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Damage Caused By Iranian Missiles Fired At Iraq Bases Housing U.S. Troops Surveyed; Iranian Officials Admit To Accidentally Shooting Down Ukrainian Passenger Jet; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Calls On Iran To Take Responsibility For Shooting Down Of Passenger Jet; Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) Is Interviewed On Texas Governor's Decision To Take No More Refugees Into Texas; Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders Leading In Iowa In New Poll; Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Leads With African-American Voters Nationwide; Severe Weather Threatens Parts Of U.S. South And Midwest; John Bolton Says He Will Testify In Senate Impeachment Trial If Subpoenaed; Nancy Pelosi To Send Articles Of Impeachment To Senate; Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Announce Decision To Step Back From Royal Duties And Seek Financial Independence. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired January 11, 2020 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Days later, just this past Wednesday, Iran to vowing harsh revenge, attacked two Iraqi military bases, that were housing U.S. troops and coalition forces. However, there were no U.S. casualties. And now, for the very first time, we're getting a firsthand look at the damage at those air bases. CNN Senior International Correspondent, Arwa Damon is the first journalist to gain access to the Al Asad Airbase. She's on the ground there with an exclusive look. Arwa?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These were living quarters, sleeping quarters, the troops lived here lost everything. There was very little if anything that was salvageable because there was also a fire that ended up raging here for a few hours after the missile impacted in this particular area.

The reason why no one was killed, not here, not in any of the other locations of impact, is because there was advanced warning. We don't know what. We don't know how. That is very sensitive information. But we are told that hours before the attack even began, they knew something was happening. They just did not know specifically what it was going to be. So precautions were taken.

By 11:00 p.m., troops who could hunker down were hunkered down in bunkers, some of them in Saddam era bunkers. Others had to man their posts because of the security situation. They were still out there. And then, the strikes began at about 1:34 in the morning. This is the crater left behind by one of them.

There are so many stories that we're hearing of heroics, so many stories that we're hearing of really extraordinary close calls. Those who lived through this say that it's clear that Iran wasn't that concerned with trying to save U.S. lives. A lot of these impacts did happen in places where they could potentially have caused significant U.S. casualties. And this is Lieutenant Colonel Staci Coleman, we have been speaking all day. And you were telling us, what was that night like? How do you even begin to describe it?

LT. COL. STACI COLEMAN, U.S. AIR FORCE: It is very hard to describe it. I will tell you, it was extremely scary. Some of my team and myself were hunkered down in one of those bunkers, and when the first wave started hitting, you could feel the shock waves. And even inside the bunker, the pressure was so strong, that we watched our bunker door sink in towards the inside of the bunker, and then escape back out. About seven of the impacts were in very close proximity to where we were hunkered down. And like I said, you could feel every last one of these shockwaves. It was extremely scary.

DAMON: And very lucky, or was it the training, the precautions that were taken, that there were no U.S. casualties?

COLEMAN: I'd say it was all of that. I would say it is a combination of God looking out for us. It was a combination of the little bit of intel and advanced warning that we got. And then it was the smart commanders on the ground making on-spot decisions to get people out of harm's way.

DAMON: And how do you begin to describe what this was like, and then of course, what kind of security precautions you're having to take now, given the situation?

COLEMAN: This was -- like I said, we knew something was happening, but we didn't know exactly what. As the time drew closer, we kind of thought we had an indication of what it might be, but we were still were uncertain. So we had advanced warning that there may be some rockets followed by a base incursion. And so we had to keep our security forces out, to make sure that we were safe from that. So there were a good number of folks out along the perimeter and within the airfield, keeping it secure.

DAMON: Out there, on the perimeter, keeping it secure, while these missiles are coming in.

COLEMAN: Yes. They were outside during every last one of the missile strikes.

DAMON: It would see that it was very fortunate, and also as we have been saying because of this advanced warning that exists, because of these precautions that were taken, there is the sense that while this phase of what is unfolding has concluded, everyone here is still very much on high alert.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Al Asad Airbase, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Arwa Damon, thank you so much. Now, back to that shocking admission from Iran, that the country is

now apologizing for mistakenly launching a hit against the Ukrainian passenger plane, bringing it down. CNN has obtained new video of that deadly crash. A warning to some viewers, you might find this disturbing.

