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New Day Saturday

Ferguson In Flux As Grand Jury Deliberates; Buffalo's Melting Snow Could Bring Flooding; Fans Cheer Cosby At Florida Performance; House Committee-Issued Report on Benghazi; More Dangerous Weather For Western New York State; Can Executive Order on Immigration Influence American Workforce?; Violent Protests in Mexico

Aired November 22, 2014 - 06:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Ahead on NEW DAY, activists police the attorney general, President Obama even calling for calm this morning. Right now, we're waiting for a grand jury decision in the shooting death of an unarmed teenager by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN HOST: And with rape allegations swirling, Bill Cosby take the stage before a sell-out crowd. This is in Florida. Wait until you hear the reaction he got.

BLACKWELL: And look at this video, aerial view, for the nearly 7 feet of snow that's fallen in the Buffalo area as the death toll rises there. An unexpected warm up could bring rain and make a bad situation even worse.

PAUL: Despite all of that, we want to wish you a happy Saturday.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: Thank you so much for being with us. I'm Christi Paul. And look who is back?

BLACKWELL: Yes, we've got the band back together. I'm Victor Blackwell. It's 6:00 in the east coast. We're starting with that anxiety and more waiting in St. Louis in that area as a community braces for the grand jury's decision in the shooting death of Michael Brown.

PAUL: Yes, we still don't know if jurors have decided whether to indict Officer Darren Wilson. That announcement is expected to trigger a 48-hour waiting period before the actual decision is revealed. Now officials are hoping to save off the kind of violent protest that erupted after the armed teenager was killed back in August.

BLACKWELL: The business owners there, they remember what happened the first time. They are not waiting around. They are boarding up and the FBI is sending in more personnel, as local officials, ministers, even the president appealed for peace.

Let's get right to Stephanie Elam live in Ferguson this morning. Stephanie, tell us what the situation is like there this morning. I imagine there are a lot of people waking up and flipping on CNN to wonder has the decision been made?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The decision has not been made. Victor and Christi, good morning to you both. But everyone here just waiting to find out what exactly is going to happen and in many cases, what's the worst part of all of this is just the waiting around.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM (voice-over): The closer the grand jury decision on the fate of Police Officer Darren Wilson gets --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The uncertainty is beyond difficult.

ELAM: The more anxious many in the St. Louis area grow. This woman grew up in Ferguson and moved back here to raise her family. Her concern is less about whether or not Wilson will be indicted for the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in August, but more about the reaction that follows.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If there are peaceful demonstrations, that's fine. But to have the violence that we've had and from people that are outside of Ferguson, in the name of Ferguson, no, we don't like that.

ELAM (on camera): You don't want to show your face on camera. What's your fear behind that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My fear is my family's safety.

ELAM (voice-over): In the days after Mike Brown's death, unrest paralyzed Ferguson and led to month of demonstrations in the St. Louis area. Now businesses here are boarded up, hoping to avoid destruction if protests once again spin out of control.

Schools in St. Louis County are setting up contingency plans if the decision comes while class is in session. The Jennings School District is making the call to extend its Thanksgiving holiday to last the entire week.

Some churches are ready to assist protesters and residents affected by potential rioting.

REV. TRACI BLACKMAN, CHRIST THE KING UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: To awaken a sleeping community to issues that need to be addressed that have always been there I think is a great legacy.

ELAM: Reverend Traci Blackman says the fissure in Ferguson goes beyond black and white.

BLACKMAN: Both sides love Ferguson. But one side wants to be embraced and to have all of the rights and all of the benefits that both sides should have. The other side is able to live in oblivion to that if they so choose. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it was a tragedy that that young man was killed, but I think he's given up his life for a greater good that is going to make Ferguson better. Our consciousness is being raised into doing things that are more inclusive.

ELAM: Meanwhile, President Obama joined Attorney General Eric Holder and members of the St. Louis community in a call for peace, no matter what the grand jury decides. Telling ABC News --

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Using any event as an excuse for violence is contrary to rule of law and contrary with who we are.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM: And we understand that Officer Wilson may be in talks to resign from the Ferguson Police Department. We understand that this is fluid. That the concern on his part, we're being told, is that he doesn't want to seem guilty, depending on what the grand jury decides.

