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New Day

Security Ramped Up at Sharm El-Sheikh Airport; Cowboys Coach Defends Signing Greg Hardy; Bernie Sanders Opens Up About Campaign to CNN; Carson Renews Attacks on Media Scrutiny. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired November 09, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: He's after Carson, saying the veracity issues are disturbing.

[06:30:04] That Carson could have an incurable anger problem and this may end his campaign.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: The FBI now in talks to help investigate the crash of MetroJet Flight 9268 as Russian forces arrive at Egypt's Sharm el Sheikh airport to conduct security checks.

CNN's Nima Elbagir live at the airport with the very latest details for us -- Nima.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Michaela. Well, what we're looking at here is what so much of the concern and speculation and the reporting has been revolving around, what exactly that sound heard in the last second of the cockpit recording before it was cut off. There's been a lot of reporting that potentially, it was the noise of an explosive, while the FBI is saying if they do come in, that's going to be one of the aspects they're focusing on.

All this, of course, comes as 100 victims bodies have been identified in Russia. It's been an extraordinarily difficult time. The memorial service on Sunday drew hundreds to St. Petersburg's Cathedral and state media in Russia is reporting that in the very near future, they could be getting the results of tests done to determine if whether there is any explosive on the fragments of that missing plane. It could be as long as two weeks, but it could be in the very near future they're saying. So, hopefully, some respite for the families of those victims -- Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely, Nima. Please keep us posted as to what they find in the investigation.

Meanwhile, police are investigating a fiery crash that left four people dead, including a child. At least 14 other people seriously injured when a pickup truck crashed into a church van in Hyattsville, Maryland. Police believe the truck lost control and veered across the highway, crashed into the van and exploded. The driver of the truck was also killed.

CUOMO: All right. What's the number one movie in America? Bond, James Bond, $73 million in its opening weekend, the second biggest domestic debut ever for a Bond film after the last one, "Skyfall." "Spectre" is 24th Bond film, probably the last for actor Daniel Craig. I'd seen it.

PEREIRA: You've seen. You like it?

CUOMO: I did. I thought it was very good.

PEREIRA: I think Daniel Craig is an excellent bond.

CUOMO: I thought it was interesting. The villain is very well- played by our friend, Ralph Fiennes.

PEREIRA: Yes.

CUOMO: It was not scary. It is action packed.

CAMEROTA: I like that.

PEREIRA: I love that. A good popcorn flick. I'll see it.

CUOMO: He has high pants, though. Is that the new look?

CAMEROTA: Like high waters?

CUOMO: Yes, they're a little high. Is that the style?

PEREIRA: That's the style. He'll be wearing them tomorrow.

Let's move on to sports. Dallas Cowboy player Greg Hardy still on the Cowboys roster and on the field last night after the release of shocking photos of an alleged domestic violence incident against his ex-girlfriend.

Coy Wire has more in this morning's bleacher report -- Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.

Frustrating as a former player because sometimes in the NFL, playmakers are more important than principles. These photos were released by Deadspin.com on Friday, and on Saturday, Hardy was on Twitter having to address the shocking photos. He said, quote, "Just had to say I express my regret for what happened in the past and I'm dedicated to being the best person and teammate that I can be." He follows that with, "But mostly, I'm grateful for the opportunity to play in the NFL."

Here are the pictures that Hardy is talking about. I'll remind you. They are disturbing. The pictures show Hardy's then-girlfriend Nicole Holder in 2014 battered and bruised with red marks on her body, including her back. But these pictures surfacing, it's raised more questions as to whether or not the Cowboys should have ever signed Greg Hardy in the first place and whether or not they should continue to employ him.

But team owner Jerry Jones has stood up by his man. Hardy was still on the team, suited up last night when Dallas hosted the Eagles. This prime time game became an overtime game and Sam Bradford finds Jordan Matthews who's streaking across the middle, toasting and coasting on into the end zone for the game-winning score. That gives the Cowboys their sixth straight loss, their worst losing streak in 26 years. Eagles win, 33-27.

