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The "Secret" Biden/Warren Meeting; Murdoch: Billionaire Bloomberg Should "Step Into Ring"; Ohio Considers Down Syndrome Abortion Ban; Challenges Of Caring For Twin Panda Cubs. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired August 24, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: -- firefighters to put out these flames. No injuries reported.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: A Louisiana state trooper is fighting for his life this morning. Authorities say Senior Trooper Steven Vincent was trying to talk a dui suspect out of his crashed truck when the suspect shot him in the head with a shotgun.

Another driver saw what was happening, got the weapon away from the gunman and slapped the trooper's handcuffs on him. Vincent is in critical condition with severe, neurological damage.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: We wish him well in his recovery.

Boston police have arrested two suspects who threatened to open fire on a Pokemon world championship. The 18-year-old Kevin Norton, and a 27-year-old James Stumble allegedly made violent threats on a Facebook group.

They tried to get into the venue over the weekend to allegedly kill fellow contestants, but were taken into custody after weapons and ammunition, a lot of it, as you can see there was found inside their vehicle. A head scratcher, none of it makes any sense.

CUOMO: My 9-year-old does Pokemon.

PEREIRA: Scary.

CAMEROTA: All right, let's get to "Inside Politics" on NEW DAY with John King. So much to talk about, John. Will he or won't he?

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": Well, we have to ask the president who gets to have lunch with that guy today. Good morning, Alisyn. Good morning, Chris and Michaela.

Let's go Inside Politics this morning, a very busy Monday to start this conversation. With me to share their reporting and their insights, CNN Sara Murray and Olivier Knox of "Yahoo."

So the president is back at work from his vacation and the vice president is back at work from a little bit of a break. They are going to sit down for their lunch today.

Who goes first here? Mr. President, how was the last round of golf on Martha's Vineyard or Mr. Vice President so tell me about the Elizabeth Warren meeting and are you going to run?

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, right. I think maybe Joe Biden get to go first on this one. Look, the Elizabeth Warren meeting with Joe Biden is very interesting because she is not in the race is really driving these conversation.

That seems to be a lot of what people want outside of Hillary is someone who can speak to the far left with Elizabeth Warren. So far, Bernie Sanders has done that, but I think there aren't very many people who think he could be a credible threat in the long term. Joe Biden might be a different story.

KING: It takes it to a higher level. We knew the vice president was talking to his long time advisers, making phone calls, and reaching out people and have some private meetings. When you come back from Delaware, you invite Elizabeth Warren to come to the vice president's residence.

You do this on a Saturday. You know it is going to get out. I talked to people that say he did it, took it to the next level because he's more comfortable with the idea of running. He's not there yet.

What does that mean more comfortable with the idea of running? He's kissing the ring here. You're paying tribute to Elizabeth Warren's role as Sara noted star of the progressive movement.

OLIVIER KNOX, YAHOO! NEWS: In a way you are and you are also trying to make sure that if you announce for president, you have a rational behind you. You are not younger than Hillary. You wouldn't be making more history than Hillary.

You don't necessarily have a better relationship with the base of the party than Hillary. If you have Elizabeth Warren on your side, you have the two-term vice president who achieved a lot in his time in office and this much better connection to the base of the party.

KING: Biden/Warren, a lot of people buzzing, help with this one, does the president like this idea or not like this idea? This is very unusual in the sense that Dick Cheney didn't run. We knew from the very beginning of the George W. Bush administration, Dick Cheney was not going to be a candidate for president.

We didn't think Joe Biden was going to be a candidate for president. That's so unusual in our history. Usually, the vice president gears up, you pick a vice president and he gears up to replace the incumbent whether it's George H.W. Bush who succeeded.

Al Gore tried and failed. What does the president think here? Does this help him? Did his agenda would be consulate part of the campaign? Does he think it's not a good thing? Let's be honest, he's kind of sort of said Hillary Clinton put his eggs in a Clinton basket.

MURRAY: Well, I think a lot of people in the White House have already put their eggs in a Clinton basket, which is what we are reporting last week and I think that's a very awkward position. It's partly because Joe Biden didn't show any indication that he was considering this until recently.

So I think a lot of people made their moves, but I think the reality is the Obama administration agenda, Obama's legacy is going to be on the table no matter what, no matter if it's Hillary Clinton or no matter if it's Joe Biden. It just kind of puts the president in an awkward position of having to choose between friends.

KNOX: The White House is working very closely with the Hillary campaign. John Pudesta (ph) is there frequently. This would put the president in a really awkward spot.

KING: Would love to be at that lunch. Just to pick up a little casual conversation. So help with this mischief, Rupert Murdock who in a later tweet told us that he was at the Great Barrier Reef on vacation so I guess this is what you do when you're Rupert Murdoch and you're on that, you know, low budget vacation at the Great Barrier Reef.

