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House To Debate Multiple Foreign Aid Bills Today; GOP Split On Weather To Oust Speaker Johnson; Israeli Strikes In Iran Raise Fears Of Widening Conflict; Opening Statements In Trump's First Criminal Trial Set For Monday. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired April 20, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAYDA G., ECOLOGIST GRAMMY NOMINEE: That's OK, we can still be at paradox and still want to help and save the environment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right, and maybe instead of getting defensive, say maybe there's a better way to fill this want or need.

JAYDA G.: Exactly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In a way that's better for all life.

JAYDA G.: Exactly, when we bring down the defensiveness, it really opens everything up to have more discussions and solutions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Be sure to tune in CNN Films presents "BLUE CARBON: NATURE'S HIDDEN POWER," premieres tomorrow night at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.

Good morning and welcome to the best day of the week. It is Saturday, April 20th. Good to have you with us for CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Victor Blackwell.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: That's just Victor's opinion.

BLACKWELL: I love it.

WALKER: I'm Amara Walker. I love my Sundays. Here's what we're working on for you this morning. We're just hours away from a rare Saturday session in Congress to pass a critical $95 billion foreign aid package backed by Speaker Johnson. But it could cost the Republican his Speaker's gavel for citing or depending on the Democrats for their votes inside the deep divide in the House.

BLACKWELL: And with the Middle East already on edge after strikes in Israel and Iran, what we're learning about a series of deadly explosions at an Iran-backed militia base in Iraq. That's ahead in the live report. WALKER: Happening today, former President Trump is set to make his first campaign appearances since a jury was selected in his historic hush money trial in New York. What had Trump shaking his head in the courtroom ahead of Monday's opening statement?

BLACKWELL: And a new era for Taylor Swift, the records, her new double album is already breaking 24 hours after its release, and the new video she just dropped.

There's just two hours left until the house gavels into a busy working weekend. Lawmakers are expected to pass a number of foreign aid bills for Israel, and Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific region. And aid is not the only topic up for debate. To sweeten the deal for House Republicans, a fourth bill contains a slew of sanctions for Iran and China and Russia, plus potential nationwide TikTok ban.

The aid packages are worth together about $95 billion. They're expected to pass. Earlier this week, the House passed the rule for the aid bills by a decent margin, 165 Democrats, 151 Republicans.

WALKER: But this bipartisanship that we saw working across the aisle could cost Speaker Mike Johnson his job. A third Republican hardliner joined the effort to oust him. Arizona Representative Paul Gosar signed on to Marjorie Taylor Greene's measure along with Paul Massie, Thomas Massie, but Greene hasn't forced a floor vote yet.

The earliest we could see that happen is today. Joining us now is Tia Mitchell, Washington Correspondent with the Atlanta Journal- Constitution. Welcome to the studio. Thanks for coming in this morning.

So, talk to us about what we're going to see this afternoon. So, Johnson's going to put to the floor these four aid packages. What's the strategy here? What makes it more likely that it will actually pass this time around?

TIA MITCHELL, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: Well, the strategy is that even though they're kind of one package, they're being separated into separate votes. And that is very important because I think all of them can pass individually, but when you package them together, there are so many different House members that dislike different portions that they -- it might not be able to pass altogether. So, by separating them to separate votes, for example, there are some hard right Republicans who've been very opposed to funding for Ukraine.

Well, they don't have to vote for the Ukraine portion, but some of those same hard right Republicans might vote yes on the money for Israel. But there are some far-left Democrats who might not vote for the money for Israel. So, now, they don't have to vote for that part, you know, so they're going to take it in pieces and get it over to the Senate, but when it gets to the Senate, it will be kind of combined back into one big package, we think.

WALKER: And of course, the big question hanging over Johnson's head is, well, you know, he's trying to hold on to his political survival and it's not clear what's going to happen next, but it's, it's really incredible to see just how dysfunctional the House Republicans are, right? Because they're divided on Ukraine aid, but they're also divided on Speaker Johnson's future.

MITCHELL: Yes, and I think it's interesting. So, I think people, when you talk to regular voters, they talk about they don't want one party to control everything. They kind of like the idea of divided government to force people to work across the aisle. But at the same time, there are some Americans, particularly on the right, who say don't compromise, stick with your far-right ideals even if it means shutting things down.

