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Obama Rejects Netanyahu Call Israel Recognition from Iran; Power Outages Sweep Washington, D.C.; Sen. Bill Cardin Could Play Key Role in Iran Nuclear Deal; Explosion Caused D.C. Power Outage. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired April 07, 2015 - 13:30   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The president was very clear in this interview with Tom Friedman of "The New York Times" over the weekend that he's pained by the accusations in Israel, elsewhere in the American Jewish community, at least in some quarter, that he's supposedly anti-Israel. Listen to President Obama in that interview with "The New York Times."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[13:35:09] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It has been personally difficult for me to hear the sort of expressions that somehow we don't have -- this administration has not done everything it could to look out for Israel's interests and the suggestion that when we have very serious policy differences, that that's not in the context of a deep and abiding friendship and a concern and understanding of the threats that the Jewish people have faced historically and continue to face. That's something that I feel deeply and I feel personally, and will continue to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Here's the question, do you think the president of the United States is anti-Israel?

MARK REGEV, ISRAEL GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Listen, Israel and the United States are allies. We're friends. And I don't think anyone questions the motives of President Obama. We have the respect for him, as my prime minister said, the respect for him and for the great office he holds. But there is a serious policy difference, a very serious policy difference on this Iran deal. And we see the framework that was negotiated in Lausanne as being a real threat to this country, of being a real danger. That's why we're speaking out and we urge people to look at this deal which ultimately leaves Iran with a massive nuclear infrastructure, not a single Iranian nuclear facility is shut down, not a single centrifuge is destroyed. Thousands of centrifuges continue to spin, enriching uranium. This is not a good deal.

BLITZER: But, Mark, if you say the president is supporting policies that call into question Israel's very survival that undermine potentially Israel's survival, you are in effect saying that that is an anti-Israel policy he supports. REGEV: No, I would never say that. On the contrary. Under President

Obama's watch, we've had very strong security cooperation. On nine out of ten issues, we agree. That cooperation is good for Israel and for the United States because it makes both our countries stronger and safer. And we know to appreciate that cooperation. But this tenth issue is a crucial one, the issue of Iran where we have an honest disagreement, that deal negotiated in Switzerland is a real threat. Iran is already fighting Israel. You know here. You were here during the last summer's war in Gaza. Those missiles and rockets that came raining in from Gaza into us, they had written on them "made in Iran." Iran is active in Lebanon building up the Hezbollah machine that could attack Israel. Iran is act on the Golan Heights trying to build up a military presence there. Iran is active in Gaza. And a short while ago, Iranian leaders said they want to build up a military presence in the West Bank, too. This isn't a country that doesn't just say that Israel should be destroyed. This is a country that every day is working in that direction. For that country to have a nuclear capability that would allow it to have nuclear weapons, that is a red line and we have to speak out about that.

(CROSSTALK)

REGEV: Iran with nuclear weapons is a dire threat to this country, to the region and to the world.

BLITZER: The president of the United States maintains that this deal will prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons. You obviously disagree. The debate will continue.

Mark Regev, thank you very much for joining us.

REGEV: Thanks, Wolf.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Thank you.

I want to get back to the breaking news here in Washington, a series of mysterious power outages affecting the nation's capital.

I want to go to the White House. Sunlen Surfaty is standing by.

I understand not only the Department of State, the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, elements up on Capitol Hill, but there were power outages where you are at the White House as well? What happened?

SUNLEN SURFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. The power went out in the press area of the White House for about five seconds. And we're hearing from White House officials that this also affected some areas in the West Wing. We don't know if that means Oval Office or how widespread -- if it also spreads to the White House residence. No confirmation of that yet. But we know the power went out in the press area, including the press briefing room of the White House, for about five seconds. This happened around 12:40 p.m. eastern time. At the time, we do not know if President Obama was in the Oval Office or not. Around 11:00 this morning, he was receiving the presidential daily briefing in the Oval. And then he was due to meet Vice President Biden at 12:30 in the private ding room for a personal lunch between the two. We're not sure what room in the White House the president was in during this power outage and we don't know if he was directly affected. The power came back five seconds later. But not only affecting some parts here at the White House but some parts of the State Department, the capitol as well.

Wolf, we'll hear from White House press secretary josh earnest in just a few minutes at the daily briefing -- Wolf?

[13:35:08] BLITZER: Sunlen, stand by.

Rene Marsh is here with me in our CNN bureau.

