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Don Lemon Tonight
Interview with Bill Bratton; Interview with Former New York Governor George Pataki; Former President George H.W. Bush Taken to Hospital; Sony to Release 'The Interview' in Some Theaters
Aired December 23, 2014 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN TONIGHT HOST: This is CNN tonight. I'm Don Lemon. Two big Breaking News story tonight, protest in the streets of New York and Hollywood fighting back against attackers. We're live with the latest on both those stories. First up the protesters out in the street of New York demanding and end to what they call racist policing. That despite the mayor's calls for moratorium until after the funerals of the two slain NYPD officers.
I'm going to talk with Commissioner Bill Bratton and former New York Governor George Pataki.
Plus, Seth Rogen American hero. Bet you never thought you'd hear those words. But in the wake of Sony's decision it make comedy "The Interview" available to more than 300 theater starting Christmas Day, hackers or not the controversial comic just might be adding freedom fighter to his resume. So will you see "The Interview"?
And I'm going to talk to one of the theater owners playing the movie and the critic who's one of the few people who's actually seen the movie. Well said the very latest from some pretty severe whether including killing tornadoes in the south. Lots get through tonight, but I want to begin with CNN's Miguel Marquez, he's out on the streets with those protesters tonight.
So Miguel what's the very latest, how many people do you think are marching now?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORESPONDENT: Well, we're looking at maybe two maybe 300 people. They've pick of a lot seen when they move in Harlem and then a band of protesters from The Bronx met them here and things really got a little more interesting, several hundred where here at that point.
Now, it seems that folks are probably starting to go home. There's almost more police now looking out at the crowd here than there are protesters. There is a heck of a lot of police. They would like them to get out the streets but the protesters -- we thought they were ending their protest at Hudson 125th in Clayton Powell Avenue.
And now there are on the march again. We're now on Amsterdam headed north. It's not very clear where we were going. This maybe the tense it's been tonight. Protesters up until this point had pretty much scripted this out even though there were snaking through midtown. They were going to end at the 125th street. Once the protester joined them from The Bronx all bets are off. It's not very clear where we were going, Don.
LEMON: So Miguel, you have been following the story. You were out with protester a few weeks ago as well. Does it seem like there's a difference between the protest a few weeks ago and tonight?
MARQUEZ: It certainly less angry and you're not hearing some of the angry protest in chant that we've heard on that night. That said we did hear for the first time tonight a moment ago that the KKK -- and comparing NYPD to the KKK. So people -- more than anything what people want to make the point tonight is that they will not be counted, they will not do what the mayor wants, what Mayor de Blasio has asked and ask them to do not protest until after the funeral, not because of the result.
They should draw a very sharp law in between the deaths of those two police officers and the protest of their doing right now. They believe that this is a first amendment right and that the issue of racist policing and that the death of those two cops are very different things, Don.
LEMON: The Mayor and the Police Commissioner were concern about some, you know, provocation of officers. Had there been any protesters provoking police officers? And if so, how are police are reacting?
MARQUEZ: There have been some individual cases of protesters provoking police officers. At one point though tonight we were at the 125th precinct and they were very much in police's face, they were trying to provoke something there. It didn't happen. The police have been incredibly calm throughout the evening. They have followed the protester along. They have clear the way for traffic. There have been some protesters who try to harass individual officers as they moved around, sort of asking them question and sort of egging them on. But they have not reacted. Police have shown great restrain. Don.
LEMON: Have you seen any arrest, Miguel?
MARQUEZ: No arrest so far. There's a point here at 125th Street when the police and the protesters started to -- sorry. Now their playing to camera and I'm going to hand it back to you at the moment.
LEMON: All right, Miguel Marquez out among the protester. You can see, they have marched from downtown in Manhattan and now their up in Harlem. And according to Miguel. Miguel says it's not clear where their going. But it's going to stop at 125th street but it seems it's going beyond 125th street, that's happening on tonight before Christmas Eve, a very busy shopping evening here in New York City.
Let's talk all of these as we keep an eye on Miguel there. I want to bring in CNN commentator Mel Robbins, Marc Lamont Hill, Tara Setmayer. Good evening to all of you. Mark, are they right to be...
MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good evening.
LEMON: .... protesting tonight? HILL: Absolutely. Good for them, I'm glad the protester are out there, I'm glad their still advocating a peaceful response to injustice. That's not to say that we can't at the same time honor the lives of the officers who were killed. I don't think anyone out there or at least 99.9 percent of the people out there would say anything other than kind words for the officers and wish them and their families the best in this of struggle. But there's a bigger issue here that we have to never lose sight off. So I say let's walk (inaudible) them at the same time. Let's fight for justice and still honor these two officer's lives.
