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New Day
U.S.-Israeli Relations Hit Rock Bottom; Israel on Two-State Solution; Classic Rockers Chicago Marking 50 Years of Hits; Remembering the Fallen Stars of 2016. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired December 30, 2016 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:33:06] POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to NEW DAY.
The long-held alliance between the U.S. and Israel is now on the rocks following a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements in east Jerusalem and in the West Bank. So how will things change during the Trump administration? Probably a lot. Joining us now is Daniel Kurtzer. He's the former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Egypt. He's now a professor at an OK university, at Princeton University.
Thank you for being with us, sir, and happy New Year.
DANIEL KURTZER, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL AND EGYPT: Thank you. To you, too, Poppy.
HARLOW: I'm very interested in your insight as to whether or not what has transpired between Israel and the United States is at least in part because of personal animus between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, or if you don't buy into this as personal at all?
KURTZER: Oh, it's highly personal. The foundation of the U.S./Israeli relationship actually is better than it's ever been. Provision of U.S. security assistance, support for Israeli anti-missile programs, intelligence and strategic cooperation are at their height. But the two leaders, Netanyahu and Obama, just never got along. And you're now seeing this come out in a very negative way right at the end of the administration, especially after Mr. Netanyahu appears to have endorsed Mr. Trump. So it's really a shame that we're not looking at what's important here, which is the strength of the bilateral relationship.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And the interesting - Netanyahu's spokesman told me yesterday that Israel is still committed to a two-state solution. But Kerry says Netanyahu's policies are quite different than that. He said as much in his speech. Do you agree with that? Who's right?
KURTZER: Well, Don, you know, he's made contrary statements over the past years. Back in 2009, he said he supported a two-state solution. On the eve of his last election, he backed away from it. He's back and forth on this. And it's hard to know exactly what he's thinking. [08:35:07] What is clear, as Secretary Kerry said in his speech, is
that the Israeli government has not pronounced itself in favor of a two-state solution and most of the members of Netanyahu's cabinet actually oppose a two-state solution. So it's hard to see Netanyahu's claims to be credible.
HARLOW: As Don well pointed out in that interview yesterday, a number of these cabinet members are opposed to a two-state solution very publicly, very vocally. Palestinians - a number of Palestinians will say that that's just talk and very careful wording by the spokesman or the spokespeople for Netanyahu. Netanyahu himself saying, yes, I stand by a two-state solution. Netanyahu said it recently in a "60 Minutes" interview, because they don't believe that that really means an independent and equally sovereign Palestinian state in places like east Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank, et cetera. How do you read it?
KURTZER: Well, that's exactly why Secretary Kerry's speech, as well crafted as it was, should be read carefully, because the point that he made is not really whether one mouths the words two-state solution, but whether or not actions on the ground, whether it's settlements on the Israeli side or incitement and violence on the Palestinian side, are proof of whether the two sides are ready to make peace. And Kerry was unsparing in his criticism of both sides saying it's about time that people actually do on the ground what they say they want, which is to create a two-state solution.
LEMON: Yes, saying one thing and doing another, and that - that's exactly what John Kerry said in the speech.
You said that there wasn't anything new in that speech. So then the question is, why is Netanyahu so upset? Is it because he is maybe strategically he doesn't have as much leverage as he once had?
KURTZER: Well, I think he's upset largely because the speech is as strong as it was, and it lays bare all of the inconsistencies in both Israeli policy, but also in Palestinian policy. And no leader is going to want to see that happen. He's now exposed. The Israeli press, for example, has taken him to task since the time of the U.N. resolution a week ago for policies that are leading Israel into a very bad direction in which you may have the beginning of a one-state reality where Israel will have to make a choice between being a Jewish and democratic state, or not.
LEMON: The Palestinian president, Abbas - do you have a question? You want to take it?
HARLOW: Yes. No, no, no, go for it.
LEMON: Say that, you know, he's ready to meet once Israel stops building settlements, but Netanyahu said it's the Palestinians' refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish state that has caused a stalemate.
HARLOW: Yes.
LEMON: What do you think is holding up this process? KURTZER: Well, I think both of them are avoiding taking hard
decisions. I think the Palestinians have put themselves high up in a tree without a ladder by demanding a full settlement freeze before even talking. I think Netanyahu has put himself up in a different tree by continuing this settlement policy, which is eating up Palestinian land. And both of them are simply climbing higher and higher in this tree without taking into account the fact that they ought to come down to earth and understand that their two societies are the ones that are suffering from their lack of leadership.
HARLOW: Well put.
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Have a great New Year.
LEMON: Daniel Kurtzer.
KURTZER: Thank you, you, too.
HARLOW: Coming up next, let's have a little fun.
LEMON: All right.
HARLOW: It is - it is New Year's and we've had a lot of hard news this morning. So, we're going to talk a little music, a little classic rock. I got to hang out with the classic rockers Chicago.
LEMON: What? You did?
HARLOW: You are jealous.
LEMON: Jealous.
HARLOW: As they celebrate 50 years of music. We get a preview of their New Year's documentary, next.
