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Republicans Face Off in Iowa Without Donald Trump; Democrats Debate Over Having Another Debate; Teacher Arrested in California Jail Break; Official: North Korea Possibly Tested H-Bomb Components; WHO: Zika Virus "Spreading Explosively"; One-Way Bus Ride into ISIS Headquarters in Raqqa; Barbie Gets New Body; Republican Debate Highlights without Trump. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired January 29, 2016 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:12] ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Isha Sesay.
VAUSE: And I'm John Vause. Coming up to 10:00 here on the West Coast.
And Donald Trump, he wasn't even there, but it did not take long for his name to come up at that Republican presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa. Trump was holding his own event, a fundraiser for veterans, trying to compete with the FOX News debate.
SESAY: He says the network apologized to him late Thursday and asked him to take part in the debate, but Trump says he had to stand up for himself after he was treated unfairly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I didn't want to be here. I have to be honest. I wanted to be about five minutes away. And I've enjoyed that. I've enjoyed that. All the online polls said I've done very well with that, with the debates. And I've had a kick with it. But you have to stick up for your rights. When you're treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights. You have to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The other leading Republican candidates had a little fun at Trump's expense for not turning up to this final debate before the Iowa caucuses which happens Monday.
SESAY: His closest rival Senator Ted Cruz said Trump's absence was an insult to voters who deserve to hear about the issues and solutions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's stupid. I'm a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat, and ugly, and, Ben, you're a terrible surgeon. Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way --
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I kind of missed Donald Trump. He was a little teddy bear to me. We always had such a loving relationship during these debates and in between and the tweets. I kind of miss him. I wish he was here.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So let's begin by being clear what this campaign is about. It's not about Donald Trump. He is an entertaining guy. He the greatest show on earth. This campaign is about the greatest country in the world and a president who has systematically destroyed many of the things that made America special.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Jeb Bush so did not want Donald Trump to be there. OK. For a closer look at the not-the Donald Trump debate, we have CNN's political director David Chalian, CNN's national political reporter Maeve Reston, at the debate site there in Des Moines.
SESAY: Yes, indeed. And we also have here with us here in L.A. Republican consultant John Thomas. He's here with us in the studio and joining us shortly to be part of the conversation, CNN political commentator and Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord, who is in Washington and swapping studios.
VAUSE: He's doing a quick hustle for another studio right now.
SESAY: Right.
VAUSE: So we'll go to David Chalian.
So, David, you know, what a difference a Donald makes. I mean, Boy. To coin a Donald Trump term, that was a very low energy debate. Very different from what's we've seen before.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: That is true. And it's not necessarily because of Donald Trump's performance in the past debates. Sometimes he has really hung back in those previous debates. But he sparks enough controversy on the stage that he gives it a whole different sense of life that it was missing today, which is why I also think, though, that even though he wasn't on the stage, I do think he was the clear winner tonight.
We are a few days out from the voting beginning in Iowa. And he as the frontrunner both here in Iowa from -- and nationally, avoided all the slings and arrows that a frontrunner would normally face in a debate this close to the voting. And he was just able to avoid all that by not showing up.
You played a little bit of the sound where they talked about him. But for the most part, he really was absent from the stage. And that is good thing for Donald Trump because that means that there's -- he didn't take on any extra baggage before the voting begins.
SESAY: Yes. Indeed. David, good point. He kind of stood above the fray, if you will.
Maeve, to bring you in, you were at the Trump rally, which was just five minutes down the road. What was the atmosphere like? MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, I have to tell
you that people started lining up, you know, hours and hours before he got there. And we spent a lot of time outside kind of trying to figure out who was in the line. There were people that had driven in, you know, six hours to see him from Kansas City, from Minnesota, from Pennsylvania. Other surrounding states. Really energized by his candidacy.
None of them cared at all that he had skipped the FOX debate. Everyone said that they weren't even like Tivo'ing it. They had absolutely no interest in watching it. This is their guy. They're for him. And I have to say that it was a much more restrained performance than we usually see from Donald Trump once he got up there on that stage. He had a whole series of veterans in the front row, many of them Wounded Warriors. He actually brought Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum up on stage which was sort of extraordinary to talk about veterans issues, because they of course had participated in the undercard debate earlier.
So he really tried to focus on the veterans issues, not so much his poll numbers. There was one low energy jab at Jeb Bush. But other than that, he restrained himself tonight.
[01:05:07] VAUSE: He can't help it. He cannot help himself. Oh, dear. OK.
SESAY: It's indeed quite a spectacle. Maeve, David, do stand by for us. We're going to bring you into the conversation a little bit. But we want to bring our viewers some of the highlights from this evening.
