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New Day
Army-Navy Game Weekend; Geoffrey Fieger is Interviewed about a Lawsuit against Oxford High; Ron Harper, Jr. is Interviewed about his Rutgers Upset of Perdue. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired December 10, 2021 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:30:00]
PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, I don't? I always thought you had to peel this?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: You can -- well, you do after you cut into it, then you can peel.
BROWN: OK. OK.
KEILAR: Yes.
BROWN: Oh, that's so much easier than doing -- all these years.
KEILAR: So it gets --
BROWN: All these years.
KEILAR: And throw it all in.
Army lost for many years. So 2016, Army finally won. It was very exciting. And you were there.
BROWN: (INAUDIBLE).
KEILAR: Actually, we should -- we should go.
BROWN: Yes. I mean, I work weekends, though.
KEILAR: Well --
BROWN: That's the --
KEILAR: OK, so there's no beans in this one.
BROWN: OK.
KEILAR: I mean you could put beans. But this is, like, a Cincinnati- style chili and that's why when you look at all the spices, I think it's a more complex flavor.
BROWN: I'm going to cut the lemons and Brianna will juice them because she's really good at juicing lemons. I'll do one just to show everybody, right?
KEILAR: OK, so it's like four ingredients. It's actually pretty easy, gin, orgeat syrup, lemon juice and angostura bitters.
BROWN: Oh, gosh. OK. Here we go.
Hey, with me in the kitchen, that's a success.
KEILAR: Cheers! Uh-huh.
BROWN: Cheers!
Going to scoop some chili onto that.
KEILAR: Yes.
BROWN: Now, that is some good chili.
KEILAR: Yes, it's going to last you through the football game. For Christmas, we're going to visit family in Texas. You're actually going to see his family.
BROWN: We're going to Kansas to visit my husband's family, which we haven't been there in so long because of the pandemic.
KEILAR: Well, look, Pam, you can cook this for his family in Kansas.
BROWN: They -- I think I need like a buddy like you if they're going to trust my -- my cooking.
KEILAR: I'll come.
BROWN: Will you?
KEILAR: Yes.
BROWN: Come on to Kansas.
KEILAR: Happy holidays.
BROWN: Happy holidays.
KEILAR: And cheers.
BROWN: Cheers.
KEILAR: Go Army, beat Navy!
BROWN: Go Navy, beat Army!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: We'll have to wait and see who wins tomorrow. But I'll tell you, the reason we actually chose chili mac, Berman, is because it's the favorite MRE, you know, those like meals ready to eat, those pouch meals, of the U.S. military. So, we were paying homage. Our version, obviously, way better.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: That's what I was thinking.
BROWN: I'm feeling a little bit of judgment from Berman right now on my onion cutting. That -- I'm just -- I'm just feeling it. Maybe I'm a little insecure. I don't know.
BERMAN: You, like, are a -- like a 12-star Michelin chef compared to me. No, I -- like, I had zero knowledge you were doing it wrong. I just assumed that was the right way to do this.
BROWN: That makes me feel so much better.
BERMAN: Yes, no, that looked absolutely brilliant.
BROWN: Because Brianna was like, um, no, that's not how you do it. But, OK, tell me about what you're whipping up? You're doing something too, right?
BERMAN: Oh, yes, I'm not sure they're actually going to produce it, though. I mean they -- they asked me like, you know, what --
KEILAR: Oh, they are.
BERMAN: What's your favorite family food tradition, and I said, I don't have one, but I can make nachos.
BROWN: Oh, that's a good one.
BERMAN: And then they're like, well, how -- why is that important to your family? I'm like, it's not, but we like nachos. So, that's sort of where we are.
KEILAR: I have it on very good sourcing that it is going to be produced and hilarious.
BERMAN: Oh, that's good. Well, that's good to know. That's reassuring.
BROWN: Yes, I'm sure.
BERMAN: I will say, I just -- I told Brianna yesterday, Pam, my loyalty for the Army/Navy game is up for sale. So, for the next like 28 minutes, like I'm taking bids.
BROWN: All right, I'm just saying, it's all about the Navy. Sorry, Brianna.
KEILAR: He was -- he's -- he says -- he's like, I don't have a dog in this fight. And I was like, I am your co-anchor. You do have a dog in this fight.
BROWN: Yes.
KEILAR: And, you know, you're taking sides against the family if you root for Navy, Berman. BROWN: That's true, but I really think you should root for the Navy.
That's all. That's all I'm saying.