And so, we see that reflected in some of these House Republicans where negotiating with Democrats, compromise is antithetical to what, you know, what they say they stand for so they don't want to see it, which is why they are angry with Speaker Johnson for bringing bills to the floor that requires him to work with Democrats. Again, most people would say, well, isn't that how government is supposed to work? But some of these Republicans don't want that.

[07:05:28]

WALKER: So, what do these Republicans want? It's so easy to say what you don't want and not come up with an alternative, right? But you know, explain to us what's going on here, especially for the people at home who are looking at the dysfunction and saying, well, didn't the Republicans demand that Ukraine aid be tied to tougher measures at the border? That was negotiated for months at the Senate level. It just took days for it to fall apart when Trump said, sink it. So, what do they want?

MITCHELL: Because again, what they want is their border security measure. And anything short of that, anything that reflects compromise, they have opposed. So, yes, there was a compromise bipartisan border security bill out of the Senate. These House Republicans that are kind of on the further right, the most conservative, say we don't want a compromise bill. We want our bill. Now, again, Democrats said, hey, your bill goes too far. Let's meet somewhere in the middle.

These Republicans don't want to hear that. They want -- it's their way or the highway in their minds. But what Speaker Johnson is saying is I can't govern that way. We've got to work with Democrats. And you do that by coming up with compromises. But again, these members of his party say that is why we don't want you as our leader anymore.

WALKER: I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Speaker Johnson's shift in his tone. He spoke with our Jake Tapper this week, and he really seemed to be embracing these internationalist principles. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Look, we know what the timetable is, we know the urgency in Ukraine and in Israel. And we are going to stand by Israel, our close ally and dear friend, and we are going to stand for freedom and make sure that Vladimir Putin doesn't march through Europe. These are important responsibilities. A strong America is good for the entire world since World War II. Really, really, the responsibility for the free world has been shifted onto our shoulders and we accept that role.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: And let's not forget, you know, Speaker Johnson, when he wasn't Speaker, he voted against Ukraine aid. We know that he's a fierce, loyal follower of Trump, yet he's clearly not embracing, you know, Trump's America first creed here.

MITCHELL: Yes, I think number one, it reflects the fact that Representative Johnson has now become Speaker Johnson, and that number one, has a new level of responsibility, but number two, there's a new level of education that he has received. He's in these high-level security briefings where he's heard things that maybe have shifted his outlook. But again, I think part of what he's saying is, I can, I no longer just represent myself or my district. I have to lead a body that ideally wants to get things done. And he's talking about history and his role is in history at this very pivotal point internationally.

And so, he's broken again with kind of, quite frankly, where he was before when he again wasn't in leadership. I think it shows that perhaps some of these far-right members that want their leadership to dig in aren't always rooted in the reality of what it takes to govern.

WALKER: Yes, and he's in reality right now. He's seeing it day to day, six months into his speakership. We'll see how things play out. Tia Mitchell, good to see you. Thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: Let's go now to CNN White House Reporter Camila DeChalus in Wilmington, Delaware, where the president is. Camila, the House passing these bills, big win for the administration. They've been trying to get this done since the fall. What are they saying this morning?

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right. The White House has signaled that President Biden is willing to sign these bills immediately into law if they are passed. And this would be a really big win for the Biden administration. They have been pushing Congress and lawmakers to act for months to pass funding that would provide additional aid to Israel, Ukraine and other countries.

And they really made this argument saying, hey, Ukraine needs this aid. Look at how they're losing a lot of ground in their own country. The military is to their fight against Russia, and that's due to the lack of funding. So, this would be what Biden considers a win because he's been pushing them to act. And he's also said that he wants to make good on his commitment to stand by these countries and provide the aid.

This funding package would also provide at least $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance. And that's another thing that the Biden administration has been pushing. So, all around, they have just expressed this urgency to get something done and do it in a timely manner. Victor, Amara, back to you. [07:10:05]

BLACKWELL: Camila DeChalus for us there in Wilmington, thank you.

WALKER: Tensions are still rising in the Middle East right now. Up next, the latest on an early morning explosion in Iraq as lawmakers here in the U.S. are getting ready to hammer out an aid package for Israel.

BLACKWELL: Plus, Donald Trump has a campaign trail today for the first time since a jury was seated in his New York criminal trial where he's headed. That's ahead.

WALKER: And a double dose of Taylor Swift is breaking records and the internet. Reactions to her new 31 track album are coming up.

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[07:15:16]

WALKER: This morning, an explosion at a militia base supported by Iran, south of Baghdad, killed a member of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces and left at least eight others injured. The cause of the explosion is unknown. This incident follows Israeli strikes at a military base in Iran yesterday. Iran's president did not mention that strike while praising last weekend's Iranian strikes against Israel.

BLACKWELL: The tension between Israel and Iran is sparking fears of an expanding Middle East conflict. CNN's Paula Hancocks is following all of this for us. Tell us what the latest is and what the expectation is there in the region. Is this, as it appears to be, over, resolved?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Victor, that's certainly what everybody is hoping at this point. And at face value, it does appear as though neither Israel nor Iran has the appetite for a full-scale war. So, let's look at what's really happened over the past 24, 48 hours. I mean, that explosion in Iraq at the Iranian-backed military base of the PMU, that was interesting because we still don't know if that was an attack or if that was an accident.

It wasn't at an ammunition depot, which is why we're seeing probably those dramatic images of the fire. Now, one was killed, as you say, but at this point, it was very quick that we saw both Israel and the United States deny responsibility for that. And that really just goes to show the level of tension in the region at this point. Israel is not in the business of denying responsibility for these kinds of incidents, but it felt the necessity to do that in the early hours of Saturday morning, an Israeli official saying they had no action in that.

So, that's really very telling. We also had an Iraqi military official telling us that there were no drones or planes in the air at the time of the attack. But there does seem to be this feeling of a step back from the brink if you like. What we have been seeing over the past two weeks has been a significant escalation between Israel and Iran and there's certainly this hope that that has now dissipated at least to some degree and at least for now.

You mentioned the Iraqi President Raisi giving a speech and the fact that he didn't mention Israel's strike on Iran at all. He was lauding the fact that Iran had carried out that attack just last weekend on Israeli territory. There's more than 300 drones and missiles, 99 percent of which were shot down by Israel and the United States and other allies. But the fact that he didn't mention it at all, the fact we haven't had Israel even acknowledging that they carried out this attack on Iran, really goes to show that there seems to be an effort to put an end to this, an effort to move on from what really was a significant escalation. Victor and Amara.

BLACKWELL: Paula Hancocks for us reporting there. Paula, thank you.

WALKER: Mistaken identity possibly leads to murder in Ohio. An Uber driver was killed on the job, why police say an 81-year-old man shot her to death in his driveway.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:23:01]

BLACKWELL: In New York, opening statements in the criminal trial against former President Trump are expected to begin on Monday. All 12 jurors and six alternates were selected and settled on Friday.

WALKER: The former president has complained that the trial would be keeping him off the campaign trail, but that's where he is headed later today, for the first time since the start of the trial. He will be attending a fundraiser and a rally in North Carolina. CNN's Kara Scannell has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We have our full panel. That announcement from Judge Juan Merchan after jury selection concluded. 18 Manhattanites, 12 jurors, and six alternates now seated.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm sitting in a courthouse all day long. This is going on for a week. And this will go on for another four or five weeks, and it's very unfair.

SCANNELL: Trump appeared bored much of the trial day 4, as attorneys on both sides probed potential jurors until they filled the remaining 5 alternate seats. Moments after the full jury was picked, a bizarre and tragic moment outside court as a man set himself on fire. Authorities say he was previously known to the police, and while they are searching for any domestic terror connections, that is not believed to have been the motivation.

In court, a handful of prospective jurors became emotional. One was excused after she told the judge she had anxiety and was worried as the trial goes on, more people could know she's part of the jury, saying, "I might not be able to be completely fair and not emotional, so that concerns me." Another was dismissed after she began crying, saying, "I'm sorry, I thought I could do this. I wouldn't want someone who feels this way to judge my case either. I don't want you to feel I've wasted anyone's time. This is so much more stressful than I thought."

A third was sent home after noting she was feeling anxiety and self- doubt as she listened to a line of questioning about the credibility of witnesses. At the defense table, Trump sat flipping through papers with charts, photos and graphics. He whispered in past notes with his lawyers and at some points was hunched over with his elbows on the desk. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger started off questioning potential jurors, telling them, this is not about Mr. Trump being a former president.

