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Hillary Clinton to Speak in Alabama; The Tragedy and Triumph of Lamar Odom; Biden Calls Influential Labor Group Friday; Four More Deadly Attacks in West Bank, Jerusalem; Parents Charged in Son's Fatal Church Beating; Aired 1-2p ET
Aired October 17, 2015 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:00:00] HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A decision has to be made. But certainly, I'm not, in any way, suggesting or recommending that the vice president accept any timetable other than the one that is clicking inside of him. He has to make this decision.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Plus, the longer Biden waits, the more it hurts. The latest poll in New Hampshire shows Clinton and Democratic rival Bernie Sanders way out in front of the vice president. When Democratic voters were asked if Biden should enter the race, half said no.
HILARY ROSEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think he knows this is D- day. And he's got to make a decision. A lot of people are waiting. And people who really care about him and want to help him are waiting, too. And so he needs to move on there.
ACOSTA: Democrats are starting to compare Biden's lengthy deliberations to those of the late New York governor, Mario Cuomo, who actually had a plane on a tarmac, waiting to take him to New Hampshire in 1992. But Cuomo pulled back at the last minute.
And a Clinton went on to become president.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Lots to think about there. Thanks so much, Jim Acosta. So much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.
All right. Happening right now in the NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god, this car's going to hit us. Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're floating. We're floating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Trapped. Hundreds of cars stuck on California freeways as drivers desperately try to escape mudslides and rising floodwaters. Plus, chilling new details in the Oregon college massacre from
shooting survivor, Chris Mintz. The army veteran who has been called a hero for protecting others.
And Lamar Odom, conscious, even able to say hi to estranged wife, Khloe Kardashian, as new details emerge about his days spent at a Nevada brothel.
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
All right. Hello, again, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
All right. This hour, Hillary Clinton is scheduled to speak in a Birmingham, Alabama, suburb, in Hoover, Alabama, to be exact. She is addressing the Alabama Democratic Conferences convention at 1:30 Eastern Time, less than 30 minutes away. And of course we'll bring you those comments as it happens live.
Clinton's poll numbers have risen in New Hampshire since the CNN Democratic debate on Tuesday. "The Boston Globe"-Suffolk University poll has Clinton leading Bernie Sanders 37 percent to 35 percent, a statistical tie within the margin of error.
Well, before the debate, our CNN poll had Sanders ahead 46 percent to 30 percent.
Senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson is in Hoover, Alabama, where Clinton will be speaking in a matter of minutes.
So, Nia-Malika, what are people expecting to hear from Clinton today?
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is a very pro-Hillary group. They endorsed her in 2008, over then Senator Barack Obama. Today they're going to hear a speech, we've gotten an early preview of it. Hillary Clinton is expected to focus on voting rights. Recently the governor, the Governor Bentley announced the closure of 31 DMV offices, meaning that people in communities won't have access or easy access to getting driver's licenses. And in this state, you need a photo I.D. to be able to vote.
And so she's going to talk about those laws and call them discriminatory. She's also going to call out Republicans for often backing these laws. So it's expected to be a speech that really builds on some of her earlier comments. And really I think this should be seen as an overall strategy of ginning up the African- American vote in this state and all across the south. And it really is sort of a shout across the bow not only at Bernie Sanders, but also Joe Biden, who of course if he gets in this race, is expected to also appeal to African-Americans.
WHITFIELD: All right, Nia-Malika Henderson, thank you so much, in Hoover, Alabama. We'll check back in with you when Hillary Clinton takes to the stage there. And of course you can catch Jake Tapper's one-on-one interview with
Hillary Clinton tomorrow on "STATE OF THE UNION." And Jake will also interview former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. It all starts tomorrow 9:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
All right. We're also learning new details today from this month's campus massacre in Oregon. The man who many called a hero, Chris Mintz, is recounting what happened the day of the shooting, moment by moment. Eight students and one professor were killed in that rampage, nine people were injured, including Mintz, who was shot five times.
CNN's Nick Valencia joining me now with more on his story.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Chris Mintz did what a lot of people wish they had the courage to do when faced with similar extraordinary circumstances. He put aside his own safety to ensure the safety of others. And now for the first time, we're hearing in his own words what happened that day of the shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dispatch as many ambulances as possible, we have upwards of 20 victims.
