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Russian Airliner Investigation; U.S. to Increase Security for Some U.S.-Bound Flights; Ben Carson Slams Media Over Coverage of His Past; Officers Charged in Fatal Shooting of 6-year-old; Hillary Clinton Speaks to South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus; High School Students Exchanging Nude Photos; Father Struggles with Early Onset Alzheimer's. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired November 07, 2015 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:01:14] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Egyptian aviation officials are now revealing what they heard on those flight data recorders from the deadly Russian plane crash.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AYMAN AL-MUQADDAM, HEAD OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY: A noise was heard in the last second of the CVR recording. A spectral analysis will be carried out by specialized labs in order to identify the nature of this noise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN affiliate France II is reporting the noise heard on that cockpit recording is the sound of an explosion and that explosion is not from an accident. The report also says the recordings reveal there was no sign of mechanical malfunction. This as ISIS is doubling down on its claim of responsibility in a new propaganda video. And Egypt's foreign minister is saying the international community did not heed Egypt's call to seriously deal with terrorism.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security in this country says it will tighten security for U.S.-bound flights in several international cities, including Cairo, Amman, Jordan, and Kuwait.

CNN investigations correspondent Chris Frates is in Washington right now and Nima Elbagir is in Sharma el Sheikh, Egypt.

So, Nima, to you first, the head of the investigative team says all scenarios are on the table, but where does the investigation go from here?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the investigation really needs to pick up pace, Fredricka. And they acknowledge that that just hasn't been able to happen because of adverse weather conditions. They actually haven't been able to access the sites for the last three days. The last time they got there was Wednesday, and that is -- and that is losing a lot of time, especially as investigators say what they really ideally would like to do is move the wreckage, move the remains of the plane back to Cairo into a sterile environment and start putting the pieces back together.

The issue for them is that -- well, the issues for the Egyptians, really, is that now we have all of these reports coming out, that the concern about what was heard in that last second of the black box recording, that has been the focal point of a lot of speculation.

CNN affiliate France II was hearing from investigators that they believe, and these are investigators in France, that they believe that that could have been the noise from an explosion that was heard in the last second. But the head of the investigation team here saying that he doesn't want any further speculation, he just wants to try to get on with his job, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then, Chris, out of an abundance of caution, the U.S. is adjusting some security measures for flights that are inbound to the U.S. Explain.

CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's exactly right, Fred. So travelers from airports in the region with direct flights to the United States, they're going to likely see additional random searches, hand swabbing of passengers, and possibly more bomb-sniffing dogs.

Now a source with knowledge of the situation tells CNN that airports in Cairo, Amman, and Kuwait will see tightened security for U.S.-bound flights. And then all the beefed up security is likely to affect fewer than 10 airports. And U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said yesterday that the precautionary measures include more screening of items on planes, assessing security at foreign airports, and offers by U.S. officials to help some foreign airports with their security.

Now U.S. officials are stressing here, Fred, that there are already multiple layers of security to screen passengers before they ever really even get on a plane bound for the United States. Those things include checking all passengers and crew, against the terror watch list, for instance. But vulnerabilities still exist, especially the threat from inside the security perimeter. Intelligence officials say, if the downing of Metrojet was in fact an inside job authorities worldwide really need to zero in on those airport and airline workers with secure access to those sensitive areas-- Fred.

[13:05:11] WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Frates, thanks so much in Washington.

Let's talk more about this now. Joining me right now from our New York bureau is Jonathan Gilliam, he's a former FBI special agent and air marshal. Good to see you again. And CNN aviation analyst, Les Abend. And former army intelligence officer, Lieutenant Colonel Tony Shaffer. Good to see both of you -- all three of you gentlemen.

OK. So, you know, a few things coming out of that press conference. That there's an unwillingness to really say it was an explosion or bomb onboard. But now as we also hear that there was a British flight, plane that came very close to being hit by a missile back in August. I wonder, Les, how troublesome is that kind of information coupled

with the possibility that if this Metrojet did have an explosion, it may have been an inside job. So now you've got potentially someone working inside the Sharma el Sheikh airport and then you also have potentially the capability of a missile striking a flight, a plane taking off in that area.

