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Police Press Conference in Home Abduction Case; Suspects Arrested, Ayvani Perez Safe; Navy Yard FOP Complains about Security; Starbucks Says No to Guns; Big Swings Expected in Markets; 2 Former Defense Secretaries Speak Out on Syria.

Aired September 18, 2013 - 13:30   ET

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

BLITZER: Let's go to the news conference. The Clayton County police chief, Gregory Porter, is just telling us this is a good day, she is safe. Ayvani Perez, the 14-year-old girl who was abducted, she is OK. Two suspects have been arrested.

CHIEF GREGORY PORTER, CLAYTON COUNTY, GEORGIA, POLICE: The FBI, GBI, HIS, APD, Clayton County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Folks, this is a prime example of community policing. Prime example of collaboration through a situation where all - where it effected not only the Clayton County community, but the metro area. I'll entertain any questions at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did you find her?

PORTER: Through hard-core law enforcement work. Boots to the ground. Again, the people I just mentioned worked tireless hours to make sure this young lady was safe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What specifically though led you to her?

PORTER: I'll let the FBI touch on that. Again, we're going to limit certain questions about the investigation. We do not want to compromise the integrity of the investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Earlier you had said that there was no connection (INAUDIBLE) - there was no connection between the family and these alleged kidnappers. Is that still the case? Is there a relationship between the mother and the kidnappers that you can share with us?

PORTER: Yes, I'll let the FBI touch on that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone will (INAUDIBLE).

PORTER: Yes. Yes. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was she injured at all?

PORTER: No, she's - she's in good health. She's being evaluated as we speak. She's been reunified with her family.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you been able to get a sense (INAUDIBLE). PORTER: Again, it started off as a home invasion and probably lingered over into the abduction of this young lady.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was she harmed in any way? Is she --

PORTER: She's being evaluated at this point. And like I said, you know -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any injuries or anything like that?

PORTER: Not at this point, that we know of.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it -- can we say that she was (INAUDIBLE)?

PORTER: She still is being evaluated at this point.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was this family targeted or was this random?

PORTER: We don't know at this point. Again, like I said, you know, it initially started off as a home invasion, and then lingered to the abduction of this particular young lady.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you tell us where she was dropped off?

PORTER: Yeah. The address in Conyers -- we have the address?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the address.

(CROSSTALK)

PORTER: We will get that address for you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you just give us the narrative --

PORTER: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you give us the narrative of how she was dropped off, how that happened?

PORTER: I'll let the FBI touch on that. I'll let them -- any other questions? I mean --

(CROSSTALK)

PORTER: One question at a time.

Say again?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Names?

PORTER: Two people are in custody. FBI will provide that information to you shortly.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Chief, how much manpower went into finding her? PORTER: We had like I said over 150 people involved. Persons involved, personnel involved. Many man hours. Like I said, again, I want to thank the people that I mentioned along with the hard working men and women at the Clayton County Police Department.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What about the ransom money? Did the family ever pay any money or was that true?

PORTER: There was some mention about that, but I don't want to get into the specifics of it. Again, folks, we're still wrapping up this investigation and still in the preliminary stages. I think what is important at this point she's safe.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Before you turn us over to the FBI -- I'm hoping they can answer these other questions -- were you present for the reunification?

PORTER: No, sir. No, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Were any of you present for that? With her family?

PORTER: No, not to my knowledge.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you all saying she's now at a hospital? Where is she being evaluated?

PORTER: She's nearby. Due to the confidentiality of this young lady, the age and so forth, we're limited in what we can say about it.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What can you say about how the two suspects were captured?

PORTER: Through hard-core police work, boots to the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: No narrative about how they were caught?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was it an easy capture?

PORTER: We worked tireless hours trying to bring this situation to a closure. And again, I think what is important at this point, she's safe with her family and we need to -- again, I want to thank the media for you all's help.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was there any confrontation, violence -- (INAUDIBLE)

PORTER: I wasn't there. I'll let the FBI speak on that.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What can you tell us where she's been in 30 something hours? At somebody's home?

PORTER: She's been in the metro area. We can say that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you think she was riding around in a car the whole time?

