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House Judiciary Hearings To Begin December 4; Judiciary Chairman Invites Trump To Hearings; Storms Across U.S. To Disrupt Thanksgiving Travel; Flames Threaten Homes In California, 10 Percent Contained; Bodies Of 16 Victims Arrive Back In Vietnam; At Least 23 Killed, Buildings Toppled In Albania Earthquake; Police Hunt For Priceless Diamonds Stolen In Dresden; U.K.'s Chief Rabbi: Labour Leader Not Fit to be PM; Brexit Stirs Old Divisions in Northern Ireland; Bernie Sanders Busts a Move at New Hampshire Rally. Aired 1- 2a ET

Aired November 27, 2019 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: -- the House Judiciary Committee sets a date for its first hearing and invites the president to participate. In the U.S., a holiday travel headache. Severe weather puts the brakes on one of the busiest travel days of the year. And escaping the flames, the latest California wildfires send thousands scrambling for safety.

Good to have you with us. So new details in the impeachment inquiry appear to undercut a number of the Trump administration's narratives on withholding military aid to Ukraine. First, the New York Times reports President Trump had already been briefed on the whistleblower's complaint when he released the aid in September.

Also, House Democrats have released the last two transcripts from their impeachment depositions. A top budget official testified that he struggled to find out why the aid to Ukraine was frozen, but no one at the White House told him it was because other countries weren't paying their fair share as the Trump administration has claimed.

President Trump is taking his case directly to the people at a campaign rally Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida. He said Americans think impeachment is a hoax.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're pushing that impeachment witch hunt and a lot of bad things happening to them. Because you see what's happening in the poll, everybody said that's really bullshit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The latest CNN poll tells a different story. 50 percent say the President should be impeached and removed from office, 43 percent disagree. That's the same as last month. Well, the House Judiciary Committee has invited President Trump and his attorneys to take part in its first public hearings set for December 4th. And a senior administration official says the proposal is under consideration. More now from CNN's Manu Raju.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The House Judiciary Committee is moving forward opening up the new phase of the impeachment proceedings in the House. When they'll have a hearing, the first public hearing that they have had to hear testimony from experts who will weigh in on the constitutionality of impeachment and whether the President's conduct meets the threshold of high crimes and misdemeanors.

This expert panel of witnesses expected to have a discussion about the facts that were found as part of the two month investigation that the House Intelligence Committee and two other committees found and looking into the President's handling of Ukraine policy, and whether or not he abused his office, violated the law in withholding key military aid for Ukraine as well as a key meeting with the Ukrainian president had sought with President Trump in exchange for investigations that can help the president politically that President Trump had asked the Ukraine president launch into Joe Biden, and to this theory also that the 2016 election interference campaign was started by Ukraine and Rudy Giuliani have pushed as well.

That -- all that will be discussed in the series of hearings the Judiciary Committee will have starting on Wednesday. Expect to report first to come out from the House Intelligence Committee detailing the findings. Then next Wednesday will be that hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. And then afterwards, probably more public hearings as well before there will actually be votes on articles of impeachment in the House Judiciary Committee.

That could probably take place in second week of December, and maybe even spill into the third week of December. But the third week of December probably will be the week to watch in which the full House will have the opportunity to vote on articles of impeachment against the president making it just a third American president to be impeached by the U.S. House.

Something that seems almost certain at this point because Democrats are moving full speed ahead at the moment they're discussing the size and scope of the articles of impeachment, how many articles to include, whether it's abuse of power, whether it's bribery, or whether it's obstruction of Congress, or even obstruction of justice.

Those are all discussions that are going to happen behind the scenes with Nancy Pelosi or top lieutenants, as well as among some members if they return into town next week. But this announcement by the House Judiciary Committee is significant because it signals the new phase the impeachment probe is coming and coming soon. Back to you.

