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Delta University Professor Killed on Campus; Kim Davis and Same-Sex Marriage Hot for Presidential Candidates; Shot Delta University Professor Identified; CNN Presidential Debate Will Bring Next Pivotal Moments in Race. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 14, 2015 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00] THERESE APEL, REPORTER, CLARION-LEDGER (voice-over): At this point, I can't get anybody to confirm the actual building, but I do believe that there is a place where they have really concentrated their efforts.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: OK. That is really interesting that they have an area on campus that they suspect the shooter may be hiding out. Do you know -- at this point, do you know anything about this professor or perhaps about the motivation? We have heard one law enforcement expert, who said, when looking at something like this, maybe someone had a sort of vendetta against this person. Have you heard anything about a motive for this professor?

APEL: I have not. At this point, we are still kind of working on there has been a couple of names that have been put out for the name of the professor, and when I talked to the coroner, himself, he said that he had heard two different names, and he was not going to release anything at this point. So, the possibility is that there is one name that is out there that he is a dad, and has two kids, and the other name, I'm not very familiar with him at this point, but everything is still pretty much in limbo until they have the shooter in custody, and from what I understand they have not notified the next of kin of the professor, is it is pretty new at this point.

KEILAR: And did the coroner tell you why there may be confusion of the identity of the professor who was killed?

APEL: No. And that is kind of confused me as well, because it was, it seems to me, that the coroner who has the body would have him with identification. So, I don't know if they are sitting on it and keeping it quiet at this point, because there are two names out there, but I know that there are, there are a lot of rumors going on around here and adding to the hysteria on the campus, but I do know that as I said, the officials are, you know, are keyed in on this one thing -- and I'm sorry, as this is going on, I am getting the messages from the sources, and so it is very fluid at this point.

KEILAR: And very fluid at this point.

So, Therese, go ahead and do your work and find out more in this rapidly developing situation.

Thank you, Therese Apel, from the "Clarion-Ledger" for talking to us. And I want to draw your attention to this tweet out from Delta

University just reminding students the campus is still under lockdown. They don't want the students to leaf the building, and they want them to stay away from the window, and update the students as the information is becoming available.

This is active information there on Delta State University, as we have heard there from a reporter on the ground. It appears authorities have zeroed in on a certain building that the authorities believe that the person who killed the professor there may be there on the campus, and holed up. We will bring you the details as we get them.

Up next, this is a big story, Kim Davis is back at work, and this is a hot topic for the presidential candidates, and we will see what they are saying and what it could mean to the voters. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:37:29] KEILAR: The county clerk in Kentucky, who refused to grant marriage licenses to licenses to same-sex couples, is back at work. She's still standing her ground on the issue, but she could not stand in the way of this happy same-sex couple who walked out with a marriage license, issued by Kim Davis' deputies. This morning, she said that she would not take any action against the deputies who do issue the licenses as long as it does not contain her name or title on the documents or the licenses. She fought back tears as she spoke to the media.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM DAVIS, ROWAN COUNTY CLERK: I don't want to have this conflict and be in the spotlight. I certainly don't want to be a whipping post. I am not a hero, I am just a person who has been transformed by the grace of God, and who wants to work, be with my family, and I just want to serve my neighbors quietly without violating my conscience. And so this morning, I am forced to fashion a remedy that reconciles my conscience with Judge Benning's order, and that is to have any marriage license issued by my office that will not be issued or authorized by me. I want the whole world to know and make no mistake about it, if my deputy clerks, who do not have my authorization or authority, and they don't have my authority to issue any license whatsoever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And Martin Savidge is joining me from Morehead, Kentucky.

And Davis' attorneys spoke at the top of the hour, and what did they say?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They wanted to stay, Brianna, they are moving forward with the appeals they are have filed and legally more steps they plan to take, including the additional action against the apparently governor of Kentucky to force him to make as they put it some sort of accommodation to take into account the faith that Kim Davis has and the faith of hers with the job she has to do. And then the day belonged to two women, Shannon and Carmen Wampler- Collins, who have waited over 20 years for the opportunity to get married. In June, of course, the Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for them to do so. Initially, when they came here, they were turned away by Kim Davis a couple of weeks ago. But today, they came back, and they were rewarded with a marriage license.

I spoke to them just after.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[13:40:05] CARMEN WAMPLER-COLLINS, GRANTED MARRIAGE LICENSES: Yeah, it is phenomenal in that it is happening here in a small town in Kentucky. I just never, never, when we first got together, when we had our wedding, did we expect this to be a possible, it is phenomenal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: And they have been together for over 20 years, and they have two teenaged children, and really what was to be a remarkable day was overshadowed, of course, because of the controversy that has come about. They hope that it will slowly subside for them. It was a joyful day for them despite the protests in the background -- Brianna?

