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Virgin CEO Promises Full Investigation on Spaceship Crash; Marine Freed from Mexican Jail; Midterm Elections Days Away; Law Flow Threatening Hawaii Homes; Catcall Video Sparks Controversy
Aired November 01, 2014 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, hello again, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the top stories we're following in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A U.S. Marine Reservist held in Mexico for months is now free. Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi is back in the United States for the first time in seven months. What we're hearing about how it all happened and how he's doing.
Plus in California a spaceship breaks up in the sky, the pieces plummeting to the ground. The new details we learned in the last hour straight ahead.
And in Hawaii a volcano has turned into a huge nightmare. Lava is getting very close to people's homes. We'll talk to a homeowner about what he's doing to stay safe coming up.
All right. New details on that failed Virgin Galactic space flight. Just moments ago the founder of the Virgin Group Richard Branson spoke to reporters about yesterday's tragedy. It left one pilot dead and another injured.
Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BRANSON, FOUNDER, VIRGIN GROUP: We are determined to find out what went wrong and we're working with the authorities to get that information. It is too early for me to add any details of the investigation at this stage.
We've always known that commercial space travel is an incredibly hard project. We've been undertaking comprehensive testing program for many years and safety has always been our number one priority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's bring in CNN's Stephanie Elam.
She was at that press conference.
So, Stephanie, the question was asked, you know, what's the future of this project. How did he respond? STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it makes it -- it makes it
seem pretty clear to me, Fred, that he really wants to continue on with this space project. However, today he's focusing on the 400 engineers who work here at Virgin Galactic. Out here on the Mojave Desert. He's saying that he actually left here to go meet with them now. But he made it very clear that this is what he would like to see continue. He also talked about the people who've already signed up. Now we know it cost $250,000 to sign up and to take this ride up 62 miles above earth, but he's saying that he received messages of support from some of those people who have already purchased.
And he said even yesterday there was one person who also said that they would now like to become one of these commercial astronauts. He says that if anyone wanted a refund, however, they could always get that. They've never used the money. They just held on to the money to know that people were actually interested -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: And then the NTSB is out there as well. Richard Branson even saying he was very thankful that the NTSB is investigating, but it's so early in the investigation it seems they have very few answers. What is, you know, the process here for the NTSB while there?
ELAM: Right. They just got here this morning. So they are just now beginning the process. They're divvying up who is going to do what, who's going to go to the crash sites, who's going to interview witnesses. That's what they are doing today. That's what they're looking to do. They said this is the first time that they are taking the lead on an investigation with a craft that was designed to go into space.
They were part of the investigations for Columbia, for Challenger, as well, but this will be the first time that they'll be taking it on. And they will be giving us updates throughout the time that they're doing this.
One other thing I want to mention to you as well, Fred, is that I asked Sir Richard Branson about the fact that there are critics out there who are saying that this SpaceShipTwo was not ever going to make it to space no matter what. And he said he couldn't comment on any part of the investigation because the NTSB is in control.
But he did mention that he thinks it's irresponsible that someone would even comment on something without getting the full result of the NTSB investigation. So it did seem to bristle him just a little bit.
WHITFIELD: And then, Stephanie, are we learning anything more about the two pilots? Richard Branson saying the space community is very tight knit. The expertise is, you know, of the utmost, but what more do we know about the two pilots, one dying and the other being hospitalized?
ELAM: Right. We still do not know who these two pilots are. They're being very tight knit about that information. Because out here in the Mojave Desert you have a lot of people who work in aviation and space exploration. That's why they're out here in the desert. You have the space to do this. So it is a tight knit community. And you get the sense that people here, everyone knows who these two people are, we just don't know who they are yet but we are -- trying to get that information so that we can share that with our viewers.
WHITFIELD: All right. Stephanie Elam, thank you so much from the Mojave Desert. Appreciate that.
All right. And then clear across the coast, on the East Coast, imagine the joy in South Florida today as U.S. Marine Reservist Andrew Tahmooressi is back home with his family. This after spending seven months in a Mexican prison on gun charges.
Nick Valencia has been working the story since it broke late night.
