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Tsipras Declares Victory in Greek Election; Pope Francis Meets with Fidel Castro; Refugees Facing Hard Choices in Fleeing Syria; Group of Hostages Freed in Yemen, Now in Oman; Poll Numbers Shift after CNN Debate; The Rise of Anti-Muslim Rhetoric; Cancer Victim Returns to Cuba to See Pope; Japan Changes Policy to Allow Troops to Fight Overseas; Criticism of Carly Fiorina's Corporate Career; Iranian Woman Competes in Motocross. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired September 21, 2015 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): A victory of the people: Alexis Tsipras gets a bigger-than-expected victory at the polls in Greece. We'll ask if he got the mandate he was looking for.
Also ahead, an historic handshake as Pope Francis becomes the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church to meet with Fidel Castro.
Plus a record-breaking night at the Emmys for the TV drama, "Game of Thrones," and a bunch of first-time winners.
We'll get to all of the excitement for you this hour. Hello and welcome. Thanks for joining me. I'm Errol Barnett. This is CNN NEWSROOM.
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BARNETT: One month after resigning as prime minister and triggering snap elections, Alexis Tsipras is returning to power in Greece, calling his win Sunday a victory of the people.
His left-wing Syriza party is projected to fall short of a majority. So the Independent Greeks party will join them to form a ruling coalition and that coalition will have to deal with the economic crisis, keep the country's bailout on track and, of course, cope with the ongoing migrant crisis. Mr. Tsipras says he knows things have been tough but he believes the people are behind him.
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ALEXIS TSIPRAS, GREEK PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This is a victory of the people. We have given a difficult fight and I believe that the Greek people has given a clear mandate that we -- to continue both inside and outside the country to lift the pride of the country within difficult situations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: When you take a step back and look at this you realize it's been quite a year for Alexis Tsipras. He was elected in January on a promise to get rid of austerity measures and keep Greece in the Eurozone.
But Greece's European creditors were not buying it. Greece came to the brink of bankruptcy and, in July, the prime minister and parliament accepted the tough economic reforms. But the bailout was rejected by some members of Tsipras' Syriza party.
In August he resigned and called for early parliamentary elections.
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BARNETT: Nicholas Economides is a professor at the Stern School of Business at NYU. He joins us now from New York to talk about these results.
So here we have it, Alexis Tsipras saying these results prove he has a clear mandate, winning almost as many seats as he had before.
But in order to pay back the billions of euros loaned by the IMF, he will now have to continue unpopular austerity measures and pass new laws quickly.
So in your view, what type mandate does Mr. Tsipras have?
NICHOLAS ECONOMIDES, STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, NYU: Well, I think he has a limited mandate especially the way he's attempting to make a government. He is attempting to make a government with one coalition partner, an extreme right-wing party called Independent Greeks, which -- its main platform for that party is to be against the deal, the deal with Europe. So it's a kind of a paradox that Mr. Tsipras is making a government with the sworn enemy of that deal.
And I think he would have been much stronger in negotiating with the Europeans if he had made a much more broad coalition of the pro- European forces into his government.
BARNETT: OK. So you're seeing some issues with the coalition.
What about turnout? Because at 56 percent, it was the lowest in Greece's history. Back in January, there was more than 63 percent turnout.
Why do you think that, despite the importance and the impact on people's daily financial lives, turnout was so low this weekend?
ECONOMIDES: Well, people seem to have been disappointed. They don't see any party giving a clear-cut solution to their problems.
And the parties keep lying to them. They tell them that things are fine. Mr. Tsipras himself keeps saying, well, I signed this deal but I'll find a way not to implement it and so on. So people I think are getting tired of this. BARNETT: Well, there you have it a sobering assessment from Nicholas Economides, a professor there at the Stern School of Business at NYU.
Thanks for your time today.
ECONOMIDES: Thank you very much.
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BARNETT: Now to another story we're tracking. Pope Francis is preaching tolerance to thousands of ordinary Cubans and the country's political elite on his historic visit. Earlier on Sunday he met privately with Cuban revolutionary --
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BARNETT (voice-over): -- leader and former president, Fidel Castro. They discussed religion and world affairs during what was described as an informal meeting. Later the pope met with Fidel Castro's brother, Cuba's current leader, Raul Castro.
The pope began the day celebrating mass in front of tens of thousands of people. He also spoke to a group of nuns, priests and Samarians (sic).
