Return to Transcripts main page
New Day
Hamas Executes Informants; Parents of Michael Brown Speak Out; Today's Civil Rights Leaders; Ferguson Residents Work to Clean Town
Aired August 22, 2014 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, here we go with the five things you need to know for your new day.
At number one, a sense of calm returning to Ferguson, Missouri. About two weeks after a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, Missouri's governor now ordering the National Guard to start withdrawing.
A new warning from U.S. defense officials about the terror group ISIS. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says ISIS poses an eminent threat to the United States saying, quote, "this is beyond anything we have seen."
Ukraine security chief is calling it a direct invasion. Thirty-four trucks carrying humanitarian aid have crossed the border into eastern Ukraine, 90 more are on the way, but without being escorted by the Red Cross as agreed upon.
The Government Accountability Office says the Pentagon swap of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders was illegal, citing a lack of congressional notice and unauthorized use of funds.
Texas Governor Rick Perry will be arraigned in Austin today on abuse - charges, rather, of abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant. Perry maintains that he's done nothing wrong. Instead, he will be 2,000 miles away in New Hampshire.
We do update those five things to know, so be sure to visit newdaycnn.com for the very latest.
Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Michaela.
Now to the Middle East where Hamas reports it has executed 18 suspected Israeli informants. It comes just one day after Israeli air strikes killed three Hamas commanders. The militants warned Israel will pay the price for their deaths. CNN's Karl Penhaul is live in Jerusalem with much more.
What more are you learning, Karl?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, Hamas made that announcement just a short while ago, in fact, over its TV station, the al Aqsa (ph) TV station. It said that these 18 that they described as collaborators have been judged by a revolutionary court. It didn't, of course, go into what the weight of evidence it was against these people.
But what it did say was that they were executed by a firing squad. It said that Hamas blamed them for collaborating with the Israelis effectively spying for Israel, that it led in a number of Hamas military operations having to be aborted and the destruction of homes and infrastructure. It made no direct link to the death of three senior Hamas military commanders in a pre-dawn Israeli air strike on Thursday, but, of course, this is a stark warning to any potential spies in the midst of Gaza, that this is the fate that will befall them if they dare to collaborate with Israel.
Also in other news, while Hamas is continuing to fire rockets towards Israel, and that has led to the suspension of Israel's planned start of the soccer season, and also Ben Gurion International Airport also on high alert in case of any rocket attacks there.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: The quiet of just what was just days ago with the cease-fire and the talks continuing in Cairo now absolutely shattered it seems. Karl in Jerusalem for us. Thanks, Karl.
Coming up next on NEW DAY, an emotional interview with Michael Brown's parents. They talk with Anderson Cooper about their loss and also the justice that they want for the officer who shot him.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. We are live in Ferguson, Missouri, this morning.
It is increasingly calm and life is returning to normal, for now at least. So, what will come after the anger? One thing for sure, a funeral for Michael Brown Jr., just 18. The unarmed teenager was shot and killed almost two weeks ago and is set to be buried Monday. His mother and father are unquestioned victims in this situation, and they sat down with Anderson Cooper to talk about losing a son who was about to leave for college, and what the outrage and all that has followed has done to help and hurt and what justice they seek now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, ANCHOR, CNN'S "AC 360": This is obviously every parents' worst nightmare. Mike, how do you get through each day?
MICHAEL BROWN SR., MICHAEL BROWN'S FATHER: I don't. I just glide through, you know. Like, um, to actually see him physically moving around again in my life, that's a heartbreaker for me. It's painful. You know I just - I can't really explain how I really feel about this, you know?
COOPER: Lesley, does it seem real?
LESLEY MCSPADDEN, MICHAEL BROWN'S MOTHER: No.
COOPER: It still doesn't. How are you getting through each day?
MCSPADDEN: Prayer. And support.
COOPER: You both met with the attorney general yesterday, Eric Holder. How was that? What did he say to you?
MCSPADDEN: He just kind of talked to us from a man with kids, his self-perspective.
COOPER: He talked to you as a parent?
MCSPADDEN: Yes.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: Did it help?
