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New Day

Second American Accused of Illegally Hunting Lions in Zimbabwe; Will Joe Biden Run for President?. Aired 6:30-7:00a ET.

Aired August 03, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: That Minnesota dentist who killed the beloved lion, Cecil. The latest of the investigation ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: All right. Welcome back to "New Day." You have to look at this video on your screen. That is a tornado right out of the Wizard of Oz. It hit in Iowa, well, I will tell you I've been near these things and you are torn between waiting to stand there and stare at it and needing to run for your life. This scene replaying overnight all over the Midwest in Chicago, Illinois. A tent collapsed at the Lollapalooza festival. Thousands evacuated, now, the problem is, it's not just hitting there. This system is headed to the northeast. Let's bring in Chad Myers. He's been watching it all morning. The past is prolonged what happened? What happens next?

[06:35:00] CHAD MYERS, METEOROLOGIST: A cold front comes by, makes sure weather much better for the middle of the week. But that cold front would also be the significant driving force for more severe weather later on this week.

Cold front coming by, interacting with strong, humid air here across the northeast. So Burlington back to Columbus even Cincinnati, Ohio right now, Northern Kentucky, Florence picking up thunderstorms right now those storms move to the east later today into Pennsylvania.

The hot weather gets replaced by slightly cooler weather. I say slightly because we go to 87. But what you will notice Michaela, is that the humidity is going down. And so 87 will feel like 84 where this 91 today feels like 97. So yes, although slightly cooler, much drier.

So what it appears our friend, Christopher Charles has used all of his vacation days and had to come back to work.

CUOMO: First of all, that is grossly inaccurate phrase often connected to what you say in television.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Oh you boys, it's too early on a Monday.

CUOMO: And I was on assignment Chad Everett. I was in Buenos Aires visiting your family. They all say Hola. MYERS: And the Pope as well, I understand.

PEREIRA: All right. I'll let you continue your Bromance a little later. Let's get on with the news. This afternoon, the White House unveils a sweeping new climate change initiative to produce greenhouse gas emissions from coal burning power plants. President Obama says it's the biggest and most important step ever taken to combat global warming. It calls for a 32 percent reduction in power sector carbon pollution by the year 2030 as well as a more aggressive transition to renewable energy.

CUOMO: U.S. air power will now protect the Syrian rebels were trained and equipped by the United States. President Obama making the decision to provide air cover after the two rebel groups were attacked last week. The U.S. launched air strikes to help repel the attacks obviously. It's believed that Al Qaeda group was responsible. Now, U.S. official say they consider these particular rebels, remember, there are all these different rebel groups at play as partners in the fight against ISIS.

PEREIRA: A second American is now accused of illegally hunting a lion in Africa. Meanwhile, officials in Zimbabwe move ahead with their attempt to extradite the Minneapolis dentist for hunting the beloved known lion named, Cecil. CNN Correspondent, David McKenzie is live in Johannesburg for us today with the latest for us today. David?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right Michael, you know, they seem to be expanding their investigation in Zimbabwe. Naming another American they say illegally killed a lion way back in April. They arrested the Safari group that was in charge of that hunt. They now say, they want to continue the extradition process of Dr. Palmer who ready got the worldwide attention and anger for killing Cecil the lion early last month with a bow.

Zimbabwean official say they are going to tighten the regulations for hunting in that country to avoid instances like this in the future. Experts say you know, it's kind of unlikely that the U.S. will hand over Palmer to the Zimbabweans to them because of the rights record of Zimbabwe. And also some have been telling me today these moves are a little bit of politics and a little bit of legal issues. Chris?

CUOMO: All right. Thank you very much, David, I appreciate it. So many gave us the "Nahh" when we started talking about Joe Biden is a fact in the race a couple of months ago, remember that? Well, sources now tells CNN the Vice President is seriously considering a run for the White House. How serious? We will tell you. And we have one of the Biden's closest family friends on. We'll put the question to her. Stay with us.

[06:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: There is a superpac. There are meetings and there is a formidable man in the middle of it all. Vice President Joe Biden. Third time a charm for Joe. Running for president again, is he? Mary Foley has been - Mary Carey Foley has been friend of the Biden's since the '80s when he was a presidential candidate by then, then she joins us now. Mary Carey, I see the tide rushing in behind you in the picture this morning. Possible metaphor for momentum gathering for Joe Biden. Do you think he will run, Ma'am?

