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Actress Demi Moore Wins Award at Golden Globes; Winter Weather Hits Large Parts of U.S.; Congress Prepares to Certify Presidential Election of Donald Trump Four Years after Capitol Insurrection; Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) Interviewed on Donald Trump Promising to Pardon January 6th Rioters and Current Peaceful Transfer of Power in U.S.; Emergency Declared in Kentucky as Dangerous Ice and Snow Hit; G-Zero World, Trump Presidency Top List of 2025 Political Risk Predictions. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired January 06, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I have to tell you, the room loved her. As you said, the reviews for her are great. She told me before the Globes that she hopes to return, that she'd love to host again and again. And I could see that happening, so we'll wait to see next year.

But she wasn't the only big winner of the night, John. Of course, there were big winners for both film and TV. So on the film side, "Emilia Perez" and "The Brutalist" were the top winners. And, as I said, the Golden Globes honors the best in both television and film. So on the TV side, it felt like a return to the Emmys where the leading shows were "Shogun" on the drama side and "Hacks" on the comedy side.

Another huge winner of the night, Demi Moore, who as you said, won her first ever Golden Globe, which is almost hard to believe. But it wasn't that she just won and walked home with the trophy. She also won for best speech of the night, John. So let's look at a moment from her on stage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEMI MOORE, ACTRESS: I've been doing this a long time, like over 45 years.

(APPLAUSE)

MOORE: And this is the first time I've won for something as an actor. And I'm just so humble and grateful. Today I celebrate this as a marker of my wholeness and of the love that is driving me and for the gift of doing something I love and being that I do belong. Thank you so much.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP) WAGMEISTER: It was a great moment for her. The room was so happy for her, John. And just a star-studded, great night overall, one of the best Globes I can remember in the past few years.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: It really was. All right, Elizabeth Wagmeister, thanks so much. We're going to get much more from you on the Globes -- there was a lot of excitement there -- over the next few hours.

A brand- new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Winter is definitely here, friends. Millions of Americans are facing brutal winter storm threats this morning. Emergency warnings in several states as snow is expected to blanket major cities.

And four years to the day after Donald Trump's supporters stormed the capitol over his election loss, Congress will certify his second White House win. And the woman he defeated in November will preside over this process.

And the former and future first lady like you have never seen her before. The notoriously guarded Melania Trump now the focus of a new documentary, one giving her an executive producer credit.

I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman and Sara Sidner. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening right now, snow. A whole lot of snow is being dumped on our nation's capital and across the Midwest. More than 55 million Americans are on alert because of this deadly winter storm. This hour, states of emergency have been declared across six states. This morning, at least three deaths are being blamed on the brutal travel conditions on the roads. Thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled, many of those in D.C., where heavy snow is falling at this hour, and it could reach historic totals soon.

Much of the city shut down, but a very active scene is happening outside Capitol Hill, as lawmakers are expected to soon certify the 2024 election despite this snow emergency.

Meteorologist Derek Van Dam standing by for us. But first, let's get to where the snow is. Gabe Cohen in Washington, D.C. We can see the conditions are still just as rough as they were earlier. Tell us what's going on.

GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Sara, plenty of snow still falling this morning. And you can see it's really been accumulating throughout the morning. There are several inches already on the ground, and we're expecting that only to increase throughout the day. That's why, as you said, there are those states of emergency in place across those six states, including here in Washington.

Really, this area feels frozen right now in more ways than one. We know schools across this region are shut down. Federal government offices are closed. Roads, what should be the start of a busy morning, a busy commute, really not happening. Most of the cars that we're seeing here around the capital are law enforcement vehicles. And that's because, as you mentioned, while so much of the district, the capital is shut down, the nation's capital, the actual capitol building is not, because were expecting the certification of the presidential election a little bit later today.

Law enforcement on high alert throughout the day. They have been coming into this event, not just because of what happened four years ago on January 6th, but also that recent attack in New Orleans. We know the local police department fully activated throughout this week. Every officer in the city is deployed on the street, working 12-hour shifts. And we have seen just countless vehicles coming in and out. We just saw a New York police department go by.

[08:05:00]

It tells you the cooperation and the resources being brought in country for this important day. You can also see the fencing that's gone up around the capital speaks to some of the security concerns we are seeing. We will see how the storm impacts that, but again, the certification expected to go forward as planned today, Sara. The snow, though, is going to disrupt a lot across this region for so many families.

