Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

United Airlines Grounds Boeing 777 Jets after Engine Failure; U.S. Capitol Police Officer Recounts Insurrection; Trump to Speak at Conservative Political Action Conference this Weekend. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired February 22, 2021 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEW DAY: Look at this. So what went wrong?

This morning, we have new reporting about what investigators are finding and we will speak live with a passenger who was on that flight.

ERICA HILL, CNN NEW DAY: Today also kicks off a very big week for the Biden administration and Congress. A House committee will vote today to advance President Biden's $1.9 trillion relief bill. A full House vote expected this week.

Also today, confirmation hearings from Attorney General Nominee Merrick Garland begin, as we're learning as yet another senator that will oppose Neera Tanden's nomination.

And this morning, the nation on the brink of surpassing 500,000 deaths from coronavirus. It is a sobering milestone, to put it mildly. President Biden set to honor those lives lost tonight.

We begin our coverage though this morning with the latest on that flight. CNN's Dan Simon live at Denver International Airport. Dan, good morning.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica. In the wake of this uncontained engine failure, regulators really have two primary goals here, to figure out how this happened and to prevent something like this from occurring again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIMON (voice over): After United Airlines Flight 328 experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff Saturday, the company is temporarily removing all 24 of its Boeing 777 airplanes with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines from service out of an abundance of caution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Denver, departure. United 328 heavy mayday. Aircraft just experienced engine failure. Need to return immediately.

SIMON: A United pilot making a mayday call on the flight headed from Denver to Honolulu, as passenger watched the right engine fire off flames and pieces of the plane fall off in terror.

BRENDA DOHN, PASSENGER ON UNITED FLIGHT 328: I looked out and I could see some smoke coming. And I just knew. You know. Like you just know something is wrong, something is not right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden, there's a big explosion out my window. My wife and I held hands and just wished our kids we would see them again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hang on one second. We're getting blown up with 911 calls.

SIMON: On the ground, the engine malfunction sending a train of debris raining down into suburban Denver neighborhoods.

TYLER THAI, EYEWITNESS: And I looked up and as I'm looking at it, I actually see fire burst out of the plane and an explosion. So, yes, I was kind of in shock at first and then you start thinking, oh, my gosh, is this plane going to go down?

SIMON: This gigantic piece of metal landing right into this front yard.

KIRBY KLEMENTS, EYEWITNESS: We heard this big crash boom and this big silver piece rolled right in front of our picture window there. And I'm going like, what the heck is that?

SIMON: There were no injuries reported for the passengers and crew on the plane or in the Broomfield, Colorado, neighborhood where most of the debris fell. Boeing now recommending that all 777 airplanes with that engine model should suspend operations, while the National Transportation and Safety Board investigates. This after the Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order, saying it would step up inspections of Boeing 777 aircraft with the same engine model that failed Saturday.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: The question is, how do you properly inspect these fan blades? They're hollow, they're big, each of them weighs about 30 pounds and they crack from the inside out.

SIMON: Now the NTSB is investigating why the United aircraft experienced what aviation experts are describing as an uncontained engine failure.

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: They're going to want to know if this was a flaw that was embedded for years, sort of a smoking time bomb, if you will, or if it was something that happened more recently. And was it missed in inspection? So, the NTSB has a lot to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIMON (on camera): It's not clear how long United will ground these 24 aircraft. Fortunately, the impact to travelers here in the United States should be limited since United is the only domestic carrier that has this Boeing 777 with this engine configuration. John and Erica, back to you.

HILL: Dan, thank you.

Also with us, CNN Transportation Mary Schiavo, she's the former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation, also an attorney who represents victims of airline crash victims. And we should note Mary currently has litigation pending against Boeing.

The issue here though, Mary, is not Boeing, the issue is this engine, which is manufactured by Pratt & Whitney. And as I understand it, there was some concern that this could happen.

SCHIAVO: Absolutely. You know, it's really tragic. In this case, there wasn't any loss of life, but many times we see in aviation incidents and accidents that there has been a pattern, that there has been a string of warnings or there were missed inspections. And here what we find is the Federal Aviation Administration actually issued an air worthiness directive back in 2019 for these inspections. And then, of course, the NTSB just in 2020 issued is a report on a prior incident with United back in 2018.

And the issue was the inspection of these fan blades with the procedure called thermal acoustic imaging.