VAUSE: Absolutely. First, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, the three senators going after each other over immigration reform.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have the tools in federal law to do this now. We can build the fence. We can triple the Border Patrol. We can end sanctuary cities by cutting off funding to them. We can end welfare for those here illegally. And what is missing is the political will because too many Democrats and sadly too many Republicans don't want to solve this problem.
SEN. RAND PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He can't have it both ways. But what is particularly insulting, though, is that he is the king of saying, oh, you're for amnesty. Everybody is for amnesty except for Ted Cruz. But it's a falseness.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the lie that Ted's campaign is built on. And Rand touched upon it. That he's the most conservative guy, and everyone else is a -- you know, everyone else is a RINO.
The truth is, Ted, throughout this campaign you've been willing to say or do anything in order to get votes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SESAY: Well, Ted Cruz seemed to have a big target on his back without Donald Trump there on the debate stage. He came under fire from several of his opponents. And a notable moment, Cruz going after the FOX News moderators.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: Chris, I would note that the last four questions have been, Rand, please attack Ted. Marco, please attack Ted. Chris, please attack Ted. Jeb, please attack Ted.
(AUDIENCE BOOS)
CRUZ: Let me just say this --
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS MODERATOR: It is a debate, sir.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Listen to those boos. It had worked for Ted Cruz in previous debates, calling out the moderators, didn't seem to work tonight.
SESAY: Yes.
VAUSE: Something else that was different about this debate. Marco Rubio talked about religion and faith a lot more than he's done in previous debates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBIO: I think if you do not understand that our Judeo Christian values are one of the reasons why America is such a special country, you don't understand our history. You see why are we one of the most generation in the people? No, the most generous people in the world. Why do Americans contribute millions of dollars to charity? It is not because of the tax write-off. It is because in this nation we are influenced by Judeo Christian values that teach us to care for the less fortunate, to reach out to the needy, to love our neighbor. This is what's made our nation so special.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Jeffrey Lord has made his way to our studio there in Washington for us. Still out of breath, I imagine, Jeffrey. You did a bit of running there to make the show. So thank you for being with us.
SESAY: Welcome.
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely. Thank you for having me.
VAUSE: So, Jeffrey, let's start with you since you made. OK. Hey, it's always a pleasure. There seemed to be a conspiracy of silence here when it came to these candidates. There was very little mention of the Donald Trump name. And it almost seemed like FOX was conducting this debate like Trump's campaign didn't exist. What did you think?
LORD: Well, you know, I checked "The Washington Post" before I came in here. And they have a front page story that social media was being dominated by Trump supporters. Far and away beyond all of the other candidates. And I think that says something here, that Donald Trump loomed over this debate and he wasn't even in it. And it's remarkable to me when I listen to Jeb Bush. I think he's really gotten into Jeb Bush's head. It's just sort of amazing.
So I think Donald Trump frankly had a very good night, and there were plenty of assessments out there that he, quote-unquote, "won the debate by not showing up," where he would have been the target of all of these people. And instead, Ted Cruz was the target.
SESAY: And to that point, I want to bring in John Thomas, who's here with us here in the studio in L.A.
John, that was the point. The expectations going into this was that Ted Cruz would have that bull's eye on his back. He moved from predator to prey, if you will.
JOHN THOMAS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: Right.
SESAY: Going to center stage. But he seemed to be whiney. I mean, that's the take away from a lot of people, complaining about the questioning. Were they going after him in the way he complained? We just played some sound.
THOMAS: He got the frontrunner treatment tonight. And he didn't weather the storm very well. This was not a good night for Ted Cruz. It's a great night for Marco Rubio. It was not a good night for Ted Cruz. And this very well may keep Ted from getting any kind of momentum. And remember he was already starting to lose momentum in Iowa in the last couple of weeks. And he needed to have a great performance tonight, and he didn't deliver tonight.
SESAY: Totally surprising considering the fact that this is a man known for being a great debater. But when he had his moment, he blew it.
THOMAS: Well, it seems like he's great at lobbing cannon balls when he's not the number one target.
VAUSE: Yes.
SESAY: Yes.
THOMAS: But when the target is on his back, he's not -- you know, the victim card didn't work well for him tonight.
VAUSE: OK. Let's go to Jeffrey Lord who is in Washington for us.
Because, Jeffrey, without Donald Trump there, you kind of touched on it, did it seem kind of relaxed a little bit? They went back to their talking points. It just seemed like they weren't really on their toes. LORD: Yes.
VAUSE: In the past when Donald Trump was on these debates, it seemed like almost anything could happen. That wasn't there tonight.
