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FBI Director Says Growing Rift Between Police, Citizens; Violent Encounter Between School Resource Officer, Student Causes Outrage; China Reaction to U.S. Warship Passing Intentionally in Disputed Waters; Fear in South Asia After 7.5 Quake; Video of U.S. Special Forces Raid on ISIS; Woman Who Drove Car Into Parade May Have Mental Health Issues; U.K. Police Make Arrest in TalkTalk Hacking Case; GOP Campaign Rhetoric Heating Up; Are Bernie Sanders, Larry David Same Person; Fear Grips Southeast Asia After Earthquake; WHO Report Links Processed Meats with Cancer; Royals, Cast Attend New James Bond Premier. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired October 27, 2015 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:00:12] ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: A police officer slams a teenage girl to the floor during class. The violent arrest is stirring swift reaction.
Plus, we'll take you live to Beijing for China's reaction to a U.S. warship passing intentionally into disputed waters.
And what you need to know about a major new report linking meat consumption to cancer.
A very busy day here at CNN.
A big welcome to our viewers in the states and those of you watching all around the world. I'm Errol Barnett, with you for the next two hours. This is CNN NEWSROOM.
One year after the controversial Ferguson case brought long-simmering issues between U.S. police and minorities to the foreground, it's one of the big topics being discussed at the nation's largest gathering of law enforcement officials in Chicago. President Barack Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch will address the gathering on Tuesday. They're both expected to talk about criminal justice reform.
But FBI Director James Comey has already started to address what he says is a growing rift between police and citizens in today's society. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: There's a line of law enforcement and there's a line of communities we serve, especially communities of color. And I actually feel those two lines arcing apart, through the #BlackLivesMatter and the #PoliceLivesMatters. Of course, each of those adds a voice to an important conversation. But each time somebody interprets #BlackLivesMatter as anti-law enforcement, one line moves away. And each time someone interprets #PoliceLivesMatter as anti-black, the other line moves away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Meanwhile, a violent encounter between a school resource officer and a student at a South Carolina high school has adding to the evolving discussion. We don't know what led to this incident on Monday. Surely, you've seen this bouncing around social media. Our affiliate, WIS, reports that the officer was called into this room when the student refused her teacher's request to leave the classroom. The rest is there on the video, which has sparked outcry from both sides on social media. Many have expressed outrage at the force the officer used with the student, while others have defended him and pointed to the student's refusal to listen. It's unsettling to watch either way.
The school district released this statement. It reads in part, "Student safety is and always will be the district's top priority. The district will not tolerate any actions that jeopardize the safety of our students."
Now the officer, identified as Deputy Ben Fields, has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is ongoing.
CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, Sunny Hostin, joins us; alongside CNN law enforcement analyst and former NYPD detective, Harry Houck, in New York.
Welcome to you both.
Harry, let's start with you.
Is there anything you see in the video alone that disturbs or bothers you?
HARRY HOUCK, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: That's a good question. I think by watching this, first thing, I don't see the beginning of the video. So that's an issue for me. How many times has this officer asked this young lady to get up from that chair? All right? Now, as a police officer, myself, would I have done it the same way that officer has? No, I would not have. Let me make that clear. I would have not acted like he did. But he did act within the law. Meaning that an officer can use whatever force is necessary to affect an arrest. So if you don't comply with my wishes, I'm telling you to get out of that seat, twice, if you don't get out of it, then I can do whatever it takes to get you out of that seat and put handcuffs on you. And also, like I had said before, I'm tired of teachers and schools calling cops when children are unruly in a classroom. This should not have been a police incident at all. The school should have taken care of this child, not --
(CROSSTALK)
BARNETT: And the school has said they are disturbed by this. They're launching an investigation, as is the police department. HOUCK: But why did they call the police?
BARNETT: But, Sunny, I see you nodding "no." There are two questions here, what is legally appropriate, and then what is right? We don't know what came before the video, but in your view, is there anything that could justify this?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: No, and that's why I don't think that's the question. I don't think we need to see what happened before. The bottom line is all we need to see is what is on the video. And that is whether or not, to make a legal determination. The legal determination is whether or not this officer used the force that was reasonable and necessary to control the situation, to control this child. And I think that we can all agree that what we are seeing is an officer who is sort of out of control, who is choking a child, who is flipping a child over in a chair and then hurling that child like a rag doll across the floor. In my book, in anyone's eyes, that should be just, per se, not only illegal for a police officer but for any human being to treat a child like that. I don't think context at this point matters.
