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Group of Protesters Broke into Oregon Federal Wildlife Refuge Saturday; President Barack Obama Set to Use Executive Action on Gun Background Checks; Firestorm of Protests Against Saudi Arabia; Seven Million People in 15 states Are Under Flood Warnings; Life of Steve Jobs in a Documentary Film. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired January 03, 2016 - 15:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: CNN's Polo Sandoval is following the story for us.

So Polo, who are these occupiers, and what do they hope to accomplish?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, they call themselves, at this point, we do understand that they call themselves patriots, constitutionalists and also by their own account also militias. They are hoping to stand behind the Hammond family, those two individuals scheduled to report to prison tomorrow.

But also this is part of a wider issue, and that is, this building conflict between some ranchers and also the federal government over the use of public land.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL (voice-over): They are armed and staying put, a group of protesters broke into an unoccupied building at an Oregon federal wildlife refuge Saturday. They claimed to be taking a stand against the federal government's control and use of the land. The armed occupation broke off from a peaceful rally earlier in the day to support Dwight and Steven Hammond, they are father and son branching to what expected to report to prison Monday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It didn't my decision, obviously. It's a sentence.

SANDOVAL: Hammond and his son were convicted of arson, setting at least 130 acres of federal land on fire. The Hammonds maintain it was a controlled blaze that accidentally got out of hand. Prosecutors, however, argue the flames were meant to cover up poaching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sort of frightening when there's people making threats and people touting guns.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are afraid.

SANDOVAL: Among the armed protesters the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. He was at the center of a similar standoff with the federal government last year over grazing fees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not a time to stand down. It is a time to stand up.

SANDOVAL: The younger Bundy called on militia groups to descend on Harney County and demand the government restore quote "the people's constitutional right," part of a vague and vocal anti-government message.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people have been abused long enough, really. Their lands and their resources have been taken from them to the point where it's putting them literally in poverty.

SANDOVAL: The Hammonds, however, are distancing themselves from this latest face-off. Their attorney communicating in a short but clear statement to the county sheriff's office says, neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within this group or organization speak for the Hammond family. Those armed protesters, however, say their demonstration is peaceful but if provoked they will defend themselves.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: So again, both Dwight and also Steve Hammond making it very clear they do not agree with this occupation of this federal facility. And Fred, the lingering question, why five years for them? Well, that is actually federal law that requires the convictions for arson on federal property carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. They had initially appealed that back in 2012 when they were convicted. That trial court agreed to actually lower the sentence but prosecutors later turned to another appellate court who said no, federal law applies here. They have to serve five years. And that's what's fueling these frustrations that are playing out on that property right now.

WHITFIELD: All right. Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

Let's talk a little bit more about this with our CNN justice correspondent Evan Perez. He is joining us on the phone from Washington.

So Evan, how are federal law enforcement authorities handling this group?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (on the phone): Well, one of the interesting things that's happening right now, Fred, is that the FBI, which has jurisdiction because this is a federal building that has been taken over by an armed group, they're keeping a very low, low profile on this and it's a very unusual situation, obviously. They seem to be wanting to lower the temperature. They don't want to make a confrontation, which is what this group appears to want. They seem to want some kind of confrontation that perhaps would draw even more support from the wider militia movement.

It's important to note that even members of the militia groups around the country, a lot of them seem to be distancing themselves. They are not quite sure that this is the right way to go, to go in and take over a federal building. So the FBI and other groups -- other law enforcement agencies seem to be trying to lower the temperature. They are not rushing in there. The ATF, the FBI, the martial service all arms of the justice department would normally be expected to go in there and restore order. At this point, they're sort of holding back, waiting for the local authorities to give them a chance to see if they can resolve the situation.

It obviously also brings to mind a little bit of a broader problem that the FBI and federal law enforcement has had with some of these groups. If you remember the standoff at the Bundy ranch last year, in that case, a rancher basically was standing up to the federal government which wanted to perhaps detain him for refusing to pay fees, grazing fees. In that case, the federal government backed down, and that has only emboldened some of these militia groups because they believe they have the upper hand. They believe that they can stand up to the federal government, and they can win. So it will be interesting to see how they manage to resolve this because these militia groups are only emboldened by the federal government trying to hold back on its response.

