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Soon: Hollande and Putin Address Joint News Conference; Erdogan: It's Not Turkey Who Needs to Apologize; Cameron Pushes for Airstrikes on ISIS in Syria; 100+ French Transit Workers Have Left for Syria. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired November 26, 2015 - 14:00   ET

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


[14:00:11] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And Happy Thanksgiving to you. I'm Brooke Baldwin here in New York. Thanks for being with me here on this Thursday.

Let's begin with news just in, involving the biggest parade in America today between Hello Kitty and Spiderman, you probably miss this on television this morning with two men right now in custody for flying a drone alongside those balloons.

So, let's look at some pictures here just in to us. You will see the drone is that little white speck in that frame there. Here you go. We've circled it for you.

As you know, security on the highest alert after the terror attacks in Paris.

Rene Marsh will be joining me momentarily on what's happening here with regard to this drone in a moment.

But, first, any moment we expect to hear from the leaders of both France and Russia. French President Francois Hollande has been meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In fact, they are expected to hold a joint news conference any minute now. We're standing by for that.

Today's meeting with Putin is the latest by Hollande as he is pushing for a broader, and more correlated international support in the fight against ISIS. As you know, he was at the White House this week and then just yesterday meeting with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. Big week for him -- whirlwind week for diplomacy for the French president.

As I mentioned, he has also met with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama at the White House, Angela Merkel, and just today, he met with the Italian prime minister before meeting with Putin.

Tomorrow will mark two weeks since those coordinated attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead and hundreds more injured. ISIS has claimed responsibility. Hollande is urging his citizens to display the French flag at their homes tomorrow for the observance of a day of mourning.

And this comes as investigators search for two suspects who are still on the run. We've been talking a lot this week about these two. Hollande's warning, the war on terror will not be over any time soon, saying the threat of more attacks is still possible.

So, let's go straight to Moscow, to our CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance there, where Hollande and Putin are meeting. It is late there in Moscow. I'm a little surprised we'll be seeing this joint news conference after, I suppose, this dinner.

What do you think the headline will be, Matthew?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's just after 10:00 in the evening here in Moscow.

Look, I mean, they're here. Francois Hollande is here to try to put together this grand coalition team, to unite the world against ISIS, diplomatic initiative he started after the Paris terror attacks. He's come to Russia. Russia has also been affected by terrorism recently as well, with the downing of one of its airliners in Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, with the loss of 224 people on board. And so, they've got common cause.

Vladimir Putin said as much in the meeting beforehand. There was an opportunity before, and Vladimir Putin said, look, we need to unite together to fight this common evil, which is exactly the kind of words that Francois Hollande has been spreading around the world as well, and exactly what he wants to hear from Vladimir Putin, and hold out this possibility that Russia and the West could combine their forces and use them to focus the fire power and the intention on ISIS, to eliminate that terrorist group.

Bu there's a complication. And that's Turkey has, in the past 24 hours, shot down a Russian bomber, a Russian plane in the skies over the Turkish/Syrian border and the Russians are furious about it. And it's complicated this effort for a grand coalition.

BALDWIN: So, given this complication, quick follow-up for you. How, then, would Hollande bring this up with Putin, this downing of this plane, this complication?

CHANCE: Well, it's going to be very difficult. We don't know whether it will derail any possibility of coalition between Russia and the West. Certainly, the Russians have taken decisive action. They deployed S-400 missiles to Syria, which gives them a massive advantage in terms of controlling air space there. All their bombers are now going to be companied by fighter jets.

And so, yes, they still say they're going to be attacking the same rebels that the western alliance is attacking, along with some other rebels as well. But obviously, it brings them potentially into even greater risk of confrontation with the United States, with the French, with the other NATO members carrying out airstrikes in the skies over Syria.

BALDWIN: Matthew Chance in Moscow -- thank you very much.

Confronting ISIS not the only problem facing Putin here. As Matthew just mentioned, he is embroiled in this showdown with Turkey over the downing of this Russian warplane.