[07:05:04]

Not unlike, shall we say, a microwave inspection or an ultrasound inspection. And what the NTSB and the FAA admitted is that these inspections were not being done properly by Pratt & Whitney. And if done properly, they cost, according to this air worthiness directive, about $1,870 in inspection. But if you have to replace a blade, it's $125,000.

So the issue was, were the inspections being done properly before this even happened and whether the FAA was properly inspecting the inspectors. The quick -- you know, the speed at which in emergency inspection order was issued suggests to me that they think it's a problem repeating itself and that the inspections still aren't being done properly.

HILL: So if that's been an issue, right, and it's pointed to more than once in the last couple of years, I guess the follow-up to that is what's been done to change that, as an issue. Has oversight increased? Has there been a change to the inspection and the repair process?

SCHIAVO: No, not that is apparent at this point. But that's going to be the issue for the NTSB. The National Transportation Safety Board will be issuing the recommendations. Now, it is good that the FAA acted, but I think it's a little too little, too late. But it's the NTSB that will be saying, look, these inspections weren't being done and the FAA wasn't properly inspecting the inspectors, the inspectors weren't trained. These are all the findings that they made in the 2020 report. So I expect they will be repeating it.

But since then, there have been several more instances of this. And NTSB will probably come down pretty hard. They will probably include the Japan Airlines incident in December of 2020 and the one in Europe. They'll roll them in together.

HILL: I understand that there's a pace to which things happen, right, and we understand there need to be investigations and we understand that sometimes things don't move as quickly as we would all like them to. But the fact that we're sitting here and still talking about this, and it appears that, to your point, they're going to look at whether there was a pattern and we already have these other findings, I mean, it raises the question again of what the heck has been going on since we have these initial findings with concerns about oversight and why hasn't more changed?

SCHIAVO: Exactly. You would think that a federal air worthiness directive and an NTSB report saying, you've got to do these inspections, you've got to do them right, and, FAA, you have got to oversee them, would be enough. But, tragically, what we see in aviation and in many areas of life is that it takes a tragedy or a near-disaster to really spur people on to action. Let's hope that this is the spur or the call to action that's needed if, of course, it is the same thing.

And the clues from the FAA suggest that they think this is another accident or incident in this pattern of events with these failed inspections on the fan blades.

HILL: Are you confident, though, Mary, and, realistically, are you confident, especially based on your experience that this will change, that this will perhaps be the incident where thankfully no one was hurt onboard or on the ground that will actually, you know, spur this what sounds like much-needed change?

SCHIAVO: Well, I hope so. And, of course, the entity that plays central in all of these recent accidents and incidents, going back to the Boeing 738 MAX8 is the FAA. And the FAA has to really step it up. They have received in black eyes over the last few years for failing to do proper oversight. And let's hope their quick action this time means they're turning it around.

The other thing that will happen is because it does seem to be related to the age of the aircraft and the age of the engine is we might see, you know, this 777 phased out of service more quickly than it already was. It was being phased out with other airlines. So it also might hasten this one to the air museums of the world.

HILL: It would be interesting to see what happens. As you point out, former NTSB Chairman Jim Hall told me yesterday he thinks that this is a sign, he hopes, actually, Secretary Buttigieg will call for an investigation to how things are being done at the FAA. We'll see what happens there. Mary, always appreciate your insight and your expertise. Thank you.

SCHIAVO: Thank you.

HILL: Well, the Senate will hold its first hearing on the Capitol insurrection tomorrow. Who will testify? What are lawmakers looking to learn here? We're going to speak with the chair of one of the committees holding hearings, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:10:00]

BERMAN: Just in, a brand-new interview with the Capitol police officer who was on duty during the deadly January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Officer Harry Dunn spoke with ABC News just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRY DUNN, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER: If I can imagine what war is like, I would imagine it was like that. We had our guns out. We had our rifles, our long guns. And I was on the stage and I'm thinking, all of these people out there, they're armed too. They have guns on them. And a sea of people and you can't know who you're looking at, which one is looking at you. And they see me out there with this rifle and I'm like, I'm going to get shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Wow. Joining me now, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, she is the chair of the Rules Committee, which will co-hold the first congressional hearing on the deadly insurrection tomorrow. Senator, thanks so much for being with us. It was chilling to hear that.

Tomorrow, you have called -- you have called the acting chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, the former Senate sergeant at arms, the former House sergeant at arms and the former chief of the U.S. Capitol police. What's the most important question you want answered at this point?

