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Cities On Alert With Heavy Police Presence For 4th Of July Activities; Private Meeting Between Bill Clinton And Loretta Lynch Stirs Up Controversy Surrounding Hillary Clinton Investigation; Florida Governor Declares State Of Emergency As Algae Causes Havoc In Several Cities; Nasa Craft, Juno, Set To Enter Jupiter's Atmosphere After Nearly 5-Year Journey; Fort Bragg Hosts First Pro Baseball Match On A Military Base. Aired 10:30-11:00a ET

Aired July 04, 2016 - 10:32   ET

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

[10:32:50]

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN HOST, "NEWSROOM": And good morning, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. After a string of recent terrorist attacks overseas, officials here in the United States are taking no chances. In New York City, more than 500 officers will hit the streets today as the city gets ready for the largest fireworks show in the country. CNN's Deborah Feyerick live along New York's East River with more. Good morning, Deb.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning there, Carol. And the 500 officers you're talking about are highly trained, highly armed. They are ready to respond to any potential terror attack. They are being deployed for the first time this July 4th, but there are going to be 10s of thousands of police officers as well.

Not just here in New York, but across the country. You've got an -- policing in Los Angeles, in Chicago, in Boston, Philadelphia. Wherever there are going to be events taking place. But we can tell you that here on the East River, this is where the big fireworks display is going to take place.

And there's no credible intelligence of any sort of specific threat. But there is the threat of the unknown and that's what law enforcement, right now, is planning for. They're planning for that lone individual who wants to make a statement, who wants to try to pull something off during this important day, during the celebration. So that's what they're really on the alert for.

You've got security that you are going to be able to see, but you've also got security that you can't see. Radiation detectors, surveillance cameras. You're going to have a lot of plain clothes officers who are going to be here. And even in the waterway you're going to have the -- the Coast Guard's going to be out here. And so it's going to be very highly concentrated.

But also very highly secure. That means checkpoints, that means no bags, that means getting here early. So everybody is really on the alert. Again, police will tell you it's going to be a safe event. But you have to be aware, you have to be alert, and you have to anticipate the unexpected, Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Deborah Feyerick reporting live from the East River here, in New York City. Thanks so much. Still to come in the Newsroom, Hillary Clinton spends part of her holiday weekend with the FBI.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:37:30]

COSTELLO: President Obama will campaign for the first time with Hillary Clinton tomorrow. They will appear side-by-side at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina. But that appearance is likely to be overshadowed by two recent events.

Over the weekend Mrs. Clinton met with the FBI to answer questions about her private e-mail server. The FBI is investigating her to determine whether she mishandled classified information during her tenure as Secretary of State.

This comes on the heels of Bill Clinton meeting with Loretta Lynch, the Attorney General, inside her private plane at the Phoenix Airport. An unusual move, since you know the Attorney General has that ongoing investigation going on. CNN Senior Washington Correspondent Joe Johns is following this for us this morning. Hi Joe.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hi Carol. What's been called into question here is the optics (ph) and certainly the timing of that meeting last week between Hillary Clinton's husband, the former President, and Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Who does run the Justice Department, the department that's going to have the final say on the investigation.

We're told this was an impromptu conversation on the tarmac at that airport in Phoenix. Apparently lasted about 30 minutes. Hillary Clinton got asked about it over the weekend in an interview on MSNBC, following her 3 1/2 hour meeting with the FBI. Listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I think hindsight's 20/20. Both the Attorney General and my husband have said that they wouldn't do it again.

CHUCK TODD, MODERATOR, "MEET THE PRESS," NBC: Were you given that indication today, that no charges would be filed? And are you confident that no charges will be filed?

CLINTON: Chuck, I am not going to comment on the process. I have no knowledge of any timeline. This is entirely up to the Department.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: And we got a little characterization from the office of Bill Clinton, describing that meeting between the Attorney General and the former President, as unplanned, entirely social in nature. The Attorney General has said she would not do it again. And Bill Clinton's aide essentially agreed with that saying, "Recognizing how others could take another view of it, he agrees with the Attorney General that he would not do it again."

So a bit of a mea culpa there coming out of the Bill Clinton camp, Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Joe Johns reporting live for us this morning. Thank you. I want to bring in Democratic strategist and Clinton supporter, Emily Tisch Sussman. She's also the Campaign Director at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Welcome.

