Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Benjamin Netanyahu Set To Make Speech at AIPAC; Iraqi Forces Prepare For Assault on Tikrit; Companies Prepare To Recover MH370 If Found; Thousands Rally To Honor Boris Nemtsov

Aired March 02, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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

MANISHA TANK, HOST: Hi, I'm Manisha Tank in Hong Kong. Welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

Russia authorities search for the killer of a prominent Kremlin critic. Thousands marched to honor the life of Boris Nemtsov.

Samsung pin their hopes on the Galaxy S6, but can their latest flagship handset stop their smartphone slide?

And inside the House of Cards. We hear from the hit show's creator.

The hunt is on for Boris Nemtsov's killer. Russian authorities say they're investigating the prominent opposition activist's murder. A new

theory has come to light about it.

They're offering roughly $50,000 to anyone with information helping identify the shooter.

On Sunday, thousands of people joined a rally in Moscow in Nemtsov's honor.

The outspoken critic of the Russian President Vladimir Putin was gunned down near the Kremlin on Friday night.

Well, let's get a bit more on the investigation. Senior international correspondent Matthew Chance joins us live from Moscow.

I know you were at that rally over the weekend, but first tell us how far this investigation will reach?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to the Russian authorities, as far as it needs to reach.

I mean President Putin, the Russian leader, has given his personal guarantee to the mother of Boris Nemtsov that he will get to the bottom of

this, that those responsible for this killing here on this bridge just outside the Kremlin will be brought to justice.

But I have to say, Manisha, that I think many Russians will be skeptical of those assurances because Russia does not have a very good

record of getting to the bottom of these kinds of political assassinations, prominent Kremlin critic Ana Politkovskaya, a journalist who was

assassinated back in 2006 in her apartment building here in Moscow, the person or persons that ordered that killing was never brought to justice.

The killers of Alexander Litvinenko, you'll remember, in London poisoned by radioactive polonium 210, they were never brought to justice

either.

And so I think it's fair to say despite the Kremlin assurances, even the personal ones from the president, there's a high degree of skepticism

that this may remain unresolved as well.

TANK: Matthew, of course, this story has got the attention of organizations around the world, of people around the world. But at home in

Russia it is still the case that Vladimir Putin is very popular. Are we seeing that change? Are you seeing more evidence of that perhaps not being

the case just bringing into the discussion, of course, the fact that you were at that rally over the weekend and you spoke to a lot of people about

this issue.

CHANCE: Yeah. it was a huge rally. I mean, tens of thousands of people -- difficult to put an exact figure on it. The Russian authorities

say 21,000, the organizers say more than 50,000, the reality was probably somewhere in between; but still, the biggest rally in the center of the

Russian capital for years, and so that was an enormous show of support, a show of shock as a result of this killing here in this very prominent

position again just a short distance from the Kremlin.

It's a really important question that you ask about whether this will mark a change in people's attitudes towards the opposition. I mean, Boris

Nemtsov, for all his popularity as a person and the fact that people knew who he was? He was a deputy prime minister in the past, he was a fringe

political figure in this country. Vladimir Putin's popularity, according to the most recent opinion polls that we've seen, is still at 86 percent.

So sky high.

The question is will that now start to change or will people look at this and see it in a different way, look at this and say, look, this is

what happens if you are opposed to the Kremlin, if you are opposed to Vladimir Putin you could end up just like Boris Nemtsov has, and so it

could actually have a negative impact on the fledgling, the small opposition movement in this country.

TANK: Of course all of this played out, didn't it, this murder right in the shadow of the Kremlin, right in that area that has very, very tight

security. What does that say for the state of affairs right now?

CHANCE: Well, I think it -- you know, clearly is sends a very potent message that a killing of a prominent political activist such as Boris

Nemtsov could take place what, within just a stone's throw of the walls of the Kremlin. I mean, look where we are, this is St. Basil's Cathedral

right here. This is Red Square just beyond it.

And this here, these red walls are the walls of the Kremlin, the office of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia just a short distance

away. And so it's really astonishing that this area here with such tight security I can see closed circuit television cameras all around this area

here actually pointing in this direction as well.

The idea that a killing of this magnitude would take place almost literally under the nose of the Russian President is quite astonishing.

And again, it adds to that potent message that this killing sends. Whoever killed him, whoever pulled the trigger, whoever carried out -- ordered the

killing it sends that message that, you know, if you're an opponent of the Kremlin you're an enemy of the state and this is how you could end up.