[14:05:08]

So in the video, you can see the fiery wreckage, as Ukrainian Airlines flight 752 crashes just outside of Tehran on Wednesday. Iran's president blaming human error for that missile launch. His confession follows days of denials from the Iranian government. And now, we're learning from Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who moments ago demanded Iran take full responsibility for its actions after dozens of Canadians were killed in that crash.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: I had a chance to sit with some of the families of the victims. They are hurt, angry, and grieving. They want answers, they want justice. What Iran has admitted to is very serious. Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific. Iran must take full responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Paula Newton is in Toronto. So Paula, what else did Trudeau have to say? What are Canadians as a whole thinking and feeling?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, at issue here is what that responsibility is going to look like, right? And from Iranian- Canadians here on the ground, as they said early on, Iran lied about this for three days. What now. And it is the Canadians who are trying to press on that question, in terms of trying to get to that responsibility, to that investigation. They want some access, especially with the kind of expertise that they are looking at from both American and Canadian and authorities from all over the world to realize how it all happened, how the chain of command even in Iran could let this happen, so that it does not happen again.

I think what is extraordinary here is the level of anger from understanding that Iranian authorities could have at least said let us investigate this, but instead they chose the denials. And it is that kind of distrust that now will infect the rest of the investigation going forward, and it does stay a problem. I want you to listen to Justin Trudeau again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are confident that this was actually an accident?

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: This is one of the issues that we certainly need better answers to, and that is why this first step offed admission of responsibility is an important one by Iran, but there are many other questions like that one that we we'll need clear answers to in the coming days and weeks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: So again, how is that going to happen? Canadian investigators have now been allowed three more visas, but the investigators themselves, it remains to be seen exactly how quickly Iran will expedite this. I have to stress again, though, how rare a call would be between Justin Trudeau and President Rouhani, they don't have diplomatic relations, and that's at least a first step. Even just a phone call, Fred, of understanding, that perhaps, perhaps the Iranians are at least committed to helping those relatives get the remains of their loved ones, have a respectful burial, either in Iran, or repatriate those remains here to Canada.

And Fred, it has been extraordinary here. This is a country shattered, they've had memorials like the one here in Toronto behind me, right across the country. Even in this pouring rain, people are going in front of the memorial and really shedding tears there. The loss is still so profound, Fred, and all eyes now are on Iran to see what they can do to actually heed the lessons from this incident, and understand that in order to do that, they will have to do something perhaps that doesn't come naturally to them, and that's open up this investigation to international partners.

WHITFIELD: Paula Newton, thank you so much.

Let's talk further in all of this. I want to bring in now Texas Congressman Vicente Gonzalez. He is a Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Good to see you, congressman. So Iran's military first denied that it was a missile that brought down that plane. Now, an admission that that's indeed how it all happened. Do you have any concerns about ever really getting the full picture even following an admission?

REP. VINCENTE GONZALEZ (D-TX): We certainly need to get to the bottom of it. It's tragic. It's appalling. It's horrific. My heart and prayers go out to the family of the loved one who have been lost in this very negligent military act on behalf of Iran. And I think they need to comply with international investigators and allow us in to investigate, and see exactly what happened, and assure that Iran takes full responsibility to all the family members and people who tragically lost their lives in this accident.

WHITFIELD: And do you find yourself kind of split on how to deal with Iran? Because I know initially you did express some concern about the strike, the drone strike, the U.S. drone strike against Soleimani. And you were worried about the intelligence that supported this imminent threat. And then of course now, just days after that strike, Iran takes down a commercial jet. What does this do? What does this mean? How does it lay the ground work for the U.S., any leverage the U.S. may have had with dealing with Iran moving forward, whether it's about threats, or whether it's culpability?

[14:10:04]

GONZALEZ: Well, clearly we can begin with the premise that General Soleimani was no angel, right? And maybe he did need to be taken out. But we needed to have a clear strategy, we still need to have a clear strategy on how we're going to continue to deal with that conflict that is still ongoing, in my opinion, with Iran, and assure that a situation like what just happened with this Ukrainian airliner never happens again and get to the bottom of it to assure that whether it was intentional or really just a military accident of Iran. That's something that many Americans and people around the world have some serious reservations with. And I think --

WHITFIELD: What happened with that commercial jet, and Iran's admission in any way, change your view about how the U.S. approached the killing of the Iranian general? They're very different circumstances, but it does involve the same country.

