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New Day Saturday

Turkish President: Attempted Coup Failed; ISIS Claims It Inspired France Terror Attack; Sources: Pence Wasn't Trump's Gut Choice For VP; Trump to Introduce VP Pick Mike Pence; Non-Lethal Items Banned from RNC, Guns Allowed; How the Convention Floor Will Come to Life. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired July 16, 2016 - 06:00   ET

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

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[06:00:23] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, "AC360": Military coup under way in Turkey.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: We heard two bombs.

COOPER: Thousands on the streets. Some of them called outdoors by the president. Protesters facing down a tank. Soldiers firing their weapons in the air.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: We just saw one attack another and another after another.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR, "EARLY START": Ten children among the 84 dead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the same question everybody is asking, why so much hate?

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST, "THE LEAD": Is the United States and the western world, are we doing enough to top these kinds of attacks?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we're doing the right things. We just have to intensify the effort.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. We are so grateful to be with you as always. I'm Christi Paul. It's a little different I know.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm a little bit different this morning. I'm Victor Blackwell. Good morning. We are live in Cleveland, Ohio, the site of the Republican National Convention. Good morning to you.

We're following three major stories right now. Up first in a matter of hours, we'll get our first look at the Republican presidential ticket. Presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, is set to introduce his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

Now this is happening as insiders tell CNN Trump had some, let's call them, last-minute second thoughts about that decision.

PAUL: And as Republicans prepare to nominate their candidate hoping to be the next commander-in-chief, there's violence and turmoil in Turkey that we have been watching all night. A bloody coup attempt by a faction of its military have left at least 90 dead, we understand. There's a lot of uncertainty in those streets now. The question at the moment, who is in control of this key U.S. and NATO ally?

BLACKWELL: And of course, the continuing breaking details out of Southern France, new terror raids and arrests overnight. That's happening as ISIS says that it inspires Thursday's truck rampage in Nice, that killed 84 people, two of them Americans.

But first, we are going to Turkey, President Recep Erdogan says the coup has failed and his government is in control after part of the Turkish military tried to seize power plunging that country into a night of chaos.

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PAUL: Listen to just that hail of gunfire in Istanbul. It rained down from helicopters, more than 1,000 people have been injured in the confusion across that country, and at least 1,500 military personnel have been arrested, we understand. Overnight, the military stormed parliament and the airport.

BLACKWELL: Soldiers also entered our affiliate CNN Turk there in Istanbul claiming it under Martial Law. The network resumed broadcasting about 45 minutes after being taken off the air.

Let's get the latest now on the situation in Turkey and bring in CNN senior international correspondent, Nima Elbagir. She's joining us from Nice. She's on assignment covering Thursday's Bastille Day attack, but has reported extensively on and from Turkey over the past couple of years.

So Nima, we come to you with the question of, you know, we saw what happened overnight, but what's happening in Turkey now?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the signs weren't initially very promising, Victor, but the president does seem to be back in control. How all-encompassing that control is, of course, remains to be seen. I just want to take you back to how all of this unfolded. Take a look at this.

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ELBAGIR (voice-over): At 11:25 p.m. Friday local time, the Turkish military said in a statement that it had taken control of the country and imposed martial law. At 12:26 a.m., Saturday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking to the country via a Facetime call into CNN Turk telling his supporters to go to the streets to hunt for democracy. The anchor holding her microphone up to the phone to hear what he is saying. At 1:50 a.m., gunshots reported at the presidential complex in Ankara and reports of helicopters opening Fires at the National Intelligence Headquarters.

Videos and (inaudible) posted on social media showed large crowds marching through to the streets and taunting soldiers. Some facing off against tanks and armored vehicles.

Crowds also gathering at Istanbul's airport, the site of the terror attack two weeks ago. Another flash point, the Bosporus Bridge connecting Turkish-Europe and Asia.

