Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. Going Back into Space Transportation; Rihanna Slams CBS for Pulling Song; Kerry Washington Helps Domestic Violence Victims; Money Important for Domestic Violence Victims; Morton Storm, CIA Double Agent Against ISIS.

Aired September 16, 2014 - 14:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Bottom of the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

And my fellow space geeks, news coming down the pipe from NASA. As we are anxiously awaiting news in a couple of hours that could mean more of this again.

Roll it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NASA ANNOUNCER: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five -- all three engines up and burning. Two, one, zero, and liftoff, the final liftoff of "Atlantis" on the shoulders of the space shuttle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I was there, man. That was bittersweet. That was back in July of 2011, NASA's final space shuttle launch. We have to rely on the Russians and Soyuz for that. But are we suddenly about to getting a step closer to getting our astronauts from space from a U.S. launch pad?

Martin Savidge with those details.

Hey, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, ever since 2011, when the space shuttle program ended, it's the Russians transporting humans to the space station. And the relationship with the Russians has not been that good lately. So the U.S. is getting back into the human transportation program. And for that, there are three private companies that are bidding to build the next generation spacecraft.

Now, before I show them to you, let me just say, think frugal and practical, don't think starship enterprise. Number one, the Dragon comes to us from SpaceX, carries up to seven. Goes to the space station, comes back, splashes down, reuse it. Then, Boeing gives us, well, something that looks very similar. This, though, doesn't have the catchy name. It's called the commercial crew transportation system. But like the Dragon, it, too, is a capsule design. Goes up, comes back, splashes down, reuse it. The Dream Chaser looks a sporty version of the space shuttle. It's really cool, but the experts say Dream Chaser, it's an appropriate name because the company that makes this thinks it's going to win with this. They are dreaming. In fact, though, word is to CNN that the winner is going to be -- drum roll please -- Boeing. Not really that big a surprise. They've been in the business half a century. But it could be Boeing working to somebody else. Maybe Boeing and SpaceX doing it together. We'll have to see. The reason being, you want two companies NASA believes competition. If you've got that competition, it helps keep the price of space down.

So there you have it. What could be the next vehicle that takes us to infinity and a little bit more -- Brooke?

BALDWIN: All right, Martin, thank you so much. We'll standby for the announcement from NASA. Appreciate it.

Coming up, a purse is a powerful symbol for a new campaign by actress Kerry Washington for a woman deciding whether to leave her husband or boyfriend. Sometimes it's about more than safety, it's about money. We'll talk live to the wife of a former NFL player about those decisions.

And just an absolutely fascinating story of this Westerner turned al Qaeda inciter, turned-double agent for the CIA. Hear how close this guy got to the top and the intelligence he collected. Don't miss this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Have you seen this today? Pop star, Rihanna, slamming CBS for yanking a song she made with Jay-Z from last week's opening of Thursday Night Football.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So CBS dropped the track for its inaugural pre-show broadcast because of what was happening in the news because of the Ray Rice domestic violence story that was really, really huge and percolating at the time. So "Sports Illustrated" reporting that CBS executives wanted to set the correct tone ahead of this big game as well as make time for a discussion on the Ray Rice controversy. But that, apparently, did not sit well with this artist because she took to Twitter and tweeted, "Now you want to slide it back in this Thursday. Y'all are sad for penalizing me for this." She then tweeted, "The audacity."

Now today, we learned that they're permanently dropping it from Thursday Night Football, but it appears it's because it was no longer allowed to use it. The statement in from Rock Nation, the label which distributes the song, this is what they're saying: "Due to the misuse and misrepresentation of Rihanna's name and participation and connection to CBS's TNF" -- "Thursday Night Football -- "CBS was not allowed to license and utilize this song. Rock Nation made the decision not to grant the song's usage."

And another source close to Rock Nation also confirms to CNN that the usage -- quoting, "The usage of the song was declined by Rock Nation prior to CBS's announcement to drop the song for good." CBS now says it will use a newly created theme music for Thursday Night Football. OK. That's the latest on that.

