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Pope Francis to Address World Leaders At United Nations; Governor Cuomo On The Pope's Historic Visit; Pope's Climate Change Plans. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired September 25, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:31:30] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: History, history, history. You cannot say it enough because it keeps becoming more and more true. Take, for example, where we are right now, what's about to happen.

United Nations, Pope Francis will address the largest gathering of world leaders in the 70-year history of the U.N. Joining me now exclusively to discuss this is United States ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power. Ambassador, always a pleasure.

SAMANTHA POWER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Great to be here.

CUOMO: Another first as you well know, but it will be news to the audience and was to me because of Palestine pushing to allow its flag to be raised at the U.N. and the resolution allowing such, the Vatican flag for the first time will be up there because although they are members they're observers so even that is historic, that on a small level.

On a major level, this pope, his message, the audience, the attention, is it a surprise and what do you hope it leads to?

POWER: Well, his message is a message that consumes the people who work here every day, the diplomats and the heads of state who send them here, climate change, poverty alleviation, what to do about 60 million refugees, the largest refugee flow in recorded history, at least since World War II.

So the question is, can people move from being in awe of this person who has such nuance, humanity, humility, all the things that you've said that others have said to being activated by it. That's where the hard work comes. It's after the pope's visit in a way that you're going to get down to business.

CUOMO: That's what he wants, right. He doesn't want you to just hear what he says and talk about although he uses the word dialogue a lot. He wants you to act. So, for instance, the migrant crisis, refugees, migrants, however you want to see them, the people who are doing an exodus out of these war-torn areas in the Middle East and beyond.

His message is, the U.S., you have the most, you should do the most. Do you believe the United States has to be more assertive with what to do to help in that situation? And do you believe it isn't because of American politics and the resistance on immigrants on some factions.

POWER: I was in the Congress yesterday when he gave his message to both houses. I thought what was so extraordinary about it was he said just get beyond the numbers. Imagine if it was your family that was displaced. Imagine if it was your children and you were thinking how do I get a better life for them? You know, see the faces. That's the hard thing.

How do you cut past the politics and the polarization and it's a political season in this country, which is never necessarily the friend of, you know, moderate debate. So I think President Obama has announced we'll increase our quota next year, our cap to 85,000 refugees.

We have an amazing tradition in this country of opening our -- the pope said we're all basically immigrants or sons of immigrants. You and me are classic examples of that.

And I think that the question is beyond financial assistance in the region where we've given $4.5 million, beyond expanding the number of people who come to this country, how do you end the conflict in the first place?

That's what also the meetings, on the margins of the general assembly here including between President Putin and President Obama, the whole host of meetings that bring together the stakeholders to see, come on.

As long as this conflict continues to rage, there will be flight and there's not enough absorption capacity in the neighboring countries to manage that. And so we have to get to the root cause of this flight.

[07:35:13] CUOMO: It's interesting you say that. One of the things that surprised me in his message to Congress was his focus on arms sales and that this needs to stop. That could also be a finger pointed in the American direction seeing how we have some of the biggest military contractors in the history of humanity. What do you make of that issue? What do you do with it?

POWER: I think our emphasis, President Obama's emphasis is on making sure that if you do an arms sale, if you're insisting that the arms be used, you know, responsibly and in accordance with --

CUOMO: How do you do that?

POWER: No question, it's very challenging.

CUOMO: How many people who want these types of weapons do good things with them?

POWER: There are a lot of people being attack by other people, a lot of terrorists in the world and so forth. So it's a very challenging issue, but I think you have to love the pope. He goes right in and goes right up with putting the hardest issues on the table, making people a little uncomfortable. In yesterday's address to Congress, there was something that made everyone a little bit uncomfortable. CUOMO: Making a mess, making a ruckus, getting involved with the controversy and doing it in a positive way. We understand from his people that he is bewildered that the American politicians and their people don't understand this country's strength is in unity. It's the only time we've gotten anything done and why is it happening now. Even the pope is confused.

POWER: Well, when he said yesterday we have to end the dichotomy between the righteous and the sinners, end all kinds of polarization, he is speaking to a body who is completely gridlocked. We can't get our budget agreed upon, even getting legislation through on pretty much every issue is challenging.

Climate, of course, is the most obvious gap, is the Congress coming together on behalf of not only the American people of today but as he says as the stewards of the planet and our common home, our kids and grandkids and so forth so that call for unity in that body, I think could not be more important.

