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New Day
Migrant Crisis and the U.S.; Kim Davis Files Appeal; Teen Gives Deputy "Backup" at Gas Station; Fire Department Saves the Day Twice. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired September 07, 2015 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:30:00] GEORGE MITCHELL (D), FMR. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I think you have to separate it into two categories. The immediate crisis. People have to be cared for. It's like you see an automobile accident. If somebody's hurt on the road, you don't get into issues then. You help them. You help them get to a hospital. Then you deal with the issue of how did this happen, how we can -- we better (INAUDIBLE).
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Do you think there's a chilling effect in the U.S. right now because of the ongoing immigration narrative and the ongoing hostilities toward immigrants that people aren't jumping up to help these people?
MITCHELL: Oh, of course, but no event occurs out of context and this is occurring in a context in which there's a great deal of hostility to further immigration into the United States, as evidenced by the campaign and all the poll results that you're showing on television and elsewhere. So clearly that does have an effect.
But I do think that you have to keep in mind, this is a long range issue and it's going get worse. Let me cite just a couple of figures to you.
CUOMO: Please.
MITCHELL: There are 7.5 billion people in the world today. One in five is Muslim. As -- that's a billion and a half. In the middle of this century, as the population of the world edges toward 10 billion, one in three will be Muslim, 3.5 billion, which is the total population of the world as recently as 1970. And as we know, Islam has many internal divisions. The principle one being Sunni versus Shia, which has existed for 1,400 years and which goes into remission, then increases, and now it's in a dense (ph) period. Populations are rising rapidly in the world of Islam. Governments are incapable, in many cases, of dealing with their internal issues of providing inclusive government as we understand it. And you're going to see a continuing turmoil and turbulence and coming up with a longer range solution, which helps them improve their circumstances at home, to keep down the flow of out (ph) refugees, clearly has to be part of any approach at this problem.
CUOMO: Senator, thank you so very much for your perspective on these issues.
MITCHELL: Thank you, Chris. CUOMO: And we'll continue to discuss them.
MITCHELL: Thank you.
CUOMO: Mic.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, great perspective to get there.
All right, Kim Davis is waking up in jail again today, but could this be the Kentucky clerk's last day behind bars after she refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses? The latest on her appeal coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:35:47] PEREIRA: Here we go with the five things to know for your new day.
At number one, Hillary Clinton playing catch up in New Hampshire. A new NBC News/Marris poll shows Bernie Sanders leading by nine points. Meanwhile, on the Republican side, Donald Trump still on top.
France says it is ready to take in 24,000 new refugees as part of a proposal European Commission proposal that would see the E.U. take in 120,000 refugees over the next two years.
Funeral services underway today for Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz. He's the Illinois police officer shot and killed last week. Thousands are expected to pay their final respects. Meanwhile, authorities are still looking for those suspects.
President Obama will spend part of his Labor Day in Boston, announcing his new executive order requiring federal contractors to offer employees up to seven paid sick days per year.
The dentist who killed Cecil the lion talking to reporters for the first time about that hunt. Dr. Walter Palmer telling "The Star Tribune" in Minneapolis and the Associated Press that he'll return to work tomorrow and insists that the hunt was indeed legal.
For more on the five things to know, be sure to visit newdaycnn.com for the latest.
The case of Kim Davis, the clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses continues to heat up in Kentucky. Attorneys appealing for her release from the jail where she's been for four days. We turn to CNN's Alexandra Field for more.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.
Kim Davis, the Rowan County clerk, still refuses to give out those same-sex marriage licenses or marriage licenses to same-sex couples. She refuses to resign from her job, and that has landed her in contempt of court, according to a judge. So she has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. Her attorney is now filing an appeal saying, "Mrs. Davis is entitled to proper notice and due process when she is threatened with the loss of her freedom. There was no indication that she would be incarcerated. We'll be presenting our arguments on appeal and asking for an expedited ruling."
Kim Davis' mouth sort of dropped open when the judge said that she would be going to jail. The judge was in a position to issue a fine instead, but he said that he didn't think that would be sufficient in forcing her to comply. The move to send Davis to jail has been seen as controversial by her supporters, including Republican Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee, who is going to visit her in jail later this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The ruling class has thumbed their nose at the very Constitution. When is it that liberals get to choose which laws they support but a county clerk in Kentucky, who acting on her Christian faith, is criminalized, jailed without bail because she acted on her conscience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FIELD: Davis says that her religious believes preclude her from being able to issue these licenses. While she sits in jail, a judge has ordered five of her deputy clerks to issue the licenses instead. That means that same-sex couples are actually going to the clerk's office now. They've been able to pick up their licenses. We spoke to some of them. They say that they didn't want to see Kim Davis go to jail, they just wanted to get these licenses. They've got their licenses now and they'll be able to get married.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: And they really seemed to be at an impasse there in Kentucky. I mean she's not backing down. The judge, at the moment, is not backing down. So we'll see what this appeal -- appeal brings.
CUOMO: I'll defend the judge.
