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Around the World

RNC Meets; Oxfam -- 85 Richest People Control Same Wealth as Poorest 3 Billion; U.S. Ambassador Condemns Japan's Bottle-Nosed Dolphin Hunt; Shooting in Oklahoma; Toronto Mayor Back in the News

Aired January 22, 2014 - 12:30   ET

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


SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Elise, thank you very much, and as you have mentioned before, numerous times, a lot is on the line here. We're talking about a hundred-thousand people who have died, millions who have been displaced in this civil war that has become really a regional conflict.

The rich and powerful, they're at the annual World Economic Forum in Switzerland now, and they are faced with really a shocking figure about the world's health.

I want you to check this out. About 85 richest -- the 85 richest people control as much wealth as the 3 billion poorest people.

Going to take you to Davos to talk about that, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Thousands of protesters are out in the cold, taking part in the annual March for Life rally in Washington. Today is the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion.

A group of conservatives is taking the issue before the Republican National Committee. They are urging GOP candidates to speak up about abortion, and fight back if Democrats try to paint them as extremists who are anti-women. The RNC took a break from its winter meeting in D.C. so members could take part in that march.

Want to bring in our own Wolf Blitzer in Washington to talk about the big picture behind this.

Wolf, we know the Republican Party has gone through some soul- searching since losing the 2012 presidential bid and party leaders are acknowledging they've got to keep up with the times and minority America is soon going to become the majority.

So what is the most important part of their agenda they are focusing on today?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Remember, it was a year ago that Reince Priebus put together a whole team to review what went wrong for the Republicans and the presidential election, why President Obama was re-elected. And they went through a whole bunch of areas.

Look, they did not do well, as you point out, in that presidential race with women, with young people, with minorities, whether African- Americans or Hispanics. They had some serious problems there.

And they made a commitment to reach out to all of these groups to try to be much more inclusive and not just worry about some conservative elements and a bunch of Southern states, but to reach out in all 50 states and try to become a more inclusive Republican Party.

They have been trying to do it. How much success they may have, we'll get an indication in November of this year and the midterm elections.

Republicans right now are feeling pretty confident about holding onto the House, maybe even picking up some seats. And they think there is a good chance they might become the majority in the U.S. Senate.

We'll see if that happens, still a long time to go between now and November, but they are aggressively trying to expand their base, if you will, knowing that they had some serious problems in 2008 and 2012.

MALVEAUX: Wolf, let's talk about the embattled New Jersey governor, Chris Christie.

A prominent Virginia Republican said that he should step down from his new role as chairman of the Republican Governors' Association because of the ongoing investigations into misconduct with his aides, appointed aides, administration appointees.

What do we make of that? Here's what he actually said. Here's what he addressed, Ken Cuccinelli.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN CUCCINELLI, FORMER VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: I think, just from the perspective of setting aside this as an issue in other races, it makes sense for him to step aside in that role. He does not serve the goals of that organization by staying as chairman.

Every governor does better by setting everything else aside. If the goal is to be the best governor you can be, that's done better by setting everything else aside.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Wolf, tell us, what is his role as the chair? I mean, is Cuccinelli's argument ringing true here, or something else behind this?

BLITZER: Well, Cuccinelli is making the point that Chris Christie should step down as the chair of the Republican Governors' Association. That responsibility is to try to get Republicans elected to become governors of their respective states. You go out there. You do a lot of campaign financing. You raise a lot of money. You try to generate support.

He was just down last weekend in Florida, working for the Republican governor, Rick Scott there, trying to raise some money from him, but raising money nationwide.

Ken Cuccinelli, who was -- who tried to get himself elected, he was defeated by Terry McAuliffe in Virginia. He was the attorney general.

He knows a lot about politics, obviously, and he's saying, right now, he's got this cloud over him, Chris Christie, because of these allegations in New Jersey. He doesn't serve Republican gubernatorial candidates or incumbent Republicans well and maybe should step down for the time being.