We lost power in the bureau as we were getting ready to go on the air. The lights flickered and then came back. But this is going on throughout the D.C. area. You've been in touch with officials at Pepco, the power company that provides power in the greater Washington, D.C. area. What are they saying?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION & GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: At this point, they don't know what caused all of this. I'm just seeing -- it goes beyond the federal buildings because I just saw a tweet from the Smithsonian, they're having issues as well. As a result of this, their museums have been evacuated. This is widespread. But at this point, Wolf, the mystery is what is causing this widespread outage. As you mentioned, at the top, not only the White House, but we saw briefly at the capitol, State Department, I'm told, is still in darkness. They've still not had their power restored at this point. We also know some metro stations here in the D.C. area, they are also experiencing power outages. So it is not just specific to federal buildings but we're seeing mass transit being affected. We're seeing some of the sights here in D.C., the museums being affected. At this point we know Pepco is aware. But the question now, what led to this widespread outage?

BLITZER: And Homeland Security officials are taking a closer look at what's going on. We don't know what's going on. It doesn't look like the weather has had any impact. It's a beautiful sunny day in Washington.

MARSH: Yeah, I just reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to see what their take is on this. Waiting on word back from them. But you're right, skies are pretty clear for the most part here. Was this a transformer that perhaps may have exploded? We don't know. We're trying to get to the bottom of that at this point.

BLITZER: Staying on top of this mystery. Major power outages here in the Washington, D.C., area. Rene will be with us and we'll be monitoring this breaking news. We'll also monitor other important news, including the congressional

role, potentially, to reject any nuclear deal with Iran. We'll speak with the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Maryland Senator Ben Cardin is standing by live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:40:58] BLITZER: Once again, we're following a mystery going on here in Washington, D.C., in the greater Washington, D.C., area. There's some widespread power outages affecting major government buildings, office buildings throughout the area, including over at the White House. They lost power briefly. The Department of State, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, up on Capitol Hill. Over at the Smithsonian, the Air and Space Museum among other museums at the Smithsonian have lost power. Even here in our CNN Washington, D.C. bureau, we briefly lost power. It's back now. We've checked with Pepco, the power company in the greater Washington, D.C. Area, they're investigating. We've also checked with the Department of Homeland Security, they say they're investigating. The weather is pretty good. A sunny nice day here in Washington. Not rain, no lightning. We'll keep you updated on what's going on. But it's a mystery here in Washington, D.C.

Let's check out some other important news we're following. President Obama faces a lot of skeptical members of Congress as he pushes for a deal to try to stop Iran from making nuclear weapons. Among them, now we're told, a dozen Democratic Senators support or indicate they might support bills to give Congress a direct say, an up-and-down vote in any deal.

Right now, all eyes are on Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, the new top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, taking over for Bob Menendez. Senator Cardin could play a key role in determining the outcome of any sort of bill. He's joining us now from Sarasota, Florida.

Senator, are you with the chairman of your committee, Senator Corker, who says he wants legislation, an up-and-down vote in order to see any such deal with Iran go forward? Are you with him?

SEN. BEN CARDIN, (D), MARYLAND: Well, Wolf, first, good to be with you. I do believe there is a role for Congress to play. What I am trying to make sure is that the legislation we consider is a congressional review and does not prejudge the agreements that we make sure there's nothing in this that's inconsistent with the power of the president to be able to negotiate the strongest possible agreement with Iran. But I do believe Congress has a role to play. We are the ones who imposed the sanctions --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: What is the role -- what is the role -- Senator, define the role you believe Congress should play. Should it just listen to what the administration has to say, have some sort of nonbinding resolution? Or should there be an up-and-down vote allowing sanctions to be removed?

CARDIN: Our country is always stronger when we speak with a united voice on foreign policy. Only Congress can remove the sanctions permanently. So ultimately Congress is going to have to take action to implement an agreement if an agreement is struck as it relates to the sanction regime that's imposed against Iran. I think Congress has the right to review this. I think the administration agrees that we have the right to review. So we want to be able to review it. Congress can always pass a statute. I want to do this in an orderly way. I think Senator Corker wants to do this in an orderly way. We don't want to confuse the legitimate discussions we'll have as to whether this is a good agreement or not a good agreement. We don't have enough information to judge that as members of Congress. We'll be getting that information. We'll take a strong look at it. But there is a role for Congress to play. We hope we'll be able to work that out in an orderly way so it doesn't disrupt the normal executive powers.

BLITZER: Senator Chuck Schumer, of New York, now indicates he's going to go along with Senator Corker. Are you with Senator Schumer on this as well? He's going to be the new Democratic leader in the Senate.

