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Zika Virus Spreading; Susan Sarandon Helps Sanders Campaign; Eleven Oregon Occupiers Arrested; Widow of Crooked Cop Who Staged Suicide Indicted; President Obama Weighs in on Oscars and Diversity. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired January 28, 2016 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00] DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Talking about the fact that it has spread pretty considerably and will likely continue to spread. And also the fact that, you know, there wasn't a lot done with Zika virus for a long time. There wasn't a lot of incentive to build an antiviral or a vaccine. So it's going to take some time to do that. But really sort of encouraging scientists and labs all over the country to start working on this or continue working on it so there's some answers here.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, when they say -- when the World Health Organization says that this virus is spreading explosively around the Americas, that sounds really frightening, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Yes, I think -- I think there's no question. It was mainly, you know, relegated to a small forest in Uganda. The Zika forest in Uganda. That's where it's got its name. And then it started spreading over the last couple of years. And just this year, we've seen these incredible numbers. I mean in part it could be weather patterns with El Nino and increase in mosquito populations. But keep in mind, with this virus, the vast majority of people will have mild or no symptoms, but we don't have a naturally immunity to this virus. We've never seen this virus in this part of the world before, so we don't have a natural immunity to it and that's a level -- that's part of the concern as well.

COSTELLO: All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.

GUPTA: Thank you.

COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Bernie Sanders riding high in the polls. But the Vermont senator knows there's only one way to turn his White House bid into reality, by getting voters to actually show up. And with days until the Iowa caucuses, Sanders had this to say about that critical state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think what the Iowa campaign ends up being about is one word, and that is turnout. We're feeling really good about where we are. And if there is a large voter turnout -- I'm not saying we could do what Barack Obama did in 2008. I wish we could. But I don't think we can. But if there is a large turnout, I think we win. If not, I think we're going to be struggling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: My next guest is doing her part to get out the vote for Sanders. She is Susan Sarandon. The Academy Award winning actress is taking to Twitter to document her field trip to Iowa, where she's been working with volunteers at phone banks and meeting with the candidate directly. Susan Sarandon joins me now live from Mason City, Iowa, where Sanders held a town hall last night.

Welcome.

SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Thanks for --

SARANDON: I love the idea I'm on a field trip.

COSTELLO: It is pretty cool, right?

SARANDON: Yes.

COSTELLO: Tell me -- tell me what Bernie Sanders' audiences have been like.

SARANDON: Oh, so enthusiastic. Really just fired up, emotional, committed. I mean I got emotional just being with him. It's been really, really fun.

COSTELLO: Are you --

SARANDON: And they're very well informed. I was in Iowa when Barack Obama came through to thank them and they're a thinking people, you know. They don't listen to, you know, the sound bites. They really go deep and ask questions. And they're very well-informed. And, you know, they -- they supported him when everyone said he couldn't get elected and they're all over Bernie. They love him.

COSTELLO: Interesting. So some people would say, you know what, you know what, Ms. Sarandon, you're a feminist icon. Hillary Clinton is running as a feminist icon. So why aren't you supporting her?

SARANDON: Well, Bernie Sanders consistently has represented everything that I'm interested in and that I care about. He wants change. He doesn't want business as usual. And, quite frankly, you know, the most important foreign affairs move that has happened in my lifetime, which was the vote to go into Iraq, she failed me and I feel that that wasn't just a mistake, that was a disaster.

And when you see what Bernie did at that time, which was so brave and so clear on the floor when he stood up and made that speech, if you Google that you'll see why I really believe that I need somebody with judgment and not just experience. And he's been working in the system forever, but wants us to now feed that machine and take over and make real changes. And he's the only one that hasn't taken super PAC money, isn't connected to, you know, all the corporations, to Wall Street and I think that's what this country needs. So I'm really pleased to be able to be with him.

COSTELLO: And I also think it's interesting that some people think that women automatically vote for women, no matter what her policies are, and that's just simply not true, is it?

SARANDON: Well, I think it's very patronizing to think that women vote for any woman that gets up there. I wouldn't have -- you know, I mean I love Elizabeth Warren, for instance. She's closer to what I feel needs to happen in this country. But Thatcher was a woman and I wouldn't be proud of that. I -- I think that's very patronizing to women to think that we all just follow our genitalia to candidates.

COSTELLO: Bernie Sanders, he says he's a socialist. He admitted that he would have to raise taxes to accomplish his goals. Those are two things that many Americans would take pause, like the socialist label. Do you think people will really vote for a guy who (INAUDIBLE) socialist?

[09:35:10] SARANDON: Well, everything that he is talking -- everything that he's talking about is just completely directly from F.D.R. So I don't know if you'd call F.D.R. a socialist. And he is going to tax the rich. He's going make sure the rich pay what they should. And that's -- that's not happened before. And that's a huge amount of money. If he closes the loophole with Wall Street, for instance, that will make a huge difference. So I don't think when he says he's going to raise taxes, he's talking about the little guys the way that it's been explained to me. He's going to just make people pay up that have been managing to get away for a long time.

