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1,000+ TSA Workers Still Owed Back Pay from Shutdown; Feud Escalates Between Ivanka Trump and Ocasio-Cortez; U.S. Offers $1M for Information on Bin Laden's Son; The Bush Years, Family Duty, Power; Officer's Bodycam Video Captures Icy Rescue. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired March 01, 2019 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: -- in its system to reflect that employees had received a partial payment. So that the balance that is owed the employees is accurate. You know, as on TSA employee put it, its cheated the purpose of the shutdown, we saw agencies looking for ways to soften the blow for this very long shutdown. But they created more problems. So we did reach out to the agency about all of this. They sent us a statement and the statement -- we have it there, it's put up on the screen.

It says in part, of TSA's 60,000 employees, approximately 1,000 throughout the country require some sort of pay correction. It is unclear, though, when everyone will receive their back pay -- Brooke.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: That's the key question. That's what they want the answer to. How frustrating for them? Rene Marsh, thank you for the update there on this TSA workers. I want to move on

Freshman New York Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is firing back at Ivanka Trump. The first daughter and senior White House adviser has been critical of the Democrats Green New Deal. In a "Fox News" interview, Ivanka Trump was asked about this proposal which also aims to provide guaranteed jobs that would provide a living wage. And so, here is a clip from that interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVANKA TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DAUGHTER AND SENIOR ADVISER: I don't think most Americans in their heart want to be given something. I've spent a lot of time traveling around this country over the last four years, people want to work for what they get.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded to that on Twitter. This is what she wrote.

As a person who actually worked for tips and hourly wages in my life instead of having to learn about it secondhand, I can tell you that most people want to be paid enough to live. A living wage isn't a gift. It's a right. Workers are often paid far less than the value they create. And my next guest has this great opinion piece today in "The

Washington Post" that breaks the whole thing down on this feud. Ivanka versus AOC and the war over earning it. Molly Roberts is with me. Molly, good to have you on.

MOLLY ROBERTS, WROTE OP-ED, "IVANKA VERSUS AOC, AND THE WAR OVER EARNING IT": Thanks so much for having me.

BALDWIN: So, all right, so -- yes, Ivanka Trump has spearheaded some really important issues that someone like AOC would be onboard with, mandatory paid family leave, child care, et cetera. But at the core of all of this as you write about so beautifully is this criticism of authenticity. Why do you think Ivanka Trump struggles with this so much?

ROBERTS: I think Ivanka essentially was brought up in this life of immense privilege but she was also taught that she could present herself. Because just like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez she's awfully charismatic as someone who does understand. I think that really didn't force her to confront the wedge between her and a lot of American. It really shows in this anecdote from her book, "Women Who Work", that a lot of people were citing that she made the statement where she talks about when she was young, she learned the value of work through running a lemonade stand that was doing so poorly that her father's employees paid out of their pocket to subsidize her lemonade stand. It's just so obtuse. To her this means I worked very hard. To anyone else who's looking this means, no, you benefited off the backs of people who were working hard.

BALDWIN: The juxtaposition here is striking, right? You have AOC who appears intensely authentic, Ivanka Trump -- as you point out -- intentionally coached or rehearsed. But you say because AOC is new and she's getting all this attention, it could make her vulnerable.

ROBERTS: Yes. I think that the difficulty is for Ivanka Trump, it's fine to be a symbol. We kind of all know now that Ivanka Trump is not authentic but you don't need to be authentic when your whole public image is that you are the daughter of a tycoon like Donald Trump. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for her, her whole thing, her whole shtick which is very believable and true in many ways is authenticity, it is being real. But it's a lot harder to look real and look like you are still working for what you get when you also become a symbol.

BALDWIN: Molly Roberts, her opinion piece is in "The Washington Post." Molly, thank you very much. Good to have you on.

ROBERTS: Thanks again.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, the hunt is on for Osama bin Laden's son. Why the U.S. State Department is offering $1 million for his location?

[15:35:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: On the hunt, the search for the son of slain Al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, of course, the master mind behind the 9/11 terror attacks. State Department officials tell CNN that bin Laden's son, Hamza bin Laden is taking over Al Qaeda as its new leader. He is already telling followers to attack the U.S. and its Western allies. Also, CNN has learned Saudi Arabia just revoked his citizenship status.

