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Obama to Announce New Tax Proposal; Muslims Facing Backlash in Wake of Terror Attack; Man Survives Collision with Two Semi Trucks; Interview with Rep. Diane Black

Aired January 19, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: So here's the big headline in politics. The president is set to reveal sweeping new tax proposals that would increase taxes on wealthy Americans, hike fees on banks and institutions, financial institutions, and give new tax credits to the middle class in return. Many Republicans are saying, no way.

Congresswoman Diane Black is a Republican from Tennessee, on the House Budget Committee. She joins us now.

Congressman Black, thank you for joining us on NEW DAY.

One little quick step sideways on something I think may be more interesting to our viewers than anything else we're going to discuss in this segment. When I say Congressman Diane Black, usually I get angry letters. And they say, no, it's Congressperson, it's member of Congress, it's representative. Not you. You want to be called congressman. Why?

REP. DIANE BLACK (R), TENNESSEE: That's correct. And, Chris, thank you for mentioning that because we get that same kind of thing in our office. And it is a title, just as a young woman goes to the first year of high school or college, we don't call her a fresh woman, she's freshman. And I'm a congressman. That's what it's called in our Constitution. I'm proud to be a congressman.

CUOMO: All right, good. All you women out there, remember that, before you write me, and men too, saying that I said it the wrong way.

All right, so thank you for joining us.

BLACK: You're welcome.

CUOMO: Let's put up the president's proposals here. We have a little punch list of it here.

Two free years of community college, but there's a credit for any college, private, public for two years, as you know, a $500 tax credit for working married couples, increase the top childcare credit to $3,000. That's what he says he can pay for if you do these other things. Your party doesn't like it because?

BLACK: Well, I'd like to have the president come with us and stand beside us on true tax reform. We have a very complicated tax code that's not been reformed since 1986. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, we have worked for about three years on looking at the tax code. We need something fairer, flatter and simpler. And we know if we were to do a comprehensive tax reform, that we would be helping everyone and we would be helping the economy grow and therefore help everyone. You know, a rising tide lifts all boats and that's really what we want to do.

CUOMO: I've heard that before. All right, so let's look at how -- it comes down to methodology, right? It's not what the goal is. Everybody has the same goal, help the middle class. How do you do it? The president's saying, here's how he'll do it. Put up that graphic for people so they can see it.

All right, $320 billion tax hike over 10 years. Who gets hit? People, couples making over 500 grand, right? Capital gains tax, another one, raising it to 28. New fees for big banks. Let's go in reverse order. Big banks, congressman, they have been the beneficiaries of the largest welfare program in world history the way the American taxpayer bailed them out. What's wrong with a fee on them when they're making so much money?

BLACK: Well, Chris, if you were to look at our tax reform draft that we did and we put out under Chairman Kemp (ph), you would see that we addressed the issue of the banks there. So we're not so off on that. But, it is through comprehensive reform by simplifying the entire code. You can't just take one piece of that code and just punch at it. That's what's been done for too many years, since 1986. You really need to do comprehensive tax reform, both corporate and individual.

CUOMO: Right. But when you want to do more, why is doing some seen as such a problem. Isn't it better than none?

BLACK: Because if you really want to do true tax reform, you've got to look at every element of that. What you may do on one side will give us an opportunity to reduce a tax on the other side. And by just punching at one, again, all you're doing is you're just taking a very complicated tax code and you're making it more complicated by doing that. We really need to do true comprehensive tax reform.

And we've already begun and done a lot of the work. The president said he was willing to work with us on this and now he comes out with this proposal that, by the way, he has gotten a number of taxes through the Obamacare and through the reforms that we did with him several years ago on our fiscal cliff. And now he's come back again.

Let me just also say this. We've got a spending problem also in the federal government because the collection of revenue this last year in 2014 was $3 trillion. It was the largest ever in the history of this country. And why can we not take a look at what we're spending and the way we're spending it instead of saying, once again, we need more money. That's what we keep on hearing from this president.

CUOMO: Fair criticism from the other side of your side that you're just trying to protect the rich, you want to protect the bank, you don't want them to take any of the hits, those are your people. Is that fair?

BLACK: That is very, very unfair. You'll look again at our tax reform, you'll see that we are very cognizant that the middle income is where we really need to help people because they are not able to take advantage of a number of things that are in our very complicated tax code. And so by cleaning up the code, we really help everyone but in particular we help the middle and the lower income folks in our tax reform. We know that families would get about $1,800 additional in their pocket if we were to do the tax reform that we're proposing.

