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CNN NEWSROOM

Sen. Ted Cruz In Maryland; Presidential Candidates' Possible V.P. Picks; Countdown To the Olympics; Grand Jury Meets in Will Smith Murder Case; Officers Plead Guilty To Post-Katrina Shooting. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired April 21, 2016 - 10:30   ET

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


[10:32:28]

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me.

You are looking at live pictures out of Frederick, Maryland, where Ted Cruz is about to kick off an event. And while Senator Cruz fights on the Democratic race isn't quite as heated after New York. Hillary Clinton is talking more like the nominee, and the Obamas seem to indicate they will openly support her candidacy soon.

Listen to how Mrs. Obama answered a question from a 14-year-old boy at a take our sons and daughters to work day function.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Hillary Clinton is an impressive woman, and I will not do what she has done. I will not run for president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So Michelle Obama -- Michelle Obama is probably out as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton. That's what I meant to say, but there could be another woman on the ticket along with Mrs. Clinton. Her campaign says she is open to picking a woman for her vice president. How would that play in a gender-charged race? Especially in light of the fact that 70 percent of women disapprove of Donald Trump?

Here is how Donald trump though says he will win women despite his previous comments about them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I did some things and I have said some things in fun. I have said it as an entertainer doing "The Apprentice." And you know how successful -- I just saw Steve Burke outside. They wanted to renew me for two years and I didn't do it because of this but a lot of that was entertainment.

There is nobody that respects women more than I do. There is nobody that will take care of women's health issues better than I will. Hillary cannot do it, believe me. She doesn't have the strength, the energy. She will not be able to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: With me is Jamie Weinstein, he's the senior editor for the "Daily Caller." Welcome.

JAMIE WEINSTEIN, SENIOR EDITOR, DAILY CALLER: Thank you for having me.

COSTELLO: Thanks for being here.

I know you lean right but I thought you would bring a different perspective to this scenario. So here is what Clinton surrogate John Podesta said in the "Boston Globe" about V.P. picks -- quote -- "We'll start with a broad list and then begin to narrow it. But there is no question that there will be women on that list."

So in your mind would it be smart for Clinton to name a woman her V.P.?

WEINSTEIN: It depends on the woman. I think that if you are the type of Democratic voter who's voting purely on identity politics, you want the first female president of the United States you're already with Hillary Clinton. So I think doubling down is not earn any more of those voters.

But if you choose someone like Elizabeth Warren, I think you might get some unification around Hillary from the Bernie people not because Elizabeth Warren is a woman but because she is someone of an intellectual leader of the left, kind of like Bernie Sanders.

[10:35:02]

So maybe some of those alienated Bernie supporters might be more excited about voting for Hillary Clinton if someone like Elizabeth Warren is on the ticket but not because she's a woman.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Because I was going to ask you this question. Like let's say Hillary Clinton names Elizabeth Warren as her V.P. and Elizabeth Warren agrees, wouldn't that setup a battle between the sexes kind of thing?

WEINSTEIN: There's no question that it would be a historic ticket. Obviously we've never had a female president of the United States or a female vice president of the United States. But even without Elizabeth Warren, Hillary is going to argue it's a historic moment because she would be the first female president of the United States.

What I think would be important about Elizabeth Warren on the ticket is besides the, you know, obvious fact that it would be the first ticket of that kind is that she might help bring in those Bernie supporters, those alienated left wing base of Hillary Clinton because she is in a way an intellectual leader of that side of the aisle in the Democratic Party, that wing of the Democratic Party.

COSTELLO: So would that at all force Trump to name a woman to his ticket? Would that ever happen?

WEINSTEIN: I think regardless of who the Democratic vice presidential nominee is, if Hillary Clinton is the nominee, a woman will be top and center for a Republican candidate primarily because, as you know, in 2012 and throughout kind of the 2000s, this idea of a Republican war on women has been out there and that's an attack on Republicans. I think it's ridiculous, but to kind of mitigate that attack, I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Carly Fiorina or the Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley, was considered a top choice for V.P. by whoever the Republican nominee is.

COSTELLO: But do you think that those -- do you think those two women would ever agree to run with Donald Trump?

