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Deep Freeze from Midwest to Northeast; Ukraine Crisis: U.S. Considers "Lethal Aid"; Super Bowl Smashes Ratings Record

Aired February 3, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good to have you back with us on a Tuesday.

An arctic freeze is plunging a huge swath of the nation into bitter cold this morning. Temperatures in the teens and single digits are turning left over snow with a thin sheets of ice, making for treacherous conditions from the Midwest to the Northeast.

Boston has been hit especially hard, with record-setting snowfall. More than 50 inches so far this year. That city typically sees only about 43 inches in the winter.

The weather is forcing school cancellations in Boston, Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. The victory parade for the New England Patriots being delayed until tomorrow, because of concerns about the weather.

So, let's talk about it with our meteorologist Chad Myers. He's keeping track of the latest forecast for us.

It looks better than it did out there yesterday, that's for sure.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, it's colder, but it is much drier. That is something and it's not as windy here in New York. So, temperatures are somewhere around 12 degrees, anywhere from eight to 14 across the city this morning. It is this pattern that we are in, though, will keep us cold for many days to come. It will also keep us in the pattern that could bring us a storm every three or four days.

There you see the high temperatures over the next couple of days. Not warming up much at all, one storm after another. We talked about the European model this morning and the American models -- the European model bringing eight inches of snow to Boston with the next snowfall. The American model is saying, nah, how about two to four.

But you know what, after you get 40, do you even notice two to four? It's kind of like it's the fondant on top of a wedding cake, I think. We're going to be in this pattern, though, guys. This is going to be the key. It's not this storm that might get us, or the next storm, because the trough is in the East be, that allows the cold air to pour down from the north. Every time a storm comes down the bottom of the low, it can get deep

in snow here. That's the problem. We are not in just one storm pattern, but maybe the next six, of the next six, all six could bring snow, no real big warm-up where we see a rain event washing all this away.

I'm afraid Punxsutawney Phil may have been right for once.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Don't give in, Chad. Don't give in. Don't give in.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: OK.

CUOMO: All right. Come in, get something to drink, we'll check back with you in a little bit.

We want to talk about the measles outbreak, though, that's going on, because it began in California and is now spreading across the entire country. The Centers for Disease Control says there are now 102 cases in 14 states. And they'll also, most, but not all of the cases, are linked to the exposure at Disneyland and they blame parents who refuse to vaccinate their kids.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: at least eight people allegedly linked to jihadi cells arrested in the suburbs of Paris. France's interior minister says there are currently 161 ongoing investigations into terrorism there. He also announced a new counterterrorism decree that will go into effect tomorrow.

PEREIRA: More dramatic testimonies expected today in the murder trial of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez. On the stand today, continued testimony from Shayanna Jenkins, the girlfriend of victim Odin Lloyd. Also, testimony from Lloyd's mother Ursula Ward (ph), who left the courtroom yesterday as witnesses described finding her son's body.

CUOMO: All right. Now, here it is, the proof -- groundhogs don't just break your hope for a short winter, they can break your skin. Witness Wisconsin mayor -- catch it. Run it again, Dovs (ph). Here is Wisconsin mayor --

CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh!

CUOMO: That's right. Jimmy the Groundhog, look at him. Look at the malice, look at the malice.

PEREIRA: I don't know it's so much more malice. I mean, you put your ear in his mouth.

CUOMO: No, no, no. He said let me hear what you got about the winter and he's like, here's what I got -- and he bites him.

PEREIRA: Groundhogs don't whisper, hon.

CAMEROTA: Now we know, now we know.

CUOMO: The main wearing the gold watch was a little slow on the pull- back. The mayor soldiered on, though, as own a politician can. If you don't bite them directly on the lips, they will continue to talk about whatever it is that's going on. But there's my case.

PEREIRA: An unfortunate incident.

CAMEROTA: What is your case?

CUOMO: Groundhog is, you know, I put him up there with the panda.

PEREIRA: Don't get down on pandas. Not a pet.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: But bites it.

PEREIRA: To be true. But the comparison with Chad Myers, unacceptable.

CUOMO: I said fugazey (ph). Not a real Chad Myers.

CAMEROTA: Your anti-panda campaign is troubling.

Meanwhile, the U.S. considers lethal aid to help Ukraine fight pro- Russian rebels as we get an exclusive inside look at a key city in eastern Ukraine now in ruins from this fighting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: All right. Welcome back.

We've been staying on the situation in Ukraine because it matters and it's getting worse. Now, for the first time, the U.S. is considering providing lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine to help it stop pro- Russian rebels and Russian troops to be frank. Not a moment too soon.

