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New Day

Mario Cuomo Dies at 82; New Film Remembering Roger Ebert; Dr. Jim Withers Helps Homeless in Pittsburg

Aired January 02, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning we're remembering former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. He passed away last night at the age of 82, just hours after his son, Andrew, was sworn in for a second term in the job that Mario served in for 12 years. Governor Cuomo was one of the great orators. He was a beacon for liberalism. He was also the father of our friend, NEW DAY anchor Chris Cuomo.

Joining us now to talk about the former governor is former governor of New York, David Paterson. He served directly before the current governor, Mario's son Andrew.

Good morning, governor. Thanks so much for being with us.

DAVID PATERSON, FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: Good morning. Happy New Year, but it sure hasn't gotten off to a very good start.

BERMAN: No. You know, thank you for being with us. As you look back on not just the career, but the life, the legacy of Governor Cuomo, what are your thoughts?

PATERSON: Well my thoughts are that Mario Cuomo graduated at the top of his class in the '50s of St. John's Law School, then went on to become a governor. But in the interim, he was denied the opportunity to work for some of the top law firms and he felt it was because of his Italian descent. So what he did, as so many people have done, is make sure that the path for others was clearer than it was for him.

BERMAN: Fascinating. I want to play -- because you brought up his past, his roots, where he came from. I want to play you a little bit from his keynote address in the 1984 Democratic National Convention, because he talks about his parents who came to the United States with nothing and the lessons that he learned from them. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIO CUOMO, FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR: That struggle to live with dignity is the real story of the shining city. And it's a story, ladies and gentleman, that I didn't read in a book or learn in a classroom. I saw it and lived it like many of you. I watched a small man with thick callouses on both his hands work 15 and 16 hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet. A man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example. I learned about our kind of democracy from my father and I learned about our obligation to each other him and my mother. They asked only for a chance to work and to make the world better for their children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Governor, those were Mario Cuomo's politics, but they were also - that was his life.

PATERSON: Well, in that same speech he points out that, at the time, in 1984, there were more people living without food or shelter than at any time since the Great Depression. Tens of millions of people thrown out of work and as he described it, a people rather than living more at peace with ourselves are actually more divided than ever and he described it as region against region, class against class, the have nots -- the haves against the have nots, and the have lesses. This man was dynamic, articulate, courageous. He could have been the president of the United States, he was that great.

BERMAN: You occupied the office that he held for 12 years. What was it like to sit there in that chair? How did his service to the state of New York inspire you?

PATERSON: Well, for me it was very humbling. Governor Cuomo had gone through a great recession in 1991 and had to cut a lot of programs. And I was among those voices criticizing him because we all had a pretty progressive agenda and we couldn't spend any money because he wanted to cut the budget. Seventeen years later, I'm sitting in the same chair saying the same thing he did and getting kicked around the same way he did by the same colleagues. So it was a humbling experience for me.

But it -- in talking to him during that particular time, he advised me that you have to do what you think will be right 10 to 15 years later. Y our colleagues aren't going to think about it. What advice that was.

BERMAN: If we only would all live by it. If all politicians could live by it.

You know, he came up in the rough and tumble politics of New York state, not unlike you. You know, he saw what fights can be like. He ran for mayor and he lost. He had internal fights all the way, but he seemed to do it in a way with a smile. What lessons do you think he got from New York and the politics here?

PATERSON: As much as he lost his temper, and, believe me, that was often, and as passionate as he was, and I think -- can you hear me?

BERMAN: Yes.

PATERSON: As passionate as he was talking about the issues, there was a grace and a warmth about him. When you were with him, you felt comfortable and relaxed. And in a lot of ways, I felt protected sitting and talking to him because he exhibited such a dynamic quality, which he's passed along to his sons, Andrew Cuomo, who would have to be considered down the road as a presidential candidate because he's the only one that seems to be able to work across party lines in this country, and, of course, CNN's own Chris Cuomo, who's a tremendous anchor.

BERMAN: Though you -- when you hear about Mario Cuomo from people like you, from Chris, from others, it's that fierce intellect that people like to talk about, the thirst for knowledge, and also the respect for knowledge. "The New York Times" obit today, Adam Nagourney wrote a great piece where he said that "Mario Cuomo could have Socratic arguments with himself."

