CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) is Interviewed About Joe Biden's Presidential Campaign

Interview

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And OUTFRONT now, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. He is a supporter of Joe Biden.

Senator, good to have you back.

Look, we all know Joe Biden needs to win South Carolina. When you ask him what he's going to do if he doesn't win it, his response is: I am winning South Carolina.

The question though, of course, is what Mr. Clyburn raised there, right, where he said one point is not enough. It needs to be a big win. How much does Biden need to win by to get the momentum that he needs,

Senator Coons, for Super Tuesday?

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): Well, Erin, I'm optimistic we're going to see a big win by Joe on Saturday. Last night in the CNN town hall, Joe Biden once again showed the heart, the character, the leadership.

There was some particularly powerful moment where he connected with an Episcopal priest whose wife was murdered at the AME Church in Charleston. He spoke to his leadership record on combating the pandemic of Ebola as part of the Obama/Biden administration. He spoke to how to take on the NRA and won in terms of combating the epidemic of gun violence in our country. But more than anything, he anchored that town hall with his heart.

So, I think he will win, and I think he will win in a way that will catapult him to a bigger win in Super Tuesday across a half dozen states.

Congressman Clyburn's endorsement is a big deal.

BURNETT: Yes.

COONS: And I think Joe Biden's recovery which began in Nevada is going to strengthen with a significant win in South Carolina on Saturday.

BURNETT: So, he talks about the $2 million he raised since the campaign, right? I mean, I'm sorry, since the debate -- but campaigns also, you know, they end when you run out of money, right? That's how it goes, if not before. But that's when they end.

Right now, you know, Biden is very open about it, massively outspent by his opponents on advertising in Super Tuesday states. He hasn't spent a single dollar in the biggest prize -- California.

He says, well, people know who I am. Do you worry that he has the resources he needs to compete?

COONS: Well, let's be clear, Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, is spending hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars introducing himself to people around the country. Bernie Sanders is spending significantly to promote his vision and his priorities.

Between those three who I think are the main candidates at this point, Joe Biden is the Democrat. He's someone who has the former vice president for eight years, is well and widely known. I think his record, I think his ideas, and I think his ability to deliver results for America's middle class and to actually put forward plans that can be achieved is what's going to make him a successful candidate on Tuesday.

Of course, I wish he had more financial resources. I hope that folks who are looking at this field will ask themselves a question: in Nevada and in South Carolina, you have an electorate that looks like America, that's diverse. If you cannot win, if you cannot have a significant showing among the African-American and Latino populations of these two states, how could you win the Democratic nomination?

BURNETT: A quick final question to you, right? This could end up a very splintered process, right, where the person with the most delegates doesn't have the majority of delegates. And, in part, that may be because people don't get out early.

Do you think that people should start thinking about getting out now?

I mean, Elizabeth Warren says she's in until the end. Michael Bloomberg says he's in until the end no matter what.

Is that a problem?

COONS: I do think that candidates should be asking themselves, how do I have a path to winning? And my hope, my expectation is that some of the folks whose polling is already showing them getting less than double digits, they need to -- they need to make some hard choices in the best interest of the country.

BURNETT: All right. I appreciate your time. Senator, thank you very much as always.

COONS: Thank you.

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