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Delivery Van Plows into Crowd in Muenster, Germany; Lawyers Prepare Trump for Possible Interview with Special Council; National Guard Troops Begin Arriving at U.S./Mexican Border; Trump Says He Didn't Know about Payment to Stormy Daniels; Jason Clarke Talks "Chappaquiddick". Aired 3-4p ET

Aired April 07, 2018 - 15:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:12] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: You are live in the NEWSROOM. Good afternoon on this Saturday. I'm Ana Cabrera, in New York.

We have breaking news overseas. Several people are dead and injured after a sudden and violent attack that police are say looks deliberate. It happened in Muenster, Germany, near the Dutch border. A delivery van plowing into a crowd of people. Three people are dead, at least 30 people are injured, some in critical condition. Witnesses say that a van smashed into the open-air terrace of a busy restaurant. The driver of the van is also dead. Police say he committed suicide after the crash.

Julian Reichelt is joining us. He is editor-in-chief of the German newspaper, "Bild."

Julian, it's soon after this horrific incident. What do the German police know about the man who did this, and is there any explanation as to why?

JULIAN REICHELT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, BILD: There's no explanation as to why yet. And in fact, the very inconclusive picture that we are talking about a middle-aged man here, 48, 49 years old, German descent, and no criminal record. Some reports about psychological condition, but nothing confirmed there yet, no person who has ever committed any crime or any offense. From talking to the neighbors and the surroundings are that we have learned that there's nothing special about him. That's what everyone said. It appears that he used his camping van, which had stickers on it from various locations where he had been camping. It could not be more ordinary. And then, this day, and what he turned this day into could not be more horrific.

CABRERA: What do the witnesses say happened? Does it appear that he deliberately targeted that restaurant or do they say it looks more like a random target of opportunity?

REICHELT: No, it would not be a target of opportunity in that area, because we are talking about the old town in the city of Muenster. It has narrow streets. It is not easily accessible. It is not where you would just pass by or drive by. It is probably chosen deliberately. It was not an easy attack target for the attack, because it is the one spot where you have a high density of people on a beautiful, as it was today here in Germany, sitting out there, enjoying. It's the first real day of spring with the high temperatures. So if you wanted to pick a target like this, this is the spot in the city of Muenster.

CABRERA: The attackers have used vehicles as deadly weapons before, too often sadly. It happened in Germany a couple of years ago in Berlin. Are the police making any comparisons between the two attacks?

REICHELT: No, they are not inviting these comparisons because, in the past, this has been the signature or the footprint of Islamic- motivated attacks, as we have seen Berlin of the Berlin Christmas market. So they are trying to stay away from the comparisons, because, from what we know right now, there's no Islamist motivation behind this, and they are not want to make any connection in that way.

CABRERA: And we are looking at live pictures of the scene. Obviously, the investigation. That area blocked off

Julian Reichelt, thank you for the update, with the latest information from German for us.

REICHELT: Thank you.

CABRERA: I have two CNN national security analysts with us now to talk with us more about this. Juliette Kayyem is a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, and Samantha Vinograd is a former national security advisor under President Obama.

Juliette, the police announced quickly this was a deliberate attack. Are there any signs that will help them determine if this is terror related?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes, and they may be there already, just reading and listening to the German authorities. They know who it is, and he has likely encountered the German law enforcement before. And they do want to quell the notion that this is ISIS inspired. So it is a difficult situation to assess right now, because, of course, this is purposeful and a form of terror, but the motivation matters to Germany and to the citizens of Germany. If it were ISIS-related, which it appears it is not, you would be worried about copycats or others who are radicalized. This does appear to be a person who used the methods that we have come to know as ISIS-type methods but have used them because of a different motivation. Of course, we will learn more over the next 48 to 72 hours, but the Germans are insistent on not reaching conclusions at this stage. I think they're right about that.

CABRERA: We don't want to jump to any collusions either, because we have not confirmed the information you passed along that you are hearing in terms of the German media channels.

But, Samantha, in this case, we know that the driver killed himself after this initial attack with the van. What happens next as far as determining who he is and what the motivation might be?