It's not about his being a candidate for the presidency. It's only about whether the evidence proves he's guilty. During her presentation, Trump leaned back in his chair. At one point, his eyes closed. Trump's attorney, Susan Necheles, focused on bias against the former president. She told those in the jury box, "You all bring biases and you particularly bring biases about someone who is as publicly and outspoken as President Trump.

There's nobody that doesn't know him in this room." In the afternoon, the court moved to a routine hearing to determine how much of Trump's legal history the prosecution will be allowed to ask him about if he testifies, which he said he plans to. Prosecutors argued they should be allowed to question Trump about the findings in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case, among others, despite Trump's attorneys' strong objections. The former president shook his head as the prosecution spoke about how he defamed Carroll.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCANNELL (on camera): Judge Merchan said he expects to rule on Monday on what prosecutors could ask Donald Trump if he does take the stand and testify in his own defense. Prosecutors also said they expect to call their first witness on Monday. Trump's lawyers again asked if they could know the identity of that witness. Prosecutors said they would tell them on Sunday, but they said if it ends up on social media, it will be the last time. Amara, Victor?

BLACKWELL: Kara, thank you. A vote on a foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel that could happen today. The bills face opposition from some Republicans and for the Israel bill from some Democrats, but could pass with support from each party. Now, some lawmakers see the outcome as critical as the tensions in the Middle East rise.

Let's discuss now with former State Department Middle East Negotiator, Aaron David Miller. Aaron, good to see you. Let me first ask you about the Ukraine bill. The Ukrainian military has had to retreat from some positions. They've lost some ground. How much does money compensate for what they've had to give up because of the lack of support? Will they quickly be able to regain what they've lost?

AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: I mean, this is a long -- thanks for having me, Victor. This is a long war. And we're talking about Ukraine holding its own, preventing additional Russian advances this year. And maybe, assuming U.S. military assistance continues, launching an offensive in 2025.

So, the Ukrainians are short of men, they're short of ammunition, and they're short of air defenses. And I think this bill, obviously, not only is it going to provide additional confidence, it will give the Ukrainians the means, I think, to see out the year, at least not lose the advantage to the Russians.

So, the will to fight, Victor, is really, really key, the most important thing. But the will to fund under these circumstances with a country four times its size in military capacity and population, and in weapons, is critically important as well.

[07:28:08]

BLACKWELL: Let's turn now to specifically Israel and Iran. And we woke up to reports of explosions at this Iranian-backed militia base in Iraq. Do you believe that this is part of the conversation about these strikes between Israel and Iran, or is this something independent of those?

MILLER: Well, U.S. CENTCOM has denied any American involvement. The Iraqis can't pick up any drone or air activity at the time of these explosions. I think the Israelis have also declined responsibility. I think this is part of what the Israelis would describe possibly as the campaign between the wars.

And it's conceivable that there was an Israeli hand here. What distinguishes what happened over the last 48 hours and since April 13- 14 when the Iranians launched 350 high trajectory weapons at Israel, though is that campaign between the wars, the shadow war, so to speak, has now turned public?

And the real concern I have, and it's an open question, I can't answer it, is whether or not the fact that Israel has struck Iranian territory, and the Iranians on April 13, 14 struck Israeli territory, has that made Iran and Israel more risk ready now that it's been done without a catastrophe by each side?

Or has it made them more risk averse? And that question, I think in the days, weeks and months ahead, is going to be the key question to ask and answer.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I mean, it's difficult to answer some of these questions because Iran, Israel and the U.S. are saying so little, almost nothing on the record about this. What do you make of President Raisi not even mentioning the attacks when he spoke about the Iranian attacks in Israel?

[07:30:05]

MILLER: You know, I did some T.V. CNN, Saturday night, and it looked as if we were going to World War III, and yet within 48 hours, nobody is talking about this.

Not only the Iranians. The Israelis uncharacteristically have said absolutely nothing. Administration has basically said, the only comment we have is that we're not going to comment.

I think that conspiracy of silence, whatever it is, I think it's smart. Everyone seems to be in the mode of not embarrassing or crawling or attacking one another in the public space. And I think that's wise.

I mean, running it, I think it's also they control the information space in a way the U.S. does not and in the way that Israel does not.

