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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Blizzard Clobbering New England; Coastal Flooding Residents Evacuated; major Seawall Fails, Home Damaged; American Killed in Libya Hotel Attack; Deflate-Gate Update; Controversy Before the Super Bowl; Did Locker Room Attendant Deflate Balls?; Will Controversy Take Air Out of Super Bowl?; 2 Former Vanderbilt Players Convicted of Rape; 24- Hour Deadline for 2 ISIS Hostage; W.H. Drone Operation Works at Intelligence Agency; First Lady Shares Handshake With the New King

Aired January 27, 2015 - 21:00   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, AC360 HOST: Good evening. 9:00 p.m. here in New York. The storm that gave us a left jab is dealing Eastern New England a viscous right hook, not over there yet, not from people on the Peru (ph) islands and the Atlantic. Thousands now have got power or people in Coastal Maine, or everyone I'm sure in Massachusetts we saw the ocean rise up and take their homes.

Storm surge in Southern Massachusetts, the tide five feet above normal, blizzard conditions causing flooding in the coastal cities like Scituate, which has been partially evacuated. Some seawalls collapsing in the surge before high tide.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here it is, this water coming up right over the seawall right now.

COOPER: Strong winds have cause flooding all along the Atlantic coast from southern New Jersey all the way up to Maine. This video shows waves hitting New York Harbor.

Winds on Plum Island, Massachusetts reaching 45 miles per hour. Points during the day causing huge waves to crash over their seawalls.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take a look at the oceans, it is churning, it is bubbling, it is boiling. It has been like this all night long.

COOPER: More than 12,000 people on (inaudible) remain without power or phone service. The power is slowly being restored.

The Island is virtually cut off from the rest of the state with fairy service suspended and flight is impossible because of whiteout conditions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It hasn't stopped snowing about 24 hours now.

COOPER: Massachusetts has already been hit with as much 32 inches of snow in some places. In the Eastern part of the state you could see another 10 inches by Wednesday morning. New Hampshire was hit with more than 20 inches.

Residents in Portsmouth taking advantage of blizzard with a huge snowball flight.

BILL DE BLASIO, MAYOR, NEW YORK: Obviously, missed the worst of this storm which is a blessing for New York City. And we have an old saying that we live by around here, "Prepare for the worst and the hope for the best."

COOPER: New York and New Jersey missed the worst of the storm. The Long Island remains buried in snow. This time-lapse video of the statue of liberty shows the 24 hours of the storm from 8:00 a.m. Monday to 8:00 a.m. Tuesday. Both states lifting the travel ban that was put in place Monday night. Seven states declared a state of emergency for the blizzard that is so far claimed two lives.

There's a lot happening at this hour which why we have correspondents out all across the air to give you an idea of exactly what things look like for millions of people. I want to go first to that spot about half hour South of Boston, where the tide came in and just did not stop. Alexandra Field is there in Scituate Massachusetts. She joins us now.

I know there's a lot of flooding there earlier. How is that now?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Anderson, really the wind is just relentless right now. The big worry through the day here has been in water because they have high tide in the morning, high tide again later this afternoon and that's when these seawalls can be breach, which is exactly what we saw happened.

It's just down the road from where I'm standing. That's the beach if you go out there which is exactly what we did, these houses are covered in ice and they're just being slammed by the salt water. We saw it come crushing up over those walls. It was enough to actually flood out most of this neighborhood next to me.

People here saying they had four and five beach of salt water in their basements running under their houses which are up on (inaudible) coming across the road, powerful enough to pick up these mess and just sort of leaving here. Buoys outside of the person's fence and sign post that have been lifted up and toss down here, big pieces of woods.

So really a dangerous situation if you were out here. A lot of times what they see here in Scituate is these amounts of rocks that come up over the seawall along with that sea spray and that salt water. At this point the high tide has gone out, so we're not seeing that same flooding.

This road has now pretty much dried up an iced over as the snow continuous to come down. But when we got out here earlier today Anderson, this road it was completely impossible. In fact the people in this house here they to have to call for the National Guard to come and help them to evacuate.

We spoke to the Fire Department here in Scituate and they say they're getting a lot of calls from people who needed help getting out of their houses. Police were also coming through there in this high axle vehicles to see who was in need of help and who needed to get out. But certainly a lot of people on this street, Anderson, who said they decided they were just going to stick out. They have seen some flooding here before but this was a lot more than what they expected to see it to day.

COOPER: I also understand the officials, they actually cut power to a lot of neighborhoods to prevent fires, right?

FIELD: Yeah, that goes back to the history of a problem here in this community. Back in 2012, March of 2012, they had a big storm, high winds carried flames through four houses right on the beach. Those houses burned to the ground because of the storm. Fire fighters were not able to get there to really salvage those places.

