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New Day
Belgium Under Fire; EgyptAir Hijacker Arrested; Republican Women Weigh in on Trump-Cruz Fued. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired March 29, 2016 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:30:00] KATRINA PIERSON, NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON, DONALD TRUMP 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Spouses, and that's when Donald Trump issued the warning.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Katrina Pierson, thank you very much. I appreciate that.
PIERSON: Thanks, Don.
LEMON: I think it's a very good spin that you've put on it, but not necessarily the truth.
PIERSON: It's a fact.
LEMON: Don't forget too, CNN's - the three Republican candidates, John Kasich, Ted Cruz and also Donald Trump, they're going to take part in a GOP town all in Wisconsin. That's at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Alisyn, over to you.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: I'll take it here, actually.
A hijackers arrested after commandeering an Egypt Air flight, taking that flight to Cyprus. The latest developments for you, next.
Also, Belgian authorities on the hot seat. Did they drop the ball when questioning Paris terror suspect Salah Abdeslam? We're going to talk to the deputy mayor of Paris, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The search for suspects in the Brussels attacks is expanding across Europe, but are Belgium law enforcement missing too many clues. Patrick Klugman is the deputy mayor of Paris. He visited Brussels immediately following the attacks and is working with Belgium officials. He joins us now.
[08:35:00] Mr. Mayor, great to have you here in studio with us.
I interviewed you a week ago, a little less than a week ago. You were in Paris. I was in Brussels. You had just returned to Paris from Brussels. At that time, you told me that you had confidence in the Belgium officials and law enforcement and that they were doing the best they could. A week later, do you still feel, given that there have been clues that have been missed, that they're doing the best they can.
PATRICK KLUGMAN, DEPUTY MAYOR OF PARIS: I think Belgium is - is waking up with sad news. I mean I said the attacks. Apparently police didn't work how it should. But they're working very, very strongly. And, no, the common work with the French team of inquirers is really doing great progresses.
CAMEROTA: You're pleased with the partnership -
KLUGMAN: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Between the French and the Belgians since the Brussels attacks?
KLUGMAN: Yes.
CAMEROTA: I mean, obviously, there should have been coordination - better coordination before the attacks.
KLUGMAN: Yes, there was coordination before. And it led to the arrest of Abdeslam.
CAMEROTA: Yes, but what we've heard about the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, correct me if I'm wrong, is that he was interviewed for one hour, between the time of his arrest on a Friday and the Brussels attacks on Tuesday. It seems as though that was inadequate.
KLUGMAN: He was interviewed I think two hours, not one, but the time change. But this is the common pressing. I mean he's under arrest. He will be probably judged in France, which I wish very much. And also in Belgium probably for his links to the Brussels attacks. But I'm - I mean the - it was quite unexpected to have this attack such a short time after his arrest. And -
CAMEROTA: Well, let me -
KLUGMAN: And, you know, we'll always - we are always wiser after. But to be honest, it was quite a surprise for everyone.
CAMEROTA: Look, of course the hindsight is 20/20. And we don't mean to cast criticism, but it does seem like things were missed. Let me give you some examples. You know the mayor of Molenbeek. Molenbeek is that neighborhood where we now know the suspects plotted and planned, they lived in where Salah Abdeslam was arrested on that Friday. The mayor of Molenbeek, we understand, received a list of more than 80 suspected Islamic militants living in her district in that area of Molenbeek. It was given to her by the Belgian security services. What should a mayor have done with that information? You're the mayor of Paris. If - if your security services had given you list, what would you have done?
KLUGMAN: Well, our responsibility, both in France and Belgium as mayors, is not to deal with police. Police is upon the responsibility of the state. So we care about how our kids do not turn into radicals. How kids that we have in our schools won't become with - won't become the -
CAMEROTA: Radicals.
KLUGMAN: Yes.
CAMEROTA: And how are you stopping -
KLUGMAN: This is our job.
CAMEROTA: Sure, and how - what are you doing -
KLUGMAN: And we failed in Paris and in Belgium. We did fail. And we have a much bigger work to do to prevent future terrorist and future attacks. This is, as mayor, our job, to have livable, inclusive strong cities of citizens.
CAMEROTA: You think that incorporates immigrants into the fabric of the city.
KLUGMAN: Exactly.
CAMEROTA: So what has changed in Paris since the horrible events of November and now since Brussels?
