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Arraignment Soon of Michigan Uber Shooter; Money Game, Delegate Count in GOP Race; Clinton, Sanders Go After African-American Voters; U.S./Russia Sign Off on Syrian Ceasefire Plan; Apple CEO Fights FBI in iPhone Security Case. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired February 22, 2016 - 13:30   ET

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


[13:30:00] RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He did pass the Uber background check, had no criminal history, lawfully had that gun. He was the father of two. So a lot of people in this community are surprised by the fact that this happened. You're talking about a man who went on a shooting rampage that started around 6:00, according to police, where he shot a woman in front of several kids, her own kids. That woman survived.

He moved on, several hours later, to another location, where a father and son were at a car dealership, shot and killed both of them. A girlfriend to that son dove into the car to hide from that shooting. Then 15 minutes later, he left and went to a Cracker Barrel restaurant, shot four women in their cars, killing all of them, and a 14-year-old girl, who they first thought was dead and survived. She's in critical condition. All of this happening with man who had never had a criminal history and, according to people in this town, law enforcement officials, they hadn't encountered him before.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: So are they getting any closer at all, Ryan, to figuring out a motive?

YOUNG: You know, that's the question that we all try to nail down on, Wolf, as soon as we had that news conference on Sunday, we were asking that question about motive. We know he had contact with somebody inside the car, during one of those Uber rides, and whether or not what happened there. We were also at the house yesterday, when they pulled the nine to 10 boxes of evidence, large boxes, out of his house. But right now, police are keeping that motive and what happened next very close to the vest. They told us over and over again they were worried about the prosecution involved in this case, and they could not share that information with us.

So, Wolf, we're still trying to figure out exactly what could have set this man off. At the same time, he had people inside his car for several hours between each of these shootings, according to the police officers.

BLITZER: An awful situation.

All right, Ryan Young in Kalamazoo. Let us know what happens at the arraignment once it takes place.

Up next, we'll get back to the presidential campaign here in the United States and the money game. We'll take a closer look at who has more, how it could affect the race. Lots more, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:36:09] BLITZER: Welcome back. Let's check the scorecard now in the Republican race for the presidential nomination. The Texas Senator Ted Cruz won the first contest in Iowa. Donald Trump followed up that with wins in New Hampshire and then in South Carolina. Trump holds a big lead in the delegate count right now. He has 67. Cruz has 11. Rubio has 10. There are 30 at stake tomorrow in Nevada. But the big prizes come March 1st, that so-called Super Tuesday. More than 600 delegates could be won on that day.

Let's discuss all of this and more. Joining us, Angela Rye, political strategist, former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus. Also joining us, Doug Heye, Republican strategist, former communications director for the Republican National Committee.

The money talk right now is significant, but the delegate count is important, especially looking to Super Tuesday.

DOUG HEYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: One of the real significant things for Donald Trump wasn't just winning big in the vote total in South Carolina, but getting all of the South Carolina delegates.

BLITZER: All 50.

HEYE: All 50. And by the time we get through Super Tuesday, a third of Republican delegates will have been decided. That's significant for Trump, and it shows that he's not only in a good position to be the nominee, but he's doing what he needs to not just win vote totals and garner news coverage, which he does really well at, but the delegate who is determine the ultimate winner.

BLITZER: Cruz did win in Iowa, but didn't do so great, didn't win in New Hampshire and South Carolina. He's got to get some wins now, especially right now, all the indications are the Nevada caucuses tomorrow night, they look like Trump has a big lead over there.

ANGELA RYE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that part of Cruz's problem is that he's pitched himself as this antiestablishment candidate, which would pit him directly into competition, of course, Donald Trump. He needs to get closer to where Marco Rubio is, I think, at all, to indicate that he could be the potential establishment candidate right now. The Republican Party is trying to harness their collective power to beat off Donald Trump, to say we need someone who represents the establishment, and Ted Cruz is not that guy.

BLITZER: The Republican establishment may not like Donald Trump, but they don't like Ted Cruz either.