[13:05:02] VALENCIA (voice-over): Chilling new details in the Oregon community college massacre from shooting survivor, Chris Mintz, the army veteran who has been called a hero for protecting others.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exchanging shots with him. He's in a classroom.
VALENCIA: In a Facebook posting Mintz recalled the day that he says started out as normal but quickly descended into chaos. He writes, "There was a bunch of yelling and that there were gunshots going off that sounded like fire crackers."
Mintz, who says he sat in the front of the class, says everyone got up and took off. "I stopped and held the door open and waited for everyone to leave safely," he writes. "He then says he took direction from a counselor that kept screaming someone needed to tell the people in the library, and I told her I'd do it."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody is outside one of the doors, shooting through the doors.
VALENCIA: Mintz writes that he made his way back into the classroom area where he came face to face with the gunman.
"He leaned out and started shooting as I turned toward him," he recalled. This is how he described the shooter. "He was so nonchalant through it all, like he was playing a video game, and showed no emotion." Mintz says, "The shots knocked me to the ground and felt like a truck hit me." He then says he was shot again while on the ground and that the gunman said, "That's what you get for calling the cops."
Mintz writes in the Facebook post that he told the gunman that he didn't call police and they were already on the way. He then yelled to the gunman, "It's my kids birthday, man." Mintz says, "The shooter pointed the gun right at my face," and then retreated back into the classroom."
CHRIS MINTZ, SHOOTING SURVIVOR: Hello, everyone. I'm doing well.
VALENCIA: A friend posted this video of Mintz in the hospital. He's since been released and has this lingering question. "I'm still confused at why he didn't shoot me again."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VALENCIA: Incredible. Mintz went on to apologize in that Facebook post to victims and their families saying, if his words jogged up any painful memories, he's sorry. He's saying this is not about publicity, in fact he doesn't want to do any on-camera interviews, which is why he took to Facebook to put his words out there -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: My goodness. And so what about his family members? His family members.
VALENCIA: Yes.
WHITFIELD: How are they dealing with all this?
VALENCIA: Well, you remember very soon after that shooting his aunt came out and was giving the account, secondhand information that she thought he had had this physical confrontation. From what we're reading from local reports, there in local newspaper, in the "Oregonian," they are just happy to have him home. He was released from the hospital just a few days ago.
This shooting happened just a couple of weeks ago. It's crazy to think about that it was so recent.
WHITFIELD: Yes, it is hard to believe.
VALENCIA: But he was just released, you know, nine people lost their lives. He has a lot to smile about, but of course he's also apologizing because he understands there's a lot of painful memories as well attached to this day.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And so often we hear about things like survivor's guilt.
VALENCIA: Yes.
WHITFIELD: You know, one has to wonder if that's --
VALENCIA: In him. Yes.
WHITFIELD: Something that he has or is going to experience, too.
VALENCIA: Sure.
WHITFIELD: But, of course, everyone very prayerful and happy that he's OK.
VALENCIA: Turns out. Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Nick Valencia. Appreciate it.
VALENCIA: You got it. Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Now we turn to major news out of southern California. Residents are digging out from mudslides that trapped hundreds of drivers and closed roads. The images and videos are coming in and they're stunning, as you see there. One driver capturing this harrowing rescue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) first get her. (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Wow, that is extraordinary. The mud was up to 20 feet in some places, and more than 200 cars and trucks were buried. A woman in Kern County was caught right in the middle of all of it.
Mimi Elkalla from our affiliate KBAK has her story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god.
MIMI ELKALLA, REPORTER, KBAK: Rae Ecklund says she was on her way home from Mojave to Tehachapi with two co-workers when the rain started pouring.
RAE ECKLUND, SURVIVOR: Oh my god. We were heading up on Cameron and we were like in a low spot, and it just kept raining and raining and then the mud just started coming towards us.
ELKALLA: And soon enough the car she was passenger in lifted off of the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god, this car is going to hit us. Oh my god.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're floating. We're floating.
ECKLUND: And then we just started floating and banging in the car.
ELKALLA: Ecklund says the worst thoughts were running through her mind as she continued to record.
ECKLUND: We're in trouble now. We're going to hit. We're going to hit.
ELKALLA: Unsure of what was going to happen next as cars turned into boats. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god.
