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NYPD Investigating 8th Suspected Mail Bomb Sent To Robert De Niro's Production Company; Congressman Rodney Davis Speaks About Political Violence; Authorities Say Suspicious Package Intended For Biden Is Located In Delaware. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired October 25, 2018 - 07:30   ET

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


[07:30:00] GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, FORMER DIRECTOR, CIA AND NSA: -- routinely speaks.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: General, the president has had a bizarre statement today. He just tweeted in response, I suppose, to everything that's happening here in Manhattan.

TEXT: "A very big part of the anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the mainstream media that I refer to as fake news. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream media must clean up its act. FAST!"

CAMEROTA: He's focused on the mainstream media. He's focused on how he would like them to do their coverage.

What does that tell us, General? This is -- the leader of our country, at this time of a national crisis -- why is his message so peculiar this morning?

HAYDEN: Well, again, I think in the president's point of view, good, non-fake news is equivalent to news that is favorable to him.

Now, to be very fair, those who push back against the president -- like myself, like news media, like scholarship, like science -- we need to be careful, too, that in the face of an incredibly norm- busting president we do not violate our own norms of our own professions as we try to tell what we believe to be the more true story.

But for the president not in any way to suggest that he bears responsibility for this and to dump this responsibility on everyone else is, frankly, consistent with his body of work since he began his campaign.

CAMEROTA: Does he bear responsibility for the tone and tenor that he's taken?

HAYDEN: Oh, of course, he does. And let me -- let me share with you, Alisyn, something that I shared with my senior leadership at both NSA and CIA.

I said to them -- you know, you get to a point in your career where you are no longer responsible for just what you say. You've become important enough now that you are now responsible for what also people hear, not just what you think you are transmitting.

And the president, if he really, really understands and embraces the responsibility of the office, he will understand how many people hear what he says, even if he wants to say or pretend those aren't the real messages that he's transmitting.

CAMEROTA: General, there was a strange juxtaposition yesterday of what he said when he came out first and read a statement that didn't necessarily appear to be his words -- perhaps somebody had written it for him -- on teleprompter. And he called for national unity and he called for something like a dialing down of the political rhetoric, and then what he said at the political rally last night.

So here's a portion of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Those engaged in the political arena must stop treating political opponents as being morally defective. Have to do that.

The language of moral condemnation and destructive routine -- these are arguments and disagreements that have to stop. No one should carelessly compare political opponents to historical villains.

The media also has a responsibility to set a civil tone and to stop the endless hostility and constant, negative and, oftentimes, false attacks and stories. Have to do it. Have to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: What do you think of that message, General?

HAYDEN: So, in part of the president's speech yesterday, both in the afternoon and in the evening, you heard the scripted institution of the president saying pretty -- of the presidency, pretty much saying the right things.

Later on, you didn't see the institution of the president. What you saw was the person of this president saying things that have worked for him throughout his life and not just in his political life.

He has -- he has lived off of confrontation, he has lived off of being confident, he has lived off of imposing some sense of fear, he has lived off of dividing those whom he perceives to be his opposition. And at that point, Alisyn, I just think he can't help himself and the consequences of those actions are not something that naturally occur to him.

CAMEROTA: General, have you spoken to your friend, John Brennan, who was one of the packages the bombs was addressed to?

HAYDEN: I have not. I've seen some of John's commentary. Clearly, those of us in situations that are parallel to John have

exchanged notes about -- not really out of fear, just notes saying take care. You've seen what's going on. Be careful with what you do.

More often than not protecting our families against inadvertent harm coming from whomever this individual or individuals are.

[07:35:05] CAMEROTA: And are you -- how are you feeling? Are you feeling anxious this morning, General?

HAYDEN: I'm a little more anxious than I would the day before. Obviously, there are some elements of the society, at least an individual or a small group of individuals, who are capable of this.

But I have to tell you, I'm currently on the road, as you can see, and in my overwhelming experience, being on the road is to meet the American people in a -- in a real sense of positive spirit and hospitality. There's rarely a negative word exchanged when I might be recognized while I'm traveling.

And so I think most of America this morning is in the very same place. This stuff is not who we are. This stuff is a representation of the darkest angels of our nature and most of us oppose and, frankly, are embarrassed by it.

CAMEROTA: General Michael Hayden, thank you very much for joining us and giving us your --

HAYDEN: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: -- perspective on this unfolding, breaking news and everything that has happened over this past week.

Just to update people, sources tell CNN that it was two security guards at the offices of Robert De Niro's building -- the Tribeca Film Festival there -- who alerted police. So, at 4:30 in the morning when they got that phone call, it was two eagle-eyed security guards.

It is working. If you see something, say something -- being on the outlook for these strange packages. Again, it worked without anyone being injured today and now, police have the daunting task of finding this serial bomber.

CNN and NEW DAY will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:40:25] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we do have breaking news I want to tell you about right now.

We're just getting some beginnings of hints of something going on in Delaware. The FBI is telling us they are investigating something in Delaware. We are not sure if it is connected to what we've seen over the last few days -- bombs sent different places. Overnight, we did know that there was concern that a device had been sent to former Vice President Joe Biden, of course, who lives in Delaware. And now, we are getting word of some FBI activity in Delaware.

