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North Korea Announces Successful Test at Sohae; Supreme Court to Rule on Trump's Tax Records; U.S. House Sets Stage for Historic Vote Next Week; Johnson Vows to Deliver Brexit by January 31; Police Try to ID Bodies from White Island; Verdict Expected against Sudan's Bashir; Impeachment Changes over the Years; Outgoing GOP Governor Pardons Murderers, Rapists, Violent Criminals; U.N. Climate Talks Reach Deadlock in Madrid; Young Activists Join Forces to Demand Change. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired December 14, 2019 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): North Korea says it's performed a new crucial test regarding what it calls its nuclear deterrent. We'll go live to Seoul, South Korea, with the latest on this development.

Articles of impeachment against President Trump now approved. We look at what happens next week.

And Boris Johnson's next challenge, now that his party has the majority, can he push Brexit through?

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. We're coming to you live from Atlanta, GA. I'm Natalie Allen. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE:

ALLEN: Let's get straight to breaking news out of North Korea. State media there announcing another, quote, "crucial test," which was successfully conducted at the Sohae satellite launching site Saturday. South Korea says it is closely monitoring the activity with the United States but it did not offer any specifics.

This would be the second test at the same site in one week. Our Paula Hancocks joins us now live from Seoul, South Korea.

What more are you learning about what might be going on here?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Natalie, we have no confirmation from the North Korean side as to what exactly it is that they tested.

But they said it was a crucial test, it was a successful test, also saying that it does help with a reliable, strategic nuclear deterrent, saying that is the reason they have done this particular test. Now we do know we are waiting, the United States is waiting for this

so-called Christmas gift that North Korea said it would give to the U.S. before year-end, saying what the gift was really depended on what the United States did. Now that was earlier this month.

Since that statement, we have seen increased rhetoric between the two leaders. We've seen increased tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. So even though no one thinks that what happened today, this test is the Christmas gift, it could well be preparing for what is to come.

Just a week ago at the same site, there was another test. Experts and the South Korean officials believe that that was some kind of an engine test potentially that could be used for either an ICBM, an intercontinental ballistic missile, that could hit mainland United States or, in fact, a satellite launch it could have been used for.

And many experts I've spoken to over recent days say potentially a satellite launch could be what North Korea is looking at. It uses a lot of the same technology as a long range ballistic missile but North Korea can claim that it is for peaceful purposes.

But it is we're back to familiar territory. We are hearing these cryptic words from North Korea and officials around the world are trying to scramble to decipher them -- Natalie.

ALLEN: Paula, this, of course, echoes in a way the frustration that we've heard from Kim Jong-un, that he was looking for something significant from the United States by the end of the year as far as dialogue but it doesn't look like that's happening.

HANCOCKS: Well, just this weekend, we are expecting the arrival of the U.S. special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun. He's been in the neighborhood many times, trying to work out talks with North Korea. He was in Sweden a couple of months ago.

There was an assumption that this could be a last ditch attempt to try and piece something together before that end of year deadline that North Korea has imposed on the U.S., saying, come up with fresh ideas, change your attitude towards us before the end of year. Otherwise, we will choose a new path.

Now very few believe that North Korea at this point is really interested in working level talks, especially when you consider that Kim Jong-un, the leader, is used to talking to the man at the top. He's used to talking to the U.S. president, Donald Trump, having met him three times.

So working level talks potentially are not enough for North Korea. Now the question is, as time on this year runs out, this deadline is looming, what exactly North Korea will be doing. We do know that they're having a plenum meeting of the Workers' Party later this month. That was not expected. It's unusual for it to be at this particular time.

[04:05:00] HANCOCKS: So potentially, there we could see them deciding on a new path. Whether we hear about it then, what the New Year's address, we'll have to see.

ALLEN: And this Christmas gift, we just don't know what's up yet. Paula Hancocks, thank you.

