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Pressure Mounts On Netanyahu After Hostage Deaths Spark Outrage; Justice Sandra Day O'Conner Lies In Repose At Supreme Court; FL GOP Censures Party Chair Amid Sexual Assault Investigation; U.S. Steel Agrees To Sell Itself To Japanese Firm. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired December 18, 2023 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00]
HAGAR CHEMALI, FORMER SPOKESWOMAN, U.S. MISSION TO THE U.N.: But that they also would be able to.
And the way to look at an example for that is the coalition war against ISIS. ISIS controlled the size of United Kingdom -- lands the size of the United Kingdom in Iraq and Syria.
And the international coalition was able to defeat ISIS. That doesn't mean that they were able to eradicate ISIS completely or get rid of all the fighters.
But they completely took away their military capability and ability to govern that territory. And they did it over a long period of time. It took four years.
And that is an example that Secretary Austin himself has pointed to, that protecting civilians in that war specifically was why they won. Because when they made them the center of gravity, they didn't end up putting them into poverty and pushing them into the arms of the enemy, as he said.
He made a really important point a week ago when he said they don't want Israel to replace a tactical victory by a strategic defeat.
What he means by that is that he believes that they can defeat Hamas, as do I, by the way. But if you do it this way, then you're going to end up undermining Israel's broader goal to secure Israel. And I actually believe it does.
But the issue is that Israel will take losses and more risk if they pursue this more slowly, if they end up allowing more humanitarian aid to go in, and Hamas ends up taking some of it. That's a loss that Israel should be willing to accept.
That is they pursue open warfare in a slower way, it puts their troops at greater risk, yes, but it also, at the end of the day, means that they stand to gain an advantage and a more secure Israel, which is the ultimate goal that the U.S. is trying to remind Israel of.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Hagar Chemali, we have to leave the conversation there. We very much appreciate your perspective.
CHEMALI: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Thanks.
Still ahead, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, is lying in repose in the court's Great Hall. One current justice calling her, quote, "a living example that woman could take on any challenge." More details when we come back.
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[14:36:20]
SANCHEZ: Happening right now, members of the public are lining up outside the U.S. Supreme Court to pay their respects to the late Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She's lying in repose inside the court's Great Hall where a private ceremony took place earlier today.
Justice O'Conner was the first woman seated on the nation's highest court. And she passed away early this month at the age of 93.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: So many people honoring her. Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, coming to pay their respects.
Harris calling O'Connor a trailblazer who was guided by a deep respect for the rule of law.
President Biden will be paying tribute tomorrow during O'Conner's memorial service.
We have CNN senior Supreme Court analyst, Joan Biskupic, here with us.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor paid tribute during the private ceremony. I know you have been there as well to the court to see this. Tell us about this.
JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN SENIOR SUPREME COURT ANALYST: It was really moving. There was a ceremony with the nine current justices and retired Justice Kennedy there. It's a prelude to the viewing that we just saw on the screen.
And Justice Sotomayor was one of the speakers. And she really captured Justice O'Conner's contribution to America and to the Supreme Court itself.
You know, she talked about what steady centrist justice she was, moving the law incrementally.
But she also talked about how she was the "social glue" among the nine. She insisted that they all had lunch together after oral arguments because she felt that that kind of bond over food and other socializing really helped smooth relations.
And Justice Sotomayor talked about Justice O'Conner was always up for, you know, taking people out for barbecue, to movies, occasionally, having a glass of scotch, Justice Sotomayor said.
(LAUGHTER)
BISKUPIC: But let me tell you what she said about Justice O'Connor's connection to the American people. I think we have the sound for that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SONIA SOTOMAYER, U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: She had an extraordinary understanding of the American people, just like she had an extraordinary understanding of this court's rule and its limits.
The nation was well served by the steady hand and intellect of a justice who never lost sight of how the law affected ordinary people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BISKUPIC: You know, when Justice Sotomayor said that she changed the country in every way, you really believe that.
You know, Justice Sotomayor, who happens to be the most senior of the four women justices on the court now, which is why she took that role. And she was appointed in 2009, four years after Justice O'Connor announced her retirement.
So quite a legacy that she leaves behind here in the law and also in terms of representation. And you really felt that there.
And tomorrow, she will be eulogized by President Biden and Chief Justice John Roberts. The leaders of the two branches for the first woman justice.
SANCHEZ: Really an incredible life and an incredible example that she set for the American people.
Joan Biskupic, thank you so much.
BISKUPIC: Thank you.
And when we come back, one day after marking his 87th birthday, we are learning that Pope Francis has signed off on a Vatican ruling stating that priests can offer blessings to same-sex couples. This is a huge shift from recent Vatican doctrine. We'll have more details on this ahead.
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[14:43:56]
KEILAR: A sex scandal in Florida has the state GOP calling for the resignation of its chairman. In an emergency meeting on Sunday, Florida's Republican leaders censured Chairman Christian Zeigler and demanded that he step down as police investigate a rape allegation.
SANCHEZ: According to police records, Zeigler is accused of sexually assaulting a woman with whom he and his wife, Mom for Liberty cofounder, Bridget Zeigler, had a prior consensual sexual relationship with.
CNN's Carlos Suarez joins us now live from Orlando.
And, Carlos, this is just the latest call for Zeigler to resign. What can you tell us?
CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. So the party is going to meet in early January to officially remove Christian Zeigler as chairman.
Yesterday, the party officials told me, at this point, there is absolutely nothing that Zeigler could say that is going to change their minds. They simply want him out.
As you noted, he was stripped of his duties and much of his pay at an emergency meeting in Orlando yesterday. He is no longer able to speak for the Republican Party. He cannot hire or fire any staff. He cannot raise money for the Florida GOP.
