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Veteran Helps Military Families; State Funeral for Bush; Eulogies for Bush. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired December 05, 2018 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:32:50] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Everyone remembers the election battle between Al Gore and George w. Bush that was protracted and went on for weeks. Anderson Cooper caught up with former Vice President Al Gore last night to get his thoughts now on the passing of President George H.W. Bush and Gore also talked about a call that he received from the late president after losing that 2000 election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, "AC 360": You're in a unique position. You were obviously part of the ticket that defeated President Bush Senior and then, of course, eight years later, defeated by his son. I'm wondering, just looking back on your relationship with the Bushs and all those years ago, what is going through your mind tonight?

AL GORE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that President George H.W. Bush leaves an incredible legacy of dignity and grace. And what stands out for me in my memory is his personal kindness, which he showed to me and to almost everybody he interacted with, and his deep and intense love for our country. He was a remarkable man.

COOPER: I understand that President Bush Senior called you after your concession speech following the Supreme Court ruling in 2000. I'm wondering if you remember that call, if you can talk a little bit about, you know, what he said or what it meant to you.

GORE: Yes. That's never really been written about very much. It was after my second and final concession speech after the Supreme Court decision. And when I got in the Secret Service car to go back to the VP house at the Naval Observatory, I was surprised when the car telephone rang and it was President George H.W. Bush. And he was really kind of overcome with emotion in a really good way, and he said such incredibly kind things.

And what he said was rooted again in his love for our country. And I appreciated that so much. It was not the only time that he demonstrated that extraordinary kindness to me. And I have -- I have really appreciated the kind of man that he was and his whole approach to public service.

(END VIDEO CLIP) [08:35:09] CAMEROTA: Boy, it's so interesting today to hear about all of these old stories, about the things that Bush 41 did that we didn't know about, OK, that weren't in the public eye and that people really appreciated, from his handwritten notes, to his personal phone calls.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, think about that. That may be one of the lowest moments in Al Gore's life, what a difference a phone call from the father of your opponent can make.

CAMEROTA: I know. I mean I think that those two both stand for public service and family, and they can relate on that note. And I just think that -- what a gracious gesture on both sides.

BERMAN: And an important day to mark it all.

CAMEROTA: All right, so a campaign arm of a political party hacked ahead of a major election. Does that sound familiar? But we're not talking about 2016. This just happened, OK, during the midterms. We have all the details for you, next.

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BERMAN: The campaign arm of House Republicans says it was hacked by an unknown entity during the midterm elections. Top officials at the National Republican Congressional Committee are now using the same cyber security firm that helped Democrats expel the Russians from their computer systems in 2016 to investigate. A source close to the investigation tells CNN the hackers would have been able to see all e- mails sent and received by four senior aides whose accounts were breached.

[08:40:18] CAMEROTA: Lawyers for CBS will argue that they should deny the network's former chairman and CEO, Les Moonves, his $120 million payout. "The New York Times" obtaining attorneys draft reporting saying that Moonves has been misleading investigators, even destroying evidence. The report also reveals that Moonves engaged in multiple acts of non-consensual sexual misconduct inside and outside the workplace. Moonves' lawyer did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.

BERMAN: So actor and comedian Kevin Hart has a new gig, hosting the 91st Annual Academy Awards in February. He succeeds Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars the last two years. Hart says in an Instagram post that it's the opportunity of a lifetime and says he will rise to the occasion to make it a special show, and he adds, now it's time to rise to the occasion. As I just said, he will rise to the occasion. Apparently rising to the occasion is very important to Kevin Hart. I will note, this is a big year because "The Meg" (ph) will be best picture. No doubt "The Meg," which is the film of the year.

CAMEROTA: Is that right?

BERMAN: About a shark -- like a dinosaur shark. It's very good. It's very good. I wouldn't underestimate it.

CAMEROTA: OK. BERMAN: The shark rose to the occasion in all of the versions of the film that I saw.

CAMEROTA: OK, great.

I love Kevin Hart. You don't have to sell me on Kevin Hart.

BERMAN: All right.

CAMEROTA: I think he's hilarious. But he's particularly hilarious playing off The Rock. So I just want to know who his sidekicks will be.

BERMAN: Oh, maybe The Rock.

CAMEROTA: Maybe.

BERMAN: Maybe there's still something to learn.

CAMEROTA: A special guest appearance.

BERMAN: All right.

CAMEROTA: All right.

