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Sixteen Children Lost Their Lives in Suffocating Heat; Israel Warns People in Gaza Away from Hamas Sites; Germany Wins World Cup
Aired July 13, 2014 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN HOST: These guys are taking care of me here. That's the difference.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR, NEWSROOM: So it's really exciting when there's no score?
MARQUEZ: My God. These guys are killing each other. It's unbelievable. It's just run, run, run. It is the most amazing game ever. I'm literally going to -- my heart is going to pop out of my chest at any moment now.
WHITFIELD: No, please, let's not let that happen.
MARQUEZ: That would be bad.
WHITFIELD: That would be bad. Yes, that would be pretty nasty. But you know what, you have fun with it. And now, I get a chance to watch the game and get into it.
MARQUEZ: Go get it. They're still playing.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well I'm out. Bye, Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Take care.
WHITFIELD: Ciao.
MARQUEZ: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Miguel Marquez. We're waiting for the World Cup championship match to conclude. When it does, we'll take you live to Rio. The winning and losing countries. And even a watch party right here in the USA. Plus a member of team USA joins us live. All of that ahead.
But first, we're focusing overseas. Israel is warning people in Gaza to get themselves and their families far away from places important to the militant group Hamas because it's not safe. They could be bombed at any time.
So far those have not been empty warnings. The Israeli military says it has struck more than 1300 targets. What they call terror targets over the past few days. According to Palestinian health officials 168 people, most of them civilians, have been killed. It was an appeal today from the Pope. Stop fighting in the Middle East and continue working towards peace. Pope Francis spoke from the Vatican before today's regular Sunday Angelus prayer. Remember that Pope met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders just last month.
Meanwhile, secretary of state, John Kerry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone today. The state department said the Israeli leader stressed his country's right to defend itself against rockets launched by militants in Gaza. Kerry reportedly offered to help facilitate a ceasefire.
So let's talk about that, the diplomacy, the help from outside now that it's been offered. Michael Oren is not only CNN's Middle East analyst, he used to be Israel's ambassador to the United States.
Mr. Ambassador, thanks for coming back. Your thoughts? Clearly the drumbeat of diplomacy has ticked the up, but do you see it taking any sort of effect?
MICHAEL OREN, CNN MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: Good to be with you, Miguel. You wouldn't think it likely now as a time for a diplomatic breakthrough. Forty thousand Israeli soldiers gathered along the Gaza border prepared to go into the Gaza Strip to ferret out Hamas rocket launchers. They've fired about 900 rockets at Israel since the beginning of this operation. Even rockets from Lebanon today striking Israel in the north. Not the likeliest moment for diplomatic breakthrough, and yet there is an opportunity here.
I believe that a ceasefire similar to that one achieved in the last round of fighting, in November 2012, there was a simultaneous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But beyond that, taking the example of what America achieved in removing the chemical weapons from Syria.
Remember how that was done? Peacefully. There was a threat of force. The force wasn't used. To take that model and apply it to Gaza, to bring American inspectors to Gaza, remove the arsenal. In return, Israel would ease the maritime blockade. It has held on Gaza now for several years. That would definitely ease the hardship of the civil -- civilian population of Gaza. There could be an international aid package for the civilian residents of Gaza and there could be steps even to strengthen the Palestinian authority and other Palestinian moderates by bringing in policemen who have been trained by the United States from the West Bank to guard some of the crossings from Israel into the Gaza and even perhaps from Egypt into Gaza.
It's not a perfect arrangement, but it would change the status quo and put us all on a more stable and secure footing.
MARQUEZ: That sounds like -- look, it sounds great to talk about. It sounds very unlikely when you talk about the practicality of all this. Because of the number of troops on that border right now, the Israeli troops on that border, because Hamas has now used these longer range rockets and presumably would use others that could, in fact, hit Tel Aviv, isn't it necessary for Israel to now move in and take those rockets out themselves?
OREN: Well, because Hamas is very weak and isolated in the region, Hamas used to have support from Egypt, from Syria, from Iran, it no longer does. Nobody likes Hamas. The Saudis don't like Hamas. The Kuwaitis don't like Hamas. Very isolated.
The economy in the West Bank is almost devastated and has been for a long time because of Hamas mismanagement. Hamas really has got its back up against the wall. On the other hand, Israel does not want to send its army into Gaza. That means these casualties for Israeli soldiers, inflicting great numbers of civilian casualties among the Palestinian population. International condemnations.
