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Epic Storm to Hit East Coast; NC Travel Conditions Deteriorating; Jason Rezaian Returns to U.S. Student Detained in North Korea; Cruz Invokes Trump, Slams Poll Fixation; Some GOP Livid Over Possible Cruz Nomination; Atlanta And D.C. Mayors Preparing For Massive Storm. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired January 22, 2016 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:30:12] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

The D.C. mayor about to speak at any moment now. The city urging residents to prep ahead of this epic snowstorm we're expecting. D.C. is right in the bullseye. In less than three hours from now, the federal government will completely shut down. Eighty-five million people in the path of snow and ice this morning. More than two feet of snow heading towards some. Travel deteriorating right now in North Carolina. I'll be talking to the state's Department of Transportation in just a minute, but first Chad here is to tell us the worst.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Carol, we even have pictures already from Louisville, Kentucky. And we also have some pictures from Little Rock where there is six inches of snow on the ground already. So we're not only talking about northeast cities, we're talking about Midwest places. There is Louisville. It is snowing and coming down hard and not planning on stopping any time soon. There you go, Little Rock, six inches for you. About 7.6 up toward Conway. And it continues to snow. And then it's going to snow across the East Coast and ice up as well.

This is the big story I think for Charlotte and for Raleigh and for Winston Salem, High Point, The Piedmont, the Triad, all that, you will see an ice storm and then snow maybe on top of that. If you get farther into Richmond, Virginia, it's going to be mainly all snow. To the east of there, Williamsburg, you mix in with ice. To the west, all snow. That could be two feet deep. D.C., the same story, two feet deep.

Blizzard conditions for almost 30 million people expected in the next 24 hours. That's like 15 million pets in a blizzard warning. So think about that. You've got to take them out there, right? Make sure you know that they're cold if you're cold. Keep your pets inside as well, just like you want to stay inside this weekend.

It is going to snow in big places, in big cities, where millions of people are going to be stranded for a couple of days I think. At least if you get two feet of snow, how are you really going to move? So, Baltimore, D.C., all the way up toward Philly, Harvard (ph) to Grace (ph), all the way up to New York City possibly, that's where the snow is going to be. It continues to snow all the way through Saturday, maybe even to Sunday, and we could even see some snow into Boston and Rhode Island as we continue to move that storm to the east, Carol.

COSTELLO: I'm ready, Chad. I am. Thanks so much.

MYERS: I'll do my best.

COSTELLO: Six starts have already declared states of emergency, including North Carolina. Conditions worsening there right now. Snow and ice hammering cities across the state. Drivers warned to stay off the roads and it looks like people are listening. The roads are like empty.

With me now on the phone is Jordan Ashley Walker. She is the communications officer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Welcome, Jordan.

JORDAN ASHLEY WALKER, NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: Good morning. Thanks for having me.

COSTELLO: Thanks for being here. How are things looking to you?

WALKER: Well, you know, we started in the Charlotte region with some big clumpy snow around 3:00 this morning. And that continued really heavy, falling probably until maybe 5:00 or 6:00, and that's when things kind of changed in the Charlotte region. We had some sleet, some freezing rain, and those conditions on top of the snow that we have, those are really making for some treacherous travel conditions in Charlotte and around North Carolina really.

We're still continuing to urge motorists to stay off the road if they don't have to be on the road. One good thing, at least in the Charlotte area, with this particular storm, is that it came at a time when people are already at home, around 3:00 this morning. So we're hoping that because people woke up and saw snow in their yards and snow on their cars, that they stayed home from work, didn't take their kids to school and we're hoping that that's going to keep people off the road as we continue with our crews to clear the roads today.

COSTELLO: Yes, it looks like it's working so far from our - from our live tower cam shots of Charlotte anyway. Do you have enough equipment to deal with whatever comes?

