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Report: Woman in Labor Caught in Bombing On Way to Hospital; Giuliani Fuels Unfounded Clinton Health Rumors; Pregnant Women Taking Precautions in Miami; President Obama Will Be in Louisiana Getting a Firsthand Look at The Flood Devastation; Disabled Kids Experience Healing Power of Horses; 60,000 Homes Damaged or Destroyed in Louisiana Flood. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired August 22, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] NIMA ELBAJIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Parading these children and their brainwashing in front of their recruitment cameras has now become actually a real need. While they save the more experienced soldiers to fight actually in the front lines, what they're increasingly doing, we're seeing, is that they're using them as suicide bombers. As you saw that young boy in the north of Iraq, as we have seen when we visited the front lines in Iraq the soldiers there describe the horror of trying to hold back the initial waves of the suicide bombers which are generally populated by young children.

But, of course, children are being caught on either side of this conflict, not just in Iraq but in Syria. And we spoke last week about the five-year-old boy whose picture just reverberated around the world. We want to show you something else. A story with a little more hope in it. This time it's the story of a mother who is actually hit by an air strike on her way to the hospital.

Both baby and mother miraculously, Brooke, survived. This is a difficult watch, I want to warn our viewers, please take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELBAJIR: Two lives. One heart beat sustaining both. Mehsa is nine months pregnant, she was already on her way to the hospital when the air strike hit. Her arm and leg are broken. Her belly sprayed with shrapnel. But what about her baby? Mehsa's wail pierces the silence.

The doctors keep on going. The baby out into the bright lights. Silent and still. They fight on. The little chest pummeled, up and down, harder and harder. His airways cleared, anything and everything. Then, a flutter. Blood in the umbilical cord. Color floods his little body, cries of "god is great" break the tension.

A moment of triumph over the specter of greedy death, stalking the city's streets. A moment that here in Aleppo must be waged again and again.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ELBAJIR: You saw how hard the doctors there fought and this is how hard they're fighting for every single life inside Aleppo, every life lucky enough to make its way to the hospital but not everyone is saved, Brooke.

BALDWIN: To hear that baby finally scream is everything. Nima, thank you for sharing their story. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:35:00] BALDWIN: Former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani is doubling down on unfounded theories about Clinton's health. Rudy Giuliani fueling the rumors on Fox News telling people to google it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FOX NEWS REPORTER: Her campaign, a number of people defending her saying there's nothing factual about the claims and that speculation at best.

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR, NEW YORK CITY: Go on line and put down "Hillary Clinton illness" and look at the videos for yourself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Giuliani speculated this morning telling Fox he thinks Hillary Clinton is tired and that she looks sick. His comments come as conservative media outlets continue to spread old photos and debunked reports surrounding Clinton's medical records. Let's talk to two people who know Giuliani very well, CNN analyst and editor in chief of the Daily Beast, John Avalon served as chief speech writer for Giuliani as mayor, and former aide and Republican strategist Susan Del Percio.

Great to have you on. John I wanted to go to you first. As Giuliani's speech writer, talk about a time when New York need him, 9/11. The speeches you wrote, the obits you wrote at a time the "New York Times" referred to him then as the Giuliani we always wanted, historical, potentially presidential. Now with these comments, John Avalon, what has happened?

JOHN AVALON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Look, I -- I don't think this chapter defines Rudy's record. I was proud to work for Rudy Giuliani, I think he saved New York City and set a model that helped save urban America and I have a lot of affection and respect for Rudy Giuliani. It's no secret I disagree with him politically in this presidential election,

And I don't think he's doing himself any favors right now or being his best self but I sincerely hope this chapter as acting as a Trump surrogate where he's frequently called on to defend the indefensible does not reflect or overshadow the great good he's done the city of New York and the country.

[15:40:00] BALDWIN: Turning to you, he says this won't define him, Giuliani, Cobb would disagree if you read his New Yorker piece about calling this the appalling last act of Giuliani.

SUSAN DEL PERCIO, FORMER AIDE TO RUDY GIULIANI: I am not sure exactly what happened. I'm not a medical doctor and Rudy Giuliani was a tremendous prosecutor, fantastic mayor and wonderful leader.

BALDWIN: It's unsubstantiated.

DEL PERCIO: He has not added medical doctor so he should not be talking about these things.

BALDWIN: What's happening, why is he doing this?

