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Obama Briefed On ISIS Beheading Video; Bill Cosby Gives No Answer To NPR Rape Question; Lava Edges Toward Homes In Pahoa, Hawaii

Aired November 16, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: He is also the author of "when terror comes to main street," a citizen's guide to terror awareness, preparedness and preventions.

So Colonel, this video has been described as the most barbaric released by ISIS so far. How do you interpret what is happening here?

LT. COL. JOE RUFFINI, (RET.) U.S. ARMY: Well, this isn't going to be the last video that we see like this, unfortunately. ISIS accomplishes several things when they go public on social media with these videos.

First of all, it has an absolute psychological affect on the people whose area they're occupying now, and the cities that they will be going into. What ISIS is telling them is when we come in and we tell you to do what we tell you, you know what the consequences are if you say no.

The other psychological affect it has and mainly on westerners is that we find an act like this totally horrific, and barbaric. And it sometimes, I think, leads us to believe that these are mad men and that they lack a little bit of sanity, which is certainly not the case. They're very smart. They're very ideologically driven, but they're sane and they are very calculating.

And the other message that these beheadings send to soldiers that who go up against them is if we capture you, you know what's in store for you. And that can have two effects. It can cause soldiers to run, as it has done in the past. It can also cause soldiers to fight more fiercely because they don't want to be captured.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk more about that, the timing and the person, you know, the victim selected here. Does it appear the release of this video comes on the heels of any specific U.S. military operation or maybe even some sort of verbal western pledge that's been made?

RUFFINI: You know, I don't really think so. We don't know for sure what the rationale behind their timing is. Periodically, though, they're going to keep up the fire as we used to say in the army. And they are going to remind people who they are and where they are.

Listen. They are very, very strategically and tactically a depth. I think they knew full well. Let's face it. ISIS was created in 2006. They've been around for a while. And I think they timed their assault perfectly with the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. The void was left in the region. They know our politics. They understand full well that the chance of a recommitting of American troops to the region in this administration is very, very unlikely. And they are going for it because I think they truly believe that they're basically unstoppable at least until the next election. And I don't think they really care -- it matters what party wins in 2016. They're convinced Americans won't be back on the ground until after that, and they're going to go for it.

WHITFIELD: Also, what is different here is this reported mass beheading. What does that mean to you?

RUFFINI: Again it is just a psychological effect. I mean, they have kidnapped more than 80 Syrian journalists. They have executed 17 Iraqi journalists. We normally concentrate on the five western victims, but they do this continuously. Again, whether they execute one in the video. Whether they executes 17, whether they execute 50, it's the psychological affect and the message that they're sending to the world and the United States in particular.

WHITFIELD: Is this also psychological affect on U.S. military that, look, even with all the air strikes, it has meant that ISIS is unshakeable?

RUFFINI: ISIS is -- there is no enemy in my opinion that's unbeatable or unshakeable. I will tell you that I, as many other believe, you cannot win a war from the air. It has an effect. You have you to have strong committed, well disciplined and trained ground troops because in the final analysis you have to take ground.

And I think the problem here is, other than the United States and its coalition, what army, what military is there in the region that is well-fed, well-trained, well-equipped and well-disciplined enough to take on ISIS. And right now, I don't see one.

WHITFIELD: And that, we understand that this may or this activity involving ISIS and beheadings may be taking place in this area. Is this also, I guess, instigating that cat and mouse game? U.S. military intelligence, any kind of cooperative effort, it's difficult to figure out where ISIS is, where its home base is, where the lieutenants are, and where the next beheading or attack would take place?

RUFFINI: Well, the intelligence community certainly has its work cut out for it. I think the intelligence community is the finest that it has ever been. As far as (INAUDIBLE) the act of payers because they do move around, they do mix in and they live among the indigenous population which number one makes them find -- hard to find. And number two, makes them very difficult to take out without collateral damage that will always fall back on us.

WHITFIELD: All right. Colonel Joe Ruffini, thank you so much for your time from Washington.

RUFFINI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Kassig's family released this statement saying quote "we are aware of the news reports being circulated about our treasured son and are waiting for confirmation from the government as to the authenticity of these reports. We will have no other statement at this time and ask that you please respect our privacy."