BERMAN: It's a pretty compelling argument Brianna makes and I feel like I'd be in trouble going forward.
BROWN: It's true.
BERMAN: But I'll take it under advisement.
KEILAR: Yes, that's right.
Pam, thank you so much for doing that with me.
BROWN: Thank you.
KEILAR: I really appreciate it.
BROWN: That was so fun.
BERMAN: All right, breaking seconds ago, we have a brand-new snapshot of inflation in the U.S. We'll tell you what it is, next.
KEILAR: And why the parents of two shooting survivors are suing the school after a gunman's attack.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:37:54]
BERMAN: New data released seconds ago on inflation in the United States.
CNN chief business correspondent Christine Romans with the numbers.
Romans.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, measuring that gut punch, John, that inflation gut punch that everyone is feeling. Thirty-nine years ago was the last time we had inflation running this hot, 6.8 percent annual overall consumer price index. That's a pretty hot number. We knew -- you've all felt this, in just about everything from cars, to gasoline, to food at home, to food away, you've been feeling these higher prices. And this November number shows that.
You strip out the volatile food and energy and you've got 4.9 percent is the core rate. Again, that is the highest since the 1980s.
Some context here, though, these are not the numbers we saw in the 70s or 1980 when you were looking at 11, 12, 13, 14 percent inflation. And, John, this is also a rear view mirror looking number. I mean we've got a chart that shows inflation going like this, but we know that in the past couple of weeks, energy in particular has moderated here. And we're getting all kinds of evidence that the supply chain problems causing this inflation are starting to work themselves out. We also know that the Fed has pivoted for its number one role here to
be an inflation fighter heading into next year. So we're expecting the Fed to start to unwind some of its stimulus into this economy, and maybe start tapping on the brakes next year to make sure this strong U.S. economy doesn't overheat and keep this inflation problem going here.
So, again, this is a November picture that of a rear view mirror but it confirms what everybody has been feeling, that inflation is pretty much the number one number in a strong U.S. economy that people are focused on.
BERMAN: The real question, is this an inflexion point? You know, 6.8 is very high.
ROMANS: It is.
BERMAN: But if it's a step onto something much higher, you're talking possibility of crisis mode here.
However, if it's as high as it gets and we have turned a corner and there are some signs in some areas we might, that's a different story.
ROMANS: That is the biggest question in economics and in government right now, is this looking past, is this the peak, or is this the beginning of some sort of new normal? We do know that the Fed chief has retired the word "transitory."
[08:40:00]
How long had we been hearing that this was all going to be temporary? And we know the Fed is in inflation fighting mode at this point. So, we'll have to just wait and see.
BERMAN: All right, Christine Romans, who brought me spreadsheets as homework to pour over, I'll dig into those now. Thank you very much.
KEILAR: That's a good friend.
So, for many, this time of year is about giving back. But the 15th annual "CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute" salutes ten extraordinary people who put others first all year long. The star-studded gala airs live this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENIFER COLPAS, CNN HERO: There was no drinkable water. Something inside me start saying, you need to do something about it.
DR. ALA STANFORD, CNN HERO: I could not allow one additional life to be lost.
LYNDA DOUGHTY, CNN HERO: I feel this responsibility to help these animals. This is what I was put on this earth to do.
SHIRLEY RAINES, CNN HERO: They started calling me the makeup lady. I love them because I am them.
ZANNAH MUSTAPHA, CNN HERO: What keeps me going is the resilience of these children.
HECTOR GUADALUPE, CNN HERO: We want to give you your second chance at life. It provides you a way to dream.
MICHELE NEFF HERNANDEZ, CNN HERO: And we help people live through something they did not think that they would survive.
DR. PATRICIA GORDON, CNN HERO: I'm just doing the job that I'm supposed to do. I think I'm the luckiest doctor that ever lived.
DAVID FLINK, CNN HERO: I want them to know that their brains are beautiful. We have to love each other across our differences.
MADE JANUR YASA, CNN HERO: There is no small dream. If you believe, you will succeed.
ANNOUNCER: Join Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa live as they name the 2021 Hero of the Year.
KELLY RIPA: Welcome to the CNN Heroes family.
ANNOUNCER: The 15th annual "CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute," Sunday at 8:00 Eastern.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: It's going to be another great show. So gather up the family, grab your tissues and get ready to be inspired Sunday night at 8:00.
The parents of two Oxford High School students are suing the school over last week's deadly shooting. Do they have a case? Their lawyer joins us next.
