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Report: Obama Makes Statement on Paris Climate Deal; Hurricane Evacuations Start in 2 States; Bill Clinton Says Obamacare is Crazy; NSA Contractor Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Government Secrets. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired October 05, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going go straight to the White House. President Obama is about to issue a statement specifically on the Paris agreement, this historic global agreement on climate change.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES: Today is a historic day in the fight to protect our planet for future generations. Ten months ago in Paris I said before the world that we needed a strong global agreement to reduce carbon pollution and to set the world on a low- carbon course. The result was the Paris agreement.

Last month the United States and China -- the world's two largest economies and largest emitters -- formally joined that agreement together. And today the world has officially crossed the threshold for the Paris agreement to take effect. Today, the world meets the moment and if we follow through on the commitments that this Paris agreement embodies, history may well judge it as a turning point for our planet.

Of course it took a long time to reach this day. One of the reasons I ran for this office was to make America a leader in this mission and over the past eight years we've done just that. In 2009, we salvaged a chaotic climate summit in Copenhagen, establishing the principle that all nations have a role to play in combatting climate change. And at home we led by example with historic investments in growing industries like wind and solar that create and add a steady stream of new jobs.

We set the first-ever nationwide standards to element the amount of carbon pollution power plants can dump into the air our children breathe. From the cars and trucks we drive to the homes and businesses in which we live and work we've changed fundamentally the way we consume energy. Now, keep in mind the skeptics said the actions would kill jobs and instead we saw, even as we were bringing down these carbon levels, the longest streak of job creation in American history.

We drove economic output to new highs and we drove our carbon pollutants to the lowest levels in two decades. We continue to lead by example with our historic joint announcement with China two years ago where we put forward more ambitious climate targets and that achievement encouraged dozens of other countries to set more ambitious climate targets of their own, and that paved the way for our success in Paris.

The idea no nation, not even one as powerful as ours can solve this challenge alone. All of us have to solve it together. Now, the Paris agreement alone will not solve the climate crisis. Even if we meet every target embodied in the agreement we'll only get to part of where we need to go, but make no mistake this agreement will help delay or avoid some of the worst consequences of climate change.

It will help other nations ratchet down their dangerous carbon emissions over time and set bolder targets as technology advances, all under a strong system of transparency that allows each nation to evaluate the progress of all other nations. By sending a signal that this is going to be our future, a clean energy future, it opens up the floodgates for businesses and scientists and engineers to unleash high tech low carbon investment and innovation at a scale we've never seen before.

This gives us the best possible shot to save the one planet we've got. I know diplomacy can be easy and progress on the world stage can be slow but together with steady persistent effort, with strong principled American leadership, with optimism and faith and hope we're proving that is it is possible.

And I want to embarrass my senior advisor Brian Dietz standing right over there because he worked tirelessly to make this deal possible. He and John Kerry, Gina McCarthy at the EPA, everybody on their teams have done an extraordinary job to get us to this point and America should be as proud of them as I am of them.

[15:35:00] I also want to thank the people of every nation that has moved quickly to bring the Paris agreement into force. Folk should have not yet submitted their documentation to enter into this agreement to do so as soon as possible and in the coming days let's help finish additional agreements to limit aviation emissions, to phase down dangerous use of hydrofluorocarbons. All that will help build a world that is safer, that is more prosperous and more secure and more free than the one that was left for us.

That's our most important mission, to make sure our kids and grandkids have at least as beautiful a planet and hopefully even more beautiful than the one that we have and today I'm a little more confident that we can get the job done, thank you very much, everybody.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: So this is a huge deal for the president. This issue, climate change, a really a legacy issue for him as his months in office in the west wing are waning. He's talking about the Paris agreement. This is a global agreement, it was back in December of 2015, almost 200 nations agreed on this but it didn't go into effect until last month when the world's two biggest economies, the United States and China, said OK, we'll sign up thus throwing the Paris agreement into effect. The purpose is to decrease our carbon footprint on the world.

Pollution. We have Michelle Kosinski standing by on this legacy issue for the president. Also interesting when I think climate change, you think Al Gore as well. Al Gore the latest surrogate to be put out for the Democrats for Hillary Clinton ahead of the election.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. This issue has lots of tentacles in other problems in other things the president has been trying to deal with. You heard him use this issue to talk about job growth, talk about how economic output has increased in the country even as the government has been working to reduce emissions.

That's not to say the president hasn't had a rocky road. Remember, not long ago the Supreme Court issued a stay on his attempts to reduce emissions from

power plants. Some of these policies are extremely controversial. There have been multiple lawsuits surrounding the president's attempts to reduce emissions in different industries in America, but there was a day where he wanted to tout the accomplishment, that this is a historic day and this marks the point at which there are 55 countries signed up representing 55% of global emissions and the numbers are staggering.

