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New Day
Dolce & Gabbana Break Their Silence; Durst Accused of Murdering Susan Berman; Netanyahu Declares Victory. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired March 18, 2015 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Early results show Netanyahu with a lead over his chief rival, who has already conceded to the prime minister, even though the official results are not expected to be released until next week.
[06:30:06] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: A former airman with U.S. Air Force due in official court in Brooklyn this morning, on charges he tried to link up with ISIS. Authorities say Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh tried to enter Syria via Turkey in January. He was caught by Turkish officials and returned to the U.S. Authorities allege a letter on his laptop says that Pugh was waging jihad.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Dramatic pictures violent protests in Germany, as the new headquarters of the European central bank opens in Frankfurt. Thousands of anti-austerity protesters clashed with police and firefighters. The police there saying that station, an historic opera house came under attack and at least seven police cars set on fire. Some 350 people were arrested in connection with the violence. About 80 police officers have been hurt.
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: Parents, check -- I'll take it, check your pantry. A recall to tell you about. If you happen to like, or have in your pantry, Kraft macaroni and cheese, about a quarter million cases recalled because boxes may contain metal fragments, really concerning.
So, what you need to look for, best used by dates, September 18th through October 11th 2015. Also the code C2, it's right below the date. The recall involves 7.25-ounce boxes sold individually and also in multipacks.
CAMEROTA: All right. Now, to a CNN exclusive. Italian fashion designers, Dolce and Gabbana, responding to the uproar over Domenico Dolce's views on in vitro fertilization. In a magazine interview, Dolce called IVF babies, quote, "synthetic children born from rented wombs."
CNN's Anna Coren spoke to the designers exclusively. She joins us live from Hong Kong.
What did they tell you, Anna?
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Alisyn. They said that this has really been blown out of proportion. They're quite shocked at the firestorm that has erupted on social media. They were interviewed by an Italian magazine a week ago. The topic was families. Stefano Gabbana was asked, do you want to have children? And he said, yes, this is something I've always wanted to do.
And the question was put to Domenico Dolce, who's a little bit older, he's 56 years old, and he said, no, I'm a gay man, I cannot have children, it does not adhere to my family values. But he certainly did not mean to offend. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DOMENICO DOLCE, FASHION DESIGNER: I support all the world, every people --
STEFANO GABBANA, FASHION DESIGNER: Maybe he chose the wrong word.
DOLCE: No, maybe --
COREN (voice-over): That's about face from fashion icons Dolce and Gabbana after igniting a firestorm. The designers behind the luxury brand told an Italian magazine that babies born from in vitro fertilization are synthetic, coming from wombs for rent.
Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce saying they're personal beliefs based on their upbringing.
GABBANA: I think in a different way from Domenico. But not by this, I start to instill to him, you know, the tolerance. I think there is --
COREN (on camera): In a different way, in what way?
GABBANA: I believe in in vitro, for example. I don't have anything about this.
COREN: So, you support IVF?
GABBANA: Yes. But --
COREN: Domenico, you don't support IVF?
GABBANA: It's a personal --
DOLCE: I think today, we don't need to support or don't support. You think what you think. I think today --
GABBANA: It's not supporting, it's just your belief.
DOLCE: Yes.
COREN (voice-over): Singer Elton John did not agree, posting on his Instagram, "How dare you refer do my beautiful children as synthetic." John vowing never to wear their brand again and calling for a boycott.
The fashion duo fired back, calling for a counter boycott, and defending the freedom to speak. Dolce and Gabbana also took aim at same-sex parents, saying, quote,
"You are born to a mother and a father, or at least that's how it should be."
This morning, they have a different tune.
DOLCE: I love Elton John. I sing every day.
GABBANA: We love gay couples, we love gay adoption. We love everything, it's just an express -- Domenico expressed --
DOLCE: My point of view. It's my private point of view. I am -- I talk with you. I'm Sicilian. I grew up in the family. My company is a family company. And I believe in the traditional family.
COREN: The duo themselves prominent in the gay community, romantically involved until 2005.
(on camera): What would you say to Elton John and other celebrities who --
(CROSSTALK)
GABBANA: I want to say that life is long. Life is happy. You don't need to be angry for nothing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: So, Alisyn, the boys are basically calling for peace with Sir Elton John. They hope that this coming out I guess on CNN, that this will somehow settle the conversation.