So it's another thing that people are waiting to hear here in the St. Louis area is his fate here with police department as well as his fate with the grand jury -- Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: Stephanie, you've reported from Ferguson from the several months ago when Michael Brown was shot. And, of course, you're there live this morning. Give us an idea of the change in intensity of the protests as the deliberations have begun and the testimony that the grand jury has ended?

ELAM: Well, it's definitely changed. I mean, outside here, outside here where we are, outside the Ferguson Police Department, at night lately there have a little interactions with the police. We've seen just a handful of people being arrested.

But at other demonstrations in Clayton, which is the county seat which is where the justice center there is, we've covered protests there, demonstrations there. And you can see that the people are galvanized to get their message out.

That they're really focused on not getting arrested, that they're focused on just doing what they're allowed to do under the law. And that is not their goal. There's a lot of discussion about that, but there seems to be also a belief that there's people who want to demonstrate.

There are people who want to protest and then there's another element that just wants to agitate things -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right, Stephanie Elam there for us live in Ferguson, Missouri, thank you so much.

In just a few minutes, we're going to discuss the unique grand jury process in Missouri with HLN legal analyst, Joey Jackson, and why he thinks there's not been a decision so far. PAUL: And we want to get to another major story that we're following obviously the death toll from that ferocious snowfall in Buffalo, New York, is growing even higher this morning. Officials say 13 people are now confirmed dead.

Nearly 7 feet of snow blitzed the region in just a few days. Look at these pictures coming in. Dozens of roofs have collapsed from weight of that snow. Folks there now face a new weather threat. It's expected to warm up this weekend, which means all of that snow's got to melt. It's got to go somewhere and they're expecting some possible flooding.

CNN meteorologist, Jennifer Gray, is joining us now. Jen, I know you just caught back from there. But let's talk about the temperatures. How warm is it going to get and how quickly?

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, well, we're starting out with temperatures going to get up to about 40 degrees. By Monday, temperatures could get into the 60s so that's very quickly. Not only that, we're expecting rain in Buffalo. And that's going to add extra weight to those roofs.

So that's where we're going to see the possibility of more roof collapses. And that's the biggest fear moving forward. So you can see moving forward in time. There we go, here's Sunday, as we get into Monday, expecting rain today.

It could get a little bit of a break on Sunday, maybe a few showers, but then some widespread rain moving in on Monday. So that's just going to add to it. And that's when temperatures are expected to get pretty warm as well. So that's what we're going to be looking for.

We're also looking at this flood threat that remains in effect through Wednesday, guys. That's due to the warm air, the rain and also that snow melt. So what we saw is, look at these totals, 74 inches in Lancaster.

We saw 85 inches in Wells Center, 56 in Alvin, and then closer to where we were, Hamburg got 80 inches, and then we are looking at temperatures, 47 on Sunday, 57 on Monday.

But then we do cool off again on Tuesday, back into the 30s. So you also have to keep in mind that whatever melts during the day and then turns back to ice as we go through the overnight hours as temperatures get back below freezing.

So we could have quite a nasty scenario on our hands as we move forward during the next four or five days.

PAUL: What a mess. Jennifer, some of that snow, obviously, it could run off in Lake Erie, right?

GRAY: Yes, I mean, they have good drainage systems and rivers and creeks and things like that. So there will be places for the water to go. We're just looking at a large amount of snow, trying to all melt, you know, during the next couple of days. That's what the concern is, just overwhelming all of those systems and causing that flooding.

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

BLACKWELL: Thanks, Jen.

PAUL: So even though he's facing these mounting allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted a lot of women, it seems, at this point, based on the women that are coming out, last night in Melbourne, Florida, packed house of Bill Cosby fans.

They didn't just shout messages of love and support of him. They gave him two standing ovations. Take a look.

