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Next Steps on Impeachment; Pete Buttigieg Criticizes Joe Biden on Election Trail; Top Entertainment Stories of 2019. Aired 10:30-11a ET
Aired December 31, 2019 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:30:00] ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: -- on the procedural questions, on the questions of should we hear from witnesses, should we get evidence? Put aside the ultimate vote. But if Schumer can flip four of those Republican senators to go for a full trial, then we will see something closer to a -- what we know to be a real trial with witnesses and evidence.
We've heard from Collins, we've heard from Senator Lisa Murkowski in Alaska, some reluctance, some hesitation to just go along with sort of a show trial, and some interest in having a real trial.
It's one thing to have these indications. We've seen indications before, of people potentially breaking ranks. I want to see it actually happen before I believe it. But yes, it is possible. And the revelations like this new story about the Oval Office meeting really up the pressure on people like Collins, Murkowski, Mitt Romney and others.
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN ANCHOR: And, Elie, one name that many of our viewers may not know, but who is pivotal in all of this is Charles Kupperman.
HONIG: Yes.
MARQUARDT: He is the former deputy national security advisor, so he was under John Bolton. Then on Monday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Kupperman. He had been subpoenaed to testify before the House. He had been challenging that subpoena even though the House actually never -- House Democrats never actually went through with that subpoena in court. What is the significance of this judge's ruling?
HONIG: Yes. So it means that there's no longer any pending litigations about any of the impeachment, the Ukraine-related witnesses. The House Democrats tried to get Kupperman's testimony. He then went to court and said, I'd like to know, court, whether I'm supposed to testify or not.
And at that point, the House Democrats said forget about it, we're not going to go through the stretched-out court battle. Instead, we're just going to return an article of impeachment for obstruction of Congress. So there's no longer any case. The one live case right now was Don McGahn. That case went in favor
of Congress in the district court. It's actually going up, later this week, for an argument in the D.C. Court of Appeals. So everyone should watch that case. Because as that case goes -- and it could end up at the Supreme Court -- that should dictate what happens with some of these other witnesses if they push all the way to court.
MARQUARDT: Don McGahn, of course, the former White House Counsel. As you say, a very important case to watch. Elie Honig, thanks as always for your incredible expertise and Happy New Year, my friend.
HONIG: You too. Thanks, Alex.
MARQUARDT: All right. As we look ahead to 2020, the race for the Democratic presidential nomination really is heating up, and we've got Mayor Pete Buttigieg who is taking a dig at the frontrunner, former Vice President Joe Biden. Is that the right strategic move? That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:37:03]
MARQUARDT: We are just hours away from the start of a dramatic election year, and the race for the Democratic nomination is gaining steam. On Monday, 2020 contender Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, taking a swipe at former Vice President Joe Biden over his son Hunter Biden's role on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.
Buttigieg, telling the "Associated Press," quote, "I would not have wanted to see that happen, and at the same time, again, I think this is being used to divert attention from what's really at stake in the impeachment process. There's been no allegation, let alone finding, of wrongdoing... in my administration, we'll have a very high standard around ethics and making sure that we do everything we can to prevent even the appearance of a conflict."
I'm now joined by CNN political reporter Arlette Saenz. Arlette, why do you think that Buttigieg is taking this line of attack against Hunter Biden, which is something Republicans, of course, have been doing?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, Alex, what's interesting here is that Pete Buttigieg has really avoided doing this for several months, when he's gotten asked questions like this.
But now -- and, you know, really, he is the lone top-tier contender that has offered some type of criticism when it comes to Hunter Biden's dealings, sitting on that Ukrainian oil company's board. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have deflected when they've been asked about it.
Now, Joe Biden has been saying that in the future, his family won't be involved in foreign business dealings if he's elected president. But, you know, Buttigieg is now going -- issuing this critique. He is saying that there is no allegations of wrongdoing. But it's going to be interesting, as we get closer to the caucuses, to see if he will continue potentially trying to draw some more contrasts here. And if any other candidates also will weigh in.
MARQUARDT: Yes. He really is. I mean, that's what it is, he's trying to walk this line, questioning Biden's son's choices and criticizing the former vice president without giving too much weight to what have been repeatedly debunked allegations. So how do these 2020 Democrats, who are trying to pull even and pass Biden, how do they balance those two?