And -- but if you look at F.D.R., I mean he outlines on his website the things that he's talking about. That's exactly what happened under F.D.R. And that's what we need. We need more jobs and -- and we need a new direction in this country and people are angry and they're upset and they're working so hard and paying taxes and doing everything right, and what do they get back for it? You know, we are the richest country and we have -- we treat our citizens terribly in terms of education and healthcare. I mean it shouldn't -- he's -- the thing that's great about Bernie also is that he speaks very specifically. His plans are very specific, very clear, which, of course, you know, makes you open for criticism. But he doesn't just talk in platitudes. He -- you really know what you're getting. He's honest. He's sincere.

COSTELLO: Well, I think -- I think the critics would say, you know, he wants to give Americans handouts, single payer -- he wants everybody to have health insurance, free college tuition for everybody and those things just aren't possible here (ph).

SARANDON: Do they say that about all of Europe? Do they say that in all of Europe?

COSTELLO: Some critics do say that about Europe. SARANDON: (INAUDIBLE). Yes, but they're very happy. Why shouldn't we

have healthcare? I mean why is that something that we should be ashamed of getting? That's not a handout when you pay taxes and you work very hard. Maybe we just don't go to so many wars. Is that what we get as a citizen?

COSTELLO: Well, and -- and it is -- and it is fair to say some -- some countries within Europe, their economies aren't so great.

SARANDON: Yes, but we got broke going to war, right? We don't have to spend the money the way that we're spending. And we should be taxing the people that could be taxed. That's where the money can come from. Yes, it's not naive to think that we are -- we should have all of these things. Canada's doing fine. I mean, you know, the war was the thing that tripped us up. And you have to go back to how we got into that. And I think that -- I mean I'm not an economist, but I'm not cynical. And I think that everybody deserves -- and their -- if you go out on the road and you listen to people, that's what they want, you know, and they deserve that.

They -- their -- I talked to a woman with four kids and she works two jobs and she can't keep it together. That's not right. Not when you've got -- the gap between the rich and the poor has gotten so huge where the few, few people at the very top, it's like a half of one percent have more than I think 50-some percent of the property in this country and the wealth in this country. That's redistribution of wealth and going the other way. That's what we should be talking about. How does that happen?

COSTELLO: So I'm just going to ask you one question about Donald Trump, because he says he's a job creator. And he says he can get things done. And he says he can take care of income inequality. Do you believe him?

SARANDON: I know, but he never says how. Have you noted, he never says how? He's like the standup guy at a wedding that gets drunk and just goes on and on and on. I want to know specifically. He -- there's a good example of somebody who never tells you how he's going to do anything. All he does is get everybody -- you know, tap into the most base hate, racist stream that's going through this country. He doesn't say how.

COSTELLO: All right, I have to leave it --

SARANDON: He's not on TV anymore. This is like real life. He has to be specific. You can't just say, "you're fired," OK, bring in the next guy. He has to be specific.

COSTELLO: Susan Sarandon, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.

SARANDON: Oh, thank you.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, their leader just told them to go home, but will they listen? What the remaining Oregon occupiers just told CNN, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:43:37] COSTELLO: The remaining occupiers in Oregon are speaking to CNN this morning, less than 24 hours after their former leader, Ammon Bundy, told them to go home. Bundy's plea to vacate comes in direct response to protester LaVoy Finicum's death. Finicum was shot and killed by police on Tuesday during his arrest. But it looks like not all of the Bundys are on the same page. Ammon's father, Cliven, is also speaking out and he's calling on the occupiers to stay put.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLIVEN BUNDY, FATHER OF OREGON PROTEST LEADER: But I'll tell you one thing, we're darn sure gonna have to fight this battle over and over if we just give up right today. I mean we've got a life lost. Was that life -- was it wasted?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Sara Sidner live in Oregon with more.

Good morning.

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Yes, we were able to speak with some of the folks that are out there still hold up there inside that headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Sean Anderson (ph) is there with his wife. He says there are five people who are still there. They are talking with the FBI, but he says, looks, here's what we have offered. That if the FBI lets us leave, we will leave peacefully, but we do not want to be arrested. They want to be able to leave without been searched, without their guns being checked. They want to be able to go out of the refuge and go to their respective homes. And that's the message that they have been giving to the FBI.

They said that the FBI initially had let people out but then they made some arrests.

[09:45:00] Eleven people have been arrested now, a total of 11 people. One person has been killed. The 11 people arrested includes a man named Jason Patrick, who we've been talking to on and off throughout this ordeal, which has last about a month. They've been out there holed up there in that refuge headquarters.

