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New Day
No Civil Rights Charges for Officer Wilson; Is Deflate-Gate Being Overplayed?; New Season of "Inside Man" Premiers Tonight
Aired January 22, 2015 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: No federal charges expected in the FBI's investigation of the Michael Brown shooting. Sources tell CNN there was simply not enough evidence to charge former Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson. CNN's Sara Sidner is following developments. She is live in Ferguson.
Now, Sara, the bar was always high for federal charges. They would have had to have evidence that they could show beyond a reasonable doubt that Wilson shot Brown because he was black. So take us through this and the reaction, and also the other investigation that's still out there.
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. So, you know -- good morning, Chris.
You know, here in Ferguson, the reaction right now, very slow coming because everyone wants to see the official report. But we are hearing from both, you know, a law enforcement source and a U.S. official that the federal investigation has been completed when it comes to looking into whether or not Officer Darren Wilson, who then has retired or has left, resigned from the department now, whether he intentionally killed Michael Brown because he was black, as you mentioned, and intentionally deprived Michael Brown of his civil rights. And what we are hearing from our sources is that there is simply not enough evidence to prove that there was a civil rights violation and therefore he will be cleared of that.
There is, of course, another investigation that is ongoing. We are expecting to hear something, though we hear the report has not been completed, but the federal government is also looking into the practices of the Ferguson Police Department to see if there were any civil rights violations within the department with its policies and how it carried out the job it does of policing this particular city. And so that has not been completed according to our sources and that's still out there and ongoing.
We do expect to hear a conclusion of all of this, though, and ultimately it is the U.S. attorney general who will make the final call. He is expected to leave office in the spring. We're expecting to hear something before that.
Michaela and Chris.
CUOMO: All right, thank you very much, Sara. We'll stay with you on this. We appreciate you being in Ferguson for us. Mic.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, it's time now for the five things you need to know for your new day.
At number one, Japanese officials, they are up against the clock to free two of their citizens held captive by ISIS. Now, if Tokyo does not pay a $200 million ransom, those men could be executed within 24 hours.
In Yemen, the deal to end a coup against the government is in jeopardy. The government and rebels have started to implement the deal, but mistrust has apparently frozen the progress in its tracks. Right now it's unclear just who is in charge.
More talks on the agenda Thursday as the U.S. and Cuba look to restore diplomatic relations. The start of talks Wednesday was rocky with disagreements on immigration policy.
House Speaker John Boehner defying President Obama by inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress on the nuclear threat posed by Iran without first consulting the White House.
House Republican leaders canceling a planned vote on a controversial measure banning abortions after 20 weeks. Instead, they will take up a bill banning taxpayer funded abortions.
We update those five things to know, so be sure to visit newdaycnn.com for the latest.
Alisyn.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Michaela.
The NFL now investigating so-called deflate gate. But some players say the whole situation is being overplayed. And what consequences might the Patriots face anyway? We'll discuss all that.
CUOMO: Overinflated.
Plus, you've been hearing sounds here. They're coming from this guy. The robots are here. Morgan Spurlock's new friends. He's got the new season of "Inside Man" coming. And he's getting up and close and personal with people of the riveted variety.
CAMEROTA: Does he talk?
CUOMO: So, let's see, hey, Mechaniod (ph), take us to break, my brother.
MECHANIOD: You're watching NEW DAY on CNN.
CUOMO: Well done. And I like the funky hands.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CUOMO: That Fox music that says it's about to be Super Bowl time. So what do you think, is deflate gate overinflated? This scandal about the footballs? It certainly casts a dark shadow over the Super Bowl that we're getting ready for. But let's talk more about -- it's not just about the balls. It's about the games itself and how it's played. And specifically if these accusations against the New England Patriots and its coach (INAUDIBLE) are true about the under inflated balls and their AFC championship win against the Colts, what does it mean? And what should be done about it? And did any of it really matter? That's what it's going to come down to.
So, we have great guests. Joe Theismann, former NFL MVP and Super Bowl winning quarterback for the Washington Redskins -- always wanted to be a Jet -- and Jim Daopoulos, former NFL official and supervisor of officials. He's also a rules analyst for ESPN and Monday Night Football.
Gentleman, thank you to both.