ECKLUND: We were bouncing off of the cars. And I was not sure whether we were going to make it out of there. It looked like there were cars going to float over the wall. It was really shocking.
He's going to go over the edge.
ELKALLA: Once the rain finally came to a stop --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We might get out of this mess.
ELKALLA: Ecklund and the two women in the car with her crawled through the window.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we're safer in the car.
ECKLUND: And then we walked out of there. It took us hours to walk out of there. It was awful. Walking out of there was really bad because, like, we were in mud up to our knees.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[13:10:08] WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks for that reporting.
Authorities say there have been no reports of injuries, thankfully. The cleanup, of course, could take days.
All right. Coming up, a deadly traffic stop, all caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. JONATHAN FROST, EATON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Get your hands behind your back.
DEVEN GUILFORD, TEEN DRIVER: Officer, what are you doing?
FROST: Get your hands behind your back? You're under --
GUILFORD: Officer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Next, you will see what led up to that confrontation and why the officer was not charged in this shooting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. A new development in an upsetting story out of Michigan. What started as a simple traffic stop ended with a police officer fatally shooting a teenager seven times. The policeman has not been charged and the prosecutor said the shooting was justified. But now the family is suing the officer and the county for wrongful death.
Here's Jean Casarez with more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUILFORD: How are you doing?
FROST: I need your driver's license, registration, proof of insurance, please. Pulled you over today because you flashed me. I didn't even have my brights on.
GUILFORD: Yes, you did, sir.
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Watch this police body camera video. Seventeen-year-old Deven Guilford on his way to his girlfriend's house back in February. Sergeant Jonathan Frost pulling him over for flashing his high beams.
FROST: Driver's license, registration, proof of insurance, please. I did not have them on. Driver's license, registration, proof of insurance, please.
GUILFORD: I don't know even know you're an officer.
CASAREZ: Sergeant Frost asked seven times for Guilford's license. And every time the teen refuses, questioning why he was stopped.
GUILFORD: Am I being detained?
FROST: Yes, you are.
GUILFORD: For what crime?
FROST: You flashed me with your high beams.
GUILFORD: You had your brights on, sir.
CASAREZ: As the traffic stop continues, Guilford begins recording their interaction on his cell phone. And continues to not cooperate.
FROST: You can get with the program and start to comply with this traffic stop or you're going to be taken to jail.
CASAREZ: The officer calls for backup two times. As the situation escalates, backup doesn't come.
FROST: You do not have your driver's license on your person? Correct?
GUILFORD: Yes, I do.
FROST: Where is it?
GUILFORD: You do not have to see it. I cannot see -- you had your brights on, sir. I'm not lying to you. I'm just doing that to be polite. I don't want to flash someone and have someone go off the road and crash. You know?
[13:15:15] FROST: Do you realize that if you had comply with this traffic stop it would have gone a whole different way for you?
CASAREZ: The officer sees Guilford try to make a phone call and orders him out of the car.
FROST: Out of car or you're going to get tased. Everything is being recorded, son. I've got no problem with that. Get out of the car. Get down on the ground. Now. Down on the ground.
GUILFORD: Oh, my gosh. Stop yelling at me.
FROST: Down on the ground. Right here. Facing me. Down on the ground. Now.
GUILFORD: What do you mean?
FROST: Get on your belly. Right now.
GUILFORD: This is what American --
FROST: Put your phone down, you put your arms out to your side now.
CASAREZ: Sergeant Frost kicks Guilford's cell phone away.
GUILFORD: I don't have a weapon. Hey. You can't do that.
FROST: Son, get your hands behind your back. You're under arrest.
CASAREZ: Just about 90 seconds before backup arrives, Sergeant Frost tases Guilford but he's too close for it to work properly. Roughly 14 seconds later you hear gunshots.
Sergeant Frost says Guilford attacked him, hitting him repeatedly with his fist. Take a look at this slow-mo frame by frame. You can make the scuffle out just a little more clearly.
FROST: Central Point Z72. I shot one. Priority backup. Send EMS, I'm bleeding.
CASAREZ: This body cam video captures Sergeant Frost at the scene transported to the hospital with these injuries.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks to Jean Casarez for that report. Let's dig a little deeper here, if we can. HLN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney, Joey Jackson, with us now.
