CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview With Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) Discussing The Campaigns In Its Final Day

Interview

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Joining me now to discuss the campaign and its final day as Congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California. He is a member of the House Oversight Committee and a top surrogate for the Bernie Sanders campaign.

Congressman, great to see you here. Thanks so much for being with us.

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Great, great to be on, John.

BERMAN: What message does it send? I know that Congresswoman Tlaib did apologize after, but what message does it send to even have that moment? To have to apologize?

The Sanders campaign apologized a few weeks ago for these phone calls, talking about Joe Biden asking questions about corruption. So these apologies have happened before.

KHANNA: Well, you've had people in the campaign call for unity. I have said that I have great respect for Secretary Clinton for the work she did to expand healthcare for children and for the work she did on the Iran Nuclear Deal.

I was a Bernie supporter in 2016 and went all out for Hillary Clinton in 2016. So we need to unify our party behind our nominee. I hope it will be Bernie Sanders, but I will be 110 percent behind whoever it is.

BERMAN: One of the things that each candidate is doing now is making the argument about electability, why they are the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump? It really does seem that that that is an issue more important to voters now -- Democratic voters -- than any other issue.

What is the Bernie Sanders unique value proposition when it comes to defeating Donald Trump?

KHANNA: Let me put it simply, Bernie Sanders is going to have huge turnout. I mean, there were 3,000 people out last night, the biggest turnout in the State of Iowa.

Everyone knows Donald Trump is going to have massive rallies. He is going to have massive financial resources and huge volunteers. We're going to have to mobilize our side like never before, and I think Bernie Sanders has proven he can do it.

BERMAN: He has proven he can mobilize certain voters for sure. There are questions about whether or not he can reach across the full breadth of the Democratic Party.

Senator Bill Nelson, former Senator from Florida was sitting right in this chair one hour ago and said he's got concerns about Florida, about suburban voters in Florida who might be more conservative than Bernie Sanders. How does he reach them?

KHANNA: Well, Andrew Gillum ran on basically Bernie Sanders's platform and came within a whisker.

BERMAN: But a whisker isn't winning, though. And I think the point that Bill Nelson did better than Andrew Gillum and Bill Nelson has lost also, but had 20,000 more votes. And he would tell you he thinks that's probably because he has a more

moderate position on some of the issues.

KHANNA: But I think, I mean, their campaign against Andrew Gillum was very unfair. There was the race card play there.

I mean, I do think that what we know is Bernie Sanders's platform -- healthcare for everyone, Medicare-for-All, no copays, no premiums, no deductibles, and massive investment in infrastructure, getting out of endless wars. I think this can resonate.

And what you will see is Bernie Sanders building bridges, reaching out to build a broad coalition. Now, people like me and others are working on doing that.

BERMAN: What is the message from Bernie Sanders to the Joe Biden voter? In some cases it is different. It could be a white working class voter that Bernie Sanders does very well with them. It could be a college educated suburban voter, or an African-American voter where Bernie Sanders is doing better than some candidates, but not nearly as well as Joe Biden is.

KHANNA: Well, I think the message is for African-American voters, Bernie Sanders has had a lifetime of advocacy for Civil Rights issues. He has a huge plan for HBCUs. He has a plan for public education and strengthening Social Security, which the African-American community cares very deeply about.

But I think more broadly, the message with Bernie Sanders is we are going to be an inclusive campaign. We want to hear what your concerns are from every wing of the party, and you're going to have a seat at the table.

BERMAN: Is Iowa the right state to go first?

KHANNA: I think so. I mean, I really do. And let me tell you why. Iowa nominated Barack Obama, and then Iowa picked a woman as our nominee with Hillary Clinton and look at who's leading here?

You have a Jewish candidate with Bernie Sanders, you have a woman with Elizabeth Warren. You have someone who is gay with Pete Buttigieg.

I mean, the idea that Iowa isn't for diverse candidates is just not true.

BERMAN: It may be for diverse candidates, but it is not itself, diverse, right? The Democratic Party is much more diverse than Iowa, which is much whiter.

KHANNA: I agree with that, but I also think Iowa is more diverse than people realize. One of the reasons Bernie Sanders is going to win here is that we have intentionally targeted the Latino community, which is prevalent across rural Iowa.

We have reached out to the South Asian community. We have reached out to the Muslim-American community. You're going to see all these new American citizens come out for Bernie Sanders.

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KHANNA: So I also believe you have to look at the first four early states in their totality. And when you look at Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, all of which are critical, then you do see the diversity of the party reflected.

BERMAN: Very important question I have to ask you as we wrap up, you represent Silicon Valley, of course, the 49ers played there.

KHANNA: 49ers in my district.

BERMAN: What's your prediction?

KHANNA: They're going to win and I have Raheem Mostert, my favorite player is going to have a huge night.

I mean, we were talking about him. Look, I mean, he was cut by six teams. Here's someone who shot his own toe at the age of four with his dad's gun. Unbelievable story. Every American should be rooting for him.

BERMAN: Every American should be rooting for whom?

KHANNA: For Raheem.

BERMAN: Yes.

KHANNA: For Raheem Mostert. He really is the all-American story. I mean, if you want to be hopeful and inspired about this country, see what he did.

BERMAN: Congressman Ro Khanna, great to have you here with us tonight. Good luck in the Super Bowl tonight.

KHANNA: Thank you.

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