KAT COHEN, AMERICAN TRAPPED IN ISTANBUL (via telephone): We've heard two bombs in the last hour, and the fighter planes going right over us, and the last one, everyone just got up and ran inside.

[06:05:09]ELBAGIR: At 2:51 a.m., the Turkish National Intelligence Unit claims the coup is over. There are also reports of bombs thrown outside of the parliament building in Ankara. Meanwhile, troops entered TV stations taking over the newsroom of TRT and shutting down the network of CNN Turk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was quite a scary moment. My staff -- their phones were confiscated.

ELBAGIR: Around 3:20 a.m., Turkish President Erdogan's plane lands at Istanbul's airport. He says law enforcement has started arresting military officers of various ranks. Turkey's deputy prime minister talks to CNN on the phone.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Who is in control now in Turkey?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Well, there has been a fair coup attempt. Government is in full control. There's still some rogue --

ELBAGIR: At 6:30 a.m., at dawn on Saturday, President Erdogan addresses a large crowd. He calls the coup attempt treason and says his government is in control.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We will stand firm. We are not going to compromise.

ELBAGIR: Daylight brings clear pictures of the aftermath. These incredible scenes from Istanbul's Bosporus Bridge, as soldiers surrendering en masse, walking away from tanks and abandoning their posts. And in Ankara, pictures of serious damage to the Turkish parliament.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELBAGIR: The Turkish military have always retained the right to intervene at times of what they call political and security instability and the country is still reeling from a series of ISIS attacks and the ISIS threat from just across the border in Syria and Iraq. The very reasons that made Erdogan vulnerable to the two attempts are the reasons why that the U.S. and other NATO allies have been watching so nervously overnight to see how this plays out. They need stability in Turkey and President Erdogan, for his political future needs to deliver it -- Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: All right, Nima Elbagir there for us in Nice. But bringing that well through the experience in reporting on Turkey for us this morning.

And as her piece mentioned there, during the early hours of this attempted coup, Turkey's president was forced to use Facetime on his cell phone in an attempt to rally people against the coup. This is a remarkable moment, watch.

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RECEP TAYYIP ERGOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): I want to encourage my people to the streets and invite them to the airports, and together as people gather, show them by letting them come with their tanks to see what they're going to do. Do it right there to the people. Power above the people I have never seen.

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BLACKWELL: All right, joining us now to expand this conversation, CNN military analyst, Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona, a former U.S. military attache in Syria, and on the phone with us, Mustafa Akyol. He is a Turkish writer and journalist there in Istanbul. Good morning to both of you.

Mustafa, I want to start with you. There is sometimes a space between what we saw a failed coup and the government being in control. Can you give us an idea and put into context the degree to which the Erdogan government is in control there?

MUSTAFA AKYOL, TURKISH WRITER AND JOURNALIST (via telephone): I think right now they are in full control and there is no doubt at this point that the coup has been suppressed or diverted. I mean, in the first couple of hours, it was not clear what actually going on at the country, but it's just turned out this was not a military take over.

It was a glitch within the military and certain elements in the (inaudible) and the Air Forces. But the rest of the military, and the government and the police and the intelligence and other state institutions.

So the coup is averted right now and we can say that in Turkey, the normal constitutional democratic system is safe and secure. One more thing, the people went on the streets to really go up against the coup.

Not just the government but the secular position also stood with the government on this issue. So, I think we have given a test of the country. We have flawed democracy, and me as a critic like myself would say, but still a democracy and it's much better than any military illegal takeover.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we did see the opposition forces come out and say that they stand behind the democratically elected government.

Colonel, let me come to you, and of course, Turkey is very important to the U.S. and Europe, as this fight against ISIS continues, into an airbase there being launched for many of the airstrikes.

[06:10:09]Put into context for us, you know, the dilemma that the U.S. finds itself in with this strong man who isn't so strong?

