Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

White House Faces New Deadline Ahead Of Hearings; Bystanders Confront Suspect With Whale Tusk And Fire Extinguisher; Flash Flooding Sweeping Away Three Children; Biden To Blitz Iowa On Bus Tour; Police Uncover Plot To Form New Nazi Party, Seizing Rifles And Swords; "A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood," A Hit With Moviegoers. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired November 30, 2019 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, according to sources, the White House was using this time to kind of mull over and review this invitation. But they do say the same sources that while the final decision hasn't been made, they are leaning towards not having any sort of White House Council represented here in these impeachment hearings.

And this is interesting for a multitude of reasons, the big one being that President Trump and his allies have repeatedly said that this was an unfair process because he wasn't allowed to have representation in those behind the scenes hearings, as well as those public hearings. So, when you look at this letter, what exactly an outline, Chairman Adler gives an opportunity to White House counsel to do several things.

One would be to cross examine witnesses, to submit other outside evidence to suggest other witnesses and even possible opportunity for President Trump himself to cross examine some of these witnesses. But I want to be very clear about something.

There's a lot of discretion in this letter and the original letter that we saw, that is up to Chairman Adler and essentially, there's a line there that says that if the White House chooses just stonewall or not allow some of these top aides to come up and testify that all of these this invitation or parts of it could be revoked by the Judiciary Committee. So that could be a factor here into the fact that they might not send counsel, when you look at the fact that we know President Trump does not want his aides to testify. Although he has that on Twitter.

He wants them to testify, but can't allow it because he doesn't want to set a precedent for future presidents, which would mean basically render them moot if that's exactly what they did decide to do.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right, Kristen Holmes. Thanks so much. So in private, Democrats are debating how broadly to draft the Articles of Impeachment against President Trump. Sophia Nelson is with me now and she is the former Republican counsel for the House Oversight Committee. And you have said that you think narrowing the Articles of Impeachment is a bad idea for Democrats. Why?

SOPHIA NELSON, FORMER HOUSE GOP INVESTIGATIVE COUNSEL: Well, I think Fred, again, the central question before the Congress, ultimately the Senate and American people is did the President abuse his office? Did he do something worthy of impeachment? I think too narrowly focused on Ukraine which of course has been the center focus in the Intelligence Committee is a good focus.

But then it denies everything else that this President has done that we all think is pretty unpresidential if you will, right? Number one, let's go to emoluments violations, the Secret Service, other federal agencies have spent millions since this president has taken office at Trump properties when he goes to golf, for example. That's a violation of the emoluments clauses, you know, the G7 Summit had to be moved.

They couldn't put it at Doral like he wanted, because the pushback was so loud, the Congress, even Republicans began to speak up. And you've got obstruction of justice, the Mueller report, there were what? 10 instances were over 800 prosecutors said they would have not listen to the OLC memo and they would have gone ahead and prosecuted or moved on this on recommendations report.

So I think there are at least three to four articles, Fredricka, that they ought to put together because I think they might get some Republican support on some of them. And not if you just focus on one.

WHITFIELD: Oh, interesting. So -- and not just stemming from, say the Ukrainian investigation or, you know, allegations of wrongdoing involving Ukraine, but you're talking about the Mueller report, so obstructions of justice, obstruction of Congress, emoluments, you know, maybe FEC violations as well.

NELSON: Absolutely. And I think that fits in more with what's going on here. I think that a central question again, I want to frame this for folks at home. The central question is, do we want a president contacting presidents of other nations that need our military support, et cetera, and saying, but you got to do me a favor though. I'll give you the money if you investigate my political opponents in America. That's not who we are. That's a violation of Federal law.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So, you see that. Yes, you see that as precedent setting if -- it means the body, you know, the American people, Congress says it's OK for the president do that. But at the same time flip side of that argument, you're hearing from the White House who is afraid that it is precedent setting, in their view, to allow members of the White House Council to be a part of this process, when the President has already said that this is an illegitimate, you know, process that this whole thing is a scam, et cetera. So, you know, precedent setting on all sides.

NELSON: Fred, let me say this. Judge Jackson last week said it best. We do not have kings in America. Presidents are not kings, there is not unlimited powers this president has argued. And at the end of the day, this issue is about, we're going to -- we're going to set a precedent here about what a president can do and what he or she cannot do.

