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CNN NEWSROOM

Violence Erupts During Protests In Berkeley, CA; Israeli Fighter Jets Reportedly Target Warehouse Near Damascus Airport; Continuing Coverage Of Failed Special Forces Rescue; Interview With California Congressman Adam Schiff; Duke And Duchess Visiting U.S. For Three Days; "Rolling Stone" Changes Apology For UVA Rape Story; College Football Playoff Field Set

Aired December 7, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: State run media. It is in Syria accusing them of airstrikes near Damascus. We'll go live in Jerusalem for the latest on how Israel is reacting to the claims and what it could mean. Plus --

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: Breaking windows, attacking police, and looting stores. Chokehold protests take a violent turn in California, but will we see a repeat tonight? That's next.

And a new look inside the failed rescue attempt of two hostages in Yemen, including an American journalist. And why Chuck Hagel is being forced to defend the mission.

Hello. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM.

We begin this hour with a violent turn to those protests playing out across the country. Demonstrations in Berkeley, California, getting out of control. It happened four days after a New York grand jury decision and 3,000 miles away from the place where Eric Garner died in a police choke hold. Here now is Dan Simon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chaos on the streets of Berkeley, California. Protesters demanding to be heard after a grand jury decision not to indict police in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York turned violent. Breaking windows and throwing what they could at the hundreds of local police that donned full riot gear. Police used tear gas to disburse the crowd.

JENN COATS, BERKLEY POLICE SPOKESWOMAN: Berkeley is known for protests, you know, protests and the first amendment, and we do everything we can to ensure that people can peacefully exercise their freedom to express themselves. In this case, our response occurred because, you know, the group of protesters did become violent. They did start throwing rocks and bricks and bottles. Also small pipes were thrown at our officers. SIMON: Two police officers were injured in the (INAUDIBLE) and

several arrests for male (ph). Local business worker shocked that the demonstration turned so ugly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just here to work. And next thing you know that window breaks, that window start breaking, these two windows break.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we have customers, we have to them out through the back. And I have to call a police and like describing what was going on.

SIMON: The overnight violence follows several days of protests in the area and across the country. In New York and in Washington D.C. Saturday, hundreds of protesters conducted several die-ins taking over train stations in both cities as well as major department stores.

CNN's Nick Valencia was on the scene.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right now we're standing in front of Toys "R" Us building where this group has decided to walk in to stage another die-in. You can see some of these demonstrators behind me. It's been a very fluid night here in New York city. These demonstrators are determined, they say, to have police reform in New York city and to show them that the spotlight will continue to stay on the story for the days and weeks, they say, to come.

SIMON: Back in Berkeley, it's unclear what tonight will bring. But for some the hope to be heard without violence will be the loudest voice of all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Dan Simon joining me now from Berkley.

So, I see the window board up behind you. But what is the scene today? Is it calm kind of after that storm last night or what?

SIMON: Pretty calm right now, Fredricka. Life goes on here Sunday morning here in Berkeley, California. We're on the main drag, which is university avenue in Berkeley. You talked about it. You can see these windows that have been boarded up. You can see some class fragments on the sidewalk, but this Trader Joe's where I'm standing, it's reopened today.

The question, Frederica, is what is going to happen tonight? Are there be more protests planned? At this point, we don't know. And if there are, how might that affect both the behavior of the protesters and police -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And then how about arrests? And you know, whether anyone I guess in the community was in any way impacted directly besides windows being broken.

SIMON: You know, surprisingly, there were actually few arrests last night. We are told that there were six people arrested, five adults and one juvenile. We are not sure how many people actually participated in the vandalism. But based on the pictures that I saw, it certainly looked like a more than six, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dan Simon in Berkley, California, thank you so much.

Also, overseas we're following breaking news out of Syria. Israeli fighter jets have reportedly targeted a warehouse near the Damascus airport. This is being reported by Syrian state television and a Hezbollah-backed TV station in Lebanon.

CNN senior international correspondent Jim Wedeman joining us from Jerusalem.

So Ben, what more can you tell us about these reported airstrikes and why?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to the state media in Damascus, there were two airstrikes around dusk. One at a storage facility at Damascus international airport, another one in a place called Dimas (ph) which is on the highway between Damascus and the Lebanese capital.

