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Obama Speaks to Troops in Afghanistan; California Gunman Left Chilling Manifesto; Pope Offers To Host Peace Summit; Ukraine: Votes For Next President

Aired May 25, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, even as out combat mission ends later this year, I want everybody to know, in this country and across the region, America's commitments to the people of Afghanistan will endure.

With our strategic partnership, we'll continue to stand with Afghans as they strengthen their institutions, as they build their economy, as they improve their lives -- men and women, and boys and girls.

I've made it clear that we're prepared to continue cooperating with our Afghan partners on two security missions -- training and equipping Afghan forces and targeting counterterrorism targets against al Qaeda. And once Afghanistan has sworn in its new president, I'm hopeful we'll sign a bilateral security agreement that lets us move forward. And with that bilateral security agreement, assuming it is signed, we can plan for a limited military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014. Because after all the sacrifices we've made, we want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win. And we're going to make sure that Afghanistan can never again, ever, be used again to launch an attack against our country.

So our combat mission here will come to an end. But our obligations to you and your families have only just begun. The al Qaeda leadership may be on the ropes, but in other regions of the world al Qaeda affiliates are evolving and pose a serious threat. We're going to have to stay strong and we're going to have to stay vigilant. And fortunately, we've got the best-led, best-trained, best-equipped military in human history.

(CHEERS)

And as commander-in-chief, I'm going to keep it that way.

(CHEERS)

We're going to stay strong by taking care of your families back home. You know, First Lady Michelle and Vice President Joe Biden's wife Jill have made this their mission -- because your families serve, too. They're heroes on the home front. And so, we're going to keep joining forces to make sure more Americans are stepping up to support and honor those extraordinary families.

We're going to stay strong by taking care of our wounded warriors and our veterans.

(CHEERS)

Because helping our wounded warriors and veterans heal isn't just a promise, it's a sacred obligation. As you come home, some of you will return to civilian life, and we want to make sure you can enjoy the American Dream that you helped to defend. So, with the transition assistance to help you begin the next chapter of your life -- that's going to keep America strong. The credentials and licenses to help you find a job worthy of your incredible skills -- that will keep America strong. Making sure the post-9/11 G.I. Bill is in place and delivering for you the kind of education that you have earned -- that will keep America strong.

And I keep on saying to every company back home - if you want somebody who knows how to get the job done, hire a vet.

(CHEERS)

Hire a vet. Hire a vet.

(APPLAUSE)

Because like generations before you, we need you to help us write the next great chapter in the American story, and I know you'll do that because I've seen the character of your service, and I know the strength of our country.

Going back to New York and thinking about that tragedy 12 years ago, in those awful moments after the Twin Towers fell, as the wreckage was still burning, those at the scene were desperately looking for survivors -- one of those searching was a detective with the NYPD. And as he climbed through the debris, he spotted something in the rubble -- it was a flag. It was torn up. Parts of it were burned, but it was still intact.

And today, that flag is at the 9/11 Museum. It's dusty. And it's torn, and you can see the burn marks from the fires.

That flag has been through a lot. But the thing you notice is its broad stripes and bright stars still shine.

(CHEERS)

Its red, white and blue still inspire. After all it's been through, after all America has been through, our flag is still there.

(CHEERS)

And our flag is still there because when our nation was attacked, a generation -- this generation, the 9/11 generation -- stepped up and said "send me." Our flag is still there because you've served with honor in dusty villages and city streets, and in rugged bases and remote outposts, in Helmand and Kandahar, and Khost and Kunar and Paktika and Nuristan. Our flag is still there because through this long war you never wavered in your belief that people deserve to live free from fear -- over here and back home. Our flag will always be there, because the freedom and liberty it represents to the world will always be defended by patriots like you.

(APPLAUSE)

So I'm here to say thank you. I'm here to say I'm proud of you. The American people are proud of you.

God bless you. God bless the United States Armed Forces. And God Bless our United States of America.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you very much, everybody.

(APPLAUSE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The president of the United States on this Memorial Day weekend at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. He said he came to say thank you for your extraordinary service. Certainly something well-received.

OBAMA: Now, I'm going to shake every single hand in here, although I may not be able to take a selfie with everybody. But I'll shake every hand. All right?

