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Erin Burnett Outfront
Insider Threats at U.S. Airports; Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Saying Terrorist Attack May Have Brought Down MetroJet Flight; All Russian Flights To Egypt Are Still Suspended; Interview with Eric Trump. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired November 09, 2015 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[21:10:00] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST OF "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" PROGRAM: "OutFront" next, the airport insider, threat at home. Could terrorist be among the 1 million airport workers in U.S. airports? Also, our special report on how the smallest bomb could take down a massive jumbo jet.
Plus, how the Trump kids running the show. Donald Trump's son, Eric, is my guest tonight. And, breaking news, racial tension boiling over at one university. Two top officials now out tonight. Let us go "OutFront".
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BURNETT: Good evening, I am Erin Burnett, "OutFront". Tonight, insider threats at U.S. Airports. U.S. Security Officials concerned about nearly 1 million people whose jobs give them open access behind the security lines at the American airports, insiders whose backgrounds are primarily vetted by airports and not intelligence agencies like the CIA or the FBI.
This development comes as Intelligence Officials tell CNN, they are 99.9 percent certain a bomb brought down Metrojet 9268. A bomb report suggests was placed by an airport insider. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev saying for the first time that a terrorist attack may have brought down that flight, tweeting that all Russian flights to Egypt are still suspended.
As Reuters reports, Egyptian and Russian investigators today ignored the FBI's offers for help in the Metrojet investigation. Rene Marsh begins our coverage "OutFront" tonight. And, Rene, what are you learning?
RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, what most people may not realize is that TSA, actually, depends on more than 400 airports and carriers to do criminal background checks for workers, who get that secure access at airports nationwide.
Airports collect, review and verify personal information. Fingerprints get sent to the FBI for criminal history check. But, TSA can only vet workers based on data it gets from airports. And, now, tonight, there are concerns the current vetting process does not do enough to protect domestic flights from an insider threat.
Officials I have spoken to today say, not enough is known about the close to 1 million airport workers with secure access at airports here in the U.S. One U.S. official even saying that essentially -- you know, this official has knowledge of the airport security.
And, they essentially said that airport workers who are vetted, they simply need the information that a passenger would essentially have to provide for TSA pre-check. That is the level of information that they have to provide. Look no further, Erin, than the case in Minneapolis, there was an airport worker.
BURNETT: Right.
MARSH: They later found out that this individual was killed in 2014 while fighting for ISIS but prior to that was a worker cleaning the airport in Minneapolis.
BURNETT: Would not have had direct access to planes. I mean it is pretty frightening when you think about the screening that they go through. The lock there up, maybe the right word. Rene, I know you have also been looking into the fact that there is a direct flight from Cairo to the U.S. everyday. And, people are still checking bags on that flight?
MARSH: That is what we understand. And, you know, the question is -- you know, if there are some airlines like KLM, which they are not allowing baggage in the cargo hold, why is it that others are. And, the way one official put it to me is, essentially, nothing has been proved yet.
They have not been able to prove yet that a bomb, indeed 100 percent, brought down this plane. And, until they do that, they are unable to make demands of carriers especially carriers that are not based here in the United States, Erin.
BURNETT: All right , Rene, thank you very much. Of course, that is pretty frightening. They are 99.9 percent not enough to make the Egyptians change the rules on that flight. It is an Egypt flight. So, if the growing consensus is that a bomb took down Flight 9268, what type of bomb could have been used. Miguel Marquez is "OutFront".
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MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That explosion a half pound of dynamite, a conventional explosive mainly used in industrial settings, impacts a massive wall. The explosion moving about 19,000 feet per second, it could easily cripple a passenger aircraft.
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MARQUEZ: Seems too simple. RYAN MORRIS, CEO, TRIPWIRE OPERATIONS GROUP: Yes. Well, when
the bad guys making the improvised ones, it is a same process. See, how fast it could be done.
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MORRIS (voice-over): C-4 even more powerful than dynamite.
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MARQUEZ (on camera): That is -- how many feet per second are we talking about here?
MORRIS: 30,000.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): That is just over a half pound of C4, a plastic explosive, also conventional, tough to go out and buy in the United States. But, in some countries, a similar explosive called Semtex can be bought on the black market.
In the case of Metrojet 9268 U.S. officials believe in an sophisticated device using conventional explosive may have brought down the Airbus 321, that it was possibly placed in the luggage compartment a short time before takeoff.
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[19:05:09] MARQUEZ: All of these products in this size is -- is big enough to create a big blast.