Now, of course, the Syrian media as well as the Syrian army have accused Israel of launching these airstrikes. However, as is customary in these cases, Israeli officials are declining any comment on these alleged attacks on Syria.

Now, there have been a series of airstrikes on Damascus and other Syrian cities since the beginning of 2013 that are widely attributed to Israel. Israel apparently is very worried about the possibility of advanced weapon systems being shipped from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And then, Ben, what's the message, if any, from Israel?

WEDEMAN: Well certainly, I think if you look at the way they look at the Syrian conflict they want to stay out, but they're very concerned about the possibility of weapon systems, a, being sent from Iran to Syria and from Syria to Hezbollah. So those are really their primary concerns. For instance, they have -- the Israeli forces are basically face-to-face with al-Nusra front, which is an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, along the line that separates Israeli controlled territory from Syria. But they have stayed largely out of the conflict and only become involved when they feel that there are weapon systems being moved around that endanger Israel itself -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ben Wedeman, keep us posted. Thank you so much.

And we continue overseas now where defense secretary Chuck Hagel is defending a U.S. special ops rescue mission in Yemen that ended with the deaths of both hostages. American photojournalist Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korkie. It was the United States third attempted rescue mission in recent months, and today during his visit to Afghanistan Hagel was asked by a reporter if the Pentagon needs to take a harder look at how it conducts these raids in light of these failures.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK HAGEL, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: There is a mix amount of focus in time in review that goes into each of these operations. So I don't think it is a matter of going back and having a review of a process. Our process us about as thorough as there can be. Is it imperfect, yes? Is there risk? Yes. But we start with the fact that we have an American that's being held hostage, and that American's life is in danger. That's where we start and then we proceed from there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Joining us right now from the White House, CNN Sunlen Serfaty.

So Sunlen, Secretary Hagel pushing back against suggestion that is there may be problems within the process of, you know, planning these raids. But what are you learning specifically about how this operation was carried out?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, U.S. officials say that this operation ultimately failed not because of operational error, but because the element of surprise was taken away.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SERFATY (voice-over): The mission? Extremely risky and made urgent when U.S. intelligence shows American Luke Somers would be murdered by Saturday morning. By mid-morning Friday, the president authorizes the rescue, giving no hint of the drama about to play out. Just a few hours later according to U.S. officials, two b-22 ospreys under cover of darkness touched down in a remote area of Yemen, some six miles from the compound where the hostages are held.

About 40 special force commandos, mostly Navy SEALS, move undetected over the rough terrain. But suddenly everything goes wrong when just 300 feet away they are exposed, maybe by a barking dog. A firefight breaks out. And as a U.S. drone watches overhead, one terrorist runs back inside and shoots both hostages.

U.S. forces kill five AQAP terrorists, the rest flee. And in one of the most dangerous parts of the mission, a combat medical team needs to spend a tent half hour on the ground trying to stabilize the two greatly wounded men. Finally, they are flown back to the USS Macon island off Yemen's coast, but one dies on the way, and another dies on the ship.

JONATHAN GILLIAM, FORMER NAVY SEAL: You have to really look at this from a very surgical point just like a heart surgeon or brain surgeon. Some will live. Some will die.

SERFATY: As word of the failed rescue mission leaks out, the president called Luke Somers' killing a barbaric murder. Vice president Biden promises the U.S. will be relentless in seeking justice. JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The women and men

special forces who were engaged in these two rescue missions did an incredible job, and inflicted serious damage on the captors, but this time -- this time they were unable to save Luke. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SERFATY: And we're told that President Obama monitored this mission in real-time here at the White House, Fred, following along every moment -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And then, Sunlen, tell us about the president's visit to the hospital for this irritation in his throat. What was that all about?

SERFATY: Yes. The White House says that this is a sore throat they say is caused by acid reflux. Now, they tell us that this is something that President Obama had been complaining about the last few weeks. He saw the White House doctor. They noticed some inflammation in his throat and then recommended some extra tests thus prompting yesterday the visit to the hospital where he had a CT scan done.

