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Anti-Semitic Attacks On The Rise In The U.S.; Interview With Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY); George Floyd Family Meeting with President Biden Today to Mark One Year Since Floyd's Death. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired May 23, 2021 - 15:00   ET

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

[VIDEO CLIP PLAYS]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Okay, so that's celebration right there. That's the Marjory Stoneman Douglas baseball team winning the State Championship in Florida. You of course, remember the school as the site of the Parkland shooting back in 2018, seventeen students and faculty members were killed that day. Well, seven of the nine seniors on this title team were freshmen back then, and today, they are state champions.

We wish them the best. Congratulations.

[15:00:43]

Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour with growing outrage over a lawmaker comparing mask mandates to the horrors of the Holocaust. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene complaining on a conservative podcast about how House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is keeping a mask mandate in place for the House floor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star and they were definitely treated like second class citizens so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Greene's comments have been met with harsh criticism. Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney calling them "evil lunacy" and Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern says Greene should resign. But last night when Greene was asked about the comments, she doubled down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREENE: So I stand by all of my statements. I said nothing wrong. And I think any rational Jewish person didn't like what happened in Nazi, Germany and then a rational Jewish person doesn't like what's happening with overbearing mask mandates and overbearing vaccine policies.

QUESTION: Do you understand the why some would be upset and offended by the comment?

GREENE: Well, do you understand how people feel about being forced to wear masks or being forced to have to take a vaccine or even have to say that, whether they've taken it or not?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, let's bring in Suzanne Malveaux on Capitol Hill. So, Suzanne what kind of fallout and reaction are you hearing because her defiance seems to intimate that she feels she has a lot of support on Capitol Hill.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There are quite a number of lawmakers, Fred, who are speaking out against this, who are very offended and say that this is reprehensible and ignorant language that she has used to try to draw this comparison. But there is little appetite to punish her per se from Congress's point of view, potentially censure.

She has already been stripped of her committee assignments previously for some offensive language and conspiracy theories that many people found that just was beyond the pale here. And so, what you are seeing is that a number of lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, are speaking out against this.

You did hear from Congresswoman Liz Cheney who has really embraced her position now of taking on Trump, taking on the party's lies, saying that this is evil lunacy.

We also heard from Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who has also been a regular critic of the former President, as well as some on the right side, saying that this is absolute sickness and some Democrats as well, as you had mentioned, Congressman Jim McGovern calling this reprehensible and also saying that it just feeds into the anti- Semitism that is playing out across this country that this is very dangerous in terms of promoting this and pushing this.

As you know, Fred, there has been a big debate over the mask wearing, but this has taken on a totally different meaning here and people are quite offended by this. At the same time you have coming up in the week ahead, this debate that will take place and whether or not there should be an independent bipartisan commission established to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol. This was something that passed overwhelmingly in the House with the support of 35 Republicans along with the Democrats.

It is dead on arrival on the Senate side this week, because they need those 10 Senate Republicans to overcome a filibuster to join the Democrats and make it happen. There are many now Republicans who are saying they are not for that kind of Commission, potentially, Fred, there could be Democrats who form some sort of committee to investigate this because they feel it is essential to move that forward -- Fred. WHITFIELD: All right. Suzanne Malveaux on Capitol Hill, thank you so

much for that.

Let's talk more about Congresswoman Greene's controversial comments. Juliette Kayyem is a CNN national security analyst and a former Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security under President Obama. Juliette, so good to see you.

So you've already said, you know that Greene is endorsing violence or the threat of violence for political gain in our -- you know in our CNN's conversations with you. When she talks about Nazis and the Holocaust, can you explain?

[15:05:13]

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes, and it's just consistent with where parts of the party are and certainly where Trump is. Whenever they lose, they threaten or real violence, as we saw on January 6th, and so, while Greene, you know look, Greene is not right, and I -- and so part of me is sort of reluctant to give her more attention.

But nonetheless, she is calling those of us who want masks or vaccination, Nazi, so instead of just being offended by the analogy, and so what the right-wing and people like her have done now is that they're trying to justify violence or the threat of violence.

