Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Christoph Gorder is Interviewed about Airbnb.org Helping Wildfire Victims; Ruby Chen is Interviewed about the Hostage Deal; Jim Murphy is Interviewed about his Book. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired January 16, 2025 - 09:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:40]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands of people have been impacted by the deadly wildfires that continue to wreak havoc in southern California. Friends, families and volunteers from around the country have also quickly jumped in to try and help. Los Angeles County now says it's received what it describes as - as an overwhelming outpouring of generosity from the public. And so much so that it's now at capacity for in-person donations. The county is now encouraging people to donate money if they wish to help. That's in the county side.

Companies are also jumping in to offer aid. Airbnb is one. Airbnb.org is an independent non-profit founded by Airbnb that works to find free or discounted stays for people in times of crisis. And that really is right now.

Let's talk about this. Joining me right now is the executive director of airbnb.org, Christoph Gorder.

Christoph, thank you so much for coming in this morning.

Housing is literally at the center of this disaster. Every picture we show includes entire communities just wiped out. What kind of help are you providing for victims of this disaster so far? How does it work?

CHRISTOPH GORDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AIRBNB.ORG: Well, thanks for having me on. You know, first, our hearts go out to all of the thousands and thousands of families that have been affected here. And so we've been able to help, since last week, we activated on the first day, on - on - on Tuesday, last Tuesday, when the fire started. And since then we've been able to provide free stays in Airbnbs, week-long stays for - for 25,000 people. And we've just upped our goal to be able to continue because there's so much need down there. It's just - it's absolutely devastating.

BOLDUAN: And how do you - how do you compare this to other disasters you guys have jumped in to help in the past? I mean, I'm just wondering, you see these images. I'm just wondering how big you think the need will be. I mean can you help everyone that would be reaching out with this need for at least some temporary help in housing? GORDER: Right. I mean, I think, you know, the - the - the full picture

is still emerging. I mean the fires are still going. And they're still surveying to understand what the damage was. I mean, I think we all know that thousands and thousands of homes were - we're lost. You know, right now our priority is stabilizing all of these people who've been evacuated and lost their homes. And so, you know, getting them into a short term emergency housing where they can, you know, have some respite a little bit and figure out what their next steps is, is really, really important.

I mean we're seeing, you know, particularly what's - what we're seeing is families with pets. And so they're having a really difficult time finding, you know, places to stay. And that's where Airbnbs can really be great because, you know, so many of them allow pets and - and - and are pet friendly. So, you know, really being able to serve the individual needs of each family has been critical in this response.

BOLDUAN: I can imagine just the stories that your organization is hearing from victims, but also, you know, part of the structure and design of Airbnb, right, is that you work with, what, millions of - of hosts who open their homes and offer their homes.

What are you hearing from the hosts and the - and the willingness to take part in to offer help in this time of crisis?

GORDER: Well, it's amazing. I mean, you know, these terrible, tragic events really bring out the best in people. And, you know, the community really steps up. I mean the whole idea for Airbnb.org of opening up homes in times of crisis came from a host. It was in 2012, when Hurricane Sandy hit New York, there was a host in Brooklyn who called up and said, hey, I see all these displaced people, like, I want to open my home. And so, it's grown since then. We have now served over 250,000 people and given 1.6 million nights of - of free stays.

And this is just growing because, you know, hosts are giving us a discount, Airbnb.org is raising money from the public to be able to pay the balance and give as many people as we can into - into free, temporary shelters - free, temporary homes. You know, when - when times are really, really tough.

BOLDUAN: Yes, and there's lots of information on the site on airbnb.org for everyone if they're seeing this and in need of that exact kind of assistance.

Christoph, thank you very much for coming on.

Coming up for us, we are keeping a close eye on Israel this morning after their cabinet delayed a key vote on the cease fire deal.

[09:35:05]

The Israeli prime minister's office saying now that Hamas is reneging on parts of a fragile agreement. The Biden administration this morning saying they fully expect that this deal still to be implemented though.

One hundred and seventy million American users of TikTok are waiting to see if Donald Trump is about to try to throw a hail Mary to save that app.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, an apparent pause in the process of the hostage ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Israel's war cabinet, a short time ago, delayed a vote to officially ratify the deal because they say Hamas has reneged on some parts of the agreement.

