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Obama Leaves for Dallas Memorial; Details About Dallas Gunman; Clinton, Sanders Unite in New Hampshire; Loretta Lynch Testifies on Capitol Hill; Dallas Surgeon Calls for End to Violence; Sanders Poised to Endorse Clinton in NH Today. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired July 12, 2016 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:02] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Chuck D, you're raising good points and good questions. We'll hear what the president has to say today when he's down in Dallas. And let's continue this conversation as we move forward. Let's not let it stall out. All right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Education will help the anger, but the anger is already there. So you want to diffuse the anger with some real answers that gives somebody a chance of being dynamite into dynamic.

CUOMO: I agree. Dynamite into dynamic. It's a good line from a man who knows how to write them. Church D, be well.

"NEWSROOM" with Ana Cabrera, in for Carol Costello, begins right now.

ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Chris. That's right. Let's roll it.

Good Tuesday morning. And thank you for joining me. I'm Ana Cabrera, in for Carol Costello this morning. It is a busy morning here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We are following three major stories as they unfold. President Obama and the first lady leave next hour for Dallas. There they will attend a private memorial for the five police officers shot and killed last week. Both the president and former president George W. Bush will speak at the service.

Also, this morning Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders sharing the same stage again, hitting the trail in New Hampshire less than two hours from now. The Sanders campaign has been slowly inching toward this unity event. Sources say a Clinton endorsement is coming.

And just one hour from now, the nation's top law enforcement officer gets grilled on Capitol Hill. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will face House Republicans and their questions on police shootings, Hillary Clinton's e-mail investigation and Lynch's controversial meeting with Bill Clinton.

We begin this hour with today's memorial service for those five Dallas police officers murdered by a sniper last week. Now beyond the remarks for larger gatherings, President Obama and former president George W. Bush will also meet privately with the families of those killed and those injured in the attack.

Now the nearby Arlington Police Department will handle security duties to help give the exhausted Dallas police officers a break and to allow some of them to attend this service for their fallen comrades.

We are covering all of today's developments like only CNN can. Susan Malveaux has more on the memorial and Victor Blackwell is following the investigation.

We begin with Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Ana. It is a hot, muggy day here in Dallas. As you can expect, you hear the bells tolling in the background. This is going to be a very emotional service and really a critical time for healing for this city.

We're going to see a number of dignitaries this morning and this afternoon really trying to bring this city and this country together. Later today what we're going to see is a number of dignitaries, Mayor Michael Rawlings who is going to be talking about the need to recognize these police officers and their families. So we're also going to see Texas Senator John Cornyn.

Following that, President George W. Bush and Laura Bush of course will be attending and President Bush will make some comments as well.

We are going to hear from the police chief as well. Brown, who has been so eloquent, so sensitive and strong in these times for his police officers and his community. And of course President Obama, Michelle Obama, the first lady, will be here. And what we're told is that he's been working on his remarks for days now, that he is really taking pen to paper, that this is something that is very personal to him and it's important to really strike the kind of balance that he needs during this time, sensitivity and strength, recognizing the fallen officers and their families but also the call for social justice as well -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right. Suzanne Malveaux, thank you.

Now the as Dallas mourns, much of the country seeps. More protests erupted across the country for a fifth straight day and well into the night. Here demonstrators gathering outside the Georgia Governor's mansion in Atlanta chanting "Black Lives Matter." And this is what we're learning more about the Dallas killer and the bomb-making materials found inside his home.

CNN's Victor Blackwell joins us from Dallas with the latest on the investigation. Good morning, Victor.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ana, good morning to you. Some of the strongest concerns about the evidence being pulled out of that shooter's home surrounding those materials you're discussing. So CNN has now learned from multiple law enforcement sources that those materials are essentially three and a half pounds of powders, three separate powders found in his home, all perfectly legal, potential bomb-making materials, though, but also elements that could be used by gun enthusiasts.

We know that nothing was assembles, no bomb ready to detonate. And these sources also said that it appeared that this shooter was someone who liked to explode things by shooting them, so perhaps he had an interest in IEDs but this was not someone who had any really bomb- making expertise. Really some low-level skills set here.

We heard from the chief, David Brown, that the investigators were looking to his laptop to try to determine his level of proficiency and where he got that training.

