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Trump Not Endorsing Top Republicans; North Korea Launched Two Missiles; IOC Has Until Friday to Announce Russia's Fate; Syrian Chemical Attack; Pope Creates Commission To Study Female Deacons; 60,000 Refugees Flee Violence In South Sudan; Elections Could Reshape South African Politics; "Star Trek" Actor's Parents Suing Over Car Death; Dutch Man Waits 10 Days At Airport For Girlfriend. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired August 03, 2016 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:12] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour, enough. President Obama's stunning rebuke of Donald Trump. Calling on Republicans to withdraw their support for their candidate.
VAUSE: A hit and a miss. North Korea fires two ballistic missiles. U.S. officials say one exploded on takeoff. The other was tracked for about a thousand kilometers over the sea of Japan.
SIDNER: Plus, disturbing new images out of Syria, suggesting the Assad regime may have launched another chemical gas attack.
Hello, and welcome to our viewers from around the world. I'm Sara Sidner.
VAUSE: I'm John Vause. Another edition of NEWSROOM L.A. starts now.
In a very public break with U.S. leading Republicans, Donald Trump is withholding his endorsement for House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator John McCain in their re-election bid.
VAUSE: All of this comes on the same day as the first Republican congressman says he will vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton. New York Congressman Richard Hanna says Trump is deeply flawed.
SIDNER: Meanwhile President Obama has made an extraordinary attack on Donald Trump, calling him woefully unprepared for the job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the Republican nominee is unfit to serve as president. I said so last week and he keeps on proving it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Trump quickly fired back in a statement on Tuesday saying, "Obama and Clinton have single handedly destabilized the Middle East, handed Iraq, Libya and Syria to ISIS and allowed our personnel to be slaughtered at Benghazi. Hillary Clinton has proven herself unfit to serve in any government office."
Well, political and current affairs commentator Mo Kelly joins us now with more on this.
OK, this was an extraordinary news conference, which President Obama held.
MO KELLY, POLITICAL AND CURRENT AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Yes.
VAUSE: He went on to say that the Republicans right now should really think about withdrawing their support for Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: And the question I think that they have to ask themselves is, if you are repeatedly having to say, in very strong terms, that what he has said is unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And he did all of this in the East Room of the White House whilst the prime minister of Singapore was standing right next to him.
KELLY: Yes. It gave it a world stage feel.
VAUSE: Yes.
KELLY: How he was undressing Donald Trump for an extended amount of time, in front of a world leader. It says that to Donald Trump, you're not ready to play on this level. You don't deserve to be here. And he's sending a message around the world that this is what America, since he's the leader of America, feels about Donald Trump. And that was significant.
SIDNER: I do want to ask, though, because people know that President Obama is no fan of Donald Trump.
KELLY: Right.
SIDNER: And don't expect him to be. Does him saying this really have any effect on those who are independents? Who already know there's going to be a schism there?
KELLY: I don't if it affects or impacts independents, I think we have bench marks, and they're called the presidential debates. And I think that's when people will really make up their minds. But it doesn't help Donald Trump because we look at the news cycle, he's either talking about his taxes, or he's trying to respond to President Obama, or he's trying to explain why he kicked the baby out of a -- of a rally. Nothing is about his message. So until he gets back on message, this is bad news for Donald Trump.
VAUSE: Yes. And he wasn't on message again because, you know, he had to go out of his way and had to respond to those comments from Barack Obama because he was asked about it and this is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, he's been one of the worst presidents in the history of our country. I think he's probably going to go down maybe as the worst. We'll see how this all comes out, but he's been one of the worst presidents in the history of our country and for him to be calling me out is almost an honor because he truly doesn't know what he's doing. He's been a very, very weak president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Historically, I think we have to go back to Reagan? To see a sitting president get this involved in such a big way in a re-election campaign for, you know, essentially for another term of that particular party?
KELLY: Right. It is significant. But it's not someone who's running for office.
VAUSE: Yes.
KELLY: President Obama doesn't have anything to lose and everything to gain as far as the party's concerned. Donald Trump, flailing like this, not only affects Donald Trump, but it affects the Republicans down the ticket, down the ballot. As the titular head of the Democratic Party who the president is, he is campaigning not only for Hillary Clinton, but for the rest of the party.
VAUSE: And he can do it because, unlike George W. Bush, unlike Bill Clinton, Obama's very popular right now.
KELLY: Right. And not only that, you had an RNC in which there were no previous living Republican presidents or vice presidents who attended.
