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Escaped Fugitive Turns Himself in to Authorities; Hillary Clinton Holds Rally in Iowa; Donald Trump to Speak at Iowa Campaign Event. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired January 30, 2016 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson is with us now on the phone. So in your view, Joey, again, we're waiting for details, do you believe that the apprehension of one may have helped lead to the capture of the other two?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It certainly may have, Fredricka. Good to be with you. But first and foremost, we can talk about the breakdowns that led to the actual escape, but I think it's important also to give credit to the authorities for securing public safety, ensuring that they have been apprehended and are back in custody. And now I think it will move to the investigative stage to find out exactly what happened, what protocols or what have you were violated, what, if any, assistance did they get, and of course to hold them accountable for having escaped in the first place.

I'm sure we'll learn a lot from the press conference, well, as much as authorities will share with us at this point in time. But I think moving forward it will really assist them in shoring up whatever security breaches there were and it will certainly make the public a lot more calm knowing that they're back behind bars and in custody at this point.

WHITFIELD: And Joey, we do understand that somewhere within the last week since their break from prison that Bac Duong, he was accused of stealing a car and all three may have been living in a van for a period of time until Duong decided to approach some Santa Ana residents and say I'm ready to turn myself in. In a case like that, would he have been offered maybe potentially a plea deal in his kind of cooperation to help locate the other two?

JACKSON: I think what certainly happens is that whenever you have someone who has knowledge or potential knowledge of another fugitives, authorities are more inclined to cut them deals in order to get the information they need to move forward. How binding that will ultimately be is another question. Obviously, there's a lot of pressure on authorities when you have escapees that are out there that could do anything to a public that is certainly, you know, frightened. So I think when you're first one and you're offering information, it's a good time to let authorities know what you know because they'll take it easy on you in the long run.

WHITFIELD: And, of course, the investigation is really in its infancy, still to be determined whether there was an inside job or whether this was a clean break by these inmates. But we do understand that a jail teacher was arrested on charges of accessory to a felony. She apparently provided the inmates with an image of the entire jail complex. She denies giving them tools, but what other charges might she potentially face if she did provide this image that helped lead to their escape?

JACKSON: Sure, Fredricka. You know, I think, you talk about the one, English as a second language, that teacher that was assisting there. I think whenever you have someone who's involved at the outset they're really engaged in a couple of things. One is a conspiracy, which is any agreement you engage in with another person to commit a criminal act, in addition to that acting as a conspiracy, certainly aiding, abetting and assisting fugitives, certainly thereafter obstruction of justice, hindering apprehension, hindering prosecution. So there could be a whole series of charges she's facing and she will certainly be in a world of hurt moving forward. But it will be predicated upon what she knew, when she knew it and did she -- what type of material assistance did she provide? I'd be anxious to know what type of defense she has in terms of whether there was any coercion to her, any bodily threats to her or exactly what led to her participation in this alleged criminal enterprise of them escaping.

WHITFIELD: Joey Jackson, thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.

JACKSON: It's a pleasure, Fredricka. Take care.

WHITFIELD: And now to the countdown to the first votes of the 2016 presidential election happening in just two days at the Iowa caucuses. This hour all of the candidates are fanned out across Iowa in a last- minute push to get voters on their side before the caucuses. You're about to see some live pictures of Republican stumping right now. There you see Jeb Bush and John Kasich, who just picked up an endorsement, Kasich did, from the "New York Times" editorial board, and he's in Keene, New Hampshire, actually today. And Jeb Bush is in Clear Lake, Iowa.

And on the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is stumping with her daughter Chelsea along with Mark and Gabby Giffords. Clinton's husband is expected to also make an appearance in Iowa Falls.

And then later at this hour Bernie Sanders hosts his second rally of the day. This one in Charles City, Iowa, right there.

All right, our John Berman is there in Des Moines, Iowa, with more on what these next two days are going to look like. John?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: They are going to look like they do right now, which is all the candidates out. I want to go right to ames in Iowa right now, where Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly, on stage with Hillary Clinton. Let's take a look.

[14:05:08] GABBY GIFFORDS, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN: Hillary is top. Hillary is courageous. She will fight to make our safer. In the White House she will stand up to the gun lobby. That's why I'm voting for Hillary. (APPLAUSE)

GIFFORDS: Speaking is hard for me, but January -- come January, I want to say these two words, "Madame President."

