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2016 Presidential Politics; Obama Won't Stay at Waldorf Astoria; Georgia to Execute First Woman in 70 Years; Paul Walker's Daughter Sues Porsche; Warren Jeffs' Daughter Returns to FLDS Compound. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired September 29, 2015 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:29:50] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, Trump now getting a major boost of support from billionaire investor Carl Icahn who says he believes Trump will wake up the country. All of this happening as a new poll shows Trump trailing behind a hypothetical match-up against Hillary Clinton.

CNN political reporter Sara Murray has more for you.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Good morning, Carol.

Donald Trump might be leading the Republican field but a new poll show he could struggle in a general election. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in a potential head-to-head match-up. And in that match-up Hillary Clinton crushes him. She comes in with 49 percent of the vote compared to 39 percent for Donald Trump.

Now, it's still very early and so take these polls with a grain of salt, but what it does tell you is that even though Clinton is very damaged right now and still dealing with her e-mail questions, she still has a broader appeal than Donald Trump.

Now, one of the issues with that could be questions about whether Trump has the temperament to be president. When he spoke to Erin Burnett last night, he even admitted that he can be a little bit childish.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Probably just a little childish but, you know what, this is a campaign and usually and I think you know this better than anybody, I'm responding to them. I'm a counter-puncher.

I think in every single instance, I've hit. For instance Walker was very nice to me. All of a sudden he hit me and I hit him back. All of these guys -- Rubio was very nice to me -- couldn't have been nicer. All of a sudden a week ago he started hitting me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: Though in that same interview with Erin Burnett, Trump also said he thought that he could beat Hillary Clinton easily. So my guess is, he's not going to be paying a lot of mind to this poll today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Sara Murray reporting.

In the meantime on Capitol Hill, a major shakeup could be coming for Republicans. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise now vying for House majority leader. California Congressman Kevin McCarthy, who currently holds the position, has already announced his bid to be the next speaker.

All of these potential moves triggered by the sudden announcement by Congressman John Boehner that he will retire at the end of next month.

The Waldorf Astoria is one of the most famous luxury hotels in New York City. Located on swanky Park Avenue the Waldorf has opened its doors to every U.S. President from Herbert Hoover to Barack Obama, but this week President Obama is breaking that tradition.

CNN senior United Nations correspondent Richard Roth has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New York's Waldorf Astoria houses the history-making parlays of the big four foreign ministers.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, a New York institution. For eight decades U.S. Presidents have stayed the night here when they come to town. But no more.

For President Obama, it's time to move out of the Waldorf. The fear -- security concerns. China now has business interests that own the Waldorf Astoria. You know what happens when someone takes over a hotel. There are renovations. White House officials are very worried that a lot of that renovation work -- well, that could lead to spying, bugging. In the movies, which always seems to highlight security bugging, James Bond had to deal with a threat from Russia.

HAROLD HOUCK, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: One of the things would be near the phone, OK. Not only checking this phone for a device that's bugging your call, also whether or not inside here there was another device.

ROTH: In your decades of police and detective work, how common was bugging in hotel rooms?

HOUCK: It's very common. Wherever somebody knows where you're going to be and they want to find out your secret, somebody can go in there and place a bug in there.

ROTH: There are thousands of hotels in Manhattan and elsewhere for a U.S. president to stay. Where should he or she in the future?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He should use AirBNB.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Dream Hotel in the meat packing district.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's welcome to come and stay with me in my house in Queens.

ROTH: One presidential candidate won't have to face the where- to-stay-in-Manhattan issue, he already lives here, plus his name is on the building.

The President stayed at the Millennium Hotel across the street from the U.N. and here at the New York Palace, a permanent home for White House visitors is unknown. The management of this West Side hotel claims many U.S. presidents have stayed here from Clinton to Garfield.

They were guests who signed in under those names to provide anonymity.

I would like a room. Well, it's definitely cozy. There's something on the wall and on the pillow that would be a little different than the average hotel room. Of course, in diplomacy, loose lips is not something you want to be known for.

The Liberty Inn could be a solution when world leaders have such a problem finding rooms, in a hurry to meet face-to-face. Here the rooms go by the hour.

The Waldorf Astoria won't comment specifically on President Obama's departure but did say, in effect, the welcome mat is always open for an opportunity to return.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Richard Roth.

[10:34:35] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the daughter of Paul Walker is suing over the actor's death. We'll tell you why next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: In Georgia, a parole board meeting less than 30 minutes from now could be the last best hope for Kelly Gissendaner to avoid execution tonight. Gissendaner has been on Georgia's death row for the murder of her husband in 1997. The parole board has already turned down her request for clemency but will revisit the issue one more time.

Martin Savidge is covering the story for us. He joins us now live. Good morning.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning -- Carol. Yes, Kelly Gissendaner has been on death row since 1998. And if she's put to death at 7:00 tonight Eastern time, she would be the first woman executed in the state of Georgia in 70 years.

