Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

1 Dead, 37 Hurt After Driver Plows into Vegas Sidewalk; Bomb Scare at Air France Flight 463; Wrong Contestant Crowned at Miss Universe Pageant; Carly Fiorina's Husband in a Supporting Role. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired December 21, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:09] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Well, police also very quickly deduced that it wasn't terrorism. How could they so quickly figure out that she didn't -- what her motive was.

JONATHAN GILLIAM, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I mean, sometimes, it's as quickly as you pull them out and you find out that they're inebriated and they're screaming and they're mad about somebody. I mean, that potentially could be the case. But, typically, I guess if it was a medical issue or a medical-induced, you know, hallucinations, for instance, but I would almost, because of where it's at, because it's on the strip, I would almost have to say that it's alcohol related.

I'm sure they have not to this extent but in Vegas with people getting drunk and running over people because there are so many people out there, I'm sure this does happen.

CAMEROTA: But if it's alcohol-related, then why would law enforcement say that it's intentional? Don't we put that into a different category? If somebody gets into a drunk driving accident and they're out of their minds, do police call that intentional?

GILLIAM: I think they call it intentional if it wasn't an accident. In other words, like if they veered off to the side because they fell asleep or lost control and they crashed. That would be unintentional. But if they hit somebody and then pull off and then hit more people and that continues, now you're starting to see -- even though it's alcohol-related or drug-related, they still have intent to go forward and continue to do this whereas in the other case it was more of they fell asleep, they couldn't tell where they were going.

CAMEROTA: I don't know. I mean, it almost sounds like as she was pulled out of the car as they found her that she must have said something. She must have been yelling something. I mean, in order to think it was intentional, I feel as though she had to express some anger or something like that.

GILLIAM: Right. We also don't know who they contacted immediately after this. So, you know, they talked to witnesses. Did witnesses hear her say something? They get her I.D. They contact people at home very quickly and find out that some -- did she just have a fight with somebody. So these are things that really do unravel very quickly.

Also if it was terrorism-related, there would be typically some type of evidence that goes right along with the motivation. It would either be where they're not giving you any reason and then you start doing background checks and find out who they are, or they just get out screaming and letting you know exactly who they are which happens in those cases.

CAMEROTA: There are so many shocking details of this. One of them is that there was a 3-year-old in the car with her. I'm sure you've seen this before, so often in drunk driving accidents or whatever this is, there are children involved.

GILLIAM: There are. And in some cases, you have postpartum, that's an issue, where somebody tries to either drown themselves with their kids or they cause something that they're just completely out of it. I don't know if that's the case here, but --

CAMEROTA: It doesn't sound like that because this was a 3-year- old. If it were an infant, maybe they would have been led more in that direction, but a 3-year-old? Perhaps rules out post-partum. Also, she did mow down other children in the crowd.

GILLIAM: Yes. Yes, it just appears -- this appears to me to be somewhat of a psychotic break, either caused by drugs, alcohol -- I'm ruling out -- myself, I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it's medically-induced because medically-induced, I would see somebody going in and then stopping, not pulling out and reengaging which we saw here. So we saw more intent than just somebody who was having a seizure.

CAMEROTA: Jonathan Gilliam, thanks so much for the expertise.

GILLIAM: You got it.

CAMEROTA: So many questions still. Hopefully, before the program was over, we'll have more on this developing story.

Let's go over to Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Alright, another story for you this morning. A terrifying bomb scare on an Air France flight forcing an emergency landing. Four people now being questioned. Was it a hoax or maybe a dry run? We'll give you the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:36:48] CUOMO: We do have breaking news, a U.S. citizen has been killed in Kabul. The U.S. embassy says she was an Afghan- American woman named Lisa Akbari. A local news agency says Akbari was shot dead by a Muslim mullah while she was leaving a gym Sunday night. There are reports of an arrest but stay with CNN. We'll give you breaking details as soon as we get them.

CAMEROTA: Alright, meanwhile, investigators are questioning four people after a cardboard box apparently made to look like a bomb was found in the bathroom of an Air France Flight 463. The flight was from the Island of Mauritius to Paris but it had to be diverted to Kenya.

That's where we find CNN's David McKenzie. He joins us live and we understand that you have some breaking news, David.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Alisyn. This case has taken a dramatic turn. I want to show you pictures of passengers who were on that diverted plane arriving in Paris.

Now according to a prosecutor in Paris, they say they picked up the border police in Charles De Gaulle, have picked up one of those passengers in connection with a complaint that Air France filed regarding this case. So it seems like someone has been picked up on the French side of this unusual certainly story to say the least.

