Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Latest US Poll Numbers; WHO Raises Alarm about Zika Virus; Syrian Refugee Movements Examined; California Authorities Arrest Prison Teacher Regarding Inmate Escape; Lunar Year of the Monkey Begins Soon. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired January 29, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:00:00] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Standing in the latest national polls. The republican presidential candidates' debate for the final time before the Iowa caucuses. We take a look at tonight's winners and losers.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW CO-HOST: But, guess who wasn't there, Donald Trump, he skipped last night's debate, but it didn't take long for his name to come up.
ALLEN: And see what happened. And the World Health Organization sounds the alarm about the Zika virus, why they're warring the virus it could spread at an explosive rate.
Hello. And welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. These stories all ahead here this hour. I'm Natalie Allen.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, CNN Newsroom starts right now.
And a very good day to you. We start the show in the U.S. State of Iowa, just three days from now, the voters will hold the first presidential caucuses. Thursday was their last chance to see the republican candidates go head-to-head on stage.
ALLEN: But Donald Trump as you might have heard was not there. He held his own event. A fundraiser for veterans to compete with the Fox News debate. 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 being treated unfairly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I didn't want to be here, I have to be honest. I wanted to be about 5 minutes away. And I enjoyed that. I've enjoyed that. All the online polls that have done very well with that, with the debates and I 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.
(APPLAUSE)
You have to do it.
MARCO RUBIO, (R) U.S. 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's the greatest show on earth.
This campaign is about the greatest country on the world and a president who has systematically destroyed many of the things that made America special.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: It may not have been quite as explosive without Donald Trump, but there seemed to be more substance at Thursday's debate. The candidates traded blows over immigration, government surveillance and the Washington establishment. Here is a look at the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED CRUZ, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me say, I'm a maniac. And everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly. And Ben, you are a terrible surgeon. Now, that we have gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way.
JEB BUSH, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I kind of miss Donald Trump, he was a little Teddy bear to me. We always had such a loving relationship in these debates and in between in the tweets, I kind of miss him, I wish he was here.
RAND PAUL, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The bulk collection of your phone data, the invasion of your privacy did not stop one terrorist attack. I don't think that you have to give up your liberty for a false sense of security. When we look at this bulk collection the court has looked a this. Even the court declared it to be illegal.
If we want to collect the records of terrorists, let's do it the old fashion way, let's use the Fourth Amendment, let's put a name on a warrant, let's ask a judge for it, let's respect the history of our country. John Adams said that we fought the War for Independence because we wanted to fight against generalized warrants. Let's don't forget that.
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS SUNDAY SHOW HOST: Governor Bush.
CRUZ: Chris, Chris, I was mentioned in that question.
BUSH: No, your name was not mentioned, Ted.
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: The question was about -- it's not my question that you've got the respond to. It's his answer. You don't get 30 seconds to respond to me. CRUZ: Your question was you had disagreed with the vote...
(CROWD BOOING)
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: You don't get 30 seconds to respond to me.
CRUZ: ... and his opening statement.
WALLACE: I'm not going to go on, sir. I know you like to argue about the rules but we're going to conduct the debate.
CRUZ: Chris, I would note that the last four questions have been Rand, please, attack Ted, Marco, please; Chris, please, attack Ted, Jeb, please, attack Ted.
(CROWD BOOING)
Let me just say this.
WALLACE: It is a debate, sir.
CRUZ: Well, no, no, a debate actually is a policy issue. But I will say this, gosh, if you guys say -- ask one more mean question, I may have to leave the stage.
(APPLAUSE)
MEGYN KELLY, THE KELLY FILE SHOW HOST: Dr. Carson, this week, a female Muslim who served in the U.S. Air Force asked Hillary Clinton the question, she asked whether the Unites States is still the best place in which to raise her three Muslim children.
Given what she perceives as a rise in Islamophobia in this country, do you think that the GOP messaging on Muslims has stoked the flames of bias on this as the democrats suggest and how would you answer this veteran?
BEN CARSON, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I don't know about the GOP messaging, but I can tell you about my messaging. You know, we need to stop allowing political correctness to dictate our policies. Because it's going to kill us if we don't.
(APPLAUSE)
[03:05:03] But you know, I believe in a Teddy Roosevelt philosophy. Teddy Roosevelt said, "We are a nation of immigrants. As such, everybody is welcome from any race, any country, any religion, if, they want to be Americans. If they want to accept our values and our laws. If not, they could stay where they are."
(APPLAUSE)
KELLY: Governor Bush, do you agree that Senator Rubio has not reversed himself on his immigration promise? BUSH: Well, I'm kind of confused, because he was the sponsor of the
gang of eight bill that did require a bunch of thresholds, but ultimately allowed for citizenship over an extended period of time. I mean, that's a fact. And he asked me to support that, and I supported him.
Because I think people, when you're elected, you need to do things. And he led the charge to finally fix this immigration problem that has existed for now so, as Marco says, for 30 years. And then he cut and run because it wasn't popular amongst the -- amongst conservatives, I guess.
Here is what I believe, and I wrote a book called about this called "Immigration Wars," you can get it at $2.99 on Amazon, it's not a best seller. I can promise you. There won't be an -- you can get it. It's affordable for everybody.
RUBIO: It's interesting that Jeb mentions the book, that is the book where you changed your position on immigration, because you used to support a path to citizenship.
BUSH: So did you.
RUBIO: Well, but you changed in the book.
BUSH: Yes. So did you, Marco.
(APPLAUSE)
RUBIO: You wrote a book where you changed your position from -- no. You wrote a book where you change your position from a path to citizenship to a path to legalization. And the bottom line is this, we are not going to be able to do anything on this issue until we first bring illegal immigration under control.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If America does not seem like a welcoming place for immigrant and entrepreneurs, will the American economy suffer?
KELLY: Dr. Carson, that's one -- that one is for you?
CARSON: Oh, great.
CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to ask the people of the audience, I'm standing here, I watched the video of Senator Cruz, I watched the video of Senator Rubio, I heard what they said. And this is why you need to send someone from outside of Washington to Washington. I feel like...
(APPLAUSE)
I feel like I need -- I feel like I need a Washington/English dictionary converter, right? I mean, I heard what they both said, and I saw it on the video. And the fact this is what makes the difference when you're a governor.
You can change your mind, Ted can change his mind, Marco can change his mind, it's perfectly legal in this country to change your mind. But when you're a governor you have to admit it. You can't hide behind parliamentary tricks. That's the difference and that's the kind of leader we need in the White House. Stop the Washington bull and let's get things done!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: So, all the candidates were at that debate, except Donald Trump, but there were still plenty of fireworks.
Our CNN political commentators Hilary Rosen and Ben Ferguson gave us their take just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think Donald Trump is definitely going to get an awful lot of media attention. I'm just not so sure this is the media attention you want in Iowa. Iowa voters are very educated, smart voters. They take a lot of time and think and they caucus together, so it's a completely different thing than most American voters who just walk in, and push a button and walk out.
They converse with one another. And I think he may have over played his hand here. It will be interesting to see what happens. But we also know something else about Iowa voters, they like to mess with pollsters, and we saw that last time when Santorum came from a huge, you know, from behind victory there, and also Mike Huckabee. So, I wouldn't be surprised if the poll numbers are wrong going in to this big caucus.
HOWELL: Hilary, the same question for you. I mean, were voters going between two different video feeds seeing Donald Trump on one and then the other republican candidates on the other, who won the night?
HILARY ROSEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, you know, Donald Trump has been brilliant in this last week, he just knows how to take the media attention away from every other candidate and I think that he clearly won the attention factor tonight.
Look, he went and did an event with almost a thousand people, and raised millions of dollars for veterans and instead, the other republican candidates went on stage and mostly attacked each other. Didn't really attack him.
Probably the big loser of the night was Ted Cruz. Because he has been closest to the one, to toppling Donald Trump in these Iowa caucuses. And yet tonight, he was the victim of attacks from virtually every other candidate on that stage because he did actually show up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Now, we will hear more of that interview just a little later in this hour from Ben Ferguson and Hilary Rosen and also you can hear what the candidates had to say on amnesty for undocumented immigrants. So, plenty to hear about what happened at this debate. The U.S. President, Barack Obama, though, is standing by his party
saying what he believes is obvious that a democrat will win the presidency. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[03:09:56] BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT: Obviously, it is election season; the press is focused on debates and divisions that they can drum up within the primary and within our party. I'm not worried though about this party staying united.
The other side may have some stuff to work out. But our trajectory is clear, and everyone is scouring my every word to find some deeper meaning, to see if I'm trying to put my finger on the scales, so, let me simplify things.
