Return to Transcripts main page

The Lead with Jake Tapper

Little Girl Shot & Killed in Highway Attack. Aired 4:30-5p ET

Aired October 21, 2015 - 16:30   ET

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

[16:30:11]

TAPPER: A war crime.

WOODWARD: Yes. Yes.

And it is -- it goes to that -- that, you know, soul of the relationship between the commander in chief and the people in the military. And the agreement is, look, you do your job, I will do my job.

And the people in the military at that time, while we're losing thousands and thousands of our own people, thousands or more of Vietnamese are being bombed, for what purpose? It turns out, when you connect the dots, because the bombing was popular and Nixon concluded that that would win the election for him.

TAPPER: It's just horrifying.

And there's also the part of the book -- and speaking of hiding war crimes -- where they know, the Nixon administration, the Nixon White House know about the My Lai massacre, where more than 500 Vietnamese were slaughtered, innocent civilians. And not only do they not admit it, but Nixon himself gets involved in trying to smear the people who are talking about it.

WOODWARD: Oh, he calls Butterfield in on a plane trip to Key Biscayne back and forth over Thanksgiving of '69, and he dictates, this is how we're going to...

TAPPER: Right. This guy's a liberal Jew. This guy's parents are peaceniks.

WOODWARD: And take everyone who participated in this, in disclosing it, the whistle-blower, put a tail on him, "LIFE" magazine, "TIME" magazine. You know, there's no limit to this let's smear people, let's discredit them.

TAPPER: Do you think that we're in a day and age where people like that can't be president anymore? Or is that naive to say?

WOODWARD: Well, that's a great question. And it's our responsibility in the press to be very aggressive, but very nonpartisan and fair-minded, to find out who these people are.

And you have to speculate, given the extent which Nixon went off the rails with his presidency, if it was 1968 and you had a team looking at him and doing the full biography, could you warn people? Could you say, you know, this is a person who has -- he can't get over the slights?

There's one scene in there where he calls one of his fund-raisers in and then he just goes on a tirade about -- now, he's president of the United States, and, oh, when I was vice president for eight years and then I went to this law firm, and did any of those SOBs who were partners invite me to their country club once? Did they ever invite me to lunch?

I mean, it's almost like no one asked me to the prom. And he's on fire about that.

TAPPER: And he's -- yes, and people's lives are in his hands.

The book is amazing. It's called "The Last of the President's Men."

It's always wonderful to have you here.

WOODWARD: Thank you.

TAPPER: Bob Woodward, thank you so much.

WOODWARD: Thanks, Jake.

TAPPER: In our world lead, a shocking claim from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the Holocaust may not have been entirely Hitler's ideas, but actually that of a prominent Muslim leader at the time, his comments now enraging Palestinians and Israelis and many prominent historians -- that story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:37:20]

TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

Let's turn to the world lead now. President Obama said Bashar al-Assad has to leave power, but President Putin is rolling out the red carpet. For the first time since Assad began his brutal slaughter of his own people, the Syrian dictator traveled out of Syria to visit Moscow to thank Vladimir Putin for bombing his enemies, which include some U.S. allies.

The two shared a handshake that might have felt more like a backhanded swipe to the Obama administration.

CNN senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is live for us along the Syrian border in Southern Turkey.

Nick, no one knew about this meeting until it actually happened, apparently.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you can't really underestimate the security risk that Bashar al-Assad must have been.

He must have flown out of Damascus, surely, probably, I would imagine, with Russian military assistance to get him as far out as Moscow. But this is really is Vladimir Putin, having stamped his mark on the battlefield with jets, which frankly many saying have been hitting civilian targets, as well as moderate rebels, as well as at times, only limited times, ISIS as well, stamping his mark geopolitically too, yes, a statement to Washington, I can get the Syrian leader out of this country towards me.