The statement does go on to say quote "we prefer our son is written about and remembered for his important work and the love he shared with friends and family, not in the manner the hostage takers would use to manipulate Americans and further their cause," end quote.

So more now on Peter Kassig. Once a U.S. ranger, then a medical worker to help victims of war.

CNN's Arwa Damon got to know him when he was helping wounded Syrians in Lebanon in 2012.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first time we met Peter was during the summer of 2012. It was quite the sight. Peter, a former army ranger, pale, tattooed, and though at the time speaking only a handful of Arabic, tending to wounded Syrian with a compassion that transcended the language barrier.

PETER KASSIG, FORMER ARMY RANGER: We each get one life, and that's it. You get one shot at this. We don't get any do-overs, you know, and like for me it was time to put up or shut up. The way I saw it, I didn't have a choice. You know, like this is what I was put here to do. I guess I'm just a hopeless romantic, and I'm an idealistic and I believe in hopeless causes.

DAMON: For Peter doing something meant starting his own nonprofit. Just months after we met him, he was already delivering humanitarian aid and medical assistance to Syrians in refugee camps and inside the war-torn country. Profoundly touching all who lived and worked with him.

In the words of this Syrian activist, he would treat everyone, no one was exempt. He trained many on first-aid. He lived in the house with us. He was extremely kind. He was sad during our times of sorrow, and happy for our times of joy.

Dr. Enis recalls his last conversation with Peter saying I asked him if he was afraid he would be killed, and he said no. My life is not worth more than yours and that he considers himself to be like any other person who was part of the Syrian revolution.

Peter was kidnapped shortly afterwards in October 2013. At some point during his captivity he converted to Islam and took on the name (INAUDIBLE). In this letter drafted his parents during that time he wrote, "if I do die, I figure that at least you and I can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that I went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need."

And that is how Peter will be remembered. For his humor, laughter, but mostly his drive and compassion and the way he inspired us all more than he could ever imagine. KASSIG: There's this impression, this belief that there is no hope.

You know? That's when it's more important than ever that we come in against all odds and try to do something.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And it is confirmed that Kassig is the victim in that video, he will be the fifth western hostage beheaded by ISIS.

If you like to help the Syrian refugees that Kassig has dedicated his life to, log to CNN.com/impact.

All right, now to Ukraine and some dramatic new images as Dutch officials finally start removing debris of Malaysian airlines flight 17. And then we're just getting in this new video that reports to shows the immediate aftermath of the crash last July.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: This is amateur video obtained by a Russian tabloid. All 298 people on board were killed when the plane was shot down.

CNN's Phil Black joins us now on the phone.

Phil, you covered this story as it broke in July. Hard to get access to the area with pro-Russian separatists controlling the site. So why now are we seeing this new video and, again, it is still being disputed exactly who shot down that flight. So Phil, from Slavyansk.

PHIL BLACK, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): It is extraordinary that these pictures have not come to light before now. As you said, almost four months after the accident, they are so dramatic. They do appear to show. The (INAUDIBLE) that was caused by the impact of the largest piece of the wreckage.

Remember, when MH 17 broke up in the sky, it was scattered over in an incredibly wide area. But my time with the site, looking at that video, it's pretty clear that what you are seeing there is the biggest piece to hit the earth at really the centerpiece, really, the bulk of economy class on MH 17, including the wings, the engines, the landing gear.

Having seen that particular area after the planes had obviously died down, I had only really had a sense before just how big that inferno was, but you can really see there from the smoke, from the heat, from the panic and the confusion of the people who were living just nearby and missed were so lucky not to have been impacted more directly.

So really quite extraordinary pictures there. Very significant part of the aircraft and coincidentally, you mentioned that the wreckage from the aircraft is being collected today. It is to be shipped back to the midland for the purposes of the investigation. The section that they are actually collecting today is from that area there that you are witnessing burning on that site as it took live around four months ago, Fredricka. WHITFIELD: My God. And so, as we look at this extraordinary amateur

video, it is so unclear where this video comes from. But you see in this area that is residential, does seem whirl (ph) or maybe even like farmland. Maybe you can best describe this area for us. But you see people who are trying to assist not only are they stunned as you described, but it appeared as though there were some people who were running with buckets of maybe water there, just trying to assist.

