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Trump Continues Flattery For Dictator Kim Jong Un; First It Was The Trade War, Now The U.S. Government Shutdown Is Creating New Problems For Farmers Across America's Heartland; Police Officers And Bystanders Flipped Over A Burning Car On The Freeway In Order To Help Save A Trapped Driver; Trump Suggests Declaring National Emergency for Border Wall; Man Charged with Murder of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes; Trump Confirms Negotiations for Second Summit with North Korea; Aired 4-5p ET
Aired January 06, 2019 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[16:00:00] JOHN BOLTON, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We're going to be discussing the president's decision to withdraw, but to do so, from northeast Syria in a way that make sure that ISIS is defeated and able to revive itself and become a threat again, and to make sure that the defense of Israel and our other friends in the region is absolutely assured, and to take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Bolton will be heading to Turkey on Tuesday. He says a withdrawal is only possible if Turkey promises to protect Kurdish allies, a claim Turkey called insulting.
We've got so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, and it starts right now.
Hello, again. And welcome this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
We have in day 16 of the U.S. government shutdown now what we've seen plenty of rhetoric, political bluster, and finger pointing. What we haven't seen, any signs of real progress. And now President Trump is warning he will consider declaring a national emergency to build the border wall based on what happens over the next few days. Vice President Mike Pence wrapped up another meeting with Capitol Hill staffers last hour after talks yesterday for about 2 1/2 hours went nowhere.
No word yet on whether today's talks went any better but even President Trump himself wasn't very hopeful saying he didn't expect any progress. And Trump has made it clear he will not back down on his demands for wall funding.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a very important battle to win from the standpoint of safety, number one, defining our country and who we are. Also from the standpoint of dollars. This wall will pay for itself many times during the course of a year. The money we're talking about is very small compared to the return. You think I like doing this? I don't like doing this, but we have no choice. We have to have it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Let's check in with CNN White House correspondent Boris Sanchez.
So what can you tell us about where negotiations stand right now, to what lengths this president will go to get wall funding?
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, that meeting that you talked about between top administration officials and aides to lawmakers on Capitol Hill wrapped up in the last hour. It lasted about an hour and a half. No clear indication that much progress was made, but as you noted, President Trump himself was less than sunny on his outlook of what may turn out from that meeting.
The president returned from Camp David around the time that that meeting wrapped up. And he spoke with reporters and he had made a bit of news, suggesting that he had moved off the idea of a concrete barrier between the United States and Mexico, something he had demanded on Twitter just a few days ago. The president saying that Democrats don't like a concrete barrier, so we'll make it out of steel.
The president saying that steel would be stronger, less obtrusive and it would put important U.S. companies to work on that long-promised border wall.
I also got a chance to ask the president about that notion that he would declare a national emergency to secure military funding to build that border wall. The president said it's something he's considering very strongly.
Listen to how the president justified declaring a national emergency now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're looking at a national emergency because we have a national emergency. Just read the papers. We have a crisis at the border of drugs, of human beings being trafficked all over the world. They're coming through. And we have an absolute crisis. And of criminals and gang members coming through. It is national security. It's a national emergency.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Now I asked the president specifically what it would take for him to take that step. He said we'll get back to you very soon. The president not shedding any light on his thinking there.
The president also talked about the possibility of securing a deal with Democrats for legal status for Dreamers, DACA recipients, in exchange for border wall funding. The president said he was open to that as a possibility but sort of dismissed the idea. There is of course a legal case out there now that even the president suggested would get to the Supreme Court that may resolve that issue without involvement from Congress.
The president said effectively that he would like to see that play out before ultimately trying to strike a deal with Democrats.
We're entering week three now of the shutdown. No end in sight just yet -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Boris Sanchez, thank you so much, from the White House.
So during that 20-minute long back and forth with reporters on the way to Camp David, President Trump also said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I can say this. Everybody's playing games, but I can say this. I think that the Democrats want to make a deal. I really do. I feel that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What is the deal? Will you come down from --
TRUMP: We'll call it something different.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So while everyone is, you know, quoting him now, "playing games," it is important to remember that you're still paying for government services that are shut down.
[16:05:03] For example, the agency that handles small business loans is not processing loan applications right now. Residents in Washington, D.C., who are planning to get married may have to wait a little longer. The D.C. court that handles marriage licenses is closed. And perhaps you're in the middle of buying a house. Well, depending on your type of loan, your closing date could be delayed. And of course, it is tax season. So many people look forward to those IRS refund checks this time of year. Well, most of those workers are off the job at the IRS.
