Skip to main content

tv   CNN Saturday Morning  CNN  September 7, 2013 7:00am-8:01am PDT

7:00 am
>> coming up next on cnn "newsroom," before edward snowden and bradley manning were even born, there was another nsa contractor who became infamous during the cold war for selling secrets to the russians. his name is christopher boyce. cnn sat down with him for his first on camera interview in 28 years. cnn "newsroom" starts right now. i knew this was going to be a heavy lift. >> and after the g-20 summit it may have gotten heavier as a congressional vote looms on whether to strike syria, the white house goes into full-court press to win support at home and abroad. >> i can't erase what i have done, but you can still be saved. your victims can still be saved. >> a jaw dropping confession to
7:01 am
a crime he may have gotten away with. why this man admits he killed someone and used the internet to tell the world. >> i was looking for windmills, and in the process destroyed 25 years of my life. >> he went to prison for 25 years for selling secrets to the soviets. now, he's sharing some of his own exclusively with cnn. my interview with convicted spy christopher boyce in his first on camera interview in 28 years. good week, maybe two
7:02 am
at best to wrangle the votes he needs. he's going to talk to the nation about syria on tuesday evening. >> brian todd joins us live. brian, convincing congress is going to be very difficult. he has an uphill battle to say the least. >> reporter: it is a huge job, and one he may not get done at this point, quite frankly. in the senate the numbers evear deceiving. 25 senators have indicated they will vote in favor of authorizing force, 19 say they will vote no, but you have 56 undecided senators. that's very much in the balance. in the house no sugar coating these numbers. 24 members have said they'll sk.
7:03 am
>> i don't know that we can say that by attacking them he's not going to launch another chemical attack. >> reporter: by wednesday, the
7:04 am
first test vote in a senate panel. ten senators support a strike on syria, seven oppose it. in the house the president's team >> reporter: on friday after the summit, the if congress
7:05 am
voted no. >> i think the week started off very well for the president with support from the congressional leadership, the house leadership in both parties, john mccain, lindsey graham, but as it's gone on, it's really underscored the challenge he faces. >> reporter: the president and his security team will continue pressing this with congress this weekend, then the president makes an address to the nation on tuesday evening. now, coming out of the g-20 summit, we can report one of america's critical allies now coming out on america's side in favor of some kind of response, germany saying now it is signing onto the global statement issued at the g-20 calling for an international response to syria's use of chemical weapons. germany joins 11 other nations, including the u.s., which signed that particular statement. it's important to note, however, that statement does not specifically support military strikes. suzanne and victor? >> brian todd in washington. thank you. in his weekly address, the
7:06 am
president made it clear to him this is not just about syria. it's about keeping america safe in the future. >> we cannot turn a blind eye to images like the ones we've seen out of syria. failing to respond to this outrageous attack would increase the risk that chemical weapons could be used again. that they would fall into the hands of terrorists who might use them against us. and it would send a horrible signal to other nations that there would be no consequences for their use of these weapons. all of which would pose a serious threat to our national security. >> people across the country are calling for an end to the president's plan. it's proving to be a tough sell for many americans with nearly 6 out of 10 people opposed. sosa fluoresce is in new york with a march is expected later today. emily smith is in washington where you will see more protests. rosa, let's start with you. give us a sense of what people are telling you.
7:07 am
>> syrian americans tell me they are in a tough pickle, they're in a tough situation because they have family members both here in the united states and in syria. >> reporter: the unrest in syria is thousands of miles away, but the fear of war is felt right here in the u.s. by syrian-americans like this man who skypes with his family in syria every day. >> she's a fashion at a hospital in damascus. >> reporter: and says american military action in syria is personal. >> i feel that every second of my day. when i sleep, i'm closing my eyes and saying tomorrow how many am i going to lose? it's not politics. it's human being and human lives on the line. >> reporter: that's why he and thousands of other americans are demonstrating across the country. they skype to organize. >> a lot of effort is being put into it. >> thank you. anything for syria.