MORRIS: Correct.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): Ryan Morris, Tripwire's owner worked for the government as an explosives technician and now makes and designs explosives for commercial use and trains law enforcement in detecting and disabling bombs. In addition to conventional explosives, bombs can be made from items purchased in hardware or farm stores and in the right hands --
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MARQUEZ: That sounds like a rifle shot --
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): It could bring down a plane. That was a half pound of potassium chlorates with regular old icing sugar, like you would use to bake a cake.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): And, that is Imodium Nitrates and aluminum powder, basically fertilizer and aluminum.
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MORRIS: 90 percent of the stuff we have here, you do not need a license to by. I can go in a truck right now in about a half an hour away, and come home with probably 90 percent of this.
MARQUEZ: Oh -- almost all of it.
MORRIS: Almost all of these.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): In experienced hands, the bomb itself easy enough to make. Setting them off another matter.
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MORRIS: And, all I am going to do is I am going to place it right inside the cap well.
MARQUEZ: Yes, right.
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MARQUEZ (voice-over): A blasting cap like this one, a smaller explosion used to set off a larger one necessary. The blasting cap itself needs a tiny electrical charge. We used a wire detonator for these demonstrations.
Only 1.5 volts of electricity needed to set off such large blasts. But, anything from a kitchen clock timer, to a wrist watch, to a phone could be used to send a signal setting off a tiny charge that could lead to so much destruction.
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MARQUEZ: That sounds like a rifle shot.
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MARQUEZ: Now, Erin, we are in Tripwire's Lab, where they create some of the fake devices they use in their training process. I just want to show you a few of these laptop computers. This one, you can see the explosive material here, a battery there, all underneath the keyboard.
Here is some crayons. That is the explosive material there. Nails packed inside of it. This one scared the hell out of me today, as they were showing us all these things. You pick this thing up and the alarm goes off. They do this when testing dogs out. Unbelievable to see all of these devices and what they do here. One question raised during all of this is, whether or not we are
giving away too much to people who might want to build bombs. Sadly, anyone can learn just about anything they want if they had a mind to online and other places. So, it is a sobering, sobering experience to come to this facility today.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much. And incredible report from Miguel. "OutFront" now, Jim Maxwell, former FBI special agent bomb technician and our terrorism analyst, Paul Cruickshank.
Paul, if this was a bomb with the timers as we were seeing Miguel report, why would they have wanted to go off when it did, so soon after takeoff, especially if it was timed to some reports have said for a couple of hours or something like that, meaning it was sitting there for a while?
PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: I think the simplest answer would be less can go wrong if you set it off to go soon after takeoff if there was an insider at the airport. They could have placed it in the plane and then set it for two or three hours after takeoff.
Of course, if they set it for longer if it was a timer, it could have gone off over Russia, potentially. But, I think the simplest explanation would be less can go wrong. And, also, perhaps the terrorist group responsible may wanted it to go off over Egypt to hurt Egyptian tourism, to hurt the Egyptian economy.
BURNETT: All right. Now, Jim, Miguel was able to show so many these explosions with so little. I mean some of this one obviously was the one that was detonated from another device not far away.
He showed half a pound bomb, a 5-pound bomb. The half pound bomb was set off to go with sugar icing. I mean these were all things that you could buy in the pet store.
JIM MAXWELL, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT BOMB TECHNICIAN: Yes. It is more likely, the people involved in this type of activity are creatures of habit. And, what they were successful at in Lockerbie and other aviation bombings are using military-grade explosives more than likely. Semtex, C4, PE-4, COMP B, there are a whole series of them. Those particular types of explosives, you do not need a lot.
BURNETT: Uh-huh.
MAXWELL: And, it has a quality called Brisance. They are moving at such a great speed. The velocity of that nation is 20,000 to 27,000 feet per second. That is how fast it burns when it is initiated. That creates what they call the Monroe effect. And, when it is placed close to a piece of metal, it will actually burn through the metal and cut the metal apart. So, that is --
BURNETT: Like a zipper.
MAXWELL: Well, the zipper effect is what some engineers refer to when the structure of the plane fails. When there is a hole in the side of the plane, it depressurizes, and the plane is moving 500 to 600 miles per hour and the plane just starts to rip apart -- rip itself apart from the small hole.
[19:10:05] BURNETT: All right. You are talking 20,000 to 30,000 feet per second. Miguel was showing one at 19,000. I mean it is incredible, just the power of the blast that is showing here.
MAXWELL: Sure. Yes.
BURNETT: Paul, when you see these explosions in a sense of the terrifying simplicity, as Miguel was demonstrating, how many of these devices could be out there? I mean it seems like -- especially, we talk about military-grade explosives, those are a dime a dozen in certain parts of the world.