So, the Pardon and Parole Board is going to take up her case at 11:00 a.m. Keep in mind, Carol, this board has already ruled once before and denied her any chance of clemency or commuting her sentence which is something that they could do. They have decided that they will listen one more time.

[10:39:56] The arguments that her attorneys are going to put forward are this. First and foremost they would say, look the disproportionate example of her case. For instance, her boyfriend, who actually carried out the murder, he got life with parole. In fact, he'll be eligible for parole in seven years. She got the death penalty and she didn't actually pull the trigger. That's another thing that are attorneys are bringing forward.

They say since the modern era, the death penalty in the state of Georgia, no one has been put to death that didn't actually either pull the trigger or carry out the crime in their very own hands.

And then lastly, what they bring forward is a long list of young women in prison who they say that Kelly has mentored throughout the whole experience.

But I would be wrong if I also didn't bring out the statement that has been by Douglas Gissendaner. This is the man who was murdered -- this is from his family, and says, "As a murderer, she's been given more rights and opportunity over the last 18 years than she ever afforded Doug who, again, is the victim here." That's what the family stresses. Remember who died.

We'll expect to hear something shortly this morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Martin Savidge reporting live for us -- thank you.

Paul Walker's daughter has filed a wrongful death suit against Porsche. The 16-year-old is blaming design flaws for the death of the "Fast and Furious" star two years ago. Walker was a passenger in a Porsche Carrera GT at a charity event when the driver lost control and hit a power pole and a tree. The car then burst into flames.

Calvin Kim with Porsche Cars North America said the automaker has not seen the lawsuit. But that, quote, "As we have said before, we are saddened whenever anyone is hurt in a Porsche vehicle but we believe the authorities' reports in this case clearly established that this tragic crash resulted from reckless driving and excessive speed."

Automotive expert Lauren Fix joins me now to talk about this. Good morning.

LAUREN FIX, AUTOMOTIVE EXPERT: Good morning.

COSTELLO: The car was going about between 80 and 93 miles per hour when the driver lost control. Isn't it clear from that that speed was to blame for this accident?

FIX: Well, you would think it is. And knowing Roger, he was a professional race car driver in the Pirelli World Challenge Series. So he knew what he was doing. He and Paul had --

COSTELLO: That was the man driving the car, right? I just want to make it clear, he was driving the car.

FIX: Right. Roger Rodas was the driver.

COSTELLO: So he knew what he was doing.

FIX: Roger Rodas -- he knew what he was doing, but mechanical things happen. I race cars on an amateur level and I've had broken parts, too. Car parts break on the street all the time. However, this car was modified. Porsche is claiming from Roger Rodas' wife, who has had four claims now against Porsche, which all have been dismissed by the courts, which is going to set a precedent and make it very difficult for Meadow to be able to settle.

I understand that she's upset with her father's death. And I definitely, you know, feel for her and her family, but going after Porsche, I don't believe she's going to have a strong enough case, although the attorneys are always there with their hand out and they really love these cases.

COSTELLO: Well, it was such a horrific death, though, because apparently Paul Walker survived the impact of the crash and then the car caught on fire and he died as a result of the fire.

FIX: Right. Very sad. But looking at it, Porsche is saying the car was improperly maintained and had after-market components on it. And the fuel line breaking was due to the impact that had nothing to do with the failure of the fuel line.

And there's been quite a few investigators checking this out. And what they're saying is that it could have been driver error, it could have been something wrong with the pavement. At some point when attorneys get involved, it no longer becomes a personal, sad situation. It becomes, who can we sue? Is it the car manufacturer? Whoever on the industrial park, whoever paved the road, who planted that tree there. And it gets to be too far from the actual problem.

There are 17 cars that are mutually owned between Paul Walker and Roger Rodas' estate. And they're still feuding amongst themselves over that. Some of those cars have been sold. Some of those cars are owned. So they're still feuding over that. And he had a $25 million estate and they're looking to build on that.

And, honestly, at some point she's going to have to find her way to conclude that in her mind because typically when you go after car manufacturers in these type of situations, where speed is involved, usually there's not a win in your favor. It has happened in a very rare situation, but typically there are multiple people involved in that lawsuit and multiple people pay out.

COSTELLO: Lauren Fix, thanks for your insight. I appreciate it.

[10:44:26] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, inside polygamist leader Warren Jeff's former compound -- his ex-followers now speaking out. Lisa Ling is in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: All right. Let's take you back to the United Nations.

You see history being made right there. That's President Obama sitting with Cuba's president, Raul Castro. They seem to be all smiles at the moment. But yesterday when Raul Castro addressed the General Assembly, he demanded an end to the trade embargo, which, of course, is largely put into place by the United States. And he also wants the United States to close Guantanamo -- something that's unlikely to happen any time soon.

But we just wanted you to take a look at that historic picture. As for what the two men said when they met, you're going to have to wait because we don't quite know yet. But we certainly will know later today.

