Return to Transcripts main page
Wolf
Russian Ship Arrives in Cuba; Obama to Talk Economics, Counterterror in SOTU; Senator Joni Ernst to Give SOTU Republican Response; Pope Francis Talks Contraception; Santa Letter Lands Boy at SOTU
Aired January 20, 2015 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Wolf Blitzer today.
There is a situation developing off the coast of Cuba. A Russian spy ship has appeared in the harbor outside of Havana. The ship's arrival comes as a U.S. State Department delegation is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
CNN's Patrick Oppmann is in Havana for us.
Patrick, this isn't the ship's first visit there to Havana and it isn't exactly hiding, right? You can see it, can't you?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not at all hiding. We're just feet away from not only the CNN's Havana bureau but also where many other international media outlets have their offices in Havana. This is usually a terminal used for cruise ships. We're in the heart of old Havana, Havana's tourism district, usually a place where you see tourists walking around. Instead we've got a Russian spy ship. You see satellite dishes, antennas, lots of high-tech equipment that's used to scoop up massive amounts of data, presumably from the United States. We're just 90 miles away from the United States, Brianna. And you could say this is all a coincidence. But coincidences are not that common in Cuba. It seems to be a message that's being sent that the Russians have influence in Cuba as well. Vladimir Putin was just here last year. He signed an intelligence-gathering agreement with the Cuba, presumably allowing the ship to come here, refuel, pick up supplies. It's part of that agreement. And just a day before a U.S. delegation arrives, relations seem to be normalizing between Cuba and the U.S., but the Cold War perhaps isn't over just yet, at least when it comes to Cuba -- Brianna?
KEILAR: It isn't over. It's just over your shoulder right there.
Patrick Oppmann, thanks so much, in Havana, Cuba, for us.
I have breaking news that I want to tell you about. This is on the investigation into flight 8501. We just have new information in. Indonesian media is saying the plane was climbing at a rate of 6,000 feet per minute. That is faster than a fighter jet. The minister also noted the average climbing speed of a commercial aircraft is between 1,000 and 2,000 feet per minute. The plane crashed on December 28th with 162 passengers and crew on board. Both of the plane's black boxes in its tail section have been recovered and part of the fuselage identified on the ocean floor.
What started as a letter to Santa ended with an invitation to tonight's State of the Union. You're about to meet one lucky kid, one very special kid who had no idea how many people he would touch with his powerful words.
And one freshman congresswoman is polishing up her words, Joni Ernst and the Republican response. I should have said Senator. She's is publishing up her response to the State of the Union, and the risks she takes making it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Tonight will be President Obama's State of the Union. We're told the speech will focus on middle class economics, counterterrorism and personal stories.
Joining me now is New York Congressman Eliot Engel, the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
And I wonder what you think, Congressman, of the first issue, that you think the president really should touch on in his address tonight.
REP. ELIOT ENGEL, (D), NEW YORK: Well, I think the president is going to talk a lot about the economy and the middle class. And I think that's important because, although the economy has improved greatly, the middle class is still not feeling it. And I think that's what he's going to do. I think he's going to use this speech as part of his legacy. He faces a Republican Senate and a Republican House majority that's hostile to what he has to say, anything he has to say. And I think he wants to put it right out there to the American people, speak directly to the American people. Even though this is a State of the Union, he's really talking to the American people as well. And I think people will see the real Barack Obama tonight.
KEILAR: You say they're hostile to anything and certainly they're going to -- the Republicans in Congress, most if not all of them, will be hostile to one of the biggest proposals we know the president is going to put out there, increasing taxes on the wealthy and creating tax credits for lower earners. Knowing -- no matter what you think of that politically, knowing that, there's no way that gets through a Republican Congress. Why is the president pushing that?
ENGEL: Well, because I think sometimes the State of the Union is not only putting forward proposals that can get through Congress, it's putting forward proposals that the president really believes. It might not get through this Congress but when he puts it out there, it will percolate and will hopefully get through other Congresses in the future. I think it's a very, very important issue. The middle class works hard. It's very hard to even just keep in place. Wealthy people are doing very well in this economy. But people who work are struggling. I think the president is going to propose different proposals that will help put more money in people's paychecks. Paychecks haven't really increased that much. And there's still a sense of feeling that people are sliding backwards. If people are working a full-time job and earning money, they should be earning enough money to be able to keep their family eating and clothed and all kinds of things that you expect. But that hasn't been the case with so many people.
