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Hala Gorani Tonight
Boris Johnson Criticizes May`s Brexit Plan; Former Classmate Says Kavanaugh Drank Excessively; Indonesia Is in Dire Need of Aid After Devastating Earthquake and Tsunami; Women Wins Nobel Prize in Physics; U.K. Conservative Party Holding Contentious Conference; Experts Say Boris Johnson Wants Theresa May`s Job; Is Football Facing Its Me Too Movement?; Religious Life In A World Heritage Site; Scientist Looks To Shake Up Fashion Fabrics And Dye. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 02, 2018 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00] LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, everyone. Live from the CNN center, I`m Lynda Kinkade in for Hala Gorani. Good to be with
you. Tonight, Donald Trump defends his embattled Supreme Court nominee saying it`s a very scary time for young men in America. And the death toll
spikes in Indonesia as earthquake and tsunami survivors face a fifth day with dwindling resources. But we begin in the United Kingdom whereby
Bianca Nobilo is following the intrigue where Boris Johnson might be gunning for the country`s top job. Hey, Bianca.
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks. Boris Johnson`s speech today might be technically on the sidelines of the Conservative Party conference
and did feel like the main event so far and one can only assume it felt like a thorn in the prime minister`s side. Boris Johnson took to the stage
slamming the Brexit plan of May as a constitutional outrage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: It is dangerous and unstable politically and economically. My fellow conservatives, this is not
democracy. That is not what we voted for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: In the speech which brought the Tory Party to the feet withstanding ovations, Johnson said the best way to support Mrs. May is
not back the Chequers proposal but to promote the original plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: I hope you`ll join me in urging our friends in government to deliver what the people voted for, to back Theresa May in the best way
possibly by sensibly supporting her original plan. And in so doing to show confidence in conservatism and to show confidence in our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: The torrent of criticism on the eve of Mrs. May`s keynote speech fueling speculation that Johnson is launching a bid for the leadership at
some point. Meantime, Mrs. May says she didn`t even watch the speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you watch Boris Johnson`s speech this afternoon?
THERESA MAY, UK PRIME MINISTER: No. This afternoon I have been meeting activists, I have been talking to people about the conference and I`ve been
seeing a party in really good heart.
There are one or two things that Boris said I`m cross about. He wanted to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland
is part of the United Kingdom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBILO: Let`s get some insight on all of this. Former conservative politician and now columnist at "The Times" joins me. Thank you very much.
You were in the hall and I think it`s important that viewers know compared to the other speeches at the conference, the que was snaking around the
conference center for about two hours prior.
MATTHEW PARRIS, COLUMNIST, "THE TIMES": I was so lucky to get in. I just sort of sneaked in, sneaked past the guards and found a corner to hide in.
NOBILO: Stealthy of you. Talk to us a bit of what the atmosphere was like inside that conference center.
PARRIS: Well, you have to start from the knowledge that most of the people who will have gone to hear him were supporters of him, anyway. He was
preaching to those of the converted and people are not converted by Boris but the converted were there. They love him. They loved him. They love
to hear the things that he`s told them so many times before. They liked his jokes. You said the response was rapturous. It wasn`t. He got a
short standing ovation at the end. Did speech was a little bit straggling. It didn`t have a lot of form and didn`t have a lot that was new in it but
it was not a flop.
NOBILO: And you mentioned that he`s quite a divisive figure. Obviously, there`s a lot of people here that wouldn`t give him a standing ovation and
don`t support him but he does well among the party membership.
PARRIS: Amongst the very politically active party membership. The sort of people that are on con home very much into Boris Johnson but out in the
shires there, there are lots of quite elderly ladies and gentlemen who probably don`t do the Internet and of course they wouldn`t come to any
dinner where Boris was the speaker. He`s an object of total fascination to the conservative party. He`s a marvelous speaker.
[14:05:00] He`s enormously fun and asking them whether he should be prime minister, they`re not so sure and not so sure here. They don`t like the
shin kicking that he has delivered to her just, just so close to her own important speech. They don`t like him romping through those fields of
wheat and kind of two fingers up to her. There`s a bit --
NOBILO: We have that photo, as well. Try to pull that up for the viewers because that`s remarkable. Gallivanting through a field of not wheat but
looks similar enough to be poking fun at the prime minister. This comes after the snap election in 2017 when Theresa May asked what`s the
naughtiest thing you have ever done, prime minister? She responded she ran through a field of wheat and the farmers weren`t happy and resulted in the
Internet and went viral.
PARRIS: Yes.
NOBILO: Talk to us about what Boris Johnson may have been trying to achieve with this publicity stunt.
