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U.S.-Russia Talks On Ending Ukraine War Begin Tomorrow, Europeans Hold Separate Summit; Deadly Coast-To-Coast Winter Storm Sweeps Across U.S.; Western Texas Measles Outbreak Doubles To 48 Cases; Wyoming Woman Is 3rd Person In U.S. Hospitalized With Bird Flu; "Saturday Night Live" Celebrates 50 Years On Television. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired February 17, 2025 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00]
KEVIN BARON, FORMER EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "DEFENSE ONE": -- force the Europeans to send their troops one way or another, the Europeans are thinking it's better to have everybody facing and making Russia devote all those resources you're talking about to Ukraine so they're not devoting them to us up here in NATO.
COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Yes. And how real do you think that is?
LEIGHTON: Well, I think that's -- it's quite real. You know, Kevin's absolutely right. The Europeans are looking at this as we've got to safeguard our eastern flank. And this is one way to do this.
And we have to keep in mind, you know, one of the great achievements of the Biden administration was the expansion of NATO. The fact that Finland and Sweden are in NATO, that's a huge deal.
Of course, they wanted to join. They finally got in, you know, based on all the political machinations that were going on at the time. But they were able to do that. And that is a significant setback for the Russians.
But Kevin is right. They're -- the main goal of Putin is to recreate the Russian Empire or something like it. And if he does that, he's going to be able to achieve a degree of victory.
The numbers of people killed, that, to him, is a necessary sacrifice. And he's couching it as being a great patriotic sacrifice for the Russian people.
And that is why he can move forward. And he will continue to have support within Russia for his position.
KEILAR: Your reference point in Russian history, for which I think we are sometimes unfamiliar in America.
Kevin, Cedric, thank you so much to both of you. Really appreciate it.
And still ahead, at least 13 people are dead after severe weather swamped the south and the Midwest, but the threat isn't over.
Plus, health officials are scrambling as a fast-growing measles outbreak hits two states. We're following the latest. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:35:52]
KEILAR: Right now, millions of Americans are bracing for a potentially life-threatening winter storm. We're talking sub-zero wind chills, double-digit temperature drops, tons of snow in some places.
This brutal weather is already blamed for the deaths of at least 13 people, most of those in Kentucky, where significant flooding over the weekend killed at least 11 people.
In the meantime, tens of thousands of people across the state don't have power, they don't have water as emergency responders are working to rescue stranded residents.
CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam is tracking all of this for us.
Derek, tell us what's ahead now.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Brianna, this is going to be a particularly difficult stretch of time for residents of the Tennessee and Ohio River Valleys, for instance.
So not only do we have the continued flooding that is ongoing from this past weekend storm, but now we're tracking an Arctic air mass that's going to descend over the same locations and produce snowfall into some of the hardest-hit areas.
So over the next seven days, there is a high likelihood we'll break over 270 record-low temperatures across the nation's midsection.
But I point out Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia into portions of Tennessee. Some of the hardest-hit areas from this past weekend storm. That is where this Arctic air mass is headed.
Right now, we have these extreme cold alerts that stretch from the U.S.-Canada border to the Rio Grande. That will likely shift eastward as the storm system evolves.
So to complicate the search-and-recovery efforts that are ongoing across the state of Kentucky, for instance, we already have winter storm watches that have been posted for the next storm that is about to impact the region.
So right now, we have five river gauges that are actually registering major flood stage. Remember, they still need to crest in many of these locations downstream. So this will be an ongoing event for the next several days.
So here comes the second storm system behind this past weekend that brought the flooding rains. It will now be cold enough to produce snowfall. So frozen precipitation over this area.
And then the coldest air settles in directly behind it. The heaviest snow will be to the west. But still, two to four inches of snowfall over those hard-hit areas of Kentucky.
That is going to complicate matters, Brianna. And it's that Arctic blast of air that will make it that much more difficult.
Back to you.
KEILAR: Yes. It certainly is.
All right, Derek, thank you so much for that.
Boris?
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST; Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour.
A third victim has been found in the wreckage following a fiery crash inside a Wyoming highway tunnel. At least five people were seriously injured in Fridays pileup that involved 26 vehicles along Interstate 80. A portion of the highway is set to reopen later this week.