All right. Joey, good to see you.
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good afternoon, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK, so it's so disturbing to see this report. It's difficult to see it and it's difficult to hear the arguments on both sides. So the prosecutor has already said this shooting was justified, that this officer felt that his life was being threatened, but the family says, they're looking at wrongful death, because they are -- they don't see why he was stopped in the first place. So where do we go from here, Joey?
JACKSON: You know, Fredricka, unfortunately, I don't think that argument carries the day. You know, there's an ordinance there, and what it says is that you can't flash your high beam. It's nuance, so there's some dispute as to whether it suggests that you can't use it to glare in someone's eyes, and so the family is saying it was a momentary, you know, type of flashing, and therefore he should not have been stopped.
That's not where this case is really going to turn. This case is going to turn on the officer's fear for his life at the critical moment that the shots were fired. You can argue all day and all night, in terms of whether the teenager should have been stopped. He was. And the officer had a basis to do it. Whether the officer was right or wrong in stopping him, certainly, the officer believes he was right. There's an ordinance that suggests you can.
But where the case will live or die is, was the officer at the time, the critical moment that he felt he needed to fire that shot, was he right? Did he use excessive force or did he act as a reasonable officer would, in the same situation? And that's why I think it would be a difficult case for the family to pursue.
WHITFIELD: So, at what point -- I mean, clearly, it is escalating. We see it all documented, but at a certain point of escalation, there were choices that could have been made, whether it be by the officer or, you know, by the young man, but since the young man is dead, it really is going to be examined right, correct me if I'm wrong, Joey, the act of the officer, did he have to resort to pulling a pistol after the taser didn't work because won't the question also be, aren't officers trained to use a variation of measures in which to de- escalate and won't they examine what took place between that taser not happening and resorting to a pistol?
JACKSON: They certainly will. And let's just break it down from the beginning. I advise every client, Fredricka, and every other person that would listen to me or not listen to me, to comply now and grieve later. There may be things you don't want an officer to do. You don't like that an officer does, but you're not going to win on the street. Comply, retain counsel, write to Civilian Complaint Review Boards, get the commissioner, get the mayor involved, but on the street, it's an issue of compliance.
Why is that relevant? It's relevant because it goes to the officer's state of mind. You talk about a use of force continuum which you're asking in your question, and that use of force continuum of course starts with verbal commands. And then it may escalate to the officer having to use, you know, physical grips and then it escalates to a taser and then it escalates to a firearm.
Well, the officer's state of mind, if you're noncompliant and not listening is such that the officer really believes that, you know what, this person could represent a danger to me. So now you get to the issue of, well, he's not armed. Well, now an officer is thinking, well, if there's a fight, which ensued in this particular case, what if that person gets my firearm? [13:20:12] And so the Supreme Court has spoken loudly and clearly on
the issue. And what they have said is, what would a reasonable officer do, in this officer's situation? And if a reasonable officer felt in a split second, as the Supreme Court has also said, that there was an eminent fear that they could die or face serious bodily injury, then the use of lethal force is authorized. And so that's what happened here.
Didn't need to escalate to that level, but, under these circumstances, the officer did, in his judgment, which he felt was appropriate, because he wanted to go home at the end of the day. Comply now, grieve later.
WHITFIELD: All right. Joey Jackson, thank you so much. Appreciate it. Always good to see you.
JACKSON: Thank you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. And then, a ray of hope, some good news for Lamar Odom today. We'll get the latest on his condition and a look at the troubled life of that basketball star, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Former NBA star Lamar Odom's condition is showing improvement, according to sources. He apparently slipped into a coma on Tuesday after being found unconscious in a Nevada brothel. A source says that Odom was even able to say hi to his estranged wife, Khloe Kardashian. His mother-in-law, Chris Jenner, says that while his condition is improving, he is also suffering organ damage.
[13:25:12] CNN's Rachel Nichols has more on Odom's troubled childhood and rise to NBA stardom.
RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Fred, it hasn't been an easy road for Lamar Odom. He grew up in a pretty rough section of New York, his father was a heroin addict and only marginally in and out of his life. He had a great mom, but she died of cancer when he was just 12. In fact, Lamar was holding her hand at her bedside when she passed and he's recounted that she told him, just be nice to everyone, Lamar. And you could see that in his life. He really took that to heart, even as he went through more tough times.