WEINSTEIN: Maybe not with Donald Trump but I'm not so sure Donald Trump is yet the nominee. With Ted Cruz obviously you could see a Cruz/Fiorina ticket. And Donald Trump maybe he would reach out to Nikki Haley and convince her to come on. I'm not sure Carly Fiorina would want to join Donald Trump but maybe Nikki Haley.

COSTELLO: Maybe you'll never know. It's politics, right? You just never know.

WEINSTEIN: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: There is also talk that Hillary Clinton would name HUD Secretary, Julian Castro to the ticket. Of course, he's Hispanic. So I guess would a Republican candidate have to wait to see who Hillary Clinton picks as her running mate before they pick theirs knowing that they have weaknesses within the Hispanic and African-American communities?

WEINSTEIN: Well, let me just say that if they picked Julian Castro, that would be a deeply cynical pick. He might be the least qualified in terms of experience vice presidential pick of all time.

He was mayor of San Antonio, which is basically a ceremonial position. Just recently became secretary of HUD, maybe a little over a year ago. It's not clear where the presidential qualifications are there.

But, yes, I think that a Hispanic pick, if Donald Trump is the nominee, especially with the way he's turned off a lot of Hispanic voters, is a serious possibility. If Ted Cruz is the nominee, you know, that's less important for a vice presidential nominee, but I just think Julian Castro would be a deeply, deeply cynical pick by the Democrats hoping that merely because he's a Hispanic he'll get the Hispanic community to vote for him, not because of necessarily anything that he has actually done in his political career.

COSTELLO: Oh, Jamie Weinstein, thanks so much. I appreciate it.

WEINSTEIN: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, friends of a dozen North Korean women who fled to the south are now begging them to come home. A CNN exclusive next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:42:45]

COSTELLO: North Korea insists the apparent defection of more than a dozen of its citizens was really a group abduction. The 12 women and one man were part of a group of restaurant employees working in south China when South Korea says they defected, but other members of the group now angrily dispute that claim. They tell Will Ripley their co- workers would never leave North Korea willingly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been a mostly sleepless night for these seven women. North Korean authorities brought them from their homes overnight for an early morning last minute interview in our Pyongyang hotel.

Behind their polite smiles, a heavy burden. Trying to explain how 12 of their friends were supposedly tricked into fleeing their homeland. North Korea calls it a mass abduction. South Korea calls it a mass defection. 13 North Koreans, 12 women, 1 man lured by a life they saw on TV, movies, and the internet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via translator): We would never leave our parents, country, and supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, she says.

They worked at a state-owned restaurant in southern China now closed. The women, all in their 20s, waitresses. The man, their manager.

All of this was planned by our bastard manager and the South Koreans, she says. They say their manager lied telling the women they were going to another North Korean restaurant in southeast Asia.

RIPLEY (on camera): China has said that your friends crossed the border legally into South Korean. At some point they have to know where they're going. Why do you think they still went?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via translator): They have absolutely no choice, they insist. We didn't even have our own passports on us.

RIPLEY (voice-over): South Korea's Unification Ministry tells CNN, "13 defectors voluntarily decided to leave and pushed ahead with the escape without any help from the outside. Following their voluntary request to defect, our government accepted them from a humanitarian point of view."

North Korea is believed to make millions from its dozens of restaurants in other countries. I visited this one in northeast China in 2014. Waitresses are allowed to speak with foreign customers making them among the most trusted citizens.

[10:45:07]

A mass defection would be a humiliating blow to Pyongyang, especially one allowed by its strongest ally China. North Korea is facing growing isolation and sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs and allegations of widespread human rights abuse.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via translator): To my loving friends, our leader Kim Jong Un is waiting for you, she says. Parents and siblings are waiting for you. Please come back.

RIPLEY: These are the seven left behind, left to explain why their friends are gone, left to wonder how life suddenly became so complicated.

Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang, North Korea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Wow.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Curt Schilling apparently throwing one too many wild pitches on social media. The controversial post that was the last straw for ESPN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:49:52]

COSTELLO: The torch is lit and the countdown is on to the summer Olympic Games in Brazil.

This morning the traditional and elaborate lighting ceremony was held in Olympia, Greece. The flame has then handed over to the first torchbearer for its long and winding journey to Rio. It will pass through hundreds of cities and towns in Greece and Brazil before arriving at the opening ceremony on August 5th.