BERMAN: And the court ruling that could bring Julian Assange a step closer to extradition to the United States.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:46:20]
BERMAN: Following the mass shooting last week in Michigan, teachers, counselors and administrators are now facing a $100 million federal lawsuit filed by an attorney for two teenage sisters who survived the attack. Seventeen-year-old Riley Franz and her 14-year-old sister Bella were coming out of the school's restroom together at Oxford High when Riley was shot in the neck.
Joining me now is the attorney representing the Franz family in the lawsuit, Geoffrey Fieger.
Geoff, thanks so much for being with us.
First, let me just ask you how these sisters are doing this morning. GEOFFREY FIEGER, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING FRANZ FAMILY IN SUIT AGAINST
OXFORD HIGH: Not well. Having been shot in the neck at age 17, watching your best friend be shot down dead and viewing all this from the eyes and mind of a 14-year-old, that trauma is life-long. I doubt very much that this is something that can be recoverable over the long-term in any significant way, although you would hope that they can go on with their lives.
BERMAN: Now, your lawsuit alleges, what, that the school should have done more to stop it? What?
FIEGER: In the federal lawsuit, we allege that in effect they created a state created danger. They made it more dangerous by allowing the shooter, Ethan Crumbley, to continue to be in the school, even though they know he had written reams of documents threatening students, drawing diagrams of mass murder, searching on the Internet for ammunition, having called in his parents telling them he desperately needed counseling. And when the parents, who are criminals themselves and provided the gun to their son, and I would bet knew what he was going to do by some of the text messages sent to them, when they refused to do anything, they just simply said, OK, you can go back to class now. And he walked out with a backpack filled with ammunition and a gun, walked into the bathroom and came out shooting. And shot and killed four students, wounded eight, and terrorized another American high school like the other 300 that have been terrorized since Columbine, which I also have.
BERMAN: I know you represented people after Columbine.
Let me just say, the parents have been charged at this point. You call them criminals. We'll see if they are convicted there. They have not yet been tried, obviously.
The school, for their part, says, look, that they asked the parents to take the son home, the parents said no at that point, and the school felt that they had done what they can.
FIEGER: I don't care. That's what I -- that's what this case is about. I don't think any reasonable person under these facts and circumstances would think that that was a reasonable action, especially when there are school police liaisons that can also be brought in, in these types of situations, if you have any doubt whatsoever.
But, remember, the gun and the ammunition were in his backpack while they were questioning him, while they were telling the parents he desperately needed counseling, while they knew he was searching for more ammunition, why they -- while they knew he had reams of documents, indicated that he was going to engage in some type of mass slaughter, at least was thinking about it. He told them that was a video game. But that's enough information for any reasonable person to have done something.
And that -- this suit is not about the money. It's about getting answers. We keep forgetting that this is -- this phenomenon, this uniquely American phenomenon of attacks in schools going on for 20 years, we lose sight of what is going on here.
[08:50:10]
We talk. We never do anything. We're doing something now. Let's get to the bottom of this. Let's hold people accountable. Let's make it expensive.
BERMAN: Geoffrey Fieger, I appreciate you being with us. I'm sure we'll speak with you going forward.
Just one point of clarification, again, the police so far tell us they aren't sure whether this stuff was in the backpack or if it was obtained in the bathroom when he went into the bathroom there. When it got into the backpack or when it got into his hands is still something also that has yet to come clear, at least to the public.
Geoffrey Fieger, appreciate you being with us. Thank you.
FIEGER: Thank you.
BERMAN: Now here's what else to watch today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ON SCREEN TEXT: 11:00 a.m. ET, Biden speaks at Bob Dole funeral.
12:30 p.m. ET, White House press briefing.
1:45 p.m. ET, Biden speaks to global summit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: With a stunning half-court buzzer beating shot, Rutgers upsetting number one Purdue. That Rutgers hero is going to join us next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Game winner at the buzzer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Rutgers upsets number --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: A tragic accident didn't stop a college lacrosse star from returning to the field. She's now a runner, a paralympic champion and the subject of this week's "The Human Factor."
[08:55:07]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOELLE LAMBERT, PARALYMPIAN: Lacrosse, it was just something that just spoke to me, that came really natural.
To be able to play a collegiate sport, that was always my biggest dream growing up.
I summer following my freshman year, I was involved in a moped accident that caused me to lose the left leg above the knee. I absolutely thought that my sports career was over. I mean, I thought that I was never going to be able to walk again, let alone run.
