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Egypt Air Hijacker in Custody; Obama to Address Prescription Drug, Heroin Abuse; Republican Sen. Mark Kirk Meets with Obama Supreme Court Nominee; Trump Campaign Manager Charged with Simple Assault; Kasich Responds to Trump Campaign Manager Charges. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired March 29, 2016 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00] PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: But at the end of the day, Richard, this guy commandeered a plane. And when it comes to questions about security, how is this any different to terror?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT & CNN HOST, QUEST MEANS BUSINESS: It's very different. An organized terror campaign versus, if you like, those who are mentally disturbed or those who have a particular issue. Now, the effect is the same in the sense that obviously the plane is ground, a hostage situation ensues. In terms of the longer-term threat, I think there's a substantial difference. There will always be those occasions when somebody decides to do something unforeseen such as trying to commandeer a plane.

So far, it does not appear to have been a breach of security. Everybody's piling in on the Egyptians saying how they must have let explosives through, but that doesn't appear to be the case, pam. In that scenario, you have to accept that whenever somebody says I have a bomb on a plane, it's always going to be treated very seriously and with graveness, even if the likelihood of it being untrue is high.

BROWN: Particularly after that in the Sinai Peninsula and the terrorist threat we're all facing right now. You have a passenger who said he stayed in the back of the plane through the curtain and the airline crew collected passenger's passports. And then told them the plane had been taken over. What do you think about that?

QUEST: Again, you don't -- when the captain, when the pilot turns the transponder to the emergency hijacking code, you don't second-guess what might happen next. Now, authorities could say until they're blue in the face we do not believe he has explosives on board, but you've still got to land the plane and you've still got to treat it as if it's a real threat. I'll give you an example. After Paris and the Paris attacks, there were number of hijacking or bomb threats against Air France, against a whole variety of airlines. The chances of those threats being accurate and valid was highly remote. But the plane still had to land and be searched just in case.

BROWN: And it's scary how easy it is to call in those threats.

QUEST: Yes.

BROWN: Richard Quest, thank you so much. We appreciate it. Right now, by the way, President Obama is announcing new initiatives

to combat the drug addiction across the country. CNN's own Dr. Sanjay Gupta is moderating a panel discussion with the president right now. And the president is speaking. Let's take a listen.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Mr. President, I'm going to start with you. You have a lot going on. This is a significant commitment. You flew down here. You're attending this conference. You're going to make comments here. Why this particular topic for you, sir?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Because it's important. And it's costing lives. It's devastating communities.

I want to begin by thanking Congressman Rogers for helping to put this together and the leadership he has shown. We very much appreciate him and his staff for making this happen.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: We want to thank Unite and -- the organization that has been carrying the labor on this issue for many years now. We are very grateful to them.

I just want to thank our panelists, especially Crystal and Justin. We obviously appreciate the work the doctor does. But part of what's important is being able to tell in very personal term was this means to families and communities. So I am looking forward to hearing from them.

This is something that has been a top priority of ours for quite some time. You know, my job is to promote the safety, the health, the prosperity of the American people. And that encompasses a whole range of things. It means we're tracking down ISIL leaders. It means we're responding to natural disasters. And it means that we're trying to promote a strong economy. And when you look at the staggering statistics in terms of lives lost, productivity impacted, costs to communities, but most importantly, costs to families, from this epidemic of opioids abuse, it has to be something that is right up there at the top of our radar screen.

You mentioned the number 28,000. It's important to recognize today we are seeing more people killed because of opioid overdose then traffic accidents. Think about that. We spend a lot of time and resources to reduce those. The good news is we've been very successful. Traffic fatalities are much I was a kid. We systemically looked at the data, looked at the science and developed strategies and public education that allowed us to be safe for drivers.

[14:35:44] The problem is here, we've got the trajectory going in the opposite direction. 2014, which is the last we have accurate data for, you see an enormous ongoing spike in the number of people who are using opioids in ways that are unhealthy. And you're seeing significant rise in the number of people who are being killed.

