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New Day Saturday

White House: "We're At War"; NFL Star Surrenders on Child Abuse Charge; Driver: Zimmerman Threatened to Kill Me; Big Solar Storm Hitting Earth; Apple Unveils New Smartwatch

Aired September 13, 2014 - 07:00   ET

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

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: And George Zimmerman in trouble again, it seems, after allegedly threatening to kill another driver. We've got the 911 call that started the whole thing.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Your NEW DAY continues right now.

PAUL: It is an early 7:00 a.m. here. So just, you know, stay in bed, and relax. You don't need to get up and get going too quickly. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Don't rush it. This is NEW DAY SATURDAY.

PAUL: Sol, let's talk about America's top diplomat, because he's crisscrossing the Middle East right now to shore up allies in this fight against ISIS.

BLACKWELL: Secretary of State John Kerry is in Cairo this morning where he's meeting with Egyptian leaders. Ten Arab nations have said they will join President Obama's coalition to take out the militants. But will these proverbial "boots" on the ground?

PAUL: We're covering this from angles. CNN's Erin McPike is at the White House. CNN global affairs correspondent Elise Labott is in Cairo.

Good morning, ladies.

Elise, I'd like to start with you here. Egypt is one of the nations we know that has agreed to join this coalition. But what helps especially is the U.S. seeking from Cairo?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christi, it's mostly kind of diplomatic and political help. You know, Egypt is really seen as the intellectual heart of the Arab world. And so, what the U.S. is looking for Egypt to do is a couple of things -- first of all, they want them to, you know, spend more capital, spend more political time with this new Iraqi government. Over the years, Iraq has kind of been shunned by the Arab world because of the actions and the feelings that they had about former Prime Minister al Maliki.

So, now that this new government is in, they want basically the Arabs to kind of, you know, bring them into the fold of the Arab community. Secondly, they want Egypt to stop the flow of foreign fighters, and financing going through Egypt. A lot of foreign fighters are transiting through Egypt into Iraq and Syria. And so, they want them to crack down on that, and the funding to the group.

And thirdly, what they want them to do is send out their religious leaders to be sending a message to. And those Friday sermons, Friday prayers, and to all of their followers that ISIS is the enemy. And this kind of brutal, very extreme form of Islam is not the way that these people should be going, kind of stop recruitment there.

BLACKWELL: So, Elise, when you asked Secretary Kerry if the U.S. is at war with ISIS, he said this is a very significant counterterrorism operation.

I want to take the question to Erin at the White House. The administration says, yes, that the U.S. is at war with ISIS?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Victor, look, administration officials have danced around this really all week and that is because in part, President Obama didn't really declare war in his major address to the nation on Wednesday night. But here's the official line from White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest yesterday.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The United States is at war with ISIL, in the same way that we're at war with al Qaeda and al Qaeda affiliates all around the globe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: Now, I'd point out that the public does not want to see a protracted war like in Afghanistan, like in Iraq, but terrorism has shot up as a major concern for Americans. Our polls show that really within the last month, three quarters want to see air strikes against ISIS, but some 60 percent don't want to see troops on the ground. However, there are, of course, troops in Syria in security roles, also training forces there on the ground from other countries. But it's a very delicate line that the administration is walking right now, Christi and Victor.

PAUL: So, with that note, Elise, are we going to see or is there any indication that Arab nations would put boots on the ground against ISIS?

LABOTT: I don't think Arab nations are going to put boots on the ground. They're certainly looking for some kind of over-flight rights, they're looking for basing rights, but I think they're looking for the Arabs to kind of be more logistical support, and also really again cracking down on those foreign fighters, foreign financing, also intelligence. I think that the majority of the air strikes can take place from the United States and other Western nations.

BLACKWELL: And, Erin, Secretary Kerry will be before Congress next week. Tell us what you we're expecting from this appearance.

MCPIKE: Well, look, the administration is taking it one step at a time. And they're made it very clear that they want congressional buy-in. So, congressional leaders like to be brought into this. And that's why we're going to see Secretary of State John Kerry up there testifying.

Then, the following day on Wednesday, President Obama is traveling to Tampa where he will be meeting with the leadership of CentCom, and that's where the Pentagon houses its operations that deal with the Middle East. Now, on top of that, I would also point that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said this week that he's working with this counterparts in other countries to step up operations at airports in other countries because they want to start tracking Syrian foreign fighters who are trying to come to other nations like the United States. And so, we're seeing a lot of different efforts being stepped up incrementally throughout the administration, Christi and Victor.

