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CNN NEWSROOM

Protests After Deadly South Carolina Shooting; New Book Spills Clinton Secrets; U.S. Speeds Up Weapons Supply to Coalition; Prince Harry Hates Selfies. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired April 8, 2015 - 10:30   ET

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


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[10:32:41] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now, more on our top story: the shooting of an apparently unarmed black man in South Carolina by a white police officer. The incident caught on video by an anonymous source and sparking an FBI probe along with protests at city hall in North Charleston, South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not an isolated incident that exists within its own sphere. This is something that exists within a system -- a system that has existed down here. And we're going to talk about that system today. We're not going to be distracted.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a season not for us to be quiet. This is a season for us to speak out. We sit around, we talk. We talk and we sit around and we're not -- our voices silent. But this is a season. This is our opportunity to speak out and let everybody know what's going on in North Charleston.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Now the brother of the victim is speaking to CNN about the moment he learned of his brother's death and the message he has for police across the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY SCOTT, WALTER SCOTT'S BROTHER: When I first heard something bad happened to my brother, I just thought that he had went down and maybe had gotten injured at the traffic stop. And when I learned that he was dead, I just couldn't believe that something like that would happen from a traffic stop. I know that he didn't have anything, you know, tremendous happening to him in his life.

So I'm like what could have happened? Gone wrong, actually.

I would like for America to know that we want this to stop. I would like for cops to be accountable and let them know that if they try this again, somebody may be watching so they need to think twice before they fire their weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: An attorney for the Scott family says they do plan to file a lawsuit.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM -- broken lamps, fiery roads, a new tell-all is dishing about life in the Clinton White House. Brianna Keilar has the story.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know they say, if the walls could talk -- well, what if the staff could talk? They are. They're talking on the record about recent inhabitants of the White House in this new book "The Residence".

[10:34:58]We'll give you the dish next.

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COSTELLO: If you are the President or the first lady, your secrets may not be so secret after all. A new book titled "The Residence: inside the private world of the White House" is spilling the beans on the most intimate presidential moments of Bill and Hillary Clinton. It's got some pretty shocking revelations.

CNN senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar has read the book cover to cover. She joins us now to dish.

KEILAR: Well, and it's a very interesting book. It pulls back really the curtain on the White House and you get to see every day that many recent first families have gone through.

But there are some very interesting parts in this book. You learn who is the most particular -- Nancy Reagan; perhaps the most peculiar resident -- LBJ; and the most paranoid -- many members of their staff said it was the Clintons.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: As Bill and Hillary Clinton prepare to fight their way back into the White House, a new book reveals details about the explosive arguments they had inside its halls.

There was blood all over the President and first lady's bed. The blood was Bill Clinton's. What did they think had happened?

KATE ANDERSON BROWER, AUTHOR, "THE RESIDENCE": Well, everyone on the staff, you know, said that they were convinced that she clocked him with a book.

KEILAR: In an ABC interview at the time, Clinton dismissed similar rumors that she had thrown a lamp at the President.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: You know, I have a pretty good arm. If I'd thrown a lamp at somebody, I think you would have known about it.

[10:40:00] KEILAR: But insiders say the Monica Lewinsky scandal left her reeling. One summer day Hillary Clinton enlisted an usher to help her get to

the swimming pool unspotted and without a Secret Service detail.

BROWER: He escorted her and made sure that no -- she wouldn't have to see Secret Service agents, wouldn't have to see anybody on a tour (ph), no staffers. She didn't want to see anyone. And she specifically said that. And so he was so proud that he was able to make this happen.

KEILAR: Just a few of the juicy tidbits in a largely on the record account of life behind the scenes in the White House.

Kate Anderson Brower interviewed dozens of former maids, chefs, florists, butlers and doormen who have worked at the White House dating back to the Kennedy years for "The Residence: inside the private world of the White House".

Their accounts of everyday life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue seemingly ripped from the script of the PBS series "Downton Abbey". And just like in the popular show, the lack of privacy in the White House is a constant theme in the book. Former employees describe Bill and Hillary as the most private first couple they worked for.