CHURCH: Joining me now to talk more about this is Larry Sabato. He's the Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Great to have you with us. LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CENTER FOR POLITICS: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So Larry, The New York Times is reporting that President Trump already knew about the whistleblower complaint when he released Ukraine's military aid in September. How significant is this and how does it move the needle forward on the whole impeachment thing?

[01:05:00]

SABATO: These are important details because that plus a number of other revelations tell us that this was a plan and plot that extended over months, that most of the actions that we heard about at the time were self-serving revelations by the White House, or by the Office of Management and Budget or some other individual or group.

And that when you look at all of them in sequence, you can understand why things were done when they were done. Trump was releasing that aid because he knew that people finally knew about the call, the call to the President of Ukraine, and what was up. And so he wanted to have an opportunity to take action before it was even more widely known.

CHURCH: So is this the smoking gun that the Democrats were looking for?

SABATO: I think there were a whole bunch of smoking guns. This is by no means alone.

CHURCH: The Republicans don't think so.

SABATO: The Republicans don't believe that there's any smoking gun or that any of it matters. I think that's very wrong. But what they're doing is working. They're keeping Republicans together, not just in the House and Senate, but in the country as a whole. And without a bipartisan coalition, you'll never get 67 votes to oust Trump in the Senate.

CHURCH: And House Democrats released two more transcripts Tuesday, one revealing that a top budget official struggled to find out why the Ukraine aid was frozen in the first place. Why is that important in your opinion?

SABATO: Again, it's important because this was an ongoing controversy for months. It wasn't just a phone call on one day between Trump and another head of state. It's also important because it reveals that there were people within the Office of Management and Budget who believe that the withholding of aid was illegal under an act that was passed during the Nixon era because Nixon was doing the same thing. He was impounding funds that Congress that already appropriated and hand directed should be spent. That's illegal.

CHURCH: And Larry, the president calls the impeachment inquiry a hoax. But CNN the latest poll shows they're still 50 percent of voters calling for his impeachment and removal, as opposed to 43 percent who disagree with that. Those numbers haven't actually changed since last month. What do you make of them?

SABATO: What's important is that half of the American public doesn't just want him impeached, they want him ousted. That's what's significant about the question that CNN asked. Some people don't ask it that way. That's important, because it means the country is behind the effort that the Democrats are undertaking in the House.

It's also significant because as long as 43 percent or anywhere in those -- in that area in polls believes that Trump to stay in office, it will be impossible to actually oust him. So there's an in-between judgment here, and we'll see what the default mode is for Republicans in the Senate.

My guess is they're going to say that while this was terrible, and it was wrong, it doesn't rise to the level of ousting a president. That's really the only defense they have left if you look at the facts. The problem is millions of people aren't looking at the facts.

CHURCH: Right. And House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler has notified the President in writing that his committee will hold public impeachment hearings starting next week. And he invited President Trump and his counsel to take part by asking witnesses questions.

Now, they apparently are considering that. How likely is it do you think that they will accept that invitation?

SABATO: There are advantages to it. Obviously, Trump wouldn't put the questions together. That would be done by legal counsel. And they would probably be good and sharp questions that would reinforce Republicans' belief in Trump. I don't think it's going to change the impeachment vote. I think people have seen enough whether they're in Congress or out of Congress.

The schedule they have is quite good, Rosemary. They're still on track to get this done by the end of the year so that the Senate can take it up early in the new year. I think that's the right way to handle it so that Congress, whatever they do in the case of President Trump, and get back to other matters of the election being next November.

CHURCH: We'll keep watching it with all the twists and turns. Larry Sabato, always a pleasure to chat with you. Thank you.

SABATO: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Well, Thanksgiving is already a travel headache in the United States, and this year could be even worse than storms with storms hitting coast to coast. More than 20 million people are already under some kind of winter weather advisory from California to Michigan. A storm system has pounded Colorado with snow and is now heading into the Midwest.

Hundreds of flights are canceled in Denver leaving passengers stranded at the airport. A record 31.6 million people are expected to fly on U.S. airlines this Thanksgiving holiday. That is according to a trade organization. And on Sunday, the busiest travel day strong winds and rain are forecast for the North East.

