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Stabbing Attack at West Bank Settlement; Interview with Bernie Sanders; Muslim Family Banned from U.S. Bound Flight; Iraqi Forces Advances Battle in Ramadi. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired December 24, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:31:18] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Some breaking news overnight. Israeli police say a Palestinian man stabbed two security guards near an industrial park in the West Bank. The violence happening as Christians converge in the holy land to mark Christmas Eve.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is joining us live from Bethlehem -- Oren.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And a very significant moment here on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, the latent patriarch of Jerusalem has entered major square, one of the most significant moments of this day, one of the most important places for Christianity. Of course, all of this happens in the shadow of attacks and recent violence that we've seen in the last three months.

Just this morning, in Ariel, a West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem, two security guards were attacked as you mentioned. Police say the Palestinian attacker was shot and killed.

This comes one day after two Israelis were killed in an attack just outside the old city of Jerusalem, the Jaffa Gate, which leads right into the corridor. Obviously, a very busy place this time of year. Two Israelis were killed. One from stabbing wounds one from gunfire as Israeli security forces responded to the attack. Police say both attackers in that case were shot and killed. That political tension hangs over this.

Now, the square has say festive feel to it right now. That's what they're hoping for, that this can be a celebration day in Bethlehem. That this can be a very merry Christmas -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Oren, thank you very much. Please, keep us informed of what happens there.

We're going to take a break. When we come back, Donald Trump knows how to get his message out. He's a master at messaging. But how much of that job are we doing for him? How much of that are we doing for him?

Bernie Sanders brought this up in our discussion. You'll hear it right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [06:36:18] CUOMO: Senator Bernie Sanders at his highest point yet in CNN's new polling. But still has a lot of room to make up against Hillary Clinton. He says he think he will. I said, why? And that's where this begins. It is time to test Senator Bernie Sanders on what he says the problem is with Trump, the media and the solutions with the country.

Here's the next part of the interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: You started off this interview using Donald Trump as a point of contrast. His popularity at this point is inarguable. How he is becoming popular say source of a lot of argument and criticism. The most recent volley, what he said about Hillary Clinton's break during the debate. What he said about how he characterized her loss to Barack Obama.

You know, you're a guy who grew up in Brooklyn. You probably know the word that he used. Maybe you never heard it used as a verb before.

But why is it working so well for him?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Chris, you're going to have to ask the media precisely why. Trump is a smart guy. He is a media guy. He ran -- he did a TV show.

I'll give you one example, all right, recent study shows on ABC evening news, Trump over a period of time got 81 minutes of time. Bernie Sanders got 20 seconds. Now, you tell me why.

CUOMO: Well --

SANDERS: And I think it has to do with the fact that Trump is very smart. He knows that media is not so interested in the serious issues facing this country. They love, you know, bombastic remarks. They love silly remarks.

If he says somebody is sweating, my God that is a major story, all of that silly business. The personal attacks that kind of work. So I think this is more an indictment of the media, actually, than it is of Trump.

CUOMO: Yes, I don't see it. Look, do we cover him more? Yes. Why? He's number one in the poll. He's highly relevant. He drives the discussion.

SANDERS: But, Chris, Chris, explain to me how he becomes number one. He boasts of the fact -- this is what he says, hey, I don't even have to pay for commercials. The media's going to put me on all of the time.

Explain to me, I know CNN may be different here. You've been very generous with me. But you explain how a major network in the evening news has 80 minutes of Trump, 20 seconds of Bernie Sanders. Does that make sense to anybody? CUOMO: Well, look --

SANDERS: In many ways, I think it's fair to say -- yes, go ahead.

CUOMO: There's no question that Trump drives ratings and that's always an influence in everything that we do. If you weren't as handsome and charismatic as you are, Senator, maybe you wouldn't get the time.

But you can't just wipe off that base with the growing base of the GOP. They're putting him first in the polls. They're saying they hate the media. They just love Trump.

