Harry Reid Endorses Hillary Clinton
HARLOW: Just days before the South Carolina Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton picking up a major endorsement this afternoon from the Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, backing her, also saying she is the right candidate to be the first female, president. Listen.</s>SEN. HARRY REID, (D-NV), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: I think the middle class would be better served by Hillary. I think that my work with her over the years has been something that I've looked upon with awe. When she was the first lady, she started the trend toward doing something about health care. She understood the issue well. She was the front on health care during that administration. I also think that she's the woman to be the first president of the United States that's a female.</s>HARLOW: Let's talk more about this with Susan Page, "USA Today" Washington bureau chief. Thank you for being with me.</s>SUSAN PAGE, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, USA TODAY: Great to be with you.</s>HARLOW: Your reaction to him getting behind her and specifically what he said to Manu.</s>PAGE: This is a real scoop, so congratulations to CNN for that. We had no idea that he would endorse. This is a sign of the Democratic establishment saying we don't want to have an extended contest here. We're going to line up behind Hillary Clinton. It's significant also because Harry Reid has good relations with Bernie Sanders. Historically, they have been -- although, Bernie Sanders hasn't technically been a Democrat, he has been a part of the caucus. It's not as though it's someone we knew would be anti-Sanders endorsing Hillary Clinton. He is someone -- Democrats now are looking at this race and the Republican race and seeing Donald Trump on a path to win the nomination. They don't want a Democratic contest that is going on and on and all the way to the convention if the Republicans are on a path to wrap up their nomination battle much sooner than we thought they might.</s>HARLOW: Right. Well that's a good point, juxtaposing it with that. During the town hall last night, hosted by our Chris Cuomo, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both spoke about this call that Sanders has made for Clinton to release those transcripts from the paid speeches she has made especially from front of Wall Street banks. Listen.</s>SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I), VERMONT & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am very happy to release all of my paid speeches to Wall Street. Here it is, Chris. There ain't none.</s>SANDERS: I don't do that. I don't get --</s>SANDERS: I don't get speaker's fees from Goldman Sachs. It's not there. So I'm happy to do my best in releasing any of the speeches. Won't be very shocking.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Will you agree to release these transcripts? They have become an issue.</s>HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Sure, if everybody does it, and that includes the Republicans. Because we know they have made a lot of speeches. But, look, what is this about? This is about whether I have the best plan to go after Wall Street, whether I have a record that already demonstrates my willingness to take on Wall Street and financial interests. And there's no question about that. I did it before the '08 crash. I have done it since. In this campaign, I have been absolutely clear. And a lot of people have said I have the most effective comprehensive plan to make sure that Wall Street never wrecks Main Street again.</s>HARLOW: It's interesting because you have sort of seen her evolve on this issue. She's also saying, even though my competitor is asking for it, I want all the Republicans to do the same. What do you think? Does this really resonate with voters?</s>PAGE: You know, this is one of Bernie Sanders's best issues. It's an issue that keeps on giving to portray her as being captured by wall street, taking lots of money from wall street at a time when the concern about income inequality and weather rich people are getting richer while the middle class gets squeeze is his fundamental core message. So this is an issue I think is his most damaging issue with Hillary Clinton.</s>PAGE: And you see that she is playing defense, saying if the Republicans put out their transcripts I'll put out mine. I don't think that's a defensible position. I think before this campaign is over she will be forced to put out those transcripts.</s>HARLOW: Here's what else she said, Susan. You didn't hear it there but it's important in terms of context. She pointed to President Obama who she has been embracing much more closely, and said, look, President Obama got the most in terms of financial contributions to his campaign in 2008 than pretty much anyone else. I think perhaps Mitt Romney topped him. And she said look he has been the hardest on Wall Street and Wall Street reform. She has a point there.</s>PAGE: Yeah, well, that's true. But look at the change in time from then. That was in 2008. Barack Obama was running for that nomination at a time before the crash of the financial markets, before Americans saw their own financial underpinnings brushed aside under the Great Recession, and before we saw this incredibly growing concern about income inequality. I'm not sure the situations in 2008 and 2016 are analogous. Again, this is really playing -- she is playing more effective defense on this issue than she was before, but she is still on defense.</s>HARLOW: Interesting point. Susan Page, nice to have you on. Thank you so much.</s>PAGE: Hey, thank you.</s>HARLOW: More on our breaking news, next, President Obama right now in the White House vetting a Republican. You heard it right, a Republican. You see him right there. The governor of Nevada. Potentially, the replacement for Justice Scalia's empty seat on the nation's highest court. Despite Republicans vowing not to even consider who the president pick, this fight erupting and it's taking a brand-new turn right now. That's next.