We'll bring you the very latest on that the minute we get more.

Also this morning, the breaking news you're seeing on the screen right now. A bomb was sent to the office of the actor Robert De Niro. You're looking at live pictures from the scene right now of Lower Manhattan in Tribeca -- his office -- Robert De Niro's office.

De Niro, of course, like the other seven recipients of these bombs, has been critical of President Trump and has been the target of many of President Trump's words over the last several years.

You're looking at the other folks who have been sent bombs over the last few days, including former President Obama, former -- you know, the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder, Maxine Waters, former CIA Dir. John Brennan -- sent a device right here at the offices of CNN.

So again, we're following all this breaking news.

I want to talk about what this all means for all of us.

Joining us now is Congressman Rodney Davis of Illinois, a Republican who was on that baseball field more than a year ago when Steve Scalise and others were shot during a baseball practice for the Republican baseball team. So, Rodney Davis knows firsthand what it is like to be a target of some kind of political violence.

Congressman, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

I want to talk about the now. I want to talk about what we have seen over the last few days and these bombs either being sent to kill or to scare all of these people.

What do you make of it?

REP. RODNEY DAVIS (R), ILLINOIS: Well, I think this is obviously an act of political terrorism, whether it's the political terrorists who tried to kill me and my friends on a baseball field in Virginia just a year and half ago, screaming health care while he was firing at us, or this deranged lunatic that needs to be arrested as soon as possible so innocent people aren't hurt by his political motivations that are not American.

BERMAN: Political terrorism with motivations that are not American. You're listening to the voice of Congressman Rodney Davis, Republican from the state of Illinois.

You know, Congressman Davis, an act of political terrorism -- we're now 12 days before a midterm election. This isn't what America's supposed to be. DAVIS: No, it's not. I continue to believe in the American people and I continue to believe that the majority of us stand back and we see instances like this. We see the fringe lunatics like this obvious lunatic who is creating this havoc and we need to stand together against them.

We're not Republicans and Democrats at times like this. We're all Americans.

And I hope and pray that our law enforcement -- our great people in law enforcement in this country find out who's doing this and put a stop to it immediately because there are so many innocent people that can and still be hurt by these devices that are going through our postal system out into our communities, and it's got to be stopped.

BERMAN: This is an ongoing situation with all kinds of breaking developments, as we noted.

And law enforcement has done just an amazing job. We're looking at live pictures, Congressman -- I don't know if you can see them right now -- of the police on the streets of Lower Manhattan near the office of Robert De Niro, who was sent a bomb overnight.

The targets this week are all people that President Trump has targeted with his words. They are also people who have been critical President Trump. It appears, again, that that is the political motivation this time that really, as you look at this, can't be denied.

DAVIS: Well, just as -- just as all of us on that baseball field were targeted for our political beliefs, yes, this lunatic is targeting individuals who are opposed to President Trump and opposed to other issues, and it's not right. He's got to be stopped.

We've got to make sure that the American people know that we agree on more than we disagree in this country and we've got to come together as Americans.

[07:45:03] This is something I said immediately in the aftermath of the shooting in June of 2017 when I came on your network with Brianna Keilar and talked about how we've got to tone down the rhetoric on all sides. We've got to come together as Americans.

We can have political differences but what makes America great is we get to settle those differences at the ballot box, not with explosive devices in the mailboxes and not with bullets on a baseball field.

BERMAN: President Trump, this morning, has put out two tweets -- two statements that both attack the media. One is criticizing "The New York Times" for a report that they did that he's calling on unsecured cell phones, and the other one is a broad statement suggesting that the media is responsible for the anger right now in America.

"A very big part of the anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the mainstream media that I refer to as fake news. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream media must clean up its act." So bad and hateful that it is beyond description, Congressman. Is that the language of healing?

DAVIS: Well, I certainly prefer the president's responses yesterday. I thought they were spot-on when he made a statement at the White House earlier in the day and I certainly hope he goes back to that tone.

But it's all -- it's not just up to the president. It's up to all of us --

BERMAN: Yes.

DAVIS: -- to come together and talk about how we can heal this nation because it's the divisiveness that we see all throughout Washington, all throughout this nation right now that leads those on the fringe to think that they can take actions like we saw in June of '17 on a baseball field that I ran from, and like we're seeing right now.

We've got to come together and instead of continuing to fight, let's continue to figure out a way to heal.

BERMAN: Yes, let's continue to figure out a way to heal.

One right note doesn't justify five wrong notes, Congressman. And I know you said you prefer the type of statement the president first made from the White House and part of his speech last night, but he's blaming the media. There have been eight bombs now sent to people and this morning he's suggesting the media is responsible for it.

Is that the language of healing?

DAVIS: No, it's not, and I continue to condemn language from any elected official and anyone in the media that doesn't want to work together to heal as Americans.

My heart goes out to all of you that are in the CNN building today and had to be evacuated yesterday. I know what it's like to have to go home and explain to your kids why somebody would want to hurt you.