But let's move to this one. "Scandal" star, Kerry Washington, is joining this bigger campaign against domestic violence. This is something she has said in the past has been near and dear to her heart. But she's now using her star power to really raise awareness about another form of abuse toward women, financial abuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY WASHINGTON, ACTRESS: All-State Foundation Purple Purse makes it easier to recognize, stop and talk about financial abuse. Help women gain control of their purse strings. Join me at purplepurse.com.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The Emmy nominated actress is the new face of All-State Foundation's Purple Purse program. When you go to the All-State website, Washington says in this video she's designed a Purple Purse for women. It's purple because that's the color for domestic violence awareness. And it's a purse because she says it's a strong symbol of financial well being and ownership and a sense of self.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WASHINGTON: The bag is really a symbol of a woman taking her purse strings back and being able to be in control of her finances in the face of abuse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And she unveiled her design last night. People who donate to the Purple Purse campaign have a chance to own one of these limited edition bags.

But there's a much bigger discussion to be had here.

So, Mioshi Johnson, let me bring you in.

You are married to retired NFL player, Chris Johnson. So welcome. Thank you so much for coming on.

MIOSHI JOHNSON, WIFE OF RETIRED NFL PLAYER CHRIS JOHNSON: Thank you for calling me, Brooke.

BALDWIN: You got it.

So let's begin with the fact that, listen, you know a lot of people think, all right, you're married to somebody who plays professional football. They're pulling down some cash, right? I mean, let me -- in terms of your personal situation, day-to-day. How much of a say, do you have in finances at home?

JOHNSON: Well, let's just be clear. The NFL players, their spouses, their families had the same responsibilities with their finances as any other household in America, whether it be judges, law enforcement officers. So how you set up your finances is going to be different from house to house, state to state, career to career. It doesn't matter if it's a 50/50. Both of you make the same amount of money, one feels more like the breadwinner than the other. When it comes down to the finances, that is the number one reason in America that victims in domestic violence don't leave.

BALDWIN: So do you? How much do you have, if you don't mind me asking?

JOHNSON: Me and my husband are 50/50. We always have been across- the-board in finances. Because we feel like the life that we built together isn't surrounded by just the NFL. It's surrounded by what we're building together, the things we're trying to accomplish in life together. The finances is a blessing from the NFL. It has blessed us to be able to have the lifestyle that we have. But across-the-board, the finances. It's our home. It's our life that goes into that.

BALDWIN: So with this blessing, you know, let's use the Ray Rice example. Because, you know, with Ray Rice, a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon. And I'm not saying this is right or wrong. This is what a lot of people were saying Janay Rice wouldn't leave because her husband is worth millions and millions of dollars. There exists the stereotype that women are married to professional ball players because of the pennies, nickels and dimes they pull down. And I want your response to that.

JOHNSON: I think it's so counterproductive to lash out at professional athletes' wives, congressmen wives, the police officers wives, to say exactly why a person would stay in a relationship, in a situation, domestic or not, to say, well, this is why they're saying. If that's the case, if you're there to offer them any kind of other resource or any kind of other help, then who's to say they wouldn't still stay and try to work and try to get better in that situation if it's the garbage man?

BALDWIN: Right. And doesn't that go back to Kerry Washington's point. Look at you, and I'm not saying this is your situation. But you went back and put yourself through school and got your degree last fall. It's up to the woman and the power of the Purple Purse to come full circle. And if you want to have that financial independence, it would behoove you to do so. So you're not tied down. If you were in a tough situation and thinking of leaving, you are empowered to leave.

JOHNSON: Exactly. And it has to be up to the person. I didn't go back to get my -- pursue my degree for financial freedom. It was -- that was our plan from the time Chris went to the NFL. But I think people also kind of shun away from how many women that are married to professional athletes that are educated. That are working. Since I've been in the NFL -- and I call it a sisterhood. The Off-the-Field Wives is an organization of married and retired players and coaches. I've had resources from pediatrician wives, lawyers. Myself and Dawn Neufeld became friends because she is an attorney from USC-L.A. There's veterinarians. So there's a lot of women married to professional athletes. And I think it's played down because people say, well, that's why they married them in the first place.

BALDWIN: I'm glad you came on Mioshi Johnson. Thank you so much for sharing your perspective. And best of luck to you with that college degree of yours.

JOHNSON: Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: That's awesome.

