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Nice attacker identified as French father of three; Is the world's approach to ISIS effective?; French president yelled at, cursed, while visiting scene of Nice massacre; Trump, Clinton weigh in on Nice attacks; Will Trump, Clinton go overseas in the end months of the election season; Trump; announces Mike Pence as VP running mate; Updates on terror attacks in Nice. Aired 10:30-11a

Aired July 15, 2016 - 10:31   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:31:20] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Anderson Cooper. Lots to get to in this next half hour. French investigators now say they know the name of the man who drove a freight truck through a holiday crowd, killing dozens. He's a 31-year old French Tunisian, a resident of Nice, where last night's attack took place.

We also learned last hour that in addition to the 84 killed, another 50 are critically injured. Many children are among the dead and the injured. The driver continued his rampage for 1.3 miles along the French Riviera before police shot him dead. There are reports the driver may have been shooting at people alongside his truck as he tried to hit as many people as possible in his path.

The French Riviera in every way embodies the definition of a soft target. Last night's carnage also marks the third major terror attack in France in just 18 months. Our Will Ripley joins us now from the scene in Nice.

The entire area that you are standing in front of, the Promenade, where the attack took place, that's now been cordoned off, correct?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has, yes. And as I showed you earlier, and I'll show you again, this police barricade that is set up is a visual barricade in addition to the layers of security to keep people from actually getting to this area. And the reason for that is simply from the images that have been coming in. The pictures were so gruesome. People who were laying there with either catastrophic fractures -- they're now being treated in hospitals. There were people being transported as recently as earlier this morning.

But then also even as of early this afternoon, neighbors who were on the scene had said that there were still some bodies that remain on the street. We don't know if they've all been cleared, we would assume that they have been at this point. But we're just not able to get close enough to see.

COOPER: And in terms of -- obviously this investigation now is in full force. Both for finding out what happened last night, exactly, and how this person was able to commit this act of terror. But also the investigation moving forward to see if there's anyone else involved in the attack.

RIPLEY: That's right and that's why you saw the police raids and that -- they're actually ongoing. Because France is under a state of emergency that was set to expire July 26th but it has now been extended for three months, allowing police to conduct these raids without having to go through the court process first.

They were able to go to this apartment in Nice where the suspected attacker, a 33-year old man, a father of three, according to reports. Someone who neighbors described as a loner, who we've actually learned is not affiliated with any mosque here in Nice. That's some new information.

Also indications that he may have been separated from his wife. There were reports of domestic violence charges and some other petty crime. And we do know that, according to one local affiliate, his ex-wife is being questioned. Now we're not sure if that's the wife that he is separated from currently, if there is another ex-wife in the picture. I mean all of these details are still coming together. And we certainly don't want to pay too much attention to the person that committed this atrocity and took 84 lives, including children, families who were here together.

But it is critical for investigators now to search the apartment, to find out if there were accomplices, and also find out what motivated this. Because as of right now, no terror group has taken responsibility.

COOPER: Yeah. Will Ripley, Will thanks very much for the update. With me now is Republican Senator Dan Coats of Indiana. Senator Coats is a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence. Welcome and I'm sorry it's under these circumstances, Senator.

In terms of preventing something like this, whether it's in the United States or Europe, this is an extraordinarily difficult thing for law enforcement, for the intelligence community. If you have somebody who's not on the radar as a jihadist, as a radical extremist who's a petty criminal, who suddenly decides to turn in this direction.

SENATOR DAN COATS (R), INDIANA: We have a lot of people that seem to be inspired by what's happening in the Middle East. And by some of the publications and stuff that goes over the web and the internet from ISIS. I really -- what you said was true. I mean it's very, very difficult to pinpoint just everyone. And I'm told there are 10,000 terrorist affiliated people on the French list. And only 5,000 people that can keep track of them.

Inevitably somebody's going to be able to be successful. And particularly if they use means where they're not part of a conspiracy, not part of a larger group, but are inspired to do this kind of thing, it's going to be very, very hard to stop. In my opinion, until we go and stick the dagger in the heart of ISIS and eliminate that core there, we're going to keep hearing about these things. And unfortunately these massacres that are occurring on an ever-occurring basis.

