Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

Over 100 People Missing After Overpass Collapse; Mississippi Senate Passes Religious Freedom Bill; 16 States Have Tried And Failed To Pass Religious Freedom Acts; Report: ISIS Using University Lab To Make Explosives; Tour Boat Slams Into Pier In San Diego; Donald Trump's Flip-Flops. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired April 01, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:38] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN HOST: A deadly overpass collapse in India is now being treated as a homicide case. Police in Calcutta say the construction company involved is facing charges. Rescue workers are busy trying to dig frantically through tons of concrete in search of survivors. Sumnima Udas is live in Calcutta, India, with the very latest for us.

SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The search and rescue operation is pretty much over, Michaela. As you can see behind me, most of the rubble has been cleared, but we were here pretty much all night last night and there were piles and piles of sand, concrete, and metal that was pretty much a floor or two floors high. What's happening right now, over there you can see this large, massive column. Underneath that flyover, there is a dead body. Officials are trying to get to that. But to get to that, they need to cut through this metal column, and if they do that, this flyover will just spill out over here, affecting these heritage buildings around here. Now a lot of people here are still in a state of shock, wondering what happened and who is responsible. The police are already questioning the construction company, or officials from the construction company, and have officially charged the company with culpable homicide. So far, company officials say that they are not responsible. They have been building flyovers like these for decades. They are blaming it on faith and that this is an act of God.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Sumnima, thank you very much for the update from there. We will bring you developments as they happen.

Well, a new religious liberty bill in Mississippi sparking outrage. Some critics call it the most discriminatory measure ever written. It targets gays and lesbians and you'll hear from both sides when NEW DAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:36:12] DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: A battle brewing in Mississippi. A new bill aimed at providing protections for religious liberty has cleared the state house and senate and it is being called the worst anti-LGBT bill yet. Here to discuss this controversial legislation is Peter Sprigg. He is a senior fellow for policy studies at the family research council, and Rob Hill, Mississippi state director for the human rights campaign. Good morning to both of you. Peter, I want to start with you to tell us about this bill. How is this bill different from anything you have seen before? Let's put it up here, though, because it says, marriage is between a man and woman, that's what it says. Sexual relations are reserved to marriage and gender is determined at birth. How is this different than anything we have seen before?

PETER PRIGG, SENIOR FELLOW FOR POLICY STUDIES, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: What this bill does is to protect the religious liberty of people who hold those beliefs, and it prevents the government from discriminating against people who believe those -- who hold those long held beliefs based on their religious convictions or moral convictions. So it's misleading, the intro that Alisyn gave before the break was somewhat misleading in saying this bill targets gays and lesbians. It doesn't do that at all. What it does is it prevents the government from targeting people who hold those traditional beliefs for some sort of punishment or retaliation to government action.

LEMON: So how does it not target gays and lesbians when it says, marriage is between man and a woman, when it says that sexual relations are reserved to marriage, that's between everyone, that's for all persuasions, and then, gender is determined at birth. So how is this not targeting the LGBT community when you're saying, marriage is between a man and a woman, when the Supreme Court has decided that that's not so?

SPRIGG: If you read the bill, it's not saying that those things are true. It's saying that those are the beliefs that have to be protected against government discrimination. Because those are the beliefs that are being targeted for government discrimination now in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. The advocates of same-sex marriage assured us before that decision that this would have no impact on religious liberty, that we would continue to be able to exercise religious liberty after same-sex marriage was legalized. The Mississippi bill is just trying to make good on those promises from the supporters of same-sex marriage.

LEMON: Religious liberty -- is that just a code for discrimination? I don't want to provide services to certain people? Isn't that just a code, Rob?

ROB HILL, MISSISSIPPI STATE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN: Yes, it is a code. We have robust protections for religious beliefs under the first amendment of the constitution. So people have the right to believe whatever they want to about God and practice their faith and I certainly treasure that as a person of faith, but never has the first amendment been used or been allowed to -- it was not intended to be used as a way to deny somebody else their civil rights. If you work for the government, if you are paid by tax payers, then you need to do your job. And if you can't do your job, you need to find something else to do.

