Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

Chris Christie's Moderate Side; Idaho Wildfires; Egypt Bloodshed and U.S. Aid; Could Christie Win the GOP Nomination?; Marine Veteran Wins Fight to Play College Football; Death Raises Questions about H.S. Football Safety; Prince William Weighs in on Media Frenzy over Baby George; Kid Inventor Creates Musical Deodorant

Aired August 19, 2013 - 18:00   ET

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

JAKE TAPPER, CNN GUEST HOST: Thanks, Brianna.

Happening now: A stubborn wildfire threatens thousands of homes, including the pricey spreads of big name movie stars. We're live in the danger zone.

Plus, about 900 dead in one week. Is the U.S. any closer to cutting off aid to Egypt? We will tell you what the White House is saying.

And New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been showing his moderate side on social issues. Could it cost him the Republican presidential nomination in 2016?

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm Jake Tapper, and you are in THE SITUATION ROOM.

It's a red-hot assault on the homes of some of the rich and famous, and more than 1,200 firefighters have not been able to stop it yet. The Beaver Creek wildfire is scorching the elite resort of Sun Valley, Idaho, right now. And quite a few A-list celebrities have expensive vacation getaways in the area.

CNN Ted Rowlands joins us live from one of the threatened communities, Hailey, Idaho.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, the goal of any firefight is to protect lives and property. Around here, there is a lot of very expensive property that is in danger.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS (voice-over): Multimillion-dollar mountain homes are directly in the path of a 1,000-acre fire that's been burning for nearly two weeks. Crews from around the country are trying to save this playground of the rich and famous which is known for attracting vacation celebrities like Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss, whose family is from here, tweeted: "Thank you firefighters and be safe. Houses aren't worth lives." But they are worth a lot of money. In fact, insurance companies are actually hiring private firefighters to protect certain people's homes. They work alongside the regular firefighters who number more than 1,000.

TRACI WEAVER, BEAVER CREEK FIRE INFORMATION OFFICER: A lot of them are either -- they used to be wildland firefighters for an agency and now they're working for these insurance companies. As long as they're coordinating and working with our ops people, it's one less house that we have to try to protect.

ROWLANDS: At the opposite end of the welsh spectrum, the Red Cross is helping those in need.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many people who are affected by this that are from different backgrounds and that's who is staying with us.

ROWLANDS: The fire, which was started by lightning, is threatening several resort towns. At the Sun Valley Ski Resort, water cannons normally used to make snow are protecting buildings and ski lifts.

In Hailey, the National Guard has been brought in to help facilitate evacuations, which now include families of more than 2,000 homes. The quaint resort downtown area of Ketchum is covered in a blanket of smoke, some of the businesses have remained open, including restaurants. But they're now feeding firefighters instead of tourists.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: And, Jake, it's such a massive fire, it's difficult for firefighters because really they're fighting it on three separate fronts.

Good news is there was some cloud cover last night and today the wind has dropped down a bit. They're expecting rain in a few days. They're hoping they will be in a good position when that happens to get a hold of this fire.

TAPPER: All right, Ted, thank you so much.

Fire out West, flooding in the South. The bad weather is happening right now in all the wrong places.

(WEATHER UPDATE)

TAPPER: Now to Egypt and the toll from the turmoil since President Mohammed Morsy was ousted. About 900 people have been killed in the past week alone, security personnel, as well as private citizens. And pressure is building for the United States to cut off more than a billion dollars in aid to Egypt.

Our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, joins us live from Cairo.

Nick, good to see you, as always. What are you hearing about U.S. aid to Egypt?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest comments from the State Department suggest that even though there is this urgent review going on, they're not going to be tampering with either the economic and financial aid, about $250 million worth, or the $1.23 billion worth of military aid.

Let's hear though the broader comments on how this review is proceeding from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: The president has also directed all of the relevant agencies and departments in this administration to review the assistance that is provided to the Egyptian government. That review is ongoing, and that review is being made in light of actions that are taken by the interim Egyptian government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALSH: Now, the view of many looking at that is, we're now five days since the remarkable bloodshed that security forces caused when they cleared a major protest sit-in here.

