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Hala Gorani Tonight
New Questions About Clinton Campaign`s Transparency; Trump Wishes Clinton Good Health, Vows To Release Exam; Syria Ceasefire Takes Effect; Two Major Banks Dial Back U.K. Recession Predictions; Pneumonia Keeps Hillary Clinton Off Campaign Trail; Syrian Refugee Remembers Life In Aleppo; Euthanasia Option Gives Belgian Athlete Control. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired September 12, 2016 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[15:00:16] HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I`m Hala Gorani. We are live from CNN London and this is THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
In a race this close where every day counts, it`s bad enough to be sidelined from the campaign trail by pneumonia, but that is not the only
problem now facing U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.
Her campaign is in damage control mode after acknowledging that they kept her diagnosis a secret for two full days. Donald Trump has fuelled
conspiracy theories about her health for months, but now that there is proof that she is indeed ill, he is actually backing off the attacks on
that front.
Instead he is focusing on her recent comments that half of his supporters are, quote, "deplorables." In Clinton`s own words, that means sexist,
homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our support comes from every part of America, every walk of life. We have the support of cops,
soldiers, carpenters, welders, young and old. Millions of working class families who just want a better future and a good job. These were the
people that Hillary Clinton so viciously demonized.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: That was Donald Trump in response to Hillary Clinton calling his supporters, half of them she said were "deplorables," quote/unquote.
We are going to take a closer look at Clinton`s campaign troubles this hour starting with her health. A lack of transparency is feeding into the long
standing criticism that she has, quote, "trust issues" with the American public.
Jeff Zeleny talks to us about a health scare caught on camera and how it brought the issue to light.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hillary Clinton off the campaign trail this morning as she recovers from pneumonia,
canceling a two-day trip to California. His health thrush into the spotlight after her aide said she became overheated and dehydrated while
attending the 9/11 ceremony at Ground Zero.
This video shows Clinton leaving early and as she tries stepping into her van, she wobbles and slumps. Secret Service agents and aides quickly grab
her and hold her up.
Two law enforcement sources telling CNN she appeared to faint. Then Clinton taken to her daughter Chelsea`s apartment three miles away. More
than an hour later, Clinton emerged smiling.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It`s a beautiful day.
ZELENY: Even taking a picture with a young girl before climbing into her motorcade and heading home. Her campaign says she was even playing with
her two grandkids inside.
Yet more than five hours later, her doctor revealing the 68-year-old was diagnosed with pneumonia two days earlier after an evaluation for her
prolonged cough.
Despite the diagnosis on Friday, she continued a grueling schedule, holding two fundraisers in New York City, a large national security briefing and
press conference along with an interview with our own Chris Cuomo and other media outlets.
Donald Trump just feet away from his rival at Ground Zero unusually quiet over her diagnosis after speculating about her health for months.
TRUMP: I think she doesn`t have the stamina. Hillary Clinton does not have the stamina. Watched Hillary who doesn`t have the strength or the
stamina.
ZELENY: Trump addressing Clinton`s health this morning and towing a respectful line.
TRUMP (voice-over): Something is going on. I just hope she gets well, gets back on the trail, and we`ll be seeing her at the debate.
ZELENY: Telling reporters that he is planning to release records about his own health soon.
TRUMP: This last week, I took a physical, and I will be releasing when the numbers come in. Hopefully, they will be good, I feel great. But when the
numbers come in, I will be releasing very, very specific numbers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[15:05:08]GORANI: All right, Jeff Zeleny reporting there. Thanks, Jeff.
Hillary Clinton`s campaign says it will release more of her medical information later this week. It says it hopes that will, quote, "put to
rest any lingering concerns." That could be though wishful thinking.
Let`s bring in CNN`s executive editor for politics, Mark Preston. First, I want to ask you about Trump`s reaction. It was pretty subdued by his
standards, why?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Well, in many ways, had he gone out there and looked crass in attacking Hillary Clinton that would not
be viewed very well by voters here in the United States.
But at the same time, he would be stepping on the message of the day from the Trump campaign and that has been specifically focused on Hillary
Clinton`s comments saying that half of his supporters were deplorable.
They have a television ad out right now, Hala, that`s running about $2 million in four different states. So they see that as something that not
only Trump should be focusing on, but his surrogates and his staffers, and allowing the health issue to be debated by the likes of us on television.
GORANI: How much is the health issue going to hurt Hillary Clinton here? Because of course she was diagnosed on Friday, she only revealed the
diagnosis two days later when she had that tough time at the 9/11 event, how much impact will this have on her campaign?
