Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. Diplomacy Stumbles in Syrian Crisis; Propane Prices; McConnell and Paul Team Up; McConnell, Paul Team up in Kentucky; Fallon Takes Over "Tonight Show"

Aired February 18, 2014 - 09:30   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me.

In Syria, the reign of fear grows and the hope for peace dwindles. With atrocities blamed both on the regime and some of the rebels trying to overthrow it, Washington had relied on diplomacy to stop the bloodshed. But with negotiations breaking down and terse exchanges with Russia, the U.S. faces tougher decisions than ever. Chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto is in Washington with more for us.

Good morning.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Carol.

You know, it's been a really debilitating few days for the situation in Syria, the breakdown of the peace talks. You also have a worsening of the violence on the ground there. And, you know, the centerpiece of U.S. strategy in Syria had been these peace talks in Geneva, but now the two countries with arguably the most power to influence those talks and the situation on the ground, the U.S. and Russia, are pointing fingers at each other. Secretary of State John Kerry blaming Russia for giving the Assad regime both weapons and diplomatic cover and real worry now that that path to a solution is dying.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO (voice-over): As the Syrian people suffer, diplomatic efforts to bring them peace are descending into recrimination.

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: The talks themselves are taking a recess.

SCIUTTO: Secretary of State John Kerry is blaming Russia.

KERRY: Russia needs to be a part of the solution and not be contributing so many more weapons and so much more aid that they're in fact enabling Assad to double down.

SCIUTTO: His Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, is leveling the very same charge right back, saying it is the U.S. betting everything on a military solution. Inside many areas of Syria, the most extreme militants now hold sway. CNN's Arwa Damon found evidence of mass graves. One man identified his brother by the children's socks he'd gone to buy when he disappeared. And new videos obtained by CNN show how these groups mete out justice. A nighttime execution caught on tape.

The Obama administration, its strategy until now, largely dependent on the Geneva talks, is left looking for new policy option.

REP. ERIC CANTOR (R), VIRGINIA: We need an America that leads, which means an America that will bring together our allies and work to defend the moderates over the extremists in Syria.

SCIUTTO: So far it has rejecting moves ranging from arming and training rebels, to air strikes on regime forces.

JON ALTERMAN, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: If you're not willing to put any lives at risk, under any circumstances, at any risk, then people think you simply don't care. And because so many others are willing to put lives at risk, they're going to be the ones who determine the outcome of the battles that unfold in Syria.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Administration officials say the U.S. is now pushing for new U.N. Security Council resolution both condemning the atrocities and also attempting to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground.

What I want to go to now, Carol, you probably remember this photo from yesterday that caused such an emotional reaction. It was of a young boy fleeing the violence in Syria, along with his family, separated, it appeared, from his family, alone in the desert. The U.N. human rights commissioner tweeting this photo out, caused a huge international reaction. Well, it turns out that as moving as this picture was, that boy was not alone as he looked. Because look at this second picture here where it shows that he was, in fact, very close to another group of refugees, which included his family. So, somewhat misleading.

The U.N. saying that the media made too big a deal out of it. But I remember as this was coming out yesterday that they implied that he was all alone in the desert, they came up to him, rescued him and, you know, through great effort reunited him with his family. But as you see there, now looking at that picture, that really wasn't the case.

Of course, a picture like this can have enormous power. It attracts people to the problem on the ground there. But this one turned out to be somewhat misleading.

COSTELLO: Well, frankly, that picture should have great impact anyway because those people are refugees. Their - they have nowhere to go, right?

SCIUTTO: No question. And it --

COSTELLO: They're walking through the desert. It shouldn't be like that.

SCIUTTO: No, it doesn't take anything away from the severity of the situation on the ground. But this is one of those cases where that one little boy, you know, really attracted so much attention to the issue, which, you know, of course, has a function and it has some value. But at least the initial story as told was not exactly the way it was on the ground. As you can see there, he was much closer to his family than the U.N. had initially implied.

COSTELLO: I understand. Jim Sciutto, many thanks.

