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Clinton Reacts To Book Controversy; Should Jury Be Able To Read Victim Op-Eds?; Kraft To End Mac And Cheese Fake Coloring. Aired 7:30- 8a ET

Aired April 21, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: New headlines for you here, the U.S. sending a show of force to the waters off Yemen, two additional warships to stop Iran from providing weapons to Houthi rebels. American allies Saudi Arabia and Egypt already have ships off Yemen's coast with crews prepared to board Iranian ships. Something U.S. crews are not authorized to do, this latest dust-up between the U.S. and Iran comes as nuclear talks are set to resume.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: A captain and a crew member of that boat packed with migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea now arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. At least 28 people survived the ordeal. Hundreds are feared dead. This as we learn the ship may have sunk after being touched by a cargo ship that tried to come to its aid.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Pope Francis accepting the resignation of Kansas City's bishop, the first-ever to be found guilty of a criminal charge, failure to report an accusation of child abuse. The bishop's name is Robert Finn.

He was convicted in 2012 for waiting several months before telling authorities explicit images of young girls were found on a priest's computer. Now Finn will remain a bishop, but he will not lead his diocese.

PEREIRA: Music legend, Willie Nelson, launching his very own brand, what do you think, guys? Yes, cannabis products. The 81-year-old who has made no secret of his love for marijuana says he's partnering with some of America's master growers. It will be sold in Colorado and Washington State where recreational marijuana is legal.

CUOMO: Reserve meaning that which he hasn't smoked.

PEREIRA: He has purchased so much of it over the years that it was time to start selling it.

CAMEROTA: I love Willie Nelson so much I may start smoking pot.

CUOMO: Really?

CAMEROTA: Yes. If he says it's good, then I may --

CUOMO: Just as good a reason as any. I love Willie Nelson too.

CAMEROTA: Anyone else just hear --

CUOMO: Cannabis is the new name -- cannabis investing.

CAMEROTA: If Willie Nelson likes it, I will like it.

PEREIRA: You know I'm a little sleep deprived, jetlagged. Did this just happen this morning? Wow. A turn on NEW DAY. Let's move on with the news.

CAMEROTA: Let's do that.

Something else surreal politics, presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, speaking out about the new book "Clinton Cash." It claims foreign donors who gave money to the Clinton Foundation received favors from the State Department while Clinton was secretary of state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We will be subjected to all kinds of distraction and attacks. It is, I think, worth noting that the Republicans seem to be talking only about me. I don't know what they'd talk about if I weren't in the race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: So what impact could this book have on her campaign? Let's bring in Kiki McLean. She is a Democratic strategist who served as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign. Good morning, Kiki, great to see you.

KIKI MCLEAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning, good to see you.

CAMEROTA: So this book seems like it could present a problem for Hillary Clinton. I mean, the "New York Times" is about to feature some of the contents of this book.

MCLEAN: Look, I think Mrs. Clinton said it best yesterday, which is, this is the first in what will be a lot of attacks coming at her. I think we know a couple of things about the book's author, that he's a conservative activist.

He's got a record of getting the facts wrong, retractions and apologies have been made before for things that he's written. I think what's really interesting in this whole back-and-forth over the last week is about the idea of spending time about what people who are sitting down with Hillary Clinton want to talk about, right?

[07:35:13] They want to talk about the economy. They want to talk about the chance that their families have in the future and that's really the conversation that I think will drive voters.

I think it's what will drive the campaign for Mrs. Clinton. This is just, you know, one more in what we know will be a string of attacks.

CAMEROTA: I'm not sure that you can dismiss Peter Switzer, the author of this book as just a right wing hack. Yes, he has retracted some things. However, he was also featured on "60 Minutes," which is obviously no, you know, right wing outfit.

It heavily vets its stuff for one of his investigative books. Furthermore, the "New York Times," as I said, has entered into some sort of exclusive agreement with him because they believe that his reporting on this one is solid.

MCLEAN: Well, look, Alisyn, news organizations get to use whatever sources they want. They're the professionals. They get to pick. But they also, I believe, have a responsibility to make known the fact that there's a bias or where that source's point of view comes from.

So readers and audience members ought to know the whole story about this guy. Just because you're in the "New York Times" or on "60 Minutes" both of which are terrific news organizations, doesn't mean you ought to be.

So you know, the reality is there's a record, he has a point of view. It's going to be one in a long string of attacks. Again, I'd go back, if I were in the press, which I'm not, but I'd wonder what people are wanting to talk with her about.

What it is they want to know about their future and what they're hoping to get from their presidential candidate. That seems to be the news to me.

CAMEROTA: Let me tell you a couple of the contents that we know are in the book and get you to respond to them. Allegedly this author says that there was a free trade agreement with Columbia that benefitted a major donor to the Clinton Foundation.

So this is while she was secretary of state. Second, there was $1 million worth of payments to President Clinton by a Canadian bank and a major shareholder in the Keystone oil pipeline around the time that project was being debated in the State Department.

