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THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER

Will Chris Christie Run in 2016?; Exploding Airbag Maker Grilled Today; Tension in Ferguson; Remembering Director Mike Nichols

Aired November 20, 2014 - 16:00   ET

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


JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Arrests in Ferguson, Missouri, as police there and around the country are just told to get ready.

I'm Jake Tapper. This is THE LEAD.

The national lead: Tomorrow could be the day that a grand jury indicts or does not indict the police officer who shot unarmed teen Michael Brown, five in Ferguson led away in handcuffs today as activists gear up for marches in cities from coast to coast. And bulletin tells law enforcement everywhere to brace themselves for riots.

The politics lead -- in prime, 8:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN, President Obama will lay out what he is prepared to do on immigration. But what Republicans already know about his plan has them threatening to sue, or worse.

And the pop culture lead. He gave us "Mrs. Robinson" and turned Dustin Hoffman's manic screaming and sprinting into on-screen magic. We remember Mike Nichols, the directing legend who won just about every award there is.

Here's to you, Mr. Nichols.

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

We're going to begin today with the national lead. We may be hours away from a decision that has law enforcement officials across the country anxious and on guard. A Ferguson, Missouri, grand jury, could decide as early as tomorrow whether to indict officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of an unarmed teenager.

There are concerns that if officer Wilson is not charged in the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, we could see violent protests, perhaps worse than the ones after Brown's death, and not just in Ferguson, but in cities nationwide.

Let's go now live to CNN's Ed Lavandera. He's in Ferguson.

Ed, what are police doing there to prepare for this grand jury ruling?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They said they have had three months to prepare for this announcement, so they have been planning not only here in the city of Ferguson, but throughout the Saint Louis area. The Ferguson police chief, we're told, will not be in charge of the

response here in the city of Ferguson, that it will be the Saint Louis County Police Department that will be in charge of the response here and the situation. As we know, the governor of Missouri has declared a state of emergency. The National Guard has been called up as -- to be on alert and to be ready for any potential problems that might arise, all of this, you know, very controversial, Jake, because, as you well know, there was heavy criticism back in August because of the police response, a militarized-type response that many people felt was too heavy-handed.

People talking about that here in the last couple of days, talking about how the police officers will be in regular street uniforms unless the situation calls for putting on the riot gear and those sorts of things. They are very concerned about that appearance and they say at least publicly for now that they will be taking aims to try to de-escalate situations and try to prevent what was seen here in August -- Jake.

TAPPER: Ed Lavandera in Ferguson, Missouri, thank you so much.

The shooting death of Michael Brown exposed a deeply rooted mistrust of police among many minorities in Ferguson and nationwide. We want to show you now an emotional moment from the police chief of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just yesterday.

Now, his police force has been embroiled in an officer shooting of its own. In a Milwaukee case, a white officer killed a mentally ill black man. The officer was fired for not following proper protocols. But he has not been charged with anything. That has sparked a backlash against the department from the community and against the police chief from police unions.

Yesterday, at a public meeting on the case, tensions boiled over. Protesters lashed out at the chief, accusing him of, among other things, checking his phone while they voiced their concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your response to some of the people that thought you were being disrespectful by being on the your phone and not being attentive to them?

EDWARD FLYNN, MILWAUKEE POLICE CHIEF: Well, I was on my phone. And, yes, that's true. I was following developments of a 5-year-old little girl sitting on her dad's lap who just got shot in the head by a drive-by shooting.

If some of the people here gave a good (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about the victimization of people in this community by crime, I would take some of their invective more seriously. The greatest racial disparity in the city of Milwaukee is getting shot and killed. Hello, 80 percent of my homicide victims every year are African-American; 80 percent of our aggravated assault victims are African-American; 80 percent of shooting victims who survive their shooting are African-American. Now, they know all about the last three people that have been killed

by the Milwaukee Police Department over the course of the last several years. There's not one of them can name one of the last three homicide victims we have had in this city.

Now, there's room for everybody to participate in fixing this police department. And I'm not pretending we're without sin. But this community is at risk all right, and it's not because men and women in blue risk their lives protecting it. It's at risk because we have got large number of high-capacity, quality firearms in the hands of remorseless criminals who don't care who they shoot.

Now, I'm leaving here to go to that scene. And I take it personally. OK? We're going up there and there's a bunch of cops processing a scene of a dead kid. And they are the ones who are going to be out there patrolling and stopping suspects and they have guns under the front seat.

They are the ones that are going to going to take the risk to their lives to try to clean this up. All right? We're responsible for the things we get wrong and we take action. We have arrested cops, we have fired cops and so on.

