ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR:
All right. You just heard Sarah Palin giving her endorsement for Donald Trump. That was a pretty riveting speech. I don't think anyone could say otherwise. Zinger after zinger, one liner after one liner. That was something else to watch. That was something that Donald Trump is hoping turns the tide for him in the state of Iowa where she is so popular to evangelicals. You just heard her bring in his faith in the almighty among many other things that are red meat to those evangelical voters.
I want to go straight now to the co-chair for the Ted Cruz campaign Bob Vander Plaats, Trump supporter Jeff Lord who served as White House political director for President Reagan and our chief political analyst Gloria Borger.
Gloria, do you agree with my assessment? I mean, that was something to watch, that was Sarah Palin at the best she can be to the people who love to see her.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST:
Right. And it was kind of deja vu all over again if you recall Sarah Palin's speech at the McCain convention where she was riveting. I think this time she did two things. It was kind of an ode to Donald Trump for those evangelicals here talking about and for conservatives who might have questions about Trump say, verses Ted Cruz and it was a complete dis of the Republican establishment and that is always attractive to Republican based voters, particularly, Iowa caucus goers. She said the establishment has been so busted as she put it and that Donald Trump is going to take on the establishment to talk about the dopes in Washington.
She gave a little shout out to Rand Paul. She reminded people in Iowa that Donald Trump may be rich but he's not an elitist. He is on your side. So, she checked every box she had to check.
[19:20:34] BURNETT:
I mean, she really did. And Jeff Lord, you're sitting here nodding. I mean, look, you were chuckling and laughing during part of it. I think that was part of what is compelling about this.
JEFFREY LORD, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER:
Right.
BURNETT:
She reprised some of her old favorite lines, right? She called him a rogue, you know, she made her comments. She could be salty at times, she also laughed at Donald Trump at one point.
LORD:
Right.
BURNETT:
You know what I mean, it's going to be huge. I mean, she had the ability to do that.
LORD:
She did a very, very good speech. I mean, this audience, I mean, her speech was directed primarily at the number two audience, the conservative audience and that is particularly important considering the flak that Donald Trump has gotten the last few days from Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, et cetera. Sarah Palin is an anecdote to that. I mean, I think that she can help a lot with Donald Trump in terms of conservatives and the conservative movement. And the second thing which is very, very important is the establishment critique. That is a huge issue with a lot of Republicans.
BURNETT: Yes.
LORD:
And her critique on that, I mean, it was pretty scathing. And that frankly is the kind of thing that you do here on talk radio. That's the kind of thing you hear with a lot of grassroots Republicans and she was very good on it.
BURNETT:
What do you say, Bob? I mean, obviously you're sitting there on the Ted Cruz side of things. Sarah Palin, you know, endorsed Ted Cruz for Senate, something he called game changing saying he wouldn't be in the Senate without it. She now is coming out here ahead of the Iowa caucus when Ted Cruz is neck and neck with Donald Trump endorsing Donald Trump. So, this is a very big moment. First of all, would you agree that this speech was what that audience wanted, that this is a powerful speech and going to help with the evangelicals?
BOB VANDER PLAATS, NATIONAL CO-CHAIR FOR TED CRUZ CAMPAIGN:
Well, Sarah Palin does definitely give a good speech and it's a good endorsement for Donald Trump. And we do like Sarah Palin. But as Jeffrey knows and Gloria knows and I know, when it comes down to the Iowa caucuses a week from Monday night, the Iowa voter are very independent, they're very savvy, they usually don't let people tell them who to vote for. They're assessing the candidates and I would say right now with Ted Cruz being in first or second place with over 50 percent of the Iowa caucus goers, he's in great shape to perform on February 1st. We know this race is going to go right down to the wire and I think people are going to be drawn to Ted Cruz and the consistency of convictions that allows him to be the real conservative in this race.