We all remember what happened back in 2009 when Israel was accused of war crimes for the last time it send troops into Gaza. So really, this interest on both sides in backing down and finding an agreement, I've written about this on CNN.com in the opinion pages. It's there, the plan, taking that Syrian model, getting the chemical weapons out of Syria, how that can be used to help end the crisis and put us on a more stable footing in Gaza.
MARQUEZ: Ambassador Michael Oren, thank you very much. Thanks for staying up late for us. I hope you're enjoying the game there. But there's a lot of work to come in this. Thank you very much.
Now, people who live in Gaza are in a unique situation. They generally can't leave their own country. They have two borders, Israel and Egypt. Neither of which is open to Gaza resident most of the time. So even if they wanted to leave, it's almost impossible.
I want to talk to Yousef Munayyer. He is executive director of the Palestine center in Washington D.C.
Yousef, health officials now say 168 people have been killed in Gaza, more than 1100 are injured. Rockets still flying into Israel. Air strikes still happening. And overnight, there were quite a few. In your estimation, what is the key to stopping this back and forth and getting this back to some sort of negotiating settlements?
YOUSEF MUNAYYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PALESTINE CENTER: Well, you know, it's interesting that you mention the ongoing game to Ambassador Oren there. Just last week, just to give you an example of what the people in Gaza are going through, Palestinians who were watching the World Cup game, the semifinal on the beach at a cafe were struck by an Israeli air strike. Nine civilians were killed.
There's an ongoing bombardment here of the civilian population. And while there are projectiles going in both directions, there's absolutely no parity in the level of force that's being used against a vastly civilian population. I think the point that the ambassador makes is fundamentally flawed because it completely misunderstands the problem here at the foundation why this keeps recurring. And the reason this keeps recurring is because even though there have been ceasefires in the past, when the rockets stop flying the occupation of Palestine and the colonization of Palestinian, the siege of Gaza, all of which are backed by the force of a massive Israeli military, do not stop. And in fact, those continue and nobody holds the Israelis accountable when they continue with those violations.
That's really been the reason why ceasefires have fallen apart in the past. And if we are to get a durable ceasefire, it has to start with holding the parties accountable, particularly the Israelis. But then dealing with the underlying problems in the Gaza Strip which are the continued siege and denial of human rights of Palestinians there.
MARQUEZ: Yes, look, and as you well know, no country on planet earth is going to allow another country to lob missiles at it without some sort of response. The response is overwhelming but of course we know that's where it is going to lead and the civilian lives that are lost are horrific.
Is there any chance, do you think, of the Palestinians or the Hamas giving up rockets, allowing the international community to come in and take rockets away and to get to some more level condition of life there?
MUNAYYER: Again, that Israeli talking point is flawed precisely because there is no other country on earth which has perpetuated a multi-decade-long occupation of another people and their territory as the Israelis have. So there's a context here. And I think, you know, you owe it to your viewers to present that context the way it actually is.
Look, what you're seeing today is violent resistance. I'm particularly not a fan of it. But if we are to bring this to an end, we have to provide other avenues for the redress of Palestinian grievances. So far, negotiations have only yielded more Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.
So if we're saying to the Palestinians, you cannot use arms and we're saying to the Palestinians, negotiations are not going to work because we won't rein in Israel's settlement enterprise, what we're saying to them is there is no hope for you. And unfortunately, no nation on earth will accept that. And they'll find other ways to lash out. Some of them have taken up arms. But this is a situation that is largely created by an incentive structure that is primarily dictated by Israel and, of course, by this city here in the United States, which is supporting them.
MARQUEZ: Extremely, extremely quickly if you can, but do you see this thing ramping up or getting worse or better any time soon?
MUNAYYER: I hope and I pray that there will be a cease-fire immediately and in the immediate future and that the United States has a responsibility here not only to ask the Israelis if they can facilitate a ceasefire, but to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to the attacks on the civilian population in Gaza.
MARQUEZ: Yousef Munayyer. Thank you very, very much for joining us.
MUNAYYER: Good to be with you.
MARQUEZ: Also, rockets storming in the Middle East again, dozens of children being left in the hot cars in the U.S. accused of spying. We're talking about all of it and trying to solve the world's problem ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MARQUEZ: We just reported the latest on the showdown between Israel and Hamas. Let's talk more about it with our two CNN commentators. Marc Lamont Hill is with me here in New York and Ben Ferguson joins as from Dallas, Texas.
Good to see you both.
Ben Ferguson, Israel says it will continue to fire on Gaza targets as long as Hamas continues firing its rockets into Israel. This tit for tat sort of behavior and we've seen so many times before. Over 35,000 troops now on the ground next to Gaza. Does it look to you like we're headed for a ground war there?
BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think there's a very good chance. I think what you see from the Israeli people is after you had these three young teenagers one of them an American citizen as well that were killed, they said that's their last straw. And we see this happen, unfortunately, every several years where Hamas keeps poking and keeps poking and keeps poking and finally Israel and the people say we must respond. And I think that's exactly what you're seeing from the leadership.
They're tired of this and they're going to go after these targets and after these leaders in Hamas and try to really push them back for several years. And I think that the citizens at least seem to be in favor of this action as well right now because they're tired of being terrorized.
MARQUEZ: With Hamas having these longer range weapons now, it does not seem like Israel has many choices. I mean, do you see any -- Ambassador Oren was talking about the possibility of some peace breakthrough. I don't see it. Do you?
MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I'm hopeful for a peace agreement, at least a temporary one before. It tends to break. But I think we have to be careful about using the language of equivalency is in tit for tat. There's a huge difference between Israel's resources and Hamas'. There are also difference between misdirected missiles coming from Hamas and the type of targets strikes that are happening in Israel. And we have to look at all of this against the backdrop of four years of occupation as opposed to simply three unfortunate deaths that happened a few months ago.
MARQUEZ: Did the Palestinians have considered it concerns and -- go ahead, Ben.
FERGUSON: Well, the difference is you look at what we just talked about, technology, I'd would much rather have Israel targeting targets and it tells you about how this is coming from a defensive standpoint here whereas Hamas really doesn't care they kill, how they kill them or where their rockets land.
And if you're living in Israel and you're having to deal with the randomness of anybody's a target and everyone's a target, grandmother, kids, they don't care where these rockets go and they don't care who they hit. And I think that's the reason why Israel is having to be so tough right now.
MARQUEZ: Palestinian children --
FERGUSON: The other side, though, plays without abandonment of care of human life.
HILL: Ben, I think we have to be honest here. I mean, if you look just in the last two days you see images of literally Palestinian babies badly burned, badly terrorized and also killed. This is not a situation where Israel's on the defensive and Palestine is not. I think we have to look at this in a language where all life is valuable. All people here have an equal stake in their own humanity and that both sides have some side for critique.
I don't disagree with you that the human shield critique which was what the Israeli militaries talked about it, might be accurate. But that doesn't give Israel the right to fire back into the same areas.
MARQUEZ: Let me put it this way, Ben.
FERGUSON: Sure.
MARQUEZ: Obviously Israel does have more power. It is able to target well. When you apply sort of that pressure in Gaza city and these very, you know, heavily populated areas. Do they have to be more careful with their targeting? Do they have to take more time? Do they have to go in by ground because that way you can limit the amount of collateral damage?
FERGUSON: Look, I think they've been incredibly compassionate. I mean, they've been firing warning shots before hitting targets, and that, unfortunately, has given some of these Hamas leaders time to actually flee from their own apartments and their own homes including the neighbors. How much more compassionate can you be than that to actually warn people that we're about to bomb a certain area?
And so, I don't think that they are the out there wanting to kill innocent people or trying to. And war, unfortunately, is ugly, but go back to the core of what started this. You continually have Hamas --
HILL: Occupation.
FERGUSON: -- who is willing to throw rockets anywhere they want to throw them and you also have them where they're targeting young children and taking them and killing them. And that's what got them into this in first place. Israel was not the aggressor here.
MARQUEZ: Well, I mean, there's a very interesting story to go along with that as well and how all of that actually played out in Israel and in the Palestinian territories. There's a lot of bad blood between these two sides.
I want you guys to hold on where you are right now. We've got a lot more to talk about. The case of the 22-year-old suburban Atlanta boy who died after be pg left to die in a hot car should have made every parent agent more cautious. But since Cooper Harris died more than two dozen other cases that happened across the U.S. What in the world is wrong with people. We will talk about that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Now the numbers are staggering, 16 children have lost their lives in suffocating heat. The hot car this year in the United States alone. And just since little Cooper Harris died in a hot car in Georgia, another 27 children have been left in hot cars, amazingly enough. Two met the same fate as Cooper, sadly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ (voice-over): It's happened again, this time El Paso, Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With reference to the 911 unknown problems.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have an issue, a 2-year-old female.
MARQUEZ: A 2-year-old left in the parking lot of family's home, reports the child left to suffocate overnight. Autopsy being conducted on the little girl before possible criminal charges filed. And it keeps happening.
At least 20 incidents involving 26 children, two died raising the number of children killed from heat stroke this year to 16. All of these cases in the few short weeks since most of the nation was laser focused in the sickening case of 22-month-old Cooper Harris in Georgia. The child left by his father, Justin Ross Harris, who spent the day working at home depot, having lunch with friends and sexting women, all while his son spent seven hours strapped into the car seat, scratches to his face, abrasions on the back of his head, the child apparently struggling to survive the heat.
