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Third Man Beheaded by ISIS; NFL Stars Will Not Be Playing; Bill and Hillary Clinton Visit Iowa; Two State Troopers in Pennsylvania Gunned Down

Aired September 14, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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

PETER HAMBY, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: It speaks to her challenges, but also her strengths. Her strength is that obviously she can command this media attention, get all this earned media, which is, you know, running for president can't be underestimated. But I mean, this crowd, there are over 250 media from all over the country and all over the world as far away as from Japan. And this is a bigger crowd than anything we saw in 2008 when I was covering her campaign then. And it speaks to the given take that he is going to have with the media, you know, do you put her out there in front of this crowd and have a bunch of shouting questions at her or do you keep the media in arms length which is a challenge for her in 2009.

I mean, this is a huge spectacle you mentioned. This, right here, what we are about to see is purely photo opt. I mean, she is grilling steaks, I mean, 200 yards away from where actual voters are, And if you talk to Iowans like we have the last few days, one thing they want from her in comparison to last time is they want her to get out in the crowds and meet people. So that's what we're watching for later after she speaks.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: They really want her to connect, and the reason that Iowa is such a big deal is even though you may not remember it and, trust me, I bet Hillary Clinton wishes everyone would forget about when she was here in 2008 she came in third in the Iowa caucuses behind then Senator Barack Obama, behind John Edwards. And it was really the beginning of the end for here. But now it's the beginning of the beginning.

I was talking with someone who is a caucus goer for then Senator Obama. And that person said Obama was just so electric, but now I support Hillary Clinton. But it also makes me wonder about whether there's an enthusiasm gap.

HAMBY: Well, I came out here last year and I did a piece on this. There's widespread respect for Hillary Clinton. She leads polls by 40, 50 points against Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, any name you throw out there, Martin O'Malley. But that organic passion so far isn't there in the way that it was for Barack Obama. You know, she was never a really talented speaker on stage. She, you know, there is just a little bit of a charisma that we said in comparison to President Obama.

KEILAR: We're going to see, obviously, if she can try to make that up once she decides whether she's running or not. HAMBY: But -- she had a field of challengers. (INAUDIBLE) has

really strong and sensitive (ph).

KEILAR: All right, back to you, Deb. We will be watching this. We are expecting that Hillary Clinton and her husband will be here any moment.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: It's interesting because obviously the importance is to be able to mobilize supporters and maybe as Peter said, sort of generate that kind of organic passion. But I'm very disappointed, Brianna, Peter, that you grill the steaks. It's a steak fry for heaven's sake. Now I have to get my head around that.

All right, thanks to both of you. We appreciate it.

We have much more just ahead in the newsroom. It all starts right now.

Hello, everyone. I'm Deborah Feyerick.

First up, outrage and horror being expressed around the world today over the beheading of a third western hostage, British humanitarian aid worker David Haines. The gruesome video like the ones we saw before showing his beheading posted on-line yesterday. It is similar to the killings of American James Foley and Steve `Sotloff. And the masked executioner sounds like the same man that we saw in those previous videos.

The humanitarian group that Haines worked with said it is appalled by Haines beheading calling it a crime against humanity. Haines is being remembered as a loving husband and father of two children. His brother cause him quote "just another bloke." He spoke out to the ITN TV network.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL HAINES, BROTHER OF SLAIN HOSTAGE: My first reaction could be one of hatred. My brother's life wasn't about hatred. It was about love for all man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Haines' executioner blames the man's beheading on great Britain's quote "evil alliance with America," unquote. The militant threatened to kill another British hostage identified in a video as aid worker Alan Henning.

And I'm joined by senior international correspondent Nic Robertson in London and Erin McPike who is live at the White House.