Also, a pilot made an emergency landing during a Texas air show on Sunday after the plane's engine caught fire. Air show officials say the pilot is doing well and on the road to recovery. The FAA and the NTSB say they are now investigating.
And an update on Pope Francis. CNN has learned that the pope will remain in the hospital. The Vatican says the 88-year-old pontiff has a polymicrobial infection in his respiratory tract. As a result, doctors say they have now changed the popes treatment plan.
The pontiff did not lead Sunday's prayers, as he usually does, but he did send a message thanking doctors and health care workers for their care.
We're going to have a lot more on the pope's condition during a live report from Rome in the next hour, so stay tuned for that.
[13:39:14]
Also coming up, a measles outbreak in Texas doubling in size, making it the state's biggest outbreak of the virus in nearly 30 years. What you need to know, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We've been tracking a measles outbreak in western Texas and, apparently, it's getting worse. The case count doubling in under a week to 48 people. This is in the south plains region. Majority of cases are in Gaines County.
And local officials suspect the outbreak crossed the state line into New Mexico. That's where three people in bordering Lea County are now sick with one of the most contagious diseases in the world.
KEILAR: Let's bring in Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA Vaccine Advisory Committee and the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
All right, Doctor, just tell us what you see happening here, why you see this spreading so quickly.
DR. PAUL OFFIT, FDA VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER & DIRECTOR, VACCINE EDUCATION CENTER, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: Well, so we hear about 50 confirmed cases. Meaning, cases that have been proven to be measles by either doing a PCR or doing serology.
This is probably the tip of a much bigger iceberg. I think it could be 200 cases.
The other thing that worries me is I don't think people realize how contagious measles is. If you look at viruses like Sars-Cov2 or influenza or influenza or respiratory syncytial virus, the contagiousness index, meaning how many people will you infect during a day, assuming you're contagious and everybody you come in contact with is susceptible, is two to four.
For measles, it's 18. You don't even have to have direct contact with someone with measles. You just have to be in their airspace within two hours of them being there. It's that contagious. It's the most- contagious infectious disease.
[13:45:01]
SANCHEZ: Wow. Doctor, a record share of U.S. kindergartners had an exception for required vaccinations last school year. That left some 125,000 new school children without coverage for at least one state- mandated vaccine.
What are your thoughts on why we're seeing an increase in exceptions?
OFFIT: I think it's sort of part of this medical freedom movement, if you will, which I think is a consequence of the Covid pandemic. I think. in 2020, there were things that we did like, you know, shuttering schools or closing businesses or restricting travel that was seen by many as government overreach.
Same thing in 2021 when we had a vaccine and you couldn't go to places like your place of worship or a favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event unless you had your vaccine card.
I think people saw that, or some people saw that as massive government overreach. And I think we leaned into a Libertarian left hook. And I think this, at some level, is the result.
KEILAR: And so they're taking concerns -- and, look, many of them valid. I think so many parents have had concerns or certainly with the benefit of hindsight, have looked back and said, why were certain things done, right, in certain ways? But when you're hearing skepticism specifically on vaccines that have
been around for so long in cases like this, how do you talk to parents about the risks of not vaccinating for something like measles when you're talking about getting into certain populations where there are really huge risks?
OFFIT: Right. Well, a choice not to get a vaccine is not a risk-free choice. It's a choice to take a different, and I would argue in the current climate, more serious risk.
It's OK to be skeptical about vaccines. I think you should be skeptical -- skeptical about anything you put into your body or your child's body.
But often, there are answers to the -- to the concerns people have. And so you try and explain those answers compassionately, passionately and humbly because we don't know everything.
But on the other hand, I think people need to realize that vaccines are very well tested. And although they're not absolutely safe, certainly the benefits clearly and definitively outweigh the risks.
SANCHEZ: Doctor, I was just joking with Brianna and some of our crew here during the commercial break that this winter has been especially rough. I feel like I've been hit with -- with everything, Covid, strep, the flu, et cetera, et cetera.
And now bird flu is out there. A third person in the U.S. has been hospitalized with it. The CDC says that overall risks to the public is still very low.
But seeing how so many things are going around, walk us through your thoughts on bird flu and what you think the risk is.
