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Plane Catches Fire Before Takeoff; Fugitive Killed in Shootout with Police; Report: Iranian-American Arrested in Iran; Clapper: Candidates 'Misinformed' on National Security; GOP Campaigns Plot Debate Revolt Against RNC. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired October 30, 2015 - 07:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MACHADO (voice-over): A pilot trailing Flight 405 was the first to spot trouble.

[07:00:09] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dynamic is -- out of the left engine it looks like it's leaking a lot of -- I don't know if it's fuel, but there's fluid leaking out of the left engine.

MACHADO: Moments later.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Engine's on fire! Engine's on fire!

MACHADO: Emergency responders arriving at the scene within minutes, dowsing the engine with foam and extinguishing the fire. Passengers on planes nearby capturing the chaos. Seventeen people injured in the melee were hospitalized, including one child and a trauma patient.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of them are musculoskeletal. Ankles, knees, elbows.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Abrasions. Fractures. In general, everybody was very nervous and shaken up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Attention at the airport. Attention at the airport.

MACHADO: The incident closing Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International airport for hours, leading to 219 flight delays and 43 canceled flights.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACHADO: This morning, the airport is back open. Both runways are in service today. And we are -- we do know that they are expecting some delays, as it will take some time for things to get back to normal here -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: That makes sense, Alina. Thanks so much for all of that background. So was this a disaster waiting to happen?

Let's bring in Miles O'Brien, CNN aviation analyst and science correspondent for PBS News. Miles, great to see you. What's the latest thinking this morning

about what caused this?

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, it's a little bit early. But whether that fluid was fuel or oil is probably kind of important. It could have been a scenario where the engine basically disintegrated and that caused, as the shrapnel came out of it, caused the fuel to -- fuel line to be cut. And that would, of course, cause a fire.

Or was it a fuel line problem initially that caused the fire? These are the little details that the NTSB will be looking into.

Should be fairly easy to sort of figure out how the metal failed. What's more, it takes a little more time and is perhaps more important, is what about the maintenance that led to this problem? Were there some problems with the maintenance at this particular airline that led to this?

CAMEROTA: Yes. Well, let's talk about that. Because we understand that Dynamic Airlines does have a checkered past. In fact, I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't their license revoked or suspended or something by the FAA?

O'BRIEN: Well, yes, there's been a series of questions about this airline which has only been around for five years: bankruptcies, they -- revocation of license -- self-revocation of the license. It's a five-year span that we're talking about here with a fleet of only five aircraft.

So it was really, frankly, not on the radar in the aviation community too much. So now, of course, it is. There will be a lot of scrutiny applied to it.

And the big question, Alisyn, in these cases with these small upstart airlines is who's really doing the work? Is it all outsourced? And who's really accountable for insuring and signing off that that is a safe aircraft to fly passengers?

CAMEROTA: Well, I mean, look, that's why this is so disconcerting. Because when you get on an airline, for a trip, with your family, you assume that, you know, somebody has done the maintenance on it. Who's responsible for this?

O'BRIEN: Well, you know, ultimately, it is the operator of the aircraft, the airline. But the trend in the industry, in recent years, is to move the maintenance mechanisms and the maintenance processes, in many cases, offshore where it's cheaper. It's outsourcing of maintenance. And this is an issue that many people in aviation have been watching with some great concern. It's a way for the airlines to save money, but in many cases, what you have are not as well-trained mechanics -- in many cases don't have the language skills to read the manuals -- doing work on these aircraft. It's something we should be watching. And the FAA has great concern over it.

CAMEROTA: Well, and let's talk about that, because that is so troubling. The idea that you can't -- you don't have the language skills to read the maintenance manual? Why is the FAA allowing this?

O'BRIEN: Well, it's a difficult thing for them to police, because they don't have the manpower to have people on the ground all the time in places like China, where a lot of this maintenance is done. And they have to rely on the airlines to essentially do the right thing. It's a partnership, if you will.

And frankly, they don't have the resources to be there looking over their shoulder every step of the way. They rely on the airlines to do their job, do the paperwork. And it's a matter for them to sort of spot check the paperwork primarily.

There are big concerns that a lot of this maintenance, which occurs offshore in these less expensive maintenance facilities, leads to shoddy work. We don't know that that's the case in this particular instance. There's more that we need to know about this. But the outsourcing of maintenance is a big concern in aviation.

