Trump campaign: Donald will always be Donald
Senior adviser says on 'Sunday Morning Futures' that candidate is pivoting to 'presumptive nominee' role
This is a rush transcript from "Sunday Morning Futures," April 24, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
MARIA BARTIROMO, HOST: Good morning.
The Northeast is back in the spotlight this morning as we approach five areas that could paint a clear picture of the race for the White House.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Maria Bartiromo. Welcome to "Sunday Morning Futures."
What is at stake this coming Tuesday? And what could the results tell us about a possible contested convention? A Fox News digital politics director will break it down with us coming up.
Plus, jobs and wages are a big story in this election. Former WWE CEO and Connecticut Senate candidate Linda McMahon on the struggles we are seeing in the five primary states.
And can any of the three GOP candidates bring the parties together as RNC chairman Reince Priebus is hoping? A spokesman for Donald Trump with us and the Pennsylvania congressman on that.
All ahead right now as we look ahead on "Sunday Morning Futures."
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BARTIROMO: Good morning.
The GOP candidates in the final sprint ahead of Tuesday's crucial primaries this morning. Five Northeastern states up are grabs on Tuesday, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Donald Trump honing in on those states right now, hitting the trail in Maryland today.
Meanwhile, Ted Cruz is back in Indiana this morning, fighting to block Mr. Trump from winning that nomination outright. That primary is a week from Tuesday May 3rd. He's treating the Hoosier State May 3rd primary with 57 delegates up for grabs as a key part of that.
Linda McMahon is with us. She's the cofounder and former CEO of WWE, cofounder and CEO of Woman's Leadership Live. She's also a former Connecticut Senate candidate.
Good to see you, Linda.
LINDA MCMAHON, FORMER CEO OF WWE/FORMER CONNECTICUT SENATE CANDIDATE:
Goodto see you.
BARTIROMO: This Women's Leadership Live Group that you have created is real interesting. I want to get your take on woman and what is happening on that when it comes to the election. Let's start off ahead of Tuesday. What do you think are the most important issue that voters will be voting on this coming Tuesday?
MCMAHON: You know, it's the same as it was when I was running in 2010- 2012, it's the economy and it's jobs. This is on the forefront of the thinking of the people in Connecticut. We have -- we have lost tax revenue. Our economy is upside down. We're going into next year of a $900 million deficit. GE left the state and is in process of leaving the states. All of those have a critical impact.
BARTIROMO: And one of the reasons that GE left the state or is in the process of leaving the state is because the leadership voted again to raise the corporate taxes on a country level where the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world.
I want to show you the top marginal tax rates in 2016. Pennsylvania 9.99 percent, Connecticut, 9 percent, Delaware, 8.7 percent, Maryland 8.25 percent, and Rhode Island, 7 percent. These are marginal tax rates in 2016, and this, of course, is just the state of Connecticut, that's on top of federal, on top of Citi. GE basically said, you know what, I'm going to Boston.
MCMAHON: Yes, no mas. I chatted with Jeff Immelt, and I said really when I heard the news that they're leaving I said really? He said, you know, we talked and talked and now it's just time. He said that we have to go to a different area.
BARTIROMO: You studied this so much obviously in your run for the Senate.
Why is that that the leadership will not just change the tax code? Knowing that we -- I mean, you look at New Jersey, one individual David Tepper, a hedge fund manager, leaves New Jersey because of his high tax rates and what -- and then leaves $120 million hole in the coffers for the New Jersey budget.
MCMAHON: There's this lack of understanding it seems that you raise taxes, you think, OK, I'm going to charge now and make up the numbers and 10 percent on a hundred dollars. Well, if it's 5 percent, that 10 percent is not going land you that much. You don't understand that and you reduce the revenue base by raising the taxes and driving the revenue producers out of the state. It's so counterintuitive.
BARTIROMO: Which is why I think candidates with the best tax plan or plan to move the economy in terms of growth will resonate with the people.
MCMAHON: Absolutely. We talked about, you know, lowering the tax rate and bringing the business here. Let's be business friendly and do not drive them out by having the highest tax rate.
BARTIROMO: Who do woman want? Let's talk about Women's Leadership Live, you founded this. You're trying to train woman wherever they are for success.
MCMAHON: Exactly. Whatever the tools are that they need for success and how do they define success? Is it the middle management, they want to go to the C suite, are there young entrepreneurs starting their own business, have they left the workforce to raise a family, now they're transitioning, what are those tools that they need. And that's what Women Leadership Live is all about.
BARTIROMO: You know, it's interesting, because a lot of people say that Donald Trump does not resonate with woman, and yet, he did get the women vote in New York last week. Do you know who they're going to vote for in Connecticut?
MCMAHON: I don't know who they're going vote for. But I do know that Trump is leading right now. I have known Donald for over 20 years. And I found him, you know, all the personal relationships with him. He is loyal.