So the step was taken yesterday. The town decided preemptively, "Let's just cut the power to a number of the communities here to minimize the risk of no electrical fire and to minimize the risk of people needing help and fire fighters being unable to reach them because of the flood water."

And when we are walking around up here earlier in the day you can just say these entire backyards just swapped with water, and that water covering a lot of streets. So you can see the problem that they were so concerned about.

COOPER: Right, well listen, I appreciate you're staying out there for us tonight. Alexandra Field, thank you very much.

Brain Todd, he is just a couple miles south in the town Marshfield which is also have been taking a pounding. Brian, when we checked in with you an hour ago, you got a heavy winds and snows. Is it still snowing there?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Still snowing Anderson. The winds are still an issue. A lot drift here. This is how much it's accumulated. This is a natural snow drift here, comes down, let's see, to my knees right here in this lawn but it's deeper in some places. And again the wind is a huge issue here, whiteout condition still hampering the efforts by first responders and utility workers to get out and try to see how people are doing in the town of Marshfield tonight.

We know how some people are doing by that seawall in Marshfield, we got there just as high tide was hitting for the second time today and captured a very violent scene with the storm surge just pounding that seawall for the second time. A 50 plus foot section of that seawall collapsed during the morning high tide, Anderson. That flooded several homes.

We have talked to people in that street -- on that street who had to leave their homes, had to be evacuated. Couple of people have lost their homes at least 11 homes suffered very significant flood damage.

Several people had to be evacuated. Thankfully, no injuries to report tonight, but we did talked to people who say it was one of the most frightening things that they had ever experienced. Water just surrounding their home, they felt like their house was basically in the ocean for certain moments today. And it was just a very, very difficult situation.

I heard you and Alexandra talking about the issue of fires. They did the same thing in this neighborhood of Marshfield. They did have to cut power there and that's because they're afraid of the storm surge of the flooding getting in and short circuiting some homes. They have the same problem you're talking about in Scituate where some homes here have burned when they got short circuited, when some wiring got short circuited by the flooding some years ago.

COOPER: Yeah.

TODD: So that's still a huge danger. We're still getting high tide here, Anderson. So that's a problem.

And Chad, inconvenient for people to better be safe than sorry.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brian, give us a feel, did people just go and stay with friends or did they open warming shelters? Did they open schools where people -- what kind of numbers were talking about?

TODD: I think we're talking numbers, Chad, may be between a dozen and maybe 20, 25 people had to evacuate, so not a huge number. Some of them took refuge and the shelters around here in a middle school that we visited. There are people taking refuge there. One lady we just spoke to, is staying with her daughter here in this neighborhood.

So some people are just, right now, accessing whether they can go back to their homes any time soon. We know that at least one lady -- some homes actually have been condemned. So those people cannot go back anytime soon on this.

COOPER: Brian, I appreciate you've been out there for us for this later hour.

Timothy Mannix, he's a fisherman nearby. At times in his job he goes out, does battle with the sea. Well last night the sea came to him at home, nearly killed them.

He joins me now.

Timothy, can you just take us through what happened last night, because I understand you walked up at 10 to wait for the tide to come in.

TIMOTHY MANNIX, INJURED IN STORM: Yes sir. I worked yesterday. I got home early afternoon and crash for few hours. I got up at 9:00 or 10:00 and made a cup of coffee and turn around, waiting for the high tide. Yes sir.

COOPER: And at some point you blocked out. Was there anyone there to help you?

MANNIX: No, I didn't blocked up or I got blocked once the storm started to really hit. I took the animals and put them on the other room where they'll be safe because, you know, it was getting worse and worse and worse. And the bed room slider let go, and I went (inaudible) to the living room part of the house. And I was pushing the dining room table up against to the slider and (inaudible) just like a lighting bolt.

And I think the center partition on the slider what hit me. Hit me right on my face here, where I got whole bunch of stitches and my nose is broken and, you know, (inaudible) those in places. So I might have got knocked out for a couple of seconds but I was on my hands and knees and saw the amount of blood I have. I said, "Oh boy I'm trouble here."

COOPER: And I understand you tried to drive yourself to the hospital but got stuck?

MANNIX: Yes, at the end of my drive, it was all cobble. We had a lot of cobble here. And yeah, the truck got stuck so I got to, you know, 911.

COOPER: I mean, you were so lucky. I understand, you actually heard about yourself on the news while you were still in the emergency room, almost being kind of (inaudible).

MANNIX: Yes sir. That was right yeah. It happened around 4:30 and it took another hour or so before (inaudible) have finally came and put in the bucket and took me over to the fire truck in the Humvee. The town has a Humvee down here. And they had to bring me up to the other end of town and put me on an ambulance.