WALKER: Absolutely. So statewide we've put down to date nearly two million gallons of brine in advance of this storm for anti-icing operations. And currently we've got about 1,500 NCDOT employees that are involved in statewide deicing operations now that this storm has hit and is continuing to spread throughout the state. We've got 55 tons of salt on hand and more than 3,000 tons of salt and sand mixture. And for other parts - other areas of our DOT crews, we're got contractors on hand that will help supplement the response that we have already with our crews in case it's need.

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you so much for being with me, Jordan Ashley Walker.

And, of course, we are awaiting a news conference from Washington, D.C., from D.C.'s Mayor Bowser. And still will fill us in on the efforts that D.C. will go through to protect its citizens this time around.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, just hours away from home cooked meals, sports and movies, "Washington Post" reporter Jason Rezaian, he has plans after spending 18 months in an Iranian jail.

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[09:38:21] COSTELLO: Freed journalist Jason Rezaian is on his way back to the United States right now. "The Washington Post" reporter who spent a year and a half imprisoned in Iran this morning flew out of a U.S. base in Germany. Also with him, his wife and his mom. Jason released this statement. Quote, "I am overjoyed to be reconnecting with my family. I'm feeling well and plan to relax and enjoy home cooked meals, sports and movies with my family over the next few days and weeks. At some point, I will be ready to discuss my ordeal, but for now, I just want to express my profound appreciation for the tremendous support I have received. I am humbled by all I have learned about the efforts undertaken on my behalf." CNN international correspondent Phil Black is in Germany with more.

Hi, Phil.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Yes, everything we've seen of Jason Rezaian and his family in recent days has proven that this is a very happy time for them, for obvious reasons. But no doubt happier still because they are now returning home. And as you described, he released this statement around the time they left. And in it he simply declared his intention I guess to be enjoying all the simple things of getting home, enjoying the company of family and so forth, while also making it clear that at the moment he's still not quite ready to talk about in detail all the extraordinary experiences he has lived through over those 18 months or so in captivity.

His wife, his mother also released quotes and statements as part of that release at the time of their departure. They're all clearly incredibly happy, really overjoyed. His mother, Mary, says that she is so proud of the way he handled himself through the ordeal of his imprisonment. His wife talked about this being a new, exciting chapter in their lives and she, an Iranian citizen, can't wait to begin their new life in the United States.

[09:40:12] Now, the doctors at the clinic where he and those two other Americans have been receiving specialist care designed for people who have been through these sorts of long ordeals involving isolation and psychological trauma, they say that to return home in this way, at this time is - it's an incredibly important and sometimes overwhelming step, but it's a positive one, but, at the same time, just the next step in the next phase of the long road to recovering from everything that he's been through, Carol. COSTELLO: All right, Phil Black reporting live from Germany this

morning.

We're learning that an American college student has been detained in North Korea. North Korean media identifies him as a University of Virginia student Otto Frederick Warmbier. He was detained January 2nd as he prepares to leave North Korea for a flight to China. CNN's Paula Hancocks has more from Seoul.

Good morning.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, we understand from the travel company that he actually traveled with that he was detained on January 2nd. So it's been some time that the North Koreans have been holding him until they actually announced this. They announced it today. KCNA, the state-run media, saying that he has been detained and investigated for hostile acts against the country. Now they're accusing him of trying to topple the regime and they say that it is, quote, "at the tacit connivance of the U.S. government."

Now, of course, we're reaching out to the State Department to get some kind of reaction to this. We understand from the tour (ph) group who actually took him into the country, that the family's been informed. They're working with the State Department and North Korean's foreign ministry to try and work out a deal, to try and secure his release. We don't know of any more details at this point. We're waiting on those.

But, of course, this is not the first time this has happened. He's the third detainee from the west that we know of at this time. Earlier this month, the Korean-American was shown to a CNN team in Pyongyang. He said that he was being held on charges of espionage. And at the same time a Canadian-Korean pastor is being held. He's actually being sentenced to life hard labor for subversion. So certainly this is not the first time this has happened. The State Department recommends strongly against any U.S. citizen traveling to North Korea.

Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Paula Hancocks reporting live for us this morning, thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, for some Republicans, it's anybody but Cruz. A look at the Republicans ready to revolt if the Texas senator gets the presidential nomination.

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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Republican Senator Marco Rubio took his presidential campaign to the "Tonight Show" couch on Thursday getting ribbed by Jimmy Fallon over those now infamous high heeled cowboy boots.

And revealing it was one of his four children who actually bought them as a gift. Rubio also told Fallon if the running for president doesn't work, he's got a backup plan.

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JIMMY FALLON, LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: Say if you don't win the nomination, would you consider being vice president?

SENATOR MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No, that's not what I'm thinking about. I either want to be like commissioner of the NFL, which is more powerful than president sometimes.

FALLON: You want to be commissioner of the NFL?

RUBIO: Yes. I mean, they have one now. I'm just that when the next one comes up because I'm serious that's a great job. You have a lot of power in that job. You can like suspend people.

FALLON: But the president is obviously --

RUBIO: No, that's my first choice.

FALLON: I love you're a dreamer, man.

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COSTELLO: Rubio also acknowledged his low poll numbers pleading to voters in New Hampshire and Iowa please vote for Marco Rubio.

Earlier this morning, Republican Senator Ted Cruz took a shot at fellow candidate who never has a tape to tell his poll numbers invoking the specter of Donald Trump this morning on "Good Morning America."

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SENATOR TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would suggest that the next commander in chief instead of living or dying by the daily polls and by the latest Twitter story, should focus on identifying our enemies and doing whatever is necessary to keep this country safe. And as president that's what I'm going to do.

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COSTELLO: That while Cruz has his eye on Trump, the Republican establishment has its eyes on him. Threatening revolt if Cruz is the party's nominee for president. Sara Murray has more for you.

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SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER (voice-over): Donald trump making a new case to Republican voters as a unifier.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's get to be a little establishment. There is totally grid brock. Guys like Ted Cruz will never make a deal because he's a strident guard. No you cannot have that.

MURRAY: All while Ted Cruz, a Texas senator, has Trump as the Washington insider.

CRUZ: There is a bunch of big money in this race. The Washington establishment right now they are abandoning Marco Rubio and they are rushing to Donald Trump.

MURRAY: The latest war of words as more Republican leaders distance themselves from Cruz. Senator Oren Hatch, a Bush supporter telling CNN, "I think we'll lose if he's our nominee."

His concerns echoed by other senators including Dan Coates, who says Republicans are still sore about Cruz accusing them of being part of a Washington cartel.

This week the governor of the hawk eye state even calling for Cruz's defeat.

GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD (R), IOWA: He is heavily financed by big oil. So we think that once Iowans realize that fact they might find other things about him attractive. But I think it would be very damaging to our state.

MURRAY: And former Republican nominee for president, Bob Dole, recently said a Cruz nomination would almost certainly mean Republicans losing seats in Congress and a shot at the White House.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Could you support Ted Cruz if he ends up with the nomination?

BOB DOLE (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, I would -- I might oversleep that day.

MURRAY: Trump's reveling in the establishment backlash against Cruz.

TRUMP: Here is a United States senator, Republican, doesn't have support of one other Republican senator. There is something wrong there.

MURRAY: Something Cruz is hoping to use as his advantage as he calls himself a true conservative.

CRUZ: I'm a Christian first. I'm an American second. I'm a conservative third and I'm a Republican fourth.

MURRAY: Leaving former presidential hopeful, Lindsey Graham, sounding the alarm saying either Cruz or Trump spell the beat for the GOP.

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: You nominate Trump and Cruz, I think you get the same outcome. Whether it is death by being shot or poisoning, does it really matter?

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[09:50:06]COSTELLO: Sara Murray, reporting. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz by the way both expected in Iowa this weekend. Ted Cruz will be joined by conservative radio host, Glenn Beck.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, football deja vu, a familiar face off on the gridiron, but who wins this time?