It may take a little time, so be patient.

CROWLEY: The president of the United States promising to shake the hand of everybody there. It may take him some time but we're pretty sure he'll be back in the United States for the Memorial Day services. He is in Bagram he said to thank these troops for their extraordinary service, actually to thank a generation, he went on to say.

This was clearly an entry and exit speech. He harkened back to 9/11, having visited the museum on that site, the beginning of American involvement in Afghanistan, certainly the rationale for it. This was a war that this president always said he thought was the right war. His criticism was always left to the war in Iraq.

Now, it is up to him, at the end of this year, we expect combat troops -- all U.S. combat troops to be out as the U.S. hands over defense of the court to Afghan forces, both military and police.

The president talked about decimated leadership of Afghan -- I'm sorry, the Taliban in the mountains. He talked about, again, especially in light of the scandals of the V.A., the U.S. obligation to take care of the veterans when they become veterans on their way home.

I want to bring in Adam Schiff, congressman from California. He also is a member of the intelligence committee and just recently appointed by Democrats to sit on the select committee for Benghazi. Thanks for being here.

Let me start here with this appearance. There is a full circle feel to the president's speech today.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: There really was. As you pointed out, he talked very provocatively about the events of 9/11 that got us into the events of Afghanistan. He talked about bringing a combat mission to an end.

But I think he also laid out in part the case where some continued presence there, the necessity to maintain the counterterrorism operation and part of having an intelligence presence there means having the security of the troops to protect that intelligence presence. I think that's going to drive a lot of what we do in the future but I think he's also there in part not only to thank the troops but to celebrate that first round of an election, as he said, the first democratic authority in the country's history. We're seeing some pivotal events going on in Afghanistan right now.

CROWLEY: (INAUDIBLE) Karzai, he's leaving in what is mostly a peaceful transition. He did say, "We want to preserve these gains." It certainly sounds like code for we will have this residual force.

But so much depends on these Afghan forces. Are they ready to defend what the U.S. has spent so much blood and treasure, as we say, to hand over to them? You're on the Intelligence Committee. Are you confident that Afghan troops and Afghan police are ready right now to take over? And in most cases they have. I know that.

SCHIFF: Well, you know, I think it's two different questions when you ask about the Afghan police and troops. I was just in Afghanistan myself about two weeks ago meeting with General Dunford.

And the Afghan troops themselves I think are very battle ready. They are dedicated fighters. I've been told in prior troops, the problem with Afghans is not having to push them into the fight but having to hold them back.

The bigger challenge militarily is going to be logistics. This isn't the most talked about part of a war strategy. Just the logistics of keeping the forces maintained with equipment, material, making sure that they have the bullets in the right place, those things that are commonsense to us but battles are won and lost on logistics. And that may be what we need to do to help them once we drawdown our troops.

There's a major problem with corruption and I don't see that being fixed any time soon. That may be the biggest challenge that the government faces and that is, can they do something to deal with a corruption problem because nothing yet has moved forward on that front.

CROWLEY: As you know, no deal was made with Iraq when we left. So, everybody came out. No residual force there to assist or train.

Do you see the lack of any kind of agreement with the new president, whoever it turns out to be, would be disastrous for the progress that Afghanistan has made?

SCHIFF: Well, I think that if there's no new agreement and if we go to what is called the zero option overnight, then it's very possible that the government just collapses and you have an Iraq-like situation or even worse, you might have a Syria-like situation a year or two down the road.

But even if we stay, there's no guarantee of success. And if you look at Iraq, you know, a lot of the blame is being place on the fact that we didn't get this security agreement that allowed us to have a presence. But even in the absence of an ongoing presence in Iraq, Iraq's current trajectory wasn't inevitable.

It was a result of a lot of mistakes made by Maliki in basically sidelining the Sunni population, and giving growth space to al Qaeda. Even if there's no guarantee of success in Afghanistan, the new government is going to have to deal with a corruption problem. They are going to have to give the Afghan people confidence in the government itself and we can't do that for them.

CROWLEY: But no question in your mind that this is it, the U.S. is getting out, we don't get a forces agreement in the end of U.S. --

SCHIFF: If we don't get an agreement that would protect our troops, then we're out.