If I'm a Nazi, you're totally justified in in threatening violence or trying to stop me, it's a sense of aggrievement, a sense of, you know, they're on the -- you know, the righteous sense that leads to this kind of violence or threat of violence.

We saw it -- I mean, we saw it with Tucker Carlson as well when he was talking about replacement -- the great replacement. This sense that they are righteous in their violence or threats of violence. So while it's horrific language, it is a horrific analogy, of course, she will consistently use it and the party does not appear to be isolating it in any meaningful way, and that's why I think we are in the new stage.

Look, I'll say bluntly, a big part of the G.O.P. would endorse or threaten violence to support their political gain, and unless the party leadership deals with what's happening on their base and happening with people like Greene, we are -- our democracy has the aura or the stench of violence surrounding it, and it's just not acceptable. We have to call it out.

WHITFIELD: I mean, does it seem as though that her comments, she speaks it and she is doubling down on it, which really implies she feels like she he has company, and --

KAYYEM: Yes, and I think --

WHITFIELD: Yes, and it is not -- and in speaking out in this manner, I mean, she was talking about, you know, any rational, you know, Jewish person didn't like what was going on in Nazi, Germany, and she said, " ... and any rational Jewish person doesn't like the mask wearing." I mean, but there are very few voices. Yes, there are a few who, you

know, are saying this is evil, et cetera, but in large numbers, they're not coming out against her, so she feels, you know, maybe emboldened to say this.

KAYYEM: She feels protected. Yes, she feels protected because the party leadership has now said, look, there's an element of the base. That is -- that is -- that we can inflame or incite for our political will. And this is not just about words, I've just been very clear about this.

I think -- I think it's wrong. It mutes what's going on if we don't use violence every time we say things like white supremacy or anti- Semitism. That is what they are pushing and the party leadership has decided that the best way to tame this is either to ignore it or slightly nurture it or pretend like it's not happening, like the January 6th Commission, right? Pretend like that didn't happen.

What do they think is going on out in the real world? And so I think part of it is, you know, maybe they've lost control. I think another part is, is just a political agenda on their part. This violence and threat of violence that permeates so much is also what's galvanizing a lot of the election restrictions that we're seeing in these swing states.

And, and so, you know, while you know, we can sort of say Greene is crazy, and she's -- you know, she is like the fringe, she is really not at this stage.

I mean, she is literally just -- she is just bad at it. I mean, in other words, the winks and nods that we've been hearing from Trump and, and others, you know, it's just consistent with what she is doing.

WHITFIELD: Yes, pretend -- the idea that you just mentioned, pretending it didn't happen really, it essentially allows it to gain steam.

All right, Juliette Kayyem, thank you so much. Good to see you.

KAYYEM: Thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So as we mentioned, Greene's comments come at a time when anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise, particularly in the last week as tensions flare between the Israelis and Palestinians. CNN's Miguel Marquez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Pro- Palestinian demonstrations turned violent.

In New York City, a 29-year-old man wearing a yarmulke beaten by a group of five to six individuals Thursday, some chanting "F Jews, F Israel."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, they were just wailing on my head, beating on me, I'm like just literally cowering for cover.

MARQUEZ (voice over): One 23-year-old is now under arrest and facing numerous charges including one related to a hate crime according to a law enforcement source.

In Los Angeles, police investigating a possible hate crime after a pro-Palestinian demonstration turned violent with some protester shouting "Death to Jews" and "Israel kills children." One witness telling CNN, pro-Palestinian protesters started throwing bottles and one asking diners seated outside who was Jewish.

[15:10:12]

MARQUEZ (voice over): A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas may bring the temperature down here, but protests and allegations of anti- Semitism on a sharp rise, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

In Vegas, Miami, Tucson and Long Island, protests and report of hate crimes as tension and violence half a world away continues to incite anger here.

JONATHAN GREENBLATT, CEO AND NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: We're literally tracking more than a 50 percent increase in anti-Semitic acts over the past week.

