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New Day
Obamacare Hearing to Begin; Silvio Berlusconi in Legal Trouble; The Story Of A Killer Whale; Red Sox Win World Series Game One
Aired October 24, 2013 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: What are you expecting that we will actually learn from the hearings? They also threaten to be more political theater than substance.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you just hit the nail on the head. In terms of consumers, Kate, I think they want to know, when are these problems are going to be fixed? When will it be easier to get on a website? When will it be easier to find out what the changes are in the health care laws are going to do with each individual consumer of family? That's what consumers care most about.
The question is, how political does this become? Because you see in the lead-up to this hearing, a lot of Republicans when they bring in the contractors, the people hired to build the website, they want to know how much did the White House know about the problems?
Some Republicans are suggesting it was somehow White House meddling that caused the problems, that the White House was trying to hide the price tag or hide other issues about Obamacare and somehow told them to redesign the website at the last minute. The White House says that's flatly not true. So that will be one of the lines of questioning.
When you watch the Republicans questioning the contractors, how much is what went wrong and the nuts and bolts and how much of it is trying to trace it back to the White House somehow.
BOLDUAN: Yes, exactly. As this is happening, there's a growing list of Democrats who are coming out to publicly call for either a delay in that penalty that some Americans will feel if they don't get insurance or an extension of the enrollment period.
The White House, the administration, hasn't given any indication they're ready to go that route yet if they would at all. Is that a growing problem then for the White House that their own Democrats are coming out saying this?
KING: It's absolutely a growing problem. You already have Republicans saying let's add further delays or let's add -- extend deadlines or waive when the penalty would take effect or push it down the road. The Republicans expect it.
Now, you have Joe Manchin, conservative Democrat of West Virginia, we talked yesterday about Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, Mark Pryor of Arkansas. Shaheen, Pryor, what do they have in common? They're on the ballot in 2014, Kate.
So, watch as this one plays out. If the administration starts losing more Democrats because remember, we stop talking about the debt ceiling and the government shutdown, right? They cut that deal, but they have to come back.
Remember in two or three months as they negotiate the budget and debt ceiling yet again, there will be a vehicle for Republicans could come back with their Obama grievances. Most Republicans say let's not go there again, but if they have enough Democrats, watch out.
BOLDUAN: As all of this is happening the president is come out to turn attention back to immigration reform. I mean, when you think about how it seems the political environment has only gotten worse in the past month since we've been talking about the shutdown and the debt ceiling, when you look at that political environment, do you think there is any chance that the Congress and the president can come together to agree on immigration bill by the end of the year as they want?
KING: It is so hard to see them getting to something that the president would actually sign. Speaker John Boehner said yet again he's willing to bring an immigration bill to the floor. The question is, what would be in a Republican immigration bill in the House of Representatives?
How close would it get to what the president wants in terms of a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million or so illegal immigrants in the United States? After watching what we just went through with the Tea Party, et cetera, will the conservative House of Representatives passed something that goes far enough for the president to sign? Very hard to see that road map today. However, remember, it is in the Republican Party's self-interest to try to deal with their problem with Latino voters.
And that is the only thing the president has in his favor, leaders want to do something in the Republican Party. The question is, Kate, given the politics we've seen in recent weeks -- can they do enough that the president will sign something, or will the president in the end say, that's not enough and carry the issue into 2014 and beyond?
BOLDUAN: That's a good question. I have to rib you, though. You couldn't join us in New York again, oh, of course, you had to be in Boston. Congratulations on the wig bin last night.
KING: That's one. We need four. But October baseball is alive and well in the greatest city on Earth.
BOLDUAN: You look happier than I've seen you in a while.
KING: Only one. Need four.
BOLDUAN: Thank you, John. Love it. The man loves his baseball as you love your football.
Let's get over to Michaela for some of the other big stories this morning.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Well, it's going to be cold over here. It's going to be cold much of everywhere.
