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New Day Sunday

World Leaders Mark 100 Years Since End of World War I. Tensions Escalate As Florida Recounts Get Underway; Sinema's Lead Over McSally Increases; 23 Dead In California's Wildfires Aired 6-7a ET

Aired November 11, 2018 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:00]

MACRON (through translator): We erase what a nation holds dearest, what gives it life, what makes it grace and what is essential. It's moral values.

Let us remember we, in France, what George Clemenceau proclaimed on the day of victory 100 years ago to this day before the national assembly, after which members of the parliament started chanting the French national anthem, he said, France fighting for rights and lawfulness, fighting for freedom. France shall always and forever be the soldier defending aspirations. Those are the values. Those are the virtues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching and listening to French President Macron here, Emmanuel Macron, speaking to the French people, the people of the world, and two dozens of world leaders here marking the 100th year since the armistice there in World War I, the end of the war. We will throughout the morning, show you more, bring you more of the live events from Paris as the world marks this very solemn occasion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just can't believe it! It really looks like a war zone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fast moving wildfires wreaking havoc in California.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole town was wiped off the face of the earth in a matter of eight hours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A source familiar with the president's interactions with other European leaders here in Paris says he has been testing at times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Macron seemed pretty satisfied with his talks with Donald Trump.

MACRON: I'm not the one to commend his tweets. I always prefer having direct discussion or answering questions. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Florida secretary of state has ordered statewide machine recounts for three races.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump accuses Democrats of trying to -- quote -- "steal this election."

KATE MCKINNON AS JEFF SESSIONS: I have see my cute mug. It says, it's not about hatred, it's about heritage and then inside is a second secret mug that says, J.K., it is about hatred.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY WEEKEND with Victor Blackwell and Christi Paul.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: So grateful to have you with us on this Sunday as we watch President Trump and world leaders in France right now marking 100 years since the end of World War I.

BLACKWELL: More live pictures here for you right now from Paris. This again is President Emmanuel Macron and these are the Armistice Day services happening right now.

Millions of soldiers and civilians lost their lives between 1914 and 1918 to be what became known as the Great War. Among the dead, 117,000 Americans.

Later this morning, President Trump he's scheduled to deliver remarks at a cemetery outside of Paris where some of American's fallen soldiers were laid to rest. This comes a day after he cancelled a planned trip to another ceremony. The president's chief of staff John Kelly and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Joe Dunford laid a wreath there instead.

You're seeing some video from yesterday where that happened. The White House says rain grounded the president's helicopter Marine One.

The president's visit to Paris is not without a bit of controversy today.

PAUL: Yes. Take a look at what happened just last hour. Can you see there?

We've highlighted it for you. There is a protester who is topless with the world fake peace maker on her chest. She jumped the barricade, dashed toward the president's motorcade. Obviously you can tell how close she got.

She was tackled by police but this moments before, take a look at this scene. I mean, this is significant. There is a wall of world leaders marching together in the rain with their umbrellas down the boulevard in a show of solidarity.

Here is the thing. You don't see the president there. He arrived shortly after this happened.

He was absent from this moment. Apparently, he chose not to ride the bus with the rest of them but to take his own private motorcade.

From Paris now, CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins and CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta.

Jim about 50 yards from that commemoration ceremony that's taking place right now. Kaitlan, I want to start with you. Do we know why the president chose to arrive separately?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That was likely a security concern. They didn't want to put President Trump on a bus with dozens of other world leaders as it made its way down the Champs Elysees today but also because President Trump was not with the world leaders beforehand. Instead he came straight to the ceremony from the ambassador's residence where he has been staying and rode in "The Beast" as you've just shown coming down this street here on his way.

[06:05:02]

And that is when that protester jump over those barricades and got very close, closer than I've ever seen anyone get to "The Beast" before in some kind of demonstration whether she was protesting President Trump or protesting this overall before she was tackled and apprehended by French security officials.

Now then you did see it was a striking image to see all of those world leaders, the Canadian prime minister, the French president, the German chancellor all making their way to the ceremony, all side-by-side, but no President Trump because he had already arrived and was waiting in the wings for them to make their way to the state.

