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Live from New York: It's Donald Trump; Official: 99.9 Percent Sure Bomb Crashed Russian Jet; Victims of Flight 9268 Remembered; New allegations About Louisiana Officers' Past. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired November 08, 2015 - 07:00   ET

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


CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump making waves on the ultimate late night stage on "Saturday Night Live."

[07:00:01] Even though he poked fun at himself, not everyone finds it funny.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE CRUZ, PROTESTER AGAINST TRUMP'S "SNL" APPEARANCE: Singling out a group of people and saying that they are sending criminals here is wrong. And he's inciting racism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And this morning, one U.S. official says there is 99.9 percent certainty that a bomb blew up that Russian passenger jet over Egypt.

And this comes as a memorial service ends in St. Petersburg, Russia, where the victims of that flight are being remembered this morning.

PAUL: And we dig into the records of two police officers charged with murdering a 6-year-old, that's that little guy there. What we found out about the officers' pasts as a town remembers that little boy.

We want to say good morning and let you know we so appreciate your company. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you.

PAUL: Yes, let's start with Donald Trump's big night on "Saturday Night Live". The GOP candidate poked some fun of his mean tweets, his hair. He showed off some dance moves. And he also gave a sneak peek into what a White House would look like perhaps if he's elected president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: General, how are we doing in Syria?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, ISIS is completely eliminated, sir. The country is at peace, all the refugees have returned and they have great jobs as blackjack dealers in the Trump hotel and casino in Damascus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, the president of Mexico is here to see you.

TRUMP: That's great. Send him in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald.

TRUMP: Enrique.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I brought you the check for the wall.

TRUMP: I'm so proud of you and changing Telemundo to all English for me, you changed that to on all English.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.

TRUMP: Great thing.

Jimmy, how is the economy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amazing, sir. In the words of our new national anthem, it's huge. I have no idea how you did it, sir.

TRUMP: Well, you know what? I don't have to get specific. With me, it just works. You know? It's magic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Meanwhile Trump's big night was facing controversy after an activist group had a $5,000 reward for anyone in the audience who yelled out Trump is a racist. Trump was heckled. But take a look at how this happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY DAVID, ACTOR: You're a racist!

TRUMP: Who the hell -- oh, yes. I knew this was going to happen. Who is that?

DAVID: Trump is a racist!

TRUMP: It's Larry David. What are you doing, Larry?

DAVID: I heard if I yelled that, they would give me $5,000.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: All right. Let's talk about it. We've got CNN's senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES", Brian Stelter, along with CNN contributor Bill Carter.

Good to have both of you. BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

BLACKWELL: Hey, Bill. I want to start you. Your thoughts on Trump's performance?

BILL CARTER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you know, I think he was OK. I think it's all depending on material. I thought the material was pretty soft, not really pointed satire. So it was relatively easy for him to skate whatever the controversy there was. And, you know, some of the sketches were just sort of out of left field.

I mean, these were the ones that sort of pointed to whatever controversy there was, and, you know, they didn't really do any damage to him, I don't think, or embarrass him. And I don't think it's going to make material difference in the political race.

BLACKWELL: Brian?

STELTER: Well, expectations were so high for Trump. I don't know if he met those expectations. I saw lots of disappointment on Twitter and Facebook.

But let's be honest, Victor. People have been dissing "SNL", saying it's not as good as it used to be decade ago, ever since it's started, right? That's been going on for decades. I do think it was a standout moment because we have never seen a front-runner of president ever host a late night show like "SNL" before so historic for that in that way.

Now, it wasn't historic in terms of how great the comedy was. Like Bill said, it was kind of easy, it was kind of soft. But Trump was surprisingly light-hearted, and he did all the right things, said all the right things. So, I don't think it's going to hurt him at all as a presidential candidate or as a businessman.

BLACKWELL: Let's talk about the protests that were outside of 30 Rock. We saw some of the video early this morning.

CNN spoke to some of those protesters. Here is a bit of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE CRUZ, PROTESTER AGAINST TRUMP'S "SNL" APPEARANCE: This whole issue speaking in an uneducated manner and singling out a group of people and saying they are sending criminals here is wrong. And he is inciting racism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We talk about everybody. This is about racist thing and racism in general, period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: So, Brian, I wonder your take on the "SNL" turning that Trump you're a racist heckler that bounty of $5,000 into a punch line?

