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NEW DAY

Violence in Cairo; UPS Cargo Plane Crashes in Alabama; Hannah Anderson Shares Her Pain; Race for Mayor of New York City; Cairo In Crisis; A-Listers Take On Paparazzi

Aired August 14, 2013 - 08:00   ET

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


MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Fighting back, tearful testimony from Hollywood stars Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry, pleading with lawmakers to help reel in paparazzi. Why they fear for their children's safety.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Your NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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ANNOUNCER: What you need to know --

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ANNOUNCER: What you just have to see --

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ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan and Michaela Pereira.

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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And welcome back, everyone, to NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, August 14th, 8:00 in the East. I'm Kate Bolduan.

CUOMO: And I'm Chris Cuomo, here with our news anchor Michaela Pereira.

PEREIRA: Good morning.

CUOMO: Coming up for you this morning: a plane crash in Alabama. A UPS cargo jet goes down outside an airport in Birmingham. The NTSB at this hour is launching a go team to the site. We're going to give you breaking details.

BOLDUAN: And a mother ordered to change her son's name from Messiah to Martin ordered by a judge. The reason? Well, the judge says only Jesus Christ can have that title. We'll talk to the mom live about this strange and controversial ruling. PEREIRA: And is the fake sugar in the diet soda you love so much safe? Coca-Cola defending the artificial sweetener in a brand new ad campaign, saying it does help people manage their weight. Does it really, though? Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with what you need to know.

CUOMO: There is breaking news right now. Chaos in Egypt escalating at this hour. Troops opening fire on thousands of protesters, staging two sit-ins in the Egyptian capital. Muslim Brotherhood officials say more than 200 demonstrators have been killed. We have teams on the ground covering all angles of this story.

Let's go live first to our Arwa Damon in Cairo.

Arwa, happy to hear you moved inside. I know the situation is getting dangerous. Please take us through which way it is developing right now.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it most certainly is developing towards widespread, it would seem, gun battles that are happening on multiple fronts throughout the capital itself.

Earlier this morning, security forces moving in. They cleared out pretty quickly one of these sit-in sites in front of Cairo University. We were there shortly afterwards and battles breaking out in the streets.

At the main sit-in sites (INAUDIBLE) they are dealing with multiple front lines just in that area. This is a massive site. It spans for miles and clashes on the outskirts of it. But they are also clashing with pro-Morsy demonstrators who are trying to break through coming from the other side, trying to break through the ranks of the riot police and of the military that has also been called in to beef up the effort.

And we're seeing these demonstrators moving from one area to another, we were there a few moments ago and yet another square in Cairo and there was gunfire happening on the other side of the square and then all around us. We have to clear out of there pretty quickly.

So, most certainly, intensifying gun battles that we're seeing taking place here.

CUOMO: All right, Arwa, thank you for the reporting.

Moving from the police to the military a very troubling sign. Stay safe there.

BOLDUAN: We're also following another breaking news story. A UPS cargo plane has crashed near the Birmingham airport in Alabama. An affiliate WVTM you see the plane burning and at least three loud explosions.

CNN's Rene Marsh has more on this and is joining us by the phone right now.

Rene, what's latest? What can you tell us? RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, the latest information that we have now, Kate, is that the NTSB has confirmed that they will be launching a go-team to go to the crash site to investigate, to try to determine what led to this crash here. We know that, again, it happened -- a UPS cargo plane on arrival at the airport there in Birmingham, Alabama.

So, we expect that the go-team and NTSB investigators should be on the ground around 10:00 this morning there in Alabama to start this investigation.

We should note that this was an A-300. So, this kind of plane is a very large plane. However, the only users of this type of plane in the United States is UPS and FedEx. No commercial passenger planes, as far as this type of plane here in the United States.

And as far as the crash history goes here, this is only the second crash of an Airbus jet in the United States. Of course, the first one was back in November, 2001. It was an American Airlines flight in Queens, New York -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Now, Rene, obviously, since it is a cargo plane, that would say it would minimize the number of possibility of injuries. Are you hearing anything about -- were the pilots injured? Do we know where they are right now and how this could be affecting airport operations there this morning?

MARSH: At this point we do not know any further details about possible injuries. We're still waiting to get that information. So, that remains unknown.

But I can tell you typically in a cargo plane, you would have two people inside of the plane, but, again, that's usually the way it is. But we still don't have any definitive number as to the number of people inside, injuries or possible fatalities, waiting to get those details, Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right. Rene Marsh, thank you so much for that update.