BLACKWELL: Yes. And that will continue throughout the next couple of weeks. We'll talk more about it in just a moment.

Elise Labott traveling with the secretary in Cairo. Erin McPike, in Washington, thank you both.

PAUL: Ladies, thank you.

A former top commander of American and NATO troops in Afghanistan now is weighing in on President Obama's plan to take out ISIS.

BLACKWELL: Yes, retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal says ISIS is a significant threat to Iraq, Syria and to the U.S. CNN's Erin Burnett asked him if the Obama administration's plan to arm Syrian rebels to fight ISIS is the right thing to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I think it's a necessary move. If you don't arm the rebels, then you leave them in a position between the extreme groups like ISIS and al Nusra, and the army of Bashar al Assad. So I think you have to do that.

Now, it's always hard. If you set this incredibly high standard that says they all must be college graduates with completely vetted, you know -- you could put any number, the reality is that's not what opposition groups and guerillas like that are typically made of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: And General McChrystal also told Erin ISIS is vulnerable because now it has seized territory and it has to defend that territory now.

BLACKWELL: Let's talk more about this with CNN military analyst and former U.S. military attache in Syria, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona.

PAUL: We're also joined by CNN political analyst, Josh Rogin.

Gentlemen, thanks for being here.

BLACKWELL: Let's start with you, Colonel Francona.

Airstrikes, are they enough to stop these as we learned this week, 31,000 ISIS militants who could be gathered or drafted into some type of service?

LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, stop maybe, but they certainly not able to defeat them. The first thing you need to do is blunt the offensive in Iraq. They're making progress in doing that.

The airstrikes have been very effective, combined with the renewed trust by the Iraqi army and, of course, the Peshmerga up in the north. The airstrikes in Syria can be effective. They can go after the trappings of the state that the ISIS has tried to set up.

You know, they have a capital in Raqqa. They got command and controls. They got training facilities. They got logistics.

And as you said, they have territory they have to defend. So, they can be effective in that instance. But once you move beyond that, destroying them, degrading them, that's going to require probably troops on the ground. You can only bomb so much. So, we're going to put boots on the ground. The question is, as you mentioned, whose boots?

PAUL: Whose boots will it be? Yes.

Hey, Josh, I want to read something from your "Daily Beast" article here.

You say, quote, "if the U.S. arms the Free Syrian Army to fight ISIS, they are going to battle the Syrian regime at the same time, no matter what the White House says." So, basically, you're saying, if they use to fight Bashar al-Assad's regime, they're going to be drawn into the ongoing Syrian civil war as well, and therefore fighting two different wars?

JOSH ROGIN, THE DAILY BEAST: Exactly. I spent the last couple of days speaking to Syrian and opposition leaders. And they said that the Obama administration is telling them to fight ISIS, but not the regime, which to them has just been honest. I mean, they're already fighting both ISIS and the regime. And their basic point is this, you'll always have ISIS, you'll always have terrorist groups in Syria, as long as Bashar al Assad is in power.

He's the magnet for the terrorists. He's committing more atrocities than ISIS is. And that's their goal, is to overthrow the regime. And ISIS is the problem and ISIS is the way that they get America to support them. But in the end, they plan to fight both ISIS and the regime.

And if the U.S. wants to give them weapons to do it, that's fine. But that's what they're doing because those are the two groups that are killing them on a daily basis.

BLACKWELL: Colonel, Retired General Michael Hayden, he said something that got people who weren't even paying attention to what's happening in Iraq and Syria to perk up what he compared air strikes to casual sex. Let's listen and we'll talk about it on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN (RET.), FORMER NSA & CIA DIRECTOR: The strategic level, air power has all the attraction of casual sex. It offers gratification, but with limited commitment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: So, I guess he gets to the point and we talked about this with our Jake tapper. To say that you'll commit to these air strikes but not to commit to boots on the ground as we've talked about is sending a message that is not securing to our allies. And probably that will offer some reinforcement to the enemy. Is our engagement too limited?

FRANCONA: Yes, I think that the general, in his articulate way, you know, hits the nail right on the head here. We're willing to do air strikes, and we've said that. But that almost -- we want to make it sound clean and surgical and at no risk, and that's just not true. When you send pilots up there, they are at risk, especially when going to Syria, which actually has an air defense system. So, that's dangerous.