In other news this morning, members of Utah polygamist Warren Jeffs' Fundamentalist Mormon Church also known as FLDS Community lived by a strict set of rules. It's almost impossible for insiders to leave or outsiders to get in.

In the season premiere of "THIS IS LIFE" with Lisa Ling, Lisa tries to get inside with one of Jeffs' daughters.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[10:50:02] LISA LING, CNN HOST: Becky and I are heading to Shore Creek, home to the FLDS. It's a place she hasn't seen in nine months.

Does everybody know that four of Warren's kids have left?

BECKY JEFFS, DAUGHTER OF WARREN JEFFS: It's pretty well known by now.

LING: What do you think that means to them?

JEFFS: I think it would make them very curious, why would they leave? They had everything. They're children of the prophet. Why would they leave?

LING: It's limited 5,000 FLDS members still live here, in an area that encompasses two towns, Hill Dale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona.

At first Shore Creek feels like any other small town, but it doesn't take long to notice a difference.

These are such big, walled off compounds.

JEFFS: When you're in there, you feel like you can't live your life freely without being watched all the time.

LING: I'm noticing all the windows are closed.

JEFFS: Yes. It seems like they would be on red code lockdown right now. That means everybody, shut your blinds, lock the doors, stay quiet, stay secluded, don't be seen. That's a security vehicle coming to check on us. Hi.

LING: You think all these trucks are monitoring what we're doing?

JEFFS: I think that people have called each other and security's out watching just to monitor the situation. They don't know what's up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Lisa Ling joins me now. Wow. That's just -- so, they were watching you?

LING: Yes. I mean it's interesting because there are a few figures alive today in America as notorious as Warren Jeffs. And even though he's serving a life sentence in prison, he still is controlling the FLDS. And he has 49 children and four of them have recently left. All four are making shocking allegations, but we got two of them to agree to tell their stories on camera.

These aren't people who have any interest in becoming famous or writing books. In fact, they're still very much shell-shocked because they've been living inside this completely closed off world. They're kind of like refugees from a totalitarian state. But it's so important for them to try and communicate messages to the people inside that community that their father is not who they believe he is.

COSTELLO: So, what was the most surprising thing that they told you -- these young women?

LING: Well, have you to watch our episode. But, you know, the thing that I want people to know when they watch this and to ask is, how could a man like this, after hearing what his kids reveal, how could a man like this become the prophet to thousands and thousands of people who still continue to blindly believe that he's the Hand of God.

And Becky Jeffs, one of the daughters who spoke to us, called me yesterday and asked me if we could call the prison where her father is being housed and to see if they would air this episode because they have very important messages that they would like to convey to their father.

COSTELLO: That's very courageous of them to want to do that -- right?

LING: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Lisa Ling, I can't wait to watch. Thank you so much for being with me. I appreciate it.

An in-depth look at the secrets of the FLDS community on "THIS IS LIFE WITH LISA LING", Wednesday 9:00 p.m. Eastern, only here on CNN.

All right. You're looking now at a shot of Capitol Hill. This is the House Committee that is now grilling the president of Planned Parenthood. Representative Chaffetz there has been asking her some very tough questions. And I think we have some tape turn around for you. So let's listen.

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: Dr. Deborah Nucatola said and I quote, "To them, this is not a service they should be making money for", end of quote. That was left on the floor. She said also, quote, "No one's going to see this as a money-making thing", end of quote. She went on to say, "We're not looking to make money from this; our goal is to keep access available," end of quote.

Another quote that was left on the cutting room floor, "We really just want it to be reasonable for the impact it has on the clinic. This is not something. This isn't a new revenue stream that affiliates are looking at. This is a way to offer patients a service that they want. Do good for the medical community and still maintain access at the end of the day," end of quote.

She went on to say another piece on the cutting room floor, this is on the floor, are there -- quote, "Are there affiliates that would just donate the tissue or -- for free" or, and then there's another one, and then I'll end with this one. Dr. Nucatola said and I quote, "Probably I mean really, the guidance is, this is not something you should be making an exorbitant amount of money on."

Let me ask you this --

[10:55:07] COSTELLO: All right. We're going to jump away.

That was Elijah Cummings actually and he was actually asking the President of Planned Parenthood about clips that were cut from those secret videos that allegedly show Planned Parenthood personnel talking about selling tissue from aborted fetuses. That hearing likely to last a long time -- of course, we'll keep you posted on what happens. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: As you know, I was lucky enough to cover Pope Francis' visit to the United States. And I must say, it was one of the highlights of my long, long career. So, I have my lasting memento. I bought this pope doll for $20. And I'm very happy with it.

[10:59:57] But I wanted to show you some pictures because, you know, I posted most of these on social media and I had such wonderful feedback from you.

These are the people waiting in Washington, D.C., waiting to see the Pope. And as you can see, some of them were saying a rosary, others were singing. That's Evan. I clearly remember him. He said he's a lapsed Catholic and maybe Pope Francis' presence would renew his faith.

So again, thanks for all of your comments. I so appreciate it.

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

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