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Trump: New York Times "Lied" In "Hit Piece"; New Political Ad Uses Trump's Words Against Him; Clinton Running Campaign Against Sanders And Trump; NY Times Defends Story on Trump, Women; First Successful Penis Transplant in U.S.; State Department Warning on Travel to North Korea; Article Intelligence Creates New Concerns about Privacy. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired May 17, 2016 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello. Great to have you with us. It's 10:00 on the west coast. I'm John Vause in Los Angeles. This is CNN NEWSROOM L.A.
Donald Trump is now facing the type of media scrutiny typical for a presidential nominee and he is responding by going on the offensive in particular lashing out at the "New York Times" in a report critical of his past behavior with women. We begin coverage with Sara Murray.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Donald Trump is going to war with the media yet again, this time taking aim at the "New York Times" for a front page story highlighting tales of Trump appearing to objectify women and make unwelcome advances.
Today one of the women featured in the piece who once dated Trump says her story was misrepresented.
ROWANNE BREWER LANE, DONALD TRUMP'S FORMER COMPANION: I made it very clear many times that I had a very pleasant relationship with Donald and I never felt like I was being, you know, depicted as a piece of meat or anything like that. I was never offended by anything he said.
MURRAY: Prompting Trump to call the story a hit piece on Twitter adding, "We have exposed the article as a fraud." The story reveals instances of Trump critiquing women's figures, giving a pageant contestant an unwanted kiss on the lips, and promoting women to high profile corporate positions, even as he made off hand comments that some viewed as demeaning and dismissive.
The reporters who interviewed dozens of women about their interactions with Trump are standing by their piece.
MICHAEL BARBARO, "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER: There is no single dimension to Donald Trump and women and I think our story makes that clear. I think it makes it clear to the voices of the people we interviewed. MURRAY: The transition to presumptive GOP nominee means even more media scrutiny for Trump. Last week, it was "The Washington Post" story on the billionaire businessman posing as his own spokesman, which provided even more fodder for "Saturday Night Live."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Trump is the real life inspiration for "Iron Man," who am I? I'm his publicist.
MURRAY: This weekend, President Obama landed his own shots against the Republican critiquing Trump's plan to bar Muslims from entering the U.S. and calling him ignorant without ever calling him out by name.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: In politics and in life, ignorance is not a virtue. It's not cool to not know what you're talking about. That's not keeping it real or telling it like it is. That's not challenging political correctness. That's just not knowing what you're talking about.
MURRAY: All of this as some GOP leaders including 2012 nominee, Mitt Romney and "Weekly Standard" editor, Bill Kristol, are still trying to recruit a third party candidate to take on Trump. It's an effort the RNC chair denounced as a suicide mission.
REINCE PRIEBUS, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: It's a suicide mission for our country because what it means is that you're throwing down not just eight years of the White House but potentially 100 years on the Supreme Court and wrecking this country for many generations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MURRAY: Now while Donald Trump has clearly taken the approach of slamming the media organization that has been digging into his past and saying that anything in the "New York Times" report has been untrue.
What his campaign has so far not done is taking a cohesive approach to improve Donald Trump's numbers with women. He does have very high unfavorables in the broader electorate among female voters and that's something he's going to have to deal with if he hopes to be victorious in November. Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
VAUSE: Joining us now, Gina Loudon, in San Diego, a Trump supporter and host of "America Trends with Dr. Gina," and here Los Angeles, Wendy Greuel, a Clinton supporter and former L.A. councilwoman. Thank you both for being with us.
Gina, I want to start with you. Donald Trump had a couple bad days to start off with, but it just got a whole lot better today. Does all this controversy of the "New York Times," does this now inoculate Trump from these kind of further stories?
GINA LOUDON, HOST, "AMERICA TRENDS WITH DR. GINA": I think it was -- I opened this story myself, John, and I was waiting for "the what" and it just wasn't there. As we saw today, their main person in the story said actually that they misdepicted her.
That actually Mr. Trump was a gentleman to her. I myself was surprised that there wasn't -- I didn't seem like a whole lot of substance to the story and for me, it makes me sad for women.