LT. RICK FRANCONA (RETIRED), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, you know, a coup in Turkey would have been a real problem for our efforts against ISIS. As you mentioned, we are using Insulik (ph) and a couple of other bases north of the Syrian border really give us an advantage, conducting these air strikes that close.

Now, had the coup succeeded, we would have been faced to take a political dilemma in the United States because our laws are very specific. The Security Act of 1961 requires us not to support country, governments that have come to power, through military coup.

So, we would have faced a political crisis there. Fortunately, that didn't happen. And I want to make a couple of points what Mustafa is exactly right. This was not the Turkish military.

The Turkish military has intervened in the past but when they do, it's the entire institution of the Turkish military. This is small faction and this almost doomed from the start.

When President Erdogan called out his people to the streets that was the end of the coup. It was only a matter of how long it was going to take. So I think the United States military was making a (inaudible) relived when we saw the momentum of the initial coup falter.

Because this allowed us to continue operations -- I understand operations in Insulik (ph) were only stopped for about a half an hour.

BLACKWELL: All right. Mustafa, let me come back to you, the next 24 to 72 hours, of course, will be crucial. We're already seeing these arrests of members of military. More than 1,500 arrested thus far and the government will continue to purge those who tried to create this coup. What do you expect the next 72 hours will look like?

AKYOL: Well, the government condemned the coup, averted the coup, but also pointed to the culprits, I mean, as I perceive it, (inaudible), it's a group in Turkey, which used to an ally of the government, has now turned bitter against the government.

It's also rumored they have people in the military. They have some officers that are loyal to the movement. And now behind the coup and as an enemy of the state.

So therefore, we will see arrests of all of these not only officers, but also maybe some of their allies who are members. And we just heard that the Germans who have denounced this -- they got orders that they should now leave the country and so on and so forth.

This is a very tense scene, of course, the country has likely defended itself against a coup and against (inaudible) something like that, but also a group which has to be very precise and meticulous because there is also the risk of violating civil liberties and Turkey's (inaudible) nonimmigrant states.

So the government has a right to and it will, I think, to defend itself against this obviously threat, whichever obviously has deep roots. But also this should not turn into a witchhunt as we have seen lately in Turkish history.

BLACKWELL: Let me just update the numbers we're getting in now, 161 dead overnight and 2,839 members of the Turkish military detained. Again, 161 dead, and now, 2,839 detained. Mustafa Kkyol, with (inaudible) columnist there, and Retired Colonel Rick Francona, our CNN military analyst. We'll continue our conversations throughout the morning.

PAUL: Meanwhile, we have breaking news out of France this morning. ISIS claiming it inspired the truck driver to plow through that crowd.

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JOHN LAMBERT, EYEWITNESS: He made a swerve slightly to the right and I got a good sight of the driver, young guy, very just focused on what he was doing. Just purposefully trying to hit as many people as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Now, several people are also in custody as well. We have details for you next. Stay close.

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[06:18:02]

BLACKWELL: Breaking news this morning, ISIS now claims it inspired the terror attack in France that killed 84 people on Thursday and ISIS-linked media agency is calling the truck driver an ISIS soldier who targeted nationals of coalition countries fighting ISIS.

PAUL: And the prosecutor's office said five people are in custody this morning. One of those people is the attacker's ex-wife. Our senior international correspondent, Clarissa Ward, joining us now from Nice.

So Clarissa, we have heard ISIS make claims before. Never before I believe have we heard them take responsibility for inspiring something like this. It's very different. What you can tell us about what we know regarding the driver's possible connection to ISIS?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: OK. So here's what we know, Christi, we know that a mock news agency which is essentially a mouthpiece for ISIS has come forward and said that this man was an Islamic State soldier who answered the call for attacks.

Also in ISIS radio bulletin, (inaudible), said it was the works of an ISIS soldier and warned crusader states about many more attacks in the future. But as you mentioned, the wording of this definitely leaves ISIS with a little bit of wiggle room.