Another leader who did similar was the Russian president Vladimir Putin who came up after President Trump had already gone on stage with the first lady Melania Trump and shook hands and then took his stage over by the French president's wife.

Now all of this comes as there has been criticism from the White House since they scrapped president Trump's visit yesterday to a cemetery where he was supposed to visit the dead soldiers who were buried there, dead American soldiers. But White House officials are now voicing confidence that that criticism will dissipate after this ceremony ends today and President Trump does go to the Suresnes American Cemetery where he's going to not only lay a wreath but deliver his first formal remarks of the trip.

PAUL: All right. Kaitlan Collins, we appreciate it so much. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: All right. Joining us now CNN political analyst -- actually, we go to Jim Acosta first, right? We have got Jim Acosta who is about 50 yards from the ceremony.

Jim, give us an idea of what is happening now that the president is participating in or listening to Emmanuel Macron here.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, guys. I don't know if you can hear me. But yes we are just 50 yards from the Arc de Triomphe. President Trump is sitting with the German chancellor Angela Merkel and listening to the French president Emmanuel Macron speak right now to mark this Armistice Day, the 100the anniversary of the end of World War I.

This is a solemn occasion obviously marking what was supposed to be the war that ended all wars, of course, that didn't happen. And I think what you're hearing from the French president this morning and what we have been hearing from French officials all week is sort of a reminder of the history lessons of our last century.

In the 20th century, World War I was not the final war, obviously. And there was a rise of Nazism and fascism here in Europe. Europe was not able to prevent the spread of fascism and Nazism and then we had we had a World War II.

And so there has been sort of an emphasis on remembering the lessons of the past and it's interesting to see all of these world leaders gather out here under the rain. As you recall, yesterday, the president was not able to make it out to an American military cemetery because of the weather the White House said.

But we saw Angela Merkel and the French president Emmanuel Macron go to a separate cemetery where they marked the occasion standing in silence and a moment that was tweeted out by the French president. There was a stirring photograph that was tweeted out by the French president that had the word unis which is French for united.

And so it was sort of an amazing moment here in France. A lot of French people were taking all of that in. But at the same time as you know, as the president of the United States arrived here in France he was already making waves with the French product. As we saw yesterday the body language between President Trump and French president Macron was not as warm as we have seen in past visits.

And the other thing I can tell you I talked to a source familiar with some of the discussions the president is having with some of these world leaders. They have been describing him and other foreign officials are describing him as rather testy and somewhat in a foul mood. We don't know why that is but it has certainly played a part in his trip here to France and as Kaitlan mentioned just a few moments ago we will hearing from the president later on this afternoon here in France when he goes to a U.S. military cemetery to mark the end of World War I, the 100th anniversary of World War I, in his own way and, of course, we all will be watching that.

The rain is still falling in France, as it was yesterday but we don't expect that to interfere with the president's trip later on this afternoon. Back to you.

BLACKWELL: All right. Jim, thank you so much. Kaitlan, as well.

Joining us now CNN political analyst and historian and professor at Princeton University Julian Zelizer, and David Andelman, author of "A Shattered Peace: Versailles 1919 And The Price We Pay Today." Gentlemen, welcome back. And I want to start here -- before we get into the specifics of politics I don't want to miss the solemnity and the grandeur of this moment and this day, and what it means. And if we could put up President Macron's tweet yesterday of a photo of himself with Chancellor Merkel and just the -- David, I'll come to you first. The significance of the photo and that word unis there and the Compiegne Forest, the clearing there where armistice was signed.

[06:10:03]

For you, what does this photo, this word mean?

DAVID ANDELMAN, AUTHOR, "A SHATTERED PEACE: VERSAILLES 1919 AND THE PRICE WE PAY TODAY": Well, obviously it means united. But, you know, what was interesting I was watching French television last night here (INAUDIBLE) even (ph) a newscast on the main French channel and they had some marvelous pictures/video of the two of them together. And it was a very moving scene because, you know, this was an emotional moment for both Merkel and for Macron. At one point they each put their heads on each other's shoulders and Macron put his arm around Merkel's shoulders as well. And they were clearly bonding in a way that, in some respects, reminded me a little bit of Trump and Macron when they were in their golden days shall we say a year or so ago.