But the fact is that the people out here, some of them, who had the most to say, are absolutely MIA when it comes to the true threats facing this community. And it gets a little tiresome. And when you start getting yelled at for reading the updates of the kid that got shot, yes, you take it personally. OK? Now, no offense, but I'm going up there now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Now, while the Milwaukee circumstances are different from the ones in Ferguson, Missouri, involving Michael Brown and officer Darren Wilson, the sentiments expressed by Milwaukee's chief of police are similar to what we have heard from law enforcement officials and other officials throughout the Saint Louis area.

I'm joined now by Benjamin Crump. He's the attorney representing Michael Brown's family.

Mr. Crump, obviously Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ferguson, Missouri, different scenes, different situations, but I do want to get your reaction to those comments you just heard from Milwaukee's police chief, because the situations are not completely irrelevant.

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR FAMILY OF MICHAEL BROWN: Well, I will say this.

Any parent who loses a child, whether it's from the hand of a police officer or a criminal, it's a great loss. And your heart goes out for them to get justice, for them to get some answers.

And so we expect the police, we expect the prosecutors to be professional and do their job and hold anybody accountable, whether that is a criminal or a police officer who illegally kills another human being.

And so those individuals have every right to be upset at the police who are sworn to protect the service when they commit an illegal act, but they also equally have to be upset when it's anybody in the community that commits an illegal act of violence.

So, Jake, when you really think about it, they all like to say black- on-black crime, but you just don't look at stuff as black-on-black crime or white-on-white crime, because when you have people go in theaters and have mass shooters or go in classrooms and kill little children, nobody says, oh, that's white-on-white crime.

So we have to deal with this very, very intelligently and we have to have this dialogue. I welcome the opportunity for us to have those dialogues with concern-minded police chiefs, concern-minded politicians, concern-minded community activists and, most importantly, victims' families from all across the board.

TAPPER: All right. Let's turn to what specifically is happening in Ferguson, sir, if you would.

We just learned that local and federal law enforcement officials are sending out alerts. They're getting ready for protests in Missouri and across the country following the grand jury ruling.

We have even heard Michael Brown's father shooting a public service announcement to urge calm.

How concerned is the Brown family that officer Wilson may not be indicted?

CRUMP: Well, they are very concerned because, historical, Jake, when you think about whether police officers are ever held accountable when they kill young people of color, it's an issue.

You look at the statistics and, normally, when they kill our children, it's just swept under the rug. And so the family understands after the decision of the grand jury they are going to have relief, saying, well, we have a chance at justice, because, remember, this would be an indictment if he's indicted.

He will still get his day in court. Nobody's going to stay he doesn't get his constitutional rights of innocent until proven guilty. But the real issue if he's not even charged. Then the Brown family has no chance at getting justice for their child. They have no chance of getting their due process. And that is what this has always been about, equal justice.

TAPPER: Is there any plan -- if there's not an indictment, is there any plan to file a civil suit against the police?

CRUMP: We will look at all appropriate legal avenues for the family of Michael Brown to get some sense of justice.

TAPPER: And, lastly, does the family plan to join any of the protesters if the grand jury decision does not go down the way they want it?

CRUMP: Well, right now, the family is praying and have faith that they will get equal justice for their child and that he will be held accountable.

To that end, that's what they are pushing forward with, trying to something positive out such of a negative situation, like the proposal for the Michael Brown law, which requires police officers to put on video body cameras, so hopefully we won't have this happen this way and have the aftermath, and also changing the process of the local prosecutors sitting in judgment of whether or not there will be an indictment against the local police officers.

TAPPER: All right, Benjamin Crump, thank you for your time. We're all hoping and praying for peace.

CRUMP: Thank you, Jake.

TAPPER: So how is Ferguson's police chief getting ready for possible fallout from the grand jury's ruling? Well, he will talk about that and how this community can move forward on "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT."

That's tonight at 7:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

In other national news, students are recalling their horror and fear today after watching a shooter open fire in a library on their campus, one saying -- quote -- "I thought I was going to die tonight."

She will share her story with us live coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

Now, time for our politics lead -- pushback before the push. Tonight, President Obama plans to announce sweeping changes to the way the federal government handles the legal status of millions of undocumented immigrants, deferring deportation for up to 5 million people, focused on parents of U.S. citizens and legal residents. But the proposal is already being roundly criticized by Republican leaders from across the country.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz took to the floor earlier today of the Senate, and slammed the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: We the Senate are waiting in our duty to stop in lawless administration, and its unconstitutional amnesty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: At the Republican Governors Association meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, Rick Perry of Texas said the Lone Star State might sue. And his potential rival for the GOP presidential nomination, fellow Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, said the president is about to break the law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), WISCONSIN: I think it would be hard-pressed not to find anybody but a partisan Democrat who wouldn't say that this is illegal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: CNN national political reporter Peter Hamby is there, along with, of course, plenty of potential presidential contenders.