LORD: Yes. John, I mean, what you're describing, and we've had some conversations here about it with some of my colleagues, what you're describing, another word for that is boring. That these were a bunch of politicians -- these were a bunch of politicians in suits. And my thought was that they need to get the band back together with Donald Trump so that they can have a little electricity in the air and, you know, have a little excitement.
[01:10:11] But frankly, I mean, it was a good substantive debate. There's no question. If you're a policy wonk and everything, and I like policy, it was terrific. But in terms of excitement and drama and all of that kind of thing, I think it was kind of flat.
SESAY: I want to bring in David Chalian, our political director.
David, I know you're listening to this conversation. As we talk about the lack of drama in this evening's proceedings, one moment that did stand out that came from the Trump rally, if you will, was the fact that we saw Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee on stage with Trump. Many saying that speaks to the level of disdain for Ted Cruz that those individuals would rather do a Faustian deal, if you will, with Trump, than, you know, let Ted Cruz gain any kind of ascendency.
What did you make of that moment?
CHALIAN: Well, I think -- I think it was more about Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee being starved for some attention. And in one way to get some attention is to stand next to Donald Trump. Remember these guys have been relegated to the undercard debate. So they haven't been on the stage with Donald Trump and sort of basking in the glow of his light and all the attention on him for quite some time.
So to have the opportunity to do that, it was an important thing for them to do. They probably got more attention here in Iowa than they've gotten in quite some time. And remember they are the two most recent winners of the Iowa caucuses here. And so it also benefited Donald Trump to stand on the stage with them and sort of get the validation that these two guys who were the most recent winners of this caucus are standing on the stage with Donald Trump. Sort of a little stamp of approval.
RESTON: Yes. And that really will, you know, take some of the fizz out of Ted Cruz's attacks over the last couple of days, the idea that, you know, Donald Trump took his ball and went home. The fact that he could bring these two previous caucus winners up on stage, keep the event fairly focused on substantive veterans issues, I think it will end up being a gamble that will work for him. I just don't think that it's going to hurt too much in terms of people showing up for him on Monday.
VAUSE: Maeve, very quickly, Trump tweeted out a short time ago, "Unbelievable night in Iowa with our great veterans. We've raised $6 million while politicians talked." Did you get the feeling from the people you spoke with there, they got what they were expecting to get? You know, Trump said it was like the Academy Awards. Was it like the Academy Awards?
(LAUGHTER)
RESTON: It wasn't quite like the Academy Awards. But I will say that there were a ton of cameras there. So much media from all over the world. For an event that, you know, where Donald Trump was mostly talking about veterans issues. So that was really remarkable. But the mood was good. People were excited. Like I said, they drove in from, you know, hundreds of miles to see him. Many of them said they would ultimately volunteer for him later on in New Hampshire and other places. So it was a good galvanizing moment for his campaign.
VAUSE: OK. Finally here to John Thomas. A couple of take-aways. Rubio and Cruz, it seemed to me that Marco Rubio talking a lot more about faith and a lot more about religion. Your thoughts on that. And, you know, we were talking about this is a debate heavy on policy. But I thought we didn't learn a lot. I mean, there wasn't a lot of foreign policy, there wasn't a lot on the economy in this debate either.
THOMAS: There really wasn't. There wasn't a lot of policy discussion here. Marco Rubio always hits his marks. He is a seasoned debater. We've heard the pundits say already tonight that Marco Rubio amped up his rhetoric. He seemed a little angry tonight. And that's by design. Because Marco Rubio knows as Ted Cruz's supporters start to leave him tonight, they are angry and they're looking for an equal, somebody they can share their anger with.
SESAY: But did it seem authentic to you, though, coming from Marco Rubio, this amped up --
(CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: Or did it look he had just too much sugar?
SESAY: Yes. I mean, that's the question.
THOMAS: You know, I don't think it was too over the top. And on the evangelical mark?
VAUSE: Yes.
THOMAS: The fact is, as Ted Cruz's supporters leave, they not only want somebody who shares their anger but they want someone who shares their faith. And so Marco Rubio hit his marks. He had a great night tonight. The big story tonight is Donald Trump solidified his first place status. The big story next week will be that Marco Rubio is on the rise to second place.
SESAY: OK.
VAUSE: OK. We'll keep an eye on that. John Thomas, Republican strategist. We have Jeffrey Lord in Washington who is a CNN commentator and Trump supporter, David Chalian and Maeve Reston there at the debate site in Des Moines, Iowa.
Thank you all for being with us.
SESAY: Thank you. Our thanks to you.
LORD: Thanks, guys.
SESAY: Thank you so much.
RESTON: Thank you.
VAUSE: And we will take a short break. When we come back, the Democrats are having their own behind-the-scenes debate. Next here you will find out how it could change the face of the New Hampshire primary.