CNN spoke to one of those workers who says his furlough could easily become your problem.
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TERRY SCOTT, FURLOUGHED IRS EMPLOYEE: It's going to take the public, those people who are going to be impacted beyond the federal employees, to stand up and say enough is enough. Because what we do, the IRS, I mean, anyone that's due a refund, they won't get that refund until we go back to work.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: All right. Joining me now to discuss, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security in the Obama administration, Juliette Kayyem, Washington bureau chief at "The Chicago Sun Times" Lynn Sweet, and CNN's senior political analyst Ron Brownstein.
Good to see all of you. Happy New Year.
LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, CHICAGO SUN TIMES: Hi, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Lynn, you first.
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Happy New Year.
WHITFIELD: So is declaring a national emergency to get that wall funding the only answer to get government up and running again?
SWEET: No, there's another answer that we're going to see unfold in just a few days with the House Democrats. They're going to start moving legislation piecemeal through, which will force the Republicans into a corner. So you want to be the Republican that doesn't want your constituents to get their refund so you're not voting for the standalone bill to have the Treasury Department open.
Now this is a technique that Republicans have used during an Obama showdown. So there's different routes to opening government up. The emergency declaration, if Trump makes one, for a wall funding will end up in court, would not be resolved soon, so it's not a route to open up government.
WHITFIELD: And then this is how Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff saw it.
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REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: I make of that really threatening talk from the president that he doesn't have the power to execute. Look, if Harry Truman couldn't nationalize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesn't have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion dollar wall on the border. So that's a nonstarter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So, Ron, the president says he can do it. It's something he's considering over the next couple of days. You heard Lynn say, you know, if he does do this national, you know, security route, it's ultimately likely to end up in court. But bottom line, does the president have the authority? Can -- and does he have the goods to declare that there's a national emergency here?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, first, ultimately, you know, if he does do this, it will be the Supreme Court that decides whether he has the authority, but I think Lynn is absolutely right in that it's not a legitimate, immediate threat on the Democrats because if he does do this, as Dick Durbin said this morning on one of the Sunday shows, it would immediately go back into court.
I mean, it just seems very unlikely that the president would be in a position to actually start building his wall any time soon if he declared, you know, unilaterally the authority to do so. And the idea that there is a national emergency, I think, would be very debatable. I think Juliette knows these statistics as well as I do.
The Pew Research Center, which is our best source, nonpartisan source, on the size of the undocumented population, points out that it peaked in 2007. It's 1.5 million lower today than it was a decade ago. And apprehensions at the border are a fraction of what they were in the early part of the 21st century in the Bush administration. So the idea that there is a crisis, a unique crisis that demands this kind of barrier-breaking action seems -- would seem to have a lot of hurdles both in public opinion and in the courts.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And Representative Adam Smith said, you know, as well, the president can declare a national emergency, but it's going to be real difficult, a very hard sell to say, let's take $20 million from, you know, Department of Defense, U.S. military in which to justify the building of this wall.
So, you know, Juliette, you know, if the president does go this route, you know, he's got to sell it. The White House has to sell it. And this was a little bit of a preview from Press Secretary Sarah Sanders this morning on FOX trying to justify the national emergency. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We know that roughly nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists come into our country illegally, and we know that our most vulnerable point of entry is at our southern border.
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Wait, wait, wait. I know the statistic. I didn't know if you were going to use it.
SANDERS: Yes.
WALLACE: But I studied up on this. You know where those 4,000 people come -- where they're captured? Airports.
SANDERS: Not always.
WALLACE: Airports.
SANDERS: Certainly a large number.
WALLACE: The State Department says there hasn't been any terrorists that they found across the southern border with Mexico.
SANDERS: It's by air, it's by land, and it's by sea. It's all of the above.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So, Juliette, are the goods there? You know, this --
KAYYEM: No.
[16:10:02] WHITFIELD: This emergency, this national threat, terrorists coming from the southern border because that's what they have to establish. Right?
KAYYEM: No -- exactly. So what they're doing now is they're essentially -- and I'll be direct about this -- lying about the numbers to try to set some preconditions to sell this argument that we're in some national security crisis.