Because I think the more stories you have put out there in a crying wolf sort of manner, then when women really do have stories about things that actually do happen to women, be it politicians or not, people are going to be a little more numb to that psychologically and I hate that point.
[01:05:00]VAUSE: I mean, do you agree, Wendy, that there was really no there, there in the story to begin with and now that, I guess, the main person in the story has come out and said hey, I didn't say that.
WENDY GREUEL, CLINTON SUPPORTER: A couple things, one, there were more than 50 people interviewed and that the woman who said she didn't think the way they portrayed her but she didn't say she said those words.
She said those are the words I said. The important point is this isn't just about "The New York Times" piece. Donald Trump in his own words, whether to Esquire or Twitter or "The New York Times" has been offensive to women.
And has said things that for most women and in fact, close to 70 percent of women in the United States of America say they don't like Trump and they think that he is demeaning to women.
VAUSE: But it's funny you should bring up Donald Trump's own words because that's the focus of a new commercial, which is about to be released by a super PAC, "Priorities USA." They are spending $130 million attacking Donald Trump. This ad you're about to see is their first commercial and as I say, will come out in the next couple days. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): You can see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. Does she have a good body? No. Does he have a fat ass? Absolutely.
You like guys that are 5'1". If Ivonka weren't my daughter, perhaps I would probably be dating her.
I view a person who is flat chested is very hard (inaudible). You can tell them to go themselves.
ANNOUNCER: Does Donald Trump really speak for you? Priorities USA Action is responsible for the content of this advertising.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Wendy, the theory out there is that all that stuff, all those statements from Donald Trump baked into the cake, that isn't going to matter. It seems if you're a critic you say they are wasting money.
GREUEL: I don't think so. I think a lot of people have been misinformed or haven't been focusing attention on who Donald Trump is. We are involved in it so we think about it, but for the general election, people need to be reminded and here in the state of California, about what kind of bully he has been and then he hasn't been talking about policies.
Instead, he's been offending others and I think it's important for the American people to know that being president of the United States is not a reality TV show. This is about real people's lives.
VAUSE: Gina, I want to get you in on this because I want to get your reaction to what Wendy said that first, as a woman and as a Trump supporter when you hear and see that attack ad on Donald Trump, what is your reaction to that? I mean, does that have any impact on you at all?
LOUDEN: Yes, absolutely. My immediate thought is he is a normal guy, was planning to be a normal guy. Probably didn't plan to be president and the reason that works for him in such a significant portion of the voting populace out there isn't as concerned about that is simply because, you know, we have things like terror coming across our borders.
We have a $19 trillion debt. We have given -- the voters in this country have given both the Republican establishment and the Democrat establishment a chance to fix this and instead, it seems to have gotten worse and worse.
And so I think people see him and go he didn't mean to be a politician. He is an outsider. Maybe it's time we give an outsider a chance and then I think they look one step further at Hillary who now is saying she's going to give Bill a position in her administration.
And you look back at Bill's record with women and even Hillary is sort of sweeping it under the rug and in some cases intimidating these women that Bill abused allegedly and you kind of go, gosh, I don't know who is really better for women.
But I'm really concerned about the $19 trillion debt, the terrorists coming across the border, and the fact that my family doesn't have a job right now or whatever it is. So I think people are prioritizing oddly.
VAUSE: Yes. Essentially you're saying that there are other issues which people are going to focus on. They see as being more important than what Donald Trump may or may not have said in the past.
Now you brought up Bill Clinton, we want to get to that in a minute, Hillary Clinton out on the campaign trail spending her time mocking Donald Trump. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's suppose, here is the question, so what is your plan to create jobs? His answer is I'm going to create them. They are going to be great. I know how to do it, but I'm not telling you what it is I'm going to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Gina, essentially, is that a point here? Hillary Clinton is saying is that there is no policy there by Donald Trump and he's making this point essentially by making fun of him.
LOUDON: Yes, I hear that a lot and look at his website and don't understand why people continue say there is no policy out there because there is policy out there. Here's what we do know that Hillary has essentially admitted that she would be a third term of the Obama administration.
Whereby now one in five families don't have a single person in that family employed. Something is not working about the establishment rule in this country.