And if we allow this to say, and I said this yesterday, if we can't impeach Donald Trump, on the litany of things that I've listed in every vessel list, you'll never be able to impeach an American president, because this gentleman has violated so many things and so many rules and so many norms of our constitution.

[13:05:02]

NELSON: That if you can't impeach him and remove him, you may as well remove impeachment altogether.

WHITFIELD: So it sounds like you're saying there's even more at stake if none of those things are done?

NELSON: Everything is at stake. America is at stake. The Republic for which it stands at stake who we are in front of the rest of the world and in front of our young people. The next generation is, do we allow high crimes and other misdemeanors? Do we allow bribery and treason to happen in this country? Or do we hold those that we suspect have done so accountable by impeaching and then having a trial?

And by the way, last point, the President can't say it's an unfair process. And then when the house invites him to testify and have his council president, they decide maybe that they're not going to do it. Instead, they're going to deflect and attack that it doesn't -- you can't have it both ways, doesn't work.

WHITFIELD: Sophia Nelson, always good to see you. Author of the book E Pluribus ONE, reclaiming our founder's vision for a united America. Good to see you. And --

NELSON: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: -- happy holiday weekend.

NELSON: You too. Happy Thanksgiving.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. All right. Meanwhile, Republicans are also strategizing as they try to defend President Trump's constant attacks on the impeachment process. Here with me now, former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent.

So, Congressman, good to see you. You know, you said earlier this week that you've heard privately from former Republican colleagues and they are disgusted and exhausted by the President's behavior. So how might that influence the road ahead on this impeachment process?

CHARLES DENT, FORMER CONGRESSMAN OF PENNSYLVANIA: Yes, clearly they are. They're really frustrated, infuriated and disgusted by much of the behavior. So I think what they do, the thoughtful ones will say, look, the President's conduct has at the very least been inappropriate. It was wrong but doesn't rise to the level of impeachment. You know, some others will argue about the process. It's been unfair. They'll say Adam Schiff is a terrible person and all those things.

I don't think that's a particularly effective argument. But the first argument I made that this doesn't rise to the level impeachment, even though the conduct is terrible, it's probably their best argument. Although it's not a great argument. Had a --

WHITFIELD: Why is that a good argument? How is that a good argument that OK, inappropriate, bad, wrong but doesn't rise to the level of impeachment when you look at all that's being laid out, particularly reaching out to a foreign government to influence potentially U.S. selection?

DENT: Fredricka, I said it was their best argument. I didn't say it was a good argument. It's their best argument --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: But that's the one that they're going to stick with --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFILED: Yes.

DENT: Yes. I mean, it's -- look, the bottom line is this, these guys know that the facts are terrible, and they can't defend on the facts. And so that's why they're simply resorting to that -- to that defense. I think many of them would prefer that there be some kind of essential resolution.

I think some of them would like to actually vote for something because they know that it had a Democratic president, you know, just done a fraction of what President Trump has been accused of, you know, they'd be screaming for impeachment right now. They know that and the hypocrisy I think on all sides is pretty, pretty, pretty blatant.

WHITFIELD: So what will the whispering, you know, behind closed doors translate to? What kind of action might it lead to?

DENT: Well, I don't know, lead to much of anything unless the Democrats -- unless the Democrats decide, hey, we shouldn't pursue a partisan impeachment because that's what it appears it will be, at least as of the moment the house, if they -- if they retreat from that and say, well, let's at least get a censure on the record, then I think you could actually see some bipartisan support for this whole process.

Again, I was never a great fan of censure when I was in, I didn't think was the greatest idea in the world. But, you know, maybe now's the time to bring that out. I mean, you could always do both if you wanted to.

WHITFIELD: So --

DENT: Both impeachment and censure. WHITFIELD: All right. So it's a tough political position. It sounds like what you're laying out. That's what some are feeling. It's very tough in political position because the president seemingly unwavering support from Republican voters. Seems, you know, very impressive and new CNN poll out this week showing that 89 percent of Republicans approve of how he is handling his job as president.

So will that polling, you know, have to change so that it would provoke Republican lawmakers to act differently?

