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The Lead with Jake Tapper
Ten Dead In Buffalo Snowstorm; Police: Shooter Was FSU Alum; Remembering Legendary Director Mike Nichols
Aired November 20, 2014 - 16:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just this federal regulators demanded a recall of affected cars move nationwide, a move the airbag manufacturer is resisting.
SENATOR ED MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Do you agree or disagree with NHTSA's call for a nationwide recall, Mr. Shimizu?
HIROSHI SHIMIZU, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TAKATA CORPORATION: Senator, it's hard for me to answer yes or no. So if you allow me --
MARKEY: It is not hard for you to answer yes or no?
MARSH: The issue remains, what did the companies know about the problems with the airbags and when did they know it?
SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: We're here because of delay, nondisclosure as well as potential deception.
MARSH: Takata's vice president of quality assurance surrounded by cameras after, but says nothing. Victims, like Stephanie Erdman, hope the start of today's Senate probe means being one step closer to getting all vehicles with potentially deadly airbags off the road.
LT. STEPHANIE ERDMAN, VICTIM: My vision will never be the same. I will never be the same.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARSH: And Takata was asked, do they conduct the secret tests that we've heard so much about did they know about the problem and cover it up? The representative there from Takata answered no.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Still a lot more of the story, we're finding out. Rene Marsh, thank you so much.
There is no relief in sight for the Buffalo area, up to 3 feet of new snow is expected today. That is on top, of course, of the 6 feet of snow they already have and we are just getting word that the back-to-back storms have now been responsible for the deaths of ten people.
So how are first responders getting to those who need help still stuck in the snow? We went along with them to find out and that's coming up next.
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TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper. The snow, and lots more of it, is threatening to overwhelm Buffalo. At least ten people have died in storm-related incidents. Two more deaths are now just in the past hour.
If the forecast holds, an entire year's worth of snow will have engulfed the area in just three days, three more feet expected to fall today. Life in Buffalo has already ground to an icy halt, abandoned cars line the streets.
The only real movement rescue crews and volunteers dashing around town on ATVs searching for people smothered by the storm. CNN correspondent, Alexandra Field, is live in Buffalo -- Alexandra.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jake, these first responders are facing such enormous challenges. They are doing everything in their power really to improvise because this is a time we know when people need more help than ever.
Just behind me, that's actually the fire department. I want to put into perspective for you, here's an intersection. What looks like a pile of snow that is a car that was abandoned and completely buried in snow.
Look, taking the fire trucks out of that firehouse right now, not an option. A lot of the roads are impassable and closed altogether. Firefighters are hopping on ATVs, on quads. These guys are just bringing them in --
TAPPER: Looks like we had a problem with our signal there. Alexandra Field in snowy, Buffalo, thanks. We'll try to come back to her later in the show.
Turning now to another major national story, early this morning, a study session worked into a war zone for some 400 students in Florida State University's library. A lone shooter opened fire in the middle of the library wounding three, sending others behind makeshift barricades.
One student, Jason Derfus, was saved by his philosophy book, he says, the bullet lodged somewhere in the bibliography. Police responded almost immediately and found the gunman outside.
When he refused to put his weapon down, they shot him and they killed him. Police official tells CNN the gunman is named Myron Mave, a 2005 graduate of Florida State.
One of the injured students is in critical condition right now while another victim has been stabilized according to a hospital spokesman. The third student shot was released at the scene.
Thus far, police have not been able to decide on any motive. Like so many of these cases, we do have a rough timeline of how things went down because of social media, such as these Twitter messages from Blair, stokes a senior at the university.
Her timeline is rather chilling. At 12:31 a.m., guy at library with gun. WTF. Six minutes later, someone shot, cannot believe any of this. It's stuff you see on TV at other schools, but it's here now.
I thought I was going to die tonight. And then finally thankfully hours, later, Clair writes, "I'm safe and sound at home." Blair Stokes joins me now live from Tallahassee.
Blair, first of all, we're so happy you're safe. In explaining why you were live tweeting this in the middle of all the chaos, you tweeted, "If anything happened to me, I honestly thought there would be documentation via Twitter."
Did you really think that these tweets could have effectively been your last words?
BLAIR STOKES, WITNESSED FLORIDA STATE SHOOTING: At the time, honestly, I was thinking anything. I was thinking that a book could possibly protect me. I was looking, scanning around in the library for the biggest book I could find and maybe if I put that in front of my face, I would be OK if somehow the shooter made it up to the fourth floor.
