Return to Transcripts main page

NEW DAY

Genetic Disease Awareness; Scott Walker Runs for President; A New Side to Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's New Book. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired July 13, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:36] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Time now for the five things to know for your new day.

Number one, Greece now a step closer to its third bailout in five years. European leaders approving a plan that know goes to Greece's parliament for approval.

And by day's end, a nuclear deal could be reached with Iran. Negotiators jumping major hurdles over the weekend. The Obama administration has to get any deal approved by a skeptical Congress.

And a massive manhunt in Mexico for notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. He escaped from a maximum security prison through a mile-long tunnel. Mexico's president has vowed to recapture him.

Scott Walker officially jumping into the presidential race with a tweet this morning. The Wisconsin governor is the fifteenth Republican to enter the race.

The marquee event during baseball's all-star break, the Home Run Derby, is tonight. The competition has a new format this year with tournament style seating and a clock to break ties with a 90 second swing off.

For more on the five things to know, go to newdaycnn.com for all of the latest.

Let's go to Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Every parent prays for a healthy child. And imagine having a kid that was born with a deadly genetic disease. It would just be heartbreaking. But some of these diseases are detectable. So now a Georgia couple is telling their story to prevent other families from facing a terrible loss. Here's CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta with today's "Human Factor."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDY GOLD, FATHER: Which paper do you want?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Golds may look like a typical family, but look closer.

R. GOLD: All right, look at me. Look at this paper.

GUPTA: Six-year-old Eden (ph) can't walk, talk, or do most anything a girl her age should be doing.

GUPTA (on camera): She has a progressive neurological deficit known as Mucolipidosis Type IV. Thankfully, this is a relative rare genetic disorder, but it is more common among Ashkenazi Jews.

GUPTA (voice-over): Eden's development stopped at 18 months. Doctors say she'll be blind by 12 and will probably not live beyond early adulthood.

CAROLINE GOLD, MOTHER: Every dream that we had for our daughter was just ended with one phone call.

GUPTA: The Golds thought they had been properly screened for genetic diseases before they got married. Their first child was born healthy.

C. GOLD: My doctor tested me for a total of eight diseases and Randy's doctor tested him for a total of two diseases. Neither one of our doctors tested us for ML4.

GUPTA: The couple didn't want other families to suffer, so they started an online education screening program for genetic diseases that are common among Ashkenazi Jews. At-home screening tests are mailed out and a genetic counselor delivers the results over the phone.

R. GOLD: J Screen's (ph) mission is to provide them information on how to have healthy children of their own.

GUPTA: Just like the Gold's, who added another daughter to their family.

R. GOLD: Eden is here for a purpose. She saves lives every day.

What was that? What was that?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: What a great story.

Well, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker now a candidate for president. How much do you know about the Wisconsin governor? Our Dana bash spoke with some people who know him best. Wait until you hear what they have to say.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:37:55] CUOMO: Big, big day for Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, also known as lucky number 15. He's officially in the already crowded Republican race for president. So, who is this guy? Dana Bash took a look with the people who know him best.

Dana, what's the answer to my question? DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know people pretty much know Scott Walker outside his home states as a union busting Republican, right? But he was the only governor in history to recall -- to survive a recall, rather, and he, of course, has more dimensions than that. To find out what those dimensions are, we went to the picturesque governor's mansion to talk to people who know him best.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASH (voice-over): Scott Walker's sons are a staple of his stump speech.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My sons Matt and Alex --

Our sons Matt and Alex --

My reasons are Matt and Alex.

BASH: So much that we were told someone in Wisconsin made up a Matt and Alex drinking game.

BASH (on camera): Every time he says Matt and Alex, you take a drink.

MATT WALKER, SON OF SCOTT WALKER: I didn't know that. That's pretty funny.

BASH (voice-over): Now it's the 21 and almost 20-year-old's turn to talk about their dad on the eve of his presidential announcement.

A. WALKER: We've seen his leadership. We've seen that he can get things done.

BASH: What Walker did as governor in 2011 shot him to national prominence, trying to cut state spending by curving collective bargaining and breaking state unions. It made him a hero to the right and the devil to the left. Passions ran so high through a failed attempt to recall Walker, his then high school-aged sons say they faced death threats.

