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Mike Pence Protests NFL Protests by Leaving Game Early; Trump and Corker Exchange Attacks; White House Releases List of DACA Priorities; Las Vegas Shooter a Big Fish at Casinos; Trump Plans to Decertify Iran Deal; Quake from North Korea Nuclear Tests Stokes Fear in China; Harvey Weinstein Fired from His Own Company. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired October 08, 2017 - 20:00   ET

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

[20:00:00] ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Stay with us.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. Top of the hour, I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with us.

The White House this weekend reigniting its feud with the NFL and this time Vice President Mike Pence is right in the center of it. Walking out of a game being played by his hometown Indianapolis Colts after opposing players kneeled during the national anthem.

Now the vice president tweeted minutes after he left, quote, "I left today's Colts game because the president and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our flag or our national anthem."

The Colts were playing the San Francisco 49ers. And 49ers player Eric Reid had this to say after the game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC REID, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS PLAYER: The information that I have, the last time he's been to a Colts game was three years ago. So this was like a PR stunt to me. He knew our team has had the most players protest. He knew that we were probably going to do it again. And so this is what systemic oppression looks like. A man with power comes to the game, tweets a couple of things out and leaves the game. It was an attempt to thwart our efforts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Also on Twitter today, an extraordinary exchange of insults between the president and a top Republican senator. After being slammed by President Trump, Bob Corker, he is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, quote, "It is a shame the White House has become an adult day care center. Someone obviously missed their shift this morning."

Corker was responding to tweets President Trump fired off early this morning. In them, President Trump claimed Corker, quote, "begged" the president to endorse him for re-election. And he also said Corker wanted to be his secretary of state, but he turned him down. President Trump then went on to blame Corker for the Iran deal. Let's talk about all this. What a night. CNN political analyst,

April Ryan, she is with us, the White House correspondent for American Urban Radio, and CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, he is a former special assistant to President George W. Bush.

April, the 49ers player Eric Reid says he thinks this was a PR stunt. What are you hearing from your sources about the planning that went into this?

APRIL RYAN, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN URBAN RADIO: Well, what we know is that the pool, the pool, the gathering or gaggle of reporters that travels with the vice president, they were not allowed to go into the stadium with the vice president. And we also know that the pool said that it wasn't going to be long before they were to leave.

The vice president would come out soon so it leads to confirm some of what or at least counter support what some of what we're hearing that it could have been a stunt. But we're also hearing that the president and the vice president said, you know, this is what was going to happen prior to it happening today.

But one thing, Ana, that we know for sure is that when you have these kinds of divisions, serious divisions and divides, it is for the president to exert his moral authority to say let's come together. He could actually bring both sides together. Actually, what's happening is that the longer this goes on, it's stirring the pot and the NFL is continuing and others in other sports are deciding to take a knee, raise a fist, what have you.

And not only that, what I'm seeing is, is that this is strategic and we had an issue with Charlottesville yesterday. Charlottesville is not on the table anymore as when the president went to Alabama and talked about the NFL. He did not use Charlottesville because he knows it's a lightning rod but the NFL was something that could gin up his base, so this -- all of this is, I believe, in a way strategic to stir up the base, getting more support to double down on his base, but it's causing a big division and now the vice president is in the midst of it as well.

CABRERA: And Scott, this was a very obvious protest to the protesting. You've worked inside White Houses before. How common are political stunts like this?

SCOTT JENNINGS, FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Well, I mean, every president in every White House to some degree pulls off stunts to drive their point home. Sometimes it has to do with a piece of legislation or a policy initiative. In this particular case, the White House I think is trying to drive home a point about a cultural issue that they think is a true political winner for them. And if you look a lot of the polling that's come out, they're right.

Most American people agree that they don't find themselves comfortable with the kneeling during the national anthem even if they think the players have a right to do it. And so if you're looking at from the White House's perspective, they want to continue to try to put themselves on what they see as a clear majority of the American people, who don't find these protests to be appropriate.

Again, I think a lot of people in this country believe that these player have a right to do it, but are you comfortable with them doing it? Would you do it personally? A clear majority would not. And that's what the White House wants to try to put themselves in the middle of that group and that's what they did today with the vice president.

CABRERA: But did he miss the chance to make maybe a stronger, more uniting message by not going down to the locker room and talking directly to these players one-on-one?