I do agree, though, with Harry -- one of the few times that I do agree with Harry -- is that we, in our schools, at least in the United States, are too quick to call in the police to deal with behavioral situations. Granted, you know, teachers are not, I think, trained well to deal with these kinds of situations, but the bottom line is this was not a situation for a police officer to be called in.
[02:05:53] HOUCK: Correct.
BARNETT: And for our international viewers, that's a good point to make because this video is being seen, it's going viral at the moment because it's happening in the context of police treatment of minorities and the question of if the force is necessary.
Harry, black girls are six times more likely to be suspended than white girls in schools in the United States. Why do you think that is?
HOUCK: Just like, you know, a black is more likely to be arrested, like in New York City, than a white person. They're not behaving, and that's the bottom line. Why do you think that police officer was called to that classroom? Because that girl was black? This is not a racial issue. Let's not inject race into the issue. It's about police being called because somebody was unruly in a classroom. That person did not submit to that officer by law, which they have to, and the officer used whatever force was necessary to effect the arrest.
(CROSSTALK)
BARNETT: And, Sunny, what do you think explains the disparity in punishment that we see throughout all years of education? I mean, black kindergartners are more likely to be disciplined than their white counterparts. What explains this?
HOSTIN: And those are the stats. I don't want to make every issue into a race issue. When we look at this particular video, we don't know that race played a factor. But when you look at the larger issue, which is what you're talking about, Errol, it's clear that while African-American young girl students, female students are only about 13 to 14 percent of the school population, they are arrested 43 percent of the time. Those that are arrested --
(CROSSTALK)
HOUCK: And they're all innocent. Come on, Sunny.
HOSTIN: Well, there has to be --
(CROSSTALK)
HOSTIN: -- some sort of racial component. Black people aren't just criminal by nature, right? So I think we have to at least in the United States really start to look at all these underlying factors as to why officers are more apt to arrest African-Americans, they are more apt to suspend African-Americans, and they are more apt to use excessive force with African-Americans. That is an ugly truth about living in America. And it's something that until we are comfortable talking about, we're still going to have that problem.
HOUCK: I don't agree with the interpretation of the statistics either.
HOSTIN: Those are the statistics.
(CROSSTALK)
HOUCK: Those are statistics, yes, but that's your interpretation of them.
BARNETT: And that's why it's great to get you both in on this issue. The officer himself is not to return to any schools in the district and is pending an investigation to see what the answers are to these questions.
My thanks to CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, Sunny Hostin, and CNN law enforcement analyst and former NYPD detective, Harry Houck, both of you in New York. Thanks to you both.
HOUCK: Thank you.
HOSTIN: Thanks.
BARNETT: Now to another story that's moving right now. A U.S. Navy warship has deliberately sailed within 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, of a man-made island in the South China Sea. Now, this mission put the ship within what Beijing says are Chinese territorial waters. China built the island in a disputed part of the sea. China's foreign ministry said it monitored the ship's movements and now calls on the U.S. to, quote, "immediately correct its mistake and not take any dangerous or provocative acts."
For more, let's cross to CNN's Steven Jang, live from Beijing. Steven, to some degree, this isn't a huge surprise, expected in many
ways. But what details are the U.S. providing about this mission and if it's something that will become routine?
STEVEN JANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Errol, if you listen to U.S. defense officials, this is -- or this was a routine mission, according to them, the U.S., conducting a transit within 12 nautical miles of subi-reef that the Chinese have turned into a man-made island and claim to be a sovereign territory. Now we also understand there were U.S. aircraft in the air to provide cover and surveillance. So U.S. officials are basically saying it's a routine mission, a freedom of navigation mission, in international waters, and they say the point of international waters is countries do not have to consult each other when they pass through or enter these waters.
So, yes, this is not going to be the last one the U.S. Navy is going to conduct in terms of transiting through the waters. But as you also mentioned, the Chinese do not see it that way. The foreign ministry has responded very firmly and angrily, calling this maneuver harming Chinese sovereignty, endangering the safety of those on the islands as well as harming regional peace and stability -- Errol?
[02:10:29] BARNETT: It's a bit of posturing here, Steven. But what's interesting is the timing. This is taking place just weeks after President Xi Jinping made a state visit to the U.S. This was likely discussed. So why is this happening now?
