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Pope's Christmas Message; A Look at Political Events of 2015; Reviewing Movies for This Holiday Season. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired December 25, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

JOHN ALLEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- very much aspires to be a peace pope, and so it's no surprise that we heard a strong call for peace in his annual urbi et orbi message to the city and the world. He touched on a number of global hotspots, from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Syria and Libya, even the peace process in Colombia, where he's been personally involved in trying to promote talks to end the world's longest-running civil war.

As Europe grapples with its most significant refugee crisis since World War II, we also heard him issue a strong plea for compassion for people fleeing violence and poverty, and also calling on host governments to be generous in integrating these people.

In the - in the context of a year that was marked by significant acts of terrorism, of course including the November terrorist attacks in Paris, Pope Francis today denounced what he called brutal acts of terrorism, talking about monstrous forms of evil, and praying to God to liberate the world from them.

So what we saw, Boris, was a pope trying to use the visibility afforded by one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar to raise his voice, as he so often does in defense of peace and given dignity around the world. That was the story from Rome on Christmas, 2015, Boris.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN: John Allen updating us on the traditional Christmas blessing from the pope in Rome. Thank you, John.

From the Middle East now, there have been three new attacks by Palestinians on Israelis in the past 24 hours. Officials say a man stabbed two soldiers in the West Bank.

Another Palestinian with a screwdriver tried to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and a third attacker tried to ram soldiers with a car. All the attackers were shot and killed. This marks the latest in a wave of near daily attacks by Palestinians, dating back to October.

In Africa, dozens of Nigerians filling cooking gas tanks were killed overnight, and many others were injured when an industrial gas tank exploded when is to say a truck caught fire while offloading gas, engulfing a factory and surrounding buildings. The president of Nigeria released a statement expressing regret over the accident, and condolences to the victims and their families. In Asia, Russia turning to an unlikely partner in the war on ISIS, the Taliban. Vladimir Putin will start exchanging intelligence with Russia's long-time enemy, hoping to stop growth in the number of ISIS fighters in Afghanistan. Putin has expressed concerns about jihadists from Russia's Caucasus region, and the former Soviet Republic's going to fight with ISIS.

Back in the U.S., more than 100 protesters in Chicago staging what they call a black Christmas, the demonstrators marching along Michigan Avenue Thursday, holding (die-ins), blocking last-minute shoppers from stores and calling for the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the protests happening in response to the 2014 police shooting of Laquan McDonald.

A special Christmas Eve present under the tree for superhero superstar Robert Downey Jr. California Governor Jerry Brown pardoning the Iron Man star on Thursday for drug offenses in the 1990s. Downey, just one of 91 people granted clemency by the governor for past crimes, most of them minor drug offenses that are no longer felonies under California law.

That's a look at your Christmas Day headlines. Back to you, Chris and Alisyn.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN: It has been a very busy year. The politicians who joined the presidential race, boy, they've been having to deal with difficult topics affecting the United States at home and all around the world, so this year, who did the job the right way, and who did not do it as right as we would have liked? Let's bring in Ryan Lizza here with Alisyn and me to help break down who's on the naughty and nice list.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN: Oh, I like it.

CUOMO: We thought that was seasonally appropriate. CNN contributor and of course the Washington correspondent for the New Yorker. Merry Christmas, Ryan.

RYAN LIZZA: Merry Christmas.

CUOMO: Very good to have you, thank you. So what do you want to start with?

CAMEROTA: I like saving naughty for last.

CUOMO: So do nice first.

CAMEROTA: Let's do nice first.

CUOMO: Nice it is. Here's the nice list.

LIZZA: Let's start with John Boehner. Poor John Boehner, ousted as speaker of the House ...

CUOMO: Is he the Tiny Time of this Christmas pageant? LIZZA: This was the guy who tried to govern, but his own party wouldn't let him, and in his final days, what did he do? He passed a whole load of legislation that his own Republican conservatives didn't want him to touch, but he did it anyway for the - for the good of the government.

And you know, he had a more successful career than I think people give him credit for from the conservative perspective. Cut the deficit, banned earmarks, did a few other things that he's not always given credit for, and he left town with grace.

CUOMO: (Inaudible) to come before Congress.

CAMEROTA: Right, so he makes the nice list.

LIZZA: That's right.

CUOMO: See you, John. Next? George H.W. Bush.

LIZZA: You know, George H.W. Bush was the subject of a biography this year by Jon Meacham, excellent book that was a reminder of a sort of different time in American politics, when bipartisanship actually worked. This is someone who ended the Cold - helped end the Cold War, and reduced the deficit in a very tough deal that probably forced him to lose reelection, and that book this year really reminded us of a time when politics actually worked in Washington.

