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CNN NEWSROOM

Presidential Debate Moderators Revealed; Trump Makes Appeal to African-American Voters; Brock Turner About to be Released From Jail; Storm Causes Flooding, Massive Power Outages. Aired 9-9:30a ET.

Aired September 2, 2016 - 09:00   ET

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


[09:00:23] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the NEWSROOM, a furious mix of rain, wind and waves. Hermine becomes the first hurricane to hit Florida in 11 years.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have substantial flooding down on the coast.

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COSTELLO: Also, it's the rape case that gripped the nation. An ex- Stanford swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman and sentenced to just months in jail. Today, he's walking out and back into the national spotlight.

Plus, oh say, can you see the controversy? NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick doubles down on his anthem protest but this time, he's not alone. And he says he's not stopping there.

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COLIN KAEPERNICK, QUARTERBACK, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: I am planning to take it a step further.

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COSTELLO: Let's talk, live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me this morning. We do begin with breaking news.

Of course, the big Presidential debates are coming up very soon, and we now know who will moderate those debates. Brian Stelter is here to break the news for us this morning.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, indeed. The announcement's just out from the Commission on Presidential Debates. And it's so intriguing this year because, honestly, Carol, this was a pretty hard process this year. The Donald Trump factor and the Hillary Clinton factor both made this a very hard process for the Commission. This bipartisan Commission picks the moderators every four years. I'm just looking at the names here now. I'll read them off to you. The first debate, September 26th, just a few weeks from today, will be Lester Holt, the "NBC Nightly News" anchor. Of course, he rolled up to that tier about a year ago. This will be his biggest stage of his career, possibly a hundred million viewers watching this first debate between Clinton and Trump. So we know Lester Holt will be the first moderator.

The second debate is actually the Vice Presidential debate. Elaine Quijano of CBS News will anchor that on October 4th.

And then the second Presidential debate is a town hall meeting, so both the CNN's Anderson Cooper and ABC's Martha Raddatz will moderate that together. That's on Sunday, October 9th.

Then the third and final debate, this will just be a few weeks before Election Day, October 19th, will be moderated by Chris Wallace, the anchor of "Fox News Sunday."

So you have representatives of all five major networks broadcasting cable all on this list, the Commission clearly seeking out a wide variety of journalists, Fox, CNN, NBC. Lester Holt, by the way, the first African-American solo anchor of a network nightly newscast, also now moderating this first debate.

COSTELLO: Wow.

STELTER: It's going to be very interesting, you know, in three and a half weeks from now to see Clinton and Trump on the stage for the first time.

COSTELLO: So tell me how much input that Trump and Clinton -- how much input did they have in choosing these moderators?

STELTER: You know, informally, there are conversations that happen between the campaigns and the Commission, but there is no veto. There is no veto and ultimately, it is the Commission, this bipartisan Commission -- representatives of both Democrats and Republicans on this Commission -- who decide who the moderators will be.

Now, they spend weeks going through this process, and it's so important because it's really up to the moderators individually to come up with the questions. And on the case of the town hall with Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, that will have questions from an audience in St. Louis at a university there.

But we know these debates are make or break moments for both candidates. Clinton has long ties, of course. She has a long history. Trump has a long business history. And they'll both be questioned on stage.

COSTELLO: I know, I know. Many people have walked up to me and said they cannot wait --

STELTER: Yes.

COSTELLO: -- for that first debate to happen. STELTER: And now we know who will be on stage.

COSTELLO: All right. Brian Stelter, thanks so much for breaking that news for us this morning.

STELTER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: Donald Trump will now talk face to face with an African- American congregation in Detroit. That's according to the "New York Times." His change of plans coming after criticism he would only agree to a sit-down taped interview with the bishop of Great Faith Ministries Church. This as an NBA superstar urges the candidate not to use his family's tragedy for political gain.

For the first time, Dwyane Wade is speaking out about the shooting death of his cousin and this tweet by Donald Trump after it happened, "Dwyane Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I've been saying. African-Americans will vote Trump!" Well, here's Dwyane Wade's reaction on "GMA."

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DWYANE WADE, NBA STAR: Well, I was kind of conflicted. You know, it's like, on one end, your cousin's death is used as a ploy for political gain. On the other hand, it's a national story. It goes back to that for me. I want eyes on the city. You know, I want us to be able to do more together. And the only way we do more together, if more people know what's going on.