He's patriotic.
In private setting, he's very gracious. He is a good businessman. He hires smart people around him. So, I think that all of those factors are now resonating more.
BARTIROMO: In terms of Women's Leadership Live, you say that you can use the tools like social media to grow your network.
MCMAHON: Exactly. That's one of the biggest things that we can do and Debbie Saviano (ph) who is our social media gurus says tweeting and Facebooking and blabbing on Pinterest and all of the aspects and they can use them where they can spend money before and now they can go online and now they can use social media and it's such a great tool.
BARTIROMO: Actually, that relates to the election as well because you're saying and candidates tweeting all the time. I mean, initially, people thought why is Donald Trump tweeting so much? And then at the end of the day, you look at how it's helped him.
MCMAHON: Sure.
BARTIROMO: He hasn't spent much money in this election. He doesn't have to.
MCMAHON: No, and it's just followers after followers after followers, retweeting, comenting, and it's a great tool. So, at Women's Leadership Live, we can learn more about us at WomensLeadershipLive.com and register for the first event that's coming up in May just outside Dallas and Irving, Texas.
BARTIROMO: So, you're running the organization, and how do you compare it to running for public office as you did, and how does when you run from the Senate and differ in the time today where you're seeing such vitriol?
MCMAHON: Well, when I ran for the Senate, there was a lot of vitriol in the state as well with. But running Women's Leadership Lives compare to running for the Senate, there is just no comparison. There's a totally different animals, thank goodness.
BARTIROMO: Why is there such vitriol right now? I mean, there was a time when the right and the left got together. I mean, Congress, the Senate and the House, the members would go out for a coffee, go out for a beer. They don't have any relationship and they don't get anything done.
MCMAHON: I'll tell you, the woman in the Senate, they do that. Once a month, they get together, both parties, they'll have a nice dinner. They may agree to disagree on some things. In fact, Susan Collins was telling me she was riding up in the elevator one day after they had one of these dinners and one of the men from the Senate floor said, what do you woman talk about when you have these dinners, and she says, a complete overthrow.
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MCMAHON: I thought that was really cute. But they do get together. The women do. If you have more women in board rooms, more women in the C- Suite, it's a better operations.
BARTIROMO: Do you still have aspirations to run for public office?
MCMAHON: No, don't have any aspirations for that.
BARTIROMO: Been there and done that.
MCMAHON: Been there, it was great. It was great. I enjoyed, I learned a lot about myself and I love the people of Connecticut.
BARTIROMO: Linda, great to have you on the program tonight.
MCMAHON: Thank you so much.
BARTIROMO: Thank you so much.
MCMAHON: Thank you so much.
Linda McMahon is cofounder and CEO of Women's Leadership Live, joining us this morning. We'll see what happens in the result in Connecticut. Linda, thank you.
It is high stakes and high rewards in the upcoming primary on Tuesday.
Chris Stirewalt joins me next to talk about how the outcome could shift the Republican race. Follow me on Twitter @MariaBartiromo, @SundayFutures, let us know what you want to hear from the upcoming guest.
Stay with us as we look ahead on "Sunday Morning Futures" this morning.
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BARTIROMO: Welcome back.
Tuesday is shaping up to be a big deal for the Republican candidates. They're facing off in five states Tuesday night. With Pennsylvania, 71 delegates offering the biggest price. Donald Trump is a heavy favorite in the region, picking up wins there could go a long way for Trump in solidifying his statues with the GOP establishment.
Meanwhile, one of the top aides try to find common ground at the RNC spring meeting.
Joining me right now is FOX News digital politics editor, Chris Stirewalt, who covered the RNC meeting.
Chris, good to see you.
CHRIS STIREWALT, FOX NEWS DIGITAL POLITICS EDITOR: Good morning.
BARTIROMO: So, first, take us inside that meeting because there was the talk about Trump's aide saying that he is going to be more presidential and he's about to turn a corner in terms of the perception of Trump. What can you tell us?
STIREWALT: Well, what you he said that they really wanted to hear is that Trump was putting on an act with the some of the over the top rhetoric and the issues, the topics he was discussing, all of that was an attempt to win the primary. Once the primaries were done, then he would pivot, and that would take place.
Now, whether that's true or not, I don't know. But I can tell you that the people who were down there and hanging approximate by the open bar and seafood platter, were eager to believe it. They want to believe it because if it's not true, they know what they're facing not just on the presidential level, but down ballot, because these people really care -- yes, they care about the presidential, but they really care about can they keep 31 Republican governors, could they try to keep control of the Senate, could the House go closer to the parity? Those are the things that they care about, including their own state houses and state legislature.
BARTIROMO: How much of a risk is Donald Trump becoming more, quote, "presidential", alienating his supporters who basically got on the Trump train because he says it the way it is and says it, you know, not very presidential. So, is it a risk for him to change his tone now?
