Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Questions Arise on Citizenship of Ted Cruz; Powerball Jumps to $700 Million Overnight; CNN's Mike Rowe Mistaken for Bank Robber. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired January 07, 2016 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just a day ago, Ted Cruz used McCain to defend the position that his birthplace is a nonissue in the race for the White House. Senator McCain was born outside of the country and we know he became the Republican nominee in 2008. But McCain does not agree with a comparison. Listen to what he told KFWI Radio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R), ARIZONA (voice-over): I do not know the answer. It came up in my race because I was born in Panama, but I was born in the Canal Zone, which is a territory. Barry Goldwater was born in Arizona when it was a territory when he ran in 1964.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCAIN: I was born in the Panama Canal Zone. It's a U.S. military base. That's different from being born on foreign soil. I think there's a question. I'm not a constitutional scholar on that, but I think it's worth looking into. I don't think it's illegitimate to look into it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: With me now is CNN political correspondent, Brianna Keilar, live in California at a rally for Hillary Clinton. Also with me today is CNN national political reporter, Maeve Reston.

Maeve, let me begin with you since we heard the words from Senator McCain, worth looking into. This is a man who Donald Trump cast doubt on whether or not he was a war hero. It sounds to me that John McCain is siding with Donald Trump.

MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, it's incredibly ironic that we have come to this place. It shows you how little love there is in the Republican Party in some sectors, particularly in the Senate with folks like John McCain for Ted Cruz. You're not seeing a lot of people come out and defend Ted Cruz here. What Donald Trump is trying to do is raise eligibility issues for Ted Cruz. He's looking stronger and stronger in Iowa. Donald Trump is trying to knock him by raising questions about his background in this way. It's just fascinating that folks like McCain are coming out and siding with Trump who went after McCain himself not too long ago. BALDWIN: So there's that percolating on the trail today. Then as we

have been talking about, as we're three weeks away from the Iowa caucuses, all these campaign ads heating up.

Here's a new one from the Trump campaign. This is an Instagram video, Brianna Keilar, targeting Hillary Clinton. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights once and for all.

Let's keep fighting for opportunity and dignity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So you see image of Monica Lewinsky, Bill Cosby, Anthony Weiner and Hillary Clinton. What is this about, and has the Clinton camp responded?

BRIANNE KEILAR, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They have not responded at this point actually, Brooke. They are sort soft trying to figure out how to respond or if they should really elevate this at this point. But basically what you have is Donald Trump saying that Hillary Clinton started all of this in an op-ed with the "Des Moines Register" saying he had a pension for sexism. Donald Trump has returned fire in an exponential way. The latest thing being that ad that you just saw. But at this point, the Clinton campaign is not commenting on this. Bill Clinton was just asked about this on the trail. Specifically he was asked if his past alleged sexual with improprieties if he's worried this is what's going to affect his wife's campaign. I think we have that sound if we can go ahead and play it. E we don't actually have that sound byte. He's been asked about that and basically u what he's saying is that he's there as a messenger for his wife and this isn't something that he or the campaign wants to elevate with a response. At the same time as he has gone out for the first time campaigning for his wife Monday in New Hampshire and today in Iowa, these are the questions that he's being asked. So this is certainly something that's taken up some of the oxygen that the Clinton campaign does not want to discuss.

BALDWIN: Brianna Keilar, thank you.

Maeve Reston, thank you as well.

Let me move on to this one. I don't know if I can keep a straight face. He's a friend of mine. He swears he did not rob a bank. Take a look at this picture. I'm talking about Mike Rowe, mistaken for a bank robbery suspect. He's shaking his head already. I know where this is going to go. We have the videos. We have Mike Rowe himself. I'm going to ask you about your alibi. You better have a good one.

Also, Powerball lottery at $700 million. Have you bought your ticket yet? We'll talk chances and probability coming up, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:38:16] BALDWIN: Break out the rabbit's foot, the lucky charm, favorite socks, whatever float yours boat here. The largest Powerball jackpot, it swelled overnight to $700 million after no one chose last night's winning numbers. So ask yourself, are you feeling lucky today?

"CNN's Money's" Paul La Monica is tracking your odds of winning.

Paul, no offense, I kind of hate these segments because you're about to rain on my parade, aren't you?

(LAUGHTER)

PAUL LA MONICA, CNN MONEY DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT: The odds are not very good for you, for me, or for anyone watching right now, because they are one in 292 million. You have a better chance of dying by being struck by lightning while also drowning than winning the Powerball. You have a better chance of being hit by an asteroid. These grim things could happen instead of winning the $700 million.

BALDWIN: Despite the scary statistics you're putting on my TV screen, are you going in on an office pool?