A lot of cold snap is gripping much of the nation, from the Plains to the East Coast, freezing temperatures, frost and even snow in some places. Right there in Columbus, Ohio overnight. And Wisconsin as much as three inches on the ground. More could be on the way.
Meanwhile, West Virginia received its first significant snowfall of the season. Forecasters say temperatures are 10 to 15 degrees colder than normal.
They are mourning in Massachusetts after a 24-year-old math teacher was found debt in the woods near her high school. A 14-year-old student is charged with her murder. Friends and former students say Colleen Ritzer was a dedicated teacher and those who knew the suspect, Philip Chism, says he was a nice person, quiet and shy.
Dozens of brush fires in New South Wales still raging this morning. So far more than 200 homes have been destroyed in Australia. Officials now confirming a water bombing plane has crashed south of Sydney, killing the pilot and igniting a new fire.
Australian officials are also investigating the military. It's believed one of their exercises using live ammunition ignited the destructive state mine fire that's still burning this morning.
And the murder trial a Utah doctor accused of killing his wife, the youngest daughter of Martin MacNeill may testify against her father as early as today. On Wednesday, a doctor testified that MacNeill offered him $10,000 to keep trying to resuscitate his wife. But the doctors said Michele MacNeill was already dead, the doctor said.
More and more Americans could be entering their retirement years in the red. A study from a firm called Hello Wallet looked at people who have accounts like 401(k)s. It found a majority in their 40s and 50s are still racking up debt when they should be more focused on saving money and retirement. The end result could be a much lower standard of living.
Things to be mindful of on this Thursday, Michaela tells herself as she reads this story.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Tricky analysis, though, because the reason a lot of those people are still racking up debt is because they're living on credit. They still have mortgages, still paying off credit cards. You know, that's part of the financial reality for a lot of people. So, it's not like you could stop if you wanted to.
PEREIRA: Well, in this latest downturn has forced people to have to rely on that.
CUOMO: That's what happened in the recession. Everybody got blamed. You live on credit too much. It's easy for some banker to say. But when you're on margins, that's what credit is about. PEREIRA: You do what you have to do to survive.
CUOMO: People are getting better. We're seeing the savings rate going down, seeing the amount people hold on cards going down.
So, it's moving in the right direction.
PEREIRA: Not at my house.
CUOMO: The reasons why it matter in those analysis --
BOLDUAN: It's hard to get ahead of it, once you're behind it.
CUOMO: Let's take a break on NEW DAY.
When we come back, remember the girl in Ireland taken from her family by authorities, allegations, she may have been abducted by a Roma or gypsy. Well, DNA testing shows the authorities were wrong. The question is, were they also prejudiced? We'll look into it.
BOLDUAN: And killer whales in captivity, ticking time bomb? A new CNN film "Blackfish" premieres tonight. It has a lot of people talking. We'll take a closer look at one whale with a notorious and deadly past.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Let's go around the world now, starting in Ireland, where a 7-year-old girl is back with her family after being taken away by police.
Erin McLaughlin is in Dublin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRSPONDENT: It's every child's worst nightmare. Over a dozen police turn up on your door step and take you away from your parents. That's exactly what happened after an anonymous tip that a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl was living with a Roma family on the outskirts of Dublin.
Now, DNA tests later showed they took her away from her biological family. She's since been returned. But questions here persist as to whether or not the Roma are being unfairly targeted in Ireland.
Back to you, Kate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: All right. Erin, thank you.
And to Rome now where former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is in legal trouble yet again. He's now accused of bribery.
Ben Wedeman reports from Rome.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is going back to court again, this time charged with corruption. Specifically for paying an Italian senator 3 million euro, more than $4 million, to switch sides and thus bring down the government of his opponents back in 2008.
Berlusconi has been sentenced and convicted for tax fraud and is separately appealing convictions for paying for sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power. He's also the subject of an investigation involving prostitutes, government contracts and tampering with the course of justice and for all of the above. Mr. Berlusconi insists he's completely innocent.