Did they actually organize the attack or did they inspire it? Was it conceived up by them or are they just taking credit for it? Because, of course, ISIS is an extremely opportunistic organization and it's not uncommon for them in these situations to weigh in a little bit later and say, yes, he was essentially a soldier of the caliphate and take ownership for an attack.

What's not clear at this stage is whether any direct links, direct coordination, so far, authorities don't have any indication that there was. And French media reports say that family and friends say that this man was not even a practicing Muslim.

That he was not interested in religion and that he was a deeply troubled individual. Now meanwhile, we are here in front of the promenade, you can see behind me, police are actually getting ready to open this up again after that brutal, horrifying attack in which 84 people were killed.

[06:20:10]CNN spoke to the deputy mayor earlier because it's been a really rapid and major cleanup operation. The deputy mayor said, listen, this is an act of defiance to show terrorists that we won't be cowed.

We're trying to clean this up. Get people moving, get them back out, bring back the tourists and try to restore some sense of normalcy in this ravaged community.

PAUL: All right, Clarissa Ward, we appreciate it so much live in Nice, France this morning for us. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Donald Trump announces his pick for vice president, but sources say he did not go with his gut.

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BLACKWELL: Live look at Freedom Plaza here in Cleveland. The site of the 2016 Republican National Convention. Things get started on Monday. But we're here, a couple of days early.

And we know that Donald Trump is in just a few hours going to introduce his vice presidential pick, Indiana Governor Mike Pence. But reporting from our Dana Bash sheds some light on the uncertainty surrounding that decision.

A source tells CNN that Trump was not made sure he made the right choice, even after he'd flown the governor to New York City. We're joined now by CNN national correspondent, Jason Carroll. Jason, we're hearing that Mike Pence was not Trump's gut choice?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Victor. Yes, at first it seemed that the choice might be New Jersey's governor, Chris Christie. As you know, Christie very close with Trump, an advisor to Trump, but at the end of the day it was Pence.

Pence will appear at a news conference here in New York later this morning. This really seemed to go down to the wire. Trump building up much of the drama surrounding his decision. Thursday evening, he told another network he still has not made a final decision.

Pence had until just Friday, as you know, to withdraw his papers to run for reelection for governor of Indiana. Trump officially offering Pence the position sometime on Thursday leading up to the decision.

You remember, we saw Trump had his finalists out on the campaign trail with him. Newt Gingrich was out there. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, of course, and Pence was all out with Trump as well.

Sources telling CNN that there was some second-guessing from Trump about his decision even after he had made the decision. Trump apparently swayed ultimately by his children, who felt Pence was the right political choice.

I had spoken to a number Republican insiders some of whom have been uneasy with Trump and his rhetoric. They seemed to be pleased with Pence. One GOP activist telling me that Pence brings balance to the ticket.

Pence appeals to social conservatives. He appeals to Tea Partiers and to Evangelicals although he has disagreed with Trump in the past on some issues, but he says now that he's looking forward to being his vice president.

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GOVERNOR MIKE PENCE (R), PRESUMPTIVE VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I'm excited. I'm excited to be joining the ticket tomorrow with Donald Trump. I think he'll be a great president and I look forward to carrying his message all across this country and the months ahead and serving with him in the next administration.

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CARROLL: Victor, it should be noted and as I'm sure you know, Pence actually endorsed Ted Cruz during the primaries. Dan Senior who once served as a senior adviser to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign suggested on Friday that Pence once found Trump's rhetoric unacceptable.

I want to read a tweet that Senior sent out, it basically says the following, it says that, "Based on someone who had" -- it says, "It's disorienting to have commiserated with someone regarding Trump about how he was unacceptable and then to see that someone become Trump's VP."

Again, the 57-year-old governor will be appearing with Trump later on this morning. Pence will be returning to Indiana today for a welcome home rally -- Victor. BLACKWELL: All right, Jason Carroll for us there. Jason, thank you so much.