The grandmother who took him and finished raising him, well, she would go on, unfortunately, to die of cancer. Then once he became a parent himself, his 6-month-old died of sudden infant death syndrome. He had a close cousin and several close friends who died and he really carried all of that with him. He would write all their names on his shoes sometimes before he took the basketball court.
And you get to see in talking to him that all that loss was so heavy for him. He did have some struggles with drugs and alcohol when he first came into the league, but you could also see that all that loss made him very sensitive and empathetic to the people around him. He was known as one of the best teammates in the NBA. The guy you could talk to about your problems. He was just so warm and he knew how to appreciate it when things were good.
It's the reason there have been so many well wishes pouring in for Odom these past couple of days. LeBron James wrote on Instagram, "No judgment." He said, you don't know what someone has gone through unless you have walked in their shoes.
I know a lot of Odom's NBA friends were worried that this day would come, that these calls about something terrible happening and him being in trouble might happen, especially over the last year, as it became harder to keep in touch with him. He changed his number a lot, he stopped answering their calls, didn't show up at scheduled get- togethers. But I will say, as I worried about him, everyone still really talked about how much they loved him.
And Fred, there is just no doubt they are all rooting for him now.
WHITFIELD: All right, indeed. Thanks so much, Rachel Nichols.
All right, Vice President Joe Biden could announce at any moment, any day now whether he will run for president. We're live in Washington, next, for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Mortgage rates inched up this week, but remained below 4 percent for the 12th straight week. Have a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:30:58] WHITFIELD: All right. Hello, again, and welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
All right. So will he or won't he run for president? That's the big question people are asking about Vice President Joe Biden. He spoke with members of the powerful International Association of Firefighters yesterday, and they claimed that he is strongly indicating another run for the Oval Office. And they are ready to throw their support behind him, if he does.
Our Chris Frates joining us now. So, Chris, is this a signal that Biden might be ready to announce something?
CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, I really don't think so, Fred. You know, Biden's been talking to his supporters for weeks, so I wouldn't read too much into this one call, but this week has been busy for Biden, he's been calling Democrats in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, all the early voting states asking how to launch a campaign. Not whether to run but how.
And he's let people know that his family support of a run is asking people to work for him, if he does, indeed run. Now sources are saying Biden's decision could come within a few weeks or even a couple of days. And you know, all this increased Biden chatter is coming as Hillary Clinton, you might remember, used her strong performance at the first Democratic debate to remind a lot of jittery Democrats why she is the frontrunner. The first post-debate poll in New Hampshire showed her in a dead heat
with rival Bernie Sanders after some recent polls showed her trailing behind him in that first of the nation primary state, and now in a stronger position that she's enjoyed in week. Clinton and her high rise have begun pushing Biden to make a decision. Is he in or is he out? And her campaign chairman said Tuesday that Biden needs to make up his mind on a run. And on Friday, Clinton told our Jake Tapper this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: There does come a point where a decision has to be made. But certainly I'm not in any way suggesting or recommending that the vice president accept any timetable other than the one that is clicking inside of him. He has to make this decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRATES: But as much as she -- as much as Clinton tries to close the door on Biden, that vice president still has got his foot stuck securely against the door jam. A member of Biden's inner circle send a letter to all of Biden's allies this week, laying out the rationale for a Biden run. That's the first time we've seen the case that Biden would make if he does run. And his boss, President Obama, seems to be giving Biden plenty of room to maneuver. At a press conference yesterday, here's what he said when he was asked about whether his number two should take a run.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that the vice president like every other candidate makes their own decisions about these issues and they'll have to figure out whether it makes sense for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRATES: So the will Biden run or won't he continues to be Washington's favorite parlor game. But the main event on the calendar next week, Fred, will be Clinton's testimony in front of the House committee investigating the attacks in Benghazi. That happened on Clinton's watch as secretary of state. So, you know, this time next week, things might not look as bright for Clinton. Maybe Biden will be in the race by then. Fortunes can change very fast in this whole topsy-turvy presidential campaign -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. It could be an opportunity or an obstacle, we shall see. You're right.
All right. Chris Frates, appreciate it, in Washington.