COOPER: Wow.

MANNIX: And then, you know, I was waiting in the emergency room and yeah it came on the T.V. that, you know, they got me and evacuated me.

COOPER: And your dog and cat, I mean, you said you put them in a safe place. They're OK?

MANNIX: Yeah. As a matter of fact they called my buddy, (inaudible) and said go get the animals, you know. So him and his little girl in town get the dog and the cat then the (inaudible) went out and, you know, save them.

COOPER: Yeah. Well, it's scary night. I appreciate you're talking to us. I'm glad you're doing OK Timothy. Thank you.

MANNIX: Yes, well thank you for time also.

COOPER: Wow. You're very luck indeed. As always, quick reminder, make sure you set your DVR. You can watch 360 whenever you want. Coming up next, the scene in Boston where they could break a snow record.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And welcome back to our continuing coverage of the storm which is still hitting some areas pretty hard. I'll be getting some tweets from viewers. They said in the last hour who were suggesting I don't wear a hat because I'm actually a white walker from The Game of Thrones. In case you don't know what a white walker looks like. We actually have some quite a picture now.

That's what a white walker looks like. I'm sure it's a complement. I don't know and I can't grow beard like that guy.

Anyway, let's go back on Boston where they got near record snow fall. Brooke Baldwin is there for us. You have been trudging for through the snow up to your knees all day long. How is there right now? Is it still snowing out there?

BROOKE BLADWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, I'm laughing at you guys a little bit. I wish you had return. I wish they had to monitor to have that visual. Yes, Anderson, it is definitely still snowing. In fact, you can't here but there was actually been a women who has been jogging with a headlight, like a headlight on with the Boston marathon jacket. So how about that?

Let me walk this way, through some of the snow and I'm walking toward over this way. This is basically the north in to Boston, Boston Harbor area. And just over that way is a rood. And you see no one. There is good reason for it but one big changes as we've learned just about in the last hour is that in three hours from midnight eastern here in Boston the travel ban will be lifted, so you will be able to drive. So that's big for people in the City.

Also MBTA, so the T, the subways here in Boston that will be resuming tomorrow, if you are having to go back to work. I'll walk carefully here. We're walking through, it's just about two feet in most places and that's more or less we heard the latest from the Mayor here. But it could potentially break that record that was set in 2003 about 27.5 inches, so people in Boston watching and waiting for it.

And honestly if you -- people who've stayed in, Anderson, it's just beautiful. It's just absolutely gorgeous out here. So -- it's Boston, people know how to handle the snow.

COOPER: They sure do. Chad, you've been looking with at the radar in Boston.

MYERS: Yeah. Hey Brooke, I know the travel band is going to get over. It's going to lifted and all of that. But, yeah, and you have the media exemption to be driving around and that's why you're there. What are roads really look like? That doesn't mean that people should just go out because they can, right?

BALDWIN: No, no, no. I'm so glad you bring that up. No, not all. In fact, the roads are, you know, we talked to the fire commissioner earlier who really had been all over the city and he said that the public works crews and there are 800 or so vehicles and equipment have done a great job.

He said the secondary streets not so great, so I think that will take another couple of days. If you do need to get out once that travel ban has lifted, so you are allow to do so. But that doesn't mean everyone should be crowding the road.

MYERS: Yeah.

BALDWIN: And also just a quick heads up. If you are trying to take the T tomorrow because of all these snow out here, expect delays. That was also their n heads up.

COOPER: Yeah. Brooke Baldwin, thanks. I should check -- can we -- let's take a look at that radar and just -- can you walk us through a little bit of what we're seeing?

MYERS: Sure, there's this last arm that still coming on shore. And it's actually moving the wrong direction. It is moving from east to west. That, I'm sure into Boston. Lot of weather in America goes from west east and moves off shore. But because of the spin of the storm that's the last band. It's almost like the last hurricane band that would come on shore or one of the first bands that come on shore as the pinwheel moves away.

Eventually all those bands will get to know (inaudible) and up toward New England and all of that, but for now Boston is still in at least...

COOPER: Couple more hours.

MYERS: ... four more hours, half inch per hour, they break the record.

COOPER: All right, Chad, thank you. A contrast now to all the picture postcard beauty in Boston, Plum Island Massachusetts, (inaudible) and it was bracing for the worst this time around two years ago. It's fragile barrier island, they suffered two years ago, major damage when the blizzard struck. Now they've been hit again, high winds, high tides, always a danger during storm like this one.

Bob Connors is the resident. He joins me now by phone.

Bob, I know the island has been hit pretty hard. What's it like there today?

BOB CONNORS, RESIDENT: Well, we've had blizzard like conditions most of today with the record tides and things -- I really kind of whining down now at the moment, Anderson. It's still snowing but the tide is receding and it's been a long 24 hours here in Long Island.