She calls George H.W. Bush a friend and a mentor. So what does Condoleezza Rice want you to know about the 41st president? We ask her, next.

BERMAN: But, first, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says more than 6,000 vets killed themselves each year for the past decade. One veteran is trying to do something about it by turning his horse ranch into a place of support for military families. His story is today's "Turning Points."

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Sam Rhodes is a veteran who served 29 years in the Army and after three combat tours he retired as a command sergeant major. Now he's trying to move on from the battlefield.

COMMANDER SGT. MAJ. SAMUEL M. RHODES, U.S. ARMY (RET.): The challenge and what I suffered while I was coming back from the war was just adapting. I want structure. I want a routine. I had that in combat.

GUPTA: In 2005, Rhodes was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress. He was having trouble re-adjusting to life back in the United States.

RHODES: I didn't want to be here. I wanted to go back. I was getting ready to take my own life.

GUPTA: He began seeing a behavioral health counselor, but it was time with his stepdaughter's horse that seemed to make the biggest difference. RHODES: Clean the stalls, putting up fences, it made me feel like I

had a purpose in life. I think that's what's keeping me going. It's amazing how the horse part of this whole thing has really gotten me to calm down a little bit.

GUPTA: In 2008, Rhodes started Warrior Outreach, it's a non-profit that gives veterans and their families free access to horses. For vets, the horse ranch has become a place of solitude and support.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just the fact that we can network and you say, hey, anytime you need something, just call me. Here's my number.

RHODES: I still have depression. Life's not easy, but this is my counselor. All these families. That's why I wake up.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[08:47:37] CAMEROTA: As you know, John and I have been here in Washington for the past three days for the passing of Bush 41. And today is a national day of mourning as his family and world dignitaries come together, including all of the living presidents, at the National Cathedral, to say good-bye to President Bush.

And our Chris Cuomo is there at the National Cathedral getting ready.

So set the scene for us, Chris. What are you seeing?

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, well right now we're waiting for the ceremony to begin. And you know that the president has been lying in state at the U.S. Capitol. The family will be the last people to visit with him there. Then they will make their way here to the National Cathedral.

And it's going to be a very interesting memorial today. There will be several funerals, right? We have one here today. There's a public one in Houston and then there's a private one in Texas and then they're going to move the president by train to Texas A&M where he will be laid to rest next to his wife and their daughter, who they lost at the age of three.

So there are going to be lots of steps in this process. But the theme overall is going to be remembering the decency of this man. You're going to hear today from Jon Meacham, the journalist and author. You're going to hear from Senator Simpson, Alan Simpson. And you're going to hear, of course, from President Bush's son, President Bush 43 as he's known within the family. And it's going to be an interesting mix of memories of a father, of a mentor, and of a great man.

And it's not an easy trick for the president to pull off today because of the emotions that he'll be dealing with. We've seen President 43 dealing with those. We saw him make a spontaneous return visit to the casket of his father. There is so much connection within this family. They're so tight.

Family means so much. There's so much love within their lineage that all of that is going to be brought to bear today for this family, and a mighty clan that it is. And talking to family members last night, it's so interesting how a man who is known to all of us as the public servant, really for them is reserved as their father, the grandfather, the great grandfather. And the example of how to live life, the decency, his sense of virtue, for whatever political pluses and minuses, we'll figure that out as journalists, the historians will write the residue of his legacy over time. But to this family, it was the man, the love and the example of how to be in times easy and tough that they're going to carry forward.

[08:50:14] BERMAN: You know, we talked to George P. Bush yesterday. The dean of the grandchildren delegation, if you will. Seventeen grandchildren. George P. Bush is the eldest. And they all refer to their grandfather as Gambie (ph), you know --

CUOMO: Yes.

BERMAN: Which is so endearing. It's so lovely. And they each had a unique relationship with their grandfather. And the part that I loved when he was talking to us yesterday is the grandfather would write them constantly.

CAMEROTA: I know!

BERMAN: Especially, though, when they messed up. That's when he stepped in. And he was the guy to step in, though, to give words of encouragement and love and kindness, even if there were others even within the family, Barbara Bush, the silver fox, who were not quite necessarily as generous.

CAMEROTA: No.

CUOMO: I think it's also an interesting thing, just the familiarity that you're referring to, John. You know, it's something for a man who is considered a great man to have that kind of transcendence, you know, on one level, but also the familiarity on another, that at their compound in Maine, he had to put a sign by his golf cart, hands off, property of 41, because the grandkids would take his golf cart. You know, the idea of the best gift to give him was fancy socks. He loved colorful socks. You know, that -- you know, the basic nature of him, the approachability of him.