STELTER: I think it was wise for them to diffuse the situation. [07:05:00] I thought it was probably valuable free publicity for the protesters, but obviously, it can also been as downplaying or dismissing their concerns. The group that said that bounty came out minutes later and said, we are going to send it to Larry David, we're going to embrace this moment, send the money to Larry David even though it was a joke because they're glad that their voices were heard, at least briefly on the show.

But I think there's a flip side argument that Trump was being dismissive of it. I thought interesting that Trump did make a couple of jobs about his controversial positions. We heard that joke about here's the check for the wall from the fake Mexican president. It was interesting he was able to touch briefly on those very controversial parts of his campaign.

BLACKWELL: Yes, but some reporting also that he was willing to veto some sketches that he I think didn't work --

STELTER: The more risque ones, the more risque sketches.

BLACKWELL: Yes, into his narrative.

STELTER: Yes, that was taking presidential politics here and not just entertainment I supposed.

BLACKWELL: Hey, Bill, let's take a look at one of the funnier moments that we know are being tweeted out this morning. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I hate to break it to you guys, but I'm not going to be in the next sketch. I'll do the next best thing. I'll live tweet it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tomorrow, it's back to Cleveland. Wah, wah.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I scream, you scream. We all scream at my husband!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he ripping us apart?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, he definitely is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where? What do you think he just tweeted? Probably something with like Kenyan, Kennan, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: So, I wonder. I had this conversation with Errol Louis. I want your take, Bill.

CARTER: Yes?

BLACKWELL: Is this now just a rite of passage for candidates for president? I mean, or is this one-upmanship over Hillary Clinton? Does everyone have to do it now?

CARTER: Well, I don't think everyone will be invited to do it now. They took a guy so much in the media so much that putting him on the air makes sense as a host. You know, Hillary just had one sketch. I could see other candidates doing that, especially when it gets down to a few and other candidates have done it in the past.

But it's rare to be a host. This guy has been a host before. Plus, he's got this larger than life persona that they can play with. I think he can argue they didn't play it all that much and maybe -- maybe not encourage him to do it again and again. I do expect the ratings will be extremely good.

And, you know, also, if they got Larry David another $5,000, I'm sure it's going to make a big difference in his life.

(LAUGHTER)

STELTER: Right!

BLACKWELL: That is a win for the night. Final word from you, Brian?

STELTER: I agree with Bill. The ratings are going to be high when they come in. We have them by 11:00 a.m. on "RELIABLE SOURCES." So, we'll see how well it differs to normal night.

I think it was interesting CNN producer Noah Gray was inside the auditorium, inside the studio for the show. He said that Trump was just playing to his family. He said he didn't care about the rest of the audience but his whole family was there. We saw his daughter but his whole family was in the room and he just wanted their approval.

In that way, Trump, even though he's a real unusual "SNL" host, I bet he is like the others.

BLACKWELL: All right. Unfortunately, we didn't get to play the dancing of the hot line bling version of the video. But we'll see it I'm sure later this morning.

Brian Stelter, "RELIABLE SOURCES" coming up at 11:00 Eastern.

Bill Carter, thank you so much.

STELTER: Thanks.

CARTER: Good to be with you.

BLACKWELL: And, of course, fresh off those "SNL" hosting duties, Trump is now set to appear on "STATE OF THE UNION" this morning with Jake Tapper. Check out that interview at 9:00 a.m., right here on CNN.

PAUL: Meanwhile, Trump's GOP rival Ben Carson making a campaign stop in Puerto Rico off the heels of his clear agitation regarding the media's concerns and questions about his past. It was at that press conference that Dr. Carson made an interesting prediction. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think it's causing a complication. And here's is my prediction -- my prediction is that all you guys trying to pile on is actually going to help me, because when I go out to these book signings, I see these thousands of people, they say, don't let the media get you down! Don't let --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: So let's talk about this with CNN's Sunlen Serfaty who is following the Carson campaign, by the way.

So, Sunlen, it seems that Dr. Carson may have some credence here. Yes?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christi. And he is out touting some evidence of that. A big hall of campaign contributions that have come flooding in during this specific week, this period of more intense scrutiny on him. He tweeted out yesterday, quote, "We, the people, have made 10,000 donations each day this week raising $3.5 million this week alone", and then adding, "Thank you, biased media."