We turn now to Washington, where there is a very real possibility that next week Donald Trump could become only the third U.S. president to ever be impeached. Here is the latest for you.

The House Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment Friday, setting up a vote in the full House next week. The White House is reportedly restricting access to President Trump's calls with foreign leaders. Remember, his phone call with the Ukrainian president is the centerpiece of the impeachment inquiry.

And on another matter, the Supreme Court has agreed to rule on the release of Donald Trump's financial records.

Let's start with the House vote on impeachment. This comes, of course, after a lengthy and contentious hearing in the Judiciary Committee. CNN's Sara Murray has our report.

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SARA MURRAY, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Following a bitter debate and a party line vote, Donald Trump now faces two articles of impeachment before the full House of Representatives.

REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY), CHAIRMAN, HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The question now is on Article I of the resolution, impeaching President Donald J. Trump for abusing his powers. The clerk will call the roll.

MURRAY (voice-over): Democrats insisting Trump's actions more than met the constitutional threshold of high crimes and misdemeanors.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Aye.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Raskin votes aye.

Ms. Jayapal?

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): Aye.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Jayapal votes aye.

Ms. Demings?

REP. VAL DEMINGS (D-FL), MEMBER, INTELLIGENCE AND JUDICIARY COMMITTEES: Aye.

MURRAY (voice-over): Republicans loudly voice their objections.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Gohmert. GOHMERT: My vote is no.

NADLER: Has every member voted who wishes to vote?

GOHMERT: Mr. Chairman, may I ask how I'm recorded?

NADLER: How was the gentleman recorded?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Gohmert, you are recorded as no.

GOHMERT: I want to make sure.

MURRAY (voice-over): The committee approved one article for abuse of power, arguing the president pressured Ukraine to investigate his political rival by withholding a White House meeting and U.S. security aid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Chairman, there are 23 ayes and 17 nos.

NADLER: The article is agreed to. The question now is on Article II of the resolution, impeaching president Donald J. Trump for obstructing Congress.

MURRAY (voice-over): It approved the second article for obstructing the investigation into Trump's misconduct.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Chairman, there are 23 ayes and 17 nos.

NADLER: The article is agreed to. The resolution is amended as ordered and reported favorably to the House.

MURRAY (voice-over): The final vote, exposing partisan tensions.

REP. DOUG COLLINS (R-GA): I give notice of intent to file dissenting needs.

NADLER: Notice is served. Without objection, the committee is adjourned.

MURRAY (voice-over): As the top Republican on the committee stormed out.

The two party line votes moved President Trump another step closer to being the third U.S. president ever to be impeached.

NADLER: Today is a solemn and sad day. For the third time in a little over a century and a half, the House Judiciary Committee has voted articles of impeachment against the president for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House will act expeditiously.

MURRAY (voice-over): Friday's proceedings came on the heels of a contentious committee debate that stretched past 11:00 pm Thursday. House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler shocked his colleagues by abruptly pausing the marathon session and delaying votes until Friday morning. NADLER: It is now very late at night. I want the members on both sides of the aisle to think about what has happened over these last few days and search their consciousness before we cast our final votes. Therefore the committee will now stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 10:00 am.

COLLINS: Mr. Chairman, you chose not to consult the ranking member on a schedule issue of this magnitude?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So typical.

COLLINS: This is the kangaroo court that we're talking about.

MURRAY (voice-over): While the move prompted howls of protest from Republicans...

COLLINS: This was the most bush league thing I have seen forever. This committee has lost all relevance. I'll see y'all tomorrow.

MURRAY (voice-over): -- Democrats deemed it necessary and accused Republicans of trying to force Democrats to vote on articles of impeachment in the dark of night.

After a vote on the House floor, it will be up to the Senate to decide whether to remove the president and majority leader Mitch McConnell is already vowing that will not happen.

MCCONNELL: We all know how it's going to end. There is no chance the president will be removed from office.