What are your concerns about how the investigation moves forward to protect the airways there?

LES ABEND, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, Fredricka, I mean, from the -- from my understanding, that missile was something the Egyptians were doing on a military exercise. Of course we may never know for sure what that is. It's not something that I want to have to deal with, you know, when I'm on an approach to an airport. But, you know, at this point, I think the Egyptians are taking the appropriate steps.

I really applaud the Egyptian government or the investigation team for finally coming out with this press briefing. I wish there was a little more transparency earlier, but they talked about 58 people. And this is not being done in a vacuum. These are qualified, experienced people, all -- all very good in their field. And they're out there conducting what appears to be a real ICAO investigation.

BEA is involved. They have some -- they have a tremendous reputation, so I am -- I really applaud them for saying, we don't know for sure what this sound is and whether it's an explosion, great but, you know, absolutely, if this is a catalyst that gets us to focus more on our security procedures both abroad and the United States then so be it. Then I think that's a good result.

WHITFIELD: And so, Colonel Schaefer, you know, while Les is, you know, applauding, you know, the investigation to a certain extent, do you also worry about maybe what has been revealed as real vulnerabilities, potentially, especially a week out. It's unclear exactly what happened. But to hear potentially there was an inside job, if indeed there was a bomb onboard.

LT. COL. TONY SHAFFER, FORMER ARMY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER: Right.

WHITFIELD: What are your concerns about the stability or lack thereof in Egypt or at least in this part of Egypt?

SHAFFER: Right. Well, two things first. I'm picking up from my sources in the Pentagon that there was a great deal of chatter that a foreign intelligence service picked up. As a matter of fact, the Pentagon noted that they felt this foreign intelligence service was more reliable regarding the analysis of chatter. And the problem, obviously, Fredricka, they didn't act on it apparently. This foreign intelligence service.

With that said, that tells us that at least we're kind of getting closer to who probably did it. And yes, your instincts are correct on this. It looks very much to me, based on the information I've had given to me by a variety of sources, this was probably an inside job. Someone who had access to the flight line, who may have had access to the maintenance aspects of the aircraft, who had continuous access and had made it through, by the way, the vetting, the security vetting of the Egyptians, to have access.

So this is where I think this is going. And dare I say, you know, this is going to require everyone to relook how they go about doing the vetting and security processing of individuals with close access to aircraft coming from places like this.

WHITFIELD: And so, Jonathan, while the U.S. has made some changes, some modification of security for U.S.-bound flights out of certain areas like Cairo and Amman and even Kuwait, what's your concern about how the U.S. is being used in the investigation or not being used? We've heard from some that, you know, perhaps the FBI is not necessarily been called upon to be part of this investigation. You know, there wasn't a U.S. interest in terms of, you know, a U.S. airliner that was involved in this explosion, or even Americans as far as we know onboard.

But to what extent do you believe the U.S. investigative arm should be on the ground, should be investigating this, because of potential vulnerabilities for any Western states, and especially the U.S.?

JONATHAN GILLIAM, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, as Tony can tell you that the greatest asset that we have outside of the United States when it comes to any type of investigative procedures are sources. And so I think that, you know, regardless of what Egypt allows us to be involved with, we have sources, and we potentially could find out who did it and how they did it, long before other people even in Egypt or Russia, because we have such advanced intel, relationships, and abilities of collection.

[13:10:19] Now with that being said, it's always important if we're involved in these investigations abroad, but I'll tell you, Fred. It's no secret that somebody could sneak a bomb on to a plane through an airport because the reality is, worldwide, airports have put the bulk of their security in one area, and that's screening passengers. And it's the things that happened long before a passenger gets there, where I think the largest vulnerabilities exist in an airport.

Do you screen who works there properly? Do you monitor the luggage? Do you watch who's jumping over fences? In New Jersey, they put a $100 million fence all the way around the entire airport. And then somebody who was drunk one night decided to jump over it and ran all the way to the gates, across the tarmac. So I think these are the biggest -- this is the biggest vulnerability that's been going on for a long time. And we don't necessarily need the Egyptians to tell us that's how it happened and we're to fix our own security.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jonathan Gilliam, Les Abend and Lieutenant Colonel Tony Schaeffer, thanks to all of your, gentlemen. Appreciate it.