I think what the general was trying to say, we can't go halfway. We have to make the full commitment. If ISIS is a threat to the United States as the administration says, if it is truly a threat, then we have to deal with it. We can't outsource our fighting. We can't outsource boots on the ground. If we really have to take on ISIS, we have to do it.

We tried this in Afghanistan with the northern alliance, and it didn't work. It won't work here. Unfortunately, it's very politically dangerous for anyone to say we need to put American boots on the ground. But in the end, that may be what's required.

PAUL: You know, Josh, I think one of the things that was so alarming this week, is when we had this indication that there were maybe 10,000 ISIS fighters. Now, we learned it's three times that at least. Do you know, is that an expansion of ISIS just in the last, say, six months when they now have been all over the news and more people know who they are? Or was that just a horrible underestimation of our intelligence?

ROGIN: What happened in Syria was, if you're an average Syrian insurgent and you just want to get into the fight, you're going to join whichever group has the guns and the money, right? And right now, ISIS has all the guns and the money. So, they're getting recruits from all the different Syrian opposition groups that used to be fighting against them, because those opposition people don't want to get killed. They want to survive as long as possible. So, the theory is if we give them the guns and money, then people will

go back to them, because in the end, people don't like ISIS. They don't like the ISIS ideology. They don't want to fight for these guys. At the same time, they don't want to die.

So, ISIS has been growing and growing and growing. As they get more money, they pay salaries. They go into communities. And they pay people to get married. They get into all of these different structures.

So, this kind of supports the idea that the only way to really defeat ISIS is to draw the fighters back to the people who we kind of like. And it also speaks to what Michael Hayden said, because if we don't make the commitment, if we don't commit to solving the problems both in Iraq and in Syria, then this problem is going to go on forever.

So, I think the Syrian rebels are saying, you know, if you like it put a ring on it.

PAUL: All righty. Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona and Josh Rogin, gentlemen, thank you so much for being here.

BLACKWELL: A Beyonce reference in the discussion of ISIS. In one segment, we had casual sex and Beyonce.

PAUL: Sex and Beyonce.

BLACKWELL: Talking about ISIS.

Thank you both.

Hey, let's talk about something that really developed overnight and into the morning here stateside. For Minnesota Vikings fans, do not expect to see star running back Adrian Peterson on the field tomorrow. He just surrendered to police overnight, accused of being involved in injury to a child.

PAUL: Also, George Zimmerman accused of threatening to kill someone else in Florida. You're going to hear that 911 call.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: That's what I love to hear.

BLACKWELL: Christi loves -- I love that song, too, little Earth, Wind & Fire.

PAUL: Yes.

BLACKWELL: Hey, good morning, New York. Beautiful shot here, Freedom Tower. Live look for you here. High of 70 degrees today, not bad. Some rain showers, though. So, dodge and duck those.

Thank you for starting your NEW DAY with CNN.

PAUL: Yes, we are so grateful for your time. Fifteen minutes past the hour. We're going to get you caught up with

what's happening I the morning read.

BLACKWELL: Yes, top story this morning, Secretary of State John Kerry, he is in Cairo this morning for more talks aimed at rallying regional partners for this fight against ISIS. He was in Turkey yesterday and there he said, it's, quote, "not appropriate for Iran to join talks on confronting in Iraq and Syria."

PAUL: Police in three states are involved right now in a massive search in northeastern Pennsylvania following what authorities describe as an ambush by a shooter at a state police barracks. We know that one state patrol officer is dead and a second officer was shot. We now know he is in stable condition after an operation, but law enforcement helicopters from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all scouring the area for that shooter right now.

BLACKWELL: Checking sports now: the general manager of the Atlanta Hawks has taken an indefinite leave of absence. This happens after insulting and racist remarks he read he says about a free agent. Danny Ferry on Friday reiterated his apology to Luol Deng and vowed to, quote, "find a way too make a positive difference."

PAUL: In business news, a new Corvette goes from zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds. You even have a hard time getting your hands on one of these, though. A General Motors has told Chevrolet dealers stop delivery of about 2,000 2015 Corvette so the driver's air bags can be fixed, and another 8,000 are on hold at dealerships because of a problem with a parking break.

