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Nikki Haley Wraps Up Campaign Stretch In NH, Head To Iowa; Police Looking For Two People Seen In Surveillance Video Near Where Pregnant Teen, Boyfriend Were Found Dead; Big Air Travel Numbers Expected Today And New Year's Weekend. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired December 29, 2023 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Because she had had -- she'd been tried to have this crossover appeal. And whether or not this dings that in a more permanent fashion, it's going to be something to watch. Because that -- you'll -- you might be seeing it within those groups.

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alice, you know, I'm trying to figure out if this incident will -- or how it even could move the needle or if it's just kind of a holiday week, you know, story that pops in a couple of weeks before the caucuses and primaries. Do you think this could actually put her in jeopardy with New Hampshire Republican primary voters?

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look. I don't think so. Look, I -- she has run a very disciplined, relatively error-free campaign. And this was, without doubt, a mistake, a flub, and she is making the necessary correction.

Look, I don't think that question was -- certainly, it wasn't normal. It wasn't a trick question. But it wasn't hard. And the initial answer is, the root cause of the Civil War was slavery.

While she didn't say it at the beginning, she has made the necessary correction unequivocally saying that slavery was the root cause of the Civil War. And she has said that every time she's been at one of these events. I tend to look at this stage of the game.

18 days out from the Iowa caucus, I look at what is the Des Moines Register saying. Not the New York Times or The Washington Post. What is the union leader saying?

What is WMUR saying? These local news outlets. And they're saying -- looking at them today, they're saying she has made the correction, she has done the cleanup on Aisle Haley, and voters are moving on.

Looking at a St. Anselm poll, the number one issues they're concerned about are the economy, abortion, immigration, and national security. And you leave the editorial board rooms of Washington, D.C., and New York and you go to the machine shed in Iowa and you go to the Red Arrow diner in New Hampshire, those voters are not talking about the past histories of the Civil War. They're talking about current issues and their impact on them.

And I think she's going to be able to put this in the rearview mirror soon. And talk about the issues that are top of mind for voters.

FREEMAN: Well, I guess off of that, Alice --or to Jackie rather. So, she may be able to put this in the rearview mirror in terms of what she says on the campaign trail. But it seems like DeSantis and Christie -- certainly Christie for the moment, they're jumping all over this as much as they can. Do you think either for -- either of them, is this a winning issue that we're going to hear more from them about?

KUCINICH: I think you're -- what you're hearing from DeSantis and Christie, you know, they're going to take anything they can to try to bring Haley down at this point. Because in New Hampshire in particular, she's pulling away from them. And they need those voters that have gone over to Haley to support them.

I don't think this issue is what's going to make that difference. I think Alice is absolutely right that you know, Haley has really built up. It -- has really played a pretty disciplined campaign up until this point.

But, of course, her opponents are going to hammer her on this because she has been so disciplined. Now, but if you have a kernel of doubt in her, perhaps then your head is turned. But I don't know that this is going to do it among Republican voters in New Hampshire.

FREEMAN: All right. I want to play a clip right now of one of the hardest-hitting questions that Haley got yesterday. Take a listen. It's from a 9-year-old in New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE#1: So, Chris Christie thinks that you are a flip- flopper on the Donald Trump issue. And honestly, I agree with him. And -- you're basically the new John Kerry on the -- if you remember John Kerry, from 2004.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE#2: What's the question?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE#1: So, my question is, how can you be -- how can you change your opinion like that in just eight years? And will you pardon Donald Trump?

NIKKI HALEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would pardon Trump. What's in the best interest of the country is not to have an 80-year- old man sitting in jail. That continues to divide our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: All right, Alice, I'll give you the first -- the first crack to that one. How did that go for Nikki Haley?

STEWART: Well, Danny, you got to always watch those little kids. You never know what they're going to ask. So, every candidate has to be on their toes when the 9-year-old gets a mic.

But look, I think she handled it well. Look, we're two weeks out from when things really start making a difference. And there's going to be all kinds of questions to try and get these candidates off message and chase them down a rabbit hole.

