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Calm in Syrian Cities; Christie Signs Up with Trump; Oscars Swag Bag Ignites Controversy. Aired 2-2:30a ET
Aired February 27, 2016 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Weapons fall silent in Syria as a fragile cease-fire between the government and rebels takes hold. We'll analyze its chances of paving the way to a lasting peace.
Bringing in the reinforcements: Trump takes the fight to Cruz and Rubio with the help of a former presidential rival.
And what do you give the movie stars who already have it all?
How about a luxury trip to Israel, apparently?
Why Hollywood's getting hot under the collar about this year's gifts to Oscar nominees. We'll look into that.
We're live from Atlanta. Hello, everyone, this is CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks for joining us. I'm Natalie Allen.
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ALLEN: Our top story is Syria. We are about nine hours into a cessation of hostilities in war-torn Syria. Early reports indicating calm in Syria's major cities. Military operations against terrorists like ISIS and Al-Nusra Front will continue.
A main Syrian opposition group says it will lay down arms for the two- week truce but warns Russia and the Assad regime not to attack it, pretending that it is a terror group.
However, both Russia and Syria attacked sites up until the last moment. CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has more.
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BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hours ahead of the cease-fire deadline Russia continued heavy airstrikes in Western Syria. And Syrian government forces dropped more barrel bombs. Even if the bombing eases up, there is deep doubt that a true cease-fire will hold.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're all aware of the many potential pitfalls and there are plenty of reasons for skepticism. If implemented -- and that's a significant if -- the cessation could reduce the violence.
STARR (voice-over): Russian president Vladimir Putin called the truce "difficult" but said military action by Russia and the U.S. will be stopped. The U.S. says it's only attacking ISIS, which is not part of the cease-fire.
Al-Nusra, the Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, also not part of the agreement. The problem: Russia continues to lump many opposition groups in with Al-Nusra and bombs them.
A map published by the Russian state news agency shows only small yellow areas of Syria, the Russians say, are now under the cease-fire. The U.S. does not agree. It wants Russia to stop bombing civilians and moderate opposition wherever they are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that many of us has been asking what happens if, in fact, the cease-fire doesn't hold. And I don't think Russia believes that anything is going to happen.
STARR (voice-over): President Obama's top intelligence advisor says Putin may actually be thinking of increasing Russia's military operation in Syria.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are confronting the possibility I think or considering whether they're going to put more ground forces in.
STARR (voice-over): The White House is working on the so-called plan B, what to do if the cease-fire fails. One option: adding to the 50 U.S. special operations forces already on the ground in Syria.
Those U.S. troops moved more than 30 miles from the relative safety of their Northern Syrian base south to near the town of Shaddadi to help tribes take the town back from ISIS, assisting with calling in airstrikes and offering advice on the battlefield.
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ALLEN: Barbara Starr also reports the U.S. secretly positioned rescue forces nearby in case any personnel ran into a firefight.
I want to go now to Saudi Arabia, one of the countries heavily involved in the cease-fire negotiations. CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, joins us live now from Riyadh.
Nic, a very, very fragile truce there kind of taking hold in Syria. You almost don't want to say it because it's so hopeful.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. And the high negotiating committee, which bases themselves here in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, has said that 97 groups have signed up to observing this cease-fire.
There are many more groups inside Syria, many more rebel groups. Some of them are hard-line Islamist groups. Perhaps one of the most significant groups that had been part of the
HNC, the high negotiating committee, the Akra al-Sham (ph) group, believed to be a very strong group inside Syria.
They haven't made their position clear. Indeed, some elements have been posting online as recently as yesterday that they were opposed to the cease-fire and we've certainly seen posted online by the Al Qaeda affiliate there --
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ROBERTSON: -- the Al-Nusra Front, that they are claiming that they've been polling citizens in their areas and they say 92 percent -- and this is a figure that's impossible to verify and comes from an Al Qaeda propaganda wing -- but they say 92 percent of the civilian population in their areas don't want the cease-fire.
That's very, very hard to believe, of course. And there's no reason to take it as being credible.
But you have the Al Qaeda group; you have other smaller rebel factions that are associated with them, that are pushing back on the cease- fire, saying that it's not in their interests and ISIS as well, of course Al Qaeda, ISIS not part of the cease-fire. They will be -- they will continue to be targeted.
But what the high negotiating committee here is saying is that they don't want the cease-fire to be used by Russia or President Bashar al- Assad as an opportunity and as an excuse to extend their reach inside the country.
