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American Freed By Iran Speaks Out; Class Action Lawsuits Filed Over Flint Water Crisis; The Kasich Family Opens Up to CNN; Gunmen Storm Pakistani University Killing 19. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired January 20, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:30:32] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Good to have you back with us here on NEW DAY.

One of the five Americans freed by Iran, a Marine veteran, speaking for the first time since his release. We're also getting our first look at freed Washington Post" reporter Jason Rezaian.

CNN's Phil Black is live in Landstuhl, Germany, with more for us -- Phil.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.

When Amir Hekmati came out of the medical center here last night to speak to journalists, he sounded strong and clear. He looked well. Indeed, that's how he said he was feeling.

He didn't want to dwell on the negatives of how hard it was to endure, four years of captivity in an Iranian president. But he did say at times, the pressures were inhumane.

The things he said really made a difference to him on the inside that kept him strong were his marine training, not wanting to let down the reputation of the marine corps, but also the support he knew existed back home. The word he was receiving inside the prison of efforts back in the U.S. to get him out. He was hearing about those efforts. So were the people who were holding him.

This is what he said about that. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMIR HEKMATI, ONE OF FIVE AMERICANS RELEASED BY IRAN: Everyone from the president, the congress, even the Iranian officials who our captors were seasonally amazed have asked us. Why is it they're working so hard for you? I just said, well, that's America. They love their citizens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: Now, one of the other freed prisoners, "The Washington Post" journalist, Jason Rezaian who's also receiving treatment at this facility, we haven't heard from him yet. We have seen him in a new video released by "The Post." It shows a lovely intimate moment between him and his wife. She's apparently showing him a video circulating online that mocked the idea he could possibly be a spy for the U.S.

So, of the three Americans receiving treatment here now, we've seen or heard from two of them. By all accounts, they're both doing really well.

Back to you, Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Appreciate it, Phil.

Apologies for residents of Flint, Michigan. But is that enough? Is that in time to undo the long-term damage in the city's water crisis?

Several class-action lawsuits are now being filed. We're going to speak with an attorney for one of those cases. There are lots of different plaintiffs, lots of different claims.

What's the situation right now? Look at what's in that bottle.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[06:36:04] GOV. RICK SNYDER (R), MICHIGAN: You deserve better. You deserve accountability. You deserve to know that the buck stops here with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: A lot of people in Michigan are saying, yes, but it didn't.

That's Michigan's governor, Rick Snyder, apologizing to the people of Flint for the city's contaminated water supply. He laid out a course of action during his state of the state address, including a request for $28 million to try to deal with the toxic water.

The state is now facing class-action lawsuits because, for many, sorry is not enough.

Let's bring in one of the attorneys filing suit, Mr. Michael Pitt.

Counsel, what is the current state of health in people using water in Flint, Michigan, and the surrounding areas?

MICHAEL PITT, ATTORNEY SUING OVER FLINT WATER CRISIS: Well, good morning, Chris. Thanks for having me.

Right now, the governor, the county health department, the state health department are telling the people not to drink the water. Some people have been told it's OK to bathe. I think the prudent course of action is not to put vulnerable individuals, babies, elderly people in that water until there can be an assurance from an independent source, a reliable source that the water is safe.

CUOMO: The problem going forward, some thought the remedy was to switch back to the Detroit system which I believe was done this past October. That's not enough they're saying now because the lines themselves have been deteriorated because of the water that was flowing through them. Is that your understanding?

PITT: That's my understanding. There are some that say the lines have been irreparably damaged and will never be repaired. Others are less concerned about the irreparable damage and are waiting to see whether the anti-corrosive agents which have been added and supplemented since October will repair the lines. It remains to be seen whether or not those lines become serviceable again.

CUOMO: Now, the situation right now is fairly clear and empirically provable. Your point is to look back and say, it was known. It was multifaceted and it's neglect and it wound up costing people their health and maybe their lives.

How confident are you that you can make that case?

PITT: Very confident. Marc Edwards, the professor from Virginia Tech who has been on the ground in Flint since last summer has done a remarkable job of establishing through FOIA and other sources, the documentation, the time lines necessary to establish the case.

