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New Day
Police Seek Person of Interest; Review of FBI Policies; Boosting Your Immune System; Democratic Health Care Plan. Aired 8:30- 9a ET
Aired January 31, 2019 - 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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[08:32:19] ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Chicago Police releasing photos of people of interest, people they say they want to talk to about the alleged racist and homophobic attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett.
CNN's Sara Sidner is live in Los Angeles this morning for us with the very latest.
Sara, good morning.
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
You know, we're learning a couple of new things. One, that he was talking to his manager at the time of the attack. And, two, police have put out pictures. They are hoping the public can help them try to identify these two people who they would like to question.
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SIDNER (voice over): Chicago Police releasing these new images of people they want to question regarding the alleged homophobic and racist attack against "Empire" actor and singer Jussie Smollett. Authorities are asking for the public's help in identifying the two individuals who police are calling potential persons of interest. Police making the pictures public after combing through hundreds of hours of surveillance video and expanding the initial search area for video.
They have not yet found images of an assault, but police say they have found video showing Smollett entering his building with what appears to be a rope around his neck.
Smollett is best known for his role in the television series "Empire," where he plays Jamal, a black singer who is gay.
Smollett, in real life, is black and gay, which may have been the motivation for a possible hate crime against him in Chicago. Authorities say the "Empire" actor reported that the crime happened about 2:00 in the morning Tuesday when two men got his attention by yelling out racial and homophobic slurs. Smollett told police the men then began hitting him in the face and poured an unknown chemical substance on him. He added that at some point during the incident, one of the offenders wrapped a rope around his neck.
During a follow-up interview, police say Smollett told them something new. During the attack, they offenders uttered "this is MAGA country." Smollett told CNN, he was shaken by the attack. His publicist says he is out of the hospital and recovering.
Police are hoping to learn more about who the people on the surveillance video are. So far, more than a dozen investigators are working this case with the assistance of the FBI. Now U.S. congressman from Illinois, Bobby Rush, is calling for an immediate and sweeping civil rights investigation.
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SIDNER: And, again, the FBI is involved in this case. But those pictures, very hard to see any details. You can't tell the color of the people's skin. And you know that it is freezing in Chicago right now, so they're, of course, bundled up.
But there are a lot of questions that police are trying to answer, trying to figure out just who is behind this and trying to get the public to help them do that.
Erica.
[08:35:07] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Sara Sidner, we thank you for staying on this story. So much more still to learn. Appreciate it.
New evidence of a Russian attack on the U.S. justice system, but the president seems preoccupied. We'll get "The Bottom Line," next.
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BERMAN: Virginia's Democratic governor Ralph Northam is facing a backlash for comments he made on a late-term abortion bill. The measure proposed in the Virginia legislature would have loosened restrictions on abortions during the third trimester of pregnancy. The governor, who is a pediatric neurologist, was slammed after he said this.
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GOV. RALPH NORTHAM (D), VIRGINIA: If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.
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BERMAN: Florida Senator Marco Rubio retweeted the governor's comments adding this, I never thought I would see the day America had government officials who openly support legal infanticide.
[08:40:01] A spokesman for Northam tells "The Washington Post" that Northam was talking about prognosis and medical treatment, not ending the life of a delivered baby.
HILL: The Justice Department is revealing Russia stole and spread non- public information about the Mueller probe in order to discredit the investigation. And despite that alarming headline, the president's focus is aimed at the tactics the FBI used to arrest Roger Stone.
Let's get "The Bottom Line" now with CNN political analyst David Gregory.
David, good to see you.
DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
HILL: I mean there's an element of that where you say, oh, wow, look at this headline. And this is crazy. And this is exactly what we heard in the threat assessment on Tuesday that we should be concerned about, that Russia is still meddling and sowing, trying to exploit the discord in the country. The president is worried about Roger Stone. It's really not that surprising, though, is it?
GREGORY: Well, it's not surprising. But, you know, in this particular case, if you read "The Daily Caller" transcript, the president seems like much more of a bystander here.
BERMAN: Yes.
GREGORY: The reporter is asking him incredibly leading questions, essentially saying, isn't this outrageous? Are you concerned about the militarization of your FBI and their tactics? And the president -- I think you made this point earlier, John, is, say, you know, that's a really good question. I really should think about that. I'll be darned. You know, because he loves to go along with someone aggressively in his favor. And -- and you see that over and over again.
But I think it doesn't detract from the larger point. Look, the president, with regard to Roger Stone, is all too happy -- we were here almost a week ago when this was all breaking and I remember saying at the time, I mean, the president and his allies will say, what are you doing bringing all of that fire power to his front door, you know, to arrest him? It's going to look like overreach on the part of the FBI. So the president's happy to play into that and not to talk about these Mueller documents and how they could be compromised and then forwarded to other people. That is just something that he has not been concerned about throughout for fear, obviously, of it proving the case against him.