Now what happened was Air France says someone deposited what was a fake bomb inside the lavatory of that flight and then a passenger found that and alerted the captain. Now the bomb wasn't in fact a bomb, but it certainly looked a lot like it to the untrained eye. It had packaging, paper inside, a timing device on top. That plane in the early morning hours was diverted from its course, from Mauritius to Paris here to Kenya. Emergency landing, the bomb squad came in, investigated that.

They still say they're questioning people here in Kenya, but it is this breaking news development that the prosecutors saying they pulled someone off that plane of those returning passengers. And so we should learn details in the coming hours.

Chris?

CUOMO: All right, David, thank you very much.

So this weekend, big news. I don't even have to tell you, right? It's all about "Star Wars." You've been seeing lightsabers all over the place. The force awakens, brought in an all-time record $238 million in the U.S. over the weekend. That eclipses the $209 million "Jurassic World" took in this summer during its opening weekend. So it's the leader. Total worldwide earnings, $517 million.

And I would submit that it's even cashing in more culturally.

CAMEROTA: Meaning?

CUOMO: Don't you feel this is a thing, that it's -- you know, that it's more than just money and, you know, good movie.

CAMEROTA: Oh, you mean, the metaphor, the good versus evil, the dark versus light?

CUOMO: Yes, and just the impact. I mean, my town was totally like, you know, dominated by people in "Star Wars" costumes and talking about this and who the different characters represent and all this. CAMEROTA: That's kind of cool. Did you go see it?

CUOMO: No. I've got the sick kids. They're going to see it -- I think Christina is going to take Mario today. My son is turning 10 tomorrow. So this is a big moment for him, but he was sick.

CAMEROTA: But that's a good birthday party. He could take his friends and --

CUOMO: In fact, his buddy had a 13th birthday party and that's what they did. They went to see "Star Wars." There are lightsabers all over the place.

CAMEROTA: That's great. I know the feeling since I have an 8- year-old boy.

All right, meanwhile, we have to tell you about this story. A huge flub.

[06:40:04] CUOMO: Was it?

CAMEROTA: Yes.

At the Miss Universe pageant, the wrong contestant was crowned the winner. How could this happen? Nischelle Turner was backstage during the chaos. She'll join us live.

CUOMO: Will she?

CAMEROTA: She will. Yes. Not everything is a conspiracy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Boy, oh boy, to the moment we all live for, right, when we're watching the Miss Universe pageant and then it just went so wrong, boy. Last night. Just watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE HARVEY, HOST: Miss Universe 2015 is Colombia!

Hey, folks, there's -- I have to apologize. The first runner-up is Colombia. Miss universe 2015 is Philippines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: What the heck? Was that?

CUOMO: That is just the worst feeling.

CAMEROTA: Our CNN contributor, "Entertainment Tonight" host Nischelle Turner was backstage at the pageant when that shocking moment happened.

What went on backstage at that moment? [06:45:10] NISCHELLE TURNER, HOST, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT: Well,

a lot. Well, first of all, every time I see that, my stomach hurts. I can't even -- Chris, I know, I can't even watch it. I've seen it so many times. It really just gives me palpitations when I watch it.

But, guys, yes, I was backstage during this whole thing when it all played out because I was waiting to go on stage when the show was over to interview the new Miss Universe.

So when Steve Harvey came back out after Miss Colombia had already taken her walk and have the crown on and was so, you know, emotional, she was crying and so happy and said there's been a mistake, no one knew what was going on. Everything back stage stopped. Everyone just looked around at everyone else. Everyone's mouth were hanging open. No one knew what to do.

It was seriously one of those "OMG" moments that you never think is going to happen. I've never seen anything happen like this in my lifetime. It was so awkward and so uncomfortable.

CUOMO: What's your best sense of how it happened?

TURNER: I think Steve just made an honest mistake. You know, on the card it does have the second runner-up's name, it has the first runner-up's name and then right next to it, it has Miss Universe. And I think that maybe he just read it in the wrong order. He had already announced that Miss U.S.A. was second runner-up. And I think he just read it in the wrong order because you usually don't announce the winner. You actually announce the first runner-up.

You say first runner-up is so-and-so. And then you know the other person is Miss America or Miss Universe or whatever pageant that you're doing. I think he just made an honest. And to his credit, he came right out on that stage and said I take full responsibility for this. This is my fault. I messed up. The winner is Miss Philippines. And he showed everyone the card that he had that showed that she was actually the winner.

CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh, so baffling, so awkward, particularly for the two women. First, Miss Colombia thinks she won. She's blowing kisses to people. She has the crown on, then she's like, huh? And then she has to give up, relinquish the crown within those first seconds.