[15:05:16] SAMANTHA VINOGRAD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Whether this is a mental health incident or a terrorism-related incident, one of the things that the law enforcement and intelligence officials are doing is looking at the digital footprint. As Julian said, it is a narrow street, this was deliberate, it was planned in advance. Was there anything that he did, whether speaking with others or online or in person, where he tried to figure out which restaurant to target? Was he Googling locations? How did he rent this vehicle, if he rented it? Was he in touch with anybody else? Was he looking, for example, of news stories about vehicular incidents in Berlin and Stockholm. The digital component of this is going to be very important.

CABRERA: That Berlin incident and we have mentioned ate coed it a couple of times, Juliette, it was December 12th when a truck drove through market in Berlin. What do we know about the uptick in this specific style of attack, specifically in Europe?

KAYYEM: It is a big challenge for the city planners and mayors and local public safety. We deal with it here in the homeland. Because the challenge is, of course, how do you minimize the risk, but also let the people live the lives they want. Because those of us who live in the cities want to be out on the spring night and enjoying ourselves, so that the more security that you put into the infrastructure, the less vibrant that the cities will be. And so it is a constant balance in terms of the kinds of threats that we are facing. Look, narrow streets, Saturday night, and unless you are willing to close off a city, which no mayor is going to be willing to do, there are going to be vulnerabilities. There are architectural changes that cities are making, for example, planters in streets so that someone cannot drive too far, see something/say something, and other aspects of trying to put up defenses without closing off urban areas. Unfortunately, it's a risk. But we have to remember, there are benefits to living in cities as well.

CABRERA: And again, we don't know what influences there are here, Samantha, but because this was a tactic that we are have seen terrorists use in the past, what do we know about the terror influence, I guess, in this part of Germany?

VINOGRAD: Well, Germany, it is interesting when you look at the political context in Germany. Chancellor Merkel has come under serious, serious criticism for her immigration policy and her refugee policy. She let in a large number of refugees and migrants over the past several years, and she lost a lot of seats in the last election. The far right and ultra-nationalists parties in Germany have criticized against her openness to letting in immigrants and refugees and have linked it to terrorist incidents. So, again, we don't know if this is a terror attack. It appears that a German national perpetrated this. But there has been an uptick in ISIS and Islamic- inspired attacks in Europe, in Germany, in France, in the U.K., and so I think we will see this narrative, unfortunately, continue.

And to Julia's point, a car can easily become a means of terror or terrorism. So whether this was terrorism or mental health, what were the warning signs. Is it possible that this individual decided to take a vehicle deliberately, and to the murder people on a Saturday night without anybody else knowing? To me, that is the key questions that we can try to prevent these attacks going forward.

CABRERA: And we hear soft targets frequently.

Juliette, quick update. We are learning, of the three people that died, and that included the driver and the attacker in the case. We wanted to pass along that information.

Real quick, I want to ask a follow-up. As far as using the vehicles for the attack, how do you try to prevent something like this from happening, and based on what you are hearing in the law enforcement circles, what is be being done to, I guess, prepare for the next one, sadly?

KAYYEM: Well, there's a couple of things. So, if someone owns their own vehicle, which is what I think that is what is reported right now, that is difficult, because they don't have a touch point in which there's some exposure or someone who is knowing what the motivation is. To Sam's point, that is where you are looking to the family and friends to see whether there was any moment that someone could have stepped in. Did he say anything to anyone? Did he leave any materials for anyone?

But what we are doing in Western Europe and the United States, of course, is to look at the rental agencies. There's a lot of training -- people don't know this -- of rental agencies and car agencies, to tell people what they should be looking for if people are paying in cash or leaving -- unable to leave I.D., to prepare, potentially, the private sector, which is the point that this person may be, you know, sort of planning an event or renting a car or renting a van, to educate them. But, of course, it is really difficult. I mean when you are thinking about how many people own car, it is a difficult thing to be able to get it at the moment that you need to. And that is why, you know, family and friends become key in the radicalization issues, whether it is terrorism or mental illness, because more likely than not, as we might find in this case, someone knew. And often, as we see, he may have encountered law enforcement in a variety of capacities before. If not him, then people around him may have.

[15:10:25] CABRERA: Juliette Kayyem and Samantha Vinograd, thank you, ladies. Great to have your take.

Coming up, a CNN exclusive. The president's layers preparing him for a possible interview with the special counsel. How high are the stakes?