LEMON: Tara, I want to get you because there's something that wrote in your Facebook page. You said "As the wife of a LEO and granddaughter of Retired police Captain, the murder of these two brave NYPD officers hits home. When does this stop? When do this protesters turn their energy to try create something that is actual change by doing something other than shutting things down?"
TARA SETMAYER, CNN COMMENTATOR: Yeah. I mean, I -- obviously, I respect their right to protest. But what is this really accomplishing at this point. I mean, there out there antagonizing the police, the very people that they claim are or brutally killing black men and Latino men in the street, which is we all know that is offer debate where that's actually epidemic.
However, this is -- these two police officers were assassinated, they were doing their jobs, they were protecting and serving with honor and they were brutally assassinated by someone who clearly was influenced by the anti-cop rhetoric that's been going on here. Whether he was mentally ill or not, that's up for debate, possibly so. But it's not it is unquestionable that he was influence by what was going on. He wrote on his social media.
So what are these people doing right now? Their disrespecting our law enforcement officers, their deviance and this is dividing America. This is not helping their cause in anyway. It just completely disrespecting law enforcement, the authority and the people who are actually out there severing every single day that give them the right to do this.
LEMON: Wow.
SETMAYER: And they needed to do -- they needed to wait to do this. And Al Sharpton and race provocateurs like him, they need to -- they really are disrespecting law enforcement in this country, disrespecting really what America is about. Because Al Sharptons of the world and the people that are doing this, they're not interest in moving forward, they are just interest in ginning up this kind of response...
HILL: I disagree.
SETMAYER: ... just to, you know, to enrich themselves. They spoilt...
LEMON: Yeah.
HILL: Hey, listen.
SETMAYER: ... the tragedy of other doing to rich them out. That was going on here.
DEMON: I need you guys to stand by. I have some Breaking News that I want to get to.
This is a Breaking News here on CNN. President George H. W. Bush has been taken by ambulance to Houston Methodist Hospital as precaution, after experiencing shortness of breath earlier this evening. President George H. W. Bush taken to a hospital in Texas. The 90 year old former President will be held for observation.
I repeat, just as a precaution. And again all of these is just coming into CNN. If you were just joining us, George H. W. Bush, the President taken by ambulance to Houston Methodist Hospital as precaution, after experiencing shortness of breathe earlier this evening. 90 year old former President will be held for observation, just as precaution.
My panel joins me now. I just want to switch gears quickly and talk to you guys about that. As you know, George H. W. Bush, you know, making friends with President Bill Clinton, they became friends after they both were President. He's had minor health issue, nothing major, 90 years old. I want to get to you Mel. This is, you know, obviously something very serious and we're keeping an eye on him.
MEL ROBBINS, CNN COMMENTATOR: Yeah, I mean I think the only thing that you can say right now, Don, is the fact that we're going to send our best wishes and prayers to the President and his -- the former President and his family. I also want to say it's great to switch gear a little bit and welcome Tara a new political commentator to the CNN family. But, you know, given that we don't know much, Don, there's not much to say except for the fact that we hope that the former President will farewell through this medical emergency.
LEMON: Tara, I want to get -- it's appropriate to ask you as conservative, you know, we've been talking about George H. W. Bush who serves, you know, and exempt really time as the President which -- how do you feel about this?
SETMAYER: Well, I mean it's always -- anytime you have a President that's been hospitalize it's always a time of concern and of course I send my prayers out to his family. And George H. W. Bush though has lived quite a full life and wasn't that long ago that he was jumping out airplane for his -- I think his 89 birthday. I mean, you know, he is full of life and has always been and, you know, it would be, you know, national tragedy for to lose him if we did already. But I just don't -- I hope that he recovers and wish his family well. But he's a hoot. George H. W. Bush was definitely a hoot.
LEMON: Absolutely. So we'll keep an eye on that and our best wishes go to the President and his family, especially this time of the year where people -- folks are spending time with their families. Speaking of families, you know, we had two families of police officers here who were dealing with the issue that their brother, husband, father no longer with them. Do you think there is a risk now that there could be a backlash against the protesters for protesting so soon after the murders of the New York officers this weekend especially in light of what the Mayor was asking that there'd be a moratorium put on the protest until after this two men are put to -- are laid to rest?
ROBBINS: You know, Don, it's an excellent question. And listening to Marc and Tara, you know, Marc was saying that we should be able to walk and shoot gun at the same time. The problem is when you protest so close to something so tragic happening, you're more like walking and spitting in the face of the NYPD.
And one of the things that I'm concern about -- of course, they have the right to be out there, of course, you have the first human right, and, of course, you need to keep the pressure on if you care about reform in the justice system which I think everybody on this panel does.