BLACKWELL: Now, there were some protesters outside, but the show inside went off without a hitch. The 77-year-old made, as expected, no mention of the allegations against him during his 90-minute performance. Listen to what some people at the show had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They gave him a standing ovation when he came out. There was no heckling. There was no talking, there was no nothing. He did his routine. Everybody was gracious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very supportive, clapping and cheering on and stuff. He was relaxed and he was good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Now, despite several cancelled shows on air and in person. Another one has been postponed indefinitely in Florence, South Carolina. Bill Cosby shows no real signs of slowing down. His web site has live performances listed for almost every single week through May.

PAUL: I don't know if you've heard about this yet, but a Connecticut state agency has released a new report on Newtown shooter, Adam Lanza. It says Lanza was an isolated young man with deteriorating mental health and a fascination for mass violence.

Now, his problems were not ignored, they say, but they were misunderstood by his mother, as well as health care providers. Lanza killed 20 first graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School back in 2012.

BLACKWELL: All right, ahead on NEW DAY, the GOP and President Obama just cannot get along. As we see, they're battling over two controversial executive orders, first, immigration, and now one involving Obamacare. Why that fight could end up in court?

PAUL: Plus, we're waiting for the grand jury's decision in Ferguson in the Michael Brown case. We're going to break down what exactly the panel is deciding.

How hard would it be for the prosecutor to prove first degree murder?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Right now, we are waiting for the grand jury's decision on whether it will indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of an unarmed teenager.

BLACKWELL: Now the shooting of Michael Brown more than three months ago has, as you know, triggered ongoing protests, including more this week demanding Wilson be charge. Now we're bracing for new protests in Ferguson and across the country, especially if there is no indictment.

PAUL: We're going to look at some of the potential outcomes in this case with HLN legal analyst, Joey Jackson. Joey, good morning to you.

JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Christi. Good morning, Victor.

PAUL: OK, listen, these are the charges we know that the grand jury has considered, first degree murder, second degree murder and voluntary or involuntary manslaughter. First of all, how hard would it be for a prosecutor to prove first degree murder in this particular case based on what you know?

JACKSON: You know, it's interesting, Christi, because as we know, the grand jury has given a lot of information in this particular case. And they'll have volumes of things to go over. But what it will boil down to in all of the different items and categories that they have to consider is state of mind.

When I talk about state of mind, Christi, what I mean is this, first degree murder, what do you have to prove, deliberation, intent, he meant to do it. So that would be the evidence that the grand jury would have to consider and see whether there's probable cause of a deliberate, premeditated intentional murder.

Then as you move down the categories in the grand jury's consideration, what then will they do? Second degree murder, of course, is the absence of deliberation, the absence of a planned intent and premeditation.

Then as us move farther down, Christi, when you get to the manslaughter issues you have voluntary manslaughter, which is yes, I killed him in the heat of the passion, in the heat of the moment.

And involuntary is more reckless where you consciously disregard the risk of your dangerous activity. So depending upon how the evidence unfolds what the grand jury hears, what the grand jury considers, you can see them come back with an indictment on any one of those particular charges.

And finally, Christi, on that issue, remember, they're not saying the grand jury, in the event they do indict, that he's guilty. What they're saying is we don't know. But there are factual questions, factual issues, and we will leave that to a jury to decide. And that's what an indictment means. PAUL: Right, they're just saying there is enough evidence to move forward with the charge is what it comes down to. These folks, as I understand, were characterized as being a tight knit bunch, but they're not sequestered. Do you think in a case that has been as volatile as this, they should have been?

JACKSON: You know, that's a great point to be made, Christi, because you have information that's flowing out and you have passionate feelings about this, right? Everybody has an opinion about this particular case and people are not really secret about those opinions and it's everywhere.

So what does that mean? It means that it could potentially influence a jury pool. In the event that you have a grand jury and a grand jury is empanelled like here, Christi, it's very rare if ever that a grand jury itself would be sequestered.

