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George W. Bush Wants Brother Jeb to Run; A Rash of Stabbings in Israel; Obama Announces New Visa Deal with China.

Aired November 10, 2014 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer, reporting from Washington.

Now that the midterm elections are history, the focus shifts to the 2016 presidential race. President Bush says there's a 50/50 chance his brother, Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, will run, and it's no secret that he wants him to run.

Here's what the former president said earlier on the "Today" show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It becomes sheer speculation until he says, I'm in. If he chooses to run, it would be a formidable force. And there would be a lot of too many Bushes, and he understands that. I understand that, too. Of course, they said that about me.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's bring back our panel, Gloria Borger, Paul Begala, and Newt Gingrich.

Would he be a formidable candidate, Gloria?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: If he got through the primaries, yes. I think he would have a very, very difficult time in the Republican Party right now.

BLITZER: Because he's --

(CROSSTALK)

BORGER: Particularly we're talking about immigration. His stance on immigration would give us trouble in the Republican Party. I think he's also a bit rusty and in talking to my sources about Jeb Bush, it's very clear that he wants to run but, as I was told, wanting to run and actually running and deciding to run are two different things. So I think he's kind of seriously considering it but not sure he wants to take -- BLITZER: What do you think about it, Newt Gingrich? Could he win in

Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, some of those early elections for the Republican nomination?

NEWT GINGRICH, CNN CO-HOST, CROSSFIRE: Well, I think there is going to be as many as ten people would are serious people in the race. Jeb would certainly, from day one, be one of them. He has a great record as a reformed governor of Florida. He obviously has a huge family connection nationwide. He is, I think, the most effective politician in the Bush family except maybe for his son, George P. So I think you have to say, from day one, he's a serious candidate. He's also very charming and very personable and capable of working hard. He'd at least be in the fight. If you have 10 people in Iowa, who knows who is going to come in first. Same thing in New Hampshire. I think it's an open field right now.

BORGER: And maybe you don't have to come in Iowa, as you well know.

GINGRICH: That's right.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: A lot of people are already speculating. You love Hillary Clinton.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I do.

BLITZER: You want her to be the next president of the United States, I assume, Paul.

BEGALA: I do.

BLITZER: Let's say there's a race between Hillary Clinton, the Democrat, and Jeb Bush, the Republican. If Republicans want to be in the White House, they have to carry states like Florida and Ohio. They need a candidate. He's very popular in Florida.

BEGALA: Florida was the closest state in the 2012 election. The former governor of Florida, it's an enormous advantage. I think he's right. Jeb is really gifted politician. I think his bigger problems lies in the primaries where he's for common core, which is good standards in schools for the tea party. He is for auto liberal immigration policy, which they call amnesty which it's not. So I think he could get hammered in the primaries. We'll know he's serious when he goes to court to change his name to be more popular, like Nixon.

(LAUGHTER)

That's the problem. That's the problem, he's got a bad rep. But he's a very able guy.

BORGER: He can raise a lot of money, just like Hillary Clinton can raise a lot of money.

(CROSSTALK) BORGER: But that name does not hurt you.

BLITZER: How important is it for conservatives more moderates to select a nominee that could be a strong force in a state like Florida or Ohio. John Kasich, the governor of Ohio, his name is out there as well.

GINGRICH: As we get more data out of last Tuesday, a lot of these so- called demographic barriers and a lot of the so-called blue wall I think are showing pretty big gaps. Republicans did very well with Asian Americans. They did better than they have in a long time with Hispanic Americans. They even in some areas did remarkably well with African-Americans. John Kasich got 26 percent of the African-American vote and was endorsed by the largest black newspaper in Ohio. So a lot depends on the next two years. And, again, as Paul knows this, having ridden the wave up and down as I have, if we get two years where Obama is as bad as he has been for the last year, Hillary Clinton is going to lose almost without regard to who the Republicans nominate.

BORGER: But there's a flip side to that, isn't there, Newt? If Republicans can't prove that they can govern from Capitol Hill now that they are in control of the House and Senate, they have something to prove here, too.

GINGRICH: Absolutely. And I'm encouraged by the article that Boehner and Mitch McConnell wrote last week in the "Wall Street Journal." They are going to come at the president from day one with very positive, specific reforms bill, many of which will be popular. The Keystone Pipeline is about 70 percent approval. You're going to see a productive Republican Senate and house. I'm not as worried about that as I am making sure that presidential candidates learn the lessons of 2014 and look at people like Cory Gardener and John Kasich and see what they did that enabled them to win races much easier than they did back in January.

BLITZER: Newt Gingrich, Paul Begala, Gloria Borger, thank you.

Just ahead, a sudden rash of knife attacks against Israelis, including one death. We're going life to Jerusalem.

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BLITZER: A rash of stabbings today against Israelis. One Israeli woman was killed near a settlement in the West Bank. Two others were wounded. The attacker was shot by a security guard. In another attack, an Israeli soldier was wounded after being stabbed in Tel Aviv. The alleged attacker, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was captured a short time later in an apartment building.

Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is joining us from Jerusalem.

Nic, what is going on over there because it seems there were these car attacks, now these stabbings. What are folks there saying? NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tensions are

going up. The incident this afternoon, the stabbing this afternoon in the West Bank. We've looked at the CC-TV-tv video, the security video, at the bus stop where the attack took place. The attacker, first thing he does is drive his van up just like the attack we saw in east Jerusalem last week, drive his van up, knock somebody over, get out of the van, go back, start stabbing that person, chase somebody else across the road, start trying to stab him until he's interrupted and then security forces shoot him. But one of the people injured there in the stabbing, a 24-year-old lady, died later in hospital. The attacker is in the hospital as well.

And the attack earlier in the day in Tel Aviv, again, startling similarities. A young soldier near the rail system, a paramedic, who was on the scene treating that soldier, said the soldier was stabbed multiple times in the stomach and abdomen and legs as well. Rushed to hospital where he's in a critical condition in the hospital right now.

But what has people worried here, Wolf, is we've now heard from the radical Islamic group, Islamic Jihad, and they have praised both of these attackers. These attacks taking place at transport hubs. There's so many similarities than to the recent attacks over the past couple of weeks -- Wolf?

BLITZER: This string of attacks against Israelis comes at a time when there are also some tensions escalating between some rival Palestinian groups. Hamas and Fatah, for example, and they have escalated.

ROBERTSON: They are. The Palestinian prime minister was supposed to go from the West Bank to Gaza, and several Fatahs, from the Fatah political group, several Fatah buildings in Gaza were blown up and vehicles belonging to them, they have blamed Hamas, the political group in control in Gaza. They have canceled that trip to Gaza for the Palestinian prime minister. And, indeed, there was supposed to be a tenth anniversary remembrance day-type events in the West Bank celebrating the passing of Arafat, the Palestinian leader, and a number of those Fatah has canceled out of security concerns. This is because the rift between Hamas and Fatah appears to be growing and the tensions there escalating -- Wolf?

BLITZER: It's a dangerous situation all around.

Nic, we'll stay in close contact with you. Thank you very much.

President Obama right now is at the APAC summit in Asia, the Asian- Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. We're going to talk about a brand-new deal he struck with China and why it got a warm reception.

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BLITZER: We're just getting this in from Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. The first U.S. troops have arrived in the Anbar Province in Iraq, an area largely controlled by ISIS. The president doubled the troops from 1,500 up to 3,000-plus right now, and some of them are actually going into the Anbar Province. The Pentagon telling Barbara that 50 U.S. military personnel are conducting a site survey of facilities for potential future use as an advise-and-assist operation in the area. Much more at the top of the hour on this developing story. But not only are U.S. troops in Baghdad and Mosul, they are now in Anbar, and more are on the way.

Just a week after the Democrats suffered a stinging defeat in the midterm elections here in the United States, President Obama has now focused his attention, at least this week, on foreign affairs. China is his first stop on a week-long trip to Asia and then on to Australia. First on the agenda is the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperator summit, APAC. The president wasted no time announcing an important new agreement with China over visas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm very pleased to announce that during my visit, the United States and China have agreed to implement a new arrangement for visas that will benefit every from students to tourists to businesses, large and small. Under the current arrangement, visas between our two countries last for only one year. Under the new arrangement, student and exchange visas will be extended to five years, business and tourist visas will be extended to 10 years.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Pretty important development.

Let's bring in Jon Huntsman, the former U.S. ambassador to China. He was a Republican presidential candidate, former governor of Utah.

Ambassador, thanks very much.

What do you make of this deal? Because it now puts China, at least as far as visas are concerned, the same level as Brazil and some other major trading partners of the United States.