LA MONICA: Not sure. I might selfishly do one for myself and my wife. $700 million. Could climb even higher. There are reports it may get to $800 million before Saturday if no one wins again. They changed the rules to make it tougher. You could see a billion dollar jackpot if no one wins this Saturday and we're talking about this again next week.

[14:39:47] BALDWIN: OK. Speaking of odds, and I'm going to move on with this.

Paul La Monica, thank you.

LA MONICA: Thank you.

BALDWIN: I can't say I have ever reported on anything like this before. CNN host, friend of mine, mistaken for a suspected bank robber. Here's the deal. Police in Medford, Oregon, Say this man -- I do kind of see the resemblance though. Sorry. This man held up a chase bank on Monday. I'm not laughing about the bank robbery. That's serious and they need to find this guy. After these pictures were released, people noticed he looked very similar to the profile to Mike Rowe, host of CNN's "Somebody's Gotta Do It." You have the bank robber on the left and here and Mike Rowe on the right. So Mike took to Facebook to squash the confusion, "True, I am often in a sweatshirt and ball cap and share a resemblance with the culprit. However, I am not 5'6" with a small to medium build. The last time I was 5'6" I was in the sixth grade. And small to medium ship sailed some time ago."

Mike Rowe joining me from his beloved Baltimore, Maryland.

I mean, come on. You really do start to look at the. You're like, hmm. What's your alibi? MIKE ROWE, CNN HOST, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT: I don't see it.

BALDWIN: What were you doing?

ROWE: I was in Kansas. I was in Kansas shooting at another brand new fascinating someone of "Somebody's Gotta Do It." I went back on Facebook. If you check the page, I have been vindicated and exonerating and dismissed as a person of interest by the Medford police, so I have that going for me.

BALDWIN: But roll with me. When you look at this guy and his ball cap, and by the way, nice choice of wardrobe today because you're wearing what he had on.

ROWE: I'm always wearing this.

BALDWIN: You kind of look similar. I know you are. But come on.

ROWE: My theory is this guy, he's been roundly dismissed on social media as kind of an idiot for not wearing a costume or some sort of disguise when he robs a bank.

BALDWIN: Maybe he was dressed up as you?

ROWE: I think he's got a Mike Rowe mask on. I have seen these things before. They are frightening and there it is. People should not be looking for my doppelganger around Medford. They should be looking for a shorter, slightly less attractive man with a slight build.

BALDWIN: Slightly less attractive, that's lovely of you to say.

Let's read what Medford police wrote, quote, "This just in, Mike Rowe has been alibied in Monday's bank robbery. This is a real bummer. But as we say, it's just as important to free innocent people from suspicion as to identify guilty parties."

You know I have love for your parents. We have had your parents on my show in a special exclusive interview. Obviously, it was a highlight of my career and yours. I have to imagine that they were a tad concerned.

ROWE: Deeply concerned, Brooke. The first call came from my mother as he's running through the airport. Her question was, did you do it. Please tell us you didn't do it. Your father and I are very concerned. If you need money, just ask. We have a room upstairs. The one you grew up in. We left it exactly as you did. You're welcome back at any time. Why and how did it come to this?

BALDWIN: What did you do with the money?

ROWE: Under advice of my counsel, I can't get into that kind of thing right now.

BALDWIN: Good. Answer.

Mike Rowe, thank you, happy New Year. (CROSSTALK)

ROWE: I will give Baltimore my regards. We miss you.

BALDWIN: Thank you, my friend.

Just ahead, the Dow plunging today off to the worst start of the year since 2008. Why the concerns are not short lived.

Plus, breaking news today out of Paris. This new terror attack thwarted after a man holding the ISIS symbol and a weapon threatened police there. New details about him ahead. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:47:32] BALDWIN: On the heels of the executive action, President Obama will host a town hall on guns in America tonight at 8:00 eastern right here in this building. I'm joining you today from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Both the NRA and gun owners of America have declined CNN's invitation to appear with the president, but there will be many NRA members and activists and advocates in the audience. The president will be taking questions.

No matter what you stand on this had issue, right, left, less regulation, more, tonight's conversation is for you.

If you don't believe me, here are 40 reasons why. I had the opportunity and honor to speak with the so-called Loneliest Club. These are members of a club they never thought they would be joining. These are family members who lost loved ones to gun violence or they themselves have survived a shooting. Their stories, their tears, their anger, remind us that politics aside, something has to be done.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: You are all connected through great, awful tragedy. I'm honored to be in a room with you all.

I wanted to begin, I know a lot of you brought photos of people. This is the reason you're here. I want to take a moment to see them all. Would you hold the photos up for me? All these faces, all these faces, this is why you're here and why this conversation is so important. You can put the photos down for now.

Show of hands, how many people were affected by Aurora? How about Sandy Hook? Virginia Tech? How about how many of you, show of hands, were affected by a story that wasn't the front page of the paper the next day? How many of people in here lost someone near and dear to them? How many people in here own a gun? How many people, final question, believe and hope for change?