JANG: That's why the timing is certainly interesting. Actually, before the confirmation of today's news, Chinese officials had been telling me in private how angry, frustrated, and perplexed they feel about what at a time would be an impending mission of this nature. They say they consider Mr. Xi's visit to the U.S. a very successful one, with many agreements reached between the two governments, especially on the economic and cultural exchange fronts. But even on this issue, there was no agreement, but there were dialogues and discussions. So they certainly see the bilateral relationship to be at a very good place, so they don't understand why the U.S. is doing this now.
Now, of course, now the U.S. has made this move, this is really putting the Chinese government in a bind, because they have been telling their people it's their territory since ancient times. Now you're seeing a lot of nationalistic and patriotic sentiment online, with many asking why the government response so far has been so weak. So it's a stalemate, it's a dilemma, but an issue certainly that's not going away anytime soon -- Errol?
BARNETT: And we'll continue to look into this. And next hour, get a live report where the U.S. vessel is docked to see what more information we can gather.
Steven Jang, live for us in Beijing. 11 minutes past 2:00 in the afternoon there. Steven, thanks.
Now, there is fear and uncertainty across much of south Asia after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. Authorities now say at least 306 people were killed, mostly in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The quake could be felt in at least five countries. Hundreds of people were injured and there were worries about aftershocks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED NEWS ANCHOR: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: And look at that, footage from a live newscast when the quake first struck Monday afternoon local time.
CNN's Saima Mohsin has more for us from Pakistan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 7.5 deadly earthquake, it's a monster.
SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scenes of devastation from Afghanistan, buildings leveled and homes reduced to rubble following Monday's massive earthquake. Among those killed, 12 young girls. They died in a stampede to escape their school building in northern Afghanistan.
The quake struck near the city of Jarm (ph), near the Afghanistan- Pakistan border, but what was felt in cities hundreds of kilometers away. Aftershocks continued to shake the capital of Kabul and residents remain on edge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It definitely put our people into panic, especially because it seemed to go for a lot longer than the normal, just jolts that we would sometimes get.
(SHOUTING)
MOHSIN: In Afghan cities, like Jalalabad, hospitals are overrun with the injured. Across the border in Pakistan, an emergency has been declared at hospitals in Peshawar. Dozens have died there. But that number is likely to increase. The military and national disaster management authority has been activated.
Buildings also shook in India, sending office workers into the streets. The quake was felt as far away as Tajikistan. People in the capital there also seeking safety outdoors.
With communications down, little is known about the fate of rural communities, where the quake was centered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a very difficult terrain. So to get information and to get aid to some of the remote affected areas is going to be difficult.
MOHSIN: The last time a quake of this magnitude struck the region, 10 years ago, more than 80,000 people were killed.
Saima Mohsin, CNN. (END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:14:36] BARNETT: Canadian authorities are looking for one person still missing right now after a whale-watching boat sank near Vancouver Island on Sunday in what was apparently calm weather. 27 people were on board. Five of them died, all British nationals. Transportation officials are investigating how this accident happened.
U.S. Special Forces raid an ISIS compound to rescue hostages but one of their own is killed. Coming up, a rare look inside the prison as the operation unfolded.
Also ahead, U.K. police make an arrest in connection with a cyber attack on telecom company, TalkTalk, but who they ended up with just might surprise you. More on that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: I'm Don Riddell, with your CNN "World Sport" headlines.
Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct by the English Football Association after Saturday's defeat at West Ham. The Chelsea manager witnessed the loss from the Hammers director's box because he'd been sent there for trying to talk to the referee at half-time. Chelsea are also going to be asked to explain why Mourinho didn't take part in the post-match news conference. And both London clubs were charged with failing to control their players. They have until October 29th to respond.
On the same day as the deadline came and went for candidates to enter the FIFA presidential race, ex-Germany Coach Franz Beckenbauer said he made a mistake in the bidding process to host the 2006 World Cup. Beckenbauer was the head of the organizing committee, which reports allege, made a payment to FIFA in return for a financial grant. The 70-year-old said a FIFA proposition, quote, "should have been rejected," adding that he took responsibility for his mistake.
And the Welsh rugby official Nigel Owens will referee the World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday. Owens, who was named gay sports personality of the year in 2007, shortly after coming out, has won admirers for his light touch and sense of humor, as well as his rapport with the players. Owens said on social media that he was, quote, "Truly humbled and honored."