Joseph Scott Morgan is a forensic scholar and former investigator.
JOSEPH SCOTT MORGAN, FORENSIC SCHOLAR/FORMER INVESTIGATOR: You still have a child that's strapped in a car that's exposed to extreme heat, that I can assure you no adult would be able to endure. I certainly couldn't endure it.
MARQUEZ: Cars can heat up very quickly even in cooler temperatures. It's 91 outside. Inside, only been in here about 10 or 15 minute, it is 108 degrees. I can tell you I'm sweating through my shirts already. I'm sweating just about everywhere. These cars can go from uncomfortable to deadly very fast. And then there's this case out of Washington, D.C.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you leave her in a car?
MARQUEZ: 29-year-old Teresa (INAUDIBLE) charged with abandoning her severely disabled mother in a car on a day when temperatures rose to 95 degrees. Police found and rescued her after she was trapped in the vehicle for 16 hours. Police say she suffered from severe dehydration and was sitting in her own urine and feces.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why was she covered in urine and feces? Can you tell us what happened? MARQUEZ: As unimaginable as leaving a child or anyone in a car seems,
experts say there will be more cases as temperatures across the country continue to rise.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: And amazing, since we first aired that piece yesterday, add another incident to the list. A teenager in New York is being called a hero for calling police when she noticed a little boy sitting inside a hot car. The CNN affiliate WHAM talked to the teen who says the 4- year-old was lethargic and soaked in sweat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I looked over and I rolled down my window and I asked him, are you OK? And he said no. And I said, where's your mom? And he pointed to T.G.I. Fridays and said she was working. He said thank you and he waved to me. So, (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: What a shocker. The boy's mother has been arrest on charged with endangering the welfare of a child. She told deputies she didn't have anyone to look after the by while she was at work.
We'll bring in our CNN political commentators again, Ben Ferguson and Marc Lamont Hill.
Marc, sadly there is no shortage of this kinds of cases in America every year. I talked to somebody who said there are thousands of near misses for every one that happens, that gets caught. Why did it take the case of Cooper Harris to ignite this national conversation?
HILL: Well, I'm disappointed that it took the case of Cooper Harris to ignite the conversation, obviously. Every case matters, every life matters. But I think that case had so many other interesting and compelling details to it to what his father was doing at work to the sexting thing. That it made it easier for him to become part of the national news cycle.
But the truth is every child's life matters and every parent has to be more responsible. I understand that people make mistakes. But in general, just the bad choice of saying I don't have a baby-sitter, I don't have an alter so I will leave my child in a car. Winter or summer, that's just awful.
MARQUEZ: Marc, I don't know if there's any way -- or Ben, sorry, I don't know if there's any way that one can argue this. I mean, it's just, it is the most horrific case and has just been gripping people.
FERGUSON: It is. And I think a lot of this boils down to the issue of distractions in technology. There are so many people now that are so distracted even simple things like texting while driving, and then getting out of the car and being forgetful.
I mean, we're dealing with children here who cannot defend themselves. And some of these parents, obviously, there is questions of are they doing it on purpose. But I think there are others that truly are just accidents which are -- you know, I'm sorry, this is the biggest accident of your life. This is your child. And pay attention to what you're doing.
And if you don't want to put down your technology, then don't have a child and don't put them in the backseat of the car in this way. But we see this happening every single day. And you talked about how hot it quickly it is in these cars and how often this is happening. It is almost unbelievable. That it's really happening this often in this country and parents have got to start paying attention.
MARQUEZ: Yes, it seems impossible to believe. And that, you know, the more people learn about the Georgia case, the more they're shocked about what may have happened there. The mother of Cooper Harris, Leanna Harris, some have argued in the public, in the media there is information out there that seems pretty darn incriminating.
And Marc, do you think we should be taking such a hard look at her?
HILL: I think we should take a hard look, I think that's only fair. But as of now we only have a limited amount of information. We need to be careful. We don't want to try her in the court of public opinion. We want to let the facts play out. But it is so -- it's tough when you see a child, you know, die. When you see a child who is so vulnerable being treated in this way. It makes all of us respond in and sort of an aggressive and maybe hasty fashion.
MARQUEZ: And Ben, you've certainly seen everything that Justin Ross Harris is accused of doing online.
FERGUSON: Sure.
MARQUEZ: Is it fair to judge him this quickly? We've really only heard the prosecutor's side.