CRUICKSHANK: Unlimited number of devices. I mean you could just have a stick of dynamite and a timer as we saw from that package. That could have the potential if it is large enough to bring down a plane. But, the key factor here is, insiders at airports.
How many insiders can groups like al-Qaeda or ISIS recruit? That has been the holy grail for them. They have not managed to do it over the years. Otherwise, we have seen a lot more planes being bombed out of the sky.
BURNETT: Right.
CRUICKSHANK: But, it may well be in this case that ISIS and Sinai managed to pull this off.
BURNETT: And to Jim, what does this mean then. You know, you look at the United States, nearly 1 million airport security workers --
MAXWELL: Sure.
BURNETT: -- who are vetted by outside contractors, vetted by airports, not vetted through the CIA, the FBI.
MAXWELL: Right.
BURNETT: There was one person with access to American planes, who eventually went and fought for ISIS. I mean this is a real and present danger. Is not it?
MAXWELL: The real trick is maintaining a certain level of security and making sure people are vetted. New employees are vetted.
BURNETT: Can you do that with 900,000 people? I mean is it possible?
MAXWELL: Well, it is a difficult task. And, TSA is taking that on, but there are failures from time to time.
BURNETT: Uh-huh. MAXWELL: And, we are all human. But to have this consistent you
have to be a watchdog. You have to stay on top of this. You have to stay on top of the people you hire. You have to check them out. Background checks have to be periodically done to make sure that people after or there a year or so, they have not been turned. They have not been like in many cases people are turned into --
BURNETT: Right.
MAXWELL: -- our followers.
BURNETT: They go looking for people who already have the job.
MAXWELL: Exactly.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you both very much. Good to talk to you.
MAXWELL: Sure.
BURNETT: In "OutFront" next, a new poll showing Ben Carson in a dead heat with Donald Trump as stories about Carson's personal history come into question. Those stories ahead.
Plus Donald Trump's kids front and center to support him at every debate and even at "Saturday Night Live."
Ahead his son, Eric Trump. And, a swastika found in a campus bathroom. Multiple reports of racial slurs, harassment, a revolt at a major university. We are there live tonight.
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[19:15:44] BURNETT: New, tonight, Carson and Trump dominating. There is a new poll out late today. It is in South Carolina showing the two republican frontrunners neck and neck in the first southern contest of the primary season.
Carson, nearly doubling support since the last poll. Tonight, though, he is facing serious questions about his past and the republican field is piling on. Tom Foreman is "OutFront".
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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even as Ben Carson is rising in the polls, he is falling under attack in a storm of questions about his personal story.
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CHRIS CHRISTY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He put the story out there in the first place, so he has the responsibility to back it up.
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DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would say, it is not so easy on Ben.
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FOREMAN (voice-over): The questions are growing in Baltimore. Carson says while he was a medical resident there, he was caught up in an armed robbery at a fast food joint.
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BEN CARSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Guy comes in puts the gun in my ribs. And, I just said, "I believe that you want the guy behind the counter".
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FOREMAN (voice-over): But, police have no record of such an incident. At WestPoint, Carson says he received and rejected an offer for a full scholarship to the military academy. Carson later clarified that it was an informal offer, but again there is no record.
And, at Yale University, Carson says he took a psychology class where he was singled out for an active of honesty. But, as searched by the Wall Street Journal turned out little evidence. His campaign says it welcomes the vetting even as it keeps trying to explain away apparent inconsistencies.
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ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, BEN CARSON'S BUSINESS MANAGER: I mean look, the guy is fighting for his good name as anybody would fight for it.
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FOREMAN (voice-over): A fight is central to Carson's description of his escape from a violent past, saying as a young man he attacked his mother and others.
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CARSON: I tried to stab someone. That was probably the most outrageous thing.
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FOREMAN (voice-over): CNN could find no one from his younger days, who recalled the violent temper, but his mother corroborated parts of that story to "Parade" Magazine back in the 1990s. So, Carson, bristles at skeptics.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Do you think, media are stupid? CARSON: I mean, if our media is no better in investigating than
that, it is sick.
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FOREMAN (on camera): And, while that may be good enough to rally his fans, Carson in fact says all the noise helped him raise millions. It is clearly not enough to back down the questions from the news media and his fellow candidates. Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Tom Foreman. Serious questions. Now, at "OutFront" tonight, conservative radio host Ben Ferguson and the former RNC Communications Director Doug Heye.
Ben, Ben Carson has centered his campaign on his life story. And, on the specifics of this, on his conversion from a young man of incredible violence to a man of profound faith, right? I mean these all fit within that narrative, which is so crucial. Why are there so many inconsistencies?