PARRIS: Life is too short to try to deconstruct the mental processes of Boris Johnson. I don`t think he`s trying to achieve anything. He thought
it would be rather a good joke and probably didn`t mean it particularly unkindly. He didn`t think. That`s the problem with Boris. He just
doesn`t think. He doesn`t have a plan. He doesn`t have a strategy. I`m not sure he even thinks he`s going to be prime minister. He just deals
with each day as it comes and milks the applause for all it`s worth.
NOBILO: Do you not find that unusual, though? Boris is known to be an intelligent man, steep himself in the strategist of antiquity, as well.
Clearly cares a lot about the political image and stature. Why doesn`t he plan better if he does have a game plan or master strategy?
PARRIS: Because at heart, this is a psychologically truth, he is an applause-seeking machine and he`ll go wherever the applause may be and this
will often run counter to the sort of long-term strategy that somebody would have an he doesn`t listen to advice and he isn`t very good at
briefing himself in detail before interviews so he has all the qualities of an outward looking, outward bound enthusiastic fancy puppy-ish funny man
but he has all the demerits that also go with that.
NOBILO: Now, a lot of comparisons have been drawn between Boris Johnson and President Trump. What do you make of those given everything you have
just said?
PARRIS: I think Boris is -- is not -- is not an evil person. I don`t think he`s a nasty person. I don`t think he particularly wants to hurt
anybody in the world. He just wants attention. Donald Trump strikes me as an altogether different kettle of fish.
NOBILO: OK. Matthew Parris, thank you for your insights of conservative conference here in Birmingham. There`s much more to talk about here and
later in the hour I`ll speak to a man who knows Boris Johnson better than most. His own father Stanley Johnson. For now, Lynda Kinkade for the rest
of today`s news.
KINKADE: That will be an interesting interview no doubt. Bianca, thank you so much.
I want to go to the latest in the FBI investigation of sexual assault allegations of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. President
Trump is speaking out about it yet again talking to reporters on the White House lawn just a short time ago saying it`s unacceptable if Kavanaugh lied
in the testimony and that this is a scary time for young men.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It`s a tough thing going on. If you can be an exemplary person for 35 years and then somebody comes and
they say you did this or that and they give three witnesses and the three witnesses at this point do not corroborate what she was saying, that`s a
very scary situation where you`re guilty until proven innocent. My whole life, my whole life I`ve heard you`re innocent until proven guilty. But
now you`re guilty until proven innocent. That is a very, very difficult standard. Say it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would the --
TRUMP: I say that it`s a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: President Trump there. Meantime, a lawyer for Mark Judge says the FBI has completed its interview with Kavanaugh`s former classmate.
Testimony before a Senate panel last week. Christine Blasey Ford said Judge was in the room when Kavanaugh allegedly sexually assaulted her in
the `80s when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh and Judge have both denied the allegations. Ford`s legal team said the FBI has not contacted her yet.
[14:10:00] Let`s get more from Washington on all of this. Joining us from the White House is Jeremy Diamond. Well, we just heard again, Jeremy, from
the President again supporting Kavanaugh but the clock is ticking on this FBI investigation. Less than a week to go and we know now that the scope
is much broader and former classmates including one that says Kavanaugh was in a bar fight are supporting Kavanaugh but the clock is ticking on this
FBI investigation. Less than a week to go and we know now that the scope is much broader and former classmates including one that says Kavanaugh was
in a bar fight are being interviewed by the FBI.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That`s right. And Chad Ludington is that classmate from Yale who first raised the allegations about Kavanaugh`s
drinking in college and what he has said so far is he doesn`t feel like the drinking should be disqualifying for Kavanaugh to be confirmed to the
Supreme Court. What he has said is he believes Kavanaugh was untruthful before Congress when he was asked about his drinking and that that in and
of itself should be disqualifying. Listen what he said at a press conference just yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHAD LUDINGTON, FORMER CLASSMATE OF KAVANAUGH: I have direct, repeated knowledge about Brett`s drinking. Disposition while drunk. And I do
believe that Brett`s actions as a 53-year-old federal judge matter. If he lied about his past actions on national television and while speaking under
oath in front of the United States Senate I believe those lies should have consequences. I have seen Brett drunk to the point he could be easily
passed out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: And so, you hear it there from Brett Kavanaugh`s Yale classmate describing his drinking, describing his concerns about Kavanaugh`s
testimony before Congress. Kavanaugh did say that there were times when he had perhaps too many beers but he was evasive asked about the drinking in
high school and in college. And he denied having ever blacked out from drinking when he was asked if he passed out ever from drinking.
He said simply he had not passed out but fallen asleep from drinking. All of this goes back to the question of whether the sexual assault that
Christine Blasey Ford alleged Kavanaugh committed against her, whether Kavanaugh might perhaps not recall that because Christine Blasey Ford did
describe Kavanaugh as stumbling dunk during those allegations that she said took place some 30-odd years ago.