[20:05:03] JENNINGS: I think the White House is looking to get in the middle of what a clear majority of the American people say they believe. And so right now if you look at most of the polling that's out there, especially polling among those who are likely to vote in upcoming elections, they are not comfortable with these players kneeling during the national anthem.

So I think what the White House has decided here is people's opinions on this are pretty well set. The majority opinion is we don't like it. We want to put ourselves inside of the majority opinion. They're doubling down on that position and frankly I think for political purposes it's the right place for them to be.

It may not be for uniting the country as April said, it may not be for other reasons, but if you're looking at this through a raw, political lens, I think the Trump White House is in the right on it and they know it.

CABRERA: April, let's pivot to --

RYAN: Ana --

CABRERA: Go ahead, and then we'll pivot.

RYAN: Yes, really fast. Scott is right but at the same time the president has taken the narrative on this. Many people believe this is about the flag. It is not about the flag. It is about police involved shootings and that's the unfortunate piece that's not come out and we have to also remember that when the players decided to take a knee before the anthem, people still booed, so people -- I don't know if it's necessarily about the anthem, the flag, what have you, but when they did it before the anthem, there were people still booing, so -- but the issue is about police involved shootings, where we're seeing -- continue to see, where African-Americans are continuously being videotaped in these kinds of situations, fatal shootings by the hands of police.

CABRERA: Let's talk now about Bob Corker and the feud with the president after all these tweets today from the president. Initially saying he refused to endorse Corker, but then Corker's spokesman tells CNN, quote, "The president called Senator Corker on Monday afternoon and actually asked him to reconsider his decision not to seek re- election and reaffirmed that he, the president, would have endorsed him as he has said many times."

So the senator's office is essentially saying the president is lying here, Scott. Who do you believe?

JENNINGS: Well, I'm inclined to believe Senator Corker on this issue and what I'm also inclined to believe is that there's a whole lot of worried Republican voters out there, worried about this fact right here.

The president is at war again with another member of the Republican majority in the Senate. And it imperils his entire agenda. The Republican Party wants to see the president succeed. They want to see the Republicans succeed in fulfilling their campaign promises. And what we're seeing today is another breakdown in an interpersonal relationship that should be working to pass that agenda and now it may put that agenda in peril.

The thing that's up next of course is tax reform and the margin for error in the Senate is slim to none. And so this is worrisome if you're a Republican out there who wants to see things happen for the prospect of anything getting done here in the next few weeks.

CABRERA: It seems like the president would need Corker in order to get his agenda through.

JENNINGS: Yes.

CABRERA: But I talked to Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu earlier tonight and here's what he said about Corker's tweet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TED LIEU (D), CALIFORNIA: I wish I could replay what people tell me on the floor from my colleagues across the aisle, I can't do that.

CABRERA: What are you hearing?

LIEU: But they are similar to Senator Corker. I could just say this. The president is not respected by many members of Congress. You see that play out in terms of failed legislation. And you see that played out when the president goes after and singles out individual members of Congress and attacks them. That's not how you build relationships.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: April, are you also hearing similar things behind the scenes?

RYAN: Yes. I'm hearing a lot from Republicans. There's a lot of buyer's remorse, but many of these Republicans are very fearful of this president and his tweets. They don't want to be the center of his tweets. I mean, you've got some people who are strong like Senator John McCain even in the midst of his illness and Corker is strong as well, but you have a lot of other people who are very concerned and whose districts still, you know, feel pretty strongly about this president or at least show support even if they have questions.

So it's not just Democrats. It's Republicans as well. And this is not just through Washington. This is going out throughout the county. It's reverberating. People are very concerned to see these tweets from the commander-in-chief, from the leader of the free world and at such a time as this. A serious time. We're looking at issues of North Korea, when we're dealing with one of the worst tragedies that this nation has ever seen, and just so much is on the table and to see this back and forth which some are calling petty and juvenile, it's just -- you know, we continue to hear from Republicans as well as Democrats that people are not happy with him.

CABRERA: Scott, obviously, Corker is not seeking re-election, so he has nothing to lose politically in terms of any outcome when he says these things or when he tweets the things that he does that are very provocative against the president. But remember, he used to be an ally of this president, so it's not like he's been in the never Trump camp prior to this feud that they're having.

[20:10:08] If there are more Republicans who feel the way Corker does, should they be speaking out?