And, still, the White House is talking about an ongoing review. Many of them say, well, it makes sense a week or three or four from now to then decide to disrupt this vitally important strategic relationship. So, I think many in Cairo, perhaps many in the interim administration, have read the U.S. calculation as being, they have been stern in condemnation at this point. They have expressed their displeasure. But they really don't want to see this vital strategic Middle Eastern relationship absolutely disrupted by the bloodshed of the past five days -- Jake. TAPPER: Much of the military aid is actually spent in the U.S. That will not be cut off. But let's do a hypothetical now. If the U.S. were to pull some of its aid, whether it's the economic aid that you talked about, our military aid, where will Egypt get help from? Obviously it is already receiving pledges and money from other countries.

WALSH: Well, they had such explicit support from what you might refer to as more authoritarian communications across the Middle East. From the very beginning of what is referred as the counterrevolution or coup, depending on your choice of vocabulary, the Gulf states of Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia pledged something in the region of about $14 billion in immediate assistance to the interim government.

That was to fill a gaping hole in the country's finances. But it of course gave them a huge financial buffer for any years ahead and a big counterbalance to any U.S. decisions. Today, remarkably, Saudi Arabia again said, if the West cuts any of its aid, it will make up the difference.

That insulates the government here from any financial losses, but bear in mind, Jake, the relationship with Washington isn't just about money. It's also about prestige. It's about military cooperation. The army is, in many ways, I think pleased that that continues to happen. It's a delicate balance.

But this side of the bloodshed, I think many are thinking the calculations have been made and they fall on the side of real politic. And Washington and Cairo won't continue with business as usual, but aren't going to suddenly cut off their phone lines.

TAPPER: All right, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much. Please stay safe, my friend.

Up next, the man who hacked into Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook tells CNN he tried other ways to get the social media tycoon's attention.

Plus, Prince William says his son, George, is a bit of a rascal, just like him. CNN snagged his first interview since becoming a dad.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: A security researcher who hacked into the personal Facebook page of the company's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, tells CNN he had something to prove.

Our Jim Clancy went to the West Bank to talk to the man behind the hacking incident that made headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, it's almost a page from that other story from this part of the world, David and Goliath.

Call it Khalil and Mark. Once upon a time, a young computer expert showed a mighty social media executive he shouldn't be underestimated.

(voice-over): Khalil Shreateh is a 30-year-old information technology specialist who fairly rocked Facebook's world last week with a single post. You see, Shreateh used his barely running 5-year-old laptop to find a security breach no one else has ever uncovered and he showed it to them by posting to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's personal timeline.

KHALIL SHREATEH, PALESTINIAN I.T. SPECIALIST: To find a way to post to other Facebook users' timeline, this is dangerous. This is so dangerous, because it will allow people to make public ads without paying money.

CLANCY: In other words, spammers could post ads to anyone's timeline on Facebook, whether they were friends or not. Shreateh showed us copies of his e-mail exchanges with Facebook security experts, who at first said it wasn't a bug, and then said they couldn't see it even when he posted on the timeline of one of Zuckerberg's friends.

If they wanted proof, Shreateh thought, he would give it to them. SHREATEH: So I posted to Zuckerberg's timeline. I did one print screen, and opening the post, opening the second print screen. Less than one minute later, I got some security software engineer asking me, please send all the details to my e-mail.

CLANCY: Shreateh lives in the bustling city of Yatta, south of Hebron on the West Bank. Unemployment here hovers about 22 percent and it's especially tough on young people.

(on camera): Khalil himself hasn't had a job in two years. He was hoping that Facebook would reward him for the security flaw he discovered. But, apparently, that's not to be.

(voice-over): Facebook says it regrets that Khalil Shreateh broke the terms of agreement by posting on Zuckerberg's personal page. Therefore, he's not eligible for a cash reward that he estimated would be anywhere from $500 to several thousand dollars.

