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New Day Saturday

Trump Says He Believes Putin's Election Meddling Denials; Flynn Offered $15M To Forcibly Remove Cleric; Moore Denies Accusations He Sexually Abused 14-Year-Old Girl; Shooting Massacre Prompts Churches To Rethink Security; Trump's Hamburger Steals The Show; Soldier Returns Home, Surprises Daughters At School. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired November 11, 2017 - 07:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:00:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- football in our level, which means half of them are traveling every week. It is a lot of food that we can provide to people that it rather than throw it in the trashcan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It teaches you to serve, and leadership, it's what we're here for. That's why we came to the academy -- where here to serve the people of America. And you know, it just -- it hits home. It really hits home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIE PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: They're calling other teams to do the same. By the way, reminder, December 9th, Army, and Navy square off in their 118th meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEWS DAY weekend with Victor Blackwell and Christie Paul.

PAUL: Breaking news this hour, President Trump is getting ready to have dinner with Vietnam's president.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Now, earlier today, the president says he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin about Russian meddling in the election 2016 presidential election. President Trump said that President Putin denied the allegations, and the president says that he believes him. The two leaders only chatted informally so far.

PAUL: CNN Senior White House Correspondent Jeff Zeleny, and CNN Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance, both with us live with us live from Da Nang. Let's go to Jeff Zeleny first here. So, Jeff, talk to us about what exactly the president said regarding his discussions with President Putin.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christie and Victor. Essentially, the president said that he's done talking about the Russian meddling in the election. And he was trying to move forward to other issues. He briefed reporters as he flew here in the -- from here in Da Nang to Hanoi, Vietnam this evening here. And he talked about a brief meeting that the two leaders had on the sidelines of this economic summit here in Da Nang. And he essentially said that, look, he believes he's taking President Putin at his words that Russia did not meddle in the election.

Now, this, of course, is despite all of the evidence from U.S. intelligence officials as well as others, really, across the board in Washington in both parties that Russia did indeed meddle in the election. Now, the president said this in an off-camera briefing among Air Force One a short time ago to reporters, let's look. He said, "Every time he sees me, he says 'I didn't do that', and I believe him. I really believe when he tells me that; he means it. But he says, I didn't do that."

With that, he's talking about, the president really is stipulating to the fact agreeing with President Putin that he did not meddle in the election. Now, of course, President Trump is eager to move beyond this to talk about other issues involving U.S.-Russian relations. Of course, North Korea, other economic issues, but there is still this Russia cloud that hangs over the administration which makes this indeed an issue here.

But President Trump, once again, as he did earlier this summer when these two leaders met in Hamburg, Germany, accepting President Putin assertion that he did not meddle in the U.S. election here. But, again, a bit beyond beside the point here of these investigations and things are really well underway back in Washington. And this follows a pattern of President Trump trying to move beyond this and delegitimatize all the investigation inquiries into this meddling in last year's election. Christie.

BLACKWELL: All right. Jeff, I'll take it. Thanks so much. Let's go now to Matthew Chance also in Da Nang there. Matthew, I know you ask a question of President Putin there, but I first want to get to the question over whether Russian meddling was actually discussed because of the Russian press secretary for the president there, denies it.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Victor. There's definitely a gap, a very significant gap in what the U.S. president, President Trump says, the two leaders discussed in the short brief encounters that they had here at the APEC Summit in Vietnam of the past couple of days. They met a couple of times, they shook hands, they met during the traditional, sort of, family photo.

And what President Putin of Russia says, who we just heard that President Trump is saying that, you know, he raised essentially the issue of the allegations of Russians meddling in the U.S. presidential election. When Vladimir Putin spoke to mainly Russian journalists, but also CNN in the sort of closed-door news conference at the end of APEC Summit before he departed the county. He was asked specifically what the two leaders discussed during the short encounters because we've seen the video, images, everybody has, of them walking, sort of, appearing quite happy together, and sort of chatting about stuff, what did they talk about?

Well, Putin says they talked about security issues and about economic cooperation, which he said was an almost zero at the moment between Russia and the United States. He didn't, at any point, mentioned the issue of U.S. election meddling allegations. And so, to clarify the matter, I got back in touch with the Press Secretary for the Kremlin, his name Dmitry Peskov.