MURRAY (voice-over): Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: The impeachment process started because of a whistleblower complaint. As a result, the White House is now cracking down on who has access to calls with foreign leaders.

Multiple sources say only the most senior politically appointed officials can listen in. We're also learning transcripts of those calls will now be shared with a smaller group of people.

America's highest court has set the stage for a blockbuster ruling on the power of presidents.

[04:10:00]

ALLEN: At issue, whether they could resist demands for information from prosecutors and Congress while they're in office. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether President Trump can block the release of his tax records.

Observers say the case will test the independence of the high court and could produce a once in a generation statement on presidential accountability. The ruling from the high court justices is expected by June. Let's talk about what has transpired as far as impeachment there in Washington with Thomas Gift.

Thomas, thanks for getting up with us this morning. Good morning.

THOMAS GIFT, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: Good morning, Natalie.

ALLEN: Since you're a lecturer, you now have more material for a future lecture, to be sure, for this season in Washington. We don't know what's going the happen, really but President Trump is expected to be impeached by the House.

But Washington is completely divided. To hear Democrats, the future of our democracy is at stake. To hear Republicans, this is a sham.

What are your thoughts on how this has shaken down?

GIFT: It's essentially exactly what a lot of analysts predicted going into the impeachment inquiry. And that is that Democrats in the House of Representatives would vote to impeach the president, Republicans in the Senate would block. And I think that that narrative has really held true.

But we certainly have seen kind of the extreme levels of partisan rancor manifest that one could expect going into this process. Republicans, of course, impugning this process as a witch hunt and a hoax and a sham and Democrats really making the case that, you know, this constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the most serious charge that you can levy at a president.

So in some ways, this is high stakes. But in many ways, it's also quite predictable, I think, how all of this has unfolded up until now.

ALLEN: Let's talk about 2020 and, if the president is impeached, again, which is expected but not removed from office by the Senate, who might be politically at risk here in 2020?

There are Democrats who now support impeachment but represent swing states and Republicans who won't consider impeachment for a second.

GIFT: It really is the case that both Democrats and Republicans see political pitfalls throughout this process and they're trying to navigate these land mines.

For the Democrats, I think the concern there is impeachment fatigue, especially in swing states. I also think that there's a concern that maybe Democrats are focusing too much on impeaching the president and not enough time on actual policies like the ones that Nancy Pelosi vowed to emphasize when she came into office, like education, like health care, like the environment.

At the same time, you know, I think that there are also real pitfalls for the Republicans as well. Even though only about 50 percent of Americans think that Donald Trump should be impeached, a much higher percentage think that he did something wrong, about 70 percent. So that does suggest that, you know, a lot of Republican voters, even

if they don't want to see the president removed from office, at least acknowledge that there was some amount of wrongdoing by the executive in this case.

So you know, how this all cuts out in the end, it's really difficult to say. It might be a wash, where neither Democrats or Republicans are able to take much political advantage of this. But I guess we'll see going into 2020.

ALLEN: Right. And now if the president is impeached next week, there's, of course, a trial in the Senate. A lot of people are questioning Mitch McConnell, who said today that he'll let Donald Trump dictate that trial in some respects.

But senators, when they take the oath of office, swear, in an impeachment, to do impartial justice.

So it's -- it remains to be seen what this trial will be like and how much sway Donald Trump will have in it, doesn't it?

GIFT: Yes. It was a remarkable statement that Mitch McConnell made. He said essentially that there would be total coordination between his office and the White House counsel. I think what that does is remove even the veneer of impartiality.

So in response, we saw Democratic senator Chuck Schumer issue a statement, reminding senators of their oath of office. And essentially, you know, in this case, that they have to be impartial when they're looking at this case.

So you know, it is a real, you know, question as to whether Mitch McConnell's statements were appropriate because he's supposed to be acting as this impartial juror, at the same time he's coordinating with others.

ALLEN: We'll wait and see. Thanks so much. We always appreciate your insights.