Look, this is a public policy problem. We have lots of problems that are public policy problems in this country that we resolve through a constitutional structure. We're not at a crisis. So what you're seeing the White House do in a very misleading way, and CNN has sort of, you know, debunking of these numbers, is to sort of conflate every problem into a terrorism problem.
Sarah Sanders, Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of Homeland Security, said 4,000 suspected terrorists are coming from the southern border. Let me tell you, there's not 4,000 suspected terrorists coming from the southern border because then we would have 4,000 cases against them. They are essentially lying about the numbers to create some hysteria, and it's just our responsibility to say they don't have the numbers.
My bigger fear is, you know, and concern is obviously this is a crisis that's created by Donald Trump's inability to know what he wants. I mean, we're at this moment because he doesn't have an out. This country faces real crises, terrorism threats, hurricanes, oil spills, earthquakes, and the sort of politicization of numbers by the Department of Homeland Security, you know, is -- will undermine our capacity as citizens to trust the very department that we will need to rely on during a real crisis.
And I think they just -- you know, as someone said about the Trump administration, there's no tomorrow for them. Right? Everything is today. And they're not seeing the consequences of what they're doing with these -- you know, these totally bogus numbers about terrorism.
WHITFIELD: So, Lynn, day 16 government partial shutdown. If you thought the goal was to reopen government, you're wrong if you hear Senator Lindsey Graham from today. Listen.
All right. We don't have that sound, but he says the goal is to build the wall. The goal is not to reopen government.
SWEET: Well, I heard that. And talk about a slippery explanation. See, the goal is to reopen government because that is how you build the wall. There is no check from Mexico coming that's going to be deposited in the Treasury to build it. And by the way, everyone, I don't think it matters what the wall is made of. It is not a consequential distinction if you make it out of steel or concrete. By the way, the people in the concrete industry, the gravel makers, the asphalt makers, may prefer, you know, that they get the business rather than the steel makers.
So that's a side show. Don't be distracted by that. A wall, barrier, an expensive barrier is still what we're talking about.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
SWEET: So I understand that Lindsey Graham was trying to advance the argument in a way that is almost metaphorical. It's not about government, it's about the wall. Except it is. And you don't spend $5 billion to underwrite a metaphor.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And Ron, there are some really -- you know, can we call it clever messaging really coming from the president on this whole steel versus concrete, et cetera.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Because when he says this, when he talks like this, he's also, you know, trying to win the support of those whose jobs might be in the steel industry.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: You know, who might then be advocating for this new big, potential project.
BROWNSTEIN: Well, look, I mean, the -- one of the problems he has on this is that there has never been a majority in public opinion for the wall. Ten Quinnipiac polls in his presidency, never been higher than 43 percent for the wall. 38 percent in the last CNN poll. Down to 33 percent in the last CNN poll if told that Mexico was not paying for it.
So he's playing on the short end of the field in his demand. And obviously the part of the society that has been most supportive has been his Republican base. But if you are talking about using unilateral, you know, presidential authority to do this and then also presumably as the follow-up to that, using them eminent domain to claim the land of people who are not enthusiastic along the border about giving their property to this, I wonder does all of the conservative movement --
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Yes. A good part of that Texas border property is private property.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Yes. Right --
WHITFIELD: So eminent domain. How do you feel about that?
BROWNSTEIN: Does the conservative movement stand behind such a unilateral expansion of federal power as would be required to do this on your own, even before you get to all the court challenges.
WHITFIELD: All right. Very complicated. Ron Brownstein, Lynn Sweet, Juliette Kayyem, good to see you all. Thank you so much.
SWEET: Good to see you.
KAYYEM: Thank you.
SWEET: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: The other big story we're following this hour, we have heard from investigators about the arrest in the drive-by killing of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes in Houston. Eric Black Jr. is facing capital murder charges and police say other arrests are possible. Authorities say Black confessed to his role in the shooting.
[16:15:01] The sheriff gave new details during a press conference a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS: Mr. Black has acknowledged his role in Jazmine's murder, and we've also received information that this involves a second individual as well. We are still trying to verify some information, and this investigation is ongoing. So there's still some work that needs to be done. It appears to us, based on the information we received, this was likely a case of mistaken identity, where the intended targets were likely someone else. But instead, they fired upon LaPorsha, Jazmine and her siblings.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: CNN's Kaylee Hartung was in that news conference.
What more are we learning, Kaylee?
KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fred. The sheriff who said he would not rest until justice was brought for Jazmine. Parsing his words, speaking very cautiously, but saying he is comfortable where they are at in this investigation, though it is ongoing.