And he talked to us a bit just a few hours before he was arrested, about what it was like there on the refuge and what he was planning to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Can you tell me what it is like and why you are still out here, considering what's happened? Considering the FBI has basically come in and arrested some folks? Have you heard anything from them about being able to leave if you want to? JASON PATRICK, OREGON OCCUPIER ARRESTED LAST NIGHT: I did have a

conversation with the FBI while Channel 2 News was recording. And they said they just need to get everyone off the refuge. But I know that everyone off the refuge has already been arrested or killed. So the only people that are safe right now are the people on the refuge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Now at the time, he told us he was planning to stay along with many others but he eventually did leave. And he, along with three others, yesterday were arrested in the afternoon.

But again, there are at least five people who are inside of the refuge deciding what to do, still speaking with the FBI, but saying if they are going to be arrested, if they are going to be searched, they do not plan on leaving. They feel they are safer where they are, and they will stay there and they are not afraid to die. That is exactly what they told me just moments ago. Carol?

COSTELLO: Sara Sidner reporting live this morning. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM -- from grieving wife to suspected thief. The widow of a disgraced cop is under indictment. I'll have a report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:50:59] COSTELLO: A startling twist in the investigation into a cop who staged his own suicide last year. Melodie Gliniewicz, the widow of that disgraced Illinois police officer has been indicted, charged with aiding her husband as he stole funds from a charity for children that is sponsored by the Fox Lake Police.

Pamela Brown is following the story from Atlanta. Good morning.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol. What a remarkable turn of events in this story. Melodie Gliniewicz, who many remember as the grieving widow of Lt. Joe Gliniewicz, who investigators believe staged his own death, has been indicted by a grand jury in Chicago for stealing charitable funds and using them for her own personal benefit.

She faces six felony counts. Authorities allege she schemed with her now-deceased husband to scheme from the youth group they ran, the Explorers, a group of teens they were training to become law enforcement officers. And Melodie allegedly used that donated money to pay for a personal trip to Hawaiii, payments to businesses such as Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, the movie theater, and more than 400 restaurant charges, investigators say.

This was all discovered during the course of her husband's death investigation, where investigators revealed -- recovered these texts between the couple discussing using the Explorer Post (ph) money for themselves. Investigators believe Lieutenant Gliniewicz committed decide to hide the embezzlement scheme. Melodie's attorneys deny all of these allegations. They said in a

statement released yesterday that Melodie has suffered greatly over the past few months. Considering Melodie's cooperation with law enforcement, she is devastated by the decision to bring charges against her. Bond was set at $50,000, and, Carol, a CNN special about her husband's staged suicide will air Friday at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

COSTELLO: Pamela Brown reporting live for usthis morning. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the #oscarssowhite fallout rises to a presidential level. Now President Obama is weighing in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:57:09] COSTELLO: Michigan governor Rick Snyder says he has no intention of resigning over the lead in the Flint water system. In an exclusive interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow, he acknowledged more than 100 children have been affected, a number he expects to go higher. But the governor says he's been committed to fixing the problem since he first learned about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK SNYDER (R), MICHIGAN: Actually, I learned about it in October. And I took action immediately then, offering filters, working with people on getting water, on doing water testing.

Again, we needed to do more, though. So, as soon as I learned about it, we took dramatic action.

(END VIDEOT CLIP)

COSTELLO: Filmmaker and Flint native Michael Moore doesn't buy that. He alleges the governor's lack of response could be criminal. Here's what he told Jake Tapper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER & FLINT NATIVE: He is covering up. The people of Flint know that. The fact that he hasn't replaced a single lead pipe, not a single lead pipe, since this came to light. He's known about this, we know of at least, since last February. Why, once you know that there's a possibility there's lead in the water, would you allow the people to keep drinking the water?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Moore and others allege the state government did not treat the lead water early because Flint is poor and predominantly African- American.

Checking some of the top stories for you at 58 minutes past:

Mexico releasing new video showing drug lord El Chapo after his capture earlier this month. El Chapo, shown -- is shown being fingerprinted, having blood drawn and getting a new mug shot. Mexican authorities captured El Chapo at a house on the Pacific coast about six months after his daring escape from a maximum security prison near Mexico City.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. It's a moment forever burned into the country's collective memory. Seven restaurants died in the accident, which led to a complete overhaul of NASA's space shuttle program.

President Obama reacting to calls for an Oscars boycott. The Academy Awards under fire for the lack of diversity in the Hollywood's top categories, sparking the hashtag, #oscarssowhite. President Obama telling CNN affiliate, KABC, the show should be more inclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that California is an example of the incredible diversity of this country. That's a strength. I think that when everybody's story is told, then that makes for better art. It makes for better entertainment. It makes everybody feel part of one American family.

As a whole, the industry should do what every other industry should do, which is to look for talent and provide opportunity to everybody. And I think the Oscar debate is really just an expression of this broader issue of are we taking sure that everybody is getting a fair shot?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:00:01] COSTELLO: The president's remarks were part of the latest installment of "Live From the White House", where anchors from television stations across the country interview the president on different topics, including the Affordable Care Act, terrorism, and the Super Bowl.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.