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House Holds Hearing On Border Crisis; Kerry Meets With Kurds, Sunni Arabs In Iraq; Lebron James To Be A Free Agent On July 1; Former NFL Star Aaron Hernandez Is Charged With Three Murders; NTSB Determines Cause Of Asiana Crash Today; Hollywood Takes Aim At North Korean Leader

Aired June 24, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

At this hour in Washington, a key congressional committee, this is a live picture from Capitol Hill where members are set to open a hearing on the thousands of children who have crossed the border in recent months, undocumented and unaccompanied. The hearing comes after top Republican lawmakers in Texas toured a San Antonio Air Base that's housing some of those children and slam the Obama administration for not taking swift action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: This is an absolutely humanitarian crisis ready to happen. I do not understand why there has not been more interest in Washington, D.C. to secure the southern border with Mexico and the United States.

GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: We are dealing with a true humanitarian crisis. Another thing though that we have realized all along, and that is we are dealing with a human made crisis.

SENATOR TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: We are witnessing a humanitarian crisis unfolding. That is the direct consequence of President Obama's lawlessness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN's Polo Sandoval is in Washington. So this hearing gets under way shortly. Who is set to testify?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of eyes will be on Secretary Jeh Johnson, he's the head of the Homeland Security Department, the head really. He's the one that is going to be facing those tough questions. Ultimately though Republican critics have been founding off since this issue of families and unaccompanied children gain political momentum in recent week.

You see there that right now things are getting ready to kick off, but really Michael McCall, he is now the Republican chairman of this committee, but he also comes from Texas, he is expected to open this morning's hearing, citing the numbers, 52,000 unaccompanied children have been crossing the southern border.

We are in contact with Secretary Johnson's office. They are telling us that really what we'll expect from him today will be several things. One of them is we'll be calling for some potential changes there, particularly a three-prong approach to fixing this issue and targeting and expediting the process in which these people and unaccompanied children are -- they are going through the system.

They are also going to be try to get the problem at the root here, which is to try to address the families in Central America, braving the terrain and also going to the stretches to try to make it into the United States and obviously do it in a lawful way. So that's what we expect out of this hearing.

But really as you mentioned there and you heard just a few moments ago, there's been no shortage of politics here. The governor of Texas calling for change. The administration responding by enacting potential fixes, like more detention centers and a faster process of trying to get these thousands and thousands of people through the system -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Polo Sandoval, we'll check back with you. Secretary of State John Kerry is wrapping up his second day in Iraq, hoping to calm a war-torn country and ease the violence that shows no signs of slowing down. Kerry is in Northern Iraq meeting with Kurdish and Sunni Arab leaders as cities across Iraq crumble, continue to crumble under terrorist control.

The leaders Kerry's meeting with say they want to go to bat for a new Iraqi government, but the secretary is skeptical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have to let that organic process work out a little bit. Words are cheap. I'm not taking anything I hear to the bank and saying, wow, it's going to be solved, but I'm hearing things that indicate to me that if they follow through on the things they're saying, there is a capacity to have a new government that could be a unity government, that could reflect a greater capacity for success.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN national security correspondent, Jim Sciutto sat down with Secretary Kerry. Here's part of his interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Let's talk about the U.S. response if we can. Twelve days ago, June 12th, the president said he was appearing with the Australian prime minister that my team is working around the clock on options to respond.

During that 12 days since, we calculated, ISIS has captured an additional 11 cities and towns, a key refinery, crucial roadways and border crossings. Hadn't the delay in the administration's response here on the ground, military action, strengthened ISIS during that time?

KERRY: I think the real question, Jim, is not sort of what happened in those days. The question is what can happen going forward, to have a strategy that's really going to work. The reason the president sent me out here is that if he were to make the decision, he may have to ultimately, but he made the decision about trying to see whether or not you can have a government that can work or reconstitute the military then you have a whole different set of options.

SCIUTTO: But you said yesterday that the president was prepared to act before there is political compromise?

KERRY: He is always prepared to act under any circumstance. He reserves the right to use force if he has to. He is going to accomplish the goal. But the primary effort is to get the government to form so that you have something backing up what you are doing. So that you have a military here which can be reconstituted. So you have political leadership that can pull people together and they will feel invested in their government and prepared to push back.

Why did you have a whole, what six divisions fold in front of several thousand terrorist fighters come in? Because they weren't invested, because they cut their own deals. That's a failure of governance, and if you can reconstitute that government, then you have a strategy that you could begin to implement where a strike might me more successfully, maybe able to accomplish more.

You can actually have a holistic approach to the solution. I think the president is wise to be thoughtful about that, to measure it, but to reserve the right if he needs to, to do something which he does.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The president is still weighing military intervention, but says that will not include boots on the ground.

