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CNN NEWSROOM

Russia Turns Down Request for Turkey Meeting; Syria Praises Anti-Rebel Airstrikes by Russia; Arrest in Shooting Death of 9-year- old; Chicago Protesters Hope to Disrupt Black Friday; Trump Denies Mocking Reporter's Disability; Intruder Scales White House Fence; Russia Deploys Anti-Aircraft Missiles to Syria; Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired November 27, 2015 - 10:00   ET

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


[10:00:01] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Holy cow, what's happening? It's like a miracle on Thanksgiving Day. Matthew Stafford looked like Tom Brady.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS: He sure did. And they didn't eat turkey for Thanksgiving. They ate some Eagles. They're now -- they have an outside chance. I'm telling you, there's a chance that they might, maybe, maybe make the playoffs, Carol. So that's good news.

COSTELLO: We got a lousy division, they just could, Coy.

WIRE: Yes, Carol. All right, Carol.

COSTELLO: The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Happening now in the NEWSROOM. Putin says he's ready to work with an American-led coalition to fight ISIS. But don't call it a done deal yet.

Also, a 9-year-old boy lured into an alley and murdered. Now an arrest for the killing of little Tyshawn Lee. Who killed him and why?

Plus, Black Friday protests in Chicago and New York over black men killed by police. But in dangerous and fluid situations, how do cops make the call?

(On camera): Are you Miguel Richardson?

(Voice-over): I wanted to find out.

(On camera): Stop moving now. Get on the ground. Show me your hands. Get your hands out of your pocket.

(Voice-over): Shoot, don't shoot? What would you do?

Let's talk. Live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

We begin this hour in Moscow as the Kremlin turns down a request from Turkey for a face-to-face meeting between their leaders. Early this morning Turkey's president had requested a sitdown, trying to mend fences after it shot down a Russian warplane on Tuesday, but Putin says he's furious over his ally's betrayal and that Russia must be ready to defend itself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (Through Translator): It did not even come into our minds that we could have been struck by a party that we consider to be our ally. We consider Turkey to be a friendly country. We did not expect such an action. And that is why that strike was unexpected. And now we realize it is possible, because a soldier has died, that we need to have security for our air force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Just this morning Moscow has suspended visa-free travel with Turkey.

Former CNN Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, joins us live from Russia with more.

Good morning, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, FORMER CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol. Well, you can see the fury. And there's no question that Russia continues with retaliatory measures against Turkey. The visa being one. And of course, we've been talking since yesterday about all of the economic steps that they're taking. But I think one of the more interesting thing is this criticism of the coalition, the American-led coalition.

At the same time, President Putin is not saying that he would not cooperate. After all, he did sign an agreement with the United States as the head of that coalition to make sure that there would be no accidents in the sky with the planes that are flying around both on the United States side and on the Russian side.

But let's listen to President Putin as he talks about how the Americans had the information about that Russian plane and what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PUTIN (Through Translator): Previously we informed our American partners where, when and where our pilots would be working. The American side which leads the coalition in Turkey knew about these missions and then at that time received a strike, so it can be asked, why did the Americans not give us that information? Are they in control of what their allies do or is the information just all over the place and they have to understand the consequences of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP) DOUGHERTY: And so that phrase "all over the place" is really I think significant because after all what he's saying is, you know, either the United States you could argue malevolently did something on purpose or simply incompetence or Turkey is out of line and not cooperating with the United States.

So President Putin is very critical of the coalition led by the United States, but, Carol, at the same time he's saying, we will continue to cooperate.

COSTELLO: All right. Jill Dougherty reporting live from Moscow this morning.

So the airstrikes over Syria go on. Airstrikes by the United States and Turkey and Syrian forces and it's just as confusing as ever.

Let's head to the Pentagon now and check in with Barbara Starr with more on that. Good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, the Russians releasing more video of what they say are their very effective airstrikes. And you know, and so the Russians more effective, is the U.S. more effective? It's not really about the number of airstrikes per se at this point, but perhaps the debate is more about how effective they are.

[10:05:02] Now the U.S. position is its airstrikes are more effective. They use precision weapons, they take great care in avoiding civilian casualties. That's the U.S. point of view. The Russian point of view clearly is that their airstrikes are more effective because they're going after this wide range of targets.

