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ISIS Has Beheaded American Aid Worker Peter Kassig; President Obama Forging Ahead on Policies that Will Pmpact His Legacy; Gas Prices Dropping; Doctor Being Treated for Ebola in Nebraska Worsening; NASCAR Race to Decide This Year's Championship

Aired November 16, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We'll show you what spotters do in our 3:00 eastern hour, about 400 miles to the title. Maybe the best driver and spotter will win.

We will have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, and it all starts right now.

Developing news. Terrorists attack again. It appears ISIS has beheaded American aid worker Peter Kassig, but this video is different from other ones.

And President Obama on his way home from the G-20 summit. But while overseas, he has been focused on his agenda right here at home. Our political panel scores the president on everything from immigration to the keystone pipeline.

Plus, if you are preparing to drive to your thanksgiving destination, there's actually good news about hitting the road. Why you'll save more money.

Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. We begin with ISIS claims that American hostage Peter Kassig has been beheaded. Now, U.S. intelligence is working to authenticate the video. The 26-year- old Kassig was serving as a medical worker in Syria when he was captured more than a year ago. The former U.S. army ranger and Iraq war veteran converted to Islam during his captivity taking the name Abdul Rahman Kassig.

CNN's Karl Penhaul joins me now on the phone from Spain.

So Karl, let's talk about this video because it's not like the other ISIS beheading videos. What specifically is different about it?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): It is very different in its presentation took place. And first of all, this is a composite video. It's made up of edited clips from a lot of different sources, and it runs at around 16 minutes, and that's almost three times as long as any of the previous hostage beheading videos.

The video starts off with a brief history of ISIS. It then goes on to some very graphic video showing the killing of men it claims are Syrian government officers and pilots. That is shown in graphic detail and apparently carried out by men of various ethnicity including the black clad Britain who we have now known -- come to know as Jihadi John.

Now, despite the apparent Barbaric of those videos, it does come across the much of it's a ritualized execution. And don't forget that among ordinary Syrians, there is little love lost for government pilots. Remember, the government has long been bombing civilian areas and also dropping bombs on civilian neighborhoods of Aleppo, for example. But then the video moves to a different location, and it's there that we see short images of both the Jihadi John claiming to stand over the head of what he says is Peter Kassig. We don't see Peter's body.

The killer then says that Kassig didn't have much to say for himself. There is no final message from Peter Kassig as there has been in previous beheading videos. Now, is that simply an indication that Kassig refused to speak, he refused to search their propaganda purposes? After all, he was a former army ranger and could have been trained for just this kind of eventuality.

The other thing that we're seeing here in this video for the first time as well is the locator of where the beheading supposedly took place, and it supposedly took place in the town of (INAUDIBLE), that's northeast of the town of Aleppo. And if that is correct, that's about 125 miles from the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa. And that is the last location where intelligence sources believed all the hostages were being held together.

There is no indication when this video was shot or exactly why it is being released now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And then, Karl, does it send a particular message because he is a U.S. military vet?

PENHAUL: I think there are a number of messages in this video. But some of the ones that jumped out to me, first of all, the man that we know the executioner, the killer that we now know as Jihadi John, this man with a British accent, he describes Kassig as the first American crusader and then goes on to say we eagerly await the rest of your army to arrive addressing himself to President Obama who he called the king of Rome or some such phrase there.

It seems to me that what Jihadi John is trying to do at a time when we know ISIS is you should pressure from coalition airstrikes, but Jihadi John is trying to go to the United States at a time when there is growing debate there about whether U.S. troops should be on the ground fighting ISIS head-to-head.

Also remember as well that Peter Kassig, according to his family, during his team in captivity, did convert to Islam, and asked to be known as Abdul Rahman. And the fact that Jihadi John refers to him as a crusader, is perhaps that's an indication that ISIS just did not buy the sincerity of his conversion.

And finally, another message from Jihadi John. He threatens that before long ISIS fighters will be carrying out attacks on foreign soil in the United States in the United Kingdom, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Karl Penhaul, thank you so much.

Kassig's family is asking for privacy while they wait for confirmation that the ISIS video is real and indeed shows the execution of their son.