7:08 am
>> reporter: dr. mussa is on the board of the syrian-american forum, a group 2,000 strong. when president obama started talking involvement in syria, they started speaking against it. >> we're not there to cause any trouble. we're just going to say firmly and peacefully what's our position and where are we going. >> reporter: their biggest national event is a march on washington. they're busing thousands of syrian-american families from states as far as florida and michigan. >> 7:30, 8:00 at night. i'm guessing it's like that. i know by car it's like seven to eight-hour drive. >> reporter: other groups are joining in, too, like the international action center. they're making signs to gear up. >> when i hold up a sign, the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today is my government, hands off syria, i think i will be reflecting the popular will of this country. >> reporter: they say thousands of groups from around the country are uniting with one common message.
7:09 am
hands off syria. and their biggest event yet is coming. it's a national event and it's a march on washington scheduled for monday. suzanne, victor? >> all right. thank you. >> cnn's emily schmidt joins us from lafayette park right next to the white house. are the protesters there -- typically we see protesters in front of the white house. that's not unusual, but are the protesters specifically on the issue of syria, are they gathering yet? >> reporter: suzanne and victor, good morning to you. they have not gathered yet. but think about where we are. as you said, this is a stretch of right between lafayette park on one side of the white house and then the white house over on the other side of me. this is an area where tourists come to see the white house, but it is also an area where protesters come to be seen by the white house and that's what we're going to have
7:10 am
summit so there is a chance he could look out and know that they are here. but they're not going to end here. somewhat symbolically they will be marching about a mile or so up to capitol hill. that's important because you think of where this legislation is going. the president's proposal not starting and ending here. instead, he said i want congress to take a look at it. so clearly folks who are protesting who have strong opinions about this believe they also need to be heard on capitol hill. and as we see this situation continue, they're getting more time to organize. we saw this same group here in front of the white house last saturday, and now they are back today. as rosa said, there's another protest that is scheduled for monday. so clearly they are hoping to add their voices to this conversation that is getting more complex by the day. victor and suzanne. >> cnn's emily schmidt in
7:11 am
washington. thank you. in front of the white house there. the cameras are there as well. you can always hear the protesters when they come out. it's not unlikely the president and first family would hear them as well. a scary moment at a high school football game at a high school in ohio. just take a look at this. whoa. students cheering on their team, the bleachers collapsing there. dozens of young fans were slammed to the ground. five students were hurt but thankfully none of those injuries were serious. you can imagine a scary moment there. so it is saturday morning. everybody is looking forward to a sunny sky this weekend, but not everybody is going to enjoy one. in oregon showers and thunderstorms brought down trees, power lines near portland. look at this. in idaho nasty rains caused flooding, mud slides, huge mess there. so what can you expect for the rest of the weekend where you
7:12 am
are? there's all that rain that victor was talking about. by sunday, by tomorrow it moves
7:13 am
eastward, and with showers and thunderstorms in toward the intermountain west, but again the heat is the huge story. here is what happens. you can see this maroon color showing you where the heat is. there's denver. we're going to see 94 today, 93 tomorrow. 95 is the record today so certainly we like that warm wea. thank you very much. still ahead in the "newsroom," a man confesses to drinking, driving, and killing a man. now he says that he is ready to go to jail. plus, 12 years as a slave. brad pitt's latest movie has critics raving. we'll talk to the star about his emotional new film pb man: 'oh i can't go tonight' woman: 'i can't.' hero : that's what expedia asked me. host: book the flight but you have to go right now. hero: (laughs) and i just go? this is for real right? this is for real? .
7:14 am
be today. anncr: we're giving away a trip every day. download the expedia app and your next trip could be on us. expedia, find yours.
