understandably so. brian todd, thanks very much for that report. and that's it for me. thanks very much for watching. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room," erin burnett "out front" starts right now. "out front" next, president obama breaking news firing back at donald trump's charge that the election is rigged calling him rbiing and a late-breaking poll showing hillary clinton's lead doubling since the convention. he's seen video of a plane delivering hundreds of millions of dollars to iran, video even his staff says they don't have and the zika virus spreading to california. two babies born with serious birth defects and we'll go to the front lines of the fight tonight. let's go "out front." goo good evening. i'm front tonight, the breaking news. president obama calling donald

trump ridiculous. the president slamming trump's charge that the u.s. election is rigged. >> that's ridiculous. that doesn't make any sense, and i don't think anyone would take that seriously at. >> president also saying his job is serious business making it clear he doesn't trust trump with america's nuclear weapons. this comes as a breaking poll tonight shows hillary clinton nearly doubling her lead over trump. the wall street journal showing her leading by nine points and we'll have more on all of that in a moment. first, though, the other breaking news. the president saying it is possible there are full-blown isis-controlled networks inside the united states. we have to do a better job of disrupting networks and those networks are more active in europe than they are here, but we don't know what we don't know and so it's conceivable that there are some networks here that could be activated. >> barbara starr was at the

president's press conference moments ago and joins me now. that was a major statement from the president tonight. >> it was, indeed, erin. i asked him about his view right now about the threat to the homeland. one of the other things he said was, and i'm quoting, i think it's serious. so what is the president really talking about? what the president is being briefed on is that isis has been expanding far beyond iraq and syria in some 18 countries now. we have seen any number of attacks happening in europe, in bangladesh, very brutal attacks across many places in the middle east, as well and so the concern is as isis is able to stage these external attacks by maybe just inspiring a few people with a few weapons, they can cause such massive damage. the concern like the attack in istanbul's airport, could isis get to people here in the united states? people who do not have a current criminal record, people who may

be able to buy weapons who may be part of some inspired attack, but he raises the possibility tonight that this could be a network some day that isis might try and activate in the united states. now, to be clear, the u.s. has very strong homeland security measures and officials will tell you it would be very hard for isis operatives to come into the united states, but what about if they're already here? erin. >> obviously, the big fear and a very big statement from the president today. barbara starr, thank you. michelle kosinski was also at the president's briefing and the other big news from obama taking aim at donald trump. trump has charged multiple times that this election is rigged and obama today was calling that ridiculous. >> he answered him back and this came after a long chunk of time that president obama had spent talking about isis and of course, that's a very somber conversation. when he was finally asked about donald trump and he loosened up a little bit and his tonal most mocking. listen. >> that's ridiculous.

that doesn't make sense, and i don't think anybody would take that seriously. >> reporter: and president obama went on to say, you know, talking about a rigged election, donald trump sounds like he's already a loser saying that before he even loses the election and he said after the election, if going in he looks like he's ahead 10 or 12 points and then he loses then he might have the right to bring up that point, erin? >> and michelle, i mean, he was saying i don't know where to start answering this question. of course, the elections will not be rigged, right? he was so angry, as you point out and he went further and the president was very clear. he does not think trump is fit to be president, right? >> reporter: this came up in an interesting way and it was cnn's barbara starr who asked him directly can donald trump be trusted with america's nuclear weapons and this has been asked of the white house many times before. is donald trump trustworthy

enough to have the nuclear codes if he becomes president and listen to what president obama said. >> i obviously have a very strong opinion about the two candidates who are running. one is very positive and one is not so much. this is serious business, and the person who is in the oval office and who is our secretary of defense and our joint chiefs of staff and outstanding men and women in uniform report to -- they are counting on somebody who has the temperament and good judgment to be able to make decisions to keep america safe. >> another part of that answer was when he kept referring back to what he had said two days ago when he called donald trump unfit to be president and woefully unprepared. so particular nickly, he didn't

really answer barbara starr's question, but he made his intent very clear, and he even said i made myself very clear the other day, erin. >> michelle, thank you very much. "out front" now the chair of donald trump's security advisory committee senator jeff sessions. good to have you back on the program. you heard part of what president obama's claim dismissing trump's claims that the election is rigged. let me play a little bit more about what he said because michelle was right, he really was mocking donald trump's accusations. here is the president. >> i don't even really know where to start on answering this question. of course, the elections will not be rigged. if mr. trump is suggesting that there is a conspiracy theory that is being propagated across the country including in places like texas where typically it's