He's confident enough to leave. But it also is part of I think what seems to be an increasingly choreographed set of moves. We have this onslaught towards Aleppo now, 50,000 people on the move from that and the southern countryside, as we reported yesterday, and now video which we have received from the front line, in fact, some of the moderate Syrian groups which have in fact been equipped with the TOW anti-tank missiles, often, some say, suggest, applied by the United States and its allies, them sending us footage of the remarkable scenes on the front line, trying to shoot down drone aircraft, receiving a lot of airstrikes on the positions therein at the moment here.

So, an extraordinarily tense situation there, and that itself building up towards the potential onslaught against Aleppo. Now, the key question is a meeting on Friday between Syrian, Turkish, Saudi Arabian, Russian and American foreign ministers, a lot of phone calls ahead of that.

Could that lead to some diplomatic solution or bid to get a peaceful political negotiation here? Tough to imagine how that's going to happen, Jake, with so many stark changes on the battlefield, probably the biggest uptick in confrontation in the last year or so, very bad for civilians on the ground, and hopes perhaps there is something else going on.

But we have seen in the past, frankly, Russia's bid to impose its own reality. It's not clear if anyone else is going to be listening -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you and stay safe.

Turning to another part of the Middle East, where tensions continue to run high after days of bloodshed between Israel and the Palestinians. Adding fuel to the fire today, claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claims that Hitler just wanted to expel Jews from Europe, but then a prominent Muslim leader in Jerusalem suggested that Hitler exterminate them instead.

[16:40:05]

The comments have drawn widespread condemnation not only from Palestinian leaders and Israelis, including those in his own party, but from leading Israeli historians and advocates for survivors of the Holocaust.

There's growing concern that Netanyahu's remarks will only throw flames on the fire.

Joining me right now is Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat. He's chief representative of the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the United States.

Mr. Ambassador, thanks for being here.

What is your reaction to Prime Minister Netanyahu's comments?

MAEN RASHID AREIKAT, PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO UNITED STATES: Well, I think it's an outright lie, a fabrication by a prime minister who is using incitement and bigotry and racism to fuel an already tense situation in the region.

It's very clear that Prime Minister Netanyahu is inciting against the Palestinian leadership, against the Palestinian people. He's coming up with all these lies to increase tension in the region.

TAPPER: Let's talk about some of the other accusations of incitement against Palestinian leaders, because, as you know, Netanyahu's accusing Palestinian leaders of doing the same thing.

Last month, for instance, in a televised address, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said -- quote -- "We salute every drop of blood shed for Jerusalem. It is clean blood, pure blood. It is the blood shed for the sake of God. By the grace of God, those killed will be granted entrance to heaven and those injured will receive good deeds."

And after that, numerous Palestinians began stabbing Israeli civilians in Jerusalem. Isn't Abbas guilty of incitement as well?

AREIKAT: Well, there's no such relationship between the statement that President Abbas last month and the violence that erupted after that.

TAPPER: How do you know that?

AREIKAT: Because what the president meant was that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is very sacred to Muslims all over the world, and that it is the duty and the responsibility of Palestinians and Muslims to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Let me add here that despite all the denials by Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government that they are not trying to change the status quo, the provocations that have been going on in Al-Aqsa Mosque for the last year, his reneging on the understanding that he reached with King Abdullah of Jordan, with Secretary Kerry, to stop these provocations are a major proof that...

TAPPER: But do those provocations in your view justify the stabbing of civilians?

AREIKAT: No. No. No.

Listen, the Palestinian... TAPPER: So why are Palestinian leaders not condemning this?

(CROSSTALK)

AREIKAT: The Palestinian leadership position on this is very clear. We do not -- we want our people to resist the occupation peacefully, diplomatically and legally.

Let's not forget what is at issue here, Jake. I mean, people are taking this situation from October 1 until today in which 55 Palestinians have been shot and killed.

TAPPER: Right.

AREIKAT: Some of them were involved in attacks against Israelis. I'm not denying that.

TAPPER: Right.

AREIKAT: However, the number of Palestinians who were executed on the field after they were wounded is very large here. And the Palestinian leadership does not condone any kind of violence against any civilian.