STIREWALT: I think for the core, let's say third of the Republican Party, or third of Republican primary voters who came in for Trump and believe in Trump not just as a disruptor, or not just as the last man standing, but the people who really believes, see this guy as he claims and that's Ronald Reagan, or most presidential person since Abraham Lincoln, they believe that, and they will give them a broad latitude because it's about him not policies, and they will give him latitude. This helps him then with the Republican establishment.
He's starting to pay the money that it pegs to get the quietus on these people and he is or promising that this is a put on and he is going to do the same thing not the get smoked like a Christmas ham in the general election.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
What do you think about the general election then? I mean, all of the polls say one thing, but do you think that Trump can beat Hillary Clinton?
STIREWALT: Well, sure, he can beat Hillary Clinton. We don't have any evidence that that is so, but he could beat Hillary Clinton. We said eight months ago, he can't win the Republican nomination, it's not possible. But his combination of, as you were talking about with Linda McMahon, combination of mastery of social media, the deep disaffection of so many in the Republican Party, plus the profusion of candidates field divided 17 ways, Donald Trump became possible.
You know, head to head matchup with Hillary Clinton right now, obviously, it looks pretty dire for the Republicans, but we don't know what's going to transpire in the next 200 days. So, that's why -- Maria, that's why they need us. That's why they have to keep us around.
BARTIROMO: I like that. I like that a lot.
Let me ask you this, because, you know, when I speak with the Cruz campaign, they are adamant that there's a path for Ted Cruz. It may not be mathematical to get 1,237 before the convention, but they're sure that he has a real shot to be the disruptor here. Kasich is saying the same thing, let's just take it to Ohio, take it to the July, convention and let's see how it plays out.
What's your take on all of this?
STIREWALT: Trump's math for winning the delegate, for winning the requisite number of delegates outright in primaries and caucuses isn't great. It's better than Cruz's obviously. Cruz is now reaching the mathematical vanishing point, and will presumably because Trump is going to have a great Tuesday and how great will say something about his own path.
But nobody has a great path right now to an outright clinch. What Ted Cruz has, though, is a Republican Party that lines up with him ideologically and attitudinally, substantially better than Trump. And, yes, Ted Cruz is right. If Donald Trump can't win on the first ballot, he must win on the first ballot. And if he can't, we would expect to see hundreds of delegates, not a couple of delegates, but hundreds of delegates flee from Trump and go Cruz as the most likely next person.
BARTIROMO: And you think that they would do that, that they would on the second ballot actually change direction?
STIREWALT: Sure, because they're bound by the law or the rules in their states to vote one way on the first ballot, in some states it's two ballots. But these are people who didn't want Trump to begin with and are obliged to be there for him on the first ballot, and then will change to go with the way that they want to go and the people will crash out and somebody will throw a chair and it will be quite a spectacle.
BARTIROMO: Wow. I'll tell you. It is going to be such an unbelievable convention. Anything can happen at this July convention.
Top Trump aides are saying that he wants to mend fences with the Republican National Committee. Chris, do you believe that that he is trying to mend the fences, because he says he wants to mend fences with the RNC, he wants to be all on the same time and then he gets out and then trashes them and saying that the system is rigged.
STIREWALT: Right. And what he does is, so, Donald Trump provides a credible threat. The credible threat is that if he does not get what he wants, that he will guarantee the party loses in November, number one. And number two, the convention itself could be chaotic and even violent.
That's a credible threat that he's making.
Meantime, his aides go to the RNC and say, now, look, I know that it sounds bad and there are emoluments too. There are -- the bar is open, the seafood tower is chilled, please come and we will hire you, and maybe we'll make sure that some money gets to your state party.
So, they're working both sides of it. One side is the threat, the other side is the emolument. If you bring those together -- look, the RNC just wants to lay down. They are tired of fighting and terrified of what is going to happen at their convention. The members of the Republican National Committee just want this to over. And Donald Trump is the shortest path our of this primary season.
BARTIROMO: Yes. Which is why they punted on any changes to the rules.
The rules are the same, and at that meeting they decided no, rule changes at this point.
Chris, always a pleasure my friend. Thanks so much.
STIREWALT: You bet.
BARTIROMO: We'll see you soon.
We're waiting on President Obama's joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. We will take you there live. The two leaders are expected to touch on a wide array of issues. We will take you there live from Hanover, Germany. As soon as it happens, we will bring it to you.
Then, Trump looking to move closer to clinching the nomination with a strong showing on Tuesday night. One of his senior campaign advisers will join us on what they're expecting next, as we look ahead this morning on "Sunday Morning Futures."
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BARTIROMO: Welcome back.
Just two days away from the primaries in five states in the Northeast.