As we've outlined, Eric Black Jr. is in police custody, being charged for capital murder, but they are continuing to talk to additional suspects. They want the public to continue to share any information with them that they may have of exactly what happened last Sunday morning. There are still many questions to be answered. And one of the questions everybody wanted answered in this press conference was how could there be such a discrepancy between that composite sketch that was disseminated so widely of that white man in his 30s or 40s, how could there be such a discrepancy between that and Eric Black Jr., a black man in his 20s, being arrested for playing a role in this murder.
I want to bring in Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who has been on the ground here in Houston with her constituents for the past week.
Congresswoman, how comfortable are you at this time with where this investigation stands and the comfort that the people of Houston should have in light of the fear they've experienced in the past week with the manhunt here in this town?
REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D), TEXAS: Well, you know, when I started speaking this afternoon, I asked for the community to continue to pray for the family. So I think it is important to note we're talking about a young mother, a young father, but a young mother in a car in the dark of night with a 13-year-old, a 15-year-old, and a 6-year-old. And so they've experienced fright and fear that no one could imagine, stranded on the freeway.
They listened, however, to law enforcement. Law enforcement continued to speak with them throughout the week. They felt that it was something else. The description came from the family. They saw what they saw. But the good news is that throughout this week, as many different possible actions could have generated this tragic, bloody death, gun violence, the community gathered together, listened to the sheriff's department, the police department, constables.
Appreciate the help that the federal government was able to provide and also all of the supporters who welcomed the tips that came in. They did not take the law into their own hands. So now they are ready to have this pursued to its very end, and the sheriff said he will not rest until justice has been given.
I join him in that as I go back to Washington. We will be monitoring this, as I know all of the many supporters around the nation and here. And our word will be that we will not go after anyone. We're one community. We love each other no matter what our background is. But we will want the individuals, whoever they are, and the intensity of our desire to help justice come for that family will be the same as the sheriff pursues his leads.
HARTUNG: You mentioned the way this community has supported law enforcement through this investigation. We've heard authorities throughout the week begging for that information that could help bring justice for Jazmine. You've also spent time with Jazmine's family. How do you characterize what that support from this community has meant to them?
JACKSON LEE: It has made this young mother, and I hope it has made the father, strengthened. And strengthened to the effect of what they will do in the future with their lives. That they are young people that have now lost a daughter in a very bloody, bloody scene. The description of seeing that baby lie in her own blood was devastating. And I believe that this will -- and I hope and pray that this will draw them together in their future, and it will also help this young mother surround her children with all the love she has.
And that's all she was concerned about. Even when she spoke yesterday, it was how much love was coming from the community but how much love was coming from these young daughters who are worried about her and wanted her to be strong.
[16:20:02] So I think what we have seen here is really an example going throughout the nation. I would hope we see no more tragedies like this. I know we will. And I think it's well known of my desire to end gun violence and to end the reckless violent use of gun violence and also end the violence that is utilized by young people against each other. And so we just have to keep doing that, but what we saw here in Houston was an even handed coming together of community from all backgrounds and all races and all religions. They came together with one voice.
HARTUNG: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, thank you for your time.
Fred, the work of the Harris County Sheriff's Department is not done. This investigation will continue.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, Kaylee, and Congresswoman. Appreciate it.
All right. President Trump promises that another summit with North Korea could be announced in the not-too-distant future. What would another meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un do for relations between the two countries? More on that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Welcome back. President Trump claiming once again today that the U.S. is making progress in negotiations with North Korea and confirmed plans are being made for another summit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Now I say this. North Korea, we're doing very well. And again, no rockets. There's no rockets. There's no anything. We're doing very well. I've indirectly spoken to Chairman Kim. And when I came here, this country was headed to war with North Korea. And now we have a very good dialogue going.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you have a place in mind for your next summit? And could it be Europe?
TRUMP: We're negotiating a location. It will be announced probably not -- in the not-too-distant future. They have made it very clear, in fact, they've actually said to the media that they would like to meet. They do want to meet and we want to meet. And we'll see what happens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[16:25:04] WHITFIELD: Trump also said sanctions against North Korea would remain in effect in the meantime. The two leaders first met in Singapore last June.
I want to bring in Balbina Hwang, she is a former senior adviser at the U.S. State Department.
Good to see you and Happy New Year, Balbina.
BALBINA HWANG, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT SENIOR ADVISER: Happy New Year.