Another round of brutal winter weather pounding much of the northeast this morning. The same system left cars stuck and sliding in Chicago on Monday. New York City could see another three to four inches of snow before the day is done. The New England area will probably be hit the hardest. They're expecting eight inches of snow to pile up there today and tomorrow on top of all the other snow that's on the ground. All that ice and snow have caused severe propane shortages, as you know. And even worse, prices have almost doubled in some areas, leaving many people struggling to heat their homes. A woman in Illinois is now afraid she'll have to sell her home if prices don't come back down soon.

George Howell has more for you.

Oh, there you are, George. Tell us more.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.

So, yes, as you mentioned, the price is high, but some good news here, the price is drop from that all time high that we saw, that we reported on, around $5 per gallon, to now trading right around $3.50 per gallon. So that's the good news. But we're still finding a lot of people can't afford it.

So what we're doing, Carol, we've been looking - we've been talking to a lot of people in many different places. We spoke one - at one point to a supplier and he was even worried because he said the prices are so high he's worried that his customers can't afford to buy it.

And then when we went around, we talked to people. One woman who told us that she cannot afford to keep her home simply because the price of propane is too high. We spoke with one woman also in Creek (ph), Illinois, who told us she, too, may be forced to sell her home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: How long have you lived here?

ANIKA FUSTAR, HOMEMAKER: Forty years. Forty - exactly 40 years this month. This month, 40 years.

HOWELL: Have you ever seen a winter like this?

FUSTAR: Not like this. Not like this. HOWELL (voice-over): For the past 40 years, every single day Anika Fustar has made this walk to the mailbox. She lives alone now since her husband died. But for 40 years, she's weathered many storms here and proudly hasn't missed a beat.

FUSTAR: All my life I was paying my bills always. You can check my record. Never late, never skip, never.

HOWELL: This year, things are different. Living on a fixed income, Anika can no longer afford to keep the house warm. The price of propane is just out of reach, double what she's used to paying. And with bills stacking up, she knows that she may soon have to sell the house.

FUSTAR: I never was in this position all my life. I never was in this position. And I'm so worried. I'm so worried. And I feel like I can't explain how I feel. I can't explain.

HOWELL: A lot of people are struggling with the high price of propane. Some 12 million Americans use it for heat. And the demand this year has been even greater due to the especially long winter. Supply is limited partly because of last fall's corn crop. Farmers used a lot of propane to dry it. Some experts also blame the shortage on the amount of propane being exported. The crisis has prompted politicians to step in, easing road restrictions on the trucks that transport it to get more propane to the places that need it. But over the past few weeks, we've shown you the effect on everyone from suppliers -

JERRY DAUFARAS, STANDARD (ph) PROPANE: Sure I'm giving them gas, but how are they going to afford to pay for this?

HOWELL: To homeowners.

SANDY DEHORN, HOMEOWNER: They either have a choice. You pay for the propane or your pay for your house to live in. What are you going to do? What are you going to do?

HOWELL: The same choice this woman must now make, leaving all that she's known behind, uncertain about what's head.

FUSTAR: I never was thinking I going to come in this position to -- to worry about bills and this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: So right there you get a sense of all the people who really are hurting with this problem. It's still unclear, Carol, what Anika's next steps will be. We do know that she has some family nearby. We also know that she's waiting to see what happens with the price of propane, if it continues to drop. But, again, she's worried. She says she can't risk another winter wondering whether she can pay her bills, which she's done all of her life, and keep her house warm.

COSTELLO: That really hurts me. Oh, George Howell, thanks so much.

We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Later this morning, President Obama will unveil his latest steps to move his agenda forward without the help of Congress. His focus, the economy, and specifically efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost fuel efficiency standards for commercial vehicle. The White House says those standards are linked to the nation's economic independence. CNN will bring you live coverage of the president's remarks beginning at about 11:20 Eastern Time.