You know, there's so much made about the political intrigue. And I guess that's a little bit of our task. It is -- it is real. This is a time of turmoil. But I really believe that what I heard from some of his family members, that they believe even the timing of his passing may have been his last act of public service because it gives the country a chance to remember public service done right. And not about policy, but about decorum, disagreement within the framework of decency.

And I want to bring in on that note Jamie Gangel, our special correspondent is here today. And, Jamie, when you think about President George H.W. Bush, what's

the first attribute that comes to mind?

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, the words we've been hearing, civility, a gentleman, total class. I just, to talk about the grandchildren and the children for a minute, I was laughing when you were talking about Barbara Bush, who was the enforcer, because she was the enforcer, but former President Bush also had a way of making sure that his children and his grandchildren knew when he was not happy. And he would say the words they were so scared to hear, I'm very disappointed in you. And he would give them, forgive me, I'm going to show you what the family calls the look. And this was the look. He would put on the glasses. He would look over those glasses. And Neil Bush told me once, he would do anything he could to avoid the look.

But what you're seeing here this week with the Bushs, Chris, is what would 41 do? You know, we've seen how they've reached out to the Trumps. They don't want any criticism of the family. They want this to be the way their father and grandfather would handle the situation. And despite all their past with President Trump, they're channeling 41 this week.

Chris.

CUOMO: You know, I was looking at the program, and it's an interesting collection that they're going to have pay tribute here. And we do know that there will be more speeches made and there will be more memorials going on over the next few days and I'm sure beyond that.

But Jon Meacham, former Senator Alan K. Simpson, and, of course, the president's son, President George W. Bush. What do you think we're expecting in terms of those eulogies?

GANGEL: So let me go backwards. I'm -- the last eulogy will be given by his son, former President George W. Bush. And I will tell you that he really didn't want to give this speech because he knew he was going to be very emotional. And I am told that this is not going to be a speech about Bush the president or the statesman, he is going to talk about him as a father. And I do not think --

CUOMO: All right, we'll get Jaime back in a second here.

You know, they're doing a lot of security sweeps here. And you may see some interruptions in communications early on. But, remember, you have every living president here. So there is a lot of need to get things right. There's more security at this than I've really seen at anything of this kind.

Of course, we haven't had to memorialize a president in almost 15 years, John and Alisyn. But certainly attention to detail and security has been a big deal.

And just to pick up on Jaime's last point, you know, you have three different people who are going to eulogize the president today. Each is going to have a complimentary task. But the idea of being a son, remembering your father, when they were so formative in your life, such a mentor on so many levels, this is a very tall task even for a president. And I think we'll see that on display today.

[08:55:18] CAMEROTA: I think so, too. I mean, look, I can't wait to hear more from the grandkids and, of course, from President Bush memorializing his father.

One of the things that I was so struck by when we had George P. on set with us yesterday was, you know, women get the question all the time, how do you do it all? How do you balance it all? How can you be a career woman and be a mom? And some people think it's sexist that women -- I -- if President Bush 41 were here today, I would ask him that question because how did he -- how was he able to write handwritten notes to his 17 grandchildren just at the time whenever they needed it? That was a special magic.

BERMAN: All right, we're going to talk much more about this.

Our special coverage continues right after this.

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BERMAN: We just got a message from President Trump on this national day of mourning. Let me read it to you.

He said, looking forward to being with the Bush family. This is not a funeral, this is a day of celebration for a great man who has led a long and distinguished life. He will be missed.

Obviously, it is a national day of mourning and it is a state funeral for George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral there. A gathering beginning to gather now, all the living presidents, leaders from around the world. This will be a remarkable event. And you will hear humor, but I think more than anything what you will see and what you will hear is love.

CAMEROTA: Look, obviously, it is sad that it takes a funeral and it takes a national day of mourning to kind of suspend the political nastiness and bitterness that we so often hear in Washington, but we'll take it where we can get it. And if this is what, you know, President Bush's legacy is, I think that he would be happy with that, that everybody is respecting that today.

BERMAN: You're right. And as Chris was saying before, the family looks at this as the last gift by George H.W. Bush, bringing the country together, if only for this moment.

[08:59:52] CAMEROTA: All right, CNN's special coverage of President George H.W. Bush's state funeral begins right now.