Erin, we're going to come to you straight away. But, Nic, I want to ask you first, what more do we know about Prime Minister Cameron's plan? He was very forceful. He was tackling terrorism at home. But now it seems that he is willing to go one step farther.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. He certainly seems to be building public support to this. I mean, David Haines' brother said he was just another bloke. But David Cameron went a long way beyond that. He said David Haines is a British hero to the British people and his family should be proud of him and his humanitarian work.

David Cameron seems to be building a case here for British people to realize that something must be done. That Britain needs to be involved. He said that they cannot hide from this. He said that this is fanatical organization that has planned attacks in the past that continues to plan attacks, they won't go away. So he really seems to be framing an argument her and a case that Britain is going to have to be more involved here.

He has ruled out boots on the ground, but he still has a way open here to join the United States in airstrikes in Syria. He is not there yet. He doesn't have the political support, though I think we were hearing the leanings towards that in what he had to say about this brutal murder -- Deb.

FEYERICK: And Nic, it is interesting, because earlier he had referenced that fact that there are at least 500 known potential ISIS fighters that are citizens of the U.K. But there are others from surrounding countries. One of them possibly the man in the video. The executioner. Are officials closer to identifying who he is?

ROBERTSON: You know, if they are, they aren't saying it. When I interviewed David Cameron last week, that was one of the question I asked him. He said we are getting information. We are sharing it with our allies, and he very clearly meant the United States. But he didn't say what it's got. It would be -- you wouldn't expect him to, I suppose, in many ways.

But we had been led to believe by the British ambassador and the United States that perhaps Britain was very close. Now they seem to have backed away from that.

But what David Cameron is saying is they will be brought to justice. He is trying to build political support, public support, and he can't do that by doing it in a rush way. So he does seem to be taking his time building the case here. And this is all part of it, Deb.

FEYERICK: And if you think about the 500 people that have traveled to that region, clearly those 500, they have family, they have friends there. It's accurate to believe that intelligence is at least working with these families to try to get as much information as they can as to where these people may have traveled and when they're coming back.

ROBERTSON: Absolutely. Some of these families themselves have voluntarily come forward and said look my son, my daughter in some cases, they've left. They have gone -- some time some have tracked them down themselves. They've gone to the police, gone to the government and said we want help.

And so certainly doors -- some doors are open, but, of course, there are people who are going that the deposit support really yet aware of. People whose families are too afraid to talk or may be sympathetic. So, it's not an easy job. And what the government is doing is trying to catch those coming back, taking away their passports for a limited period, giving the police the powers continued to question them. If a judge then rules you can get more time to question them, their passports can be held longer. There can be more questioning.

The notion of taking somebody's passport away here, it's something if you asked people a year ago, they wouldn't have done for it. Now you find people a lot more supportive about a hard measure against all these young men and women who are trying to leave Britain and join is.

FEYERICK: Certainly a brave thing for the Muslim families to be doing as well, making sure that the terror threat is extinguished before it happens.

Thank you, Nic Robertson. We appreciate it that.

Turning now to Washington. The Obama administration reacting to the beheading of David Haines. Erin McPike joins us from the White House.

Erin, they're looking at this. They know that there's yet another man, a potential fourth victim that these ISIS terrorists might kill. What are you hearing?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, and that we should point out that there are additional hostages on top of the one that they had named. But what I would point to you is the unfortunate act this was, what it has done is seemed to spark a little bit of speed with which secretary Kerry is building this international coalition that he has been talking about for the past week. Of course, a week ago, when we were talking about this, this coalition is very ebullient (ph). The United States added about nine countries. That coalition is growing and is becoming clear what all of these countries are willing to do, both European allies of the United States as well as Middle Eastern countries. Secretary of state John Kerry was on CBS this morning, and he addressed that. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have countries in this region, countries outside of this region in addition to the United States, all of whom are prepared to engage in military assistance in actual strikes if that is what it requires.

We're not looking to put troops on the ground. There are some who have offered to do so. But we are not looking for that at this moment, anyway.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: So let's clarify. He is referring to U.S. troops on the ground. You were just talking about how British Prime Minister David Cameron also said there is not going to be any British troops on the ground.

