Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

South Carolina Continues Recovery from Recent Rains and Flooding; Interview with Columbia, South Carolina, Mayor Stephen Benjamin; Donald Trump Discusses Presidential Candidacy; Report: Russian Airstrikes Hit ISIS Targets on Palmyra; Interview with Congressman Tim Ryan. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired October 06, 2015 - 08:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[08:00:09] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a hurricane out here and we are heading straight into it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rescuers desperately searching for survivors.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even wearing bright orange you are essentially looking for something the size of a basketball.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they abandoned ship, they did so into a category four hurricane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is water as far as the eye can see.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nine dams have failed in South Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think she was holding onto the one of the wheels of the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The rain has stopped but the floods have not yet subsided.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't even think he can register what happened yet. It's just too much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For whatever reason Matthew is who the shooter called the lucky one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He lived. For that he feels guilty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota, and Michaela Pereira.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to your new day. It is Tuesday, October 6th, 8:00 in the east. Time is running out to find survivors from the missing container ship El Faro. It is believed have sunk after taking a direct hit from hurricane Joaquin. Rescue crews spotting the body of at least one sailor who was on that 789 cargo ship that disappeared.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The Coast Guard says the ship suffered a loss of propulsion leaving it helpless against the category four hurricane. And 33 people were on board at the time, 28 of them Americans. The NTSB launched a go team this morning to investigate. CNN's Alexandra field joins us now with the very latest. What do we know Alexandra?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. The hope is still there, and so the search continues. We know that the Coast Guard was out there through the night. They have so far recovered an empty lifeboat, a deflated life raft, lifesaving rings, and life preserver, and the body of one person who was on board. But they continue to look for 32 others, praying for a survivor, or many.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: Overnight, a new sobering image from the desperate search for the missing cargo ship El Faro. A U.S. Coast Guard member seen carrying this recovered life ring back to land. The ship now likely on the floor of the Caribbean Sea, 33 crew members including 28 Americans missing after hurricane Joaquin zeroed in on their location.

CAPT. MARK FEDOR, U.S. COAST GUARD: If the vessel did sink on Thursday and that crew was able to abandon ship, they would have been abandoning ship into the category four hurricane.

FIELD: Recently released video from the search zone this empty lifeboat, human remains also found. Many are now wondering why would the ship set sail with a hurricane brewing, with the winds of 140 miles per hours waves topping 50 feet.

DESTINY SPARROW, DAUGHTER OF MISSING EL FARO CREW MEMBER: That is what I do not like. I don't think that they should shipped them out when they knew that that was going on. That makes no sense to me at all.

FIELD: The ship's owners telling the Associated Press the vessel's captain had planned to bypass the storm but was unable to because of a mechanical failure that left the boat adrift in the path of the category four hurricane. The company maintains that safety is its number one priority.

ANTHONY CHIARELLO, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TOTE INC.: I assure you that there is no schedule that is more important to keep that would in any way endanger the lives of our crew members or employees.

FIELD: Officials concluding El Faro sank near the Bahamas in about 15,000 feet of water. As crews continue searching those dark waters, families cling to the hope that their loved once are out there.

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER RYAN DOSS, U.S. COAST GUARD: They may still be alive and that's why we're still out there searching.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: Of course everyone's energy right now is focused on finding those 32 others, but there are the big questions to start to ask. Why did this ship sink? What caused the ship to sink and lose propulsion? And these are questions that the NTSB will take on. They are sending that go team down there to Jacksonville. They'll be conducting interviews. They'll be looking logs and also hoping that they will find the ship's data recorder. It could have some more of the answers for them.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Alexandra, those families need some answers. Thanks for that.

To South Carolina, nine damns breached, submerging entire neighborhoods, 13 deaths from epic flooding in the Carolinas so far. And the worst may still be to come. Nick Valencia is live in Columbia, South Carolina, one of the hardest hit areas. Look at that image behind you. Incredible.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just incredible. Good morning, Michaela. Welcome news from an area that's just been pounded by historic rain -- the sun is out. Water levels are starting to recede, and that is the good news. Yesterday at this time it was about chest high. Here you can see just about ankle deep. But the threat from the public is far from over.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: Officials in South Carolina waking up to lingering fears that more catastrophic flooding and new damn breeches could be on the way.

MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT LIVINGSTON, JR., NATIONAL GUARD: From the river standpoint we haven't hit the worst of it yet.

VALENCIA: Nine damns failing, buckling under the pressure of historic rains, some areas seeing more than 20 inches. The deluge to blame for more than a dozen deaths in the Carolinas.