COOPER: Is there electricity? I mean how -- was there a flooding?

CONNORS: We have some minor flooding. We were very fortunate unlike other coastal communities where we never lost that power, but we only had about 17 inches of snow, that's kind of amazing I'm saying not compared to the 25 to 30 inches, some of the other communities that have had.

COOPER: I understand back in 2013, there was a storm and several homes were actually lost? CORNORS: Yes, back in March of 2013, we had a similar storm where the wave energy and the (inaudible) tides were just devastating. We were fortunate we didn't' have the snow component, but six of homes and our neighborhood were lost.

COOPER: Wow, what's your biggest concern right now?

CONNORS: I think right now, it's -- the worst has passed. The tides are receding and tomorrow -- things are getting back to normal. But it's really what's the next storm going to bring and when it's going to come.

COOPER: Yeah. Well, I'm glad no one's home. Sort of were loss as they were last time.

Chad Myers is here and I think he's a got a question for you Bob.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I just want to kind of chime in here with you two because the new models that we've been looking all day having another storm for next Monday.

COOPER: Is that right?

MYERS: Yeah, but that's long way away. I understand. It's a five- day forecast. They don't make forecast five day away but there's another possible nor'easter on the way.

COOPER: So to keep mind. Bob Connors. And Bob thank you so much. I'm glad you're doing OK.

What ahead in North now? George Howell in Portland, Maine for us. And George, I'm going to check in with you. Last hour, certainly, a lot of snow on the ground.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, so the story here, it's the wind and it's the snow and plenty of snow. If you look around you see it.

You see some people walking here. Everyone, you know, really bundled up out here. The temperature right over there -- Jordan (ph), can we show them? 18 degrees, so it's plenty cold. And, you know, we understand that they got anywhere from 16 to 18 inches of snow here. They are expecting, Anderson, possibly 7 more inches of snow as these bands continue to come through these areas.

So, you know, we expect here for the next two or three hours we could see some more snow.

COOPER: So Chad, we were looking at those bands, that final band that we were looking a at a few moments ago.

MYERS: You know, every time we think it's a final band. Another one shows up in the ocean. The radar doesn't pick up snow that far away like it can pick up a thunderstorm 250 miles from the radar site if it's high enough. If radar doesn't pick up snow that long because snow doesn't start that high. And so another band could -- these bands could go all night for George for sure.

They could get three or four more bands before it stop.

COOPER: George, listen, I appreciate you've been out there for us tonight. We'll check back in with you.

More in the story and others, go to cnn.com. Just ahead, not all in New York dodge a bullet. Long Island took a direct heat. We'll take you their next.

Also ahead, a proud mom. Her new little boy born in the middle of the blizzard. They were very close to the hospital but still, at a difficult time, had to call an ambulance and to get the fire truck out there as well, just to get them to the hospital, which is across the street. Details on that ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, I think you're cold now, take a look at the surfers out at Turtle Cove in Montauk today. I mean, they must have been freezing out there. I don't even get it. I mean, no matter how thick your wetsuit is -- I mean, a dry suit, that's just incredible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No man.

COOPER: It looks like they're doing -- getting some good way. As Long Island got the branch of the storm in New York at least. Some parts, saw a more than 20 inches of snow, a whole lot more and here in Manhattan.

Ana Cabrera has been tapping in out in Montauk. Ana, I hope you weren't out surfing with those guys because that looked incredibly cold. But obviously flooding, a real concern for Long Island.

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I have to tell you, I talked to the guy who shop at surf video and he told it was epic today, the word he used, as those guys got out and those waves that were recorded up to 16 feet high. So they were thrilled.

And now a lot of folks around here are simple breathing a big sigh of relief after the 24 hours plus of those pounding waves, the whipping winds, the relentless snowfall, things are finally calming down, but not before, this place got buried under at least two feet of snow. Much of Long Island seeing 24, 28 even 30 inches of snow.

Here where we are in the far Eastern tip in Montauk, we know that there were snow totals around 28 inches. You can see I'm about knee deep here. And then of course there's also the drifting snow causing problems still on the road way. So a lot of people are still hold up in their homes and have a lot of digging out to do here in the next couple of days.

There's still a little bit of snow flooring action coming down here. And every now and then we get a wind gust. I still seeing gust up to 30 miles per hour from time to time here and that's causing white wind chill of single digit temperatures. Really, really cold out here, dangerously cold.

In fact, we do know at least one man froze to death here in the Long Island area and a 17-year old boy also a victim who was out sweating (ph) and hit something and unfortunately had a fatal injury.