PRESTON: Short term, a lot. I mean, in the sense that it`s certainly going to continue to fuel these conspiracy theories that we have seen
online pushed by conservatives and by some of Donald Trump`s supporters.
Long term, though, it is not so much about her health because I think anyone can get pneumonia and they understand that you can overcome that. I
mean, I think we`ve all probably had pneumonia at one point in our life.
But it is the honesty and the trustworthy issue. The fact that she hasn`t been transparent about her health up to this point and how her campaign is
handled over the last couple of days is not being viewed greatly by Americans now.
GORANI: Because reminds us even before all of this poll numbers we`re showing that the two candidates were getting much closer in the race than
they were after the Democratic convention where Hillary Clinton got a pretty big bump.
PRESTON: Right. So we are looking at Hillary Clinton with about an eight point national lead. And certainly in the five or six states where the
race will be decided, states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, the rust belt it is known here in the U.S., North Carolina, down here on the east coast,
just south of Washington, D.C.
Where I am right now, some states out west, Arizona, Colorado, we`re seeing a tightening in the polls. Now this isn`t necessarily good for Hillary
Clinton because we are in the final stretch of this campaign right now.
And for all the self-inflicted wounds that Donald Trump had seemed created for himself, it hasn`t been enough to fatally hurt him politically. So
right now the Clintons certainly can`t be looking at these last of couple of days and not wondering how did they do this for themselves.
GORANI: All right, Mark Preston, thanks very much. We`ll see how the campaign reacts going forward and what she says and does when she emerges
from a few days of bed rest there as a result of having been diagnosed with the pneumonia. Thanks, Mark.
We`ll have a lot more on this story ahead. CNN`s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, will join us to talk about Clinton`s
health scare. That is coming up at the half hour.
Now let`s turn our attention to Syria and significant news there. It`s been more than five years, hundreds of thousands of lives lost, millions
displaced, scattered across the Middle East and way beyond.
Now potentially a chance for at least a quiet in the fighting. We are not calling it peace. A hard fought ceasefire is now a few hours old, bringing
a possible pause to Syria`s civil was.
Many of the government`s war planes will be kept on the ground. They won`t be allowed to fly over areas where rebels are operating doing this type of
damage. The move is expected to help protect many civilians.
A food and medicine convoys will begin to move around much more easily, that is the hope to the millions who so badly needed. In the last hour,
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the truce, quote, "Maybe the last chance we have to save a united Syria," unquote. He said it is too early
to assess the truce, though. Listen to Kerry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights said that major conflict zones in Syria were calm after the cease
fire took effect at 7 p.m. on Monday. There, quote, is "calm prevailing." The director said giving an early assessment, I repeat, early assessment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Arwa Damon has been monitoring events from just across the Syria border in Turkey and she joins me now live. So there are reports already
of some violations, Arwa. Tell us about them.
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There are, Hala, and I think when one describes the situation in Syria as being calm is all
relative.
[15:10:02]Yes, a lot of people are saying that they`re not hearing the fighter jets overhead, but still these various different violations have
been reported. Them taking place between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
So in the first two hours when that ceasefire was supposed to be taking hold ranging from artillery being fired to gunfire, to reportedly
helicopter gunships being used as well, but again it is all relative.
If we look at past ceasefires and how they have unfolded, some activists in Aleppo are describing the start of this one as being a lot shakier than
those in the past.
But it is not sadly uncommon to see these kinds of violations taking place. The big issue is going to be whether or not the situation continues to
become calmer and as a result of that is aide able to reach these besieged areas.
And then are the U.S. and Russia, because they are basically the key negotiations in this conflict able to build on whatever it is, that is
accomplished if anything, to try to move toward something more substantial.
But this is at the same time just the very, very beginning of what is potentially a difficult and long road ahead.
GORANI: We have some rebel groups who are already, look, this isn`t working for us. This is just setting ourselves up for slaughter down the
line. What about the Syrian regime? I mean, it`s part of the deal, what are they going to be doing? Will the regime war planes stay grounded?
DAMON: Well, technically, yes, they would be staying grounded. That was a key element in all of this. You know, you have the regime at this point
that came into the negotiations with, of course, Russia as being its main mediator.
At the advantage, they currently do have the battlefield advantage, and they have made these significant gains ever since the Russians became very
actively involved to their airstrikes.
And they allowed the regime to retake key territories and on more than one occasion, lay siege to rebel held Aleppo, as they have at this current
point in time.
You have on the other side, the opposition that is basically reluctantly being forced to accept this deal because they don`t really have a choice at
this stage.
And they have a lot of concerns about it. They`re very skeptical because they do believe that it is going to give the regime the battlefield
advantage.