LEMON: Listen, this allows people, again, people in certain provisions, wouldn't have to serve certain people, which at its base is discrimination. DJ's, photographers, videographers, poets, it also says employers and school administrators would also be allowed to dictate access to bathrooms, spas, locker rooms, and other intimate facilities and settings in the bill. Clerks and their deputies would be provided a process for recusing themselves from licensing marriage licenses, and judges and magistrates and justices of the peace and deputies would be given a similar process. Didn't we go through this last in Indiana? Didn't we go through this last year in Kentucky? And the Supreme Court says, no, you cannot do that. It is discrimination.

[06:39:54] SPRIGG: Rob says the first amendment is enough to protect religious liberty, but the first amendment didn't protect Aaron and Melissa Klein, bakers in Oregon, who, simply because they wanted to exercise their faith, were driven out of business and now face crippling financial fines. It didn't protect Barronelle Stutzman, a florist in Washington State, who had happily served her gay customer, knowing that he was openly gay, for years. So this is not about discrimination against people because of who they are. But when she said no to participating in the celebration of a same-sex wedding, then she was slapped with a lawsuit. We want to protect people like that.

HILL: I'm sorry, Peter, it's pure discrimination. LGBT people in Mississippi, in Oregon, in Kentucky, wherever, we deserve the same treatment as everybody else. And there needs to be recourse, legal recourse, if someone's not treated fairly. And we're standing up to that in Mississippi and letting people know that we're your neighbors. We sit in the cubicle next to you at work. We sit in the pew next to you at church. And we deserve to be treated like everyone else, and that's all we're asking for.

SPRIGG: Well, you're not in line with the majority of Americans. We did a poll last year, asked the question, government should leave people to follow their beliefs about marriage as they live their daily lives --

HILL: Exactly, Peter.

SPRIGG: -- and in the way they run their businesses. 81 percent --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: You're making the point that is against your own argument. You're making his point, that the government should stay out of people's bedrooms, it should stay out of people's personal business --

SPRIGG: And should stay out of the decisions of businessmen who don't approve of same-sex marriage. That's what this bill says. It's to prevent government discrimination against small businessmen and individuals who hold traditional moral beliefs. That's all it's about, is government discrimination against religious people. That's why it is a religious liberty bill.

HILL: Peter, it goes so much further than that. We're talking about, it gives religious institutions such as a hospital that receives tax payer funding the right to refuse to recognize a same-sex couple's marriage and medical decision making. This has very dangerous consequences.

SPRIGG: That's absolutely untrue.

HILL: No, that is the truth.

SPRIGG: The bill specifically says that that's not the case.

LEMON: We're going to have to continue this conversation. Thank you very much, Rob Hill and Peter Sprigg.

PEREIRA: All right. A near disaster at a San Diego pier was all caught on video. A harbor cruise ship out of control slams into a dock full of people. You will see it for yourselves, ahead on NEW DAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:46:16] PEREIRA: All right. It's time for your money, your vote. Chief business correspondent, Christine Romans, here with more on today's big jobs report.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. 8:30 Eastern, we are going to get this. This is what our expectations are here. For 199,000 jobs added. Jobless rates still at that 4.9 percent. Wages kind of anemic, 2.2 percent. This would be a little bit weaker than it was the month before, but still, solid jobs growth. But this is like a Rorschach test when you look at these jobs reports now, because what you see is, some people see the weak parts of this. Look at part-time workers. Six million people are working part-time that want to be working full time. This is something that Fed chief, Janet Yellen, is concerned about. This is one of the reasons why so many people don't feel good about the economy. They say, we've got so many part-time jobs are being created. I'll be interested to see what that number looks like. Guys, we have got countdown to the opening bell, 2 hours and 43 minutes. In 1 hour and 43 minutes, I will be able to bring you those jobs numbers.

