Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

President Appoint Ebola Czar; American Doctors Being Trained to Treat Ebola in African Nations; Nurse in U.S. Diagnosed with Ebola Currently in Stable Condition; New Evidence Emerges in Case of Police Shooting of Teenager in Ferguson, Missouri; Possible Political Implications of Ebola Cases in U.S. Examined; Hurricanes Threaten Bermuda and Hawaii; CNN Hero Uses Horse Riding to Reach Out to Troubled Children

Aired October 18, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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


CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. So glad to have you with us. I'm Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Ten o'clock here on the East Coast, 7:00 out West, you're in the "CNN NEWSROOM".

PAUL: And we're so glad to have you out here.

Listen, don't travel by plane, bus or train.

BLACKWELL: Yes, that's a what Texas is telling dozens of healthcare workers who came in contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian man who died of Ebola, a worker who may have handled Duncan's lab specimen is heading back to Texas right now on a cruise ship. She's put herself in voluntary isolation in her cabin.

PAUL: Despite an appeal from Secretary of State John Kerry, by the way, Belize would not let this ship dock, so the passenger could catch a flight back to the U.S.

And there is a new point man in charge of the U.S. fight against Ebola.

BLACKWELL: CNN's Athena Jones is in Bethesda, Maryland. We've got Susan Candiotti in Akron, Ohio. Nick Valencia is in Dallas. And Erin McPike is at the White House.

PAUL: Yes, let's begin with Erin.

Erin, good to see you.

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christi, that's right. And you may remember Ron Klain from early 2009. The administration tapped him then to oversee the distribution of stimulus funding that Congress had just passed. And now the White House is referring to Klain as an implementation expert.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCPIKE: After weeks of mistakes dealing with Ebola -- SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: Frankly, I'd like to know who's in charge.

MCPIKE: -- President Obama caved to critics, anointing an Ebola czar, longtime Joe Biden aide Ron Klain, to coordinate the administration's response.

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've got an all- hands-on-deck approach across government make sure that we are keeping the American people safe.

MCPIKE: But Klain is best known for managing political messaging and has no experience in public health. Complaints came fast and furious from Republicans, including House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, who said, quote, "I have to ask why the president didn't pick an individual with a noteworthy infectious disease or public health background."

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's not solely a medical response. What we were looking for is not an Ebola expert but rather an implementation expert. And that is exactly who Ron Klain is. He is somebody who has extensive experience in the federal government. He's somebody who has extensive management experience when it comes to the private sector.

MCPIKE: The White House is also fending off growing calls from both sides of the aisle to ban travel from affected countries in West Africa.

GOV. RICK PERRY, (R) TEXAS: Air travel is in fact how this disease crosses borders, and it's certainly how it got to Texas in the first place. Based on recent and ongoing developments, I belief it is the right policy to ban air travel from countries that be hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCPIKE: And now Secretary of State John Kerry is saying that this could become a much bigger global disaster if other countries don't do more. He is trying to shift the blame to other countries for having even weaker responses, Christi and Victor.

PAUL: All right, Erin McPike, thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: The first Dallas nurse to be diagnosed with Ebola is undergoing treatment at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland. And CNN's Athena Jones is there. What's the latest on nurse Nina Pham?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Victor. Well, doctors told us we'd be getting an update if there is a change in Nina Pham's condition. We haven't heard any news to that effect. So the latest we have on her conditions is that she is in fair condition. She is stable. She is resting comfortable. She's able to sit up and interact with staff. She's also eating and we're told she's in good spirits. Her mother and her sister are in the area to be near her. And I want to talk about the hospital right here where she's being

treated. She's in the special clinical studies here at NIH. This is a place with vast experience treating the sickest of patients. And I want to play for you how Dr. Anthony Fauci described the team of folks who are caring for her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Well, she has the care of physicians and nurses and technicians with extensive training, experience, and knowledge of infectious diseases and infectious disease control. So there are two things that are happening. She's getting optimum intensive care, if needed therapy, but it's also being done with the optimum protection of our healthcare workers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: Now, you heard what Dr. Fauci said at the end, the optimal protection of our healthcare workers. Nina Pham is being treated by two rotating shifts of nurses, 12 hour shifts. There are about four or five nurses on each shift. And any time nurses have to go into the room where Nina Pham is being kept in isolation they have to go in in pairs. This is what's called the buddy system. It's being done out of an abundance of caution to make sure that no protocols are breached, make sure the hazmat suits that the nurses are wearing are as they should be, no gaps, nothing that could potentially expose more nurses to this virus.