All right. Next, the road to the White House. Ben Carson says the media is out to get him and he's calling it a witch hunt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They have been talking to everybody I've ever known, everybody I've ever seen. There's got to be a scandal, there's got to be some nurse he's had an affair with. There's got to be something. They are getting desperate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Republican presidential frontrunner Ben Carson says the media's questions about his past are a witch hunt. During a Q&A with reporters last night, Carson slammed the press for asking questions about childhood stories that he tells in his autobiography. He has referred to the stories on book tours, including an incident in which he tried to stab a friend and another incident where he tried to attack his own mother with a hammer.

[13:15:12] Carson claims the media is out to get him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARSON: I think what it shows, and these kinds of things show, is that there is a desperation on behalf of some to try to find a way to tarnish me because they have been looking through everything. They have been talking to everybody I've ever known, everybody I've ever seen. There's got to be scandal, there's got to be some nurse he's having an affair with. There's got to be something.

They are getting desperate. So next week it will be my kindergarten teacher who said I peed in my pants. I mean, it's just ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Doctor --

CARSON: But it's OK because I totally expect it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So today Carson is campaigning in Puerto Rico and that's where we find CNN national correspondent Sunlen Serfaty.

So, Sunlen, he's in Puerto Rico this weekend after south Florida swing. What's happening since that press conference last night?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think, Fred, if last night is any indication, the tone that he took in that press conference is really a window into how Ben Carson is thinking right now. It's very clear that he is frustrated with the scrutiny over his past. It definitely is getting under his skin. And we saw him in that press conference really bring a side to him we have not seen before. He was aggressive and he was combative with media at times. Really trying to re-direct the fire at the media's coverage of his past.

And here in Puerto Rico, he will be campaigning this weekend. He is anticipated to have a rally tomorrow morning. So I think for the Carson campaign, the hope on their part is to try to re-claim this narrative and we reclaim this week, of course, going into the debate in Wisconsin, this week, he does not want to continue all these questions swirl around, but I should note, these are legitimate questions, ones that we still do not have all of the answers for.

Now he did push back fiercefully during that press conference last night. And afterwards at a late-night event last night he kind of made mention to this new tone that he's taking. He said, a lot of people assume that I'm quiet, and because I'm quiet, they think I'm soft. He said, but I think people are starting to learn now that I can be loud, and this is in his words, Fred, particularly when injustices are being done -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Sunlen Serfaty, gorgeous backdrop, by the way, of course in Juan, Puerto Rico. All right. Thank you so much, traveling with Dr. Carson.

All right. So let's dig deeper on this. Joining me right now from New York, Democratic strategist, Nomiki Konst, and Republican strategist Gianno Caldwell who will be with us in a second.

OK. So Nomiki, Carson usually very quiet and calm, but last night he was a little agitated and he said he is being treated differently than President Obama was treated when he ran for president. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARSON: Wait a minute. Hold on one minute. One second here. Now you're saying that something that happened -- that the words -- a scholarship was offered is a big deal, but the president of United States, his academic record being sealed is not -- wait a minute, tell me -- tell me how -- tell me how there's equivalence there. It doesn't matter where it is. Tell me -- that's a silly argument. Tell me how there's equivalence there. Tell me how there is equivalence there. Tell me, somebody, please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, Nomiki, what do you suppose is going on here? I mean, this is material that he put out there. He's repeated this material, whether it be in his book, whether it'd be on the campaign trail, in sit-down interviews with various networks, but now he seems troubled by it. What's really behind this in your view?

NOMIKI KONST, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: So, you know, I think there are a few things happening here. Ben Carson, you know, this is the year of the outsider, everybody's saying. And he is one of the two outsiders. One being Donald Trump, who's been in the public eye over the pars 30, 40 years. And then you have Ben Carson, who has been giving speeches, has written, I believe, nine books, telling stories of his childhood and growing up and living in Baltimore and all these courageous stories that he's overcome, you know, violence, he's overcome -- you know, there was a guy who stuck a gun to his chest in Baltimore at a Popeye's and he was the hero.