A jury that considers guilt or innocence, that's another matter. So what we have to hope is that, you know what, they considered the facts, considered the evidence, and that while no one is immune from the outside pressures, they're able to base what they do on what they hear inside that jury gram and not the outside influences throughout for sure.

PAUL: This is something from Benjamin Crump. He's the attorney for Michael Brown's family. As he spoke to equal treatment, listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY, MICHAEL BROWN FAMILY: Probable cause is on a tipping scale. It's not like the criminal proceeding beyond a reasonable doubt. If they indict him, he will have his day in court. Nobody's saying he doesn't get his constitutional rights of being innocent until proven guilty.

We just want to know if we're going to have a chance at justice. That's why you see the people at Ferguson and all around this country so frustrated because they say why don't we get equal justice for our children who are dead on the street.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Joey, what do you make of his reasoning there?

JACKSON: Look, the reality is that a grand jury just has to consider probable cause. You know, they heard a lot of evidence, Christi, and we'll see whether they believe, right, according to all of that evidence, whether there's reasonable cause to believe that a crime was committed and that Darren Wilson committed it.

PAUL: All right, Joey Jackson, all we can do is hope that we're not going to see the escapades that we saw before.

JACKSON: Peaceful protests, Christi, absolutely.

PAUL: Amen. All right, Joey, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

JACKSON: Have a great day, thank you.

BLACKWELL: We're going to continue to follow the developing weather situation in buffalo. Consider this, nearly 7 feet of snow on the ground and rain on the way. We'll talk about that deadly weather emergency. It is far from over.

But right now, you've got to watch this. This is video from a drone flying over that area. It is unbelievable what is happening in this community. We're going to talk to the guy who shot this coming up.

And this is a heart warmer, talk about being loyal, what buddy the beagle did --

PAUL: This awesome.

BLACKWELL: -- it's a great story that once and for all could prove that a dog really is a man's best friend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: It's 23 minutes past the hour. We're so glad to have you with us. A lot of news to tell you about in your "Morning Read."

BLACKWELL: Yes, the parents of the American aid worker beheaded hostage by ISIS will hold the memorial service for their son tomorrow in Indiana. Now the service for Peter Kassig will be led by Christian and Muslim faith leaders and it's a tribute from his friends.

PAUL: Kassig's parents along with about 200 others attended a prayer service in memory of their son in an Indiana mosque just yesterday.

BLACKWELL: House Republicans have filed lawsuits against the White House over Obamacare. They say the president overstepped his executive authority when he implemented the law and insist the so- called employer mandate should be postponed. Top GOP leaders are also considering filing a separate lawsuit that would challenge the president's plan on immigration.

PAUL: A woman arrested outside the White House Thursday night has now charged with carrying a pistol. It's a felony. She's expected to appear in court on Monday. Now Friday, Secret Service agents searched her home and removed several items including apparently a long gun.

BLACKWELL: Senators grilled an executive from air bag manufacturer, Takata, this week. The hearing was held after some Takata-made air bags exploded prompting a nationwide recall of 8 million vehicles. And now safety regulators want the company to expand air bag recalls to the entire country. At least five deaths have been linked to those air bags.

PAUL: OK, let's get you some good stuff this morning. We know you want to smile. Buddy the beagle. His owner got sick. He was taken to the hospital. Buddy decided to tag along on the step of the ambulance, look at that, for 20 miles, surprised his owner and others. That's loyalty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Impressed of his loyalty. He wanted to help me. He was a help. He made it more comfortable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Buddy's owner adopted him from a shelter just four months ago. How that dog hung on that middle step for 20 miles that is impressive.

BLACKWELL: There's a lot going on in the world, but we just wanted to squeeze that in for you this morning.

More than two years after the deadly Benghazi terror attack. We're learning now details about what happened that night. Why reports spearheaded by Republicans shooting down claims the Obama administration fumbled their response?

PAUL: Plus, this nightmare that's unfolding in New York nearly 7 feet of snow on the ground. Rain is coming. And that's in Buffalo -- parts of Buffalo. We'll tell you what's happening next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: It's 29 minutes past the hour right now. Welcome back. It's so good to have your company. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. This morning, we're learning new details about the deadly 2012 Benghazi terror attack. There's a new report spirited by Republicans and shooting down claims the Obama administration mishandled situations on the ground. That incident killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other U.S. nationals.