CARDIN: I think most members of Congress -- I agree with Senator Schumer in that Congress has a role. I want to make sure that role is done in an orderly way. We consider it with all the facts before us but that the Corker bill itself doesn't prejudge that. It's not inconsistent with what the negotiating powers of the president. I think we can reach an agreement. I'm hoping the White House will agree with us and we can all work together on this.

[13:44:56] BLITZER: Is it your understanding, Senator, that the current legislation, the current law allows the president unilaterally without congressional action to ease or suspend some of those sanctions against Iran? The only way to completely remove them would be legislation passed by the Congress. But he could certainly take steps to ease those sanctions. Is that your understanding?

CARDIN: Oh, absolutely. The language that Congress put into the sanction legislation gives the president the ability to waive the imposition of sanctions. So he clearly has the legislative authority to waive the sanctions. I think we all agree that Iran cannot be trusted. And we want to make sure that the president has maximum flexibility to enforce any agreement. So there's going to be strong interest in Congress if an agreement is reached to make sure that it's enforceable, that it's transparent, that we have ample time if they breach the agreement to take effective action.

BLITZER: Senator Ben Cardin, thanks very much for joining us. You have a tough job ahead of you.

CARDIN: Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: Appreciate it very much.

I want to get back to the breaking news here in Washington, D.C., major power outages affecting government buildings, office buildings, residential areas.

We're getting some new information from Rene Marsh, who's been in touch with power officials, Pepco, the major power authority here in the D.C. area. Department of Homeland Security, what are you learning? MARSH: We're learning from the State Department that -- although they

are still without power, we even heard from the State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, saying she had to use a phone light essentially to carry out the briefing they were doing at the moment that this power went out. They are saying now that they are able to -- although they're still being impacted, they're still able to carry out their essential functions. They're getting word out that things haven't come to a complete standstill, but they're conducting business and doing it in the dark. We know at this point that the State Department still dealing with those power outages and the list is pretty long as far as others who have experienced some limited amount of time without power. In many cases, many of those buildings, like the capitol, they have seen the power restored. But still waiting to get definitive information on the cause.

BLITZER: We heard from Sunlen Serfaty at the White House, our correspondent over there today, who said in the White House press briefing room they lost power for a few seconds. It eventually came back. We don't know about the rest of the White House, elsewhere in the West Wing. That's a live look over at the briefing room of the White House. Standing by for a briefing with Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary. Perhaps get more information from there.

Let's take a quick break and resume our special coverage right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:51:11] BLITZER: We're following the mysterious widespread power outages here in the Washington, D.C., area. "The Washington Post" is now reporting that an exPLOsion at a power facility in southern Maryland is believed to have caused this widespread power outage in the D.C. area, affecting major government buildings, including the Department of State, which is still without power right now, Department of Justice, Department of Energy, up on Capitol Hill. They briefly lost power at the White House. Major office buildings along K Street, downtown Washington, D.C. Also lost power even here in our CNN Washington, D.C., bureau. We lost power just a little while ago, but it came back relatively quickly.

Once again, "The Washington Post" is reporting that an exPLOsion at a power facility in southern Maryland is believed to have caused this widespread power outage in the D.C. area. We're also told that the metro station, the trains here, at least 14 stations, are now without power, but there are backup systems in place. The two major airports, Dulles International and Reagan National, here in Washington, D.C., also apparently are OK right now, at least for now. Both of those airports, Reagan National and Dulles, they're in Virginia, in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. We'll stay on top of this and update you as more information comes in.

Once again, "The Washington Post" is reporting an exPLOsion at a power facility in southern Maryland believed to have caused this widespread power outage. They're not reporting what caused that exPLOsion, but we'll get more information and update you as we get it.

Let's get some other news in the meantime.

Before we get to the next story, I just want to have a word of caution. It contains strong subject matter and may not be suitable for all viewers.

The U.S. has spent about a billion dollars to promote women's rights in Afghanistan. Despite that, some parts of Afghan society are still struggling to bring the role of women into the 21st century.

In this CNN exclusive report, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has the story of one woman having to marry the man who raped her.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Here's one portrait of how an Afghan family formed, and of women's rights in Kabul in 2015.

First, Asadullah raped his wife's cousin. He was convicted and jailed for it. The beautiful girl here, whose name means smile, is the child from that rape. Born in jail because her mother, Gulnaz, was charged with adultery in what passes as Afghan justice because her relationship was married. Yet, it got worse for Gulnaz. To be accepted into society again, she had to marry him, become her rapist's second wife. Now things are said to be OK, settled. Their third child is on the way.