SHREATEH: I really needed that money. I spent more than two years looking for a job. Joblessness is everywhere here. You cannot find a job. It's hard to find a job.

CLANCY: He has become a local celebrity with the media and small crowds gathered at his home. And up in the city center, we sampled a local opinion on the matter.

(on camera): Does Khalil deserve money from Facebook for finding this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, and deserves a job, deserves a compensation, and deserve everything for them.

CLANCY (voice-over): Shreateh says he has gotten other job offers, but he thinks many are from hackers who want to exploit his discovery and he wants no part of that.

SHREATEH: Really, I feel proud to be a Palestinian and finding something like that on Facebook. I'm really proud.

CLANCY (on camera): Facebook says it was miscommunication. They didn't ignore him. They just didn't get all of the information that they needed. Khalil is still hoping that even though he violated the rules, the security flaw he found was serious enough and he was honest enough that maybe billionaire Mark Zuckerberg might be willing to show some kindness. Forget the money. A job for this unemployed Palestinian would be the best -- Jake, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Jim Clancy, thanks.

Still ahead: Governor Chris Christie puts his signature on a new law and raises some questions about his presidential prospects in 2016.

Plus, the NCAA has finally ruled on whether a former Marine is eligible to play college football. We will tell you the decision coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: It is not all that common for a potential Republican presidential candidate to win praise from gay rights activists, but that is happening today after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a law banning so called gay conversion therapy for minors.

Christie has taken some controversial moves in recent days, raising new questions about his White House prospects.

CNN's Poppy Harlow has more on that.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Jake.

Well, I have to tell you, it has been quite a week for Governor Chris Christie, who has addressed some highly controversial subjects. At the same time as he is traveling the state stumping for votes, today Christie signed into law legislation that will outlaw the practice known as gay conversion therapy. It is just the latest move that has put him front and center.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: I did the sign and I think the statement speaks for itself.

HARLOW (voice-over): Governor Chris Christie put his stamp of approval on a bill for so-called gay conversion therapy for minors. The controversial practice which aims to turn gay children straight through therapy is opposed by the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association.

(on camera): Do you think that you were born gay?

MATHEW SHURKA, UNDERWENT CONVERSION THERAPY: I don't know. I do think that who you are is who you are.

HARLOW (voice-over): Mathew Shurka says he underwent five years of conversion therapy.

SHURKA: They put me in this place of being uncomfortable with who I am.

HARLOW: But New Jersey counselor Tara King says the therapy helped turn her straight. She says banning it hurts patients.

TARA KING, UNDERWENT CONVERSION THERAPY: It prevents them from getting the help that they desire.

HARLOW: Christie noted his concern over government limiting parental choice, but in a statement wrote: "I believe that exposing children to these health risks without clear evidence of benefits that outweigh these serious risks is not appropriate."

Christie is running for a second term as governor. But his action on gay conversion therapy, his unpredictable positions on stricter gun laws and medical marijuana are all being viewed through the prism of a potential 2016 bid for president.

BRIAN WILSON, FATHER: I was wondering what the hold-up is. It's been like two months now.

(CROSSTALK)

CHRISTIE: Sir, because these are complicated issues.

WILSON: We have had this discussion.

CHRISTIE: Listen, I know you think it's simple. And it's not.

HARLOW: That's the father of a 2-year-old girl suffering from a rare form of epilepsy pleading with Christie to pass a medical marijuana bill.

On Friday, Christie conditionally agreed to allow qualified children to take edible forms of marijuana if changes are made to bill.

CHRISTIE: Just talking about gun control isolation is not going to deal with the entirety of the problem.

HARLOW: Christie has previously signed legislation enacting tougher gun laws in New Jersey. But, on Friday, he vetoed a proposed ban on firearms with the caliber of .50 or greater, saying the wide scope of the ban wouldn't improve public safety.

