Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

Governor of Missouri Declares State of Emergency; Syria's Youngest Refugees Fill Orphanages; Interview with Dick Cavett; Australian TV Anchor Wears Same Suit for a Year

Aired November 18, 2014 - 08:30   ET

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

JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: In other words --

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, but they asked for it, though, Joey.

JACKSON: Absolutely.

CUOMO: In Missouri -

JACKSON: Yes.

CUOMO: You're allowed to ask as a grand juror four things, and they asked for Dr. Baden's testimony. They weren't denied it, but they weren't initially supplied it by the prosecution.

JACKSON: That' a - that's a great point. And, you know, and grand juries, we should also keep in mind, they're an investigatory bodies also. And a grand jury certainly will be instructed as to the law, right? They'll be instructed on issues such as murder, first degree, second degree, manslaughter, justification defenses. And a grand jury has the right, if they want and request other information, to get it. So let's just hope that they've gotten all the information and that they can make an educated, informed, and just decision, no matter what that decision is.

CUOMO: And it does happen all the time, while the ham sandwich thing is true in large extent, prosecutors try to get indictments on guys all the time and don't.

JACKSON: Well, generally speaking, if a prosecutor wants an indictment, they'll get an indictment. There are those --

CUOMO: But it does happen.

JACKSON: It does happen. There are those rare instances. And then, of course, there are instances where you have your client testify. In this grand jury, we understand that Darren Wilson testified and perhaps he did himself some justice when he did testify. We don't know.

CUOMO: That's a big qualifier also, right, because usually you don't - you know, you're -- Joey does brilliant defense work. You wouldn't have your client go anywhere near a grand jury.

JACKSON: Right. CUOMO: But if one does go in there, it really does change the dynamic of what can happen.

JACKSON: It certainly could because, remember, the grand jury, sometimes you tailor the information that's presented. And when the used goes and testifies, grand jurors often times have many questions. And if the accused does well and they testify in a compelling fashion and they address the issues that the grand jurors have of them, then it certainly could convince the grand jury that, you know what, maybe we shouldn't indict here.

CUOMO: And the normal rules don't apply in terms of protections for hearsay and different types of testimony that you will have with the judge, because it's just the prosecutor.

JACKSON: Exactly. Right.

CUOMO: But, of course, the allegation is here is the prosecutor the people's attorney or is he working on behalf of the officer? Is that a fair criticism?

JACKSON: Well, you know, it could be fair, but we should reserve judgment, only because, as we know in the event that there's not an indictment, I think the prosecutor, McCullough, had said, Chris, that he will release and he'll be transparent about everything presented. And so I think society and everyone will have an opportunity to see what he presented, what he didn't present, what he instructed as a matter of law, what he didn't instruct as a matter of law. And so it will be open for everybody else to see. And we'll examine it at that time to determine exactly what he did in that grand jury. We know it's not him. There's two assistants who are presenting the case on his behalf.

CUOMO: What do you think about the timing of this? There's been a lot of anticipation about this. People will blame the media, but the system's working to the anticipation of it also. This has not been something that's just been kept on the down low, so to speak. Releasing it on a weekend, do you think that's a smart move? Do you think they should bring the family in and let them know beforehand and have them be an advocate for the correct response?

JACKSON: Sure. I think families should always be involved in the process.

CUOMO: Because they haven't been here.

JACKSON: Yes. And that's problematic. I think every district attorney's office should reach out and should certainly let the family know, just as a matter of courtesy. There's someone who's dead here, and that really hurts. And as a result of that, you want to keep your family included. And in this instance, perhaps the general public should be given at least some advance notice as to when the indictment will be, just because people are gearing up, there's anticipated protest, we know the National Guard issue is there. And so if it's on a weekend, maybe there's less traffic, maybe it's less, you know, there's - CUOMO: Kids aren't in school.

JACKSON: Exactly. Children are not in school and therefore off the street. And so if people sort of take this the wrong way and get antsy about it, no one's harmed or injured.

CUOMO: Joey, always appreciate the perspective. You've been weighing in online. Please continue to do so.

JACKSON: Right.