OFFIT: Well, so bird flu has been around for 20 years. Really, it first raised its head in an important way in Southeast Asia in 1997.
And certainly, it can infect people who come in close contact with chickens and inhale a lot of the virus into their lower respiratory tract, their lungs.
But that virus has not yet learned how to reproduce itself in the upper respiratory tract, being nose, throat, windpipe. And until that virus has learned to do that, it's not going to become a pandemic. And it may never become a pandemic.
But we need to keep a close eye on it in case that virus does mutate to then be able to be transmitted from person to person. But right now, it hasn't done that.
So we need to keep our eyes open. It's possible, but it hasn't happened yet.
KEILAR: Yes. Hope it doesn't get smarter than it is.
Dr. Offit, always great to have you. Thank you so much for being with us.
OFFIT: Thank you.
[13:48:31]
And still ahead, it was a star-studded night as "SNL" celebrated 50 years of laughs. We have the best on-screen and behind-the-scenes moments, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:53:07]
KEILAR: So it was a celebration fit to honor 50 years of "Saturday Night Live." Cast members, young and -- young and less young.
(CROSSTALK)
KEILAR: I don't want to say old. Young and less young, maybe, but young at heart still, they took to the stage at 30 Rock last night for a star-studded primetime special.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY FALLON, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Diddy. We're trying to have fun. OK? We're having a nice time. Why don't you go take five?
DREW BARRYMORE, ACTRESS: Believe me, I'd love to sit down. My right foot is throbbing. Pretty sure it's my old friend gout.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That bit with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon teeing up punchlines for Debbie Downer. Just one of many sketches that made us laugh last night.
CNN entertainment correspondent, Elizabeth Wagmeister, joins us now from Los Angeles.
Elizabeth, what else stood out?
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: You know, this was a star-studded night. That clip that we just saw then ended with none other than Robert De Niro also joining in. And he was one of many A-listers.
We were reminded of all of the comedy legends who got their start on "SNL." Eddie Murphy was one of the big stars. He did a few sketches.
This one that we're seeing right here, he was impersonating Tracy Morgan, of course, in front of Tracy Morgan. Then Bill Murray, who also, of course, started on "SNL." He joined Colin Jost for "Weekend Update" and was roasting Colin Jost, which was, of course, great to -- to partake in. And also, fun fact, Meryl Streep made her first-ever appearance on
"SNL" last night, which is hard to believe. But Meryl Streep had never been one of the celebrity guest hosts.
And last night, she took part in a sketch. You see her right there taking a seat next to Kate McKinnon, who was one of the other alums who joined in.
[13:54:59]
Now, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, they actually made sure that everybody knew how much star power was in the room. One of their bits was an audience rollcall of sorts.
And of course, when your audience is made up of global superstars, you get into some hijinks.
Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TINA FEY, COMEDIAN: UNIDENTIFIED COMEDIAN: And next question.
Yes, Keith Richards.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
(CHEERING)
KEITH RICHARDS, ROLLING STONES GUITARIST: I left a scarf here in 1988.
(LAUGHTER)
RICHARDS: And I'm kind of wondering if anybody has seen it around, you know.
(LAUGHTER)
FEY: A scarf. Yes, it's in 1998. Well, that's a long time ago. I don't know.
AMY POEHLER, COMEDIAN: UNIDENTIFIED COMEDIAN: Yes, I don't think so. I'm not sure.
UNIDENTIFIED COMEDIAN: Look, it's simply not here, OK? Can we all just stop looking?
Next question.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WAGMEISTER: One of the other big A-list surprises was Jack Nicholson making his first television appearance in years to introduce none other than Adam Sandler, who, of course, is one of "SNL's" most successful and beloved alums.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK NICHOLSON, ACTOR: Check it out tonight. OK, here we go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Great to see Jack having a good time.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: It's been a minute. I feel like I might have seen him sideline at a Lakers game, but this is his first actual television appearance. So it's nice to see him having a good time.
WAGMEISTER: He's usually -- he's usually at the Lakers game though. That is favorite spot -- Boris?
SANCHEZ: Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you so much for that update.
Still plenty more news to come this afternoon, including U.S. and Russian officials ready to discuss ending the war in Ukraine without Europe or Ukraine's involvement. We'll talk about the fallout in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
