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American Captives Home from North Korea; President Obama Visits China; Did U.S. Airstrike Injure ISIS Leader?; Prominent Pastor Among 9 Killed in Plane Crash; Tensions Escalate Over Missing Mexican Students

Aired November 10, 2014 - 06:00   ET

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


CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Back in the U.S.A., two Americans held by North Korea waking up at home this morning. A secret U.S. mission helped bring them back, but why did it happen now and what does North Korea want in return. This as the president weighs in this morning. Reunion information, analysis and insight from a former detainee released just weeks ago.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: And Bahamas disaster, a prominent pastor, his wife, and his youth pastors are among victims in a plane crash in paradise. We will tell you what happened as the plane is on its final descent.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, stunning new suggestions that General Motors may have known about a lethal switch program months before the feds were told. Was the automaker hiding something or was it just trying to get replacements ready to go?

CUOMO: Your NEW DAY starts right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan and Michaela Pereira.

CUOMO: Good morning and welcome to NEW DAY. It is Monday, November 10, 6 a.m. in the East. Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota here, and we have good news for you. Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller are in their own beds this morning. The nightmare of being detained by North Korea over. The two Americans were released over the weekend. National intelligence chief James Clapper personally went there, brought them home. This following Bae's first public comment and President Obama addressing the news and the relations with the North this morning. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It did not touch on some of the broader issues that had been the source of primary concern when it comes to North Korea. It's in particular -- it's the development of nuclear tests.

KENNETH BAE, RELEASED BY NORTH KOREA: I just want to say thank you all for supporting me and standing by me during this time. And it's been just amazing blessing to see so many people being involved in getting me released from the last two years. Not to mention -- not mentioning the thousands of people who have been praying for me, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CO-HOST: Kenneth Bae has been held by the North Koreans for two years, and he spent much that time in hard labor. Matthew Todd Miller was imprisoned earlier this year. So why were the two released now?

Paula Hancocks is in South Korea, but we begin with Ana Cabrera in Seattle near Bae's family home. Ana, give us the latest.

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Alisyn. It really has been a long time coming for both of these families. Two years for the family of Kenneth Bae and seven months for family of Matthew Todd Miller to be able to hug, to hold, just to really catch up on what's been happening in their lives.

Matthew Todd Miller's family has chosen to keep everything private for them as they enjoy this moment. But for Kenneth Bae, we've had a chance to talk to a lot of his family and friends. He's from the greater Seattle area. And we talked to his sister, who shared with us that the first 24 hours has been about reconnecting. They have a huge sense of relief and gratitude to have him home. We know he spent his first meal eating pizza with his family and friends as they shared stories and shared laughs.

And she also said that, despite everything he went through in North Korea, he still holds those people of North Korea very close to his heart. Listen to what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: What are his plans moving forward?

TERRI CHUNG, KENNETH BAE'S SISTER: I don't think anybody knows. I don't think he knows yet. I think at this point it's just to catch up with family. And I think he wants to talk with different people and reconnect with old friends. He also is very aware that so many people have been supporting him. So he wants to be able to kind of express his thanks and gratitude to all of those individuals, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: She also mentioned that his health is better than she expected. We know that he suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. But she said the recent time he spent in the hospital probably put him on the road to recovery before he was released. So that is some good news. But she also acknowledged that it's probably going to be a bit of a road ahead in terms of fully recovering emotionally and physically -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: It will be a long road, but it is so nice this morning to see them reunited after these two years of begging for that.

CABRERA: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Ana Cabrera, thanks so much for the update. Let's go over to Chris.

CUOMO: Just imagine, Alisyn, two years detained in North Korea, much of it in hard labor. Think about all the obstacles that there are to come. But at least the journey can now begin.

So the question becomes why now? What will it mean for the North versus the United States in terms of what this could lead to, or nothing? Let's get insight from Victor Cha. He served on the National Security Council as director for Asian affairs and is now the director of Asian studies at Georgetown University.

Thank you very much for joining us. The obvious question is why did the North keep them so long, but then release three people in three weeks? What is the thinking there, in your estimation?