The Supreme Court under scrutiny this morning as an advocacy group pushes for more transparency from the nation's highest court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Supreme Court's decision impacts the lives of Americans everywhere, but only a privileged few get to see justice in action. Republicans, Democrat, and a large majority of Americans support a simple fix, putting cameras in the Supreme Court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The group notes that state and federal courts already allow cameras in their chambers and that the limited number of seats inside the U.S. Supreme Court forces people to line up for hours, sometimes days, just to get inside.

Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and rand Paul proving that old adage that politics sometimes make strange bedfellows. Well, during an appearance in Kentucky, we saw that in action. So, what could bring together the Republican Senate majority leader and one of the Tea Party's biggest names? CNN chief congressional correspondent Dana Bash has the answer.

Good morning.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell firmly believes he would be majority leader now, Republicans would have control of the Senate had a series of electable Republicans not been taken out by conservative candidates in the last two elections. Now that McConnell himself is the one facing challenges from all sides, he's taking no chances and he is enlisting his junior senator with conservative credentials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH (voice-over): Two senators from the same state and the same party sharing a stage shouldn't be remarkable but it is with Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: Of course I'm pleased to be here with my colleague, Senator Paul who does a fabulous job representing our state every day in the United States Senate.

BASH: This day of joint appearances in eastern Kentucky was planned last month. But after what happened last week in the Senate, the timing couldn't be better for McConnell to appear with the Tea Party favorite like Paul.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. McConnell.

BASH: McConnell angered his own GOP base by providing a pivotal vote to break a filibuster waged by Senator Ted Cruz on raising the debt ceiling.

MCCONNELL: My job is to protect the country when I can and to step up and lead in those occasions when it's required. That's what I did.

BASH: But the Senate Republican leader up for re-election this year wants to keep his job. And though his campaign aides say they are most worried about beating Democrat Alison Grimes in November, McConnell has to win the spring GOP primary. After all McConnell thinks he'd be Majority Leader now had other Republicans taken conservative challenges more seriously.

MCCONNELL: I couldn't be prouder of calling my colleague Senator Rand Paul.

BASH: Gushing about Rand Paul is smart politics for McConnell.

MCCONNELL: The junior senator from Kentucky is a national figure already, deeply involved in the national debate about the direction of this country.

BASH: Paul went out of his way to reciprocate.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: So I think we all really should understand that we are very privileged to have Senator McConnell.

Thank you.

BASH: Hard to believe only a few years ago, Paul considered McConnell GOP establishment part of the problem with Republicans and McConnell endorsed Paul's GOP opponent. But before you buy into a bromance, watch the body language here more moored (ph) but no back slapping.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH (on camera): Now despite their rocky start McConnell and Paul have formed more than an alliance inside the Senate than many people may realize. And that's actually extended to McConnell's reelection campaign. Right now the man running it is Rand Paul's nephew, Jesse Benton the same operative who helped get Rand Paul elected to the Senate with 60 percent of the vote and the one who pretty much ran Ron Paul's campaign to be president -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Dana Bash, reporting live for us this morning. Thanks so much.

It is a brand new day for "The Tonight Show". Jimmy Fallon is taking the reigns of a late institution and bringing a whole lot of celebrities along with him. Nischelle Turner has that story for you. Hi Nischelle.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi Carol. We will dissect, discuss and decide. Was he great or, I don't know, the reviews are coming in. We'll talk about it next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: In New York, a changing of the late night guard, Jimmy Fallon taking over as host of "The Tonight Show".

CNN entertainment correspondent Nischelle Turner has the highlights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here is your host, Jimmy Fallon.

JIMMY FALLON, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Welcome to "The Tonight Show". Please, welcome. thank you everybody.

TURNER (voice over): Jimmy Fallon pulled out all of the stops on his first night taking over the reigns of "The Tonight Show" and it was one brimming with humble thank yous and star-studded surprises.

FALLON: I want to say thanks to all the fans for all their support and to my buddy who said that I would never be the host of "The Tonight Show" and you know who you are, you owe me $100, buddy.

TURNER: For the first time in nearly 42 years, New York City reclaimed the storied late night talk show four decades after legendary host, Johnny Carson, took it out West and where Jay Leno carried the "Tonight" torch for 22 years.

