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Jeb Bush's Hispanic Identity "Mistake"; ISIS Recruiting in Afghanistan; Jurors to Decide Boston Bomber's Fate. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired April 07, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: I left Bush out for reason, by the way. What do you think about these other guys?

CHERI JACOBUS, PRESIDENT, CAPITOL STRATEGIES PR: Right. Yes, I think they're interesting, new and fresh, and it presents an opportunity -- they all have an opportunity because of that as they increase their name ID, as you know, as this goes mainstream, so when you look at their so-called changes that some of them have made or that Paul has made in his stances, the truth is most people aren't paying attention and they're not going to start paying attention until now. So, they're not really familiar with the path.

And also with regard to Rand Paul's change in defense, with regard to increased military defense spending, that is a reflection maybe not so much of what he needs to do to be more acceptable to mainstream Republicans in a Republican primary. But it reflects the changing world and what our country's positions in this world and what -- frankly what President Obama has done to our nation's standing and our security. So, that is something that makes sense to sort of change with the times as the new threats arise.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Jeb Bush for a second. It came out that in 2009, he checked a box on a voter form for his identifying himself as Hispanic. Now, his wife is Hispanic. His children are half-Hispanic, but he himself is not Hispanic.

CUOMO: He isn't?

CAMEROTA: He's not. And he is --

RICHARD SOCARIDES, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Are you sure?

CAMEROTA: I'm sure.

SOCARIDES: Was he sure? Was he sure or is he uncertain.

CAMEROTA: Here's what he said on Twitter. Let me put that up for you. This was his tweet. He says, "My mistake, don't think I fooled anyone" and he's retweeting his son's tweet that said, "Come on -- LOL, come on dad, I think you checked the wrong box."

SOCARIDES: Maybe he would like to be Hispanic, because the Republicans cannot win the presidency unless they appeal to Hispanic voters. That is why he and Marco Rubio, I think are the -- are the most challenging Republican candidates. I mean as a Democrat, I think the toughest candidates for us to face would be Bush or Rubio, because they have the history of appealing to Hispanic voters.

CUOMO: Do you agree?

CAMEROTA: But this is not a big deal. This problem of checking the wrong box, that's not a big deal?

JACOBUS: It's not big deal.

SOCARIDES: It's a big deal if honesty is not a big deal --

CUOMO: If Democrats make it, it was clearly a mistake, nobody is going to believe he's Hispanic. If Democrats make a big deal about it, they look foolish and frankly if his Republican primary opponents and other surrogates make a big deal of it, they look foolish.

What this does is it serves -- this whole discussion serves to remind people that as you said, he has a Hispanic wife. His children are half Spanish. He speaks -- he's very immersed in the Hispanic community.

CUOMO: Maybe it was intentional.

SOCARIDES: I don't think it was intentional, it was clearly a mistake. He wasn't trying to fool anybody.

CUOMO: He should have answered all the questions about this in Spanish. He should have apologized.

SOCARIDES: What would have happened if Hillary Clinton would have checked the Hispanic box?

CUOMO: Maybe had different motivations. We don't assist it differently.

JACOBUS: Hillary Clinton has a different relationship with the truth. So, it might be perceived differently for her.

CUOMO: Getting in there. Notice one name we didn't say during this whole conversation?

CAMEROTA: What?

CUOMO: Chris Christie. Interesting, early on, no mention of the governor from New Jersey.

CAMEROTA: Guys, thanks. Let us know what you think about this, you can tweet us @NewDay or go to Facebook.com/NewDay. We'd love to hear your thoughts on these announcements.

CUOMO: So, we've been telling you about California because it matters. This isn't just an ordinary drought. I mean, they are really having to tell everyday people, you've got do cut back on your water use in very real ways. But the rules don't apply to everyone. We will tell you who is skating and why.

CAMEROTA: And first lady showing off some dance moves at the White House. What brought on this display, we'll show you Chris's dance moves next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:37:40] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: It is a matter of few hours, we could learn the fate of Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The jury will get the case this morning. But the decision could come quickly since the defense admits that Tsarnaev fully participated in those attacks. If found guilty, jurors will then decide if he gets the death penalty or life in prison.

