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Nashville Bombing Information; New York Post Hits Trump; Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) is Interviewed about the Relief Bill and the Defense Bill; TSA Screens Millions over Christmas Weekend; Chinese Journalist Jailed. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired December 28, 2020 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In Antioch, Tennessee. That's just about 10 miles southeast of where we're standing right now.

Now, it's a tip about the RV that led them there. And keep in mind, the blast was so vast, but they still were able to get fragments of the RV to get a vehicle identification number to lead back to the owner.

They also were able to process identifying him pretty quickly. They were taking the human remains that -- found on the site, having that processed quickly at Quantico, along with DNA samples of Warner's family members, and that's how they got confirmation of this person as the suspect.

Now, police, last night, also released new surveillance video of the dramatic moment when the explosion went off, just this giant ball of orange. And you can see an officer even just walking away from that scene seconds before that happened. The mayor of Nashville has been very vocal in thanking these officers for doing what they did and evacuating people.

The mayor also spoke to CNN about the motive here and whether this could be considered domestic terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR JOHN COOPER (D), NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Everybody, the U.S. attorney, the FBI has been very careful not to use the "t" word here because there is not consistent with "t" word actions. There is no manifesto or political statement that anybody has brought to light at this point. And so in furtherance of an etiology we -- there's no clue what that etiology is at this point. So I think everybody's just taking a break and assessing the crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: Investigators are now looking into Warner's history, talking to people who might have come into contact with him, or talked to him recently. Law enforcement say that he actually was not on their radar prior to this incident. So there's a lot to go through here. The type of explosives are also still under investigation.

Meanwhile, Governor Bill Lee has asked for federal aid related to this disaster. But so far we have not heard President Trump speak publicly about that.

Bianna.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: And the mayor so right to laud those police officers, those brave police officers, who no doubt were able to prevent further harm done to civilians there and residents in the area moments before that blast went off. That is incredible footage too.

Natasha Chen, I know you'll continue to follow this story for us. Thank you so much.

CHEN: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: And this just in to CNN, actress Lori Loughlin has been released from federal prison in California. Loughlin served a two- month sentence for her role in the college admissions scandal. She also has to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $150,000 fine.

And still to come here, "The New York Post" endorsed President Trump two months ago. Well, today, the newspaper's editorial board telling him straight up, you lost, move on.

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[09:36:57]

GOLODRYGA: The headline from "The New York Post" editorial board this morning says it all. It reads, Mr. Trump, stop the insanity. You lost the election. Here's how to save your legacy.

The newspaper's editorial board writes, Mr. President, it's time to end this dark charade. If you insist on spending your final days in office threatening to burn it all down, that will be how you are remembered, not as a revolutionary, but as an anarchist holding the match.

The board goes on to write that the president should stop thinking about overturning the election and start focusing on the Georgia runoffs.

CNN's chief media correspondent Brian Stelter joins us now.

Brian, and for those viewers at home that don't understand the president's affinity and his long history with "The New York Post," explain the significance of this editorial.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is Rupert Murdoch's "New York Post." Rupert and Trump have had a mutually beneficial relationship for many years, especially early on in the Trump years. It -- with Trump in the White House. Rupert Murdoch used Trump in the White House to his business advantage and, of course, Trump used Murdoch for positive press and PR.

Now, furthermore, Trump has read "The New York Post." It's been his hometown paper for decades. So when he sees a front page like this, it might sting a little bit.

Here's part of what the editorial board says on this morning's front page. We understand, Mr. President, that you're angry that you lost, but to continue down this road is ruinous. We offer this as a newspaper that endorsed you, that supported you, if you want to cement your influence, even set the stage for a future return, you must channel your fury into something more productive.

Sharp words, but not the first time "The New York Post" has challenged the outgoing president. They gave him pretty similar advice back in November.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and I was really struck by what else they wrote. Sidney Powell is a crazy person. Michael Flynn suggesting martial law is tantamount to treason. It is shameful.

Of course, these are the two that were closest tied -- closely tied with him over these past two weeks, even resulting in that Oval Office shouting match.

STELTER: But they -- and "The New York Post" is saying what a lot of people are thinking, even a lot of Republicans want this insanity to end. So to have that on the front page is notable because it is a conservative organ.

But I think what's even more notable, Bianna, is that Fox News is not promoting this front page. On the flagship morning show "Fox & Friends," 6:00-9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, there was not a single mention of this editorial. There was one little bitty mentioned earlier in the morning. So, in other words, Murdoch's bigger media powerhouse, Fox News, is not echoing this message.

Here's another part of what "The New York Post" says. They say Democrat will try to write you off, Mr. President, as a one-term aberration, and, frankly, you're helping them do it. The King Lear of Mar-a-Lago, ranting about the corruption of the world.