EMILY TISCH SUSSMAN, CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS ACTION FUND, CLINTON SUPPORTER: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: So the longer this FBI investigation drags on, the worse it is for Hillary Clinton, right? Even though people are now saying, or sources are now saying, that they don't believe charges will be brought. Wouldn't Hillary Clinton prefer they just come out and make a decision?

SUSSMAN: I think everyone would prefer they just come out and make a decision and have it be over with. There have been investigations, endless investigations from Congress over the last couple of years. Millions of dollars have been spent in a fishing expedition to try and find something against her. And nothing has come out.

So it would be great if this just could be over. And we could move on to what she's actually talking about. Which is a vision for taking the country forward. And just to get out of the mud ...

COSTELLO: But see, here's the thing now though, Bill Clinton has this meeting with Loretta Lynch. And he says it's about nothing. But appearances -- like perception is sometimes stronger than reality, right? So even if the FBI clears Hillary Clinton of mishandling classified information, there's always going to be that doubt out there, isn't there, amongst some voters?

[10:41:05]

SUSSMAN: Look, the perception of the President going to talk to the Attorney General is not good. He shouldn't have done it, he acknowledges he shouldn't have done it. She shouldn't have done it. But if what we're accusing him of is being schmoozy? I mean I think we've always known that he's been pretty schmoozy.

You know he wanted to go over and chat it up ...

COSTELLO: I know, but he's a smart guy ...

SUSSMAN: ... but the perception is not good.

COSTELLO: ... he's a brilliant guy, Emily. So you know ...

SUSSMAN: ... Oh no, no I agree. He shouldn't have done it because of the perception issues. And the Attorney General had said, even before this, that she would not have final sign off on whether charges moved forward or not. They would always go to an independent -- the independent FBI. And they will, and she reaffirms that.

Look, even when the Attorney General was going through her confirmation process, and there were some that were dragging -- some senators that were dragging their feet in confirming her, there was never a question about her integrity. She has impeccable reputation.

So I truly believe that she will be, I think everyone believes, that she will move forward in a way that is aligned with the FBI recommendations, that is independent. But yes, we should -- I mean, his -- the perception is not good ...

COSTELLO: Well let's ...

SUSSMAN: ... And so those who think that there's a scandal there will continue to think there's a scandal.

COSTELLO: I just want to talk about Bill Clinton for a little bit more. Because this isn't the first time that he's sort of made a gaffe. Remember back in April he was at that campaign rally and there were these Black Lives Matter people that got into his face. And he lectured them. Listen:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter. Tell the truth. You are defending the people who cause young people to go out and take guns.

There was a 13-year old girl in Washington, D.C. who was planning her own photos (ph). How would you do it? Now look at these other ones. Look at this. That's not true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So he was talking about -- he was defending his crime bill, right? Which Hillary Clinton is trying to move away from because some of the African American communities say that crime bill hurt their community. And here he is lecturing them. So, is it time to maybe contain Mr. Clinton?

SUSSMAN: Look, Bill Clinton brings a lot of good to the campaign. People remember a time of economic prosperity and a lot of good that he did for the country. But Secretary Clinton is running on her own two feet. She is running to be the President of the United States. And she should be judged on her own history, her own qualifications, and what she's looking to bring forward to the country.

I'm not sure that he always -- that everything that he brings always outweighs the perception that it would be taking something away from her, as standing on her own as the President of the United States. Look, I think that it's important that he had good -- he has good economic understanding, he's been in the job before, which is great. And is an informal advisor. That sounds like a good idea.

I don't think that he should necessarily be out in front in the campaign, or saying that they would put him in some sort of official role. She should be the President, and she should be the President on her own. Not as like part two of him.

COSTELLO: All right I have to leave it there. Emily Tisch Sussman, thanks for joining me this morning.

SUSSMAN: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the Newsroom. A toxic mess might quash your vacation plans. Florida is in a terrible state.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Thick, foul-smelling algae is still clogging several Florida waterways. Spoiling beaches and ruining tourism at its mid- summer peak. About 5,000 people held a protest in Stuart, Florida over the weekend. They say more needs to be done about these algae blooms. The Governor has already declared a state of emergency. CNN National Correspondent, Polo Sandoval live in Stuart, Florida with more. Good morning, Polo.

