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New Day

Marathon Filibuster over Guns; Disney Alligator Attack; Trump Muslim Ban. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired June 16, 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] REP. JIM HIMES (D), CONNECTICUT: Good morning, Alisyn.

REP. SETH MOULTON (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Good morning.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Congressman Himes, let's start there. Did the marathon filibuster work? Will it change anything?

HIMES: Well, I think it worked in a - certainly in a small way. I mean Senator Murphy secured a vote on amendments that would - that would require universal background checks, closing the gun slow loophole and I think he got a commitment as well for a vote on the idea that if you're on the terrorist watch list, you don't buy a gun. Now, whether those pass, whether they pass the House, which is a more dubious prospect, whether they become law, that's a more difficult question to answer.

But, look, every time somebody raises their voice the way Murphy did, the way the House did this week in a big way, I think more Americans have caughten (ph) on to the idea that this is really something of pretty significant urgency, that if we don't act here, more people will die next week.

CAMEROTA: Congressman Moulton, everyone thought that after the tragedy at Sandy Hook, in Newtown, that something surely would change. The heartbreak across the country about those little kids being killed seemed like of course that was going to be a tipping point. Now the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Is this the watershed moment?

MOULTON: I don't know. Frankly, I don't know how many more innocent Americans need to die before we in Washington find the courage to take on this issue. I mean right now there's more debate about gun control on my Twitter and FaceBook feeds than there is in the House of Representatives. That's not doing our job. We need to debate these issues. We need to pass reasonable reforms that will prevent massacres like we saw in Orlando.

CAMEROTA: You both decided to walk out of the House chamber yesterday during a moment of silence for the victims. Why did you do that? Either of you?

HIMES: Well, Alisyn, I - on Sunday night, coincidentally, after learning on Sunday morning about the events in Orlando, I bumped into one of the parents, a father of one of the children who was murdered at Newtown. And after talking to him for a little while, I realized that I was going to come back to Washington on Monday. And here's how the Congress of the United States, the 535 people who are in a position to actually do something about this, without in any way damaging anybody's Second Amendment rights, the 535 people who are in a position to actually save some lives are going to respond to this latest, bloody atrocity by stopping talking for ten seconds. We were going to put on our serious face, as we do once every two weeks around one of these mass shootings and stop talking for 10 seconds. That's not honoring the victims. That borders on actually mocking the seriousness of what has happened to them and what we could do to prevent that from happening more. And so I just said, I'm not going to do this again, and Seth very quickly said, I'm not - I'm not either.

CAMEROTA: And let me just clarify myself. That actually happened Monday. It was last night that your colleague, Speaker Paul Ryan, said that you two were basically grandstanding, you were doing that sort of to call attention to yourself, and he suggested it was disrespectful.

Congressman Moulton, what's your response?

MOULTON: Well, I think that's ridiculous. I mean he should go and tell that to the victims, the victims' families, that refusing to even have a debate is more disrespectful than forcing the issue. And that's what we're just trying to do. We're not calling attention to ourselves. We're trying to force this issue so that we can just do our job in Washington and have a debate about reasonable gun reform. There are a lot of proposals out there that can be passed with bipartisan support, because I know there are a lot of reasonable Republicans, too, who understand that every amendment to the Constitution has reasonable restrictions. The second Amendment should be no different. We can respect the Second Amendment while preventing massacres from - like what happened in Orlando.

CAMEROTA: Congressman Himes, here's the crazy part of Congress' inaction. Ninety percent of the American public, in all of the recent polls, some of the polls are 92 percent, some of them are 86 percent, but generally, 90 percent of the American public want expanded background checks. They are fine with the online loophole being closed, with the gun show loophole being closed. So why on earth would some of your colleagues not vote for that?

HIMES: Well, that's a good - that is the question and that is the question that we were trying to highlight when we suggested that the 435 people in the House of Representatives, who with about a half day's work, could pass those measures, which as you point out are supported by 90 percent of the American public. And, remember, the House of Representatives exists for the sole purpose of doing the people's will. Ten seconds of silence, you've got to be kidding me.