So how are they doing? How are they feeling? And what are the circumstances of his release?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The family is exhausted. They didn't get much sleep. They were reunited after seven long months. And it really took a team to get Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi out of a Mexican prison. He was in two penitentiaries. One in Tijuana, the other in Tecate, Mexico, and it took people like Governor Bill Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico, a couple of congressman, Matt Salmon and Ed Royce, as well as TV show host and radio personality Montel Williams.
He gave a very passionate speech on Capitol Hill on October 1st, congressional hearing there, where he pleaded for the release of Andrew Tahmooressi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MONTEL WILLIAMS, TV SHOW HOST AND RADIO PERSONALITY: This is an abomination. Six months, he didn't hesitate to say aye, aye, sir, to go up and serve. How dare we, how dare we as a nation hesitate to get that young man back?
I have a son who's 21 years old, who has asked me over and over again, dad, should I serve? And right now I'm telling him no. That's coming from a guy who did 22 years in the service. But no. Because our government doesn't respect you enough. And how dare they treat him the way they do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: And the family said it took moments like that to really bring attention to this story of Andrew Tahmooressi. Also the U.S. State Department weighing in on this case in the last hour. I want to read part of that statement now.
It says, "The efforts made by Sergeant Tahmooressi's family, legal team and supporters, private citizens as well as from the U.S. legislative and executive branches to work with the Mexican legal process to resolve this issue have allowed Sergeant Tahmooressi to receive required medical care." Of course all of this is about his PTSD. He has a bad a case,
according to his family, of PTSD. Clinically diagnosed. There's just not the resources to treat him in a Mexican prison.
WHITFIELD: So he was released on psychological grounds, that's what Mexican -- Mexican authorities are saying. Is anything more going to be said about the alleged violation, what got him there in the first place or whether those charges and allegations just simply go away? If it's a moot point at this point, it doesn't matter anymore?
VALENCIA: Yes. The embassy of Mexico and the United States just released a statement actually before coming on the air here. I didn't get a chance to pore over it entirely, but in part, it read that the case is closed, the charges have been dropped, they've been withdrawn, that accusation no longer exists. So now Tahmooressi gets to move forward with his PTSD treatment.
We know it's going to be a very intensive process for him. His family right now asking for privacy. They say he really needs help and now he can get it now that he's back on U.S. soil -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Nick Valencia, thanks so much.
VALENCIA: You bet.
WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.
All right. Coming up a little bit later on, we'll hear from former U.N. Ambassador Bill Richardson who was very instrumental in helping gain release of Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi.
All right. The New York doctor who tested positive for Ebola is improving. Bellevue Hospital says Dr. Craig Spencer is now in stable condition from serious but stable. Spencer will remain in isolation and continue full treatment. He contracted Ebola in Guinea where he was helping patients there. Spencer is the fourth person diagnosed with Ebola in the U.S.
And in Maine, a nurse who had refused to quarantine herself has reached a deal with a Maine judge. He ruled that Kaci Hickox does not need to quarantine herself as long as she submits to direct active monitoring. She must check her temperature twice a day and also let officials know if she wants to travel. Hickox recently returned from doing aid work in Sierra Leone.
And a seat in the U.S. Senate held for decades by a Democrat is now up for grabs. It's one incredibly close race that could make big headlines come Tuesday. We go to Iowa for details next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: OK. Election day is just three days away now. And it's promising to be a nail-biter of a night because the races that could change the balance of power in the U.S. Senate are razor close. One of them is in Iowa and that's where our Pamela Brown is right now covering one of the critical Senate races. Pamela, a Republican is trying to grab the seat held by retiring
senator, Tom Harkin, for nearly 30 years. So how close are we talking here?
PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is neck and neck, Fredricka. It's really down to the wire. It's an extremely competitive race. And it's really interesting because Democrats initially didn't think they were going to have to worry much about this race. Iowa is a state that has steadily trended blue over the last decade. They're looking to replace a seat held by a Democrat for decades.
But Joni Ernst, a Republican candidate in this case, has really been giving Democrats a run for their money and has come up from behind. She was relatively unknown and then sort of was thrust into the spotlight earlier this year with an infamous ad where she talked about castrating hogs.