7:15 am
7:16 am
i killed a man. that is the stunning confession posted online this week by a 22-year-old man who says he wants to come clean about what he's done and face the consequences that come with his crime. jason carroll has got this amazing story. >> i killed a man. >> reporter: it begins with a
7:17 am
man concealed speaking sobering words. >> tii was trying to have a goo time and i lost control. >> reporter: then his face and a chilling confession are revealed. >> i'm matthew cordal and on june 22nd, 2013, i hit and killed vincent. i will plead guilty and take full responsibility for everything i have done to vincent and his family. >> the video came as a shock to vincent's family. >> it brings up a lot of emotion as far as, you know, vince is gone. he'll never be back, and this video is just kind of a reminder that, you know, this man is going to have to live with that kor the re for the rest of his life. >> if i took a different route maybe i would get a reduced sentence and maybe i would get off, but i won't dishonor vincent's memory by lying about what happened. >> it is a compelling piece of
7:18 am
evidence as well as i think a compelling statement by the offender. >> reporter: franklin county prosecutor ron o'brien viewed the video several times. o bra'brien says despite that apparently conscientious confession, his office will consult with the victim's family and recommend a lengthy sentence. >> obviously would it be a prison sentence and i presumed based on the facts apart from the video we would probably be on the high end. >> reporter: and what does the victim's family say about what sort of punishment is due? >> it's a tough question because he made a decision that took a man's life. i honestly can't answer that. i don't know how to feel. >> i'll give the prosecution everything they need to put me away for a very long time. >> reporter: the person who cordal first contacted about wanting to publicly confess was alex sheen. sheen runs a website called "because i said i would."
7:19 am
a site where people make public commitments. >> i believe he should be treated fairly like everybody would in the legal system. i can say he feels guilty. i know this much. the intent of this video is never to get him a lighter sentence. >> reporter: ultimately sheen says cordal's goal is to help stop others from drinking and driving. >> your victims can still be saved, so, please. >> reporter: the prosecution plans to charge cordle with aggravated vehicular homicide as well as driving under the influence which carries a maximum sentence of up to 8 1/2 years in prison. now that the prosecution has this confession in hand, they could present their case to the grand jury as early as next week. >> jason carroll, thank you. cordle's lawyer said he was not aware that that video had been released, but he called it a testament to the integrity and character of his client. still to come on "newsroom,"
7:20 am
it's one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. the yankees and the red sox. highlights from the big game after the break. of getting something "new." and now, there's a plan that lets you experience that "new" phone thrill again and again. and again. can you close your new phone box? we're picking up some feedback. introducing verizon edge. the plan that lets you upgrade to a new verizon 4glte phone testament to the integrity and when you want to. having what you want on the network you rely on. that's powerful. verizon. upgrade to the new droid ultra by motorola with zero down payment. over 20 million drivers are insured with geico. so get a free rate quote today. i love it! how much do you love it? animation is hot...and i think it makes geico's 20 million drivers message very compelling, very compelling. this is some really strong stuff!
7:21 am
so you turned me into a cartoon...lovely. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. nascar is about excitement. but tracking all the action and hearing everything from our marketing partners, the media and millions of fans on social media can be a challenge. that's why we partnered with hp to build the new nascar fan and media engagement center. hp's technology helps us turn millions of tweets, posts and stories into real-time business insights that help nascar win with our fans. female narrator: sleep train challenged its manufacturers sleep train challenged its manufacturers to offer even lower prices. but the mattress price wars ends sunday.
7:22 am
now it's posturepedic versus beautyrest with big savings of up to $400 off. serta icomfort and tempur-pedic go head-to-head with three years' interest-free financing, plus free same-day delivery, setup, and removal of your old set. when brands compete, you save. mattress price wars ends sunday at sleep train. ♪ your ticket to a better night's sleep ♪
7:23 am
if you like rivalries this, weekend has plenty of good ones, especially today in college football. joe carter is here with this
7:24 am
morning's bleacher report. we had a good one last week and now it's like the horn of plenty. >> we're lucky. last week georgia was on the docket, they're back on the docket again. they play south carolina. really people are expecting the winner of this game to go on to win that division and play obviously alabama we think in the s.e.c. championship game. but that game is going to be this afternoon. but later tonight a lot of people talking about number 13 notre dame taking on number 17 michigan. that game is in the big house and you know, victor, this rivalry dates back to 1887. we know the last four games they've gone down to the wire, less than a touchdown between these two. a lot of history here but fans have to enjoy this one because they're planning to suspend this series after next year's game. you can't talk about rivalries without talking about one of the greatest in all of sports. of course, that's the yankees/red sox. these two have been going at it since 1901. more than 2100 times. last night boston ended up winning the game. they actually hit a grand slam home run in the seventh which
7:25 am
actually in any other stadium would have been out. a two-run shot in the eighth gave them a lead for good. the yankees still lurking just 2 1/2 games out of that wildcard, and then you have to talk about the nfl. tomorrow new orleans head coach sean payton returns after sitting out all of last season for his role in the bounty gait sta gate scandal. last season the saints beat the falcons in week ten then the saints came to atlanta and when they got off the plane and got on the bus, they got egged. they got egged by some airport workers who no longer have jobs, by the way. so there's definitely a long-standing rivalry but perhaps maybe a little more incentive for the saints since they were sort of egged or embarrassed by the atlanta fans. you know all about rivalries. you had some michigan/ohio state fans in the house. >> i had friends from detroit and friends from youngstown. it was like keeping friends apart in the living room.