DENT: Yes. I do think that's correct that the polling would have to change. But when every time we see that number that 89, 90 percent of Republicans support the president, what we never talked about are those for people who self-identify as Republican. There are fewer people identifying as Republican. And I think there is a diminished base. So the President is enjoying a broader -- greater support among a smaller and diminished base.

And, you know, again, if you talk to Republicans, they know there are problems with independence and moderate voters. I mean, they saw this look, we just looked at three elections since Donald Trump, you know, became President in 2016 where Republicans have just been, you know, bleeding badly in the suburbs.

I mean, there -- we've had three terrible elections in critical areas of the country from the suburbs of Virginia to suburban Philadelphia. We just saw what happened in Kentucky in the governor's grace. There's a lot of bad news.

WHITFIELD: So, will those things been influencing them on impeachment?

[13:10:05]

DENT: I don't know that it will. But if I'm a Republican right now doing a political calculation, like I saw a 2017, 2018 and 2019 as being really bad Republican years. Now we're moving into 2020. And the President is clearly a base mobilizer for the Democrats. I mean, the best hope for the Republicans right now is the Democrats nominate somebody like Elizabeth Warren. They nominate her then I think that could diminish some of the President's -- his -- that could diminish, you know, his weakness in the suburbs a little bit.

It could help them actually limit those losses in some of those areas. If they go -- if the Democrats insist on going hard left with a nominee. They get somebody more centrist. I think, you know, Republicans are really very nervous right now.

WHITFIELD: Charlie Dent, thank you so much. Happy Holidays.

DENT: Thank you, Fredricka. Happy Holidays to you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. Still ahead. A whale task and a fire extinguisher used to stop a terrorist attack in London. Video captures the moment. A group of bystanders take down a blade wielding man. Plus, new details on the attack, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:15:01]

WHITFIELD: All right. We continue to follow new developments in the London terror attack and the heroic acts of bystanders would likely prevented further carnage. This is video of the surreal moment.

Brave witnesses confronted the armed suspect who had already stabbed two people to death. One man is spraying the suspect with the fire extinguisher and another is armed with a narwhal whale tusk that witnesses say was grabbed off the wall of the historic Fishmonger Hall, a popular market meeting spot.

Moments after tackling the man to the ground, police arrived on the scene and shot the suspect to death. And just a short time ago, investigators gave an update on the investigation saying they believe the suspect acted alone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL BASU, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, U.K. METROPOLITAN POLICE: This time, we found no evidence, no evidence to suggest anybody else was involved in this attack. However, we're still making extensive inquiries to ensure that no one else was involved. Our investigative priority at this time is to ensure that there is no one related as an outstanding threat to the public. So this end we've carried out two searches that addresses both in Staffordshire under the Stoke-on-Trent area.

We now know this attack began inside Fishmongers Hall just before 2:00 p.m. yesterday. The attacker, whose identity we confirmed last night, stabbed a number of people inside the building. And as a result, five people have suffered injuries. Three people, a man and two women were injured and remain in hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Mark Bolton is in London for us. So Mark, what more are you learning about this terror attack?

MARK BOLTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that the authorities had knowledge of this man. Of course, it was public knowledge that he was a terrorist convicted in 2012. First and foremost, just the age of 19. He was one of the gang of several men involved in what was known here as the stock exchange plot, a plot to put pipe bombs in well-known areas of London and cause as much destruction as possible.

He was sentenced on an indeterminate sentence. What that means is the judge presiding at the time said there was an indefinite period he would serve in jail because he posed such a threat going forward to the British public. But on appeal in 2013, that sentence was changed. It was lowered, he wanted to appeal. And that meant he had a fixed term, which is why he came out of jail. Some are saying far too early, less than seven years after serving a 16-year given sentence. So, just under half of what he should have done. Hence the reason with the tagging that he had, the surveillance he was having the fact that police knew who he was. People have the highest office in Britain, notably the Prime Minister Boris Johnson say the system presence isn't fit for purpose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This guy was out. He served half of his sentence; he was on automatic early release. And I have long said that this system simply isn't working. It does not make sense for us as a society to be putting terrorist people convicted of terrorist offenses, serious violent offenses out on early release. And we argue that people should serve, the terrorists serve the term of which their sentence.