PORTER: We're still interviewing and evaluating her health at this point.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Who from the FBI can talk to us right now?

PORTER: Before I -- I'd be remiss if I did not recognize Chairman Turner, chairman of the Clayton County Commission Board. I want him to say a couple words. Then I'll give him an opportunity to say something.

JEFF TURNER, CHAIRMAN, CLAYTON COUNTY COMMISSION BOARD: Good afternoon, and as the chief said, well, first of all, I'm Chairman Jeff Turner, chairman of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners.

As the chief said, it's a great day for law enforcement, great day for the community, definitely a great day for the Perez family. You know, this can should be as an example of what happens when law enforcement comes together to work collaboratively. The results are a young lady was saved. Local, state and federal agents came together, worked together, and was able to bring this young lady home.

I would be remiss if I did not say my thanks to the community. They immediately jumped on social media outlets and spread the word. The word spread very quickly. Media responded. Thank you for putting out the word in response to the kidnapping, as well. So again, I would be remiss if I didn't thank each and every one of you, the citizens of Clayton County, and definitely the men and women who are standing behind me are representative of those standing behind me for the hard work they put in on a regular basis. So thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just going to introduce --

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: You so there you got the headlines. A good day, a great day, in fact. The little girl, Ayvani Perez, 14-year-old girl, who was kidnapped in the middle of the night from her home in an Atlanta suburb, is safe. And we now know that the two suspects have been arrested. They are in custody. We'll continue to monitor the news conference. We'll get the latest details. Our own Martin Savidge is watching what's going on. The headline out of it, Ayvani Perez is OK.

We'll take a quick break. More news right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to NEWSROOM. I'm Wolf Blitzer, reporting.

The latest on the deadly shooting at the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard, the White House says President Obama will attend a memorial service this Sunday for victims of the shooting. 12 people were killed, eight people were wounded in the rampage. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today announced a review of access of military installations worldwide. The shooting has raised serious questions about security clearances at U.S. military facilities.

We're also learning that the Fraternal Order of Police for the Navy Yard issued a complaint about security.

Brian Todd is joining us with more on this part of the story.

What are you learning, Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I just spoke to a police officer here at the Navy Yard named Anthony Nili. He's an official with the Fraternal Order of Police for the Naval District of Washington. On the phone, he complained to me essentially they didn't have the enough police officers, Navy Yard police officers assigned to duty on the morning of the shootings. He said they had only five deployed at the time with one officer coming in, who had been on an overnight shift, joining back in to respond to the shootings. He said they needed twice that many as least because they're covering an area of 41-square acres here at this facility plus 3,000 people who work here. He said if they had had more manpower and at least a few more officers, he believes they could have prevented some of the loss of life on Monday.

We called the naval district of Washington's spokesman. He would not comment on the complaint. But have you that will complaint now from a member of the Fraternal Order of Police for the Navy Yard police.

We have to reiterate the Metropolitan Washington Police did respond very quickly to this and got to the scene and engaged the shooter as did the Navy Yard police.

But at least for the immediate facility here, are there's a complaint they just didn't have enough police officers on duty -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Brian Todd reporting for us. Brian, thanks.

I know Brian will have more in "The Situation Room," 5:00 p.m. eastern, later today.

The families of the 12 people who died in the shooting are dealing with the anguish of losing loved ones so suddenly and unexpectedly. The wife of Arthur Daniels told "The Washington Post," "I can't believe this is happening again." The paper says the couple's 14- year-old son was shot and killed just four years ago.

We're also learning more about all of those 12 people killed, about the lives they led and the loved ones they left behind. John Roger Johnson's wife Judy says, "I was very lucky and blessed to find the human being that I found in him." A friend of Martin Bodrod (ph) says, "Everything he did was is purposeful, meaningful and intentional. And because of that, he did everything with excellence." She remembers him walking his dog, helping shovel snow from his elderly neighbors' driveways. Kathy Gaarde took care of her 94-year- old mother until her mother's death last year. Her daughter Jessica says she wants people to know who her mother was. Here's what she told Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSICA GAARDE, DAUGHTER OF KATHY GAARDE: I want them to know she lived. She's not a number. Or some statistic. ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: You want them to know the person that she was and the life that she led?

