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Words of Warning at Nuclear Security Summit; Calls for Accountability After Deadly Road Collapse; Sanders Campaign Demands Apology; The Future of City Driving. Aired 12-12:30a ET

Aired April 02, 2016 - 00:00   ET

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


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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Words of warning from the U.S. President at a Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. The two figures who weren't in attendance are stealing some of the headlines.

Calls for accountability after Thursday's deadly road collapse in Kolkata, India.

And the Democratic battle for the White House heats up as Hillary Clinton accuses Bernie Sanders' campaign of lying. And Sanders demands an apology.

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All of that, plus we examine whether a miniature electric car could represent the future of city driving.

It's all ahead here on "CNN NEWSROOM." We're live from Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.

And we begin with international efforts to achieve global nuclear security.

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U.S. President Barack Obama says the Nuclear Summit in Washington that ended Friday was a total success. Mr. Obama told world leaders Iran is sticking to its nuclear deal. Last year Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. And Mr. Obama also defended the U.S. policy of targeting terrorists such as ISIS with drone strikes. However, the U.S. is acknowledging that some of those strikes have killed civilians. Washington is promising to try to prevent more civilian casualties.

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World leaders at the summit also focused on keeping nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorist. But one major nuclear power decided not to show up. Our Brian Todd reports on why Russian skipped this major summit.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With the Brussels and Paris attacks, a clear message from ISIS. They can and will hit Western cities and kill as many civilians as they can. And it appears ISIS wants to create more devastation. After the Paris attacks investigators in a raid found surveillance footage of an employee at a Belgian nuclear facility.

ANDREW BIENIAWSKI, NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE: And that nuclear facility had highly-enriched uranium, but also produced these radiological sources. So now we know that they actually are trying to take steps to try and acquire these materials. And so therefore we need specific action coming out of this Nuclear Security Summit.

TODD: But at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington one leader who could make a huge difference in securing nuclear material was a no- show. Vladimir Putin has once again snubbed President Obama.

BEN RHODES, DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Russia's lack of participation obviously in our view is frankly counter-productive.

TODD: Russia has more than half the world's stockpile of nuclear materials, and its safeguards haven't always been air tight.

BIENIAWSKI: There was an example several years ago where an insider employee at one of the Russian facilities at (Luch) was slowly taking out small quantities of nuclear material from that site.

PETER BERGEN, AUTHOR, "UNITED STATES OF JIHAD": Certainly historically -- I mean I've been to Russia and gone to some of their nuclear facilities and, you know, in the years after 9-11 it was very amateur the way they were, they were holding these radioactive materials.

TODD: But experts say the Russians have since gotten better at securing nuclear material. Security analysts say, if Putin had shown up at the summit, he could have shared intelligence on how to keep ISIS away from nuclear and radiological material. Either way, the terror group would have a tough time getting its hands on a nuclear weapon. But radiological material for a dirty bomb, often stored in hospitals and industrial complexes, is far less secure. ISIS can access that. And ISIS supporters in the U.S. haven't been bashful about where they want to strike.

This kind of target is really their aspiration, right?

BERGEN: Yes. So mass casualty attack clearly their aspiration. The radiological bomb, if it went off here, many people dead in the immediate vicinity, but the much bigger deal, Brian, is that it would disperse radioactive material all around downtown Washington, several block area. It would close down the city for maybe years.

TODD: Responding to the criticism of Putin for not showing up at the summit, a Russian official told us they're not sending a bad message, and there's much more to nuclear security than this summit. The Russians have also ticked off some reasons for Vladimir Putin's absence from the summit. They say some countries with nuclear material, like Iran, are not participating. They say most of the key goals for nuclear security have already been reached, so no need to show up. And they say the U.S. is unfairly pushing its agenda on international groups like the U.N.'s nuclear watch dog and Interpol. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

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ALLEN: During a news conference at that Nuclear Security Summit, President Obama slammed recent comments by Donald Trump. The U.S. Republican presidential frontrunner suggested at a CNN town hall Tuesday that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear arsenals and the U.S. should step back from its role in Asia, or its allies should pay more for their defense. Mr. Obama said the U.S. alliance with both nations is critical, and he suggested that Trump does not understand that.

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The person made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy, or nuclear policy, or the Korean peninsula, or the world generally. It came up on the sidelines I've said before that, you know, people pay attention to American elections. What we do is really important to the rest of the world. And even in those countries that are used to a carnival atmosphere in their own politics want sobriety and clarity when it comes to U.S. elections, because they understand the President of the United States needs to know what's going on around the world, and has to put in place the kinds of policies that lead, not only to our security and, and prosperity, but will have an impact on everybody else's security and prosperity.