MARQUEZ (voice over): The Council on American Islamic Relations says there have been incidents of violence against Muslims as well and condemns anyone on any side of an issue who engages in hate speech, intimidation, or violence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ (on camera): New York Police say that 26 individuals were arrested, some of them pro-Palestinians, others pro-Israelis. Both sides now believe that if that ceasefire in the Middle East can take root that the violence and the anger here in the U.S. will decrease. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: Miguel Marquez, thank you so much. All right, Senate Republicans are threatening a filibuster fight over the information of an insurrection commission.

We will talk to a Congressman who was at the Capitol when it was attacked.

Plus, America's epidemic of gun violence, the death toll from a weekend of mass shootings and troubling new numbers about the year so far.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:15:40]

WHITFIELD: Right now, National Guard troops are getting ready to leave the Capitol in Washington. They've been stationed there for months following the January 6th attack at the Capitol and it comes as senators could vote on legislation to investigate the Capitol insurrection.

But opposition to a commission among Republicans has been growing in the measure doesn't seem to appear to have enough Republican votes. And that's left some lawmakers stunned, including Congressman Tom Suozzi.

He joined us following the attack and shared some of his disturbing video from inside the Capitol that day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TOM SUOZZI (D-NY): Shots have been fired inside the Capitol Chamber.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody down. Everybody down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I mean, it's still fresh on the minds of so many. Congressman Tom Suozzi is with me now. So what does go through your mind as you kind of re-live it when you look at those pictures, or even when you just make yourself think about January 6, just a couple of months ago?

SUOZZI: It seems like a lifetime ago, but those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And so we just need to get to the bottom of what really happened that day. That was domestic terrorism. That was attack on our Capitol.

Police officers died that day, people were beaten that day. Windows were broken, furniture was broken. Teargas was used inside -- a person was killed. I heard that gunshot. So we really have to do our best in a calm, non-emotional, fair way, dig into this and what made it happen and how it happened.

WHITFIELD: And when you put it like that, it seems quite simple. What a no brainer to get to the bottom of what happened, but then, what is it about the lawmakers who are resisting the idea? What do you believe they're afraid of including the 16 lawmakers who had helped craft a request for an investigation initially and then are now backing down on such an idea?

SUOZZI: Well, let me first praise the 35 Republicans that joined the Democrats in voting for this commission, especially those members of the problem solvers. I'm the vice-chairman of the problem solvers -- 29, Democrats, 29 Republicans, we meet regularly. A big group of them voted for this commission, despite the political pressure they're receiving at home.

Everybody is afraid of Trump. Everybody is afraid that if Trump doesn't want it, I can't go for it because his base will vote in the primaries, and I'll get voted out in the primary. That's what it's all about. It's all about the primaries.

WHITFIELD: Well, why doesn't the fear of this happening again override whatever fear there may be of a former President? SUOZZI: I can't explain it. I mean, listen, we all say all the time,

you have to put country over party. We all believe that. We know this is an attack on our country, this is domestic terrorism. We really should be united.

And it's a sad commentary that we're not all united. I mean, I've talked to the people who negotiated this. They gave the Republicans everything they wanted. It's a 50/50 commission, subpoena power. You can't subpoena somebody unless you get the Republican Vice Chairman to agree to the subpoena.

I mean, so it's nonsensical that this was not agreed to by many, many more Republicans and there were seven Republican senators that voted for impeachment of the President. I'm hoping that they're going to be able to carry the day and get some more Republicans to pass this in the Senate.

WHITFIELD: And you know, words matter and I want to ask you about the latest comments coming from Georgia representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene where she likened the mask -- wearing masks and the rules in the House to the plight of Jews in the Holocaust. What's your reaction to that?

SUOZZI: That's just absurd. Absolutely absurd. She's either mean spirited, trying to get attention or just ignorant. It is awful for trying to compare --

WHITFIELD: And she stands by -- she was challenged again if she meant what she said. She said, she -- you know, stands by everything she said.

SUOZZI: Oh, she is not -- this is -- she is not doing this mistakingly. She is very crafty, and she is doing this to get attention. And it is ignorant of the Holocaust. It's mean spirited. It's fomenting more -- you know, I'm so -- if we should all be so upset about the Jewish people that are getting beaten in the streets, we should be upset about the anti-Asian violence we've seen.