There are American troops in security roles in Iraq. There are no combat troops as yet but there are also some troops who are training Iraqi forces. That this is align in the sense that the administration has drawn.

They have been clear there have to be troops some of kind, Iraqi troops et cetera. but this idea that no American troops on the ground in a combat way, that's starting to get some skepticism. Especially from Republicans like South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham who was on FOX this morning. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: This is a turning point in the war on terror. We're fighting a terrorist army, not an organization. It's going to take an army to beat an army. And this idea we'll never have any boots on the ground to defeat them in Syria is fantasy. So I will not let this president suggest to the American people we can outsource our security, and this is not about our safety. There is no way in hell you could form an army on the ground to go into Syria to destroy ISIL without a substantial American component.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: However, our latest polling shows that 61 percent of Americans do not want to see American troops on the ground. What they want, 76 percent of Americans say they want to see more airstrikes. That is the delicate line that the administration has to walk, but it could be very difficult in achieving this mission of degrading and ultimately defeating ISIS, Deb.

FEYERICK: And Erin, obviously, the president is going to have to go to Congress to see how this all plays out. Thank you so much, Erin McPike there for us at the White House.

And the fight against ISIS will be like no other. The U.S. and its coalitions have ever faced before. Do we have the right strategy for fighting the militant group? Our panel weighs in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Let's talk more about the legacy being left behind by David Haines, the British aid worker killed by ISIS terrorists. We heard a short comment from his brother just a little earlier. Let's listen to more from him about David Haines' life and how his heartbroken family is dealing with this tragic loss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAINES: If I said my brother was a saint, I would be a liar. He has made many mistakes like us all. He tried to be a better man. He tried to account for his mistakes in previous life through good work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: You've had to cope with knowledge of his captivity for months. How have you borne that?

HAINES: It has been difficult. We knew that my family are very close, very strong. We have helped each other, and we've had very, very good support from family liaison officers, from the foreign commonwealth office. We have felt very much part of the team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: David Haines was captured in Syria in 2013. He was threatened at the end of that video that showed the execution of the U.S. journalist for time magazine Steven Sotloff. Atika Shubert has more on his life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: David Haines was a father and a husband. But he was also a hostage of ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Captured in March 2013, working at a Syrian refugee camp for French aid group Acted.

Haines had more than a decade of experienced doing aide work providing logistics to handicapped international and working as unarmed peacekeeper. It was a nonviolence peace force. He grew up in Scotland, proudly bringing quilt for his wedding.

His family had declined to comment. But their plight is clear online. His wife, Dragana, waits with their 4-year-old daughter in Croatia where they live. His teenage daughter from his first marriage makes it clear online how much she misses her father by answering just three questions. What is missing in your life that would make you very happy? My dad being at home, she answers.

As his family waited, David Haines had become a pond in the game of hostages now played by ISIS.

Atika Shubert, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And we've heard from the relief organization that Haines was working with. That relief organization called Acted. In its statement it says the horrible assassination of David, an aide worker, goes against all humanitarian principles and is a crime against humanity. This barbaric crime must not remain unpunished.

Secretary of state John Kerry spent this weekend in the Middle East trying to get support from other nations to help destroy the terror group. Well, it seems Kerry's efforts did not go in vein. Today he told CBS news that some nations quote "are clearly prepared to take action in the air alongside the United States.

I want to discuss this now with Kiron Skinner, she is the director at the center for international relations and political -- and politics at Carnegie Mellon University, and also Matthew, a former marine core company commander in Iraq.

Matthew, how can the U.S. work with other nations coordinating some sort of U.S. airstrike and making sure that the efforts are more in the air and diplomatic as opposed to on the ground and very different?

MATTHEW HOH, SENIOR FELLOW, CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY: Well, thank you for having me on, Deb. And just a quick I want to pass condolences to the Haines family and Sotloff and Foley families as well. I can't imagine the grief they must be going through.

