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President Obama Returns to Late-Night, Demolishing the House of Horrors; Obama Cancels Summit with Putin

Aired August 07, 2013 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the "NEWSROOM." President Obama sitting on Jay Leno's couch for 45 minutes talking about terror, lunch with Hillary, the Olympics and Trayvon Martin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are some things that we can do to foster better understanding and to make sure that we don't have laws in place that encourage the kind of violent encounter --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Plus, an emotional plea and a massive manhunt. A father and a personal message to his kidnapped daughter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRETT ANDERSON, FATHER OF MISSING GIRL: Hannah, we all love you very much. If you have a chance, you take it. You run. You'll be found.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Also, help wanted. Hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs coming to Tennessee. The best business story you'll hear all day.

Plus, this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN RUCK, ACTOR, "FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF": My father spent three years restoring this car. It is his love. It is his passion.

MATTHEW BRODERICK, ACTOR, "FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF": It is his fault he didn't lock the garage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: I do love that movie. For sale, the house that made it famous from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" on the market.

NEWSROOM starts right now.

Good morning from New York. I'm Anna Coren sitting in for Carol Costello.

Well, President Obama makes a return appearance to late-night TV, but this time very few laughs and lots of serious topics.

In an appearance on the "Tonight Show" the president and Jay Leno discussed everything from the impassioned Trayvon Martin case to the terror concerns that have shut down 19 U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.

And in one of the lighter moments the president looked ahead to Hillary Clinton's potential run to succeed him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, "TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": You and Hillary had lunch. Who invited who to lunch? I'm curious.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I invited her.

LENO: OK.

OBAMA: And we had a great time. She had that post-administration glow.

LENO: Yes.

OBAMA: You know when -- when folks leave the White House?

(LAUGHTER)

LENO: Yes.

OBAMA: Like two weeks later, they look great.

LENO: Yes. Yes.

OBAMA: But it was a wonderful conversation. You know, by the end of my first term, you know, we had become genuinely close and I could not have more respect for her. She was a great secretary of state. And --

(APPLAUSE)

LENO: Yes.

OBAMA: Very, very proud of what she did. Yes.

LENO: Did you notice her measuring the drapes or anything like that?

OBAMA: No. I -- keep in mind, she's been there before.

LENO: Right.

OBAMA: So -- LENO: That's true. That's true.

OBAMA: She doesn't have to measure them. Yes.

LENO: Everyone is concerned about these embassy closings. How significant is this threat?

OBAMA: Well, it's significant enough that we're taking every precaution. We had already done a lot to bolster embassy security around the world, but especially in the Middle East, North Africa where the threats tend to be highest and whenever we see a threat stream that we think is specific enough that we can take some specific precautions within a certain time frame, then we do so.

LENO: It's safe to say that we learned about these threats through the NSA intelligence program? Is that a fair assessment?

OBAMA: We don't have a domestic spying program. What we do have are some mechanisms where we can track a phone number or an e-mail address.

LENO: Right.

OBAMA: That we know is connected to some sort of terrorist threat. And, you know, that information is useful. But what I've said before, you know, I want to make sure I repeat. And that is, we should be skeptical about the potential encroachments on privacy.

None of the revelations show that government has abused these powers, but they're pretty significant powers. And I've been talking to Congress and civil libertarians and others about, are there additional ways that we can make sure that the people know, nobody is listening to your phone call.

LENO: Were you surprised that Russia granted Snowden asylum?

OBAMA: I was disappointed. Because, you know, even though we don't have an extradition treaty with them, traditionally we have tried to respect if there's a law breaker or an alleged law breaker in their country. We evaluate it and we try to work with them.

They didn't do that with us and in some ways it's reflective of some underlying challenges that we've had with Russia lately.

LENO: I thought you spoke very eloquently about the Trayvon Martin case. I could tell that you were speaking from the heart. And tell me about that.

OBAMA: Well, you know, I think all of us were troubled by what happened. And any of us who are parents can imagine the heartache that those parents went through. It doesn't mean that Trayvon was a perfect kid. None of us were.

We were talking off stage, you know, when you're a teenager, especially a teenage boy.

LENO: Right.