That's a quick look at your sports headlines. I'm Don Riddell.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: You're going to want to see this, because we're getting a dramatic new look at video of Kurdish and U.S. Special Forces as they raid an ISIS prison in Iraq to free hostages. A U.S. soldier was killed in the rescue mission.
Chief U.S. security correspondent, Jim Sciutto, has new details on the raid.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SHOUTING)
[02:19:31] JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ISIS-held prisoners, running for their lives, freed from the terror group in a daring U.S.-Kurdish joint raid. New video shows the raid in northern Iraq Thursday that led to America's first combat death since 2011. Delta Force special operators, alongside Kurdish Cobra commandos, seen here checking hostages for weapons or suicide vests.
Inside, an ISIS flag hangs on the wall. Then the pop, pop, pop of gunfire as prisoners, some bloody, flee the burning compound. Later, after the soldiers and hostages are clear, a U.S. plane bombs the compound into rubble. ISIS released video it says shows the resulting damage.
The deadly battle was the first time U.S. forces have directly engaged ISIS fighters on the ground in Iraq. The hostages, thought to be in imminent danger of execution, after U.S. surveillance showed mass graves had been dug. The freed prisoners now claiming they were set to be executed after morning prayers Thursday, says the Pentagon.
Five helicopters brought in nearly 30 U.S. Special Forces and 40 Kurdish troops. The U.S. forces were not meant to directly join the firefight, but when Kurdish forces were overwhelmed, Delta Force operators entered the walled compound where Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler was mortally wounded. Master Sergeant Wheeler's remains returned home Saturday, greeted at Dover Air Force Base by Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Army chief of staff, Mark Millie.
Asked by CNN Friday if U.S. forces were now in combat in Iraq, Secretary Carter said to expect more raids.
ASHTON CARTER, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We have this capability. It is a great American strength.
SCIUTTO: Jim Sciutto, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Now the U.S. is also involved battling ISIS on another front, in northern Syria.
All this week, our senior international correspondent, Clarissa Ward, is bringing you a series of reports from the Syrian front lines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In northern Syria, these Kurdish fighters are at the core of the latest U.S. plan to defeat ISIS. They have the courage, but will that be enough?
(on camera): I'm Clarissa Ward. My reports from inside Syria coming up on CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: In our next hour, we'll check in with Clarissa and she'll join us live from the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Please join us for that.
Now in the U.S., a judge has set bail at $1 million for a woman accused of intentionally driving her car into a crowd at a parade. Four people were killed and 47 injured in Oklahoma on Saturday. Adacia Chambers faces four counts of second-degree murder. Prosecutors may consider additional charges for the surviving victims. Her lawyer believes she may have a mental health issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY COLEMAN, ATTORNEY FOR ADACIA CHAMBERS: I grew increasingly concerned with her inappropriate comments as it relates to information that I shared with her, specific information about her having collided with a motorcycle, her having also collided with other individuals, and that there were four fatalities. When this information was shared with her, her inappropriate response to that, which could probably more correctly be categorized as a flat effect, I guess you would say, in other words, no show of emotion whatsoever, zero response, that's not something that is typical of a normal, functioning individual.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Now to the U.K. where police have made a break in the TalkTalk hacking case. The telecom company, one of Britain's leading phone providers, admitted Friday it was the target of a cyber attack that put its customers' data at risk.
Our Laurie Segall has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: Hey there. Well, a 15-year- old was arrested in connection with the TalkTalk hack that could have potentially affected up to four million TalkTalk users. Now the teenager was arrested, not charged. We don't have too many specific details on the arrest at this time.
TalkTalk has issued a statement. I want to read that to you. They say, "We can confirm we've been informed by the Metropolitan Police of the arrest." They go on to say, "We know this has been a worrying time for customers and we are grateful for the swift response and hard work of the police. We will continue to assist in the investigation."
Right now, at this point, we don't know how many customers have been affected by this hack. But we know it has had real human impact.
I spoke to a woman named Barbara Manley. She's a retired nurse. She was actually targeted by a hacker, pretending to be a TalkTalk employee, who called her up and convinced her to hand over her banking details. She describes to me what happens next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
You've lost all your savings?
BARBARA MANLEY, TALKTALK HACKER VICTIM (voice-over): We lost 8,700 pounds.
SEGALL: They asked for your bank account details because they said they needed to credit you money.