BROWER: I've had staffers say that the Clintons were the most definitely paranoid first family that they ever had to work with. And they didn't ever really fully trust the staff. It took them a year to really carry on a conversation while the staff was in the room.

KEILAR: And the Clintons had the White House phone system rewired so they can make their own calls instead of going through an operator.

BROWER: They were worried about people listening in on their phone calls.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Now the Clintons ultimately did get on with the staff -- that's important to the note. And this book reveals a lot of really sweet moments. For instance, in the height of the Lewinsky scandal, Carol, there is a pastry chef who says that Hillary Clinton would call frequently to get her favorite dessert, mocha cake. And he took a lot of pride in being able to provide her that comfort.

And then also it's interesting to note that the female staff at the time in the residence, they made it known at least amongst themselves that they were pretty happy that Hillary Clinton had relegated Bill Clinton to the couch.

COSTELLO: I don't know. It strikes me as wrong that the White House staff is dishing like this. You would think they would sign papers preventing them from doing that.

KEILAR: You know -- and I wonder if there are some protections now and maybe there might be in response to this book. I think it's important to note that there are a lot of very positive anecdotes in this book as well. But, of course, you get these more salacious tidbits and those are really the things that people focus on so much.

But you really do get a sense kind of in the way that I think a lot of people are infatuated with Downton Abbey. You do get a sense of the every day and it is a really interesting look inside.

COSTELLO: I know. I'm going to read it.

KEILAR: Yes, you are.

COSTELLO: Brianna Keilar -- thanks so much.

The question now, will this provide more fodder for Hillary Clinton's potential challengers for the White House like Republican Senator Rand Paul?

In an interview with Politico, referring to the controversy over Clinton's e-mails, Paul took direct aim at Hillary Clinton's character and honesty saying quote, "There's a lot of stuff there that is I think going to shake the confidence of Americans in her ability to lead in an honest fashion." Rand Paul went on to say "I think a lot of Americans are going to say that doesn't sort of pass the smell test."

With me to talk about this and more -- Democratic strategist, Chris Kofinis; he's the former communications director for John Edwards. Also joining us: CNN political commentator Reihan Salam, he's the executive editor of the "National Review". Welcome to both of you.

CHRIS KOFINIS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Thanks for being here.

So Chris, have you read the book yet?

KOFINIS: It's not going to be on my must-read list. I can just tell you that right now.

COSTELLO: Come on. Why?

KOFINIS: Well, I mean, listen, I love gossipy stuff as much as anybody but this is what this is. It's gossip, unsubstantiated rumors or innuendo and it's, you know, not to mention that it's 25 years old. I mean my goodness. Are we really still talking about this? Most Americans have moved on.

I mean I get that it makes kind of interesting fodder for some people who kind of live for this stuff, but in terms of how it influences voters and their opinions about whom they're going to support for president, it really is not going to have any impact.

COSTELLO: Reihan, do you agree? Because Monica Lewinsky has come back into the public eye, as well.

REIHAN SALAM, "NATIONAL REVIEW": Well, I think that it's certainly going to remind Americans of what maybe they didn't like so much about the Clintons the first time around. But I think the much bigger issue is actually what's happened since Bill and Hillary Clinton have left office and about the enormous fund- raising machine they built about the Clinton Foundation and some of its donors. I think that these are really interesting questions. I think that the issue around having your own private e-mail server, I think that there's a sense that these guys aren't so accountable and that they spent a lot of time around very wealthy people rather than around the people who actually made them political successes in the first place.

Those are much more interesting questions politically than, you know, the fact that they might have been a little paranoid with the staff -- paranoid which makes sense by the way.

[10:45:02] COSTELLO: Actually the paranoia thing -- right. The paranoia thing might tap into the most current e-mail crisis Chris -- right -- because that would kind of make you understand about why Hillary Clinton might have had that private server in her home.