CUOMO: Big day for Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. He's going to make it official, launching a run for president in 2016 this morning. Now, that will make him the second Republican to jump in after Senator Ted Cruz. Paul is a libertarian. He's known for taking on the establishment, reaching out to African-American voters to try to broaden support.

CAMEROTA: A fourth man from New York City indicted in a plot to support ISIS. Authorities say in one instance, the man raised $1600 to help another suspect travel overseas to join the terrorists. They say electronic messages also show the 26-year-old encouraged others to take part in violent jihad. Three other suspects charged in the plot all pleading not guilty.

PEREIRA: How was your Easter? Dare I say it wasn't quite like at the White House. The annual White House Easter egg roll included some "Uptown Funk" with First Lady Michelle Obama breaking it down with a little help from the "So You Think You Can Dance" all-stars. The theme of the event was "Give Me Five", celebrating the fifth anniversary of her Let's Move Campaign against childhood obesity.

CAMEROTA: She's got moves.

PEREIRA: Yes, she does. I heard she went on Ellen as well. So, she's had a little practice. But, yes.

CAMEROTA: Look at that.

CUOMO: With all the stuff she has to do, to then have to memorize the dance moves.

PEREIRA: It probably is nice, a different part of her brain.

CUOMO: Part of her workout.

PEREIRA: She loves to workout. A fun way to work out.

CAMEROTA: Yes, how are your moves?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Money moves.

CUOMO: Good segue. CNN Money now, of course, Christine Romans, chief business correspondent.

You're watching what's going on in California, no joke there.

ROMANS: No, this is a really big story and it's just getting bigger. Mandatory water limits in California, but not for everyone. Governor Jerry Brown ordered water use cut by 25 percent. That's golf courses, cemeteries, lawns, people face a $500 a day fine. But it doesn't apply to agriculture.

That sector uses 80 percent of the state's water. Another exemption for those water cut-backs. Oil industry, the oil industry. That means fracking gets a pass in parched California.

Starbucks is offering employees four years of paid tuition at Arizona State University online.

[06:40:04] This is available to the 70 percent of full and part- time Starbucks employees who do not have a bachelors degree. No obligation to stay at Starbucks afterwards. Starbucks employees, they pay the tuition up front at the start of the semester and wait for reimbursement at the end of the semester. Offering a two-year associates degree at the same online university, about 2,000 Starbucks employees are doing right now.

PEREIRA: Take advantage of the programs like that, right?

CAMEROTA: Christine, thanks so much.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: Well, the ISIS threat has a new breeding ground: Afghanistan. The terror group trying to expand its footprint and recruiting. CNN takes you there to see how terrorists are growing their ranks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: As the U.S. prepares to withdraw troops to Afghanistan, a dangerous new threat is emerging. ISIS now recruiting in Afghanistan and CNN cameras have seen it firsthand.

CNN's senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh joins us with more -- Nick.

[06:45:00] NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, it couldn't really be a worse time for ISIS trying to get their tentacles into Afghanistan. The Taliban fractured, often causing the young to be disillusioned with their cause, the U.S. withdrawing pretty fast. And these are the first pictures of ISIS flags in Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: Look closely at these men itching for a fight in the valley south of Kabul, you can just make out a new seismic tremor in the war here. The masks, the webbing, even the breathless clumsiness at altitude Afghanistan has seen before, but not this -- the flag of Islamic State, ISIS.

These men are Afghans and wanted to show our cameramen their allegiance to ISIS, an act that could get them killed by ISIS rivals, the Taliban, the big guns here.

"We establish contact," he says, "with ISIS through a friend who is in Helmand. He called us saying ISIS had come to Afghanistan, let's join them. We joined and pledged allegiance."

Our cameraman wasn't allowed to film the sat phone these say they used to talk to Iraq and Syria. They say they're religious students who watch back-catalog propaganda and at night go into villages to recruit.

"We don't recruit ordinary people," he says. "We only recruit people with a military background either in the government or in the Taliban." At the moment, we have no leader, but talks are going on to choose one for us in Afghanistan."

(on camera): ISIS are only just beginning here. But their timing is something good. The Taliban are fractured, either fighting hard or thinking about talking peace. And the young and the angry have only known war here might find ISIS' nihilism appealing. Even Washington has heard that is or Daesh may pose in the vacuum ahead, slowing the U.S. troop withdrawal.