JENNINGS: Well, I think that you can feel, you know, certain feelings for people. You may not like certain people, you may not like the things they do, but still find a way to get along for the purposes of, in this case, passing an agenda that the American people clearly want.

I mean, remember, Donald Trump got elected. Majorities of Republicans got elected in the Senate and the House all at the same time and they all ran on virtually the same agenda. So it's not a new thing in Washington, I don't believe, for presidents to not get along with some members of Congress. I mean, that's common.

What is new is for it to be playing out in public and what is really troubling to the Republican Party grassroots right now, I think, is the prospect of that stuff playing out in public, threatening the agenda that they voted for and that they're desperate to see enacted. So, you know, Obamacare repeal seems to be off the table right now, although folks want it brought back, and tax reform is teetering.

It would be a travesty and a tragedy for the Republicans if they end this year without having done either of those things which I think are really campaign promise one and two that got them through the 2016 election.

CABRERA: Scott Jennings and April Ryan, thank you for the discussion. I appreciate it.

Breaking news into CNN. An unexpected announcement from the White House tonight. Just a short time ago. Now this is related to the U.S. immigration program known in short as DACA. May have a serious impact in fact on any future deal with Democrats to replace DACA.

CNN's Ryan Nobles is at the White House.

Ryan, what are you hearing? RYAN NOBLES, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House just

wrapped up a lengthy briefing call on their list of priorities when it comes to immigration reform and this is really more about immigration reform and it didn't really address in much detail exactly what the White House wants to do as it relates to those Dreamers that are impacted by the fact that the White House rescinded the DACA program, which was put into place during the Obama administration.

So this is essentially the starting point of negotiations with Congress and with Democrats if they hope to make any deal a reality, and here is just some of the things that the White House is demanding.

First, they want complete construction of a full border wall. Now they didn't say specifically how long that border wall would be. They're going to leave that up to the experts on the ground, but they want the wall. They also want cuts to legal immigration and they also want to tighten standards for those seeking asylum. There will also be stricter screening for underage people that are coming through the border to try and limit the number of underage people that end up in the United States illegally.

Now this is essentially a nonstarter for Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. Now, remember, a few weeks ago, they came to the White House and supposedly cut a deal with the White House to move forward on a plan to help the Dreamers and make sure that they wouldn't be any real trouble.

This is the statement put out today by the two minority leaders in reaction to what the White House put out tonight. They said, quote, "We told the president at our meeting that we were open to reasonable border security measures alongside the Dream Act, but this list goes so far beyond what is reasonable. This proposal fails to represent any attempt at compromise."

And on this conference call they just finished up, Ana, a White House official was asked about this deal that supposedly was hatched between the White House and Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and the White House official replied it was a deal to come up with a deal. So this is clearly the beginning of a negotiation.

We don't know quite yet just how firm the White House is on these priorities. They wouldn't say what if any of these priorities are veto -- a veto threat attached to them, meaning if they weren't passed, they would veto the measure.

CABRERA: Wow. 8:00 on a Sunday night after all that's happened this weekend. Now this bomb drops as well.

Ryan Nobles at the White House. Thanks for staying on top of the very latest for us.

Still ahead this hour, news threat. What's left of Hurricane Nate, spawning tornadoes across the southeast. Plus, a week after a deadly massacre in Las Vegas, police are still piecing together what they've learned, what a handwritten note in the gunman's hotel room is now revealing. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:18:30] CABRERA: Investigators in Las Vegas this weekend are no closer to knowing what drove a man to take an arsenal of weapons into the Mandalay Bay Hotel and open fire on a festival crowd murdering 58 people. It is, simply put, a mystery.

Police are now talking about this handwritten note filled with numbers found in the room near the shooter's body. They were hoping this note and the numbers would help them find a motive. Unfortunately it doesn't.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What were the numbers? I'm just trying to -- he would have done calculations or --

OFFICER DAVID NEWTON, LAS VEGAS POLICE: Yes. He had written -- he must have done the calculations online or something to figure it out what his altitude was going to be on how high up he was, how far out the crowd was going to be about and what -- at that distance, what is drop of his bullet was going to be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Here's CNN's Sara Sidner with what police have been able to put together so far.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Authorities say killer Stephen Paddock was doing what he normally did in Vegas before his massacre began.