I'm just getting further update in my ear the mayor of Birmingham reporting two casualties. We'll be obviously following this developing situation out of Birmingham airport in Alabama this morning. Thanks.

CUOMO: The quote, "He deserved what he got." Those words reportedly from 16-year-old Hannah Anderson, about the man shot dead by the FBI after kidnapping her and killing her mother and brother. "The Associated Press" is reporting that Hannah is sharing details of her horrifying ordeal online.

Casey Wian is monitoring this developing story from Los Angeles for us.

Casey, on the one hand we're curious about her story, obviously. But, also, a little worrisome that so soon afterwards she'd be talking.

What do we understand about the situation?

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, it's interesting that you bring that up because one the people she was interacting with on this social media site has suggested that she should tell her father that she is doing this. Obviously, some concern there. She said, he knows.

You know, it's a phenomenon that a teenage girl going through a life- changing ordeal might go on social media and discuss it with her peers and that's exactly what Hannah Anderson has apparently done.

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WIAN (voice-over): The 16-year-old Hannah Anderson is sharing details about her kidnapping on social media, that's according to "The Associated Press." "The A.P." reports that Hannah fielded questions on the site Ask.fm about her abduction by the man she knew as Uncle Jim, James DiMaggio.

A user asked, did you want to go with DiMaggio? She replied, no, not at all. Why didn't you run? He would have killed me. Why didn't you tell your parents he creped you out? In part, he was my dad's best friend and I didn't want to ruin anything between them.

Hannah shed new light on the night she was kidnapped, the same night her mother and younger brother were murdered. Their bodies burned in DiMaggio's house.

How did he separate you from your mom and brother? He tied them up in the garage. How did he keep the fire a secret? He had it set where it would catch on fire at a certain time.

"The A.P." says Hannah also wrote DiMaggio threatened to kill her if she fled and brought her at least in part to help carry equipment in the wilderness. Some questions from subscribers were brutally blunt.

Did he rape you? I'm not allowed to talk about it so don't ask questions about it, thank you. Are you glad he's dead? Absolutely.

Some experts question the wisdom of Hannah's online chats.

WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: This is a 16-year-old who is totally traumatized. She is in a state of trauma and so she is not thinking. Sometimes in a numb state you're doing things that you don't really consider the consequences.

WIAN: Hannah even posted a selfie and engaged in lighter conversation typical of a teenage girl, but even some of that seemed painful. What design did you get on your nails? Pink for my mom and blue for Ethan. Those who know her tells CNN Hannah spent some of Tuesday helping to plan their funerals.

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WIAN: Hannah also expressed regret that she couldn't do more to save the lives of her mother and brother. Also, we should point out that CNN has not been able to independently confirm that, in fact, it was Hannah Anderson posting those notes online and "The Associated Press," though, says it has -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right. Casey, thank you so much for the reporting. Appreciate it.

One thing is for sure, the emotion is so raw, we believe this story is over because she's home, but it isn't. It's just beginning from her.

As her father told us here at CNN, he doesn't have a lot of money and she's going to need a lot of help.

So, if you want to help Hannah, there has been a fund set up for the teen. For information, you can go to CNN.com/impact -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Back here in New York, there was a pretty testy debate for mayor. All eyes, as usual, though, on Anthony Weiner.

He again apologized for the sexting scandal that took him from first to last in the mayoral race and things only got more uncomfortable from there.

Rosa Flores has been following this candidate and the race all throughout.

Good morning, Rosa.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

You know, this campaign has all of the elements of a soap opera -- tabloids, twists and turns and drama-filled sexting scandal and, yes, my friends, a cast of characters fighting for attention.

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FLORES (voice-over): It was the shouting match outside and a boxing match inside. The Democratic candidates for New York City mayor facing off in their first televised debate. Anthony Weiner apologizing once again for his latest sexting indiscretions.

ANTHONY WEINER (D), NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I've made mistakes. They've embarrassed myself and they've hurt my family.

FLORES: The embattled candidate sparring with city council speaker, Christine Quinn, repeatedly.

WEINER: I've apologized for my personal behavior. The speaker refuses to apologize for overturning the will of the people for the slush fund scandal and for things in her professional record.

