[Blitzer:] President Obama just announced new measures aimed at helping former prisoners build new lives by making it easier for them to find jobs. The president is making his push for criminal justice reform very personal, but he's getting pushback from the New York City police commissioner. Our senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, is joining us now with more. The president spoke just moments ago in New Jersey. Tell us what he said.
[Jim Acosta, Cnn Senior White House Correspondent:] That's right, Wolf. Just as the Obama administration is speeding up the release of federal prisoners who are serving harsh drug sentences, the president wants companies across the country to start hiring many of these former inmates and not hold their past crimes against them.
[Acosta:] It's an image of a president that's rarely seen, visiting a halfway house in New Jersey, shining a light on a program that transitions former prisoners back into society.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] Part of our goal here today is to highlight what is working.
[Acosta:] In the fourth quarter of his time in office, President Obama is making criminal justice reform a top priority.
[Obama:] There but for the grace of God.
[Acosta:] And it's personal. Earlier this year at a federal prison in Oklahoma, Mr. Obama candidly admitted he could have ended up behind bars after using drugs in his youth.
[Obama:] These are young people who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made.
[Acosta:] Now, the president wants to make it easy for ex-inmates to find jobs. He's calling on Congress to ban the box in federal hiring, as in eliminate that section on job applications that asks about criminal records, encouraging employers to seek that information later on. Former prisoner Samuel Hamilton says the box is a barrier to a better life.
[Samuel Hamilton, Former Inmate:] It's been my experience, and individuals who I know that you find yourself not getting the job just because of your criminal history.
[Acosta:] That change could be crucial to thousands of federal prisoners just released over the weekend after many have their drug sentences reduced.
[Obama:] We've got to make sure that Americans who paid their debt to society can earn their second chance.
[Acosta:] But some top law enforcement officials like New York Police Prisoner Bill Bratton warn, quick, feel-good prison releases could backfire.
[William Bratton, Nypd Comissioner:] Somebody that is in jail that seems they're nonviolent drug offender may in fact have crimes of violence in their record. So, we have to be very concerned about who were letting out.
[Acosta:] Still, criminal justice reform is all of a sudden in vogue in both parties.
[Gov. Chris Christie , Presidential Candidate:] Incarceration in New Jersey has fallen by nearly 10 percent.
[Acosta:] GOP presidential contender Chris Christie says he's done it in New Jersey while respecting law enforcement.
[Christie:] The other thing that the police officers know is that the governor supports them. This president has not supported law enforcement in this country.
[Acosta:] Now, the White House has responded to Christie's swipe on criminal justice reform by saying the governor is desperately trying to boost his poll numbers. When politicians are fighting over an issue like this, Wolf, it usually has some staying power, and I suspect this one does as well Wolf.
[Wolf Blitzer, Cnn Anchor:] You're probably right. All right. Jim Acosta, thanks very much. Let's talk about this with our CNN anchor Don Lemon, and former federal prosecutor, our legal analyst Sunny Hostin. Sunny, you heard the New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton says violent offenders could slip by the radar, be released on the streets, could pose a danger. Do you agree?
[Sunny Hostin, Cnn Legal Analyst:] I don't agree. I actually think that's a pretty irresponsible characterization of this program. We know that the sentencing commission recommended these reductions the reduction in sentencing in 2014, and federal judges, Wolf, have to carefully examine all of the petitions before them. And in fact, in that examination, about 26 percent of those petitions by inmates have been denied by federal judges. So, there's sort of definitely a built-in system of checks and balances. These aren't violent offenders that are being released. These are nonviolent drug offenders that were incarcerated for really long periods of time under the federal sentencing guidelines. And I know this because as a federal prosecutor, I was beholden to sort of those, you know, federal sentencing guidelines. So, I think that the real question is, rather than be worried about the recidivism rates, which is about 40 percent of people that are released, we've got to who worry about whether or not they have treatment for a lot of their addictions. We've got to worry about training. We've got to worry about certainly sort of this ban the box so there are job opportunities, and we should be worried about housing. So, that those are the real issues. This other issue that the commissioner is talking about is really a red herring. And I think it's really irresponsible to sort of panic the public like that.
[Blitzer:] Don, the president spoke to NBC News today about shaping his legacy, what he wants to see from the next president. Watch this.
[Obama:] I'm very proud that my presidency can help to galvanize and mobilize America on behalf of issues of racial disparity and racial justice, but I do so, hoping that my successor, who's not African-American, if he or she is not, that they'll be just as concerned as I am, because this is part of what it means to perfect our union.
[Blitzer:] It's interesting, he speaks just as this new NBC News"Wall Street Journal" poll comes out showing that among Republicans nationwide Dr. Ben Carson has taken the lead, 29 percent, Donald Trump at 23, second national poll to do so. Last weekCBS. Very interesting a very interesting take, and, of course, Dr. Ben Carson is African-American.
[Don Lemon, Cnn Anchor:] Yes. And at this rate, could. I mean, you know, he could end up being the nominee. If that does happen, there will be a general election. There's still a long way to go until then. But I think it's interesting because I remember back to the beginning of this presidency, Wolf, both of you and covered this. We covered both inaugurations together, and when people would say, you know, President Obama is not doing enough to help African-Americans. Some people still say that, he's not doing enough. Well, I think the president said I represent all Americans. But now, I think he is concerned with legacy and I think he is, as he said, a new person and he's more competent in his second administration, and I think part of his legacy, he wants to deal with racial injustice. And I think that's very good, and that's good on him. And when you're talking about the people who are many of them released from prison, many of them are black and brown people who go, have to go back into society, who won't be able to vote and possibly won't be able to get a job, and I think he's right to be concerned about that at this point in his presidency.
[Blitzer:] Don is going to have a lot at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, "CNN TONIGHT", later tonight. We'll be watching. Don, thank you. Sunny, thanks to you as well. Just ahead, we'll get back to the plane crash history. Stand by for new information coming in to CNN about the possible cause.