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COSTELLO: A news conference is taking place all along the eastern Seaborg. That's the Atlanta mayor standing to the right of another city official in the city of Atlanta. They're assuring Atlanta residents they are prepared for anything that comes.

You know what happened a couple of years ago. The icepocalypse in Atlanta was awful, but right now they are assuring residents that it will not happen again.

On the right of your screen that's in Washington, D.C., we are awaiting D.C.'s Mayor Muriel Bowser to come out and tell us how the city of D.C. has been preparing.

As you know, Washington, D.C., is in the bull's-eye of this storm. They could see up to 30 inches of snow by weekend's end.

All right, let's talk about something good now. Super Bowl Sunday is just over two weeks away, which means the nation's biggest ad agencies will be rolling out what they hope will be their crowning achievement of the year.

Since we're in the middle of a political season, long-time Super Bowl sponsors like Budlight have picked up on that theme.

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[09:55:12]COSTELLO: All right, expect to see more of that on Super Bowl Sunday. Let's head to Washington, D.C., Mayor Bowser now talking. Let's listen.

MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER (D), DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: -- briefing on the incoming blizzard that is descending on the District of Columbia. This morning, let me first tell you about where we are. We're located at the district's Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

And this is the location of the district's emergency operation center. We stood up our center at 6:00 a.m. this morning and we have begun to fully deploy our resources. We've staffed up so all essential and emergency personnel are in place.

For the next several days, the district's no operation and response will be led out of this office under the direction of our HCEMA Director Chris Geldhart, who is going to provide an operational update in a few seconds.

We've just been briefed by the National Weather Service about the blizzard that is coming in. We believe that it could be -- the snow could start coming a little bit earlier than was reported yesterday, between 1:00 and 3:00.

Snow all day, all night, and all day Saturday into late night Saturday. And the forecast does not show any -- any evidence of lightening up. We are anticipating 2 to 2 1/2 feet of snow over a 36- hour period, with some parts of the District of Columbia on that upper end.

The snow we anticipate is wet and heavy, which means we can expect to see downed trees and power lines. The winds are expected to be 30 miles an hour up to 50 miles an hour through Saturday evening. And we believe that we are going to see wind pick up throughout the day.

In fact, our forecasters call this event having thunder snow at parts of the storm. So, I want to be very clear with everybody. We see this as a major storm. It has life and death implications.

And all the residents of the District of Columbia should treat it that way. We need the city's full cooperation, and we need the media's help, too. To send a clear message that we want people to hunker down, shelter in place and stay off the roads.

We need people to be in a safe place today just as soon as they can for their own safety and for the safety of our public safety personnel and our first responders. We also need you to look in on your neighbors and especially think about them now.

If anybody you know is outside, we need to get them inside as soon as possible. At 9:30 the district's snow emergency went into effect, which means that all snow emergency routes on our major arteries should be clear at this time.

If they are not clear, we will move the vehicles. We have to have the emergency snow routes clear so we can begin to clear the streets, so that our first responding vehicles can have access to neighbors in the event of an emergency. These are blizzard conditions.

And even passing through streets will be difficult for our first responders, and we want everybody to look out for them. So, what we are going to do now is talk to you about the immediate snow operations and take questions. Let me welcome Director Geldart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a bad storm. Folks need to understand that this is a life-threatening type of storm. So, if you do not need to be out, we're asking folks is by 3:00 today, you need to be where you're going to be throughout this storm --

COSTELLO: We're going to break away. You've heard the warnings, Washington, D.C. be very careful. In fact, I heard from many of my friends in Washington, D.C. that many people went home yesterday afternoon. They're already hunkered down and that is a good thing. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining me. For millions of people along the east coast, this could be the storm they will someday tell their grandchildren about.

Overnight this monster storm has raked across the south dumping freezing rains, sleet and snow from --