not democrats who are in charge of voting booths, that's ridiculous and that doesn't make any sense and i don't think anybody would take that seriously. if mr. trump is up 10 or 15 points on election day and ends up losing then maybe he can raise some questions. that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment. >> senator, does the president have a point? that trump is calling the election rig said because he is losing right now after all he used to leave every single rally with a list of the polls. >> if it's a close election which is likely to be, and i believe will be, then we need an honest election. we haven't had an election that i know of without some proof of fraud. courts have struck down the idea that you have to present some sort of identification document when you go to the polls and this does increase the likelihood of fraud, but we hope we'll have a fair election.

donald trump is a campaigner and a warrior, the numbers had him up not long ago. he's down some now, and i think you'll see a rebound, no doubt about it heading into november. >> so you think he's going to rebound, obviously, he is significantly behind in a lot of these polls and in some as many as 17 points behind. >> let me just say that he's been behind before and he's been up before and he had a national poll up five point, and i believe that was cnn's poll, so they're up and down. i don't believe this is any kind of permanent low. i believe they have a bump on him, the election and convention and then we've had some events that have occurred and i think the press has been far too negative about and they've hit him really, really hard and they'll come back and his message is right for the american people, erin. he's talking about their wages and their salaries and a lawful system of immigration and trade

policies that protect workers and their jobs and not closing factories. these are the things that have to be a part of this election and will be as the weeks go by. >> you say events that have occurred. i'm assuming one of those is obviously what has happened with the khan family, the gold-star family and with the battle with his parents that donald trump has been engaged in. have you told donald trump to knock it off, stop picking those sort of fights? >> well, i think he does understand that you have to stay focused on the main issue and the main issue is hillary clinton, her failed economic policies and the obama/clinton policies are not working, more taxes, more regulation, more debt and more borrowing and more know government will never make this economy grow and her failed policies in the middle east, goodness, as secretary of state she pulled out the troops out of iraq, erin. this was so bad.

we would not have isis in iraq today had we kept just a minimum number of troops in a backup role. there's just no doubt about it, and now the president is trying to struggle to take back whole swaths of iraq where isis has formed a caliphate, really and needs to be defeated. >> and obama went ahead and did it. i don't want to re-litigate all of that right now. >> bush did not say pull the troops out of iraq. >> he had set a deal on immunity. i don't want to get into re-litigating that. >> we have a problem in iraq today and with isis because of that colossal failed erroneous decision it's the foundation of the problems we have that there is an isis today. >> i want to ask you about this issue because actually isis does link to something donald trump has been saying regarding nuclear weapons and i want to

make sure i play for you what president obama said about donald trump and nuclear weapons and me made it clear he doesn't think he can handle the country's nuclear arsenal moments ago. here's how he put it. >> just listen to what mr. trump has to say and make your own judgment with respect to how confident you feel about his ability to manage things like our nuclear triad. >> senator, as i said, donald trump has been inconsistent on this issue, at one point saying he would consider nuclear weapons. here he is saying so in march. >> someone hits us. >> you wouldn't fight back? >> would there be a time when it could be used? >> the trouble is when you said that -- >> you advised donald trump on these issue, senator. should a could-be president be speaking that way about america's nuclear arsenal? >> let me tell you, nobody takes nuclear weapons off the table. barack obama doesn't and no president takes them off the table ever, but a nuclear war

cannot be won. a nuclear war is a disaster. it must be avoided. there's no doubt about it. >> but again, you wouldn't fight us within isis and you wouldn't defend us with a nuke? >> he's talking about a deterrent factor that is always available to every president, and he cannot take that off the table. he's very cautious about nuclear weapons and from my discussions with him there is no rashness with him about the use of nuclear weapons and he will be very cautious about the nuclear weapon issue. >> thank you very much, senator. i appreciate your time tonight. out front next, more on our breaking news. trump says he's seen video of a plane delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in cash to iran, but no one else seems to have seen it. hillary clinton nearly doubling her lead over trump and trump is showing surprising strength and closing in fast on clinton. our report. and then vulgar, sometimes violent people at trump rallies

caught on video. why? ♪ ♪ ♪ only those who dare drive the world forward. introducing the first-ever cadillac ct6.