However, in terms of the uptakes, when you do something that's this disrespectfully in my opinion in light of what just happened with two police officers getting assassinated, and the level of tension in New York City, you alienate yourself for moderates.
LEMON: Now, you have been...
ROBBINS: You alienate yourself with people that have been with you?
LEMON: ... of the protesters.
ROBBINS: Yes. Yes, I have.
HILL: I mean, absolutely you do.
ROBBINS: And I was disgusted when I saw that they were out here tonight, Don.
LEMON: Go ahead, Marc.
HILL: I think people have every right to raise technical questions about whether or not protesting on a day like today make sense for the uptakes make sense for messaging. I think that's an internal debate that protesters should have. I think that's a national debate that we all can have but I don't think that isn't upfront to law enforcement nor it's spitting in the face of law enforcement to continue to fight.
Blue lives matter, yes, but in that worth more or less than black lives or white lives, or yellow lives or red lives, everyone's life matters. And the truth is black and brown people are dying in the streets would grew some regularity and that's something that can't take a day off or two days off.
It doesn't mean that we disrespect or antagonize but let's also look at the other side of this. When people were peacefully protesting about the life Eric Garner and many others, there were police officers who were antagonized and there were police officers who are wearing shirts that I can't breathe.
We were in Ferguson and we saw people kick over the memorial site for Michael Brown. So this goes both ways. Everyone has a responsibility to be civil and to be decent but I don't think there's anything uncivil or indecent about continuing to protest.
LEMON: OK.
SETMAYER: But Marc, here's the problem.
(CROSSTALK)
SETMAYER: ... to have now. When protesters are doing that and this is result...
LEMON: That is going to have to be it. Have a great holiday everyone.
SETMAYER: We can have this.
LEMON: I'm sorry because of breaking news we have to cut it short but again, we have lots of breaking news tonight including the former President George H. W. Bush being taken by ambulance to a Houston Hospital -- Houston Methodist Hospital as a precaution after experiencing shortness of breath earlier this evening. He was taken there. We were told as precaution and he is under observation. We will an eye on that.
Also the breaking news, hundreds of angry protesters in the streets of New York surrounded by weary police. When we come right back, I'm going to talk to Commissioner Bill Bratton and Former New York Governor Pataki. Meanwhile, our breaking news out of Hollywood tonight.
Hollywood's battle against hackers. Sony will show it Seth Rogen movie "The Interview" in over 300 theaters. Take that Kim Jong-un and the wet Christmas. If you're traveling you need to stay tune with us because of severe weather that might put a dumper on your holiday plans.
We'll talk about all of that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Our breaking news tonight, President George H. W. Bush, Bush 41 has been taken by ambulance to Houston Methodist Hospital as a precaution after experiencing shortness of breath earlier this evening.
A 90-year old Former President will be held for observation I repeat just as a precaution. But President Bush was hospitalized in November of 2012 with bronchitis but recovered after two months. We'll keep a close eye on that.
Also breaking tonight, hundreds of people back out on the streets of New York City tonight protesting against racism and police violence. They're ignoring now Mayor Bill De Blasio's call for suspension of demonstrations until after the funerals of the two murdered police officers.
Vice President Joe Biden will travel here on Saturday to attend the funeral of one of the officers in order to plans for the second officer not been announce yet.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bill De Blasio led a moment of silence today for those officers. He said, "The city is in pain, and it's time to put divisions to rest."
That is a direct reference to his tense relations with police who charged that De Blasio took side with protesters in recent demonstrations and hasn't shown enough support for police. They turn their backs on him at the hospital, where the murdered officers were taken.
And joining me tonight on the phone is William Bratton. He is New York City's Police Commissioner.
Commissioner, thank you for joining us. First of all, my condolences to you and your force. And as I understand, you met with the families of the fallen officers Ramos and Liu.
How do you possibly have a conversation with 12 year-old son and telling that their -- what happened to their father? How do you explain that?
WILLIAM BRATTON, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: Well, Mayor De Blasio and I met yesterday with -- for the second time. We have met the families initially at the hospital with the night of the incident and that, again, with the (inaudible).
It's very difficult to do. It's far more difficult things you have to do to deal with the death of the police officers particularly case of murder.
Fortunately, in both instances these are extraordinary families. The Ramos Family are very religious and really much strengthen by their faith including that their 13-year old son and their 18-year old.
The Liu family both parent (ph) Chinese immigrants don't speak English and the Liu -- wife of officer Liu -- they weren't even married two months -- she made statement because today there was just extraordinarily articulate and who's amazing to watch and try to make that statement.
LEMON: Yes.
BRATTON: They are hurting as you might appreciate including very deeply.