KEILAR: Is that where we're at, though? I sort of wonder from the perspective of just Americans who may be tuning in tonight or maybe the ones who won't be tuning in, you said some of these things won't pass this Congress. We're at the beginning of two years of this Congress. So is that where we're at, just sort of resigned to the fact that nothing much is going to get done?
ENGEL: Well, I'll support most of these programs but I wish more people would. Look, the president's laid it out on immigration and it's really been rejected by the Republicans. The president's laid it out on tax cuts for middle class at the expense of perhaps taxing the 1 percent of Americans a little bit more. That's something the Republicans don't like. I don't think the president can worry about what might or might not pass. I think he has a bold vision that he's going to put out there and hopefully -- you never know where it all ends. You put it all out there. It becomes talking -- people start talking about it. There's pressure. You never know. So I think we're going to see the president's vision tonight and I think it's going to be a good one.
KEILAR: Can you tell us, from your view as a significant member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, we're at this key time when it comes to terrorism. What do you want to hear President Obama say about it?
ENGEL: Well, I think people want to fight the war on terror. I want to hear the president talk about a war on terror. I want to hear of his plans to fight it. We have ISIS. They're obviously very, very dangerous. We've seen the events in Paris, in France these past couple of weeks. I think people want to know the United States is very involved in the fight against terrorism.
I think it's important that the president articulate it. I'm particularly interested in hearing what the president has to say about the Iran negotiations because I'm supportive of it. But I think, at some point, we've got to keep the pressure up on Iran. And the question is, what do you do? What does Congress do? So I want to hear what the president says about all these foreign policy challenges, challenges to America's security, challenges by terrorism. And I think basically what has happened in Europe recently and in Paris, and I think the American people want to hear it as well.
KEILAR: So important this year.
Congressman Eliot Engel, thanks so much for joining us.
ENGEL: Thank you. My pleasure.
KEILAR: The annual State of the Union address is the president's chance to lay out his agenda to Congress, to talk to the American people about how he wants things to go. But it also throws a spotlight on one select Republican. And this year, it is Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. Maybe you don't know her. She's a relative unknown on the national stage. That's about to change though.
Joining me to talk about this is CNN national political reporter, Peter Hamby.
I guess, first off, who is Senator Ernst, for those who don't know, and why was she picked for the rebuttal?
PETER HAMBY, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, if you covered the last campaign, Joni Ernst was a breakout star. But as you mentioned, most Americans --
KEILAR: Famous for castrating pigs and --
(CROSSTALK)
HAMBY: That's right. She broke out in the Republican primary by running a TV ad saying, "I castrate hogs, as a pig farmer, I'll get to Washington and cut pork" --
(CROSSTALK)
KEILAR: Make them squeal.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMBY: Right. She is kind of perfect for the State of the Union response. The response does two things. One, the opposition party gets to introduce a rising star to the American public. But, two, it tells you a little bit about where they stand, especially heading into the next election. Look back at previous responses. In 2006, Tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia, Democrats chose him to give their speech. In 2009, Bobby Jindal, Indian-American governor, was chosen to respond to President Obama's first address to Congress to show that we're a diverse party as well. Republicans are still struggling a little bit with women. In the last election, they did better than they did in previous elections, but still lost one by four points.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMBY: Joni Ernst is a fresh face, a female, a combat veteran. It's a good opportunity for them.
KEILAR: Second year they've had a woman doing the rebuttal. Explain the risks here, because we saw with Marco Rubio -- and Bobby Jindal, too, he didn't give as good of a response as I think Republicans hoped for.
HAMBY: Right. The best --
KEILAR: This is high risk, high reward.
HAMBY: The best responses are the ones that you forget. Does anyone remember what she said last year?
KEILAR: She didn't do any damage.