KINKADE: And, of course, Jeremy, we already are seeing ramifications from this. Before the FBI have completed their investigation, we know the
Harvard Law School said that Kavanaugh would not be teaching in January. Of course, called the Supreme Court which has done so for about the past
decade. So, when you hear from classmates who say he lied during the testimony and hearing from others, the women putting together the
commercial saying I stand with Brett, how the FBI -- how does the FBI weigh up the conflicting statements and how do the senators make a decision?
Will the Democrats ever be satisfied with a weeklong investigation?
DIAMOND: As it relates to Brett Kavanaugh`s class at Harvard, he had previously said that if he were to be confirmed he hoped to continue to
coach girls basketball, for example, and also to continue to teach this class at Harvard. Now he is not able to do that in the wake of all of
these allegations. Even if he is confirmed to the Supreme Court.
But it does as you said raise the questions of how much the FBI is actually going to be able to uncover and whether it`s going to be able to quell any
of these doubts about Kavanaugh`s character or to the contrary confirm these allegations that have taken place. You know, it`s been stated and
restated multiple times that the FBI doesn`t draw any conclusions. It`s simply going to interview witnesses that it can interview with regard to
several of these allegations.
And it`s going to submit those into Brett Kavanaugh`s background investigation file to the White House counsel`s office and to the Senate
Judiciary Committee and ultimately to all members of the Senate who want to review that supplemental investigation. But it is very possible that the
FBI concludes this investigation and we are no closer whether Democrats or Republicans to having anymore certainty and that perhaps the two sides will
remain ever divided but the question is how will that FBI supplemental investigation affect the votes of those key Republican senators Jeff Flake,
Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski who have requested this supplemental FBI investigation and until we know what`s in that we won`t be able to make
that judgment but even when that document does -- is produced to the Senate, questions may still be lingering.
[14:15:00] KINKADE: Absolutely. And that document meant to be produced at the FBI probe meant to be finalized by Friday. We have heard today from
the majority leader McConnell saying a vote will happen this week. So, you have to wonder if the senators will have enough time to properly review
that if it comes down moments before they are due to vote.
DIAMOND: Right. Well, look. Senate Majority Leader McConnell is somebody`s a practiced political player, pragmatic and he knows he is not
able to move it to the floor for a vote if he doesn`t have the votes or at least he won`t do that to face that potential embarrassment of failed vote
to confirm Brett Kavanaugh. I think he would sooner push the White House to withdraw Kavanaugh`s nomination if it`s clear it wasn`t going to pass.
Listen again.
The three senators I mentioned earlier hold all of the cards right now. They hold the cards as far as whether Mitch McConnell brings the vote to
the floor. They talked about a week-long delay for the FBI to complete the work and so far the three senators held out on how they would react and to
urge the majority leader to do if the FBI says we need more time and did not complete the investigation.
KINKADE: All right. Jeremy Diamond, good to have you with us from the White House. Thank you so much.
Well, still to come tonight, people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia are in urgent need of food, water and medical supplies. The
Red Cross says the situation is nightmarish. I`m going to take you to the rescue operations next.
Also, the U.S. First Lady leaves Washington behind for her first major solo trip. Melania Trump hopes to accomplish in Africa beginning a four-
nation tour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Welcome back. Desperation is growing in Indonesia as people there are in urgent need of help. Officials raised the death toll as they
find more victims under rubble. More than 1,200 people have died in that catastrophe. This is the devastation on a massive scale. Roads are
blocked and relief aid is severely lacking so far. Matt Rivers is on the island of Sulawesi. He is talking with residents who are frustrated with
the government response. We need to warn you that some of the images in this report are disturbing.
[14:20:00] MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Search and rescue operations ongoing and hoping to find people alive in buildings like this one but
realistically the odds of survival become less, this is a recovery operation and then also looking forward to the kind of help that the people
who survived are going to need an it`s those people we have talked to today who are upset at what they call an insufficient government response. Four
soldiers to a bag.
They drag the person inside to a crude resting place. Feel feels coarse and undeserved. This is a direct result of an earthquake and tsunami no
one was prepared for. There`s 194 people buried here, some of whom still unidentified that didn`t deserve this. These are brothers, sisters,
fathers, mothers, grandparents, friends. And they all just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Authorities had laid hundreds of
bodies in the streets for days after the morgues ran out of room. We saw them for ourselves. Officials say the bodies could spread disease.
Fathers, mothers, grandparents, friends. And they all just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Authorities had laid hundreds of
bodies in the streets for days after the morgues ran out of room. We saw them for ourselves. Officials say the bodies could spread disease. The
world health organization says that`s not completely true but the burials go on. The unidentified bodies did have their pictures taken so hopefully
they can be ID`d later.