And I was thinking can my laptop possibly protect me? And then there was a point where I was like, if these things can't protect me, then I might as well make sure people know what happened.
TAPPER: How did you first find out there was a gunman in the library?
STOKES: Well, I first found out -- I was completely oblivious like around midnight when this all started happening, but a girl just walked up to the fourth floor and she walked in and she kind of casually said, there's a gunman on the first floor.
And I thought it was a joke. I didn't believe her at first. I was really incredulous. She started in the stacks and I didn't see her again. But I was a little skeptical of my own skepticism.
And I got up and I texted my parents, I texted my friends and told them of a potential situation that was going on and I took to Twitter just in case this was something valid.
And when we heard the sirens, we kind of stirred a little and we got up in the window and we saw cops with massive guns and we knew it was a serious thing that was happening.
TAPPER: Is there anything that the school could have done to have prevented this in any way, anything that you want FSU to now take?
STOKES: I mean, it kind of seems like you have to prepare for the worst at all times, but it's preparing, it's expecting the unexpected. It's very difficult. And I understand that.
And I'm very impressed with Tallahassee PD and FSU PD's response. They were there within minutes and we were able to understand that the situation was a little more dangerous and that there was credibility behind the initial threat that we were kind of a little bit warned about.
So they responded very well. They contained the situation very well and they gave us announcements and told us about what was happening.
TAPPER: When you were in the library and the gunman was there, I assume that you -- did you call anyone? Did you call your parents? Did you call any friends?
STOKES: Yes. I called my best friend because I knew she'd be awake but I knew my parents and brother would be asleep. They go to sleep early. I thought if I called my friends, she might be able to do something, find out more information.
Because when I looked on Twitter, which is like my main source for things that are happening immediately, I saw nothing on (inaudible) so I decided to take it into my own hands and kind of break what I saw was happening and break the news that I saw unfolding.
TAPPER: Does FSU conduct any drills to prepare for any sort of emergency?
STOKES: I think I've maybe participated in a tornado drill. I'm not really sure which drill would suit something like this. We did go on lockdown and I didn't really know what to do. I was confused and even if we had gone through a drill, I'm pretty sure that would have gone out of my mind immediately because I was terrified.
TAPPER: Right. Blair Stokes, we are so glad you are OK. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
When we come back, it's so difficult to win an Emmy or a Tony or an Oscar or a Grammy. Even fewer people have won all four. Only 12 really have ever done it. But Mike Nichols, he was one of them. And from "The Graduate" to "The Birdcage" to Broadway, he was the genius behind some of the most memorable movies. We're remembering his best work, next.
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TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. Time now for the Pop Culture Lead, a sad note today as the world learned of the passing last night of filmmaker, Mike Nichols whose work has brought so many of us joy and tears and truth.
He practically discovered Whoopi Goldberg. He gave Dustin Hoffman his first big breakout role. He inspired a generation of entertainers to push themselves in ways that they never imagined.
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TAPPER (voice-over): He was a masterful storyteller whose most famous final scenes, one of the most famous ever was in only the second film he had ever directed, "The Graduate."
Kevin Spacey today called Mike Nichols, one of the best observers of life. His characters illustrated acted out our lives, loves, failings. From the dissolution of a marriage in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf," to shining a light on our willingness to betray ourselves to please those we love in "The Birdcage."
Filmmaking was one of his greatest passions. When asked what the favorite part of it was, Nichols said this --
MIKE NICHOLS: It's like asking what is the best part of making love, the beginning, the end, which is it?
TAPPER: Mike Nichols was born Mikael Egor Petcowski in Berlin 83 years ago this month, but he spent the last 60 years conquering American entertainment. There are only 12 people in history who have had the versatility and brilliance to have earned all four major entertainment industry awards, an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. And Mike Nichols was one of them.
One of his four Emmys came for directing HBO's "Angels in America." His Grammy came early in his career when he was an improvisational comedian, an actor. He and his partner, Elaine May, won best comedy album in 1961.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me.
TAPPER: His prowess for scene settings seduced the Academy six years later with "The Graduate," a movie still taught at film schools for its bold innovative techniques.
But Nichols' greatest praise came from Broadway where his work on productions like "Spamalot," "The Odd Couple" and more recently "Death of a Salesman" won him multiple Tonys. Two years ago, filmmaker, Judd Apatow had a Q&A with Nichols for the entertainment web site "Hit Face." Throughout his life, his serum for success was truth.
