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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Ray Rice Wins Appeal, Is Eligible To Play; Who Wants To Be Secretary Of Defense?; Dramatic Rescue For Boys Buried Under Snow

Aired November 28, 2014 - 16:30   ET

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

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted, "We don't seek to gain the confidence of the U.S., we don't need that. We don't trust you. Your people do not trust you either." #ferguson. Michael Brown's death reverberating far beyond the streets of Ferguson, Missouri.

Turning now to our "Sports Lead," a major victory for former running back, Ray Rice, who was kicked out of the NFL after a video surfaced of him knocking out his fiancee in an elevator. He just won an appeal of his indefinite suspensions, which means he is able to play immediately. But will any team want him? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to THE LEAD. The "Sports Lead," some thought his career in the NFL might be over when an elevator video surfaced showing former Baltimore Ravens star, Ray Rice, knocking out his then- fiancee.

But now Rice has the go-ahead to sign with any team that will have him. CNN has just learned that a judge reversed the league's decision to suspend Rice indefinitely ruling that he did not lie or mislead the league about what happened between him and his now-wife, Janay.

League officials including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell claimed Rice had not told them the whole story before that video leaked and they say that's why he initially only got a two-game suspension.

"USA Today" sports columnist, Christine Brennan, joins me now by phone. Christine, the judge ruled in this appeal that Rice did not lie about what happened in that elevator. Does that mean that the league and the team lied when they claim that he didn't tell them the whole story from the beginning?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, SPORTS COLUMNIST, "USA TODAY" (via telephone): Either that, Jim, or that there was a big misunderstanding in the meeting, which is what Roger Goodell mentioned to me when I had one of the two exclusive interviews with him on September 9th, the day after the Ray Rice video surfaced.

Goodell told me then that he did not get all of the information and potentially there was some miscommunication. But obviously what the judge, Judge Jones, did rule here clearly is that the league knew enough to know what happened. And I think any of us, Jim, ask that exact question, what in the world did we all think happened in that elevator based on the first video, which surfaced months before the September 8th video?

SCIUTTO: I know, it begs credulity here, right, because, I mean, miscommunication -- how can you have a miscommunication about a blow that knocks a woman out cold? How can we believe that that actually happened between the NFL and Rice when they were talking about to him about this?

BRENNAN: Well, as you know, as a journalist, I'm not speaking for the NFL, but I think the only thing they would say is maybe it was a push and then she hit her head on that bar that you see in the elevator. That could have been the implication that Ray Rice representatives gave to Roger Goodell.

I'm not saying that's the case. That's the only conceivable thing. Clearly, though, a victory for Ray Rice, but also in the court of public opinion, I'm not so sure if Roger Goodell doesn't end up looking OK in this because he did throw the book at him.

And America liked that, as you know. People were horrified and wanted Ray Rice gone. Now the union and this judge now have worked obviously to get Ray Rice back, potentially coming back. I'm not so sure that's going to sit well out in Peoria.

SCIUTTO: Well, let me ask this because he has the right to come back and play. His original team let him go. Will another team say, I can get over this, he's a great running back, winning is more important than anything? Do you think he'll have a lot of offers to play?

BRENNAN: I do not, Jim. I don't think he'll come back this year. I could be wrong, of course, I don't think so. I think it would be a public relations nightmare for any NFL team to sign him now. The backlash would be severe because again people were very upset with him in September and wanted him gone and he was gone.

He'll be 28 in less than two months. He had his worst year as a running back last year. I think there is a possibility, Jim, that we would never see Ray Rice play again. That would be a football decision now and a public relations decision.

It would be very difficult for any team to pick him up now because protests certainly would occur. You would have all of this that would come back to the floor, bubble to the surface in a way that I don't think any NFL team wants now.

He's getting older and he had his worst year last year. I'm not sure there's going to be much of a market for Ray Rice going forward.

SCIUTTO: I want to let you know, Christine, because we just received a statement from Ray Rice about this ruling. I'm going to read it for you and for our viewers in part.

It begins, quote, "I made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions. I am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue." Pretty straightforward statement there, any reaction to that?

BRENNAN: Certainly it's something he had to do. Of course, he's been saying that in the past after, of course, he got thrown out in September 8th, that momentous day when everything occurred. So it's no surprise there. He is hoping, of course, that somebody wants him as a running back and he's got to do everything possible to show that he's a changed man.

I think for a nation that likes second chances, I think this is also a very -- could be seen as a good development, Jim, because if Ray Rice can do good things moving forward and talk to men about what he did and talk to people and work as an advocate against domestic violence, I think that would be a very positive step.

SCIUTTO: I'm sure he's eager for that opportunity. Christine Brennan, thanks very much for joining us. We appreciate it.