CUOMO: Strength and gentility.

CAMEROTA: There were some interesting little tidbits in that book as well.

LIZZA: And I think his son is realizing that it is a different time. Jeb Bush - a lot of Jeb Bush's troubles on the campaign trail are that the modern Republican party is a lot different than the one his father faced.

CAMEROTA: Who else is nice?

LIZZA: And let's finally - a little shout-out for Joe Biden, probably the person, let's be honest, who is most prepared to be president in the United States, and yet that ...

CUOMO: Controversial.

LIZZA: Well, he's been in the office - he's been vice president longer than, you know - he's seen the job up close, but bowed out, I think, with a lot of grace and dignity, and had a very difficult year, and I think it must have been very difficult for him to make that decision, and basically cede the race to Hillary Clinton.

CAMEROTA: Sure seemed like it. OK, let's get to the naughty, shall we?

LIZZA: Yes, this is - this was tough, there was a lot to choose from this year ... CAMEROTA: How did you narrow it down?

LIZZA: And I don't think anyone will be surprised by Donald Trump being on this list, although I can see the people tweeting at me already for including him. Someone who offended just about every group in America this year I think probably deserves to be on the naughty list.

The best you can say is at least he doesn't offend any single - you see, he doesn't just single out one group, he pretty much has offended everyone this year.

CAMEROTA: Equal opportunity offender, there you go.

CUOMO: He'll say he's not being offensive, he's just telling it like it is. Next.

LIZZA: Mitch McConnell on the naughty list, a little bit of inside baseball for sticking into the end of year legislation a piece of - a rider, so-called rider, that would allow big donors in America to have more influence in American politics. And so Mitch McConnell, who has never liked our campaign finance laws, on the naughty list for trying to give the big donors in America a little bit more of an edge.

CAMEROTA: Interesting, that snuck in without other people being able to do anything?

LIZZA: That's - well that's right, and it's something that he has championed for a long time, he's someone that believes that money is free speech, right, that's what the Supreme Court has said, but he's tried to loosen the campaign finance regulations around the edges.

CAMEROTA: Interesting.

CUOMO: And Menendez ...

LIZZA: And finally, Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey not doing a lot for New Jersey's reputation as a state that produces honorable politicians, Mr. Menendez was indicted back in April and fair enough, he was indicted not convicted yet, but the details of the indictment reveal a very sketchy relationship between a senator and a donor, he's accused of doing favors for a close, close friend.

CUOMO: Only indicted though, (inaudible) sandwich).

LIZZA: Only indicted, he could still beat the rap as they say, but even if he's not - even if he's not convicted, Chris, the details of his relationship with this donor are not something we want our Congressmen doing.

CUOMO: What list do you put Camerota on? After her assaultive ways with various candidates and co-anchor.

LIZZA: I think I speak for all viewers ...

CUOMO: Wait a minute. LIZZA: Well I think I speak for all viewers with this ...

CUOMO: Hold on.

LIZZA: ... that she would be on the nice list for this year.

CAMEROTA: Thank you, Ryan.

LIZZA: You'd be on ...

CUOMO: Do you feel comfortable with that designation?

CAMEROTA: Completely.

CUOMO: That's the way you see yourself?

CAMEROTA: Absolutely.

CUOMO: Really? Hence the white dress?

CAMEROTA: Of course, yes. Personification of nice list.

CUOMO: What list would you put me on?

LIZZA: I don't ...

CAMEROTA: Ryan, I mean ....

CUOMO: Seriously?

LIZZA: If you have to ask ...

CUOMO: Wow.

CAMEROTA: What's your prediction for 2016? What are you looking at?

LIZZA: For 2016, as the big story is can ...

CAMEROTA: What do you have - what do you keep (in your eye) ...

LIZZA: ... Trump keep it going? Can he, you know - can he survive the final two months ...

CUOMO: Who can beat him, by the way? I think he can keep it going, period (inaudible).

LIZZA: Anyone. Marco Rubio can beat him, Ted Cruz can beat him, even Jeb Bush could make a comeback and beat him, Chris Christie ...

CUOMO: At what point?

LIZZA: ... who's coming strong in New Hampshire could beat.

CUOMO: What's your point where at this point we will know that somebody has reached Trump, if it happens at all? LIZZA: We've had - we've had people at the top of the polls late into the year before the election, that just completely sputtered and burned out come January.

CAMEROTA: But never for this long.

LIZZA: No, I'm saying, people who were at the top of the polls ...

CUOMO: At the end of the year ...

CAMEROTA: Well yes, but Herman Cain didn't have it for months.