[01:10:02]And I think people see a businessman who's created more than 500 companies and they say I like those odds, at least it looks to me like the way the voters are responding at this point.
VAUSE: Wendy?
GREUEL: Well, I think the important part is Hillary Clinton has been talking about issues. She's been talking about the fact that there should be equal pay for women. She's been talking about the fact that we need to look at job creation across this country and child care for so many of the families that want to be able to go to work, but can't afford child care in this country.
She's talking about the issues and I think her point is we haven't heard what Trump is talking about and policies and when he does, he goes back and forth, and flips and flops about minimum wage and whether there should be one or not.
I think the American people want to know how they will be able to get through the next month and have a job and to be able to provide for their children.
VAUSE: I think we all agree that this coming up general election campaign will be a race (inaudible) space. We had this interview in "New York Times" from Donald Trump. This is what he says.
He plans to throw Bill Clinton's infidelities in Hillary Clinton's face on live television during the presidential debate. He goes on to say, just getting nasty with Hillary won't work.
You really have to get people to look hard at her character and get women to ask themselves if Hillary is truly sincere and authentic because she's been ugly in trying to destroy Bill's mistresses. Gina, is this really the kind of presidential campaign that Republicans want to run?
LOUDON: The thing that's significant about Bill's mistresses is number one that does she plan to include him in her administration as we said. So she sort of brought him back into the picture which does make him fair game.
But there is the fact that Paula Jones was paid $850,000 to shut up. That Hillary intimidated many of these women. They tell horrible stories. You have Juanita Broderick (ph), whose lip was bitten through, she says, by Bill Clinton.
And Hillary still to this moment I think could really be a champion of women if at this point she would say, you know what, those things that my husband and I let go and hid and swept under the rug in the name of politics, those things we did to women during my husband's administration were inexcusable, I apologize and those things shouldn't happen.
We're not hearing that from her and so I think that honestly, it's a fair game topic when Hillary has handled it the way she has handled it.
I don't think it's fair to the women that are victims of Bill Clinton, who by the way, many are out there still victims and never had an apology of any kind.
VAUSE: I mean, the argument, Wendy, is that, you know, beyond what Gina is saying, essentially they are saying you get one, you get the other. Bill Clinton is in charge of fixing the economy so they both say (inaudible).
GREUEL: I think if we look back at the administration of Bill Clinton and look at the fact of the reduction in the deficit that we had a strong economy, that we were at a time where people in this country felt as though our country was getting better.
And so I think when you look back on that and say Hillary, I'm going to look at my husband and he has good ideas. He has a proven track record. We're going to be a partner in that. She's not going to get in the gutter.
Hillary Clinton is going to be the kind of person she's always been, which is she's principled and she is going to fight for the American people.
VAUSE: OK, on Sunday, Hillary Clinton said Bill Clinton will be in charge of fixing the economy should she get elected. Today what was interesting, when she was asked if he'll be in the cabinet, look at her reaction here.
We don't have this? This is apparently when she was asked if he would be in the cabinet. She shook her head wildly and said no. He won't be in the cabinet. So what is the issue -- what role will he play and are they walking away from Bill Clinton, I guess, moving him back here, Wendy?
GREUEL: No, she's not walking away. I think she will count him as an advisor as she always has and he's been on the campaign trail with her across this country. And the most important thing is that Hillary Clinton will focus on breaking down barriers for families that want to be able to succeed.
She is going to be someone that knows about foreign policy. When you think about the kinds of reaction we've had across the world to a Donald Trump presidency, they are scared. They are scared about what that's going to mean for United States and this world. She's going to be a person that will bring people together.
VAUSE: Gina, is that a fair point? Because we have heard from the last 48 hours from the London mayor, the British prime minister, you know, there are concerns about Donald Trump, his temperament and stance on the temporary ban from Muslims entering the United States. This is a man if he's elected president will have to work with allies of the United States.
LOUDON: Yes, actually, many foreign leaders reached out to Donald Trump and said that they want to have conversations with him now that he is of course the presumptive nominee because he's the one that said he's going to bring jobs back. He's going to stop the influx of illegals that are causing crime.
I live on the border. I know the crime. I see it every day and I also know that it is the immigrants in this country who are most damaged by our open border policy that jobs are taken from them and that's where the violence and crime that does occur actually occurs.