So I mean, look, this goes to trust. You're shaking your head, but these are things that if voters knew about it would they feel differently?

MCLEAN: I think voters know what they want to talk about. Voters want to talk about the economy, their families, their chance for a kid to get an education, and that's what they're talking about when they sit down at the table with her and I presume with the Republican candidates for president.

Look, what I can tell you about the Clinton Foundation is this is a global philanthropy that saving lives every day. What I can tell you about Hillary Clinton is does what she believes is right and she represented an administration as secretary of state.

But in this campaign the conversation isn't about Republican or conservative attacks on Hillary Clinton. The real conversation happening in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, all across the country is what chance people and their families have in the future.

And that's what this conversation's really about. The everyday Americans you heard Hillary Clinton talk about, they have things they want to discuss and I think that's what she'll focus on.

CAMEROTA: So let's talk about some of the things that she has focused on, on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. Just yesterday she was talking about the economy. Let me play you a sound bite from that moment.

Actually, here's a poll. I'll show you that right now because CNN has a new poll out this morning about the state of the economy, 52 percent of respondents believe that today it is good. That has flipped. This was under water the last time this poll was taken.

So now 52 percent believe it's good, only 48 percent believe it's poor. That is a good trend. Now let me play you what Mrs. Clinton said yesterday in New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I want to be sure that we get small businesses starting and growing in America again. We have stalled out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: OK, so she says we have stalled out. Some pundits say that shows she isn't sort of where the American public is in terms of optimism.

MCLEAN: I think she is an optimistic person. I think that's why she's running for president because she believes that things can get better always, 52 percent shows we're headed in the right direction. But we're not there yet.

That's 48 percent who aren't having that experience. You heard in that sound bite she talked about small businesses. Well, she understands that. She's the daughter of a small businessman. She gets how important that is to the backbone of the country. And that you have to keep fighting and working for those folks. That's really what the conversation is about today.

CAMEROTA: Let me show you another one of the poll findings. These are Hillary Clinton characteristics. Democrats were asked about her and what they like about her and 88 percent felt that she was a strong leader, 88 percent felt she had a good vision for the future, 82 percent believe she cares about people like them, 82 percent believe she represents the Democratic future and 75 percent believe she's honest and trustworthy. Those are generally very good numbers.

MCLEAN: They are.

CAMEROTA: Does the 75 percent concern you? MCLEAN: The 75 percent doesn't concern me at all and for that last 25 percent I think they'll get to know her through the course of the primaries and the campaigns. And I suspect you'll see that number go up.

[07:40:11] I think any hard core strategist would beg for a set of numbers like that. But what's really important is where the course of this conversation goes. It's not about where she is today. It's going to be about where she is and her relationship with American voters on Election Day.

CAMEROTA: Kiki McLean, it's great to have someone who has worked so closely with Mrs. Clinton on to share her insights. Thanks so much for being on with us.

MCLEAN: Thanks.

CAMEROTA: Let's get over to Chris.

CUOMO: All right, Alisyn, opening statements begin today in the penalty phase of the Boston bombing trial. Prosecutors say he deserves the death penalty. Could survivors help spare the Boston bomber's life and why would they do that? We have answers ahead.

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[07:44:50]

PEREIRA: Today, jurors will begin hearing arguments for and against putting the Boston bomber to death as the sentencing phase -- or the penalty phase gets underway. Several survivors of the attack have now written op-eds in support of sparing the bomber's life.

What impact will that have on the jury? Here to discuss, Joey Jackson, HLN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney.

[07:45:10] Paul Callan is also here, CNN legal analyst and former prosecutor. Gentlemen, good to have you.

So let's jump into this, a lot of things to discuss. Professor Paul, I'll ask you to give us an idea of what this penalty phase will look like. Will it be similar to other trials? How long can this last?

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: We're going into what's really a very solemn part of the trial.

PEREIRA: Very emotional, yes.

CALLAN: This has to do with whether he will be put to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. And we're going to hear about mitigating factors, meaning are there things in his life that should cause you to say he doesn't deserve the death penalty.

We'll hear about his upbringing, you could hear psychiatric testimony that he was under the influence of his brother and we'll also hear about aggravating factors, the cruelty of the killings and the nature of the killings.

All of the things that they're common sense things about why this is a case that is so cruel and so horrible it deserves the death penalty, and in the end those factors get weighed and the jury makes a recommendation.

PEREIRA: So to be sure this is going to take some time --

CALLAN: At least --

PEREIRA: And the hard stuff is not behind those jurors. The jurors are doing God's work here. Joey, we know that two different op-eds have been written from survivors and both making the point that they believe Tsarnaev's life should be saved.

JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes.

PEREIRA: And should be given life in prison instead. One of the U.S. attorneys actually sounded off and said she cares deeply about the views of the other victims and survivors. Could the opinions of these survivors actually affect or influence the end game of the prosecution?