MOHAMMAD ASHRAF GHANI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT: It's critical that the world understands the terrible threat that Daesh and its allied forces post. From the west, the Daesh is already sending advanced guards, to southern and western Afghanistan, to test our vulnerabilities.

WALSH: Yes, whatever their strength, in the swirling chaos of post-America or Afghanistan, even these homemade flags portray a purpose and brutality ripe for blooming.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: When I talk to U.S. officials about this, and they say they're concerned, but they not at this stage seeing ISIS having, quote, "a military capability." They're worried thought about recruitment and resources flooding in -- a more mixed picture when you talk to Afghanistan officials, there have been some attacks on civilians, travelling in buses around the outskirts of Kabul, which of course cause them to be concerned, because Taliban said it wasn't them and some think perhaps it could be ISIS militants here and also the Taliban clearly see themselves in competition at this stage. Their leader releasing a detailed biography of his life, perhaps to compete with a bit of narrative ISIS supplied.

But at this delicate stage, we're seeing certainly evidence of ISIS moving in to a power vacuum in Afghanistan now -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: And speaking of vacuums -- all right. Nick, thank you so much.

Yemen is in a state of chaos, where a vacuum exists there. Violent clashes killing hundreds, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. Is there any end in sight or things going to continue to deteriorate? Christiane Amanpour joins us next to look at it all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:21] PEREIRA: Yemen is descending deeper into chaos this morning. Life there is increasingly dangerous. The Saudi airstrikes trying to repeal Houthi rebels. The threat of al Qaeda grows larger every day, with the terrorist organization using that chaos to gain a stronger foothold.

Christiane Amanpour is CNN's chief international correspondent. She really needs no introduction, but it's such a pleasure to have you here with us. We could all have a conversation with you about so many events that are happening in and around the world.

But I think we have to start with this deteriorating situation in Yemen, where it seems as though al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula is sort of taking advantage of the security vacuum that was left with the U.S. forces pulling out. This is such a mess there.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, not just taking advantage, but perhaps even on the side of the coalition that's come in to try to bomb back the Houthis. So, the Saudis have led the Gulf coalition of air strikes so far only. And, you know, where does al Qaeda align itself? Well, against the Houthis, does that mean it's taking advantage of the bombing that's going on to fill that vacuum as the they try to push the Houthis back?

The problem is, it's not working. The air coalition is now in its 12th day and hasn't fully managed to do what it hopes to able to do. Some reports of some dislodging of some of the militias from some of their strongholds, but really nothing to write home about yet. And, of course, it's a big deal, because Yemen may be slightly isolated there. But it was sort of the cradle of America's counterterrorism operation against al Qaeda.

CUOMO: Now, the proof isn't great. But if you look at what the Saudis are saying that Iran is involved there -- let's just telescope it out and leave Yemen and say how big Iran is, no matter what situation you're looking at of the urgency in the world, and that takes us to a deal.

There's a lot of trouble in Congress to get this deal passed. You say that's a mistake?

AMANPOUR: Well, look, I don't know whether it's a mistake or not. This is politics in the United States.

The fact is that even though we say Iran-backed Houthi rebels, there is actually no tangible proof. Is the Iranian general there? People do not think so. What is it? Yes, it's a Shia sect. And yes, it's a bit of a proxy war, Saudi Arabia fighting its nemesis in that region.

But regarding the deal, you know, what's very significant is the way it's being accepted in Iran. So today, there's a tweet out, we haven't fully confirmed it. But from "The Guardian" newspaper, from their correspondent there, saying that now the latest top official to back it is the commander of the Revolutionary Guard.

Now, the Revolutionary Guard are the hard line against the Rouhani government, who are against this deal in the first place, who are very powerful in Iran on all levels. And for them to have been wrangled into line to say this is a good deal, that's a good thing in order, you know, as we see whether this is going to be hammered out successfully in the future.

[06:55:09] You know, as everybody has said, what was the option to this deal? The option was war -- I know some people are saying no, there's a better option, we could have gotten a better deal. But, you know, we tried for ten years to get a better deal and this one by all accounts, by all the scientists accounts, and by, you know, U.S. and Europe, it's the most draconian nuclear arrangement that's ever been enacted around a nuclear program. So, it's very, very interesting.