But the key is to make your point clearly with this message on pardoning Trump. She's telling the base that look, I would pardon him because she feels that's in the best interest of the country. But Jackie is also right, these other candidates and the challengers are going to do everything they can to throw questions at her and bring up this latest gaff because she has momentum at her back.

She's closing the poll numbers with Donald Trump. And everything is fair game in love and war in politics. And we're going to see that and the next two weeks.

FREEMAN: Well said. All is fair in love and war in politics, especially when so close to Iowa and New Hampshire. Jackie Kucinich, Alice Stewart, thank you so much. Appreciate your time.

STEWART: Thanks, Danny.

KUCINICH: Thank you.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, a powerful storm sends row waves crashing over the sea wall. Sending several people to the hospital. You can see it in this really just terrifying video. We have a new update on the areas that could be affected. Next.

[11:35:07]

San Antonio police searching for answers in the death of a pregnant 18-year-old and her boyfriend. Now, they're asking for the public's help to help identify two people seen on camera near the crime scene.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREEMAN: Police in Texas, they're looking for two people seen in a new surveillance video near where the bodies of a pregnant teen and her boyfriend were found. Police say Savanah Soto who has passed her due date, and Matthew Guerra were found dead inside of a car on Tuesday. Both had been shot. Soto's family first reported her missing when she didn't show up to induce labor.

From all this, let's bring in CNN law enforcement correspondent Whitney Wild. Whitney, police say they are investigating this as a capital murder case. What does that entail?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, it entails a robust -- a homicide investigation here, Danny. And what they're trying thing to do, of course, is figure out why these two people were killed and who is behind it. Helping them in that investigation is this piece of video -- this very important piece of video here.

[11:40:01] So, let's give you guys a look at that video, so important to this investigation. Police believe that this video was taken near where the bodies were found -- very near where the bodies were found. And in this video, what you see is a Chevy Silverado pull-up next to a Kia Optima.

The drivers of both vehicles exit the vehicle. Interact in some way. And what is important, Danny, about this video is that this Kia Optima, police believe, belongs to Matthew Guerra. Again, one of those victims. 22-year-old Matthew Guerra.

But they do not believe the person who exits that Kia Optima is Matthew Guerra. Here's what else police are looking at with this video and why they think it is so crucial to this investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM MCMANUS, SAN ANTONIO POLICE CHIEF: What we believe right now, it was something to wipe inside the car down with, you know. We can't be a hundred percent sure of that. But that's what we're studying in this video. And that's what we believe right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: So, they believe the driver of the pickup truck wipes down the side of the Kia Optima. What else is critical here, Danny, is that at this point police believe that Matthew Guerra and Savanah Soto were not killed in that location but rather were driven to that location very near where that video was taken. So, many more questions to answer there.

This timeline here also critical. December 22 was the last time anybody saw or spoke to Savanah Soto. December 23, she misses that crucial appointment and goes missing. That's when her family alerts authorities.

December 26, that's when police found the bodies of Matthew Guerra and Savanah Soto. Police believed that they had been at that location where they were found for a couple of days. Again, this is being investigated as a capital murder case. Police poring over relevant video, trying to figure out every single detail leading up to their deaths as well as combing through social media, Danny.

FREEMAN: Just such a sad and scary story. Hope that video helps. Whitney Wild, thank you.

BERMAN: This morning, monster waves and flooding possible for parts of California. A rogue wave reached a barrier in Ventura Beach. Just a stunning video. It swept about 20 people 50 yards.

Again, based on what you're seeing here, not surprising that eight people were taken to the hospital. The National Weather Service has issued coastal flooding and high surf warnings for much of the California coast today with waves of up to 40 feet possible for San Francisco Bay.

CNN's Lucy Kafanov is in Manhattan Beach, California. How do things look so far, Lucy?

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm keeping a nervous eye on the waves behind me. We actually have to move our location up a little bit from the last time you and I spoke, John. As you can see behind me, those waves getting a lot bigger.

That is the Manhattan Beach Pier. I want to give you a look around. Some folks out here with their cameras trying to enjoy the view, although it is getting scarier by the hour.

