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New Day Sunday

ISIS Executes British Hostage David Haines; North Korea Gives American 6 Years Hard Labor; Police Hunt for Pennsylvania Shooter; Clinton to Appear at "Harkin Steak Fry"

Aired September 14, 2014 - 08:00   ET

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

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Think about this, Haines is the third Western hostage to be killed by ISIS in recent weeks. They've also beheaded American freelance journalist Steven Sotloff and James Foley as well.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And, of course, we're covering this breaking story from all angles with our team of reporters around the world.

First, we have Atika Shubert. She is in London.

PAUL: Erin McPike is at the White House for us. And CNN military analyst, lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona in New York.

Thank you all for being here with us.

Atika, what else -- talk to us a little bit more about what stood out to you in British Prime Minister David Cameron's speech today?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he made it clear that Britain was not going to be intimidated by this video, that, in fact, this was going to strengthen the resolve of Britain and he laid out a number of steps in which the U.K. would be pressuring ISIS, not just diplomatically, not just here at home with counter-terror efforts but also militarily.

Now, he left open the question as to whether there would be airstrikes in Syria and he also said that he wasn't talking about boots on the ground yet, but clearly this is on his mind and it is a possibility.

Take a listen to one of the ways he phrased Britain's action as a result of ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We cannot ignore this threat to our security and that of our allies. There is no option of keeping our heads down that would make us safe.

The problem will merely get worse as it has done over recent months, not just for us, but for Europe and the world. We cannot just walk on by if we are to keep this country safe. We have to confront this menace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUBERT: Now, when he's talking about confronting this menace, not only is he talking about hostages being taken in the Syria area, but also counterterrorism efforts at home. We know the militant in that video for example is presumed to be British. He has a British accent, and we know that hundreds of fighters have gone from Britain to join ISIS.

So, Britain's big concern now is making sure not only that hostages there find a way to save them in Syria but also to prevent any of these fighters from coming back and conducting attacks here in Britain

BLACKWELL: Atika, tell us more about an attempt a few weeks ago to try and rescue a citizen from ISIS.

SHUBERT: Yes, there weren't many details put out for that, that was Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. He said briefly that there had been a rescue attempt. It's quite possible that he was simply referring to the same rescue attempt that the U.S. conducted in trying to locate James Foley but we know that when the special forces hit the ground, they found essentially none of the hostages there, that they had been moved perhaps hours or a few days before.

So, there may be another attempt in the future but this is the kind of problem they're going to be running up against, are they going to get enough intelligence to pinpoint exactly where hostages are being held.

PAUL: All righty. Atika Shubert, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

We want to bring Erin McPike who's at the White House.

Have we heard anything from the White House this morning yet?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christi, all we have so far is a written statement from President Obama that the White House released shortly before 9:00 p.m. last night, of course, condemning this latest act. I want to read part of that statement to you.

President Obama says, "The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve. We will work with the United Kingdom and a broad coalition of nations from the region and around the world to bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act of justice and to degrade and destroy this threat to the people of our countries, the region and the world."

Now, this latest act, of course, could speed up the action of the international coalition, that Secretary of State John Kerry is in Paris today trying to do that. Now, of course, we also may here more from the White House and more about the White House reaction, because White House chief of staff, Denis McDonough, is on "STATE OF THE UNION" a little later this morning, Christi and Victor. PAUL: All righty. Erin McPike, thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: All right. I want to start where Erin left off with our guest now, CNN military analyst, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona.

PAUL: And CNN's Fareed Zakaria joining us by phone from Mumbai, India.

Thank you both so much for being here.

BLACKWELL: Let's start with you, Lieutenant Colonel, we just heard from Erin McPike that this video could hasten those air strikes. ISIS knows releasing another video is not going to dissuade the U.S. from -- and the U.K. from airstrikes. So why release it now?

LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, that's a really good point. Just at the time when the British are having this internal debate on whether they're going to participate in airstrikes in Syria, the ISIS does this. And you would think that would push the British toward more participation not less. So, it seems like ISIS is pushing the coalition into action. I think they want to get past the air strikes, because they know they're coming, and they want to get to the ground game.