[15:05:15] WHITFIELD: And then, Evan, earlier reports indicated that there were no federal employees, workers, staff, whatsoever in that building. Does that remain the case? And then you mentioned federal authorities want to see how local authorities, you know, handle the situation, but if this is a federal building on federal land, isn't it federal law enforcement that has the jurisdiction? Not local?

PEREZ: Absolutely. It is the federal jurisdiction. And that's what -- which really begs the question of what the federal government is going to do about this, because you're right, this is their responsibility to secure this building. And it remains true that there are no federal employees in that building. It was the Christmas and New Year's break. It is winter in this fish and wildlife refuge. So the hours are more limited. There's fewer staff there normally at this time of year. So that's one reason why there was nobody there and why there was no confrontation from the initial get-go.

But it does beg the question, as you said, this is federal responsibility, this is the FBI's responsibility. And the longer they allow a group of armed individuals to take over a federal building and they don't do anything about it, it really perhaps would seem to encourage more of this to happen. And by the way, these groups are all over the country. There's a lot of these folks who believe that the federal government has no jurisdiction over them, that they have no power over them, that they call themselves sovereign citizens a lot of them, and they believe their rights are more important than government rights.

For instance, if they get pulled over for a speeding ticket they are known to use confrontation to get out of that. And so, you have had a bunch of these incidents around the country. And it will be interesting to see what the federal government decide that they can do on this because, again, these guys want a confrontation and so I can understand -- you can understand why some officials don't want to give it -- WHITFIELD: All right. It looks like we lost that signal with Evan

Perez. But I think you get the gist. And he has got his fingers on the pulse there and has a clear understanding in helping to convey to us, clear understanding of what he says are being classify as sovereign citizens and how federal authorities are hoping that local authorities can get the upper hand on this situation as these occupiers have taken control of a federal building on federal land in that wildlife refuge. More on that when we get it.

All right, now, to our other top story. President Barack Obama arriving back in Washington this afternoon. He will begin his 2016 agenda by tackling the quote "unfinished business of his presidency, the epidemic of gun violence." Monday he plans to meet with attorney general Loretta Lynch to discuss his options in expanding background checks for gun sales. Sources tell CNN he is preparing a new executive action on the issue.

And this Thursday, the president will join CNN's Anderson Cooper for an exclusive live town hall on guns in America.

CNN investigations correspondent Chris Frates joining us now.

So Chris, the timing of this town hall should be noted, this in the same month of the state of the union address and then possibly within days of any more detail on this executive action?

CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Fred. The president is kicking off this New Year with an aggressive push for tighter gun control. And sources say expanding background checks will be a keystone of the president's actions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A few months ago I directed my team at the White House to look into any new actions I can take to help reduce gun violence. And on Monday, I will meet with our attorney general, Loretta Lynch, to discuss our options. Because I get too many letters from parents and teachers and kids to sit around and do nothing.

FRATES (voice-over): Sources say President Obama is expected to soon announce new executive action expanding background checks on gun sales aimed at closing the so-called gun show loophole which allows some gun sellers to avoid conducting background checks. Gun control advocates have also pushed the White House to tighten regulations on the reporting of lost and stolen guns and want the president to prevent more alleged domestic abusers and passengers on the no fly list from buying guns.

But before the president has even announced the details of his actions, Republicans running to replace him were seemingly competing on who would undo them faster.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So he is going to sign another executive order having to do with the second amendment, having to do with guns. I will veto that -- I will un-sign that so fast. So fast.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All these executive orders he is going to come out with tomorrow that are going to undermine our second amendment rights on my first day in office, they are gone.

FRATES: And Jeb Bush argued there was no need to expand background checks because --.

[15:10:03] JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The so-called gun show loophole which is I think what he is talking about doesn't exist. People that want to sell guns random, you know, occasionally sell guns ought to have the right to do so without being impaired by the federal government.

