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Embattled Kentucky Office Issues First License; Officers to Flash Lights for Slain Deputy; Bernie Sanders Mid-way through Iowa Stops; Officer Lied about Being Shot At; The Women Behind Donald Trump; New "Star Wars" Toys Hit Stores". Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired September 04, 2015 - 10:30   ET

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


[10:29:54] ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We spoke to one couple, William Smith and Jim Yates who say that they have come to this clerk's office five times to try and get a marriage license but they were denied that license ever since Kim Davis ordered her staff not to issue marriage licenses following the decision made by the Supreme Court in June. Today they came back for the sixth time. We talked to them just before they went inside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES YATES, ISSUED COUNTY'S FIRST SAME-SEX LICENSE: We've had supporters here since the beginning from this county, from this community, and there are people who have been here every day since the beginning of this, every day out here protesting. You don't really realize the emotional charge to it and the hate until you see it up front, you know, up close. But we're trying not to -- we just want to really go get our license right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: And Yates and Smith did just that. They successfully obtained the license making them the first same-sex couple to get this marriage license here in Rowan County. It happened because while Kim Davis has said that she will not sign these licenses and she will not authorize her clerks to, a judge asked five of her deputy clerks to agree to issue these licenses.

There is a sixth deputy clerk, Kim Davis' son, who has said he will not issue the licenses. Kim Davis was given the opportunity to get out of jail after a judge ordered she be put in jail for contempt of court refusing to follow the order to issue the licenses. She was given the opportunity to get out if she agreed not to interfere with the licensing process, but her attorney, Carol, said that he could not guarantee that his client would do that. So today she remains in jail.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Alexandra Field reporting live from Kentucky this morning. Thank you.

Also this morning, family and friends will soon say their final farewell to a slain Texas officer. Visitation is expected to begin at the top of the hour for Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth. Goforth was shot to death a week ago as he pumped gas into his police cruiser. In the meantime, a motorcycle ride held in honor of Goforth began

just moments ago and the Texas Governor Greg Abbott, is a issuing a statewide call to stand with law enforcement. CNN's Ed Lavandera live in Houston. Good morning -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, it will be an incredibly emotional scene here in the city of Houston as the sheriff's department here lays to rest one of their own, Deputy Darren Goforth. We've already seen an incredible turnout of officers from around the state and around the country coming here to pay their respects. So incredibly emotional.

The service will not last particularly long, about 45 minutes to an hour, and I think some of the more poignant moments will become -- the sheriff of the department will be speaking, but also two other officers, close friends of Darren Goforth as well will be giving their memorials there at the service later today.

And then afterwards it will be some of the most emotional scenes you will probably see throughout the day. A wall of honor coming out here of the church, leaving the church, and then the motorcade to the burial plot which is just several miles away.

And what is expected to happen is an outpouring of support throughout the community. People expected to line up across the street to watch the motorcade go by on the way to the burial plot. So as you mentioned, the governor of Texas will also be here at the memorial service. He issued a statewide stand with law enforcement pledge throughout the state of Texas and many people heeding that call, wearing blue today and also urging people to turn on their car lights if they're driving around wherever they're driving around at 11:00 this morning Central time.

He spoke yesterday about just how important this memorial service is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R), TEXAS: Asking every citizen in the state of Texas to wear blue. If you are on the road at 11:00 a.m., if you would turn your flashers on for one minute. Collectively, we're going to send a tidal wave of support across the state of Texas to the men and women who keep our community safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So, Carol, you're already seeing that tidal wave of support that the governor is talking about here. As you have seen already, several thousand law enforcement officers from around the state of Texas and around different parts of the country showing up here this morning to start paying their respects to Darren Goforth -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Ed Lavandera reporting live from Houston this morning. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:38:49] COSTELLO: Bernie Sanders is in the middle of a three- day swing through Iowa. He's meeting with Latino groups and native Americans building on the momentum that has him nipping at Hillary Clinton's heels in the polls.

Suzanne Malveaux tracked him down in Des Moines. Good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning -- Carol.

They're feeling the burn as they like to say here in Iowa. He does have a number of events today. We're talking about a Latino round table, an event with American Indians, involves two stops in Cedar Rapids later today. He's only seven points behind Hillary Clinton.

Had a chance to catch up with him one-on-one and talk about things. I have to tell you, Carol, he hates to talk about the horse race. He'd much rather talk about the issues, expanding social security as well as providing tuition-free education, things like that, minimum wage. We talked about those things but he also did acknowledge the reality of where he is in this campaign, weeks away, months away from the Iowa caucuses and that is how does he translate these big numbers, these big crowds into people who are going to vote at the Iowa caucuses?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are growing much faster than we have the infrastructure to organize, so what we are doing now is hiring a lot of people. We have now dozens of people on the ground here in Iowa. Great crowds are wonderful, but that does not necessarily translate into votes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:40:08] MALVEAUX: So that is his biggest challenge now -- Carol. How does he do that? He really has to build that infrastructure on the ground to make that happen.