CAMEROTA: So, Ana, I mean, we know as you said, that Elton John has called for this boycott. Is there evidence that what they've said is hurting their brand?
COREN: Look, Alisyn, are they concerned that this backlash will hurt their brand?
[06:35:02] They said no, that they are not concerned. That their clothes speak for themselves. Speak love, speak truth, speak tolerance, obviously a bit of fashion jargon going on there.
But you know, they reiterated throughout the interview that they are tolerant of other people's beliefs and that basically Domenico Dolce was expressing his personal beliefs but does not support those who do use IVF.
CAMEROTA: OK. Anna Coren, thanks so much for sharing your exclusive with us.
PEREIRA: Elton John feels judged.
CAMEROTA: Absolutely.
PEREIRA: Even though that wasn't his intention. BERMAN: Just my opinion that they're synthetic kids. Don't listen to
my opinion.
PEREIRA: Synthetic kids.
CAMEROTA: Sometimes technology gets out ahead of people's comfort zone. And he says he's an old-fashioned Sicilian guy -- you know, that's his perspective.
PEREIRA: Yes, very interesting perspective, especially when you think about the fashion industry and the amount of -- the gay community supports the fashion industry.
BERMAN: He's a gay old-fashioned Sicilian guy to boot. So, that's doubly interesting.
CAMEROTA: Good point.
PEREIRA: I feel that people at home are going to have some ideas about this. Sound off, tweet us. Go to NEW DAY. And our Facebook page as well. We'd love to hear your comments.
BERMAN: All right. Coming up for us, real estate heir Robert Durst accused of murdering his best friend. We're going to speak with a journalist who followed that relationship and that case closely for years. Does this journalist think that Durst is a killer?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:40:19] CAMEROTA: New developments in the Robert Durst case. Authorities raided the accused murderer's Houston home yesterday, leaving with two boxes. Durst is charged with killing his friend, Susan Berman, back in 2000.
Joining us this morning to talk about it is Lisa DePaulo. She wrote a profile on Susan Berman back in 2001, as well as an in-depth piece on Bob Durst in 2002. She's also a Bloomberg Politics correspondent.
Lisa, great to have you here with us.
LISA DEPAULO, BLOOMBERG POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.
CAMEROTA: So, there are all sorts of unsolved murders in this country. Why has this case so captivated you?
DEPAULO: The characters -- you know, Bobby Durst isn't your typical alleged serial killer. He's a fascinating guy. He came from so much privilege and wealth. And ends up cross-dressing in Galveston and, you know, the three characters, the victims are all -- are fascinating, too.
CAMEROTA: Absolutely. Let's talk about Susan Berman, because you've written extensively about her.
Susan Berman is described as having been Bob Durst's best friend. Now, from what we know about Bob Durst, from having seen the HBO series, he seems like a tough guy to be friends with. He's peculiar, he's cold. He's standoffish. He's violent.
What did she like about him?
DEPAULO: Both of them had, she had, he has a lot of eccentricities. You know, Susan had a lot of phobias, she didn't like to go above the third floor, she wouldn't cross certain bridges.
Bobby, and they also had another thing in common and I think this was really the bond -- they both had larger-than-life fathers. Susan's was mobster. He -- Bobby's, of course, is an enormous real estate mogul. Difficult men, both, and mentally ill mothers. Both of their mothers committed suicide.
CAMEROTA: Wow. That is an incredible nexus.
DEPAULO: Yes.
CAMEROTA: So, these two had this connection. And they bonded. And they were really close friends.
DEPAULO: Brother and sister.
CAMEROTA: Then in 2000, it came out that she was going to have to speak to the police about information that she had about the disappearance of his first wife, Kathy. What did Susan Berman know about that?
DEPAULO: Well, at the time Kathy went missing, and this is 1982, Susan served as Bobby's spokesperson. And basically put Bobby's version of events out there, which was at the time, I put her on a train, I talked to her later that night, and then I never heard from her again.
Now, in this -- he has now admitted that he never spoke to her that night, later. But Susan put everything out there. Now, how much more she knew?
