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Erin Burnett Outfront
Death Toll In Wildfires Growing: One Of Deadliest In State History; Trump Calls Senator Corker "Liddle": Brags I.Q. Higher Than Tillerson; Trump Briefed On "Range Of Options" On North Korea; Sources: Vegas Shooter Tried To Cause Explosion At Airport; Obamas Condemn Weinstein In Five Days After Allegations; Obamas Condemn Weinstein Five Days After Allegations; Death Toll in California Wildfires Growing: One of the Deadliest in State History; NFL Chief: "Everyone Should Stand" for National Anthem. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired October 10, 2017 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: "OutFront" next, breaking news, the death toll growing in the California fires, 15 lives lost, 200 missing. Tonight, entire neighborhoods, livelihoods reduced to ashes.
Plus, the President challenging his Secretary of State to an I.Q. face-off, insulting Senator Corker calling him liddle, with the "D," that's just today in the light of Trump.
And more breaking news, President and Mrs. Obama are breaking their silence on Harvey Weinstein five days after the allegations came to light as we have new and disturbing audio of Weinstein harassing someone. You're going to hear it. It's stunning. Let's go "OutFront."
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. "OutFront" tonight, the breaking news, growing death toll. A massive struggle under way right now to contain one of the deadliest wildfires to ever tear through California. The flames devouring an area the size of a football field every three seconds, the wildfires so far killing at least 15 people.
There are 200 people missing tonight and this is why. Home after home destroyed. All that is left, piles of ash, as these fires are moving through so quickly, Napa's popular vineyards and wineries slammed as well. This is a before and after shot of the Paradise Ridge Winery. Look at that before and look at that after.
Wildfires are so intense that you can see them from space. This image was just released from NASA and it shows the smoke covering much of Northern California, and these fires are not even starting to be under control.
Dan Simon is "OutFront" live in Santa Rosa, California. And Dan, the destruction behind you is devastating.
DAN SIMON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Erin, it's just absolutely incredible, and believe it or not, authorities are still evacuating people. They are still going door to door because the flames are still approaching on people's homes. You talked about the missing. About 200 people are missing. That does not mean they are believed to be dead. It just means that there could be a problem with communication. They have to sort it out.
I'm going to step out of the way here because you can see this neighborhood. It is unbelievable. This is the coffee park neighborhood in Santa Rosa, California. There is not a home still standing. Devastation as far as the eye can see. Some 20,000 people are evacuated. I was actually at a shelter today. It was packed. And I have to tell you, the need is great. They need clothes. They need children's toys. And folks are still streaming in there.
As far as when this fire might be contained, Erin, we just don't know. At this point, it is still zero percent contained. The wind, however, is dying down, so hopefully, Erin, firefighters will begin making some progress. Erin?
BURNETT: That's unbelievable to see that destruction. All right, Dan Simon, thank you very much. We'll have more on that later this hour.
Now, though, to our other top story, President Trump undercutting and belittling his own staff and his own party today. Today, questioning his Secretary of State's I.Q. and giving a demeaning new nickname to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee dubbing him liddle, with two Ds, Bob Corker.
Let's start with the Secretary of State. The President asked in a Forbes interview about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calling him a moron, firing back with this. "I think it's fake news, but if he did that, I guess we'll have to compare I.Q. tests. And I can tell you who is going to win."
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders asked about that today offered up a frequent response trying to say, "Oh, gosh, it was just a joke."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The President certainly never implied that the Secretary of State was not incredibly intelligent. He made a joke, nothing more than that. He has full confidence on the Secretary of State."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: New reporting coming here, he wasn't making a joke. And this issue of full confidence, is this what full confidence looks like? Here is the President's recent tweet on Secretary Tillerson. Here's this one. "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he's wasting his time trying to negotiate with little rocket man."
The president continuing to make it clear Tillerson's strategy was a loser, tweeting, "Save your energy, Rex. We'll do what has to be done." Trump's humiliation of Tillerson coming even as the Secretary of State came to the White House today for lunch. And minutes before he arrived, Trump spoke to the cameras.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you undercut the Secretary of State today with the I.Q. comment?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No. I didn't undercut anybody. I don't believe in undercutting people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OK. Never mind his insults to his Secretary of State. Here's Trump undercutting a few of the other people who work for him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Does everybody like Nikki? Otherwise, she can easily be replaced.
Sessions should've never recused himself and if he want -- if he was going to recuse himself, he should've told me before he took the job and I would've picked somebody else.
Are you going to get the votes? You better, otherwise I'll say, "Tom, you're fired."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: All right, that was undercutting his U.N. Ambassador, his Attorney General, and his now former Health and Human Services Secretary. He did fire him.