SIDNER: Yes, what a difference four years makes. Lest we forget, four years ago, there was an insurrection and an attack on the capital. This year, you have snow making problems trying to certify the vote.

Let's go now to Derek Van Dam who is going to give us some update on where this storm is going and when and just how bad conditions will get.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Sara, traffic is a nightmare in D.C. on a good day, but you add in the several inches of snow that have already fallen, and the additional snow that is still to come, and we've got ourselves some serious problems on the roads and in the skies, as well.

And I promise you, the Lincoln memorial is in the background there. There is a live cam. You're looking at Washington and the mall there. Of course, snow-filled, and the snow continues. A large, expansive snow system stretching from St. Louis all the way to the mid-Atlantic. And of course, we've got ice to the south and rain towards the southeast. But this storm stretches over 900 miles.

We've got our winter weather alerts in place. And this is significant because looked what happened in Missouri. We had cars sliding off the highways. And then check out this 18-wheeler. Yes, that's sliding on ice, almost jackknifing right in front of this motorist. Dangerous driving conditions with the storm moving through.

So the temperatures are supportive of snowfall. Lots of dynamics happening with this. But what I'm noticing here is just to the west of Washington, a bit of a drying trend. So will we make that historic snowfall total? Still to be determined, but not looking likely. We have to go back to January 2016 when we saw a storm total over a foot. And we called that the "snowzilla" snowstorm on the east coast. Many remember that.

But additional snowfall to come, a good two to four inches in and around the nation's capital, higher amounts in the mountainous terrain. But we can't forget about the ice component to this storm, bringing difficult driving conditions across Interstate 70, 95, and then, of course, this is weighing down tree limbs and electrical wires, so we already have 250,000 customers without power across this area.

Sara, behind this, the coldest air of the season settles in.

SIDNER: It's just a mess out there. But dare I say, it looks really pretty in Washington, D.C.

VAN DAM: Welcome to Winter.

SIDNER: Derek Van Dam, thank you to you, and to Gabe Cohen who is out in all of it.

John?

BERMAN: All right, as you've been hearing today, exactly four years after hundreds, maybe thousands stormed the U.S. capitol in Donald Trump's name, Congress will meet to count the Electoral College votes. With us now is Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan. Congresswoman, thanks so much. I just want to ask how you're fairing with the snow. Do you need anyone to come shovel?

REP. DEBBIE DINGELL, (D-MI): Listen, I have great neighbors who help me shovel. I love it. I'm a Michigan girl, and I'm already at the capitol ready to do my job.

BERMAN: Four years ago, after January 6th, you said you were afraid for democracy that day. What about today?

DINGELL: What you're going to see today is a peaceful passing on of transition of government. And that's what it should be. We survived four years ago. We have a strong democracy. And while I know many people have strong feelings, that's what democracy is. The people spoke. We have a new president, a respected office of the presidency. And I hope today will be a calm, peaceful day.

But I want to say something, because as we are standing here and I'm looking out at the capital, law enforcement is out there in the cold, in the snow. More than 140 of them four years ago were injured and some died, and they have to take care of us today as we certify. They have a state funeral. They have an inaugural. This place has not been quiet. The men and women of our law enforcement are working hard at keeping us safe, and we all need to thank them for what they do.

BERMAN: Given your feelings for the capitol police and others who helped keep you safe that day and every day since, how would you feel if in, what, 14 days, President Trump when he retakes office pardons those, at least some of those involved with the January 6th insurrection? DINGELL: I don't know what he's going to do. If he were to pardon

someone who attacked a law enforcement officer, I hope he looks at the kind of legislation that he's trying to pass about people supporting law enforcement officers. I think it's important all of us walk our talk. Let's see what he's going to do. I know there's been a lot of talk.

[08:10:01]

But one of the fundamentals processes of our Constitution and the strength of our democracy is that peaceful transfer, that peaceful recognition. The people spoke. You respect the majority.

But we also have the ability in the Congress to have majority and minority viewpoints, to talk to each other, to listen to each other, maybe learn, "compromise" isn't a dirty word. It's going to be very interesting to watch the next month, next year, next four years. But I hope we can dial down the rhetoric, dial down some of the incendiary comments we have, and try to work together for the American people.

BERMAN: Where will you work with the Trump administration specifically?