CNN Alexander Field reports, it's been an emotional roller coaster for the Kassig family.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Paula and Ed Kassig asking for privacy and ask for their son Peter Kassig to be remembered for his important work and the love he shared with friends and family. Last month the parents publicly pleaded for mercy from Kassig's captors.

PAULA KASSIG, PETER KASSIG'S MOTHER: Most of all know that we love you and our hearts ache for you to be granted your freedom.

FIELD: Their 26-year-old son telling them in a letter I'm obviously pretty scared to die, but the hardest part is not knowing, wondering, hoping and wondering if I should even hope at all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he wanted to return back to the Middle East and contribute in a very different way, in a more constructive way helping people directly. He didn't want to be another guy with a gun.

FIELD: The army ranger turned aid worker had reached far from Syria and Turkey's border. Back home in Indianapolis, he had graduated from north-central high school and later took classes at Butler University. In a statement the school's president says if this morning's reports are confirmed, ISIS has accomplished nothing through this abhorrent act of violence. All it has done is taken away a good person who want to help the Syrian people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Peter really believed that an individual can make a difference in the world through their love and compassion and their intelligence and their willing to give back. That is the message I think peter would want me to convey. The world has lost a bright light and a compassionate heart. And as we mourn him, I would hope that we all can recognize that the violence must end.

FIELD: On campus students held a vigil during Kassig's captivity. In his hometown local Muslim groups have embraced his parents.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are no words that somebody could put -- with so much courage that is willing to risk his life, risk everything.

FIELD: Kassig took on the name Abdul Rahman. He had converted to Islam. In the letter he says he is in a dogmatically difficult situation but at peace with his belief. He tells his parents, "don't worry, dad. If I go down, I won't go thinking anything but what I know to be true. That you and mom love me more than the moon and the stars." (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Alexandra joins me right now.

So right now the family is asking for privacy while they await confirmation, but it also sounds like they're asking for something else. What is that?

FIELD: That's right, Fred. We've seen this family just holding on to hope over these last weeks, month, the course of a year making these public appeals for the release of their son, even taking to twitter, asking ISIS leaders to try to open up a line of communication. But right now, what we're hearing from Ed and Paula Kassig through a family spokesperson is that they want people to continue to pray every day at sunset for what they call the safe return of people who are being oppressed unjustly, as they call it, all over the world.

And beyond that, the spokesperson wanted to express on behalf of Ed and Paula just the gratitude that they had for the words of support and the prayers that they've received from people all over the world, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Very sad day.

All right, Alexandra Field, thanks so much.

Meantime, President Obama promised he wouldn't put boots on the ground to fight ISIS. But now, he says there's something that would make him change his mind.

Plus, the president says the clock is ticking for house Republicans to do something about immigration reform. But this fight could lead to another government shutdown. Is it worth it? Our political panel weighs in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Right now, President Obama is on his way back to Washington after wrapping up the G-20 summit in Australia. Before leaving, he spoke about putting ground forces in the fight against ISIS. Well, that's a move that he has promised wouldn't happen until now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are always circumstances in which the United States might need to deploy U.S. ground troops. If we discovered that ISIL had gotten possession much a nuclear weapon, and we had to run an operation to get it out of their hands. Then, yes, you can anticipate that not only would Chairman Dempsey recommend me sending U.S. ground troops to get that weapon out of their hands, but I would order it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: While on his trip, President Obama vowed to tackle immigration reform before the end of had year. He says if house Republicans refuse to act, he will take action with an executive order. But the GOP says they'll fight him tooth and nail.

Joining me right now are CNN political commentators Reihan Salam and Maria Cardona. Good to see both of you.

All right, so could this immigration showdown lead to yet another government shutdown, Maria?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think that is completely up to Republicans because they are being pushed into a corner. One of the first things that Mitch McConnell said when he spoke to the country after he became majority leader is that there will be no government shutdown, that there will be no fiscal cliffs anymore. But now, what we're seeing is that that's going to be tough for him to keep that promise as you're seeing the extreme conservative voices that are now coming into the Senate and then the house as well essentially putting on the line that they want to do everything they can to stop President Obama in his tracks on issues, frankly, that the country understands there needs to be a solution on and that up until now the GOP has refused to solve those.

