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Obama Pardons Thanksgiving Turkey; Year-Long Delay for Small Business Online Obamacare Enrollment; What to Do if Flight Delayed or Cancelled; Behind-the-Scenes at Atlanta's Airport; Robert Levinson Still Held in Iran. U.S., Japan Criticize Chinese Move in South China Sea.
Aired November 27, 2013 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: So what about, though, those flyers who do get stuck because of the canceled and delayed flights?
Actually, we were going to go to Courtney Scott to talk about travel. We'll go to the president at the White House right now.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But the --
(LAUGHTER)
-- the White House turkey pardon is a great tradition. And I know Malia loves it, as does Sasha. Generally speaking, Thanksgiving is a bad day to be a turkey, especially at a house with two dogs. So I salute our two guests of honor, Caramel and Popcorn, for their bravery. They came all the way from outside Badger, Minnesota, to be with us. They, like my chief of staff, are Vikings fans.
(LAUGHTER)
I'm not sure that they know that -- uh-oh.
(LAUGHTER)
Yeah. See? I'm not sure they know my Bears are leading to Minnesota on Sunday, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to give them a break. We are also excited to have students from Badger High School here.
(CHEERING)
OBAMA: Where are you guys? There they are right there.
And finally let me say thank to John Burkle (ph), chairman of the National Turkey Federation. Give him a big round of applause.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, 80 turkeys on John's farm competed for the chance to make it to the White House and stay off the Thanksgiving table. It was quite literally "The Hunger Games."
(LAUGHTER) And then after weeks of vocal practice and prepping for the cameras, the two tributes, Caramel and Popcorn, went head to head together for America's vote as top gobbler. The competition was stiff but we can officially declare that Popcorn is the winner.
(CHEERING)
OBAMA: Proving -- there you go -- proving that even a turkey with a funny name can find a place in politics.
(LAUGHTER)
As for Caramel, he's sticking around and he's already busy raising money for his next campaign.
(LAUGHTER)
Yeah.
(LAUGHTER)
On a more serious note, later today, Michele, Malia, Sasha and I will be bring a couple of less fortunate turkeys to a great organization that works to help out neighbors here in Washington, D.C., who need it most. I want to thank Jandel's Turkey Farm (ph) in Pennsylvania for donating the dress birds for the fifth year in a row. This is a reminder that this is a season not only to be thankful for the incredible blessings we have but also to remember the neediest, and generously serve those who are not as fortunate.
You know, this is quintessentially an American holiday. During this time, we give thanks to friends and family for citizens who show compassion to those in need, and for neighbors who help strangers they've never met. We give thanks for the blessings of freedom and an opportunity that previous generations worked so hard to secure for, and we give thanks for the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform who serve our nation around the world.
For those of you who are watching, you keep us safe. You make us proud. And you remind us of our own obligations to build on the work of our predecessors and leave something better for our own kids.
So on behalf of the Obama family, I want to wish everybody a very happy Thanksgiving. Tomorrow, as we gather with our friends and family, we'll count ourselves lucky that there's more to be thankful for than we can ever say and more to be hopeful for than we can ever imagine.
Now, before these turkeys get away, with the power vested in me, I want to grant Popcorn a full reprieve. Come on.
(LAUGHTER)
I want Popcorn. Popcorn, you have a full reprieve from cranberry sauce and stuffing.
We wish you well.
And we're going to give Caramel a break, as well.
(LAUGHTER)
So --
(LAUGHTER)
-- congratulations.
(LAUGHTER)
Good job.
(LAUGHTER)
All right.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
See you, Popcorn.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
SCIUTTO: There is the president continuing a great White House tradition of pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey. A photo finish, Popcorn edging out Caramel for that honor, although we learned today that both of those turkeys get to survive. No one ends up on the dinner table. They get to live out a nice retirement at Mt. Vernon. The president also thanking the soldiers, and thoughts for those today who don't have enough eat. A great Thanksgiving tradition there at the White House.
