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American Heroes Talk About Dramatic Train Takedown; Americans Heading To Paris To Take Call From Obama; Source: Belgian Officials Looking Into Suspect's Travel; Monday Dow, Hangover Or Rebound?; Joe Biden in DC for Private Meetings; More Details on Jared Fogle's Past. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired August 22, 2015 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we have so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, and it all starts right now.

Hello and thanks again for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We're waiting to hear live from the American heroes, who helped prevent a massacre on a high speed train in Europe. That train was making the way from Amsterdam to Paris.

So what we understand is according to a British national earlier, he explained how he tried to help out and he says he simply had to join in becoming the fourth person to joining those three Americans to help take down this gunman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS NORMAN, SUBDUED GUNMAN ON TRAIN: I am relieved that no one got killed. It could have been a real problem. There's no question about that.

ANTHONY SADLER, SUBDUED GUNMAN ON TRAIN: I am really proud of my friend that he just reacted so quickly and bravely. He was really the first one over there after being injured himself. He went to help the other man that was bleeding also. Without his help, he would have died. That man was bleeding from his neck. He just went over there and saved his life as he was bleeding himself.

ALEX SKARLATOS, SUBDUED GUNMAN ON TRAIN: Spencer ran a good ten meters to get to the guy. We did not know that the gun was not working. If anybody would have gotten shot, it would have been Spencer for sure. We're lucky that no one got killed especially Spencer. We called him, and he is doing great.

SADLER: He is in good spirits. He is in disbelief that it happened himself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, so you're listening to two of the Americans there and the British national and explain what they experienced on that train. All morning we have been saying that the Americans are going to be stepping outside of that hospital and elaborating further on what took place.

Well, now we understand that French police are questioning them and they're making the way to Paris and then met by a phone call by the president of the United States.

So let's check in with our Nic Robertson who can give us more detail on all that's taking place out there outside of the hospital. So Nic, what is your understanding about the next journey for these Americans?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure, Fredricka. I mean, this has been a day of a lot of moving parts. Spencer Stone injured in the attack. Move from the hospital and now in a hand special hospital. He is undergoing surgery. This afternoon, the U.S. Defense counsel from the embassy in Paris came to visit him in the afternoon.

Right now we're here at the police station. This is where his two friends -- his two friends, Alex Skarlatos and Mr. Sadler have been helping the police with the questions.

What the police have been telling us a little bit a while ago is that they were expecting these two men to help on what happened on the train and how the gunman or any other useful information to further this French investigation.

The French police were telling us that they expected these two friends of Spencer to come out and speak now they're saying that the two are going to go to Paris. They're going to go to the U.S. Embassy and there be connected with President Obama.

Spencer Stone undergoing that surgery this afternoon, not quite clear at this stage whether or not he can leave the hospital or go to Paris or join his friends or will he have to spend another night here in Northern France -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK, so then, Nic, Spencer Stone, we're looking at a photograph of him. He is active duty U.S. Air Force. His injuries to the head, neck, and hand. His was the body that was all bloodied up. He did not have a shirt on. He sustained some injuries. Is it believed that most of his injuries came from that box cutter that the suspect was holding?

ROBERTSON: Yes, that's what we have been hearing. I mean, that's what the French interior minister said earlier today and that's also what Chris Norman, the British guy who helped the three of them over power the attacker.

Of course, you know, Spencer Stone making the most dangerous and going in and attacking gunman while he had the gun, but the gunman also had that box cutter, and that's apparently what injured Spencer Stone and cut his head and neck.

We are told that injury to his thumb was a very, very serious injury and almost cutting his thumb off. That's why he is in a special hand hospital unit just a few miles from here through the morning and the afternoon -- Fredricka. [12:05:06] WHITFIELD: My goodness. Is it your understanding when the other two make the way to Paris to go to the American Embassy so that they can have that secure telephone conversation with the president that they will make it back to the hospital, back to where you are and then the three of them will reunite before they perhaps make the journey state side?