like having something your fit you, just right, thank you randall. every stitch and seam of your home insurance, tailored to fit you and your budget. with unique features, like claim free rewards... ohh! customized home protection extra features all at an affordable price! i'm going to live in this. in means getting more from your home insurance with an expert allstate agent. it's good to be in, good hands. did you know dell.com price like the xps 13.verything? yeeeeaaaaahhh! for you, glam rockers. we love your work. ♪ sfx: intel animation: intel® "bong" he wrecked the rec room this summer. his stellar notebooks will last through june. get back to great. this week, these items just one cent each. office depot officemax. gear up for school.

gear up for great. buy milk and you could be a winner this summer. when you purchase milk you can upload your receipt for a chance to win a u.s. olympic training center experience and over 1,000 other incredible prizes. visit milklife.com/champions to enter.

breaking news. president obama denying he paid $400 million to iran to release american hostages. in a press conference earlier tonight the president obama slamming accusations that sending a cash plane to iraq on the same day american hostages were released was ransom. >> we do not pay ransom for hostages. we won't in the future. jim sciutto is out front. jim, the president was clearly very angry about this and he is taking withering criticism for this. >> reporter: he was exasperated. the first point he makes is listen, this was not a secret transfer of money. in fact, the president announced it, the white house announced it when it happened and that's true. we reported on it, as well and what is new and in this press conference was that the initial transfer of what were frozen

assets was in cash, a plane full of cash. the president made the point that the reason that was the case was that sanctions against iran worked and they were cut off from the international banking system so you couldn't make a bank transfer, but let's be honest,i ieerin, his own department of justice was uncomfortable with rezaian coming and the plane full of cash going there on the same day even though they were separate negotiation tracks it happened on the same day and of course, that looked bad. frankly, the way iran has behaved in the past they have captured people with the intention of using them as bargaining chips for whether it's the release of iranians or for other concessions. so that association, that appearan of a quid pro quo didn't come from nowhere. >> and you know, it's also interesting, of course, when the president was asked directly, can you say that that money did not go to terrorism which of course, iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism

according to his administration, he pointedly did not answer that question at all. donald trump has been trying to seize outrage over this story and so far not seizing on items like that, jim, doing it in a remarkably strange way, in fact. >> very strange and arguably self-destructive way because instead of focusing on the deal, the transfer and the timing he focused instead on a video that he claims to exist showing that money going to iran. have a listen. >> the tape was made, right? you saw that with the airplane coming in, nice plane and the airplane coming in, and the money coming off, i guess, right? that was given to us, has to be by the iranians and you know yet tape was given to us? because they want to embarrass air country. who would ever think that they would be taking all of this money off the plane and then providing us with a tape? >> the thing is none of that is true. there is no tape of this plane

full of money going there. there is tape, video of the plane landing with the americans coming this way which was broadcast. so -- and the idea that the iranians gave it to the u.s. that's also factually untrue and even trump's own spokesperson said what he was referring to was video that was broadcast on the networks at the time of this release and that was something that was known yesterday, the day before yesterday and yet today donald trump repeating that line of argument. >> jim sciutto, thank you. out front now, former reagan white house political director michael lord, and basil smikle and hillary clinton supporter and timothy neftali and jackie kucinich. let me start with you. the president's on the defensive, right? >> right. >> he's exasperated and this doesn't look good and it looks terrible. >> you have a plane with cash going one way and hostages the other way within the same day

and when asked, can you say that cash did not go for terrorism? yet donald trump is talking about a video that doesn't exist? >> to be perfectly candid, i saw that and that's what i thought i was seeing and this is the video of the hostages getting off of a plane in switzerland. >> in watching it i thought -- this is the video, right. exactly. so i mean, easy enough to mistake, but if the hostages are getting on or off they're getting on or off because the cash was sent. let me add one other thing. i worked in the reagan white house during what was known the iran-contra scandal in which arms were traded for hostages and he said no they weren't, no they weren't, and finally they came to the conclusion that yes, there were. there was a major to-do about this and a massive investigation, a commission and a presidential prosecutor. this stinks. this is even worse than that.

i can't imagine that this is not a huge deal. >> the justice department, as jim pointed out, was not comfortable with this. this is the u.s. government sending cash into iran. i went into iran at one point when there were sanctions. it's very difficult. you are violating the law to bring american cash into iran. the obama administration sent $400 million of cash in. >> i understand, i don't see at all the comparison to iran-contra, this does not meet that test at all, number one. number two, this $400 million has been litigated for almost as long as i've been alive, actually, and because the white house announced it and they announced that there was a settlement of $1.7 million -- >> but the money was ultimately not transferred until the day of the hostages. >> and it was announced and i don't see where it arises to iran-contra. i don't see on. >> >> we'll work on you, basil. >> i don't see that.