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): What happened and how we can make sure it doesn't happen again. I really want to have a constructive hearing here. We all saw the horror of what happened, not only the words of the officer you just heard from but also the impeachment hearing, the searing videos, the officer shrieking between the doors of the Capitol.

[07:15:05]

And on my mind will be what happened with the National Guard, why was there a delay in that deployment. How about intelligence sharing, what went wrong there, who knew what, what should have happened faster, and then, of course, the whole structure. Right now, the police chief of the Capitol police reports to this police board. Should things be done differently so that decisions can be made in a better way to focus on security? There is a lot that we have to unpack.

And I want to make a point that this hearing is a bipartisan hearing. We agreed on everything together. Senator Blunt along with our counterparts in the Homeland Security Committee, Senator Peters, Senator Portman, we want to have a constructive hearing. I can't control what some of the senators will say or do, but we have to make decisions now, John, about the security of the Capitol moving forward. And it is my hope that these answers and the information we get from this hearing will help us craft solutions immediately.

BERMAN: Look, I'm glad it's bipartisan, and why shouldn't it be? There are Democrats and Republicans and independents and non- affiliated people all who were in the U.S. Capitol when it was invaded on January 6. It should be bipartisan. But you have people like Senator Ron Johnson who's out there saying, he doesn't think it was an armed insurrection. I mean, how do you combat ideas like that?

KLOBUCHAR: I think, first of all, you know, he is in the minority here. Many, many Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, have made it very clear what happened that day and also that the president is responsible for much of this.

But Ron Johnson can use his seven minutes of questioning to spout those theories if he wants. I know that many of us want to get to the bottom of what happened, ask the questions. Just as you heard from the words of that police officer, there were many, many people that were close to death, and we lost a number of officers, either from death, suicide, or, of course, what happened that day at the Capitol.

And I just don't think there's time to make political hay at this particular hearing. We've got to figure out how we can do better and how we can get the National Guard there quicker, what the security measures should be going forward, a decision made by the leaders.

BERMAN: Let's talk about the National Guard for a second, because the former chief of the U.S. Capitol police, Steven Sund, has written a letter to members of Congress saying, I can still cannot fathom why in the midst of an armed insurrection, which was broadcast worldwide on television, it took the Department of Defense over three hours to approve an urgent request for National Guard support. You talk about why the delays. How do you get an answer to a question like that?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, first of all, we'll be asking Chief Sund questions and he'll have an opportunity to make that case, but then we're going to have an additional hearing with high-level representatives from the Defense Department, from the FBI, and from Homeland Security to be able to ask those questions, as well.

I believe, as do the other leaders of these committees, that we need to get answers sooner rather than later, because big decisions have to be made, including who will be hired as a new police chief and what better protocols could be put in place, what better structure. Maybe that this structure with this police board, that the police chief reports to is fine for some things but not for leading up into a potential crisis in terms of who makes decisions and how they make decisions. Those are the things on my mind.

I don't want to have a police officer tell that story again, that he was put in a position that he didn't feel prepared.

BERMAN: It was chilling. It was chilling to hear it.

I do want to ask you about a piece of breaking news. We learned a few minutes ago that Senator Susan Collins of Maine is a no on Neera Tanden, who has been nominated to lead the Office of Management and Budget. She is a no vote. Joe Manchin, Democrat from West Virginia, came out as a no vote on Friday. What do you think should happen with this nomination now?

KLOBUCHAR: I think that Leader Schumer and President Biden have made it very clear that they are going to keep moving forward and basically look for votes here. Neera Tanden has vast experience. She is someone that would do a very good job as the director of Office Management and Budget. I don't think people were particularly surprised by Senator Collins' vote. I know she had been talking to people about it ahead of time. But there are other votes, as well.

Hugh Hewitt, the conservative columnist, just came out with a column asking Republicans to vote for Neera Tanden. So they've made it very clear, the president has made it very clear he's standing with Neera Tanden.

BERMAN: Joe Manchin is also a no on an increase in the minimum wage, as part of the $1.9 trillion relief plan. Joe Manchin is wielding a lot of power right now. I know you are someone who is seen oftentimes in more of the center of the Democratic Party in the Senate.

[07:20:00]

But how comfortable are you with Joe Manchin throwing his weight around like this?

KLOBUCHAR: Joe Manchin has every right. He's an individual senator to take positions that he would take and he's actually worked with me and many others on constructively on so many bills, including the work that's been done this past year on bipartisan packages involving coronavirus relief. And you've seen him support a number of the president's nominees, of President Biden's nominees this year.

