[Howell:] You've heard that line, "Blame the media." U.S. presidential candidate Ben Carson is doing just that for mischaracterizing his recent comments on Muslims. He told news outlets to, quote, "mature" and that he believes anyone can apply for the job. Earlier in the week, he told MSNBC he wouldn't support a Muslim running for president. Carson now says he'd support a Muslim for president but only if they renounced sharia law. Newly discovered e-mails are raising questions about exactly what Hillary Clinton considered to be personal. The exchanges are from 2009 between Ms. Clinton and then-commander of U.S. CENTCOM, General David Petraeus. State Department officials called the e-mails, quote, "getting acquainted." They say that the exchanges do not appear to include classified information. Clinton claims that she has turned over all work-related e-mails and her personal server over to investigators. Clinton's husband is defending her in a new interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says critics have made more out of the e-mail issue than there really is. He also talked about the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump. Listen.
[Fareed Zakaria, Cnn:] Again, as a great student of American politics, what explains Donald Trump?
[Bill Clinton, Former President Of The United States:] Well, first of all, he's a master brander. And when you have a lot of people running and people are trying to make distinctions, being able to put a personal stamp on it so people identify with who you are, accounts for something
[Clinton:] certainly in the beginning. So I think that. Then he said to the working class supporters of the Republican Party, that have largely shifted over for cultural reasons, I'll give you economic reason to vote for me. I'll build a wall around the southern border of America and I'll stop buying Chinese imports so your incomes will go up. Now that all will have to be fleshed out in the course of time. And I'm sure the other future debates will do it. But he's got a lot of pizzazz and zip. He's branded himself in a clear way and he's generated some excitement. And it remains to be seen what's going to happen. It's an unusual election. You know, there's there doesn't seem to be much interest yet on their side. I think there is on our side, because both Hillary and Senator Sanders have laid out pretty detailed, positive policy positions, talked about what they would cost and, you know, you can actually have a debate there, where you could discuss the relative merits of their positions on health care or generating jobs or lifting incomes or whatever. But over there, it seems to be more about resentments and one-liners. I don't know. It's interesting.
[Zakaria:] But could Trump be the nominee?
[Clinton:] I think so.
[Zakaria:] Wow.
[Clinton:] I mean, how do I know? I don't understand I don't understand any of it very well. And look, I've been out of politics a long time. I haven't run for office in 20 years. And, also, I'm not mad at anybody. I mean, you know, I'm a grandfather. I love my foundation. I'm proud of Hillary. I'll do what I can to help her. But I'm not the best pundit anymore. I don't have a good feel for this. All I know is what I think is good for the country. And I think the country needs somebody who can give us broadly shared prosperity, help families and kids, try to reduce the impact of all this huge anonymous money in our political system and, in a world full of challenges, keep big, bad things from happening and make as many good things happen as possible. That's how I would define the job of the next president. That's what I think. And so I think Hillary would be a great president. But I have I have no confidence in my political field anymore. I've just been out of it a long time. And I'm not I'm not mad at anybody. So I'm just happy to be here.
[Howell:] That was former U.S. President Bill Clinton, speaking with CNN's Fareed Zakaria. And you can see the full interview Sunday night at 8:00 in London, 9:00 in Berlin and 11:00 in Abu Dhabi, right here on CNN. Sir Elton John and Russian President Putin have plans to meet to discuss gay rights in Russia. This comes after a prankster called the singer pretending to be Mr. Putin. Senior international correspondent Matthew Chance has more.
[Matthew Chance, Cnn Senior International Correspondent:] Well, I think it's a pretty smart PR move from the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, the real one this time, actually calling Elton John and agreeing to meet him in person. Remember, last week, a couple of Russian pranksters pretending to be Putin spoke with the British rock star after he'd offered to meet Putin to discuss gay rights in Russia. The telephone conversation was, of course, recorded and it showed that Elton truly believed he had the Russian president on the other end of the line. Take a listen.
[Elton John, Performer And Philanthropist:] Look, tell him I'm extremely honored to be on this, that he's calling me and that I'm speaking to him. It's a great privilege to be able to speak to one of the most influential people in the whole world. It's amazing.
[Chance:] OK, this time the Kremlin said it took a bit of convincing to get Elton John to take the call, who was perhaps understandably suspicious. I know that you are have been played by pranksters, President Putin told the singer, according to the Kremlin, but they intended no harm. But that, of course, doesn't excuse them, he said. Well, of course, gay rights are a very serious issue in Russia, where laws have been introduced to restrict public discussion of homosexuality. And activists say they face discrimination. Elton John, for his part, brushed off the prank call, saying that his offer to talk with President Putin still stands and he seems now to be a small step closer to that actually happening Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
[Howell:] You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. When we come back, the little car carrying a passenger of great stature. We look at the regular ride for a pope who acts like a regular guy.