GONZALEZ: There are. Right. There are. I don't know if they thought maybe that was a military jet, and they mistakened it for an attack and took preemptive action, or if it was just an intentional shot they took at an a passenger jet. We should get to the bottom of that and find out, and I think the international community deserves to know, and certainly, the people who lost their lives, the Canadians and other countries around the world, want to know what actually happened. And I think the Iranians are responsible to give us a clear answer.

WHITFIELD: OK, Congressman, I want to ask you now about impeachment proceeding, Senate trial, possibly as early as next week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she'll send over the articles of impeachment, the two articles of impeachment to the Senate next week, and now a small group of Republican senators, Senator Collins among them, is saying that they want to talk about, strike a deal perhaps, to have witnesses called during the trial. What does this say to you about, or does it say anything in relation to what Speaker Pelosi's strategy was?

GONZALEZ: I believe the American people want to hear testimony from other witnesses, such as Ambassador Bolton, who wants to come and talk to the Senate. I think they should allow him and others, and get to the bottom of it before they take it to a vote.

WHITFIELD: What will it mean if you don't hear from John Bolton after John Bolton has said he will willingly come if subpoenaed?

GONZALEZ: I certainly hope that he would come, and that he is subpoenaed.

WHITFIELD: But if the president exerts his executive privilege, I mean do you see that John Bolton potentially could not testify at all or just be selective about testimony if called?

GONZALEZ: Well, we're going to have to see what the president does about that. But that's also something that the American people will get to see as well. And if Bolton wants to write letters to the Senate giving information, I think he still can do that. But we certainly need to hear what he has to say. I think the American people deserve that, and I think Senate members that are up for re-election this coming November, will be held responsible in their respective states to assure that all of the testimony comes out and the American people have a clear-eyed view of what happened.

WHITFIELD: And now on another matter, because, boy, there are a lot, and we should talk to you about in Texas, your state, announcing this week that it is opting out of accepting refugees for resettlement under President Trump's executive order, allowing states to do that. So Texas Governor Abbott citing the surge of migrants crossing the border last year. Do you support that decision?

GONZALEZ: I don't think it is the governor's business to try to take up federal regulation, things that are the federal government's job, and how we deal with asylum seekers coming into this entire country. It is an issue. I'm a border member of Congress, so I dealt with that. I had 68,000 refugees show up in one month. It was very chaotic and very complex and very difficult.

And I've been advocating for years now that we're going to continue to have this problem on our southern border until we go to the three Central American states, which is Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, and invest on security on the ground, and bring in economic prosperity to incentivize people from those countries to want to stay home. Until we do that, we're going to keep dealing with this on our southern border. We are just putting a band-aid on it. What we're dealing with on our southern border is a result of failed American policy.

Mexican nationals are no longer coming to my border. Even with the insecurity that is happening in Mexico, because now, their economy is robust, people can find jobs, make livings, take care of their family. They don't migrate because it's a vacation. They come here out of despair. And I think we need to address the issues in those three countries where 75 percent of migration is coming from, and a wall will not stop them. And you got to --

WHITFIELD: Yes, and among those families are children, and there are still a lot of children being held in the detention facilities --

GONZALEZ: That's right. Very sad.

WHITFIELD: -- in your state. What do you know about how they are doing, what's the status? Have you or anyone had a chance to do any kind of wellness checks? Nobody has really talked very much about these children for a very long time.

[14:15:05]

GONZALEZ: Well, I've visited the detention centers, several times, and my last visit was an improvement from the one before that. Now some of the pressure has been alleviated only because we are sending asylum seekers back across the border from Brownsville, Texas, to Matamoros, and so that is an issue I think has taken some of the pressure off these processing center.

But we need to reunify families. I was in Guatemala, not long ago, and I met with an indigenous woman who had been deported back to Guatemala, and her toddler, two-year-old toddler, was still detained in Buffalo, New York. I find that outrageous. And we need to do something about it. And we can. And we should be better than that.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, thank you so much for your time.

GONZALEZ: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Meantime, we're also following this breaking news. The death toll now rising from severe storms in the United States, ripping through the south right now. We'll tell you who is in the path of this dangerous storm system that includes heavy rain, tornadoes, and snow in some parts.

Plus, a new chapter in the impeachment battle, Democrats maybe one step closer to getting their wish for witnesses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:20:30]

WHITFIELD: Storms, dangerous storms, are ripping across the country today. Severe weather has already claimed the lives of eight people, three in Louisiana, another three in neighboring Alabama. And we just learned a firefighter and a police officer were killed while working the scene of a crash in Lubbock, Texas, on an icy interstate early this morning.