DEL PERCIO: I think he gets very -- he likes to really back whoever he gets behind them 100% and this is an unfortunate turn. I'd rather go back to what Kellyanne Conway said where she wants to stay focused on the issues. Maybe not everyone in the campaign and all the surrogates are not on the same page but hopefully they will and talk about Trump's immigration policy and education the following week because that's where a campaign needs to go.

They need to have everyone on the same page and this is a huge distraction from the Trump campaign that they don't need when they're trying to base their campaign on issues.

BALDWIN: John, I feel the respect for this man pouring out of both of you.

DEL PERCIO: Absolutely, he is so wonderful

BALDWIN: But at the same time, John Avalon, you can understand why folks are now saying what's going on with Rudy Giuliani to come on national TV over and over, forgetting the timing of 9/11 and wondering this is the man who led New York and the nation in a sense during such a pivotal moment in our history?

AVALON: It is the same man and you know Rudy Giuliani, no question he's gotten more conservative over time and he's seeing his role as being someone trying to defend the Republican nominee and what he sees as an even worse alternative in Hillary Clinton. But people need to also remember that Rudy Giuliani is somebody who early on was a strong defender of immigrants' rights and gay rights and pro-choice in a Republican party.

And in an earlier incarnation of Donald Trump vociferously condemned voices like Pat Buchanan when they tried to demonize along the lines of difference. This is a highly charged presidential campaign and Rudy is being called on to defend the indefensible. It doesn't reflect his best self but it should not define him in the totality of his career. I disagree with him intensely on this particular presidential campaign but it's important for us as Americans to realize that we can disagree intensely about politics without having it overshadow the person entirely.

BALDWIN: Final question to you, Susan, I hear John saying he hopes this doesn't define him. Again Giuliani, Cobb calls him, this is last appalling act. Let's say moving forward if Trump doesn't win, what happens with Rudy Giuliani?

DEL PERCIO: Well, he continues his work in his firm and he goes and he will speak on behalf of other candidates. I agree with John absolutely. This is not a defining moment for Rudy Giuliani. As a matter of fact, when you take this campaign so far in totality, Trump is really going to be the person we remember from this campaign win or lose.

So you'll see Rudy Giuliani continue to do what he does and after the campaign is over whether he serves under a Trump administration if Trump loses he'll go back to what he has doing.

BALDWIN: Okay, Susan Del Percio thank you. John Avalon at the Beast, thank you so much as well.

Coming up next, we'll move away from politics for a moment and talk about what's happening in Miami. Pregnant women in Miami going to great lengths to avoid getting bites from mosquitos and now that dozens of cases of the Zika virus have been diagnosed we want to talk live with a woman who has largely quarantined herself in her own home to protect her unborn baby. We'll talk to her live.

[15:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The impact of Zika on most people who get it it's often minimal but if you are pregnant the stakes are much, much higher since it's been linked to devastating birth defects. The CDC says pregnant women and their partners should avoid two neighborhoods in Miami where the virus has spread.

So it's perhaps not surprising that a number of expectant moms in south Florida are changing their daily lives dramatically to avoid mosquito bites. My next guest is one of those people. Amanda Paradiz joins us now from Ft. Lauderdale from the confines of your home. Amanda, congrats on soon to be baby number one. You're 17 weeks pregnant. Talk to me about the measures you are taking to avoid a mosquito bite.

AMANDA PARADIZ, FLORIDA RESIDENT 17 WEEKS PREGNANT WITH FIRST CHILD: All right, it's definitely been an interesting one. As you know, living in south Florida it's extremely hot. I can't walk out of my house unless I'm covered from head to toe, so long pants, long sleeves, bug spray on the clothes, on the exposed limbs.

You know, keeping it to a minimum, really just to and from the car, to and from -- unless -- when it's urgent, if I have got to run an errand I don't -- I won't not go but just choosing wisely as to what it is I'm doing every day.

BALDWIN: So not only that and mind you south Florida it's hot so knowing you're covering yourself from head to toe isn't lost on me, A, and, B, you live in Ft. Lauderdale, you had a full time sales job where had to Miami quite a bit. You have altered your work flow to avoid that, yes?

PARADIZ: That is correct. I covered all of Miami Dade County for work and my husband and I had a lot of discussions about it, and we just didn't feel comfortable having to go there every day anymore. I did spend a decent amount of time outdoors going to and from my buildings where I needed to be for meetings et cetera.

