Clinton: "I'm Not A Natural Politician"; Clinton & Sanders Clash on Immigration, Health Care
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am not a natural politician, in case you haven't noticed, like my husband or President Obama. So,I have a view that I just have to do the best I can, get the results I can, make a difference in people's lives, and hope that people see that I'm fighting for them.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: She spent years in office but Hillary Clinton says she is no natural politician. That came, obviously, from last night's big debate. Will presenting herself as, I guess, vulnerable, resonate with voters in major contests next week? And there are a lot of policy distinctions that came out, as well. So let's test them with Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan, senior adviser currently to the Pro-Clinton Super PAC, Correct the Record.</s>JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D), FORMER MICHIGAN GOVERNOR: Great to see you.</s>CUOMO: So, let's start with that. What does that mean? What am I supposed to take from that statement that I'm not a natural politician?</s>GRANHOLM: Well, I think she's responding to what a lot of people say, which is that she has more difficulty connecting in a big way to people. So, she understands that she's got work to do on the big expression. If you connect with her one-on-one she's fantastic, and the question for her has always been how do you project that outward? I thought that that was one of the most -- I really loved that recognition. It was sort of self-effacing and a recognition that she understands who she is and what she has to continue to work on.</s>CUOMO: The criticism that you risk with that statement is that you are acknowledging what is, in fact, a problem. The inability of the campaign -- arguably, the candidate -- to connect with a national mood that is carrying a Trump, that is carrying a Sanders.</s>GRANHOLM: See, I think that's different than what she was saying and that I would say. She is saying that she is good at getting things done. And what do people -- the issue about trust, right? Who do people trust to be the most effective commander in chief? Hands down, it's Hillary Clinton. Who do people trust to be able to get her agenda through? To be able to be bipartisan and work with the Congress, which we all acknowledge will be still controlled, at least in the House, by Republicans? The challenge for Bernie Sanders, I think, on the flip side of that, is these big ideas not being able to get through. He was just -- there was -- the Lugar Center at Georgetown just did an analysis of the most partisan members of Congress. And the two most partisan in the past 10 years were Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz, and that's a problem.</s>CUOMO: His supporters say that his conviction, that's his passion --</s>GRANHOLM: Sure.</s>CUOMO: -- that's a plus, and that you are killing hope, governor.</s>GRANHOLM: All of that is great. No, I'm not.</s>CUOMO: You're killing hope.</s>GRANHOLM: Well, the hope is that you get stuff done. It's not hopeful to be able to make promises you can't --</s>CUOMO: Dream big.</s>GRANHOLM: Love dreaming. I would love to be in the NBA but it's not going to happen. So, I want to be able to vote for somebody who can actually make good on their promises.</s>CUOMO: When it comes to Europe and everywhere else, obviously, I'm supporting his argument --</s>GRANHOLM: Why, of course.</s>CUOMO: -- because you're supporting Hillary's. He would say well, look at all these other industrialized nations. They do it --</s>GRANHOLM: Absolutely. Absolutely.</s>CUOMO: -- and if the people want it, it will get done. At least fight for the right thing. You're selling him short out of the box.</s>GRANHOLM: Well, what I'm saying is that on that -- on health care -- we have an affordable care act that the president has supported with 90 percent of Americans covered. Let's finish the job and get the rest covered. Why not move on the things you know you can get done which are so important to people? What I loved last night, Chris, is that she started with the issue that people -- not just in Florida, not just the Latino community -- across the country care most about, which is jobs. It was her first statement. She came out of Michigan knowing that people care about trade and jobs, and I think you're going to hear a lot more from her about that.