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Obama's Trust Deficit Rising; Palin: Christie's Appearance "Extreme"; NFL Investigating Miami Dolphins; NFL Investigating Miami Dolphins; New Early Education Legislation; Interview with Jennifer Garner and Mark Shriver

Aired November 13, 2013 - 07:30   ET

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

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Not just trustworthiness, but almost half the people think the president, Obama, was lying about the promise to keep your plan.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Sadly, yes. I mean, I hate to say that. President Obama has always had very high numbers on honesty and this is a serious problem for them. But you know, we have the same problem with President Bush where throughout the Iraq war, especially once it became apparent there were no weapons of mass destruction, his level of trust went way, way down with the American people.

CUOMO: Trust, but lying? We think you lied is different than you being a politician.

BEGALA: Yes, I have to go back and look. Yes is the short answer. Yes. It's a sad thing. You know, really, frankly, once somebody puts one hand on the bible and the other in the air takes an oath of office, the American people say I bet you he's lying. This is a real problem. They need to focus on this. The only good news in this, if you're going to have your worst moment in the polls, best to have it one year after you're re-elected and another year before there's a midterm election. They have time to fix this but it's a real problem.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: It's a real problem. Logistically, trying to make the change that Clinton or some of the changes that are made to the law, logistically, it's very difficult it appears to pull off before these plans are going to be canceled for folks. They already are cancelled. How do you fix it right now? That's a big question before Congress. Do you think there is an easy fix to this problem that the White House should have seen coming?

BEGALA: Well, probably not an easy fix, but it is true that a lot of these policies that are being canceled, aren't the paper they're written on. They call them insurance but they don't cover things like going to the hospital. The truth is a lot of these were junk policies anyway. The bigger problem, here's I think if you're the president of a whole country, 95 percent of us are not affected by these cancellations, right? That's kind of where the focus has to be as well.

BOLDUAN: You're still talking 10 million folks, Paul. That's a lot of people. BEGALA: It is. It's a lot of people. A lot of them were just in the turn. They had an annual policy anyway.

CUOMO: I think you're making a mistake the administration is making also now. You are thinking for people. They chose the plans, Paul. They wanted them. You're saying they're not good enough. People don't like if you think for them. That's a creative rub. Let me change the topic for you, though, Paul --

BEGALA: Let me respond.

CUOMO: My point was strong enough.

BEGALA: Corporations ought not have the right to sell you a boat. You are a fisherman like I am, right? They ought not be able to call it a boat if it's made out of used screen doors. They ought not be able to sell an insurance policy that doesn't actually cover medical care. Some of those policies did. It's not true that all of them were that way, but there were some that were junk policies. I think it's a good public policy to say you can't sell a policy that misleads people when it's not really covering going to the hospital.

BOLDUAN: Let's leave health care. Let's talk about Sarah Palin. We want to get your take. She did a very interesting interview with Jake Tapper. They talked about quite a lot. She has a new book out, she talked about faith, she talked about Christmas, but she also hit on some political points that we want to get. Let's roll both of those sound bites at the same time I want to get your reaction. She asked about Chris Christie and she's asked about what she thinks of Pope Francis. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: That's because it's been extreme, OK? So it's hard to -- it's hard for some people not to comment on it. He's had some statements that to me sound kind of liberal. It's taken me aback.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: All right, the context obviously, Paul, on the Christie thing was, you know, do you think it's right they're talking about his weight and that was her response. It's been kind of extreme that is why they are doing it and then she just decided to talk about the pope with a little prodding from Jake. What do you make of that? Why is she so relevant?

BEGALA: Because she's -- you know, she's so compelling. She is. You can't turn away. She tends to say these things that either people love or that they hate. I do -- far be it for me to defend Sarah Palin, but Governor Palin was commenting about how women in politics have their looks critiqued more savagely. I think that's undeniably true.

The question came what about Chris Christie. Frankly, I've never heard her, by the way, comment on the looks of Rush Limbaugh who quite frankly looks like he just swallowed the Goodyear blimp. But maybe it's Chris Christie's politics she doesn't like not his waist line.

But this thing about the pope, yes, I am a faithful Catholic and you're right. Chris said this a minute ago. Everybody loves to comment on the church, but she said something that is true. He's kind of liberal. I have a news flash for Governor Palin. Jesus was kind of liberal, too.