GAARDE: Yes. Because she was so caring and she would do anything for anyone she loved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Sylvia Frasier's sister summed up what many relatives are facing as they move forward. She told "The Washington Post," "No matter how we feel, no matter what information we get from the FBI, we have got to forgive, we have to forgive. We can't become bitter."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Millions of coffee lovers are also gun owners but now the world's biggest coffee chain is asking customers to keep their weapons at home.

Poppy Harlow is following the story for us from New York.

Poppy, the CEO of Starbucks gave you an exclusive TV interview on the question of whether customers should be able to bring their weapons into the Starbucks stores. Tell us what he said.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Howard Schultz is his name, the CEO of Starbucks. He says that Starbucks has been thrust unwillingly into the gun control debate. It, like most other stores, frankly, Wolf, in states where people are allowed to openly carry guns, they are allowed to bring them into stores. But that has put Starbucks really in the spotlight because increasingly more and more gun owners have been going to Starbucks for these meet-ups, visibly showing guns. So Howard Schultz has penned an open letter to the American people requesting that people no longer bring guns into any Starbuck store in the United States. It's not a ban, but this letter, which will be in newspapers nationwide tomorrow, requests that people don't do that.

So we talked to him about why he's making this decision. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Why are you doing this and why are you doing it right now?

HOWARD SCHULTZ, CEO, STARBUCKS: Well, I think it's very important just to start the conversation by framing the fact that Starbucks is not a policymaker. And, in fact, we're not pro- or anti-gun. However, we do believe that guns should not be part of the Starbucks experience. And as a result of that, making that decision, we are respectfully requesting that those customers who are carrying a gun just honor their request and not bring it into Starbucks.

We're also saying something else. This is not a ban. And the reason it's not a ban is we don't want to put our own people in a position of having to confront somebody who is carrying a weapon. So those customers who will bring in the gun -- we hope they won't -- we're still going to serve them. We're not going to ask them to leave.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Now, I can tell you he emphasized over and over in our interview that he and Starbucks are not pro- or anti-gun. They just don't think there's a place for guns in Starbucks stores. But again, he didn't go as far as to ban this, which he could do. Some companies like AMC movie theaters or Peet's Coffee have banned guns on their properties.

What's interesting is tht this comes a month after members of the Newtown community that suffered that horrific shooting sent Schultz a letter asking him to ban guns in their community. We spoke with some of them today. They said this is a step in the right direction. They're happy to see this. They would have liked to see a ban but they are happy to see this.

I can tell you that Starbucks has been out front on very controversial issues in the past, vocally supporting gay marriage, for example. So this is not a first for this company and this CEO. But it is a big name brand making a big step in a heated debate -- Wolf?

BLITZER: It certainly is. You're absolutely right, Poppy.

We'll see you later today in "The Situation Room," as well.

HARLOW: Thanks.

BLITZER: Thank you.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is about to announce a decision that could dramatically affect your investments and monthly budget. The story, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Take a look at this. We're showing live pictures of the New York Stock Exchange. Right now, the Dow Jones Industrial, down almost 40 points. 38 points right now. Likely to change very soon. We're expecting some big swings in the stock and bond markets after the Federal Reserve announces whether it's going to cut back its bond- buying program. Very significant for investors. The announcement expected in about 10 minutes or so. We'll bring it to you, of course, as soon as it happens. Lots at stake.

Christine Romans is joining us in the meantime from New York.

A lot of people, Christine, are nervous about this. We're not just talking about investors but also homeowners. Here's the question: How could this affect mortgage rates?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It could push mortgage rates higher, quite frankly. Wolf, when you look add a chart, just the talk of this so-called taper, the Fed pulling back on its bond buying, its stimulus into the economy, just the talk has sent mortgage rates higher. You now have a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, Wolf, 4.75 percent. That is the highest in two years. Look at the chart, Wolf. Very clearly, the market is telling us they expect mortgage rates to move higher.