CUOMO: The only thing I'll say, looking at the stream of questions coming in today, remember, they are not deciding whether or not Officer Wilson committed a crime. They are just deciding whether or not there are significant questions of fact that there's probable cause to believe a crime was committed. It's a huge, huge distinction.

JACKSON: It's a great point.

CUOMO: It's a much lower bar. All right, so we'll keep following it. Joey, thank you again.

JACKSON: Thank you.

CUOMO: Mic, over to you.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Chris, let's go with the five things you need to know for your new day.

At number one, three Israeli Americans are among four people killed in a barbaric attack on a Jerusalem synagogue. The FBI is now launching an investigation. The U.S. and Israel call it terrorism as Hamas celebrates this atrocity.

And as you just heard, the governor of Missouri declaring a state of emergency and calling on the National Guard to Ferguson in case a grand jury clears Officer Wilson in the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown.

The doctor who died of Ebola after being flown from Sierra Leone endured a two week delay in treatment. The 44-year-old surgeon succumbed to his illness Monday after being brought to Nebraska.

The brutal murders of three Americans by ISIS prompting President Obama to order a complete review of U.S. policy concerning Americans taken hostage by terrorists overseas.

And at number five, the Senate is poised to pass a bill green lighting the controversial Keystone pipeline. President Obama expressed skepticism about this project, which still faces several legal hurdles.

We do update those five things to know, so be sure to visit newdaycnn.com for the latest.

Alisyn. ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Okay, Michaela.

The fighting and bloodshed in Syria have left a flood of child refugees. CNN's Arwa Damon visits the volunteers caring for the war's youngest victims in this "Impact Your World."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With new backpacks almost as big as they are, the children file into the Bato (ph) orphanage after school. Their faces and behavior betray few of the horrors they have witnessed or their suffering. Their fathers are dead, lost to illness or war in Syria. Their mothers decided to send them here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's your name?

DAMON (on camera): My name is Arwa. What's your name?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Maram (ph).

DAMON (voice-over): She's eight. Her father killed by a bullet on his way to work. "Daddy used to take me everywhere with him," Maram tells us.

The orphanage opened in September, offering a safe place. Toys replace those they left behind as they fled Syria. Clean water to wash with and regular hot, healthy meals. The orphanage was established by a Maram Foundation, named after another little girl who was paralyzed by shrapnel.

YAKZAN SHISHAKLY, CO-FOUNDER, MARAM FOUNDATION: Well, we're trying to raise our children like away from all the (inaudible) happening inside Syria and also to give them the right to have a normal life away from the war because of the regime.

DAMON: And the impact is already being seen. Mayada Abdi, head of the orphanage, says Maram was very solitary, often lost in the memories of her father.

"I would see him in my dreams," Maram remembers. "I would see him giving someone something." She seems less haunted by his death, dreaming instead of going home to Syria and teaching Arabic.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Behamli (ph), Turkey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Our thanks to Arwa for that very important reporting.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

CUOMO: It's good to have that in "Impact Your World."

All right, so we have a good one for you coming up. He has been in the company of some of the biggest names in Hollywood, or we really should say they've been lucky to be in his company. How Dick Cavett, boy, he wrote some book. He's here now. He's reading it for the first time himself. We'll get his take on what he thinks about what's in that book.

CAMEROTA: And what he thinks of the book (inaudible).

CUOMO: I don't know. Oh, look, he's laughing. Must be funny.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: Good to have you back with us here on NEW DAY.

I'm going to drop some names, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Groucho Marks, John Lennon, Steve Jobs, Mohammed Ali. The biggest names in movies, music, sports, you name it, our next guest has spoken with all of them. Now Dick Cavett, one of the biggest, greatest talk show hosts of all time, is documenting them, along with some interesting and quirky personal anecdotes in a new book, "Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments and Assorted Hijinks," my favorite part. Dick Cavett is here with us.

What a joy.

DICK CAVETT, AUTHOR, FORMER TV HOST : I thought you were naming your friends all right there.

PEREIRA: I wish!

CAVETT: I didn't know what were -

PEREIRA: Those would be friends I would relish. This is quite a collection.

CAVETT: Yes.

PEREIRA: Why - why do it this way? And I'm glad you did, though.