BEN FERGUSON, RADIO HOST, "THE BEN FERGUSON SHOW" PROGRAM: I do not know if it is inconsistencies as much people do not like the way he told the story, and they are nitpicking the way that you described it.
I mean, look at what he said about West Point. The average person out there, if you said -- if you go to college and do not pay anything what would you call that? They would call it a scholarship.
They do not like the fact that he called it as a scholarship. Did he apply to West Point? No. But, did they come after him? It would make sense if they did. The guy went to an Ivy League school afterwards.
So, I do not think that is an inconsistency as much as people are trying to pull him down and tear him down. I mean he did not say that he got into West Point or he applied and got in and did not go there. He said they recruited him. He was head of ROTC with incredible test scores in Detroit. It would make sense they came after him
BURNETT: That one might make complete sense. But what about some of these others that so far have been uncorroborated so far, and I emphasize so far that may change. But, you know, whether you hit your mother with a hammer or stabbed someone is very important if it is untrue.
FERGUSON: Well, and his mom did say in this interview long before he was running for president that, that is what has happened. So, I do not doubt him that this is what happened. I also think that your friend circle from 50 years ago when you are 12, 13, 14 is pretty small.
So, this idea that you are going to have a ton of witnesses unrealistic, basically from what we know this happened in a close family interaction. So, you would probably not broadcast that outside of your home that your son tried to stab someone.
BURNETT: Doug?
FERGUSON: That to me would make sense.
BURNETT: Doug?
[19:20:01] DOUG HEYE, FORMER RNC COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR: I think if somebody tries to stab somebody, words get around pretty quickly even a long time ago. Ultimately, I think the problem for Ben Carson here is, he is not having the conversation with voters that he wants to have without a real long legislative record or record as a governor or anything. His life story is critical to his candidacy.
BURNETT: Uh-huh.
HEYE: Now, that some of these have been called into question, all he is doing is taking in coming. We will see if that ultimately matters or not. Obviously, Hillary Clinton supporters have not been too concerned with her troubles with the truth in the past and her exaggerating her own life story. But, this is central to Ben Carson's campaign as to why they got to clean it up as quickly as they can.
BURNETT: And, Ben, you know, and also -- to this point, the new polls, right, shows him neck and neck.
FERGUSON: Yes.
BURNETT: But, when you look at how many people have their minds made up, Donald Trump supporters 33 percent of them say their minds are completely made up, right? That is 33 percent.
FERGUSON: Yes.
BURNETT: That number is only 12 percent for Ben Carson. So, he has at great risk if this core narrative, in anyway, falls apart. Is not he?
FERGUSON: Well, look -- yes. I mean Donald trump supporters have shown from the beginning that they are fanatics and they are going to stay with him no matter what he says and/or does. Ben Carson is a very different candidate here. He also has the biggest upside to grow and bring in new people.
When only 12 percent, I would say, are fanatics for you, what that means is, there are a lot of other conservative voters that are very willing to look at different candidates whether it would be Rubio, whether it would be Ben Carson, whether it would be Carly Fiorina and move around as things change in the news.
So, yes, he does have that risk, but he also has the other side, which is that people think that the media is being unfairly harsh to him and attacking him and trying to bring him down over semantics of words that he used, whether it would scholarship or a free ride or West Point or whatever. I think that may back fire. He may actually gain ground here. BURNETT: Doug , what do you think about that, especially to the
point that Ben keeps making? He keeps going to the West Point example, which is one that does appear to be about semantics. But, I think a lot of reasonable people could understand exactly what it is Ben Carson is saying. It does seemed to be different than some of these other cases.
HEYE: Yes, absolutely. The problem that he faces is that there are different examples of this that we are looking at every day, it seems to be something new. If he cannot get past this and with the debate tomorrow, he needs to look at this as an opportunity to get past it.
BURNETT: Uh-huh.
HEYE: If he cannot get past it, then this is going to have a real impact on his campaign.
FERGUSON: Yes.
HEYE: And, ultimately, whether he is treated fairly or unfairly, running for president is a very hard thing to do, and it should be a hard thing to do. I do not think --
FERGUSON: And, I think the debate --
HEYE: I do not think anybody who is best candidates to have a cakewalk to the nomination.
FERGUSON: And, I think the debate is going to be vitally important. If he can answer this and move on and kind of put a period or explanation point on this fearless campaign. I think he will probably be fine. If this continues to drag out week after week with another, "He said she said" moment from his early life stories, that will be a problem for him. But, right now I do not think he is at that point.
BURNETT: We will see, of course, if these debate moderators stick to the economy or have the courage to go out of bounds after what happen last time. Thanks to both of you.
FERGUSON: Thanks.