When you think about last month the headline was that the U.S. and China formally joined the Paris climate agreement, well they together represent about 40 percent of global emissions. They're the biggest polluters on this planet so the president is proud of this day. He wanted to thank the people involved in this.

A month from now we will see this officially come into effect. One of the biggest criticisms of the Paris climate agreement is that its points are not legally binding so that's the question moving forward. Will everyone abide by what they signed on to?

BALDWIN: Michelle Kosinski, thank you so much for us at the White House.

Speaking of climate, there is a hurricane barreling towards the United States. We've shown you pictures of official evacuations, both mandatory and voluntary that are underway this 3:00 eastern time the United States. Just trivia, hurricane Wilma was the last category three storm to hit the coast of south Florida. It was back in 2005, 11 years ago this month. Let's go right to the mayor of Miami Beach, Phillip Levine. Nice to see you, Mr. mayor.

PHILLIP LEVINE, MAYOR, MIAMI BEACH: Thank you.

BALDWIN: So Miami Dade county I know schools are starting to close tomorrow, state of emergency just declared, what is your advice for those ahead of the storm?

LEVINE: Brooke, right now as you know, Miami and Miami Beach are not directly -- the way the paths look are not going to be hit by the storm. But we are taking this very, very seriously. Our emergency crews are activated, we are doing everything, we are closing our schools, the actual beaches themselves will be closed beginning tonight.

And we'll be doing everything within our power to make sure all our residents, our tourists are educated because these models can change and we hope that doesn't happen. But right now our thoughts are with everyone in the state of Florida because we are stronger together. And all of us want to make sure the state goes through this as smoothly as possible.

The folks in Haiti and Cuba are thoughts and our prayers are with them because they had a tough time with this storm.

BALDWIN: The uncertainty, they are talking about the cone of uncertainty because this thing could change at moment's notice. And we don't really no where it will hit there in Florida. Just quickly, I was talking to a producer on my team, from Miami, he remembers hurricane Andrew. What's different this go around?

LEVINE: Well, there's more technology as far as modeling between then and now but we have activated our emergency teams, we're working with the county. As you know, Brooke, one of the things we've been hit with in Miami Beach is sea level rise. We've raised streets, put in pumps, they're not geared towards hurricanes, more for sea level rise but we hope they help because one of our big issues is flooding. And congratulations to president Obama, the people of Miami are happy the Paris accord has been signed because we know it's necessary in cities like ours.

BALDWIN: Mayor Levine, thank you so much from Miami Beach, Florida, appreciate it.

LEVINE: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up next here, former president Clinton walking back his comments that Obamacare is, as he called it, the craziest thing in the world. Moments ago Donald Trump seized on those comments in a rally near Las Vegas. Hear what he just said coming up.

[15:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:00] BALDWIN: The federal government announcing that an NSA contractor with top-secret security clearance has been arrested and charged with stealing highly-classified government secrets. Evan Perez, justice correspondent with more on this. Who is he and what do they think he stole?

EVAN PEREZ. CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, his name is Harold Martin, he's 51 years old, lives in the D.C. suburbs in Maryland. He was working as a contractor for Boos Allen Hamilton under contract working for the NSA. People we've been talking to say that one of the things he's accused of stealing are documents detailing some hacking tools, very sophisticated hacking tools that the NSA developed in order to help it break into computer systems belonging to foreign governments overseas. Those documents we've seen posted on the internet a couple months ago

for sale. It's not clear who that was offering for sale but the belief is Martin was responsible for stealing the documents. He was arrested back in August and when the FBI searched his home they found highly sensitive documents, some classified at the highest levels in his home as well as thumb drives containing sensitive information that again belonged to the NSA, the government has very limited information in this criminal complaint.

We expect there will be a lot more in the coming weeks about this case, we did get a statement from a lawyer who's representing Martin and he says in part "at this point these are mere allegations, we have not yet seen evidence. There's no evidence Hal Martin betrayed his country. Do know Mr. Martin loves his family and America, he served his nation honorably in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant and devoted his entire career making America safe."

He was a navy veteran before he started working for Booz Allen. It's notable Booz Allen is the same contractor that employed Edward Snowden who was responsible for one of the most damaging leaks of information from the U.S. government.

BALDWIN: Evan Perez, thank you for the update. Stay on it for us, please, sir. Meantime, Donald Trump has been speaking near Las Vegas. Moments ago ripped into former president Bill Clinton after president Clinton called Obamacare crazy this week. We'll play it for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Bill Clinton back on the trail cleanup, really, after he referred to Obamacare, president Obama's signature policy accomplishment, as the craziest thing in the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We got this crazy system where all of a sudden 25 million more people have health care, and then the people are out there busting it, sometimes 60 hours a week, wind up with their premiums doubled and coverage cut in half. It's the craziest thing in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: To be clear, president Clinton is trying to walk it back now, saying it's a great program, one that he, quote, strongly supported. He was saying that there are still areas that need a little work. However, moments ago in the swing state of Nevada, Donald Trump seized upon Bill Clinton's comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:50:00] DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Bill had a different view. He said, it's just a crazy system. And that's the way he said it. It's the craziest thing in the whole world. You know. They're always telling me, oh, if you say something just apologize. Just apologize. I think that president Obama should apologize for Obamacare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Joseph Borelli is with me, New York City councilman and co- chair of Donald Trump's New York campaign, and CNN political commentator. Bill Press, Hillary Clinton supporter.