GOV. NIKKI HALEY, (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: Just because the rain stops does not mean that we are out of the woods.

[08:05:02] VALENCIA: This road collapsed, claiming the life of a man driving with a female passenger, the vehicle careening through barricades. She survived, pulled from the overturned wreckage amid rushing water. In Ridgeville, a chilling rescue of a different kind, floodwaters under the caskets from a nearby cemetery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody's family out there. This is respect. We've got to respect the dead.

VALENCIA: This man risking his own life venturing into waist deep water, pushing the casket to shore. In the hard hit area of downtown Columbia, the river peeking to

its highest it's been in decades, covering interstate roads, leaving homes underwater, and washing out bridges. Now at least six nearby states sending emergency workers into the South Carolina for added flood relief. So far 1,300 National Guard members are on duty. Crews and Blackhawk

helicopters leading statewide rescue efforts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sad because people have lost their businesses. They have lost homes. And it affected everybody across the border. It did not discriminate.

VALENCIA: The devastation prompting President Obama to declare South Carolina a major disaster area ordering federal aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: With the better weather, government officials can get a better sense of the catastrophic damage that has hit Columbia and beyond. The cost of this cleanup estimated in the hundreds of millions. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh. Nick, that image of the man trying to save the casket is just so telling of what people down there are dealing with down there. Thank you for all of that.

So we have heard and over and over again that it has stopped raining. And you'd think that would be the good news. But officials keep warning everyone they are not out of the woods. Now is not the time to let your guard down. It is not even necessarily the time to leave your home. As we just heard from Nick, 13 people have been killed across the Carolinas, mostly in traffic accidents.

We want to bring in now the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, Stephen Benjamin. Mayor, thanks so much for being on. We're happy to see that it looks sunny behind you. But why are you not out of woods?

MAYOR STEPHEN K. BENJAMIN, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA: I tell you, the sun is out. Our motto here is that we're famously hot, Columbia, South Carolina. We haven't seen the sun in several days. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

But, yes, we aren't close to being out of the woods. Of course two major damn breaks yesterday. We still expect the waters to start coming down from the upstate, coming downhill to the midlands. A number of people displaced, spent a good bit of time at the shelter last night at the high school just down the street from here. It's been heartwarming to see people working together, taking care of each other. We'll get there. We've got to do it together, but we still have a long way to go.

CAMEROTA: We know you will get there. We were just looking at a map of all the dams that have failed or been breached. Do you fear that there might be more today?

BENJAMIN: There are still some dams threatened. Our first responders are wrapping up a meeting right now. We'll have some up- to-date information I'll make sure we share with CNN and everyone else. But there are still some infrastructure issues that are very real, and obviously we're going to keep the public actively informed.

I want to thank you guys for your around the clock coverage of this issue. In times like this whether it is on traditional media or on the Internet, it is so important that people have up to date information. And you guys have been essential in making sure our constituents, wherever they happen to be, have that information. As soon as we have it, we're going to make sure you have it.

CAMEROTA: We do want to help you get the word out. Nick was just reporting that 13 people across the Carolinas have lost their lives in this storm, 11 of them in your state of South Carolina. Were most of these people washed away in cars?

BENJAMIN: It's been a mixture, but we did have at least two fatalities here, folks who were washed way in their vehicles. And it's tragic. We've had to go of course to some extraordinary measures, imposing a curfew for the last two nights. We're going reassess it today. We've been taking it day by day.

But the challenges we see during the daytime that may be apparent are almost invisible at night. So we've been trying to keep people off the roads, trying to make sure our first responders have the time and effort to be search and rescue, what they need to do, and not to have to of course get some folks out of danger who ought not be there. It's been a real challenge. We say down with a family last night that lost everything they have, working two jobs, going to school as well. And it's tragic.

But we've been going around this entire country and indeed around the world telling people about what makes this a special place to live. And we're seeing that in the kindness and charity and the coming together of this entire community right now.

CAMEROTA: We understand that 550 roads and bridges have been closed, some of them subsumed by water. Do you feel that the state closed the roads soon enough as the storm was approaching?

[08:10:10] BENJAMIN: It's important to say. I think that the leadership that's been provided by our governor, by our adjutant general who runs our National Guard, by local law enforcement across the board, great support from the federal government, it's been excellent.

Obviously nothing is ever going to go perfectly when you have these types of natural disasters, but everyone's been working together very well. And we're very proud of that.

