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Sen. Heidi Heitkamp Apologizes For Misidentifying Abuse Victims In Ad; Mexico Beach Residents Return To Devastated Town; CNN Reality Check: President Trump's Biggest Threat; Controversial Call Lifts Red Sox Past Astros. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired October 18, 2018 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:30:19] ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp apologizing after a campaign ad misidentified several women of survivors of abuse without their consent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HEIDI HEITKAMP (D), NORTH DAKOTA (via telephone): The only thing I can do is say I am so sorry. I'm not going to ask for forgiveness, but I want to know what we can do to fix this.
I think that this is horrible and I look at this the way I would if I were someone whose name was in the paper who didn't authorize it. And I think that that is a colossal and huge mistake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: The newspaper ad was an open letter signed by 127 women slamming Heitkamp's Republican opponent Congressman Kevin Cramer for saying tough people do not identify with the #MeToo movement.
Joining us now, one of the women named in that ad, Lexi Zhorela, is with us. Lexi, appreciate you taking the time to join us there.
We just heard from Sen. Heitkamp, who said, "All I can do is say I'm sorry and I want to know what I can do to fix this."
Has she said that personally to you, that she's sorry?
LEXI ZHORELA, NAMED IN SEN. HEIDI HEITKAMP'S CAMPAIGN AD (via Skype): No, she has not.
HILL: You were told though, as I understand it, that she would be reaching out.
ZHORELA: Yes. I was told that she was going to reach out to every one of the women that was put in this without our consent, but she has yet to reach out to me.
HILL: She said she also wants to know what she can do to fix this. Is there something in your mind that she could do? ZHORELA: You know, the damage has kind of already been done. The names that didn't want to be put out there are already out there for the world to see and you can't really retract that. The damage is done.
HILL: When did you first realize that your name was out there?
ZHORELA: A friend reached out to me and just mentioned that my name was written in an article. And at first, I didn't know what she was talking about and I thought maybe it was a scam, and then she found the article for me and sent it to me personally.
HILL: What was your reaction?
ZHORELA: You know, at first I was terrified. I thought how could this happen? How could something like my name be put out there publicly when that wasn't -- you know, that wasn't my choice?
And I was very public -- or very private about the things that had happened to me in the past and I kind of walk around everyday life like people, when they look at me, that they know what had happened to me. And from now on, when I walk around I'll know that they know that -- you know, what has happened to me.
And forever, for the rest of my life, I'll have to hold the title as a survivor and that wasn't my choice. I never -- I never made that choice in the first place but now I'm going to have to live with it for the rest of my life.
HILL: I know that you have been in contact with some of the other women and that some of you have actually been talking about some sort of legal recourse here.
ZHORELA: Yes.
HILL: What does justice look like for you in this situation?
ZHORELA: I keep asking myself that over and over again and I'm still kind of trying to figure that out. It's only been a couple of days since all of this kind of blew up and I don't -- I don't know what she could do that would make it better.
And I know that's why a lot of the people in this situation are reaching out to seek legal counsel because of what she did was wrong. And I think it's very reckless that she didn't read the document and approve all of our names being put out there. Somebody messed up.
HILL: Do you know how your name got attached to that?
ZHORELA: It was -- my name was initially tagged in a -- in a status, I believe, on Facebook --
HILL: Yes.
ZHORELA: -- asking for support for this -- for this cause. And it said to contact a certain person to put your name out there and to give that approval.
And on this -- on this status on Facebook, I never commented on it. I never reached out to the people asking for signatures and asking for names. I never -- I never reached out to them, myself.
HILL: OK, so you never even reached out to them.
ZHORELA: No.
HILL: You said you're a liberal. You had planned --
ZHORELA: Yes.
HILL: -- to vote for Heidi Heitkamp. You will not vote for her now. Do you still plan to vote?
ZHORELA: No, she -- I do plan on voting but I'm definitely going to have to do my research and figure out the right choice for the situation. But as of right now, she definitely lost my vote.
HILL: I just want to let you know I'm actually just hearing in my ear as you were answering that question, Sen. Heitkamp's office just letting us know here that they say they are going to be reaching out to each person individually. Again, this is what you were told yesterday, correct?
