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CNN NEWSROOM

New Rule for Weed in New York City; Money Making in States That Legalize Marijuana; Reagan Secret Recordings Released; Man Using 401K to Buy Ticket to Space

Aired November 10, 2014 - 14:30   ET

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


BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: So when you look at the statistic that Alexandra was just talking about, which is just staggering, 86 percent of those arrested for marijuana are either black or Hispanic, do you think then -- does that statistic end up changing at all?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I don't think it ends up changing. This is all in theory, but it doesn't change the arrest because the officer will still be making the arrest. The only difference is the punishment and the procedure. And so my sense is -- I understand this is something Mayor de Blasio ran on, but the answer is dealing with Stop and Frisk and dealing with the way that the laws are disproportionately affecting blacks and Latinos.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But we will have to hear about how much discretion police officers will have when there would be a citation, when there would actually be an arrest made, what that small amount is, and whether this is possession or, if you're in a public place or if you're actually walking down the street smoking it.

KEILAR: We're still waiting for details.

Sunny Hostin, Alexandra Field, thanks so much to both of you.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, hundreds of investors and some of the most promising new marijuana companies are meeting and looking to capitalize on the industry's growing demand. This coming less than a week after voters in Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C., approved marijuana legalization.

Let's go now to CNN's Miguel Marquez.

Miguel, what are entrepreneurs hoping to gain?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: More money. There is a lot of money pouring in to this budding industry. But a very mixed message on a day when New York is considering what it is doing there, and you come out here to see hundreds of companies trying to get their way in the door here. 12 made it into this investors conference sponsored by Arc View. And they are looking for money for these new industries. Everything from an app for the phone by a company called Ease, where you can order marijuana to your door, customer like Uber, basically, to a company that wants to do a castle-like resort where it's all things marijuana, where you're at a bed and breakfast for as long as you want to be there, sort of a luxury marijuana experience. As you mentioned, Colorado, it's full steam ahead there. Washington,

they are rolling it out fast. And in D.C., Alaska, Oregon, they've passed recreational laws. In 2016, there will be another raft of states considering this, Arizona, California, big one there. Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, they have propositions on the ballot.

But in the meantime, states governments are also taking this up. So by 2019, you could have added to the rolls where recreational marijuana is legal, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland.

So it's really taking off, investors here at this conference. If you want to know where this industry is going, follow the money. And it is going into edibles, extraction devices and extraction processes. It is an amazing industry that is only beginning to change.

KEILAR: Miguel Marquez, thank you so much for us.

And coming up, never before heard secret recordings of former President Ronald Reagan. We'll pull back the curtain on the top- secret recording revealing the former president discussing highly sensitive matters with world leaders, conversations recorded through the White House Situation Room switchboard.

And later, I'll talk to a man unfazed by the recent space disasters. He's using money from his 401K to pay for a trip to space.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Newly released White House audio reveals Ronald Reagan, a little like Richard Nixon, recorded some of his phone calls while serving as president. And not just that, it turns out that Reagan faced some of the same dilemmas that Barack Obama is facing right now, for one, dealing with the Assads of Syria, then, like now, the dictators of Damascus.

(BEGIN AUDIO FEED)

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. President, let me take this opportunity to extend my congratulations on your re- election to a new term as president of Syria.

(END AUDIO FEED)

KEILAR: That was Ronald Reagan in 1985.

And with us now to talk about the newly released Reagan audio tapes, Historian Julian Zelizer, of Princeton University.

First, the obvious, Julian, did this surprise you to learn that Ronald Reagan was recording some of these phone calls? I want to be clear, these were done through the Situation Room switchboard. And we're told it's to maintain some sort of accuracy or record. But were you surprised by that? JULIAN ZELIZER, HISTORY PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: It is a

surprise. We have recordings of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, but we thought after Nixon we wouldn't have more recordings, famously ending during the Watergate hearings. So this was fresh material. It something I was not familiar. And to hear inside the White House is something we don't have post-Richard Nixon until now.

KEILAR: I want to listen to Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, on October of 1983. This was hours after Reagan, without telling his ally, Margaret Thatcher, that he had ordered troops into Grenada to quash a Marxist coupe. Let's listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO FEED)

REAGAN: We think we want to put them kind of out ahead in helping in the restoration of a government so there will be no taint of Uncle Sam trying to impose the government on them.

MARGARET THATCHER, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: (INAUDIBLE)

REAGAN: Oh, yes.

THATCHER: (INAUDIBLE)

REAGAN: We think the military part of it is going to end shortly. But as I say, I'm sorry for any embarrassment we caused you. Please understand it was just fear of our own weakness over here with regard to secrecy.

THATCHER: It's very (INAUDIBLE)

REAGAN: Well, my pleasure.

THATCHER: So how is Nancy?

REAGAN: Just fine.

THATCHER: Give her my love.

REAGAN: I shall. All right.

THATCHER: Thank you very much. I must return to the states -- (INAUDIBLE)

REAGAN: Oh. All right.

REAGAN: Go get them. Eat them alive.

THATCHER: Good-bye.