PATERSON: Yes, he actually could because his whole idea about trying to persuade people was trying to understand where they were coming from in the first place. So he wanted to see sometimes if he could actually debate the opposite point of view to try to reach an understanding of how he could reach those people. And a little earlier somebody said something about turning away from Mario Cuomo in 1992 to support President Clinton, who was a centrist. Well, President Clinton is a dynamic political figure, but I think what we're missing here is Barack Obama ran for president in 2008, basically on the same agenda that Mario Cuomo was prophesizing in his speech at the Democratic Convention in San Francisco in 1984, which you just played. Sometimes it's not actually the point of view, it's the passion of the candidate. So that's why a Mario Cuomo or a Barack Obama could have won, even with a progressive agenda. That's how Ronald Reagan could win with a very conservative agenda. Sometimes it really comes from the spirit of the individual who's the candidate, and very few people that can actually have that impact on a society.

BERMAN: So interesting, you think the Democratic Party, in a way, has circled back to some of the politics of Mario Cuomo.

PATERSON: No, what I'm saying is that the Democratic Party, like the Republican Party, has different viewpoints that perhaps the consultants tried to lay out, each presidential race, but in that quadrennial referendum, what seems to be more important to the people is the image and the spirit and the courage of the individual who's running.

BERMAN: Well, spirit was something that Mario Cuomo had in abundance.

Former Governor David Paterson, great to have you here with us on NEW DAY. Thanks so much for joining us.

PATERSON: Thank you very much, John.

Michaela.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead, we're going to remember somebody else who had a tremendous influence on our world, our culture, Roger Ebert. You can see for yourself, a new film, CNN film, it's called "Life Itself." It's set to air Sunday night. Ebert's granddaughter is going to join us live.

We'll talk more about the legacy also of our former New York governor, Mario Cuomo. We'll be right back.

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PEREIRA: Good to have you back with us her on NEW DAY. We'll have more on the death of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo in just a few minutes, a man known as a tremendous order. But this Sunday night, CNN remembers another legend. A man who was known for being a tremendous writer. He had a real gift. We remember the great Roger Ebert in a new CNN film "Life Itself." Ebert's opinion helped make or break films for decades. He did much of it with his long-time partner Gene Siskel, despite a personality conflict that proved very difficult to overcome.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think in the beginning it was very difficult. Gene sat in the back row. Roger had his favorite seat. They left without saying a word to one another.

ROGER EBERT: We both thought of ourselves as full service, one-stop film critics. We didn't see why the other one was necessary. Alone, together, in an elevator, we would study the numbers, changing above the door.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Oh, that voice.

Joining us now, Raven Evans, Roger Ebert's granddaughter, who also inherited a great interest in the film.

Good to have you here this morning, Raven.

RAVEN EVANS, ROGER EBERT'S GRANDDAUGHTER: Thank you so much for having me.

PEREIRA: You miss your grandpa, don't you?

EVANS: Of course. Of course. I mean you saw the clip, it's just - it -- great voice, amazing career.

PEREIRA: The voice just brings it all back, doesn't it?

EVANS: It really does.

PEREIRA: You've taken a really interest in the film. I think any time we have something left of a person we love, we take interest in it. But is it a little different because it was your grandfather, somebody we all knew and loved so well?

EVANS: Oh, absolutely. I mean it's -- so much of the film, you know, you see my family and, you know, clips of us and my grandfather and I and my brothers and all of that. So it really is just a special, special film. And you see it -- they talk a lot about his career, but also family -- the family man aspect.

PEREIRA: Well, and he was such a family man. I know, having known Roger, he spoke with great, great affection about how important his family was to him. I'm really curious if the influence of having a grandfather like Roger Ebert in your life, did it change the way you went to movies and what you felt in movies and how you experienced the movie going vibe?

EVANS: Absolutely. Absolutely. But he always would say, you know, we would come out of a movie and people would ask, you know, you always ask, how did you like the movie? And he would say, Raven, say whatever you want. If you liked it, you liked it. If you did, you didn't. you know, no matter what movie it was, it was -- it didn't have to - I never had to agree with his opinion or anything like that.

PEREIRA: Did you have similar taste in films?

EVANS: I think so. I mean he obviously was a heavy influence on me, you know, showing me so many different films.

PEREIRA: What part of the documentary do you think is going to stand out and surprise people the most? We don't want to give it away because we want you to watch it when it airs, but do you think they're going to see a side of your grandfather that they might not known -- had known existed?

EVANS: I mean, I think there are so many moments just to laugh and that are humorous in the film, and maybe a lot of people don't know that my grandfather was hilarious.

PEREIRA: Very funny man.

EVANS: I mean, so, so funny, so witty, so sharp and you see a lot of that in the film, which, I don't know. It sort of comes through in his writing, but it is really highlighted in the movie.

PEREIRA: One of the harder things for you, I know, and it was hard to watch for anybody that knew Roger was how his body was ravaged by sickness.

EVANS: Sure.

PEREIRA: And it was a process, and I know that must have been a very hard thing to live through as a family. But you had each other and he had his humor. Was it harder to go through that, Raven, because he was this public figure? And when you ultimately lost him, I can't imagine having to sort of share that grief with the public, who are grieving in their own way.