I should also mention that while doctors didn't want to talk about her specific prognosis, they say that they fully intend to have Ms. Pham recover from this illness and be able to walk out of here. And one thing they have done is they have taken the blood of a patient who has recovered from the Ebola virus, Dr. Kent Brantly. He donated his blood to Nina Pham as he's done with several other Ebola patients. The thinking is that the antibodies in his plasma could potentially benefit Ms. Pham. And they that this and other experimental strategies are on the table as they try to help treat this disease. Victor?

BLACKWELL: All right, Athena Jones at NIH for us, thank you.

PAUL: Meanwhile, the second Dallas nurse with Ebola is being treated now at Atlanta's Emory University Hospital. And Amber Vinson has been in that hospital since Tuesday, not before she had been flown to Ohio and back home to Texas, possibly exposing other passengers to this deadly virus. I want to go to CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti who is there in Akron. So Susan, first of all, good to see you this morning. What have you learned about Amber's condition, any word?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No, there is no latest word because, we understand it, because of privacy issues they are not releasing that information. So the last we heard was actually from her uncle who spoke with CNN on Thursday evening. And he told us at the time that she was doing all right. In terms of the other patients -- I shouldn't say patients. Other

contacts with whom she saw or spent some time with while she was visiting family back here in Akron last weekend, a week ago today, they said that absolutely no cases of Ebola outbreak in any part of Ohio nor have any part of those contacts developed any symptoms. And 16 people are currently under quarantine. Christi?

PAUL: You know because of what happened in Texas and Ohio, some officials are wondering how and where patients should be treated. What are you hearing on the ground there in Ohio?

CANDIOTTI: Well, you know, it is an interesting discussion that is just starting to brew in this area. And that is this, that is if any of those 16 contacts currently being watched and monitored by the health department here for any possible signs of Ebola-like symptoms, then people are wondering, should they be assessed here and possibly treated here? Or some officials are suggesting the possibility of even if they develop Ebola-like symptoms, should the CDC have a plane waiting here and immediately take them to some other facility in another state that specializes in treatment. So this is something that we're going to be asking Ohio's Governor John Kasich about that when he holds a news conference in about an hour from now. Christi?

PAUL: OK, I look forward to that. Susan Candiotti, always good to see, thank you.

BLACKWELL: The CDC says it's going to roll out new clear guidelines on protective gear for healthcare workers fight Ebola, and that could happen as soon as today. CNN's Nick Valencia joins us now from Dallas. Nick, doctors are going overseas to help contain Ebola. What kind of training are they getting?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Victor. Earlier this week I spent some time in Aniston, Alabama. That's where CDC instructors are training these doctors and nurse on their way to those three affected countries in West Africa that have the Ebola outbreak. They are training them. A lot is about muscle memory. It's very meticulous, and as you can see, it's also about the buddy system.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: In an abandoned building in Aniston, Alabama, healthcare workers are getting a crash course on treating Ebola patients in the hot zone. This group of American doctors and nurses will soon head to the three countries in West Africa affected by the Ebola outbreak. Dr. Phuoc Le will go to the Liberia. He says the training he gets today will mean the difference between life and death.

We saw you struggle a little bit as you took out --

PHUOC LE, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO: Yes it's not easy. It's not easy. And that was a large size and I'm not a large guy, but still I could not get those coveralls over my shoulders without really touching the outside, which is the contaminated side. I was supposed to only touch the inside, which is the clean side. And I just couldn't do it. So I'm going to practice again and again.