And looking at the latest CNN/ORC poll, Fredricka, Joni Ernst has a razor thin lead over Bruce Braley, 49-47 percent. So today the Democrats are bringing out the big guns for this down-to-the-wire push for votes. Bill Clinton coming out here to stump for Bruce Braley. He is someone who Democrats say you want on your side especially when it's down to the wire like this. He's going to bring the crowds, of course, get the message out.
And the big hope is that he's going to push people to vote early. That is key for Democrats. They need to win the early vote in order to win this election -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And so early voter turnout, what have been the expectations?
BROWN: Well, both sides are touting their early voter turnout. Democrats say that they poured more money into early -- into getting the vote out this year, this midterm than any other midterm. They say they've had some success getting people to vote who don't typically vote during the midterms. And they say they're doing well on that front. But you talk to Republicans and they say they have changed their ground game this year and they say they're doing well closing the gap with the Democrats.
Both sides, Fredricka, think they can win this election.
WHITFIELD: All right, Pamela Brown, thank you so much there in Iowa. Appreciate it.
So candidates are bringing out the big guns, as you just heard Pam say. Bill Clinton out in Iowa. Well, among them, Hillary Clinton, too, stumping today for Kentucky Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. Grimes is trying to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell and other Republican candidates are blasting their opponents and they're taking aim at President Barack Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While ISIS grew, Obama kept waiting and Kay Hagan kept quiet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator Pryor voted for the Obama policies almost every time. My approach is different. I believe in less government and more freedom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The issue is trust. Do you trust President Obama and the Washington politicians to deal with the problems we face? Too much debt, not enough jobs, terrorism and Ebola coming at us from overseas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: CNN's Mark Preston joining us now from Washington.
So, Mark, will going after Obama actually help or hurt these candidates?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Well, you know, Fred, in a lot of these competitive states it's actually helping the Republican candidates. In fact, we've seen Democrats run away from President Obama in states such as Alaska, Arkansas, in some cases Louisiana. In fact, Alison Lundergan Grimes, you talk about how Hillary Clinton is on the campaign trail for her today. Well, during a debate she wouldn't even talk about President Barack Obama or rather she wouldn't say whether or not she voted for him.
So in many of these states where President Obama's approval rating is in the mid to high 30s, maybe low 40s, it's worth for Republicans to try to tie these Democratic candidates to him.
WHITFIELD: OK. So the unpopularity of the president is one way in which they try to, you know, use it to their advantage. So is there, you know, a real forecast on the potential impact if the GOP does indeed win both Houses? We already know that there's been gridlock. Will it worsen or just simply remain the same?
PRESTON: Well, I mean, you could argue that gridlock has pretty much shut down Washington, D.C. over the past couple years. But look, we know that the House Republicans will maintain their majority in the House. We also know that Senate Republicans are on the verge of taking back the Senate. The question is, how is that really going to work out over the next two years, President Barack Obama's last two years in office?
It's going to make it very difficult. And I would even argue, Fred, at this point, even if Senate Republicans do not take back the Senate, however they gain a number of seats, it's still going to make it very difficult on President Obama. The question is, can anything get done in the final two years of his office and certainly heading into a general election where we're going to see a whole cast of characters on the Republican side seeking the GOP nomination and then as we all expect Hillary Clinton running for the Democratic nomination.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
PRESTON: So probably not a whole lot that's going to get done. WHITFIELD: OK. Mark Preston, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
And of course CNN will have all of your election night coverage beginning Tuesday evening 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Stay tuned.
Tornadoes, hurricane, landslides, they can all take your home in a split second. But something slow moving can be just as destructive and agonizing.
We're live in Hawaii next with the latest on that serious threat from this, lava.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: People in Hawaii remain on edge as lava flows out of a volcanic crater. The lava now less than 100 yards away.
Our Martin Savidge is on the big island of Hawaii. So how quickly or should I say slowly is that lava flowing?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning or good afternoon to you, Fredricka. You know, I should point out we've got some rain falling on us here. And some people have asked -- I asked this question, does that have an impact on the lava, does it stop it? And the answer is absolutely not.
You're talking about 2,000 degrees and you're talking about a ton -- well, a lot more than just one ton -- of lava that's flowing down. So the rain doesn't impact it. And it also runs underground. But it's moving incredibly slow. Probably -- well, measured by yards per hour, and right now the main front, it's about 150 feet wide, that's been pretty much stationary for the last two days, but the lava is still coming. In fact they say about 90,000 cubic meters of lava is pouring from the source every single day.