REAGAN: All right, bye.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So, Julian, pleasantries there at the end of the conversation, but Ronald really is apologizing to Margaret Thatcher. Why is he expressing so much humility?

ZELIZER: It's an interesting tape. Thatcher is one of his closest allies and a partner in the conservative revolution of the 1980s. She's upset that she didn't know about the invasion of Grenada that happened, and he's trying to say this wasn't about keeping her out of the loop, it's about the problems he's having here in the U.S. -- and this sounds familiar -- with controlling leaks and controlling secrecy. So he needs her as an ally during this period. It's a critical moment in the Cold War and in policy toward Central America and he's trying to win her support back, which he will.

KEILAR: In the beginning, she's sort of curt with him because she's ticked off. You can tell. But she warms to him throughout the call. It is really fascinating.

He also negotiates for hostages in these recordings. This is Ronald Reagan in June of 1985, urging Pakistan leaders to use his -- the leader of Pakistan to use his contacts with Middle East terrorists to persuade them to free passengers on a hijacked TWA airliner. Let's listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO FEED)

REAGAN: We must do that in a way that does not make the hijackers think they have won their goal because I think we'd just see more hijackings and more terrorism. But we believe that if they will return ours, then I think the Israelis are prepared to also deliver theirs, but not make it a kind of ransom at the moment.

(END AUDIO FEED)

KEILAR: OK. So if he's negotiating, why does it sound like he's not really negotiating for the release of the hostages?

ZELIZER: Well, this was an important part of Reagan's secret policies, which becomes part of Iran-Contra. He's trying to secure the release of hostages, which are taken in the mid 1980s. He's very frustrated that he can't get them released. So he starts to negotiate with allies and even with adversaries like Iran. But he doesn't want to say he's negotiating for the release of hostages, because this goes against his policies never to negotiate with terrorists. So he'll say this but, in effect, what he's doing is negotiating some kind of deal through third parties for the release of hostages. But he's trying to be clear on that because it contradicts his public policy.

KEILAR: Fascinating stuff.

Thanks for explaining some of this to us as we pull back the curtain.

Julian Zelizer, appreciate it.

And just ahead, a man taking cash from his 401K to pay for a trip to space even after the recent tragedy. I'll be asking him why.

And next, Iran's ayatollah takes to Twitter to talk about plans to, quote, "eliminate Israel." We'll go live in Tehran right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: New violence is adding to growing Mideast tensions. A 20- year-old Israeli was stabbed at a bus stop and three were stabbed near a hitchhiking post near a West Bank settlement. One of them later died. This happened where three teens were kidnapped and later found dead this summer, sparking an Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

Meantime, Iran's supreme leader has published a series of tweets explaining, quote, "Nine key questions about the elimination of Israel." The ayatollah tweets feature as chart with nine questions and answers. The first one, "Why should the Zionist regime be eliminated." And his answer, what he calls "the fake Zionist regime" has tried to realize its goals by means of, quote, "infanticide, homicide, violence and an iron fist." Question number three is "What is the proper way of eliminating Israel?" The answer is a call for all the original people of Palestine to take part in a referendum. And question number six addresses how that should be until that referendum is held. And the ayatollah's words, quote, "powerful confrontation and resolute and armed resistance."

Let's get more from Reza Sayah in Tehran.

Reza, is there any explanation for the timing of these tweets? Why go after the Israeli government when Iran is seemingly trying to put forth a gentler face here?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Brianna, it's very difficult to explain the timing of these tweets. Two weeks from today, you have the deadline of the nuclear talks between the U.S. and world powers and Iran. Iran has gone through great lengths to present itself as a peaceful member of the international community and, all of a sudden, comes these tweets. Add to that, Twitter is banished here. Government has never explained why government officials are allowed to use Twitter.

But even so, it's important to keep these tweets in context. On the surface, they sound scary, suggesting Iran want to the eliminate Israel. But the tweets include a detailed explanation of what Iran means. The explanation says they don't want to attack Israel. They have nothing against the Jewish people. They want to eliminate the Israeli government and they want to do it through a referendum, through a vote. Tehran's position is that everyone in the Palestinians and Israeli territories should vote. And they think through sheer demographics, the fact that there are more Arabs than Israelis, they will choose one Palestinian state and one Palestinian government, thereby eliminating the Israeli government. So that's what they mean. But you can be sure many Israeli supporters will describe it another way.

We should also point out tht Washington would never send its top diplomats, Secretary of State John Kerry, to negotiate with Iran, if they truly believed Iran is looking to attack Israel -- Brianna?

KEILAR: And the other issue that maybe complicates this, but maybe adds context, is these tweets are coming two week before the deadline of the nuclear talks. Does that have anything to do with this, do you think?

SAYAH: It's not clear, but certainly much of the world is focused on the nuclear talks, including Israel. They have made it clear that they're against these talks. They don't want the U.S. and Western powers to strike a deal with Iran. They don't even want the U.S. to talk to Iran. Netanyahu described Rohani as a sheep in wolf's clothing. Israel has also suggested that if there is a deal, if they deem it a bad deal, that they will take any necessary measures to protect themselves. Some say that is an indication of an attack, others say the consequences will be too great if Israel attacks Iran. So it will be a fascinating couple of weeks. If, indeed, there's a deal between the U.S., world powers and Iran, look for tensions between Iran and Israel to go up even more -- Brianna?

