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CNN NEWSROOM

Hillary Clinton Addresses E-mail Controversy; Candidates Weigh in on Kentucky Clerk/Same-Sex Marriage; Trump in Feud with Talk Show Host over Foreign Policy; Obama Hosting Saudi King at White House, Discussing Iran Dean, Terrorism; 2 in Court over Kid Fight Club; Search for Loose King Cobra in Orlando Continues. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired September 4, 2015 - 14:30   ET

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


[14:30:00] MATT LEWIS, SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR, DAILY CALLER: I think the problem with the e-mail scandal is she has been on the defensive talking about it for months and when she talks about it she comes across as unlikable and un-transparent. And if you look at the clip you just played, insulting. She just said, I am sorry if people are confused. My interpretation of that is, hey, public, if you are not smart enough or if I confused you, I apologize. It's almost patronizing the way that she is talking. So it's not the actual scandal.

(CROSSTALK)

VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR; This time, I don't agree with you. At different times, she has come across very stiff and difficult, and this time she seemed more relaxed and relatable on it.

I agree with you, 100 percent. She should have been talking about this every day or put herself in this situation. But a year from now, if the only thing the Republicans can say about her, she had weird stuff about her e-mails, she will get 49 states. This is not that big of a deal for ordinary people. And it goes to a character and judgment question. And it's one factor among many. People know Hillary Clinton. Even people who don't like her say she's a tough and strong leader, and that's what the Republicans have to deal with and not the e-mails.

(CROSSTALK)

ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: We will continue to monitor what happens in this e-mail fallout.

But let's turn to the GOP candidates weighing in on the Kentucky clerk controversy, Kim Davis, sitting in jail right now for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex marriage couples.

Let's listen to this and talk on the back side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R), TEXAS & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For the first time, we are seeing a Christian woman thrown in jail for standing up for her faith. BOBBY JINDAL, (R), GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE:

Individuals shouldn't have to choose between her Christian beliefs and keeping their jobs.

SEN. RAND PAUL, (R), KENTUCKY & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's absurd to put someone in jail for exercising their religious liberty.

SCOTT WALKER, (R), WISCONSIN GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (voice- over): The Constitution is very clear that people have the freedom of religion.

MIKE HUCKABEE, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: I was amazed at how accommodating we were for the detainees at Gitmo, but we can't accommodate a county clerk in Kentucky?

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION (voice-over): You have to go with it. You have to go with it. The decision has been made and that is the law of the land.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: We just learned Mike Huckabee is going to visit her in jail. He'll hold a rally in her support. We heart a lot of other GOP candidates supporting her. Trump, though, saying, "Follow the law." It's an issue that continues to divide the GOP.

Matt, how big of an issue is this to voters?

LEWIS: I don't think it's a big issue right now. Amazingly, I think Donald Trump is right, though.

(LAUGHTER)

I think a lot of conservatives -- myself, I feel like if you are a baker, I don't think you should be compelled to violate your rights of conscience and be forced to bake a cake for a gay wedding. On the other hand, if you are an elected official, I think you have to follow the rule of law. In this case, I think Donald Trump is the only guy that actually gets it here. And following the rule of law, the last time I checked, was a conservative value.

CABRERA: Trump is feeling the heat or fire from conservative radio host, Hugh Hewitt, however, this is a guy not short of words, and he asked gotcha questions on Mideast policy. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH HEWITT, CONSERVATIVE RADIO SHOW HOST: On the front of the Islamist terrorism, I am looking on the next commander-in-chief to know who the players are.

TRUMP: No, you know, I'll tell you honestly, by the time we get to office, they will be all changed. They'll be all gone. I knew you were going to ask me things like this, and there's no reason, because, number one, I will hopefully find a General Douglas Macarthur in the pack. And I will find whoever it is I will find. And they are all changing you. Those are like history questions. Do you know this one, do you know that one?

HEWITT: I don't believe in gotcha questions. And I am not trying to quiz you on --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: That is a gotcha question, though. You are asking me who is running this, this, and this. I will be so good to the military your head will spin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Van, is that a gotcha question?