So I was grateful that it started the conversation, but on the other hand, it just -- it was a -- it is a bad taste in my mouth because of, you know, of what my family's dealing with and what our city of Chicago is dealing with, and it looks like it's being used as a political gain.

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[09:05:09] COSTELLO: All right. Let's bring in CNN National Correspondent Ryan Nobles to tell us a little bit more about this. Good morning.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol. And Donald Trump's going to make a direct pitch to African-American voters over the next few days. It's going to start today when he travels to Philadelphia. That's where he'll have a private meeting with African-American voters.

Then tomorrow, he heads to Detroit, and that's where he'll appear in front of a large church and sit down for an interview with the Impact Network. That's a religious television channel that's run by the church's pastor, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson.

Now, the interview and the church appearance will be closed to the press. Trump's team though is making sure that the candidate is prepared. The "New York Times" has revealed a lengthy list of scripted answers to the questions that Trump will be asked in the interview.

Now, the "Times" is reporting the Trump campaign will even be able to edit portions of the interview before it airs in about a week, Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Ryan Nobles reporting live from Washington. Thanks so much.

A little bit more breaking news just about to happen. The former Stanford swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a trash bin is about to walk free from jail. Cameras right now are packed outside of that California jail where Brock Turner has only served three months of a six-month sentence. He is expected to walk out that door at any moment now.

Turner's early release re-igniting national outrage. CNN's Dan Simon live in California this morning in San Jose with more. Good morning.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Carol. We are keeping our eyes trained on this front door at the San Jose jail. As you said, Brock Turner could really walk out at any moment. We believe he is going to go through this path and get in a car that has been prearranged for him by his family and his attorney. We believe, most likely, he is headed to the airport and will head back to Ohio. That is the deal that has been worked out with the judicial system there. Brock Turner will have to register as a sex offender within three days.

Carol, as you know, this is a case that drew a lot of attention. It really rose to national prominence after that powerful impact statement from the victim. It was an emotional, gut-wrenching letter that really fueled the anger over what many perceived to be as a very light sentence, Brock Turner getting just six months in prison. But he only had to serve three months because that's the way the law works here in California. As long as you exhibit good behavior, you only have to serve half of your sentence.

Again, Brock Turner expected to be released at any moment. We are watching that door here in front of the jail in San Jose, Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes. I can see the reporters waiting for him to come out that door, but are there other protesters around where you are?

SIMON: At this point, there are no protesters, and we believe that -- Turner is walking out right now. There you see him, Carol. I'm just going to -- we're just going to stop and watch.

And there you have it, Carol. He walked out of the jail. Obviously, he did not want to say anything, got to the car, and is now headed out. We were told that he was in a special unit within the jail because this was a sex crime, and they wanted to keep him confined. Again, serving just three months of that six-month sentence.

To sort of review the facts for you in the terms of this case, this all goes back to January 2015 when Brock Turner was accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster outside a fraternity party on the Stanford campus. He was ultimately caught by a pair of graduate students who saw what was going on. In court, Turner tried to claim this was all consensual, but, Carol, the jury just did not buy it. And then, of course, you had the judge who gave what many perceived to be as a very lenient sentence.

We know that this morning, there are going to be lots of protesters here in San Jose protesting that sentence and the judge. They are calling for Judge Aaron Persky to be removed. And most likely, in November, you're going to see Aaron Persky's name on the ballot with voters having the choice whether or not to remove him from the bench, Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, I know this judge is no longer hearing criminal cases. That's by his own volition. He's supposedly only going to hear civil cases right now. But you're right, we'll see what happens when his re-election bid comes up.

A couple of things I wanted to ask you about. So Brock Turner walked outside that jail alone. He's a free man, right. But it is unusual that, you know, police allowed the press to be around him. Was that by design?

[09:10:01] SIMON: They wanted to make sure that he didn't get any special treatment. And the sheriff was sensitive to that, so she said, just like any other inmate, we're going to make sure that he goes out the front door.

We should also point out that the sheriff herself has been critical of Judge Persky's sentence, so she didn't want to do anything on her part to make it look like that she was coddling Brock Turner in any way, Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. I want to bring in Mel Robbins -- she's a legal analyst -- to talk more about this. Because, Mel, this case has sparked such outrage, it's actually changed -- it's also -- it's caused so much outrage it could change how rapists are sentenced in the state of California.