A short drive away those lucky enough to be alive gather in a place where life is hard. A makeshift camp designed to help the newly homeless is
widely unable to meet people`s needs. Baby Mohammed is sick. Even if they had formula, which they don`t, water here is scarce. The indignity of
living outside is exacerbated of no clean way to use the bathroom. Fuel is scarce, too. If you follow the rules and line up, you could trade a day
just for a few liters. So, the way you join the line is taking the gas container and running a rope through the handle and the rope snakes and
ends at the only gas pump open right now. You wait. These people wouldn`t wait.
We watched them loot fuel tanks underneath the ground. Bamboo poles and soldiers merely watched. They told us they didn`t want to spark a riot.
They want to run the bikes or generators another said. There`s no way to get it fast. Dozens of people have been arrested for looting. City wide.
The government says there have been challenges in the aid mission and overall making the best of a bad situation and, yes, help is slowly
increasing. Aid ships in route and flights picking up and not fast enough.
Looting, thirsty babies, hungry kids, filthy camps and mass burials is not an effective disaster response. Look. The people who are upset would be
the first people in line to thank the government. They would be the biggest cheerleaders for the government if they turned it around, accepted
more international aid. If they had a more heavy, sustained presence on the ground and upset right now because they don`t think they`re getting it.
KINKADE: Thanks to Matt Rivers reporting there. Well, we don`t often see the U.S. First Lady without President Donald Trump by her side but that`s
changing this week as Melania Trump travels to Africa for her first major solo trip. She was greeted by people in traditional dress when she touched
down in Ghana earlier and spent much of the day with Ghana`s First Lady and handed out teddy bears to children at a local hospital.
Well, CNN White House Reporter, Kate Bennett is traveling with Melania Trump and joins me from the Ghana capital of Accra and, Kate, just give us
a sense of why Africa. Given that we have heard the U.S. President make disparages remarks about African countries and threaten to cut foreign aid,
why did Melania Trump choose Africa an how`s she being received there?
KATE BENNETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it`s twofold. That is First Lady who doesn`t necessarily always coordinate a walk in lockstep with the west
wing and her husband`s administration and seen her tackle things for cyber bully and watched her take trips by herself to the border to visit
immigrant children in America and Texas. The Mexican border and now going to Africa.
Again, as you said, a continent that`s not always been top of mind apparently for the President. But again, the First Lady`s communications
director did tell me that Africa was a country Melania Trump wanted to visit since her husband took office more than a year ago. She had it in
her head this would be her first big trip. It`s a comment often associated with modern first ladies,
[14:25:00] Hillary Clinton was the first First Lady to take a solo trip there, significant when she was First Lady. Again, Laura Bush went there
several times visiting more than 15 countries in Africa during her 8 years and of course Michelle Obama visited Africa many, many times during her
tenure. I think this is Melania Trump feeling comfortable, watching her today with the kids, holding the baseballs. She`s sort of opening up on
the global tours away from Washington where she can sort of shine in her own way and perhaps, again, avoid the political component and be more of an
ambassador, a goodwill First Lady and try to be that compassionate side of this administration, quite frankly lacks from time to time.
KINKADE: Absolutely. So, four countries in five days. A busy trip. You spoke to her briefly on the plane. What did she tell you about what she
hopes to achieve here?
BENNETT: Yes. You know, I cover the First Lady quite a bit and never comes back to the plane to talk to us. It is not common. Only the second
time she`s done it. She said she was excited, she came back to greet the press. She seemed like she was thrilled with the trip. I know that she is
-- probably make stops at other schools and hospitals and again, from conservation I would imagine that there would be some sort of tourism
component perhaps on the Kenya leg or the Egypt leg.
Certainly, her goal here as she`s said is to learn more about this continent and the countries she`s visiting, learn more about children in
these regions and try to share with the other first ladies of ideas and programs that worked and partnering with USAID, a subsidiary of the
government for a good deal of funding well into the billions of dollars for developing countries. So again, I think her message is she`s off on her
own, talking about -- ignoring the elephant in the room sort to speak. Sometimes which can be her husband and moving forward with this first
international trip.
KINKADE: All right. We`ll continue to check in with you during the next few days. Kate Bennett, thank you for being with us.
Amazon workers in the U.S. are getting a pay raise. The company says it`s responding to critics giving 350,000 throws a boost. Amazon`s minimum wage
increases to $15 an hour starting next month. And it is inviting other large companies to do the same. Clare Sebastian is following this for us
joining us now from New York. This affects 350,000 workers. In the U.S. at Amazon, at Whole Foods, the grocery chain and also workers in Britain.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNNMONEY CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. This is a very wide, sweeping change. Employs about 375,000 people globally and more than half
of them are getting a raise. Jeff Bezos in a statement today saying they listened to their critics and they really want to lead on this. So, this
is something that they`re taking seriously, not only calling on other companies to join them and saying the public policy team is advocating in
Congress for a rise in the federal minimum wage currently $7.25.