JONES: Well, it's absolutely not a gotcha question. He has been on the trail. The problem is he has not been asked any tough questions and when he does he dances away. Carly Fiorina got asked the same question with no prepare and destroyed it, nailed it, and it's like the class clown versus the valedictorian. He sounds like my kids. My kids say, I don't want to do homework, and if somebody asked me a tough question as an adult, I will Google the answer. No, kids. No, Donald. You actually have to do your homework if you want to be president.

CABRERA: He has other candidates fighting him back saying he should know the answers, and Marco Rubio said Trump's answer was concerning.

And, Matt, Trump does say he has other people around him who are smarter than him on certain topics. Does he have a point?

[14:35:] LEWIS: Well, look, he has a point. Certainly, I think that you can't expect a politician -- by the way, part of the argument here is he is not a politician --

(CROSSTALK)

CABRERA: But he is a politician, because he is running for president.

LEWIS: If he had political experience he would know who they are.

(LAUGHTER)

So there is truth fact there are random obscure figures in the Iranian government, let's say, that I wouldn't expect anybody to know. But, you know, the first thing that Hugh Hewitt asked him about, was the Quds force or Suleiman. This is a guy who basically installed the president of Iraq, who, according to "The New Yorker," is behind America leaving no reserve forces, and the fact that Donald Trump doesn't know who he is, I think, is alarming.

CABRERA: Van Jones, Matt Lewis, we'll have to leave it there.

Thanks so much.

Be sure to catch the next Republican primary debate where he is sure to be asked more questions, and all different candidates will be asked about different foreign policy issues. It's right here on CNN, September 16th.

Up next, President Obama meeting with the king of Saudi Arabia today talking about the Iran deal, so what did they say?

A fight club in a daycare center. Two employees of a daycare center in New Jersey are accused of instigating fights between 4 and 6-year- old children. They faced a judge today, and that story is ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:41:07] CABRERA: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. President Obama hosting the Saudi king at the White House today, and this is his first visit to the White House since he ascended to the thrown. Two key discussion points, the Iranian deal and terrorism.

White House correspondent, Michelle Kosinski, joins us from the White house with more on today's historic meeting -- Michelle?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ana. You have so much going on right now, Iran, Syria, is, you name it. As the White House has been framing this visit, an important one at an important time, especially with the Iran deal, go into effect looking like its a done deal. This visit is really an opportunity for the U.S. to reassure the Saudis that the U.S. stands with them in trying to counter Iran's destabilizing force in that region, which, by all accounts, is only going to continue. It's not just a matter of the U.S. helping to arm Saudi Arabia, which is going to continue. And it's, as the White House is putting it, doing things within that region and having the countries better coordinate their missile defense and the U.S. is poised to help them with that. Better intelligence sharing, and also better intradiction of arms. Even though we are entering into the deal with Iran it doesn't mean we are on Iran's side and we will help you counteract whatever Iran will do to further destabilize the region.

CABRERA: So much has been said about the Saudi's health, and the king booked the entire hotel where he is saying?

KOSINSKI: Yes, this is a spectacle, and it always is when an entourage with the Saudi king, and they were supposed to have an entourage of 1,000 people which made everybody upset, and I don't think the entourage is that big and you look at the pictures the all of the sedans lined up at Andrew's Air Force Base where they come in or the booking of the entire hotel in Georgetown, and they talk about all the gold fixtures being brought in, and red carpeting being laid out and even the parking garage so they don't have to step on asphalt ever during their visit.

(CROSSTALK)

KOSINSKI: It's incredible to see.

When you drive by the hotel and the security is just incredible, and you see all of these people, and you just think, in the entourage, what are these people doing every single day, and the entourage of 1,000 on the French Riviera. That's a pretty big group there. (LAUGHTER)

CABRERA: No doubt. Maybe it's a culture thing we just don't understand.

Michelle Kosinski, thank you so much.

Coming up, the Kentucky clerk still refusing to issue marriage license to same-sex couples, despite the Supreme Court ruling, and she is meeting with her attorney, who is expected to meet with reporters. We'll bring that to you.

A king cobra on the loose. A school in the zone where the snake escaped three days ago. We'll have a live report straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:44:04] CABRERA: Just shocking allegations at a New Jersey daycare. Two employees accused of staging a fight club for kids ages 4 to 6 on the playground. Prosecutors say the women recorded video of these fights and shared clips with friends on social media. Today, in court, they pleaded not guilty to the charges, including fourth-degree child abuse.