The Department of Health and Human Services saw elevated blood lead levels in September of 2014, which coincided precisely with the exposure to the water. They sat on this information for 10 months. They faced a public health emergency but told nobody.

And it was only because a very courageous doctor, Dr. Mona Hannah-Attisha, a local pediatrician, called him out and showed from her own statistics this spike. That's when the state finally admitted that they had this information and that they confirmed what she was telling them. At that point --

(CROSSTALK)

PITT: Go ahead.

CUOMO: It's such a pernicious allegation that the state would know people's health were at risk, serious risk and do nothing. What is your case for why that would have been done? What would have been the motivation for the state to conceal such lethal information?

PITT: Because they are required by federal law to take blood from children 1 to 2 years old.

[06:40:07] They have tens of thousands of lab studies that they look at. They saw the problem at a certain point. I think they were ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated.

They were not responding in a proper way to what the evidence was showing. And when they were confronted, they still denied it. It was only until late September that they finally admitted that they had the data and they had been sitting on it since September of 2014.

It is pernicious, I agree. The lawsuits are going to get to the whys these individuals did it.

HAYES: And, of course, the greatest tragedy here is lead poisoning in children, you can do things to ameliorate it. You can do things to help, but it cannot be removed at least with the current understandings of science.

Counsel, thank you for being with us. As you further develop the case, please come back to us and let us know what you have so we can make people aware of what the facts on the ground as they're being argued. Thank you very much, sir.

Alisyn?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Of course, we'll stay on that story, Chris.

But also, a major snowstorm brewing for the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. How much snow is on the way? And who will get hit the hardest? We have that forecast for you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:45:07] CAMEROTA: We're following breaking news for you this morning. At least 19 people killed in a militant attack at a university in northwestern Pakistan. The Pakistani Taliban commander claims responsibility but a faction of the group denies that. Pakistan's army says four attackers were killed and government troops have regained control of all buildings and rooftops.

PEREIRA: Donald Trump looking for some love from Iowa voters after winning the endorsement of Sarah Palin. The former vice presidential candidate says Trump isn't beholden to anyone and she's prepared to stump for him. Palin is choosing trump over Senator Ted Cruz whom she endorsed for Senate in 2012.

CUOMO: Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson taking the pause from politics to mourn the loss of a campaign worker. Twenty- five-year-old Braden Joplin died from injuries he suffered in a van crash Tuesday on an icy road in Iowa. Carson spoke of Joplin's brightness and offered condolences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our hearts go out to his family and to all the families involved, including the family in the pickup truck. You know, life is so fleeting. We have to make the most of every bit of it that we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: The Carson campaign plans to return to the stump on Thursday.

CAMEROTA: Well, actor Jamie Foxx becoming a real-life hero, pulling a man from his burning truck. Police say that 32-year-old Brett Kyle was driving under the influence when he went off the road and flipped over several times outside of Foxx's California home on Monday. The actor heard the crash, called 911 and rushed to help an off-duty EMT help pull him out.

Kyle's father was overcome with emotion after meeting Foxx. Look at that. Brad Kyle wrapped his arm around the actor and thanked him for saving his son's life.

PEREIRA: What you do in an instant, I hope we would all react that way.

CUOMO: I don't know.

PEREIRA: I hope. I hope.

CUOMO: I think what he did was rare and brave.

CAMEROTA: The burning car scenario is terrifying for everyone.

PEREIRA: Well done, Jamie Foxx.

All right. Republican candidate John Kasich and his family speaking to CNN about life on the campaign trail. What he's like away from the spotlight. Dana Bash's exclusive interview with the family, coming up next.

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[06:50:43] PEREIRA: John Kasich knows his path to the Republican presidential nomination is an uphill climb. But the two- term Ohio governor is not giving in. While campaigning in New Hampshire, where he plans to turn the GOP race on its head, Kasich and his family sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash.

It is the first time Kasich's daughters have done a sit-down interview with their candidate father.

Dana joins us now with the details -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.

You know, most of the talk in the GOP race is about Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. But there is a red hot contest going on for the establishment alternative.