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: This has been a huge week for Governor Christie. The decisions he has made now are certainly going to have ramifications if he runs for president. He took actions last week on guns that are certainly going to be supportive of folks who are pro-Second Amendment. He took actions today that are certainly going to anger some social conservatives, especially when it comes to this issue of gay conversion therapy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: And, Jake, the group Parents and Friends of Gays and Ex-Gays called Christie's move today a shame, saying it -- quote -- "is going to hurt young people who are going to be denied their right to get the therapy they choose."

Opponents of this ban say they will fight the law in court just as they have in the state of California that passed a similar ban, but, Jake, it's fascinating to watch Chris Christie as he tap-dances and walks this very fine line on some key issues that will certainly come up if there is a bid for the White House in 2016. I'm sure much more to come -- Jake.

TAPPER: Thanks, Poppy.

Up next, dueling takes on Chris Christie's latest moves and how they might play in 2016. "CROSSFIRE" co-hosts Stephanie Cutter and S.E. Cupp are standing by. Also, Prince William talks about being in the driver's seat with his wife and new son in tow. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Happening now: Chris Christie's 2016 strategy in the crossfire. Is he alienating the Republican base that he will need to win the presidential nomination?

Plus, the fourth death of a high school football player this summer. Are coaches and parents doing enough to keep teenagers safe on the field?

Plus, Prince William's first interview since becoming a dad. He's opening up to CNN about the joys and fears of parenthood. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm Jake Tapper. And you, my friend, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Many fans of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie see him as the new maverick of the Republican Party. That may or may not be a good thing if he runs for president in 2016.

We are lucky enough to be joined now by two of the hosts of CNN's "CROSSFIRE." On the left, Stephanie Cutter and on the right Sarah Elizabeth Cupp. We call her S.E. Cupp. We call her S.E. Cupp.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: Governor Chris Christie has been finding middle ground on some issues, reaching for the center, it seems, on medical marijuana for children, when it comes to today's ruling against gay conversion therapy. I think a lot of people are viewing this through the prism of 2016. I want to play something that President Obama's chief political mind, David Plouffe, said about Governor Christie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PLOUFFE, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: What's going to said on those stages to secure the Republican nomination is going to cause huge problems in the general election. It happened with Mitt Romney. It will happen in '16. Governor Christie, this is probably kiss of death for him for me to say this. He would potentially be a very strong general election candidate.

In the current Republican Party that's going to show up to decide the nomination in 2016, someone like him can't win, in my opinion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: S.E., is that true?

CUPP: I hate to agree. But Plouffe is absolutely right, that Chris Christie -- look, common sense sells. He's great on that. He's a great national candidate.

He will be great in a general election, if he makes it that far. The problem will be he will have to get through a primary and defend not only some controversial policies that you have outlined, but some very pointed rhetoric he's directed at folks like Rand Paul recently, calling his libertarianism dangerous thought.

If he thinks he can win a primary without the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, the only part of the Republican Party that's growing, he is sorely mistaken.

TAPPER: So, Stephanie, I remember I was at the White House when we were talking about 2012, and the White House was all saying, ooh, don't run Jon Huntsman against us. Don't do it. Don't run Jon Huntsman against us.

STEPHANIE CUTTER, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": No, sir.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: I don't know -- I could never tell when you guys are -- I mean, I usually actually can tell.

CUTTER: No, you can't.

TAPPER: OK. You're right. You had me bewildered. But is it -- is it a head fake or do you actually think that he would be a strong general election candidate?

CUTTER: Well, I think that -- first of all, I think that S.E. Is right. Or Sarah Elizabeth.

TAPPER: I apologize. I apologize.

CUTTER: That he would have a very tough time getting through the primary. But that doesn't mean he can't. Some Republican nominees have won without the libertarian sect of the party. McCain did. Romney did. Now they didn't...

TAPPER: Now you're really giving him the kiss of death.

CUTTER: Well, they didn't win the election, right. But not because they didn't have the libertarian vote. It's because they moved so far to the right that they lost the middle.

Now, you know, I think Chris Christie, as S.E. said, he does have that nice common-sense touch and authenticity, I think, for voters. The problem is there are some things in his record that Democrats, whoever is running in the next election, could use against him. I mean, his job record is abysmal. He did veto funding for Planned Parenthood, which is so important to the center.

