Transcripts For KPIX CBS This Morning 20130903 : vimarsana.c

Be decisive, firm, why it matters to us as a nation to get syria right. The white house makes its case for military action. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee bringing in secretary of state john kerry and defense secretary chuck hagel. Bashar alassad said the middle east is a powder keg. The risk of regional war exist. Carried out joint missile test with the United States in the Eastern Mediterranean today. Just want to go over there to see my friend kim. Arrived in north korea for the second time this year. Took years but diana nyad was the first person to swim to florida from cuba without a shark cage. Rain rushed into two apartment buildings. All the water came out and it was like a river. The new eastern span of the San Francisco oakland bay bridge is open for business. A southwest flight makes an Emergency Landing after striking a bird during takeoff. People were in tears, people were scared, babies were crying. An agent. 727 pounds. An upset in the u. S. Open last night. Roger federer bounced by robredo. A brawl on the field but it wasnt the players that started it. It was the coaches. In newtown, connecticut, the annual labor day parade celebrated the towns resilience in the face of tragedy on cbs this morning. Never, ever give up. Never too old to chase your dreams. This is her fifth attempt to women to florida from cuba. So it goes to show you that old people really love florida. This mornings eyeopener is presented by toyota, leet lets places. Welcome to cbs this morning. Good morning, norah, good to be back. Good morning, charlie. Good to be back with you. Going to be good. We begin with the president. Hes making a personal pitch to members of congress today. Hes fighting to gain support for military strikes in syria. The president leaves later for the g20 summit in russia. Yesterday he gained tea support for two republican senators for his strategy in syria. Elizabeth palmer in damascus where warning a wider attack could mean a war. We begin with nancy cordes on capitol hill. Good morning. Reporter norah and charlie, the president is holding a meeting right now with key members of congress. This administration has been doing a fullcourt press with meetings and hearings and briefings for members. They dont want any lawmaker to say he or she didnt have enough information to vote yes. Republican senators john mccain and Lindsey Graham emerged from a meeting with president obama and said they would help sell his plan to a skeptical congress. We want to work to make that resolution something that a majority of the members of both houses can support. A rejection, a vote against that resolution by congress i think would be catastrophic. They said mr. Obama won them over with assurances that there was a larger strategy behind his decision to hit syrias regime with targeted missile strikes. There seems to be emerging from this administration a pretty solid plan to upgrade the opposition, to get the regional players more involved. The president will try to win more converts this morning when he meets with members of six key house committees. Many of those members are already on board. Its other members who need convincing like republican senator john cornyn from texas. When you fire a shot, that doesnt mean youll be the only one shooting. And we need to know what the consequences are going to be in that region particularly with countries like iran. So this is a very serious matter. Senators will get the chance to grill secretary of state john kerry about that today. Hes testifying at a series of hearings on capitol hill this week along with the secretary of defense and the director of national intelligence. But graham argues its the president who needs to make a more public case for military intervention. It is not a mystery to me that most members of congress are reluctant to engage when it comes to syria because they dont know whats going to happen. They dont have any idea how this military strike and focus in nature will change things. What are they going to tell people back home. We shot some missiles and then what . The president s ability to make that case oneonone to members will decrease when he heads overseas later today. He wont be back until friday night. Secretary kerry will pick up the baton. Hes testifying about of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at 11 30 pacific. Thats the committee that he chaired until just a few months ago when he stepped down to run the state department. Norah and charlie. Well be talking to senator menendez shortly. Nancy, thank you. This morning israel said it carried out a joint missile test in the mediterranean sea. U. S. Navy said ships did not fire any missiles but the pentagon has moved several ships near syria. In case a strike is ordered Nuclear Power Aircraft Carrier uss nimitz, a cruiser and three destroys are now in the red sea. There are five destroys and one amphibious ship stationed in the mediterranean. Senator assad says it could trigger a regional war. Elizabeth palmer is the only American Network correspondent in the capital city of damascus. Reporter president Bashar Alassad has given his first major interview since president obama decided to seek congressional approval for a strike against syria. In it he said the world has failed to produce the slightest proof that his troops used chemical weapons. And as members of his government have done before, he pointed out that it was illogical that syrian soldiers would have fired weapons into an area where they themselves are operating on the very day that the u. N. Inspectors were just a couple of miles away. President assad also described the middle east as a powder keg and said it would explode in the event of u. S. Strikes. The violence and instability here have already created more than 6 million refugees in the last two years of this civil war. According to new numbers from the United Nations commission on refugees, there are 2 million that crossed the border into camps in neighboring countries, mainly turkey and jordan and then there are 4. 