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Tornadoes Crush Two Small Towns; Caroline Kennedy Meets Japan's Emperor; Obamacare Success Story Becomes a Failure; Obamacare Success Story Becomes a Failure; Brittany Murphy's Father: She was Poisoned

Aired November 19, 2013 - 09:30   ET

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

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. Welcome back. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman. We're in for Carol Costello this morning.

ROMANS: All right, eight lives lost, towns in ruins, hearts broken. Survivors of Sunday's Midwest tornadoes still shocked by their power and what's been left in their wake. .

BERMAN: One resident of Washington, Illinois, kept the camera rolling as the twister headed straight for his home. He and his family are still standing. The house is not. We spoke to his wife, Mandy Lancaster.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After you came out of the basement and saw what this tornado did to your house, were you incredulous that you survived?

MANDY LANCASTER, TORNADO SURVIVOR: Yes. I don't know how anybody made it through this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: We'll have much more on this family's story in the next hour. But now we turn to CNN's Brian Todd with the story of two devastated towns.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, John, I'm standing in the middle of what used to be the H & H Feed Store here in Brookport, Illinois. This is the office. This was the main office of the store. Right now they're just trying to salvage anything they can. A desk, some toys that the family's grandchildren played with. This sign, which was found, we're told, about 25 feet up in one of those trees.

The residents and victims of this town are shell shocked all over the place here. This town had the highest death toll of any town in this whole cell of storms. Three dead here. And for many of those who survived, there's almost nothing to build on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TODD (voice-over): Chasity Tabor is trying to salvage anything that's left, but also trying to absorb it all. When she gets a moment to describe what happened to her --

CHASITY TABOR, TORNADO VICTIM: Unreal. Just terrifying. You just don't think that things like this will happen. You just don't think, you know? All day I said it's - it's just going to rain, you know, it's going to be fine. And it's not. It hits and it just -- I don't know.

TODD: Tabor got out of her mobile home in Brookport, Illinois, along with her fiance and 14 month old daughter just minutes before a tornado hit and took shelter in a gas station.

TODD (on camera): Is there anything left of your home here?

TABOR: No. No. Pictures. Yes, I had my baby bracelets when she was born, my grandfather's cane. Everything is just -- there's just nothing.

TODD (voice-over): Five people live in Jason Jones' mobile home. Only one was here when the tornado hit. His father-in-law, who Jones says survived, despite being thrown out of the home when it flipped on its side. Jones' daughter risks her life to go inside and try to collect valuables. Jones says there's one possession he's desperately trying to recover.

JASON JONES, TORNADO VICTIM: I have (INAUDIBLE). I have a shirt that was put into a picture frame and - I mean it was just sentimental. Just little things. Just something to just make me, you know, get back up every day.

TODD: Residents throughout Brookport tell you these stories. It's a tiny riverside town that lost more than any other, three people dead, all from blunt force trauma as a tornado ripped apart their mobile homes. In New Minden, Illinois, an even smaller town not far away, one of the strongest tornadoes, an EF-4, leveled Joseph Hoye's (ph) farmhouse and killed Hoye and his sister. Greg Woody, Hoye's friend of 35 years, came by to rescue a swan, a goose and other exotic animals Hoye collected. I asked him about the loss of his friend.

GREG WOODY, FRIEND KILLED IN TORNADO: And you don't like it one bit but it's a part of life and, you know, you just -- at least he's not laying around suffering somewhere.

TODD: Nearly 70 tornadoes left scenes like this all over this region. Some victims are determined to rebuild in place, but others -

TODD (on camera): Do you want to come back here and live, Chasity?

TABOR: No.

TODD: Why not?

TABOR: I'm too scared. I'm just terrified. I can't do that. Uh-uh. No. I couldn't even sleep last night.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: And for those who do want to stay, there's a lot of rebuilding to do. Officials here tell us 45 to 50 homes here in Brookport were either damaged or destroyed and the mayor says that makes up at least half this town.

Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Brian Todd for us in Brookport, Illinois. Thanks, Brian.

Fifty years after JFK was assassinated, his daughter, Caroline, is carving out a new family legacy. She met with the Japanese emperor at the Imperial Palace today in her new job as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Her new role comes 50 years nearly to the day of her father's death. CNN's Kyung Lah has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clutching cameras and waving, thousands of Japanese lined the streets to watch a daughter fulfill her father's sojourn.

"She's completing the mission he couldn't fulfill," says Junko Shibazaki. "This is significant here."

JFK was to be the first U.S. president to visit Japan, but he was assassinated. Fifty years later, nearly to the day of his death, his only surviving child made her way through the streets of Tokyo by horse-drawn carriage to the emperor. She passed by many in this crowd who witnessed the first-ever live TV images broadcast out of the U.S. to Japan 50 years ago, news coverage of the assassination, images of the two young Kennedy children seared into the collective Japanese memory.

"Caroline is like my friend," she says. "Of course we are in totally different worlds. But to me, she is special."

This is the sort of enthusiasm usually reserved for pop stars or the Japanese royal family.