[07:05:03] CAMEROTA: Miles, last, I just want to ask you about the evacuation plan. I mean, you can just imagine how terrifying it would be to be on that plane and see all that black billowing smoke. But it sounds like they got out pretty quickly. What do you see when you look at how they evacuated?

O'BRIEN: I see two things that give me a little bit of concern. No. 1, the forward left slide was deployed. That's not the procedure, shouldn't be the procedure. That's the side where the fire is. You don't want people evacuating into that acrid smoke and near the fire, ideally. You want them going off the right side, the starboard side.

And then on the right side, I don't know if you have a picture to show...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

O'BRIEN: The windows over the wing on the right side, the emergency exits were opened, meaning somebody pulled those exits, but the slide which is supposed to automatically deploy on the right side that allow people to go down that wing apparently did not deploy. So that's another thing that the NTSB will be looking at. That should -- that slide should have worked.

CAMEROTA: I don't know if we have those pictures. OK. Here we go. So what you're talking about is you can see that the slide in the rear of the plane did deploy successfully, but you're saying that you see over the wing that that exit was somehow initiated but that no slide deployed.

O'BRIEN: Exactly. When those doors are opened, it should initiate the deployment of a slide, which goes down the wing. Because it's still a long distance from the wing to the concrete. And I don't see that slide at all. So that's something that, again, would be something of concern and in the realm of inspection and maintenance.

CAMEROTA: Yes. There's a lot of concern here. Miles O'Brien, thanks so much for walking us through it this morning. O'BRIEN: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: Let's get over to Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right, Alisyn. We turn to breaking news. A dramatic multistate manhunt for a fugitive police consider armed and dangerous ending with that suspect killed after a shootout with authorities.

Boris Sanchez is here with all the breaking details for us.

Boris, what do we know?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michaela, this morning Kentucky State Police confirming that Floyd Ray Cook, the fugitive wanted in the shooting of a Tennessee police officer, is dead.

The 62-year-old is a convicted rapist and robber and had been on the run since Saturday, when he allegedly shot Officer Ahscari Valencia during a traffic stop in Putnam County, Tennessee. The officer, fortunately, was wearing a bulletproof vest, and he was released from the hospital later that night in good condition.

Cook then fled to Kentucky, where he was involved in a second shooting with law enforcement officers, escaping on foot to the area of Highway 61 near the border between Tennessee and Kentucky.

Police closed in on Cook after he stopped at a home and asked a couple for a ride. They recognized him, though, refused his request, immediately calling police.

Days passed and police continued to search the area. Then two state troopers and a U.S. marshal encountered the fugitive near an embankment just off of the highway. Apparently, he had a handgun, and he shot at the officers, who then fired back, fatally wounding him. Fortunately, those officers were not hurt. And now neighbors in Tennessee and Kentucky can rest assured that his escape is finally over.

CAMEROTA: Yes, they can rest easier. Thanks so much, Boris.

CUOMO: All right, Boris. Also breaking overnight, "The Wall Street Journal" reporting that a fourth Iranian-American is being held in Iran. It's not clear how this arrest might affect new Syrian peace talks in Vienna, but it's not going to help, especially with Iran taking part for the first time.

CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen is there.

Fred, this has certainly already been on the table. What's the state of play?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, it certainly is something that could complicate matters here in Vienna, Chris.

And "The Wall Street Journal" and "The New York Times" saying that this American, Siamak Namazi, was taken about two weeks ago by Iranian authorities. First of all, his passport was taken away. Then he was put in jail, into prison. Very little detail on top of that.

And that's something that we've also seen in the past with cases like this, for instance, the one with Jason Rezaian, who has now been in custody there in Iran for more than 450 days, apparently convicted of espionage that we really don't get very much information from the Iranian judiciary. There's not much of a transparent process there. It is certainly something that can complicate matters here on the ground in Vienna.

As well, of course, there's talks here going on to try and put an end to the Syria crisis. And a lot of these diplomatic missions, they really depend on the fairly good working relationship that U.S. Secretary of State Kerry has with Iran's foreign minister, Javad Sharif. And, of course, this is something that is going to be a difficult issue for them to overcome.