[01:05:03] There were no endorsements with the exception of Dick Cheney on that level. There were no first ladies. So there's no gravitas behind Donald Trump other than this populist movement. Not pushing it aside, but you still have to put it in its correct context.
SIDNER: I do have to ask you, are we getting completely and totally away from some of the big things that Americans care about? I mean, I know we're talking about these little things that he says, but the Transpacific Partnership was a big one.
KELLY: Yes.
SIDNER: That Donald Trump says he doesn't support, the president clearly supports, and silent on this issue, which is a big one for a lot of workers.
KELLY: Well, that's where Donald Trump needs to be a better politician and more savvy. Even though he may be asked about the comments of President Obama, he should be able to stand up as an adult and say, you know, no, no, no, it's not about President Obama. It's about America and these are the things we need to discuss and get back on message. But he's so consumed with the idea of righting every wrong, addressing every perceived slight and even real slight that he's just lost his way at this point.
VAUSE: And there's still so many other controversies. I said last hour, at least -- you know, it's like drinking from a fire hose right now, they keep coming. And there is this moment out on the campaign trail today where an ex-serviceman gave Donald Trump his Purple Heart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, something very nice just happened to me. A man came up to me and he handed me his Purple Heart. Now I said to him -- I said to him, is that like the real one, or is that a copy? And he said, that's my real Purple Heart, I have such confidence in you. And I said, man, that's, like -- that's like big stuff. I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And then just a few hours after that, he was slammed by Khizr Khan, the father of the hero soldier, Captain Khan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHIZR KHAN, FATHER OF FALLEN MUSLIM AMERICAN SOLDIER: A man comes to him, a veteran, so kindly, what a gracious man, hands him his Purple Heart. What he does, he receives it, thanks him, puts in his pocket. Later on, pulls it out, I got this Purple Heart, so easy, I always wanted one.
Donald Trump, you had the time, you did not serve. You know what you should have done? And listen to me, and I want his surrogates to listen to me. You should have pinned that back to that veteran's chest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Donald Trump did not need a five-day long feud with a Gold Star family right now.
KELLY: No. And because it's extended for more and more days, he heard from the VFW. Veterans are not his friend right about now given his comments previously and presently regarding Senator John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, he's not winning folks over.
And the Purple Heart, it's another example of him trivializing the contributions of men and women around the world who have served in the Armed Forces. And that's not winning friends, going back to independents and moderates. He has the opportunity to win people over, but instead he's pushing them away.
This is about coalition-building and constituency building. In fact, he's doing the exact opposite.
SIDNER: Again, I want to think about this. I feel like every time we hear something from him, the squirrel -- for a journalist --
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: It's true. For a journalist, you want to talk about the fodder, right? It gives you a lot to talk about. But as a voter, I feel like we're just distracted by all these little things that ultimately have very little to do with your life, what's happening now.
KELLY: We are distracted, but usually in a presidential race, it's like an inverse pyramid. And as you get down to the debates, and closer to the election, then you're allowed to hone in, and the candidate can't run from the message. But Donald Trump is not presenting himself as someone who really wants to win, who really wants to do the work of becoming a president.
VAUSE: OK, squirrel. OK --
SIDNER: Here we go.
KELLY: I love that movie.
VAUSE: Donald Trump was asked about the allegations with FOX News CEO Roger Ailes. "USA Today" said what would happen if Ivanka was treated that way, how would you react, this is what he said, "I'd like to think she would find another career or find another company if that was the case." And then this seems to be compounded and made worse by what his son, Eric Trump, said to CBS. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC TRUMP, SON OF DONALD TRUMP: Frankly, he's saying is, you know, Ivanka is a strong, you know, powerful woman. She wouldn't allow herself to be, you know -- you know, to -- and by the way, you should certainly take it up with human resources and I think, you know, she definitely would as a strong person at the same time. I don't think she would allow herself to be subjected to that and I think that was the point he was making and I think he did so well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: OK. So Donald Trump has a problem with women right now and he's now being accused, and his son, of essentially of victim blaming.
KELLY: A problem with women.
VAUSE: Yes.
KELLY: A problem with minorities. A problem with veterans. And it starts to add up. He seems to have a lack of empathy.
[01:10:03] He's not tone deaf. He's tone indifferent. I think he knows the difference between right and wrong. I think he knows the difference between on the right side of history and the wrong side of history. But I don't think he does -- I don't think he cares at all. And that lack of empathy and sympathy does not breed well for someone who wants to be leader of the free world. And this is just the latest example. He's not ever sided with women. He sided with men. And there's nothing wrong to have your chief coalition to be white males. It's a problem with that's your only coalition.
