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Bill Nye Tweets about Global Warming's Effects on Texas Floods; Controversy Continues Over World Cup in Qatar; Rebels Seize Stronghold in Syria; Interview with Edward Djerejian. Aired 9:30-10:00a ET

Aired May 29, 2015 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:32:51] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As Iraqi forces battle it out with ISIS, the U.S. is considering arming Sunni tribes with weapons, a plan that would directly bypass the Iraq Shia government. The Pentagon says it's now fine-tuning its strategy against the terror group. Earlier today, Senator Ben Cardin, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned against a plan that would potentially work around Baghdad.

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SEN. BEN CARDIN (D), RANKING MEMBER, SEN. FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: There's no question that the Sunni tribal organizations need to be able to defend their communities against ISIS. They have to have a better opportunity to actually engage ISIS. They have to be better trained and better equipped. However, you really need to do this with the cooperation of the Iraqi government. The success of Iraq depends on a central government that has the confidence of all of the different ethnic communities. So if you start to work around the central government, in the long run that's going to cause a real problem with stability in Iraq.

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COSTELLO: In the meantime, in Syria, a jihadists coalition of Islamist rebels continue to make gains, pushing out government forces from the Syrian regime's last stronghold in Idlib province. So, what happens if ISIS ultimately succeeds? What if ISIS manages to create a Sunni caliphate that spans Syria, Iraq and Lebanon?

Let's get some perspective on all this from the former U.S. ambassador to Syria, Edward Djerejian.

Welcome, sir. Thank you so much for joining me.

EDWARD DJEREJIAN, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SYRIA: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, Mr. Ambassador, I'm not saying that ISIS will succeed, but what if it does?

DJEREJIAN: Well, I don't think ISIS will succeed in taking over Syria and Iraq, but I think what it's succeeding in is a long term insurrection concurring territory in both Syria and Iraq and putting the -

COSTELLO: Oh, darn. We lost out signal and I was really excited to hear what he had to say. I so apologize. We're going to work on our technical glitches.

[09:34:57] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a flood emergency in Texas has everyone from scientists to the president issue warnings over climate change, but science guy Bill Nye is wondering why won't people listen?

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DJEREJIAN: I thought maybe ISIS had hacked our line.

COSTELLO: No, that's impossible. We have safeguards here.

All right, so let's talk about ISIS and the possibility of them taking over country or whole country or controlling a whole country like Syria. Is that possible?

DJEREJIAN: I think it's improbable because to take over the country they would have to really have a major military victory over both capitals, Damascus and Baghdad, and that would be extremely difficult for a group such as ISIS, which, while it's successful as an insurgency, it's improbable that it could reach that ultimate goal.

[09:40:00] Nevertheless, ISIS has been extremely successful in putting both capitals on the defensive. As you mentioned earlier, the regime in Baghdad is very much on the defensive because of the gains that ISIS has made in Ramadi, in Anbar province, and in Syria, in Damascus. It's been a very important shift, Carol, in the last couple of weeks, in the situation in Syria, and that is that ISIS - that the regime in Damascus is very much more on the defensive now because of the gains of the insurgents in Idlib province and in the south, and because of ISIS' gains, especially in Palmyra. And it's very significant that a very high-ranking Iranian official, who's the adviser to the ayatollah on foreign policy, Valiatti (ph), was in Damascus last week and reports indicate that the Iranians are advising the Syrians that they should hold on to what they have -

COSTELLO: It's frustrating, right? Really frustrating. And I apologize. Sometimes you just - I don't know, sometimes stuff just happens. I've got to take a break. We'll be right back with more.

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[09:45:15] COSTELLO: The rain continues to fall in Texas. Watches and warnings in place across most of the state. In the meantime, Bill Nye the Science Guy starting a storm of his own, posting this tweet chastising meteorologists for refusing to tell people that climate change plays a major role in the flooding across Texas.

On Thursday the president added his voice warning Americans to be better prepared.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The best climate

scientists in the world ar telling us that extreme weather events, like hurricanes, are likely to become more powerful. When you combine stronger storms with rising seas, that's a recipe for more devastating floods. Climate change didn't cause Hurricane Sandy but it might have made it stronger.