You know, he's had all these interesting hero stories. But he's never been vetted, he's never run for office before. And when you have all these candidates who for the most part have been in office or have run for office, they went through this vetting at an early stage, including President Obama when he ran for state Senate. When he ran for U.S. Senate. He had to go through the vetting process with the county party, with other opponents launching opposition research on them.

That's what happens when you run for office. So I think this is the first time he's really been scrutinized based on his accounts of his stories, which are in writing. You know, and a lot of his speeches were taped and a lot of the interviews are on the record. And he's running on his story, not his record. And that's it.

WHITFIELD: Right. OK. And so Gianno is with us now out of Washington, D.C.

Gianno Caldwell, and so, you know, his story, he doesn't have, you know, the political history in which to run on, which is typically what you're going to see from a number of the candidates.

[13:20:10] He's kind of the outsider, you know, as is Donald Trump, so he's running on his personal story. And one of the personal stories that he has wanted to hold on to, dearly, is that there was a moment that was transformational for him. And that, you know, he was either stabbing somebody, throwing bricks, going at his mother with a hammer. He's asked about that by way of questions being asked to people who knew him who say, that's an unrecognizable Dr. Ben Carson.

And is it a remarkable thing, or even an extraordinary thing, that he doesn't like the idea that he's now being asked about something that he laid out there and he wants to really hold on to that moment of a violent past? He's said, you know -- you know, he had this moment of anger and so this is something that he is campaigning on.

Help us understand. This is very complex.

GIANNO CALDWELL, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yes.

WHITFIELD: It's a little confusing. But this is his story and this is his fight. Help us understand what's going on here.

CALDWELL: Well, when people say that it's unrecognizable by those that are around him when he was a little bit younger, we're talking about folks back when he was in high school, elementary school, and I know that that was a story done by CNN, the investigation done by CNN, he went to a high school of over 2,000 people. There were nine people talked to. And of those nine people, there was one individual whose name -- by the name of Dixon, who said that, yes, I remember rumors of those things. I just really didn't know if they were 100 percent accurate or not.

The truth of the matter is, no one will ever know everything that happens behind closed doors. And a number of the folks in which CNN spoke to said those exact same words. So at the end of the day, you think about situations that happened on the news, when there's a crime that's committed and the news will interview someone and says, do you think that was in that person's character? And everyone says no, but at the end of the day, that person did a number of acts and no one knew about it.

So there's not going to be a way for everyone to know every single thing that has happened for somebody's life --

WHITFIELD: Yes. Except -- yes, except that when you are running --

CALDWELL: -- fifty plus years ago.

WHITFIELD: Except in his case, when you are running just on your character and he is, you know, sharing this story and saying, this is part of my past, this is who I am, et cetera, and no one can kind of corroborate it. Those who seem to know him well, my next-door neighbor, or people who have gone to school with, and now it's almost as if he, instead of it sounding like it's a transformational moment and he's sharing that, it almost as now like he wants to use this as bragging rights. Like, you know, come on, I'm trying to convince you.

CALDWELL: I don't --

WHITFIELD: And it -- maybe it seems a little strange to some.

CALDWELL: Yes. I disagree -- I disagree with that. I don't think that he would ever -- who wants to use this as bragging rights? He grew up in the inner city Detroit. Poverty. His mom was illiterate. Who wants to brag about those kinds of things --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Well, the tone --

KONST: Every politician --

WHITFIELD: Te tone in some of those interviews about how he's explaining it, it's almost like it's -- you know.

KONST: Yes. And you know what --

WHITFIELD: I mean --

CALDWELL: The tone has changed, the tone has changed for one reason and one reason only. And we know that Dr. Ben Carson has always been mild manner in any interview. He's the most likable candidate, according to polls. He's the most credible candidate. And he was the only candidate in one of the recent polls that could beat --

KONST: But credibility --

CALDWELL: Beat Hillary Clinton. So at the end of the day --

KONST: But, Gianno, Gianno. Gianno, you know, it goes beyond credibility and likability. You know, "The Wall Street Journal" did a great piece yesterday where they went through his accounts through his nine books and his speeches and there were several accounts, many of them verifiable. This is what reporting is. Reporting isn't just going to ask random people that went to high school with him. They went through police records where, you know, he said that he was held up at a Popeye's. Well, guess what, there's no police record of that. You know, he said that after the --

CALDWELL: And he also said in that instance --

KONST: Hang on, hang on. He said that after the MLK protest. He brought in white students into a biology lab and protected them from other black students, which is an interesting narrative in its own, and he protected them. Well, guess what, none of those white students that he claimed he protected actually said that, and the class he said he took at Yale, he said that term papers were burned and that he decided he was going to take the new term -- the new -- do the new term paper. And guess what? There's no verification of that class.

