Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Trump's Unannounced Hospital Visit Raising Questions; Bloomberg Apologizes to Black Voters for Stop and Frisk; Ten Shot, Four Died at Football Watch Party. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired November 18, 2019 - 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 HOST: -- Obama's Secret Service detail and all of a sudden something happened health-wise. I mean what would lead a President to need to show up without giving anyone a heads up at a hospital.

JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think that -- let's put into context?

BALDWIN: OK.

WACKROW: The President's health is managed by the White House medical unit. They're arguably one of the best medical units in the world. The doctors, the medical practitioners that make up that unit are with the President 24 hours a day. There's not a moment that they're not within arm's length of him. So to go to do testing at Walter Reed Medical Center is significant. It means that they went beyond -- they needed the capabilities that went beyond their abilities at the White House. So again, that's just another anomaly. It's again healthy to ask why did that happen?

BALDWIN: This was is what Stephanie Grisham says, she's of course the White House Press Secretary. She said over the weekend -- as my statement said he is in good health. It was a routine checkup as part of his annual physical. I've given plenty of on the record statements that were truthful and accurate actively trying to find and report conspiracy theories really needs to stop.

But with so many lies that have come out of the White House, especially when you actually go back to even when he was a candidate regarding his health. Remember, Dr. Bornstein et cetera. Why should the American public take this White House's word?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, this is public relations 101 whether it's a White House or Congress or a company, your credibility matters. And obviously we spent a lot of time doing a lot of fact checking even on small things. So it's not beyond the realm of possibility that you know if someone is untruthful on a small thing that they might also untruthful on a large thing. And look it's easy to attack the press but obviously our job is to ask tough questions to hold people accountable. And especially when there's a lack of transparency. I mean we haven't heard from a doctor which in past administrations, you know, we've heard that information coming out that we can judge for ourselves and actually ask questions and follow-ups. Then we're going to continue to look at these anomalies that Jonathan was talking about and ask questions. I have to say this obviously isn't personal, as it relates to the White House if this happened to the Pope, we'd be asking the same questions.

BALDWIN: No. He's the most powerful person in the world. There should be some transparency on his health

WACKROW: There's also a national security component to this. I don't want to overlook this. In the messaging from the White House is key. They're saying he is in perfect health. So why not get out and say these were the routine tests that he had undertaken. The President is, you know, based upon these tests is in perfect health. You know, our foreign adversaries are looking at this going, is this a point of vulnerability? Can we leverage this somehow? Is there an end game here that we don't know about. So I think that you have to look at this from a lot of different optics, and the way this was messaged from the White House just was poor.

CAMPBELL: To your point, this isn't your average patient.

BALDWIN: No, it's not.

CAMPBELL: This isn't just any person. It's the most powerful person in the world.

BALDWIN: Exactly.

CAMPBELL: So we're going to continue to ask tough questions until we get answers. Again, this is the leader of the country. Again, the most powerful person in the world, we will ask those questions, especially as it relates to his health.

BALDWIN: Quick final note, just on the fact that he jumped -- it was a motorcade that took him to Walter Reed. Typically you jump in Marine One.

WACKROW: Correct.

BALDWIN: Those beautiful skies for flying on Saturday. Why not?

WACKROW: You know to me based upon the video and the reporting this seemed to be what's known as an OTR, an off the record movement. You know this is something that they try to use -- it's a low-profile movement within the District of Colombia, utilized by the President on an OTR movement, HMX which is the President's Marine One helicopter is not utilized.

BALDWIN: OK. Jonathan and Josh, guys, thank you very much.

CAMPBELL: Thanks a lot. BALDWIN: Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is now apologizing for his controversial stop and frisk policy. Critics are calling it a politically expedient move ahead of his possible White House run. The reverend of the church where he apologized joins me next.

And more on our breaking news this hour. The House is now looking into whether President Trump lied to Robert Mueller under oath. We'll be right back.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Michael Bloomberg facing some blow back today after he apologized for supporting New York City's stop and frisk policy during his time as the city's Mayor. The controversial policing tactic had a disproportionate effect on black and Latino communities which were often times targeted by law enforcement. Bloomberg mea culpa coming before a largely African American church congregation as he flirts with a possible presidential run in the Democratic primary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I got something really important really wrong. I didn't understand that back then. The full impact that stops were having on the black and Latino communities. Now, hindsight is 2020. But as crime continued to come down as we reduced stops and as it continued to come down during the next administration to its credit, I now see that we could and should have acted sooner and acted faster to cut the stops. I wish we had and I'm sorry that we didn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A.R. Bernard is the founder and pastor of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn where former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized for the stop and frisk policy on Sunday. Reverend Bernard, a pleasure. Thank you so much for coming in.