And later, he played Ted Kennedy in the new film about the infamous Chappaquiddick scandal. Hear why Jason Clarke thinks the movie is politically relevant today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:14:55] CABRERA: This is a CNN exclusive. We are reporting that President Trump's lawyers have begun preparing him for a possible interview with special counsel, Robert Mueller. This preparation, although in its infancy, according to a source, is the clearest sign yet that the president's team is open to the idea of a sit-down.

For his part, the president, at least publicly, has said multiple time he is willing to talk to Mueller under oath.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, would you still like to testify in front of the special counsel, Robert Mueller, sir?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: I would like to.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Would you be willing to speak under oath to give your version of --

TRUMP: One hundred percent.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you going to talk to Mueller?

TRUMP: I am looking forward to it actually.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And to reach a higher standard, you would do it under oath?

TRUMP: Oh, I would do it under oath.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Let's bring in our panel. With us, CNN political analyst, Ryan Lizza, and CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, Laura Coates.

Laura, when we talk about prepping for an interview, what would that look like initially?

LAURA COATES, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, first, you decide what the parameters will be and how it would take place. For example, is it going to be with an interview between counsel, who is allowed to be present with President Trump, or in front of the grand jury. The latter is not the ideal scenario for the president of the United States because, in the grand jury, he has the potential to go rogue and not have attorneys in the room. So likely to have an interview of Mueller and the investigative team with his counsel present to defend and advise the president of the United States, and perhaps as to the questions they want asked and the categories of information and the length and the duration of it. All of it is critical in deciding if the president of the United States wants to sit down voluntarily or whether he is ultimately going to have to be subpoenaed by the special counsel.

CABRERA: And, Ryan, a source familiar with this is saying that the efforts to prepare the president is in its infancy. What does that tell you? RYAN LIZZA, CNN POLILTICAL ANALYST: I have checked with sources and

they are confirming that, yes, indeed, they are preparing him. And describing it as common sense. In other words, that, of course, they're doing this. Whether they have finalized an agreement to meet with him or not, it makes sense to have somje preparations to perhaps see how the president would handle, you know, the barrage of the questions, to do some murder boarding, and to get a sense of how he holds up when they have some people playing the role of the prosecutor asking him some of these difficult questions. So I don't think that it is telling us that he is actually 100 percent decided to do it, but it seems like, they are getting closer.

I mean, if he resists this, just politically, I mean, I know that we are in a different political world now, but previously, it was sort of unfathomable for a president not to -- to deny a duly appointed investigation that is ongoing. You know, whether it is Bill Clinton or previous presidents, it was considered political suicide to say, no, I won't answer those questions. So at the end of the day, they will have to do it, whether they are forced to by a subpoena by the Supreme Court or do it voluntarily.

(CROSSTALK)

CABRERA: And as recently as January, the president said that he would love to do that.

And, Laura, if they are, indeed, simulating what an interview with special counsel is going to look like, if it would deter the president from this, "I would welcome an interview" mentality.

COATES: It's always that people are openly eager to do in front of the camera but when talking to counsel, saying, you realize you are going against seasoned experts who are trained in the art of not only interrogation, but also the idea of great follow-up questions. They're studying and getting a pulse. They want eyeballs on him to see how he responds to information that may contradict what he previously said. And all of that, you can't prepare for. So that could be a deterrent for him.

But one point that Ryan said, Ana, it is unfathomable in another time and era where a president of the United States could say, I don't want to talk to you I will assert the Fifth Amendment, which he has. But he can say, I won't answer the questions, I will exercise my Fifth right against self-incrimination. But he has gotten a lot of political cover in that area where it is no longer political suicide any longer, because he has tried to discredit the investigation over time. He called it a witch hunt. He said, I don't want to engage if it is not going to be a good investigation or bias free. That may give him more cover than he normally would have under any other prior administration.

CABRERA: That is a good point.

(CROSSTALK)

COATES: Ryan, last night, we heard from Roger Stone. I want to play what he had to say about this potential sit- down between the president and Special Counsel Mueller. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, A.C. 360: In your opinion, should the president ever sit down with the special counsel?

[15:19:55] ROGER STONE, FORMER TRUMP ADVISOR: I have written and said on Info Wars, repeatedly, that I thought it was a perjury trap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Ryan, we have talked about the president's hyperbole frequently, and so could this potentially be a perjury trap, as Roger Stone claims?