NICHOLS: "Virginia Wolf" reminds you of the hardest part of your own life.
TAPPER: Truth, it was his quest in comedy and drama, but it was the mixture of both he preferred.
ERIC IDLE, COMEDIAN: Even in something as absurd as "Spamalot," I heard him going to the car saying, you've got to be true in this scene and you have to make us really believe in it.
TAPPER: Believing in him by his side for the last 26 years was another world class storyteller, Diane Sawyer of ABC News. They were the most famous and fiercely loyal kind.
Friends such as Philips Seymour Hoffman, whom he directed on stage in "Death of a Salesman" and Robin Williams whom he directed in "The Birdcage." After their deaths, Nichols told me, quote, "We are seriously impoverished without both guys. Nichols now joins them and we are even more impoverished.
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TAPPER: Nichols is survived by his wife, Diane Sawyer, and three children from previous marriages, one of whom is married to CNN's own, Rachel Nichols. To Diane, Rachel and all of those who loved Mike, our deepest condolences. May his memory be a blessing.
Wolf Blitzer is now here with a preview of "THE SITUATION ROOM." Wolf, you're looking ahead to the president's address on immigration speech this evening.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": We're going to talk to Dan Pfeiffer, one of the president's senior advisers. He is going to joins us live. We want to find out some specifics, what does it all mean, how many millions of people will really be affected, how long this could last. If a Republican comes in with one signature, all of what the president is about to do tonight could be reversed.
TAPPER: Also how much will this poison the well, as Republicans are saying, on any accomplishments over the next two years a big consideration.
BLITZER: And you know, the cable networks, we're all taking it, of course, live with the four broadcast networks. The cable networks are airing this live.
TAPPER: But Univision is?
BLITZER: Yes. But the other broadcasts are not.
TAPPER: All right, Wolf Blitzer coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM" in 7 minutes.
Coming up next, students and police clash at one university after a committee votes in favor of increasing tuition, get this, 27 percent. It's causing a lot of Americans to ask, is higher education really worth the price?
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TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper. In other national news, what you're looking at, this is not a storm shelter. This is a student sleep in from last night. This is Wheeler Hall at the University of California Berkeley.
Students raised tuition by 30 percent. At one point, police had to push students behind the barricades and some had to keep up this protest until regions agree to drop the plan to hike tuitions.
It does not look likely however. This demonstration does not come likely as other colleges are bringing down costs. An online collaboration now includes more than 50 universities, but can a professor really connect with students online?
CNN chief business correspondent, Christine Romans, shows us how.
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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dr. Anant Agarwal is the CEO of Edex, an online learning platform that produces massive online courses.
DR. ANANT AGARWAL, CEO, EDX: I always believe that teaching is theater. That's why you're seeing a lot more off the performance come into education.
ROMANS: More than 320 courses are available for free on the Edx web site including Rice University's Reli 157, religion and hip-hop. Today the instructors, Dr. Anthony Pin and hip-hop artist, Bun B, sit down with instructional design specialist, Jennifer Larson, and her production team to plan for a shoot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's move on to today -- today's shoot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mic check, 1, 2.
PROFESSOR ANTHONY PINN, RICE UNIVERSITY: Academics, we're always learning and making use of new technology and new materials. We try to do that with respect to this move.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need to remember that that online audience is your students and that you'll need to engage your students. It doesn't need to be elaborate, right? It just needs to feel real.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of raw.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Real raw and that you are connecting with those students, almost like the student is right there with you. Take two.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In terms of religion, you got something for me?
BUN B, HIP HOP ARTIST, GUEST LECTURER, RICE UNIVERSITY: You want to stick to it but then it's like, maybe this doesn't flow off the tongue as well as it does to the eye.
PINN: In the classroom, we can make adjustments based on facial expressions.
BUN B: I think that's the biggest dynamic. I don't want to seem like I'm just reading and saying something.
PINN: Right.
BUN B: You've got to be more personable to the people. Thank you for joining us. We'll see you in the next session.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TAPPER: A CNN film documenting the booming business of college, "Ivory Tower" premiers this evening 9:00 Eastern, here on CNN.
That's it for THE LEAD.
I'm Jake Tapper.
I now turn you over to Wolf Blitzer.
He's next door in THE SITUATION ROOM -- Wolf.