Tonight, I have an announcement to make about the presidential race, democrats will win in November and we will have a democratic president succeeding me.
(APPLAUSE)
ALLEN: But later this hour, we will hear from the democratic candidates about what they thought about the debate by the way, Mr. Obama has not officially endorsed a candidate for president.
Well, coming next here on CNN Newsroom, we'll take you to a town in Northern Syria liberated from ISIS and we'll show you what they left behind.
HOWELL: Plus, a grim outlook for a virus that may be linked to terrible birth defects. We'll head to Brazil, considered ground zero of the outbreak.
ALLEN: And new concerns over what some call North Korea's latest nuclear tests. We'll explain a shift in opinion over key test data. We'll have a live report.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Hi, there. I'm Patrick Snell with CNN World Sport headlines.
Despite numerous British media reports to the contrary, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said he has never, not even once offered to resign. The Red Devils are preparing for a potentially tricky English FA Cup round before trip to second to Derby County on Friday.
LVG, who maintains that he retains the support of the club CEO, Ed Woodward, saying the speculation around of his future was, quote, "awful and horrible."
Meantime, across Manchester and a blue day for the blue half of the city with the news that the citizens pivotal midfielder, the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne could be out of action for around 10 weeks. The young international star fell awkwardly in injury time during the 4-3 aggregate win over Everton in the English League Cup semifinals on Wednesday.
Du Bruyne now likely to miss the final itself on February 28 and then the Champions League around on 16 both legs as well. But his overall priority will be to ensure surely he's fully fit for Euro '16 in France which starts in June.
The 2016 Olympics may just be over six months away but they look always to bring a truly heartwarming symbol of hope for some of the world's migrant community on a three-day visit to Greece. IOC president, Thomas Bach revealing a group of refugee athletes will participate at a delegation in its own right, and be lodged with the Olympic Village with the rest of the competitors.
[03:05:00] Thanks so much for joining us here by being up-to-date with your World Sport headline. I'm Patrick Snell.
ALLEN: It is now unlikely that peace talks to end the Syrian war will start on Friday. The main opposition group invited to negotiate threatens to boycott unless the regime stops bombing and allows humanitarian aid.
HOWELL: For months now, we have seen millions of Syrians fleeing that war. But some people are taking a very dangerous trip from Beirut into the city that is now the headquarters of ISIS, Raqqah.
Our Nick Paton Walsh report that the passengers know that they are buying a ticket with no return.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Central Beirut bus station and this is what travelers called and they are not really exaggerating the one-way ticket to death. The bus to Raqqah, the Syrian City ISIS called their capitol.
They've sold nine tickets for the 24-hour trip through the regime held capitol Damascus and onwards, yet, nobody wants to show their face. Apart from this man, the manager, because he is not actually going. He explains the rules.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): 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 to leave their beard grown long, their natural state with mustache twin. 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALSH: Most who fill the seats seem sure somehow ISIS will let them in, yet won't say why. Well, it is remarkable that a bus still goes from Beirut to Raqqah, but this is what it looks like on the return journey. Absolutely empty. Those getting on board do not expect to come back.
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, lost cigarettes. Well, because ahead where fighter jets often fly low passing the coach.
But smoking and music are banned under ISIS' medieval rules. Nicotine fingers will later be soaked in perfume, crazy pictures and music deleted from phones. Snipers, air strikes on the way, they are matter of fact world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): A plane might strike some distance from the bus, it's normal. No one can really pin down where the sniper fire is coming from. That's when the passengers get afraid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALSH: Tonight's huddle 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 Raqqah used to be his heaven, but ISIS, the war, poverty, and the trash have now made it hell.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.
HOWELL: The international community agrees there must be a peaceful resolution to the Syrian conflict, but there is disagreement over which groups will be allowed to negotiate. The Syrian/Kurdish group known as the PYD is furious that they were reportedly left out. The Kurds have been crucial in the fight against ISIS in Northern Syria.
ALLEN: And in a CNN exclusive, our Clarissa Ward visited a town under Kurdish control and she shows you what ISIS militants left behind.
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kurdish fighters are now in control of the town of Athol. But the shadow of ISIS still looms large. The militants left here in a hurry. ISIS documents litter the floor of the Islamic courthouse. Further up the road, Kurdish fighter Reynold Shamo (ph) showed us the hastily abandoned bomb factory.