To go back to what Jill was just saying a minute ago, U.S. officials have told me for the last several days, they had no knowledge ahead of time where that Russian airplane might be flying. This was not an area that the U.S. was particularly interested in. It's not where they'd been flying in recent days. They were aware the Russians had been up there.

So, again, a bit of confusion who knew what, when. But now the question is, will the Russians really join the coalition, really cooperate on sharing of intelligence? Will they even get together on selecting targets? A lot of confusion here. A lot of U.S. military officials saying, there's going to be a very long way to go on that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Barbara Starr reporting live from the Pentagon. Thanks so much.

There is a bright spot, maybe. The Turkish president, despite his tough talk against Russia, has asked to meet with Vladimir Putin on Monday in Paris. Both men will be in France for a United Nations conference on climate change.

Now we know that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, as I told you before has refused a face-to-face meeting or even a conversation on the phone, but still at least there's a dialogue, so is that a bright spot?

With me now, Daveed Gartenstein, he's a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a counterterrorism expert.

Welcome, Daveed.

DAVEED GARTENSTEIN-ROSS, SENIOR FELLOW, FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: Thanks. It's good to join you, Carol.

COSTELLO: So Vladimir Putin saying, no, I'm not going to talk to the Turkish president. No, no, not ever. But will he bend, you think, by Monday when both men are in Paris?

GARTENSTEIN-ROSS: It's unclear but if he does bend it will almost be a meeting on his terms and one where Russia doesn't make many concessions. Putin is not a man who will make concessions lightly. Turkey does not have a whole lot of leverage in this situation, so he's very likely to do what he's been doing, which is try to demonstrate internationally that the benevolence of Russia, the either incompetence or malevolence of those who are suspicious of Russia's intentions. And Russia's greater efficacy when it comes to finding ISIS.

COSTELLO: Well, it's interesting to listen to President Erdogan of Turkey because he talked tough, you know, Russia, right, about those -- that downing of that Russian warplane, but he also said this, quote, "We might have been able to prevent this violation of our airspace differently."

So he appears to be softening his rhetoric. So might that apiece Russia?

GARTENSTEIN-ROSS: Well, again, Turkey has much more to lose than Russia does. Russia has been going about not only stopping sort of the travel into Turkey but also very openly reconsidering some of its economic deals, thinking of taking them away from Turkey and to other states in the region. He even mentioned Israel, which would be a particular slap in the face to the Turkish state.

But, you know, given that, I think that it's true that Erdogan is buckling a bit, both men -- both Erdogan and Putin tend to be very obstinate. They don't like to lose face publicly. It's possible that Putin will get what he wants from Erdogan. If he does so, it's going to be on Putin's terms because I don't think he has much incentive right now to give any leeway to Turkey.

COSTELLO: So the United States just sits back and watch as this soap opera play out?

GARTENSTEIN-ROSS: Well, the U.S. is trying to play a role but the U.S. is also very confused as to what it wants in Syria. It's very clear on the anti-ISIS out of the equation that everyone is against ISIS. At the same time the U.S. doesn't really want to coordinate with Russia openly, given that Russia is causing a large amount of civilian casualties. And when it comes to the Assad side of the equation, you have the direct conflict. Turkey wants to topple Assad. Russia wants to keep it in power. And U.S. also is turning on toppling Assad but has been wavering in there recently.

I think for the U.S. to really play a productive role, we need to work out what our strategic objectives are. I think they're actually very vague and seem to be shifting almost every few months.

COSTELLO: All right. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, thanks so much for joining me this morning.

In Africa, special forces in Mali have arrested two men they believe helped carry out last week's deadly hotel attack. Official say a cell phone found at the Radisson Blu Hotel connect both suspects to the scene. The men are believed to be around 30 years old but the army would not give out any more details. Nineteen people were killed in the attack, an extremist group that claims links to al Qaeda has taken responsibility.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, two major stories out of Chicago. More protests like this. Marchers getting ready to take to the streets over the police shooting of a black teenager.

And he was lured into the alley and shot execution style. Now police say they've made an arrest in the death of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee.

[10:10:05]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Chicago is on edge this morning. Big protests planned for the famed Magnificent Mile over a police shooting. Protesters demanding the resignation of the police superintendent. In the meantime officials are expected to speak soon regarding a new suspect in the execution-style killing of a 9-year-old boy.

We've got both stories covered for you this morning. CNN's Ryan Young is on Michigan Avenue where the protests are set to begin and Rosa Flores is at the police press conference where we're expecting new details on that little boy's murder.