So that lava is going somewhere. What they're seeing are breakouts. And breakouts are places a little farther back from the front where this stuff is oozing in one direction or pushing in another direction. And that is worrisome because it means, OK, if it's not coming from the front side, it could come from the side or the left or the right. They're keeping very close eyes on that right now -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. So, you know, what next for this town? I guess is there any way of knowing --
SAVIDGE: Yes. It's --
WHITFIELD: -- or do they forecast when the danger is over?
SAVIDGE: You know, that's a -- that is the question everybody wants to know. When is it going to be over? And I'm afraid the news there is not good. Because, you know, we're talking about volcanoes changing the earth. The stuff that made Hawaii. We're talking that they move on a whole different clock when it comes to rocks. So this is something that could go on for decades.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.
SAVIDGE: And it's not going to be over next week. It's not even going to be over next month, and it could eventually consume the entire town. This has happened before, Lake Kalapana is one place. It took out the entire town, 150 homes. Hundreds of people have lived there. Nobody was killed because it moved so slow. So the devastation is total.
WHITFIELD: Wow, it's extraordinary. And just looking at those pictures, whether the lava has hardened or whether it's still hot, molten and causing those small fires there, it's extraordinary.
All right. Thank you so much. Martin Savidge there on the big island.
So that lava has been on the move, you know, since June. And that has given some residents, as you heard Martin say, you know, a little bit of time to prepare as much as they can, but it doesn't necessarily mean that people are not worried. They are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't sleep well at night. I time myself a couple, three hours. I come to terms with it. I know where it's at. I can see it. I have photographs. When the time comes I'll repack my bags and I'll start making phone calls. I'll get out of here. It's not a problem. I have a place that's safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So this current eruption is from a new vent on that Kilauea volcano. That volcano has been very active over the past 30 years. Still, for some residents, the threat is right at their doorstep.
Ali'i Hauanio's home is about a quarter of a mile from the lava flow right.
I'm sorry I messed up your name. I'll get it right.
(LAUGHTER)
But, Ali'i, thank you so much. You know, you're smiling now, but are you nervous? Are you, you know, having a hard time sleeping at night like the other gentleman knowing that this lava is getting close to your home?
ALI'I HAUANIO, RESIDENT PREPARING TO EVACUATE: Well, aloha, Fredricka. No, I'm not nervous or anything. It's a state of limbo right now. The lava flow is not actually at my doorstep. But it's in the neighborhood, roughly a quarter mile from my home. Like -- like Martin said earlier, it moves very slow. You know, the devastation is definitely there after it passes by you. But up until then it's -- it is a waiting game really.
WHITFIELD: Wow. So tell me what it's like being in your home. Are you looking out the window constantly, are you walking around your property constantly to see if, you know, this lava is getting any closer or it's moving faster or anything like that?
HAUANIO: No, not at all. I can't even see the lava flow from my yard. And so I just carry on every day like another day. After work, get home, pop a nice cold one and enjoy the day.
WHITFIELD: So what does it mean when we hear people are preparing? How can you prepare for a lava flow especially since it's pretty unpredictable?
HAUANIO: Well, physically, you can pack up your goods, yes? Decide which -- what you're going to keep, decide where you're going to start and decide where you're going to lay your head down the next time. But mainly it's a mental preparation, really, Fredricka. You just have to let yourself go that it's inevitable. When is just a matter of time.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
HAUANIO: But in the meantime, live goes on. You just carry on, get to work and what you do on a regular basis.
WHITFIELD: You're so optimistic. OK. So Kilauea has erupted many times before in our lifetimes and, you know, have you been living on the big island all this time? And if so, have you always just lived with the possibility that it could erupt?
HAUANIO: Yes, I lived on the big island all my life. And my family once owned a home and property down in the Kalapana area. And back in 1991 it was inundated or just ran over by lava. And so we needed to make a transition at that point. Here we are again having a similar experience. A slow moving.
You've heard the term, we live on a big volcano, yes? My native ancestors moved here and they were in harmony with their environment. And so when there is activity such as this, they'll just move with the flow, so to speak.