Peter, this immigration issue that is about to reignite, it's a hot- button issue for the Republican base being supportive of immigration reform efforts have hurt candidates in the past like Rick Perry, how are the folks there walking that line?

PETER HAMBY, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, they are definitely walking a little bit of a fine line here, Jake, because one, as you mentioned, this is a hot button issue for the Republican base, so outwardly, all of these potential Republican candidates, governors like Scott Walker, Rick Perry, Chris Christie, all those sort of big name Republican candidates here are being critical of the president for going forward with this action without consulting Congress.

But they are also sort of stepping away from talking about any specifics. You know, Scott Walker in a press conference got a little aggravated with reporters who kept asking about immigration issue, saying, this isn't an issue that comes up in our states, this isn't something that we dealt with during the campaign.

So, while at the same time being very critical of the president to score points with the base, they are cautious about taking a position on this, you know, because they are going to have to talk about it in the white heat of the presidential campaign if they do run.

TAPPER: And, of course, there's a lot of concern about alienating Latino voters for the 2016 general election.

I want to ask you about Chris Christie. He is celebrating a lot of victories. He's chair of the Republican Governors Association, kind of a victory lap for him down there. What's been the reception to him from inside the party?

HAMBY: It's actually been pretty wonderful for him when you talk to Republicans at this event. Look, there are major Republican donors from around the country at this event. I talk to a valet earlier, Jake. There are 25 Ferraris parked on the property here in Boca Raton.

(LAUGHTER)

HAMBY: There's a lot of Republican money at this event.

Talking to the governors who have been in the room with Christie, you know, donors, they are actually very grateful for what he did this cycle. He spent over $100 million electing Republican governors. There are now 31 Republican governors going to be at the beginning of next year. That's the most in either party in 16 years.

At public events here, governors have been patting him on the back, saying he was relentless.

And, look, if you talk to Christie advisers, they say he's going to bask in the glow for a little bit, get through the holidays, and then make a decision about 2016 after Christmas.

TAPPER: All right. CNN's Peter Hamby in Boca Raton, Florida -- thanks so much, Peter.

HAMBY: Thank you.

TAPPER: And just how will immigration reform affect the race for the White House in 2016? And what, if anything, can we expect to see from Republicans on this controversial issue?

Mark Leibovich is chief national correspondent for "The New York Times Magazine". He has written this weekend's cover story titled "Is It 2016 Yet?" He's also the author of a brand new book, "Citizens of the Green Room: Profiles in Courage and Self Delusion."

Mark, you often write about the silly kabuki, the crazy theater of Washington, D.C. Do you think that there is anything that Republicans can actually do to stop President Obama's orders -- executive orders on immigration, or is this kind of just performance for the base?

MARK LEIBOVICH, CHIEF NATL. CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: It looks like there are very limited options in the legislative. I mean, clearly this gives them a great opportunity to give speeches. But my sense is that this will play out largely in the presidential context. I mean, certainly Ted Cruz, Scott Walker, you know, all the governors, Rick Perry, have already spoken out pretty full-throatedly on this.

And so, I think that will probably be. But no, I think as far as the nitty-gritty of actually trying to overturn this, it's probably a pretty tough road.

TAPPER: CNN is going to cover the president's remarks live. But the networks, ABC, CBS, NBC, they're not covering it.

LEIBOVICH: No. I think more to the White House liking, Univision is going to be covering it and this actually leads to the Latin Grammys which is a big night --

TAPPER: Are you suggesting that's why they timed it for tonight?

LEIBOVICH: You know, I have no idea. I do know -- I know that's why you'll be watching. You've been nominated a few times, haven't you?

TAPPER: Just for spoken word album.

LEIBOVICH: OK.

TAPPER: Let's talk about your cover story this week, which focuses on Governor Christie. He's had a great year as head of the Republican Governors Association. They are picking up -- I think they're going to have 31 Republican seats.

He does seem serious about running for president.

LEIBOVICH: Oh, he's very serious about running for president and he's had a great year as head of the Republican Governors Association. He hasn't had such a great year as governor of New Jersey. Obviously, he began in January with a bridge scandal and I think that hangs over him to some point. But he's certainly back into the game and he's back in the conversation. And when Governor Christie is in the conversation, it tends to be an argument. So, if he runs, it should be interesting.

TAPPER: Do you think he's as serious about governing as president of the United States as he is about campaigning? He obviously -- he's one of these guys, unlike Obama, but like Bill Clinton, he loves to press a lot (ph)?