[04:15:00]

ALLEN: Thomas Gift for us, thank you.

GIFT: Great to talk with you, Natalie.

ALLEN: In the U.K., the campaigning is over. They have voted. Now the hard work begins for Britain's prime minister. We discuss what's next for Boris Johnson and his Brexit.

Also authorities in New Zealand are trying to locate the remains of victims days after that deadly volcanic eruption. We'll have the latest.

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BORIS JOHNSON, U.K. PRIME MINISTER: I frankly urge everyone on either side of what are, after 3.5 years, after all, an increasingly arid argument, I urge everyone to find closure and to let the healing begin.

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ALLEN: Closure, we will see about that. Britain's prime minister there expressing his hope the U.K. can finally move forward after the acrimony of the past three years.

Based on the outcome of Thursday's election, it would appear many voters agree with him. CNN's Hadas Gold joins us now.

After a long night, the U.K. has spoken.

The question is how does Boris Johnson move forward?

[04:20:00]

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Natalie, he has a clear mandate. They won a commanding majority. It was a much larger majority than I think most people expected them to get.

But what this means is likely the U.K. will finally, officially get Brexit done by January 31st. They will likely vote on that withdraw bill hopefully sometime this week and then the ball will get rolling.

Even if they vote on that withdraw bill and Brexit happens, it's not the end. There are trade deals, future relationships to negotiate. So just because we had a commanding majority from the Conservatives and we're going to vote on Brexit potentially this week, it is not the end.

Because of this election, there's a few other things that are happening that could very much change the course of the United Kingdom and what it looks like; namely, for example, in Scotland, the SNP won a lot of seats.

As part of their campaign manifesto, they said they would bring forward another independence referendum that could potentially see Scotland breaking off from the United Kingdom.

This is something Boris Johnson does not want. He spoke to the leader of SNP and told her they disagree. But the SNP said this is what we promised our voters and this is what we're going to introduce soon. So we might soon see Scotland voting to break off from the United Kingdom.

ALLEN: Thank you very much, Hadas. We're going to talk about it more now with our next guest, Duncan Weldon of "The Economist."

Duncan, thank you for getting up this morning.

DUNCAN WELDON, "THE ECONOMIST": Thank you for having me on. Good morning.

ALLEN: So Boris Johnson is asking for healing now.

Can he get that?

And talk more about what was behind his resounding victory.

WELDON: Well, you know, now the dust has settled. We've all had a bit more sleep. We can go back and look at what happened Thursday night in a bit more detail.

First thing to say, it was an astonishing victory for Boris Johnson, a larger majority than many people were expecting, a big win in terms of the popular vote. But really, although the Conservative vote increased a bit, a couple of percentage points on Thursday, the real story of Thursday was a collapse in the Labour vote rather than a big rise in the Conservative one.

And what that collapse of the Labour vote meant was the Conservatives won an awful lot of seats from Labour, the kind of seats in which the Labour Party has held since the 1930s, seats like Bolsover, Great Grimsby, seats like Blyth Valley. These are traditional industrial working class areas in the Midlands and in the north of England, which have been held by the Labour Party for 80 years.

But because the Labour vote collapsed, Boris Johnson finds himself with this 80-seat majority.

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ALLEN: And what happens now to the Labour Party?

Was it the message or was it the man, Jeremy Corbyn?

WELDON: This is going to be the argument within Labour for the next few months, it looks like, as Labour move into a leadership election.

The people around the leadership, the people around Jeremy Corbyn are saying the problem was Brexit, that this wasn't anything to do with the leader, this was just about Brexit, that's why Labour lost.

And, of course, more Corbyn critical-led members are saying this was about the leader, as well. That will be the argument. The answer is, of course, it was clearly both, Labour's Brexit position managed to alienate previous backers of Remain and previous backers of leaving the European Union.