LAH (on camera): Do you remember anyone ever getting this excited about a U.S. ambassador here in Japan?

LAH (voice-over): "Heck no," say the Watanabes, who traveled 200 miles to be here.

And ask anyone about job qualifications -

LAH (on camera): Caroline Kennedy doesn't have a lot of diplomatic experience.

LAH (voice-over): "That doesn't matter," she says emphatically. "She can do the job."

This is a country, after all, where blood lines trump all. Why American Nancy Nichols, who lives in Japan, says this child of Camelot is royalty here.

NANCY NICHOLS, SPECTATOR: Making a full circle and closening the bond that we have and I think it's great.

LAH: After a brief ceremony with Emperor Akihito, Ambassador Kennedy returned to her carriage to begin her path in U.S./Japan history.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: You know we're talking about the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. Well, today marks the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln's absolutely memorable speech. The most important 270 words, really, in some ways, in American history. You're looking at live pictures right now of ceremonies that are underway to remember this historic moment. Noticeably absent today from this event, President Obama. And he has taken some criticism for not being there. We'll talk about that. We will have live coverage in the next hour. We will also speak with historian Ken Burns. He'll talk to us about his latest film about Lincoln's speech. It's called "The Address."

Other news, George Zimmerman set to be arraigned in a Florida court this afternoon after being arrested and charged with felony assault. He's accused of pointing a gun at his girlfriend. Zimmerman, on the other hand, says she was the aggressor in the argument. This is just his latest run-in with the law since his July acquittal of the death of Trayvon Martin.

ROMANS: All right, still to come, think things couldn't look any worse for Obamacare?

BERMAN: CNN's senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta has more on the latest health care fiasco.

Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys.

That's right, President Obama touted Jessica Sanford as an Obamacare success story. But that's not how she sees it. I'll have an exclusive interview with Jessica Sanford coming up in just a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Did the Obama administration know the federal healthcare.gov website was dead on arrival? Newly disclosed reports reveal that key officials were actually warned months ago - months ago that the site would not be ready for its October 1st launch date. News that will only add fuel to the fire ahead of two Obamacare hearings to kick off next hour in Washington.

And then there's this. A woman the president touted as one of the Obamacare success stories is now telling a different story. CNN's senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta joins us live from Washington with that.

Good morning, Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and John.

That's right, President Obama mentioned Jessica Sanford in a speech that he gave in the Rose Garden here at the White House last month about Obamacare and its rollout. He acknowledged at time that there were problems with healthcare.gov. But he pointed to the story of Jessica Sanford, a 48-year-old single mom from Washington state who had bought what she considered to be affordable health insurance on that state's health exchange. She was so excited about purchasing that insurance that she wrote an e-mail to the president thanking him, basically, for passing the Affordable Care Act. And the White House was so moved by Jessica Sanford's e-mail, that they included it in the president's remarks on October 21st. Here's a bit of those comments from the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I recently received a letter from a woman named Jessica Stan -- Jessica Sanford in Washington state. And here's what she wrote. "I am a single mom, no child support, self-employed, and I haven't had insurance for 15 years because it's too expensive. I was crying the other day when I signed up. So much stress lifted." Now that is not untypical for a lot of folks like Jessica who have been struggling without health insurance. That's what the Affordable Care Act is all about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But in the days following that speech from the President, Jessica Sanford tells CNN that she started to receive letters from the Washington state health exchange, explaining that the tax credit that they initially told her she was going to get was not going to happen. That raised the price of her health care plan that she was going to buy from Washington State's health exchange. She now says because of that -- and we're showing some of those documents on screen. Because of that, she can no longer afford to buy insurance in Washington State and now at this point she doesn't think she's going to have health care coverage come the beginning of this year, this coming year.

And I talked to Jessica Sanford late last night about all of this. Here is what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSICA SANFORD: It was like riding a big roller coaster. You know they have my credit card. They have the payment date. And then, you know, once again I'm knocked down. And this time it's to zero. And at my rate of pay, with my family size, I just don't understand why I wouldn't get at least a little help with the tax credit.

It was a huge disappointment. And especially since I had -- my story had been shared by the President and I felt like, you know -- I just felt really embarrassed that he had quoted my story and then come to find that the Washington health plan finder, the Web site here in our state, had grossly miscalculated or are having a problem figuring their tax credits.

And so at least for right now, I don't -- I'm not going to be getting insurance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Now we did talk to officials with the Washington State Health Care Exchange and those officials have responded to us that they're looking into Jessica Sanford's matter, but they have not yet reached any sort of conclusion on that front.

Meanwhile on another front, the White House is dealing with another embarrassing revelation today. And that is a report from a consultant that was advising the Department of Health and Human Services. That report was handed over to CNN last night by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. That report that states that last spring top administration officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and officials over here at the White House were told that there were problems with the development of healthcare.gov, the Web site, the federal Web site, of course, where people can go online and buy insurance. And according to a White House official, we just received a statement from a White House official that they're saying, quote, "Flags were definitely raised throughout the development of the Web site", talking about this report released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, but they are saying over here at the White House, nobody, quote, "anticipated the size and scope of the problems we experienced once the site was launched."

