case?

JOHNSON: Well again, as chairman the Senate Committee and Homeland Security of Government Affairs -- yes, I do have that responsibility of oversight and I've got a great deal of respect for Director Comey and Secretary Johnson. I'm sure they're also doing an after action report. They're looking at the facts of the situation as well as previous terrorist attacks trying to figure out, what can we do better?

[09:35:07]

BASH: And senator, three days after the Orlando shootings last week you wrote a letter to Facebook to CEO Mark Zuckerberg -- Zuckerberg, forgive me -- and you asked the company to turn over material relating to the accounts linked to the Orlando shooter because he was posting on that site during the attack. Has Mark Zuckerberg or anybody from Facebook responded?

JOHNSON: Yes. I'm sure Facebook is going to be cooperative. They've been cooperative in the past. They've been doing very innovative -- taking very innovative efforts trying to counter ISIS' vile and barbaric use of social media. So I view Facebook as a real partner in this.

BASH: Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, thank you so much for joining me this morning.

JOHNSON: Have a good day.

BASH: And coming up, some names are getting crossed off Hillary Clinton's short list for V.P. Who is still under consideration? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:40:20]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The party is actually liking me. You know, I'm an outsider, I'm an outsider and historically they don't love the outsiders but I think they're starting to like me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Let's talk about whether or not that's true.

Here with me now our all-star panel former Ohio State senator Nina Turner, a Bernie Sanders supporter. Jeffrey Lord, CNN Republican commentator and Trump supporter. Congressman Xavier Becerra, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and a Hillary Clinton supporter, and Ana Navarro, CNN commentator who is not a Donald Trump supporter but a Republican.

(LAUGHTER)

Ana?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, madam.

BASH: When are Republicans, and are Republicans going to come around and start supporting Donald Trump? Is it going to happen?

NAVARRO: I think some definitely are. There is -- I would tell you there's three factions. There is people who actually genuinely like Donald Trump, like Jeffrey Lord. There is those who have fallen in line who think out of party loyalty to defend and protect the down ballot candidate they have got to support him. And you see different levels of support. I mean, he's pretty toxic so some of them are embracing him, some are air kissing him, some are just keeping him as far away as they can. And I think the third faction is the one that I'm in, which is no way, no how (ph), no chance will we ever support Donald Trump.

I was just at the Romney retreat last weekend and I can tell you all three factions were there, and it felt like a thanksgiving dinner with the most dysfunctional family. You thought you were going to get stabbed with a fork at some point. It is a very heated, emotionally charged difficult gut-wrenching decision for so many Republicans.

BASH: And Jeffrey Lord, part of the dysfunction -- or at least the dysfunctional wing if you're Donald Trump is going to come to the convention and their delegate...

JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Right.

BASH: ... and they're not happy with Donald Trump.

Listen to what one delegate said who is helping organize the stop Trump movement at the convention.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENDAL UNRUH, REPUBLICAN DELEGATE: I am working daily on getting the votes and I have a very good group of rules committee members. In fact two called me right before this and they have signed on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now I get how hard this is...

LORD: Right.

BASH: ... even if they are quite successful or they're good at organizing. But this has got to concern Trump supporters and the campaign.

LORD: Dana, they don't have a horse (INAUDIBLE). The last time something like this was even remotely close was June of 1964 when Nelson Rockefeller had flamed out and the moderates rebelling against Barry Goldwater pushed then governor of Pennsylvania Bill Scranton into the race. He got clobbered.

They don't have a Bill Scranton as it were. They don't have a Mitt Romney, a Jeb Bush, anybody here, so they've got a big problem.

Secondly, if by chance they succeeded, I mean there would be an open rebellion right on down the ballot from all these millions of people who voted for Donald Trump who would say, OK, if that's what you're going to do then let's go there and I will vote for my Republican senator or congressman. They'll make Xavier speaker of the House if he's not vice president -- I mean, it will be -- it will be a problem.

BASH: Now I know you guys are probably popping the popcorn on the Democratic side ahead of the Republican convention, but you know, Hillary Clinton's unfavorable ratings are not great either.

REP. XAVIER BECERRA, DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS CHAIRMAN: But, Dana, there's a difference between getting to know the Democratic nominee, presumptive nominee versus having someone who is your presumptive nominee who is just unfit to be president of the United States.

Every day brings more evidence that Donald Trump is just not ready to be in the White House, and more and more people are saying it. Ana Navarro just said it very, very well. And that's his difficulty.

Somehow he had to show we want someone in the White House who praises Vladimir Putin. I think we would prefer to have someone who green lights going after Osama bin Laden. Here's a guy who says he's for the assault weapon ban but now he has got the endorsement of the gun lobby so now he's against an assault weapon ban.

We want somebody who is consistent. Hillary Clinton has been consistent. She's ready to be commander in chief.

NAVARRO: I don't know this issue about we're getting to know the Democratic nominee, I mean, we've known her for 30 years. You know, we've known her. She's been in the public life for a long, long time and the truth is, and I think a lot of people, a lot of Americans feel that we have to make the lesser of the bad choice.

BASH: So let me ask you about that.

NAVARRO: It's a difficult choice.

BASH: But let me go back to what you said about being at the Romney retreat which happens every year in Utah, brings a whole bunch of donors and others in. To Jeffrey's point -- yes, there might be a lot of people who aren't thrilled with Donald Trump but you can't replace somebody with nobody.

[09:45:01]

Was there any talk of an alternative, maybe Mitt Romney wanting to jump in again?

NAVARRO: You know, I mean, at this point it would just be an impossible mission. Right? It's really too late even more Mitt Romney who does have the ability to raise money and who has a veteran network.