Also, side note, he's married to the daughter of Mohamed Atta, the lead hijacker in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Officials say he wants to avenge his father's 2011 killing at the hands of U.S. Navy SEALs. CNN global affairs analyst, Kimberly Dozier is a contributed for the "The Daily Beast" and here with us, of course, at CNN. And so, Kimberly, I mean, State Department officials say they have evidence that Osama bin Laden was grooming his son to succeed him. What do we know about them? How was he grooming him?

[15:40:00] KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, we found evidence -- or the U.S. found evidence in the letters in Abbottabad, in the compound where Osama bin Laden spent all of those years. This was uncovered by the Navy SEALs, carried back and analyzed by the CIA and others. So they've always known that bin Laden wanted Hamza to follow in his footsteps.

And back in 2015, he started releasing messages, video messages and audio messages, kind of picking up his father's mantle but this is the first time the State Department has upped the ante and called him out.

BALDWIN: So upping the ante to the tune of $1 million, that's what they're offering for information on his whereabouts. What happens when they find him?

DOZIER: Well, the presumption is he's either in remote areas in Afghanistan or Pakistan and State Department officials have said, they suspect he might go back to Iran where he's had shelter and also been held under house arrest before. So this could be a way of warning Iran at a time when the U.S. is ratcheting up pressure on Iran. That we know that you might be considering taking him in again. Iran is thought to have been holding or supporting other members of Al Qaeda right now. So they'll be tracking to see if he ends up there. But in general, this is a way of saying wherever he moves they're going to be watching his finances, watching his travel and letting other countries know who might want to look the other way and let him in that the U.S. will hold them responsible.

BALDWIN: $1 million on his head for location for finding his location. Kimberly Dozier, thank you very much for your incite there. Always good to have you on.

Still ahead here on CNN, Michael Cohen's biggest regret, lying to Melania Trump. So what does the first lady really think about Cohen covering up President Trump's alleged affairs?

[15:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Sunday night, CNN's airing a special report about the political dynasty of the Bush family. Anita McBride is the chief-of- staff to first lady, Laura Bush and the executive in residence at American University, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. So Anita, good to have you on. ANITA MCBRIDE, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH:

Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: From your years at the Bush White House, what do you remember most? What's the memory that you cherish the most?

MCBRIDE: Well, there are a lot of memories, of course. You know, it was a period of 12 years and the Reagan/Bush years and then, of course, eight more in the George W. Bush administration. So a lot of opportunity to really see the family and see the devotion to service that a lot of us who were young political folks coming to town really learned, particularly from the foot of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. And so, great memories of that, those people of character. And really, people devoted to family and that's what I love about this series that CNN has done because it really emphasizes that.

BALDWIN: Yes. You know, I had the honor of sitting down with Laura Bush for an interview. It was November of 2017 and we were actually in the Afghanistan Embassy in Washington, D.C. because --

MCBRIDE: I remember.

BALDWIN: -- she wanted -- she's so passionate about Afghanistan, about the young women, about education. So of course, we talked a lot about that, but she also shared this about when she invited -- or when she had a conversation with Melania Trump. Here she was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Have you had any conversations with the current first lady?

LAURA BUSH, FORMER FIRST LADY: Sure. I've talked to Melania. I've been back. I had tea with her, saw all the staff. She very nicely had the whole White House staff standing around the oval at the diplomatic procession room.

BALDWIN: Any message to Melania in particular?

BUSH: She's doing a lovely job. She's a beautiful woman. She's a wonderful representative for the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: What did you think about that?

MCBRIDE: Well, you know, of course I knew about that visit and I just -- what I think that's an example of is just -- this is the continuum of service to our country. Is that you are a temporary custodian of a position like that and you really do want the best for the people that succeed you and you learn from the people that come before you. It doesn't surprise me at all that Laura Bush talk that had way and, of course, she had a great example of her own, mother-in-law, having been first lady and knows what a tough job it is to step in to.

BALDWIN: Quickly, lastly, you know, as we look at the week that was in Washington and the Michael Cohen testimony and he sat there and saying he regrets to lying to Melania Trump about the President's alleged affairs.

[15:50:00] These are unprecedented times, Anita, for a sitting first lady. What is Mrs. Trump likely thinking?