M. WALKER: And we got a lot of those threats. We were able to just keep calm, work through them. In the end, we got closer.

BASH: But their mother, Tonette, also gave her husband tough love, telling him he wasn't communicating well.

A. WALKER: She tried to ask our dad to explain to people more what the reforms did and what he was doing.

BASH: Walker's wife is 12 years his senior. How they met, at this bar, says a lot about his personality, self-assured and at times a bit awkward.

A. WALKER: He wrote on a napkin, "forgive me for being rude, but I've got to work early in the morning, but if you'd like to go out sometime, give me a call." And he put his number down and his name and he slipped her the napkin on the way out.

[08:40:06] BASH: The Walkers are close but even they disagree on some politics. Matt and Alex support same-sex marriage and complained to their mother when their dad called last month's Supreme Court decision legalizing it a grave mistake.

BASH (on camera): She said to you all when you complained, go talk to your father about it. Did you?

M. WALKER: Yes, we talked to him. Like any family, we had disagreements. He just explained his position and that was it.

A. WALKER: Matt and I aren't necessarily changing his stances on any issues.

BASH: Do you try?

A. WALKER: No, we respect -- we respect his opinion on things.

BASH (voice-over): Walker's intense political ambition began as a teenager. He lost a bid to be student body president at Marquette University and dropped out before graduating.

M. WALKER: He was getting offered a job before he even left, so why would he not take it.

BASH (on camera): What would he say if either of you said, you know what, dad, I'm done. I'm not going to finish college?

A. WALKER: He might be all right with it if we told him we had a good reason. Our mom, on the other hand, would not allow that.

BASH (voice-over): Walker was elected to the state assembly at age 25. He's been a career politician since, but not always a political star.

CHARLIE SYKES, HOST, 620 WTMJ: Scott is one of those guys that does not fill up the room. He's not going to blow you away. He comes off as very intense, very, you know, very, very thoughtful.

BASH: Charlie Sykes is a Wisconsin conservative radio host where Walker was a regular guest as he moved up through elected office.

SYKES: He is his own number one strategist. He is his own number one spokesman. He is his own media person.

BASH (on camera): Some would say that's micromanaging.

SYKES: Oh, I -- I think -- everybody would say that it's micromanaging.

BASH (voice-over): And he's even keeled, apparently no temper. Rebecca Kleefisch is Walker's lieutenant governor.

BASH (on camera): Have you ever seen that at all?

LT. GOV. REBECCA KLEEFISCH (R), WISCONSIN: Nope. BASH: Not even during those intense recall moments?

KLEEFISCH: I was floored by his calm. You know that he's a man of deep faith.

BASH (voice-over): Walker is a preacher's son. Faith guides him spiritually and helps politically with Christian conservative voters he needs, especially in Iowa.

KLEEFISCH: We don't go into meetings and quote scripture, as a lot of people assume of evangelicals, right, but you can see how he cares deeply.

BASH: Before Kleefisch ran for office, she was a reporter who covered Walker.

KLEEFISCH: When we're in a public meeting versus when the door is closed, same guy. And I know that's weird.

BASH: For his sons, that typical guy also means dorky dad.

A. WALKER: A little embarrassing sometimes. He likes to sing.

M. WALKER: Yes.

A. WALKER: He likes to sing karaoke, definitely, and embarrass Matt and I.

BASH: They're not the only ones.

KLEEFISCH: He has a tendency to sing.

BASH (on camera): What does he sing?

KLEEFISCH: He sang "Happy."

BASH: How did that go?

KLEEFISCH: Politics is really good for him.

BASH (voice-over): But worse for his sons are his clothes.

M. WALKER: The big one is that he -- he wears jean shorts sometimes and that's a little rough, so --

BASH (on camera): Really?

M. WALKER: Fashion choices need to be updated.

BASH (voice-over): But dressing like a pirate when they were kids, not so bad.

A. WALKER: That's just how he's always been and he's shown the example for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CUOMO: Well, Dana, on the informal studio Neilson (ph), Alisyn was OK with everything she was hearing in there until the jean shorts came up.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my goodness.

BASH: Jorts, jorts, we call them jorts.

CAMEROTA: Jean shorts.

CUOMO: Jorts.