[10:35:55]

COOPER: Do you think cutting the head off ISIS, essentially, would actually stop these kind of attacks? Or would some other group, some other form of the same ideology just take its place. If a lot of these people are sort of, so-called self-radicalized, just watching stuff on the internet, does it matter whether or not ISIS is controlling territory in Iraq and Syria?

COATS: Well I think it does matter. Because they've had the resources and they've had the physical geographic ability to, in a sense, put an organization together. I think they're the heart of the issue. You're right, there are affiliate groups out there that might want to keep going. But they're going to be easier to track, I think, than ISIS.

I mean the inspiration, this whole jihadist mentality, wrapped in theological basis, is emanated from ISIS. And I think it will send a great signal to these other groups that we're coming after you. But we have -- we take -- we've hit the core and taken them out. So you don't have someone to lean back on, or somebody that's going to continue to inspire you to do these kinds of things.

COOPER: How has ...

COATS: We've been doing this in -- well ...

COOPER: Sir, go ahead.

COATS: We've been doing this incrementally here, but we really haven't taken the step of declaring all-out war against ISIS and doing whatever we need to do to stop this. This incremental piece-by-piece, piece-by-piece is just going to continue to lead to what we've seen in the massacre at Nice.

COOPER: You believe there should be an actual declaration of war?

COATS: I would support a declaration of war. I think western civilization is -- should be at war with this radical Islamic terrorist operation. Until we declare that and take what is necessary to win this war we're going to continue to have breaking news, more of these massacres. It's occurring on an ever-increasing basis. So I think it's time to stand up and say "enough is enough."

COOPER: Dan Coats, I appreciate your time, sir. Thank you very much ...

COATS: Sure.

COOPER: ... Senator Coats. Still to come, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump now responding to yet another terror attack. What they are saying, next.

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[10:42:25]

COOPER: Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the terror attack in Nice, France. Let's go to Clarissa Ward who is standing by in Nice. Clarissa, we have seen France's President, Francois Hollande, make a public statement last night very soon after the attacks, extending the state of emergency for another three months. Pending approval by the French government.

He is now actually in Nice. His motorcade I understand, just passed you by.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes that's right Anderson. So he made a speech at the police prefecture here in Nice a few hours ago. Essentially saying, "we're strong, we're united, we won't let them attack us, we won't be demoralized by this." But what was really interesting is just a while ago his motorcade came right past the live shot position here, heading to the Promenade behind me. Which is of course where the attack took place.

And there's quite a gathering here of people who are just watching because they're curious. There's a makeshift memorial that's starting to take shape over there. And a lot of those people actually shouted out at the motorcade. It was interesting to see some real expressions of anger, Anderson. A couple of people shouting, "you're a murderer." Other people shouting things that we can't say on television.

And I think what this speaks to is that a lot of people here in France are actually feeling quite resentful against President Hollande. They feel like three attacks in 18 months is too much to bear. Not to mention the number of smaller scale attacks. There's a real sense here that the security in this country is not at a level that people feel comfortable with. And there's growing resentment at the political establishment as a result of that.

And I don't remember the last time that I've seen a President come to the scene of a terrorist attack, only to have his own countrymen shout that he's a murderer, Anderson.

COOPER: It is extraordinary. One of the things he talked about earlier today in Nice, besides sort of thanking all the first responders, was updating us on the number of patients who are still in critical condition, as many as 50. And he said many of them, of many of them children. He's now what, at the scene of the attack, at the Promenade?

WARD: We don't know if he's still here. I'm guessing, actually, that he already left. It would have been a pretty quick visit. Because security is really tight here, Anderson. I don't know -- you can't see, but there are police all around us. The media have been penned off into this area of the side -- on the edge of the road at the end of the Promenade.

There's kind of a stage structure next to us. A few journalists tried to stand on that, police came with heavy machine guns, stood on the stage and said anybody -- or rather nobody is allowed to stand on this stage. Clearly they are trying to block and obscure all view of what is behind that screen behind me.

That is essentially now an active crime scene. And an active crime scene, Anderson, that stretches more than a mile long. So this is a massive undertaking for authorities here.

COOPER: Yeah, a grim task, indeed. Clarissa Ward, Clarissa thanks very much, live from Nice. President Obama, we believe, may address the Nice attack this afternoon at a Diplomatic Corps reception. That should be in the 3:00 hour. If he does, obviously we'll try to bring that to you live.

The impact of the terror attack in Nice having clear impact on the U.S. Presidential race. Donald Trump delaying his Vice Presidential announcement as a result of the tragedy. It was supposed to be at 11:00 today. We now understand that the Trump campaign will be making some sort of an announcement later today.

Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton weighing in on the attack last night in calls. Donald Trump to FOX News, Hillary Clinton, who also talked to FOX News, also I spoke to her last night on 360. Both with very different responses.

[10:46:15]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL O'REILLY, HOST, THE O'REILLY FACTOR: Would you go to Congress and ask for a declaration of war?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would. I would. This is war! If you look at it, this is war. Coming from all different parts.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's clear, we are at war with these terrorist groups and what they represent. It's a different kind of war. And we need to be smart about how we wage it and win it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Joining me now is David Gergen, former presidential advisor to Reagan, Ford, Clinton, and Nixon. David, what do you make of the responses by both candidates?

DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR TO REAGAN, FORD, CLINTON, NIXON: Well Anderson, I think most Americans right now are both sad and bewildered by this series of attacks over these months. But they're also looking for tougher and more effective leadership. And I think both candidates are trying very hard to respond to that.

Both saying, "this is war." Donald Trump, always Donald Trump going two or three steps beyond, saying he wants a formal declaration of war that you know is quite rare. But I do think, Anderson, what's missing is any plan of action on their part that people can rally to. They -- people don't know what they actually stand for yet. So I would think that what's going to come in the next few days may be

more important than their initial response. And that is that Trump, with his convention coming up, I would assume a scramble the first night, and have a couple of speakers who do take on this question of terrorism. And that that will be a major theme, law and order, in his own acceptance address later in the week.

But also Anderson, I would imagine that the Trump people are thinking about he needs to go overseas between the convention and the first presidential debate. He needs to go to Europe to talk about terrorism, to talk about Brexit. He needs to go to the Middle East, go to Israel. He needs, he needs to get himself better informed and on top of these issues so that when he calls for a declaration of war it's coming from a more thoughtful place.

COOPER: That's been a tricky thing for some candidates though, in past years, who lack foreign policy experience, when they do try to go overseas.

GERGEN: It is tricky. But on this situation we're in extremists in many serious ways. Europe could be pulled apart by both the economics and the politics of what's going on. And then the terrorism itself, I'd throw that on top of us, it'll leave us in terrible shape.

The presidential candidates both need to be well-informed. Hillary Clinton, of course, has spent years doing this so she's prepared, but she may want to make a trip, as well. I think Trump's issue is, can he go there and be well-received? There've been a lot of shunning of Trump. But under these circumstances I would think he would get a more respectful hearing. And he would have a chance to talk to the leadership.

COOPER: Obviously Trump was there during the Brexit vote. He was in his golf resort in Scotland ...

GERGEN: Right.

COOPER: Made comments about it which many people were surprised by his focus during some of those comments.

GERGEN: Yes.

COOPER: I, but, the challenge of course, is A. These are two people running for office, they're not in office. So in terms of concrete steps, it's not exactly clear concretely what can be done in the short-term to prevent something like this.

GERGEN: I agree with that. And that -- of course the short-term is really up to Obama administration. And as in France, I'm sure they'll be stepping up their security measures even tighter. But I -- we -- it's not clear we are trying to win the war against ISIS. We're not going all out.

There are people in the Pentagon, the State Department, who would like a more robust response. We are -- we just sent in more troops, obviously, to help capture Mosul. But there are many in the administration chomping for a tougher response. I don't know whether we're going to see that.

COOPER: David Gergen. David, thanks very much, appreciate it.

GERGEN: Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Still to come, we -- they were on vacation celebrating a birthday. Up next, what we are learning about two American victims killed in this terror attack.

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COOPER: And Donald Trump has made it official, Tweeting out that Mike Pence is his Vice Presidential pick. I want to show you the tweet he's -- Donald Trump tweeting out moments ago, "I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 a.m."

Initially there was to have been the announcement made today at 11:00 a.m. but the Trump campaign decided to postpone that in the wake of the terror attack out of Nice. And this is obviously some -- we have been closely watching now for quite sometime. But Governor Mike Pence of Indiana is the Vice Presidential pick for Donald Trump. There will be a press conference soon with both of them, tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

There are -- a lot more to tell you about in the terror attacks in Nice. 84 people we know have been killed in the terror attack, 50 more remain in critical condition, according to France's president, many of them children. And among the dead, we now know at least two Americans.

This is 11-year old Brody Copeland. His dad, Shawn from Austin, Texas. They were on vacation with family celebrating a birthday. This is a photo of Brody that was taken just hours before that massacre. I want to go right now to our CNN's Jean Casarez. It's -- we're learning now, just beginning, who some of these victims were.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right and only two Americans at this point. But they are, Anderson, from Texas just as you said, the heart of Texas. Shawn and Brody Copeland. Brody was 11 years- old. He was a member of the Hill Country Baseball Team. And I think we have a picture that was just released from the family, of father and son. Father actually coached the baseball team.

But they were in France for, as you said, a family vacation. There was an aunt and two cousins that were there, also. They started out, according to the Austin American Statesman, in Spain. And then went on, they wanted to celebrate Bastille Day. But we do have a statement from the family that came out early today. The family that, some of them still remain in Texas.

"We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brody Copeland. An amazing son and brother who lit up our lives. And Shawn Copeland, a wonderful husband and father. They are so loved." And Anderson, according to the Austin American Statesman, they are

from Lakeway, Texas, which is right in the heart. It's out from Austin, it's the hill country, it's right next to Lake Travis. And the father, Shawn Copeland worked at the Landmarks Corporation, he was the Vice President.

[10:56:50]

COOPER: That's so horrific. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with their family, with all the victims. Jean, thank you very much. I do want to go back to our Sara Murray who is standing by outside Trump Tower. So, Sara, Donald Trump has made it official. Mike Pence, his vice presidential pick.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: He has made it official. Not necessarily in the way that Donald Trump was hoping to. But fittingly he is announcing the news on Twitter. He said, "I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 a.m."

And Anderson it is likely that news conference is going to be in New Jersey. But of course it hasn't been advised yet. And with Donald Trump, these things don't tend to be set in stone, sometimes even after they are advised. Now of course, this is a decision that Donald Trump sort of wrestled with.

He had a number of people, including many people he's known for much longer than Mike Pence, in his shortlist in the finals here. CNN confirmed yesterday that he had made the offer to Mike Pence, and Mike Pence accepted. But there was still a lot of nervousness, I think. Probably even on the part of those in Mike Pence's camp as they were awaiting for the official announcement.

Of course by noon today, Mike Pence has to withdraw his name for the race for the Indiana Governor's battle. And so I think he'll feel a lot more comfortable doing that now, now that Donald Trump has put out the tweet and made it official, Anderson.

COOPER: And do we know, the press conference tomorrow, I assume they are appearing together at that.

MURRAY: Yes, we are expecting them to appear together. And of course, Mike Pence is already in New York with a number of his Senior Aides. Those are the aides that we believe will follow him, campaign with him, and work with him as he becomes the Vice President.

But it's got to -- it must have been a tense 24 hours for Mike Pence. He arrived in New York yesterday. He's been sitting in that hotel as Donald Trump has been out there saying, "I haven't made my final, final pick." And as Don Junior was saying, there are still three people under consideration.

All that was happening while Mike Pence was here in New York under the impression that the deal was done and that he had been picked. And so this has to be a weight off his shoulders today, Anderson.

COOPER: And is there going to be any campaigning over the weekend? Or are they just preparing for the convention, which begins Monday?

MURRAY: That's one of the things that we have been waiting to hear. Now usually when you announce your vice presidential pick, you do sort of a fly-around to battle ground states. Maybe you go to their home state, that's something we saw Mitt Romney do with Paul Ryan in 2012.

This is obviously a much tighter timeframe because the convention begins on Monday. And so I think that's one of the things the Trump campaign is going to be gaming out. We do know that they were supposed to sit this evening for an interview with 60 minutes, together. So it's likely that that will still happen. But the campaign schedule going forward still has yet to be released. So we will see, Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Sara Murray, appreciate it. Thank you very much. A lot going on, a lot -- it is a fast-moving day. As you know the death toll in Nice now stands at 84. 50, according to France's president, still in a critical state -- as he said, a critical condition -- many of them, according to France's president, are children.

Thank you very much for joining me today for these last two hours. I'm Anderson Cooper. AT THIS HOUR with Berman and Bolduan begins right now.

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