VICTOR CHA, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBER: Well, Chris, I think the reason they kept them so long is that they didn't like the fact that foreigners were coming into their country and possibly trying to get people to leave. Refugees, defectors. And so I think they really wanted to make a point by holding these guys for a long time.

Why now? Personally, I think the main reason is because of what's going on in the U.N. There's a resolution that's being drafted that would for the first time refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. It has 50 sponsors are going to vote on it next week.

And if you look at what the North Koreans have been doing with these hostages, you look at what they've been doing with the South Koreans on family reunions, with the Japanese on kidnappings from the 1970s, they're all humanitarian gestures. And so I think they're trying to blunt the criticism coming from the U.N.

CUOMO: Now help us understand that. Because often, when people hear about the U.N. sanctions, it seems like they may or may not have any teeth. I mean, there have been a lot of heavy threats from the U.S.; have done nothing to move this regime. Why would this particular threat mean something?

CHA: Well, for one, Chris, I think it's because it's not coming from us. It's not coming from the United States. This is 50, if not more nations that have come together, including the European Union, who are the primary drafters, and Japan, to refer to the criminal court. Just last month, the president of Kenya, Kenyatta, right, is standing before the ICC for crimes against humanity. And I think the North Koreans see that, and it totally freaks them out. They're used to economic sanctions and military exercises. But they've never seen anything like this before, and I think they're really worried about it.

CUOMO: Is there a realistic scenario you could foresee where someone would have to go into North Korea and get the leader there and bring him before a tribunal? How would it ever work? How would it ever come to bear fruit?

CHA: Yes, I don't think that would happen. The ICC's jurisdiction, they're not capable of doing that.

But I think the scenario that worries them is, you know, this place is run by one guy and maybe 1,000 cronies. And if some of those guys happen to be outside the country, in a country that allows the ICC's jurisdiction to pertain to them, then they could possibly be arrested or detained. And I think that whole scenario just is something they've never really seen before. They pretty much felt they are untouchable and insulated. And I think this is driving a lot of this.

In addition to the fact that it's the evening -- they did it on the eve of Obama's trip to Asia so that they could make sure every question during his time in Asia would be about North Korea and these Americans.

CUOMO: So they're going to get attention for it, but we're OK with that, because at least the Americans came home. And obviously, the humanity of the situation begged an urgency. And a criticism of the U.S.: why aren't you doing more? Why aren't you getting them home? Why aren't you sending envoys? And then they do send Clapper, and the people come home. Is it fair to say you should have sent him sooner?

CHA: Well, I think they've been trying. I think the United States, through regular diplomatic panels, through Sweden, who is the U.S.- protecting power in North Korea, because we don't have diplomatic relations with them, have been trying quietly behind the scenes.

And my understanding is that, for a long period of time, the North Koreans were just not picking up the phone. They just weren't answering. And then, for all of a sudden for them to say, "We're ready to release these guys. Send a senior-level cabinet official." The U.S., I think, chose to send Clapper because he's an intelligence official; he's not a policy guy.

CUOMO: Right.

CHA: He's not a Kerry or a Hagel. And therefore, they try to separate the humanitarian stuff from the nuclear -- nuclear negotiations.

CUOMO: What is the concern in a quid pro quo here? If the North Koreans wind up getting relaxed sanctions or some heat off of them as a result of doing this, is that OK, or is there a concern connected to that?

CHA: I think there is a concern. I don't think it's likely that they're going to get a relaxation of sanctions because of this. And they're not going to get a watering down of the resolution that's in the third committee of the U.N. referring them to the ICC.

So my concern is after APEC, after the U.N. resolution, they don't get what they want, how do they respond to that? Are they going to respond with a fourth nuclear test? Are they going to respond by detaining more people? We just don't know. But this is definitely a play to try to get something, and when they don't get it, we'll see how they respond.

CUOMO: Victor Cha, thank you very much for your perspective this morning. Appreciate you on NEW DAY.

CHA: Sure.

CUOMO: And Alisyn, later on in the show, we're going to be hearing a lot this morning from what it's like for these men to be home, which everyone's going to be able to relate to.

