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Trump Nominates Gen. James "Mad Dog" Mattis as Defense Secretary; Former NFL Player Joe McKnight Shot, Killed. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired December 02, 2016 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00] BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So it's not as if they will be able to reach a decision themselves. That's what the judge wants from them in this case -- Brooke?

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Keep us apprised, of course, if the jurors have more questions today. We'll stay in close contact with you.

Boris Sanchez, thank you so much here as this story absolutely gripped that community in north Charleston and the nation.

Paul and Danny, thank you as well.

Quick break. we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

He's known as "Mad Dog" or the "Warrior Monk." He's the chosen defense secretary. The president-elect last night revealed his pick of retired Marine Corps General James Mattis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PERSIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't want to tell you this because I want to save the suspense for next week. We are going to appoint "Mad Dog" Mattis ---

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: -- as secretary of defense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[14:35:15] BALDWIN: How about this for a resume? The four-star general has served 44 years in the military. He is known for some colorful language. Apparently, 11 years ago, he said, quote, "It's fun to shoot then, you know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people."

But he's credited for his leadership in the battle of Fallujah and cherished words of encouragement to his troops. He wrote this letter to Marines one day before beginning the 2003 assault into Iraq. He wrote in part, quote, "You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit. Demonstrate to the world there is no better friend, no worse enemy than a U.S. Marine."

With me now, Staff Sergeant Richard Ammandor, who was part of the battalion providing security for General Mattis in Fallujah. he served three deployments under General Mattis. And Trump has called Mattis "the real deal." Also with me, Elise Labott, CNN global affairs correspondent.

But, Sergeant, first and foremost, thank you so much for your service to this country.

And, please, just tell me about your experience with General Mattis.

STAFF SGT. RICHARD AMMANDOR, U.S. MARINE CORPS VETERAN (voice-over): Well, first of all, thank you for having me on.

I'm honored to be able to speak on behalf of General Mattis. My experience that the Marine Corps, he instilled a leader's leader mentality. Never did he separate enlisted from commission. Never broke down ranks for us. Always very encouraging. And always pushed on to us be polite, to be professional, but to have a plan to kill everybody we meet. And as harsh as that sounds, it was true. We had to, especially when we in Iraq for the initial push, then Fallujah, and then my third tour into Fallujah as well. We always had to have that plan "B" just in case because they didn't give us forewarning that something was going to come down, the enemy, that is. So, we -- it was something we learned to live by. And, you know, he always motivated us and pushed us to be brilliant at the basics. Everybody had their job, and as long as we did it, we were a machine, and machines couldn't be stopped if we were doing our part.

So, I think he doesn't get the best rap because, you know, certain quotes that he may have said -- but I don't have any issue with explaining how compassionate of a man he is, as well. On a personal level, a couple years ago, my wife and I lost our seven-month-old daughter --

BALDWIN: Oh, I'm so sorry.

AMMANDOR: -- suddenly. I had been out of the Marine Corps for a couple years and he had already been retired as well. And I get a phone call from General Mattis. And I missed the first phone call. He left me a message, demanded I call him back. We played phone tag a couple times and we finally connected. And for him to take the time out of his day to assure me that, you know, things are going to be OK, it just proved to me what kind of man he really is, outside of being a Marine first, and to have that balance of compassion, plus the leadership he has, he's going to do great in a position that he's going to be in.

BALDWIN: Appreciate you sharing that story, Sergeant Ammandor. I'm sorry for your loss. But that does show the measure of a man. I have more for you. But, Elise Labott, let me bring you in because we know General Mattis will be the highest-ranking officer to become secretary of defense in more than half a century. His appointment hinges on Congress. Congress has to waive a rule prohibiting those who have been in active duty for the past seven years, and he's only been out, what, three?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPODNENT: That's right, Brooke. And this would be historic, not since George Marshall has someone of this rank been serving as secretary of defense and certainly someone who's so recently in the military.

And it's so interesting that General Mattis recently came out with a book with Corey Shanky (ph), of the Hoover Institution, where General Mattis has been working for several years, about the relationship between the civilian population and the military. And I want to read a quick quote.