So, kids in the crucible of politics. Always a dicey proposition. What struck you the most?

BASH: Well, frankly, I went in talking to them expecting them to be incredibly polished because their father has been in politics since before they were born. So they've been, you know, kind of around it for their whole lives. And the fact that they weren't, they, in many ways, were kind of typical teens or almost teenagers in that they gave a lot of one-word answers, made me believe the fact that they are more of a normal family even more because they kind of weren't as media ready as you would think that they would be. So kind of that storyline that they're normal was more believable.

But, you know this, Chris, you are a son of a governor and it is not easy to be in the spotlight. The fact that they wanted to go out and give this kind of interview, which is a little bit risky on the eve of their father's presidential campaign just kind of shows, you know, how into it they are. And I should say that they're going to take at least the summer off. Matt, the older one, is going to take the whole time off that the -- that he's going to run for president to help his father.

CUOMO: Well, look, I mean, at the end of the day, the whole family is in the race when one is in the race.

BASH: Exactly.

CUOMO: And they're a little bit older. They don't qualify as kids. I probably shouldn't say that. They're young men. But it will be interesting to see what they expose themselves too and what they get exposed to.

Dana, good job, as always, thank you very much.

BASH: Thanks. Thanks, Chris.

CUOMO: So, what did you learn from that? Tweet us using #newdaycnn or post your comment on facebook.com/newday.

CAMEROTA: I'm going to tweet you about the jean shorts.

CUOMO: Tweet at me.

CAMEROTA: I wish I could unhear that. CUOMO: You can't.

CAMEROTA: So, true.

[08:44:47] Meanwhile, "To Kill a Mockingbird" featured a hero, the character Atticus Finch. But it turns out he wasn't always so admirable. Wait until you hear the back story of how and why the author, Harper Lee, changed her famous character. Harper Lee's biographer, here next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY PECK AS ATTICUS FINCH: Now gentlemen, in this country, our courts are the great levelers. In our courts, all men are created equal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Well, that was Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in the 1962 movie "To Kill A Mockingbird". Now 55 years after Harper Lee's book "To Kill A Mockingbird" first hit shelves, the character of Atticus in another book is making waves for being racist. Reviewers and fans alike say they're stunned about the different Atticus Finch seen in the book, the new book, "Go Set A Watchman" out this week.

So with us to help explain this this morning is Charles J. Shields. He's author of "Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee", the biography of the reclusive author.

Mr. Shield, thanks for being with us.

CHARLES J. SHIELD, AUTHOR, "MOCKINGBIRD: A PORTRAIT OF HARPER LEE": Well, thank you for having me here this morning. Good morning to you both.

CAMEROTA: How do you explain this metamorphosis that we see from "To Kill A Mockingbird" to now this new book, which is actually an old book and Harper Lee wrote first, but the character of Atticus is radically changed.

SHIELDS: Well, you hit on the key, which is "Go Set A Watchman" was written first. It's being released tomorrow. It was written in '56 or '57. And "To Kill A Mockingbird" was published in 1960.

[08:50:01] And here is the difference -- "Go Set A Watchman" has a narrator who is about 30 years old, is an adult now, that is seeing her father as a man, as an upstanding man but nevertheless as a fellow adult. "To Kill A Mockingbird" is written from the perspective of a 9-year-old girl who thinks her father can do no wrong.

CUOMO: That' i an important distinction in terms of narrative. But let me ask you something, as a biographer, do we have any good reason to believe that were Harper Lee saw a connection between the characters in the first effort and in the "Mockingbird" book, that she wanted this to come out in order to show the duality of it? Is there any kind of indication she wanted Atticus Finch seen as this paradox?

SHIELDS: I don't think there's anything to support the idea that she wanted a paradox, but she wanted this book published. And her elder sister, Alice, who died in November at 102, never wanted it published. I think her elder sister felt that "To Kill A Mockingbird" was a wonderful success embraced by millions and that was enough.

But this book coming out now couldn't be better timed. Here we are in the summer over the controversy of the Confederate flag, we're revisiting issues of racism, and we're seeing Atticus Finch in this new book as a flawed man, but as a man who was very typical of his time. There were a great many people who were supporters of segregation at that time.