LIZZA: Herman Cain - he didn't have it for months, that's true, but ...

CUOMO: And (miss) margin, we're all over you, Ryan, you got to beat down on this.

CAMEROTA: Yes, please.

LIZZA: But so I don't believe the early polls, they've never been predictive. But look, Trump will be there, in the end, one, two, there will probably be about three candidates. The field will start to winnow after Iowa, and then we'll actually have some clarity, so I still - I might - my rule is ignore the early polls until one month before they start voting.

CUOMO: One other quickie. When does Hillary Clinton's positive- negative go in neutral to positive for her?

LIZZA: I think that's a tough one. Her biggest problem is that she - what people know about her is set in stone, and when you've been around in politics for that long, people know everything they need to know about you, and it's very hard to give them new information that will change their minds either pro or con.

And you know, for better or worse, she has - you know, she has a low ceiling, and a low floor. She's got that narrow band, but I don't think she can do a whole lot to turn that around.

CUOMO: Ryan Lizza, thank you very much. Merry Christmas to you.

LIZZA: Merry Christmas to both of you.

CAMEROTA: Thanks for playing along, not easy.

CUOMO: Heavy controversy, in the Camerota household I heard that you were down two to one on the naughty list.

CAMEROTA: Very funny, I'll see what (critter) has to say.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN: More controversy, why did you leave this mistletoe in my chair, Christopher?

CUOMO: What, I did?

PEREIRA: Yes, what's up with that? Yes, obviously.

CUOMO: Hey, can't blame a guy for trying.

PEREIRA: All right, all sorts of naughtiness going on around here today, we're having some fun, we're going to talk about films, holiday flicks. Up next, we're going to take a look at the best holiday movies to check out this weekend. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: So on Christmas Day, not everyone likes to sit home, maybe under the mistletoe, around the holiday table. If you're one of those people, Hollywood's got some great offerings at the ready. Here to guide us through the best, very best movies of the holiday season is our senior media correspondent and host of reliable sources, Brian Stelter.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN: This is the fun part of the (beat).

PEREIRA: Merry Christmas. It is, it is. And, Hollywood not disappointing. First and foremost, I believe it's what the L.A. Times refers to as the cinematic equivalent of El Nino, the release of Star Wars.

STELTER: We've heard about it once or twice by now. Star Wars is everything. I think many people at this point have seen it several times, going to the movies again and again to see it. This season it's Star Wars and then everything else at the box office.

PEREIRA: But the problem is, if you didn't get a ticket, you might be out of luck. So many places sold out.

STELTER: Yes, so many places sold out right away. I think what we're seeing is old generations of fans who love the originals, and brand new generations of fans, that's what Disney has been so effective at, by creating excitement for - kind of new excitement for this franchise.

But you know, Star Wars is kind of like a rising tide, it's going to help other films as well, because there's so much interest in the box office this season. Remember this time last year? We were talking about the interview, that North Korea threat, all that craziness. Well there's no move - nothing like that this season. It's all about exciting films.

PEREIRA: Rising Tide might be a good name for another sequel to the Star Wars (inaudible).

CAMEROTA: I agree with that. Are you a Star Wars geek - I mean fan?

STELTER: I am - I am - I'd like to say I'm a geek at heart, but I'm new to the Star Wars franchise, so I'm a new fan, like I ...

CUOMO: What do you mean you're new?

STELTER: ... many people like me. PEREIRA: Because he's too young, he's too - he missed it.

STELTER: Well it's not just that I'm too young though, I actually wasn't that into them when I was a kid, when I was growing up. I tried them, didn't like them, but now I am a fan, and there's millions of people like me because of the new movie that have been sucked into the franchise.

PEREIRA: Yes, I think so. All right, next up, we are watching this, another bit of nostalgia, I know that you're excited about this, and fans of the Rocky franchise, Creed is coming out. So taking into the next generation again, isn't it?

STELTER: Absolutely, and in the early reviews, and in the early theaters where it came out in some of the big cities, it's been doing really well, it's been performing really well, Sylvester Stallone of course coming back for this one.

CUOMO: This is one of those movies, maybe like Star Wars, I don't know, that kind of captures a moment in your life as well, you know, Rocky is an ethos as much as it is a character, you know, and that's the beautiful thing about this, although a little controversial that it's about the son of Creed ...

CAMEROTA: About Creed, yes.

CUOMO: About Carl Weathers, but he's not in the movie, you know. A little bit, you know ...

CAMEROTA: I love that actor though, he was on my soap opera.

PEREIRA: Michael B. Jordan?

CAMEROTA: The - whoever the star of that is with All My Children.

PEREIRA: You're a soap opera girl?