BLACK: Yes. It is certainly rural farmland with a few villages here and there. And what is right next to that very significant area of the crash site is a very small village. As I say, they were missed narrowly.

We spoke in the days after the crash to a lot of people who were in that village and actually witnessed what we are now able to see ourselves, as did a lot of journalists that moved through there. Remember, this was a huge international story. So it would be logical to presume, I think, that one of the residents of that village shot this tape or someone was certainly in that village at the time.

Why has it come to light now? Well, as we've been talking about, they have -- there is an operation going on at the crash site to collect the debris. The main pieces of it, to shoot back to the midland for the investigation. It's attracting media attention again. There are journalists on the ground there today. It is possible that just perhaps one of them, and it is speculation, spoke to someone who hadn't been spoken to before and it has led to this video being uncovered and now distributed online and shown around the world.

WHITFIELD: Amazing stuff. Phil Black, thank you so much for our reporting, Appreciate it.

All right, meantime, the U.S. president says he would order ground troops to fight ISIS if there was a nuclear threat. But one general says half of the U.S. marines stationed in the U.S. are not as ready as he wants them to be.

Also, rape allegations are swirling again around comedian Bill Cosby. He was asked about them on NPR and responded with silence. But what was Cosby's expression during his silence? And did he say anything after the interview? We'll hear from the journalist who spoke with Cosby straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: America's top marine says half the marines stationed in the United States are not as ready as he wants them to be. General Joseph Dunford, commandant of the Marine Corps says he doesn't have enough manpower or equipment. Well, that has propertied a big review by defense secretary Chuck Hagel.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is in Los Angeles after moderating a national security conference at the Reagan library in Simi Valley.

Good to see you, Barbara. So, this is a pretty big deal, what's going to be done to fix this problem?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, I have to tell you, Fred, all of the services, all of the branches of the military facing this. It's something that Secretary Hagel has been looking at. I just left that national security conference at the Ronald Reagan presidential library where top officials including Hagel had all gathered to talk about all of these.

Now, as you would expect, the war on ISIS a top issue, but also how the military is pairing (ph) during the budget crunch and the mandatory spending cuts that maybe coming from the Republican Congress.

The new commandant of the Marine Corps General Dunford, was the one who was exceptionally blunt, and what he had to say may surprise you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JOSEPH DUNFORD, COMMANDANT, MARINE CORPS: In 50 percent of our units that are at home stationed today are at the greatest state of readiness either equipment shortfalls or personnel shortfalls. And the reason is because of the high operational tempo that we have today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Fifty percent not ready. Not enough money and too much to do. And General Dunford doesn't seem to think it's going to get better any time soon -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And you also interviewed Secretary Hagel with no end in sight with this war against ISIS, what are the next steps that he could be facing? Is he talking about shortfalls that impact that fight?

STARR: Well, you know, Hagel knows, as the whole Pentagon knows full well, the really next step on the table is whether or not he has to deal with the prospect of General Dempsey, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, asking for a small number of ground troops. U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq to help with targeting for the Iraqi forces.

Now, Hagel is emphasizing that that recommendation, whereas many number of U.S. troops on the ground has not come to him yet. Listen to his very precise words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: If we get (INAUDIBLE) of recommendations on General Dempsey, then we'll deal with it. But we are not there yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: So deal with it if and when it happens. But I will tell you, General Dempsey, the chairman on the joint chiefs, has repeatedly now said that if the Iraqis get into some missions to fight ISIS that they can't deal with, it's too hard for them, he may make the recommendation to the president for a small number of U.S. troops on the ground supposedly not in combat, but as we always say, combat could come to them -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And then Barbara, it's kind of a personal question as it pertains to Hagel, but now I'm super curious about the band-aid. We've seen the band-aid over the past few days, but now I'm seeing blood with the band-aid. What is going on here?

STARR: Hopefully not. I mean, this secretary is a little bit embarrassed about the whole thing. I have to tell you. Apparently he was in his kitchen at home, and the kitchen cabinet, if you will, jumped out and attacked his face.