Back to you, Kate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: All right, Ben, thank you so much for that. Another day, another accusation against the former prime minister.
PEREIRA: Al right. Let's tell you a story about a killer whale.
In 2010, a veteran SeaWorld trainer was pulled into the water and drowned by a killer whale she had worked with for years. But, Dawn Brancheau's death wasn't the first connected with this orca, or the second, it was the third. It was the trigger for a new CNN film "Blackfish" that premieres tonight on CNN.
Martin Savidge went to western Canada to understand the history of a killer whale that lived up to its name.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Colin Baird grew up on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. As a teenager, he started working at a local marine park called Sealand of the Pacific.
COLIN BAIRD, FORMER KILLER WHALE TRAINER: I would go after school and weekends, you know, growing up and just thought that's how everybody grew up.
SAVIDGE (on camera): Sealand of Pacific used to be here, where this marina is. Now, there's nothing left of the old place. It was an oceanarium. That's an aquarium that was actually built in the ocean, and there were nets that separated the animals, the seals, the sea lions, and the stars, the killer whales.
(voice-over): Baird eventually became a trainer, working with the three killer whales. His favorite a small male named Tilikum.
BAIRD: He was very easy to work. He was very easy going. He learned quickly. He learned well.
SAVIDGE: Among the other trainers, 20-year-old marine biology student Kelsey Burn (ph). In February 20th, 1991, she had just finished a show with the killer whales when she slipped and fell into their enclosure. Baird arrived minutes later.
BAIRD: The three orcas were a little surprised that one of their trainers seemingly jumped into the pool, although fallen and they were sort of excited about that. It was something completely out of the norm.
SAVIDGE: Witnesses say the whales, including Tilikum, kept Burn from reaching the sides, repeatedly pulling her under the frigid water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They couldn't get her and finally, she -- she didn't come up anymore.
SAVIDGE: Baird, a trained diver, volunteered to go and retrieve the body.
(on camera): The co-worker just suffered, drowned in some way related to the animals that are now in the tank you are about to go in with.
BAIRD: Yes. But this wasn't a malicious attack. I mean, it was an accident.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): The coroner's inquest listing Burn's death as drowning due to or by a consequence of the forced submission by orca, killer whales.
She was the first trainer ever killed.
ANNA HALL, MARINE ZOOLOGIST: Oh my goodness. It was awful. It was awful for everybody. People in general just couldn't believe what had happened right here in our own backyard.
SAVIDGE: Not long after Sealand shut down, Tilikum was sold to SeaWorld in Orlando, but residents would hear about Tilikum again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sheriff deputies have identified the 27-year-old man found dead in a killer whale's tank --
SAVIDGER: In 1999, a man's body was found draped naked on Tilikum's back one morning. How the man got there, SeaWorld couldn't say.
Then in 2010, Tilikum pulled trainer, Dawn Brancheau, into the water to her death. When he first met Tilikum, Colin Baird had no problem with captivity and killer whales. Now, three decades and three deaths later, he definitely does.
Do you blame him?
COLIN BAIRD, FORMER KILLER WHALE TRAINER: I don't blame him, no. These would never have happened if he'd been left in the North Atlantic.
SAVIDGE: Martin Savidge, CNN, Victoria, British Columbia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PEREIRA: CNN's film "Blackfish" premieres tonight, 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
CUOMO: All right. We'll take a break here on NEW DAY. The Boston Red Sox beating the cold to get it done in game one of the World Series, and it wasn't even close. We'll give you the highlights, coming up.
PEREIRA: Got to show you a piece of video I -- it's not the same video. Can we look at this guy for a second? Is he not the most photogenic football player you've ever seen, Kate?
CUOMO: When does football become a sport that mainly women like? It's when a guy looks like this.
PEREIRA: Great picture. We're going to tell you all about it.
BOLDUAN: It's good for the game.