And then of course, because this is California, life also going on as normal. You see the volleyball teams here, preparing and practicing. But as you pointed out, the National Weather Service has warned of these dangerous surf conditions, and life-threatening rip currents.

We have seen waves pummeling much of the coast especially the Santa Cruz area and Ventura yesterday where you know, you played that footage of the wave that carried people away. There was also another massive wave that crashed into a restaurant. Several businesses there now dealing with the aftermath, the cleanup. Eyewitnesses, you know, describing the absolutely terrifying moments that they witnessed. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JILL VEMOR, LIVES IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: It's a pure state of panic, to be honest, as far as the community goes. Because, you know, there's plenty out there that are not prepared.

JOHN FRIZZEL, WITNESSED TOGUE WAVE: This wave just came seemingly out of nowhere. Just this rush -- I mean, you saw it. It was six -- eight feet deep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: And you heard that eyewitness describing the wave coming from out of nowhere. There's a term for this. They are called sneaker waves, not like the shoes but waves that sneak up on you.

You might think that it's perfectly safe to go up close and take that selfie, but it could hit you much faster than you think. And so, authorities are very much urging people to stay away from these waves. I'm like, some of the folks here, John.

BERMAN: Yes, right, as you look nervously over your shoulder. Lucy Kafanov, thank you so much. Stay safe.

FREEMAN: All right, SpaceX just helped launch up mysterious mission for the U.S. military. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one. Engine full power. And lift off.

(END VIDEO CLIP) FREEMAN: All right. So, the Falcon Heavy rocket took off last night carrying the X-37B space plane which is reusable like a space shuttle. It has no crew and operates autonomously.

[11:45:00]

But it's not clear at this point, however, where this space plane is going. It's on a classified mission. But in the past, this spacecraft has carried out research on solar energy and radiation.

So, still don't have the answer. Yes.

BERMAN: All right. The secret is safe with us. All right. Today is one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season. We have a live update on how things are going so far.

And this just in. A dancing Pop Tart. Do we have a video of it, or are you going to have me describe it?

There we go. There's the dancing Pop Tart. Why is there a dancing Pop Tart The truth is out there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREEMAN: So, another Christmas holiday is in the books and New Year's Eve is approaching fast. So, today is expected to be one of the busiest days for air travel. The TSA expects more than 2.6 million people to fly today here in the U.S.

And it's been really busy all week. From on all this, CNN's Pete Muntean is here for us at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Pete, what are you seeing this morning?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: You know, Danny, things are going pretty smooth right now. The cancellations and delays are low. Taking about five minutes to get through precheck here, 15 minutes to get through standard screening.

[11:50:04]

The TSA says things will be busy today though. Take a look at the line during the 7:00 a.m. rush here at Reagan National Airport. Just the start of what is going to be a day of 2.6 million passengers nationwide. 43,000 flights handled by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Last Friday was busy. Monday and Tuesday were busy. Those numbers only about five percent off from the all-time air travel record set back on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. And the TSA says this holiday period has been longer with more sustained big numbers.

The really interesting thing here is that cancellations and delays have remained relatively reasonable. The latest numbers from FlightAware, 187,000 flights over the last week or so, 36,000 delays. That's about one in every five flights. A number that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg going into this holiday said would be a little bit too much. But the cancellations have been only about 1300 over the last week. We're talking less than one percent.

I want you to listen now to FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. He says that the agency has been prepared and is heavily communicating with airlines so that things go smoothly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAA ADMINISTRATOR: MIKE WHITAKER, Well, we're very prepared. We've been through it before. We have a command center in Virginia that really looks at the entire system where there's potential weather, where there are delays.

We communicate with the airlines and make sure we're running as smoothly as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: Of course, a lot of people are going to drive this week. And AAA says there's a bit of a confluence, the folks who are regularly commuting, and then also the folks who are traveling for the holiday especially going into New Year's Eve. And the numbers show that the worst times to drive between 2:00 and 8:00 p.m. today.