Donald Trump is hoping to pull away from his challengers this Tuesday, 172 delegates at stake, which would be a huge bump for the front runner. He currently has 845 delegates to Ted Cruz's 559 delegates, and John Kasich's 148.
All of this as we hear that Mr. Trump is set to adopt more traditional campaign tactics and reach out to more Republican leaders in Washington.
Let's talk about it right now with his senior campaign adviser, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Sarah, good to see you. Thanks so much for joining us.
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, SENIOR ADVISER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN: Thank you.
BARTIROMO: Is Donald Trump changing going into Tuesday?
SANDERS: You know, look, I think that Donald Trump is becoming the nominee and he is transitioning into the role and going into that and making the focus Hillary Clinton. As you see him do that, I think he is laying out a clear vision for America and doing things like the big policy speech that he has coming up this week.
So, I think that you're starting the see the transition and at the same time Donald Trump will be Donald Trump. That's what voters love about him, and you're not going see that change.
BARTIROMO: Yes, I am looking forward to this speech that Donald Trump is going to be making this week, because we're at that point in the campaign that people really do want some specifics and some substance. Can you give us the flavor of what the speech is about?
SANDERS: I can tell you that this is going to be a great moment for Donald Trump. He is going to show that he's got a very commanding understanding of how to lead in a very dangerous world and you're going to see some of the things that people have been wanting from him. But as far as giving the specifics, you're going to tune in and see Donald Trump for that one.
BARTIROMO: Absolutely, absolutely. But you say it's going to be more specific in terms of dealing in the dangerous world. I assume that's practicality about ISIS, dealing with Russia, dealing with obviously super powers like China.
SANDERS: Absolutely. I think that he will see again him give a very clear vision of what a strong understanding of where the place in this world is.
I think that it's going to be something that you definitely want to tune in to see.
BARTIROMO: Yes, look, Sarah, you're a senior adviser on the Trump campaign. You're absolutely daughter of Governor Mike Huckabee?
SANDERS: Yes, they claim me as long as I behave. Yes, ma'am.
BARTIROMO: So, what was it that lured into the Trump camp when you had obviously influences in your own household to go in different roads?
SANDERS: Well, obviously my first choice was my dad's campaign, and I ran that into he was in the race, and then I got involved with the Trump campaign, like many other Americans and millions of other Americans across the country are getting behind him because of his message of shaking up Washington. He's not a wholly owned subsidiary and he will break up the Washington to Wall Street access to power. I think that's something that the country desperately needs.
And he is the ultimate contrast to Hillary Clinton. He is the outsider and there's nobody that's a bigger insider to Washington than Hillary Clinton. And I think that's the contrast that we need in November to win, and he's the only one that can do that.
BARTIROMO: This is why Clinton's speeches come up, because people want to have a feeling that she's going to be able to be independent. But how do you be independent when you know that Wall Street has paid you millions of dollars to give speeches and this morning's news is that "The Associated Press" is reporting that all 82 groups that paid Clinton for speeches, they were also lobbying to the government and they were trying to sway the government.
So, how do you go back to the same groups and deal with them when you know that they paid you in the last several years?
SANDERS: I don't think that you can. And I think that that among many other reasons is why Hillary Clinton is completely unelectable. There are so many questions surrounding her and not just the candidacy but her time in the Obama administration, as secretary of state. Many decisions that frankly I just don't think Americans are at the end of the day going to be able to vote for Hillary Clinton, and that's why we're going to see Donald Trump in the White House.
BARTIROMO: So, Donald Trump, obviously turning to the general election at some point. Is he focused on Hillary? Or is -- I hear of Lyin' Ted and the name-calling for primaries competitors, but when he is going to turn to the general election if it's not important to him?
SANDERS: Obviously, he's still got to, you know, officially clinch the nomination, which I fully predict that he will do.
BARTIROMO: This Tuesday?
SANDERS: At this point he -- you know, I think that he is going to have a really good Tuesday. All of the states are voting and all five of them are in the favor. It's another big night just like we had this past week in New York. And I think that Donald Trump is unquestionable the only one with a path to the nomination at this point. In fact, I have called in and many others have called in on Ted Cruz to follow the advice that he gave John Kasich when it became possible for him to get out of the race.
He's hit that point. I think it's time for him to do that. Let's unify behind Donald Trump so that he can focus completely on Hillary Clinton, a real target and be able to take her down in November.
BARTIROMO: Well, that's certainly the thinking of our next guest. Sarah, good to talk with you. We appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much.
SANDERS: You bet. Thank you, Maria.
BARTIROMO: Sanders Huckabee Sanders joining us there.
One Pennsylvania congressman is asking for just that, calling on the GOP candidates to come together ahead of this Tuesday's primary. The bigger picture he wants them to focus on, we will look at Tuesday. And then what's beyond. You've got Indiana and California winning in the wings.