Fallon's first guest, movie star powerhouse, Will Smith, had encouraging words of support for the venerable former late night host.

WILL SMITH, ACTOR: People are coming because of your heart.

TURNER: Ever the consummate entertainer, Fallon didn't disappoint -- twerking and whopping with Smith in an evolution of hip-hop dance hits. He stayed true to his roots.

FALLON: The Roots from Philadelphia, ladies and gentlemen.

And unveiled a new "Tonight" show signature segment.

American ice dancer, Charlie White, he was voted most likely to say, "Fear not for I bring tidings of great joy."

TURNER: Musical guest, U2 wowed the crowd first with the dazzling performance overlooking New York City skyline at the top of the Rock sky deck and capping the night with a show stopping acoustic rendition of their Oscar nominated hit song.

FALLON: I just want to do the best I can and take care of the show for a while. And if you guys let me stick around long enough, maybe I'll get the hang of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: Nischelle Turner joins me now along with senior media correspondent, Brian Stelter. Good morning to both of you.

TURNER: Good morning.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

COSTELLO: So Nischelle you know --

TURNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: What are your favorite -- what were your favorite moments.

TURNER: Well there were a lot of them. First of all I did think it was really ironic and quite funny that one of the things when Jimmy Fallon got the job that he said was he was just happy to have a show that didn't air the next day anymore. And he's still airing the next day because it started at midnight.

But you know I'm a big fan of the Roots. Admittedly I kind of skew towards Jimmy Fallon anyway. So I love that he's got a different house band. I love the bit where everybody came out and dropped the $100 on his desk. I think my favorite was Stephen Colbert, because he brought a basket full of pennies and then told him, welcome to 11:30. You know what I thought that was just fun. It thought it was a great show. I love the evolution of hip-hop dancing because I'm a kid of hip-hop and so I love that as well. I thought it was a really good show.

COSTELLO: Right, he had a lot of stuff in that show that would appeal to younger viewers. And as you know, Brian, this is what NBC is trying to attract, this young -- this younger viewer what Jay Leno's viewers skewed to, what, 57 years old was the average age?

But I've got to say, most younger people I know watch stuff online. They don't stay up until 11:30 and catch a TV show.

STELTER: No. A whole lot of people are seeing that Stephen Colbert moment for the first time on YouTube this morning on their phones. And that's ok. NBC is ok with that as long as they are able to make money off of that the same way they do on TV.

I have seen almost universally positive reviews for Jimmy Fallon. I thought the most important thing he did was tried to make Jay Leno's old viewers comfortable with him. He introduced himself. He essentially grabbed their hand and said, come with me, you know, this is going to be fun together.

He did a good job of warming up those older viewers while at the same time appealing to younger viewers.

COSTELLO: I have to agree to you. And Nischelle, I think the choice of U2 was just primo.

TURNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: So what Brian is saying -- I mean he could have had Arcade Fire or whoever he wanted to, right?

TURNER: Well, first of all U2 is quintessential to everybody. To see them performing on top of Rockefeller Center, it Carol -- that was just so awesome to see, with the sun setting and just the scene and all the high shots. I thought it was such great production value. I thought it was so smart.

I mean U2 is really relevant right now. They're just nominated for an academy award. So I think it was really a smart choice because it was a choice that appealed to all generations.

COSTELLO: Ok, so I am just going to ask a short question to both of you from a younger generation. Are you guys going to stay up until 11:30 and watch the Jimmy Fallon show or will you watch it online?

TURNER: I do the morning show, Carol. I'm in bed at 8:00.

COSTELLO: How about you Brian?

STELTER: I think if I'm up at 11:30, I'm a lot more likely to try Jimmy Fallon than I was to try Jay Leno. The fact that Stephen Colbert came out there and poured that money on him, that says it all. There are a dozen shows at 11:30. It is going to be very hard to stand out.

COSTELLO: All right. Nischelle Turner, Brian Stelter, thanks so much.

TURNER: Sure.

COSTELLO: We are back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)