BURNETT: In "Outfront" next, Donald Trump fresh from hosting on "Saturday Night Live" in just 24 hours from that next debate. "OutFront" next an exclusive, the key Trump adviser, his son, Eric Trump.
And, a major shakeup at one university after months of racial unrest. Why one student almost starved himself to death in protest.
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[19:27:17] BURNETT: We are awaiting a live campaign rally appearance from Donald Trump at this moment. It is a part of a very big week for him. Tomorrow, of course, the next republican debate and he just wrapped up a highly publicized and controversial gig hosting "Saturday Night Live." Donald Trump's son is my guest tonight, but first Boris Sanchez is "OutFront".
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DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He used to call me on the cell phone.
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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With some questionable dance moves and jokes at his expense.
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TRUMP: And, we are going to have a lot of fun tonight.
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LARRY DAVID, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" GUEST STAR: You are a racist.
TRUMP: Who the hell -- Sorry, I knew this was going to happen.
DAVID: Trump is a racist.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER (1): Mr. President, the president of Mexico is here to see you.
TRUMP: Oh, that is great. Send him in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER (2): I brought you the check for the wall.
TRUMP: Oh, that is so overwhelming.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
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SANCHEZ (voice-over): Donald Trump helped boost ratings for "Saturday Night Live" as the republican's family watched from the front row. His children playing a familiar role promoting their father. Eric tweeting out a snapshot at the stage before the show as Ivanka shared a photo of her donning a wig inspired by her father's famous hair.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER: Your daughter, the secretary of interior is here.
TRUMP: Oh, that is great. Perfect timing, Ivanka.
IVANKA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: We are ahead of schedule and under budget.
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SANCHEZ (voice-over): The eldest Trump daughter also taking center stage, as she did in June when Trump launched his campaign.
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IVANKA TRUMP: It is my pleasure to introduce to you today, a man who I have loved and respected my entire life.
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SANCHEZ (voice-over): The 34-year-old businesswoman, who handles acquisitions for the Trump organization also runs her own line of jewelry and clothing and plays a major role in the Trump campaign's outreach to women voters.
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IVANKA TRUMP: He has always supported and encouraged women. And, truthfully has proven that over decades through his employment practices, through his hiring practices, he would be amazing for women in this country. He would be incredible for women in this country.
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SANCHEZ (voice-over): Eric is the youngest of Donald and Ivana Trump's children.
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ERIC TRUMP, DONALD AND IVANA TRUMP'S YOUNGEST CHILDREN: We have something that is really special.
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SANCHEZ (voice-over): At 31 he is also an executive at the Trump organization, oversees Trump winery and he is hitting the trail to bolster the Trump brand too.
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ERIC TRUMP: The one thing about my father and I see this everyday in our business, he picks incredible people.
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SANCHEZ (voice-over): For a candidate known for tough rhetoric and controversial comments, Trump's kids on the campaign trail have even won over some competitors. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look at Donald Trump, his relationship with his kids. He has character because he has adult kids, who clearly turned out pretty well.
MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS CHANNEL'S ANCHOR, "THE KELLY FILE" PROGRAM: Right.
HUCKABEE: That is the best evidence of his character.
KELLY: Excellent --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Boris Sanchez, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: And, "OutFront" now, Eric Trump. He is the Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions for the Trump Organization and a close adviser to his father's campaign. All right, you father in Illinois tonight big rally. That state, though, has not voted republican since 1988. What is his strategy?
[19:30:09] ERIC TRUMP, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITIONS FOR THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION: Well, first of all, we have had a lot of business dealings in Illinois. We have a great project in Chicago and this is a really great place. They treated us very well. The hotels time and time again done very well.
And, listen, he is an unconventional candidate. And I can't walk down the street without people yelling at me, listen, tell your father to go all the way. And maybe people who wouldn't be traditionally Republicans based on the makeup, but they like his speak, they like the fact that he is honest, they like the fact that he is a personable guy. He's accomplished a lot in his life, and they just like him as a person.
BURNETT: So, "Saturday Night Live" had its biggest ratings in nearly four years on Saturday, something I'm sure your father is aware of. He tracks that sort of thing.
Some of the reviews, though, were a bit tough. "The Hollywood Reporter" called it toothless and uncomfortable. "The New York Post" asked if "SNL" purposefully sabotaged your father.
What do you think? Do you think anyone was sabotaging your dad?
TRUMP: Not at all. In fact, I sat for the front row. We were laughing and laughing. My father is an incredibly funny guy. I mean, he's incredibly personable.