PAUL: Investigative report which was prepared by the House Intelligence Committee finds there was no intelligence failure prior to the attack. That's something that's long been a sticking point for the Obama critics.

BLACKWELL: Now, the reports also found there was no stand-down order to CIA operatives. It does reveal however overall security at the consulate was weak.

PAUL: I want to bring in senior media correspondent and host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES" Brian Stelter. Brian, good to have you with us.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

PAUL: Do you think this report is going to quiet critics who say that the administration mishandled the attack?

STELTER: Some maybe. But not many. I think Benghazi has become more about myth and legend than it's become about facts. And this report attempts to dismiss and refute some of those myths that have taken root. But already on Friday night and now onto Saturday morning. I've noticed two things about the reaction to this report. The first is on the left and in the middle from news outlets that really seek to be objective like CNN.

A lot of coverage of the report. People say this report does dismiss some of those most outlandish conspiracy theories of myths. But then, on right-leaning outlets, on outlets that really have a conservative point of view, there's been two reactions. One is that mostly ignore the report, another reaction is to say, the report is fraud and incomplete and we need to figure out more answers and more information. So, Christi and Victor, this goes to show that that other Benghazi select committee that was announced several months ago is going to go forward. And the representatives that are running that committee say they're just going to use this House report as part of their gathered information. In other words, in a short answer, Benghazi as a scandal isn't going away, whether it's a scandal or not.

BLACKWELL: So we expect as we move into what will likely be the Clinton campaign for 2016 that we're still going to see that what difference does it make. And we're still going to hear Benghazi in the media as we move into the defense of what happened there?

STELTER: Yes, in part, because the report does make clear, and this is a report, you know, done both by the Republicans and the Democrats in the House. The administration officials and the State Department officials did make mistake. As you mentioned about security, for example. I think what's most important, though, is that some of the myths, some of the conspiratorial myths are being debunked. For example, if you google and you find conservative media outlets you'll find conspiracy there's about how the CIA operation in Benghazi was secretly funneling weapons to Syria.

Well, this report makes that very clear that that was not going on. What I worry about, to be completely honest, Victor and Christi, is that when a report like this comes out and those theories get debunked the people who believe them will never even hear about this report. For example, on Fox News last night, this new report was mentioned just twice, just for 30 seconds each. And then they moved on. "The Drudge Report," one of the biggest conservative news outlets out there hasn't mentioned it all. So, it's an example of how filter bubbles, you know, that we may or may not live in, can be troubling. It's important to step outside our filter bubbles and see the other side sometimes.

PAUL: Already. Hey, Brian, always good to have you here. Thank you so much.

STELTER: Thank you.

PAUL: And don't forget to watch "Reliable Sources" airs Sunday at 11 Eastern right here on CNN.

BLACKWELL: Snow stocked Buffalo facing a new weather threat. I mean it's bad enough, right?

PAUL: Oh, my goodness.

BLACKWELL: Rain is coming, of course, that could lead to very dangerous flooding.

PAUL: And the images coming out of there are incredible with nearly 7 feet of snow that hit the area in just three days. This storm has taken a terrible toll. We know this morning, and this is a new number, at least 13 people are confirmed dead. Roofs are collapsing under the weight of that snow. CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray joining us now. What is the immediate threat there right now, Jen?

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well the immediate threat is going to be temperatures warming up into the weekend and into the beginning part of next week. And rain expected as soon as today. When you have rain on top of that snow, it is just going to add more weight to those roofs that are already maxing out at that -- because of all the snow that's been on there. Some people have five, six feet of snow on their roofs. So, we do have a flooding threat as we go through the rest of the weekend. This is until - this is from Sunday night into Wednesday.