KEILAR: Alright, Reza, we'll follow it with you.

Reza Sayah, thank you so much.

Just ahead, a ticket to become a space tourist costs a pretty penny. But my next guest didn't let that or a recent tragedy discourage him. He's using money from his 401K to pay for his ticket to space. Adventure journalist, Jim Clash, joining me right after the break.

And at the top of the hour, gun sales around Ferguson, Missouri, up as locals wait for a grand jury's decision in the killing of Michael Brown. We'll be talking to the owner of a gun store near Ferguson.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Matthew McConaughey's ride to space and beyond sending a lot of Americans to the movies this weekend. Here is a cool look at "Interstellar."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Let's talk about real-life space travel, though. And Virgin Galactic's Spaceship Two disintegrated on a test flight and it killed a pilot. This would deter some passengers who head already purchased tickets. Many of them had a change of heart. Some did not. Virgin founder, Richard Branson, handing out refunds to some of those ticketholders as questions swirled about the safety of the flight.

But one man is not just continuing on with his plans to fly to the edge of space, he's actually considering, if he needs to, raiding his 401K to pay the remaining balance on his ticket. I'm talking about Jim Clash, a freelance adventure journalist. He's joining me now.

Jim, you don't consider yourself a rich man. How much are you investing to do this? And why is it so important for you?

JIM CLASH, FREELANCE ADVENTURE JOURNALIST: First, let me say that, with Branson, only 20 people have asked for refunds out of 700.

KEILAR: And some others purchased. Decided they wanted to take part.

CLASH: Exactly. But for me, I'm a baby boom kid. I wanted to travel space all my life. And as an adventurer writer, I've done almost anything you can do. I've bobsledded with the Olympic team. I've flown in MIGs. And the last thing is space. So I'll put down what I need to to do it.

KEILAR: When you heard the news of what happened, what was the first thought in your mind? And the possibility of reconsidering this commitment doesn't change for you?

CLASH: First thing I thought of was the pilots. I know some of those guys. It's very sad. But this is the testing phase. That's why they test. If that would have been a pull spaceship with eight people on it, we'd be talking a totally different scenario. But, look, I'd like to see the investigation. It looks to me like it could is been pilot era. It doesn't look as bad as they initially thought. So I think the program will be set back, but it won't be set back that much. And remember, anything new will experience some kind of difficulty.

Yes, when I heard about it I was shocked, saddened, but my biggest fear was it's it will push the program back and maybe I won't get to fly in my lifetime. That was my fear, not blowing up in space.

KEILAR: So as you consider the risk calculation and put yourself in that moment when you were getting ready to go, what are you going to be thinking? Is one of the things that you'll be thinking about the fact that that could be it for you?

CLASH: Of course. But every adventure I do, I think that. When I jumped out of a plane --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: That's what you think, this could be it?

CLASH: Of course.

KEILAR: What is that thought like?

CLASH: That thought is real. And, look, the one thing that everybody that does this kind of stuff will tell you, they never think it will happen to them. I've interviewed a lot of racecar drivers, fighter pilots, and they never think it will happen to them. You have to have that mentality. I had seven astronauts, we did a communication on ham radio with the space station. We were so excited. And then the next week, you saw that blowup. Then you saw Virgin Galactic's crash. So it's up and down. But, in the end, it's technology and you have to move ahead.

KEILAR: The other thing that is out there is this Mars 1 trip -- people are signing up -- to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. That's a ways off, right?

CLASH: That's a joke. I'm sorry --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: So you wouldn't do that?

CLASH: That will never happen. That is just a game show. They don't have enough money to do it. That's -- they don't have any equipment.

KEILAR: If it weren't a game show, if it were possible --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR -- a one way ticket, would you do it?

CLASH: I wouldn't do it with Mars 1, because it's not going to happen. But if I had a one-way ticket to Mars --

KEILAR: Conceptually, would you do it?

CLASH: Sure, I'd do it.

KEILAR: Why?

CLASH: Because it's the last frontier, right?

KEILAR: And it may be the last great adventure for you.

CLASH: Look, as long as they would guarantee I'd get to Mars for a while, I'd do it. I don't want to go there and die there in 10 minutes. But, yeah, I would do it.

KEILAR: Very adventurous.

CLASH: And by the way, the 401K thing, if I have to go into my 401K --

KEILAR: You'll do it?

CLASH: -- I'll do that. But I have the money in savings right now.

KEILAR: And just before I let you go, if you don't consider -- we were talking about some people going up Everest. They have a lot of money to burn. But you don't.

CLASH: I'm a journalist, like you, but not a TV journalist, so I make less than you to. But for me, it's a stretch. But again, a baby boom guy, I want to go into space. It's a dream.

KEILAR: Jim Clash, thanks so much for being with us. Really appreciate it.

CLASH: Thank you, Brianna.