CAMEROTA: So Mr. Shields, in studying Harper Lee as you did for your biography, "A Portrait of Haper Lee", was there was talk that there was another book hidden away?

SHIELDS: Oh, yes. When I was doing the research on this biography back in 2004, I came across evidence in her agent's papers that there was a novel called "Go Set A Watchman" that was completed sometime around 1957. But it disappeared from sight for awhile. And then a contract was issued for "To Kill A Mockingbird". So I took it to be that "Go Set A Watchman" was a first effort by a beginning novelist, and that through the help of editor it became "To Kill A Mockingbird". But you can see that they're two really radically different books.

CUOMO: Right. Also, and they represent -- I would argue -- that "Go Set A Watchman" is a easier way to paint someone during that time, being written during the '50.

CAMEROTA: You think it's an accurate depiction?

CUOMO: Well, no. But it was in play in a way of the cultural stereotype as opposed to being somebody who elevated the law above culture, which is something we're still dealing with today. When you look at what happened with gay marriage, that duality of what the law calls a right and what people think is right is still very much alive and well in many people.

SHIELDS: Yes. And that's something we can really take away from this new book, is let's not just dismiss this Atticus out of hand under the label he's a racist. Or he's a segregationist. There's much to be learned here. Remember that in "To Kill A Mockingbird", Atticus says to really understand someone, you have to walk around in his shoes. Let's read this book with our critical hats on and think why would anyone have supported that in mid-century -- 20th century America? Why do some people support it today?

So this is not a saint we're dealing with. This is a southern man, a lawyer, an intelligent man who believes that he's right.

CAMEROTA: So do you have a sense of why only now this book is being released?

SHIELDS: I think it's being released because Alice passed away in November, and I think we have a case of a woman, an author, who has directed her attorney bring that book out. So let's make -- let's get as much from it as we can.

CUOMO: Why now? She's had since 1960 to do this and obviously she didn't want it to happen. Why wouldn't it have happened so much sooner if it was so pivotal in the understanding of "Mockingbird".

SHIELDS: Well, her elder sister Alice believed that this book was not as good as "To Kill A Mockingbird" and that Atticus was a hero in "To Kill A Mockingbird". Why focus on his shortcomings? Realize that Atticus is largely based on their father, A.C. Lee And so Alice could see no good in coming from revealing things about their father --

CUOMO: Alice had that much sway over Harper?

SHIELDS: Oh, very much so. Oh yes. So Alice Lee, who was 15 to 16 years older than Nell, served as her buffer, her tax advisor, and her attorney.

CAMEROTA: Harper Lee is fascinating. I mean, what a fascinating subject to write about. Because she is so reclusive and sort of enigmatic. Do you have any sense why she never wrote another book after "To Kill A Mockingbird"?

SHIELDS: I think that "To Kill A Mockingbird" was really the best thing that she could say. It was her best effort. Everything she wanted to address from love to loyalty to racism and justice were contained in that book. I think she had the unusual experience of writing her masterpiece first and, of course, it won the Pulitzer Prize.

[08:55:00]

CAMEROTA: Well, Charles Shields, thank you so much for the insight. This is a really compelling story, both back then and now today with this new book coming out. Thanks so much for your time.

SHIELDS: Thank you.

CUOMO: We have a great Good Stuff for you today. It's a follow up on something we did. Remember the piano playing homeless person we saw? It's been seen by millions, right. Remember why he said he wanted this to get out there? There was someone he wanted to hear it?

CAMEROTA: Yes, I do remember that.

CUOMO: And they have! The story ahead.

CAMEROTA: I can't wait!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Only thing better than the Good Stuff is the Better Stuff.

CAMEROTA: OK, let's hear it. CUOMO: We told you about homeless veteran and accomplished pianist

Donald Gould. Remember him? He was playing, seen by millions. He only wanted his estranged son to hear the music.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL GOULD, HOMELESS VETERAN: Every day it's painful. I wish he'd come and find me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Thanks to his talent and the video that's what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOULD: Can you hear me? How you doing, son?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can hear you.

GOULD: I'm so happy to see you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: He's all cleaned up too.

[09:00:001] Donald lost custody of his son 15 years ago after his wife died and he lost his way, found his way into drugs and alcohol.

Our affiliate WFLA put them back together and we're going to continue this story now.