Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
Breaking New This Hour, Karl Lagerfeld, One Of The Most Celebrated Fashion Designers Of Our Time Has Died; Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders Announced That He Is Kicking Off His Second Bid For President; Taiwan President's Tsai Ing-Wen Tells CNN In An Exclusive Interview That She Will Run For Re-Election; Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Is Hitting Back At Donald Trump After The U.S. President Took Him On In A Speech From Miami On Monday; Indian Army Says A Pakistan-Based Terror Group Carried Out Last Week's Bomb Attack In India-Controlled Kashmir With Active Support From The Pakistani Army; A Fresh Revelation From The Vatican As It Confirms It Has Secret Rules For Priests Who Father Children Following Claims In "The New York Times;" The Typically Media-Shy Founder Of Huawei Delivers A Bold Message For Washington As A U.S. Offensive Against His Firm Rages On; The Japanese car maker, Honda has confirmed it will close down its U.K. factory in two years. Trump: America Will Never Be A Socialist Country; A Warning For Parents About The Time That Your Kids Are Spending In Front Of A Screen. Aired: 8-9a ET
Aired February 19, 2019 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, "NEWS STREAM": I'm Kristie Lu Stout Kong in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream." Breaking new this hour, one of the most
celebrated fashion designers of our time has died.
Karl Lagerfeld was best known for his work as Creative Director of the legendary house of Chanel. The iconic German designer was also the
Creative Director of Fendi and his own namesake label. His personal style made him an icon, one of the most recognizable men in the fashion world.
Jim Bittermann joins us now from Paris this morning. Jim, this is a tremendous loss. Karl Lagerfeld recognized as one of the most influential
designers of his generation.
JIM BITTERMANN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Absolutely, Kristie, and one of the most unstoppable designers, and that's why I think,
the fashion world is in such shock today because no one could ever believe Karl Lagerfeld was ever going to die. He was one of those people who just
went on from one show to the next, sometimes doing as many as 14 fashion shows in a single year.
He said one time that if he stopped working, he would die. And in fact he pretty much held to that. His last show, he failed to appear at the Chanel
show back in January. That was the first show in decades that he had ever missed. And one of his last public appearances was here on the Champs-
Elysee where he was invited by the mayor of Paris to come for the Christmas lighting ceremonies.
At that time he appeared a little haggard and in fact may have been already showing the effects of whatever it was, the illness that struck him down.
His age, he was never -- he could never tell the same story twice about his age. It was somewhere in the 80s, somewhere between 83, 85, something like
that. But he never could quite come clean about his age.
Living alone on the Paris left bank in an apartment with his cat, Choupette, which in later years became one of the best known cat in the
world because he developed a fashion line around Choupette. And he was a symbol, as you say, his personal identity was such with his powdered wig
and his sunglasses that you couldn't fail to recognize him.
He was a figure you saw in some of the bars and night spots on the left bank on occasion and a person who was quite popular not only with those of
the fashion world, but a lot of other people -- journalists -- he was quite generous in terms of giving his time to journalists. I've interviewed him
a number of times and in fact, he was quite an interesting and passionate character about what he did, and in terms of fashion, he was always at the
height of fashion, out in front of everyone else in terms of fashion -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, he was influential, he was iconic with an incredible work ethic. Jim Bittermann, reporting live for us. Jim, thank you. And now to
a major announcement. In the 2020 U.S. presidential race, the 2016 Democratic runner-up, Bernie Sanders, has just officially thrown his hat
into the ring.
A short time ago, the Vermont senator announced that he is kicking off his second bid for president. The 77-year-old lost a hard-fought battle with
Hillary Clinton for the democratic nomination in 2016, but Sanders lit a fire under the Democratic base as millions of Americans felt the burn, as
they say.
Now, his first campaign raised more than a million dollars in its first 24 hours alone. The Senator released a video about an hour ago calling on
volunteers across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERNIE SANDERS, U.S. SENATOR, VERMONT, INDEPENDENT: Hi. I'm Bernie Sanders. I'm running for President, and I'm asking you today to be part of
an unprecedented grassroots campaign of one million active volunteers in every state in our country. Our campaign is not only about defeating
Donald Trump, the most dangerous President in modern American history, it is not only about winning the Democratic nomination and the general
election. Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and
environmental justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Bernie Sanders is an independent, but will be running once again as a Democrat, and he is joining a much more diverse group of politicians
this time around, including Senators Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, among as you can see there on your screen and many
others.