BRENNAN: Thank you very much.

SCIUTTO: Well, coming up, President Obama has been saying it for months. Now Americans seem to agree, brand-new polls show that a majority feel the country has turned a corner for the better. That's next.

Plus, two boys trapped for hours after a snowplow pushed snow on them as they were playing. Thankfully the story though has a happy ending after one police officer spotted a shovel and started digging. I'm going to talk to him right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to THE LEAD. The "Politics Lead" now, a new CNN/ORC poll out just today may explain why so many people rushed out to go shopping on this Black Friday. For the first time in nearly eight years, a majority of Americans think things are actually going well in this country.

That number, 52 percent, is just barely over the majority threshold. But it is a number we have not seen since right before the financial crash. CNN's senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, joining us now live.

Jim, it's a pretty big turnaround. We haven't seen this for almost a decade. How big a deal is it?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I think it's a big deal, Jim. And with the president enjoying some downtime over this holiday weekend, more Americans are starting to think things are looking up in this country, according to a new CNN/ORC poll.

The question is with so many challenges facing this White House, can this good cheer last very long?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA (voice-over): At the end of a tough week when it seemed the politics of Ferguson could overwhelm his presidency --

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: There are good people on all sides of this debate.

ACOSTA: Some hopeful signs for the White House, from peaceful Ferguson protests to shoppers flooding the stores on Black Friday. A new CNN/ORC poll finds for the first time in seven years, a majority of Americans say things are going well in the country up 11 points from last year. The reason, a growing number believe the economy is starting to recover from the great recession.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Our businesses aren't just creating jobs at the fastest pace since the 1990s.

ACOSTA: It's a message the president wants to deliver, though, he's acknowledged too few Americans are feeling better off.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Which is absolutely not, I wouldn't be satisfied as long as I'm meeting somebody who doesn't have a job and wants one. And the American people aren't satisfied. So I want to do everything I can to deliver for them.

ACOSTA: Away from the economy, there are critical questions for the president to answer on ISIS, fellow Democrat Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey released a statement pressuring the White House to do more in Syria to bring about the end of the oppressive violent rule of that country's leader, Bashar Al-Assad.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I've heard you, but you've got to listen to me, too.

ACOSTA: On the president's executive action on immigration --

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I just took an action to change the law.

ACOSTA: Republicans taking control of Congress next year are vowing to attack the policy's funding. As for Ferguson, civil rights leaders are calling for presidential leadership as Mr. Obama decides whether to pay this city a visit.

MYRTLE EVERS-WILLIAMS, FORMER CHAIRWOMAN, NAACP: I don't know if he should go, but he should speak loudly, strongly, his beliefs and to all of the American public that it is not just a black problem, it's a problem of all Americans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: And aides of the president say he's determined not to be a lame duck heading into this New Year. But on the most pressing issue facing the White House arguably right now, Ferguson officials here at the White House say the president will have new details on how he plans to tackle that subject very soon.

SCIUTTO: Those numbers, too late for the midterms, too. I supposed we could say safely. Jim Acosta live from the White House.

The next secretary of defense, could it be a job that nobody wants? Since learning the White House pushed out Chuck Hagel just last week, a growing list of possible replacements has emerged with some candidates taking themselves immediately out of the running.

The eventual choice will take over fighting two tough possibly unwinnable wars, the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the fight against ISIS, and may spend no more than two years in office and will join an administration with a history of poisonous infighting.

CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has been keeping taps on the possible replacements. She joins us now live from the Pentagon. So Barbara, who's in, who's out, who wants to be in, who wants to be out? What's the latest?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: This holiday weekend, Jim, as you well know, is one of the big guessing games around Washington. Already one prominent front-running senator, a Democrat, Jack Reid, of Rhode Island has said, no thanks. Now the scramble is on for a nominee.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice-over): President Obama scrambling for his fourth defense secretary in six years. Tonight, the short list of candidates includes Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the former top Pentagon lawyer, but his key role in crafting Obama's immigration executive action could mean an explosive confirmation hearing.

And Ashton Carter is a former Pentagon number two, well regarded, but with limited international experience.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The next secretary of defense is going to have some big shoes to fill.

STARR: A top priority for whomever is chosen, dealing with the war on ISIS, caught between President Obama's insistence on no combat troops and the senator, who will run the confirmation hearing, Republican John McCain, a leading voice for a more assertive military strategy against ISIS.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: There's going to be a gradual escalation. They're going to have to send more over there. They're going to have to have Special Forces people. We're going to have to have trainers.

STARR: One advantage for choosing Johnson? He is already steeped in ISIS telling CNN in a recent exclusive interview --

JEH JOHNSON, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: The new phenomenon that I see that I'm very concerned about is somebody who's never met another member of that terrorist organization, never trained at one of the camps, who is simply inspired by the social media, the literature, the propaganda, the message to commit an act of violence in this country.