CUOMO: When you care about more than yourself it all comes together. Tell me about the window campaign.

POWER: Well, on Saturday, this weekend, China and the U.N. will host something called Beijing Plus 20. Twenty years ago, there was a women's empowerment conference in Beijing. Hillary Clinton said human rights are women's rights. Women are being silenced all across the world.

With the general assembly, all the leaders coming in, the diplomats filing down First Avenue here, we have decided to profile 20 women political prisoners, including three from China but from all around the world.

Each day I speak about one of them were their story, how they have been separated from their family, how they were blogging and trying to defend people who were standing up against sexual harassment, whatever the issue is.

And we put their portrait up on First Avenue. So when people walk by to the pope's point, you see the faces and not just the abstraction of a crackdown on women or a crackdown on civil society.

And in the three weeks that we've been doing the campaign, two of the 20 women have been freed so if nothing else --

CUOMO: Great.

POWER: If nothing else, that's important for these people.

CUOMO: An important message. Samantha Power is proof of promise of women in positions of authority. That wouldn't have existed the same way a generation ago maybe for our kids it's even better.

POWER: I hope.

CUOMO: Ambassador, thank you for being with us. Appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the message today.

POWER: We will.

CUOMO: All right, so Samantha Power, setting the table for what could happen today. Please stay with us here at CNN throughout the day. We'll have live coverage of when the pope comes here, that's always a big moment.

What he says here at the U.N., which will carry across the world. We'll have all the events right here live. Tomorrow, a special edition of NEW DAY on the weekend, live from Philadelphia where the pope's true focus will come into the family -- Mich.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Speaking of family, we decided we wanted to get a different Cuomo's perspective on the papal visit. We're going to speak to your brother, yes, hide your head in shame.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is going to join us. We'll ask him about what it was like to meet the pontiff and also, what to expect from the historic events of today. Stay with us.

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[07:43:11]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Pope Francis expected to head to the United Nations in just minutes. It's just one of his many stops today around New York City. You're looking at live pictures as you can see from the somewhat erratic camera shot there.

Everyone is waiting with bated breath to see the pope emerge from that townhouse where he's staying on Manhattan's Upper East Side. We are joined now by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. He is joining us by phone. Good morning, Governor.

GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK (via telephone): Good morning. Nice to be with you.

CAMEROTA: Great to have you. We all watched as you met the pope at St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday. That was the first time you had met him. Tell us what that experience was like.

GOVERNOR CUOMO: Well, I tell you, first, the city, the expectations were so high and the energy was so high in the city. But the reality was actually better than the expectations. For me personally, it was just a total thrill.

I'm a former altar boy and to meet a pope in general, this pope, was really exciting. This pope has captured not just Catholics, Alisyn, his message is universal. I think it's come at a time when the world really needed a light and leadership.

And he gets it down to the essence, which is Jesus Christ was about love and let's remember that, and for a world filled with clutter and irrelevancies, I think it's a powerful message. CAMEROTA: It sure is. Governor, did you do what we understand your mother did when she met the pope and tried to slip him a copy of a book you'd written?

GOVERNOR CUOMO: No, I didn't slip him any copy of a book. He was very kind to give a personal blessing to Sandra Lee, who is covering from breast cancer. She's luckily, cancer-free.

[07:45:05] But he made it a point to give her a blessing which I'm truly grateful for. I mentioned to the pope that we lost my father and I asked him to say a prayer for my father. On a personal level, it was a very moving day that I'll never forget.

CAMEROTA: Sandra Lee is your long-time girlfriend. As you said, she has been fighting breast cancer and is now cancer-free. She spoke about what the pope's blessing meant to her yesterday. So let's listen to that for one second.

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SANDRA LEE: He was very sweet. It was completely unexpected. We had no idea. They came at the end of the service and asked us to move forward so he could give me the blessing. It was just wonderful. Brought tears to my eyes.

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CAMEROTA: So Governor, were you surprised that the pope did that for Sandra?

GOVERNOR CUOMO: I was surprised, at my age and my position, not a lot of things throw me or get a really dramatic reaction but that -- that he thought enough to do that was really special. I got a chance to say to him, remember my father was special.

When you're in that man's presence, Alisyn, you feel greatness. You feel that this is not just a holy man, but this is a man of immense power. And what is so interesting is, you hear him speak and he has a wispy voice, but it's so powerful in what he is saying, again, universal.