Now, the White House tells us it's done out of an abundance of caution. They say the results of the scan were normal and that no biopsy was done or is planned. But first, there is some big questions still remain. And of course, President Obama is a former smoker. And the White House says he has quit. But regardless of that, his history as a past smoker certainly could potentially play into here. Here's what CNN's Sanjay Gupta has to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: If he is still smoking -- we don't know, obviously, if he is though, then that certainly could be contributing to his current symptoms of acid reflux. Smoking definitely makes acid reflux more likely and worse.

But based on his past history, and, again, this is an abundance of caution. We hear the CT scan was normal, but you got the sort of history of smoking. You got the symptoms of acid reflux. A cat scan could be being performed to make sure there's no other mass or something that may represent cancer or swelling of the lymph nodes. And again, nobody is saying that that has occurred. He had CT scan was read as being normal, but that is the sort of abundance of caution. You want to look at that area very thoroughly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: And in just a few hours, we'll hear from President Obama for the first time since his diagnosis yesterday. He speaks at an event here at the White House at 5:00 p.m. That's for Kennedy center honorees. We'll see if his voice is raspy and how he feels then -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Right. All right. Thanks so much, Sunlen Serfaty at the White House.

All right, next, Congressman Adam Schiff on the house intelligence committee weighing in on the hostage rescue mission.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, we now know the make-up of the new U.S. Senate. The last democratic senator from the deep south, Louisiana's Mary Landrieu just lost her bid for a fourth term in a runoff against Republican congressman Bill Cassidy. Cassidy's win gives the Republican a 54 seat majority in the Senate when the new Congress begin in January.

All right. And now to the battle against terror and the United States policy to rescue American hostages when possible even if the rescue is high. And there were plenty of risk involved with private mission to rescue American photo journalist Luke Somers And South Africa Pierre Korkie from an Al-Qaeda compound in Yemen.

A group of about 40 special force commandos hiked six miles from their drop off point to the compound, but as they approached the compound, a firefight broke out. And one of the militants killed Somers and Korkie.

Joining me now from Los Angeles is Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff of California, member of the house permanent select committee on intelligence.

Good to see you, Congressman.

REP, ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Do you think the right call was made by the president to order this mission at that point?

SCHIFF: I do think it was the right call. And I also think it was very courageous call. In many respects, SEALS are the victim of their own success. They have done this operation so well and so flawlessly that Americans have come to expect that everyone will be successful. And I think we have to understand the extraordinary risks involved in an operation like this when you can have helicopters problems. (INAUDIBLE) go down. You can have enormous firefights. We could have lost many Navy SEALS so we could have had people taken hostage. If you look back at the Iranian hostage effort, the rescue effort there, which was a catastrophic failure, it has to be in every president's mind that this could go terribly wrong.

So it is a courageous thing to do and a terrible lost in terms of the killing of these hostages. But I think was the right decision. We obviously had good intelligence on the hostages' location, and we had good reason to believe that we didn't act now, that their lives would be taken.

WHITFIELD: I talked with former Navy SEAL yesterday who said even though the hostages were killed in this operation, no mission of this caliber is a failure, but in your view is this considered a failure because the hostages were not taken home alive.

SCHIFF: Well, it is certainly didn't have the result that we wanted. We would love, obviously, to be able to rescue this hostages and preserve their lives. But I think it was the right decision to make whether we label it as a success or failure is less important to me that that we tried to rescue Americans that were at risk. And the loss of this American, the loss of this South African are terrible tragedies, but it was the right call, and I'm proud the president made it, notwithstanding all the risks that it entailed. And I'm very proud of the personnel of those Navy SEALS that went to such great lengths and heroic effort to rescue this American.

WHITFIELD: How much do you suppose the intelligence committee will ever know about this operation as to discern what could be done differently next time for a different outcome?

SCHIFF: Well, we'll learn a lot, you know, potentially about what may have tipped off the militants, but you have to think that given we tried to rescue them once, given that they said they would kill the American on Saturday, those militants had to be on high alert so we knew that we would probably not have a element of surprise that they would probable well fortified. There is no way to make this operation risk-free. And I think we just simply have to accept that there is a risk that they will not be successful, a risk not only to the hostages, but to our own personnel, but the president made the call. The tough call it was. That it was worth the risk, and I think he was exactly right.