But Jeremy Corbyn had appallingly low ratings as a leader, appallingly low approval ratings. So there was a problem with the leadership, there was a problem with the Brexit policy and many say there was a problem with Labour's manifesto, this whole section of Christmas trees, give away a day, which didn't sound credible to many voters.

ALLEN: Also, Duncan, but now Boris Johnson has his work cut out for him, Brexit by January 31st.

Can he do that?

And how does he get it done quickly?

And do you think the U.K. will be able to weather Brexit?

WELDON: So he should be able to pass the withdrawal agreement, so- called divorce settlement by the end of January and the U.K. should be able to leave the European Union by the end of January.

We'll be in a transitional arrangement where everything will stay the same except the U.K. won't have its members in the European parliament.

Boris Johnson's challenge is to negotiate a trade arrangement to go after that transitional period. Now Boris thinks he can negotiate that trade agreement very, very quickly. We know these things take a long time, often years.

So although Boris Johnson said he wouldn't extend the U.K.'s transitional relationship with the E.U. past 2020, I think many observers of these talks think he will have to do that.

[04:25:00]

WELDON: But he has a large majority. He should be able to extend this idea of a no deal, catastrophic Brexit, where the U.K. would just, you know, go over a cliff edge to no proper relationship with the European Union, is off the table.

But getting us to a more comprehensive trade deal with Europe, that's going to take Boris Johnson longer than what he's spoken about so far.

ALLEN: And the United States as well.

Big question that Hadas just referred to is, will the U.K. stay united?

We have Scotland in question, maybe Northern Ireland.

WELDON: And this was one of the stories of the night, was the Scottish National Party making huge gains in Scotland. There is a bit of a -- it will be quite difficult. The SNP will argue, yes, there was a referendum in 2014 and we said that was once in a generation.

But since then, Brexit has happened and that's a fundamental change. But to have that, they need Westminster's permission; Boris Johnson said he will not grant that permission at the moment.

Whether that position is sustainable, if in the 2021 Scottish parliament elections, the SNP make further gains, we could well be heading for a second referendum in Scotland in the second half of this Parliament.

A lot depends on how economically damaging Brexit, that might have people in Scotland thinking, well, having gone through this long, drawn out, damaging complicated process of leaving the European Union, do we want to go through that process again, taking Scotland out of the United Kingdom?

ALLEN: We appreciate your insights. Duncan Weldon, thank you.

WELDON: Thank you.

ALLEN: Authorities in New Zealand are trying to bring comfort to families of victims of Monday's deadly volcanic blast. Next we have the latest in that search.

Also ahead --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's mind boggling how any governor could be this irresponsible.

ALLEN (voice-over): Hundreds of dangerous criminals walking free after a U.S. governor issues pardons on his way out of office. We'll have reactions from victims' families.

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ALLEN: And welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. We appreciate it. I'm Natalie Allen. Here are our top stories this hour.

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ALLEN: Another person has died on White Island, bringing the official toll to 15. Authorities are carrying out the careful and emotional task of identifying the six bodies recovered Friday from the New Zealand volcano.

This comes as divers searched on Saturday for the bodies of two people who remain unaccounted for. Will Ripley is in the region.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sending prayers for the dead. The Maori community of Whakatane, New Zealand, give a traditional blessing as boats return to shore with six victims from the White Island volcano eruption. The operation to retrieve them was launched at first light on Friday using helicopters, small boats and a naval vessel.

A dangerous mission carried out by eight military officers, working in soaring temperatures, wearing sealed protective clothing and breathing masks to protect them from the toxic gases still flowing from the volcano.

The team spent four hours on the island, bringing off the remains. They are still searching for two more bodies, one believed to be in the water. The prime minister today thanking the team for their heroism.

JACINDA ARDERN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: They carried out their role with dignity and respect for those who have been lost. There was, of course, a huge amount of courage still required to do what they did today.

