Return to Transcripts main page

CNN NEWSROOM

Hillary Clinton Speaks with Reporters in Iowa; Bill Cosby Admits Giving Drugs to Women He Wanted To Have Sex With; President Obama: Fight Against ISIS Is Long Term. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired July 7, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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


[15:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary Clinton, do you agree with John Kerry disclosure about is less important than curbing future use and you would you agree with an agreement that did not make Iran come clean on its past activity?

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, Amy, I don't think it's useful for me to publicly comment right now on what the negotiations are attempting to resolve. I think I've been very clear that we must never permit Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I'm very proud of the role I played in building the coalition and the sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table. But there are a number of issues that are critically important. There needs to be full transparency disclosure and verifiable inspections going forward and certainly any part of the Iranian nuclear or military establishment that has anything to do with the program in the past, present and future needs to be subject to that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks, everybody.

CLINTON: Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: All right. So here we go. Hillary Clinton fielding just a couple of questions with some local and national reporters there in Iowa City. Keep in mind, this is a big day for us here at CNN. This is just before she'll sit down with my good friend, Brianna Keilar, in the first nation TV interview.

And so, let me bring in Jeff Zeleny, our CNN senior Washington correspondent who has been also covering the Hillary Camp and Nia- Malika Henderson, CNN senior political reporter.

So, great to have both you on here. And, you know, listen. I was just jotting, she should talk Iowa, gun control, Greece, China hacking, Iraq vote, Iran, but the one name that was sort of pervasive through the questioning, Jeff Zeleny, and Nia-Malika Henderson here, was Bernie Sanders.

And so, Zeleny, let me just through this to you first because obviously, you know, he's done well. You look at the reception of some of these crowds, his home turf of New England. How will the Hillary Clinton camp counter that momentum and enthusiasm for Sanders? JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, I

think we're seeing it right now. I mean, we're seeing Hillary Clinton answer more questions, be more visible. Right here this afternoon in Iowa City as well is an interview that she'll be doing shortly with CNN. But I think she was really trying to answer some of the questions of where has she been? Bernie Sanders has been out there campaigning, sort of getting some of enthusiasm from these Democratic voters. And Hillary Clinton has been focusing on fundraising. So she's taking a shift in her campaign. She is trying to take a measured approach, clearly not being rattled by Bernie Sanders, but there's an enthusiasm gap between Bernie Sanders and some 8,000 people he got last night in Portland, Maine, which was, you know, followed by 10,000 people about a week ago in Madison, Wisconsin. Hillary Clinton is trying to sort of, you know, be measured about this. But there's no question that they are keeping a close eye on what Bernie Sanders is up to.

BALDWIN: As far, Nia, as far as, you know, members of the media and wanting Hillary Clinton to be perhaps a tad more available, so let's just put rope lines aside. When Brianna sits down with Hillary Clinton, what will you really be listening for?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: You know, I think Brianna got a tough task here, right? I mean, this is the first time she is going to sit down there. And does she go for sort of the hard hitting questions whether it's Benghazi, whether it is about emails, whether it is about Hillary's relationship with Sydney Blumenthal, it depends on whether or not she go there.

I think what you want to look for is how Hillary Clinton responds, how comfortable she is with these questions. As you in that give and take with reporters there, she was very comfortable. She is a (INAUDIBLE). She knows the issues.

Also, I think what is interesting, what I'll be looking for is as much as Sanders are sort in her rear view mirror, she is also got contend with the fact that Obama is also in her rearview mirror. I know folks at her camp are very mindful of walking that fine line of not wanting to appeal like their two president at a time or in waiting and that she is critiquing this president too much.

So I think that will be interesting. How does she deal with issues like trade? That was, of course, an issue that divided Democrats and in a lot of ways are divided Democrats from Republicans and divided the president from his party. It will be interesting if she answers that. Brianna has a big task ahead. I can't wait to see what she comes of it with this interview.