OBAMA: You're going to mess up. And you won't always have the best judgment. But what I think all of us agree to is that we should have a criminal justice system that's fair, that's just and what I wanted to try to explain was why this was a particularly sensitive topic for African-American families because, you know, a lot of people who have sons know the experience they had at being followed or --

LENO: Sure.

OBAMA: You know, being viewed suspiciously. We all know that, you know, young African-American men disproportionately have involvement in criminal activities and violence. For a lot of reasons. A lot of it having to do with poverty and a lot having to do with, you know, disruptions in their neighborhoods and their communities.

Failing schools and all those things. And that's no excuse. But what we also believe in is that people, everybody, should be treated fairly and the system should work for everyone.

LENO: Let me ask you something. You told a group of young people that broccoli was your favorite food.

Now --

(LAUGHTER)

Lying to voters is one thing, lying to children. That's --

(LAUGHTER)

LENO: That's --

OBAMA: You know, I want to say this.

LENO: Can you put your right hand on the bible --

(CROSSTALK)

OBAMA: Let me say this. I have broccoli a lot. I mean, you may --

LENO: Really?

OBAMA: You can ask my staff. It is one of my staples. Me and broccoli, I don't know, we've got a thing going.

LENO: Really?

OBAMA: It goes especially well with burgers and fries.

LENO: Right. Right.

OBAMA: Absolutely.

LENO: And did Michelle make a broccoli cake with the broccoli icing?

OBAMA: Well, I won't -- I won't go that far.

LENO: Mr. President, it's been an honor. I know you have to go. Thank you so much.

OBAMA: Before we go, well, Jay, I know you're very proud of your car collection.

LENO: Yes.

OBAMA: Well, there's one piece that's missing.

LENO: Cool.

OBAMA: This is the Beast.

LENO: The Beast.

OBAMA: The one I drive in.

LENO: Look at that. My friend Ed Wilburn designed that car.

OBAMA: So --

LENO: Will you sign the roof?

OBAMA: Yes, I will sign the roof.

LENO: Oh, cool.

OBAMA: Now the doors are heavy so -- when you're getting in.

LENO: Yes. Yes.

OBAMA: You may need a little help.

LENO: I assume the real car will be at my garage after the show tonight.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: There you go, Jay.

LENO: Very good.

OBAMA: Thanks.

LENO: Mr. President, a pleasure and an honor, sir. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: What a conversation.

Well, the president covered such an extraordinary range of topics and we want to break down some of those comments for you. For that, we can turn to CNN White House correspondent Brianna Keilar here in New York and in Atlanta here, college political science professor and HLN contributor, Jason Johnson.

Great to have you both with us.

Brianna, if I could start with you. This was the first time that President Obama commented on those heightened terror alerts. And yet he chose "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. Is this the right forum, the right platform to be getting his message across?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think what the White House would say is when they're on something like "The Tonight Show" the president is able to get a very wide audience. But I also think some people will say, hey, is this really a serious forum and, also, just the fact that President Obama, if he's going to be questioned one-on-one by a journalist versus Jay Leno, the questions are going to be tougher.

He's going to be pressed, I think, a little more on other things. So I think the White House is kind of looking for the reach here, but I think there is certainly some criticism that you can make of the fact that he's not really going to get tough questions and he sort of looks to this show.

This is the sixth time that he's been on it. Four times as a sitting and it's actually really something that President Obama has kind of -- sort of made a main stay for himself. It's not something other presidents -- sitting presidents did. This is obviously what he considers to be kind of a friendly forum.

COREN: A friendly forum and also, as you say, a very popular show. A lot of people are watching.

Jason, if I can ask you. You know, we know that 19 embassies, consulates are closed until Saturday and we're learning more information about these heightened terror alerts? Drone strikes in Yemen, two possible plots that were foiled there. Do you think that the president was able to allay people's fears by appearing on "The Tonight Show"?

JASON JOHNSON, HLN CONTRIBUTOR: I don't know if he was able to allay people's fears but it was -- was able to do was sort of explain the rationale behind what he was doing. You know, he addresses the fact without really getting into Benghazi very much that the United States needs to be careful. And I think he honored the embassy employees by talking about how dangerous the circumstances were.

The president is going to take lot of heat for this. Some on the Republican Party that think this kind of a cowardly move, that we look afraid, but I think he had the opportunity to explain himself. I don't know if that's the same thing as allaying the fears, though.