LEMON: Yes. And, looking what closely now, commissioner at the gunman. The gunman had a plan on social media. He was saying, you know, he's going to put wings on a pig, on and on hash tag Eric Garner and Michael Brown, do you think that the case of Michael Brown -- the cases I should say Michael Brown and Eric Garner? Do you think that push and already unstable man over the edge?
BRATTON: Well, part of that investigation was, I'm sure, to those of our ability to determine the actual motivation. We have to rely on some these last posts if you will on Instagram in which he made those statements. It's apparent that in the last couple of days he's like -- he was beginning to become even more focused on as antigovernment, antipolice feelings.
And, again, he seems to have taken an individual (inaudible) country of financial issues, according to his mother suicidal and in fact even girlfriend is shot. Our investigation is closed. He was threatening suicide upon her and she, reports are she -- a talk came out if before he shot her.
So, again, an unstable man and trying to figure out what as on their mind sometimes we just think of (inaudible).
LEMON: Commissioner Bratton, thank you.
Joining me now is the former New York Governor George Pataki who has been critical of Mayor De Blasio and has called on him to apologize to police officers.
You heard my interview with the Commissioner.
GEORGE PATAKI, FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR: Yes.
LEMON: Do you think that what's happening on the streets of protest, what the Mayor has said, do you think that that precipitated the gunman (inaudible)?
PATAKI: But first, let me say the Mayor did the right thing in asking that these protests stop between -- during this period of morning and I just think it's outrageous there of some of those who is still are churning antipolice rhetoric in this horrible, horrible time.
What Commissioner Bratton said a day or two ago is that he believed at the time that this horrible assassination was, as he's put it direct spin off "of the demonstrations". And when you have hundreds of people out on the street saying, "What do we want?" "Dead cops." "When do we want them?" "Now."
And this mayor caused them a peaceful protest and meets with those protest leaders but not with the police leaders. It sends the wrong message, and I think it's just tragic but I think it also is a reflection of the last two years where there has been a conservative effort to demonize this great police force which is be the best trained and I believe best operating police force in America.
LEMON: And this is even before Governor, before the Mayor took office, you believe it started.
PATAKI: It started during -- I believe it started during the campaign. If you go back to the beginning of last year, this police department was a revered institution here in New York City and across the country. People appreciated their courage, their heroism and their success and what happened at that point is there was a primary for mayor and everybody wanted Reverend Sharpton's support.
So, it was who could outdo the other in demonizing the police and attacking in particular Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and tragically, that created a terrible climate.
LEMON: Do you think people around the country understand sometimes what the New York City, what New York City Police are up against when they -- when you talk about people like Sharpton and then, you know, people campaigning on it and being political about it.
Do you think they understand the day-to-day struggles of New York City Police?
PATAKI: I think it's very hard for, not just people around the country, but those of us who are out on the street as those police officers are to understand the tremendous sacrifice, the courage that they show and the professionalism. They have been responsible over the last 20 years of taking this for the most dangerous city on America to the safest large cities saving thousands of lives.
LEMON: But you're not saying that -- but there are issues that the police department need to deal with. There needs to be reform. Are you -- the department is not perfect.
PATAKI: No department is perfect but I do think it is the best trained police department in America, the most respected and by far, the most successful. They have saved thousands of lives through their effective policing policies, and yet instead of saying what a great police department we have which everybody believed across racial or political lines two years ago. This effort was made to consciously demonize the police force. And it wasn't just the Mayor.
LEMON: You said that you were -- initially (inaudible) you were sickened by these barbaric acts. Do you still stand by that?
PATAKI: It's just horrifying, you know.
LEMON: And what about what Pat Lynch said, do you think that -- that certainly didn't help, did it?
PATAKI: No, I think Pat Lynch reacted -- overreacted in a very emotional way. He is the head of the union. He has sons who are NYPD members and for all of the professionalism people are human beings, and there's going to come a time when their emotion spills out and it did.
LEMON: I know you said, but you said you don't think the Mayor should resign...
PATAKI: No.
LEMON: ... even though you believe he's lost the respect of the police department. PATAKI: Well, I think our police are very professional and they will do their job regardless of whether or not they like the Mayor. I don't think the Mayor should resign. I think he should apologize for so much the antipolice rhetoric that he engaged it and that he tolerated.
LEMON: I want you to listen to what Commissioner Bratton said yesterday about the Mayor's support of the Police Department.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRATTON: Could you point out to me one mayor that has not been battling with the police unions in the last 50 years? Name one. Name one. So the experience of this man in terms of some cops not liking him, it's nothing new. It's part of life, it's part of politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, do you think this is more about politics than (inaudible)?
PATAKI: This is very different. Yes, every mayor has had their struggle with the police department but almost every time it was over contracts, it was over pay and work rules. This is far different. This is about whether or not the mayor stood with the police in their time of need, whether or not the mayor used the police as a political weapon to help advance his career. The police believe that and I think with justification but I do think that we can go forward from here.
