CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: "Interview with Sen. Cory Booker"

Interview

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Hi, Martin. That's right, we're here with Senator Cory Booker who was dancing there just a second ago. I want to talk to you about what you're saying to your supporters today, $1.7 million by the end of the month. That's a big ask. Do you think you can get there? And why do you think it matters you stay in this race?

SEN. CORY BOOKER, (D-NJ) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: First and foremost, we have run a race to win. I'm not in this for some endeavor of ego. We have said from the beginning we're going to be in this race if we can win it.

And right now we're here in Iowa. We have, with the number one endorsed campaign by state legislators and state elected officials of any campaign. We are building a campaign to win. But we are now into the fourth quarter of the year, and if we can't continue our growth, then we're not going to have a campaign to win. And I don't think people should be in this race if they can't win. I'm in this race to win the nomination and beat Donald Trump.

And so this is a decisive moment for our campaign. If you believe in my voice and want it on this stage and want it part of this process, if you believe in me as the nominee, this is the time, because if we can't raise this $1.7 million, we're going to have to make the tough decisions I think any campaign that doesn't have a pathway to victory should make.

DEAN: And are you prepared to drop out if you can't get there?

BOOKER: I believe people will respond. I believe that, look, we are here right now. We've been in this race. In fact, if you take a step back, the four top fundraisers in this campaign, we're running a better campaign with dollars because we're competing with them right now with fractions of the resources that they have. And so I want to stay in this race, and if people believe that, please don't look at this as a point where we're going to say goodbye to Cory. Keep me in this race, please help us by going to CoryBooker.com.

DEAN: And respectfully, there are a lot of fundraising emails out there that people get or words from candidates that are like, if I don't make x money, I'm out, or this is a dire situation, and it's these very stark terms. But you said this is real. This is not some plea for money. You said there is no courage without vulnerability. You are trying to give people a look inside your campaign. So this is an actual dire situation for your campaign.

BOOKER: It is. We decided when we looked at budget numbers over this week that we cannot continue a winning campaign into the fourth quarter where you need to hire up or you need to do ads. There are so many things that you have to do to win. So far we've positioned ourselves to win this election. Right now, on so many metrics on the ground we're running a great election to win.

But we can't continue this without more support. I won't continue this unless I can look people in the eye and say we have a chance to win it. And so if you believe in me this is the time to help, because without it, we shouldn't be in this race.

DEAN: And you've struggled to get out of single digits. Obviously, you need more money, more funding. Why don't you think you are connecting? What is holding you back from connecting with people?

BOOKER: That is the irony is we are connecting. If we look at measures like local support, we know that from Iowa to New Hampshire we are leading all the candidates in this field in endorsements from state senators, state representatives, mayors, people who know politics. In this state where we're standing right now, more of them have chosen my campaign than others.

But the problem we're facing right now is to continue to do what John Kerry did who was polling at four percent and won Iowa. Barack Obama was about 20 points behind Hillary Clinton and won Iowa. We know what the plan and the play is. You have to have organizers on the ground. If we're going to do that, we need help now. If not, we shouldn't continue. So please, this is the moment to make a decision on our campaign. Do you want me in this race or not?

DEAN: And very quickly, before I let you go, President Trump and his allies attacking Vice President Biden. What do you make of what is going on with that?

BOOKER: The allegations, this isn't a partisan attack. The allegations we're hearing right now is that the president of the United States, with a nation that is under physical attack, the Russians invaded Ukraine, they annexed the Crimea, they are in the Donbas region, people are dying. And this president was trying to negotiate aid contingent upon whether or not they investigate a political official? This is a level of misconduct I've not seen in my lifetime. This is something that should have -- I don't think Donald Trump could have shocked me any more. I've seen so much. This is shocking if it's true. So this is a moment that this is about patriotism, not about party.

[14:35:01]

And I'm sorry. This is unacceptable if it is true. What we need now is a transcript of that call, all of it that doesn't jeopardize national security, and we need the inspector general to come forward and share with us what the whistleblower has said.

DEAN: Senator Cory Booker, thanks so much. You have to speak here in just a few minutes. Thanks so much for joining us. Martin, we'll send it back to you.

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