[07:35:01] ZHORELA: I believe it was -- I believe when it was -- when this was actually all found out about -- and I don't think it was yesterday, I think it was actually the night before.
HILL: Yes. So we're looking at a solid 36 hours, not quite 48. But it's been some time since you were told she'd reach out. Again, she's telling us again she will reach out.
How do you anticipate that conversation will go? What do you plan to say to her? What do you want to ask her?
ZHORELA: You know, I would like to ask her, I guess, just how something so reckless and how careless could have -- could have happened. I don't -- I still don't understand how it could have happened. How you can just take somebody's else's name without their consent and plaster it all over -- all over wherever you want just for what? For political gain or --
I don't -- I don't understand -- I don't understand the reason that people think it's right to just take your name and use it without you even knowing about it.
HILL: You talked about how you were terrified when you first heard about this and that you feel, as you just told us, you're going to have to walk around now with this label and everyone will know that you were -- you are a survivor. And you weren't ready to put that out there publicly.
ZHORELA: No. HILL: But you did decide to come on and to speak with us this morning. Why did you want to do that this morning because that, I imagine, is tough for you, too?
ZHORELA: It -- yes, it was -- it was a big decision to make and I had talked to other people about and they pretty much told me not to do it, and a lot of the -- a lot of the women in it, too.
But for me, I think that us a whole, as women, we deserve a voice and I deserve -- you know, I think that we all deserve more than just a -- just a phone call apology saying that oh, sorry, I didn't -- I didn't look at this document and now your name is plastered for the world to see.
I actually researched my name on Google and everything pops up now, you know, for the rest of my life for jobs and school and anything that I -- anyone can look up my name publicly and see that I'm a -- I'm a survivor. So --
HILL: Lexi, we appreciate you taking the time to join us. Please let us know when you -- if and when you hear from Sen. Heitkamp and how that conversation goes. Thanks, again.
ZHORELA: Thank you.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So they escaped with their lives. Now they have returned home after Hurricane Michael to find there is little left.
We have a live report from Mexico Beach, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:41:15] BERMAN: An emotional journey home for residents of Mexico Beach, Florida after Hurricane Michael destroyed the entire coastal town. The death toll now up to 32 -- 22 victims in Florida alone.
Our Martin Savidge live in Mexico Beach. Martin, watching people come home, it has to be so hard.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. Yes, it is.
These are rugged days emotionally for people and it's not just for those returning residents, although we've been talking to a lot of them. And actually, many of them have sort of mentally prepared themselves, you could say.
They're kind of in this attitude of all right, it is what it is, maybe because a lot of them have been able to see the images on CNN -- they specifically said that -- or they've been able to see their homes and their neighborhoods online. So they were ready, as most can be.
But I've got to tell you. We've been amongst these ruins now for a week and though we've never gotten fully used to it, it is kind of in the background for us. You can tell the face of a person who is coming in for the very first
time, and that is whether they're a grizzled first responder or whether they're a lifetime resident. They are just thunderstruck. They are just -- you can see it. It is jaw-dropping -- and Erica would know this -- when you see it for the very first time it is just absolutely incredible.
And so, that includes even the mayor. The mayor who rode out the storm in this community talked to us about what it was like when he came out of the shelter and for the very first time just saw. Here's the mayor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL CATHEY, MAYOR, MEXICO BEACH, FLORIDA: When I went out of my house on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 -- and I live on the far east end of town but I remember when I -- when I saw what was around me I just went to my knees and I thought do we have anything or is there -- you know, do we have anything here?
And I walked these streets. I was like how do you fix something that's not here?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: A week later, they realize there is plenty left in this community and they will rebuild.
It was also an emotional day yesterday as they said goodbye to Task Force Two. That's the search and recovery team -- 85 members -- that had been looking for the living and the dead. They're done for now.
Task Force Three will take over as they continue to look for more victims they fear are still here -- John.
BERMAN: Martin Savidge, thanks so much for your reporting down there. You've been doing great work.
Can you imagine this is your home?
SAVIDGE: Thanks.
BERMAN: Imagine coming home to this and how you would feel. That's what these people are going through.
And if you want to help the victims of Hurricane Michael, please go to cnn.com/impact.
HILL: South Korea's president meeting with Pope Francis today, delivering a letter from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un inviting him to visit. South Korea's news agency reporting the Pope said he may visit North Korea when he's officially invited.