WHITFIELD: What?

STARR: He had a little bit of an accident. And you know, you got to remember for Chuck Hagel, there is a little bit of humor with all of this. The man is a decorated combat patron from the Vietnam war, purple heart. He still carries shrapnel in his chest. As he said laughing, he has had a lot worse happened to him. He has had a lot more bandages on him. So he is a little bit embarrassed about it. But he assures everybody that it is healing and he is getting better.

WHITFIELD: OK, Good. Well, we ask because we care.

Barbara Starr, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

All right. New at this hour, U.S. intelligence is working determine the authenticity of an ISIS video that claims to show the beheading of American hostage Peter Kassig. President Obama also has been briefed on the video. The 26-year-old Kassig was serving as a medical worker in Syria when he was captured more than a year ago. The former U.S. army ranger and Iraq war veteran converted to Islam during his captivity adapting the name Abdul Rakman Kassig (ph).

CNN's Atika Shubert joining us now from London.

So Atika, what is the U.S. doing to try to authenticate this video?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what both British and U.S. investigators will be looking at is where this video was posted and by whom did it come from official ISIS media? But also, trying to figure out where and when the video was shot.

It's a very different video from the previous ones, and in actually at one point they actually even thought the video was located in Dabiq, Syria. So this is something that investigators will be looking at. Is it, in fact, can they find any landmarks to show this is where it comes from and other signs that this is an authentic video from ISIS.

WHITFIELD: And there are things that are unusual about this video. That this is a group or a mass beheading. How does this differ from other types of videos that have been seen? SHUBERT: This is a very different video from the other western

hostage videos we've seen in the past. In those videos the hostages have been in orange jumpsuits in the style of Guantanamo. They speak with a message to the camera. That doesn't happen in any of this video. In fact, the killing of Peter Kassig doesn't happen until the very end of a 15-minute video. It's quite short. And in it, really all you see -- you don't see his murder. All you really see is his apparent murderer, which is the masked militant with a British accent known here as Jihadi John. And so that is all you see.

The rest of the video is actually dedicated to a sort of propaganda of ISIS history, the growing of the Islamic caliphate. And there is one section in which we just particularly gruesome and brutal, which shows the apparent mass murder of more than a dozen Syrian soldiers, led, again, by Jihadi John, and a number of ISIS militants who are not masked. They're actually clearly identified as they carry this out. And it is, unfortunately, edited for maximum gore. It's clearly -- the brutality is something they are trying to highlight in this video.

WHITFIELD: And adding to that terror element. I guess that the lead terrorist there being given that western name of Jihadi John.

All right, Atika Shubert, thanks so much.

All right, what does the family of explain teen Michael Brown think about the release of this video and audio from the day Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed the unarmed young man.

I am asking Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This week in Missouri, a grand jury could decide whether a Ferguson police officer will be indicted for the killing of an unarmed teen this past summer. All these on the eve now of that decision. We are also hearing police dispatch recording from just before and during the deadly police shooting of Michael Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're taking a stealing in progress from 9101 West Florescent 9101 West Florescent. Subject may be leaving the business at this time. Stand by for further --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 21. Put me on Cumfield with two and send me another car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get on several more units over here. There is going to be problem.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are there any available Ferguson units who can respond to Cumfield and Cupper. Advise?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: We're also seeing video of Officer Darren Wilson leaving the police station just hours after the shooting. Lawyers for Michael Brown's family are responding to the new material with a statement reading this in part quote "from the very beginning the Ferguson police department has followed what is now seemingly standard operating procedure for police departments around the country to vilify the victim and put the shooter on a pedestal," end quote.

One of those attorneys, Benjamin Crump, joins me now.

Good to see you. So, the timing -- the timing of this material, the audio and the video, what is your feeling? What is the family's feeling as to the motivation behind it?

BENJAMIN CRUMP, BROWN FAMILY ATTORNEY: Well, Fredricka, obviously, at the beginning they said that the police officer suffered a blow-out fracture to the eye. And obviously, when you look at this video, that seems to be a big exaggeration. And so the family, like many in the Ferguson community, is asking why would you exaggerate his injuries unless you were trying to justify the excessive force of the unarmed killing -- I'm sorry. The killing of this unarmed teenager? And that's what is really troublesome. Why are the local authorities trying to mislead the community, trying to mislead this family? Everybody said if he really had this blow-out fracture to his eye socket, he would have same hole in the eye. He would have went immediately to the hospital. This is over two, almost three hours later when we see this video.