CHRISTINE QUINN (D), NYC CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER: Neither me nor anybody else on this stage or any New Yorker, quite frankly, should be lectured by Anthony Weiner about what we need to apologize for tonight or ever.

FLORES: The other three opponents seemed perfectly content ignoring him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't want to talk about Anthony.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Liu?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Same thing.

FLORES: And focusing instead on the issues facing the city.

In recent weeks, the scandal-plagued candidate has gone from first to fourth place. His support plummeting from 26 percent for the latest sexting admission to 10 percent in a new Quinnipiac University poll.

(on camera): How do you think you're doing despite the poll?

WEINER: I think I'm doing very well. How do you think I'm doing?

FLORES (voice-over): The former congressman's politically savvy wife, Huma Abedin, remains noticeably absent from the campaign trail.

(on camera): We haven't seen Huma. Where is she tonight?

WEINER: Huma's on babysitting. She's with my 19-month-old Jordan, and I think they're watching on television.

FLORES (voice-over): Watching Weiner fight to stay in the race.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLORES: And Anthony Weiner continues to say that he doesn't govern by what the polls dictate. We've got to add that he did have a lot of supporters outside of that event cheering for him. But I was also following the Twitter-sphere during this debate, and while there were a lot of tweets about Weiner, they were not flattering, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Rosa.

Now, joining me now to discuss more about Anthony Weiner and some of the other big political headlines, the host of CNN's "CROSSFIRE", S.E. Cupp joining us here in New York.

Hi, S.E.

S.E. CUPP, HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Hi. I guess have the unfortunate honor of discussing Anthony Weiner this morning. That goes to me?

BOLDUAN: Exactly. And whoever drew the short straw, S.E. Cupp.

CUPP: That's me!

BOLDUAN: So, what -- I mean, when you look at this new poll. Weiner now in fourth with only 10 percent support among Democratic voters. He was in first prior to all this coming out. Does he have any chance at this point? When you look at kind of comebacks, there's really no time left. CUPP: No. A month ago I was saying, thank god I'm leaving New York because I thought he had a chance. He was up in the polls. There were a lot of people around him saying, give him another chance. He seemed defiant and indignant, as he always does.

Now, it seems the polls are correcting. And I'm once again proud of my New Yorkers for seeing in Anthony Weiner exactly who they'd get, a clown. I mean, he is a jerk, he's a clown. We don't need another circus in New York. The New Yorkers deserve a serious candidate for mayor and I think they're course correcting.

BOLDUAN: So when you look at kind of how things played out recently, I think one of the unwitting victims of all this continues to be his wife. He was with that BuzzFeed interview that he did, he kind of made this -- he says it was a joke, but he seems to hint, when he was asked, he suggested that he knew what job Huma Abedin, longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, would have with a long-time Hillary campaign.

In all seriousness, how much is he hurting her and her professional career?

CUPP: A lot, you know? But I used to, Kate, think like you did, that she was an unwitting victim. I don't know, she seems to be going along with this. I mean, she's been out on the campaign trail. She's been holding and speaking at press conferences. She's been defending him.

So there is only so much sort of, you know, victim Huma that we can believe. She's on board now, it seems. But you're right. The jerk part of him is that he's aware of the fact that he's hurt her professional career, which could have skyrocketed and, still could. He could have bowed out of the race and sacrificed his career for hers, so that she could continue working with Hillary Clinton, working on her own career. But he's knowingly injected himself into the path of her career.

BOLDUAN: I think we can all agree, though. You never know what's going on in a relationship and the reason she stuck with it, she loves her husband for all his faults and she has their child. And she wants her child to grow up knowing that their family was together.

So, I never try to guess at victim or not.

CUPP: Who knows what's going through her head?

BOLDUAN: Take on the Democrat. Now, let's take on some Republican issues, shall we?

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: So, the birther question back in the news.

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: This time, not talking about Barack Obama. We are talking about Ted Cruz. And who is questioning his eligibility for possibly one day trying to run for office, for the White House?

CUPP: Take a guess.

BOLDUAN: Exactly. Donald Trump.

CUPP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Is the birther issue only hurting Republicans when they bring it up? I mean, really.

CUPP: Yes, it's just unnecessary. Look, we have FBI agents. We have congressional scholars to look into someone's eligibility for president. And they have -- Ted Cruz is eligible to run for president despite his childhood in Calgary. So, I don't know if our candidates and would-be candidates need to spend time going down that path.