We're talking about rain, ice, high winds, tornadoes, all of that targeting 80 million Americans from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest. And you're looking at conditions in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on the left, and the shores of Lake Michigan and Chicago on the right of your screen.

CNN's Natasha Chen is here with me. So there is a lot. What do we know about the circumstance, eight deaths now?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is very tragic. So we're talking about icy road conditions, like you said, in Texas. And then in Louisiana, we know that people have died when trees fell on their home, and we're still learning the circumstances of three deaths in Alabama.

So let's talk about Texas first. This is very tragic. The Lubbock fire chief actually said that the road conditions really needed to be respected by drivers that, he said, if people would respect the road conditions, this never would have happened. The firefighter and the police officer were killed as they were working two different car wrecks. They first responded to one single car accident. Then while they were there, a second car crossed the median, and then as they working those two scenes, a third vehicle crossed over and hit them. Another firefighter is in critical condition, being treated from that.

Over in Louisiana, we know near Shreveport that one man in Oil City, Louisiana, died when a tree fell on his home. His wife was with him at the time. She is uninjured. And an elderly couple was killed in a similar incident when they were found near their demolished home. And there were severe storms in the area, with both incidents, with tornado watches in effect at the time. So now, we're finding out about three deaths in Alabama, and that's in

Pickens County, near Carrollton, Alabama, and one of our local affiliates is still on their way over there to kind of figure out what exactly happened in that situation, but we know that when National Weather Service Birmingham tweeted about the three deaths, they really reminded people to heed warnings that are out there.

And speaking of warnings, we are now under a tornado watch that's affecting near parts of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. It includes right here where we're sitting, in Atlanta, and that goes until 9:00 p.m. eastern tonight, Fred.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. All right, yes, there is a lot on that radar. It is very busy, and a lot of people in possible danger. CNN's Allison Chinchar dealing us with, Natasha as well, from the Weather Center, and what are you seeing in the tracking of this storm?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, let's take a look at where the biggest storms are right now. The best chance for severe weather really stretches from the Alabama-Tennessee state line all the way down to Florida. In fact, we have severe thunderstorm warnings stretching that entire length of the line of storms. There is even a tornado warning just north of Birmingham right now.

This line is going to continue to progress off to the east, and as it does, it is going to take that threat for severe storms with it. In the last 24 hours, you've had over 200 damaging wind reports, nine reported tornadoes, and 23 reports of large hail, sometimes being larger than golf ball-sized. The forward threat for the rest of the day and evening hours remains for cities like Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, even areas toward Macon, Georgia, and Mobile. The threats will still be damaging winds, tornadoes, and the continued threat for large hail.

And then on the northern edge of this, Fred, you also have the potential for very heavy snow and crippling ice, especially for areas of Michigan, and even upstate New York, later on tonight.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. All right, keep us posted on all of that, Allison, thank you so much.

All right, straight ahead, John Bolton taking center stage. Will the former national security adviser be called to testify at the Senate impeachment trial? President Trump sounds off, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:29:11]

WHITFIELD: The U.S. Senate impeachment trial is moving closer to reality, and the battle over the rules for the trial is intensifying. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will send the articles of impeachment over to the Senate next week. GOP Senator Susan Collins of Maine says she is now working with a deal with other Republicans to consider witnesses at the impeachment trial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): I am working with a group of Republican senators and our leaders to see if we can come to an agreement on some language that would be the initial solution setting out the parameters of the trial in the Senate that would include an opportunity for the House to call witnesses and the president's counsel to also call witnesses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[14:30:04]

WHITFIELD: CNN's Jeremy Herb joining us now. So Jeremy, what would it mean if Collins is successful to get McConnell to agree to witnesses?

JEREMY HERB, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: So this whole question of witnesses, it is going to be really fascinating. Senators like Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, these are going to be the senators that we need to watch in the coming weeks as this trial does get under way, potentially as early as next week.

What Susan Collins is saying here is that she wants to help strike a deal that would allow for the consideration of witness, allow the House to request witness, the White House lawyers to request witnesses. What she is not saying is that she wants witnesses like former National Security Adviser John Bolton to testify. We asked Collins this week repeatedly, after Bolton said that he was willing to testify, did she want to call him? And what she sad is she wants to get the trial started, she wants to hear the opening statements, and then she will decide what witnesses she thinks needs to testify.