MARY CAREY FOLEY, LONGTIME FRIEND OF JOE BIDEN AND BIDEN FAMILY: Chris, if he - if he follows his heart and he does do what Beau wanted him to do, I believe he will. But, at this point, I really don't know. As close as I am to him, if he will run or not.

CUOMO: I see you have your American flag on. I can only say that you are in a political mode. I have to suspect that you are lobbying him to run. Mary Carey, why are you lobbying your friend to run third time for president?

FOLEY: I'm not really lobbying him to run because I don't want to, you know, push him in any way. You know, anyway. But, I am here - I am here for Bo. I'm happy to be here for Bo. And I believe - I'm a real good judge of character. I'm an excellent judge of character, Chris. From the first moment I met the vice president back in '85- '86, I believe that he is a man of character. His honesty, his love for this country. His love for his family, which I have admired so much since all this time.

CUOMO: Now, Mary, obviously my tone is belying the pain that so many of us are feeling who know the Biden's and who know Bo. As the vice president himself says, a man, a woman, as a parent is judged by their children. And you could have no better testament than Beau Biden. We are not lionizing this young man.

[06:45:00] People think that when you die, everybody only says the good things, he was special. Who knows how far he would have gone. He was deep in his father's hearts. His wants will be just reverberating around Joe Biden's head and heart. How true is it that Beau Biden wanted his father to think seriously about making another run and why?

FOLEY: I sincerely believe Beau Biden had that discussion with his father. Maybe Beau worried that his father, after leaving the White House would not find something challenging for him. He worried about his father, maybe mourning him and I know that Beau and I and Hunter and the entire family. My bucket list, which is supposed to be for me. On my bucket list is Joe Biden being president of the United States. My passion for that is so strong. I can't write him a big check, if he decides to run, but I'll match my passion for that money any day.

CUOMO: Why Joe Biden. Let's put up the numbers with Hillary Clinton. She's got the money, she's got the political leaders, she's got the momentum. Many feels that it's a coronation on that side of the ball. You're looking now, I'll show you the numbers, it says, favorable, unfavorable for Clinton, 40 favorable and 51 unfavorable. Joe is 49-39, they say the key issue could be she's struggling with trust. He's got trust coming out of his ears. What do you think is the key to why he could be successful? FOLEY: His trust. I mean, I would - Hillary does have a problem

with trust in this country right now. I do believe, when and if he decides to run, Joe will add a new dimension to this race that lacks certainly the trust and the honesty and the character to be president of the United States. I know him that well. I hope he runs, if that's what he wants to do. I am ready to certainly elect him as president of the United States.

CUOMO: What does your gut tell you, Mary? Does he have the fire in the belly? Is it too much pain that he is dealing with? Has he been in the game too long? Where do you think he is heading his heart of?

FOLEY: There's fire in that belly. He's connected. His head is connected to this. To connect the heart and the head. His heart and his head. You know, I spoke to him briefly a few months ago. Certainly well before, you know, Beau passed away. He had the twinkle in his eye. I believe then quite possibly, he was going to throw his hat in to be president. But...

CUOMO: But of course that was before the family loss Beau and now he is dealing with that. Mary, I appreciate you coming on to explain it at this point. We know you don't want to pressure him. You went on "New Day" on national television so the pressure is implicit. So we'll see what happens. And Mary, we'll back in to you, thanks for being with us. Send our best to the family.

FOLEY: OK. Thank you very much, Chris. Bye-bye.

CUOMO: Mik.

PEREIRA: Gun violence is spiraling out of control in Baltimore leaving it in the deadliest month in decades. There's now plan to put federal agents on the street with Baltimore cops. Is that the answer? We'll take a look.

[06:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: A startling spike in homicides in Baltimore this year. July, the deadliest month in four decades. 45 murders in that month alone. Now they will embed themselves with the unit for the next two months. Let's bring in Harry Houck, CNN law enforcement analyst and retired NYPD detective. Errol Louis is also here, CNN political commentator and political anchor at New York 1 News. Gentleman, good day.