CAMEROTA: So --
CUOMO: She picked going to jail. She picked it. She was given options. We had Mel Robbins on earlier. You can watch the segment online. She picked this, to go to jail. She -- she picked it. she could have --
FIELD: That's right, a judge had told her -- a judge brought her attorney back into the courtroom and said, this is up to Kim Davis --
CAMEROTA: Right.
CUOMO: Yes.
FIELD: On that very day that he remanded her to the custody of the Marshals, he said, she can decide to authorize these licenses --
CUOMO: Right.
FIELD: Or she can say that she will not interfere with allowing her deputy clerks to authorizes these licenses. This is not sufficient, though, for Kim. If you talk to her attorneys, they say, she has got a bigger fight here.
CUOMO: That's fine.
FIELD: She says that she does not want her name on the licenses.
CAMEROTA: Right.
FIELD: That she doesn't want it under her authority.
CUOMO: That's -- that's fine.
CAMEROTA: (INAUDIBLE) she doesn't like it.
CUOMO: Then the law says that you leave the job.
CAMEROTA: Right.
CUOMO: She's a victim only of her beliefs. She's not a victim of the system.
FIELD: Her feeling, according to her attorney, is, is that she is waging a fight on behalf of other county clerks who share her religious feelings. They believe that they've got a fight that they can take to the governor or the legislature, which could result, they feel, in getting the licenses changed so that the county clerk's name wouldn't necessarily have to be on it and so that the licenses wouldn't necessarily be issued under the name of the county clerk's office. But this is something for the legislature to take up, and the legislature doesn't reconvene for another few months.
[08:40:02] CAMEROTA: Oh, interesting. All right, thanks so much, Alexandra, for all that update.
FIELD: Thank you.
CUOMO: Maybe you've seen this photo. It has gone viral. And for good reason. A Texas teen, helping protect a deputy as she gassed up her car, not wanting to become a victim. We're talking to both of them live coming up. There they are.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEREIRA: I want you to take a picture -- a look at this picture, rather, that's going viral. Deputy Constable Tommi Jones Kelly posted it on her FaceBook page after the teen in the phot asked if he could provide back-up for her as she refueled her car. His actions following the shooting death of fellow Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth who was killed at a nearby gas station just over a week ago. The two of them, Officer Kelley and 6-year-old McKinley Zoellner join us now.
What a wonderful image we saw play out on social media and the two of you joining us this morning.
McKinley, I've got to ask you, you're a 16-year-old teen, other things on your mind, I would imagine. What made you want to stand and provide back-up to this deputy?
[08:45:00] MCKINLEY ZOELLNER, PROVIDED "BACK-UP" FOR DEPUTY AT GAS STATION: It's just all the hate that's towards police these days. It's -- it's just -- it's terrible. And somebody needs to show them that they care. There are people that care.
PEREIRA: Well, I imagine that you felt like somebody had your back. But I'm sure it also probably made you wonder what was going on, Deputy. How did you feel when McKinley walked up to you? What was your initial reaction?
TOMMI JONES KELLEY, HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTY CONSTABLE: Initially I was defensive. Being approached from behind and considering the shooting that just happened, you hear a voice come up behind you, you're defensive initially.
PEREIRA: Have you been a bit apprehensive on the job lately?
KELLEY: Being more aware of what's around us, which we all should be more aware, yes.
PEREIRA: I can imagine. So what did you say to McKinley after he offered to provide you back up?
KELLEY: He asked if he could make sure I was safe, and I told him -- I said, yes. And then I started pumping my gas and he proceed to stay there.
PEREIRA: McKinley, I understand you were with your mom at the time, were you not? What did she think of the gesture?
ZOELLNER: Well, of course she was honestly proud of me. She really was the one that saw Officer Kelley at the gas pump. And so she asked me if I wanted to go over there, so I said yes.
PEREIRA: I understand you have family members on the force, correct?
ZOELLNER: Yes.
PEREIRA: Do you think this gave you more of a heart for the issue or more what you're seeing going on in the world around you?
ZOELLNER: Probably more what I was seeing, just...
PEREIRA: What have you been hearing from people in your community, McKinley?
ZOELLNER: A lot of people are honestly saying they're glad they know me. A lot of people just praising it, saying a lot of good things.
PEREIRA: Deputy, I know you shared the selfie, if you will, on Facebook page. Are you surprised that it went viral?
KELLEY: Yes, ma'am, I did. I was very surprised. It was just really to give him some basically good recognition for being a good kid.
PEREIRA: Absolutely.
KELLEY: Young man.
PEREIRA: Yes, young man, absolutely. He showed his manhood, if you will, in terms of the man and the character he has. So what is your takeaway from this encounter with McKinley?
KELLEY: He's an awesome kid. I plan to keep in touch with him. He's an incredible kid.
PEREIRA: I'm sure, McKinley -- McKinley I'm sure you're thinking about your future. Any plans to go towards law enforcement?
ZOELLNER: I was first going to go into the Air Force after high school, and then get my degree in criminal justice, so after I got out that was my plan, to do something in the law enforcement field, yes.
PEREIRA: That plan has not changed though, has it?