RYE: No they don't.

HEYE: And he's been banking on that. But the challenge for Cruz, he's campaigned heavily not only to win his home state of Texas, but to do really well in the south. What we saw in South Carolina was not only did he underperform with evangelicals, but with non-evangelicals, he got 15 percent of the vote. We've asked a lot if Donald Trump has a ceiling, we need to ask if Ted Cruz has a ceiling as well.

BLITZER: Where does the Jeb Bush money support go as far as Cruz and Rubio, Trump, John Kasich, Ben Carson?

HEYE: Most will probably go to Marco Rubio. The Rubio campaign was reaching out to Bush supporters before Bush pulled out. But some will go to Kasich. Stanley Miller (ph), one of the sharpest investors in the country, only invests smartly. He's gotten behind John Kasich. That's good news for John Kasich, who really runs the risk of being left out of the conversation.

RYE: And folks have also asked questions about whether Ted Cruz could get the Texas money. I think that's also a challenge. W. hasn't given him a very ringing endorsement, unfortunately.

HEYE: And a lot of money is in Texas and Florida. Good for Rubio in Florida and could be good for Rubio if they react against Cruz in Texas.

BLITZER: And Hillary Clinton obviously needed the win the other day in South Carolina (sic). She got about 75 percent of the African- American vote. I'm talking about, in Nevada, excuse me. She got about 75 percent of the African-American vote. As important as that African-American vote is in Nevada, it's even more important in South Carolina, which comes up Saturday.

RYE: It's hugely important. I think that's why we saw Hillary Clinton, of course, put out a new ad with the voice of god, Morgan Freeman, of course, talking about her experience with supporting juvenile justice reform and working for Marianne Wright Edelman and all of the things she touts when she's talking to black voters. I think what's most significant about the electorate. They make up more than 50 percent of democratic primary voters. That is a huge source of power and a reason why both she and Bernie Sanders need to be talking to black voters.

HEYE: Hillary Clinton certainly campaigned throughout all these states eight years ago. Now that she's Obama's top outlier, she'll do well in those African-American heavy southern states, which is what Super Tuesday is all about. She's not only in a good position having won in Nevada, she's really going to where she should have her real strengths.

[13:40:14] BLITZER: She's got a lot of money. Both have a significantly amount of money. They've spent about $170 million so far, with just peanuts, obviously. Hillary Clinton, apparently, has twice as much money on hand right now than Bernie Sanders. But he raises a lot of money. He's very impressive.

Hillary sat down with our own Jake Tapper yesterday to talk about her campaign, questions voters have about her. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I think there's an underlying question that may be is really in the back of people's minds, and that is, you know, is she in it for us or for herself? I think that's a question that people are trying to sort through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: She's, obviously, trying to hone her skills right now, going into all these contests right now, South Carolina, then Super Tuesday.

RYE: Sure, and I think it was strategic and smart they had behind us while she's raising that question, fighting for us. So there's no real subliminal message there. I think she's clear on where she hopes voters will find her. I think the other thing Hillary Clinton needs to continue to do is cut into Bernie Sanders' clear favor with young voters. We continue to see that being a problem in the exit polling from Nevada, even though that she benefited from the fact that there was lower turnout. Of course, there was 40,000 people less than what we saw in 2000.

BLITZER: You'll agree, she's the front-runner on the Democratic side right now?

HEYE: She's absolutely the front-runner.

And to your point about young voters, as we get into March, a lot of young voters won't be on those college campuses. They'll be in Cancun or Ft. Lauderdale, or, you know, any place on spring break, which means it will be tougher to marshal those young voters to vote if they're not on campus.

BLITZER: But Bernie Sanders says, you know what, polls are one thing, let the people vote and see what they decide to do. So we'll do exactly that. We'll see what the voters want.

Guys, thanks very much.

RYE: Thanks.