BERMAN: David, I love your assessment of the interview with the president. And you who, you know, spent so much time in the White House doing big interviews like this, don't you ever wonder what you could get him to say if you led him down a certain path like this? He'd agree to almost anything.
GREGORY: He would because -- well, the other thing I love is, again, if you read the transcript of "The Daily Caller," it's not -- well, you know -- you know, that's a -- that's a good question and I'll have to think about that, as you said earlier, because I haven't thought about it at all and I wasn't even aware of it.
Or -- and then -- and then he said, you know, I really think you should play that question because it -- because it also shows that to him all of the world is television. There is no such thing as print media.
HILL: Yes.
GREGORY: You should play that question, because that question's really important and maybe other people will weigh in on it. I mean, again, it's a little bit of a side note, but I think it's not the president waking up and saying, I'm going to drive this.
HILL: Yes.
GREGORY: I think he is happy to agree with anything that would advance, you know, that question of unfairness about the Mueller probe. And I think his focus on Stone, for example, he's not commenting on the substance of what he's charged with. He may get to a point where he said, yes, these other people were doing bad things and I didn't know. It's much easier to create doubt about how and why things were done when it gets to, oh, you got him on lying, you got him on obstruction? You don't have -- there's no there there. There's no underlying crime. That's what I think he'll continue to focus on.
BERMAN: So we have you here for "The Bottom Line." One of the big issues in the country right now is, will the government shut down again in like 13 or 14 days? We've talked to members from both parties who are part of this meeting, this gang of 17, trying to hammer out a deal, and they both spoke in really soothing tones.
HILL: Yes.
BERMAN: Like they're working very hard to come up with a solution. Is there reason for hope here, David?
GREGORY: Look, I think there is. And I think if you're the president, whatever penalty he pays for the shutdown in the polling, if there's anything that endures -- and I'm not sure there will be any lasting blowback against him -- he has made this issue that is central to his campaign and how he thinks a front-burner issue again. And he's got a real opportunity to get some kind of funding for some kind of barrier/wall/steel slats, whatever.
And I think Democrats have to look at this as an opportunity for a long-term deal on dreamers. I do think there's an opportunity for this. I don't know if it's at the level he wants. It may not be at the level that Democrats want. But I don't think either side -- I heard Jonathan Martin make this point earlier, and we've talked about -- Democrats have supported a wall. There is already a wall. There are already barriers. They have -- you know, they can't make this simply a moral issue when they've been for this in the past. So I think there's room to negotiate here based on a president who made this argument in a campaign and got elected on it in part.
BERMAN: David Gregory -- you know, he speaks in soothing tones, like these appropriators meeting to fix all this.
HILL: Yes.
GREGORY: Yes.
HILL: He's in the Bob --
GREGORY: You've got to be optimistic.
HILL: You're in the Bob Ross club now because we've deemed that the Bob Ross voice this morning.
GREGORY: Oh, really?
HILL: Yes.
BERMAN: Happy little clouds.
GREGORY: Yes.
BERMAN: David Gregory, thank you very much for being with us this morning.
GREGORY: See ya.
[08:45:00] BERMAN: So you've heard some Democrats push Medicare for all. Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us what it is and, more importantly, how much it could cost, next.
HILL: First, how your diet can boost your immune system. Jacqueline Howard has today's "Food as Fuel."
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JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH WRITER: Studies have linked having a good gut health with boosting your immunity. All natural yogurts are a good source of probiotics, which can have big benefits for your gut health.
Garlic can also have a powerful effect on your immune system. Garlic is a good source of a mineral called selenium, which plays a role in protecting against cell damage. Selenium can also be found in foods like broccoli, sardines and enriched breads.
Another way to boost your body's immune system, go for bone broths. Research shows that broths, like the one in chicken soup, can help ease symptoms of infection.
To keep your immune system strong, think zinc. Zinc can be found in seafood, like oysters, which are high in the mineral.
And, of course, vitamin c. Citrus fruits, like oranges, are full of the tried and true vitamin. But it can also be found in green vegetables, like spinach, kale and Brussels sprouts.
Lastly, drinking fluids, especially water, can helps your body flush out waste and keep this temperature normal. By staying hydrated, you're creating the optimal environment for your immune system.
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[08:50:34] HILL: Several 2020 Democratic candidates and some potential ones are talking about Medicare for all, pushing this health care plan. But what exactly is it and just how much could this free care actually cost?
CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now with more.
Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica.
You know, I mean it was just a couple of years ago that Medicare for all was considered somewhat of a fringe idea, only being pushed by Senator Bernie Sanders. And as you mentioned, now it seems like just about every Democratic hopeful is looking to Medicare for all as their health care idea of choice.