Take a look. Nick Paton Walsh got an exclusive look at the ground zero of the fighting in an area called Donetsk, the images are truly shocking. Look for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Nowhere has the fighting been fiercer in the worst war to hit Europe since the Balkans than here, Donetsk's once proud Sergey Prokofiev International Airport.

Ukraine's army is still shelling here despite being pushed out of this former stronghold two weeks ago by these Russian-backed separatists, themselves heavily armed.

(on camera): We're moving now in an armored car towards the new terminal of the airport. Territory which the separatists have taken, but it's still regularly under fire from Ukrainian military. (voice-over): We pull in the airport long-term underground parking.

(on camera): They're saying they occasionally shells are still landing here.

(voice-over): The fight for her killed hundreds, as Ukrainians used service tunnels to hold part of the complex. The men claim these bodies were left in the Ukrainian retreat.

The last call for passengers on this walkway, passed months ago. These pictures from three years ago showing how it used to sparkle.

(on camera): Hard to imagine how just six months ago we were here, flying out of Donetsk, this was then a state-of-the-art international terminal. Just look at the destruction and how it symbolizes how far eastern Ukraine has fallen.

(voice-over): The war here is entering a new phase, with the heaviest of weapons and the random shelling of civilians.

These men blame Barack Obama Barack Obama for this devastation. Russia blames NATO for fomenting this war. NATO says nonsense and that many of the fighters are actually Russian regular army.

Blame, hatred and charred remains everywhere. But to Ukraine's bright hopes of modern prosperity, the gate is closed.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Donetsk.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Our thanks to Nick Paton Walsh for putting himself in harm's way to bring you the look at the reality in Ukraine.

Let's bring in Lieutenant General Mark Hertling. He's a CNN military analyst and a former commanding general for Europe and the 7th Army.

General, thank you very much.

You're not only familiar with the situation in Ukraine, you know its military well and its capabilities. You were in charge of NATO troops in Europe. You recently went back there. The place looks totally than it did when I was in Donetsk this summer.

How urgent is the situation there?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: You saw it yourself, Chris, when you were there doing a great job covering the airplane shoot-down.

What I would suggest is, Nick had it a little bit wrong in his report. We are not entering a new phase, we saw in November that the Russians were beginning to reinforce in phase two. That means they were bringing in advanced combined arms army, heavy rocket artillery, some air defense pieces, technologically advanced air defense pieces. Many more drones to pinpoint Ukrainian forces and a whole lot more mass of their forces to reinforce the separatists.

It's been devastating for the Ukrainian forces who have done a magnificent job, up to about the November of last year timeframe in defending their country.

CUOMO: Right.

HERTLING: But it's taken a turn for the worse.

CUOMO: People were questioning the fight of Ukraine's military in exactly how much division was there. You said differently then and we've seen differently now.

But to be honest, General, it was called a police action when I was there during the summer. Now, everybody is calling it a war. But it seems that there's still reluctance, even though we're hearing about the U.S. wanting to provide equipment, there's reluctance to own up to what is actually going on there. The country may fall.

HERTLING: The Ukrainians are very proud people, Chris, as you probably saw when you were there. Any of us who have worked with them knew they were going to fight. And it was never a police action in my view. It was always combat. And the separatists were always being reinforced by Russian forces. And the NATO commander, General Phil Breedlove, a good friend of mine, said the exact same thing.

We are past the criticality point. Ukraine is trying to address the issues, make fixes in their government, address the military, improve their economy, but they've been a long time coming in that regard. And truthfully, up to a few months ago, the U.S. didn't trust them to do some of the things because of the amount of corruption in the government and military.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: The government definitely has its issues. The Ukraine government definitely has its issues, they are definitely legitimate issues that ethnic Russians in the eastern part of the Ukraine feel that they've been underserved and somewhat are now somewhat disaffected as a result.

But that said, it's still a sovereign entity. And do you -- how great of a risk is there to the existence of Ukraine?

HERTLING: It's about national self-determination. That's what Ukraine has been fighting for, against a Russia that doesn't want them to have national self-determination. They want to see Ukraine and, by the way, several other nations in Europe to remain as satellite countries to Russia.

Again, it's a question of is Russia on the strategic defensive as they portray in the media where they're saying, hey, we're just trying to stop NATO encroachment? Or are they really on a strategic offensive, trying to regain territory based on their feeling that the United States is pivoting elsewhere and they have an opening? CUOMO: People say, oh, look, don't hype the situation there. It's

bad, but Ukraine will be fine. This is just going to take time. That's what we've been hearing all along.

