Russian Missile Reportedly Strikes Iran.
BLITZER: We're back with Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger. He served in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. We want to talk to him about new information CNN has learned about Russian cruise missiles fired at targets in Syria but actually hit a Russian ally, Iran, instead. Let's get the background. CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russian warships firing cruise missiles at what it says are ISIS targets in Syria. But as the Russian leader celebrated his 63rd birthday on the ice rink, there are new signs of trouble for the Russian military campaign. CNN has learned at least four of the more than two dozen Russian cruise missiles launched from ships in the Caspian Sea crashed in Iran. No word from Moscow or Tehran. But U.S. officials say they believe there are injuries. A setback for the Russian caliber cruise missile billed as a highly precise weapon with a 1,000-pound warhead being used for the first time in combat. The Pentagon furious that the Russians gave no warning of the missile launches and of other Russian moves.</s>ASHTON CARTER, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: It remains our hope that Russia will see that tethering itself to a sinking ship is a losing strategy.</s>STARR: And an ominous prediction from the U.S. defense secretary.</s>CARTER: I also expect that, in coming days, the Russians will begin to suffer casualties in Syria.</s>STARR: U.S. aerial drones monitoring the border with Turkey now have been shadowed by Russian aircraft on at least two occasions. And the Russians have flown into Turkish air space. Russia claims these videos show their attacks on ISIS. But the U.S. and Turkey say that is not Russia's main target.</s>CARTER: They have initiated a joint ground offensive with the Syrian regime, shattering the facade that they're there to fight</s>ISIL. STARR: A U.S. official tells CNN so far rebel groups have been able to thwart at least limited parts of the Russian and Syrian advances, even in the face of this brutal rocket system, essentially a giant flame thrower. But a top congressional Democrat says the U.S. has to do more.</s>REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: That might mean a no-fly zone in the southern part of Syria and sending a message that he sends up helicopters to barrel bomb people, we're going to take those down.</s>STARR: Now, where do we stand tonight? The U.S. insists, NATO agrees, that the Russians are mainly striking targets of militias and movements that are against Bashar al-Assad, that Russia is not striking ISIS, not -- at least not in any large amount -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Barbara Starr, thanks very much. Let's get back to Congressman Kinzinger. Congressman, if they miss their targets in Syria, hit some place in Iran, that could happen, they could hit some place in Jordan. They could hit some place in Israel. That neighborhood relatively pretty small. What happens then?</s>KINZINGER: Well, it's 100 percent true. I mean, look, they're new so-called amazing cruise missile system, by your report, has about a 20 percent error rate, which is pretty high. It could go into Turkey, a NATO ally. It could hit Israel, Jordan, into Iraq. I mean, we have troops stationed in Iraq, for goodness sakes. This is a very dangerous thing. And obviously, the Russians brought out their brand- new weapons system that really is not -- not living up to its -- up to its hype.</s>BLITZER: It's a really dangerous situation. Congressman Kinzinger, thanks very much. We'll stay on top of this. We're getting some more breaking news into THE SITUATION ROOM right now. We have new details coming in of that chaos engulfing House Republicans tonight after their top candidate for speaker suddenly drops out of the race. Plus, my interview with Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson. He tries to explain his controversial remarks about the Oregon college shooting.</s>DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Knowing that you were next to be killed and that they were going to continue to go down the line killing people, I would much rather go down fighting. And if all of us attack the shooter, the chances are very strong that not all of us will be killed.</s>BLITZER: This hour's breaking news. Chaos up on Capitol Hill after Representative Kevin McCarthy, the majority leader, the man nearly everyone presumed would become the next speaker of the House, shocked everyone by suddenly dropping out of the race suddenly. Our chief political correspondent, Dana Bash, was up on Capitol Hill when McCarthy made his bombshell announcement. She joins us now, along with our senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny; our chief political analyst, Gloria Borger; and our CNN political contributor Ryan Lizza, the "New Yorker" magazine's Washington correspondent. Dana, you're getting new information now about a big push to try to get Paul Ryan to run for speaker.</s>BASH: That's right. You know, we have been talking about the idea that so many people, just in the immediate moments after McCarthy made clear that he wasn't going to run, everybody's name -- the name on everybody's lips, rather, was Paul Ryan, Paul Ryan, Paul Ryan. Well, it goes up to the tippy top. I've just confirmed from a source familiar with the conversation that the current speaker, John Boehner, is even calling, trying to convince Paul Ryan, please, please reconsider. But, again, just confirming and reconfirming with sources who are familiar with Paul Ryan thinking that he is absolutely, positively a no. He saw what happened to John Boehner. He's been in the House for a long time. He knows the situation, knows the climate, and he is not interested in this job right now.</s>BLITZER: All right. Everyone stand by. We're getting more on the breaking news. Joining us now, Republican Congressman Daniel Webster of Florida. He has been -- he wants to be the next speaker of the House. He's been endorsed by the House Freedom Caucus, an influential group of very conservative lawmakers. Congressman, are you still running for speaker?</s>REP. DANIEL WEBSTER (R), FLORIDA: I am. Great to be on.