That's my immediate takeaway from this. And that's why we're committed to increasing the sentences for serious and violent offenders.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLTON: Well, in the worst of times, of course, often we see the best of what humankind has to offer incredible scenes here on the bridge in London. Yesterday, when several members of the public took the incident into their own hands and bravely without thinking of their own safety pile in to disarm the silence with the weapon. Of course, a knife was taken from him. We now understand from the British transport police that the gentleman that took that was a plainclothes officer.

But as you said earlier, there were people in the conference that he'd been in prior to that, just over here at Fishmongers Hall that took implements from the wall and a fire extinguisher to try as best they could to stop this terrorist act unfortunately as we know now we've lost two members of the British public and potentially there are serious injuries. Three others we wait for more updates.

WHITFIELD: Hmm. Terrible situation. Mark Bolton, thank you so much. Appreciate it. All right still ahead. Severe weather strikes in the U.S. Flash flooding sweeps away three children in a car stranded on an island in Arizona. Police are on the scene right now leading search and rescue efforts. This as intense winter storms are affecting as many as 40 million people across the country.

Powerful winds, heavy snow, blocking travelers from returning home from this holiday weekend. We'll have a live update coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:23:38]

WHITFIELD: The search is on for three children who were swept away during a flash flood in Central Arizona. The kids were in a vehicle that was trying to cross a creek and was caught in the floodwaters. Helicopters are scouring the area in search of the kids. Natasha Chen joining me right now with more on this. So these floods are part of a much bigger system that's on the move.

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And so we've got 40 million people across the country who are under some variation of a winter weather alert now. And the major problem is the Northeast is going to get hit starting tomorrow. And that system is actually coming from the West Coast where that storms already wreaked havoc, causing floods, high winds and mountain snow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: It's been a dangerous weekend for holiday travelers. Take a look at this semi-truck in Colorado Springs. This is the moment high winds knocked it over as the truck sat on the side of a highway Friday night. A high wind warning in the Colorado Springs area last through Saturday afternoon local time. In Arizona, rescue teams worked late Friday into Saturday looking for three missing children in a flooded Creek.

The Hilo County Sheriff's office says nine people were in a military style vehicle Friday afternoon, which was swept away in the Toronto basin area. Two adults and four children were rescued but three other kids remain missing. Another rescue teams saved six people in San Diego, California. They were in a van driving down a flooded road near Fashion Valley Mall on Friday.

[13:25:01]

CHEN: The swift water rescue team is seen in this video using a raft to get everyone out of the van. Heavy snow and other parts of Southern California close to Six Flags Magic Mountain on Thanksgiving. It wasn't all bad though. Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies responded to a few backup requests for snowball fights on Friday. And up in the San Francisco area, a huge rainbow appeared over the Bay Bridge after much needed rain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: And now the West Coast system is going to move eastward to the northeast. In fact New York State is getting ready to get hit with up to two feet of snow and places like the Catskills, Massachusetts says they may get 12 inches of snow there. So, a lot of focus tomorrow on people traveling home from Thanksgiving. So we're just going to have to see how it works. Best of all, everyone.

WHITFIELD: Yes. A lot of folks are going to be having to stay put. Let's check in with the CNN's Meteorologist Ivan Cabrera to get more on that. Thank you so much, Natasha. On what people can expect at the close out of this holiday weekend.

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Fred. Quite a storm now. We're talking about just -- not snow which is going to be significant for the Midwest. But look at the frontal boundary, severe storms through the afternoon and evening here across the Gulf Coast. And yes, the storm has head up to the northeast as we've been talking about, but first it's going to dump significant amounts of snow across portions of the Midwest.

Particularly across Northern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin. Here the issue won't be as much snow, it's just going to be the blowing snow because the winds are going to be 40, 50, 60 miles an hour with the storm as it continues to intensify. We're going to forward the clock here to Sunday morning. As everything winds up. Now we're talking heavy rain along the coast, windy conditions as well.

We're going to have a period of a wintry mix, that's going to be freezing rain which could accumulate. So we're talking icing here and also sleep and then all the northern colder side of the storm. Definitely talking snow and it could be significant. This is going to be tricky here for Massachusetts, as it always is right north and west of Boston. That's where the totals are going to be heftier.

