Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Box Truck Under Investigation After RV Explosion In Nashville; Trump Still Has Not Signed COVID Relief Bill; Small Business Owner Struggling To Stay Afloat Due To COVID-19; Tennessee In Midst Of COVID-19 Surge; E.U. Rolls Out Vaccination Program; Georgia Voters Set To Decide Senate Control. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired December 27, 2020 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: We begin with this -- at this hour rather with a flurry of new details of the Nashville, Tennessee, area. Police are now saying they have identified a person of interest in connection with that explosion on Christmas morning in the city's downtown core. And then right now, a box truck that authorities say may have been playing similar audio from what the RV played just before the blast occurred on Christmas Day, this vehicle now in the center of the screen there -- it's a white vehicle -- is now under investigation.

A robotic apparatus is there to further investigate whether it may contain any explosives or not. But, again, we don't know. We just know right now it's being treated as a suspicious vehicle.

Also a policeman who was at the scene of the Christmas Day explosion saying the RV involved in the blast had video cameras and also had its windows covered.

We're also expecting authorities to hold a news conference coming up at 5:00 Eastern Time, and of course we'll have that for you as it happens.

CNN's Natasha Chen is near the scene of this ongoing police operation there in Lebanon, Tennessee, just about 25 miles outside of Nashville, where they're looking further into this suspicious vehicle. Shimon Prokupecz is in downtown Nashville. Also with me is CNN senior law enforcement analyst Andrew McCabe joining us by phone.

Natasha, let me begin with you and what is an active investigative scene here involving that suspicious vehicle.

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, Fred. Well, we just got here a few minutes ago, but I can tell you what this looks like here. Authorities have this roadblocked off. This is actually right at the entrance of a state park, Cedars of Lebanon State Park. I just talked to someone who lives right on the other side of this barricade, and she says she's been stuck, unable to go home since about 11:30 this morning. She went to drop off her kids at church, and, you know, 20 minutes later, she comes back and can't get to her house. So this has been the scene for several, several hours. And at first,

you know, people waiting here had no idea what was going on. But as we now know from a press release from law enforcement, they did receive a call at about 10:30 today of a white truck parked at a crosstown mall. It's about a 10, 15-minute drive from where we are right here, I'm told, from the people who live over here. And that it was playing similar audio to the truck involved in the Christmas morning bombing at downtown Nashville.

From this standpoint right here, what we can see is a lot of law enforcement activity far down the road, far down this highway, and this is a pretty rural community here. We're seeing, you know, small communities, farm communities. This is, you know, near Murphysboro and near Lebanon. And so people here really have no idea what's going on. They've been watching this happen for hours. As you've seen from our affiliate footage, there has been, you know, bomb robots deployed here.

So everybody's kind of watching and seeing what's happening. This truck seems to have made it from one county into another, so this is why there are multiple agencies here on-scene working together to investigate this and make sure everyone's safe -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And, Natasha, already multiple agencies there because just two days ago you had this Christmas Day blast bringing in ATF, FBI, you know, and local and state authorities. We have been able to see in this live picture provided by our affiliate, WSMB, that there is a robot there to further inspect this suspicious vehicle. All we've been able to see is that it would be on the side, seem to come in close, peer in, and then also toward the back.

What do you know about, you know, the process or what other resources are there to further inspect this vehicle?

CHEN: All we can glean right now is from what we see from a far distance. So I'm just telling you what I can see from my own eyes here at a distance. I think that there are a lot of vehicles on both sides of the white truck, and I think you can see that from the aerials as well. But our affiliate, as you just mentioned, has footage of the robots that they've deployed and also somebody seeing people potentially suiting up to prepare to probably go near that truck.

And of course this is something to be very careful about as they are reviewing how this might or might not be similar to what went on, on Christmas morning, with that truck, all that is similar at this time is the report that it was playing audio similar to that truck. We don't know the specifics of what that audio was, whether it was the warning of a potential explosion or whether it was the song as we reported earlier today, the song playing at that downtown truck -- that truck located downtown was the song "Downtown" by Petula Clark. So a lot that we're still going to ask in the hours ahead.

