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Tomorrow: Opening Statements In Trump's First Criminal Trial; Two Young Siblings Killed After Car Drives Into Building; Foreign Aid Package Now Heads To The Senate; At Least 2 Dead, 6 Injured At Memphis Block Party Shooting; Jewish Community Prepares For Passover Amid Violence, Threats; Millions On Freeze Alert As Cold Weather Sweeps Across U.S. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired April 21, 2024 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:00:35]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right. It's the eve of a historic moment in American history. Tomorrow for the first time, prosecutors will present opening statements in a criminal trial of a former president. Donald Trump will walk into a Manhattan courtroom tomorrow morning where he will hear the state's case against him.

He's facing dozens of charges related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels made before the 2016 election. This is the first of four criminal cases against Trump to go on trial.

CNN's Marshall Cohen joining us right now with more on all this. Marshall walk us through what the trial just might look like.

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Hey Fred. It's history in the making with opening statements scheduled for tomorrow morning in New York. This is the very first time in our nation's history that a former president will sit for a criminal trial.

Let's just zoom out Fred and remind everybody how the heck we got here. Donald Trump is facing 34 felony charges. These are state charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney.

The alleged crime is falsifying business records because of that hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, which went through Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, and he was reimbursed first through the Trump Org. which is a business registered in New York.

That's the alleged crime.

We all watched last week as they whittled down the jury pool to reach a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates. They are ready to go.

This trial is expected to last probably about six weeks with a verdict, perhaps coming in June or in the early summer. And of course, Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty and he denies the

affair with Donald Trump (SIC).

So opening statements tomorrow. What's that going to look like? What's that going to sound like? You won't be able to see it and you won't be able to hear it because there's no cameras in the courtroom but we have a team of reporters that will be there chronicling every little development.

And we're expecting prosecutors to start telling the story. They have a ton of witnesses lined up ready to go to explain to the jury what happened back in 2016, and why in their opinion it's a crime.

The prosecution is expected to call folks like Michael Cohen, as I mentioned, the longtime attorney to Donald Trump, who has turned against him and is in many ways the star witness in this case. Stormy Daniels, who alleged the affair and got the hush money payment $130,000.

There's also Hope Hicks, a Trump campaign official back in 2016, who was part of that behind-the-scenes scramble to try to make sure that there weren't negative stories like these coming out in the press.

There's also Karen McDougal, you see there on the bottom left. She is another woman who alleged an affair with Donald Trump. Her story was purchased by David Pecker on the right, who was the head two of the "National Enquirer" tabloid.

He bought that story, according to prosecutors, so that he could bury it, so it would never see the light of day. It's what they call catch- and-kill, Fred. That's the theory of the prosecution that Donald Trump conspired essentially with these other people to suppress these negative stories to prevent the voters from hearing about it in 2016 and then covered it up in the business records. That's the theory of the case and the prosecutors will lay it out tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: Ok. And many of the pictures there, many of those participants could be called, as eyewitnesses.

All right. Marshall Cohen thanks so much.

All right. For more now on this unprecedented trial, I'm joined now by senior jury consultant at IMF Legal Strategies, Melissa Gomez. She is the author of the book "Jury Trials: Outside In, Leveraging Psychology from Discovery to Decision". Melissa, great to see you.

So there's a lot of pressure --

MELISSA GOMEZ, SENIOR JURY CONSULTANT, IMF LEGAL STRATEGIES: Great to be here.

WHITFIELD: -- on this jury. I mean, that's an understatement, right. Supporters and critics of the former president are adding to that pressure. Are you concerned that after this weekend Judge Merchan may hear from jurors who want out because of fear or pressure.

[14:04:51]

GOMEZ: That could potentially happen. But remember Fredricka in the very beginning, the judge asked the entire venire (ph), who cannot be fair and impartial.

If someone was not willing to serve, they had an easy out at that moment and that typically isn't that easy.

So you started with the panel a week ago of jurors that indicated that they were willing and able to serve.

So I think the risk of that is smaller than it would be if he hadn't conducted the initial voir dire in that manner.

