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Federal Judge Drops NFL's Deflate-Gate Suspension; Scott Walker Calls President Obama Divider-in-Chief; Donald Trump Pledges Not to Launch Third-Party Run. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired September 03, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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


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[15:30:03] GEORGE FILENKO, LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS MAJOR CRIME TASK FORCE: We have retrieved as late as last might what we believe to be some significant video. That's been turned over to the department of homeland security for processing. And I'm expecting some results from that video as late as this evening.

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ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, here's the other significant break in the case that they tell us is very important to and that is that the gun of the officer has been recovered and it's in a crime lab. Why is that important? So many questions, Ana, we have about the weapon and not going into those details at this point in time. But they do say that they're being very thorough and here's the other thing. Investigators say that they could have something else to announce as early as later this afternoon or tomorrow so we're going to stay here and bring you the latest as it becomes available.

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Let's hope for more information later.

Rosa Flores, thank you so much.

Tom Brady wins, again. A federal judge has now dropped the NFL's deflate-gate suspension against the star quarterback. Brady is now cleared to play in the Patriot's first regular season game which is about a week from now. Of course, his team couldn't be happier immediately tweeting this victory photo of Brady. The Players Association also claiming victory saying this decision should prove once and for all our collective bargaining agreement does not grant this commissioner the authority to be unfair, arbitrary and misleading.

Joining me is CNN sports anchor Rachel Nichols and sports agent Drew Rosenhaus.

All right, Rachel, explain this decision, why did the court rule this way?

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. This really was not a ruling about whether Tom Brady did or did not deflate footballs. So, if you are waiting for that --

CABRERA: Not necessarily vindicated in that way?

NICHOLS: This is an indictment specifically of Roger Goodell. Let's make this clear. The judge basically said that Roger Goodell abused his power in disciplining Tom Brady and talked about a number of points to talk about, not giving Brady proper notice of the violations, withholding a witness from the appeal hearing and this rule of the shock idea that basically, and this is going to be a big one for Brady, that basically he was punished for being generally aware of a scheme of someone else possibly deflating footballs. It's sort of if you committed a crime perhaps and I was maybe generally aware that you might have done it, I then getting arrested and jailed for it. So that's basically what the judge said. They can't do that. And he threw this case out, basically, you know, the punishment out. Of course, the NFL has said deflate-gate, it's never over.

CABRERA: They are going to appeal.

NICHOLS: They are going to appeal. And this could go on for a couple more years.

CABRERA: It's definitely not over.

But Drew, does this set a precedence of sorts?

DREW ROSENHAUS, SPORTS AGENT: Yes. I think this is very important for players of all cases. That the commissioner doesn't have the authority now to be judge, jury and executioner.

I've always had a major problem where the league, they decide a case, they decide discipline and then they decide the appeal. That's just absurd. There should be an independent, neutral hearing officer or arbitrator that resolves these things.

I never felt that Brady should be suspended on a couple reasons. We don't know whether or not he did it. There's not enough proof he did. You can't just suspend a player first time on something that's never been done before. There has to be a precedent. There has to be a history. And the commissioner just went outside of all of that. It never should have been a suspension. There should have been a fine. And this crazy story would have gone away months ago. And that would have been great for the players, the union, Brady, the Patriots. If I'm the Patriots, I now go to court and I sue the NFL for the first round pick back and to get a million-dollar fine reimbursed.

NICHOLS: Drew's a bulldog. He would do that. The Patriots are not expected 20 do that. That's, of course, why Drew gets the money for his players. But the Patriots are expected to stick with the fine. They are expected to stick with the loss of draft picks. But they certainly do feel vindicated and the big deal is that they have their quarterback back for this week's starting NFL game.

The NFL season opener is next Thursday. They were going to raise the banner for their super bowl championship at Gillette stadium without Tom Brady being allowed to be in the building. It would have been incredibly awkward. Now, guess who's not in the building? Roger Goodell. The league has just confirmed that for first time since becoming commissioner, Roger Goodell will not attend the season opener. I can't imagine it would have been a great reception from Patriots fans anyway. Can you, guys?

CABRERA: So Goodell is obviously sending a message.

Of course, I want to ask you, too, Drew, though, as Rachel mentioned, this doesn't necessarily clear Tom Brady as far as the cheating allegations go. So, what do you think this means for his legacy?

[15:55:06] ROSENHAUS: I mean, I think this has been a really unfortunate blip on an amazing career. Great player guy on the field and what appears to be a great person off the field. I do think he'll overcome this in time. He is going to go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. And I hope this saga's over for him.

I think by the end of the season, with the great year, he's going to be back to normal in my opinion and people won't be talking about this anymore. Maybe after he throws a first touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski, people forget about the deflate-gate and focus on football.