So it was really a very touching moment and all of France saw that. In fact part of Europe I suspect saw that. And it really was a sharp contrast to the, you know, the demeanor and so on that President Trump had when he met with Macron. But it really was a moment of understanding between these two countries, France and Germany, that once were actually killed millions of their fellow citizens on the field of battle and elsewhere. Now great friends and really leaders of the free world in so many ways.

PAUL: Julian, there was this moment earlier as well when the bells tolled and I think it made all of us stop and think about that moment 11/11 when a hundred years ago people in cities heard bells toll, soldiers on the field heard the bugles sounding and knowing that that moment was here that this was finally over.

Could we take a shot here? We do I think have a video of an earlier moment this morning where Merkel -- where Angela Merkel and President Trump and President Macron are all sitting together in this moment? There they are.

And I just want to think about this for a minute. Angela Merkel is not running for re-election. There has been a dicey tone between President Trump and President Macron. Can you prognosticate at all the geopolitical impact of what is to come in this moment when we are commemorating -- how we got here to some degree?

JULIAN E. ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, look, this is a commemoration of a moment when nationalism really ravaged the continent and at the end of the war there really was a failure from the United States to be part of international alliances in the League of Nations that would prevent this. And here we are at a moment when these tensions are as severe as they have been in a long time. And I think there is real consequences. It's not simply about the relationship between the different leaders, but how can they achieve progress on issues such as the Iran nuclear deal or climate change, and the many different issues facing the United States and Europe. And I think the tensions we are talking about are fraught and I think the policy consequences can be quite significant.

And we don't know how they are going to play out. It's the unpredictability of this moment in American history.

BLACKWELL: Julian, let me stay with you here. And the president has been tweeting, while he's been in Paris, about a myriad of things, about the fires and the elections, but specifically on this event that we are watching today he has tweeted that he is in Paris to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the ending of World War I. And that he's having these leadings (ph) on the sidelines speaking with world leaders and of course those things happen but is there -- is it obvious to you that the president appreciates and is even promoting how the end of World War I realigned America's role in the world, appreciation for what President Wilson did and trying to do but failed with the League of Nations.

What do you see from the president as how he understands what that moment meant to where America is today?

ZELIZER: It's not obvious to me at all. In general this is president who doesn't seem to have great care for the lessons of history and we've seen this play out from international issues to domestic issues. But more importantly he is actually part of a global moment when a lot of countries and their leaders including him have moved away from the lessons of what we're commemorating right now, the importance of internationalism, the importance of international alliances, that they are not a source of weakness, that they ultimately create stability and can help protect the United States and its allies.

And so I think he's on a very different side of history from where many others are as they commemorate this. So I'm not sure he sees what happened with President Wilson, with the League of Nations, and the failure of the U.S. to join. I'm not sure he reads the lessons that many other Americans still read into that moment.

PAUL: David Andelman and Julian Zelizer, we appreciate you both so much for being with us.

[06:15:02]

Thank you.

ZELIZER: Thank you.

PAUL: Absolutely.

BLACKWELL: Well, the midterm drama unfolding right now in Florida. Votes are being recounted in several key races but the president is calling it an attempt to -- quote -- "steal two big elections." PAUL: And I don't know if you've heard, but nearly 180,000 acres now has burned. These three major wildfires are still roaring through California. We are going to take you there live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: While you are sipping your coffee this morning, maybe relaxing a little bit, there are some key Florida counties in about 40 minutes they're going to be recounting votes. A couple of recounts began last evening after it was announced the races for governor and senator have to be reviewed.

BLACKWELL: What's especially significant here is the outcome of these races could have major implications for President Trump's 2020 re- election bid.

CNN's Jessica Dean is in Fort Lauderdale where this recount starts in about, as we said, 40 minutes from now.

[06:20:05]

Jessica, President Trump is already tweeting about the recounts and we've got Andrew Gillum there, the Democrat who's running for governor, responded to it when he withdrew his concession, tell us about all that has happened.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You, guys, you're exactly right.

There are just so many pieces to what is going on down here in Florida. As you mentioned, we are here in Broward County which has found itself, again, right in the middle of a recount in Florida. They are going to begin their recount, this is a machine recount at 7:00 a.m. here in Broward County.