This is startling. It's concerning. It's frustrating for local law enforcement and for community leaders. Hold that graphic up again. 45 people killed, 45 families dealing with the loss of their loved ones in July. 116 killings from April to July. It's an all- time high. What is going on? Why? When then we'll talk about the why.

HARRY HOUCK, LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I think feds are going to come in.

PEREIRA: Why is it happening? Let's get to that in a second.

HOUCK: OK. You have narcotics and gangs.

PEREIRA: We have it in L.A. and Detroit and all over the place.

HOUCK: After the Gray case in Baltimore, police officers are saying maybe I don't want to be too aggressive anymore. The reason he stopped, it's the same police work.

PEREIRA: Earl, your assessment?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The problem with the Freddie Gray case is six officers were charged with murder and manslaughter. They add miss to that. Problems of that sort lead to problems and the oversight we don't see.

PEREIRA: Do you think grays death led to it?

LOUIS: It could be a work slowdown. Probably illegal. When you hear people say I don't want any trouble, it's a work slowdown. You are supposed to go down there. The reality is they are the same side of the coin, unprofessional behavior. They have a crisis. I don't know if the feds are going to help them get out of it. They have to turn that place around.

[06:55:00] HOUCK: When you see what happened to the officers, talk about the two who took Gray down in the first place. I basically don't see they did anything wrong. Maybe Gray was injured in the van, we don't know. When police officers see that and the mayor says go out there. Stop the crime. If you are not 100 percent right, we are putting you in jail.

PEREIRA: You are concerned that is going to cause a shoplift. Some are saying the mayor's political as press may be clouding it up.

LOUIS: There's always a line of people waiting to challenge the governor. They are responding to what the people want. There were cheers when the indictments were announced. The people of Baltimore don't believe they have been properly served in some neighborhoods.

PEREIRA: We have to figure it out. We are all talking about it. The interim police commissioner, there was a change there. Was that a smart one?

HOUCK: We hope so. We have to see what he's going to do here. The police officers have to be feeling empowered knowing the mayor and the administration are going on to back them up. You need aggressive police work to stop it.

PEREIRA: Aggressive but smart.

HOUCK: I'm not saying police officers should go out there...

PEREIRA: People hear that.

HOUCK: Look at all the people that live in the inner city that have to deal with the shootings, every day.

PEREIRA: Baltimore is troubling, concerning and frustrating. Look nationwide. New York is up. Washington up 18 percent. Chicago, which we have not been spending enough time, and the most troubling is up percent.

LOUIS: Chicago is at historic highs. They have a double digit increase. It's coming from lows. It's a different scenario.

PEREIRA: It's not a trend you should take at first plush.

LOUIS: Very much city by city. I don't think there's a national cried wave group on.

HOUCK: If you look at the numbers from ten years ago, yeah. But still, numbers from the year will ever that, follow the nice ones.

PEREIRA: Harry, Errol, thanks so much for joining me today. We are following a lot of news. Let's get to it on this Monday morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Large hail and 60-mile-per-hour winds slamming the Midwest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty wild.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest, most important step we have taken to combat climate change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Vice President Joe Biden getting ready for a challenge.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's why I'm doing this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody can do well for a month.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The American people want a serious debate about a serious issue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest tax returns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no margin for error here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This flaperon is, indeed, from a 777 aircraft.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is about the planes, the passengers and the truth.

ANNOUNCER: This is "New Day." With Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

PEREIRA: Good morning, welcome back to your "New day." Alisyn is off today. We begin with breaking news. Several states in the Midwest hit hard by severe weather overnight. Look at this. A series of strong tornadoes touching down including that twister in Iowa. The worst of this storm hitting from Illinois. They were forced to evacuate the Lollapalooza.

CUOMO: Hail, deadly. Wind and rain coming your way as well. It got brought down out of Chicago, now millions are under a severe threat. We have what happened and what is about to happen. Chad Myers can see it all. What do you see?

MYERS: 110 hail reports. 97 wind damage reports.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, look at that. That's something else.

MYERS: A stark white tornado against the black sky, evidence of what's been slamming the Midwest. Illinois bearing the major brunt after these. Large hail and winds ripped through Illinois.