HAMBY: Exactly. That's the point.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMBY: People remember moments in the responses and remember the gaffes. Marco Rubio sipping water. Tim Kaine's floating eyebrow. Bobby Jindal's page (ph) impression. If Joni Ernst gets through this -- and she is a talented performer. Her advisors say she pops in front of cameras. So if she gets through it without a gaffe, that's fine, that's what she wants.
KEILAR: Looking forward to both tonight.
(LAUGHTER)
Peter Hamby, thank you so much.
HAMBY: Thanks.
KEILAR: We're just getting breaking news. The White House is reacting to the reported coup in Yemen. A senior administration official telling CNN's senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, they're monitoring the situation in Yemen and the president is being updated by his national security team. That official goes on to say, "We strongly condemn the violence and those stoking it." We'll continue to support efforts to bring about a peaceful solution.
"Catholics should be responsible and not breed like rabbits," those words on family planning straight from the pope himself. More on his comments and the topic of contraception next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Pope Francis makes eyebrow-raising comments on birth control. While the pope was in the Philippines, he visited kids who were abandoned because their parents could not afford to care for them. He met a woman expecting her eighth child and called her irresponsible. Then on the plane ride home, he said this about Catholics and birth control.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE FRANCIS (through translation): Some think that -- excuse me if I use this word -- in order to be good Catholics, we have to be like rabbits. No. Responsible paternity, that is clear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Wow.
Father Edward Beck is a CNN religion analyst.
I want to ask you about this because we know that a lot of practicing Catholics are also using birth control and they don't adhere to the traditional role in the church of don't use birth control and have obviously many kids. That's what happens when you don't use birth control. But is this traditional take on this changing, Father?
REV. EDWARD BECK, CNN RELIGIOUS COMMENTATOR: No, it's really not changing at all, Brianna. And members of the papal press pool have said these airplane trips are their absolute favorite because he's off script and they don't know what's going to come out of his mouth. And now, indeed, this colloquial breeding like rabbits comes out. And what's interesting is it's nothing different from what the church has always taught. The church has always taught responsible parenthood and family planning, just natural family planning. The church has never been opposed to birth control. It's questioning the means by which people have birth control. It's nothing new but it opens the door for conversation in a new way. That's what's intriguing about it.
KEILAR: And, yes, I sort of live for these airplane moments. That's where he also addressed homosexuality and he makes a lot of news standing there in the aisle. You're talking about the method, really, of birth control. How does he reconcile these two things, chastising the woman for having too many children, on the other hand, telling her she shouldn't be using contraception? So he's talking about abstaining?
(CROSSTALK)
BECK: Well, natural family planning, there's a rhythm method by which a woman charts her fertility cycles. There are only six to nine days in a month where a woman can conceive. If she takes her temperatures, measures secretions, she can use a natural family planning method of birth control. He's saying the church offers options when you want to be responsible parents and limit the amount of children, which you should. That very controversial document from 1968 says certain couples have a moral responsibility to limit the amount of children that they have, if they have certain conditions, by which they should do that.
KEILAR: Let's say the rhythm method is a form of birth control. The success rate for that compared to other methods, the pill among them, I mean, it's pretty dismal compared to other methods. Yet, that's what the church is still standing by.
BECK: Well, again, it's dismal because most people don't take the time to do it correctly. However, for some women, it does not work because of their irregular cycles. So the pope addressed this as well. He said confessors and pastors, when people come to you and they cannot live up to this church teaching because of individual circumstances, you must be pastoral with them. You must give them a way out. You must say, OK, this is the church teaching. This is the norm. However, in your case, you may not be able to do that. He's encouraging the pastors and the ministers to deal with people as individuals and give them a way out if the law cannot apply in their circumstance.
KEILAR: OK. Well, thank you so much. Those airplane moments are very interesting, but they do sometimes need a little bit of context. We appreciate getting it from you.
Father Beck, thank you.
BECK: You're welcome.
KEILAR: Now, in other news, all that a 13-year-old Chicago boy wanted for Christmas was to feel safe, but his letter to Santa was redirected to the White House. President Obama wrote back. That teen, Malik Bryant, will join us live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The speaker --
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Vice President --
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Distinguished members --
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- of the United States Congress --
GEORGE BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Members of the Supreme Court --
GERALD FORD, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Distinguished guests --
RICHARD NIXON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My fellow Americans --
JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can report to you --
FORD: The State of the Union --
CLINTON: -- is strong.