And just today in an exclusive interview with CNN, the Turkish president doubled down. He said Turkey is not the one who needs to apologize. Turkey insists two Russian pilots violated their airspace even after repeated warnings.

[14:05:02] Becky Anderson sat down with Erdogan. And she joins me now live from Turkey.

Becky, huge interview. Tell me what he told you.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he reiterated that the Turkish officials, military officials had provided 10 warnings to this fighter jet before they downed it. And it had occurred into Turkish air space for just some 17 seconds but that breaks the rules of military engagement. And his military men were told in a position to carry out what would effectively always be done if, indeed, a foreign jet flies into sovereign territory.

Look, I asked him whether he thought, given the ratcheting up of the rhetoric, given the risks that this incident might really derail any sense of this sort of grand bargain so far as countering ISIS is concerned. I asked him whether he thought it was a mistake and, indeed, whether he thought he should apologize to the Russians. This is what he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKEY (through translator): Well, I think if there's a party that needs to apologize, it's not us. Those who violated our air space are the ones who need to apologize. Our pilots and our armed services, they simply fulfilled their duties, which consisted of responding to a violation of the rules of engagement. I think this is the essence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: So, if we drill down on this, to a certain extent if you ask anybody involved in diplomacy in the U.S. and in the West, they say they could do with Moscow, they're courting Moscow effectively to help them out in this fight against ISIS.

When you get to this region, there is much talk about whether Russia and Syria, at present, has got any interest in fighting ISIS or whether they're not just a cover for the Syrian regime against the other opposition.

So, the Turks have said that they it shall this is what President Erdogan said to me again and again in this interview, he said, we want to deescalate the situation, echoing what the U.S. president said in the last 24 hours or so, and what NATO has said. However, he is defiant about the fact that he won't apologize, defiant about the fact that it's not Turkey, he says, who are operating with the ISIS militants in Turkey. That's what Russia has accused Turkey of. But, in fact, he accuses Russia of doing the same.

So, this is an incredibly messy, an incredibly complicated situation. I can tell you, though, Brooke, that I asked President Erdogan whether he had spoken to President Putin since that incident. He said he hasn't, he would like to and he has asked President Hollande of France to talk to President Putin tonight in Paris to try and get a conversation going. He wants to speak to President Putin in Paris. They're all meeting for COP21 this weekend.

He wants an opportunity to speak to President Putin because I asked him, have you spoken to him on the phone? He said I tried to call him. He wouldn't take my call -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Huh, how about that?

Becky Anderson, well, we're waiting to hear from both Hollande and from Putin. You have one piece of this story. We wait for Putin's response. Thank you so much, in Turkey tonight for us.

Meantime, you have British Prime Minister David Cameron making a direct appeal today to lawmakers in his nation to join the airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. His big push is coming three days after he met with the French president, Francois Hollande. He says after the terrorist attacks in Paris, the time to act is not and not to stand by and wait for a regime change in Syria.

Cameron says Britain owes it to the United States, to the French to intervene.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: My first responsibility is prime minister and our first job in this house is to keep the British people safe. We have the assets to do that. And we can significantly extend the capabilities of the international coalition forces.

That is one reason why members of the international coalition, including President Obama and President Hollande, have made it clear to me that they want Britain to stand with them in joining airstrikes in Syria, as well as Iraq. These are our closest allies and they want our help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: CNN global affairs analyst and "Daily Beast" contributor Kimberly Dozier joins me now from Washington on this holiday.

Kimberly, thank you so much for spending some time with me.

We know that the British parliament could vote on Cameron's request as early as next week.

[14:10:00] But I have to imagine, Cameron is thinking, you know, my gosh, what happened in Paris could happen here, could happen in London.

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Absolutely. And that's the case he's trying to make. But he's facing a parliament that doesn't want to get into another Iraq war situation.

They want to hear that there's some sort of plan to end this. And in the statement that Cameron put out, the multi-layered strategy that he explained, it sounds a lot like the American strategy hitting is on a number of different fronts but it's not clear what the end game is.