SANDERS: Chris, Chris, this is what I think is going on. I think that Trump is very effectively playing to the fears and the anxieties that millions of people in this country have, and have legitimately so. We're all concerned about the possibility of a terrorist attack against this country. We're all concerned about is. We're all concerned about a disappearing middle class.

You have in this country people who don't understand why it is that with increased productivity and technology, they're working longer hours for low wages. They're worried to death about their kids. They're worried about the economy.

And Trump comes along and he says, I've got the solution. And what the violation is Mexicans coming into this country. Let's throw them all out. That will solve all of our problems. It's Muslims, they're all terrorists. We have to hate them.

Well, that is not the solution to our problem. That is simply scapegoating minorities, playing one group against another. It's what demagogues have always done.

[06:40:00] But what we've got to do as a people is come together and say, yes, why is it that the middle class is in fact disappearing and almost all new wealth and income is going to 1 percent? Let's talk about it.

And sometimes, Chris, to be honest with you, it can't be done in a six-second sound bite. Why is it that we have the most unequal distribution of wealth in income than any major country on earth? Why is it that we have any country on earth? Why is it that we're the only nation on earth that doesn't have health care for people as a right?

These are the kind of debates that we have to have. I would urge and beg the media to allow us to have that debate, and not just pick up on Trump's one liners.

CUOMO: Well, Senator Sanders, as you know, that's what we're doing, that's what NEW DAY is about. We always appreciate you being on the show.

SANDERS: And I do know that, Chris. Chris, I know that and I appreciate the good work you're doing. CUOMO: You're not easy to get. I've got people hashtagging

#feelingthebern coming after me saying you don't have Sanders on enough.

I can't get you on. You're too busy running around the country. Tell your people, lay off.

SANDERS: All right. We will do our best to be with you.

CUOMO: You're always welcome to talk about what matters on this show. Senator, best to you and the family. Thank you for being on NEW DAY.

SANDERS: All right. And a happy -- merry Christmas and happy holidays to everybody.

CUOMO: Appreciate it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Interesting stuff, Chris. I mean, so he's really in his element. His strong suit is talking about economic issues, that's what resonates so much and why he's gotten as far as he has. And as pointed out in the previous segment, foreign policy, he gives less specifics.

CUOMO: True.

CAMEROTA: And that's what he needed to work on --

CUOMO: Not known for, despite the experience in the Senate. On the plus side, 2 million contributors, certainly a groundswell of support on the left. What about the minus side?

Big promises about income inequality, how would he fix it? He wants a clean campaign. What happened with that data breach? We asked him about that, you'll hear it later on on NEW DAY.

CAMEROTA: OK. Meanwhile, a Muslim family denied access to a plane from the U.K. to the U.S.? Was their religion to blame? What is the background here? We'll tell you the story when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:45:30] CAMEROTA: At least seven people are dead after fierce storms slammed parts of the South and Midwest. A 7-year-old is among the fatalities in Mississippi killed in a car with his family.

This tornado you can see tearing across the landscape in Mississippi. Two people killed across the state line in Tennessee. Cars flipped on to their side, after a twister touched down there. My goodness, look at the aftermath.

And in Arkansas, a teenage girl died after a tree toppled into their home.

CUOMO: And they are bracing for more of that kind of weather in that whole region of the country. So, we will stay tune to it all day here on CNN.

We also have news breaking overnight of a ninth arrest made in Belgium in connection with last month's terror attack in Paris. Officials say Abdullah C. was in contact with the niece of the terrorist who officials say was the planner of that plot.

CAMEROTA: This morning, members of a British Muslim family are denied access after boarding a trip a flight to Los Angeles for a trip to Disneyland. They say they were singled out because they are Muslims. That's the claim that officials are pushing back.

So, why was the family keep grounded?

Well, CNN justice reporter Evan Perez is live in Washington for us.

What have you learned, Evan?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE REPORTER: Good morning, Alisyn.