And also as you mentioned, the president has been in France this weekend. We know that but he has been tweeting about the elections here in Florida. I want to show you the tweets among them, he tweeted, "Trying to steal two big elections in Florida. We are watching closely."

And, of course, everyone is watching his tweets closely as well. That includes gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum who is currently down in the results, but, you know, this recount, we will see how that all shakes out. Here is what he had to say when he talked yesterday and said that he is taking back his previous concession.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW GILLUM (D), FLORIDA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I also have to say what has also changed since election night have been the chorus of voices from the president of the United States, the junior senator of the state of Florida, and the governor of the state of Florida. A chorus calling for the ending of the counting in this process.

What I do know is that we don't just get the opportunity to stop counting votes because we don't like the direction at which the vote tally is heading. That is not democratic and that certainly is not the American way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: So now this recount starts and here in Broward County, there have certainly been legitimate questions of competence, but state law enforcement has been saying there are no investigations or allegations of criminal activity. They have also been in contact with the secretary of state's office that says the same thing. That is a Republican appointee saying no criminal activity, but questions of competence, of course, they have to get all of their results in by November 15th at 3:00 p.m. that is going to be the deadline for this first recount.

And then what happens? Well, if any of these races are within a 0.25 percent margin, that is going to trigger a hand recount of what is known as overvotes and undervotes. It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Overvotes, people who voted for more than one candidate. Undervotes people who didn't vote in each race.

So, Christi and Victor, we still got a long way to go. Today is just the beginning in this recount process.

BLACKWELL: All right. Jessica Dean, Fort Lauderdale, thanks so much.

Let's go now to another key Senate race we are watching. This one is in Arizona. Democratic representative Kyrsten Sinema's lead over Republican representative Martha McSally that is growing this morning.

PAUL: Yes. Just last evening, Sinema stood just a little more than 28,000 votes ahead of McSally. Eighty-eight percent of the votes are reporting at this point. The candidates battling for the seat of retiring Republican senator Jeff Flake.

BLACKWELL: With Senate seats still in play and that recount that's happening a controversy is happening in the Justice Department as Democrats warning about a constitutional crisis. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer joins Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION." You're going to watch it this morning at 9:00 a.m.

PAUL: And we are getting word this morning from officials in California that more people have died as the three wildfires are still just raging through that state. CNN's Kaylee Hartung is live in Malibu with more -- Kaylee.

KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yesterday, firefighters had a reprieve from the winds in southern California. But coming up we will help give you perspective on this historic event and show you the devastation here in Malibu.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:28:37]

PAUL: Twenty-eight minutes past the hour right now. Welcome back. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you.

We've learned from California this morning that the most destructive fire in the state's modern history has killed more people. Officials now say at least 23 people have died in the camp fire that is north of Sacramento. Two other fires, the Woolsey fire and Hill fire are still burning in southern California. And two people have died there.

PAUL: And more than 300,000 people have had to leave their homes and their houses and buildings have been burning. Official say at least 180,000 acres have been scorched just up and down the state.

Well, CNN's Kaylee Hartung is following the latest from Malibu, California. Kaylee, I get the sense that they didn't think it would get this far.

HARTUNG: Yes, Victor and Christi, when you find yourself so close to the ocean and you can still see woods smoldering and homes burned to the ground, it's very startling to see. Here where we are in Malibu, I want to put things into context because when you hear that the Woolsey fire has touched about 80,000 acres, I want people to understand that doesn't mean that this raging wildfire roared through everything in its path. As so often the case with these wildfires, you're reminded of the indiscriminate capability of it.

[06:30:00]

HARTUNG: A home to my right still standing but this one absolutely leveled. All you can see in the distance if our camera can even pick it up is playground equipment for children even a trampoline. But then as you look through the wreckage of this home, even a car in its driveway, I can't even make out the model of this vehicle.

Again, this Woolsey fire, 80,000 acres damaged. Firefighters here calling it a historic event and we are in the final hours of this window of opportunity that firefighters saw to really get the containment lines in place for this fire where, for the first two days of it, saw winds shifting nonstop creating like impossible challenges for them to contain.

This fire now is five percent contained. They are projecting that by Thursday, they could have it completely contained. But when you can still see flames in the distance on the ridge way and when you know that these Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up, the uncertainty that you feel there and all who have evacuated from this place is so heavy.