In that Charleston church, you lost your mother and two cousins.

[14:49:52] REV. SHARON RISHER, LOST FAMILY MEMBER IN SHOOTING: Yes. Yes. I was at work when my nephew called and said, Aunty, there was a shooting at the church. And I said, what church? My niece said granny's church. And nobody had heard nothing. I called my ma's phone. I did everything I could. No answer. So I knew she was gone because there would have been no other place in the world she would have been. So I knew either my mother would have witnessed this terrible thing or she was one of the people that died. I couldn't even drive home. I didn't know yet officially but I knew in my heart I had to stop my car twice because I was so nervous I couldn't even drive. And to then find out everything, it was just too much for two days I'm in Dallas, Texas. Two days I wandered around in my pajamas watching the news because I couldn't take missing anything because I was hoping beyond hope that somehow they got it wrong. But I knew it wasn't wrong. I knew that she was gone.

CLAI LASHER-SOMMERS, SHOT BY ABUSIVE STEPFATHER AS CHILD: After Newtown, I stood in front of the television camera saying to myself, oh, my god, something is got to happen. I knew as a child what those children had been through. I knew. And I thought something is going to happen now. We're not going to have all these children mass murdered and we're not going to do something as a nation?

BALDWIN: You all are 700-plus strong, is that right?

COLIN GODDARD, WOUNDED IN MASS SHOOTING: Over 750. People think that this conversation we're having is really about taking guns from everybody.

BALDWIN: That's a huge misconception. People think you all think people should have guns.

GODDARD: Yes.

BALDWIN: That is not the case?

GODDARD: It's finding common ground. But the NRA cannot defeat us on background checks. They have to associate it with an extreme end point to muddy the waters and make people confused. Because when they do have a genuine background check conversation, the average American thinks this makes sense. This ought to be done everywhere.

(APPLAUSE)

ANNE HAYNES, HUSBAND SHOT: My husband was killed by a man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He sent his girlfriend to buy the gun and killed my husband. Right away you have to ask how can a mentally ill person who is a felon on top of that get away with sending his girlfriend to buy the gun and they still haven't found the guns. And his death has been de devastating for me. He was the love of my life.

ANDY PARKER, DAUGHTER KILLED IN SHOOTING: We are club members that no one wants to join, but I think there's a purpose here. I think we're all singing off the same sheet of music and we're going to get something done.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: That was the most extraordinary interview I have ever been a part of. And that's why it's so important to have this conversation tonight here at George Mason University. Anderson Cooper and the president tonight at 8:00 eastern to talk about gun violence in this country.

Coming up, we'll talk live with a gun rights advocate who totally disagrees with the president's actions. I want to hear his side.

Also again, tonight, Anderson Cooper and the president at 8:00 eastern live. Do not miss this.

Ahead on CNN, breaking news, on the one year anniversary of the "Charlie Hebdo" attacks in Paris. A new attempted terror attack. A man with a knife, fake explosives strapped to his waist. Police shot and killed him, but what was found on his bound was a paper with the ISIS flag. We have brand new details on this ahead.

[14:54:34] Also ahead, Donald Trump today handed out 20,000 tickets to this venue holds 1400. Right now, we're hours from the event. Look at these people in line. It's getting bigger. Law enforcement is getting nervous. How is this going to work? We'll take you there live to Burlington, Vermont, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Want to come up here on live pictures, Texas. Left side of your screen -- wait for it -- this is the transport van. You know the story. This affluenza teen, Ethan Couch, who killed four people in a drunk-driving accident a couple years ago. He was 16 at the time. Judge said he didn't know the difference between right and wrong, so he was put on probation and never served time in jail. Broke that probation. He and mom fled to Mexico. He's still in Mexico. Inside the van is the mother. She's now being extradited as you can see the location there. She's back in Fort Worth, Texas. As I mentioned, Ethan Couch still fighting that return trip home.

Since he was young, Jake Olson has been a huge USC football fan. When he lost his sight, he thought his dreams of playing the sport were sidelined but he refused to give up. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has his story in this "Turning Point."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jake Olson doesn't look at football like his teammates. In fact, he can't see the game at all. The long snapper for the University of Southern California is blind.

JAKE OLSON, BLIND FOOTBALL PLAYER: When I was 8 months old, I was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer. When the doctors found my cancer, it was e completely taken over my left eye. The fear is the cancer spreading to the brain.

GUPTA: To save his life, doctors removed that eye. Jake endured chemo and laser treatment to save the right one. But the cancer kept coming back.

OLSON: After about eight times of that happening, the doctors finally said, listen, we pretty much exhausted all treatment options.

GUPTA: Jake was 12 when he found out he would lose his other eye.

But former USC head coach, Pete Carroll, heard Jake's story.