VAUSE: Also has a problem with babies who isn't --
(LAUGHTER)
VAUSE: Unfortunately we ran out of time. But, Mo, good seeing you. Thank you so much. Appreciate the analysis and the insight.
OK. South Korea is condemning what appears to be another missile launch carried out by the North.
SIDNER: U.S. Strategic Command says it detected a launch of two presumed ballistic missiles, one appeared to explode just after launch and the other went into the Sea of Japan. Japan's prime minister called it a considerable threat to national security.
VAUSE: For more on this, Paula Hancocks is following developments. She joins us now live from Seoul.
Paul, new details, though, coming out now about the possible type of missile and its range or two missiles rather, one which was fired, one which exploded shortly after launch.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. What we're hearing from U.S. Strategic Command is that they believe they were Rodong intermediate range missiles. So this is obviously longer than the short range. These are the kind of missiles, if successful, can reach all of South Korea, all of Japan, and potentially as far as U.S. military bases in Guam. So certainly these kind of missile tests are more of a concern to the region and to Washington than the short range missiles.
We're also hearing strong condemnation, not only from South Korea, but from Japan as well. Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was very quick to condemn this, saying it is a considerable threat for our national security. The reason for that is according to Japanese officials it believed it seems that it landed in their exclusive economic zone, or at least nearby. This is a body of water that Japan controls for economic activity. So certainly they have more concerns about this than previous launches -- John.
VAUSE: And Paula, just from a purely technological advancement here this missile we're being told traveled 600 miles, about 1,000 kilometers. How much of an advancement is that for the North Koreans?
HANCOCKS: Well, this is one of the missile they've been working on for some time. This intermediate range. This is a technology that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un clearly wants to perfect. We've seen this tested a number of times. We've seen some examples, submarine launch missiles tested a number of times. And we've really seen a significant increase this year in the amount of testing.
In fact we've seen a significant increase since Kim Jong-un took power of North Korea about 4 1/2 years ago. According to the South Korean Defense Ministry, his predecessor, his father, the late Kim Jong-il in 18 years of power, tested 18 ballistic missiles. Kim Jong-un in 4 1/2 years has tested more than 30. And he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. So certainly he seems to be in much more of a rush than his father was to perfect this technology, he says, to protect him and his country from U.S. hostility -- John.
VAUSE: Yes, the South Koreans saying in theory at least these missiles could be equipped with some kind of nuclear warhead. In theory, I guess.
Paula Hancocks, live following those developments from Seoul. We appreciate it. Thank you, Paula.
To Rio we go. Some Russian athletes may not find out until late as Friday if they can take part in the Olympics.
SIDNER: By the way that's the same day as the opening ceremony. A panel established by the International Olympic Committee will decide which if any Russian athletes would be eligible to compete.
Let us go ahead and bring in CNN World Sport's Christina MacFarlane who is live for us in Rio.
First of all, this has to be nerve racking, no matter what the allegations are and how it all pans out for these athletes. Do we know how they're going to find out whether or not they get to compete?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS: Yes, Sara, it really is nerve racking for these athletes. It's been a complete whirlwind for these Russians in the past 10 days. I just want to take you back to explain what we've seen because so much has unfolded so rapidly in the past week. Ten days ago, the president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, took the monumental decision in the history of the Olympics to reject the blanket ban of these Russian athletes after hearing evidence of state- sponsored doping.
Now since then, the individual sports governing bodies themselves have been ruling on the eligibility of their athletes. But three days ago, the IOC set up a new rule, which as you mentioned just then was that the eligibility of the athletes will now be seen by a three-person panel constructed of IOC members.
[01:15:09] And the final decision for this, as you say, could come just hours ahead of that opening ceremony. And it really is just been such a stressful time for these athletes. We saw them arrive here in Rio a few days ago. They've been out and about in the town here. Many of them have been dreaming of this moment, have been dreaming of competing in that Olympic ceremony and that now could be taken away from them just hours ahead of the event begins.
VAUSE: Well, Christina, for other athletes, there are other pressing concerns and it has to do with their living arrangements? Let's take a look at what -- the Australians are complaining, what a shot. OK. Andrew Bogut, he plays basketball, he's taken to Twitter. There he is, making his own shower curtain. This is what he tweeted out, "#IOC luxury lodging, putting together a shower curtain so we can shower and not flood the place."