And I had a town hall in West Virginia where I don't think the people involved would mind me saying this, because their very open with their stories. The child of the mayor of Charleston, the child of the minority leader in the House in West Virginia, a former state Senator, all of them had been impacted by opioid abuse. It gave you a sense this is not something that's just restricted to a small set of communities. This is affecting everybody, young and old, men, women, children, rural, urban, suburban.

And the good news is that because it's having an impact on so many people, as Hal said, we're seeing a bipartisan interest in addressing this problem. Not just taking a one size fits all approach. Criminalization and incarceration, which, unfortunately, too often has been the response we have to a disease of addiction, but, rather, we've got an all-hands-on-deck approach increasingly that says we've got to stop those who are trafficking and preying on people.

We also have to make sure our medical community, that our scientific community, that individuals, all of us are working together in order to address this problem. And I'm very --

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: President Obama speaking here in Atlanta, talking about a plan to fight drug abuse across the country, saying it's a top priority for him, making the point that more people are killed from opioid overdoses than car accidents.

And just for transparency here, CNN accepted this invitation for Sanjay Gupta to moderate because, not only is this an important and urgent medical issue in America, it's also a bipartisan event. More of this throughout the day, of course.

Up next, more on our breaking news, Donald Trump's campaign manager charged with simple battery for an incident involving a reporter. Trump has just reacted, along with his rivals. This, as they get ready to face voters tonight during a CNN town hall.

We'll be right back.

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[14:43:08] BROWN: Right now, on Capitol Hill, a Republican Senator is breaking rank with his party. Moments ago, President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, walked through the cameras here as he went into a meeting with Republican Mark Kirk. As we know, most Republicans are refusing to meet with Garland. They want a nominee next year, chosen by whoever wins the White House this fall.

I want to bring in CNN senior political reporter, Manu Raju, for more on this.

Manu, Kirk is the first Republican to go against his party's leadership and meet with Garland. Is this a sign that GOP blockade is weakening?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, right now, we're not really seeing any evidence beyond Mark Kirk and two other members who have called for hearings. Mark Kirk of course is in a very difficult re-election race in his blue state of Illinois. He's doing whatever he can to separate himself from his party leadership. And that position of saying we're not going to consider the nominee, he does not think it plays well back home. Clear in his meeting just now with Judge Garland, when he actually was very critical of his party leadership and the rest of his caucus for taking this position, calling them close minded and not acting like adults.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK KIRK, (R), ILLINOIS: We need a rational, adult, open-minded consideration. He's been duly nominated by an elected president of the United States to fill a vacancy which we know exists on the court. We need that open minded rational responsible people to keep an open mind to make sure the process works.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now, I also asked Mark Kirk, would you consider voting for Garland. He said, obviously, that's why I'm meeting with him, I would consider voting for him. By far, going further than any of his colleagues right now on this issue.

But I should also caution, again, he is just one Senator. There are 54 Republican Senators. The party leaders have refused to schedule hearings, has refused to take this nominee to the floor. Democrats hope there will be a growing pressure, there will be more defections. Right now, we're not seeing any evidence of this.

I should add one other thing. We talked to senior leadership officials. They're happy he's doing this because they want him to show independence. They think it will help him in his re-election back home.

[14:45:26] BROWN: All right, Manu Raju, thank you so much.

More breaking news. Donald Trump's campaign manager facing battery charges with this new surveillance video that was just released of Corey Lewandowski appearing to grab a reporter.

Governor Kasich just spoke to reporters in Wisconsin and he responded to this incident that we're looking at here in the video. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KASICH, (R), OHIO GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know this guy. I don't know exactly what happened. My understanding is that the report is he grabbed somebody. And that's frankly totally and completely inappropriate. It could have been one of my daughters for that matter.

Look, I think I've said what I have to say, which is, if it was me, if I was in this circumstance, I would take -- I would take some sort of action, either suspension or firing. I mean, I just have to think about any time where I've seen anything where I've made an exception to that. I mean, there's an exception to every rule, but that's the action that I would have taken.

And, see, if I spend a lot of time on this, I'm kind of going down into the ditch here. Nobody likes what we see. I've commented on his language about, you know, go to a convention, you can have a riot. I mean, these are bad things, and I've been very clear about them.

In regard to this circumstance, I can tell you what I would do. So maybe you ought to ask Mr. Trump his thinking on this.

