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Newtown Police to Release 911 Calls, Clergymen Help Town; Dick Cheney Weighs in on Cheney Daughter Feud; House Committee Investigates Space Aliens; Boehner Talks House Accomplishments

Aired December 04, 2013 - 13:30   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get to other news making headlines right now. New car sales in the United States are on a roll. General Motors, once on verge of actual collapse, said that last month was its best November in six years, up 14 percent from the year before. Chrysler, Nissan, Ford and Toyota all reported strong sales.

Checking the markets right now, the Dow Jones Industrials trading in negative territory, down 117 points right now. Oddly enough, it's positive economic news that has some investors nervous that the Fed will cut back on its stimulus program. That might be why the Dow Jones, the market's going down the last few days.

If you're heading to the fast-food drive-through, don't be surprised if no one is there to take your order. Workers at many fast-food chains across the country are being encouraged to walk off the job tomorrow. Organizers hope the walkout, that began a year ago at one McDonald's in New York City, will spread to 100 cities. Workers are seeing a dramatic increase in pay, up to $15 an hour.

The death of a Missouri man who was killed outside Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has been ruled a homicide. Police say 30-year-old Kyle Van Winkle died during a fight with another person. They say the struggle happened in the parking lot during a game between the Chiefs and the Denver Broncos. Three people were taken into custody. The exact cause of Van Winkle's death is still under investigation.

Newtown, Connecticut police are minutes away from releasing the recordings of the 911 calls from the day that mass killing took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. I'll speak with a minister who has spent the last year trying to help his town heal from the tragedy. I'll ask him whether releasing the tapes will help or hurt his community.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: America's bracing for what could be an extremely emotional event. Less than a half an hour or so from now, we expect the police department in Newtown, Connecticut, to release some of those gut- wrenching 911 calls on the morning of the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings. Now almost a year later, hearing those calls could cause lots of emotional trauma. For that reason, many people argued against the release of these tapes.

Clergymen in Newtown were on the frontline trying to help the community deal with this unspeakable crime. I spoke with two of them almost a year ago when I was in Newtown just days afterward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: What will be the central message that you tell your congregants tomorrow morning?

REV. MATTHEW CREBBIN, NEWTOWN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH: I will be preaching a message that even in the midst of darkness, there is light. It's tragic that we are in the midst of the season for us as Christians, which is Christmastime and Advent. And it's a holy time for us.

RABBI SHAUL PRAVER, CONGREGATION ADATH ISRAEL: The most important thing we can do as a reaction to this is to thrive. It's a banquet in the presence of my enemies. The enemy is the horrible event and the banquet is continuing or thriving in life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The Reverend Matthew Crebbin is joining us live.

Reverend Crebbin, I know these are you awful times. It's been a horrible year. You've spent the last year trying to help folks in your community get past this horrible event. What's your reaction to the decision to release these 911 audio tapes?

CREBBIN: Well, as a pastor, I know that the release of these tapes, the release of information in general that has been happening over the course of the last few weeks is very traumatizing to many in our community and very difficult. And I also know that information is an important thing to have. But because of the nature of the circumstances of what's happened to us and because of all the attention that -- that creates a real challenge for us, especially as we near the anniversary. It's just so close. I know for many folks, especially those closest and most affected by the events, this is just a gut-wrenching, awful time to have to receive and hear about and try and shelter themselves from the information that's coming out in the midst of continuing grief and continued -- a continued desire by many of them to try an find their way, that this is just another challenge and another difficulty. And we're doing our best to try to provide comfort and support for people.

BLITZER: I know many of the families -- and you're in touch with a lot of them, consoling them, even now as we approach the first industry -- they really want the news media, especially on the first anniversary, to stay away from Newtown, don't they?

CREBBIN: Yeah, I think that, you know, the experience of all the attention and having the media in town, that in and of itself is a trigger for many folks. I know a number of our families are not sure if they're even going to be in town because of their concerns around all the attention. It really is a challenge for us because, as a community, we want to be able to come together. We want to connect with each other. And the danger in the midst of all this is that people may find themselves feeling more isolated because of just the fear of how they're going to deal with the gauntlet of all the media attention in particular. So we're trying to be sensitive to that.

And the clergy and the interfaith community, we have created a whole variety of services within our individual communities, some jointly shared amongst several of the interfaith partners, to try and encourage folks to have opportunities to come together in smaller settings and to be with each other and to recognize that we are mourning still, that we grieve those that we've lost, but that we also find support and encouragement for our journey ahead.