And so, this is going to be a problem for several days. We have the warming temperatures, the melting snow, and the rain on top of that. So, as we go forward in time, you can see, this is Saturday -- this morning, or this afternoon. As you can see a little bit of showers here and there. But as we go through Sunday and then into Monday, more rain expected for the Buffalo area.

And when that happens, we are expecting a possible flooding threat. Also with temperatures warming up close to 60 degrees by Monday, we're going to be looking at rapid melting. And so, here's your five-day forecast for Buffalo, New York. 41 today with rain. 47 and cloudy on Sunday. Monday, 57 degrees. And then Monday evening into Tuesday, that next round of rain moves in. So another threat that we are looking at this weekend. The severe weather threat for the south could see large hail, damaging winds anywhere from Texas to south Louisiana, moves a little bit farther to the east, guys, as we go through Sunday.

PAUL: Good heaven.

BLACKWELL: Jennifer Gray, thank you so much.

Let's talk more about this, because at the height of the storm in Buffalo, one man trapped inside his home found a way to capture really awesome outdoor scenes.

PAUL: Oh, my goodness, you're looking at drone video here. Isn't that something? That's from James Ramaley (ph) who said his neighborhood was swamped. I mean it is a beautiful view, no doubt about it.

BLACKWELL: Yeah, from this side of the ...

PAUL: Yeah.

BLACKWELL: Living there, not so nice.

PAUL: James is joining us by phone, of course. I'm wondering, James, were you even have been able to get out of your house today if we had asked you to do so?

JAMES RAMALEY: Well, good morning, yes, I did. Late last night, I had an awesome neighbor, I flagged him down with my drone, with its lights. He had a front loader, so, I'm officially dug out. The road still isn't cleared, but now, I'm dealing with some ice on the roofs that I'm kind of concerned about.

BLACKWELL: So, take us through what we're looking at here. You put the drone up. You're flying around, showing us. What are we seeing? How deep is the snow right outside your door?

RAMALEY: The snow you're looking at there, that's in the middle of the street. It was -- before they had moved it there, with the kids, it was up to my chest. And that's pretty high. That's about four feet. You guys there?

PAUL: Yes, go ahead.

RAMALEY: Oh, OK, guys. I'm sorry, I heard a beep. Anyway, it was about chest deep. It was - it was the deepest I've ever seen it by far.

PAUL: And we've been hearing, James, about high winds. Are you surprised that the drone was able to capture all of this? Was it windy at the time, I guess or you caught it in a lull?

RAMALEY: No, I'm not surprised, you know, it stands testaments to companies like DGI innovations and GoPro, that this technology can withstand these conditions. And, you know, I'm just amazed that this technology exists. You know, he filmmaker, it's an amazing tool to have in the shed for times like this.

PAUL: Boy, it is something to see. And we're so grateful that you shared it with us, James. James Grimaldi for us. Take good care there of yourself and each other and your neighbors and hope that you all stay safe.

RAMALEY: Thank you very much. Have a good day.

PAUL: You, too.

BLACKWELL: So, let's talk about the president's executive order on immigration. It has definitely been controversial. Maybe an understatement.

PAUL: Good word, yeah.

BLACKWELL: Not just with the Republican Party but some activists as well. There are some who say it does not go far enough. We're going to break down what the overall could mean for about 5 million people in this country illegally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Chang scaled the highest of player back in 1989 becoming the youngest male ever to win a grand slam title at the age of just 17 when he took the French open in Paris. Ten years after his greatest triumph, the American launched the Chang Family Foundation. A court dedicates to integrating tennis, community service and his Christian faith. The 42-year-old is now keener than ever to pass on that winning mindset that served him so well as a player.

MICHAEL CHANG: My mentality was, I mean given this talent, you know, certainly, I want to go out and make them very, very most of it. I want to become the best tennis player that I can be. But at the same time, I have this platform. I have this platform to touch lines. Hopefully inspire some kids but if I've gone and spent my 16-plus years, you know, going out and trying to achieve my own things, but never did anything for anybody, never, you know, took the time to spend to sign an autograph or talk to a youngster, or somehow encourage them, then really kind of what's it all for? You know. And sometimes, I think people forget that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: This weekend, Republicans are, many of them, searching for ways to block President Obama's controversial executive action on immigration. But he's standing by his sweeping overhaul, a system that both Republicans and Democrats alike consider broken.

