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FDA Moves to Ban Trans Fats; Fast Foods, Frozen Pizzas, Popcorn, Creamers Would Have to Reformulate; Pressure Grows to Delay Obamacare; Lawmakers Subpoenas Obamacare Figures; Christie's Presidential Possibilities; FAA Weighs Unmanned Aircraft Flights

Aired November 07, 2013 - 13:00   ET

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


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And it announced it's taking steps to eliminate them from the U.S. food supply. Foods with trans fat, they include, French fries, frozen pizzas, cookies, microwave popcorn, just to name a few. The FDA says banning trans fats would save thousands of lives every single year.

Joining us now from the CNN Center, our Chief Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Elizabeth, why is the FDA taking this action now?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, a lot of people are asking, Wolf, why didn't they take this action a long time ago? It's been about 10 years since consumer advocates petitioned the FDA to get these trans fats out of foods. And now, well, 10 years later, they're finally doing it. And they say that if they do take this action, because today is just the first step, if this action does continue, they say they could prevent 20,000 heart attacks a year in the United States and 7,000 deaths. And that's why people have been urging the FDA to take this step for so long.

Now, as you noted, trans fats are in some of the foods that you just mentioned. Some cookies have them, some cookies don't, some pizzas have them, some pizzas don't. They're also in some restaurants -- restaurant foods but a lot of restaurants took trans fats out of foods when places like New York City said, we don't want them here.

BLITZER: What of the dangers of trans fat? How exactly does that work?

COHEN: Right. So, trans fats come from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and they do two bad things. They drive your bad cholesterol up and your good cholesterol down. So, that is a very bad double whammy. So, there is nothing healthy about trans fats. Other fats have advantages but doctors say there is nothing good about these fats and they should get out of our diet all together.

BLITZER: Will the food taste the same without trans fats?

COHEN: You know, Wolf, we can probably all answer these questions ourselves, because since the early 90s the number of food products that have trans fats has gone down dramatically by, like, say, 75 percent. So, I mean, I know I eat plenty of foods that taste perfectly good, cookies and cakes and all of that that taste perfectly good without trans fat. So, do they taste exactly the same? Maybe not. But they do still taste good.

BLITZER: Elizabeth Cohen, thanks very much.

Joining us here in Washington, right now, Dan Glickman, a former agriculture secretary during the Clinton administration, a senior fellow at Bipartisan Policy Center, also a specialist on food at the Aspen Institute here in Washington as well. Mr. Secretary, thanks for coming in.

DAN GLICKMAN, SENIOR FELLOW, BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All Right. So, you were the agriculture secretary for eight years, right? Were you considering doing it then or is this a relatively more recent phenomena?

GLICKMAN: I'd say in the last 10 years, it's more recent. And the reason for that is we've become more concerned about health care costs, the of people with chronic diseases and the role that food can play in health. And so, the science is now much more clear than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago that these trans fats which are basically regular oils that are -- they put hydrogen in them to make them cook easier. It's -- I don't think it's really a taste issue. It was cheaper for the food companies to do this over the years. But now, most of the science says we ought to get it out of the food supply. So, I think this is a good thing the FDA's doing.

BLITZER: All right. So, how does it work? You know, the FDA now says they're going to take the initial steps to eliminate trans fat. How long does the process take, assuming it goes smoothly?

GLICKMAN: It shouldn't take -- it should take less than a year. It should take several months at the longest. And, you know, there may be some particular industries that are affected by this more than others, as a way how they cook their foods.

BLITZER: Frozen foods?

GLICKMAN: Maybe. But, you know, the major food companies, the vast -- the vast -- a majority of the fast food companies has taken this out of their food a long time ago. And so, consumers ought to be alert into the labels they read, quite frankly, particularly people with heart disease or cholesterol problems. But it's hoped within the year, this will be done.

BLITZER: Will it make food more expensive in the United States for consumers?

GLICKMAN: No, no, it shouldn't. And the fast food companies, they've been -- they've taken it out, most of them, for a while. And most of the major food companies have already taken it out. People who look at their labels, they'll see whether it contains trans fats or not. And it hasn't had an impact on food prices.

BLITZER: So, in the 60 days, this comment period when people complain or they can support it, do you expect very vocal opposition to this -- GLICKMAN: There may --

BLITZER: -- decision?