VALENCIA: The training is modeled after procedures used by Doctors without Borders, three days of intense practice in dealing with drawing blood, cleaning vomiting, and even patient burial. A lot of it is trying to limit the inevitable human error says CDC trainer Dr. Patricia Griffin.

DR. PATRICIA GRIFFIN, INTERIM COURSE DIRECTOR, EBOLA TREATMENT UNIT TRAINING COURSE: The first thing you want to do is get rid of all that bulky gear. But you have to have the muscle memory of having done it before, of knowing that you can do it, safely and knowing that it has to take a little longer than you would like it to. And you have someone there guiding you through it so you stay calm and just get it all off and then you walk out knowing that you are safe.

VALENCIA: Dr. Le thinks a lot about safety with a wife and two-year- old child back at home in Northern California. He says he's anxious about his impending trip, but for him his concern is outweighed by compassion.

LE: I'm leaving in a couple weeks. And whoever tells you that they are not anxious about going to Liberia and working in an Ebola unit I think is delusional. I'm very nervous.

VALENCIA: Then why do it?

LE: I guess it goes back to this issue of the solidarity and equity. It's kind of like if you are a fighter and you signed up to fight fires and there is a fire, you should go fight that fire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: One of the biggest concerns for those who are going West Africa is the removal of that personal protective equipment. You saw Dr. Lei struggle in that piece. And even if you do everything right in the so-called process and removal of that equipment, there still is a slight chance you could contaminate yourself or contract the Ebola virus.

This training session by the CDC, they received over 500 inquiries from across the United States. They were initially going to stop the training in January. That's since been extended to March or April. Right now they are just training health physicians who are going to West Africa, but they are open to the idea that they could use that training on domestic healthcare workers. Victor and Christi?

BLACKWELL: All right, Nick Valencia there in Dallas for us. Nick, thanks so much.

PAUL: We'll let you know we are also following a developing story in the Ferguson shooting case.

BLACKWELL: Yes. A new report reveals Officer Darren Wilson's version of the events. We'll tell you what it is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLACKWELL: "New York Times" has a new report on the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. They now have Officer Darren Wilson's version of what happened that day, and it differs from witnesses' accounts.

PAUL: According to the "New York Times" here is what he told investigators. Wilson said he was trying to leave his car when Brown shoved back in, pinned him in his car, and tried to grab his gun. He says this made him fear for his safety. Now, there are forensics here that the "New York Times" says also reveal his gun went off twice in the car, one bullet hit Michael Brown's arm while the other missed, and Brown's blood was found on the gun, on Wilson's uniform, and on the police cruiser, on the inside of that car door. All of that information, again, according to the "New York Times."

BLACKWELL: Let's bring in CNN legal analyst Paul Callan. Paul, we're going to dissect this and take the smaller bites. But let's look at the big picture first. Learning what we have from the "New York Times" reporting this morning, do you believe it makes it more or less likely if these reports are correct that Darren Wilson will be charged criminally?

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, this is strong evidence for the officer and I would say would decrease the likelihood of an indictment. But by no means is he out of woods yet. I mean, this evidence if it's believed would suggest that there was a struggle in the car. Even if they believe the officer that Michael Brown was trying to get the gun and the officer was afraid for his life and the gun discharged, the real focus on the case will shift to what happened outside of the car when Michael Brown began to run away, according to many witnesses.

Now obviously the police don't have the right to shoot him in the back or to fire when he's attempting to surrender. So I think the focus will shift on the officer. And as I said, he is not out of the woods yet even though this is helpful testimony for him.

PAUL: Let me ask you a question about the blood evidence that the "New York Times" is citing as forensic evidence here, that there was blood on the gun. Would there have to be fingerprints or something else on the gun from Michael Brown to clarify that he was trying to grab it?

CALLAN: While, certainly fingerprints on the gun would be helpful, but notwithstanding what people see on television, it's very hard to get a fingerprint off a gun, particularly a gun where if somebody is struggling obviously it would be a smeared fingerprint if it existed at all. So I don't think you are going to see that kind of evidence.

And of course those who are looking for an indictment will say what difference because it make that Michael Brown's blood was on the gun? Of course it was on the gun. The officer shot him when he tried to pull him into the car. So you can read this evidence both ways depending how you are looking at the case.

BLACKWELL: And I want to pull that thread a little more because the officer's story according to the "New York Times" reporting is that he was pinned down in this vehicle. There was a struggle inside the cruiser. But if I'm here hearing you correctly, what you are say once that threat is subsided and they are outside the vehicle, now we're you talking about the possible threat or lack of threat that would require Darren Wilson to fire at Michael Brown.

CALLAN: Yes, exactly, Victor. And here is how this plays out legally. You have the right to shoot a fleeing felon if you believe that that person would constitute a danger to you or somebody else. So the officer will claim here that because Michael Brown tried to kill him with his gun by taking his gun away he was a danger to the public and to the officer in general.

However, if, as some witnesses have said, Michael Brown turned with his hands up in a surrender gesture, well, then he's no longer a threat to anybody and he cannot be shot. The officer, however, may be saying well that is not what's happening. In fact his hands were up because he was running towards me and was trying to tackle me and he constituted a continuing threat to my safety. So it will depend on what the grand jury believes which of those versions is the accurate version.

PAUL: All right, Paul, we appreciate your expertise as always. Thank you.

CALLAN: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Paul. And we are going to keep you to talk a little more after the break.

Talking about this Ebola czar has a big job stopping the deadly virus and spreading, but maybe we wouldn't need an Ebola czar if we had a surgeon general. Could that make a difference in this fight?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: The new Ebola czar has his work cut out for him. We know that. But there is another job that maybe could have handled this crisis before it got out of hand, the surgeon general. That job has been open for more than a year. And the president nominated this man Vivek Murthy. But his nomination has been tied up by Republicans who are opposed to, of all things, his position on guns. I'm joined now by microbiology and immunology professor Alan Schmaljohn from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and CNN legal analyst Paul Callan is back with us. I want to start with you, Paul. Do you think having a surgeon general would make a difference here?

CALLEN: I think it would be helpful because the surgeon general is sort of the doctor in charge, the public face of medicine. And if you have a forceful surgeon general with the support of the president, it's a very easy way to communicate to the American people. What a lot of people don't realize is he is the head of a public health service that has 6,500 trained medical professionals. They actually wear uniforms. It is kind of like a military unit. So that is in place already instead of going to an Ebola czar. But since obviously he doesn't have a full-time person in place the president decided to go with an outside person.

BLACKWELL: So let's talk about the czar, Ron Klain, a man who has a lot of political experience but no medical background whatsoever. Is that a mistake?

PROFESSOR ALAN SCHMALJOHN, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Yes. The first mistake is to call the fellow a czar. You won't find me using that language. It misunderstands language. It misunderstands history. It misunderstands the leadership. We do need leadership. We need somebody at the top who can sort out the players and make everyone play well together. That can be the surgeon general. It can be a top manager directly reporting to the White House. So that will be helpful.

BLACKWELL: Paul, do you think this crisis could push Congress to confirm Vivek Murthy, the president's nomination for surgeon general?

CALLEN: No, I don't think you will see that happen. The opposition was grounded not only on the issue of NRA opposition because he said guns were a health problem, and they didn't like that apparently. But also some congressmen thought he's too young. He's in his 30s. He doesn't have that seasoned look that people like to see in their doctors. And he's got enormous credentials. He's got an MBA and an M.D. and highly successful for a guy his age. But I think a lot of people believe you should have a more seasoned, experienced person in that chair if you are going to communicate to the public.

BLACKWELL: Alan, let's talk about the person thus far what's been communicating to the public, Dr. Tom Frieden the CDC director. There is a piece on CNN.com, physician and journalist Ford Vox says that he should resign, that Dr. Frieden is a great guy with good guys but he doesn't have the crisis leadership or crisis management skills required for the moment. What do you think about the job that Dr. Frieden has done thus far?