PEREIRA: We have a special guest telling us about this, live in studio. Not this guy, though, but almost as good looking.
BOLDUAN: That's a good tease.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CUOMO: Fenway Park rocking last night. The Red Sox came out on fire, crushed the Cardinals in game one of the World Series. Andy Scholes joins us now with more in this morning's Bleacher Report. True or false, if you win game one -- favorite?
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Yes, you're definitely the favorite. You got the 1-0 lead. And if you win big time like the Red Sox did in game one, even more of a favorite. It seems like that team always goes on to win the World Series and definitely was cold last night in Boston, but the Red Sox bats --
CUOMO: Were hot.
SCHOLES: They were red hot.
BOLDUAN: Did the Red Sox play better or did the Cards lose the game --
SCHOLES: You know, it kind of looked like the Cardinals were sleepwalking to this first game -- fly ball just dropped in between the pitcher and catcher. You'll see through the highlights. The Red Sox, they were definitely, definitely the better team last night.
CUOMO: Boston strong.
SCHOLES: Boston strong, they had that going for them. And it started off with a little controversy in this game. I don't know if you saw this. This double play that the Cardinals were going for, they called it an out at second base. Take another look. Red Sox manager, John Farrell, comes out and argues it, because he didn't even come close to catching the ball. They called -- the umpires did huddle and they got it right. BOLDUAN: That's all you can ask for.
SCHOLES: Definitely good to see. They're going to have instant replay for this kind of things next year. So, they don't have to worry about if they get it right or not. Of course, this is what happens on the very next play to the Cardinals, a double into the gap. All three runs come in to score. So, the bad night got even worse for the Cards there.
And it could have been much, much worse, guys. It's 4-0 in the second inning. It could have easily been 8-0. Big Papi gets a hold of this one. But check out the catch by Carlos Beltran, goes to wall, reaches over into the bull pen, catches it. Now, good news there. The bad news was Beltran, see him there, holding those ribs. Bruised ribs. Had to leave the game. He's the Cardinals best hitter so they --
PEREIRA: They got the catch.
SCHOLES: You bet he got the catch, right? Big Papi, though, gets his revenge. Look at this.
BOLDUAN: So, wait a second, Andy. True or false, they're only playing better because of the beards?
SCHOLES: You got to go true.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHOLES: There's a lot of factors, but hey, the beards.
(CROSSTALK)
SCHOLES: The Red Sox, they get game one, 8-1. Game two tonight, Cardinals, you have to think they have to win this one if they want to have a chance of winning the series.
CUOMO: It's tough for them. They're fighting against a city with so much momentum. And even people who, you know, don't usually root for the Red Sox, you got to root for Boston right now because what they made it through --
SCHOLES: Sentimental favorites right now.
BOLDUAN: You just want a good series, isn't that what you're supposed to say?
CUOMO: No.
BOLDUAN: OK.
(LAUGHTER)
CUOMO: Tell us about the Hampton guy.
(LAUGHTER) SCHOLES: This picture has blown up on the internet, especially on BleacherReport.com. Guys, check it out. OK. This is from the USC/Notre Dame game this weekend. Cam McDaniel gets his helmet ripped off mid play and a photographer grabs this picture. I thought it was photo shopped when I first saw it.
BOLDUAN: Of course you did, because it looks photoshopped.
SCHOLES: He got the bicep going.
PEREIRA: Smoldering eyes.
BOLDUAN: There's literally a twinkle in his eye.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: Andy Scholes, the man says he's got the bicep going. The women say smoldering eyes.
PEREIRA: You have to see twitter with flames on this. This is fantastic.
SCHOLES: You got a 300-pound lineman taking you down, and look at his face.
PEREIRA: He looks good.
SCHOLES: Stone cold. It looks like he's posing for "GQ."
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
SCHOLES: Once the helmet comes off, the play is supposed to end. Maybe he knew that --
PEREIRA: Can we say Andy Scholes first time on the NEW DAY set --
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: Even better looking in person.