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: He's got plenty more. Another tweet from him "#IOC luxury lodging, we believe a bed is not vital for sleep. Fine-tuned athletes can sleep standing up."
VAUSE: And then a bit of a shot at the head honchos there. "Will not comment on our delegates' penthouse villas in downtown Rio." Does also seem to be maybe a little bit of envy going on there because the USA basketball team apparently are spending their time in a luxury yacht moored off the coast there. So, you know, the Australians are complaining about the village. How bad is it? Have they sorted out all the problems that they've had there?
MACFARLANE: Yes. Absolutely. Everyone's looking at the other team, comparing notes. What have you got? What have we got? It's not as good as the next person. And Andrew Bogut has been getting a lot of -- generating a lot of buzz on Twitter there with those tweets. But, you know, the Australians have had some complaints that are pretty valid. I just want to read out a few of the problems they've encountered in the past week. You have plumbing leaks, electrical faults, exposed wiring. And on Friday, they actually had a fire in the basement of one of their apartments and a hundred of their athletes had to be evacuated.
Now the Olympic organizers have responded to a lot of the criticism. They've sent in around 600 people, we believe, to fix some of these problems. And in one case, the British athletes have actually employed their own plumber to come in and deal with the problem. So everyone dealing with it in their own way and hopefully a few more happy faces as the event continues to countdown.
VAUSE: Good to know. We didn't get to the bizarre incident with the guy who vomited on the Chinese hurdler and then robbed him. But that's a good story.
SIDNER: We just got to it, by the way.
(LAUGHTER)
VAUSE: Had to mention it.
MACFARLANE: It's a great story.
VAUSE: Christina, have fun at the Olympics, try not to catch Zika. Good to speak with you. Thank you.
SIDNER: Next on NEWSROOM L.A., a senior U.S. official says there is growing evidence chemical weapons have been used again in the Syrian conflict, but who is to blame for it?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:21:54] VAUSE: An apparent chlorine gas attack in Syria has left dozens of people seriously ill. It looks suspiciously like revenge for the Russian military's biggest loss of life in the war so far.
SIDNER: Elise Labott reports on how the Syrian crisis are putting more strains on the complicated relationship between Washington and Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: If we could get Russia to help us get rid of ISIS, if we could actually be friendly with Russia, wouldn't that be a good thing?
ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER (voice-over): Donald Trump's solution to defeating ISIS in Syria hinges on warmer ties with Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin. But on the ground, Russian airstrikes are helping regime forces tighten their grip on Aleppo. U.S. officials are investigating claims of a poisonous gas attack on U.S.-backed rebels.
Chilling video footage shows men gasping for breath.
JOHN KIRBY, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: If it's true, it would be extremely serious.
LABOTT: Russia denies any involvement, but the gas attack was eerily close to the downing of a nearby Russian military helicopter hours earlier. Rebel forces cheering around the flaming wreckage of the chopper, which Russia claims was delivering humanitarian aid.
This weekend, Russian airstrikes decimated a third hospital in Aleppo. With 6,000 dead or injured in the last few months, and another 300,000 trapped without aid, a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding.
JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations. Nobody's going to sit around and allow this pretense to continue.
LABOTT: Hillary Clinton has backed President Obama's plan to fight ISIS in Syria, with airstrikes and aid for moderate rebels. But allegations Russian intelligence hacked Democratic Party commuters and meddled in the U.S. elections are fueling fresh concerns that Moscow cannot be trusted and could derail a controversial deal in the works for the U.S. and Russia to share intelligence on ISIS and other terrorists, in exchange for Russia shutting down strikes against opposition targets.
President Obama says his eyes are open, but the alleged hacking isn't his first concern.
OBAMA: If, in fact, Russia engaged in this activity, it's just one on a long list of issues that me and Mr. Putin talk about. And that I've got a real problem with. That's not going to stop us from trying to make sure that we can bring up political transition inside Syria that can end the hardship there.
LABOTT (on camera): The U.N. is warning that food supplies in Aleppo could run out in a few weeks, putting even more pressure on the U.S. to reach agreement with Russia. And there is growing concern about a Russian offer to allow residents to flee the area, fearing it could be a ruse to attack the rebels as they flee. Trust in Russia's promises across the board, in very short supply.
Elise Labott, CNN, the State Department.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: CNN's military analyst, Lieutenant Rick Francona, joins us now with more on this.
