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Obama Speaks After Historic Cuba Meeting; Obama: Hillary Clinton Would Make A Terrific President; American fugitive in Cuba wants to go home; Obama: GOP "crossed all boundaries" on Iran; Carter: Bunker busting bomb against Iran ready; Officer charged with murder; The death of Walter Scott; Deadly tornado outbreak; Race for 2016. Aired 7-7:30p ET
Aired April 11, 2015 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:00] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a situation in which we have a framework that is, if implemented, powerful, and will achieve our goal of making sure that Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapon.
But the details make a big difference. How they're structured. And I guarantee you there will be some tough negotiations around that. And that's what I said the first day when we announced that we had an agreement. And that's what we've continued to say. So, there's really no contradiction here.
And keep in mind that when we started this process off, even with the interim agreement, when we signed the JPOA way back at the beginning of this whole thing, there was a similar back and forth in terms of interpretation of how this was going to be implemented. You know, the Iranians were saying that's not true and we were saying this and -- but once we actually got through negotiations it turned out that we had something that was substantial that was subject to review by everybody involved and that has proven to be highly effective.
Even by the assessments of critics of the policy like the Israelis. They've said this actually has worked. Iran's abided by the agreement. In fact, now, they're suggesting why don't we just stay here, it's work so well -- despite the fact that they've made almost the precise same argument they're making now about the final deal. But, you know, consistency is the hobgoblin of narrow minds.
Cuba. I will -- I will tell you we did not get into the level of detail, Karen, that you just described. And I'm impressed with how many details you seem to be aware of. You know, as I said before, the state sponsors of terrorism recommendation will be coming to me. I will read it. I'll review it. There's a process whereby if, in fact, I accept those recommendations, Congress has an opportunity to review it as well and it will be there for people to see.
I think that the concerns around the embassy are going to be mostly on the Cuban side. They haven't dealt with an American embassy in Cuba in quite some time. And, you know, changing in this way is I'm sure an unsettling process. You know, we're accustomed to this. I mean, we've gone through a
number of times where with -- with China and with Vietnam and other countries. We reopened diplomatic relations and we understand I think or are familiar with how that gets done in a way that's consistent with improving diplomatic relations over the long term. This is probably a more profound shift for them than it is for us.
But we stand ready to move forward. We're confident that it can lead to an improved dialogue and our bottom line in the end is that it can lead to an improved set of prospects for the Cuban people.
And I'll say just in closing to, you know, all the people here from Latin-American countries -- thank you for this extraordinary opportunity. I want to thank the people of Panama. I am very optimistic about this region and the main reason I'm optimistic about this region is because of its people. They are extraordinary and it is a great gift to the United States to be able to have such strong friend and partners in tackling many of the challenges that we have in common. Thank you very much.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: There you have it. A lengthy press conference from the president of the United States following a historic meeting today in Panama, the Summit of the Americas with Cuban President Raul Castro.
I want to discuss it with my panel, Julian Zelizer, presidential historian, is here with me as we top the hour, 7:00 Eastern. Also with me here, Buck Sexton, former CIA counterterrorism analyst and also a conservative strategist.
Let me just highlight some of the things the president said then we'll discuss it. The president is saying that we continue to stand up strongly for democracy and human rights. Also calling this a turning point in U.S. relations with Cuba. The president also saying that he had a candid and fruitful conversation with Raul Castro. We know that conversation lasted just about 12 minutes but also highlighting the human rights concerns and saying that the United States is not giving up on those issues but also is pressing forward.
[19:05:06] Another thing I do want to highlight here, we had expected that the president may announce in this press conference that the United States would remove Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism from it list. He has said he has not yet studied that recommendation from the state department because he has been traveling so much. He wants to fully study that before making any decision on that front.
So let me go to you gentlemen. To you, Julian Zelizer, your takeaway from this in terms of Cuba and what the president had to say.
JULIAN ZELIZER, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, in terms of Cuba, he said exactly what we thought. He outlined that he thought this was a broken policy. He's trying to do something different that will achieve new relations with the Cuban people, that will create room for regional alliances, including on environmental issues, which I'm not sure everyone saw coming but also said there is no final deal at this point. He's still concerned about human rights and in many ways, this is a work in progress that will have more of an impact on the Cubans than on the U.S.
The questions turned primarily to Iran, which I think says a lot about where the politics are. He also talked, by the way, about partisanship. He unleashed on Senator McCain and Mitch McConnell.