KOFINIS: I think it's a bit of a stretch. I mean listen -- the e- mail issue is -- I understand why Republicans are going to fixate on this because to be honest they're not going to go out there and run on their policies and their positions. You know, if Rand Paul, for example, thinks he's going to become president of the United States by having positions that are against the Civil Rights Act, against pay equity and women's equality, that's not necessarily a winning agenda in 2016.

So Republicans are going to fixate on every angle of attack. Listen, you know, if Secretary Clinton runs and it looks like she's going to, she's going to have to answer those questions. I do not think that these are going to be defining issues because at the end of the day, it's a choice between the two parties in particular the two candidates is so stark in terms of what kind of future they want to create that that becomes the deciding factor and not whether she had --

(CROSSTALK)

SALAM: I'm afraid there are a lot of Democrats who have questions about these issues too.

COSTELLO: That's absolutely true and character does matter -- Reihan, right.

SALAM: There are a lot of democrats who really feel a bit awkward about the fact that they might have Hillary Clinton as their nominee. There are a lot of people who are thinking, gosh, who else can we get in the mix? There's a new generation of Democratic leaders who don't necessarily have this kind of baggage. And I mean the baggage around this kind of paranoia. So I think --

KOFINIS: Well, with all due respect -- with all due respect -- speaking as a Democrat, I can tell you that I don't hear a lot of nervousness about Secretary Clinton being the nominee.

SALAM: I have to say Joe Manchin, your old boss is someone who has challenged Democrats on a wide range of issues. The concern is that there are many moderate voters who might have been Democrats in another era, a lot of white working class voters, let's say, who Hillary Clinton doesn't really speak to.

And I think that it's legitimate to want to have a real debate within the party about Hillary Clinton's choices, about the Clinton Foundation, about who they're spend their time with. And I think it's perfectly valid for people to raise those issues.

KOFINIS: There's no problem with having a real debate. But I will tell -- I'm really looking forward to (inaudible)

SALAM: It's not all Republican and Democrat.

KOFINIS: I'm looking forward to the debate in the Republican primary to see Rand Paul and Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush and whomever else is going to be on that stage.

SALAM: Thankfully we're going to have a robust debate because we have a ton of candidates. Will we have it on the Democratic side?

KOFINIS: I'm sorry.

COSTELLO: That's a good question.

SALAM: Will we have a robust debate on the Democratic site. We're certainly going to have that on the GOP side. That's what we do is we're going to air these --

(CROSSTALK)

KOFINIS: Well, if you mean by robust debate -- if you mean by robust debate. You're arguing about positions that are antithetical to what most Americans believe and what most American voters are going to vote --

(CROSSTALK)

SALAM: Can we at least have a debate in the party? If all Democrats agreed and they all march in lockstep with Hillary Clinton on every single issue -- that's not --

KOFINIS: No, no, no. It's not about walking lockstep. It's actually about laying out a vision that reflects the reality that the country has moved in a new direction.

SALAM: On gun rights, on Israel, on a wide range of issues there's a spectrum of opinion among Democrats and I think it's legitimate to want those issues out.

KOFINIS: There is.

SALAM: And I think there are a lot of people who don't feel that Hillary Clinton speaks to rank and file Democrats.

COSTELLO: Ok. I have to leave it there. KOFINIS: The problem with the Republican side is there is no spectrum

of opinion.

SALAM: You just said that there was going to be a robust debate because there's a spectrum --

(CROSSTALK)

SALAM: You were right a minute ago.

COSTELLO: I would say Rand Paul is different than Jeb Bush.

SALAM: You were right a minute ago.

KOFINIS: You're not right now.

COSTELLO: Ok. I have to end it here. Ok. Chris Kofinis, Reihan Salam -- thanks to both of you.

Hear from Republican president candidate Rand Paul. He'll be on CNN's THE SITUATION ROOM with Wolf Blitzer, that's today 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the U.S. is rushing weapons into Yemen. We'll talk about that next.