But even in Boston proper, it could be looking at anywhere from four to six inches of snowfall before all is set and done. And then of course, all this snow, all the wind and the rain and everything else is going to wreak havoc across the airport. So we're going full read here across the Northeast. Now keep in mind if you do not want to travel, you may not have to, your airline may be taking care of you here as we have waivers now, multiple airlines are doing this.

If you're planning on traveling through Sunday and Monday, my suggestion of friends would be to, if you can put it off until Tuesday, much quieter conditions by them.

WHITFIELD: All right, great advice. Ivan Cabrera, thank you so much. All right. Still ahead. Joe Biden set to kick off his tour of Iowa in a matter of hours. It's a crucial state to win the 2020 election. Can he gain momentum or will voters place their bets on another candidate rising in the polls?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:31:56]

WHITFIELD: All right, just a few hours from now, former Vice President Joe Biden will embark on an eight-day 18-county Iowa bus tour. Campaign officials are calling the blitz the "No Malarkey" tour and is intended to provide voters a more up close and personal view of candidate Biden.

While Biden's popularity may not be surging in Iowa, he is still sitting comfortably on the top on the national level. In fact, a recent CNN poll shows Biden leading the other top tier candidates by double digits.

Joining me right now, CNN Political Commentators, Maria Cardona, and Charlie Dent. Good to see you both.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Hey, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right so Charlie, Mayor Buttigieg has enjoyed a huge you know, surge in Iowa but nationally, Biden is still the one on top. So what drives Biden's front runner status nationally and you know, how might his bus tour help him in Iowa?

DENT: Well, first, Joe Biden clearly has very broad support among Democratic primary voters. The question is how deep is that support?

But of course, we don't have a national election in this country, we have 50-state elections. And I think right now, the news for the Vice President, at least in Iowa is not very good; Buttigieg is surging. And that's why Biden is now is going to go there on this bus tour.

So really the question for the Vice President is, you know, how deep is that support? Because it seems that many voters are looking for perhaps an alternative to Joe Biden, although I think he has hung in there pretty well so far, and he is stronger than I thought he would be at this point.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And you know, earlier today, I spoke with Democratic Congressman John Garamendi, who announced on this show that he is endorsing Biden. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): I want Joe Biden to be our next President. I want somebody that comes from the middle class, from the working American to be our President who understands what it is to try to make it in America as a family working in a factory, on a construction job or in an office trying to put together the necessary resources to educate their kids, to provide their healthcare. That's Joe Biden.

That's where he has been through his entire career, standing shoulder to shoulder with Obama during those eight years, caring about our veterans, caring about the working men and women. So yes, I'm all in for Joe Biden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So Maria, you know, Garamendi, you know, he represents California. He is throwing his support behind Biden and not fellow California senator, Kamala Harris. Any significance to that in your view?

CARDONA: Well, if I were the Kamala Harris campaign, obviously, I don't think I would be happy about that. But you know, she has run into a lot of problems recently.

But look, I think we have to remember one thing here, conventional wisdom is out the window. If 2016 taught us anything, it's that. The state of the race is still very fluid. I don't think that people are going to really pay a hundred percent attention until after the holidays.

That's why for Joe Biden to go into Iowa right now I think is really smart, because Charlie is right that, you know, he needs to have a really good showing in Iowa even though right now, he is tied for second place among three. That's not a bad place to be.

[13:35:10]

CARDONA: And the flip side of what Charlie said I think is also true. He asked, how deep is Biden support? Well, how deep is the support for any one candidate right now in Iowa where we have seen, you know, quite a few Democratic candidates be on top of several polls in the last six months.

So again, I go back to the fluidity of this both for Biden, for everybody else, and even for Kamala Harris, who has run into some challenges. It is not the end until it's the end. I think, if everybody focuses on doing whatever they can in Iowa and New Hampshire, and in the early -- in the two other early states, South Carolina and Nevada, which by the way, Joe Biden is incredibly strong there and has been on top for several months. You know, then I think that you're going to focus on what you need to focus on and then we'll see what happens when people really start paying attention.