CAMEROTA: OK, Christine, we'll have you back then, we look forward to it. Thank you very much for the preview. Well, "The Wall Street Journal" reporting this morning that U.S. and Iraqi military officials confirm that a chemistry lab at the University of Mosul has been used by ISIS to build explosives and train extremists. Among the weapons being manufactured there, peroxide based chemical bombs and suicide vests. One Iraqi general calling the school, quote, the best ISIS research center in the world. Not clear if it is still being used by ISIS after U.S. air strikes targeted the facility less than two weeks ago.

LEMON: Paris terror attack suspect, Salah Abdeslam, one step closer to facing charges in France. A Belgian court ruling he can be extradited though transfer details still need to be ironed out. Abdeslam spent nearly four months on the run before authorities in Brussels cornered him following a shootout in Molenbeek. His arrest coming just days before the airport and metro terror attacks in Brussels.

PEREIRA: Caught on video, the moment a San Diego tour boat slams into a pier with people on land scattering in the nick of time, including an elderly woman walking past just as that boat was about to make impact. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: You can hear the blaring horn sending bystanders fleeing for safety, the only warning seconds before this frightening crash. Crew members say they just couldn't stop this 150 foot harbor cruise ship from plowing into a San Diego pier Thursday. The unexpected impact sending some of the nearly 150 people on board flying, injuring seven passengers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just slammed up against there, my head and my arms and everything. Hurt my back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some lady that they took to the hospital fell and hit her head on the deck and then slid.

PEREIRA: On land, tense moments as a man pulls an elderly woman out of harm's way right before the three-deck ship collided with the dock.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was coming in faster than normal.

PEREIRA: Crew members say they lost control after the ship's propulsion system malfunctioned.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of the sudden, we heard the horn blower start honking its horn really loud and it was coming in way too fast and we knew right away it was going to hit. If they plan on going back out, I would not be on that boat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Feeling, trying to figure out what exactly went wrong there and not being able to stop it.

CAMEROTA: Right. And at first you're thinking, am I really seeing this? Is this really happening, or are they going to stop? No, they're not going to stop.

LEMON: Yes, that's a tough thing with boats. No brakes, obviously. Remember New Orleans when it did the mall? I think there was one in Staten Island, but it does happen and it is awful. Luckily, though, nobody on shore was injured.

All right. Donald Trump under fire this week for his controversial abortion comments. Will any of his other changing positions impact his campaign? We're going to dig deeper. That's next on NEW DAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:54:01] PEREIRA: Donald Trump caught up over his rapidly changing position on abortion. Not the first time the candidate has quickly -- or the potential candidate has quickly reversed a policy position during this campaign. But is any of it affecting his momentum? That's the big question. We want to turn to our CNN political commentator, Peter Beinart. He's a contributor at "The Atlantic". He's also a professor of journalism and political of science at the City University of New York and still has time for us. We love it. We're going to look at three different issues. We'll start with the first statements -- one of the first statements that he made. Here's what he said for the first time he was asked about David Duke's support of his candidacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you feel about the recent endorsement from David Duke?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I didn't even know he endorsed me. David Duke endorsed me? All right. I disavow, OK?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: And then he said this just two days later.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK? I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don't know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan here.

TRUMP: Honestly, I don't know David Duke. I don't believe I've ever met him. I'm pretty sure I didn't meet him, and I just don't know anything about him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:55:10] PEREIRA: And then finally, he said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm sitting in a house in Florida with a very bad earpiece that they gave me and you could hardly hear what he was saying. But what I heard was various groups. And I don't mind disavowing anybody, and I disavowed David Duke and I disavowed him the day before at a major news conference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: So, professor, our question is, will there be an impact? Has there been an impact on him for his sort of sliding stance for this?