>> whether it does or doesn't, jackie, you have donald trump talking about a video that isn't the right video as opposed to these issues. >> factually. so we've seen this time and time again, he gets distracted by these smaller things be it the e-mails and be it this -- he has no ability to take the opportunity to really attack hillary clinton and to attack president obama because he's hung up on things that don't really matter or are a conspiracy theories and it hasn't taken the initiative. that's got to frustrate you, jeffrey and his other supporters because really, there are all these opportunities out there, and he's not seizing on them. >> not just that he mistook the plane for hostages for the plane and cash. he said the iranians provided us with this footage. >> a couple of thing, first of all, jeffrey, to remind our audience, the iran-contra scandal involved illegal activity. it involved sending two missiles

which the iranians then used against israel. i have seen no evidence so far that any laws were broken in this transaction. >> except for our own sanctions. >> no, but it was under part of the agreement that was shared with congress. none of this was secret. remember, iran-contra is about -- >> a jet in the middle of the night. it sounds like a drug deal going down. >> no, no, let's not do that. let us not associate the president of the united states with a drug deal. let's not do that, number one. go back to your point. >> my point is this. here i think jeffrey was not being fair to ronald reagan because ronald reagan and every american president since the islamic revolution has had a problem with iran and what every president has determined is we have no military option against iran. they're not nice. they do fund hezbollah. hezbollah has engaged international terrorism and hezbollah has been difficult to

our ally, israel. everyone agrees that iran is a problem so they try to work the problem. when ronald reagan and it was a terrible mistake in the end, but ronald reagan's advisers were trying to actually do a nixon. only nixon could go to china. only reagan could go to tehran and the whole point was to establish a strategic relationship and reagan focused on the hostages and ultimately it became a game and the iranians played us and it was a complex effort to find a way around the problem of iran. every one of our government his to do that, if we had just focused on the drama of that late night transfer -- >> it is relevant. the optics do matter. that is the reality. optics do matter. >> when you are sending over $400 million in cash, in essence, this is a big deal. it is a very big deal. >> but they only do it in cash because it was illegal to do it any other way. >> hold on! >> this is why this is a good

conversation. i hit pause for only a moment because you will be with me on the other side of the break. florida launching an air war with the zika virus. we have two babies born with intr zika. how fast is it spreading? and angry often vulgar people at trump rallies caught on tape. >> get out of here [ expletive ] gain the freedom to fumble with the new water and shatter-resistant samsung galaxy s7 active. exclusively at at&t. craso come dive into disheser like the new alaska bairdi crab dinner with sweet crab from the icy waters of alaska. or try crab lover's dream with tender snow and king crab legs. love crab? then hurry, crabfest ends soon.

but you may experience common discomforts. introducing trunatal from one a day. trunatal is a new line of products designed to address discomforts with nausea relief and regularity support. add trunatal from one a day for relief and support you can trust.

bp drilling teams train in virtual reality simulators in here, so we're better prepared for any situation out there. because safety is never being satisfied. and always working to be better. that reminds me... anyone have occasional constipation, diarrhea... ...gas, bloating? yes! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against occasional digestive issues. with three types of good bacteria. live the regular life. phillips'.

. breaking news. hillary clinton opening up a nine-point lead over donald trump nationally. a new poll showing clinton ahead of trump 43 to 34 before the conventions clinton had a six-point lead in the same poll. clinton is opening big leads in new hampshire, pennsylvania and michigan as 17 points in new hampshire and double digits in the others. jason carroll is tramping with the trump campaign. trump may be down on the polls, and those look bad, but his rallies are still absolutely

packed and you've had a chance to talk to the people who are there. are they losing any enthusiasm? >> reporter: no. not at all. they're not losing enthusiasm whether they be here where we saw trump or before that in daytona beach or before that in virginia or ohio. look, these are a dedicated group of people, no loss of enthusia enthusiasm, but there is a change. those who came out saw a much different version of a donald trump and he was much more focused on the issues and there was less name calling here and you have to wonder if a page has been turned in terms of how this candidate is going to proceed in the future. for that we will have to wait and see, but in terms of what those people who came out here saw today they saw a different version of of a donald trump and one that they liked. >> i don't believe in polls. i think the polls are wrong. i highly suspect that there are so many people out there that are really involved and they come out to the rallies anyway and so i don't think the points