And Meteorologist Karen Maginnis joins me now. It's looking like a perfect storm for anyone trying to travel, isn't it?

[01:10:31]

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Nearly everyone at a time that this is supposed to be relaxing and peaceful and enjoying your family is going to be anything but at least the coming from and going to because we've got these two back to back powerful storm systems. They always tend to happen this time of year, don't they?

One storm moves across the Midwest into the Great Lakes eventually impacting that northeastern corridor. And I will remind our international viewers that you could be impacted as well because these major airports that with so many arrivals over the next several days, those airports are going to be impacted as well.

A powerful storm system for the West Coast already 125 kilometer per hour wind gust reported across the coastal region of Oregon. And we've got rainfall in the Bay Area all the way down to Los Angeles. It's going to be breezy and cold. With those higher elevations, tremendous amount of snowfall.

Into the Central Plains. Let's give you some pictures in Nebraska. We've been talking about both coasts, but this is in the central United States. A portion of Interstate 80 is still close. Now, this doesn't look like a lot of snow. The problem is there's ice underneath. And they brought out the snowplows, they've tried to get these roads cleared off, and what a headache. Spinouts and down trees and power lines, that has been a problem.

Also, we've heard about Denver, you just heard Rosemary say that the airport was impacted. Well, those roads are severely impacted as well. Along Interstate 70, Denver International Airport officially saw 11 inches of snowfall or just about 28 centimeters of snowfall. Estes Park, a meter of snowfall reported there.

All right, I mentioned the impacts to our international viewers. Take a look at this. La Guardia, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Detroit, Chicago, Salt Lake City might see some minor delays, Denver is going to be better. They'll get the backup cleared away. San Francisco, you're looking at some delays possible there with gusty winds and reduce visibility. Very problematic just about everywhere.

Look, if it's not snow, or wind, blizzard conditions, or icy roads, it is going to be the potential for severe weather. We've seen that tonight across portions of Missouri. It's better to have the rainfall and some of these other events that are taking place. High wind gusts right around Chicago to St. Louis, extending over into eastern sections of Kansas, maybe 100 kilometers per hour in some of those places as well.

And look at the swath all the way from Michigan into Wisconsin, Minnesota, portions of Missouri into Kansas, and Nebraska, wow, it's been devastating. We saw images coming out of Wyoming. They were closing some schools, the highways were impacted, and this is the way it's going to be for the West Coast as well.

In the deep south, it's going to be mostly rainfall. This is a big view of what's taking place across the west. Here's an area of low pressure. This is the West Coast of the United States. Here's the Pacific. This is going to impact the Great Basin into the interior West. It's not going to move as quickly as the last system that we have. And every state across the West Coast is impacted, into the interior west.

There you can see the blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings, winter storm watches, so many, Rosemary, right now it's 20 million. It's going to be a lot more before it's all said and done.

CHURCH: It is going to be a mess. We're all thinking of those who plan to travel. Thank you so much. Karen Maginnis bringing us up to date on all those details, I appreciate it. Well, the rain in Central California is helping firefighters extinguish the fast-moving flames from the cave fire. It has burned 17 square kilometers and it's just ten percent contained. Fire crews say they are facing some of the toughest conditions anywhere in the world. Nick Watt is on the ground in Santa Barbara.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One firefighter said as soon as he heard where the fire had broken out, they knew they were in for a fight. 600 firefighters are working for 12, 14, 16, even more than that, hours trying to get a handle on this fire working from the ground and the air, dropping water in fast track to try and contain the flame.

Part of the issue here, this fire broke out in an area that hasn't burned for 29 years. So there was so much fuel. And also the wind was a problem. The wind was blowing the fire downhill, then the wind would die down. The warm air would take the fire back up the hill. That is what they're dealing with.