Now, the California legislature passed a bill that mandates a prison term whenever a victim is unconscious. That bill has yet to be signed by the California Governor Jerry Brown, but it is expected to be signed. So just tell us about, you know, the national impact this case has had.

MEL ROBBINS, CNN COMMENTATOR AND LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, good morning, Carol. This was a really horrific case, and it did ignite a massive controversy. And that controversy happened really because the victim in this case, Carol, wrote a 12-page single-spaced letter that detailed the pain and suffering that she endured after this horrible, horrible crime.

And, you know, as those of you that are maybe just tuning in, this was that case where she was assaulted behind a dumpster, and there were two graduate students on Stanford campus that were riding by that thankfully intervened.

This was also a case where her perpetrator was not only convicted. He was convicted of three felonies, the assault to -- the intent to commit rape, sexual penetration on somebody who was unconscious, and sexual penetration on somebody who was intoxicated. It is not one but three felonies. He was facing 14 years in this case, Carol, and the prosecutor in this case recommended six years. So you got a case where this was tried, a jury convicted him on three accounts, the victim testified, the prosecutor asked for six years.

And then part of the outrage also, if you recall, was because the father stood up in this case, and the line that really sent shockwaves around not only this nation but the world was that he said to the judge, "Come on, you know, all this for 20 minutes of action?" He talked about the fact that his son no longer had an appetite for rib eye and was really suffering.

So I think the contrast between the compelling 12-page letter that the victim herself read in court and the very, just tone-deaf offensive comments of the dad who wanted leniency for his son -- and then the judge gave him six months, Carol. Six months for this.

COSTELLO: I know. It's just -- it's truly outrageous. Going back to what I said initially to you, that the California legislature passed this bill requiring prison time for anybody who sexually assaults an unconscious person, why does that have to be made into law?

ROBBINS: You know, I think it has to be made into law because a lot of these cases are happening behind closed doors in courtrooms where, you know, the media is not there to bubble up some of the circumstances.

And, you know, let's also keep in mind that he did get a prison sentence. He got a prison sentence of six months, and so it's not enough that jail time needs to be mandatory. In California, because of the overcrowding, he got exactly what every other inmate gets. I mean, if you get convicted of a crime and sentenced to jail time in California, Carol, because of overcrowding, you're only going to serve half of the time because you get credit for two days for every single day served. So he, under California law, only got six months and he has technically served his sentence after three months.

Now, it doesn't end here. He's going to reportedly move home with his parents. He's going to have to register as a sex offender. He's going to be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life. He's going to be in a sex offender program for at least a year. So this is something that Brock Turner's going to be dealing with for the rest of his life, but so is the victim. And I think that that's what this case -- the impact that it really could make as a legacy case.

The other thing that happened in this case, you'll recall, Carol, is that about the same time, there was a similar case where he wasn't -- the defendant pled guilty to a very similar case. He apologized in court, something that Brock Turner did not do, and was sentenced to three years. And so there was also outrage because people felt that Brock Turner was getting special treatment because he was a Stanford grad and because he was a wealthy White kid that could afford to have representation.

COSTELLO: All right, Mel Robbins, thanks so much for putting this into perspective for us. Always appreciate it.

[09:15:02] We have to talk a little bit about the weather. Labor Day weekend is coming up. That's the unofficial end of summer and for millions of Americans, it is going out with a roar.

Hermine charges ashore as a hurricane and battles Florida's Gulf Coast. Up to 15 inches of rain fell in some areas. There's also heavy flooding, trees topples. Hundreds of thousands of people left without power. Hermine now churning across Georgia. It's now headed toward the Carolinas.

It's been downgraded do a tropical storm but remains a fearsome rainmaker. Some computer models suggesting it could follow the path of Superstorm Sandy gaining strength at sea before slamming back into the Eastern Seaboard.

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DR. RICK KNABB, METEOROLOGIST & DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: As soon it gets out over the water, some of the model depictions show the onshore show picks up pretty quickly in the Hampton Roads area and then moving northward. It is going to be a combination of hazards that we're going to be dealing with in land areas, wind and water.

Flooding could happen at the immediate coastline. Could happen farther inland due to the heavy rainfall that could last for a long time as this sits offshore. You don't have to have the center come over you to have bad water and wind conditions on land. So, we have some confidence that we're going to have a pretty hazardous event here early next week.