It is the Palestinian people who are paying the heavy price in this confrontation.

TAPPER: But isn't Abbas out there saying that two innocent Palestinian teenagers were murdered by Israel, when there is actually videotape showing that one of the Palestinian teens charging at Israeli police with a knife before being shot? And the other teen is alive? Isn't Abbas out there saying that?

AREIKAT: Does this change the fact that one of them was shot and killed by the Israeli police?

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: But there's tape of him with a knife.

(CROSSTALK)

AREIKAT: This is the problem -- OK. Well, the Israelis are being the judge and the executioner at the same time. They had chances to apprehend the people after they shot them.

TAPPER: If you run at a cop with a knife in this country, you will get shot.

AREIKAT: Yes, but a policeman try to stop the attack and they try to shoot to injure him. And if they injure the person, they arrest them and apprehend them.

In the case of many Palestinians, they were executed on the spot. However...

TAPPER: If I have a knife and I run outside here and go at a cop with a knife, I'm going to get executed. That's how it works.

AREIKAT: But you know what the issue is here?

Israeli victims, Israeli casualties are treated as human beings who lost their lives. Palestinians are treated here as numbers; 55 Palestinians have been killed. You see letters signed by members of Congress talking about innocent Israeli civilians who were killed. They don't talk about the number of Palestinian civilians who have died since the beginning of the year, 81 of them.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: We do on this show. I appreciate your being here. Thank you very much.

AREIKAT: Thank you. Thank you.

TAPPER: Maen Rashid Areikat, appreciate your being here.

In our national lead, a 4-year-old girl shot dead after a road rage incident and police still searching for a suspect. We have just gotten new details on that case -- that story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:48:36] TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD.

A tragic story is our national lead today. New Mexico police shut down an entire highway to clear the way for an ambulance carrying a 4-year-old little girl, but they ran out of time. Lily Garcia died en route to the hospital, and just minutes ago, the city of Albuquerque upped the reward for any information that can help police find who killed the young girl and help authorities piece together how -- what seems to be a case of road rage escalated into murder.

I want to go to CNN's Ana Cabrera.

Ana, right now, the Albuquerque police chief is updating on this tragic story.

What is he saying about the investigation so far?

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just wrapping up this news conference where we've learned they've now received more than a dozen leads, which help them to put together a suspect description as well as a vehicle description. We're learning that the shooter's believed to be a man in his 20s or 30s, possibly white or Hispanic, also with a thin goatee driving a dark red or maroon Toyota sedan with tinted windows, a spoiler and a University of New Mexico license plate.

We've also learned that this tragedy could have been even worse. In fact the little girl's 7-year-old brother was riding next to her in the back of the pickup truck and that's when this man opened fire apparently at the vehicle. Only little Lily Garcia was shot. And right now, there's a massive manhunt underway. Police are pleading for the public's help.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[16:50:00] CHIEF GORDEN EDEN, ALBUQUERQUE POLICE: To me, this is one of those crimes which is unexplainable. I have never seen it before.

CABRERA (voice-over): A crime that's left even veteran law enforcement in shock.

EDEN: It's a terrible tragic loss. It should have never happened.

CABRERA: Lily Garcia, just 4 years old, shot and killed while riding in the backseat of her family's red pickup.

OPERATOR: Be advise that the daughter is not conscious and she is 4 years of age.

CABRERA: New Mexico investigators are calling it a classic case of apparent road rage. It happened around 3:00 Tuesday afternoon on westbound Interstate 40. Albuquerque police say two vehicles cut each other off. A short time later, shots rang out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From what we understand the cars were both moving, one car pulled up against the other car and started firing rounds into that vehicle.

CABRERA: The deadly incident unfolding over the course of about two miles police estimate, at least one bullet striking the child.

OPERATOR: The caller advising his daughter is breathing.

OFFICER: 10-4, and that was the one with the head injury?

OPERATOR: Yes, 10-4.