LEMON: That was my next question. What do you think has to be done?
PATAKI: I think what the Mayor has done today is correct. The moment of silence, visiting the site where that horrible assassination took place, calling for an end for the demonstrations during this period, this was a professional police department that will rally around the city and I believe the people of this city will rally behind the police department. And I think we can move forward and understand that this was a mistaken time and what we have to do now is come together and work together to build a better future.
LEMON: And I thank you for coming in.
PATAKI: Thank you, Don.
LEMON: Thank you, Governor. I appreciate it.
Lots more news to come when we come right back. The breaking news on former President George H. W. Bush taken to a Texas hospital for shortness of breath, being kept there as a precaution. We'll get an update on his health.
We're back with more of our breaking news right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: You're following break news tonight on CNN. President George H. W. Bush in Houston Methodist Hospital Tonight after experiencing shortness of breath earlier this evening. The 90-year-old former president will be held for observations just as a precaution. His office released a statement just a short time ago. Mr. Bush is hospitalized back in November of 2012 with bronchitis but made a full recovery after about seven weeks in the hospital of bronchitis, of bacterial infection and lingering cough. Again, that was back in 2012, released within hospital in January 2013.
I want to bring in now Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil of NYU School of Medicine. She joins me now by telephone. So, Dr. Devi, the former president taken to the hospital tonight after experiencing shortness of breathe, health for observation, what are the doctors looking at?
DEVI NAMPIAPARAMPIL, PHYSICIAN: I mean the first thing you always think about when someone talks about shortness of breathe. You think about the heart and you think about the lungs. So at the age of 90, and I mean the thing we would be most concern about, in general is heart disease, you know, (inaudible) of a heart attack, is it something else what's going on with the heart.
If somebody has had bronchitis before, you might wonder well, because there be something happening with the lungs, you know, because this be something related to asthma, and things along those lines. So, you always check the heart and the lungs, you check (inaudible) the most dangerous first, but at the same time, you know, this president has been in very good health, you know, in general compared to a lot of people his age, but it could be something that's not necessarily at danger.
I mean people are having a lot of heavy meals, right, for the holiday season, sometimes you can have reflux have other things that trigger a cough or might, you know, might cause symptoms like shortness of breath.
LEMON: How will he be monitored and treated as he's there, they're keeping him as a precaution?
NAMPIAPARAMPIL: I mean it depends, you know, depending on the docs or the team that symptoms that he's having, but usually if somebody has these symptoms, what they'll do is they'll check different things related to the heart, so they'll check in EKG for example, to see how the heart is working, you know, if they have any concern, they might also do some more significant testing of the heart, something called an ECHO which look back how the heart is working, how its pumping, how blood is moving back and forth.
The reason that the heart can cause shortness of breathe is because, if you have any problem, let's say with the blood flow, it can cause these types of symptoms, so people feel like they're not getting enough air. And then in terms of the lungs, I mean they can do things like a chest X-ray to see how the lungs actually look, and they can also check you know, simple things to see how much oxygen do actually have in your blood, this is something called the (inaudible) that they put on your finger.
So usually, you know, people try to do things, they're not invasive, just monitor someone, see if the symptom go away, see if the symptoms are getting worse, and just make sure that the worst possible scenarios and other things that could really hurt you...
LEMON: Yes.
NAMPIAPARAMPIL: ... that you rule those things out.
LEMON: All right Dr. Devi, thank you very much again. We'll continue to monitor the condition of former president being held at Houston Methodist Hospital as precaution, they're checking because of shortness of breathe, we'll keep an eye on that.
Other big story tonight, turmoil in New York City in the wake of the killing of two police officers, the mother of Ismaaiyl Brinsley, the man who murdered the officers, offered her condolences to their families today. She said he was a troubled young man, Brinsley had a long arrest record and mental health issues, so joining me now is Xavier Amador. He's a psychologist who is the director of the LEAP Institute.
You've worked with so many cases of mass killers, cases of police officers have been shot, take us inside the mind of this man. What are you looking for in this case?
XAVIER AMADOR, PSYCHOLOGIST: You know what I look for anytime is first, a major division, is this somebody with the long history of career criminal who is unable to feel empathy, lack of compassion, serious crimes versus somebody who has a kind of history, which is the history that's emerging. This is somebody I agree with the Commissioner Bratton, this is somebody who is seriously unstable.
His mother -- I like to read a quote, she is so depress, very briefly. The mother says, "What are we going to do with a grown man who's mentally ill, we can throw him in the car." The sister says, "We tried to ask and get some help but he refuses." You know, I'm quoting. I'm quoting the mother and sister of Russell Weston, who shot and killed two capitol police officers, almost 20 years ago. The mother and sister of Ismaaiyl Brinsley are saying exactly the same statements...