PAUL: And we are going to have more on that in just a moment. In terms of the choice for vice president, we're going to have a panel discussion on that.

Also breaking news out of Turkey, a U.S. ally badly shaken obviously after an attempted coup overnight killing more than a hundred people and prompting thousands and thousands of arrests.>

BLACKWELL: Plus, after the attacks in Dallas and what we saw in Nice this week, what will be the impact on security here in Cleveland, ahead of the Republican National Convention?

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[06:31:42] CNN ANNOUNCER: This is CNN "Breaking News."

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. So grateful to have your company our way. I'm Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you.

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(GUNFIRE)

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Today, Turkey, a key U.S. ally on the war on terror is reeling this morning from an attempted coup. A night of chaotic gunfire. And you can hear it here. Bombings as well left at least 165 people now dead. More than 1,000 injured.

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(CROWD CHEERING)

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BLACKWELL: Crowds cheering here as pro-government troops moved in to put down the rebellion. Nearly 3,000 military personnel suspected of being behind the uprising are now in custody.

PAUL: As the sun lows, renegade troops exited their tanks, surrendered en masse. Look at this pictures coming in.

President Erdogan rushed back from a seaside resort to assert his authority on YouTube's social media to contact CNN Turk. And urged the Turkish people to stand up to the, quote, "treason."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): I want to encourage my people to the streets and invite them to the airports. And together, as people gather, show them by letting them come with their tanks to see what they are going to do. Do it right there to the people. Power above the people I have never seen.

BLACKWELL: Now the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical. The Turkish parliament meets in a few hours to consider how to move forward after last night's attempted coup.

PAUL: We are, as we said, live in Cleveland. A few hours away from a live event where Donald Trump, too, will introduce his new running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

As soon as he announced his choice on Twitter, what a reaction. And it was mixed even from within Trump's own party.

Take a look.

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake applauding the choice saying it would add to the ticket. And that there is nobody in politics I respect more, he says, than Mike Pence.

RNC communications chief Sean Spicer calling it a great pick.

There was dissention in the ranks as well. We want to talk about this with Scottie Neil Hughes. CNN political commentator and political editor at WriteAlert.com. And Matt Stevens, founder of PruneJuiceMedia.com and contributor to "Politics365."

We thank both of you for being here.

So, Scottie, I want to get to some news that we are hearing this morning. That Governor Mike Pence saying, just last night, he agreed with Donald Trump's talk to ban Muslims from countries with heavy terrorist activity from entering the U.S. That is in direct -- that's a reversal, direct reversal, from what he had said back in December.

Explain to us how it seems that Mike Pence is morphing into Donald Trump's values. And isn't that a little difficult if you are hoping he's going to pull in some of the establishment.

SCOTTIE NEIL HUGHES, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Well, I don't think you ever have to look at and think that a president and vice president have to be on the same exact page, 100 percent.

PAUL: But this is a reversal.

[06:35:00] HUGHES: This is. It was a reversal, but I think it's also -- they sat down and we're able to actually talk out what the policy was and the justifications for it. And I think that's all that was mattered.

All we heard were those headlines that came out of the original statement about the Muslim ban. But once it came out, no, it's only non-U.S. citizens and the justification it would only be temporary. Then the, actually, the logical sense probably appealed to Governor Pence. Listen, I think Governor Pence is kind of like the Pepto-Bismol vice presidential candidate here. For anybody that might have some antacid after a -- some heartburn after this very contentious primary season, where we have Twitter and social media involved, this kind of calmed them down. I think now Governor Pence is able to look at, get a little bit more depth into the strategy behind the Trump campaign from very beginning including this policy right here.

HUGHES: Matt, what do you make of the news this morning?

MATT STEVENS, FOUNDER, PRUNEJUICEMEDIA.COM: Well, I actually am really surprised that he picked Mike Pence. But if we want to talk about Pepto-Bismol, I actually really think that Mike Pence was the best of some worst choices for Donald Trump. And I'm really going to be very interested to see how the Clinton campaign reacts to this. And how they campaign against Trump now that he has Pence on his ticket and he now will have to answer for Pence's record, both in Congress and as governor of Indiana.