[10:47:44]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey Carol, good morning. And that state of emergency still in place. But it's important to note that this blue-green algae is not necessarily new to the people here in Florida. What is new is that this is the first time, according to several experts that I have spoken to, that that outbreak has actually made it all the way to the coastline.

On 4th of July weekend, that is obviously going to be very important. Because while there are only a few traces of that blue-green algae that remain here, it's still keeping swimmers out of the water. If you take a walk further inland where you'll find that the smell and the sight of that green stuff is unmistakeable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRINA LANGSTED (ph), STORE OWNER: It's devastating, it's heartbreaking.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): Trina Lanstid's (ph) store in Stuart, Florida, is typically packed with shoppers. This holiday weekend, though, business is very slow.

LANGSTED (ph): We're down at least 50 percent over the week, 50 to 70 percent.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): A drop she blames on the gross, green, smelly goo that blankets much of her beloved Treasure Coast.

LANGSTED (ph): And it smells like the ocean, not like our ocean right now. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: No.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): Lanstid (ph) is furious about the blue-green algae tainting some of the state's once inviting waters.

DR. VINCENT ENCOMIO, DIRECTOR OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: It's a broad class of what we call cyanobacteria.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): Dr. Vincent Encomio says the putrid algae bloom came from Lake Okeechobee, about 35 miles inland. Engineers released large amounts of water so nearby towns wouldn't flood. But with the water, came the algae.

ENCOMIO: It's running off nutrients. So the nutrients are coming with the fresh water. And so that combination plus warm temperatures is going to create the conditions to cause these kinds of conditions.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): Florida's Department of Environmental Protection is sampling the algae blooms. Most results indicate low to extremely low levels of toxins are present in the water. Last week results showed elevated toxin levels here. And levels slightly above low-risk. But the images from above look awful. And on the ground, the smell is chasing people away from the coast. Like this one where double red flags warn Rose Rosario and her granddaughters to stay on dry land.

ROSE ROSARIO, BEACHGOER: This beach is usually packed. You can't even find a space -- a parking space whenever we come on whatever time of day or afternoon. And it's -- there's nobody here.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): The algae can cause rashes, respiratory problems, and if ingested, can cause liver and kidney damage. And there's big concerns for marine life.

UNKNOWN MAN: They can be very low in oxygen to almost no oxygen. And that will be a severe impact on any wildlife that might make it through here.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): And it's already keeping people away from the small businesses in this quaint coastal town.

: The summer's not over yet.

SANDOVAL: Do you still have hope that they will be semberly (ph)?

LANGSTED: I always have hope. I hope that I can go to the beach tomorrow and it's going to be beautiful and clear, of course. You never give up hope.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): For Langsted and her fellow shop owners, keeping another toxic algae bloom from happening isn't just business, it's personal.

LANGSTED: This is all about Florida. The people, the wildlife, the land, and the water. (END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:50:35]

SANDOVAL: And back out live to Stuart, Florida. This is the only beach where you will find two red flags that are still flying today. That is a warning for people who are making their way out to the beach to stay out of the water. We've seen lifeguards go up to people, Carol, simply asking them not to go into the water because there are still traces of this green algae in the water here.

But when it all comes down to it, that economic impact, the pain and the suffering for some people's bottom line, that's still there. This place, according to some of the people that I've spoken to, would typically be packed. Today though, Carol, on the 4th of July, there is plenty of room on the beach.

COSTELLO: Polo Sandoval reporting live from Stuart, Florida, thank you. It's taken about five years but NASA's solar powered spacecraft, Juno, is almost at its destination, Jupiter. Juno will be the first robotic craft to ever enter its dense atmosphere. Paul Vercammen is joining -- is following this. He joins us now live from Pasadena, California, where NASA is expected to hold a briefing in just a few hours. Hi Paul.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How are you? It's an exciting morning here as Jupiter, this behemoth, is literally pulling into its orbit, Juno. That's the spacecraft behind me. And one of the things, one of the features of Juno, is a titanium vault that is to protect its brains, if you will. And that's because there's so much radiation on Jupiter. More than 100 million dental x-rays. They've described this mission as treacherous. Let's take a listen:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT BOLTON, JUNO PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: What we're hoping to see with our incredible science payload, is to peer through the clouds to see what's inside this beautiful massive planet. This mysterious body of heated gas that we just know nothing about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: And among other things, Jupiter, you can fit 1,000 Earths inside Jupiter. It's days -- it's spinning rapidly -- they're just ten hours long. And someone who weighed 100 pounds on Earth would weigh 240 pounds on Jupiter because of its gravity. This is an intense mission. All eyes will be focused on the telemetry screens. That's how we'll get confirmation later on today, that Juno has successfully entered Jupiter's orbit. Back to you now.