[09:05:04] And we also heard from the chief a few words from the -- for the protesters, rather, across the country. As you said we've seen them for five nights. Here's what Chief David Brown said to those protesters who have questions and concerns about police practices.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF DAVID BROWN, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT: We're hiring. We're hiring. Get out that protest line and put an application in. And we'll put you in your neighborhood and we will help you resolve some of the problems you're protesting about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: We've also heard some very poignant words from the trauma staff at Parkland Hospital where many of the injured were taken after the shooting on Thursday night and there's one trauma surgeon, Dr. Brian Williams, who talked not only about what he was feeling that night and has felt since, but also about the deaths of black men across this country over the last two weeks and really over the last several years. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BRIAN WILLIAMS, TRAUMA SURGEON, PARKLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: I think about it every day. That I was unable to save those cops when they came here that night. It weighs on my mind constantly. This killing, it has to stop. Black men dying and being forgotten, people retaliating against the people that are sworn to defend us, we have to come together and end all this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Dr. Williams there pairing together the two conversations that we will very likely hear President Obama address today as he comes here to Dallas.

We understand, of course, that he has had some very heavy involvement in writing his comments today, not relying simply on speech writers. We'll look ahead to that, scheduled to start at 1:30 Eastern -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right, Victor. So touching to hear from that doctor. Thank you for that report.

Today is a major day for Hillary Clinton's campaign in New Hampshire. This is where eight years ago you'll recall she and Barack Obama joined forces in a bid to unite Democrats after their bitter primary. Well, today Clinton returns to this state, this time as the

presumptive Democratic nominee and with Bernie Sanders by her side as she looks to win over him and his supporters.

CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny has more from New Hampshire.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Ana. It has been 35 days since Hillary Clinton effectively clinched the Democratic nomination. Ever since then, Democrats have been rallying to her side. She's been campaigning across the country with them. Well, today here in New Hampshire in just a couple of hours Bernie Sanders is going to complete that circle, finally going to give that endorsement to her candidacy.

Now you may wonder why it has taken him so long. He has tried to push the Democratic Party platform to the left. He's fought for things such as $15 mandatory minimum wage. He has pushed her on health care. He has pushed her on college education fees. Well, he did not get everything he wanted in that platform, but he certainly got more than he started with. So today he's going to give that endorsement.

You may wonder why it actually even matters at this point, but I can tell you it does. The Clinton campaign believes Bernie Sanders will be a key ally in this fight against Donald Trump, particularly in states like here New Hampshire.

Now back in February Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire by some 22 points. The Clinton campaign has not been back here since. This is Hillary Clinton's first visit to battle ground New Hampshire. A critical state in November. They believe Bernie Sanders will be absolutely essential here and in other states like Ohio and in Michigan where he also won. So today the endorsement is the beginning of what they believe will be a partnership.

And next week in the Democratic nominating national convention, he will also have a speaking role to continue his argument. But today for the first time we'll see them on stage together likely holding hands up in the air, Bernie Sanders finally dropping his own race and endorsing his long time rival -- Ana.

CABRERA: A lot of Democrats watching this today. Thank you, Jeff Zeleny, reporting for us.

Now Clinton's private e-mail controversy is not over. It's expected to be front and center next hour as Attorney General Loretta Lynch is on the hot seat on Capitol Hill. She faces lawmakers for the first time since announcing Hillary Clinton won't face charges for using that private e-mail system while secretary of state.

House Republicans are also expected to rip into Lynch's controversial visit with former president Bill Clinton. It came just days before the conclusion of this e-mail investigation.

CNN's Evan Perez is joining us live in Washington now with more on what we can expect -- Evan. EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Ana. Well, we

know that the Republicans on this -- on this committee are not satisfied with the answers so far that the Justice Department and the FBI have given as to why Hillary Clinton will not be facing charges. As a matter of fact, they've just sent another referral over there for the Justice Department to do another investigation as to whether or not Mrs. Clinton lied when she testified before Congress last year.

[09:10:04] Lynch of course is also going to have to answer questions as you mentioned about that meeting on the tarmac with Bill Clinton charging up the stairs to her airplane and having a 30-minute discussion with her in the middle of and while she was considering what to do about those charges, about those charges against Hillary Clinton.

But it feels like the context has changed a little bit. Last week we had the FBI director James Comey who answered four hours -- three and a half, four hours of questions in the House. And he explained why he was recommending no charges against Mrs. Clinton.

And also we have the fact of the shootings in Dallas and the ones before that in Minnesota and in Baton Rouge. That also has changed the context of this conversation that you're going to see on Capitol Hill today. Simply because the Justice Department is part of the effort to try to change how policing is done in this country.