WHITFIELD: Well, Alai'i, you are just sunshine. You know. When this darkness of this lava is flowing even on a rainy day -- and I know it rains all the time there on the big island -- but all the best to you for your and your family and your property. And we wish you the best.
Mahalo, I got that right, right? Alai'i Hauanio, thank you so much.
HAUANIO: You got that right. Thank you, Fredricka. Hauanio. Thank you for saying that correctly.
WHITFIELD: I got it. I had to rehearse it in my mind.
All right, Ali'i. Thank you so much. All the best to you.
(LAUGHTER)
HAUANIO: Thank you. WHITFIELD: All right. A spaceship breaking up during a test flight.
And it could bring the excitement for commercial space travel to a screeching halt. The impact it will have on Virgin Galactic right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Some mortgage rates inched up this week. Have a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Andrew Tahmooressi spending his first afternoon in seven months back in his Florida home. The Marine sergeant was released from a Mexican prison late last night on psychological grounds. He was arrested after he crossed the border with guns in his truck. The Afghanistan war veteran who suffers from PTSD says he got confused and made a wrong turn.
Former U.N. ambassador Bill Richardson helped secure Tahmooressi's release and he spoke to CNN earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL RICHARDSON, FORMER U.N. AMBASSADOR: I went to visit Sergeant Tahmooressi last week at his prison. I told him I thought the release was imminent. But I think it was a combination of factors and the recognition that the Mexican government was not pressured but they made the right, correct judicial decision, which is based on PTSD, which they don't have much experience with in Mexico. They made this release.
VALENCIA: You talked about the diplomacy, Governor Richardson, President Obama never spoke about this case and that was really a thorn in the side of Tahmooressi's supporters. The highest federal official who ever weighed in was Secretary of State John Kerry.
Should the president have gotten involved, in your opinion?
RICHARDSON: Well, I think the president deployed his people. Like for instance, the assistant secretary of state, Roberta Jacobson, who hails Latin America. She was in constant contact with me.
You know, you've got to be careful that you don't overpressure the Mexicans. They're very sensitive. They're our neighbors. You know, they are emerging as a major economic with their energy reform. They've got a new president there that's strong. So you can't just blunderbuss them. And I think we used the correct mix of diplomacy and legal strategy and patience.
I know that Andrew suffered because, you know, I visited him in prison. And obviously he has medical treatment that needs to happen, but you know, I think this is a good story amidst all this gridlock and bad news, an American comes home, we stand behind our veterans when they're at war and in civilian life. And so, you know, we had ecstatic ride back from San Diego, Tijuana
tonight. We just got back. He's with his mother, he's spending time decompressing with his family. He wants to get some steak and stone crabs. He's a good young man. You know, he's a war hero. And we have to stand behind him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And a spokesman for the family says right now Tahmooressi just wants to spend time with his family.
We're also following new developments today in that failed Virgin Galactic space flight. CEO Richard Branson just speaking about the deadly accident that killed one pilot and injured another.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRANSON: We are determined to find out what went wrong and are working with the authorities to get that information. It is too early for me to add any details of the investigation at this stage.
We've always known that commercial space travel is an incredibly hard project. We've been undertaking comprehensive testing program for many years and safety has always been our number one priority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The accident is raising new concerns over the future of this space plane program. Virgin has sold more than 700 tickets each costing more than $250,000 for future flights and several celebrities have already signed up. You heard from Branson earlier who said, if you want a refund, you can get it.
This is just a portion of the list of people who have already signed up including Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Leonardo DiCaprio.
Let's bring in CNN digital correspondent Rachel Crane.
So, Rachel, you know, how in your view might this impact commercial space travel?
RACHEL CRANE, CNN DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the space tourism industry is completely dependent on the public's perception of these companies. Now, of course, this accident is going to tarnish Virgin Galactic's reputation in the public's eye. It's going to shake their confidence in the company to be able to actually carry these missions out safely. So it will be interesting to see how many of those 700 passengers are going to ask for that refund.
WHITFIELD: And then you also, you know, couldn't help but notice Richard Branson did, you know, make some historical references. He said, you know what, in the early days of aviation there were incidents. And while we went into this thinking safety was number one, they also -- and he said everybody on board understands the risks that they're taking with this kind of exploration.