SHERIFF JOSEPH LOMBARDO, LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE: Yes. We are aware he was gambling.

SIDNER: A retiree, he was living off real estate investments and had long been betting big money at casinos.

ERIC PADDOCK, STEPHEN PADDOCK'S BROTHER: He was a big fish at the Atlantis in Reno.

SIDNER: Eric Paddock, Stephen's brother, witnessed just how big of a gambler Stephen was when they visited the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa in Reno.

PADDOCK: I mean we took over the whole top floor in the hotel. It was already in the record. My family, he brought us to Vegas -- in Reno, and we took over the whole top floor at the Atlantis Hotel. This is how he was -- this is the kind of gambler he was.

[20:20:05] SIDNER: But he had also been spotted at high roller events in Las Vegas, according to Vegas insider Anthony Curtis. (On camera): What does it mean to be a high roller? How much do you

actually have to spend to be in that category?

ANTHONY CURTIS, VEGAS INSIDER: It's kind of interesting. The high roller strata is different for different places, but when you're talking about the sort of places that Paddock played, you have got to be a really, really big better. He was playing 25 denomination video poker times five, so he was betting 125 a hand, playing at a rate of about close to 1,000 hands an hour, 800 to 1,000 hands an hour. So he was running $100,000 through the machine every hour.

SIDNER (voice-over): Paddock's game of choice, video poker.

(On camera): What kind of a player do you have to be if you're using video poker as your way to try to win big?

CURTIS: Well, video poker is a subset of the slots but it's like a thinking man's game because instead of just pulling handles, you're pushing buttons, you have to make decisions. So video poker is for people who want to think and try to change the odds as you put them in their direction using their head.

SIDNER: So meticulous, well-informed, intelligent, mathematical?

CURTIS: Yes.

SIDNER (voice-over): Curtis says video poker is a game that would be attractive to loners and Paddock was not known to socialize with other high rollers, though they recognized his picture. But Paddock certainly managed close relationships with at least one person, his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who worked at Atlantis as a high limit hostess.

PADDOCK: He loved her.

SIDNER: He bought her a ticket home to the Philippines and even wired her $100,000 sometime before the shooting according to her statement, read by her attorney.

MATT LOMBARD, MARILOU DANLEY'S LAWYER: While there, he wired me money, which he said was for me to buy a house for me and my family. I was grateful, but honestly I was worried that, first, the unexpected trip home and then the money was a way of breaking up with me.

SIDNER: He was clearly planning something much more sinister. A shooting, she says, she knew nothing about.

In the end, he killed more than 50 people and himself. But authorities now say it appears he initially planned to survive and escape.

Still, with all that authorities now know about Paddock, the details do not answer one important question -- why did he do it? That remains a mystery.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CABRERA: Thank you to Sara Sidner.

Now more than 500 people were injured in the shooting. Some of them are still in the hospital. And some of them are back at home and being honored in special ways by their communities. Twins Gianna and Natalia Baca were both shot last Sunday night. They got a huge welcome home at their high school homecoming over the weekend. The cheer squad saved a special spot for the co-captain Gianna and classmates at Faith Lutheran High School wore T-shirts in their honor. Natalia in fact was just released from the hospital hours earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIANNA BACA, SHOOTING VICTIM: I just wanted to show my team and family that we're stronger than we actually think we are.

NATALIA BACA, SHOOTING VICTIM: I really love these girls and this school is family to me. So I didn't want to miss it even though I'm very tired and hurting, but made it out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Nice to see a smile on her face.

An alumnus of the school Tyler Trace, he was also injured in the shooting. He is still in the hospital.

A lot to talk about tonight. The Iran nuclear deal, the president expected to pull out of it. One senator calling it a self-inflicted wound.

More on that ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:28:04] CABRERA: Thousands of homes in Mississippi and Alabama still without power right now, knocked out by Hurricane Nate. Now this storm wasn't as bad as some had feared it could be but it hit the Gulf Coast just east of New Orleans last night, pushed water into the beach down, as far as Mobile, Alabama, and the storm is still impacting parts of our country right now, although it has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

The remnants of Hurricane Nate have also spawned a few tornadoes in North Carolina and no word just yet on any serious damage or injuries from those tornadoes. We'll continue to monitor the effects of what was Hurricane Nate.