SESAY: Plus, police arrest 10 people in the connection with the escape of several violent prisoners here in California.
[01:14:55]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(SPORTS)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Welcome back, everyone. U.S. Democratic president candidate Hillary Clinton took to Twitter to weigh in on Thursday night's Republican debate. She said, "Donald Trump isn't on stage at the GOP debate, but you can bet the same backwards ideas and out of touch rhetoric will be out in force."
Fellow Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders did not address the debate and spent his evening campaigning in Iowa.
VAUSE: The Democratic presidential candidates are in a feud of their own right now over the debates.
SESAY: Debating over debates.
VAUSE: They are debating whether or not they should have another one.
Here's Jeff Zeleny.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not just Republicans, Democrats are locked in their own debate over debates.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She can't just dictate the rules of the game.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Really?
ZELENY: She would be Hillary Clinton, who wants to add a new debate in New Hampshire where she is running well behind Bernie Sanders.
SANDERS: Now, you know, she is falling apparently behind in New Hampshire, wants to change the rules. But we are willing to say, if she is willing to do a number of debates later on, all right.
ZELENY (on camera): And if she's not, you will not be there in New Hampshire next week?
SANDERS: That's right.
ZELENY (voice-over): Sanders asked Clinton to sign on to debate in March, April, and May. Tonight, here's what she told Wolf.
CLINTON: First things first, we have to agree that we are going to debate in New Hampshire, both the governor and I have agreed and we're waiting for the senator to decide to join us.
[01:20:11] ZELENY: Still unclear if that breaks the impasse.
CLINTON: I am urging publicly that we do this debate next week in New Hampshire and then I've said I am more than happy for us to start scheduling additional debates.
ZELENY: The bottom line, this democratic race has no quick end in sight. Four days until the Iowa caucuses open their race for the White House, Sanders and Clinton are in a fierce fight.
CLINTON: I'm not just shouting slogans, I'm not just engaging in rhetoric.
ZELENY: But Clinton says her rival's plans aren't realistic. She said he would be unable to achieve his goals of universal health care or work with Republicans to break Washington gridlock.
CLINTON: I fear it would lead to gridlock not action.
ZELENY (on camera): She also says that she wants real action not gridlock.
SANDERS: Yes.
ZELENY: She says that you'll bring more gridlock to Washington.
SANDERS: No, not at all. Quite the contrary, we have to much gridlock right now. The idea that I can't work with Republicans is nonsense.
ZELENY (voice-over): In Iowa today, former President Clinton stayed out of the Democratic fight and focused on the other side.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: You cannot be lured by the politics of division and distraction. ZELENY: But the Democrats have their own fight to contend with.
Sanders exploded in fury when a reporter said some Clinton allies were concerned his campaign could recruit out of state young voters to Iowa.
SANDERS: I don't want my integrity and honesty to be impugned. I have no idea who says this, this is a lie. An absolute lie, OK. We will win or we will lose, we do it honestly. And I really dislike people suggesting what we are going to bring in students from out of state, who are going to purge themselves by saying they live in Iowa.
ZELENY: Sanders did put one issue to rest, releasing a medical report from his doctor saying that 74-year-old senator was in very good health.
(On camera): You say you're in very good health, how do you feel?
SANDERS: I feel very good.
ZELENY: You're in good fighting form?
SANDERS: Thank God I am in very good health.
ZELENY (on camera): Well, Senator Sanders may need some of that good health. This Democratic race is likely to continue for a good long while. He says he will do a debate next week only if Secretary Clinton agrees to more debates in March, April and May. It looks like this Democratic primary fight will continue into the spring.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Des Moines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Well, for more on this, let's bring in our Democratic strategist, David Jacobson, he is a campaign consultant for Shallman Communications. He also previously worked for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.
Dave, always good to have you with us.
DAVID JACOBSON, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Thanks for having me.
SESAY: Debate about more debates. They are going to be in New Hampshire, I know. I know. To think of more. They're going to meet in New Hampshire and it seems that there will be more added to the calendar. What does that say about the changing dynamics of this race?
JACOBSON: Right. It's an evolving process. Right? But typically you see like a debate challenge from an underdog candidate. Hillary Clinton is leading by 20 points nationally. But in New Hampshire, she's down by 20 points. Right? So she's the candidate who's sort of driving the conversation for debates. It makes sense for Bernie Sanders to say, hey, listen, if we're going to do debates, I want to get multiple debates. I want them to go on for months, long into the primary season particularly because he is the underdog nationally. VAUSE: Let's talk about Martin O'Malley. No, just kidding.
