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CNN NEWSROOM

Buffalo and Erie County Suffering Record Snowfall; Interview with Ron Prosor; Obama Summoning Jews and Muslims to Coexist without Violence; Ferguson Expecting Grand Jury's Decision

Aired November 19, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The next hour of CNN "NEWSROOM" starts now.

Happening now in the "NEWSROOM", a season's worth of snow in just a few days. Around Buffalo, six feet of snow with more on the way. And we're still a month away from the official start of winter. Plus, security tightened across Jerusalem as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises a strong response to the killing of five inside a synagogue. I'll talk to Israel's ambassador to the United Nations about this latest attack. Plus ...

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COSTELLO: And the waiting game in Ferguson, Missouri. When will the grand jury deliver a decision in the Michael Brown shooting as new video surfaces of a stop involving officer Darren Wilson? Let's talk live in the CNN "NEWSROOM."

COSTELLO: And good morning, I'm Carol Costello, thank you so much for joining me. Breaking records in the buckle of America's Snowbelt. This is time lapse video of a massive snowstorm rolling into the northeast and seemingly swallowing it. The most staggering amount of snow in a familiar place, buffalo, New York. But the amount of snow falling in the southern suburbs is staggering, even by Buffalo standards. Six feet of snow has fallen, six feet since just yesterday. Five people have died, including one motorist found inside a car that was literally swallowed by a snowdrift up to 15 feet deep. Roads are virtually impassable. Just ask these basketball players from Niagara University. They were stranded on a bus for more than 26 hours before state troopers rescued them this morning. It's cold comfort for those huddled at home. The mountains of snow are now crashing through doors and windows, straining roofs, toppling power lines. This winter hardy region is on track to see a year's worth of snow in just a few days.

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MAYOR BYRON BROWN, BUFFALO, NEW YORK: People are saying that some of the conditions that they're seeing in terms of snow are worse than what they saw during the blizzard of '77. So the snowfall is that heavy. It's probably heavier than anything that we have seen in over 40 years.

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COSTELLO: We have team coverage for you this morning. Jennifer Gray is deep in the Buffalo snow. Indra Petersons is tracking the storm for us, but first, let's head to Mark Poloncarz. He's the Erie County executive. He joins us on the phone from Upstate New York. Welcome, sir.

MARK POLONCARZ, ERIE COUNTY NY EXECUTIVE: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Is this one of the hardest days of year career?

POLONCARZ: It's been a hard last 36 hours, actually longer than that. 48 hours. At one point I was up 38 hours straight. Before I got a few hours' sleep. It has been what I believe and what everyone I've spoken to believes is the worst storm we've ever seen. As I said yesterday, the storm was like a knife that was cut right into the heart of Erie County. It blocked off every one of our north/south routes, including the New York State Thruway and major department of transportation routes, the 400 as well as the 219. Every one of the county roads that is a major north/south had blockage on it and what we're telling folks is simply stay home, because there's nowhere you can go.

Thankfully we have a respite right now. It's actually sunny out in the areas that were directly impacted and the snow band moved north to the areas that had no snow. So it's giving us an opportunity to go out there and clean up the roads. We are getting major roads cleaned up. We are going to be selling - selling - we are going to be sending up our sheriff's helicopter in the next few moments to actually do a visual from above so we can see how some of these roads look. But we do know there are hundreds upon hundreds of vehicles that are abandoned on many of these roads, including tractor-trailers. So it's taking a tremendous amount of time and effort to clean them. Actually, we have to get in with high lifts to move the snow. We have to get tow trucks to move the vehicles and then we can start actually opening up these main thoroughfares. It's starting, it's happening but it's going to be a long process. It's going to be a slow process. And as a result we still have a driving ban in place for the tough areas.

COSTELLO: Right. Do you still fear there are people trapped inside their cars?

POLONCARZ: We feel better that that is not the case, though we can't say for every road that it was impacted. We do know that the last 40 people who were stuck at the thruway toll barriers in the city of Lackawanna have been removed so the final 40 people have been removed and are on their way to shelters. I can't say it for every road in Erie County that was impacted because we truthfully have lots of roads similar to the one where unfortunately that the gentleman drove his car into a ditch and the car was basically engulfed by the snowdrift. So there may be issues like that, we just don't know and we may not know for the next 24 hours. COSTELLO: Well, keep up the good work and thank you so much for

taking the time to talk with us this morning. We appreciate it. Mark Poloncarz.