There`s some 29 states that have minimum wages that are higher than that so they`re taking this very seriously, but it has to be said it`s off the back
of what was starting to look like a bit of a PR problem for the company with the criticism around the wages and criticism mounting.
KINKADE: There was criticism even from, obviously, Bernie Sanders and introduced legislation to I guess target corporations like amazon whose
executives take home tens of millions of dollars of compensation and employees sometimes have to claim food stamps. He, of course, has
responded to this move. Let`s just take a listen to what Bernie Sanders had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), VERMONT: What Mr. Bezos today has done is not only enormously important for Amazon`s hundreds of thousands of employees,
it could well be -- I think it will be -- a shot heard around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Certainly, Amazon`s founder and CEO must be pretty happy that Bernie Sanders might be laying off him now.
SEBASTIAN: Certainly. That must be true. This is going on for months even before introducing the bill, hammering amazon over the paying
conditions and soliciting amazon workers for testimonies via Twitter and Jeff Bezos responded to this on Twitter when Bernie Sanders tweeted about
this. He said thank you. We`re excited about this and also hope others will join.
I have to point out, this isn`t purely altruistic and it`s a big change and in a climate of competition for retail workers is heating up an ahead of
the holiday season, retailers are already over the summer starting to hire seasonal workers, sometimes more than other years and now significantly,
you know, consistently below 4 percent unemployment in the U.S. not a lot of slack in the labor market so this is about hiring the best people and
retaining them, as well. That is something we have heard from amazon execs speaks about this today and certainly to justify the cost of this to
shareholders.
KINKADE: Yes. It`s certainly huge cost. We`ll have to see if other corporations follow suit here. Clare Sebastian, thank you.
A bittersweet historic achievement. First time in 55 years, the Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to a woman. It was shared between three
people for inventions in laser physics. Arthur Ashkin on the left is oldest ever Nobel Laureate at 96 years old.
Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were the other recipients. And Strickland is only the third woman ever awarded the prize. The
announcement comes a day after a senior scientist with the nuclear research center was suspended for saying physics was invented and built by men.
[14:30:00] Still to come tonight, Boris Johnson makes his pitch to his party as he urges them to ditch the prime minister`s plans for Brexit. Does
he have leadership and visions of his own? Our Bianca Nobilo is back at the Conservative Party conference next.
Also, Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world`s most famous and decorative performers denies a rape allegation against him. His accuser says she was
prompted into action because of the Me Too movement. We`ll take a look that story later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NOBILO: Well, he once foreign secretary but resigned in apparent protest of the prime minister`s Brexit plan. And today, Boris Johnson took to the
stage in a fringe event in a bid to win over his fellow Tories.
Many have speculated but a years now that Boris might have grander ambitions than we currently know about. Our Nick Glass takes a look in
"blond ambition."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK GLASS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Like a haystack on a bicycle as someone once said, Boris Johnson, ex-British foreign secretary and former mayor of
London still unquenchably naked in his ambition to become prime minister.
So popular with the photographic snappers, so beloved by political cartoonists, now causing a stir again trying to trip up Theresa May over
Brexit.
Logically, Boris remains an entertaining, colorful and instantly recognizable figure but also a divisive one, even for his two biographers.
SONIA PURNELL, BIOGRAPHER OF BORIS JOHNSON: I suppose it is that extraordinary unusual, exceptional self-regard and self-belief and self-
centeredness. Probably every politician has elements of that but we`re talking off the scale.
ANDREW GRIMSON, BIOGRAPHER OF BORIS JOHNSON: He`s very amusing figure. He has many faults one could list. One could list dozens of faults, but he
also has a touch of genius.
BORIS JOHNSON, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: My cheeks are pink. My hair is sleek. I dine at Blenheim twice a week.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you comment?
JOHNSON: Would you like a cup of tea? Would you like a cup of tea?
GLASS: Boris has been attacking Theresa May over her handling of Brexit. In one newspaper, he accused her of wrapping a suicide vest around Britain
and handing the detonator to Brussels. Theresa May flatly rejected his criticism, also saying that his use of language was completely
inappropriate.
GRIMSON: They`re certainly turning up with the volume. And many of us are sort of internal censorship mechanism. We think it`s ungrateful. We think
(INAUDIBLE) taste to us and Boris doesn`t have that.
[14:35:04] GLASS: Is he principled man?
PURNELL: I probably would say he`s not a principled one, but I would say he`s also tortured by self-knowledge in the sense I think he knows that
he`s gone too far.
GLASS: Leading conservatives as the right-wing Spectator magazine sees it are evidently preparing for a shootout. Few political parties are better
at in-fighting. That`s Theresa May top left. Boris Johnson, bottom right.
Is this Boris taking yet another gamble?
GRIMSON: Yes. He thinks he needs to go for it. The front-runner in Tory leadership races doesn`t usually get it. He`s in great danger or he will
feel he`s in great danger of being overtaken by some younger and more fashionable figure. So he thinks this could be his moment, his chance.