[15:20:08]

SUOZZI: We should be upset about the desecration of mosques. We should be upset about racism.

Too many people in our country, politicians on the far right and on the far left are promoting misinformation. That is the tool of our foreign adversaries to try and sow civil unrest in our country. Sow misinformation, use misinformation, fire people up, sow civil unrest -- it is killing our country.

We've got to get back to the basic fundamental principles, thou shalt not lie, love your neighbor. Let's work together to actually solve the problems of our country and try and make things better.

Enough with the extremism, the misinformation and the lying.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Tom Suozzi, thank you so much for being with us today.

SUOZZI: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And then this, a very violent weekend across America, several mass shootings now under investigation as we get troubling new numbers about how many people have been killed already this year.

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[15:25:35]

WHITFIELD: All right this weekend, we have seen a surge of gun violence erupting across the country. According to the gun violence archive, there were shootings in nearly 150 cities since Friday. Some of those cities had multiple incidents. The group says at least 7,500 people have died as the result of gun violence in just the first five months of 2021.

Overnight in Bridgeton, New Jersey, a shooting at a house party left two people dead and another 12 wounded. CNN's Natasha Chen joins me now with more on all of this. Natasha, how does this gun violence we're seeing compared to what has been seen in recent years?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, compared to the same time period in previous years that is from January to this point in May, it is definitely an uptick. We are outpacing the rate of gun deaths in the same amount of time in 2019 and 2020.

Just to highlight a few of the incidents that you were mentioning there. As you mentioned, in Bridgeton, New Jersey, there was a shooting where two people died, a man and a woman; 12 people injured at what seems to be a party. I think we have some aerials to show you of that scene and how chaotic that was. Our Polo Sandoval is out there finding more details on that situation.

And we also just showed you a map there of a number of the shootings that we have learned about from coast to coast, that includes Jersey City, it includes Minneapolis, and the Bronx -- a subway shooting there.

And you know, North Charleston as well. We're seeing a lot of these shooting incidents also involve the deaths of very young people. For example, in North Charleston, at that incident, a 14-year-old died, a 16-year-old died in Columbus, Ohio. We're learning of a 15-year-old who died in Chicago this weekend during a drive-by shooting. So some very young victims here that we're talking about.

And now, if we can kind of pull out to see some of the statistics that we were just discussing, from January until this point in May year-to- date, more than 7,500 deaths due to gun violence, and that does include some murder suicides. And this is more than a 20 percent increase over the same period of time in 2020.

And, you know, in seeing some of our affiliate coverage of the Bronx, New York subway shooting, we heard from a witness and a neighbor on the scene who sort of commented that, you know, he feels the pandemic is over and the madness is back. And so a lot of chaos that a lot of communities are having to grapple with right now -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's terrible. All right, Natasha Chen, thanks so much.

All right, decades after the world saw the beating of Rodney King, cases of black men abused and killed by police are being reported across the U.S. provoking outrage and protests. So what has changed in America over the last three decades in particular? I'll ask King's daughter, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:32:56]

WHITFIELD: All right, this Tuesday marks one-year since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Three days of events begin today with a rally in Minneapolis. Floyd's family will meet with President Biden at the White House to commemorate Floyd's legacy. The White House will also take the opportunity to apply more pressure on lawmakers to pass police reform.

Joe Johns is with us from Minneapolis now. So Joe, you just got an update on the George Floyd Police Reform Bill, and what are you hearing?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. Well, we are here because there is expected to be a demonstration in just a little while to commemorate the one year anniversary of the death of George Floyd in the city, really just an indication of how his death and the fallout from it has morphed into a political movement.

Now, one of the speakers at this event is expected to be Reverend Al Sharpton. I talked to him on the phone with a while ago and he said his main focus is going to be to talk about the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which is hung up, up on Capitol Hill right now.