TANK: Yeah, of course, we're all going to be watching that investigation with a lot of interest. Matthew, thanks very much for all of

that. Matthew Chance there live for us in Moscow.

Now, Bangladeshi authorities have arrested a suspect in the murder of the prominent blogger who was brutally killed on the streets of the capital

just last week. The American author Abhijit Roy and his wife were returning from a book fair in Dhaka when they were attacked by men with

armed -- armed with machetes and knives.

Roy was killed and his wife was injured. Authorities say the suspect in custody, Farabi Shafiur Rahman had made threats against Roy over his

writings, which were critical of religious extremism.

Now to talks over Iran's nuclear program that have created controversy on both sides of the Atlantic. Israel's prime minister appears -- prepares

to warn the U.S. congress against the deal with Iran while discussion on Tehran's nuclear program are set to begin in Switzerland.

And that's where just a short time ago the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up an address to the UN Human Rights Council.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The HRC's obsession with Israel actually risks undermining the credibility of the entire organization. It

has the potential to limit the good that we have to do. No one should doubt for a second that the United States will measure these things I hope

fairly and dispassionately, but we will oppose any effort by any group or participant in the UN system to arbitrarily and regularly delegitimatize or

isolate Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TANK: Well, while Kerry had strong words of support there for Israel, there is tension over the Iran nuclear talks. The Israeli prime minister

is in the U.S. making the case against the deal that's taking shape. Mr. Netanyahu will address congress on Tuesday, but the U.S. President won't be

meeting with him while he's in the United States.

The Israeli prime minister was invited by the House speaker, a Republican and not the Oval Office.

Well, Benjamin Netanyahu says a bad deal could threaten Israel's very existence. But let's get the latest on that visit to the U.S. and bring in

our senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta. He's live from Washington.

And Jim, many journalists all over the world, many commentators all over the world, are asking is this a really bad moment for U.S.-Israeli

relations?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Manisha, the White House is offering an icy welcome to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The prime minister is in Washington, as you said, to warn the world that the negotiations over Iran's nuclear program will backfire. Netanyahu

speaks to the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC later today here in Washington. He'll address congress tomorrow.

But the White House is not remaining silent this week. Top officials: National Security Adviser Susan Rice and UN Ambassador Samantha Power, they

will also address the AIPAC conference here in Washington.

President Obama, he will weigh in as well sitting down for an interview with the Reuters news service later today.

And you'll recall it was Rice who said last week that Netanyahu's speech, which was arranged by the House Speaker John Boehner without the

knowledge of the White House was, quote, destructive.

Boehner was on one of the Sunday talk shows here in Washington over the weekend saying it's the White House that's making matters worse and

that he's actually getting a lot of interest in this speech. He can't sell any more tickets, because they're all gone essentially.

Now White House officials insist they do want to emphasize that the strengths of the U.S.-Israeli relationship this week, but there are hard

feelings, no question about it, about this visit. One senior administration official complained that the prime minister is turning this

week into something of a circus is how this official described it to me, putting himself at the center of attention. The president, as you said,

Manisha, will not be sitting down with Netanyahu, the White House says, because Israeli elections are around the corner.

But this official told me don't even expect a phone call between these two leaders, Manisha.

TANK: So, do you think, Jim, there's quite a lot at stake here certainly when it comes to making sure that this plays out well and that

this goes smoothly. Of course, the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has to go back to a scenario where there is an election to fight as well.

ACOSTA: That's right. He has an election to fight. And the White House has these negotiations to finalize and deal with.

Secretary of State John Kerry is overseas, as you mentioned, working on this deal as we speak. And what I hear from White House officials is

that they don't need a speech, or two speeches from Benjamin Netanyahu to know where the Israeli prime minister stands. They know exactly where he

stands.

President Obama likes to say that he meets -- that he's met with Netanyahu more with any other leader. And so while they don't speak to

each other every day, they do speak to each other a lot and they know where each other stands.

But the question I think ultimately after this week is over with, which I think will be something of a circus, is where this relationship

stands going forward? Will the U.S. and the Israelis really be sort of at loggerheads almost the way Republicans and Democrats are here in

Washington, or will there be some sort of falling of these very cool and icy feelings between these two countries right now.

It is sort of -- it is not unprecedented. There have been bad relations between the U.S. and Israel in the past, but this is -- this is

as low as its been for some time.