More than a quarter of a million people have been evacuated in southern California. And the sense that I get from people who I've talked to is just that hunger for information, to see pictures of places they know and love. Not just their own personal property but their communities, their local grocery stores, the small businesses that help keep towns like this thriving.

And so we will do our best throughout the course of this day to try to get people those pictures from these areas that they are not allowed to go to. As we traveled down the Pacific Coast Highway this morning to get here, our vehicles were stopped about half a dozen times by police, checkpoint after checkpoint ensuring that we were press and allowing us to pass through, but no one else allowed back into these areas where these evacuation orders are still standing, Victor and Christi.

PAUL: It's going to be I think one of the toughest things because you have got to be wanting so badly to go back to this area in Malibu and Thousand Oaks and the Canyons and on the coast. It's so beautiful.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: I cannot imagine what it's going to look like when this is all said and done. Kaylee Hartung, thank you so much.

Now CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is with us. Kaylee mentioned this window of opportunity Allison help us understand how long that's going to last.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's closing quickly unfortunately. There is really not much time left before that wind begins to shift and increase too. It's a combination of both really.

So here's a look at today. You've got the critical and elevated fire threat in northern California. And then in southern California you also have the addition of the extreme fire threat. That is the top category that you can possibly get and that is because those winds in southern California are expected to be 40, 50, if not potentially 60 miles per hour.

Now, let's take this full so that you can understand this. This is a graphic about smoke. This right here, OK?

Where my hand is, this position right here, this is Los Angeles. Now I want you to be able to see this very clearly.

Yesterday, that smoke was going from L.A. out over the open ocean. But as that wind shifts, it's going to bring all of that smoke back into Los Angeles. This is going to make it very difficult for those firefighters to try to battle those blazes because now they are dealing with almost zero visibility.

Not to mention, guys, you have to keep in mind anyone who might be evacuating is going to be driving on roads where they also cannot see anything. We also talk about air quality here too. Look at this.

San Francisco dealing with very unhealthy air. Hazardous conditions in Sacramento, Los Angeles also dealing with very unhealthy. And, Victor and Christi, the thing is that not only affects people when they're out and breathing that air but that also affects flights.

So you may end up seeing some delays around Los Angeles and the areas around Sacramento and San Francisco as well because of the smoke as well.

BLACKWELL: All right. Allison Chinchar, thanks for watching it for us. We will get back to you next hour.

PAUL: We do want to take you back to Paris live. The ceremony marking 100 years since the end of World War I. The reverence is unmistakable.

The world leaders gathered together. We're going to take you back. Stay close.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:38:25]

BLACKWELL: President Trump and world leaders are in France today marking 100 years since the end of World War I. We have got live pictures here. You see President Emmanuel Macron of France.

Joining us from Paris now CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta. Let's start with President Macron's message here.

The address he just delivered. Nationalism versus patriotism, Jim.

ACOSTA: That's right, Victor. I thought this was a pretty important moment in the ceremonies here in Paris today when the French president Emmanuel Macron said that patriotism is the opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is opposite of patriotism.

In that nationalism in his view is a betrayal of patriotism. Just to sort of break that down, why you're hearing that this, obviously, this is a response to some extent to President Trump and President Trump was on hand and listening to all of this.

You can see the reaction on his face. It wasn't very -- it wasn't very receptive. He seemed to be glum when the French president was saying this.

But as you know in recent weeks we heard the president saying this out on the campaign trail, he was saying it over at the White House that he considers himself a nationalist. And, of course, there are so many people in the U.S. and around the world when they hear that kind of language, they think that perhaps there is some coded language going on and that dog whistles are being sent.

And in the view of Emmanuel Macron -- and he has talked about this before, that nationalism carries a very negative connotation over here in Europe and as we are marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I they are the lessons of the past.

[06:40:02]

There are concerns that we haven't learned the lessons of the past. World War I was not the end of all world wars. There was a rise of nationalism and fascism after World War I and that is what led to Hitler's rise to power and just the awful events that unfolded during World War II.