Now the clock is ticking on the Iran nuclear deal. An announcement is expected Thursday and it's looking like the president is going to decertify it. So what does that mean?

Joining us with more on the possible consequences of that action is CNN global affairs correspondent and online news director for the "New Yorker," David Rohde. So, David, the president has never minced words on this deal. We know

he doesn't like it. He has been dissatisfied to say the least and has said it's not good for the American people. Is there any truth to that?

DAVID ROHDE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, he says it's the worst deal ever in U.S. history. The problem with what's he's doing is he's not actually pulling the U.S. out of this deal. He is decertifying the deal. That says he as the president thinks Iran isn't abiding by the terms of the deal. Then it's up to Congress to act. So this is yet another issue where he is basically making a loud proclamation that appeals to his base, but making Congress figure out the details. It's just like health care, it's like the wall in Mexico.

CABRERA: But is it more symbolic, though?

ROHDE: Yes.

CABRERA: Or will Congress do something different than what we're currently the situation as it is?

ROHDE: So Congress has 60 days to act if they want. They can re- impose sanctions on Iran. The economic sanctions that existed that the Obama administration put in and then lifted when this deal was signed. If Congress does that, that aggregates the deal. Congress, though, is likely to not do anything, so this sends a mixed message to Europe. You know, they're part of the deal. It sends a mixed message to the Iranian, it will upset them, it will prevent American companies from doing business in Iran, but what the president will announce this week, what's expected will not end this deal.

[20:30:08] Again, it's sort of a domestic political maneuver that sends a mixed message internationally.

CABRERA: Now Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said this about decertifying the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D), CONNECTICUT: The president is right that there are all sort of other misbehaviors of Iran in the region, but what we came to the conclusion, we came to the conclusion that those behaviors would be much more dangerous if Iran was a nuclear weapons country. And so we made a decision to take away from Iran a path to a nuclear weapon.

And the reality is the president is about to impose on himself and this country, a dramatic self-inflicted wound because by pulling out of this agreement, Iran will go back on to a path to develop a nuclear weapon, the other partners that were with us on sanctions over the last decade will not re-impose them and Iran will look like the victim in this situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: And those comments are strong. That's just partisan politics, you think, or do you agree?

ROHDE: He's not actually pulling out of the agreement, but what it does is it gives Iran an excuse to pull out if they want and Iran could start enriching uranium again. You could have two nuclear crisis. North Korea with, you know, multiple nuclear weapons and an intercontinental ballistic missile and Iran racing through enriching uranium to building its own nuclear weapon.

You know, we saw with Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. government has a really hard time dealing with two crisis at the same time, so a lot of people expected Trump to make this decision later on Iran but he's going ahead with it this week. He wants to keep his campaign promise.

CABRERA: I mean, here's the thing, though. It's not just the U.S. that's part of this deal. That was negotiated with Iran. So the other people who were signatories on the deal including Russia, China, Germany, France, U.K., I mean, how are they going to take this?

ROHDE: They are going to continue, they say it's working. The U.N., you know, International Atomic Agency says it is working. They all disagree with Trump. So does Secretary Mattis, other members of the administration. They say Iran is actually abiding by this agreement. So they will continue to make investments in Iran. Iran's economy will grow and they will look like the victim of belligerence from the Trump administration and the -- you know, this thing will stay in place.

So again, he scored some political points, but it doesn't really change things or send a clear message to our enemies or our allies.

CABRERA: Real quick, your reaction to the Bob Corker and President Trump feud and especially the -- you know, this is adult day care center, calling the White House, Corker went as far as that.

ROHDE: Yes.

CABRERA: He is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Those are pretty biting words and we know anybody can read Twitter, so even our allies and our adversaries.

ROHDE: Yes, look. Politics is different than real estate business in New York. He needs Bob Corker's vote to re-impose sanctions on Iran if he wants that. For health care reform if he wants that. If he wants to, you know, build a wall along the border with Mexico, so he continues to alienate key senators who he needs to pass legislation. This is why he's failed to I think, you know, achieve any major legislative victories.

CABRERA: David Rohde, thank you so much for joining us to discuss.

ROHDE: Thank you.

CABRERA: Now North Korea's nuclear test last month triggered an earthquake in a region of China not known for having them. Now that quake has a lot of Chinese worried, not so much about what's happening underground, but over what may be in the air. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:37:30] CABRERA: China may have an additional reason to help the U.S. solve the ongoing tension with North Korea. An earthquake. When Pyongyang carried out its strongest ever nuclear test last month, the tremors of a resulting earthquake could be felt in China.

CNN's Matt Rivers explains how that quake is now triggering a much bigger fear among some Chinese residents, the fear of radiation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The nuclear test on September 3rd was North Korea's largest to date that triggered an earthquake and international reaction was swift. The U.N. Security Council passed new sanctions, Donald Trump threatened to completely destroy North Korea, and Kim Jong-un warned his next test would be over the Pacific Ocean.

But at the exact moment of this latest test, the people in the Chinese city of Yanji, just 120 miles from the test site, didn't know about the nuclear blast or the international outcry that would follow. All they knew was that the earth was shaking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What (EXPLETIVE DELETED)? Is this an earthquake in my apartment?

RIVERS: Hundreds of thousands of people felt the physical repercussions of a nuclear test without knowing at first what it was. Many rushed outside to safety.

(On camera): This is where you were when the earthquake happened.

(Voice-over): This man, a butcher, was asleep in his bed.

(On camera): So were you scared?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): All of a sudden, everything began shaking back and forth. So I ran outside and everyone was saying it was an earthquake. I had no idea what was going on.

RIVERS (voice-over): An entire city thinking the same thing, though collectively about to connect the nuclear dots.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Everybody came in and said it was an earthquake. A bit later we realized it was from the North Koreans.

RIVERS: Wang Zhou Zhion (ph) runs a restaurant in town, where conversations have lately focused on Kim Jong-un's nuclear program and what it could mean for them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I'm worried about the radiation. It could really hurt us. RIVERS: Concerns over radiation escaping from the test site have

increased with each explosion. Some experts have suggested that the mountain at the site had even collapsed, spewing deadly radiation into the air and quickly across the Chinese border. China says it has not detected anything of the sort and that its military keeps a vigilant watch over air quality levels. But in Yanji, for some parents, it's of little comfort.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I have a 4-year-old daughter. These tests could make buildings collapse. There could be radiation. I'd like to move to Beijing or Shanghai, but I don't have the money.

RIVERS (on camera): So it's fair to say that people are more nervous about the constant nuclear activity going on not that far away from here.

[20:40:07] But there is also this kind of pervasive sense that, well, there is not much we can do about it and we're still going to pay the bills, we still got to take the kids to school so life goes on, right?

(Voice-over): So the restaurants are still open. There is still outdoor recess and new buildings are going up, even if they might be shaken by another nuclear test soon. A concerted effort to look past a problem that's becoming increasingly hard to ignore.

Matt Rivers, CNN, Yanji, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Breaking news on a Hollywood producer. Major Democratic fundraiser caught in a big scandal. Just three days after the story broke about Harvey Weinstein paying off sexual harassment accusers, he has been fired from his own company. Details next. Stay with us.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:45:19] CABRERA: More on that breaking news story from the entertainment world. Movie and TV producer Harvey Weinstein has been fired from the company he cofounded with his brother and it bears his name, the Weinstein Company.

Now this news follows a report in "The New York Times" detailing numerous sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein spanning decades. Actress Ashley Judd was one of the accusers featured in the "Times" article.

Now news of Weinstein's ouster from his company comes just a day after his attorney, Lisa Bloom, announced she would no longer be representing him.

Joining us to discuss, senior media correspondent Brian Stelter and CNN.com opinion contributor Dean Obeidallah.

And, guys, let's just get right to it. Brian, you were literally on the phone right before this segment getting new information.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Talking with a source who says Weinstein knew it was possible that he could be fired in the coming days but was not expecting it today. That this was something that was in the works behind the scenes. He was in discussions with the Board of Directors about his future at the Weinstein Company, but did not see this firing coming in the 7:00 p.m. hour.

He's had no statement so far. I'm not sure if we're going to hear from him tonight, but the company has been clear. They say because of new stories of misconduct that have come to light in the last few days, they decided to terminate him.

There are number of news outlets working on further reporting about his improper behavior. "The New York Times" published on Thursday, here we are three days later he's been fired. A pretty quick turn of events for Harvey Weinstein. But there is more to come. More women who now feel more confident coming forward.