FRATES: Democrats have applauded Obama's efforts. On Sunday, Bernie Sanders, whose Democratic rivals have called him weak on gun control, endorsed increased background checks.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think most gun owners in this country understand that people who should not own guns should not be able to buy them. And we do need to expand the instant background check. I don't think that's an onerous burden on anybody.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRATES: Now, measuring Americans' attitudes on gun control seems to depend on how you ask the question. In a recent CNN poll, a majority said they don't support stricter gun control laws or the president's handling of guns. But in a Quinnipiac survey an overwhelming majority, 89 percent, said they support requiring background checks for all gun buyers - Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Frates, thank you so much.

And don't miss the live exclusive town hall about guns in America this Thursday at 8:00 p.m. eastern. President Barack Obama joining Anderson Cooper. Among other things he will discuss the executive action on guns that he is expected to announce at any point now this month. And the president will also be taking questions from a live studio audience, a town hall on guns in America with President Barack Obama, moderated by Anderson Cooper this Thursday 8:00 eastern time only right here on CNN.

And when we come back, we will talk to one gun advocate who says background checks won't fix everything.

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[15:14:18] WHITFIELD: All right, President Barack Obama will soon unveil an executive action that expands background checks on gun purchases. And several GOP candidates are already saying Obama's executive action violates the second amendments.

Let's talk more about this with Jerry Henry. He is the executive director of Georgiacarry.org.

So Jerry, good to see you. Just to be a little more clear, a, the executive action hasn't happened yet. We haven't seen all the language involved. But reportedly, it would mean that the sellers would have to be licensed and it might mean that if you're going to a gun shop to purchase a gun you wouldn't be -- you would have to endure a background check. So that's what we believe to know with this executive order. So, are you on board with that or not?

[15:15:06] JERRY HENRY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGIACARRY.ORG: Well, thank you for having me, number one. Number two, we already have a definition in the federal law of what gun sellers are, what gun dealers are. And so, I don't know why change it and putting it into an executive order would do anything.

The other thing is if you go to a gun store right now to buy a gun, you have to go through a background check so I don't understand what that's going to do. And if you look at San Bernardino, for instance, the most recent mass murders, that happened in state, California, which has more restrictive gun control than anybody else. They have waiting systems, they have waiting times, they have extended background checks, and it didn't do any good to stop those people from killing 14 people out there.

WHITFIELD: What you say and you help underscore that a number of the mass shootings have taken place in recent years, even by our own research, it was difficult to make a connection between these who carried out these shootings and anyone purchasing their weapons at a gun shop because apparently this executive -- gun show, rather -- this executive order would really be extending background checks as it pertains to gun shows. But do you see there would be some value in that kind of provision that would mean that all sellers of firearms would have to be licensed?

HENRY: Well, we already have background checks at gun shows. Anybody who buys a gun from a federally firearms licensed dealer, no matter where they are, even if it's in their own personal home, they have to go through a personal background check. So that changes nothing. Now, what we are trying to stop or what they are trying to stop is private sales between me and you or someone else that knows that I have a firearm that I want to sell.

WHITFIELD: Do you think there needs to be intervention in that respect?

HENRY: No, I don't, because if you do that -- the only way you ca can -- they tried that in Oregon and got that in California. And the only way you can make that law work is if you have universal gun registration, which we are totally against, and anybody that has anything to do with the second amendment is going to be against registration of all firearms in the United States.

WHITFIELD: So Jerry, if you had an opportunity to work with the president on some sort of measure that would change laws on the books as it pertains to gun ownership and gun use, what would you recommend to the president, or what would be the areas that you believe still need to be fixed or worked on?

HENRY: Well, we have plenty of gun laws. We need to enforce the gun laws that we have. We need to remove the revolving doors from the prisons and we need to put people in jail who commit these crimes and let them stay there for a while. We don't need them to be able to bargain out, plea-bargain out after six months for shooting someone or for whatever reason they were doing it. We have enough gun laws. We just need to enforce the ones we have.

WHITFIELD: What would be a measure in your view, a recommendation in response to the mass shootings were of the gunmen there wasn't a record of them leaving jail and suddenly getting firearms, there wasn't necessarily a record of many of them or any of them that we could find getting a gun at a gun show? So what would be your recommendation to help, prevent, stop stand in the way of these mass shootings?