Now, after the game, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett talked about his team's reasoning to continue to play Greg Hardy. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON GARRETT, COWBOYS HEAD COACH: We don't condone domestic violence. We take the issue very, very seriously. We knew when we signed Greg Hardy, there would be criticism. We decided to give him a second chance. He's worked hard for our football team up to this point. He knows the expectations and standards are. We're going to hold him accountable to those.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: So, despite the release of photos, Garrett essentially echoing that which Cowboys leadership has been saying all along, ever since they signed Hardy to a one-year contract that pays him almost $1 million per week this season. Back to you.

CAMEROTA: All right. Coy, thanks so much for all of that.

WIRE: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: All right. Bernie Sanders lagging behind Hillary Clinton in the latest polls but why won't he publicly criticize the Democratic front-runner? CNN went one-on-one with Bernie Sanders. We'll play you that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:39:41] BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If anyone tells you politics is (EXPLETIVE DELETED), you should not get involved, I want you -- I want you to ask them why it is that the Koch brothers and other billionaires are spending 900 million bucks on this election. They think it's pretty important. And if they think it's pretty important, your friends should think it's pretty important.

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Senator Bernie Sanders making an impassioned plea to voters during a rally in Las Vegas last night. The Democratic presidential candidate continues to lag behind front-runner Hillary Clinton. That is certainly not discouraging him.

CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger sat down with Mr. Sanders over the weekend and she joins us now.

[06:40:03] He was fired up in Vegas.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: He was fired up in Vegas and when I met with him in South Carolina, he was fired up there. You know, this past summer, Bernie Sanders was beating Hillary Clinton in the polls in both New Hampshire and in Iowa. Now with Joe Biden not running, Clinton is leading Sanders nationally by more than 30 points.

So, I asked the senator whether the magic from the summer was gone?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDERS: Nope, absolutely not. Let's go back six months and let's look at Bernie Sanders announcing his candidacy and being 3 percent, 4 percent in the polls. No money in his campaign, no volunteers, no political organization. Running against a woman who is enormously well known whose husband was president of the United States. What's --

BORGER: That would be Hillary Clinton?

SANDERS: Yes -- I don't want to say so. If you say it, I'll agree.

BORGER: OK.

SANDERS: Look, we started off six months ago, be honest, Gloria --

BORGER: Right.

SANDERS: What did the media consider Bernie Sanders, a fringe candidate, right? Not a serious candidate. Be honest. That was the case.

Now, you are saying, you haven't fight won this thing yet. That tells me we've made real progress in six months.

BORGER: So, Hillary Clinton has 31 endorsements from people in the Senate.

SANDERS: Yes.

BORGER: And you don't have any.

SANDERS: That's correct.

BORGER: What does that show?

SANDERS: It tells you that one of us is a candidate of the establishment, one of us is involved in establishment politics and establishment economics, and it says that maybe the other candidate is prepared to take on the establishment.

BORGER: That would be you?

SANDERS: That would be me. Yes, I think that's probably right.

BORGER: Before we get to the contrast between you and Clinton, I want to talk about Hillary Clinton's damn e-mails, as your -- to quote you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: Same thing. What I said during the debate, same thing, is I think the American people get tired of seeing front page stories from the media day after day about e-mails. They want to know why their kids can't afford to go to college. They want to know why they can't afford health care, why we have a grotesque level of income and wealth inequality. That's what they want.

BORGER: But they want to know about their presidential candidates.

SANDERS: Sure, they do. But day after day after day? That's why I said enough with the e-mails. Now, there is a process under way. There is a process, an investigation. Let it take its course. I'm not involved in that.

BORGER: What is legitimate for the process to investigate?

SANDERS: Let the -- I honestly don't know.

BORGER: National security?

SANDERS: Sure, all of those issues. You know, it's not something I have paid a whole lot of attention to.

BORGER: There are issues of trust with Hillary Clinton. And you sort of gave her a pass during the debate. You know, do you regret that?

SANDERS: No. I do not regret that at all.

I mean, I cannot walk down the corridors in Capitol Hill without being really begged by the media to attack Hillary Clinton. They want to make this personal. It's easy to cover. I choose not to do that.