POLONCARZ: You are welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's take a look at the weather ahead for Buffalo and beyond. CNN's Indra Petersons joins me now. You know, you heard Eric, he said the sun is out but he knows more is coming.

INDRA PETERSONS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: More is coming. Another wave of that, and we're still not even done with this first wave. This first wave alone, you talk about breaking records for the entire year. We're also breaking the record likely for the amount of snow you see anywhere in 24 hours. The last record was 76 inches set in Colorado. We could be breaking that record with this storm. Take a look. It's such a dry snow, that air is so cold. We're seeing snowfall rates of four to five inches per hour. That means it's falling faster than you can literally keep up with trying to shovel the snow out there. That is what people are dealing with. And look at this - look at the satellite. You just see that the snow is continuing to fall. It really hasn't let up, but now it is shifting directions. They are going to see a break only to have the second round make its way in another two feet of snow. Expect with the next wave that comes in through tomorrow.

And just keep in mind it's all about where that wind is once it goes well across the lake. As that goes right in your region you're going to get heavy amounts of snow. A few miles away, you may not seem much at all. Perfect example, Buffalo itself at the airport only six inches. Three miles away, 42 inches. So this is where you're seeing a lot of that variety around the region, people are getting stuck, they are not expecting to drive just a few miles and have everything drastically change. All of this thanks to that incredibly cold air and that cold air has settled even into the southeast temperatures.

In Florida we're shattering records for the morning low. That's the morning hours, what about the afternoon? These highs, they are equivalent to the temperatures you would see in January, not November. So if you take into consideration the entire country, we're talking about temperatures that you typically see in January, already in November. We haven't seen cold air like this since the '70s. That's how cold this arctic air is. This is the first wave. It starts to let up, but here comes the next wave of cold air over the lakes. That's the reason another round of this will affect the lakes in through tomorrow. This is next week. Look at that dive down. This trend is just not stopping, Carol. It looks like one round after the next.

COSTELLO: All right, Indra Petersons, thanks so much -- I think. Must be horrible to share such news.

PETERSONS: We've got to have better news.

COSTELLO: I know. Indra, thanks. Today there are major fears that a deadly synagogue attack in

Jerusalem could trigger an all-out religious war between Jews and Muslims. Four rabbis, three of them U.S. citizens, were viciously killed while praying at a Jerusalem synagogue. Seven other worshippers were wounded. Israeli police say two Palestinians armed with a gun and meet cleavers are to blame for the massacre. Both were killed by police. This morning, officials are ramping up security in Jerusalem as worshippers try to return to everyday life.

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ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Today, early morning prayers at the scene of a horrific terror attack inside this West Jerusalem synagogue. Mourners watch in grief as the victims' bodies are carried outside and laid to rest. Four rabbis killed, three of them Americans with dual citizenship. Aryeh Kopinsky, Calman Levine and Moshe Twersky. A police officer Zidan Saif was critically wounded during the attack and later died in hospital.

Back in the U.S., a vigil in Boston for Twersky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will always remember Moshe for his modesty, his brilliance, his smile and his kindness.

SHUBERT: Relatives remember Levine as a gentle man with a calling.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As beyond horrific as this is. For Calman to live and die in a land in Jerusalem, in prayer, that's the way we'd all want it to happen?

SHUBERT: But as some mourned, others up in arms. Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli security forces in the West Bank who fired tear gas. The attack ratcheting up fears of increasing violence in a city already reeling from weeks of unrest. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas strongly condemned the attack on civilians, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to settle the score with every terrorist, ordering the demolition of the slain attackers' homes in East Jerusalem. President Obama saying too many have died on both sides.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I think it's important for both Palestinians and Israelis to try to work together to lower tensions and to reject violence.

SHUBERT: But in Gaza, celebrations, revelers wielding axes, throwing candy, waving posters of the two Palestinian assailants. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

MICKY ROSENFELD, ISRAELI POLICE SPOKESMAN: Part of the ongoing investigation is leading us to believe that the two suspects, the two terrorists worked on their own. That they planned the attack ahead of time.

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COSTELLO: Atika Shubert, thanks for that report. Let's talk more about this now with Ambassador Ron Prosor, he is the Israeli permanent representative to the United Nations. Thank you for joining us, sir.

AMBASSADOR RON PROSOR, ISRAELI PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE U.N.: Thank you for having me.

COSTELLO: Yeah, everybody's wondering if this -- these attacks are a tipping point in that this will become an all-out religious war between the Jews and the Muslims. From your perspective, is this a tipping point?

PROSOR: Carol, the most important thing is that Jerusalem is the holy city for all three monotheistic religions. And since Israel after '67 took over the Jerusalem, until then, everyone could enter the religious site except for Jews. It's open to all religions of all faiths, of all people. Now the important thing out of this is to think what can change. What can change that is education and the incitement is the one that led to what we see today. In this we have to look in the eye and try and change because the incitement doesn't come only from Hamas, it comes from state Palestinian TV. It comes with caricatures showing basically cars trying to ram Jews, it comes with vile, vile incitement calling for days of rage and that's the result that you see in seeing those horrible stuff and, look, innocent Israelis today can't even find sanctuary ....

COSTELLO: Right.

PROSOR: In a sanctuary of a synagogue.

COSTELLO: Well, here's the difficulty for the Israeli prime minister. He's now urging Israelis not to take matters into their own hands, even if their blood is boiling. There's a real fear that there will be a lot of tit for tat attacks, right?

PROSOR: Look, the Israeli prime minister during the whole time was very clear and formal and stood up and talked about no changes on the Temple Mount and clearly stating time after time, also after his meeting with King Abdullah in Jordan and State Secretary Kerry really calling to a quiet and stabilized situation, very, very responsible talk. What we have is on the other side incitement. And you saw it. Israelis cannot walk the streets, cannot go on trains and this has to stop because at the end of the day this is education. Education for ...

COSTELLO: I understand, Mr. Ambassador.

PROSOR: ... for the other side ...

COSTELLO: And it does have to stop.

PROSOR: And I hope that his words today are going to really help the prime minister's word of trying to calm the situation are going to help to really calm it because it's important.

COSTELLO: Well, let's talk about calming it because Benjamin Netanyahu has also said he'd come out fiercely to protect Israel. And come out against these terrorists. So, what's the next move for Israel? Because sadly, it is -- it does have to do something. So, what's the next move?

PROSOR: The next move is not just for Israel. The next move is for the entire world to understand that those radical groups, you know, these radical Islam, it's Hamas, it's Hezbollah, it's ISIS, it's al Qaeda, you can't appease them. You have to stand up against them because they go out against the values that we all cherish. Americans, Israelis, after 9/11 you have five times as many terror attacks in the world today and this is absolutely crucial to stand against that. So we begin with education. If Israel has terror on its doorsteps today, the world if it doesn't work together against that, you'll have that terror on your doorsteps tomorrow. If you work united, we will be able to prevail.

COSTELLO: Well, I guess what I'm asking you that United States is now conducting airstrikes against ISIS, so we understand. I'm just asking what Israel's next step might be. Will it be some kind of military action?

PROSOR: Israel's next step is like every responsible decision maker, the prime minister's first and foremost is to defend and protect Israeli citizens. I'm sure he's going to do that with sense, sensitivity and sensibility.

COSTELLO: Ambassador Ron Prosor, thank you so much for being with me. I appreciate it.

PROSOR: Thank you.

COSTELLO: I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: Ferguson, Missouri, is on edge this morning as it waits to find out if police officer Darren Wilson will face charges and stand trial for shooting 18-year-old Michael Brown. This new video that surfaced this morning. It appears to show Officer Wilson getting involved in another confrontation on the job. This happened just last year. Joining me now to explain this video, CNN's Stephanie Elam and the Reverend Traci Blackman. She's just been appointed to something called the Ferguson commission which is looking into what's happened in this incident. We'll get to you in a second, reverend. But I'd like to start with Stephanie, if you would, to explain this new video that's surfaced of Officer Darren Wilson. What does it show?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, when you take a look at it, you can see a resident of Ferguson who probably posted this video to the Internet showing Officer Darren Wilson during a stop, basically, at his house. Officer Darren Wilson coming by the house. This man - he and this man have this disagreement. The man videotapes it and that's what you can see. You can take a look at it and decide for yourself if you believe that this is Officer Darren Wilson. Take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your name, sir? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you want to take a picture of me, I'm going to lock your ass up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, I'm not taking a picture, I'm recording this incident, sir. Do I not have the right to record?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, you don't, come on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, you just allowed me - you just ...