I would be pretty surprised, knowing Chris Christie, if he would accept that advice from Ken Cuccinelli. I haven't heard that advice coming from a lot of other influential Republicans.

If there were to be some new evidence, for example, directly linking the New Jersey governor to some of these accusations, that would change.

But I would be pretty much shocked if Chris Christie were to step down as the chair of the Republican Governors' Association.

MALVEAUX: All right. Still has a great deal of influence.

Thank you, Wolf. We appreciate that.

BLITZER: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Some of the most richest and most powerful people on the planet, that's right, are in Davos, Switzerland, right now, for the World Economic Forum, and here's what they're looking at this year.

It is based on startling figures from Oxfam, the charity group that studies global poverty. It says 85 people now have the same amount of wealth as the poorest 50 percent of the world's population. In other words, the 85 richest individuals control as much wealth as the 3 billion poorest people.

Our Richard Quest is in Davos to break down all of this. What are people saying about this? How are they responding and reacting to this?

Because these are people trying to figure out how to make income and wealth inequality and blow it up and make it more equal.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And Oxfam International timed that report absolutely beautifully.

When they brought out those details, it was really quite remarkable. Everyone's been talking about it. Eighty-five people have as much wealth as the top -- as the bottom half of the rest of society.

So what are people saying? Here at Davos, the view is they need to deal with inequality. It's the number-one issue that people are talking about in the salons, in the bars, in the restaurants, and in the panels. But talking about it is one thing. Doing something about it is something completely different.

MALVEAUX: And ,Richard, how do they do that? I mean, how do they manage this?

This is probably the world's most elite that's gathered there in Davos right now, and they have got to deal with these facts and figures that says, look, you know, this is not a non-elite event. This is something that has got to change.

QUEST: Right. They agree that something has to change.

And while I'm talking to you, Suzanne, I just need to point out, I am hearing myself rather loudly, coming back, if anything could be sorted on that.

MALVEAUX: We'll work on that.

QUEST: We can plow on, regardless.

The fact is that the top people who are here in Davos are the very people who can do something about it. They are the people who can affect change.

Now, it may not be particularly pleasant to talk about the elites, the parties, the decision-makers, as such

My colleague, Nina Dos Santos, and I have been having an argument. She believes to some extent it's hypocrisy here at Davos. They come here, they talk about the have-nots, but it's the haves that have got their noses in the trough.

I don't agree with that. I think it's like Willie Sutton, Suzanne, famously said. Why do you rob banks? Because that's where the money is.

So why do people come to Davos? Because that's where the decision- makers and the money resides.

MALVEAUX: All right. Richard, we're going to deal with that technical problem with you, and obviously, we're going to be following this throughout the week in Davos, just to see what kind of impact or action comes out of that meeting at all.

Because you're absolutely right. You've got some of the world's most elite there talking about inequality. How do we change those figures? How do we actually change the world and society?

Thank you very much, Richard. Appreciate it.

Just ahead, Japan's annual hunt for bottle-nosed dolphins draws condemnation from the United States. But the outrage doesn't stop the fishermen from doing what they have always done.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: The U.S. ambassador to Japan is now publicly condemning the slaughter of bottle-nosed dolphins. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy sent out a tweet that denounced the annual Japanese hunt as inhumane and said the U.S. opposes this centuries-old practice. But some Japanese shot back that she should mind her own business.

Our Paula Hancocks, she has details about the hunt. It is grim and disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The bottle-nosed dolphins are herded close to the shore. Japanese fishermen use nets and boats to round them up. These are the dolphins that will be killed.

Tarpaulin is pulled across (inaudible) cove to hide the killing from disapproving eyes, but they cannot hide the water as it starts to turn red with blood.

MELISSA SEHGAL, SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY: A metal rod was stabbed into their spinal cord, where they were left to bleed out and suffocate and die.