7:26 am
>> you said all we're trying to do was play -- >> taboo. we just want to play taboo. stop talking college football. joe carter, thank you. >> thank you. >> suzanne? >> all right. still ahead, who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? hard to tell when you're talking about syria's rebel fighters. in a few moments our guest breaks down the complicated battlefield.
7:27 am
7:28 am
7:29 am
bottom of the hour now. welcome back, everyone. i'm suzanne malveaux. >> i'm victor blackwell.
7:30 am
here are five stories making headline this is morning. number one, secretary of state john kerry pressing european leaders to back a u.s. strike on syria. he is talking today with more than a dozen european union foreign ministers in lithuania. kerry then flies to paris. now, france is the only country that's pledged to take part in u.s. military action against syria. number two, johnson & johnson is recalling 200,000 bottles of infant motrin. the concentrated drops could be contaminated with a tiny plastic particle mixed in. the recall covers only half ounce bottles of berry flavored infant motrin drops. number three, new mexico's supreme court has agreed to take a case that would decide whether same-sex marriage is legal in that state. several counties have issued marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples which led to a court challenge. now, both sides say they welcome a final ruling. same-sex marriage is legal in 13 states and the district of columbia. four now, authorities in
7:31 am
britain are reviewing security measures at buckingham palace because a man scaled the fence and got into a locked area this week. the intruder was arrested for trespassing, burglary, criminal damage. another man was arrested for conspiracy. no members of the royal family were at home during that break-in. and number five, america's unlikely diplomat, dennis rodman, is now in beijing after his trip to north korea. it's still not clear what the eccentric former nba star was up to on his second basketball diplomacy tour. he did not help free an american man who is doing 15 years hard labor there. he reportedly met again with his friend, the reclusive dictator kim jong-un. this a brutal image. "the new york times" carried a front page photo this week of the moment before syrian rebels executed seven syrian soldiers. the image from video shot in 2012 though "the times" originally reported it as 2013.
7:32 am
americans may see that picture as proof that the syrian rebels are as vicious as the regime that they are trying to oust. but is that an accurate conclusion? want to bring in fareed gadry of the syrian reform party. his washington group is working for regime change inside syria. first of all, explain to us what we saw on that cover there because obviously the president is making the case that we need to -- the u.s., rather, needs to assist the rebels, and yet we see this kind of outright execution, if you will, that they are carrying out against the soldiers. >> well, as you said, this is an old picture, and i think it's been somehow planted back into the psyche of the american people to stop what is right for the president to do here in this case. remember that most of the syrian opposition are officers who have defected from the syrian army. these are vetted officers.