CUOMO: All right. Well -

BLACK: Let's do it for everyone.

CUOMO: Why not. You are in Congress and in control with your party right now. We look forward to seeing what you get done with the mantle of power. Congressman Diane Black, thank you for joining us on NEW DAY. Speak to you again.

BLACK: Thank you.

CUOMO: Mic, over to you.

PEREIRA: All right, here are the five things you need to know for your NEW DAY.

At number one, heavily armed guards on the ground in Brussels hunting for sleeper cells. Five Belgian nationals already taken into custody. This as European ministers today meet to talk about terrorism.

The first known ISIS cell operation inside Israel has been disrupted. The seven people who confessed to being part of the extremist group were reportedly nabbed just before executing an attack.

Back here at home, the FBI and the Secret Service investigating multiple gunshots near Vice President Joe Biden's home in Delaware. They say the shots were fired from a vehicle outside the Secret Service perimeter surrounding the vice president's home.

Two scares in the air. A JetBlue flight had to abort its takeoff at JFK after another plane crossed the runway. And on another flight, smoke coming from the landing gear of a Delta flight headed to Japan, forcing that pilot to return to Atlanta after burning off fuel.

Across the country, protests against racism and police violence are expected to mark today's Martin Luther King Day commemorations. Also, we're keeping an eye on D.C., where a wreath laying ceremony will take place at the civil rights leader's memorial in Washington D.C.

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

Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Michaela. Well, Jewish sites in France and Belgium ramping up security in case of more anti-Semitic violence. This as concerns grow about innocent Muslims also coming under attack. Where is all of this heading?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

In the wake of the Paris attacks, security's been stepped up at Jewish schools and buildings all over France and Belgium. Authorities obviously concerned about another anti-Semitic attack. There's also growing concern about an anti-Muslim backlash across Europe. Here with us now, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, an independent multi-national project that works to reconnect the Muslim world and the west.

Sir, it is so much a pleasure to have you here.

IMAM FEISAL ABDUL RAUF, CHAIRMAN, THE CORDOBA INITIATIVE: Thank you, Michaela.

PEREIRA: And I was thinking how much more difficult it must be, challenging for you, the work that you set out to do, to bridge the west and the Muslims. And, in fact, you wrote in "The New York Daily News," and, if you don't mind, I'll read your own words to you. "It gets harder and harder for me to convince my non-Muslim American friends that these crimes have nothing to do with Islam and everything to do with terrorists trying to enhance their political agenda." It's getting harder and harder, why?

RAUF: It is indeed. I think the important thing to remember, which just underlies my comment here, is that the military, the American military, historian Caleb Carr (ph), said that all acts of terrorism, which he defined as militancy against innocents, non-combatant civilians, always are about politics. There's always a political agenda. It has happened since the beginning of time. Everybody has committed it, you know, et cetera, et cetera.

But the key things to remember, it is always about a terrorist - about a political agenda. Even the Chicago professor (INAUDIBLE) who has studied every incident of suicide bombing has said it is always about the political agenda. And, therefore, to solve these problems, which is what we are working on, my (INAUDIBLE) is working on the Cordoba Initiative, we have to recognize the underlying political issues and address them, otherwise we'll never address this issue.

PEREIRA: Part of it is the perception. We were speaking with two of our guests just a moment ago, the perception of Islam in America and in Europe. Let's talk about here in America, because this is where we are. What do you tell the people that come to you and say, imam, help me understand, how can we not separate these two things? It seems there is this intrinsic evil wrapped up in Islam, which we know is not the teachings - we know that is not the teaching of Islam. What do you tell them to understand that and separate it from the politics?

RAUF: We have to relate because politics will always utilize whatever it is that motivates people. A religion is a powerful motivator for people. Today, we're celebrating Martin Luther King Day. Martin Luther King expressed, you know, the frustration of the black people in terms of getting their rights. This is an issue which evolves or revolves around each of the rights in the Muslim world. You cannot separate this from what's happening in Syria, in Iraq. These jihadists were trained in -- apparently in Yemen, al Qaeda in the Arab peninsula. So you cannot separate what is happening there from what is happening in the region - of the Middle East, for instance, the Sunni-Shiite (ph) tension, the (INAUDIBLE) of different groups to aspire, to get their fair share of the political power pie and economic pie.

And this is what -- this is why here what we did in America was the civil rights movements, which gave the African-American people their fair share. So if you look at what's happening in the region between Sunni and Shiite, for example, or between different groups in Egypt or whatever, it's always an issue about having their fair share of the political pie and the - and that (ph) pie.