CROWLEY: Legal agreement --

(CROSSTALK)

SCHIFF: And -- but I think under any circumstances, our combat troops are out by the end of the year.

CROWLEY: Congressman, before we go, I want to talk to you about this hellacious shooting and stabbing actually in California. It is not your district, but it's California. And, you know, looking at it, we're already seeing one of the fathers came out and it would break your heart, saying this is about the NRA and sleazy politicians, he didn't use that word, but it was very tough on politicians.

Is there any way to avoid these kinds of conversations that -- you know, guns, but let's talk about mental health? Nothing ever seems to happen after these things.

SCHIFF: It is -- it's just a horrendous incident that took place. You're heart goes out to everyone affected, including this mentally ill person. And we see time and time again, you have this overlap of mental health problems and too easy access to guns.

And I was asking myself just today in hearing these stories about this beautiful where my wife went to school, what does it take -- what does it take to get the congress, the government moving? You would think after something as serious as Newtown, we would not need anything to get motivated. We are taking steps to deal with the mental health issues but obviously we've made very little progress and it shows in these tragedies. CROWLEY: And it is after each one, baby steps are not enough, are they?

SCHIFF: No, they're not. You have the impression of the fabric of the country being torn a bit each time there's a tragedy like this. And we have a responsibility to try to mend that, fabric in our country, and that means much more comprehensive mental health and it means reduce access to firearms by people who are very sick.

CROWLEY: Congressman Adam Schiff, thank you for coming by and talking to us about these big stories today.

What you all are seeing on the right hand side of your screen is the president is shaking the hand of everyone at Bagram Air Force Base before he gets on Air Force One and returns to Washington.

I am going to toss it to Atlanta where Fredricka Whitfield is going to pick this up.

So, carry on, Fred, I think the president is going to be there a little while.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I think so. I love that he said I'm going to take the time to shake everyone's hand but I may not have the time to do a selfie with everyone. So, we see that there is certainly going to be, you know, some very memorable moments made there at Bagram Air Field with a surprise by the president here and, you know, troops have always said, you know, whenever there is this kind of surprise visit by the president, it's a great morale booster.

Candy, you're going to stick around. We're going to talk about more about what this means and what meaning this may have, not just for troops -- those who are getting this visit -- but, you know, the bigger picture as this administration is still being questioned about its handling of the V.A. and those various investigations moving forward.

So, on this eve of Memorial Day, the president making a surprise visit to the troops in Afghanistan at Bagram Air Field. He landed at the Air Force, along with national security adviser Susan Rice and senior adviser John Podesta. The president also brought along a surprise guest for many there, country music star Brad Paisley, who did give a convert there for some 32,000 troops and, of course, we just heard from the president who spoke moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: And once Afghanistan has sworn in its new president, I'm hopeful that we can sign a bilateral security agreement that lets us move forward, and with that bilateral security agreement, assuming it is sign we can plan for a limited military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014, because after all the sacrifices we've made, we want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win. And we're going to make sure that Afghanistan can never again ever be used again to launch an attack against our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, this is the president's fourth trip to Afghanistan and this trip coming on this Memorial Day weekend. Also, coming just a few days before the president has committed to laying out his foreign policy agenda and it also comes at a time where Afghanistan's second round of presidential elections is just right around the corner, June 14th.

So, let's begin our coverage with Michelle Kosinski at the White House, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, and Candy Crowley there in Washington.

So, Michelle, let me begin with you. This was a troop that had been in the works -- the plans have been in the works for some time now -- but why now this weekend?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, for about two months, the National Security Council said that they have been looking for a window of time that would be safe, appropriate and wouldn't interfere too much with the Afghan election, because we know that that country's future is also in a sense tied to U.S. foreign policy, in terms of what kind of role the U.S. would have. So, the National Security Council deputy adviser said that the president didn't want to meet with the presidential candidates or the outgoing president, even though they had spoken recently, because he didn't want to be seen as influencing that, that he didn't want to get involved in the politics of the country but wanted to thank the troops.