[19:05:05] Jim Acosta is "OutFront." And, Jim, tonight, two of the most important foreign policy leaders in the United States, Rex Tillerson and Bob Corker, being undercut and humiliated by the President.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And some more undercutting going on over here at the White House, Erin. We were just told in the last several minutes by a source close to the White House that was familiar with the President's reaction to Rex Tillerson's comments about being called a moron, and then these comments about how the President would like to see his I.Q. test compared with Rex Tillerson's I.Q. test.
According to this source that I just spoke with a few moments ago, Erin, the President was not joking. When he said that he and Rex Tillerson should compare I.Q. tests, this is what the source said to me, "They knew he was pissed that people found out Tillerson called him a moron and he spouted of about the I.Q. test because he was mad. The White House knows it was not a joke."
Now, that, of course, is contrary to what Sarah Sanders, the Press Secretary, told reporters earlier today that this was just a joke and that all of us in the press corps should go and get a sense of humor.
Now, one thing that is not a laughing matter is that Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense James Mattis, they were both over here at the White House today and the President did get a national security briefing on North Korea.
The White House putting out a statement just in the last half hour saying that President was briefed on a range of options for dealing with North Korea's nuclear aggression. But, Erin, that is not the only matter that the White House, of course, was dealing with today. They were, of course, dealing with this ongoing feud with the outgoing Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker.
Bob Corker, as you know, and the President have been going back and forth over recent days. And at the briefing earlier today, Sarah Sanders was asked about Corker's comments over the weekend that the White House had been turned into an adult day care center and so on.
And she quoted a different senator, the late Senator Pat Moynihan who once said, "You're entitled to your opinions, but not your own facts." That, of course, Erin, coming from the White House that has once talked about alternative facts. Erin?
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much. Of course, Sarah Sanders with comments like these in danger of giving herself the credibility of Sean Spicer.
"OutFront" next, Gloria Borger, Chief Political Analyst, David Drucker, Senior Congressional Correspondent for the Washington Examiner also with me.
Gloria, the President challenging his Secretary of State to an I.Q. test, putting aside Sarah Sanders trying to make it go away by making something up. You hear Jim's reporting. He meant it. He's angry. He says he's smarter.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. That's what he does. I mean, we heard this all during the campaign. He said he had a higher I.Q. than Rick Perry, who I would point out now works for him. He said he had a higher I.Q. than the Republicans he was running against. And we all know, this isn't a President who's really got a great sense of humor. He's not that great at telling a joke, at least not publicly.
And, you know, I mean, they always say that he's joking when they're trying to sort of push something aside, when he said that Obama created ISIS, when he asked Russia to hack Hillary Clinton's e-mails and on and on. They say, "Oh, the President was just joking." This is his way of getting in the last word against Rex Tillerson, whom he was angry at.
BURNETT: And is angry. I mean, David, Rex Tillerson's spokesperson then, I mean, this is I guess where it gets ludicrous, but --
BORGER: It is.
BURNETT: -- was forced to respond to this today by reporters. And David, here's the exchange with Heather Nauert and the reporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Apropos of nothing, what is the secretary's I.Q.?
HEATHER NAUERT, SPOKESPERSON, STATES DEPARTMENT: It's high.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it?
NAUERT: Anybody who can put things together, you know, (INAUDIBLE) it's high.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't have an exact score.
NAUERT: I don't have. I'm afraid I don't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What he might have gotten on his SATs, anything like that, no?
NAUERT: Do you have a real question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: You know, you can laugh at that, David. But I guess the question is, does the President think this sort of back and forth is helping the United States diplomatically.
DAVID DRUCKER, SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON EXAMINER: I don't know if the President looks at it that way. The President tends to operate in a sort of brand first mode. The way he did when he was a billionaire real estate entertainer running a reality television show and his closely held family business.
And I think that's how he looks at the presidency and I think he thinks that that furthers his political viability. And to some extent he's right because his political base eats this up.
I think the danger in ridiculing Rex Tillerson, even if the President really was joking, is that our adversaries and allies around the world still don't know how to read this President, particularly in Asia where saving face is so important. And they don't have this kind of sense of humor.
We're involved in some very sensitive negotiations or at least an attempt to negotiate a stand down with this North Korea crisis, working with China. I don't think the North Koreans and the Chinese and others in the region understand this kind of sense of humor, if that's what it was. And I think that's the problem with the President's spat very publicly with Rex Tillerson.
BURNETT: Right. And, of course, I mean -- and let's just be honest, he often says things that you can try later to say are a joke, but then they're not.
BORGER: Yes.
BURNETT: They're said in anger. They're said in the heat of the moment. He believes them even though they may then seem absurd. [19:10:02] Gloria, the bigger issue here, though, is the President thrives on undercutting people.
BORGER: But he does.