I think they are trying to trivialize and minimize the impact of what it was an extraordinary probably a missile strike launched from Iraq, with sparrow missiles against an S-300. Iranian radar system.

The Israelis did this with an extraordinary degree of technical mastery, showing the Iranians that we can hit you. You do not have serious air defenses, and why your -- while your 350 missiles, most of which didn't even penetrate Israeli airspace, we the Israelis managed to do this.

So, I think -- I think, again, the question is, in the end, the fact that Iran has now struck Israel, which is a new reality, a new threshold. The fact that the Israelis struck Iran, raises the question as to whether or not this could become overtime.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

MILLER: -- some sort of new normal. And that is the case, and we're headed for a very, very, very bad outcome.

BLACKWELL: You know, Aaron, it's interesting, you say, does this make the two countries more risk ready or risk averse? I then add to that, what about those Iranian proxies? If they see that if Iran attacks Israel, the response from Israel is something that -- I mean, there are people posting from Iran, you know, no damage, they're in parks having a normal day. Does this embolden those Iranian proxies to be more aggressive with Israel?

MILLER: You know, the relationship between Hezbollah, which is the key proxy, the pro-Iranian militias, the PMU, the one whose base was struck in Iraq, and the Houthis are all very different.

I think the Iran -- Iranians exercise pretty firm control over Hezbollah, as well as the pro-Iranian-Iraqi militias. But I think, given the fact that the Israeli strike on April 1st occur against Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, commanders in Damascus, meeting with Hezbollah and or Hamas officials raises the real question to Iran, how cost effective are these proxies?

And I think that's a question that the Iranians are going to have to mull over too, as we continue this grand strategic rivalry between Israel and Iran, which right now, the root causes of which are not going to go away, which is why over time, I think it's conceivable not predicting it, that we could run into another crisis point.

And we'll see whether at that point, Victor, Israel and Iran are as restrained as they were in the last 10 days. BLACKWELL: Aaron David Miller, always appreciate the conversation and the insight. Thanks so much.

MILLER: Thank you, Victor.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: An elderly man in Ohio is facing murder charges after shooting an Uber driver. But police say he and the driver were the victims of a scam.

We have the latest developments on their investigation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:38:33]

WALKER: An 81-year-old man in Ohio faces multiple murder charges after allegedly shooting an unarmed Uber driver, three times, killing her. Officials say both of them are targets of a scam. The alleged shooter apparently believed the 61-year-old Uber driver was in on the scan, but she was not.

BLACKWELL: CNN's Danny Freeman explains how this happened. And we have to warn you that the dashcam video of this confrontation is difficult to watch and to listen to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The video is stunning to watch 81-year-old William Brock, chasing 61-year-old Loletha Hall around her car at gunpoint. They walk off screen and soon after, a shot rings out.

LOLETHA HALL, UBER DRIVER: Help! Help!

WILLIAM BROCK, TARGETED BY A TELEPHONE SCAM: Go on, get out!

HALL: Help!

FREEMAN (voice-over): Seconds later, you can see Hall, walk in front of her dash cam screaming for help as Brock keeps his gun on her.

HALL: I'm here to pick up a package!

FREEMAN (voice-over): Brock, then shoots her two more times, official said. Hall died at the hospital.

Law enforcement says both were unknowing victims of a scam. According to the Clark County, Ohio sheriff's office, prior to the shooting on March 25th, Brock said he had been receiving calls from a scammer. The caller told the 81-year-old, a relative of his was in jail, and Brock needed to provide cash to bail out the relative. None of this was true, according to investigators.

But when Brock became hesitant and resistant to comply with the scammer, Brock told detectives the caller threatened him.

[07:40:04]

At around the same time, Hall, an Uber driver received communications from the same subject or an accomplice of the scammer, according to the sheriff's office. Through the Uber app, Hall was told to pick up a package from Brock's home.

When Hall arrived, she made no threats or assaults and made no demands other than to ask about the package, she was sent to retrieve to the Uber app, according to investigators.

But police said, Brock held her at gunpoint and shot her.

BROCK: I need the sheriff and an ambulance real quick out here, there's been a shooting.

FREEMAN (voice-over): 911 recordings reveal that Brock admitted he shot Hall.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why did you do that?

BROCK: Because I was threatened that she was going to come and kill me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She threatened to kill you?