DINGELL: It's very -- I mean, one is trade. Remember, I'm one of the only people in the country, both parties, that said in 2016 Donald Trump would win. And he did. And one of the reasons was trade. We have got to get a level playing field in this country. It's not only an economic security issue, it's a national security issue. We need to -- tariffs are a tool in the toolbox. I don't believe in across the board tariffs, but in manufacturing, in steel and auto, they're a tool you need to look at.

He and I both want to lower the cost of prescription drugs. I hope he is going to support Buddy Carter and I, my Republican colleague, and a number of other members on both sides who are trying to lead for changes in pharmacy benefit managers. I want him to keep the auto industry strong. I don't think he wants anything to happen to the domestic auto industry. What does that mean? How do we compete in a global marketplace? There are a lot of areas that I want to work with him. But if he is going to do anything that hurts my country, my state, the auto industry, the strength of my state or the people in my district, then I'm going to have to strongly disagree with him, in a respectful way.

BERMAN: Do you feel like when you talk about respect for democracy, and respect in general, it's a one-way street, though? I mean, do you think about where you were four years ago when there were members of Congress voting against the certification of this election and today?

DINGELL: Does it bother me? Have I had talks with my colleagues that did that? Yes. But I talked to them. I said, why did you do that? Weren't you worried? And I think what Democrats are trying to show today is, we may not like the outcome of the election, but we need to respect the outcome of the election. The American people spoke. I have to work with those people that were elected. And if were constantly fighting, constantly at each other's throats, were not going to get anything done. And the American people want us to get stuff done.

BERMAN: I've got to let you go. How do you feel about the Lions this morning?

DINGELL: Oh, I'm in the best mood I could be in. How could you not be happy? I love my Lions. I've been there throughout the thick and the thin. And boy, we're there. And I might even go to a Super Bowl.

BERMAN: All right, good luck. Wishing you the best. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, really appreciate it. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Debbie Dingell, another woman who has had to survive through an Zero and 16 season with the Lions, feeling the joy today.

Coming up for us, a CNN exclusive report on the January 6th investigation into Donald Trump, frustration from inside the Department of Justice, putting blame on Merrick Garland for wasted time and, quote, "it was a whole year of nothing."

And a political crisis may be coming very soon for America's neighbor to the north. New reports that the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, could announce that he is resigning as soon as this week.

And the winter storm taking a toll on millions of Americans in states from coast to coast right now. The state of Kentucky is one of those being hit so hard. The governor of Kentucky is our guest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:18:30]

BOLDUAN: This morning, a state of emergency has been declared in Kentucky as a powerful winter storm has been bringing dangerous and potentially deadly conditions there and across huge swaths of the country.

I'm going to show you what it looked like outside of Lexington, Kentucky, as some of the worst of the snow is hitting. A car flipped over, and a number of accidents like this one have also been reported.

Joining us right now is the governor of Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear.

Governor, thank you so much for coming in. How bad of a hit is Kentucky getting from this storm? How are things going right now?

GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): Well, this is a very significant winter storm. Yesterday, we got six to eight inches of snow across most of Kentucky. Then most problematic was the half an inch of ice that hit everywhere from Western Kentucky through the I-64 corridor.

Half an inch of ice is bringing down tree limbs, is bringing down power lines, so it created two major problems. One, the roads became really treacherous. We had to help about 280 stranded motorists. We had a lot of jack-knifed trucks. A lot of backups that, thankfully, we were able to respond to. But then the second piece is, we've got about 90,000 Kentuckians without power at the moment. We're really racing against time because it is going to get really cold on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially, and Thursday, so we've got today and part of tomorrow to get power up to as many Kentuckians as we can. Because with wind chill, it's going to get dangerously cold.

[08:20:05]

BOLDUAN: I was going to ask when the temperature was going to help you out because when you have half-an-inch of ice across much of the state. I mean, that's often worse than the snow. Because it takes -- you need the temperatures to really help you kind of get things back, you know, melted and back and going, make it less treacherous.

I mean, when do you think you'll be in the clear? What do people need to know if they try to head out today, knowing this?

BESHEAR: Well, today, what they need to know is they should stay home and stay inside. Because while we've cleared the snow, say, for most of our interstates, half-an-inch of ice is incredibly hard to treat if it's on every part of that road.

So while we can spot treat, while we can do our best, you need to believe that any road you're going to drive on is going to have ice.