Rosa, first to you and that suspect.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we're expecting to hear more from police here within the hour. But here's what we know so far. A man named Corey Morgan has been arrested on first-degree murder charges in connection to the killing of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee.

Now you probably remember this story. It caused a lot of controversy and anger in this community because here's what police tell us.

[10:15:09] Here's the background here. Authorities believe that an individual, and we're going to learn more about this shortly, but that an individual lured this 9-year-old boy into an alley and then shot and killed the boy.

Now we've learned that this boy was shot in the head and in the back. Now we've learned from authorities as well that this boy was going to play basketball. He was going to cross this alley, simply to go to one of his family member's house and play ball. But that was his fate, unfortunately.

Now it's very disturbing, Carol, because of those details. Now we're expected to learn more within the hour. But again, according to authorities here in Chicago a man named Corey Morgan arrested with first-degree murder charges in connection with the Tyshawn Lee killing -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. We'll get back with you with more new information when that police press conference begins.

Rosa Flores, reporting.

In the meantime, protesters say murder charges against a Chicago police officer in the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald are not enough. They want to oust the police superintendent.

CNN's Ryan Young is on Michigan Avenue to tell us more. Good morning.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. It is really showing with the two stories just how complicated Chicago can be sometimes because in one sense the community really needs the police department to go after the killers of this 9-year-old child but on the other sense, the community wants to hold the police department accountable. They just don't want to stop with the superintendent. They also want the state's attorney to be replaced as well.

Now we know Black Friday was a day that protesters were going to come down in Michigan Avenue, the famous Michigan Avenue, and march up the street here to try to disrupt Black Friday sales. So far the protests have been peaceful. Now we've seen people raising their voices saying 16 shots, 16 shots. That stands for the number of times they shot Laquan McDonald. Of course, we've heard religious leaders get quite loud and vocal about what they want.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FR. MICHAEL PFLEGER, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST: I would like to see Michigan Avenue stores take a big hurt tomorrow, businesswise. And they say, well, how can you say that? It affects the whole city. So does murder.

You can't keep asking people trust the system. Trust the system. The system's not working.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Now, look, we know the superintendent has got out in front of this and he said, look, he wants to work with the community as he's making changes to the police department. But there are some people who believe that changes have to happen and they have to happen fast. It's a solution that will not come easy. And of course those first- degree murder charges are now hanging over that officer's head but today at 11:00, they will march down Michigan Avenue -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. We'll check back. Ryan Young reporting live from Chicago. In the next hour, Black Lives Matter expected to try to stop holiday

shopping here in New York City. The protests set for outside the Macy's flagship store at Herald Square. Wednesday night that same group stormed the store disrupting early Thanksgiving Day shopping.

Also in just a new minutes, what does go through a police officer's mind in life or death situations. I took a police training exercise to find out. We'll have that story for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:22:34] COSTELLO: If you needed another sign that it is a new day in the world of national politics, look no further than the war of words between Donald Trump and the "New York Time." Mr. Trump now demanding an apology from "The Times" for accusing him of mocking a physically disabled reporter. A reminder --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Right after a couple of good paragraphs, and they're talking about northern New Jersey draws the prober's eye," written by a nice reporter. Now the poor guy, you've got to see this guy. Oh, I don't know what I said. I don't remember. He's going like, I don't remember. Oh, maybe that's what I said. This is 14 years ago, he's still -- they didn't do a retraction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: OK. So Trump appeared to make fun of that reporter, Serge Kovaleski, who has a physical disability that limits the use of his arms. Trump now says Kovaleski is using his disability to grandstand.

Athena Jones is in Washington with more. Good morning.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Trump put out not one but two statements yesterday, both of them denying that he knows who Serge Kovaleski is or that he knew that he was disabled.

I want to read from you one of the statements which you just referenced.

" Serge Kovaleski," this is from Donald Trump. " Serge Kovaleski must think a lot of himself if he thinks I remember him from decades ago. If I ever met him at all, which I doubt I did. He should stop using his disability to grandstand and get back to reporting for a paper that is rapidly going down the tubes."

So a pretty hash statement from Donald Trump. That's the second of two he put out yesterday. In the first one he said, despite having one of the all-time great memories, I certainly do not remember this reporter, Serge Kovaleski. But Kovaleski he begs to differ. He's been tweeting out this morning a link to a story by his employer, the "New York Times." He sat down with a reporter there.