[01:25:02] Colonel, Assad supposed to have been given up his stockpile of chemical weapons but chlorine is (INAUDIBLE), such a different story. It's essential for cleaning drinking water. It's used to stop the spread of disease. It's also cheap. So how do you stop chlorine from being used as a weapon of destruction?
LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: You don't. That's the problem with it because it's so -- as you say, it's so readily available. The Syrians make it. There are factories in the country that produce it. It's essential for drinking water and, you know, industrial uses. So it's available, it will be used. And it's also easy to deliver. So that's why we see it being used primarily by the anti-regime rebels.
We do see it occasionally used by the regime, but the regime prefers to use these exploding barrel bombs, although we did see two barrel bombs today carrying chlorine in that area where the Russian helicopter went down.
VAUSE: And with that in mind, I don't think we've had a denial from the Syrian regime that they've actually used chlorine gas. The Russians certainly have denied any involvement. But dropped from helicopters, two barrel bombs. You know, one U.S. official made the point that, you know, the rebels don't have helicopters. So it certainly appears that the regime is responsible for at least one of these chemical attacks.
FRANCONA: Yes. The other attack was in the old city of Aleppo. That could have been either side. But given where it was it's in the area of the besieged civilians and I doubt if the rebels would have fired into there. They probably would have gone after regime positions. So I'm assuming that the regime was probably responsible for both of these. But as you say, that's not the worst of the attacks that are going on right now. The Russians really unleashed about 80 sorties on that area where their helicopter went down. And you can understand their anger because the corpses of their crew were horribly abused by the local population. The Russians are going to find out who did it and they'll probably extract some revenge.
VAUSE: There was a real issue right now in Aleppo of who is on whose side. You have the -- you know, the newly named Al-Nusra Front, no longer affiliated with al Qaeda, they say, who are helping with the rebels. They're a target for the Russians and not part of the U.S.- backed regime fighters. But yet they seem to be the only group in there which are helping the civilians. How do you sort this mess out? FRANCONA: That's the big problem there, John. You've got these
conflicting loyalties and everybody makes these tactical decisions, OK, for this operation, we're going to join forces. The Kurds go back and forth as well. So based on the tactical situation on the ground. But right now what we're seeing is we see the regime, backed by the Iranians, the Lebanese, Hezbollah, some Iraqi militias even some Afghan groups and the most effective partner they have right now is the Russian air force.
And they're holding sway in Aleppo. The rebels have mounted a coordinated counteroffensive over the last two days and it's been very impressive. But every time they get close, the Russian air force comes in there and stops them in their tracks. So we'll see tomorrow what happens. And I've been having some conversations with some other observers and they're saying that in a few hours, we could see a break in that siege.
My answer is, if there is a break in that siege, it will only be for a few hours. I think there's just too much fire power arrayed against the rebels for them to hold out.
VAUSE: OK. Colonel, thank you so much. Colonel Francona there with the very latest on the situation in Aleppo.
Thank you, sir.
SIDNER: . All right. Just ahead the Pope has ordered the Vatican to look into the role of women in the early church. What prompted the study and how its findings could change the church. Next on NEWSROOM L.A.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:31:59] VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.
SIDNER: And I'm Sara Sidner, in for Isha Sesay. Japan and South Korea are condemning North Korea's apparent launch of two more ballistic missiles. One exploded on launch from a province in the southwest, and the other flew about 1,000 kilometers to the east before falling into the sea.
VAUSE: Final decision could come Thursday on which Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in the Rio games. The International Olympic Committee has been reviewing doping test results for the entire Russian team.
SIDNER: And two new chemical gas attacks have been reported in Northern Syria. Anti-regime group said an attack in Idlib province has sickened dozens of people there. Syria's government is claiming a terrorist group is responsible for another gas attack that killed five people in Aleppo.
VAUSE: And Donald Trump says he is withholding his endorsement for U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and former presidential nominee, Senator John McCain, in the upcoming election battles. Both men have been critical of Mr. Trump, but they have not dropped their support for him. OK, we can lose the music now.
Women have been (ph) asking the Catholic Church for years why they can't preach at mass or even be ordained as deacons.
SIDNER: Now, the Vatican is actually taking a look into the issue. Delia Gallagher has details on the Pope's brand new initiative and where it might lead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis has named a 12- member commission, six men and six women, to study the historical question of women deacons in the early church. This was a request made on the part of a group of nuns in may. The Pope said he would look into it, but he specifically stated that creating the commission was not opening the door necessarily to women deacons. He merely wanted to study a period of history, he said, that was unclear to him. Currently in the Catholic Church, only men are deacons. Deacons perform some of the functions of a priest but not all. The important thing is that they are ordained. That's a special category in the Catholic Church that is not open to women.