[01:15:08]

But, not a single home was lost in this fire. More than 5,000 people were evacuated. More than 2,000 homes were in danger, but only an outbuilding was lost, partly because these firefighters know what they're doing. They do it a lot. Also, we're told that people around here have done what they were told to do. They have cut back the vegetation from around their homes, so there's nothing for the fire to feed on. There's nothing for the fire to feed on to get to their homes. So, so far, not a single home has been lost.

Now, rain is coming in, which is going to help douse this fire, but California fire season is not over. One state official said it used to be by November 1st, it was pretty much done. That was as recently as five years ago, not anymore. This year, Cal Fire will be fully staffed up through New Year's. Guys, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: Thanks so much for that. Well, the latest chapter in what

Vietnam calls a serious human tragedy is playing out in Hanoi. The bodies of 16 people found dead in England have been flown home. They were discovered crammed into a refrigerated truck. Ambulances are taking them to their families, and funerals will take place over the coming day. In all, 39 Vietnamese nationals were found dead, believed to be victims of human trafficking. Several people in Europe and eight in Vietnam have been arrested.

Well, still to come, thousands too terrified to go home sleeping outdoors, one day after Albania's strongest earthquake in decades. Plus, with an election, little over two weeks away, why Britain's Chief Rabbi is slamming Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, saying he's not fit to be prime minister. (INAUDIBLE) that when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: Hello, everyone, I'm CNN Meteorologist, Karen McGinnis. This is your "WEATHER WATCH," and weather is wreaking havoc for Thanksgiving travelers who are trying to get to their destinations, not just on one coast or the other, but it engulfs much of the lower 48 states' area flow pressure that is tracked all the way from the interior West moves into the Great Lakes region, eventually forcing some unsettled weather across the Northeast and New England.

Very cold air into the northern tier and a powerful storm system for the West Coast of the United States, which already has seen reports over 100 kilometers per hour wind gusts, that was in southern sections of Oregon. It'll be windy on the backside of this system. Minneapolis, a lot of travelers there, it's an international destination, and they're expecting perhaps as much as 30 centimeters of snow fall. All the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles up towards Portland, we're looking at very messy weather picture here. About 55 million Americans, most of them by car, are going to be hitting the highways, and it's going to be treacherous. Cold air in place as storm system developing across the west will drop the snow levels significantly and produce extremely dangerous driving conditions.

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[01:20:56]

CHURCH: Heavy Traffic is usually a bad sign for commuters, but not this time. Hong Kong's Cross-Harbour Tunnel is open again after protesters shut it down for two weeks. It had to be closed after toll booths were set on fire and demonstrators began blocking it with debris. The tunnel links Hong Kong Island to the rest of the city. It's near the Polytechnic University, the side of a violent standoff between prodemocracy protesters and police. But things have died down, the university says only one protester was found on campus, Tuesday.

We turn now to Albania, where terrified earthquake survivors are spending the night outdoors. Dozens of aftershocks have rattled the region after a 6.4 magnitude quake early Tuesday morning, the strongest to hit the country in 40 years. At least 23 people have been killed. Volunteers and sniffer dogs from countries across Southern Europe are helping in the search and rescue efforts. CNN's Nina dos Santos has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN EUROPE EDITOR: Buried alive. Local residents, emergency services, and military personnel scour the rubble. There's still hope for some, less for others.

The region's most powerful earthquake in decades structuring the early hours of Tuesday morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It was a real horror, so I tried to get out of my home and went through the glass door. I cut myself badly.

SANTOS: According to the United States Geological Survey, the epicenter of the 6.4 magnitude quake was the coastal town of Durres, 36 kilometers or 22 miles west of Albania's capital Tirana. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's office updated the death toll upward several times on Tuesday. The Health Ministry confirmed at least 325 people have been injured. Worryingly for potential survivors, aftershocks continue to be felt. Rescue efforts were forced to halt on multiple occasions throughout the day on Tuesday. The Prime Minister tweeted to say that nearby countries, including Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece have been assisting with the recovery operation. He went on, "This is a very dramatic difficult time. However, we must keep calm and stand by each other to get through this together. We will do everything we can within our power, together with the support of our great friends to overcome this situation."