LIZZA: Well, any time you are talking to an FBI agent, I suppose it is a perjury trap, right? If you lie to them, then you can be charged with perjury. So I don't buy that it is a trap. And there's no way for an FBI agent trap you into lying, and you are to do that on your own. So this is a sort of the political argument from defenders of the president who don't want him to do this, to say, oh, this is not, and you know, this is some kind of trap, and it is not fair. It is a way to discredit the investigation.

And just to follow up on Laura's point about whether the political system will allow Trump to take the Fifth Amendment, will allow him to deny this interview, it really depends upon the Republicans in Congress, I think. They have a decision to make about what they say about this. If senior Republicans on the Hill are outraged by that, then that is going to put the pressure on the president to go forward with the interview. So it is important to test the temperature of the Republicans up there.

At the end of the day, this is a political process, if the president is alleged to have committed any crime, and it is going to be in the realm of politic politics and impeachment, if it gets that far. And so that is why it is really important to hear from the congressional Republicans think about this.

CABRERA: And, Laura, we know in the past depositions that the president has given in other legal cases for business situations, he has not recalled or "I don't know" has been a response in other cases. Could those be logical and useful defenses for him in an interview with Mueller?

COATES: Well, I am sure that he is going to continue to say those thing, and whether it is going to persuade them from believing that is the case is a different story, because if there's verifiable information that shows that you don't actually have amnesia today and it is more convenient or selective, then they can try to use it against you and in possible obstruction and other cases and allegations against you. But if you are verifiably cannot recall, every lawyer worth their salt will tell the client, if you not sure of the answer or if you want further clarification, ask that and don't offer information when you are uncertain, because when you do that, ironically, you will find yourself committing perjury or making a false statement or misleading ones that is going to trust anyone's claim for you for perjury or misleading or falsification. So he has that in the arsenal as well. But if they have information that proves that he is lying, that is a really big deal. And we don't know, Ana, what Mueller knows, because he is keeping everything so close to the vest. So we don't know until the indictment comes out or the press conference from Rod Rosenstein. So I would not be playing fast and loose with recall with his team.

CABRERA: Laura Coates and Ryan Lizza, thank you both. Good to see you.

(CROSSTALK)

CABRERA: Thank you.

Coming up, border battle. The first National Guard troops sent to the U.S./Mexico border as the president pushes for more security until he gets that border wall. We will get a live report, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:27:58] CABRERA: Military officials have confirmed now that two soldiers were killed overnight in a helicopter crash in Kentucky. The helicopter crew was conducting a routine training operation at Fort Campbell Army Base when the helicopter went down. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The names of the two soldiers who were killed have not been released

New marching papers for National Guard troops. The president saying on Twitter this afternoon, "We are sealing up our southern border. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has signed orders to deploy up to 4,000 troops to the southern border. Today, the planning is already under way."

The Texas National Guard is dispatching teams to the sectors along the Mexico border today to help plot out exactly where the troops will go.

CNN's Kaylee Hartung is joining us from Hidalgo, Texas, on the U.S. side of a major border crossing area there.

Kaylee, what will they be doing specifically, and do we know what their limitations are?

KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Ana, you make a good point that there are limitations of what the federal troops can do. Let's go back to the laws put in place in the days following the Civil War. Federal troops cannot be involved in law enforcement. So these National Guard troops are not expected to be coming into physical contact with the immigrants or the process at the border, but in more supporting roles and tasks like offering training or maybe construction or surveillance. And that surveillance of any intelligence gathering could come with the help of helicopters in the air or cameras along the border. That frees up Customs and Border Patrol agents to be more flexible, to be more visible, and to make any immigration arrests that may arise. And it is important to note, Ana, that the National Guard troops will only going to be armed in limitations situations where self-defense could be necessary.

CABRERA: All right. Kaylee Hartung at the Reynosa border crossing in Hidalgo, Texas. Thanks for that.

Joining us now, Brigadier General Tracy Norris, of the Texas National Guard.

General, thank you.

Where exactly will you be working, and what will you be doing?

[15:30:01] BRIG. GEN. TRACY NORRIS, COMMANDER, TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD: Good afternoon, Ana. Thank you for having me on.

We will be working in support of the Customs and Border Patrol with requirements that are identified by the Department of Homeland Security. So currently, we have our planners and some other soldiers down

working with the sector chiefs and staff to specifically identify those missions that they are going to need us to do. But we do expect it to be -- we are putting together ground surveillance vehicles as well as light and medium aircraft, and aviation platforms.