There are several accounts in his record where none of this is true. I think it's pathological. I think that someone who thinks he can never have run for office and run for president and not be held to account based on his one thing and one thing alone, that's his character. That's what he's running on.

(CROSSTALK)

CALDWELL: OK. So this -- this is -- so let's go through what you just said.

WHITFIELD: So then, Gianno, you know, address that because he is talking about things in which there are witnesses, he even writes about, he tells these stories that there are all these people, but then none of these people have surfaced. He did say a couple of days ago, where he said, you know, well, Bob, I just talked to Bob yesterday, in fact.

CALDWELL: Yes. That was yesterday.

WHITFIELD: And if Bob wants to, Bob will come forward. And now nothing more about that.

CALDWELL: This is the truth of the matter. Yes.

WHITFIELD: But then he uses the word pathological. He says, you know, I had this moment of pathological anger.

[13:25:05] CALDWELL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And it's an interesting choice of word.

CALDWELL: That's when he was 13 or 14 and -- that's when he was 13 or 14 years old. There's a lot of people in their early teens that have this pathological anger. That is normal. That is something that we regularly see in our high schools. That's nothing new. Going back to Nomiki's point, when you're talking about the Popeye's incident, that was over 50 years ago.

(CROSSTALK)

KONST: But he just talked about that this summer, though.

CALDWELL: Right, in terms of not being able to find any police records, he said that he didn't even stick around for the police to even take any statements. He wanted to get out of there. When you think about, back in the '60s, when he said that he protected the white students, there was a lot going on in Detroit. That is very --

WHITFIELD: OK.

CALDWELL: It's very possible that that could have happened.

KONST: What about the class, then?

CALDWELL: And no one is -- no one is --

KONST: He's inventing a class?

WHITFIELD: All right.

CALDWELL: I'm sorry?

KONST: He said there was a picture of him taken, put into the Yale yearbook. Guess what, they couldn't find that picture. You know, there are so many little stories along the way. At some point you have to say, OK, come on, let's be real here.

WHITFIELD: All right. So I wish we could go on because there's so much more to talk about this and I love that you're both really fired up about it and you're defending your positions on it. And it's fascinating and it's not going away, but for now we're going to have to take a pause and maybe we can resume this conversation at another time because yes, this is something that is going to be dogging his campaign, clearly, for days to come, if not weeks. We'll see.

Nomiki Konst, Gianno Caldwell, thanks so much to both of you. Appreciate it.

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:15] WHITFIELD: All right. We've got new developments on the 6-year-old boy shot and killed in Marksville, Louisiana. CNN correspondent Nick Valencia has been following this tragic story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Late last night, two police officers taken into custody, charged with killing a 6-year-old boy in Marksville, Louisiana.

COL. MICHAEL D. EDMONSON, LOUISIANA STATE POLICE: And tonight, that badge has been tarnished by the following two individuals.

VALENCIA: City Police Officers Norris Greenhouse Jr. and Derrick Stafford are facing second-degree murder charges in the death of Jeremy Mardis Tuesday night. They're also facing attempted murder charges. Both were working secondary jobs as marshals. Investigators say the two men were pursuing a vehicle driven by the

boy's father, Chris Few, when the chase stopped on a dead end street. Police say that's where the officers opened fire. The 6-year-old was apparently buckled in the front seat.

EDMONSON: Jeremy Mardis, 6 years old. He didn't deserve to die like that. And that's what's unfortunate.

VALENCIA: CNN affiliate WAFB says Mardis was hit five times in the head and chest. His father was critically injured. State police say no gun was found in Few's car. Circumstances surrounding the chase are unclear.