WHITFIELD: Well, there are six alternates but no judge, you know, wants to have to need them at least, you know, at the start of trial.

So how will Judge Merchan kind of persuade them, offer these jurors reassurance about how important it is to really hang in there.

GOMEZ: Absolutely. Well, and this is something that happens in a lot of trials that have alternates. These jurors understand that they need to pay as close attention to the evidence as everyone else. You never know what can happen, especially in a six-week trial.

The length of trial is really what determines the number of alternates that are needed. People can get sick, there can be something that happens that causes someone to drop out. And those jurors know that if someone drops out in six weeks for whatever reason, they're up.

WHITFIELD: Ok. So what kind of protections can a judge perhaps put in place for these jurors?

GOMEZ: I think just talking to them about the importance of the decision that they're making. But I don't necessarily think that he needs to let them know that.

I mean, you talked about pressure on this jury. There is absolutely pressure on this jury. They understand the importance of what they're doing. They understand that the country and the world is watching and they've already indicated that they were willing to be there.

So I think just the appreciation for their time reminding them that they too are extraordinarily important to this process. This process can't happen without these alternative being there in order to make sure that we're protecting this process in the event that something happens to one of the other jurors.

WHITFIELD: The defendant, Donald Trump, you know, has been seen turning around, looking at prospective jurors during the selection process. There is also, of course, intense press coverage.

One dismissed juror, you know, called the experience of that trial a bit intimidating. So what instructions do you think might still be given to the jurors? Whether it be before opening statements, just to, you know, offer reassurances about the responsibility at hand and what they have already, you know, sworn to do.

GOMEZ: I think the reassurances will come from they're together in this process. They're not there in isolation. But I think that a lot of it will come to trying to control the outside influence that is on this jury.

They're going to be instructed don't Google anything, don't look up the news. Even if they're not sequestered, they're going to be instructed very strongly not to look at any external information about this trial.

And that's where a lot of those pressures may come from where people can start to feel intimidated and uncomfortable because it's not just understanding the importance of the decision that they're making.

But I'm sure that each and every one of them fully understand that no matter what decision they are going to make, there will be a response from the public.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's look at the -- look at the assembled jury, you know, 12 jurors in all, six alternates -- a wide range of backgrounds from investment bankers to lawyers, an English teacher, a physical therapist. Among the 12, seven men, five women. As someone who has studied the psychology of juries, you know, is there anything that you can glean that might indicate something strong about this jury?

GOMEZ: What I noticed about this jury is this is a very sophisticated panel. You have to lawyers on this panel, this is very unusual. You -- in any kind of jury trial, lawyers often want to strike or remove other attorneys because of their knowledge of the law.

But I think that there are special circumstances here that are causing some decisions to have been made that may be a bit unprecedented or maybe a bit unusual so having jurors who understand the law and remember what the goal of this jury is, what they're supposed to do is decide whether Donald Trump is innocent or guilty of these specific charges.

And so the integrity of the judicial process is going to be paramount given the implications that this trial has on the political election. So to have to lawyers who work in the judicial system, who care about the integrity of the judicial system, its going to be very important.

[14:09:51]

GOMEZ: Another thing that I noticed about this jury is that it's quite diverse. and diversity really creates a lot of discussion. It creates, you know, a good place for deliberation and compromise. And so having a jury that is that diverse is going to be helpful to the process.

Now, there's no way to know which way that's going to land. But the thing to keep in mind for Donald Trump is that he doesn't necessarily just need a defense verdict. If he has one juror that does not want to convict and who stands their ground he doesn't get convicted. And the trial he would have to start over again if he doesn't get a unanimous verdict in either direction.

WHITFIELD: All right. Melissa Gomez we'll leave it there. Thank you so much.

GOMEZ: You're welcome. Great to be here.

WHITFIELD: All right. Of course will have full coverage tomorrow.

Still to come, several people are injured after a tram crashed at the Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood. What led to the collision? That's straight ahead.

And weekend protests at Columbia University has a Jewish campus leader advising Jewish students not to return to the campus today because he says it's unsafe. Details after the break.

[14:11:05]

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WHITFIELD: All right.