really make much difference. >> i absolutely love this man. i love that voting him in is really sticking it to the establishment. not going to take it from them. everybody is running scared, and i love it. >> so, erin, let me point to an example, at one point a group of protesters held up a pocket version of the constitution in reference to khizr khan who held up his version of the constitution during the dnc convention asking donald trump if he himself had read the constitution, and donald trump took that all in stride as the protesters, small group of about a half dozen were led out and talk it all in stride and moved back on to the points of attacking hillary clinton. when i asked a woman about that, a woman from massachusetts. she said he was much more presidential today and this is the vergdz of donald trump we need to see going forward. erin? >> thank you very much. >> the panel is back with me. the polls and you see the

die-hard supporters they are itching for a fight, but the polls look bad, okay? the polls are bad and it's not just a poll here and a poll there and jeff sessions says some are up and some are down. right now at this moment in time they are all down for donald trump. >> i speck today with the director of the franklin/marshall poll which is pennsylvania. >> that's the 13-point margin poll. >> and by point of disclosure i'm a franklin marshall alum here and dr. terrell madonna has said to me that absolutely donald trump stands a chance at winning pennsylvania. it's august and it's early. i certainly remember the michael dukakis lead of 17 points in the gallup poll in july of 1988, and i went back and took another look at jimmy carter according to the gallup poll going to defeat ronald reagan by 12 or 13 points and these polls particularly at this time are irrelevant. when we get to 48 hours before

the election. that's another story. >> the rallies, basil are packed. look, you have that core base who are never going to change their mind no matter what, but there is something to be said when the national headlines are about chaos in the campaign in des ash disarray and the meltdown and the polls are terrible for trump, but the rallies are full. >> presidential campaigns are about growth and the question is where is donald trump growing his base of support from a primary into a general election. look, i think the polls are great, but i don't think we're resting on our haufrnes haufrnt little he can offer to the american people. >> unusual use of the word exquisite. >> my mother was a teacher. i think it hold hillary clinton's story very, very well and i think that's reflected here, but there is still work to be done. >> jackie, come back, jeff

sessions, and lord making the case. >> early to move polls by that significant of a margin? >> it really depends on how donald trump in particular, and if hillary clinton gets ahead of herself. political reporters paused ads in virginia and colorado because they think they've got it. >> right, exactly. if they get over confident that's going to open up the door for donald trump. there are moves to be made on both sides and you have "the new york times" publishing videos and it's biased because it comes from the new york times and they say this is what they say they saw at a trump rally. let me play a clip. [ crowd chanting "bill that

wall" ] >> if you don't speak english and don't contribute get out! >> i was in the arena in cleveland, and there was a protester on the side and she wasn't very far from me, and they removed her and this was during donald trump's speech. you may have heard her. >> i heard her. >> and the things that people yelled at this person were outrageous. the epithets and the nastiness and the vitriol, i heard it myself. so i've seen it, yes, now -- but let's actually step back for a moment. >> hold on, i want to give jeffrey a chance to respond. i've been to two trump rallies, i've never heard any of this, not a thing and number two, the biggest line of applause he got when he said the media is our big problem. he didn't say anything more than that at that particular

juncture, the whole place went crazy. and they turned around unprompted by him and started pointing and fingers and yelling and pointing to the risers in the back. >> i'm sure they're used to that line. >> not to betray my age, and i certainly know that the american left, hey, hey, lbj, how many kids did you kill today? >> that is a standard of the american left and the media bias here in selecting people here and there. >> number one, it's 2016. two, whatever happened then, this is 2016 right now. >> it matters. >> yes, they do. the second thing i would say is this. what has donald trump actually done to tamp all of this down? he created the forum for that. i don't want to con flight that vitriol with what is real economic anxiety expressed by a lot of folks in america and they need to address it in a very