BLACKWELL: A quick look at the weather. The Gulf of Mexico keeping an eye on the tropical system that just crossed Florida, could bring heavy rain to Texas by early next week. And up north, look at that -- starting to feel like fall already, frost advisories in effect this morning in the Northern Plains and Midwest. We'll check more of your weather with meteorologist Jennifer Gray in just a few moments.

PAUL: Meanwhile, I'm going to tell you about another controversy that's rattling the NFL overnight again.

BLACKWELL: Overnight, Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson, you may know him, surrendered to police after being indicted on a felony child abuse charge. This morning, he's out on bail.

PAUL: Let's bring in CNN's Alexandra Field in New York. He is cooperating we understand, is he not, Alexandra, with this investigation?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christi. His attorney says he's been fully cooperating for a number of weeks now. We did see him last night leave his home in Minnesota. That was a warrant for his arrest. He traveled from Minnesota to Montgomery County, Texas, where he turned himself in at the sheriff's office to answer to some pretty serious allegations here. He was indicted to a grand jury on a charge that he used a switch to spank his son according to his attorney who has put out a statement now defending the star running backs.

Here's what Rusty Harden is saying. He says, quote, "Adrian is a loving father. He used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son. He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in East Texas." And that statement goes on to say, "It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury."

Again, the attorney is saying that Peterson has been fully cooperating with the authorities. He's out now on $15,000 bond, but we will not be seeing him play in Sunday's game when the Vikings take on the Patriots at home in Minnesota. Right now, he's been deactivated for that. Beyond that, the Vikings have put out their own statement saying they're in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. That's where that stands at this point.

But, you know, Christi, Victor, you just can't ignore the fact that all this comes on the heels of a week where we've been talking a whole lot about the NFL. Ray Rice indefinitely suspended after that video became public showing him attacking his fiancee at the time, Janay Palmer, now his wife, really breaking this issue in the forefront, had a lot of us talking about this every day.

BLACKWELL: You know, Alexandra, it's not the first time there's been a problem with one of his children. In fact, he lost a child a couple years ago, a 2-year-old son -- actually died last year after being abused -- but this was by another man, police say. Tell us about that.

FIELD: Yes, what we know about that is that the 2-year-old child was found unresponsive. He later died. Authorities said that that was the result of head injuries that were consistent with abuse. The toddler's mother's boyfriend was charged in that case. At that time, the little boy was living his mother over in South Dakota -- Christi, Victor.

PAUL: All righty, Alexandra Field. We appreciate the updates this morning. Thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: All right. So, the man acquitted in the death of Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, is now being accused again. We'll tell what you a driver says happened when Zimmerman confronted him. And you're going to hear the 911 call as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: George Zimmerman, someone's had to call the police on him again. This time, it's for threatening to shoot a driver during a fit of road rage in Valencia, Florida.

PAUL: Yes, and Nick Valencia has the tape of the 911 call for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLER: I was in my car rapping to myself with my windows up and I looked over and it's George Zimmerman was the driver and they were threatening to kick my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) and to shoot me.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a 911 call made to Lake Mary, Florida police, on Tuesday, a man said George Zimmerman threatened him from his car. Two days later, police stopped Zimmerman after that same man called 911 to say he thought he saw George Zimmerman near his office.

CALLER: It's disheartening to see him lurking around here.

VALENCIA: Moments later, police stopped Zimmerman. This dash cam video from Lake Mary Police shows an officer taking Zimmerman's gun. The 30-year-old appears relaxed, at times smiling, only talks to officers. A police report says Zimmerman told them he was in the area for a doctor's appointment. After the exchange, police gave him his gun back.

Zimmerman also admitted to being involved in a verbal incident earlier in the week but denied threatening anyone. This is the latest in a string of incidents involving Zimmerman since his acquittal last year in a shooting death of Trayvon Martin. In November, Zimmerman was arrested and charged in Seminole County, Florida, for allegedly pointing a gun at his then-girlfriend Samantha Scheibe during an argument. Charges were not filed.

Last year, police in Texas and in Florida stopped Zimmerman for speeding. And in September of 2013, Zimmerman's estranged wife Shelly called 911 saying Zimmerman had threatened her and her father. No charges were filed in that case either. Meanwhile, the caller in this week's incident said he never saw Zimmerman flash a gun and in both cases, he didn't want to prosecute or press charges. So, Zimmerman was not arrested.