What was her reaction afterwards? Did you have a chance to talk to Miss Colombia who is deep --

(CROSSTALK)

TURNER: I didn't have a chance to talk to her because she was crying, uncontrollably. I mean, she was, you know, inconsolable.

Listen, I was a preliminary judge this year for Miss Universe as well, guys. And so I did spend a lot of time with these ladies over the past week. And I can tell you, I'm sure you know that in Colombia and also in the Philippines, these pageants are a way of life. They are so big, they are so huge and so many little girls aspire to be Miss Colombia and then Miss Universe. And, also, last year's Miss Universe, Paulina Vega was from Colombia.

So, you know -- sorry, I knew I was going to mess up her name. Ariadna --it was her life-long dream to be Miss Universe. So when this happened to her, she thought I've achieved what I've been waiting for my entire life and then to have it snatched from her? Oh, my god. She was, you know, inconsolable.

And also Miss Philippines told me, I did interview her after the pageant, and she told me I didn't know what to think. I was scared to go forward when they really called my name because I didn't know if it was a joke. I didn't know if they were going to take the crown from me when I came backstage. She had no idea what was going on. She was visibly shaken and her lips were trembling when she was talking to me. She was clueless. She didn't know.

CAMEROTA: Right. How can you trust anything?

CUOMO: Well, Colombia will be the one first runner-up who you remember. So she's got that.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

TURNER: Well, she also looks a lot like Sophia Vergara.

CAMEROTA: She does.

CUOMO: I think she's way better looking than Sophia Vergara.

CAMEROTA: I think she'll be fine, ultimately.

TURNER: Yes, I think she will, but I have to tell you -- I'm sorry, I was just going to tell you, guys. The crowd, they were booing. They wouldn't leave. It was a bit of chaos. Well, a lot more than bit. There was a lot of chaos going on in there. And I haven't slept once again. So there you go.

CAMEROTA: Well, you look fantastic. And thanks so much for giving us all of the behind the curtain action there. Thank you.

TURNER: Absolutely.

CUOMO: I did get a sense that maybe Nischelle thought something else was something afoot.

CAMEROTA: She did not think that.

CUOMO: A little bit, she did.

CAMEROTA: I noticed you didn't ask her about your crazy conspiracy theory. Interesting. Convenient.

CUOMO: It's just a question. You're very defensive about this.

CAMEROTA: I look forward to reading all of your tweets.

CUOMO: Meanwhile, we are hearing from someone who could be the first husband. And we don't mean Bill Clinton. What Carly Fiorina's husband, Frank, thinks of his wife's White House bid. And how he would play a supporting role. You'll maybe surprise to hear what he has to say. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:57] CAMEROTA: If a woman becomes president in 2016, what would her husband be called? Frank Fiorina, husband of presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, has some ideas about that.

And CNN's chief political correspondent Dana Bash sat down with him and talked about that.

Hey, Dana. Tell us what he said.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Alisyn. You know, it takes a certain kind of man to be comfortable, setting the spotlight to his wife. But Frank Fiorina has actually done that for decades. A surprisingly modern version of a traditional husband.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK FIORINA, CARLY FIORINA'S HUSBAND: Morning, girls, how we doing?

BASH (voice-over): Inside Carly Fiorina's headquarters, a visit with young campaign aids and a thank you.

FIORINA: I really appreciate it.

BASH: This is Frank Fiorina's role these days, a supportive husband who does whatever he can to help his wife's presidential bid.

(on-camera): You are Mr. Carly Fiorina.

FIORINA: I was always proud to be. Always proud to be.

BASH (voice-over): Taking a back seat to his wife is hardly new for him. He predicted it when he met Carly more than 30 years ago, when they were both working at AT&T.

FIORINA: You know, I was a higher level than her, but there was no doubt in my mind she was going to surpass me in the ranks at AT&T, rightfully so and she would be chairman someday. Now --

BASH (on-camera): Did you tell her that?

FIORINA: I did tell her that. And I'm not even quite sure why. At the time, it was a mixture of a great line and the truth.

BASH (voice-over): It wasn't AT&T, but Carly did eventually become a CEO at Hewlett-Packard. And Frank decided to quit his job to support her.

(on-camera): You retired at age 48, the peak of your career, to be Carly's husband.

FIORINA: That's true. And it was quite controversial, believe me. I knew it was the right thing to do.

BASH (voice-over): But playing the supporting role isn't always easy.

FIORINA: When you think about a person that's that smart and that hard working and that focused, it's hard to keep up sometimes.