PAUL: His move can shield up to 5 million people from deportation. And the changes apply largely to parents of legal residents who have been in the U.S. for at least five years. They'll be allowed to stay three more years as long as they pass background checks and pay taxes, but there is no path to citizenship. Tightening the border and deporting criminals are also priorities.

BLACKWELL: Joining us now for more, Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA and Frank Sharry, the founder and executive director of America's Voice. I want to start with you, Frank. Your organization released a statement calling what we saw here an example, to demonstrate our government can work at its highest level of pragmatism and idealism. Isn't this just the opposite considering that Congress has not been able to pass any legislation? How was this the ideal?

FRANK SHARRY: Well, now, the president has taken action finally. Somebody is doing something to fix our broken immigration system. Would it be better for Congress to step up? Yes. Do we need Congress to finish the job that only they can do? Of course. We need a permanent solution that only Congress can deliver. In the meantime the idea that the president is taking common sense steps to say let's go after bad actors, let's protect decent people, let's use our resources wisely, I think is going to be really great in terms of improving our immigration system. And as you saw it with the tears and the hugs and the screams of joy really good for hardworking moms and dads who just want to put food on the table for their families.

BLACKWELL: Roy, I've read the statements from NumbersUSA and followed your Twitter account here. And you talk about the work permits. There is a provision that not many people are discussing that allows high-skilled workers status to be able to continue to work in the country. Is that your main point, your problem with the executive action?

ROY BECK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NUMBERSUSA: Yes, it's not just the high-skilled workers. This is not primarily about deportations. This order is about work permits. And you notice the president did not utter those words. He is giving millions of work permits to millions of people who are in this country illegally. And this allows them to compete with unemployed Americans for almost every job in America. That really changes the equation. And we regard this as a tremendous act of insensitivity. To 18 million Americans, who want a full-time job, can't find one. 18 million. And his sole focus here is on the people who are here illegally. Now, the big push is stop the deportations. But he didn't stop at stopping the deportations. He has to add this assault on the unemployed Americans by giving out millions of work permits. Yes, that is the biggest problem with this.

BLACKWELL: Well, Roy, let me ask you this, because the Senate bill just passed, and hasn't been taken up by the House, but also increased the cap for high-skilled workers and the H1-V visa program from 65,000 to 110,000. So, do you think even as the legislation that Congress - one House of Congress considered, the other has not yet, we don't know if they will that that is prudent either? I mean do you think that's a good idea?

BECK: There's no excuse for expanding the high-skilled visas. There have been several reports that have come out in just the last few months. We have a glut of high-skilled workers in this country just as we have an over-surplus of workers at every level in this country. The only place that we have any need for foreign workers is with agriculture. And we have an unlimited guest worker program for agriculture. There is no reason for any farmer to ever use illegal workers there.

But we have 18 million people, these are Americans and legal immigrants that are already here that are at every skill level. This is the push for more work permits for foreign workers, is all about corporations wanting to drive down the wages. And American workers have suffered three decades of either stagnant or declining real wages. So we feel like it's time for President Obama to really put his focus on the struggling middle class. He mentioned the struggling middle class, but then he just dismissed them as if none of this matters. Of course, he didn't mention that he was giving out work permits.

BLACKWELL: Let me get to Frank here. Frank, there are some who say that this doesn't go far enough, what do you think?

SHARRY: Look. The job isn't complete. We do need - we have 11 million people here, this protects roughly 5 million. It's a huge step forward, and a huge victory. On the other hand, what we really need is for Congress to step up and do their job. You know, the Senate passed a very decent, comprehensive bill back in 2013. The House could bring it up today, they could bring it up before the end of the year, supersede the executive actions and solve it once and for all, they just refuse to do so. So, the House GOP is blocking, fixing the status quo, the president is stepping up taking initial steps. Immigrants are going to get in the system, pass background checks, pay their taxes. I think it's a great boon to the economy. I think it's a great boon to the humanity of the workers and it finally does something to fix our broken immigration system.