WHITFIELD: OK. So what do you expect would be accomplished by a second summit?
HWANG: Well, a meeting in and of itself is not necessarily an accomplishment. What's important, of course, is getting to the very difficult process of actual denuclearization. And of course, the devil, as always, is in the details. But we've of course been trying to get North Korea to denuclearize now for more than 30 years.
WHITFIELD: But you heard the president, who, you know, said, hey, relations are really good. Things are going very well. You know, no missile testing. He's happy with this. And he is giving great credit to that first summit for this rather quiet period, so to speak.
HWANG: Well, quietness is not in and of itself -- again, yes, North Korea has stopped testing. North Korea has stopped its rhetoric. It has stopped doing what it was supposed to have not been doing. That in itself is all well and good. But again, it has not taken any actions that we know of towards denuclearization. And again, a meeting in and of itself may sound good. It may feel good, but that does not mean that it is making any progress towards denuclearization.
And Chairman Kim has in this very lovely note that President Trump has characterized it in fact actually threatened and said that Chairman Kim said his own patience will run out if the United States does not keep its own promise of lifting sanctions or keeping its own promises that President Trump himself made at the very last meeting.
And the question becomes, what is the United States willing to give up on our side at this next meeting?
WHITFIELD: So what is --
HWANG: That's the real question.
WHITFIELD: Yes, and what would be the focus of the conversation if North Korea already, you know, has said, as you just spelled out, you know, you better not -- essentially threatening, you better, you know, do anything further about sanctions, but then what would be the goal in that second summit?
HWANG: Well, I think Secretary Pompeo has actually been very clear about what the United States wants. And in fact, has laid out essentially exactly the steps that we are willing to take if North Korea proceeds with denuclearization. The problem is that I don't think that North Korea necessarily is -- really has shown any willingness to proceed with its side in terms of denuclearization, and is President Trump willing to lift our side in terms of its sanctions?
And this is exactly why we are in a stalemate because I don't think that we the United States or the international community is willing to lift the sanctions first. And that's really the stalemate. Are we willing to lift the sanctions before North Korea or is North Korea willing to take steps to denuclearization before we are willing to lift the sanctions?
WHITFIELD: Has even the notion of a second summit helped embolden North Korea in any way? HWANG: Well, it has in many ways because look at the progress in
terms of the inter-Korean process. Now in many ways, that is actually quite positive because we all -- I think the entire world wants to see progress and peace on the Korean peninsula. That is very good news for 80 million Korean people, including for Americans. And I think in this regard, I think President Trump does deserve some credit.
This is a tragedy that affected the American people. More than 30,000 Americans lost our lives. All you have to do is go down to this mall and you can see this living tragedy. And hundreds of thousands of Americans sacrificed greatly on the Korean peninsula. We shed our blood, and we should never forget this. And so, you know, this is something that, in fact, President Trump does deserve some credit for. And I think all Americans can understand this.
And, you know, Koreans want peace. And we want an end to this tragedy. So this is a very difficult issue. And, you know, I don't think we should begrudge Koreans for wanting peace.
WHITFIELD: All right. Balbina Hwang, thank you so much and Happy New Year.
HWANG: Thank you. You too.
WHITFIELD: Kim Jong-un is using strategy of writing these letters to President Trump, but they often contrast with North Korea's public statements. Is Kim just pushing Trump's buttons?
Here's Brian Todd.
[16:30:00]
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It just may be the oddest relationship in international relations. The American president repeatedly flattered by and flattering North Korean's dictator, Kim Jong Un.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're doing very well with North Korea, and that's based on relationship also.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Trump's positive mention of his relationship with Kim Jong Un came only about 48 hours after the president showed off the latest personal letter he got from the North Korean dictator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: And they've never written letters like that. This letter is a great letter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Sources familiar with the contents of Kim's letter tell CNN, it was quote, "predictably effusive." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It showed a letter that I received.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: The view of some in the Administration, CNN is told, is that Kim sends letters to Trump to appeal to his ego and to keep Trump enthusiastic about their personal bond, especially at times when Kim feels negotiations over his nuclear weapons have hit a plateau.
Analysts agree, Kim is whispering in Trump's ear.
FRANK JUNNUZI, THE MANSFIELD FOUNDATION: I think what he's saying to President Trump is, you, sir, are better than all of your predecessors. Wiser, smarter, more cleaver, the better deal maker, you can do what none of your predecessors was able to do.