Stay with us. We'll have travel tips for those stuck in the holiday travel mess right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: This just in to CNN. Small businesses will see a year-long delay of online enrollment in Obamacare.
Jim Acosta joins us from the White House with details.
Jim, what exactly does this mean? They can't use healthcare.gov, small businesses?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Yeah. And it's important to note, Jim, that small businesses with fewer than 50 employees are not required to provide coverage for employees but they can use Obamacare, essentially, to buy that insurance for their employees.
But what is happening now, what officials over at HHS just announced in the last few moments is that, essentially, those employers are going to have to do this through offline outlets. They can go to insurers directly. They can use insurance brokers, that sort of thing but can't use healthcare.gov.
This is not the first delay for this category of consumers out there, for small businesses. This it is something that was announced also in late September that this feature on healthcare.gov would be delayed till mid-November. Now it's late November and the federal government is saying, guess what, this thing is not ready for another year. Small businesses will have to enroll for coverage offline. They can't do it online for the moment. But, yes, this is yet another problem for this White House.
Another problem for the administration when it comes to Obamacare, just this weekend, as you know, Jim, is the target date. November 30th is the target date for healthcare.gov to be working for the "vast majority" -- that's the phrasing they've been using -- the vast majority of users this weekend. All eyes will be on that website to see whether or not that experience is as the administration has been saying it will be coming up on November 30th. And, in fact, we learned earlier this morning that the administration has been reaching out to allied groups to encourage them to suggest to them, hey, don't drive traffic to the website this weekend. We want to make sure we don't get that traffic up too high because they don't want consumers going to the website once again and getting frustrated.
So a lot of setting of expectations, but also acknowledging that they're not out of the woods yet when it comes to that website -- Jim?
SCIUTTO: Not exactly a vote of confidence if you're not encouraging people to drive traffic to the website.
Just to be clear, you said small businesses are not required to buy such insurance. What's their option for them? How would they do it if they can't go to the website?
ACOSTA: If they can't get to the website, they can directly enroll through insurers. Go through insurance brokers. They're not going to have that feature that was originally envisioned on the site where you can go on, shop around for plans, look at the best prices, that sort of kayak-amazon.com experience is not going to be available to those consumers, those small businesses, but conceivably, if they go to an insurance broker, they should be able to have that experience. That broker can lay out here's your array of options and oh forth. But it is not the feature they imagined being available for these small businesses.
So it is another problem with the rollout, the implementation of the president's signature legislative achievement. It is just not going the way they hoped as this point -- Jim?
SCIUTTO: Another big deadline up on Saturday.
Thanks very much to Jim Acosta at the White House.
ACOSTA: Sure. SCIUTTO: We'll turn back now to the weather making Thanksgiving travel such a struggle. What should flyers do if they do get stuck because of cancelled and delayed flights?
Joining me now, Courtney Scott, senior editor for Travelocity, an experienced traveler herself.
We've all been in this position before. What can you do? You're struck in the airport now. You don't know when your plane's going to take off. What's the best next step?
COURTNEY SCOTT, SENIOR EDITOR TRAVELOCITY: Hopefully, you checked on your flight status before leaving your home. If you are stuck at the airport, there are three things you should do. Get on the phone with the carrier. Get -- go to the ticket counter simultaneously and find out the latest information of what's happening with your flight and go online to the carrier's website. You know, all three of those things should be happening at the same time. Maximize the information flow of what kind of information you're getting. Go on Twitter, find out what other people are doing. But you have the right to the next available flight or a refund. So those are your options.
SCIUTTO: So you're on your phone, you're standing in line, you're checking your Smartphone for the website. Do it all at once. Smart advice.
Now, let's say you're a last-minute flyer. You were going to drive but the roads are too icy. Is it too late to think about flying? Any open seats to grab out there?