(LAUGHTER)
VAUSE: OK. Explain to me what was the logic behind hiding Hillary Clinton in the first place with regards to these debates. I mean, hidden on long weekends, off the schedule. Primetime. There was only a couple of them compared to the Republicans. Hillary Clinton is a very, very good debater.
JACOBSON: Right.
VAUSE: She is not so good at campaigning. This is her strength. Why wouldn't they show off her strength?
JACOBSON: Right. I think initially she was the inevitable candidate. She was the frontrunner. They didn't want to open her up to any gaffes or attacks. Bernie Sanders wasn't --
VAUSE: That worked well.
JACOBSON: Yes. Right, right. Exactly. But Bernie Sanders initially he wasn't a real candidate. He was sort of a fringe candidate.
SESAY: Yes.
JACOBSON: But he's tapped a nerve in this country. He's tapped a nerve on people's frustration and their anger and the anxiety over what's going on. And the income inequality is also something that's really resonating as well. So he's turned this into a real race. And now she's in a position where she's the underdog in New Hampshire asking for debates.
SESAY: So now it's a real race. Now Bernie is in it to win it, by all accounts. Not that he wasn't before but he definitely -- he's turned it up. Let's be honest. So the question now becomes, are we watching this race go negative? I mean, we saw the Bernie Sanders ad released today.
JACOBSON: Right.
SESAY: Doesn't name Hillary Clinton, but it talked about Wall --
(CROSSTALK)
SESAY: Yes, I'm just saying -- to be accurate, it doesn't name -- he doesn't say her name.
VAUSE: Sure.
SESAY: Are we watching things go down a different path?
JACOBSON: Right. I think we're seeing the race and both candidates sort of sharpen their attacks because Iowa really is a nail biter contest. For Iowa in -- Bernie Sanders sort of has to win both of those states, Iowa and New Hampshire. If he's going to propel his campaign forward for the long haul, at the end of the day, Hillary doesn't have to win Iowa. But if she shuts him down in Iowa, We all know he's going to win New Hampshire.
SESAY: Yes.
JACOBSON: It's game over for him. He's done. Dead in the water.
VAUSE: Because she'll pick up South Carolina most certainly.
SESAY: Yes.
JACOBSON: Right.
VAUSE: OK. Vice President Joe Biden had a bit fun at a lunch for Democrats today, talking about the current Republican field and the infighting. He delivered a couple of good zingers. This was one of them. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[01:25:07] JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By the way, we may be given a gift from the Lord in the presidential race here.
(LAUGHTER)
BIDEN: I don't know who to root for more, Cruz or -- what's that guy's name? He's having a -- he's having a fundraiser for veterans tonight, I'm told.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: What's that guy's name?
SESAY: Yes.
VAUSE: Yes. OK. Got a good of couple of laughs there. But I have to tell you, you know, Trump against Sanders or Clinton, it's pretty close. So yes, is there a danger here that the -- you know, from the Democrats side, they're looking at Trump, and then maybe there's just this overconfidence?
JACOBSON: Well, I think that's part of the issue with Hillary. She is sort of running a general election campaign right now. You're seeing her brand as, I'm the experienced leader. I can bring people together to solve problems. She is sort of portraying herself as the candidate who can appeal to those independent voters in Ohio, in Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, who ultimately are going to determine who's going to win the general election.
Bernie Sanders, on the other side, is sort of putting himself in a position where he's going for the 50-state strategy. He believes he never has to sort of go back into the middle. He believes he can create a political revolution and ultimately prevail at the ballot box in the November election. I don't know that that's realistic at the end of the day. VAUSE: You think?
JACOBSON: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
JACOBSON: Right.
VAUSE: Good to speak to you.
SESAY: Always good to have you.
JACOBSON: Sure. Thanks for having me.
VAUSE: Appreciate it. Thanks for coming in.
SESAY: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Well, ahead on CNN, a small band of armed protesters remained holed up at a wildlife refuge in Oregon despite calls by the group's leader to stand down.
VAUSE: Also ahead, there are new concerns over what some called North Korea's latest nuclear test. We'll explain shift in opinion over key data.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:30:11] VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. It's just gone 10:30 here on the west coast. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.
SESAY: And I'm Isha Sesay.
The headlines this hour.
(HEADLINES)
VAUSE: At least 10 people have been arrested after a jail break here in southern California last Friday but still no sign of the three violent inmates who escaped.
SESAY: Investigators say the most significant arrest is that of a teacher believed to have aided the ring leader of the escape.