WHITFIELD: Yes, so Charlie, you know, almost all the candidates are going to run into some speed bumps and some are lucky enough to kind of, you know, ride the wave on top. You know, they're getting some really great attention.

But at the same time, you see for Mayor Pete, he is running into a little friction. Now, people are being a bit more critical about his recent ad that paints tuition free public college as something too radical. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE BUTTIGIEG, (D-IN), MAYOR, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe we should move to make college affordable for everybody. There's some voices saying, well, that doesn't count unless you go even further, unless it's free, even for the kids of millionaires. But I only want to make promises that we can keep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So is he already running into you know, a bit of a problem? He may be alienating some voters because of his ad or his points of view?

DENT: Well, actually, I think that's pretty effective ad. In fact, sure, Pete Buttigieg is going to run into problems with the far left of the Democratic Party who want to give everything away. Yes, free college, free healthcare. Everything is free. Nobody pays for anything. That's the fantasy world, that's why I think Pete Buttigieg has some appeal to more moderate and centrist voters who know there isn't a free lunch everywhere.

I mean, Pete Buttigieg is right. We should probably provide greater support to those who demonstrate a greater financial need rather than, you know, free tuition to everyone as an entitlement. I think he is absolutely spot on. Some of the far left won't like this, but it's a good message.

WHITFIELD: Well, Maria, that's interesting, because Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is accusing Buttigieg of using G.O.P. talking points. Charlie, you like what he is having to say, but Maria, does that, you know, alienate him, particularly among certain Democratic voters?

CARDONA: Yes, I think he does. And I think that Congressman Dent proves exactly what AOC is accusing Buttigieg of because he is a Republican. He is a sensible, moderate Republican, which I love -- but he is a Republican, and he is using the talking points that Buttigieg is putting out there.

And the reason I'm pointing that out is because I think it's dangerous for Buttigieg, or frankly, any other Democrat to be out there describing what other candidates' positions might be, and though he doesn't name any names, we all know who he was talking about.

Because in the end, let's say Buttigieg is our nominee, I can tell you one thing, every other Republican, perhaps not Charlie Dent, but every other Republican is going to be attacking Buttigieg for being a socialist, for being a radical, for wanting to give things away for the things that he said even in that ad that he wants to make college affordable for everybody.

Because then they can use exactly the talking points that Buttigieg talked about against him. I think it's dangerous for Democrats to be going after each other in those kinds of terms.

You can talk about what Pete Buttigieg wants to do, in terms of making college affordable, but doing it in a way that we can all afford as a country without going after other candidates personally.

WHITFIELD: All right, let's switch gears now. Republican candidate Danielle Stella who is running to unseat Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been permanently suspended from Twitter after she spread baseless claims about Omar and said Omar should be tried for treason and hanged.

So Charlie, what's the message to that region and to your party? And what support Miss Danielle, you know, had or maybe continues to have?

DENT: Well, Danielle made an egregious error. Look, when you're running against somebody like Ilhan Omar, it's really not hard to run a campaign based on the incendiary comments that Omar has actually made.

You could actually run a great campaign against her because she is so incendiary and so inflammatory, why chase down some conspiracy theory or something that's floating out there, you know, in social media and use that as a basis of attack? A terrible blunder.

You'd beat these extreme candidates from the center, not from the far right or from the far left. That's how you beat them.

So, again, you know, terrible error for this candidate and I doubt she is going to be successful in the campaign as a result.

[13:40:11] WHITFIELD: All right, we'll leave it there for now. Charlie Dent

anmd Maria Cardona, thanks so much and Happy Holidays.

CARDONA: Thank you, Fred. Happy Holidays.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

DENT: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead. Police uncover a plot to form a new Nazi Party, seizing rifles and swords. How authorities thwarted a potential attack, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, police in Italy say they have uncovered a plot to create a new Nazi Party. Special Forces carried out operations across the country after suspects were tipped off to their investigation.

Barbie Latza Nadeau explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice over): This is some of the paraphernalia found by police during a two-year investigation into a pro-Nazi group in Italy. Police seized a stash of items including pistols and rifles as well as swastikas, Nazi flag, books and pictures of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

Police also found this -- a sticker showing the group symbol. They call themselves the Italian National Socialist Workers Party. Nineteen people are being investigated following a series of raids across the country.