TANK: OK, a very deep and important relationship. Let's see how things pan out.

Jim Acosta live at the White House, thank you so much for that.

A reminder that you're watching News Stream. Still ahead on this show, new products are being unveiled at the Mobile World Congress.

Critics say Samsung's new smartphones look good, but will sleek design be enough to boost sales?

And we'll look at the cutting edge technology that could raise missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 if it's finally found.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TANK: Hello again. You're watching News Stream. And you're looking at a visual version of all the stories that we've got in the show today.

We've already told you about the Israeli prime minister's controversial trip to the United States. And later, we'll hear from the

creator of the hit Netflix show House of Cards.

But first, this is Samsung's answer to criticism of their smartphone designs. On Sunday, it unveiled its brand new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

handsets. And they are covered entirely in glass and metal. Bone is the plastic shell that Samsung had long been criticized for. And there will

soon be another distinctive feature: Samsung pay.

Unlike and Apple and Google, Samsung's mobile payment system is compatible with magnetic stripe readers, that's the same technology used in

traditional credit card machines, the ones that are found in regular stores and restaurants.

But Samsung has a lot to prove with its new handsets. The once formidable mobile giant has been losing its grip on the smartphone market.

And if you just cast your minds back, you will remember that back in the holiday season of 2013, Samsung still held a decisive lead over Apple and

some of the others. But just a year later, Samsung slipped and then Apple caught up.

Well, Samsung actually shipped fewer smartphones that quarter, the only one of the top five smartphone makers to ship fewer handsets.

Now that led to a series of disappointing earnings results, of course. In its most recent quarter, Samsung's net profit fell almost one-third from

the same period the previous year.

So, can the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge lift Samsung from this rut that it's finding itself in?

For that, I'm joined now by David Pierce, he's a senior writer at Wired.

And you know what, David, something everyone seems to be getting excited about is the Aluminum frame, the glass, why is this so significant?

And will it actually pull Samsung back up to change those materials?

DAVID PIERCE, WIRED: Well, I think it's significant because Samsung has not only never really made phones that are particularly well designed,

but it's never seemed to care. Samsung always seemed to think that its processors and its cameras and its features were more important and all

that was true, those things were great, but without a really beautiful, well designed phone that I just enjoy using -- Samsung has always run into

trouble.

And with this, there are still those specs. There is still a great camera, there is a great processor. But this is the first phone that

Samsung has ever made that just feels great and in very small, but very important ways that really changes how people are going to see Samsung, I

think.

The problem for Samsung is that the other phone about which all of those things are true is the iPhone. And a lot of people are very happy

with the iPhone 6. And the iPhone 6 is really well designed and does a lot of things really well.

I think this is the best Android phone, or so it seems, by a pretty wide margin, but I don't know what it gives people to turn away from the

iPhone and go back to Android.

TANK: OK. Let's talk about the fact that they're launching the S6 and also the S6 Edge. Now at the end of the day if the S6 Edge is something

that is slightly different, it has, you know, a slightly different target group, what's the -- you know, if you're a developer and you're thinking

about, OK, what app do I want to make next, you might be thinking to yourself I can't guarantee or there are no guarantees that the S6 Edge is

going to get, you know, an ample number of sales so is it even worth developing apps for. So what is your view on that?

PIERCE: Well, so I think the Edge is intentionally sort of a niche device. It's going to be much more expensive. It's going to be much less

developed for, like you said. But I think the nice thing they did this time was build it so that it doesn't actually have to be developed for.

The last model, the Galaxy Note Edge, it was actually a separate screen on the side. And now it's just one screen that wraps around. So

even if nobody develops for it, people who buy this phone just have a slightly cooler looking phone. And I think that's essentially what most

people are going to get. There are a couple of extra features, but for the most part this phone is designed for somebody who really wants something

different and strange and cutting edge and otherwise might spend, I don't know, $7,000 on a Vertu phone, but now can spend just a little extra and

get the S6 Edge.

I think it's beautiful, personally. I really like it.

TANK: OK. Lovely to see beauty in a smartphone.

And I'm sure lots of people out there will, but it goes back to that earlier question, doesn't it, about would you actually ditch your iPhone if

you were an iPhone user and buy that S6.

Just putting Apple to one side for a second, let's talk about Microsoft, because if you're going to buy one of these phones the Samsung

S6, you're going to want to like Microsoft. Talk to me about that.