Right now the pope is resting up, of course. It is the middle of the night. It has been an extremely busy visit so far and the pope still has another two days left there in Cuba.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is there and looks back at Sunday's events.
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ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis ended his first full day in Cuba doing what he loves to do most, meeting with a large group of young people here in Havana.
This was really significant because the Vatican brought in a wi-fi system and encouraged the young people to come out and send their social media messages across the planet.
Now this is significant because Cuba is one of the most disconnected countries on the planet. So access to wi-fi is extremely rare and, when you do get it, it doesn't work very well. So this was an extraordinary moment here. And Pope Francis really enjoyed meeting with these young people.
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POPE FRANCIS (through translator): Open yourself and dream. Dream that a world with you can be different.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Pope Francis started his day here in Havana with a full mass, hour and a half long, here in the Plaza of the Revolution. Several hundred thousand people were in attendance. It was incredibly hot. We did see moments of that political tension that just kind of lies
beneath the surface in Havana, several protesters arrested. They approached Pope Francis's Popemobile, threw up leaflets with anti- government messages on it. There was another banner in the crowd, saying "Cuba should be open for all Cubans."
So we definitely saw the signs of that underlying political tension that exists here in Cuba. And Pope Francis saw that very much directly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: But then Pope Francis left the mass area here in the Plaza of the Revolution and went on to meet with Fidel Castro in his house, a 45-minute meeting that was described as informal and friendly, the Cuban government releasing a picture of that meeting.
After meeting with Fidel Castro, then Pope Francis went on for the more formal state meetings, head of state meetings with Raul Castro and the head of the Cuban government as well as the leadership of the Vatican. That was a much more formal affair that was broadcast on Cuban television as well.
Now Pope Francis continues his visit here in Cuba. He will fly on Monday to the eastern provinces of the island, holding a mass in Holguin and then moving on to the town of Santiago before he then flies to the United States and directly to Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, Havana, Cuba.
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BARNETT: The death toll keeps rising as more migrants risk everything to get to Europe. In one incident Turkish officials say at least 13 people died on Sunday when their boat collided with a ship in the Aegean Sea.
The coast guard was able to rescue eight passengers, however, and volunteers rescued dozens of migrants near the island of Lesbos Sunday after their dinghy sank.
Waves of migrants are now pouring into Austria as they make their way across Europe. Austrian officials say 11,000 people crossed into the country from Hungary in a 24-hour period over the weekend.
Thousands of migrants are also flooding into Croatia. The country is giving them food, water and medical care before sending them to Hungary, which is then sending many of them to Austria.
Now, the U.S. plans to take in more refugees as Europe tries to respond to the migrant crisis. Secretary of State John Kerry says America will now take in 85,000 people in the next fiscal year and 100,000 refugees in 2017.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: This step that I am announcing today, I believe, is in keeping with the best tradition of America as a land of second chances and a beacon of hope.
And it will be accompanied by additional financial contributions to the humanitarian effort, not only from our government but from the American people.
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BARNETT: Now, millions of Syrians have sought refuge in other countries. The majority have settled mainly in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and in Iraq.
But if you look at these numbers here, you'll realize that more than 4 million Syrians are now in those four countries with almost twice as many displaced inside Syria.
There are also some 428,000 Syrians seeking asylum in Europe. Now, as we know, thousands of desperate Syrians have fled their homes to make the dangerous journey to Europe.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh shows us some of the hard choices they have to make to get there.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is where one agony ends and another may begin. Syrians queuing en masse at their border to get --
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WALSH (voice-over): -- far away fast from regime-held areas. Tough to film here. Many Syrian passports checked are shiny and new. The coaches full. The route out is direct and the tickets mostly one way to Turkey.
WALSH: And this is where they camp, in Lebanon, a country literally bursting because of the war in its neighbor, where one in four people you meet will be a Syrian refugee. Now no longer are they allowed to stay, it seems, but instead transit, gathering here until they get to about 500 in number, when they're then put on these ferries, paying for the transit to Turkey, some hoping, dreaming to go on further to Europe.
WALSH (voice-over): Five times more leaving on Tripoli's ferries, say officials, so far this year than all of last. about 1,000 a day.
These young men bound from Homs this morning for Germany.
WALSH: How was Homs?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's OK right now.