CNN's senior political analyst, John Avlon joins us now from New York. John, welcome back and he is back, Senator Sanders is running for President
again. This is, as we just showed our audience a very crowded field. Is he among the front-runners?
[00:05:09]
JOHN AVLON, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST, CNN: He is among the frontrunners because he has the highest name I.D. and crucially, he came in second last
time. In American politics, that's often a good indication of who should have the edge on the next nomination.
However, Bernie Sanders is far to the left of not only the candidates running this time around, but most of his colleagues in his Senate for a
long time. He's an avowed Democratic socialist, refuses to affiliate formally even with the Democratic Party. But he has moved the party in his
direction considerably since that last run.
The lane for folks on the far left is more crowded. Elizabeth Warren trying to edge in there as well. But he has a high name I.D., a lot of
support particularly from young people last time around and that will translate to energy and goodwill in a crowded field, but he has already
changed the debate at least within the Democratic Party.
LU STOUT: He has changed the party. What about the general mood among voters in America because the political sands have certainly shifted since
2016. Are the progressive politics of Bernie Sanders much more palatable, much more mainstream among voters in America today?
AVLON: More palatable, I would cautiously say much more palatable. I mean, America has historically been a center right nation. Bernie Sanders
is definitely not that. What he has done is inspired a whole generation of candidates, many of whom won in 2018, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as
Democratic socialists who have adopted some of his rhetoric, and even some of his policy positions. Policy debates that weren't taking place a decade
or so ago, were not remotely in the mainstream are taking place in the halls of the Senate and Congress.
Here's a key reality check, just in terms of what we are talking about though. The Democratic Party now for the first time in decades has more
self-identified liberals than moderates, but it's still barely evenly divided. That's in contrast to the Republican Party which is many more
conservatives than moderates.
So he has moved the needle in the Democratic Party, but it is a long shot to say that someone with his politics could win a general election.
Against Donald Trump, who knows, but that is a choice not an echo that would leave millions of Americans in the middle feeling politically
homeless and for good reason.
LU STOUT: And where does Bernie Sanders stand among his fellow Democratic candidates running for President for 2020? Because they are -- many of
them are progressive and they are younger than him, more diverse than him. So how is this going to affect his standing and how Bernie Sanders needs to
redefine his campaign?
AVLON: It's one reason why 2016 may have been the high water mark of Bernie Sanders' career. He did very well with young voters, but now as you
just pointed out, there are a lot of younger candidates in who are decidedly of Gen X -- Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, May Buttigieg and many
others.
He comes from Vermont, a state not known for diversity in a party that is defined by diversity. Bernie Sanders becomes only the second straight
white male to enter a crowded field to date officially, and so those things may eat into his support. Elizabeth Warren has been really echoing his
policies and laying out a very ambitious agenda of her own that appeals to the left wing of her party.
So all these are signs that his base where he had the lane all to himself on the far left and the progressive winds last time around, that's being
eaten into right now. But again, he still has the highest name I.D. of anyone in the bunch. He has a lot of good will. The question is whether
that will translate to being in poll position and not for nothing.
But Kamala Harris, Senator from California running yesterday in New Hampshire, notably said, "I am not a Democratic socialist." In the past,
that wasn't something Democrats really needed to deny except when they were being subjected to right-wing attack ads. So she is trying to say he's
further to the left than I am. He has got a strong base of support, but it's being eroded because of his influence in political debates today.
LU STOUT: This race is just getting more and more interesting. John Avlon, always appreciate your insight. Thank you so much. Take care.
AVLON: Always, a pleasure. Take care.
LU STOUT: Now, another 2020 race that we are watching is this one in the eastern hemisphere. Taiwan President's Tsai Ing-wen tells CNN in an
exclusive interview that she will run for re-election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT RIVERS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Speaking of the politics of today, well, maybe the politics of tomorrow.
TSAI ING-WEN, TAIWANESE PRESIDENT: Yes.
RIVERS: Any thoughts on 2020 yet, whether you're going to seek re- election or any thoughts on your future?
TSAI ING-WEN: Well, it's natural that any sitting President wants to do more for the country, Matt, wants to finish things on his or her agenda and
it's quite natural for a President seeking another four years to complete his agenda or her agenda.