Welcome back.

15 people are recovering from minor injuries today after a tram crashed at the world-famous Universal Studios in Hollywood last night. Investigators say around 9:00 or so, one car collided with a rail and several passengers fell out of the tram.

The studio uses the trams for its popular studio tour, which takes visitors to various filming locations on the iconic Hollywood backlot.

police say the tram driver is blaming a mechanical failure. The California Highway patrol is investigating.

On to Michigan now where two young siblings are dead after police say a drunk driver crashed into a building where a child's birthday party was being held. More than a dozen people were injured.

CNN's Rafael Romo joining me live with more on this.

So this is horrible. What happened?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very horrible indeed Fred. It was a joyous occasion that instantly turned into a nightmare for multiple families with young children.

It was about three in the afternoon when they were celebrating a child's birthday party at a boat club in Berlin Township, Michigan which is located on Lake Erie about 30 miles south of Detroit.

According to Monroe County authorities, a woman later described as driving while intoxicated, crashed her vehicle against the building where the party was being held, went through a wall and finally came to a stop approximately 25 feet inside. The sheriff says that first responders who rushed to the scene describe what they saw as extremely chaotic with a high level of emotions of those directly involved and those who witnessed this horrific incident.

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough choked back tears at a press conference, providing details about the tragic crash. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TROY GOODNOUGH, SHERIFF, MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN: Unfortunately in tragedy, two of the victims were pronounced deceased at the scene. This includes an eight-year-old female and a five-year-old male, who are siblings of each other.

The 66-year-old female driver of the vehicle, excuse me, who will not be identified at this time has been taken into police custody for operating while intoxicated causing death. And she's lodged at the Monroe County jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Obviously very difficult for the sheriff to talk about this, Fred.

In addition to the two children who died, 15 others, or more than a dozen people were injured. Nine people, including three children, were transported the to area hospitals with what Sheriff Goodnough described as serious life-threatening injuries. The two siblings were pronounced dead at the scene.

And Fred, in addition to driving while drunk officials, also said the 66-year-old woman will likely face additional charges. As you can imagine, a community that is devastated today by this.

WHITFIELD: Oh my God, that is absolutely tragic.

All right, Rafael Romo, thank you so much.

Straight ahead "Thank you, America" -- an impassioned message from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to U.S. lawmakers for passing a major foreign aid package. We'll have reaction live from Kyiv.

Plus what's next for the $95 billion measure? Straight ahead.

[14:19:02]

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WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

President Biden is urging the U.S. Senate to quickly pass a massive $95 billion foreign aid package that cleared the U.S. House of Representatives after months of wrangling. The Senate will have to come back from recess this week to vote on the package before sending it to the president for signature. It would give Ukraine $61 billion much of it in desperately-needed military aid.

Israel gets $26 billion. A lot of that is for its missile defense systems. And $8 billion goes to allies in Asia, particularly Taiwan.

Priscilla Alvarez is in Washington for us. Fred Pleitgen is in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Priscilla, to you first, what happens now with this vote in the Senate?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is expected to pass in the Senate when they begin voting on Tuesday afternoon, that according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

And then as you mentioned there, the president is expected to sign it to then quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs. That is what the president said in a statement released on Saturday following the passage of these national security bills.

And Fred, this was a win for the White House. They have been urging for the passage of these funds for months now, noting that it was urgent and necessary for Ukraine to get the assistance so as not to cede any ground to Russia.

And the way that the White House has often framed this is that it is a national security priority. It is in the interests of the United States to help their allies, like Ukraine and Israel.

[14:24:51]

ALVAREZ: And I'm told by a White House official that on Saturday afternoon, President Biden spoke with Speaker Johnson and House Minority Leader Jeffries separately to thank them for getting this across the finish line.

Of course, there's still a process that needs to play out here. But U.S. officials have consistently said that once this is passed and once it's signed by the president, they could begin to get that assistance to Ukraine, Israel, as well as surge humanitarian aid.

In fact, yesterday in a statement, Defense Secretary Austin said the package would quote, "surge lifesaving security assistance to Ukraine, support Israel and increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza".