25 million more who are displaced inside the country. Whole neighborhoods, for example, here in damascus have been emptied. For cbs this morning im Elizabeth Palmer in damascus. One of the senators briefed by president obama republican john mccain. Mccain says hes somewhat optimistic about the president s strategy to retaliate against syria. But this morning he told us he still wants the president to make his case clearly. I need to see the concrete measures that are doing to be taken. If we dont take those concrete measures and if the resolution doesnt allow it, then obviously i cant support it. Its almost as bad as not passing a resolution as passing a resolution that doesnt allow us to take action that reverses the situation on the battlefield so that Bashar Alassad will sooner or later leave. The only way he can leave is if he thinks hes losing. Robert menendez chairs a Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He joins us on capitol hill. Senator, good morning. Good morning. Senator, what do you think the Senate Foreign Relations Committee needs to hear today to move this debate on syria . I believe when we hear from secretary kerry, secretary hagel of defense and chairman of joint chiefs of staff that what were hear hopefully number one the full case for the use of force and what that campaign will look like in broad terms, especially as it relates to the end result. And it goes to streams of information come before the committee. I think the committee will act to ultimately pursue the use of force in a resolution and work its way to the floor of the senate. Senator, you brought up that phrase, the end result. Just what is the end result in syria . Are these strikes, as senator john mccain said, about degrading bashar assad or about driving him from power . I think at the end of the day if you ultimately look at targets that undermine assads ability to deliver chemical weapons against civilian populations, if you look at the artillery, if you look at air power in that respect, you not only degrade and deter his ability and hopefully ultimately move in a way in which chemical weapons cannot be delivered against innocent civilians but at the same time youre undermining his capacity to be able to wage a continuing war against those elements that want to achieve their own liberty. Senator, have you been assured by the military and the president of the United States that we have the capability to do that . Because my understanding is that the syrian air defenses are quite good, and we have the ability to take out some of those areas that would prevent assad from using chemical weapons in the future. Are you sure . Well, thats the essence of what the hearings are all about today. In addition to that, the committee will hold an intelligence hearing tomorrow, which will be a closed session, in addition to the other Intelligence Briefings being offered all members. So at the end of the day, i would expect that those are the cases the administration will make so that, in fact, senators will be convinced that not only must the consequence of using chemical weapons against innocent civilians, including hundreds of children, but that the ability to wage such a campaign would be effective at the end of the day. Senator charlie rose, what do you think the response might be from syria, from iran, hezbollah if an attack takes place . Well, i believe that to some degree there is clearly bluster certainly by the syrians. The iranians and hezbollah, hezbollahs patron in iran ultimately could possibly strike against neighbors in the region, including our ally, the state of israel. But i also think that not acting has huge consequences to the United States. It sends a message to those very same countries, the ayatollah in iran, crosses a line, sends a message to north korea about our determination to stop them from making the Korean Peninsula a nuclear peninsula. It sends a message to terrorist groups that seek access to chemical weapons because the world will largely stand by when you use them. I think those are ultimately National Security questions that we cannot have come to fruition as a result of an action. Senator, thank you very much. Senator bob menendez. Microsoft making a big move in the market, it will sell most of its business to microsoft for 7. 2 billion in cash. It will license patents and Mapping Services to microsoft as part of the agreement. The deal is expected to close early next year. And theres another major deal this morning involving wireless. Verizon is buying back all of its cellular business from vodafone in a 130 billion deal. With us now blumberg columnist. Good morning. Good morning. Lets start with verizon, huge deal. What does that mean . This is big news, really big news, big deal, 130 billion. This is a deal people on wall street have been working on more than a decade. The reeal gordian knot. Verizon wanted the business, wireless key to the future now they have done it, they have unlocked it. What does it mean to the consumer . Not very much. Verizon wireless still exists, just a question who owns it. Instead of vodafone owning part, verizon owns all of it. Nokia, whats that about . I think thats about catchup, charlie, as you know better than anyone. Google has been eating microsofts lunch with android phones and the deal they did with motorola three or four years ago now. The question is microsoft just now waking up to the power of the small mobile platform, that seems to be the question they are trying to answer. But they have a ceo search under way. Maybe this makes microsoft more interesting for a new ceo to run. The big news really is this vodafone. Biggest merger in history. 