PURNELL: Probably we`ll still be talking about Boris Johnson 12 months` time and we`ll be saying, is he still wanting to be a prime minister? You
know, overtime his chances will recede but he won`t ever stop trying is my guess.
How will they impasse with Europe over Brexit be resolved? There`s so many intangibles at this time for Boris and everyone else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NOBILO: Well, there is one man who`s certainly more qualified than most to talk to us and give us insight into the former foreign secretary and former
mayor of London Boris Johnson and that is his father, Stanley Johnson here joins me now.
Stanley, you`ve spent over 20 years in the European Parliament, in European Commission, you also an author, but of course, we`re here today to talk to
you about your son Boris.
Now, you were in that speech today. He was telling that you were right at the front. How did you feel watching that speech? What was your response?
STANLEY JOHNSON, FATHER OF BORIS JOHNSON: I was actually thrilled. I mean down I was a 1,500 room full packed to the rafters in the front row with my
daughter Rachel alongside me. And there was Boris. What I felt -- I felt actually really sort of exhilarated and proud. But honestly, for me the
crucial thing that -- but not the fact that Boris was saying things about me. That was nice.
But at this particular moment of time, he was putting across a tremendously important message. The message be -- the message being in two words.
Chuck Chequers.
NOBILO: Now, that`s interesting, Stanley, because you quite prominently supported remain in the referendum campaign. You were an ardent
campaigning for that cause.
So, why is it that you can also get behind chucking Chequers which is often conceived of a middle past, in if you like, in Brexit, a compromise for
those who want to leave and those who are very concerned about the consequences of that?
S. JOHNSON: Well, I think a lot of people probably think Chuck Chequers is a kind of pop $singer. You know? I`m just saying how is that? Chuck
Chequers is the shorthand for saying get rid of Chequers. Why? As you likely say, who I who have been a remainer.
Why do I say that won`t work? Because though I was a remainer, though I was a remainer, Bianca, when the British people voted as they did in June
2016 to leave, 17.4 million, not a negligible amount, probably the largest popular rate in this country.
I said to myself, we`ve got to go with that and that is why Boris was so right to say Chequers won`t work because Chequers doesn`t deliver leave.
Because the Chequers` concept is that we remain completely tied to the E.U., in key areas of goods and agriculture and so on.
Completely tied in a sense that we all bound to accept their rules and yet we will not have any say at all in the making of those rules. That is just
not good. It`s just -- it`s ludicrous.
Boris has attacked for having called them deranged. I think deranged a mild way of describing it. You know, the British people are not, not sure.
And what worries me is the British parliamentarians. I mean, I wonder if they can be trusted the see Chequers for the rubbish it is.
That`s why what Boris did today, leaving aside he is my son, what Boris did today was so incredibly important. He, I think, elevated the Chuck
Chequers issue to the top.
NOBILO: And you mentioned the language he used where he described the prime minister`s proposal deranged. Now, he does generate a lot of
controversy, a lot of media attention around the rhetoric that he uses. Do you think that is why he`s such a polarizing figure and one of tremendous
influence within this party?
S. JOHNSON: Well, I think people are tremendously taken by surprise because he actually has a vocabulary of more than 100 words. And then most
people have pretty limited for cavalries that Boris is not afraid to use longish words or new words.
Deranged, maybe even the exciting words. And he makes his point like that. I don`t think that should be held against him in any way because at this
moment, honestly, the situation is so great. So great. We are teetering on the edge of getting Chequers through.
[14:40:08] NOBILO: So if the party and those supporters of Boris get their way and they chuck Chequers, then what do you think is the viable
alternative? Do you support your son`s proposal of the super Canada idea?
S. JOHNSON: I do, indeed. I think -- by the way, I love Canada. Regardless of the fact but I love Canada. I watch caribous in the far
north, leaving that aside -- leaving that aside, this is the right answer. It is the right answer. It means we have a proper free trade deal but we
are as it were certainly not in the customs union, not in single market, not bound by E.U. rules.
And it`s up to us to solve the border questions in Northern Ireland. There`s a border question to be solved between England and France. For
heaven`s sake. Don`t think, you know, there`s going to total frictionless trade between England and France. There`s not. That is the price we are
going to have to pay for getting out.
NOBILO: I See. And do you think that Boris has the potential to move the prime minister`s position on this? Because that is the question is that
we`re approaching this critical deadline of that October summit with the E.U. Decisions have to be made. She seems like she`s standing firm.
S. JOHNSON: Funny you should say that question. I was asked a moment ago, on my way here by a Japanese journalist. He said, what would it take --
she said, to move the prime minister? So I said to her, well, don`t you remember Emperor Hirohito in May 1945? What was it took him to finally
move his position? Well, of course, it was the atomic bomb.