Then, we are awaiting a joint news conference with President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel from Germany live. The two leaders are going to touch on ISIS and the migrant crisis. We're going to bring that to you live when it begins. Stay with us.
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BARTIROMO: Welcome back.
FOX News is America's election headquarters. We will be in Philadelphia tonight for America's town hall, featuring GOP candidates and some of our top analysts breaking down Tuesday's contests.
Joining me right now live from Philly are the hosts, Bill Hemmer and Martha McCallum.
Guys, good to see you.
BILL HEMMER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, Maria.
MARTHA MCCALLUM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Good morning, Maria.
BARTIROMO: So excited about the town hall tonight. Tell us what you're expecting.
I mean, you've got the GOP candidate. You've got obviously five contests Tuesday night and so much is on the line with all of these delegates.
MCCALLUM: Yes, so true, Maria. It's great to be here in Philadelphia. We're at the National Constitution Center, where they're hosting us tonight, and we're going to have 300 people here, we think. We're in the Declaration Hall right behind us, and we're in the National Constitution Center as I said.
We're going to get a feel for how people in Pennsylvania are thinking about Tuesday night, the questions that are on the mind for the candidates and we're going talk to about the polls --
HEMMER: You think about this place that you are and this is where democracy was literally written, Independence Hall, Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and as we sit 36 hours away from what we'll be critical, critical primaries, but none more so than the state of Pennsylvania.
BARTIROMO: Yes, you're right. I was watching Martha last Tuesday looking at all that exit poll data.
And, Martha, you kept on saying the theme that was coming up and that's the economy is the number one issue and on the mind of the voters. We knew that last Tuesday, we've known that all election, and Pennsylvania's economy is very similar to what we're seeing on a national level, right?
It's a slow slumping along the bottom, bumping along the bottom of growth story.
MCCALLUM: Yes. So true, Maria, and you get pulled way and focused by strategic (AUDIO GAP) to voters. That's what people care the most about. I mean, every time (AUDIO GAP), the top issue is the economy, the way they feel about the country and the future for their children, and I am sure that a lot of the questions that we're going to get tonight from viewers and the audience and also from people on Facebook and Twitter is about how these candidates are going to tackle that issue, because that hits home more than anything else and a lot more than the garbage that was around in the course of the campaign.
BARTIROMO: Yes, for sure.
All right. We'll look forward to it. Bill, Martha, we'll see you tonight.
We're excited.
HEMMER: Thanks, Maria.
MACCALLUM: Thanks, Maria.
BARTIROMO: It's a gorgeous shot, we will be viewing and tuning in tonight live for Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum and our town hall tonight.
As voters get set to hit the polls in Pennsylvania Tuesday, one congressman from the state is calling on Republican candidates to come together and unify.
Congressman Mike Kelly writing an op-ed in USA Today, reading in part, "No more threats to subvert the convention, no more fantasies about a third party, no more flirtations with staying home. For the sake of America's economy, liberty and security, let's bring back the 11th Commandment and the fighting and commit to winning one more for the Gipper. Or, in the 21st century vernacular, #NeverHillary."
Joining me right now is Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Kelly.
Mike, good to see you. Thanks so much for joining us, Congressman.
REP. MIKE KELLY, R-PA.: Well, thanks so much, Maria. And thank you for having me on.
BARTIROMO: Do you think that they will be able to come together?
KELLY: Well, I think -- we have to come together. It's not a matter of will, we have to.
And, you know, people are saying are you afraid that we're going lose the election? No, I'm afraid that we're going to lose the nation and we have to come together, not only as a Republican Party but as the American people. So, it is critical for people to come together.
This primary is huge. Pennsylvania is really important this time. But we have to look beyond what is going to happen in Cleveland. We come out of Cleveland. We have got the coalesce around our candidate and make sure that on the morning of November the 9th we have a Republican sitting in the White House or soon to be sitting in the White House.
BARTIROMO: So when you say come together would you like to see Trump/Cruz on the same ticket? Trump/Kasich on the same ticket, Kasich/Cruz, Cruz/Kasich? How do you want to see it? ?
KELLY: You know, there are a lot of mixes that can be there. I think that whoever gets to the nomination is going to have to decide the best chemistry, not just for him but for the country and for the Republican Party to resonate with the American people and say, this is the direction we have to go and you know, our speaker, Paul Ryan, said, we are going to do present a very bold look at the way that we think that the country should be ran. Not just Republicans but as Americans, and I think that's the key.
America right now needs to retain that verb of who we are and the fact that we're the greatest nation in the world. We can put together a party and the ticket and then an agenda that make sense to the American people. Not just the Republicans but to every single American.
BARTIROMO: What are the practical policies that you think can resonate with Pennsylvania voters. What do they want to see? We know that the economy is the number one issue. But on a practical policy standpoint, what does that mean?