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ALLEN: And those comments from President Obama reflect just one piece of Mr. Trump's bad week. The past few days have been the most challenging of his campaign so far. Our chief political correspondent, Dan Bash, has more.

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DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: When all else fails for Donald Trump, he tries to change the subject, like he did today, slamming Ted Cruz in a new Instagram video after one of the billionaire frontrunner's worst weeks since the campaign began, causing a bipartisan firestorm with these comments. When asked if women should be punished for having an abortion, if it became illegal.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the woman?

TRUMP: Yes, there has to be some form.

BASH: That Trump recanted within hours, and later added this. TRUMP: [It could be] that I misspoke, but this was a long, convoluted

subject.

BASH: But he has not taken back what he said at CNN's town hall, advocating for more nuclear weapons in Asia.

TRUMP: At some point we have to say, you know what, we're better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea.

BASH: Now Trump is refusing to rule out using nuclear weapons in Europe.

TRUMP: Europe's a big place. The last person to use nuclear would be Donald Trump. That's the way I feel. I think it is a horrible thing. The thought of it is horrible, but I don't want to take anything off the table.

BASH: Trump's rivals continue to blast him.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Nominating Donald Trump would be a train wreck. And that's not fair to the train wreck.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: See, the problem for him with town halls is he actually has to answer questions in a specific way, not (inaudible).

BASH: Kasich also went after Ted Cruz for having a thin leadership record.

KASICH: His record is shutting down the government and making everybody he works with upset.

BASH: As Trump sees his unfavorable ratings rise and support among women fall, he's quick to point out that he is still the frontrunner by a long shot and that, even if he arrives at the GOP convention in July without winning the nomination, if he is close, it should be him.

TRUMP: I (really) think that whoever has that kind of an advantage should get it.

BASH: But the first-time politician is also learning that seizing the Republican nomination takes more than just winning contests. It takes winning over delegates in some states where rules vary. Sources tell CNN that educating Trump about the complicated delegate process was the subject of Trump's meeting this week with Republican Party Chair, Reince Priebus, at RNC headquarters in Washington.

TRUMP: Very actually terrific meeting, I think. And it's really a unit meeting.

BASH: CNN is told that Priebus used the meeting to ask Trump to ease up on trashing the RNC, which Trump this week at CNN's town hall.

TRUMP: I've been treated very unfairly. I'll give you an example.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfairly by who? TRUMP: I think by basically the RNC, the Republican Party.

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ALLEN: Dana Bash reporting for us there. Now we turn to the Democratic race, where things are getting more personal than ever. Frontrunner Hillary Clinton says the Bernie Sanders campaign is lying about her record, and she's sick of it. Now Sanders says Clinton is the one lying. Senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny is on the campaign trail.

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JEFF ZELENY, SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Hillary Clinton just can't shake Bernie Sanders.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is really personal for me.

ZELENY: Their Democratic fight isn't winding down, but ramping up and expanding to new fronts, Sanders and his supporters keeping alive their criticism of Clinton receiving contributions from the oil and gas industry. This confrontation with a climate change activists going viral.

CLINTON: I do not. I (have) money for people who work for fossil fuel companies. I am so sick; I am so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about me. I'm sick of it.

ZELENY: The outburst offers a fresh window into a rising frustration with Sanders. The Clinton campaign accepts money from lobbyists who work for oil and gas companies, not the companies themselves. Sanders calls it a distinction without a difference.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When people receive money from lobbyists of the industry, I think you're receiving money from the industry. These are not just a little worker there. There are lobbyists who represent the oil and gas industry.

ZELENY: In New York Clinton struck back, saying Sanders isn't pro- business.

CLINTON: I just go crazy when I hear Senator Sanders and the Tea Party Republicans railing against the export-import bank like it's some kind of evil, you know, presence.

ZELENY: The Democratic rivals are also tangling over abortion, Clinton accusing Sanders of not properly denouncing Donald Trump's assertion women who have abortions should be punished.

CLINTON: Senator Sanders agreed that Donald Trump's comments were shameful. But then he said they were a distraction from, and I quote, "a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America."

ZELENY: Sanders cried foul.

SANDERS: What Secretary Clinton did was take things out of context. I am 100 percent pro-choice.

ZELENY: The root of the tension is the length of the race. The Clinton campaign, once assuming the race would be all but over by now, as campaign manager, Robby Mook, noted in this memo after Clinton lost the New Hampshire primary two months ago, writing, the nomination will very likely be won in March, not February. Sanders has an edge in Wisconsin and is fighting hard on Clinton's turf in New York. He drew 18,000 supporters to a rally in the Bronx.