You know, Ana, these are cases that have been gossiped about, rumored, whispered about for years in Hollywood. Actually for decades in Hollywood. Weinstein was able to keep a lid on it, he was able to keep people quiet, sometimes by paying them settlement, other times by getting rid of the stories when outlets were about to write about them.

His power has diminished over the years and because of the cultural shift we've seen in this country, Roger Ailes, Bill O'Reilly, Bill Cosby, others, there was more confidence among women like Ashley Judd to speak out about this. There are some questions now about what his colleagues knew at the time, what the company knew at the time, but what we know tonight is that Harvey Weinstein is fired.

CABRERA: I mean, this story really did explode all over --

STELTER: Yes.

CABRERA: All over the place, all over the media, but, Dean, "SNL" didn't even touch it last night. They have not shied away in the past for going after the president, Bill O'Reilly about the allegations of sexual misconduct.

STELTER: That's right.

DEAN OBEIDALLAH, HOST, DEAN OBEIDALLAH SHOW: I will tell you when I worked there from '98 through 2000, '98, '99, Bill Clinton was mocked nightly, every Saturday night for two years, so I don't think they're fearful, but I don't know, I don't have any insight into why they didn't touch on it this time. I know a lot of people on the right are making a big deal about that.

To me, it's really about focusing on the victims and what can we do to create a climate where women feel confident to come forward. Firing Harvey Weinstein in three days sends a great message for women that you can come forward against someone with power. You know, every 98 seconds, someone is a victim of sexual assault in this country primarily women. And then it go unreported because of a fear of coming forward and becoming a victim again or being shamed by the public somehow if you're a celebrity, or hurting your career.

So by them firing him quickly, I'm hoping that sends a message. Three decades of women went through abuse by Harvey Weinstein. And now finally comes forward. Hope it sends a message, it's not acceptable. Zero tolerance by companies.

CABRERA: Right. I hear what you're saying, but I mean, that should be across the board. Right? Again when it comes down to sexual assault. Shouldn't be a partisan issue.

OBEIDALLAH: Absolutely.

CABRERA: Why not treat it equally then if you're "SNL" and how that kind of platform to make a statement about this.

STELTER: Or Bill Maher or some of the late-night shows that avoided it on Thursday.

OBEIDALLAH: I think that -- I mean, I can't pretend that within the Hollywood industry, people might now Harvey, who work at "SNL." That could be in play. I'm speculating. It's a smaller issue. The reason these women didn't come forward is because it's a small club and people with power like this -- like Harvey Weinstein is more powerful than people realize on the outside. He has a lot of power within the industry for a long period of time.

So perhaps there is some self-censorship. I cannot speak -- I can't tell you that's inside knowledge to know that. I wonder if there is. I hope they mock him in the future and if that again helps -- to me, the real issue is the women and coming forward.

STELTER: And this about "The New York Times" which is often derided as a liberal paper by conservatives.

CABRERA: Yes.

STELTER: It was "The New York Times" that invested the months to investigate this, the same paper that first revealed Bill O'Reilly's settlements against -- with people who accused him of harassment. So in both places it got reporting.

CABRERA: So what about the timing of that? I mean, is "The New York Times" about to drop another story? Or do we know anything about --

(CROSSTALK)

STELTER: I know there are at least two other news outlets working on further stories. We know, for example, "The New Yorker" has been investigating Weinstein's past for at least nine months. So yes, and then there are more allegations coming that are coming to the surface against Weinstein. That may be why the board ultimately decided to fire him this evening. [20:50:01] CABRERA: Well, gentlemen, thank you for the discussion.

Always appreciate having both your voices on our show, Brian Stelter, Dean Obeidallah.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: "Saturday Night Live" honored the victims of the Las Vegas massacre last night with the man who was on stage when the gunshots rang out. Country music star Jason Aldean.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON ALDEAN, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER: Like everyone, I'm struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick up the pieces and start to heal. So many people are hurting. There are children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, they're all part of our family. So I want to say to them, we hurt for you. And we hurt with you. You can be sure that we're going to walk through these tough times together every step of the way because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit, it's unbreakable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[20:55:27] CABRERA: Again, we remember those victims tonight.

Meantime, Anthony Bourdain coming up next. He has a hilarious episode tonight. He and his long-time friend, Michelin three-star chef Eric Ripert continue their rivalry, all of which leads to a discussion about cows.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, "PARTS UNKNOWN": A special place at the bottom of the mountain. And cream. Lots of cream.