HARLOW: Exactly.
Stand by, gentlemen, because I want to play for our viewers that sound. If you missed it in this press conference, the president was asked just as much about Iran and the nuclear negotiations with Iran as he was about Cuba, which is why, you know, a big part of why he was down there directly following this meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro.
Take a listen to what the president said really directly to John McCain and Senator Mitch McConnell in terms of Iran and where the negotiations stand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We have Mitch McConnell trying to tell the world, oh, don't have confidence in the U.S. government's abilities to fulfill any climate change pledge that we might make. And now, we have a senator suggesting that our secretary of state is purposely misinterpreting the deal and giving the supreme leader of Iran the benefit of the doubt in the interpretations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Our senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta joins me on the phone now.
Jim, you were in the room. Your reaction to that?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, you know, certainly I think it was not really any kind of mystery or secret at all that the president was going to get asked about Iran. Those comments from Ayatollah Khamenei this week when he indicated that he thought that once the deal was completed, if it's completed by the end of June 30th, but the sanctions would be lifted immediately, and I think what you heard is that there is a pressure point there for this president and if you touch it, you're going to get a pretty strong response.
And the president had some very tough comments about John McCain, questioning why he would trust the word coming from the ayatollah versus the words coming from a decorated war veteran like Secretary of State John Kerry. That's the way the president characterized it during this press conference.
But, you know, this is an issue that is going to follow the president right into next week as Congress comes back, hearings will be held, Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be trying to move his legislation forward. And our vote counters at CNN were looking at a situation where potentially Republicans and Democrats might be able to cobble together a veto-proof majority in the event the president vetoes Bob Corker's legislation. So, I think that that stage has been set for a legislative battle with Capitol Hill and we're going to see that moving forward.
I do want to point out, though, that there were some other interesting moments during this press conference, Poppy. Speaking of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expected to make a big announcement tomorrow and I thought it was quite newsworthy that the president said he is not going to be on the ballot in 2016 and he doesn't anticipate stepping on Hillary Clinton's lines if she runs for president and when she runs for president and that, you know, in the coming weeks and months, it sounds as if he's going to be, you know, potentially involved in her campaign, at least providing that kind of rhetorical support as we heard today.
So, a lot of news coming out of this press conference, not necessarily on the situation with Cuba, which, you know, by the way, all those warm, warm worlds we heard from Raul Castro, I asked the president about that, the president did not say that he considers Raul Castro to be an honest man in the same way that Raul Castro said he believes President Obama is an honest man. He didn't take that bait, he didn't answer that question, but he did say they can discuss things honestly. So, I thought that was interesting as well.
HARLOW: I did -- I did, Jim, want to get your assessment on that, because in your question to the president you did say to him does he trust, does he trust Raul Castro, and he didn't answer that. Did that surprise you at all?
ACOSTA: Right.
I think if came out and said he trusts Raul Castro, you know, there would have been a lot of human cry up on Capitol Hill, especially the Cuban-American lawmakers up there, and especially at a time when he's being accused of trusting the Iranians too much.
[19:10:10] My colleague with the "Associated Press" asked the president is he biting off more than he can chew. Of course, the president will say no to that, he doesn't see that happening. But these are two very risky gambits that the president is in the middle of trying to exercise right now, and, you know, one, being normalizing relations with Cuba, the president said that Cuba doesn't pose much of a threat to the United States, there's no policy of regime change for the Castros anymore, at least from the president's mind. And so, he feels like he can move the ball forward.
But in terms of the nuclear teal with Iran, that is a very thorny issue for this president. There is no guarantee he's going to be able to pull this off by the end of June. So, it does put his legacy on the line. I thought it was fascinating during this press conference, Poppy, when the president, you know, was saying that, you know, the possibility of trying to have Iran with no nuclear program whatsoever just doesn't exist.
And he's made these sorts of comments before, but I don't think I've heard him state that that emphatically before, that he strongly believes the world will have to be comfortable with Iran having a peaceful nuclear program. The question is whether or not that's what the Iranian aims are in the future -- Poppy.
HARLOW: Clearly coming out impassioned remarks when it came to Iran, saying of course, I would like to see Iran without any of this capability but that is not possible and really saying we have to focus on what is possible.
Jim Acosta, stay with me. After this, we're going to talk about what President Obama said when you asked him about Hillary Clinton and her big announcement coming up tomorrow.