Let's bring in CNN's Jean Casarez, following this case, and joins us now with more.

Fight club at the day care.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 4 to 6 years old, boys and girls. And the women are instigating them to hit each other and push each other down, and they are accused with endangering the welfare of a child which can be up to five years in prison.

We have a statement from the daycare, and it says, "We are shocked and saddened by this, by the actions of these two individuals, and we have assisted the prosecutor's office from the start of the investigation into this matter. While no children were physically harmed during the incident, we have a zero tolerance policy." Officials say no children were seriously harmed.

Different usage of words right there. Along with the physical aspect, you have the mental aspect. And furthermore it was recorded. The prosecutor gave a statement in regard to the video clips, and this was snap chat that one of the defendants actually recorded this, and they can be referencing the activity as fight club encouraging the children to engage in each other physically. So you know, once you take the picture and somebody recorded the snap chat and that has not been released, but they have it as evidence. You have it as evidence. The daycare teacher referencing "fight club."

[14:51:58] CABRERA: You wonder if the children went home and told their parents, Mrs. Teacher was encouraging me to hit Johnny today.

CASAREZ: Sure. And if somebody had a black and blue market or anything. Yeah, and can you believe a little girl at that age? (CROSSTALK)

CASAREZ: You're innocent until proven guilty, of course.

Today was their first court appearance. They don't have attorneys yet. The court said they don't need them at this point but they will get them because they are facing prison time.

CABRERA: It will be interesting to see that video.

CASAREZ: It will be.

CABRERA: Jean Casarez, thanks so much.

Up next, a king cobra on the loose near Orlando, Florida. School kids are being told to stay inside. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:52] CABRERA: Today marks day three in a desperate search in Orlando for a snake, a big snake, an eight-foot king cobra, half a mile away from an elementary school. The snake belongs to this man, who told officials the snake escaped from its cage after a tree limb fell on his home. He is licensed to own venomous snakes. And he says this is his worst nightmare.

And joining me is Clyde Peeling, a reptile expert and the owner of Clyde Peeling Reptile Land.

Clyde, first thing that pops into my head is it has been three days and that snake has to be hungry. How concerned should people be in this area?

CLYDE PEELING, REPTILE EXPERT & OWNER, CLYDE PEELING REPTILE LAND: King cobras are strictly snake eaters, and so nobody really has to worry about their pets. For that matter, in my opinion, the children are not in any great risk. I say that because cobras are generally bluffers. If they see an animal too large to eat, they immediately assume it's potentially dangerous and they will rear up and flatten their neck and try to scare this large animal, and a rattle snake will get you with its fangs.

CABRERA: What you just said is reassuring, I am sure, to the residents. How far can an eight-foot cobra travel in three days?

PEELING: Easily half a mile, however, again, you know, you are living in Florida where there are plenty of eastern diamondback rattle snakes. And I would have to believe the threat of being bitten by a snake is far greater to be bitten by a rattle snake than the king cobra. All of us in zoos or in private collections have a responsibility to insure that their captives stay captive, but I don't think that the danger is quite as severe as many people imagine.

CABRERA: What could happen to somebody if you are bitten by a king cobra? PEELING: King cobras have a venom that attacks the nervous system and

paralyzes the motor nerves to the brain. And they are certainly potentially deadly if they bite you. And the risk of being bitten is, I would say, fairly minimal.

CABRERA: This is the second time the snake owner has accidentally lost this king cobra, and he had a snake that was shot by a neighbor that got away. And given that background, should this owner have had his exotic license revoked, don't you think?

PEELING: I don't want to throw somebody under the bus without knowing all the details. If he is licensed, I suspect he is capable of keeping these animals safely. He's probably been keeping them his whole life. Accidents do happen, and I am not excusing it, but I would be very reluctant to come down on a man without knowing a lot more about his history.

CABRERA: Clyde Peeling, we do appreciate your time today. Happy Friday, and thank you for being here.

PEELING: Thanks, Ana.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[14:59:58] CABRERA: We are following some breaking news in that case of the Kentucky clerk who is still jailed for not wanting to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Her lawyers just wrapped up a meeting with Kim Davis, the clerk, and they're holding a news conference right now. Let's listen in.