They've done a lot of investigations of these shootings and of police departments and how they do their jobs. So we expect that there are going to be a lot of questions from Republican members of Congress as well as some of the Democrat who want the Justice Department to do more about these shootings -- Ana.

CABRERA: Yes. And you look at her opening remarks that have been released and it really solely focuses on what the Justice Department is doing when it comes to making sure that depending on which race you are, you are not treated any differently.

PEREZ: Absolutely.

CABRERA: And to try to fix some of the divisions that are in the system right now. Thank you so much, Evan Perez.

PEREZ: Thanks.

CABRERA: Still to come here in CNN NEWSROOM, a nation mourning and protesting as the president heads to Dallas. How can he bridge the divide?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:15:46] CABRERA: President Obama's visit to Dallas and his upcoming meeting with law enforcement and civil rights leaders are putting a shot light on a very controversial conversation and critical conversation that's happening right now here in America. At the crux is race, and the shooting deaths of not only African-Americans at the hand of police, but the killings of police, themselves. I want you to listen to this interesting perspective we heard from the

lead surgeon there in Dallas who tried to save those five officers' lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BRIAN WILLIAMS, DALLAS TRAUMA SURGEON: Clearly, when I'm at work dressed in my white coat, the reactions I get from individuals and the officers I deal with on a daily basis is much different than what I would get outside the hospital in regular clothes. And my fear and some mild inherent distrust of law enforcement, that goes back to my own personal experiences that I've had over my entire life, as well as hearing the stories from friends and family that look like me that have had similar experiences.

I don't understand why people think it's okay to kill police officer officers. I don't understand why black men die in custody and they're forgotten the next day. I don't know why this has to be us against them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: With me now is former NYPD detective and law enforcement, Tom Verni, and Laura Coates, CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor.

Laura, let's begin with you. Protesters say that this is a systemic problem. What do you think can change the way African-Americans like this doctor we just heard from feel when they encounter law enforcement?

LAURA COATES, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: One of the key things, of course, is that there's a fundamental mistrust of police officers because of a history of a select few, but also because there seems to be an inability of the justice system to be able to successfully prosecute those officers who do engage in excessive force and tarnish reputations of very good officers.

And one of the ways in which we can successfully prosecute those rogue officers is to have a discussion about changing the standard by which prosecutors can hold them accountable. Right now, the common man is held a common and reasonable person standard, but officers are judged by only other officers standards. And that in and of itself allows the lion to only patrol the lion, and minimize accountability in a way that would make people feel trust again of the system.

CABRERA: So, Laura, you're talking about accountability.

Tom, I want to talk to you about prevention. Some people are calling for more training for these officers. Do you think that's the answer?

TOM VERNI, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: You know, I'm always an advocate for more training. By the way, I'd like to express my condolences to the family of the officers and thank you to the doctor who attempted to save their lives under tremendous duress, I'm sure. So, when it comes to training, there's always -- you can never have

enough training when it comes to law enforcement. As we're discussing on other shows the other night, I was with Don Lemon, we were talking about the fact that we still live in a largely racist, sexist, homophobic society. Police are a subculture within our overall culture.

So, if that's our society as a whole, then the police are going to mimic a lot of these things we have inherent in our society. So, our society needs to have a gut check and to kind of root out this systemic racism that's been in effect for hundreds of years. And only then can we really start fresh.

You can screen cops all you want, but we've all been socialized to believe certain things about certain people, and that just needs to stop.

CABRERA: And whether you even know it yourself, there could be a subconscious level of racism or prejudice within individuals.

VERNI: There's implicit bias, there's outward bias, that's all kinds of biases.

CABRERA: That's also influencing your perceptions and then ultimately the actions you take when you encounter people.

VERNI: Absolutely. So, now, having said, what I try to also advocate to people is that when we have these incidents, these police-related incidents like the shooting in Baton Rouge, like the shooting in Minnesota, I always advocate people to try to just take a step back, let the facts and circumstances and the evidence come out before weighing in fully to determine what happened. Instead of playing Monday morning quarterback and just signed, sealing and delivering the cops based on very little if any information. So, that's absolutely critical.

Once all that information comes out -- listen, if it's found that these cops acted in a biased or racist way, then you won't find anyone in law enforcement that would have a problem with them being fired, jailed, sued and otherwise, because there's no room for that in our business.