So if they want to avoid what the president is about to do on executive action, they can do it tomorrow, Fred. John Boehner can call a vote in the House, bring up the bill that has already been passed in the Senate on immigration reform and do it legislatively. Everyone's first choice.

WHITFIELD: So Reihan, what is the problem? Because here, Republicans say they want something done on immigration. The Dems say they want something done on immigration. So, what is the hang-ups here?

REIHAN SALAM, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: There is a pretty big problem which is that he senate immigration bill that it passed, it leaves to a substantial net increase on immigration over the next 20 years according to the congressional budget office.

Now, the trouble is that almost 70 percent of American voters opposed a substantial increase. There are areas where there is a consensus among Americans. There is a large number of Americans that believe we should offer some kind of path to legal status for unauthorized immigrants currently living in the state.

But the bill does not just do that. It does a large number of other things as well that are actually very unpopular and very controversial. And so, the fact that Republicans are resisting passage of that particular legislation, actually makes a lot of sense, 68 percent of Americans is quite a lot. And the fact that they oppose that legislation on those grounds, on the grounds of increasing net migration, is actually a pretty big deal.

So I think that, you know, unless we get new legislation that addresses the discrete problem where there is more of a consensus but doesn't do these various other things, I don't think we're going to make progress, and we have co-equal branches. Democrats, you know, when Bush was in power also tried to use their

funding authority in order to discipline the executive, and I think it's entirely appropriate. It's the nature of our system.

WHITFIELD: All right, Reihan, Maria. I want to ask you to stand by for a moment because we have to go to the White House for the latest information that pertains to this purported beheading of an American.

Let's go to Erin McPike right there at the White House.

So there is an official statement, a response coming from the president now?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, that is right.

And the White House has confirmed that in fact it was Peter Kassig. They have authenticated the video. It was indeed him. We a long statement from the president given aboard Air Force One. It's a long statement, but I want to read it to you.

He says, today we offer our prayers and condolences to the parents and family of Abdul Rahman Kassig, also known to us as Peter. We cannot begin to understand their anguish at this painful time. Abdul Rahman was taken from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world associates with inhumanity like Jim Foley and Steve Sotloff before him. His life indeed stands in stark contrast to everything that ISIL represents.

While ISIL revels in the slaughtered innocents, including Muslims, and has been hell bent on death and destruction, Abdul Rahman was a humanitarian who work to save the lives of Syrian injured and dispossessed by the Syrian conflict.

While ISIL exploits the tragedy in Syria to advance their own selfish aims, Abdul Rahman was so moved by the anguish and suffering of Syrian civilian that is he traveled to Lebanon to work in a hospital treating refugees. Later, he established an aid group to provide assistance to Syrian refugees and displaced persons in Lebanon and Syria. These were the selfless acts of an individual who cared deeply about the plight of the Syrian people.

ISIL's actions represent no faith, least of all the Muslim faith which Abdul Rahman adopted as his own. Today, we grief together. Yet, we also recall that indomitable spirit and goodness and perseverance that burned so brightly in Abdul Rahman Kassig and which binds community together, ultimately is the light that will prevail over the darkness of ISIL.

So Fred, there is a long statement coming from the president. He is due to return back to the White House tonight around 8:30. Actually, a little bit earlier than he was supposed to be returning. A big week ahead, obviously, for this White House, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Erin McPike at the White House. Thank you so much for that. All right, up next, our political panel returns, and we'll look at

other big issues. The president will be facing when he does get home, like Iran, climate change, and the keystone pipeline.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Obama may have taken a beating in the midterm election, but he is forging ahead on policies that will impact his legacy.

Climate change. The U.S. signed a deal with China to curb emissions that require more renewable energy.

Net neutrality. Obama is backing tougher rules being floated by the FCC to increase equal access to the Internet.

The keystone pipeline. On Friday the House approved, it and the Senate votes Tuesday. The president promising a veto.

And Iran negotiators are quickly approaching a November 24th deadline to reach an agreement to freeze Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. GOP lawmakers are threatening to kill the deal.