So Christine and John, more questions for this White House about the rollout of the President's signature health care achievement, legislative achievement.

ROMANS: I think it's pretty clear no one anticipated the size of potential problems and they've got a lot to fix.

Jim Acosta, CNN's senior White House correspondent. Thanks, Jim.

ACOSTA: You bet.

ROMANS: All right all new in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM moms across the country took to social media to give the Education Secretary a little piece of their minds.

BERMAN: Yet another headache for the administration. Now after fierce backlash, Arne Duncan is saying he's sorry for his comment about white suburban moms but he's not backing down from what he says prompted the comment. We'll hear from both sides. That's new at 10:00.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Welcome back, everyone. Some really strange news out of Hollywood -- the father of the late actress Brittany Murphy thinks she was poisoned.

ROMANS: You know remember, Murphy died in 2009. The coroner listed the causes of her death is pneumonia and anemia and then multiple drug intoxication. Now her father talked about his suspicions to ABC's "Good Morning America".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELO BERTOLOTTI, BRITTANY MURPHY'S FATHER: I had a feeling that there was a definite murder situation here. Yes, it's poison, yes, I know that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Nischelle Turner joins us right now. Some oddly strange conspiracy notions.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes some big allegations, big suspicions. You know this is a very strange story, you're right, John. And at this stage there are more questions than answers with the story. But yes you heard Brittany Murphy's father on "Good Morning America" this morning saying his daughter was poisoned. And then he produces a toxicology report that says that his information backs him up.

Now according to this report by the way it was conducted by a lab that he paid for. Heavy metals were discovered in hair samples that the lab tested. Things in it like arsenic guys, beryllium, copper, lead, mercury and uranium.

Now he has been publicly suspicious of the LA Coroner determination that she died to a combination -- due to pneumonia, iron deficiency, and quote, "multiple drug intoxication". Now we reached out to the coroner's office this morning they told us at this point quote, "The Coroner has no plans to re-open the inquiries into the deaths of Miss Murphy or Mr. Monjack. And we stand by our conclusions and our opinions."

You nod you head at that because her husband also died a few months after she did in the same house. So they also told us they have not seen this new lab report. We also reached out to the LAPD, the Los Angeles Police Department they have no comment about this story as well. But again like we said the questions got bigger from her family because her husband died a few months after she did -- of pneumonia.

ROMANS: How did he die?

TURNER: Yes of pneumonia.

The same thing so the family as alluded this entire time that something else was going on here. And they wanted to find out what they thought was really behind these deaths. But again, the Coroner's office said, no, this is what, this is our findings we're not re- opening this. The father and the family though still say we're going to go forward and still ask questions.

BERMAN: Yes I mean for the last of it. Nischelle Turner great to see you thank you so much.

ROMANS: Certainly suspicious, no matter what. Thanks Nischelle.

BERMAN: All right still to come for us. Controversy on the field. Really? Really? Tom Brady falls short on Monday night football with help from the refs. The question is, should the Patriots have had one more shot at the end zone? The answer is yes. We'll explain why coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right. It was a controversial call to say the least that doomed the New England Patriots on Monday night football as they lost to the Panthers on the final play of the game.

ROMANS: And basically Andy Scholes that has ruined John Berman's day. Andy is here with more of this morning's "Bleacher Report." Hi there.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Good morning guys.

It ruined a lot of Patriots' fans' day today. You know, this play has a lot of people talking. Should there have been a penalty to give the Patriots another chance? Let's take a look and you can decide. There's three seconds left. Patriots are down by four. Brady goes for Rob Gronkowski in the end zone. And the ball is intercepted but a flag was thrown because Gronk was -- clearly interfered with -- check it out -- the defender basically be bear hugs him in the end zone.

BERMAN: You can't do that. You can't do that.

SCHOLES: Absolutely not, but get this. The officials get together and they pick up the flag because they said the pass was uncatchable.

BERMAN: If you're being tackled it's uncatchable.

SCHOLES: Exactly. Tom Brady felt the same by. He had words with the officials as they went into the tunnel. But Brady did take the high road in his post game news conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM BRADY, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: I didn't really see the play either. So I don't know whether a good call or bad call but we have plenty of chances and we don't make any excuses. I wish it didn't come down to that. And then I think there's plenty of places we could have made -- it did. And you know they're going to make a call. They're not going to make the call.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The fan who fell from the upper deck after trying to slide down the railing on Sunday, has been banned for life from attending future Bills games at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Amazingly, both he and the fan he fell on are ok after being treated at a local hospital.

And it looks like one head butt equals one game suspension. Yesterday the NFL announced that the Colts' Eric Walden has been suspended for one game for this -- helmet to face head butt that he delivered to the Titans Delanie Walker.

Hope it was worth it.

BERMAN: it looks so painful every time you see that.

ROMANS: Berman was off the air for like a month after your last head butt.