BIANCA GILLETT, LAKE MARY POLICE DEPARTMENT: We cannot prosecute on behalf of a victim that does not wish to participate in the prosecution. Without a victim, we do not have a crime.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: All right. Nick Valencia joining us now.

Nick, there are a lot of people who just wish this man would kind of just drift off to a low-profile lifestyle. But he keeps puffing with this incident.

VALENCIA: Yes, he just can't say out of the media spotlight. Some might say that the media can't stop talking about him. But with these incidents, you know, this string of incidents over the last year or two years really makes it easy to bring negative attention upon himself. I mean, that's what he's doing in this latest case. No charges pressed.

We don't know exactly why, though, a guy that would call police wouldn't go forward with pressing charges.

PAUL: Right. VALENCIA: But nothing brought -- he wasn't detained or arrested either. Zimmerman wasn't detained or arrested. He spoke to by police, but they didn't bring him in for any questioning.

PAUL: But it's bizarre, they didn't know each other. There was no --

BLACKWELL: To show up two days later at his workplace. Do you know each other?

PAUL: How do you know where he works if you don't know him?

BLACKWELL: I imagine there's more to this. How did he show up two days later at his job?

VALENCIA: And this was, you know, evidently unprovoked. The guy was in his car rapping to himself, listening music. At which point, Zimmerman pulls up next to him and says, do you have a problem? Do you know who I am? A lot of people out there in the United States and beyond, of course, who George Zimmerman is, not for good reasons.

BLACKWELL: All right. Nick Valencia, thank you so much.

VALENCIA: Thank you, guys.

PAUL: Thank you, Nick.

So, while sponsors are running from Ray Rice in the wake of his domestic abuse controversy, ratings for his team's last game, whoo, they soared -- even though he wasn't allowed to play. Some fans including women wearing his jersey in support.

BLACKWELL: Plus, is Apple's new iPhone and, you know, the Apple watch, the iWatch, is it really worth buying? Do you want these things? We'll talk to some tech experts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Hope you're enjoying a lazy Saturday morning. It's 31 minutes past the hour right now. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thanks for staying with us.

PAUL: Yes. So, the NFL is dealing, you know, with the fallout from the Ray Rice situation. There is another star player in hot water this morning.

BLACKWELL: Yes, Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson has posted a 15,000 bail after turning himself into authorities for a felony charge of injury to a child.

PAUL: According to Peterson's lawyer, the charge stems from accusations that Peterson used a switch to spank and discipline his 4- year-old son. That's a thin branch, as its known. Photos do show that the child suffered some cuts and bruises from that incident.

BLACKWELL: After news of the indictment by the Texas grand jury, the Vikings released a statement and here's a portion of it, a quote. Let's put it up on the screen, they're in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation. So, a bit vague there, but they are working ton.

PAUL: Yes. Well, Petersons has been pulled from tomorrow's game against the New England Patriots and we should point. But the NFL or the Ravens, both of them have been in the trouble in the wake of the Ray Rice domestic controversy. It's not turning viewers away, which has a lot of people surprised.

BLACKWELL: Yes, consider this, on Thursday, CBS scored huge ratings for the broadcast of the Ravens/Steelers game. Viewers did (ph) jump 108 percent from last year's viewership. Viewership just was up huge. It was the strongest Thursday night primetime performance for the network in nearly a decade.

PAUL: Ray Rice, of course, was not playing. The broadcast became a must-watch event though for fans and nonfans alike apparently.

We want to talk about this with CNN commentator and legal analyst Mel Robbins, as well as branding expert Melissa Dawn Simpkins, president of Velvet Suite. What a great name. Melissa is with us here in studio.

Ladies, good morning to both of you.

I want to ask you, were you surprised, first of all, that the ratings spiked so much?

MELISSA SMIKINS, PRESIDENT, VELVET SUITE: You know, my firm has had an amazing thing with the NFL. We actually did the first ever Player Brand University. It does not surprise me because of business of football is football.

And one of the things that I think the NFL is now learning in a new economy is that it's not just about football anymore. There's a social responsibility. And even though the game is great, the greatest assets are their players.

BLACKWELL: We should also say, I'm from Baltimore, the biggest rivalry the Ravens have, that biggest rivalry is the Pittsburgh Steelers. When they bring those towels into town, you're going to see the Baltimore fans flood even without the controversy.

I want to come to you, Mel, because you've written this op-ed. It's on CNN.com this week. You take the NFL for their handling of Ray Rice situation. And you say the NFL should be punished for despicable handling of the situation and Commissioner Goodell needs to go. Do you think he'll be out?