Stay with us. Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: All right. We're back with our panel discussing the president's press conference. It just wrapped up there in Panama, the Summit of the Americas, focusing on Cuba, his meeting with Cuban president, Raul Castro, also focusing on Iran and where the negotiations stand with Iran and, of course, focusing on Hillary Clinton.
[19:15:02] Joining me now to talk about it, CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta joins on the phone, also presidential historian Julian Zelizer, CNN political commentator Buck Sexton, and politics reporter M.J. Lee.
Guys, let's listen to part of what President Obama had to say when our Jim Acosta asked him about Hillary Clinton and the big announcement expected from her tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: She was a formidable candidate in 2008. She was a great supporter of mine in the general election. She was an outstanding secretary of state.
She is my friend. I think she would be an excellent president. And I'm not on the ballot.
So, you know, I'm not going to step on her lines. When she makes a decision to announce, I'm confident that she will be very clear about her vision for the country moving forward, if she announces, and, you know, in terms of her relationship with my administration, she was focused and working on really important foreign policy initiatives.
And, you know, the one thing I can say is she's going to be able to handle herself very well in any conversations or debates around foreign policy. And her track record with respect to domestic policies is I think one that cares about working families. If she decides to run and she makes an announcement, she's going to have some strong messages to deliver.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: All right. Let's go to senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta. Jim, in that summation of what the president had to say about Hillary
Clinton, what stood out to you the most?
ACOSTA (via telephone): Well, you know, the fact that the president -- I mean, it was sort of a full-throated endorsement and you're going to do that -- we're talking act his former secretary of state after all. And, you know, he was almost waxing nostalgic, talking about that bitter and bruising 2008 primary campaign against Hillary Clinton and how they made peace and how they became friend.
And we know from talking to officials at the White House that is not just talk, they have forged a pretty strong relationship.
And, you know, I thought it was also interesting just to parse the president's words a little bit, but he at one point talked about Hillary Clinton would probably be out there talking about working families. That is right out of the president's middle-class economics. I would not be surprised if -- you know, if that is something we see continue on into the Hillary Clinton campaign.
So, you're going to hear some message continuity there, the likes of which maybe we haven't seen since Reagan going into George H.W. Bush. Obviously, Hillary Clinton is not Obama's vice president, but it sounds as though things are starting to overlap a little bit, Poppy.
HARLOW: M.J., what did you make of that? That stood out to me at the end, he -- you know, he said, look, she has this long track record on foreign policy. Then, he said, his is someone who cares about working families.
This is very important, at the time when you have the income gap between the rich and the poor in this country has grown significantly since the 2008 election, at a time when you have strong jobs numbers, but when you dig into them you have stagnant wage growth and that you have struggle.
I thought it was interesting that he made sure to include that in his answer.
M.J. LEE, CNN DIGITAL REPORTER: Right, it's very interesting that President Obama included that his statement because this is certainly something that Secretary Clinton will very much push hard on when she launches her campaign tomorrow. She has made it very clear in some of the recent speeches that we've seen her give, tweets that she has sent out, I am a candidate and will be a candidate who cares about the middle class, want to talk about issues like income inequality.
And, you know, some of that has to do with the fact that she's feeling pressure already from the progressive and more liberal wing of the party to run more to the left. And that's the pressure that she's going to --
HARLOW: Elizabeth Warren, when you talk about --
LEE: Exactly. HARLOW: -- taking on Wall Street and talking about income inequality. And she has to walk the line, doesn't she? And do that in a way where she doesn't sort of point the finger at President Obama.
LEE: Right. And I think, you know, Elizabeth Warren, there's certainly nobody I think in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party right now more powerful than Warren. She has such a devoted fan base and the really progressive wing is using her to send a message to people like Secretary Clinton. We want to see a candidate in 2016 who will embrace more progressive ideals.
And Clinton is pro-business and, you know, in many a favorite of Wall Street. And I think how she walks the line, as you said, will be an interesting to watch.
HARLOW: There are a lot on Wall Street that like her, that support her, and are likely going to throw their money behind her.
Buck Sexton, to you -- your taken on what President Obama said about Hillary Clinton ahead of that expected announcement tomorrow.
[19:20:01] BUCK SEXTON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh, I think that's the answer you would expect him to give under the situations. I think he gave it -- he gave it well. I mean, I think the Clinton campaign and that's actually getting this over with, and that's the approach, it seems, just make it official, we're not going to make a huge deal out of it, makes sense given what happened in 2008. They don't want to have any sense of repeating history. Obviously, she came in third in Iowa and that was pretty much the beginning of the end.