CAMEROTA: You know, part of the story was also that his wife had called work the next day, to say that she was sick, though it appears that she was already dead. She had already disappeared by then and possibly was dead. Is it possible that Susan Berman made that call?
DEPAULO: It's possible that Susan made the call. I'm not sold that she made the call, because Susan was really smart and would be smart enough to know that a woman in medical school is not going to call up the dean and say I have a tummy ache. It just doesn't --
CAMEROTA: But somehow she knew something and that is the theory is that's why he allegedly killed her?
DEPAULO: Yes. The theory is that he was -- you know, worried that she would say something to the police. That would incriminate him.
CAMEROTA: You have a theory or maybe it's just wishful thinking. That it is time for Robert Durst to do the right thing.
DEPAULO: Yes.
CAMEROTA: What would that look like?
DEPAULO: You know, I think it's possible. When he looked at the photograph in the docu-series of Susan with him, you do, that there's still a heart in there somewhere. But what he would, what I think he needs to do is tell what happened that night with Susan. And tell the McCormicks where Kathie's body is.
CAMEROTA: You think it's possible that he would confess in that way?
DEPAULO: I do.
CAMEROTA: Why?
DEPAULO: Because there has to be a part of him that feels enormous guilt. He would not have done this whole docu-series. There has to be a part of him that feels remorse.
CAMEROTA: What if it's just ego? Even he said, they asked him what his motivation was for doing this documentary, he said I want to get my side of the story out there. Everybody has talked without me.
DEPAULO: But he knows his side is not a great side. And he still did it.
I'm not saying he will do this. I'm saying he has a chance to do it and I think if you factor in the fact that he seems to be very ill, you know, we might not get to a trial.
[06:45:02] CAMEROTA: You think he's ill because he seems very frail.
DEPAULO: Yes, yes, yes.
CAMEROTA: He has all of these tics. And you watch the HBO film, he has tics and it seems as though -- I mean, he definitely seems frail.
DEPAULO: We always have tics, he always talked to himself. He always burped in public, even when he was a young, dashing handsome guy hanging out at Elaine's.
So, that's not new at all. But yes, he -- he does look very ill and his lawyer said he had some kind of neurological surgery. So --
CAMEROTA: So you think that he is not just a cold, calculating psychopath. You think there may be some heart in there. And now at 71 years old, this is his chance to do the right thing?
DEPAULO: Yes. I hope.
CAMEROTA: That would be fascinating. That would be a fascinating --
DEPAULO: I don't think Dick DeGuerin is going to go for that, though.
CAMEROTA: Yes, his lawyer. Yes, that would be a fascinating turn of events. Lisa DePaulo, thanks so much for sharing your reporting with us.
DEPAULO: Thanks, Alisyn. Thank you.
CAMEROTA: Let's go over to John.
BERMAN: All right. Thanks, Alisyn.
A rising star in the NFL quits after one year of pro football. Twenty-year-old Chris Borland leaves the game after a rookie season citing concerns about the long-term effects of head injuries. Two former pros join with us their reaction. A lot of people think this could change football forever.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:50:10] BERMAN: Stunning early retirement of up-and-coming NFL linebacker is making waves this morning. Twenty-four-year-old Chris Borland decided to walk away from the game foregoing potentially millions, saying the fear of concussions is not worth the fame and fortune that come along with playing professional football.
This is what he told ESPN's "Outside the Lines."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS BORLAND, NFL LINEBACKER: I've had close friends who say, well, why don't you play one more year, it's a lot more money, you probably won't get hurt? I just don't want to get in a situation where I'm negotiating my health for money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Negotiating my health for money.
Joining me now is George Martin, former president of the NFL Players Association, pretty good football player for the New York Giants. Also with us, LaMar Campbell, radio host for "Life After the Game", and a former Detroit Lion.
Gentlemen, thanks so much for being with us.
Look, this one is different. You have a 24-year-old kid whose game was only getting better. A 24-year-old kid who hadn't had any real serious injuries, it wasn't like he had 14 concussions the season before and couldn't get up to play the game. He's making the decision that it's just not worth it going forward.