HEYE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Still ahead, it could be the first step in stopping the violence in Syria. That's the hope. We have details of a new agreement just announced that could take effect as early as this week.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:46:05] BLITZER: All right. This just coming in. We have learned that President Obama has called the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on an effort to stop some of the fighting inside Syria. The U.S. and Russia just announced the plan for a cessation of hostilities between some, but key words, "not necessarily all" of the various groups inside Syria. It would take effect midnight Friday.

Secretary of State John Kerry sent out this statement, and I'm quoting him now, "I am gratified to see the final arrangements concluded today for a cessation of hostilities in Syria and call on all parties to accept and fully comply with its terms. If implemented and adhered to, this cessation will not only lead to a decline in violence, but also to continue to expand delivery of urgently needed humanitarian supplies to besieged areas." That statement from Secretary of State John Kerry.

All this comes on the heels of two attacks in Syria over the weekend, that killed 198 people and injured hundreds more.

Our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, is joining us. He's monitoring the situation from nearby Beirut.

Give us more details of this agreement. I take it, Nick, ISIS and some other terror groups are not part of the cessation of hostilities.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. They are off the agreement and specified as excluded from it.

Now, it lays out a detailed sort of timetable, if you like. And I should caution you, you know, we've heard these plans before and groups have stood up and very demonstrably said they want nothing to do with it. But what we should see, by noon, Friday, Damascus time, is groups who are supposed to be part of this, so Russia, the regime, those militia assisting them, and the Syrian opposition groups, they should have declared by noon on Friday, Damascus time, that they'll take part in this cease-fire. 12 hours later, then midnight between Friday and Saturday, the cease-fire should begin. All guns should fall silent. Everybody is supposed to adhere to that basic principle. Then after that, the U.S., Russia, and the U.N.'s secretary-general representative will assist in clarifying misunderstandings, perhaps even exchanging information about positions. That's been something in the past that Russia's requested, but not been given to them.

The biggest issue here, that's mistrust, and that's how this all potentially could fall apart. Because while ISIS and Nusra, the face of al Qaeda in Syria, are not supposed to be part of this deal, Russia has in the passed been accused of attacking Syrian opposition groups who are more moderate, but claiming, instead, they're attacking ISIS. It's all about who's really affiliated with who. And this is where it gets extraordinarily messy. Could, for example, Russia claim that some of the moderate groups who fought alongside the Nusra Front in some of the coalitions successful against the Syrian government? Could they claim then legitimate targets? That's where it gets potentially very messy.

But it's been the choreography that's been so fascinating, Wolf. We've seen Sergei Lavrov and John Kerry, lengthy discussions, pacing this. But they'll refer how they need Vladimir Putin to talk to Barack Obama for it to come into effect. That phone call has happened. The Kremlin talking about it, but also Josh Earnest saying the call was made after the Kremlin requested it. Quote, "This is a moment of opportunity and it is the result of tenacious diplomacy." Yet, there is potentially opportunity in the air, just simply to get the violence to lull for a moment, but many critics say, look, there's a problem with this diplomacy, when it continually fails, you begin to undermine the mere notion of the negotiation having any point.

And many will look at this midnight between Friday and Saturday as a time when if the guns don't fall silent, it may mark a moment where many sides think that talking is less fruitful than ever -- Wolf?

[13:49:45] BLITZER: Let's hope for the best. During the civil war, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, millions forced to flee the country. Millions more are homeless and displaced inside Syria. Let's hope for the best.

Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us. Thank you, Nick.

Up next, we'll tell you why the FBI director in the United States is asking everyone to take a deep breath over the agency's fight with Apple.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Apple CEO Tim Cook emailed his staff today, writing about his refusal to comply with the U.S. government's demand to unlock the iPhone of the San Bernardino shooter, Syed Farook. He said, quote, "At stake is the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding people and setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone's civil liberties."

To discuss this, let's bring in "CNN Money's" editor-at-large, the anchor of "Quest Means Business," Richard Quest.

Richard, you've written a very important op-ed on the "CNN Money" website. You talk about some of the harsher truths of this case.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR-AT-LARGE, CNN MONEY: The issue is extremely simple. The answer is very complicated. Wolf, doesn't matter which -- who says what. It always comes down to the same question. Who do you trust more, Apple with your data, or the FBI and the law enforcement looking after our physical safety?