BASH: So you think that the -- from your perspective --

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: I think there's a will but I think there's not a way. And look -- and I think Jeff I have right. I think that if we try to have a coup in Cleveland we're going to get slaughtered in Cleveland. So you've got two choices, you know, do we get slaughtered in Cleveland in July or do we get slaughtered in November across the nation? It is a bleak scenario for Republicans.

What I do think is going to happen and what I did sense out of the Romney retreat is that there's a willingness to come together, for there to be a Republican reconstruction. And I think Mitt Romney is going to be one of those leaders, as is Paul Ryan, whether it's in November, whether it's in four years or eight years, there is going to be a post-Trump reconstruction and coming together of the Republican Party, much like the Democrats had a few, a decade ago.

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: Nina Turner, let me bring you in here.

One of the things that Donald Trump did for a while is try to court Bernie Sanders supporters. Do you see at this point them going over now that we know it's going to be Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump?

NINA TURNER (D), FORMER OHIO STATE SENATOR: Well, I mean, I can't predict. I mean, there is a lot of Bernie or bust out there. Whether or not the most intense Sanders supporters will go that way I don't know, but it is a possibility that people will skip that category.

I've heard a lot of that as I traveled the country, that the two choices are not acceptable, and especially for those who are fervently on the side of Senator Bernie Sanders. (INAUDIBLE) we cannot afford -- Democrats cannot afford to take any vote for granted or any segment of the Democratic Party for granted. And in a lot of ways, Dana, some of the people who are energized by Senator Bernie Sanders do not have a loyalty to the Democratic Party as it stands and so we have to recognize those people and try to do something to pull them over.

BASH: So do you think -- what do you think the end game is for Bernie Sanders? Do you think he's going to, does he have a potential third party run in him?

TURNER: I mean, he's going to do what he said he was going to do. He gave an address on Thursday. He's going to take -- we understand the math is not on our side. We're not delusional about that but the social study still is.

And so we're going to go to that convention and fight for the most progressive platform that we can get and then not just the platform, people are in a move for show now. They're tired of the tale where he's going to continue to use his cache to do just what he said. I know it's not popular for politicians to mean what they say, say what they mean but Senator Sanders has been a man of his absolute word. He will continue to do that.

BASH: All right, I want you all to listen to what Elizabeth Warren, the senator from Massachusetts, said. She was speaking at -- in New Hampshire at the state Democratic Party meeting there. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: She keeps at it. She keeps fighting for Democratic values and fighting to take down an army of right wing lunatics who will say and do anything to undermine reform in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: She's really becoming an incredible attack dog for Hillary Clinton, kind of maybe surprising in that she didn't endorse her until the very end. Could she be a good pick, a V.P. pick?

NAVARRO: Look, I think if one of Hillary Clinton's goals is to be able to pick off some of these more moderate Republicans who are, you know, having this existentialist moment and Elizabeth Warren would kill any chance of that ever happening.

I do think that it's refreshing to hear Elizabeth Warren, because what we hear from Hillary Clinton tends to be so guarded, so scripted, so boring, and so all of a sudden you've got somebody that's being, you know, she -- I mean, it's like Elizabeth Warren is channeling Hillary Clinton unplugged, unfiltered and she's saying the things that I suspect Hillary Clinton wishes she could say, but can't bring herself to.

BASH: I'm guessing you've some attack dog in you. Tell me -- tell me where the vetting process is for you.

BECERRA: I don't have --

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: You've got hell of a lot of attack dog in you.

BASH: In all seriousness are you being vetted?

(CROSSTALK)

BECERRA: (INAUDIBLE). Thank you, happy father's day, to your father as well. To my knowledge I don't, I can't tell you I know. I know that I'm in constant communication with the campaign on a number of items, but I can't tell you I know where they are on this vetting process.

BASH: Sounds like a potential yes but I'll let -- I'll let you go on that.

BECERRA: But I do agree with Ana that. Secretary Clinton is certainly measured.

BASH: OK. We got to leave it there. Thank you so much for your time, appreciate it and happy father's day.

BECERRA: Happy father's day to you (INAUDIBLE).

BASH: Donald Trump turned 70 this week, what the big birthday means, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Two momentous occasions overshadowed by the week's tragedy. Hillary Clinton became a grandmother again and Donald Trump turned 70.

Jake Tapper took a look at the maturity, shall we say, of this year's crop of candidates. It's this week's "State of the Cartoonion."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, ANCHOR (voice-over): Happy 70th birthday Donald Trump. Your birthday blowouts are legendary.

At your 50th, there was even an ice sculpture of your then wife Marla Maples. However you celebrate it, this year is a landmark, turning 70 means if elected you will be the oldest president ever sworn in. And if Hillary Clinton is elected she'll be the second oldest president to take the oath.

That's right it's the battle of the baby boomers. You might have thought the boomers' time had passed. Rubio sure did.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This election is a generational choice.

[09:55:02]

TAPPER: For boomer history Hillary Clinton seems to represent the campus culture wars of the '60s, right down to her daughter Chelsea named after a Joni Mitchell song.

Trump reflects a different slice of boomer history, late era rat pack. Back when the men were men, the women were broads and Sinatra was always playing.

TRUMP: Frank Sinatra, they're all friends of mine.

TAPPER: American has a big decision to make come November between these two baby boomers but since both boomers say they will not touch any of the entitlement program spending for older people such as Medicare.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my back.

TAPPER: Whoever wins, gen Xers and millenials, you're going to be sent the bill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Thanks so much for spending your Sunday morning with us. Happy father's day to all of the father watching, including mine, who is overseas.

"FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" is next.