appropriate way and what is donald trump doing to tamp this down and say there is no place for this. >> i have to leave it there. out front next, donald trump raising $80 million last month and how he did it may surprise you and this is a bright spot. and the spread of zika. two babies in california have been born with birth defects from the virus. boom. love it. [struggles] show me the carfax. start your used car search at the all-new carfax.com. if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, isn't it time to let the real you shine through? introducing otezla (apremilast). otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable after just 4 months, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. and the otezla prescribing information

has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't take otezla if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. otezla may increase the risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. ask your dermatologist about otezla today. otezla. show more of you. is it a force of nature? or a sales event? the summer of audi sales event is here. get up to a $5,000 bonus

on select audi models. i've from nature's bounty to support my heart. eating better, keeping healthy. so that no matter what happens in the future, my "future self" will thank me. thank you! 45 years of experience has taught us: no matter what the future holds, you're always better off healthy. nature's bounty you can help prevent blindness in undernourished children across the globe by getting your vitamins at walgreens. walgreens. at the corner of happy and healthy. right now with card, select nature's bounty vitamins are buy one, get one free.

tonight, news of a major bright spot for donald trump. a lot of people are giving his campaign cash. phil mattingly is out front. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: new evidence that donald trump's fund-raising operation, once one of the campaign's biggest question marks has kicked into gear. trump's fund-raising apparatus brought in $82 million in july, much of what republicans have struggled to capitalize on though $10 million behind hillary clinton. >> they've been doing this for over ten years. we've been doing it for two months so it's pretty incredible that we're at 80 and they're at $90 million. >> reporter: trump's campaign sources tell cnn bolstered by the expertise and infrastructure

provided by an agreement with the rnc raised $30 million more dollars than the month prior and is miles ahead of may when they finished the month with just $1.3 million in the bank and it comes at a crucial moment. clinton's team has invested tens of millions in crucial states like new hampshire and pennsylvania where ads like this -- >> how do we make the economy work for everyone? hillary clinton's plan starts here. >> reporter: are flooding the airwaves all as the latest head-to-head poll numbers in the states show trump has serious ground to make up, but behind trump's big month lies a potential long-term strength. small donetiondonations. few republicans can do that, maybe no republican can do that. echoing the grassroots success that drove bernie sanders to raise $226 million in his primary. >> anyone know what the average campaign contribution is?

$27. for trump, access to big small dollar cash is a must, big donors simply are not flocking his way. he raised only $16 million in events in july. trump now deploying his kids to help boost that effort. still, it's a stark difference for how 2012 nominee mitt romney ran his operation, a financial juggernaut that raised nearly $100 million over the same period in 2012. there's another key difference. how trump is spending. as clinton dumps millions of dollars into tv ad campaigns, trump's team is looking elsewhere. at this point, deciding mostly to forego television ads. >> and erin, while those big fund-raising numbers certainly were a big boost for the campaign and the focus on the resource of the ground operation underscores a reality for trump's team.

they are far behind when it comes to key pieces of infrastructure and the campaign is spending tens of millions for months and in some cases for more than a year. the campaign simply has rpt matched that effort at least up until now. now they're trying to. the big question when you talk to republican officials, is it too late? >> thank you very much, phil. out front now and the republican congressman from tennessee, marcia blackburn, a donald trump supporter. thank you for being with me. >> good to be with you. >> one of the polls that president obama came out and slammed donald trump making it clear that trump doesn't have the temperament in his words to keep america safe, and it comes as a poll shows the president's approval rating is 54%. so when you look at that, only ronald reagan and bill clinton were as popular. president obama is coming out almost every day and he's going to go on vacation and almost every day coming out and slamming donald trump, does that worry you that that will influence independent voters? >> i don't think it's going to have that much impact on

independent voters. i think, erin, one of the things we've seen this election cycle is that a lot of endorsements really don't matter. people are relying on their friends. i like to say the you, you and your network of friends. that is the most powerful news network for individuals right now, and we are really hearing a lot about that. i find it so very interesting. social media, facebook, twitter. people getting their news from other sources and going to blogs and going to websites and they're relying less on the traditional outlets. >> so the house speaker, paul ryan has endorsed donald trump,sa you're well aware, but he warned today in an interview that that could change. here is exactly how he put it. >> none of these things are ever a blank checks, that goes with any situation in any kind of race. >> is your support of donald trump a blank check? >> there is nothing that is

blank check. when i support someone it is something that's very important to me. when i arrive at how i'm going to handle that endorsement i will say this, i think it's very important for us as republicans to realize that old wisdom that many times we have heard, when you start trying to make a race about personalities, you lose. when you focus it on the people and on policies, good government policies, that's when you win, and it's true every time, erin. >> let me just ask you in the past few days, the jeb bush adviser and top adviser, top adviser for governor chris christie saying she's going to vote for hillary clinton and meg whitman, she's going to vote for hillary clinton. this is pretty stunning. would you ever consider -- is there anything he could do when you say he doesn't have a blank check from you, anything that would make you make that choice? >> i -- i think that what you're

going to see is people will come out and they're going to say they're going to vote for one or another and then they may soften or they may change on that. i think the important thing is to keep the focus on what someone is going to do if they are elected president. the federal bench of the supreme court, we know what donald trump is going to do and the type of people he is going to appoint. rolling back some of the regulation and the overreach of federal agency, we know what donald trump is going to do. also, we know what hillary clinton is going to do and by cause of what she has done. she feels like government is the solution. donald trump believes that the people of this country are the solution to the problems that we have and i don't know about you, i believe in the people of the country. >> all right. well, thank you very much. >> good to be with you. >> i appreciate you being with me as always. >> congresswoman blackburn. up next, the fight against zika turning into an air war in

florida. two babies born in california with zika, a special report tonight. on a lighter note, jeanne moos with a new look at donald trump's hands. we actually can tell you how they measure up. sales event is ! with our best offers of the year! ♪ i'm free to do what i want... and 0% financing is back! on a huge selection of ford cars, trucks and suvs. plus get an extra $1000 smart bonus on specially tagged vehicles. that's freedom from interest... and freedom to choose with ford. america's best selling brand. ♪ i'm free, baby! now get 0% financing plus a $1000 smart bonus cash on specially tagged vehicles. only at the ford freedom sales event. ♪ feel free... you doyou'll see whatet but in you're really made of. after five hours of spinning and one unfortunate ride on the gravitron, your grandkids spot a 6 foot banana that you need to win. in that moment, you'll be happy you partnered with a humana care manager and got your health back on track. because that banana isn't coming home with you

until that bell sings. great things are ahead of you when your health is ready for them. at humana, we can help you with a personalized plan for your health for years to come. he wrecked the rec room this summer. his stellar notebooks will last through june. get back to great. this week, these items just one cent each. office depot officemax. gear up for school. gear up for great. nexium 24hfor their own#1 choice of docfrequent heartburn.s for complete protection all day and night make nexium 24hr your #1 choice. be the you who doesn't cover your moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. be the you who shows up in that dress. who hugs a friend. who is done with treatments that don't give you clearer skin. be the you who controls your psoriasis with stelara® just 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and cancer.

some serious infections require hospitalization. before treatment, get tested for tuberculosis. before starting stelara® tell your doctor if you think you have an infection or have symptoms such as: fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches or cough. always tell your doctor if you have any signs of infection, have had cancer, if you develop any new skin growths or if anyone in your housneeds or has recently received a vaccine. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems, including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. some serious allergic reactions can occur. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to stelara® or any of its ingredients. most people using stelara® saw 75% clearer skin and the majority were rated as cleared or minimal at 12 weeks. be the you who talks to your dermatologist about stelara®. (ee-e-e-oh-mum-oh-weh) (hush my darling...) (don't fear my darling...) (the lion sleeps tonight.) (hush my darling...) man snoring (don't fear my darling...) (the lion sleeps tonight.)

woman snoring take the roar out of snore. yet another innovation only at a sleep number store. braking news. two babies in california have been born with zika-related birth defects and this as aerials sprang to fight the zika mosquitos in miami. dan simon is out front.

>> reporter: like flame retardant on a raging wildfire, authorities hope planes dumping this insecticide will help wipe out zika-infected mosquitos. the aerial missions over miami will continue for the next several weeks. authorities say the chemicals designed to kill the mosquitos are safe for human, but advise people with allergies to stay indoors recall during the early morning. >> the type of droplet use side a very, very small droplet that wafts through the air and stays in the air for a longer period of time that has a better kill of the adult mosquitos. >> reporter: the cdc says the early results seem promising and they've been able to reduce the zika danger zone by ten blocks. this is the neighborhood considered to be ground zero for the virus in miami, winwood, an art district filled with shops, galleries and restaurants, despite 15 cases of zika, tourists are still coming, but armed with cans of bug spray. this drugstore is sold out. outdoor patios are empty as people try to protect