I thought what was interesting is he got this huge cheer when he said to the soldiers there, "For many of you, this will be your last tour of duty here," but he got even bigger cheers when he said, "Very soon, our combat mission will be over and we're going to be bringing it to a responsible end."

He did say, though, that he did hope for a bilateral security agreement, which both of the presidential candidates in Afghanistan, in this runoff election has said that they are amenable to. He said, "Let's preserve the gains that you," speaking to the soldiers, "that you have made. And he listed those gains.

So far what we haven't heard is when a decision will be made as to what kind of force the U.S. will keep there and what exactly the scope of it will be -- 5,000 troops, 10,000 troops. The president didn't get into details. His advisers aren't getting into those details, but they have said that those decisions will be made very soon and the president wanted to meet with troops face-to-face before that happened, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, help us understand how meaningful, how important this is for the troops in particular there on the ground, when the commander in chief just kind of parachutes in, so to speak, surprising them and giving these a word of encouragement and then laying out -- briefly -- plans ahead whether for this country or for the U.S. continuing commitment to the vets.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, I don't think it can be any more important for the troops. You know, these young troops, many of them on multiple tours of duty, spending months, years away from home, their families spending so much time apart from them and on Memorial Day, it's such an opportunity to -- for everyone to pause and remember the sacrifices that are made.

But at this time, on this Memorial Day, we are now really just a few months away from potentially the duty of the 9/11 generation really wrapping up by the end of the year, in fact, the combat mission will be over in the Afghanistan one way or the other. The troops that will be left if there is a security agreement will be conducting training and advising Afghan forces and there will be plenty of discussion of whether the Afghans are up to it or whether the Afghans can really maintain security control over their country, whether the Taliban and al Qaeda can get back into Afghanistan and get a toe hold.

But I think what the president was doing today, is what we've talked about so much now, making that full circle. The 9/11 generation that began that service on that warning and now, some 13 years later or so, really, it's beginning to wrap. And as Michelle was saying, he got huge applause talking about bringing it to responsible end. He also got huge applause when he talked about the need for American employers to hire a vet, hire a vet, hire a vet. That's what the president said.

The troops responding to that, they know that they are on their way home. These young troops -- they need jobs, they need homes, they need, you know, the economic support -- the big road ahead, the long- term perhaps for them now really starts -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And, Candy Crowley, host of "STATE OF THE UNION," with a major foreign policy speech coming up to be carried by the president this week, does this -- is there a more perfect way to kind of set the stage, prompt him for his message by being at Bagram Air Fields?

CROWLEY: Of course not. And the fact is, obviously, the White House doesn't like the idea that somehow he did this to take everybody's mind off the V.A. scandal. Having said that, let's face it, it leads into a week where he will give a speech at West Point.

And let's just push to remember that West Point is where the president announced the surge in Afghanistan, to try to bring things under control. Now, he is back in Afghanistan, talking about the end. This was clearly an exit speech. This was clearly, we're winding this down, here's our successes, here's why we went.

I think it just flows very naturally into the president's speech at West Point.

WHITFIELD: All right. We're going to talk about more about that message and the possibility of, you know, the influence from that foreign policy speech later on this week. We're going to be joined also after a short break by a representative, Buck McKeon, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee.

Thanks so much, Candy, Michelle, and Barbara. We'll check back in with you again. Live pictures right now of the president of the United States in a surprise visit, at least surprise, to the most of the world and to those there -- the U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan this holiday weekend.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Our live pictures right now. Bagram Air Field there in Afghanistan and in the midst of all the troops there is president of the United States, who overnight flew to Afghanistan and surprising the thousands of troops still there. Moments ago, also promising that while the war in Afghanistan is winding down, coming to an end later on this year, he says, the commitment to assist Afghanistan in its transition still remains strong by way of a commitment to counterterrorism.

And the president also using this backdrop this Memorial Day weekend to also, again, reiterate the United States' commitment to vets, encouraging those at home to hire a vet, when all of this is done, when he refer to many in the audience as the generation, the 9/11 generation, who signed up shortly after 9/11 to help maintain safety in the U.S. He says the commitment by the U.S. is strong.

All right. Later on this week, the president as he makes his way back to the U.S. will be laying out his foreign policy plan. He'll be doing that at West Point.