I think there's a recognition she needs to fight against the sense of entitlement or inevitability, depending on what word you want to use for this campaign, which is going to go on to economic populism for example. It might be sort of difficult for a woman who's worth over $100 million estimated, and gives $200,000 plus speeches at publicly- funded universities, but she's going to do that and she might do it with some efficacy. I think we'll have to sort of see what the early days of the campaign look like.
She's had some stumbles as we all know after the book and then, of course, with the e-mail scandal, which she handled not just the e-mail situation but the response afterward I think pretty terribly and that's just from the polling. We can see that. I mean, she's already behind in some key states like Colorado Republicans who aren't even the front runner among the Republicans necessarily.
So, I think that people recognize some damage has been done, self- inflicted damage from that campaign and they're just trying to avoid early catastrophe, which would be good advice for the Clinton campaign at this point.
HARLOW: Julian Zelizer, do you as a presidential historian -- Buck brought up Iowa, where she did come in third in 2008. This is an important state, as is New Hampshire, where she'll go later this week.
What does Hillary Clinton need to do when she lands in Iowa? ZELIZER: Well, she needs to understand not just the landing in Iowa
but the importance of organization. She got out-organized last election. That was very clear.
She won't make that mistake again. She needs to take the caucuses seriously. She can't just depend on the New Hampshire primaries.
She also needs a message. There is the problem of inevitability, the sense of entitlement, whatever you want to call it, but that working families message is exactly what she has to hammer way at. And now, she has to contend with foreign policy being the news. I do think that's going to be difficult, but that's the winning issue for her and she'll have to deal with Elizabeth Warren and the left. But I think in the end, they will unite behind a strong Democratic candidate. There's no threat they're gong to go to another candidate at this point, or certainly not to the Republicans.
HARLOW: Interesting, but a lot of people are saying that they do want -- a lot of Democrats are saying they want to see her at least have a formidable challenger within the party that's going to make her a stronger candidate overall the if she gets it.
We're going to keep talking about it. Guys, quick break.
We're looking at some of the polling number -- numbers there. Who would you likely support. Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. You see the huge gap between Hillary Clinton and the second there, Joe Biden.
We're back in the moment live from Havana.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:25:17] HARLOW: A historic and momentous day today, the president of the United States meeting with the president of Cuba, Raul Castro.
Let's go straight to Havana where our CNN correspondent Patrick Oppmann is, with a view like no one else has, of what the people on the ground there in Cuba are saying.
What's the early reaction?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're following this so carefully and they've just really been stun by the events. I think after the summit, some people, of course, this historic deal to restore diplomatic relations between Cuba and the U.S. was announced, I haven't seen anything like this in three years of living in Cuba and many more years of covering Cuba.
People here are very, very hopeful and that worries the government to a degree if those expectations can't be met. But just talk about all those things that happened in a couple days, fist time that Cuba is allowed to come to the Summit of the Americas. They were kicked out of the OAS, of course, after the revolution. The U.S. has always blocked them from attendance. Not only able to come, got a handshake yesterday between President Barack Obama and Raul Castro. That was on the front page of the government-run paper here today.
And then you have a meeting today where the leaders talked warmly about each other. President Castro at one point talking about how he admires President Obama. Nothing like that has ever happened before. That's something Fidel Castro never said about any of the 11 presidents that served in America during his many years in power here.
So, it really is a sense of history and people have great expectations for the future here in Cuba, hoping their really bad economy will get better. We'll have to see whether or not those expectations will com to pass, though, Poppy.
HARLOW: But, Patrick, there is a big roadblock and obstacle here that frankly those that opposed this normalization of relations between the two countries point to, and that is the fact that Cuba has long been a haven for American fugitives and has welcomed them and allowed them to live in Cuba to this day, even people who have killed American police officers.
OPPMANN: And this is very true. It's one of the things that really drove the United States crazy over the years, that people they were searching for, people who are hijackers, people who are cop killers, accused of being cop killers, would show up in Cuba and be given political asylum by Fidel Castro. It's one of the reasons critics of the government say Cuba should remain on the terror list. These people by and large live secret lives, they don't appear very often, you don't know where they are.