And I texted him, I said, as far as you know, was the issue of meddling discussed by the two leaders? And he wrote back or saying, "no, no it was not." And so, you're seeing this sort of pretty significant difference of interpretation, if you like, about what was actually discussed between Trump and Putin. Victor and Christie.

[07:05:20] PAUL: All right. Matthew Chance, thank you so much for the clarification. We appreciate it. I want to bring in Melissa Quin now, Breaking News Reporter with The Washington Examiner. So, you've been listening to all of this Melissa. The president had to bring this up. Had he not brought it up, it would have looked like a real lost opportunity, correct?

MELISSA QUIN, BREAKING NEWS REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Absolutely. But the interesting thing here, what we saw from President Trump and Vladimir Putin is that the president as he has done before really seem to side with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies. We know at least four United States intelligence agencies are in agreement that Russia did indeed meddle in the 2016 election. And I'm sure that the president's comment regarding this is going to be troubling to a number of Democrats on Capitol Hill particularly as we've seen these investigations continue.

BLACKWELL: You know, I want to get to something the president said that kind of holds to a theme that we've seen from this president. Let me put it up here. The president said that of these Russian meddling that, "The whole thing was set up by Democrats. I mean, they ought to look at Podesta, they ought to look at all the things that they have done with the phony dossier. Those are the big events." Those are the big events. The president here in another instance also calling former intelligence chiefs here in the U.S. "political hacks." What's your reaction that -- it kind of seems like it's just the song we've heard before

QUIN: Yes. I think this is definitely part of the core story; it has become part of the course for President Trump. He -- almost every time he's asked about the investigation into Russian meddling, almost every time news break about Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling and potential collusion, President Trump and top members of his administration really just seem to try to shift the conversation away on the president onto the Democrats.

And we saw this happen just last week with Donna Brazile's new book about the 2016 election. We've seen this happen time and time again. So, I think that at this point, we can pretty expect the president to try to switch the conversation and pivot to how the focus really needs to be on Democrats, John Podesta, and Hillary Clinton

PAUL: I want to hone into something that the president said, he said every time he sees me, he says "I didn't do that, I really believe when he tells me that. He means it. But he says, 'I didn't do it.'" First of all, he said, every time he sees me, he tells me: do we know if President Trump brought up the meddling or if President Putin brought up the meddling? And --

BLACKWELL: Did he just come up and say, hey, I didn't do it, just so you know.

PAUL: Right. But then, what does it mean to these four intel agencies who have this proof to hear the president say, I believe President Putin when he said that he didn't do it.

QUIN: Well, I'm sure it's extremely troubling for the U.S. intelligence community to have this evidence and be in largely widespread agreement to hear the commander in chief say that not only does he disagree with them, but he is agreeing on Russian President Vladimir Putin. I don't know if we'll ever know the truth about who raise the issue of election meddling. I think, obviously, there are denials that it was even discussed with top Russian officials. But I think it can be expected that President Trump did; he's done it before. And he's most likely going to be under a lot of pressure if he did not, at least, raised the issue when he was face to face with Vladimir Putin.

BLACKWELL: It's a good raising the issue and then saying, I believe him, he tells me every time very vehemently and strongly that he didn't do it, and I believe him. I don't know if it gets to what people are hoping to hear from the president considering what we're hearing from the intelligence community. Melissa Quinn with The Washington Examiner, thanks so much.

QUIN: Thank you.

PAUL: Thanks, Melissa. Let's talk about Roy Moore. He is strongly denying sexual abuse allegations that are against him and pledges to stay in the race, but what do voters in Alabama think all about all this? We're live with you there next.

[07:09:18] BLACKWELL: Plus, the former member of the Trump administration was allegedly offered million dollars to forcibly take someone out of the U.S. We'll have the latest from a new report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: A live look here. This is the Vice President Mike Pence there. You see with his gloves and cleaning supplies. This is at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Wall. He and the Second Lady Karen Pence there are participating in a wall cleaning project in cooperation with the national park's service.