And so this is a -- this is a subject that is really near and dear to the hearts of a lot of European leaders. It is why you're hearing, I believe, the French president talk about this today with the American president there in attendance. And so, Victor, I think there is just no mistaking the message here that Emmanuel Macron was trying to send President Trump and the people around the world that nationalism carries with it a lot of risks.

It can be confused with patriotism. It could sound like why you really love your country but in the view of the French president and a lot of other people who are worried about nationalism being on the rise in the U.S. and Europe and around the world that it can lead to a lot of other negative things, Victor.

PAUL: Jim, when you talk about messages, we saw, President Putin there as well coming in last. He came in quite late, actually, as all of the other world leaders were standing there. What are you hearing?

ACOSTA: Well, we haven't heard anything just yet. One of the questions that we had from this weekend was whether or not President Trump and President Putin would actually have a chance to meet with one another. They sort of said that there wasn't really going to be a chance at a formal bilateral meeting of any sort but that they might meet on the sidelines of this trip.

We're still waiting to find out whether or not that occurred. It is interesting that President Trump and President Putin both came in at the end of that procession of world leaders heading into the Arc de Triomphe for these ceremonies here. So we will have to find out later whether or not they briefly brushed past one another.

We do know that Putin and President Trump will be meet with one another at the G20 Summit coming up in just a few weeks down in Argentina so they will have a chance to speak then. As you know, the president has other events scheduled for today. He is going to be at the American cemetery later on this afternoon.

This follows his decision yesterday to not visit an American cemetery because of the weather. And so we are going have to see what happens when he gets out there. He is expected to make some remarks and we will be waiting for that here in the next few hours.

BLACKWELL: All right. Jim Acosta for us there in Paris. Jim, thank you.

Joining us now retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, a CNN military analyst. He led the first armored division during the surge in Iraq and served as commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe.

PAUL: General Hertling, thank you so much for being with us.

I want to get your reaction, first and foremost, to what you've seen this morning from President Trump and your reaction to the fact that he did not make it to that cemetery yesterday. There has been a lot of criticism of that because of his chief of staff John Kelly did make it in his place. Your thoughts?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, first, Christi, I'd say that the ceremony this morning was phenomenal. The president of France really pulled his people together and you have to understand and many of us Americans don't, how important the end of World War I was when the guns went silent and there was continual reference to that. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 20 -- in 1918 was increasingly important to remember, too, is the United States joined that fight in the last year that it was going on.

The members of the continent of Europe fought that fight for four long years with over 20 million people dying during that war. So it's an important event for them. The fact that the president showed up late, as well as President Putin, I think was, truthfully, you can't call it anything but rude. This is a commemoration by the French people of what occurred on their soil, what their people went through, how many people that died and it just shows a lack of respect by those who don't follow the protocol on what they were attempting to do, and I think truthfully it makes our president and President Putin look somewhat foolish.

That added to what occurred yesterday, having been to most of the battlefield memorial cemeteries throughout Europe, there are 18 of them. For the president to skip out on that opportunity to go to the Marne Cemetery and on the back side of that cemetery was the Belleau Wood which established the marine corps as an unbelievable fighting force when they linked arms with U.S. soldiers and French soldiers, and some of the other members of the alliance to fight the Germans in an unbelievably difficult and challenging fight for several days.

It was close to ending that conflict on the western frontier. This was not fought in trenches, this was on open grounds and the marines certainly cemented their reputation there. For the president not to take the time to go there, again, I think is a slap in the face to many veterans, especially those who have been there and understand the significance of the fight at Belleau Wood and the number of people that are buried in that cemetery.

[06:45:11]

Now he is going to the Suresnes Cemetery today and which is within the boundary of Paris, it overlooks the city. It's a beautiful city. There's about and 1,500 or so as I recall American war dead from World War I. There are also some bodies from World War II, some unidentified bodies from World War II in that cemetery.

I think about 200 to 300 as my memory serves me, so that will be an important event to show the respect, but understanding the history of what occurred a hundred years ago today is critically important for the leader of any nation.

BLACKWELL: All right, General Hertling, thank you so much for being with us this morning. Again, live pictures we are seeing here from Paris as the commemoration of the ending of armistice signed there in World War I, November 11th, 1918.