BALDWIN: Sure.

LABOTT: He was really talking about how he complained that politicians had relied too much on military commanders to make the case for policies. He was writing in his book lot of times, "Military commanders have a responsibility to carry out and advocate the president's policies, and a lot of times politicians rely too much on the military."

So, it's very interesting that General Mattis has been thinking a lot about these questions.

He's known as someone who not only, as the sergeant said talking about, military leaders, but also someone who's studied about military thinking, military history, someone who's seen as strategic in the region.

I don't think he'll have any problem getting this waiver from Congress. You've heard several Congressmen talk about how this shouldn't be a problem. There are some Democrats and others that are worried about civilian control of the military but certainly General Mattis is seen as someone who could provide the kind of leadership that President-elect Trump is looking for.

[14:40:55] BALDWIN: We did hear a bit of opposition from Senator Gillibrand saying she would vote against the waiver, saying civilian control of our military is a fundamental principle of American democracy.

Sergeant Ammandor, I want to get back to you. We know President-elect Trump told "The New York Times" recent he was -- his word was "surprised" and "impressed" -- when General Mattis told him that he never found torture useful. The quote was, "I've always found give me a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers and I do better than that than with torture."

What do you make of that? And how has he dealt with complex issues like that? AMMANDOR: Well, to be completely honest with you, I'm not even sure I

understand your question. So, I think I'll keep that opinion to myself without just muddying the waters to be completely honest with you.

BALDWIN: I think the quote is significant when they had an on-the- record meeting at "The New York Times," because of what we heard from Mr. Trump on the campaign trail about torture and maybe trying to bring it back. And I think essentially what the general is saying maybe you don't need it -- I'm pretty powerful - paraphrasing -- give me cigarettes and a couple beers and I can do much better. Perhaps even changing Mr. Trump's views on torture.

Let me move off that and ask you a just a final, just a final comment or story with your experience in battle with the general.

AMMANDOR: Well, just to go back to what you were just talking about -- and I'm glad you paraphrased that -- made me understand better.

BALDWIN: No problem.

AMMANDOR: I agree. I think he is so intelligence and well-spoken that he could -- he could do it with a bag of cigarettes and a six pack of beer and convince somebody to give the information needed versus having to torture. So, I have confidence in that statement.

Now you quoted him earlier and what's always stuck with me is he always pushed on to us to use our brains before our weapons. We always had to train for that, know what's in our sight, but beyond our sights, and that always made us engage in -- engage our brains before making a decision on the battlefield. And that just goes to show how intelligent the man really is if he can do that to such a spread-wide corps and get everybody thinking along the same line and truly believe that or make us believe that. We were there to help and when we went -- when we went into Iraq during the initial push. One of the things I do remember him telling us when we were at RCT-7 was that we were there to liberate, help a people, we were not to conquer. So, he made it clear to us that -- what the mission was, so there was no blurred line there. So, I think it speaks volumes of him on how he can get his point across and make others understand it, to buy into the program, and make sure that we all came back in one piece. And his mission was to get the job done but bring everybody back home to their families.

BALDWIN: "Engage your brain before you engage your weapon, fight with a happy heart and strong spirit," words of General Mattis, the next potential secretary of defense in this administration.

Staff Sergeant, I cannot thank you enough for your service and your voice. Thank you.

And, Elise Labott, thank you very much as well.

AMMANDOR: Thank you very much.

[14:44:45] BALDWIN: You got it. Coming up here, a former NFL football player shot and killed. The

sheriff's office holding a news conference right now says it might have been all because of road rage. Why the man who police say pulled the trigger is walking free. It's sparking extraordinary reaction, including from some former teammates. We'll talk to one of them coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We're following news that it was road rage that may have led to the shooting of a former NFL football player. Joe McKnight was shot and killed during an argument in the middle of the afternoon at an intersection just outside of New Orleans. Police say when they arrived on the scene, Ronald Gasser, a 54-year-old man, who pulled the trigger -- he was still there -- he has turned his weapon over to police. McKnight was still barely clinging to life and no gun was found on his body. He died at the scene.

