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BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: The world depends upon a democratic Europe that upholds the principles of pluralism, and diversity, and freedom that our common creed. As free peoples, we cannot allow the forces that is I've described, fears about security, or economic anxieties to under mind our commitment the security to universal values that that our source of our strength. Democracy, I understand can be messy. It can be slow. It can be frustrating, I know that. I have to deal with a congress.
We have to constantly work to make sure government is not a collection of distant detached institutions, but is connected and responsive to the everyday concern of our people. There's no doubt that how a united Europe works together can be improved. But look around the world at authoritarian governments and bureaucracy that rule by fear and oppression, and there is no doubt that democracy is still the most just and effective form of government ever created.
(APPLAUSE)
And when I talk about democracy, I don't just mean elections because there are a number of countries where people get 70-80 percent of the vote, but they control all the media. And the judiciary and civil society organizations, and NGO's can't organize, and have to be registered, and are intimidated. I mean, real democracy, the sort that we see here in Europe and in the United States. So we have to be vigilant in defense of these pillars of democracy. Not just elections, but rule of law, as well as fair election. A free press, vibrant civil societies where citizens can work for change. And we should be suspicious of those who claim to have the interest of Europe at heart, and yet don't practice the very values that are essential to Europe, that have made freedom in Europe so real.
So, yes, these are unsettling times, and when the future is uncertain, there seems to be an instinct in our human nature to withdraw to the perceive comfort and security of our own tribe, our own sect, our own nationality, people who look like us, sound like us. But, in today's world, more than any time in human history, that is a false comfort. It pits people against one another because of what they look like, or hoy they pray, or who they love, and yet we know where that kind of twisted thinking can lead. It can lead to oppression. It can lead to segregation and torment camps into the shore in Srebrenica.
In the United States, we long wrestled with question of race and integration, and we do to this day, and we still have a lot of work to do. But our progress allows somebody like me to now stand here as president of the United States, that's because we committed ourselves to a larger ideal, one based on a creed not a race, not a nationality, a set of principles, trues that we held to be self-evident that all men were created equal. And now as Europe confronts questions of immigration, and religion, and assimilation, I want you to remember that our countries are stronger, they're more secure, and more successful when we welcome and integrate people of all background and faith, and make them feel as one. And that includes our fellow citizens who are Muslim.
(APPLAUSE)
Look, the sudden arrival of so many people from beyond our borders, especially when their cultures are very different, that can be daunting. We have immigration issues in the United States as well, along our southern border of the United States, and from people arriving from all around the world who get a visa and decide they want to stay. And I know the politics of immigration and refugees is hard, it's hard everywhere in every country. And just as a handful of neighborhoods shouldn't bear all the burden of refugee resettlement, neither should any one nation, all of us have to step up, all of us have to share this responsibility that includes the United States. But even as we take steps that are required to ensure our security, even as we help Turkey and Greece cope with the influx in a way that is safe and humane, even as Chancellor Merkel and other European leaders work for an orderly immigration and resettlement process, rather than a disorderly one, even as we all need to collectively do more to invest in the sustainable developments and governance in those nations from which people are fleeing so they can succeed and prosper in their own countries, and so that we can reduce the conflicts that cause so much of the refugee crisis around the world. Chancellor Merkel, and others, has eloquently reminded us that we cannot turn our backs on our fellow human beings who are here now and need our help now.
(APPLAUSE)
We have to uphold our values not just when it's easy, but when it's hard. In Germany, more than anywhere else, we learn that what the world need is not more walls, we can't define ourselves by the barriers we build to keep people out or to keep people in. At every crossroads in our history, we moved forward when we acted on those timeless ideals that tell us to be open to one another, and respect the dignity of every human being. And I think of so many Germans and people across the Europe who've welcomed migrants into their homes because, as one woman in berlin said, we need to do something, just that human impulse to help, and I think of the refugees that I want to teach my kids the value of working, that human impulse to see the next generation have hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARIA BARTIROMO, MORNINGS WITH MARIA HOST: Good morning. We are listening to President Obama speaking in Hannover, Germany, this morning, live, announcing the U.S. will deploy 250 additional military troops, including Special Forces going to Syria to help fight ISIS, and support military forces. The president also commenting this morning on the European migrant crisis, and the importance of a united European union in the global economy. We are watching the president's comments and we will take you back there, live, as news develops.