FRATES: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. So let's bring in our political panel, Democratic strategist Nomiki Konst, who once worked on Hillary Clinton's 2000 senatorial campaign, and Kayleigh McEneny -- I'm sorry about that Kayleigh, a Republican strategist.
All right. Welcome back, ladies. So, Nomiki, you know Hillary Clinton pretty well, then. What do you suppose her feeling is about whether Joe Biden would be in or out, especially given, you know, they worked together in the same Obama administration? Probably could complicate things.
NOMIKI KONST, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, of course it's frustrating for them, because they have a campaign strategy in hand right now, and if Joe Biden were to enter the race, and I do feel like he will and he will within the next week or so, if that were to happen, her entire strategy has to shift. So right now she's looking at two strategies. And I think that's one of the reasons why John Podesta, her campaign -- campaign head came out and said it's time for him to step up and run.
[13:35:01] But, you know, don't forget, Bill Clinton entered the race in October of 1991. So they should be ones to talk. The difference here is that you have Biden, who has the Obama coalition, and if he steps in, he has that coalition at hand. He has the -- the famous OFA list. He has Obama donors. Some of which who have donated and supported Hillary Clinton, but would immediately jump to Biden.
You know, they've gone across the country, gathered support, there's the Draft Biden movement, which has a petition of over 227,000 people who want him to run. There is a real call for Biden to run. And I do think he has the support needed to step in. And I'm sure that Hillary Clinton is probably freaking out right now.
WHITFIELD: And so -- yes, probably. And Kayleigh, you know, if he were to step in, how do you suppose that would change the dynamics among the Republican contenders in this race?
KAYLEIGH MCENENY, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It would be a bad thing for Republicans, for Biden to get in, because right now Republicans are primed for a victory. You have Hillary Clinton being insulated by the Democrat Party. You had Bernie Sanders come to her defense in the debate, regarding the e-mail scandal. Barack Obama did so this week. You have the Democrat National Committee, only agreeing to six debates.
This is more of a coronation than a nomination. And for Republicans, that's a great thing. Because when they face Hillary Clinton, they'll be bringing up all of these things that the Democrats are not bringing up. Now if Biden enters the race, Clinton all of a sudden has a huge battle on her hands. She'll be primed, she'll be ready for the general election, she might not even be the nominee. And I think Republicans would much rather face Hillary Clinton, who has many scandals to be brought up and to be parsed out, versus Joe Biden, who is a likable guy and who I think is a stronger contender.
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk more about the Republican campaign trail. Donald Trump, always chatty, he's always speaking his mind. But then look at this, where he said nothing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MJ LEE, CNN POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Trump, can you clarify? Do you think that 9/11 was President Bush's fault?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, guys --
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: You said to Twitter that your comments about 9/11 are --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. It's noisy, but he heard the question. And Kayleigh, you know, he is avoiding answering it. Why, when on so many other occasions, if he's challenged about a comment, whether it was, you know, insulting to somebody or not, he was quick to defend it?
MCENENY: You know, I think he's worried, potentially, about blowback among Republicans. George W. Bush is very popular among the Republican base. They're very defensive of him. You know, we've had to defend George Bush or gladly defend George Bush over the last few years, and now to hear Donald Trump criticizing, you know, a president who many of us are very proud of, you know, it's not good. It's not good for the primary, it's not good for his base. So he should clarify this, or just not bring it up. Certainly he needs to back off of criticizing George W. Bush on Twitter.
WHITFIELD: And then Nomiki, how does Jeb Bush seize on this? Because while his, you know, polling numbers are kind of, you know, down below. You know, and even a moment like this, where he is, you know, defending his brother, and he has now silenced, I don't know if he has, but maybe the comments have backfired on Donald Trump and they've silenced him, how does Jeb Bush take advantage of this moment?
KONST: Well, I think Jeb Bush is in a great position right now, one that was unexpected. You know, this has been a campaign about going against the status quo but as Kayleigh said, George W. Bush is doing fairly well with Republican voters. So you know, I think Jeb Bush will see him sort of back his brother and come closer to his brother with the coming weeks. You know, that's the issue with Donald Trump right now is he's been playing this anti-establishment game for the past several months, but now as he's the frontrunner, he is going to have to come a little bit more towards the center, and the center of the party does support the former president. And Jeb Bush, obviously, has an added gain on that side.