7:33 am
these are officers who the assad regime would have never hired them or had them into their system had they been jihadists -- >> i'm sorry. i think the point is you have many different groups that are a part of the opposition, so there's not just one particular group and there's clearly some people in the opposition that are capable of carrying out these kinds of acts. how do you explain how the american people should support the opposition when there are so many different groups, including members of al qaeda elements, and these kind of fringe groups that you see carrying out those kinds of executions? >> you need to -- first of all, the al qaeda group are all foreigners and they'll leave syria one day and we will chase them out. you need to rely on advisers, secular syrian oppositionists and liberal oppositionists to kind of highlight the difference, highlight who is on the ground doing good work and who is on the ground doing the
7:34 am
islamists' work which we all oppose. it's important to extend a hand to the elements within the syrian opposition who are able to distinguish between the two groups, and as well, many people within the nea department, the ambassador and others who are very privy to such information, are able to gauge the syrian opposition and able to provide the proper information, and there are other people as well you can extend a hand to. >> so, you know, assuming that that might be possible that people will be able to figure out and sort it all out on the ground who is who, the president is not calling for regime change as your organization is advocating for. do you think this is the wise course of action for a limited military strike? >> well, i think the limited military strike will have a psychological impact on the regime. remember that the united states has never attacked syria -- i'm sorry, the assad regime. so any attack against that
7:35 am
regime will have a great impact. what i would recommend if i was advising the president is to once the attack happens, is not to evacuate the u.s. navy. just keep them in place so that assad knows that any claims of victory after a small strike, after a limited strike, will be hollow because as long as the u.s. navy is in place, assad will behave. i think it will send a strong message to everybody, that our allies in the region, that the united states is serious, and i think it will strengthen the position of the president, something we all need to rally around today. so syrian -- regime change is the goal. how do we accomplish that is the difficult question that we all face. i think that an internal coup is the ultimate and the best way to do this, and in order for us to do the coup, we have to separate assad, peel assad away from the minorities that support him. unfortunately, we did not do a good job early on by outsourcing the syrian opposition work to
7:36 am
prime minister from turkey. we need to help the minorities in turkey to understand that the -- >> okay. all right. fa ri d, thank you so much for your insights here from the syrian reform party out of washington. >> thank you so much. he went to prison for 25 years for selling secrets to the soviets. now he's sharing some of his own exclusively with cnn. up next, my interview with convicted spy christopher boyce. it's his first on-camera interview in 28 years. >> looking for windmills, and in the process destroyed 25 years of my life. [ male announcer ] this is pam. her busy saturday begins with back pain, when... hey pam, you should take advil. why? you can take four advil for all day relief. so i should give up my two aleve for more pills with advil?
7:37 am
you're joking right? for my back pain, i want my aleve. [ female announcer ] only aveeno daily moisturizing lotion has an active naturals oat formula that creates a moisture reserve so skin can replenish itself. aveeno® naturally beautiful results.
7:38 am
7:39 am
7:40 am
stiff handshakes, forced smiles, brief words. they're all signatures of tense exchanges this week between president obama and russian president vladimir putin. knotts secret they have a chilly relationship and it's not improving. before edward snowden was even born, there was another nsa intelligence contractor who made headlines. he was part of one of the most infamous spy teams of the cold war era. >> i had no idea the extent of the lie, the level of deception.
7:41 am
>> who did you receive your instructions from? >> you want to be partners, i'm offering you a partnership. >> that was a clip from the mo offy "the falcon and the snowman." the 1985 film starring timothy hutton that helped launch convicted spy christopher boyce into infamy. >> i'll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. >> his real life story began in 1974. the clean cut son of a former fbi agent was working at a defense firm in california when he intercepted a cia cable that allegedly discussed the plan to destabilize the australian government. he teamed up with childhood friend andrew dalton lee to, quote, do as much damage to the american intelligence community as he could. to boyce, that meant selling nas codes to the soviet union. he later said his prime motivation was to punish the u.s. for allegedly being in cahoots to overthrow the government of its ally. after two years on the run, boyce was caught outside the soviet embassy in mexico and was
7:42 am
promptly handed other to the fbi. he knew it was coming. >> it's to make your life miserable. it's to wake up in the morning with a fear in your stomach and you're always wondering if you're going to get caught and you've made yourself into chattel to a foreign bureaucracy that doesn't care about you and only wants to exploit you. >> he was tried, convicted of espionage, and sentenced to 40 years in federal prison. his accomplice received a life sentence though he was released after 20 years. but boyce's adventures were not over. he escaped in 1980 followed by 19 months on the run robbing banks. after being caught and serving more time, he was paroled in 2003. he had served only 25 years of his sentence. boyce credits a paralegal, kate mills, with his release. they fell in love and married while he was still in prison. this summer they went public with what happened after boyce's conviction in a memoir, "the
7:43 am
falcon and the snowman: american sons." christopher and his wife sat down with me for an exclusive interview. i asked why he sold secrets to the soviet union and if it was worth it. i also asked boyce if he thinks edward snowden did the right thick and why he's releasing this new book now. >> to be sentenced to prison, you need to be able to at least exist and not, you know, be murdered. the people were being murdered all around me. and it was a regular gladiator school where i was. so i escaped to save my life, and it's a story that i wanted to tell. >> reporter: you said in a phone interview on cnn that if you had to do it all over again, you wouldn't do it. what changed your mind? >> the greatest thing that you have in this world is your own life, and my actions caused me to lose a quarter century of my
7:44 am
life. many, many years of that was in solitary confinement, and it was tough, and i don't believe that i could again destroy my own life or such a large segment of it like i did. and that's why i feel so sorry for manning and snowden if they ever get him because their life is going to be a living hell. they'll have years and years of solitary confinement, and i just don't believe that i could do that to myself again. >> reporter: you said that you thought you were aiding your country. bradley manning said he was aiding his country, as well as edward snowden. what would you say now to someone who has access to that sensitive information and they're on the threshold of deciding whether to release it with the thought that they would be aiding their country?