[09:40:05]

We're trying to determine exactly what's going on. White House officials tell us they believe this deal will still happen.

With us now is Ruby Chen. He's the father of one of the seven Israeli American hostages Eta Chen. Itay was just 19 years old and a soldier in the Israeli military when he was killed on October 7, 2023. His body was then taken into Gaza.

Ruby, thank you so much for being with us.

It almost feels like you were part of these hostage ceasefire negotiations. You were in Doha while this deal was being hammered out. So, what are your feelings this morning upon learning that at least there's some kind of pause or delay in the process?

RUBY CHEN, FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN KILLED, BODY TAKEN TO GAZA: Yes, thanks for having me.

Four hundred and sixty-eight days since this all started. Longer than the U.S. hostages in Iran many, many years ago. It's just another chapter of the psychological warfare that has been inflicted on the families from Hamas, for sure. Sometimes also by the Israeli government as well. The last couple of hours we've seen right wing members of the Netanyahu government that have been protesting against this deal. It might be just posturing. You know, last-minute negotiations. But, you know, if there is one thing that you can say about and predict about the Middle East, everything is unpredictable. So, it means that we will continue to wait and hope that this deal, indeed, begins.

When I was in Qatar with my wife meeting the negotiators, it was important for us to put a face on those names that are on that Excel sheet and just look us in the eye and understand the pain that we are in, and advocating that the deal that is being put together should go all the way, meaning that there should be a full understanding how you move from phase one to phase two. At the moment, in the list that at least was published on social media, there are only two U.S. citizens that are coming out, which means that there will continue to be five U.S. citizens being held hostage, including my son. And that should be unacceptable also for the United States that that should linger on for much longer. BERMAN: As you say, each name on that Excel spreadsheet is a person.

And with each person comes a family and so much love. And you, sitting there, with so much love is a reminder of that.

So, to be in Doha and to see representatives of two U.S. administrations, the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration working toward the same end, what was that like for you, Ruby?

CHEN: Well, we also met, of course, the Qatar officials from the prime minister office, from the national security office and minister of state. You know, I think we need to commend Mr. Brett McGurk, NSC coordinator in the Middle East, as well as Mr. Steve Witkoff, President Trump's special envoy to the Middle East. Once Mr. Witkoff was nominated, he immediately was in sync with Mr. McGurk. And they worked together. And I think the Trump effect, as it is called, was actual because for months there was no progress. And this created a dynamic that we saw become actual.

I could say when I was in Qatar and before even Mr. Witkoff came, I actually reached out to him and suggested that he come to Doha because the need for the negotiators to see the commitment of the U.S. government to not only come from the Biden incumbent administration but actually from the incoming administration as well, and the fact that Mr. Witkoff was there and said in his voice on behalf of president-elect that indeed the guarantees that are being provided will be valid by the Trump administration I think made a significant impact.

BERMAN: So, Ruby, your son, a huge Celtics fan, which I find to be awesome being from Boston. So just, you know, tell us a little bit about him.

CHEN: Yes. A fun-loving kid. He is the middle child. So, he has the elder and younger sibling. So, he is the connector in the family.

[09:45:04]

Loves to dance and sing, climb on walls. He has a loving girlfriend. And he always had a knack of - and getting into fights with me, his old dad. You know, was always about, dad, why are you wasting energy? I'm going to get anything I want from mom anyway. So, spoken like a true middle child. You know, he's - he was mom's kid.

And, you know, the age of 19 is the age that most people say you do not accomplish much. But he was in the Boy Scouts for many, many years. So, he had a lot of circles of people that knew him and that he supported and counseled. But we, as you might know, you know, we got intelligence saying that he most likely will not come back.

There's no physical evidence. There's nothing from Hamas that gave us any type of statement about Itay's status. It's unfortunate that the International Red Cross or anybody was not able, until today, to go and visit the hostages and understand their medical condition.

So, we have some hope. It's a small, you know, percentage. And maybe things came out different. But we - we cling to that hope, and hope that maybe we might have a miracle waiting for us. And we are coming in to the inauguration next week. We were invited by President Trump's inauguration team. And I do have that, you know, beautiful picture vision that, you know, somehow, you know, the president would be able to say, Mr. Chen, I'm glad to inform you your son is on his way back home.

