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Obama Talks Immigration Today in Texas; VA Whistleblowers Worry about Retaliation; Joan Rivers Storms Off CNN Interview; Rollin' Coalers Blowing Plenty of Smoke

Aired July 09, 2014 - 10:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Brianna Keilar in for Carol Costello. Thanks for joining me.

In a bid to find a solution to the immigration crisis, President Obama will sit down in Texas today not only with elected officials, but also with faith leaders who have become increasingly involved in the push for immigration reform.

My next guest has been part of those efforts. He is Reverend Gabriel Salguerro, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. Good morning to you, Reverend, thanks for being with us to talk about this issue that has stretched from the halls of Congress all the way to the town of Murrieta, California where anti-immigration protesters forced bus loads of detained immigrants to reroute to San Diego.

And also in a piece for "Time Magazine", Reverend, let's talk about what you wrote. You said quote, "The church cannot be silent as angry groups of people stoking the flames of fear yell at buses filled with helpless immigrant children and women. Intelligent and well meaning people can disagree on the best way forward to this humanitarian and immigration crisis. All will agree that screaming at children caught in an inescapable web of international relations, corruption, human traffickers, and stagnation on immigration reform isn't the way forward."

When you see those images, along with those kids, what are your thoughts?

REV. GABRIEL SALGUERRO, NATIONAL LATINO EVANGELICAL COALITION: Well my thoughts are -- Brianna, first, thanks for covering this -- is that we can do better. We can do better as a nation. The evangelical community, we have a norm carved (ph) in scripture to welcome the widow, the orphaned, and the stranger. And these children are orphans sometimes, and the stranger.

So I think that our policies should reflect our noblest angels and our highest ideals which is a humanitarian and a due process for these children coming from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala even as the politics are worked out of immigration reform.

KEILAR: It's interesting when you look at religious scriptures, Reverend, there are many tales of migration and also, I guess sort of human dignity in these stories. How does the issue of immigration impact people who follow scriptures very closely?

SALGUERRO: Well immigration is one of the major topics in scripture, you know, from Abraham and even the people of Israel in the Exodus. Even Jesus himself was a migrant when he was fleeing persecution of Herod. Hebrews, the book of Hebrews, tells us to remember hospitality and to welcome the stranger, and Jesus himself said the way we treat the stranger is the way we treat him.

So we have to have a policy that's humane and that is a comprehensive way forward that deals with the sending countries, sustainability, economic development, and when the children arrive here, treat them as humanitarianly and as compassionately as we can. Screaming at children is not a best reflection of who we are as a nation.

KEILAR: When you look at the messages that folks on different sides of this debate are putting out there, do you see much of faith coming -- do you see that sort of in the narrative here? Or not really?

SALGUERRO: Well, I think we can do better, but I am thankful for groups like the Evangelical Immigration Table that's been working for over three years, groups like World Vision and World Relief. We're not just talking about fixing the immigration crisis. We're also helping these countries in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala to provide security, education, and relief.

So we have a comprehensive approach. What we don't want is using children as a political ping-pong for inaction; the blame game doesn't help anybody. We want real leadership, humanitarian leadership and real solutions that protects the due process of these kids even while addressing the root causes of violence, gang violence, and economic sustainability in these countries.

KEILAR: If you were in this meeting today with President Obama, what would you say to him?

SALGUERRO: Well, I would say what I said to him a few weeks ago when I was with him in the White House and Vice President Biden, is that we need to have a comprehensive approach that partners with these sending countries to make sure that the children are protected, and while they're here, treat them humanitarianly, not rule back their due process.

But the truth is that if we're just treating the symptoms and not the root causes, we're going to have this. You can increase border patrol, you can increase deportations but you need to address the root causes and treat these children. These children are created in the image of God and need to be treated humanitarianly.

KEILAR: Thank you so much, Reverend Gabriel Salguerro, really appreciate your perspective.

SALGUERRO: Thank you, Brianna.

Whistle blowers throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs say they are the targets of retaliation. The Department is now investigating more than five dozen claims of retaliation that came out at a house hearing on Tuesday night.