CABRERA: The president says that he plans to keep the troops deployed until the wall is built. Any indication thus far how long you will be can deployed? Is that the timetable that you are work off of?

NORRIS: Yes, ma'am. Currently, we are planning for if we have to send troops and then start a rotation cycle due to making sure that we are sensitive to the soldiers and their families and airmen, as far as employers and things. And we have done things like this before in the past, so we will look at meeting the governor's and the president's intent, but potentially having a type of rotation in order for soldiers to be able to go back to the other things that they have to do in the civilian sector.

CABRERA: Which sounds like you are anticipating a long haul down there. Were you surprised by the deployment?

NORRIS: I think it is kind of, ma'am, you can put it like it is that we are not surprised about it, and we are ready for any mission that the state or the governor wants us to do, hurricane, flooding, going to the border. We currently have approximately 100 soldiers already on the border mission under Governor Abbott. So we are constantly prepared, and the soldiers are ready to take a call and be somewhere within 24 to 48 hours.

CABRERA: Border crossings are at historic lows. Previous administration had fewer troops deployed and a much higher of the illegal crossings happening, so why the urgency now, do you think?

NORRIS: I am not prepared to discuss why that is, ma'am. I know that we are just given a mission from our governor and the president, and we are preparing to go and do those things that we need to do in support of the Department of Homeland Security, and any other federal agencies working on the border. CABRERA: What concerns or worries do you have about this mission?

NORRIS: I know that our soldiers are very well trained. We have -- most of the force in Texas has already deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq as well as doing hurricanes this past year, Harvey, and even helping out with Irma, so we have well trained soldiers and airmen. They will be getting additional training that they need to go to the border. So, but, the concerns for our soldiers is because of what very well trained that it is a minimal risk, and we will do everything in working with the other agencies on the border patrol to keep it that way.

CABRERA: Brigadier General Tracy Norris, thank you for your time and best of luck on the mission.

Coming up, why the president's response to this question has the lawyer for a porn star celebrating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did you know about the payments to Stormy Daniels?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:38:00] CABRERA: Another week and another stormy development. The attorney for Stormy Daniels says that their case against President Trump is even stronger now that he has broken his silence and gone on the record about the hush money that she was paid. First, a reminder of what the president said this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, did you know about the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, no.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Then why, why did Michael Cohen make this, if there was no truth to her allegations?

TRUMP: Well, you have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael's my attorney. And you'll have to ask Michael Cohen.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you know where he got the money to make that payment?

TRUMP: I don't know, no.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CABRERA: So you probably know the rest of the story by now. Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels that money to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump. And now she wants her nondisclosure agreement tossed out, because the president never signed it. Daniels' attorney says the president's remarks should help her in court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL AVENATTI, ATTORNEY TO STORMY DANIELS: It's like Christmas and Hanukkah all rolled into one. You can't have an agreement if one party claims they knew nothing about one of the principal terms of the agreement. So the president has just shot himself in the foot.

He should have left it alone. And now he's put himself and he's put Mr. Cohen in a world of hurt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Joining us now is CNN legal analyst and defense attorney, Mark Geragos. His clients have included everyone from Michael Jackson to Wynonna Ryder.

So, Mark, you have experience working with the celebrities and going up against other celebrities. What to you make of the new development? We didn't hear much from Trump. Why is that significant from the standpoint what he said?

MARK GERAGOS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, it is significant. Michael is not prone to exaggeration when he says it is Christmas and Hanukkah all rolled up into one.

CABRERA: So he has reason to be happy?

[15:40:47] GERAGOS: He has reason to be -- exactly. If you are representing a client, and the issue that you want to bring to the forefront is that it is not a valid agreement, Trump is saying that he knew nothing about the $130,000 payment, gives you the ability to go in to do discovery on it. Which means that is a deposition, things of that nature, and the testimony and presumably a jury trial as opposed to going straight to arbitration. So he must have -- and the other thing is that when Trump invites the press to go talk and go ask Michael Cohen to see what he had to say, and repeated it twice, that is arguably a waiver of the attorney/client privilege and a one-two punch that I don't think that Michael Cohen is happy about.

CABRERA: And you mentioned depositions. We saw the maneuverings in the court this week and the judge has thrown out the request of a deposition by Stormy Daniels' attorney. He is refiling that request, especially now that Cohen has come to file the arbitration documents.