STARR: Some officials say early front-runner, Michelle Flournoy, a former Pentagon policy chief withdrew her name, not wanting to deal with White House micromanagement, which had frustrated Hagel. The same complaint raised by his two predecessors just days before Hagel resigned.

ROBERT GATES, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY: It was that micromanagement that drove me crazy.

LEON PANETTA, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY; Members of the cabinet and others oftentimes go to a National Security Council meeting but by the time you get there, the fact is, that the staff has probably already in many ways determined what the president should or should not do.

STARR: But Gates, perhaps the most telling.

GATES: I was touring Jasoc Headquarters in Kabul and discovered a direct line to somebody on the NSC. And I had them tear it out while I was standing there. And I told the commanders, you get a call from the White House, you tell them to go to hell and call me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: Now, the Pentagon -- the president, rather, could decide to just put some Pentagon official into the top slot. But you know the White House made the point when they essentially fired Hagel, they wanted a new direction. So that is also raising some questions. Could there be a dark horse candidate out there that none of us have thought of, Jim?

SCIUTTO: Well, they'll still be looking. Thanks very much to Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

Coming up, they headed out into the snow and almost didn't come back. Two New York boys trapped inside their own would-be igloo for hours before being rescued. The dramatic video and the hero next.

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SCIUTTO: Welcome back to THE LEAD. In other national news, spending eight hours at the office on a holiday can feel like an eternity. So imagine what it would be like to spend several hours buried alive under a cold, wet dome of snow in 20-degree weather.

That's how two boys, aged 9 and 11, spent their Thanksgiving night before finally getting rescued by a frantic crew made up of police, neighbors and family members. This happened in Newburgh, New York, about 90 minutes away from New York City.

Police say the boys have been outside playing in their neighborhood when a snowplow dumped a pile of snow on top of them. They ended up trapped, but amazingly managed to survive the all-night ordeal using only an air pocket to breathe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All I seen was the feet. When I got over there, the little boy's feet was hanging out and his mother was like, he's there, he's there.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SCIUTTO: The boys were pulled from the snow around 2:00 this morning. They are said to be in good condition at the hospital. But I'm joined now by one of the officers who played a key role in bringing them to safety, Brandon Rolla of the Newburgh Police Department.

Brandon, Officer Rolla, thanks so much for joining us. Sounds like you're a bit of a local hero.

BRANDON ROLLA, NEWBURGH POLICE DEPARTMENT: Absolutely happy to be here.

SCIUTTO: So tell us how you found them. It's the middle of the night. These boys had been missing for hours. No one was really sure where they were. How did you know -- what gave you the first thought that they were buried in that snow drift?

ROLLA: I really didn't know at all. I walked around the snow pile, I saw footprints, but they looked hours old. As I kept looking, I noticed a shovel that had been buried by the plow, kind of sticking out of the pile.

And I pulled the shovel out and I definitely didn't put it together then but just kind of decided to start digging. And I started digging where the footprints were.

And four or five shovel fulls and still didn't come up with anything, but decided to keep digging. Around the ninth, tenth shovel full I hit a child's boot.

SCIUTTO: Incredible. What kept you digging? Because there must be dozens of these snow piles there. You could easily have walked right by. Did you have a feeling there was something different there?

ROLLA: You know what, I'm not sure. I saw the shovel and I just felt led to dig. And I started where the footprints were and thank God it worked out.

SCIUTTO: Now, from the looks of the video -- and we have it here, it seems like this was an all hands on deck situation to get these boys out of there. Family members are climbing on top, everybody doing everything they can. How long did it take from the moment you walked up to that pile of snow to when you took those two young boys out?

ROLLA: Well, it was a very large snow pile. It had to be seven, eight feet tall. And from the point I found the boot, we only had the one shovel that I pulled out of the pile. So at that time, officers were running around flagging down trucks, trying to see if anyone in the area had a shovel.

We were using mobile life's back braces to try to remove snow. People were clawing at it. Eventually between Good Samaritans, truck drivers coming by with shovels in their beds, we were able to get a decent amount of shovels. It took about 10 minutes to get the first child out and 15 to get the second.

SCIUTTO: Officer Rolla, you did a great service there. I can only imagine the family's reaction when you took their two little boys. Thank you so much and we really hope you have a great holiday weekend. You deserve it.

ROLLA: Thank you so much. You, too.

SCIUTTO: That's it for THE LEAD today. I'm Jim Sciutto. Jake Tapper will be back on Monday. I'm going to turn you over to Brianna Keilar who's filling in for Wolf Blitzer and she's in "THE SITUATION ROOM."