WALSH (voice-over): Their choice: join the Syrian army or run. Both mean they hide their faces.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's somewhere better, of course we will try. But for now we are aiming for Germany.
WALSH (voice-over): Ahmad is 20 and hours earlier was in Latakia, onto which rebels were advancing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't find my future there. So we'll go by the death journey to Germany, by the sea from Turkey to Greece. It's the more danger.
WALSH: Why can't you stay in Lebanon or Turkey?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's so bad. And make so you will work so hard and just live for eat and sleep, eat and sleep. You can't do more than that.
WALSH (voice-over): Here one family from Damascus, who rushed their 9-year-old to Lebanon this morning for urgent cancer medicine, it was too late. He died. They buried him near the port two hours ago. But they continue on.
Five hundred fifty board, all the choices they have are bad but this one's gamble has the highest payoff.
Ask yourself, if you were bright and young, which one would you make? Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Tripoli, North Lebanon.
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BARNETT: Now we want to show you a beautiful moment involving a young Syrian refugee. First, I want to remind you of this video, though. You may remember it. That young refugee, carried by his father, when they were tripped by a Hungarian camerawoman. That incident caused outrage.
Well, on Saturday, that young refugee, Zaid Mohsen, walked onto the pitch with none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. The star striker held the boy's hand right before Real Madrid's match against Granada. Real Madrid has already donated $1 million to help refugees and now Zaid's family is getting help to settle in Spain.
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BARNETT: Good for him.
Now, six hostages who were being held by Houthi rebels in Yemen are now free. Two Americans, one British citizen and three Saudis were flown to Oman on Sunday. The Omani government negotiated the release. The fate of the third American hostage, who was not freed is unclear. The release comes as talks are being held between the Houthis and a U.N. envoy on to end nearly six months of fighting.
A U.S. presidential candidate for president says Islam is inconsistent with the country's Constitution. Coming up, Ben Carson's thoughts on Muslims in the White House or in Congress. Plus China reacts with alarm over a change to Japan's military
doctrine.
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BARNETT: Welcome back.
Listen, there's been a major shift in the U.S. presidential race. A key political poll has changed since the second Republican debate, which was seen right here on CNN.
In the CNN/ORC poll, Donald Trump still leads but he's lost some support, while Carly Fiorina has jumped to second place. Sunlen Serfaty has more.
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SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This poll shows how much the debate has really shaken up the race. But besides who's up and who's down, what's most striking is when you compare it to what the field looked like just one month ago -- put up those comparison numbers for you now.
As you see, Donald Trump, he is still the front-runner but he's on a downward slope, sliding eight points. Support slipping there, too, for Ben Carson who has lost 5 percentage points. Compare that to Carly Fiorina. She's leaping up 12 percentage points. That's a huge number really in just three weeks.
Also a big jump there, too, for Senator Marco Rubio, gaining 8 percentage points.
And all of this really underscores how vital the debate moments are for these candidates, especially with such a crowded field.
Carly Fiorina, she really went toe-to-toe with Donald Trump in so many of those moments and these numbers really do show that she came off looking very favorable because of that.
Senator Marco Rubio, he was able to really highlight his foreign policy chops, gained a lot of momentum. Same with Carly Fiorina going forward. That sets a tone on the campaign trail going forward from here on out.
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BARNETT: All right. That was Sunlen Serfaty, reporting from the campaign trail.
Meanwhile, Islam is still a hot topic for the Republican candidates for president. Ben Carson is the latest to weigh in; on the Sunday political talk show, "Meet the Press," Carson said he would be against a Muslim as president.
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CHUCK TODD, NBC NEWS HOST: So do you believe that Islam is consistent with the Constitution?
DR. BEN CARSON, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No, I don't. I do not. I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.
TODD: And would you ever consider voting for a Muslim for Congress?
CARSON: Congress is a different story. But it depends on who that Muslim is and what their policies are.
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BARNETT: Now, Donald Trump has received quite a bit of condemnation in the last several days for not correcting this supporter's anti- Muslim comment during a campaign rally.
Trump is now defending his --
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BARNETT (voice-over): -- action or lack thereof in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper.
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DONALD TRUMP, ENTREPRENEUR: Well, you know, we could be politically correct if you want, but certainly are you trying to say we don't have a problem?