[16:05:14]

WHITFIELD: OK. OK. So, you know, just extrapolating more, Shimon, about the kinds of resources that are being used in this extension of the investigation now, we have been talking about how with this robot, it may have the ability to see inside a suspicious vehicle. It may have the ability to actually open doors sometimes as well.

And then Josh Campbell, who's a CNN correspondent, also formerly of the FBI, who happens to be on vacation but sends me a message telling me about the other abilities of this robot, that it also has the ability to have a high pressure blast of water. It's capable of firing this water, potentially the goal being to separate any kind of wires from a power supply if there is something like that and any kind of explosive material.

And sometimes when that is detonated, it might -- meaning, when the water is launched, it may render a big noise coming from a suspicious vehicle. But, again, we don't know what phase they're in.

What are you hearing from authorities about how they are continuing to, you know, peer into this vehicle, look at it, examine it, yet at the same time continue to follow many of the other leads, some 500 leads they talked about yesterday, with the Nashville blast?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Right. And all of that, the capabilities of this robot, they can do a lot with that robot, but it doesn't mean that they're going to use any of those capabilities or they're going to need to because right now we don't even know that there's anything that would require those capabilities. Clearly there is still something inside that truck that they want to get a better look at.

You heard Natasha talk about how she saw people putting -- suiting up, what appeared to be the bomb techs suiting up to possibly go closer to that truck to take a look at what's inside. So they send the robot in first with a camera. That robot will have a camera. They will be able to see inside that truck. Apparently I was watching some of our local reports, our affiliates, some of the local reports.

They were saying that they had seen that robot do it several times, like it was trying to open a door. So they may be trying to get inside that truck and see. But clearly there's enough in there that has raised some suspicion among the bomb technicians there and the officers and the investigators where they feel they need to go in there. Authorities here are not saying anything about what's going on there right now.

We are expecting to hear from authorities here in about an hour. So perhaps they will address what's happening there. Right now we see no connection outside of the audio message that's being played. That, of course, is very concerning and what alerted someone to the police. It appears it was perhaps a 9-1-1 call around 10:30 this morning that brought officers to this truck. But, again, we just don't know enough about what's happening to make any kind of determination as to what police there are dealing with.

And it's important to know that really police all across the country are sort of on high alert for similar activity, perhaps copycat type of activity. And so that's what we're seeing here. People saw something, they picked up the phone, and they called. We know a lot of people across the country are paying attention to what happened here. It's, of course, very concerning. So for now, we know very little.

But whatever is going on there, there is enough concern where authorities, as we see, they're using a robot, and at some point it appears they're going to go in and take a closer look at what's inside this truck. And then they may be able -- they may use an x-ray. They have equipment where they can x-ray if there's a suspicious box inside, if there's some suspicious bag or some kind of a suspicious package inside.

The bomb techs will actually -- they have the capability to x-ray it. And so that's why they want to suit up. They suit up and then they go in and they will x-ray it and they will take a look and see what it is. The other significance here is this has been going on for several hours. This isn't something that just happened. So I'm curious as to why this has been going on for so long, and hopefully we'll get those answers.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And in this live picture right now, as you talked about a bomb tech, we were looking at an individual who seemed to have a protective suit that was right next to that robot, you know, right near that suspicious vehicle.

Also with us is former deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe.

So, Andrew, what -- you know, what strikes you as you look at these live pictures, this ongoing investigation of this suspicious vehicle, the robot being used, and what appears to be maybe a bomb tech or someone who's in a protective suit near it? How are they making an assessment, and what can you share with us?

[16:10:06]

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST (via phone): Well, Fredricka, what this looks like to me is a classic example of by-the- book investigation of a suspicious vehicle, particularly in a time and a location where we have reason to believe that, you know, a similar device was used on Christmas morning.

I think it's important to remember that bomb techs all across this country are all trained to exactly the same standards and processes and procedures. So they're completely interchangeable. So you could put an FBI bomb tech on a team with a local police bomb tech, and they know the exact same procedures and equipment and ways to approach situations like this.

WHITFIELD: And then, Andrew, let me just interrupt you for a second because now we're getting a different angle this time from our affiliate, WTVS, which shows that suspicious vehicle from the rear-end now with the back door open and at least one individual, protective gear, that has entered that vehicle.