We also heard as well he refuses to talk about Hillary Clinton's e-mail troubles. That is something that he does not want to put on his plate, so he really didn't address that question.

But what he did do when he talked to the crowds, Carol, it's very Obama-esque. Having covered Obama back in 2007 and 2008 in Iowa, it's the same kind of phrases. He's talking about political revolutions. He says it's not about me, it's about you, changing the world, changing the country.

And so I asked him about that. I said look, you sound very much like Obama especially to the folks here in Iowa hearkening back to those days. Do you think you're alike in that way and how are you different? Here is how he responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: After he got elected he had the illusion, the mistake, of believing that he could sit down with the Republicans and just work out some good compromises. That was never going to happen. The only way that we change life for the middle class in this country is when millions of people become actively involved in the political process. No president can do it alone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Carol -- it was a huge surprise when Obama took the state in the Iowa caucuses and so it's interesting to see how these crowds are responding to him. And the one thing that Obama did have was he had this amazing campaign structure, grassroots structure on the ground. That's what Bernie Sanders says he has got to have, he has got to accomplish that in the weeks ahead -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Suzanne Malveaux reporting live for us from Des Moines, Iowa. Thanks so much.

Checking some other top stories for you at 41 minutes past.

IED explosions in the Sinai Peninsula injuring four U.S. soldiers. The soldiers are part of a multinational peacekeeping force supporting a treaty between Egypt and Israel. U.S. officials are increasingly worried about security in the region and Israel is calling on Egypt to get tougher with jihadi groups in the area.

A New York teacher faces numerous charges after police say he crashed a drone during the U.S. Open. The drone was seen floating into the stadium from the east before slamming down into an unoccupied area of the stands. The tennis match was halted as authorities investigated but was eventually completed.

And this isn't something you actually want to run into. A king cobra on the loose right now in Orlando, Florida. The owner seen here says the venomous snake escaped from his cage after a tree limb fell on his house during a storm. A group of experienced snake handlers are now searching for this snake. I hope they -- oh.

Shock and disbelief in the small town of Millis, Massachusetts where a 24-year-old part-time police officer is in deep, deep trouble for making up a story that he had been shot at. Police now say the officer shot at his own vehicle which caught on fire after crashing.

Bob Ward of Boston affiliate WFXT says local residents were stunned when they learned the truth.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SGT. WILLIAM DWYER, MILLIS POLICE: We have determined that the officer's story was fabricated. BOB WARD, WFXT REPORTER: Shocking news in Millis one day after

police swarmed into town ordering a shelter in place looking for an armed suspect who shot at a cruiser causing that police vehicle to crash and burst into flames. Police now say it was all a lie.

The 24-year-old part-time Millis police officer who claimed he was a victim will soon be fired and will soon face charges.

DWYER: I know for myself I still am very upset and don't know exactly how to feel right now except I'm concerned for the other members of the department.

WARD: The news sending shock waves through the small town of Millis.

The police are saying this guy made the whole thing up. The cop made it up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Seriously?

WARD: Yes, seriously.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How is that even possible?

WARD: And that's what police are trying to figure out. Millis police, state police detectives spending the entire day scouring an area off forest road looking for more evidence. They never found any.

And when the ballistic report came back authorities determined the only shots fired Wednesday out on Forest Road came from the police officer's own weapon. And the mysterious man in the pickup truck the part-time officer claimed opened fire on him police now say never existed. It's almost too much for people in town to take in.

You saw all the cops around here, you saw the helicopter, the SWAT teams.

NICK ELIAS, MILLIS RESIDENT: From like almost every town.

WARD: And now you hear that it was all fake.

ELIAS: Yes. That's kind of crazy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Kind of crazy is right. That was Bob Ward reporting from Boston affiliate WFXT. The officers' name will not be made public until he's formally charged.

[10:44:47] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, are Ivanka and Melania Donald's trump card? A look at the women behind the reality star turned Republican front-runner next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:49:24] COSTELLO: Donald Trump may seem like a one-man show, but it could be two women in his life who wield some of the biggest influence.

Brian Todd has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He's been scolded, cornered, has taken the toughest jabs on a highly charged campaign topic.

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS HOST: You call women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals.

TODD: Donald Trump later appeared to blame that on Fox moderator Megyn Kelly's hormones -- Democrats pounced.

DEBBIE WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ, DNC CHAIR: Donald Trump made some pretty misogynistic, sexist remarks.

TODD: Since then Trump said he cherishes women and will, quote, "take care of them". As he ramps up his run for the White House, he's relying on two women very close to him.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Do you know who is very good at advice? My wife. You know who else? Ivanka. Anybody ever hear of Ivanka? She's good for advice. She's very smart.

TODD: Trump is said to be heavily influenced by his 33-year-old daughter Ivanka and his 45-year-old wife Melania, a former cover and swimsuit model born in Slovenia who sells a successful line of jewelry and skin care products on QVC.