SAENZ: Well, I think really, for the most part, you've had the other Democratic contenders pointing out that there -- as you mentioned -- that there haven't been allegations of wrongdoing. And that what really needs to be the focus is President Trump and his actions throughout this impeachment process. That's something that you hear Biden talking about over and over, including over the weekend.
So I think, going forward, it's unclear how much of an issue Democrats might try to make this into, heading into the caucuses. But so far, really, aside from this Buttigieg criticism, no one has really gone after the former vice president and his son, among the Democratic candidates.
MARQUARDT: Biden got a really interesting question at a town hall from someone in the audience. He was asked whether he would consider a Republican running mate. He responded that he would, but that it would have to be someone willing to step up.
[10:40:12]
You're out there with Biden all the time, do you think there's any chance that he could have a Republican running mate?
SAENZ: I think it's pretty unlikely, but I guess you can never say never. But Biden, in that answer, also said that he couldn't think of someone right now who could potentially be a running mate that is a Republican. He went on to say that there's a lot of decent Republicans, but that they need to step up. And he believes they need to change their actions.
And some of this, you know, goes along with a lot of what Biden has talked about, that there needs to be unity in the party -- between the two parties, and also that Democrats need to be able to work with Republicans.
Now, he's also offered some other clues on who he might want as his running mate. He said he would prefer female, he said that there's a lot of good African-American potential running mates who are out there. He's floated Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren and Stacey Abrams as potential picks.
We're still a few months away. He says it's a little presumptuous, since he's not even the nominee, to be talking about this. But I think the likelihood of him choosing a Republican is pretty unlikely, but you never know. MARQUARDT: All right. Arlette Saenz, on a rare visit back to the
bureau. You'll be back on the campaign trail before we know it. Thanks very much.
SAENZ: Thanks.
MARQUARDT: All right. Coming up, from explosive charges against R&B singer R. Kelly to Alex Trebek's courageous battle against cancer: We'll take a look back at the biggest entertainment stories of 2019. That's coming up.
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[10:46:28]
MARQUARDT: As we look back, 2019 was also a big year in the entertainment world. CNN's Stephanie Elam takes us through the top stories of the year.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EMILIA CLARKE, DAENERYS TARGARYEN, GAME OF THRONES: Dracarys.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Winter came and went, the final battle for the Iron Throne. "Avengers" pack a punch at the box office, and Lizzo storms the airways with her "Juice."
ELAM: Here's a look at the top entertainment news in 2019.
ELAM (voice-over): Number nine, "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek's courageous battle against pancreatic cancer.
ALEX TREBEK, HOST, JEOPARDY: I have some news to share with all of you --
ELAM (voice-over): Trebek announced his stage four diagnosis in March, and vowed to aggressively fight the disease. He underwent intense chemotherapy, and resurfaced just five months later, to announce he was on the mend --
TREBEK: I'm happy to report I'm still here.
ELAM (voice-over): -- and ready to return to "Jeopardy" for its 36th season. In a touching moment, Trebek choked up during a very special Final Jeopardy round.
TREBEK: What is "We love you, Alex." That's very kind, thank you.
ELAM (voice-over): A TV star embroiled in a hate crime scandal is number eight. 'Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, who is gay and black, claimed to have been the target of a racist and homophobic attack. Police say Smollett staged the attack to gain attention.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career. ELAM (voice-over): Smollett was indicted on 16 felony counts, but
prosecutors later dropped all the charges. Smollett maintains his innocence.
JUSSIE SMOLLETT, ACTOR: I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of one drop of what I have been accused of.
ELAM (voice-over): He didn't return for the show's sixth and final season.
A new type of battle brings us to number seven, the fight for your streaming views and subscription dollars. Joining heavy hitters Netflix and Hulu are the new kids on the block, Apple TV+, Disney+, and soon, Peacock and HBO Max.
Netflix is still the king with over 150 million subscribers, but industry insiders are watching the impact these new platforms will have against their established rivals.
FRANK PALLOTTA, CNN MEDIA REPORTER: Content is arguably at the core of any streaming service. That's why we've seen record-setting production and licensing deals over the last few years.
ELAM (voice-over): Oprah, Reese Witherspoon and J.J. Abrams are just some of the names behind original content coming out soon.
At number six, a sad farewell to a 90210 legend and a beloved rapper. In March, Nipsy Hussle was shot and killed near a clothing store he owned in Los Angeles. The Grammy-nominated rapper collaborated with dozens of artists including Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
He embraced his role as an activist. Hussle had been scheduled to meet with city officials the next day to discuss ways to stop gang violence.