And that's something that I think gets lost in this whole debate of this divisive rhetoric that we see in this country right now, which is why I hope all of us, including the president -- all political leaders of all parties and everyone in the media -- let's figure out a way to ensure that we talk about where we agree in this country most of the time, rather than just our instances where we disagree.

BERMAN: Congressman, I know you've been through this and seen it firsthand, which is why we're honored to have you on with us this morning to talk about it.

We continue to be glad that you're OK and that no one -- you know, no one died in that attack at that baseball field a year ago. And we're lucky this morning that no one has died in this attempted serial bombing that is ongoing.

Congressman Rodney Davis of Illinois, thank you very much for being with us.

We continue to follow the breaking news. An eighth bomb sent to the office now of Robert De Niro. There is FBI activity in the state of Delaware, as well, where we know Vice President Joe Biden lives.

We've got new details breaking by the minute. CNN's special live coverage continues right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:51:41] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CAMEROTA: All right, it is a very busy morning here because of a serial bomber on the loose.

You're looking at -- on the right side of your screen -- that is a containment vehicle that has traveled -- is traveling from Robert De Niro's office, in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, up to where investigators will try to piece it together and see what this bomb looks like and if it follows the same design as the other seven that we saw.

And now, we have new reporting that at this hour, there is FBI activity at a postal facility in Delaware. Why is that significant? Because that is the home state of former Vice President Joe Biden. And there fears that there was a bomb addressed to him and now, the idea that there is FBI activity and police activity at this postal facility.

Of course, we'll bring you all the developments as soon as we have it.

But, John, this is exactly what we've been talking about yesterday.

BERMAN: OK, this is it.

CAMEROTA: This is the one to --

BERMAN: This is Robert De Niro. This -- let's get our banner down so we can see where it's addressed right now. This is package number eight.

You can see the name right there -- Robert De Niro, Tribeca Productions, Greenwich Street, New York. You see part of the return address there -- Debbie Wasserman Schultz, in Florida -- the former chair of the DNC.

The same exact six Forever stamps, the same exact type of packaging with the other devices that we learned about over the last few days.

Shimon Prokupecz --

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Yes, it's exactly -- you know, I've been talking to officials.

This is exactly what the security staff -- what caused them to alert the NYPD this morning around 4:30. They got this package and they started looking through it. They could see the envelope, they could see the stamps. They saw the return address and immediately notified the NYPD.

This is exactly the same thing that we've been seeing the last couple of days. So now, all of this, obviously, has been taken by the NYPD to their lab in the Bronx where the bomb squad is.

Very concerning here, obviously, for officials in that there could be more here -- similar type. And really, there's so many clues here and indications that this is exactly the same person.

There are misspellings, the type of postage used -- the stamps used -- the type on the address, the labels that were used. So we're clearly here -- this is clear as day that we're dealing with exactly the same person.

CAMEROTA: And then there's this other development of activity at this postal facility in Delaware.

PROKUPECZ: Yes.

CAMEROTA: So, I mean, you have been cautioning, of course, even yesterday, that police were very worried that there -- that what we saw yesterday at CNN was not the end of it.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, ANCHOR, "NEWSROOM": That's right, and that's been proven true today -- those concerns proven true.

The Delaware facility -- why is this significant? Because we know that authorities were looking out for another -- an additional letter which I think would be nine -- would that be right -- after the De Niro one this morning -- addressed to Vice President Biden -- former Vice President Biden.

We don't know. They're not confirming that that's the letter they're looking for at this Delaware facility but, of course, that's where the former vice president lives. So that's something we're watching.

The other similarity I'll just mention with Shimon, the package nearly identical to all these targets, but also the category of targets, right? That these are all folks who have criticized the president -- who the president has singled out for criticism as well. That is something that is relevant to investigators because they're looking -- they look for a consistent M.O. from the person or persons who are behind this.

[07:55:02] The other thing I will note is that the building -- the De Niro building was evacuated this morning at Tribeca Enterprises, but we see now that a spokesman there has told CNN that they've been allowed back into the building and everyone is safe.

BERMAN: As we end our hour here, I want to bring back in David Gregory because we talk about the targets being people who have been critical of the president.

Well, the president was critical this morning of the media, once again.

DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes.

BERMAN: He used this moment to basically say the media is responsible for the anger.

You gave the president some praise for his statement last night but you said that praise should be tempered by the fact that he seems to be blaming everyone but himself for this. This morning, he seems to be all in on everyone else.

GREGORY: It's so unfortunate, and it's wrong, and it's demonstrably so.

The reality is that the president has a unique ability to tamp down what is only going to make our politics worse a couple of weeks out from the midterm election and he's decided to just keep on punching because he cannot shy away from a fight. That's not what a president does. A president goes big.

He can read the scripted lines and apparently, he wanted to last night, calling for unity and decrying any kind of political violence, but he can't live up to it.

And again, I'm happy to engage in a thoughtful discussion about where the media gets it wrong if he'll take accountability for how he behaves and how he talks.

BERMAN: All right. David Gregory, thank you very much.

Our reporters are standing by on the set with us. We're following all kinds of breaking developments. A new bomb found in New York, activity in Delaware.

Much more of CNN's special live coverage after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone.