Former FBI Agent Kidnapped in Iran 2007; The GAP Responds to Racism
COSTELLO: In a New York subway, a couple of idiots thought it would be funny to vandalize an ad by the GAP. The ad is part of GAP's "Make Love" campaign and features a Sikh model. Well someone replaced the "make love" with "make bombs" and other hateful phrases. After the GAP was informed about it, GAP decided to turn the tables and featured the ad ever more prominently on their Twitter page. Good for the GAP. Nischelle Turner live in New York with more on this. Good morning.</s>NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey yes, the GAP firing back at racism -- all of this playing out on social media. Score one for the good guys in this case, Carol. This all started like you said when a GAP ad on the subway station in the Bronx was defaced with racial slurs. The ad's part of the company's new, make love this holiday season. It features Sikh actor and model Waris Ahluwahlia. But the vandals changed the slogan on the ad from "Make Love" to "Make Bombs." It also scribbled, "please stop driving taxis" across the poster. Really, I mean really?</s>COSTELLO: Oh come on.</s>TURNER: Exactly. Now words starting to spread on social media because of this. And Arsalan Iftikhar who is the editor at the Islamic Monthly spotted the defaced ad, snapped a photo of it, then he shared it with his 35,000 followers on Twitter. But it's GAP's response here that has everyone talking. After becoming aware of the tweet, the company reached out to Iftikhar and they did this via Twitter. They thanked him for alerting them and they asked where they could find the ad. Then they take a very public stance against the racist graffiti they changed the company's background on their verified account avatar to the photo that was featured in the ad. That featured Waris and I have to tell you, I'm like you, whoever the idiots were and that is exactly what they were Carol, idiots that did this, I hope they see this outpouring and realize, you know, I really did something stupid. Maybe they can learn a lesson from this.</s>COSTELLO: That's right times are changing and you better change with them or we're going to let you behind.</s>TURNER: And the Sikh community is -- the Sikh community is actually starting this whole Facebook campaign, a thank you to GAP campaign for featuring a Sikh model in their ads. Because they, like you just said, times are changing. And they're glad to see that, glad to see the diversity that's being --</s>COSTELLO: I know and if those idiots do anything about them, they would, it's just like it's mind boggling. Like -- like at least do your research. OK?</s>TURNER: Exactly. Exactly at least know your hateful speech and who you're giving it to before you give it.</s>COSTELLO: Please target the right people, right?</s>TURNER: Right be smart racists.</s>COSTELLO: It's certainly nothing. Oh God I don't think there's such a thing.</s>TURNER: Exactly. Exactly my point exactly.</s>COSTELLO: Nischelle Turner, thanks so much.</s>TURNER: All right.</s>COSTELLO: Former FBI agent Robert Levinson was kidnapped back in 2007 on the Iranian island of Kish. Since then his family has heard nothing about his condition and only have this picture that confirms he is still being held. On the heels of Iran's nuclear agreement, Levinson's family is renewing the push to get him released. CNN's Chris Cuomo talked with his wife and son on "NEW DAY."</s>CHRISTINE LEVINSON, WIFE OF ROBERT LEVINSON: He was last seen Iran on Kish Island. That's the only information we have about his travels. As I said earlier, his passport has never been seen anywhere else. But six and a half years have passed and we don't know exactly where he is at this moment in time.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: When you go to the State Department when you ask the government for help, what do they tell you?</s>C. LEVINSON: They are working as hard as they can to get him home. Unfortunately, he disappeared in the country of Iran, and it is very hard to get anything done there. We need the officials in Iran to help us and make sure that Bob is safe and get him home to us.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: And that's where the frustration comes in, certainly, Dan, for you, where right now, we're negotiating with Iran, right now we're discussing what should be on the table in terms of establishing trust. There has been some news reporting given to Pastor Abedini, who has been held there supposedly for his practice of Christianity. Your father wasn't really on the radar. Did you make efforts to them? Do you think he should be part of this negotiation?</s>DAN LEVINSON, SON OF IRAN HOSTAGE: We've been told and the U.S. officials have been saying in recent days that he's brought up in every opportunity to have on the sidelines of these negotiations. And they're going to continue to press his case and we have no doubt that the U.S. government is doing everything they can. But we're focused on the new administration. They seem very willing to cooperate with the U.S. on a number of issues and we're just hoping our Dad's returned home to us as one of those.</s>C. LEVINSON: Since he disappeared there have been numerous graduations. Two daughters have gotten married. We have a new grandson who was born just a month ago. Another grandson will be born in February. We have a granddaughter who is going to be five years old in December. And Bob knows nothing about any of these children. It's extremely difficult for our family, because this is something that can be resolved.</s>CUOMO: Yes.</s>COSTELLO: The family went on to say that they were encouraged to hear that President Obama brought up their father's case to the Iranian president in a recent phone conversation. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a strong winter storm blows through much of the East Coast just in time for the busiest travel day of the year. Some plane delays to ice and snow-covered roads. I'll talk to one expert about how to get you through safely this holiday.