BURNETT: Yes. You just heard him, he doesn't undercut anybody. But he does. That's his management style. I have talked to people close to him. That's how he does it. He plays them off against each other. He undercuts one to another. That's Trump management.
BORGER: Trump management is that, and it's creating chaos. And that's exactly what he's doing. You know, to David's point, I mean, you know, Rex Tillerson is about to go to Asia. He is worried about the decertification of the Iran deal, North Korea, et cetera, et cetera. This isn't the Trump organization. This is somebody who speaks on behalf of the United States of America to foreign leaders.
And if you say that you have a higher I.Q. than this guy and you try to demean him and belittle him, and he's not just representing Donald Trump, he's representing everybody in this country. What does that say, and how does that help the Trump administration? That's the question that I have when you have a Secretary of State. It's very clear. His tenure is going to be measured in months, not years.
[CROSSTALK]
BURNETT: Yes.
BORGER: He's going to -- if that. He's going to -- he's out of here. And so, you know, the President has a problem and he's making it worse all because of his personal grievance with Rex Tillerson.
BURNETT: And of course, when they keep coming out and saying how much confidence he has in him that, you know, demeans the role of press secretary and whether we can believe what she's really saying when he says that.
David, it also continued today with Senator Corker. The President coming out today with a tweet, "The failing "New York Times" set liddle Bob Corker up by recording his conversation was made to sound a fool, and that's what I am dealing with."
Now, just to be clear, though, corker told "The New York Times" his aides were recording the conversation and that they should also, here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BOB CORKER, (R) TENNESSEE: I know they're recording it and I hope you are, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So the President was wrong there. But obviously, using the word liddle, with two Ds, purposely as he did with Marco Rubio, David, what is the point of these childish nicknames and things? Or David, does he not see it as childish?
DRUCKER: Well, I think the President sees it as effective and I don't think he cares whether it's childish or not and he doesn't care what a lot of people think about it. And from his point of view when we've seen it with past presidents, what worked for them to get them elected president they assume will keep working and it is working until it doesn't.
And so I think the President is taking what turnout to be effective in the Republican primary and the general election and using it in his view to govern. I think the problem for him, if he's worried about tax reform or worried about his larger agenda, is that if he keeps fighting with his allies on the Hill, the way he's fighting with Bob Corker, even if I'll stipulate, he's justified in striking back at Bob Corker for previous criticism. Even if he is, it doesn't further his end goal if his end goal is policy.
But in talking to Republicans, you know, they reminded me today that for this President, he may not pressure his success in legislative achievements. He might measure it in political success, how many rallies he can pack, and how many cheers he hears. And when he does the sort of thing, a base, a Republican base in particular that remains very angry at Washington, responds very favorably, and that's why he continues this.
BURNETT: Quick final word, Gloria.
BORGER: Yes. What got him elected was being anti-establishment, was calling people names, was being able to categorize people, label them, and be isolated from the Republican Party. That is exactly the thing that is working against him right now in Washington.
He hasn't been able to adapt and he doesn't want to adapt. And so he is at war with the majority he needs in the Senate to get his agenda through.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you both.
And next, breaking news, we have new details breaking at this hour about something found in the Las Vegas gunman's hotel suite. We've got new information on that and something pretty stunning here that could tell some crucial things to investigators.
Plus, stunning rape allegations. Rape, we're not using the word lightly. This is rape that's being alleged against Harvey Weinstein as the shocking audio is surfacing of him recorded during a police sting (ph).
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why yesterday you touch my breast?
HARVEY WEINSTEIN, AMERICAN FILM PRODUCER: Oh, please, I'm sorry, just come on in. I'm used to that. Come on. Please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're used to that? WEINSTEIN: Yes, come in.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: And NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell telling teams now to stand up for the National Anthem. Does trump win this one?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:18:03] BURNETT: Breaking news, chilling new details about the Las Vegas gunman's plot and arsenal. Two officials revealing that the gunman fired incendiary bullets at a fuel tank at the nearby airport, hoping investigators believed, to cause a massive explosion. Incendiary bullet is a crucial term.
Kyung Lah is "OutFront" live in Las Vegas tonight. And, Kyung, you are learning a lot more about what was found in that hotel suite.
KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What was exactly found in that hotel suite, especially when it pertains to the type of bullets because it speaks to the preparation, the pain-staking preparations and plans that this man made in order to try to hurt as many people as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAH (voice-over): Six minutes before the horrific mass shooting began on the concert crowd in Las Vegas, the gunman had already fired his weapons inside the Mandalay Bay hotel firing a hotel security officer, Jesus Campos.
SHERIFF JOE LOMBARDO, LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POKICE: But what we have learned was Mr. Campos was encountered by the suspect prior to his shooting to the outside world.
