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Impeachment Trial Still in Limbo; Top News Stories of the Year. Aire 10:30-11a ET

Aired December 25, 2019 - 10:30   ET

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

SCHRIER: Our democracy is not served by that because, ultimately, we have a balance of power in this country.

[10:30:01]

And if you throw that away by saying, we're just going to have a very partisan, very partial trial in the Senate, I think that just really undermines the foundations of our democracy. That's why she's holding on to these articles.

KEILAR: Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who is considered one of the Republicans who may tend to be on the fence here, she just told a local media outlet that she felt the House process was rushed and incomplete. She also said though, she thought that Mitch McConnell saying that he's coordinating with the White House, that's something that she was, quote, disturbed by. She said she thinks that adds basically, essentially to the confusion of the situation. What's your reaction to that?

SCHRIER: Look, I don't agree with the part of this being rushed and incomplete. I think there was abundant evidence that our president put his own self interests above the interest of the nation, that he used his power of his office to do it. He engaged in a cover-up. And then he blocked any investigation. So that part, I disagree with.

But I do believe, I think what she's getting at is exactly what I said that, you know, this is about our democracy. And she's going to have to look at her role. I think every one of those senators is going to have to look at themselves in the mirror and think, did we participate in a real trial? Did we uphold our democracy and did we do the right thing? And if this is a sham trial that has no sense of impartiality, then that is not doing the right thing.

KEILAR: I want to ask you about a letter that you and a group of your colleagues sent to President Trump, 25 of your colleagues, in fact, calling for the firing of one of the president's closest aides, Stephen Miller, who's -- this has to do with his connection to white supremacist ideas. He was, at one point, feeding information to a reporter who was a conservative outlet and, for instance, he freelanced abbreviations for a group that is linked to white supremacy. He seemed like someone who was very well-spoken in the vernacular. What do you really expect the White House to do and how different is this non-response from them compared to what would happen in another administration? SCHRIER: Well, look, I never know what this White House is going to do. All I can control is what I do. And I want to make sure that I'm standing on the right side of history.

And let's just be clear, Stephen Miller, who has the ear of our president, as one of his closest advisers, he is getting information directly from white supremacist websites, feeding them to Breitbart. Breitbart publishes them. That makes them seem more legitimate and then it becomes a mainstream topic.

This is so unacceptable. I think any other president, Republican or Democrat, would fire him. This is something that absolutely has no place in the White House.

Right now is a really difficult time, it's a scary time if you are an immigrant, if are you a minority, frankly, if are you Jewish. We've seen an escalation in anti-Semitic attacks, and it is no time to allow a white supremacist in the White House that close to our president.

KEILAR: Congresswoman, thank you so much. Happy Holidays to you. We appreciate you being on.

SCHRIER: Thank you. Happy Holidays to you, Brianna.

KEILAR: Still to come, some Americans are having a White Christmas. Others are experiencing record high temperatures. But could post- holiday weather affect your travel plans?

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[10:35:00]

KEILAR: The whiteout conditions in some cities to record high temperatures and others, the weather is all over the place across the country on this Christmas day. But storms could affect you as you try to head back home after the holiday.

Let's bring if CNN's Ivan Cabrera with your holiday forecast. And, Ivan, how will this rain and snow impact travel plans?

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Brianna, good to see you. Merry Christmas, by the way. I think it will be impacted significantly and also, of course, folks heading back to the stores, all those lines. So we're going to have to do line trackers here now that Santa is done doing his business.

Right, east, two-thirds of the country, my goodness, 50s, 60s, 70s with sunshine, this is unusually mild. But, of course, we look west, and that's where the trouble begins here. A big dip in the jet stream, those are your train tracks. The storms, the trains, well, one is in Omaha and another one is about to hit California. That's going to be the stronger one. We'll talk about that.

But first things first, a wintry mix for portions of the Dakotas into Minnesota as well, one to three inches of snowfall, some ice accumulating as well. So that's going to be a problem for you if you hit the roadways, and some of them are untreated. So be careful out there. Otherwise, four corners, we're looking at some snow.

Now, this is the first event here. This is going to end by later today, the winter weather advisories, Northern New Mexico to Southern Colorado, and look at Phoenix with a flash flood watch as a result of the rain.

Storm number two is the one we're going to be worried about here. That's the one pushing in, torrential rain for Christmas, even thunderstorm activity in San Francisco. This is going to hit the Southern California Mountain Ranges. There's going to be feet of snow. But then you get into the valleys in Western Arizona, and that is where the flooding is going to potentially be there, flash flooding. We are talking perhaps one to two inches of rainfall in a very short amount of time.