I had to learn how to basically do everything over again. I probably fell about 50 times in that first practice.
My first game back playing, and I actually scored a goal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And making it 11, it's Lambert.
LAMBERT: Someone from the U.S. Paralympic track and field world reached out to me asking if I ever thought about pursuing the sport of track and field. And my first track meet, I hit the qualifying times to be on the national team, but I also beat the reigning national champion. I was like, I'm going to compete in Tokyo.
I have been running the 100 meter for about two years. I actually made the paralympic games for Team USA.
I started the Born to Run Foundation in 2018.
Insurance will only cover your everyday walking prosthetic. They will not cover a running blade. We actually made our first donation to a little three-year-old boy.
The biggest thing that I want to portray to others is, I want you to live the life that you want to live. If you have people believing in you and love you so much where they want to see your dreams come true, 100 percent I promise you, it will.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: All right, an incredible upset overnight. The number one team in the country, Purdue, goes down from Rutgers on -- it's not even a last second shot, it's like a last .000 second shot.
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With 3.4 to go, get it to Harper with three, with two, with one, Harper for the win. Got it!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go! Rutgers!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The game winner at the buzzer! UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Rutgers upsets number one Purdue, 70-68!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go! Let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First time in program history that they have --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: I can't get enough of that. They're still screaming in New Jersey.
KEILAR: I know.
BERMAN: And the man who made that shot is with us now, Ron Harper Jr.
You had an incredible game. What a shot. I heard you overnight say that your hands are still shaking from this.
Just, how do you feel this morning?
RON HARPER, JR., FORWARD, RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS: Definitely. It still feels like a dream. Last night is just a blur. I don't even remember shooting the shot. I just remember watching it go in and just turning around and seeing thousands of people run onto the court. You know, it was just such an unbelievable moment for me and my team.
KEILAR: It was amazing. And there was so much, I think, energy and you seemed to be in this almost -- you were just in the zone. What was it like there at the end of the game as there were these kind of volley of points going back and forth? What did that feel like?
HARPER: We just had to keep responding, you know. We went down 10, for like six or so minutes left in the game. We just had to keep pushing and keep responding. We knew they were going to throw punches. They're the number one team in the country for a reason. So we just had to stay calm and I -- for me I just had to get to my spot to score the ball and my teammates trust me to do that, and that's what I did.
BERMAN: What did I read overnight, you told them, you said, look, guys, if -- if we get to a point where we might have a last second shot, get me the ball.
HARPER: Yes, because in the time-out, Perdue called a time-out, and we're talking about getting it stopped, getting it stopped, but nobody seemed to talk about what we would do if they scored.
So, I held an arm up before we went out there and I'm like, listen, guys, God forbid he scores, just give me the ball and I'm going to send us home. And as soon as he scored, (INAUDIBLE) ran, took the ball out and found me and I took the shot and the rest is history.
BERMAN: I mean, it's one thing to say that, but did you really mean it? When you said it, did you believe that you were going to do it?
HARPER: Definitely. I 100 percent believed it, When I shot the ball, it felt good, it looked good, and I just knew it was going down.
KEILAR: So, one of our dear friends on the show here, Elie Honig, who is Rutgers alum, reminded us that earlier in the year, when you were playing that game against Houston, you talked about how a shot that you didn't make haunted you. And, in a way, you know, he saw this sort of as your redemption. I wonder what you think about sort of just really turning this around.
HARPER: Definitely.
Last year in the NCAA tournament, around a 32 (ph), and I missed that shot against Houston to send the game into overtime That hurt. That really -- because it was the first time the program had went to the NCAA tournament in 30 years. And we had a chance to knock off a number two seed in the tournament and keep progressing forward. But, yes, that shot haunted me for a while. I got in the gym and I told myself it would never happen again. And I shot the shot that I missed probably a million times. And the shot last night, it was just great. Like he said, it was redemption. It just felt in rhythm. And I got to a spot where I was comfortable and I put it up and it went in.
BERMAN: Ron Harper, Jr., I'm getting you the ball next time when there's a last -- there's no question who I'm going to pass the ball to in a situation like this after what I saw last night. It was thrilling. Congratulations to you.
[09:00:00]
Congratulations to the whole team.
HARPER: Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.
BERMAN: I know the whole team is thrilled. It was a team victory.
HARPER: Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.
KEILAR: God, that moment brings me so much joy, Berman, watching that.