Here on the ground, Chris, the biggest issue at the talks here is going to be the future of Bashar al-Assad. The Iranians and the Russians want him to stay in power. The Americans, the Saudis and the Turks are saying absolutely not; there needs to be a transitional process and that, at the end of that process, Bashar al-Assad has to go.

No one believes really that there's going to be a resolution to this issue here at these talks in Vienna today. But they are saying that the mere fact these talks are taking place, the Iranians, the Saudis, the Turks and the Americans, and the Russians are in the same room, discussing this matter, trying to find a way out, that already is progress -- Alisyn.

[07:10:04] CAMEROTA: OK, Fred. Keep us posted on all of the developments from there.

Meanwhile back at home, the Senate burning the midnight oil, passing a budget bill last night with support from both sides of the aisle. The bill avoids a default and lifts the threat of a government shutdown.

Senator Rand Paul broke away from the campaign trail to filibuster this deal, which he said was the product of a, quote, "unholy alliance." But that effort failed. It now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it.

PEREIRA: It is now two days after the third Republican debate, and a top U.S. intelligence official has apparently heard enough from the GOP candidates on the issues of national security. James Clapper telling CNN, in an exclusive interview, that they are, in a word, misinformed.

Our Jim Sciutto sat down with the director of national intelligence. He joins us now from Washington. A bit fed up, is he?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Well, it's hard to get an intelligence official to talk politics. But a lot of these national security issues have been very front and center, as you know, in the candidates' debates. You have a number of Republican candidates saying they would tear up the Iranian nuclear deal on their first day in office. They talk about standing up to Russia, standing up to China, putting troops on the ground in Iraq. So I asked him -- I said, "Listen, I'm not going to ask you to take a position on the candidates, but as an intelligence guy, do these statements from public officials in the U.S., do they cause problems? Are they dangerous in any way?

Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: You hear so much national security rhetoric on the campaign trail. It's bombastic, like all the rhetoric is. I just wonder if -- and you've seen a lot of elections. A lot of the stuff disappears and is never heard from again. But -- but folks listen. Is that rhetoric dangerous in any way when our adversaries hear it or our friends?

JAMES CLAPPER, NATIONAL SECURITY DIRECTOR: Well, some of it, to be honest, is misinformed or uninformed. I have to believe, though, that whoever is elected president, which has to be a very, very sobering realization, that all of that -- some of that rhetoric will be tempered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Some of that rhetoric tempered, maybe some of that confidence on those issues tempered.

But it's interesting: whenever I sit down with guys like this, I always ask them what truly keeps them up at night? And of course, we have a lot of attention here about the terror threat and so on.

But consistently, when I ask people like Director Clapper, what's at the top of their list of national security concerns? They always mention two countries. They mention Russia and China, particularly on the cyber issue. It's interesting what occupies their nights versus everyone else's. But I'm always amazed that those guys can even manage to sleep, Michaela.

CUOMO: Well, Jimmy, I'll tell you, you've been warning that the cyber threat, you've been reporting on it. And it is interesting how, every time it happens, it seems to get brushed off as different than if someone had physically come into a place, physically invaded. And yet, as you say, the military, intelligence, they always talk about the cyber picture.

But that was a very, very unusual window into what an intelligence official thinks of the political environment. Thank you for that, my friend. Happy Halloween. I like your mask.

All right. So now to some video you just have to see to believe. A skydiver in Peru dangling upside-down under -- his jump suit got caught on a step of the plane.

PEREIRA: That would happen to me. CUOMO: Half an hour. Half an hour he hangs there. Take that, Tom

Cruise, in "Mission: Impossible."

CAMEROTA: Oh, God.

CUOMO: He finally cuts himself free with a knife and parachutes down to safety like a man. His only injury: a cut to his hand.

CAMEROTA: OK. This is why no one should go skydiving.

PEREIRA: I had a thought that I was going to many, many, many moons ago. Yes, that is -- that's it for me.

CUOMO: You must do it.

PEREIRA: I think I'm now not going to. Because I would be hanging there...

CUOMO: This is another reason to do it.

CAMEROTA: No. Can you imagine how terrifying it is? Because...

CUOMO: That's why you have to do it.

CAMEROTA: ... doesn't the plane know that he was dangling?

PEREIRA: They must have.

CAMEROTA: Maybe that's why he had to cut himself loose. The presence of mind to...