So the worst is behind the folks here but not everybody was spared and certainly a lot of people said it could have been worst. Fortunately, there was no reported flooding here in Long Island and no major power outrages. So that is at least one positive, Anderson.

COOPER: Yeah. Two fatalities, that's just awful. Ana Cabrera, I appreciate it.

Eastern Connecticut did not dodge a bullet either. It's fair to say we got clambered, leaving some major shoveling in its wake. Here's what Randi Kaye found in New London.

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is the sound of a neighborhood digging out. In this area of New London, Connecticut, residents are buried in two to three feet of snow. Their streets, their sidewalks, and their cars disappeared overnight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is brutal. This is brutal.

KAYE: Joshua Jewell grew up here. He says it's the worst storm he seen since 1977. By the time we met up with him, he'd been trying to dig out his car for nearly two hours.

But every year you say you're going to get a snow blower. What happened this year?

JOSHUA JEWELL, NEW LONDON RESIDENT: They said it was going to be mild, easy winter but apparently that's not the case.

KAYE: Apparently not.

And the snow just keeps coming. Some are too little to do anything about it on their own. This five-year old isn't too happy about being snowed in.

Why is it bad?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because you can fall in it.

KAYE: You can fall in the snow, yes. So it's good that you have some people helping you dig out, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

KAYE: Do you want the snow on your sidewalk anymore?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

KAYE: The only one happy about all the snow that we could find seems to be this Eskimo husky, who just couldn't get enough of it. On this road, people haven't even begun to start digging out. This snow is easily about two or three feet deep. And you find a hill. Wow. So for even the most daring diggers, I don't think they're ready to take this on. I'm not even sure how I'm going to get out of here.

I'm stuck.

On some streets, it's the plows themselves that make it hard for residents to dig their cars out, by pushing all that snow up against them. This woman says there's an art to digging out a car. Start from the top she says and make a tunnel.

SUSAN GARO, NEW LONDON RESIDENT: I just start at the closest (inaudible) that I possibly can and I just start digging until I get to the car.

KAYE: And you've done this before, clearly?

GARO: I have. I grew up in this area and I've been living at this house for 16 years and I've been digging myself out by hand.

KAYE: Locally, Susan Garo works from home but she still needs her car.

She plans to spend at least three hours clearing the snow from it. Her pet Bently (ph) keeps her company.

GARO: Are you digging out? Are you digging our buddy? What are you digging out, huh?

KAYE: Judging from your car, it looks like this is going to be a bit of a workout for you.

GARO: What do you think? You want to grab a shovel?

KAYE: No, I don't. Thank you though.

COOPER: I can't believe how's -- I mean, her car was just completely covered how -- and Randi, how did you get out of getting stuck into snow like that? I assumed your crew helped pull you out.

KAYE: Yeah, yeah. Well my crew did although -- our photographer Lian (ph). He just kept rolling on. I've just keep recording it but luckily my very brave producer Christina (ph) ventured and pulled me out. It was a very great spoil (ph). You'll never see it on T.V.

But I am up about again and the wind is kicking up. But I'm going to say I'm not the only one who got a helping hand today, Anderson. A lot of people in that neighborhood were helping others.

We've met an army veteran who was just helping shovel driveways and plow driveways through (inaudible). But some people pay and some don't, but he just does it out of the kindness of his heart.

And other guy also Scott Chris (ph), who we met. He's just driving around looking for people who need help. So it's really nice. And one guy gave us of course great advice. When you're shoveling, listening to your body, listen to your heart. That's what he told us.

So there we go, a lot of folks on the street helping each other out today.

COOPER: And Randi, I got to ask you. Did you borrow that coat from a Yeti? Because you look tiny in that coat. That coat -- Where did you get that coat, like a Sasquatch or something? I mean...

KAYE: I don't know. It is -- you know what? Believe it or not, this is a small, OK? I'm just going to -- I'm just telling you, I could model it for you.

COOPER: Wow.

KAYE: So this is a small. So it's -- I don't know. I think I need a new coat. OK. Maybe (inaudible).

COOPER: I don't know, put a (inaudible).

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: All right. Randi, thanks.

MYERS: You know a lot o joke, that's why I shop at Walmart, (inaudible) medium.

COOPER: Randi, good luck to you. I hope you don't get stuck anymore. There were a lot of people stuck inside in Connecticut last night.

Gabby Gonzales had a very good reason. She tried to actually venture out. She was about to have a baby.

Here's Gabby with Emilio (ph), her beautiful, little blizzard baby. I spoke with her earlier on the phone from Lawrence and Memorial Hospital where she is tonight in New London, Connecticut.

Gabriel, first of all congratulations. How are you and Emilio (ph) doing?

GABRIEL GONZALES: Thank you so much. We're doing good. Just a little tired.