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[08:42:35] HARLOW: They have rocked for nearly 50 years. You definitely know their chart topping hits. Chicago, it's a band that calls themselves brothers. CNN traces the band's windy city routes all the way to the top of the charts, in now more than ever, the history of Chicago. We got a backstage pass to meet with the band on the final leg of their tour. Here's a preview.
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HARLOW (voice-over): After 47 golden platinum records, dozens of charting songs and more than 100 million albums sold -
CHICAGO (singing): I was walking down the street one day.
HARLOW: Chicago, the legendary band, is still rocking today. A brotherhood started with a handshake nearly 50 years ago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a handshake and a jam session.
HARLOW (on camera): Did you ever imagine the success?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. None of us did.
LEE LOUGHNANE, FOUNDING MEMBER/TRUMPET/VOCALS: To have this kind of success for this long is unprecedented.
HARLOW: So, guys, when was the - when was the pinch me moment?
LOUGHNANE: We're still having it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, Poppy, do you want to walk up on stage?
HARLOW: Yes. Yes. You -
HARLOW (voice-over): We caught up with Chicago on the final leg of their tour in Omaha, Nebraska.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Omaha, how the hell are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a true band. A band of brothers, yes.
HARLOW (on camera): A band of brothers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ROBERT LAMM, FOUNDING MEMBER/KEYBOARD/VOCALS: We would build these songs and build these albums together. And at some point I realized, and I think we all realized that - that music is, indeed, what we're going to be doing pretty much for the rest of our lives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The music talent is amazing. It transcends all ages.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't find bands producing this kind of music today. This is it.
HARLOW (voice-over): There have been decades more wild than others, like their years at Caribou Ranch.
CHICAGO (singing): Singing Italian songs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Caribou Ranch happened to be very close to a college town. There's a ton of drugs. There are really good drugs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it ended up just kind of like being a party in the Rockies.
CHICAGO (singing): If you leave me now -
HARLOW: Chicago was flying high, but then came their heartbreak. Original guitarist Terry Kath died suddenly, accidentally shooting himself.
LAMM: That made us all - pulled us short, and we kind of didn't know what we were going to do.
[08:45:03] HARLOW (on camera): You've said that you were still working through Terry's death.
LAMM: Yes.
HARLOW: Decades later.
LAMM: I - to be honest with you, I give Terry a look every night when we play "Saturday in the Park."
CHICAGO (singing): Another day -
LEMM: There's a lyric in there that refers to him.
CHICAGO (singing): A man playing guitar, singing for us all.
LEMM: I - I still dream about Terry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was like the musical leader of the band at the time. He would want us to stay together, as well.
HARLOW: You loved him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh-huh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was very lovable.
HARLOW (voice-over): They did, they say, what terry would have wanted. They stayed together and kept playing. Chicago has toured every single year of its existence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please welcome, Chicago!
HARLOW: And finally in 2016, the ultimate honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is my honor to finally induct Chicago into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
HARLOW: But no sign these rockers are slowing down. Not even for a second.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've always contended that - that music - creating music keeps - keeps me in a childlike state that is not too bad.
HARLOW (on camera): Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We wanted to be as organic as it started out being, and that's why we're still together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Not a bad assignment. My thanks to all of them. Pretty good time. Next year the remaining original band members of Chicago will mark an incredible 50 years together. That makes them the longest - the longest U.S. rock band ever to play together. All right, you can see "Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago,"
Sunday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
LEMON: As I was walking down the street one day -
HARLOW: I said, Don is not tone deaf. That's pretty good. If this anchor thing doesn't work out.
LEMON: He's like, go to the tease.
HARLOW: They're yelling at us in - come on, it's New Year's.
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: All right, seriously.
LEMON: Yes, it's been a big - it's been a big year for the entertainment industry. Lots of losses. We'll discuss all of that, those who have fallen, the fallen stars, coming up next.
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[08:50:51] HARLOW: As 2016 comes to an end, it may be remembered, at least in part, for so many of the stars that we lost, especially in the final week, especially this week.
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: Pretty unbelievable. Let's discuss it all with "Entertainment Tonight" host and CNN contributor Nischelle Turner and former editor of "People" magazine Larry Hackett.
Larry, let me begin with you. What a year. Good thing that it's over in terms of these deaths. We lost David Bowie and we lost Prince. These are two artists that you say were particularly tough for their loss. Why?
LARRY HACKETT, FORMER EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Because they were still incredibly active. They were still, although they were getting older, they were still incredibly productive. David Bowie had a new album that came out three days before his death. Prince, we know, had just thousands of hours of music in the archives. And it was shock. There's also a whole litany of other rockers that died. You know, Keith Emerson -
HARLOW: Yes.
HACKETT: And Paul Kantner and Maurice White. It goes on and on and on and on. And I think baby boomers being who they are, I think it's striking them as being that their youth is passing away. It happened to come in this incredible, horrific cluster this year.
HARLOW: Yes.