Because I think everybody would agree. I have friends that are Muslims. They're great people. Amazing people. And most Muslims, like most everything, I mean, these are fabulous people, but we certainly do have a problem. I mean, you have a problem throughout the world.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: What's the problem?
TRUMP: You have radicals that are doing things. I mean, it wasn't people from Sweden that blew up the World Trade Center, Jake.
TAPPER: I get that. But to say we have a problem and it's called Muslims, because there are some extremist Muslims, is tarring all Muslims. You would agree that the vast majority --
TRUMP: No, I don't agree with that at all. But you have extremist Muslims that are in a class by themselves. I mean they are -- it is a problem in this country. And it's a problem throughout the world.
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BARNETT: Now, one of two Muslim lawmakers in the U.S. Congress says Trump and Carson are basically resorting to fearmongering here.
In a statement, Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota, said, quote, "For Ben Carson, Donald Trump or any other Republican politician to suggest that someone of any faith is unfit for office is out of touch with who we are as a people.
"Every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry," end quote.
Peter Beinart is a CNN political commentator and contributing editor for "The Atlantic" and "National Journal." He joins us from New York to talk about all of this.
And, Peter, we've seen Islamophobic statements from politicians on the far right before. Many were against a mosque, for example, being built near Ground Zero. That's just one incident.
But here and now, the rhetoric seems to be getting more intolerant and it's coming from Republican candidates.
How do you explain that perception?
PETER BEINART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This sadly has been something that's been around for quite a while certainly since September 11th. In some ways it's gotten even worse more recently.
So in 2012, for instance, Herman Cain, who was a Republican presidential candidate, said he would not appoint a Muslim to his cabinet. And now we have Ben Carson, saying there should not be a Muslim president.
BARNETT: Also we should say the U.S. Constitution even says there should be no religious test for any candidate to serve in office and religion shouldn't have a place in the U.S. political system.
What do you make of that?
BEINART: I think it's also important to put this into context. This is Ben Carson. Ben Carson is basically a buffoon when it comes to politics. He was a very talented surgeon.
But like Donald Trump, he has a very minimal grasp of basic policy questions, you know, and he's made a series of absurd comments. He said that Obama's health care plan was the worst thing since -- the most oppressive thing in American history since slavery, for instance.
I think that there is -- he and Trump are appealing to a certain very fearful, very kind of raw sentiment in a certain part of the Republican Party, of people who feel like the country -- they're losing their country in a more globalized world, with a more diverse America.
And so they're grasping for various scapegoats, whether it's illegal immigrants from Mexico or Muslims as the embodiment of the threat that's taking away America from them.
Instead of politicians like Bernie Sanders, who I think actually are talking about the real problems that people face in America, in which, in many ways, it is harder economically than it was a generation ago and an America that is undergoing a kind of dizzying cultural and demographic change, they play to these -- people like Ben Carson play to these fears.
BARNETT: So what's your assessment of what's happening in the Republican Party, then?
Because you've written before about leaders in the Republican Party have chased out intolerant elements. William F. Buckley in the '50s, for example, bothered by anti-Semitism, helped to stamp that out.
Why isn't that happening now?
Do you think there's a chance that something like that could happen again, a Republican leader standing up to the intolerant statements?
BEINART: I think eventually something like that may indeed happen. The good news in this story is that, for all its problems and flaws and sins, America is a place where Muslims who are citizens can vote just like Mexican Americans can vote.
And because they can vote, that can change the political calculus. The Republican Party is on the wrong side of a massive generational and demographic shift in the United States, with non-white Americans becoming a larger and larger share of the population and with younger Americans, who are more tolerant of this diversity, becoming a larger and larger share of the electorate.
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BARNETT: Peter Beinart there, speaking to me from New York.
And for a closer look at why Republicans like Donald Trump are having a hard time with questions about President Obama's background, just head on over to our website, cnn.com.
Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, an --
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BARNETT (voice-over): -- emotional homecoming to Cuba. We'll show you how the pope's visit prompted a cancer patient to return to her roots.
And Japan's new military policy shift raises some concern in China. We'll show you why after this.
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BARNETT: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Thank you so much for staying with me. I'm Errol Barnett. Here are our headlines right now.
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BARNETT (voice-over): Alexis Tsipras says he now has a clear mandate to lead Greece after winning the country's fifth election in six years. His Syriza party came in just shy of an outright majority in Sunday's snap election. They'll join the Independent Greeks party to form a ruling coalition.