This comes at a really bad time from the agency. It's trying to recover from accusations of inadequate care and department mismanagement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JOSE MATHEWS, ST. LOUIS VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: I have disclosed the wrongdoings that I found promptly to the chief of staff, and to the chief of mental health, with the expectation that they would address it and what I found is that nothing has really changed. As late as June, just two weeks ago, the response to my finding about these evaluations that were not done properly was to just detail me elsewhere. So this seems to be an ongoing practice.

DR. CHRISTIAN HEAD, GREATER L.A. VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: Retaliation exists because as a culture, this culture of retaliation, that's really cancer to the Veteran Administration. I'm not afraid to be taken out. I do hope if I am taken out, someone will take care of my family, but I think people need to speak up. And we shouldn't be isolated, ostracized, and the level of defamation, notice that every time there's a whistle blower, there's usually an e-mail that follows, "Well this person's not getting a bonus so they're upset. This person didn't get the raise they wanted, so, you know, they can be suspect. This person didn't do this."

They always defame. They defame, they isolate -- usually they transfer you to another position. Why? Because they're slowly building a case if they don't have one already to say that you're crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: An independent agency says more than two dozen of those retaliation complaints came since the beginning of June.

And still to come, who wants to take on Germany after they just demolished Brazil? CNN's Laura Rutledge has a preview of today's big match that will determine that. Hey -- Laura.

LAURA RUTLEDGE, CNN SPORTS: Hey Brianna, yes, we have all the details on the Argentina-Netherlands match coming up later today.

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KEILAR: Do not expect today's World Cup semifinal teams to have the same offensive fire power as Germany showed against Brazil. The Germans -- I mean they ran through the Brazilian defenders like they were a high school (inaudible) team. Maybe even frosh I would say. They went on to win by a humiliating 7-1 score.

It was Brazil's first loss at home in almost 40 years. And now Germany advances to Sunday's final against the winner of today's match.

CNN's Laura Rutledge has more on that. I feel bad even talking about it. It was so bad. It just feels like you're kind of rubbing salt in the wound almost.

RUTLEDGE: I know. You're right, Brianna, it was so painful to watch. If you ask Brazil at this point what could make their 7-1 loss to Germany even worse, they would probably say is that their arch rival Argentina still has a shot at playing for the World Cup.

Now they'll have to get past the Netherlands first. And this is really an opportunity for Argentina star, Lionel Messi to cement his legacy. Argentina is looking to make the World Cup final for the first time in two decades, but they'll need Messi to be at his best for that to happen.

He has four of their eight goals so far, and he's considered one of the top two players in the world, but winning this World Cup would be kind of that missing puzzle piece to his name.

Now the Dutch are looking for redemption after reaching the World Cup final at the last World Cup in 2010 and getting denied. They have a great deal to play for, but they're going to need their captain, Robin van Persie to carry them. How he has pretty much throughout this tournament.

Remember he's the Flying Dutchman who scored one of the best goals of this World Cup early on with that spectacular header -- that never gets hold. Now van Persie is actually dealing with a stomach bug. But most reports say he will play today. The question that I'm wondering is will he be 100 percent?

It's going to be a big game. And that's Argentina against Holland this afternoon, Brianna, but van Persie will have to be 100 percent I think for the Netherlands to have that edge over Argentina.

KEILAR: Yes. You know, Brazil might actually want Argentina to have a shot against Germany in a way to sort of, you know, see how they fare. It's a really good team.

All right. Laura Rutledge, thank you so much.

RUTLEDGE: Thank you.

Still to come, some might say only in Berkeley. A decision to give free medical pot to the poor. We'll talk about that next.

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KEILAR: It is believed to be a first -- free medical marijuana for low income residents. That was the decision of Berkeley, California's city council. Here's Dan Simon with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Berkeley long ago cemented its reputation for being one of the most liberal cities in America. Today, it's certainly living up to that image by giving away free marijuana to the poor. In what appears to be the first of its kind ordinance nationwide, Berkeley will require that its medical marijuana dispensaries provide free cannabis to low income residents which would also include the homeless.

Is it a good idea to give free cannabis to the homeless?

DARRYL MOORE, BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: When you couch it that way, it sounds, you know, peculiar. But we're talking about free medicine. This is medical cannabis; cannabis that is used to relieve pain for glaucoma, and heart problems, and things of that nature. So, I think it is a good idea.