It makes it look like we have nothing else to go after. And Ted Cruz, even though I'm a fan of his, there's plenty to go after if you don't like the candidate.

(CROSSTALK)

CUPP: He does.

BOLDUAN: What would you say to Donald Trump then?

CUPP: Look, Donald Trump doesn't need advice nor would I imagine he'd take advice from me. So, he's going to do what Donald does. He's going to keep being Donald. But if I were advising Republican candidates running office, I would say just stay away from this issue.

BOLDUAN: Stay away. All right. S.E. Cupp co-host of "Crossfire." What's the launch date?

CUPP: September 16th, 6:30 eastern time.

BOLDUAN: Do not want to miss it. All right. Thanks, S.E. Great to see you.

CUOMO: It's good to have you. Welcome to NEW DAY.

There's a lot of other news for you this morning. Let's get right to Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right. Let's start with an update on the wildfire that's burning in Idaho. The elk fire has now scorched nearly 100,000 acres. Fire officials say it is five percent contained. It may not even be under control until October. Seventy-one homes and buildings have already been destroyed.

East of Salt Lake City a wildfire is burning across 4,000 acres. Firefighters there making little progress getting it contained. A dozen homes have been burned.

An FBI agent testifying at the court-martial of army major, Nidal Hasan. He called the Fort Hood crime "scene the worst I've ever seen." Hasan, an army psychiatrist, is acting as his own attorney and has admitted to being the shooter. Thirteen people were killed and 32 wounded as you'll recall in that 2009 Ft. Hood massacre. If convicted, Hasan could face the death penalty.

Newark, New Jersey's popular mayor, Cory Booker, now the Democratic nominee in the race to fill an open Senate seat. He beat out fellow Democrats in a primary yesterday and now will go up against the Republican opponent in a special election to be held October 16th. The winner of that race will fill out the remainder of the term of Sen. Frank Lautenberg who died in June.

Two stars of reality show, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" in trouble with the law. Joe and Teresa Giudice will be arraigned in federal court in Newark this afternoon on a variety of fraud charges. They are accused of lying about their income among other things. Both are expected to plead not guilty.

An update now we have for you in Cairo. We've had trouble getting a live shot because of the chaos that has emerged there today. Reza Sayah is live on the streets for an update. And we are concerned for your safety, of course. Reza, tell us the latest.

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michaela, it's just been a horrible morning here in Cairo. We witnessed some awful scenes just about 20 minutes ago. Yet, another fatality. Another body was brought over right behind where we are wrapped in a blanket, put in a car, and driven away.

The latest casualty, the latest fatality in this ferocious fight where on one side, you have supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. On the other side, you have the security forces from this military-backed interim government.

There are two neighborhoods in this city that look like war zones at this hour. We're at one of them. We're at East Cairo, the scene of a pro-Morsi demonstration that had been going on for six weeks. The interim-backed, the military-backed interim government had threatened a crackdown against this sit-in. They said it could not continue any longer. We didn't know when that crackdown was going to come.

It's 6:30 a.m. this morning. That's when it finally came. According to witnesses, security forces started firing weapons and then an all- out firefight emerged and throughout the past few hours. We can personally tell you we've seen scores of casualties. People either hurt very badly or fatalities, people who've been killed. A lot of volunteer doctors are working at this hour in a makeshift clinic.

Based on what we're seeing, they're going to have a very difficult time taking care of all of these victims. And for now, the conflict continues. And in the coming hours, the question is, how is this going to end? Their aim, the security forces aim, is to clear out this sit-in. But over the past several weeks, this sit-in demonstration has mushroomed into a small town where you have thousands of people here. It's going to be incredibly difficult for them to clear out these people, many who are defiant. We're going to wait here and see what happens in the coming hours -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: Reza, we've heard also some discrepancy about the injuries there and about the fatalities. We're going to continue to watch this with you. Thanks so much for that update. Reza Sayah in Cairo. Quite a chaotic scene there already this morning, and we'll be keeping an eye on that.

BOLDUAN: It looks like it's only just starting, unfortunately --

PEREIRA: Yes.

BOLDUAN: -- is what it looks like right now.

All right. Let's turn to weather now. Let's get to Indra Petersons tracking the forecast for us this morning. Good morning, Indra.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. If you're anywhere from the Midwest and the northeast, everyone is going to be saying, wow, it is nice today. Beautiful out there. We're talking about cold arctic air coming from Canada bringing temperatures 10, 15 degrees below normal. Again, that's the Midwest to the northeast.