LAH (voice-over): By outside world, he means the mass shooting into the crowd. That's a shift from the timeline given three days earlier.
UNDERSHERIFF KEVIN MCVAY, LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POKICE: We believe that he was shooting into the crowd and then the security officer was shot during that event.
LAH (voice-over): According to the new timeline, the security guard walking towards the gunman's room surprised the killer, as he drilled into the wall of his hotel room, investigators believe to install a camera or gun. That was 9:59 when the gunman shot Campos.
LOMBARDO: Immediately upon being injured, notified security of his situation.
LAH (voice-over): Unclear what happened after Campos notified security at 10:05, a full six minutes, when surveillance cameras captured the first shots from the 32nd floor to the innocent crowd below.
In the volley of gunfire during the mass shooting, two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation but authorize to speak publicly tell CNN incendiary rounds were recovered.
[19:20:07] Incendiary rounds are design to ignite upon impact. The sources say they were found in the gunman's room and near the McCarran International Airport fuel tanks. The airport says jet fuel is designed to withstand a brief open ignition source so the incendiary rounds may not have had any impact.
In the suspect's room, among the weapons, ammunition, and cameras, survival equipment. The law enforcement sources say some sort of breathing apparatus like a gas mask and a protective vest were recovered.
LOMBARDO: We know that he attempted to shoot at the fuel tanks. We know that he had some personal protection equipment in the room. We know that the car that was down in the parking garage still contained binary explosives.
So I would be comfortable in saying, which I believe depending on the splash he made during the shooting, would it enable the first responders to be directing their attention on other locations which would enable Mr. Paddock to just leave the hotel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: That is one theory. You heard the sheriff there say I believe. I have spoken to a couple of other law enforcement sources involved in this investigation. They don't -- they aren't quite sure yet. They say that that's one theory. They're also looking into whether or not he even intended on ever leaving that hotel room as well as trying to find exactly what motivated this person.
And, Erin, we should point out that as these lawsuits are beginning to be filed, we're hearing at the end of the day today, there is going to be a lawsuit filed by at least one Texas family against MGM Mandalay Bay questioning what happened in that six minutes between when the security guard was shot and when the gunfire took place in the crowd.
BURNETT: All right. Kyung Lah, thank you very much. And let's talk about that now. James Gagliano, retired FBI Special Agent. Let's start with the news that Kyung was breaking about the incendiary round that were in the room. What is the significant to that to you?
JAMES GAGLIANO, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Erin, those are typically military terms. And generally speaking, they deal with tank rounds or with howitzer rounds, 105 millimeter, 155 millimeter.
As far as direct fire weapons go, we know that you can buy bullets, tracer rounds, we've talked about that before, as well as incendiary rounds that are typically coated with phosphorus, magnesium.
BURNETT: They explode on impact?
GAGLIANO: You know, they lead to the ignition that causes the combustion. And what we think he was trying to do, even though the distance was such that he couldn't do it through direct fire, it had to be almost aimed, you know, in an area fire to try to hit the those fuel tanks.
The problem is, jet propellant 4, which is the fuel, it's not as combustible as gas. So for a guy who was so smart, who was figuring out trajectory and range and all that, it doesn't make sense.
BURNETT: So we also -- Kyung is reporting gas masks, protective vests.
GAGLIANO: Yes.
BURNETT: Vests, plural, in that room.
GAGLIANO: OK. So he went online and he said, "How does SWAT act?" And what he figured was SWAT is going to come in and they're going to try to pump gas into the room.
Now, if you have a barricaded subject, gas is appropriate. If you have a subject that's spraying automatic weapons fire into a crowd, you're not using gas, you're using an explosive breach, which is what they did, and you're making entry right away. Make it a direct assault.
BURNETT: So now let's talk about the lawsuit. Kyung said about to be filed focusing on the six minutes, OK? We know the security guard was shot six minutes before the gunman started firing at the crowd, and we know that immediately he called security, which means there was a six- minute warning before anyone else was shot.
GAGLIANO: I'm not critical of the cops for their response. They're not in the hotel, so if the security guard makes a call (INAUDIBLE), by the time it gets to 911 and the cops respond, it's not a homogenous unit. They're not going to have a SWAT team. I'm not critical of that.
I'm critical of after the fact. I think that the sheriff, you've got to remember, the sheriff at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has about 2,600 sworn officers, 5,000 employees. He's an elected official, so he doesn't answer to the city. He doesn't answer to the county. He doesn't answer to the state.
I just felt like the press conferences and what was released should have been tightened up a bit, maybe a little more disciplined and restrained. I think initially coming out with a timeline, Erin, before you had it solid was folly.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much. I appreciate it, James.
GAGLIANO: Thanks for having me.