He says his message is going to be for Congress to take its time, to not rush this thing, to pass a bill with teeth even if it takes a little bit longer. That's important because President Biden had expressed hope that this bill would pass the Congress and be on his desk by the anniversary of the death of George Floyd. Apparently, that is not going to happen.

The Floyd family we're told is expected to visit the White House on Tuesday, which is the anniversary, but no bill because for one thing, it's hung up over that issue of qualified immunity, which essentially gives police officers who erroneously violate the constitutional rights of citizens pass in certain situations. They're still trying to figure that out.

The other thing that's important to say is there is a lot of urgency out in the country about passing this bill because Fred, as you know, there have been a number of controversial events, including two, we've had our cameras out over just the last week in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and in Charleston, South Carolina, both, which are examples where black men have died in violent confrontations with law enforcement. So we're going to be watching and waiting to see what happens at this event here in Minneapolis. Fred, back to you.

[15:35:34]

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe Johns in Minneapolis, thank you so much.

So indeed too many examples that it isn't getting any better. Chilling body cam video of the 2019 death of Ronald Greene in Louisiana surfaced just this past week showing officers Tasing, kicking and dragging Greene out of the car. The police report filed, claimed Greene died in a car accident, and then it was 30 years ago in Los Angeles that four LAPD officers brutally beat Rodney King, and that was caught on videotape.

Those officers were acquitted of all charges.

A collective pain remains deep. Joining me right now is Rodney king's daughter, Lora King. She's the Executive Director of a foundation in her father's name. Lora, so good to see you.

LORA KING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RODNEY KING FOUNDATION: Thank you. It's an honor to be here today. Thank you so much.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. So I -- you know, I wonder, you know, how do you reflect on the last 30 years, particularly as it pertains to, you know, Police Community Relations.

KING: You know, it's kind of just a Band-Aid that keeps coming off, going back. It's the same thing, just different names, and now we have hashtags. It's nothing you can describe really, it's indescribable. It's really sad. It's really sad.

WHITFIELD: It is really sad. I mean, and so much of what made your father's case, Rodney King's case, so outrageous, was that it was indisputable, you know, caught on videotape.

KING: Right.

WHITFIELD: And the police officers involved there, you could see what was being done. They were acquitted. And now, a multitude of cases caught on videotape, George Floyd's death, leading to the conviction of the former police officer. But do you think this nation is any closer to the kind of transparency and accountability that is being demanded?

KING: Right, and I'm hopeful, and I feel like yes, we've made it. There's another hashtag with a different name. And so it is just -- you have to ask yourself, can we be equal? And it is, you're just basing it off the color of our skin. And that's real, true ignorance.

If you're judging someone just based off of them being black, and that's the only reason. It's really sad. It's really sad.

WHITFIELD: You mentioned --

KING: And I don't think --

WHITFIELD: Yes, go ahead.

KING: I think -- I think we've changed. I have faith of a mustard seed. It is like, I have a small, like, faith, because it's like, for example, Bill Scott, San Francisco Police Department, they're taking high alerts to make a change. But it's like, that's them compared to the whole entire world. There's like, we need a ripple effect here. And it's like, because it doesn't affect you, it doesn't mean it's not affecting, but it is, it is affecting all of us, because we have all walks of life.

WHITFIELD: Right. And why isn't there a ripple effect? Because isn't that what the nation thought we were experiencing, particularly after George Floyd, because the brutality was one that now the world was witnessing, and you had people who poured into the streets all demanding, you know, justice, equality.

But then, as we just saw last week with this videotape of something that happened two years ago, but it's as if it's fresh right now and seeing, you know, the family agonizing right now, do you feel like the trust -- what a couple steps of trust there may have been in the police, that perhaps it's further being eroded as you see yet more examples like what we saw with Ronald Greene?

KING: You know what, I do, because just as we feel like we need to move forward as a nation thing, we're back here and we should not be having this conversation. That happened to my dad, 30 years, that's a long time. I'm 37. That's my entire life. And I'm still here crying like, you know, I don't -- I don't agree with looting and all that, but I understand the cry for help, but no one is listening.