COREN: And not just terror alerts. I mean, there were a whole spectrum of topics that were covered. Snowden in Russia, he expressed his disappointment at Russia granting temporary asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. He discussed Trayvon Martin and also Hillary Clinton.

What is your take on the discussion?

JOHNSON: I think it was like a six-month review of his second term.

(LAUGHTER)

I mean, if you really think about it, Barack Obama has been under so much pressure from Boston, from trying to pass gun control, then Benghazi, then the IRS scandal. He really hasn't had an opportunity to sit down and really talk to the public about look, this is -- this is what I have been doing for the last six or seven months.

I think that what he said about Trayvon Martin is certainly going to perk some ears. I think he spent a lot more time talking about what might have been wrong with Trayvon Martin than some of the Martin supporters would have heard about.

I think that what he said about Edward Snowden sort of make sense, even though he didn't really allay any concerns about violations as a civil liberty. But I think it was a good review. Obama got to actually speak about himself, which he hasn't done so far.

COREN: Brianna Keilar, Jason Johnson, great to have you with us. Thank you. We'll speak a bit later.

Well, coming up at 9:30, we'll hear more of President Obama's interview with Jay Leno last night, including what he had to say about Russia hosting the Olympics and its recent legislation that cracks down on gay rights. Well, that's coming up at the bottom of the hour.

Well, happening right now the site of three women's decade in hell is now being obliterated. As one of those women returns to witness the demolition, Michelle Knight handed out balloons this morning to people in the Cleveland neighborhood that first got national attention three months ago with the women's rescue from Ariel Castro's house.

Well, Knight told reporters the balloons symbolized missing children and she went on to read a prayer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE KNIGHT, KIDNAPPING VICTIM: The missing people's strength and power to know that they are loved. We hear their cries. They are never forgotten in my heart. They are caterpillars waiting to turn into a butterfly. They are never forgotten. They are loved.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michelle, tell the people who are watching this why you felt it was important to be here today?

KNIGHT: Why it was important to be here today is because nobody was there for me when I was missing. And I want the people out there to know, including the mothers, that they can have strength, they can have hope, and their child will come back. They will. Just have the love in God and you'll see, they'll come back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: What an amazingly strong woman.

Well, CNN's Martin Savidge is covering the demolition.

And, Martin, I can only imagine a real mix of pain, yet relief there at the site right now. Explain it to us.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's exactly right, Anna. Take a look. I mean, you can see that the House is pretty much knocked flat on the ground and they've done this in about an hour and a half worth of work. Of course, it wasn't really a big home to begin with. 1400 square feet. But it's not the size of the home. It was, of course, what the home represents and it has been commonly referred to as the house of horrors and the fact that those three young women were held for so long inside, in captivity and treated so terribly.

So as part of the plea agreement, Ariel Castro, the man who held them hostage, he had to -- he had to give up his home and the city wasted no time tearing it down.

One very interesting moment, the first blow that was landed by the excavator, that's a big giant piece of caterpillar equipment there was actually operated by the aunt of Gina DeJesus. And so she was allowed to sort of give that first blow. I asked her, I said, how did that feel? How did it - it's a really sort of deliver this?

She said it felt great and then she broke down into tears and said that, really, this is a moment of closure for them to finally be rid of that house and that's true for everyone on the street that is entirely true for the city of Cleveland. This is closure. It is a kind of retribution.

COREN: Martin, you mentioned that Ariel Castro had to sign over the deed of the house as part of the plea deal to escape the death penalty. It's interesting, prosecutors said that he actually cried when he did this because of the happy memories that he shared there with those three women.

Quite extraordinary to think that this is his state of mind.

We heard from Michelle Knight a little bit earlier. Did you get a chance to speak to her, as well?

SAVIDGE: Didn't get a chance to speak to her because they're very careful about any exposure to her. So the moment she arrived on site, it's almost like a head of state arriving. Everyone is told to sort of stay in position. So, we were not allowed to move. Those that may have been close were fortunate, but we couldn't. However, I will say that we had sort of anticipated something like that.