HACKETT: And I think it's making people think about their own mortality. LEMON: Yes. And, Nischelle, when he says this incredible, horrific cluster, but, I mean, just in the last week it's been Zsa Zsa Gabor, it's been George Michael, and Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds and on. And there have been more just within the past two or three weeks.
NICHELLE TURNER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, just - you know, I was thinking about this yesterday and just the month of December alone I've felt like that there was a lot over and over and over again. And the end of this year seems like there was really a cluster of folks.
But when you think about this year, and I started going over a list last night and I found myself saying, oh, my goodness, I forgot. I forgot about this person. I forgot about this person. And started thinking, it really has been a banner year for loss. It - and I don't think any of us can explain it. I remember being out at Mrs. Reagan's funeral this - this - earlier this year and - and talking to people about the fact that it - it felt like we were losing our icons more and more, like this generation was really starting to go away. And - and it's kind of sad because it was the greatest generation I believe of the people we lost.
LEMON: That's - you're right about that. When you think about, Alan Thicke, right, "Growing Pains." And then you had Mrs. Brady, right, you know, Gene Wilder, who did such - these such great movies. And you had the - you know, Zsa Zsa Gabor. All of these - these are iconic figures from a generation that some of the young folks may not even remember except for TV Land, but they had a very big impact on many of our lives.
TURNER: Yes.
HACKETT: I think they also represent a period of time when pop culture itself was exploding. When you had television shows -
TURNER: Yes.
HACKETT: And movies, so you became familiar with a whole greater number of people. So then when they die, you know, people like Dan Haggerty, who you watched on "Grizzly Adams," I mean all these kinds of programs. I know. And you just - and Alan Rickman. You just start to realize, my gosh, there's so many folks out there that we are familiar with because of pop culture and when they die you become more aware of it.
HARLOW: Also - also, Nischelle Turner, I mean, Muhammad Ali.
TURNER: Yes.
HARLOW: You know -
LEMON: Wow.
HARLOW: Gosh, I mean, celebrity just one of his many, many things and titles that he embodies. I mean that is a moment when America came together and - TURNER: Absolutely.
HARLOW: And remembered and honored what he did for all of us.
TURNER: Absolutely. And I was at that funeral. And you're right, I mean, his celebrity was one that crossed every single genre of sports, of politics, of acting, of - and - and I remember at his funeral thinking, there are people literally from every corner of the world here, from every genre, from every race, creed, age and they all were there for one purpose, because they revered this man. I mean it really was a sight to behold. I mean - and - and the interesting thing is to about - about Muhammad Ali, I mean, all of us have a - you know, regardless of our age, all of us have this - this memory of him and this - this fondness for him. Will Smith - I remember talking to him there, and he was saying to me, I'm not sad today, I'm celebrating a beautiful life -
HARLOW: Yes.
TURNER: And a life that was well lived.
HARLOW: There you go.
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: Guys, thank you so much. Happy New Year to you. Thanks for being with us this week. A hard week.
[08:54:59] LEMON: Yes. We're going to be right back with some closing thoughts. You don't want to miss it.
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HARLOW: 2016, a year we will never forget.
LEMON: You guys may not know, Poppy and I are good friends, so it's been a pleasure being here with you.
HARLOW: Oh, the best of friends.
LEMON: Ah, this week - I know. So this is my last week of doing double shifts, up early and up late and then - ah -
HARLOW: We usually - we usually don't drink before 9:00. Usually only after 9:00.
LEMON: Let me bring in a surprise right now.
HARLOW: We have a surprise for you.
LEMON: Come on. Come on in.
HARLOW: The light of my 2016 -
LEMON: Besides me.
HARLOW: Not only my awesome husband, but our little nugget, Sienna. Hey, baby. Hey, baby. How you doing?
LEMON: Oh, here you go. Take that champagne.
HARLOW: Do you want to meet Don Lemon?
LEMON: Good to see you, sir.
Hi.
HARLOW: This has - this has been my wonder of the year is having this little eight-month-old nugget -
LEMON: Oh, she's so gorgeous.
HARLOW: With this amazing man.
LEMON: Hey, nugget. And these are for you, because we thought you were going to wear these in.
HARLOW: This amazing friend.
LEMON: Those are mine.
SINISA BABCIC, POPPY HARLOW'S HUSBAND: I appreciate (INAUDIBLE).
LEMON: You didn't want to - so (INAUDIBLE) did not want to be on -
HARLOW: When - well, show the world. Show the world what they are.
LEMON: Show the world - crocs. I wear these in the office and everywhere when I'm not wearing shoes, so I know that loses me cool points.
BABCIC: And I just got a pair. Awe.
LEMON: And you just got a pair.
BABCIC: They're - they're dad shoes. They're awesome.
HARLOW: And when you become a dad, you get crocs. Sinisa wears them every day.
LEMON: Cheers.
BABCIC: Cheers.
LEMON: Cheers. Give me the bottle.
HARLOW: Happy New Year, everyone. Baby girl, you want to say happy New Year's. Happy New Year's.
[09:00:06] Time for "Newsroom" with Martin Savidge. Hi, everyone.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to all of you. Poppy, a beautiful, beautiful baby and family there. Thanks