You know, Barron Kidd with Bank for Change, he is out in Minneapolis is right now fighting for justice like with his hope movement with Bank for Change because it's like it's needed, you know, it's nonviolent and it's needed and it's like, what else do we have to do? I don't know what else to do at this point. I just feel hopeless. It's like, "Ah" you know?

[15:40:14]

WHITFIELD: Yeah. And obviously, it's not all police. But it's --

KING: No.

WHITFIELD: When you look at the most recent example with Ronnie Greene, you're talking about police officers who were wearing body cam, you know, body cam, I mean, you know, so the video they know, is there. It is being recorded, yet they behaved the way in which they did.

KING: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And that says something to, not just about, we're going to do this with impunity. But there are several layers involved here. It means they either knew that others would look the other way or their actions were being protected, despite the fact that there was a videotape.

KING: Those are two powerful points you made and that is so true. It is as if, it is no big deal. Kind of like how the gentleman had his hands in his pocket when he was murdering George Floyd. Like, you know what, let's look at our clock. What have we got? What do we have next? Why? Because as if it is nothing of importance, like you're taking the whole human life. He is begging for his life and it was no big deal.

And like you said, it's either, this is the norm, nothing's going to be done. Or -- it's just sad, and like you said, too, officers are not like that.

I have personal friends that are police officers. However, it's only a count of maybe four or five. That's it. That's all I can speak for. And it's like, I asked myself, and I asked them, are you guys protecting and serving? What are you showing? What are you protecting?

You know, and it's like -- it is a fight or flight reaction to the police, for some people, for most people, because you don't know if you're going to die when you get pulled over, and of course, some people can't relate to that because they don't have to deal with that. However, those that do understand.

WHITFIELD: Yes, Lora King, you said a lot of powerful things there because I hear you and I feel you, too, when you say you want to remain hopeful, but then, one more thing happens and it is a setback and you were just seven years old when your dad, Rodney King was being beaten by police officers, and you live with it every day.

And I heard you when you said that and I think everyone else does, too. But we all have to, right, we have to remain hopeful.

KING: Yes.

WHITFIELD: That good --

KING: And George Floyd's (AUDIO DIFFICULTY) life like this. I don't wish that upon anybody, whether they're black, white, green -- whatever the case. We can't wish that upon anybody's his life. She shouldn't have to go through that. We should be further along in the world, not just America, in the world.

We should be able to look back at this -- we should have to look back at this 30 years ago, look how ignorant we were. And yet and still, we're still here 30 years later. It's unfortunate.

WHITFIELD: It is. Lora King, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it. And I, too along with you. We must remain hopeful.

KING: Thank you. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: There has to be better outcomes around the corner.

KING: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. KING: You're so right.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

KING: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: Absolutely.

And this now, breaking news out of Italy. The death toll is rising after a cable car crashed into the woods and now at least 14 people are dead. New details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:03:12]

WHITFIELD: At least 14 people including one child have been killed after a cable car plunge to the ground in the mountains in Northern Italy. Several others were injured and authorities believe 15 were riding in the car at the time. The incident occurred when the cable snapped just as the cable car was about to complete its 20-minute ride to the top of a mountain dropping the car into the woods below.

All right, and then, there is some good news in the fight against COVID. According to the C.D.C., nationwide, more than 130 million people are now fully vaccinated against coronavirus. And California is on track for a full reopening in just over three weeks. CNN's Paul Vercammen has more.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, with the power of Motown among other exhibits the Grammy Museum back on its feet. You can feel it starting up again with a big downbeat, a sort of signals the return of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles.

This museum had been mothballed 14 months and how did they survive? They got some government subsidies. They also charged at times for a streaming service with some interviews and some performances as we look at that Supremes' spectacular gowns.

We will see a full reopening of the museum in June when California completely gets rid of most of the COVID-19 guidelines, but as we look at the jumpsuits from the Jackson 5, the theme throughout California and here at this museum is, I want you back, Fred.

WHITFIELD: That is fun. I can't wait to visit the Grammy Museum. Paul Vercammen, thanks so much.

All right, more news in a moment, but first, today's "Off the Beaten Path."