GLICKMAN: -- there may be a few industries like --

BLITZER: Like what?

GLICKMAN: I don't know. I mean, there may be a few industries that are in the cooking or baking business that use these things to help bake products faster. But by and large, this is not a major problem for the food industry.

BLITZER: It's -- and what about food that we import around the world? How will that impact that? Because I'm sure there's a lot of trans fat in products that we bring into the United States.

GLICKMAN: Yes, I don't know how much baked goods there are. This is largely foods that are involved in the baking process. But they'll be subject to the same rules as well.

So, you know, by and large, this is a good place where health and food kind of come together. Food -- it's important for food policy to not only produce food but also do it nutritionally for people.

BLITZER: Dan Glickman. So you support this idea?

GLICKMAN: I do. I do.

BLITZER: Well, thanks very much for coming in.

GLICKMAN: You're welcome.

BLITZER: Dan Glickman, the former agriculture secretary.

Democrats are increasingly nervous about all of the problems with the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare as it's called. And they're adding to the pressure to delay a key part of the health care law. We're going to get reaction from the White House when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Now, to the latest on Obamacare. The administration under growing pressure right now to delay the deadline for people to get ensured or get fined. And some of that pressure actually coming from rather anxious Democrats. The Obama administration is scrambling to fix problems with the rollout of the HealthCare.gov Web site.

Our Senior White House Correspondent Brianna Keilar has the latest.

BRIANNA KEILAR, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, having watched the Virginia gubernatorial race where Democrat Terry McAuliffe won but by much less than was expected as his Republican opponent really hammered on Obamacare in the final weeks of the election. Democrats are incredibly concerned. And 15 Democratic senators who are up for re-election next year came to the White House yesterday to meet with President Obama to discuss their concerns. We understand they raised issues about the security of Obamacare and HealthCare.gov, something we have heard Republicans raise as well. And Mark Udall, a senator from Colorado, urged the president, we heard from his office, to delay that March 31st deadline for signing up to get insurance.

So far though, no indication that the administration is really considering doing that. Talking to sources here, they think that if the Web site is up and running pretty well by the end of November 30th, that that gives Americans plenty of time to sign up and they really are not willing to talk about entertaining delays until then.

There's also this other outstanding issue of a subpoena that has come from the Republican side of the House Ways and Means Committee, the tax writing committee there on Capitol Hill. The chairman of that committee, Dave Camp, wants the Obama administration to give them enrollment numbers by tomorrow instead of waiting what we expect a week or so mid-month that the Obama administration has said they will release those numbers. It doesn't appear that the Obama administration is going to comply with that subpoena. So, that is significant.

The Obama administration, talking to sources here, indicating that the numbers, those enrollment numbers, are very much in disarray, have been in disarray because the Web site has suffered these problems. And it's clear the administration wants to take the time to get them to the point where they are as accurate as possible -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Brianna, thank you. Brianna Keilar over at the White House. Lots going on there as usual.

By the way, coming up later this afternoon here on CNN, Brooke Baldwin will anchor a special report on the topic that impacts so many Americans but still has a stigma attached to it exposed. "MENTAL HEALTH IN AMERICA" air at 3:00 p.m. Eastern later today. You'll want to stick around and see that.

The New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, is riding high after his landslide re-election win. And the buzz about a possible presidential run getting a bit louder. But does he risk being overexposed? I'll talk about that and more with the White House correspondent for "Time" magazine, new cover story out on Chris Christie.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The political buzz surrounding Chris Christie getting loud and louder after his landslide re-election this week. The buzz is all about the New Jersey governor as a possible presidential candidate in 2016. Christie now once again on the cover of the latest issue of "Time" magazine. And the headline, take a look at it, "the elephant in the room." The cover story looks at what a Christie presidential bid would mean for the Republican Party and a whole lot more. "Time" magazine's White House correspondent Michael Scherer wrote the article. He's here in the studio with us.

Michael, thanks very much for joining us.

MICHAEL SCHERER, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Yes.

BLITZER: The elephant in the room. Is that also imply that he's a big guy?

SCHERER: He's a big guy and it's not just about his physical size, it's about his whole political act. And the story I wrote, which is actually inside the magazine called "born to run," a Springsteen reference -

BLITZER: Yes.