And one of the reasons for that, Hala, is because as part of this agreement, eventually the U.S. and Russia would be carrying out joint
operations, coordinating on intelligence in targeting ISIS, and the group that was formerly known as the Nusra Front.
Problem is that with the Nusra Front, they are very heavily intertwined in a lot of these and if they`re taken out, then the rebels are basically
losing one of their best fighting groups on the ground.
GORANI: OK, Arwa Damon, our senior international correspondent, there near the Syria and Turkey border, thanks very much.
Let`s take a closer look at why the U.S. agreed to this truce and what it hopes will come out of it. With us from Washington, Frederic Hof, a senior
fellow at the Atlantic Council. He is a former special advisor on Syria to the State Department, and from Orlando, Florida, CNN military analyst, Mark
Hertling.
Thanks to both of you. So Frederick Huff, let me start with you. Why did the U.S. agree to this? To come on board and align itself with Russia
essentially it seemingly abandoning the entire idea of Bashar al-Assad stepping down and even potentially cooperating on airstrikes against groups
that it will be very difficult to determine on the ground exactly who they`re fighting alongside with?
FREDERIC C. HOF, SENIOR FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: I think, Hala, the answer to that is that with no inclination of its own to take unilateral
American steps to protect Syrian civilians, Secretary of State John Kerry and the president essentially came with a conclusion.
That trying to put together some kind of a diplomatic agreement that would in effect exercise an American veto over Russian airstrikes while grounding
Assad`s Air Force was, under the circumstances, the best time forward to try to protect Syrian civilians.
GORANI: But Frederic Hof, is this basically abdicating sort of control of the future of Syria to Russia? It is basically not bringing up in any kind
of way, the idea that the Bashar al-Assad`s regime needs to kind of step aside in order for a more democratic form of government to takes it place.
HOF: My own sense is that political and diplomatic progress in Syria is impossible as long as civilians are on the bulls eye and quite frankly they
have been on bulls eye for the better part of five years.
Now it`s had enormous ramifications for the Syrian people, for their neighbors, for Europe and indeed for the United States.
[15:15:01]So John Kerry`s calculation here is that this is a long shot, but it may be the best way to bring some degree of protection to Syrian
civilians.
You`re quite right that there doesn`t clear to be a clear follow on step resulting in the ultimate removal of Bashar al-Assad, but without getting
Syrian civilians off of the bull`s eye nothing good is going to happen in Syria, period.
GORANI: And Mark Hertling, militarily, strategically, how do you bomb the ex-Nusra Front, ISIS, especially the ex-Nusra Front group, which is so very
much sort of in civilian areas also fighting alongside other rebel groups that are deemed sort of, you know, more legitimate by the United States.
How do you do that? What is the kind of surgical bombing required in order to achieve that without hurting civilians? I`m setting a hard time
understanding.
MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: That is the challenge we have here. You know, you can do a surgical strike against the building or a known
target where you have some intelligence data. But you`re actually talking, in fact, part of the elements of the ceasefire is that the rebels distance
themselves from Nusra and ISIS.
How do you tell on the ground if that is in fact happening? It`s not like people are wearing signs deleting which organization they are in.
The other challenges with this ceasefire is the fact that Russia and the United States and Assad all have different definitions of who the
terrorists are.
While we`re saying we`re going to separate the terrorists from the rebel groups and the government military is very difficult to determine which
terrorist groups we are talking about.
There is no clear guarantee for safety across the board and there is very little ability to monitor. But all of those things being said, as Mr.
Kerry said, this is the best chance yet to separate these groups, give a respite and then hopefully do some more diplomacy, which would extend the
ceasefire longer and perhaps bring about a political situation.
GORANI: And Mark Hertling, you`ve been on the ground in the Middle East, why trust parties that have been A, at odds, you know, on very much on
different sides of the war, and B having engaged in the type of bombing that indiscriminately killed, sometimes some would argue targeted
civilians. Why go down that road?
HERTLING: Yes, that is part of the problem. Even as the run up to 7:00 p.m. occurred at Arwa said, there was continued neglect of the ceasefire.
That always happens when there is a ceasefire. Both sides will try and take advantage to the very last minute.
But as you`re hearing now, there is still some fighting going on as the jets and the helicopters stay grounded. The Syrian military force would
then become at a disadvantage.
So we`ll see what happens in those 48 hours. But again, you`re right. The trust issue is critical, that does not exist right now. But I think just
the fact that there is an attempt to bring a peaceful solution to this might drive some further diplomacy and some further resolution, but it is a
sporty deal right now -- Hala.