This is a 1,000 year event. How do you prepare for it? I'm not sure you can fully prepare for it. What you can do is respond to it. And we've made the priority of saving lives our number one priority, and then making sure that people have some basic quality of life, have shelter, food, have clean water to drink. Everyone's come together to make sure that's happened.

Once we're done with that, we'll have a chance to do a full assessment. Once the water abates we'll have a chance to look at our infrastructure and make sure that the roads are safe. But everyone's been working together. The good book, Ecclesiastes chapter three talks about time and place for everything. The time right now is for us to work together to make sure we preserve human life, nothing else.

CAMEROTA: Mayor Stephen Benjamin, we appreciate your time and best of luck to you today as you try to continue the hard work down there. Thanks so much.

BENJAMIN: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: Chris?

CUOMO: All right, so a big part of what is going to make the difference in South Carolina is leadership. That takes us to the big leadership contest that we're having here, the race for president, Donald J. Trump just on. We put him through the test on a lot of big issues that we're facing, this country and world. He's definitely digging in his heels in the fight against ISIS, saying that the U.S. should let Russia take the lead. The Donald also pushing back hard on the prediction that he'd be out of the race by early next year. That came from a Romney former consultant, and he had nothing nice to say about that man or that supposition. And he also talked a lot about gun control. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm a very big Second Amendment person. And if you had somebody in that room or a couple of people in that room who were on the side of good, not evil, and they had guns you would have stopped the kind of damage that took place. And the cops did a great job, the police did a fantastic job because they got there so quickly, amazing. But you still had lives lost and people badly, badly, really badly hurt. But the police did a fantastic job.

But if people would have been in that room and if they would have had a gun, you would have had a tremendous different -- if they knew how to use it, you would have had a whole different outcome.

CUOMO: It's a big if. It is a big if, when you look at the statistics. It is a big if because you don't know what happens.

TRUMP: -- somebody in the room that knew how to use the gun and was trained, and by the way, most of the gun holders that do it legally, most of gun holders really know how to use them. But if somebody were in that room that had some experience with a gun. They would have been able to fight back. They would have shot him maybe before he hurt and killed so many people.

CUOMO: Maybe they would have shot somebody else. When you look at the research on this, having a weapon when confronted by someone with a weapon can go either way.

TRUMP: He's in the room -- innocent people that had absolutely no weapons. He had them lined up, stand up, and then he shoots them.

CUOMO: I understand. It's a terrible situation.

TRUMP: Especially if they said they were Christians. I mean, he would shoot them in the head. And these people were just standing there just waiting to be slaughtered.

CUOMO: You would rather have a chance to fight back, absolutely.

TRUMP: If somebody had a gun in the room at least they would have had a fighting chance.

CUOMO: Have you given consideration, I read somewhere that you said if "I fell behind badly, I'd get out." Are you thinking about when you would get out of this race?

TRUMP: Not even a thought. Not even one percent of a thought. Look, it's a phony deal that was perpetrated on the public. I was asked a simple question but Chuck Todd at "Meet the Press," and I gave a very honorable and honest answer. I said sure, if I was doing terribly, like some of these people, I wouldn't stay in. I mean, who would stay in?

But I'm not. I'm leading every single poll. One poll came out yesterday or the other day, I'm at 35 percent nationally, 35 percent. I'm 20 points ahead of everybody else. Why would I get out?

So they ask me a question. And instead of saying like these politicians, I watch these guys down at zero and one percent, and they ask the same question. What do you think about getting -- oh I'll never get out. I'll never get out. And you know they are going to be out in the next two weeks. But they say that --

CUOMO: I understand where your take on them, but, you know, because there's contraction --

TRUMP: I'm not going anywhere, Chris. I'm leading every pole. I'm leading every state. I'm not going anywhere, OK. I look at it a little bit differently. I gave a very honest answer. I said, look, if some reason I had no chance and I collapsed, and they take that as an, oh, maybe there is a little weakness in Trump in terms of the answer.

[08:15:02] There is no weakness. I'm not going anywhere. I'm leading every poll and I'm going win, and I'm going to make our country great again.

That's not what -- I'm not in this to have self glorification. I've had plenty of that. I don't need that.

I'm in it to make the country great again. And right now, I'm leading. I'm winning. I'm wining by really big numbers and I have --

CUOMO: There is contraction.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: I'm not getting out.

CUOMO: You send Rubio this gag gift with the water and all of that. You make your jokes. Interesting, guys out of his camp are saying this in response, I want your reaction to it.

They're saying, "Yes, he can send all the water he wants. Who was tired in that debate? 37 minutes, Donald Trump just wasn't outplayed in terms of substance. He was tired. He's 69. He's old. He's not in shape this."