Yes, it's to try to get Assad out of power through negotiations but it's not quite clear in this plan that's been articulated how striking ISIS will bring that about, which everyone looking at the situation says is the only way to ultimately resolve it, and the war on the ground.

BALDWIN: Well, we know that Britain, though, has been involved in air strikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. So, I'm just curious what this expanded role would entail.

DOZIER: I believe it's mostly symbolic. I mean, adding British strikes to the U.S. and other strikes inside Syria will add a certain level of capability. But a lot of this is being enabled by American intelligence, American surveillance and reconnaissance, their drones going overhead.

What it could plus up is the amount of special operations forces available to conduct operations and training inside Syria. That is a plan that's not really being talked about.

The U.S. is also asking France and Britain to consider expanding their campaign to places that the U.S. can't currently or doesn't currently want to go, like Libya, where ISIS is growing by leaps and bounds and influence and numbers. So perhaps they could extend their campaign there.

BALDWIN: While I have you, and I'm thinking about ISIS but really just mindful about this conversation I had with Becky Anderson, who just spoke with Erdogan. And here we are, we're waiting for this joint news conference between Putin and Hollande, and Erdogan is saying, well, we're not the one who needs to apologize with regard to the downing of this Russian airplane and Turkish air space, and the fact that she said Erdogan has asked Hollande to talk to Putin about all of this -- what do you make of everything that's at stake here?

DOZIER: Well, Erdogan is striking out for Turkish sovereignty. There had been a number of Russian jets sorties along the Turkish border. They've been hitting the Turkmen who are in that area, who are backed by Turkey but an enemy of the Assad regime.

The Russians have been hitting them since they started their campaign. So, this is bringing this all to a head. It's also making Russia think twice the next time they think about flying a sortie near the Turkish border. But you don't want to open warfare. So, the Turkish leader is trying to use another NATO member to as arbitrate.

BALDWIN: Kimberly Dozier, thank you very much, in Washington.

Let me take you back to where we began here, interesting, involving the biggest parade in America today. We now know that two men are in custody for flying this drone alongside the balloons here. We have the pictures for you of the drone along this Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade this morning.

There you go. The white speck, that's the drone.

As you know, security on highest alert there in New York after the terror attacks in Paris.

Rene Marsh is joining me now.

And, Rene, what were they thinking?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: That's a good question. NYPD will be asking that very question, Brooke.

We know these two people in custody, again, as you said, you have the photos there from NYPD chopper. They were flying over the Macy's day parade this morning.

When NYPD first noticed the drone, they used their helicopter to track the two people who were operating it. They were taken into custody without any incident. The NYPD says they are not releasing the names of these individuals. But here is what we do know. It was a father and son. The father was 41 years old, received a summons. The son, 14.

You know, so -- I don't know. Perhaps they didn't know the rules. But the rules are pretty clear. FAA says you cannot operate a drone above 400 feet. You have to stay away from other aircraft.

Of course, FAA advises you have to stay away from large crowds. And with more than 3 million people there, that would definitely qualify as a large crowd.

BALDWIN: Yes.

MARSH: Yes.

BALDWIN: That would be a no-no. File that under the "don't ever try that".

Rene Marsh, thank you so much.

MARSH: Sure.

BALDWIN: And we told you extremists infiltrating the public transport system in Paris. Well, we are now learning that actually dozens of workers have made eyebrow-raising trips. We have those details for you next.

Also ahead, for the first time, the ban that was on stage during that massacre in Paris at the Bataclan Theater is now speaking out. You will hear their emotional account of what happened and how they're feeling.

[14:15:01] Also, new protests including a face-to-face confrontation between a protester and officer with regard to that shooting death of an African-American teenager in Chicago. Those dramatic moments ahead.

You're watching CNN on this Thanksgiving Day. I'm Brooke Baldwin. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

As the threat of terror grips the world, Americans trying to get out of town for Thanksgiving are facing even more intense screening and longer security lines. But could the real threat of airports actually becoming from within?