Might that even comfort those who are now on the fence about whether they're supporting this venture?
CRANE: Right. Well, of course, aerospace insiders are always very quick to point out how difficult space travel actually is. And of course accidents are going to happen when you're pushing boundaries, when you're breaking new frontiers. But that doesn't take away from how tragic they actually are when they happen.
And of course, the public, I mean, they're shaken when they see these images, when they hear the story of a pilot losing his life. So of course these people are taking massive risks and it's expected that accidents will occur but never a life lost.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Branson saying, quote, you know, we do understand the risks involved and will not carry on into the future and do so blindly. So you were also just in the Mojave where this accident happened.
CRANE: Right.
WHITFIELD: What was your observation there, these 400 or so engineers who have devoted, you know, their lives and their expertise to this venture. What did you observe about the real commitment and passion behind this project?
CRANE: Well, I got to tell you, the people at Virgin Galactic and Scale Composites, the spaceship company, they're completely passionate about getting people into space and creating the first commercial space line. I was there when they were actually building these spaceships, SpaceShipTwo, and just to see the pride that they were taking in their job and putting together a spaceship, I mean, it's an incredible -- it's an incredibly complicated procedure.
And they were all very excited that this was going to happen, that these flights were going to take off in just a matter of months. I also recently was at Spaceport America, which is in New Mexico where these flights will actually be taking off. And I was in Virgin Galactic's facility. They were putting paint on the wall. Everybody there was incredibly excited about these flights taking off in just a matter of months.
WHITFIELD: Rachel Crane, thanks so much for bringing your expertise, your experiences to the forefront. Appreciate it.
CRANE: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. It's the social experiment that has generated a whole lot of buzz online this week.
All right. So this is a bit of what this actress said she heard over and over again. Will this change the way people view this kind of catcalling oriented or is this project backfiring altogether? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, what's up girl? How you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: My goodness, it's the video that so many people have been talking about. A woman being catcalled over and over as she walks through the streets of New York. A viral video marketing agency actually made this video featuring this actress. A foreign anti- street harassment group called Hollaback.
Well, joining me now to talk about this video and the controversies surrounding it, Amanda Seals, a stand-up comedian who has been featured on VH-1's "Best Week Ever" and Steve Santagati, author of "Code of Honor" and the best-selling book "The Man-ual."
All right. Good to see both of you.
OK, so, Amanda, you first, is too much being made of this video or, you know, what is the message that you get or that your -- you know, you and your friends and colleagues have been talking about as a result of seeing the video?
AMANDA SEALES, COMEDIAN, "VH-1'S BEST WEEK EVER": Oh, I lived this life every day. So --
(LAUGHTER)
STEVE SANTAGATI, AUTHOR, "CODE OF HONOR": Nice.
SEALES: For me this is like --
WHITFIELD: And how are you interpreting this? Are these -- are you interpreting this as compliments? Are you annoyed by it? What?
SEALES: No. This is not -- this is not complimentary, which is funny because I think guys think that by letting you know that they would be interested in sleeping with you, that that is a compliment. And actually it's really just objectifying me when I'm trying to walk in my daily life.
I have a whole 15-minute set on stage about this. You know. About God bless you, ma, about oh, I see you, ma. You know, you're supposed to be smiling. Women are expected -- to the minute we leave the house we are expected to be smiling and available for whatever men want to say to us. And don't get me wrong. Hello is fine. Like I'm fine from Granada and the west cities.
SANTAGATI: Oh, come on.
SEALES: If someone says hello and you don't say hello back, that is actually considered rude. But a lot of these men, they're not just saying hello. They say hello, and when you say hello back, what that means is that's an invitation to now holler at you. And I can see you shaking you're shaking your head, but you are not an expert on this, my brother, because you are not a woman walking on the street.
WHITFIELD: Uh-oh, Steve.
SANTAGATI: No, no. But I am more of an expert --
SEALES: What?
SANTAGATI: I'm more of an expert than you and I'll tell you why because I'm a guy and I know how you think.
SEALES: Absolutely not.
SANTAGATI: More than you guys will ever know. I can't get in a woman's head anymore than just like thinking about it. But I'm a guy, I know why these guys do this.