After a traumatic four days, held captive in the killing cove, they experienced violent, captive selection, being separated from their family, and then eventually were killed today.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): The local fishermen's union would not comment on camera, but told CNN 500 dolphins were driven into the cove this year, but less than 100 were killed or captured. The local whale museum in Taji defends the selling of these mammals into captivity.

The veterinarian says, "people are just thinking too emotionally about the dolphins. They want to protect them just because they're cute and clever."

"Whales and dolphins have been part of Taji's culture and existence since ancient times," this local says. "I just wish people from other countries would understand that fact." U.S. ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, does not understand it, tweeting that she is, quote, "deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help us end this senseless slaughter.

HANCOCKS: Hollywood actors have joined together calling for an end to the practice. An Oscar-winning documentary, "The Cove," shown a global light on the hunting back in 2009. The director talks about the capture of one albinoo (ph) pup nicknamed "angel" by activists.

LOUIE PSIHOYOS, DIRECTOR, "THE COVE": This animal is now doomed to a life of captivity. It's at the Taji Whaling Museum right now and has become part of a freak show. It's a very rare dolphin, but, you know, this animal that's been, you know, being taught how to feed is now having to -- is being forced to, you know, do tricks for human amusement. So it's a travesty, really.

HANCOCKS (on camera): The dolphin drive season usually lasts from September to March. And it's a season that Japan says is legal, it part of local custom, and one it will not be pressured into ending.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: We've got breaking news here that we are following. Just going to read from my Blackberry all the information that we have so far, because this is from Norman, Oklahoma, and this is the University of Oklahoma. A reported shooting. Reports of a shooting. We're not even clear the details around this. We first learned this on Twitter. I'm just going read what we've got so far.

University of Oklahoma is advising students and faculty to shelter in place, to avoid Gould Hall, that's an academic building that is on the campus. They are investigating this shooting. That is according to their website. We're learning this on Twitter, as well.

Major Bruce Chan, he is with campus police. He says, they have a report of shots fired in the area. That area of the campus around that hall. They said that campus and local police, they're responding to the area as quickly as possible.

It's unclear -- we don't know if anyone has been wounded, if anybody has been hurt. This report, the incident is reported around 11:20 this morning local time, that is 12:20 Eastern Time. Classes were actually in session during this time. A text alert -- pay attention to this. A text alert has been sent to the students and faculty of University of Oklahoma.

So we're going to take a break, and we're going to try to get more information about this. But again, a reported shooting at the University of Oklahoma. They have asked students and faculty to look out for text alerts. They are also sending tweets, as well. We're going to take a quick break, give you more information on the back end.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Following breaking news story. This is out of Norman, Oklahoma. This is at the University of Oklahoma. Reporting now that shots have been fired. Want to bring in our security analyst, Mike Brooks, because we're just getting -- we have very little information right now.

But what we do know is that officials are advising students and faculty to shelter in place and to avoid specifically Gould Hall, an academic building on the campus. And Major Bruce Chan with the campus police says they've got those reports that the shots were fired in that area of the campus.

So from what we know, how contained is this scenario, is this situation? MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST (via telephone): You know, we really don't know too much right now, Suzanne. It's almost like yesterday when that Purdue University -- where we heard there were shots fired, that it was singled down to the electrical engineering building. Here we're hearing Gould Hall.

We've, right, so far, have not heard any reports of anyone injured. But that (ph) same as yesterday, we didn't hear any initial reports and then we heard that one person was killed at Purdue University.

So, again, they are urging people to shelter in place, stay away from windows and to lock your doors. So basically the same thing we were hearing yesterday. You know, as the initial reports start coming out of Norman, Oklahoma, at the University of Oklahoma. But right now, just the school saying, telling everyone to shelter in place.

And, again, the same kind of thing, they're going to be looking at surveillance video, they're going to be interviewing people who may have heard shots, seen somebody run. All the same kind of things. Again, early-early on right now in the situation. And I think as an abundance of caution, they're telling everyone on campus to shelter in place, stay away from windows and to lock their doors.