PAUL: So what do you think the strategy will be now that she knows who this team is on the Republican side?

STEVENS: Well, I think that Hillary Clinton will now be able to -- what she'll have to do is she'll know that they're going to hit her the same way that she's going to hit him, which is going to be completely on the record.

You know, with Donald Trump, the past 13 months, he really has no political record at all. So he's been able to say some things that have gone unchecked because he simply doesn't have the record, but Mike Pence does have that record.

And so I would expect to see a lot of looking back at Mike Pence's radio talk show, as well as his record in Congress. And, of course, his record in Indiana as the governor, particularly with the Religious Freedom Bill, which was pretty much how a lot of people know Mike Pence, if they even know him outside of Indiana.

PAUL: I want to talk about some unfavorables here on both sides of the aisle. We just got some numbers in from North Carolina and Florida. 58 percent of people polled there have unfavorable view of Hillary Clinton. 61 percent in both states have unfavorable views of Donald Trump. When you look at those unfavorables that are so so elevated, does that make the VP choice that much more pivotal?

HUGHES: Absolutely. And thus far it's going to play such a big role. And I love that you brought up about points and the record of these candidates especially for somebody like Donald Trump who doesn't have a political thing.

But when it comes down to it, the records are going to come to the economy and security. And Governor Pence has probably one of the best records when you look at Indiana, where he has actually decreased unemployment to 5 percent. He's created over 130,000 jobs attributed just as he's been in since 2013. The economic development that he's done with Indiana is phenomenal and by far, a lot more comparable, surpassed what any senator that might be running for vice president for Hillary. Those were the things right there will make those favorable numbers come back up.

I think we're going to see a team more this year in this election season than we've seen in the past.

PAUL: Now we know that Hillary Clinton is in D.C. She has been having an awful lot of conversations with people. Of course, everybody is waiting to see who her VP choice will be.

Is there any chance that who Donald Trump has chosen will influence who she chooses. As well as again, when you look at those unfavorable numbers. What does she have to do? What must her choice reflect?

STEVENS: Well, I think what Hillary Clinton has shown in this campaign so far is pretty much having a steady hand. And I think that that's really important. I don't think that Mike Pence will impact her decision much, because I think that her camp has probably been thinking about their vice presidential pick for so long and realizing how the media scrutinizes her every move.

I think that they are vetting the -- whoever that candidate is going to be from top down. And I just really don't see that being an impact. I think that Hillary Clinton is going to stay focused on the issues, specifically the issues around, all of the negative press that Donald Trump has created over the past 13 months. And I think that she's going to have a lot -- she and whomever her vice presidential pick are both going to have a lot to work with once that person is announced, and they really hit this final stage of the campaign trail between now and election day.

PAUL: All right, Matt Stevens and Scottie Neil-Hughes, good to have you in person.

HUGHES: Thank you.

PAUL: Absolutely.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's talk security here at the convention because there are more than 70 items that are banned from the convention and the surrounding area. Not on that list of banned items, a gun.

Ohio's open carrying law is sparking security concerns between Trump supporters and protesters ahead of a major planned protests. Days of protests. One group issuing an ominous warning. We'll talk about that.

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[06:43:25] BLACKWELL: Welcome back.

We're live here in Cleveland this morning, where the Republican national convention is just a couple of days away now. But security fears are already mounting with the terror attack in France, coupled with tensions and violence across the country. Authorities here are increasing police presence around the event zone, as one would expect, specifically the Quicken Loans Arena where the Republican delegates will be.