GORANI: Frederic Hof, the Syrian president who, by the way, prayed in Daraya, very publicly in that Damascus suburb where essentially rebels were
made to leave or starve, has said I`m going to take back every inch of my country, every last inch he said. So therefore, I mean, there is going to
be no room left as a result of this for any kind of opposition? That`s what he has said.
HOF: Yes, that is his position and I think he made this particular remark very deliberately. For Assad himself, the best outcome here is for the
rebels, for the opposition to be seen as violating this agreement.
So I think this is why he made the statement that his intent is to basically reconquer Syria inch by inch from what he describes as terrorists
in the hope that the opposition, the rebels, will react in a negative way, and violate the ceasefire, be blamed for it. So that he and his Russian
and Iranian allies can resume their offensive operations.
GORANI: All right, Frederic Hof and Mark Hertling, thanks for both of you, and one can only hope for the civilians in Syria that at least some of
these truce holds especially on Eid holiday. Thanks to both of you for joining us. We really appreciate it.
All right, still to come, the original Mr. Brexit, Nigel Farage, joins me live to discuss David Cameron`s resignation from politics, Britain`s E.U.
exit strategy, and the economic outlook in a post-Brexit world. We`ll also ask him about Donald Trump. Stay with us.
And later Hillary Clinton diagnosed with pneumonia. We`ll explore how new questions about her health may impact the presidential race. Stay with us.
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[15:22:10]
GORANI: He`ll be remembered as the prime minister who presided over the Brexit vote and now he is saying farewell to his entire career in politics
it seems. David Cameron will no longer serve as a member of parliament weeks after quitting as leader of his party and the referendum defeat that
forced him to step down.
For the U.K. at large though there had been dire warnings following Brexit in the two and a half month since the vote. Two of the world`s biggest
banks, Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley, have dialed back their predictions of a U.K. recession in 2017.
Thanks largely to surprisingly strong numbers in the manufacturing and services industries that is the good news. But Britain`s own Chamber of
Commerce is worried about tomorrow.
They slashed growth expectations through 2018 and both banks, Morgan Stanley and ING say the economic pain might come only later.
Let`s get perspective from the one of the most vocal Brexit campaigners now, the former U.K Independence Party leader, Nigel Farage, he joins me
now live from the European parliament in Strasburg, France. Thanks for being with us. We really appreciate it.
NIGEL FARAGE, FORMER UKIP LEADER: Good afternoon.
GORANI: All right, let`s talk about some of these dire predictions for next year. It must have been a relief to see the numbers come out over
this summer, but many are still saying it is just pain delayed. You have even Japan saying we`ll move entire companies if we cannot play by the same
rules, that must have you concerned.
FARAGE: No, it doesn`t at all. We had Japanese companies telling us 16 years ago that if we didn`t join the euro, they might leave the U.K. and
you know what, they are still in the U.K.
We had Japanese companies telling us that if we voted for Brexit, they might leave, they are still here. Now they are telling us we must stay
part of the E.U. single market.
We went through something called "Project Fair," where the multinationals, the big banks, big politics and big media told us all that literally in the
economic in the country would fall off of a cliff if we weren`t governed by these institutions in Strasberg and Brussels --
GORANI: But Brexit hasn`t happened yet, I mean, essentially, the vote happened. Brexit has not happened. So you don`t know, and very few people
are able to predict accurately what will happen once you`re really out of European Union.
FARAGE: Well, let me tell what will not change is that`s a very simple economic facts, which is the United Kingdom is now the Eurozone`s biggest
export market in the world. We trade with these countries at a massive deficit.
The German car industry, the French wine and champagne producers they need the British market. And you know, we`re going to come to a sensible
agreement, but crucially what we will do is we`ll get back the ability to make our own legislation and --
[15:25:02]GORANI: You want a sweet deal without freedom of movement of individuals. Why would they give you that? Why would they set an example
with Britain that would give other countries ideas?
FARAGE: Because all over the world people are striking trade deals with each other, tariff free deals with each other without the free movement of
people. Now if they choose, in these institutions, to cut off their nose despite their faces to potentially put out a work, German car workers and
French winemakers, well, let them do it.
Because frankly if we resort to the WTO rules, which, by the way, the rules which America currently trades with the whole of Europe, if we do that, the
tariffs will hurt them more than it will hurt us.
GORANI: But as other rules with its neighbors. Let me ask you about some of these promises that have already been broken or that are in question.
The entire Brexit campaign rested on the promise that these 350 million pounds a week that the U.K. sends to the E.U., which by the way is a
disputed number that they would go to the NHS.
You yourself said that was a mistake and now leading Brexiters are saying, well, we`re not going to promise you that anymore. The points base system
for immigration that you supported, Theresa May, the new prime minister, saying that is not a silver bullet, she might back away from that as well.
