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Cruz Accuses Trump of Planting Tabloid Story; Police Thwart "Advanced Stage" Terror Plot in Paris; Boston Bombing Survivor Reacts to Brussels Attack. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired March 25, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:04] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Half past the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

The feud between Cruz and Trump escalating to a whole new bizarro level today. Senator Cruz has responded to this new tabloid report. The Texas senator accusing Trump of planting the story. All of this after the back and forth attacks over their wives. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The next day, "The National Enquirer" published a story. It is a story that quoted one source on the record -- Roger Stone, Donald Trump's chief political adviser.

Let me be clear, 'This National Enquirer" story is garbage. It is complete and utter lies. It is a tabloid smear. And it is a smear that has come from Donald Trump and his henchman.

It is attacking my family. And what is striking is Donald's henchman, Roger Stone, had for months been foreshadowing that this attack was coming. It's not surprising --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Sunlen Serfaty picks up this angle of the campaign here. She's in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

So, Sunlen, this feud isn't going away, and unequivocally, Ted Cruz says false, false, false.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, and I have to say, this was a rather remarkable press conference today here, Brooke, hastily arranged at the last moment from the Cruz campaign. Very clear that Senator Cruz wanted to talk about this. He brought this up at his press conference, unprovoked. He was not asked a question by a reporter about this.

He clearly had a little sheet of prepared remarks at his podium sent out by an aide addressing this tabloid story, clearly looking down to that piece of paper, wanting to get the language correct when he shifted and started talking about this. When he denied the tabloid story and really connected Donald Trump, alleging that he leaked this story to this tabloid. So, very interesting developments here. We have heard a response from the Trump campaign, a long a response

denying it. I want to read you the majority of it.

They say in a statement from Donald Trump, quote, "I have no idea whether or not the cover story about Ted Cruz in this week's issue of 'The National Enquirer' is true or not, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it, did not know about it and have not as yet read it. I have nothing to do with 'The National Enquirer' and unlike Lyin' Ted Cruz, I do not surround myself with political hacks and henchman and then pretend total innocence. Ted Cruz's problem with 'The National Enquirer' is his and his alone. And while they were right about O.J. Simpson, John Edwards and many others, I certainly hope they are not right about Lyin' Ted Cruz."

It's interesting today, Brooke, when I speak to Cruz at that press availability, I asked him many times, would you definitively say today, will you or will you not support Donald Trump if he eventually goes on to be the Republican nominee? Normally, he just answers he's not going to be the nominee. He, of course, has taken the pledge that he will support him. Today, he shifted a little bit and he says, "I'm not in the habit of supporting someone who attacks my wife," Brooke.

BALDWIN: We'll leave it. Sunlen, thank you so much.

That said, let's go back to our special coverage from Brussels and Erin Burnett is there live.

Erin, to you.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: All right. That race against time, that life and death race against time, the manhunt continuing right here in Belgium and frankly across Europe, arrests in Germany, arrests in Paris. We're learning more about the raid that led to the discovery of French police on the mother of Satan explosive.

Our Erin McLaughlin is following this angle from Paris.

And, Erin, pretty terrifying, this TATP used in the Paris attacks, used here in the metro attack, used here in the airport attack and now being found in raid after raid, including in one where you are.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. That raid you're talking about, Erin, happened overnight in a suburb outside of Paris. Police went into the neighborhood, surrounded an apartment building, evacuated that building, that end went inside with a bomb squad in an apartment in that building. They found TATP according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. It was 4 1/2 pounds worth of the explosive as well as a Kalashnikov rifle.

Now, the mayor of that suburb also saying that they found some bomb- making equipment. But other than that, that apartment was completely empty. Cut off from electricity and water. Neighbors saying they had not seen go in or out for days.

Now, that raid was preceded by a key arrest that happened earlier in the day. [15:35:02] An operative that authorities say they believe was

dangerous. They arrested him. A 34-year-old French man by the name of Reda Kriket.

Now, following his arrest, they not only raided that apartment, but also today they raided key locations in Belgium and made arrest also there as well. Authorities are saying all of this has been tied to a terrorist plot that they believe is now foiled. They foiled it, they say, in its advanced stages. The investigation into that plot has been going on for months and continues, Erin.

BURNETT: All right, Erin, thank you so much.

And, Brooke, all of this coming as U.S. intelligence saying they have intelligence of attacks in their final stages. Right now, really, just the hunt across Europe to try to stop those from happening.

Back to you.

BALDWIN: Absolutely, Erin. Thank you.