[15:50:00] And it wasn't a risk we were willing to take so luckily I work for an amazing organization who is very respectful and accommodating, and they gave me a part time position where I will be working from home so big changes there as well.

BALDWIN: So here's my question. Is this -- all of these measures you're taking, is this from your doctor or are you and your husband being overly cautious?

PARADIZ: It's a little bit of both, you know, the doctor definitely looked us in the eye and said you are at risk, there's no doubt about it, but this was more of a family decision, a family choice. It's just -- it's not worth it to us. All it takes is one, it takes one mosquito bit and our entire lives could be impacted so this was the best and easiest decision for us to make, actually.

BALDWIN: Final question, just quickly. What's the sense among moms to be because I see pictures, people still partying in South Beach where Zika has been found? What is the sense among moms to be where you are?

PARADIZ: It's frightening. There are some moms, and it depend on their situation, everyone is doing what they feel is necessary. Some people don't leave the house at all. Some people, like me, are covered head to toe, even though a million degrees outside. Some people I've heard, no one I know personally, but they are leaving the state. It is really a scary, scary thing. And you know, unless you are pregnant, I don't think you're thinking twice about it because, why would you, really?

BALDWIN: What does your husband say?

PARADIZ: He is actually -- he was more concerned at the beginning than I was, to be honest. I don't think I realized the severity. Probably like some other women out there. But we really just kind of came together and once I started doing more research and realizing there are so many more cases now, local cases, it really got me and him too. He walks the dog now. I don't walk the dog. He wears a hoody and sweat pants once again 100 degrees outside just to walk the dog because he has to stay safe too.

BALDWIN: Five months to go, Amanda. Good luck. My best of luck and congratulations. Such a huge deal. Thank you.

This time tomorrow, President Obama will be in Louisiana getting a first-hand look at devastating impact of the historic floods there. Coming up next, CNN shares a story of one of the 60,000 families who has just begun the long process of rebuilding.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:00] BALDWIN: Want to take a moment to introduce you to a CNN hero, a farmer who is anything but retired. For 20 years Harry Swimmer has introduced hundreds of children with disabilities to the healing power of horses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRY SWIMMER, INTRODUCES CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO HORSES: Horses are very special animals. People just don't realize it. What

do you say now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Walk on.

SWIMMER: That's my girl. We had a child on a horse who had a seizure and that horse stopped dead in his tracks. When nobody else noticed it, the horse caught it first.

BALDWIN: You can watch his entire story and more awesome videos of his healing horses. See it on CNNheros.com. And while there, please nominate someone to be a 2017 CNN hero.

Before I let you go and turn you over to my friend, John Berman, President Obama set to visit Baton Rouge, Louisiana tomorrow in the wake of the catastrophic flooding there. And just a couple hours ago, Hillary Clinton announced she will travel to Louisiana as well. "I quote a time when the presence of a political campaign will not disrupt the response", end quote.

That is a jab at Donald Trump who last week traveled down there with his running mate, delivered an 18-wheeler full of relief supplies in a visit that Democratic governor described as helpful. But much more important than the political back and forth, the human impact there in Louisiana. More than 60,000 homes have been damaged or just totally destroyed. CNN's Polo Sandoval caught up with a family just getting home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DREW LEBLANC, GONZALES, LOUISIANA FLOOD VICTIM: This is where the kitchen was right here. The water got up to about 2 1/2 foot in the house.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Step through Drew Leblanc's door in the city of Gonzales and you will see what hundreds of homes in southern Louisiana look like today. A bare interior stripped of any comforts of home.

LEBLANC: We had gut everything totally in the house.

SANDOVAL: Leblanc only saved what he and his son could carry out as the water approached his doorstep last Monday. Most of what was left behind had to be discarded and now sits soaked in the front lawn.

AMBER LEBLANC, FLOOD VICTIM: It happened fast. It is sad. You do what you got to do. We saved a lot. Thanks to him and my brother, they put everything as high as they could.

SANDOVAL: Leblanc saved his family and small irreplaceable items, including his mother in law's albums.

DREW LEBLANC: Her stuff she kept in this blue tote. I said -- we need to get that. So I felt bad the next day because I didn't want it destroyed. I said, I'm going back, I don't care how deep it is, to get her things that she wanted.

[16:00:00] This is a damn shame.

SANDOVAL: Leblanc used his cell phone to capture the return home along with his son.

DREW LEBLANC: I didn't even remember it was his birthday because of all the trauma going on. Happy birthday to you.