At least 14 migrants are dead in separate incidents in the Aegean Sea on Sunday. One of them, a migrant boat collided with a ship near Turkey's coast on the way to Greece. The Turkish coast guard rescued eight of those passengers, many of them believed to be from Syria.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson says he would not support putting a Muslim in the White House. On Sunday, he said Islam is inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution. He did say he would not be voting for a Muslim in Congress if their policies elevate the nation.
Pope Francis met Sunday with Cuban revolutionary leader and former president, Fidel Castro. The two men spoke for about 40 minutes in a meeting that was described as informal and friendly. Later the pope met with Fidel Castro's brother, Cuba's current leader, Raul Castro.
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BARNETT: Now, the pope's visit to Cuba helped convince one woman to return to the Communist nation for the first time in more than four decades. But her visit isn't just about her homecoming. She arrived on a mission to fulfill a dying wish. Ed Lavandera reports.
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ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Marta Sara Moore stares at a sight she hasn't seen in 46 years. She left Cuba as a 10-year- old girl. Her father saw no future in Fidel Castro's Cuba. This weekend, she came home for the first time since leaving with her family in 1969.
MARTA SARA MOORE, RETURNS TO CUBA TO FULFILL DYING WISH: It's a dream come true.
LAVANDERA: As soon as she walked off the plane, Marta touched the Cuban ground.
MOORE: If I wasn't sick, I would have kissed the ground. That's what I felt like doing. I felt like kissing the ground. Yes.
LAVANDERA (on camera): Why? MOORE: You know, here's my country. Here is, you know, where I was
born. Here, you know -- here I am.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Marta is in Cuba with her son, Felice Gorordo, to see Pope Francis. She promised to make this special journey with him after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The diagnosis planted a sense of urgency to bury decades of anger and anguish.
(on camera): There are so many older Cuban exiles who never wanted to come back here, have always said, I'm never setting foot in Cuba again while the Castros are here. Was that hard for you to overcome?
MOORE: Not really. I've come to a point in my life that we need to forgive. My family, we had people in prison, you know, hurt by the regime. I think it's just time. You know, it's time to forgive. To forgive and to let these young people live.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Felice started visiting Cuba 12 years ago. At first, his mother couldn't stomach the idea, but he kept coming back to discover family roots and to reach out to the younger generation in Cuba.
FELICE GORORDO, SON OF MARTA: What struck me the most was the lack of hope and the desperation of young people here, so many of which have just given up hope for a better life for themselves and their families.
LAVANDERA: The crumbling buildings and street scenes like a time-worn photograph symbolize the struggle for so many people on this island.
(on camera): With the relationship between Cuba and the United States changing, there is a sense of hope around here, but Cubans are also very realistic. And they point to this tree as the perfect metaphor. There's a tradition here in Havana that every November people come here, walk around the tree, and they leave notes asking for new fortunes and good luck. But the tree, as you can see, is dying, and Cubans like to joke that they have been coming here and asking for so much for so long that they have sucked this tree dry.
(voice-over): Felice's visits eventually inspired his mother to return to Cuba with him. They hope Pope Francis's message of forgiveness and reconciliation will help heal deep wounds.
GORORDO: That's where the focus needs to be. How we can help young people here make a better life for themselves and their families. How we can help them become the authors of their own futures.
LAVANDERA: Marta and Felice are writing the next chapter in their family's history, walking the streets of Havana and already dreaming of the day they return.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Havana, Cuba.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BARNETT: And now to some other stories we're following for you. China is responding to Japan's decision to allow its troops to fight overseas. It's a radical shift from Tokyo's long-standing policy limiting its military to defense of the Japanese homeland. Japan's prime minister says it is vital to meet new challenges from a rising China. But China, which suffered grievously from Japan's military in World War II, strongly disagrees. A statement from China's foreign ministry urged Japan to, quote, "Uphold the path of peaceful development and act cautiously in the areas of the military and security and do more to help push regional peace and stability rather than the opposite."
Now our Saima Mohsin has more on what prompted Japan to change its decades-old policy and the fierce opposition to it.
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SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seven decades of pacifism take a dramatic turn in a controversial bill. The passionate sentiments and divisive nature of the bill exposed in a brawl between politicians ahead of voting. With protests through the night into the early hours of Saturday, over the weekend the demonstrators diminished but many still came out to raise their concerns. A larger demonstration is expected later in the week.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): I don't think will head to war right away but I'm very worried that Japan might be a country supporting a war in 10 or 20 years' time. I don't think the bill represents public opinion at all.