SCHMALJOHN: I think scientific leadership is a very different thing than what people even misunderstand other leadership to be. So to criticize Tom Frieden's leadership I think is entirely off base. He's been right out front with great communication, always precise, careful in what he says, careful in the moves that he makes and trying to find the right balance. So I just find the criticism of him by people who are frankly amateurs in the things that he is superb at to be just grandstanding.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I don't think he was questioning his credentials but certainly questioning his management style. Let me ask you, Alan, I want to stay with you.

SCHMALJOHN: Who is questioning management style, surely?

BLACKWELL: Say it again?

SCHMALJOHN: That criticism of management style, there are different management styles. And we have these mythologies of what is good management. Some think that it's an iron fist, and therefore to use the word "czar." And that is not the way to lead a team. BLACKWELL: OK, I hear that. Go ahead, Paul.

CALLAN: I just wanted to jump in on that czar thing. You know who used the word czar? The president did when he announced that he was going to make this appointment. He called his new appointee a czar. So I think with respect at least to this appointment we're just repeating what the president himself called his appointment.

SCHMALJOHN: That is the first time I've heard him make that political capitulation then. He's very reluctant to use bad language.

CALLAN: Agreed.

BLACKWELL: Moving beyond the semantics there, and I get the historical reference. But let me ask you about some of the fear. We know that two passengers on this flight with Amber Vinson, have self- quarantined for 21 days. Carnival Cruise lines is not allowing anyone who's been in Liberia or Sierra Leone or the third country, Guinea, that's affected in western Africa in the last 21 days to board their ships. Do you think all of that is warranted, Alan?

SCHMALJOHN: Well, we are acting so often in what we call an abundance of caution, which means we do far more than the data would require us to do. If you keep in mind in that situation the kind of very early symptomatology, even if it was early symptomatology that this Amber Vinson had experienced. There is zero evidence over 40 to 45 years that anyone has ever been infected by anyone at that early a stage of disease. Nevertheless we take the precaution of saying it is hard to prove the absolute impossibility of that transmission, so we do quarantine people.

I do think there is a tipping point at which too much caution, too much excess quarantine and too much excess of wearing of protective gear in situations where it's utterly unneeded actually feeds the fear of people because they see this cognitive dissonance, this disconnect between what they see and what they are being told the risk is. So they naturally assume there is more risk than they are being told.

BLACKWELL: All right, Alan Schmaljohn, Paul Callan, thank you both.

CALLAN: Thank you, Victor.

BLACKWELL: A little later in the Newsroom we'll be talking to the CEO of Frontier Airlines about if they took the right measures in this Vinson case. Christi?

PAUL: All right, Victor, thank you. Hundreds back a concert to see their favorite artist. When some of them try to get a better view of the state, things quickly deteriorate in a big way. And 16 people are dead. We're have more for you in a moment. Stay close.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: It's 32 minutes past on this Saturday morning. So glad for your company. I'm Christi Paul. BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Here are the top stories this morning. Up first, more anti ISIS air strikes rock the Syrian city of Kobani this morning as fighting for the high profile border town rages on now. U.S. Cent Com says the military has carried out 15 air strikes across Syria since Friday, destroying at least two ISIS positions and oil installations. CNN has also learned that the U.S. is for the first time getting intelligence from Kurdish fighters about ISIS positions. This may be really helping them deliver more precise air strikes.

PAUL: Number two, prodemocracy protesters in Hong Kong are to meet with government leaders next week, this news coming on the heels of this violent overnight demonstration. Crowds as large as 9,000 clashed with police. More than 30 were arrested and scores of injuries were reported. And we do understand more protests are expected tonight.

BLACKWELL: The official in charge of safety as a South Korean concert has reportedly taken his own life. On Friday 16 people fell to their deaths at a concert when a ventilation grate collapsed under their feet. Dozens of people were sent plunging four stories to the ground. At least 11 other people were injured, three of them seriously.

PAUL: And the body of actress Misty Upham had been found now. Officials say a family member found her along a river near Seattle. The actress who appeared in "August Osage County" and "Django Unchained" was last seen walking from her sister's apartment. She had been missing since October 5. The cause of death is what's still under investigation today.