Well, nine members of the Mahmood family said that they were denied entry to the U.S. But why? It still remains a mystery.

The family says their troubles began at London's Gatwick airport last week. One of the Norwegian airlines employees told the family they would not be able to fly to California for their Disney holiday. Tariq Mahmood says the family met all of the U.S. requirements when they bought their tickets.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ MAHMOOD, FAMILY DENIED BOARDING: I wanted them to give me an explanation. And we're not threat to nobody. We're working class. We have our own business. We help everybody out. I have a place with multi-culture society. I treat everybody the same.

For me to be treated like that, I feel most uncomfortable and most devastated because I'm just like a normal person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREZ: The family says that they are out more than $13,000 because the airline won't refund their money. And the U.S. government won't explain what exactly happened.

Customs and Border Protection Agency says, quote, "The religion, faith or spiritual beliefs of an international traveler are not determining factors about his/her admissibility into the U.S."

And, Chris, there's as many as 60 different reasons for denied boarding including paperwork problems and health issues.

CUOMO: Well, look, you don't have to be an investigative reporter like you to understand the obvious questions that this raises, especially given the phobias in this country right now. We know you will stay on it, my friend. Merry Christmas to you.

PEREZ: Merry Christmas.

CUOMO: All right, my friend.

What do you think? Am I off? Is this obvious, is it just about paperwork as a mere suggestion? Or do you think this is something that deserves more review? You can tweet us @alisyncamerota, Alisyn with a Y, or go to Facebook.com/NewDay.

CAMEROTA: I'm on to you Chris Cuomo -- C-U-O-M-O.

I do like to read your tweets. Please send them.

CUOMO: U.S. officials are discussing changes in rules of engagement for overseas. How will this affect the fight against ISIS? We're going to talk live with a military official in Baghdad driving the fight, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:27] CAMEROTA: Iraqi forces in a fierce battle to retake Ramadi. Now, word that the U.S. may be reconsidering its rules of engagement.

Let's get a status report on both issues. Colonel Steven Warren is a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve and for the anti-ISIS coalition in Iraq.

Colonel, thank you so much for being with us on this Christmas Eve. It's nice to see you.

We've heard that Iraqi forces are using the model of a boa constrictor to choke off ISIS in Ramadi. Can you tell us how that's working?

COL. STEVEN WARREN, SPOKESMAN, ANTI-ISIS COALITION IN IRAQ: Alisyn, good morning.

The Iraqi security force, over the last month or so, has slowly encircled the city of Ramadi to isolate it from any possibility being supported by ISIL fighters that are outside of the city. So, they've isolated the city on all points of compass. They've cut off all of the supply routes in and out of the city, so that this enemy is not able to reinforce themselves with equipment, weapons or manpower.

And now, they're beginning to squeeze that noose around the city, slowly but surely. Just two days ago, they were able to successfully cross the Euphrates River in a combat bridging maneuver. First one we've seen in the Middle East probably since the '70s.

CAMEROTA: And, Colonel, we know that this is incredibly harrowing work another soldiers, because ISIS has reportedly planted thousands of IEDs, explosive devices, throughout the city. So, how are they managing that?

WARREN: The Iraqis were in a fierce fight yesterday. I'll tell you. We watched a lot of it from the ops center. This enemy has set up defensive belts, so they use IEDs, the very same

IEDs that we faced here in Iraq years ago, but now they use them in clusters as if they were mine fields. They will rig entire houses to explode if you come near them.

So, the Iraqis have to very deliberately probe this defensive area and find a weak spot. At the same time, American and coalition air powers overhead. We've got B-1s in this fight, and when we find obstacles that we know we can hit, we'll strike them from the air as well to try and disable them.

CAMEROTA: Colonel, you can explain the transformation that you've seen in the Iraqi army? Because we all remember, back in May, when the Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that they were not up for the fight. They in fact had retreated in the face of ISIS.