So I think that he could be a strong candidate, if he runs the right race, if he doesn't move to the right in the primary elections. But there are some things that he'd have to resolve.

CUPP: Well, 24 percent of the country says they're now libertarian. And the fact that Mitt Romney didn't win the presidential election had very little to do with the middle, and a lot to do with the fact that we didn't get enough Republicans out to the polls.

So if Chris Christie's plan before 2016 is to alienate Rand Paul and the libertarian wing of the party, I think it's a pretty lousy plan. And I'm starting to see this very sort of disturbing strain of anti- intellectualism that's coming out of him, when he's scolding Rand Paul for sounding too professorial. This isn't a time for esoteric debate.

Look, I want to win, too. But we should be having debates on issues like NSA overreach and gun control. And if he doesn't want to have those debates, he just wants everyone to listen to him, I don't think that he's going to get the necessary votes he needs just on the Republican side to make it through the primary.

TAPPER: What do you -- when you watch these moves as a seasoned political hand, do you think this is all about presidential politics or do you think he's just doing what he needs to be doing? He's got an election coming up. We always -- we always seem to forget he actually has an opponent and he has...

CUPP: He has a state to run.

TAPPER: ... a state to run. But I mean...

CUTTER: And it looks like he's going to win with some significant bipartisan support.

I think that the debate over intellectualism versus pragmatism has a lot to do with Governor Christie being a governor. He actually has to get things done. And in many ways, he's running against Washington. Not just the intellectual wing of the Republican Party, but against all of Washington and the gridlock that we're facing here.

So, you know, I think that some things may be calculated on his part. You know, his veto of the gun bill after calling for that very same gun bill was a little bit calculating. But, you know, he's got to govern. He's got to get things done.

TAPPER: I have to say, I'm from Philadelphia. I know tons of Democrats from across the bridge in Cherry Hill. And with the exception of, you know, the diehard partisan Democrats, they love him.

CUTTER: Yes, because he comes across as authentic. And that is not a very common thing in politics these days.

CUPP: He does. You're absolutely right. That is the important thing. He's charming, but you also want to see that he can be disciplined. We lost, we Republicans lost a lot of good potential candidates in seats because a number of our candidates last year were not disciplined on the stump. So, you know, we're going to be watching him closely. He's a great, great guy. Just want to see him narrow his focus.

TAPPER: I'm very excited for "CROSSFIRE." I want you to know. We were excited before, and now I'm even more excited. S.E. Cupp, Stephanie Cutter, thank you so much. September 16 -- September 16, "CROSSFIRE" returns. Coming up, a decision in the case of an ex-Marine fighting to play college football, challenging NCAA eligibility rules.

But first, as we await the debut of CNN's new "CROSSFIRE," let's take a look back at a "CROSSFIRE" classic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUPP: This classic "CROSSFIRE" is from 1988, months before George H. W. Bush had even selected Dan Quayle to be his running mate. And as you can see, like everyone else at the time, then-Senator Quayle had a little trouble figuring out exactly who the new Soviet leader was.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has Ronald Reagan been duped or snookered by the Soviets, Mikhail Gorbachev?

DAN QUAYLE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let me answer that. No, I don't think he's been snookered. But I'll tell you what I think this president feels. I think he feels that Mr. Gorbachev is a different type of Soviet Union leader. I think that is a mistake in judgment on the part of the president.

CUPP: Awkward. I guess in retrospect, President Ronald Reagan's judgment was pretty good.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: A Marine veteran has just won his newest battle to play college football. The NCAA has cleared Steven Rhodes to return to the field immediately for Middle Tennessee State University. That reverses an earlier ruling that he was ineligible to play this season because he had played in a recreational league while in the military.

I spoke to him today shortly before the decision was announced.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVEN RHODES, MARINE VETERAN: Well, my dream has always been NFL. So college is one of those avenues you've got to pass through to get there. So just once that dream is reignited, I just went with it.