ASADULLAH, HUSBAND AND CONVICTED RAPIST (through translation): If I hadn't married her, according to our traditions, she couldn't have lived back in society. Her brothers didn't want to accept her back. Now she doesn't have any of those problems.

GULNAZ, WIFE AND RAPE VICTIM (through translation): I didn't want to ruin the life of my daughter or leave myself helpless, so I agreed to marry him. We're traditional people. When we get a bad name, we prefer death to living with that name in society.

[13:54:52] PATON WALSH: This is a home built around crime where Asadullah's first wife lives unseen, where Little Smile has a home among seven other children.

Global uproar led the then-President Hamid Karzai to pardon Gulnaz of adultery in 2011. She was offered asylum abroad but was pushed into this deal living here. He still denies the rape happened, saying she was told to make it up.

ASADULLAH (through translation): Now she's beside me and knows that. It was not as big as they had shown it.

GULNAZ (through translation): No, I am not thinking about it anymore. I don't have a problem with him now, and I don't want to think about the past problems.

PATON WALSH: She did not look at her husband once in our meeting.

ASADULLAH: (through translation): My life is OK. I am happy with my life. It is going on.

PATON WALSH: While he lets her talk alone, he still stands outside. Four years ago, she told me she was raped, but now backs his story. Yet, she says her family would have taken her back until she married him.

GULNAZ: (through translation): My brothers opposed the marriage and told me to take my daughter and go to Pakistan to live with them instead. But now we're married, they've disowned me and won't see me again.

PATON WALSH: At 23, could anyone have imagined their life would have turned out like this?

GULNAZ (through translation): No, I couldn't fulfill my wishes in life. I married this man. I cut relations with my family only to buy my daughter's future.

PATON WALSH: Global outcry, a presidential pardon, billions of American dollars on women's rights, and still it ends like this. A family built on one act of assault.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us from Afghanistan. Much more on the story coming up later.

In the meantime, I want to get back to the breaking news here in Washington, D.C., major power outages affecting the city, major government buildings.

Our chief national security correspondent, Jim Sciutto, is getting more information.

What are you learning, Jim?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this just in from DHS, the Department of Homeland Security, which tells CNN, a DHS official, that the Department of Homeland Security is closely monitoring the power outage affecting parts of Washington, D.C. To be clear, that does not mean they have any indication that this is tied to terrorism at this point, but in light of how widespread the power outage is, they are keeping a very close eye on it to see if it's rectified, but also to see if there's anything they have to look to in causes of this. That's where they stand right now. Closely monitoring the situation.

As you reported earlier, Wolf, the earliest indication coming from local Department of Homeland Security is that this was the result of an exPLOsion at a power facility or transformer, but the national DHS, Department of Homeland Security, also watching this closely as they would, especially when you consider the breadth of facilities that this is affecting now, including the White House, State Department, and other government facilities. That's what we have now.

BLITZER: We have no -- even if there were an exPLOsion at this power facility in southern Maryland, we have no idea what caused that exPLOsion at the power facility that could have caused this widespread power outage throughout the Washington, D.C., area.

SCIUTTO: No, we don't, Wolf. We don't know what caused it. Again, to be clear, we have no indication, and officials I've spoken to have no indication there's a tie to terrorism behind this power outage. But they are taking the step, and they're certainly watching this closely in light of the breadth of this, the effect it's having on the city, the general state of security in this city, and the fact government buildings were affected. That's where they stand now.

BLITZER: And as far as we know, major government buildings, including the Department of State, they're still without power. They have backup resources, but major power is out, right?

SCIUTTO: That's right. In fact, there was an announcement in the State Department telling people to be calm, even to enjoy their lunch during the power outage, which they said might take a couple of hours to rectify. But there are backup power sources at government buildings, certainly the White House, State Department, and others. Those are being used right now. Doesn't mean you have all the power that you would have otherwise. In some of these places, emergency lighting went on for a short period of time. They're able to carry on their main functions while they try to rectify the cause of this.

[13:59:33] BLITZER: Once again, not only the Department of State, the White House, but the Department of Energy, certainly the Department of Justice, up on Capitol Hill. Major government buildings, major office areas here in the D.C. area without power. We'll see what's going on. Much more on this story coming up throughout the day here on CNN.

Jim Sciutto, thanks very much.

That's it for me. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room."

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

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

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Good afternoon. I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Brooke Baldwin.