The lead detective in the Harvey Weinstein investigation now removed from the case and now the subject of an internal investigation by the New York Police Department. The Manhattan district attorney's office says Det. Nicholas DiGuadio
advised a female accuser to delete anything on her cell phone she did not want seen before turning it over to authorities. The D.A. learned of the incident last week after the detective was accused of coaching a witness.
HILL: A California surgeon and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping two women are now facing more rape charges. Dr. Grant Robicheaux was charged in five additional cases. Girlfriend Cerissa Riley charged in three additional cases.
The D.A. says they met the victims in a public place, drugged them, and took them back to their home after they were rendered, quote, "incapable of consent."
Each has posted $1 million bail. If convicted on all charges they are each facing a life sentence.
BERMAN: A man stuck about 100 feet down a mine in western Arizona for two days without food or water has been rescued. A local station says 62-year-old John Waddell broke multiple bones and was airlifted to an area hospital.
[07:45:07] A friend who knew Waddell said he was going into the mine and found him after not hearing from him. That friend says he had to kill three rattlesnakes inside the mineshaft.
Waddell's injuries are said to be non-life-threatening.
HILL: The "SESAME STREET" puppeteer behind Big Bird is flying the coop and heading straight for retirement. Caroll Spinney, who also was the voice of Oscar the Grouch, has been with "SESAME STREET" since it premiered nearly 50 years ago.
Eighty-four-year-old Spinney has earned a number of accolades over the years, including four honorary doctorates and a lifetime achievement Emmy award.
Also, just a lovely human being.
BERMAN: Talk about someone who made an impact.
HILL: Oh, my goodness.
BERMAN: Multiple generations of Americans grew up with Big Bird and, Big Bird, I think, is something that everyone can identify with.
HILL: Actually, and Oscar, too. He also did Oscar, which is amazing.
BERMAN: Oscar's got issues.
HILL: Wow, OK.
BERMAN: Oscar's got --
HILL: But there are things to learn from Oscar, too, John. BERMAN: I suppose you're right. But I will say --
HILL: Perhaps how not to act.
BERMAN: Caroll Spinney -- 50 years he did Big Bird.
HILL: I know.
BERMAN: Even when he was the only one seeing Snuffleupagus, he stuck with it.
HILL: Yes.
BERMAN: Even -- you know, even when that --
HILL: Yes.
BERMAN: -- was --
HILL: Just for the record, I always saw Snuffleupagus. I just pronounce his name.
BERMAN: And you met Caroll Spinney a few times, yes?
HILL: I did. He was actually here at CNN years ago. My son was probably 2 1/2. And he came on to talk with Anderson -- I forget about what -- and he brought Oscar.
And what was amazing is it's very important, because the puppeteers come with the puppets, that we not ruin the magic, and it was a lovely moment because he made sure none of the magic was ruined and the face lit up. That's pretty sweet.
President Trump calling the Federal Reserve his biggest threat. That calls for a CNN "Reality Check." Lucky for you we've got one.
BERMAN: Plus, the controversial call. This is not controversial -- an awesome call. A fantastic call -- the best call I've ever seen in a crucial playoff game. Why this call was so amazing, that's ahead.
HILL: By the way, John Berman's a Red Sox fan, just in case you weren't listening.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:51:10] HILL: President Trump picking fights and redefining what constitutes a threat.
CNN senior political analyst John Avlon has a "Reality Check" for us -- John.
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Always, Erica.
So -- OK, so the same day, this week, President Trump attacked the Federal Reserve Bank and defended a foreign government, his inner circle may have murdered a "Washington Post" columnist. It's worth saying that none of this is normal but it's easy to fall into the trap of normalization with this president. The reality of the distortion field is strong with this one.
So, let's put the president's comments in the context of his own past attacks.
First, let's look at what the president is currently calling his biggest threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our biggest threat is the Fed because the Fed is raising rates too fast and it's independent, so I don't speak to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Now, this is head-smacking because presidential respect for the independence of the Fed is a basic tradition respected by both parties.
But let's take a look at what else the president has called the biggest threat in the past. That list includes the debt, which is a bit ironic, Obamacare, and lack of leadership.