Joe Theismann, I'm a huge fan way back from "Cannonball Run" days I want you know I've been a big fan. So what is the reality -
JOE THEISMANN, SUPER BOWL CHAMPION QUARTERBACK: Thanks, Chris.
CUOMO: And now, we're going to get with you, Jim, about what the balls were supposed to be, how they got that way, and what you think about the impact. But, Joe, as a quarterback, does it make a difference -- if everything's true about the difference in the balls, does it matter?
THEISMANN: No, it really doesn't, Chris, and it's -- I'm glad you were a big fan of that wonderful movie that should have gotten an Academy Award nomination, "Cannonball Run II," but I appreciate that.
These -- I decided that I was going to - I actually - I actually did this scientific experiment yesterday. I decided to come here to Redskin Park and get a ball that's pumped -- this one's at 11, this one's at 13. You really can't tell that much of a difference with them. And from a quarterback's perspective, when you throw the football, you don't want to squeeze it real tight anyway. You have to have a certain type of grip, similar to throwing a -- swinging a golf club. You don't want to choke it real hard. You want to be able to hold onto it tight enough so that it allows the arm to move freely.
It's the same thing with this. They -- it's negligible. But then you take into consideration what the weather was like in Foxborough, rainy, cold, miserable day. The ball changes itself by -- as the game goes on the ball changes. So the grip changes a little bit, the pressure to me is very negligible when it comes to deciding whether it's an advantage or not.
CUOMO: All right. That's Joe Theismann's words on it.
So, to you, Mr. Daopoulos. You know, one thing I will add that Joe didn't say was, it looked rainy and cold and certainly got that way, but when it started it was like 51 degrees. So we wouldn't have seen deflationary pressure from the atmosphere itself. But just take us through what you think of this situation. Do you think it's true, first of all, that the balls were under inflated, how they got that way, and what it means?
JIM DAOPOULOS, FORMER NFL OFFICIAL & SUPERVISOR OF OFFICIALS: You know, that's a very difficult question because what happens is the officials check the footballs prior to the game, two and a half hours - or two hours and 15 minutes before the game. They checked the footballs to make sure they have the proper PSI. And as Joe said, I'm not sure if there's a big difference between 11.5, 12.5, 13.5. But as an official, our responsibility is to make sure that the ball meets the specifications of the National Football League. So once the game began, all the officials were trying to do is make sure that that was a ball that was stamped by the official, by the referee, and it was a ball that met the qualifications or the specifications.
CUOMO: Right.
DAOPOULOS: And how much of a difference it made, I have no idea.
CUOMO: All right, but if the balls were 11 out of 12 of them only on the Patriots side, not on the Colts side, less inflated, does that sound like something that had to be intentional? And why would they have done it?
DAOPOULOS: Intention is very difficult to determine. And that's what I am trying to find out. When I heard about this, I thought it was a non-issue. Now as the NFL does its investigation, it's going to be very interesting to find out how the air came out of those 11 footballs, why it didn't come out of the 12th football, why it didn't come out of the Indianapolis Colts' football is very confusing to me. And that's why I'm kind of reserving my decision here on how I feel about it until I -- at the actual who did it and when they did it, and if it was done by a specific team.
CUOMO: Hey, Jim, if the refs recognized at halftime that the balls were under inflated, the assumption would be that they would re- inflate them, right?
DAOPOULOS: That's correct. But, you know, the problem that you have as an official, you know, you go out there and we don't have gauges during the game.
CUOMO: Right.
DAOPOULOS: You don't have a gauge to tell how many pounds are in the football.
CUOMO: Right.
DAOPOULOS: As the ball comes out, your only job is to make sure that it's one of the balls that was approved.
CUOMO: Right.
DAOPOULOS: I mean you can't tell if the air's been let out. So that's a difficult question to, you know, answer right now.
CUOMO: Right. So --
DAOPOULOS: You know, I don't know what happened to the footballs.
CUOMO: So if they re-inflated them, which is what the job would suggest they do, right, Joe, they re-inflated the balls. It was 21-7 at the half or whatever. They got crushed in the second half.
THEISMANN: Exactly.
CUOMO: You know, so, obviously, the balls being once again re- inflated, you know, made it even worse for the Colts. The idea that Brady should have known, the idea that Belichick, that this is an asterisk on him as one of potentially the greatest coach that we've had in NFL history, what do you think of those, Joe?