SANDERS: My father came to this country at the age of 17 from Poland without a nickel in his pocket.

ZELENY: Sanders is well behind in the delegate race, but money is keeping him in the game. His campaign says it raised $44 million in March, fortifying it for the final two months of the long Democratic primary.

SANDERS: Let's take this fight to the White House. Thank you all.

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ZELENY: But for Bernie Sanders to take this to the White House, he needs to keep winning, and winning big. His first target is Wisconsin. He's camping out there all weekend long. Now a top Clinton adviser told me today they believe Wisconsin is basically out of reach. That's why they're focusing so much attention on New York. But judging by the size of last night's crowd in the Bronx for Sanders, that populist streak in New York is alive and well, and the Clinton campaign is taking New York very, very seriously. They know a loss there would up end this race like nothing else could.

ALLEN: Jeff Zeleny there for us. Well, Bernie Sanders spoke out yet again about Clinton's finger pointing at that rally in Wisconsin Friday. The Vermont Senator said his campaign was not lying about Clinton's donations from the fossil fuel industry, and the former Secretary of State owes him an apology.

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SANDERS: According to an analysis done by Greenpeace, Hillary Clinton's campaign and her super PAC have received more than $4.5 million from the fossil fuel industry. In fact, 57 oil, gas, and coal industry lobbyists have directly contributed to her campaign, with 43 of them contributing the maximum allowed for the primary. And these are not just workers in the fossil fuel industry, these are paid, registered lobbyists. Secretary Clinton, you owe our campaign an apology. We were telling the truth.

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ALLEN: Be sure to turn in on Tuesday for all-day coverage of the critical Wisconsin primary. It could be a game changer for candidates on both sides. So we'll wait and see what happens Tuesday.

The U.S. jobs report brought some mixed results on Friday. The economy added 215,000 jobs in March, that a strong gain roughly in line with what was expected. Meantime, the unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of a percent, leaving the figure at an even five percent.

Next here a look at who authorities in India blame for its deadly bridge collapse Kolkata.

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ALLEN: Welcome back to "CNN NEWSROOM." You're looking right not at aerial footage of the deadly bridge collapse in Kolkata, India. A construction company linked to the collapse faces several charges, including attempted murder. At least 24 people died in the collapse. An executive at the company denies any fault, saying the disaster was an act of God.

CNN's Sumnima Udas has been in Kolkata's Girish Park, covering this for us. She spoke with some of the victims' families.

SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Authorities are acting swiftly to get to the bottom of this tragedy, how it happened, and also who's responsible. Police have detained 12 employees of the construction company behind this highway overpass for questioning. They've also charge the company of culpable homicide. That is actually a very serious charge, and it could lead to life in prison if those employees are actually convicted. Now when we asked authorities as to how they came to these charges, they said they could not elaborate. But many people here say that this is a man-made disaster. They blame it on shoddy construction, faulty engineering, and also corruption. We've been talking to families who lost their loved ones and, as you can imagine, they are in a complete state of shock, despair, and mourning.

(Ajain Suita Kanoi) were on a hand-pulled rickshaw, headed to a nearby hospital to visit an ailing relative when a roughly 100-meter-long chunk of concrete and metal came crashing down. In seconds, their lives ended. While at home the world turned upside down for their two sons, their shaved heads a sign of grieving in Hindu families. Twenty-five-year-old Abhishok Kanoi had to identify his parents' bodies.

ABHISHOK KANOI: (Admon) conditions not (getable) to (varan caron) and explain your (dasenges) and conditions was very bad. They were not in the position to see and recognize, but I had to recognize. Condition was very bad. Full body was burnt.

UDAS: Their father was the sole breadwinner, running a (temper) trading business. He was (Vin Latavey's) only son. We didn't hear from them for hours. We couldn't get in touch with them. And then we heard the overpass collapsed. I just went cold, she says. After a frantic four hours of searching, calling, hoping, and praying, she found out what happened. There's no limit to hardship and sorrow in life. Sometimes there's happiness, other times it's all darkness. My heart bleeds with pain. He was my only son, she says. In the neighborhood, across the country, people want to know how it happened, who is accountable. But here there is no anger. Who can we blame? We don't blame anyone. We blame our faith. They're still in a state of shock, aware of what's happened, but unable to make sense of it. A tragic story playing out across various households in Kolkata. And now that the search and rescue operation is pretty much over, families of victims are requesting authorities to take action as soon as possible so a tragedy like this does not happen again.