The sheriff holding a news conference just a little while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[14:50:06] NEWELL NORMAND, SHERIFF, JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANIA, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Mr. Gasser did not stand over Mr. McKnight and fire shots into him. The three casings were located within the vehicle. Mr. Gasser was in the vehicle -- in his vehicle when he fired three shots.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That news has sent shock waves throughout the NFL community.

Reggie Bush, running back for the Buffalo Bills, and also knows Joe McKnight, knew Joe McKnight. They graduated from USC. They played ball there but not at the same time. Reggie's tweet reads, "He didn't deserve to die that way. And then this man stands over him and shoots him again like some kind of wild animal. Sickening."

Listen, there's a lot of information we don't know. You heard from the sheriff's department.

But let me bring Reggie in. Reggie Bush is on the phone with me.

Reggie, I am so sorry that this has happened to Joe. Can you, first, just tell me how you found out?

REGGIE BUSH, BUFFALO BILLS RUNNING BACK (voice-over): Well, I first found out through some friends. I stay in contact a lot of my buddies that I played with and that I went to school with at USC. And right when -- I found out through one of my friends and it sent shock waves through everybody else, all of our teammate, coaches, people that play with him, that knew him, Rex Ryan, our head coach at Buffalo. I think they drafted him, so he knew him very well. Our offensive coordinator was his running back coach so a lot of people knew him. And it sent shock waves, I think, through a lot of us, because we knew who he was, we knew the type of person that he was. And it's just disheartening. It's saddening to hear that a young man, 28 years old, who had a lot -- a bright future, whether on or off the football field to die in the way he died.

BALDWIN: Will you tell me about him?

BUSH: I'm sorry, can you say that again?

BALDWIN: Tell me about him, Reggie. Tell me a story, tell me what kind of man he was.

BUSH: Well, Joe McKnight came into USC after me. I was already gone, so I didn't get a chance to say with him, but from meeting him and talking to him, he was an exceptional young man who loved football. He played very well at USC and obviously had a good NFL career.

I know he had a son. Me and Joe weren't extremely close but in the times that I got a chance to talk to him and hang out with him a little bit, just a very down to earth kind of soft spoken young man and just a great kid. I'd always been a fan of his, watching what he did on the football field at USC and also with New York Jets.

And it's funny today I got a chance to speak with the running back coach about him and just talk about some stories, and it's just a great kid, and it's very sad. Obviously, sad about it and hurt.

I would ask everybody to pray for his parents and his son who's going to have to grow up without a father, and his brothers and sisters and cousins and all the people who helped raise him, the ones that I'm praying for.

BALDWIN: Lastly, Reggie, and there's still so many blanks in this whole story. We know the guy who shot and killed him hasn't been charged. The sheriff's department still investigating. Apparently, the shooter fired his gun from within his car, all over road rage, broad daylight.

BUSH: Yeah, it makes no sense. And I think one of my tweets that I posted last night was, "How can two men not come to an agreement on something or not be able to just talk out their differences like men using their words so that both people go home safely to their families, to their kids or their wives or whomever, you know?" And it just seems unreal because, for me, we just had to bury one of my ex- teammates, Will Smith, who went through a very similar situation because of road rage. And Will was shot and killed. His wife, Raquel, was shot I think twice. And this was just six, seven months ago, we had to bury Will. And that was tough for all of us so to see this happen again in the same city, that there's something that needs to be done because it's not OK to for road rage or whatever happens between people and somebody ends up losing their life. That's not OK.

[14:55:33] And I have to admit when I heard today that the guy was released without charges, I was pretty angry. And I still am pretty angry. And I'm not sure what all the details of the situation are but I know that it just doesn't make sense.

BALDWIN: It doesn't at all.

Reggie, thank you for your voice and taking the time.

BUSH: You're welcome.

BALDWIN: I'm sorry. You're right, prayers to the family, thoughts for the family on an extraordinarily tough day, and to his son.

Reggie Bush, thank you.

BUSH: Thank you.

BALDWIN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:10] BALDWIN: You are watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for being with me.

We are keeping a close watch --