PEREIRA: Right. But you could understand that so many of us don't have a good understanding of the historical battles between the groups and the religious factions, et cetera. What it does translate to, especially when you see images on the screen, is fear in many people. And we've seen thing, we've heard of islamophobia. And that comes from a - you know, fear is such a visceral reaction in people, it isn't usually knowledge-based, it's usually coming from emotion.

RAUF: Emotion, correct.

PEREIRA: So how do we combat that?

RAUF: Well, we have to -- we have to have a multiple multi-national, multi-religious cooperation. Pope Francis has pondered (ph) with the ex-president of Israel, Shimon Perez, to call for an alliance of religions. And we have hopefully hoping to see a strong Islamic partnership to address the issues of how leaders of the different faith communities can work to make this happen. I mean I'm hopeful, for example, that a joint Jewish-Muslim partnership can develop with the participation of Christian leadership to re-brand both Islam in the west and Judaism in the Arab and Muslim world, which lies at the root of a lot of -- not every conflict, but a big component, a big chunk of the conflict. There are things that need to be done right now at a multi-national level, at a very high level, at a globalized level to cooperate because if you look at terrorism, again as I said, Michaela, whether it's what happened in Paris, whether it's the Taliban killing 152 innocent school children in Pakistan, it's always about politics.

PEREIRA: Imam, it is always a delight to have you here with us. A very thoughtful conversation, we hope we can have them again.

RAUF: Thank you, Michaela.

PEREIRA: We appreciate you taking a visit to NEW DAY, as always.

Alisyn? CAMEROTA: Okay, Michaela. Everyone stop what you're doing for just one second to look at this incredible picture. This driver's pickup truck was squashed between two semis. The driver is trapped inside, but he lives to tell the story. And if you don't believe us, there he is, he's right there on our screen. He'll explain how he got out, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: The images are absolutely shocking. That scrap of metal- --

PEREIRA: Unbelievable.

CAMEROTA: - - that you see wedged in between - -

PEREIRA: That's not a pickup truck.

CAMEROTA: Yes, it is, Michaela.

CUOMO: That's a Kia.

CAMEROTA: That is a pickup truck and there is a man trapped inside between those two semis after a huge pileup on Saturday. There was treacherous black ice, there were heavy winds, a lot of fog, it triggered this pileup on I-84 in Oregon. Now, amazingly, the driver of that pickup, if we can believe it, walked away with only a few scratches.

PEREIRA: I need to see him.

CAMEROTA: Okay, I'm going to prove it to you right now. There he is. He joins us this morning. He is the man in that incredible picture, Kaleb Whitby. Thanks so much for being here. How are you?

KALEB WHITBY, DRIVER PINNED BETWEEN TWO SEMI TRUCKS: I'm just fine, to tell you the truth. Hopefully I look fine, but I definitely feel very good.

CAMEROTA: Now, let's just explain what happened.

PEREIRA: You look great.

CAMEROTA: On Saturday morning, you were driving from Washington state to Idaho. As we said, it was a very foggy morning when suddenly you saw a truck jackknifed on the highway in front of you. Then what happened?

WHITBY: Man, I think I just had to gasp. I mean, when you're going downhill -- as soon as he jackknifed I shifted down and pushed my brakes, but being on black ice, there's no chance. I mean, what can you do? So I tried to somewhat steer to the right side of the road and I ended up hitting the trailer right at the back corner so it smashed my front end in, and when I hit, it shut my pickup off so I was pretty much helpless there. And as soon as that came to a stop, I looked out my passenger window on my right side and saw semi lights coming towards me. PEREIRA: And when you saw those lights coming towards you, did you say

a prayer? Are you man of faith? Are you man of faith now? What did you do, because I always wonder about that. When you see this flash before your eyes, what is your thought?

WHITBY: I mean, the first thing is hopefully you're okay, and then you look over and you see the lights. I turned right back, closed my eyes and said a prayer that I'd be safe and I do believe. I'm very firm in that, and I just held onto the wheel as tight as I could, tucked my head, and just kept praying the whole time.

CUOMO: Kaleb --

WHITBY: And, I mean, after he hit, I just hoped that it would be over with soon.

CUOMO: All right, so, Kaleb, first of all, tell us what kind of truck it is, and what happened that compressed it like that? Like, what were you able to figure out about what was happening to the truck to accordion it like that?

WHITBY: Okay, so it's a Chevy Silverado, it's an extended cab, which is actually important.

CUOMO: Yep.