CABRERA: A passing sheriff's deputy just happened to spot the red truck pulled over on the side of the road.

OFFICER SIMON DROBIK, ALBUQUERQUE POLICE: I saw a disabled vehicle on the freeway which all officers are expected to stop and help and get involved into this road rage incident where a child was hurt.

CABRERA: Quickly, they had the interstate shut down, and ambulance rushed to the hospital trying to save the little girl. But tragically, it was too late. Now, with a killer still at large, officials are offering two rewards, $11,000 total, urging the public to call with any possible clue.

EDEN: And again, we are begging for the community's help. This should have never happened. This is a complete disrespect of human life. And we need to rise up as a community and say enough is enough.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CABRERA: The community is rising up. In fact, as we speak the

reward money continues to climb including another $5,000 being offered from the FBI bringing the total now to $26,000 for information that leads to the shooter, Jake.

TAPPER: Horrible story.

Ana Cabrera, thanks so much.

In our money lead today, the future is officially here. Today is the day to which Marty McFly traveled to "Back to the Future". So what predictions from that movie came true? Which ones fell short? We'll show you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:56:32] TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

The money lead now, Marty McFly's future has arrived, October 21st, 2015. And brands are trying to cash in. Pepsi released Pepsi Perfect for one day only. The brand of cola kids were sipping today in "Back to the Future II." Verizon and ride sharing Lyft teamed up to give New Yorkers rides in DeLoreans.

And this afternoon, Michael J. Fox tweeted this letter from Nike, telling him he'd be getting those lace-up kicks and more Nike Air Mags will be sold with the proceeds going to Fox's foundation.

So, how does today stack up with the October 21st, 2015, as envisioned by Hollywood back in the '80s? Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER (voice-over): Don't touch anything, Marty McFly, we're finally here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: October 21st, 2015.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You mean we're in the future.

TAPPER: And it is exactly as "Back to the Future" from 1985.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where we're going, we don't need roads.

TAPPER: And its sequel "Back to the Future II" foretold.

ROBERT ZEMECKIS, DIRECTOR: We were fortunate enough to have a time machine in our movie that we were able to stretch the sequel form.

TAPPER: Yes, that stretch included a future with hover boards and flying cars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need to borrow your hover board.

TAPPER: Now, hover boards aren't exactly ubiquitous yet. This fun or die spoof from last year sure looked convincing, it even featured Doc Brown and legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk.

But then this video popped up of hawk riding a prototype of an actual hover board from Hendo hover board.

And just this summer, Lexus unveiled this model using magnetic fields to keep riders levitating inches above the ground.

Now, how about those flying cars?

Cars these days are still a ground-based technology, but there is a tech race going onto create the first flying car. The Massachusetts firm Terrafugia has been working on a model, as well as ITEC which sells a flying dune buggy today.

We're still waiting on those self-lacing shoes from Nike. In 2009, the shoe giant filed a patent for that technology, but no sign of them hitting stores just yet. Nor self-adjusting jackets.

VOICE: Size adjusting, fit.

TAPPER: So, the film was a little optimistic, and in some cases completely off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: System worked swiftly in the future they've abolished all lawyers.

TAPPER: We never got to "Jaws 19" but 3D boxes are huge at the box office. Payphones are scattered throughout the fake future, but scarce today. As is the case with fax machines as Michael J. Fox acknowledged in a Toyota ad recently.

MICHAEL J. FOX: Can you believe we still have fax machines around?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I've got a max machine.

FOX: Who do you fax?

TAPPER: When it comes to the McFlys at dinner, we're still waiting on those instant pizzas and ceiling mounted gardens, but we did get kids preoccupied by their own digital worlds.

A few years ago, the star of the film Michael J. Fox said it best.

FOX: The irony about this movie about time is that it's timeless.

TAPPER: Oh, one last thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cubs win World Series. Against Miami?

TAPPER: Miami does have a baseball team now, but perhaps even more surprising, the Cubs could actually make the World Series this year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: That's it for THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

Turning you over now to Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM".