Return to Transcripts main page
At This Hour
One-Year Anniversary of John Brennan at CIA; How Can Airliner Disappear; Bieber Rude When Talking to Lawyer
Aired March 11, 2014 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Because people are going to say, you have a message you are going to put out and a plan you are going to try to promote. You know your audience and how to reach them. Why not do it in a platform and a way they will find entertaining and might pay attention to.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The near fact we just broadcast the whole thing shows you that they are 100 percent correct.
(LAUGHTER)
PEREIRA: And effective.
BERMAN: And I will stick up for my friends who are journalists and work in the White House press corp. There are plenty of people who would die to have a seven-minute interview with the president about Obama care who are actual journalists.
PEREIRA: It is also interesting to see Zach and Charles Barkley who had a different audience.
Ahead at this hour, we are going to take a short break. How does a jumbo jet disappear without a trace? We are going to look at the possibilities and the mystery of Malaysia Airlines flight 370.
BERMAN: Plus, a Minnesota lawmaker says he is not a racist. A lot of people who saw his recent tweet, they disagree. We will tell you what exactly he said and also his apology coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: At this hour, CIA director, John Brennan, is making some remarks at a Council on Foreign Relations, the first anniversary of his job as CIA director.
BERMAN: He was asked about the mystery surrounding the disappearance of flight 370 right now and the search for that airplane. He was speaking about those stolen passports and the two Iranians on that plane.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Using stolen passports, whether or not there was a terror link, could still board the airlines. What flaw is still in this system post-9/11 that permits stolen passports to be used so commonly?
JOHN BRENNAN, CIA DIRECTOR: When you think about the number of people that get on a plane, the numbers are probably in the hundreds of thousands. Since 9/11, there has been tremendous strides made in trying to share as much information possible not only in terms of threat information but also about individuals that are trying to carry out attacks to include stolen passports.
I know the Malaysian authorities are looking very carefully at what went wrong, if these individuals got on the plane with these stolen passports, why they were not aware of it. I think all of us have to make sure we are doing everything possible. It is close to now 13 years since 9/11. I think the memories, the tragedy of 9/11 have been in the minds of many people. This is not the time to relax. We know there are tourist groups that are still determined to carry out attacks including, especially against the airports
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PEREIRA: It is not the time to relax. CIA director, John Brennan, talking about the concerns about these passports.
Interpol wants to know how these people were able to get through security with these stolen passports.
There is no confirmation or any evidence linking those people, those people that are holders of those stolen passports, to the disappearance of the plane but it is one aspect they are looking at.
Just hours ago, the International Police Agency, Interpol, concluded that the disappearance of the missing flight 370 doesn't appear to be terrorism. They say there is no evidence, in fact, speaking of that, to say that those two Iranian men that used the stolen passports where connected to any terrorist groups specifically.
BERMAN: This leaves so many questions. The pressing one is, how can a plane disappear then without a trace?
We are joined by Mary Schiavo, former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation; and CNN intelligence and security analyst, Bob Baer.
Mary, there are so many conspiracy theories out there. I want to talk about how this was somehow just an accident, a mechanical failure. What would that look like, a wing just strapped?
MARY SCHIAVO, FORMER INSPECTOR GENERAL, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: When you look at an accident and you don't know what happened, you start looking at accidents that happened in the past. It is more likely a mechanical failure with some component of pilot training or error.
I look at the current air-worthiness directives, things that should have been fixed. There is a warning about checking the joining of the sections of the planes, and checking where the antenna was attached, a warning to retrofit some of the wiring in the fuel tank. That's what the investigators will be doing, looking at the maintenance and if they complied with everything that had to be done, what are the warnings on the plane. Is it possible the fuselage split, the wing was repaired and the end of it came off?
BERMAN: It helps to have the plane to make these determinations. You really need to.
SCHIAVO: You can get an awful lot of information from the maintenance records, including what maintenance was done and if all the warnings were complied with.
PEREIRA: It does compound the frustration, Bob, and let's bring you into the conversation now. The more time that passes. I don't know about you but our imaginations kind of run amuck. That's an important thing to separate fact from fiction. There are so few facts to go on.
BOB BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE & SECURITY ANALYST: Exactly. The fact that there are two Iranians that boarded this plane with false passports doesn't tell us much. The Iranians don't go on suicide missions. They never have. This doesn't look like al Qaeda. There is no reason to target an airliner. There's no one with legal grievances that would do that that I can think of. It could have been a test run.
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: I know that Interpol has said that there is no reason to think that terrorism was involved. These two men weren't linked to it. Is it too early for us to make that assumption? Is it dangerous to make that assumption at this point?
BAER: Absolutely. For instance, take this scenario, total speculation, that this was some sort of trial run that they had given one of these Iranians a suitcase and said, carry it to Germany. He might have thought it was heroin. I might have not even asked. You know, it's a possibility. A suitcase bomb could bring an airplane down like this. Again, that's total speculation.
BERMAN: Mary, we have been talking about the length of time here now that it has taken to find any trace, any sign. This has to be working against them in a certain way also. Isn't it possible some of this wreckage could just sink, some of these clues could just disappear?
SCHIAVO: Yes. This is not unusual yet. In the past, it has taken not just days but weeks and months to gather all the wreckage together.
The black boxes will be OK. They will survive in the water. I am totally confident they will find them. But as the wreckage floats away -- we have to consider the human remains. It is important to recover those for the families as well. They were able to put TW-800 back together. It is there to this day.
BERMAN: They knew where it was.
SCHIAVO: They had to get it from the ocean floor. PEREIRA: They seemingly lost track of this plane. How hard is it when a plane is over open ocean to be able to track?
SCHIAVO: That's a good point. When you are over the ocean, you have primary radar, secondary radar and GPS tracking. Of course, it would be visible on radar and you would have to call in to make your request for changes in altitude, et cetera. It also depends that the person manning the station is watching that radar. Yes, you are visible. If people aren't expecting something, they aren't tracking it as closely as they might have. If something had gone wrong with the plane and knocked out the electrical or some of the systems and they couldn't get an accurate read, that could also add to the mystery.
BERMAN: A huge space they have to search right now.
PEREIRA: At the end of the day, all those families left without answers. That's the most heartbreaking aspect.
BERMAN: Mary, Bob Baer, thanks so much for being with us.
PEREIRA: We'll take a short break. Ahead, AT THIS HOUR, we have to talk to Biebs. He is talking to a lawyer. It ain't pretty. Wait until you hear what he says during his deposition.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: We have the "Hot Flash." An apology from Pat Garofalo, Minnesota State Representative. He tweeted, "Let's be honest, 70 percent of teams in NBA could fold tomorrow and nobody would notice a difference with the possible exception of increase in street crime."
That begs the question. Garofalo tried to defend the tweet and then apologized. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STATE REP. PAT GAROFALO, (R), MINNESOTA: I don't have a racist bone in my body. I pride myself in the fact that I have tutored in inner- city Minneapolis. I want to apologize for my comments and promise everybody I will do my best in the future to not repeat my mistakes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PEREIRA: Sounds like he might need some teaching from the inner city kids.
BERMAN: What is the interpretation other than racist? I don't understand the other interpretation.
PEREIRA: Don't you feel the apology must be much more gigantic. With the way twitter is, he is going to have a hard time.
BERMAN: I was shocked.
PEREIRA: What you got? BERMAN: Remember all those poor passengers on the Carnival Cruise ship that got called in the Gulf of Mexico. They had no working toilets. Some of the people are now suing, asking for $5,000 for a month for the rest of their lives for medical bills and mental anguish. The question is, do they deserve it?
PEREIRA: That's a whole lot of money if you live another 30, 40 years. That's a lot to ask. I know it was dire, and I know it was horrible, and I can't imagine how miserable it was. Weren't they given a refund and compensation?
BERMAN: 60 grand a year is a lot of money.
I know a lot of people would be willing to look. Go in the men's room for a lot less than that. Look at the toilet. It seems like a lot of money.
Move on.
PEREIRA: Speaking of things that make you turn your stomach. Let's talk about Justin Bieber. That that was a weird segue.
BERMAN: Very appropriate.
PEREIRA: When you listen to the way he was talking, he sassed a lawyer during a deposition. Feast your eyes and your ears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN BIEBER, SINGER: I don't have to listen to anything you have to say.
Disciplined. What kind of a question is that?
(LAUGHTER)
Is he my son?
Guess what? Guess what? I don't recall.
UNIDENTIFIED ATTORNEY: Remember earlier today, when I asked you --
BIEBER: No.
UNIDENTIFIED ATTORNEY: Why don't you listen to what I have to say first and then maybe you will tell me yes or no.
BIEBER: I don't have to listen to anything you have to say.
UNIDENTIFIED ATTORNEY: I didn't hear your response.
(CROSSTALK)
BIEBER: You know I didn't finish.
UNIDENTIFIED ATTORNEY: Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't want to interrupt. BIEBER: Really? You didn't want to interrupt?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: My question with Justin Bieber is, who is his lawyer, who is his P.R. agent? Someone has to stop him from doing this?
PEREIRA: You have a young man with a whole lot of money and perceived power, surrounded by yes people. Petulant, spoiled and entitled.
BERMAN: That's a bad trifecta.
PEREIRA: Let us know what you think about these stories. Send us a sweet at this hour.
BERMAN: I want to know what you think about the cruise ship and that lawsuit. That's sketchy to me.
PEREIRA: Ahead AT THIS HOUR, one of my favorite times a year. The 1,000-mile mush that sends dozens of huskies and their owners across Alaska. We have an Iditarod winner. We'll tell you about it next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: If you watched the show "Army Wives," you know Wendy Davis plays a very determined character. That strength we can relate to.
BERMAN: She struggle and has risen above a disorder that affects millions of Americans. Wendy Davis is "Impacting Our World" by sharing her story.
More now from Chris Cuomo
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS CUOMO, CO-HOST, NEW DAY (voice-over): Growing up, Actress Wendy Davis thought something was wrong with her.
WENDY DAVIS, ACTRESS: I really had very low self esteem and I felt I was defective. Had a tough time staying seated in class. Always found the window next to my task and the things that were happening outside of the classroom far more interesting.
CUOMO: It wasn't until her daughter, Kobe, was diagnosed with ADHD that Davis discovered she had it too.
DAVIS: My entire childhood was explained in that moment.
CUOMO: She turned to the Internet and found an organization called Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or CHADD.
DAVIS: They support research, they provide a wealth of information. It was such a relief to read about how many people are living with ADHD.
CUOMO: Through CHADD, Davis shares her story nationwide. Her goal, eliminate the stigma associated with ADHD.
DAVIS: I think a lot of people sort of keep this ADHD thing in the closet. They don't want their children to share they have it or don't get a diagnosis at all. I'm really here for those kids who aren't feeling good about themselves to say that you can be wildly successful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PEREIRA: Impacting the world, indeed. Way to go, Wendy.
The mushing is over in Alaska. People, we have a winner in the historic Iditarod race, the one where dogs pull sleds 1,000 miles across the Alaskan terrain. The winner, 27-year-old Dallas Seavey, second time, holds the record, back when he was a mere 25. He comes from a mushing family. His grandfather is the man who organized the very first Iditarod back in 1973, making the family legacy proud. Tough year for the race. We have been talking about the abnormally warm winter in Alaska. A lot of mushers injured at the start of the race, because not enough snow to run on. They ran on gravel in some parts. The winner got himself $50,000 and a brand new truck.
BERMAN: Congratulations to him.
PEREIRA: How about that?
BERMAN: Finally, I do want to leave you today with a little bit of cable outrage.
PEREIRA: We need it.
BERMAN: Cable. Rhymes with table and Betty Grable. Why does that matter? It doesn't. Except we seem obsessed with rhyming these days, paying homage to Dr. Seuss. This was Senator Ed Markey from Massachusetts from last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ED MARKEY, (R), MASSACHUSETTS: But now says the (INAUDIBLE), now that you are here, the word of "The Lorax" seems perfectly clear. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Ed Markey with "The Lorax," ladies and gentlemen. This follows Governor Sarah Palin with some adapted "Green Eggs and Ham."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN, (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR & FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not like this, Uncle Sam. I do not like his health care scam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right, now Senator Ted Cruz did this, too.
There are people who are upset that these politicians are co-opting the beloved Dr. Seuss for political purposes. I'm not. My opinion is, at least they're reading at grade level. Every 6-year-old loves Dr. Seuss. The pictures are terrific. I'm just hoping the politicians can get to some other good kids' books, too.
PEREIRA: What do you suggest?
BERMAN: "Where the Wild Things Are" wreaks of the House Ways and Means Committee. My worry, if they continue on this trajectory, Dr. Seuss, then what? "Twilight"? Ed Markey as Bella Swan? Please, folks, no. And most terrifying of all, the inevitable Judy Bloom phase. Do you really want to explain "Are You There God? It's me Margaret" to Ted Cruz"? This shouldn't happen, not ever. Which is why they need to stop this political kids' book trend right now and do what you would do with any Dr. Seuss-reading individual. Let's give them a time-out.
PEREIRA: Hey, at least they're not rapping, OK? At least they're reading.
BERMAN: They're rhyming and reading at grade level.
PEREIRA: That was fantastic.
That is it for us AT THIS HOUR. I'm Michaela Pereira, alongside John Berman.
BERMAN: "Legal View" with Ashleigh Banfield starts after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