WHITFIELD: So then, it almost seems as though, this revealing of this video would be comforting for the family because it was then show that perhaps what eyewitness have said is that officer Wilson was not injured.

CRUMP: From the beginning, Dorian Johnson who was with Michael Brown (INAUDIBLE) officer wasn't hurt. That he saw the nurse that was following right behind them, saying she didn't see the police officer hurt. And there was video, Fredericka, of him walking around the scene. He wasn't holding his eye, wasn't touching his eye. He stayed completely uninjured, and then they came out a couple of days later and said he suffered this horrific injury, and everybody said but we didn't see it. They were saying this is why he had to do what he did. And so, if you say he doesn't have injury, that is logically have us conclude he didn't have to do what he did and killed this unarmed kid.

WHITFIELD: So, how does this video-audio perhaps better prepares you and Michael Brown's family for the type of verdict that could come from the grand jury.

CRUMP: Well, obviously, Fredricka, anybody who has children, they know that this was an emotional roller coaster for this family. In the past three months they haven't been able to grieve.

They've had to fight this very public battle just to try to get simple justice, and so like any other family, they turn to prayer and say, you know, please help get justice for my child.

And they asked everybody to remain peaceful and calm in exercising their first amendment rights because it is frustrating, Fredricka, and it is very difficult for these parents and this community and many of us who are parents of children of color to see this happen over and over again, and they continue to sweep our children's deaths under the rug.

WHITFIELD: And I know they were in Geneva last week, Michael Brown's parents. Where will they be this week especially if that decision, a verdict is rendered from the grand jury this week?

CRUMP: Well, I'll be in St. Louis, like everybody else, awaiting the decision and also trying to figure out how can we make something positive out of something negative? No matter what the grand jury decides, it's still not going to bring their child back.

WHITFIELD: And it's a decision on whether to indict the officer. Benjamin Crump, thanks so much for your time.

CRUMP: Thank you, ma'am.

WHITFIELD: Coming up, President Barack Obama now revealing there are circumstances that would force him to put boots on the ground in the fight against ISIS. What he says would have to happen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Barack Obama was briefed aboard Air Force One about the latest ISIS video purporting to show the beheading of American hostage, Peter Kassig.

National Security Adviser Susan Rice briefed the president after leaving the G20 Summit in Australia. This capped his eight-day Asia Pacific trip during which he pushed a trade deal and signed a climate change agreement with China. CNN White House correspondent, Jim Acosta is traveling with the president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They were not the words of a lame-duck.

OBAMA: This was a strong week for American leadership.

ACOSTA: At a news conference at the end of the G20 summit in Australia, President Obama confidently rattled through the climate and trade deals from his trip to Asia and offered a peek inside his latest run-ins with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

OBAMA: I have naturally several interactions with President Putin during the course of the APEC Summit and then here at the G20. I would characterize them as typical of our interactions which are business-like and blunt.

ACOSTA: Despite all the tough talk aimed at Putin from world leaders at the summit, the president signaled no new U.S. sanctions against Russia's over its actions in Ukraine.

OBAMA: At this point the sanctions that we have in place are biting plenty good.

ACOSTA: In the battalions against ISIS, the president said circumstances might warrant deploying ground troops to Iraq.

(on camera): As you are thinking on that change somewhat?

OBAMA: There are always circumstances in which the United States might need to deploy U.S. ground troops.

ACOSTA (voice-over): The president offered a doomsday scenario.

OBAMA: If we discovered that ISIL had gotten possession of a nuclear weapon and we had to run an operation to get it out of their hands then yes, you can participate that not only would Chairman Dempsey recommend me sending U.S. ground troops to get that weapon out of their hands, but I would order it.

ACOSTA: But it was a slight shift in his past stance.

OBAMA: I will not commit you and the rest of our Armed Forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq.