So the entire campaign rested on promises that one after the other are being broken. Is that not true?
FARAGE: Well, to be fair, the pro E.U. side have been lying for 43 years.
GORANI: But I`m talking about your promises not what the pro-E.U. side of the things. That`s not what we`re talking about.
FARAGE: I made one big promise I made is that if you vote for Brexit, Britain will become a self-governing democratic nation once again, and that
once we`re through this process is exactly where we`re going to be.
Now only immigration, issue that you raise, I personally favor an Australian style point system. If Mrs. May wants to do it differently, our
new prime minister, so be it, as long as we get control and start to reduce the numbers. That`s what really matters.
GORANI: Let me ask you about some of your campaign tactics. Now looking back, you must regret one of them, but when you stood in front of a giant
poster that had the words, breaking point written in big bold letters across it, and hundreds of desperate Syrian refugees in Central Europe
nothing to do with the U.K. You talked about fear mongering earlier from the pro-E.U. side. What do you call that?
FARAGE: The truth.
GORANI: The truth? There is Syrian refugees going into Slovenia. Nothing to do with the U.K.
FARAGE: And that`s why it says, if you read it, the E.U. has failed us all. The point I was making is that the European Union is not just bad for
the United Kingdom. It`s actually been bad for the whole continent of Europe.
And what Angela Merkel did last year by saying as many of you want to come can. That`s what a photograph reflected was the biggest inflow into Europe
that we have ever seen.
And the problem is this, most of those people would not qualify as refugees under the U.N., Geneva Conventions, you know, proper definition of what a
refugee is and now we see outbreaks of terrorism and frankly unacceptable behavior happening in many parts and it is time we said no to all of this.
GORANI: All right, will someone dispute the statistics, this crime statistics especially in Germany, which have not gone up at all this year,
I`ve got to ask you about Donald Trump. I was at the Cleveland convention, I saw you there.
We asked you for an interview at that time and you didn`t come on. Then you appeared on stage with Donald Trump. You criticized Barack Obama for
meddling in U.K. politics when he said he was against Brexit, but why are you so interested in helping Donald Trump`s campaign?
FARAGE: Well, to be fair, if I said no to you in Cleveland, there was absolutely no reason for that. I did do another CNN show, be fair on that,
but you`re right, I condemned Obama for telling us how to vote.
I`m not endorsing Donald Trump, but I was there to tell people a story about how Brexit happened. I have a feeling that if those same disengaged
voters in the U.S.A. brought into the political process, you could see a real upset.
GORANI: But you`re not endorsing Donald Trump, one of the things you said was if you paid me, if I was American, I would not vote for Hillary
Clinton. You got huge cheers when you talked about Brexit. Donald Trump is standing there next to you smiling and looking at you, you know, with
approval and approvingly. What is that if not an endorsement of Donald Trump exactly?
FARAGE: You can draw your own conclusions, but all I was trying to say was that Brexit marks a big movement, and what Hillary Clinton represents is
more of the same. If you want change, voting for Hillary Clinton will not give it to you.
GORANI: Nigel Farage, one last question.
[15:30:03] Any regrets in your Brexit campaign? Is there anything you said or did that you felt went too far and as your critics say stirred up, you
know, xenophobic sentiment or negativity that you shouldn`t have done, anything?
FARAGE: No, I believe in nation state democracy. I believe the best people to govern Britain are the British people themselves and that includes
controlling our borders sensibly. I made those argument and we won a great historic referendum that may well change the course of democracy across the
whole of the western world, I`m very proud to be part of that.
GORANI: Nigel Farage, thanks very much for joining us from Strasburg, UKIP NEP, former leader of the U.K. Independence Party. Thank you for joining
us.
Just ahead, a game face hours before Hillary Clinton`s pneumonia diagnosis is revealed, how much could it slow the presidential down? We`ll ask our
chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
And after five years of war, millions have been forced to flee scenes like this in Syria. I will speak to one Syrian refugee who is doing what he can
to help his fellow countrymen and women.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back. A look at our top stories, a health set back is keeping Hillary Clinton off of the campaign trail for at least a few days.
Her doctor acknowledged that she has pneumonia after she stumbled while leaving a September 11th event on Sunday. That disclosure came two days
after she was first diagnosed.
Thousands of Syrians are hoping a ceasefire will allow them access to the aide they need. That is the idea behind the truce, which was brokered by
the U.S. and Russia. It started at sunset. In the last hour, John Kerry said the ceasefire, quote, "May be the last chance we have to save a united
Syria," unquote.
Also among the stories we are keeping our eye on, Austria plans to postpone a presidential election rerun over issues with the postal ballot forms.