COSTELLO (voice-over): Even the pope is on board. Later this summer, Pope Francis is expected to send a letter to all of his bishops warning them of the effects of climate change on the poor. Bill Nye the Science Guy is here ready to fight the haters.

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COSTELLO (on camera): And before we begin, I just want to say 97% of scientists say climate change is real and much of it is driven by man, so let's go on. You tweet about climate change after extreme weather events all the time, and each time it makes climate change deniers freak out. Is this your strategy?

BILL NYE, "THE SCIENCE GUY": Well, I just want to remind voters that suppose you had somebody running for a congressional office in your district who insisted that there's no connection between cigarette smoking and cancer. Would you vote for that person? You might, but if this person were adamant, no, the scientists who studied cigarette smoking can't - they - they don't know - if they were adamant, would you vote for them?

And so, in the same way the connection between climate change and human activity is at least as strong as cigarettes and cancer. And so, I just want everybody to keep this in mind, that it's very reasonable that the floods in Texas, the strengthening storms, especially the president was in Florida, these things are a result of human activity making things worse. Now, it's very bad. I get you this that people have died in Texas, but I'm reminding you what else, this is a very expensive business. When you flood the fourth largest city in the United States, somebody is going to pay for it, and it's you and me. And so, the sooner we get to work on climate change, the better. And people say to me, Carol, Bill they say, Nye, what can I do about climate change? And what I say nowadays is talk about it.

COSTELLO: Talk about it?

NYE: If we were talking about climate change the same way we talked about the stuff that goes on, let's say, in Ferguson, or Baltimore, if we were talking about it, those are very serious issues to be sure, but if we were talking about climate change in the same way, we would be doing something about it. I, you know, was born in the U.S.

COSTELLO: Right.

NYE: I'm an engineer from the U.S., my engineering license is in the U.S. And so, I want the U.S. to lead the world, I don't want the U.S. to let - to wait for other countries to start coming up with the new technologies, the new regulations that we're going to need. COSTELLO: Let me run this by you. Some of the ire, you know, that surround your tweet came from a conservative blogger, Michelle Malkin, her site "Twitchy," an article called you "alarmist" blaming every single weather event on manmade global warming, no matter what. Except that's not exactly what your tweet said. So, can you explain it?

NYE: Well, I just pointed out that in your business, the media business, no weather caster on any major network is allowed to say the phrase climate change, and so there's -- to me that's management. There's something going on where everybody is afraid of losing viewers and so they're reluctant to use the expression climate change. Meanwhile, the scientific consensus on this is overwhelming and the problems like the flooding in Texas and Oklahoma are very serious and expensive, so I want us to get to work on it, that's all. So, I just -

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COSSTELLO: The term has become politicized, right?

NYE: I guess I'm talking to media management. Let your weather casters say the phrase "climate change" and then we'll be talking about it, and then we'll doing something about it, and we'll be leading the world, and I hope leaving the world a little better for our succeeding generations.

COSTELLO: Yes, but I think the term has become politicized.

For example, Senator Ted Cruz who appeared at several weather-related pressers in Texas, he said, quote, "It's wrong to politicize the weather in this time of tragedy." So, I would like you to respond to that.

[9:50:07] NYE: Well, on the scientific community, we don't feel that we're politicizing it. Was it a political issue when people insisted that cigarettes cause cancer? Was that politics? I mean, sort of, in certain congressional districts the tobacco supports sort of, but in my view, on our side, the 97% of the world's climate scientists and me, we feel that the other side is politicizing it, not our side. The consensus on climate change is overwhelming, to deny it is remarkable and unique to the United States. So - almost - almost unique to the United States. There's a couple places in Britain where there's strong denyers.

But the sooner we get to work on this the better. And by the way, who's the guy - who is the strongest environmentalist? The person who just build his log cabin. Who is the most adamant anti-smoker? The person who just quit. Right? So it the deniers on the other side, change their minds, we - let's all work together. We're in this together. There's only one planet. We're not going to go live someplace else. Let's get to work.

COSTELLO: Couldn't agree more. Bill Nye the Science Guy. Thank you so much for joining me this morning. I appreciate it.

NYE: Thanks for taking the time. I appreciate it. Thank you.

COSTELLO: Absolutely.