The bottom line is this, ladies. You would not care if all these guys were hot. They would be bolstering your self-esteem, bolstering your ego. There's nothing more than a woman loves to hear is that how pretty she is. Now this particular video speaks for itself. These guys obviously don't have a lot of class, but I'm also very suspicious because this was put together by an ad agency to go viral so how do we know some of those guys weren't planted?
WHITFIELD: Right. OK. So -- yes. So now let's get to the authenticity --
SEALES: It doesn't matter because --
WHITFIELD: It doesn't matter what?
SEALES: It doesn't matter because even if they were planted, this is actually very accurate. For New York specifically.
SANTAGATI: I agree. I lived in New York City 15 years.
SEALES: This is incredibly accurately. And I will --
SANTAGATI: But -- so what?
SEALES: And this -- but what's funny is that you're saying that you know how men think.
SANTAGATI: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SEALES: Wait. But actually your comment was about saying how women think, that women want to hear --
SANTAGATI: Stop me when I'm wrong.
SEALES: -- compliments from men all day.
SANTAGATI: Stop me -- stop me when I'm wrong.
SEALES: You are wrong.
WHITFIELD: So is it --
SANTAGATI: Well --
SEALES: You are wrong. I stopped you before you started.
SANTAGATI: OK. OK.
WHITFIELD: So is it -- does this elicit, I guess, the conversation of, you know, how accurate is this depiction of real life? Or is it an issue of, you know, how authentic is this view based on the fact that it was made by a company who wanted to elicit a response, who wanted to go viral? Did they push the envelope? Was it done in a correct manner?
SANTAGATI: It's just -- it's just another example of a lot of feminists that have an a la carte attitude towards it. Meaning you can do this, I want, you know, this sort of thing, but they take it too far. It's kind of like this thing bordered on the boy who cried wolf. Like where is it going to go next?
So you're telling me then if I compliment you on the street, it's some sort of abuse no matter how I choose to do it? That means if you don't compliment me --
SEALES: No, that's not what I'm saying.
SANTAGATI: No, hold on, hold on. If you don't compliment me when I walk by, that's abuse. You didn't bolster my self-esteem. I want to find you. I want to start a coalition against women who don't compliment men.
WHITFIELD: So I think --
SANTAGATI: Stop me when I'm wrong.
WHITFIELD: -- I'm hearing from you, Steve, I mean, women should be OK with this because it is a compliment. These guys are saying, you know what, I like the way you look. You've done everything right as you stepped out of the house and just leave it at that.
And, Amanda, you're saying, or tell me what you're saying. Are you saying -- you know, this is just harassment, you are wrong.
SEALES: What I'm saying is that -- what I'm saying is that he's wrong. And that the reality is that a lot of women when we leave the house, we are not looking for compliments. We are not strolling the streets waiting like, is anyone going to notice these pants today? Like that's not actually how we are approaching our day.
SANTAGATI: Well, you've got to have women compliments --
SEALES: This is we're going where we're going. And the other thing is, the other thing is, is that I think a lot of people who don't live in New York also don't understand this. When you live in New York City, you don't often get the luxury of being in a car. And being in a car gets to isolate you from like being in the world and basically --
(CROSSTALK)
SANTAGATI: So what's your point? What's your point?
SEALES: You are all --
SANTAGATI: Right, I get it. I live there. No one's holding a gun to your head telling you, you have to live in New York City, first of all.
SEALES: You know what's funny is that you as a man, what your problem is, is that you really should just be embracing and welcoming to the fact that women are saying, hey, we don't like this. Not arguing why we shouldn't. If we say we don't like it and we are demonstrating that, then you should actually as a man who is a man of honor and wrote a book about this should be saying well, let's discuss how we can make you all feel more comfortable.
SANTAGATI: No, that's not going to happen --
SEALES: And how I as a man who says that I have class --
SANTAGATI: The men in this video --
SEALES: Needs a help and talk to my brothers about this.
SANTAGATI: The video speaks for itself. The type of guys that made those comments speak for itself. That's part of maybe their culture, part of how they were brought up. Maybe they thought this girl was in on it.