MANLEY: Yes, initially, yes.
SEGALL: Then they ended up taking more than 8,000 pounds?
MANLEY: Yes. One lot of 4,900, and a second lot of 3,800.
SEGALL: And, Barbara, it seemed completely legitimate. You thought this was a TalkTalk employee?
MANLEY: It all seemed feasible. It all seemed sensible. It all seemed so genuine. And it's now got to the state that you don't know who to believe.
SEGALL: What is this feeling like? I mean, I can imagine you feel very violated.
MANLEY: Well, look, we're both -- I'm 82 and my husband's 83, and we're not sleeping properly. My husband had to go to the doctor on Friday because he wasn't very well. It's just knocked the stuffing out of everybody. And what's more, I don't know that I'll ever trust anybody again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:25:33] SEGALL: Now, we can't correlate what happened to Barbara to the last TalkTalk hack, although a spokesperson told me that this could have been the result of a hack that happened before in December that left a lot of customer data out there and vulnerable for anyone to kind of take advantage of. Hopefully, we'll know more in the coming days as police investigate and as we continue to follow the story.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Thanks, Laurie.
Your heart goes out to that U.K. couple. Hopefully, they get some form of justice.
Another debate is just a day away and the Republican presidential candidates are now talking tough. Next, a closer look at their strategies.
Plus, the meat industry is seeing red after a report from health experts links some processed meats, like hotdogs and sausages, to cancer. That story, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: Welcome to our viewers here in the states and those of you tuned in from all over the globe. I'm Errol Barnett. Thanks for staying with me. Let's update you on our top stories right now.
[02:30:00] We start with disturbing video showing a school resource officer violently arresting a female high school student in a South Carolina classroom. CNN affiliate, WIS, reports that the student was asked to leave the classroom, and when she refused, the officer was called in. He's now been put on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated.
A U.S. Navy destroyer has sailed within 20 kilometers or 12 miles of a man-made Chinese island in a contested part of the South China Sea. The warship was within what China considers are territorial waters. China says it followed the ship's movement and is warning the U.S. not to take any provocative actions. Rescue crews in south Asia are searching for victims of a 7.5
magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan. More than 300 people are confirmed dead. The quake struck Monday afternoon local time and could be felt in at least five countries.
Police in the U.K. have arrested a 15-year-old boy in last week's cyber attack on the British phone provider, TalkTalk. The suspect was picked up in Northern Ireland. TalkTalk says it received a ransom demand shortly after its website was hacked. The breach may have compromised the personal data of millions of its customers.
All right, the campaign rhetoric among the U.S. presidential candidates, it is getting tougher as the Iowa caucuses draw closer.
As Sarah Murray reports, the attacks on the Republican side are cutting deeper after a shake-up among the front-runners.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARAH MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With less than 100 days until the Iowa caucuses, the jostling in the GOP ranks is taking on a sharper edge.
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Carson is lower energy than Bush. I don't get it!
MURRAY: A new Monmouth University poll gives Dr. Ben Carson a double- digit lead in Iowa, drawing 32 percent support, compared to 18 percent for Donald Trump.
TRUMP: I'm just going to have to work a little bit harder in Iowa. I was very surprised to see the numbers.
MURRAY: Carson, the newly minted Iowa front-runner, revealing his rougher edges, saying when he was a teenager --
DR. BEN CARSON, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would go after people with rocks and bricks and baseball bats and hammers. And of course, many people know the story when I was 14 and I tried to stab someone. And, you know, fortunately, you know, my life has been changed and I'm a very different person now.
MURRAY: But it's the softer Carson winning over evangelical evangelicals.
Now Trump is taking aim at Carson's religion.
TRUMP: I'm Presbyterian. Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh Day Adventist, I don't know about, I just don't know about.
MURRAY: Meanwhile, Jeb Bush, who just cut payroll costs by 40 percent across the board --
JEB BUSH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Blah, blah, blah, blah.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You know what they're saying out there.
BUSH: That's my answer. Blah, blah, blah. Watch it.
MURRAY: -- no longer able to hide his frustration with the state of the race.
BUSH: I got a lot of really cool things that I could do other than sit around, being miserable, listening to people demonize me and me feeling compelled to demonize them. That is a joke. Elect Trump if you want that.
MURRAY: Today, Bush is rallying donors at a Texas retreat as he tries to reassure him the race will soon break his way.