BALDWIN: Yes. I'm proud of her. I know that, you know, I know in any interview like this, there are ground rules. There is a finite period of time. You can sit in seat across from someone such a Hillary Clinton.

But Jeff Zeleny, what will you be listening for and what do you want Brianna to ask? ZELENY: I think Brianna, you know, certainly will ask all of the

questions that, you know, are really front and center in the campaign right now. But more interestingly, I think when we heard a few interesting moments earlier this afternoon when Hillary Clinton was talking to the Iowans. She started doing engage Republicans. But that's the best way for Secretary Clinton to get some of those Democrats more enthused about her own campaign as sort of going after the Republicans and she called of them about into a person about immigration. We have been talking so much about how Donald Trump has been doing. Buy she said, look, it's not just Donald Trump. It's all of the other Republicans on the immigration policy. So, she'll be leaning to left here. But you know, there's no question that she has a tough campaign in Iowa and the months ahead. Again, it's on that enthusiasm.

So, you know, I have no doubt in my mind that Brianna will be going through the list of questions. We've been talking about them, you know, for a long time now. And there, frankly, is a lot to ask her because she's not given an interview yet three months into the campaign. Very unusual for her to be doing this. So, (INAUDIBLE) she is.

[15:35:30] BALDWIN: Ready, set, go. I got the word in my ear, they just sat down. So that interview is starting as we speak for now.

Jeff Zeleny, thank you. Nia-Malika Henderson, thank you so much.

Do not miss Hillary Clinton's first national TV interview as a candidate with Brianna Keilar. You can watch it first tonight at 5:00 eastern on "the SITUATION ROOM" and then later with "AC 360" at 8:00 only here on CNN.

Coming up next, newly released court documents that show Bill Cosby admitted to giving Quaaludes, these drugs with the intention to give them to the women for sex. So what about the drugs themselves? How does it affect a person? How long have they been around, how long have they been banned? Lots of questions here about Quaaludes, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:40:18] BALDWIN: And we're back with this bombshell revelation that Bill Cosby admitted getting drugs to give to women he wanted to have sex with. This deposition for a civil suit is back in 2005 revealing this piece of information here. Cosby was asked, when you got the Quaaludes, was it in your mind that you were going to use these drugs for young women who you wanted to have sex with? Answer, yes.

Here's the next question, did you ever give any of those young women the Quaaludes without their knowledge? But before he could answer that, Cosby's lawyer jumped in. But we wanted to ask, what exactly are Quaaludes, from just a medical perspective? You know, Leonardo DiCaprio's drug film scenes in the "Wolf of Wall Street" to sex assault allegations involving Hollywood director Roman Polansky. Quaaludes were once considered a party drug with nefarious uses, precursor to the date rape drug. So I wanted to bring in Dr. Anita Gupta, vice chair of pain medicine

and regional anesthesiology at Hahnemann University hospital in Philadelphia.

So Dr. Gupta, thank you so much for joining me.

DR. ANITA GUPTA, VICE CHAIR OF PAIN MEDICINE AND REGIONAL ANESTHESIOLOGY AT HAHNEMANN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN PHILADELPHIA: Thank you very much.

BALDWIN: You know, just in reading about the history of Quaaludes today, this really dates back to the 70s and it's synonymous with the disco era and sex. How was it supposed to make you feel?

GUPTA: So, it's interesting, Quaaludes, also known as (INAUDIBLE), is a CSN or nervous system depressant. And what that means is that when an individual has this medication, it will their blood pressure, it can drop their respiratory effort and they can actually feel a sense of dis-associative amnesia. And what that means is essentially they may not be connected to reality. They won't know what is going on and they can feel unaware of circumstances they maybe in.

BALDWIN: So, does it cause to - do you feel like you are blacking out or are you conscious the entire time?