Serge Kovaleski once worked for the "New York Daily News" and when he was working for the "Daily News" he covered Trump extensively for years. Kovaleski told the "Times," "I've interviewed him in his office. I've talked to him at press conferences. All in all, I would say around a dozen times. I've interacted with him as a reporter while I was at the 'Daily News.'"

So right now we're in a he said-he said situation. None of us can know what is in Trump's head or what Trump knows, but certainly this reporter is disputing the claim that Trump didn't know who he was, what he looked like or that he was disabled -- Carol.

[10:25:09] COSTELLO: All right. Athena Jones, reporting live from Washington. Thank you.

A bizarre side in Washington. A man draped in the American flag climbing over the White House fence. That would be highly illegal and dangerous to the president and his family. The man wrapped in the flag could have been killed by Secret Service agents, too.

Joe Johns is at the White House with more on this. Good morning.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. The first family was in the residence at the time and this suspect now has been identified by authorities as Joseph Caputo. He's said to be about 22 years old and believed to be from Connecticut. He's being charged, we're told, with unlawful entry, is the word authorities are using, and he could have a court appearance sometime today.

And, Carol, you're right. It really was a kind of bizarre situation. These intruder situations are always bizarre. This was no exception. A man draped in an American flag, holding what appeared to be a manila envelope in his mouth going over that fence, which has been refitted since last July with spikes to try to discourage intruders.

One member of Congress saying they were told this would do the trick but apparently it has not. They have to try some new solution. As you know, there have been increased security concerns here at the White House, especially since just about a year ago in September when another intruder actually got over the fence and made his way all the way into the White House. So now just adding to the concerns, and it sounds like they're going to have to go back to the drawing board on figuring out a way to get people from going over the fence -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Any clue as to what was in the envelope?

JOHNS: Million-dollar question. And it'd be nice to find out if he does make a court appearance sometime this afternoon to figure out whether it was a message for the president or what was it? Just not clear right now.

COSTELLO: All right. Joe Johns reporting live from the White House. Thank you.

The Kremlin says there are no plans right now for presidents of Russia and Turkey to meet next week in Paris about the shootdown of that Russian fighter jet by Turkey. The Russian military however is already moving aggressively to avoid another loss. More now from CNN's Matthew Chance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suddenly Russia's warplanes in Syria look much less vulnerable. This, the first battery of highly sophisticated S-400 missiles already being deployed to the combat zone. These weapons could give Russia significant control of the skies and are just part of Moscow's hard line response to the shootdown by Turkey of one of its planes.

There's been a hard line response to this, too.

Images of rebels shooting the Russian air crew after they ejected over Syria, killing the pilot, drawing the Kremlin's fury. Defense officials say an intensive air bombardment coupled with Syrian artillery has now killed all the terrorists operating in the area. ISIS and other rebel groups say the Russians were targeted.

In Moscow, the French President, Francois Hollande, continued his efforts to forge an international front against ISIS. He and Vladimir Putin agreed to share intelligence and coordinate airstrikes. But the loss of the Russian plane at the hands of Turkey has complicated a deal, leaving the Kremlin feeling angry and betrayed.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (Through Translator): It did not even enter our minds that we could have been struck by a party that we considered to be our ally.

CHANCE: And amid signs that Russia is now preparing economic sanctions against Turkey for this, progress towards a grand anti-ISIS coalition may have been dealt a serious blow.

Matthew Chance, CNN Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: All right. Russia is talking tough and showing how tough it is by bringing in that missile system but it says it's also willing to work with the U.S.-led coalition to defeat ISIS.

With me now, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, a CNN military analyst and retired army commanding general of Europe and the Seventh Army.

Good morning.

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So can Vladimir Putin talk tough on Turkey and say he's willing to join the U.S.-led coalition? Can he have it both ways?

HERTLING: I don't think he can, Carol. We have seen this before. Mr. Putin seems to be attempting to deflect some of the criticism for what's been taking place there. He is certainly supporting Mr. Assad, which has not put him in a very good alliance with Mr. Erdogan because Turkey is primarily against Mr. Assad's government. So I think it's interesting to hear some of the things Mr. Putin has said in that press conference this morning with Mr. Hollande. First of all he looks like --

(END)