So the president's pretty indiscriminate when it comes to picking these kinds of fights, but that fighting spirit has an odd way of evaporating when he's confronting a real bully on the world stage.
And, of course, the latest example is reluctance to pass judgment on the Saudi royal family when faced with overwhelming evidence. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They deny it. They deny it in every way you can imagine.
It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Of course, that's not all.
In another interview, he defended the Saudi regime by saying this all could be a case of guilty until proven innocent, directly drawing a comparison to the accusations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
That's known as not helping but it's all part of a pattern.
For example, you know what's easy to condemn, Nazis -- but the president, of course, couldn't bring himself to do even that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You also had people that were very fine people on both sides. (END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: But when it comes to Trump's refusal to confront and condemn a bad actor on the world stage there is still no close second to Vladimir Putin and Russia's attempt to interfere with our election on Trump's behalf.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds.
I believe that President Putin really feels -- and he feels strongly -- that he did not meddle in our election.
Knowing something about hacking, if you don't catch a hacker, OK, in the act, it's very hard to say who did the hacking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Stunning.
Now, this president loves to punch down, attacking independent individuals and institutions but he's exquisitely sensitive when it comes to not rushing to judgment against dictators and thugs.
Now, one more thing deserves a quick reality check, guys.
Senator Lindsey Graham was asked on Fox the other day about Elizabeth Warren's DNA test and that's where things went wrong. He expressed a half-joking horror of what the results of his own DNA test might be.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I'll probably be Iranian. That would be like terrible.
BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX NEWS CHANNEL ANCHOR, "FOX & FRIENDS": They're great people, just bad leaders.
GRAHAM: Yes, bad leaders.
STEVE DOOCY, FOX NEWS CHANNEL ANCHOR, "FOX & FRIENDS": All right --
GRAHAM: I'm not in the ayatollah branch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Yes, yes. I think the obvious problem is that he offended a host -- millions of Persian-Americans, Iranian-Americans who saw him reacting with horror to the idea that he might be among them. So just a reality check on that front.
Not only, of course, are we a nation of immigrants, let's take a second to remember and appreciate the extraordinary American -- Iranian-Americans who help make our country great today.
For example, Pierre Omidyar; the president of the Carnegie Corporation, Vartan Gregorian; Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi; and our own Christiane Amanpour. So it's a great community that doesn't deserve a dis from a sitting senator.
BERMAN: Lindsey Graham got some chuckles over that.
Thanks so much, John -- appreciate it.
So, the Red Sox now one win away from the World Series and finally, we're celebrating some outstanding officiating.
[07:55:05] HILL: Really?
BERMAN: Outstanding officiating.
HILL: Berman's been waiting for this moment.
BERMAN: Lindsay Czarniak with --
LINDSAY CZARNIAK, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I have really bad news for you, man. You are going to have to stay up tonight. That's the problem. There's no way.
This game is so good. You don't have to be a sports fan to get excited for tonight's match-up. There is so much at stake.
The Red Sox' David Price trying to get his team to the World Series on three days' rest. But getting to this point it was controversial, as Berman said, because of one fan who, after the fact, was scared. He thought he needed security, in fact, to leave the game.
It happened early in the first. The Astros Jose Altuve driving this one to right, and look at this -- watch closely. The Red Sox' Mookie Betts leaps to make the catch. It appears a fan hit his glove.
BERMAN: It doesn't appear. He hit his glove.
CZARNIAK: Well, you've got to be fair.
The umpires eventually ruling Altuve out because of fan interference. The call was reviewed.
The ruling was upheld even though the ball appeared, also, to be heading over the wall, right -- depending on which way you look at it, Berman, yes? Am I right? Yes.
Interviewed after the incident, the fan said it was the worst call he has ever seen --
BERMAN: (INAUDIBLE).
CZARNIAK: -- and -- yes -- well, that's what the fan said --
BERMAN: OK -- CZARNIAK: -- so it is true that was his opinion. He said that he thought he needed security if the Astros didn't win.
So, Houston did have a chance but here's where it ended. Down by two in the ninth, the bases were loaded for Alex Bregman. He hit that liner only to be robbed by that gorgeous, sensational game-ending catch -- Andrew Benintendi.
The Sox win 8-6. They take a three-games-to-one series lead.