PEREIRA: But we've also learned that if we ever...

CUOMO: Always carry a knife.

PEREIRA: ... decide to do it, we're not going with him.

CUOMO: Danger is real. Fear is a choice. That's how that man got out of that situation. He was not afraid. He dealt with the situation as he had to and parachuted to safety. He will dive again. Prediction.

CAMEROTA: My hat is off to him.

PEREIRA: Agreed.

CAMEROTA: Meanwhile, some Republican presidential candidates so angry about the recent debate that they are threatening a revolt against the RNC. We'll tell you about that.

PEREIRA: Plus, the story was shocking enough on its own. Now newly- released video of that biker shootout lets us see the terror and chaos inside on that bloody day in Waco.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [07:18:14] CUOMO: The Republican candidates have made no secret they are unhappy about this week's debate. And now several of the campaigns are planning to do something about it, meeting this weekend to talk about taking more control of future debates. So what's going to happen?

Here this morning, host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show," Hugh Hewitt himself. He participated in CNN's last Republican debate, and he'll serve as a panelist for our next two GOP debates, as well, when not attacking me on social media.

Hugh Hewitt, it is good to have you with us this morning, my friend.

Let me take your temperature on what's going on. Cats and dogs living together, the campaigns coming together for a summit meeting about debates? What does this mean that this is happening?

HUGH HEWITT, HOST, "THE HUGH HEWITT SHOW": All this means is that the panelists the other night just simply hit a new low.

You notice, Chris -- by the way, I'm attacking you on social media, because I took the Mets on your advice, versus the Royals.

CUOMO: It ain't over. It ain't over.

HEWITT: I hope so. I hope so. Dinner is riding on that.

But what happened at our debate with Jake, Jake ran a very strong debate. And Anderson Cooper ran a very strong debate. They were in control. The questions were fair. Candidates talked to candidates.

What happened the other night is candidates were not talking with but were arguing with the panelists. And I said before the CNN debate two weeks ago that we needed to make sure the next day that we were not this story.

CUOMO: Yes.

HEWITT: We weren't the story. No one remembers the questions I ask, though they do remember the answers about Syria, about President Bush keeping us strong. That's what you aim for.

And I think that the candidates, Ted Cruz put it bluntly. It's not a cage match. It's supposed to be for the benefit of the Republican primary voter, not for the benefit of the media elites or for panelists who want to make a name for themselves or get a book contract. That's not the deal.

I think we did it right. I think we'll do it right again in Las Vegas and in Florida. At least I hope we will.

[07:20:04] CUOMO: Look, fair criticism of what happened the other night, obviously it is shared. Important for people to study, by contrast, how it was done well in other situations versus that it's not a given every time. And you're right: we should never be the story. But these guys and women have to be tested. They don't like it, Hugh.

I mean, you have people come on your show. You're incredibly cerebral. You're incredibly deep when you do things. And often it ain't comfortable for people to be there, but that's the nature of the job they want. So that's my question. When Carson says what he just said...

HEWITT: Well, they don't...

CUOMO: Let's play it for people, Hugh, and then I want to get your take...

HEWITT: OK.

CUOMO: ... on, you know, where this is coming from. Let's play Carson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Debates are supposed to be established to help the people get to know the candidates and get to know what's behind them and what their thinking process is, what their philosophy is. And what it's turned into is a gotcha! That's silly, and that's not really helpful for anybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Now everybody's going to love how he said, "Gotcha!"

HEWITT: I disagree with that.

CUOMO: You disagree. And why?

HEWITT: I disagree with that. Well, because debates are supposed to help Republican primary voters, sometimes Democrats and independents can vote in Republican primaries are like New Hampshire.

The Republican primary voters pick who can best beat Hillary Clinton. That means you need to see people who are put under stress. Like Marco Rubio was put under stress and shined. You need to see people like Ted Cruz, who did that extraordinary summation repurposing, repackaging of all the attacks on the candidates. You need to see Chris Christie be funny with his rude joke, take over the debate with his fantasy football.

The debate that we did at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, you need to see Carly Fiorina stand up and assert that she deserves to be on that main stage. You need to see Donald Trump remind people that he renegotiated the debate to two hours. That's what you need to see, is who can you imagine being in the Oval Office?