Albania is the poorest country in Europe, according to Eurostat, with a typical income less than a third of the European average. The United States and the European Union both pledged their support. The Balkans is an area prone to seismic activity. Among the worst, in 1979, a magnitude 6.9 quake hit Albania, leaving 136 dead and more than 1,000 injured. 40 years later, the citizens of Albania have suffered another deadly tremor. Nina dos Santos, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Police in Germany are asking for any information to help track down priceless gems that were stolen from one of Europe's most valuable collections. Here are some of the pieces that are missing after the break in at the Green Vault Museum in Dresden's royal palace, treasures dating back to the 18th century. And just take a look at this diamond encrusted sword, and the sheer size of the diamonds on all of the pieces there. The heist only took a few minutes. Police say they have 28 detectives working on the case.

Well, the U.K. general election is just a few weeks away. Coming up, how Brexit plays into the politics of Northern Ireland.

[01:25:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check the headlines for you this hour. Winter weather is expected to disrupt Thanksgiving travel across the United States. Blizzard conditions have already closed highways and forced flight cancellations in Denver, Colorado. That storm is now moving east. Meanwhile, Another storm system is bringing hurricane force wind to the west coast.

Further south, firefighters are making progress, controlling the Cave Fire in Central California. The flames have consumed 17 square kilometers. Rain is expected, which will help extinguish some hot spots, but it could also lead to dangerous mud and rockslides.

Donald Trump is spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Florida, where he told a rally of supporters that Americans think the impeachment inquiry is a hoax. But a new CNN poll shows 50 percent say he should be impeached and removed from office. 43 percent disagree.

Well, the U.K.'s Chief Rabbi is blasting Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, over his handling of alleged anti-Semitism within the party. It's bad timing and bad publicity for the Labour Party with the general election just over two weeks away. CNN's Phil Black has our report.

[01:29:42]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These banners aren't subtle and the feeling behind them isn't new. Many British Jews don't trust Jeremy Corbyn.

So when Jeremy Corbyn gets ups and says anti-Semitism is abhorrent and has no place in our society, you simply don't believe him.

JONATHAN FREEMAN, PROTESTER: I don't believe it. The words are there, the action has not been there for a long time.

BLACK: The Labour leader probably shouldn't have been surprised this might come up on the day he wanted to talk about peace between races and religion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Racist --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Racist faction.

BLACK: Far more damaging than the protesters screams were British chief rabbi's carefully chosen words published in a national

newspaper.

Ephraim Mirvis argued Corbyn is unfit to be prime minister. "The claims that the party is doing everything it reasonably can to tackle anti-Jewish racism and that it has investigated every single case are a mendacious fiction. It is a failure of culture. It is a failure of leadership. A new poison, sanctioned from the top, has taken root in the Labour Party."

In response the Labour Party quickly condemned anti-Semitism. But Jewish concerns about Corbyn stem from his past. He's been accused of getting too friendly with known anti-Semites. This video is a famous example.

JEREMY CORBYN, LABOUR PARTY LEADER: I've also invited friends from Hamas.

BLACK: He later expressed regret for the comment.

And as Labour leader he's accused of allowing a permissive culture that has failed to stamp out anti-Jewish hatred.

STEPHEN POLLARD, EDITOR, THE JEWISH CHRONICLE: At best Jeremy Corbyn doesn't care about anti-Semitism. I think it's worse than that. I think he's actively complicit in it.

BLACK: Stephen Pollard edits the country's biggest Jewish newspaper, and recently dedicated the front page to a message for non Jewish voters.

POLLARD: When you cast your vote, bear that in mind. Bear in mind the fact that one of our ethnic minorities in this country, regards one of the party leaders, Jeremy Corbyn, as being a racist.

CORBYN: Anti-Semitism in any form is vile and wrong. It is an evil within our society.