Maybe we should make that. That's really good.

ERIC RIPERT, MICHELIN THREE-STAR CHEF: Yes.

BOURDAIN: Cream, bread and mushrooms. Ranch cheese. There's no meat in this.

RIPERT: No, there's no meat.

BOURDAIN: I'm like, if I can live and die eating this one.

RIPERT: I'm not drastic. I'm not saying, don't eat meat, become a vegan. I'm saying let's eat less meat.

BOURDAIN: You just think it's better for the planet?

RIPERT: It's good for the planet. It's good for our bodies.

BOURDAIN: I'll stand outside Le Bernardin, I'll tell all your customers that. You know, this fish thing, you should really --

RIPERT: No.

BOURDAIN: You should eat some vegetables. Bovine flatulence is a major source of carbon dioxide.

RIPERT: Yes. It's the biggest one in the world.

BOURDAIN: No, not the biggest one in the world.

RIPERT: Yes.

BOURDAIN: Bovine flatulence?

RIPERT: Yes. Bigger than cows, bigger than anything else.

BOURDAIN: See, this is why we should eat meat. We're saving the planet. We're going to kill these things. They're ripping a hole in the ozone layer. Plus it stinks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Oh, my, talking about that over some food. I had a chance to sit down with Anthony Bourdain, watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: So you went to the French alps.

BOURDAIN: Went to the French alps and made what I think is the funniest show we've ever made. And in many ways the most bizarre I have to say. I was shocked that it made it through standards and practices. That we'd even get an exasperated call from CNN saying what the hell is this? Because it's very, very funny. It's very, very great.

CABRERA: Was this about spontaneity? Or did you end up in situations you didn't anticipate or what made it so funny and half edgy?

BOURDAIN: Ultra violence. Unexpected ultra violence and there's some actions sequences, let's put it that way, that was very pretty funny.

CABRERA: Well, it's a good teaser. You ate a lot of cheese.

BOURDAIN: Yes.

CABRERA: Because this is the part of France known for cheese.

BOURDAIN: Yes. So this of course leads to poop jokes, and I mean, that's always gold. Another first for CNN, I think.

CABRERA: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

BOURDAIN: Yes, with cheese -- CABRERA: Did you eat cheese fondue? What kind of dish you --

BOURDAIN: My god, it's like every dish is like, you know, melted cheese, semi-melted cheese, solid cheese, like every dish is starchy, meaty and cheesy.

CABRERA: Sounds great.

BOURDAIN: I don't think I saw a vegetable the entire time I was there, which ordinarily sounds like a good idea. But it turns out you can have too much cheese.

CABRERA: So you needed a cleanse when you were done filming this one?

BOURDAIN: A kale smoothie for week.

CABRERA: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

BOURDAIN: I went to Gwyneth Paltrow's house at 4:00 in the morning, crying and begging, you know. I need a cleanse.

CABRERA: Yes. Yes.

BOURDAIN: Gwyneth, help me.

CABRERA: You were pushed out of your comfort zone a little bit, I understand. You went out with the medics who works the French alps.

BOURDAIN: Yes.

CABRERA: And got a little bit of a crash course in some of the rescue type work that they do.

BOURDAIN: Yes.

CABRERA: Talk to me about that.

BOURDAIN: Well, these are people who do basically a paramedic work and rescue operations on some of the most difficult to access terrain on earth, dropping from helicopters, climbing down into crevasses. Stabilizing patients and getting them to safety. Also avalanche prevention. But like almost everything in the show, we kind of turn it around as a means to torture or make fun of poor Eric Ripert.

CABRERA: And now he owes you or you owe him?

BOURDAIN: Yes. Plus I won a thousand bucks off of him. He bet me a thousand bucks on camera that I couldn't get milk out of a cow because I'm not exactly a country boy. Let's put it this way. I -- well, I won $1,000.

CABRERA: Was that a truth or a dare?

BOURDAIN: It was a dare. I -- you know, I didn't think the cow liked me. I'm always eating steak on the show and I think the cow sensed that.

CABRERA: The steak and cheese were a little offensive.

BOURDAIN: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: All right. Up next on the CNN, join Bourdain in the French alps. That's next.

I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. "PARTS UNKNOWN" starts now. Have a great week ahead.