PIERCE: Well, OK, so Samsung and Microsoft -- so Samsung has always been in trouble for adding a lot of extra software to its phones. And in

this case Samsung has added a lot of Microsoft software to its phones. And in -- a long time ago, that used to be a really bad thing, but now I

actually think it's much less of a problem than it used to have been.

Microsoft makes a great email app in Outlook, a great Word app now, a great Excel app. And I think Samsung, as every Android manufacturer wants

to, wants to be about productivity. They want to say that the iPhone is not for getting things done, that the Android ecosystem is much better for

productivity. And in a lot of ways that's true.

And actually with Microsoft's help, that's even more true for Samsung.

So you do kind of have to buy into Microsoft, but it's really not a hard thing to do anymore.

TANK: OK, just finally, I want to talk of course about this idea of Samsung Pay. This is the new thing. This is really where technology meets

retail in a way that's revolutionizing the way we buy products.

Now in the terms of Samsung Pay, the big deal with this phone is that it can be -- it can be swiped, effectively, like traditional credit cards,

but that kind of thing is being phased out. Maybe this would have been the best thing ever about three years ago, perhaps, but is it really so great

today?

PIERCE: Well, so the thing that Samsung did here that I think is smart is say essentially it's going to work now and it's going to work

later. They kind of got up on stage yesterday in Barcelona and said NFC isn't great, NFC isn't available at all retailers now, but then, oh yeah,

we also support NFC and whenever we go to that we'll support that, too.

So they have this magnetic stripe technology which will let them -- whenever this comes out on these phones, and it's coming out later this

year, it's going to work basically everywhere. They bought a company called Loop Pay that was a little bit clunky. It required this huge case

for your phone. But it did work. And it worked everywhere.

And so if they've built that into these phones it's going to work immediately. And then eventually a couple of years from now you're going

to have sort of outdated a little bit vestigial technology once we've switched over to NFC. But by then it'll be a new phone anyway.

So I think this is a really smart sort of stopgap for them to be able to say it's going to work now and then when we move to this other thing,

we're ready for that too.

So I think it's clever. I just can't wait to actually see how they've built it into the phone.

TANK: Yeah, well there's certainly a lot of excitement about it. I'm going to look forward to checking it out myself.

But we can talk about this forever, but unfortunately we have to wrap it up. David Pierce, senior writer at Wired. Thank you very much for

that.

PIERCE: Thank you.

TANK: Now staying with smartphones, the days of people carrying two phones -- a BlackBerry for work, and another handset for personal use may

soon be over. BlackBerry says it's combining some of its security tools with Samsung software. So that will allow users to securely separate

personal and work content in one single phone. And that phone doesn't have to be a BlackBerry. The company says it plans to make its new software

available on Apple, Android and Windows devices.

Now Iraq's military is taking the fight to ISIS in a key city north of Baghdad. And the government's troops are not alone in their battle to

liberate Tikrit. Details when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TANK: I want to bring in some news just coming into us here at CNN.

An explosion has rocked the high court building in central Cairo. At least one person was killed and four are wounded. It happened outside the

building's main gate. We're going to bring you more details on that as they come into us.

Now, another fatal police shooting is making news in the U.S., this time in Los Angeles. Bystanders captured the killing on video. And we

warn you, the images are disturbing.

Police are seen trying to arrest a homeless man who tried to rob someone in a poor area known as skid row. A police commander says they

tried to subdue him using a Taser. And some witnesses say the man may have reached for one of the officer's guns. Three police fired. And the man

was killed.

Let's shift now to Iraq. This is where Iraqi forces are attacking ISIS trying to liberate a key city. The Iraqi prime minister has announced

a major offensive on Tikrit. The push is said to include the Iraqi army as well as Sunni and Shiite militiamen.

Well, CNN's Ben Wedeman is with us now. And he joins us from Irbil, which is just north of Tikrit. And first of all just outline the

significance of trying to take back Tikrit.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tikrit is a town of about 200,000 people. And it is a predominately Sunni Arab town. It's

the birthplace of the late-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. It fell to ISIS last June. The Iraqi army in subsequent weeks and months tried to retake

it, but it was a disaster. As many as 1,700 Iraqi soldiers were captured and executed by ISIS in one instance.

So this is definitely the biggest test for the Iraqi army since it lost all this territory to ISIS last summer.