CAMEROTA: I was.

(CROSS-TALK)

CAMEROTA: And he was - sadly it's been canceled, but I loved him then, and I can't wait to see it.

PEREIRA: I love him now.

CUOMO: And he really does look like Weathers, (inaudible).

PEREIRA: He does, he really does. OK, next up, I cannot wait to see this because I got a boatload of them, Sisters. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

STELTER: Yes, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, this is in some ways the perfect Christmas movie, you know, even though it's not holiday theme necessarily ...

PEREIRA: It's family.

STELTER: It's comedy, it's family, everybody's going to love this movie.

CUOMO: That's ...

CAMEROTA: Not ...

CUOMO: I don't know what that was.

CAMEROTA: ... for Christmas viewing.

STELTER: There's a lot of dramas out, but this is one of the few comedies. I think it's going to do really well.

PEREIRA: And the two of them can bring the funny, that's just the truth.

CAMEROTA: We know that.

PEREIRA: We know that. OK, then on the other side, so we've got some comedy here, but then there's a couple of movies that you actually brought our attention to, and are issue-laden movies.

STELTER: Well our biggest one has been Concussion, of all the ones that I was able to see ahead of time, Concussion, the Will Smith drama about the NFL's issue with concussions, with traumatic brain injuries, this movie was outstanding, it's obviously going to be controversial, sometimes painful to watch, but I think it's going to draw a big audience out the next few days.

PEREIRA: And then ...

CUOMO: Sure, because the guy, the doctor, you know, we've all covered this story for years, you never heard of him, and you wind up finding out who was at the beginning of all it.

STELTER: Yes absolutely. It's not the only one spotlight, a great movie about the Boston Globe reporters ...

PEREIRA: Controversial as well.

STELTER: ... who uncovered the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic church, that movie came out in a couple big cities a couple weeks ago, now it's out nationwide, also doing really well, and you know, there's also Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, which is going to be a great film, a very big film I think in the coming days.

PEREIRA: Those heavier subject films, do they tend to do well over the holidays?

STELTER: Well they have a long life, you know, they have to come out before January 1st to get Oscar nominations, and they have to come out in these few days, so that's why they're scheduled right around Christmas, and then they have a long life in the weeks to come. I think Concussion will, for example. CUOMO: I have a prediction.

CAMEROTA: What's that?

CUOMO: I never make them, because I'm always wrong. I think people want to laugh ...

CAMEROTA: Yes, more so than ever right now.

CUOMO: I think people have had it. I mean everything is so hard all over the place, I bet you things that make people enjoy life and laugh, they're going to do better than expected.

PEREIRA: Sisters.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

PEREIRA: And a little sweetness for the kids, The Good Dinosaur, I kind of want to see this.

STELTER: I was going to say, that's the one I want to see, because Pixar is so good about making these films that are for kids but are really for everybody.

CAMEROTA: This one's really, really for kids though, like it's definitely got a kid focus (inaudible) ...

STELTER: Well (inaudible) from the perspective of a child, and that's unusual for Pixar, but you know, from everything I've seen so far, it's very appealing for adults as well, and that - they're so good at making films (inaudible).

CUOMO: It's a good thing, because you're going to have to watch it 55 times.

PEREIRA: But you know what, it might make the Frozen theme go away for a while, that's the only thing to think about.

CAMEROTA: Oh there we go.

STELTER: That would be nice, not that I'm not a fan of Olaf.

CAMEROTA: No, we love Olaf.

PEREIRA: Do you predict it's going to be a big holiday movie watch - a big movie season ...

STELTER: Thanks to Star Wars, this should be the biggest holiday box office ever. It's really Star Wars as the foundation, and then all these other films are talking about helping to get it over the top.

PEREIRA: All right. Brian Stelter ...

STELTER: And then of course there's always Netflix or Amazon or Hulu if we don't feel like going out.

PEREIRA: I just watched A Very Merry Christmas, which is not for everybody, but I thought it was hysterical, it was great ...

(CROSS-TALK)

PEREIRA: I liked it, I liked it. All right, Brian Stelter, merry Christmas. I'd pull out the mistletoe, but Chris did it. Oh, here it is.

STELTER: There we go.

(CROSS-TALK)

PEREIRA: Thanks, Brian.

STELTER: Thank you.

The Young People's Chorus of New York City: (SINGING)

PEREIRA: My goodness, weren't they fantastic? The voices of angels, thank you so much. Once again, thanks to The Young People's Chorus of New York City. Stay with us, we have much more in store for you on this very special Christmas morning. We'll be right back after a short break. You brought tears to my eyes, that was so beautiful.

MALE: Thank you so much.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)