</s>BLITZER: What did you think of McCarthy's dropping out?</s>WEBSTER: I was shocked. I don't think anybody expected that. I think he definitely put something on us that we weren't expecting when we walked into the room.</s>BLITZER: Why do you think he dropped out?</s>WEBSTER: I don't know why he dropped out because we just had a -- we had a member session where all the members came together and we and myself and the other two candidates were there, Kevin was there. And he was passionate about it. This was just an hour and a half before he announced he wasn't going to do it.</s>BLITZER: So something happened obviously that convinced him. How many votes do you think you had? Because as you know he could get the majority among House Republicans, but the question is when it comes up for a formal vote at the end of the month you presumably didn't have enough to get the 218 you need. Is that the reason?</s>WEBSTER: I don't know if that's the reason. I felt like he had certainly the majority of the votes. I did believe that.</s>BLITZER: You think Paul Ryan is going to run for speaker against you?</s>WEBSTER: That I do not know. I'm really not engaged with personalities. I'm working on what I believe to be a process problem that I have with the House. It's power based. I want it to be principle based. I did it in Florida when I was speaker there. And I know we can do it here. Makes everything different and the members engage themselves far more than they do under the current system.</s>BLITZER: Congressman, Dana Bash has a question for you.</s>DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Congressman. Nice to talk to you again.</s>WEBSTER: Hey.</s>BASH: In the hallway earlier today you were saying that even you, a competitor to Kevin McCarthy up until a few hours ago, you thought it was what 99 percent sure that he would be the speaker. Talk about that, and also about if that's the case, why were you running against him?</s>WEBSTER: Well, it's just a matter of votes. And I was trying to get as many votes as I possibly could. And I had quite a few. But in the end the numbers are the telltale. But it didn't change the fact that I believe that we have a broken system. I think the public believes that having everything decided at the top of a pyramid of power by a few people doesn't work. And all I wanted to do is get the message out. And I'd like to serve as speaker to show -- because I did it there in Florida, we pushed down that pyramid of power, spread out the base, so every single member could be a player.</s>BLITZER: Could you support Paul Ryan, Congressman, as speaker of the House? Would he be a good compromise candidate?</s>WEBSTER: Well, right now I'm a candidate for speaker. I don't plan on dropping out.</s>BLITZER: But -- the question is, could you support Paul Ryan?</s>WEBSTER: Instead of myself? Is that what you're asking?</s>BLITZER: Yes.</s>WEBSTER: No. I'm going to -- I would stay in the race.</s>BLITZER: Why are you better than Paul Ryan or Jason Chaffetz, for example?</s>WEBSTER: Well, I've done it before. I've been a speaker of a House, and not only that I've changed the way it worked, the public noticed. Our numbers flipped right side up instead of upside down on polling. And I believe it's what's best for this Congress. We -- our numbers languish at 10, 11, 12 percent approval. And I think we can change that. If we do by engaging all the members in the process.</s>BLITZER: Could you get all 247 Republicans to support you and keep that and try to get that Republican Party and the House, the Republican caucus as it's called, united?</s>WEBSTER: That would be phenomenal to get 247. But I'm certainly giving it all I've got.</s>BLITZER: Here's also something intriguing that emerged today. Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina, he raised questions in a letter earlier this week suggesting any candidate for the party's leadership speaker, majority leader, any of the leadership positions, in his words, what, committed any, quote, "misdeeds" since being elected to the House of Representatives should step down. Do you know what he's referring to?</s>WEBSTER: I am -- I do not know what he's referring to. To me like I said I'm not into judging someone else. I'm into one thing and that is I want to see a principle-based Congress replace the old power- based system that we have.</s>BLITZER: Since he's raised it, Congressman Walter Jones, have you committed any misdeeds since entering the House of Representatives?</s>WEBSTER: Maybe running for speaker. I'm not sure. But, no, I have not.</s>BLITZER: If you become speaker of the House, what would you do as far as funding for Planned Parenthood or extending raising the nation's debt? Would you be willing to go so far as to shut down the federal government to do -- to get those issues resolved from your perspective?</s>WEBSTER: Well, those questions are for the old power-based system where the top of the pyramid of power made all the decisions. My job as speaker is to unite us and let the committee structure and the committee work and the members use that process that we have here now and take the rules that we have and produce product. That would be up to them. It's up to the members. It's up to a majority vote on the floor. That's what I support. I don't want to get trapped into these issues where we wait right until the last minute, the last end of the day. I want to take those important issues up first so we don't have this pressing deadlines all the time. And that's what I believe to be is a principle-based system.</s>BLITZER: So you're not ruling out necessarily another government shutdown?</s>WEBSTER: No. I think we stay away from those by doing our work. And if we do our work up front, we don't even run into these government shutdown issues.</s>BLITZER: Congressman Daniel Webster of Florida, wants to be the next speaker of the House of Representatives. What an exciting day today up on Capitol Hill, Congressman. Thanks for joining us.</s>WEBSTER: Great to be on.</s>BLITZER: All right. Much more on the breaking news coming up. We'll get back to our panel. All the day's news including my interview with Dr. Ben Carson, the Republican presidential candidate. Much more right after this.