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COSTELLO: First. we're covering all the developments from the CNN weather center to Florida's Gulf Coast.

But let's begin south of Tallahassee where the storm first made landfall.

Polo Sandoval is in St. Marks.

Good morning.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.

It is incredible when you think about it that the eye of then- hurricane Hermine was actually pounding the area of the panhandle, not far from where we are standing right to you. Now, the skies are clearing and so are some of the roadways. This stretch of road here in St. Marks was actually completely flooded but the water has receded quicker than we expected.

Roads also being cleared of any debris. That was a major issue for first responders who were trying to get into this area to make sure everybody was okay. At this point, we do understand that there were no major injuries. There were a few people who had to be rescued from a home after a tree fell on top of that house.

And that, Carol, is really what officials want people to keep in mind. We are expecting to hear from Florida Governor Rick Scott in a few moments. But he is getting ahead of his message right now by recommending people simply stay indoors, stay home as crews try to pick up the pieces, clear out the roadways. And then hopefully get people back up and running. We are told at least 100,000 people are still in the dark in and around the Tallahassee area.

COSTELLO: All right. Polo Sandoval reporting live for us this morning. Let's head to the CNN weather center now and Chad Myers to see where this storm is headed.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

It is headed into Georgia, North Carolina and eventually into the ocean again. It will re-emerge in the gulfstream. That's what Dr. Knabb from the National Hurricane Center was talking about. If it does that and stays there a long time, it could actually regenerate itself. That water is significantly warm enough, about 30 degrees Celsius, very, very hot. You only need 24.

We're way over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. That's enough water, enough heat in that water to make this storm get bigger again.

But for now, flooding into Georgia, parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, and wind at about 50 miles per hour. You saturate the roots of the trees and, all of a sudden, you blow them over. That's going to take down more power lines. Even by late tonight. It is still only to about Myrtle Beach or so.

But then it goes over Rodanthe, it goes over Cape Hatteras and gets back into the ocean right there. Now it is only a 45-mile-per-hour storm at that point. Right now, it is down to 60.

But as it just sits there and gains more strength, it could sit for three solid days because of a high pressure to the north. Not going to let it move any farther away. Typically, they just skedaddle out into the Atlantic Ocean. This is not going to allow it. The high says -- not so fast.

And so, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday we could see wind gusts if it is close enough, 40, 50, 60 miles per hour in every coastal community that wants to have a Labor Day weekend. Doesn't look good right now.

COSTELLO: Chad Myers, thanks so much.

I'll be right back.

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[09:23:09] COSTELLO: Donald Trump will talk face to face with an African-American congregation in Detroit this weekend. And last night on FOX, he kept up his appeal with that now-familiar phrase, what do you have to lose?

First, with me now, Boris Epshteyn, senior adviser to Mr. Trump. Abby Phillips is a "Washington Post" national political reporter.

Welcome to both of you.

BORIS EPSHTEYN, SENIOR ADVISER TO MR. TRUMP: Thank you so much.

COSTELLO: I do want to play what Mr. Trump said on "The O'Reilly Factor" last night and then we can talk about it. Here it is.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE (via telephone): I have so many African-American friends where they're doing great and they're making good money. They're living a good life. They've got the American dream going.

But you have tremendous numbers of African-Americans that have really had a hard time. I mean, beyond belief. Read the numbers where you have so many in poverty and the crime is horrible and the education is terrible and they live terribly.

And I say what do you have to lose? I say to them, what do you have to lose? Give it to me. I'm going to fix it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So, Boris, is this sort of the thing that Mr. Trump will say to this congregation on Saturday?

EPSHTEYN: It will be part of a wider discussion, Carol. It is going to be a discussion about the economy, about jobs, about revitalizing inner cities in this country; 26 percent unemployment among African- Americans -- 26 percent poverty, excuse me, among African-Americans. Over 8 percent unemployment, double that --

COSTELLO: Do you think that's what the congregation will want to hear?

EPSHTEYN: The congregation will want to talk about all kinds of issues. Talk about violence that's going on in inner cities. Chicago is more dangerous than Afghanistan. That's got to be fixed under the Democrat mayor of Chicago or the Clinton --

COSTELLO: Wait a minute. Chicago is more dangerous than Afghanistan?