BASH: They never had children of their own, but Carly bonded with his then young daughters like none of his other dates had.

FIORINA: It was just like a Disney movie. I mean, they would play havoc with my dates. And when I finally got to bring Carly home, it was pretty clear to me that the three of them loved each other.

[06:55:15] BASH: In 2009, one of Frank's daughters, Lori, died of a drug overdose, the same year Carly was diagnosed with breast cancer.

FIORINA: It was a bad year. I kept saying this was going to end badly. She was too smart, too educated. She would never admit that she had a problem.

BASH: He wears a bracelet made from a necklace Lori wore the day she died.

FIORINA: It was a necklace that Carly bought her. So I know it looks silly.

BASH (on-camera): No, it doesn't.

FIORINA: I wear it all the time.

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My husband and I lost one of our daughters to addiction.

BASH (voice-over): Carly often talks on the campaign trail about the lost of her stepdaughter and the need to fight addiction.

CARLY FIORINA: My husband Frank has been here.

BASH: She also talks about how Frank who started out as an AT&T technician and a tow truck driver keeps her grounded.

CARLY FIORINA: OK, why would I want to be president? My husband asks me that occasionally.

BASH (on-camera): Do you like politics?

FIORINA: Frankly, not particularly. Politics is so different than business. And, of course, I spent my whole life in business and working.

BASH (voice-over): He's often with Carly on the trail, but mostly keeps his opinions to himself.

FIORINA: I'm very cautious about when I give her advice. Very cautious.

BASH (on-camera): Why?

FIORINA: Because she has so many people giving her advice. So I really try to pick my targets. If there's something I really feel she's being misled about, I speak up.

BASH (voice-over): Like most political spouses, he takes attacks on his wife harder than she does.

(on-camera): When you hear criticism of your wife, what do you want to do?

FIORINA: I'm an Italian boy from Pittsburgh. I don't need to quite explain what I'd really like to do, but it just infuriates me.

BASH (voice-over): And when Donald Trump made fun of his wife's face?

FIORINA: I almost thought it was humorous. I mean, out of all the people on the stage, it would be hard to say Carly -- there was anything wrong with Carly's face.

BASH (on-camera): Do you think that she's treated differently because she's a woman?

FIORINA: Carly won't say this, but I will. I've watched for 34 years how she's been treated differently in everything she's done in life. Everything.

BASH (voice-over): Still, Frank's prediction about Carly's business success came true. They're both hoping he was also prophetic about politics.

FIORINA: At least 18, 20 years ago I said she was going to be president someday, but I wasn't encouraging her to do that. I was just stating the obvious. That's all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Interesting and candid interview with him.

So what does Frank Fiorina think the first husband should be called?

BASH: Well, I asked him. I said, will you be kind of the first dude, like Todd Palin was in Alaska famously? He said, no. He said, I think I just want to be called the first Frank. He said Frank is what I've been called all my life and I'll just stick with that.

CAMEROTA: I like the alliteration. During the debate, during the CNN debate, as you know, Carly Fiorina talked about names she'd been called. She said that she'd been called every "B" word in the book.

Did you ask Frank about that? Did he share any stories like that?

BASH: He did. One of those words is probably obvious. We shouldn't say it on morning television. The other is bimbo.

He told me a story about -- he said it was her first management job at AT&T, the first time she had people reporting to her and her boss came in and introduced her to her new team as the token bimbo.

He said, can you imagine that, token bimbo? And he was shaking his head kind of in disgust still all these years later.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh. Times have changed, thank goodness.

BASH: Yes, they have.

CAMEROTA: Right. Dana, thanks so much. Great interview. Thanks for sharing that with us.

BASH: Thanks, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: We're following a lot of news this morning. Let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a huge tragedy that's occurred on our strip.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw the car up on the sidewalk coming towards us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People started screaming and people started running back and forth, panicking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, we are treating this as an intentional act.

BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Not only do I apologize to Secretary Clinton, I want to apologize to my supporters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why are you so comfortable praising Vladimir Putin.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not. I didn't praise him. He praised me.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He is becoming ISIS' best recruiter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All public schools in Nashua, New Hampshire will be closed today. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a threat that was e-mailed in to a

school administrator.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Specific threats of violence, which is why we're taking it kind of seriously.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

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

Michaela is off this morning. And we do have breaking news to tell you about, this out of Las Vegas. One person is dead, dozens injured after a driver plows into a sidewalk on the Vegas strip. Witnesses describe the driver mowing into the crowd repeatedly with a toddler in the car as others tried in vain --