CABRERA: At least the fans will.

ROSENHAUS: Miscalculation here. They let this thing drag out. They should have worked out a deal a long time ago and concentrate on the wildly successful sport that they have.

CABRERA: Well, it is not over yet. The NFL we have just gotten word has officially filed their appeal. So we'll continue to follow it. We know, Rachel, you will stay top of it. Drew, we will have you back. Thanks to both of you for joining us.

ROSENHAUS: Sure.

And don't miss Rachel's NFL preview special with Dan Marino is this Sunday at 3:30 eastern right here on CNN.

Up next, Republican candidate links President Obama to the police killings across America.

Another high-profile Republican said that black lives matter movement is hurting its own cause. We will speak live with the pastor who joined Glen Back in the all live matter march next.

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[15:40:21] CABRERA: The police tactics use during protests last year in Ferguson, Missouri, heightened tensions between law enforcement and protesters. And that is now the official conclusion of a report released just today by the justice department.

It cites the improper use of police dogs, armored vehicles and snipers to monitor the crowds there. It also finds police agencies that lacked clear leadership and had scant understanding of the local community's concerns about law enforcement. Now, this report focused on police response in just the 17 days after

the death of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teen shot and killed by a white police officer. So police have been under scrutiny since that day and recently they have been under fire, literally. And there's been a lot of finger pointing going on about who's to blame for the recent police killings.

According to Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker, President Obama bears some responsibility. Walker wrote an op-ed posted on a conservative site calling the president a divider in-chief. And he says quote "in the last six years under President Obama, we have seen a rise in anti-police rhetoric. Instead of hope and change, we have seen racial tensions worsen and a tendency to use law enforcement as a scapegoat.

Joining me now to talk more about this is Bishop Jim Lowe. He is a pastor at Guiding Light Church in Birmingham, Alabama, where he recently co-organized an all lives matter march with conservative host Glen Beck.

Bishop Lowe, thanks so much for joining me. Your reaction, first, to Scott Walker's remarks?

BISHOP JIM LOWE, CO-ORGANIZED ALL LIVES MATTER MARCH WITH GLEN BECK: Well, I think Scott Walker and what he said, he is partially right about that. It is to bear on the president. But it is also coming to bear on all American citizens who refuse to take a stand for the goodness and righteousness that comes from God.

We are refusing to take a stand, to call out those who are wrong and we need to declare those wrong, wrong. Regardless to what their political party may be. Whether it be Democrat or Republican, there's wrong and we all have a lot to be a part of what's going on. We are responsible. It's a people.

CABRERA: I want to just make sure I understand you right because you said the president is to blame in part for the police killings that are happening.

LOWE: Correct.

CABRERA: What do you think the president has done wrong?

LOWE: The president should come forth and lead and show people that it's unity. Remember, he said he would go running for office, he would reach across to Iran to make peace and communication with them. The very same thing needs to happen in our own country. We need to bridge the bonds to bring us together as a people. Blacks, white, or wherever there's division.

Now, I'm not going to focus just on him. I said, again, it's all of us who have a responsibility to bridge the gap between the races. We must all be a part of that action.

CABRERA: We have heard a lot of people talking about this issue, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, she as you'll recall led the charge to remove the confederate flag from the state capitol grounds. And she said this about the Black Lives Matter movement. Take a listen.

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GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Most of the people who now live in terror because local police are too intimidated to do their jobs are black. Black lives do matter. And they have been disgracefully jeopardized by the movement that has laid waste to Ferguson and Baltimore.

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CABRERA: When you hear that, it seems to be a pretty provocative statement, kind of pointing fingers at the Black Lives Matter movement. What do you take away from it?

LOWE: I believe that any time any organization advocates violence or force in order to change something that it's wrong. It is the word of God that we follow that say that violence only begets violence. What we need to do as human beings is to find a common ground and what we did on this past weekend was to try to bring people together who recognize the self-evident truth that every human being has a right to life that's been given them by God. We were encouraging people to say that all lives matter. And that means the unborn in the womb, also.

CABRERA: We're showing video from that rally you just reference from last weekend. And I know you joined forces with Glen Beck to host that all lives matter rally.

LOWE: Yes.

CABRERA: But of course, you also know that Beck has made a career of being a divisive figure. So when you're trying to create unity, why team up with something like him?

[15:45:00] LOWE: Because if we can bridge unity, between me and a Glen Beck, don't you think other people can find common points of unity? The common point of unity that every human being has a God- given right to life, Glen Beck believes that. I believe that. That is the word of God. People of God have to come together.

Look. There were over 30,000 people in Birmingham who came together to say that life is important. As long as people in the media continue to separate and bring up the things of the division we cannot bring the nation together. Once again, we need leaders to stand up. Leaders to say that --

CABRERA: Glen Beck is the media as you just mentioned, though. I mean, if media is dividing, again, we are talking about joining forces with the media.