MOHSIN: There are some restrictions. Any military engagement will have to be approved by parliament. And the government would have to prove it has no other options but to put boots on the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): I support the security bill. I think Japan alone is unable to maintain national security and cooperating with other countries will help Japan in its security and defense.
[01:35:13] MOHSIN: Until now, Japan's self-defense force has been limited to humanitarian roles globally. In six months' time, though, it will be able to enter into combat to support Japan's allies at war, including the United States.
The major concerns, North Korea releasing a statement in the past week that it's ready to use nuclear weapons at any time.
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MOHSIN: Add to that China's growing military might, seen on display in a recent parade, and activity in the South China Sea. Many experts and advocates say Japan's moves are timely if not long overdue.
(on camera): Despite proudly displaying its own ever-increasing arsenal, China's foreign ministry says Japan is turning against the contemporary trends of peace, development, and cooperation. The defense ministry here in Beijing says Japan is insisting on keeping a Cold War mentality.
(voice-over): The public feel Japan's pacifist constitution defines the country's character, moving from a country that swore never again to go to war to one that may someday be responsible for the loss of foreign lives is altering, they say, the very fabric of this nation for good for the worst.
Saima Mohsin, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: It's been more than 50 years in the making and Nepal has put its new constitution into effect. For the first time, Nepal's governing document was written by representatives of the people. It took more than seven years to draft. However, not everyone is happy with this. A handful of groups representing ethnic minorities have denounced the new constitution. They want a bigger representation in parliament and have launched protests over the past few weeks, including on Sunday.
Carly Fiorina is enjoying a big boost in the polls after last week's CNN U.S. presidential debate. Coming up, what her detractors are saying.
Stay with us.
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[01:40:21] CARLY FIORINA, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER CEO, HEWLETT-PACKARD: Now more people know who I am and we know, based on what's happened before this debate, that as people come to know me and they understand who I am and what I've done and, most importantly, what I will do, they tend to support me.
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BARNETT: Carly Fiorina there, the new number-two in the Republican race for the White House.
Fiorina surged into second place after the second Republican debate, seen right here on CNN. In the new CNN/ORC poll, Donald Trump still leads with 24 percent support, but consider, that is down eight points since earlier this month before the debate. Carly Fiorina has 15 percent support. That's a big jump for her. And Ben Carson dropped to third at 14 percent.
As Carly Fiorina's profile rises in the Republican field, so does the criticism of her record as CEO.
Tom Foreman takes a look at her controversial corporate career.
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(APPLAUSE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outspoken and tough, by all accounts, Carly Fiorina has friends and enemies in high places.
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: You ran up mountains of debt as well as losses using other people's money, and you were forced to file for bankruptcy not once --
FIORINA: I never filed for bankruptcy.
(CROSSTALK)
FIORINA: -- not twice. Four times. A record four times. Why should we trust you to manage --
(CROSSTALK)
FIORINA: -- the finances of this nation any differently than you managed the finances of your casinos?
(CROSSTALK)
FOREMAN: For foes, her most glaring weakness lies in two letters -- H.P. Fiorina made big headlines when she was named the first female CEO at that tech giant in 1999. But the headlines were even bigger when she oversaw the mega purchase of Compaq and H.P. went into a tailspin, losing half its stock value in the bursting tech bubble and laying off now workers.
TRUMP: The company is a disaster and continues to be a disaster. They still haven't recovered.
FOREMAN: By 2005, Fiorina was very publicly and painfully fired. She told "60 Minutes," about it.
UNIDENTIFIED ANCHOR, 60 MINUTES: Almost as if they meant to take you down a peg or two, that kind of thing.
FIORINA: Well, if that was their intent, they certainly succeed in that.
(LAUGHTER)
FOREMAN: For Wall Street, it wasn't personal. It was business. As soon as Fiorina was fired, H.P.'s stock rose 7 percent. And "Fortune" magazine's assessment is blunt, her run as CEO, well, it just wasn't all that great.
FIORINA: Keep up, ladies.
(LAUGHTER)
Sorry. I walk really fast. FOREMAN: But Fiorina was soon pushing on, advising John McCain's
presidential bid in 2008, running for Senate in 2010, giving us the famous demon-sheep ad and an infamous open-mike moment when she insulted Barbara Boxer's hair.