WHITFIELD: All right, Nomiki Konst, Kayleigh McEneny, thanks so much, ladies.
KONST: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Always good to see you. Appreciate it.
MCENENY: Thank you.
KONST: Thanks. WHITFIELD: And of course, there's more to talk about on the campaign
trail. Don't miss Jake Tapper's interview tomorrow with Hillary Clinton on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION." And he'll also be talking to former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, all that starts 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, right here on CNN.
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[13:42:39] WHITFIELD: Violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem is continuing to escalate today and we're just hearing of a fourth alleged knife attack today in Hebron. Israeli Defense Forces say a Palestinian assailant stabbed an Israeli soldier in his upper torso and that attacker was shot.
Earlier this morning, three other alleged Palestinian attackers were shot and killed in separate incidents. Israeli officials say the Palestinians had knives and went after border police and an Israeli civilian. Palestinian news agencies mentioned no knives when reporting on the violence.
And this is video from the incident in Hebron.
CNN correspondent Oren Liebermann is at our bureau there in Jerusalem.
So explain what happened. Actually, you're at a rally right now. What is that rally all about?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a peace rally that came together in recent hours, perhaps even just in the last 24 hours, a joint peace rally between Israelis and Arabs. Peace is something right now that is sorely lacking. But take a look at this rally behind me. There are some 300 or 400 people. And this crowd is still growing. There are people here holding flags that say, peace now and Jews and Arabs together against hatred, Jews and Arabs together against racism.
There's a sign that one that says, '67 says -- 1967, a Palestinian nation next to an Israeli nation. Let me bring you over just here over to the side here. Holding two flags here, the Israeli flag next to the Palestinian flags.
This is a peace rally, as violence has spiraled here in the last two weeks into its third week. But this rally doesn't change the reality of what's happening on the ground. Four attacks today, the last one just a short time ago, where the IDF says a Palestinian attacker in Hebron stabbed the soldier. That soldier opened fire and shot the Palestinian attacker. That is the fourth such incident today.
Two more similar to that. There's one account early this morning of an attack that is disputed by both sides. Israeli police say that a Palestinian attacker attacked an Israeli settler in Hebron. The Israeli settler was armed, opened fire, and killed the Palestinian. But a disputed account from Palestinian eyewitnesses who say the Palestinian was unarmed and the attack, the killing from the settler was unprovoked. So the peace rally here, a growing crowd here. The question, when will peace truly come -- Fredricka. WHITFIELD: All right. Oren Liebermann, thank you so much.
All right, a teen beaten to death in a secretive church in upstate New York.
[13:45:04] The alleged culprit, his parents and their fellow church members. Details, next.
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WHITFIELD: All right, to upstate New York where the parents of the 19-year-old who was beaten to death in church have been charged with manslaughter. Four more people are accused of assault in the death of Lucas Leonard. All have pleaded not guilty.
CNN national correspondent Jason Carroll has been following the story -- Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And again, Fredricka, all six have pled not guilty including the parents. But according to investigators, both parents admitted to striking their son. So the question then becomes, what was the motive for that brutal and deadly beating during that church counseling session?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL (voice-over): Bruce and Debra Leonard did not testify during the preliminary hearing.
[13:50:02] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The charge is manslaughter in the first degree.
CARROLL: Instead they sat and listened to damaging testimony about what allegedly happened in that church counseling session. In the end, their 19-year-old son Lucas was dead. Their 17-year-old son, Christopher, left in serious condition.
Daniel Irwin, a deacon at the Word of Life Christian Church, told the court he saw Bruce Leonard strike both of the boys inside the church's sanctuary. He said Leonard hit his son, Lucas, several times. "I heard the sound of a strike, stop, then it started again."
Irwin also told the court he saw Lucas was bleeding from his leg, moaning, and rolling back and forth on the floor.
Irwin then said he also saw Leonard strike his younger son, Christopher, five or six times with something that looked like a belt. He recalled the beating went on for 14 hours, starting around 8:00 Sunday night and lasting until 10:00 a.m. the next morning. When asked why the beating finally stopped, Irwin said, "Because Luke was dead at that point."
He said several church members, including Leonard's own brother Christopher and his father, tried performing CPR but it was too late.