WHITFIELD: Some countries like France, even Italy, and we understand South Africa was also negotiating with these hostage takers, and some countries are willing to pay ransoms in exchange for their citizens to come home. Would this be a situation which the U.S. would ever reconsider its policy against doing that?

SCHIFF: I wouldn't say that we would never reconsider, but I don't think we should change policy in terms of paying ransoms. So I think you end up just funding other hostage taking and the cycle just perpetuates itself, so I think our decision is the right one. Rather, try to rescue our hostages than pay ransoms, and, of course, prospectively trying to keep our people out of harm's way. I think that is really the right policy, as painful as it is, and as enormously agonizing as it is for the families of these hostages. I think it's the right policy for the country.

WHITFIELD: All right. Congressman Schiff, don't go away. We have more to talk about. Six more detainees have been released from Guantanamo bay. Is it a good idea? We'll talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Six long-time detainees have been released from Guantanamo Bay. Four Syrians, one Tunisian, and one Palestinians arriving overnight in Uruguay, and they're now undergoing medical evaluations. The United Nations will eventually return them to their home countries.

Republican Congressman Mike Rogers says it's short-sighted to set some of these people free.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN: I mean, I have been opposed to this notion that we're going to farm out Gitmo to places. By the way, a lot of them aren't from Uruguay. They're from all over the rest of the world. And some of these intelligence services who do these agreements about agreeing to watch them or monitor them can't do it.

What we have found in the past is it doesn't work very well. I don't think that surprises anybody. So I argue that maybe we ought to rethink what we're doing here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, back now with Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff of California.

So Congressman, do you agree with Congressman Rogers?

SCHIFF: Well, I agree that there are risks, but I don't agree with them that we should keep Guantanamo open indefinitely. And the problem I have with the critics of the president's actions is they don't offer any alternative. We have to recognize not only a military struggle with Al-Qaeda and with ISIS, but also an idealogical war. And Guantanamo is a real setback for the United States in that idealogical fight, in that battle over ideas. Ultimately, we're not going to be able to kill our way out of this struggle. We have to defeat the underpinnings, that narrative, the ideology of Al Qaeda and ISIS. And so, Guantanamo really does need to be closed.

I do have a concern here that Uruguay isn't going to maintain any kind of monitoring these people, doesn't seem to have any intention of putting them through any kind of rehabilitation. That is something we have accomplished with other countries, and that does concern me, but at the end of the day we can't keep this place open forever. But because Uruguay doesn't appear ready to do very much, that will fall -- that obligation will fall on our intelligence agencies, which are already strained, I think, under a lot of the burdens they have. So I do have concerns about it, but at the end of the day Guantanamo really needs to be closed.

WHITFIELD: And as it pertains to these six clear to leave Gitmo, they got the clearance back in 2010, and almost a year ago Uruguay said it would take them. So what did take so long?

SCHIFF: I think there were a couple of things I think Secretary Hagel had some continued concerns over it. That he wanted to make sure that he was satisfied that he could sign on the dotted line. It's his name on those release forms. But also there was an election taking place in Uruguay. And I think that the president who agreed to accept these detainees didn't want it to be an issue in the presidential campaign, and so it was stayed until after that election was over. His successor has also approved the transfer, so that's why it has gone for, but it's also why it took so long.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then the Senate intelligence committee is getting a lot of pushback on its investigation into harsh CIA interrogation techniques, including you know, sleep deprivation, water boarding, you know, tight confinement. All of those things. And some are actually in the belief that, you know, releasing this kind of information will insight more violence against Americans, even secretary of state John Kerry says, you know, quote-unquote "consider the timing." So where do you stand on the release of this kind of information?

SCHIFF: I think the report has to be released, and I certainly think that the secretary and Senator Feinstein should discuss the timing. It's hard for me to comment explicitly on the timing without having an opportunity to read the report.

WHITFIELD: So why in your view should it be released?

SCHIFF: I think it has to be released as a part of our coming clean with our own country about what was done in our name, and as a way to make sure that we don't engage in those practices again. There are risks --

WHITFIELD: Does it also mean in potentially jeopardizing the safety of Americans, especially overseas?