RIVERS: So you do plan to seek re-election in 2020?
TSAI ING-WEN: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[08:10:01]
LU STOUT: Tsai was the first woman to become the democratic island's leader, sweeping to power in 2016, but now she faces calls from members of
her own party not to seek re-election. What's more, relations with Beijing have turned frosty. Despite it all, Tsai Ing-wen says she is confident in
her ability to win.
And be sure to tune into "News Stream" on Wednesday to hear the full exclusive interview with Tsai Ing-wen. Matt Rivers speaks with her about a
more combative China and how Taiwan plans to counter those threats. It's 1:00 in the afternoon in London, 9:00 p.m. here in Hong Kong only on CNN.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is hitting back at Donald Trump after the U.S. President took him on in a speech from Miami on Monday. Mr. Trump
directed many of his remarks to the Venezuelan military, urging them to let humanitarian aid into the country and to back Maduro's rival, the
opposition leader, Juan Guaido.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You can choose the second path continuing to support Maduro. If you choose this path, you will find
no safe harbor, no easy exit, and no way out. You will lose everything. We seek a peaceful transition of power, but all options are open.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Mr. Maduro blasted President Trump's remarks saying his speech was almost Nazi-style. He also said 300 tons of aid will arrive from
Russia on Wednesday, and he says Venezuela has already paid for the aid. Now, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is just across the border in Cucuta in Colombia
and he joins us now. Nick, after the U.S. President delivered that warning, we know Nicolas Maduro is firing back. How?
NICK PATON WALSH, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, it's fairly common to see an exchange of rhetoric like this, and it's really the
rhetoric, I think that is mostly to be concerned of. There is escalating the temperature in a place like this where people at this time of day are
flooding in hundreds of thousands in from Venezuela to Colombia to get basic foodstuffs, but here's how Nicolas Maduro responded to Donald Trump
last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADURO (Through a translator): Donald Trump must take care of the internal affairs in his country instead of trying to solve the internal
affairs of Venezuela. He has a lot of problems and pretty serious ones within his country. That's why he tries to deflect attention from his
country, getting into Venezuela and fabricating a crisis, trying to fabricate a crisis, looking to provoke and militarily threatening us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PATON WALSH: And now, please after watching that, as you have been over the past weeks, remember, he also criticized CNN for not carrying his point
of view. But most importantly in the days ahead, the Trump speech was trying to focus U.S. power really towards the military elites. Now,
importantly he said that America knew where of those people were hiding their money. They could lose everything or they could keep things if they
stayed away from letting humanitarian aid into the country and defected away from Nicolas Maduro.
In fact, he referred to the Maduro government as the opposition part of Washington's general rhetoric, only in recognizing Juan Guaido as the self-
declared interim President. Trump's speech, I have to say was sometimes a load of mixed messages. Clear about the military and what he wants them to
do in the days ahead, when tons of aids, a small amount frankly, compared to the problem across the border, but begins to amass here and we're
hearing frankly, despite the strong rhetoric from the interim President, Juan Guaido, people here are saying that stuff is coming in regardless, on
both sides of the border, we're hearing that.
But the Trump speech appealed it seemed to expatriates, Venezuelans in Florida where he certainly wants to win in 2020. And he repeatedly talked
about socialism, the threat of socialism. Almost like he was facing the Berlin Wall in the 1980s, talking about how they may soon see the first
free hemisphere in human history. Obviously, that being the Americas. Such lofty ambition and rhetoric making this sort of urgent case here for
humanitarian aid getting in to Venezuela, so much more bound up in geopolitics. That has been the curse frankly of this situation here.
People need food, they don't need people talking about how this is American imperialism trying to cause a particular left-wing ideology here. But that
I am sure, we'll hear more of in the months ahead.
Kristie, the real problem in the days now is we have this aid, people want to get it in. There are dueling rock concerts the day before it's supposed
to enter. The concern is this may not out of hand and we might actually for the first time possibly see clashes here -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: That's right. A hair trigger situation there at the border. Nick Paton Walsh joining us live. Thank you, Nick. And do keep it here
for more on CNN because at the half hour, we're going to be talking to CNN's Joe Johns to get more on that angle about why Donald Trump is
targeting Venezuela, Maduro and also socialism in America.