FIORINA: Saw Barbara Boxer briefly on television this morning and said what everyone says, God, what is that hair?
(LAUGHTER)
So yesterday. Even --
FOREMAN: The Democrat responded by walloping Fiorina in the final vote.
Life has hit Fiorina hard, too. Twice married, she is a breast cancer survivor who underwent a mastectomy during that losing Senate campaign, and who that same year lost her stepdaughter, Laurie.
FIORINA: Drug addiction is an epidemic. And it is taking too many of our young people. I know this sadly from personal experience.
FOREMAN (on camera): Industry analysts broadly agree that Fiorina made some big mistakes in her corporate career, and even as her fans argue against that, they also suggest all the ups and downs have left their candidate ready for everything the campaign and the presidency can fling at her.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Tom Foreman reporting there.
Now, air quality concerns in China are nothing new. But the issue was center stage this weekend during Beijing's annual international marathon.
Our meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri, joins with us more on that.
We both run all the time. I can't imagine what it would be like to do a marathon with air of poor quality, and so many people had that experience.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They did. You know, there are so many studies done on the effects of running in a polluted major city. Not necessarily one as bad as air qualities across Beijing. But sometimes the running is actually not good for you. You talk about working out but that is all taken back when you do it in a polluted city like this. You know in beige about 20 percent of the world's population lives in China but in China in particular I should say one- third of the world's lung cancer rates come out of this region. So of course, this is a very, very dangerous situation for a lot of people. There was about seven people hospitalized across this region Sunday as well. But you kind of see the perspective of the runners. Some of them masked up here as the 42-plus kilometer race begins. One of the people that was hospitalized, they were hospitalized four kilometers into the race. Now, we know the air quality here of course doesn't help the situation. The smoker rate quite high. This incredible image showing you one of the participants getting ready for the race before it began smoking a cigarette. But all of this goes into play when it comes to the fatalities in this region related to lung cancer. The air quality in the hazardous category. The peak of it during the race. About 174 during the race and still sits around 170, which, by the way, well above the average of 50 to 50 when it comes to the healthy rain. Kicks up the winds a little bit. The weather pattern improves. The rain showers come in on Tuesday, and once again we know in towards that dryer pattern. The concern is, of course, is this time of year as you transition to the cooler months, the coal burning begins by a lot of people across this region, and the particulates are quite high again toward the next couple of months.
But we're also watching a storm system across the eastern Med today. That is pushing some rain showers out over portions of the Greek isles. But the main concern with this is that some of the migrant tracks, we know of course a lot of fatalities have occurred over this region and in recent days the weather pattern is starting to shift a little bit. The wind speeds anywhere from 40 to 60 kilometers per hour, especially around southern periphery outside portions of Libya, working its way into Tunisia. The wind speed's going to be howling over the open waters in this region of the Mediterranean, certainly going to be choppy if you're trying to cross this region with small boats as well. But the storm system hangs out in the area. Meanders out of the region as well. Scattered thunderstorms, and look at the wet weather light up the region. Upwards of 150, maybe 200 millimeters there of rainfall in an area we know has seen such heavy traffic when it comes to migrant routes. Of course, this time of year, you begin to see the weather pattern as the jet stream shifts out toward the winter months, you see the weather pattern pick up every single day. Now weather becomes an element here every single day as well.
[01:46:54] BARNETT: And many of those migrants and refugees had said they were purposely trying to make this journey before the weather changes and temperatures shifted, so starting to happen.
JAVAHERI: Yeah. Starting to happen.
BARNETT: Pedram, thanks so much. We'll see you later.
Still to come, facing unusual challenges on and off the race course. Coming up next, an Iranian woman's goal into Motocross. You're going to want to see this.
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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: Hi, there. I'm Patrick Snell, with you CNN "World Sport" headlines.
Manchester United are up to second in the Premier League after winning a five-goal thriller with Southampton. Anthony Martial, the $55 million 19-year-old, endearing himself to United fans last weekend by scoring on his debut against Liverpool. Here on England's south coast, he showed a maturity way beyond his 19 years with not one but two goals. Juan Mata added a third. United come out 3-2 winners.