All right, back with me now CNN political commentators Reihan Salam and Maria Cardona.

So, what does it say that the president is putting so much on his plate and trying to make some progress, Maria?

CARDONA: Well, I think it says something that he has frankly not made a secret of to the American people, and that is that he was voted into office twice by an American public that by and large supports what his policies have been all along. On climate change, on immigration, like we have talked about.

The public wants our leaders more than anything, Fredericka, to get things done. And so, this president having encountered a Republican Congress from the very beginning that has refused to work with him to get anything done is focused on trying to do right by the American people and using the tools at his disposal in order to do that. And that is exactly what he should be doing.

WHITFIELD: And one of those tools being executive order. And so Reihan, you know, is this the president saying I'm going to put my foot down? You know, forget the whole notion of compromise? It's not going to happen whether it's at the end of this year or before the next Congress is sworn in. And so, you know, he is just going to get things through?

SALAM: One of the complications here is that actually when the president was pushing climate change legislation in his first term, it wasn't, in fact, defeated by Republicans. It was defeated by Democrats. Reluctant Democrats who didn't want to go along with proposal that were very unpopular with their constituencies.

And I think you are right. I think the president is trying to assert himself. But the trouble is that he is actually endangering many marginal members of his own party. There were a lot of folks who would have won their elections last November, a lot of Democrats who would have won had the president been more accommodating, had he shifted the way that Bill Clinton shifted early in his presidency after encountering formidable resistance from the American public.

So I think that the question is, is he going to leave the Democratic party in much worse shape than when he found it. And I think that the answer is yes.

CARDONA: No. I don't agree with that. I think he is focus on trying to get things done. And you are right. Some Democrats were very nervous about the climate change issue was going. But the fact of the matter is the majority of the American people, science understands.

SALAM: Getting thing done is different from specific policies. Specific courses of action are not necessarily popular.

CARDONA: Getting things done means progress. Getting things done means progress. That's --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: All right, Reihan and Maria Cardona, thanks so much, Reihan Salam. Appreciate it. Thanks to both of you.

CARDONA: Thanks, Fredricka.

SALAM: Thank you.

All right. Next, if you are preparing to drive to your thanksgiving destination, guess what. Good news about hitting the roads this time around. Why you actually have more money in your pockets.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

WHITFIELD: President Barack Obama has now confirmed the death of American hostage Peter Kassig. In a statement the president said quote "today we offer our prayers and condolence to the parents and family of Abdul Rahman Kassig, also known to us as Peter. We cannot begin to understand their anguish at this team. Abdul Rahman was taken from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world rightly associates with inhumanity."

ISIS released a new video today reportedly showing Kassig's beheading. The former U.S. ranger turned medical was taken hostage more than a year ago.

CNN's Arwa Damon profiles him while we was helping wounded Syrians in Lebanon back in 2012.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first time we met Peter was during the summer of 2012. It was quite the sight. Peter, a former army ranger, pale, tattooed, and though at the time speaking only a handful of Arabic, tending to wounded Syrian with a compassion that transcended the language barrier.

PETER KASSIG, FORMER ARMY RANGER: We each get one life, and that's it. You get one shot at this. We don't get any do-overs, you know, and like for me it was time to put up or shut up. The way I saw it, I didn't have a choice. You know, like this is what I was put here to do. I guess I'm just a hopeless romantic, and I'm an idealistic and I believe in hopeless causes.

DAMON: For Peter doing something meant starting his own nonprofit. Just months after we met him, he was already delivering humanitarian aid and medical assistance to Syrians in refugee camps and inside the war-torn country. Profoundly touching all who lived and worked with him.

In the words of this Syrian activist, he would treat everyone, no one was exempt. He trained many on first-aid. He lived in the house with us. He was extremely kind. He was sad during our times of sorrow, and happy for our times of joy.

Dr. Enis recalls his last conversation with Peter saying I asked him if he was afraid he would be killed, and he said no. My life is not worth more than yours and that he considers himself to be like any other person who was part of the Syrian revolution.