BURNETT: And next, breaking news, President and Michelle Obama finally breaking their silence on Harvey Weinstein as horrifying audio reportedly of Weinstein surfaces.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
WEINSTEIN: I'm not doing anything with you, I promise. Now you're embarrassing me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know. I don't want to. I'm sorry, I cannot.
WEINSTEIN: No, come in here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, yesterday was kind of aggressive for me.
WEINSTEIN: I know.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: Why wasn't Weinstein prosecuted for just that one of what appears to be dozens and dozens of similar incidents?
Plus, Jeanne Moos on the President's obsession with his I.Q.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I know I have an I.Q. better than all of them.
I guarantee you my I.Q. is much higher than any of these people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:28:22] BURNETT: Breaking tonight, former President Obama and Michelle Obama have finally issued a statement after several days of silence saying they're, "Disgusted by reports about Harvey Weinstein," and, "Any man who demeans and degrades a woman in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable."
They had previously called Weinstein, of course, a good friend in the past and their daughter, Malia, interned for Weinstein's company, Miramax. This comes as we are reportedly hearing the mogul and major Democratic donor harassed another woman on audiotape. Here it is, obtained by the New Yorker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEINSTEIN: I'm telling you right now, get in here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we have to do here?
WEINSTEIN: I'm going to take a shower, you sit there and have a drink.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't drink.
WEINSTEIN: Then have a glass of water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I stay at the bar?
WEINSTEIN: No. You must come here now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm, I'm feeling very uncomfortable now. WEINSTEIN: Please come in now. And one minute. And if you want to leave when the guy comes with my jacket you can go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why yesterday you touched my breast?
WEINSTEIN: Oh, please, I'm sorry, just come on in. I'm used to that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're used to that?
WEINSTEIN: Yes, come in.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: Hillary Clinton who has been friends with Weinstein, benefiting from his donations to her Senate and presidential campaigns, also broke her silence today five days after the allegations broke.
A spokesman releasing a statement under heavy pressure writing, "I was shocked and appalled about the revelations about Harvey Weinstein. The behavior described by women coming forward cannot be tolerated. Their courage and the support of others is critical in helping stop this kind of behavior."
Again, this statement came only after incredible pressure. Even last night, Clinton spoke for 90 minutes at a book signing. She was asked about sexism and misogyny. She was happy to talk about both, but she completely ignored Weinstein.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: You know, don't let it be something that people sigh over or get upset about and then forget.
[19:30:00]
This is endemic to our political system, to business, to the media, to every part of society. So don't be afraid to talk about it and take it on.
Misogyny is deeper. It's a form of hatred of women. It's an attitude of just such negative, almost virulent dislike of women. It's rooted in power, and the power relationship. And there's a pattern to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: All of which, of course, was evident with Harvey Weinstein. It's good Clinton broke her silence. Of course, it is too bad she was one of the last to do so.
After all, she wrote this in her book about her loss to Donald Trump. Quote: That doesn't mean I will ever run for office again. It does mean I will speak out on the causes I care about.
One of her biggest, of course, is women's issues.
Brian Stelter is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Harvey Weinstein stays accused of rape, assault, and multiple attempts to cover it all up. Explosive allegations coming from this ten-month- long investigation by "The New Yorker". While at the same time, two of Hollywood's top stars, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are telling "The New York Times" they were harassed by Weinstein, too.
This way of treating women ends now, Paltrow says. Putting other powerful men on notice.
"The New Yorker" article sheds light on why Weinstein was fired by its company on Sunday. The board of directors knew this story was coming. Published on Tuesday, it says at least 11 women have come forward with misconduct allegations, including three who allege rape.
One of those accusers, actress Asia Argento, tells me, quote, I can confirm every word of it. This is our truth, she says. And it's time for the world to know.
"The New Yorker" also unearthing audio from a New York Police Department sting in 2015. Weinstein seemingly admitting to groping a model named Ambra Gutierrez.
AMBRA GUTIERREZ, MODEL: I don't feel comfortable.
HARVEY WEINSTEIN, FILM PRODUCER: Honey, don't have a fight with me in the hallway. Please. I'm not going to do anything. I swear on my children. Please, come in. On everything, I'm a famous guy.
GUTIERREZ: I'm feeling very comfortable.
WEINSTEIN: Please come in now, and one minute. If you want to leave when the guy comes with my jacket you can go.
GUTIERREZ: Why yesterday you touched my breast?
WEINSTEIN: Oh, please, I'm sorry, just come on, I'm used to that. Come on. Please.
GUTIERREZ: You're used to that?
WEINSTEIN: Yes, come in.
GUTIERREZ: No, but I'm not used to that.
WEINSTEIN: I won't do it again. Come on. Sit here.