New Zealand starting their campaign to defend the Rugby World Cup title on Sunday, facing Argentina, who never before had beaten the All Blacks in 21 attempts. Legendary skipper, Ritchie McCore, fair to say he's had better days for his country. He was sin binned for just the third anytime his record haul of 143 international appearances. But it was relief in the end for the world champs. Sam Cain adding to scrum after Aaron Smith's earlier score, 26-16 New Zealand.
Seb Vettel basking in the glory of his triumph at the Singapore Grand Prix. It wasn't just the German's third win of the season, his 42nd career victory, now seeing him overtake the legendary Ayrton Senna on the all-time list. Vettel also moves to third place in the standings. This, remember, in his very first season as well with the Ferrari team.
Thank you so much for joining us. You're bang up to date. That is a look at your CNN "World Sport" headlines. I'm Patrick Snell.
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[01:51:29] BARNETT: Welcome back. Hollywood celebrated the best of television Sunday night with the 67th primetime Emmy Awards.
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(APPLAUSE)
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BARNETT: And look at that. One of the highlights was Tracy Morgan's return to the stage after suffering a serious brain injury 15 months ago in a deadly car crash that killed a good friend of his. He presented the last award of the night, for best drama series, to "Game of Thrones," which broke the record for most Emmys won in a single year, 12. The other big winners, "Veep" for best comedy series. The HBO drama "Olive Kittredge" took home the best limited series. And "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart won best variety talk show. After 12 nominations, Jon Hamm finally won his first Emmy as best actor in a drama for "Mad Men," while Viola Davis became the first African- American to win best actress in a drama for "How to Get Away with Murder." Jeffrey Tambor's role in "Transparent" garnered him best actor in a comedy, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus won best actress in a comedy for her work in "Veep," another great show.
In a country where women are banned from riding motorcycles in public, Motocross might seem like an especially challenging sport for a woman to take up.
But as Fred Pleitgen is about to show us, one woman is not only doing it, she's hoping for an international championship.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Believe it or not, Motocross racing has a strong following in Iran. Riders are fast and furious, and many compete internationally.
Most would expect this to be an all-male domain in this country until they meet Behnaz Shaffieh, one of the first and few female Motocross riders in Iran.
"When I was 15, I saw a lady going around on a motorcycle doing whatever she wanted," she says. "That's when I realized I wanted to do it as well."
No easy task for a country where women can't even get a license to ride motorcycles on the streets.
"There are some groups of men who when they see us they say you should stay at home and cook. This sport is not for you," she says. "It makes me so mad, so I want to prove them wrong."
Women in sports are a difficult issue in Iran. Conservatives continue to try and ban women from even attending sports events.
And the captain of Iran's women's national soccer team was not able to participate in the Asian championships because her husband wouldn't allow her to renew her passport. A husband's permission to leave the country is required by Iranian law.
Behnaz Saffieh faces similar problems. She can't compete in Iran and many dirt bike tracks won't let her practice.
"I believe 100 percent you should not make a difference between women and men," she says. "In many sports, women have proven that they're just as good."
Behnaz Shaffieh is coached by Iran's Motocross champion, Razoul Najafi. He says, in the beginning, it was a little strange for him to see a woman trying to take up the sport in Iran but now he believes, with proper sponsors, and if given a real chance, Behnaz could go far.
"She's very talented and can reach very high," he says, "but she needs better facilities and more sponsorship to advance further."
Behnaz Shaffieh has been invited to international races but a lack of funding often presents her from make the expensive trips. But that has not stopped her from chasing her dream. Practicing hard, riding fast, hoping one day her time will come.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Awesome. Good for her.
Now, after 53 years on television Sabado Gigante has said adios.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (APPLAUSE)
SABADO GIGANTE, TELEVISION HOST: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
(SHOUTING)
(CHEERING)(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:55:22] BARNETT: Surely, even if you don't speak Spanish, you've seen clips of this program. The Spanish language Univision classic ended its run on Saturday with a tribute to the show's legendary host and creator, Mario Kreutzberger, better-known as Don Francisco. The show will be honored with a Guinness World Record for the longest- running weekly variety show.
Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I'm Errol Barnett.
Rosemary Church is up next with more of the latest news from around the world. Then I'll join her once again after that. Stay with CNN.
[01:59:54] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Greece's left-wing leader emerges triumphant from a snap general election after a dramatic victory over his conservative rival. We will go live to Athens for more.