ACOSTA: On threats of a government shutdown from Republicans outraged over his plans to take executive action on immigration, Mr. Obama recalled what GOP leaders had pledged in the past.

OBAMA: I take Mitch McConnell at his word when he says that the government is not going to shut down. There is no reason for it to shut down. We traveled down that path before. It was bad for the country.

ACOSTA: The president confirmed he has received legal guidance from Attorney General Eric Holder on just how far he can go with an executive order that would shield some undocumented immigrants from deportation, a move that could come next week.

OBAMA: We would like to see them being able out in the open to pay their taxes, pay a penalty, and get right with the law.

ACOSTA: But the president conceded his aggressive plan for executive actions in his final years in office could be undone by his successor.

OBAMA: You are absolutely right that the very nature of an executive action means that a future president could reverse those actions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: As the president heads back to Washington after the trip to Asia, there will undoubtedly be new questions about Mr. Obama's approach for dealing with ISIS. The apparent beheading of American hostage, Peter Kassig, will only fuel cause up on Capitol Hill for the president to get tough on the terror group. Jim Acosta, CNN, Brisbane, Australia. WHITFIELD: All right, Bill Cosby stayed silent when asked about rape allegations on the radio, but how did Cosby's wife respond during the interview? We hear from the journalist who confronted the comedian next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, comedian, Bill Cosby, is scheduled to take the stage tonight in Eerie, Pennsylvania, as part of his nationwide comedy tour. Will questions about rape allegations take center stage?

This just one day after the airing of an interview he did with National Public Radio in which Cosby delivered silence when asked about these revisited allegations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT SIMON, NPR RADIO HOST: This question gives me no pleasure, Mr. Cosby, but there have been serious allegations raised about you in recent days. You are shaking your head no. I'm in the news business. I have to ask the question.

Do you have any response to those charges? Shaking your head no. There are people who love you who might like to hear from you about this. I want to give you the chance. All right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, this morning that NPR interviewer, Scott Simon, was on CNN's "NEW DAY" and talked about that moment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIMON: As I began to say this question gives me no pleasure, he began to shake his head and go like that. So I think he certainly understood which question is coming. You know, he gave what I would refer to as the light fold in this kind of little Cosby smile at first. And then was silent didn't answer the question.

JOE JOHNS, CNN GUEST ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Did anybody before the interview give you an indication he wasn't going to answer any questions along those lines.

And, two, there's supposedly nondisclosure agreements around some of these controversial activities he was engaged in. Anybody give you a suggestion he couldn't talk about because had he a gag order on him?

SIMON: No. We got none of that. Of course, it has to be noted that the woman, Barbara Bowman, who has been on CNN a lot more than I have. Probably a lot more than you have, Joe and Christie, in the past few days, that there's not that kind of agreement where she's concerned.

No, nobody said anything. I think his people had said to some of our producers, you know, he is represented by a very famous PR man in Beverly Hills, who has done a lot of good work for him and other clients over the years. I believe they said things like, you know, you guys are so classy. You don't dip into the muck and mud the way the rest of the people do and I think that's true. But no, nobody indicated that what happened would happen.

I thought there was a good chance the interview would be canceled. Obviously, it wasn't and I think we can probably fairly safely say that they had a strategy in place for when the question was asked, which maybe they thought that we couldn't use silence on the radio.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Good point. What -- as I understand it, you sat down with him and his wife, Camille.

SIMON: Yes.

CUOMO: What was her reaction? I mean, obviously they expected the question?

SIMON: You know, she is -- as you may know, she's very gracious and very warm and we spoke, you know, mostly about this extraordinary art collection of which they've lent 62 pieces to the Smithsonian.

When they had contacted us weeks ago exploring the possibility of an interview, it was because this joint exhibit is opening at the Smithsonian, and she's just a delight. I have to tell you when I asked that question of Mr. Cosby, I wanted to pointedly make it of Mr. Cosby and not Mr. and Mrs. Cosby.

And, therefore, I pointedly looked at him. I did not look at Mrs. Cosby. I don't mind saying I might have been a little uncomfortable to do that anyway, but I did not look at her.