[15:15:12]It is on the immigrants in this country and so Donald Trump has taken those issues head on and said look, the establishment in both Republican and Democrat Party have failed this country economically from a foreign policy standpoint, from a security standpoint.
He is going to change that. While you compare that with Hillary Clinton who has vowed to destroy the coal industry, who will do nothing when you think about jobs like the Keystone pipeline, for example.
And other things that really matter to Americans, and she's done nothing to disavow the current administration and the administrations prior, which have led us to get to a place of literally doubling our debt in just the last eight years.
And eliminating, as I said, one-fifth of families from the work force entirely. Something has to change right now. The $19 trillion of debt strapped around the neck of our children, I don't know if that's what voters can stomach for much longer -- John.
VAUSE: OK. Very quickly, I want to finish with John Kasich. He spoke exclusively to CNN. And he was asked in particular if he was being approached by somebody, anybody about the third party independent run. He said he had been. He wouldn't say who called, but he had this to say about a possible third party run.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KASICH (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're not a third party kind of a country and, you know, just to run a campaign to block somebody to me because at the same time, wanted to win and get to an open convention. My basic deal was not to stop somebody else, it was to be about the ideas I had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So Wendy, what does it say to you that some Republicans are willing to blow up their own party to try and stop Donald Trump from being president?
GREUEL: I think the Republican Party is in disarray and I think what we are seeing every single day is Donald Trump is showing his true colors and that he's a reality TV star, not a presidential candidate. Kasich included in that. When they asked if he would endorse Donald Trump, he said my daughters, my daughters and my wife are watching.
VAUSE: Yes.
GREUEL: I think that speaks volumes about his concern and every one of us who see our children watching what Donald Trump says and what he stands for is not what America wants.
VAUSE: Finally to you, Gina, last word on this, because do you have any concerns when children are listening to Donald Trump at a campaign rally and he says what he says?
LOUDON: I tell you, I have real concerns and as a mother, I even have a special needs child and I have big concerns about the way that for example Obamacare is filling our country and Hillary said she'll expand that. I have a lot of concerns.
The interesting part is Hillary and Donald seemed to be tied according to the Quinnipiac polling as you've seen, that's very unusual at this stage of an election. There is something that Mr. Trump is saying that's really, really resonating with the American public.
They are concerned about the bigger picture and I don't think they want to get down in the minutia with Hillary and sort of the gender identity politics, the victimization that constantly takes place.
I think people want to talk about what really is great about groups of people again and how they can be successful rather than constantly being victims and I think they see many at least see Donald Trump as a real vehicle to that.
VAUSE: OK. And on that note, we'll end it there, but thank you both for coming in. It's been a great discussion and of course, Donald Trump the candidate who has been constantly underestimated all the way along. Guys, thank you very much.
GREUEL: Thank you.
LOUDON: Thanks.
VAUSE: We'll have more on "The New York Times" story, which has Donald Trump all riled up. We'll have more on the newspaper's response to his outrage. Also, chaos at a Nevada Democratic convention. The reason Bernie Sanders supporters disrupted that meeting just ahead.
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[01:21:08]
DON RIDDELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Don Riddell with your CNN World Sport headlines. The head of a security firm has admitted that he accidentally left a fake bomb in a toilet at Manchester United Old Trafford Stadium, which caused the evacuation of the ground and the abandonment of the United's final premiere league game against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Chris Reed (ph) is the managing director of Security Search Management and Solutions Limited. He said that he was conducting a venue safe awareness training session at the stadium last Wednesday and miscounted all of his training devices back into his bag.
While everything has been unraveling at Old Trafford, it was an entirely different scene in Leicester on Monday as the Foxes basked in their new found glory. Leicester's unlikely run to the title has been the story of the season, and they celebrated on the streets with hundreds of thousands of their fans. Manager Claudio Raneiri (ph) said it was unbelievable that the whole city seemingly turned down to celebrate.
Meanwhile, Chelsea (inaudible) received record fines following three charges of failing to control their players in their recent premier league draw. The game produced 12 yellow cards and the fines are over two incidents during the game and one after full time.