[13:45:09]

NADEAU (voice over): Police say the group use social media and chat groups to recruit new members.

The investigation comes on the heels of rising far-right hate across Europe. Earlier this month in Italy, 89-year-old activist and Holocaust survivor, Liliana Segre was given full police protection after receiving around 200 pieces of anti-Semitic hate mail a day.

Just last week, street signs dedicated to Italian-Jewish scientists and doctors who died in the Holocaust were defaced in Rome.

Forming a fascist or Nazi Party has been a crime in Italy since 1952, but possessing historical Nazi propaganda is not. Police say the investigation continues.

Barbie Latza Nadeau for CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much, Barbie. We have so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, Thanksgiving weekend -- it's not just about leftovers, football games and online shopping deals. It's also a huge movie weekend and one film that is getting rave reviews, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood."

I just want to sing it when I see that title, starring Tom Hanks. It's based on the true story of the friendship between Fred Rogers of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" and journalist Tom Junod. Junod met Rogers in 1998 after being assigned to write a profile piece on him for "Esquire Magazine."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW RHYS, PLAYING LLOYD VOGEL, " A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD" MOVIE: This piece will be for an issue about heroes. Do you consider yourself a hero?

TOM HANKS, PLAYING FRED ROGERS, "A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD" MOVIE: I don't think of myself as a hero. No, not at all.

RHYS: What about Mr. Rogers? Is he a hero?

HANKS: I don't understand the question.

RHYS: Well, there's you, Fred. And then there's the character you play, Mr. Rogers.

HANKS: You said it was a play at the plate. Is that is that what -- is that what happened to you?

RHYS: I'm here to interview you, Mr. Rogers.

HANKS: Well, that is what we are doing, isn't it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oh, wow. So Junod soon discovered, you know that TV stars carrying on screen persona wasn't make believe at all and had a very real and profound impact on the lives of the children and adults that he crossed paths with, off screen including, Junod. And Tom Junod joining me right now. Thank you so much for being here and Happy Thanksgiving.

TOM JUNOD, SENIOR WRITER, ESPN: Thanks for having me. It's been the berst.

WHITFIELD: Wow. This is really extraordinary, they release this movie on, you know, on the weekend of giving thanks and boy, do you feel like you have a lot to give thanks for this incredible relationship.

JUNOD: Yes, I do. You know, 21 years ago, I wrote a magazine story about Fred Rogers. Here we are, you know, two plus decades later talking about him, which doesn't, you know, it doesn't happen and yet here we are, so yes, I'm very thankful for it.

WHITFIELD: I was really, you know, struck by your December issue write in "The Atlantic," you know that Fred Rogers really was the first person or friendship that would come out of your reporting.

JUNOD: Right.

WHITFIELD: I mean, you were kind of a hard-nosed reporter. You know, you're doing very serious stuff to be assigned to write about, you know, Mr. Rogers because it was, you know, the magazine's effort to profile American heroes. You weren't completely on board.

JUNOD: Yes. When I when -- you know, when I was growing up, I was a little bit too old for Fred. I was 12 years old when Fred made it nationally, which is like, a bad age for Fred.

So I was not convinced that he was an American hero. He was like the really, really soft, nice guy who got parodied on "Saturday Night Live" by Eddie Murphy. That's who he was to me.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

JUNOD: And then of course, I met him and things changed.

WHITFIELD: Wow. We are a few years apart, whereas for me, I was about five or six when, you know, I started watching Mr. Rogers. I mean, that was kind of that the period of watching him for me, you know, and he seemed to me to be the one who was emphasizing some of those important lessons of kindness that you would get from home.

JUNOD: Right, you know, and I've talked to so many people since the movie has come out and since I've gotten started in this whole thing, for whom Fred Rogers was a father figure.

I've even talked to some people who, you know, who didn't have a father in the home, and they would come home every day, you know, after school, sit down in front of it with milk and cookies, and he would talk to them as kind of the kindest authority figure that there ever could be.

WHITFIELD: So then from the initial interviewing of, you know, Fred Rogers, a relationship, you know, would bud. You guys would continue in phone calls, e-mails, actually personal meetings. You would pick him up and ask for advice sometimes.