Now, should the commission come back to the Pope and say, in the early centuries of the church, women deacons performed many of the same functions as male deacons today, then yes, indeed, that would give the Pope grounds to look at the question of ordaining women deacons. And that question is important because it would then open the argument for the ordination of women priests. However, it is a long shot, because there has already been a commission in 2002 who studied the question of women deacons and came back and said, there is not a similarity between what the women deacons did in the early centuries of the church and what male deacons do today, and because Pope Francis has previously said that the door to women priests is closed.
In any case, the commission must undertake their study and give their report. Conservative estimates could take up to a year, and then Pope Francis will have to decide if he's going to make a decision. Any developments on the controversial issue will have to await the commission's work and report which could take up to a year, and of course, Pope Francis's decision should he decide to make one. Delia Gallagher, CNN, Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:35:11] SIDNER: Joining me now via Skype from Martha's Vineyard is CNN Religion Commentator, Father Edward Beck. He is also host of the Sunday mass. Thank you so much for joining us today.
FATHER EDWARD BECK, CNN RELIGION COMMENTATOR: Great to be with you, thanks.
SIDNER: Let's talk about this commission. There's a lot of people interested in what the Pope has to say, and about this decision to put a commission in place -- what exactly is this commission going to be studying? BECK: It's going to study deaconesses in the early church, whether
there were women deacons and what their role was. Because the belief is that if there were women deacons in the early church6 and they functioned in pretty much the same way as male deacons today, then what would prohibit Pope Francis from saying, why don't we ordain women deacons now? And so really it's going to be an historical study to look at the early centuries of the church, women deacons, what they did, and is it comparable to what they might do today.
SIDNER: Out of curiosity, is it scripture that's going to be looked at? Is it historical events that will be looked at, or all of them? How do they come to their decision in this particular case?
BECK: Well, there's at least one woman deacon that we know is mentioned in scripture by St. Paul, that's Phoebe. Now exactly what women deacons did in the early church, some believe that they basically ministered to the poor. And so they did almsgiving, they did service. It's not clear that it was a liturgical function, because deacons today, as you know, in the Catholic Church, they can baptize, they can preside at weddings, and they do liturgical functions. They can preach at mass. Women can do none of that in the Catholic Church.
SIDNER: I have to play the devil's advocate, sorry for the pun there, but when it comes to these commissions, there have been commissions on this before, and time and time again, his predecessors have said, no, this is not the role for women in our church. What might change?
BECK: Well, it was in 2002, and basically what that commission said was that deacons in the early church did not function -- women deacons, did not function the same as men. Again, they weren't liturgical functions. I think what people are looking for, can women preach at mass? Can they perform baptisms? Can they preside at weddings? Because that opens the clerical function aspect of being a deacon to priests as well. So I think what's maybe different about this commission is, they're going to look at historical documents through kind of a different lens. Some time has passed. This pope seems more willing to have the conversation than perhaps past popes. And so I think it's all a matter of how that commission comes together, what their findings are. And you do have a pope here who listens, who has spoken about the need to include women in the decision-making of the church in more substantial ways.
He's already said that. He's talking about the feminine genius. And so what we have to see is, does he then take that forward and say, well look -- we've come to a point where we can take the next step. Many are hoping he does take that step. Others are kind of afraid of it. They don't want to open the door to women. They're saying, the Catholic Church is the only church that has just male priests now, male celibate priests. We should stay that way. So there is this tension between the progressives and the traditionalists. We will have to see what this commission says and where the Pope winds up with it.
SIDNER: All right, thank you so much for joining us. Father Edward Beck, joining us from Martha's Vineyard. BECK: My pleasure, thank you.
VAUSE: And we'll take a short break. When we come back, voters heading to the polls in South Africa. What's at stake for the country's ruling party?
SIDNER: Plus, thousands are fleeing South Sudan, and even more are expected to leave. What's driving people from their homes? That's coming up as well.
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VAUSE: Recent violence in South Sudan's capital, Juba, is driving many out of the country. The U.N. refugee agency says 60,000 refugees have fled to nearby Uganda, and they're expecting more to arrive.
SIDNER: Officials say some of those refugees are suffering from severe malnutrition. Years of conflict have plagued South Sudan's economy, making it extremely difficult for millions of people to feed themselves.