So, look, I think what Speaker Ryan said was sort of petty and mean spirited to call us out because, in fact, he's right about one thing, which is that the American public should be focused on the Congress of the United States and asking the question, if the vast majority of us, Americans, if the vast majority of gun owners support some measures which we know would reduce the carnage, why in God's name are you not bringing either a debate or a bill or doing something more than standing silent for ten seconds?

CAMEROTA: Congress -

MOULTON: I mean, just imagine -

CAMEROTA: Go ahead.

MOULTON: Just imagine if the TSA rules were such that if you buy an airline ticket at an airline ticket counter, you have to go through security. But if you buy that ticket online, oh, don't worry about it, just walk right around. And yet that's the way our gun laws are written today. It is absurd. And most of America, the vast majority of America knows this and wants a change.

[08:35:11] CAMEROTA: Congressmen, thank you both for taking time out of your busy day to talk to us this morning. And we sure hope that you have an update for us at the end of today about what action will be taken.

Congressmen, thanks so much for being here.

MOULTON: Thanks, Alisyn.

HIMES: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: All right, there is horror at what's being billed, of course, as the happiest place on either. That's what it normally was called. But this week this two-year-old boy, who you see on your screen, this beautiful little face, he was killed by an alligator at Disneyworld Resort. Experts say of course this is a rare event, but how did it happen and what can change.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Time now for the five things to know for your new day.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy says he has agreement from Republicans to hold two key votes on gun control. This comes after Murphy held a nearly 15 hour filibuster on the Senate floor.

[08:40:09] Donald Trump breaking ranks with the Republican Party by announcing he will meet with the NRA to discuss banning gun sales to anyone whose name appears on a terror watch list.

Investigators say the terrorist in the Orlando massacre made phone calls and posted on FaceBook during his killing spree, warning of further ISIS-inspired attacks on the U.S.

Authorities are waiting for autopsy results on that two-year-old boy who was killed by an alligator at a Disney resort. They say his body was intact with only a few puncture wounds.

Game six of the NBA finals tonight in Cleveland. The Golden State Warriors one win away from a second straight title. The Cavaliers trying to force a deciding game seven.

For more on the five things to know, you can go to newdaycnn.com for the latest. But right now, let's go back to Chris, who has been in Orlando

reporting for us all week.

Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this second gut-wrenching blow that this community had to take unfolded at the Disney resort with that deadly alligator attack. It's the first incident of its kind at the theme park in decades. And, of course, spotting alligators in Florida is not new and it's certainly not even close to uncommon. Deadly attacks are extremely rare, except with all of that, we just had one. CNN's Victor Blackwell is live near the Walt Disneyworld Resort with more.

Good morning, Victor.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Chris, goods morning to you.

I just spoke with Disney officials and they tell us that the beaches across the Walt Disneyworld Resort will remain closed for the rest of the day and will remain closed until further notice. And now families across this state are wondering how cautious they should be after this tragic attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL (voice-over): Alligators are a common sight in Florida.

MIKE HILEMAN, PARK DIRECTOR, GATORLAND: This is the peak time for alligator activity, right now.

BLACKWELL: Regularly seen on highways, golf courses, even inside swimming pools. But after the tragic death of a two-year-old boy at a Disneyworld resort this week, many in the state are asking if they should be more concerned about these menacing looking reptiles.

HILEMAN: With the millions of people that are in the state of Florida and the million alligators, the number of attacks is surprisingly low.

BLACKWELL: According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, since 1948 the state has seen 257 attacks that require serious medical attention. Of these attacks, 23 people have died, including eight children. The likelihood of a resident being seriously injured in an attacked? One in 2.4 million.

HILEMAN: Alligators are a defensive animal. They don't like being around people. They're react with stimulus, but they're not going to seek people out to try and eat them. It's just not in their nature. It's not what they do.

BLACKWELL: Last year, Floridians experienced their first fatal alligator attack since 2007 when this 12 foot alligator killed a 61- year-old swimmer north of Orlando.

CAROL ANEN, FRIEND DIED IN ALLIGATOR ATTACK: Don (ph) floating around and I thought he was diving. When I got there, he totally disappeared. BLACKWELL: A 22-year-old man also killed last year by this gator when fleeing a burglary. More recently, there have been multiple instances of alligators found eating human remains.