RIPLEY (voice-over): The retrieval operation comes after five days after the volcano erupted on the island, causing plumes of steam, ash and rocks to pour out onto the crater, where dozens of tourist were enjoying a day trip.

At least 16 people are dead or presumed dead and dozens more are being treated for life-changing burns. Frustrations have been mounting that the remaining bodies left on the island had not been brought home sooner. The families of those brought back, now at least, will have some relief, that they can begin to say goodbye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These families are just so appreciative, so ecstatic, so overwhelmed and overjoyed to know that they have got their ones with them.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Will Ripley, CNN, Whakatane, New Zealand.

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ALLEN: Very soon, we could find out if former Sudanese president Omar al Bashir will be convicted of corruption and money laundering charges. Bashir was ousted from office and arrested in April following a month of mass protests against his authoritarian rule.

A Sudanese court is set to deliver its verdict at any time. CNN's Farai Sevenzo is following this verdict for us and he will bring that to us when it happens.

Farai, what do we know?

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE).

[04:35:00]

ALLEN: All right, we're having some challenges with the signal with Farai. We will get back to that story that coming up. The stage is being set for the third impeachment trial in U.S. history. Coming up, we look at past impeachments as a guide for what is to come.

Also the former governor of the state of Kentucky handing out hundreds of pardons during his final days in office, even to some who committed shocking, violent crimes. Now accusations the move was politically motivated.

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ALLEN: Two decades after the last impeachment of a U.S. president, history is on track to repeat itself but with notable differences. Brian Todd takes a look back at Bill Clinton's impeachment process to see what might be in store.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One gavel drops and others will follow as Congress sets the stage for the third impeachment trial in American history, the fourth time Congress has considered removing a president.

The impeachment process for President Trump is drawing strong comparisons to the last time Congress voted to impeach, the 1998-99 trial of Bill Clinton and a capital city that some believe is even more bitterly partisan and take no prisoners.

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Where people can't talk to each other anymore, where there is contempt for those who disagree, where the basic respect that is likely the lubricant that keeps our government working has disappeared.

TODD (voice-over): There have been key differences in how those trials played out. Bill Clinton's impeachment trial for lying about the Lewinski affair came after a special prosecutor, Ken Starr, spent years investigating him.

[04:40:00]

TODD (voice-over): This time, a whistleblower's complaint about Donald Trump's phone call with the Ukrainian president led the House Intelligence Committee to investigate Trump. Both impeachment inquiries went through the House Judiciary Committee.

But it's how the Senate handles impeachment, which is drawing stark comparisons. In 1998, Republican senator Trent Lott, the majority leader, worked closely with Democrat Tom Daschle, the minority leader, to agree on how the trial would proceed.

This time Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not coordinated so far with his Democratic counterpart, Chuck Schumer, but has coordinated with Trump's team.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I'm going to take my cues from the president's lawyers.

TODD (voice-over): McConnell did say previously he would try to agree on rules with the Democrats. He says he's not the only one who has coordinated with the White House.

Tom Daschle says while he didn't coordinate with the Clinton White House, his staff did. Nevertheless, critics say the optics for Mitch McConnell at the moment aren't great.

NORMAN ORNSTEIN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: Imagine if you had a murder trial and the head juror was in bed with the alleged murderer.

Would we view that as the way the criminal justice system is supposed to work?

We would be outraged.

TODD (voice-over): Then there's the difference in how the two presidents handled impeachment and discussed their own conduct.

TRUMP: Nothing was done wrong. Zero was done wrong.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned.

NAFTALI: President Clinton sought to get on with the job of being president. That doesn't mean that behind the scenes he wasn't obsessed with the impeachment.

By contrast, President Trump's understanding of being president involves being aggressive, taunting his enemies.

TODD (voice-over): And while the intensity of the media coverage hasn't changed...

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST (voice-over): That could, in fact, lead to impeachment proceedings.

TODD (voice-over): -- analysts say the political divide in America now seems even more harsh than it was 21 years ago.