At this hour in South Africa, polls are open for local elections that could reshape the country's politics.
VAUSE: Corruption and the economy are two issues in sharp focus as voters cast their ballots. Opinion polls show a close race in cities held by the ruling Africa National Congress.
SIDNER: Our CNN's David McKenzie has time to spend with us right now, standing at a polling station, as I understand it, in Soweto. Are you seeing a lot of people show up so far?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONENT: Well, what we're seeing, there is quite a few people showing up. It's early days, though, Sara and John, as people steam into the polls here for this election. In the past here in South Africa, people might have yawned a little bit at the prospect of a municipal election, but this is a crucial vote. And I want to take you inside this polling station. People have been lining up here before the poll even started. And more than 26 million people could be voting in this election. And as you mentioned, what is really up for grabs are the key urban centers, like Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay on the coast, and Swannee (ph), the capital.
Now, this would have been unthinkable that the ruling ANC could face a tough test, but it is, because of those issues you describe, of corruption. Issues with Jacob Zuma, the president, which he has faced a series of corruption scandals. And so the opposition parties have been right here in places like Soweto, canvassing for votes, which previously would have been a lock-up for the ANC. Sara --
SIDNER: David, you had talked yesterday about some pre-election violence that has happened. Can you give us some idea of what that was and exactly how it might impact this election?
MCKENZIE: Well, you saw more than a dozen politicians murdered, intentional, professional hits, in KwaZulu-Natal (ph) province. Now that really has rattled the ruling ANC because it's believed that those were internal hits because of factional fighting, according to the leadership. That has certainly cast a shadow over the elections in that part of the country. Overall, the lead-up to this election, very peaceful, but the significance is really important because though it's a local election, some are saying, this is the most important election since 1994, the first Democratic election in South Africa.
[01:45:01] Because for the first time, the Liberation Party, the ANC is facing a crucial test. They could lose some key urban centers. That might mean a sea change in South African politics.
SIDNER: How big of a deal is that, if the ANC ends up not winning?
MCKENZIE: Oh, it's a really big deal. Because if you look in the final rallies that we witnessed here over the weekend, you had the Democratic Alliance, an opposition party which started, frankly, as a white liberal party during the racist regime. They've broadened their support. They have a new black leader who is charismatic and popular. And they had thousands of people right here in Soweto right here in the areas that were famous for pushing against the apartheid regime. And they are gaining support in those areas. Whether they will lose, it's really too early to tell, but they're certainly going to have a tough fight. And we'll be following those results as they come up. Voting lasts will early evening here in South Africa, and then the counting will start in stations like this, all throughout the country. Sara --
SIDNER: All right, thank you so much. CNN's David McKenzie, live for us there inside a polling station in Soweto, South Africa.
VAUSE: We'll take a short break. When we come back, they call it love sick for a reason. Why a man from Poland waited more than a week in a Chinese airport for the girl of his dreams, only to end up in hospital (ph).
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VAUSE: The parents of late actor, Anton Yelchin, are suing the makers of his Jeep Cherokee, allegedly for his wrongful death. Yelchin played Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek reboot. He was killed after his car rolled unexpectedly in his driveway, pinning him to a gate.
SIDNER: The suit alleges Fiat Chrysler failed to take action even though it knew the car had a defective electronic transmission shift (ph). Yelchin's parents say they want to prevent similar tragedies.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is wrong. It's against nature when the parents bury its own child. That's why we hope that this lawsuit will make our family never go through the same hell we're going right now.
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SIDNER: The family's lawyer says Fiat Chrysler mailed Yelchin a letter seven days after his death saying his car was defective. VAUSE: How far are you willing to go for true love? Alexander Pieter
Cirk flew from the Netherlands to China to meet the woman of his dreams only to end up in hospital. He wasn't lovesick, though, but reportedly suffering exhaustion. He told Chinese media he met the woman known only as Zhang online two months ago and romance bloomed.
SIDNER: And so he decided to travel more than 5,400 miles, 8,700 kilometers, to meet her in person. But Ms. Zhang was a no-show when he arrived in Hunan. So he waited and waited and waited for ten days, eventually wheeled out of the terminal after he collapsed.
VAUSE: We're joined now by licensed psychotherapist and host of VH1's "Couples Therapy" Dr. Jenn Mann. Doctor, thanks for being with us. So, a bit of advice here, when is a good time to cut bait in a situation like this? What, day two, day four?