SCOTT: It's dicey. Of course, we want safety to be number one. If you feel like your safety is threatened by taking to the roads, I would consider all options. Amtrak is running mass transit. Check flights. I might try to check tomorrow's flights. The weather's really shaping up to be nice tomorrow morning. Perhaps you can take the first flight out tomorrow and get there in time for your turkey dinner.
SCIUTTO: Smart advice. Now, a lot of people forget the busiest travel day is actually Sunday when people are coming home. What should they be expecting then? Is it even worse? I guess a lot depends on the weather.
SCOTT: If you've been taking Travelocity's advice, you will have booked your return for Monday or Tuesday. Those days are looking great, and actually cheaper fares. If you are flying home on Sunday, leave lots of extra time, two hours for domestic, three hours for international. Do not bring any checked luggage. You want to breeze through TSA security with just your carry-on. And check inning 24 hours before so that you don't run the risk of getting bumped off your flight. That is the worst-case scenario. Have that digital boarding pass on your Smartphone ready to go.
SCIUTTO: Smart advice.
Now, it's less then a month to Christmas. We're getting close. Advice as we get closer to the Christmas holiday travel season?
SCOTT: You know, we're going to see a similar story. High traffic at the airports. I recommend, you know, flying on off-peak days. It's the key. Flying on the holiday itself is an insider's secret. Fly on Christmas. Get there just in time for your celebration and avoid these crazy days like, you know, like what we're seeing today.
SCIUTTO: Great advice from Courtney Scott, including the idea of traveling on the holiday.
Thanks very much for being with us.
SCOTT: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Coming up next, we'll go back to the airport in Atlanta. This time, for something a little different, a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the world's busiest airport overnight. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: We've been talking a lot today about holiday travel problems. But even when things are running smoothly, we only see a fraction of what goes on at the airport. So we decided to go behind the scenes at the world's busiest airport in Atlanta to meet some of the people who make it tick. That includes Officer Jeannette Franklin, who works the over-night shift.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNETTE FRANKLIN, AIRPORT POLICE: I'm en route to 58.
(CROSSTALK)
FRANKLIN: Uh-huh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blue jeans.
FRANKLIN: You've been here for three to four days now. OK? If you don't have airport business here, there's no reason why you should be here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
FRANKLIN: So we're going to go ahead and get you a criminal trespass warning.
Typical night. On a good -- well, that's the thing about policing. We can never say there's a typical anything.
I come in to work at 10:30 at night, and my shift ends at 6:30 in the morning. Our security patrol starts at 12 midnight and it will continue until we get off at 6:30 in the morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been known to say we are probably the second largest homeless shelter in the city at one point. We finally kind of decided we need to try to find a way to come up with an equitable solution to the problem.
FRANKLIN: Take that paper with you.
There is no real way for us to tell who's here on airport business and who's not.
Flying in and flying out?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
FRANKLIN: OK.
All right. Have a good night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought you were going to arrest me.
(LAUGHTER)
FRANKLIN: What you going to do? What you going to do? What you --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
FRANKLIN: You look guilty.
Oh, tonight was a great night. We had a total of two people we had to bring in and actually give criminal trespass warnings to one. We got a call on him because the caller stated that he exposed himself. And we had another guy that we had to come in and give him a criminal trespass warning because he's been staying here at the airport for three to four days.
It's a little slower here at the airport. But we still have to be aware and keep our guard up because, like I said, those full-moon nights, we can get some issues.
I don't have to mark it on the calendar. After we get so many crazy things going on, you go outside and look and say, yeah, it's a full moon.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: The airport never sleeps.
For more much more CNN's unique look at the world's busiest airport, check out CNN.com/interactive.
They're only about twice the size of New York's Central Park, but these small islands in the South China Sea are causing a big dispute in the region. That story ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: The landmark nuclear deal with Iran is giving the family of a missing American hope that he may soon be free. Robert Levinson's wife calls him the longest-held American hostage. His family says, on Tuesday, he surpassed journalist, Terry Anderson, who was held for 2,254 days.