ROBERTSON: You know, this has been a day where events are unfolding. We're expecting them to come out of the police station. The big metal doors will open up and the police station will drive off to the back and go to Paris. We're expecting them to stay in Paris. That's the most logical thing that's going to happen here.

We heard from the French president today and saying that he is expecting to host these people. Everyone is now calling the heroes to host them at the French presidential palace saying in Paris on Monday, so I think that's what we can expect.

How quickly Spencer Stone is able to join them and the surgery and how much did he have to have and what do the doctors think of moving him so quickly after the surgery. All of that is coming into play. Once the guys do move in here and Northern France, they're probably going to stay there or as far as we can tell at this time -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: What an incredible story and heroic, I don't think that's the proper word. It was even bigger than that, wasn't it? Nic Robertson, thank you so much. Appreciate that. We're getting more detail all of the time of the dramatic takedown. Nick Valencia has been following it from here as well. What more do you have?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That word heroes gets thrown around a lot, but that's describes what these three individuals did. Especially when you consider that the gunman had already fired several shots in the train before he was eventually subdued by those three Americans.

Let's take you back to Friday as the high speed train is moving from Amsterdam towards Paris, France when these three Americans are sitting on the train.

They notice the train conductor frantically run through the carriage, behind him emerges a shirtless man with a rifle hanging over his shoulder, and that's when these three Americans say their instincts kicked in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SADLER: I came to see my friends on my first trip, and we stop aid terrorist, kind of crazy.

VALENCIA (voice-over): Crazy is one word for it. Heroic seems to be a bit more fitting. American Anthony Sadler sitting next to his friend and another witness describe what happened during their trip on a high speed train to France on Friday.

NORMAN: I looked up and I saw a guy carrying an AK47 or a machine gun. I ducked down in my seat and Alex looked at what was happening and Spencer looked at what was happening and Alex said go get him.

VALENCIA: French authorities say the suspect fired several gunshots as the French passenger tried to tackle him, and that's when the Americans and Britton Chris Norman say that they sprang into action. The struggle was brief, bloody and chaotic.

NORMAN: The guy actually came out. He pulled a cutter and started cutting Spencer. He cut Spencer behind the neck and nearly cut his thumb off.

VALENCIA: American Spencer Stone would eventually subdue the suspected Islamist with the help from his friend, Sadler and Alex Skarlatos. Stone, a member of the U.S. Air Force was hospitalized and is recovering.

SADLER: We called him, and he is doing great.

SKARLATOS: He is in great spirits.

VALENCIA: His friend, Alex Skarlatos, a National Guard's man said few words speaking to reporters, but seemed to say it all.

NORMAN: Relief that nobody got killed. It could have been a real carnage. There is no question about that.

VALENCIA: The three Americans hailed as international heroes, but they know that it could have easily ended much differently.

SADLER: I am really proud of my friend that he just reacted so quickly and bravely. He was the first one over there even after being injured himself. He went to go and help the other man that was bleeding also. Without his help, he would have died.

VALENCIA: Most certainly many others on that train would have too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: That video from inside that train just really shocking and seeing the American bloody and so it seem that is the rest of the passengers on that plane. One of the Americans parents was asked, what is it like that your son is being hailed as an international hero? She said, well, he was doing what he was supposed to do -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: We talked to Anthony's dad earlier too. Christi and Victor got a chance to talk and they asked him, you know, are you even surprised that his instincts that he would do that. You know what no. The three of them have a great bond and friendship going back to middle school.

[12:10:08] VALENCIA: Just to have the wherewithal to see, you know, something was happening on the train and to kick into gear to think that, you know, this could be dangerous. This could be a situation --

WHITFIELD: Without delay. VALENCIA: Yes. Whether it was this gunman or his gun being jammed that gave him the time to subdue him or this moment that the Americans were on the train, just incredible that we're not talk about a mass casualty this morning. We are talking about these three Americans.