JON HUNTSMAN, (R), FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA & FORMER GOVERNOR OF UTAH & FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Wolf, we go from the lowest category, that of about one year, to now the most preferred. This has been worked on for a lot of years. It's a very big deal for the United States and China, particularly when you look at the glue that binds the relationship, which is the people-to-people aspect. So this will facilitate the movement of people back and forth, which is great. With respect to students, they don't have to go back every year to get re-upped. Business folks don't have to go back year after year to get re-upped on their visas. So this will facilitate things in a very significant way. And kudos to those that made it happen. So if we apply this type of problem solving around economics and trade and security, we might have a good-bye bilateral relationship in the making here.

BLITZER: To will make it easier for Chinese to come here to do business here, study here. It will make their lives earlier. So can we say this represents a significant improvement in U.S./China relations?

HUNTSMAN: Well, this will be seen as one step in a helpful direction. But you have to remember the relation is so complicated that we'll always be working on issues in which we disagree. We'll also be taking steps in positive directions. Ad it's all about balancing the good and the bad with respect to the relationship.

The biggest issue is that we don't have a big, bold visionary aspirational relationship, like we did in the '70s and '80s with respect to Cold War politics against the Soviet Union. And we don't have a strong economic relationship like we did when we were working toward getting China in the WTO. That tends to keep you honest when at the negotiating table, when you're shooting for something bigger and better for both countries.

Right now there is a void in the relationship. We're doing all the necessary things at the management level. It's more or less status quo. But the relationship is crying out for something bigger and bolder. Trade could be part of that, global collaboration, scientific collaboration. There's a whole lot that could fill that vessel. My concern is when there is a vacuum, something fills that vacuum, and right now it looks like Putin is making move to fill that vacuum where, otherwise, the U.S. and China could be working more collaboratively.

BLITZER: And quickly, Governor, what about North Korea? When you were in Beijing, you worried a lot about North Korea. What do you make of their recent so-called charm offensive releasing these three Americans?

HUNTSMAN: It's fairly predictable. Before the APAC summit, they're trying to burnish their image, particularly with their human rights record, which is on the way to the ICC, which could be a real slap in the face for them. But it's a very untrustworthy regime. Wolf, you've been there and you understand it well. This was probably predictable and the onus is on the United States as President Obama sits down with Xi Jinping. Xi will say the North has come up with a gesture of reconciliation, let's see if we can get back to the six- party fox, which will be all the talk at the meeting. Our response should be, not until there is some sense of movement on denuclearization and verification of that, which there hasn't been. And that's the big issue ongoing. And that's where we really need to see movement in North Korea.

BLITZER: Jon Huntsman, former U.S. ambassador to China, always good to have you here on the program.

HUNTSMAN: Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks very much for joining us.

Coming up, shot inches from his heart, he was still trying to save others from the gunman. The officer, known as the Ft. Hood hero, getting ready to tell his story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: As we approach Veterans Day, we want to highlight an act of valor in the middle of a deadly shooting rampage at a U.S. military base.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A few months ago, New York native, Army Major Patrick Miller and his wife, Ashley, were living in Texas after being assigned to Ft. Hood following two previous deployments to Iraq. But on Wednesday, April 2, his life instantly changed. Key employments to Iraq. But on Wednesday, April 2, his life instantly changed.

MAJOR PATRICK MILLER, SHOT BY FT. HOOD SHOOTER: Sitting in the office and, all of a sudden, you hear bang, bang, bang, six seven gunshots. Right away, you know what that is.

HARLOW: He was shot just two inches below his heart.

MILLER: After he shot me, he was trying to go reload, so I pushed him as hard as I could, shut the door, locked it, then grabbed my phone and started grabbing 911 on one hand, putting pressure on the other.

HARLOW (on camera): As you're shot, you're trying to save these people and calling 911?

MILLER: Yes, ma'am. Adrenalin is a heck of a thing.

(LAUGHTER)

Because honestly -- and Ashley doesn't like hearing this -- but I didn't know how long I was going to live.

HARLOW (voice-over): Patrick knew his chances of survival diminished each moment he waited for help to come to him, so he went to it, by climbing out of his office window.

(on camera): People call you a hero. How does that make you feel?

MILLER: I said this before, but in my eyes -- and I've always thought this -- the true heroes are the ones who never made it home. I appreciate every day, every minute of every day, and everything. It sounds so cliche, but it is so true. Don't sweat the small tough and live your life to the fullest and do everything you can to make a difference.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A real hero, indeed. Thanks to Poppy Harlow for that report.

That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern right here in "The Situation Room."

For our international viewers, "Amanpour" is coming up next.

For our viewers in North America, "Newsroom" with Brianna Keilar starts right now.