BERMAN: Well, Ruby Chen, we certainly hope, along with you, that there is a miracle. And we hope that whatever pause, they will get past that as soon as possible.

Ruby Chen, thank you so much for being with us.

CHEN: Thank you, John.

BERMAN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:5129]

BERMAN: All right, this morning, eight teams getting ready for the next round of the NFL playoffs. And maybe going to the library. Why? Well, this was star Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown on the sidelines last week when the Eagles won, by the way, reading mid-game. And that's not a playbook. He was reading "Inner Excellence" by Jim Murphy, which promptly jumped from number 552,709 on Amazon before the game to number one across all categories. That's according to "The New York Times." That's a pretty big jump.

With us now is the author of "Inner Excellence," Jim Murphy.

Great to see you. Congratulations on this 500,000 jump that you made over the last few days.

Look, I know you weren't - I don't -

JIM MURPHY, AUTHOR, "INNER EXCELLENCE": Thanks so much for having me, John.

BERMAN: I don't think you were watching live, but what was your reaction when you heard that there was this footage of A.J. Brown reading your book during the game?

MURPHY: It's such an incredible blessing to - to see that. But I want to make sure that we don't get distracted from the real thing, which is the meaning of the book and what he's reading and learning. And, you know, it's something that we should all learn. And that's that there's so much more meaning to football than touchdowns and Super Bowls, and that's learning to sacrifice and love your neighbor.

BERMAN: This is what A.J. Brown said about the book and what it means to him just after the game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) A.J. BROWN, WIDE RECEIVER, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: It's something like how I refresh every - every drive, you know, regardless of if I score a touchdown or I drop a pass. I always go back to that book every drive and just refocus and nothing matters, nothing happened, and just relive (ph) back in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So, refocus how? What is your message to an NFL wide receiver?

MURPHY: Well, to know that - that there's so much more to even football. And if you want to be - if you want to win a Super Bowl, like, why do you want to win? What is it that you really want? And don't you want to feel fully alive? Isn't that what you really want, to live a meaningful, fulfilling life with amazing experiences and deep, enriching relationships where you're learning and growing? Isn't that what you really want? If that's what you want, let's develop your whole self, your whole heart. And then, you know, Super Bowls and touchdowns and whatever else may or may not come, it's out of your control.

BERMAN: At this point, who do you think has done more for whom? You for A.J. Brown or A.J. Brown for you?

MURPHY: Well, I hope, you know, Eagles fans win and America wins because it's not about either of us. You know, A.J. Brown has a big heart. He really wants to help the people in Philadelphia inner city, and so do I. And so I'm both - I'm really excited about that.

BERMAN: And, look, you've got a great story for people who don't know. You're a minor league baseball player. You played a year of college football as well. You've really worked hard to develop the thinking behind this book of yours. And now A.J. Brown, I understand, is trying to share it with all his teammates, calling it something of a miracle. How does that - how does that make you feel personally?

MURPHY: Well, I'm just so grateful to God that - that he's using me, you know, just a, you know, a nobody to - to share his - his love and his message with the world.

BERMAN: And as an athlete yourself, former athlete, would you advise reading on the sidelines during a game? How do you think most coaches would view that?

MURPHY: Yes, I mean, I think I would definitely advise to do whatever it takes to be fully engaged in the moment, you know, when you're playing.

I was talking to a major league all-star this spring and talking about how important it is to be fully engaged, even more than confidence. And so, I totally agree.

[09:55:02]

BERMAN: Well, Jim Murphy, congratulations to you. I know A.J. Brown and others, now countless thousands of people are reading your book and learning from it. Thank you so much for being with us and wishing you the best going forward.

MURPHY: Thanks so much for having me. Go Birds!

BERMAN: You know, and, you know, we all like to read sometimes.

BOLDUAN: We do like to read. I also think that, you know, "Inner Excellence" is I think maybe what I think of you every time -

BERMAN: Yes. Well, I was going to ask him, does it just work for athletes or do you have anything that might work with, say, a news anchor?

BOLDUAN: I don't know. Someone who really needs some assistance. Exactly.

BERMAN: Yes, I was going to say, I know someone who needs some help.

BOLDUAN: Thank you all so much for joining us today. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "CNN NEWSROOM," up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:00]