But we can't allow that to provoke us into action that will worsen the conflict. And I've been very outspoken against the prospects of airstrikes in both Iraq and Syria. I feel that this is a provocation by Islamic state, is gutting the United States in to taking sides in a civil war. That's something that the Islamic state wants and needs. And that by introducing airpower on behalf of one side in this sectarian civil war, you are going to exasperate the conflict and make it much more difficult to bring about any form of reconciliation in either Syria or Iraq.

FEYERICK: And so, Karen, do you feel the same way about that? Do you think that's what's happening? That the U.S. and perhaps Great Britain are taking the bait when it comes to what their global responsibility should be to face this challenge?

KIRON SKINNER, DIRECTOR AT THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND POLITICS, CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY: I see that point, but there are really few options. This is not a situation any country would want to face, any super power, like the United States. The country that really is the global organizer.

We have in a way been backed into a corner. If we do nothing, ISIS grows stronger. If we do something, it can make a stronger case that this is a case between ISIS and the U.S. -- or the U.S. versus Islam and really inflame many more Sunnis and other Arabs as well. It's a difficult situation, but we must act. The time has come. The deaths are piling up. Just the atrocities that are happening.

This weekend has been very painful to see yet another beheading. All of us send our condolences to the family. If the United States doesn't move, the international system is going to have a very difficult time responding, and we see with secretary Kerry's diplomatic offensive just how much momentum he has gotten to get Arabs involved. The coalition that's now been formed, without the United States and perhaps without the demonstration of airpower, that coalition which will do important diplomatic, political, and military work would not be in existence right now.

FEYERICK: Matthew, let me ask you. In terms of U.S. airstrikes, the U.S. is quick to say that, in fact, airstrikes helped degrade Al- Qaeda, taking out much of its senior leadership. Obviously, the Navy seal targeting of Osama bin Laden also helped degrade that organization. Do you believe that this could perhaps happen with ISIS as well? Is time really an issue here?

HOH: No. You know, I base most of my understanding on this from ISIS predecessor in Iraq which I fought against twice in Iraq, and the first time we tried to defeat them militarily applying heavy, heavy pressure on the ground as well as in the air, against what we termed Al-Qaeda was, in fact, Sunni insurgency. It wasn't until 2006 and 2007 when we made political overtures to Sunnis answered they are grievances and addressed the repression that they felt that they divorce themselves from Al-Qaeda. I see the same dynamic happening here again. The Sunnis have been for years facing mass arrests, mass killings, disappearances as well as being shut out of the Iraqi government, and that's why they have now aligned themselves with Islamic states, so I'm afraid that any type of pressure you put on the Sunni community will only drive them closer to the Islamic state.

FEYERICK: And Kiron, very quickly, is there political solution to this, do you believe, or must it be forced?

SKINNER: Well, we're not doing what we did before the surge. We're actually working very hard on the diplomatic and political side, so we're not just invoking airstrikes and a military solution and training rebels and training Shia militias and so forth.

This is really a full spectrum response by the Obama administration moving all the way from diplomatic humanitarian providing security assistance and now the new commitment to train and help equip a new National Guard in Iraq that will work with the Iraqi military and then ultimately police its own communities. We're doing something very, very different than we've done in the past.

FEYERICK: All right. Kiron Skinner and Matthew Hoh, thank you so much. We appreciate both of your insights on this.

SKINNER: Thank you.

HOH: Thank you, Deb.

FEYERICK: And the 2016 race for president still a very long way away, more than 700 days. But we all know how important Iowa is to the presidential race. Right now Hillary Clinton is there frying -- although I just found out it's actually grilling some steaks along with her husband. We take to you the annual Harkin Steak Fry coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: High profile political event happening right now in Iowa. There you see members of the press all focused on Tom Harkin, but most especially, potential presidential wannabe Hillary Clinton. This is the annual fundraiser headlined by retiring Senator Tom Harkin. He has held this event for some 37 years. And there you see Mr. Clinton. Both of them are there. They're there to meet and greet and shake hands, one, obviously bill Clinton has been president. The other one, well, seems like she would like to be. We expect to hear from both of them shortly. That's going to be coming up.

So what can we read into these speeches by Hillary and Bill Clinton? Our expert political panel is here with some answers. In Miami we go to political commentator Anna Navarro, in Los Angeles, senior political analyst Ron Brownstein and in Washington, political commentator Hillary Rosen.

Ron, first you. What do you expect to hear? This is almost like the shadow campaign we have going on, right? Everything is put into position. Everything in play to make sure that she's presented in the best light. RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. Well, I think

generally it's going to be, you know, praising Tom Harkin. I think also the Democrats are in a very tough Senate race there trying to hold the seat. I suspect that she will be trying to boost the Democratic Senate candidate there Bruce Braley.

But generally speaking, I think less is more for Hillary Clinton. I don't think she's looking to make a lot of news in 2014 and maybe even in early 2015. It's to her advantage to be seen as less political for as long as possible given that one of the biggest concerns is a fear that people would be seeing her as being around too long. Kind of less spotlight is probably more for her for the time being.

FEYERICK: You know, a little fatigue syndrome will set in. Let's look at our latest poll of Iowa registered Democrats. It shows that Hillary Clinton is way out front, 53 percent. Joe Biden is in double digits. He is at 15 percent.

Hillary Rosen, what does this say about the democratic field? Is this what we're going to get, or is there that sort of secret come from behind candidate like we saw with Barack Obama?

HILLARY ROSEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, there's always the possibility of a come from behind candidate. I think the closer we get, the harder it is to see who that person is who is going to really galvanize a significant number of Democrats, but it's absolutely possible, and the person who knows that best is Hillary Clinton, which is why this Iowa visit today is kind of both symbolically and strategically important.

Symbolically I think just because it's a step out into the 2014 elections in a big public way, but strategically important because this was not a place in 2008 where she was able to kind of galvanize the base in a way that she needed to. Iowa Democrats are kind of notoriously a little more liberal than other democratic primary voters in some of the other early primary states. So getting a boost in Iowa for Hillary Clinton says a lot about where the base would be in 2016.

FEYERICK: So Anna Navarro, a poll of Iowa's registered Republicans really shows a real race. You've got a talk show host and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. He has 21 percent. You got Congressman Paul Ryan. He is at 12 percent -- stand by. We are going to go to Hillary Clinton right now. I think she's about to say something or maybe not. Hang on her every word. Let's listen.

OK. A little bit of a tease there. So let's go back to the Republicans. You got Mike Huckabee leading in 21 percent. Paul Ryan, 12 percent. Senator Rand Paul in third place. With a field that's so divided, actually rather close, can the GOP field a strong candidate if Hillary Clinton is able to sort of coast to the democratic nomination?

ANA NAVARRO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Absolutely. Look, I think what those Republican polls show is that our field is wide open this time. It's almost like one of those teen movies from the 1980s or 1990s where people switched personalities. Usually Republicans have an heir in waiting, an anointed person, and

Democrats, you know, fire it out. What we're seeing this time is that Hillary Clinton is the establishment candidate, the anointed one, and people in Iowa don't necessarily like that. They like to have their votes earned. They look to look at their candidates, feel their candidates, touch them, hear them, and have them address their issues. And yes, the Republicans can field a strong candidate. We have been at this before where Hillary Clinton looked unbeatable and invincible, and we all know how that turned out in 2008.

FEYERICK: It's very interesting. She is sort of near the mic, but not quite addressing the mikes directly. But let me ask you a question, because we sit here and we say well, she won't, she will she, won't we? What are the chances she will not run? Ron, I want to go to you first.