COOPER: I can imagine. Well, take me through how this happen. I mean, you were staying at relative's house who lives near the hospital. Starting going to labor around 3:00 a.m. last night, is that right?

GONZALES: Yes, correct.

COOPER: And -- so and then how did you get to the hospital, is that a problem?

GONZALES: Oh my god, yes. We couldn't even step outside. Their cars are completely covered. We couldn't even dig our way out. So we had to call an ambulance, and the ambulance and the fire truck that had to dig the pathway for us to get to the hospital. COOPER: Wow. They actually dug a pathway. How long did it take you to get to the hospital?

GONZALES: Oh my god. Well, like we were across the road, maybe 10 minutes.

COOPER: OK. 10 minutes even though you were just across the road. That's incredible.

GONZALES: Yes.

COOPER: And I know you were hoping to get Emilio (ph) to come before the storm hit, you were eating a lot of spicy food, is that true?

GONZALES: Yes. I was trying to everything to make him come early but he just wasn't buzzing and he said I'm going to be to blizzard baby.

COOPER: And I know you have another son, Angel (ph) (inaudible). Has he gotten the chance to meet Emilio (ph) yet?

GONZALES: Oh my god. Not yet. I guess it's still bad outside so we have to wait it out.

COPPER: Wow. You must be excited.

GONZALES: I am. I'm very excited.

COOPER: Yeah. Well listen, I'm so glad that Emilio's (ph) arrived and healthy and if you're doing good -- when do you think you'll be able to get out of the hospital.

GONZALES: Thank you. Hopefully by the time when the blizzard's over and they've start shoveling the roads, because when I went onto labor none of the roads were shoveled at all.

COOPER: Wow.

GONZALES: Completely covered.

COOPER: Well, you've got a great story to tell Emilio (ph) that he's a blizzard baby.

Thank you so much Gabby. Great to talk to you.

GONZALES: You too. Thank you.

COOPER: Beautiful little baby there.

Still ahead, the New England Patriots made it out of Boston before the storm hit. But do the deflate gate scandal follow them. New details on that. Plus, late word on a terror attack in Libya that's taken at least 10 lives including an American. Details on that ahead as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well get back to blizzard, it's still pounding parts of the Northeast. Another important story is breaking, I want to tell you that. New details about a terror attack today in Libya.

An American contractor David Berry was killed when gunman stormed a hotel in Tripoli. The gunman and nine others also died. That's according to the security from where Mr. Berry was working for.

I spoke with CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr earlier.

Barbara, what else do we know this American man who was killed?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, according to the company he work for, a security contractor called Crucible (ph).

He was in Libya working for them. Very little information available that how exactly he died, but it is said by the Libyan security services this attack against the hotel begun with that car bomb detonated in the parking lot. The attackers shooting their way into the hotel.

By all accounts, according to some of the sources I've talked to, the Corinthia Hotel, a luxury hotel in Tripoli will known to be a place where some westerners operated out of -- because it was considered to be somewhat safe, but potentially with westerners there. With the security environment in Tripoli right now, it may well had been a target.

So what we'll be looking for is to see some of these western companies maybe rethinking their security arrangements. And, you know, a group that is said to be supportive of ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack. So again, underscoring that in Tripoli right now, there is just a good deal of chaos. Anderson.

COOPER: Yeah, what's the U.S. government doing about the attack, anything?

STARR: Well, that's really a good point. The FBI now, investigating it as they do with the deaths of any Americans who died in potential terrorist's attacks overseas. So they will be looking at it. They will be looking at the claim of responsibility. And this claim is said to also involve a claim that this is retribution for the U.S. capture of an Al Qaeda operative in Libya some months ago named Al Libi.

U.S. forces captured him, brought him to the United States to face trial for some charges but he recently died of illness, still while in U.S. detention in the United States. So the claim is that it is retribution for Al Libi's capture and death.

Again, one of this issues where people make, a lot of claims, a lot of counter claims, but very sad news for the family of this American contractor.

COOPER: And in terms of the investigation, I mean in terms of resources, the U.S. doesn't have a lot in Libya right now.

STARR: Well, that is absolutely true. The U.S. embassy closes down several months ago, they evacuated all the military and diplomatic personnel out of that embassy, literally, in the middle of the night. It underscores the notion that Tripoli really is a place that is a place that is not very safe for Americans.

You know, people say it's a pretty safe that there are some U.S. intelligence personnel perhaps, some U.S. Special Forces that go in and out. The U.S. officially says, it is still trying to track down any perpetrators of the Benghazi Attacks. So there is some intelligence work going on, there's some potential intelligence sharing. But the government in Libya right now, so unstable, so uncertain about the safety of the situation there that the U.S. keeps a very minimal presence and by all accounts, any U.S. personnel rotate in and out of there, they don't stay put.