SCHIFF: It does mean that there will be risks, risks to our facilities, risks to allied nations that are working with us because they will face the prospect of terrorist attacks on them as well as a reaction from the domestic public. And there are going to be risks to Americans that are held hostage now or maybe held hostage in the future that they may be treated with the same water boarding that will be revealed in this report. But I think that's a far more compelling argument not to engage in these practices like in hands interrogation or torture rather than trying to conceal the results of this report.

So I think it really needs to be as a part of our democratic process as a part of coming clean with our own country released, but I do think that we ought to make sure that not only our facilities are well prepared, but also that our allies are well prepared because the biggest fall-out may take place in those nations that may not be specifically identified but there will be a lot of smooth thing done to figure out where these sites were who is complicit.

WHITFIELD: We will leave it right there. Thank you so much, Congressman Schiff. Good to see you this Sunday. Appreciate it.

SCHIFF: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Meantime, the British royal, well, they are just hours now away from arriving to the big apple. But guess what, they're leaving little precious Baby George at home. Details on their jam packed three-day visit to the U.S. coming up after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bottom of the hour now. Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here is a look at some of the top stories making news right now.

The government of the Philippines is blaming Typhoon Hagupit for two deaths. The slow-moving storm is losing strength as it moves northwest across the country and dumping heavy rain. That's increasing the risk of flooding. About 40 million people are in the path of that storm.

This was a scene outside St. Sabina Church in Chicago just minutes ago, parishioners from about 100 churches in the city planning peaceful protests today demanding justice and showing solidarity for the families of Eric Garner and Michael Brown.

Brace yourself, America. The royals are coming. Less than three hours from now Prince William and Duchess Katherine will arrive in New York City for a whirlwind three-day visit. Their schedule is packed.

Almost from the moment they arrive, it will include Prince William meeting with President Obama and both Will and Kate will be attending an NBA game in Brooklyn. CNN's Max Foster has more on this high profile visit.

MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Fred, a lot of excitement, I have to say, in New York, and the whole world is watching. Huge amounts of media from around the world have come in here to capture the moment when they arrive.

The duke and duchess haven't been to New York before. They're very keen to see it. They'll be staying in the Carlisle Hotel, which is where Princess Diana used to stay as well when she came here, and there are lots of reminiscent moments of the next couple of days about the moment that the biggest star in the world had here.

Many people are seeing Kate following in her footsteps, of course. On Monday, Prince William will head down to Washington on to meet the president. He will then return back here to New York. A lot of the events will be about promoting British interest, about promoting the causes and the charities the couple are so involved in as well.

It really be a whirlwind tour, more than ten events over two days before they head back to the U.K. Glamorous moments and also moments in Harlem, for example, where they're getting involved in a craft class with under privileged children.

We'll keep you up-to-date with everything that's going on. We'll try to keep up with them. We think it will be a pretty high profile visit. Lots of New Yorkers very keen to have their moment as well with the duke and duchess so some crowds expected as well -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: We know, Max, you're going to be in the throes of all it and you'll keep us posted. Thank you very much, Max Foster.

All right, "Rolling Stone" magazine now quietly changing its apology for the UVA rape story, we take a look at the possible legal fall-out with our legal ladies next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With a record of 17 grand slam single tittles, an Olympic gold medal and now a Davis Cup championship, Roger Federer is considered by many to be the best ever.

He is popular too. His personality on and off the court has endeared him to the fans so much so that he's won the sports fan favorite award every year since 2004.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's like a rock star, but having said that, what is amazing is that he stays like a normal person, you know, very simple. You see him. Hi, how are you? He doesn't behave like the big star he is, and that's good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Federer is bigger than anyone. He is big globally. But in Switzerland, they're really proud of him and what he represents, the way he carries himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And at the age of 33, ancient by tennis standards, Federer shows no sign of slowing down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I home that he sticks around a long time and he is a credit to the game, he is a credit to people. We need people like that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: "Rolling Stone" magazine has now changed its apology for that article it published about an alleged rape on the University of Virginia campus. A statement on their web site said that their trust in the accuser was misplaced.

According to the magazine's article, a student named Jackie claims she was raped by seven men at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity during a party. Now rolling stone has removed the line about its trust being misplaced.

Its managing editor now says this, so two apologies. This is the latest one now. Saying this, quote, "In the face of new information reported by the "Washington post," and other news outlets, there now appears to be discrepancies in Jackie's account," end quote.