But then along the way, you would realize what an incredible gift as you describe this movie as an incredible gift to everyone. But you continue to ask, why me? Have you come any closer to, you know, why me? Why did you become the one who would, you know, have this wonderful enriching relationship/friendship with Mr. Rogers?

JUNOD: Well, one of the things that my relationship with Fred and also my relationship with the movie has made me ask is, I mean, why anyone? I mean, you know, you look back at your life and you realize how lucky you are to have the people you know, that have been in it in there to help you. But you know, with Fred, I mean his friendship was so extraordinary

that I ask myself that all the time and my answer is that I wasn't the only one. I mean, he had a long list of people that he ministered tom, that he prayed for.

WHITFIELD: Do you think he picked -- yes.

JUNOD: You know, in the movie, he sort of -- you know, Tom Hanks sort of picks Matthew Rhys and I do -- I mean, seeing the movie does make me feel that he saw something in me at the time that maybe I didn't see in myself.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So then what has that experience been like going to see this movie? Because initially you weren't, you know, that thrilled about the idea because there were certain, I guess embellishments, right, in the movie and beginning with the name. It didn't use your name, Tom Junod.

JUNOD: Sure, sure. Right, Lloyd Vogel.

WHITFIELD: Right. And then there were other, I guess liberties -- creative liberties they took with relationships with other people, but then you were on board meeting the actors who would play these beautiful characters, including yourself. And then there was something transformative, was it not, in that process?

[13:55:10]

JUNOD: Yes, the thing that I relate to in the movie is the similarities. The differences sort of melt away, the similarities to my own story, the things that -- I mean, I've seen the movie a number of times now, and every time, you know, it grabs me because the movie is wonderful, because it makes you not just see Mr. Rogers, not just learn about Mr. Rogers, but when you watch the movie, you experience Mr. Rogers.

His friendship is extended to you in the audience. So I feel like he is reaching out to me when I watch the movie.

WHITFIELD: Fred Rogers, the same or different from Mr. Rogers?

JUNOD: Extraordinarily the same. I mean, there was -- there was no mask there. You know, I mean, the man who put on the red sweater was the same man who wore the blue blazer.

And I mean, it was the -- that was the remarkable thing about meeting him is that there was no difference, but you know, part of that was because he had such discipline and such inner strength that he brought that to all phases of his life.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Do you think Mr. Rogers -- Fred Rogers -- would like this movie? Like this depiction of him and your friendship?

JUNOD: Well, I mean, yes. I mean, I think that he would like the movie because I think that Fred, you know, did want his message to get across. I mean, he had something that he wanted to say, and which is that, you

know, he wanted people to be the best sort of versions of themselves that they could possibly be. And the fact that 20 years after my story came out that this movie is there to give him a chance to extend his audience. I think he would be really proud of that.

WHITFIELD: I love it. And I learned so much about this, you know, story and your relationship, and Fred Rogers, by your writing. I had no idea that he was a man of ministry. And he made it applicable, you know, to reach children, CEOs, entertainers, you know, celebrities, but not through religion based ministry, which was discipline.

JUNOD: Right.

WHITFIELD: But then he made it applicable in a very different way of fostering and teaching kindness.

JUNOD: Sure. Like so when he said, you know, his famous words were, you know, "You are special." You know, when he said that, I mean, in my opinion, he was sort of getting across like a sacred or religious message, but he was, I mean, it was a firmly secular show. He never proselytized. He never mentioned God on it.

But, you know, he ministered to people through his show and in his daily relationships. He ministered to me. That's what he called it.

WHITFIELD: Yes. He reached me, too. And I didn't get to know him like you did, of course, but, you know, we all celebrate what he imparted to so many of us about, you know, just the real importance of kindness and loving each other.

JUNOD: He was a remarkable man. He was one of a kind. And --

WHITFIELD: Yes. You are, too. Tom Juno.

JUNOD: Okay, thanks very much, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Nice to meet you. And thank you so much.

JUNOD: It's great talking to another Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I love that, too. I know. All right. Appreciate your time.

JUNOD: Great. Great being here.

WHITFIELD: All right, and we'll be right back with much more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:00]