PETER BEINART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, there has been an impact. Not so much in the Republican primary where the electorate is overwhelmingly white, but I think you have seen a hardening and a solidifying of hostility from people of color since that remark, and it also caught fire in popular culture in a way that I think did hurt him.

PEREIRA: All right. Let's move onto immigration. Obviously, we know that he has made several statements, starting with this controversial comment that he made about Mexican immigrants on his first day of campaigning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I will build a great, great wall on our southern border and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Last month, "New York Times" off the record interview leaked and implied that Trump said that his comments were negotiable. Here's how he responded to Fox News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Everything, by the way, it is negotiable. Things are negotiable. I'll be honest with you, you know, I'll make the wall two feet shorter or something. Everything's negotiable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: And the very next day, here's how he responded to the negotiable part.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: At this moment, absolutely not. No. We either have a country or we don't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: This has been a foundation of his campaign from the jump. First day campaigning, he talked about this wall, this beautiful wall that he'd make Mexico pay for. This flip-flopping, this adjustment, do you think this is going to damage him if he continues to waffle on this issue?

BEINART: In the Republican primary, this has really helped him because the other candidates in the race were more pro-immigration than a lot of base Republican voters. Trump was able to take this hard line against Mexican immigration and seize on a lot of that discontent. The problem is that it is really motivating Latino voters who will matter a lot in the general election --

PEREIRA: A sizable block of voters.

BEINART: A sizable block in states like Nevada, in Arizona, in Florida. We are seeing increasing registration rates. A lot of selling of Donald Trump pinatas, the kind of thing that could herald badly for him in the general election.

PEREIRA: OK, so this week, obviously making these comments about abortion. We will move to that tab here. Recent comments on abortion. Here's what he said just Wednesday on MSNBC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS MATTHEWS, NEWS ANCHOR, MSNBC: Do you believe in punishment for abortion, yes or no, as a principle?

TRUMP: The answer is that there has to be some sort of punishment.

MATTHEWS: For the woman?

TRUMP: Yes. There has to be some form.

MATTHEWS: Ten cents, ten years?

TRUMP: That, I don't know.

MATTHEWS: Why not?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: OK. Then just hours later, he released this statement. This issue is unclear and should be put back into the states for determination. Like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions which I have outlined numerous times. But wait, then at 4:55 that very same day, he releases this statement. If congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. My position has not changed. Like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exception. He says his position has not changed. It has changed, I would argue it has.

BEINART: I think the problem is this makes him out of his gaffe. And people have been debating abortion for 40 years. Forty years, people who are anti-abortion have been saying, the punishment will be for the doctors, there will be no punishment for the woman, because they know that America would never accept the idea of punishment for women. And the fact that he didn't know that, that he was just winging it, I think is hurting him in Wisconsin, which will vote on Tuesday.

PEREIRA: A lot of people thought that this might be the last straw, but we have said that time and time before. It hasn't affected him. Quick final thought.

BEINART: Right, but his poll numbers are down nationally and they're down in Wisconsin. That will be a blow to him if he loses to Ted Cruz there.

PEREIRA: Professor, thank you.

What's your take? You can tweet us by posting on NEW DAY or post your comments on facebook.com/newday. All right. Lots of news to get to on this Friday. Let's get to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An unannounced meeting with the RNC.

TRUMP: It's really a unity meeting. We're leading by a lot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fallout from yet another political firestorm.

TRUMP: This was a very long, convoluted discussion.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is clearly not prepared to be president of the United States.

TRUMP: My stance is the same stance as Ronald Reagan.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's willing to say just about anything.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), PRESIDETNIAL CANDIDATE: Secretary Hillary Clinton and I have very strong differences.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We actually have to do something. Not just complain about what is happening.

SANDERS: We will stand with you if you stand with us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The FBI was able to break into the iPhone with the help of a third-party hacker, not with Apple's help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Critics say it's a hack on privacy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cyber security is more important than the FBI surveillance capabilities.