This aligns with Mitch McConnell at this point, who has said that he believes that they want to start the trial just as they did with Bill Clinton, and then after they will decide on witnesses. So for the moment, Susan Collins is still aligned with Mitch McConnell, but the pressure is going to intensify on her as this trial gets under way. And we also heard from President Trump yesterday that he may throw his own roadblock into testifying, saying on FOX News that he might invoke executive privilege if the Senate does seek to have Bolton testify. Listen to him here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: Why not call Bolton, why not allow him to testify? This thing is bogus. Why not have Bolton testify?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't have a problem other than one thing. You can't be in the White House as a future, future, I'm talking about future, many future presidents, and have a security adviser, anybody having to do with security, and legal, and other things.

INGRAHAM: Are you going to invoke executive privilege?

TRUMP: I think you have to, for the sake of the office. I would love everybody to testify. I like Mick to testify. I like Mike Pompeo to testify. I like Rick Perry to testify. I want everybody. But there are things that you can't do from the standpoint of executive privilege. You have to maintain that. So we'll see where it all goes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HERB: Now, if you remember back to the House impeachment inquiry, the White House sought to block Bolton and other administration officials from testifying in that inquiry. And Bolton said he, or signaled at least, if he didn't say it out loud, would go to court to try to let the courts died whether he would have to testify. That has changed now with the Senate. But if the White House seeks executive privilege, this issue could wind up back in the courts. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Jeremy Herb, thank you so much for following all of that.

The caucus countdown hits the homestretch, and one candidate is gaining ground before voters in Iowa have their say. The latest CNN poll, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:36:58]

WHITFIELD: OK, we are just days away now from the final debate ahead of the first vote in the 2020 primary, and Senator Bernie Sanders is making positive strides in the Hawkeye state. Senator Sanders sitting atop a virtual four-way tie in a new CNN Iowa poll, but that's well within the margin of error. CNN's Kyung Lah joining me now from a Job Biden campaign event in Davenport, Iowa, and CNN's Jessica Dean joins us from Las Vegas, Nevada, where Joe Biden will appear at an event later on today.

So Kyung, let me begin you with. You were able to shed the coat because it's blustery outside. So what are folks saying inside?

(LAUGHTER)

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, when you step inside those coffee shops and the breakfast places and the candidate forums, what Iowa voters will tell you is there are four candidates that they really are talking about the most, the four in our poll. One of those names, of course, Joe Biden. In the short time we are anticipating Secretary John Kerry, who has supported the former vice president, he is going to be arriving here at this organizing party.

But something else that voters are telling us is that they are not securely behind many of these candidates with the exception of Senator Sanders. A lot are willing to switch or they're still undecided. Here is what two of them told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want someone who can win this race. That is extremely important to me. So it has to be somebody who not only has opinions and values that I share, but someone who can influence other voters who are determined to make a change now, too. LAH: Let's fast forward to February 3rd. Will you have a decision by

February 3rd?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't see how. I don't see -- I feel like I'm going to walk into my caucus precinct, and I hate to be a follower, but I feel like a part of me is going to see what my -- what is my peer group thinking. And I don't know if that will -- I think that will impact my decision.

LAH: Game day decision.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Game day decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: Now, that creates an opportunity for some of the lower polling candidates, like Amy Klobuchar, her campaign saying even though she hasn't moved in the polls, from one CNN poll to the other, they think because of how volatile this race is, there is still an opportunity for her here in the Iowa caucuses, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. A big question for a lot of these voters, what are they waiting to hear and see before solidifying their choices.

Jessica, let me bring you into the equation, because there is new polling which talks about the top choice for black Democratic voters nationwide, and looking at the numbers right there, Joe Biden at 48 percent, Bernie Sanders coming in second at just 20 percent. Despite the strong lead in minority support, nationally, how is Biden's camp feeling about this surge that Bernie Sanders is demonstrating?

[14:40:00]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, it's interesting, when you talk to the Biden campaign, all through the last several months, they have said over and over and over again, we are running our race. We are looking down our lane. We are going to do what we want to do based on what we think is best regardless of what the other candidates are doing.

They say they have said this, as we have seen other candidates rise and fall. We've seen Warren, we've seen Buttigieg, now we're seeing Bernie Sanders with his surge in Iowa right now, and the Biden campaign wants to continue to focus on the race they want to run, that is what they will tell you over and over again.