7:45 am
what would you tell that person about your own life experience? >> i would tell them that they ought to go where they're going to stay. snowden should have went to venezuela or ecuador, not, you know, start off on a junket around the world. >> reporter: do you support edward snowden's actions about releasing the information about the nsa's surveillance program? >> absolutely. i'm glad he did it. i just wish he had not gone to russia. russia is america's traditional bogeyman and by going to russia, he detracts from the message that he was trying to deliver. >> kate, you successfully helped dalton and chris get out of federal prison. what would your defense be for edward snowden? >> i don't know. i wish i could answer that. i'd actually have to sit down and have a long talk with edward snowden. i believe there has not been
7:46 am
enough evidence of damage in either manning's case or in snowden's case, and i think that the nsa and the united states government can make up their own stories about damage as much as they want to. i think it's up to the american people to decide that. i happen to support snowden. i really support manning, and i don't know what their damages estimate is. i don't think any of us do at this point. >> reporter: i read the book, and you write in the forward, you call yourself a do-- lookin for windmills. was that the motivation for selling the secrets to russia about the surveillance program in australia. that you were to mix metaphors once again, a david looking for a goliath, and you decided it would be the u.s. government? >> i must confess that you have -- you probably hit the nail squarely on the head there.
7:47 am
i was probably looking for any excuse to tilt windmills, and that's a personal flaw i have. i have certainly burned my fingers doing it, but i was certainly moved to do it by what i watched on the encrypted communications about our intervention in australia domestic politics, but i think you're right. i was looking for windmills, and in the process destroyed 25 years of my life. >> it's really a fascinating conversation. >> it's amazing. >> there is so much more. >> that discovery that you peeled back and he revealed. >> when i read the book, it was the first page, and he identified that he was standing
7:48 am
there at the last stand, and he said i will one day be a man who will have great enemies. i will be a man who fights off goliath, so to speak. and as i read the book, i kept thinking about that sentence, and there it was at the beginning. >> and that was ultimately his motivation. >> that was the motivation. it could have been anything, but he chose the american government as his enemy and whatever the government was doing at the time, he would have used that to create an enemy. again, there's so much more. tomorrow more of the interview with christopher boyce, including the tension that developed between boyce and his partner in crime, andrew dalton lee. they did time together. they're both free now, but they don't talk anymore. here is why. just a hint. there's a love triangle involved. that's coming up tomorrow, 7:15 a.m. eastern on "new day sunday." >> it just gets more interesting. >> it's amazing. still to come, brad pitt speaks to cnn. hear what he says he learned
7:49 am
about slavery while making his latest film. [ female announcer ] only aveeno daily moisturizing lotion has an active naturals oat formula that creates a moisture reserve so skin can replenish itself. aveeno® naturally beautiful results. where would you go?iving away a trip every day. woman: 'greece.' woman 2: 'i want to go to bora bora.' man: 'i'd always like to go to china.' anncr: download the expedia app and your next trip could be on us. expedia, find yours.