KEILAR: It looks like a joyous day there in the background.

Martin Savidge, thank you.

The Kim Davis issues have become a political football for the political candidates. The lines are drawn between supporting Kim Davis, criticizing her and walking the line. Down the middle, you can count Jeb Bush and Ben Carson and Governor Walker in that group. And then there's Donald Trump, who said, "This is not the right job for her". Ohio Governor John Kasich said, "She is not running a church." And squarely on her side, you had Mike Huckabee, who was there for a celebration when she got out of jail, and Senator Ted Cruz, who was there as well, and said, "Praise God, Kim has been released."

And this morning, we heard this from Rick Santorum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANTORUM, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SENATOR: Kim Davis has every right to say that this should be a religious accommodation. And I believe that the state of Kentucky and the federal government should be passing things like a First Amendment Defense Act for people inside and outside of government who have religious convictions that differ with the court ruling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And back with me now is the CNN political commentator, Donna Brazile; and Katie Packer, who is a former campaign manager for Mitt Romney. And when you look at this, Katie, what is the advantage? This is such

an interesting issue in that it is really dividing the party. Donald Trump said she should not be in this job, and Carly Fiorina basically said the same thing. But you have Republicans all over the map. How do they figure out where to go on this?

KATIE PACKER, FORMER MITT ROMNEY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: I think you'll find the candidates following their own conscience.

(CROSSTALK)

PACKER: Because Republicans are very divided. I have seen the debates over my Twitter feed and among the Republicans. And some in the Fiorina/Trump camp and some in the Huckabee camp, and some waiting to see how it plays out, and how the actual effect starts to play out as the court ruling, you know, comes into play. And so it remains to be seen.

KEILAR: It seems it is a bigger issue for the Republicans, Donna, but it is interesting that Kim Davis is a Democrat.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: She is a registered Democrat.

KEILAR: Yeah, and she appeared at the celebration with Mike Huckabee, and so this is --

(CROSSTALK)

BRAZILE: Strange bedfellows.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: Right. It is very interesting. And this is the new front when you are talking about the new sort of the front in the fight when you are talking about the same-sex marriage, and what has come out of the Supreme Court ruling. How does this all play out in the election, do you think?

BRAZILE: It is going to play out the way that Donald Trump is call canning, which is that the freedom of religion does not trump any other law. She had a right in her own judgment to step aside, and she decided not to. And she decided to make herself the centerpiece of this. And today, she said that she wanted to remove herself. She is doing the right thing to allow the other clerks to sign the license. And congratulations to the couple today and the other couples across the country that we no longer have discrimination in the Constitution based on who you marry and who you love.

KEILAR: Thank you, Donna and Katie, and good to have you on twice in this hour. Appreciate it.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: And up next, it is the countdown to the next Republican primary debate, and Donald Trump was the focal point for round one. He is the focal point for round two. But who stands the best chance to break out of the front runner's shadow? We will take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:48:19] KEILAR: Breaking news on the shooting of a professor at Delta State University, and that professor has been identified, just in to CNN, as Ethan Schmidt, who is a history professor, who we are learning from authorities there who was shot and killed at Delta University, and this is according to the deputy coroner of Boulevard County. And that deputy coroner saying that Schmidt was actually shot in the head at least once.

So, this is an active shooter situation there at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. You can see there that this is a delay, and we don't want to give in the way of the operations there on the ground, but you can see the authorities there. And we have learned from a local reporter on the ground, they have zeroed in on the building where the shooter on campus may be held up. And so we will continue to bring you details of the identity of that professor, Ethan Schmidt, just released.

And now, on CNN, Wednesday night, we will provide the next pivotal moment in the campaign, and it is who is best positioned to bring in the best gains.

I want to bring in Jeff Zeleny, CNN's senior Washington correspondent; and Nia-Malika Henderson, our senior political reporter.

And, Jeff, to you first.

Is this a question of who has the most to gain or a question of who has the most to lose?