EDDIE COUSIN, WORKS IN EVERGLADES: Very amazing, because I come in and out of here every day. I see a gator, I'm like, OK, it's a gator. It's the everglades.

BLACKWELL: And who could forget this viral video of a massive crocodile roaming across a Palmetto Springs golf course.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Now, according to state fish and wildlife officials, Disney managers are very proactive about wildlife here. They regularly remove gators from bodies of water on the Walt Disneyworld Resort property. And we know from resort officials that they are now assessing those signs across properties near the bodies of water, much like that no swimming sign that was next to the Seven Seas Lagoon where that two- year-old, Lane Graves, was dragged into the water. The sheriff here believes that the boy was drowned, but, of course, they'll have to wait for the results of the autopsy to determine that cause of death.

Chris. Alisyn.

CUOMO: You know, the legal questions are pretty obvious, Alisyn. You know that. We've been discussing them all week. Was the signage right? Is this a foreseeable risk? That risk of what happened with the boy set against all the years of this never happening before like this, set against them pulling five gators out of this thing now. Those are all legal questions and they're reasonable that we had out.

I cannot get past the picture of this boy. I do not know what I would do if I was in these parents' situation. And all of us are just so desperate for a way to help them. To help them.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Yes.

CUOMO: And I do know this much, all these questions about the father and why didn't he - I don't think I would have ever been able to do what he did. I think I would have been frozen. I think most people would have been frozen. And for him to have that will to bust down to the water like that and take on the alligator because his son was there, he tried, and sometimes that's all you can do.

[08:45:10] CAMEROTA: I'm sure it was just the primal instinct of saving your son. Everybody - everybody is just racked by this story. There's not a father that I have heard from in the past 24 hours who isn't devastated about this, about having to watch this and seeing this little boy's beautiful face. And I guess another question, Chris, is, why are these alligator attacks happening more often. Of course they're rare, but has something changed where alligators are going after humans more? So, look, obviously the signage has to change and hopefully there can be some answers here.

Chris, we'll be back to you in a moment. But we do need to talk about this political story because once Donald

Trump becomes the official Republican nominee at the convention, he will then get classified intelligence briefings, but could the Obama administration withhold sensitive intel from him because of how they feel about him? We'll ask the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee that question, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Donald Trump renewing calls for a Muslim ban, as well as surveillance of mosques, and that puts him at odds again with many Republican leaders. Trump, though, says maybe this means that he will go it alone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: You know, the Republicans, honestly, folks, our leaders - our leaders have to get tougher. This is too tough to do it alone. But, you know what, I think I'm going to be forced to. I think I'm going to be forced to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:50:09] CAMEROTA: Joining us now to discuss this is CNN national security commentator Mike Rogers.

Hi, Mike. How you doing?

MIKE ROGERS, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY COMMENTATOR: I'm well, Alisyn. How are you?

CAMEROTA: I'm well.

Let's talk about the rhetoric that is going back and forth on both sides after this Orlando terror attack. So, Donald Trump has renewed his call to ban Muslims, as well as people from basically lots of countries that have ever had some sort of beef against the U.S. And at the same time, he has also said that he does not think that President Obama is strong enough, because he doesn't use the term "radical Islam" to describe this attack. Where are you with that? Is it important to use that term?

ROGERS: Well, first of all, I think it's fairly radical if you're throwing homosexuals off of buildings in Raqqa, Syria, as a part of the ISIS control mechanism there. And then if they survive, you throw rocks at them. They just burned a whole cage full of Yazidi women because they refused to be sex slaves.

CAMEROTA: Oh.

ROGERS: They've beheaded Christians. I mean so my argument here is, is this. Our problem - we're going to argue a lot here, and this is a political season. I think they're going to engage in these kinds of differences right up to the end. Our biggest problem here, Alisyn, is, in - in Raqqa, that's the headquarters, that's the energy, that's the command and control that is giving a permission slip for someone like Mateen to slaughter innocent Americans in Florida.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

ROGERS: We are going to have to do something to take away that permission slip. I think a president of the United States engaging with Donald Trump over the words and semantics I think is candidly not very helpful to getting at the root cause of what just happened in Florida.