CAMEROTA: Yes, I will look forward to talking to them. Chris, thank you.

President Obama, meanwhile, in China this morning trying to pivot to foreign policy after last week's disaster in the midterms. The president is in Beijing, the first stop on a weeklong trip to three countries in Asia in the Pacific region. He will attend the APEC summit and hold direct talks with the Chinese president.

Mr. Obama spoke out a short time ago and said the U.S. and China must continue to grow as partners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: In recent decades, the United States has worked to help integrate China into the global economy. Not only because it's in China's best interests, but because it's in America's best interest sand the world's best interests. If China and the United States can work together, the world benefits.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: CNN's Jim Acosta joins us live from Beijing -- Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Obama is in China to stress his administration's goal of forging closer economic ties with Asia. But the president also wants to apply some pressure on Beijing on a whole range of issues, from cyber security to human rights.

The president arrived in China after a big foreign policy breakthrough you were just talking about earlier today in Beijing. The president commented at length for the first time on the release of two Americans who were imprisoned in the communist country. And asked about the top secret operation that was led by the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, the president was quick to insist there was no diplomatic mission to open up ties with the North Koreans.

Later in the day at the APEC summit, the president stepped on some touchy diplomatic turf, urging China to respect human rights, press freedoms and open markets. Aides say the president wants Beijing to play by the rules in the growing Asian economy. That means no more Chinese hackers trying to steal from American companies.

The president spoke shortly after an address from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was at the same summit. The two leaders did not cross paths, as far as we know right now. After China, the president heads to Burma and then Australia for the G-20 summit, where he could have another foreign policy collision with Russian president Putin. He's expected to attend that summit, as well. And if they do meet, Ukraine obviously will be at the top of their agenda -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. Lots of stuff to look forward to watching. Jim Acosta, thank you.

CUOMO: So has the head of ISIS been wounded by a coalition air strike? Iraq state media says Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was wounded in a U.S. air strike over the weekend. But U.S. CentCom, Central Command, can't confirm that he was in that convoy at all, let alone hit.

So let's get to Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, joining us with the latest. What do we know on this?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris. The statements continue to come out of the Iraqi government, out of tribal officials, out of Iraqi media. But right now, the U.S. says it still cannot confirm that Baghdadi was killed.

Here's what they do say. The U.S. -- the coalition did launch an airstrike near Mosul against a convoy of about ten vehicles. That alone is pretty interesting, because ISIS has not been moving in such large groups. But they say they had no information that he was there. They were simply targeting a group of ISIS commanders they believed to be moving through the region. Then these reports emerged Baghdadi was there and he was wounded.

Why can they not confirm it? Well, what they're looking for is photographic evidence -- frankly, a dead body -- some sort of indication of a funeral, a martyrdom-type statement from ISIS itself, or even cell-phone chatter. Trying to listen in on ISIS commanders and see if they are talking about this at all. They need some sort of confirmation, U.S. officials say, before they can really have any indication that al-Baghdadi was wounded, was even there, possibly even killed.

All of this, of course, coming as the president announced another 1,500 U.S. troops to Iraq. Many of them now going to new locations across Iraq, especially out west of Baghdad in Anbar province. They will work on training Iraq forces. It will be very long, difficult business.

But the White House says this is not an indication the strategy is failing. This is an indication it's moving forward into a new phase -- Chris.

CUOMO: And Barbara, just you know, a plain reminder of need. You know, there's not a lot of intel infrastructure on the ground. It makes it hard to know what happens. And there is a need for presence. Nobody wants to see U.S. boots on the ground, but the need is obviously great. Thank you for the reporting. We'll check back in with you.

Let's get to Mick for the rest of the headlines this morning.

PEREIRA: All right. Good morning, guys. And good morning to you at home.

Breaking overnight, nine people are dead after a plane crash in the Bahamas. Among the dead, a prominent preacher and his wife.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA (voice-over): Breaking overnight, a jet crashing in the Bahamas. All nine people on board killed.

DR. MILES MONROE, FAITH LEADER: We are dedicated to building leaders and training leaders to become an agent of change.