BLACKWELL: Vice President Biden's youngest son Hunter was booted out of the Navy after he tested positive for cocaine. He's 44 years old. He was discharged earlier this year. His failed exam came a month after he was commissioned last year in May. The vice president has not publicly commented but Hunter Biden did say in a statement that he was embarrassed and regretful.

PAUL: So Bermuda and Hawaii have more in common than beautiful beaches. They are also dealing with the dueling hurricanes today.

BLACKWELL: Yes. CNN's Chad Myers is following both storms for us. Chad?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You think it's October, hurricane season must be getting over. But in fact this year it is just getting going. Two storms in the water right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MYERS: A double threat this morning. Hurricanes are barreling through the oceans on both sides of the United States. In the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Gonzalo, a category-two storm, slammed Bermuda with powerful winds, heavy rain, and high surf early this morning with sustained wind now of 105 miles per hour. There are reports of over 80 percent of the households in Bermuda without power now as the eye of Gonzalo passed right over the island. On the other side of the U.S. in the Pacific Pcean.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing, amazing. But this is gorgeous to come and see this. It's beautiful, beautiful. The power is amazing.

MYERS: Hurricane Ana, a category-one, is passing south of the Big Island of Hawaii this morning with sustained winds of 85 miles per hour. There are tropical storm watches for all the Hawaiian Islands. Now, this storm is expected to skirt south and west of the Hawaiian Islands later today and not make direct impact.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This one I'm hoping is just going to two out to sea and off into la-la land, but not hurt the island.

MYERS: Large swells of surf are expected with this storm and up to six to eight inches of rain can be expected with isolated amounts on top of these volcanos of up to 10 inches of rain, which can cause flash floods and increase the risk of mudslides. This tropical season has been relatively active for the Hawaiian Islands. The last time the islands saw three or more systems effect the chain was back in 1994. So far this year we've had hurricane Iselle which hit on August 8 as a tropical storm, then Julio skirted north of the islands later that month.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MYERS: And so now we have two in the water. So hurricane season doesn't actually even end until November 30th, so if the water is warm storms can still form. Remember when Sandy formed it was obviously October when that happened. There is Gonzalo right there. It rolled right over the island nation, right over Bermuda, and the impact was just from one side to the other. The winds went from 94 to 29 to 96 depending on what side of the eye you were on. In fact the middle of Bermuda you could look up and see the moon. It was that clear in the eye right there.

Ana now we talk about Ana. Ana now the newest advisory down to 80 miles per hour, but skirting south of Hilo. A couple days ago this was supposed to go right by the Big Island. That's why we have to look at the cone and not the center of the eye. This is what Hawaii has seen, though. The past 50-some years over 12 named storms have been near the island within 60 miles. You think Hawaii is just sitting out waiting to get hit. They don't see that much in the way of tropical storms. And three systems this year, guys.

PAUL: That is something else. All right, Chad, glad you're on it, thank you.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Chad.

So some people in their homes they have -- we have it here.

PAUL: What?

BLACKWELL: A constant back and forth about the temperature. It's too cold. It's too hot. (LAUGHTER)

PAUL: Guess which one of us is always cold. Still, you know, political theater in Florida this week?

BLACKWELL: All over not the AC, but a fan.

PAUL: A fan.

BLACKWELL: Come on.

PAUL: I'm always doing this to this man.

BLACKWELL: I'm always so warm.

PAUL: I need a raise for this, come on.

(LAUGHTER)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: So in his latest move to temper criticism over his handling of the Ebola virus, President Obama named a point man to coordinate the government's efforts. He's Ron Klain, former aide to Vice President Biden. Not everyone is convinced he is the right man for the job. With me now CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, and anchor of "The Hot List" on TheBlaze.com Amy Holmes. Good to see both of you so much. All right, Amy, let me go to you first. Did the president make the right choice?