But recently, CNN did have the opportunity to speak to one of these fugitives from the United States is still trying to extradite.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPMANN (voice-over): He knows how to blend in on the streets of Havana. It's been 43 years since Cuba gave Charlie Hill and two other black power militants asylum. He admits hijacking a TWA airliner to get here.
He's more cautious about whether he had a role in the murder of a New Mexico state police officer.
CHARLIE HILL, FUGITIVE: I don't pretend I want to go into these details, you know?
OPPMANN: It took two years for CNN to find Hill. He says he takes no chances. U.S. government still wants his extradition.
HILL: I want to accomplish that people understand that I'm not a criminal, that I'm not a terrorist.
OPPMANN (on camera): Are you a cop killer?
HILL: No. I never killed cops. I never did that. I'm a Vietnam veteran. People don't ask if I killed Vietnamese, because that was authorized by the American government. OPPMANN (voice-over): His two black power companions are now dead.
But as the U.S. and Cuba worked to restore diplomatic relations, Hill told me for the first time he's considering returning to face the charges against him, seeing the grown daughter he left behind and five grandchildren he's never met.
HILL: There are certain things in the United States I would like to be able to go back and see.
OPPMANN: You miss your country?
HILL: Of course. Of course I miss my country. You know, I miss my family. I miss -- I would like to go back to where my grandparents are born, where I was born, where I went to junior high.
OPPMANN: Hill's New Mexico attorney came to Cuba last week to discuss his possible return.
JASON FLORES-WILLIAMS, ATTORNEY: If I knew he was going to get the same kind of trial as a wealthy person or a person of light skin in America, and this man would be given his rights, then I would say, Mr. Hill, I believe you have an opportunity here to fight for justice.
OPPMANN: While hiding in Cuba, Hill married, had two children, and divorced. He lives on a Cuban government pension of $10 a month.
(on camera): Cuban officials have so far resisted U.S. efforts to negotiate the return of dozens of American fugitives living here, saying the Cuban government has the right to grant asylum to whoever it chooses. Still, New Mexico's governor says the U.S. should insist Cuba sends back Charlie Hill.
OPPMANN: Hill says he knows he could well be a bargaining chip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLIE HILL, U.S. FUGITIVE IN CUBA: So if the Cuban government feels that me going back is for the benefit of four million people, that's my sacrifice. That's part of my sacrifice. I've dedicated my life to (inaudible) for the benefit of four million people. I know - I don't worry about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OPPMANN: While Hill ponders returning, he says he will take advantage of the expected influx of American visitors to Cuba, occasionally stepping out of the shadows to supplement his tiny pension by working as an English-speaking tour guide.
OPPMANN: Cuban officials tell us that there are many fugitives they accuse of committing acts of terrorism in Cuba hiding out specifically in Miami in Florida and that the U.S. won't send them back here to face trial, so they say until that would happen, they have no intention of sending back people like Charlie Hill to face the American justice system, Poppy. HARLOW: One of the sticking points that does not go away when you have a meeting between the two presidents - one of the things that some of the critics of this are pointing to exactly.
Fascinating report. Patrick Oppman live for us in Havana this evening. Appreciate it. Thanks so much.
We're going to take a quick break back with much more news in just a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: All right. Welcome back.
We just heard President Obama give a scathing takedown of some members of the GOP, slamming critics of his tentative deal with Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. BARACK OBAMA: We have Mitch McConnell trying to tell the world, "Don't have confidence in the U.S. government's abilities to fulfill any climate change pledge that we might make."
[19:35:11]
And now, we have a senator suggesting that our Secretary of State is purposely misinterpreting the deal and giving the supreme leader of Iran the benefit of the doubt in the interpretations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Well, there are clearly still a lot of hurdles to be cleared before any nuclear agreement with Iran is finalized by the current deadline that is the end of June.
And if negotiations turn sour, the U.S. is apparently keeping one other thing on the table - a military response to shut down Iran's nuclear programs, specifically, using bunker busting bombs. That coming from U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
Our Erin Burnett sat down with him during his trip this week to South Korea for an exclusive interview and he made a lot of news.
Erin?
ERIN BURNETT, HOST, "ERIN BURNETT OUT FRONT": Poppy, the defense secretary did not mince words when it came to Iran. Ayatollah had said this week - in a highly-anticipated response to the deal - that there would be no access to military sites as part of it. Now, of course, the framework of the deal - as you know - said that there would be access to any site that the United States wanted access to. Well, the Secretary of Defense said military sites absolutely must be on the table. In fact, he even opened the door to have those military sites be loosely defined by saying, "Well, it depends how you define it, right?" It could be a truck with some kind of missile launcher on the back of it. It was the implication of it I took away from it. So that was significant.