7:50 am
7:51 am
7:52 am
growing up in washington, thomas mccray was shuffled from home to home. 22 in all. half of them in foster care. well, he's overcome a lot as cnn's chief medical correspondent dr. sanjay gupta tells us. >> 20-year-old thomas mcrae knows what it's like to have people walk out of his life. >> my dad took me away from my mom at birth. >> reporter: but his father was ill and had difficulty caring for him. >> i was in 11 homes. >> reporter: he was 10 when his life changed dramatically. >> i was shot. >> reporter: by a 14-year-old who was living in the home where he had been taken in at the time. >> i had to learn how to walk again. >> reporter: fortunately, the paralysis was temporary but he
7:53 am
was still suffering from a different kind of pain. >> there was anger, rage, aggressi aggression. >> reporter: and then the nightmares. >> when i close myself i remember seeing myself being shot. >> reporter: the sixth grader was moved into foster care and was promptly diagnosed with p t post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, adhd. >> i was finally able to get the proper treatment i needed. >> reporter: he lied in 11 different fobser homes. as a senior he asked his best friend's mother whom he had known since sixth grade if she would adopt him and she did. >> it was the greatest day. >> reporter: he just completed an internship with ben cardin where he talked to legislators about aging out of the foster system. he's studding psychology at cheney university. dr. sanjay gupta, cnn, reporting. ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit hungry ♪ ♪ and there's nothing good around ♪ ♪ turn around barry
7:54 am
♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ ♪ you know who you are. you can part a crowd, without saying a word... if you have yet to master the quiet sneeze... you stash tissues like a squirrel stashes nuts... well muddlers, muddle no more. try zyrtec®. it gives you powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because zyrtec® starts working at hour one on the first day you take it. claritin® doesn't start working until hour three. zyrtec®. love the air.
7:55 am
[ female announcer ] only aveeno daily moisturizing lotion has an active naturals oat formula that creates a moisture reserve so skin can replenish itself. aveeno® naturally beautiful results.
7:56 am
7:57 am
the toronto film festival is under way right now, and already one film is standing out above the rest. >> so here is a hint. brad pitt has a lot to do with it. cnn is in toronto with more. nischelle. heard about the film "12 years - of slave"? if you haven't, get ready to. there's major award show buzz around this movie. it debuted at the telluride film festival and now it's here at the toronto film festival. the premiere tonight. and if you look all the way around here, you see there's 50 people deep for media on this
7:58 am
red carpet. one of the producers on this film is brad pitt. he was here tonight. he talked to me about the movie, how hard it was to make this movie, but he also said that this is a movie that everyone, no matter who you are, should see. >> i did not really understand the systematic institution of slavery. you go down there, and it's laid out like factories. and you're looking at like crime scenes in some way, and what it really means, what it really, really means to take someone, deny them their freedom, their dignity, to tear them apart from their families. as a father, it's a nightmare, and this film does that. >> reporter: along with being a producer on the film, he also has a small role. he plays an abolitionist, but the star of the movie plays solomon northrup, the free black man who was sold back into slavery and the movie documents his journey back into freedom.
7:59 am
he told me it was a tough movie to make but there was a lesson everyone can take away. >> it did require going there a little bit, and so, you know, i got down there a little early, down to louisiana, and started to try to put myself in the mindset to really wrestle with this thing. i think ultimately for me it's always been a story about human respect, you know, and if people even -- if an audience contemplates that for a second afterwards and just how we're all involved in that challenge and continuity of human respect, then i think, you know, then we've done something good. >> reporter: the movie also stars michael fastbender and it's directed by steve mcqueen who always makes queens that go there. he's edgy and raw, but he's a director to be watched. suzanne, victor, back to you. >> sounds amazing. that will do it for us today.
8:00 am
thanks for watching. it's a pleasure to be with you today. >> likewise, enjoyed it. stay here. there's much more ahead in the next hour of cnn "newsroom." we turn it over to fredricka whitfie whitfield. good to see you this morning. >> president obama's heavy lift on syria puts his top diplomat on the move. u.s. secretary of state john kerry is in europe seeking more support for a military strike against the syrian regime. and back home, thousands of people are taking to the streets and voicing a much different message. they're telling congress stay out of syria. and in just a few hours, we'll know who will host the 2020 summer olympic games. find out what cities are the finalists and what could make or break their bid.

267 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on