BROWNSTEIN: I think that if there are no health problems, it is overwhelmingly likely that she would run. I think the opportunity to make history as the first female nominee, if not the first female president I think is irresistible. I think as Ana said, there's kind of a history in the Democratic Party of giving the frontrunner a scare, but in the frontrunner in the end almost always wins. Almost always wins. I think she's a strong a primary candidate as we've seen, and I can't imagine her turning her back on it unless there was an irresistible, you know, physical health problem that made it impossible for her to run.

FEYERICK: And interesting. One of the questions that somebody shouted out to her was whether, in fact, she would run in 2016. She said, you know, this is about midterm electrics. So we've got that nugget. Just by a show of thumbs, Ana, Hillary, is she in or is she out?

ROSEN: She's in. I think she's in.

FEYERICK: Anna.

NAVARRO: Who knows?

ROSEN: Can I make one more? I --

FEYERICK: Really quickly, 50 seconds.

ROSEN: It's that every single day since she left the secretary of state's office, people come up to Hillary Clinton and say please run, please run, please run. She hears it although time. She's actually in a place today where those people actually could have something to do with her succeeding.

FEYERICK: All right. All of us, when we look at this, it's all a dry run. All right. Thank you so much, Ana Navarro, Ron Brownstein, and Hillary Rosen. We appreciate your time and your insights. Thanks.

ROSEN: Take care.

FEYERICK: And British prime minister David Cameron makes a vow to crush ISIS after the terror group beheads a British aid worker. He is going to lay out that strategy coming up straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: David Haines' family is mourning today after the 44-year- old British aid worker was killed in a horrifying, gruesome video which is posted online. The video is very much the same as those showing the executions of Americans James Foley as well as Steven Sotloff and the masked executioner looks and sounds like the same man we've heard in previous videos. He blames Haines' death on Great Britain's quote or what he calls its evil alliance with America. He threatens to kill another British hostage identified in the video as aid worker Alan Henning. Well, reports of young men joining the fight with ISIS continue to pour in, but now we know more about who may be recruiting them.

CNN's Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is a 30-year-old with dangerous networking skills. Morad Pharis (ph) said to be a key recruiter for ISIS. He is a French national just handed over to the French by Turkish officials.

BERNARD CAZENEUVE, FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER (voice-over): This dangerous terrorist is known by our services and was on the ground during jihadist operations from July 2013 until this August.

TODD: In an interview in February Pharis (ph) talked about the people he lured to jihad. Ten young ones from Strasbourg, two young ones from Toulouse. The 16-year-old girl and many others.

How do they get teenagers to join groups like ISIS?

ARTURO MUNOZ, FORMER CIA OFFICER: They look for teenagers who are unsatisfied with their life and they're unsatisfied with their prospects. They offer a sense of belonging. The whole idea that you are a jihadist or that you are part of this heroic jihadi community.

TODD: A CIA source says more than 15,000 foreign fighters from more than 80 countries have joined various jihadist groups in Syria. Of those hundreds of westerners are fighting for ISIS, including maybe a dozen or more Americans. Well produced, polished videos showing other westerners who joined are a powerful draw. This recent ISIS recruiting video shows a man identified as an American, (INAUDIBLE), saying "join the fight."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, come who can make it come. Come to as soon as possible.

TODD: Intelligence officials say ISIS targets disgruntled Sunni Muslims pushed to the sidelines in their countries and kids from poor neighborhoods. Are they paid to fight?

MUNOZ: So after you pass their vetting and they are convinced that you really are a genuine recruit, then you formally become a member of ISIS, and then you do get a salary.

TODD: Once in the fold, part of the recruit's experience can be oddly civilized. One smuggler for ISIS told Buzz Feed correspondent Mike Giglio, he would pick up foreign recruits at the airport like a chauffeur.

MIKE GIGLIO, BUZZ FEED CORRESPONDENT: We stand in the arrivals and hold the sign with the jihadi's name on it and pick him up and drive down to the border to be smuggled in.