If you can leave before noon and catch the last few minutes of the show, then you would be probably in the best window according to AAA. Of course, it's going to be difficult for a lot of folks that were really at an intersection here, Danny.

FREEMAN: Yes. I mean, listen, you got to stay to the end of the show. I got to say though, Pete, I am just stunned at how smooth -- you know, we're still not going with -- the holiday week is not over yet. This season has been at the airports especially considering last year. Just incredible. Pete Muntean at Reagan National Airport, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

BERMAN: Wait until the end of the show says Pete Muntean.

FREEMAN: Right.

BERMAN: Pete also likes to say stay late on your vacation. Don't try to come back right after Monday. Take until Wednesday or Thursday off. That's what Pete usually says.

All right, just in. Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a state bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for minors. The bill would have prohibited transgender student-athletes from participating in girls' or women's sports in high school and college. DeWine said signing the bill would have been saying the state and government know better than parents what is medically best for their children.

The final trading day of the year on Wall Street. A live look at the Dow. Rare negative numbers from the Dow on the last day of the year, down 120 points right now.

The Dow hit a record yesterday in 2023. It's just seen huge gains. The Dow up nearly 25 percent, the S&P up 14 percent, and the Nasdaq 44 percent for the year.

The Detroit Pistons just made NBA history in all the wrong way. They lost their 28th consecutive game last night in a tough overtime battle with the Celtics. It was close. It had to be sweating but the Pistons ultimately -- they blow it.

They're now tallied with the 76ers for the longest-ever losing streak. The Sixers spend over two seasons. The Pistons have managed to do it all in one season. Tomorrow, the Pistons play the Toronto Raptors with a chance to either break the NBA record or maybe get a rare W.

And perhaps the greatest mascot for a college bowl game ever. A giant Pop Tart -- a giant dancing Pop Tart. He rose from the toaster in the first-ever Pop-Tarts Bowl. It was between Kansas State and NC State. A sad fate at the end of the game.

The winner is the Kansas State Wildcats. They got to eat the giant pop-tart to celebrate the victory. Sad for the Pop Tart. Happy for them. I find Pop-Tarts to be one of the most rewarding of all foods.

FREEMAN: Yes. Well, especially after you won a big game too.

BERMAN: Yes, absolutely.

FREEMAN: It makes all the sense of the world. All right. And if sports or mutilating pop tarts are not your thing this holiday weekend, might we recommend the book club from our colleague Michael Smerconish? He's bringing you the highlights in a special episode of his show tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN HOST: Back in 2006, after I'd been appearing regularly on CNN, usually as a legal guest, the network told me they liked my work, but they didn't know what to do with me. I think the network bras were surprised when I then pitched my idea, hosting a weekly book club. We filmed it beginning with me back at home on Market Street in Philadelphia.

Well, that show never made it to air. But today, 17 years later, a holiday gift at least for me, I decided I would speak with five authors of books that made an impact on me this year.

David Brooks has been an opinion columnist for the New York Times for 20 years. His latest book explores the most important skill for people to possess and lead happy, healthy lives.

[11:55:08]

Free Speech Advocate, Greg Lukianoff, co-wrote the best-seller "The Coddling Of The American Mind." And with canceled culture wars tearing apart university campuses all across the country, he's now back with a well-timed follow-up. It's the cancelling of the American mind. Sheila Johnson was the nation's first female black billionaire. In her memoir, she recounts hardships she faced along the way including institutional racism, losing a child, emotional abuse, and depression.

And Robert Rubin was the former Secretary of the Treasury, co-chair of Goldman Sachs. His latest is about what he's learned on how to make the best decisions in an uncertain world.

And perhaps in complete contrast. Robert Sapolsky is a TED Talk phenom. He's a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University. He argues in his latest book that we really don't have any power to decide anything, that there's no such thing as free will.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FREEMAN: And again, you can catch those interesting conversations tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

BERMAN: But you can't choose to watch because you have no free will.

FREEMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: It's predetermined. You will watch. All right, thank you all for joining us. Have a Happy New Year, everyone.

FREEMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: Make good choices. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END