John Kasich is practically been living in New Hampshire. He's hoping a strong showing will make him that guy. Over the last few days, the Kasichs were altogether, he, his wife and his twin 16-year- old daughters, and they did sit down with me on their campaign bus for their first interview ever.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: You do admit this is a critical state.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes.

BASH: You said on Monday, quote, "If I become the story here, I will the presidency."

J. KASICH: I said I would win the nomination and I think the presidency. I'm really, really positive. Up until now, you know, celebrity candidates have been the story. I'm not a celebrity candidate.

You know, I also said, if I get smoked here, I'm not going to carry on a fairy tale.

BASH: What does smoke mean?

J. KASICH: It means like I get beaten badly.

BASH: Like third, fourth.

J. KASICH: Oh, I don't. We'll know on the 10th of February. But that's not going to happen. I just -- unless everything that I know about politics, which is the most important thing, the ground game, unless everything is repealed, we're going to do extremely well here. And I am going to come out of here and contrary to what some people think, we've got activity in many states now. And I'm very optimistic about the future.

BASH: Mrs. Kasich, the last time I was here with your husband in New Hampshire, he kept saying I wish my wife and daughters were here, to see this, because he was excited about the reaction and reception he was getting. What's it like to be out here?

KAREN KASICH, WIFE OF GOV. JOHN KASICH: Well, it's fun for us, because we enjoy, A, watching what John does and seeing people's reaction to him when they meet him. We also enjoy when we do our one- offs, we get time to go away when we meet people in the community which is fun for us.

BASH: This is the first time you're sitting down with your parents to do an interview. What is it like to be the daughter of a presidential candidate? Because you really have a unique experience here.

EMMA KASICH, GOV. KASICH'S DAUGHTER: It's a good experience going on the road but it's pretty much normal at home.

REESE KASICH, GOV. KASICH'S DAUGHTER: It's all the same kind of.

BASH: Most 16-year-olds don't kind of hang out on presidential campaign buses.

R. KASICH: We've grown up with him doing something in campaigning, because when we were like 10 we had a bus for his governor election.

BASH: That's true. This is kind of normal for you.

R. KASICH: Uh-huh.

BASH: While we're on the subject I couldn't help but notice your dad tried to get you to speak at this event and you were reluctant.

I was a 16-year-old girl once. I remember if my dad breathed wrong I was mortified. I can't imagine -- I love him, obviously. I can't imagine what it's like to be sitting there with cameras on you and you're in the public eye.

E. KASICH: I think it's a fun experience.

R. KASICH: We spoke at the last town hall meeting.

BASH: Did you like it?

R. KASICH: Only for ten seconds.

E. KASICH: Yes.

R. KASICH: Yes, it was fine.

BASH: What do people know about your dad that only daughters can know?

E. KASICH: That he's very loving and caring and a godly person and the best candidate.

BASH: A godly person. What do you mean by that?

E. KASICH: He always isn't afraid to talk about God to anyone. Because that's what he believes in. And he's taught us that our whole life.

J. KASICH: I'm glad to hear the girls talk about faith. - I've always tried to tell them that life is short and you do the best you can. The Lord is watching and he's our pal, right, and our supporter. And it's been great for them to absorb that and hear that today.

BASH: I've seen it written that you had sort of a religious conversion of sorts when your parents were killed by a drunk driver almost 30 years ago. But usually just in watching you, unlike other Republican presidential candidates, you don't talk about your faith. You don't wear it on your sleeve as much.

And you said actually I'd rather have an eternal destiny than try to cheapen the brand of God.

[06:55:00] What do you mean by that?

J. KASICH: You know, I was doing a radio interview and the commentator said why don't you talk about God more, you could get more votes. I'm like, are you kidding me? It doesn't work that way.

BASH: You have a unique position of being his wife. Just kind of in private moments, are the things you know, they only saw him like this.

K. KASICH: Well, I don't -- I think, John, what you see it what you get. I don't think there's a mysterious John Kasich lurking out there somewhere. I think what you see is what you get. So, if they've seen him at all, they know him.

J. KASICH: This is not one of these adoring wives, you know, where my husband, I mean, are you kidding me? I mean, it just doesn't work that way.