Peter was kidnapped shortly afterwards in October 2013. At some point during his captivity he converted to Islam and took on the name Abdul Rahman. In this letter drafted his parents during that time he wrote, "if I do die, I figure that at least you and I can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that I went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need."

And that is how Peter will be remembered. For his humor, laughter, but mostly his drive and compassion and the way he inspired us all more than he could ever imagine.

KASSIG: There's this impression, this belief that there is no hope. You know? That's when it's more important than ever that we come in against all odds and try to do something.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And if you would like to help the Syrian refugees log on to CNN.com/impact.

All right, here are other top stories we're following for you.

Two bold terror attacks near the Baghdad international airport in Iraq. ISIS is claiming responsibility for one of them, a suicide car bombing. The terror group says the attack was meant for Americans leaving the airport and claimed several people were killed and wounded. Police have not released any information on the casualties.

Another explosion hit a U.S. convoy. It's as it was leaving the airport headed for the green zone. No one was killed or injured.

In the U.S., four workers are dead and one hospitalized after a chemical plant leaked in toxic. It happened after the DuPont plant in La Porte on Saturday. The leaked chemical is used to odorize natural gas for safety purposes. Neighbors reported smelling the chemical, but the company says it disbursed in the air and it doesn't pose a risk. The cause of the leak is under investigation.

The debris of the Malaysia airlines flight 17 is finally being removed from Ukraine today, Dutch officials are taking the wreckage back to The Netherlands as part of their investigation in to the cause of the cause.

New dramatic amateur video, meantime, obtained by a Russian tabloid purports to show the immediate aftermath of the crash. All right, 298 people on board were killed when it was shot down in July. Two-thirds of the victims were from The Netherland. It's been hard for international investigators to access the area because it is controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

And back in this country, gas prices are dropping to some of the lowest levels we've seen in years. That means more money in your pocket. So why are the prices falling now?

CNN money chief business correspondent Christine Romans explains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Gas prices are plunging and guess what? The forecast is they will stay low through next year. How low? The U.S. government forecast gas prices could stay below $3 a gallon all through 2015. Already, you got gas prices the lowest in four years. AAA tells us they expect the cheapest thanksgiving gas prices since 2009.

So what is happening here? The gas prices are lower because oil prices are lower. Oil prices falling below $75 a barrel for the first time since 2010. Why is that happening? The U.S. is producing whole lot of oil. Nine million barrels per day. The highest output since 1986. And the rest of the world is consuming a little bit less than usual. Saudi Arabia, actually giving some big discounts on its oil to keep its market share.

So what does that mean for you? Well, more money in your pocket. About $400 a year more by some estimates. Businesses are hoping that translates into more holiday spending, and it certainly means cheaper winter heating bills. The only loser here? Energy companies. Energy stocks getting hammered recently and prices are still falling.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And growing concern about the latest Ebola patient to arrive in America. Our senior medical correspondent weighs in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Extremely critical. That's the condition of the surgeon who has being treated for Ebola in Nebraska. Doctors say he may be in worse shape than previous Ebola patients treated in the U.S. Dr. Martin Salia is from Sierra Leone, but he is a legal permanent resident of the U.S. He arrived in Omaha from Sierra Leone yesterday. This video showing Salia being taken from the plane on a stretcher aided by workers wearing yellow protective suits there.

CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is on the phone with us right now.

So, since his situation is particularly urgent, what can and will doctors do to treat him?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): Fred, this is really in many ways sort of a two-phase treatment. You know, first they want to fight the virus. And so, they're going to do for him what they've done for other patients, I would assume. They're not telling us. But this is what you expect.

An experimental antiviral brings about severe has become the anti- viral of choice of late. And also, a blood transfusion, if he matches any of the potential donors, their donors being Ebola survivors. But then sadly, because it appears that he is so ill, they would also need to be looking at keeping his organs going. For example, if his kidneys are doing very poorly, they would be thinking about giving him dialysis.

And you know, thankfully, that is not something they have to think about with search for Craig Spencer who would just discharged from Bellevue. You know, if was caught so early, they didn't have to -- there wasn't as much worry about whether his kidneys were going to hold up. You know, what was going to happen to his other vital organs.