GUPTA: So, this is a sedative. So if it's given, you are going to fall asleep. There is no question about that. Now, if a very similar medication that still use today makes it known as (INAUDIBLE) or more commonly as Valium, it is very similar to this. But this Quaaludes is much, much more potent and very powerful. If given even in small amounts combined with alcohol, you can see detrimental effects. People can have overdoses with that. They can have fatal consequences, including coma as well.

BALDWIN: So when you're - you know, we've been hearing these stories of these different Cosby accusers coming forward, taking a couple of sips of -- I talked to a woman last hour drinking a cappuccino, he had given her or something else and then feeling drugged and blacking out and kind of coming to and seeing clothes on the floor. Would that jive -- could that -- I'm not connecting the two but does that sound like Quaaludes?

GUPTA: Well, I mean, a variety of medication can cause that, first of all, and we really don't know the details of what was exactly given. Now, Quaaludes, if given illicitly, can be adulterated with other compounds which could alter the effects of the medications. And individuals may, in fact, feel many event and more. So there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, exactly what was given. But, indeed, the type of side effects or symptoms that are being described are very similar to what you would experience with Quaaludes.

And it was in 1984, President Reagan signed a law banning them.

Dr. Anita Gupta, thank you so much.

GUPTA: Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, the U.S. has pledged to train between 3 and 5,000 Syrian fighter as year to combat ISIS, but the Pentagon today revealing how many the U.S. has trained thus far. We'll find out if there is reason to be concerned based upon the answer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:48:25] BALDWIN: Just one day now after President Obama emerged from a Pentagon meeting and once again described the fight against ISIS is quote/unquote "long term." We're getting a sense of what long term means in sheer numbers.

Out of Capitol Hill here and defense secretary Ash Carter today revealed that thus far U.S. troops have been able to train 60 Syrian fighters to take on ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHTON CARTER, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: This number is much smaller than we had hoped for at this point. Partly because of the vetting standards I just described. But we know this program is essential. We need a partner on the ground in Syria to assure it is ISIL's lasting defeat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let's talk about this number, 60 and beyond, with retired Brigadier General Anthony Tate.

General, welcome, as always.

BRIG. GEN. ANTHONY TATE, (RET.) U.S. ARMY: Great to be here, Brooke. Thank you.

BALDWIN: All right. Let me reiterate this, 60 Syrians trained to take on ISIS. The goal, just for a perspective for people, this program was to train anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 fighters per year and, again, 6-0 trained.

TATE: Right, Brooke. You know, part of the problem is that if you're a Syrian freedom fighter, you really have three options. You can fight Assad in Damascus, You can fight the Kurds in the north or you can fight ISIS in the middle. And in what is not a holistic country to begin with, it's very tribal. It's hard to recruit to begin with. And so I think that's the first hurdle the defense department is facing, is the recruitment process and then, secondly, as you heard Secretary Carter mention, the vetting process.

[15:50:04] BALDWIN: Yes.

TATE: We want to make sure that we're not bringing folks in that have a track record of fighting for the other side. And certainly, this is a tactic that the enemy ISIS or Iran would use to get some sleeper cells in there to either get all the training and then take the weapons and then go fight us knowing our tactics and knowing our strategies.

And so, it's really three dimensional chess set we're playing here in Syria. We need Assad pressured because Assad has that strategic link to Iran. Meanwhile, we need ISIS fought in the middle of Syria, they own about 50 percent of Syria, and you know, the Kurds are up in the north doing their own thing established in Kurdistan . So, this whole vetting process is really slowing down the training. And that training, basic training.

BALDWIN: General.

TATE: Yes.

BALDWIN: If I may, just jump in, I want to walk back a half second because you're throwing a lot at me. And I want to follow up on one of your points, you know, talking of, obviously, some of these folks. They have choices. What, if you're the U.S., how do you incentivize these folks to take the U.S. side to fight ISIS?