BLACK: After years of repeatedly condemning anti-Semitism, Jeremy Corbyn still hasn't persuaded the people who care most about this issue. And if many Jews don't believe him, few will vote for his party when the country chooses its next prime minister in just over two weeks.

Phil Black, CNN -- London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: On Tuesday, the BBC's Andrew Neil gave Jeremy Corbyn a chance to respond to the Jewish community's concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW NEIL, BBC HOST: 80 percent of Jews think that you're anti- Semitic -- that's quite a lot of British Jews. I mean wouldn't you like to take this opportunity tonight to apologize to the British- Jewish community for what has happened?

CORBYN: What I'll say is this. I am determined that our society, we say (ph) for people of all faiths. I don't want anyone to be feeling insecure in our society. And our government will protect every community against the --

NEIL: There's no apology?

CORBYN: -- against the abuse they received on the streets, on the train or in any --

NEIL: No apology --

CORBYN: -- in any other form of life.

NEIL: I'll try one more time.

CORBYN: No, hang on a minute. Andrew -- can I explain what we're trying to do?

NEIL: You have. You've been given plenty of time to do it. I asked you if you wanted to apologize --

CORBYN: Andrew --

NEIL: -- and you haven't.

CORBYN: -- I don't --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The Labour Party has also responded saying Jeremy Corbyn is a lifelong campaigner against anti-Semitism.

Of course, a major issue in the upcoming general election is Brexit and it has left Northern Ireland's voters divided. The voters making for some unusual alliances and it's stirring old divisions between unionists and nationalists.

Nic Robertson has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTS, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: North Belfast -- a cold, crisp night. The election is nearing of 18 Northern Irish seats -- as many as eight could change hands. This is one of them.

JOHN FINUCANE, NORTHERN IRELAND POLITICIAN: Hello. How are you? Good evening.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh yes.

FINUCANE: John Finucane, (INAUDIBLE) from Sin Fein and --

ROBERTSON: John Finucane, a lawyer with pro remain, mostly Catholic Irish nationalists, Sinn Fein.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. 100 percent. I'm going to have to vote (ph).

FINUCANE: Thank you very much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The actions with Brexit are really (INAUDIBLE).

ROBERTSON: What is it you want to happen? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, to be honest, I voted to remain in the

E.U., you know, so my key thing would be like Brexit, there's no hard borders in Ireland.

ROBERTSON: In this constituency, most other pro-remain candidates withdrew to let Finucane, who is also Lord Mayor of Belfast get their vote, even though his party refused to take their seats in Westminster.

FINUCANE: The people of North Belfast are very similar to the people of the north here in general (ph). They voted to remain whenever the Brexit referendum came around in 2016. I think this election on December 12 gives them another opportunity to send a very powerful message.

[01:35:00]

ROBERTSON: He's up against pro-leave, mostly Protestant Democratic Unionist Party incumbent, Nigel Dodds.

Just a few weeks ago Dodds party were king makers in London. Now they're under fire from all directions. Unprecedented political alliances are forming and future of Northern Ireland is at stake.

Dodds' message, vote DUP, change Johnson's Brexit deal, strengthen Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom.

Dodds' social media page shows him campaigning, but he didn't let us along or give us an interview. Neither did any other DOP candidate.

Jim Wells, a local veteran DUP politician who is not running in the election did agree to talk.

JIM WELLS, DUP MEMBER OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY: (INAUDIBLE) North Belfast. In fact there could be a few hundred votes either way. We need to maximize the union (ph) defeat Sinn Fein.

ROBERTSON: The trail of the union is a live issue in these elections. And that may cost the DUP votes to moderate unionists.

STEVE AIKEN, ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY LEADER: But I want to stop Boris Johnson's withdrawal deal (ph). And the only way we can do that is by remaining within the E.U.

ROBERTSON: Even so neither Aiken nor anyone else in his party will stand against Dodds in North Belfast. Such are the unprecedented tactics of this election. Aiken's decision could actually benefit historic foe Sinn Fein because Aiken's party's message is pro-remain.