BROCK: No, it was the guy on the phone that's been trying to get money out of me.

FREEMAN (voice-over): Brock has been charged with murder, and he's pleaded not guilty.

As of last week, the Clark County Sheriff's Office was still investigating the original scammer or scammers.

In a statement, an Uber spokesperson wrote, "This is a horrific tragedy and our hearts continue to be with Loletha's loved ones as they grieve. We have been in contact with law enforcement and remain committed to supporting their investigation.

Danny Freeman, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:45:44]

BLACKWELL: Taylor Swift is already breaking records with her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. Spotify says it broke the record for the most streamed album in a single day.

The previous record holder, Swift, after she released her album, Midnights.

WALKER: Swift also released the first music video from the album for her song, Fortnight featuring singer Post Malone. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has the latest on Swift's surprise double album.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The epic countdown ending overnight, with the release of Taylor Swift 11 studio album, and then some, The Tortured Poets Department, dropping just before midnight on Friday, only to be followed by a surprise drop at 2:00 a.m. of 15 additional songs.

Swift announcing the surprise telling her fans she released a secret double album.

TAYLOR SWIFT, AMERICAN SINGER, AND SONGWRITER: How does that sound?

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift, the only solo artist in music history with four Grammys for Album of the Year. Much more than a singer, Swift is a cultural icon. Now, with The Tortured Poets Department, exploding to even greater heights.

With the album's first single, Fortnight, in collaboration with Post Malone.

And songs like Florida, featuring Florence and the Machine. Her dedicated fans anticipating this moment since the album was announced earlier this year at the Grammys.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a pretty big fan. I love her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know every lyric to every song.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really excited.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Swifties, counting down to the release by decoding clues coming from Taylor herself. Including some at this pop- up installation at the Grove in Los Angeles.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can take a picture and decipher it, and be like, oh, maybe it's this lyric.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Arguably, the most famous musician on the planet, the 34-year-old superstar is breaking through her already sky- high ceiling with new songs like "Guilty as Sin?"

SWIFT: I keep these longings locked in lowercase, inside a vault.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): And, "But Daddy I Love Him".

SWIFT: Screaming, But Daddy, I love him! I'm having his baby. No, I'm not, but you should see your faces.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): With this release, Taylor is likely to smash even more records in 2024, after already earning Spotify's most streamed artists of 2023, headlining her Eras Tour, the first tour to ever break a billion dollars, and releasing a blockbuster concert film.

She also boasts almost a half a billion social media followers. But the impact of The Tortured Poets Department is expected to exceed all that and more, engaging Swifties with not only music, concerts, and films, but also bracelets, t-shirts, even tattoos.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I don't think I've ever felt that way in a concert just to be surrounded by so many girls, giving out friendship bracelets, just girlhood moment.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): A connection her fans feel to one of the world's greatest living artists.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WAGMEISTER (on camera): Now, a lot of the fans that I spoke to actually predicted that Taylor would drop a double album and they were right. Now, they have 31 songs to get through this weekend. There's a lot of decoding to do with her lyrics.

And of course, Taylor also dropped her first music video for Fortnight, featuring Post Malone last night at 8:00 p.m. So, it will be a very busy weekend for the Swifties.

Victor and Amara?

WALKER: 31 songs! That's a lot of time to listen to music. You know, you got to do like 10 road trips.

BLACKWELL: Oh, well, they will be listening to it on rotation. I am sure.

WALKER: I appreciate my little 6-year-old for getting me into the Taylor Swift songs.

BLACKWELL: Oh, well, good.

WALKER: I enjoyed them.

BLACKWELL: Good.

WALKER: Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you.

Well, less than two years after becoming the first HBCU with the women's gymnastics team, Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee has made history once again.

BLACKWELL: Last weekend, Morgan Price, became the first HBCU student athlete to claim a national title.

[07:50:01]

She won the individual all-around at the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships.

And this week's "DIFFERENCE MAKERS", we look at a program filled with young black women who want to inspire the next generation, just like the ones who inspired them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NAIMAH MUHAMMAD, GYMNAST, FISK UNIVERSITY: Gymnastics was considered a white sport. If you look at the sport as a whole, there is probably about 10 percent, maybe of athletes who would classify themselves as a black athlete in the sport of gymnastics.