Let's talk more about what that message may be, what it needs to be. Let's weigh in now with Representative Buck McKeon, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee. He's joining us by phone from Santa Clarita, California.

So, Congressman, the president said that the commitment to help fight or give supplies to Afghanistan by way of counterterrorism will remain strong. In what way do you see that happening?

REP. BUCK MCKEON (D), CALIFORNIA (via telephone): Well, I think just the fact that he's gone there to Afghanistan to see the troops, to thank them for the mission and the work that they have done, that's the speech that I have been asking the president to give for a long time now. And it's incumbent upon all of us to pay attention to what he had to say.

I think the fact that he did thank the troops, thanked their families, that he laid out for the American people the fact that they had been successful in their mission, all of the things that there will never be ungoverned territory for al Qaeda to train and to attack us from. I just was really happy to see him go there and to tell the troops how much he appreciated them, how successful they have been in their mission.

The fact that millions of young people are able to go to school, under al Qaeda and Taliban rule, it was about 700,000. There's over 8 million now going to school and at least a third of them were girls that couldn't go to school before. There's been tremendous achievement over there and I'm really happy that he's done this.

WHITFIELD: Do you feel like these troops really need to hear this personal message particularly now, given that this was something that the White House had reportedly been planning for two months now? But is there a feeling, in your view, that many in Afghanistan have felt that they were forgotten even though this war will be winding down towards the end of this year?

MCKEON: Well, that's -- that's the point. I've been asking the president to give this speech and to talk to the troops because I think they have felt that people weren't not paying attention to him at home and their sacrifices were going for naught. They knew that they were accomplishing things, but they didn't think that the American people really aware because they haven't been told.

And people pay attention when the president, its commander-in-chief, speaks. So I think this was really a good thing for him to go do this. I think the troops needed it. I think that the Afghan people also needed to hear this because the Taliban has been telling them we're going to leave. These two guys in a run-up for the president, both of them have agreed to sign the bilateral security agreement that Karzai has not been willing to sign and that's the basis upon which we'll leave our troops there to make sure that the gains that they made are not lost.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MCKEON: While we're doing well, it's a fragile victory at best, and we need to stay there to help them to provide the logistics and things that they will need to make sure that they stay successful.

WHITFIELD: Congressman, before I let you go, I know that you have expressed your concerns about defense spending caps on the horizon and now with the president this week being at West Point and possibly laying out his foreign policy plans, how are you hoping or what are you hoping to hear from him as it pertains to that kind of commitment and the remainder of his tenure and what he promises or could possibly do as it pertains to his foreign policy record?

MCKEON: Well, we have cut defense spending and are going forward for the last eight or nine years and that has tremendous impact on our ability to carry out our missions, on the ability of our troops to be successful in going forward. We're very close to hollowing out our military and I think that we just passed our defense budget through the house last week, $35 billion less than the year before and while we're bringing home our troops, the war fighters in Afghanistan, it cost -- it's going to cost a lot of money to bring them out and to close down those bases over there.

WHITFIELD: All right.

MCKEON: And I don't know how we're going to move forward if we don't fix the sequestration and that is something that I would really like to see, the president, the Congress come to an agreement ongoing forward. WHITFIELD: Congressman McKeon, thank you so much for your time coming from Santa Clarita, California. Again, you're being looking at pictures of the president there in Bagram Airfield. And on his journey to Afghanistan, there were, you know, a very jovial moment, a handshake with all of the troops there and lots of pictures being taken. He was briefed on a very serious and tragic matter taking place in California over the last couple of days with that stabbing and shooting rampage.

In all, six men and women were killed during Friday's murder spree near the University of California Santa Barbara campus and a White House spokesperson says, quote, "The president and first lady's thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends who lost a loved one as a result of that horrific shooting," end quote.

The president will keep getting updates as new information as it comes in. Of course, he is overseas right now, but his staff saying he will continuously be updated. Of course, we'll have much more on this story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today a California college town is in mourning. The community of Isla Vista is struggling to come to grips with an incomprehensible act. A murderous rage by a young man bent on revenge, 22-year-old college student, Elliot Rodger.