BLACKWELL: All right, Roy Beck, Frank Sharry, thank you both.

SHARRY: Thank you.

PAUL: Following a developing story right now in Mexico, violent protests over the disappearance of dozens of students. These protesters, as you can see, they're getting pretty bad. We're going to show you some of the incredible pictures we're getting in right now.

Plus, an incredible scene, too, in San Francisco. A window washer falls 11 stories as pedestrians watch in horror. But he was saved. We'll tell you how, coming up.

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PAUL: All right, let's see five of your top stories for your "NEW DAY."

BLACKWELL: Number one, the St. Louis community is on edge this morning as residents there and across the nation await the grand jury's decision in the shooting death of Michael Brown. Protests, some of them were violent, have erupted since Brown was killed August 9th by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Now, Wilson faces charges, he could face charges ranging from first degree murder all the way to involuntary manslaughter.

PAUL: Number two, the disappearance of 43 college students leads to the violent clashes in Mexico City. Look at the video we are getting in here. Tens of thousands of protesters showed up in the city's main square this week to demand justice. Frustrated protesters used Molotov cocktails and rocks. Mexico's attorney general believes the students were kidnapped, murdered and then dumped in a river by gang members.

BLACKWELL: Number three, innocent men wrongfully convicted of murder. In 1975, they're finally free. All charges were dismissed against Wiley Bridgeman and Ricky Jackson after their 39-year nightmare. Because a key witness against them, a then 12-year-old boy recanted his testimony. The men were initially sentenced to death.

PAUL: Number four, the gunman who wounded three people at Florida State University mailed ten packages before that shooting. Officials say the packages sent by Myron May have been collected by investigators. And the contents of the packages are not hazardous, but they are being center to the FBI for additional analysis.

BLACKWELL: Number five, a window washer, he is fortunate to be alive this morning. He fell 11 stories, on to - not the concrete, a moving car in San Francisco.

PAUL: Oh my goodness. BLACKWELL: The fire department officials say he's hospitalized in critical, but stable condition. He was conscious when responders arrived. Horrified onlookers. Of course they ran to help him. The driver of the car was not injured.

PAUL: That is something. And we're continuing to follow two developing stories. First of all with new rape allegations surfacing, Bill Cosby, when he took the stage. And at the top of the hour, we're going to give you the reaction the comedian received after finishing his show.

BLACKWELL: Plus, a new weather threat for Buffalo, these people have been through enough with all the snow. But now, rain is on the wait. Why that could mean even bigger problems. We're going to go there live -- next.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're in what's called the whale room. You're wondering why, right? A little hint for you, uh-huh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The days leading up to the main event are action-packed. Cameras, lighting, HD video screens and decor are put in place. And no show is complete without the rolling out of the red carpet. Before you know it, a transformation. So inside this trailer, my fantastic colleagues are putting the final touches on the show -- dare I go in?

Come on, look alive, people, we're almost at show time!

On this night at the museum, host Anderson Cooper and the CNN team honor a very special kind of person.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of these people. They don't have a lot of money. They don't have access to power. They don't have - you know, they're just people who saw a need in their community and set about trying to fix something.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And here the celebs have turned out to pay them tribute. Recording artist Sheryl Crow who performed at CNN's Heroes inaugural event is back for another special performance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I'm grateful to CNN that they have started this program because there are so many angels out there on this plant that are doing god's work.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the night's honorees who never seek the spotlight, seeing it all for the first time is a moment to remember.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: And you have to tune in, December 7 to see the CNN heroes special featuring as we saw Anderson Cooper. And hosts of celebrity presenters and performers and an evening that is certainly going to offer inspiration. You are going to feel it.

PAUL: And we all need some of that.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: Hey, we have a lot more news to tell you about this morning.

BLACKWELL: Next hour of your "NEW DAY" starts now.