LEMON: The same statement.
AMADOR: ... 20 years later.
LEMON: What we heard from the sister and the aunt yesterday, but I just want to say, this is statement from our fully (ph) WABC. "Ismaaiyl Brinsley is a very troubled young man whose life was in turmoil and spiraling out of control. We were estranged for a few years, with occasional contact, I am deeply sorry for the loss of the two innocent men who were killed, and offer my sincerest condolences," which again, you're right, the family made a very similar comment here. So why is he out after being arrested 19 times.
AMADOR: Because the problem and when we talked about this before (inaudible) is that we have a very seriously broken mental health care system. The reason that officers Liu and Ramos have died and their families are mourning. The reason that his ex-girlfriend, Shaneka Thompson has been shot and seriously injured, is because of our failed mental healthcare system. New York City, just last week, announced there were $130 million to train police officers. I've heard what Governor Pataki said, to train police officers, we were the last big city to train them to identify and work with mentally ill people.
LEMON: So what do we do?
AMADOR: What do we do is we know what to do, many states do it and they do it well. When somebody is in -- identify this emotionally disturbed person, that's the police lingo for it, has a history of serious mental illness, they're not more violent if they're in treatment. Right now, Governor Cuomo has on his desk a bill for release of prisoners and after care providing prescriptions, follow up with doctors, psychiatrists, community care, he's refusing to sign it, I'm not sure why.
We know what to do to protect police officers, and the public. People with serious mental illness are not more violent and the general population except when we leave them to their own judgment, which is impaired by brain disorder, and don't give them a treatment.
LEMON: Dr. Xavier Amador of LEAP Institute, the psychologist of LEAP Institute. Thank you very much. I want to spend more time but we have a breaking news tonight. We're following the breaking news on the former president George H. W. Bush, taken to a Houston Hospital. We'll have that for you up next. Sony will release its controversial movie, "The Interview." After all, I'm going to ask one theater owner why he wants to show it and if he's worried about his decision.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We're keeping an eye this evening here on CNN on the former President's condition George H. W. Bush taken to Houston Methodist Hospital because of shortness of breath. They said that they're keeping him, observing him, just as a precaution. We'll keep you updated on that.
But I want to turn now to the movie that North Korea didn't want you to see. Now, Sony says more than 300 theaters will show the Seth Rogen movie, "The Interview," beginning on Christmas Day. So, joining me now, Paul Brown, owner of one of those theaters, the Terrace Theater in Charleston, South Carolina. You're a very brave man. Your theater is going to show, "The Interview," on Christmas Day. Why did you decide to go ahead and show it?
PAUL BROWN, OWNER OF TERRACE THEATER IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, you know, we were originally scheduled to show the early and then Sony decides to pull the picture on Christmas -- for a Christmas Eve release. And when it came back to us we really didn't have a say whether they going to show the movie or not. So we were all behind the idea for them, we're an independent theater we're not governed by larger corporate sort of mandates or interest. So we, we stood by and when they offered it to us, ask us if we want to do it, we said, sure. We going to thought that -- you know, the censorship, the external of a censorship of the movie, we didn't seem really right or fair and as an independent theater we should support that, and it seems like a perfect opportunity.
LEMON: Are you planning any more security, taking any precautions?
BROWN: Yeah, it's terrorist it's always been a really safe place, you know. We cater to us an older crowd, really nice neighborhood, safe area. But we are going to take other precautions. But you know, nothing, nothing too visible but we'll definitely do a variety of -- different things.
LEMON: Alright. Paul Brown, I want you to stand by. Paul Broun, theater owner who will show the movie. We just came back, because I want to bring in now, Sharon Waxman, he is -- she is the Editor in Chief of The Wrap, and I want to say, The Wrap broke the story this morning that Sony was releasing the movie theatrically and also Juliette Kayyem, CNN national security analyst. So Sharon, welcome again, your side The Wrap you broke the story this morning that The Interview will be in theaters and on video by the way, on demand. Where and when can people go see this movie if they like?
SHARON WAXMAN, THE WRAP EDITOR IN CHIEF: There's about -- we have a long list on our side of all the theaters where it's going to be playing. Sony has not yet announced or leaked -- said anything about what VOD plan has excepted, there is a plan we confirm for what they call in the industry a day and date release, meaning it will be both in theaters and streaming on demand at the same time. So, we'll -- they were supposed to know tomorrow where you can stream it.