TODD: Analysts say one reason groups like ISIS have slick advanced recruiting tactics is because they have a hard time holding on to foreign recruits, many of them end up leaving. A key reason they get worn down by the infighting between jihadist groups.

Brian Todd, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: The NFL weighed down by controversies from domestic abuse to alleged child abuse. The league remains under a microscope. Now one player was told he is not going to play. We're going to tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: And it's game day right now in Iowa. You can see live pictures there. Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state there along with her husband, the former president, they are meeting and greeting some of their hard core supporters there. It's a perfect day for this kind of event. They are actually grilling steaks at the Tom Harkins annual steak fry. Been there for about 37 years that he has done this. And both of them are expected to take the mic to greet supporters, to make a statement. They're in the crowd, and a reporter actually asked Hillary Clinton whether, in fact, she was going to be running for president, and she said no, this is all about the midterm elections.

A lot of politicians going to be leaving Washington to go off and start campaigning and try to get back to Washington after they leave it. So we're looking at that live picture, and of course, we're going to bring you the very latest when the Clintons do speak and hear what they have to say. Mrs. Clinton not commenting either on anything on immigration. Take a look at some of the crowds there, all eager and all apparently according to their shirts ready to vote.

Well, another day. Yes, the one in the field. The NFL right now but some players, they are not going to take the field.

Carolina Panthers placed their defensive end Greg Hardy on the inactive list today. The team did not say why. However, Hardy was convicted of domestic violence earlier in the summer. In a separate case, the Vikings Adrian Peterson was also placed on the inactive list. This is a man who is in the middle of his seven-year contract who makes a $100 million. Peterson was indicted this week for hitting his child. That hit leading to a felony abuse charge against his child.

A short time ago we tweeted -- he tweeted a bible verse I should say, and it said quote "come to me in rest. Give your mind a break from its habitual judging."

Meanwhile, perhaps the biggest firestorm for the NFL last week was its handling of Ray Rice's domestic abuse case. Rice has been indefinitely suspended from the Baltimore Ravens. But yesterday he showed up to a high school football game in his hometown of New Rochelle, New York, and you can see his wife there in the gray sweat shirt and the black hat. They were there with their children, their young daughter.

Well, day two of the massive manhunt underway in Pennsylvania. Police are looking for the person who gunned down two state troopers. One trooper was fatally shot. The other is in stable but critical condition. Our Nick Valencia has details on what police are calling an ambush.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Deb, flags are at half staff in northeastern Pennsylvania for the state trooper who was shot and killed. Another remains hospitalized as investigators continue to look for the suspect or suspects who did this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA (voice-over): 911 audio from Pike in eastern Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Road closure. Nobody is to go down south of 402.

VALENCIA: After two Pennsylvania state troopers are ambushed just outside a police barracks in Blooming Grove.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This attack was an ambush. Our troopers were leaving the barracks and were shot without warning and really had no chance to defend themselves.

VALENCIA: One trooper corporal Brian Dixon was killed in the Friday night attack. Another trooper Alex Douglas, is hospitalized in stable but critical condition.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a cowardly attack. It's an attack upon all of us in society and the people of Pennsylvania.

VALENCIA: On Sunday a manhunt is underway for the person or persons involved in the attack. It's not just Pennsylvania officers involved in the search. Hundreds of officers for multiple agencies, including New York and New Jersey are involved in the hunt, on the ground and in the air.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do not believe any particular person is specifically at risk. This attack was directed specifically at law enforcement.

VALENCIA: So far no arrests have been made, but police say they are interviewing hundreds of people, and there is a $20,000 reward. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking for the cooperation of the public.

Whether it's money that would motivate you or just outrage at this terrible act because I can tell you the Pennsylvania state police and law enforcement in general will not arrest until this individual is apprehended.