So, now, the ferocity that we're seeing from them -- let me just remind our viewers what Defense Secretary Carter said back then and then get you to comment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:55:06] ASH CARTER, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Iraqi forces just showed no will to fight. They were not outnumbered. In fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing force. And yet, they failed to fight. They withdrew from the site. And that says to me, and I think to most of us that we have an issue with will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: So, Colonel, what's changed? How they are able to fight so ferociously now?

WARREN: I remember when Secretary Carter told your Barbara Starr that back in May. One of the things that changed, Alisyn, the Americans, specifically the Americans with the greatest coalition of our training partners. We've spent a year training the Iraqi security forces. We've trained almost 16,000 Iraqi soldiers now. And we've also equipped them with modern U.S. equipment.

So, this training and equipment program has absolutely brought their capability level, their confidence level, their morale, it's all beginning to come up. We've also seen some encouraging signs from the Iraqi government to reduce sectarianism, to reduce some of the tension between the Sunni and Shia inside the government. So, all of these things help.

And, of course, there's nothing like winning. The Iraqis have had good success, they've liberated Tikrit, they've liberated Baiji, they liberated part of the Haditha corridor on part of the Euphrates River. So, with victory and success comes added confidence.

You have to be clear, Alisyn, that we've still got a long way to go. We've only trained 16,000 of them, and they have a lot of fighting ahead of them. CAMEROTA: Colonel, let's talk about the discussions ongoing about

changing the rules of engagement for the U.S. in Iraqi and Syria, particularly as it relates to airstrikes. What is being considered?

WARREN: Well, it's a little soon to talk specifically about what's being considered. What we see is that as we apply additional pressures on the ground, as our Iraqi and in the case of Syria, some of our partner forces in Syria, as they pressure this enemy, it forces ISIL -- ISIS, forces them to move. And when they move, they expose themselves, and able to bring some devastating air power against them.

What's being talked about out there is how much tolerance we should have more civilian casualties. That's part of our American values, right? We say we bring our values to war with us. This is a difficult discussion. There's always going to be tragedy in any war. That's why no one likes war.

So, we have to find a balance between achieving military effects, and how much collateral damage we're willing to accept.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

WARREN: This is a continuous discussion, Alisyn. This is not a discussion that starts or stops. It's a daily thing.

CAMEROTA: Colonel, it's Christmas Eve, we're thinking of you and all of the soldiers and fighting men and women over there. How will you be celebrating Christmas?

WARREN: Well, Alisyn, the good people of Hollywood have donated a copy of "Star Wars" to us.

CAMEROTA: Wow.

WARREN: Yes, how about that?

Some of our guys have reduced from a we feel-hour shift down to an eight-hour shift to give themselves a little time to catch a movie and let their hair down for a second. I want to be clear: we'll continue to stand watch here. We want all of you to enjoy your Christmas and know you're going to be safe because we're here standing on this war.

CAMEROTA: Colonel Steven Warren, we so appreciate that. Our thoughts and prayers are with you over there. Merry Christmas to you.

WARREN: Thank you. Merry Christmas to you.

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I couldn't even find my house. It was just there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People killed as storms pound the South and Western.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's that close. It's a near-death experience.

CAMEROTA: Nasty weather not the only thing complicating holiday travel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Big changes in airports all across this country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You say you want a pat-down, the TSA now has the power to say you are not entitled to one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A dozen Republicans ripping her to shreds pretty much every day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hillary Clinton still holds a commanding lead.

SANDERS: Great middle class of this country has been appearing.

CUOMO: Sanders campaign is look at data it wasn't supposed to.

SANDERS: We made a mistake. We dealt with that.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to the NEW DAY on this, our NEW DAY, your NEW DAY on this Christmas Eve. Michaela is off today.

We do have breaking news to tell you about, because the death toll rising overnight after wild weather has slammed parts of the Midwest and South. Right now, nearly seven people were killed including a 7- year-old boy.