LEMON: Juliette, I asked there Brown if he's been taking any precautions. And he said his theaters are always been very safe. So, you know, there's not a huge concern there. But how concerned for their safety should people be if they decide to see this movie?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think barely. I think -- I never thought that this it was a credible threat. Movie theaters should take precautions because you never know who comes out of the woodwork. I think the, the biggest safety risk is if you -- you know, don't like pot smoking or four-letter words at this stage, given the movies content. I think this is a smart of Sony to do. And -- people should be proud to go to the movie and if you're like me and had no inclination to see the movie, buy the tickets and don't go. But this is a good move, a good show of strength for the country and people should either go or buy.
LEMON: Yeah, considering the movie, the content, the people who are in this movie, on demand may be the perfect place for it. Because, let's just say you don't really have to leave your couch. So, Sharon --
(LAUGHTER)
WAXMAN: But it's more fun to see a comedy in the theater.
LEMON: Yeah.
WAXMAN: And you want it -- it is one of those things you want a communal experience if you can. LEMON: Yeah, some people may not be able to find their way to their
apartment or homes after -- you know, watching this. Do you know the president did praise the decision by Sony to release the film in a limited number of theaters? He previously criticized Sony for the decision to pull the film. Do you think the White House was aware that this was in the works?
WAXMAN: I think that the White House has been -- since the president -- you know decided to -- declare himself on the issue and also caution Sony, that gee, you should have called us, we would have -- maybe help you figure out a different solution. I think they absolutely have been in touched and they have been very close with law enforcement since especially and the FBI has came out, as you said on the show, that fingering North Korea as the culprit. But since then, what's interesting is you've just had this huge ground swell of support to show the movie and to not let North Korea claim this as a complete win. And it's kind have been a nice sort reversal to see -- you know, everyone from artists like a scream -- you know, actors, (inaudible) the producers, you know, everybody, Rob Lowe, Mia Farrow, George R. R. Martin, has opened up his theater in New Mexico, and a lot of people -- a lot of voices coming out. And then Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, and the west (ph) you just had people from every sector across the spectrum basically saying, let's pull together and show that we're not going to let this be the end of this story.
LEMON: And imagine that the Republican national committee supporting something coming from Hollywood. You mentioned a ground as swell. And we get back to Paul, because Paul you were part of that ground as well, but you said all along that you wanted to run the movie. You were actually - you didn't like that Sony didn't give you the option initially not to run it, correct?
BROWN: Well, yeah. Independent theaters don't have the biggest pull, the biggest sway with studios so, we stood by. We were prepared to show the movie, but when the others sort of major change pulled out and Sony stopped it, we really didn't have anything to say. I will say the gathering together to watch a comedy is the only way to watch a movie.
LEMON: Alright, all right, to all of you. Stand by you. I need you for the next -- for this next conversation. I want to bring in now, one of the few people who has already seen The Interview, and that's Rafer Guzman, a film critic from Newsday, so, you've actually seen it? Do you think it's worth going to, I mean, some people think it's a risk, at least Sony did initially. Do you think it's worth going to?
RAFER GUZMAN, FILM CRITIC FOR NEWSDAY: I mean, I have to say, I was one of many fairly negative reviews about the movie. I mean, as you said, this is a pretty typical Seth Rogen comedy. It's a lot of crude humor, bodily functions. It's, you know -- it's not what I would call sharp or wicked political satire. I think people go expecting that, what they're going to get is a fairly typical low brow comedy.
LEMON: Yeah, is there anything in this movie that should incite Kim Jong-un to such extremes as North Korea has gone to, to shut this movie down?
GUZMAN: Now, I feel little less comfortable giving spoilers. I felt comfortable doing that, when it looks like movie wasn't going to be released, but I'm sure everyone knows by now, that there is a scene in which Kim Jung-un's head explodes in a massive ball of fire. Even before all this happened, I remember thinking that, that moves seemed a little mean-spirited and unnecessary, not to say that Kim Jung-un is a great guy. But, it just seemed very unnecessary to me, I didn't really like the tone of the film, and I guess that's what I mean by, they're not being -- what I would called political satire this film. It's just seems like kind of ha-ha knee slapping humor to me.
LEMON: Oh joke -- lightning round, Juliette, are you going to see it?
KAYYEM: ...Yes.
LEMOM: You will? On demand or in the feel?
KAYYEM: Well, only because I sort of feel -- I'm -- look, I'm a homeland security expert and I sort to feel like I really should see it at this stage, since -- you know -- sort of a show of our strength...
LEMON: Yeah.
KAYYEM: But, I will say -- I don't know if I'll enjoy it.
LEMON: Alright, Sharon?
KAYYEM: That way.
LEMON: Sharon?
WAXMAN: Yeah, I now, I feel like it's our patriotic duty to go see the darned thing, so, yes, I'm going to go.
LEMON: So, Rafer you wouldn't see it twice, right?