But unfortunately, it sounds like that his doctor, they're going to have to consider those issues.

WHITFIELD: And since this Nebraska medical center has already cared for two other Ebola patients, in the case of the Dr. Salia here, might it be the case that the Ebola virus is so much more accelerated in his body upon arrival to the states?

COHEN: Right. At the stage of which you catch this infection is really critical, and that was the issue with Thomas Eric Duncan. The only person to die in the United States of Ebola. It was just caught so late that will really wasn't enough that they could do for him. And that's the situation that appears to we have here, that it was caught very late.

Hopefully, it wasn't caught as late. Hopefully they will be able to handle this. The big difference is the hospital that treated Thomas Eric Duncan had no experience treating Ebola. This hospital, as you said, it's their third patient. That makes a big difference. Having an experienced staff and a trained staff is a huge difference, and there are all sorts of little things that go into the care of a patient where experience and training make a big difference. So we're all praying, we are all crossing our finger that they will be able to save the Dr. Salia.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, Elizabeth Cohen. Appreciate that.

We know his wife lives in Maryland. And last we checked she was making her way to Nebraska as well.

All right, thanks so much. Keep us posted.

All right, what you didn't see when Bill Cosby remained silent during a question about rape allegations. We hear from the radio journalist who talked to the comedian next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bill Cosby is scheduled take the stage tonight in Erie, Pennsylvania as part of his nationwide comedy tour. This as rape allegations swirl around him. His attorney releases a statement about the accusations saying this.

Quote "over the last several weeks decades-old discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have resurfaced. The fact that they are being repeated does not make them true. Mr. Cosby does not intend to dig nigh these allegations with any comment," end quote

The statement comes after Cosby refused to address accusations during a national public radio interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT SIMON, RADIO HOST: This question gives no pleasure, Mr. Cosby. But there have been serious allegations raised about you in recent days. You're shaking your head no. All right. I'm in the news business. I have to ask the question. Do you have any response to those charges? Shaking your head no. There are people who love you who might like to hear from you about this. I want to give you the chance. All right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So many people want to know why the comedian was silent. Was Cosby under a gag order? That's what NPR interviewer Scott Simon was asked this morning when he appeared on c CNN's "NEW DAY."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: No. We got none that. And, of course, it has to be noted that the woman, Barbara Bowman, who has been on CNN a lot more than I have, probably a lot more than you have, Joe and Christie, in the past few days, that there's certainly not that kind of agreement where she's concerned, no.

Nobody said anything. I think these people said to some of our producers, you know, he is represented by a very famous PR man in Beverly Hills who has done a lot of good for him and other clients over the years. I believe they said things like, you know, you guys are so classy you don't dip into the muck and the mud like other people do. And I think that is true.

But, no. Nobody indicated that what happened would happen. I thought there was a good chance the interview would be canceled. Obviously, it wasn't. And I think we can probably fairly safely say that they had a strategy in place for when the question was asked, which maybe they thought we couldn't use silence on the radio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And coming up, cars slipping and sliding as mother nature blankets half of the country with freezing temps in some places, snow even. But things aren't warming up just yet. A look at your forecast next.

But, first, how we pay for goods and services has changed dramatically in the past ten years. As we usher in the era of mobile payments and the virtual wallet, that's the topic this week in our special series "tomorrow transformed" with Richard Quest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From paper to plastic. Technology is revolutionized the way we paid. The credit card's magnetic strip change the point of sale with one swipe. Today, we are waving our purchases through the era of contactors' payments with the help of an in-built chip and antenna.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Contact list was founded on the principle of advancing convenience but also achieving a high level of security.

QUEST: This advance in technology has paved the way for mobile payments. Consumers can now rely on virtual wallets to negotiate their daily life. Without using cash or a card. It may be something you wear on your wrist.

Barkley card recently launched the b pay band. It uses technology that can be built into other products, such as a key fob.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The consumers want the things that they carry and the things that they wear every day to do more for them, including payments.