He also said that a military option is on the table and that in fact, a bomb that the Pentagon has been working on for years is ready to go right now.
Here's the defense secretary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Sir, in the Iranian negotiations, you pushed ahead with the only known technology at least that would destroy what is believed to be Iran's deepest nuclear research facility which - at least according to our understanding - is about 260 feet below the ground? Could that bomb destroy that facility for now, right now? Is it ready?
ASHTON CARTER, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Yes. That's what it's designed to do and my job as Secretary of Defense is to - among other things - make sure that the so-called military option and alternative for the president that he's wanted, is on the table and the weapon you're talking about is - I'm almost sure - is one called the "Massive Ordnance Penetrator" and it is designed specifically for deep underground targets like that. We continue to improve it and upgrade it over time so that there is this alternative to a successful negotiation.
BURNETT: Is it ready now if it had to be used?
CARTER: It is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Poppy, in addition to talking about Iran, the defense secretary also talked about the other unrest in the Middle East specifically ISIS and Al Qaeda. And one thing that I thought was very interesting is that when I asked him, "Which group is a bigger threat to the American homeland right now?", he actually chose to highlight Al Qaeda.
Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So what's a bigger threat to the United States right now? Is it ISIS or Al Qaeda?
CARTER: Al Qaeda has now suffered more than a decade of constant pounding by the United States so they are much reduced compared to what they were and their ambitions. However, they still have a serious preoccupation with direct attacks upon the United States, particularly several branches of them like AQAP...
BURNETT: AQAP is growing right now in Yemen.
CARTER: Well, AQAP has opportunities in Yemen that it didn't have when there was a government that - and Yemen's in a middle of civil war now that obviously creates opportunities for terrorist groups. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Poppy, the defense secretary said that American troops are still an option on the table. He said he's not at a point to recommend them yet to the president but he is confident that the president will listen to him if he decides to do that.
Back to you, Poppy.
HARLOW: Erin, thank you. Fascinating interview with Erin here exclusive with the defense secretary, Ash Carter. You can see a lot more of that on CNN.com.
Let's talk about it with Buck Sexton, conservative CNN political commentator, former CIA counter-terrorism analyst.
So let's begin with what we heard from the president today on Iran, blasting Mitch McConnell, blasting Senator John McCain, saying, "How dare you question sort of the trustworthiness of veteran and Secretary of State John Kerry over the Ayatollah supreme leader of Iran." What's your response?
BUCK SEXTON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It seems the president needs a refresher. John McCain also served his country honorably and I don't think he should be putting these things with - lining up against each other. Secretary John Kerry served. John McCain served. But nonetheless, on Iran, it's disingenuous for the president to say, "Don't judge the deal because the deal's not done", when just recently, he was essentially spiking the football in the end zone. A lot other people were in exaltations about how phenomenal this was, what a great deal it was, even though it's not actually a deal. It's taken us almost what - 18 months now to get from a framework to an understanding to a rough outline to maybe, at some point, there'll be a deal. The fact that the supreme leader's already coming out and essentially saying that America's one devil which death to America is what they say over there. We know that.
[19:40:02]
But on top of that, establishing new lines in the sand for what they will and will not allow in terms of the inspections, in terms of what's actually going to happen if this deal ever does get implemented. There is no deal right now. I think there's agreement on that. There's just the understanding and a framework of a future deal that could or could not be reached. And for - the president should allow people to weigh in, I mean, to suggest that people can't have opinions particularly law makers just, to me, again, seems very disingenuous.
HARLOW: And look, he's not saying that people can't weigh in. He actually said, "I understand why people might be mistrusting of Iran and he also said, "I understand people that oppose this deal. And if it is not a good deal, there will be no deal. But he was saying that he does not - he believes - he was criticizing the fact that Senator John McCain, Senator Mitch McConnell - he believed are saying that they trust more... SEXTON: Certainly, he's right and - right.
HARLOW: ... the supreme leader than Secretary of State John Kerry. Did you read it that way?