MEL ROBBINS, CNN COMMENTATOR: Good morning, Victor. Good morning, Christi. Good morning, Melissa.

No, I don't think he's going to be out because under the constitution and the bylaws for the NFL, it takes three quarters of the owners to vote him out. And he's making them a lot of money.

And, you know, you asked a question of Melissa about the ratings -- I point to something else. I don't think it's necessarily a sign of support to the Ravens. I think that the jump has more to do with the rubber necking effect of watching a train wreck happened.

I mean, you've got them pulling Rihanna, you've got Norah O'Donnell there doing a special broadcast about the controversy. You've got people wanting to tune in to see if there's Rice jerseys. I think you're going to see those numbers decline and that it had less to do with support of Ray Rice and the Ravens, and more to do with the morbid fascination of watching a train wreck unfold.

PAUL: What do you say to that? Do you agree or --

SIMKINS: You know, I believe there's a truth to that.

But I also believe there's a shift to what's happening within the culture of football. And that is really that today in this day in the economy, we can't just focus on the game. Players are great liabilities. I think for a long time, if you look at the NFL's mission statement, it's all about performance on the field. And their growth revenue goals for 2025 according to "USA Today" are $25 billion. That's only going to happen as they also begin to manage the issue of player challenges that they're having off the field. And that's what really what we're talking about.

Now, I think the fault that the NFL has is being negligent in really proactively dealing with this issue head on. We have a tolerant perspective when it comes to domestic violence. We need to hear that message. We need to hear it earlier, and we need to hear it more often.

BLACKWELL: But just what's happening in North Carolina with the Panthers and now we know several other teams. Does that really correspond with a no tolerance policy? I mean, Greg Hardy was convicted. This is not just someone who had accusation or charges. He was convicted and then played for the team.

So, you can say no -- zero tolerance, but it's really not coming to fruition, Mel?

SIMKINS: Right.

ROBBINS: You know, Victor, you just nailed it. And two days ago, the owner of the Panthers was accepting an award honoring him for the fact that he doesn't show any indifference to social issues. And he started crying and saying that, you know, we shouldn't be quick to judge. And look, a judge found his player guilty and this owner is still allowing him to play pending the appeal. It's ridiculous.

If there's a zero tolerance, it means do you what you did in the Adrian Peterson case. The NFL has done the right thing. He has been indicted on serious felony charges. He's admitted to hitting his kid, and sorry for the injuries. And the NFL has done the right thing there. They've sidelined him.

They can continue to pay him during the investigation. But one of the things I'd like to see happen, Victor and Christi, the NFL needs to change its domestic violence policies to reflect zero tolerance.

What that would look like, at the point of arrest, you have a suspension, not of pay, but a suspension from the field, pending an investigation. And why that's important is because the NFL is in the business of making money off a game where guys fight over a ball. They are not every going to be in the business of finding the truth about their players and what they're doing in their private lives. The NFL wants to hear the story that ray and Janay Rice are OK now and we can all just move on. So, their interest is never going to be aligned with truly protecting the victim.

So, they shouldn't be in a position to having to figure that out. You should have a zero tolerance policy like you do with performance- enhancing drugs. At the moment of arrest, you are suspended pending the investigation, period, Victor.

PAUL: All right. We only have a couple seconds. Melissa, you wanted to say something.

SIMKINS: Yes, I think at the end of the day, the NFL brand is a beloved brand in this country, we know that. But I think what's going to have to happen in order for us to see the changes we're talking about. It's going to have to be a cultural shift. That is not just football, but it's about how they think about managing their brand. And their brand is deeply connected to the players. They cannot be inseparable.

PAUL: Last thing, if Roger Goodell saw that tape, do you think he should go?

SIMKINS: If he saw it, he lied. Then he should go.

BLACKWELL: All right.

PAUL: All righty, Mel Robbins and Melissa Simpkins, thank you, ladies, both so much for being with us. We really appreciate it.

This morning, a massive storm of radiation from the sun is slamming the planet. Have you seen it? Apparently some people can.

BLACKWEL: Some even fear this it destroyed power grids and wiped out the GPS system in your car, on your phone, on satellites. We'll talk about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: I know you want you mortgage rate. Thirty-year rates dropped this week. Take a look.

(COMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Well, the last of two massive solar storms is hitting earth, right now. As we speak. There are storms, yes, in space. Solar radiation is raining around our planet right now, but thankfully, none of the planet's power grids, satellites and GPS systems have been affected just yet as far as we know.

BLACKWELL: Let's turn --

PAUL: But we think they're watching us.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Let's turn now to CNN's Jennifer Gray joins us now for more on this the coronal mass injection. It sounds a little dirty actually.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They don't go there, Victor.

PAUL: I was going to say provocative, but OK.

GRAY: Yes, can't you guys feel it? Yes, so flares coming on. Yes, no. It's really the only problem that it could have by entering our atmosphere. It's basically interrupting a couple of power grids. Maybe your GPS gets thrown off for a bit.

Of course, we haven't seen any reports of that at all, but what we have seen, the northern lights. And they have been incredible. And folks now much farther south are able to see it. Of course, this picture taken from Mt. Washington in North Conway, New Hampshire, and just spectacular viewing, guys.

You may be able to see it once again tonight. But we think the peak of it is over. So, people as far south as New England are able to see the northern lights. Beautiful.

PAUL: So, what do we -- what do we know about the weather back here? Where we are, because I walked out and it was -- it was blistering hot.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

GRAY: Yes, we're still on the fringes, unfortunately. But folks in the north and even the northeast have enjoyed some really crisp changes. I assume you're enjoying it. Some people might not be quite ready for it. But we're still on the south side of that front, meaning here in the southeast. We're stilling going to have some pretty sticky conditions for yet another day.

But check this out, freeze advisory, freeze warnings in places in northern Minnesota, can you believe it? Temperatures dipping down -- very, very chilly. Temperatures this morning in the 30s in Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, 38.

These are current temperatures -- 43 degrees right now in Chicago. Temperatures will be 20 degrees below normal in St. Louis this afternoon, 63 your high temperature, 60 in Chicago. Temperatures would slowly start to moderate. But, guys, wow, it's not

even fall yet. So, typically summer we're seeing temperatures 20 degrees below normal.

PAUL: All right. Jennifer Gray, thank you so much.

GRAY: All right.

PAUL: So, you know, if you're sitting at home and you think, I want to check the weather. I need to send an e-mail. I want to update my Facebook status -- on your wrist.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we got a glimpse of this week's Apple watch debut. When can you get it? What else does it do? We've got all the specs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIM COOK, APPLE CEO: We have one more thing. Apple watch.

We placed extra functionality into its dial. It's called a crown. And on the Apple watch, it's called a digital crown.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have designed six different straps and a mechanism that makes the straps easily interchangeable. We've also given a smaller watch with matching smaller straps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New selection of animated emoji that we've created you can unlock your hotel room door by waving your watch in front of the door. While you're walking, Apple will give you feedback on each turn, you know whether it's time to turn left or to turn right. And those feelings are different for each direction.

UNIDENTIIFED MALE: The activity app on Apple watch, measures three separate aspects of movement with the goal of helping you sit less, move more, and get exercise.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: I love all we have to do is we have one more thing. Ahhh!

BLACKWELL: Aahh! One more thing from Apple.

PAUL: We have another thing that we're cheering.

BLACKWELL: One more thing to buy, and this time is the Apple watch. The newest gadget from the tech giant.

PAUL: Yes, Apple unveiled it along with the new iPhone 6, of course, and iPhone 6-Plus this week. What everyone is talking about, though, is the watch.

CNN technology analyst Brett Larsen with us now, along with CNET.com senior editor Bridget Carey.

Thank you both. Thank you so both so much with being with us.

So, Brett, three styles starting at 349 bucks. Is the hype worth it?

BRETT LARSEN, CNN TECHNOLOGY ANALYST: Look, they are going to get people to line up for this thing. People are very excited about it. Apple made a watch sexy. I mean, the watch we thought went away with the smart phone because that's what we use to tell time. I definitely think this will be, I think they have a hit on their hands or should I say a hit on their wrists.

PAUL: Nice. Yes.

LARSEN: Hey. I've been waiting all week to say that.

PAUL: Glad we could give you the venue.

LARSEN: Yes, but I think the one thing that I think it still needs, because the more I talk to people about it, the one question I always get what does it do that my smart phone doesn't? So, I think there is going to need to be that killer app for it, that thing you're like OK, that is definitely cool and I definitely need that. Otherwise it's just going to be -- it's a $350 accessory for your iPhone.