FERGUSON: Well, I think certainly you got to look at it and say, is there a chance this was possibly done on purpose. Is there a chance that others knew including his wife that this may be a plan to discard a child in this way? And that's exactly what the state should be looking at.
And when you're this disconnected from reality, while your child's sitting in a car for this many hours, at some point did you not think during the day, hey, did I even drop him off at day care, then you say I came back out, I don't buy it. There are other parents that don't buy it either.
HILL: That doesn't bother me, Ben. But if you have a routine and you think you did something. He just assumed his child was at day care all day. That part I can understand. Even as parent, I can understand that part. What's incriminating and disturbing to me is what he was doing at work. The sites he was looking at and allegedly the things he was texting allegedly, that to me is -- I won't say incriminating but certainly raises an eyebrow that makes me doubt on this issue. FERGUSON: Well, any time you're Googling about heat and death and
temperatures in cars, et cetera and animals.
HILL: Right, that's my point. That's what bothers me.
FERGUSON: You should take a very close look at a human being in that situation that's Googling those things the all the while their child is dying of heat.
MARQUEZ: I'm with Ben on this one. It would be hard to go the full day seven hours while this kid is sitting there and not remember. But it such a horrendous case. Unthinkable.
Now, to make a little turn here, rabid soccer fans are enjoying the excitement of the World Cup final. This rabid fan is. Members of team USA who put on a show of their own in Brazil are watching. We'll talk to defender Matt Besler just ahead.
And John Walsh's new show "THE HUNT" begins on CNN tonight. Each week, Walsh will examine unsolved crimes in hopes that viewers can help catch those responsible. He told us what drives him every day on his American journey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN WALSH, CNN HOST, THE HUNT: It doesn't matter whether you're a celebrity or athlete, it doesn't matter whether you live in the hood or you live in Beverly Hills, you can become an instant victim of violence in America in a second.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: OMG, it is a ripper in Rio. The score 1-0. Germany is up. We're just seconds away if Argentina can't put one in to the end of this game.
Our Richard Roth is at a watch party here in New York City. Look at those fans. Look at them there. Richard, what is the atmosphere down there? What is going on?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The atmosphere, they know that this match is over in a minute or two, German fans are overjoyed and holding on to each other and fans from Argentina are rooting for Argentina, still, you know, holding out hope here that late into the match 1-0 for Germany, tense, cagey affair. Very predictable, in fact, I called it at a 1-0 about three hours ago.
The Argentina and Germany, the third time meeting in a World Cup final. Germany won the last match 1-0, that did not go to extra time.
Back to you.
MARQUEZ: Richard, you look like you're feeling it down there. It looks like it's a very serious and intense -- I want you to take the tie off and have a beer, Richard, is what I want to say.
ROTH: Sorry, could you say that question again?
MARQUEZ: I want you to have a beer and take the tie off and have a beer!
ROTH: Oh, listen, I'm working. When you're plunging into your ninth bar in three weeks or four weeks. This match is about to be over. You probably can tell from the reaction of those behind me.
I'm here at Ambrose Hall, near and in South Street Seaport. So, you got a lot of tourists, a lot of fans of both sides. A lovely sunny afternoon and on a Sunday in the summer in New York capped off by this long tournament that's been rated by many to be the best World Cup ever, certainly producing top goals, big finishes at the end, but, of course, both teams scared to lose. This is typical for these matches.
I don't know how many new fans from America get attracted to a match which is 0-0 for so long. Certainly, there are new fans that have joined this sport. We'll see what happens four years before the next World Cup, whether they catch the fever again --
MARQUEZ: Richard, I want to stop you right there if I could. Richard, I want to stop you right there because we are looking at a live picture of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The match appears to be coming to an end. It looks like there's about two minutes left of time, and that it should -- the final whistle should be blown soon.
You can see the anguish on the players from Argentina there. Messi has played an incredible game. All these players have played to a standstill. They look like they're about to pass out.
But those fans there in Germany are getting ready to explode as this enthralling World Cup match comes to an end. It looks on the left we have a picture from Argentina, from Buenos Aires in Argentina, those fans clearly hoping for a miracle here. It is incredibly gripping to see two teams play so well.
ROTH: That sounds like it. It sounds like the match is over.
MARQUEZ: It looks like it is it.
ROTH: Germany wins the 2014 World Cup. Germany wins the World Cup, the last triumph back in 1990 in Rome, beating Argentina 1-0, same score, same team. Twenty-four years later, Germany is king of the world again in the world's most popular sport, football, or as it's known in the U.S., soccer.