Bill Press, you first. I mean, listen, this is awesome red meat for Donald Trump. He seized upon it yesterday. He is back on it again there. You heard the sound bite. Listen, I know Hillary Clinton would say, obviously Obamacare is great. Elect me. I'll improve upon it. How much damage is done by the former president's comments?

BILL PRESS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I don't think a lot of damage is done. I am amused by this because I think Bill Clinton is right, or was right. I mean it is the craziest thing. I wrote a book about it called "Buyers' Remorse". Obamacare leaves the insurance companies in charge. As long as that's the case we'll never really have universal health care. I thought Bill Clinton was channeling Bernie Sanders for a while. We go to single payor --

BALDWIN: What about the next four weeks? This is something Donald Trump can take a run with.

PRESS: Here is why I don't think he can. Because -- that's why I don't think it will do much damage, right? Because Hillary Clinton has been saying from the beginning don't junk Obamacare, fix it. President Obama says, there are parts of Obamacare that have to be fixed. And that's what Hillary's position always is.

That is her position. And as opposed to Donald Trump, who has no plan whatsoever. He says we'll repeal Obamacare and just leave everybody the way things used to be at the total mercy of the insurance company. It may have been politically incorrect but I don't think it will do any damage.

BALDWIN: Joe, do you think Bill is right?

JOE BORELLI, NEW YORK CITY COUNCILMAN: He is right and wrong. Donald Trump has a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare and it mimics the house GOP plan.

BALDWIN: What is that?

BORELLI: This is an issue that's a gift for Republicans. What Bill Clinton said is fundamentally right. Obamacare has been a disaster. Americans have not forgotten he phrase, if you like your doctor you can keep it. They've seen their premiums double over the past six years since it's been enacted.

This has driven independents away from the Democratic party in 2010, 2012, 2014. Now we're going to see independents who are already breaking away from Hillary Clinton further move towards Donald Trump on this issue. I think it was a disastrous comment for Bill Clinton.

PRESS: Brooke, first of all, let's remember the house has voted over 50 times to repeal Obamacare and replace it with nothing. There is no house GOP health care plan. That is --

BORELLI: You can see it on the website.

PRESS: That is a fact. Second point is, Hillary Clinton has already said, the first thing to do to fix Obamacare is to put a public plan option in it. At one time, president Obama talked about that. It's not -- wouldn't be difficult to reduce the power of the insurance companies. That's what she has been talking about.

BALDWIN: Let me ask. Hang on. Let me jump in. I think Obamacare is a serious issue for the president, as is climate change. We saw him at the White House touting the Paris agreement. I think climate change and I also think Al Gore. The Hillary campaign are trying to appeal to millennials. Putting Al Gore on the trail now. I suppose Al Gore is hip with the kids.

BORELLI: I guess so.

BALDWIN: Are you shaking in your boots, Joe?

BORELLI: I don't know if many millennials even remember Al Gore beyond maybe some of the documentaries he's done, Barack Obama is someone who is popular with millennials. If he can't get the job done with bringing this group of voters over to Hillary Clinton I'm not sure what Al Gore does. I think it's actually more perhaps about Bill Clinton becoming this liability that they need some other major surrogates like the former vice president.

PRESS: They had always planned to bring Al Gore in. Millennials do -- they may not remember Al Gore. They do care about climate change. It is a very important issue to them. They do not believe, as Donald Trump says, it's only a hoax invented by the Chinese government to help them compete with the United States on trade. They want to see the government take action. Nobody speaks better to that issue, nobody is more authentic on that issue than Al Gore.

BALDWIN: Buzz feed says he is the sexiest VP. So there is that.

PRESS: There you go too.

BALDWIN: Before I let you go, let ask about Gary Johnson's running mate William Weld.

[15:55:00] Talks to "The Boston Globe" attacking Trump. It is priority numero uno from now until November 8. You switched allegiance from beloved Bernie to Hillary Clinton. Is this essentially William Weld saying, I give up. I'm going to do everything I can to help Hillary Clinton get elected?

PRESS: There have been rumors for a while Weld would drop off the ticket because he didn't want to be part of a movement that might help elect Donald Trump. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. I think it's a strong signal from William Weld that a vote for Gary Johnson is a wasted vote. It's a vote for Donald Trump. Don't do it.

BALDWIN: Bill Press. Joe Borelli. Thank you very much.

Next you're about to hear from the man who played Tim Kaine in the mock debates with Mike Pence. Don't miss the advice he gave to Trump's running mate next.

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