SIMON: Darryl Moore and the entire city council voted in favor of the measure. Part of a 20-page ordinance to amend a municipal code. It says at least two percent of the dispensary's marijuana should be given to the indigent, who still must have a medical marijuana ID card or referral from a doctor.

But even here in Berkeley where we placed an open mike, some worry the new ordinance will lead to abuse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Berkeley has a terrible homeless problem. It's just going to attract more homeless people to the area.

I volunteer here at the local rehab clinic. I think it's going to really increase the number of drug problems that myself and my colleagues see on a regular basis.

SIMON: Low income here is defined as making less than $32,000 a year for an individual and less than $46,000 for a family of four.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This will open a doorway for people to just get marijuana and sell it as opposed to using it themselves for medicinal purposes.

SIMON: But advocates say this measure is all about compassion, by providing medicine to those who can't easily afford it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: And Dan, bringing Dan Simon in, I have to say that an interesting touch with the open mike. As a Cal alum, I thought that was sort of right on. You talked to some people, they're sort of, you think mixed on this, right?

SIMON: Well first of all, I can tell you that this passed -- this sailed through the city council last night with flying colors. It was a unanimous vote. Now you might think that a business, Brianna, would be opposed to having to give away their products for free?

Well in Berkeley, with their medical marijuana dispensaries that is not the case. In fact they are all on board with this. I should tell you that this medicine can get expensive. It can easily cost users hundreds if not thousands of dollars each month. And so they felt like they wanted to do something that would be compassionate for people of lesser means, Brianna.

KEILAR: All right. We'll have to see if maybe some other municipalities follow suit. Dan Simon, thank you.

Still to come, maybe you heard about Joan Rivers walking off the set in the middle of a CNN interview this weekend. Well on "The Late Show" last night, David Letterman gave the self-described diva a taste of her own medicine.

We are looking at that stunt, and we're talking to the CNN anchor that Rivers stormed out on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Joan Rivers made headlines this weekend when she walked out of an interview with Fredricka Whitfield, but on the late show last night, David Letterman turned the tables on the self-described diva.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: So I was watching the CNN thing, and you felt that she was being --

JOAN RIVERS, COMEDIAN: Very judgmental, very nasty, very opinionated -- negative, it was like my wedding night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Fredricka, this stunt, Letterman's stunt, it was a parody of her storming off the CNN set just a few days earlier. Fredricka, your interview with Joan Rivers, it started off pleasant enough, then she became irritated when asked about criticism of her fur collection. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: You know this whole interview is becoming a defensive interview.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: No.

RIVERS: Are you wearing leather shoes?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

RIVERS: Then shut up. I make people laugh for 50 years. I am put on earth make people laugh. My book is funny. I wear fur that was killed 15 years ago. I work for animal rights. Stop it with, you do this and you're mean and you're that. You are not the one to interview a person who does human. Sorry.

WHITFIELD: Are we serious?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: OK Fredricka, first up -- little fact check because she called you judgmental and nasty, I can say, both of these things are very untrue. You are my lovely colleague.

WHITFIELD: You're sweet.

KEILAR: But I'm wondering, did you anticipate anything like that drama?

WHITFIELD: Oh gosh, no. I thought I was going to get the kind of biting humor that I saw on Letterman last night. I mean that's what she's known for.

And I expected that that's what she would be doing when she's talking about her book, which is loaded with that kind of, you know, humor that only Joan Rivers can deliver. And so I helped, I thought I was going to help provoke that by reading passages from her book, but instead, you know, she wasn't happy with that. And that was the outcome.

And then the latest current event happened to be some animal rights activist who disrupted her book signing. And she, she welcomed that with humor as well. And I thought the same thing would happen when I asked her about it and she would just deliver an encore, but, you know, it went quite the opposite and instead she was irritated.

Certainly I wasn't going into this interview looking to provoke or agitate. So I was surprised, but I was thrilled when I was told that she was available, I jumped at the chance, I looked forward to talking with her. I mean who doesn't admire her longevity in this business of comedy for 50 years?

So, you know, I was surprised. Believe me, I thought she was joking when we were in the body of, you know, the interview, and she was now saying she was about to walk off. And I actually thought she was joking, and so I was going along with her, OK this was funny. But then she left and I continued to sit and I thought maybe she'd come back, and you know -- well, she didn't.