CNN's Paul Vercammen is covering this from Santa Ana.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, Isha, they say the instructor arrested began teaching English as a second language here at the jail last July. She's from Orange County. And in a group session, she apparently developed a relationship with Hossein Nayeri, the suspected kidnapper and torturer. They say that the suspect provided him with mapping capabilities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. JEFF HALLOCK, SPOKESMAN, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Investigators have made a significant arrest connected to the escape investigation. Noosha-farian Ravaghi, a 44-year-old resident of Lake Forest, has been arrested. It is believed that she directly contributed to the escape of the three inmates and provided critical planning tools that aided in their preparation for the escape. She is currently employed by the rancho Santiago Community College district and is contracted as an ESL, or English as a second language, teacher. She has worked at the central men's jail since approximately July of 2015. We have confirmed that Nayeri attended several of Ravaghi's ESL classes. However, we'll continue to investigate the extent of their relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERCAMMEN: The sheriff's lieutenant also says that the murder suspect, Duong, stole a van in Los Angeles on Sunday. According to the sheriff's lieutenant, Duong took this van on a test drive from a single owner. That owner did not accompany him. And he never returned the van. Officials believe that all three of the fugitives may somehow be living in that van right now.
Back to you, John and Isha.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Our thanks to Paul Vercammen for that report.
Authorities say they are doing everything they can to bring a swift and safe resolution to a standoff with armed protesters at an Oregon wildlife refuge. Four protesters still remain occupied at the reserve. They say they want to leave peacefully but are not afraid to die.
VAUSE: On Thursday, the FBI warned this standoff is far from over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREG BRETZING, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: There's been a lot of media reporting or some media reporting that the situation at the refuge is over. This is not true. As I stated earlier, there are four people believed to still be occupying the refuge. The negotiators continue to work around the clock with these individuals to try to help them to leave that area peacefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: The FBI released this video of Tuesday's violent confrontation with those Oregon protesters. Some protesters insist that their spokesman had his hands in the air when authorities shot and killed him. Investigators say the video shows him reaching toward his pocket, which had a loaded handgun, before authorities shot him.
VAUSE: The group's leader, Ammon Bundy, was arrested during that same incident. He's now urging the remaining militiamen to go home. We're learning more about the claims that North Korea tested an H-
bomb. A U.S. official says the North may have tried to test components of a hydrogen bomb when it carried out a nuclear test earlier this month.
SESAY: The official says this assessment comes after careful analysis of the test data.
This is a shift from earlier this month, when the White House said that the test was not consistent with a successful hydrogen bomb test.
VAUSE: Let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks live this hour from Seoul in South Korea.
Paula, what's the evidence that is behind the U.S. And taking a second look at the north's nuclear test? This isn't confirmed yet, right?
[01:35:06] PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, John. They have said that it's not definitive. It's not a final conclusion. But the U.S. official who has knowledge of the intelligence data that this decision is based on says that the test simply wasn't conclusive. They couldn't get enough elements to tell what was in that test. What they believe is there may have been components linked to a hydrogen bomb. The reason for that is because they went back to the seismic data when they couldn't get the air samples. They found out this test took place more than two times deeper than initially thought. So that would be consistent with a hydrogen bomb test. But they still say that they don't believe it was a full hydrogen bomb. Potentially North Korea believes that it has tested a hydrogen bomb, but they believe it may just have been certain elements, because the seismic activity was not large enough for it to be a full H-bomb -- John?
VAUSE: OK. So if it turns out that it's a component of a hydrogen bomb, does that change the equation when it comes to dealing with the North Koreans?
HANCOCKS: Well, potentially it could make a difference when it comes to the sanctions, very example. Washington wants very strong sanctions. John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, came up against a bit of resistance in China this week when meeting his counterpart. There's certainly distance between Washington and Beijing. Beijing doesn't want such strong sanctions. It doesn't harm that the U.S. now believes that there may be possibly some elements of a hydrogen bomb. And of course, yesterday, they said that they may be preparing for another rocket launch. So the timing is interesting that Washington, two consecutive days, has said a little more worrying data is coming to light. So could that sway opinions on sanctions -- John?
SESAY: OK, Paula. Thank you. Paula Hancocks live in Seoul on a Friday afternoon. Thanks, Paula.
SESAY: Time for a quick break. A virus blamed for terrible birth defects is causing new alarm. Coming up, a look at how health officials are addressing the growing issue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [01:40:34] SESAY: Hello, everyone. A fire ripped through a high- rise condominium in Mexico Thursday night. Official says a gas leak ignited the roof at the building's entrance. The fire is now out and no injuries have been reported. VAUSE: The World Health Organization plans an emergency meeting
Monday to try and deal with the rapidly growing Zika outbreak.
SESAY: Officials say the mosquito-borne virus is spreading around the Americas, and they warn we could see up to four million cases in the coming year.
CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an ominous warning from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The explosive spread of Zika Virus.