KELLY: I think most people are looking for a strong leadership, somebody who says what they mean and means what they say. I think people are sick and tired of hearing the politicians get up and give talking points that sound good. Where I'm from, say what you mean and mean what you say. Walk the walk. Just don't talk to talk, but walk the walk and show people by example what you mean.
Just don't run for an election. Tell people exactly who you are, and then keep that promise to them. I think that's the point that we're at and that's why America is looking at this and saying that they have told us this for so long. And once they got in office, they haven't done it. I think that they're looking for a fresh approach and someone that's going to keep their word, tell them exactly the way they think the country should go and ask people to join. Let's all get together and make America great.
BARTIROMO: By the way, which is why Donald Trump is doing so well, because he is an outsider and Cruz as well. The people want that.
But in terms of the actual policy, do you want to see tax policy in one of the next presidents? Do you want to see something with regards to foreign policy? Trump is giving a foreign policy speech this week. What are the important practical policies you want changed?
KELLY: Well, look, for America to truly lead the world, we cannot have that back that leadership at the top. It does come down to tax policy, comes out of the foreign, how we address our foreign relations. But without a dynamic and robust economy, all of this is just talk.
You have to have an economy that's raging, not just poking along. And when you look at the assets that America has, there is no reason for America to be asking anybody to help Americans. We can do everything that we need to do.
We can be the largest exporter of energy in the world. We would build geopolitical relationships that would change the course of the world and change the feeling that our friends have that they not longer rely on this and that our enemies feel that we're not going to show up any way. We'll talk but we'll never going to show up when the time comes.
So, we have to have the strong tax policy, look at regulation at how they're hurting us, but more than anything else, put in front a strong American agenda that shows the world, not just our people but the world the direction that America needs to go in.
BARTIROMO: Congressman, good to have you on the program this morning.
Thanks so much.
KELLY: Maria, thank you so much.
BARTIROMO: We will be watching the developments Tuesday in Pennsylvania.
Two allies getting ready to discuss a wide range of issues. We're going to take you there live. We are awaiting a joint news conference from Germany with President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
We're looking ahead this morning on "Sunday Morning Futures." We'll be right back.
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BARTIROMO: Welcome back.
We're looking ahead to Tuesday and beyond Tuesday. Many observers have been saying Indiana is a must win state for Ted Cruz. Our latest Fox News polls however show that Donald Trump is gaining ground in Indiana as well, ahead of Senator Cruz by eight points. It's a real tight race there.
His lead is even bigger in California. Mr. Trump in front of both of his challengers by more than 20 points.
I want to bring our panel on this. Ed Rollins is former principal White House adviser to Republican Reagan. He's a Fox News analyst. Don Peebles with us this morning, founder, chairman and CEO of the Peebles Corporation, and two-time member of President Obama's national finance committee. And Tony Sayegh, he's a Republican strategist, executive vice president of Jamestown Associates, Also a Fox News contributor.
Gentlemen, good to see you.
ED ROLLINS, FOX NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
BARTIROMO: Thank you so much for joining us.
OK, your expectations for Tuesday, but then look beyond Tuesday, with Indiana so important.
ROLLINS: First of all, he had a great Tuesday and he sort of stepped on his own story by Manafort going out and telling the RNC that we're going to be different, this is kind of been an act and we're going to be presidential, which is stupid and very foolish. You go out and do what you have to do.
BARTIROMO: And be who you are?
ROLLINS: You have to be who you are.
The key thing here is Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has, as you know, 54 delegates that are chosen congressionally and they're totally independent, and they basically be the end of the game. After that, Indiana is the next stop, Cruz has to come back and win there, and obviously the polls show Trump as the lead. And then the last day, 172 delegates up in California, which more than everything up this Tuesday. So, Indiana and California are really keys to stop him.
BARTIROMO: We're coming down to the wire at this point.
ROLLINS: Yes, no question.
BARTIROMO: Yes. Don, how do you see it?
DON PEEBLES, CHAIRMAN 7 CEO OF THE PEEBLES CORPORATION: It was from day one. I said Donald Trump is going to win the Republican nomination. He will be coated to what he needs or get what he needs. He is going to have a great Tuesday. He's going to win Indiana. He's going to trounce in California.
And there are two Donald Trumps, by the way. There's a businessman Donald Trump and there's a television personality Donald Trump. And so what the advisers are saying is that you're going to see the business person of Donald Trump. The businessman, we haven't seen yet. We've seen the television personality.
BARTIROMO: So you have seen them? Don Peebles had seen it.
PEEBLES: I have.
BARTIROMO: You're a business guy in real estate and you have worked with Donald Trump in deals and stuff?
PEEBLES: Yes, in fact you and I have talked about this before. We have been working with his company, especially with Ivanka, on looking at hotel developments and deals. We have considered two major developments with them running our hotel. They run a great hotel.
Ivanka is an outstanding business person. They've got a good hotel operation and they're business people. So, I think we will see more of that.
