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Reports: Co-Pilot Had Psychosomatic Illness; Arab Leaders to Announce Unified Military Force; Clinton Deleted Emails on Private Server. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired March 29, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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


[07:30:00] VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Quickly, how is the weather today?

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, the weather seems to be holding. They are only having to fly two choppers this weekend as opposed to the five. The weather conditions, when they are windy, they need actually more choppers in the sky.

So, it certainly seems to be helping the situation. But conditions on that crash site are treacherous. It's deep and it's dangerous. Security is a concern for those workers. We spoke to one pilot who flies over the site and he said they really feel this is their duty, that they owe it to the families to bring back these remains so they can be identified, so the families can get some sort of closure out of all of this.

So, their focus is very much on the task at hand and they say they are making good progress -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: We hear the wind pick up on your microphone there. Erin McLaughlin, thank you so much.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go ahead and bring in Jeff Wise. He's the author of the book "The Plane that Wasn't There: Why We Haven't Found Malaysia Airlines Flight 370."

Good morning, Jeff.

JEFF WISE, AUTHOR, "EXTREME FEAR": Good morning.

KOSIK: Jeff, you wrote an article and you initially said you didn't think this was a suicide. Well, now, we are getting reports that are coming out about these notes, about his background, have you changed your mind?

WISE: Well, let me clarify. It's not that -- I didn't say that I didn't think it was a suicide. I said we have to be careful before we rush to judgment. It looks very much like a murder/suicide. But that's an incredible allegation to make against a young man at the start of his career and seemed to have a promising life ahead of himself. No really obvious history of mental illness. There do seem to be some indications there might be treatment for depression.

But we all want answers and make sure we get this right, and so we have to resist the urge to consider it case closed before we have all of the evidence in. This is a very strange case and I think we need to acknowledge that.

KOSIK: You also said in your article, quote, "You could invoke the specter of murder/suicide that increasingly familiar explosion of self-consuming, purposeless annihilation, the disgruntled postal employee, the well-armed moviegoer."

Tell us really what you think was Andreas Lubitz's motive here, or is it just mental illness as is being reported?

WISE: Well, it's a huge question mark at this point. I mean, it seems to incomprehensible that a human being would do this. We have had, as I wrote that you just read, I mean, we've had these disturbing number of cases where people just go on some kind of a rampage and murder other people and kill themselves, and there's -- it's so hard to understand why someone would do that.

But I think particularly in the case of a pilot -- now, these are people who are trained to take the lives of other people into their own care. They are generally meticulous, methodical people who are very dedicated. Andreas Lubitz was the person who loved flying and deeply passion about it since being a teenager.

And so, you know, it becomes incomprehensible to understand that why would somebody do this? And there is a temptation, I think if you hear, oh, there's a ripped up doctor's note in his waste basket, that he had some kind of history of treatment for some kind of psychiatric illness to kind of jump over that huge gap from some kind of psychiatric disturbance to this horrific act of murder and call that an explanation.

I would say, listen, hang on. Many -- millions of people in this country suffer from depression mild to severe. That doesn't make them potential murderers here. We really have to be careful.

We all want to understand what happened so that we can prevent it from happening again. And in order to do that, we have to be careful. The proper authority, the BEA in France, is going to take a long time to look at all of the evidence and try to understand what happened.

KOSIK: I don't think people are making that broad stroke saying just because he suffered from depression, that anybody who suffers from depression can kill people. I think they are saying, look, this guy is a person who seems to have hid his illness from an employer and a job he was responsible for people's lives.

Jeff Wise, thank you very much.

WISE: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Unified military front is the word from Arab leaders as they align to battle forces in Yemen. Of course, this is coming on the heels of where the ground troops may be soon heading into that country. What will end the chaos in Yemen? Our military experts weigh in, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:37:53] KOSIK: New details this morning on the crisis in (AUDIO GAP) and proposing a regional unified military force. They call for Houthi rebel fighters to turn in their weapons and leave the capital of Sana'a.