QUEST: While new technology makes payments speedier, providers must convince shoppers that these transactions are safe. Apple pay uses a sensor to validate purchases. In the end added security features will be crucial to winning over customers with different needs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: OK. Technically it's not even winter yet, but cold air hitting much of the U.S. is causing some pretty hazardous conditions just like that. Crews are working to clear wrecks in Oklahoma after slick roads led to accidents there. So is the weather going to warm up anytime soon?

Let's turn to CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray.

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Fred, that very cold air is going to continue as we go through the upcoming week. Some areas have below freezing for a week solid. And we could see temperatures stay below freezing for another week. Some cities, yes, on about a two-week spread of temperatures below freezing.

So we expect today, snow from Chicago all the way down to the Texas panhandle, possibly, and that's going to push to the east and you notice a lot of rain into south and southeast will continue to push into the northeast tomorrow and then lake effect snow will continue all the way through Tuesday.

We've gotten quite a bit of snow across the great lakes area. Like there is some folks already reaching what they normally should see in November. A long way to go here. Do, a long was to go ere. All these winter weather advisories, anywhere from Cleveland all the way down to Albuquerque. We are also seeing another cluster through Minneapolis, the Dakotas included as well.

So temperatures dipping quickly once the sun goes down. And look at these impressive snowfall, total buffalo totals. We go through Sunday, through Tuesday, also 8-10 across portion it is of Michigan, the upper peninsula could see 4-8 inches. Also lacking at rain in the southeast, not big-time rain but 1-2 inches across the south. 2-4 outside New Orleans. And also look for the very slight possibility of a severe storm down there. We'll be looking for that as well.

Here are your high temperatures over the next couple of days. It's brutal, folks, 18 degrees in Minneapolis today. Barely getting out of the teens on Wednesday. Rapid city will stay in the teens and 20s, 38 degrees, though, that's your warm day as we go through the middle part of the week. Atlanta even seeing a high temperature of 36 degrees on Tuesday -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Bundle up this week.

All right, today's NASCAR race in Homestead, Florida, will decide who wins this year's championship. Four drivers are competing for the top spot and whoever has the best finish today are will get the title. Those on the running are Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman. None of them as ever won the championship before. And each of those drivers will be relying on a teammate with a view from above to tell them where the competition is on the track and to help that person avoid potential crashes. So those teammates are called spotters. This is what they do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One car works in the middle, one on the top.

REED SORENSON: The trust factor between a driver and a spotter is a very important thing to have.

DOUG CAMPBELL: A spotter is someone who is the eyes and ears of the driver.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Green, green, green.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our biggest key is to keep the driver safe. We look ahead for wrecks that the driver can't see and we can also tell them what's going on behind him and around him so he can focus on getting the best lap time out of the car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see a little bit. Mostly out of the front. You got your rearview mirror for the straight back. But as far as on each sides of you, it's hard to see a whole lot. You really depend on that guy telling you what's going on the right side of your are car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back to the 43, has the 48 and the 41, to the bottom. The top third.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clear, all clear. You have three up top. Inside tight with the 40. Outside 1.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clear by five. Double wide.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think every driver looks for a spotter that can be consistent and have somebody that can calm you down when you need to be calmed down and pump you up when you need to be pumped up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clear, clear, clear. We'll get it back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Fascinating to see. It takes a team, 400 miles to the title. May the best driver and the spotter win.

All right, developing news, President Obama now confirming the death of American hostage Peter Kassig. Brand new he details on the brutal slaying straight ahead.

And a frightening new admission about America's military might. The top marine says more than half his troops are not ready. And wait until you hear why.

Plus, Dr. Craig Spencer is back home after recovering from Ebola. But wait until you hear why one lawmaker is demanding $20 million in payback.

Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitefield.

We start this hour with confirmation of the death of hostage Peter Kassig at the hands of ISIS extremists. Kassig apparently beheaded by the terrorist group.

Erin McPike joining as now from the White House.

So Erin, tell us more about what the president 's remarks were all about. ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka,

the president did confirm that Peter Kassig is the one in the end of this brutal 15-minute ISIS video, has confirmed that he was, indeed, beheaded. And in a new statement that's President Obama offered on Air Force one today, he offers his condolences to the Kassig family.