CAMEROTA: I want to go back to Yemen for a second and the heartbreaking humanitarian crisis that is unfolding there, something like 600 people killed in less than two weeks and scores of others, we've watched the pictures this morning trying to flee, to get out. The International Red Cross is calling for a cease-fire. Does it appear that the Houthis or the Saudis are inclined to do that?

AMANPOUR: Probably not. Probably not.

What we saw was a little moment of a corridor yesterday. Our Nima Elbagir was on a plane that was chartered by India to remove its nationals from there. But there have been awful stories about how the bombings have affected civilians. We've seen it in so many of the wars we've seen, so many of the air campaigns. That's one of the risks of an air campaign.

CUOMO: They're reporting that the Saudis took out one of the air defense ministry. I mean, by mistake, but I mean, the price there is going to be very high for some time to come, right?

AMANPOUR: Yes, and already in a country that's very, very fragile.

PEREIRA: Speaking of fragile countries, we've been watching situation unfold in Kenya after the horrifying attack at the university there. I know had you a chance to speak to one of the authorities in the foreign minister. There was criticism about the response.

AMANPOUR: Yes, there was. They say it was too slow, that the commandos who were meant to get there took a long time, some journalists got to Garissa University before the commandos. But she said to me and it was pretty stunning, that it was an adequate response by the government.

I sort of said, how can you call adequate, 150 people who have been laying on the ground, most of them shot in the back of the head execution style? She said, you know, it's terrorism. She thanked the United States for all of its support and all of that.

But, clearly, Kenya has a big problem. President Kenyatta has promised after the Westgate Mall atrocity, which was less than half the number of the dead we've seen, a third of the number of dead as we've seen here. Promised this wouldn't happen again.

CUOMO: But is that a promise that's reasonable for them to make?

AMANPOUR: Well, you know, probably not. How can anybody promise that nothing will ever happen? But you know, there apparently was intelligence that wasn't acted upon. They also have a problem which is that Kenyans are getting radicalized.

For instance, one of the attackers who was killed turns out to have been the son of one of the government ministers, and a law student. Not the exact profile of somebody. So it is a really big problem. The opposition leader in Kenya has called for Kenya to stop attacking al Shabaab inside Somalia. But I don't think they'll do that either because they've got to push them back

PEREIRA: Christiane, we love when you're here to talk about the world's issues --

AMANPOUR: It's very nice to be with you.

PEREIRA: To help us make sense of it all.

Please come and visit again this week when you can.

All right. Certainly a lot of news to get to this morning, so let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was such a vicious attack, think the death penalty is definitely call for in this case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sympathy in this case, I don't even think it exists.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A jury could be deciding the fate of Aaron Hernandez.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aaron Hernandez was planning a future, not a murder.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: It's time for a new way, it's time for a new president.

PEREIRA: Rand Paul is ready to launch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's probably had the toughest year of all the top-tier candidates.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Family of four on vacation, poisoned by methyl bromide.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This goes beyond human error, but this is really a tragic mistake.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to your NEW DAY.

Jurors in the Boston marathon bombing trial may rule today on a pivotal question, was Dzhokhar Tsarnaev manipulated or an equal partner in that deadly attack? The Boston bombing case one of two major trials concluding in Massachusetts. The other involves former New England patriots star Aaron Hernandez, who is accused of murder.

CUOMO: And the Boston bomber, that's a federal case, and he is facing the death penalty. Hernandez is being prosecuted by the state of Massachusetts, the death penalty is off the table. His life outside prison may about to be over.

So, let's get to our coverage. We have Alexandra Field live in Boston -- Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris. In just two hours, the jury will begin to deliberate for the first time considering whether or not Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is guilty of the 30 counts he is charged with. Seventeen of those counts come with the possibility of the death sentence.

So, if the jury convicts him of just one of the counts, then the next phase of the trial would begin. That's when jurors would determine whether or not to spare Tsarnaev his life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD (voice-over): The last Richard family photos, Martin is 8. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is standing behind him, before --

(EXPLOSION)

FIELD: -- after. Martin's entire body shattered, broken, eviscerated, burned.