BLITZER: We shouldn't forget that 20 young kids, first graders, were killed in that shooting. Six educators, adults were killed. You're in touch with the families. A year later, how are they doing?

CREBBIN: Well, I think, you know, I would be reluctant to speak for and declare anyone exactly -- what exactly is happening for any individual families. But I think what I say about Newtown is -- in fact, I've been recently quoting some lyrics from Leonard Cohen that there's a crack in everything. But that's how the light gets in. And I think Newtown, we're cracked. You know? This has affected all of us very deeply, and especially our families that lost loved ones. And so we're cracked. But also out of that, those cracks, we see light that is both coming in to people's lives and also being shared by people's lives. We think that the story for many of our families as well as many of the citizens of Newtown is that we are finding ways to be kind to each other, finding ways to encourage each other, finding ways to make a difference out of the circumstances, which just were beyond imagination for most of us. And I think there's a real power there.

But day by day, you know, it's one step at a time. There are going to be continued struggles. And certainly, as information and attention comes out like today, that's just another event that does cause trauma to people in our community.

BLITZER: One final question, Reverend Crebbin. I know you and the Rabbi Shaul Praver, you were there consoling the families as they were just beginning to learn that their kids had been shot, that teachers had been killed. How are you doing?

CREBBIN: Well, you know, I'm cracked, too. You know, I'm taking it one day at a time. I'm on this journey. I've been fortunate to have wonderful support and encouragement not only within the community of Newtown but other folks around. Some incredibly powerful partnerships have been formed with pastors from Hartford who have experienced trauma and loss and cared for their communities in the midst of violence for many years. And so even out of the dark time of Newtown, I, too, have seen light reflected through others and to myself. But for me, it's a day-by-day journey, as well. I just count my blessings for the support and encouragement and love that I've received. I don't think I could be here without all of that.

BLITZER: Reverend Matthew Crebbin, of the Newtown Congregational Church.

Please pass along our deepest condolences. Once again, our love to everyone in your wonderful community. We're thinking of all of you, especially as we approach this first anniversary.

Thanks very much.

CREBBIN: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: And good luck.

We're going to check back on the story in the next hour after those 911 calls, the audiotapes are released. We'll share some of them with you, our viewers.

It's a family feud over same-sex marriage and a former Vice President Dick Cheney steps into the fray. Hear what he has to stay about the very public spat between his two daughters. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The celebrity chef and TV personality, Nigella Lawson, says, and I'm quoting her now, "I've never been a drug addict." Lawson took the stand in a London courtroom today and admitted to using cocaine twice. She testified in a fraud and embezzlement case against two women who once worked for her. But Lawson told the court, and I'm quoting again, "I did not have a drug problem, I had a life problem."

The former vice president, Dick Cheney, responding to a very public family feud. You may remember it started when Cheney's daughter, Liz, told a FOX News host she doesn't support same-sex marriage. Liz's sister, Mary, is gay. And her wife slammed Liz Cheney on Facebook. Sister Mary joined in saying, "Liz, this isn't just an issue on which we disagree. You're just wrong and on the wrong side of history."

At a book promotion event, the former vice president responded to this feud.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We, you know, were surprised when there was an attack launched against Liz on Facebook, and wished it hadn't happened. It's always been dealt with within the context of the family and, frankly, that's our preferences.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's bringing in our chief political analyst, Gloria Borger.

How striking were these words from the former vice president to you, Gloria?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Dick Cheney is not a real emotional guy, as you can tell. But you could just watch his sort of pain about this because this is an issue that has been spoken about at great length within their own family. And, you know, Wolf, as well as I do, that Dick Cheney, at some personal political peril himself, when he was running as vice president, said that he believes that gay marriage should be an issue that's left up to the states. He's also said in the past, and being very Libertarian about it, that freedom is something that applies to all people. And it's very clear that he would rather that this matter -- both as a parent and as a politician, that he would rather that this matter stay within the family.

BLITZER: Liz Cheney is facing some serious problems.

BORGER: Yeah.

BLITZER: She's challenging the incumbent Republican Senator from Wyoming, Mike Enzi. She has a real uphill battle ahead of her, doesn't she?

BORGER: She does. Yeah. There's a real suspicion about Liz Cheney. I think that the Cheney name helps her an awful lot in the state of Wyoming. But there's a real question, Wolf, of whether she's a carpetbagger and whether she's just coming back to the state of Wyoming to run. She moved back there two years ago. She really grew up around here in Washington, D.C., while her father was quite active politically, and holding political office, so folks out West don't much like carpetbaggers. I remember when Bob Kerrey ran for Senate in Nebraska having left the state for 10 years, lived in New York. They didn't think so much of him returning to the state, either. That's been a huge problem of hers. And she hasn't gotten the support of sort of the state hierarchy out there. Alan Simpson, another Senator from Wyoming, now retired, is supporting Mike Enzi, not her, and that's sort of blown up in the press for her. She's got a lot of problems out there and she's behind in every poll that's been taken.