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[10:51:38] COSTELLO: The United States is speeding up its weapons delivery to Saudi-led forces in Yemen. An international division of the Red Cross is also set to deliver 16 tons of humanitarian aid as desperate civilians flee. This as the coalition delivers yet another blow to the rebels.

Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen with more. Hi -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: yes, hi -- Carol. There have been Saudi coalition-led air strikes against the capital Sana'a today; also against the Houthi strongholds in the north; intense fighting in Aden in the south. Doctors without Borders who run a hospital there say they are desperately short of medical supplies. They say they've been able to land a boat in that port town containing 2 to 3 tons of medical supplies.

The Red Cross is trying to land their medical supplies -- they haven't been able to do it so far. We are hearing as well that the United States from the deputy secretary of state is saying that there will be an increase in the supply of ammunition to the Saudis as well as sharing of intelligence, not actually giving target lists but helping review their target lists so that they can reduce collateral damage.

But all of this happening, the U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, saying that in all this chaos al Qaeda is taking advantage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ASHTON CARTER, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The situation is still obviously very unsettled and there are a number of different warring parties as your question indicates -- the Houthis are one. AQAP is another one that has seized the opportunity of the disorder there and the collapse of the central government.

And, of course, AQAP is a group that we're very concerned with as the United States because in addition to having other regional ambitions and ambitions within Yemen, we all know that AQAP has the ambition to strike western targets including the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: We have just been getting unconfirmed reports from the regional security source that al Qaeda has in the port city on the south coast here taken several naval vessels, seven fast navy small intercept boats and two coast guard vessels -- Carol. This is what's happening. This is how al Qaeda is taking advantage of the situation.

COSTELLO: Nic Robertson. reporting live from Saudi Arabia this morning. Thank you.

I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: Checking some top stories for you at 57 minutes past.

An incredible jewelry heist in London -- as much as $300 million in cash and jewels appears to have been stolen after thieves took advantage of a long weekend and broke into a London safe deposit company. Police say the crooks used heavy cutting equipment and then rappelled into the building. Officials say it will be a couple days before they finish processing the scene.

Blue Bell Ice Cream expanding a major recall over listeria concerns. Pints of banana pudding ice cream made in a facility in Oklahoma are among the products being recalled. Other flavors include butter crunch, mint chocolate chip, homemade vanilla and Dutch chocolate. Officials say the facility where those flavors were made have been shutdown.

It turns out Prince Harry thinks selfies are a royal pain. Selfies may be all the craze from the red carpet to the White House and yes, even to the Vatican but the young prince -- well, he thinks selfies are just bad.

Here's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It took a prince to put his royal foot down moments after one Australian fan tried to sneak a selfie with Prince Harry. He gently but firmly nixed the request of another.

PRINCE HARRY: No, I hate selfies. Seriously, you need to get out of it. I know you're young, but selfies are bad.

MOOS: Did you hear him? Selfies are bad.

Finally, finally someone willing to exercise a little selfie control, and just say no to selfies.

Even the queen has been caught in selfies. Although it's been said her majesty photo bombed these two field hockey players, they say they posed where they figured she'd walk by.

And watch the fan in Washington, D.C., make a beeline for Prince Charles. Shake his hand, pose, and then celebrate.

No one's immune from the Pope to the President, and the Vice President. Mr. Obama even joked around with a selfie stick -- as he did some shtick to promote health care.

[11:00:00] Selfies have been around since before they were called selfies.

In 1966, Buzz Aldrin took what may be the first space selfie. Back on earth, though still above it, skyscraper selfies are popular.

And even below ground, in the pit of a volcano, George Koronnos (ph) put on a horse mask and snapped a selfie.

From horses to lions, from lions to bulls, this guy was taking selfies during the running of the bulls.

But the prince took the bull by the horns and said, you may not take a selfie.

PRINCE HARRY: Just take a normal photograph.

MOOS: When it comes to just say no to selfies, the redheaded prince rules.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: My favorite prince.

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

"AT THIS HOUR" with Berman and Bolduan starts now.