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SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I actually feel very strongly about this, is that we need to have Medicare for all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It could be Medicare for all.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: That's what Medicare for all is all about.
GUPTA (voice over): But what exactly is Medicare for all about, all about? Depends who you ask. Medicare, which has been around since 1965, is the government-run health insurance program that primarily provides Americans, 65 and older, with basic health care coverage, covering hospital stays and doctor visits.
GUPTA (on camera): So, put similarly, this program would then expand Medicare to everyone?
KENNETH THORPE, EMORY UNIVERSITY ROLLINS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: It would provide essentially free care to patients when they go see a physician or go to the hospital.
GUPTA (voice over): Kenneth Thorpe is not a politician. He's a professor of health policy and management at Emery University.
THORPE: Free sounds wonderful. Who doesn't want to have free care? But the reality is, in order to finance this, people are going to have to pay more in taxes.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Health care in America must be a right, not a privilege. GUPTA: Bernie Sanders introduced the Medicare for all bill in 2017. In
his bill, health care is covered by taxpayers with no out of pocket costs at the time of service, even for vision and dental. Just co-pays for some prescription brand name drugs. All of that while providing access to everyone and, he says, dramatically reducing costs.
But it is worth taking a closer look at the numbers.
In the United States in 2017, we spent $3.5 trillion on health care, nearly double of what other high income countries pay per capita. Blame administrative costs, prescription drugs, lots of tests and procedures, and not enough preventative medicine.
Change that and Sanders believes we could cut health care spending from $3.5 trillion to $1.4 trillion a year.
THORPE: Those numbers dramatically underestimate the increased spending associated with providing everybody free care.
GUPTA: Both the conservative leaning Mercatus Institute and the left leaning Urban Institute have analyzed Sanders' recent proposals and estimated that a Medicare for all plan would cost $32 trillion in new federal spending and taxes over the next decade, while saving only $22 trillion from the private sector, meaning Sanders' plan still needs to come up with funding for another trillion a year. And that even though many will pay less in premiums, many will also still pay more overall in taxes.
It's something billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Howard Schultz, who would be most affected by those tax hikes, have railed against.
HOWARD SCHULTZ, FORMER STARBUCKS CEO: What the Democrats are proposing is something that is as false as the wall, and that is free health care for all in which the country cannot afford.
GUPTA (on camera): I think it may have been Milton Friedman that said, if you want to really understand how expensive something is, make it free. Does that apply here?
THORPE: Oh, absolutely, because what sounds free has got to be paid for.
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GUPTA: When you look at all of that, Erica, it's still worth pointing out that there is -- there is significant support for a Medicare for all program. People are going to get more details. But look at the -- some of the most recent polling data just from this month. Fifty-six percent in favor, 42 percent opposed when you call this Medicare for all.
Now, if you remind people that this might mean that you're going to lose your private insurance, the numbers flip, Erica, 58 percent oppose, 37 percent in favor. And then if you also say this is probably going to mean a tax increase for everybody, because it's not just income tax, it's payroll tax, it's sales tax, look at the numbers there, now then 60 percent oppose.
This is going to evolve, Erica, I think over the next several months for sure.
HILL: Yes. That it is. Sanjay, always good to see you. Thank you.
GUPTA: You got it. Thank you.
BERMAN: It's a great discussion to have this entire campaign season.
[08:55:00] "The Good Stuff" is next.
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BERMAN: It is time now for "The Good Stuff."
A man from Washington state came across a military bag at an estate sale. It reminded Jerami Tom of his father who served in the National Guard back in the 1970s. Inside the bag he found a military ID and two dog tags.
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JERAMI TOM: I could hear my dad, you know, telling me, you need to get this back to him.
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BERMAN: Jeremy tried to hunt down the owner, Dennis Luby, on FaceBook. Eventually, when a newspaper ran a story on his discovery, the men did finally connect. Dennis, who lives in California, had no idea the bag still existed.
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DENNIS LUBY: I don't know what to say. Just -- just thank you, Jerami, I really appreciate it. And I will keep this as long as I'm around.
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BERMAN: You know, it's a piece of him. It's a piece of his own history there. And it's so nice that Jerami took the time to make that connection.
HILL: Such a great story. I love those. I love "The Good Stuff."
BERMAN: "The Good Stuff" for you.
At the very end of the show, after all the other stuff.
HILL: Right.
Hey, there's even more good stuff coming your way at the top of the hour on "CNN NEWSROOM" with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto.
[09:00:03] JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: A very good Thursday morning to you. I'm Jim Sciutto in New York.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Poppy Harlow. We're glad you're with us.
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