One room is stacked with land mines and crudely fashioned home-made bombs.
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WARD: In another building, barrels packed with explosives are still ready to be detonated.
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): All of these are filled with hundreds of pounds of TNT, he says. They load seven or eight of them onto a truck and then make a suicide attack, they can cause us massive devastation. These stock piles just a tiny fraction of the munitions scattered all over Syria.
The battle for Athol didn't last long. Coalition air power saw to that. This town was liberated nearly two months ago, but when ISIS fled, so did all of the Arab residents and the streets here are still completely deserted.
Kurdish fighters told us just one of the 3,000 inhabitants remains. The rest, weary of life under Kurdish control simply vanished. Leaving behind shuttered shops and empty schools. An ominous sign of the deep mistrust that haunts every corner of the country.
[03:20:05] Clarissa Ward, CNN, Athol, Syria.
ALLEN: In Northern Greece, more than 1,000 migrants are waiting for their chance to cross into Macedonia and then continue to Western Europe. But they fear their journey might get harder than ever before.
After the E.U. warned Greece to do a better job controlling its borders. A relief worker says the living conditions for the refuges are getting worse by the minutes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATERINA GOULA, PRAXIS AID AGENCY FIELD COORDINATOR: I think the situation is going to get even tougher. Because we do not have the facility and the ability to host people and if they stay at the camp, which is very probably because they are not going to have anywhere else to go, they are going to have to suffer.
Once again, because of the cold, once again because we are not sure if we are going to have enough food. And since we have also young kids and families mainly, I don't think that the conditions are going to be good for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Sweden is considering using charter flights to deport migrants whose asylum applications are denied. That according to the country's interior ministry, Sweden received more than 160,000 migrants. In 2015, one of the highest proportions per capita in U.E. -- E.U., excuse me, and its rejection rate is in line with that of other E.U. states.
The World Health Organization says we could see up to four million new cases of the Zika outbreak in the coming year and they plan to host emergency talks on Monday to deal with it.
HOWELL: And right. Zika may in fact be linked to terrible birth defects.
CNN's Shasta Darlington is in Recife, Brazil which is considered ground zero of this outbreak.
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: While the rest of the world is waking up to the Zika crisis and trying to figure out how it's linked to all this birth defects. Here in Brazil, this is the reality they're living. We're at the Jose Valdo Cruz Hospital, and here they've turned this area into a kind of triage center where they're receiving babies with the microcephaly every day.
Behind these doors, doctors are treating them, looking for signs of microcephaly of brain damage and how deep that damage really goes. Over here we're going to go talk to one of the patients, a little newborn baby, Jose Augusto.
So, we've just talked to Jan (ph), she let us come in here, she is bringing her newborn, Jose Augusto in for the first time to test for microcephaly, because he does have a small head, it's 31 centimeters and anything under 32 is considered risky. But because he was premature she's actually very hopeful, and so are the doctors that he is a, that he is small all over. That he doesn't really and have a small head that will then lead to brain damage and developmental problems.
These are first tests but they are hopeful that the outcome will be positive. The doctors are scrambling to put together the early stimulation programs and the physical therapy that babies will microcephaly need.
And also, the counseling, the psychological counseling for families. And of course, because there's no vaccine, there's no cure. Brazil is also trying to combat the mosquito that transmits this virus aedes aegypti. The problem is that according to health officials, one and a half million people may have already been affected.
So, what we're seeing is a lot of very panicked expectant mothers. In many cases the virus is asymptomatic, and many of them are fearing they won't even know until the day they give birth whether or not they may have been infected.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Recife, Brazil.
HOWELL: So, it comes -- and coming into question now, el Nino, it's blamed for many things, but now there's a question about whether this huge rapidly worsening Zika virus, the outbreak could that also be related to it.
ALLEN: Right. Is it related to the weather? Derek Van Dam has been looking into that for us and the answer could possibly be yes.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Natalie and George. Add it to the list of things that we can blame on el Nino. This time, we -- el Nino, we have the increased risk and bush fires in Australia to fire endangers in Indonesia to mudslides and landslides, threats in Southern California due to heavy rain, and this time we've got the spread of the Zika virus.
Now, what do mosquitoes require? What do they like? Well, warm temperatures, and lots of water. Well, guess what. That's what the correlation between the biologists who have been studying the mosquito-borne illness and the scientists who have also seen this correlation between that strong el Nino event that we're having across the world, particularly across South America where Shasta Darlington was just talking about, Brazil.