We understand that as many as three -- 30,000 Iraqi soldiers, plus Shia, Sunni militiamen and the Iraqi air force are involved in this

operation.

So far the major pushes are coming from the south and from the north.

According to Iraqi television, Iraqi forces are advancing from the south have encountered dozens of IEDs left behind by ISIS. They are

reporting also dozens of ISIS casualties, but of course that's not even not even near the outskirts of the city so far. So the city itself it's widely

believed there's going to be some stiff resistance by ISIS. They will be using their favorite tactic, which of course is IEDs, mines and booby

traps.

And we've seen in previous instances the Iraqi army and various militias have found it very hard going in smaller towns and villages.

Going into Tikrit is going to be quite a test for them -- Manisha.

TANK: What is the situation in Iraq today, Ben, with regard to the so-called Islamic State in terms of their push on the country? would you

say that it's plateaued and that's the reason why the Iraqi army are feeling, or the generals are feeling they can come in and they can push

them back, or you know, how heavy is this threat?

WEDEMAN: Well, it's a serious threat, but it's a mixed picture when you look around the country. The Iraqi army, for instance, has been able

to retake territory in Diala Province to the east of Baghdad. But in Anbar, we've seen that ISIS has gained ground steadily over recent months.

They now control at least 80 percent of that province, which is just right next to Baghdad.

However, when you look to the north, it does appear that ISIS has been stopped. We do know that for instance ISIS tried to make a three-pronged

offensive in the Sinjar Mountains overnight. That's of course where the Yazidis live, but that was repulsed.

So, certainly the central government in Baghdad is trying to turn the tide. In some areas it's been successful, but obviously all eyes are on

Tikrit. If they manage to retake this city, and they say that it may take at least 10 days, could be more, then that certainly would indicate that

they can possibly push forward and launch this much anticipated, much talked about operation to push ISIS out of Mosul.

But of course the distance between Tikrit and Mosul is 190 kilometers, much of that territory controlled by ISIS. So all the talk we heard last

week about some sort of Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul in late April, early May was probably wildly premature, but certainly that said, the city

that the Iraqis have their eyes on, but it may take much longer than anyone expects -- Manisha.

TANK: Well, many around the world of course watching with interest as they go on with this offensive. It promises to be quite drawn out.

OK, Ben, thank you very much for that. Ben Wedeman there live for us from Irbil, which is just north of Tikrit where this major offensive is

going on.

Still to come on News Stream, it has been nearly one year since Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared without a trace, but a new

underwater search vehicle could be the answer to finding and retrieving the wreckage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TANK: Hi, I'm Manisha Tank in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

Israel's prime minister is in the United States. He's to make a major speech in congress on Iran's nuclear program and is expected to warn

against striking a deal with Tehran. In a short time from now, Mr. Netanyahu is to speak to a pro-Israel lobby group.

Russian authorities say they're offering a reward of nearly $50,000 for information leading to Boris Nemtsov's killer. Thousands marched in

Moscow on Sunday to mourn the prominent opposition activist. Nemtsov, an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin was gunned down on Friday near

the Kremlin.

South Korea's defense ministry says North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea of Japan. It came as the U.S. and South

Korea start their annual military drill. North Korea considers the joint exercises provocative, calling them a smokescreen to conceal an invasion

from the south.

Now, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia are testing a new method for tracking planes over remote areas. It means aircraft will be tracked every

15 minutes rather than every 30 to 40 minutes, which is how it works at present. It's now nearly a year since Malaysia Airlines flight 370

disappeared. And as Anna Coren reports, one company is making plans to recover the plane if it's ever found.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While the search continues in the MH 370 in the depths of the Southern Indian Ocean, a team of

mechanical engineers is already planning for the next crucial step.

This is an ROV, a remotely operated underwater vehicle. Cutting-edge technology normally used in the oil and gas industry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It flies likes an underwater helicopters. And it really takes the capability of a diver and puts it into a machine.

COREN: But if and when MH 370 is finally located, this could be the device that will be use to retrieve the wreckage and those vital black

boxes, hopefully with the answers as to what went so terribly wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: MH-370 is a challenge like no other. It's a unique challenge in the world at the moment. There's very little reference

material that we can use to know what you would find and what the technology is going to need to do.