But Trump continues to hammer him, mocking Bush for turning to his family members for help.
TRUMP: So he's meeting now with mom and dad.
(LAUGHTER)
No, it's true. He needs counsel. And he was very angry over the week. He said, you know, if this is going to be this nasty, let them have Trump as their president.
It's going to be nasty. Hey, Putin is a nastier guy than me.
MURRAY: As the billionaire businessman downplays how his own family helped him get ahead.
TRUMP: It's not been easy for me. I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars. I came into Manhattan, and I had to pay him back, and I had to pay him back with interest. (END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Joining me now to talk about all this is CNN political commentator, Ben Ferguson, in Dallas, and a proud Republican, we should say.
So, Ben, let's talk about what's happening on your side of the aisle. With the exception of Iowa, Donald Trump leads in just about every early primary state. He's maintained this lead from the summer. But as we just saw on Monday at a town hall, he said he got a small loan from his father of $1 million that helped him start his business career.
BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah.
BARNETT: Is this a bit of an Achilles heel? Is that about as tone deaf as you can get with working class Americans?
FERGUSON: I thought he's handled his wealth well up until this point. There's no reason to hold back if you're Donald Trump. You've been very successful. You've written best-selling books. You've made millions of dollars off your last name. That's impressive. But when you act like you came from nothing, when your father set you up a trust fund, when there was $100 million with the family when they sold some assets in Brooklyn, and when your dad gives you a million dollars, let's not act like that's not a small fortune. That's an incredible leg up that most people never get a shot in their entire lifetimes. So when you say things like that and you act like you came from this really tough life, these are the things that voters can really hone in on and say, hold on a second, for you, a small lone is a million dollars? For me, a small loan would be $100. I don't think you understand how tough my life is right now, or how tough it is in the economy, to find a job, or whatever that may be.
[02:35:41] BARNETT: Right. And he did fill that up compared to what I make now.
(LAUGHTER)
FERGUSON: Yeah.
BARNETT: But that's precisely the point.
FERGUSON: Yeah, absolutely.
BARNETT: The other big headline, Ben Carson leading by double-digits, this is in Iowa, in a poll of Republican caucus voters there, and that's despite plenty of strange things that he's said on the campaign trail. He's making a lot of bizarre Nazi comparisons to things. He's speaking about how violent he was. But how, why do you think he's beating Trump by such a large margin in Iowa?
FERGUSON: Because I think he's being real. When he talked about being a 14-year-old kid and trying to stab somebody, there's a lot of people that respect how far he's come away from that. I mean, to become a neurosurgeon, you cannot fake it. You have to be an incredible student with an unbelievable work ethic, if you've ever known a neurosurgeon. That's not something that you just say, I'm going to be a neurosurgeon and it just happens. I think his story of success in that way and the way he tells it, in comparison to Donald Trump, is a great analogy here. Donald Trump says I got a million dollars, a small loan. Ben Carson grew up on the streets and says, I was a pretty ridiculous tough kid and even tried to stab someone, and I was able to turn my life around. And I think voters connect with that, because they say, you know what, you really did turn your life around, and look what you've accomplished and how many people's lives you've changed and saved. I think that's why you see him surging. I also think it's a style issue. His style is so different from Donald Trump. If you want someone the opposite of that, Ben Carson is definitely your guy.
BARNETT: Thanks for your time.
Ben Ferguson with us from Dallas.
All right, how about a lighter moment in politics for you now, huh? When Bernie Sanders appeared on "The View," he was asked to address this Internet conspiracy theory that he and Comedian Larry David could be the same person. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE COLLINS, CO-HOST, THE VIEW: A lot of people are claiming on the Internet that they've never seen you and him together in the same room at the same time. So I'm wondering if you can clear the air for us, are you Larry David?
(LAUGHTER)
Are you him?
SANDERS: Really? I have to tell?
COLLINS: Yes. The Internet --
SANDERS: You realize this will destroy my entire campaign.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
SANDERS: It's true, I am.
(LAUGHTER)
COLLINS: You are?
SANDERS: Got to be honest about these things.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
BARNETT: Now, of course before Larry David did this, going on "Saturday Night Live," people all over the Internet noticed the resemblance. I tend to believe Bernie Sanders is playing Larry David, but there you go.
Now, some other stories coming up for you after the break, health officials have issued this huge warning about meat that could make you reconsider what you put on your plate. We'll bring you the details, next.