BLITZER: Significantly behind --

BORGER: Yeah.

BLITZER: -- at least in the polls I have seen from Wyoming.

BORGER: Yeah.

BLITZER: Gloria, I'll see you later in "The Situation Room" --

BORGER: You will.

BLITZER: -- 5:00 p.m. eastern.

In Beijing, lots of pomp and ceremony as China's president welcomed the vice president, Joe Biden. The president, Xi Jinping, called Biden an old friend, praised U.S./China relations. Biden described the relationship between the two countries as "full of promise." Their public remarks gave no hint of the tensions right now between the U.S. and China concerning air space over the East China Sea. However, senior officials traveling with the vice president say, during private talks, Biden told the President Xi that the U.S. does not recognize China's newly declared air defense zone, and the U.S. has, quote, "deep concerns about the situation."

Just six days, the House goes on vacation and there's lots of work to do. So why are some members right now talking about aliens? We're talking about space aliens. We'll get to the bottom of this. We'll get to the bottom of this when we get back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In just six days, Congress is heading out of town for the holidays. How some members of the House are now choosing to spend their remaining time raising some eyebrows this morning. The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology held a hearing on extraterrestrial life. The hearing, chaired by Texas Republican Lamar Smith, focused on what's being done to find out if aliens exist. But critics complain lawmakers should focus on getting things done right here on earth.

Dana Bash is up on Capitol Hill.

Democrats -- I take it, Dana, Democrats are having some fun with all of this. What's going on?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Of course, they are. It is certainly like shooting fish in a barrel to be talking about the fact that Republicans, who run the House, with just days left and a lot of work still left on the table, are talking about whether or not there's life outside of this universe.

Now, to be fair, it is important for Congress to look at science. But big picture, what this does speak to is the fact that this has been a Congress that has not gotten a lot done in their various reasons for it.

But it's interesting that the House speaker, just a couple hours ago, went to the House floor, made a speech on this issue -- he doesn't do anything like this very often -- and talked about the fact that the House has passed, he said, 150 bills that the Senate has not touched. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: These bills would do things like increase the supply of American energy and build the Keystone Pipeline, roll back red tape and unnecessary regulations, provide more flexibility to working families, reform and improve job training programs, protect Americans from cyber attacks, help schools to recruit and keep the best teachers, delay the individual mandate, allow the American people to keep the health care plans that they like or just scrap the health care law that's wreaking havoc on our economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So, clearly, Republicans want to get out there a message about what they have done, in order to counter this whole concept of a do- nothing Congress.

Of course, it is important to remind people that Republicans do only have control over one-half of the capital, the House. The Senate is run by Democrats. And there sort of is a mixed bag. They, too, feel they have passed bills the House won't take up. Immigration reform is one that comes to mind. But at the end of the day, this is divided government, and divided government, especially in such times, doesn't produce a lot.

BLITZER: What kind of work exactly have the lawmakers gotten done so far this year?

BASH: Right. Well, just to sort of give some people an idea of what we're talking about, we can put up on the screen how many bills Congress actually passed, sent to the president that he signed into law. This year, 56. Just by way of context, last year, same balance of power, 193. So a lot more. And you see back in 2011, 90. 56 is by far the low-water mark over the past five years or so.

Now, what is also important to point out, Wolf, is that, for many lawmakers, especially those who are on the Republican side in the House and the Senate, they believe that being in Congress, legislating, isn't just about passing bills and sending them to the president for his signature. It is about stopping legislation, stopping laws from being passed that they think are the wrong thing to do. So that is possibly part of the reason why that number is so low. The big one, though, is, of course, just partisan gridlock.

BLITZER: Very quickly, is there going to be a budget deal? Patty Murray from the Senate, Paul Ryan from the House, this House/Senate, they're supposed to have it done by next week. Will there be a deal?

BASH: They are supposed to have it done by next week. They are working on it. Sources from both parties say that they hope to have something, but the something may be different from what many people may be expecting. It probably be very narrow, very small, not any kind of grand bargain that some people were hoping for, talked about entitlements and the big issues facing this country that are really contributing to the debt and deficit.

BLITZER: Dana, thanks very much. We'll see what they can come up with between now and then.

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

NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.