DOCTOR JENN MANN, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: I would say day one, an hour in before you got on the plane, actually. I mean, come on. They had only been interacting for two months online. This seems like kind of a bit of a catfish kind of situation.
SIDNER: OK, you're going to have to explain catfish. Because I know what that is, but there are people who don't.
MANN: Well, catfish is where someone creates an online profile in order to try to lure someone in, whether it is to get attention or to get money or to get something. And online dating is how most people these days meet people. Especially young people. And it is -- it's mainstream, and everyone -- there's kind of a spectrum of lies when it comes to online dating, whether it is, oh, yes, I Photoshopped my photo, or oh, lying by a couple years, or height or weight or that kind of thing, to the full-on catfisher, pretending to be someone that you're not. And it's hard to tell where on the spectrum this is, but it's not good.
VAUSE: I think this is an extreme case. OK, Alexander obviously missed out a few crucial steps along the way before jumping on the plane.
MANN: Yes, look, I think that we're all vulnerable to this, to some degree. And that we are in a society where people are very lonely, we want instant gratification, we want to be loved, we want attention. And I think that people don't know how to screen their partners well. I have a new book coming out called, "The Relationship Fix" where I talk a lot about that, because most people just want the instant gratification of love me, adore me, make me feel good, and they're not ready to do the work, both in terms of screening and in terms of how to have a relationship.
SIDNER: Is that because of online dating? There are people that have gotten married. I have a few friends who have.
MANN: Absolutely. Friends, I have clients -- it is a great way to meet people.
VAUSE: Did they fly 6,000 miles? MANN: We have to screen. This guy was interactive with her for about
two months and then hopped on a plane and sat in an airport for ten days. That tells us a lot about his psychology, and that something's not quite right there with him.
VAUSE: Some people on Weibo (ph), which is the Chinese version of Twitter, have been less than kind. They've suggesting that maybe she did actually show up, took one look at him, and decided to cut and run.
MANN: You know, my impression from this is that that's -- I don't know that she was ever planning to show up for him. And -- look, the photos I saw that he showed on his phone, they look like fake pictures. They look like, if you Googled cute Chinese girl, you would find this and you'd put it in your profile and you'd send it to someone to get them to come to the airport to meet you and maybe give you a few bucks.
SIDNER: Yes, that's the other thing, I think -- people need to know how to be a little bit of a detective if you're just doing this online, correct?
[01:54:50] MANN: Absolutely. And in this day and age, if you're interacting with someone over time, they're not giving you their phone number, they're not Skyping with you or Facetiming with you -- like, everybody does that in this day and age. They're not showing you that they are who they say they are, something's wrong. I had an incident happen about eight years ago where I got phone calls from men where someone was pretending to be me and had lured these guys in using my photos and then had asked them for -- I'm in Nigeria, please send money. And then when it came out that it wasn't me, the person sent other pictures that were clearly not real pictures -- again, they were like model pictures. But people are desperate for love. And some of these men were married guys. It's amazing.
VAUSE: This is sad, what happened to this guy. I mean, he's traveled all that way. He ended up in a hospital. Apparently he's back now in Holland. When say, media reached Ms. Zhang, she said that she was out getting plastic surgery or something and she had her phone switched off. Whether or not that's true, we don't know. But this could have ended up, actually, a lot worse, couldn't it? Because these situations can actually end up being quite dangerous.
MANN: It absolutely could be quite dangerous. And the first thing that went through my mind is, where did she get the money for that plastic surgery? Did she get it from him? Was this part of her scam? But the whole thing is very fishy, that she didn't show up. I wonder if she's even who she says she is.
VAUSE: If she's a she.
MANN: Absolutely. And also, it's the reverse when it comes to gender. When a woman goes somewhere to meet a man she doesn't know, it can be very dangerous. It can result in assault.
SIDNER: This seems like one of those extreme cases of, when you were a young girl, not talking about myself, but maybe I am, and you're waiting for the phone to ring, like, maybe he got into an accident, maybe somebody stole his phone, maybe his phone died, maybe you come up with a million things --
VAUSE: Just wait a little longer.
SIDNER: But 10 days seems extreme.
MANN: It is extreme and there's something very wrong with this picture. Very wrong.
VAUSE: Doctor, thank you for coming in.
MANN: My pleasure.
VAUSE: Thank you for the advice. It's good advice. Anybody out there on the internet looking for love, be careful.
SIDNER: Do your detective work. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm Sara Sidner.
VAUSE: I'm John Vause. We'll be back (inaudible) news and dating and relationship advice right after this.
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