I think we are going to need something hugely, hugely explosive. And maybe this is being, you know --
NOBILO: I see the metaphors run in the family. If I could just interject there because we don`t have too much time. The question on everybody`s
lips and let`s be honest is, will Boris ever stand for leadership? Do you think that`s something that he`s really committed to in the long run?
S. JOHNSON: Well, in general way, anybody who goes into a career wants to do well in that career and that`s for politics as for any other player. I
guess if you`re -- CNN broadcasting wanted to be the Ted Turner. Maybe you don`t. But on this particular issue, I think I can be fair to say,
honestly, it`s a substance which matters today. It`s the changing of the policy which matters.
NOBILO: And if he can`t --
S. JOHNSON: Not the changing of the prime minister.
NOBILO: But if he can`t change the policy through the current prime minister, will he want to change the prime minister?
S. JOHNSON: You`d have to put that question to the Tory Party. The Tory Party is the way it works. This is it. I mean, 55 -- 45 letters have to
come in, there has to be an election.
The Tories in parliament have to get two people. Those two people go before the country. You need to be a mathematician to work out the
probabilities here. But it`s absolutely not Boris` game plan. Boris` game plan. There`s no time to do all that. The only thing that he can do now
is Chuck Chequers.
NOBILO: Stanley Johnson, thank you so much for joining us from Birmingham at the Conservative Party conference.
We`ll be back after a short break. Stay with us. My colleague Lynda Kinkade will have more news for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:17] KINKADE: Welcome back. I want to bring you out the state on that rape allegation against football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Las
Vegas police have reopened their investigation. Kathryn Mayorga`s lawsuit alleges Ronaldo forced himself on to her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009
and then paid her off to keep her quiet. Ronaldo denies the allegation describing it as fake news.
Well, as you know, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most decorated footballers of our time. He`s on a multi-million dollar contract with
Italian club Juventus and has a lifetime deal with Nike, among his many lucrative sponsorship deals.
His accuser says she was motivated to speak out again because of the collective voices of the Me Too movement.
Let`s bring in CNN Sports Analyst, Christine Brennan. She joins us via Skype from Washington. Christine, this lawsuit was made official September
27th, almost a week ago. And now police have reopened this investigation. Yet, we haven`t heard from his club. We haven`t heard from the sport`s
governing body of soccer. Why is there silence on this?
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: It`s a great question, Lynda. And I think they`re going to have to respond. The Me Too movement is real. It
is a force. It is, I believe, a wonderful development that women feel they can speak up. And this is the reality not just in politics, and not just
in America but around the world.
It`s going to continue to happen and certainly in the world of sports. And this may be a surprise or shock to some of these athletes, obviously these
are allegations. We don`t know what happened. I think we`ll find out.
But this is our new reality. And this is Ronaldo`s new reality and I think the sooner he grapples with that and deals with that, the better for him
and for his lawyers and for all of his fans.
KINKADE: He, of course, is one of the world`s highest paid athletes, not just his salary but also his endorsements, his sponsorship. When you look
at his Instagram page and his Facebook, it`s ad after ad after ad. We know he gets four new deals a year ranging from $500,000 in television as to $30
million a year in clothing sponsorship.
Why are sponsors not speaking out about this at all? And when can we expect to hear from them?
BRENNAN: Right. Probably because they don`t feel that it`s really critical yet like so many of the situations that we`ve seen over the last
year in the United States, Lynda, be it Harvey Weinstein or Kevin Spacey or Charlie Rose or Matt Lauer or on and on it goes. And we`ve seen the arc of
these stories and there is an arc to them and sometimes things can start slowly.
And, again, we don`t know. These are allegations. It`s, you know, we`ll find out hopefully what happened.
But if you look at -- if you think that someone might be -- if you`re a sports fan out there and cheer for Ronaldo and you think, well, he`s too
big to fail or that couldn`t happen to him.
Well I would give you at the exhibit A, the owner of the Carolina Panthers, Jerry Richardson. Workplace horrible behavior by alleged -- allegations of
sexual misconduct and terrible behavior by the owner of an NFL team. You can`t get much bigger than that and you also can`t get much bulletproof
than that. And yet he was forced within a few weeks to sell his team and he is gone from the National Football League.
That is the magnitude of the Me Too allegations in this world of ours now. I think it`s important. I think it`s essential that we listen to women and
it can happen in sports just like it`s happening in Hollywood or in politics.
KINKADE: Apart from his live Instagram video denying this, calling it fake news, he hasn`t posted at all on Facebook or on his Instagram feed since
this lawsuit was made official a week ago. How long can he lay low? Because we`re now seeing people on his accounts, his supporters, his fan
base calling him a pig, saying he should respond to this and should face justice.