LEIBOVICH: He does. He loves being Chris Christie, political celebrity, which is essentially what he's been for the last few years and, you know, he ran for re-election in 2013. 2012, he really had his first taste of celebrity. This year, he was campaigning for Republican governors. If he runs for president, he'll be out there again sort of in this middle of this orbit.

So, I think the question he's asking himself and a lot of people are asking himself, how serious is he as a governor, how serious is he a president and how nitty-gritty is he willing to be as leader of this country.

TAPPER: Now, for this article, you traveled around the country with them. Look, I come from Philly so I'm used to guys like him. How does he play in Iowa? How does he play in Florida?

LEIBOVICH: Well, I think in rooms where he would probably be popular anyway, like a lot of Republican rally type places, fund-raisers, things like that, he plays really, really well.

What's interesting about him is that he's so New Jersey. I mean, there's been another New Jersey politician that has been so identified with his state. I mean, the Christie Todd Whitman, the Tom Keans and Woodrow Wilsons, the Bradley have always been more cerebral.

TAPPER: Right.

LEIBOVICH: I mean, Chris Christie --

TAPPER: More Princeton than Jersey?

LEIBOVICH: More Princeton than Jersey and Seton Hall, University of Delaware where he went.

But, no, I mean, I think that's a really big question. He sneers at the notion that I'm a wine that will not travel. I asked, do you actually drink wine? He said, no, I very rarely do. He drinks vodka to take off the edge on Friday.

But, no, I think that's a big question around, Jake.

TAPPER: And you have a profile of him and a profile of many other possible 2016 hopefuls in the book. Quickly if you could, Hillary Clinton is one of those in the book that you profile. What could you possibly tell me about Hillary Clinton that I don't already know?

LEIBOVICH: Well, actually, I hope that I will tell people a lot of things that they don't know. I found a lot of old letters that she had written when she was in college. More to the point, Jake, I brought my own citizens to the green room trading cards that you can go home and trade with your kids.

TAPPER: John Kerry, you have --

LEIBOVICH: Yes. You have Dick Cheney for a Mitt Romney. How's that?

TAPPER: Is that a good trade?

LEIBOVICH: I don't know, actually. I'll ask my collector --

TAPPER: I just trump your Clinton with a Cheney.

Mark Leibovich, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Don't miss CNN's live coverage of the president's address. That's tonight at 8:00 Eastern.

Coming up, "We are deeply sorry." That apology for the maker of airbags linked to at least five deaths. Some of the toughest questions came after that admission. That's next.

Plus, his work did not just make us laugh or cry. It made us think. And Mike Nichols said his own life was inspiration for all his work. He was a friend of Virginia Woolf. We'll remember the filmmakers' greatest work, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Welcome back. We're back with our money lead right now.

And something of an admission of guilt on Capitol Hill today. Airbag maker Takata apologized for deaths caused by its devices with shrapnel inside once that essentially exploded in accidents, and the automakers who installed those airbags also testified that they could have done more to warn people about the problem once they became aware of it.

You could have one of these airbags in your car right now. Takata makes one in five airbags in cars around the world. The devices, of course, were designed to save lives. Instead, they killed five people and there could be more injuries. It looked as though victims had been shot or stabbed. In one case, police were so sure that someone had attacked the driver

before an accident that officers produced a person of interest in their investigation. It turns out, of course, it was a thing, an object of interest that was responsible.

Rene Marsh is CNN's aviation and government regulation correspondent.

Rene, tense hearing today.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: It was. And plenty of blame to go around, to the automakers for how they went about notifying consumers, to the safety regulators about whether they caught the deadly trend fast enough and, of course, for the manufacturer of the airbags, these very faulty airbags.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. BILL NELSON (D), FLORIDA: We now have a new problem -- a live hand grenade in front of a driver and a passenger.

MARSH (voice-over): For nearly three hours, senators grilled an executive from airbag manufacturer Takata, auto execs, and safety regulators about defective airbags linked to five deaths.

SEN. DEAN HELLER (R), NEVADA: Do you take full responsibility for those tragic deaths? Does Takata take responsibility?

HIROSHI SHIMIZU, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TAKATA CORPORATION: We recognize the three victims' case but my understanding two others are still under investigation.

MARSH: When the faulty Takata airbags deployed, the inflator, which is in encase in metal can rupture, sending shrapnel flying.

Lieutenant Stephanie Erdman is one of the many surviving victims, metal pierced through the airbag of her 2002 Honda after a minor crash.

LT. STEPHANIE ERDMAN, VICTIM: There was a metallic foreign object which had punctured and fractured my right nasal bone and the tip of the shrapnel -- and the tip of the shrapnel had imbedded in my right sinus.