WHITFIELD: Exactly. They are incredible. All right, thanks so much. Of course, we all can't wait to learn even more details and hear their account again. They were going to be coming outside of the hospital. They're no longer going to be doing that.

The Americans are going to be taking the way to the American Embassy in Paris where they will have a secure phone line to talk to the president of the United States and then from Nic Robertson, presumably they will be staying in the area a little bit longer especially as their friend Spencer Stone continues to get surgery for the cuts that he endured.

All right, let's talk more overall about the threat of terrorism. Terrorism analyst, Paul Cruickshank, is back with us now. So we know that particularly in France people are hypersensitive to any potential terrorist activity particularly just a few months after what happened at Charlie Ebdo.

So talk to us now about what the counter terrorism efforts have been like. Now we have these three Americans and a British national, you know, who may not as hypersensitive as the ordinary Europeans there given what people have been through, but how all of this came together to thwart an attack.

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, TERRORISM ANALYST: It's a time of unprecedented press across Europe and the reason for that is because of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. The rise of ISIS, the rise of terrorist networks operating in Iraq and Syria up to 6,000 European extremists have travelled to Iraq and many of them joining ISIS.

Hundreds and hundreds have returned to Europe. They're really stretching security services thin. My understanding is that he was on the radar screen, this gunman, of several European security agencies including Belgian authorities.

They were investigating him. He spent his last year before this attack in Belgium and believed he was connected to a radical network with links inside Belgium.

Belgium had a particularly challenging time with Islamist extremism in the past few years. We have seen more than 300 Belgian extremists travel to Syria and Iraq. More than a hundred back.

I spoke to a senior Belgian official who said that in the last two years there have been more people charged with terror offenses in the country than in the 30 years before that. So that gives a sense of unprecedented challenge.

And the president, Francois Hollande, recently saying that they're uncovering the plots nearly every week to attack France. They have been a string of plots and attacks and Belgium and in January there was an ISIS directed plot to launch a major bombing and gun attack in Belgium.

That was escort in a gun battle when they went in Belgium in the town and last year in 2014, there was an attack on the Jewish museum by French ISIS fighter who came back. He killed four people. So every week we're seeing more and more of this. This is becoming the new normal -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so Paul, when you say that this suspect who we understand to be a Moroccan national. When you say that he had been on the radar screen for some time, what puts something on the radar but not to where they could be apprehended? What kind of activity might he had been engaged in to put him on radar?

CRUICKSHANK: Well, it depends. Maybe it was an investigation where they were doing surveillance on a particular terrorist network. Maybe perhaps there was some suspension that he travelled to Syria. That does appear to be some possibility that this gunman travelled to Syria. They're investigating that right now.

They're not able to arrest him and move forward to a prosecution. There's a big problem right now for European security agencies because you have hundreds of European extremists coming back from Syria and Iraq and many of them are being detained, but some are not able to actually have charges against them because the evidence is not strong enough.

WHITFIELD: Not just a crime to travel.

CRUICKSHANK: Yes, it's not clear what happened when they get to Turkey. Do they cross the border? Who they connect with and so on and so forth? It's difficult to build a prosecution.

[12:15:08] WHITFIELD: All right, Paul Cruickshank, thank you so much. Appreciate your expertise. We will be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:18:19]

WHITFIELD: All right, investors are still reeling from extremely rough week on Wall Street. The Dow Jones plunging 531 points on Friday and racking up its worst week since 2011. Analysts are now wondering if the bad news will continue when a new week of overseas trading begins tomorrow.

CNN Money, chief business correspondent, Christine Romans, joining me now. So Christine, yes, there were a lot of nervous people. I guess, a lot of people continue to be nervous because you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow since China is impacting the way the Dow numbers have looked.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right. A lot is going depend on what is going forward in China in terms of its growth. China has had really phenomenal growth for years and years now, and now that growth is not quit so robust, factory, output and actually shrinking in some cases and that's has a ripple effect.

All of the other Asian countries that feed the Chinese factory and the Chinese economic miracle of the past 20 years and then the big multinational companies here that rely on China for business and profits. It matters what happens to China, and that's why we're watching it so closely.

WHITFIELD: So now what? People are worried about their 401ks and big investors have other bigger worries, but then, you know, the everyday folks while they're celebrating the promise of low gas prices, it also comes with a very hefty price potentially for everybody.

ROMANS: I'm really you brought up the low gas prices because one of the other things that's bothering the markets, this plunge in commodities. Oil prices plunge to $40 a barrel. That's remarkable how much it comes down.

[12:20:01] That means $2 gas for consumers, but it means anybody with a 401k with exposure to the oil and gas companies whose stocks are plummeting, that's a double edge swords.

For investors not so great, but for consumers, very, very good. The other thing to keep an eye out for, Fredricka, don't forget that we're going to have the fed raising the interest rates. That will affect everyone. That's one thing way more than the stock market even that will affect --

WHITFIELD: How far off?

ROMANS: We're talking probably this fall. It looks like there's a decision on when to do it, but it's going come. That's going to be the last sign that the U.S. economy is normal and healthy again when the feds can raise the interest rates.

If you want to refinance your mortgage, do it right now. That's going to have implications for car loans. That's another thing that's out there. Can I just show you the stocks and the Wall Street that dropped hard last week?

I want to show you the names and some people may think that it does not matter to me and I have Apple. Apple had a really bad week. Apple shares are down 20 percent from their most recent high. That means that Apple is in the market.

Look at Disney and Netflix, and Facebook. These are the stocks that have gone up, up, up and had a big drop this week. If you have bought any of these names in the last six months, you're losing money. If you bought them two years ago, you're looking great. It's about perspective.

WHITFIELD: Yes, but you hold on a little bit until there's an inching up.

ROMANS: I am a buy and hold person personally.

WHITFIELD: OK, I like it. All right, Christine Romans, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

All right, from ultimatums and talks of war to tense talks, North and South Korea have exchanged artillery fire, but today they are talking peace, sort of. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:25:33]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Concerns over an all-out war between North and South Korea maybe easing, North Korea had given the South an ultimatum to stop its propaganda broadcast by today. Now both sides are holding talks, but North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-Un, still has the front line troops in a wartime state.

Earlier in the week there was an exchange of artillery fire over the DMZ, the heavily fortified area separating the two. CNN's Kyung Lah is near the DMZ. So Kyung, what is happening with these talks? Does it offer some hope?

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hope is a very big word. What we can tell you is that these talks are ongoing. They have been going on for more than six hours. The top military advisers from both countries and the top security advisers and the ones that you see as well as South Korea's president side have met in a very special place.

It's a city known as a peace city. It's where the unification people talk. It's where the only hope of any sort of lasting peace between the two countries. If there's, it will begin at the meetings.

These are the most significant talks that have taken place between the North and South since 2007. That's two presidencies ago for South Korea. We can't underscore how important these particular negotiations are.

How did all of this happen? Nine hours before that -- about eight or eight nine before the deadline set was about to expire, the president's office here in South Korea said that North Korea sent a message into South Korea requesting these talks.

Has it changed anything, Fredricka, as far as the military posture on either side? No. This area where I am standing you can see the barbwire behind me is evacuated to the public.

People in one border town near the DMZ here in South Korea, those people are in underground bunkers. So the military posture is still not lessened, but these talks are still taking place.

WHITFIELD: Wow, six hours and counting on those talks. Still wait and see. All right, thanks so much. Kyung Lah, appreciate that. We will have more from the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:59] WHITFIELD: Hi, welcome back. Thanks so much for Fredericka Whitfield. So we've been telling you about the deeds of these three Americans, their heroic deeds of stopping what could have been a really nasty massacre on a high speed train between Amsterdam and Paris.

Well, Alek Skarlatos was one of those Americans. So he went on vacation with his two childhood friends not at all expecting to at some point return home a hero. Well, his father, Emanuel Skarlatos is on the phone with us right now to talk to talk about his son.

So, Mr. Skarlatos this is an in credible story. Have you heard from Alek yet?

EMANUEL SKARLATOS, FATHER OF AMERICAN WHO HELPED THWART ATTACK: : I just heard from him the first time he called from the police station after the incident.

WHITFIELD: And what did he say to you?

SKARLATOS: He said, "Dad we just shut down a terrorist and I'm at the police station." And I said," Well, what happened?" So he went quickly through it because he had to get back, it was a short conversation. He told me that he heard a gunshot, one gunshot and some glass broke which sounded like last breaking hit. He did not think too much of it at first, then all of a sudden this guy with a Kalashnikov AK47 comes from one car to his car.

And his two friends were snoozing and they were taking a sleep break and sat up immediately. And he hears the sound of a magazine either being jammed or changing out a magazine on the rifle, he saw a rifle. Then they decided to make a quick call and Alek says let's rush in and they did. And Spencer went first, he is about 6 foot 4 or maybe 6 foot 5and he tackled the guy and put a choke hold on him. And Alek took the pistol and the Kalashnikov away. And Spencer's head and neck and that's how he got injured and he's in the hospital.

And then at that point, Alek took the butt end of the Kalashnikov and bashed the guy in the head several times.

WHITFIELD: Oh my God.

SKARLATOS: And put him unconscious and then they hog-tied them. And at that point Alek took the Kalashnikov went down the aisles to make sure there was no other terrorists involved and I think he aided and he told me he aided in putting a compress on one of the victim's necks or neck. And there was another victim too that injured also. And that's about what he told me that's just about it that I know and everything else I kind of the aftermath that went into the media just like most people.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. So Mr. Skarlatos when you're getting this phone call from your son and he is telling you about all these things, I mean it had to be very surreal. You talked about Spencer, Spencer Stone done he is a member of the U.S. Air Force. We understand your son and we have a picture.

SKARLATOS: No. Spencer is a member of the Air Force. WHITFIELD: Yes, right. Spencer.

SKARLATOS: My son is National. Yeah. I think that's (inaudible).

WHITFIELD: Right. And then your son we had a screen up, there's Spencer Stone, a picture right now is active duty and then your son he is with the National Guard, right?

SKARLATOS: Yes. Army National Guard here in Oregon, yes.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then Anthony Sadler is the third friend in all of this. So talk to me about what you -- how much did you know about these three friends and it goes back way back, right to Middle School.

SKARLATOS: It goes way back to their childhood and Spence is a next door neighbor where Alek grew up and Alek came to live me when he was about13.

WHITFIELD: OK. So that is so sweet that they have been friends forever really like brothers it sounds like.

SKARLATOS: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: And they decided to go on this trip.

SKARLATOS: It's really astonishing that all three of them were together. Alek comes back from Afghanistan unscathed and then they go on a vacation in Europe on a train and that's when the real action happens to them.

[12:35:06] WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.

SKARLATOS: It's crazy. It really is crazy.

WHITFIELD: It really is and that their instincts would just kick in. I mean, clearly you know its military you know men, they have the training and instincts, but you know it's another thing to be sleeping as you mention you know on the train and then Alek would awaken them as soon as he hears or sees something isn't right. And that they all jumped into action. Of course they're being called heroes but talk to me about...

SKARLATOS: And I asked Alek what made him react like that and he said instinct and he said he went in a survival mode because he knew that it not only would passengers be shot, that they would be shot, they were passengers too.

WHITFIELD: Incredible. You know, Chris Norman who is a British national he is in a picture right now, I don't know if you're in front of a television screen but he's man the man in the far right.