(CROSSTALK)
SCHOLES: You make me blush so much. I'm always like leaving --
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: I'll make you feel better. You want to stick around for a "Must-See Moment?" Take the (INAUDIBLE) for a second?
SCHOLES: Definitely do.
PEREIRA: I'll do that for you.
(CROSSTALK) PEREIRA: Can you guess what this is? Check it out. I want you to look at this video.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BOLDUAN (voice-over): Terrifying.
PEREIRA (voice-over): Twenty-two-month-old Zoe Tatain (ph) from Huntington Beach, California showing off her awesome new stick figure Halloween costume. That is created by dad, Royce. He made it himself using LED lights and Velcro. Apparently, took Zoe out for a run around town to rave reviews. This is the best costume ever.
He's actually going to upload a tutorial on how parents can do -- make their own. He's done this before. Apparently, he says the sticks like 50 bucks to make the whole thing with all the light --
BOLDUAN: The poor thing is like why is everyone running away from me.
CUOMO (voice-over): Give mom a shout-out, though. The things we do to capture moments with our kids. Do you see mom? She's all in the dark, and she's running forward. Watch mom. There's got the little key light, because they're always sage, mom, and then she runs down.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: The kid is like, mom.
SCHOLES: Probably scared. He's in a dark alley.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: Why is everybody running away from me?
BOLDUAN: There's actually dark side to this tale. This child is now terrified of the dark.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PEREIRA (on-camera): So, there we go. Our "Must-See Moment" with Andy Scholes.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO (on-camera): Good stuff, my friend.
Coming up on NEW DAY, the battle over the Obamacare website fiasco. It's heating up. Contractors on Capitol Hill today, they're saying it's not their fault that the site isn't working. So, if that's true, whose fault is it? We're live in Washington, looking for answers. BOLDUAN (on-camera): And the other big story that we're following today, a high school teacher murdered, a student accused of the crime. We're going to go to Massachusetts for the latest on that investigation coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: It's our job to hold them accountable when it comes to Obamacare.
CUOMO: The investigation begins. Congressional hearings start today into what went wrong with the Affordable Care Act roll-out. Private contractors involved with the launch tell CNN officials knew just how problematic it was.
BOLDUAN: Spy games. Germany's chancellor calls out President Obama after claims the U.S. tapped her personal cell phone. The tense conversation between the two leaders, just the latest fallout among reports the U.S. is spying on its allies.
PEREIRA: Breaking his silence. The young man who made that dramatic online confession of killing a man while driving drunk has been sentenced. He talks to NEW DAY this morning.
CUOMO: Your NEW DAY starts right now.
ANNOUNCER: What you need to know --
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor.
ANNOUNCER: What you just have to see.
This is "New Day" with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to NEW DAY. It's Thursday, October 24th, seven o'clock in the east. Coming up this hour, Matthew Cordle, the man who killed someone in a DUI then confessed in a video; he got more than six years in prison. He could have gotten eight. The question is, what is fair here? And does Cordle now regret making that viral video confessing to the crime? He's going to break his silence, and we're going to ask him these questions right ahead.
BOLDUAN: Plus, a scandal surrounding a Kennedy cousin resurfacing. Michael Skakel has been locked away for more than ten years for killing a friend, Martha Moxley, back when they were just teenagers, but now, he's getting a new trial and he might even get out of prison. A really justice bombshell here. Did anyone see this coming?
PEREIRA: And it would appear that winter has leapfrogged right over fall in some parts of the nation. Many Americans barely having time for their pumpkin spice lattes when all this freezing temperatures frost, even snow barged in. We're going to show you where they're getting out the winter clothes a little early this morning.
CUOMO: But first, don't blame us. You get used to hearing that out of Washington, D.C. But this isn't even coming from politicians. This is coming from private contractors who built the botched Obamacare website.