HENRY: What you just said explained why background checks don't work. Now, in order to stop them from getting guns, you're not going to stop anybody from getting a gun because criminals will do whatever they need to do to get a gun. And I forget what else you asked me.

WHITFIELD: Well, I was asking, what's your recommendation to stop, to prevent another mass shooting?

HENRY: I'm sorry. I think the main thing we need to do is do away with gun-free zones because every place where these mass murders occur is a gun-free zone. And if they don't know that somebody's in there or if they know that somebody's in there or might be in there with a gun or two or three or five people or whatever, they are going to be less likely to go into those places and commit these crimes.

WHITFIELD: And online gun sales, are they regulated enough in your view?

HENRY: Well, anytime you have an online gun sale if it goes across the state line it has to be accompanied with a background check. You can't just ship a firearm, pistol, especially, but even the hand -- or the long guns, you can't just ship them across state lines. You have to ship them from one federally firearm place dealer to another one. So anybody who is doing that is not following the law right now and passing another law isn't going to do any good to stop that.

[15:20:04] WHITFIELD: And Jerry, before I let you go, President Obama will be on the air on CNN live Thursday evening for this town hall hosted by Anderson Cooper. If you have an opportunity to ask him a question, because he will be fielding questions from those in a live audience, what would your question to the president be as it pertains to gun safety in America?

HENRY: Well, I don't know what he is going to propose with executive orders, and that would have a lot to do with what I would ask him, but I would remind him that what he is doing right now and what we have been doing and what he did with the 23 executive orders after Sandy Hook has not done anything to stop this. He needs to quit worrying about disarming the American people and start passing laws that will hurt the criminal and not the law abiding citizen.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jerry Henry of GeorgiaCarry.org. Thanks so much for your time.

HENRY: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, straight ahead, violent protests against one of the most important U.S. allies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, and why Iran says it is expecting quote "divine revenge."

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[15:03:53] WHITFIELD: All right, checking our top stories. In San Bernardino, California, hundreds of employees at the inland regional center are expected to return to work tomorrow with tighter security in place including a new fence around the property. It has been closed since that mass shooting one month ago killing 14 people. The facility provides services for disabled people. Employees have been working from home.

And it is day three a manhunt for the gunman who killed two people and wounded eight others in a New Year's Day attack in Tel Aviv. Police are looking for 31-year-old Nasha'at Melhem from northern Israel. His dad called police after recognizing him on security video and finding a gun missing from his home. Right now specialized police units are searching house to house. His uncle told CNN that he is suffering from psychological disorders.

And a suicide attack by ISIS fighters have killed nine Iraqi police officers. The suicide bombers tried to attack an Iraqi military base this morning but they did not get past the front gate. Iraqi forces still sweeping neighborhoods in Ramadi where many ISIS fighters are suspected of hiding. Iraqi troops have retaken the city from ISIS but the terror group still has control of some areas.

And a firestorm of protests against Saudi Arabia. Protesters angry after the Saudis executed 47 people accused of terrorism. And among those executed a prominent Shiite cleric. Just in the last few minutes, Saudi state TV reported that the Saudi government is cutting ties with the regime in Iran.

CNN's Becky Anderson has more on the protests.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A measure of the fury that erupted in parts of the Middle East after the execution of the sheikh (INAUDIBLE). The Saudi embassy, a blaze in Iran. That violent reaction was criticized by the country's president Hassan Rouhani who blamed it on extremists. But he also condemned the killing of the Shiite cleric saying it violated human rights and Islamic values and labeled it another example of quote "sectarian policies" that he says are destabilizing the region. It's a view echoed by Shiite leaders in Iraq, in Lebanon, and in other parts of the Middle East.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I fear that the execution of sheikh Nimr would most likely pour gasoline on raging fires in Syria and Iraq and Yemen, in Lebanon, in Bahrain, and in Saudi Arabia itself.

ANDERSON: From Bahrain to Iraq to Lebanon, Shiites protested the killing of one of their most holy men. Even Saudi Arabia's owned Shiite minority protested, a rare act.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The decision to execute sheikh Nimr would really have major repercussions on political and social stability in the kingdom itself. It will polarize relations between the dominant Sunni community and the Shia community, a community that feels marginalized and it feels that basically it's not fully integrated into Saudi Arabia.