SKARLATOS: No.

WHITFIELD: OK. I'll describe it for you. And he is a British national he said he was the fourth person, you know, who joined these three American men who was detaining him. SKARLATOS: Oh, that I read that part. OK.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. And then he, you know, he said a necktie was used to actually hogtie the suspect. He said, you know, at first his instinct was to duck but then he said, you know what, I'm probably going to die any way, so I'd rather die doing something and so he jumped in. And it sounds like instincts just across the board kicked in for everybody. And now they're being hailed heroes.

SKARLATOS: Yeah. I'm so proud of everybody and I feel grateful that everything turned out well that no one got killed.

WHITFIELD: Now, what's next as far as you understand? Because we've been told that your son along with Anthony are going to making their way to Paris, they're going to be at the American Embassy, they're going to have a phone call with the President of the United States, so probably stay in Paris for awhile investigations continue.

Meantime you know Mr. Stone as you mention Spencer Stone is still being hospitalized because he did sustain some pretty, you know, serious injuries in large part because of the box cutter that that suspect tag. What more do you know about what their next few days are going to be like there in France?

SKARLATOS: I have no idea. I haven't been in contact with them other than just on Messenger, on Facebook Messenger. That's the only way that he can really communicate with me. And I wasn't - I did know that Spencer have been in that bad shape. So he is still going to be in the hospital for a while.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, he is going to be in the hospital we understand from our Nick Robertson in his reporting they're outside the hospital that he did sustain a pretty serious hand injury. And so a hand specialist is going to be part of the surgery for Spencer and of course he did have some other cuts and other injuries to his head and to his neck. But what's remarkable throughout all of this is that all three of these young men survived this. They saved the lives of up to what, 500 people were on that train, 550 people on the train as a whole.

So they are bigger than heroes. They have been life-saving, you know, times many here. So tell me about your sentiments.

SKARLATOS: Yes, I understand the Kalashnikov the guy had a seven or maybe eight, I think about seven he told me, magazines that held 30 rounds in each magazine. So that would be equivalent to maybe 240 bullets or so or 210 or -- anyway over 200 bullets.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. Well, Mr. Skarlatos

SKARLATOS: So with that he could have done a lot of damage. And it's a blessing. It really is that no one got killed. The people are injured, and that's bad enough, but no one get killed.

WHITFIELD: Well, Mr. Skarlatos I want to talk to you some more if you don't mind if you could just stick with us. We're going take a short break, for now and we'll be right back. Hopefully Emanuel Skarlatos can stick with us and talk more about his son and heroic deeds of not just Alek Skarlatos but also Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler when we come right back. Three great friends from their middle school days.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:42:24] WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. So, by now you have heard about these three Americans along with a British national who took down an armed suspected terrorist on a high speed train making its way from Amsterdam to Paris.

And you're looking right now of the images of these -- of two out of the three Americans because one of the Americans, Spencer Stone, is being hospitalized right now because he sustained quite a few cuts. And this is the British national right there, Chris Norman, you're seeing. And then earlier you saw Anthony Sadler as well as Alek Skarlatos.

So, right now I'm talking to Alek Skarlatos' dad, Emanuel Skarlatos who was kind enough to stick around with us and talk more. So, what's so remarkable here, well there are a lot of remarkable things about this thing entire encounter and how these young men took down the suspected terrorist, but Mr. Skarlatos talked to me about the relationship of these three young men that dates back to middle school and how they were embarking on this great European trip. For Anthony, we understand this was his first trip to Europe and then, you know, they take down a suspected terrorist.

So, talk to me about the relationship, this brotherhood that dates back to their, you know, early preteen years.

SKARLATOS: Well, you know, growing up as three guys in the same neighborhood and Spencer joining the Air Force and never being pretty much out of the states, going to Europe and then Anthony, I'm not sure about Anthony if it was his first trip to Europe or not. Alek's been to Europe about a couple of times.