That's the response out of the camp.

TRUMP: So, a lightweight like Rubio, who's a total lightweight, by the way. Believe me. He's weak on immigration. He's got such problems.

CUOMO: He's coming up in the polls. A lot of people, he has promised. He looks at you. He says you're old. You're the old generation.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: He's a lightweight. He's weak on immigration. Take a look at his past. He's got $12 in the bank. He borrows. He works with his car dealer in Florida. Give me a break.

Rubio is not the guy that is going to be negotiating with the kind of people you have to negotiate with to turn this country around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Donald Trump. Discuss.

PEREIRA: A new era in politics, doesn't it? You know, I was thinking about the whole, you know, he talks about counterpunching, the $12 in the bank. The way he refers to the other people that potentially, you know, also are trying to be president. It is a new era, man.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. Next, he'll be prank calling him. He sent him the gag gift of water. And didn't he send a picture of a young Marco Rubio and said like "Young Rube". I think he labeled it. He tweeted it out.

PEREIRA: My goodness.

CUOMO: It's actually not new. I think this is old school politicking on a very kind of ham-fisted level, which works because for Donald Trump, it places authenticity of not wanting to play the games that people usual play. He's outfront about it, straight. It's worked.

But here is the reality, there is contraction. He does have Fiorina and Carson and others, Rubio certainly one of them moving up. He will have to do more over time, because he has a built in big negative and he knows that. It will be interesting to see how he responds going forward because that will determine how long he stays?

CAMEROTA: All right. There we go, we do want to get to breaking news for you. Because Russian air strikes reportedly hitting ISIS targets in the Syrian city of Palmyra. That's near the region's ancient ruins.

The strikes happening amid growing concern about U.S. officials about Moscow's military maneuvers in Syria with combat troops and heavy artillery said to be on the move.

Let's get right to CNN's Barbara Starr. She's live at the Pentagon with more.

What do we know, Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.

Look at the video. This is the ancient city of Palmyra where ISIS has a stronghold. They have already destroyed much of these historic ruins. Next door in the modern city, Syrian state TV is saying Russian aircraft have begun air strikes against ISIS elements here.

The U.S. not able to confirm those Russian air strikes yet. It would be a big move however if the Russians are moving into this area of Syria. Real ISIS strongholds, the group they claim they have been going after.

But at the same time over in the west, let's look at the map in western Syria. U.S. officials are saying hear in western Syria Russian ground weapon, ground troops to operate these weapons are on the move. That artillery and rocket launchers that were out the air show in Latakia are out on the road and they are moving up to homes and Idlib. These are anti-regime strongholds that have been fighting Bashar al Assad, the belief by the U.S., the Russians are moving in here on the ground ready to support Assad in upcoming ground defense.

The picture even getting more complicated as the U.S. waits for another session to sit down with the Russians and talk about that big word, deconfliction. How do deconflict the air space for both countries -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right. Barbara, thank you for that.

To California where the governor is sounding a "right to die" bill, ending a hotly contested 10-month debate. That measure allows terminally ill patients to obtain lethal doses of medication to end their lives when and where they choose. Governor Jerry Brown said he read opposition materials carefully before signing. Vermont, Oregon, Montana, and Washington state have similar end of life laws.

CUOMO: All right. Hillary Clinton is ripping the Benghazi committee in a brand new ad. Can this investigation actually become an asset to her campaign? An asset.

We have a Clinton insider ahead. They'll make the case. We'll test it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:23:57] CUOMO: All right. There's a week to go until the first big Democratic debate. Hillary Clinton is highlighting differences with the Bernie Sanders on gun control, and doubling down on the attack against the Benghazi committee in a new ad out this morning.

Joining us to success her strategy, Ohio Democrat, surrogate for the Clinton campaign, Congressman Tim Ryan.

Congressman, good to have you.

REP. TIM RYAN (D), OHIO: Great to be with you.

CUOMO: So, what's the deal with this new ad? What's the strategy?

RYAN: Well, to reveal the truth really. I mean, we see what was going on. We knew what was going on, but to actually have someone in house leadership, to say the truth, that they were using this money, $4.5 million, 16 months to bring down her numbers is pretty revealing and I think provide answer opening for her.

CUOMO: The spin is you were saying is statement from the majority leader was about it being a political device. And he and many other Republicans are saying no. It is that what came out of these investigations tarnished the ability of Clinton to be trusted.

[08:25:02] And that's what brought her numbers down. Are you spinning this?

