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Hours Away from Last GOP Presidential Debate of 2015; The ISIS Strategy; John Kerry in Moscow for Tough Day of Diplomacy; Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Faces Court Martial; Typhoon Melor Batters Philippines; Obama Marks Anniversary of Newtown Massacre; "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Hits the Big Screen. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired December 15, 2015 - 03:00   ET

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


[03:00:01]

(HEADLINES)

ERROL BARNETT, CNN HOST: A big welcome to our viewers in the United States and those of you watching all around the world, I'm Errol Barnett.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: And I'm Rosemary Church. Thanks for joining us as we kick off our second hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

BARNETT: We begin in Las Vegas. Just hours from now, the U.S. Republican Presidential candidates will face off in their final debate of the year. The questions are expected to cover defense and security. And the candidates are ready to show their might.

CHURCH: Donald Trump told supporters that he expects all of the contenders to come after him. He holds a commanding lead in the latest national polls. A Monmouth University survey shows support for Trump topping 40 percent.

BARNETT: That's incredible. Donald Trump is on top right now. But the field behind him is shifting.

CHURCH: Senator Ted Cruz is gaining ground. And as Jeff Zeleny reports, Trump is fighting back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you very much.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump, still on top, but tonight, a new pecking order in the Republican race, and a new lineup on the debate stage. Ted Cruz suddenly gaining ground nationally and in the key state of Iowa, even overtaking Trump by 10 percentage points. The front-runners will be standing next to each other. The first time they've come face-to-face since the personal attacks started, Trump giving CNN's State of the Union a preview.

TRUMP: Because I am more capable. Because I actually get along with people better than he does. ZELENY: He took it one step further on Fox News Sunday.

TRUMP: You look at how he deals with the Senate, when he goes in like a little bit of a maniac, you're never going to get things done that way.

ZELENY: That generated an unusual response from Cruz, responding on twitter with a 1980s flashback to Flashdance, in honor of my friend Donald Trump, and good-hearted maniacs everywhere.

So far Cruz refuses to hit back publicly at Trump. But behind closed doors, he took the first swing.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: People are looking for who is prepared to be a Commander In Chief. That is a challenging question for both of them.

ZELENY: Cruz maybe the top target tomorrow night. And Senator Marco Rubio is drawing attention to Cruz's voting record, accusing him on being weak on national security.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So I guess my point is each time he's had to choose between strong national defense and some of the isolationist tendencies in American policy, he sides with the isolationists.

ZELENY: Rubio is trailing Trump and Cruz is national and state poles. He is hoping to convince voters that he is more electable. And a hypothetical head to head match-up, Hillary Clinton crushes Trump, 50 percent to 40 percent. She's 48-45 over Cruz, but a different story for Marco Rubio. He leads her 48 percent to 45 percent. And that is the underlying question in this entire campaign, which Republican is best positioned to beat Hillary Clinton or whichever Democrat happens to win the nomination. That worries some Republican leaders and the party establishment. Is Donald Trump strong enough to take on Hillary Clinton in the general election? It's one of the questions that may be answered at the debate on Tuesday night, Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Las Vegas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now to talk more about this is CNN Political Commentator Peter Bernard, he is also Contributing Editor for the Atlantic. Thank you so much for being with us. So new polls show Donald Trump gaining ground nationally, but interestingly, Ted Cruz is now surging in Iowa. What is behind his sudden surge, do you think?

PETER BERNARD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Ted Cruz has become the candidate of conservative evangelical Christians, a very large percentage of people who turn out in the Iowa caucuses. Many of those people supported Ben Carson. But since the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, as national security has become a bigger issue, an issue which Carson really struggles, some of the evangelicals have moved to Cruz and they are now based on his support.

CHURCH: What does it signal to you if Cruz is surging in Iowa at this point but Trump is leading nationally? How might that balance change?