Let's talk about the economy. Let's talk about Wall Street. Let's talk about climate change. Let's talk about education. Frankly, that is what the American people want to hear discussed.

BORGER: Let me talk to you about the issues between you and Hillary Clinton.

SANDERS: Yes.

BORGER: Because she has recently come to oppose the Pacific trade deal, come to oppose Keystone as the president opposes Keystone.

SANDERS: Yes.

BORGER: Has vowed to take on big banks.

How should voters view these changes?

SANDERS: Fair question.

BORGER: You like it?

SANDERS: Good question.

BORGER: Thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

BORGER: How should voters view those changes?

SANDERS: What you should see is how do you feel about U.S. trade policies? That's the first question. Do you think it's good?

The question is, who is out front on this issue? Who has consistently been opposed to trade policy? I think the answer is pretty obvious. I am glad, by the way -- let me be frank -- that Hillary Clinton came on board in opposition.

BORGER: Does it tell you anything about her?

SANDERS: That's what the American people have to decide.

BORGER: What do you think?

SANDERS: I'll let the American people decide. I'm not voting for Hillary Clinton. Let me be clear. You got a breaking news story here, I am supporting Bernie Sanders.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: Breaking news from Bernie Sander, he has voice his support.

So, as he continues to draw the contrast between Hillary and himself, as you pointed out, he refuses to criticize her, refuses to attack her. We know he's been unconventional, taking it right to the people. Is this unconventional way of his, is it going to work for him down the line?

BORGER: I think it's very difficult. People need to make a choice.

PEREIRA: Sure.

BORGER: He says you have to choose just on the issues. And that's fine.

But people need to know a little bit more about him, in contrast with her. He doesn't like to talk about her personally. Says he likes her personally. And so, the minute you start attacking another candidate, you become a conventional politician. And he doesn't want to be a conventional politician. So, it's very difficult terrain for him to navigate.

[06:45:00] And as you can see in this interview, he's having a bit of a tough time with it and blaming the media very much for continuing to raise the Hillary Clinton question although I don't see how we don't raise it given the fact she's his toughest competitor in this race.

PEREIRA: Right. Look, all of this resonates with a large portion of his base, and with the certain part of the electorate. It's going to be interesting to see how that develops as the days proceed. Do you have a second part to this interview?

BORGER: I do.

PEREIRA: You sit down with the woman who stands business his side, Mrs. Sanders.

BORGER: Yes, Jane Sanders be who was, by the way, once it's had chief of staff, once his communications director, sat down with us with her husband to sort of talk about how he decided to get into this race and whether he's really a grouch.

You'll be surprised at what she says. Or maybe not.

PEREIRA: I think he has good humor. He's able to poke fun at himself and we saw him dance with Ellen. So --

BORGER: Oh, yes.

PEREIRA: We'll have that second part of that coming up in the 8:00 hour. Thanks so much, Gloria. You can get in on the conversation by joining us on social media. #NewDayCNN is the hashtag on Twitter or post those comments on Facebook -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right. We go from Ben Carson who says he doesn't want to get into personal attacks to Ben Carson saying there's been too many attacks. So, he says the media never wants to go after a candidate like we're going after him.

Is Ben Carson a victim? His business manager will make the case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:50:39] CUOMO: Did you see Alisyn's interview with Ben Carson? It was a major pivot point in the race. Here's a taste.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): This is a bunch of lies. That's what it is. It's a bunch of lies, attempting, you know, to say that I'm lying about my history. I think it's pathetic.

You guys in the media just stop for a minute. And ask yourself, am I actually doing a good thing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Seems like the answer to that is an unqualified yes to me. But I'm biased because I love Alisyn and I think I understand journalism pretty well.

Let's discuss with Tina Brown, editor in chief for "Newsweek" and "The Daily Beast", and Bill Carter, CNN contributor and author of "The War for Late Night".

Listen, Tina, I'll start with you. I get that attacking the media is a good thing. I grew up in a household that did it all the time. I get that. It has currency and politics. I get that the election is more of a popularity contest than we have seen in recent cycles.