STELTER: The Manhattan D.A. says the recording is horrifying but was insufficient to prove a crime. Quote: If we could have prosecuted Harvey Weinstein for the conduct that occurred in 2015, we would have. Weinstein had no comment on the tape but his spokeswoman said any allegations of nonconsensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. He says he believed all of these relationships were consensual.
Weinstein is in counseling now and hoping for, quote, second chance from Hollywood.
But more and more A-listers are condemning the predatory behavior.
And, Hillary Clinton, whose presidential campaign received hundreds of thousands of dollars through Weinstein, is speaking for the first time, saying through a statement that she was shocked and appalled by the allegations. The courage of these accusers and the support of others is critical, she says, in helping to stop this kind of behavior.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STELTER: Some much needed soul-searching going on tonight, both in Hollywood and in Washington. And now that former President Obama has weighed in, his comments will be read partly as a critique of President Trump. Obama saying, any man who degrades or demeans women must be held accountable -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Brian Stelter.
OUTFRONT now, Paul Callan, our legal analyst, former prosecutor, and April Ryan, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks.
April, five days, obviously, we have -- you know, new allegations tonight from Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, and in "The New Yorker", some incredibly disturbing, graphic allegations that are -- let's just use the word -- rape, loud and clear.
Hillary Clinton and the Obamas five days before they actually came and spoke out after many others have done so. Why did it take so long?
APRIL RYAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, let's say this. The Democrats are really trying to figure out what to do. They are trying to figure out where to take the money and where the tentacles are for the money.
But when it comes to former President Barack Obama, this is indicative of what he said before, Erin. Let's take you back to 2015, the summer of 2015 at a press conference that was primarily about Iran. I got up and asked a question about Bill Cosby, and I'm sure you remember that. And he repudiated Bill Cosby in the same way and even more so.
BURNETT: He did.
RYAN: And this is at a time when you had several female congressional leaders calling for Bill Cosby to have his Medal of Freedom taken away from him that was given to him by a president, given to him by a president in 2002, I believe. So, this is indicative of what then- President Barack Obama has said before.
[19:35:01] Hillary Clinton being a woman, being a Democrat, and being a friend of Harvey Weinstein, of course, people are saying this. But the Democrats are trying to figure out where the tentacles are with the money, where the money is, because there's so many tentacles and how it spreads out.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: But no real -- you're not in a position to make an excuse. I'm not trying to put you in that position, April. But it did take five days.
RYAN: No, no, no.
BURNETT: It did take five days for both of them.
RYAN: It did, yes.
BURNETT: And let's just be honest, that was too long.
RYAN: It's definitely too long, and especially now that we have heard this tape. And people have said before that there has been, you know, a pattern of this, and people knew about this before. It's sad.
But again, it may have taken too long, but I will say this. I did ask then-President Barack Obama about Bill Cosby and he basically said the same thing. That was days later as well. I mean, it was going on and swirling and everyone was wondering --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: He took his time.
RYAN: But again, you also have to remember, yes, they're out of the political scheme. But they are part of the Democratic circle. And they did benefit.
So, it makes sense that they would ask, but it's also understandable why they are not necessarily pushing this forward like other people are right now.
BURNETT: So, Paul, the allegations are lewd, all of them. And you have now Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and in "the New Yorker", acts that I don't want to talk about, but it's rape.
I want to play a specific moment from the tape. We just played part of it. I want to play a little more for everyone to hear.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GUTIERREZ: I don't feel comfortable.
WEINSTEIN: Honey, don't have a fight with me in the hallway. Please. I'm not going to do anything. I swear on my children. Please, come in. On everything, I'm a famous guy.
GUTIERREZ: I'm feeling very comfortable.
WEINSTEIN: Please come in now, and one minute. If you want to leave when the guy comes with my jacket you can go.
GUTIERREZ: Why yesterday you touched my breast?
WEINSTEIN: Oh, please, I'm sorry, just come on, I'm used to that. Come on. Please.
GUTIERREZ: You're used to that?
WEINSTEIN: Yes, come in.
GUTIERREZ: No, but I'm not used to that.
WEINSTEIN: I won't do it again. Come on. Sit here.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: Will he be charged for anything?
PAUL CALLAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, you know, it's shocking. No, I don't think he'll be charged in New York. Remember, this was an investigation that was done in 2015.
BURNETT: Right. This is an Italian actress and model that you just heard there.
CALLAN: Yes, in her 20s, I think.
BURNETT: Yes.
CALLAN: It was a sting operation performed by NYPD, New York Police Department. They ultimately decided presumably in consultation with the district attorney, that they couldn't make up a charge here.
Now, this idea of touching another person's private part without permission and authority is generally called sexual abuse or forcible touching. But I think the problem they probably had with the case was they couldn't prove that what he did was forcible. And under the New York statute -- and you have to remember that these cases are looked at on a one-by-one basis and what you can prove.