BROWN: It actually helped me. Because he - we - he has our support, you know? He should - you know, he's supporting us. And he said he's not going to - he's not going to stop. He's going to help us all the way through.
COOPER: Did it make a difference that he came here, that he looked you in the eye, that he met with you privately?
MCSPADDEN: Yes.
BROWN: Yes.
MCSPADDEN: It did to me.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: In what way?
MCSPADDEN: Because you can read a person and when you're looking at them and they're looking at you and your eyes -- it puts some trust back there that you lost, and he did ensure that it will be a fair and thorough investigation.
COOPER: Do you believe, do you have confidence in the investigation?
MCSPADDEN: Up until yesterday, I didn't.
COOPER: You didn't.
MCSPADDEN: But just hearing the words coming directly from his mouth, face-to-face, he made me feel like one day I will. And I'm not saying today or yesterday, but one day they'll regain my trust.
COOPER: The grand jury just started yesterday.
MCSPADDEN: Yes. COOPER: We learned it may not be until October that they come up with
a decision about what they're going to do. I mean, obviously, you want answers now.
MCSPADDEN: Right.
COOPER: Are you ready to - I mean are you able to wait?
BROWN: Yes, I want - I want everything to - I don't want to rush judgment. I want everyone to take their time so there won't be no mistakes and get it done right.
COOPER: You've talked publicly about justice. You want justice. For you, what is justice for your son?
BROWN: For this guy to go to jail. So we could have some type of peace. He's still walking around with pay. That's not -- it's not fair to us, you know? We're hurting. Ain't no telling what he's doing but he's -- he has his life. Our son is gone.
COOPER: Did you actually go to the scene?
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: That - that terrible day?
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: Did you see your son?
BROWN: Well, when I got -- when I - when we arrived, he was covered up. So I didn't see him how other people seen him laying in the street.
COOPER: Did it upset you that he was left out for so long?
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: Did that -- is that something that still upsets you?
BROWN: Yes. That wasn't -- we couldn't even see him. They wouldn't even let us go see them. They just left him out there, four and a half hours, with no answers, nobody tell us nothing.
COOPER: Lesley, were you there as well?
MCSPADDEN: Um-hum. Yep.
COOPER: I can't imagine, as a parent, standing there as the hours tick by.
MCSPADDEN: Right. Before even getting there, somebody call you on the phone and tell you something like that, and you miles away. It's terrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CUOMO: Terrible to say the least. The parents, again, without question, victims in this situation. And they will bury their son, Michael Brown Jr., 18 years old, on Monday.
Coming up on NEW DAY, one notable thing that we want to talk about in Ferguson, especially early on, was the lack of leadership. Who will emerge as the next prominent civil rights leader? The need is obvious and great here and across the country. We'll look at the rising leaders ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: Welcome back to NEW DAY. As prominent civil rights leaders descend upon Ferguson to protest the shooting death of Michael Brown, many have asked who are the civil rights leaders for the next generation, the new generation, dare I say, the younger generation? Here to discuss some under the radar candidates who already are making a big impact, Carlos Watson, making an impact of his own. The co- founder and editor of ozy.com. Such an important conversation to have. I think you and I like to look forward.
CARLOS WATSON, CO-FOUNDER OZY.COM: Indeed.
PEREIRA: And think about what the next steps are, right?
WATSON: Right, indeed.
PEREIRA: You brought some names to us.
WATSON: I did and, you know, what's interesting about these is there may not be classic civil rights leaders in the way that we think about, whether we think about Dr. King or Reverend Jackson or others. So we have people like the attorney general of California.
PEREIRA: She's a bit of a rock star in California.
WATSON: A bit of a rock star. President Obama tipped his cap to her a number of times. Number of folks have said that if Eric Holder were to retire after the 2014 election that indeed she could be the next attorney general. We know how important that person can be in pursuing justice.
PEREIRA: Female and really interesting diverse background.
WATSON: Mother, Indian, a professor. Father, African-American. Her brother in law is one of the top leaders in the justice department. She's been very active on police brutality issues for quite a while, first as the DA in San Francisco and now as California's 32nd attorney general.