SCHERER: Is about how this entire re-election effort in New Jersey, which was never really in doubt, has been a dress rehearsal for what he has not yet formally committed to but his aides are all working towards, a real presidential run. And really it's about a character story. He's telling a story about his attitude, his approach, the way he handles himself and making the case that that's exactly what the Republican Party need and the country needs.

BLITZER: Because what you see there is what you get. He's a tough guy and he shows off. You write this in the article, "he's a workhorse with a temper and a tongue and a big heart he wants everyone to see. He's the guy who loves his mother and gets it done. What does it matter that he regularly calls his opponents idiots or jerks?"

All right, so that plays well, clearly, in New Jersey. He got a landslide re-elections there. How is it going to play in Iowa, South Carolina, a Florida Republican primary?

SCHERER: Well, so, it will be more difficult. But what his case is, the thesis of his presidential run, which again is not yet formally declared, is that what the Republican Party needs now is someone who can do stuff and win, not an ideologue. What Christie calls college professors. He says the Republican Party has sort of been taken over by college professors who talk about ideas, instead of people who can actually win. And he's created this persona which when he gets to Iowa and they say, well you're not really perfect on guns, you changed on abortion years ago, I'm a little concerned about tolls you've increased and tax rebates you've decreased, he's going say, well, look, this is just who I am. I'm the guy who can get elected. You need me. It's all part of this - it's sort of a tough guy persona. But I think, you know, in this party right now, where, as a brand, they're polling below one in four. I mean 24 percent of the country actually liked the Republican brand. It has some appeal, I think.

BLITZER: Yes, he's really highly visible right now.

SCHERER: Yes.

BLITZER: And he wants to - he's going to be on almost all the Sunday talk shows this weekend.

SCHERER: That's right.

BLITZER: You know he - is he - does he have a risk of being overexposed? SCHERER: I think he'll go away for a while. I think this was a big coming out party. They clearly designs this election, they designed his election night speech as something that could send a message to Washington, to fund-raisers, to the Republican Party as a whole. But I don't think he's going to keep up this clip. We're still three years out. It's a long, long way before we actually get to Iowa. The thing that is worth saying is, he's about to take over the Republican Governors Association, which is a perfect platform for him to now go to a lot of these swing states under the cover of another purpose, raise money, meet people and really (INAUDIBLE).

BLITZER: (INAUDIBLE) the question in a Republican contest for the nomination, how would he do in a place like Iowa or New Hampshire, South Carolina, the early contests, against the Rand Paul or Marco Rubio or a Ted Cruz, you know, most of whom the Tea Party supporters, a key base of the Republican Party, they love those guys.

SCHERER: Yes, no, and he's not going to get a lot of those votes, but his doesn't think that - or his advisers don't think that's going to keep him from the nomination. John McCain had a lot of those problem in 2008. Mitt Romney had a lot of those problem going into Iowa in 2012. Remember, Romney actually kind of edged out or at least tied Rick Santorum there. He needs 20 percent in Iowa or 25 percent to get out. He doesn't need to win the whole state.

BLITZER: Michael Scherer is the White House correspondent for "Time" magazine. The cover story, let's put it up one more time and take a look at that cover of "Time" magazine. Can we get it up there? I think we can. "The elephant in the room." There it is. Let's - yes, there it is. "The elephant in the room." I wonder if he's going to like or not like that headline on the cover of "Time" magazine, but we'll find out. He's going to be on a lot of TV shows in coming days. Thanks very much.

SCHERER: Thank you.

BLITZER: Unmanned aircraft and passenger planes co-existing in U.S. airspace. The FAA now launching an effort to make that a reality. We're going to tell you what's behind the push.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Our senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, just had a serious exchange on Obamacare with the White House press secretary, Jay Carney. I want to play it for you right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I wanted to ask you about the president's comments last night in Dallas. He said "we anticipate," used the word "anticipate," "that by November 30th, that the website will be able to work as it was supposed to." It just sounds like there's a little bit of wiggle room there in using the word "anticipate." Can you say what the consequences would be for CMS, HHS, people inside this White House, if that website is not working the way it's supposed to by November 30th? JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I can tell you that the objective here has not changed. Our position has not changed. It is still that the website and its problems are being addressed by a team of experts and that that work is continuing around the clock every day and that by the end of the month we expect the site to be functioning at the standards necessary for the vast majority of the American people. And that's what we've said from the beginning. So I wouldn't read anything into that except to say that this is, obviously, challenging work because the problems are many and we've acknowledged that and the president's made clear that that circumstance is unacceptable to him, which is why he's demanded that all the action be taken that's being taken. So, the work continues and, again, we expect the website to be functioning effectively for the vast majority of users by the end of the month.