Now, when the temperature falls, like it will, especially Wednesday and Thursday, but really even tomorrow, the salt doesn't work as well when the temperature gets colder and colder.

We also have some wind gusts which are challenging. Because all those utility workers that are out there in the buckets that have to repair those lines, when the wind gusts get too high, it's not safe.

So, we're asking people to stay off the roads, both for their safety and for the 2,300 Kentucky transportation cabinet workers that we have out there, as well as all those utility workers. I ask people to remember, those are Americans that leave their families to try to protect us, and we have a duty when we are out on the roads to protect them, as well.

Like I said, we've got 2,300 transportation workers out there. We've got about 300 National Guard that are helping to get nurses and doctors to nursing homes and hospitals where they're needed. We've got utility workers that were prepositioned.

Thankfully, through our news, through a bunch of great meteorologists, we had a lot of advanced notice of this storm. We've taken it seriously. Because of that, while we've had some injuries, nothing major thus far, no fatalities and we're thankful for that.

BOLDUAN: I do want to ask before I let you go, you were on a short list of people considered to be potentially Kamala Harris' running mate in this election. Today is January 6th and today is the day that Kamala Harris as vice president is going to preside over certifying Donald Trump's win and her election loss. I mean, how do you reflect on that?

BESHEAR: Well, I think the vice president is going to do her job. Put her love of her country above any feelings from an election. That's what we are called to do.

When we step into these jobs, our job is to take our political hat off and make sure we serve all the people of the United States of America. That's what I fully expect her to do today.

BOLDUAN: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, thank you for coming on. Good luck to the state on digging out of this one. Thank you so much -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, a team of snowplow drives were on a mission to keep traffic moving as they do, but ended up stopping a high-speed chase. We'll tell you that story.

And, an unlikely collaboration. We'll bring you a behind-the-scenes look at the once and future First Lady. Details about the upcoming Melania Trump documentary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:27:29]

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, a brand-new report lays out the top global political risks of 2025. The annual report is put together by the Eurasia Group.

With us now is the Chairman of the Eurasia Group, Cliff Kupchan.

Mr. Chairman, thank you so much for being with us. I want to put the list of the top five risks that you see up on the screen so people can see it. I'm going to walk through just a few of them. Number one, the G-Zero wins.

First of all, define what a G-Zero world is and why you see it as a risk.

CLIFF KUPCHAN, CHAIRMAN, EURASIA GROUP: Thank you for having me.

A G-Zero world is where no power or group of power country or group of countries is able to maintain an international system, maintain international order. The reason it is a big risk this year is that we've been in a declining geopolitical system.

Systems have been making less and less sense for a long time. This year, enter the unilateralist administration of Donald Trump, which is going to put the decline of international leadership on jet skis.

That leaves a lot of room for rogue actors, a lot of room for market disruption. It's that complete absence, which is rare in diplomatic history, that complete absence of international leadership which leaves us so exposed this year. That's why it's our top risk.

BERMAN: Yes, what you're talking about is a vacuum, a really international vacuum. What can rise up in a situation like that?

KUPCHAN: First of all, let's just share with the viewers, this is really rare in diplomatic history, in any kind of history where government that has established an order takes the order apart. That's what we're seeing the United States doing right now, taking its own order down.

What you have with a vacuum in international relations is much more running room for a rogue Russia, a Putin that is set to cause chaos in the West. For China, to change the way the international system works and for non-state actors, for actors like Hezbollah, has cut down to size, right now. But actors that don't relate to stage to move into the vacuum, in to the space that's created by the lack of leadership.

BERMAN: And when you talk about number two on the list is the so- called rule of dawn. When you talk about the incoming, new Trump administration, you do it in a nuanced way. You say you don't see a threat to democracy per se, but you see maybe a threat to institutions long term.

KUPCHAN: That's exactly right. It's the personalistic rule of Donald Trump and the slow erosion of the rule of law that really worries us. Look, he's going to come in with a very loyalist, more experienced team. He will probably put his, you know -- some of them in control of the DOJ, the Department of Justice and the FBI, go after his political opponents.

That's really going to stretch the rule of law. The point that we make, though, is that the military, the courts, adversarial media, and especially federalism, we forget about state administration of national elections. It's really, really hard to steal an election right now.

So, we think there's going to be another election, but we also think this could be the biggest erosion of institutional norms since reconstruction. That's a big deal, you know, it's a very big deal.

[08:30:48]