So U.S. officials say look, this is a long time coming and they need to see it all the way through so that they can get that help to allies as the U.S. tries to reaffirm its leadership on the world stage, Fred.

All right. Priscilla, thanks so much.

To Fred Pleitgen now in Kyiv, what does this mean for Ukraine in the coming weeks and perhaps months.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they think, Fredricka that they, with this assistance from the United States, possibly are going to be able to hold up some of those Russian advances that we've been seeing over the past couple of months.

Of course, we have seen certain things that the Russians have been able to do because the Ukrainians have been short on artillery ammunition, but also short on air-defense systems as well.

For instance, the Russians now much more effective as using their own air force because they've managed to essentially turn a lot of the Cold War bombs that they have into guided munitions now, outfitting them with wings, able to drop those much further away from the frontline.

So the Ukrainians are saying they need air defense systems really badly. They need artillery ammo really badly as well. In fact, the president of this country, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he came out not long ago today and said he's obviously very grateful for this aid package that came out, but he also says from the time that decisions are made to stuff hitting the battlefield, that process needs to just be sped up a lot.

Now here in Kyiv today, I was actually able to speak with Vladimir Klitschko, who of course, is the former world boxing champion, the brother of the mayor of Kyiv and also still very much involved in the defense of this country. And here's what he said about why this aid package is so important.

Let's listen now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, BROTHER OF KYIV MAYOR: Today as a great potential to change the frontline so we can in Ukraine defend us better. It sends also very important signal to Putin's Russia that you're not going to win this war, this senseless war that has been started over two and a half years ago, almost two and a half years ago. It sends a message of motivation for us, Ukrainians that we are not alone. It did send also for Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. in this critical moments to stand together and make this decision together to protect democracy in this world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: And not surprisingly, the Russians have a very different reaction to all of this stuff, Fredricka.

In fact the foreign ministry of Russia came out today and accused the U.S. of using Ukrainians as quote, "cannon fodder", obviously the Ukrainian see that very differently.

They believed that they have a good chance to take the fight back to the Russians. One of the things for instance that happened today also because of that lack of artillery ammunition, the Russian say that they were able to take a pretty key village in the east of the country near the town of Chasiv Yar, which is also very important for the Russians trying to move forward westward as they're trying to push back the Ukrainian military.

So the Ukrainians really say, as we heard there from Vladimir Klitschko, that this was a big morale boost to them, and they hope very much that it will be a very big boost for them on the battlefield as well as their set to get ammunition and possibly also some of those air defense missiles that they say they need so badly on the front lines, but also to protect cities like the one that I am in right now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Fred Pleitgen in Kyiv, thanks so much; and Priscilla Alvarez from Washington.

All righ.t Let's get more analysis now on these developments. Ambassador Bill Taylor is the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and vice president of Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Great to see you, Ambassador.

So what do you expect the immediate impact might be once this bill gets final passage through the Senate and then eventually signed by the president?

BILL TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: So Fredricka it's exactly as you've been reporting. This is a big morale boost for the Ukrainians and U.S. military is ready to go with this equipment and this ammunition that you've been talking about. It we will go very quickly.

In fact, as I imagine, Fredricka that the Ukrainian military has been holding back because they weren't sure this was coming. Now that they know it's coming, they can probably release more of their dwindling stocks. But I would imagine it will have an immediate effect on the battlefield.

WHITFIELD: Oh, and you've been keeping in touch with President Zelenskyy's top aide. What has the conversation been like, you know, inside Zelenskyy's inner circle?

TAYLOR: They've been super focused on exactly what's going on, that you've been reporting on in the House of Representatives. They watch it very carefully.

[14:29:51]

TAYLOR: They're very pleased. Of course, that this has finally been resolved. As Mr. Klitschko just said, that bipartisan support which they've always tried to keep, was there. The overwhelmingly bipartisan support, that's what they need to be able to keep going on this fight.

WHITFIELD: I mean, these billions of dollars we're talking about, you know, $60 billion to Ukraine the expectation shouldn't be that it would end the war, right? But is there a feeling that Ukraine would still have to come back to the U.S. for more help. And given how difficult it was to get this package, what is the feeling inside Ukraine about having to need more if this doesn't do the trick?