GUPTA: The mosquito-borne Zika Virus is spreading explosively with three million to four million cases expected across the Americas in the next year.
The level of concern is high, said the WHO, as it is the level of uncertainty about the virus.
ANNA SCHUCHAT, CDC PRINCIPAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR: I think their comment about uncertainty is right on. We have to be aggressive. We want to get ahead of it.
GUPTA: Historically, Zika has been a virus of little consequence with mild symptoms of fever and headache that normally resolve within a week. Four out of five people have no symptoms at all.
But that all changed last fall in Brazil, when the virus began to be linked to what today is over 4,000 cases of Microcephaly, a devastating neurological disease in babies that prevents their head and brains from fully developing. 51 of the babies have died. As a result, women living in Brazil, El Salvador, Colombia, Jamaica are being told not to get pregnant at this time. And the CDC is telling pregnant women in the United States to postpone travel to any of the 24 countries where the virus is currently active.
There are already 31 cases of Zika in 11 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. But all of those were acquired during travel to affected areas.
SCHUCHAT: I would not be surprised if every state has a person returning from one of the affected countries with travel associated Zika Virus. There are a lot of people that travel back and forth.
GUPTA: So far, there's been no cases of Zika being transmitted from a mosquito to a person within the continental United States. The CDC, however, warns that will soon change, but still reminds us there's no reason to panic.
SCHUCHAT: For the average American, whether you're traveling or not, we don't think Zika Virus is a big threat, even if we have cases of local spread in the United States, we don't expect there to be large outbreaks here the way there is in Brazil.
GUPTA (on camera): It is a fast-moving situation. I think every day now for the next several days there's probably going to be new guidance, new numbers coming out. We'll certainly bring that to you.
I also want to sort of explain a little bit of Dr. Schuchat's optimism about the United States. She doesn't believe it's going to become widespread in the United States, in part, because the amenities here in the United States such as simple things, like screens on windows, air conditioned buildings, can really help reduce the spread of a mosquito-borne illness. Many of the places where this is spreading are more urbanized and don't have these sorts of amenities. So that's part of the reason for her optimism.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Our thanks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta there.
Police in France are trying to determine why a man tried to enter a hotel near Disneyland Paris with guns and ammunition in his suitcase.
VAUSE: According to the deputy police chief, the 28-year-old Parisian said he had the guns for his own protection. The weapons were discovered when his luggage was scanned by an x-ray machine. He was also carrying a Koran.
SESAY: Police also say there was a woman with him. Paris, as you know, has been on edge since last year's two deadly terror attacks.
For months, we have seen millions of Syrians fleeing the horrors of a bloody war. But many are taking a dangerous but the route from Beirut into the city that is now known as the capital of ISIS operations, Raqqa.
VAUSE: And as our Nick Paton Walsh reports, the passengers know that they are buying a bus ticket with no return.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Central Beirut bus station, and this is what travelers call, and they are not really exaggerating, a one-way ticket to Raqqa, the ISIS call their capitol. They have sold nine tickets for the 24-hour trip through the regime-held Damascus and onwards, yet nobody wants to show their face. Apart from that man, the manager, because he's not actually going. He explains the rules.
[01:45:10] UNIDENTIFIED BUS MANAGER (through translation): A woman that's not dressed right will be sent to Islamic training. She of course, needs a male relative to escort her. Men need their beards long in their natural state with mustaches trimmed. Trousers should not be tight, and a certain height over shoes. But ISIS realizes when people travel they can't always look like that, so it's OK.
PATON WALSH: Most who fill the seats seem sure somehow ISIS will let them in, yet won't say why.
(on camera): It is remarkable that a bus still goes from Beirut to Raqqa, but this is what it looks like on the return journey. Absolutely empty. Those getting onboard do not expect to come back.
(voice-over): Tonight's cargo is on its final journey, a man who died of a heart attack, we're told, headed to his hometown for a family funeral. Sadness of this loss here, but also nervous last cigarettes. Not because the trip ahead where fighter jets often fly low, buzzing the coach, but because smoking and music are banned under ISIS' medieval rules. Nicotiny fingers will later be soaked in perfume, racy music and pictures deleted from phones. Snipers, air strikes on the way. They are matter of fact in this world.
UNIDENTIFIED BUS MANAGER (through translation): Te plane might strike some distance from the bus. It's normal. That's when the passengers get afraid.
PATON WALSH: Tonight's hurdle arises. They don't have the paperwork to take the body out of Lebanon. We learned that the bus did leave 24 hours later. One man telling us Raqqa used to be his heaven, but ISIS, the war, poverty, and even the trash have now made it hell.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: That sounds like the bus ride from hell, doesn't it?