TATE: Well, obviously the best incentive for any military, one is the patriotic fervor that they might feel, and two is being paid. And all the soldiers involve in these wars are being paid whether it's ISIS or the Kurds force or whomever, they have to be paid. And so, that's how you incentivize the troops. And so you attract troops that way, but have you those tribal affiliations and they're looking in three different directions.

BALDWIN: OK. Let me just play some sound. This is Senator John McCain talking about -- he's been incredibly critical of the White House strategy on ISIS. As he would say, a lack of strategy. This is what he had to say at this hearing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: When it comes to ISIL, President Obama's comments yesterday at the Pentagon, revealed a disturbing degree of self-delusion that characterize the administration's thinking. It is right, but ultimately irrelevant to point out as the president did, that we have conducted thousands of airstrikes, taking out many ISIL fighters and pushed it out of some territory. None of the so-called progress that the president cited suggests that we are on a path to success.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He says not on the path to success, solely points to the air campaign. Do you agree with him?

TATE: Well, Brooke, its proven time and time again that an air campaign alone will not lead to victory. You've got to have that ground component that flushes the enemy out. And you have to have clear concerted objectives that will lead you to some end state that results in some kind of political settlement, so that you can have peace.

And so airstrikes alone aren't going to do it. And I think that's part of the Syrian effort is to get enough troops on the ground there in Syria to pressure ISIS and Syria so they can't without any kind of pressure just focus on Iraq. And so if we can pressure them in Syria, that will loosen up the defenses in Iraq a little bit and help us push north and reclaim some of the land in Iraq.

But, you know, President Obama 18 months ago, said we have no strategy, at least we have a strategy now. And whether that strategy's not moving as quickly as they had hoped and as Secretary Carter said, so ultimately 60 today, who knows how many a year from now. But the average basic trainee goes from 10 weeks of basic training at U.S. army and another up to 10 weeks of advanced in to those training. That's four or five months of training for the average American soldier.

BALDWIN: So now, I understand, but you know, we've been at this for a little while. And I think it's striking a lot of people the number 60 as opposed to the goal of 3,000 to 5,000 not quite cutting it yet.

General Anthony Tate, thank you so much. We'll be right back.

TATE: Thank you, Brooke.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:58:02] BALDWIN: Got to tell you this story here, this doctor diagnosing patients with cancer, putting them through bouts of chemotherapy, but here is the thing. They didn't have cancer or they didn't need the many treatments he prescribed.

Let me bring in our CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

When I saw this, I can't imagine. And I know this is all about money, money, money for this doctor, tell me how he pulled this off.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, it's really awful, and this went on for quite a period of time. What this doctor would do is he would tell people who didn't have cancer that they had cancer and then he would give them treatments and charge insurance companies. And people who did have cancer, he would give them more treatments than they need. One man, for example got 177 unnecessary chemotherapy treatments. So Brooke, in the end, more than 550 patients got unnecessary treatments and he charged insurance more than or approximately $225 million for these treatments.

BALDWIN: So this is - I should be clear, this is a doctor in Michigan. You mentioned 177 treatments. When we say treatments, we're talking chemotherapy. What else, how do these affect people physically speaking? If they weren't sick?

COHEN: RIGHT. Or even if they were sick, that they were getting too many. This one man was sick that he got 177 chemo treatments that he didn't actually need. And you know, we all know chemotherapy can make you so sick and nauseous and fever and you can't take care of your family often and you can't work often. There was a patient whose teeth fell out, another one whose body twitched. I mean, these treatments make you really, really sick. And some

people didn't even have cancer and then other people were getting treatments when they did have cancer. But they didn't need some of these extra treatments he was billing for. It's, you know, the justice department says that this is the most -- he's the most egregious fraudster in the history of our country.

BALDWIN: We will follow and see what justice will look like in the end for this doctor.

Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much.

COHEN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: And that does it for me here in New York. I'm Brooke Baldwin. We'll send you to Washington.

"The LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.