BERNARD: Well, I think it puts Cruz in a very formidable position. Cruz has raised a lot of money. He's also in a very strong position in the southern states that will follow the first batch of primaries, because he is from Texas and has a strong, conservative base.

[03:05:01]

Trump is ahead in New Hampshire, the second state. But we really don't know what will happen if Cruz defeats him decisively in Iowa. We know historically that the polls in New Hampshire shift dramatically the minute Iowa finishes. And so, I would say, right now, the conventional wisdom among a lot of people is that Cruz is the front-runner in this race.

CHURCH: Interesting. Trump, do you view him as vulnerable in Iowa? Or is it simply that Cruz has just got ahead of him. Why is Trump having trouble in Iowa but seemingly nowhere else?

BERNARD: Well, Trump's base is not among conservative Christians as non-college educated older whites. In Iowa, the electorate is very evangelical. Trump is doing better in New Hampshire, which is a bit more secularly, and he's doing better nationally. But national polls do not mean that much. People not in the early primary stage are not paying attention. A lot of it is name recognition. We don't know also how many of the Trump supporters will actually turn out to vote. Many of them are people who have not voted in the past. I think, you know, the conventional wisdom will be, at this point, we're looking at a two-person race between Trump and Cruz or a three-person race between Cruz, Trump and Rubio, who is kind of the establishment candidate.

If Trump loses in Iowa and loses his mantle of invincibility, you could see him plunge in other states quickly.

CHURCH: Just very quickly, would you expect Trump to really go after Cruz Tuesday night in the Republican debate and try to take him down?

BERNARD: Yes. I think it's already starting. That's the danger for Cruz because Cruz supporters actually like Donald Trump a lot. Cruz has almost said nothing critical about Donald Trump. Will that turn some of the Cruz supporters that like Donald Trump, will they make them rethink the support for Cruz?

CHURCH: We'll be watching close. Peter Bernard, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

BERNARD: Thank you.

BARNETT: Remember, CNN will host a final debate of the year among the Republican candidates. Wolf Blitzer will moderate. Coverage begins Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time, for those of you in Las Vegas that's 6:00 p.m. on the east coast and in London. That coverage begins Tuesday at 11:00 p.m.

CHURCH: Since the terror attacks in Paris and California, U.S. President Barack Obama is under pressure to reassure Americans his ISIS strategy is working.

BARNETT: He met with military leaders at the Pentagon on Monday. Senior White House Correspondent, Jim Acosta, has details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: With the public growing anxious about his plan to destroy ISIS, President Obama stopped by the Pentagon, where he offered up a Commander In Chief image, with wartime rhetoric to match.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are hitting ISISL harder than ever. ISIL leaders cannot hide, and our next message to them is simple, you are next.

ACOSTA: The President met with nearly every member of his national security team for a deep dive into the military campaign to defeat ISIS. So far, Mr. Obama said, the U.S.-led coalition has delivered 9,000 air strikes against ISIS, targeting its oil infrastructure and forcing the terror army to give up 40 percent of its territory. But the President acknowledged progress is not coming fast enough.

OBAMA: This continues to be a difficult fight. As I said before, ISIL has dug in urban areas. And they hide behind civilians.

ACOSTA: The President's focus on ISIS comes as Republican White House candidates are slamming his approach as too weak, and advocating a bigger U.S. commitment on the ground.

RUBIO: Number one is put together a global coalition on the ground, made up of Arab Sunnis. It will require embedding alongside them, U.S. and other international partners.

ACOSTA: Coming on the heels of the terror attack in San Bernardino, and as polls show, the public is losing confidence in the President's strategy. The White House acknowledged it is formulating its ISIS plan.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think the message we're trying to convey to the American people is the President and his team are hard at work, on a strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL.

ACOSTA: Part of that White House approach is tolerance, something senior advisors preached on a conference call with Muslim and other religious leaders, in part due to Donald Trump, who has blasted the President for not condemning radical Islamic extremists.

TRUMP: He is wrong. He is not identifying the problem. He is wrong.