COSTELLO: That is so awesome, I so envy you, Paul. Paul Vercammen, we'll check back. Still to come in the Newsroom, history on the baseball diamond. The first ever game played on a military base.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:56:15]

COSTELLO: For the first time ever, a professional baseball game was played on a military base. The 4th of July, too, so it was ultra cool. Andy Scholes joins us on a very special night at Fort Bragg. Good morning.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol. This is really cool. In just four months, major league baseball turned an overgrown golf course into a beautiful baseball field that was surrounded by temporary stands at Fort Bragg.

Check this out, more than 12,000 service members and their families just packed those stands to watch the Braves take on the Marlins. Check out the flyover before the game by the 82nd airborne. That's really cool.

Now the Marlins would go on to win this game 5 to 2. And CNN Sports' own Hines Ward, well he was at the game covering it for us. And afterwards he shared his impression of this historic event.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HINES WARD, CNN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: The Fort Bragg game. I have to say it was truly a privilege to be here. I grew up a Braves fan, I was actually drafted by the Marlins, and my father served in the military. But spending the past few days here at the base gave me an even greater appreciation for our servicemen and women. I really enjoyed meeting them and their families.

As for the players, they told me they were just as excited as the soldiers. And taking pictures and signing autographs for the real heroes in our country. It was a win-win for everybody. Both major league baseball and Fort Bragg. I would love to see this become an annual event. And what better way to celebrate the 4th of July weekend?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Now, not only did Hines get to go to the game this weekend, he actually also got to go up in a plane with the Golden Knights and then jump out of it. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARD: At least I got the right colors on. All right, I'm good to go.

"ACE," GOLDEN KNIGHT: Everybody calls me Ace.

WARD: I like Ace. That sounds like a guy that would keep me alive. Well I'm definitely going to scream like a little girl. You don't have to worry about that.

Has anyone like, passed out before while they were like ...

ACE: Absolutely.

WARD: You're not a Ravens fan, are you?

ACE: All right, well I'm going to go get a parachute, all right?

WARD: Yes, make sure yours is on tight, too.

My heart is pounding. You got me? Don't drop me, Ace.

Safe! That was worse than playing the Baltimore Ravens. That was the scariest thing I've ever done. I'm officially a part of the team now. CNN, I took one for the team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: There you go, Carol. And Hines actually called that his initiation to CNN, to how he joined the team. I don't know about you, Carol, though. I did not have to jump out of a plane to join the team at CNN ...

COSTELLO: I would do that!

SCHOLES: ... If I had been I might not be here -- oh you would?

COSTELLO: I would definitely do that.

SCHOLES: I'm terrified of heights. I don't know.

COSTELLO: You're lacking in courage, Andy Scholes.

SCHOLES: I certainly am.

COSTELLO: You know what that baseball field proves?

SCHOLES: What's that?

COSTELLO: If you build it, they will come.

SCHOLES: They will come. There you go. Nice Field of Dreams reference on July 4th.

COSTELLO: It's true. You're not going to talk about the Peachtree road race?

SCHOLES: Oh, I'll leave that to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, kicked off early this morning. I can't believe you weren't out running, Andy. 60,000 people lined up early to take the world's largest 10 kil. Look at them go in Atlanta. 10k run, it's been a 4th of July tradition for decades in the city. And it's so cool, all those people out celebrating July 4th together. They're getting fit, it's teamwork, even though running is a solitary sport, it's really not when you're running with that many people. You go, Atlanta.

Thank you for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello. "AT THIS HOUR," with Berman and Bolduan starts now.

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