I call them commander in chief questions, Chris. And I've talked about it with our friend, Mark Preston, all the time and with the CNN team and with Jake and with Dana. Practice on making sure that the voter who is going to cast a ballot is served by that period of time. I think they were in Simi Valley. I think they were by Anderson's

debate with the Democrats. Although for the life of me, I cannot imagine five more Democratic debates between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. It's a desert of debate out there that someone's got to cross, not me.

But for the Republican primary voter, I think they would say that Dr. Carson, you're half right. We want to see more of you talking to each other, but we want to see you answering tough questions. We want to see you talking about what are you going to do about ISIS in Syria? What are you going to do about the F-35, the Ohio class replacement submarine? We need to know if you're prepared on day one.

Now, Marco Rubio is 43. Ted Cruz is 44.

CUOMO: Right.

HEWITT: We've got young people of the age of Jack Kennedy. Hillary Clinton is 68. Does that generational difference matter? Chris Christie's 51. Does that matter? These are the kind of questions that Carson is right to raise. He wants a chance to answer them.

But it's also not patty cake. This isn't supposed to be come and give us your talking points. I don't think John Kasich wants that. I don't think Jeb Bush wants that. They want a good substantive conversation. We did that in Simi Valley. We'll do that again in Las Vegas, and hopefully, we'll do it again in March.

CUOMO: That's why it's so interesting that these campaigns are coming together, reportedly led by the Carson camp. Because there must be so many people running against him who want to see the guy get tested. They believe that's going to be their avenue to inclusion at the higher echelon.

All right. One last quick thing. Paul Ryan, he's got good buzz on him. He's in there now. What's the plus/minus as this starts the new leadership?

HEWITT: This is all plus. Paul Ryan is 45. There's a generational change taking place. And you've got Catherine McMorris Rodgers, who's No. 4 in the House conference. She's 46. Kevin McCarthy is 50. Elise Stefanik is the youngest member of Congress. She's 31. Grant Skerritt (ph) is running in Tennessee against an incumbent. He's 27. There is a changing of the guard on the Republican side.

Now, I'm a Republican, so people can correct for the lie of the green. We've got all the young talent. They've got the oldest -- they're like the Cleveland Browns. I'm a Browns fan, Chris. They're old, old, old in many places where you need to be young, young, young.

Nancy Pelosi is 75, versus Paul Ryan, who's 45. I tell you, that frames perfectly for the conservative movement going forward given the tune.

CUOMO: But can he keep all the factions of conservatives behind him, Hugh? I mean... HEWITT: Yes.

CUOMO: ... how much of a challenge is that going to be? What makes him uniquely qualified to deal with it?

HEWITT: For the last ten years, every Republican I've had come on my radio show -- yesterday it happened again -- have been begging Paul Ryan to step up. For the last five years they wanted him to be speaker. He finally agreed to do it. And only nine people voted against him. Those nine people, good people I'm sure, but they're marginalized. He's got 235 Republicans. He's got a platform. He's got tremendous skills and communication. It's a great era for the Republicans to open up.

And then you look over in the Senate. You've got Tom Cotton, who's 37; Corey Gardner, who's 41. It's a great era for the Republicans if we can just get through the last 15 months of this disaster and avoid Hillary Clinton, at age 70, becoming the first lady -- the first female president but taking us backwards to the future, not forward to the future with a young, dynamic Republican.

CUOMO: Hugh Hewitt, appreciate your perspective. Thank you for coming on NEW DAY. Go, Browns.

HEWITT: Not go Browns. Go, Mets! There, we have a truce.

CUOMO: It ain't over.

All right. So what do you think about all this? You heard what Hugh Hewitt said. You know the lay of the land now with what's coming out of the campaigns. Tweet us. Use the hashtag #NewDayCNN. Post your comment on Facebook.com/NewDay -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right, Chris. The Waco biker shootout, nine people killed. No one charged. It was like the wild, wild west in 2015. Will this new surveillance video of that chaotic and bloody day in Texas help authorities with their investigation?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: All right. NTSB investigators are now trying to find out what led to the terrifying engine fire on a Dynamic Airways flight just moments before it was supposed to take off at Ft. Lauderdale- Hollywood International Airport. More than a dozen people were hospitalized after that frantic evacuation. The FAA says the pilot who was taxiing behind Flight 405 reported that fuel was leaking from the plane before it caught fire.