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[02:41:41] BARNETT: Fear and uncertainty grip parts of Asia after a 7.5 earthquake centered in northeast Afghanistan when it struck Monday afternoon local time. But it was felt across at least five countries. Some people fearing aftershocks continue to stay outdoors. At least 306 people died in the quake.
To get a better sense of how this quake is affecting the area, I spoke with our Meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri, at the World Weather Center earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Pedram, you've been telling us how deep this earthquake was, yet at the same time, it was felt by some 40 million people in several countries in the region. How is that possible?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's an incredible event here. When you think about quakes, and this one was over 200 kilometers deep, when you go down that deep beneath the surface, tremendous pressure and heat in place. These quakes as they occur, they generate enough heat to where temperature spikes Beneath your feet, hundreds of kilometers down, or 1,000 degrees Celsius occur within one or two seconds. That allows the rocks to be melted quickly and you have the expansion of the energy that propagates from the epicenter and you have a lot of feeling the quake.
BARNETT: Let's look at the topography of all of this. One of the great ways to understand this quake is how the tectonic plates slam together and cause that to happen.
JAVAHERI: Absolutely.
BARNETT: Spin that out for us.
JAVAHERI: Absolutely. You think about this particular part of the world. You have the Indian subcontinent, driving right towards the Eurasian plate. It's moving around 40 millimeters per year, about the same rate as your finger nails grow. These plates are constantly in motion.
What I want show you, when you look beneath the surface of the quake, the continental crest, that's at the top. That's when you the motion of the crusts going into one another. Down 200 kilometers down, that's where the lithosphere is, where this quake occurred. Now you have a diving beneath that crust and that pressure is forced the upwards motion, leads to the tallest mountains in the world. We have the Hindu Kush Mountain ranges, the Himalayan Mountain ranges. You bring it up to the surface, and you're talking about the ceiling of our planet and these plates over millions of years.
BARNETT: And these mountains are there because of that pop?
JAVAHERI: That pop. And it's been happening for millions of years, and it continues to happen, so these mountains are getting taller every single year.
BARNETT: Pedram, great to see all this. Thanks a lot, Pedram.
JAVAHERI: Yeah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: And if you wish, you can get involved and find out more about the quake and how you can help those affected. Just head to our impact page on CNN.com. It will connect you with agencies working in the region right now. All of that at CNN.com/impact.
Now, a new report from the World Health Organization is placing processed meats in the same category in the same category of smoking and asbestos for causing cancer. But the meat industry is calling the research alarmist.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen has more.
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[02:45:38] FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite the potentially devastating news, Duncan Baker, from the Parsons Nose Butcher Shop in London, remains unphased. He says he hopes the World Health Organization's warning that processed and red meats are dangerous won't deter his customers.
DUNCAN BAKER, PARSONS NOSE BUTCHER SHOP, LONDON: Are we in fear of what we eat? Do we step out the front door? Do we fear death crossing the road? Where do we draw the line?
PLEITGEN: A research division of the World Health Organization found that processed meat, like bacon and sausages and cold cuts, cause cancer, and that eating red meat like beef probably causes cancer.
The panel's leading scientist says the findings could change dietary recommendations around the world.
DR. DANA LOOMIS, DEPUTY HEAD, INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: These findings reinforce existing dietary guidelines from a number of health authorities, including the World Health Organization. That is, that people who eat meet should consider reducing their consumption to reduce their risk of several diseases, including cancer. PLEITGEN: The WHO study says confirming around 50 grams of processed
meat per day increases the risk of colon cancer by 18 percent. And placed processed meat in the top category for cancer substances, which also includes cigarettes, alcohol, arsenic, and asbestos.
But the study has critics as well. The North American Meat Institute calls the conclusions dramatic and alarmist over reach.
And Robert Pickard, a member of Great Britain's Meat Advisory Panel, says consumers should know that red meat does have health Benefits.
ROBERT PICKARD, GREAT BRITAIN'S MEAT ADVISORY PANEL: Red meat is a particularly nutritious item of food. We don't need large quantities of it, but if we add a little bit of liver to a meat recipe, then that will deliver in a small quantity all the vitamins and minerals that a human being means.