It was a not so subtle jab at the intense period of scrutiny that he believes he is under unfairly, which is what he said. This really keeps in line with his stepped up tone that Ben Carson has been bringing this weekend and really pushing back much more aggressively and more combatively against the media.

[07:10:08] He feels this is unfair coverage looking into these questions about his past. Now, today here in Puerto Rico, Ben Carson will hold a statehood event, really trying to change the narrative that currently is dominating his campaign. The campaign, of course, hoping, Christi, to rechange the focus on what they want to be talking about -- Christi.

PAUL: All right. Sunlen Serfaty, we appreciate it. Thank you.

And do stick around. In our next half hour, we've got some news about Marco Rubio. The Florida senator releasing his credit card data after facing scrutiny over his finances and we will have the findings coming up.

Also, disturbing new details emerge this morning in the investigation into the shooting - of this little guy, 6-year-old boy. We are live in Louisiana with what we have learned about the alleged violent past of one of those officers.

BLACKWELL: Also, a mysterious light in the sky over California. A lot of people were questioning is this a UFO? Well, we now know what really caused this suspicious light.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: We have got new information this morning about one of the police officers charged with murdering a 6-year-old boy. Thirty-two- year-old Norris Greenhouse and 23-year-old Derrick Stafford are charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder in Tuesday's shooting in Marksville, Louisiana.

PAUL: Six-year-old Jeremy Mardis, take a look at him here, he was shot and killed Tuesday after a police pursuit involving his father who was also shot, by the way. The little boy's viewing is scheduled today.

Nick Valencia is following the story live in Marksville.

So, Nick, what have we learned specifically about these officers?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christi. According to local newspaper here, "Town Talk", that 32-year-old Derrick Stafford was indicted on two counts of aggravated rape.

[07:15:01] He has been a police officer, according to the paper, the last two years and in one of those cases the alleged rape case happened while he was a police officer. One dating back to September of 2004 and another one in 2011. I should mention, a year after the indictments came down the case was dismissed without prejudice meaning the charges could come back.

We're also learning this morning that the other officer who's been charged with a murder of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis is involved in several civil lawsuits related to and tied to excessive force. From what we can tell, CNN has looked into this and neither one of them, from what we know, has ever been convicted of a crime. We have attempted to reach out to local official here and not gotten back to us and family members for those two officers charged in this death of the 6-year-old have not gotten back to us either.

We should mention that they are being held in this facility behind me at this detention center. We are also told that they are separate from the general population. They are expected to have their first court appearance sometime this week. But perhaps more importantly, today, there is a viewing for 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We are also told that his funeral is expected for tomorrow, but certainly this community affected all around by what happened here on Tuesday night -- Victor and Christi.

PAUL: So, Nick, have we heard anything from the mother in this case and any update on the status again of the father again?

VALENCIA: We are reading reports this morning that the father's condition has been upgraded, though he is still hospitalized. We did reach out to the hospital and haven't been able to get that on the report but reporting out there this morning that his condition has improved, though he does remain in the hospital.

We are looking into these discrepancies of the boy's mother. We have not heard from her specifically. But we have reached out to who we believe is the girlfriend of the father who is also injured in this shooting on Tuesday. She has also not gotten back to us. A lot of questions that remain unanswered clearly as you can tell from

our reporting here, we have done all our due diligence to get information confirmed, but officials are being very tight-lipped about what happened. A press conference held on Friday from the head of the Louisiana state police department offered very little details how this all went about, why Chris Few, the father of this 6-year-old, was being pursued in the first place.

A coroner told a local newspaper here that he was told second-hand information that there was a warrant out. Though, on Friday the Louisiana state police, the head of that state police saying he had no recollection or idea that there was an existing warrant for Chris Few or an active warrant for Chris Few.

So, certainly, as I mentioned, Christi and Victor, that there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered and hopefully we get some of answers throughout the day.

PAUL: And, Nick, real quickly, just something you said quickly. I want to clarify. Did you say that the girlfriend was injured as well? Was she a third person in that truck or car?

VALENCIA: No, but we are -- she was not injured. We are understanding she was witness to the initial confrontation or encounter between these marshals and deputies and Chris Few. But, no, she was not injured.