This comes as we hear new details on Saudi troop movements. Officials say that we could see coalition fighters on the ground in Yemen within days. And new video overnight is showing a convoy carrying tanks and ammunition on a highway heading to the Saudi and Yemen border.

Let's bring in CNN's Becky Anderson who has been on the Arab League Summit.

Becky, we know that Yemen's president fled his country just days ago. He's at this summit. Is he actually playing a role in what happens next?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, quite a significant role. He has left here and now he is back in Riyadh. He traveled back with the Saudi King Salman.

But as the Saudi-led defensive from the air, Alison, continues to grind down the capabilities of Houthi rebels on the ground across Yemen, there is a very real chance that tens of thousands of Arab boots on the ground could now be deployed within days, as you say, to further degrade the Iran-backed militia.

I've got in my hand here a draft summary of the communique that was hashed out by Arab leaders and their delegation overnight here, which lays out plans for an Arab military force.

Now, ostensibly, this is the counter regional (AUDIO GAP) in the future and always on the agenda here at the Arab summit. But this includes wording that speaks specifically to what is going on in Yemen. It is expected to be officially ratified within the next hour or so and it officially endorses military action led by the Saudis and as you rightly point out, urges Houthis to immediately withdrawal from the capital Sana'a, from government institutions, and to surrender their weapons to, quote, "legitimate authorities."

The explicit understanding them being that if they don't, there is now a mechanism in place to ratchet up these Arab-allied efforts.

[07:40:00] Now, the President Hadi slipped out of Yemen last week and turned up here at the Arab League summit to really rally support for what Saudis called "Operation Decisive Storm". In his opening speech, Hadi didn't mince his words and denouncing Houthi rebels, and I quote him, "Iran's puppets" and warning them they will be responsible what happens next in his country.

Now, Hadi flew back to Riyadh late last night. I sat down with the Yemeni foreign minister in the wee hours in this morning and asked him how likely he believed the addition of ground troops will be, and I quote him when he says it could be within days at this point. So, watch this space.

What goes on in Yemen, of course, doesn't stay in Yemen, with the context of the U.S.-Iran talks, for example, in Lausanne, and the rest of what is roiling in this region. This is an incredibly important story.

Still also just very briefly, don't rule out political dialogue continuing either in Riyadh or possibly in Oman but at this point, there is a likelihood we could, as I say, see tens of thousands of Arab boots on the ground within days in Yemen -- Alison.

KOSIK: OK. Becky Anderson, live from Sharm-el-Shaikh -- thanks very much.

BLACKWELL: All right. So, now, let's talk about this growing coalition. We have with us, CNN military analyst, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling.

General, first, I want to start with this Arab coalition. You've got the Saudis who are approaching the border. There was a list of countries on the screen just a moment ago.

Why is this coalescing so quickly now when many of these countries stayed out of conflicts in other countries in the neighborhood and stayed out of this one for sometime?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Victor, they understand the threat that is Yemen falling into a failed state status. And this has been a civil war that has been going on for quite sometime. There have been ebbs and flows within the country of Yemen. It's been a dangerous situation.

Transfers of power have been tenuous. But going to Becky's report, whereas there will certainly be the threat of the use of force and there are some indications that Saudis are moving elements toward their border, my belief is that those are somewhat overblown, and I think the Saudi Arabian national guard which is a very capable force, is more than likely going to defensive positions along the border with potential for limited incursions into northwest Yemen, just to threaten the Houthi population.

The real intent of all the Gulf Cooperation Council to get the Yemen leaders back to the political table to hash out what the government needs to look like. There's been too many threats toward the government.

BLACKWELL: The U.S. is playing a role here, limited in its role, providing intelligence and logistic support. Do you think it's going to stay in that limited role?

HERTLING: I think it certainly will. This is a very tenuous internal conflict. There's a lot of people attempting to make it into a much bigger proxy war of Tehran against Riyadh, the Saudis against the Iranians, the Shia against the Sunnis. But this civil war has been going on many years inside of Yemen.

So, I think the United States is best to provide support for their ally Saudi Arabia in the context of intelligence, aerial refueling and other logistic support that Secretary Kerry has already promised.

BLACKWELL: We've seen the airstrikes. There could be troops on the ground if Saudi Arabia crosses that border what we see is a continuing convoy. It's focused on the Houthis. But AQAP, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is there too.

Is this going to ignore AQAP and focus only on the Houthis?

HERTLING: Well, that's the interesting discussion, Victor, and you bring up a great point, victor. I'm not going to say AQAP. There's a new terminology called AQSO, al Qaeda Successor Organizations. That's AQAP, ISIS, all of the bands of various terrorist groups that are somewhat forming together now and using situations like this where there are failed states to counter things.

Now, what you have in Yemen, both the Houthis and previous Yemeni government were fighting al Qaeda and both dislike them. Any kind of infighting between the Yemeni government and the Houthis is going to be a distracter and allow al Qaeda and its successor organizations to do more things, and that's the dangerous situation right now. And that's why a political development and a political solution to all of this is the most important thing.

BLACKWELL: All right. Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, thanks for helping us untie this jumbled knot that's in Yemen right now.

HERTLING: Ye, no one can untie it, Victor, but we will continue to talk about it.

BLACKWELL: But at least try to understand it. Thank you so much.

HERTLING: Thanks.

BLACKWELL: Alison?

KOSIK: Republicans taking their shots at Hillary Clinton after new details emerge concerning the e-mail scandal -- you know, the fact that her entire e-mail server was wiped clean.

[07:45:04] Coming up, the scathing message against the former secretary of state.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Twelve minutes to the top of the hour now.

The Republican National Committee is taking shots at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this morning. This comes after new word that Clinton deleted all of the e-mails on the private server she used to do official business.

Now, the RNC chairman Reince Priebus responded to this by saying, quote, "Even Nixon didn't destroy the tapes. It's imperative that independent third party review the server."

Let's bring in CNN's senior digital correspondent Chris Moody.

Chris, is this a step too far or is this a smart political move that this is sticking and they are trying to make hay of it, as one would expect?

CHRIS MOODY, CNN SENIOR DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this point in the so-called presidential campaign, the Republicans are testing out messages and, right now, they are trying to put the blocks together to build a narrative against Hillary Clinton to say that she is secretive or lacking in transparency and basically saying she is so bad, she is worse than our guy was on transparency!

The expectations for transparency are increased dramatically the 1990s. People expect to see bills posted online before people have a chance to vote on that. People expect to see the communications of our leaders in the federal government. I think Hillary Clinton has taken a little bit of time getting used to that.

So, whether or not the Republicans have gone too far, they certainly testing something out and this is some -- the Nixon comparison is something you'll see for several months going into the campaign.

[07:50:00] BLACKWELL: Yes, we saw Jeb Bush post e-mails sent to him when he was governor, former secretary of state asking now that the 30,000 e-mails she turned over be posted online. But is this going to have a significant impact, or any indicator so far some would cause it a scandal, is causing trouble for her?

MOODY: Actually, early on, we're seeing in poll numbers, there's a CNN/ORC poll that came out just a couple of weeks ago, showing that people who say she is trustworthy has dipped just a few points. Although what it hasn't changed is about support for her. The nation is still really closely divided not just about this but about politics in general. Her numbers have not necessarily dipped completely on this.

And I think what the Republicans are going to try to do is just chip away. They see those numbers lowering on whether she's trustworthy, and they're going to try to hit as much as to get that as low as possible.

BLACKWELL: All right. The number of official presidential candidates is about to climb one now, Ted Cruz. But a few more are jumping in. We've got news on Marco Rubio.

