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New Day
Up to Seven Missing in Maryland Gas Explosion; Man Arrested After Climbing Trump Tower; Challenges of Protecting Presidential Candidates; Battleground: Pennsylvania. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired August 11, 2016 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[06:33:21] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news: Dozens injured, at least seven people missing after a Maryland department building erupts into a fireball, the blast reducing half the structure to rubble. It was a natural gas explosion, we're being told. More than a hundred firefighters have been called in to put out the flames. Officials say many of the injured had to jump from their windows. Two firefighters also suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. More information to come.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And police in Canada are -- they have been stopping a potential terrorist threat, killing the suspect. According to the CBC, police told the suspect's family that he injured himself and another person when he blew up an explosive device. Officers reportedly opened fire when he tried to detonate a second one. The suspect was released on bond earlier this year after an arrest in 2015 for openly supporting ISIS on social media.
CUOMO: Turkey's embattled president issuing an ultimatum to the U.S. over an exiled Islamic clerk. The Turkish government claims the Fethullah Gulen was behind the failed military coup last month there. President Erdogan says the United States must choose between their relationship and the extradition of Gulen, who's lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. for decades. Now, Turkey considers him and his followers to be terrorists.
KEILAR: A man heading to court today after police captured him scaling Trump Tower with ropes and suction cups, and now we know why he did it.
We'll have details next on NEW DAY.
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[06:38:48] KEILAR: For almost three hours, a man scaling Trump Tower with suction cups had many of us holding our breath. There was just a huge crowd watching this in midtown Manhattan. And he made it all the way to the 21st floor before the NYPD grabbed him through a window and pulled him inside.
CNN's Rachel Crane is live for us at Trump Tower with the latest -- Rachel. RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, we now know that this man was 19 years old from Virginia. The police are not releasing his name until charges are filed or dropped.
Many are wondering why he would do something so crazy. He had a very clear answer for that in a video that he posted on YouTube. He said he was a Trump supporter, and he wanted to deliver a message to the Republican nominee. Take a listen.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm an independent researcher seeking a private audience with you to discuss an important matter. I guarantee that it is in your interest to honor this request. The reason I climbed your tower was to get your attention. If I had sought this via conventional means, I would be much less likely to have success because you're a busy man with many responsibilities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[06:40:02] CRANE: Now, Brianna, as you pointed out, there was a massive crowd outside of Trump Tower yesterday watching this all unfold. Also, millions of people tuned into CNN's Facebook live- stream of the event.
So, certainly, his goal was to get attention. He accomplished it. Now, it all began at around 3:30 when he began to scale this building.
The police responded. They attempted to try and talk the man off the building. He insisted on trying to get to the top. The police were able to pull him into the building through a window that they removed the glass from at around 6:30. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and given a psych evaluation -- Chris.
CUOMO: All right. Thank you very much.
Just when you think it can't get any stranger. The Trump Tower climber, you have the Orlando father behind Clinton at one event. You have Mark Foley behind someone at another one. There are all these bizarre things that go unexplained.
Now, what we're showing you on the screen right now is what security has had to deal with. Whether it's someone climbing a building or who's sitting behind the candidate or who rushes the podium. This election raises unique concerns.
How are they being dealt with? Next.
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[06:45:08] CUOMO: There are new reasons every day we can say we've never seen an election like this. We're just telling you about this deranged kid who decided to climb Trump Tower yesterday, took three hours then police finally arrested him.
There was also an incident involving a protester rushing the stage at a Clinton rally yesterday. Sure, that happens, it just seems to happen a lot more now. That puts a focus on the challenges of protecting these presidential candidates.
So, let's discuss. We've got retired NYPD chief of the department, Philip Banks, and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino.
Gentlemen, thank you for being with me this morning.
One of the things that seemed bizarre, other than how locked up traffic was in the city, we understand -- we understand why. But at one point, one of the officers seemed to take a picture of this kid through a window.
And within like minutes, they knew who he was. They got to his social media postings and got a real profile on the kid while he was still climbing before they actually physically apprehended him.
Is there new technology at play at this situation, Chief?
PHILIP BANKS, RETIRED NYPD CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT: Well, there's always new technology coming out. It was very important for them to know who they're dealing with. Is this a kid doing a prank, or is he part of a bigger plot?