Now continue your thought or add to it based on these new images, if you would.

MCCABE: Sure. So in those procedures, you always start with the things that are safest for the operators involved, and that's sending the robots as you've seen I guess over the last couple of hours.

The fact that we have a live bomb technician in the back of that truck right now indicates that they sent the robots up. They got a look inside or either they weren't able to get inside or they were able to see in, and they just couldn't determine what they had with the robot. That means you've got to elevate things, and you've actually got to put people on that scene. And of course they do that from inside those incredibly protective suits.

WHITFIELD: And typically, you would have one bomb tech, and now it looks like things are being tossed out of that vehicle. Of course, difficult to discern what that is in this live view right now. But typically, would you have one bomb tech or might there be another that could have entered before we were able to see this live view?

MCCABE: You know, you'd usually send one person up first to get a look at the situation. If there's a lot of debris or material in there that needs to be moved that requires, you know, two people rather than one, then they'd send another person out. But you'd never want to put more people on that scene than you absolutely need because it's an incredibly risky and dangerous thing to do.

You can see in this shot, there is so much debris or material in the back of that truck that to determine what they have, they really have to -- they're going to have to sort through every piece of equipment and, you know, stuff, whatever is in the back of that truck is going to have to get pulled out and very carefully taken apart to make sure there's not something in there that can hurt anyone.

WHITFIELD: What we're seeing right now is really the consequence of many hours, as Shimon was telling us, from when the first call came in. So for many hours, they've had to make their assessments, use the robot before. Now we're seeing for the first time a bomb tech that's actually entered that vehicle. Again, ongoing investigation about this suspicious vehicle just about 30 miles outside of downtown Nashville, now just two days after an RV exploded in downtown Nashville.

Thanks to all of you. We'll check back with you as we continue to do more reporting on this investigation.

All right. On to COVID now. The worst may be yet to come as Dr. Anthony Fauci warns of post-holiday COVID surge. Many Americans are facing financial crisis after Trump refuses to sign a bill extending unemployment benefits. Details on all of that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:16:53]

WHITFIELD: All right. Millions of Americans are set to enter the new year on the brink of financial crisis. President Trump spending the morning at one of his golf courses while delaying a decision to sign or veto a $900 billion relief package passed by Congress just days ago.

Let's get straight to CNN's Jeremy Diamond who is in West Palm Beach traveling with the president.

So, Jeremy, any new indication from the president on what he's going to do?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No indication other than the fact that the president continues to complain about this $900 billion coronavirus relief legislation. Of course it would have made more sense for the president to complain about the legislation before it was passed. That is when his administration, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, was supposedly negotiating with congressional negotiators on the president's behalf.

The president, though, was completely on the sidelines and didn't interject to try and get those $2,000 payments instead of the $600 which Mnuchin and his administration approved of. And so now it has been five days since the president made that threat to torpedo that legislation, and we don't know whether he will sign it, whether he will veto it, or whether he will simply allow this legislation to continue to languish.

What we do know, though, is that this is plunging millions of Americans, tens of millions of Americans, deeper into financial uncertainty. Whether it's those unemployed Americans who lost this weekend those supplemental federal unemployment benefits or the Americans who are counting on that $600 check to be coming next week, or even the millions of businesses that were counting on more PPP loan funding.

All of that in limbo as the president continues this, and that is what Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvania, was warning of just this morning. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R-PA): As he leaves office, he will -- I understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks, but the danger is he'll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire. So I think the best thing to do, as I say, sign this and then make the case for subsequent legislation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: So we talked about the fact that more than 12 million Americans already lost supplemental unemployment benefits this weekend. More pain could soon be on the way for more Americans if the president doesn't sign this legislation by Tuesday because that would trigger another government shutdown in the middle of a pandemic.

And of course it is just damning to be watching these images of the president of the United States golfing three days this past week amid this financial uncertainty for tens of millions of Americans in the middle of this holiday season and the pandemic raging at the same time -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much. So the president's delay is having real impact on millions of jobless

Americans who are depending on these crucial benefits to make ends meet.

Joining me right now to discuss all of this is Lilli Rayne, a small business owner in North Carolina who has lost much of her business. She's depleted her savings since the start of this pandemic.

And, Lilli, so good to see you.

[16:20:02]

LILLI RAYNE, LOST BUSINESS AND SAVINGS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC: Good to see you, too.

WHITFIELD: So you struck me with your story on NPR, you know, saying that you've got $4 in your account, and you'd wondered if the president or members of Congress have any idea what that feels like, you know, as they try to figure out whether Americans should get, you know, $600, $2,000, whatever the amount, if they should get a dime at all in all of this. So have you heard from any of these leaders, you know, from Congress or, you know, anyone who can empathize, who will say anything to you at this juncture?

RAYNE: I don't feel that any of them are reaching people like me. I honestly feel that we're struggling, and they have no idea what it's like. They'll talk about $600 being a lot while wearing a dress that costs $2400 or more. They have no idea.

WHITFIELD: So your pet sitting business was thriving before this pandemic. You felt like you had achieved financial security and you were saving up to hopefully, you know, buy a home. You felt confident about where you were and then everything came crashing down with this pandemic. Tell me what this road has been like for you.

RAYNE: This road has been really rough for me. Like I still have an occasional regular or two that go out of town, but I'm not doing -- like I said, my basic things. I don't get to walk dogs. I don't even get to, like, go feed dogs because everyone's home right now, and those that aren't home aren't traveling anyway. It's been like a lot to deal with. Like essentially for me, my day-to-day is gone, and a lot of my day-to-day is now sitting at home waiting for this to be over.

WHITFIELD: You've had to lean on a lot of family members. Have you, you know, been feeling like how long can they continue to help you?

RAYNE: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: You know, and how humiliating, you know, that is and can be.

RAYNE: And it's not just my family members. Like my friends got together and donated $70 last month so I could pay my phone bill -- not my phone bill, sorry, my electric bill. And that's, to me, devastating. Like I'm an adult, and I should not have to rely on anyone else but myself.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's devastating, at the same time I know you're really grateful because you've got, you know, people who love you and around you who want to help as best they can. But, you know, when you look at closing out 2020 and you look at, you know, entering a new year, do you see any signs of being hopeful?

RAYNE: I am hopeful that this vaccine helps. I'm hopeful that that happens and that, like, the people that I know will take it so I can go back to work, and a lot of those people will. But I also do know several people that are, like, scared to death of it and won't take it, and that leaves me really nervous and really shaky. I'm not looking that forward to 2021.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Congress passed, you know, legislation, you know, promising $600 in relief. The president says he wants more. He wants $2,000. Still unclear whether he will sign this bill or veto it. We know he's an avid TV watcher. If he is watching right now, Lilli, what do you say directly to the president or members of Congress?

RAYNE: Honestly just pass the $600. We can fight for more later. But right now $600 gets two bills off my back or some of my credit card debt paid down so the interest won't kill me in 2021. Like just pass something. There are people like my mother who need that.

WHITFIELD: Lilli Rayne, we're hoping the best for you, all of America, all who are suffering, who are struggling right now and are hoping for better days.

RAYNE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much for being with us. Thank you, Lilli.

RAYNE: Thank you. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Europe launches its mass vaccination program. Up next, a live report on the vaccine efforts, plus details on a 91-year-old grandfather who went viral on social media after receiving his first dose.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:27:36]

WHITFIELD: All right. The U.S. just reached a terrible milestone. More than 19 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported. That number is expected to get even worse as millions of Americans travel and spread the virus during the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Dr. Anthony Fauci warns a post-holiday surge is coming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: We're really at a very critical point. If you put more pressure on the system by what might be a post-seasonal surge because of the traveling and the likely congregating of people for, you know, the good, warm purposes of being together for the holidays, it's very tough for people to not do that.

And yet even though we advise not to, it's going to happen. So I share the concern of President-elect Biden that as we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I'm joined now by Dr. Darria Long. She's an emergency room physician and a clinical assistant professor at the University of Tennessee.

So good to see you. So how big do you think this post-holiday surge will be?

DR. DARRIA LONG, CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE: Fred, this is something we all need to be worried about. I'm working with a couple of schools. So we've been testing everybody, and we saw right after Thanksgiving a huge bump in the number of cases, which we're now seeing in the community. So when you think about it, Thanksgiving has one day for everyone to get together. These Christmas and the winter holidays have multiple days for people to get together.

I really think we're going to see a big bump. And as Dr. Fauci said, I have concerns about the capacity after that bump.

WHITFIELD: Are you concerned that, you know, people made the choices to travel because they thought, all right, well, there's this vaccine, and that's hopeful, so soon things will get better, so I'm ready to relax things a bit?

LONG: Right. I think you're right. I think people are seeing the vaccine ahead of us and saying, well, that means I can relax now. That's kind of like saying, I'm going to get air bags in my car so I can start driving less carefully now.

We need to see that vaccine as hope, which is why we can hang on and kind of stick to these protocols that we need for safety longer because the end is in sight. We just have to get there.

WHITFIELD: You live and work in Tennessee, you know. It's high on the list now of states overrun with coronavirus. How are you and your colleagues going to meet the need?

LONG: That's a big question. That's something I ask myself every day in the E.R., my fellow colleagues. Tennessee is currently number seven in terms of number of cases per million.

[16:30:00]

Interestingly, Fredricka, we still don't have a mask mandate which is one of the simplest science-based things we could do to keep people safer.

I think -- it's interesting, we saw this potential explosion in Nashville. The question is when you have all of your hospital beds used up for COVID, where do we go when we have a trauma or potentially a mass casualty incident or somebody who needs to come in for a heart attack when the beds are already full? This is something that everybody needs to be thinking about.

WHITFIELD: Yes. So, how frustrating is it for you that it might take a mask mandate as opposed to, at this juncture, after these many months? I mean, if the message hasn't already hit home with people about how a mask can certainly help, I mean, if there's no mandate, you feel like people are just not going to take personal responsibility?

LONG: I think humans are humans. And I think people are tired of having to wear masks and do all these different things, which is why I do think it's important to have a mask mandate.

I've talked to business owners who say, we wish there were a mask mandate, because we wear a mask. We make our employees wear a mask. We ask our customers to wear masks, but there's no mandate. And it makes it harder for business owners who want to stay open and they want to stay safe.

So, yes, there's a time for government to come in and make some regulations, and this is one of them.

WHITFIELD: I know you mentioned earlier, it's OK for people to feel hopeful about the vaccine. But where do you find -- how do you find hope for 2021?

LONG: You know, Fred, working as an E.R. doctor, you do. You always have to find a way to stay hope -- stay hopeful and see that light at the end of the tunnel. And I think it's in the small things. For me, as an E.R. doctor, it is in those small wins.

I think for all of our audience, it is in the small things that we can look forward. The vaccine coming into play. The things that we will be able to get back to in 2021. 2021 is not going to look like 2020, and that gives -- that should give all us of a great deal of hope.

WHITFIELD: Let's hope not, right? Definitely ready to bid a deux to 2020. All right, Dr. Darria Long, thank you so much. Happy New Year.

LONG: Thanks, Fredricka. You, too, as well.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

All right, the European Union's mass vaccination program, it's underway right now. Residents and staff at nursing homes across Europe are getting the first shots. The aggressive plan calls for the vaccination of more than 450 million people across the 27-nation block. CNN's Cyril Vanier joining us now from Paris. So, Cyril, how is this rollout being received?

CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, as of this Sunday, it really is a race, isn't it, between the virus and the vaccine. Now, the virus, as we know, has a massive head start, but you can't understate the importance of this day for the European Union, just starting to turn a corner. And it's a massive logistical effort, as you said, across 27 countries, from Greece to the Czech Republic to France.

Here's what it looked like on Sunday.

(voice-over): First, the caretaker, then one of the most vulnerable. That's how Greece began the process of distributing its first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Today marks the first day of the countdown to take our lives back, the Greek health minister says. The hope resounding throughout the European Union as member countries roll out their own vaccination programs. Two doses for each citizen. Inoculations that will stretch well into next year but could one day potentially vanquish the virus that has so far killed nearly 1.8 million people worldwide.

Residents in a retirement home in Germany were among the first to get the shots. One 85-year-old welcoming the possibility of a sore arm. We want to see our families again, she says. That's the most important thing. And to be able to go out again.

The E.U. is due to get 12.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by the end of the year. And it's expecting more, which, along with contracts from companies including Moderna and AstraZeneca, should add up to a total of more than 2 billion doses of potential vaccines if companies keep up with demand.

In the Czech Republic, the first shots given to the prime minister to encourage skeptics that it's safe. Polls show many Europeans are wary of taking a COVID-19 vaccine, at least for now. One man says, I think it's been a bit quick for it to be really effective, but we will have to see how it works. That reluctance not shared by officials in Hungary and Slovakia, who are so eager to begin vaccinating that they started a day early on Saturday.

Some countries are even calling up retired medics and revising rules on who can give injections to prevent any logistical delays. In this town in Italy, once the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe, a sight almost unthinkable nearly 10 months ago. Vehicles carrying vials of vaccine, a light at the end of the tunnel that so many across Europe did not live to see.

[16:35:06]

(on camera): And, Fredricka, the United Kingdom, you might remember, is a little bit ahead of this curve, because they started vaccinating their population some three weeks ago, earlier this month. At the time, I was covering that rollout. And I interviewed 91-year-old British granddad, Martin Kenyon, who was one of the very first Britains to get the vaccine. And he -- his interview just blew up. It went viral. People really responded to his dry wit, his humor, and let's face it, his bluntness. So, I caught up with him. Here's Martin Kenyon, then and now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTIN KENYON: It didn't hurt at all. I didn't know the needle had gone in until it had come out. (INAUDIBLE.) No, it was painless. And I hope I'm not going to have the bloody bug now. I don't intend to have it, because I've got granddaughters, and I want to live a long time.

Ten days of notoriety is more than I've ever had in my life. And I'm very old for something to happen now, isn't it very ridiculous? All because I rang up and got the hospital and went off there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: So, look, it is totally in character for Martin to be absolutely nonplussed by this fame that he had. I mean, he was on every T.V. show in the U.K.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

VANIER: He was covered by every print media as well.

Look, the serious news here is that he's had no side effects to his vaccine. That he is feeling great. That he is scheduled to have his booster jab within a few days, which means that a week after that, by early January, his body will have developed immunity. He'll be one of the first people in the western world to be immune to the COVID-19 -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Wow. I remember that interview. You did such a great job with him. I mean it stopped me in, you know, my tracks. He was arresting. Just -- he was so snappy. And I loved that he called that bloody bug, you know, something that he is glad the vaccine will help stamp out. That was cool.

All right, Cyril Vanier, thank you so much, in Paris. We like that Martin Kenyon.

All right. And this breaking news out of Nashville. We are on the scene live as officials investigate a box truck that authorities say witnesses thought they heard similar audio that was played in the RV on Christmas Day before it exploded in downtown Nashville. The very latest next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, Georgia is the ultimate swing state this year. It played a prominent role in deciding the White House. And a week from Tuesday, it will decide control of the U.S. Senate. And that means Georgia voters are more important than ever.

So, let's now talk to Nse Ufot. Right now, she runs the new Georgia Project, a voting rights' group headquartered right here in Atlanta. And she's the founder of the New South SuperPAC, which is supporting Raphael Warnock and Ossoff in the upcoming Senate races. John Ossoff.

[16:40:05]

WHITFIELD: All right. So, Nse, by -- you know, let's talk about what you are doing and how you are going about this. And if you are seeing right now any way to read the tea leaves in the kind of outpouring of early voting that there has been. NSE UFOT, CEO, NEW GEORGIA PROJECT: Right. I mean I'm not particularly

a betting woman, but what I know is that, you know, conventional political wisdom told us that turnout for runoffs is historically lower than turnout in general elections. There was a lot of hand- wringing immediately after the November general about whether or not Georgians would show up again, how voter fatigue would have an impact on turnout. Would we be able to turn people out over Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's?