TODD: Experts believe Kim Jong Un has compiled a personal dossier on how to work Trump and has mastered the dark art of flattering the president to try to get what he wants.
Skills analysts say, that were on full display during the two leaders meeting in Singapore last summer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM JONG UN, NORTH KOREAN LEADER (through translator): I would like to express my gratitude to President Trump for making this meeting happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: In another letter sent to the White House last July, just weeks after their summit, Kim referred to Trump as, You Excellency, four times in just four paragraphs. But experts tell CNN, Kim may be using a carrot and stick approach with Trump, mixed with personal flattery of the president over the past few months have been threats to the U.S. from Kim's regime, including in December when North Korea said it wouldn't relinquish it's nuclear weapons unless the U.S. eliminates it's own nuclear threat, followed by a New Year's message, warning that if the Trump team keeps up sanctions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONG UN (through translator): Then we have no choice but to defend our country's sovereignty and supreme interest and find a new to settle peace on our peninsula.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Why this double game from North Korea?
JANNUZI: I think Kim Jong Un needs to see some tangible benefits himself, in the same way that President Trump would like to see some tangible steps toward denuclearization, Kim Jong Un needs sanctions relief.
TODD: But some analysts believe Kim is simply stalling. Buying time to further develop his weapons program.
MATTHEW KROENIG, THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL: If Kim Jong Un were serious about denuclearizing, he could have taken some steps since the June summit. He could have dismantled missiles, dismantled warheads and he's not doing that. So, I think what we see now is that the North Korean's are really playing the United States.
TODD: The key question now, what does this personal dynamic between the two men lead to?
JANNUZI: It's either going to be an engagement or a breakup, so we're either going to make progress together or we're not. And if we're not and there's a breakup, then I think, basically, Kim Jong Un turns to another suitor.
TODD: Experts say that would leave President Trump and his team without many options for how to deal with Kim's threat. One option could be simply to keep up the sanctions pressure, the other would be that unpalatable option of considering possible military action.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And the U.S. government shutdown hits the heartland. Coming up, a look at how the government shutdown is having an effect on farmers in the Midwest at a critical time of the year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:35:00]
WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. First it was the trade war, now the U.S. government shutdown is creating new problems for farmers across America's heartland. If the shutdown continues, it could delay a major report from the USDA. Many farmers use that report to plan out crop distribution for the year ahead.
CNN Business correspondent, Vanessa Yurkevich is live for us in Northwest Illinois. So, Vanessa, what are you hearing from farmers there?
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this Trump shutdown could not have come at a worse time, after 2018, when they experienced so much trouble with from the trade war with China, retaliatory tariffs from Mexico, they're really struggling out here.
Right now we're on Brian Duncan's farm. He is a soybean farmer, a hog farmer and a corn farmer and he relies on selling to China and Mexico, who are not buying his soybeans and are not buying his hogs.
So, the Trump Administration has given farmers subsidies in order to offset that revenue. And what that does is help get them through the year, but the government, as we know, is shutdown and they are not getting those funds.
And that is really hurting farmers like Brian Duncan, and let's take a listen for ourselves to see how he and his family are doing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN DUNCAN, VICE PRESIDENT, ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU: So okay, maybe one market loss of demand wouldn't be as big of a deal, but when we're being cut on a bunch of different markets, the combination is problematic.
The fact that we're not moving pork into China and $12 a head loss from Mexico, okay, so that's $20 a head, that's Iowa State numbers. We market 70,000 head a year, you can do the quick math to pretty soon discover that's a $1.4 million annualized hit to our family farm.
YURKEVICH: $1.4 million to your family farm?
DUNCAN: Well, isn't that what 70,000 times $20 is?
YURKEVICH: Well that's -- I mean, that's a huge year-over-year change.
DUNCAN: It sure ...
YURKEVICH: How are you staying afloat right now?
DUNCAN: It's challenging. We're hoping for better times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YURKEVICH: And as you heard there, Brian is really struggling economically. And we spoke to a lot of other farmers in this area who are saying similar things. They're thinking down the road to 2020, and a lot of question marks are popping up in their head.
They were hoping that this president would deliver on promises of bringing up their revenue and keeping them afloat, but during this trade war and during this shutdown they're really experiencing some tough financial times and we're hearing, Fredericka, for the first time, some question marks as they're looking to 2020, trying to figure out if President Trump is, in fact, the best candidate to help them in their future. Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, these are big worries. This is their livelihoods, livelihoods passed on from generations in some cases. All right, Vanessa Yurkevich, thank you so much.