Mookie Betts on the fan interference call after the game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOKIE BETTS, OUTFIELDER, BOSTON RED SOX: I was pretty positive I was going to be able to catch it. As I jumped and went over and reached my hand up, I felt like somebody was kind of pushing my glove out the way or something. I was kind of surprised he made the out call and as I watched the video it was like he got it right because that probably was going in my glove for sure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Absolutely.
CZARNIAK: Just ask Mookie, right? I mean, just ask him what happened.
Obviously, the Red Sox can wrap up the pennant tonight with a win. You can watch it on our sister network TBS.
It's going to be David Price pitching for the Red Sox on three days' rest. I love it when teams do that.
And his former Tigers teammate, Justin Verlander, pitching for the Astros. Amazing, right?
And meantime, the Dodgers, on the other side there, up three games to two over the Brewers. They can clinch their series on Friday.
But back to tonight. I mean, this is a chance for Price to prove himself -- his worth, really, to those Boston fans. I mean, that's why I say it doesn't matter if you're a sports fan. This is going to be awesome.
BERMAN: He's won zero games as a starter in post-season.
CZARNIAK: Yes and we're in the post-season -- no -- and he's certainly an amazing player.
BERMAN: He gets an amazing paycheck -- $30 million a year.
Look, I think he's going to be great tonight. I know he will.
I also know that that was a wonderful call. I mean, here's the thing. I fully admit that if I were an Astros fan I would be sitting here telling you it was the worst call ever.
HILL: We appreciate that transparency, John Berman.
BERMAN: I am. I mean, fully transparent.
But given that I'm not --
CZARNIAK: Because, I mean, it did look it was going over the wall, right, so you can argue both sides. But --
BERMAN: It definitely went over the wall but it also looks like Mookie Betts, who is one of the best outfielders in the game --
CZARNIAK: Yes.
BERMAN: -- he would have had it had those -- had those devious fans --
HILL: Devious.
BERMAN: -- devious fans knocked it away there.
HILL: The devious fans who were concerned about security.
CZARNIAK: Right.
HILL: Yes.
CZARNIAK: Police, yes.
HILL: John Berman, I hope you've got a good nap planned for later today.
CZARNIAK: Right.
BERMAN: Can I complain about something else? Last night's game --
HILL: Please do.
BERMAN: -- ended at 1:14 a.m.
CZARNIAK: Right.
BERMAN: That's too late. Forget about me. I --
CZARNIAK: But when did you stop watching?
BERMAN: I had to go to bed at like 10:15. And forget about me, I'm a lost cause.
But what about the youth of America? They can't watch any of it.
CZARNIAK: Well, they stay up.
HILL: John is worried about the youth of America.
BERMAN: They don't stay up until 1:15. They don't -- I don't think so.
Lindsay Czarniak --
HILL: Good luck to you, though.
BERMAN: -- great to have you here with us.
CZARNIAK: Always great to see you.
BERMAN: Thank you for the umpires.
HILL: We are following a lot of news, some of it not baseball- related. In all seriousness, the growing White House crisis over the apparent murder of a journalist. Let's get to it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm not giving cover at all. Saudi Arabia's been a very important ally.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to send a powerful message here, not one that tries to create spin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pompeo told him yesterday he has to own this situation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he's much more serious than the president about how to deal with this issue directly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The trip was more about getting the stories to coordinate than a fact-finding mission.
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Sources believe there could be more criminal indictments.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They brought in Paul Manafort for at least nine interviews.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People close to the president cannot imagine that he's going to be indicted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would be very worried if I was President Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going through the quiet before a storm.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
BERMAN: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It's Thursday, October 18th, 8:00 in the east.
Alisyn is off. Erica Hill joins me.
The Red Sox are one win away from the World Series.
HILL: And that's the most important headline for John Berman today.
BERMAN: Thanks so much for joining us.
Now look, we have big news. This morning, the White House and their friends in Saudi Arabia trying to get their stories straight.
"The Washington Post" reports that the Trump administration and the Saudi royal family are searching for a, quote, "mutually agreeable explanation of events that led to the apparent murder and dismemberment of 'Washington Post' journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
A mutually agreeable version that the "Post" says does not implicate the Saudi crown prince who happens to be great friends with Jared Kushner.
A mutually agreeable version might --