It continues on to say, "Jackie herself is now unsure if the man she says lured her into the room where the rape occurred identified in the story as Drew was a Phi Psi brother."

According to the "Washington Post," drew actually belongs to a different fraternity. We published the article with the firm belief that it was accurate given all of these reports, however, we have come to the conclusion that we were mistaken in honoring Jackie's request to not contact the alleged assaulters to get their account.

These mistakes are on Rolling Stone, not on Jackie," end quote. All right, so that's still a synopsis of what is now a four-paragraph long apology. Yesterday's apology was three paragraphs long, and there are a few other changes in the language.

So joining me right now are Defense Attorney Tanya Miller and Judge Glenda Hatchet. Good to see both of you. Last week, as you put it, you were all fired up about this.

JUDGE GLENDA HATCHETT, "JUDGE HATCHETT" TV COURT SERIES: I was absolutely fired up, and --

WHITFIELD: How does this change the dynamics for you now, whether it be the believability of the story, of Jackie's account, what it says about young ladies or anyone who is a victim of alleged sexual assault reporting?

HATCHETT: Well, I think it's muddying the waters somewhat, but I am still very clear, Fredricka, that is something is going on that needs a bigger focus than we saw, of course, I was spitting fire last week on this issue.

WHITFIELD: Something bigger like what? What do you mean?

HATCHETT: Something bigger like this is a pattern that too many women are really having to deal with, not just UVA's campus, but on other college campuses. The fact that the guy who she says lured her into the room allegedly wasn't a member of that fraternity and may have been a member of another fraternity, it doesn't matter. It does not matter.

WHITFIELD: So it matters if you are, I guess, the legal team or you're in the hierarchy of this Phi Kappa Si fraternity.

HATCHETT: It does the lawyer representing the fraternity, but it doesn't in terms of broader issues. Was there a violation? What happened? Was it properly handled?

WHITFIELD: Tanya.

TANYA MILLER, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: I think --

WHITFIELD: You're chomping at the bit.

MILLER: You know, my problem with the way that these things have been handled all across the country and on all of these different campuses is that they are not being investigated by law enforcement. They are not being reported.

You know, it is critical if you are investigating a sexual assault that you move quickly to obtain evidence that collaborates what the victim says to get the victim in the appropriate counseling. It's a very daunting task to confront your accuser.

WHITFIELD: You are hoping that your story is conveyed the way you want it to be conveyed.

MILLER: In an inappropriate forum. There's nothing wrong with telling a news article or magazine about your story, but if you want to hold people who commit sexual assaults accountable, you have to do it in an appropriate way, and telling your story to a newspaper isn't necessarily going to make that happen.

WHITFIELD: Now two years later -- now it's really become more of an issue about "Rolling Stone" as well, and so you have to wonder -- one has to wonder if this apology has been adapted as a result of any kind of pressure, whether it be from the attorneys of UVA or from that fraternity. What's going on here because I see a whole another like legal map being laid out here.

HATCHETT: Absolutely. They had to come back with some kind of statement because --

WHITFIELD: But it's not a retraction and it's not a correction.

HATCHETT: It's not a correction. It's an apology, but this may not be the end of it because if either the university or the fraternity decides to bring suit against them, you're going to see some different kinds of responses.

MILLER: It's very difficult to deal with people who have been sexually assaulted. You don't really know how to handle it, and I think they were trying to honor her by giving some sense of anonymity, but in doing that they really kind of failed to do their job as reporters and that is to get both sides.

HATCHETT: She couldn't give their names necessarily.

WHITFIELD: Right. And maybe legally that's probably smart that she didn't?

HATCHETT: Maybe.

WHITFIELD: OK, we'll have to leave it there. Now I'm trying to be an attorney. I'm learning. Tanya Miller, Glenda Hatchett, thank you so much. Good to see you, ladies. Appreciate it.

All right, coming up, just four college football teams left standing for the first ever college playoffs. Who is in? Who is out? Next.