ACOSTA: The President will stay on the theme of tolerance when he attends a ceremony to naturalize new U.S. citizens here in Washington. He will probably make more veiled jabs at Donald Trump, and he will return to his sales pitch on his ISIS strategy later in the week when he visits the nation's counterterrorism center.

[03:05:01]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Jim Acosta there. Now, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Moscow right now for what is shaping up to be a tough day of diplomacy on Syria. He is meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov right now and later with President Vladimir Putin.

CHURCH: They are expected to discuss their countries' differences over Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and to stop the civil war ravaging the country.

BARNETT: For more on what's on the agenda, let's turn to former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty. Jill, on the issue of how to get rid of President Bashar Al Assad, how might Secretary Kerry be able to convince the Russians to support a transition of power? That doesn't seem to be on the table for Moscow right now.

JILL DOUGHERTY, FORMER CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Yeah. That's one of the sticking points. And there really are a lot. You know, Errol, when they sat down, Kerry and Lavrov, they began -- Secretary Kerry began with everything that everybody agrees with, so stressing the positive. He agreed there will be no negotiations with ISIS. And then, saying they have attacked culture, history, all decency. We will fight them and destroy them. Now, again, that's what Russia and the United States agree on. But when you get into the details, especially this political transition to solve the Syrian war, which is the hope of everyone, that's where it gets complicated. And the feed of Bashar Al Assad is one of the key issues.

Russia wants him to remain in power, as the legitimately elected President of Syria, Russia would argue. But does he leave? When does he leave? In this transition, would he be able to participate in the transition or not? The United States has given some flexibility, maybe he could leave later. But that's -- you have to really define that. And also, one of the biggest issues right now is who among the opposition can sit down and negotiate at the table. Be at the table to create this interim governing body, because Russia has different views on the opposition.

The United States does, too. And then, also, a ceasefire. How does a ceasefire work? How would elections work? There are a lot of nitty- gritty difficult issues that have to be defined, Errol?

BARNETT: So where could the middle ground be? Secretary Kerry was in Riyadh, for example, where there was a U.S.-led effort to identify which opposition and rebel groups would be considered legitimate voices in any transition that did exclude ISIS. But Russia's response was the meeting wasn't legitimate, because it considered opposition groups terrorists. Where could the middle ground even be if they are to get to a ceasefire January 1st, which is the best-case scenario?

DOUGHERTY: Exactly. Well, actually, I think the sign of some type of opening is what Russia is now saying about the free Syrian army. You know, a while ago, Russia was opposed to a lot of the opposition groups, calling them terrorists, and etcetera. Now, Russia is saying the air strikes Moscow is carrying out in Syria, are actually meant to help the free Syrian army. Now, that does sound a little counterintuitive. But they do say that the free Syrian army is fighting ISIS, number one. And have actually given them some targeting information. Not a lot of detail on that. You can see that Russia, now, is looking at the FSA, as a group that they can work with. Those needs defining because I think you have to delve deeper and say who are the FSA in your estimation?

That's one opening. There might be some among the army that they feel could be part of it. Perhaps a Syrian government, Bashar Al Assad could accept them, too. That's one of the issues. Could Russia convince Bashar Al Assad to accept that, as well?

BARNETT: All right, the FSA maybe the common ground here, former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty joining us from pros Moscow this morning, Jill, thanks.

CHURCH: Nearly three dozen Islamic countries are banding together to fight terrorism.

BARNETT: Saudi Arabia's defense minister made that announcement Monday. He says 34 countries will make up the coalition to fight what he calls the disease of extremism.

CHURCH: The group includes Pakistan and Yemen and will be based in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition says a ceasefire to halt nine months of war in Yemen will begin the next hour. It coincides with the start of U.N.-backed peace talks in Switzerland.

BARNETT: The truce is expected to last seven days. Rebels have been battling government forces and they control the capital.