PAUL: It's a volunteer opportunity for them, and this is just the start of their day. They will then go to the Arlington Reclaim Ceremony there at 11:00 this afternoon, where they will participate in the National Veterans Day observance at the cemetery there. The 64th annual celebration there or memorial, I should say.

BLACKWELL: Yes. You see the vice president and second lady there participating with other volunteers, cleaning --

PAUL: Not the only ones, by any means. BLACKWELL: Absolutely, cleaning and polishing more than 400 feet of black granite there -- the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall.

PAUL: And we hear, of course, always saluting and thank all of you who have served and family members who have served, and the family who sits behind as they serve, because of they, in their own ways, serving without that person in their home and their lives every day.

BLACKWELL: Absolutely, absolutely. And we will bring you those, those comments from the vice president later this morning when -- there at Arlington International Cemetery.

This morning, the other big story: we're following these, these denials from Senate Candidate Roy Moore, who calls allegations that sexually abused the 14-year-old girl, "false and misleading."

[07:14:59] PAUL: The Alabama Republican says the accusations from 40 years ago are "politically motivated." Now, despite the denials, the allegations are creating a pretty sharp divide in the Republican Party. More than a dozen Republicans say that Judge Moore may need to leave the race. Former White House Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon, however, is sticking with him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: Until we see additional evidence on Judge Moore, I'm standing with him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN's Martin Savidge is live in Alabama for us this morning. And Martin, you're hearing a similar sentiment from a lot of people you're meeting there.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Good morning, Victor. Good morning, Christie. That's very true people, at least those who are supporters of Roy Moore do not appear so far to have changed their minds. And as much, say, the National GOP, the Republican Party may be trying to distance itself for more. No indication that on the state level -- in fact, the Alabama GOP today has to make their doorknob campaign, statewide, to talk to voters and let them know about the qualities of Roy Moore. In the meantime, it also appears the candidate himself has not changed course.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: Roy Moore, talking to a conservative talk radio making a strong denial of the accusations leveled against him, including allegations of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in 1979 -- first reported by the Washington Post.

MOORE: These allegations are completely false and misleading. But more than that, it hurts you personally, because, you know, I'm a father, I have one daughter, I have five granddaughters, and I have a special concern for protecting the young ladies. It is really hard to get on to talk on the radio and explain this. These allegations are just reportedly false.

SAVIDGE: Moore says he has no recollection of his most serious accuser, Lee Cortman. Who says, when she was 14 and Moore was 32, he undressed and sexually abused her.

MOORE: I don't know Miss Cortman from anybody. I've never talked to her, never had any contact with her; allegation of sexual misconduct with her are completely false.

SAVIDGE: One question looms: should Moore continue or quit his quest for the U.S. Senate? Supports, neither fellow Republicans are buying this.

TIM HUDDLESTON, ALABAMA RESIDENT: If they're true, you know, that's bad, he needs to step out of the race. There's no question to that.

SAVIDGE: Moore is still fighting support from his home state, but in Washington where he's hoping to take over Jeff Sessions' Senate seat, more than a dozen GOP lawmakers are saying Moore should step out, the accusations are true.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they're true, he should step aside.

NAME: If that's true. I don't believe there'd be any place for him in U.S. Senate.

SAVIDGE: The political scandal even triggering a reaction from President Trump halfway around the world. Speaking on Air Force One between China and Vietnam, White House Press Secretary Spokesperson, Sarah Sanders, first, giving the impression: Trump was supporting Moore.

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president believes that we do not allow the mere allegation, in this case, one for many years ago to destroy a person's life.

SAVIDGE: But on the very next line, Sanders repeating and increasingly her deems: "However, the president ought to believe that if these allegations are true, Jeff Moore will do the right thing and step aside."