Watch how this spins up here. That's going to come in with wind as well. And look at that, just crashing into Southern California, getting into Arizona, of course, and eventually we'll pick this up into the Midwest.

[10:40:05]

And we'll track that part of it for you. There is the four corners, Albuquerque on the northern side, they're getting snowfall. And then, eventually, this heads mostly as a rain event towards the east on the backside with cold enough air with some snowfall as well. So, yes, wherever you're headed, likely going to see some travel issues, especially if you're going to be traveling on Sunday across Eastern U.S.

I won't even talk about the New Year's Eve/New Year's Day storm because that's sad news, but we'll get through these two and active pattern, let's just say, coming up the first of the New Year.

KEILAR: That is like the big swoosh of travel pain right there. Okay, Ivan, thank you so much.

Queen Elizabeth acknowledges a bumpy year in her Christmas address. Several family members joining a monarch at a Christmas Day's church service following a year full of controversy for both the royals and the U.K. The queen referring to the life of Jesus and the importance of reconciliation to urge people to come together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUEEN ELIZABETH II, QUEEN OF ENGLAND: It's a time and a reminder of what positive things can be achieved when people set aside past differences and come together in the spirit of friendship and reconciliation.

And as we all look forward to the start of a new decade, it's worth remembering that it is all from the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KEILAR: And UNC Charlotte student Riley Howell, who died tackling a gunman during a campus shooting in April, he's being honored by his beloved Star Wars franchise. They've actually created a character described on the Star Wars fan site as Jedi master and historian Riley Howell.

His girlfriend spoke about what this means to her and Howell's family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To us, it's kind of like a really nice way to round out the worst year of all of our lives. He's a Jedi master and he's a hero.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: A hero indeed. This 21-year-old was a lifelong Star Wars fan. A letter to his family from the makers of Star Wars said that Riley's courage and selflessness brings out the Jedi in all of us.

And a key Republican senator says she's disturbed Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was coordinating with the White House on the upcoming impeachment trial. Could we soon hear other GOP lawmakers echo the criticism?

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[10:45:00]

KEILAR: With 2020 just days away, we are counting down the biggest media stories of this year. CNN's Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter shows us.

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BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: A misinformation minefield feeding a war on truth, plus an abrupt departure, shocking investigations and alleged corporate cover-up. Here are the top nine media stories of 2019.

Number nine, Jeff Bezos versus the National Enquirer. In January, the tabloid published a bombshell about the Amazon founder's love life. A month later, the tech billionaire, who also owns The Washington Post, went public with a stunning allegation.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking Now, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos accusing the National Enquirer of blackmail and extortion.

STELTER: AMI, the parent company of the Enquirer denied trying to extort Bezos with raising (ph) pictures and texts.

The federal prosecutors began looking into the claim. Later, AMI's hedge fund owner announced the sale of the tabloid after reportedly becoming disgusted with the Enquirer's tactics.

So will the company pay a legal price for tangling with Jeff Bezos? Well, that is still an open question.

Number eight, the fall of local news. While many big papers are gaining digital subscribers, locals papers are struggling. And some are even going out of print.

Across the country, newsrooms are hollowed out, leaving behind ghost papers that are shells of their former selves. America's biggest newspaper chains, GateHouse and Gannett, just merged, and now they're making more cuts.

If there's a silver lining, it's that more people are subscribing to digital outlets. But local papers are critically important. It's where some of the watch dog reporting comes from, which brings us to number seven.

A triumph of investigative journalism. The Jeffrey Epstein scandal was forced onto the national news radar thanks, to one newspaper, the Miami Herald.

Intrepid reporting from the paper's Julie K. Brown effectively caused the case to be reopened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will say that we were assisted from some excellent investigative journalism.

STELTER: And the Herald's reporting didn't just lead Epstein's arrest, it also forced the exit of a Trump cabinet member.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta resigning after the fallout from the sweetheart deal he gave to Jeffrey Epstein as a prosecutor a decade ago.

STELTER: It's why local journalism is so crucial, it holds the powerful to account.

Number six is Me Too two years later, women journalists are keeping the pressure on powerful men. Gayle King kept her composure as R. Kelly ranted.

[10:50:02]

The BBC's Emily Maitlis was widely praised for her interview of Prince Andrew. And more just keeps coming out.