Officials say it`s the glue on those ballots that is faulty in Austria. Voters complain they were not able to be sealed properly. A court had
found irregularities in postal ballots during the first election results. Officials are now looking for a rerun of that election on December 4th.
It is no longer just a subject of rumors and conspiracy theories, the status of Hillary Clinton`s health has now become a real campaign issue in
the U.S. presidential race.
Here is another look at her stumbling while leaving an event in New York over the week. The Clinton campaign is promising to release more of her
medical information this week saying it hopes to put any lingering concerns to rest.
[15:35:06]It is also denying that this video forced their hand in releasing her pneumonia diagnosis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN FALLON, CLINTON CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN: She left the event early. We were already being pressed to explain why she left early and it took us a
bit to get that information together to release a statement. In retrospect, I think we should have provided more information more quickly.
But yes, I think regardless of whether the video surfaced or not in the aftermath of that event yesterday, I think we would have made the same
decision to have her rest these next couple of days and to disclose that she has been diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Brian Fallon is Clinton`s campaign press secretary. Now that we know Hillary Clinton`s condition, the next question is how bad is it? How
bad can it be?
Joining me now from our New York bureau is our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. So Dr. Gupta, first of all, pneumonia sounds really
serious. How -- I mean, it is a serious treatable condition obviously, but it is not just a little cold. So how long do you have to rest to recover?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. So this is an infection of the lungs. So that`s different than a minor cold as you point
out. It typically involves someone having fevers, a high white blood cell count, the type of cell in the body, and also a chest x-ray that shows this
infection of the lungs.
But I will tell you, Hala, that despite the information we did get on, which as you point out, came two days after she was diagnosed. She was
diagnosed on Friday with pneumonia. We didn`t hear about it until Sunday.
But even despite that, there is still a lot we don`t know. So without speculating, you know, you would need to know what type of pneumonia this
is. Is it caused by a bacteria, a virus, by something else? How much of her lungs were affected by this infection?
Was is it just one small part or the entire area lung, and what is she receiving as far as treatment goes. We know she is getting an antibiotic
which suggests this is likely a bacterial pneumonia because antibiotics treat bacteria.
But again, we just don`t know that. So this notion of how is she going to do, what is her recovery going to be like, these questions become important
when trying to answer that question.
GORANI: And also she is 68 years old. I mean, it must be more difficult to treat and the recovery, I mean, is slower I presume when you`re older.
GUPTA: I think that is fair to say certainly, and also keep in mind people who typically develop these types of pneumonias are older. So people who
are older than 65. Much more likely to develop pneumonia.
Young people more likely to develop pneumonia, or people who have some of underlying illness more likely. So yes, she is over 65 certainly, but I
will tell you that there is nothing to indicate that she shouldn`t be successfully treated.
This can be successful treated. It sounds like she doesn`t need to be in a hospital, according to her doctors. So there is no reason to think that
she shouldn`t have a successful treatment.
GORANI: And it probably wasn`t a good idea two days after she was diagnosed to go attend an event, right? I mean, this is something that is
usually not recommended if you`re diagnosed with pneumonia.
GUPTA: Yes, it is one of those things where there is no magic formula. I think her doctor said look, you need to rest, recharge, rehydrate, all that
sort of stuff. As her campaign said, you just had Brian Fallon on talking about it, she wanted to soldier through, despite how she may have been
feeling or the diagnosis that she now had, she wanted to keep going.
And there is something called walking pneumonia. It refers to a less serious type of pneumonia. Again, I don`t know what type of pneumonia she
has because no one has told us, but if she had something like that, you can understand why she might still be trying to go to events and doing things
despite the diagnosis.
GORANI: Well, I know, Doctor, but she was walking and she had pneumonia. All right, anyway, we`ll see, I`m sure we`ll get more details soon. Thank
you very much.
GUPTA: You got it, Hala.
GORANI: All right, well, Clinton`s pneumonia has now turned the state of her health into a conservative campaign issue. Joining me to break down
what it means in this race for the White House is Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
So Larry, no one is talking about Hillary Clinton dropping out or anything like that, but in the history of presidential politics, when a candidate is
ill or has to suspend their campaign, what -- can you give us examples of what that has happened in the past and the impact on the race itself?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CENTER FOR POLITICS: Actually, it has not happened except in one modern case. Richard Nixon had
a bad infection in 1960 after having hit his knee on a car door. And he was forced into hospital for a couple of critical weeks and it was an
extremely close election. It might have made the different in the race.
[15:40:03]So the truth is that in American history, most political candidates for president have hidden health problems. They have not told
the truth. I thought we were moving toward an era of more transparency. This Clinton example has really set us back.