ORNSTEIN: We are lively in a tribal era in our politics. You've got Republicans who largely believe that Democrats are evil people trying to destroy our way of life. And you have Democrats looking at Republicans as evil people protecting a president who is in bed with Vladimir Putin.

TODD: Another comparison which experts are keeping an eye on is how much political damage is done to the party which brings the impeachment charges.

After the 1998-99 trial of Bill Clinton, the Republicans, which brought the impeachment charges against him, suffered serious impeachment backlash, losing a lot of seats in Congress in the next election. Experts say this time around, they don't expect the Democrats bringing those impeachment charges against Trump to suffer quite as many losses.

But they do say the moderates from each party could take a hit, depending on how they vote at the impeachment of Donald Trump -- Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: A man convicted of killing his parents, a mother who left her newborn baby to die and a man who raped a child are all walking free after the former Kentucky governor gave out hundreds of pardons during his final days in office. As CNN's Natasha Chen reports, families of victims are shocked and horrified.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before walking out of the governor's mansion this week, Kentucky Republican Matt Bevin pardoned this man who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy, a drunk driver who killed a pastor and his wife, a man who decapitated a woman and left her body in a barrel, a woman who threw her newborn in a septic tank at a flea market, a man who at age 16 killed his parents and left their bodies in a basement and this man who raped a 9-year- old girl and served less than 18 months out of his 23-year sentence.

The victim's mother says it's a slap in the face.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels like we're going through it all over again. We just got to the point where we felt safe leaving the house.

CHEN: Kenton County prosecutor Rob Sanders told CNN the man hadn't served enough time to even begin sex offender treatment.

ROB SANDERS, KENTON COUNTY COMMONWEALTH PROSECUTOR: It shocks the conscience. It's offensive. Its mind boggling how any governor could be this irresponsible.

CHEN: Now, there's also a question of political favoritism.

MORGAN MCGARVEY (D-KY): We have someone who was convicted of killing someone in front of his wife at his home who pulled the trigger.

CHEN: State lawmakers say they want to investigate this case because the family of the man pardoned raised more than $20,000 last year to help Bevin.

MCGARVEY: Bottom line, if it looks like a duck and talks like a duck, you got to look into whether or it's a duck.

CHEN: The Kentucky attorney general elect sent us a statement supporting the right of the governor to pardon.

We've tried to reach out to former governor Bevin. He's not responded yet. [04:45:00]

CHEN: But he did tell "The Washington Post" that he's a big believer in second chances. He said this nation was founded on the concept of redemption, on second chances and on new pages in life -- Natasha Chen, CNN, Atlanta.

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ALLEN: The U.S. and China both say they have reached phase one on a trade agreement despite many of the details remaining a mystery. The U.S. president says the agreement is, quote, "phenomenal."

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TRUMP: This is a very large deal. It covers tremendous manufacturing, farming, a lot of rules and regulations. A lot of big things are covered. And I say affectionately, the farmers are going to have to go out and buy larger tractors because it means a lot of business, a tremendous amount of business.

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ALLEN: The Trump administration says China has agreed to buy more American products and services which would be an extra $200 building over the next two years. Chinese officials say they expect the U.S. to remove tariffs on Chinese products phase by phase. And phase two would depend on how the first one plays out.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam is headed to Beijing and expected to meet with the Chinese president on Monday. This comes as her government is trying to find a solution to increasing demands for democracy. For months, pro democracy activists have flooded the city streets and pro establishment candidates suffered devastating losses in local elections several weeks ago.

Young people are fighting for change around the world and they're letting world leaders know it is time to do something. We're talking about climate change and here are some of their gut-wrenching stories, coming next.

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ALLEN: We have a lot of trash on Earth and we have a lot of trash in space. The European Space Agency wants to clean up decades of orbiting space junk. It's from things like dead satellites and discarded rockets.