They want this fight. They know it's coming, but they want to do it on the ground. They want American boots on the ground, they and British boots on the ground and trying to convince them to do that because there's no coalition forces that I can see signing up to do this. And they believe that once they get into a ground campaign, they can drag it out, they can cause great bloodshed.

As he said in the video, I take them at their word, they want to cause a bloody and unwinnable war.

PAUL: Colonel, we heard Atika talking about the executioner in this case. As I -- from everything that I have read, it seems to be the same executioner that beheaded the American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Are they that brazen that they wouldn't switch somebody out because they know the U.S. is studying so closely everything about this man, or do they just not care if anybody deciphers their identity because they feel so protected by ISIS?

FRANCONA: Well, actually, by using the same guy each time, it limits -- it limits the identification of just to one person, rather than two or three people. They're only exposing one person. They tried to disguise his appearance but that voice is hard to hide.

I think they probably know who he is and so we know who one person is rather than knowing who three people are.

PAUL: Is the voice modified? It almost sounds as though it is.

FRANCONA: It could be. I'm sure they'll do forensic analysis for this. But we don't know exactly when these videos were made. That voice could have been dubbed in. You noticed, he referenced the bombing near the Haditha dam, that

happened in the last week. So he's trying to assign a time stamp to this action but that action may have happened weeks ago and now they're just adding the voice to it and that's something that the intelligence community will be looking at very closely.

BLACKWELL: How long will it take to train some of the moderate rebels that the U.S. will be turning to, to I guess finish out the effort on the ground after airstrikes in Syria?

FRANCONA: Yes, this is going to be very problematic, because if we're looking at training the moderates, that would be the Free Syrian Army to take on ISIS, that's going to be a real problem for us because the free Syrian army wants to fight the Assad regime. They're not interested in fighting ISIS. It's just a distraction but it's a necessary distraction. And we're asking them to do that for us.

I think it's going to be problematic to control that and once you get the weapons in there, who knows what's going to happen to them. I think it's going to be very difficult to do and I think in the end, I don't think it's going to be that successful.

I think the Iraqi military will be successful, I think the Peshmerga will be successful. But once we get into the Syrian side of this, I think it will be problematic and at some point we may have to see western boots on the ground. I know that's politically dangerous to say for the politicians, but it's going to be very difficult to outsource our security here. We may have to do this ourselves. And I think Mr. Cameron was alluding to that.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we're parsing words here. He did not say there will be no British troops on the ground. He said this is not about British troops on the ground.

All right. Lieutenant Colonel Francona, thank you so much for speaking with us this morning.

PAUL: Thank you, sir.

And the British government did released a statement on behalf of David Haines family. We want to read part of that to you.

BLACKWELL: Yes, his brother writes, "David was like so very many of us, just another bloke. He was in the right mood, the life and soul of the party and other times the most stubborn, irritating pain in the ass. And he'd probably say the same thing about me."

PAUL: "David was most alive and enthusiastic in his humanitarian roles, his joy and anticipation for work in Syria is for myself and family the most important element of this sad aware. He was and is loved by all of his family and will be terribly missed."

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Twelve minutes past the hour. Welcome back to NEW DAY.

We want to get you caught up on your morning read.

BLACKWELL: All right. First up, ISIS has executed another hostage. The video posted online appears to show the beheading of British aide worker David Haines. Haines was abducted last year near a Syrian refugee camp, the third Westerner to killed by is in recent weeks.

And in a vow to hunt down those responsible, British Prime Minister David Cameron called the execution an act of pure evil.

PAUL: American detainee Matthew Miller has been sentenced to six years hard labor in North Korea. The state media reports in North Korean Supreme Court today found Miller guilty of committing of, quote, "acts hostile to the country."

The 24 was arrested in April after he tore up his visa reportedly seeking asylum.