TAYLOR: Very good. This is clearly going to keep them going. This has got allows them to fight through this, through the end of this year for sure and they are hopeful that with this these weapons and this ammunition, they've just passed it.

You've been reporting they passed a new bill that will allow them to recruit more soldiers that they need into the military. They get new weapons, new soldiers, new training. They'll have an ability to refresh the units that had been fighting for over two years, two-and- a-half years. And so, they have the hope that they'll be able to push the Russians back.

Once they do that, once they regain the momentum, at some point later this year, then they think, yes, they will -- they be able to demonstrate to their allies, to the Europeans, to the Americans, that this is worthy of support and they I think that support will continue.

WHITFIELD: So what's the signal, you think, that's being sent to Russia? They know it's going to take time between the U.S. Senate -- you know, they're watching everything -- between the U.S. Senate, you know, passing this and the president signing, how might the Russians be taking advantage of this time? Or, you know, might it change their strategy in any way, knowing that more weaponry is on the way, but it's not there just yet.

TAYLOR: It's not there just yet, but they can -- they can anticipate that the Ukrainians will be using what they have in anticipation of arrival of the new -- of the new weapons.

So, they've -- yes, they've been taking advantage hundreds of this slowdown in U.S. assistance. And so they will have to take that into consideration. The other thing that they have to consider now is President Biden might have been right when you said for as long as it takes. He's demonstrated that there is bipartisan support for Ukraine, and this has got to be discouraging for the Russians.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ambassador Bill Taylor, great to be with us. Thank you so much.

TAYLOR: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, as Jewish communities across the country get ready to celebrate Passover, we'll tell you why the FBI is concerned about violent threats against the community.

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[14:37:17]

WHITFIELD: Memphis police are searching for two suspects who opened fire at a crowded block party last night; two of the victims died at the scene and six others were injured. One remains in critical condition. Police initially reported 16 victims, but later said an error was made when several victims were reported, multiple times. Nearly 300 people were at the party. Investigators are now asking the public to help identify the two suspects.

And amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at New York's Columbia University, a rabbi associated with the school is warning Jewish students the campus is not safe and they should, quote, return home until it is. The unrest follows and appearance by the university's president on Capitol Hill last week Columbia's campus rabbi tells CNN, the center for Jewish life will remain open and is welcoming students to the center.

We'll take you live to the campus, coming up.

Meantime, across the country as Jewish communities are preparing for Passover, rising antisemitism and growing threats of violence have many on high alert. Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned threats to the Jewish community have increased threefold since the October 7th Hamas attacks.

Let's bring in CNN's Camila Bernal now.

Camila, you sat down with two rabbis. How are they preparing for the holiday amid growing anti-Jewish sentiment?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred, there are definitely a lot of concern among the Jewish community and they are concerned about their safety, but they're taking certain precautions to make sure that Passover goes well.

You know, I talked to a lot of them who told me there's just so many different feelings. There is that frustration, and sadness, not just because of the safety aspect, but also because of the hostages in Israel, but they do say that despite how difficult this time is, they're also looking forward to these traditions to celebrating with family and friends. And they say it will also be a joyous time.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (voice-over): These are the Passover preparations at the Hronskys.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You've got your blue waves.

BERNAL: -- as a mother and a rabbi.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some people call them Lego people. We call them Israelites.

BERNAL: Sarah Hronsky knows this year, the holiday, will be different.

Not only are many leaving empty seats at the table, but those celebrating are also being told to be on alert.

RABBI SARAH HRONSKY, TEMPLE BETH HILLEL: Threats are every day, they're all the time, and they're very, very real. BERNAL: According to the FBI, anti-Jewish hate crime cases tripled in the wake of the October 7th attack and they are currently on alert for threats ahead of Passover.

[14:40:02]

RABBI NOAH FARKAS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, JEWISH FEDERATION LOS ANGELES: We put out an alert to congregations, to schools, to organizations, agencies, anywhere where Jews gather for us to be a little bit more vigilant this year.