PEREIRA: A prominent faith leader in the Caribbean, Dr. Miles Monroe died in that horrific plane crash. The internationally renowned preacher and eight others, including his wife, Ruth, were on their way to a three-day leadership conference he was hosting when their private jet crashed just a few miles from the airport.

According to Bahamas Faith Ministries, Monroe is known for work as a lecturer, teacher, life coach, government consultant and leadership mentor. The preacher is also an author of several self-help books and was awarded the Order of the British Empire Award in 1998 for his spiritual and social contributions to the national development of the Bahamas.

Little is known about the cause of the crash, but the Caribbean community is left reeling.

PERRY CHRISTIE, BAHAMAS PRIME MINISTER: It is utterly impossible to measure to magnitude of Dr. Monroe's loss to the Bahamas and to the world. He was indisputably among the most globally recognizable religious figures our nation has ever produced.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: His loss certainly will be felt. We'll be sure to update you when we find out more information.

Meanwhile, the White House scrambling to get a nuclear deal done with Iran. Talks are set to continue this morning after late-night negotiations between Secretary of State John Kerry, the Iranian foreign minister, and the European Union's foreign policy chief in Oman. The two sides are facing a November 24 deadline to craft an agreement to keep the Iranians from building a nuclear bomb.

Also breaking this morning, at least 47 people are dead, 80 others injured after a suicide bomber attacked outside a school in Northern Nigeria. The attacker was disguised as a student when he set off the explosion at a government boarding school. Local officials believe that Boko Haram is behind that attack.

Nearly 1,000 V.A. employees could face disciplinary action in the wake of the department's waiting list scandal. Robert McDonald, the new head of the V.A., told CBS's "60 Minutes" he plans on cleaning up the V.A., starting with firing and demoting and counselling staff members who are connected to the scandal. The widespread falsification of appointment data to cover up treatment delays for thousands of veterans was first exposed by CNN.

That's a look at your headlines, guys. I feel a breeze. A cold breeze coming our way. Do you feel it?

CUOMO: From me? Or...

PEREIRA: Was that you? I couldn't tell. I wasn't sure. Hot air.

CAMEROTA: Father Winter.

CUOMO: Sweet something.

CAMEROTA: That's great. It is cold. The cold is coming. It is arriving your way soon. Meteorologist Indra Petersons is keeping track of all of it for us. Good morning.

INDRA PETERSONS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. Soon or already here, depending on where you are. I mean, look at this footage already from Minneapolis this morning. Driving around to Minneapolis right now, it is snowing. Temperatures are in the 20s. They feel like, with the wind chill, like they are in the teens this morning. And guess what? They're looking for about a foot of snow in northern portions of the Twin Cities.

As I head over to Wisconsin, you'll be talking about a foot and a half of snow. So if you're not ready for winter, too bad. It's definitely coming.

Take a look at all the purple and the blue. The easiest way to look at the weather model with me. Watch all this cold air dive in. Going all the way down to the south and kicking off into the east . This is the story as we go through the week.

Now, today, everyone is talking about the snow. But that's not going to be the story as we go throughout the week. We're actually going to watch this low start to lift out of here. And the snow will kind of make its way through Canada. It's the tail end of that cold front that's going to bring all of that dry cold air in day by day.

So let's take a look. A lot of you are saying, hey, it's not that cold yet. That's because it is not. Look at these. You're looking at 65 today. Beautiful towards New York City, talking the 60s. You have to get behind the cold front to see those temperatures dive down. Places like Bismarck, North Dakota, dropping 50 degrees in just the last 48 hours. Here comes that cold air by tomorrow. Chicago looking at the 40s, then the 30s. Even by Wednesday, by the way, still looking beautiful in through the northeast. Not until Thursday do you get that little sneak attack, when that cold air quickly drops down. Mind you, that's not that cold for you. Morning lows you're going to feel some 20s and 30s out there. So it is coming. The cold breeze right now is just like a ghost of cold air.

CAMEROTA: I like the way she's kind of flicking the cold air up towards where my sister lives in Canada. Yes.