</s>CUOMO: She came out of Michigan -- your state --</s>GRANHOLM: Yes.</s>CUOMO: But you know the frightening thing isn't just that she lost Michigan if you're a Hillary Clinton supporter. It's that Michigan looks like Ohio.</s>GRANHOLM: Of course it does.</s>CUOMO: Looks like Illinois.</s>GRANHOLM: Yes.</s>CUOMO: And looks like this swing of states that you're going after right now.</s>GRANHOLM: Looks like Buffalo. Looks like upstate New York.</s>CUOMO: But she lost it.</s>GRANHOLM: Well, but she -- she lost Michigan.</s>CUOMO: Yes.</s>GRANHOLM: What I'm saying is that she understands what it is like to represent a state that has lost jobs. And her point is you have got to be tough on trade and have an economic agenda that brings jobs to this country so that we can stamp products made in America and export them. And her comprehensive agenda -- her broad agenda -- is one that contrasts with his because all he's doing is saying no.</s>CUOMO: Bernie's saying raise the minimum wage --</s>GRANHOLM: Well, she's saying that, too.</s>CUOMO: -- and you cut bad trade deals. But she doesn't want to go to $15, which Bernie wants. Bernie says even that's not enough, according to him.</s>GRANHOLM: She wants to go to $12 and she would support $15 locally. Wait a minute. I mean, everybody on our side wants to raise the minimum wage and she's said go to $12 nationally and allow locals to raise it more. And she supports those local efforts to raise it higher. She has got a comprehensive plan on trade and on jobs, and this is what she is going to be talking about in Ohio, in Illinois, and in Florida.</s>CUOMO: Why do you think Bernie Sanders is giving Sec. Clinton such fits?</s>GRANHOLM: Such fits.</s>CUOMO: Well, I mean, it's a tight race.</s>GRANHOLM: Yes, yes, yes. It's a lot tighter than --</s>CUOMO: It's hard to say how tight it is because you're going to hit me over the head with the super delegate count, but some people say --</s>GRANHOLM: Super delegate count?</s>CUOMO: -- super delegates. She's up a couple of hundred, but it's very close. It wasn't supposed to be this close. He just won Michigan -- that was a surprise. I mean, these are all surprising developments.</s>GRANHOLM: We knew -- I mean, they may be surprising to you because people were focusing on these external polls.</s>CUOMO: You thought Bernie Sanders would win Michigan?</s>GRANHOLM: No, no. I didn't think he'd win. I thought it would be a lot closer than what these crazy polls were showing because I understand that in Michigan people have been hurting by these trade agreements. And so, for her -- you know what drives me crazy, Chris, and you understand this being the son of a governor. If your mom had come out against something that your dad was proposing when he was governor that just wouldn't happen. So for her to be blamed for NAFTA it's just totally unrealistic. She's first lady. You think Michelle Obama's going to come out against the agreements on Iran?</s>CUOMO: Well, that's always been a dicey proposition --</s>GRANHOLM: I mean, that's just what I'm saying.</s>CUOMO: -- and the risk is trying to have it both ways. Own certain parts of the administration under Bill, and not her. But I get your question. That's something to let marinate with the Democratic voters.</s>GRANHOLM: It's the same with TPP. I can say that. It's the same with TPP. He's got a cabinet. She's on his cabinet. She's going to carry out his agenda on his cabinet. You think if somebody on my cabinet had come out against me publicly on something I was pushing --</s>CUOMO: That's politics.</s>GRANHOLM: I understand, but I'm just saying what's real.</s>CUOMO: That's about authenticity and it's for the voters to decide.</s>GRANHOLM: What's real and what's fair is to challenge her on stuff when she's on her own. When she is voting against CAFTA as a senator, OK, give her that. It's unfair, I think, to say that she's -- everything that her husband did is hers.</s>CUOMO: Understood, governor. Thanks for being here.</s>GRANHOLM: Hey, great to see you.</s>CUOMO: And if my mother had run, she'd still be governor.</s>GRANHOLM: Yes, I believe that.</s>CUOMO: All right, we have another big guest for you this morning, Carly Fiorina. She did not seem, when she was running, to be a particular Ted Cruz fan, but she did endorse him. Why? She's up next to explain.