(APPLAUSE)

GIFFORDS: Let's work together to make Hillary our president. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to Gabby and Mark, because what you just heard and saw on this stage here at the university is such a testament to the human spirit, to courage, to a sense of mission. And when I think about what we have to do as our country, I think it does take courage and it takes a sense of mission. And we are so fortunate to have two people who can inspire us every single day because of who they are and what they stand for, what they have done in their lives and what they are doing. I really agree so much with the them --

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: -- that it is -- it is time, my friends, to stand up for common sense gun safety measures, to stand up against the gun lobby, and to turn that into a voting issue. The other side does, and so even though the vast majority of Americans and gun owners agree with Gabby and Mark's commonsense approach, they agree with moms, demand action, they agree with gun sense voters' agenda. They vote on many things, whereas those who oppose this mission that Gabby and Mark are leading, they vote only on one issue, and that is how they end up intimidating members of Congress and others.

The facts cry out for action. On average, 90 people a day die from gun violence. That's 33,000 people a year in our country from homicides, suicides, and tragic avoidable accidents. And we've got to take action, because in addition to all those who are killed there are many, many who are injured.

I have met too many of these victims and their families. I have been in too many rooms where you are at a loss for words, taking the hand of a mother who sent her six-year-old child off to elementary school and got the worst call any mother could ever get, that her child and others had been murdered. Of the faces of those churchgoers and in Charleston who were at bible study when a young man filled with anger and hatred and racism came in, sat with them during the bible study, then pulled out the gun he should not have been able to buy and killed nine of them.

[14:10:11] BERMAN: All right, we just saw a very powerful moment onstage in Ames, Iowa. Gabriele Giffords who five years ago was shot in her hometown in Arizona, it has been a long recovery. She just appeared onstage and said the two words she wants to hear next January are "Madame President." A powerful endorsement, a powerful political endorsement, but outside of politics it was wonderful to see Gabriel Giffords looking and sounding so great after these five years. Hillary Clinton in Ames, Iowa, right now. She'll be talking for some time.

There's another political event we have our eye on right now in Dubuque. Donald Trump getting ready to speak, his plane due to land there. You can look at live pictures right now. The plane is going to pull up right behind that lectern in just a few minutes. We'll take you there, live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Welcome back. John Berman in Des Moines, Iowa. We have our eye on Dubuque, Iowa, right now where just a few moments from now Donald Trump will land in his plane. He will take the stage there and he will address a crowd in Dubuque, Iowa. You're looking at a live picture right there, someone at the lectern getting the people in the crowd ready to see Donald Trump again. We expect to see him any minute. We will take you there the second it happens, so stand by. That's Dubuque.

[14:15:06] Earlier in Cedar Rapids, Governor Chris Christie was on the stump, and he spoke to our Phil Mattingly there, and he had some words, Phil, for Senator Marco Rubio not altogether nice. Phil?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not altogether nice to say the least. He said Marco Rubio was essentially a Republican Barack Obama, continuing a stream of attacks that these two have had going back and forth with one another for a couple weeks. John, it's a really interesting fact that Chris Christie is even on the ground here in Iowa. New Hampshire is the state where Chris Christie needs to succeed. But when I was talking to him I asked, is there a secret sauce here? He said the six-term governor, Terry Branstad, he has a lot of Branstad people on his team, and he thinks that's going to make a difference. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hope it means really good things. I've put together a great group, a group that has won six state-wide elections for Terry Branstad as governor. And so we have his former chief of staff, two of his former campaign managers that are running our operation here. So we're hopeful we're going to turn that into really good turnout Monday night and a good result.

MATTINGLY: Any chance you could swing the governor's endorsement?

CHRISTIE: I think the governor's been very clear about the fact he was going to remain neutral in this race. I'm his friend. We agree on most issues, and I'm happy to have his friendship, but I'll let the governor speak for himself on that one.

MATTINGLY: Three weeks ago in New Hampshire I asked you how would you define success. You said it's too soon. Ask me in three weeks? CHRISTIE: Being first among the governors. If I'm first among the

governors in Iowa or New Hampshire, that's been a successful first two contests for me, and then we move on to South Carolina.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: So, John, as you hear there, Chris Christie is not trying to win here. He's not even trying to win in New Hampshire, but he wants to beat John Kasich and he wants to beat Jeb Bush. I asked him in that interview whether or not Terry Branstad would be endorsing. So far obviously he has remained neutral. Chris Christie is saying he would leave that up to the governor.