Thousands of officers will be on patrol at the convention. And this is in anticipation of several anti-Trump protest groups expected to rally and march across the city in the next few days and those groups in many cases will be greeted by Trump supporters and officials fear that that could be a recipe for violence.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEH JOHNSON, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I am concerned about the prospect of demonstrations getting out of hand. I am concerned about the possibility of violence. We have, within DHS, some 3,000 personnel that will be dedicated to the security of the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention each.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: And some say now that what makes matters worse is that Ohio has the open carry gun law here, having the bikers for Trump group telling CNN that Cleveland streets could turn into the OK corral.

Let's talk about that. Bring in, Bob Reid, retired Cuyahoga County sheriff and now CNN law enforcement analyst.

Security, of course, at the top of everyone's mind. But let's talk about guns, first.

[06:45:00] There's a long list of things that people cannot bring into the convention zone, this perimeter. I can't bring a tennis ball. I can't bring a whole pineapple, but I can strap an AK-47 to my back?

BOB REID, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Yes, in certain venues, the hard venue all around Quicken Loans Arena, you cannot firearms into those venues. I think, you know, they have really studied this over the last year.

A 28-page protocol telling them what they can and cannot do. De- escalation techniques, voluntary compliance, on all of those issues.

So -- but is it a sensitive issue? Absolutely.

We have law enforcement and people that are carrying guns, that's sensitive.

BLACKWELL: Are you concerned, because there are many groups, and let me not say many, several groups have said, that they will come with weapons.

I mean, you see what we've watched over the last year at many -- outside of many of the Trump rallies?

REID: Yes. They are concerned. Whenever you have people that are carrying firearms, there can be accidents. It can be issues involving -- you have police officers who were carrying fire arms and you had civilians. Sometimes that's not the best recipe. But that's why law enforcement trains. And that's why we've been training for over a year. Secret service taking the lead and CPD and FBI and all the law enforcement partners.

BLACKWELL: You brought up this 28-page report a little more than a month ago. There was this general police order that was issued to officers here. And there's a section here that the head of the police union takes issue with. I want to put it up on the screen if we have it.

And it refers to de-escalation techniques. And it says, "De- escalation techniques maybe -- may include verbal persuasion warnings and tactical de-escalation techniques such as slowing down the pace of an incident, waiting out subjects and creating distance between the officer and the threats.

Steve Loomis who heads up the local union says "That creating distance is a retreat and sends the wrong message to protesters."

You say what?

REID: I think it's a safety zone. It's not that I agree or disagree with Steve. I believe that there's a zone that you need to have between protestors and police. And I think that that's been practiced. I don't -- I disagree with part of that.

BLACKWELL: How do, if at all, the attack in Dallas, and what we saw in Nice change the security posture here in Cleveland?

REID: Well, they have tabletops after all of these issues. Dallas and what happened in Nice. You know, they've thought on many, many things. In reference to what happened in Nice and vehicles.

For example, all four days, there's -- truck traffic is going to be restricted into downtown unless it has police escorts. So, they've thought of just about everything. I mean, they're really prepared for this.

I think what happened in Dallas, the tragedy in Dallas, you know, keeps our officers on their toes. They have to, if they want to come home at the end of the day, at the end of the night.

So, are they aware of it? Sure. Does it affect the way the protocol, the way they act, I don't think so. They're going to be professional anyway it happens.

BLACKWELL: Yes. All right, Bob Reid, our new law enforcement analyst here in Cleveland.

Bob, thank you so much.

REID: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: All right.

Christi?

PAUL: All right. I know there's a lot of energy here in Cleveland, even though the convention hasn't officially started yet. But it feels like it has.

We're going to take you inside the convention center and show you what's been going on leading up to the big event.

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[23:51:56] PAUL: We want to bring you breaking news in Turkey right now. Take a look.

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(GUNFIRES)

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BLACKWELL: Of course, Turkey, a key U.S. ally in the war on terror reeling this morning from that attempted coup over night. Chaotic gun fire, bombings there. Left at least 161 people dead and more than 1,000 injured.