Actor Luke Perry was meant to join his original "Beverly Hills, 90210" castmates for a reboot of the show. But, sadly, the 52-year-old died of a massive stroke in March. Perry was best known for playing '90s bad boy Dylan McKay on 90210. But his most recent role on TV's "Riverdale" introduced him to a new generation of fans.
[10:50:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To Luke.
ELAM (voice-over): Both shows paid tribute to the actor they knew and loved.
Number five, Lil Nas X breaks the music charts with "Old Town Road."
LIL NAS X, SINGER: I got the horses in the back, horse tack is attached --
ELAM (voice-over): The country rapper's jam with Billy Ray Cyrus topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a record 19 weeks. Just a year ago, Lil Nas X was flying under the radar. But that all changed when he self-released "Old Town Road" on iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube. But it was a viral Tik Tok meme that turned his new beat into a banger.
NAS X: Yeah, I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road --
ELAM (voice-over): The song hit a bump in the road when Billboard pulled it from the country charts, generating cries of racism. But the rapper turned it around, and hit a string of personal and professional triumphs: He came out over the summer, his single went triple platinum, and it reached diamond status.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never really recovered from it.
ELAM (voice-over): At number four, Lifetime's bombshell documentary, "Surviving R. Kelly."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A development, now, involving R&B singer R. Kelly. The district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia is apparently now conducting an investigation, following the release of that Lifetime docuseries called "Surviving R. Kelly."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, good morning.
ELAM (voice-over): The embattled singer spent his year in and out of court, defending himself against sexual misconduct charges dating back 20 years. The R&B star was charged on 18 federal counts in Illinois and New York.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Free you, R. Kelly. They're going to free you.
ELAM (voice-over): He has denied any wrongdoing.
R. KELLY, SINGER: I promise you, we're going to straighten all this stuff out. That's all I could say right now.
ELAM (voice-over): Kelly remains jailed without bond.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're in the endgame now.
ELAM (voice-over): And number three, "Avengers: Endgame" knocked out an epic win at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time.
Die-hard MCU fans packed theaters to the tune of $2.8 billion worldwide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Outstanding.
ELAM (voice-over): "Endgame" soared past James Cameron's "Avatar," which held the previous global box office record for 10 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like this one.
ELAM (voice-over): "Endgame" caps an 11-year build-up in the Marvel universe, which began with "Iron Man" in 2008. From "Captain Marvel" to "Black Panther" to "Thor" and "Guardians of the Galaxy," the Infinity Saga netted over $22.5 billion.
Coming in at number two, the final episode of HBO's "Game of Thrones."
LENA HEADEY, CERSEI LANNISTER, GAME OF THRONES: When you play the game of thrones, you win.
ELAM (voice-over): The series finale capped off a nine-year television and pop culture phenomenon, making it one of the most anticipated endings in television history. The build-up through Season Eight had viewers anticipating an epic ending for the future of Westeros. The finale, titled "The Iron Throne," brought in a series record of 19.3 million viewers.
LIZZO, SINGER: I've been waiting for this one. Turn it up.
ELAM (voice-over): There's a new goddess on the pop and hip hop scene. Lizzo's meteoric rise makes her number one on our list. She's fierce, unapologetic and her music is an anthem for self-love and body positivity. Lizzo turned her 2016 mainstream music debut into global success in 2019.
"Truth Hurts" topped the Billboard Top 100 chart for seven weeks. The music video has over 162 million YouTube views, and she makes a splash with her confident message everywhere she goes.
ELAM: 2020 will be another big year for some of the newsmakers on our list. Lizzo is nominated for eight Grammy awards. And watch for phase four of the Marvel movies to begin: "Black Widow" opens in May. Stephanie Elam, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUARDT: Our thanks to Stephanie Elam.
[10:54:02]
And that will do it for me. Thanks so much for joining us today. I'm Alex Marquardt. "AT THIS HOUR" is next. Ryan Nobles is in for Kate Bolduan. That starts after the break. Happy New Year, everybody.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RYAN NOBLES, CNN ANCHOR, AT THIS HOUR: Hello, everyone. I'm Ryan Nobles, in today for Kate Bolduan. Thanks for joining me for a special New Year's Eve edition of AT THIS HOUR.
[11:00:04]
And we start with a developing story out of Iraq, where we're seeing angry crowds attack the U.S. embassy in --