Michelle Knight has been the most outspoken and outgoing. Remember, she was the one that was actually at the sentencing. She is the one that faced down Ariel Castro in the courtroom, called him out for the things that he did. She is a very small woman, but she is tremendously strong. And her stature has been overwhelming to many in Cleveland. They cannot get enough of her, as the other two women, because they are glad to see them, at least on the road to recovery and even more glad to see that house now a pile of rubble. They're going to be very careful here to make sure that that rubble is not going to end up as a kind of souvenir for anyone.

So, as these trucks leave, they're escorted to make sure nothing goes into the wrong hands -- Anna.

COREN: As you say, Martin, hopefully, a day of closure for those families and those three women in particular.

Martin Savidge, good to see you. Thank you.

Well, this hour southern California is on alert. A suspected killer and child kidnapper is on the run. Well, the father of the two missing children issues a heartbreaking plea just days after their mother's body is found in the smoldering ruins of the suspect's house.

Investigators say the man they are looking for is James DiMaggio and he may have shaved his head and this is what he could look like now.

With each passing hour, there is a sense of desperation and it obviously grows.

Well, CNN's Miguel Marquez has spent a very long night compiling all the latest information. He joins us now from San Diego.

Miguel, what do you have for us?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, time is critical here, Anna. They consider Mr. DiMaggio dangerous and possibly armed. Dozens of tips have come into sheriff's office here and only takes that one in order to bring this to closure.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Overnight, a vigil of hope for children allegedly kidnapped by this man, James DiMaggio --

HALLIE LANDY, COUSIN: We all miss you, Hannah. We love you so much. We're here. We're all here. We're all praying for you.

MARQUEZ: -- following an emotional appeal from the children's father, Brett Anderson.

ANDERSON: Jim, I can't fathom what you were thinking. The damage is done. I'm begging to you let my daughter go, you've taken everything else.

MARQUEZ: Speaking directly to Jim DiMaggio, the man who investigators believe killed Anderson's ex-wife and possibly his 8-year-old son, and then kidnapped his 16-year-old daughter Hannah.

BRETT ANDERSON, FATHER: Hannah, we all love you very much, if you have a chance, you take it. You run. You'll be found.

MARQUEZ: The body of the children's mother, 42-year-old Christina Anderson, was found on Sunday night, inside DiMaggio's burning home. Investigators believe DiMaggio set the fire. Deputies also found the body of a child who has not been identified.

The case leading to California's first statewide Amber alert over smartphones late Monday night -- road signs calling motorists' attention to the nationwide alert, investigators anxious to catch a break.

LT. GLENN GIANNANTONIO, SAN DIEGO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: It is safe to say that he is a very dangerous person. Armed or not, it would be safe to assume he is armed. That's why we're asking any members of the public who may believe they see him, don't attempt to contact him, don't attempt to contain him or do anything. Just call 911.

MARQUEZ: Investigators updating pictures of the kids and the alleged kidnapper, even a mock-up of a bald James DiMaggio, just in case he shaved his head to disguise his appearance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: Now, DiMaggio may be in a blue Nissan Versa. He may have changed cars by now. Investigators say he may have changed his appearance and if Ethan and Hannah are with him, their appearance may have changed, as well. They are saying that if you suspect something, if you think it might be them, call 911. Don't confront them -- Anna.

COREN: Miguel Marquez, joining us from San Diego -- we appreciate it. Thank you.

We have breaking news coming into us here at CNN. We're getting word that President Obama has canceled his Moscow summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that's according to (AUDIO GAP).

Now, we do understand that, obviously, on "The Tonight Show" on Jay Leno last night President Obama said he was still going to attend the G-20 and disappointed at Russia's decision to grant a temporary asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

But it appears we just got word our chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin just confirmed that with a White House official that President Obama has canceled his Moscow summit. So, that is what we are hearing right now. As soon as we get more details, we'll certainly bring that to you.

Stay with us, much more after the break.

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COREN: Welcome back.

Let's get more on that breaking news coming out of the White House that President Barack Obama has decided to cancel his Moscow summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. We can only presume that is in response to Russia's decision to grant a temporary asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

For much more on this story, let's go to our chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin.

Jessica, give us the details.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Hi, Anna.

Well, you know, the president and the White House have been working on this decision for some time. And the understanding that they would go to Moscow was based in part on years of developing relationship with Russia. The president hoped not just on this trip but to develop some sort of missile defense some agreement for a missile reduction internationally, as well as perhaps some peace with Iran on their nuclear agreement.