We have exciting breaking sports news and it's about Lebron James. We have confirmed that James has decided to exercise his early termination option in his contract, which would make him a free agent on July 1st. Andy Scholes, was this something.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: When he's a free agent, those are the best summers. Everyone is on edge. Where's he going to go? A lot of people thinking he's putting the pressure on the Miami Heat, by opting out, you need to make the roster better. We just got creamed in the NBA finals. Dwayne Wade is getting older. The roster just couldn't hold up and compete with the Spurs.

So a lot of you will think he is opting out to just put pressure on the Miami Heat and see what they do, but there are teams out there. You've got the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Chicago Bulls, the Los Angeles Lakers, they have money and can work a contract for Lebron James. COSTELLO: You did not mention the Cleveland Cavaliers?

SCHOLES: I can't see Lebron leaving South Beach and going back to Cleveland when the owner who bashed him a lot when he left.

COSTELLO: I was there when that happened. I covered the very first game when Lebron was playing for Miami and went back to Cleveland and it was ugly.

SCHOLES: Lebron has always had a soft spot in his heart for Cleveland. He grew up in Akron. His wife just Instagramed a picture just yesterday saying, the countdown is real. Lebron and the family are coming back.

But that being said, I still think him going back to Cleveland is a long shot. I say the Miami Heat are the most likely destination. Think about this way, Carol, Lebron makes $30 million to $40 million in endorsements every year. His NBA contract is not critical for him. He doesn't need a big deal.

He gets on a one year deal anywhere for any amount of money to play for any team. It's going to be interesting to see what happens here, if the Miami Heat can't convince him that they are going to put a winning team together right away because I am sure Lebron has the sour taste in his mouth after what just happened to him in the NBA finals.

COSTELLO: It must be nice to have that power. You want something changed in your company, you just say, I'm thinking about leaving.

SCHOLES: That's why they call him the king, right?

COSTELLO: Exactly. King James. Thank you, Andy. Appreciate that.

Former NFL star, Aaron Hernandez, due back in court today for yet another step in three murder cases proceeding against him. There's a hearing of a drive by can killing of two men. A year ago this week, Hernandez was also charged with murdering an acquaintance.

CNN's Susan Candiotti has worked extensively on the breath-taking fall of the Aaron Hernandez case and the signs of trouble the followed him for years. Good morning, Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. You know, when he's in court today, it's mainly for routine matters, motions and possibly setting a trial date in the case of that murder over a spilled drink as police describe it. But first he probably would face trial in the orchestration of the execution style murder of Oden Lloyd.

But the question you hear time and again is, what happened to this young football star? You have a guy with an electric smile. What went wrong? And now we're finding out as sources are telling me that it all might have been over very routine matter prompt by a couple of things that happened at a bar and again at his house that set him off driven by paranoia. Again, something very minor and trivial. It doesn't seem possible that eventually led to the first case of the murder of Oden Lloyd -- Carol.

COSTELLO: It's just -- what a wasted life and it just seems like -- I don't know, but I'm not going to say what it seems like because you have a special that's going to air tonight. Tell us more about that that -- Susan.

CANDIOTTI: Well, you know, this is a guy who clearly is full of contrasts. You will hear from childhood friends who say he was the nicest kid around. But then after his dad dies, his life seems to go in the wrong direction, but you'll also be seeing new crime scene photos and more on his alleged drug use, and fascinating details, Carol, about what he's been up to in jail.

COSTELLO: I can't wait to watch it. Susan Candiotti, thank you so much. Tune in tonight for that special report, "Downward Spiral, Inside The Case Of Aaron Hernandez." It airs at 9:00 Eastern right here on CNN. We'll be back.

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COSTELLO: We are learning new information about the deadly Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash last summer. Right now, NTSB officials are holding a hearing in Washington to determine the official cause of the crash. One of big questions, whether the pilots relied too heavily on automated system while preparing to land. Three people were killed and nearly 200 others were injured in this crash.

Let's bring in CNN aviation and government regulation correspondent, Renee Marsh. So they are voting on a cause?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: They will be hearing all of the information from investigators and then they will vote on what is the probable cause. What's so significant about this crash, it was the first one as it relates to an airline crash, a fatal one in the United States since 2009. So now the question is who or what it was to blame for the crash of Asiana Flight 214.

As you said at this moment as we speak, the NTSB is in the process of making that final decision on the probable cause. The 777 we do know at this point was flying too low and too slow when it was coming in for a landing at San Francisco International Airport. It hit a seawall. It cartwheeled and it erupted in flames.