CAMEROTA: OK, so it sounds like to me you're saying that you're much more interested in action than in the words, but I - I am confused. Do you think that it - that we need to label it radical Islam and always say that? Is it important to have that label?

ROGERS: Again, I - I - you can call it what you want to call it. I'm not nearly as offended that the president doesn't do it. But what it is, and I think people who are - who look at this from a national security perspective say, that's a symptom of why we haven't been dealing with it in Raqqa.

CAMEROTA: I see.

ROGERS: So, you know, is it radical Islam? We ought not to not say it because we thinks it hurts someone's feeling. I think that - I've come down on that point, for sure.

CAMEROTA: OK. Let's talk about how as soon as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump become officially their party's nominees at the convention, they then get access to sensitive intelligence briefings. Given how President Obama feels about Donald Trump, and how he has suggested that he thinks that Donald Trump is dangerous, how is that going to work?

ROGERS: Well, I've actually had conversations with people in the intelligence committee. They will prepare the same book for both candidates. I don't think there will be any difference. Their obligation is a legal one to do that. They're going to take that responsibility very seriously. Have they expressed concerns because of the highly charged nature of this political campaign? I think they have. I am hopeful that people understand - both candidates understand the severity and seriousness of that information escaping out and benefitting our adversaries.

So I think they're going to have those discussions with them. They're going to walk both candidates through just how serious this information is. Now, remember, they're not going to get everything. They're not - they're - they're not going to get the whole covert action plan for the United States.

CAMEROTA: OK.

ROGERS: They won't see that. But they will get sensitive information that if leaked could help our adversaries.

CAMEROTA: Mike, it has been so great for all of us at CNN to be able to rely on your expertise obviously for your years of studying all of this and now the American public is going to be able to see more of that with your new show, "Declassified." It will be launching soon. So let's take a look. It's going to premiere this Sunday at 10:00 p.m. right here on CNN. So let's take a little look at that show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In 1975, I was trained in the hot summer of Washington, D.C., and I took Russian language. I learned how to spot surveillance on the street. I took covert pictures.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a natural. She had a real aptitude for the clandestine tradecraft.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Oh, that does look good. Tell us more about the show.

ROGERS: Yes, if you like spy versus spy, you're going to love "Declassified" and - in all of its eight episodes. This is the agents and case officers telling the stories themselves on really dramatic points in the - in the spy cases. So this particular case, the one you showed is our first episode coming up, the first woman CIA officer to go to Moscow to run a Russian agent there. And all the ups, downs, and dangers and intrigue that you could possibly get out of any James Bond movie is in this, except it's told through - through the voices of the people who actually lived this case. If you - if you, again, if you like spy cases, Alisyn, you're going to love the "Declassified" series.

[08:55:06] CAMEROTA: Who doesn't like spy cases, Mike.

ROGERS: Exactly.

CAMEROTA: Can't wait to watch it this weekend on CNN. Thanks so much for the preview.

ROGERS: Hey, thanks for having me.

CAMEROTA: OK. See you soon.

All right, now we want to go back to Orlando and to Chris.

And, my goodness, do we ever need some "Good Stuff," Chris.

CUOMO: Oh, for the love of all that is positive in the world. We should try to get something. We have certainly seen the worst of humanity play out here in Orlando. But at the same time, we've also gotten a chance to see coming out of the massacre some of the best. The group Equality Florida in action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IDA ESKAMANI, EQUALITY FLORIDA: We launched this Go Fund Me page with a modest goal of $100,000. And within hours that goal was surpassed.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CUOMO: Surpassed? Understatement of the week. The page has raised millions. More than 100,000 people have donated $5 million. The funds going towards funeral arrangements, hospital bills, transportation of remains, overseas. It's just a remarkable accomplishment that has not gone unnoticed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESKAMANI: We had a victim comment, thank you for doing this, the love that we've seen is incredible. And so really this is not only a critical fund for the victims, survivors and their families, but it's also part of the healing process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: And, look, we all know money can't solve everything, but it is something. Something positive. And that is a start that is sorely needed here.

For Alisyn and me, that's it for NEW DAY. NEWSROOM with Carol Costello picks up live from Orlando right after this. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)