GUZMAN: I'm not, I would not see it for twice and I saw it for free.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Paul Brown? You're going to see -- you're going to watch it, right?
BROWN: Oh, well. We're going to watch it we had hundreds of sales today obviously for the movie and the -- you know to me it's like a modern day Naked Gun sort of thing.
LEMON: The big question is how -- are tickets selling out? Are you selling tickets?
BROWN: Yeah, we're selling a lot of tickets. The phone did not stop ringing all day. You know, we're just a small theater, so the three of us there today, it was crazy but it was exciting. LEMOMN: Alright, it's going to be exciting to see what happen. The
shameless swag here also opening, Selma, a movie that I screened and I thought it was fantastic. Thank you guys, have a happy holiday.
WAXMAN: Thanks Don.
BROWN: Thank you.
GUAZMAN: Thank you.
LEMON: When we come right back, millions traveling over the next 24 hours, but some severe weather may have a big impact on your travel plans. Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: I want to update you now on our Breaking News tonight. President George H.W. Bush in Houston Methodist hospitalized after experiencing shortness of breath earlier this evening. We're told the President of the United States, Barack Obama has been made aware of his condition, also monitoring the situation. The 90-year-old former president will be held for observation, just as a precaution. Mr. Bush was hospitalized back in November of 2012 of bronchitis but he made a full recovery, after seven weeks in the hospital, we're keeping an eye on that, and keep you updated.
Also, we're following this, there's a thick of holiday season, we're in the thick of holiday seasons and millions of Americans are traveling around the country today, tomorrow, all this week, with severe weather happening much around the country not making it any easier to do that. Joining me now, CNN Meteorologist Karen Maginnis, OK, there were several reported tornadoes in the south today, Karen. Five of those -- several reported -- five -- at least, was it five? How many completely were reported today?
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We were looking at 14 tornado reports, but some of those may be duplicates. But what we know right now, Don is it about 2 o'clock Central Time, we watched the atmosphere explode and we've watched them super cells develop, right along the Mississippi-Louisiana border. And then in Columbia, Mississippi, traveling up to Sumrall, and then we watched as the thunderstorms produced tornadoes right around the Laurel, Mississippi, already at least four fatalities. National Weather Service is going to investigate. Widespread damage reported across this region. Looked like the tornado touched down, lifted up, touched down again, lift it up, they were saying multiple vortices, meaning, multiple swirl that they could see what the tornado. Here is the path that it took it, moved up forward in north east. It was roaring along to the northeast between 50 and 60 miles an hour. We had a report of golf -- not golf ball but grapefruit size hail being reported. As those tornadoes were touching down in Florida, heavy downpours that the water rescues in Tallahassee, almost 7 1/2 inches of rain, Don.
LEMON: Oh, goodness. So, let's talk about the flight delays. Have been lots of flight cancellations, delays, many people traveling tomorrow as if hoping to make it home for Christmas. What can we expect? MAGINNIS: This is going to be a complete mess. It was a complete mess
today. And tomorrow is going to be even worse. Here are some of the delays at I-95 corridor, New York City metro airport. The worse today, the absolute worse was Philadelphia. We saw delays all day long, about two hours. There were numerous delays, thousands of delays, about 5,000 domestically and nearly 500 cancellations. Tomorrow, here's where that wet weather is going to be, New York, is going to get a soaking. No, it's not going to be white Christmas. A lot of people not seeing a white Christmas, but should cuddle (ph), Don. I know you're very familiar with Chicago, when the weather goes down there on Christmas Eve. You are looking at a real quagmire. I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
LEMON: You're the Grinch tonight. Basically you're the Grinch.
MAGINNIS: I apologize for being Gringish but, we're looking between four and eight inches of snow. Buffalo, not a white Christmas but you could see one as high as 65 miles an hour going on Christmas day.
LEMON: But you are very lovely Karen. Karen Maginnis, we know you just have to deliver the bad news.
MAGINNIS: OK.
LEMON: That's -- that's your job. Thank you, Merry Christmas to you.
MAGINNIS: Merry Christmas.
LEMON: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Make sure you stay with CNN tonight for the very latest on our Breaking News. That is President George H.W. Bush in Houston Methodist Hospital after experiencing shortness of breath earlier this evening. The 90-year-old former president will be held for observation, just as a precaution. President Barack Obama is in Hawaii vacation for the holidays, he has been made aware of the first -- and the first family sent their best wishes to the former president and their entire family, they say, at this holiday season. So, Mr. Bush was hospitalized which I tell you back in November of 2012 with bronchitis, but made a full recovery after two months in the hospital. I'm Don Lemon, thank you so much got joining us. Make sure you'll be careful out there. Have a great Christmas. I'll see you back here next week. AC360 starts right now.