ANDERSON: Sunni-led Gulf States like UAE and Bahrain, were quick to come out in support of the Saudi monarchy. Already rocked by rumored of a power struggle at the top. The wider region is starting the New Year with a collapsing cease-fire in already devastated Yemen and the prospect of a long and bitter road ahead to any prospective peace in Syria.

An escalation in Saudi/Iranian tensions has the potential to impact so many key issues in this region. So the execution that ended the life of one man could affect the life of many others in the weeks to come.

Becky Anderson, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk more about this. I'm joined now by Bobby Ghosh. He is a CNN global affairs analyst and managing editor of Quartz.

All right, good to see you, Bobby. So this latest news now that Saudi Arabia is severing ties with Iran and telling the Iranians in Saudi Arabia that they have 48 hours in which to get out of the country, how do you dissect that information?

BOBBY GHOSH, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, I think that was coming after the attack on the Saudi embassy yesterday. It was almost inevitable that this would follow. Especially since the response from Iran completely unexpectedly was full of rage and Iran's supreme leader essentially summoned the wrath of God against Saudi Arabia. So I think you're going to see a period of very harsh rhetoric and cutting of diplomatic ties.

It comes at a very bad time. Only a few months ago it seemed like there was a possibility that ties between the two countries could have been on the mend. The Saudi ambassador was sent to Iran after a long break. It looked like there was just a little glimmer of hope that the two countries, although they are traditionally opposed to each other, might at least be having some kind of diplomatic conversation. Now that door seems at least for the moment to be firmly shut.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And talk about bad timing, Saudi Arabia is a key ally to the U.S., so how should the U.S. respond when at the same time the U.S. has high hopes in its Iranian nuclear deal? GHOSH: Well, I think the U.S. will have to look at those two things

quite separately now. The deal with Iran is almost certainly done. There will be arguing at the margins, but for the most part that negotiation process is over. The U.S. has responded. The state department put out a statement earlier today. In the mildest terms chastising Saudi Arabia for this execution of a Shiite cleric warning that execution might increase sectarian tension in the region. I'm afraid at this point that ship has already sailed.

And it's a little unclear what the U.S. can do now that the execution has already happened, now that the tit for tat diplomatic sort of war of words has already begun. I think a certain amount of heat has to be allowed to escape before some kind of calm can be brought back. Can the U.S. play a role in that? Probably indirectly. It's much more likely that others in the region, like Oman, other countries in the region, will have a bigger role to play.

[15:30:38] WHITFIELD: And then in your view, what does Saudi Arabia have to gain in this latest posture?

GHOSH: Well, the Saudis are sending a message and most of it is domestic. It is sending a message to Shiite -- the Shiite population in the east that they are a minority, that they are sort of under the thumb of the ruling Sunni majority, and that is where they are going to remain. That they shouldn't get ideas about what the Saudis would consider their station.

There's also a great deal of -- and you hinted at this in your introduction. There's a lot of infighting going on within Saudi Arabia. (INAUDIBLE) is quite aided. There's a contest going on between his son and his nephew over the succession, and that plays into this as well.

And more generally, the Saudi -- this is a sort of increase in the Saudi sort of position against the Shiites if you like, because the other thing that took place today that is lost in all of this is that the Saudis ended the ceasefire in Yemen and sort of ramped up their attacks in that country, and that is also essentially aimed against the Shiite people. This is Saudi Arabia saying the gloves are off.

WHITFIELD: All right. Bobby Ghosh, thank you so much. Always good to see you.

And we will be right back.

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[15:35:04] WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. More on out top stories.

President Barack Obama is set to use executive action on gun background checks. In his seven years in office, he has been unable to get Congress to move on any gun control legislation. This is not the first time the president has resorted to using executive orders.

Notably in 2014 he unveiled executive action to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation. And the same year he also used it to establish a $10 per hour minimum wage for contractor who is do work with the federal government.

Joining me right now on the phone CNN political analyst John Avlon who is also the editor in chief of "the Daily Beast." OK, Happy New Year, John.

JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST (on the phone): Happy New Year, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. So, is this President Obama's only recourse to try and get things done in his last year in office as it pertains to any and all things gun related?

AVLON: Well, certainly gun related. I mean, remember the situation is that Republicans control both the Senate and the House of Representatives. And especially in a presidential election year where the already rough relationships only going to get rougher a Republicans try to play to their base. It's unlikely the president's ever going to find common ground with Republicans on an issue like gun control. And that's why you see him sending signals that he's going to be proposing some unilateral actions, because really his efforts at a full-court press in the wake of the horrific slaughter at Newton run successful mass shootings continue. And this is an area of deep philosophical divide between him and the Republicans. So, you know, there is possibility the president could find common ground with Republicans on some issues but gun control is going to be at the bottom of that list.

WHITFIELD: And as it pertains to executive orders, while the president feels, you know, empowered by being able to use it, anyone following him certainly could try to repeal it. Already you are hearing from Rubio and Trump saying if elected they would repeal it right away. So explain the importance of exercising executive order. What great risk is the president doing this potentially?

AVLON: Well, this is an enormous reality check that's needed right now around executive orders. First of all, President Obama has actually had fewer executive orders, certainly on an annual basis than any of his immediate predecessors.

WHITFIELD: In fact, we can pull up those numbers -- OK, we don't have the numbers, but I can reiterate some of those you mentioned. President Obama, 225 times he's used executive order. George W. Bush 291, Bill Clinton, 364 and Reagan 384 times. So, yes, among those that I just mentioned, President Obama having the least amount.

AVLON: Exactly. And this is against a backdrop of, you know, the presidential candidates, you know, reacting to the announcement of these possible executive order on guns using language like the president wants to act like a king or dictator. Well, you know, when Republicans didn't have the same level of outrage when, you know, presidents - you know, Republican presidents have many more executive orders whether it's W or Reagan, I think that helps expose the politics behind some of the selected outrage. But as you said, one of the things about executive orders is that they

can be reversed on day one by a president of an opposing party. An executive order has been used going back to President George Washington. They have done great things like the integration of armed forces, the desegregation of public schools. They have also been responsible for some terrible things like executive order that set up the context for internment camps FDR during World War II.

So executive order itself is not an unconstitutional or abuse of power scenario, but it is subject to repeal by a president and in this heightened political environment you just know that the rhetoric's going to get ratcheted up to 100.

WHITFIELD: OK. So just to reiterate those numbers just in case I didn't articulate them clearly. So Ronald Reagan 381 times using executive order, Bill Clinton 364, George W. Bush 291 and President Obama thus far 225 times.

So I wonder, John, do you see that this is going to, you know, I guess create a new momentum or a new type of push on the campaign trail as it pertains to the GOP and even the Dems?

AVLON: Well, I think certainly this is an issue that really polarizes the two parties. I mean, the Republicans are deeply in their marrow rally around defense of the second amendment and articulation of that, whereas, I think 89 percent of Americans support closing gun show loopholes, which is one of the items under discussion as a possible executive order action by the president.

So you have got a real philosophical divide between the two parties. And as the candidates in the Republican side are all hitting the trail hard in that one month leading up to the caucuses and the primaries. The rhetoric is going to get ratcheted it up on this. It is a deep area of deep philosophical divide, but it is more importantly it has fuel to the fire when candidates are trying to appeal to their base.

And on the Democratic side, I mean, the president is just preaching to the choir. There are differences between Bernie Sanders and martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton on the issue, but the president, this is bedrock value stuff for Democrats. And they would argue not inconsistent with the second amendment.

WHITFIELD: All right. John, thank you so much.

Of course big night Thursday night CNN hosting a town hall, "Guns in America." President Barack Obama joining Anderson Cooper and of course taking live questions from the audience that evening, Thursday night.

All right. Straight ahead, bracing for floodwaters. We will look at where people are fleeing their homes, which areas will be hit next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:43:48] WHITFIELD: Seven million people in 15 states are under flood warnings, this as floodwaters are peaking near parts of Illinois but are starting to approach some structures in Memphis, Tennessee.