He did have a backpack. The officers were unsure what was in that backpack. Taking that picture, understanding who he is, doing an investigation, it determines who he is and what they need to know about him and that would establish --
CUOMO: So they have like facial recognition technology now? They can just get him within minutes, you wind up knowing who you have.
BANKS: This pertains to you know who you're dealing with.
CUOMO: If they're in the system.
And do you have guys who are on the staff there, who are skilled or trained in climbing and dealing with climbers? Because it seemed like they were tactically making decisions that wound up leading them to this kid's path.
BANKS: You know, what we saw about emergency service unit is that when people need help, they call the police. When police need help, they call emergency services. They're the best trained officers, I believe, in this land. And they train for various different situations.
This is something they trained for. They were very confident going in there what this outcome was going to be.
CUOMO: Bongino, are we dealing with more of the same right now in terms of the challenges on Secret Service, or has the game changed for them as well?
DAN BONGINO, FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT: No, the game has definitely changed, Chris. You know, I get on the Secret Service from the NYPD in 1999 and saw the evolution of the threat level.
And here's what we're seeing now, and this is what I feel has contributed greatly to this growth in these number of incidents like this and the stage storming. It's the advent of social media. And it's for a number of reasons.
I think the most prominent one is you can become essentially a YouTube or Twitter celebrity overnight by doing something really stupid like climbing a building or storming a stage. You didn't have that when I got on the Secret Service in '99, that forum just wasn't available.
So, yes, we are seeing more of this, and I watched it in live time during my time as an agent.
CUOMO: So you have operations that you have to do differently and also seems to be a level of sophistication in terms of dealing with perceived threat. Like this situation with Trump and what he was saying to the crowd in North Carolina about the second amendment, the Secret Service talking to a campaign about language used. I've never heard of that before.
But how would that conversation go exactly?
BONGINO: Yes. Well, the Secret Service did not talk to the campaign about that. That's not what I'm getting from my sources.
CUOMO: As you know, Jim Sciutto's got two sources that said they contacted the campaign, two different sources, high level, at the Secret Service. Assuming it did happen, how would it go?
BONGINO: Yes, listen, I love Jim, but again, that's not the story I'm getting. What probably happened is Donald Trump has a Secret Service detail, so they're talking to him all the time. He probably mentioned something in one of the armored cars or one of the limos, and I guess that's how the conversation happened.
But as for any formal investigation, you know, Chris I was on your network about this topic. I would be absolutely stunned if they had mentioned to him anything about this in terms of any formal investigation. It would be a political decision. It would not be an investigatory one.
He was not making any kind of a veiled threat. It's clear as day to anyone who listened to the whole speech.
CUOMO: One thing we learned yesterday about the NBC reporter who was getting intimidated at one of Trump's events because he called her a liar in front of a huge crowd, the Secret Service she says helped her get to her car. Is that part of the discretion of their duties? Obviously, they're there to protect the candidate.
BONGINO: Well, yes, they're law enforcement agents first. They're GS-1811 federal agents. The Secret Service does a lot of things that probably aren't in the job description on the Internet. So, yes, I've seen things like that happen before. CUOMO: Dan Bongino, Chief, thank you for helping us understand what
we take for granted these days in watching situations get handled, even at such a high level. Appreciate it very much.
[06:50:00] Thanks for the job you guys do.
Brianna?
KEILAR: Thanks, Chris.
Pennsylvania isn't a classic swing state. It's voted Democratic in every presidential race since 1992. So, why might the Keystone State decide this year's election? Our battleground series, next.
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KEILAR: We pay a lot of attention to national polls, but this election will likely come down to a few battleground states. Donald Trump trying to win over voters in Pennsylvania, where the latest poll of likely voters has Hillary Clinton with a double-digit lead, up ten.
CNN's Miguel Marquez has more on the ground game in the Keystone State.
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MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, Chris, as one theory goes, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, win two of the three and the keys to the White House are yours.
So, despite what the polls say, despite how Trump is doing right now, Pennsylvania is in play.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, we need all of you on the ground helping us make sure Hillary Clinton wins Pennsylvania.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): The Clinton campaign on the march big time across the Keystone State, this week targeting female voters.
LILO BLANK, CLINTON CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER: I'm working as much as I can, phone banking, going door to door.
MARQUEZ: Clinton coming off a huge convention bounce already, has 300 staffers here, dozen offices open, another dozen on the way.