COOPER: Yeah, very dangerous. Barbara Starr, thank you.

BARBARA: Sure.

COOPER: Well just ahead, with the Super Bowl just a couple of days away, another potential piece of the deflate gate puzzle, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has denied, he took era out of the footballs, you know that. And not there's a new report that a locker room attendant, who allegedly took the ball somewhere after they were inspected. The latest on that, next.

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COOPER: Welcome back. Boston is obviously been hit hard by this storm, but New England Patriots fans sent the team off to Arizona, ahead of Super Bowl Sunday with the celebration yesterday before the weather got really bad. The storm of deflate gate however, continues to swirl. And the latest (inaudible) of activities were report from Fox Sport that the NFL has interview to locker room attendant, who allegedly took football in to a bathroom, after they were inspected and before the game started.

Surveillance video report shows the employee was in the bathroom for just about 90 seconds. Joining me our USA Today's sports columnist Christine Brennan and New York Times sports writer and columnist William Rhoden.

So Will, could this have all been done by a locker room attendant in your opinion? And what a locker room attendant realistically just do something like this on his own without being told to do it?

WILLIAM RHODEN, NEW YORK TIMES SPORTS COLUMNIST: No. Well the first part is yes, it could be done by an attendant. No, he would not -- he or she would not do that without being told to do it, you know, either by, you know, Brady, or by (inaudible), or somebody. You know, you don't do this kind of stuff on your own, in that type of organization, in any organization really.

COOPER: And Christine, do you agree with that? I mean people I have talked to say, it's relatively easy to let air out of the football but to let era out of 11 or 12 balls, you know, in some I don't know, 90 seconds, does that seem feasible too? CHRISTINE BRENNAN, SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: It seems feasible Anderson, I agree with that completely, only if you think that you should be doing it. And so even if Brady or Belichick didn't say do this, obviously there was some sense that this in fact is the truth. There's some say that the attendant should've done it, and may be he or she felt like this is something that I need to be doing.

So, yeah, I don't think you do this, you know, just become a rouge renegade attendant deciding to do this on this particular -- at this moment and not have some reason behind it from either the team or the feeling that you're doing the right thing.

RHODEN: Right.

COOPER: Yeah, I mean, it's a pretty big game to decide to suddenly just go rogue and do these all alone in your own. The investigator Will, that the NFL hired said it's going to be another several of weeks before the investigation is included. I mean, does it seem like a long taunt to figure out something like this that it should be relatively simple?

RHODEN: It is an awful long time. I mean, you know, the NFL, you know, this is -- I think what's so perfect about this is the symmetry is perfect, the NFL began the season with a scandal with Ray Rice and the domestic violence. And now is ending the season with another scandal, on this seeming sub-minuscule, you know, ball deflation. But I just think the whole think really is a horrible look, for a league that's been under siege for the last two or three years.

COOPER: And Christine, you could say that's it's in the NFL's interest both financial and other wise to put off the findings until after the Super Bowl. And the bottom line for the NFL this Sunday's game, you know, not finding out who deflated the Patriot's football.

BRENNAN: Oh absolutely, you do not want one this to be the focus of the week even though we already know is the focus of the week. But if for example, they were actually handing out punishment this week, the NFL, that would be a horrible distraction and that's exactly you do not want to do if you're the National Football League with your biggest event, your biggest game. This is a celebration of your season this week.

So it should be no surprise to anybody. I'm sure Bill agrees on this that they're not (inaudible) out punishment this week. I guess the only positive we can take from the long investigation is that maybe they really are seriously going to try to get to the bottom of this.

What I think all us throughout those last week or so, have had the tendency to laugh out loud or say, "Wait a minute, this is the integrity of the league." as Bill pointed out. Started with the Ray Rice video of September 8th, ending with this, this is no where near. It's important. But still the continuing common denominator of the league and what can we believe.

But no, this is something that has -- they didn't want to have crash landing in to the Super Bowl week. It has, but they sure don't want to give out suspensions or fines this week.

RHODEN: You know what's disturbing, Anderson about this? Is because it is silly. I mean, deflated a football really? It's really silly. But, what's problematic from Ray Rice to agent Peterson, to this is that what's most important to NFL is the shield is maintaining the integrity of the shield over the rights of the individual, which is what got them into the problem in court, with what they did and did not tell athletes about long-term health risk of kind of this game.

So that's what problematic, not the, whether they deflated or not, but just this whole more (inaudible) that the NFL continues to get itself in to deeper and deeper and deeper, where there's no air, just too small that's to take.

COOPER: Interesting. Will Rhoden, it's great to have you on and Christine Brennan as well. Thank you.

RHODEN: Thank you.