Let's talk more about the victims, the six men and women killed during Friday's murder spree near the University of California Santa Barbara campus. One of the first people to be gunned down, 22-year-old Catherine Cooper, a UC student. She studied art history and archaeology. Cooper was shot and killed outside of her sorority house near the campus.

She was with 19-year-old Veronica Weiss who was also shot and killed outside the sorority house. Wise was a graduate of West Lake High School in Thousand Oaks California and 20-year-old Christopher Martinez was at a nearby deli when Rodger walked and shot him dead. Martinez was also a UC Santa Barbara student.

His father gave an emotional response to his son's death. We'll bring that to you later on this hour. Rodger's first three victims were his roommates who he stabbed to death at their apartment in Isla Vista. Authorities say the men were stabbed repeatedly with sharp objects. That's all they are saying.

And in addition to the six deaths, 13 other victims were hurt. Most of them were shot. Four were hit by the suspect's car. Authorities are revealing more now about Elliot Rodger and his murder plot. Here's what we know right now. The sheriff's office says Rodger apparently shot himself in the head after fleeing from police and crashing his car.

Three handguns were found in his wrecked car, all bought legally in three different cities. He also had more than 400 rounds of ammunition and authorities say Rodger had been planning this killing spree for at least a year. They say he was suffering from an undisclosed mental illness and was under the care of mental health professionals.

Rodger left evidence beyond, including a 7-minute YouTube video and in it he rants about being rejected by girls all of his life and announces his intent to commit mass murder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLIOT RODGER: Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge against humanity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That disturbing YouTube video wasn't the only warning sign. Elliot Rodger also e-mailed a 140-page manifesto to his parents and at least one of his therapists shortly before the shooting and his parents were frantically trying to find him when he apparently had opened fire.

Pamela Brown broke this news and she joins me now live in Santa Barbara, California with some exclusive new insight into the tragedy. So Pamela, help us understand the chronology of the events, when the shooting took place and at the same time the parents hearing of this news and hoping it wasn't their son who was carrying this out?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Fredricka. We've spoken to a close friend of the Rodger family by a man named Simon and he gave us a look into the mad scramble that was going on just before and during the shooting rampage. We learned that Rodger sent that 140-page manifesto in an e-mail to a couple of dozen people including his family and his therapist among others.

And his mother, according to this family friend, then called the father and told him about the manifesto and about the YouTube video and the family friends says she also called 911 and that was a frantic search underway to get in touch with Elliot, to find him. In fact, we learned that they hopped in a car.

They were on their way from L.A. to Santa Barbara and they heard there was a shooting in Isla Vista. They had no idea who was behind that shooting, but later on that night, their worst fear came through. They found out that, indeed, it was their 22-year-old son who was the one that carried out the shooting spree, killing six people.

And when these things happen, Fredricka, you also go back to see if something fell through the cracks. We know that police went to Elliot Rodger's apartment back in April on a welfare check. The mother was concerned she couldn't get in touch with him. She saw the YouTube video he had been posting, contacted the therapist and the therapist contacted a mental health hotline.

The cops went and checked on him. They said he was fine, that he seemed OK, he was timid, shy, nothing to indicate that he was a danger to himself or others so the case was closed. But you look at the manifesto he wrote and he talked about that moment, Fredricka. This is what he said, "As soon as I saw those cops, the biggest fear I had ever felt in my life overcame me. I had the striking and devastating fear that someone had discovered what I was planning to do, and reported me for it. If that was the case, the police would have searched my room, found all of my guns and weapons along with my writings about what I plan to do with them.

I would have been thrown in jail, denied of the chance to exact revenge on my enemies. I can't imagine a hell darker than that. This was a very disturbed young man, Fredricka, who had been plotting this shooting spree for quite some time.

WHITFIELD: Terribly sad. Thank you so much, Pamela Brown.

All right, on his trip to the Middle East, Pope Francis says, he is ready to play a role in the peace process. I'll tell you about the offer he made to both sides to help with negotiations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It's one of the most highly anticipated papal trips in recent history. Pope Francis is in the midst of a whirlwind three-day tour in the holy land. The journey marks the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI 1964 trip to the Holy Land. The pope kicked off his trip in Jordan meeting with King Abdullah II at the Royal Palace in Amman. Jordan is a mostly Muslim nation, but there's a significant Christian community.