CABRERA: When you look at Ferguson for example because that's one of the incidents that have caught so much attention and fire with the protesters in particular. And we do know that there was an indictment of Darren Wilson, the officer involved in that particular case and he was cleared. But the Department of Justice did find in their investigation racism all throughout that police department.

And so, you look at those types of investigation results. You look at some of the statistics and studies that show black people are more likely to be pushed to the ground and pepper sprayed by a police officer, according to recent Harvard study, than their white counterparts. So, there is factual proof that this is happening.

Laura, President Obama is going to Dallas today. Here he is, the nation's first African-American president and here we have still this tremendous racial divide that is so raw right now in our country. If he can't fix it, who can?

COATES: Well, you know, dialogue is important. But people have to understand it's not simply about dialogue. They have to take a three- pronged approach. Protest is certainly one way to be heard and get the attention of the media and in Congress, that has legislative action that takes place, as well as litigation.

And we're talking it with Tom. You know, there is prevention but accountability breeds prevention. And our justice system is geared around being able to ensure that we deter bad behavior through accountability in the criminal justice system.

Ad so, what President Obama and other leaders have to do and recognize is this has to be a three-pronged approach. It has to be structured in a way that people as though they're heard and that there are results that are coming.

One of the biggest ways to do that is actually to be able to have a successful prosecution and also for police within to root out internally people who are doing the wrong thing and try to prevent this at their end as well.

CABRERA: All right. Thank you so much, Laura Coates and Tom Verni. We'll have to leave it there. Thank you for coming on. We appreciate it.

COATES: Thank you.

VERNI: Thank you.

CABRERA: Still to come, Bernie Sanders says he's with her as he is set to endorse Hillary Clinton today. But what about his supporters? I'll talk to one of them, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:27:01] CABRERA: Well, 35 days ago, Hillary Clinton essentially clenched the Democratic presidential nomination. Now, every day since then she has been waiting and wanting an endorsement from her rival Bernie Sanders, hoping he'll throw behind her. Today, that wait is over.

Sanders may be coming around himself, but what about his supporters?

Joining me now, Tracy Sefl, a Clinton supporter and Democratic strategist, and Gary Frazier, the east coast coordinator of Black Men for Bernie Sanders.

Gary, if you hear Sanders officially throw his support behind Clinton, will you follow?

GARY FRAZIER, EAST COAST COORDINATOR, BLACK MEN FOR BERNIE: Absolutely not.

CABRERA: No? Why?

FRAZIER: Because we know through the process that we understand clearly that neither one of them got the magic number for either one of them to be name the presidential -- the presumptive nominee. So, we know that any process of that by Senator Sanders means a forfeiture of his delegates. We don't see that happening today.

CABRERA: It doesn't necessarily mean a forfeiture of his delegates, although Clinton does have a majority of the pledge delegates as well as those super delegates that are expected to vote for her at the convention. But let's say today Bernie Sanders comes out and essentially withdraws from the race as he is suspending his campaign.

Is that different in your mind in going forward that would give you that sense of I guess conclusion in order to support Hillary Clinton as a Democrat?

FRAZIER: There is absolutely nothing in the world that would make me vote for Hillary Clinton or anyone of the major organizations who are organizing across this country. There is nothing that we will do to get behind Hillary Clinton. In fact, what we will do is ensure that she will not win this presidency.

CABRERA: I want to ask you for about that, but let me bring Tracy into the conversation first. We do know Clinton has made efforts to reach out to Sanders' supporters. She made some policy concessions in the DNC platform over the weekend. Notably, she agreed to this $15 federal minimum wage, backing a public option when it comes to healthcare. She also supported tuition free college.

Now, besides a verbal endorsement, what else does she need from Sanders?

TRACY SEFL, CLINTON SUPPORTER: It's true they had been working together alongside other to bring today to fruition and they'll continue to work alongside each other. Their staff, their mutual allies, everyone understands this unity is so important because of what the choice in this election is.

And while support any individual's personal decision to cast a vote, I do think that the responsibility that any voter bears in electing or voting for Donald Trump is an astonishing -- that's a personal choice. I'll just leave it at that.

But in the meantime, I think we can see Senator Sanders and Secretary Clinton continue to work together as they have. Those are really important strides that you noted, Ana. And I think there's more of that that we'll see. Most importantly, we know that 85 percent of Senator Sanders' supporters have already said they will vote for Hillary Clinton.