JACKSON: I don't think so, Michaela. Here's why. First of all, what kind of humanity do you have to have and what kind of wonderful individual do you have to be to be so forgiving under such tragic circumstance?

And it speaks volumes about these families and who they are and they would have the ability to write an op-ed. However, this phase we're moving into, Michaela, is not a referendum on the death penalty or individual opinions.

Those individual opinions are consulted and considered when the prosecution decides to bring forth the capital case, but that ship has sailed.

PEREIRA: Right.

JACKSON: And understand that --

PEREIRA: We're here now.

JACKSON: And on the witness stand the prosecution is not going to be eliciting opinions in terms of death, they're going to be eliciting aggravating circumstances. How has this affected your life? You know, how has this emotionally impacted your family?

What has this done to the fiber of you and your community? That's more of what we'll hear. We won't really be hearing about what they're opining in terms of what the penalty should be.

PEREIRA: But we know that the judge has already told members of the jury to stay away from the Boston marathon itself, to avoid all press, et cetera, et cetera. They don't want them to be influenced, yet there will be victim impact statements in court. How do those get decided? Who will be allowed to speak and how those will influence the jury?

CALLAN: I think it's a great question and a lot of people wonder about this because let's say the majority of the victims say we don't want the death penalty.

PEREIRA: Right.

CALLAN: Now, Massachusetts is a state where most people oppose the death penalty. This is a federal case and that's the only reason why it's even in play. So shouldn't that be many important that all the victims or most of the victims. I don't know what the poll is.

And I'm sure the prosecutors have kind of gotten a consensus and they know. But this isn't up for vote. It's people of the United States against Tsarnaev. So the jury doesn't even hear what the opinions are on the death penalty from the victims.

They'll only hear one thing. What has the impact been on your life, then the jury makes its recommendation based on the unique circumstances of this case.

PEREIRA: Well, we actually have a new CNN/ORC poll about the death sentence with Boston. I think we can pull that up with this case and it's very interesting to see 53 percent of people polled are for a death sentence while 45 percent aren't. Now, should the jury have the right to know, do you think, Joey?

JACKSON: No.

PEREIRA: Keep that out of it. Public opinion should not matter.

JACKSON: You need to and Michaela, there's a couple important points to be made. First, the only real opinion poll that matters are the 12 members of the jury. We have to understand their opinions may vary drastically to what the public is.

Remember, anyone on that jury has said not that they will impose a death penalty, but that they have the ability to impose it during the appropriate and proper circumstances.

And so the other issue then becomes, you know, do you want the jury to base the decisions on what they hear in that courtroom or what they're hearing outside of it? Historically it's what happens in that court that's relevant and probative to the issue of death.

PEREIRA: Joey Jackson, Paul Callan, great to discuss this all with you. Alisyn, over to you.

CAMEROTA: OK, Michaela, listen up, parents, big change coming to one of your kids' favorite foods. Will they still eat it?

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[07:53:55]

CUOMO: It is time for CNN Money now. CNN Money correspondent, Cristina Alesci is in our money center. Cristina, you are money, so tell us about the big change for Google Search this morning.

CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: So if your web traffic plummets in the next few days, here is why. Google Search algorithm will now favor mobile friendly sites on your devices. Here is the deal, a site has to load quickly, be easy to read and adjust a smaller screen.

If not, the site will rank lower. Now change could be a huge loss for small businesses. Another company making big changes, Kraft, starting next January, Kraft will remove artificial preservatives and synthetic colors from its mac and cheese recipe using real spices instead.

This, of course, in response to parents that want healthy and simple food to their children, and but Kraft says, don't worry, it will taste the same. I don't, Alisyn, is that a good or a bad thing?

CAMEROTA: You mean to tell me that that bright orange wasn't natural?

ALESCI: No. They'll actually use real turmeric in this mac and cheese recipe I hear.

CAMEROTA: Turmeric is good for you. All right, Cristina, thanks so much for that.

Back to our top story, U.S. war ships moving into position trying to stop Iran from supplying weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen. What will the U.S. try to do if Iran tries to dock?

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[07:59:06]

CAMEROTA: Iran not responding kindly to the U.S. display of military might.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Prepare to intercept any Iranian arm shipments to the Shiite rebels.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: Air power alone is not the decisive factor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The worst disaster involving migrants crossing from Northern Africa to Europe.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: More than 1,500 people have died so far this year alone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police have arrested two of the 27 survivors.

CUOMO: Brand new numbers that show optimism about the economy and country and even the president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no doubt there is improve sentiment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It doesn't ask about foreign policy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning, and welcome to your NEW DAY. It's Tuesday, April 21st, 8:00 in the east. Here is your headline. American warships are closing in on Yemeni waters this morning and a conflict with Iran could be right around the corner.

Literally within 24 hours ships will come in the view of one another. They show a force. It's an effort to choke off Iran's supply of weapon to Houthi rebels who have sent Yemen into chaos.