We've seen our above average temperatures; this is typically what we would experience this time of the year when we have such a strong el Nino season taking place. [03:25:03] And remember, the thousands of people being displaced or
evacuated from their homes because of the heavy rain events that have occurred in Paraguay and parts of Brazil as well as Ecuador and into Columbia just within the past few months.
So, if we look at temperatures across South America, you can see that they have been well above average for much of Brazil, as well as the coastal areas of Ecuador and into Peru. So, there it is. We've got the warm temperatures going and the rainfall has also been a concern as well.
Remember, that a typical lifespan of mosquito can last anywhere between 7 to 30 days. And it has to go through three stages that are within an aquatic cycle, that would be the egg cycle, the larva cycle, and the pupil cycle, al occurring within waters.
So, scientists and biologists look towards the stagnant water that forms at your house, and my house, for instance, and places like untreated pools, also, rain water that pools up in your front or backyard. That can be an area that thrives for mosquito development.
That's not the only regions in your house that are concerns for this. Clogged gutters, overturned boats, even bird baths can potentially be a breeding ground for new mosquitos that have the potential to spread this Zika virus.
So, if we look back to South America and the strong El Nino event that we are incurring at the moment. You can see the heavy rain that has spread across much of South America and to see this coinciding with a strong El Nino event, doctors and biologists are starting to put this two together, and hopefully we can get a handle on this the Zika outbreak. Back to you.
ALLEN: All right. Derek, thanks very much.
HOWELL: You're watching CNN Newsroom. And still ahead, the topic of immigration drew the sharpest attacks at this latest republican presidential debate. Still ahead, who won that issue? We talk with our political commentators to get their perspective.
ALLEN: And the democrats are having a behind the scenes debate of their own. You'll find out how this could change the face of the New Hampshire primary. It's all ahead here.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALLEN: And welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Natalie Allen.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell.
The headlines we're following this hour, the debate went on, but no Donald Trump, and still there were fireworks. Seven of the republican presidential candidates met Thursday night in Des Moines, Iowa, just a few days before Monday's caucuses. Ted Cruz who is polling very well in that state, seem to draw a lot of fire from his rivals. ALLEN: And Donald Trump, well, he was just five minutes away, holding
a fundraiser for U.S. Veterans. He decided to skip the debate over a feud with Fox News and moderator Megyn Kelly. Late Thursday, his campaign released a list of 22 organizations that will share the nearly $6 million that was raised by his event.
In other news, a prison teacher is one of 10 people arrested connected with the jailbreak in Southern California last Friday. The woman taught English at the second language classes, she is believed to have helped the ring leader escape. Investigators say the three inmates are still together and may be leaving out of this stolen van.
HOWELL: In Acapulco, Mexico, fire ripped through a high rise condominium on Thursday night, shooting flames up 14 stories high. The officials say a gas leak ignited the palm leaf roof at the building's entrance, the fire is now out and no injuries have been reported.
Immigration and amnesty have been two very big important topics in the U.S. presidential election so far, and in an interview with CNN on board his plane Thursday, Donald Trump attacked republican Ted Cruz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Now, Ted was totally in favor of amnesty, Ted didn't want to build a wall, all of a sudden he's now saying he wants to build a wall. I'm the only one that wanted to build the wall. Ted was saying all of the -- Ted was very weak on illegal immigration.
And just to go a step further, if I didn't bring up illegal immigration, it never ever would have even been a subject, you wouldn't be asking me that question right now.
You would have never been asking me that question. We are going to have borders. We are going to have a wall. Mexico is going to pay for that wall. You know, everyone sort of smiles when they say that because they think that's impossible.
The reason they are going to pay is very simple, because they make a fortune with our country. A fortune with trade and other things coming across that border. That very porous border. So, we got to have a border, we got to have a country again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Well, turning to the debate, the candidates traded barbs over giving amnesty to undocumented immigrants. Cruz defended his record while accusing Marco Rubio of standing with the democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: When I ran in Texas I told the people of Texas, if you elect me I will lead the fight against amnesty. We both made the identical promises, but when we came to Washington we made a different choice. Marco made the choice to go the direction of the major donors to support amnesty because he thought it was politically advantageous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Rand Paul called Cruz's statements insulting for claiming everyone was for amnesty except for him. Well, Marco Rubio took even more heat over his changing positions on amnesty. Fox News played a montage of Rubio's sound bites and the Florida Senator seemed to struggle while listening to them.