PAUL: OK.

VALENCIA: Just Chris Few and that 6-year-old who was shot and killed.

PAUL: OK.

VALENCIA: Five times, hit in the head and chest -- Christi.

PAUL: I know. Nick, thank you for the clarification. We appreciate it.

BLACKWELL: All right. Some new reporting on a story we first told but yesterday. Hundreds of high school students caught in a nude photo scandal, sending them via phone and app. School officials now warning this is a nationwide issue. More on that story next half hour.

PAUL: And a U.S. official says it is 99.9 percent certain a plane blew up -- a bomb rather blew up a Russian jetliner. So with that, what is next in the investigation?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:22:10] PAUL: Gunmen still on the loose this morning. Investigators searching for the person who shot a Texas judge. Police say Julie Kocurek was shot outside her Austin home. That happened Friday night. A police commander says her injuries are serious but not life threatening. BLACKWELL: All right. Look at this -- this is the light that so many people in southern California talking, maybe a little worried overnight. Police got lots of calls. This video was posted all over social media. U.S. military officials say do not worry. This is not a UFO. It's actually a missile test.

PAUL: You can wonder why people might think that.

BLACKWELL: I guess people might be worried about that, too. But the missile was not weaponized. No arms there.

PAUL: President Obama is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in D.C. tomorrow. The two leaders are looking for ways to mend their relationship, which, of course, became strain over the Iran nuclear deal. Expectations for the visit aren't particularly high. However, officials say no final agreement is planned on U.S. defense aid to Israeli.

BLACKWELL: Nobel Peace Prize winner and Myanmar opposition political leader cast a vote in the country's first free elections in 25 years. Pro-democracy supporters are optimistic the election could bring real change to the military-dominated government. But an anti-hate speech campaigner told CNN there were some incidents of violence and attempted voter fraud.

PAUL: Ninety-nine-point-nine percent certain, that's how sure at least one U.S. official is that a bomb brought down a Russian passenger jet.

BLACKWELL: But that is in sharp contrast to on the sharp investigation of Egyptian investigations who are looking in this crash. They are saying more -- excuse me.

PAUL: More reporting is necessary.

BLACKWELL: More specialized analysis is what I'm trying to say. Got caught in my throat there.

And the probe to find out what really happened to the plane will continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:27:40] PAUL: Somber memorial service today at one of Russia's most iconic cathedrals in St. Petersburg. Families of the MetroJet 9268 are there together, remembering their loved ones who were lost a little more than a week ago.

BLACKWELL: You hear the bells there. It rang 224 times, once for each passenger and crew member who died on that downed Russian passenger plane.

We are getting new details in that ongoing crash investigation -- 99.9 percent, that's how certain one U.S. official is that a bomb exploded on that plane, causing it to break apart over the Sinai peninsula. Today, we are also learning the FBI has agreed to help Russia and Egypt with this investigation. They could be sending bomb - technicians to the region.

Let's go straight to CNN's Ian Lee live near the Sharm el-Sheikh airport in Egypt.

And, Ian, with this growing consensus among military and intelligence officials in the U.S. and elsewhere over a bomb theory, what is next in this investigation -- this now specialized analysis to prove that a bomb, indeed took down this plane?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Victor.

The analysis and evidence they need is still going to be from that crash site. They do have those data recorders that are telling them a lot, but they are going to need to find that direct evidence that it was a bomb. If that, in case, was the cause of this crash.

They are looking for the residue from the explosive device. They are also looking for shrapnel marks, anything that can really indicate that it was a bomb that took down this flight. One of the things that really is a strong indicator as well is that you're hearing a change in the tone from the Egyptians and the Russians. Initially they came out very strong this is more likely mechanical issue.

Now, the Russians and Egyptians have changed where the Egyptians are saying all options are possible and the Russians have stopped their flight in and out of Egypt, although, we have been watching flights to come in today and a lot of them empty to take away stranded passengers.

BLACKWELL: All right. Ian Lee there for us near the Sharm el-Sheikh airport -- Ian, thank you.

PAUL: All right. Let's bring in CNN aviation analyst Peter Goelz, and Michael Weiss, CNN contributor and an author of "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror".

Gentlemen, thank you for being with us.

Peter, I want to go to you first. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent certain is what one official says.