RYAN: Well, that's what you would say. I think if you watch it was quite clear. He was trying to prove his bona fides to Sean Hannity and the Tea Party members and the House of Representatives why he would be -- embody the anger and the hate for Hillary Clinton that some of them do. And his example was look at what we did. We started this committee.

And I think if you listen to the clip, he revealed what the Republicans are trying to do and that is bring her down, because they don't want to run against her, Chris. I mean, that's the bottom line here. They --

CUOMO: Some would suggest it is exactly who they want to run against and not just because of Benghazi, but -- you know, don't you have to be a little careful when you are saying it's purely political and so much emotion in tied in desire for accountability and answers in a situation that still remains cloudy for many.

RYAN: Well, clearly, this was a tragedy not. I mean, there's no question about it.

But $4.5 million, 16 months? It's still going on. No end in sight. Constant leaks and a lack of real professionalism coming from the company, which signals this is about damaging Hillary, not about getting to the truth. And this committee's been longer and put together and around a lot longer than other committees.

CUOMO: What do you think about the leaks?

RYAN: Well, I just think it's unprofessional. When you have a committee that is supposed to be a serious discussion and evaluation of a tragedy that happened in a country leaking out information that is constantly going to be spun through the media, through FOX News and others to try to damage Hillary, it is clear it is a tactic for them.

CUOMO: And the idea that the Democrats are going to do the same? Is that the two wrongs make a right strategy of politics?

RYAN: What do you mean?

CUOMO: You are hearing from the Democratic side, maybe we'll start leaking too then. Is that the way to play the game?

RYAN: Listen, there is an element of the pettiness in current politics. So, I don't think everything can defend.

But the reality of it is they are using taxpayer money, Chris. This is not the Republican national committee. This is your tax dollars, people who watch your show, their tax dollars, going to do this investigation, to damage someone that's not in government right now that is in a political contest. I think that's, you know, out of bounds.

CUOMO: What happens if in this first debate Bernie Sanders comes out and just blows her away. Seems to have better answers than Hillary Clinton, has the momentum coming out. What will it make you think about the best thing you can do for your party?

RYAN: I just don't think it's going to happen. She's too well prepared.

CUOMO: You're not feeling the Bern, hashtag feel the Bern?

RYAN: I don't feel the burn. I love Bernie. I mean, I work with Bernie. I have.

CUOMO: Tens of thousands are coming to watch him.

RYAN: Well he's a great guy. But the reality of it is Hillary Clinton is prepared. Just take the last two or three stories you have run here talking about Syria with Tony Blair. Talking about infrastructure in South Carolina. Look where she is now, she's up 20 nationally in the primary.

CUOMO: Polls are tightening though.

RYAN: She's up 21 in Iowa last poll I saw. She's up 31 in South Carolina, 37 in Florida. I mean, she has strong leads, strong with progressives, strong with women obviously.

CUOMO: She's up five now over sanders in the latest poll here. There is some contraction. To what do you account?

RYAN: Well, we knew it was going to tighten. I mean, plus, when you have the United States House of Representatives spending $4.5 million the dirty you up and damage you, you are going to have some contraction. The reality is if you look at all of those polls and the last three I just cited, she has a strong lead in all of them.

CUOMO: How much Val do you think Hillary Clinton show put into the campaign trail? Val being the bartender she played on "Saturday Night Live".

RYAN: I think she's opening up. I think those of us who know here, who see her in private settings, know she's funny, she's relaxed, she's sentimental, she's warm and to see it come out with Val was pretty cool.

CUOMO: Congressman, thank you very much. Appreciate the look into the strategy of the campaign. We look forward to talking to you again.

RYAN: Thanks, Chris.

CUOMO: All right. So, like we've been talking. This is the way you measure, the way you test, what you work off of. Debate, the first Democratic one, hosted by CNN and Facebook. Please watch. October 13th, 8:30 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

Do you have a question? Of course you do. Head over to CNN's Facebook page or record a short video, close on please, or use Instagram #demdebate. Demdebate.

Mick?

PEREIRA: I worry that you had to add that last part.

CUOMO: You should see the videos I get, Mick.

PEREIRA: OK.

CAMEROTA: Old men.

CUOMO: All men. Old men.

PEREIRA: I feel like it is prudent to move on.

Donald Trump escalating his attacks on rival Marco Rubio. He slammed the Florida congressman on NEW DAY last hour, calling him a lightweight who only has $12 in the bank. What is up with his beef with Rubio? We're going to bring in our experts, ahead.