AMY HOLMES, ANCHOR, "THE HOT LIST" ON THEBLAZE.COM: You know, I'm very baffled by this choice, that the administration has the opportunity to reassure the public that they are putting someone in charge who has extensive expertise in public health, medicine, and contagious disease. And they could have chosen someone who is basically Walter Brimley with a stethoscope. Instead they choose someone who doesn't have any of this background and is immediately described in CNN's media reports, all media reports, as a political operative. This seems like a strange choice just in terms of politics, but also in terms of policy. That Mr. Klain may be a very capable, competent manager, but with no background in healthcare, he doesn't know what he doesn't know.

PAUL: The White House cited his credentials, strong management experience inside government and the private sector, strong relations with Congress. Maria, isn't that part of the problem, people see him as too much of a Washington insider?

MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: No. I think clearly the problem is everyone is focused on what else they can criticize this president for. And I think the point needs to be made here that there is already extensive and massive experience in public health and in infectious diseases at the CDC, at the NIH, at HHS. And what Ron Klain's role is going to be is to make sure that all of that talent is coordinated. And the person that you need to do that is the kind of background that

Ron has, which is in campaigns. Now granted what he's going to be doing here is not of a political nature. But make no mistake, it is a campaign he is going to have to manage, a campaign to make sure that everybody who is on call to deal with this Ebola crisis from NIH to CDC to the Defense Department to the military to HHS to the White House is all on the same page, making sure that everyone is talking to the appropriate people, making sure that all of the messages are coordinated in order to give the feel of a very smooth operation. And that is exactly what Ron's background is going to give him the ability to do.

PAUL: OK, so Amy, let me ask you. What do you think this might do in terms of impacting midterm elections that are right around the corner?

HOLMES: Sure. We're already seeing Democratic candidates who are in tough reelection battles flip-flopping even on the question of travel bans from western Africa into the United States. Senator Kay Hagan in North Carolina in a tough reelection battle, she just this Friday her office released a statement saying that she supports a travel ban.

You are seeing a lot of Democrats who are very nervous and lacking confidence in the administration's response. And even the president of the United States it was reported by the "New York Times" expressed his own frustrations for what he said was not a tight operation by any of those agencies that Maria just listed.

Again, as I say Ron Klain may be a very skilled campaigner, but this isn't a campaign. This is America's public health. We have lives, we have nurses who have now contracted Ebola after we were told we had this under control. We have a nurse who boarded a plane. These are questions the American people are rightly asking and they want to hear from someone who has deep extensive knowledge. I'll give you another example.

PAUL: I have to get to something else. I know you all want to talk about this -- fan-gate. Come on people, a debate in Florida. Wednesday night, really, between Governor Rick Scott and former Governor Charlie Crist, Scott held up the debate for eight minutes because of a fan Chris had under his lectern, claiming that it violated the no electronics rule, and they have been bickering ever since, these two camps. Maria, what do you make of this thing?

CARDONA: You know, there were Republican operatives telling political analysts and political writers in Florida that the moment that Governor Rick Scott decided not to go on that stage when the debate started was the moment that he lost the election. It was ridiculous. When Scott did come out, he wasn't really able to formulate a sentence that made sense. He looked like a deer in the headlights the whole time. He was booed when he couldn't even answer the question of whether he thought a ban of gay marriage was discriminatory. He was such a hot mess, Christi, that he should have asked Governor Chris for use of his fan.

PAUL: Amy you get the last word. HOLMES: You know, I can't make heads or tailwinds of this fan gate.

Rick Scott's campaign said that they weren't even told to get onto the stage. There is all this dispute about it. I can only hope that Florida voters have more substantive issues to address.

PAUL: Amen, amen. Maria Cardona and Amy Holmes, we always appreciate you both. Thank you.

CARDONA: Thank you, Christi.

HOLMES: Thank you.

PAUL: Sure.

BLACKWELL: Well, college football fans, you know this is a season for the ages in Mississippi. The state has not one but two of the best teams in the game. And we are live from tailgate central at the grove in Oxford, Mississippi. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: It is Saturday, and sports fans, you know what that means -- college football and a whole lot of it.