He tweeted out last night, with Trump becoming very serious candidate. It's time for next billionaire candidate, Mike Bloomberg to step into the ring.

Rupert Murdoch, of course, has this media empire that includes Fox News and he then later tweeted, I didn't say I'd vote for him, just a friend I admire." Just playful mischief or is he up to something?

KNOX: Totally playful mischief. Look, Mike Bloomberg hasn't shown any appetite for this, for 2016. I think this was really let's see if I can do something from the great barrier reef. Let's see if I can throw a little wrinkle into this race.

[07:35:07] KING: See if I can make Mike Bloomberg's Monday a little interesting?

MURRAY: We are not on the same page of this, that's what we need, more candidates. He's happy moving back over to his company, kind of taking the reigns there. I think Rupert Murdock felt like doing a little tweeting.

KING: Mike Bloomberg I think would love to be president. He's just never seen the political path to get to the presidency. We'll see how this one plays out.

All right, Donald Trump on the Sunday shows again this past weekend. He has dominated the Republican race right now. He is stirring the agenda and dominating, setting the agenda in the way that has many of the other candidates unhappy and uneasy.

George Stephanopoulos trying to get Donald Trump, you say you're going to build a wall. You say you're going to round them up and throw them that. How are you going to pay for it?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You don't say how you are going to do it.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Excuse me, George?

STEPHANOPOULOS: You declare how you are going to do it, but you don't say how?

TRUMP: George, I'm telling you it's growth management. I'm going to get great people that know what they are doing.

KING: Again, in a normal campaign, that would not fly. But for Donald Trump, it seems to work. Don't ask me what it is going to cost in the budget or ask where I'm going to get the money. I'm going to get good people and get rid of the stupid people.

MURRAY: When you talk to people who like Donald Trump to voters to show up at his events, they don't say I like Donald Trump because of his policies. They say I like what Donald Trump is saying. They like his rhetoric on immigration and he's blunt about. There is a certain amount of trust.

They say he's a businessman. He is really rich. He is really successful. He is done good deals before. He would sort of figure it out, but you're right, this defies the normal rules of politics.

A million things Donald Trump has said would be gaffes for any other candidates potentially ones that would end their campaign. That's not happening with Trump.

KING: Yes, Mitt Romney was criticized for changing his position on a few issues. Donald Trump, well, never mind. He has the Republicans talking about things like should we build a wall and could you get Mexico to pay for it?

Should we round people up and throw them out? How much money would that cost? This whole conversation about the 14th Amendment and anchor babies, if someone comes into the United States and has a baby, should that baby be automatically a citizen of the United States.

Jeb Bush says, yes, he doesn't think you should change the constitution. Donald Trump says no. He thinks he could do this in the courts and if necessary he would try to change the constitution. Ask Scott Walker this question and it depends on which day of the week you ask him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think birthright citizenship should be ended?

SCOTT WALKER (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, absolutely, going forward. I think --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We should end it?

WALKER: Yes, to me it's about enforcing the laws in this country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People understand you are not for ending it?

WALKER: I'm not taking a position on it one way or the other?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you are not seeking to repeal or alter the 14th Amendment?

WALKER: No. My point is any discussion that goes beyond securing the border or enforcing the laws are things that should be a red flag to voters out there who for years have heard lip service from politicians and are understandably angry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Monday, yes, I think so, absolutely. Friday, I'm not taking a position one way or the other. Sunday, no, and the walker campaign says he's being absolutely consistent on this. Clearly consistent, sorry, my apologies, Governor. I know he's not.

KNOX: What are they going to say, no idea? We are winging this one? They can't say that.

KING: He's a hero of conservatives, Scott Walker, for his governship. The donor community here, many don't matter. Trump's campaign, what people think doesn't matter anymore, but they think this is proof not ready for primetime.

MURRAY: But donors do matter to Scott Walker because he is not Donald Trump. He needs their money. If you are someone who is on the edge and they say I will give you money and see how this goes and you are worried he is not ready for prime time.

This doesn't make you feel better. This is a big mistake for a guy who needs to show that he stands up for conservative principles, that he is a fighter. That he sticks by what he believes in, to change your policy this many times in this issue doesn't projects that.

KING: It's a new week, Alisyn, maybe he can clear it up as we go forward and Jeb Bush at the border today as well. So the immigration debate shall continue.

CAMEROTA: You know what else it is, John? It's a new day.

KING: It is a new day.

CAMEROTA: All right, John, thanks so much. See you tomorrow.