WHITBY: It's a 1500. So, when I hit, it sent me broadside facing my passenger side towards oncoming traffic. When the second truck hit my back end, it spun my bed underneath the first trailer that I hit and continued to swing my nose around, and I guess put my nose underneath the second trailer. And as that trailer came around, it just kind of pushed me down further into that small v where you can actually see both of the trailers within arm's reach on both sides. And so, I mean, if there would have been even a foot - -if that would have pushed me more of a foot, it probably would have crushed me.

CAMEROTA: Kaleb, how long were you trapped in that spot?

WHITBY: Before I was able to get out it was only about a half hour, which was good because time does not fly when you're in situations like that. It was very slow waiting to get out.

PEREIRA: Well, I know first responders, when they come on a scene like this, their first concern is if we pull this apart, is the guy going to come apart, and the fact that you came out of this, I mean, did you walk out of there under your own power?

WHITBY: Yes, very much so.

PEREIRA: My word.

CUOMO: So, now the million zillion dollar question, why did you make it out of there, Kaleb? You know that that's not what's supposed to happen. So, who do you thank, what do you thank, and what do you think it means for you and what your life is about? WHITBY: I thank my heavenly father. I don't have the answers, and if

I had the answers I probably wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now. When things like that happen, and what I've kind of come to realize is that it is a miracle, and that I need to take it into my life and remember it, and now I need to kind of figure out who I need to be in this life and what things I need to accomplish, because how many people don't get a second chance at escaping a situation like that?

CAMEROTA: Well, we know you --

WHITBY: It's I guess time for me to figure that out.

CAMEROTA: Well, we can imagine that you're in the process of that and we know you have a pregnant wife.

PEREIRA: Oh, my goodness.

CAMEROTA: And you have a 2-year-old child.

CUOMO: There it is, right there.

PEREIRA: Yes.

CAMEROTA: And they're so happy that you are in one piece.

PEREIRA: I bet they're each hanging on to your leg right now, not letting you go.

WHITBY: Yes. He's asleep, thank goodness, but - -

CUOMO: It's safe to say daddy is going to be getting another truck, with the extended cab.

WHITBY: I hope so. Well, yes, we'll see how that goes.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Well, Kaleb, we're so happy that you're on and that you're in one piece.

PEREIRA: We are.

CAMEROTA: Thanks so much for joining us on NEW DAY.

PEREIRA: Boy, oh boy. What a story.

CUOMO: Well, look, let's be fair, Kaleb is the Good Stuff.

PEREIRA: He is.

CUOMO: All right, we could end it right there, and we're going to keep up with him to see how he does, he has to get another truck, he has a lot of stuff coming his way. The physical is only part of that. But we have another Good Stuff for you, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (voice-over): Pizza is the Good Stuff by definition, but this pizzeria is very special. You see those notes?

CAMEROTA (voice-over): Yes.

CUOMO: Why they are there will not just feed your face, they'll feed your soul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA (on camera): Can't wait.

CUOMO (on camera): It's the better stuff, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: All right, you ready for this?

PEREIRA: Pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza.

CUOMO: All right, it is time for the Good Stuff. Today we're serving up a slice of something that defines the Good Stuff, pizza, right?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO (voice-over): Just over a year ago, here's the deal, Mason Wartman opened up a dollar pizza joint in Philly. He was on Wall Street, he said no more for me. So, who cares? I'll tell you why you care. One day, a customer asked if he could pay it forward and buy a slice for someone in need. Wartman said, not a bad idea, runs out, grabs a stack of post-its, and put one up near the register to honor the act of generosity, and, frankly, to remind himself. Nine months later, word spreads, the store wall is now covered in notes. Take a listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This guy wrote on a paper plate, "God bless you. Because of you I ate off this plate, it is the only thing I ate all day."

CUOMO: A slice is a buck, you pay whatever you want, and the excess then pays it forward. How many people has it helped? Homeless come in, about 30 to 40 a day, right? They get free pizza if they want it at Rosa's anytime.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO (on camera): The pizza shop estimates it's now served over 8,000 slices to the hungry.

PEREIRA: What I'm talking about, Philly.

CAMEROTA: That's a delicious Good Stuff, Chris.

CUOMO: Soul food.

CAMEROTA: There you go.

CUOMO: All right, a lot of news there, we get you to the "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello. I know you're hungry now, Carol, but you better be hungry for the right stuff.

PEREIRA: For soul food.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I know, and I can't be hungry until two hours from now, which I will be. Thanks so much, have a great day. NEWSROOM starts now.