PETERSONS: That's always Canada. Up that way. Back to you.

CAMEROTA: You take it, Canada.

Thanks, Indra. Thanks so much for that warning.

Well, there is rioting in the streets of Mexico today over the disappearance of dozens of students. The students have been missing for more than a month, and now some parents fear that they may have been brutally murdered and dumped into a river. We have a live update for you ahead.

CUOMO: Imagine being home after months or even years away from family. Fears you may never see them again. We have a guest today who knows what Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller are going through. You're looking at them now. And you just saw him, Jeffrey Fowle. He spent months in captivity in North Korea. You're going to hear from him what mattered most when he got home and what these men will face going forward.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Tensions are boiling over in Mexico after word that dozens of missing students are believed to be dead. The attorney general says their bodies were burned and some tossed in the river. A powerful political couple was allegedly behind these abductions and the murders. Now families are demanding answers, and they are rioting in the streets. Let's get to CNN's Rosa Flores. She is live for us in Mexico.

Rosa, this is one of the most sickening, disgusting stories.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, good morning. Things are getting uglier by the day here in southern Mexico. We drove up to the latest protests only to find charred vehicles in front of a government building. And we actually asked the organizer about it, and he said, "Yes, that was us, and we don't plan to stop until the students come home."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLORES (voice-over): Tensions erupt in Mexico's southern state of Guerrero.

(on camera): Take a look around. You can see charred vehicles.

(voice-over): And in Mexico's capital. As the parents of 43 missing college students lose patience with authorities. It's been more than a month, and no trace of their children; not even after the arrest of more than 70 people, including a political power couple that Mexico's attorney general says is the possible mastermind of the kidnapping.

This is cell-phone video showing the mayor of Iguala and his wife being arrested. Authorities say the cartel-connected pair colluded with the police chief and drug traffickers to kidnap, kill and dispose of the missing students.

Neither the mayor nor his wife has commented.

Even before the couple was taken in, protesters were determined to take them down, burning their seat of power. (on camera): This is the perfect example. It's Iguala city hall.

But take a look. It's a charred building, a shell of what it was. Protesters actually came in and wrote on the walls "Vivos los queremos (ph)," "alive we want them back."

(voice-over): Fuelling anger in the community, taped confessions by three recently arrested cartel members, saying they burned the bodies in a public dump and tossed the remains into a river.

Edmundo Delgado (ph), a community activist, says too many people disappear in Mexico and are never found.

(on camera): He says if today there's 43 students who have gone missing and we don't find them, 10, 15 years from now, what can we expect?

(voice-over): The parents of the missing students say they've lost patience.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FLORES (on camera): He says that this group has one message. That their response will get more and more radical.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLORES: Mexico's president condemns the violence, but the parents say they don't plan to stop -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Rosa, when do we know definitively if these 43 students were actually killed?

FLORES: You know, that's a very tricky question, because right now, parents don't know; authorities don't know.

And one of the very interesting things about this particular case is that these parents have heard three times from federal authorities that someone has confessed, that remains have been found and that these remains probably belong to their children. And so at this point, they don't trust the government.

As a matter of fact, they don't trust the government so much that even though the local M.E.'s office is involved, they had M.E.s from Argentina come in to Mexico to pretty much sample the remains. And then they plan to send those samples to Austria so that they can I.D. the bodies. So the answer is at this point no one knows -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Of course. I mean, how can they trust their public officials when the mayor and corrupt police officers might have been involved in all this? Rosa Flores, we will check back in with you for updates throughout the show this morning. Thank you very much.

CUOMO: All those countries mentioned, you didn't hear the United States. We'll stay on this story and see what's going on in terms of cooperative effort to get these kids and find out what happened to them. We're also going to go from those who were taken to those who are now

back home. What would home mean for you? After being detained in a place like North Korea for months like Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Fowle and even years in the case of Kenneth Bae. What's it like to transition back home? First come the hugs, the tears and the pizza, as you were just saying. But what happens when the celebrations end? You're going to hear it straight from this man, former hostage Jeffrey Fowle. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)