KEILAR: Did she anything to you off camera after the interview by chance? Or was that it?

WHITFIELD: A lot was said off camera, her mike was on. I think she knows. She's a pro. She's been in the business a long time. She wanted me to hear everything that she said off camera. It was more than biting, it was, you know, there were tough words, a lot of four letter words that were direct, directly aimed at me. But you know what -- I've got thick skin. It's all right.

KEILAR: Not to our Fred Whitfield, no.

WHITFIELD: You know. But it's OK. I don't know what exactly set her off. I didn't know at the time. I mean yes, the question about the activist, it seemed as though that was the moment that, that she wanted to get off the set. But last night on Letterman, to me, she really got to the matter of it which was she thought that when she asked me about my age and I told her my age, and believe me the last thing I'm trying to do is tell everyone I'm 49 on the air. But now it's out there so here we go. She asked me my age and then she then launched into the whole botox and you've had it. And I was just being honest, I haven't, and I hadn't had any work. And last night on letterman, that's what she said really kind of ticked her off because she thought that I looked very pulled and I looked like I had had procedures and she thought I was being dishonest and that's what made her mad.

And she said that on Letterman last night. So you know what, it's the best compliment I could ever get, that's OK coming from you, Joan Rivers to hear that. I appreciate it, thank you. And you know, thanks to mom and dad because I got nothing to do with whether I look pulled or not.

KEILAR: You've got great genes. No, I've met your dad, you have great genes. It is impressive, and certainly, I would be jealous. I'm jealous. I assume that Joan Rivers might be a little jealous too.

WHITFIELD: Well it was, it was an interesting experience, I expected some fireworks this holiday weekend, but I didn't know it was going to come in that form.

KEILAR: No, exactly. All right. Well it sure was interesting. Thanks for talking to us, Fred, appreciate it.

WHITFIELD: Thanks Brianna.

KEILAR: Have you ever seen anyone roll in coal? You know what I'm talking about. Hopefully it was from a distance. Yes, they are really blowing some smoke here, literally.

Here's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Holy smoke, actually, there is nothing holy about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you smoke?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Well, stand by.

MOOS: Especially if you're the one covered in it, some volunteer, modifying a truck so that it spews exhaust is called "rollin' coal", and there's a cloud of anti-environmentalism around it. Prius- repellant it's jokingly or not so joking recalled.

(on camera): Have you ever rolled coal on a Prius?

SETH MURRAY, DIESEL MECHANIC: Yes, not purposely because it was a Prius. Mostly, because they were right in my tail.

MOOS voice-over): Diesel tech Seth Murray of Woodbridge, Virginia, seems to be a relatively good guy coal roller. He says he does not blow smoke on motorcycles or bikes. (on camera): It looks downright mean is what it looks.

MURRAY: I try not to do it to pedestrians that are standing.

MOOS (voice-over): That's thoughtful.

In the words of the Web site "Vocative", "rollin' coal" is pollution porn for dudes with pickup trucks.

There are videos posted on YouTube blowing smoke on a Ferrari, and even a police car.

(on camera): This can't be legal. You can't just blow smoke on people, can you?

(voice-over): The Environmental Protection Agency says. "Tampering with vehicle pollution controls is against the law."

Police agencies we talked to in Virginia were totally unaware of "rollin' coal", though Virginia law prohibits installing anything that emits smoke.

Prius owners like this woman tend to be fed up with idling trucks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's the matter with you? You got to make that much pollution? Is it your right?

MOOS: She would blow her stack if the Prius was smoke bombed, though some think is chick magnet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just passed some fine honeys, see if we can't pick them up.

Y'all want a ride? Get on in here.

MOOS: Seth says he likes to roll coal on back roads when no one is around. His advice to other coal rollers --

MURRAY: Try and do it in good manners.

MOOS: And say excuse me if you accidently belch on another motorist. Remember, these are dude who make jokes like "I love my truck so much, when I have sex in it, I consider it a threesome." This then must be an orgy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you smoke? You do? Well, enjoy.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Thanks for joining me today. I'm Brianna Keilar in for Carol Costello.

@THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA" starts now.