SAVIDGE: Moore himself is showing absolutely no indication of what. In a phone interview, Moore's brother says, his brother accusers are either being paid or supporting Moore's Democratic opponent. Then, comparing his brother's political problems to the persecution of Jesus Christ. But the question remains of the shocking accusations impacting Alabama voters: it depends on who you talk to?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why didn't they come seven, eight months ago when -- when he would win it? All of a sudden two weeks from now, all this come up, you know. I believe a lot (INAUDIBLE), I really do. You know, and I think he can make it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: That's what you hear over and over, Victor and Christie. People are saying timing, it is suspicious of many here. Those who know Roy Moore say that he's not going to quit, not going to give in, and they expect he will be the next Senator from Alabama. Victor and Christie.

BLACKWELL: All right. Martin Savidge for us this morning. Martin, thank you.

PAUL: CNN Political Commentator and Political Anchor at Spectrum News, Errol Louis, with us now. And Errol, I wanted to ask you. As we hear Martin there saying he's most likely going to win. If he wins what does that do to the Republican Party? How do Republicans in Washington who have condemned this work with him moving forward?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND POLITICAL ANCHOR FOR SPECTRUM NEWS: Well, it's a great question. First of all, let's not be entirely sure that he's going to win. The polls, even before the scandal broke had an absolutely tied with this Democratic challenger. Yet, to keep in mind there, Roy Moore, is that a very unusual candidate. You know, this is somebody who said that you know, you shouldn't be able to serve in Congress if you're Muslim. He's got some view that is pretty far out of the mainstream; he's been removed from office twice. This is not somebody who is going to walk into office by any means.

[07:19:59] But if he should make it, to answer your question, it's going to put the Republican conference in a very difficult position. There are a lot of seats that they have to try -- either win or hold on to next year. There are already two that we're going to be closely contested -- in Arizona and in Nevada. This would, at a minimum, put a third seat in play that they'd rather not have to try and battle to on to.

PAUL: You know, we talked with Pastor Mike Allison earlier who's known him for 20 years, and said he is supporting him unless he hears from Moore's own mouth that it happened, or unless he goes to trial -- which likely would statute of limitations is not going to happen.

LOUIS: Yes.

PAUL: What do you make of the people who stand behind him, and, really, there -- what a lot of people see is a valid question: why would this come up now? This is a man who's been in the public eye for years.

LOUIS: Yes. Well, I mean, look, if you actually read the story, The Washington Post points out repeatedly none of these women came forward of their own volition. It was Washington Post reporters who went down and found them. The women don't know each other; they say that they don't. And so, it was an act of what we call journalistic enterprise where the reporters chase down some rumors that have been floating around, and found the woman and did the best job they could to try and verify whether or not those claims are true.

I'd also say to the pastor and to others, if they're waiting to hear from Roy Moore's own mouth, they should really try to look closely what he has said. Because what he has said that, well, I didn't generally date teenagers when I was 32-years-old and working as assistant district attorney, saying I never really dated anyone underage without their mother's permission, that kind of thing. Those little caveats tell, I think, any reasonable person exactly what they need to know. There'd been no flat-out denials; he says, he can't remember doing it without the mother's permission. That's not the same in saying, I never dated a 14-year-old.

PAUL: Well, wait, correct me if I'm wrong. Did we not hear him say he didn't even know her?

BLACKWELL: Yes. And he says a 14-year-old (INAUDIBLE).

PAUL: And that in his statement, just a couple of minutes ago, he said I didn't -- I don't know her, I hadn't seen her, he has no recollection of who this 14-year-old is.

LOUIS: Well, not remembering is not the same as saying I wouldn't know her now, I never met her, this kind of thing. Again, if you look back at the Washington Post report, they put him and her in and at the courthouse essentially on the same day, which itself is kind of remarkable. I think the woman who brought forth the accusation is remembering as best she can and there happened to be records that corroborate a lot of this, as well as a contemporaneous recollection from some of her friends, no political motive or whatsoever. The woman said she's been a Trump voter. No political connection to the Democratic race right now or anything else. So, I personally think, I'm not sure what else anybody could reasonably expect after 30 years.