GERAGOS: Right.

CABRERA: He tweeted this in part, "As history teaches us, it's one thing to deceive the press and another to do it under oath, #searchfortruth."

So do you think that she he is going to be successful in getting Trump deposed.

GERAGOS: Right now, do I think that he will get an order? Yes. Do I understand what the end game is for either side of this? No. It is above my pay grade. If I'm representing Michael Cohen or anybody else at this point, I would probably just dismiss. I mean, ultimately, at the end of the day, do you want money out of somebody who doesn't have the deep pocket, namely Stormy Daniels, and you're going to send the U.S. Marshalls around if you do get an injunction to collect from every strip club in America. I doubt it. So there is no ending for money. And the only thing you do is expose the president to be under oath and basically committing perjury. Why would you do that? For a lot of the same reasons that you don't want him in front of Robert Mueller, you don't want him under oath with Michael asking him questions. I don't think it makes sense whatsoever. If I were them, I would dismiss and move on.

CABRERA: What is the worst case for Michael Cohen, based on what the president said? It is, I guess, against his legal responsibility to do something without letting the president or the client know about it?

GERAGOS: It is really an interesting situation. I know that everybody says he has an ethics problem, but it is only an ethics problem if the client complains about it. Because he can find refuge if the New York state bar says there is a complaint, and they may have a complaint already. Anybody can file a complaint. And say, you did this, and he did not have knowledge. This is Exhibit A of him on the president of the plane saying, I did not know about it. Unless the president says, I want to file a complaint against Michael Cohen, the New York state bar has little basis upon which to discipline him. But Robert Mueller can question him about it. Robert Mueller can come in, and if he wants to squeeze Michael Cohen, he can say, you have a federal elections problem here, and you have got -- you're way over to the $2700 contribution limit and you paid $130,000, and you said under oath, you did not get reimbursed , that's a real problem, you better play ball with us and tell us what you were doing with the Moscow deal. And they can go down that road and others that we have no idea about.

CABRERA: And so I am hearing you say that he may have made himself vulnerable to the special counsel probe. I'm also wondering about other legal cases like Karen McDougall's case, another woman who claims she had an affair with Trump years ago. Trying to get out of her agreement to stay silent afterwards. Her lawyer tweeted this: "Now that @realDonaldTrump has cleared up everything for Michael Avenatti regarding Stormy Daniels, will he be making a statement about our client, Karen McDougall, or should we ask Michael Cohen?"

Does Trump weighing in on Daniels expose him to McDougall's legal action?

GERAGOS: Oh, yes. I can see a legal argument, if they filed or got into it, where you could use the Stormy admission, if you will, that he didn't know anything in terms of his like-minded evidence or evidentiary evidence in McDougall. But I don't think that is going to happen. It is a long shot. The greater peril is if Trump and Cohen continue to press this issue in front of Judge Otero in the Central District in Los Angeles. I don't think that there is any good outcome for them and I don't understand. So what, you got a judgment. On your best day, you get a judgment for millions of dollars for her violating the agreement, and what good is that is going to do you?

CABRERA: Especially for a billionaire, right?

GERAGOS: Exactly right.

CABRERA: Thank you, Mark Geragos. Always good to have your take.

GERAGOS: Good to see you.

CABRERA: Coming up, it was a car accident that cost one woman her life and one very powerful man his presidential dream. The star of the new film "Chappaquiddick," Jason Clarke, is going to join us live.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: A dead body holds a lot of secrets.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: The secrets can be the difference of guilt and innocence. That's what we need to be in control of.

[15:44:51] UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: There are not a lot of Senators who are charged with manslaughter that go on to become president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: One night can change the course of history. It was July 18th, 1969. A handsome young Senator was hosting a cookout party on Chappaquiddick Island. His name, Ted Kennedy. At age 37, he had his eyes on the White House. Senator Kennedy left the party in his black Oldsmobile with 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy somehow careened his car off a bridge and into the water. He escaped. Kopechne died. The new movie "Chappaquiddick" is taking a hard look at the deadly events and the scandal that crushed Ted Kennedy's White House dream. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:50:00] JASON CLARKE, ACTOR: It was an accident. I was driving.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: A story like this can dominate the headlines for weeks.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Chief, we've have a body.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Those can be the difference between guilt and innocence. That's what we need to be in control over.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: There's not a lot of Senators charged with manslaughter that go on to become president.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What do we do now to help the Senator?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: We tell the truth. Or at least our version of it.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: He's diagnosed with a concussion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Joining us now, Jason Clarke, the actor portraying Senator Ted Kennedy.