We want to turn to the election right now, happy Monday, everybody, thank you so much for joining us this morning. Republican rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, announcing a new coordinated effort to block Donald Trump's path to the presidential nomination. Both candidates have released statements this morning, revealing a plan of attack in upcoming state primaries, they're splitting campaign duties between the two of them. The Cruz campaign has issued a statement yesterday, it said, quote, to ensure that we nominate a Republican who can unify the Republican Party and win in November, our campaign will focus its time and resources in Indiana. And in turn, clear the path for Governor Kasich to compete in Oregon and New Mexico. The Kasich campaign also released a statement saying, quote, Donald Trump does not have the support of a majority of Republicans, our goal is to have an open convention in Cleveland, where we are confident a candidate capable of uniting the Party and winning in November will emerge. The Trump campaign responding to newly formed alliance, it's saying, quote, it is sad that two grown politicians have to collude against one person who has only been a politician for 10 months, in order to try and stop that person from getting the Republican nomination.
Joining us right now is Opportunity Lives editor in chief, John Hart, along with The Daily Caller editor in chief, Christopher Bedford. Gentlemen, good to see you, thanks so much for joining us this morning. I want to point out my panel this morning, here on set with me, Anastasia Amoroso, joining us this morning, JP Morgan, as well as Jon Hilsenrath from the Wall Street Journal, the one with two guys. Thank you so much for joining us. Christopher Bedford, let me take this off with you, what is your take on what Ted Cruz and John Kasich are doing, clearly an agreement between the two of them that they want to split up these next upcoming races to try to take Trump down.
CHRISTOPHER BEDFORD, THE DAILY CALLER EDITOR IN CHIEF: I'm worried on their behalf that it's too little too late. John Kasich has kind of played a little bit of a Ralph Vader spoiler role. He really lost a few states from Marco Rubio, by being in the race. I'm also kind of wondering what do they bargained for, what is Kasich been promised. It isn't look like is an automatic V.P. slot on a Cruz ticket, otherwise he'll probably would have dropped out. The only state he has won is his home state, and he's going into the convention really, really, really below where he needs to be, below Cruz or Trump. It's going to be interested how this pan out, but I think that both of them are still going to get absolutely annihilated tomorrow by Donald Trump. At almost at every state, except for possibly Pennsylvania
BARTIROMO: So, you don't think this is going to work at all then. John Hart, how do you see it?
JOHN HART, OPPORTUNITY LVES EDITOR IN CHIEF: Well, my thought it is about time that they did this. And I think, Kasich should have done this, weeks ago, I agree with Chris on that point. But, actually, look at Pennsylvania tomorrow, the Real Clear poll, Real Clear Politics poll average show that Kasich and Cruz combine have about 50 percent, Trump is about 40 percent. So if we would have -- if they would have started the strategy two weeks ago, and I agree, Trump, would probably win by a good margin. But it shows the unpopularity of Trump, the fact that you have two candidates working together to stop someone is unheard of.
BARTIROMO: Yeah, it's quite extraordinary. I mean, it's unbelievable, Jon Hilsenrath, Anastasia Amoroso, weigh in here. Yeah, maybe they should have done this a long time ago, but then on the other side of the coin, I look at this and say, wait a second, is this collusion is this allowed?
JON HILSENRANTH, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL CHIEF ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, I don't think there's a rule in politics that you can't collude. There's rules in the business place and the market place that you can't collude.
BARTIROMO: Right.
HILSENRATH: But politics is kind of like love and war.
BARTIROMO: Wow.
HILSENRATH: . there's no rules here.
BARTIROMO: OK.
HILSENRATH: And my question is, so, does this mean that this is -- that it's now or Cruz and Kasich campaign, but if they do get to a convention and one of them win the nomination, that the other is automatically the vice president.
BARTIROMO: Christopher, any thoughts on that?
BEDFORD: I think it looks like it's going to end up being a Cruz-Kasich campaign. But, I'm not sure what deals were cut. It's really difficult. We found out weeks earlier, for any campaign to cut a deal because most of the time these guys don't have each other's cellphone, I just can't call each other up. And after work there's staffers, they have to make concessions. So, for example, If Rubio would have called Kasich before some of the races where they competed, the staffers will say, oh, you're not conceding right now, I mean, you're not congratulating, and so why are you talking, and then you worry about leaks. These are really hard, so they probably been working on this for weeks. I suspect that if the Cruz campaign, which is in a position of strength here, if I was them I would have demanded a drop out from Kasich in exchange for anything like a vice presidential slot.