Thousands of people packed the city's international stadium yesterday to hear Francis say mass. From Jordan, he headed by helicopter to Bethlehem and today on a visit to the West Bank, the pope made a dramatic gesture towards the Middle East process. He invited the leaders of Israel and Palestinian authority to come to the Vatican for peace talks.

CNN is following Pope Francis on his trip. Vatican correspondent, Delia Gallagher is in Jerusalem right now. So Delia, you know, this is a huge gesture. What does this mean for the peace process, you know, or I guess hope for the peace process?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: That's what it is, Fredricka. It's the hope of the pope that these two parties, who are currently not speaking to each other, might come to the Vatican for a day of prayer, he says. So not a political day but a way to get them into the same room and who wants to underestimate the power of prayer? Certainly the pope doesn't.

If it were to happen, it would indeed be historical and it was already a great surprise today amongst other great surprises during this remarkable second day. Very, very busy for the pope. He met with Palestinian leaders this morning on his way, then, to manger square to Bethlehem and he stopped the pope-mobile and he went up to wall and put his hand up in prayer for a few moments.

That's was seen as a sign both from the Palestinian side and the Israel side of the pope's message that these walls must come down. Not just this wall in the West Bank, but walls all around the world which are barriers to peace and that has been the pope's message both with the Palestinians and the Israelis and within the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, some very bold and historic moments there on day two of his three-day visit. Thanks so much, Delia Gallagher.

All right, could a new leader bring Ukraine out of crisis? Someone who witnessed today's presidential election next.

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WHITFIELD: Voters in Ukraine are choosing a new leader today for either deeply divided country, a billionaire, candy company owner, known as the chocolate king, has declared himself as the winner. Exit poll showed he had more than 50 percent of the vote. The vote appeared to go smoothly earlier in some places like right here in Kiev, but it wasn't like that everywhere. In the eastern region of Donetsk, which has declared independence, fewer than a quarter of the polling stations were opened and pro-Russian militants held a huge protests there today.

A group of militants fired shots in the air to cheers and applause. So for more on today's election, I'm joined now on the phone by the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor. He is Ukraine right now serving the elections for the National Democratic Institute.

I'm also joined by Thomas Pickering, the former U.S. undersecretary of state for Political Affairs in Washington. Good to see you both and hear from you. Ambassador Taylor, I want to begin with you. Is there a way of describing the mood there? Is there mostly apprehension or excitement during today's voting?

WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE (via telephone): There is definitely excitement. Now, I have to tell you, I'm down in a region of the country that is now on the border of Crimea and it's in the southern part of the country and generally has been in the eastern area. And I am amazed at the excitement in the air, not apprehension. The Ukrainians here are very excited for having participated in this vote.

WHITFIELD: Thomas, is this encouraging to you?

THOMAS PICKERING, FORMER UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Yes, it is, Fredricka. I think Bill's report of excitement may be in an area where there may be Russian separatists hanging around is a useful point, despite the fact that the reports from Donetsk is that the separatists are boycotting the celebration.

A chance of pulling things together, I think of the candidates he looked like the best and certainly will now have to wait and see what he can do but he has a real chance to start on the primary problem, which is to try to help fix Ukraine's very drastically bad economic situation. The real problem that led, I think, to the breakdown and chain of events that we are seeing WHITFIELD: Ambassador Taylor, how worrisome is it to you that there are reports that polling stations in the eastern part of the country were not open and, if that's the case, how does that impact the legitimacy of any outcome?

TAYLOR: There's no question about the legitimacy of this outcome. In terms of the Ukrainian constitution, in terms of the Ukrainian people. I would imagine that 92 percent of the -- certainly over 90 percent of people -- of the voters who wanted to vote that were able to vote. It is certainly true, there are portions of Donetsk and portions of portion of Luhansk that did not vote. Nonetheless, even though a small percentage didn't vote, it will be legitimate. It's certainly legal, according to the constitution. And I think the world will recognize that it's a leader of the peak.

WHITFIELD: Thomas Pickering, William Taylor, thank you so much.

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