BARTIROMO: Yes, it feels like people want a businessperson in there, Tony, at this point, because the economy is number one issue for people, and they're saying, where are the jobs?
TONY SAYEGH, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: And if you see the exit polls in every state, Maria, barring none, it's the economy and it's wanting an outsider, someone who's going to do the status in Washington and both and any Republican and Hillary Clinton is a representative of the ruling class of Washington and that's why you see Trump and Sanders getting the energy.
The poll numbers reflect the gravitational pull and winning like Trump did in New York.
What I think is actually happening is that Trump may not get the 1,237, but I hear the conversation now more than ever that even if he come close, they've got to have some way of giving it to him or at least allowing him to earn with these 200 uncommitted the delegates that he is going to be fighting for after the California primary by the way. In other words, he is not going to get the 1,237 by June 7th, but he's going to have it in the convention where he can work the network with Paul Manafort and all the teams he's put together now to acquire the delegates and maybe on the first ballot get to that 1,237.
ROLLINS: It's too dangerous, not to disagree with you, but the bottom line here is he may be a wonderful man to deal with, but the public impression of him is totally different and equally as important to those that are out there with him as he's charged the balls and thrown rocks against the window. They do not want him to be the establishment candidate. They want him to be the guy who's going to go there.
BARTIROMO: At this point, he shouldn't be more presidential.
ROLLINS: So, we'll have to see at this point in time. I still think that the Cruz campaign is very effective campaign. I'm totally neutral in this race, I'm just trying to give the best analysis I can.
They can win these close ones. And California is not -- it's my home state. It's not wipeout. It's 52 congressional seats. If he has all -- Trump does not have the establishment there and the conservative establishment is for Cruz, and so, there's still ways to go here. I think at the end of the day, he's got the momentum, but it's a long way to go.
BARTIROMO: That's why Indiana is so important because Ted Cruz knows that he's got to win Indiana.
ROLLINS: He's got to win Indiana. If you don't win Indiana, it's over.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
Let me ask you about that idea that, you know, Paul Manafort has been putting forward that he should be more presidential. First of all, how much of a game changer was Paul Manafort do you think?
ROLLINS: I think that it's important. I think Corey has been managing the campaign with no resources, has done a pretty darn job up to this point in time. You need to expand that and one of the advantages that Paul has now is that Trump is giving up $25 million. That's all the money he spent up to this point in time. The idea that you could win New York is overwhelmingly -- he 13 cent of voters is unbelievable.
So, I think at the end of the day, he's got to expand his team. You still got good players all the way around. The key thing is that you don't get to flip the switch. Some of the things that he said and what have you going to come back and haunt you.
BARTIROMO: Exactly. And, Tony, is the reason that he was as successful that he has been because he was not presidential.
SAYEGH: Yes, Trump the disruptor, not Trump the diplomat. Look, I think it's wise and you see it all of the time. You go to a different phase and therefore, the candidate has to evolve. I think if Trump is going to perhaps be a little bit more deep in the public policy positions that he has, there's a good chance.
I think seeing Trump become in his words so presidential he's going to be boring, I think would be viewed largely inauthentic. But I want to go on the team for a second. Manafort was important, but don't forget, he hired Don McGahn, probably one of the best FEC attorneys in Washington. He has Rick Wiley, someone that was significant widespread and organizing the experience. These are people that are tied to establishment Washington.
He is beginning to evolve the campaign in the direction, in his mind, that would prepare him for the election.
Though I agree with that, Ted Cruz has other states, too, not just Indiana.
He has many western states, Nebraska, Montana, where he could continue to win the delegates and deprive Trump of clear win.
BARTIROMO: All right. Let's talk about the general election next. We'll take a short break. We're awaiting President Obama's joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and we are also taking a look at Bernie Sanders and the Democratic side of the race. He is competition with Clinton.
We're looking ahead right now at "Sunday Morning Futures." Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARTIROMO: Welcome back.
Senator Bernie Sanders facing an uphill battle for the nomination on the Democratic side. Sanders sent the Democratic National Committee a letter saying that he's concerned that he's not getting a fair shake. He says the committee is showing preference to Hillary Clinton in terms of fundraising.
I put that question directly to Debbie Wasserman Schultz this week on the Fox Business Network. She is the chairwoman of the DNC. Se joined me on my morning program, "Mornings with Maria".
She said, I have not responded to Bernie Sanders so I'll do it right now.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, D-FLA., CHAIRWOMAN, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CMTE: We are running the Victory Fund just like we have run previous Victory Funds, there are no violations. We have -- we have been running this -- managing the Victory Fund exactly the way we're supposed to, but the point is, is that what we need to be doing and the reason we have a Victory Fund with both candidates with and with 32 of our state parties across the country is to get ready for the general election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARTIROMO: So, basically she said to me, look, I'm going to respond to Bernie Sanders right now. She had not -- now, this interview with Debbie Wasserman Schultz, guys, was done this week on the Fox Business Network on Wednesday. Wednesday morning I said to her what is your response to Bernie Sanders? She said I'm going to respond right now, the Victory Fund is totally fair.