KLUGMAN: Well, since Brussels, it's the strangest feeling I've ever seen. It's like we were hit ourselves. We vote (INAUDIBLE) in the city of Paris. But, you know, the two cities are so close. It's one hour by train. We have so much of our resources (ph) there. So much (INAUDIBLE). It's really a part of ourselves. And there are progresses to be made, for sure. But I think we are on the good way. That not as the Belgium, kind of, political craziness (ph) on this, but, I mean, it's not my role to come here to criticize. We want better cooperation on police, on judicial action together.
CAMEROTA: Yes. Yes, cooperation.
KLUGMAN: This is what we need. Terrorists don't see our borders. We show - our borders (ph) fighting them.
CAMEROTA: That's - that's exactly right. Terrorists don't recognize your borders, so you shouldn't recognize your borders.
Well, we're happy to hear that there is more cooperation and that you are all working together now in light of these terrible things.
Patrick Klugman, thanks so much for being on NEW DAY.
KLUGMAN: Thank you. My pleasure.
CAMEROTA: We appreciate talking to you.
KLUGMAN: Thank you.
CAMEROTA: All right, tomorrow night on CNN, our Chris Cuomo returns to Paris to investigate the terror that struck there in November. You can see his special report Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Don.
LEMON: Alisyn, thank you.
After an hours' long standoff in Cypress, a hijacker of an Egyptian flight is now in custody. We're going to have the very latest on the dramatic showdown live from Egypt. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:43:34] PEREIRA: All right, updating you on our breaking news this morning. The man suspected of hijacking an Egypt Air flight has been arrested. All of the hostages are now free and safe. Our Ian Lee has been all over this story from the start. He is live from Cairo.
What a tense, tense situation.
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right, Michaela, and really dramatic video coming out of that situation. At one point you see a person escaping the cockpit of the airplane through the window. Really tense there in the final moments as well. This hijacker had about seven people in the final moments. We saw some of them being released, but security officials were able to get in there. They were able to arrest him.
Right now, though, we're hearing that this bomb that is - was allegedly on this hijacker was in fact a fake. That is what we're hearing right now from Cyprian officials, that he did not, in fact, have a bomb. They are describing him as someone who is unstable. Who was demanding many things during this situation, but at all - the whole time they kept it very professional and very serious because they didn't know if he did, in fact, have a bomb.
LEMON: All right, Ian, thank you very much for that.
[08:44:54] Let's talk about someone who is helping Impact the world. He is best known for his role in "Vampire Diaries," but actor Ian Somerhalder is doing what he can do to help protect African elephants from extinction. Our Chris Cuomo has a look and our very latest Impact Your World segment and more information you can visit cnn.com/impact.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IAN SOMERHALDER, ACTOR: A number of years back I was staying in Zimbabwe, in the bush, at this incredible conservation institute with a young orphaned elephant named Dajiway (ph). Both of her parents were killed by poachers, unfortunately. I wish people had the experience that I had to hug this beautiful, intelligent, loving creature.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): That encounter inspired the actor to help save elephants from the deadly ivory trade.
SOMERHALDER: If people had that ability to make that connection, to touch those tusks, then I think people would really feel differently about what it means to kill these beautiful animals.
CUOMO: Ian partnered with Wild Aid for it's Year Of The Elephant campaign.
SOMERHALDER: Wild Aid's goal, it's all of our goal, to make this the year of the elephant. Where more elephants are born than killed by poachers.
CUOMO: According to Wild Aid, 33,000 are killed every year for their ivory and within seven years the African elephant could be extinct.
SOMERHALDER: This whole thing is about really just getting people to come join the herd, stop this senseless slaughter of these beautiful animals. Because when the buying stops, the killing will stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: That is beautiful. All right. Check that out on CNN.com.
Well, for the first time since the war of wives unfolded between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, Wisconsin voters will get the chance to question the candidates directly in a town hall tonight here on CNN.
We, here, will be joined by a panel of Republican women to gauge what they think about Trump and Cruz. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
[08:50:47] DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Again, I didn't start it. He started it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you ever apologize, because you know what --
TRUMP: I do. Yeah, I do --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most real men, when they screw up, they'll go, you know what, I was a hot head, I shouldn't have done that.
TRUMP: I do apologize. I believe in apologizing. But I think he's -- I think before I would think about apologizing, I -- he owes me an apology.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: Well the war of wives, as it is being called, between Trump and Ted Cruz continues ahead of tonight's CNN GOP presidential town hall in Milwaukee. So how are Republican women responding to all of the accusations and the insults?
Let's bring this our panel. Terra Grant is a Donald Trump supporter. Jessica Fernandez is a former Marco Rubio supporter, now undecided. And Carol Brunner is a Ted Cruz supporter. We look forward to getting all of your thoughts this morning, ladies. Thanks for being here.