PAUL: Errol, I'm sorry I just want -- because we're running out of time. But I want to get your take on this. Jim Zeigler, the Alabama State Auditor, saying look at Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager, Joseph was an adult carpenter; they became parents of Jesus. There's just nothing immoral or illegal here, maybe just a little bit unusual. And then, you know, you couple with what with what the brother is saying, you know, comparing him to Jesus Christ his conviction. And we're hearing from some in the religious community, Father Edward Beck said, "Really? So, basically claiming St. Joseph, was a pedophile also to justify Roy Moore behavior? Wow! Just wow!" What are you hearing, what do you make of these biblical references that are trying to be threaded into the Roy Moore conversation?

LOUIS: Well, there's a reason we have a secular government where these kinds of sentiments are supposed to be sort of confined to the private sphere to a certain extent.

PAUL: But they are speaking directly to, you would think, his base, yes? I mean, their strategy there.

LOUIS: Well, yes. I mean, here again, I'll wait until the polls close in December before we assign the likelihood of success to this strategy. It seems to me absolutely preposterous. I mean, it doesn't square with the bible as I was taught it growing up. But, you know, reasonable people can differ about something as unreasonable as a matter of faith.

PAUL: Yes. Just listening to some of the conversations that are being had after this, it's obvious that not all Christians are taking these defense statements to heart, let's say. Errol Louis, we appreciate you being here as always, sir. Thank you.

LOUIS: OK. Thank you.

[07:24:50] BLACKWELL: So, what will happen next and what's happening now with Robert Mueller's Russia investigation? Well, just a moment from now, we're joined by a man who has a better idea than most, Robert Anderson, who worked with Mueller for more than a decade.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Welcome back. I'm Christie Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell.

PAUL: So, we have more on this breaking news this hour. President Trump is getting ready for dinner with Vietnam's president in Hanoi, and we're also hearing from President Putin in a press conference at the APEC Summit.

BLACKWELL: Yes. President Putin says that he is "ready to turn the page on a relationship with the U.S." He says this, and this is part of a larger quote: "We are prepared to turn the page and go forward to look into the future to solve the problems that are of interest to the people of the United States, and the people of the Russian Federation. Think about fulfilling our economic relations with specific serious content."

[07:29:53] President Putin goes on to talk about business relations with the U.S. specifically talking about ExxonMobile. We will detail more of this throughout the morning. But again, President Putin says, "With respect to the U.S., Russia is ready to turn the page."

Now, earlier, President Trump said that he spoke with President Putin about Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election. President Trump said that Putin denied the allegations and President Trump says that he believes him. But, Putin's Press Secretary tells CNN, election meddling was not discussed as far as he knows.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: So, a little bit of (INAUDIBLE). It's a new aspect of Special Counsel Counselor Robert Mueller's investigation here now as we turn the page ourselves. Michael Flynn is he we're talking about and his son may have been offered $15 million to forcibly remove a man from the U.S., a man who's wanted by Turkey.

BLACKWELL: That's according to report in Wall Street Journal and Turkish leader has blamed an exile most cleric was in the U.S. for leading a failed military crew last year, that cleric is living in Pennsylvania. We don't yet know if a deal was reached to work money was exchanged for the force extradition plan. A lawyer for Flynn, former National Security Adviser to President Trump says the report is false.

Now, a man who worked with Robert Mueller, for more than a decade says that he can already see where this investigation is going, the broader investigation. And he says he expects more charges, more indictments and more cooperation from witnesses. Joining me now, Robert Anderson, former FBI Assistant Director of Counterintelligence. Mr. Anderson, good morning to you

ROBERT ANDERSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR, NAVIGANT: Good morning.

BLACKWELL: All right. So, let's start with this reporting from the Wall Street Journal about General Flynn and his son. What does this detail tell you about the investigation? They're reporting that this is something that Bob Mueller's looking into, what are you -- what are you going from that detail?

ANDERSON: Well, what it tells me real quickly is, especially after the indictment we saw a few weeks ago with Manafort and other parties, the collateral aspect of this case, he's looking at within great detail. Usually, what ends up happening is after you go into an investigation of the initial predicate, which obviously, in this case, is collusion potentially with Russia through people that worried or close the President or within is in her (INAUDIBLE).

I think it shows that he is looking at all those people very hard. And I think the key thing here with Mike Flynn and his team is going to be if this was a deal that the (INAUDIBLE) brought up to him, did he report it immediately and let every be to know what's happening.