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VALENCIA: On Saturday police did bring in someone for questioning, but he was released. Investigators tell CNN no arrests have been made -- Deb.

FEYERICK: Nick Valencia, thank you so much. There is now also a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the person who did this shooting.

And ISIS has been the target of airstrike after airstrike with respect to the Mosul dam in Iraq. It actually appears to have worked. But will that get the entire job done? What the White House told our Candy Crowley next.

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FEYERICK: And we are back in Iowa. That's right. Hillary Clinton there with her husband, Bill Clinton. As you see, politics and steak on the grill right now as they do a dry run to see just how much support they can muster, all of this, a show of strength for Hillary Clinton. But also, for those who are taking part in the midterm elections. A lot of people have come out. It is a beautiful day in Iowa. And of course, Hillary Clinton when asked whether she is running for president said, no. This is about the midterm elections. She also did not comment on immigration when asked about that. We do hope she's going to speak in just a little while, and, of course, we will bring that to you live. There's nothing lives like an Iowa greeting.

Well, can you beat a group of -- can you beat a terror group actually by only fighting it from the air. The U.S. has conducted airstrikes against ISIS and it is promising more. But will anybody on the ground fight this terror group?

Chief political correspondent Candy Crowley asked President Obama's chief of staff that exact question. Can you not put boots on the ground? She asked that during her show's "STATE OF THE UNION." And as you'll see, he hedges when pressed about any country putting any troops there in Iraq or Syria.

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DENNIS MCDONOUGH, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I'm not going to front run any announcements from any countries or from secretary Kerry who in the region or from John Alan. The president will be --

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You don't need any specifics. Has anyone said yes, we will put -- MCDONOUGH: Again, I'm not going to front run any announcements, but

the president will be sitting down with John Alan on Tuesday morning. Secretary Kerry is continuing to work this in the region. He will be testifying in Congress this week. And we will make sure that we build coalition that is durable, that is sustainable, and is focus on the fundamental goal as effort which is to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS.

CROWLEY: Do you need troops on the ground other than Syrian rebels that you can vet and then train and arm and Iraqi troops in Pershmerga.

MCDONOUGH: Ultimately, to destroy ISIL, we do need to have a force and angle (ph) against which they will be pushed, ideally, Sunni forces. That's why the Syrian opposition is so important. And that is why this proposal of the president has sent to Congress to authorize us to train and equip the Syrian opposition on the ground fighting ISIL today with better training, better weapons so that they can take the fight to them. That's why that effort is so important.

We will do the same side on the Iraqi border with the Iraqis. But ultimately, Candy, we can bring air power to bear on this. We can bring ISR and we can bring training capability. It's going to be Iraqi and other boots on the ground that are bringing the fight ultimately.

CROWLEY: So you are telling me that Sunni forces could include forces from many other countries in that region. Because there are obviously Saudi Arabia and others could put forces on the ground.

MCDONOUGH: The main thing I want to focus on today because of the importance of these votes this week in Congress is to focus on the Syrian opposition. That Syrian opposition wants to fight. This is their fight. And we should facilitate them to do that.

CROWLEY: And just last month, the president was talking I think to Tom Freedman and sort describe Syrian rebels as, you know, former doctors and pharmacists and sort of and said it was a myth, a fairy tale I believed. He used the word, fairy tale. Was it fairy tale that we could ever arm them and put them up against a Russian backed Syrian government. Why are they now trainable and able to push back against. What everyone has said is the most brutal fighting force America has ever face?

MCDONOUGH: Look, I think that the question that the president was respond to at the time was looking back a couple of years. We have had a relationship with these fighters now for couple of years. They are getting better and more capable. And what's most important here is that the Syrian opposition on the ground fighting ISIL can count on American and coalition air power to super charge their effort. That's important and that is ultimately going to be what is called for in this strategy.

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FEYERICK: And we are going to have a lot more coming up just ahead in the NEWSROOM. It all starts at the top of the hour.

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