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(PROTESTORS CHANTING)

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BLACKWELL: And you can hear the cheering from the crowd there as these pro-government troops moved in to tamp down the rebellion. Nearly 3,000 military personnel suspected of being behind this uprising. They are now in custody.

PAUL: And as the sun was rising this morning, renegade troops exited their tanks and surrendered en masse here. President Erdogan rushed back from a seaside resort to reassert his authority. He used social media to contact CNN Turk, this was unprecedented here, urging the Turkish people to stand up to the treason unprecedented in its form.

Take a look.

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RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): I want to encourage my people to the streets and invite them to the airports. And together, as people gather, show them by letting them come with their tanks to see what they are going to do, do it right there to the people. Power above the people, I have never seen.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLACKWELL: So, what happens now? The Turkish parliament is meeting in a few hours to consider how to proceed after last night's attempted coup.

We are just outside the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Behind us, workers are putting the final touches on the convention floor there where the Republican National Convention will take place.

Just a few days from now, this place will be jam-packed with thousands of delegates. A lot of people already coming in.

PAUL: Yes.

BLACKWELL: Reporters here, of course, already. Excitement palpable around the city.

PAUL: No doubt.

CNN, of course, is going to be bringing you wall-to-wall coverage. But, earlier, I got a sneak peek, went down to the floor to see what all the hubbub is about, spoke with our Washington bureau Chief Sam Feist about what we have in store for you.

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SAM FEIST, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF: When you watch CNN's coverage from the convention over the course of the next week, we're going to broadcast from quite a number of locations. But let me just point out the locations in the hall. We're still under construction but you can get a sense of them.

So over there in the corner, it's a two-level anchor platform, Anderson Cooper and our analysts will be on the top level. John King and the magic wall will be on the lower level.

But then I want to direct you up to the sky, if you will. Up there where you see the CNN logo, "America's Choice," those are our skyboxes were Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Dana Bash will broadcast from.

[06:55:00] Our sister networks from CNN international and CNN Espanol will be right next door. We have another couple of anchor booths, where our affiliates and our reporter for broadcast.

So, all around the hall, we'll have CNN anchors and reporters. And then of course around this corner --

PAUL: I was just going to say, it's not just up in the booth. We've got podium reporters, right?

FEIST: Correct. And we will have roving floor reporters. So around this floor, we will have reporters roving the floor, if you will, talking to delegates, talking to officials, talking to political leaders, talking to speakers.

If you think about the location that CNN has, call it an all-access pass. PAUL: There's so much energy in this hall right now. Just the hubbub of trying to get things together. I mean, like I said, you can hear the drilling, the sanding, the sawing, it's all in progress. But I have to believe, it does not compare to the energy once this is done and the delegates are here.

FEIST: So, this will be teaming with people. It will be full of people. There will be -- definitely be a heartbeat to this room. There will be lots of energy every night. And then of course on Thursday night, the big night, something you don't normally get to see.

PAUL: Yes, I love this.

FEIST: Those are some of the balloons that will drop on Thursday night. So they put them into bags and they will be loading them into the ceiling today and tomorrow. Ceiling will be full of balloons. And they will then drop them all on Thursday night, presumably right after Donald Trump accepts the nominee.

PAUL: Is that netting up there.

FEIST: So there's netting and balloons that will be filling the ceiling.

PAUL: But this is the Cavs arena?

FEIST: And that's what made this even more challenging for both the Republican national committee and for the news media. The NBA championships were held right in this very spot. And that delayed their ability to start constructing what you see around us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: And, of course, at the convention, they're going to be talking, I'm sure, about what we've been watching this morning. And we've got some new news that we have to tell you about regarding the France terror attack. This morning, an ISIS claim that's very unusual. Not the usual ISIS claims that we see.

BLACKWELL: They claimed they inspired it.

PAUL: Right. And the attempted coup, of course, in Turkey as well.

BLACKWELL: Yes, the next hour of your NEW DAY starts after a short break.

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