I think he did that role amazingly well. They were poking fun at him. But they were also poking fun at current events. I mean, they were hitting the other candidates. BURNETT: You don't think it went too far with Larry David
yelling he was a racist, or any of those things?
TRUMP: No, I thought it was incredible as a great ice breaker to tell you the truth. I mean, it was very funny. And Larry David is funny. And listen, you always have reporters take potshots, right? We know how this process works. He could have a greatest performance in the history of the world and I think he did and somebody would have had to hit him for some reason or another.
I mean, I walked out of here and I said, listen, you nailed it. You did so well. He was dancing with the glasses. I mean, what could have been more "Saturday Night Live" than that skit? It was intelligent and it was funny, and I mean, it showed a great side to him.
BURNETT: So, your father as I said will know what the ratings are. He remembers that sort of thing. He spends a lot of time talking about the numbers and, right, and often the polls, just in case any of our viewers have forgotten, which I'm sure you haven't for everyone watching. But let me just play a little clip of your dad.
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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But we're really winning. We're winning everything, every state. We're winning everything.
I'm leading every poll nationwide. I'm leading -- right, and I'm leading every state.
Today is the 100th day that we have been number one in every single poll. You know we are winning, very importantly, in Iowa. We are winning and we are winning big.
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BURNETT: You're chuckling a little bit. Your siblings Don and Ivanka, all three of you are among his closest advisers. Do you all spend a lot of time talking about the polls?
TRUMP: Yes, we actually do. Quite frankly, we should be incredibly proud of the polls.
I mean, listen, Erin, here is a guy in real estate his entire life. He is not a politician. He came into the process and he is winning. And quite frankly, I mean, I wish this country had a little more of that cheerleader where you talk about winning. And I think that's the thing that disappoints him.
He doesn't need to run for president of the United States. We have plenty of work to do. We have an amazing company. He wants to see this country win. I can see that and I have seen it in his eyes for years. He's emphatic about it.
Why are we always losing? Why do we had $19 trillion worth of debt? Why do we lose every single war? Why do we have the problems, right?
That's why he is putting aside his life. And if he can be that good of a cheerleader on the national stage as he is, quite frankly, you know, in doing exactly what you just saw, talking about how he is doing so well in the polls. And he is doing amazingly well. I mean, every poll has him ahead I think the country would be in a great spot for it.
BURNETT: So, has he had time to prepare for this debate?
TRUMP: Yes. I mean, this debate is great. I mean, it's in his wheelhouse. This is economy. This is business, job creation. I'm sure a lot of it will probably focus on the national deficit and major problems we have in health care reform.
I mean, this is in his wheelhouse. When you start talking about business. When you talk about numbers, when you talk about deficits, I mean, that's what he's done his whole life. There would be no one better to run this country.
BURNETT: And are you working with him? I know that -- you know, he and I have had a chance to talk about his tax plan and I know he said there's going to be more specifics coming specifically about cuts and other things. Is that something that you talk to him about that you work on?
TRUMP: I don't get that involved with policy. But I see him every single day (INAUDIBLE) table, which I think is a much more relevant situation. And when I see the way he negotiates contracts, you know, there would not be government waste in a Trump administration. There just wouldn't be.
You'd have the toughest negotiator. You would have the brightest people. I mean, I read an article about $43 million being spent by the U.S. government on a gas station that couldn't open in Afghanistan.
BURNETT: Right.
TRUMP: I mean, natural gas, right? A gas that couldn't open -- that would not happen. You read about the million dollars in Guantanamo Bay soccer fields being built for prisoners. I mean, that would not happen under him.
BURNETT: Under Donald Trump.
All right. Your father talks a lot about money. You're talking about money now. Here is a clip of that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: I don't need anybody's money. I'm using my own money. I'm not using the lobbyists. I'm not using donors. I don't care. I'm really rich.
We are going to work so hard. I am going to spend whatever money is necessary. I don't care.
I seem to have one great power if I could sell it I would be 100 times richer than I am and I am rich.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[19:35:05] BURNETT: All right. Also, funny. Those were all real. That was not "Saturday Night Live."
But you say that he made you learn the value of a dollar. All right? You didn't grow up talking like that or thinking like that. But it doesn't sound that way like he is always talking about how rich he is.
How did he do that?
TRUMP: Isn't it part of the American dream for so long, back to that book? Isn't that part of the American Dream? I mean, we want to be a nation where you can get rich and build tremendous wealth out of virtually nothing. That's what he's done for his entire career. Really for us, for Don, Ivanka and I, he instilled the value of dollar.