themselves. >> i've been wearing long sleeves and leggings to my ankles and i've been putting on bug spray on my feet and my arms, just extra safe. >> she is at her doctor's office for a routine pregnancy exam. >> i'm doing great. awesome. >> now in her third trimester the virus has become a constant worry for both her and her husband. her doctor says the office has been inundated with calls and e-mails from nervous patients. >> it's not even those that are pregnant. i've had patients e-mail that are not pregnant because they want to try to get pregnant or will it affect them down the road when they try to get pregnant. melanie fernando said she would leave miami right now if she could. >> all i can do now is be on the defensive everywhere i go. i can't move because i have a business here, and we have a life here. >> reporter: which is why state and city officials say they're doing everything they can, but that it's a collective effort. >> this mosquito can breed in a bottle cap.

so you have to get rid of every container that can hold standing water, a coffee cup, a paint can, becomet for collecting rain water. >> reporter: today both president obama and florida governor rick scott talked about the urgent need for zika funding. the president now saying that the situation is critical especially as it relates to a zika vaccine which the scientific community now believes is in reach. erin, of course, it's no secret that the white house and congress are in a partisan war over this funding. >> of course. >> back to you. up next, jeanne moos settling an old argument about donald trump's hands. when it comes to healthcare, seconds can mean the difference between life and death. for partners in health, time is life. mid ndorhave 18,000 people our entire staff stay connected and work together in real time to help those that need it.

the ability to collaborate changes how we work. what we do together changes how we live. if you have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis or crohn's, and your symptoms have left you with the same view, it may be time for a different perspective. if other treatments haven't worked well enough, ask your doctor about entyvio, the only biologic developed and approved just for uc and crohn's. entyvio works by focusing

right in the gi-tract to help control damaging inflammation and is clinically proven to begin helping many patients achieve both symptom relief as well as remission. infusion and serious allergic reactions can happen during or after treatment. entyvio may increase risk of infection, which can be serious. while not reported with entyvio, pml, a rare, serious brain infection caused by a virus may be possible. tell your doctor if you have an infection, experience frequent infections, or have flu-like symptoms, or sores. liver problems can occur with entyvio. if your uc or crohn's medication isn't working for you, ask your gastroenterologist about entyvio. entyvio. relief and remission within reach.

and tonight, finally the truth about donald trump's hands. jeanne moos with the report. >> reporter: remember when donald trump would ask -- >> look at those hands. are they small hands? >> they're not small, are they? >> yes, and here's the proof. a bronze cast of the donald's right hand has been hiding in plain sight inside of madam tussaud's wax museum in new york city, but before we get to the stat, a quick recap. you'll recall trump had a nickname for rubio. >> i called him little marco. >> rubio counterattacked. have you seen his hands? they're like this, and you know what they say about men with small hands. you can't trust him. >> the mockery led the donald to bring out the big hands. >> he referred to my hands if they're small, something else must be small. i guarantee you, there's no

problem. >> at least now we can guarantee the size of the donald's hands. a hollywood reporter found a bronze one steps away from andy warhol and it was cast while making a wax version of young trump which has since been removed because it's out dated, but the hand remains begging for comparison. this guy's was bigger. >> how old are you? >> i'm 13. >> the hollywood reporter measured the donald's hand at 7 1/4 inches. the average american male's is usually cited as 7.44 inches, making trump's smaller, despite his 6'3" size. the hollywood reporter even made a pdf cope of the candidate's hand for people to printout. entitled do you measure up to trump? as for the women. >> yours is the same size. >> but my brain is much bigger. >> now that the size is definitive, can we all stop pointing fingers at the donald's

hands? >> is that because your little fingers can't reach all of the letters on the keypad? >> jeanne moos, cnn, new york. >> and thank you all so much for joining us. we'll see you back here, same time, same place tomorrow night. "ac 360" with anderson begins right now. good evening, john berman here in for anderson. we have breaking news on a big news night. a new poll from nbc news and the wall street journal shows hillary clinton now up nine points nationally versus donald trump. this is the third poll in the last 24 hours with an average lead of clinton plus 11 1/3 points, to be exact. and there's other new polling. swing state by swing state that has to be an eye opener for the trump campaign. john iking will join us for tha, but there is so much more. president obama weighing in on $400 million in cash landing in iran on the same day american captives are released.