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COSTELLO (voice-over): Still to come in the NEWSROOM, he may be the most powerful sports figure in the world and this morning we'll learn whether a breathtaking corruption scandal will cost him his job.

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COSTELLO (on camera): A reminder this morning of the passions and anger swirling around the world's most powerful sports organization.

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COSTELLO (voice-over): Just a couple of hours ago, a bomb threat was called into the sight where soccer's governing body is about to elect its leader. That vote, which begins at any moment, comes amid a bombshell corruption scandal. But despite the U.S.-led arrests and international outrage, the top man is likely to keep his job. Sepp Blatter, on the left, is considered a virtual shoe in for re election as FIFA's president. He is not charged in the U.S.-led case. And in fact, he has long worn the nickname of Mr. Untouchable. His last remaining challenger, Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan. Blatter speaking earlier and remaining defiant.

SEPP BLATTER, PRESIDENT, FIFA (via translator): I'm willing to accept that the president of FIFA is responsible for everything, but I would like to share that responsibility with you or at the very least with the executive committee here to my left. It's your government. It's our government. I would like to share this responsibility with that government and also with all of you.

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COSTELLO (on camera): U.S. prosecutors say $150 million in kickbacks funnel through FIFA official and their cohorts. It is the most controversial moment of Sepp Blatter's leadership since Russia and Qatar want the highly-coveted World Cp finals.

Qatar, a tiny country with no rabid interest in soccer, also has a dismal human rights record. That's where a different cost factors in. CNN's Becky Anderson is covering the human toll. Hi, Becky.

[09:55:05] BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol. Since Qatar won the bid to host the World Cup in 2022, the tournament has been mired in controversy. First it was the heat, you'll remember that, why award the event to a country where temperatures in the summer months reach into the 50s centigrade or well over 100 degrees? Qatar assured the world that it could cope, the stadium would be air conditioned, footballers and fans would be fine. And in the end, though, the decision was made to host the competition not in the traditional months of June and July but in the cooler months of November and December.

But the heat hasn't been the main issue of contention nor the extensive allegations of bribery. What is most worrisome is the human cost associated with the event. Workers are dying on the job in the race to complete what are these multibillion dollar sites associated with the world cup. The numbers, Carol, difficult to pin down, but a report by the International Trade Union Confederation, for example, has estimated 1,200 deaths so far with up to 4,000 additional worker deaths by 2022.

Now, many experts say those numbers vastly underplay the reality. Now, in the face of stinging criticism about working conditions and about abuse, the country's labor ministry pledged reform conceding that those helping to build the country deserve to be fairly paid, humanely treated and protected against exploitation. We'll just consider this, those migrant workers are as we speak toiling behind the scenes in the heat and dust of the desert even now as this entire project is once again in the spotlight.

Now, this is after the Swiss authorities announced a criminal investigation into the awarding of the tournament to both Qatar and to Russia in 2018. In its first statement since that probe was announced on Wednesday, Qatar's World Cup committee says, and I quote, "Our aim through hosting the FIFA World Cup is to utilize the positive power of sport to unify people and to show the region's passion for soccer." They go on to say, "We fully complied with every investigation that's been initiated concerning 2018-2022 bidding process and will continue to do so." They say, we conducted our bid with integrity. Carol?

COSTELLO: All right, Becky Anderson reporting live from Abu Dhabi. I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: Colorado's new legal marijuana laws are causing some growing pains on Main Street in Breckenridge, Colorado, and pitting some small business owners against each other.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you buy weed?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the BCC?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, several times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not under medical, I bought it retail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, recreational?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been in there. I have no problem with pot. I think that the - the thing that - the thing... UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you voted against it, though, right, from staying on Main?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I - I wanted them to move because I thought it was - I think the brand of Breckenridge Main Street is that it doesn't belong there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So for you as a local, why did you (inauidible)?

[10:00:01] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it was convenient. I went to BCC because I didn't want to have to drive down there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was your experience like at BCC?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're great. They're nice people. You know, I'm happy that they're doing well, but I think that this - I'm trying to look at this from 30,000 feet and not from three feet in the weeds. So.

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COSTELLO: The great pot debate lights up on "HIGH PROFITS." Catch it this Sunday, 10:00 pm Eastern right here on CNN. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.