Now, the Indian Army says a Pakistan-based terror group carried out last week's bomb attack in India-controlled Kashmir with active support from the
Pakistani Army.
[08:15:04]
LU STOUT: At least 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers were killed. This was the deadliest attack on security forces there in decades. And then on
Monday, the India Army and police launched an operation in the area that resulted in the deaths of four more India Army personnel.
The Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan is hitting back at the India Army's claims of supporting terrorists while offering a helping hand with
the investigation.
CNN's producer, Sophia Sofi joins us now from Islamabad. Sophia, after this recent violence in Kashmir, Imran Khan is speaking out. What is he
saying and what is he offering?
SOPHIA SAFI, PRODUCER, CNN: Well, Kristie, he has finally spoken out. It has taken him a couple of days since the attack took place, but what he has
said has been lauded here in Pakistan at least. He said it's a new Pakistan and he is actually offering to assist in the investigation into
this attack. Let's have a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IMRAN KHAN, PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN (Through a translator): My message to India is, firstly, you laid the blame on Pakistan without any evidence,
without thinking what Pakistan was going to gain from the attack.
Today, I make this offer to the Indian government, whatever investigations you want to carry out in this connection, to find out if there was any
Pakistani involvement in it, we are ready to help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAFI: Well, Kristie, this is really interesting. And it's been said that you know, considering the kind of jingoistic according to analysts
here in Pakistan, attacks that are coming from across the border, this kind of statements from Khan are almost statesman-like. However, some critics
have said that he might be offering a new Pakistan, but he hasn't really spoken about the terrorist organizations within Pakistan that are still
being given a popular face in the country.
Some of them even being allowed to run elections -- local elections, general elections -- in the previous election that took place. Now, apart
from that, the other question that arose is he said that Pakistan does not provide a terrorist haven to any militants on its soil, but, however, just
a couple of hours ago, Iran accused Pakistan of facilitating a terrorist attack within its borders.
And meanwhile, just a couple of weeks ago, Afghanistan has made similar accusations against Pakistan. So Khan might be talking the talk, but it
remains to be seen whether his government will actually walk the walk when it comes to these statements and these offers that he's making to India --
Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, especially when he puts up an Instagram that says, "Don't mess with our country." Sophia Safi, we'll leave it at that, but thank you
very much for your reporting.
Now, a fresh revelation from the Vatican as it confirms it has secret rules for priests who father children following claims in "The New York Times."
More from Rome, next. Also ahead, the typically media-shy founder of Huawei delivers a bold message for Washington as a U.S. offensive against
his firm rages on. We have a live report on that after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: All right, coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back, this is "News Stream." Now, the Vatican has admitted to CNN that it maintains
secret guidelines for priests to father children, despite their vows of celibacy.
Now, this follows a "New York Times" report claiming a document on how to deal with such situations exists. A Vatican spokesman confirmed the news
to our correspondent, Delia Gallagher who joins us now live from Rome.
And Delia, another huge Vatican secret is out. You've received a statement from the Vatican on this. What can you tell us?
DELIA GALLAGHER, VATICAN CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Kristie, I can tell you that the Vatican is confirming that these guidelines do exist. Of course,
they're not calling it a secret, they're saying it's an internal document. They are not publishing the document, but I did speak to the Vatican
spokesman, Alessandro Gisotti who gave me this statement with a little bit of detail about what the document contains.
And the spokesman says, "I can confirm that guidelines exist. It is a document for internal use, which synthesizes the procedure developed
throughout the years that the congregation is not intended for publication. I can however affirm that the fundamental principle which animates these
guidelines is the protection of the child. For this reason, the document ordinarily requires that the priest present a request for dispensation from
the obligations of the clerical state and as a lay person assumes his responsibility as a parent dedicating himself exclusively to the child."
So essentially, what the Vatican guidelines are saying is that a priest who has fathered the child should ask to be removed from the priesthood. Now,
we do not have this document, as I said, but in 2017 in Ireland, the Irish Bishops did publish their guidelines and their guidelines are similar,
although they don't require that a priest is removed from the priesthood. They do say that he has to be responsible for the financial and moral
obligations of the child.