MEGAN DIXON, CHRIS FEW'S FIANCEE: I don't know what he was thinking. I don't know why he wouldn't just stop. He didn't do them wrong.

VALENCIA: The incident was captured on police body cameras. Footage, which has not been released, left state investigators shocked.

EDMONSON: And I'm not going to talk about it, but I'm going to tell you this. It is the most disturbing thing I've seen. And I will leave it at that.

VALENCIA: Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And police say it's possible their investigation could lead to others being charged. Two other police officers were involved in the chase. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, with all the talk about the Fed raising its fees short-term interest rates, mortgage rates jumped this week. Have a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:35:44] WHITFIELD: All right. Right now, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is speaking to the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus for the second time. Clinton will also speak at an LBGT event this evening. Two groups she'll need to win the nomination and the White House.

CNN Politics reporter Eric Bradner joining me now. So, Eric, let's talk about what's happening right now. How is she rallying? What's the message to black voters there in South Carolina?

ERIC BRANDER, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, she's talking with Roland Martin right now. And she's going to talk a lot about criminal sentencing. This is one of the key messages that she's been pressing lately. She brought up the Eric Garner case last night at an event in South Carolina. She's also going to be talking about gun control, that's something that she's been hitting a lot lately. And Roland Martin is likely to ask about the Black Lives Matter movement and about historically black colleges.

So this is a state, South Carolina, where African-American voters are much more prevalent than they are than in Iowa or New Hampshire. And so for Hillary Clinton to win the nomination, this is a key constituency. And right now she's really trying to appeal to those voters.

WHITFIELD: And according to the Quinnipiac University poll released this week, Clinton has 73 percent of black voters support in a head- to-head with GOP candidate Ben Carson. Carson has 19 percent. That's enough to win the election if it were held today.

BRADNER: Right.

WHITFIELD: So how much more, you know, of an effort needs to be made to feel comfortable with the black vote?

BRADNER: Yes, 73 sounds high. But historically, George Bush in 2004 was the last Republican presidential candidate to actually get out of -- get into double digits with African-American voters. And so that would be a really problematic figure for Hillary Clinton. So part of the problem is a head-to-head with Ben Carson. Clinton does better against other Republican candidates. But she is certainly trying to sort of make up for her 2008 campaign stumbles in South Carolina, where Bill Clinton made some racially tinged remarks that really alienated people there.

So Hillary Clinton right now is trying to really appeal to African- American voters and sort of boost those numbers. It's a constituency she does really well in the Democratic primary. So that's sort of the front of mind sort of element here.

WHITFIELD: All right. So according to the polling, Hillary Clinton leading the Dems, Ben Carson leading the Republicans for now. It will be an interesting next year or so.

We got a long way to go, Eric.

(LAUGHTER)

All right. Eric Bradner, thank you so much.

All right, a high school sexting ring uncovered at a Colorado high school. At least 100 students were reportedly involved in texting naked pictures and now they could be facing felony charges. Our legal panel weighing in, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:42:11] WHITFIELD: All right. Officials in Colorado say they've uncovered hundreds of nude photos that high school students were exchanging and were hiding from their parents through secret apps on their phones like this one. Disguising as a functioning calculator until you type in the right kind of numerical sequence and when you do, it unlocks secret folders where photos, videos and files are hidden. An unspecified number of students have been suspended now and some may be in trouble with the law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF PAUL SCHULTZ, CANON CITY POLICE: We will be attempting to identify the people in the images and we will act as fact gathers, where we will gather all the information and make our best determination if, in our opinion, there have been any violations of law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, so there are lots of legal questions here in this case. With me now is psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Gail Saltz, and CNN legal analyst, Joey Jackson.

Good to see both of you.

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good afternoon, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK. So, Joey, let me begin with you and kind of the legal road. If some of these cases are now facing some pretty serious charges, is it appropriate in this case, when there are a lot of these kids who are, you know, doing this because they think it's kind of the norm. Everyone's doing it. But they didn't really know, in large part, the legal ramifications that come with sexting, with transferring, you know, imagery of each other naked.