COREN: The only test case that comes close is Air France 447 back in 2009, that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean with 228 people on board. While

authorities knew where it hit the water, it took nearly two years to recover the black boxes, at around 4,000 meters below the surface. The

depth of the search area for MH-370 is deeper still at 4,500 meters. But there are sections that drop away to 6,000 meters and it's rugged terrain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's easy to imagine a plane on a sea-day-old bed, but the reality could be very much different. It's the dynamic range of

what is the (inaudible) look like, what is the seabed looks like that's still basically unknown for it.

COREN: The Australian government has already invited an expression of interest for the recovery of MH-370, preparing for the day when the

wreckage is finally found. Among the requirement, retrieving the debris, the all important cockpit voice and flight data recorders, as well as human

remains from the ocean floor.

Paul Collie's (ph) company TMT Sapuro Kinchana (ph) based in Perth, is one of many vying for the multimillion dollar contract. But the

significance of this job goes far beyond its monetary value.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody expects to step on the airplane and not step up against safely on the other side. If we can learn from what's

discovered, then that is going to make the world a safer place and it is going to allow people to properly grieve and move forward with their lives.

COREN: An overwhelming need for the families who just want to put their love ones to rest.

Anna Coren, CNN. Perth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TANK: Coming up next on News Stream, did you watch House of Cards this weekend? Well, the creator of the hit drama speak to CNN about the

show's appeal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TANK: If you like the House of Cards TV series, you were probably watching it or binge watching it all weekend, that's because season three

of the Netflix series dropped on Friday morning. The show centers on a U.S. politician who has risen through the ranks to president through

ruthless scheming.

Well, all 13 episodes released at once, and that gives viewers the option of watching one at a time or streaming them all back to back.

Now, House of Cards creator Beau Willimon has been coy about whether there will be a fourth season. He sat down with senior media correspondent

Brian Stelter. And don't worry, there are no spoilers ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Does it ever weird you out that so many politicians like the show?

BEAU WILLIMON, CREATOR, "HOUSE OF CARDS": I think that it's cool that a lot of politicians like the show, because they themselves aren't

necessarily murderers or quite as self-serving or power-hungry like Francis is.

And that they are able to take it with a grain of salt, because they know what it is to actually work day to day in Washington. I think most

politicians actually are good people. And I think there's a certain vicarious enjoyment for those politicians to say, sometimes, I wish I could

be like that, I could go to the lengths that he goes to. That would be liberating.

And I think that there's also this notion of, do the ends justify the means, which is something politicians confront all the time?

STELTER: Do any of the fans surprise you, any names that come to mind that are surprising to you?

WILLIMON: Well, the biggest surprise was when President Obama tweeted at the eve of season two launch that he's a fan of the show.

STELTER: Right, "Tomorrow, House of Cards, no spoilers."

WILLIMON: Yes, "no spoilers."

We wondered. Of course you are curious, has anyone in the White House watched it? And we weren't about to call up and say, hey, have you checked

it out? It was very surprising and thrilling to think that this very powerful person was taking 13 hours out of his very busy schedule to watch

what we had made.

STELTER: My sense from the first few episodes of the season is that this is not an easy situation for President Underwood.

WILLIMON: No, not at all.

At the end of season two, what do we know? That it was really tough to get there. There were a lot of casualties along the way, that he was part

of an administration that was mired in scandal. And he doesn't see himself as evil. He sees himself in a world in which it's highly competitive, that

is cutthroat, where it's hunt or be hunted.

And he feels he's got the best version of leadership to offer. I mean, for instance, as a journalist, right, journalists in the purest sense are

truth-seekers. They have a desire, a hunger to find the truth and to share it with the rest of the world. But they also know the power of that truth.

They know that it could lead to a Pulitzer. They know it could lead to a front-page byline.

You have to tap into this ambition that you have on the other end of the spectrum.

STELTER: And there's all -- a bit of Frank Underwood in all of us.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIMON: Yes. And I think we are seeing the most extreme version of Frank Underwood in all of us. So often, we face odds that we think are

insurmountable in our own lives. And it can be inspiring to see someone who goes, there are no odds that are too big to overcome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TANK: Innovative show and innovative distribution.

However, Variety reports that a piracy tracking company has found twice as many people pirated season three of House of Cards compared to

season two.

Now according to Variety, the company found that there were nearly 680,000 unique downloaders in the first 25 hours of the latest season's

release. And here's the kicker, the highest number was in China, which is where Netflix, of course, is not available.

And that is News Stream. I'm Manisha Tank. But don't go anywhere, World Sport with Don Riddell is up next.

END