And to your point on that polling that we just saw from the "Washington Post," they continue to point to polling like that, and make the argument that Joe Biden is the candidate that can build what they call the broad coalition that can get a Democrat elected in 2020. They think that Joe Biden is uniquely positioned to put together that broad coalition of candidates.

And to that end, you see I'm lucky that I'm in sunny Nevada right now. Joe Biden is in Las Vegas, Nevada, today, doing outreach with the Hispanic community here. They want to continue to reach out to all different types of demographics and voters. And Fred, that's what they're keeping their eye on right now, as they push ahead.

And to Kyung's point, she said she was waiting for John Kerry, they have surrogates out in Iowa right now, John Kerry chief among them, making the case that Joe Biden is ready to lead on day one, that he can bring stability to the Oval Office. Fred?

WHITFIELD: OK, Jessica and Kyung, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

I'm going to talk further about all of this with a couple of experts on the political campaign scene, and this is just a few days away from this upcoming Democratic debate and the Iowa caucuses. With me now, Melanie Zanona, a congressional reporter for "Politico," and Toluse Olorunnipa, a White House reporter for the "Washington Post" and a CNN political analyst. Good to see you both.

All right, Melanie, you first. This new CNN poll, showing a tight four-way race in Iowa, and Bernie Sanders currently sitting right on top. So can Sanders expect to be -- or I should say, of course, he can expect to be, but how do does he brace himself to be the target, likely, at this upcoming debate, because usually you're out front, you're going to be the one that everybody is zeroing in on.

MELANIE ZANONA, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, "POLITICO": You're absolutely right. Bernie Sanders has really been underrated throughout this primary race, and because of that I think he has really dodged a bullet on the debate stage and he hasn't really been the center of the attacks. But I think after his strong fourth quarter fundraising number, he has locked down ACO's endorsement, Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez, liberal superstar, and just his lead in some of these early polling in these early states, I think he is going to have a target on his back. And so he should be prepared for that.

We have already seen candidates really start to sharpen their differences, sharpen their attacks, show these contrasts with some of their rivals. And so I think Bernie Sanders needs to be completely prepared for that to happen.

WHITFIELD: Toluse, that new CNN poll shows that likely Democratic caucus-goers in Iowa are most interested in a candidate who can beat President Trump in November. Is that going to lead them in their decision making? Because you heard from Kyung Lah there, there were a few people who were indecisive, they wanted to talk to their peer group. Is it more likely that they are looking for the one that can take on Trump more successfully, or just the one that they gravitate toward, the one they like more?

TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE WASHINGTON POST: It is a little bit of both. But I do think the electability argument is driving this race on the Democratic side, and you have had several Democratic candidates try to show that they could beat President Trump in the general election. You've had Bernie Sanders with the whole Bernie beats Trump movement from a couple of weeks ago where he tried to show a number of different polls that had him out ahead in a general election against President Trump. Several of these candidates have tried to make that electability

argument. It's the same argument that Joe Biden is making, saying that he can win back some of the Obama-Trump voters, people who helped vote for Obama in 2008, 2012, and then flipped over to President Trump. That electability argument is going to be key and front and center as we get down to the final stretches. And even as Bernie Sanders puts forward really great fundraising numbers, and tries to show polling that he is ahead of Trump, he does face the challenge of being able to convince some of the more moderate voters that he could beat President Trump and that he's not too far to the left.

WHITFIELD: And Melanie, buckle your seatbelts, right, because next week is going to be something else. You've got the debate taking place on Tuesday. Around the same time, at least in that week span, you have House Speaker Nancy Pelosi handing over these two articles of impeachment to the Senate, opening the way for this impeachment trial. What about the focus for some of these Democrats on stage? Will they be talking about impeachment? Will they defer and let that play out on Capitol Hill, and focus on other issues?

ZANONA: Well, impeachment, even though it has been the dominant storyline in Washington for many months, it is not really something candidates have talked a lot about on the campaign trail, nor are voters asking about this a whole lot. However, I think that is going to be a lot more difficult when you have the trial actually starting likely next week, especially because, keep in mind, a number of these Democratic candidates are also senators and will be jurors in the trial. So I think they're going to have to really balance talking about this, trying to stay neutral and impartial jurors, and not getting out ahead of themselves, but also campaigning about why they think Trump should not be re-elected. So I think that is something definitely to keep an eye on.