TAPPER: Do you ultimately think they will let you play?

RHODES: I'm very hopeful that they will. And that's what I'm praying and believing for. I just keep faith in the Lord, and I believe it will work out and I will be able to play this year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Rhodes is a married father of two who served five years in the Marines. His case got national attention. Even Senator John McCain tweeted today that Rhodes should be allowed to play. And now he will. It was a preseason football game at a high school that went terribly, terribly wrong. A 16-year-old star player killed during a scrimmage. His death marks the fourth high school football player death just this summer, raising questions about what's being done to protect teams from potentially catastrophic injuries.

Here's CNN's Pamela Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a preseason football game at a high school that went terribly wrong. Sixteen-year-old star player De'Antre Turman was killed after he made a routine tackle.

It's the fourth high-school football death so far just this month, raising questions about what's being done to protect teens from potentially catastrophic injuries.

BROWN (voice-over): De'Antre Turman was a promising high-school athlete, named the top defensive back at Atlanta's MVP camp in June. He had already received a scholarship offer to play college football for the University of Kentucky.

GLENN FORD JR., COACH: He was a great kid to coach. He was a great kid to be around. He was one of those kids that definitely had the potential to go, you know, to play Division I ball.

BROWN: His life was cut short after making what appeared to be a routine tackle during a preseason football game on Friday night. One of his coaches, Glenn Ford, watched in horror from the sidelines.

FORD: The ball was dislodged, and his body just immediately, immediately went limp.

BROWN: Turman, affectionately Tre-Tre by his teammates, died from injuries to his back and neck. He's the fourth teen to lose his life while playing high-school football just this month, bringing new questions about the safety of the sport, especially for teens.

In California, 14-year-old Mitchell Cook died, collapsing on the field after warm-ups during practice. He reportedly had a heart condition not believed to be life-threatening.

And in North Carolina and Utah, two teens also died after collapsing following morning practices.

TERRY O'NEIL, FOUNDER, PRACTICE LIKE PROS: The game can be practiced so many ways, effectively, without full contact during the week.

BROWN: Terry O'Neil, an advocate for safer football practices, says high-school players are using techniques that are harder on their bodies than those used by NFL players.

O'NEIL: These players are playing four or five full-speed, full- contact games a week. And nobody can survive that over the long term. The history is that it's rare that one catastrophic blow would cause death.

BROWN (on camera): Turman's coaches and teammates say the season must go on, and that's how De'Antre would have wanted it.

A 2012 study by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injuries says 67 of the most severe injuries come as a direct result of tackling. Since 1977, 283 high school and college players have ended up with permanent spinal damage.

Pamela Brown, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Up next, Prince William talks about the media frenzy on the day he and Duchess Catherine introduced their new son, George, to the world, and the one thing that he was terrified about. It's his first interview since becoming a dad, coming up

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Prince William is opening up about the joys of being a dad. In his first interview since the birth of his son, George, he sat down with CNN royals correspondent Max Foster at Kensington Palace, and they talked about many things, including the media frenzy when he and his wife, Catherine, introduced little baby George to the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRICE WILLIAM, UNITED KINGDOM: I think more shock and dauntingness is more the feeling I felt. But it is -- the thing is, it's -- I think I was on such a high anyway, so was Catherine, about George, that really we were happy to show him off to whoever wanted to see him, as any new parent knows. You're only too happy to show off your new child, and you know, pretend that he's the best-looking or the best anything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's the baby, the new royal heir in the United Kingdom.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYALS CORRESPONDENT: You were comfortable there?

PRINCE WILLIAM: Yes. Again, it's not somewhere I enjoy being, but I know the position I'm in, it's what's required of me to do. And I think just, you know, it's one of those things that I -- you know, it's nice that people wanted to see George. So, you know, I'm just glad he wasn't screaming his head off the whole way.

FOSTER: That moment that you came out with the car seat, I mean, we had some warning that you might be doing that. Fathers around the planet will be cursing you for doing it so easily.