JOHNS: Did Bill Cosby say anything after the interview? You know, the million dollar question out there is it's pretty simple to deny an allegation if it's not true. Why didn't just say I didn't do it?

SIMON: I don't know. I almost said you'll have to ask Mr. Cosby why he didn't say it, but I think we've established that might not be possible. You know, anything that happened after the interview I think I consider off the record, but I don't want to be dramatic about that. There was nothing sensational. There was nothing discourteous. We got out of there very quickly. I'm sure to everybody's neutral relief.

CUOMO: So just to clarify, when he did shake his head because again you could see him and we couldn't, I think everybody too was wondering why he didn't just say no. But his expression was not one, you know, of anger or anything?

SIMON: No, I mean, look, he is a very gifted performer and I'm sure -- I'm sure that fell into play so I wouldn't be expecting that he would blanch or anything like that. He knows how to perform, and there was nothing remotely hostile or snarling in his expression.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: All right, NPR's Scott Simon. While Cosby himself has not responded to these resurfaced allegations, his lawyer has, Attorney John P. Schmidt released the statement which reads in part, quote, "Over the last several weeks, decade-old discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have resurfaced.

The fact that they are being repeated does not make them true. Mr. Cosby does not intend to dignify these allegations with any comment," end quote.

All right. An eruption from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island in Hawaii is sending lava oozing towards town. We'll hear from a resident who is trying to stay calm as the red hot lava edges towards his home.

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WHITFIELD: Residents on Hawaii's Big Island are on alert as lava from the Kilauea volcano edges even closer destroying its first home this week. It engulfed the home in Pahoa Village. Some roads are on fire, and there is smoke in the air in some places too. There is an evacuation advisory for residents down slope of that flow.

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EVONNE SHIOSHITA, PAHOA RESIDENT: We've got to know each other seeing each other's kids grow up, get married, move on, and never thought in a million years that our house would be taken by lava. Life goes on, and there's nothing we can do.

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WHITFIELD: So Pahoa resident, Alihi Hawaneo, is on the phone with us. So Alihi, we spoke about two weeks ago and you were taking things in stride even though that lava was getting closer to your home. What's happening now? Is it getting closer or is it -- has it taken a new direction?

ALIHI HAWANEO, PAHOA RESIDENT (via telephone): Yes. Aloha, Fredricka. The lava flow has been somewhat slowed down, but in relationship to my home there is activity moving in a direction away from my home.

WHITFIELD: Well, that's good. That's excellent. Well, you know, last time we spoke --

HAWANEO: Yes, that is. Yes.

WHITFIELD: You said, you know, this is just the way of life on the Big Island, and you just can't sweat it. We're looking at pictures of your home right now. How close is your home to the house that was devastated by the lava this past week?

HAWANEO: I estimate about 400 to 500 yards away -- in a straight line it's about that far. WHITFIELD: My goodness, so has this lava gotten, you know -- has it covered any of the roads near your home? Has it changed your lifestyle? What's happening?

HAWANEO: No, not at all. It hasn't covered any major roads in and out of the area. However, civil defense has put up road blocks in order to ensure safety of the local residents and of visitors as well.

But life carries on day after day, and it's peaceful. For me, Fredricka, there is a peace about it, and we take it one day at a time and watch the progress and all of the civil servants have been good at keeping us updated and abreast of the movement of the flow.

WHITFIELD: Wow, there is some peace about it. Well, that's the Hawaiian spirit. Alihi Hawaneo, thank you so much for making the time out with us again and we are wishing all the best. We're going to keep checking with you and make sure everything is all right. Mahalo.

HAWANEO: Thank you very much. Mahalo, aloha.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll be right back.

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WHITFIELD: Today's NASCAR race in Homestead, Florida will decide who wins this year's championship. Four drivers are in the running for a top spot, and whoever has the best finish today wins the title.

Those in the running are Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Danny Hamlin and Ryan Newman. None of them has ever won the championship before. Remember, we profiled Joey Logano just a couple of years ago.

So all of these guys right here, they'll be relying on teammates called spotters to get to victory lane. We'll show you what spotters do in our 3:00 Eastern hour, 400 miles to the title. Maybe the best driver and spotter will win.

We'll have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, and it all starts right now.