And they're calling for very clear and careful monitoring of the cease-fire and if that there are any violations then those should be called out and made very clear that who's violating, where they're violating and precisely what's happening.
So the moment this does seem to be tenuous, a high negotiating committee has dispersed from here at the moment, gone back to its home bases. But we can expect, because the U.N. special envoy, Staffan de Mistura, has called a new meeting of the peace talks on the 7th of March, just over a week from now in Geneva, that the HNC will regather, reconvene here and make a decision, is the cease-fire working?
If it is working then they would therefore consider whether or not to attend those peace talks again -- Natalie.
ALLEN: All right. Well, tenuous. I'm sure they'll take tenuous, better than nothing, for absolute sure. Nic Robertson following developments for us there in Riyadh. Thank you, Nic.
Despite the issues Nic just raised and the things that could go wrong, the U.N. special envoy says this may be a chance for hope for serious people. What they have lost, of course, immeasurable: loved ones, livelihoods and their heritage. Hala Gorani digs into CNN's archives and amateur video to take us inside Syria's largest city, Aleppo, to see how much it has changed.
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Caught in the crossfire of Syria's civil war, Aleppo is being destroyed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allahu akbar.
GORANI (voice-over): It's not until you look back at what this ancient city used to be that you realize what is being lost here.
Before the war this is what the city center looked like, narrow alleys and covered souks, UNESCO World Heritage sites.
We've been coming to Aleppo since long before the civil war started. And in just the past few weeks we got access to see what is left of the old city. The ancient souk, once such a central part of Aleppo life when we came here before, where craftsmen worked their goods and stalls bustled, today looks like this: empty, much of it reduced to rubble.
People would often sit atop the citadel for a drink in the afternoon sun. And today, though the structure's iconic ramparts are in most parts still standing, makeshift military posts now look out across the city.
To the south of the citadel these satellite pictures show how the urban landscape has been virtually flattened. The swimming pool you see here belonged to the luxury Carlton hotel. The hotel then became a makeshift base for government forces. It was leveled in 2014 after rebels dug a tunnel underneath it and packed it with explosives.
Satellite pictures also show the damage done to Aleppo's Umayyad Mosque, its 11th century minaret demolished. It was a 1,000-year-old tower, an imposing feature visible from across the city. But in the end it was taken down by shelling in 2013.
Aleppo has always been known for its ottoman architecture, its large mansions and courtyards. Hanan Wazir (ph), a 7th century inn, now lies abandoned, a nearby mosque in ruins.
As hopes for the latest Syrian cease-fire are eroded, so, too, are the remains of hundreds of years, even millennia of history in Aleppo -- Hala Gorani, CNN, London.
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ALLEN: Very sad to see.
Well, coming up here, rivals no more. Chris Christie and Donald Trump now standing side by side --
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ALLEN: -- in the race for the White House. The latest on the downright bizarre day in U.S. politics. That's coming up.
Plus, it's the Democrats' turn in South Carolina this weekend. Sanders and Clinton make last-minute stops.
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ALLEN: Welcome back. Notorious drug lord, Joaquin Guzman, better known as "El Chapo," will accept extradition to the U.S. -- but there's a condition. Guzman's lawyer says that his client will plead guilty when he arrives to the States if he can serve his time at a medium-security prison. El Chapo has escaped Mexican maximum security prisons two times.
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GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), N.J.: America must have a strong leader again that can restore American jobs, that can restore American confidence and Donald Trump is just the man to do it.
America needs someone who's going to make sure that Hillary Clinton doesn't get within 10 miles of the White House. Donald Trump can do it.
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ALLEN: Chris Christie on fire there. A major and unexpected endorsement in the Republican race for president, New Jersey governor and former candidate Chris Christie throwing his support to Donald Trump.
The announcement comes just one day after Trump's all-out brawl with Marco Rubio at Thursday's Republican debate. Senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta has the latest.
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JIM ACOSTA, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump trying to turn the page after CNN's fiery Republican debate, rolling out a jaw-dropping endorsement from Chris Christie.
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This was an endorsement that really meant a lot.
CHRISTIE: There is no better fighter than Donald Trump. And he's going to fight for the American people.
TRUMP: Other than that I rest my case.
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ACOSTA (voice-over): It was a deft move for Trump after he seemed rattled by a newly aggressive Marco Rubio at Thursday's debate.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLA., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If he hadn't inherited $200 million, you know where Donald Trump would be right now?
Selling watches in Manhattan.
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TRUMP: That is so wrong.
Rubio has decided the only way to take down the GOP front-runner is to match insult with insult.