The reports from the ground are different now. Three months from now, if NATO doesn't get involved. If there isn't some type of big move to back off Russia and shore up Ukraine's military, where is that country?

HERTLING: We may, it could cause a couple of different courses of action, Chris. I think the more likely is we might have another frozen conflict. The same kind of frozen conflict we have in Moldova, in Armenia in Azerbaijan and Georgia and several other states where Russia has attempted to exceed their reach.

So, frozen conflict might be one, there might be a complete division of some of those provinces in eastern Ukraine. And Russia may attempt to take them over. I don't think that's going to be the case. I think more likely than not, you're going to see a struggling Ukrainian government with Russia in place, and the West turning a blind eye, unless the entire West, I'm including Western Europe, does something about this.

CUOMO: Everybody has been ignoring it, it's only getting worse.

General, thank you very much. I appreciate the perspective this morning. You certainly understand the situation on the ground and the decisions have to be made, going forward. Appreciate it as always.

HERTLING: Thanks, Chris.

PEREIRA: All right. Chris, as we know, parts of the Midwest and Northeast are getting hammered right now, snow, ice, bitterly cold winds. We're going to take you to some spots, live.

CAMEROTA: And the measles making a comeback, what you need to know about the spike in cases and what it means for your children. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta will answer all your questions.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: Well, the ratings for Super Bowl XLIX are in, they are gigantic. More than 114 million people tuned in, making it the most- watched program in U.S. history. That game went down to the wire. In what's being called the worst play call in Super Bowl history. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson's pass was intercepted, leaving fans in shock.

We want to bring in Coy Wire, CNN sports analyst and former NFL player. Mark Leibovich is also here with us. He's chief national correspondent for "The New York Times" magazine, just wrote a great weekend cover story, "Tom Brady Cannot Stop".

Good to have you both with us, Gentlemen.

MARK LEIBOVICH, THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: Good to be here. PEREIRA: Mark, I'll start with you, I was just reflecting on the year

that the NFL has had -- domestic violence accusations and PR disasters, deflate-gate. Yet 114 million people tuned in to the big game. What controversy?

LEIBOVICH: Yes, exactly. No, I mean, this was a great example of just the game transcending just the league itself, really. It was such a good game. People, people always talk about an exciting game. But this is especially.

And I think the ratings reflect that you have people debating things you know, the last, the play call at the end. Some great performances and, you know, we should be so lucky as to get that every year.

CUOMO: Coy, let me bring you in here. Let's get to the meat of the matter. The last play too much hype, second-guessing now or do you think that there really is a legit basis for questioning whether it was the right thing to do?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS: Well, a lot of people are questioning it as you say, Chris, but in his defense, Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevel, the offensive coordinator for the Seahawks, if you look at the season, they were one for five from the one yard line when handing Lynch the football. That is only a 20 percent success rate from that position, that point on the field, with that back in the backfield. And trust me, these offensive coordinators know exactly what their percentages are, what their odds are at every down and distance, at what part of the field in the red zone, the high red, the low red.

So, for that, also in their defense, New England had to run out their goal line defense. They were still in a three wide receiver set. They attacked a rookie corner back.

So, if you're in their defense, that's your thought process. It was a heck of a play, made by the corner back. Malcolm Butler to seal the deal for the Patriots, an outstanding play.

CAMEROTA: Hey, Mark, I want to get back to the ratings for a second, to put it into some context -- 114 million people watched, the largest recorded audience for a television event ever. Just to give you context, this year's Academy Awards were only 43 million. The Olympics opening ceremony -- 31 million. The "Seinfeld" finale was 76 million.

So, this was 114 million. Michaela had a theory earlier that it was also because of the weather. Do you think that this was all just a great game, or because people were snowed in?

LEIBOVICH: I think, you know, maybe the weather had something to do with it. I do think it was a great game. I also think the playoffs have been terrific, especially in the NFC. You've had just one heart- breaker after another.

But now I don't actually know if the ratings reflect large groups of people in front of TVs also, or it just the TVs themselves. Because I mean it's probably even bigger if you think about it. But no, look, it was just a phenomenal game. It's a phenomenal game for television. More than anything else, I mean, I think the symmetry of the field, with the rectangular shape of the TV, the replay, just all the angles, all the spectacle, it's just perfect. And I think, you know, the Super Bowl proves it year in and year out.

PEREIRA: I'll put this to mull over in a second. I'm wondering if deflate-gate might have driven people to see what would play out and what would happen as well.

But, Mark, I understand did you this incredible profile of Tom Brady, you were here talking with us on NEW DAY. You had a chance to talk to him post-win?

LEIBOVICH: I haven't talked to him post-win, but he's busy, he's in as great a demand as he ever has been. I corresponded with his father on Sunday.