And let me add that Pope Francis, before becoming Pope, Kristie, in 2010 in a book of interviews said that he thought that a priest who fathered a
child should be removed from ministry -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: So these rules exist because according to that statement that you just read aloud, quote, "The protection of the child." Now, Delia, do we
know how many children of priests are believed to be out there?
GALLAGHER: Well, as with many of these cases, Kristie, we do not have statistics. This particular situation was brought to light by a man in
Ireland himself, the child of a priest who started a group called Coping International and he told "The New York Times" that he has had 50,000
visitors to his website from 157 different countries.
That is probably only a sampling of the children of priests that exist. It was an issue, by the way, raised yesterday at the Vatican press conference
for this Summit that is coming up on Thursday, not in reference to children of priests, but in reference to statistics on sexual abuse in general.
And it is one of the things that organizers say they are working on because statistics are very hard to come by and even the Vatican, which should be
the central place for holding these statistics, doesn't have them fully compiled and is not making them public.
They say that's not one of the things that they are working on. It's certainly one of the things that we are waiting for and many people
besides, because obviously it would help to understand better each of these situations.
In the case of priests who father children, we're not necessarily talking about situations of sex abuse, although we might. They are also situations
of consensual relationships with women, so it's a slightly different category, but nonetheless the statistics on that are important and
hopefully forthcoming.
LU STOUT: All right, Delia Gallagher reporting live for us. Thank you. The Japanese car maker, Honda has confirmed it will close down its U.K.
factory in two years. The plant in Swindon in England currently employs 3,500 people. It has made more than three million cars since it opened in
1995. It is capable of making 150,000 Honda Civics each year.
Honda says it has taken the decision to the, quote "unprecedented changes to the industry." The British Business Secretary has called the closure
devastating for the town of Swindon and the U.K.
Now, we're going to have much more on this in a live report from the town bearing the brunt of the news. It is coming up on "First Move with Julia
Chatterley" that starts in a little over 30 minutes from now.
[08:25:01]
LU STOUT: Now, Huawei's founder is striking a defiant tone at a time when the U.S. is working to curb the Chinese tech giant's international reach.
In an interview with the BBC, Ren Zhengfei said this, quote, "There is no way the U.S. can crush us. The world needs Huawei because we are more
advanced," unquote.
Samuel Burke joins us now live from London with more. And Samuel, in this interview, the founder of Huawei, he is determined, he is defiant. What's
your take on the key messaging from this interview?
SAMUEL BURKE, BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Kristie, it's classic China in the sense that the businesses as well as the
government there always take a long-term calm view, and that's exactly the type of defiant tone and calm tone that we saw in this interview.
Now, to me, what's the most important part is actually the mechanics. He denied outright that there is any type of back door that could be used by
the Chinese government or any other government for that matter. And he said that if he were asked to build one or if he found out that there were
one, he would shut down the company. Let's just listen to a little more of what he Ren Zhengfei told the BBC.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REN ZHENGFEI, FOUNDER, HUAWEI (Through a translator): There's no way the U.S. can crush us. The world needs Huawei because we are more advanced.
Even if they persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we could just scale things down a bit and because the U.S. keeps targeting us and
finding fault with us, it has forced us to improve our products and services.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: So it's interesting, Kristie. He says there the U.S. can't crush them but by saying we might have to reduce and scale things back, he's
admitting that they may have to take a step back there. Though again, this long-term big picture view, he said, "If the lights go out in the west,
well, the east will shine."
So there is a long-term strategy here it seems and the calmness and collectiveness I thought really came through in the interview.
LU STOUT: That's right. The founder of Huawei seems calm, confident that they will be able to ride out what's happening at the moment, but what
about the U.S. indictment of the Huawei CFO, Meng Wanzhou, who is also Ren Zhengfei's daughter? What did he say about her?
BURKE: Well, perhaps this is the most interesting side personally, because he did say that this arrest was politically motivated in his view,
but he also went on to talk about the fact that they aren't that close, quite surprising to hear somebody say that in this type of situation.
Though we have heard from her in the past talking about the strain that she's had in her relationship with the father and perhaps that Huawei was
something that had brought them back together when he had been off creating this huge business. This had been a way for them to come back together
though it's now what has split them apart as she remains in Canada waiting to be extradited to the United States.