MARQUEZ: There's that crowd at the Brandenburg Gates cheering on their team as they're watching live there this thrilling end to this World Cup.
Man, these guys have just played their hearts out.
Richard -- ROTH: Of course, they've celebrated at the Brandenburg Gate before
when east and west Germany combined for one nation. Yes, go right ahead.
MARQUEZ: Richard, just an amazing -- I'd like to go, if we can, to Buenos Aires and to our reporter there who can give us a taste of how things are going down in Argentina tonight.
Apparently, we're not going there. We're going to stay on Berlin here. But I do have Marc Lamont Hill next to me -- look at this great celebration. Have you been watching this, Marc?
HILL: The entire thing. This match itself, you and I were kind of sneaking and cheating and looking at bits of it. When Germany scored that was big. They played such an efficient game, such a tight game.
MARQUEZ: It is amazing. It will be interesting to see the effect on American soccer. I'm surprised by how many people, at least here in New York, are coming out to watch it even if they don't support one team or the other. A lot of people are supporting Germany even though they beat the U.S. along the way.
It is amazing. It will be interesting to see if major league soccer here, if their numbers are up in the days ahead.
HILL: Numbers will definitely pick up. You saw record numbers for the World Cup this year in the States, and then, even if the U.S. is eliminated. People are still packing in to watch this thing on TV. And on the way, bars were packed down the street to watch Germany/Argentina. That wouldn't have happened eight years ago. It's a whole different thing now.
MARQUEZ: If we still have Richard Roth in New York, what was the reaction there? Were most people for Germany or for Argentina?
ROTH: I think it was pretty divided. I have a fan from Germany here.
What's your reaction to winning the World Cup?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's awesome. It's great to be German.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was born in Germany. It feels good because we were waiting for so long.
ROTH: What do you think of the match?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it was kind of boring, but it was good at the end.
ROTH: While we're standing here over this foosball table, a fan of Argentina who we talked to before the match, your reaction to the loss? How bitter do you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel absolutely horrible and even worse because Messi did absolutely nothing. And I think he's my favorite player, and he's the best player in the world. They got it because of Messi, he didn't do anything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was good. Messi was good. But our team was good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He didn't do what he had to do. When you're the best player in the world, you have to do what you have to do.
ROTH: There were two close chances for Argentina, where you had a player alone, right in front of the goal and he missed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He specifically should have buried that. He should have headed it into the net. He didn't do it.
ROTH: And what do you think for Germany? What does this mean for the country as they continue to celebrate at the Brandenburg Gate? Yet again, you had losses in other World Cups. 2002, Germany lost to Brazil in Yokohama. It is a swell of patriotism you feel today?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we waited for so long. We had the championship 2006 in Germany. We didn't win. And now, it's awesome. Everybody's on the street. There's firecrackers fireworks. Everybody is going outside and partying tonight.
ROTH: I know. It's a long World Cup, but how would you rate this tournament?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it was great. A lot of goals. A lot of good competition. It was great tournament.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were so many surprises. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Costa Rica made it to the quarterfinal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the U.S., the U.S. was great because of Jurgen Klinsmann, which is from Germany.
ROTH: Don't point your finger at me. I'm independent. There are 32 teams that went into the battle, one has come out on top, Germany defeating Argentina 1-0. Do you think this helps the cause of world peace? Such a big global sports tournament?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I hope so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it hurts it.
(LAUGHTER)
ROTH: You can tell who lost here. You can tell who was rooting for Germany and who was rooting for Argentina.
That's the scene here at Ambrose Hall in South Bridge Seaport in New York, as they cheer in Germany. A lot of fans in Latin America, Central America, they weren't exactly rooting for Argentina. They feel Argentina can sometimes lord it over them. Probably Germany had some secret supporters in the stands at the Maracana.
MARQUEZ: Richard --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, all of America wanted Argentina to win because they wanted the cup back in Latin America.
ROTH: All right. You'll have to wait at least four more years. Back to you.
MARQUEZ: Richard, I love that the German you introduced, her first word is awesome. Sounds like any other American out there. Fantastic.
Hey, Ben, if we're going to take a quick break and we're going to come back with more of World Cup excitement and finally coming to an end, and a couple of other subjects coming up very quickly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Wow, there it is.
Berlin, Germany, Brandenburg Gate, a huge party breaking out there, even though it's very late, or very early in the morning.
Our CNN's Andy Scholes is keeping an eye on social media for us in Atlanta, where fans are venting and celebrating all at the same time.
Andy, what are they saying on the Twitter and the Facebook?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Miguel. Yes, that's right. We're here in the CNN global fan zone, where, you know, it kind of pretty quiet throughout most of the game. A lot of intense tweeting about how locked in people were for this game.