Here's what it really boils down to. If we as a society decide to deny law enforcement access to these phones, which is our prerogative to so do, then there will be a price to be paid, a terrorist attack that may not be foiled, a crime that may not be solved, a future crime that may not be put off. And what are we as a society prepared to pay? That really is what this is all about, no matter what the FBI says today or Tim Cook or Mark Zuckerberg or Google. We know their positions. We have to decide who are we happiest following and what we're prepared to pay and the cost if we decide to deny them access to the information -- Wolf?

[13:55:57] BLITZER: Richard, the FBI director, James Comey, made his own argument Sunday in an important blog, and he wrote this. He said, "The San Bernardino litigation isn't about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice. 14 people were slaughtered. Many more had their lives and bodies ruined. We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That's what this is."

What about that argument he makes?

QUEST: It's a strong argument. But it's a sophisticated one that doesn't allow for the fact it is that Apple would say, fine, so we give the U.S. government, with all the judicial safeguards, we give them access to this one phone. What happens when the British government asks? And then the German government? Well, we're still in the realms of democracy. That's all well and good. Now we get to Turkey. Turkey wants to defeat the auto wipe and then it's Russia and then maybe Cambodia and maybe the Chinese finally say to Apple, we wish you to defeat the auto wipe of this phone, and by the way, here's a court order from the Beijing court instructing you to do so. I can see the argument. As I said, right at the beginning, Wolf, it's a very simple debate between two sides with complicated issues. But what are we prepared to say yes and no to with law enforcement. Because I promise you this, Wolf, if we deny law enforcement of any country this information, then there will be a price and we have to be comfortable paying it.

BLITZER: So basically, what you're saying is there's a precedent here that potentially could be very dangerous. Is that what you're suggesting?

QUEST: That is exactly what I'm suggesting. But that precedent is on both sides. The precedent on the side of Apple to deny, the precedent on the FBI to deny. In the case of Apple, you're opening up digital privacy. In the case of the FBI, you're opening up the potential against physical safety. And the Manhattan D.A. said to me in an interview, he said law enforcement has the job of protecting people, not Apple and Google. So, yes, Wolf, there is a precedent on both sides, and we need to decide which we're more comfortable with.

BLITZER: It's a huge, huge issue right now that is being debated across the country, as you point out, indeed, around the world right now. We'll continue to watch the story for our viewers.

Richard Quest, thank you very much as usual.

Now to a very different story that we've been following, a wonderful story. A life-long dream has come true for 106-year-old woman. Virginia McLauren started a social media campaign to meet with the Obamas, saying it would be an honor to get to visit with the country's first African-American president and first lady. When that meeting finally took place, McLauren was so excited, she literally danced with joy. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIRGINIA MCLAUREN, 106-YEAR-OLD WOMAN MEETS THE OBAMAS: Hi!

(LAUGHTER)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: How are you?

MCLAUREN: I'm fine.

OBAMA: It's so nice to see you. So what's the secret -- I know dancing.

MCLAUREN: Just keep moving.

I thought I would never live to get in the White House.

OBAMA: You are here.

MCLAUREN: And I tell you, I am so happy.

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: We are happy to have you.

MCLAUREN: Our black president.

(SHOUTING)

MICHELLE OBAMA: Look at him, right there.

MCLAUREN: A black wife.

MICHELLE OBAMA: That's me.

MCLAUREN: Yeah.

(LAUGHTER)

And I'm here to celebrate black history.

OBAMA: Exactly right.

MCLAUREN: That's what I'm here for.

OBAMA: We're glad to have you here.

(LAUGHTER)

MICHELLE OBAMA: You have just made my day, do you know that? That energy, man.

MCLAUREN: You made my day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: I love Virginia McLauren. She's there to celebrate Black History Month. 106 years old. A wonderful, wonderful woman.

That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll back, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

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