And all of that hasn't stopped Georgia voters from showing up. Over two million people have early voted which is over 90 percent of the people who early voted by this same point in the November general election. So, it is clear to me. What I can read in the tea leaves is that Georgia voters understand the power of their vote in this moment. And that they understand that there's an opportunity to demonstrate that Georgia is, indeed, a battleground state.

WHITFIELD: So, Nse, I wonder, too, if there's any way of indicating how the president's approach to this COVID relief bill that Congress has approved, but he has yet to sign, nor, you know, definitively veto, whether there's any way in determining how that might impact the potential outcome of this race.

UFOT: Right. I think it will encourage more people to show up and vote. The $600 that was being offered wasn't nearly enough on its own. And, now, the president has inserted more chaos and confusion into the process. And it's not clear that the $2,000 that he's advocating for will actually happen.

And so, we are encouraging Georgians to, one, make sure that they turn up and vote. And, two, call their legislators, their current members of the Senate and in the House and demand that, at the very least, they make sure that the $600 gets into the hands of American families. Again, despite the fact that we all agree that it's nowhere near enough.

WHITFIELD: And as it pertains to, you know, turnout, and I know you talked a little bit about that, you know, the expectations are usually low, you know, about a runoff election. But this one seems to be different. This isn't your ordinary runoff. There's a lot at stake. The whole balance of power in the U.S. Senate.

And this with an incoming, you know, president who is a Democrat. He's got the House, you know, as a Democrat. But whether the Senate ends up being Republican or Democrat very much hinges on this runoff race. So, do you think that has given greater impetus, whether you're Republican or Democrat, to turn out unlike other runoff races in Georgia?

UFOT: I do. I think that the stakes are extraordinarily high. And that, as a part of -- so, we're about a couple of days away from knocking on our one millionth door from making our three millionth phone call and the same number of text messages to Georgia voters.

And so, in addition to, sort of, basic civics lessons about what a runoff is, why this runoff matters, you know, we've been fielding a lot of questions. The thing that I don't think gets enough coverage is about the youth turnout. You know, these voters that are born in 2002, 2001, and are voting for the first time.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

UFOT: And they have seen the power of their vote. And so, folks have a lot of questions about process. And we've got an opportunity to do, again, civics education, civics 101 in really cool and interesting ways. And people are responding. And they're showing up and they're voting.

And so, I think, yes, the stakes are high and people know it. There's nothing that focuses the mind like the credible threat of death. And we have experienced a lot of death in Georgia, as many have in other states. Over 300,000, you know, Americans are no Longer with us. And so, it has focused the mind, and people are showing up as a result of it.

WHITFIELD: Well, I'm smiling not because -- there is nothing to smile about when you talk about COVID deaths. But I'm smiling because your enthusiasm is contagious. And you are very enthusiastic about this runoff race.

[16:45:01]

WHITFIELD: And, clearly, already a lot of Georgia voters are, too. Nse Ufot, thank you so much, of the New Georgia project. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

UFOT: Thank you so much, Fredricka. Bye.

WHITFIELD: All right. Next, breaking news. Sheriff's deputies are investigating another truck where witnesses say audio similar to that audio played in that RV before it exploded in downtown Nashville, they thought they heard it out of this truck as well. We're expecting an update from authorities at the top of the hour. We'll take you there live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's get back to our breaking news now in Tennessee. Right now, police are on the scene investigating a truck, a box truck. This truck, apparently, according to eyewitnesses, through authorities, was playing a similar audio then -- that was played on that RV that exploded on Christmas Day in Nashville, Tennessee.

Authorities are also now saying they have identified a person of interest in Connection with the Christmas Day explosion. We're expecting to hear -- authorities have a press conference coming up at 5:00 Eastern time. And, of course, we'll bring that for you live as it happens.

[16:45:00]

WHITFIELD: And, meantime, CNN's Natasha Chen is near the scene of -- where authorities are investigating that suspicious vehicle. What more can you tell us, Natasha? And Shimon Prokupecz also with us in downtown Nashville. But first to you, Natasha. NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. Just a few

minutes ago, Captain Scott Moore with the Wilson County Sheriff's Office told us there were no explosives found with -- at that suspicious white box truck. Again, no explosive -- no explosives found.

They did detain the driver of that truck. He would not go into detail about why they detained him. And said that that would be information coming from the Rutherford County Sheriff's office, because that's where the initial call came in. That this truck was parked at a convenience store, playing a recording similar to the audio that we heard from the RV at the downtown Nashville Christmas morning explosion.

So, that's why they were looking into this truck to begin with. And they pulled this truck over earlier today, about mid-morning, in this area which local residents tell me is called Major, the town of Major near Lebanon. This has been going on for hours.

But, right now, this Highway 231 is reopening soon. We've seen many of the law enforcement vehicles actually leave the scene. So, only a few left. And they pulled the white box truck -- they towed it out of the area, out of the barricaded area, actually to the -- to the far side away from us. So, we know that it's been taken away now. And, again, a driver detained. No details yet on what he was detained on. We hope to get those details soon -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. And Shimon Prokupecz there in downtown Nashville, where this briefing will happen in a matter of minutes there. What's being expected?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: A significant announcement here is expected within about 10 minutes or so from authorities here. The FBI is going to be here. The U.S. Attorney, the ATF, the police chief here. So, all of the agencies that have been involved in this investigation will be appearing here to address the media. We do expect a significant announcement here from authorities as they all gather here around 5:00.

Of course, as we've been reporting, the police chief here publicly naming the suspected bomber. His name is Anthony Quinn Warner, 63. What we've been told is that the human remains that were found here, authorities do believe that those human remains are Warner's. And so, they've been working off of that theory. We know that yesterday, where we were, where CNN was yesterday at the home of Mr. -- of Mr. Warner, they gathered evidence there, including DNA. They're also gathering DNA from his family members to try and positively identify him.

So, for now, that is what we're waiting for. We're waiting for police to update us to see if they've made this identification. They do tell me that they are going to make a significant announcement here in just about 10 minutes or so.

WHITFIELD: All right. Shimon Prokupecz, Natasha Chen, we'll check back with you momentarily. Thank you so much. Because, again, just moments away now from the start of that news conference in downtown Nashville, where officials are expected to give an update on that Christmas Day RV explosion. Of course, we'll bring that to you as it happens. We'll be right back.

[16:53:25]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. With this last show of the year, we want to take time to thank the heroes who have walked among us, who have sacrificed so much to help keep as many of us safe in this year of extreme challenge. So, thank you to the doctors, nurses, so many first responders unable to ever really take a break.

Thanks to the workers in the field and the factories, grocery stores, who have risked their health to feed our families and seemingly getting so little in return. And thank you to teachers. And thanks to all of your families who are also helping to support you to help keep society afloat. And thanks to the volunteers who have stepped up for so many of our communities.

And, of course, we want to thank you at home too for being engaged, for wanting to get your sustenance of information from this network and from so many periodicals and so many other news outlets. Thanks for doing your part. Thanks for taking the responsibility that it takes to help keep all of us safe. And let us all hold hands and hope that 2021 is going to bring enlightenment, better days, and better hope for all of us.

We've got so much more straight ahead in the Newsroom. Stay with us. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Thank you so much. Happy holidays and a happy new year.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Amara Walker in for Ana Cabrera. We are following breaking news right now from Nashville, where an urgent investigation into that massive Christmas morning explosion has produced a list of new developments.

CNN's Shimon Prokupecz has been there from the start. And, Shimon, we are waiting for a news conference that will happen at any minute now. What are we expected to hear?

PROKUPECZ: So, we just got our one minute -- one-minute warning here, so that's going to get started in about a minute. A significant announcement, we're told, from authorities here that are all of the people who have been investigating this are going to be at this press conference. The U.S. Attorney, the FBI, the ATF, the police chief here, folks from the state police and homeland security all are going to be here with what I'm told is a significant announcement.

Of course, as we've been reporting, the suspected bomber, Anthony Quinn Warner, who is 63, is believed to have died in this incident as a suicide bombing. And the human remains that were found, authorities believe belong to Warner.

[17:00:00]

PROKUPECZ: They've been working to match that human -- the human remains to DNA. They were talking to family members.