CAVETT: Well, somebody noted that I had written enough "New York Times" blog columns for a previous book called "Talk Show," and then somebody else noted that I had another appropriate number to get out another book and then hustle (ph) it, go on people's shows and pretend it's not flugola (ph) and --

PEREIRA: Is that what's happening right now?

CUOMO: Flugola.

CAVETT: And that - but, no, there aren't any -- all of these are from -- originally were in my "Times" online column. People still, some don't know about online. They'll say, I never see your articles in "The Times." And I say, it's on paper, that I'm online.

PEREIRA: Dot com.

CAMEROTA: You had so many brief encounters, and all of them sound, you know, tantalizing, including meeting Elizabeth Taylor. You describe what it was like to see her in real life.

CAVETT: Yes, the myth about aura is -- and people who emanate something is often exaggerated. But in her case, Marlon Brando's case, and in other ways, great comedian's case, you are in touch with something that's sort of like a mist about them. And Taylor's breath took your beauty away. I'm sorry. Taylor's --

CUOMO: I think that works also, by the way.

PEREIRA: Ado.

CAMEROTA: But a different meaning.

CUOMO: I bet you -- I bet you there was something about her that literally could just drain you.

CAVETT: You see a good thing - you knew a good thing when you see it. I'm afraid I stole that. The great George S. Koffman (ph) was asked about a certain actress and he said, her breath would take your beauty away. I think must be where that came from. Although just now it was accidental.

CUOMO: You know, people make a mistake when they say, oh, yes, he interviewed all these celebrities. You know what, you know, that's great, but, you know, they're professionals. They're, you know, they're so good at it. It's really the opposite is true, they can be some of the hardest, most difficult interviews in terms of process.

CAVETT: Yes.

CUOMO: Yes, they liked you. Yes, they craved being on your show. You had a lot of juice. But when they would sit across from you, how would you prepare yourself for, oh, boy, this one looks like they're having a bad day, or this one doesn't like to talk about these things. What would you do?

PEREIRA: Or these two are going to fight right in front of me.

CUOMO: That's right.

CAVETT: Yes. Well, having been a guest on talk shows, I had the advantage of having gone on Merv and every time a Cavett show was canceled, my fellow Nebraskan, Johnny Carson, would call up and say, you want to come on Richard, and I would. And he'd say, it's going to be Armed Forces Radio for Richard if this next one (INAUDIBLE). We were great friends.

But I know what you mean there. You have to sit and gauge them. You have to think, this person's disturbed about something. My God, this is Katharine Hepburn and her up's (ph) camera cheek is twitching. She's nervous. I have to calm her down. And then we did. And then this memorable telethon that she did for me was -- began to roll out. But I think it's just instinct. You either can make people comfortable or you can't. Apparently I could, and they would say, I don't know how you got me to talk about that. Wow, wait till I tell my husband what I said on the - PEREIRA: Well, and you still do. I mean that's one of the reasons why you make such a great guest when you come to visit us. I --

CAVETT: I love you, I think.

PEREIRA: I think it's also really something else that you, not only made those things happen, you made some of these moments happen, you facilitated them, right?

CAVETT: You're right!

PEREIRA: And you - you -- well, you did. No, you did.

CAVETT: Well -

PEREIRA: You allowed for some of this genius to sort of kind of unfold in front of you.

CAVETT: Would this be an example of what you're talking about?

PEREIRA: Yes, exactly, right now. Watch him (ph).

CAVETT: Betty Davis. It was going great. She looked great. Full show. I said, Betty, but you're famous for not liking this kind of thing. What -- and she said, but you're a gentleman, Richard, and I know that I'm in good things. So what could I do except what I did, which was say, so how'd you lose your virginity (INAUDIBLE)?

CUOMO: No.

MCSHANE: Oh, my gosh.

CAVETT: Yes, you can see that. It's a - I'll show it to you. Oh, wait a minute, you must have lost your DVD box of --

PEREIRA: He must have.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: I've still been waiting on that. That's been promised every time you're on the show.

CAVETT: Oh, what a cad you are. That's not exactly a cad, is it?

CUOMO: I'll take it, it still applies.

CAMEROTA: Mel Brooks calls your new book the best bathroom reading I've ever written. Each story takes just the right amount of time.