MALVEAUX: You know, Mike, it's hard to believe actually that you and I are talking about this, that we are doing this right now, almost 24 hours after reports, as you had mentioned before, at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana -

BROOKS: Right.

MALVEAUX: When there was a shooting that took place and left somebody dead. One of the things that the authorities are saying here is that they are reaching out to students and faculty via text. How significant is that, and how accurate of a method is that to reach out to students on text? Because I imagine now a lot of people, almost everybody, probably has a cell phone, probably has something that is beeping or vibrating and is able to communicate with them.

BROOKS: Absolutely. I mean social media is playing such a big role in, you know, in everything we do, and including campus security and campus notification. You know, they will notify students via text, via Twitter, via e-mail and it's also sometimes by phone when something like this happens.

And they want feedback also just in case they see something because you might have witnesses out there that might not be in a position where they can pick up a phone, where they can get to a computer but everybody else -- but everybody usually has their phone with them, some kind of other device where they can also notify, you know, the police of what's going on.

A couple weeks ago in New York City they had a fire down in lower -- in Manhattan, on 43rd and 11 where someone who was on the roof was notifying the FDNY that he was trapped on the roof. So these kind of things are essential and play a role in campus security, especially when there's an active shooter situation. MALVEAUX: All right. Mike, stick with us. We are going to take a quick break. We want to let people know, however, that we are going to get more information as this story develops. Again, another campus shooting, reportedly a shooting, at least reports of shots fired at the University of Oklahoma out of Norman, Oklahoma, in a specific area around Gould Hall, an academic building.

But authorities are saying, stay put, stay where you are, check your texts for information about how to handle this. But this is a campus. There's a lot of concern right now what is going on there. We're going to have much, much more after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Some voters believe that Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is at it again. Despite a vow to quick alcohol, there's new video that shows him in public on Monday night apparently drunk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ROB FORD, TORONTO: (INAUDIBLE) and then try and tell me, well, we're (INAUDIBLE), you know what I mean. He's hiding here, someone hiding here. (INAUDIBLE). How much money did that cost you (ph)?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So he admits he was drinking. He denies taking any drugs. This is really just the latest episode of the Toronto mayor making a spectacle of himself. Paula Newton, she's got the story.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Suzanne.

Yes, made all the more bizarre by the fact that hours before Doug Ford, Rob Ford's brother, had strenuously denied the fact that his brother could have been drinking, saying that he was 100 percent off the booze.

That certainly tended not to be true. The mayor himself saying he had had what he called a little bit. But so many people asking questions today about Rob Ford, his personal life, if he shouldn't take some time off. The deputy mayor now, the man who has most of the powers from Rob Ford, they were stripped of him in November, saying, look, the city can't be distracted by these kinds of personal problems.

But also saying that what disturbed him the most was the fact that Doug Ford was meeting with someone who has been charged with extortion in connection with trying to acquire a video that shows the mayor smoking crack cocaine.

Again, the deputy mayor saying, look, it's not something that he would advise the mayor to get into. That the mayor needs to get his act together. But at the end of the day saying that Toronto deserves to be able to move on from all this. And, Suzanne, that looks more and more difficult every day.

MALVEAUX: A sad story. Thanks for watching AROUND THE WORLD. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now. Have a good afternoon.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, three different countries get e- mails warning of a terrorist threat at the Sochi Winter Olympic games. The U.S. is offering to help with security, but will the Russians accept the offer?

Also right now, Edward Snowden flat out denying he's a Russian spy. He tells a reporter he ended up in Moscow because that's where the State Department wanted him.

Also right now, Louis Vuitton shoes, iPods, and a Rolex watch, all on the list of illegal gifts that Bob McDonnell allegedly accepted. But is the case against the former Virginia governor a slam dunk?