ACOSTA: And what is the plan b if that doesn't happen? If the website's not working, are there deliberations underway right now inside the administration to perhaps extend the enrollment deadlines, to -- all of the various things that you've been asked about at these briefings.

CARNEY: Uh-huh, sure.

ACOSTA: Is there a plan b?

CARNEY: Jim, I would say that right now the tech experts, who can answer this question better than anyone else in terms of what fixes need to be made and on what schedule they can be made, believe that this can be done by the end of the month so that the website is functioning effectively to the vast majority of users. That has never meant that there would be zero problems with the site, as is the case with almost any complicated and complex site, both private and public that exists. But it has to be functioning effectively for the vast majority of users. It's an important portal through which the American people, who are interested in applying for coverage or at least finding out their options, you know, that - you know, it's an important portal for them to use.

Now there are, as we know and we've discussed, other ways for them to get the information and they can window shop already on the website. But we're at work trying to make it better every day. And it is getting better every day. But we're not there yet. I think Secretary Sebelius made clear yesterday that we're not there. And I know anecdotally you see proof of that, that the site is not firing effectively on all pistons, if you will, yet. But it needs to be, and that's why that work is so important.

You know, and when it comes to the question of extending, we, as I pointed out yesterday, and I think Secretary Sebelius did too, we are still fairly early in a six-month open enrollment period and it is our believe that if the site is working effectively as expected, that there is time to make sure that the people who are interested in enrolling in these options for coverage to the marketplaces will be able to do so in time to get insurance on January 1st and, obviously, the enrollment period itself lasts through the end of March. ACOSTA: Because if you don't get it done by November 30th, obviously there becomes a very short window of opportunity for people to sign up for insurance so they have coverage starting January 1st. so I mean that --

CARNEY: Well, your understanding of the calendar is mine as well, but I -- I'm saying that it is - it is our position that the work is being done and it will -

ACOSTA: (INAUDIBLE).

CARNEY: No, but it will - that it will be completed, which is not to take away from the challenges that it represents. But we believe we have the teams in place necessary to do the work and that that work will continue to progress and make improvements to the site. There are, I think anybody who monitors this closely can say that the improvements that have been achieved are noticeable, but we're not there yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, so there he is, Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, an important exchange with our senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta, once again promising that by the end of this month, for the vast majority of Americans going to the website, they'll be able to deal with it. Unclear what that means, "vast majority." We're going to do some checking to see if that's 60 percent, 80 percent, 90 percent, vast majority is not necessarily 100 percent, ready by the end of this month. But we'll check that out for you, get more information on that as it comes in.

Other news we're following.

Imagine looking out of the window of an airplane and seeing an unmanned aircraft flying off in the distance. Everyone knows that day will eventually get here and the FAA has the task of making sure manned and unmanned aircraft safely co-exist. Today the agency took another step in that direction. Rene Marsh is here to tell us what the FAA is up to.

And you got a little toy there.

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We can't talk about unmanned aircraft without having one here on set. And so this is one. And this is what we're talking about here. We're talking about the agency which is responsible for keeping skies safe while they release new details outlining what needs to be done to safely open up the skies to unmanned aircraft systems sometimes called drones.

Now, the bottom line is, they have to figure out how to integrate these unmanned aircrafts with aircrafts already in the sky. Why? Because in the upcoming years, the drone industry is expected to grow and Congress has told the FAA to prepare for a boom by developing procedures and regulations. The FAA estimates that in the next five years, there will be some 7,500 drones hovering above for uses like aerial photography, monitoring critical infrastructure like power facilities, ports and pipelines, as well as communications and broadcasts, for example, during sporting events, even companies delivering their products.