The teams that were always on were very supportive, even though of course, usually I was only like one of two black girls on those teams. I was the only black girl on many of the teams.

Gabby was like my idol. I watched her win the Olympics, and that inspired me to take gymnastics a little bit more seriously.

Getting ready for competitions, you know everyone was do their hair together and stuff, and my hair is a way different texture from anyone else's.

I absolutely hated my hair. You're constantly surrounded by girls that are just doing slicked backs and like they can put their hair up in a bun easily and stuff. And it's like OK, well, I heard I was going to do that.

The first thing I noticed about Coach D was that she had locks. This is the first time I've ever had a black woman coach in my life. And she had hair that looked like me.

And now, I'm on a team with girls with hair like mine, and they can help me with my hair and I don't feel like I have to change anything about myself to fit in.

CORRINE TARVER, HEAD COACH, FISK GYMNASTICS: Sometimes, they had to choose between an HBCU or gymnastics and so now they don't have to choose. It is the first dramatics program at an HBCU or Historically Black college or university in history.

And Naimah is remembered as the first HBCU gymnast to ever compete in history.

MUHAMMAD: And that was like crazy high emotions. I was crying. I was like, we go, it's just amazing.

Every meet after that, we will be signing autographs or meeting young girls after the competitions, because this was huge for them. I get so many D.M.s and so many messages, and so many -- I get tagged in so many posts from little black gymnasts all over --

You're one of her favorite gymnasts to watch. Do you think maybe you can send her some motivation. You are truly an inspiration.

This girl, Kamaya (PH), she did her black history month project on me. It was like, she wrote like a whole thing. And that's also funny because I did -- I did a Black History Month project on Gabby Douglas. So, it is a full circle thing.

I remember making -- like, doing a project like this. Now, someone's doing one on me.

TARVER: We still have a long way to go. Now, as a young gymnast, you're going to see people who look like you year after year after year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[07:57:28]

WALKER: More pro-Palestinian protests are expected at Columbia University, and other colleges across the country today, Columbia students and their supporters have been demonstrating for days, denouncing Israel's war in Gaza. on and around the Manhattan campus. Some of them, camping out overnight.

BLACKWELL: The NYPD arrested more than 100 people on Friday, a day after the university's president and her colleagues were grilled by House lawmakers over anti-Semitism claims.

WALKER: A historic win and Tennessee for the United Auto Workers Union. Workers out of Volkswagen's Chattanooga plan voted overwhelmingly to join the UAW last night. A major move for the Union and its efforts to organize at plants nationwide.

73 percent of the 3,600 workers cast ballots in favor of joining the unions organizing efforts -- followed.

They followed last year six-week strike against the Big Three automakers that one record pay increases for members.

BLACKWELL: North Carolina lawmakers are pushing to ban the drug, tianepin -- tianeptine, I'm sorry, also known as gas station heroin.

It's found widely in convenience stores and vape shops and marketed as energy boosting dietary supplements.

But in large doses, the drug is found to mimic the effects of heroin, including its addictiveness. Officials say the drug is not FDA approved, but it's also not illegal. So, store owners are not required to take it off shelves.

It's a war you probably have not heard about, but it's killing people and elephants every day. It's happening in Sri Lanka, where rapid development has pushed people farther out into the wild, where the elephants once lived freely. WALKER: The iconic Asian elephant is fighting back against the people encroaching on their land. This week, on "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER", CNN's Nick Paton Walsh travels to Sri Lanka to document this deadly battle. Be sure to tune in, in an all-new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER", one whole hour, one whole topic tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, only on CNN.

Also, "FIRST OF ALL WITH VICTOR BLACKWELL" is coming up next. What do you have coming up?

BLACKWELL: So, we of course, been talking about these votes in Congress. Foreign aid bills to fund several countries. One of them is Israel. We'll speak to a member of Congress, a Democratic member who plans to vote no today. She sees this as a way to prevent more destruction and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Also, what she makes of the backlash to pro-Palestinian protests this week.

Plus, the crackdown on orange crushed, not the soda. I know everybody thinks that first.

[08:00:02]

The Georgia beach party started as an HBCU gathering has gotten really rowdy and I'll talk to the person who organized the event. He says Tybee Island's history has him concerned about the effort to restrict this majority black crowd now.