But breaking news here right now, Terry Branstad will campaign with Chris Christie on Sunday night, the final of 13 Iowa events. Chris Christie will have over the course of three days really providing an exclamation point. Again, not an official endorsement, John, but hugging him a little, maybe something Chris Christie would like as he tries to get a little boost in Iowa before he heads to New Hampshire which is an absolutely crucial state for his campaign.

BERMAN: Not the endorsement that he would desperately like but a picture that will certainly benefit him. Phil Mattingly, thank you so much.

We're going to be back with more from Iowa in just a minute. Donald Trump getting ready to arrive in Dubuque, his plane set to land any moment right now. A live event there, Donald Trump, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:21:49] All right, I'm John Berman in Des Moines. All the way across the state in Dubuque, voters on the ground with their eyes to the sky. Why? Donald Trump about to land in Dubuque for a campaign event, his first of three events on this day. You're looking at a live picture right there. That's the stage. You can see the crowd being warmed up. You can see the tarmac behind him, because, I mean it, literally, Trump's plane will land, it will pull up. It will be the backdrop. Donald Trump will take the stage and address voters there.

Our senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta is there. Jim, you're looking at flight tracker right now? When is Donald Trump due to land?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It should be any minute now. And from what we understand, John, you're right. The voters here are going to be looking to the skies, because Donald Trump is expected to arrive via Trump Force One, as it's called, his Boeing 57. My understanding is it's going to be parked right behind him for this event. So Donald Trump pulling out the big guns in this final weekend before the Iowa caucuses Monday night.

And what's interesting about this campaign schedule, you mentioned that he's going to be pretty busy over the next 24 hours. You're right. There's an event here and then in Clinton, and then in Davenport at the end of the day. Normally he doesn't do three events a day. That goes to show they want to get this ground operation up and running and get this candidate out here to remind voters what they need to get done.

And in just the last few minutes we heard one of Donald Trump's supporters up on stage informing the crowd this is what you have to do, this is how you show up on caucus night and register your support for Donald Trump. They realize there are a lot of new voters that Donald Trump is bringing into this campaign, bringing into this race. They show up at these big arena rally, and the big question going into Monday night is whether or not those voters as caucus-goers will actually show up and show their support for Donald Trump. And that is the big million-dollar question as we're waiting for caucus night on Monday.

And, John, the other thing we should point out, earlier in the day Donald Trump put out a video on Facebook appealing to evangelical voters. That is the other key component in winning these Iowa caucuses. You look at the last two winners, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee, who coincidentally were with Donald Trump at that veterans even on Thursday night. Appealing to Christian conservatives was key to both of those victories. And so I suspect we'll hear Donald Trump make those appeals in the next few minutes when he takes the stage here, takes the podium here in Dubuque, Iowa.

But I also think, and we'll have to watch for this, because of the news that's come out about Hillary Clinton, you've been playing it during the day today. It may be just a little too irresistible for Donald Trump to weigh in on the Hillary Clinton e-mail controversy. And he's still going after Ted Cruz. You'll recall yesterday referring to Ted Cruz as an anchor baby from Canada. Even though Ted Cruz has taken his sites off of Donald Trump, aiming them at Marco Rubio, everywhere he goes Donald Trump is laying into Ted Cruz. I suspect we'll hear that as well, John.

BERMAN: Pulling punches not exactly Donald Trump's thing. Again, Donald Trump due to land in Dubuque not far from Jim Acosta any minute. We'll take you there when it happens. Jim, thank you so much.

[14:25:00] CNN has a lot more coverage in store the next two days, including Monday, the day of the Iowa caucuses, the first actual votes in the 2016 year, so important. So big, we'll bring you every minute of it, live. More news ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, checking our top stories now. The U.S. Defense Department will take no further action against General David Petraeus. He will now be able to retire with full benefits and no demotions. In 2012 the four-star general resigned as director of the CIA after his extramarital affair was uncovered. The Pentagon review had centered on Petraeus' acknowledgement that he provided classified material to the woman that he had an affair with.

An the Zika virus has now affected more than 20,000 people in Colombia and 2,000 of those cases are of pregnant women. The virus has also spread to two new countries, Jamaica and Peru. Both have their first reported cases of the mosquito-borne virus. The World Health Organization is warning that the disease is, quote, "spreading explosively" and the number of cases could reach up to 4 million. Zika is linked to thousands of cases of severe birth defects.

[14:30:11] That's going to do it for me, and thanks to John Berman out in Iowa.

Much more of the NEWSROOM at the top of the hour. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Now time for Dr. Sanjay Gupta with "VITAL SIGNS."