BLACKWELL: You are the great piece for a time. And I want to start at the very end of it with just the last couple of sentence where you write, he knows these guys are not season criminals and he knows they're going to roll over on each other. Mark my words, it will start becoming a race to the special counsel's office.

How did on ceiling, first of all, the George Papadopoulos document changed this case?

ANDERSON: Well, I mean it sends a message. I mean, one, it lets you know that the team is working for Bob Mueller and I know most of the people that's been brought up on T.V. here recently in their unbelievably good of what they do. And it shows that not only is he looking at the main characters that were close to the President but all the collateral people that work under them.

And I think what it also shows people if they done something wrong and they haven't been interviewed or know about it yet. That is looking at people and people are talking to him for extended periods of time with got anybody knowing.

And obviously, if you're defense counsel and you have a client in that, you have to start worrying about what did they know? And when is the trigger on the hammer going to fall?

BLACKWELL: Let's focus in on the -- a former campaign chairman Paul Manafort who you write will not serve 25 years, not going to risk it. You write at a man who spends a million dollars on business suit in three years. From Cypress, he's not going to spend time in jail, he can handle with. Now, you suggest that he will cooperate with the Special Counsel, but Michael Landon who was the principal attorney for Nicks in spiced President speared, Spero Agnu. Also wrote in the Times, I'm sure you've read it. That for every move Mueller makes the President has a counter to disincentivize talking. He also writes this, he says that the process works for the run of the mill prosecutions, this one is unique because the ultimate target has a vast arsenal of unique defenses that he can and in Landon's opinion, certainly will deploy.

What do you make of a Michael Landon's counter-argument here?

ANDERSON: Well, there's no doubt. I think he's accurate. I mean, people that have means to have the best council's in the world defend them. They're going to put up the charge in their arguments, there's no doubt. But I can just tell you from 30 years at law enforcement and working hundreds of not thousands of cases that are what we would call white car crime cases are people that are hardly criminals.

When you go after hardly criminals, gang members, drug dealers, cartel people, you can threaten about a hundred years in jail. They're not going to budge, they're not going to look at you, the half of your life is spent in jail.

My whole point being or what I talk about at a Time's article is simply individuals that are being arrested currently, I don't think they grasp, I'm sure their defense council's do how these charges will affect them.

A lot of the charges that Mueller laid on top of Manafort, these are not small charges. Some of them carry anywhere from five to 10 years for each count. This is a significant amount of federal jail time if gets convicted. And my whole point of this, these are people that are not used to looking at this type of jail time.

BLACKWELL: All right. Former FBI Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Robert Anderson. Thanks so much for being with us.

ANDERSON: Thank you, it was a pleasure.

BLACKWELL: All right. Well, the church massacre in Sutherland Springs, Texas that killed 25 people but now has some churches rethinking security and pushing for armed guards. We'll look more into that possibility, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: It's been nearly a week now since that gunman unleashed gunfire on a congregation of churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, Texas. And today, the first funerals, their beginning for some of those shooting victims. Tomorrow, the community is holding a Sunday church service but the CNN's Kaylee Hartung reports, this shooting has a lot of churches, rethinking their security.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM CHADWICK, TRAINER, GATEKEEPERS SECURITY SERVICES: So yes, you snap it in there one time now --

KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Will Chadwick is training me. Like he has hundreds of others.

CHADWICK: You need to embrace the advantage of being better than the bad guy.

HARTUNG: So, you're carrying a gun on Sundays?

BRIAN ULCH, PASTOR, TRINITY LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH, DENISON: Absolutely, if I am on property, I will always have a gun on me.

HARTUNG: Pastor Bryan Ulch is a gatekeeper, a volunteer trained licensed and insured to protect his church by the Chadwick families Christian Security Institute

ULCH: we have responsibility to every single member that walks into a safe haven and walks into a place of worship and wanting a place with peace to provide the protection.

HARTUNG: Will and his dad Chuck created the Gatekeeper program more than a decade ago, just outside of Dallas.

CHUCK CHADWICK, PRESIDENT, GATEKEEPERS SECURITY SERVICES: It was so hard in those early years to even get somebody to end $20 on a subscription to our website and now we have thousands and thousands of churches that are part of our national organization.

HARTUNG: And in the last week, following the deadliest shooting in the U.S. House of Worship, their phone has been ringing off the hook. From New York to Hawaii, churches call wanting to learn how to protect themselves.

C. CHADWICK: You know, we take people that have absolutely no experience and we part ourselves on really being able to hone these skills.

HARTUNG: In a 6-day course, they say volunteers are taught defensive tactics (INAUDIBLE) professional security and law enforcement standards. But (INAUDIBLE) to challenges a church ministry could face, like how to interact with an unruly parishioner.

W. CHADWICK: And take that in, OK.

HARTUNG: And how to use a gun against an active shooter.

W. CHADWICK: Are being able to place your mind in there and see how you're going to react is important.

HARTUNG: There's a psychological evaluation and a background check, too. Pastor Ulch, like many other gatekeepers, didn't have any prior security training. Seven years ago, his church in Jensen, Texas discussed hiring a private security company, but they needed more.

ULCH: When you look at the outside, private security sector, they've had dynamic resources but they don't know your congregation, they don't know the heartbeat of your ministry. But when you at bringing your volunteers through, they not only know your campus, know your community, know your members, they can identify things that don't look right.

HARTUNG: How do you believe the events at First Baptist Church could have been different if they had a gatekeeper?

C. CHADWICK: In once I've really observed there it was going -- I sure wish they had a gatekeeper.

HARTUNG: Kaylee Hartung, CNN, Dallas, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Kaylee, thank you so much. Listen, it's a Veterans Day and we certainly want to show you -- I mean, every time we see one of these, right?

PAUL: My gosh, yes.

BLACKWELL: And get that -- you know, your face gets all warm and you got goosebumps at the side of your arm. This is one of those surprise returns from a soldier. It coming up right after the break, we'll going see you more of this. Oh --

PAUL: Oh my goodness.

BLACKWELL: Think surprise for a man his two daughters, stay with us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSHUA CHASON, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, MARYLAND STATE POLICE: How are you doing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: 47 minutes passed the hours. Breaking news this morning, President Trump is in Hanoi now and he's getting ready for dinner with Vietnam's President.

BLACKWELL: Near earlier, the President said that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election. The President Trump said that Putin denied allegations and that he believes him. But, Putin's Press Secretary tells CNN that election meddling was not discussed at all as far as he knows.

Meanwhile, President Putin said that Russia is ready to turn the page with regards to relations with the U.S. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: As you know and I often talk about it, we are prepared to turn the page and go forward to look into the future to solve the problems that are interest the people of the United States, and people of the Russian Federation to think about fulfilling our economic relations with this specific serious content. Just look at the latest economic forum in St. Petersburg, there was the greatest number of American company is there.

BLACKWELL: All right. So, while visiting Japan, as the President Trump had a burger setting off a Twitter firestorm. People who about praising the President and criticizing his lunch choice.

PAUL: you know though, the President's classically American meal here. It has elevated very quickly, once small business only in Tokyo, they are famous now. Take a look with Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: President Trump may have moved on from Japan but he left behind a sizzling culinary star, a burger blessed by the President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's in Japan and he's eating hamburgers.

MOOS: Japan's Prime Minister, ate one with him at a golf club before the two men teed off. The Japanese Prime Minister tweeted a photo of the burger bromance that included Heinz Ketchup saying, we're getting down the business right away over hamburgers. But the business that boomed was Munch's Burger Shack. The chef and owner was asked to come to the golf club to prepare the VIP Burgers, President Trump pronounced his, very good.

Now, it was already considered one of Tokyo's best burger joints is going gangbusters. One of the two branch has even ran out of meat. Munch's posted on Facebook that it was an honor to serve President Trump but warned customers of trouble due to congestion given their new popularity. And the faith that when President Obama visited Japan, he and the Prime Minister ate at a legendary sushi restaurant where meals run 300 bucks, Trump's cheeseburger cost $10.50.