HOWELL: Earlier, I spoke with CNN political commentators, Hilary Rosen and Ben Ferguson about Rubio being put on the there. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: I wanted to get your take very quickly on this, when Marco Rubio was shown video of prior interviews where he seemed to support amnesty but now saying that he doesn't support amnesty, and then, Mr. Bush chiming in on that as well. Was that a critical moment against Mr. Rubio or for Mr. Bush who are both looking to get voters?
FERGUSON: Yes, it's a critical moment for anybody on stage when you're dealing with that. I just really wish they would have been using this video montages in the last six debates because Donald Trump's montages would have been incredible if people would have been able to see what he's actually said in the past about issues compared to what he is claiming he believed now.
That may have been the best move for Donald Trump not to be there, now that he got to dodge that bullet. For Rubio and Cruz, I don't think there is going to be anything new per say for the voters. Most people have seen them hashing out this, you know, amnesty issue, the gang of eight issue, this vote in the Senate issue. I mean, we've heard about it.
[03:34:59] And Chris Christie kind of laughed saying if you any of you guys are bored to death right now, talking about the parliamentary procedure on the Senate floor, then welcome to my world, you know, and vote for me.
And so, I don't think it's going to hurt either one of them too much when it comes to voters. I do think it's interesting to see this, you know, how video was brought in the debate. I personally like it. I wish it was used for every candidate to show them their own words in the past.
But remember, Megyn Kelly got in trouble because she quoted Donald Trump, that's why he didn't show up tonight. So, if they have played montage of Donald Trump, he may have just stormed off the stage anyway.
HOWELL: And Hilary, the same question to you. You know, what was the moment that stood out to you and this idea that Donald Trump skipped it, giving that there were video montages is that they could have been messed up showing the many different comments that he's made through the cycle?
ROSEN: Look, I thought the whole evening was shameful when it came to the issue of immigration and amnesty and I'm embarrassed for these republican candidates who, you know, having grown up in the Unites States of America, the land of opportunity, what they are trying do is out bid each other on who could be more hostile to immigrants.
HOWELL: Ben Ferguson and Hilary Rosen, thank you so much for taking time to talk to us about this debate night.
ROSEN: Thanks.
FERGUSON: Thanks for having us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: So, the republicans had their night, but as for the democrats that are running for president, Hillary Clinton took to Twitter to weigh in on that debate and she said this, "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"
ALLEN: Fellow democratic candidate Bernie Sanders did not address the debate and spent his evening campaigning in Iowa. The democratic presidential candidates are in a feud of their own at the moment over whether to add another debate to the roster.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny is on the campaign trail.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: It's not just republicans, democrats are locked in their own debate over debates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERNIE SANDERS, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She can't just dictate the rules of the game.
HILLARY CLINTON, (D) U.S. 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 and wants to change the rules. But we are willing to say, if she is willing to do to be number of debates later on, all right.
ZELENY: And if she's not, you will not be in New Hampshire next week?
SANDERS: That's right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Sanders ask Clinton to sign 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.
ZELENY: Still unclear if that breaks the impasse. CLINTON: I am urging publically that we do this debate next week in
New Hampshire and then I've said that I am more than happy for us to start scheduling additional debates.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I'm not just shouting slogans, I'm not just engaging in rhetoric.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: But Clinton says her rival's plans aren't realistic. She said he would be unable to achieve his goal at universal health care, or work with republicans to bring Washington gridlock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I fear it would lead to gridlock not action.
ZELENY: 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: In Iowa today, the former President Clinton stayed out of the democratic fight and was focused on the other side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: You cannot be lured by the politics of division and distraction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: But the democrats have their own fight to contend with. Sanders exploded in fury when a report said some Clinton allies were concerned that this campaign could recruit out of state young voters to Iowa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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 honesty, who are going to purge themselves by saying they live in Iowa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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.
You say you're in very good health, how do you feel?
SANDERS: I feel very good.
ZELENY: You feel from...
(CROSSTALK)
SANDERS: Thank God I am in very good health.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: 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.
HOWELL: You're watching CNN Newsroom Still ahead; there are new concerns over what North Korea called its latest nuclear test. We'll have details ahead.