THEISMANN: I think they're -- I think they're ludicrous accusations because, you know, Tom's handling a football. Again, the weather was decent, like you say, but it got worse and worse.
CUOMO: Yes.
THEISMANN: The officials, had they - when they -- they - the officials handle the balls as much as Tom does and they didn't notice a difference for the entire first half. And by the way, there are 24 balls that are made available to teams and have it be known the visiting team doesn't really need to bring footballs, they could actually use the footballs that the Pats had. So that's just the way the rules are. But to say that the officials knew it was going on is I think wrong. To say that Tom knew it. All he wants to do is throw the football. He doesn't necessarily know the difference between the two of them. And it's not that he's not bright about it, it's just that it didn't make that much of a difference. And when he made the comment about -- a few years back about Gronk (ph) spiking the ball and deflating it, that's just a force with which Gronk spikes the ball. And it's not deflated at all. It bounces back up. And like I say, here's one that's a little bit -- it's 11 PSI, this one's 13 PSI. It's negligible the difference in them.
I think this is a lot to do about nothing. And the point to be made is, number one, the officials handled the ball through the entire first half, nobody noticed a difference.
CUOMO: Right.
THEISMANN: And the game, they scored 28 points, the Pats did in the second half, and that was with what, quote, unquote, an inflated football.
CUOMO: Right.
THEISMANN And LeGarrette Blount rushed for 150 yards.
CUOMO: There it is. I thought he was going to die of exhaustion the way he was running through the Colts. Joe Theismann, Jim Daopoulos, thank you very much. And we should say, Joe Theismann believes that the right remedy here is for the New York Jets to replace the Patriots and play in the Super Bowl, which I think is a bold statement and it makes me respect you even more, sir. Thank you for coming on. And that's as an NFC quarterback with the Washington Redskins, which, of course, benefitted from taking a New York Jet, John Riggins, which really led them to all their greatness. So, thank you very much to both of you guys.
DAOPOULOS: Thank you very much.
CUOMO: Mic.
PEREIRA: CNN does not support the comments from our broadcaster, Chris Cuomo. I'd like to distance myself from those.
Up ahead right here, Morgan Spurlock is back. He's got another thrilling season of "Inside Man." He's giving us an inside look at the future of artificial intelligence and, in fact, he told me that we have a new script (INAUDIBLE) here. Fellow, can I get - can I get a - no, put it in my hand. Don't be like Chris. Don't try and keep the words from me. No, don't do it. Come on, man!
CUOMO: Fight the power, little man.
PEREIRA: Help me out.
CUOMO: She'll only ask for more if you give it to her. She'll only ask for more things.
PEREIRA: Now you're just teasing me. What's up?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: We're not the only artificial intelligence on the set today, guys.
CAMEROTA: Oh.
PEREIRA: I just want to warn you. The newest season of Morgan Spurlock's "INSIDE MAN" premiering tonight on CNN. This first episode he gets up close and personal with robots. Take a look.
CUOMO: Robots. That's Canada.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
MORGAN SPURLOCK, HOST, "INSIDE MAN" (voice-over): These robots plunge deep into what's known as the uncanny valley, that feeling of revulsion that people feel when interacting with something that looks human, but not quite.
SPURLOCK (on camera): That's creepy. This is 3,000 percent more creepy.
SPURLOCK (voice-over): Meet Telenoid, another tele operated android.
SPURLOCK (on camera): Hello. Oh, my gosh. This is so -- it's like a freaky baby.
ROBOT: Hi, Morgan.
SPURLOCK: Hi. How are you?
ROBOT: Okay. Yourself?
SPURLOCK: I'm, like, in the movie "Cocoon" right now.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
PEREIRA: Morgan Spurlock is here, and we are so grateful that the friend you chose to bring along is this more robotic looking creature than the creepy baby.
SPURLOCK: Yes, this is like Johnny 5. This is like Johnny 5 is alive, this guy.
PEREIRA: Oh, my goodness. But, important to talk about you were looking at robots and artificial intelligence. It's not just about these kind of fun creatures.
SPURLOCK: That's right.
There's a lot of artificial intelligence that we don't necessarily see.