Ronan Farrow's Catch and Kill contained an explosive rape allegation against former Today Show Host Matt Lauer, an accusation Lauer categorically denied.

Farrow also pointed a finger at NBC, alleging a corporate cover-up. NBC dismissed his book as distorted and inaccurate.

Number five, in Hollywood, the streaming wars are on. Apple T.V. Plus launched in November with programming from A-list talent. Disney Plus followed two weeks later and ten million subscribers signed up on the first day crashing the platform early on. CNN's parent company, Warner Media, unveiled its plans for HBO Max. And all of these companies are chasing Netflix, which doubled -- no, triple down on original content. They funded Martin Scorcese's The Irishman, mostly bypassing a traditional theatrical release.

Number four, it is Fox versus Fox, with news being squeezed out and pro-Trump opinion winning the day. At Fox News, the tension is built all year long.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Attacking our colleague who is here to offer legal assessments on our air in our work home is repugnant.

TUCK CARLSON, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Repugnant. Not clear if that was you or me, but someone is repugnant.

STELTER: And adding to the pressure, President Trump lashed out whenever Democrats dissenters appeared on Fox.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: There's something going on at Fox right now. I'll tell you right now. And I'm not happy with it.

STELTER: The ultimate flashpoint came in October when Chief News Anchor Shepard Smith resigned.

SHEPARD SMITH, FORMER FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Even in our currently polarized nation, it's my hope that the facts will win the day, that the truth will always matter.

STELTER: Smith provided a reality check to Fox's viewers who pretty much hear pro-Trump talking points all day long. And now, reporters at Fox are worried that Shep's exit has left a giant hole.

And that leads right into number 3, the impeachment's dueling media bunkers.

The networks went wall-to-wall for the hearings. On day one, two career diplomats testified for six hours. But in Fox's alternative universe, viewers heard that the was a disaster and downright boring.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So day one of this impeachment farce --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was such a disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a triple fold disaster for the Democrats.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A complete and utter disaster.

STELTER: All across the pro-Trump media universe, far right websites hyped clips of GOP stars like Jim Jordan and Devin Nunes. Experts said that this echo chamber really helped protect Trump and exacerbated the country's divisions. And all of this gets amplified on the web, which brings us to number two.

The misinformation age with deep fakes, dumb fakes, bots and trolls, making it harder and harder to know what is true, like the video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, slowed down to make it seem like she was slurring her words. It racked up millions of views on Facebook, which refused to take it down.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: But why keep it up there?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We think it's important for people to make their own informed choice about what to believe.

STELTER: And it's only getting worse heading into 2020. Facebook is sparking outrage for essentially allowing lies in political ads.

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): Do you see a potential problem here with the complete lack of fact-checking on political advertisements?

STELTER: Facebook claims that its job is not to decide whether an ad is true or false, although the company is said to be considering some changes. Google already made a few tweaks, limiting how political ads are micro-targeted to people. And Twitter has stopped taking political ads entirely. But the big tech backlash is growing.

The constant haze of misinformation brings us to number one. The war on truth and the Trump administration's daily assault on facts.

TRUMP: The deep state and the failed ruling class.

The Democrats, the media and the deep state are desperate to stop us.

The opponents, the opposition, the Democrats, the radical left, deep state, whatever you want to call them.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: More gaslighting. There is no deep state conspiracy. Nope.

STELTER: Trump's message is, don't believe your eyes, don't believe your ears, only believe me. And it has undermined trust in everything.

Remember Sharpie Gate as Hurricane Dorian approached? Trump said Alabama was at risk when it wasn't. Even after weather officials tweeted a correction, the president persisted, holding up an altered map. Agency staffers reportedly felt pressure to support his lies.

COOPER: And to say this out loud, it sounds ludicrous, but as you pointed out, and we have federal employees getting reprimanded for accurately disclosing scientific truth.

STELTER: That is a war on truth. And we see it again now with the assertion that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 election.

[10:55:05]

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: There is only one reason they're changing this story for you right now, and it's to confuse you and distract you and make you not care about it, because it doesn't seem to make sense anymore because nothing is true.

STELTER: Does anyone know what to believe anymore? And what does it mean for our democracy if we can no longer agree on objective truth? That is the challenge heading into 2020.

Brian Stelter, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: And that will do it for this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Brianna Keilar. At This Hour with Kate Bolduan starts after a quick break.

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[11:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone, I'm Kate Bolduan.