BASH: How does it work?

J. KASICH: She's just -- she treats me like a husband. She doesn't, you know, she's not like always, oh, he's so great. Would you pick up your socks?

That's the thing that drives me crazy. I mean, I wear a pair of socks. She thinks it's nuclear waste or something. I mean, it's ridiculous.

I will tell you, it was sort of funny, when I was out of politics I had a speaking career and I needed somebody to help book my speeches. She started on a Monday morning at 9:00 and by 11:00 I fired her.

(LAUGHTER)

K. KASICH: I quit.

J. KASICH: She says she quit.

BASH: Why?

J. KASICH: She couldn't take it.

K. KASICH: I couldn't work for him. He would tell me what to do. I didn't like that.

J. KASICH: It was two hours, sweetie. Come on.

K. KASICH: It was enough. I didn't need the money that bad.

(LAUGHTER)

BASH: Mrs. Kasich, I'm going to ask you a question and ask it delicately. Your husband is known to be impatient sometimes, sometimes prickly. Are you the John Kasich whisperer? Are there times when he comes and home and you say, you know, honey, maybe you should not act like this, or change the way you phrase X, Y, or Z?

K. KASICH: I don't get too much in the details. I have told him to act like the grown-up in the room.

BASH: Because he needed to be told that sometimes?

K. KASICH: It's been a while. He's doing very well. Being the grown-up in the room, I think.

J. KASICH: My wife has told me, you know, John, you know, you're the leader of the state. Act like it. So, she's not going to tell you that but I'll tell you, yes, there are times.

And the one thing that people don't understand sometimes about me is I grew up in conditions where no one would have ever expected -- a kid like John Kasich from McKees Rocks to be a top-tier candidate for the president of the United States. You know how I got there? I had to fight my way to the top.

Can I change a few things? We all could get better. But I kind of like me. And that's important in life.

(CROSSTALK0

BASH: Emma and Reese, do you want -- do you want to weigh in on this?

E. KASICH: I like who he is.

R. KASICH: Me, too.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: So interesting to see a bit of the Kasich family dynamic. You know, I'm thinking about the fact that Emma and Reese, they say the twins they've grown up in this world, campaigning with their dad, et cetera, et cetera.

But this is the first time they've done a sit-down interview. Did anybody talk about why their parents thought this was the time?

BASH: Yes. Governor Kasich told me that they don't like to have their 16-year-old daughters exposed to the media for obvious reasons. A lot of parents, most parents who are in politics believe that about their kids.

And they said they're not going to do it much but they thought this time it would be fund for them to be on television and always have it to look back on and someday show their kids and their grand kids what it was like for their father to run for president.

Now, Michaela, maybe I'm reading too much into it. But that sounded to me like someone who deep down knows this may be fleeting, his presidential bid may not go on very long.

But John Kasich is having a blast. He's relaxed. He clearly loves town halls and meeting people. He started calling himself -- I have to tell you this -- the prince of likeness, saying that at a time when a lot of candidates are appealing to voters' fears and frustrations, he's trying to tap into their optimism.

PEREIRA: Well, how about that?

BASH: See if there's a place for that in 2016 politics.

PEREIRA: Very good. A great get. By the way, your dad Stu is really awesome. I like him too.

BASH: I agree.

PEREIRA: Thanks, Dana.

BASH: Thanks.

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

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

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

We do begin with breaking news. A terror attack on a university in Pakistan killing at least 19 people, including students. Armed terrorists, scaling walls at the university, opening fire and setting off explosions. There are conflicting reports about whether the Pakistani Taliban is to blame.

CUOMO: Now, if it is, that's the same group behind the heinous massacre at a nearby army run school 13 months ago. You remember, they killed more than 140 people, including 132 kids.

Let's get right to CNN senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh. He's live in Beirut with the breaking details.

Nick, what do we know now?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Chris, only 25 miles between that school, the army public school hit in Peshawar in late 2014 and this university in Charsadda. Now, we know that the attackers, four of them, it's now said, seemed to have used grenades to gain entry. A lot of violence seems to have been contained in two blocks of the university.