BLACKWELL: A massive manhunt is under way in Pennsylvania right now for a person who shot and killed a state trooper, yesterday, a second officer was shot. Now, he's in stable condition but also critical condition. So, touch and go there.

Authorities say the shooting happened Friday night in a rural wooded area. Investigators say they are interviewing a person of interest but they made no arrests.

PAUL: In sports, listen to this figure, $32 million, that's how much boxer Floyd Mayweather won after defeating Marcos Maidana in a rematch last night. Mayweather won by a unanimous decision. It did not come without controversy, though. In the eighth round, Mayweather accused Maidana of biting him on his hand. The win means Mayweather hangs on to his undefeated status.

BLACKWELL: Hey, if you're heading out to the game today, expect some sunshine and dry temperatures, but only if you live in the northeast and mid-Atlantic region. Lingering showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected to hang around the south and in parts of the Midwest today.

PAUL: Well, if Hillary Clinton is truly planning to run for the White House in 2016, some people say maybe she'll announce it today. She's going to be in Iowa, key state obviously, key Democratic fund- raiser. It's known as the "Harkin steak fry".

BLACKWELL: Probably not going to cover the steak fry but you never know.

PAUL: Stranger things have happened in politics.

BLACKWELL: True. So, this event has a long reputation of launching presidential campaigns, but today's steak fry is special because it will be the last one after 42 years for the senator.

Patricia Murphy covers politics for "The Daily Beast."

So, talk about the importance -- first, welcome. Good morning.

PATRICIA MURPHY, THE DAILY BEAST: Thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: The importance of attending this event, since she launched the 2008 run.

MURPHY: This is the first time that Hillary Clinton is going to Iowa since she came in third in the Iowa caucuses. It totally derailed her presidential campaign. It came as a terrible shock. This is her chance to reintroduce herself to Iowa voters and for Democratic candidate, going to Harkin's steak fry, he has to invite you too personally is a huge opportunity to tell Iowans who you are, what you're about and why you want to run for president.

She's not going to announce today. I'm pretty sure of that. But this is Iowa's first chance to see since 2008, which didn't go well for her. She can restart that process now.

Again, she's not going to announce if she is running and a lot of people think she is, this is her first place that she's really going to be perceived as a candidate.

PAUL: OK. So, when you say she's going to reintroduce herself, how do you think Iowans will see a different Hillary Clinton this time around?

MURPHY: Well, that's the question, and that's why so many people are going to be watching this and see how she's doing. Her book tour was also seen as a chance for her to reintroduce herself to Americans and spend more time with regular Americans than foreign diplomats,

Her book tour has had bumps on the road so this is a chance for her to be again, just get a little bit more grounded to see real, regular Americans, Iowans come out to this, people from all over the state, they really do have interaction with the candidates and certainly have interaction with Hillary Clinton. She'll speak at this event.

It's really about Tom Harkin, because this is his last one. She's very close with Senator Harkin, but this will be a chance for not just Iowans but also the media to see how she's doing, has the book tour sort of made her more uncomfortable around casual, regular Americans or is this going to be a better, is she going to have a chance to play a little bit better on the ground.

BLACKWELL: Yes, Iowa terrain, and if she decides to run, is unforgiving, And she went from -- well, she will be going if she decides to run going, from traveling to 112 countries as secretary of state and sloshing through the snow and ice to pancakes and politics.

Are there any indicators to show her heart is really in this?

MURPHY: This is going to be the chance to see. I mean, the Iowa steak fry is more about the Dubuque central committee of Democrats than it is about what's happening overseas and what she's really been focused on for so many years. So, this is again Iowans' chance to see is this a new Hillary Clinton? Is this a better candidate than the one we rejected many years ago?

And people think she probably will be better. She's had a chance to take some time off. She's had a chance to really settle in, gain some more stature, and she is absolutely the front-runner going into it. But this will be a chance to see if she's learned the lessons of 2008 even though you may be the front-runner, that's no excuse not to settle down and have real conversations with the people who come to these events.

PAUL: It will be interesting. Patricia Murphy, thank you.