What's shocking here, though, Erin, is listening to the tape, it's clear that he did touch her. And it's also clear that she told the police a story that was sufficient that they wired her and sent her into the restaurant. So, I don't know what else they could have expected in terms of corroboration.
BURNETT: But here in "The New Yorker" and everyone should read this article, Ronan Farrow writes about three women and he lists them because they are named, told me Weinstein raped them. Allegations that include Weinstein forcibly performing or receiving oral sex and forcing vaginal sex.
That is something you're saying at this point there's no repercussion other than the complete loss of his reputation and his power, which ultimately seems to be what this was about for him. CALLAN: Well, not necessarily. The statute of limitations is
different in every state in the country. And something that happened in California, you might have seven or eight years to bring criminal charges. In New York, this thing we're listening to the tape on would be a misdemeanor, which would be a one or two-year statute of limitations depending upon the facts of the case.
So, there may be criminal charges that could be brought in some jurisdictions, even New York.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you both very much.
And next, breaking news on the calf wildfires consuming everything in their path. This is a winery before the fire and after it raged through. And they're not under control at all right now. The mayor of Santa Rosa is with us. And the NFL commissioner officially taking sides tonight, and it looks
like Roger Goodell is on team Trump.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:43:02] BURNETT: Returning to our breaking news: the deadly wildfires raging across California tonight. The death toll now 15, nearly 200 reported missing. The flames going through homes, neighborhoods, businesses.
Neighborhoods that were 48 hours ago completely normal, as you see, now decimated. That is how quickly this is moving. Homes are now just a shell. Many of them barely standing.
There are more than a dozen wildfires burning right now. One not far from Disneyland in Anaheim, filling the sky with an ominous orange glow, as you can see there in that picture of Disneyland. And that is a scene repeated across parts of California tonight.
Jonathan Cox is the public information officer for Cal Fire in Northern California.
The speed with which this is moving, Jonathan, just seems stunning. What is your biggest concern right now?
JONATHAN COX, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, CAL FIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (via telephone): Yes, Erin. So, I'm standing right now on a ridge top just east of the city of Santa Rosa. And the conditions here right now are a lot less windy than they were 24 hours ago. These 17 fires that have occurred in the last 24 hours have been wind- driven mainly. In some cases, burning more than 16 miles in a 12-hour period.
What we're seeing right now is more favorable conditions for firefighters to protect homes and evacuate residents. But we are concerned about some additional red flag warnings we are anticipating to come into the area tonight and tomorrow morning.
BURNETT: And when you talk about those red-flag areas, the pictures of destruction are just stunning here and shocking, as you point out, the speed with which this fire has moved. Are you making progress containing the fires, especially as you're looking at, you're saying 17 of them and new red-flag warnings overnight?
COX: Yes, firefighters are actively engaged throughout the state. So, we have aid resources from southern California to the Oregon border fighting these fires. And they're engaged in our priority, saving lives, protecting structures and resources and getting containment on some of the fires.
So, the break in the worth today has been an opportunity to start to get some lines established.
[19:45:01] But again, this is all -- this is all being tested by the fact that these winds are anticipated to return, which will be a challenge.
BURNETT: And why do you think this is happening right now and moving so fast? All the wind?
COX: Yes, again, it's all wind-driven. Cal Fire responds to thousands of wildfires throughout California. Ninety percent of the time, the fire said are kept to less than ten acres. When you have conditions where 50-mile-per-hour winds, in some cases 70-mile-per- hour winds are pushing this fire, it really is just an outflanking fire that occurs.
BURNETT: All right. Jonathan Cox, thank you very much. We're all rooting for you all. Thank you.
And next, the NFL commissioner telling teams players must stand for the national anthem. He appears to be on Team Trump. Is president Trump going to win this one?
And Jeanne Moos on Trump's obsession with his IQ.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Tonight, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell caves. Goodell today sending a memo to NFL team executives, saying, quote: We believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem. We need to move past this controversy and we want to do that together with our players.
This comes as President Trump hosted the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins at the White House and noted the patriotism of the hockey players.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[19:50:04] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just as much as your five Stanley Cup wins, your generosity is showing the true characters of this incredible organization. You are true, true champions and incredible patriots.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, Robert Klemko, NFL reporter for "Sports Illustrated".
And, Robert, Roger Goodell, you know, saying everyone should stands for the anthem. How much of a win is this really for Trump?
ROBERT KLEMKO, NFL REPORTER, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Well, I think, in any case, Trump benefits from this, because if the NFL had pushed back against him, you know, he has an issue to rile up his base on social media. If the NFL caves, he can tweet in a few days that he saved football.