60 billion cash portion, the largest cash amount ever provided to shareholders of another company and that requires huge financing, which is huge for wall street, as you know. You have written a lot about the lack of prosecution on wall street. Should we be worried . Of course we should. Were coming up on not only the fifth Year Anniversary of the crash of september of 2008 but the five year statute of limitations. This is a major problem. Virtually no one has been prosecuted for what happened five years ago. When you look back at the crisis, s and l crisis in the 80s, 6,000 executives went to jail, prosecuted. This is zero now and its a big problem. It doesnt seem to be solved. People are getting away with crimes essentially. Thank you for being at the table. She has dreamed of doing it for three and a half decades. Finally on her fifth attempt 64yearold dirn, a nyad completed the swim from cuba to florida keys. Elaine quijano in key west, florida. Good morning. Good morning charlie and norah and viewers out west. Diana nyad was just 28 years old when she first tried crossing the florida strait. The first time she was knocked off course by very powerful winds. This time the weather, the currents and the wildlife all cooperated allowing her to reach her goal. Hundreds of people lined the beach in key west to greet diana nyad as she emerged from her nearly 53hour swim. Her team helped push back the surging crowd so nyad, as required by official record keepers, could take the final steps of her journey unassisted walking into history books as the first person unassisted from cuba to florida without a shark cage. Then her crowd and crew enveloped her. Youre never too old to chase your dream. Afterwards the 64yearold athlete was placed on a stretcher and briefly accepted congratulations from spectators before an ambulance took her to a nearby hospital. She was released a few hours later. I think my strength is okay. My balance, equilibrium is off. Im having a little trouble walking. Nyad avoided painful stings from jellyfish which ended her last attempts. She made a custom made mask for protection but it hurt and she did without it the second night. Instead she used a special sting stopper cream developed by scientists on her team. Hardly any jellyfish spotted. It was a dream that began in 1978 when she made the first of four unsuccessful attempts. This year her accomplishments drew the attention of the white house which tweeted on behalf of the president , congratulations to diana nyad, never give up on your dreams. From hillary clinton, flying to 112 countries is a lot until you consider swimming between two. Feels like i swim with sharks, but you actually did it. Congrats im so satisfied that we stuck with it. You can dream. You can be vital, and you can be in your prime even. I may not look it right now, but you catch me on a good day, im in my prime. We had a chance to talk to diana nyad this morning, and you can tell her mouth is still a little bit swollen. Thats because she was wearing that silicone mask. There are lesions that are a little painful. They are going away, she told us. Her body is not sore remarkably and she told us she slept great last night. Charlie and norah. Elaine caquijano. I lover she said you are never too old to chase your dreams. Why are you looking at me . About chasing your dream. I think youre living your dream right here with me. I am indeed, baby. We go to tennis 17 grand slam champ Roger Federer out of the u. S. Open after being eliminated in the fourth round. He lost to 19th seed Tommy Robredo 76, 63, 64. Its federers earliest exit from the open since 2002. He has won his 10 previous matches against robredo. It was delayed by four and a half hours because of rain. This is the first season since 2002 that federer did not reach at least one final in any of the four grand slam tournaments. Time now to show you some of this mornings headlines from around the globe. The Washington Post looks at intense american intelligence focused on pakistan. Details come from nsa leaker edward snowden. He supplied documents showing the United States had increased its surveillance of Pakistans Nuclear arms. They also reveal american worries over biological and chemical weapons sites. The Obama Administration wants to provide life line for home buyers designed for borrowers who lost their first home in the recession but repaired their credit. After waiting a year they would be able to have a loan. Timewarner cable and cbs, ends a month long feud. The networks are now back on the air. To those of you in new york, los angeles, dallas and several other cities, we missed you and welcome back. Thats right. Newtown bee said the annual parade drew hundreds of people. This years theme we are newtown marching strong, nine months after the sandy hook shooting. Newtown Police Department and fog around the by area. Looks like low pressure sliding in. Thats going to kick the sub tropical moisture east ward. 80 degrees inland, 60s along the coast. Its getting hot this weekend. Announcer this National Weather report sponsored by toyota, lets go places. Carnival cruise lines back from disaster and controversy. Its been rough sailing for the largest cruise liner in the world. First the Costa Concordia tragedy and then the stranding of the triumph. Were sitting down with carnivals new ceo to find out what theyre doing to get you back on board. Plus, 24 years, billions of dollars, one of americas largest bridges reopens. How is it designed to survive the next earthquake. And move over dick tracy, well look at whether the conduct technology is worth wearing. The news is back here on cbs this morning. Stay tuned for your local news. [ male announcer ] these heads belong to those who cant put life on hold because of a migraine. So they trust excedrin migraine to relieve pain fast. Plus sensitivity to light, sound, even nausea. And its 1 neurologist recommended. Migraines are where excedrin excels. Its back to school time. And excedrin wants to make sure your Childs School is equipped t