And so they just went after Alek's trip to Afghanistan. They want to take a hiatus, get away from it all and meet up with Spender and they thought it would be fun just to travel together and meet up in Amsterdam. And that's what they did.

WHITFIELD: Oh my God.

SKARLATOS: And then Alek was in Germany for -- he, Alek went by himself to Germany in Frankfurt and spent seven days with friends and then met Spencer and Anthony in Amsterdam. They stayed there for three days. And then actually they just -- they were thinking about spending another day or two or whatever because they're having a good time in Amsterdam. And then they all of a sudden just decided to board the train and go to Paris.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And ...

SKARLATOS: And it was fortunate and unfortunate, but I think for everyone concerned, it was a fortunate thing that they were on that train. WHITFIELD: That's a great way of putting it, what a combination. Emanuel Skarlatos, thank you so much. We are so glad that Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone, all had those instincts and like you said unfortunate, but at the same time very fortunate it was them that were there. They cited it. Their instincts kicked in and they helped saved a lot of lives.

[12:45:02] Thanks so much to you. And we look forward to hearing more from these young men as they now embark on a journey to Paris to talk to the President of the United States from the American embassy.

We'll have much more straight ahead after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Some developing political news today first on CNN, we are learning that Vice President Joe Biden is traveling to Washington today for a private political meetings at the Naval Observatory.

Was he traveling to Washington because he was expected he would be primarily in Delaware? So, let's bring in Larry Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

So, is there anything to read from these political meetings? What could that mean?

LARRY SABATO, DIR. CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Well, it's got to be focused on this potential presidential candidacy. There's no question about it.

[12:49:59] And look, Biden is getting mixed advice from people. Some are saying, "The odds are against you, Joe. Don't go out this way." Others are saying, "We need you in the race." And for no other reason just to have a fallback in case this e-mail scandal mushrooms out of control and Hillary Clinton is unable to be the Democratic nominee.

So I'm sure he is listening to all the advice and trying to decide whether in fact he really can win the nomination. He's lost it twice before Fred, he doesn't want to lose it a third time.

WHITFIELD: But does he have a particular political capital this go round as vice president that perhaps he didn't have in, you know, prior runs?

SABATO: Sure. If there's no question that he can do what vice presidents always do when they run at the end of a two-term administration? They take partial credit for all the good things that happened and of course the bad things were the responsibility of the president.

WHITFIELD: And it can't be just the urging of, you know, certain signals. It was just last week there is a South Carolina newspaper that, you know, in its op-ed it said, "Run Joe, Run." There has to be more that you know his advisers are considering as to whether he would be a viable candidate. What would some of those things be? SABATO: He has almost no money saved up for this race. And as we all know it takes tens of millions of dollars to run a successful race. He also doesn't have much of an organization. Well, those are the two most important things in wining a nomination.

WHITFIELD: OK. All right. We're going to have to leave it right there. Larry Sabato, thanks so much. I appreciate it, thanks for being with us.

SABATO: Thanks Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, don't forget, CNN hosts our first Republican Primary Debate Wednesday, September 16th, plus the first Democratic Presidential Debate will be live right here on CNN that's Tuesday, October 13th. Don't miss either one. And we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:55:34] WHITFIELD: Jared Fogle, the ex-Subway sandwich spokesperson, will soon learn his fate after pleading guilty to child pornography.

But now, we're also learning more lure details of past behaviors. A witness, a reporter who knew Fogle spoke to Anderson Cooper and what she revealed is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROCHELLE HERMAN, WITNESS: He -- The remarks that he made to me were really just off the cuff and he told me that he was -- he thought that middle school girls were so hot.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": And this just came out in...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. So let's bring in our legal guys more on this. Avery Friedman, a Civil Rights Attorney and law professor in Cleveland and Richard Herman, a New York Criminal Defense Attorney and law professor joining us from Vegas. Good to see both of you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Nice to see you, Fredricka.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. So, Avery, you first and this is really is a, you know, it's a uncomfortable conversation I think for anyone to have when we're talking about the -- this person who has now pled guilty to child pornography. But, you know, the plea deal calls for five and a half years to under 13 years in prison. How might what we've just heard from the one reporter who recalls his comments about middle school girls? How could that impact the judges decision on the sentencing?

FRIEDMAN: Well, it can impact significantly, Fredricka. There's other evidence. There's evidence that he made remarks such as "The younger, the better." I mean, there is another individual involved who's about to be charged also that participated with Fogle.

And so what the federal district judge has to do once he gets his pre- sentence report and once they get clearance from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is factor all this in. And as far as I'm concerned, this really should be the upper level of the sentencing guidelines. This should be 12, 13 years. He shouldn't be out of the penitentiary until he is well into his 50s.

WHITFIELD: And so I wonder, you know, Richard, because it was Fogle's attorneys who said, you know, well it won't be less -- we're not going to ask for less than five years. I mean, how much would they be able to weight in or influence a judge's decision in this kind of penalty anyway?

HERMAN: Well, Fred, first of all, it's not just child pornography, he's pleading to interstate having illicit affairs with underage children.

FRIEDMAN: That right, that's right.

HERMAN: I mean, it's much worse than just child pornography and, you know, the face of Subway has become a subhuman animal. That's the face right now. His deal and you got to hand it to his criminal defense attorneys to structure this deal with guidelines of a minimum of five years with a maximum of 12 and a half. I mean, that's a remarkable job. If I had to think because of the money, because of the money.

WHITFIELD: Is that because there was the offering of this more than million dollars? Right. Well influential with that money.

HERMAN: It's so -- $1.4 million in cash, $100,000 per 14 victims. So, $100,000 per victim, sex offender registry for life which is monitoring and probation and all kinds of restrictions. But, Fred, the judge in this case potentially could reject this deal. The judge has to accept it or reject it.

FRIEDMAN: That's right. That's right.

HERMAN: And the judge could potentially reject. I think, I agree with Avery. I think, in this case, if this deal stands, he's looking a double digit time in prison, a minimum of 10 years the judge is going to give.

FRIEDMAN: Yeah, sure.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

FRIEDMAN: But the money is a critical part of this thing.

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

FRIEDMAN: Often with this kind of offenders, there is no dough. The fact is $100,000 per victim is only get to start to help them and get back on their way. And it's upfront, Fredricka. That's what's so important here and that's why it's interesting probably is that I care for.

HERMAN: And Fred, our dear friend...

WHITFIELD: Yes.

HERMAN: Our dear friend, a friend of CNN, Mark Klauss, (ph) will tell you. If you think there's only 14 victims here, we got to a bridge for you...

WHITFIELD: Right.

FRIEDMAN: Oh, there's a lot more. This guy has a lot more.

WHITFIELD: So you have to wonder -- yeah -- you have to wonder ever with this plea deal and even with the amount of money, you know, being offered. Does it mean the investigation is over? I mean, because prosecutors said they -- while they knew that some of his encounters took place when he was on business travel. They weren't sure if it was business travel for his foundation or even for Subway.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: And you have to wonder whether there is more to the potential investigation.

HERMAN: Fred, this deal will cover -- this deal would be all inclusive and will cover everything. There will be no other investigation for his trial.

FRIEDMAN: But not for the guy that he colluded with.

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

FRIEDMAN: That guy...

HERMAN: Yeah, but that guy is the one that was already charged.

FRIEDMAN: That's who gave him up, that's the rat here.

FRIEDMAN: Well, he's not a rat, he did the right thing.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. All right. Avery, Richard, always good to see you. Thank you so much, guys.

HERMAN: All right. Take care.

FRIEDMAN: Take care, Fred.

[1:00:00] WHITFIELD: All right. So much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.

All right. Hello again, everyone, and thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.