GORANI: Yes, and this was one of, I think many people have said this is potentially a bigger issue than any of the other issues, the fact that she
was diagnosed on Friday and didn`t say anything until Sunday when it appears as though the video showing her wobbling and going into the car and
leaving the event early might have forced the hand of the campaign.
SABATO: This would have been a blip politically. If they had simply announced the truth on Friday, and given her a day or two to rest that
would have been the end of it. But no, in the tradition frankly of the Clintons, they have to hide the truth. They weren`t going to tell us at
all. They thought she could just tough it out, take the antibiotics, and we`ve never be any of the wiser and now she`s paid a big price for it.
GORANI: So Larry, let`s talk about the potential price here, of course, it`s going to, among her supporters even perhaps, raise some questions
about, you know, why did she hide this? Is there something else she is hiding, but also the Trump camp is also going to seize on this presumably
because it is something they can attack her with very soon once she recovered.
SABATO: Trump supporters seized on her health before we had any indication she was ill. For months and months the Trump supporters on the far right
were using social media and the internet to push the ridiculous story that Hillary Clinton was on death`s door.
So now what does Hillary Clinton? She plays right into their hands. I should mentioned something else too. She got that diagnosis on Friday.
If she obeyed her doctor and went to bed, she never would have appeared at the fundraiser on Friday night in which she made that giant goof of talking
about a basket of deplorables. So she has paid over and over again for not being honest and trustworthy.
GORANI: Larry, let me ask you, though, about the overall impact. We`re less than 60 days away, and it appeared at one point that Hillary Clinton
had a runaway lead, but no more though.
I mean, is there -- what will the impact be on the only one that matters, and that is the election in November?
SABATO: If she recovered quickly and every indication suggest that she will, I don`t think this will last that long. There will be some residue
in the image that people have of her. She is very lucky to be running against Donald Trump.
You have to say this, there is only one modern presidential candidate who is even less transparent than Hillary Clinton. It is Donald Trump. We
know less about his health than we do about Hillary Clintons.
GORANI: But the Clinton supporters, he is not held to the same standard, though. He can say things that are untrue, and he will not be attacked as
ferociously for the mistruths as Hillary Clinton, perhaps. Is there truth to that?
SABATO: Yes, he is graded on a curve, there is no question about it. She released many years` worth of tax returns. He`s released nothing. The
only candidate not to do so since the 1970s and he continues to get away with it.
GORANI: Larry Sabato, we always love having you on, thanks for being with us today.
SABATO: Thank you.
GORANI: Check us out on our Facebook page, we`ll post our interviews and our most interesting content, Facebook.com/halagoranicnn.
This is THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. Coming up, I speak to a Syrian refugee who fled scenes like this in Aleppo and is now doing his best to help others in
a similar situation. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:46:12]
GORANI: Welcome back. As the sunset over Syria a few hours ago, a tentative ceasefire began, one that Syrian`s hope will bring the dawn of a
new day and the end or a pause in a brutal conflict.
Here are some of the numbers involved. It is fast approaching its sixth year beginning in 2011 and more widely the next year in 2012. The United
Nations envoy has estimated some 400,000 Syrians have been killed. More than 11 million have been forced from their homes because of the fighting,
that is about half of the country`s population.
Shadi Martini left as well. He is one of those who was forced to flee. He was a businessman in Aleppo and left in 2012. He is now the senior adviser
for Multi-faith Alliance for Syrian Refugees based in the United States and he is here in London. Thanks for being with us. What brings you to
London?
SHADI MARTINI, SYRIAN REFUGEE: What brings us to London is to advocate for resettlement of more Syrian refugees in the U.K. and across Europe. We
tried to tell the story of why people should not be afraid of Syrian refugees. We try to tell them what is going on in Syria, why people are
fleeing, and why they need to be welcomed.
GORANI: Are you getting any sympathetic ears because it`s not very popular. It has to be said in the U.K. the idea of admitting more.
MARTINI: No, actually it is not popular in a lot of places because of, you know, in Europe economic anxiety. There is security anxiety after attacks
in mainland Europe. But a lot of people when they see a refugee, talk to them, speak to them in English. That is a big deficit here in U.K. to
speak to a Syrian who left Syria. People tend to be more sympathetic.
GORANI: When you meet someone face to face, it always helps. Let me ask you about your story because you plead in 2012, you were helping organize
some of the demonstrations against the government. But ever since you have gone back pretty regularly to help with sort of delivering aid and things
like that. That is very risky.