Chelsea have to pay $540,000 and Spurs under $325,000. Chelsea got the bigger fine because they breached the FA's rule on mass confrontations four times since the end of 2014. That is a quick look at the sports headlines. I'm Don Riddell.
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VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. Coming up at 23 past 10 here in Los Angeles. U.S. Democratic presidential frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, is fighting on two fronts before primary contests in Kentucky and Oregon on Tuesday. Clinton is going after Republican Donald Trump and trying to slow Bernie Sanders' momentum. Here is senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John, as Hillary Clinton traveled across Kentucky today, it's clear that she is facing two rivals, but she spent most of her time talking about Donald Trump even though she's trying to outrun Bernie Sanders.
Now mathematically speaking, she could lose Kentucky and Oregon and still keep her lead in delegates, but politically speaking, she would head into the race she's actually waiting for with Donald Trump if she emerged a winner tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINTON: I'll tell you what the truth is and it's time people stop listening to Republican propaganda about the economy, education, and health care.
ZELENY (voice-over): But before she can take on Republicans, Hillary Clinton had a more urgent task in mind today, her battle with Bernie Sanders. She's hoping to interrupt Sanders' recent winning streak. Campaign across Kentucky on the eve of Tuesday's primary.
CLINTON: I want to help bring back the kind of economy that worked for everybody in the 1990s.
ZELENY: And revealing more about Bill Clinton and his role in her White House.
CLINTON: I've already told my husband that if I'm so fortunate enough to be president, and he will be the first gentleman -- I expect him to go to work.
ZELENY: It's another way to fire up Democrats offering two Clintons for the price of one. She wants nothing more than to focus exclusively on Donald Trump.
CLINTON: Here is the question. What is your plan to create jobs?
ZELENY: Even envisioning what a debate with him would sound like.
CLINTON: His answer is I'm going to create them. They are going to be great. I know how to do it, but I'm not telling you what it is I'm going to do.
[01:25:03]ZELENY: But Sanders isn't going quietly campaigning today in Puerto Rico and trying to speak Spanish.
BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: (Inaudible).
ZELENY: Clinton is only 140 delegates away from hitting the mark needed to reach the party's nomination. She needs to win only 16 percent of the remaining delegates. Sanders needs 102 percent, an unreachable goal unless a flood of superdelegates suddenly came his way.
No matter the size of her lead, some Sanders supporters simply won't accept it. Raw tensions on display at the weekend Nevada Democratic Convention. Booing, shouting, even a chair being thrown.
The fight growing so intense over delegates, authorities shutting down the meeting early. But this Democratic family feud may seem polite compared to what is awaiting Clinton in her fight with Trump.
TRUMP: This is crooked Hillary Clinton.
ZELENY: He's the one person Democratic leaders believe can unify their party.
CLINTON: I've been called nearly everything, but I've never been called a quitter and I will not quit on you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZELENY: Now the Clinton campaign is trying to clarify some of those remarks she made about what role Bill Clinton would play in her administration. She said he would not be in a cabinet position and her spokesman said any specific formal role is premature because she has not won the nomination yet.
But going forward here, it's clear she's not going to clinch the nomination after Kentucky and Oregon. She will not hit the magic number of 2,383 delegates until she reaches the California primary here on June 7th -- John.
VAUSE: Thanks to Jeff Zeleny for that.
"Los Angeles Times" columnist, Michael Hiltzik, is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. He is here for more on this 2016 presidential race.
I want to get back to the "New York Times" story with Donald Trump. We've seen on all networks today, Rowanna Brewer Lane, she's on Fox, CNN, MSNBC. She was on CNN a couple times recently just a couple hours ago essentially saying she was misquoted and the story was a hit piece.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWANNA BREWER LANE, DONALD TRUMP'S FORMER COMPANION: They misquoted me. What they did was put part of what I said together. Basically, you could spin it anyway you want, I guess if you're a spin doctor. I just didn't like the way that it came off.
I asked them several times if it was a negative piece they were writing on him in general because I didn't have anything negative to say with my experience with Donald.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Donald Trump is on a Twitter tirade about this among his tweets, he put this out here. "The failing "New York Times" is greatly embarrassed by the totally dishonest story they did on my relationship with women."