Let's bring meteorologist Tom Sater into the equation here.

So Tom, which areas downstream are going to be hit likely next?

TOM SATER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, south of St. Louis is Cape Girardeau, Fredricka, in the boot hill. Now, really, from there southward, things are going to get a little interesting because there are so many rivers that continue to feed the mighty Mississippi and one of those in particular is of course the Arkansas River, which is flooding a number of areas.

So as far as flood warnings, those river spots that we have been talking about in the last week, we have dropped the number in half. We were over 438 different spots of numerous rivers. But again the concern is the Mississippi.

President Obama citing an emergency declaration for federal funds for those in Missouri and that's good news. But Cape Girardeau, which has a 50-foot floodwall, just underneath it, 48.9. Thirty homes and businesses were destroyed by the flooding. But anytime you have day after day of this high amount of water, the amount of pressure here is really going to poses a problem.

Now in Cairo, this is interesting because 56.1 feet, there are going to be and already have seen breaches of levees. But in that Cairo area, even though they are going to hit 56, they are going to be right around 55 for maybe five days. So, it is such a slow flow of this massive water.

Then it gets interesting. From Memphis just moderate flooding but notice on the Arkansas River, Little Rock's OK, they have bolstered defenses around the capital, but Pine Bluff, major flooding. Then, when that water, Fredricka, from the Arkansas meets up with all of this flooding in the Mississippi, this is where it's going to get a little hairy in the days to come, from Greenville, Vicksburg, Natches as well, even 60 feet. We are talking about maybe one to four feet, maybe five off the records.

So again, the pressure on the levees is going to be tremendous. And all bets are off of which ones actually will hold and which ones will not. Many of these built many years ago could have a weak spot. And so that's what we're going to watch. And then in the next couple weeks it's going to be down from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.

So the story is not over with yet. And unfortunately, I think we may have more bad news before we get good news. At least south of St. Louis, towns are below flood stage from union to pacific and that cutoff city of Eureka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks for the warning.

Tom Sater, thank you so much.

All right. Coming up, if you thought the 2016 race was already wild, well, buckle up. The pace is about to get even faster. We'll explain next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:49:21] WHITFIELD: Count them. In just 309 days, we will be electing a new president. It seems like a long time away, but as CNN's chief congressional correspondent Dana Bash shows us, the pace of the race is already picking up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For some of us, it's felt like 2016 for a while now. But the race for the White House is about to start moving fast, very fast.

TRUMP: I would like to have the election tomorrow. I don't want to wait.

BASH: Even before the first votes are cast in Iowa the January calendar's jam packed. First up, an appearance by the guy currently occupying Pennsylvania Avenue, remember him?

OBAMA: The state of the union is strong.

[15:50:03] BASH: President Obama will give his final state of the union address in a few days. Could his agenda mote have a Republicans or divide the Dems?

Then, there are more debates dot in the calendar. January alone will see three more face-to-face confrontations. Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus engineered the 2016 calendar to try to coalesce his party around a single candidate. Here's what he said this time two years ago.

REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: I think we've got a six-month slice and dice festival that's destroying our party. And so the first thing I want to do is shrink that six months down to 60 or 70 days.

BASH: February 1st is the critical day, the Iowa caucuses.

TRUMP: This is the big potato.

BASH: Shaping up as a battle between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Cruz might have the better ground game --

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have today over 500 volunteers, volunteered between now and February 1st, to come from all over the country to camp Cruz, to relive life in a college dormitory. I'm told they are having a keg party next week.

BASH: But Trump could lure new voters, if they turn out for the complicated caucus process.

TRUMP: If we win Iowa, I think we're going to win everything after that.

BASH: The winners and losers from Iowa will face each other again for another debate, wedged in just before the next vote in New Hampshire.

TRUMP: I love New Hampshire.

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I appreciate the men and women of New Hampshire.

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's great to be in beautiful New Hampshire.

BASH: A win by an establishment Republican in New Hampshire could set the stage for a South Carolina showdown. The Palmetto state's GOP primary is just days later, February 20th.

RUBIO: It is great to be back in South Carolina, a place that believed in me.