JESSICA O'BRIEN, CLINTON CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER: I love Hillary. I think she's an incredible candidate. She's more than qualified.
[06:55:01] And also, we cannot have Donald Trump as a president.
MARQUEZ: Trump's ground game just getting off the ground, opening his first three offices in the state this week. Only about a dozen staffers, many still to be hired. The campaign relying on the RNC and its 80 staff members and more than 400 volunteers.
ANDY REILLY, CHAIRMAN, DELAWARE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY: If Trump can just stay on message and be disciplined, which I believe he can be, I think he can yield some votes out of here. He doesn't need to win this county. He just needs to stay competitive here.
MARQUEZ: Competitive if those vote-rich Philly suburbs in particular. Can Donald Trump really be competitive across all Pennsylvania? Perhaps a telling sign, since early June, the Clinton camp has spent over $4 million in TV advertising. The Trump campaign, zero.
The last time a Republican presidential contender won the state, 1988. Today, Democrats have nearly a million more votes here than Republicans, but conservatives are hopeful. Despite the Democratic advantage, 13 of 18 House members are Republican, and both houses of its state legislature are controlled by the GOP.
TERRY MADONNA, DIRECTOR, FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE POLL: This year, almost anything can happen.
MARQUEZ: Pollster Terry Madonna says Trump may be down for now, but this election, too unpredictable to be sure of anything.
MADONNA: We're part of this so-called Rust Belt theory. Win the white, blue-collar workers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and you have an Electoral College mix that could get Donald Trump to 270.
MARQUEZ: Cheese steak in Philly attracts voters of every stripe.
(on camera): How important is it to vote this year in Pennsylvania?
XAVIER ESPADA, FIRST TIME VOTER: Very important, but just make sure you don't vote for Trump.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Bill Carapucci was a Democrat until last March. The retired teacher now all in for Trump.
BILL CARAPUCCI, TRUMP SUPPORTER: And I know this for a fact. There's a lot of people that will not say they're voting for Trump because he's been so demagogued by a lot of the media.
MARQUEZ (on camera): No offense taken.
CARAPUCCI: And by Hillary the last few months that you're now considered not that intelligent if you're going to vote for Trump. So, there's a hidden Trump vote.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): But the Clinton campaign is targeting, opening offices in 12 counties won by Mitt Romney in 2012. Why? College- educated white voters in Pennsylvania prefer Clinton by a whopping 30 percent.
Republicans counter, they just have to find those conservatives who sat on their hands in 2012.
REILLY: Keep in mind, the last time Mitt Romney lost the state by five points, there are 800,000 Republicans that didn't vote.
MARQUEZ: With less than three months until Election Day, an enormous campaign under way to get voters to the ballot box in November.
(on camera): Now, in the weeks ahead, Trump, Clinton, the vice presidential candidates and tons of their surrogates will visit the Keystone State a dozen times. It's an all-out slug fest for votes here in Philadelphia, the counties surrounding it, and across the entire state -- Brianna, Chris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: Miguel Marquez for us. We're following a lot of other news. Let's get to it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Barack Hussein Obama.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Words can have tremendous consequences.
TRUMP: He is the founder of ISIS. He's the founder of ISIS. He founded ISIS.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump is dangerous.
TRUMP: Hillary Clinton wants to decimate our Second Amendment.
CLINTON: The latest comments from Donald Trump that cross the line.
TRUMP: Nothing you can do, folks. Although, the Second Amendment people, maybe there is.
KEILAR: Katie Ledecky crushing her competition, winning another gold.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: American gold medalist Lilly King openly criticizing Russian rival Yulia Efimova.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She commented about athletes who had been busted for doping. Everyone should be on the same playing field.
CUOMO: Can Michael Phelps and Simone Biles bring home gold for Team USA?
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. Alisyn is off. Brianna is here with me this morning.
And we have big news in the election. Donald Trump shifting into a new attack mode, accusing President Obama and Hillary Clinton of being, quote, "the founders of ISIS". Trump dismissing claims as well that his Second Amendment remarks suggested violence.
He's saying the media is to blame, not him, for what came out of his mouth. KEILAR: Meantime, Hillary Clinton is facing new questions about newly
released e-mails.
We have this all covered. Let's begin with CNN's Sara Murray in Miami -- Sara.
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Good morning, Brianna.
Well, after a couple days of dealing with the fallout of his latest political firestorm, Donald Trump is looking to change the conversation.