I mean, we did not take vacation. We worked from a very young age, we were on construction jobs and I was demoing walls and I was running wire and I was doing tile work and marble work and everything else you can possibly imagine, running bulldozers and things. Those are really the building blocks for jobs now. We are the first people there every day, we are the last people to leave. We got paid minimum age as young kids as frankly you should. It instilled the value of the dollar in us.
It is the greatest thing a parent can do, because quite frankly, nothing good comes out of type A (ph) kids with a lot of free time. And he was an amazing instills work. And, listen, we are still the first people in the office every day and we travel more than anybody. I mean, we love our job. We love what we do. But we are workaholics.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate your time. Good to see you.
TRUMP: Thanks, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. OUTFRONT next, breaking news: turmoil at a major university over charges of racism as two top officials step aside. Will it be enough to keep the campus from exploding?
And amid allegations of widespread bribery, broken security systems. We're going to take you inside Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:40:31] BURNETT: Breaking news: two top officials at the University of Missouri stepping down amid scandal. The embattled university president speaking out just moments ago over allegations that he failed to address institutional racism on campus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM WOLFE, FORMER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI: There is something that was systemically wrong on this campus. Obviously I was identified as the reason.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The university's chancellor just announcing he is stepping down. Tension has been growing for months on this campus. There have been multiple incidences of racism and hate crimes allegedly going unnoticed. One student even refusing to eat until the president stepped down.
Kyung Lah is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hands raised in victory, arms supporting a visibly weak Jonathan Butler. University of Missouri Student activists celebrate. Their protests won.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police are focusing on the fact of the hunger strike. Why did we have to get here in the first place?
LAH: For more than a week, Butler, a graduate student, was on a public hunger strike, demanding University system president Tim Wolfe resigns.
Butler and fellow student activists pointed to a history of racial incidents that they say the president ignored. In 2010, cotton balls scattered in front of the student center, a reference to slavery and a hate crime.
This fall, black student leaders called racial slurs on two different occasions.
And most recently, a swastika in human excrement left on a dorm wall.
The students say the post-Ferguson generation shaped in the city two hours away.
Black students make up just 7 percent of the 35,000 students. These protesters mobilize, camping out on the university's quad. Faculty threatened to walk off the job.
But it was this that became the protest game changer -- 30 Mizzou football players tweeted they would boycott team activities until the president resigned. Their coach tweeting this image with his team and this, "We are behind our players".
With a possible million dollar fine and the balance of the team doesn't play this weekend, Wolfe, by now a polarizing figure, gave in to student demands. WOLFE: I take full responsibility for this frustration and I
take full responsibility for the inaction that has occurred. Use my resignation to heal and start talking again, to make the changes necessary.
LAH: Mizzou's football coach says he doesn't regret standing with his players.
GARY PINKEL, HEAD COACH, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI: I just know my players were suffering and they felt awful. And again, I'm like their dad, you know? And I'm going to help them in anyway I can.
JONATHAN BUTLER, WENT ON HUNGER STRIKE: It should not have taken this much. And it is disgusting and vile that we find ourself in a place that we do.
LAH: The university system's president not the only resignation. Late tonight, the chancellor announcing he is stepping down from his job in January.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: The university's board of curators also announced a series of initiatives they promise to implement within the next 90 days. They include hiring a diversity officer, a full review of their policies and providing additional support for anyone who feels they are victims of discrimination, as well as working on hiring and retention -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Kyung, thank you very much. Live from University of Missouri tonight. And "AC360" will have more on this story coming up at the top of the hour.
OUTFRONT next: when ISIS released this video claiming responsibility for taking down flight 9268, were they hinting that the plane they show, an Airbus A380, will be their next target?
And on a lighter note, Jeanne Moos with the debate on whether this is a sinkhole, about a dozen car owners who care less.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:48:37] BURNETT: And now, a revealing look inside the airport where the doomed passenger Jet 9268 took off and stunning details are emerging about how easy it may be to get a bomb through security.
Erin McLaughlin is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Startling allegations of security lapses at Sharm el-Sheikh international airport, allegations that employees there are accepting bribes and luggage scanners are not functioning, allegations the Egyptians deny.
(on camera): For now, this is as close as our cameras can get to the airport after the military took over and kicked the media out.
(voice-over): But it wasn't always this way. Just days after the plane crash, Egyptian officials were eager to show us around. They took us on a tour to see the airport's inner workings. They showed us the luggage screening process, process the British government says may have been manipulated, leading to the possible bombing of MetroJet flight 9268.
BBC reports British intelligence believes a bomb was placed in the lower half of the plane's fuselage, the place where luggage is stored during the flight.
(on camera): All bags are first x-rayed. If they see something they think is suspicious, that's when they send it to this machine for more tests.