BRENNAN: Thank you very much.

COOPER: There's a lot more happening tonight. Amara Walkers here with the 360 Bullets. And Amara.

AMARA WALKERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Anderson. CNN Miami affiliate WSBN is reporting that two former Vanderbilt University football players have been convicted on all charges in a 2013 campus rape. Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg will be sentenced in March.

A new video warns that Japanese ISIS hostage Kenji Goto and a Jordanian military pilot will be killed in the next 24 hours unless Jordan releases the convicted would be suicide bomber. It is the second reported message from Goto in four days and the first to link his faith to the pilot.

A Defense Department intelligence agency says, an off duty staff member flew the drone that clashed on White House grounds. It's said the flight was not work related. Sources tell CNN, the intelligence staff, told the secret service he'd been drinking when he launched that drone.

And a rare occurrence in Saudi Arabia, First Lady Michelle Obama shook hands with the country's new King Salman. She and President Obama were there to pay respects to the late King Abdullah and to hold meetings with the new leader. Islamic law generally forbids man from touching women to whom they are not related. Anderson.

COOPER: Amara, thanks very much. When it comes to covering a storm, reporters learn to truly expect the unexpected. We're going to take a look at some of the surprising things that have happened, as reporters have been out in about during this blizzard, next.

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COOPER: Things back to New York City getting really back to normal, subway is up and running, the bridges and tunnels open. Elsewhere, there are a lot of damage and still more wind and snow.

We're going to get a update from Brian Todd in Marshfield, Massachusetts, which is south of Boston. Brian how are things?

TODD: Pretty tough, still, Anderson. The snow is still coming down, the wind has been a bad -- just a horrible factor here as far as first responders trying to get around town and make sure people are OK. As of 2:30 this afternoon, Anderson, 24 inches have fallen. So right as of now, you've got well over two feet of snow. I'm sinking in these drifts as I walk this way.

What we've got also is a situation with the high tide still pounding the sea wall here, which was happening earlier when we got there a few hours ago and shot some video of that. That was when the high tide was just coming back. That sea wall, of course, has been a big story today, it breached earlier today. At least 50 foot section of it collapsed leading to some really significant flooding for several homes.

It got so bad at one point, we're told that first responders needed a front end loader to get in to one house to save an injured man. Thankfully, they got him out, they got several other people out of their homes, we have no significant injuries to report tonight. That's good news.

So that breach of the sea wall though has driven several people out of their homes. At least two homes have had to be condemned. So you've got people who've lost homes in that situation. We're going to try to go back tomorrow and see what the damage really is, but significant flooding from the breach of that sea wall tonight, Anderson.

COOPER: Yeah, incredible pictures. Brian, appreciate it. Thanks for being out there for us. Being a reporter out in the field, covering a storm, it's not for the faint of hearts, certainly. Situation can change from moment to moment. I'm not just talking about the wind or the snow. I'm talking about live television.

For some reasons, storm always seem to stir up the unexpected, take a look.

STACEY BELL, NEWS 4 CORRESPONDENT: As the snow continues to fall overnight, only time will tell. Reporting live from Nassau county, Stacey Bill News 4, New York.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know what just happened there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quite a scene behind over there.

CABRERA: In here we're seeing folks on snow mobiles. Also I'm out in about here this evening, not very many cars out, but now people are finding ways to get around, creatively and still trying to stay safe on the road, but you can see folks like these are certainly prepared.

Excuse me gentlemen, we're live on CNN right now. Why be out in this condition?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's really nice and snow is here, it's not scary.

CABRERA: Are you making any preparations for the incoming storm?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We're enjoying.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little windy.

CABRERA: It's a little windy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's beautiful out here.

CABRERA: Well, be safe. There's a lot of people hoping that that does the trick for this storm as it passes through, Anderson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right my friend. Well thanks for the work. I know because -- are you all right? Are you OK Mike?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh yeah, it's just snow but the gust throw me over.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well this thing that the wind gust, this thing (inaudible) will measure the force of the wind gust and it's out. So we got 16 miles an hour of gust here, it's still (inaudible) down the street of 4th Jefferson and I'm going to (inaudible) and it's really -- everybody is having a great time out here, obviously, (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We brought this little handy dandy thermometer outside, it still says like 38 degrees, so I'm certainly done with this thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the first time the New York City subway system has actually shut down because of snow. There have been a couple other time where they try to close (inaudible) hurricane.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Careful, careful Brian.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's OK, let him go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep going. Keep going, you're fine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey Brian, your shot is upside down. Can you turn your camera around for us?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey Brian, just (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Perfect, perfect.

COOPER: I wonder how that shot got upside down. Hey, does it for us. Thanks for watching. CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, starts now. Don.