So one of the federal workers who has been furloughed from this shutdown is Lorie McCann. She serves as a chapter president of the National Treasury Employees Union, that covers some 700 federal workers. McCann joined me earlier and I asked her about President Trump's comments claiming that workers facing these furloughs are on his side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LORI MCCANN, CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION: Well, I'm sorry, I won't get into politics here. What I will say is this, I had a reality check on January 1.
[16:40:00]
MCCANN: I won't get into politics here. What I will say is this, I had a reality check on January 1. That's the day usually of reflection, that was -- on that day I was paying my bills for the month and realized that that was from my last paycheck, so I'm not going to say whether or not I understand about the wall, I understand that I'm not getting another paycheck and I just paid my bill.
WHITFIELD: And how stressful has this been knowing that that last paycheck is the one that has covered you thus far, but you've got more bills coming in?
MCCANN: It is very stressful, and not only for myself, but I've heard from members from Chapter 10, we have some that are sole providers and we have some that are actually where both spouses are furloughed and they're trying to figure out, what should they do, they're looking for guidance.
We have to make hard decisions this week. Should we file for unemployment, it's not going to take up most of our check, but should we file for unemployment? Should we look for second jobs?
I've had an employee that contacted me yesterday that was trying to figure out if they should just look for a new job all together, whether or not they should retire. I'm getting a lot of questions from our members and from myself. I do have to figure out what I'm going to do.
WHITFIELD: Right, and as you and other members try to entertain all of those options, have you come up with a plan of attack for yourself yet?
MCCANN: Well, as I was working on my vision board for 2019, unfortunately, this right now my vision board consists of how to pay bills. I've had family members that have reached out to me. So, I'm blessed, to ask me, did I need some assistance. I can work through my savings for a little while, but I'm by myself. What about the people that are trying to provide for their families.
WHITFIELD: And I know, Miss McCann, you said you don't want to get into the politics, but when the President of the United States says to all Americans and most notably to the federal workers who are not receiving these paychecks, he says, I can relate and I'm sure that people who are on receiving end will make adjustments, they always do. I mean, it makes you chuckle, but this is serious business to, right? So, what is your visceral gut reaction here, besides the laughter that I just got from you?
MCCANN: Well, it's -- this is our reality, our reality, which is our bills have to be paid. We want to do our jobs, we are, as federal employees, we are a dedicated workforce and we're hurting. And so, we have to pay our bills, we have to figure out a way to pay our bills. If we go -- if we apply for unemployment and if Congress passes a bill and is signed that say that we will receive back pay, then we have to pay back the unemployment. If we go for a second job, we have guidelines for outside employment, so my reaction, that's the best I can right now on television.
WHITFIELD: Yes, I got you. Okay, so that's the right now and the president said, a few days ago, it could go months, it could go years. How do you prepare yourself, this day forward, for that kind of uncertainty on how long U.S. government, a place of your employment, the root of your livelihood could go on, shutdown?
MCCANN: Well, I was actually thinking about that this morning. I really have to figure out what I'm going to do. It's not that easy. See, I've been on a job for 28 years, to go out and look for another job. How do you start all over again? But, if it goes on -- if it goes on much longer, then I am going to have to figure out what I'm going to do to sustain my lifestyle and just to be able to eat, honestly.
WHITFIELD: Got it. Right. All right, best to you, Lorie McCann. Thank you so much for joining from Chicago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:45:00]
WHITFIELD: All right, in just a few hours, the biggest names in Hollywood will hit the red carpet for the Golden Globe Award. So, what do we expect? New hosts, a diverse list of nominees and of course the fashion, starting with our own Stephanie Elam who is a wash in gold.
Look at how beautiful and on the red carpet. OK, so what is everyone going to be talking about tomorrow besides your fabulous look?
STEPHANIE ELAM, COORESPONDENT: Oh, well thank you Fredricka. Well you know what, the one thing that's different this year compared to last year is that last year at this time; everyone was wearing black because of the Me Too movement. Expect that to not be the same thing this year.
You're looking to see color, you're looking to see people wearing dazzling array of hues. So, that's one thing that you'll look for on the red carpet. As far as the movies, and the different thing that we have here with the Golden Globes is you have movies and television shows that are up for awards here tonight.