SPURLOCK: And a lot of it that's already being put into - - into devices we use every day that's just making our lives smarter, like smart technology and smart devices is where things are going. We were in self-driving cars, like, those were - -
PEREIRA: Did that freak you out? Please, tell me.
SPURLOCK: That is - - It freaks you out, but at the same time it gets you excited for the future. Like, the idea I'll be able to get into my car and just tell it where to take me, and that's it, is going to be amazing.
CUOMO: Total Jetsons.
SPURLOCK: That's right.
CAMEROTA: That's right, exactly.
SPURLOCK: Any day now.
CAMEROTA: And you were trying to figure out if there was a robot that exists that could actually relieve some of your massive workload.
SPURLOCK: That's right.
CAMEROTA: Like be another you.
SPURLOCK: That's right.
CAMEROTA: Did you find one?
SPURLOCK: Well, we found a couple of different technologies. We found a company called Beam that allowed me to basically be in two places at once, so I could be in one place and then be in a conference call, or in (AUDIO GAP) office and roll around the office and talk to people. And then we found another technology that would basically write things for me, that would write, like, article bios.
PEREIRA: Sounds like a bot.
SPURLOCK: Almost like a bot that would do it automatically. And then we - - and on the website starting today is people are going to be able to have a chat with the Morgan bot, where it is basically a robot that will talk to you on the website that's me.
CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh, that's cool.
CUOMO: But this is actually you right now that's here.
SPURLOCK: This is actually me.
CUOMO: This is the real Morgan.
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: Because when we look at the stuff that you were showing us from Japan - -
SPURLOCK: Yes.
PEREIRA: And they are sort of far ahead, aren't they?
SPURLOCK: So far, yes, so far ahead.
PEREIRA: Very realistic, yet not.
SPURLOCK: Yes, just realistic enough to make you look at it, but then just scary enough to make you be like I can't talk to this.
PEREIRA: The eyes were (INAUDIBLE) right?
SPURLOCK: Yes, that's right.
CAMEROTA: But what was the point of that creepy alien baby?
SPURLOCK: Well, the creepy alien baby is one - - is what is the basic interaction that you have to have with a robot to make you feel - - to make it feel like a normal interaction? Like, the other robots, the ones that are much more humanoid, are designed to either have you have an experience with a robot that makes you feel like you're talking to a human and also give someone the ability to be in two places.
CUOMO: So, what's the big take away for us in this particular episode of your famed series? SPURLOCK: Well, for me, the biggest thing is that robots are coming.
Whether you like it or not, here they come. Guys like Mechanoid are coming.
CUOMO: And he's not coming quietly either.
SPURLOCK: He's not coming quietly.
(CROSSTALK)
SPURLOCK: Well, the beautiful thing about Mechanoid, I met this guy at CES last week and the folks who built him. Things like this are really important, because what robots like this do is they allow young people to start to get involved in robotics at a very young age. Like, you have to build this from scratch.
CUOMO: Oh.
SPURLOCK: You know, like, the price point for this is, like, 400 bucks. Like, it's - -
PEREIRA: You're kidding.
SPURLOCK: Yes, no, so it's one of those things where from a young age kids can already be associated - -
CUOMO: How old - -
SPURLOCK: - - and interact with them.
CUOMO: - - to build this thing?
SPURLOKC: I mean, I'd say you'd probably have to be, I'd say, 10, probably 10 years old.
PEREIRA: But talk about evening out the playing field. You're putting the tools in kids hands, right?
SPURLOCK: In kid's hands.
PEREIRA: We've seen the robotics competitions.
SPURLOCK: Yes.
PEREIRA: But they're kind of going above and beyond that now.
SPURLOCK: That's - - I mean, this is on such a different level than, like, the stuff that I grew up playing with, you know, or building erector sets. Like, this is like an erector set on steroids.
CAMEROTA: Totally.
SPURLOCK: You know, and so the idea that we can now already from a young age become comfortable with robots is great. And, you know, Mechanoid tell them who you are. ROBOT: I am the Mechanoid G15KN. I am an advanced robotics building platform. I was created to interact with human beings and learn from them. My purpose is to teach every man, woman, and child about how fun and simple robotics can be.
PEREIRA: Wow.
CAMEROTA: He's so charismatic.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: Have you given him a weapon, see what he does with it?