PEREIRA: Praise, indeed.

CAVETT: I asked Mel for a blurb, and that perfect blurb came back. I wish I had thought of it to use the rest of my life on other people's books. Yes, thank you. And a good reading, by the way, you get the part.

CAMEROTA: Yes, now thank you.

PEREIRA: And on the front side, Jimmy Fallon does the - -

CAVETT: Yes. Jimmy Fallon.

PEREIRA: Intro to the book. Tell us about that relationship.

CAVETT: Who, of course, had nothing to do at the time but start a whole world, life, and talk show, and family, and whatever, took the time to write a wonderful foreword.

PEREIRA: It's a really beautiful foreword.

CAVETT: Yes. That kid is going to go places someday.

PEREIRA: He's got talent, huh?

CUOMO: And also - -

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: That's exactly right, Alisyn makes the right point. He respects who came before him, and how, and it's one of the things that sets him apart. And your ability to see the business for what it is today is just as sharp as ever. You actually, what was it, a year in advance of Letterman leaving, you said, I think Colbert is going to be the guy who replaces him.

PEREIRA: You're a seer.

CUOMO: It came out of nowhere.

CAVETT: I'm given credit for that, apparently I did, yes, yes.

CUOMO: Do you recall saying that?

CAVETT: Yes, I remember, I recall thinking it, and I had forgotten that I had said it.

CAMEROTA: Said it out loud.

CAVETT: Which happens to me all the time.

CUOMO: Why him? Why did you see that? He plays a character most of the - -

CAVETT: Well, because I got to know Colbert in real life, there's a life outside of these cameras.

PEREIRA: Oh, do tell us about that.

CAVETT: And I could just see how bloody smart he was and how intelligent. Vast knowledge, beautifully educated, great guy. And to see all of him, rather than that character that he has managed to continue years after people said, that's a bum career decision, two weeks, tops, who's going to sit and watch a guy be somebody else? And he said, well, I wrote a thing in "Vanity Fair" about him after meeting him first. He said, you know, it's awkward and difficult to sit there and think, here's what my reaction to what this guy is saying is, but I have to do another reaction to it, hoping to get some of his in. I hope this book will have one quote. The other one, same size, "Talk Show," no matter how many funny things I felt I said in it, one was always cited about Sarah Palin. She seems to have no first language.

CUOMO: You cad.

PEREIRA: You cad.

CAMEROTA: That's a proper use of it.

CAVETT: Hey, the crew can laugh.

PEREIRA: The book is called "Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks." Really a delight to have you here with us.

CAVETT: Thank you.

PEREIRA: Come back again soon.

CAVETT: You have a job flanked by women.

CUOMO: Right? Who's luckier than I?

PEREIRA: And he complains about it all the time.

CUOMO: No, that's unfair, and I'm writing a book about it right now. Actually, we could use Dick's help on this next one.

CAMEROTA: That's true.

CUOMO: Here's a question for you. Would you notice if Alisyn Camerota wore the same outfit on air for a year?

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (voice-over): Would you notice if I did? Different answers, right? Come on, come on. One news anchor, you're looking at him right now, he did exactly that. He changed his shirt and tie. Same suit for a year. Let's talk about this double standard, shall we? When we come back.

CAVETT(voiceover): Wow, she must have bought out the Salvation Army.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO (on camera): You know what it means. CNN Money time. Chief business correspondent, Christine Romans, in our money center. What are the stocks doing? CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I know, coins

sound better than dollar bills in the sound effects. The records just keep coming on Wall Street, guys. A tiny gain yesterday was enough for a record high close, the S&P 500's seventh in the last nine trading sessions. It's up 10 percent this year. Analysts predicting more gains into the end of the year.

And who wins when stocks are high and debt is cheap? Big companies who have done an astonishing $3 trillion in mergers so far this year. $100 billion in deals in just the last, oh, 24 hours. Activists announced a $66 billion deal for Allergan, and oil giant Halliburton sealed a $35 billion deal for Baker Hughes.

Well, young workers they are participating in their company retirement plans, guys, but according to a new survey, 40 percent of 20 to 29- year-olds are saving too little to get the company match. Same for 31 percent of 30 to 39-year-olds. That means thousands of dollars of free money left on the table.