But, first, in December's "Ones to Watch" series, we're exploring street art. Legendary artist, Shepherd Ferry, the man behind the Obama hope poster and, Steve Lazaridis, once partner to the notorious British artist, Bangski, explained how the subculture has turned a corner and which artists are leading the way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One image is enough to make a statement. Street art, it's the universal language of images which speaks out in the most unexpected corners of our cities. The lines capture our history. The colors cap vat. They decorate. They provoke.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see street art as a metaphor for courageous expression in any venue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This subculture is turning into a multimillion- dollar business. Last year street art worth an estimated $80 million was traded globally. It was once associated with vandalism, but it now holds a prime position in the contemporary art market.

STEVE LAZARIDES, ART DEALER: By buying it they're taking part of the act of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're consulting two experts. A view from the street and a view from the gallery to discover which three artists they would consider the ones to watch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like art that functions as a piece that's pleasing to the eye, but then there are also layers to peel back, and I think pose's work achieves that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have that one iconic thing that people can link. It's part the political tradition of graffiti.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bill's has chartered a new course and he is the best at it so far.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. You can watch the entire "Ones to Watch" show on street art at CNN.com/ones to watch. We'll be right back.

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WHITFIELD: To be a fly on the wall when the college football playoffs selection committee made its decision today. Six teams definitely worthy. Only four could be invited, and now we know the teams. Let the second guessing begin. Here's Kristen Ladlow.

KRISTEN LADLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After months of debate and arguments we finally know which four teams will make up the inaugural college football playoff field. In one of the semifinals Alabama will be the top seed playing number four Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

The Crimson Tide locked up a spot in the playoffs after cruising past Missouri in the SEC title game. That's Alabama's third conference crown under head coach, Nick Saban. They won the national championship after each won those.

Ohio State moved up the rankings to fourth after dismantling Wisconsin 59-0 in the big ten title game. The Buckeyes have won 11 games in a row and keep on winning despite having lost two star quarterbacks to injury this season.

And the other semifinal number two Oregon at third ranked Florida State in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks won their fourth pac-12 championship in six years avenging their only regular season loss to Arizona. Oregon's high-powered offense is led by the Heisman Trophy frontrunner, quarterback, Marcus Mariotta.

In their 12 victories, the Ducks were behind just once at halftime and never in the fourth quarter. The Florida State Seminoles are now the only undefeated team in major college football. The defending national champs just keep on winning extending their streak to 29 straight games after beating Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship. They have struggled at times.

Trailing in the first half in ten games this season, but it's not how you start. It's how you finish. The winners of those two games will meet in Arlington, Texas, on January 12th, with the national championship on the line.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Kristen Ladlow.

All right, straight ahead, we'll have more on that change of tune from "Rolling Stone." Why did the magazine edit its apology for its UVA rape story? Don't miss our live report next.

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WHITFIELD: Tonight, CNN observes a holiday tradition, "CNN Heroes, An All-Star Tribute." Join us as the stars turn out to salute ten extraordinary people who give back all year long. The event airs tonight at 8:00 Eastern. Here's CNN's Michaela Pereira with a preview.

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MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): At first glance it might look like every other awards show. "CNN Heroes An All-Star Tribute" hosted by Anderson Cooper is an event like no other. Here then everyday people doing extraordinary work to help others take center stage, and the stars turn out to honor them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are so many people being honored for just doing good because it just pushes humanity forward.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's basically recognizing people for what we should all be doing every day, which is kind of thinking beyond ourselves.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here with my daughter because that's what I want to teach her that the individuals really can make a difference.

PEREIRA: Individuals like a man who helps people with disabilities get stronger inside and out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is my honor to hug the weightlifter with the biggest heart ever, Ned Norton.

PEREIRA: A woman who works with messi to save lions from extinction and a rabbi with a black belt who helps kids fight cancer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Given the opportunity, these children can inspire the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're killing me, CNN. Got me sobbing all up in my chardonnay.

PEREIRA: It's a night full of emotion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those are my babies.

PEREIRA: Laughter.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: My friend, Cathy Griffin.

CATHY GRIFFIN: Thank you, Jake Tapper. Hi, everybody.

PEREIRA: An uplifting message.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even in the darkest of places, decency and love can persevere.

PEREIRA: And performances that inspire. And it ends with a life- changing moment.

COOPER: The 2014 CNN Hero of the Year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: I bet you like to know. You're going to have to watch tonight, the entire show "CNN Heroes, An All-Star Tribute" at 8:00 Eastern Time. We have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.