I mean, some very large questions hang out over this summit that are much larger than simply the question of what to do with Edward Snowden.

So, they took some time, obviously, as they wrestled with the question of whether the president should go or not. But as I'm now reporting, according to several officials, the president has decided that he will not go to Moscow at the end of this trip and sit down with Russian President Putin.

You know, none of us is entirely surprised by this because they certainly have a number of reasons not to be there right now. It would be incredibly awkward for the U.S. president to be in Moscow, on the same streets that Edward Snowden might be wandering freely. If they can't come to an agreement to somehow return Snowden even somehow indirectly while the president is there, that would be perhaps awkward for the president.

There's also the question of Sochi, the upcoming Olympics, in which gays and lesbians are not being given full, equal attention that heterosexuals are given. And there's a chill between Obama and Putin, to be frank. If they cannot make progress at these summits, leaders agree they shouldn't go.

So, for all those reasons, it's my understanding that he won't go. Now, I'm waiting on a statement from the White House or some sort of communication from somebody internally. I mean, you know they're going to explain this at some point and we'll find out what their logic is.

COREN: Jessica --

YELLIN: But what we should believe is that this is Snowden, but also Sochi and then a general chill between these two men that makes progress on any of these important issues, including missile reduction, Iran, Syria -- very difficult anyway, Anna.

COREN: Jessica, just for clarification, the Moscow summit, does that coincide with the g-20. We heard from the president on "Tonight Show" last night basically saying that he would still attend the G-20 in September.

YELLIN: They're part of the same trip, but two separate stops. So, the G-20 is hosted by Russia in St. Petersburg and the idea is that Putin invited him to have a separate sit down in Moscow, one-on-one and also attend the g-20.

So, it sort of considered diplomatic etiquette to -- for the world powers to sit down, for the president to sit down with the leader who invites him in his country in a one-on-one summit and, also, attend the major summit.

In this case, it could seem awkward for the president. The G-20 is gathering of developing nations. So, the president sit with 18 other presidents of developing countries and not visit with President Putin, who is very powerful leader, clearly.

So, to answer your simple question -- no, they're two separate stops, but it's the very same trip. So, the president making it clear they will still be going to the G-20 Summit, which is also in Russia in St. Petersburg and I should make it clear the president will see Putin in St. Petersburg.

So, they're still going to be at the same event, just not have that separate visit apart in Moscow together.

COREN: As you say, they want to have that sit-down. So, it is very much a snub to the Russian president.

Jessica, I want to play some sound on what President Barack Obama had to say about the issue of the Olympics and the gay and lesbian issue. Let's take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, I think Putin and Russia have a big stake in making sure the Olympics work and I think they understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, you know, we wouldn't tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently. They are athletes, they're there to compete and if Russia wants to uphold the Olympic spirit, then every judgment should be made on the track or in the swimming pool or on the balance beam. And people's sexual orientation shouldn't have anything to do with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: So, Jessica, that message, obviously, won't be had or won't get across during that one-on-one because it's now taking place between the two presidents. But will the United States still perhaps get this message across to Russia?

YELLIN: Well, first of all, I think he did. The answer is yes. I don't know that he'll have an opportunity to say it directly to Putin, but I imagine he will. And I think you'll hear the president say that in other venues and other occasions between now and the Olympics. This is, I would say, one of the defining issues of his presidency. Is his push for expanded rights for gays and lesbians, not just here, but around the world. So, I am confident that he will continue to press this message. But I should also tell you that the administration official tells me the reason that they have canceled this trip is not just about Snowden and not just about Sochi, but also because there was a lack of progress on their whole agenda, which includes, reach agreement on arms control, missile defense, any effort to reach some agreements on human rights in Russia, civil society. It's clear that they're not seeing eye-to-eye.

And you know how these things actually work is they try to sort of prearrange some sort of progress that the two leaders can announce at the end of an event, a summit. It's clear they couldn't get to something. So, there is a whole host of reasons -- Edward Snowden being the most obvious and the most prominent (ph) right now.

COREN: A very strained relationship now between the United States and Russia. Chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin, we appreciate the update. Thank you.

Stay with CNN. Much more after the break.

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