Curt Schilling is out of strikes before a Major League pitcher turned ESPN broadcaster has been fired after he shared an anti-transgender meme on Facebook. Schilling is known for his outspoken political beliefs and some critics have wondered what took ESPN so long to relieve him of his duties.

CNN's sports correspondent Coy Wire joins me now with more. Good morning.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Yes, Schilling has been stirring up controversy with his (INAUDIBLE) no-filter comments for quite some time. In his latest instance in that meme you mentioned on Facebook, it had an image of a man wearing a wig and tight clothes with snarky comments about letting the man into a restroom with your daughter. He later deleted the picture. But before he did he also wrote -- quote -- "a man is a man no matter what they call themselves" -- unquote.

Apparently that was the last straw for ESPN. During last year's MLB playoffs he was suspended for comparing Muslims to Nazis. Then just last month he told a radio station in Kansas City that Hillary Clinton should be -- quote -- "buried under a jail" -- unquote. So he joked after that radio interview that he'd probably get fired. Well, after his latest comments he has been.

EPSN now his former employer put out a statement saying -- quote -- "ESPN is an inclusive company. Curt Schilling has been advised that his conduct was unacceptable and his employment with ESPN has been terminated" -- unquote.

Now, the National Hockey League, Carol, had to do some -- deal with somebody making offensive comments as well. Yesterday the NHL announced the Chicago Blackhawks' forward Andrew Shaw is suspended for one game for shouting an anti-gay slur at an official during their playoff game against the St. Louis Blues.

Here's Shaw yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW SHAW, BLACKHAWKS FORWARD: I want to apologize to the gay and lesbian community. That's not the type of guy I am. This is hard for me. I saw the video last night, and I had a tough time sleeping. What has gotten to me is I let my emotions get the better of me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: So Shaw was caught on tape in the penalty box using that anti- gay slur during the Blackhawks playoff loss to the Blues. Even though he apologized the league says that he has to be held accountable. They say -- quote -- "the emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an NHL player" -- unquote.

Now, Carol, Shaw was also fined $5,000 by the NHL and they're going to put him through sensitivity training.

COSTELLO: All right. Coy Wire reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.

Coming up in the NEWSROOM, CNN's original series "THE EIGHTIES".

The new political party in Poland. Tensed relationship with Russia. How did President Reagan respond?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The strike by polish shipyard workers is over. For the polish strikers, it was a day worthy of hyperbole. Lech Walesa telling his followers, we are now co-masters of this land.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lech Walesa and solidarity are showing that you could have an independent union in a communist country and the question was how independent were they going to be allowed to be.

JESSICA SAVITCH, NBC ANCHOR: How the U.S. deals with Poland, with the eastern bloc and of course with Russia will be early challenges for the foreign policy of the president elect Ronald Reagan.

JULIAN E. ZELIZER, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Reagan had spent most of his career blasting the Soviet Union and attacking any Republican or Democrat who had said we can negotiate. He had been the leading opponent of detente during the 1970s. The policy of trying to ease relations with the soviets.

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, EDITOR, THE REAGAN DIARIES: What he disliked about detente was that they were hitting the negotiating team as equals. Reagan thought there are two super powers, but we have moral superiority because democracy is inherently good and sovietism is inherently bad.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:58:33]

COSTELLO: Checking some top stories at 58 minutes past. The grand jury is due to meet today in the Will Smith murder case. The former New Orleans Saints player was shot and killed earlier this month outside his vehicle after an exchange with another driver. Police arrested and booked Cardell Hayes. His attorney claims that Smith was the aggressor. That same attorney said jurors will hear testimony today.

Guilty pleas from five former New Orleans police officers involved in a deadly shooting in the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina. The officers were convicted in 2011 of shooting and killing two unarmed people and injuring four others on a bridge in the city. Their convictions were overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct. The judge drastically reduced their sentences under a new plea deal.

Famous American women will be featured on three U.S. currency bills. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew says Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 bill.

You're seeing our version of what that might look like. Jackson will move to the back of that bill.

Alexander Hamilton will stay on the front of the $10 but the back of $10 bill will feature a montage of women involved in the American suffrage movement.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.

AT THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND BOLDUAN starts now.