He's the one that told the rich, young man obey the commandments and then if you want to get to heaven and be perfect, sell all your earthly goods and give them to the poor. It's the tenth gospel of Mark and repeated in the 19th gospel of Matthew.

This is what the Holy Father is doing. He's trying to do what St. Agustin told us to do. He told us to imitate the life of Christ. Very few people can live up to that. I'm not even in the league. The Holy Father does better than almost anybody in public life --

CUOMO: Paul Begala --

BEGALA: Old school Latin for you, Chris.

CUOMO: Well done, Paul Begala. Well done. One thing is for sure, when Sarah Palin is talking about the pope, he has gotten a little bit of a broader appeal than we saw with Pope Benedict.

BOLDUAN: Great to see you, Paul. I would love to continue the conversation about Sarah Palin being relevant. I would argue yes. We can fight about it later.

CUOMO: You win.

BOLDUAN: Thank you.

CUOMO: Coming up on NEW DAY, NFL investigators diving into the Dolphins scandal. Why? Well, they want real facts. We still don't have them all. He is throwing his weight around to get those answers. We'll tell you what changes may be coming even though we don't really know about the situation yet. We'll talk about it.

BOLDUAN: Also ahead, after Jennifer Garner's latest film, "Dallas Buyers Club" getting quite a lot of Oscar buzz. She's doing a lot of work behind the scenes for children, her children especially. We'll talk with her live about her new role.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: The Miami Dolphins is dealing with a fiasco and it is continuing. An NFL investigator is now on the case. He's trying to get answers. Dolphins' owner, Steven Ross, is now waiting on him to meet with accuser, Jonathan Martin, his own player. Remember, this is Jonathan Martin. He suddenly left the team two weeks ago, igniting a fiery debate over NFL locker room culture, hazing.

Let's get some more analysis on this because the situation is far from over. We have CNN sports analyst, Mr. Greg Anthony and CNN political commentator Ana Navarro. Thank you to both of you for being here. Political commentator, why? Here's why I think it's relevant to have you here.

You're great on everything. But on this, why do you think we're hearing about this controversy? Is this just about sport or the "n" word and one of them being white and one being black? What do you think it is?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The reason I'm here is because I'm from Miami.

CUOMO: Don't defend the Dolphins.

NAVARRO: Let's get our priorities straight. This has been a team that we've all grown up with. I've lived in Miami since 1980. This has been the pride of the city. This is the team that Joe Robbie and Don Shula built. I cannot imagine something like this ever happened under those two gentlemen. Ross needs to show leadership, put the standard, go into the locker room, be not only an owner but the team leader.

He has not done so. I wish he would spend a lot left time investing money and asking the legislators and voters to pay for his roof and on extracting revenge for those legislators that did not let it go through and a lot more time and investment in getting this team cohesive, working and winning.

BOLDUAN: Greg, weigh in on this. What is the fix, though? That's the thing I'm stick with. If this is more than just boys being boys in a locker room, what is the fix? How do you change a culture throughout the entire league?

GREG ANTHONY, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: I'm glad you used the word culture. First, this is going to change the culture of locker rooms in sport throughout the country forever. That's a pretty strong statement. In part, Miss Navarro, I'm a Floridian now, I will say this, what exists today didn't exist when Don Shula and Joe Robbie were running the Miami Dolphins.

You didn't have all of the access to these players and to their every movement and that's via social media, 24-hour news cycle. There used to be a time when what happened in that locker room stayed in the locker room. That's forever changed. Now to your point about, Mr. Ross, it's a very good point, they created an environment that allowed a young man who obviously has some emotional issues.

I would ask you all to be compassionate and look at it from this standpoint. Here's a guy who basically is living his dream, his life- long dream is to play in the NFL. He walked away from it. So something so significant had to have happened for this young man to feel the need to walk away from his chosen profession and more importantly, his passion.

There is something that was going on. I'll also say this in fairness. I didn't think the texts that Richie Incognito sent were of a racial nature. The "n" word was used but I guarantee you that there was back and forth between he and Martin. I think what happened, though, it went too far and Martin got to a point where he just couldn't handle it anymore.

And a lot of that stems from the issues he had. That's where the owner in the front office of the Dolphins, that's where they're to blame. Within you evaluate these young players before you sign them, you should do an exhaustive psychological background on these young men and you get an understanding of which guys are more sensitive.