EPSHTEYN: Yes. In Chicago this year --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: There are IEDs planted in Afghanistan with the Taliban running around?

EPSHTEYN: Over 450 murders in Taliban just this year. Coalition forces in Afghanistan --

COSTELLO: What about the number of Afghans that have been killed?

EPSHTEYN: I'm talking about Americans.

[09:25:00] COSTELLO: Just trying to put things in perspective.

(CROSSTALK)

EPSHTEYN: And that's due to Democrats' policies.

COSTELLO: Abby, we did find out that Donald Trump will address this African-American congregation. I talked to the bishop of that church yesterday and at that time he said Donald Trump would not be addressing the congregation. He would be sitting down for an interview with the bishop only.

So, Donald Trump has changed things, right? Why do you think that is?

ABBY PHILIPS, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, I think that there is -- I think a desire among the public to see Donald Trump engage with voters, with African-Americans, with minority more straightforward way, in an environment that's not entirely scripted.

I think he kind of needs to do that to sort of prove how genuine he is about this issue. He didn't get to this point in exactly the most ideal way. There were a lot of stumbles along the way but this is an opportunity for him to have the kind of face to face conversation that people want to see from him. They want to see how he responds, how he deals with people's real concerns in some of these areas and how he deals with the community at large.

COSTELLO: I think many African-Americans within the city of Detroit are glad that Donald Trump will be addressing the congregation face to face. But they're also concerned about something that came out in "The New York Times" this morning that the list of questions from the bishop of this church were released to the Trump campaign before the interview so that Donald Trump could go over them and come up with answers.

EPSHTEYN: Carol, I don't think people in Detroit are bothered by that at all. Hillary Clinton hasn't given a press conference or even bothered to give a press conference in over 270 days. Donald Trump has given 18 since then --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Wait a minute. Let's go back to the bishop: before we pivot, let's go back to the -- we're talking about something really important. Donald Trump is going there into the hornet's nest and I admire him for that. It is going to be a very tough conversation. I just want to talk about that for a moment.

EPSHTEYN: I disagree with that premise though. I don't think it's a hornet's nest. Donald Trump is talking to all Americans, African- Americans, Hispanic-Americans, all Americans. Here he is going to the inner city to talk about the troubles of this specific inner city and our cities in general and that community in general.

COSTELLO: It will be a -- (CROSSTALK)

EPSHTEYN: "The New York Times" has done anything they can to hurt this campaign. This was an unsubstantiated story with no sources, no named sources whatsoever. It is an absolute hack piece.

So, I would look at what's actually happen for weeks now, the media has been driving in that Donald Trump is not going to the inner city. Now, he is going ping to the inner city.

COSTELLO: So, you know, we'll have Bishop Jackson in in the next hour and ask him about that "New York Times" report.

EPSHTEYN: It is more interesting to see whether he cares or not. He said he's given his questions before to the Obama White House. Says it is standard procedure.

But in this case, this piece was not true and we absolutely dispute it at the Trump campaign.

COSTELLO: OK. We'll ask Bishop Jackson.

Bishop Jackson also said, Abby, he was glad Donald Trump was coming to address his cons gags. Is he a Democrat but he has an open mind. It is all about love and understanding and not divisiveness and that's why he's welcoming Donald Trump into his church.

PHILLIP: Well, I think that African-Americans want both parties to engage with them. It hasn't always happened that way. When it does happen it's notable.

So I think faith communities are particularly important for African- American communities because that's the sort of center of political engagement. So Donald Trump is actually quite smart to start there. That's where you see people really engaging with politicians.

Hillary Clinton goes to African-American churches all the time. Part of that is because that's sort of the nexus of where people decide what they're going to do at the ballot box.

And to the "New York Times" report, I'd just say that one of the interesting things that's revealed was just not necessarily the questions but the answers. It was how the Trump campaign wants him to respond to sort of questions about his faith and questions about what he would do for the African-American community. We'll see what he actually says.

But the sort of difference between what's being scripted and what comes out of his mouth is always something that's interesting in this campaign and we'll see how that ends up turning out.

COSTELLO: I have to leave it there. Boris Epshteyn, Abby Phillip, thanks to both of you.

EPSHTEYN: Thanks so much. COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM: A big change in the way Hillary Clinton deals with the media while on the campaign trail. We'll tell you what it is, next.

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