[03:10:01]

CHURCH: New details suggest the attackers at the Bataclan Theater in Paris last month may have been getting orders from the mastermind of the attack, standing just a few blocks away. That is next.

BARNETT: Plus, another nightmare for the Philippines, its second typhoon since October regained strength. We'll get information from the weather center, after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: Welcome back. The U.S. army says Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl will face charges of desertion and endangering fellow soldiers. That means he could face a life sentence if found guilty. It's a more serious punishment than the one recommended during Bergdahl's hearing when an army officer suggested he got no jail time.

CHURCH: Bergdahl disappeared from his post in 2009. He was held captive by the Taliban. And six U.S. Soldiers died in missions trying to find him. Bergdahl was freed in a prisoner swap in 2014.

[03:15:01] BARNETT: We are also learning details about the investigation into the terror attack in San Bernardino, California. Cell phones found at the attackers' home led FBI dive teams to search this lake nearby. But police say they didn't find anything related to the investigation.

CHURCH: The female shooter Tashfeen Malik had advocated Jihad on social media. But she used a fake name and privacy settings that only allowed a small group of people to see her comments.

BARNETT: Meanwhile, in Europe, intelligence agencies are hunting for several suspects in and around Geneva, Switzerland, who could have connections to the Paris attacks.

CHURCH: Plus, new information suggests the Bataclan Theater massacre may have been directed from a few blocks away. Brian Todd has the new developments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two men with Syrian passports, arrested in Geneva, Switzerland. Traces of chemicals used to make homemade explosives were found in their vehicle. U.S. intelligence tipped off Swiss authorities, that terrorists possibly from ISIS were potentially planning an attack in Geneva.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any conversation like that should raise an alarm, in a high-profile city like Geneva, when where you have banking institutions and United Nations facilities.

TODD: Authorities in Geneva are looking for two people with indirect links to suspects in the Paris terror attacks. One of the prime Paris suspects has become a ghost. The trail of Salah Abdeslam has gone completely cold. And there's new information that his childhood friend, Abaaoud, the mastermind of the Paris attacks, may have directing the slaughter at the concert hall, as it was happening. French Terrorism Expert Jean Charles Brassard, interviewed a witness blocks away from the concert hall.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The witness describes a man was shouting and yelling over the phone for all an hour, very agitated.

TODD: The witness, whose account is published, says Abaaoud's head was shaved and he was wearing loose clothing. But the witness later recognized Abaaoud when his picture was splashed on the news. Analysts say this is an ominous sign, a new ISIS tactic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ISIS is moving towards less of a static model of terrorism and more towards a dynamic, multi-hour rolling attack paradigm, where you start an attack and you keep it going for as long as possible for maximum impact.

TODD: One expert says Abaaoud could have been sending intelligence to the attackers in the Bataclan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To warn there's a armored vehicle. There's a SWAT Team entering from the roof. Things like that. TODD: And it appears Abaaoud was pulling most of the terrorist

strings on the streets of Paris that night. According to phone records Abaaoud was communicating with one of the stadium bombers until the moment those attackers started blowing themselves up. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: At least one person has been killed as Typhoon Melor batters the central Philippines. More than 730,000 people have been forced from their homes to find higher ground.

BARNETT: Winds were as strong as a category four hurricane, the last storm to hit the Philippines skilled 54 people in October.

CHURCH: And Melor is continuing its path across the Philippines right now, and another storm may be on its heels into this weekend.

BARNETT: We should see our Meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri joins us from the International Weather Center with more, Pedram, why did this storm gain strength after it made landfall?

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's unusual of course. You typically take away the heat energy. The 71,000 islands make up this region. And you do the calculation of the amount of water we have in the area, 60,000-square kilometers right there, the size of Ireland. You put a storm that is making landfall with hundreds of islands in its path, and drawing in the heat energy. That's why I think it's strengthened in the past 24 hours in this region. Here's the final path, as the storm system exits the Verde Islands. One of the areas we're concerned with because of population is at 2.4 million people, and certainly that could be a catastrophic event with the storm system on its last legs, 215 kph winds. It is exiting this region, with a populated region ahead of it. That's what we're watching carefully, with powerful winds and the rainfall in the storm system.

[03:20:01]

This is the dry season across this part of the world. It's one of the few months when you finally get a break, with intense rainfall across the region. The storm pushes into the South China Sea. And the end result will be 200 to 250 millimeters over the next 24 to 36 hours. This time of year, 50 millimeters, you know the charts pop up. That's what you expect in the months of December in Manila. We can get 5 times that in the next 24 hours. As Melor exits, look what is going on behind it. High probability of a formation south of Guam, this is the latest indication we have. A little too early to see what the storm has the potential to do. Thursday from Friday, the track takes the storm system south, potentially sometime Friday into Saturday. Again, another rainmaker potentially, strong winds associated with the storm system as it pushes in towards this region of the Philippines.

This shows the warm sea temperatures off the portion of the Philippines there. Temperatures about 1 Celsius above average, that's a lot of heat energy that's fueling the storms right now.

BARNETT: Pedram thanks a lot.

A Republican dilemma, the top two Presidential candidates are causing headaches for the party establishment. Which outsider is the biggest threat?

CHURCH: Plus, fans camped out on Hollywood Boulevard for the premiere of the new Star Wars. We'll take you right to the red carpet. That's later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:25:01]

BARNETT: Welcome back to those of you watching in the states and all around the world. It's the last half hour of CNN NEWSROOM with us. I am Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I am Rosemary Church. Let's check the headlines for you.

(HEADLINES)

BARNETT: All right, let's go to the CNN Republican Presidential debate. Donald Trump goes into the showdown with a strong lead in the national polls.

BARNETT: He is facing a challenge from Ted Cruz. CNN's Sara Murray looks at what these candidates have in common that has them surging in the polls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, leading in Iowa, a conundrum for establishment Republicans. Is the bigger threat the enemy you know?

CRUZ: We need to take power out of Washington, and back to we, the people.

MURRAY: Or the one you don't.

TRUMP: I am dealing with all these blood sucker politicians. And they'll make their deals. And have all of the money guys around. And they'll be in the back room making deals. But if I get the number of delegates, there's not a thing they can do.

MURRAY: Both candidates have made waves with controversial policy positions, Cruz, suggesting a religious test for Syrian refugees.

CRUZ: Christians right now are facing persecution and potential genocide by ISIS. They're being beheaded and crucified. We should be working to provide a safe haven to the Christian refugees. We shouldn't be bringing potential terrorists into America.

MURRAY: And Trump, calling for blocking Muslims altogether.

TRUMP: Donald J. Trump is calling far complete and total jut shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.

MURRAY: Like Trump...

TRUMP: When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.

MURRAY: Cruz has a history of making jarring remarks. Once saying that accepting Obamacare was akin to appeasing the Nazis during World War II.

CRUZ: We saw in Britain, Neville Chamberlain, who told the British people, accept the Nazis. In America there were voices that listened to that.

MURRAY: And taking a flip approach to a question about contraception.

CRUZ: Last I checked, we don't have a rubber shortage in America.

MURRAY: Tonight at a campaign event in Los Angeles, it was clear that Donald Trump had no interest in sparring with Ted Cruz. He pointed out that he's far ahead in nationwide polls. He called Ted Cruz a good guy, Sarah Murray, CNN, Las Vegas, Nevada.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Earlier, I asked CNN Political Commentator Ben Ferguson what he thinks of Ted Cruz's recent surge in the polls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Shows there's obviously a large group in the Republican Party that does not like the establishment GOP candidates or the establishment picking the front- runner. And Ted Cruz, obviously some say he is the most hated in the senate. That's certainly a good thing if you're running for President right now, because they don't want someone that it's the establishment guy. That's actually what's hurting Marco Rubio right now, holding him from being able to break out in this campaign. It's certainly held back Jeb Bush by being an establishment guy.

And I think Ted Cruz has been very smart and also underrated.

BARNETT: What are we likely to see when Cruz and Trump go head-to- head at the debate tomorrow? And how can Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, the establishment favorites, finally break through?

FERGUSON: Well, I think Rubio has a chance because people do seem to like him. Rubio has always done well in the debates. He's gone up after the debates. So, for Marco Rubio, keep doing what you're doing. And it may end up helping you and catching on a little bit. If you're Ted Cruz and you go into this debate, I think you have to go after Donald Trump and say, let me get this straight. You called me a maniac on Sunday morning, on the talk shows and said I was crazy because I called Mitch McConnell a liar when he did lie to us.

[03:30:01] That's who I thought you would be, Donald. I thought you were going

to Washington to be the guy to call out politicians. And now, you say I am a maniac for doing it? He has to have a distinction between the two of them. And I think to show a little ridiculousness of Trump's rhetoric. And as for Jeb Bush, I think his campaign, for all intents and purposes when it comes to winning is over. He can stay in this thing. But I just don't know if there's anything he can do to turn it back around. And he also has admitted. He's a very weak debater. I cannot imagine he's going to be able to have an amazing night with the other people on stage. I don't see it happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: CNN will host the final debate of the year among the Republican candidates. Wolf Blitzer moderates 6:00 p.m. on the east coast. And in London, it begins Tuesday at 11:00 p.m.

CHURCH: U.S. President Barack Obama is facing criticism for his strategy to fight the terrorist group ISIS. So he is taking a more forceful approach to the group.

BARNETT: Mr. Obama met with military leaders at the Pentagon on Monday, in an effort to review and strengthen anti-ISIS efforts. He detailed a plan against the group which he refers to as ISIL.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We are hitting ISIL harder than ever. Coalition aircraft, fighters, bombers and drones are increasing air strikes, nearly 9,000 as of today. Last month in November, we dropped more bombs on ISIL targets than any other month since this campaign started. All this said we recognize that progress needs to keep coming faster.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, General Wesley Clark joins me now to talk more about President Barack Obama's meeting with military leaders at the Pentagon Monday.

Thank you, sir for joining us on the line. Now amid criticism for his strategy not working, President Obama made a rare visit to the Pentagon, for a meeting he said was part of an ongoing effort to review and constantly strengthen U.S. military plans against ISIS. What does that mean exactly? Is it just a case of creating the right optics here? Or might we see a large-scale shift in U.S. strategy to fight ISIS?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK, FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: I think it's always a good thing when the President comes to the Pentagon and meets with the military chiefs. But in this case, what you're seeing is an intensification of the strategy but not an alteration of the strategy. That is to say, the ground fighting has to be done by our friends and allies in the region. It has to be coalition. We'll put U.S. firepower and other western British, French, Australian aircraft in the air to deliver firepower. But the boots on the ground, the kicking in the doors, the searching the homes, that has to be done by people in the region who speak Arabic, who can tell friend from foe. And who can govern the region once it's cleared of terrorist.

CHURCH: General, President Obama has been under intense pressure to try to reassure Americans that his ISIS strategy is working. As his recent address from the Oval Office proved that doesn't appear to be working for him. What's it going to take for Americans to feel safer and actually be safe? And do you think they would have been more reassured by what they heard Monday?

CLARKE: I do think they would have been and reassured by what they heard. The American public is allergic to ISIS and to the threats that come from ISIS. And so, when any single incident occurs, it gets enormous attention. It magnifies the fear and the fear magnifies the pressure on the President. And what the President is trying to do is to avoid doing exactly what ISIS wants him to do, which is to commit U.S. ground troops, which would serve as a huge recruiting incentive for ISIS.

CHURCH: General Wesley Clark, thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate it.

CLARKE: Thank you.