BERNAL: Rabbi Noah Farkas is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles. While he's also preparing for the Seder, the organization he leads is recommending people know who they invite into their homes, keep outdoor lights on, and report any incident or crime.

FARKAS: One of the saddest thing things about being a Jew in America today is that we have to pay for private security to express our First Amendment right.

BERNAL: For large gatherings, cameras and extra security has become the norm.

EITAN BAZAZ, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DAVID SHIELD SECURITY: In recent years, and especially since October 7, the demand for our services increased at least like 300 to 400 percent.

BERNAL: The increase says Eitan Bazaz with David Shield Security is in part because of protests, campus threats, and Middle East tensions, causing angst in the U.S.

In 2023, almost 9,000 anti-Semitic incidents have been tracked in the U.S., the highest number of incidents reported since the Anti- Defamation League began tracking them in the 1970s.

HRONSKY: But has increased phenomenon in a way that we cant even count anymore, that hundreds of percentage points that it's increased.

BERNAL: What have you seen?

HRONSKY: I'll give you an example. Today, a woman drove by my synagogue filming and shouting antisemitic slurs.

BERNAL: But despite the threats, the worry, the sadness, there will also be joy.

HRONSKY: Grounding and having a Seder and being celebration of your roots, in your core and your heritage, this is a sign that we, too, will get through to the other side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (on camera): Now, the FBI director did say that his remarks about safety, were not intended to stir alarm, but he did note that its a time to just remain vigilant and the people I spoke to told me it's the simple things like turning on your porch lights and yes, open the doors to your home, but know exactly who you're inviting in, or at least be familiar with the people that are coming into your home, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Camila Bernal, thanks so much.

All right. Still to come, high-stakes opening statements are set to begin tomorrow in Donald Trump's New York hush money trial. Details on what we can expect from inside the courtroom, straight ahead.

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[14:47:10]

WHITFIELD: All right. In the new CNN film "Blue Carbon: Nature's Hidden Power", viewers follow Grammy nominated DJ and environmental toxicologist Jayda G on her journey of learning more about a new ally in the fight to combat climate change.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAYDA G, DJ & ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGIST: I've been touring the world with my music and now I want to focus on what's happening to our planet.

The hardest thing when it comes to climate change that it just feels so big and overwhelming.

I like to concentrate on the stories where there is hope because they are out there.

I'm going to visit coastal communities that have a new ally in the fight against climate change. It's called Blue Carbon.

These are habitats which can conserve biodiversity.

I am way too happy.

Protect our cities against storms and rising seas, and help us turn down the climate's own stat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Joining us right now to discuss his marine scientists and environmental entrepreneur and climate risk expert, Dr. Deborah Brosnan.

Great to see you, doctor. So blue carbon, wonderful. So blue carbon. I mean, I guess it's a new discovery.

It's not a new ally, is it? It's just a new realization of things that have been in place for a very long time.

DR. DEBORAH BROSNAN, MARINE SCIENTIST: Exactly. Blue carbon is a new word for something that's been going on and we've been depending on for tens of thousands of year. These coastal ecosystems, kelp forests, coastal marshes, mangroves, seagrass beds, literally pull carbon from out of the atmosphere and they turn it into grows.

So when you look at a mangrove tree or a coastal marsh, you're literally looking at living carbon. And they've been doing this forever. And for us and since the industrial revolution, they have absorbed about a third of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They do it better and they do it faster than any other ecosystem.

WHITFIELD: So are you hoping out of this that what it will help launch is perhaps greater urgency to protect these ecosystems.

BROSNAN: Absolutely, because if we protect nature and these ecosystems, these ecosystems protect us. So mangroves not only sequester four times more carbon than tropical rainforest, but they stopped storm surge. If you have about a half-mile of a mangrove fringe, the sea -- the water level coming in and a storm goes down by about a fourth (ph) and big quarters.

[14:50:08]

That's a huge difference between getting flooded and not getting flooded.