MARTINI: I wasn`t organized demonstration, I was organizing aide to people who are hurt in demonstrations. Mainly medical aide, providing assistance,
but not on the political aspect. That is what I continue to do, to deliver aide and help people who need aid inside of Syria after 2012 and continue
this work of helping refugees now fleeing into Europe. So that`s the line of work that I continue --
GORANI: But you`re still doing it now despite the dangers.
MARTINI: I`m still doing it now. It`s not as much of going inside Syrian as before. The crisis has widened and it is now affecting Europe and other
areas including the United States. We have now 10,000 Syrian refugees resettled in the United States in the last fiscal year. So there is help
all over the world.
GORANI: Exactly, so you`re able to provide help without necessarily going into Syria, but helping the refugees outside of it?
MARTINI: Yes, we can offer help in neighboring countries in Europe, the United States, and also provide send aid to people displaced because that
is also a story not being told enough. There is now most of the borders closed and people can`t cross into Turkey, Jordan, or Lebanon. And
hundreds of thousands are stranded along the borders in makeshift camps.
GORANI: So Aleppo is your home town?
MARTINI: That is where I was born and raised.
GORANI: And you thought you would spend your whole life there?
MARTINI: Yes, I love the city, the people, it`s where my memories of where I grew up and where I loved.
GORANI: I notice that you smile and light up when you talk about Aleppo. Tell us what you think when you see the images of destruction?
MARTINI: It`s hard. It is the most horrific part for me is the people that are gone. I always think that you can rebuild, but how can you bring
back people, a friend you used to play soccer with or football with. That is something you will lose forever, and that is the most hurtful thing in
my life.
GORANI: When you see the images and think about your friends, you managed a hospital before. You were a businessman, your life was great, your
family, I know you have a big, extended family, the hotels, the restaurants, and things like that, now it is almost like having to admit
that this will every been again.
MARTINI: Yes, probably, but we have to admit that it will not be like before. We have to face the new realities and find new solutions of how we
will adapt and live in Syria after if we are able to go back and live in Syria peacefully. It is a horrific situation, a terrible situation.
GORANI: Do you think you will?
MARTINI: I hope so. I try to be hopeful because I think the last thing that dies is hope, but I`m pessimistic.
GORANI: That it will be like before.
MARTINI: It will be, yes.
GORANI: But sometimes you see pictures, you see other countries that went through terrible events and one day they come back.
MARTINI: Yes, I see --
GORANI: You could take your kids there because I know you have a small, young daughter.
MARTINI: I have a 16-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son. I went to Berlin to help refugees in Germany, and Berlin was divided, and I hope like
Aleppo, I hope it will rise up like Berlin. I do believe that the Syrian people have the capacity to rebuild. Aleppo was destroyed in earthquakes.
They have been invaded so it`s --
GORANI: And the citadel is still holding.
MARTINI: It`s still holding and we`re building on top of other ruins all the time.
GORANI: Shadi Martini, thanks very much. You`re the senior Syrian advisor for the Multi-Faith Alliance for Syrian refugees. You are doing work in
the U.K. trying to convince authorities to take in more. We really appreciate your time. Thanks for being with us.
Here you have some images in Kosovo, the celebrations of the faithful for Eid Al-Adha. We were talking about previous conflict zones, Kosovo being
one of them. They sacrifice animals, share the meat with the less fortunate. So that is a good thing.
Coming up, a Belgian Paralympic is shining the spotlight on euthanasia. Hear her describe how having the option to do it has actually given her a
new leap on life.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:55:32]
GORANI: After reports suggested she was ready to end her life after competing in Rio, a Paralympic athlete is giving her side of the story. On
Sunday, (inaudible) said having the power to take her on life is actually was is keeping going.
Belgium gave the 37-year-old wheelchair racer approval for assisted suicide nearly a decade ago. The athletic has a degenerative spinal condition.
She has won three Paralympic medals since, and she believes there would be fewer suicides if more countries legalized medical euthanasia. Here`s more
of what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANEKE VERVOORT, BELGIAN PARALYMPIAN: I hope it is something for every country that means not murder that it means that they can give a feeling of
rest to the people. If I didn`t have got those papers, I think I would already do suicide because it is hard to live with the pain and suffering
and the unsureness.
Every year it is going more and more less so I`m really glad with those papers, and I`m still alive and enjoy every little moment in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Contrary to those reports said she was thinking of ending her life in an imminent way and she fought back saying she just has the option and
she is happy she has the option. Until there are more bad days than good days she is not ready for that. And congratulations to her for her silver
medal in wheelchair racing.
You can visit us on Twitter and Facebook, facebook.com/halagoranicnn and @halagorani. Thanks for being with us, everyone. I`ll see you same time,
same place tomorrow. I`m HALA GORANI. This has been THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next on the other side of this break. Stay
with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