This is not just about Catholics. Love and the derivation of love, compassion, non-judgmentalism, forgiveness, see the commonality, not the differences. That's Protestantism, that's Judaism, that's Muslim. It really is a universal and much-needed message.

The whole day was really fantastic. I am surprised that we didn't see your young fellow there covering the event last night, Christopher. But I wonder if it's a coincidence that his code name is Triple Six? What do you think, Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Wow. Governor, as you know, Chris Cuomo has been covering the pope's visit all week. He's shaking his head at you, Governor, in case you can't see it. Chris, do you have anything to say to the governor?

GOVERNOR CUOMO: No, no, he can't speak with me.

CUOMO: I love my brother. I love my brother. I understand that when he shook the pope's hand, the pope felt a strange burning and he pulled his hand away. There was some concern in the moment, but hopefully our father was looking down and protecting him. For the pope to reach out to a politician, a governor, someone with a face like Andrew, it shows he is truly a holy and tolerant man.

GOVERNOR CUOMO: Well, Triple Six, I wish you a good day.

CAMEROTA: My goodness -- this has run off the rails. I want to get back to what is going to happen tonight. I know you will be there for the pope's mass at Madison Square Garden. What are you expecting?

GOVERNOR CUOMO: I'm expecting more of the same. You know, the expectations were so high, Alisyn, fear was that the reality wouldn't match the expectation yesterday. But the reality surpassed the expectation.

There is a power and an energy that comes off this pope that is just palpable. And people wait on every word. Now, Madison Square Garden is an icon -- iconic venue for New York. It will be packed so the energy in and of itself in the place.

And I think it is building. I think you're going to see the impact of the pope get stronger. The more people hear him, the more people see him, I think the stronger he gets because it's not just his message.

It's that he emanates the message. I mean, the way he spends time with children. Today he's going to a school in the Bronx.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

GOVERNOR CUOMO: He's not about materialism. The symbolism of at the end of the event, he gets into a Fiat. What a beautiful symbol.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely.

GOVERNOR CUOMO: I don't need the Cadillac. I don't need the SUV. Keep it simple. I love it.

CAMEROTA: He forgoes the lunch with big wigs to help feed the homeless. Governor Cuomo, thanks so much for sharing your personal story with us, our best to you and, of course, Sandra Lee. We'll be watching today. Thanks for being on.

GOVERNOR CUOMO: Thank you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: All right, let's go to Chris who has been listening with rapt attention.

CUOMO: Do you feel good that you bait him to take shots at me and call me the devil on national television?

CAMEROTA: I enjoy it.

PEREIRA: Take a two-shot here.

[07:50:05] CUOMO: I know you do. I know you do. I want people to see exactly what the balance of virtue is on this show. That's all. But I'm happy to be the victim because I like Pope Francis believe that sometimes you have to be like everybody else.

All right, so the pope's visit is just a great deal for people who are here and listening. It is not just about the faithful certainly. It is about all those who want to receive his message and do something with it. And guess who else is benefitting? Business, look at that, are people cashing in on the pope? Who is benefitting the most ahead?

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[07:54:43]

PEREIRA: Time for CNN money now. Chief business correspondent, Christine Romans, is in the Money Center. We know the pope is hitting on a lot of important issues for businesses like immigration, climate change. What is the price tag of all those plans?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: These are all really important business issues. We he wants the U.S. to take action on climate change in particular. How much would that cost?

[07:55:01] According to the Congressional Budget Office, the typical American would end up spending an extra $700 to $1,000 a year. There would be a slight hit to economic growth and potentially job losses, the cost of addressing climate change in the short-term.

The long-term many say is absolutely critical otherwise you don't have an economy to work with and also Pope Francis is giving two brands a big marketing boost. American Airlines and the Fiat Chrysler are getting a lot of free publicity by providing the transportation.

He has been getting around in a Fiat 500L and a modified Jeep Wrangler for parades. He's also using a plane, American Airlines, has dubbed, Shepherd One so all of that free publicity for the pope.

CUOMO: I knew that Fiat was going to do something. They are going to get a boost. Christine, thank you so much.

All right, so we are waiting for the big moment. Any minute now Pope Francis is going to emerge from the townhouse he is staying at. We are part of the Vatican's nunciature here and he is going to head over to the United Nations.

It is always a big deal when he leaves. Is he going to reach out to the to crowd thwarting security? And then of course what is he going to say to the largest attendance of world leaders ever in U.N. history, 70 years, this will be the biggest. Certainly there will be some surprises. More on that coming up.

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