PEREIRA: Also not afraid of taking on those big banks and the mortgage industry. That was really interesting to watch
WATSON: Big deal. So you just saw the announcement of Bank of America giving back billions of dollars - -
PEREIRA: Yes.
WATSON: - - to homeowners. You could argue that she drove that in many ways, that it was her lawsuit along with a number of other state leaders that helped kick it off. So, if someone is willing to wade into big issues, whether it has to do with housing, whether it has to do with discrimination, Kamala Harris, the attorney general of California might be one.
PEREIRA: Already a leader. Big things in a small package. How about Lupe Valdez?
WATSON: Alright, so, over the last 20 years I've met a lot of terrific people, yourself included.
PEREIRA: You're hard to impress, too.
WATSON: I'm hard to impress but she's the single most impressive person I've met in the last 20 years bar none, including a couple of presidents. And I tell you why. She defines beating the odds. A group of migrant worker, literally walked to school, was a C student, but made her way through. Ultimately went on to graduate school, became a senior leader in the DEA and even the department of Homeland Security, gave it all up a year before having a full pension to run for sheriff of Dallas County. Now, she wasn't just running for sheriff of Dallas County. She was running as a woman, Latina - -
PEREIRA: And.
WATSON: - - open lesbian.
PEREIRA: Right.
WATSON: And I'm not talking about this year, I'm not talking about in San Francisco or Austin, Texas.
PEREIRA: No.
WATSON: I'm talking about in conservative Dallas against a 20 year incumbent, and she won. She's in her third term now.
PEREIRA: And talk about being a change agent from the inside, the importance there.
WATSON: I think, look, when we talk about issues of police brutality and obviously the jury is still out in this case.
PEREIRA: Yes.
WATSON: But we know there are a whole suite of cases here, I think we're clearly going to need leaders and law enforcement to be a part of it. It won't just be people pushing from the outside, it will have to be people on the inside. People like Lupe Valdez, a sheriff and a former senior federal official.
PEREIRA: My next candidate, actually it's yours, I just like to pretend they are because I control the wall. Geoffrey Canada. I touch the nose, and tell us more about this man who is really making some big changes.
WATSON: Without a doubt. Immortalized in the film "Waiting for Superman" - -
PEREIRA: Yes.
WATSON: - - here in Harlem, a native of the Bronx, Geoffrey Canada has said that it's not only important to help our children with education, he started with a small area in Harlem and expanded it to about 100 blocks, working with over 10,000 students, but he said if we get our students through high school and on to college and this program has about a 95 percent success rate in getting kids accepted to college, he said that's not enough. He said there have to be jobs in the neighborhood.
PEREIRA: Sure.
WATSON: He said there have to be safety, he said there have to be roads that work and services that come together, and it's a real overall community empowerment approach and one that's important.
PEREIRA: Well, what you've seen is that the Harlem Renaissance, the new Harlem Renaissance, built upon the work that he did. The key here is can he replicate is to other areas?
WATSON: And, you know, President Obama is betting that he can. Geoff just stepped down after 20 plus years as CEO, and President Obama just a couple years ago said I hope we can take the Harlem model and take it to about 20 cities around the country. He could help in a bunch of places.
PEREIRA: And then I want to talk about education and ports of education. This fellow right here, can I just talk about this? You hear about stories like this in Hollywood. Gangster - -
WATSON: Yes.
PEREIRA: - - Harvard econ professor now. From that to that?
WATSON: Tenured - -
PEREIRA: What?
WATSON: - - tenured at 30, graduated from college in two and a half years.
PEREIRA: (inaudible) Roland Fryer
WATSON: Roland Fryer was named a MacArthur Genius just a couple years ago and while his specialty is economics, he said let me apply it to schools and let me see if I can help some of our poorest children - -
PEREIRA: Yes.
WATSON: - - around the country learn by adding more tutoring, more longer school days. PEREIRA: Aggressive.