However, I cannot see the true line of logic here, which is working with his base, I've heard about it all weekend. What am I missing? What is being asked that is unreasonable here?

TINA BROWN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NEWSWEEK & THE DAILY BEAST: Absolutely nothing. I mean, I thought it was a fantastic enter view that Alisyn did, but it just kept on probing the crazy illogic of Carson's position. The notion that you can run for president and be in a kind of evidence-free zone is completely insane. Even when Alisyn asked him about his education ideas, he behaved as if it was some kind of a combative view.

CUOMO: Right.

BROWN: He couldn't answer it. I think it's because he has no ideas, and he has no policies. Every time he's probed, he says, "You guys are attacking me." But they're not. They're just trying to get who he is.

CUOMO: There's plenty of room for criticism. I receive it all the time. A lot of times it's warranted, that it gets combative, it's debate. This is just -- you say you stabbed a guy.

BILL CARTER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Right.

CUOMO: You didn't give us the right name. You didn't tell us you were using a different name. Then, you said it. Then you said it was a friend, now you say it's a family member. Now you're saying your mom remembers it.

Come on, Bill. You can --

(CROSSTALK)

CARTER: I think that's illegitimate.

Now, you have to say, this guy is an outsider candidate. That's what he's billed at. He has no experience with this. Most politicians have done this as they've gone along and they've been vetted. And they understand that's part of the process.

CUOMO: That this is his resume, his faith, conviction, all about this one story.

CARTER: Because he never ran for office. So, no one ever looked at this before. Now, it's being looked at.

It's not illegitimate to look at it. Every politician goes through this. It's normal. It's what happens when you --

CUOMO: All right. But what is not normal, I would submit, please, you tell me because you're both better minds on this than I am -- I think this race, is this is a reflection of the popularity contest this has become. When it is this hyper popularity contest, the media does catch a lot more flack, let's say, because they're measuring these guys on how much they're liked.

BROWN: Of course attacking the media is absolutely dyed in the wool a Republican tactic. It always gains popularity, as Bill was saying to me ealier.

CUOMO: We heard it on the other side, too. I don't buy it what "The New York Times" did about the bipartisan nature of lying and this political cycle. The Clintons came after the media pretty strong too.

BROWN: But what I do feel is different about this race is in a sense Trump himself redefined the rules of the race because he's owned hyperbole, he's own excessive statements about himself. Which everybody know are hyperbole, shameless, keeps on doing it, doesn't feel deterred in any sense when he's pointed that this is just a fantasy. He's always most kind of redefine the game so everybody is now in a world where you can say what you want and you keep on saying it's true. The media will attack you but then you can say the media are biased.

This is a cycle now of sort of fairy stories being perpetrated on the stump. It's really very dangerous.

CUOMO: That creates a different question for me. Are we reaping what we've sewn here with Trump, because we kind let him say what he says, because it's so entertaining, now when we apply typical scrutiny, it does give another candidate an opportunity to say, what's this about?

CARTER: But Trump has been challenged. People are challenging him. He doesn't flinch from it. He doesn't say, that's absolutely -- he might say it's unfair, not a good question but he comes back for more. It sounds weird in a way that Carson feels like it's illegitimate even to ask him the question.

If you ask me the question, you're out of bounds. He also thinks -- I think this is interesting, too, that he said to Alisyn, you used to work for FOX News. How can you ask that?

[06:55:05] Because he's used to kid glove treatment from that part of the media. When somebody comes at him with something that isn't like part of his policy, he may react like it's unfair.

BROWN: I actually think Bill has made a very good point there because --

CUOMO: Really?

BROWN: Yes, I do. The thing about this current race, these Republican candidates truly live in their own bubble. They look at FOX News all the time. They listen to, you know, talk radio all the time.

They really believe that they're in this closed world. Then when somebody from the real world comes out and asks them a question, they're completely taken aback. They have total umbrage. This has never happened before, people --

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: I have to believe they're more savvy than that. We'll have Governor Christie on.