HILSENRATH: Kasich has vowed at every step, and he would never accept a vice presidential position.
BARTIROMO: Yeah.
HILSENRATH: . and now that might be what he's stuck with.
BARTIROMO: He said that on this program, Anastasia, several times, when asked -- when asked, I mean, yeah.
AMOROSA: Either that or he does honesty thinks that there still a path for him to a nomination. I mean, perhaps if Trump doesn't win in the first round of voting at the convention. Perhaps Cruz doesn't win in the second round. He must think that there's a way for him to that nomination. So that will be my question to the other panelists, do you guys, is there really a path here? I guess quick answer and then.
BARTIROMO: John, go ahead.
AMOROSA: . we will come back to that.
HART: Yeah, very simple logic here is that if Trump becomes -- gets the majority, they have no power to broker a convention. So, another words, the goal has to be to stop Trump and get to an open convention, then anything can happen. You know, this is not house of cards, its house of chaos behind the scenes, I can assure you.
BARTIROMO: Yeah.
HART: There's no master strategy. There's no deal. They're just trying to survive and get to an open convention.
BARTIROMO: Yeah.
HART: . and then look at what happens.
BARTIROMO: We want to take a short break. John, Chris, stay with us, we got more on the election with you both after the short break. Stay with us gentlemen. Coming up, a record week for the TSA, and it's not the line. The staggering number of firearms the agency has confiscated. Stay with us, back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARTIROMO: Welcome back. To top Donald Trump, a Paul Manafort dawdling back on his comment that the Republican front runner is playing a part and will start to pivot to a more presidential persona. Saying his statement was taken out of context. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNINEDNTIFIED MALE: The part that he's been playing, will start to see more depths of the person, the real person, and I'm talking about rallies versus some other settings.
PAUL MANAFORT, DONALD CAMPAIGN ADVISOR: I was talking about rallies versus.
UNINDENTIFIED MALE: That's not what you said.
MANAFORT: Well, I mean, the context of that room is that what I said and that's what was understood. When it was taken out of context, then the question that was asked to me wasn't writ -- wasn't purpose with my answer, you get a distorted thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARTIROMO: Well, there you go. Paul Manafort, really, was sort of trying to clarify that Donald Trump will be more presidential. John, your thoughts on this, and we've been talking about this for one reason, the reason is Donald Trump has been a successful as he has because he hasn't been very presidential, right? And now, this guy thinks that he will change the tone in the coming weeks. How do you see it?
HART: Well, I think, you know, he made the mistake of saying the truth, which is dangerous in politics. And, look, this is ironic coming from someone who blasted Marco Rubio for being robotic. You got Manafort talking about, OK, now's the moment Trump will have depth. You know, how can -- how more program can you get than that. Still, Trump is a classic politician. That's the irony of this entire campaign is that he's telling people what they want to hear. He's tapping into anger and he's a demagogue. He's not a leader. He's not a conservative. He's just another career politician, though he hopes that the early stages of a career.
BARTIROMO: Chris, do you partly agree with that?
BEDFORD: I think that Paul wasn't really taken out of context. He was just broadcast what he said, he didn't expect that. He was trying to cut deals. He's trying -- he's 8part of this new Trump strategy to actually talk to delegates and have more than just a realist strategy but a convention strategy, and that -- it may be too little too late though. For example, Pennsylvania, that's a primary kind of tomorrow where Trump is leading by 10, 12, 13 points in that state and will probably do very well. If 54 of his delegates aren't bound by anything, they're allotted by the congressional district, they are going to go into the convention, Trump's only chance of really getting those all these kind of deals and whispering sweet nothings in the ears of his delegates to try and weigh on the first ballot. HILSENRATH: Can we talk some more about the Pennsylvania primary, is this going to be one that looks like Colorado where Trump turns around and wins the vote, and then says the whole system is rigged against him because he didn't walk away with the delegates. Explain how that process in Pennsylvania is going to work.
BEDFORD: Well, each congressional district, which I think there are 18, gets three people who they vote for directly. So there names -- the names of these delegates are on the ballot. Those people aren't bound by anybody, to any particular candidate, and can back anyone they want. So, if probably, it will look like Colorado in that. But, unlike Colorado, I think Trump learned a lesson. I would expect to see Paul Manafort and his guys in Pennsylvania trying to woo these guys, and trying to get them to back Trump and be bound.