As soon as Mario Gotze scored that goal, there was an explosion from all the German fans on social media, of course. People are calling him Super Mario after scoring this amazing goal, in the 113th minute.
You know, Miguel, we're just seven minutes from this game having to go to penalty kicks, but Goetz coming up with the incredible goal to get Germany to win. Lots of tweeting and just jubilation from the German fans.
And as you can imagine on the other side, Argentina fans very disappointed. Lots of pictures of fans crying throughout this stadium, rightfully so. You know, their dream was to win the World Cup this year with their superstar Messi.
Messi had a chance there at the end of the game to tie this and he shot it way over the goal. And, Miguel, a lot of people on social media changing Messi to missy since he missed that goal.
MARQUEZ: What an unbelievable match. Two teams that just played until they were about to pass out. We know that Alex Thomas who is in Rio for us. She's just outside -- sorry -- just outside the stadium.
Alex, what is -- what is the mood like there?
ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Miguel, it's astonishing the sound coming from Rio's famous Maracana Stadium behind me. I was lucky enough to be in there for most of the match after finishing an hour's preview show on our sister station CNN International.
I rushed in there, along with the fans, dodging all the police security checks to get inside. It's a very famous venue, you know. It's once said that 200,000 people packed in there to see the legendary Pele back in home back in the 1960s and most Brazilians, yes, would have loved to see their team here in the World Cup final lifting the trophy on home soil, something they failed to do when they hosted this event back in 1950.
But we still have got a World Cup final of the highest caliber between two countries that have won this before. Argentina will not be world champions of soccer for a third time. Instead, it's Germany that will lift the famous trophy shortly for the fourth time in their history.
And although Brazil have won it more times before, Germany the most consistent side in this competition ever. They've won more matches, scored more goals, played more games and after a decade of rebuilding the way they develop their soccer players, Germany really have got just rewards for all that hard work they put in. A talented golden generation they've been called. They are champions of world soccer once again, Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Alex, were you inside in that stadium for the goal?
THOMAS: I missed the goal. I had to come out here to do my CNN work before the end of the normal time, the 90 minutes, been there's a half hour of extra time and that's when Germany broke the deadlock, because it might have gone to a penalty shoot-out which these teams have both had in World Cup. Germany had never lost in a penalty shoot-out. Talk about living up to the cliche of the efficient Germans.
So, maybe for Argentina, they're on a lose-lose anyway. As Andy Scholes, my colleague mentioned earlier, Argentina's main hope was their man, Lionel Messi, a fourth time world player of the year, Barcelona superstar, one of the few players who face transcends sport globally in a way a LeBron James does or a Tiger Woods, yet he couldn't find that bit of magic.
But he has shown in this World Cup in some of the earlier rounds, Argentina going back with their heads held high. They played very good football here. And I'll tell you what, Rio here Miguel has been absolutely invaded by Argentineans, something like 70,000 local authorities estimated come here, and they're in blue and white shirts.
As I walked back to my hotel last night I saw an ambulance parked there. I thought fair enough they're having security for those on the beach. Then an Argentine fan gets out. They come here in anyway they could.
MARQUEZ: Wow.
THOMAS: Such a shame they're not going to have the party. But the Germans will celebrate. That's for sure.
Well, Rio is such a downer of a city. I'm sure not much fun with all those people.
Alex, try to control yourself tonight and not to have too much fun. We might need you a little later. An amazing, amazing match. Lucky to see it. Fantastic, thank you.
We're going to back over to Richard Roth now who has more fans here in New York who have watched this game.
Some of them perhaps winners, some of them perhaps losers. What do we got here, Richard?
ROTH: Yes, Miguel. We have some new fans who were watching this match here at the South Street Seaport.
All right. Germany won. What do you say to the world?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are the best team. They had the greatest generation of players, and they really put the effort into it. And they had the greatest -- it's like total team.
ROTH: You sound like you're hypnotized. You're a little bit more excited, I think.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not hypnotized.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Deutschland!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go Germany!
ROTH: Now, unfortunately for him, we have a young man who is fan of Argentina, in the Argentina blue and white. Why did Argentina lose this match?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you know, I think both teams played really well. We couldn't get some Messi magic at the very end which we were all hoping for. But in the day, it was a great World Cup.
ROTH: How bitter are you? Do you have anyone to blame regarding the players, Messi?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I mean, obviously it was a close match. And both teams played v heart out. And you know, I think in this case the best team won. It's disappointing, but you know, one of those games where you hope there isn't a loser because both teams really played very well.