LU STOUT: Samuel Burke reporting live from London, thank you. Here's a quote. "America will never be a socialist country." Those are the words
of the U.S. President lambasting the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela and perhaps alluding to some of the contenders for the 2020
election in the United States. Analysis from our Joe Johns just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00]
LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your headlines. Iconic German fashion designer Karl
Lagerfeld has died. That's according to a press officer for Chanel. Lagerfeld is one of the most celebrated fashion designers of our time and
was the Creative Director of Chanel, Fendi, as well as his own namesake label.
After months of deliberation, U.S. Senator, Bernie Sanders has officially entered the race for President in 2020. He made the announcement in an e-
mail and video a short time ago. This will be Sanders' second consecutive bid for the Democratic nomination after losing to Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Donald Trump is telling Venezuela's military, "If you continue to back President Nicolas Maduro, you will lose everything." Now, speaking in
Miami on Monday, Mr. Trump urged Venezuelan troops to allow humanitarian aid into the country and called on them to support the self-declared
interim President, Juan Guaido. Mr. Maduro blasted President Trump's speech saying it was almost Nazi-style.
For his part, President Trump also railed against socialism pointing to Venezuela as an example of its dangers. Joining me now, senior Washington
correspondent, Joe Johns. And Joe, with this speech, President Trump is targeting Maduro and, although brief, socialism in the United States.
Exactly what did he say?
JOE JOHNS, SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, you know, Kristie, it's about fear. Fear was a critical part of Donald Trump's first run for
President, it was fear of immigrants at that time. Now, it appears to have gone a few steps further than field testing, the notion of fear of
socialism as the second campaign gets started in earnest.
This is as a way of suggesting that his opponents in the Democratic Party are too far to the left on things everything ranging from immigration to
taxes to health care, the environment.
Last night in that speech in Miami, the President referred to socialism or socialists, something like 20 times, and it's important, I think, also to
say that it was always in the pejorative, always a negative connotation, also referring to glancingly Democratic socialism in the United States, but
we knew exactly what he meant. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: To those who would try to impose socialism on the United States, we again deliver a very simple message, America will never be a socialist
country.
(Cheering and Applause)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: There's also this in a 2018 op-ed in "USA Today." The President wrote, "The truth is that the centrist Democratic Party is dead. The new
Democrats are radical socialists who want to model America's economy after Venezuela."
So the whole idea is raising concerns in the United States about government intrusion in people's lives -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: It's fascinating to hear your analysis of President Trump's speech on Venezuela, that he is basically field testing fear of socialism.
So as 2020 is just around the corner and breaking news today, Bernie Sanders now in the running, are we seeing the return of Donald Trump the
candidate, especially as we gear up for this big election?
JOHNS: You know, I think you could arguably say the President has been running ever since he was elected the first time. Quite frankly, he's had
so many political rallies all over the country, but now it's starting to get into it in earnest. And yes, there's no question that with people like
Bernie Sanders, who is a self-avowed Democratic socialist, there are others who espouse socialist policies, people like Elizabeth Warren, her concerns
about healthcare, pretty clear the direction that the President is going on this -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Joe Johns reporting live from the White House. Joe, thank you. The U.S. President is facing a major legal challenge to his declaration of
a national emergency, 16 states joined forces to file a lawsuit against it.
Donald Trump says his executive power allows him to reallocate government money to building his wall on the border with Mexico. Protesters made good
on their promise to come out in force across the country on Monday.
[08:35:01]
LU STOUT: They chanted "Fake Emergency" accusing Mr. Trump of manufacturing a crisis to access billions of dollars that Congress would not authorize.
You're watching "News Stream." And still to come, a warning for parents about the time that your kids are spending in front of a screen and which
device they're watching the most, that may surprise you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back, now China's Palace Museum commonly known as the Forbidden City has a rare treat for its visitors -- a night time tour. Now
for two nights only, tonight and Wednesday, the public is allowed to see parts of the iconic Beijing site at night. This special event is part of
the lantern festival which marks the end of the Chinese New Year holiday.
Now, parents, listen up to this, it is time to start thinking seriously about how much time your child spends using electronic devices. A new
study shows that screen time for some children is soaring. Now between 1997 and 2014, daily screen time for kids under the age of two has more
than doubled from one hour nineteen minutes to a whopping three hours and three minutes.
Now, surprisingly most of it was spent in front of a TV, despite more devices being available.