SEXTON: There's a lack of trust for the president's judgment on these issues as well. What we've seen in the Middle East is a continuous series of failures - failures that stretch back now to Yemen which was a counter-terrorism model. You see the administration's diplomacy vis-a-vis Syria which has essentially been not existing. We haven't really done anything there. And the president has seen over and over whether it's red lines or it's some other issue, to have shown poor judgment. And on Iran, it seems like there's a desperation to get some kind of a deal here. The President of the United States has the winning hand at the table and yet he always seems to be the first one to fold when it comes to these kind of high stakes' negotiations, whether it's on Iran or it's on Cuba now or any other issue of international diplomacy.
HARLOW: Let me get - let me get your take on this - Defense Secretary Ash Carter there telling Erin Burnett that he believes Al Qaeda's a greater risk to the United States than ISIS. What's your reaction to that as a former CIA counter-terrorism analyst?
SEXTON: Well, you're parsing pretty closely, I think, when you get into that. Al Qaeda has shown, obviously, a much greater success and determination, both of those issues, when it comes to attacking the homeland, attacking the U.S. Right? So you can't argue with that as a matter of record. And as a matter of intention, it seems that Al Qaeda - whether it's Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or even the Al Qaeda affiliates elsewhere in the region have said that they want to attack the U.S. That is part of the goal, whereas ISIS is creating this caliphate. They seem to have as their primary role something that is a little bit different and distinct. But they still, of course, would attack the homeland. They're encouraging people to attack the homeland and to attack our allies all over the world. So you're sort of gauging things very closely, I think, by separating out those two issues. And they're part of a broader jihadist ideology and that's how we have to start thinking about this. If we are in a war against a global jihadist philosophy and whether it's Al Qaeda or it's some other group, we have to start dealing with them the same way.
HARLOW: That is infiltrating the minds of American youth and others that are going to fight with them there or trying to carry out their mission here in this country. It's incredibly scary.
Buck Sexton, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
SEXTON: Thank you.
HARLOW: We're going to switch gears, take a quick break. We're going to switch gears and talk about the funeral today of Walter Scott in South Carolina who was gunned down one week ago today by a police officer. We'll talk about that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:45:01]
HARLOW: Family and friends bid a somber goodbye to Walter Scott today - the man fatally shot in the back by a police officer one week ago. His flag-draped casket was carried out of the Summerville church as tearful family and friends embraced.
Meanwhile, the investigation into what happened that day continued.
Yesterday, South Carolina state law enforcement division met with the still unidentified passenger who you see right there - that person who was sitting in the passenger's seat of Scott's car.
Here's our Martin Savidge who was inside the funeral.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Poppy, far more people have showed up to attend the service today for Walter Scott that could possibly fit inside his family's church. Many had to stand outside or in the hallways or in any place where they could either catch a glimpse or hear something.
One of the more powerful statements was made by Walter Scott's brother, Anthony, who said that God had selected his brother as a candidate for change for America. And change was a common theme that you heard mentioned several times throughout the service including at the end when the pastor said that there will be change so that Walter's death will not be in vain.
One of the more somber moments came when one of Walter Scott's children, Samantha, a young girl, read a poem to her father. You could see that those in the congregation were absolutely caught up and listening to every word. In fact, there were tears and at the end, there was applause.
The service is over and now, a private burial has taken place for Walter Scott.
On the other side of this equation, there is the family of Officer Michael Slager. His mother and wife were able to have a visit with him in the county detention center. That took place yesterday. They actually met - as prisoners will do between - or a glass in between.
Now that the service is over, there is a new chapter that sort of begins. Many people have said they weren't going to speak, there was sort of a stopping of all protests today - all of this to allow the family to grieve. Now that that process is done, the controversy is likely to start up once more as will the prosecution of the officer now charged with Walter Scott's death.
Poppy?
HARLOW: Martin Savidge. Thank you very much.
Now to this - take a look at this widespread and utter destruction in the Midwest. We're going to take you to the worst hit area from that tornado in Illinois where far too many lost nearly everything. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:50:01]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's over! He's over!
UNIDENTIIED MALE: Go! Go! Go!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: A monster tornado carving a path of destruction through the Midwest. We now have brand new pictures captured by a drone.
Take a look at the aftermath of at least 14 deadly twisters that ravaged towns, shredded buildings, and left two people dead.
Our Nick Valencia joins us now from Illinois.
Nick?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Loryn Hintzsche lost it all when the EF-4 tornado ripped through her community of Lindenwood. So, the next morning, she took to Facebook to vent her frustrations and ask for help. And what she found is that even in tragedy, there's always somebody there to lend a helping hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORYN HINTZSCHE: We have a friend's camper coming in.