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ALLEN: Welcome back. Severe storms have been lashing parts of the American South, some of them pretty close to us here at CNN. Meteorologist Karen Maginnis has been following this. We didn't have to travel far to follow it, did we?

KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, we didn't. It is right in our backyard, across the Deep South , violent storm. There you can see over the past 24 hours, some of the wind gusts. Here's Macon, Georgia, and here is Atlanta. That is the capital of the state of Georgia. And there you can see some of the events that happened. We had in excess of five inches of rain fall over 120 millimeters. Also winds gusts at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

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And we have pictures from there and, if you can listen to the background, you will hear - that I the sound of a tornado siren. This looks like you're in the middle of a hurricane. The rain is being whipped around and came down so ferociously that it knocked down trees and powers lines. Now this is on the military base. The actual town or Warner Robins, they experienced also quite a bit of damage with the downed trees and power lines. Fortunately, no reports of any injuries.

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Well, let's show you what's happening across the Deep South right now. We do have a tornado watch. This encompasses much of northern Florida. That goes until about four o'clock in the morning. Over a million and a half people impacted by this. But we think that the chances for a tornado are probably fairly slim since the heat of the day has worn off. We've got a little bit of cooler air. That is not to say there couldn't be an isolated cell or so.

And, yes, it is snowfall across the Mid West and Great Lakes, even into the Northeast and New England. This is not an April Fool's joke. This is the way that April goes. April is a very fickle month. I say that every year because we see it over and over with the snowfall that suddenly materializes. This, on the heels of a little clipper system. They call it a clipper because it does move very quickly. And this drops these temperatures way below normal.

New York City, on Monday you may see rains (or mix) or all snow. The temperature on Monday will only climb to six degrees, and we're looking at maybe a slight increase in temperatures beyond that Tuesday forecast. But even in Boston, Massachusetts, those temperatures are going to be hovering right at or slightly above the freezing mark.

And then across the United Kingdom, we've got plenty of wet weather in Glasgow. We saw just about 32 millimeters there. Some rainfall in the forecast for Paris. Also along that Brittany and Normandy coast, you can see the winds gust here. Once again, it has been a blustery start to the month of April across the U.K. and in France as well. Natalie.

ALLEN: All right, Karen. Thank you, I guess. April, we'll deal with it, won't we?

Well a San Francisco start up is looking to make waves with a new all- electric car. Nissan has partnered with the firm to design the Scoot, which hopes to attract urban drivers. Our Maggie Lake took one for a spin on the streets of Manhattan.

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MAGGIE LAKE, CNNMONEY ANCHOR: If you're sick of driving around for hours looking for a parking spot or spending a bunch of money filling up your car, Nissan thinks they have the vehicle for you. Rachel Wynn (ph) is a futurist at Nissan. Rachel, what are these things? Are they cars? Are they golf carts? What are we looking at?

RACHEL WYNN, FUTURIST, NISSAN: It's a vehicle I'm happy to introduce for the first time on the streets of New York, our Nissan new mobility concept.

LAKE: It kind of looks like a toy, or like a go car. What can this thing do?

WYNN: It's a production vehicle. It's top speed is at 25 miles per hour, and it's electric. No gas, 100 percent electric. So part of the cool factor is our scissor door.

LAKE: Very nice. This is, this is very race car feeling, I think.

WYNN: It's pretty simple.

LAKE: All right. Get in and go.

This feels good, I have to say. You definitely have a bumpy feel. Where does this fall between bike and Zipcar though?

WYNN: Well, Zipcar has really evolved to just (see) you get out of the city.

LAKE: Right. So this is more in city all day?

WYNN: Yes.

LAKE: In and out, parking quickly.

WYNN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to drive to (market).

LAKE: You like it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks interesting, but I don't know about my six-foot frame fitting in there, but...

LAKE: No, it fits.

WYNN: How does it feel (now)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel good. Put the pedal to the metal.

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ALLEN: The Scoot, coming to a city near you perhaps.

Well, a marketing promotion backfired for the U.S. Professional Ice Hockey team, the Florida Panthers.

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In Panthers lore, a player killed a live rat in the team's locker room 20 years ago. So before Thursday's game, the Panthers gave 10,000 plastic rats to fans. Well, guess what happened? Whenever the Panthers scored, fans tossed rats onto the ice in celebration. And they kept doing it despite warnings. The Panthers were penalized twice, but won the game anyway. Hope they recycle those plastic rats.

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I'll be right back with our top stories. Thanks for watching "CNN NEWSROOM."