PASTOR A.R. BERNARD, FOUNDER, CHRISTIAN CULTURAL CENTER, BROOKLYN: Thank you. Good to be with you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: All right. So a couple questions for you. First, did the Mayor personally reach out to you about coming to your church and speaking to your congregation?

BERNARD: We've had a personal relationship over the last 19 years. I served him of course when he was Mayor of New York City. So there have been ongoing conversations about this.

[15:40:00]

And he reached out and said, what do you think? And we had a very good solid discussion.

BALDWIN: So he said I want to come in for -- BERNARD: He wanted to come in.

BALDWIN: And I want to apologize?

BERNARD: Yes. You think about it. This is what I want to do. I said I think it's great that you want to get out in front of it, that you're willing to own it. And I was willing to open up our church and our service to make it happen.

BALDWIN: Tell me why.

BERNARD: I believed he was remorseful. You know when you leave office you have opportunity to reflect on what you did, how you did it, what you got wrong, what you got right. And I think he was doing that. So, of course timing is going to be suspect because he's talking about a potential presidential run. But he said, I'm sorry. He owned it. And people are going to interpret that however they choose. But we're going to now watch and see what he does beyond the apology.

BALDWIN: We'll get to what he does in a second, but how did your congregates interpret it? Did you get a mixed reaction? What have folks said to you?

BERNARD: My congregation is very respectful. They're very sophisticated, sharp, intelligent people. And they respected the fact that I would give him a platform to make his case. And they would judge him based on how he came across. And for the most part, they felt that he was sincere. You know, does that translate into the black vote? That's something that we have to see. I believe, personally, that he has a pathway to the White House, but how he plays it is important.

BALDWIN: As recently as January, the mayor vociferously defended what he chose to do with stop and frisk, you know, a number of people have pointed out, critics have said, well this is mighty politically convenient for him. And Charles Blow who sat in that seat a week or two ago, you know, was talking about the mayor and feels strongly on the other side as you, and he's this "New York Times" opinion writer. And he actually wrote this column and I just want to quote Charles.

I believe that Bloomberg knew very well and understood clearly the pain that he was causing. But he was making a collateral damage argument. Because there was a crime, and many of those committing those crimes were born with black or brown skin. All those with that skin should be presumed guilty until proven innocent. That feels like the very definition of racism.

BERNARD: Those are strong words and I get it. He's an opinion columnist. He's pushing his opinion. And I think differing voices are important because it sharpens our judgment. But Eric Adams, who is an NYPD Captain, on the force for twenty years came out on Sunday and said that stop and frisk was a good policing tool. The problem is, how it was applied. So you could have good intentions which is what Mike Bloomberg said in his speech. But you have to look at the results. And the result was that it disproportionately targeted black and Latino young men.

BALDWIN: If I may, I mean the statistics, I have them between the years 2004 to 2012, more than 4.4 million were stopped and frisked. Under this policy 83 percent of those targeted were black or Latino. And 12 percent were charged with crimes. And I'm just curious, you know, Reverend, when you have a mother at your church come up to you and say, you know what, during that time when my son was growing up in my own community and I feared that if he was stopped that he would be guilty until proven innocent. And I'm not so sure about this man today, what would you -- how would you counsel her?

BERNARD: I would say that she's a reflection of the tension that those who live in communities that are high crime live in. The tension between wanting policing, wanting crime to go down, wanting to be protected, want to feel safe on the streets. And at the same time, knowing that if measures are taken, someone is going to suffer the consequences, and it could be their child.

You know, I personally experienced being pulled over while I was on the Advisory Council for Commissioner Schaffer back in the '90s, you know, and I was profiled. And I get it, and we have to have these conversations. But that tension is very real. How we apply it? I think again is important. We have to take a look at the results of what we're doing, regardless of our intentions and make modifications.

In 2011, Bloomberg's last term, he launched a $127 million initiative towards cutting down on the factors that result in higher rates of incarceration, poverty and unemployment for young black and Latinos. So he was trying to respond to those years that he supported that. And I think that, you know, that doesn't get told.

BALDWIN: I appreciate you sharing that. And also just you mentioned off the top that you have been in conversations with him, I don't know how much you'll be willing to share as far as counsel, maybe you've offered. But you did say that you believe there is a path for him in terms of running for President. I'm just curious what does that path look like?

[15:45:00]

BERNARD: I do believe that. He's got to gain the confidence of the American people. And look, people are -- the country is suffering from what I would call the deferral of hope -- and that is true amongst the marginalized and disenfranchised, white and black. Whether it's a hope of racial equity in America or whether it's hope for blue collar workers to have jobs and economic parity within the society.

So if we have a leader who can come to the table. Strengthen the economy and keep it going. Secure American interests abroad and make Americans feel safe at home. And deal with the inequities in education, for me as a person of color, the racialized policing the system and criminal justice system, inequities in education, and economic opportunity. I think he has a shot. He has a pathway.

Look, when we have extremes, and we have extremes in our society right now, it creates a very large middle that becomes quite eclectic. And that middle wants to hear someone who can unite, who can breach the tear, the gap, and make sense. And hopefully restore some civility to our presidency.

BALDWIN: I know. I hear you, reverend. And you think Michael Bloomberg could be that person, it sounds like?

BERNARD: It's possible.

BALDWIN: Do you have any announcements coming that you know of that you want to share right now live on TV?

BERNARD: You know. I wouldn't do that.

BALDWIN: A girl's got to ask. Reverend Bernard, thank you so much.

BERNARD: Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: A Pleasure. A pleasure.

BERNARD: Good to be with you.

BALDWIN: A football watch party turns deadly in California, yet another mass shooting in this country. We've got to talk about that. And the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocking the House from getting the President's financial records, details ahead.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: There has been another deadly shooting at a Walmart. This one in the parking lot at a Walmart in Duncan, Oklahoma. Police telling us a gunman opened fire today killing two people who were inside of vehicle before reportedly turning the gun on himself. A handgun was found at the scene. Police are still investigating what led to the shooting. Schools were put on lockdown for just a period of time but have since been given the all clear.

And Fresno, California, on edge today as police there launch a manhunt for at least two gunman who opened fire on a group of family and friends who gathered in a backyard last night to watch a football game. Four young people were killed and another six are wounded. CNN's Dan Simon is following this for us. And Dan, do police have any leads?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At this point, they do not, Brooke. But here you have another senseless killing. This one taking place in Fresno, California. As you said, you had about 30 or so people there to watch a football game and about half of the people were in the backyard when these two shooters came in through basically a side gate, an unlocked gate and started opening fire. Now what I could tell you is that ten people were hit, four people died. Three of them at the scene, one person at the hospital. And what police are saying at this point is that this was not a random shooting. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF ANDREW HALL, FRESNO POLICE: What I can tell you is this was not a random act. It appears that this incident was a targeted act of violence against this residence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: At this point they do not have any suspects, Brooke. But it appears that authorities are investigating this possibly as a gang- related shooting. Though they are not saying that anybody at the party was affiliated with a gang, but they're looking at the possibility that the shooters may have been involved with some gangs. Because as a result of what took place, they have launched an Asian gang task force and they are clearly concerned about the possibility for more violence. Again, at this point, Brooke, no suspects.

BALDWIN: All right. Dan, thank you.

Calls, meantime, are growing for White House Adviser Stephen Miller to resign over white nationalist emails. We have new reporting ahead.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A lot of studies show that too much screen time can be unhealthy for young people but this week's top ten CNN Hero is teaming up with hospitals to make screen time, healing time. Today Zack Wigal is making video games part of recovery for sick kids all across the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZACK WIGAL, FOUNDER, GAMERS OUTREACH: Sometimes people believe that video games are corrupting the minds of America's youth but video games are incredible tools for helping find a source of fun and relief during really stressful and difficult times.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To people who think that games are just games, they are so much more than that.

You don't have to talk about me being sick. We can play the game because that is way more cool than having to talk about me being sick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Love that. Zack provides sick children with gaming in 200 hospitals nationwide and in Canada. Please go to CNNheroes.com to vote for him for CNN Hero of the Year or any of your favorite top ten heroes at CNNheroes.com.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Great to be here. Let's go to Washington. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Trump says he's seriously considering testifying in the House -- [15:00:00]