BARNETT: Three years after the Newtown massacre, the issue of gun control is hotly debated. Coming up, we'll hear from a congressman who says it's what is in a shooter's head, not their hand that can lead to these tragedies.

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[03:38:01]

CHURCH: U.S. President Barack Obama marked the anniversary of the Newtown massacre on Monday, a tragedy that re-ignited the national debate over gun control, 20 first graders along with 6 educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut three years ago.

BARNETT: With the American political system paralyzed about what to do about gun violence, Mr. Obama posted this on his Facebook page, "Three years on, how do we tell them that their Congress hasn't done anything to prevent what happened to them from happening to other families?"

CHURCH: CNN's Anne Walker spoke with U.S. Republican Congressman Tim Murphy, who has offered a bill to deal with mental health issues he believes could trigger gun violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TIM MURPHY (R), PENNSYLVANIA: When it comes to things like the Sandy Hook strategy, where the children were killed and I keep their photos on my office desk every day. You can look at the tragedies and see one after another. When there are homicidal issues, some are by criminals. Some are by terrorists, and by the mental. And that's the area that has to be addressed. ANNE WALKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I agree with you. That's part of

the solution. What is a big part of the solution, many would say, is gun control. You look at what the world is saying, when you look at America, they're wondering why this country stands alone when it comes to this frequency of mass shootings. This is an exceptionally American problem, is it not?

MURPHY: France has strong gun control issues and it didn't work for them. The point is the United States is the access to mental health care is still a problem. I am focused on taking care of that, to -- we're not talking about gun control in cancer. We're not talking about diabetes. We're talking about a brain illness called mental illness.

(CROSSTALK)

WALKER: If mental illness is addressed in the United States, you think that will reduce the number of mass shootings in the United States without addressing stricter gun control laws.

[03:43:01]

MURPHY: A person with serious mental illness, who has been involuntarily committed to inpatient or outpatient care, they are not allowed to own, possess, purchase, transport or anything with a gun. Look at the issues with Sandy Hook. Part of the terrible tragedy, with Adam Lanza who did those shootings, he broke every law in the book. He was not allowed to have access to, transport, anything with that gun. Washington, D.C. and Chicago have strong gun rules. I am telling you what I need to focus on. I am a psychologist. And that is where I am trained as a mental health professional.

And I am tired of Congress to have a moment of silence and doing nothing on these issues of treating a mental illness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: U.S. Congressman Tim Murphy speaking with Anne Walker. Murphy told CNN he is personally -- he has personally lobbied President Obama on his bill.

BARNETT: While a group of U.S. mothers is taking a different approach. Thousands of them have banded together to form Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. Their group has defeated dozens of bills since Sandy Hook. You can read about their campaign on our website, CNN.com.

Comedian Bill Cosby is countersuing seven women for defamation, claiming they ruined his reputation when they accused him of sexual assault. He is seeking unspecified damages and retractions. The seven women initially sued Cosby for defamation.

CHURCH: More than 40 women have accused the comedian of sexual assault over a 40-year period. Cosby has not been charged with any crime. BARNETT: The stars were out in force for the new Star Wars movie

premiere. We'll take you out to the red carpet after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:48:01]

BARNETT: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"hit the big screen in L.A. on Monday. The red carpet has more special effects and make up than the usual Hollywood party.

CHURCH: The movie features many of the familiar faces from the series, mixed with new stars, trying to make their own mark in the Star Wars legacy.

BARNETT: The fans will all but shut down Hollywood Boulevard ahead of the premier.

CHURCH: Our Isha Sesay brings us the view from the red carpet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's been so much secrecy surrounding Star Wars Episode Seven, the movie trailers have barely given away any of the plot. And that's generated a unique level of excitement that is very much shared by the film's stars.

How much do you enjoy these things?

HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: I love it, Isha. I can't think of anything better to do. We dress up and do this in my backyard on Wednesdays. Wednesday's a special day for this. Come on.