(On camera): Would you like to elaborate a little bit more about what happened inside and tell us about your experience?
DANIEL IRWIN, WITNESS: No, no, I have no comment.
CARROLL (voice-over): Outside court, Irwin would not comment about his testimony, nothing about the motive for the beating, nor about allegations the counseling session was ordered because Leonard wanted to leave the church.
The Leonards are facing manslaughter charges in the death of their son. Four others, including the boys' sister Sara, are facing assault charges. All have pled not guilty. Police say they have not concluded why the session turned violent. Bruce Leonard allegedly told investigators his sons may have molested children who belong to the church.
(On camera): But police say there is no indication of that whatsoever. They say seven children here from the church were taken into protective custody. They were interviewed, they were examined, and police say there is no indication any of them were sexually assaulted.
CHIEF MICHAEL INSERRA, NEW HARTFORD POLICE: The deceased and his brother are victims in this horrible crime. And I want to put out there, again, there is no evidence that these brothers did anything. They are, at this point, true victims.
CARROLL (voice-over): Debra Leonard's attorney believes his client is also a victim, saying Debra did not have the physical strength to beat her sons. Debra Leonard claims she only took part in the beginning but that other church members held the brothers down while the beatings took place.
SCOTT MCNAMARA, ONEIDA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I have indicated before and I will continue to indicate that we are looking at other charges, and if other people should be charged, we will present that evidence to a grand jury.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: So here's, Fredricka, what we should be expecting in the next few days, in the coming weeks. The district attorney saying to expect more charges, more possible arrests, also saying that he expects to present his case to the grand jury within the next 45 days -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: My gosh. Jason, it's so upsetting.
CARROLL: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Every time I hear your story, I feel like I'm hearing or envisioning something new. So now what about the brother? What's his condition? How is he doing?
CARROLL: Christopher is in serious condition. He is speaking, he is talking to investigators. What's interesting about this, and I don't know if you caught this in the piece, but he actually tried to help, tried to give CPR to his brother Lucas. But, of course, his brother was already dead.
Also interesting in this. It took church members, Fredricka, I'm told after listening and speaking to investigators, some two hours before they got to the hospital. No one actually, according to court testimony, ended up calling 911. And, in fact, at one point, they were on their way to the hospital, Christopher was actually in the car with his brother Lucas at that point. And then they realized they left children back in the church, turned around, went back and then went to the hospital with Lucas still in the car.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh, all right. So now what about people in the neighborhood? What have people been saying about what they suspected, what kind of activity they may have suspected? Not necessarily that night but on other occasions at that church. Was it that secretive? And that insular that people just didn't know about the following? Or what potentially could be happening there?
CARROLL: Well, apparently it became that way. It wasn't always that way. This church was founded some time ago back in 1984. Some five families living there at what was a high school at one point and then transformed into a church, some 35 members, I think, living there off and on. And at one point, you know, they interacted with the community, I guess years ago, this is what people there in the community are telling me, and then became more insular, more secluded as time went on.
WHITFIELD: Heartbreaking and horrible. All right. Thank you so much, Jason Carroll.
And we'll be right back.
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[13:58:33] WHITFIELD: Close to signing an agreement to avoid midair collisions in Syria, the news comes just days after two jets came within miles of each other as both sides conduct air campaigns in the region.
And drone operators may soon have to register with the U.S. government. The Transportation Department is preparing a permit process that would identify operators of rogue drones. They hope this will result in more responsible drone flying. The FAA receives about 100 reports per month from airline pilots reporting drone sightings.
Wow, close call, six construction workers were injured, though, when this scaffolding collapsed outside a building in Houston. Officials say all of the injured were workers at the scene. Not first responders or people passing by. A senior captain with the Houston Fire Department says there is no confirmation of missing workers, although some 100 firefighters are still looking.
The next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM begins right now.
All right. Hello, again, and thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Hillary Clinton looking for support in the Deep South today. Any
moment now, she will address the Alabama Democratic Conferences convention in a Birmingham suburb.
Senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson is at the event in the town of Hoover. So, Nia-Malika, I see someone at the podium now, are they introducing Hillary Clinton?
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They are introducing Hillary Clinton who is supposed to come out here any minute. This is a very, very pro-Hillary crowd. This group endorsed her at the Alabama Democratic Conference.