Look, I'm very happy for him. I think deflate-gate is a complete, I think it's way overdone. I think it did probably drive ratings and it got people who are not normally interested in talking about football, talking about it.

I also think as far as scandal goes in the NFL, it's pretty tame. And so, look, I think that that will blow over so to speak.

But as far as Brady goes, I think he's a continuously good story. I think he's handled himself with class.

CUOMO: He's even better now. This was a huge moment for him. I think, you know, the biggest attraction to football as we all know as a culture is, you know, football may be better than anything else captures the American spirit, the gladiator spirit, the stakes, you know, all coming down. There's so many metaphors.

LEIBOVICH: The excess, too.

CUOMO: The excess, too, especially with the nachos.

But, you know, this could have gone either way for Brady. If he lost, he would have lost three out of six trips to the Super Bowl and everybody would be running him down right now, that he's past prime and really he doesn't stand up with the greats. But one moment, one game, and now, Coy, you got to look at him in an entirely different way, he's up there with Montana, he's up there with Bradshaw, he's got to be one of the best.

WIRE: Such a great point, Chris. Had they lost that football game, people would have focused on the two previous Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants when he made some poor decisions. They would have focused on his two interceptions.

But because of the victory, now they're focusing on the Super Bowl record 37 completions, his 8 for 8 go-ahead game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. This guy now is a Super Bowl champ, tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw. He broke Joe Montana's record with 13 touchdowns in Super Bowls. The guy is a living legend, still going to, Chris, has more to do even more damage in the league.

CUOMO: Almost as good-looking as you, too, Coy.

(LAUGHTER)

PEREIRA: Do you think -- one last quick question, I'll put it to you, Coy. Do you there's going to be fall out or shuffle or change in Seattle because of the so-called worst call ever? Do you think there's going to be a change to Carroll or their offensive coordinator, any of that?

WIRE: I don't think so, this is an outstanding organization that's played phenomenally well, great decisions all across the board. That's the reason they were in an opportunity to get back to back to back. They did lose their defensive coordinator; he's announcing today in a press conference that he will become Atlanta's new head coach. There will be change, but I like the way they're running things in Seattle, they'll be back.

PEREIRA: All right. Gentlemen, Mark, Coy, great to talk to you as always.

LEIBOVICH: Thank you.

WIRE: You as well, thanks.

PEREIRA: Certainly a lot of news to get to today, let's get to it, in fact.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A monster storm slamming the Northeast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put safety first, put your family first.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Treat the roads with caution.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's icy, rain, which makes the roads like impossible.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can't really see the road right now, everything is all like blurry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know what causes autism for sure, but we know that vaccines don't.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: I've heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children, who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Measles is preventable. You should get your kids vaccinated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a lot of admiration for Russell Wilson. He's not going to let one play define his career.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was it a poor pass? I don't know. Was it a great play by Butler? Obviously, it was a great play by Butler.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Good morning, again, everyone. Welcome back to NEW DAY.

A huge swath of the United States at the mercy of a dangerous cold snap this morning. In the wake of heavy snow, a flash freeze, is emerging with temperatures in the teens and single digits. Making for a dangerous commute for millions.

CUOMO: This is the snowiest week ever in Boston, more than 40 inches in the last seven days. The worst part, the situation is far from over there and the entire Northeast.

Let's begin our team coverage with Alexandra Field in Boston.

Alexandra, what is the latest?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Chris, you said it, more snow than the city has seen in a week. More snow than the city has seen in a 10-day period. More than 50 inches of snow since the first day of January and frankly, that's more snow than they get here in an average winter. And now this morning, yes, more problems.

Temperatures in the single digits, causing big concerns about icing, and particularly about road conditions, that's a real issue for the city. One of the reasons that the mayor has decided to cancel school for a second day in a row after canceling school for three days last week.

And now another complication, the city is going to have to wait to celebrate the Patriots. They had come out here. They had plowed this parade route for their Super Bowl champions. But at some point the last-minute decision had to be made last evening by the mayor. The thought of thousands of people standing out here in this bitter cold among the snow banks, it simply didn't make sense and so this town will celebrate their champs, Chris, tomorrow -- Alisyn.

CUOMO: All right. One little celebration there for sure, they could use it up there. And it's not just the Northeast feeling the pain, the Midwest got socked this week with snow and bitter, bitter cold.

Remember this? Martin Savidge, one of our best, trying to stay on his feet Monday, pelted in the face with ice needles and the city of Cleveland.

Martin is back with us again this morning, looking better than ever. Quality hat, you look like Punxsutawney Phil there with that thing on.