PEREIRA: You don't think he should have been in the NFL to begin with.

ANTHONY: What's the question?

PEREIRA: Do you think he should have been signed to the NFL to begin with?

ANTHONY: No. It's not a matter of being tough. It's like any work environment.

PEREIRA: Stable.

ANTHONY: If you come and work at CNN, and you've got some issues that aren't normal to everyone else, they're supposed to create a workplace and environment that's conducive to you still being able to succeed you do your job. That wasn't created for that.

NAVARRO: I think I heard you say you didn't find the use of the "n" word racial. You talked about if we came to work at CNN. If anybody came to work at CNN and used that word, I can tell you that we wouldn't last here and we wouldn't deserve to last here.

I think one of the questions we need to ask ourselves is, is a locker room different, held to a different standard than what other work environments around America are? And also, you talk about, yes, there's more access, YouTube, all of these other things. I cannot imagine a more intimate environment. I never set foot in one, than a locker room -- Chris Cuomo.

ANTHONY: I have to disagree. We often use the expression. This isn't a locker room in here. It's different in a locker room.

BOLDUAN: Isn't it time to evolve.

CUOMO: The game is the game. The culture of warfare that is football, Greg and I were both basketball players, Greg was a pro and amazing and I wasn't. You're men in the most manly and coarse environment. It's not a classroom. It's different.

ANTHONY: What everybody is doing -- listen, what we're not doing here is we're not -- what I tried to teach my kids to be compassionate, you have to be able to see things from other perspectives. You're basing everything on your own world view if you've not been a part of that environment. I'm black. For me to say that, I wouldn't have advised him to use it. That was banter going back and forth. We didn't see the responses from Jonathan Martin's texts.

NAVARRO: Do the two of you think a locker room should be held to -- is a different standard than --

CUOMO: I think it is a different standard. They'll have to make decisions along the way, but it's not like changing a classroom. It's a different environment. Greg Anthony, thank you. Ana Navarro, appreciate your perspective. Ongoing discussion.

BOLDUAN: Coming up next on NEW DAY, you knew Jennifer Garner from her work on the big and small screen. The actress and mom is taking on a different role, making a push to expand early education. We'll be talking to her, live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Welcome back to NEW DAY. Did you know that research says large scale preschool programs are good for children? Shouldn't be a surprise, right? It seems even both political parties agree. New bipartisan legislation is being introduced this morning hoping to expand early education in America.

And one of its greatest champions is actress and "Save The Children" ambassador, Jennifer Garner. She is joining us now from Washington, D.C. along with "Save The Children," senior vice president, Mr. Mark Shriver. Mark, Jennifer, thank you for joining us this morning.

JENNIFER GARNER, ACTRESS: Thanks for having us.

MARK SHRIVER, "SAVE THE CHILDREN" SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

CUOMO: So Jennifer, let's get right to it. What is the purpose? Why is this important especially to you?

GARNER: This is important to me because the playing field for kids in America is not equal. I've traveled around the country with "Save The Children" going into homes and seeing the way that kids are growing up. There are 16 million kids growing up in poverty in America. And without starting from the very beginning and getting an earlier start on their education, they have very little chance of catching up. As they start as far behind as they are starting in kindergarten.

CUOMO: Jennifer is from West Virginia originally, right. Mark, you've traveled the whole country. When we think poverty, we usually think adults, but one in four kids live in poverty. But when we think poverty, we think food, we think shelter. School doesn't come to mind. What is the critical nature of the connection to school?

SHRIVER: I think as Jennifer said, when kids are entering kindergarten, kids who are living in poverty are entering kindergarten 18 months behind kids who don't live in poverty. We have a huge gap that we spend billions of dollars as a country trying to make up. And the point is that we need to invest early.

We need to invest at birth and this piece of legislation, which really is historic, is a chance to put money into and working with poor kids all across the country and kids that are -- and families that are struggling. So it's a critically important step that Congress needs to take action on. CUOMO: All right, so let's engage the scepticism with both of you. It is rare to have bipartisan support, but if this doesn't exist already that means there may be a reason for it. Are there obstacles to entry here? What will be the difficulties going forward?

SHRIVER: I think it's going to be really tough to pass this legislation. I mean, so many politicians, Chris, say that kids are our future and that they are our most important resource, but when push comes to shove, kids don't vote. They don't give political contributions and their needs often get pushed to the side.