And as we talk about the manhunts and the raids, let's not be lost in all of this the victims and survivors covered with burns and shrapnel wounds.

An American teenager who managed to survive the terror attack in the U.S. speaks out from his hospital bed. What he remembers about the blasts.

Plus, one person who is all too familiar with the difficult road ahead after some kind of an attack like this. Adrianne Haslet-Davis, a professional ballroom dancer who lost part of her left leg in the wake of the Boston marathon bombings. Her thoughts, her advice for those impacted in Belgium, and what she has to look forward to next month.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:41:30] BALDWIN: American missionary Mason Wells tells CNN he was frightening close to those two explosions that detonated in the Brussels airport earlier this week. That is when he felt, he says, his body lift up off the ground.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MASON WELLS, BRUSSELS ATTACK SURVIVOR: A large part of the right side of my body got really hot and really cold. And I was covered in a lot of fluids, a lot of blood. A lot of that blood wasn't mine. I saw fire in front of my face and around my body. Fire literally almost engulfed the four of us.

I feel love for those who were injured. I felt so bad for -- because I was so lucky. I was so lucky.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And this was not his first brush with terror. He was actually two hours away from Paris during November's attacks and he was one block away from the Boston marathon bombing just three years ago.

Let me tell you about somebody else pretty extraordinary. Adrienne Haslet-Davis, a professional ballroom dancer who lost part of her left leg in the wake of those bombings there in Boylston Street in Boston three springs ago. She was among the spectators when that second explosion went off. Her recovery was chronicled in a CNN documentary "Survivor Diaries."

And Adrianne is back with me now.

So, first of all, so wonderful to see you. We'll talk about your big 26 miles you're about to do in just a second here. First, you know, when you heard -- obviously, all of our hearts and thoughts and minds went to the victims in Brussels earlier this week. But, for you, I imagine, it felt a little different.

ADRIANNE HASLET-DAVIS, BOSTON BOMBING SURVIVOR: It certainly did, Brooke, and thank you for having me.

I can really (INAUDIBLE) these terrifying visuals that flash back, thinking, my gosh, I've been there, I want to wrap my arms around you, I want to tell, you everything that I wanted to hear when this happened to me. It's just -- you don't ever want it to happen to anyone else. There are too many of us now that can be on your program and say I was in a similar situation. There are too many of us.

BALDWIN: What does the recovery look like? Because it wasn't just losing, you know, part of your leg, shrapnel wounds, blood loss. What does the recovery look like?

HASLET-DAVIS: You know, recovery looks -- it is that, right, it is physical part of it. But recovery mentally is really the toughest part. It's so daunting and it's a daily challenge. One that, you know, certainly the people in Brussels are facing and their families and their loved ones. The mental challenge is the most difficult.

You know, mentally, for me, personally putting on my leg every day, waking up in the middle of the night to put on my leg just to walk to the bathroom. And then getting angry I have to put on the leg and then staying up all night angry. It's a daily challenge. That mental game that plays with that is really tough.

BALDWIN: Are you, three years later, are you fearful at all walking around or perhaps as you were after those blasts went off?

HASLET-DAVIS: Yes. You know, I think one of society's greatest failures is not admitting we're scared. And I believe that emotional honesty is what's lacking in this country. For me, I have no shame in saying I'm absolutely terrified of terrorists.

[15:45:00] And I also believe that you don't have to be in a terrorist attack in order to be terrified of terrorists. That's the reason we're in war. And, I believe that, you know, you shouldn't feel shamed about saying

we're scared once we stopped having monsters under the bed. There are a lot of things that scare us. And certainly with the Brussels attack, I got scared all over again. You know, I'm leaving on a trip soon and getting on a plane sounds very terrifying right now.

BALDWIN: Just hearing your story and we have even pulled in -- I love your candor to be honest. We have a picture. Guys, throw up the x- ray, just to show how close some of these people came. We have an x- ray of one of the survivor's skulls.

You can see on right eye, there is a screw after some sort of operation, just showing exactly what this looks like and imagine the recovery there. And when we talk about you, Adrianne, and your recovery, and it's been chronicled in pieces since Boston three Aprils ago, not only did you foxtrot across the Boston marathon finish line with your prosthetic leg, you crossed the finish line with your brothers in 2014. You will be running the 26.2-mile course in just a couple weeks. From what I read, you said once upon a time you didn't even like running. So, my hat is off to you, sister.

HASLET-DAVIS: Thanks so much, thank you. I can't believe it's going to be, you know, just next month. I kept thinking it was a month away.