GEORGE MARTIN, FORMER NFL PLAYER: You know, John, I think it's unprecedented. First of all, for all the reasons you just stated, here's a guy who's -- he's living his dream. He's gotten here, he's proven himself, he's a known quantity to the 49ers, even with that, he's weighed the pros and cons and he's decided he's not going to negotiate his health going forward, because he knows the implications of career in the National Football League. BERMAN LaMar, you know how I know this is different? Because the NFL
put out a statement when a single player who is 24 who played one season decides to leave. Let me read you the statement. It says, we respect Chris Borland's decision and wish him the best, playing any sport. It's a personal decision by any measure, football as never been safer and it goes and makes the points about all the changes that football has made over the last season.
But the fact that they put out the statement shows you how concerned the league is.
LAMAR CAMPBELL, FORMER NFL PLAYER: I mean, I think it's very serious, John. When you look at it, we have a new generation of football player right now. These guys grew up in the Dave Duerson or Andre Waters or Junior Seau, watching these guys suffer from CTE and committing suicide. I think it's more astute professional athlete that knows there are opportunities outside of football.
And I think when they look at the risks versus reward, it becomes a situation where you're negotiating with your health, you can make that decision. I think when the NFL lawsuit was filed, think that they got under a lot of players' skin, was we did not know. The difference is that the players now are informed and have the numbers in front of them to make informed decisions.
BERMAN: Let's listen a little bit more about why Chris Borland said he made this decision. He's not saying he claims he doesn't want people to play football. So listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORLAND: I don't want the message to be absolutely don't play football or decide not to do this, or that. I think the thing that I can convey to youth and to parents is just to make an informed decision. If you weigh the risks and you decide, this is something you want to partake in, it's a free country.
However, I just, if I can relay a message to kids, to their parents -- it would be two-fold. One, just make an informed decision and two, don't play through concussions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So, George, make an informed decision. You know, look at the facts, the facts are right now that three in ten former players will develop a debilitating brain condition, that's twice the right of the general population. Can the NFL handle it if all of these players start making informed decisions?
MARTIN: I'm not certain the NFL can handle it. I think it's a watershed moment for the NFL. I think it will have reverb rations, not only through the league, but among the horde of guys coming into the league.
I think they're going to do an assessment. I think they've looked at this individual who's done likely similar and they're going to have a similar reaction. They don't want to run the risk of having long-term damage as a result of going out and fulfilling their dream on the NFL field.
BERMAN: And, LaMar, you know, a lot of players have come forward and said they support this decision. I think players want to support each other in general. However they choose to live their lives.
But some players have said look, this is not the decision I'm going to make.
Listen to Vince Wolfork, one of my favorite players with the Patriots going to the Houston Texans. Listen to what he says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VINCE WOLFORK, DEFENSIVE TACKLE OF NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: We sign up for a sport. We understand what we signing up for. So -- should not be a point where a ball player put everything and point all the fingers at the concussions, because I think it's bull crap.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So, clearly, LaMar, some players are still going to look at the facts and choose to go out and play.
CAMPBELL: I mean, let's just say 100 percent football will never be safe. Will never be able to legislate a situation where football will be 100 percent safe and still call it the football that we know. But it is going -- it is going to reverberate around the NFL. I think what we're going to have to deal with moving forward is when you look at these situations, if you're dangling $60 million or $120 million contracts in front of players, their risk/reward decision may be completely different from Chris's decision.
And I think you look at what's going on, it's a trickle-down effect with collegiate athletes, as well as Pop Warner football, where people like myself, we look forward to making sure these guys find themselves outside of football while their helmet is off.
[06:55:13] And due to the big money that these guys are making, these guys can play five or six years and still have substantial amount of money to say hey the risk may be worth playing five or six years, cashing in on $20 million, $25 million and setting up my family for the rest of my life.
BERMAN: And we don't know if he walked away from $25 million. But he certainly walked away from his next year's salary, which is going to be at least $500,000 to $700,000, the rest of his contract. That's a lot of money to turn your back on, George.
MARTIN: It is indeed. And I think when you have someone willing to forfeit those kind of fortunes, it's significant and the NFL is going to stand up and take notice. I agree with LaMar. It's not going to effect -- the NFL is not in danger of going out of existence, but I think it will have a deep impact. BERMAN: But guys, football in a way is threatened, look, I have two
8-year-old boys, can you look at me and say, that I should allow my 8- year-old boys to play football, that they won't be at any serious risk?