SESAY: Daisy, how are you feeling? The big night is finally here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was feeling sick with nerves. And I started. It's all kind of cool. It's great.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel great. I feel fantastic. And I feel surprisingly relaxed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have memories popping off in your head. The scene where Chewy played chess, or whatever the game was, in the cockpit, it's like going back to your old school.

SESAY: The film is about to be shown to the world effectively. How are you feeling?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am feeling relief and also feeling excitement because finally, the fans get to see the film. It belongs to them after all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what these films instill in us. They stimulate our imaginations. They work their way into our dreams. They make us laugh. They make us cry. But they give us hope. SESAY: According to the film's Director, J.J. Abrams, in addition to

the excitement, there's also a little bit of nerves. This is the moment, though, that directors live for, the unveiling of the film, the sharing of it with an audience. Does it come with any nerves for you?

J.J. ABRAMS, DIRECTOR: Of course. There are nerves just -- you know, going into the editing room, working with an editor. There are nerves showing the movie to 1,000-plus people tonight. But I feel very confident about the work that was done by the actors. So if nothing else, I know people will enjoy watching the performances.

SESAY: All of the stars had headed in for their first glimpse of Star Wars, Episode Seven. The fans get their chance to finally see the movie this Friday. And they can be the judge as to whether the force really is strong with J.J. Abrams and this latest installment, Isha Sesay, CNN, Hollywood.

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CHURCH: And of course, it's not enough for some Star Wars fans to watch the movies. For many of the franchise is a way of life.

BARNETT: That's right. CNN's Clare Sebastian went to a light saber fitness class to see how fans are mastering the moves of a Jedi Knight.

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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The first rule of Jedi School, know how to handle your weapon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why do you think I have my strike at an angle like this?

SEBASTIAN: Every Thursday at this fitness class in Manhattan, Star Wars fans get to sweat it out in character, practicing moves just like the light saber battles from the movies. Perhaps not quite to that level yet. Today's instructor, Daniel Riser, a special education teacher, has been doing this for eight years.

DANIEL RISER, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER: Where is the fun of just simply watching something? I mean, you look at a football fan. They're going to go in the backyard and throw the football around. It's the same thing. Instead of a football, we have light sabers. It's a way of becoming part of something that we truly love.

SEBASTIAN: By day, these Jedi's in training can be anything from a legal assistant to a kitchen designer. By night, they are united by one thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a visceral gut feeling. It feels satisfying to pick up one of these, and all of a sudden you are a Jedi Knight. You are a Sith Lord.

[03:53:01] SEBASTIAN: Star Wars has inspired a type of fandom that's gone beyond watching the movies. To experience it, I do it. And to really understand why, so do I, luckily, I've been practicing...

I have a bad feeling about this. That doesn't stop me.

Whatever your skill level, this group has one core philosophy.

RISER: Once a Jedi, always a Jedi.

SEBASTIAN: I think I finally see the light as to what it takes to be a Star Wars fan. Really, there's only one thing left to say.

RISER: Jedi's.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: May the force be with you.

SEBASTIAN: Clare Sebastian, CNN, in a galaxy somewhere in Manhattan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: That's a class I think you'd enjoy, right?

BARNETT: I am not so sure, actual weights and actual things.

CHURCH: There you go.

Finally this hour, Donald Trump is sharing his doctor's assessment that his health is "astonishingly excellent," surprise, surprise. He has been Trump's doctor for 25 years.

BARNETT: And in a letter, the candidate just released, he says, "If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the Presidency." As you might imagine, that description drew the attention of late night TV.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump's doctor wrote a letter saying if elected, Mr. Trump would be, "The healthiest individual elected to the Presidency." That's true. That's true. When asked about Trump's mental health, the doctor got very quiet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: There you go. Leave you laughing. Thanks for joining us. I am Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. Remember to connect with us on social media any time. It's great to hear from you. Early Start is next for you in the U.S.

CHURCH: And for everyone else, stay tuned for CNN NEWSROOM. Have a great day.

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