Now already in the first few minutes of this meeting that's happening now, the NTSB assigned some of the blame to the pilots. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHER HART, ACTING CHAIRMAN, NTSB: In this instance, the flight crew over relied on automated systems they did not understand. As a result they collided with the sea wall at the end of the runway. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MARSH: All right, so they heard it there already some of the blame going to the pilots. This will be a marathon meeting. It's going to go well into the afternoon. The NTSB will also explore where Boeing 777 automated systems and its design are just simply too confusing for pilots to understand and ultimately, Carol, these are questions that should concern anyone who flies.

At the end of today, they will vote on the probable cause of the crash and make a series of safety recommendations. We'll be watching to see what those recommendations are, even though they are not binding, if they are adopted, it would impact anyone who gets on a plane -- Carol.

COSTELLO: As they should. Rene Marsh reporting live from Washington this morning.

Checking other stop stories for you this morning at 17 minutes past the hour. According to a report by the "New York Times," investigators now believe missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 did not dramatically change altitude, but instead may have remained at a controlled flight for hours after it lost contact. Officials tell the newspaper initial altitude readings appear to be inaccurate. Australian authorities are expected to announce a new search zone as early as tomorrow.

Two people are dead and four others have been wounded following an early morning shooting in the Miami. It happened at an apartment complex in the Liberty City neighborhood that's about six miles north of downtown Miami. At this point, police have no motive for the shootings.

Heavy rains have triggered widespread flooding across parts of the Midwest and in Iowa, the river has crested more than six feet above flood stage. The still water bridge, which runs between Minnesota and Wisconsin has been closed because of the rising water. Several roads and bridges have been shut down throughout Minnesota and the governor there has declared a state of emergency in 35 counties.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Hollywood goes after a familiar foe again and he's an easy target. We'll tell you about it next.

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COSTELLO: North Korea, can it take a joke? Hollywood is working on right now. Kim Jong-Un is not laughing. The movie which opens in October is about a plot to assassinate the North Korean leader. Of course, this isn't the first time Hollywood has taken a shot at the controversial North Korean family. Nischelle Turner is in New York with more on this. Good morning.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. You're right. By the way, we should say that James Franco and Seth Rogen are equal opportunity offenders when they write their comedy. This is not the first time. You said it. If I were a betting woman, I would say this is the last time they make fun of the North Koreans. They find Kim Jong-Un's antics funny, but the North Korean dictator isn't laughing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to go kill Kim Jong-Un.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Totally. I would love to go kill Kim Jong-Un. It's a date.

TURNER (voice-over): Hollywood has the North Korean leader in its sight again. "The Interview" featuring Seth Rogen and James Franco is talk show host turned would be assassins may not be in theaters until October, but their new trailer is attracting worldwide attention.

The spokesperson for North Korea is telling CNN he thinks the people behind "The Interview" must have a mental illness, adding, "This movie shows some type of American desperation from the American government and society." Comedians have been taking shots at the leader of North Korea over multiple generations.

A decade ago focusing on Kim Jong-Un's father, 2004's team America turned Kim Jong-un into a caricature. Making him into a lonely puppet. And NBC's "30 Rock" made him a waiter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My God, are you --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm nobody. Kim Jong-Un is dead. I'm only waiter. I'm great -- greatest waiter of all time.

TURNER: While in real life, North Korea's policies are no joke to its people and the rest of the world, the secrecy of the regime coupled with occasionally odd PR events like Dennis Rodman's basketball diplomacy and the regimes outrageous claims about their leader.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His people believes anything he tells me including he can speak to dolphins, including he doesn't urinate or did he have a --

TURNER: Makes them easy targets for comedians and just by responding they might even be helping the new film unwittingly. After all, the first rule of Hollywood, a little controversy can help the Box Office. Seth Rogen responded to the comments by his film by linking to an article referencing them and tweeting, apparently Kim Jong-Un plans on watching #the interview. I hope he likes it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER: And also Rob Lowe just tweeted he has joined the cast of the movie and he responded to Seth Rogen's tweet saying wait till he sees my bit. Listen, I'm with you. I'm with you.

COSTELLO: No, my favorite line from your story is that North Korea thinks that Seth Rogen and James Franco is mentally ill.

TURNER: Can you believe that?

COSTELLO: Yes, I can. TURNER: And they would probably say, well, in some cases --

COSTELLO: Yes, you are right but who cares. Nischelle Turner, I really enjoyed that. Thank you so much.

TURNER: Sure.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Texas Governor Rick Perry issuing a stark warning to Washington over the growing border crisis affecting his state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERRY: In July and August, if the message does not get out into those countries in Central America, you are going to see a trail of tears again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So what should the Obama administration do? We'll talk about that next.

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COSTELLO: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. Lawmakers in Texas are calling it a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of children streaming across the U.S.' southwest border from Mexico since the start of the year and ending up in detention centers as both the state and federal governments struggle to deal with the fall out. But it's not just the number of children that alarm officials.