PRINCE WILLIAM: Believe me, it wasn't my first time. And I know there's been speculation about that. I had to practice. I really did. I was terrified that I was going to be some -- you know, it was going to fall off. So I had actually practiced.

FOSTER: And your decision to drive off. I remember that moment, as well. That was the most nerve-wracking thing for me, having my family in the car. But that was something that you were clearly determined to do.

PRINCE WILLIAM: Well, I can be. I'm as independent as I want to do. And same as Catherine and Harry. We've all grown up, you know, differently to other generations. And I very much feel if I can do it myself, I want to do it myself.

And there are times when you can't do it yourself and the system takes over, or it's appropriate to do things differently. But I think driving your son and your wife away from hospital, it was really important for me. And I don't like fuss, so it's much easier to do it yourself.

FOSTER: And you didn't stall.

PRINCE WILLIAM: I didn't -- well, it's an automatic, so it's all right.

FOSTER: The interpretation of the imagery we saw there, certainly around the world, was that this was a modern monarchy and a new-wave monarchy. But wasn't that reading too much into it? Was it just you doing it your way, you and your wife doing it your own way?

PRINCE WILLIAM: I think so. I'm just doing it the way I know. And you know, if it's the right way, then brilliant. If it's the wrong way, I'll try and do it better.

But no, I just -- I'm quite -- I'm reasonably headstrong about what I believe and what I go for. And I've got fantastic people around me who give me great support and advice.

FOSTER (voice-over): The prince says baby George is already quite a character.

PRINCE WILLIAM: Well, yes. He's a little bit of a rascal, we'll put it that way. So he either reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger; I'm not sure. But he's doing very well at the moment. He's -- he doesn't like to get his nappy changed.

FOSTER (on camera): Did you do the first nappy?

PRINCE WILLIAM: I did the first nappy, yes. It was actually a badge of honor. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I wasn't allowed to get away with that: "You do it, you do it."

He's a little -- he's growing, but he's a little fighter. He kind of -- he wiggles around a lot. We don't get to sleep that much, which is a new problem.

FOSTER: You're up a lot at night?

PRINCE WILLIAM: A little bit. Not as much as Catherine, but you know, she's doing a fantastic job.

FOSTER: How is she, OK?

PRINCE WILLIAM: Yes, very well. For me Catherine and now little George are my priorities. And Lupo.

FOSTER: How is Lupo coping?

PRINCE WILLIAM: He's coping all right, actually. I think a lot of people know, dogs when you bring a newborn back, they take a little time to adapt, but he's been all right so far. He's been slobbering sort of around the house a bit, so he's perfectly happy.

FOSTER: And how long will it be before you go back to work?

PRINCE WILLIAM: Well, as with a few fellows right now, I'm actually part of a patrol.

FOSTER: Get some sleep.

PRINCE WILLIAM: Get some sleep. So just hoping the first few shifts I go back there are no night jobs.

FOSTER (voice-over): One of Prince Williams' great passions is saving endangered species in Africa. He wants his son to experience the same Africa that he saw as a boy and as a young man. To spark in his son a passion for preserving the rarest wild animals, much as his father did with him.

(on camera): You talked about your father possibly whispering in your ear as a young boy. Will you do the same with Prince George? It's of course (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

PRINCE WILLIAM: Probably. At this point, I'll probably whisper into his ear. I'll have toy elephants and riders around the room. Cover it in sort of lots of bushes and art, make him grow up as if he's in the bush.

FOSTER (voice-over): He says the possibility of his son carrying on the royal family's legacy in Africa isn't his immediate concern.

PRINCE WILLIAM: At the moment, the only legacy I want to pass on to him is to sleep more and maybe not change the nappy as many times.

FOSTER: Like any new mother or father, parenthood has surprised and amazed Prince William.

PRINCE WILLIAM: I think the last few weeks have been a really -- just a very different emotional experience. Something I never thought I would feel myself. And I find again it's only been a short period, but a lot of things affect me differently now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: And we're joined now by CNN royals correspondent Max Foster.