PAUL: It can give you a tap apparently if you're going the wrong way.

BLACKWELL: Yes, hey, turn left.

LARSEN: It will unlock your hotel room door.

BLACKWELL: Hey, Bridget, let me ask you about this. We talked about -- Brett talked about what does it do that my phone doesn't? But don't you need the phone for the watch to operate properly?

BRIDGET CAREY, SENIOR EDITOR, CNET.COM: Yes, you do need the phone. That's no different also from the Android smart watches we've seen. So, to be different, to stand out, Apple needs to show it's more than another way to see a notification on your wrist, because that's cute but you want to have a reason to pay $350 or more for it.

And I think what you're going to see that differentiator is the fact there is that NFC sensor in it. You've heard that you can pay with this watch instead of taking out your credit card. And you heard in the video you can open up some hotel room doors with just by tapping your wrist to a panel. That's the kind of thing that's going to take us the next step of thinking about a smart watch in a useful way beyond just a new way to send a text or talk to Siri.

PAUL: What about the battery life? I mean, a lot of people are wondering, what do I have here?

CAREY: Yes, the battery -- sorry.

PAUL: That's OK.

CAREY: With the battery it looks like you have to recharge this thing at least overnight. But apple's not saying exactly just yet because it hasn't come out yet.

LARSEN: That's the one missing detail that we don't have is they are not talking about. Granted this thing is a prototype, but I find it concerning that they're not saying, and unlike our competitor's watch, this will last 24 hours, or 48 hours on a charge. And this is an issue people have with smart watches, is it is another device that needs to be charged. And, you know, like when you're out and about your smart phone dice and you end up like me with the giant battery back pack on it. You're not going to want to do that with a watch.

PAUL: Right, right.

BLACKWELL: So, we're just a few months from Christmas. Will this be out in time for the holiday season, Brett?

LARSEN: No. I think they are going to miss the Christmas window this year. They are noting specific about when it's going to ship next year, only that it will be available sometime next year. I think it has a little more work to be done under the hood. I think they are having technology issues getting all of that stuff squeezed into a small space. But this is apple. They have you know, they managed to make everything that they make something that we absolutely have to have.

BLACKWELL: Except left-handed people.

PAUL: Yes. Yes.

BLACKWELL: Hey, Bridget, this is only for folks who use the right hand to turn the dial.

CAREY: No, actually, they're going to make it sow can flip it around. I mean, just like how your smart phone screen will flip when you change it. So, I've heard that it will work on left-handed wrists. You don't have to worry about that.

PAUL: All right. That's good to know.

BLACKWELL: Bridget Carey, Brett Larsen, good to have both of you.

PAUL: Thank you both. We'll talk to you in a bit. At least to Bridget about the security of all of this, too. You talk about tapping and hey, let's pay for this, and let's pay for that, some are leery.

BLACKWELL: Scan your wrist.

PAUL: We'll talk about that, too.

Hey, you know, in just a few minutes we are expecting to hear from America's top diplomat Secretary of State John Kerry in Cairo right now, rallying support for the fight against ISIS.

BLACKWELL: Which nation does he want on board and exactly what kind of help does the U.S. need?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Well, the morning news broadcast goes wild courtesy of an unexpected guest. It's not on our show.

BLACKWELL: No. We have unexpected guests. Take a look at the must- see moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see? There it is again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seriously. Look.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jumping around.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wings on top. There he is again. Man. I don't know why I'm ducking. Behind us again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Look. She's like I just don't like this. She says, look at her.

BLACKWELL: She says, OK, she's going to reason with the bat.

So, this happened at our affiliate WATE, this is Knoxville, Tennessee, last Tuesday.

PAUL: It just came a month too early. If it would have been Halloween you could have said that was staged. We did that intentionally. You handled it very well, though.

So, let me ask you. What do you get when you combine a fraternity and Taylor Swift's hit "Shake It Off."

BLACKWELL: Watch this.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

BLACKWELL: Pennsylvania University.

PAUL: What a fun group.

BLACKWELL: Delta Sigma Phi did this awesome video to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. So, there was good reason.

PAUL: I'm waiting. This is, we went ahead with ALS. I'm going to see.

BLACKWELL: There will a challenge.

PAUL: There will.

Thank you so much for starting your morning with us. Nice job, guys. BLACKWELL: Next hour of your NEW DAY starts now.