BARTIROMO: John, what about you, let's talk Tuesday for a second.
HART: Sure.
BARTIROMO: How do you see it playing out?
HART: Well, I think Trump will probably do well. And again, better illustrates while this deal with Cruz and Kasich should have happened weeks ago, because Trump will probably do pretty well. You know, every state has different rules and is confusing, but he will probably come out and be strong after this.
BARTIROMO: Right.
HART: By going ahead, he's going to have a hard time winning Indiana and Oregon. And then California, obviously, is a 172.
BARTIROMO: Right.
HART: . on the last day of voting. I'm still fairly optimistic we're going to see an open convention.
BARTIROMO: Wow.
HART: And, yeah, and you know, Trump's argument that the system is rigged as well, is a fallacy because if it's not legitimate then he's not legitimate. You know, he's been winning primaries and caucuses under the rules, and there's 50 different rules.
BARTIROMO: Yeah, they sure are.
HART: Again, there's no master house of cards conspiracy.
BARTIROMO: John, thank you so much, John Hart, Christopher Bedford, good to have you on the program. Tune in for our special coverage Tuesday night, Super Tuesday. Will take a short break and come right back. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARTIROMO: Welcome back. Gasoline prices higher, jumping sharply over the past three weeks, a gallon of regular now costing $2.18 a gallon. Phil Flynn at the CME group this morning, watching oil. Good morning, Phil.
PHIL FLYNN, FOX BUSINESS NETWORK: Good morning, Maria. Yeah, these gasoline prices they have been exploding the last couple of weeks. And part of it is because demand is exploding as well. What we're seeing is low prices that we saw earlier this year has really sparked a demand revolution in this country, and were consuming gasoline unlike anything we've ever seen before. Now, the other thing, of course, is we've seen this big spike in crude prices from where we were at the lows, crude prices are up over 70 percent from their lows. So, whenever you get those crude prices going up, you see those gasoline prices follow. But as bad as it sounds, believe it or not, even with prices going up, you know, .50 cents over the last two months, a gallon, we're still about 15 percent below where we were a year ago. So when we get into the summer driving season we would expect prices to continue to go up because that gas becomes more expensive. So the good news is prices is lower than a year ago, but still going the rise, back to you.
BARTIROMO: Alright, we'll be watching that, Phil Flynn in Chicago, and, of course, Jon Hilsenrath and Anastasia Amoroso here with us this morning. Oil prices has been one of the reason stocks have stabilize. Big week for the economy this week, I want to get your take on everything that's going on, you got a 2 day Fed meeting ending on Wednesday, Jon, the peek in first-quarter earnings, Anastasia, we got the -- a third of all companies at S&P 500 reporting this week, and then, of course, there's economic data, GDP, durable goods, consumer confidence, and you mention earlier the Bank of Japan meeting on Thursday, also, quiet important. What are you watching?
HILSENRATH: I want to connect a couple of dots with what Phil is talking about. So, we're seeing oil prices rise, we have a story on the front page of the Wall Street Journal today, and the fact that bond yields are starting to rise, not just in the U.S., but all over the world. We saw the Dow cross over 18,000, is blowing right now that it cross over 18,000 last week. It looks like the markets are telling us that after a really dismal first quarter in terms of growth, there signs that growth is picking up in the second and third quarter. I wonder what you think about that, Amorosa, the market are saying that things are picking up a little bit.
AMOROSA: Yeah, I think that's definitely true. I think if we talked about the catalyst that have lifted the market higher, yes, Maria, absolutely, its oil prices, but it's also the fact that the dollar seemed to have peak. At the same time, we think we're going to get the worst of earnings this quarter, and I think we can move past that in the future quarters. And I think it's a growth story. I think that's what's been missing, it's been the China growth scare and the European growth scare. But one thing that we're seeing in China is the manufacturing survey are getting better. And that's a big lift not just to commodities but to European stocks and so forth. So, you know, the big question in my mind, can all those pieces continue. If I were to pick out one piece of this critical puzzle, it's the U.S. dollar, I think that's a linchpin in everything. So, I might argue in the short-term, the dollar is probably moved lower just a little bit too much because I think max dubeshness has been priced in. Curious to get your take, Jon.