We'll see these pictures throughout the morning as dozens of world leaders are in Paris to mark this anniversary. Still to come, from the trenches to the air. World War I was fought hard there. CNN files along side -- or flies I should say -- fighter planes that were in the skies during the war 100 years ago. You do not want to miss this. It's fascinating.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:50:37]

PAUL: We want to show you live pictures here as world leaders from 70 different nations are gathering to commemorate the end of World War I. You can see the commemoration continuing there right now. And we know that there will be meetings and luncheons beyond this as today marking that 100 years.

BLACKWELL: And the war was the first major conflict that involved large-scale views of fighter planes.

PAUL: Some of these vintage planes they're still flying today at the old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. CNN was invited to fly our drones alongside Aerodrome's fighter planes. Look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK MONDELLO, PILOT/DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE, OLD RHINEBECK AERODROME: The aircraft was brand-new invention in World War I. Just 10 years or so after the Wright brothers first flew.

At first I think the armies of Europe didn't really know what to do with the airplane but it very quickly found a very important role and aircraft production and training of pilots all skyrocketed very quickly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a brand new way of fighting having war machines that operated within the air added a third-dimension to the battlefield and they were just learning how to do it. And pilots were throwing bombs out of the cockpit and they were carrying pistols and rifles in the cockpit or they would have an observer in a secondary cockpit who had a pistol or a rifle and they would be trading rounds with other airplanes.

I think on the one hand they were terrified because they were young, they were fresh. When they came to the front lines with a unit, they maybe had a maximum of 20 hours of flying time. They just weren't that experienced.

MONDELLO: I have a lot of respect for the young men who flew these really primitive elemental airplanes back in the day often with only a few weeks of training so I can imagine being a 17-year-old kid jumping in one of these airplanes and being thrown into combat versus, you know, another guy who is probably another 17-year-old kid scared out of his mind who is trying to kill him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Yes. That is some real bravery. BLACKWELL: Yes. Amazing perspective there.

Nearly 10 percent of homeless adults in the United States once served in the armed forces.

PAUL: Yes. An army veteran saw some of his former comrades kind of falling through the cracks. So he built a solution to help. Meet Chris Stout.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS STOUT, CNN HERO: What branch are you?

After starting to work with veterans I realized a huge gap in services. If you've ever served, you know that if one of your fellow platoon guys, they need help, you help them.

What we do here gives them an opportunity to kind of get stable, keeps them in a safe and secure place, and then fix what got them there in the first place. When I see a win for them, it's a celebration for me. It means everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: You can vote for Chris or any of the top 10 heroes to become CNN Hero of the Year. Just go to CNNheroes.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:58:09]

BLACKWELL: Well, do not miss the final episode of "PARTS UNKNOWN" with a very personal tour of Anthony Bourdain's Lower East Side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, HOST, PARTS UNKNOWN: I remember Tompkin Square after the police fenced it off. It was, in a lot of people's minds, the end of an era.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And, yes, when they cleared up the drugs a lot of people said, hey, great. We're now going to have a neighborhood and everything is going to be safe and then in came the gentrification. So the whole concept of America is being wiped out because you can't pull yourself up by the boot straps anymore because you can't get in the game.

Gentrification has affected the whole city. You have to now make a huge amount of money to be here. They've got the skyscrapers in mid- town that are sold millions of dollars apartments and nobody lives in them and they are empty.

BOURDAIN: I lived in one of those big empty buildings with absentee owners. Is that all that is going to be left in New York?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. New York, there was always something that brought it back but once you fill it with the corporate world it's never going back so we turned a corner that we will never go back again and so it's over.

BOURDAIN: It's over?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Watch Anthony Bourdain's "PARTS UNKNOWN" tonight at 9:00 only on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just can't believe it. It really looks like a war zone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fast moving wildfires wreaking havoc in California.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A whole town was wiped off the face of the earth in a matter of eight hours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A source familiar with the president's interactions with other European leaders here in Paris says he has been testy at times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Macron seemed pretty satisfied with his talks with Donald Trump.

MACRON: I'm not the one to commend his tweets. I always prefer having direct discussion or answering questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Florida secretary of state has ordered statewide machine recounts for three races.

[07:00:02]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump accuses Democrats of trying to -- quote -- "steal this election."