MURPHY: Thanks for having me.

BLACKWELL: Good to have you.

PAUL: Appreciate it. Sure. Thank you for your insight.

BLACKWELL: Back to our top story the ISIS video showing the latest beheading. The terror group, obviously, we know from all that's happened over the spring and summer and the march from Syria to Iraq, they mean business.

PAUL: When it says it's going to keep killing Westerners if the U.S. continues attacks on Iraq and Syria -- well, CNN's Candy Crowley wants to look at that and tell us how the White House is reacting to this latest threat.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: All right. As we discussed this morning, ISIS has beheaded its third Western captive and it appears to be goading the president to come after the group.

PAUL: And the question is, what is the president going to do?

Well, let's get a political gut check with Candy Crowley, anchor of CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION."

Candy, good morning to you.

So I understand you're speaking with White House chief of staff. What do you expect to hear?

CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Well, I expect on the specifics of another beheading in the desert in the Middle East that you'll hear condemnation and determination. That's why we're going after them, they're brutal, they can't be allowed to take over more territory, establish a caliphate.

But I also want to ask about the idea of using Syrian rebels and identifying Syrian rebels that somehow will be the combat troops that reinforce U.S. aerial assaults particularly obviously in Syria. So, I think there's still many more questions about the U.S. planned military assault in both Iraq and Syria, than there are answers.

PAUL: Yes, questions about the strength and alliances of that group.

Who else do you have on the show today?

CROWLEY: We're also going to have on two retired generals, both of whom trained troops in Iraq. I want them to take a look at the plan as we know it so far and say is this going to work? What else is needed and what are the risks?

But we also want to turn to the NFL, it's football Sunday. We have Senator Amy Klobuchar who is one of many Senate women who wrote a letter to the NFL commissioner about assaults against women, as you know, and the Ray Rice case, and we're also having Mike Weiss, a sports columnist from "The Washington Post" to take a look at what they think Roger Goodell should do. So, packed show.

PAUL: No doubt about it.

Candy Crowley, we'll be watching. Thank you so much.

CROWLEY: Thanks, guys.

PAUL: Sure.

And stay here for "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy today. She's talking to White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, starts at the top of the hour, 9:00 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

BLACKWELL: All right. Also, as Candy mentioned, huge weekend in the NFL.

PAUL: Big games, big controversies. More just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: I know you've all been waiting for football Sunday. Not a typical one though today.

BLACKWELL: No, absolutely not. In the wake of multiple controversies -- all eyes will be on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Of course, some key games as well involving teams and players connected to ongoing abuse scandals.

PAUL: But despite being convicted of domestic violence back in July, defensive end Greg hardy will start for the Carolina Panthers in today's game against the Detroit Lions. He has not been suspended by the NFL nor the Panthers following an altercation with his ex- girlfriend in March. But we do know he's appealing the judge's ruling and the league says it's waiting to see what is happening in the jury trial that's set for November.

BLACKWELL: NFL star Adrian Peterson is free on bail but he's not going to suit up and play with his Minnesota Vikings. They are hosting the Patriots. Now, Peterson, the league's former MVP is facing a felony child abuse charge, and that case is continuing.

PAUL: And I know a lot of people are wondering, how are all the scandals going to play out and possibly impact ratings? Well, despite the domestic abuse controversy surrounding Ray Rice, remember, CBS had huge ratings for its broadcast of the Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers game on Thursday. You mentioned that is a big game --

BLACKWELL: It is. I mean, it's the biggest rival for Baltimore.

PAUL: Baltimore.

BLACKWELL: Viewership didn't just jumped 108 percent from last year's broadcast, it was the Thursday night primetime performance for the network in nearly a decade.

PAUL: So, we'll see what this weekend tells us.

BLACKWELL: Huge there.

PAUL: We are so glad you spent some time with us this morning. Go make some great memories today.

BLACKWELL: "INSIDE POLITICS" with John King starts right now.

(MUSIC)

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: A blunt warning to ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a core principle of my presidency. If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.