HILSENRATH: If I was going to pick out one linchpin it would be the U.S. consumer and not the U.S. dollar. I don't believe in growth in China. I think, you know, maybe the manufacturing numbers are stabilizing, but they have way too much capacity there and that's not going away.
BARTIROMO: Yeah.
HILSENRATH: The global economy is going to pick up in the second half of the year, it's going to be because of the U.S. consumer, and that's why we're going to watch these confidence numbers.
BARTIROMO: Yeah, we'll watch confidence numbers on Tuesday. And on Tuesday the dollar is going to be a big story this week ahead of Bank of Japan meeting on Thursday, we'll see if the yen weakness and the dollar strengthens going into the meeting. More on all these stories coming up, we are going to continue out -- we'll take a short break. Straight ahead, outraged surrounding Targets transgender bathroom policies, hundreds of thousands pledging to boycott, we'll have the latest on that. Later, taking the headache out of flying, cancelled flights no longer a problem with a new app that will book you a new flight in a matter of seconds, we'll be right back, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARTIROMO: Good Monday morning, everybody. Welcome back. I'm Maria Bartiromo. It is Monday, April 25th. Your top stories right now at 6:30 a.m. on the east coast.
Taking down Trump. Ted Cruz and John Kasich are teaming up to block Donald Trump from getting the nomination aiming for a contested convention come July. One concern for business in this election, the populist rhetoric on both sides of the aisle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are not going to allow jobs that are currently negotiating to move to Mexico.
BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A rigged economy despite all of our labor, 58 percent of all new income generated today is going to the top 1 percent. That's right. That is not what the American economy is supposed to be about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARTIROMO: We are looking at the best candidates for markets and business on the program this morning. That's coming up.
Moments ago, President Obama announcing more troops will be heading to Syria. This as he wraps up his trip to Europe this morning.
A new record for the TSA and a scary statistic for fliers. You will believe how many guns the agency has confiscated from carry-on bags in just one week. We will tell you about it.
Boycotting target this morning. The outrage over the retailers' bathroom policy coming up.
And there is no bigger headache at the airport than dealing with the cancelled flight, right. Now there is an app for that. We'll tell you about it.
Plus the Coast Guard rescuing a man trying to run to Bermuda in an inflatable bubble. Why the organization is not happy with having to tow him back to shore.
Markets this morning look like this. We are expecting a lower opening from the broader averages this morning, but we are looking at a major week in terms of economic data. The fed meeting was that a big week for earnings and economic data.
It is the peak week in terms of the first-quarter earnings reporting season. This week a third of all S&P 500 companies will report. We'll hear from ExxonMobil, Apple, Ford Motor among others Twitter, a number of companies within tech.
On the economic calendar, Central Bank meetings, the Federal Reserve has a two-day meeting which ends on Wednesday. No interest rate hike is expected. The Bank of Japan has a big meeting on Thursday. Lots of people talking about further stimulus coming out of Japan.
Plus we've got ratings on durable goods, the first-quarter GDP and consumer confidence all this week.
Onto politics we go, Republican rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich announcing a new coordinated effort to block Donald Trump's path to the Republican nomination.
John Roberts is on the campaign trail this morning in Westchester, Pennsylvania with the latest. John, good morning to you.
JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS: Maria, good morning to you. Moments like this I'm reminded of the words of that old political state, Bugs Bunny, who once said, of course, you know this means war.
And war it shall be between the Trump campaign, Kasich and Cruz. Very carefully timed statement last night as well, Ted Cruz had barely finished his appearance at our Fox News town hall in Pennsylvania last night when his campaign manager, Jeff Roe, tweeted.
Quote, "To ensure that we nominate a Republican who can unify the Republican Party and win in November, our campaign will focus its time and resources in Indiana and in turn clear in turn clear the path for Governor Kasich to compete in Oregon and New Mexico.
And we would hope that allies of both campaigns would follow our lead." The Kasich campaign did follow their lead immediately jumping on board. Here is Governor Kasich.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KASICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are going to an open convention. I have been saying it for two months. People were saying he doesn't know what he is talking about. Well, it turns out I'm right and we will go there. And I'll tell you what people are going to think about. The delegates are going to think about who can win in the fall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARTIROMO: As you can imagine, Maria, this provoked a sharp response from the Trump campaign. Donald Trump himself sent out a couple of tweets. The campaign sent out this statement, quote, "Collusion is often illegal in many other industries and yet these two Washington insiders have had to revert to collusion in order to stay alive.