WHITFIELD: And Toluse, in national polls, Joe Biden remains the frontrunner, especially that is the case among African-American voters. Take a look at this new "Washington Post" post showing that Biden is the top choice for black Democratic voters nationwide by a landslide. But can he also be too confident and that potentially make it rather dangerous terrain for him?

OLORUNNIPA: Yes, those numbers have been high for Joe Biden throughout the course of this race. It is something that he's been able to bank on, looking at places like South Carolina, the fact that black voters make up the majority of Democrats in that state and several other southern states, make it easier for him to bank on those votes and try to coast to the nomination, in part because he has such a large lead among African-American voters.

But we have seen those numbers shift in previous elections if candidates show that they can be strong in places like Iowa, and New Hampshire. Sometimes black voters change their minds based on how successful a candidate is doing. So Joe Biden does have the risk of resting on his laurels and thinking that that vote is stagnant when it could change, it could shift over the course of the coming months. We haven't seen it shift so far. But if things start moving with actual votes in Iowa and New Hampshire, Joe Biden could see some of that support shift going forward into the 2020 election.

WHITFIELD: All right, everyone on pins and needles. Melanie Zanona, Toluse Olorunnipa, thank you so much.

ZANONA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So again, it is the last debate, before the first vote, and it is only on CNN. The top Democrats head to Iowa for a live CNN presidential debate in partnership with the Des Moines register, Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. eastern, only on CNN.

Coming up, a royal rift overseas. Harry and Meghan trying to step back from royal life. But what would that look like? And how would they make a living?

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WHITFIELD: The British monarchy is in a state of unprecedented chaos and confusion. The House of Windsor rocked by Harry and Meghan's stunning decision to step back from their royal duties to seek financial independence. Royal expert and CNN Royal Commentator Victoria Arbiter joining me right now to discuss the royal drama. Victoria, this is huge, isn't it? What would be their source of income? How are they going to make their living when stepping away officially from these duties?

VICTORIA ARBITER, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Well, it was interesting that terminology, being financially independent, because according to the terms listed on their website as well, it does say that they are hoping to maintain 95 percent of the funding that they currently receive from Prince Charles. It remains to be seen whether the royal family is going to agree to that.

But when we jump ahead to look into their life, their potential life in North America, I think there are going to be companies lining up to throw endorsements, ambassadorships at them, sponsorship deals. Also, the public speaking circuit is incredibly lucrative. But where Harry and Meghan are going to have be very careful is in what products they choose to work with, what companies they choose to work with, because they have to ensure that any money coming towards them is clean. And without the royal family over that umbrella, over them to protect them from any un unscrupulous funds, that is going to be quite difficult.

WHITFIELD: So wait a minute. They would be allowed to accept any kind of the endorsements, even if, as you say, they continue to accept the 95 percent funding from the monarchy, they would be allowed -- or who is to approve of that? Doesn't the Queen have to approve of that? They would be allowed to accept endorsements, et cetera, make money independently?

ARBITER: That's what is being decided right now, and that is where it is very difficult because never before have we really had a situation like had where very senior royals are hoping to have a foot in each camp. Sophie Rhys-Jones when she married Prince Edward back in 1999, she and Edward tried for a little while. He was working with a film production company, she had a very successful public relations firm. But they were accused of selling access to the royal family. They were accused of cashing in on their royal connections. It just didn't work.

So in a situation like this, this is where the royal family has got a very delicate balancing act because they have got to try and agree to what it is exactly that Meghan and Harry can do to earn money while also not embarrassing or causing any controversy for the royal family.

WHITFIELD: So is there a feeling that perhaps Harry and Meghan have been thinking about this long before now. They had that trademark right for their charitable organization, the Royal Sussex, and that seemed to go off without a hitch. But then in December, they applied for that same Royal Sussex trademark, I guess to be extricated from charitable only, but then to profit, but then doesn't the government have to decide on that, too?

ARBITER: There are so many factors here that so many people need to decide on, because of course, not only is there the royal family, there is the British government, there is also going to be the government of the host nation that they decide to move to. They said North America, bets are on Canada. So there is a lot of moving parts here. And I think it's really, it's just quite difficult to address because there is no precedent, there is no tradition that, really, is a guiding force for the royal family.

WHITFIELD: OK. All right, well, that is definitely an indicator of striking independence. That, too, is going to be really different in the outcome. Victoria Arbiter, thank you so much.

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ARBITER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, and thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Coming up next, after the attack, CNN's Arwa Damon is the first journalist to visit Al Asad Airbase after this week's Iranian missile strikes.

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