He also put this out there, "No wonder "The New York Times" is failing. Who can believe what they write after the false, malicious and libelous story they did on me."
We are also getting word now from a Trump campaign aide that Donald Trump is actually considering suing "New York Times." He did call it libelous. Do you think, you know, as a journalist, an experienced reporter here, does he have a case?
MICHAEL HILTZIK, COLUMNIST, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": I think as a journalist, his experience of dealing with Donald Trump, I think he is considering saying he's going to sue. I think the chances that he'll follow through on that are close to nil and the chances he could win a liable suit from "The New York Times" for this story are less than nil.
The story is basically liable proof. He is a public figure. There was nothing really viable in it and in fact, I think if he read through the entire piece, you saw it was in fact, very strong. It had a lot of quotes.
A lot of stories from women not necessarily Rowanna Brewer Lane, but many of the others who worked for him told similar stories how this is a guy you work for as long as you can give him what he wants, whether it's companionship, friendship or make money for him, then he treats you very well but the moment that seizes, he treats you very badly.
He's demeaning. He's -- basically his behavior is detestable and criticizes your periods as a woman and behavior. This is the Donald Trump who I think we've come to know in his public statements about women.
VAUSE: You can't sue if you don't like the story at the end of the day. "The New York Times" is standing by the story. The reporters who wrote this story explained to CNN exactly what they were trying to do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BARBARO, REPORTER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": The big picture is we're talking about a pattern of behavior, the way Donald Trump interacts privately with women. The world knows how Donald Trump talks to a woman or about a woman from a stage or podium or the Howard Stern show.
Our goal was to pull back and say how does he interact in the office with someone who is dating or trying to date and that's the purpose of our story and why Megan and I spoke to dozens of women that walked us through those interactions and frequently, that was a power dynamic at play, which we think is worth understanding, as well.
[01:30:12] This is a very wealthy man with a lot of connections and influence and it's something I think hovered over a lot of these interactions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: This problem with this controversy plays into Trump's strength, the liberal media are out to get me and tell lies.
MICHAEL HILTZIK, COLUMNIST, LOS ANGELES TIMES: I think basically they gave Trump an opening and I think they led with one of their weaker anecdotes. It you drill down into the story you saw a lot of reporting on behavior that was detestable, demeaning to women. If you gave somebody like Donald Trump a small opening, he'll drive a truck through it. He's done that. I think he's managed for his own supporters to have discredited the story. But I don't think the story in discredited. I think it accurately supported as the reporter said the description of the way he behaves and conforms with the way he behaves and treats women in public and on the campaign trail.
VAUSE: Michael, thank you for coming in. And appreciate you talking about what is an on going story and was highly critical story of Donald Trump and one he of usually did not like.
Appreciate it.
We'll take a short break. When we come back, how doctors in the U.S. could some day help wounded veterans.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:34:56] VAUSE: Thanks for staying with us, everyone. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause, with the headlines this hour.
(HEADLINES)
VAUSE: Doctors call it a surgical milestone, the first successful penis transplant in the United States. The patient is recovering after the 15-hour procedure. Doctors are confident he'll regain full function.
WCBB's Doug Meyhem (ph) has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DOUG MEYHAM (ph), REPORTER, WCBB: 64-year-old Thomas Manning suffered a work accident and enduring genitalia cancer. He thought his future was bleak, until this first-in-the-nation penile transplant. Mr. Manning is reportedly out of bed this morning and doctors say he's progressing forward towards a path towards recovery.
UNIDENTIFIED DOCTOR: He's emotionally doing amazing. I'm really impressed with how well he's handling things. His outlook is he wants to share this technology with others that need it.
MEYHAM (ph): Because of the location of the loss, many survivors say they suffer in silence now through this ground-breaking procedure, doctors here, their aim is three-fold.
Number-one, reconstruct a natural appearing genital and, two, reestablish urinary function and continenity of the urinary tract and, three, potentially achieving sexual function.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Around the world, doctors have only performed this type of transplant once before, once in China that failed, and South Africa that resulted in the birth of a healthy baby last year.