That's the response she gave him. Has it been fair?
ROLLINS: No, it has not. She's been in Hillary's camp from the beginning, she was put in there literally to do that. Sanders doesn't have to worry about money because he has raised more money than anybody.
But at the end of the day, don't pretend it's neutral. It's not neutral at all. The establishment has been very much for Hillary. She's been the candidate from the start to the finish.
BARTIROMO: It's funny, because that's exactly what Trump keeps saying, it's a rigged system and you feel it.
PEEBLES: Look, I think that from day one, it's been set for Hillary Clinton and the pathway is clear. If you look at the poor selection of candidates at the Democratic party field in this primary, an open seat for the presidency and this was the competition we got, it's clear that the DNC cleared the pathway for her.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
PEEBLES: Only a couple people didn't get the memo.
BARTIROMO: Let's not forget one of the reasons that Trump is getting all this push back from the Republican national committee, Tony, is because they don't think he's going to be able to beat Hillary Clinton come November.
SAYEGH: Well, look, that's obviously a very big concern which is why he has his surrogates going down to the meeting in Florida, quietly reassuring them that he's going to make the necessary changes to have a bigger general election appeal.
But I think Hillary Clinton has two problems, there's Bernie Sanders the candidate that mathematically she's going to beat but the Democratic Party has to deal with the Sanders movement he has created which is animated, that is not going to go into the Philadelphia convention and just sit down and shut up and if they don't find a way to properly unite that Sanders wing into the convention process, into a potential Hillary general election strategy, they're going to have their own set of problems, and I anticipate you're going to see the Sanders people the closer Bernie gets to the convention and potentially pulling out of this race making demands, whether platform demands, speakers at the convention in prime time, maybe a vice presidential pick.
They are there with a strong animated voice, even Debbie Wasserman Schultz cannot deny has to have a place in the Democratic Party.
BARTIROMO: One way to quiet down that group is to give Elizabeth Warren a role.
ROLLINS: She could easily be a VP candidate.
BARTIROMO: Would she be Hillary's VP?
ROLLINS: Sure, she would.
PEEBLES: I think she would. I don't think Hillary will pick her. I think Hillary Clinton is very smart, she's very political, she's been doing this long time. She will pick a candidate or nominee for the vice presidency who will help her win the presidency. So that will be a contrast to her to a degree and someone who is going to carry a big state for her.
BARTIROMO: Can Trump beat her?
PEEBLES: Yes.
BARTIROMO: All right. We'll take a short break. Still to come the one thing to watch in the week ahead on "Sunday Morning Futures" from our great panel, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARTIROMO: Welcome back.
Back with the panel looking at the important things to watch in the week ahead.
Ed, obviously, Tuesday primaries one of them.
ROLLINS: Tuesday rolling out of this primary and basically gather enough momentum to go all the way is Trump's big challenge and you have to watch Pennsylvania.
BARTIROMO: Of course.
Tony, what are you watching?
SAYEGH: I'm watching to see if Trump can get this delegate operation under control. We know he's going to win these primaries. Is he going to win the delegates into some of these states like Pennsylvania where 54 of these71 delegates are uncommitted. So, I want to see this new team at its best working to see if they can win these delegates that Cruz has been outmaneuvering him on.
BARTIROMO: By the way, you also have a two-day Fed meeting, no expectations of a higher interest rate.
Don Peebles, what are you watching?
PEEBLES: I'd say this is a week for the more elegant but still aggressive Donald Trump. He will become more appealing to those voters who haven't been with him before throughout this next couple of weeks.
BARTIROMO: Look, I also want to know from you about what's going on locally in New York, corruption around Mayor de Blasio. Are you going to run for New York mayor?
PEEBLES: I'm looking at it very seriously. I'm very embarrassed -- as a New Yorker, I'm very embarrassed by the conduct this have mayor. I said all along he is a hypocrite, he has talked about keeping money out of politics, but yet, he is the one bringing money into politics in a horrible way. And what's happening now is a very serious issue facing his ability to continue governing.
BARTIROMO: All right. We'll be watching that. Don Peebles, New York mayor, we will see about that.
Gentlemen, good to see you all. Thank you so much for joining us.
ROLLINS: Thanks.
BARTIROMO: Have a great Sunday everybody.
That will do it for us on "Sunday Morning Futures." I'm Maria Bartiromo.
Join me come morning on "Mornings with Maria" on Fox Business Network, 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. Eastern. I'll see you tomorrow morning on the Fox Business Network.
Have a great Sunday.
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