ROTH: Very diplomatic for a man standing next to three women who happen to root for the other team. Were you worried it would go to penalty kicks which would have been excruciating to decide --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We really were. That was their strategy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want to know something? I don't think penalty kicks show who the best players in the game are. So I'm happy that it ended the way it did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I completely disagree. I find penalty kicks exciting, but they are very traumatizing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Had we gone to penalty kicks, we would have won.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No!
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think so.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have one.
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ROTH: Te best thing is that this is over and I'm finally going to get out of the bars. Oh, a final thought? Pardon me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we saw a fair, wonderful end to a wonderful World Cup.
MARQUEZ: Oh my gosh!
ROTH: Would you be saying if Argentina won, 1-0, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I absolutely would agree.
You know what I love today, it would be the end of the game.
ROTH: That's the view here at Ambrose Hall, South Street Seaport, another World Cup. We'll see you in four years, Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Oh, Richard, I love that you are making friends down there. That is just brilliant.
I could watch you talk to those fans all day long, Richard. I'm going to drive down there and make you drink a beer myself.
We are going to be right back after a short break. We're going to -- all right, fine then. We're going to take you to Berlin and we're going to take you to Buenos Aires and get a little of that global action in this amazing, amazing end to this World Cup.
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MARQUEZ: Wow, wow, wow, a rager in Rio, what an end to the World Cup, a 1-0 win by Germany.
And our own Fred Pleitgen, who was our Berlin correspondent, also German, he was in that stadium I understand at the time of that goal. Tell us what it was like in there, Fred. FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, it was absolutely amazing.
I can tell you I was sweating unbelievably. I felt like I was in a boxing match.
When that goal fell, everybody just absolutely freaked out. Right now, it's actually, Miguel, most of the Argentineans coming out, they are pretty angry. So, the Germans will come out later.
But I do have some Germans what is your name again?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Steven. Steven.
(CHEERS)
PLEITGEN: Steven is a very happy man at this point. How do you feel, Steven?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a big day. We go home as the world championship. And this was a great day and very good match, from Germany, so happy! Yes!
PLEITGEN: There you go. There you go. When Germans show emotions like this, you know it's a special moment. Tell you, it was an absolutely special game to watch and the country has been waiting for 24 years for this to happen.
So, these guys are just the first Germans out of the stadium, but there's going to be many more to come, Miguel. I can tell you that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
PLEITGEN: Thank you.
MARQUEZ: Hey, Fred, thank you very much for that. You have been so lucky to watch this entire series down there. How intense -- I mean, I watched this game from here, it was -- these guys were just about to fall down as they were playing. How tough a match was it?
PLEITGEN: Yes. Yes. Yes. I think it was an absolutely tough match, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.
PLEITGEN: Very tough match, wasn't it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes. Yes.
PLEITGEN: The German also to fight to the end, one of the things I can tell you is that many of us Germans really had doubts about this team, about their stamina and about their will to win because they had failed in two semifinals before this, and there were many questions about how robust this team was.
But today, they fought until end, it was really, I think, four minutes before the end of the game when that goal fell and everybody, it was like a ton of lead dropping from all of our shoulders. You could see everybody here saying yes, it's true, because we all had
goose bumps when this was going on, it was an absolutely amazing day and this day will go down --
MARQUEZ: Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.
PLEITGEN: -- in German history, I can tell you that.
MARQUEZ: Amazing.
I want to take us over to Christina Macfarlane who is in Berlin right now and show us a little bit of the celebration there.
Christina, what's it like?
Well, there we have a live picture of Berlin. Can we see Christina come into it?
What is it like there right now?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, Miguel, they made us wait for it, but Germany now are the 2014 World Cup winners. And just take a look at the scene behind me. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to see 400,000 people in party mode, this is it.
They have been here for the past seven or eight hours, packed in the rain to watch their team win on the final here on the big screen. Here at the Brandenburg Gate, stretches the entire way through the center of Berlin. And as you can see, there's one hell of a party under way here. It's going right through the night.
And currently, these fans are waiting to see their team lift the World Cup trophy. It's been 24 years in the waiting for them since they won their last World Cup and they have now taken their fourth World Cup title. Fans have flooded here to Berlin from all over Germany, and from all over Europe, not just German fans, but Spanish fans, English fans, everyone wanting a --
MARQUEZ: Thank you very, very much, Christina Macfarlane.
MACFARLANE: We don't need to be in Maracana tonight. We have plenty of excitement last us the next five or six hours. It's going to be a very long night.
MARQUEZ: Something tells me you will have a very good night.
Thank you, Christina Macfarlane.
We will be right back with more.
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