OK, short break here. When we come back, the continued countdown to Monday's Iowa caucuses in the United States. And the Republican presidential hopefuls got one last chance to face each other, all, except for Donald Trump. Highlights just ahead here, live from L.A.
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[1:51:37] VAUSE: Great Scott! The DeLorean in the movie "Back to the Future." Now that fabled car, which was pretty awful, at the time is actually making a comeback.
SESAY: You love this movie.
VAUSE: One of my favorites of all time.
SESAY: I know you do.
A company not related to the original manufacturer will start building and selling DeLoreans next year. Unfortunately --
VAUSE: Sadly.
SESAY: -- the $100,000 price tag will not include a flux capacitor.
VAUSE: It will be made from spare parts that have been in storage for 30 years. 300 DeLoreans will be assembled in Texas. The company's CEO says he has enough parts to build about one car every week. He'll be done in about six-years' time.
SESAY: You want one?
VAUSE: Will you buy me one? That will be great.
SESAY: Only if you're good.
Now Barbie is getting a whole new look. The popular doll has long been criticized that her tiny waist and buxom figure sent the wrong message to young girls, which it did.
VAUSE: It did.
The new Barbie will be sold in various sizes and skin tones.
CNN's Jeremy Roth reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the most significant change to one of the most famous bodies in the world. Barbie will soon come in three new sizes, petite, tall, and curvy. Shoppers will also find Barbie dolls with search skin tones, 22 eye colors, and 24 hair styles.
Toy maker, Mattel, says it shows the brand can evolve and better reflect a diverse world. The change, known as Project Dawn, began two years ago. Mattel asked designers if you could start the brand over, what would you do to make it relevant today. They came up with three new body types and more diverse attributes.
Critics have long said Barbie's impossibly perfect body sends the wrong message to girls about body image. Considering that 92 percent of American girls between 3 and 12 have owned a Barbie, that's a huge influence.
The body change is a risk for Mattel, which has seen sales erode 20 percent over the last few years, though the 57-year-old Barbie line brings in about $1 billion in annual sales worldwide.
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VAUSE: We'll get to politics in a moment. But you know they will all still be called Barbies? All the different colors will still be the same name?
SESAY: What do you want?
VAUSE: I think that's confusing.
SESAY: Only to you.
VAUSE: They should have different names.
SESAY: Like what?
VAUSE: I don't know.
(LAUGHTER)
It might not be as exciting without Donald Trump, but there was more substance at the Republican presidential debate.
SESAY: The candidates traded blows over immigration, government surveillance, and, of course, the Washington establishment.
Here is a look at the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR & DEBATE MODERATOR: Let's address the elephant not in the room tonight.
SEN. TED CRUZ, (R), TEXAS & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm a maniac. And everyone on this stage is stupid, fat, and ugly. And, Ben, you're a terrible surgeon.
(LAUGHTER)
Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way --
(LAUGHTER)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R), FLORIDA & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's begin by being clear what this campaign is about. It's not about Donald Trump. He is an entertaining guy. He's the greatest show on earth.
JEB BUSH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: I kind of miss Donald Trump. He was a teddy bear it me.
DR. BEN CARSON, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & RETIRED NEUROSURGEON: I will gladly confess I'm the only one on this stage with no political title.
CRUZ: If you guys ask one more mean question, I may have to leave the stage.
RUBIO: Don't worry. I'm not leaving the stage no matter what you ask me.
CRUZ: If I'm elected president, we will repeal every word of Obamacare.
CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R), NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is why you need to send someone from outside of Washington to Washington. I feel like I need a Washington to English dictionary converter.
[01:55:11] KELLY: You were co-sponsoring legislation to create a path to citizenship, in your words, "amnesty." Haven't you already proven that you cannot be trusted on this issue?
BUSH: He led the charge to finally fix this immigration problem that has existed now for, as Marco says, for 30 years. Then he cut and run because it wasn't popular amongst conservatives, I guess.
RUBIO: That is the book where you changed your position on immigration because you used to support a path to citizenship.
CRUZ: So did you.
RUBIO: Now you want to trump Trump on immigration. But you can't -- we're not going to beat Hillary Clinton with someone who is willing to say or do anything to win an election.
CRUZ: I like Marco. He's very charming. He's very smooth.
CHRISTIE: The days for Clintons in public housing are over.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: What a night. And the fireworks are just getting started.
VAUSE: Iowa caucuses on Monday.
SESAY: Yes, indeed.
And you are watching CNN NEWSROOM from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay.
VAUSE: And I'm John Vause.
Please stay with us. The news will continue with Natalie Allen and George Howell after a very short break.
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[02:00:10] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. We are following a wild day of --