Yet, for all the change, the election is reviving old sectarian grievances. In this divided constituency, that resonates.

Will you be voting?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Most. 100 percent.

ROBERTSON: And do you know who you'll be voting for yet?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Nigel Dodds.

ROBERTSON: And why would you vote for him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's the only one I think will have some authority (INAUDIBLE).

ROBERTSON: Getting out the vote this election doubly difficult. Cold weather and Christmas could crimp (ph) turn out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I won't be voting for the DUP. Because, you know, they're just so old-fashioned. They're not doing anything.

ROBERTSON: New tactics are opening new possibilities that could see more pro-remain MPs in Westminster. Moderate nationalists, the SDLP could win a couple of seats.

CLAIRE HANNA, SDLP SOUTH BELFAST CANDIDATE: Look, the issue is Brexit. And the issue is the fact that Northern Ireland and certainly my constituency voted very firmly to remain, and that voice hasn't properly been represented in Westminster.

ROBERTSON: Hanna is taking on the DUP in South Belfast. Sinn Fein is helping her by stepping aside. Unlike them, she's not an abstentionist, and would take her place in parliament.

HANNA: Look, I think abstention is not (INAUDIBLE), it over empowers the DUP.

ROBERTSON: By Christmas, everyone here will know who the new 18 MPs are. Few though would dare predict what happens after that.

Nic Robertson CNN -- Belfast, Northern Ireland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Thousands of people gathered to show their support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. He is facing criminal charges including bribery, fraud and breach of trust but calls the indictment an attempted coup and his supporters agree.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of these people came here to protest again the deep state.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My message -- don't give up. All the people behind you. We support you, don't give up. For us, for the democracy -- don't give up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The prime minister and almost all senior members of the Likud Party were conspicuously absent from the rally. Only one senior figure was there. Well, Bernie Sanders is feeling the Bern and the beat. The presidential candidate busts a move at a campaign event. That is still to come.

Stay with us.

[01:39:02]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I hereby grant you a full and complete pardon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: As is tradition in the United States, President Donald Trump pardoned a turkey before Thanksgiving, saving it from becoming a holiday meal. This year's lucky bird was Butter. Fellow turkey Bread was there as wingman and was also spared from the Thanksgiving table.

Mr. Trump used the annual tradition to joke about the ongoing impeachment inquiry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Thankfully, Bread and Butter have been specially raised by the Jacksons to remain calm under any condition, which will be very important because they have already received subpoenas to appear in Adam Schiff's basement on Thursday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And Mr. Trump noted that unlike previous witnesses, he had actually met them.

Well Senator Bernie Sanders can get riled up on the debate stage but on the dance floor he is the belle of the ball. Jeanne Moos takes a look at the presidential candidate turned dancing queen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know how Bernie Sanders could get a little grouchy?

SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, (D-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ok. If we could keep that down a little bit.

MOOS: Well now, you can't keep him down.

This is the story of Bernie's night as a -- not quite two months after his heart attack. The sound of The Temptations lured him on to the dance floor. And Bernie invited woman after woman to take a spin, even if this one shyly resisted his attempted swirl.

And even when he tried to stop, one after another, they kept cutting in -- flashes popping as they scored dancing selfies.

Would Bernie have been tempted to get down to The Temptations before he had his heart attack? Those who cover him say he is a more lighthearted, humorous man after the health scare.

Sure, he is not the only one burning up a dance floor. Mayor Pete Buttigieg's supporters have gone viral with a panic at the disco dance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is all part of Mayor Pete's strategy to get a negative percentage of the black vote.

MOOS: Nothing strategic about Bernie's dancing. He was pounced on by 23 women and one guy. As The Four Tops put it --

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MOOS: Neither could Bernie.

Jeanne Moos, CNN -- New York.

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CHURCH: Some great moves on display there.

Thanks so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

"WORLD SPORT" is coming up next.

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