BRENNAN: Well, this is -- it`s all new, for most people. Even though it`s been about a year or so in the United States that we`ve been seeing these
stories. And it`s -- this is something that is changing rapidly. The landscape is changing rapidly, public relations people need to grapple with
that. Lawyers. Obviously, the police as well. The fact that this case is being reopened and reinvestigated is very serious trouble for him.
And, you know, if he did something horrible, I`m guessing we will find out. And I -- if he didn`t do something horrible, I think we`ll find that out as
well. But he and his people have to treat this very seriously.
[14:50:05] History is our guide, over the last 12, 13 months, we have seen extraordinary things happen and they`ve happened with lightning speed. And
if you are someone who was accused and -- man or woman, in this case it`s almost always powerful men but women could do this too.
Whatever the case, if you don`t take this seriously from the get-go, you are bound to have even more trouble. And, again, I think it`s a wonderful
conversation for the international sports community to have. And we will, I think, find out the truth eventually about what happened in that hotel
room nine years ago.
KINKADE: Christine Brennan, we`ll have to leave it there. But good to get your perspective. Thank you.
We`re going to take a quick break. We`ll be right back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, the UNESCO World Heritage site that`s all about good karma. The ancient town of Luang Prabang in Laos delight travelers. CNN`s Amara
Walker takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMARA WALKER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dawn in the Luang Prabang, a former capital of Laos. And the song of insects is interrupted by the
ringing of a bell to lighten. As the sun begins to lighten, a sea of saffron appears in the distance.
This is Tak Bat, the century`s old Buddhist ritual of alms giving. Locals line up along the road offering gifts of sticky rice to the passing monks.
While tourists snap photos on the other side documenting the living tradition.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the alms giving, we do every day. Yes, every day. Even the rainy season or the dry season. So seven days a week. This is
the way how we believe, how we practice Buddhism.
WALKER: As one of the most significant and ancient centers of Laotian Buddhism, the peninsula of Luang Prabang lies at the juncture of two
rivers, the mighty Mekong and the Nam Khan.
In 1995, UNESCO listed the city as a World Heritage site, siting the Luang Prabang`s well-preserved architecture and culture nestled in verdant
splendor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Luang Prabang south, it has more than 32, 33 temples, you know? And some temple it`s very special like this one.
Buddhism have like a soul of the Lao -- you know, of Lao people here in Laos.
So we are now here in Wat Xieng Thong. Wat Xieng Thong is one of the oldest Buddhist temple. They`re still standing here in 16th century and
(INAUDIBLE) with just the king, Setthathirath (ph). And it`s still very active for the, you know, local community of Buddhist people, especially
the monks.
WALKER: At 6:00 p.m. some 12 hours after the almsgiving, the strike of another bell signals the evenings chanting.
[14:55:12] UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is necessary to do our chanting because it is our duty. It makes us feel peaceful and it`s a
way to show our appreciation to the laypeople who support us.
WALKER: As the drone of Buddhist mantras fills the evening in the Luang Prabang, another day in the temple draws to a close. Tomorrow, these same
monks will wake up before the sun to collect alms. And to nurture and perhaps defend an ancestral culture.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our last story, fashion meets science. The longstanding problem in the fashion industry is the amount of water use to dye fabrics. One
design researcher may have found a solution.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What happens when you take a designer and place them in it by logical scientific environment, that`s when you get a new way of
thinking that can cast live innovation.
Bacteria produce pigment. I became very interested with microbes (INAUDIBLE) because that seemed like a very low takeaway of actually
accessing that color (INAUDIBLE) to see the colors organism that normally found in soil. It gives true to the flavor, mild of rain just before
thunderstorm and produces this beautiful sky blue pigment.
We quickly discovered that it could dye textiles with about 500 times with water. And then what really happens in the industry.
We`re at the department of biochemical engineering at the University College London. The researchers here are looking at how synthetic biology
is a guide of living systems. Enough for us major driven ways of doing the system of chemicals.
(INAUDIBLE) to see the color produces color within seven days. It can ferment in a liquid broth of nutrients and that`s when those cells start to
divide. After seven points, something is triggered, it starts to produce that pigment.
It can grow the organism directly onto the textile. And if you start to direct where those organisms are, you can start to design patterns and
treats to start to design with biology in a quite cleaner way.
We can create a range of different colors by tweaking the pH. Low pH results in more blue colors towards the purple spectrum. And something
that`s slightly higher pH is going to deliver bright vibrant pinks and even reds.
I think what`s so fascinating about textiles is that they have always been artifacts that are beyond this material that might look nice. They tell us
about where we are with our technology. If we look at what knitting was in the 1900s compared to what it can do now with 3D forms, massive leaps have
happened.
There are new spaces opening up for designer to invite this interdisciplinary sharing of ideas. I think that`s where creativity has an
amazing space to expand.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
That does it for this edition. Thanks so much for joining us. Stay with CNN. I`m Lynda Kinkade and "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