Max, you and I are both dads of little kids. I have a 3-year-old; you have a 2-year-old. How is the prince any different? I'm trying to think back to that era. I didn't have any sleep. I was constantly showing anybody who would look pictures of my baby. He's probably a little different in not wanting to e-mail the baby pictures all over the world. How is he different from any regular new dad?

FOSTER: I don't think there is any difference. And that's the crucial thing here. He could be different; he could have all the staff that he wanted. But he's chosen not to. He's doing it himself with Kate.

He drove the car; he put the car seat in. He's up at night doing the nappies, the diapers. So that's the crucial difference. He's getting an insight into what it's like to be a regular ordinary father. And that's allowed us to connect with him, I think. That's what's -- it's the normality almost that's unusual here.

TAPPER: And is that just how Prince William is or is this a kind of a new venue for him because it is this new adventure?

FOSTER: I think he's particularly like this because he's tired. He's elated. He's kind of almost delirious, because he's so hands on.

But is it a part of a new era? I did ask him that, and he said, no, he just wanted to do things his own way. This is a side of William that we haven't seen in public, really, before. This is William determined to do things his own way. That's how he copes with all of this media frenzy around him: he decides what he wants to do and he does it in his own way, and that way he can feel good about what he does. He doesn't question it. He doesn't get bullied into doing things. Previous sort of generations of royals have had to been told what to do. He's not doing that. And that's how he copes. I got an insight into that today. I mean, these are subtle insights, but they're the first time we've had them about the future monarch in this particular (UNINTELLIGIBLE) future moment in some way. So that's what's interesting here.

TAPPER: All right, Max, thank you so much.

Be sure to watch all of Max Foster's interview with Prince William in the CNN documentary, "PRINCE WILLIAM'S PASSION: NEW FATHER, NEW HOPE." It airs Sunday, September 15 at 10 p.m. right here on CNN.

For the man who has everything, musical deodorant. We'll meet the young inventor next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: A young inventor spices up Old Spice. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What do you get when you combine a musical greeting card with a stick of deodorant and throw in a little "Rocky"? Ask the inventor.

QUINN SHEERAN, INVENTED MUSICAL DEODORANT: The final product is...

MOOS: Eleven-year-old Quinn Sheeran took apart a musical Father's Day card he'd given his dad. And rigged up the mechanism so it would play when the Old Spice top came off. Now he's created a second version.

SHEERAN: This is where the music comes out.

MOOS: Instead of the theme from "Rocky" this deodorant stick is stuck on Indiana Jones.

(on camera): But do 11-year-olds even use deodorant?

SHEERAN: Well, I started sweating a lot in fifth grade.

MOOS (voice-over): But inventing stuff is no sweat for a kid who wants to be an engineer. And the "Rocky" theme was perfect for a stick deodorant, since Rocky is always dripping. Sweating so much he could enter a wet T-shirt contest.

Quinn's cousin Charlie...

CHARLIE MAY, QUINN'S COUSIN: He came to me with this deodorant thing.

MOOS: ... posted a photo of the musical stick on Reddit, and it took off from there.

Quinn says he was inspired by musical toothbrushes like the ones that play Justin Bieber's songs and scare puppies.

(on camera): You know, it would probably be a lot easier to do the converse. Try to spice up one of these musical cards.

(voice-over): Old Spice called Quinn's creation the best invention since nachos and is sending him a treasure chest of Old Spice products plus a 3-D printer.

(on camera): When you think about it, who wouldn't want to listen to music while they put on their deodorant? I would.

SHEERAN: Yes. It's just -- it's like an uplift to the day.

MOOS (voice-over): So lift up your arms and roll like Rocky. You know where you can stick it. Up your arm pit.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: And one programming note before we go. I have a special report on the newest Medal of Honor recipient, a soldier who because a great but unlikely hero. That's Wednesday night at 10 Eastern, only on CNN.

Remember, you can follow us and what's going on in THE SITUATION ROOM on Twitter. Just tweet the show, @CNNSitRoom. Tweet me, I'm Jake Tapper. "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now. Ms. Burnett, take it away.