And one thing they're looking at on the movie side, think about those big movies that everyone saw and everyone was talking abut from Black Panther to Crazy Rich Asians, to A Star is Born which no doubt is the front runner. I mean, who knew that Bradley Cooper could sing.
WHITFIELD: I know-- ELAM: I think that's one part of it there, no one knew that.
WHITFIELD: Pretty good.
ELAM: And so, there's that. I mean it's -- the beautiful tragedy of it all, right? So, you have that. That's really going to be the front runner. And then another performance on the movie side that you cannot miss is Christian Bale basically turning himself in to Dick Cheney--
WHITFIELD: Right.
ELAM: -- in Vice. It would be shocking I think for many people if he doesn't win for that role.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he becomes a character, doesn't he? That's really something. So, Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh are teaming up for the first time to host. So, what's the expectation?
ELAM: Well, one thing to keep in mind about our hosts is that Sandra Oh's also a nominee and she's nominated for Killing Eve, a show that is on BBC America, maybe a lot of people haven't seen it. But it is a fan favorite from those people who have seen it.
So, she's nominated for that but she's got stiff competition coming from Julia Roberts who decided to take on TV with Homecoming, which also a really good show. The show's nominated, she's nominated
Her co-star Stephen James who's also the star in If Beale Street Could Talk, he's not nominated for the movie, but he's nominated for Homecoming. So, that's something else to keep your eyes on. As far as the hosts, look for some fun; look for it to not be as topical. This is the Hollywood foreign press.
This is a smaller group of people voting on these awards here. But look for there to be a lot of laughter, a lot of jokes. And remember, this is the award show where the stars can enjoy a glass of wine or two during the production.
WHITFIELD: Yes, (inaudible). Champagne, then they just keep it pouring. Yes, I said that on purpose, (inaudible). All right, very good. Stephanie Elam--
ELAM: Before you get the tweets.
WHITFIELD: Yes, that's right. Sorry, thank you so much. Have fun on the red carpet from L.A.
[16:50:00]
All right, don't miss the red carpet of American history joined cultural experts Tim Gunn, Christie Brinkley, Dianne Diane von Furstenberg, and more for a front row seat. American Style premieres next Sunday night, 9:00 eastern on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: So, a pretty dramatic video coming out of Corpus Christi, Texas. Police officers and bystanders flipped over a burning car on the freeway in order to help save a trapped driver. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Other drivers were already out of the vehicles trying to push the care over. When police arrived, the officers jumped out to help. And once they all flipped over that burning car, police were able to pull the 70 year old driver out of the wreckage.
Officials say the car was hit by a wrong way driver who died at the scene. The man who was rescued from the burning car survived and i expected to be OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A video of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing went viral this week with millions of views. You can't buy that kind of attention.
[16:55:00]
So, does that mean we're about to see more dance moves on the campaign trail? Here's CNN's Jake Tapper taking a look with this week's State Of A Cartoonion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE TAPPER, COORESPONDENT: Newly sworn in Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has hit D.C. like a tornado. She's a new kind of politician. She talks to her supporters on Instagram where she chats with her constituents about the problems of cash bale while cutting chili peppers.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, U.S. REP.: You just got to be good at getting things done.
TAPPER: Some folks saw an attempt to follow Ocasio-Cortez's millennial lead in Elizabeth Warren's presidential exploratory committee announcement when she talked economic policy in her kitchen.
ELIZABETH WARREN, U.S. SENATOR: Hold on a sec, I'm going to get me a beer.
TAPPER: She didn't quite do keg stands. It was pretty tamed.
WARREN: I drink Michelob Ultra, the club soda of beers.
TAPPER: But we wondered if all of the older 2020 might try to get in on the millennia social media action. Will we see Bernie Sanders trying to Bird Box his way through Ohio?
BERNIE SANDERS, U.S. SENATOR: Millionaires and billionaires.
TAPPER: Maybe Joe Bidden will do his entire campaign only using Bidden memes. Might Michael Bloomberg try his hand at flossing.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, CEO OF BLOOMBERG: Some point you're going to die anyways, so you want to do it before then.
TAPPER: Ocasio-Cortez won't be odd enough to run for president until right before Election Day 2024. But the 2020 crowd may already kind of have an Ocasio-Cortez of its own.
UNKNOWN MALE: So (inaudible) proud of you guys.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much for being with me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The news continues right now with (inaudible) right after this.
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