Well, the abortion issue is getting more complicated in Ohio. Lawmakers will vote on a bill to ban abortion if the baby has down syndrome. Might parents or doctors have to go to prison? We'll have the bill's co-sponsor next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:43:32]

CAMEROTA: Ohio legislature is considering a ban on abortions if the child is diagnosed with down syndrome. Opponents say that this bill will not pass legal muster, but supporters says it ensures that abortions are not performed based on a possible genetic disabilities.

So joining us to discuss this is Republican State Representative John Becker. He is a co-sponsor of the bill. Representative Becker, thanks so much for being on NEW DAY.

Explain to us how this bill works. If a mother were to terminate a pregnancy once she learned that the child had down syndrome, would she face jail time or would the doctor face jail time?

JOHN BECKER (R), OHIO STATE HOUSE: Thanks for having me on, Alisyn, good morning. This bill is not aimed at the mothers at all. It is aimed at the doctors and it doesn't prevent or in essence outlaw abortions or down syndrome people. It's rather the intention. The sole intention is because the fetus is diagnosed with down syndrome. That's what the bill addresses.

CAMEROTA: I mean, look, this is such an agonizing and personal decision for parents. Why is it the state's responsibility to make this decision for parents?

BECKER: Well, Alisyn, it's a matter of, you know, the state's responsibility to protect lives. We are talking about innocent human beings. That's kind of really the pro-life movement in a whole is all about.

[07:45:03] CAMEROTA: Have you talked to parents who have had to make this decision?

BECKER: Well, no. But, let me tell you about some down syndrome people that I have met or their parents. These are three quick stories. The first one, I was a teenager at church. There was a kid. This was a Catholic Church giving the sign of peace during the ceremony.

He would go up and down the main aisle ten rows deep and he would shake hands with the person at the end of each pew. This was a cute kid, everybody loved him. He was great. That was the first story.

The second one, I want to tell you about an individual named Teddy Kremer. People can Google him, Teddy Kremer, Cincinnati Reds bat boy. I used to work with him. Great guy, really inspiring story.

The third story I have for you is I was going door-to-door three years campaigning for this position. I met a dad who was in the driveway with his daughter who has down syndrome. Looking at the love between these two and the big smile on this little girl's face is precious. These are real people that need protection.

CAMEROTA: We have all met children with down syndrome. As I'm sure you know, there's a spectrum, there are mild cases and those children bring a lot of joy to their parents and there are more severe cases.

In those severe cases, sometimes those children have to be institutionalized. Rarely are those children able to go to college or graduate from college.

A fraction of them, only a fraction of them end up working at a paying job. So, is it your suggestion that if parents feel ill equipped to have a child with special needs that the state would take care of them? Those children could be institutionalized and the state would pick up the tab?

BECKER: Well, Alison, for parents who are not equipped to have a special needs child and a lot of parents aren't. I get that. There are a lot of people that are equipped and want to adopt these special needs children.

There are options out there. The idea is, just because somebody is handicap, we don't want to put them to death. A pro-life movement means pro-life for all innocent, human life.

CAMEROTA: Sure. I mean, what the pro-choice I would say is that it is a deeply personal decision of parents and the state is getting in the way of that personal decision. I mean, Representative, where does it stop? What else can the state tell you about how many children you should have or what other personal decisions are you comfortable with the state making for you?

BECKER: Well, Alisyn, again, this is a matter of a life and death decision. Sure, tough. It gets into the hard cases. We are making a law based on hard cases. It makes for bad law. Carving out exceptions for, you know, fetal abnormalities.

And in this particular case, it's not unusual when a baby is diagnosed with down syndrome, the diagnosis is wrong. That occurs 20 percent of the time. You have a perfectly healthy baby that is being aborted.

PEREIRA: I'm not sure about the statistics, Representative, because perhaps at first there may be a misdiagnosis, but certainly not later in the pregnancy when there could be more ultrasounds. It's nice to think they would be adopted, but history doesn't prove they are always adopted. Many are institutionalized at great cost.

It costs 12 to 13 times more to raise a child with down syndrome than other children. This is according to the CDC. So, if that child is not adopted, who will pick up those costs?

BECKER: Well, there is always cost incurred for any person with handicaps. We work with the schools on that. They have their special needs kids and the cost to educate a special needs kid is dramatically higher than a typical kid.

This is another example where, yes, certain people in our society do cost more. Just because, you know, somebody has a disability doesn't mean they should be discriminated against in the womb. CAMEROTA: Congressman John Becker, thanks so much for coming on and explaining the bill to us. We'll follow it.

BECKER: Thank you for having me, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: What's your take on this story? Tweet us #newdayCNN or you can post your comment on facebook.com/newday or my Twitter @alisyncamerota. I look forward to reading your feedback -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right. Not one but two panda cubs born at the national zoo. The second one is catching everyone off guard. We are going to bring you an update on their conditions, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:53:51]

PEREIRA: Some live pictures for you inside the nursery where the giant twin pandas were born at the Smithsonian National Zoo over the weekend. We're watching on mom there looking at mom snuggling with her cubs. For the first time the national zoo is home to five giant pandas.