Security officials in Paris forced to examine the possibility that its own workers with access to planes and to baggage may be radicalized.

Let's go to Martin Savidge, live in Paris.

And, Martin, we've been talking about this. You know, the notion that they've been concerned for years with regard to Islamic radicalization at let's say, Paris' airports and transit systems.

[14:20:00] But now, this French counterterrorism source gave CNN some pretty grim numbers of how many transit workers left for Syria.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Absolutely, Brooke.

I think that, according to this source, as many as 100 or more of the members of the transportation system here in France, employees, have made visits or trips to Syria since 2012. Now, remember, the conflict there began in 2011. So, it's not like this is a time many people would choose to go visit friends or family.

So, the question is, what were they doing there?

Now that's not to say that everybody was there for terrorist reasons. But it has to be another concern for the French authorities. And this is something that CNN has continued to expose and reveal all week long.

Today, CNN was able to review a document that came from the French interior ministry that talks about how the French government has been concerned about this kind of infiltration of Islamists, if you will, into the transportation system all the way back to 2004. Specifically at Charles de Gaulle international airport where it was discovered there were what were called illegal prayer sites and that there was a number of employees then that had belonged to mosques that were concerned to be preaching very fiery, radical Islamic faith.

So, this is a problem that goes back a long way. And now, we continue to see is one that could incorporate a large number of people and especially when you're talking about people who have access to an aircraft.

Since January, we're now told, there are at least 50 employees at the airport that were denied the security clearance they need to work out on the ramp because they do not have the clearance, and it appears there are radical beliefs. So, it's a huge problem here and, I got to say, quite a frightening one, Brooke.

BALDWIN: It is, indeed, when you think about access that employees have to planes, buses and to trains.

Martin Savidge, thank you.

Next, new video surfaces of a police shooting of an African- American teenager that has Chicago on edge. This, as a protester and officer come face to face. We will show you exactly what happened here.

Plus, Donald Trump facing stiff criticism for mocking a reporter with a disability, this rare medical condition. Is the Republican front-runner going to apologize? Nope. Hear his response.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:26:39] BALDWIN: Second night of angry protests on the streets of Chicago ended in four arrests. Hundreds of people took over the streets of downtown Chicago late Wednesday, marching to decry the killing by a police officer last year of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The officer no longer on the force now charged with first- degree murder.

But the mood here, the mood between police and these demonstrators, as we're about to show, is getting more intense.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PROTESTERS: The whole damn system they're guilty as hell.

(CHANTING)

PROTESTERS: Experience a good family meal tomorrow.

A good family meal tomorrow.

Is that right?

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need help!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help, help, help! Pulling the trigger on us. You're killing us. And it's time you need to hear this. This is the only way we can tell the difference.

(INAUDIBLE)

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me. Excuse me. Can you put the camera on?

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, seriously? That's a police camera. That's OK. That's OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't put your hand on me, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's what the mayor want to do. I'm Dr. Wooly J.R. Flint.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That's an idea of what parts of Chicago has felt like this week.

There's also now the dashcam video now released of the police pursuit. This is one from the patrol car. Officer Jason Van Dyke was riding in the car moments before that deadly encounter last October, October 2014.

Another angle shows McDonald's bullet-riddled body on the ground surrounded by police officers. Officer Van Dyke is being held without bond and these protests could only be the beginning.

CNN's Rosa Flores is live in Chicago, right along the main drag of Michigan Avenue there.

Quiet right now, it looks like. But I know President Obama, he said he was grateful to the people for keeping protests peaceful. Is that still the case?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He probably said it best, Brooke. These protests have, indeed, been very, very peaceful. We've been walking with these protesters for a few days now, up and down Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

I can tell you, while sometimes these protesters do confront police and speak to them very closely in their faces, the police officers have exercised a lot of constraint. They just stand there. They make sure that the protest is peaceful, that people are allowed to demonstrate.

And then they walk along the protesters to make sure that everything is well and that people are safe. Now, we definitely should add that overnight, there were a few instances when one protester grabbed the Christmas lights of a tree.