[03:40:02] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: The year of the monkey on the Chinese calendar is set to begin February 8th, and it's a long held tradition for millions of Chinese to head home to celebrate the lunar New Year with their families.
ALLEN: Yes, millions just take time off, it's called Chunyun or spring migration, and it's the world's largest annual human migration. It usually begins right before the New Year and lasts about 40 days. Sounds good to me.
And it may be time to heed this Feng Shui forecast for your investment. The Hong Kong brokerage CLSA, and the group of Feng Shui masters create the Chunyun chief financial forecast each lunar New Year. No one paid much attention to it when it began in '92 until by year's end, investors realized it was amazingly accurate.
This year's index predicts that the Hang Seng will take off, hit a roadblock and then recover all before the next year.
HOWELL: China has indicted a Canadian man on charges of spying and stealing state secrets.
Kevin Garratt and his wife ran a cafe in Northeastern China and were arrested in 2014. She was released on bail last year. Canada says it has discussed the case with the Chinese government and will be monitoring developments. The couple's children called the arrests ridiculous.
ALLEN: We are learning more about North Korea's claim that it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. A U.S. official says careful analysis of data shows the North may have tried to test components of a hydrogen bomb earlier this month.
This assessment is a shift from earlier when the White House said the test was, quote "not consistent with the hydrogen bomb."
Let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks, she's following developing for us from Seoul with more on this developing story. Paula.
[03:44:59] PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Natalie, it's certainly an interesting development. The U.S. officials now saying, this isn't the final conclusion of course, but it is possible that there was an element or component of a hydrogen bomb, obviously different from what they were saying in the first place.
Now the reason they believe this now is that they were trying to take air samples as were China, Japan, South Korea, and they were inconclusive which is what we've been hearing from neighboring countries and North Korea as well.
And so what they did is they went back and they looked at the seismic data, according to this U.S. official and found out that the test took place more than twice -- more than the depth than they previously thought. This would be consistent with what you would need for a hydrogen bomb test.
But the U.S. officials said they still don't believe that it was a full hydrogen bomb, they believe that maybe North Korea thought it was, but only certain elements were hydrogen related.
So, certainly it's a new development, and comes just the day after a U.S. official told CNN that they believed that North Korea may be preparing for another rocket launch or another launching of another satellite into space. Natalie.
ALLEN: Something else to watch out for. And meantime, Paula in retaliation, we saw the South blasting propaganda across the DMZ from those giant loud speakers. Is that still going on?
HANCOCKS: It's still going on, yes. This is along the border, along the very heavily fortified border. The large speaker broadcast music, they broadcast anti-regime messages, effectively trying to tell the people of North Korea that your government is lying to you. And that regime in North Korea means all is angered by these broadcasts.
They themselves, we understand, have similar broadcasts or at least they have loud speakers on their side of the border which is trying to counter what they're hearing from the south.
And of course, we have had the sanctions discussion, which is ongoing at this point, Washington is trying to encourage Beijing to agree to stronger sanctions on North Korea because of the nuclear tests, South Korea and Japan would certainly agree with that and go along with it.
But at this point, Beijing appears to favor less strong sanctions. So, that is an ongoing situation and that is the next thing we will -- we will hopefully be hearing from the United Nations, when that will be going through. Natalie?
ALLEN: Paula Hancocks for us there in Seoul. Thank you, Paula.
Well, Friday marks a historic day for the nation in Myanmar, the final session of a parliament ruled by a military Junta.
HOWELL: The nation's outgoing president, Thein Sein spoke to lawmakers Thursday, he called on them to collaborate and work together for the country's best interests when its new democratic re-elected government takes over next week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THEIN SEIN, OUTGOING MYANMAR PRESIDENT (TRANSLATED): May the new government and its parliament bring peace and development to our country. May all the people be healthy and live peacefully. May all ethnic groups succeed in building up the federal union of Myanmar without problems. I would like to say goodbye to all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: After decades of oppressive military rule, Myanmar's pro- democracy party won a landmark victory in November elections.
HOWELL: It's lead by Nobel Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi. She is barred from becoming president. I remember, during the run up to that election, she said that maybe, you know, there's a position above the president, so she might still be involved still in some form or fashion.
ALLEN: We'll let you know. Next here in the news, CNN Newsroom, Iran's car industry struggled while the country was under strict sanctions, but now, it's automakers getting back up to speed. We will have a report from Iran.