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Actor Ian Somerhalder is best known for playing a vampire on the hit show "Vampire Diaries." But it's his work saving elephants that's really making an impact.

Here's this week's "Impact Your World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IAN SOMERHALDER, ACTOR: A number of years back, I was staying in Zimbabwe in the Bush at this incredible conservation institute with a young orphaned elephant. Both of her parents were killed by poachers. I wish people had the experience that I had to hug this beautiful, intelligent, loving creature.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That encounter inspired the actor to help save elephants from the deadly ivory trade.

SOMERHALDER: I think people would really feel differently about what it means to kill these beautiful animals.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ian partnered with Wild Aid for its Year of the Elephant campaign.

SOMERHALDER: Wild Aid's goal, it's all of our goal, to make this the year of the elephant where more elephants are born than killed by poachers.

[14:50:08] UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to Wild Aid, 33,000 elephants are killed every year for their ivory. Within seven years, the African elephant could be extinct.

SOMERHALDER: This whole thing is about getting people to come join the herd, stop this senseless slaughter of these beautiful animals. Because when the buying stops, the killing will stop.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER: I want my MTV.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want my MTV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: MTV, Madonna, "Members Only" jackets, three of the cultural cornerstones of the 1980s. CNN's new original series, "The '80s," kicks off Thursday night. The first episode will highlight our favorite TV shows of the decade.

Joining us now is a survivor of the 1980s, journalist, Michael Musto.

Michael, thank you so much for coming on.

In fact, you wrote for the "Village Voice" in the '80s. Let's talk about television.

(CROSSTALK)

MICHAEL MUSTO, JOURNALIST, OUT.COM: And I not only was there for the '80s but I remember it.

BROWN: You remember it. Wow.

MUSTO: I loved it. I loved it.

BROWN: Something to be said for that, Michael. A lot of people loved it. Great shows, great music. You sent us a list your most pivotal moments of the decade, what you think were the most pivotal moments.

The first one on there we have is "Dynasty." Tell us about that one.

MUSTO: "Dynasty" was a prime-time soap opera by Aaron Spelling and this involved a rich-oil magnate, played by Blake Forsythe, but the focus was on Alexis Carrington, played by Joan Collins, and Crystal, played by Linda Evans. It's very politically incorrect to look back on that right now, but at the time, we loved it. I used to go to dinner parties where people dressed like the characters and watched the show breathlessly to see each new plot twist, including Muldavia (ph). Remember Muldavia (ph)?

BROWN: I can't say I do. But I do remember "Miami Vice." That was a very popular show in the 80s as well. Why was that on your list?

MUSTO: That was a very sexy show, which had great '80s music, '80s fashion. Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas play two detectives undercover in Miami uncovering all kinds of drugs and murder. And they wore a lot of white, very sleek, no socks. The show started a lot of trends. It wasn't "Death of a Salesman" or Shakespeare by any means, but -- (LAUGHTER)

-- a very watchable show, very influential.

BROWN: The show with beloved characters, of course, "Golden Girls." Betty White, who's still going strong. Why that one?

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: I know, but I want to hear from you.

MUSTO: Exactly. I still watch it. It's on three channels in reruns every night. I'm addicted to this so many years later. It was a groundbreaking show about mature, older women creating a family. It was a mother, daughter, and two roommates, and really zinging each other and putting each other down, but really being there for each other and nurturing each other. I just love the casting and the groundbreaking subjects it covered. If they did the show now, it would have to be women in their 90s. The 90s is the new 50s and 60s.

[14:55:26] BROWN: I totally agree.

Another show -- we don't have time to get through all of them. One of my personal favorites was "Full House" and, of course, "Seinfeld," which I don't think a lot people don't realize started in the '80s, 1989.

Michael, thanks for breaking it down for us. Really fun talking to you.

MUSTO: Thanks for having me.

BROWN: You can relive "The '80s" with us. The CNN original series kicks off Thursday night, at 9:00 p.m., right here on CNN.

Up next, brand-new reaction on the arrest of Donald Trump's campaign manager over his incident with a reporter. We'll also do a little fact checking on the campaign's response.

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