WHITFIELD: But, you know what's interesting, too, I guess the type of guy thinks there's been some criticism that, you know, this has been crafted, this video was crafted in a way that omits a pretty good bit of the populous of New York City that most of the men in this video are black or Latino. And that it says another message, where are all the white guys.
(CROSSTALK)
SANTAGATI: We all look.
WHITFIELD: And -- but you know, Hollaback has actually responded to that. They did have a statement saying, you know, that we regret the unintended racial bias in the editing of the video.
SANTAGATI: Unintended, yes. Unintended.
WHITFIELD: Although we appreciate the support, we are committed to showing the complete picture but --
SANTAGATI: Hollaback is a joke.
WHITFIELD: Does it show the complete picture or did this unnecessarily invites conversation?
SANTAGATI: This is -- usually in New York City -- listen, I was there in the '80s, I remember how it was. It was a lot tougher than it is right now. But you have to understand something. Political correctness has gone too far. If you don't like it as a woman, turn out, tell them to shut up. Stand up for yourself. Act like a strong woman --
(CROSSTALK)
SEALES: Because that doesn't get you killed. Right? Because a woman got killed for doing that.
SANTAGATI: No.
SEALES: The other day in Detroit, actually. So you, sir, do not know what you're talking about.
SANTAGATI: Then carry a gun.
SEALES: And you really need to be respectful of the fact that --
WHITFIELD: Oh, my god.
SEALES: A woman got killed for that the other day. That happened.
SANTAGATI: Well, how many women get killed versus how women stand up for themselves?
SEALES: I stand up for myself all the time.
SANTAGATI: All right. So what's the problem?
SEALES: But the reality is, the conversation should really be about saying hey, let's find a better way to communicate with each other in public. Not about whether or not this is OK. Women don't like it. I'm one of those women.
SANTAGATI: You think that guys -- hold on. Do you think the guys are going to benefit from your comments from this conversation actually watching this show right now? How do you plan on getting these guys?
Hollaback, they could care less about Hollaback. You know what it starts with? Parenting. Parenting. Way too many people are having children and not raising them properly.
SEALES: OK.
WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. OK. So we're going to a whole lot of different direction. I guess we should have booked 30 minutes for this segment because my goodness.
All right. Amanda Seales, Steve Santagati, thank you so much to both of you.
SANTAGATI: Thank you. WHITFIELD: Appreciate it. A very spirited conversation. And
clearly, it's not over. Maybe this is just the beginning. Appreciate it. Thanks, guys.
All right. The calendar says November 1st, but several parts of the country are getting an early taste of winter. Snow on Halloween? More could be coming, in fact. The forecast right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: -- blowing kind of sideways there. The wind. So could we see more wild weather today?
CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray in the weather center.
Brr.
JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, brr.
WHITFIELD: It is officially winter. Forget fall.
GRAY: Brr is the word of the day and yes, much needed rain and snowfall for California. Folks on that side of the country are cheering. Folks from the east side of the country maybe saying something a little bit different because we are cold. We saw snow, we saw ice. Some areas several inches. In fact, earliest snowfall on record in portions of South Carolina. And now we're just left with mainly that cold rain.
And it is also very windy out there. We are also seeing temperatures around 48 degrees in Memphis. 45 in Atlanta. 43 in Chicago. When you factor in the windchill, this is what it feels like outside. 37 in Atlanta is what it feels like. Chicago feels like 33. Cincinnati feels like the upper 20s. And the good thing is, we are going to warm up just a little bit over the next couple of days.
Temperatures slightly warmer tomorrow in Chicago. A bit 61 by Monday. Atlanta, we'll already be at 66 by Monday. So we're going to be chilly today and tomorrow. And then things get a little bit better as we go through the beginning part of the week.
Low temperatures tonight, though, get ready for it. They're going to dip down again, Fred. Temperatures in the 20s and 30s once again. Good news, that wind should be dying down a little bit tomorrow. That's what makes things feel so cold.
WHITFIELD: I know, that windchill making it feel colder by 10 or 15 degrees sometimes.
(LAUGHTER)
GRAY: Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks, Jennifer. Appreciate it.
GRAY: OK. WHITFIELD: All right. A U.S. Marine Reservist held in Mexico for
months is now free. At the top of the hour, what we're hearing about how it all happened and how he's doing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