EVANS: Yes, yes, I mean, it was very comforting actually. I mean, for people to be reaching out and saying how much he influenced their lives as well and, you know, what they meant to him. People I didn't know all ages, you know, people who were my age, older people, just reaching out and saying, you know, how much they just had a personal connection with him, and miss him, and how much he meant to them. So it felt very comforting to know that, you know, it wasn't just me and my family grieving about this or watching this happen. It was, you know, there were a lot of us and we were all just feeling, you know, obviously rooting for him and trying to stay positive.

PEREIRA: One thing some people might not know is that your grandfather was a tremendously generous broadcaster. I was fortunate enough, I wouldn't be seated in this seat today if it wasn't for him. He helped give me a break in the TV business. Tremendously generous, and I feel greatly impacted and grateful for that fact that he reached back and gave me a shot. What is it that you are most grateful for, having experienced the life of Roger Ebert directly in your own life?

EVANS: Yes, I mean, there are so many things, and when it's someone who is so close to you and such a big part of your life, you know, he's impacted so much. But for me, it was probably really we just shared like a strong love for the arts, and so he introduced me to so, so many, you know, plays, and movies, and film, and music and all that. And so that was sort of what we - -

PEREIRA: He was a voracious consumer of things, wasn't he?

EVANS: Oh, absolutely.

PEREIRA: Pop culture, and music, and film.

EVANS: 100 percent. So that was something we sort of shared, but I was also, you know, inspired by his consumption of that, so probably that would be the one thing.

PEREIRA: Raven Evans, thank you so much for coming in to share your recollections of your tremendous grandfather. We want to point you to the film, CNN will air it this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. It's called "Life Itself." My friend, your grandfather, a great man, Roger Ebert. Thanks so much, Raven. Christine?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Michaela. Time for today's "Impact Your World." Dr. Jim Withers spends his days and his nights on the streets of Pittsburgh trying to make a difference for the homeless. Our Chris Cuomo brings you his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): For more than 20 years, Dr. Jim Withers has spent his days like this.

DR. JIM WITHERS, HELPS THE HOMELESS: Are you guys going to stay here or use the shelter?

CUOMO: Operation Safety Net is looking for patients.

WITHERS: Do you want a bottle of water?

We've seen people out here with all kinds of things that should never be on the street, catheters and tubes coming out of them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, yo, Safety Net.

CUOMO: Working in these conditions is rarely easy, but Dr. Jim Withers says turning his back on the homeless in Pittsburgh was never an option.

WITHERS: There were some times when I was kind of scared. I had a guy point a shotgun at me and I had a guy threaten to cut my throat. But once you get to know people and they become real to you, it's hard to forget them.

I dropped you off some firewood.

CUOMO: On days like this when temperatures are below freezing, the stakes are especially high.

WITHERS: When it gets below 15, somewhere in that range, everybody's at risk, so we do extra patrols. Sometimes you sense when a person's giving up and I found that that is a pretty strong predictor about who might not make it.

CUOMO: Withers says the payoff has been worth it. That's why he founded the Street Medicine Institute to bring his vision to cities across the world.

WITHERS: I think there's just a sense that if we weren't doing this, there would be no one there for them and it gives incredible amount of meaning to everyday work. I wouldn't give it up for anything.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: It was nice to hear Chris' voice this morning. Obviously he is in our thoughts after the death of his father last night, the loss of Mario Cuomo being felt by millions of people all around the country, especially by the lucky few who knew him well.

We're going to talk about the loss for Chris, for the entire CNN family, up next.

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PEREIRA: Our hearts are heavy today because our colleague, our colleague Chris Cuomo lost his father yesterday, and our hearts are certainly heavy knowing that the state, the country, has lost a great American. But we were sitting here, sort of recalling an enjoying some of these pictures that we've shown you now of the Cuomo family in some of the moments together and seeing the three men of the family together. It's a big, wonderful Italian family, and we were talking about some of our own recollections of hearing Chris talk about his dad. And it was always love, it was always love when he talked about his pop.

ROMANS: It's interesting, a great man, I mean, what a great man to be brought up by a great man, but Chris talks about him like he's just pop.

BERMAN: One kid who loved his father a whole lot and one of the great joys about working with Chris for so many years is getting to hear the stories. And, you know what, he loves to tell them because he was so proud, so proud of his father, everything he accomplished, and also just how, you know, he was always there for Chris.

PEREIRA: And he sounds just like his pop. We send our thoughts and prayers to all of the members of that giant and wonderful Cuomo family.

Thanks so much for joining us. "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello will begin right after a break.

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