VALENCIA (voice-over): A day after her home was destroyed, Loryn Hintzsche found help.
HINTZSCHE: ...family, friends. I'm a school teacher so a lot of school teachers came out for us today.
VALENCIA (voice-over): On Friday morning, word quickly spread on social media that her home in Lindenwood, Illinois was one of the dozens leveled by an EF-4 tornado.
HINTZSCHE: I just put it out on Facebook and just said, "Hey, we're fine but this is - this is what we need" and people just came out this morning.
VALENCIA (voice-over): One by one, neighbors, family, and friends all showed up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just thankful to be here helping up. (Inaudible). It's a wonderful thing and all of these people coming up.
VALENCIA (voice-over): Some with gifts. HINTZSCHE: I had a porta-potty here before I knew it. I had containers and trailers.
VALENCIA (voice-over): Others, to help her pick up priceless possessions.
HINTZSCHE: Oh, I know, my heart (inaudible). I was so - I saw it down the garage and I'm like "Oh, please be OK. Please be OK." Between that and my running shoes. That's what I was worried about.
VALENCIA (voice-over): Everyone seemed to show up with something.
HINTZSCHE: Tons of food donated so if you're hungry, please stop and get something.
VALENCIA (voice-over): Her small farmhouse may be uninhabitable for now but even still, she has plans to rebuild.
HINTZSCHE: Well, it's probably OK kind of for now because, obviously, there's still the roof's still - I mean, there's something over the (inaudible).
VALENCIA (voice-over): Hintzsche wasn't home at the time of the tornado but her husband was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have you guys been together?
HINTZSCHE'S HUSBAND: Oh, about 17 years. 18 years, I guess.
VALENCIA (voice-over): Long enough to form some pretty strong bonds with people who want to help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty neat, really.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: And as this community continues to recover, one thing that is unclear is just how much monetary damage was caused to the community by that tornado. Also unclear - if the federal government will chip in to help.
Nick Valencia, CNN, Fairdale, Illinois.
HARLOW: Nick Valencia. Thank you for that report.
Quick break. We're back in a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:55:01]
HARLOW: Tomorrow, a recorded video message will go live on the web. That is how Hillary Clinton will announce her bid for the White House.
Here's CNN's senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Like her 2007 announcement...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON: I announce today that I'm forming a presidential exploratory committee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR (voice-over): ... it will come via video - a message she's already filmed to be released on social media. But that is where Clinton advisors hope the comparisons to her failed 2008 bid will end.
In a newly released epilogue to her book, "Hard Choices", Clinton lays out a rationale for her candidacy - that the birth of her granddaughter, Charlotte, pushed her to run and will fuel a campaign message about equal opportunity for all.
"Unfortunately", she writes, "too few of the children born in the United States and around the world today will grow up with the same opportunities as Charlotte." Clinton says that becoming a grandmother, "rather than make me want to slow down, it has spurred me to speed up."
She will follow her announcement with a trip to the early caucus state of Iowa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I'm back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR (voice-over): In 2008, her third place finish there signaled the beginning of the end for her campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR (voice-over): A new Quinnipiac University poll shows her admission she used her personal email account to conduct government business as Secretary of State may have affected her favorability there.
And Clinton will need to navigate other challenges, distinguishing herself from a relatively unpopular President Obama without alienating his mass coalition of loyal voters, handling one of the most controversial part of Obama's record - foreign policy. She served as his Secretary of State and was in charge during the Benghazi attack in 2012. And questions about her age - if elected, she would be 69 when she took office, making her the second oldest president in history. And there's also the Bill factor. How will the campaign manage the
sometimes unpredictable former president?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON: This whole thing is the biggest fairytale I've ever seen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR (voice-over): Questions Clinton's new staff working out of office space already leased in Brooklyn, New York hope to be better poised to answer when the campaign becomes official.
(END VIDEO)
HARLOW: Brianna Keilar reporting for us. Thanks so much, Brianna.
Our coverage of Clinton's expected announcement begins at 6 a.m. bright and early tomorrow morning with "New Day Weekend."
Coming up next still here on CNN, "Somebody's Got To Do It" with Mike Rowe. I'm Poppy Harlow. Thanks so much for being with me tonight. Have a great evening.
[20:00:01]