MELANIA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S WIFE: I hope you tune in or call me.

TODD: Trump says Melania will soon be campaigning for him and that behind the scenes she scolded him to stop attacking Jeb Bush. What will Melania and Ivanka advise him on? No comment from Trump's camp.

TRUMP: Omarosa, you're the team leader and you lost.

TODD: But Omarosa Manigault, a three-time contestant on Trump's NBC reality shows "The Apprentice" and "Celebrity Apprentice" says these women will help him zero in on issues that matter to female voters.

OMAROSA MANIGAULT, REALITY TV STAR: Fair pay, issues regarding women's health, education. You know, those are things that I think that they could be very helpful to Mr. Trump on.

TODD: Melania has appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice".

M. TRUMP: I cannot believe they spelled my name wrong.

TODD: Ivanka is a regular.

TRUMP: So Ivanka, who would you fire? IVANKA TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: I'd fire Martin.

TODD: And she's introduced Trump on the trail.

I. TRUMP: He says what he means and he means what he says.

TODD: Three of Trump's top eight campaign officials and one of his Iowa co-chairs are women. Analysts say they'll have to balance out Ivanka's and Melania's inexperience.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are not people who have run for office, who have run for campaigns before. I'm not sure they're the kind of asset when it comes to appealing to women voters that he might think they are.

TODD: How will Ivanka and Melania shape Donald Trump's world view?

MANIGAULT: I believe that Ivanka and Melania, they're able to kind of soften Trump's edges. You know, he has some very sharp edges to him and they're able to soften that and give him a perspective from a woman but also to insert a little compassion into his perspectives on issues that are important to them.

TODD: There's another strong, very accomplished woman who Omarosa Manigault says is a very big influence on Donald Trump. His older sister, Mary Ann Trump Barry, 78 years old. She serves as a senior judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. She has a reputation for being tough behind the bench with a strong command of her courtroom and of her brother's attention.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Checking some other top stories for you at 52 minutes past.

Police say an 11-year-old boy shot and killed a teenaged intruder in Missouri. The boy and his younger sister were alone at home at the time of the incident. The alleged intruder was a 16-year-old who police say tried to break into the house earlier that day. Now, it's not known how that 11-year-old had access to a firearm. Officials say the mother is cooperating with the investigation.

ISIS is destroying more monuments in the ancient city of Palmyra. This time blowing up three of the city's tower tombs. The tombs line the outside of the city and date back to 44 A.D. ISIS militants have already destroyed two temples in Palmyra.

The last of three Americans credited with stopping an attack on a Paris-bound train has returned home. Late last night Spencer Stone arrived to a cheering crowd at an air force base in California. There it is. The U.S. airman had been in Germany recovering from injuries he received while subduing the gunman. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, may the force be with you. New

Star Wars toys are being released overnight sending fans into an absolute frenzy. More on that bonanza next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:57:56] COSTELLO: Star Wars fans rejoice, it's the two words you have been waiting for, "Force Friday". It's finally here. Stores all over the globe now selling more than 100 new Star Wars toys. Paul La Monica was with fans for the midnight release.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL LA MONICA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When the clock strikes midnight on September 4th, 2015 "The Force Awakens". Star Wars fans -- rejoice.

Hundreds of them are here in New York's Times Square gathering outside Toys R Us and the Disney store to be the first diehards to get their hands on the newest toys from the most buzzed-about movie of 2015.

New Star Wars toys are going on sale at midnight. No, no, toys. Merchandise. The store is going to open at midnight.

But I got a little sneak peek. I don't know who Constable Zubio is but he looks pretty cool. I also got a bit of Jedi training.

JOE NINIVAGGI, GLOBALK MARKETING, HASBRO: There's nothing like getting a light saber in your hand. You feel like you're in the movie. To be able to have different forms of light saber like Kylo Ren, it's such an awesome light saber that we've never seen. We saw it and we're like we're blown away. Just totally inspires us to go in a totally different direction.

LA MONICA: What characters can you talk about in the new movie that might be something we should be keeping an eye out for.

NINIVAGGI: Well, I mean there are a whole bunch of different Storm Troopers. there are types of desert creatures that we have figures of that, you know, you have seen them in sort of teasers and trailers that JJ would put out but you don't know much about yet. They're all in the line.

LA MONICA: So given that you guys are making toys about the movie, there's got to be things that are still coming out that hint at plot developments. Is there anything you know specifically about plot in "The Force Awakens" that you probably can't tell me?

NINIVAGGI: Do you seriously want to see me get force choked on camera right now? Is that what you're asking?

LA MONICA: The line outside Toys R Us was eight hours in the making. At midnight the early birds reaped the rewards.

So why are you here when you could just buy this stuff online? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where is the fun in that?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[11:00:03] COSTELLO: Oh, Paul La Monica -- thanks so much for that story. I'm trying to understand but I don't know.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.

"AT THIS HOUR" with Berman and Bolduan starts now.