Jason, thank you for spending part of your weekend with us, and especially given, I know, you have a new baby at home. Congratulations.

CLARKE: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me.

CABRERA: What drew you do this role, this story in particular?

CLARKE: The man, the character, the event, and it's importance in history and in my life. As soon as I read the script, I couldn't let it go. I couldn't forget about it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't stop going back through the 20th century of this event to where we are now. And you know, I really just wanted to be part of it.

CABRERA: This film, of course, tells a story that happened almost 50 years ago, Jason.

CLARKE: Yes.

CABRERA: But you believe it's very politically relevant today?

CLARKE: I think, you know, we are where we are because of where we have come from. Whether that's a hike through the mountains or 1969 to 2018. Absolutely. You know, it's a very intimate portrayal of a man's decision on a small level of one man and it follows out to what we did as a Democratic Party and as a people, as we the people who then vote. I always think that's relevant.

CABRERA: What's your interpretation of how things ended up for Ted Kennedy?

CLARKE: Well, that's -- you know, Ted Kennedy's life is not just define by Chappaquiddick. There's before, what he went through being Ted Kennedy and the fourth brother, and his legacy, you know, his contribution as a Senator, and the legislation he left behind, and you know, the causes that he stood for, from civil rights to education to health care. Ted's legacy and his contribution to society, is what should be discussed honestly and thoughtfully.

CABRERA: How did you prepare for this role?

CLARKE: I read. I watched. I listened to all of the brothers' speeches, to all of the video material that's out there. You know, I had wigs, I had hair, some teeth. I had real pumpers, extra weight. I went to Martha's Vineyard, to Chappaquiddick. I jumped in the water, walked the long road back, the time I thought Ted would have done the walk, 12:30, 1:00 in the morning. I took an hour. Lots of different physical emotional, psychological, and just facts and figures in trying to get my ducks in a row, so to speak.

CABRERA: Your co-star, Kate Mara, who plays Mary Jo Kopechne, said she never heard of Chappaquiddick before she was given the project. Did you feel a certain responsibility in making this movie for a younger generation that may not know the story until now?

CLARKE: Absolutely. I find it shocking that more people don't know more about it, that people don't understand this event and this time and what came after it. And I think there is a lot to learn. I mean, there's a great photo at the end of the film of a young Bobby Kennedy and Mary Jo, you know, during the campaign, standing face-to-face. And you realize, at the time, these young, smart, intelligent people wanted to change the world, and believed in this man and his vision and his politics of ending the war and who he was, and his great liberal campaign. A year later, they were both dead. And for Ted to be part of that tissue, that connective tissue to his brothers and his beliefs is tragic in itself.

CABRERA: Jason Clarke, thank you again for spending time with us. We look forward to seeing the film.

CLARKE: Thank you.

[15:54:21] CABRERA: And a timely reminder, because the latest episode of CNN's series of "American Dynasties, The Kennedys," the legend of Camelot, premieres tomorrow night at 9:00 eastern on CNN.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Child hunger is a massive global problem, but our 2010 "CNN Hero," Magnus MacFarlane-Barrows, had a simple solution, serving one free meal a day in schools. His organization, Mary's Meals, started small, but late last year, celebrated a mind-blowing milestone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAGNUS MACFARLANE-BARROWS, CNN HERO: We started serving 200 children. And it's beyond our wildest dreams that we would grow like this.

Incredibly, recently, we served the one billionth meal since we began. It's a very humbling experience. But for us, it's very much the next child that's waiting. Really, more than ever, we feel this work of ours has just begun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: To learn more about his story or to nominate someone you think should be a "CNN Hero," logon to CNNheroes.com.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news. [15:59:48] CABRERA: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Ana Cabrera, in New York. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We have breaking news to tell you about overseas. Several people are dead and injured after a sudden and violent attack that police say looks deliberate. This happened in Germany, in the northwestern city of Muenster, near the Dutch border. A man behind the wheel of a delivery van plowed into a crowd of people, killing two and injuring at least 20 others. Some are in critical condition right now. Witnesses --