MCBRIDE: Well, it's got to be hard. You know, it's hard for anyone in this position to live a private life in the public eye and then, of course, you know -- I haven't had the experience of private life for the first lady I work for coming before the Congress. We never had anything like that happen. So I can't imagine it's easy at all and the thing is you have to stay focused on what you're doing. Because this noise is going to go on around you good and bad.

BALDWIN: Anita McBride, thank you very much.

MCBRIDE: Thanks a lot, Brooke.

Again, it airs on Sunday, here on CNN.

Coming up next, an officer goes above and beyond the call of duty. He jumps in this icy lake to save a man who tried to rescue his dog. More of the dramatic video and the story straight ahead.

[15:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Next week we reveal our first CNN hero of 2019. But before we do, here's an update for you on last year's CNN Hero of the Year. He is Dr. Ricardo Pun-Chong, of Lima, Peru. He was recognized for his work helping sick children and their families who've made the difficult journey from the farthest regions of Peru to access medical care. His nonprofit provides him with a heartwarming home and wrap around services so they can comfortably stay as they receive treatment. Here is Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the 2018 CNN hero of the year is Dr. Ricardo Pun-Chong.

(voice-over): An incredible night and when he returned to Peru crowds gathered to greet Ricardo at the airport. He's been hailed a national hero. Ricardo plans to use his CNN prize money and viewer donations to build a new shelter.

DR. RICARDO PUN-CHONG, CNN HERO 2018: The kids inspires me every day. Really, they are heroes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Nominate someone you think should be a CNN Hero right now go to CNNheroes.com.

Intense body cam video captured Chicago police going beyond the call of duty. They rescued a man stuck in freezing cold water after he went into save this dog. CNN's Ryan Young has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Intense body cam video shows the moment Chicago police walked into a frozen Lake Michigan beach to rescue a man who had fallen through the ice.

The man fell into the lake while trying to save his dog in several feet of freezing water freezing water. He became stuck between large crashing waves and blocks of ice too big and slippery to climb over. A look from above shows the danger officers faced. After a 911 call from a woman on the beach at least five Chicago police officers rushed to the frozen beach including Sergeant Alex Silva.

SGT. ALEX SILVA, CHICAGO POLICE: There was a lot of wave action. It was windy. It was extremely cold. It was below zero, I believe, that day. The water temperature was probably 33, 34 degrees just above freezing.

YOUNG: Silva says icy water rescues aren't something he and his fellow officers trained for. But with the man yelling that his hands were starting to go numb, waiting for firefighters to arrive wasn't an option.

SILVA: We realize we were actually walking out over ice to get to him. Which was nerve-racking but we had to get to him quickly.

YOUNG: The officers didn't hesitate. Lying down on the unstable ice to form a human chain using a dog leash to try and pull him out.

OFFICER MIGUEL DEL TORO, CHICAGO POLICE: And then we just kind of -- not even really talking to each other. We just kind of fell into place. You know, he went first, I went next to him, everyone behind us grabbed onto our belts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me your hand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Push.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pull yourself up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I barely --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pull him up. There we go. Your good. Your good.

YOUNG: The man the officers saved has chosen to remain anonymous since the rescue but remains forever grateful for their heroic action.

He wrote them a letter which partly reads, they absolutely saved my life and I will be forever grateful. I have no doubt that I would have died without help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here, you want to give him the dog? Give him the dog, give him the dog right in his lap.

DEL TORO: I'm a police officer, absolutely, you know, but you're a person first. And someone's in distress I like to think that most, given the opportunity, would try to help that person. It felt good. The accolades are great but you just feel good that you saved the person's life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, have you been hurt?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. You're good, man.

YOUNG: Ryan Young, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Incredible.

We do have breaking news out of Hollywood before he let you go. Actress Katherine Helmond has died of complications from Alzheimer's disease. She was 89. She is best known for her roles as Jessica Tate on the ground-breaking late-night comedy, "Soap" and as Mona Robertson on "Who's the Boss". She won Golden Globes for both of those roles. Helmond's husband released this statement. Let me read for you.

She was the love of my life. We spent 57 beautiful, wonderful, loving years together, which I will treasure forever. I've been with Katherine, since I was 19 years old. The night she died I saw that the moon was exactly half full, just as I am now -- half of what I have been my entire adult life.

From her husband. And that's it for me. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thanks for being here. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts now.