PLEITGEN: The WHO study doesn't recommend abstaining, but the director says consumption should be limited. Advice that the London butcher, Duncan Baker, believes consumers should heed, saying it's better to eat meat high in quality, but moderate in amounts.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: For me, this report raises so many additional questions. So earlier, I spoke with Dr. Philippa Cheetham about the report and she said the risk linked to red meat can also be dangerous for those who already have cancer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PHILIPPA CHEETHAM: There's over a hundred studies that have reported about the risk of red meat with breast cancer, with prostate cancer, with colon cancer, with ovarian cancer, and we need to emphasize that this is not just about cancers of the digestive track. This is all cancers. And the data is real. This is not new news, but we're hearing about it and, unfortunately, I don't think the general public are aware about the dangers of red meat, not just in terms of getting cancer, but the more aggressive types of cancer are linked with red meat consumption. If you have cancer and you continue to eat red meat, particularly in large quantities, you're more likely to have a relapse or a recurrence of your disease.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: And you'll hear more of our conversation in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.
Congressional leaders and the White House have reached a budget agreement that could be voted on as soon as Wednesday, lifting the limit to March 2017 and would raise domestic and defense spending. Many Republicans were furious over the terms, accusing House Speaker John Boehner of giving away too much. If this passes, the agreement gives Representative Paul Ryan some breathing room to take over as house speaker without an immediate budget battle rooming.
Still to come here on CNN, we'll take you to the world premiere of the latest installment of the James Bond franchise. "Spectre" is next.
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[02:49:57] JAVAHERI: Time for "Weather Watch."
(WEATHER REPORT)
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BARNETT: Welcome back. Get ready, Hollywood. Your collective egos are about to get a knock. Ricky Gervais is coming back. The British comedian will be hosting the 2016 Golden Globes. It will be his fourth time on that stage. Gervais is known for his quick wit and biting humor that kept stars in the audience on the edge of their seats in their past performances. The award show made the announcement on Twitter with #He'sBack. The 73rd Annual Golden Globes will air in January.
And if you're a fan of James Bond, get ready to be shaken and stirred once again. The new movie "Spectre" made its world premiere in London on Monday night.
CNN's Max Foster was there as Daniel Craig and other celebrities strolled down the red carpet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You had no authority. None. Mexico City, what were you doing there?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Well, an epic movie in an epic franchise, and obviously an epic premiere to match here in London. The question is, can "Specter" possibly meet up to expectations when "Skyfall" the predecessor, was critically acclaimed and commercially successful as well.
That was a question I put to the leading man, Daniel Craig.
DANIEL CRAIG, ACTOR: We just set out to make the best movie we possibly could. We had so much momentum with "Skyfall" and you've got to use that momentum and you've got to try and do better.
FOSTER (on camera): The Bond effort is one of the last remaining opportunities for truly epic film making on a scale, which is not computer generated. It's done with real special effects, real stunts. And there's a tradition there for the Bond movies, the bar is set really high.
CRAIG: Lyrically, I tried to catch what the film is about. So hopefully, it will collide very nicely and work together.
I just wanted it to be an epic love song. And also I wanted to add a little bit of vulnerability to the character.
(MUSIC)
FOSTER: Well, a massive guest list and topped by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and you can see them on the screen as they're meeting people involved and the various charities involved.
(voice-over): But the critics generally like this movie. They think it fits well into the genre, this massive, global franchise. But now it's out on general release, and we're getting a sense about what the public thinks. Will it be commercially successful?
Max Foster, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:55:01] BARNETT: Thanks for that, Max.
And here are some interesting facts about the James Bond brand. Author Ian Fleming created the British super spy in 1953 in "Casino Royale." He wrote 14 books featuring 007 before his death in 1964. With "Spectre," there are 24 official James Bond movies. If you add up all the revenues from the books, movies, DVDs and other merchandise, the Bond franchise has generated nearly $8 billion. Quite incredible.
You are watching CNN. You can connect with me on Twitter under Errol/CNN anytime. Someone's cramming for a test right now.
I'm back with another hour of CNN NEWSROOM with live reports from Iraq, India and Russia, and more after this short break. Please do stay with us.
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[02:59:38] BARNETT: Outrage and investigation. A police officer is put on leave after his violent arrest of a high school student is caught on camera.
Sailing into controversy. A U.S. warship tests Russia's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
And say it ain't so. Health officials put bacon and ham and other processed meats into the same cancer-causing category as cigarettes.
Hello, and welcome to our viewers here in the states and those of you watching from around the world. I'm Errol Barnett. And this is CNN NEWSROOM.