PEREIRA: Not acceptable and even I know that. Christine would talk me down from that ledge. Thanks so much, Christine.

I want to show you this crazy video.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

PEREIRA (voice-over): It's an Australian TV news anchor, Karl Stefanovic. See anything unusual as you see that go by?

CUOMO (voice-over): His hair stays remarkably--

PEREIRA: Every day for the past year, Karl has been wearing the very same blue suit on the air. He started this because his co-anchor, Lisa Wilkinson, who as you see in various outfits.

CUOMO: She is stepping it up.

PEREIRA: She received a letter from a viewer complaining about what she was wearing. He started to realize that women on TV face a whole lot more criticism about their clothing than men. So the proof, after a full year of wearing the same suit every day on air, not a single person noticed.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CAMEROTA: Well, how can you notice a blue suit? I mean, I would notice if he kept his tie the same, but a blue suit, is a blue suit, is a blue suit, yes? No? You think that it's - -

PEREIRA (on camera): We get a lot -- you know. Look, if I had my hair standing up -

CUOMO (on camera): But, it's you guys.

PEREIRA: Didn't anybody - -

CUOMO: It's women who do it to you.

PEREIRA: Oh, blend our women.

CUOMO: It's not us. Do you get a lot of comments from men saying what you had on, or what not?

PEREIRA: Yes, absolutely.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: Come on, as many as women?

PEREIRA: The fellows here always compliment me on how I look.

CUOMO: We know what to compliment women on.

CAMEROTA: But we get compliments, we get compliments and criticism.

CUOMO: We're taught to do that.

CAMEROTA: Because it's more interesting. I always look at your dress. I don't really look at your suit.

CUOMO: I know, that's my point. You guys are dressing for each other.

CAMEROTA: We notice when - -

PEREIRA: We noticed when the president wore a tan suit, though, didn't we?

CAMEROTA: Look, there are - -

CUOMO: No, not really.

CAMEROTA: See, I'm wearing lots of different suits, but so are you, Chris.

PEREIRA: Is that the same suit?

CUOMO: I don't know why I do it. You know how much money I waste on this stuff? I should wear the same thing every day.

CAMEROTA: You could.

PEREIRA: No, please don't. Or at least launder it every - -

CUOMO: Do you remember the day I did this show completely naked? Nobody noticed.

(LAUGHTER)

CUOMO: And the ratings dropped. That was sad.

CAMEROTA: We're not surprised.

PEREIRA: Too funny. CAMEROTA: Let us know what you think about whether women are under the microscope, the fashion microscope more, and if it's fair.

How does a man shamelessly wrestle a ball away from another fan become the Good Stuff? You're about to find out.

PEREIRA: Oh, this is going to be a stretch, I think.

CUOMO: It's all about what they were wearing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Alright, the speedy version of the Good Stuff. You ready?

CAMEROTA: Yes.

PEREIRA: Ready.

CUOMO: The Bengal's Jermaine Gresham scores a touchdown in Cincinnati's 27-10 win over the Saints in New Orleans.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (voice-over): So, what does he do? You're going to watch. He comes over, and he's like I'm going to give it to one of my fans. No, not you., you. Oops. So, 70-year-old Saints die hard Tony Williams snatches it away from the young lady, becomes really a point of negativity in the stands, online, everywhere else. He defends himself. He says, hey, hey, hey, I got this for my grandkids.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): She's begging for it back.

CUOMO: She's begging. He says, no I got it for my grandkids. The good news, the Saints organization sees the situation and hears about it, comes down, gives her another game ball.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CAMEROTA (on camera): Sweet.

PEREIRA: Everybody's happy.

CUOMO (on camera): There it is.

CAMEROTA: Fantastic. Alright, it's time now for "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello.

PEREIRA: Hi, Carol. How you doing?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You sound so disappointed.

CAMEROTA: No. No, no.

COSTELLO: But I know you're not -- I know. But I love that story.

CUOMO: My favorite show, Carol. My favorite show. COSTELLO: That's what I like to hear.

CUOMO: My favorite show, Carol. My favorite show.

COSTELLO: NEWSROOM starts now.