(voice-over): It's called the C-Test (ph) Machine, it is used to test for explosives. When we were there everything seemed to run smoothly. But "The Associated Press" reports that is not always the case.
[19:50:02] An unnamed airport official says the machine often breaks down and the breakdown has more to do with, quote, "human stupidity" rather than technical faults.
Another official told "A.P." the policemen at the scanning machines are poorly paid, sometimes take bribes to allow drugs and weapons through.
One policeman told CNN he and his colleagues are not searched before entering the airport. Instead vetted and managed by Egypt's top securities. He said their work is watched through the airport's camera system. We're told they have footage of Flight 9268 but they won't show us citing the ongoing investigation.
During our tour, we weren't allowed to see everything we wanted and they didn't say why. We asked to get onto the tarmac. This is as close as we were allowed to go. We filmed through an open door and denied access to the room used to monitor the e airport.
Egyptian authorities are hitting back at allegations of security lapses. The civil aviation ministry spokesman told CNN, I'm not saying we are 100 percent mistake free. It is possible but not in the way it was portrayed. These allegations are generalizations. They are baseless and false.'
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCLAUGHLIN: Well, Egyptian officials insist that the airport is safe, British and Russian officials are skeptical. They sent in their own teams to evaluate the airport. Whether or not is down flight 9268, it seems security at this and other airports in the region will remain under scrutiny -- Erin. BURNETT: All right. Erin, thank you very much. And joining me
now, CNN terrorism analyst Paul Cruickshank.
Paul, of course, as we've been reporting, U.S. intelligence now saying with 99.9 percent certainty this was a bomb that brought this plane down. What is next?
PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: Well, I think there's concern potentially that ISIS could recruit other insiders at other airports in the Middle East. The United States has set up security screenings with flights from Kuwait City, from Amman, Jordan, also from Cairo. These are countries with an ISIS presence on the ground. They could look to recruit inside potentially at airports, if that was indeed the case.
I think there is also concern about the MANPADS, the surface to air missiles that this group has that they got from Libya, those can reach altitudes of 15,000 to 16,000 feet. The heat-seeking missiles, they use one of them to take out an Egyptian helicopter in January 2014, and actually filmed them.
The concern is they could go close to an airport perimeter and use those as flights are coming in or taking off. There was actually an al Qaeda attempt in 2002 in Mombasa, Kenya. They actually managed to fire two missiles which almost took out an Israeli passenger jet.
BURNETT: All right. Paul Cruickshank, thank you very much. As we're becoming more and more aware just how many, what access they had, this particular is group in Sinai to weapons. Thank you very much.
And OUTFRONT next, Jeanne Moos on the sink hole of all sink holes. This is the mama sink hole.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:57:42] BURNETT: And now, an epic scene at a Mississippi IHOP. Customers served a sedan scramble. It is not, of course, what they were expecting.
Here is Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You pull into an IHOP thinking about this. And then all of a sudden, your car ends up pancaked.
This is drone footage showing the dozen or more cars that fell into a 30-foot deep hole when IHOP's brand-new parking lot collapsed in Meridian, Mississippi.
JASON HARTWIG, SHOT DRONE FOOTAGE OF IHOP HOLE. It was a big deal. We finally got an IHOP and as soon as it opens, this happens.
MOOS: But what is this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not going to call it a sink hole, I'm not going to call it a cave-in, I'm going to call it an accident.
MOOS: Though first called a sinkhole, it became apparent a collapse of an underground storm drain was the likely culprit. Now, this is a sink hole.
Eight vintage Corvette fell into one at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky. For purest, a sink hole is when rock is dissolved by ground water, leading to a sudden collapse but we call anything that causes things to suddenly sink into a hole a sink hole.
At the Meridian IHOP, no one was hurt. This Chevy was the luckiest. The night of the collapse, three tires were left on the pavement and by the next day, only two were still on. It was the first car to be removed.
Sink hole or no sink hole, for now, let's just call it the international house of holes, IHOH.
The drone footage was so impressive that a city official asked its operator Jason Hartwig to go lower to look at a pipe.
Your drone got swallowed by the hole, did it not?
HARTWIG: Yes.
MOOS: It clipped the side of the trench and ended up in it. The fire department came to the rescue.
HARTWIG: They got a big long stick with a hook on it basically, yanked it out.
MOOS: For now, IHOP is closed and I'm hungry. This non-sink hole makes me want to sink my teeth into a stack of flapjacks -- not a stack of cars.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: That truly is the mother of all sink holes. Incredible. You finally get an IHOP and it gets destroyed by a sink hole.
Thank you so much for joining us. Be sure to set your DVR to watch OUTFRONT at any time.
"AC360" starts right now.