LOWE: OK. You tell me how it's divisive to say that life is important. How is that divisive?

CABRERA: I agree with you. I don't think it's divisive to say life is important.

LOWE: OK. And then that's what Glen Beck is saying and what we're trying to do. For instance on the death of the policeman that was happening in Houston, Glen Beck is suggesting a national call to prayer for people to come to pray. How can I differ with someone who wants to encourage prayer for this nation? How can I find that divisive? I find that unifying because I believe there's more people who believe in God that are in this nation than there are those who do not believe in him. I believe that that's what can bring us together. And unless God brings the people together, then we are going -- we are just chasing after the wind.

CABRERA: Bishop, if black lives matter movement were to reach out to you and ask you to join them in a march, would you?

LOWE: Listen. I was contacted by a person with Black Lives Matter. I told them, I said as long as we don't make a distinction, if you don't make a distinction between the violent segment of your organization, I can't stand with that because I'm not talking about violence. And Black Lives Matter is important. But we must divorce ourselves from the violence that is being encouraged by some segments of that.

Martin Luther King had the same problem. I am of the position that Martin Luther King, of nonviolence is important. And we have to distinguish ourselves between those who promote violence and those who promote love. In fact, as a pastor, I must promote love and unity among the people, not division and separation.

CABRERA: All right, Bishop Jim Lowe. Some good thoughts there. Thank you so much.

LOWE: God bless you.

CABRERA: We have this just in to CNN. Jeb Bush now responding to Donald Trump signing that Republican pledge. It's little bit of a zinger and we are going to show that you when we come back.

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[15:52:15] CABRERA: One little boy has touched the world. And now his dad is speaking about both of his sons, the unimaginable loss of his children, just two and four years old.

The picture I'm about to show you is touching hearts, sparking outrage. It is the cruel reminder of a region in flames that families and children are running right now for their lives.

This is the 2-year-old who washed ashore. His name is Ilan Kurdi and the boat carrying Ilan and his family sank as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece. Now, his mother and brother also drowned. They left Syria, hoping to end up in Canada with an aunt in Vancouver. Today, Ilan's father spoke to Reuters. He too was on the boat when it sank.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ABDULLAH KURDI, FATHER OF DROWNED BOY UN VIRAL PHOTO (through translator): With 12 people, the boat was heavy. With the chauffeur we were 13. Then we pushed off. We were in the water for just four to five minutes. And the chauffeur saw the waves were very high. He left us, jumped in the water and fled. I tried to stir the boat. I kept adjusting, but another wave came and capsized the boat. I tried to grab my wife and children.

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CABRERA: They slipped through his hands. And the photographer who took Ilan's photo after his body came to shore, she spoke to CNN, saying she had an obligation to share this tragic image with the world.

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NILUDER DEMIR, DOGAN NEWS AGENCY PHOTOGRAPHER (through translator): There was nothing to do except taking his photograph. There was nothing to do. And that is exactly what I did. I thought this is the only way I can express the scream of his silent body.

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[15:58:08] DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're a nation that speaks English. And I think while we're in this nation, we should be speaking English. And that's how assimilation takes. And that's how - I mean, whether people like it or not, that's how we assimilate and that's how we go on to that next phase and that next stage and that's how people, they don't speak -- I'm not just talking about Spanish, I'm talking about from various parts of the world.

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CABRERA: Donald Trump directing those comments at Jeb Bush. This was at a rally or a news conference in which Donald Trump also announced he signed a pledge to the Republican National Committee that he would support the eventual GOP nominee and not run as a third-party candidate.

As you know there's been a lot of back-and-forth between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush in recent days. And following that news conference, Jeb Bush put out this message, a simple tweet there on the right where writes, voted Republican since 1972, signed Jeb Bush. And of course you see Donald Trump's signed pledge there on the left to stick with the Republican Party through and through.

So their war of words continues, and this, as we get a new Monmouth University poll showing Donald Trump in the lead among GOP voters, 30 percent. Jeb Bush now in third place at eight percent. Ben Carson in between them at 18 percent support among GOP.

So well have much more on Jake Tapper's show "the LEAD" coming up on all things politics.

But also want to tell you about this just in, the Massachusetts dispatch officer who claimed that someone had fired shots at him, lied. A sergeant from the police department tells CNN the officer's claims were completely made up. Investigators found no ballistic evidence to support his story. The sergeant also said the dispatcher was training for a full-time position in the department, and now officials say he will be fired.

That's going to do it for me. Thanks so much for joining me. I'll see you back here tomorrow in for Brooke. "The LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: So was it the pledge of allegiance or will there ultimately be a declaration of independence?