BASH: And don't forget the Nevada caucuses for the GOP just three days later. It's exhausting just thinking about it. But no rest for the political weary. One week later, the first day of March, Super Tuesday, when no fewer than 13 states will cast their primary votes.

CRUZ: Very good possibility that the Republican primary will be decided by the end of March. Starting tomorrow morning, we are in a 90-day stretch to win this nomination.

BASH: So put the pedal to the metal, the race to the White House is full speed ahead.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And tomorrow, Donald Trump joins CNN's "NEW DAY" live. It all starts at 6:00 a.m. eastern time.

All right. Next, working with a legend. What was it like to build computers with Steve Jobs? We'll talk with man who did just that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:45] WHITFIELD: All right. Steve Jobs didn't invent the personal computer but he did change the world. The new CNN film "Steve Jobs, the man in machine" explores how he brought humans and technology closer. It also examines Jobs' personal flaws.

CNN's Laurie Segall talks to one of jobs' earliest collaborators during his time working with jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY TECH CORRESPONDENT: Hey there.

Well, Steve Jobs the man in the machine is a documentary that looks at Steve Jobs and why his presence, why who he was resonated so much with people around the world. Now, I actually had the opportunity to sit down with someone who knew him quite well before all of us knew him as Steve Jobs the genius, the creator. Take a listen. You used to do LSD with Steve Jobs. Can you take me back to those

college days? I mean, let's just rewind and go back there.

DANIEL KOTTLE, EARLY APPLE EMPLOYEE: Let's see. Were we playing sergeant pepper?

SEGALL: What were you playing? How did this go down?

KOTTLE: It was pretty prosaic. We were in Portland at Reed College. You know, freshmen college year is a very poignant time of life where you're very much trying to figure out what the world is about and what you're interested in.

SEGALL: How did you guys meet?

KOTTLE: Well, at Reed, Reed was a pastoral environment. And so there was a lot of hanging out going on. But Steve and I developed a friendship when we figured out that we had both read this amazing book called "be here now," which is about psychedelics and spirituality.

Steve was my best friend at the time of life when I was discovering all this huge current of even literature. All of a sudden psychedelics were being introduced into the mix of traditional spirituality. And that was just very fascinating.

SEGALL: Do you remember the first time you guys took psychedelics together?

KOTTLE: No. Not really. We were just kind of walking around, I think. We used to go for hikes. I think we camped out on the beach. I can't really remember building a campfire. I don't remember what we did when it got dark. I can tell you that the times that I was taking psychedelics with Steve we weren't really talking that much. We were more of in a meditative space.

SEGALL: At some point you guys decided to go to India, right?

KOTTLE: Yes.

SEGALL: What was that trip like?

KOTTLE: I didn't have any money. I had no travel plans. But Steve had started working at Atari and he had money, couple thousand dollars. And so he offered to buy my ticket. I said absolutely OK let's go. We were just traveling around. Just hippies traveling around. We weren't even hippies. We shaved our heads. We were monks. We were monk want-to be.

SEGALL: The story goes everyone in the garage working on the first prototype.

KOTTLE: When I heard he was starting this Apple project, that was a big surprise to me. And I volunteered to help. Not having any qualifications whatsoever. But I was happy to help. Most of what I was doing was testing these boards and, you know, hooking them up and testing. I had to plug all the chips in and then test them. And Steve was on the phone in the kitchen most of the time. So I was alone in the garage. Did I -- did I even have a radio? No. I don't think I even had a radio.

SEGALL: Once you were there, did Steve Jobs - did you and Steve Jobs ever take LSD or continue to take psychedelics?

KOTTLE: Once Apple started, Steve was really focused with all of his energy on making Apple successful. And he didn't need psychedelics for that.

SEGALL: You can see Steve Jobs meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people. What this documentary does that's unique, is it gives us a look who the man was beyond the technology. He was polarizing, complicated, genius, and you get a sense of it all if you take a look at this film.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Laurie Segall. Tonight on CNN, story of Apple computer founder "Steve Jobs, the man in the machine." It airs 9:00 eastern right here on CNN.

All right. Next hour of CNN NEWSROOM begins right now.