CNN "Erin Burnett OutFront"- Transcript: Interview with Donald Trum

Interview

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MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we start paying attention to these polls in October, I mean, you'll go crazy. I've been up, I've been down. JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: But you're the sitting

senator in Florida.

RUBIO: It's a very unusual year. And I think part of it is that people are really angry about the direction of our country.

GANGEL: So, here's the good news for Marco Rubio. Democrats say you're the triple threat, that you're the young new fresh face, that you're great in the debate, that you are Hispanic and you put Florida into play.

RUBIO: Thank you!

GANGEL: So why is it taking you so long to get traction?

RUBIO: Well, first of all, none of those things matter. That's just campaign talk. It's like -- politics today is covered almost like sports. And so, you watch these teams, they have a really good game, they're the top team in the world. The next week they have a bad game, it's disaster. That's not the way the campaigns work.

GANGEL (voice-over): The way the Rubio campaign works is not glamourous. Behind the scenes he races from event to event, trying to raise money, trying to inch up in the polls, and taking on Donald Trump.

(on camera): At the Trump event, there were protesters on immigration, and at the end Trump said, I'm going to win with Hispanics. I love the Hispanics. What do you think when you hear him say things like that?

RUBIO: I mean, that's Donald being Donald. And that's what it is.

GANGEL: He is the front-runner, though, and he hits you and Carson over and over again. He says you're weak on immigration. Is he more in tune with the Republican Party on this issue than you are?

RUBIO: No. His rhetoric is a little louder. But if you think about where he was six months ago, his position on immigration six months ago is nothing like what he's saying now. And even what he's saying now is borders on the absurd. He's going to deport all these people and then he's going to allow back in. The ones that are good. His plan makes no sense.

GANGEL: Jeb Bush says Donald Trump has dangerous views on national security. Are you comfortable with the idea of Donald Trump with his finger on the button?

RUBIO: Well, I wouldn't term it that way. I would say that ultimately the next president of the United States on their first day in office must understand the threats that face this country and must have shown good judgment about what to do about those issues.

GANGEL: Are you comfortable --

RUBIO: Well, I'm not -- the truth is, as I said in the debates the last time on CNN, I don't believe that up to this point in the campaign he has clearly outlined a deep understanding of the issues before this country in a serious way. And obviously he has time to change that. We have more debates coming up.

GANGEL: So right now he's not ready to be commander-in-chief.

RUBIO: At this point in the campaign he has not proven an understanding of these issues or the preparation necessary to be the commander-in-chief in the most powerful military force in the world.

GANGEL: If he's the nominee, would you enthusiastically support him?

RUBIO: Well, I'm going to support the republican nominee. And I'm comfortable that's not going to be Donald Trump and I am increasingly confident that it's going to be me.

GANGEL: Okay.

RUBIO: And so I feel good answering that question.

GANGEL: Let's talk about Jeb. The two of you both say you're friends. We went back and looked at your victory night November 2, 2010, when he introduced you. He said that you were the man for our time.

BUSH: Bushes get emotional so I'm going to try my hardest. My wife has told me, don't cry. Don't cry. But Marco Rubio makes me cry for joy.

GANGEL: I'm not sure anyone quite believes the friendship is still warm anymore. What is the state of your relationship?

RUBIO: Not on our part it isn't. I mean, I'm running for president. I'm not running against Jeb or anybody else in this race.

GANGEL: So if some might said, look, Jeb was your friend, he was your mentor, he helped you get elected, he helped you raise money. Some might say this is a betrayal. Couldn't you have waited for another election?

RUBIO: Well, I don't see the presidency that way. I don't think there's a line where we all wait and just hand the presidency off to each other because you've paid your dues. I'm running for president because I don't see anyone else on either side who's campaigning on the agenda and the views that I have. I don't view the presidency as some sort of honorostic (ph) office that you just step aside and let someone else move forward. This is not that kind of thing. We have got to move forward in this country and turn the page.

GANGEL: Let's turn the corner. You want people to get to know you better. Favorite book?

RUBIO: Ever. Well, obviously, look, I think the Bible is the most extraordinary document ever written.

GANGEL: Second favorite book. RUBIO: That's a great question. One of the ones I have really enjoy

is the one about Churchill, I think it's called "The Last Lion."

GANGEL: Light side, favorite movies.

RUBIO: Well, some of them are not for kids to watch. Right? I love "The Godfather" one and two and number three. And I could do without three. I thought it was fine.

GANGEL: I liked three.

RUBIO: I like Andy Garcia. One and two were fantastic. I loved "Pulp Fiction." A lot of people don't like it but I enjoy that a lot. "Wedding Crashers," I thought that's one of the funniest movies I've ever saw.

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