I mean, look, you know what you're seeing when you watch Ben Carson with a FOX primetime pundit on and she's listening like, oh, wow, like he's talking about his dog getting hit by a car, but what he's talking about is media scrutiny. OK, fine, maybe that is a little bit of a home team. I don't need to make that case here.

But what I'm saying is it's going to be, what is this election about ultimately? I mean, look, let's shift topics from this. Because Carson is saying what he's saying. The media is saying what they're saying.

Trump goes on "Saturday Night Live." It gets boffo numbers, all right? And then we wind up assessing, well, did they give him a pass?

What's going on in this race? The guy goes on. He gets the biggest ratings anywhere he goes. Is that what we saw on "Saturday Night Live"? Is that the proof of why he's popular in the first place?

CARTER: Well, he's a celebrity already. And so, he gets attention for that.

I don't think that affects the race at all. I mean, I think people have made too much of it in a way. That's not going to bring him more voters or lose voters, I think. I think it was pretty established going in. If you like him you'll be entertained, if you don't like him, you won't be entertained. And I don't -- the show itself did not really make a difference, I don't think.

CUOMO: Or, what's the other side? The other side is that popularity is enough. That's the question. If popularity is enough in this cycle, why would be it? Because of disaffection, because of (AUDIO GAP) be enough?

BROWN: Well, I think it's getting that way. Largely I think because the volume of media that people have to digest, the velocity makes people check out. And only a personality who can kind of cut through that noise actually gets people's attention for more than two seconds.

So, Trump can gain people's attention by being unpredictable. We don't know what he's going to say every time he comes out. I don't think Trump knows what he's going to say either. And that's what makes it so incredibly compelling.

What was amusing to me actually a little bit on Sunday was that, in fact, he was statesman like with George Stephanopoulos on the phone. I even thought, wow, Trump is actually sounding a little statesman-like. He's just as Carson is coming off as more and more of (INAUDIBLE). Suddenly, Trump was behaving like a statesman.

CUOMO: Well, you know, relatively. I mean, to hear Donald Trump say, I've got to tell you, hitting his mother in the pace, hitting the guy with the lock and stabbing the guy in the stomach, he's a real concern.

BROWN: That is Trump's version of being statesman-like.

CARTER: He's trying to score points. The funny thing is, Theodore Roosevelt said something about being in the arena, you'll wind up getting marred by the dust and sweat and blood. You have to expect that, I think. I think Trump does expect it. I think he kind of sort of relishes it in a way.

I think Carson is just not used to it. If he's going to stay in the race, it's going to -- the press won't let up on him.

CUOMO: Quick word.

BROWN: Let's not forget about what LBJ said about Gerald Ford, he said, the guy has played football without a helmet. I mean, Ford as well, I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln. There was ease with the dustup, which Carson doesn't have. He's in a state of constant umbrage about everything.

CUOMO: They weren't blaming the media back then. Maybe it's better when they insult each other.

Bill Carter, thank you very much. Tina Brown, as always.

This is a big story, but there is a lot of news. So, let's get to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARSON (via telephone): You guys in the media, just stop and ask yourself, am I actually doing a good thing?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): When you talk about hitting a friend in the face with a padlock and stabbing someone, that's a serious statement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Campus unrest as its racial climate comes to a boil. Missouri's football African-American players joining the deafening call demanding Mizzou president Tim Wolfe resign.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Black students are not being heard on campus from those in power.

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: I accept your nomination.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This say glimpse behind the veil of the real George Herbert Walker Bush.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't get to be president of the United States by just being sweet.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Is anyone sitting it here?

PEREIRA: No, it is for you.

CAMEROTA: It's all yours.

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

Up first, Dr. Ben Carson ramping up his attacks on journalism. He says no other candidate is getting the media scrutiny he's facing and it's working for him. In just the last week, he has raked in millions of dollars in campaign donations.

CUOMO: Well, you know who's not buying it? Donald Trump tossing fuel on the fire. He says Carson's stories about his violent past are disturbing even they're as true as Carson says they are.