Now, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is live from CNN headquarters in Atlanta. He joins us now. Thank you for joining us, Sanjay. This is a concerning study,
especially in regards to what it says about infants and screen time. What does it say exactly?
SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Yes, I think that was the big headline, especially for infants from newborns to two years old, seeing
how their lives have changed, seeing how their screen time use has changed over this period of time, nearly 20 years, 1997 to 2014.
Now, 2014, Kristie is obviously five years ago, but the last year for which this sort of data was available, but you can look at some of the numbers
here. Keep in mind '97 you just had TVs, you had video games, you had computers, right? By 2014, the landscape completely changed. Doubled
among zero to two years old. They have more screen time than kids who are older than them, kids who are three to five.
But as you mentioned, and I thought that was a really interesting sort of thing in the study as well that the vast majority of those three hours is
still television. Two and a half of the three hours is still television. And even kids that who are three to five years old, out of their two and a
half hours of screen time, two hours was television.
So it is interesting. I am not entirely sure what to make of it, and the data may have changed even more over the last five years because there's
obviously tablets and phones and e-readers and all of these other devices nowadays that kids are watching and they're still spending most of the time
on the TV.
LU STOUT: Yes, TV is still taking a lot of screen time for kids. And I still can't get over that finding there that infants under the age of two
spending three hours a day on a screen.
GUPTA: Yes.
LU STOUT: You know, some parents they do this just to keep their kids busy, right? But what do we know about the impact that this could have? The
long-term impact that this type of exposure has on kids?
GUPTA: Well, and I'll by saying, look, I have three kids, guilty as charged a bit when it comes to screen time and my kids. There are
association studies, not cause-and-effect studies, but associations between the kids who had the most screen time and certain behavioral things, longer
term. Could there be cognitive issues? Could there be attention issues? Is there increased risk of obesity and impaired sleep?
[08:40:08]
GUPTA: When it comes to the top line, Kristie, I think it's worth sort of recognizing something that the researchers point out as well and that is
that, look, which came first? Was it the cognitive, language, social, emotional delays that led to more screen time? Or did the screen time
actually lead to some of these problems?
Again, we don't know the answer. We're seeing some of this data unfold for the first time really in human history. Also they say, look, maybe it's
not the screens that are doing anything at all, but it's what you're not doing to the brain instead.
So less parental teaching, less parental interaction, less age appropriate sort of interactions with the parents because they're on the screen
instead. So it may be more what you're not getting versus what you are getting.
So I think you've got to interpret this with a little bit of caution. Screens are here clearly. Should all screens be viewed the same? Should
all content on screens be viewed the same? Probably not, but that's going to be parsed out, I think, as we go forward.
LU STOUT: Yes, it's good to have that interpretation of the data. Now, I am a parent, Sanjay, you're a parent, you're a dad of three daughters. We
know that you are very concerned about the issue of screen time as many of our viewers out there are, what else have you learned about the topic from
your reporting in the U.S. and around the world?
GUPTA: I think what's really interesting is that you look at certain regions around the world where maybe they have even more screen time than
what you're seeing in some of these numbers in the United States or in North America.
In Asia, for example, the screen time numbers are even higher there, and what you're seeing in certain places like an eastern province in China
recently, basically said, "Look, we are going to stop assigning so much homework that needs to be done on screens. We are going to limit the
teaching within classrooms to 30% or so done on screens or on the computer or whatever."
Their main reason for that was really less about the brain development than it was simply about vision. What they recognized was that about a third of
the country right now in China has myopia, they're near-sighted, but among high schoolers, the number is close to 77% and 80% of college students.
So you're seeing a tremendous change in vision and they're attributing that to the screen. And so they're sort of going retro, if you will, Kristie,
in certain places going back to paper homework, really doing less and less screen time because of the concern about vision.
Singapore, the same thing in terms of the myopia rates, close to 80%. So the impact of the screens on vision, that seems to be driving some of these
changes in other places around the world.
LU STOUT: Sanjay, you've given us so many reasons to unplug and put those screens down. Thank you so much. Dr. Sanjay Gupta there.
GUPTA: You've got it, Kristie.
LU STOUT: And that is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout. Don't go anywhere though, we've got "World Sport" with Christina McFarland coming up
next.
(SPORTS)
[09:00:00]