(CROSSTALK)
SPURLOCK: Skynet, Skynet is coming.
CUOMO: You see what I'm saying?
SPURLOCK: You look at this, yes, you look at this and - -
CUOMO: I saw The Matrix.
PEREIRA: We've already seen how robotic technology has been used in applications, military, firefighters, law enforcement.
SPURLOCK: That's right.
PEREIRA: But it's going beyond that now. Medical - -
SPURLOCK: Medical. And the idea that, you know, in a few years we'll be able to have a bot in our house that will be able to help take care of us.
PEREIRA: My mother has the vacuum bot already.
CUOMO: The Roomba?
PEREIRA: Yes.
SPURLOCK: And when I was in Las Vegas at CES they have window washing bots. They basically suck to windows and just go up the sides of buildings and clean windows.
CAMEROTA: That's good, that's a service.
SPURLOCK: It's a great thing.
CAMEROTA: And what does this guy do other than speak in a very cute way?
SPURLOCK: Well, he can also do a little dance. Want to do a little dance, Mechanoid?
CUOMO: Oh, that's what I'm talking about.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
PEREIRA: Really?
ROBOT: I may dance (ph).
PEREIRA: He's going to boogie.
ROBOT: I enjoy hip-hop.
CUOMO: Oh.
SPURLOCK: He enjoys the hip-hop.
CAMEROTA: Just like you, Chris.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
CUOMO: Oh, yes.
CAMEROTA: He can do the robot.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: He's a little heavy on the head.
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: This is a moment CNN will never, ever be able to replicate. This is phenomenal.
CUOMO: He's heavy on the head movements.
SPURLOCK: Yes.
PEREIRA: Okay. Make sure you tune in tonight at 9:00 p.m. on CNN for the season premiere of "INSIDE MAN" with our man, Morgan Spurlock and a few of your robots.
CAMEROTA: Few friends.
PEREIRA: One creepy baby and a few friends.
SPURLOCK: That's right.
(LAUGHTER)
PEREIRA: All right.
SPURLOCK: Thank you.
CAMEROTA: Well done.
PEREIRA: Thank you, Mechanoid.
CUOMO: It's great to have you here, my man. All right, here's another little innovation we're going to be talking
to you about today, a little bit more low tech, but high on the heart. Backpacks, taken for granted, but what if you carried everything you own in one everywhere, everyday. Someone is making backpacks with that in mind, and that's why they are the Good Stuff. Say that, my little erector with a conscience.
PEREIRA: Does he shake? Can he shake a hand? Try shaking his hand. Oh, what a gentleman.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBOT: Up high.
(LAUGHTER)
CAMEROTA: That was great.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CUOMO: It is time for the Good Stuff, and that's a good song. All right. So, many homeless people carry everything they own with them every day, and the people at Citi Pack know that, so they've come up with this really innovative new backpack designed specifically for the needs of the homeless.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you open it up. You have your big pocket here, you can hold all of your stuff. It's got a zippered pocket right here for added security, more organization.
CUOMO (voice-over): All right. It's also waterproof to withstand the elements and comes with security features to help keep contents safe. Citi Pack is giving out more than 12,000 of these. They're coming to New York next, but of course, you know, you could easily say well, how about trying to fix the fact that these people are homeless. Yes, that's part of it, too. Homeless people need to sign up with Citi Pack's partners outreach organizations - -
PEREIRA (voice-over): Oh, wow.
CUOMO: - - with the resources to help these men, women and children.
PEREIRA: I like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you're living in situations like this it's kind of tough, you know. I'm just grateful for the people to be here to help inform us because information is the key.
CUOMO: Information is the key, and help is the key. You know, as you guys know, my sister runs the largest homeless housing organization in the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CUOMO (on camera): And there is a temptation to say, you know what, you have to get your life right and then I'll help you. The homeless need help every step of the way. This is one step and it's a good one.
CAMEROTA: That's great.
PEREIRA (on camera): A hand up instead of a handout.
CUOMO: Right? Citi Pack is the Good Stuff. There it is. A lot of news for you this morning. Let's get you to the "NEWSROOM" with Ms. Carol Costello.
PEREIRA: Hi, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks a lot. Thank you so much, have a great day.
CAMEROTA: You, too.
COSTELLO: NEWSROOM starts now.