And yes, we're talking highs in the 60s. Cleveland today, 68 in New York City, 74. Oh, it feels so good. Unfortunately, we can't spread that love all the way down to the south where, again, they're talking about heavy rain day after day. Really, all throughout the weekend and possibly into the early part of next week. Two to five inches of rain already in the forecast, but we could be adding more to that.

Hard to believe. Look at this out in the Caribbean. Potential development here from that tropical moisture to form into a tropical low. If that happens and it combines with the stationary front that's already producing the heavy rainfall, we're going to take that two to five inches and we're going to boost that up to possibly eight inches of rainfall. We just keep talking about this. I feel like a broken record at this point.

BOLDUAN: It is what it is, though. That's the problem. They're keep saying more and more rain. All right. Thank you so much, Indra.

CUOMO: And it's going to matter because if you live in those areas, you have to know because you want to stay ahead of it if it gets so bad so quickly.

We're going to take a break here on NEW DAY. When we come back, the artificial sweetener in diet soda, is it safe? That's what Coke is saying in a brand-new ad this morning. We're going to ask Dr. Sanjay Gupta what's true and what is not.

BOLDUAN: Also ahead, Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry taking on the paparazzi. The steps they're now trying to take to keep the photographers away from their children.

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CUOMO: Here's something you're going to want to see. Dramatic testimony from two Hollywood stars in California. Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner gave emotional statements at a hearing over celebrity photographers also known as paparazzi. The celebrity moms describe the constant nightmare, surveillance with paparazzi aggressively trying to snap shots of their kids and they want it to stop, of course. CNNs Nischelle Turner is back with this. Hi, Nischelle.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. They say that this is a daily occurrence and it just keeps getting worse and worse. In 2009, California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law that fines paparazzi for taking photos that invade a celebrity's right of privacy.

Now, this law also makes it a crime to take and sell unauthorized photos of celebrities in personal and familial activity. So, there are laws on the books. But both Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner say it doesn't go far enough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER GARNER, ACTRESS: I love my kids. They're beautiful and sweet and innocent and I don't want a gang of shouting, arguing, law breaking photographers who camp out everywhere we are, all day every day, to continue traumatizing my kids.

TURNER (voice-over): In an emotional appearance Tuesday in front of California lawmakers, Hollywood A-listers, Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry, asked for better protection for their children from paparazzi cameras.

HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: We're not just whiny celebrities that many times people think we are. We're moms here who are just trying to protect our children.

TURNER: Garner and Berry testified before the California Assembly Judiciary Committee in support of a bill that would increase paparazzi penalties and broaden the definition of harassment to include photographing a child without the permission of a legal guardian. In recent years, the children of celebrities have become unintentionally famous in their own right.

Suri, Maddox and Apple are known on first-name basis just like their parents. Photos of the children of celebrities have become big business for photographers who sell them to an ever-growing pool of entertainment magazines and websites at top dollar.

GARNER: My children aren't actors or celebrities. They're just kids like your kids or anyone else's. And just like you want to protect your children, I want to protect mine.

TURNER: Celebrity moms want to draw a line.

BERRY: What we're asking them to do is to take these pictures with some dignity, to take these pictures and not harass our children. (END VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER (on-camera): Now, some media organizations oppose the legislation saying that it could infringe on the ability of journalists to cover the news in California. This was approved by the state assembly's judiciary committee on Tuesday, but there are still several steps that remain before it will go into law.

BOLDUAN: That's the thing. I mean, you can empathize with them, obviously. Anyone. But it's that, where is the line that you draw?

TURNER: Yes. And there's another side to this. I mean, there are people who say, listen, you are a celebrity. You signed up for. You want the publicity when you want it but then you don't when you don't. So, there is a little bit of a back and forth.

BOLDUAN: That is tough. All right. Nischelle, thank you so much.

TURNER: Absolutely.

BOLDUAN: Coming up next on NEW DAY, she named her son Messiah, now a Tennessee judge is ordering her to change his name saying the name is reserved for only one, Jesus Christ. The baby's mother will be joining us, coming up.

CUOMO: Then, assessing the safety of diet soda. We're going to ask Dr. Sanjay Gupta what is true and what's not about these new claims about aspertame.

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MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Fighting back, tearful>