[13:49:55] JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, the answer is both. But start with the game first. There's so many candidates locked in single digits, 3, 4, 5 percent in the polls. This debate is really the best opportunity for them to break out. I think you have to look at Rubio. He had a strong performance in the first debate. He has an optimistic message that he's someone who could break out of this debate. Others have a lot more to lose. Scott Walker has been plummeting in the polls since the very beginning here. He was top of the field in Iowa, as you know. He has gone down, down, down. He says he's going to be more aggressive. He says he's going to mix it up more. We'll find out if he does -- Brianna?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: And Carly Fiorina saying the same thing. She was in sort of the under card debate. She'll be on main stage this time. She's had a back and forth with Donald Trump. I think Jeb Bush, donors have been looking to see if he's got the real stuff and also sort of casting it out for others who might be more equipped to carry the party to the nomination and win the White House. So I think people will be interested to see if he's going to come out tough as well because he's also been engaged with the back and forth with Donald Trump.

KEILAR: It seems, Nia, that Republicans in this debate they are really going to hit Donald Trump in perhaps a way we didn't see during the first debate. That's the expectation. You never know until debate night. That's why it's important to watch. But if they are hitting him, does he really have a vulnerability that they are zeroing in on, do you think?

HENDERSON: Well, what you have seen so far from Jeb Bush at least is this idea he's not a real conservative. He's donated to Hillary Clinton and other Democrats. That doesn't seem to be working so far in the polls, but that could be a line of attack against him. Then Carly Fiorina has been going after him saying that he's a bit of a sexist so she has the new ad out so maybe that will be something. So I think they will just have to see. We didn't see many people attack him in the first debate except for Rand Paul and Chris Christie.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: That didn't work out so well.

HENDERSON: It didn't work out. Exactly. Ben Carson, what does he do?

ZELENY: Once they get face to face are they really going to mix it up as much as they have been doing long distance?

HENDERSON: Exactly.

ZELENY: The other issue, is Carly Fiorina going to stand on the stage and say, look at this face, what's wrong with this face? What a moment that would be.

HENDERSON: Yeah, yeah.

ZELENY: But there are some substantive differences. Ben Carson has been talking about his faith and questioning Donald Trump's faith. There's so much that's happened since the last debate. When they are next to each other, the dynamic is so different.

KEILAR: Does he have a big vulnerability, Jeff?

ZELENY: Does Donald Trump have a big vulnerability? The expectations continue o to rise for Donald Trump. He's continuing to dominate the Republican polls. He and Ben Carson together have more than half the Republican vote in this ABC poll. I think the stakes get higher and higher for Donald Trump. We're still waiting to see the evolution of his candidacy. Is he going to put more policies out? This is a new phase of the campaign. I don't think it's enough to act like he was at the last debate. Donald Trump is taking this much more seriously and I expect him to bring it more than he did last time.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: If he doesn't put out those specifics, how do -- and I'm not talking about national polls but specifically caucus goers in Iowa, primary voters in New Hampshire. How will they respond or is this all turned on its head, and maybe they won't, if he doesn't get into the nitty-gritty? HENDERSON: That's the thing we don't e know. We have been saying he

has to put more meat on the bones, focus more on policy. He was in an interview with Hewitt and was asked tough questions about foreign policy. He said by the time I'm asked those questions in a real way, I will know the answer. But a lot of what's been fueling him is this populism and it's more about attitude and rhetoric and not so much about policy. I think the vulnerability here certainly the other candidates on the stage are going to hope so is if they can be more specific and got their facts and are in command of policy issues more is so than Donald Trump. So far we have been wrong about his ability to stay in this it thing and stay at the top of the polls.

KEILAR: Jeff, we know Rick Perry is out now. That was sort of the news going into the weekend. This debate is a chance for demands to prove themselves. If they do a good job, they can get much-needed money and resources behind them in the crowded field. Who is in danger here of being the next casualty?

ZELENY: The fundraisers are watching this. We're nearing the end of the fiscal quarter here. This is so important for people to keep the fuel in the tank really. But I think that you have to keep an eye on Rick Santorum. You have to keep an eye on Rand Paul. Even Lindsey Graham, some of the candidates will keep going and going and going because it doesn't cost so much to keep operations alive. Lindsey Graham comes to mind. He's on a shoe string. But I think some of these other candidates who are bigger operations, it's tougher for them. I think Rand Paul is the most high-profile candidate who has to make a move here. We don't know anyone will drop out here. It's still five months until the Iowa caucuses. We'll have to wait and see how the debate on Wednesday goes.

[13:55:39] KEILAR: It will be exciting.

Nia, Jeff, thank you so much.

You can catch all of the dramatic moments of the second Republican faceoff here on CNN Wednesday night. There will be two back-to-back debates at 6:00 and then at 8:00 p.m. eastern.

That's it for me. I'll be back at 5:00 p.m. eastern on "THE SITUATION ROOM."

For our international viewers, "AMANPOUR" is next.

For our viewers in North America, "NEWSROOM" with Brooke Baldwin starts right after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)