Dr. Curtis is a leader of the surgical team in Boston, which performed this latest historic operation, and he's with us now.
Dr. Curtis Cetrulo, congratulations to you, your team and, of course, your patient Thomas Manning. What's the prognosis? Is he expected to regain full function?
DR. CURTIS CETRULO, LEADER OF SURGICAL TEAM: The goals first are to restore external genitals and urinary function, a couple weeks away and next is achieving sexual function and that will take time for the nerves to grow back but we're very hopeful that will work. He's doing well so far. He's got a great attitude, a positive person and a positive patient. We couldn't ask for more as doctors for a patient. We're very hopeful.
VAUSE: Have you learned enough now for this procedure for you to consider it safe and effective?
CETRULO: You know, it's ongoing. We're cautiously optimistic. Certainly uncharted waters we're in but we're hopeful we can achieve success in the procedures and extend them to younger patients and particularly wounded warriors. That's been the goal from the start is to restore men and women, mostly men who have been given the ultimate sacrifice in combat and lost genital and urinary tissue and we hope to eventually restore that tissue in those patients.
VAUSE: For many soldiers out there and many U.S. Veterans who are listening to this news today, this gives them the kind of hope which I guess they haven't really had up until this point. The big question is how long before those soldiers may be available -- or this procedure will be available for wounded soldiers?
CETRULO: Well, I think we have to proceed cautiously and do it a couple cases at a time but I'm hopeful soon. This is a devastating problem for these young warriors and they have -- they are very despondent and some have even tried this take lives. We have a way to make it happen and we'll do it as soon as we can.
VAUSE: You say this is a complicated procedure. Can you liken it to any procedure which is all most routine now? Is there any way to compare this maybe a hand transplant or anything along those lines?
[01:39:57] CETRULO: Yeah, that's a great question. I mean, we have the abilities from a surgical standpoint to make the routine operation. We have to learn more about the immunology and make sure the protocols are safe and that. But I think it's something that's certainly within our wheelhouse and obtainable in the short term, so we're hopeful and but as I said, it's uncharted waters for us so we need to make sure we can manage the issues of rejection as well as we can with a hand or face. Until we have a little more data and a little more cases from which to draw our experiences from, we won't really know that answer but I think our experiences as surgeons let us know that this is possible and I hopefully, we can make it a success and then broaden the application to many more patients.
VAUSE: As far as Mr. Manning is concerned, will he have to take drugs for the rest of his life so the body doesn't reject the transplant?
CETRULO: Yes, that's a great question. He absolutely will and he's committed to that and that's sort of part of the equation for us. I mean, technically, we can to these operations we think very successfully but the bigger hurdle is getting rid of those drugs that cause -- that are need to prevent rejection and our lab is working hard to eliminate the problem. That's the second part of the equation. We need to make sure it works surgically first and then we can move onto the problem.
VAUSE: Mr. Manning seems to be incredibly great patient. He has gone public and wants to remove the stigma. How important is that?
CETRULO: He's a wonderful guy and, you know, he's a pioneer and we're grateful that he's been so willing to share his experiences and really share his pain. Even before this transplant, he was -- he counseled other patients and he wants to do so more and he's so patriotic, he wants to make sure this works for young wounded warriors and we're grateful he's that way and we're hopeful that this procedure that we're working on, which we're learning as we go along in a way, works for him. We're in this together. We all want the same end point and I think we're, you know, hopefully we can get there.
VAUSE: OK. Doctor, congratulations and we wish you the very best.
CETRULO: Thank you very much.
VAUSE: The U.S. is advising Americans not to go to North Korea, not that they recommended it in the first place. Why the State Department upped the travel warning, when we come back.
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[01:45:53] VAUSE: The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning, not an out-right ban. Concern is growing after a series of recent weapons tests.
Details from Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): America and its allies gearing up to defend against Kim Jong-Un's aggressive missile threat. U.S. and South Korean officials tell CNN American warships will join to conduct missile drills. South Korea's defense ministry says the warships won't be targeting a missile fired. According to media reports they're be trapping a plane standing in for a missile, sharing intelligence on its direction and trajectory, perfecting their capability if Kim attacks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If one of them detects a missile launch, they could past it off to the other country if it's headed their way.