PAUL: Yes, and a lot of Brian McFayden now, live in Oxford, Mississippi, home of the Ole Miss Rebels. Hey, Brian. What's going on?

BRIAN MCFAYDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, what's up, guys? Good morning, Victor, good morning, Christi. You said it. I'm at the grove in Ole Miss, the heart of tail-gaiting action on campus. Fans are here all pumped to see their team take on Tennessee. Right now the state of Mississippi is the center of college football universe. Ole Miss is ranked number three, and their in-state rival down the road Mississippi State is number one in the country.

The marquee match-up of the day has to be number two Florida State hosting number five Notre Dame in Tallahassee tonight at 8:00. Both teams are undefeated with college football playoff implications on the line. It's the first road game for the Irish, and neither quarterback Jameis Winston or Everett Golson have ever lost a regular season game.

Quick NFL news, though, guys. According to multiple reports the defending Super Bowl champs Seattle Seahawks have traded star wide receiver Percy Harvin to the Jets. That's right. This comes after reports of alleged discord behind the scenes Harvin, teammates, and Seahawks' front office. Harvin is still owed about $48 million of his contract.

Back to you guys in the studio. But back here I'm hanging out with the Ole Miss cheerleaders and the rebels. Guys, hotti-totti (ph).

CROWD: Hotti-totti (ph)!

MCFAYDEN: This is how we do things here. I'm having so much fun. I don't want to come back. I'm actually going to enroll at the campus here. I'll be a freshman, the oldest freshman here on campus.

PAUL: Where are your pompoms?

MCFAYDEN: Well, I'm only pledging with the cheerleaders.

(LAUGHTER)

BLACKWELL: You haven't earned them yet.

MCFAYDEN: I'm not good enough. I will earn them by the end of the day.

PAUL: I want to see how you do.

MCFAYDEN: Are you ready?

CROWD: Hell, yes, damn right.

(APPLAUSE)

PAUL: Thanks guys. Have fun, Brian. He's going to have too much fun today.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: Using horses to bring children back to their childhood and towards a brighter future.

BLACKWELL: Meet one of this year's top 10 CNN Heroes next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Each week we're shining spotlight on the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2014 as you vote for the one who inspires really you the most. You can do that at CNNHeroes.com.

PAUL: So let's talk about this week's honoree. She's found a unique way to keep children off the streets. Meet Patricia Kelly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is tough. It's tough growing up here. It's just so easy to take the wrong path. I was walking around with a lot on my shoulders at the young age. I didn't really care about life anymore. When I met Ms. Kelly everything changed.

PATRICIA KELLY, CNN HERO: Brett was hurting. He needed a place where he could just be himself. Our program provides a year round urban oasis, seven days a week, 12 months a year, for children five to 19 years old. We use horses to create pride, esteem, and healing.

The children take care of animals, take care of the farm. When they get to a certain riding level young men become mounted park rangers. When they put their cowboy hats on and they go out on patrol, the myth of the urban male is changed instantly. When kids see other kids ride they want to know how it's done. That's the hook. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't tell you where I would be without this

program. I changed my life. It's helped me set goals for myself. I'm a part of something.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't cutoff the arena --

KELLY: When you teach a child to ride a horse they learn that they are the center of their environment. Once they make that connection, they can change what happens in school, at home, and the community. It's through their minds and through their hearts. They have ability. They just have to unlock it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Changing things in Hartford, Connecticut, there. Go to CNNHeroes.com online or on your mobile device to vote for Patricia or one of the other nine nominees for hero of the year. They're going to honored at CNN Heroes, an all-star tribute hosted by our own Anderson Cooper. That's Sunday, December 7th, and the winner receives $100,000 to help further their work.

And we hope that you go out there and you make great memories today, because that's what it's all about. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thank you so much. But keep it here because there is much more ahead in the next hour of the CNN Newsroom. We turn it over to our colleague Deborah Feyerick in New York.

PAUL: Hey, Deb.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, guys. Thanks so much. Great show.