FORD: Think for a minute how far --
H.W. BUSH: We have come --
FORD: In 200 years.
NIXON: We find ourselves challenged by new problems --
FORD: -- in this country --
REAGAN: -- at home --
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- and abroad. IKE EISENHOWER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATS: There is demand
for us.
H.W. BUSH: Vigilance --
CARTER: Determination --
KENNEDY: -- and dedication.
CLINTON: We must rise --
NIXON: -- to make a nation --
W. BUSH: Better --
CLINTON: Than any --
OBAMA: -- we have ever known.
KENNEDY: The road --
CLINTON: -- has been --
OBAMA: --long.
KENNEDY: The burden heavy and the pace urgent.
W. BUSH: This is not going to be easy.
CLINTON: We have only begun.
KENNEDY: Let us have the will --
EISENHOWER: -- and the patience.
KENNEDY: -- to do --
OBAMA: -- this job together.
EISENHOWER: We need many different kinds of strength.
OBAMA: Military.
W. BUSH: Economic.
H.W. BUSH: Political.
EISENHOWER: And moral.
W. BUSH: Nothing is impossible.
CLINTON: No victory --
REAGAN: -- is beyond our reach. No glory will ever be too great.
H.W. BUSH: We are -- FORD: -- Americans.
H.W. BUSH: Part --
OBAMA: -- of something --
W. BUSH: -- larger --
H.W. BUSH: -- than ourselves.
OBAMA: God bless --
REAGAN: -- you --
OBAMA: And God --
W. BUSH: -- bless --
H.W. BUSH: The United States --
W. BUSH: -- of America.
CARTER: Thank you very much.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: That was 67 years of State of the Union speeches in 67 quick seconds. President Obama taking center stage tonight for the State of the Union.
But there will also be a lot of attention paid to the first lady and maybe more specifically the guests in the first lady's section, among them will be a 13-year-old Chicago boy. His name is Malik Bryant. You see him there. He's joining me now from the North Lawn of the White House.
Hang with me, because I want to share your story for a moment. You were invited to the State of the Union after you wrote a letter to Santa Claus.
Malik's only request was for safety. He said, "I just want to be safe." President Obama wrote back, and in the letter response, he said, "Please know your security is a priority for me in everything I do as president."
Malik, thank you for being here.
What was it like getting a response from the president to this letter that -- I don't even know if you knew was going to go to him?
MALIK BRYANT, TO ATTEND SOTU: No, I didn't know it was going to go to the president. I was excited, though, when it came back, when he wrote me back.
KEILAR: So what, does it just pop up in your mailbox, and your mom hands it to you?
BRYANT: Yeah, I was asleep.
KEILAR: Did she wake you up?
BRYANT: Yeah.
KEILAR: All right. So I wonder, you know, the part of the letter that really strikes me is when you say, I have two siblings living with me, and I'm the only boy on my mom's side of my family. But all I ask for is safety. I just want to be safe. Just give us a sense of what your hope is for you and for your siblings and also what your worries are for you and your siblings.
BRYANT: There's too much killing.
KEILAR: You are the only boy. I know that there have been many shootings on the streets near your house, right?
BRYANT: Yes.
KEILAR: So you're in Washington. I know it was the first time that you've taken a plane trip. What's it been like? Has it been kind of overwhelming for you?
BRYANT: Yeah, like, the plane trip, I was kind of scared at first. I got used to it.
KEILAR: Yeah, that's what always happens. I still get scared as well. Well, you have a huge day ahead of you, the State of the Union address. You'll be meeting the first lady and I presume the president.
Thanks so much for being on with us.
BRYANT: OK.
KEILAR: Malik Bryant for us, joining us from the North Lawn.
CNN's coverage of the president's State of the Union address will begin here tonight at 7:00 eastern.
That's it for me.
For our international viewers, "Amanpour" is next.
For our North American viewers, "Newsroom" with Brooke Baldwin starts right now.