TODD: Analysts say this is a clear response to Kim's aggressive nuclear and missile tests. He detonated a nuclear bomb in January, test launched a long-range rocket, and lat month fired a missile off a submarine, and blasted a medium-range missile off a mobile launcher, a test that has experts worried.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With this truck, this missile has mobility. North Korea can take it to multiple locations and launch practically undetected. TODD: A key question now, if Kim launches multiple missiles, could
the U.S. and allies shoot them down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With one or two or three, we have greater confidence but with a greater number, a greater saturation it becomes obviously more difficult.
TODD: That's just the threat from longer-range missiles. The most immediate threat to South Korea and the 28,500 American troops there is Kim Jong-Un's artillery and short-range missiles, which wouldn't be detected in advance.
GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: There is a no warning scenario that keeps everybody at wake. There is little you can do than maintain a strong intelligence picture.
TODD: As the military stand off simmers with North Korea, diplomatic tensions escalate. The State Department issues a pointed warning to Americans, don't travel to North Korea.
(on camera): The State Department is so frustrated with Americans going to North Korea and getting in trouble the warning comes with a list details of things Americans can do that will get them arrested, showing disrespect to Kim Jong-Un or his father or grandfather, any religious activities, taking pictures where you shouldn't, going shopping where you shouldn't. And in a clear reference to the case of a detained student, the State Department warns you can be arrested for removing or tampering with political signs.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And we'll take a short break. When we come back, Amazon's Echo device, artificial intelligence which could be creating new concerns about privacy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:52:44] VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. Tech giant Amazon is pretty much into everything, including artificial intelligence with a new device called Echo.
Here is Samuel Burke.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMUEL BURKE, CNN DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT: Alexa, what time is it?
ALEXA: The time is 1:24.
BURKE: Alexa, what is the meaning of life? ALEXA: The meaning of life depends on the life in question.
BURKE: Alexa, turn the lights on.
(voice-over): Apple has Siri, Google has those voice assistant within your phone or tablet. Also Amazon has Alexa lives in your home, dwelling in a series of Amazon devices called Echo, Wi-Fi-connected speakers with a microphone also listening for you to say the wake word.
(on camera): Alexa.
(voice-over): Amazon is making a huge push into two different market trends with this device, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things projected to be a $14 trillion market by 2022. And even though Amazon doesn't disclose sales numbers, investors are bullish on this sleeper hit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Alexa, alarm off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is interesting about this product is that Apple doesn't have one of these yet. There is rumor Google will introduce theirs in the next month or so and Apple may end up doing something like this but if this is the first truly smart home hub we've seen that people are using and getting great reviews and makes sense.
BURKE: What is unique about the Echo is you don't have to be nearby for it to hear you. You can be in another part of the House and it will still pick up your voice.
(on camera): Alexa, who won the Warriors game last night?
ECHO: Last night the Warriors beat the Trailblazers, 125 to 121.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's making the home and the family more acquainted with everything Amazon offers and that's where the opportunity is.
BURKE: Alexa, I want to hear some ColdPlay songs.
ECHO: Shuffling ColdPlay.
(SINGING)
BURKE: Just like Amazon's other hardware products, they are always trying to entice you to pay for prime.
Alexa, turn the volume up.
(SINGING)
[01:54:59] BURKE (voice-over): Placing an Internet-connected microphone in the middle of your house may leave some with privacy concerns. Microsoft says it will only work if you say Alexa, and a light indicates it's all ears. A curious reporter with Gizmoto asked if the FBI ever wiretapped. The FBI would not confirm or deny. Amazon told CNN it doesn't comment on speculation. And instead of apps, Amazon says the Echo has skills and services from companies like Uber, Smart Home Devices and news updates from CNN.
(on camera): Alexa, who is CNN's Samuel Burke?
ALEXA: Sorry, I can't find the answer to the question I heard.
BURKE: Clearly, artificial intelligence still has a ways to go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The most disturbing thing about that report is he listens to ColdPlay.
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.
The news continues with Rosemary Church and Errol Barnett right after this
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[02:00:01] ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump is accusing "The New York Times" of libel, after a damning report of his treatment of women.