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ELAM: Now, according to the Ferguson police department, they cannot verify that it is, in fact, Wilson because they say the quality of the video is not clear enough, but CNN was able to ascertain that on October 28, 2013, that Michael Arman did have an interaction with Wilson for derelict vehicles in front of a home. We do know that Arman was later arrested that day for a different incident. So the police are not saying it's him but I mean take a look at it, it does seem to have a striking resemblance to Officer Wilson, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, Reverend Blackman, I just like to ask you about that video, because, you know, things have been leaked like these videos and also things have been leaked from the grand jury investigation. It seems like the two sides of this issue are trying this in the public forum through leaks of video, leaks of information from the grand jury and just inciting both sides. Would you agree with that?

REV. TRACI BLACKMAN, PASTOR, CHRIST THE KING UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: I think it's unfortunate. I do agree that the leaks that have come from the grand jury, leaks, period, are unfortunate in this case. It further erodes the community's trust in the ability of the grand jury and the ability of our judicial system to make a fair and impartial judgment. I choose today to do what was not done when the video of Michael Brown allegedly strong arming a store owner was done. It was released to criminalize the person who had been killed. And if this is indeed Darren Wilson, then I think certainly that that's an egregious act of an abuse of power that speaks to the propensity for him to abuse power. But I don't have much to say about that video last year other than to say when you start doing those kinds of things, you cloud the case on both sides.

COSTELLO: Reverend, tell us more about this Ferguson commission that has been put together. It has been put - it was put together by Governor Nixon, right? And what's the purpose of it?

BLACKMAN: Correct. About a month ago, Governor Nixon announced that he would be forming a commission to study the outcome of the events of the killing of Michael Brown. It's a commission of 16 people, over 300 people applied. A very diverse, very strong group, many who have been active in protests on one side or the other, many who come with very strong connections to the community. And I'm excited about it. The charge of the commission is not to investigate the case of Michael Brown, but to see what kind of long-standing systemic changes can be made in light of the killing of Michael Brown and all the issues that have been long standing, but have resurfaced and erupted in the wake of this killing. How can we begin as a community to address these issues head on effectively so that we don't find ourselves at this place again?

COSTELLO: And Stephanie, you've been talking to people in the community. Do they welcome such a commission?

ELAM: Interestingly enough, I've talked to black people and I've talked to white people here in Ferguson and one interesting note I had was a conversation with a white woman who grew up here, moved back here to raise her family was that she did not realize that this undercurrent, that this discord lived here in Ferguson. She didn't realize that the black people who live in this town, that an awful lot of them feel like there are two different relationships with the police force here. She said that her eyes have now been opened to this and she said while she was sad that a young man lost his life because of this, she's hopeful that Ferguson can move forward and that they'll actually work to make it better here. And she said that this is not a town that is not -- it's not a fake town. She says this is real life, this is where real communities come together and she said this is not a town that's full of white flight and that people here do interact and it just can get better from here.

COSTELLO: I hope so. Stephanie Elam, Reverend Traci Blackman, thanks to both of you. I appreciate it.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, from America's favorite father to accused serial rapist? Comedy legend Bill Cosby under fire yet again. This time a famous supermodel is speaking out claiming she was one of his victims, too. Up next, we'll tell you what the Cosby camp is saying about it.

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COSTELLO: Good morning, I'm Carol Costello, thank you so much for joining me. Netflix is now pressing the pause button on one of Bill Cosby's latest projects. The streaming service was expected to launch a new comedy special starring Cosby the day after Thanksgiving. It's now unclear when that special will actually air, if ever. In another development, Bill Cosby's attorney says a sexual assault allegation by former supermodel Janice Dickinson is a "outrageous defamatory lie." Cosby attorney Marty Singer gave that response to the rap.com. Just yesterday, Dickinson became the latest woman to accuse Cosby of inappropriate behavior, telling "Entertainment Tonight" about an alleged incident in Lake Tahoe in 1982. .

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JANICE DICKINSON, FORMER MODEL: In my room he had given me wine and a pill. The next morning I woke up and I wasn't wearing my pajamas and I remember before I passed out that I had been sexually assaulted by this man. The last thing I remember was Bill Cosby in a patchwork robe dropping his robe and getting on top of me.

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COSTELLO: Cosby has never been charged, and has repeatedly denied such allegations.