But, you know, it's least any of us can do as survivors, to say a giant thank you for anyone who's ever reached out or said, you know, well wishes or wrapped their arms around us on the street. It's just a giant thank you to Boston. We wouldn't be able to be where we are if we didn't have so much support.

BALDWIN: It's a phenomenal city full of phenomenal people.

Adrianne Haslet-Davis, you go girl, thank you so much.

HASLET-DAVIS: Thank you so, Brooke. It's wonderful to see you again.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

Back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:51:12] BALDWIN: You know, I say this every time he comes on my show, but this man really has the best job in television. He's nodding.

And this week, Bill Weir goes to Iceland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL WEIR, THE WONDER LIST: See, this country is part of no continent. It's a lonely volcanic bump on the North Atlantic Ocean floor. As a result, this Icelandic late is the only place where you can hold two continental plates at once.

That's a swimming pool, Viking style.

If you're willing to get cold and wet.

It is a crystalline Valhalla, each drop filtered through rock and ice for decades, chilled to a refreshing 38 degrees.

This is the kind of water they sell in Manhattan restaurants for $8 a bottle. So crystal clear, the bubbles are like diamonds.

On one deep breath, I shake hands with two worlds, America on one side, Europe on the other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So super cool. So super cool.

WEIR: That was chilly.

BALDWIN: A crisp 38 degrees.

WEIR: I was chilly. My lips almost broke off.

BALDWIN: So there's that.

WEIR: Yes.

BALDWIN: The thing I was nerdily reading about on CNN.com this morning with regard to your piece in Iceland is about marriage.

WEIR: It is about marriage. It is about what a modern society would look like if people said, you know what --

BALDWIN: Forget about it.

WEIR: Forget marriage.

BALDWIN: Yes.

WEIR: Iceland, the whole reason I went, I came across this statistic that Iceland leads the developed world in unwed mothers. Two out of three babies born there, their parents aren't married. They think engagement parties and engagement rings are bizarre.

And I wanted to understand why. It turns out that this land settled by Vikings. This unbelievable landscape you see on "Game of Thrones" and "Lord of the Rings" is now the most feminist country in the world. They have an unbelievable social safety net, so it's sort of a Bernie Sanders fantasy world in terms of their government, in terms of how they take care of each other.

But they're very small. Fewer people than Tulsa, Oklahoma. They're all related. They all look and think alike.

So a big question about, will those ideas translate to a melting pot like America? So it's a fascinating journey. People who believe in elves, we meet one of those whale hunters, there's this geothermal clean energy thing, the crossroads deciding whether to dam more of their rivers and sell the power to Europe.

Fascinating, wonderful place. The most beautiful episode we've ever shot.

BALDWIN: I mean, I'm sitting here, like the pictures are absolutely gorgeous and I love how you talk about the bubbles like diamonds. You have the best way of explaining things.

You know, if haven't watched one of these, the whole premise is what's disappearing, what's melting, what's dying, what's going away. So please tune in.

Bill Weir --

WEIR: Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Thank you so much, great to see you.

It is "THE WONDER LIST WITH BILL WEIR", Sunday night 10:00 Eastern and Pacific, right here on CNN. Again, it is all about Iceland.

Back to our breaking news, gunfire and explosions bringing out today in Brussels. Dramatic video capturing the moment this key suspect is taken into custody. CNN special live coverage continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:58:58] BALDWIN: The world needs heroes. We need extraordinary people among us. Here at CNN, we're marking the tenth year of recognizing everyday people who are doing their part to make a tremendous difference. We call them our CNN heroes and Anderson Cooper explains. We are asking you to help us find them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Just go to CNNheroes.com on your laptop, your tablet or your smartphone. Click nominate, fill in the form and tell us what makes your hero extraordinary. And be selective. Those honored as CNN heroes are truly dedicating their lives to serving others. When you're finished, click "submit". You'll see this message that confirms we received it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Anderson, thank you. Each and every year, we get thousands upon thousands of nominations, so thank you for that.

But how can you make yours stand out from the rest? You will find some helpful tips along with the nomination form at CNNheroes.com.

And before I let you go, just quick reminder, the final three Republican presidential candidates will take questions from voters in Wisconsin. That is next Tuesday, April 5th, ahead of the Badger State's crucial primary contest. Anderson Cooper will moderate that town hall. Again, that is Tuesday night, 8:00 Eastern, only here on CNN.

Have wonderful weekends but don't move, my friend. Pamela Brown is up next.