MARTIN: Not at all. I don't think that I can't make that claim, LaMar, nor the National Football League.
(CROSSTALK)
CAMPBELL: I think the main thing, John, is that the way I look at it, we all have to have skin in the game. The players' biggest concern in the lawsuit was that we didn't know. Parents, you know, the NFL, the NFLPA, we know. And now of course the kids know as well, too.
So, we all have to have skin in the game. You have to make an informed decision based on what you know and information you have in front of you. And for myself, I have a 7-year-old son, I'm not in any rush to push him on the football field, I didn't play football until my freshman year of high school. So, there was really no rush for me to get on the football field if you're good enough, they'll find you, let's give our kids a chance cognitively to develop a little bit more.
BERMAN: LaMar, George, thanks so much for being with us. I have a feeling Chris Borland is going to be part of this conversation going forward. It's an important conversation.
MARTIN: I agree. Thanks, John.
BERMAN: Appreciate it.
Got a lot of news going on this morning. Let's get right to it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: This was a surprise victory for Benjamin Netanyahu.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Local Israeli reports say that Isaac Herzog has called Benjamin Netanyahu to concede.
BERMAN: The third day of nuclear talks with the Iranian foreign minister.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're coming up at the deadline at the end of March, we still have a lot of work to do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jurors really learned a lot about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
BERMAN: Prosecutors called their 60th witness.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The serial numbers on the gun were obliterated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Synthetic children, rented uterus, Dolce and Gabbana said same-sex couples should not raise children.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe choose the wrong word.
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PEREIRA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to your NEW DAY. Our Chris Cuomo has the day off. Mr. John Berman joins us.
Well, it may not be official, but that is not stopping Benjamin Netanyahu from declaring victory in the Israeli election. The prime minister announcing he's ready to forge ahead in forming a new coalition government.
CAMEROTA: Netanyahu's top rival calling do concede and offer congratulations. Official results are not expected until next week.
But we have complete coverage starting with CNN's Oren Liebermann live from Jerusalem.
What's the reaction there, Oren?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Alisyn, by all accounts, it looks like Benjamin Netanyahu will have a fourth term as prime minister. His lead very significant, five, perhaps even six seats over Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union Party.
All along, this looked to be a much closer race in the polls leading up to the election. And in the exit polls, it looked like the two were neck and neck, Benjamin Netanyahu and Isaac Herzog. And then we started to see actual results, not polls, not surveys, but actual counts from ballot boxes, that's when Netanyahu opened up a big lead, again five, perhaps six seats.
So, Isaac Herzog knows what Benjamin Netanyahu knows, that it will be up to Netanyahu in all likelihood to create a coalition government and because Netanyahu has the lead, he'll have a lot of options in how he wants to create the coalition government.
He's done this before. He's a master politician, a master deal-maker. And it will be up to him to talk to the different political parties and forge his coalition how he wants to forge it and include which ever parties he wants to include, because of the strong showing from the right. He'll do that in the coming days, he'll talk to President Reuven Rivlin.
Alisyn, it's all up to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. By all accounts, it looks like he's the next prime minister in Israel.
CAMEROTA: It sure does. It will be interesting to see how all of that comes together. Oren, thanks so much.
It is no secret that the Israeli prime minister and President Obama do not get along. So, what's in store now that Netanyahu stays in power?
Let's bring in White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski. Any response there yet, Michelle?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Alisyn, that's interesting. I mean, we're hearing we may not see a U.S. congratulation of Netanyahu or White House reaction to this victory until this afternoon. Folks here not exactly falling over themselves to issue a statement on this.
But I mean, we saw Netanyahu vow during his campaign to stand up to Washington. We saw him come here without the White House being notified of it initially. And deliver this fiery speech before Congress, criticizing the administration's stance on Iran. Meanwhile, his opponent was saying he wanted to repair the relationship between the U.S. and Israel.
[07:00:00] So, you know the right now the White House is hardly high- fiving and celebrating this win. Analysts are saying that even though President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu may despise each other.