Tweeted one fan, Trump won the election because he eats hamburgers and not high-end sushi. We all know the President loves his KFC and McDonald's, even did a McDonald's commercial.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A big and tasty for just a dollar.

MOOS: Now, he's (INAUDIBLE) advertising for a Japanese burger joint.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MOOS: Will the Colby Jack cheeseburger end up being requisition, the Trump Burger? The menu hasn't changed yet but this was a happy meal for Munch's Burger Shack. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

PAUL: There you have it, all right. Listen, we love to at least try to make you smile during a newscast in some's going in. I hope with that's going to happen next when you see this soldier who returns home from duty early to surprise two very special people, stay close. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: All right, time for this week's Staying Well. You know how people say, I want to live drama free, no drama? Well, in this case, it's actually a good thing, it's a mental health treatment called drama therapy and it's being used to help children and adults work through problems using role play, watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KALA HOLIDAY: My name is Kala, I'm 10 years old

CASSANDRA HOLIDAY, DAUGHTER HAS AUTISM: She is a very, very artistic kid. If I let her, she will draw all day. She didn't like to talk to a lot of people when she was younger. It's hard for her to sometimes to identify other people's emotions. Kala has been diagnosed with mild autism. The frustration levels would get to a point where she would defect scream. I knew that if I could find her a therapy that would meet her where she was it would have a better chance of being successful for her.

AZIZI MARSHALL, THERAPIST, CENTER FOR CREATIVE ARTS THERAPY: Drama Therapy is the combination of psychology and theater, and using them in a session. So, when you're able to step into the role and play it out with your therapist, they're better able to play it out in their everyday life.

I'm really nervous, what if they don't make any friends?

K. HOLIDAY: Can we do it tons of friends?

MARSHALL: Tons of friends? What if they don't like me?

K. HOLIDAY: That's okay, you just go with the flow.

RENEE EMUNAH, DRAMA THERAPY PIONEER: For some people, words are not sufficient and language is difficult. Where else do we get a laboratory for real life without consequence?

C. HOLIDAY: Drama Therapy is been very successful for Kala.

K. HOLIDAY: This year I have new friend, Trinity, Nubella and Aliyah.

MARSHALL: And it's just amazing to watch.

PAUL: All right. So, there's a special reunion we want to share with you on this Veterans Day. This is a soldier who is deployed for almost 10 months. He went home and surprised a couple of people who been waiting for him, let's say.

BLACKWELL: Yes, watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing?

BLACKWELL: Don't you feel the goosebumps?

PAUL: Oh my gosh.

BLACKWELL: I mean, it's an every time we see this, there just heartwarming. OK. So, students are filling the gym, this is what happens, it's happen again. They taught it was going to be a normal Veterans Day assembly but of course, there was this surprise, watch.

J. CHASON: They were very disappointed when they were hearing around Christmas time. So, with coming home a little bit early turned out to be a fun way to surprise them and let them have a little fun.

ANDREA CHASON, WIFE OF JOSHUA: To have him back is just the best feeling in the world.

J. CHASON: I saw the tears on this one the first and it, it just nearly then, then I had to fight them back myself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Steve, and this is -- this is why I love this scene, not just for the families but for that soldier.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: You know, for these guys and these women who are gone for so long and separated from their families doing things that allow us to have the freedoms that we have. That they get this moment as well. So, thank you so much for your service, to all of you out there. Thank you for your service, thank you for what you do for this country and for all of us and thank you to the families who are waiting because they are in their own way serving as well. Because they're going about their everyday lives without them.

BLACKWELL: Yes, it's a family sacrifice. That service is a sacrifice for every member of that family who has to do without that mother or father who was on serving our country. Again, our thanks.

And this morning, other Veterans Day celebrations, we got Vice President Mike Pence, a little while ago doing for volunteer work cleaning the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Later this morning, he'll participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. We'll bring that to you, of course, live when it begins.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY Weekend with Victor Blackwell and Christi Paul.

PAUL: Good morning to you. Listen, we want to show you some live pictures that we're getting in here. First of all, President trump sitting down for dinner with Vietnams President in Hanoi.

BLACKWELL: Earlier, he spoke with Russian President Vladimir --