And I know, I personally support the $15 increase in the minimum wage. I think you're going to see action on that in the House. And the president has said he's going to work with everyone to increase the minimum wage. So these things don't happen like magic in one day. There's negotiations, there's many opportunities to advance this, so stay tuned.

BERMAN: Senator Klobuchar, thanks so much for being with us this morning. Good to see you.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you, good to be on.

BERMAN: So the former president is coming back out on the national stage in just a few days. He'll address a conference of conservatives, and judging by the list of speakers and topics, it seems like a Republican Party ain't ready to move on yet from the former president. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:25:00]

HILL: Former President Donald Trump set to make his first public remarks since leaving office on Sunday. This is going to happen at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando. Axios reporting this morning the twice-impeached former president plans to send a message that he is the Republican's presumptive 2024 nominee.

Joining us now, CNN Political Analysts Natasha Alford and David Gregory. Good to see you both this morning.

David, we're told he will also claim total control as he sends that message that he's there for 2024. He's the guy. I mean, in a lot of ways, David, this is not surprising.

DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's not surprising. It begs the question, who cares what Donald Trump is saying, what mantle he's claiming. He was a one-term president. He damaged himself so badly after January 6th and, really, after the election, not conceding in all of his behavior. And that's going to leave a mark.

I feel like there's a previous incarnation of Donald Trump who was on the sidelines of politics, making mischief, making racist accusations of our former president, Barack Obama, and that's the similar role that he's about to play. He'll flirt with 2024. We have no idea whether he'll really give that a go and yet, be a force with this populist, anti-Washington base of support that he cultivated, grievance-based, and that's what he'll try to use to fan the flames in primaries and to threaten the party in 2024. So that split will play out.

But I think this notion of his power, as he will claim to be the power of the party, is very much a question of what is to be seen.

BERMAN: Yes, I mean, who cares? I mean, Kevin McCarthy cares, cared enough to go down to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring. Steve Scalise cares, cared enough to go on T.V. yesterday on the Sunday shows and not say that the former president was responsible for the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and to dance around whether or not Joe Biden won the election fair and square. I mean, Lindsey Graham clearly cares. He's afraid to go out his front door without saying something nice about the former president. You know, so, there is power to wield at this point, Natasha.

And I am very curious to see what kind of a line the former president walks. Is he going to walk up on that stage, no teleprompter, and riff for 90 minutes about how he thinks the election was stolen, because that could be something.

NATASHA ALFORD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I can totally see that happening. That is very much Donald Trump's style. And when it comes to CPAC, he's done that before. He admitted he went up with no notes and first planted that idea of making America great again at a past speech. And the crowd absolutely loved it.

So, CPAC is a bit of a temperature check for the GOP at the grassroots level and Donald Trump is ready to exploit that. He's back with a vengeance. He very much wants to paint himself as a kingmaker, as somebody who, you know, can enact revenge for those who did not stand up against him. And this is going to be very affirming for those GOP members at the state level who tried to censure folks like Pat Toomey for voting their conscience, which, you know, they claim he shouldn't have done.

But I think this is what the GOP gets, right? They had an opportunity to cut this at the root. Mitch McConnell, he could have condemned Trump's actions and actually convicted him. He stopped short and he just condemned his actions, which means what? Mike Pence, he didn't vote the 25th Amendment.

So, Donald Trump is going to grab that megaphone. He can't do it on Twitter but he's going to use CPAC as much as he can to try to, you know, bring some more attention to him and keep this speculation going that he'll be back in 2024.

HILL: Well, also, you know, he keeps up the lies, the election lies that Trump and those around him have been peddling since -- frankly, since before the election, but certainly after. If you just look at the agenda, I mean, the slate of seminars, they are really hammering it home.

What's interesting, David, is there have been very few Republicans, you know, Adam Kinzinger, obviously, Larry Hogan, and now Asa Hutchinson, who have spoken out. Here is Asa Hutchison, actually weighing in on Trump in 2024.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ASA HUTCHINSON (R-AR): I would not support him for re-election in 2024. He's going to have a voice, as former presidents do, but there's many voices in the party. And, again, he should not define our future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: There may be many voices, but we are not hearing all of them quite so loudly. David, what are the chances that that actually start to change, that there are more Asa Hutchisons speaking?

GREGORY: Well, I think it will change, over time.

[07:30:01]

Most Republicans want to ignore Trump but they don't want to ignore his voters. And the Lindsey Grahams.