RUBIO: Let me tell you something. Last night in the debate during one of the breaks, two of the breaks, he went backstage. He was having a meltdown. First, he had this little makeup thing, applying like makeup around his mustache because he had one of those sweat mustaches.
Then -- then he asked for a full-length mirror. I don't know why because the podium goes up to here. But he wanted a full-length mirror, maybe to make sure his pants weren't wet. I don't know.
ACOSTA (voice-over): In Texas, Rubio ridiculed Trump's misspelling of the words "lightweight choker" in his post-debate tweets.
RUBIO: Here's the first one.
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RUBIO: "Lightweight Marco Rubio was working hard last night."
This is true.
"The problem is he is a chocker. And once a chocker always --"
A choker, I guess that's what he meant to say.
He spelled choker c-h-o-k-e-r, chocker.
TRUMP: He was sweating so badly --
ACOSTA: Trump mocked the Florida senator as drowning in sweat backstage at the debates, badly in need of TV makeup.
TRUMP: I will not say that he was trying to cover up his ears.
I need water. Help me. I need water. Help.
When you're a choke artist, you're always a choke artist.
ACOSTA (voice-over): It was a continuation of the alley fight that broke out during CNN's debate. On ObamaCare, Rubio got the last word over who repeats himself the most.
RUBIO: So that's the only part of the plan?
Just the lines, the interstate competition?
TRUMP: Nice part about the -- you have many different plans. You'll have competition. You'll have so many different plans.
RUBIO: Now he's repeating himself.
TRUMP: No, I'm not repeating -- no, no, no.
RUBIO: You don't repeat yourself?
TRUMP: He's the guy who repeats himself.
You repeat yourself every day.
TRUMP: Talking about repeating. I watched him repeat himself five times four week ago.
RUBIO: I saw you repeat yourself five times five seconds ago.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Trump wondered whether Rubio will now land the support of the last GOP nominee, Mitt Romney. Romney, Trump joked, was never going to win in 2012.
TRUMP: When you walk onto a stage you cannot walk like a penguin. He walked like a penguin.
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ALLEN: Well, the insults are pretty rampant right now. That was Jim Acosta reporting.
Chris Christie could be the weapon Trump needs after the Republican front-runner was rattled by a newly aggressive Rubio at that debate.
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CHRISTIE: I've got one more message for someone who's had a pretty big mouth today.
Marco Rubio, your campaign is almost over, buddy. Showing a lot of desperation today, throwing punches from every angle.
But none of them are landing because America has made their decision. Donald Trump represents strength and Marco Rubio represents Washington, D.C. We don't need any more D.C. politicians.
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ALLEN: While Christie claims Rubio is on the way out, CNN political analyst Josh Rogan says the Florida senator is actually on the way up.
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JOSH ROGAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I talked to some Rubio advisers today and they said they see a change in the candidate. He's enjoying himself, he's laughing, he's having fun with it. That has an effect and it has an effect on his supporters. Inside Rubio World, the concern was that the candidate wasn't up to snuff, that he couldn't, you know, rise to the occasion and take on Trump.
And now that the Rubio campaign has decided to go ahead and take on Trump, Senator Rubio seems to be fitting well into that strategy. And that means that they're going to stick with it and they're going to stick with it every day until either they lose or they win.
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ALLEN: A source close to the Rubio campaign dismissed Trump's new endorsement, saying Christie has zero support.
Well, ahead of South Carolina's Democratic primary and Super Tuesday next week, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are swinging through Southern states to snag whatever votes they can.
Sanders kept up the Wall Street attack rhetoric while Clinton is dealing with demands she release transcripts from her paid speeches. Here's senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar.
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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bachelor parties aren't your usual campaign events.
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is exciting, isn't it?
KEILAR (voice-over): But that's where Hillary Clinton unexpectedly found herself, at a Charleston bakery one day before the South Carolina primary, trying to convince voters to walk down the aisle with her.
CLINTON: I need your vote tomorrow.
KEILAR (voice-over): Instead of Bernie Sanders.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She has a super PAC, 15 million of which came from Wall Street.
KEILAR (voice-over): He's in South Carolina today after a stop in Minnesota, where he targeted Clinton's big-dollar speeches to Wall Street firms.
SANDERS: Maybe what you said behind closed doors is a little bit different than what you're saying to the American people. I am prepared to release all of the transcripts I had of secret meetings with Wall Street. Here they are.
KEILAR (voice-over): Clinton is resisting saying Tuesday at CNN's town hall.