JACKSON: That's right, Fredricka. And that really raises the policy question of, should they be criminalized based upon their lack of knowledge and based upon doing what children and teenagers do. And in Colorado, you know, there are many laws throughout the country, and sexting certainly is something that's significant, given the burgeoning nature of technology. But many states throughout the country have addressed the issue of texting and sexting as a policy question and what we should do about it.

Unfortunately, Colorado has not. And in essence, what that means is that they default to the other statutes that are on the books. And if you're under 18, that default becomes child pornography. And so whenever you're dealing with issues of child pornography and you're sending images of anyone that's under the age of 18, it's problematic.

And Fredricka, it's not only, you know, sending is distributing it, but say you get it. You're now in possession of child pornography. So it raises massive questions and it defaults, unfortunately, to the laws that are in existence.

WHITFIELD: So then --

JACKSON: And since they don't have these teen sexting laws, they're draconian measures to deal with these children.

WHITFIELD: So if you're a kid and receive it, you open it up and there it is. If you just simply have it in your possession and you have not, you know, sent it to anybody, are you still liable, facing, you know, potential charges even, you know, if you didn't send it to anyone, but if you did send something, that's where, you know, the charges could come into play or are you in trouble either way?

[13:45:02] JACKSON: Well, here's what the problem is. You're in trouble either way, is the short answer. But the bigger problem is because technically then, Fredricka, you would be in possession of child pornography. Now obviously if you then redistribute it, you're talking about distribution and other type of charges. So what has to happen is each jurisdiction really has to decide as a policy matter what they are going to do about children who do what children do.

And what my sense is that Colorado will deal with this in the juvenile courts, as opposed to the adult court because even that is significant because we know that the juvenile courts deal with issues concerning rehabilitation where adult courts are really measured in dealing with punishment. And that's a big distinction.

WHITFIELD: All right. So, Joey and Gail, this means some serious conversations parents need to be having with their kids if they have phones. So in this study by Drexel University, Gail, it was released just this past summer, nearly 30 percent of college students admitted that they have sent and received explicit photos before they were the age of 18. And nearly 60 percent of those surveyed didn't know that what they were doing would actually be considered child pornography.

So, I mean, there are a few things to address here. I mean, Gail, A, why do kids feel like they want to do this, they need to do it, especially not knowing where that image is going to go.

GAIL SALTZ, PSYCHIATRIST AND PSYCHOANALYST: Right.

WHITFIELD: And you know, and then B, it's kind of, how is it that they don't know, that there's something wrong with this?

SALTZ: Well, for adolescents, it is normal in adolescents to be risk taking, to be thrill seeking. To be impulsive. So in other words making a decision without necessarily considering the consequences. Obviously, there's a wide range in adolescents, but the basic facts is in adolescents, your amygdala is on overcharge, the part of the brains that says, hey, that's felt good, let's do it again.

So receiving or looking at sexually titillating material or exhibiting yourself would definitely fall into that category. And then the part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex that houses consequence, so, if I do this today, what's going to happen to me tomorrow, you know, am I going to be in trouble, that part is not well established until you're in your actually low to mid-20s.

WHITFIELD: OK. So then all the more reason why, Joey, then, if that is a great explanation for a lot of these young people that don't really know, haven't really thought about the consequences, don't really realize the ramifications, then should the books be coming down so hard? And I know, you know, ignorance is not above the law.

JACKSON: Right.

WHITFIELD: You know, we hear that all the time but -- go ahead.

SALTZ: I do want to say, parents can be their frontal cortex somewhat for their kids.

WHITFIELD: OK.

SALTZ: They do need to sit down and say, hey, this is -- you might not realize this, but this is illegal and you can get in trouble.

WHITFIELD: OK. So that's not happening, say, Joey, in some circles.

JACKSON: Right.

WHITFIELD: So that kid who doesn't realize, didn't think about the consequences, the ramifications, et cetera, but now the books are being thrown at, and now potentially you're also going to be a registered sex offender, aren't you? So much for going to college, so much for living in a dorm room.

JACKSON: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: I mean, your life is essentially ruined and you're just a 15, 16, 17-year-old who was just doing -- you know, carrying out --

JACKSON: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: Doing what everybody else is doing.