If the fed keeps what we all expect it will do and takes the training wheels slowly off the American economy, it will keep moving mortgage rates higher by some estimates, maybe as high as 5 percent by this spring, if the Fed does what so many have expected.

It's not just mortgage rates, though. That's probably where you'll see it first and you're already seeing the anticipation of the Fed taking the training wheels off the economy. But there are a lot of different ways. If the Fed does this taper as expected, starts pulling back on its bond buying and its mortgage security buying, which it's doing $85 billion every month, you'll see it likely in the stock market. You could see stocks move higher, sideways to higher if it does as expected. You could see interest rates for mortgages, for car loans, even for variable rate loans on your credit cards. You could also see jobs -- big important move here. There are some people who are concerned job creation could slow if the Fed takes away some of the stimulus. You could also see, Wolf, the last part of the scene, gas prices down. So much of this Fed stimulus some say has gone into the commodities market, hard commodities, things like gasoline and oil, you could see gas prices come down a little bit -- Wolf?

BLITZER: As soon as we hear from the Fed, we'll share it with the viewers.

Christine, thanks very, very much.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Still ahead here in NEWSROOM, two former secretaries of defense, who worked for President Obama, uncensored. Their blunt words about the president, the Congress, and Vladimir Putin. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: All right, get this, two former top Obama administration cabinet members are voicing their concern over the president's handling of Syria. The former defense secretary, Robert Gates, said this about the president's plan of attack: "My bottom line is I believe to blow up a bunch of stuff over a couple of days to underscore or validate a point or a principle is not a strategy." Also, Leon Panetta, another former defense secretary and CIA director, he said this: "When the president of the United States draws a red line, the credibility of this country is dependent on him backing up his word."

Joining us now from Cambridge, Massachusetts, CNN senior political analyst, David Gergen, who hosted the event with Robert Gates and Leon Panetta.

David, both of them also said the president shouldn't have gone to Congress for authorization to begin with. It's pretty candid, pretty blunt from two members of his former administration. Set the scene. How did this go down?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure. Both men refrained from speaking, Wolf, during the sensitive moments when the president was making decisions, but once his course was set, they felt they could come to Southern Methodist University last night and open up. And boy, did they open up. It became apparent that even in their loyalty -- and they remain loyal to the president -- they have sharply different views how this should have happened. Neither would have drawn a red line for starters. Neither would have gone to Congress once a red line was drawn. They both felt he should have done it, acted unilaterally or whatever he is. Both would have armed the rebels much more aggressively.

They differ among each other about the use of force. Leon Panetta thought that the president should use force, having promised to do that in the red line drawing. Bob Gates feels it would be a real mistake to use force. He said, after Iraq and Afghanistan, we ought to understand the Middle East is a powder keg. To use force now would be to throw gasoline on a fire.

BLITZER: And it's interesting because when they were asked about the U.S.-Russian deal to supposedly do away with Syria's chemical weapons stock pile, specifically Gates said, when if he was asked if he trusted the Russian president, Gates aid, "My answer would be, are you kidding me"? That's pretty blunt as well.

GERGEN: It is. Both are deeply, deeply skeptical this plan will work out. They're worried that Assad and Putin won't live up to their words. And Gates was extremely blunt that we have to take the initiative back. We have to tell them, this is what we're going to do on inspections. This is what we expect. We're not going to leave this in the hands of the Syrians to let this play out. We're not going to leave it in the hands of the Russians. The United States is a major power in the area, and we're going to reassert ourselves in this and take control of the situation. He was very forceful on that point.

BLITZER: You don't often hear two former members of an administration speak this openly, candidly about a current president whom they served.

GERGEN: Absolutely. And, Wolf, I have to stress, they remain very loyal to the president. But one has to wonder, had they been there at his side when this decisions were made, would we have come out in a different place? I think we would because they're heavyweights. They're two of the most well respected people, as you well know, in the foreign policy community. And each one has had over -- almost 50 years of public service to the community.

BLITZER: Absolutely right.

Thanks very much, David Gergen. Good work. Appreciate it.

That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll be back, 5:00 p.m. eastern, in "The Situation Room."

NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.