Coming up here on --

CROSSTALK)

JOHNSON: Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: Coming up here on CNN, from al Qaeda-trusted insider to CIA informant, a man put his own life on the line to help the U.S. try to stop one of the world's most dangerous terror networks. The inside story of this double agent, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Morton Storm is this former European biker, turned militant Islamist, turned trusted al Qaeda insider, turned CIA double agent. I know, this is a complicated fascinating story and a subject of a CNN "Special Report" airing tonight. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Morton Storm, for half a decade, he says he moved back and forth between two worlds and two identities, where one misplaced sentence could have cost him his life.

MANGUS RANSTORP, COUNTER-TERRORISM EXPERT: You don't know what angle he's playing.

ROBERTSON: Traveling between atheism, hard-line Islam, English and Arabic.

RANSTORP: On one minute, he's 007. On the other side, he's now part of the militant circle.

ROBERTSON: Between being an agent for Western intelligence and a sworn member of al Qaeda, Storm says he was a double agent. So trusted by al Qaeda terror leaders, he even fixed one up with a blond European wife.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) ROBERTSON: A unique, powerful weapon in the war on terror who says he got results.

MORTON STORM, DOUBLE AGENT: I have been responsible for 30 kills.

ROBERTSON (on camera): 30 terrorists killed?

(voice-over): In a race against time, trying to bring down the most dangerous terrorists they can launch their next attack. Double agent inside al Qaeda for the CIA.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Storm has written a book, "Agent Storm: My Life Inside al Qaeda." He wrote it with the help of CNN contributors, Tim Lister and Paul Cruickshank.

And Paul Cruickshank, who also is a CNN terrorism analyst. You see him on TV a lot.

Paul Cruickshank, congratulations on all this work. And pushing ahead to this piece we're airing tonight on CNN.

But first and foremost, here you have this guy from -- he's Danish, suddenly very trusted inside al Qaeda circles. How did that happen?

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERROR ANALYST: Well, he was radicalized after converting to Islam. And then he went deep into al Qaeda, as well in Yemen. He met many people who had had become leaders of this affiliate in Yemen. So he was really trusted by them. And so when he changes side, and when he starts working for the CIA, other Western intelligence agencies, he's got the ultimate in into al Qaeda.

BALDWIN: Backing up a minute, though. Anwar al Awlaki says to this guy, you're too extreme.

CRUICKSHANK: Yeah.

BALDWIN: Right?

CRUICKSHANK: And he and Awlaki knew each other well. They were friends. And later on, Storm was the guy that led the CIA to Awlaki eventually.

BALDWIN: So -- and he's the one who hooked Awlaki up with the blond that we allude to in the clip there. But then this turn, he sort of decides, you know, this is jihad, this is not what I want to be, believe, becomes atheist. It is -- you know, the CIA, other intelligence agencies say we want you to help us. What was that like?

CRUICKSHANK: Well, for the intelligence agencies, it was a huge windfall. Here was this guy who had been inside from early on, who knew the 20th hijacker, Zachias Mousoui (ph), knew a lot of the top leaders of al Qaeda, was trusted by them, communicated with them. All of a sudden, he starts working with Western intelligence, but he stays inside the radical groups. Eventually, actually swears allegiance to al Qaeda while he's a CIA agent. The stakes for him are huge. If he's caught, he could be crucified.

BALDWIN: You were saying to me at commercial break, you haven't been home, basically, in six months, you've been working on this night and day. And the fact you've been able to communicate with this individual, Morton Storm, who presumably is in hiding because he's so wanted. You told me ISIS has put out a video, they want them dead.

CRUICKSHANK: Yeah, ISIS fighters in Syria last year put out a video calling for him to be killed. His life is in danger. He's having to take huge precautions every single day -- Brooke?

BALDWIN: And you, too, to try to speak to him and get this piece on air tonight.

Paul Cruickshank, thank you so much.

And let's just remind all of you all to watch tonight the CNN "Special Report" called "Double Agent: Inside al Qaeda for the CIA." Tonight, 9:00 eastern and pacific here on CNN.

Another fight for the U.S. -- ISIS. The White House has said it again and again, no ground troops. But are boots on the ground out of the question? A surprising development today on Capitol Hill. And definitely some healthy exchanges. We'll play them for you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)