Joining me now is someone that worked closely with these beautiful animals, Dr. Brandi Smith. She is the associate director of Animal Care Sciences at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Great to have you here. Tell us about the condition of the cubs right now?

DR. BRANDI SMITH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO: Well, thank you for having me. It's great to be here. The cubs are doing pretty well. These early days everything still touch and go. We're watching them closely, but we're very hopeful right now.

PEREIRA: What is the biggest concern, you say touch and go?

SMITH: Well, you know, they are so fragile. They're so tiny and so fragile, and we're just the first few day of life there could be things that were wrong with them. They could have problems with them or challenges with mom taking care of them so almost anything could go wrong in these first few days.

PEREIRA: That's the balance, right? You wanting to make sure that they are getting the best care they can, keeping an eye on them, but also letting the mother do her job of mothering, correct?

SMITH: Because they're twins she has a hard time taking care of two at one time. We're helping her out and swapping cubs. She gets to focus on one cub and we focus on the other.

PEREIRA: That's fantastic. We understand mom was artificially inseminated by two pandas, one who lives at the National Zoo. Another, a male in China so that will create some diversity in the species genes, I suppose.

SMITH: It is. It's exciting. Not only to find out who the father is going to be, but there's a potential that each of the cubs could have a different father.

PEREIRA: Wow, isn't' that interesting. Talk to us what happens to these cubs once they get a little bit bigger. I understand they go back to China?

SMITH: They will. The reason we have panda cubs is to keep making more panda cubs. When our cubs grow up and are ready to breed we send them back to China to find mates of their own.

PEREIRA: It takes a long time. We want to make sure that the cubs are being cared for. When do you think the general public will get to have their first view of the little ones?

SMITH: So, probably in a few months, probably around Christmas or the first of the year if everything goes well. Right now the panda house is closed. We're keeping everything quiet and the best environment for the mother to take care of them. If anybody wants to get a behind the scenes look #pandastory.

PEREIRA: Any names in the works for them yet?

SMITH: No, and so we just want to get -- we're not thinking about that now. We just want to -- the first week is the most crucial so I'm not thinking beyond a week right now.

PEREIRA: I understand that. Talk to us about the overall state of the endangered giant panda population right now. This is good news if twins are coming into the program.

SMITH: They are. You know, these species are endangered. So every single panda makes a difference in the world. The fact we have the two pandas it's important to the entire global population, and hopefully they'll grow up happy and healthy and they'll go on to breed and make more pandas. Hopefully their offspring will eventually be out in the wild someday.

PEREIRA: You can see mom working on her job which is mothering. We know Bao Bao the second surviving cub had her second birthday over the weekend! The day after her new siblings came on scene. I'm sure she's upset they're stealing her thunder. I see she had a nice fruitcake there.

SMITH: She enjoyed the cake. She was sleeping on top of her cake all day long. Bao Bao doesn't know there's anyone in the world besides Bao Bao. She's enjoying it and not even concerned with the cub right now.

PEREIRA: I respect that. My birthday is coming up. I might do the same thing. Thank you so much, Dr. Brandi Smith. Thank you for the update on the cubs and wish you well in their care.

SMITH: Thank you.

PEREIRA: I think we should probably jump to the news in a second. How about that?

CUOMO: It's panda day.

CAMEROTA: The best panda names and we don't know who the father is yet? Why isn't Jerry Springer here today?

PEREIRA: We picked a bad day for Jerry to come.

CUOMO: Using the hashtag and let's start off with panda names.

CAMEROTA: You think they'll be able to influence the national --

CUOMO: Sure!

PEREIRA: Why not?

CUOMO: The rest of my day is buried in pointless suggestions.

CUOMO: You know what it will be? Panda -- pandemonium. The taking of the baby from the mom -- why don't they let the bear take care of her own?

CAMEROTA: As a mother of twins, it's hard sometimes to juggle both of them.

PEREIRA: Yes.

CAMEROTA: I can relate.

CUOMO: What do you think? A lot of news, let's get to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are truly heroes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just kept pulling more weapons left and right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guy had a lot of ammo. His intentions were clear.

CUOMO: Joe Biden held a private meeting with Senator Elizabeth Warren. Could it be a Biden Warren ticket in the making?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elizabeth Warren has her thumb on the pulse of the progressive movement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't imagine the Clinton camp will be happy of this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A day of fun turned to tragedy.

ANNOUNCER: Stay in your places, please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This has been an enormously traumatic incident.

(END VIDEOTAPE)