MOODY: That's right. He is going to make a major announcement on April 13th at the Miami Freedom Tower and sources tell CNN that it's likely that that could be a presidential announcement to keep an eye out on that day.

Now, the Freedom Tower is an important place for a lot of Floridians and a lot of Americans. It is basically the Ellis Island of the South. It's a place where a lot of Cuban exiles were processed after they left the Fidel Castro regime, and it's also where they have done their naturalization ceremonies and become citizens.

So, by using that location, Marco Rubio is really sending a message to people about the American values and I -- it's going to be a part of his campaign.

Remember, he was someone who shepherded in the comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate and he has not necessarily backed away from some of the central parts of that bill.

Now, it's going to be very interesting about Rubio being a part of this is that his mentor, former mentor, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is also probably going to run for president, which is going to set up a fascinating Sunshine State showdown.

BLACKWELL: Yes. And we're expecting announcements from Senator Rand Paul and the reporting is that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce in April as well.

All right. Chris Moody, thank you so much.

MOODY: Big month.

BLACKWELL: A big month.

MOODY: Thank you.

KOSIK: And I love this. "Saturday Night Live" also taking its shots this morning at lawmakers. The actor, The Rock, appearing last night as a muscle-filled and angry version of President Obama. In this sketch you're about to see, the president portrayed by the former wrestler seems to be firing back against some of his former critics including House Speaker John Boehner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't be alarmed, The Rock Obama, much like Barack Obama, only larger and more violent.

Now, where were we? You, Orange Man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You invite Netanyahu without asking?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You like Israel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh maybe you should go visit Israel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ahhh!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You, Tom Cotton, come here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You write letter to Iran?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did, yes. Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You like writing letters?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I guess.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you write letter when you have no hand? Watch this. Obama from downtown. Break.

OK. You go now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ahh!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Can you see President Obama conducting business like the Hulk?

BLACKWELL: These rudimentary sentences. You go now. How you write letter with no hand?

KOSIK: I love it.

BLACKWELL: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:57:54] BLACKWELL: This week's "Human Factor" focuses on an Atlanta girl who has Tourette syndrome. But as Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains, she found a way to fulfill her dreams and help others do the same.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jamie Grace grew up of growing up becoming a singer-songwriter.

(SINGING)

GUPTA: But before she could begin to pursue her career in music she got some news that put her dreams on hold. At the age of 12, Jamie was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.

JAMIE GRACE, SINGER/SONGWRITER: I wanted to be a singer. I had no idea what Tourette syndrome was. All I found were clips of movies of these actors yelling and cursing and, I remember seeing it and just crying my eyes out.

GUPTA: Instead of letting her condition silence her, Jamie turned to YouTube. Just two years after her diagnosis, Jamie began posting videos of herself singing.

(SINGING)

GUPTA: She got the attention of record labels and an online audience.

GRACE: I didn't blow up like Justin Bieber did, but I had a really cool response.

GUPTA: Now she's using her stage and her story to inspire others.

GRACE (singing): I love the way you hold me.

GUPTA: Jamie started her own foundation, I'm a Fighter.

GRACE: It's daily stories of fighters, a little kid with cancer or a hardworking father.

I really hope that my songs connect with people. I really want to bring encouragement.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: And thanks for starting your morning with us.

BLACKWELL: Next hour of your NEW DAY starts right now.

(MUSIC)

BLACKWELL: A psychosomatic illness, burnout, depression. New information about the mental health of the Germanwings co-pilot and the new evidence police seized from his apartment.

KOSIK: And the crisis in Yemen, Saudi tanks rolling in. Ground troops may not be far behind. Could this civil war spiral out of control?

Good morning. I'm Alison Kosik, in for Christi Paul.

BALCKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you. Eight o'clock here on the East Coast.

Dramatic new developments in the crash of Flight 9525, including the Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot who steered that commercial jet airliner into the French Alps, suffered from a severe psychosomatic illness.