[14:45:07]
Now at this meeting, we're told that Zeigler tried to defend himself and tried to apologize for his actions. But party officials said those remarks were not welcomed by party members.
Over the weekend, there had been some talk that Christian Zeigler was trying to get some sort of payout in exchange for his resignation. It is something that Zeigler told me was 100 percent not true.
And something that party officials said, look, it is not going to take place.
Zeigler has been under investigation by the Sarasota Police Department since early October when a woman came forward claiming that she had been raped with Christian after a planned sexual encounter between the woman, Christian and Christian's wife, Bridget Zeigler, fell through.
The woman told police that she canceled on that sexual encounter after learning that Bridget was not going to attend. But she alleges that Christian still showed up at her home in Sarasota where this alleged sexual assault took place.
It is important to note that Christian Zeigler has not been charged. And he claims that the sex was consensual.
Here now is the vice chair of the Florida Republican Party talking about why he says top Republican officials across the state of Florida, we're talking about from Governor DeSantis to both of Florida's Senators and county level officials, why they all believe that Christian Zeigler is unfit to serve in office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVAN POWER, VICE CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA: You cannot lead the Republican Party with the charges that are standing in front him and the admissions that he's made in the affidavit. You cannot morally lead the Republican Party forward.
And that's -- I think, at the end of the day, we wish Christian well in his legal endeavors if he did not do it. We feel for the victim if he did do it or even for what she's gone through.
But he needs to handle the legal problems on his own time and we need to move the party forward in its own legal -- in its legal process.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUAREZ: And in the past hour or so, an attorney that is representing Christian Zeigler said that they had no comment on yesterday's developments.
As for Bridget Zeigler, she has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing here. And she, herself, is also refused calls to step down from the Sarasota school district after board members last week asked for her to voluntarily resign. Saying the details of this sex scandal are disturbing -- guys?
SANCHEZ: Carlos Suarez, live for us in Orlando. Thanks so much, Carlos.
Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching at this hour.
Golden State Warriors forward, Draymond Green, will be out for at least three weeks after being suspended indefinitely by the NBA.
That's according to a report in "The Athletic," who says that Green has begun counseling for his on-the-court issues that prompted last week's suspension.
In the game, he hit a Phoenix Suns player in the face, the latest of several altercations that Green has been playing for over the years.
CNN has reached out to the NBA and the Warriors for comment.
Also, the owner of some popular apparel companies are now scrambling to contain a cyberattack amid the holiday shopping rush.
V.F. Corp, the parent company of Vans, North Face and Timberland, said that they detected unauthorized activity last week disrupting its business shopping operations.
Online shoppers will notice a message apologizing for disruptions impacting delivery dates.
And the rocket launch of Blue Horizon's new Shepard tourism rocket was (INAUDIBLE). The company said the mission was called off because of a ground system issue.
The launch would have marked the rocket's return to flight after more than a year. A new launch date said to be announced sometime next week.
We look forward to watching that, Brianna.
KEILAR: We sure do.
And when we come back, it was once one of the largest cooperations in the world. But now U.S. Steel has agreed to be bought by one Japan's largest steel maker. And now U.S. Senators are pushing back. They're promising to oppose the deal. We'll have more on that coming up next.
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[14:53:19]
KEILAR: A huge deal announced today. The iconic American company, U.S. Steel, has agreed to sell itself to a Japanese company. U.S. Steel's board of directors announcing the $14.1 billion agreement this morning on X, formerly known as Twitter.
SANCHEZ: The deal marks the latest step in a long decline of the 122- year-old company, one of the largest companies on the planet at one point.
CNN's Matt Egan joins us now.
Matt, tell us about this deal.
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Boris, U.S. Steel really is one of the most iconic U.S. industrial companies. I mean, it helped to actually make America an economic superpower.
At one point, it was the first ever company to be valued at more than $1 billion. But as you mentioned, it's been in decline for decades. And now it has reached a deal to be sold to a foreign company.
As you can imagine, that's not sitting well with some.
Some details on the transaction. It values the company at just over $14 billion. The iconic U.S. Steel brand is not going away. And the headquarters will stay in Pittsburgh.
But this must get approved by regulators and shareholders. And that is no easy task because it's already generating some controversy.
The labor union, United Steelworkers, they wasted no time to attack the deal, demanding that regulators review it.
And just a few minutes ago, Democratic Senator John Fetterman put out a video blasting the transaction as well, while standing on the roof of his home, which is across the street from a U.S. Steel factory.
Listen to what Fetterman said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): I just have to say it's absolutely outrageous that they have sold themselves to a foreign nation's company. You can't do that.
Steel is always about security as well, too. And I am committed to doing anything I can do, from using my platform or my position, in order to block this.
[14:55:05]
And I'm going to fight for the steelworkers and the union way of life here as well, too. And we cannot ever allow them to be screwed over or left behind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
EGAN: Now it's not just Fetterman and the union criticizing the deal. We also heard from Republican Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, saying he will interrogate this deal and he wants it to get rejected by regulators.
Now, we should note, U.S. Steel, they say that this is the best outcome for all parties, including the United States.
But over in Wall Street, there is some skepticism about whether or not this deal will actually get done altogether.
The deal value of U.S. Steel at $55 a share, but as you can see, it's trading significantly below that level, just under $50.
So that suggested some investors on Wall Street think that this is not a slam dunk and that perhaps it won't get done.
We'll have to pay close attention to what the regulators say and some of the other Rust Belt politicians about whether or not this deal makes sense.
SANCHEZ: Some rare bipartisan agreement in opposition to this deal.
Matt Egan, thank you so much.
KEILAR: And just minutes from now, the Senate will gavel in as negotiations over emergency aid for Ukraine, Israel, and the U.S. southern border continue. We'll have a live report for you from the Hill, coming up.
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