JACKSON: It's a great point, Fredricka. And we do know that ignorance of the law is no excuse. However, you're a child, and therefore measures that are taken regarding sexting, no matter what we think about it, you can think it's abhorrent, you can think it's outlandish.

WHITFIELD: Right.

JACKSON: But the reality is kids do what they do. So should there be statutes on the books that are going to throw the book at the kid, you know, in essence, make them felons, et cetera, et cetera. And that's why I think there needs to be a measured response from this.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

JACKSON: There needs to be a sensible response, and I'm sure that the district attorney in evaluating this will treat it in a way, understanding that they're children.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

JACKSON: And perhaps doing it the juvenile route, so that the draconian measures don't really apply to these massive students, who I'm sure are just generally good, wonderful kids, but they're just acting like kids and now deemed to be criminal.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Parenting is hard, but it just got a whole lot harder listening to you two. I am very scared. And being a kid has gotten really hard, too.

All right. Gail Saltz, Joey Jackson, thanks so much. Appreciate it. JACKSON: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, still to come, a Texas judge shot outside her own home in Texas. Details on the search for the gunman in our next hour.

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[13:53:34] WHITFIELD: All right, tonight, CNN Films presents an incredible look at Glenn Campbell's farewell tour after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. "I'll Be Me" airs at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. It follows Campbell's journey playing sold-out shows as the disease progressed. It's a struggle Sandy Halperin and his family know well. Halperin has early onset Alzheimer's disease.

And CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has his story.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, for the last three years I've been following a man and his family, who refused to let Alzheimer's define who he is and what he can accomplish. I can tell you it's been this extraordinary journey and I'm thrilled to share it with you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDY HALPERIN, DIAGNOSED WITH EARLY ONSET ALZHEIMER'S: Say hi, Mommy. All right, I'm holding you. Do it.

I held her and she clutched onto me. Don't let go of me, Daddy. Just don't let go. I just lost my train of thought there. But --

GUPTA (voice-over): Five years ago, at age 60, Sandy Halperin, a former dentist and Harvard assistant professor, father of two, grandfather of three, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. This is his story.

For nearly three years now, Sandy has literally welcomed us into his life and his brain with open arms.

(On camera): How are you?

HALPERIN: Oh, what a treat.

[13:55:01] GUPTA (voice-over): He's given us a rare glimpse into the actual experience of losing your memory.

(On camera): How are you? I mean, are you suffering?

HALPERIN: Yes.

GUPTA: Are you suffering?

HALPERIN: I'm suffering a lot. Like I often feel like in the front of my head that there's cotton stuffed in there. Like an uncomfortable feeling in the front of my head.

GUPTA: Does it hurt?

HALPERIN: No. Just like a pressure feeling. Like this whirling sometimes confusion with that sensation in the brain.

This is my operating center.

GUPTA (voice-over): Yet each time we visit Sandy and his wife Gail, the toll the disease is taking becomes painfully clear.

HALPERIN: And now as I -- I forget what I'm saying in the middle of what I'm saying. It's so --but now -- I'm sorry. I just lost my train of thought.

What's in my bucket?

GUPTA: Sandy has created a motivational bucket list filled with things he'd like to accomplish while he still can. Most focus on family. But Sandy's also found what truly energizes his brain is his volunteer work for Alzheimer's.

GAIL HALPERIN, SANDY'S WIFE: That got him up and going. And with purpose. It's given him a life.

HALPERIN: I'm broken. I'm not missing a limb, but I've got a defect. But it doesn't mean that I can't live with life with that defect.

Off we go.

LAUREN HALPERIN, SANDY'S DAUGHTER: It was just so powerful to me. You know, it's like the fact that he has that attitude. That he's like you may be in me but you're not going to take me down. I got this. I'm in control of this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kiss my foot.

HALPERIN: Yes, I'll kiss your foot.

LAUREN HALPERIN: I'm so grateful for that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And that is just the beginning. Next, we're going to show you how Sandy handles everything from caring for his wife during her cancer treatments to preserving his memories and also planning for the future -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And that's an incredible story. All right, thank you so much, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

You can find more of Sandy's story at CNN.com. And don't miss, "I'll Be Me," tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.

The next hour of the NEWSROOM begins right after this.

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