([03:50:00] COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DAM: There are several opportunities for fresh powder over the mountains of the Western United States this weekend really ramping up into the first parts of next week. Here's the set up.
We have several storm systems that will impact the Pacific Northwest. Spreading some of that snow fall in moisture across Idaho into Southern Montana. But then by the end of the weekend and into the first parts of next week, another low pressure system brings rain to coastal California, then spreads the precipitation westward across of The Rockies.
Really impressive snowfall totals for Colorado and parts of Utah and then the potential for a full on blizzard for the Central U.S. by Tuesday and into Wednesday. Here's the set up going forward, you can see our Pacific Northwest
storm system not attributed to the storm that's going to move in to Southern California, but nonetheless, plenty of opportunities for fresh snowfall.
So, we'll take a look at Sierra Nevada. First, You can see heavenly looking impressive with temperatures certainly cold enough to see snow and snow is indeed in this forecast. An impressive snowfall base already in place across that particular part of California as well.
Here's the moisture over spreading in Colorado and in to the Salt Lake City area, impressive snowfall totals possible into perhaps Solitude Mountain as well point East Warm and equally impressive to Colorado.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: Ah, the DeLoreans, you remember that. Doc Brown and Marty McFly they send it to the year 2015 in the movie "Back to the Future" and now the fabled car is making a comeback.
ALLEN: I tell you what, the future lives on and on and on. The company not as it should, a company not related to the original manufacturer will start building and selling DeLoreans next year. Unfortunately, the $100,000 price tag will not include a flux capacitor. In fact, only the engines will be new.
HOWELL: The flux capacitor is the coolest part. The cars will be made, though, from an inventory of spare parts that have been in storage now for more than 30 years. About 300 DeLoreans will be assembled in humble Texas. Where the company's CEO says he has enough parts to build about one car a week.
ALLEN: Only care about the cup holder myself. Girl thing. Well, Iran's car industry, speaking of cars, is revving up for new business now that sanctions are being lifted.
HOWELL: CNN's Frederik Pleitgen shows us the production line of one company in Tehran.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rammstein is one of the largest car suppliers in the Islamic republic. They're proud that sanctions never stopped their production and say they believe their products can compete with any radiators in the world.
Nasser Norazaih (ph) say he has been working here for 12 years and says, he's never been more optimistic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're so happy about the nuclear agreement, he says, and I think it will not only be good for us, it will be good for them as well.
The sanctions, forced Iran radiator to source most of its raw material from inside the country. The boss believes the company will be able to buy such goods from all over the world, making production much cheaper and more importantly; they'll also be able to sell their radiators globally. Foreign companies are interested in us for two reasons, he says.
Quality wise, we can compete with them but our prices are also much lower. So, yes, there is a lot of interest from abroad.
[03:54:58] But in total, Iran's auto industry suffered under international sanctions. Old manufacturing machines led to quality problems that Tehran hopes foreign investment will fix.
French auto giant, Peugeot has announced a $435 million contract to return production to Iran. Only one of many big business deals inked during President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Europe. Iran will also purchase more than 100 Airbus jets. Tehran's message is clear. Iran is open for business.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSAN ROUHANI, IRAN'S PRSIDENT (TRANSLATED): We have gathered here to say that France is once again ready to get involved in economic and developmental activities in Iran. With new energy and greater motivation within the framework of the policies pursued by today's Iranian government, and we have come here to welcome all investors and business leaders to get involved in Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: The folks at radiator Iran feel they are ready to compete on the international markets. And are hoping that many new business deals between Iran and the West will also lead to more demand for their products.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
HOWELL: The co-founder of Microsoft could be facing a $600,000 fine after one of his yachts reportedly destroyed a part of a coral reef in the Cayman Islands. Authorities were investigating where the Paul Allens' yacht, The Tatoosh, is responsible for damaging more than 100 -- 1,000, I should say square meters of reef with its anchor chained.
ALLEN: That had to hurt. Oh, my goodness. The coral reef. Now the billionaire was not on board at the time but the incident comes just five months after Allen pledged to support a new research project designed to stabilize and restore coral Reef. He may be even giving more money now to the Caymans, we'll wait and see.
Thank you for watching this hour.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. For viewers in the Unites States, Early Start is next. And for other viewers around the world, CNN Newsroom continues with Kristie Lu Stout in just a moment. You're watching CNN, the world's news leader.
[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