WATSON: Aggressive. Getting kids excited. But look, here's what's important. A lot of professors talk about ideas, there are a handful that actually implement. Obviously the president of the United States today is a former professor, but Roland has been given control of about a couple dozen schools in Houston and Denver, and so rather than just talk about it, he's actually being asked to show results.
PEREIRA: What I love what he's done, too, is he's taken these existing schools, didn't shut them down, but basically started from the ground up, and implemented these really, as you mentioned, aggressive changes to get them to be top performing schools.
WATSON: Well, here's what's important. He's been working with not only the superintendent in these two places, but with the teachers union and, you know, often so much of the challenge for helping some of our kids in the poorest neighborhoods is that there's been a battle often between the charter schools and the teacher's union or between so- called reformers and the teachers union. But Roland's one of the few who has been able to bridge the gap and we've got to watch his experiment because it's that kind of thing that will give opportunities to a lot of our kids.
PEREIRA: You've had the sense of getting to know these people in doing the research.
WATSON: Yes.
PEREIRA: What is the common factor? Is it that they don't take no for an answer, is it they just have unlimited energy? What do you think the common factor is here?
WATSON: You know what, I bet you at least three things. One is that they all seem to care and care deeply and care in a very personal way that won't allow them just to follow the rules. Number 2 is that all of them, to some extent, have had some personal experience with not being with the conventional choice - -
PEREIRA: Sure.
WATSON: - - so I think have had a greater openness. And third, I think all of them have had not just mentors, but have had really good supporters, people I like to call angels.
PEREIRA: We need them.
WATSON: Geoffrey Canada in many ways has been the biggest angel and supporter and mentor for Roland Fryer, just as an example on this bored.
PEREIRA: How about that.
WATSON: Yes.
PEREIRA: I appreciate this. WATSON: Why do I always get a handshake instead of a hug?
PEREIRA: Because I'm trying not to give you my germs. I've got germs! I'm just saying, now you got them, too.
WATSON: You know what, it's Friday. I've got a weekend to recover.
PEREIRA: Do you?
(LAUGHTER)
WATSON: I'm good. I'm good. I'm good.
PEREIRA: My man right here.
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: Thank you for bringing this. We've got to keep looking forward and keep striving for change.
WATSON: Indeed, indeed.
PEREIRA: Alright, coming up in the midst of this week's chaos between police and protesters in Ferguson, we're going to share with you about a group of volunteers that really stood out trying to make their town a better place. Ooh, this week we need some Good Stuff, boy do we have it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: We need a Good Stuff more than anything. We have been reporting on the anger, the angst, the mistrust, the deep divisions that are existing in Ferguson, Missouri.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
PEREIRA (voice-over): But in chaos we also know that we can find order and that's where the good folks from the Church of God and Christ Urban Initiative come in. During this week's protest they got up bright and early, before the birds, to do their part to restore order to the streets, cleaning up the mess from the night before caused by the protesting that we know at times turned violent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have what we call opportunists that came out and they're littering and destroying property, but we want to show the community that we're here to support them.
PEREIRA: Vital to point out these folks weren't doing it alone. No, they had members of the Missouri Highway Patrol joining in the effort to keep Ferguson clean. A striking picture of law enforcement and civilians working together, inspiring hope in a place that needs so much of it, especially now.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
BOLDUAN: Yes, kind of a perfect way of showing what a mess that we've been watching unfold and they're doing their little part to try to pick it up.
PEREIRA: Absolutely. We have to remain focused on that, building together.
BOLDUAN: You were just talking about that, exactly right.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of people are doing just that, yes.
BOLDUAN: It has been a good but it has been a long week. We hope you had a good one. Thank you so much for joining us. We're going to hand you over to the very capable hands of our friend Carol Costello in "NEWSROOM". Hey, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks so much. Have a great weekend. NEWSROOM starts now.
(START VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO (voice-over): Home and the calamity, a quiet night in Ferguson as new questions emerge about one of the key witnesses to the shooting. Will someone's past throw the Missouri town back into chaos?
Plus sleeping in America, the terrorist group ISIS, the new details on their threats. Do they have cells right here in the United States?
New questions and new concerns.