In any case, I think what Trump has done successfully is distract from the original reason for the protest by the players, which is to protest racial inequality and police brutality in the United States. The argument that Trump has made is that the protest dishonor the flag and disrespect the soldiers who have fought for it. And all of these players have been explicit in saying that they respect the flag and that is why they are kneeling.
BURNETT: And Roger Goodell, I mean, you know, he's a pragmatic, practical guy. Is he really on Team Trump on this, or for him, is this about ratings, right? They're down 10 percent from this time a year ago. Maybe he thinks that's because of this whole controversy. NFL is losing viewers. So, let's make this about the flag and tell everyone to stand?
KLEMKO: Yes, I think that, you know, Roger Goodell on any political issue is going to try to play down the middle.
BURNETT: Yes.
KLEMKO: And you can see that in a wording of his letter to the 32 teams today. I don't believe he's on Team Trump, but I also don't believe he's ready to have an honest discussion with players about the issues that they're protesting.
Just in the letter today if I a can read a sentence from it, he says: The controversy over the anthem is a barrier to have honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues.
But he's very careful in that letter to not to mention any of those underlying issues.
BURNETT: Right.
KLEMKO: This is a commissioner who's walking the line.
BURNETT: He is. And when he says we believe everyone should stand for the national anthem. You know, we talked to a player on this show who said he was going to start kneeling, he hasn't before this whole incident, but had now. How is this being received by the players, the commissioner to come out and say, everyone should stand?
KLEMKO: Well, I think the commissioner got involved because Trump got involved. And so, many players who were not inclined to protest during the national anthem before Trump got involved, now found themselves a more qualified villain to protest against. I think many players find that their owners and general managers are very committed to their interests outside of football, and are able to have that open conversation. But when Trump got involved, this was something who was absolutely antithetical to everything they believe in and that they have been standing up for.
BURNETT: So I have to ask you about Jemele Hill, obviously suspended for two weeks yesterday for violating social media policy at ESPN. She, of course, is the very well-known anchor there. She recently called Trump a white supremacist. Nothing happened to her at ESPN when that happened, but when she criticized a Dallas coach on Twitter for telling everyone they should stand, that seems to be what's got her suspended.
Trump has been going after her personally. Yesterday on Twitter, he said: With Jemele Hill on the mic, it's no wonder ESPN ratings have tanked, in fact, tank so badly, it is the talk of the industry.
Did ESPN cave to the president by suspending her?
KLEMKO: Well, I think that ESPN has been, you know, trying to figure out now in the last five years, you know, what is appropriate speech from -- coming from people that they're paying to express their opinions? In our industry at large, I think there's been a movement to take the biggest personalities in sports who report the news really well, and ask those people to say more and have a louder voice.
I work for Peter King at "Sports Illustrated" and that's what they've asked him to do and that's what they asked Jemele to do. The great irony of Jemele being suspended for this is that she'll sit at home and watch Monday night football tonight with Hank Williams performing singing the theme song, a man who compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler.
BURNETT: Certainly an irony there. Thank you very much. I appreciate your time.
KLEMKO: Thank you.
BURNETT: And next, the president's IQ. Well, that is the story for Jeanne Moos.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:58:14] BURNETT: President Trump is brawn and he likes to brag about his brains too. Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's no fun being called a moron by your secretary of state. So, when that came up with president's interview with Forbes --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's saying, let's take an IQ test.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An intelligence duel. MOOS: President's actual words: I think it's fake news. But if he did that, I guess we'll have to compare IQ tests. And I can tell you who is going to win. It's far from the first time he's bragged about his brains.
TRUMP: I know I have an IQ better than all of them. I guarantee you, my IQ is much higher tan all these people.
MOOS: And there was a time he was asked what experts he consults.
TRUMP: I'm speaking with myself number one, because I have a very good brain.
MOOS: He's repeatedly tweeted about his very high IQ. Sorry losers and haters but my IQ is one of the highest.
And now, he's challenging his own secretary of state.
(on camera): In no time, people began posing a sort of IQ faceoff live on TV.
(voice-over): One night only, Trump/Tillerson IQ test, pay-per-view, loser resigns.
TRUMP: I know words, I have the best words.
MOOS: At least Rex Tillerson didn't use these words to describe the president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An idiot sandwich.
MOOS: Take it from one of the smartest people on earth when asked his IQ, Stephen Hawking answered --
STEPHEN HAWKING, PROFESSOR: People who boast about their IQ are losers.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --
TRUMP: I guarantee my IQ is much higher than any of these people.
MOOS: -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: Jeanne, all right.
Thank you so much for joining us. And don't forget, you can watch OUTFRONT anytime anywhere on CNN Go.
"AC360" starts with Anderson starts now.