The agency plans to send a multiarmed robot into space in 2025 to latch onto the debris. Then the machine and its trash will dive back to Earth and burn up in the atmosphere.

There are about 170 million pieces of junk in Earth's orbit but no international rules hold space agencies accountable for it.

International negotiations to battle climate change will resume in the coming hours. Right now, countries are deadlocked after working well into the overnight hours, past a Friday deadline, to wrap up the two- week COP25 summit in Madrid, Spain.

Countries could not agree on how to set regulations and targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, a key part of the Paris climate accord.

Teenage activist Greta Thunberg has made a name for herself by calling out world leaders for inaction on environmental issues. In Madrid, she slammed participants ,calling their response to the crisis, "clever accounting," and "creative PR."

She kept up the pressure in Italy in one of her usual Friday protests with more harsh words for world leaders attending the climate talks.

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GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: World leaders are still trying to run away from their responsibilities. But we have to make sure that they cannot do that. We will make sure they -- that we put them against the wall and that they will have to do their job and to protect our futures.

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ALLEN: Greta, who was named "Time" magazine's person of the year this week, also urged activists to make sure next year is a year of action.

Greta isn't the only young activist at the climate talks in Madrid. CNN's Arwa Damon brings us the voices of a generation demanding change.

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HILDA NAKABUYE, UGANDAN CLIMATE ACTIVIST: You have been negotiating for the last 25 years, even before I was born.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hilda's generation does not deserve a crisis they did not create.

NAKABUYE: I am the voice of the dying children, displaced women and people suffering at the hands of climate crisis created by rich countries.

DAMON: She's at the forefront of the climate protests in her native Uganda, cleaning plastic filth out of Lake Victoria

When Hilda was just 10 years old, the changing climate dried her family's crops. There was no water for the livestock NAKABUYE: We didn't have enough food. And then we started to sell off our property to survive. I missed three months without school, when other people were at school. So I had to stay home because my parents couldn't afford. And it's too much.

DAMON: Words the big polluters don't want to hear or are turning away from. Despite all the signage declaring otherwise, these climate crisis negotiations feel less like they're about saving the planet and more like a battle between the haves and have-nots.

But they won't give up.

(on camera): How old are you here?

NKOSILATHI NYATHI, ZIMBABWEAN CLIMATE ACTIVIST: Yes, I was 12. So, this was my profile then.

DAMON: And so people were listening to you when you were 12, that these clips of videos you did, they made a difference.

NYATHI: Yes, they did.

DAMON (voice-over): Nkosilathi got a UNICEF grant to get a biogas plant for his school to convert waste into energy.

His trip to the conference was his first time on a plane to address halls of power.

NYATHI: I also know the magnitude of the danger which is coming.

DAMON: They heard his words, but he feels like they didn't listen.

NYATHI: It hurts. It hurts. Naturally, it hurts.

I'm not actually seeing like real action the ground.

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NYATHI: But that's what I feel currently, that there's nothing which has been done.

DAMON: Leaders are even getting a dressing down from those too small to reach the podium.

LICYPRIYA KANGUJAM, INDIAN CLIMATE ACTIVIST: This is not fair. Our leaders are just busy blaming each other, instead of finding a long- term solution.

DAMON: This girl is smaller than the banner she's carrying, but the smiles belie the severity of these children's future; 13-year-old Mounir dreams of the stars. He wants to be a NASA scientist.

MOUNIR MBOGO, CHADIAN CLIMATE ACTIVIST: If they really love us, they should act now, because the climate change project should be taken seriously. It's not a joke. It's about future generations and our living on Earth. DAMON: It's the children who are the ones having grownup conversations.

NAKABUYE: I do this with all my heart and with love for the coming generation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

DAMON: Arwa Damon, CNN, Madrid.

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ALLEN: It is time for adults to listen to the youth.

Thank you for watching this hour. I'm Natalie Allen. I'll have much more news for you right after this.