ZOELLNER: No.
PEREIRA: OK, good. Well, we salute you for your compassion and your integrity. We appreciate you both joining us, especially it's just a week since you lost your colleague, Deputy. We send our condolences to you and the other members of your department.
Thank you so much for joining us today especially with this uplifting story.
All right, Alisyn, over to you.
CAMEROTA: Well, back by popular demand, the CNN Quiz Show is back, pitting anchor against anchor to see who knows the most about the medium we work in. That's television. We have the whole low down on the showdown -- that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:52:29]
(BEGIN VIDETAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It's a quiz show about television and people on television. It's very meta.
CAMEROTA: Are we qualified to do this?
COOPER: These are TV dramas.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: There's so much television.
COOPER: Your category is Animated TV Stars.
LEMON (singing): Believe it or not I'm walking on-air
CAMEROTA: You think, oh, television, that'll be easy! COOPER: Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: Mm.
MIKE ROWE, CNN HOST: This is awkward.
CAMEROTA: It turns out it's really hard.
COOPER: I hope they study.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PEREIRA: We're back! The CNN Quiz Show is back! Returning champions John Berman and Don Lemon facing off tonight against Brooke Baldwin and Mike Rowe as these two knuckleheads as well join to test their TV knowledge. I say that with all due respect.
Alisyn, Alisyn, you had Bill Weir.
CAMEROTA: Yeah!
PEREIRA: You had Jake Tapper.
CAMEROTA: Yes!
PEREIRA: What made you choose --
CAMEROTA: Choose Chris?
PEREIRA: -- our wonderful TV partner?
CAMEROTA: I've had a lot of good television husbands but I can say that Chris is the best.
PEREIRA: He's competitive.
CAMEROTA: He's smart.
PEREIRA: He watches a lot of TV.
CUOMO: I'm much stronger than the other guys.
CAMEROTA: We do all know each other. Actually we're all married.
PEREIRA: That's true. That helps.
CAMEROTA: It helps. We can finish each other's sentences. That helps a lot.
CUOMO: We're the only real team tonight. You judge for yourselves when you watch. We are the only real team. Don and John hate each other.
PEREIRA: No!
CAMEROTA: They love each other! CUOMO: They hate each other. They had a fistfight before the
gameshow.
CAMEROTA: They sing songs together.
PEREIRA: OK but here's the thing. Here is the thing, you think that she doesn't study enough.
CUOMO: No, no, that's not true. She studies and she yells at me for not preparing. And now I have decided as a vote of conscience I will not prepare. I will go in and I will be brazenly stupid.
CAMEROTA: Good strategy.
PEREIRA: But the fact is you do need strategy because you were both playing. Everybody is playing for charity, so you do actually want to win.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
CUOMO: She hits when you get things wrong. She hits! She gets upset.
(LAUGHTER)
CUOMO: You will growled at me this morning when I wanted to ask questions.
CAMEROTA: I did. Yes, I will growl if need be.
PEREIRA: You can watch all the action tonight, guys. Don't turn away. 8 p.m. Eastern to see if Alisyn and Chris --
CUOMO: It is rigged! Rigged!
PEREIRA: -- can bring the gameshow title home. I'm counting on you, team.
CUOMO: Cooper has answers written on his forearm. He shows them selectively to people.
(LAUGHTER)
CUOMO: Firefighters, we all know that they go above and beyond the call of duty. Well, they do it in a beautiful way to help save a Marine's homecoming. It is the Good Stuff and then some. Please check it out after the break.
[08:54:50]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CUOMO: It is time for La Cosa Buona, the Good Stuff! The family -- that's right. The family of Marine Daniel Driver was going to throw him a surprise homecoming party, OK? The oven catches fire. The Warwick Fire Department gets called to scene, they put out the flames. But it wasn't the only way they came to the rescue. The firefighters find out they were supposed to have this celebration. Now they can't cook, you know, the guy is coming home from basic training, what do they do? Gather money, go out and buy the family all the things they need to celebrate. Cook a lot of the food themselves. The Driver family says they were touched by the generosity of the firefighters who saved their day two times!
PEREIRA: That's awesome. You know, firefighters can cook some food.
That's really great. Well done.
CAMEROTA: Very good Good Stuff.
CUOMO: Right? And it's important -- la Cosa Buona, the good stuff. That's Italian, isn't that right, Phil?
PEREIRA: No comment from him.
CUOMO: Phil, he's not here. He's supposed to give us stage direction; he's not even out here right now.
I mean, you see what we deal with for you people?
(LAUGHTER)
CAMEROTA: That's right. All right, meanwhile time for "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello. Happy Labor Day, Carol.
PEREIRA: Good morning, darling.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEWSROOM": Happy Labor Day!
CUOMO: Ah, la cosa bella, the beautiful.
COSTELLO: Oh, I like that one.
CUOMO: You can use some Italian. Use it! I love it when you speak Italian!
[09:00:02] COSTELLO: Bellissimo.
CUOMO: Ah, that's the good stuff.
COSTELLO: Yes. Have a great day. "NEWSROOM" starts now.