On CNN's "New Day," Levinson's wife talked about when he went missing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE LEVINSON, WIFE OF ROBERT LEVINSON: He went on a business trip to Kish Island, part of Iran. And it was supposed to be a 24- hour trip. And he never left there. Unfortunately, that was March 9th, 2007, and we have never heard anything about his whereabouts since then. His passport has not been seen. We have not received any recent information about him, although I do believe he is safe and will come home to us soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: The White House has now asked Iran to help free Levinson. At statement says, "The U.S. respectfully asks Iran to help secure his return."
Now to Asia, a challenge in the skies over the East China Sea as the U.S. flies two bombers through China's newly declared air defense zone. The U.S. and Japan have criticized Beijing's unilateral move. Both say they won't recognize China's claim, which is shown here on the map. This latest declaration comes during a territorial dispute with Japan over a set of small, uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.
We have the view from both sides in this report from Karl Penhaul and David McKenzie.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The message from Beijing, we're watching you.
(EXPLOSION)
MCKENZIE (voice-over): Defense officials say they monitored the entire course of the American B-52 bombers as they tested China's new and highly controversial air defense zone, claiming they have the capabilities to control the air space.
It's the latest round of rhetoric since China announced the zone just days ago, stretching from China's coast and pushing east bisecting what China calls the Diaoyu Islands, claimed by both China and Japan.
Both the U.S. and Japan have called the unilateral move a dangerous escalation that could lead to a military flashpoint.
China says the defense zone allows it to monitor aircraft that could threaten their national security.
LIU JIEYI, CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: It's indeed the right of every country to defend its air space and also to make sure that its territorial integrity, it's sovereignty are safeguarded.
MCKENZIE: But analysts say it's a way for China to flex its military muscle, to stake claim to the region, and counteract the U.S.'s so- called pivot to Asia.
China is now sending their sole aircraft carrier to the South China Sea for what they call a routine training sail.
(on camera): All of this could just be saber rattling because no one really believes Beijing wants to start a fight with the U.S. or Japan.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The real issue here in Tokyo may be less about what's going on in the air and more about what's going on on the ground.
(voice-over): The Japanese government said it fears this is part of a new push by China to assert its claims over what Japan calls the Senkaku Islands.
JIKARINKO ONO, SPOKESWOMAN FOR JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER: The Japanese government is ready to respond to this kind of provocative acts of Chinese fight in a resolute yet calm manner.
PENHAUL: The eight uninhabited islands and rocks are about twice the size of New York's Central Park. Experts say they may harbor oil and gas deposits.
Tension in that corner of the East China Sea has long been running high. In 2010, Japanese Coast Guard cutters crashed into a Chinese fishing boat, sparking a diplomatic spat. Japan says it already scrambles fighter jets on an almost daily basis to intercept Chinese aircraft over the islands.
Incoming U.S. ambassador, Caroline Kennedy, is calling for level heads.
CAROLINE KENNEDY, INCOMING U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: In dangerous times, the United States has always stood for the principle that disputes should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. And we are ready to assist this process in every way we can.
PENHAUL: Japan's commercial airliners say they won't comply with orders to identify themselves to Chinese authorities if they fly through the air space to Taiwan and Hong Kong. The airline companies insist passenger safety is not at risk.
I'm Karl Penhaul in Tokyo.
MCKENZIE: And I'm David McKenzie in Beijing
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Tense situation in the South China Sea. We'll continue to watch that.
Meanwhile, a tragic accident today at one of the upcoming World Cup venues in Brazil. Three people were killed when a falling crane struck a stadium still under construction. Here are pictures from Sao Paulo. Authorities say the crane caused part of the roof to lapse. This is the $355 million Arena Corinthians. It's scheduled to host the opener of the 2014 World Cup soccer games next summer.
That's all the news from me now. I'll be back at 5:00 Eastern on "The Situation Room."
NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Jim Sciutto, thank you so much.