And then there are a major source of fisheries, and one-and-a-half billion people, particularly in developing nations, depend on fisheries. So what I'm hoping is that it's going to make people more aware of not just the carbon and climate value for this huge ecosystem value that the system is provide for us every single day.

And it will change how we think we can make it change. How we do business.

WHITFIELD: So then in your view, what, what are the biggest threats to these ecosystems right now?

BROSNAN: The biggest threat to these ecosystems of, first of all, that we don't value them when we don't recognize what they do for us and after that, we're looking at how we treat them because we don't recognize them.

So let me give you an example. If you think today of how cities expand or how real estate develops, the first thing that happens is we look at engineering, we take away the landscape we put in an engineered structure and then, we put back the landscape. This can change it to say, what is the value of that ecosystem that's there? How do we align with that ecosystem to give us more benefits great livelihoods, and of course, investors that all, all important return on investment?

We can literally changed the way we protect our planet. And that in turn will benefit our resilient and ourselves to the tune of trillions of dollars, and a better lifestyle.

WHITFIELD: So this documentary is unique, right? Because it brings together film, music, a science to highlight climate crisis. As a scientist who works to create so real world solutions. What are some other ways that people can get involved in caring about this issue? What are you hoping this documentary is going to help enlighten?

BROSNAN: So beyond raising awareness and letting you realize that ecosystems really are very cool, I think the best thing it can do as to galvanize people to get involved. Now there's many ways you can get involved locally, and the kinds of restoration projects that are going on around the world, whether its seagrass, whether it's mangrove restoration, there are lots of opportunities to engage with non-profit organizations are for-profit organizations to do this kind of work either professionally or as a volunteer. That's one of the major things you can do.

The second is to educate yourself and raise awareness. Be an advocate for these ecosystems. Be an advocate for doing in business in the world differently.

Dr. Deborah Brosnan, thank you so much.

BROSNAN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Be sure to tune in everybody to the CNN Films presents "Blue Carbon: Nature's Hidden Power". It premieres tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, only on CNN.

All right. Straight ahead, Taylor Swift's new album has ushered in a whole new era for the pop star. We'll share how fans are reacting to the tortured poets department. That's next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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[14:57:35]

WHITFIELD: All right. A big spring chill is sweeping across much of the U.S., 16 million people are now under freeze alerts as cold air pushes its way through a large part of the central and eastern parts of the country.

CNN's Allison Chinchar has details.

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ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Fred. Areas of the Midwest, even down through the Southeast, looking at high temperatures today that were about 15 to 25 degrees below average. And even by tomorrow morning, still looking at some pretty chilly places, numerous spots on the map here dealing with those low temperatures tomorrow morning in the 30s, even as far down as Nashville, Tennessee.

But we are going to see a change finally, starting to see more of those warmer temperatures, beginning to spread eastward. But we do still have some areas that well see below average temperatures this week. That means is this next system begins to arrive into the Northeast, bringing rain, but also snow, because those cold temperatures will be in place. Most of them are going to be able across interior portions of New England as we go into the date early Wednesday, but by Thursday, we finally start to see that system exit. Overall, most of these areas not really looking at a ton of rain or snow for that matter, at this point, it's really just a nuisance. We're all ready to move on to spring at this point. Other thing though, is even the rain is a nuisance for some areas.

Take a look at Pittsburgh, for example, currently sitting in second place for wettest April on record, they may get awfully close to that number one slot by the next rain system that moves through this week.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks, Allison. So much are putting away some of that winter wear.

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WHITFIELD: All right. That's the iconic song from the '80s movie "Footloose" starring Kevin Bacon.

Well, four decades after the movie is released, Bacon, excuse me, return to Payson High School in Utah, where it was filmed and it comes after a year long campaign led by students to get Bacon to return to the school before its demolished.

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KEVIN BACON, ACTOR, RETURNED TO ICONIC "FOOTLOOSE" HIGH SCHOOL": It's been 40 years. I mean, that just blows my mind. Your desire to have me return, and you talked me into it, you know, I -- I think it's great to see that kind of commitment to any thing. I also think that it's amazing, the power that this movie has had to just kind of bring people together.

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WHITFIELD: Oh, so fun.