Now, that is wise advice and it's the kind of advice that Trump needs to hear. But if he's not hearing it on Fox News, through the television, I don't think it's really going to sink in. And I think it's revealing, Bianna, that Rupert Murdoch and his son, Lachlan, are not having Fox echo this message more loudly.

GOLODRYGA: Same owners, different commentary.

STELTER: Yes, exactly.

GOLODRYGA: Brian Stelter, always great to have your analysis. We appreciate it.

STELTER: Thanks.

[09:40:00]

GOLODRYGA: Well, the president's stranglehold on stimulus just one aspect of the chaos he's creating in his final days in office. And now he wants Congress to do even more, pushing lawmakers to increase stimulus checks to $2,000.

Joining me now, Illinois Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley. He serves on both the Appropriations and Intelligence Committees.

Congressman, thank you so much for coming on. We are so happy, all of us, that this is finally signed. But it did come at a cost. Millions will lose a week's worth of benefits.

But let's begin with the rare agreement between the president and the Democrats on these $2,000 checks. Is the House expected to vote on this today and when is it going to happen?

REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL): I think it will happen around dinnertime and I think the House will approve that measure. We tried to increase the amount to $2,000 last week but our unfortunate friends across the aisle, the Republicans, objected and it couldn't go forward. It could have been in place as we speak.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, well, it appears the president at least has your back on this one, though the question is where has he been these past few months.

I want to ask you about what Speaker Pelosi had said. She said every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need.

It will also put Republicans in a box, will it not? It's going to force them to vote on this. Do you get a sense from Republicans that this may actually have a shot to Republican co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Tom Reed, said that he would vote in favor of this.

QUIGLEY: Look, it has a shot. I think the pressure coming from the president does help, but this time it would have been helpful if it happened, you know, in May when the House passed the HEROES Act, or October when we passed HEROES II, to do all those same things. The time to have this discussion wasn't when the president was golfing over Christmas. The time to do it was when the Americans needed it most, nine, ten months ago.

So, look, I'm always optimistic. I'd like to think we can pull this off. The fact that they objected last week made no sense because it gave us, you know, put us back yet another week.

GOLODRYGA: Have you heard from any Republicans maybe privately saying that they would be open to considering voting for this?

QUIGLEY: You know, I think one of the things that's motivating him, and I do hear this, is that the president's Fed chief, Chairman Powell, and other Fed chiefs, have all said they have to stimulate the economy. We are a long way from being through with this. So it's not just the unemployment, which is so important. The other measures dealing with small business, fighting against the virus, which is causing this, but actually, you know, stimulating the economy. And this should be just the first step.

So I hope if they come through and we have enough Democrats to -- Republicans to support this in the Senate, we can -- we had a bad Christmas. Maybe we can have the beginning of a good new year.

GOLODRYGA: Well, let's hope so. We all want that.

President Trump wasn't touting this bill. There was no signing ceremony yesterday. But he did say that he would submit a request for Congress to red line specific spending items in the package. I guess a nod to his litany of complaints made about foreign aid.

You're on the House Appropriations Committee. Have you ever seen anything like this, red lining after signing? And will you take it up?

QUIGLEY: No, this isn't going to happen. I mean the president said a lot of things, largely to save face, I imagine. The president said that we're going to investigate non-existent voter fraud. He said we're going to repeal Section 230, which is, I guess, the reason he vetoed the defense authorization bill. And he said, we're going to change in effect what you're getting to is -- we're going to change the budget after the fact. You know, that's driven by the Appropriations Committee. The chairwoman already said that's not going to happen. So, yes, none of the things the president said are going to happen are going to take place.

GOLODRYGA: Mitch McConnell hasn't said much about this either, which is really telling.

You talked about the Defense Authorization Act. The House will vote on whether to overnight President Trump on that veto. Two-thirds support is needed in both the House and the Senate to do so.

Do you have it?

QUIGLEY: Oh, I think there's -- every Democrat I know is going to support the override, except those who voted against the original bill. How many Republicans do we gain? At this point in time, you know, I just don't know what's happening in the Republican caucus. You know, those that were so emphatic about how important this bill is, and it is essential, haven't said too much. You know, in a week, we are all going to get re-sworn to the new Congress. And the oath that congressmen give, the first thing we're pledging to is to defend the United States of America. This is the most important bill we can pass to support that, to defend our country.

GOLODRYGA: And this would be the first time in decades that we would be at this impasse.

What happens if it doesn't go into law?

[09:45:02] QUIGLEY: Well, I think what happens is we begin again next week. The week after the new year. We get sworn in on the 3rd, and the first day we would have to go back to scratch. Obviously the old civics lessons, anything that isn't passed, signed into law by the end of a Congress' term becomes null and void. There's nothing there. So it does put these programs in peril that protect us and there's a lot of risk out there.

Obviously, all the things that we're talking about, the president golfing and -- and I like the reference to King Lear shouting at the storm, that's all happening when those threats continue. We saw just a little bit of it over the weekend, unfortunately, but we also saw we are living at a time when we are just experiencing the greatest hack, cyber hack in American history. A hack which threatens our economy and our national security. There are measures within this act which help protect against such things.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and this is a president who says he's done more for the Defense Department and more for our troops and more to keep us safe than any other president in U.S. history. And now we are at this impasse no one ever expected to be in.

Congressman Mike Quigley, thank you so much. We appreciate it. Happy New Year to you.

QUIGLEY: And be safe. Thank you, all.

GOLODRYGA: Thanks. You, too.

And be sure to watch my exclusive one-on-one interview tonight with Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman. He was one of the key witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Trump. We'll discuss the latest on that massive cyberattack by suspected Russian hackers, as well as Trump's refusal to blame Russia again, and what Russian- United States relations may look like in a Biden administration. That's tonight, starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

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[09:51:15]

GOLODRYGA: Despite pleas from health officials to stay home for the Christmas holiday, the TSA says yesterday was the busiest day at U.S. airports since the pandemic began.

CNN's Adrienne Broaddus is at Chicago O'Hare International Airport this morning.

Adrienne, are you seeing many passengers there right now?

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we have seen long lines throughout the morning. I can tell you, the security checkpoint in this terminal has been rocking all morning. This is the slowest we've seen it since about 4:00 a.m. this morning. I'm told by staff here they're expecting another rush at 11:00 a.m. local time. This all comes as the TSA announced more than 1 million people passed

through security checkpoints nationwide yesterday, breaking the previously set record back in March at the start of the pandemic. Over the past week, about 7 million people have been screened at security checkpoints.

Throughout the morning I've been chatting with passengers and I've asked them, where are you going and why. A lot of them, it appears, are dealing with pandemic fatigue. One woman said, I need to escape and get away from the surrounding I've been around every day. So she said she and her friends are traveling to Jamaica. She said she feels safe traveling to Jamaica because that country requires a negative COVID test upon entry.

Another high school student traveling with his father said they needed to get out of the house, but just because they're skipping town does not mean they're not listening to the advice of health officials. Listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARTER ERICKSON, TRAVELING TO UTAH: It's a good activity to go outdoors and it's good for social distancing so we can stay safe with COVID. And we've got to Utah in the past to ski. So it was a good idea. We're just trying to get out of the house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROADDUS: They will be out of the house and spending most of their time outside and practicing social distancing.

Meanwhile, December has been the deadliest month. More than 63,000 people who contracted the virus have died.

Back to you, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: And that number alone is why people should heed the warnings from health officials. I understand the fatigue. We all have it. Everyone is well-intentioned, but we continue to see these cases skyrocket across the country.

Adrienne Broaddus, thank you so much.

A Chinese journalist has been sentenced to four years in jail for documenting the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, the original epicenter of the virus.

Let's go now to CNN's Ivan Watson, live in Hong Kong this morning, for more.

Ivan, what are we hearing?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, there was a lot of police outside the courthouse in Shanghai where this woman, Zhang Zhan, was sentenced to four years in prison. The crime, the authorities say, was, quote, picking quarrels and provoking trouble. She was accused of spreading malicious misinformation.

Now, she was a citizen journalist, a former lawyer who travelled on her own from Shanghai to the Chinese city of Wuhan back in February. And if you rewind, those were the early days of the pandemic when it really was an epidemic and Wuhan was the main outbreak, the heart of the coronavirus outbreak, a city where the Chinese authorities imposed really draconian lockdown measures. And what she did was post videos from there, like the one you're looking at now, showing a crowded hospital hallway where patients were treated in the hallways.

She started being detained by authorities as recently as last spring and was ultimately incarcerated in May and has been on hunger strike, her defense attorney says.

[09:55:10]

The defense attorney says that he met with her in detention earlier this month and that Zhang's two arms were bound to her sides and that she had a gastric tube in her throat and down her nasal passage and that the authorities were force feeding her because she was on hunger strike. She appeared in court today in a wheelchair.

China is considered by the organization Reporters Without Borders the world's biggest jailer of journalists. At least three other citizen journalists have also been detained for their posts about Wuhan during the height of the outbreak. The Chinese government insists it respects all people's human rights to freedom of expression.

Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Well, clearly they have a funny way of showing it given how they have treated this citizen. They have a lot to answer for. And, Ivan Watson, I know you'll continue to stay on this story as well.

Well, the president finally signs a much needed relief and government funding bill into law, but his delay will punish millions of unemployed Americans. We'll tell you how coming up next.

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