CLINTON: Why is there one standard for me and not for everybody else? KEILAR (voice-over): "The New York Times" editorial board backing Sanders on the issue, saying voters have every right to know what Ms. Clinton told these groups. Clinton is urging voters to examine her public record.
CLINTON: Well, it's hurtful to have people say oh, I don't trust her, don't know why she's doing it.
And it suddenly struck me, well, you know, maybe there is this underlying question, like is she doing it for herself --
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CLINTON: -- or is she really in it for us?
KEILAR (voice-over): She and Sanders are fighting for the key support of black voters ahead of the South Carolina primary and the other upcoming Southern contest Tuesday, both on defense for their support of the 1994 crime bill that helped lead to increased African American incarceration.
CLINTON: There were some positive features. However, I think that the consequences of some of what was done are serious and we have to take action as quickly and broadly as possible to try to reverse those.
KEILAR (voice-over): And Sanders at an event in Chicago where Secret Service stepped in when a woman holding a sign charged the stage. His remarks included a critique of Clinton for backing her husband's 1996 welfare reform bill.
SANDERS: The result of that bill is that extreme poverty, the poorest of the poor in America, those numbers doubled as a result of that legislation. I oppose that legislation. Hillary Clinton supported that legislation.
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ALLEN: We'll be covering the outcome of the South Carolina primary for the Democrats. That's Saturday evening here on CNN.
We want to turn to a powerful winter storm that is now lashing Western Europe and Karen Maginnis is following that from the Weather Center -- Karen.
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, plenty of wind, rain and lots of snowfall.
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MAGINNIS: There were about 13 Dutch mountain hikers that were rescued from a snowy mountain. It wasn't just snowy. It was windy and very brutal weather conditions where they were said to have been safe they were rescued.
But they did send a signal off the mountain which was about a six- or seven-hour drive away from Bergen, Norway. And they were said to be in good condition but they tried to send a helicopter. It just wasn't going to make it in the miserable conditions there.
Windy and wet all the way from Portugal and into France but extending on over towards Italy the next several days and the potential for severe weather does exist -- Natalie.
ALLEN: All right, Karen, thanks very much.
Well, the Oscars face yet another controversy. This one involves the gift bag, swag bag that nominees will receive and something that's inside that gift bag that's causing some questions. We'll have that next.
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ALLEN: You've likely heard about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. There's not a single black nominee for an acting award at Sunday's Oscars ceremony. Well, now there's another controversy surrounding the Academy Awards. This one is about gift bags. Here's Oren Liebermann from Jerusalem.
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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As if being a Hollywood A-lister wasn't enough of a prize, this year's top nominees will pick up an Oscar swag bag worth $200,000.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guys, listen, everybody's going to be interested in this.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Including a $900 toilet paper dispenser, $300 of personalized M&MS, $3 Chap Stick. And the most expensive gift in the bag --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Surprise.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): -- a $55,000 10-day all-expenses-paid trip to Israel from the country's ministry of tourism.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to tell this story. We're going to tell it right.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): All 25 of the acting and directing nominees and host Chris Rock will get the unofficial Oscars gift.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In your face, Neil Armstrong.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Israel hopes to boost the country's struggling tourism numbers by tapping into the stars' followers on social media.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They will show how good it is here, how interesting it is here. And I'm sure and I call them, use this opportunity. You won't regret it.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): In an awards season where the Academy may have been hoping the lack of racial diversity would be their only controversy, this trip to Israel has set off another one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hope that a majority if not a great majority of the nominees will reject this Israeli trip.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Omar Barghouti, who fronts the Palestinian campaign to boycott and divest from Israel, says accepting the trip plays into what he calls Israel's propaganda.
OMAR BARGHOUTI: So we're asking Hollywood figures as they did during the apartheid South Africa era to -- not to give their names for Israel to whitewash its occupation and violations of human rights.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Israeli minister of tourism Yariv Levin rejects that criticism.
YARIV LEVIN, ISRAELI MINISTER OF TOURISM: I think that talking about occupation or talking about boycotting Israel because of the current situation is something unfair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You should be careful.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Mark Rylance, up for Best Supporting Actor for "Bridge of Spies" and a supporter of Palestinian causes, has said he won't accept any gift.
But most other nominees have been silent about the swag bag.
In a conflict that has dragged on for decades, the latest clashes between Israelis and Palestinians have moved from the streets of the West Bank to the red carpet of Hollywood -- Oren Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.
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ALLEN: A swag bag. That's quite the swag bag. And swag, just in case you didn't know stands for Stuff We All Get. Thanks for watching. I'm Natalie Allen. "WINNING POST" is next after your top stories.