Terra, I want to start with you because you are a Trump supporter. You are also a mom of four. And so I'm interested in talking to you because it's -- Some accusations of sort of playground politics have been leveled.
What do you think of Donald Trump's explanation for why he attacked Heidi Cruz? Which was, well, he started it. What do you think of that?
TERRA GRANT, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: It is very playground politics. And I'm ready for these guys to bring it off the playground and get real with each other. You know, leave Melania out of it. Leave Miss Heidi out of it. I just -- To be perfectly honest, Alisyn, I think I'm just sick of it. Quit pooping in each others' sand boxes. Let's keep this thing moving.
But for his explanation of he started it, you know, I know if someone throws verbal jabs at me in the heat of the moment, I have come back and said some things that probably I shouldn't have said. I think we're all human. We all do that. If he apologizes, that's great. If he feels justified in what he says, that's great too.
CAMEROTA: Yeah. Carol, should we hold our presidential candidates to a different standard than what the rest of us adhere to or what our children adhere to?
CAROL BRUNNER, TED CRUZ SUPPORTER: I think we should. I think they should be above as was said playground politics. Kind of reminds me of my grandchildren. He said this. You said that. I'm going to get even. And I'm really tired of it. It has to stop. I don't care who started it first. Let's stop it.
CAMEROTA: Jessica. You are undecided. Does this battle sway you one way or the other?
JESSICA FERNANDEZ, UNDECIDED, FORMER RUBIO SUPPORTER: No. I mean, I think it keeps me further on the sideline. I think we're clambering for a level of decency, a level of maturity, one that is going take this contest very seriously. This is the nomination for the president of the United States. This isn't, you know, school president. You know, we are getting a little tired of the barbs and the insults and, you know, we're really looking forward to them being able to elevate the discussion. Talk about what's mattering in the kitchen tables across America. What's happening, you know, with young people and student loan affordability, you know, things that really actually matter and it's distracting from that, from that ability to discuss the real issues at hand.
CAMEROTA: Terra, as we -- excuse me -- as we said, you said support Donald Trump. Have there -- Given some of the insults that have been leveled, given some of the vulgarity, was there any moment during this campaign season so far where you had second thoughts?
GRANT: No. Not all. I've been a huge Trump supporter since the very beginning when he announced his candidacy. And I, of course, I want my candidate to rise above the fray. However, when we are looking at a debate, the last debate, it was very clean. And Alisyn, it was very boring.
So tonight, do I want to see a little more fire? Absolutely. Would I love to see a little more fire based upon policy? Absolutely. And I want Donald Trump to come out very strong. And I want him to come out the Donald Trump that I know, that I support, that I love his candidacy. But, you know, it is one of those things that I'm -- I'm not scared of a few verbal jabs at each other. That is politics.
CAMEROTA: Carol, I understand you will be going to the town hall tonight. Is that right?
BRUNNER: That's right.
CAMEROTA: So Carol, what do you want to hear?
BRUNNER: I'm looking forward to it.
CAMEROTA: We are looking forward to it as well. What do you want to hear tonight from the candidates and from your chosen candidate, Ted Cruz?
[08:55:04] BRUNNER: I want to hear him talk about the issues. I don't want to hear about Donald Trump's wife. I don't want to hear about Heidi Cruz. I want to hear the issues and what he's doing to do about certain things. We have so many issues and so many problems in this world that to concentrate on each others families and jabs and insults, I think, does all of us a disservice.
CAMEROTA: Jessica. What is going to help you make your final decision on whom to vote for?
FERNANDEZ: I mean, who's going to be able to fix the economy? Who is going to be able to bring more jobs? Who's going to be able to bring more stability in the job market. Who's going to be a world leader? You know, as we've seen today, you know, with the hijacking and the terrorist attacks last week, you know, these are issues that are not going away and we need a leader who's going to be able to rise above the fray, unite people and have a conversation -- have a rhetoric that is strong, but not insulting. And I think that is what America wants in their next president.
CAMEROTA: Terra, Jessica, Carol, thank you ladies very much for being on. Don Lemon is giving you a round of applause here from the set.
LEMON: Proof that women are the more evolved of the sexes.
CAMEROTA: Thank you, Don.
LEMON: That was really fantastic. Congratulations, ladies.
CAMEROTA: As if we needed anymore proof of that. Thank you, ladies. We'll look very forward to seeing what happens tonight at the town hall.
We also want to tell you to stay tuned for the very latest on the EgyptAir hijacking. "NEWSROOM" with carol Costello picks up after CNN's very short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