So today it's a chance to start the conversation. We are hopeful that the president has put forward a "Preschool for All" program and the legislation that Senator Harkin and Congressman Miller and Congressman Hannah are introducing today, Republicans and Democrats it's a step in the right direction. But it's going to be hard. There isn't political action committee out there pushing kids' agendas. So it's going to be hard.

CUOMO: Unfortunately, those who need help the most usually have the weakest voice. That's certainly true with the poor in this country. That's why it's important to have the Shriver family brand working on this issue for so long and celebrities like you, Jennifer. What do you want people to take from your presence here when they're thinking about whether or not tax dollars should be spent on this?

GARNER: Well, pay attention to the fact that what you do if you go to preschool, that can determine the rest of your life. It can determine your chance of graduating from high school, going to college, going to jail or not. And the money that you spend early is paid back so many folds by not have been to remediate later on.

SHRIVER: I think, Chris, if I can just add to what Jennifer is saying, Nobel Prize winning economist, James Heckman, from the University of Chicago, which is not (inaudible) institution has come out and said that this is the best investment we can make as far as a country. Ben Bernanke has said that as well.

I mean, these are economists that look at it from a cost, return ration and this is the best investment we can make as a country, but we don't do that investment because kids don't vote and they don't make political contributions. So if people are listening to this and they want and believe that kids should have those investments, they've got to pick up their phone and call their congressmen and congresswoman. They got to call their senators and their governors and demand action on behalf of kids.

CUOMO: We've done the research. We understand the connection. We believe you. NEW DAY, we pledge to follow the legislative effort and we'll stay on it to see whether or not they get it passed. In terms of whether or not legislation can be effective, final note here, Jennifer, you took up another cause, paparazzi photography of children. They did make a difference legally. Have you seen a difference in your life anecdotally? Have you heard that the laws made a difference?

GARNER: I'm looking forward to January 1st when the law will go into effect, but, no, so far I haven't seen a bit of difference.

CUOMO: Right. Just the threat of it is not enough. You have to see what happen when their penalties apply.

GARNER: The threat of it is not enough. There are ten cars outside my house every single morning. But I'm looking forward to it and today I'm here to advocate for kids across America. I'm really excited to be part of this very important and historic day.

CUOMO: The need is great. Thank you for being here. We will continue to follow it. Jennifer Garner, Mark Shriver, always a pleasure. And congratulations to you, Jennifer, on the word about the new movie that's coming out. Good luck with the "Dallas Buyer's Club," a very important issure there as well. Mark, looking good as always. Great to see the Shrivers doing what they do best helping other people.

SHRIVER: Thank you very much.

GARNER: Thanks, Chris.

CUOMO: Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Chris. Coming up next on NEW DAY, it became an international campaign to free a Missouri man jailed for a crime he said from the beginning he did not commit. Ryan Ferguson is free and we're going to talk to him live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: New guidelines this morning that may double the number of people on statins, medication to lower cholesterol. What do we know about side effects? Will people be at risk?

BOLDUAN: Finally free, Ryan Ferguson had his first night of freedom in ten years. New this morning, you'll hear from him about his release and what we'll do next.

PEREIRA: Tears, outburst and not a scene out of a movie, but rather real courtroom drama for Alec Baldwin. What he said in his testimony against his alleged doctor that prompted her to scream in court.

CUOMO: Your NEW DAY continues right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Baldwin, and Michaela Pereira.

CUOMO: Welcome back to NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, hump day, November 13th, 8 a.m. in the east. New this morning, a 29-year-old Missouri man who spent nearly a decade in prison is a free man. We are going to talk live with Ryan Ferguson in a moment. But first let's bring in CNN's David Mattingly. He has Ferguson's story for us. Tell us about it, David.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Chris, Ryan Ferguson got out of prison last night and had a lot to say. He had things to say about the justice system and others who are still behind bars.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Ryan Ferguson walked out of prison into new clothes and in front of the cameras to taste his first moments of freedom. Celebrating with family and attorneys, he offered bitter sweet thanks to the thousands following his case around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To get arrested and charged for a crime that you didn't commit, it's incredibly easy and you can lose your life very fast, but to get out of prison, it takes an army.

MATTINGLY: And it takes time. In Ferguson's case, almost a full decade of appeals. The Missouri attorney general surprised Ferguson supporters --