[15:50:01]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE CERISE, PRESIDENT, OUR LADY OF THE ROCKIES: Eighty five hundred feet up here on the top of the mountain, this is the place where our Lady of the Rockies is built, beautiful sight, 90 foot high. You look up, and you see just a beautiful lady there, overlooking the city, keeps an eye on the city for us.

We're inside the lady now on the bottom floor here. People will come up here and go through the statue and look for their plaques and leave a rosary like this, or hang something.

It's non-denominational, so everybody can honor the way you want. It's for the ladies all over, a tribute to mothers.

Down below is the Women's Memorial Wall and we have hundreds of names that just go around the whole building. When you're standing here, you're on top of the Continental Divide. It is just a beautiful place for people to come up and visit

GROUP: Welcome to the Ringing Rocks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is just a very unique geological feature and location. The kids love to scramble along the rocks. And then of course, they bring their hammers and get to make music.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's all do it together, ready.

Every rock does a different tone. It's really fun to drum on the rocks and make unique noises that you don't get to hear every day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just a great place to enjoy the outdoors, the view, and spend the day with the family.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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WHITFIELD: All right, Johnny Carson's departure from "The Tonight Show" almost 30 years ago ushered in a new era for late night television. In this week's episode of the CNN Original Series, "The Story of Late Night," it looks at how Carson's retirement touched so many. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNNY CARSON, TALK SHOW HOST: Here is Bette Midler.

BETTE MIDLER, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I can't believe it. The last guest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was Johnny Carson. This is what American knew for 30 years. There was that intimacy.

BILLY CRYSTAL, COMEDIAN: Johnny has got a look on his face when she says, "John, I know you're getting anxious to go," that I found, "Wow." That made me tear up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was the voice for America that we all wanted to give him a serenade. How cool is that?

CARSON: And so it has come to this, I am one of the luckiest people in the world. I found something I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That was an emotional time from -- I mean, what a juxtaposition, you know, from the laughs that that show would elicit to then, the tears on his departure.

Joining me right now is the executive producer of "The Story of Late Night," CNN media analyst, Bill Carter.

Bill, so good to see you. Wow, he made a huge impact and his departure did as well.

BILL CARTER, CNN MEDIA ANALYST: You know, it's interesting to think back about it because people at the time were very moved by it because it was 30 years and he was leaving. But as time has gone on, his impact hasn't diminished that much. And everybody still says, well, that was the -- you know, the high point of late night television, and that show with Bette Midler and the other guests was Robin Williams that night. It's really a classic, classic show.

WHITFIELD: Nice. So then the next chapter, Jay Leno, you know, would end up on NBC, David Letterman went to CBS, even though a lot of people thought it was going to be David Letterman after, but that's a whole another story that you're going to delve into.

CARTER: Yes, indeed.

WHITFIELD: And there became this like ratings tug of war out. How did all of this happen and unfold?

CARTER: Absolutely. Well, you know, because you had this one dominant guy, it was obvious as soon as he left, there was going to be the -- you know, it was almost Shakespearean, you know, like, the King leaves and then the Dukes fight it out. Right?

And so, you know, Johnny leaves and give it to Jay, but Dave has become a gigantic star, and every network is after him to, you know to compete with the "The Tonight Show" now, and Dave goes on CBS and he is the first time -- the first time anybody has knocked off "The Tonight Show," Letterman did it for the first two years.

And then Jay came back and it was quite an incredible, you know, career long struggle between those two guys.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And then, you know, I guess people felt like they had to choose, but then in the end, it was like, oh, let's just enjoy that there are a lot of, you know, late night shows on with leading men who are all equally fantastic.

CARTER: Well, that's one of the things we get into in this episode, because when you have the opening of Letterman leaving, he left NBC; now you have a 12:30 show that doesn't have a host and all the other comics are afraid, they don't want to succeed David Letterman.

And they pick a guy who is completely unknown, he has never even performed in public named, Conan O'Brien. And the fact that that wound up being a home run over the long term for NBC was just a miraculous thing.

But Conan is such a unique talent and we sort of captured that in the show, how unique he is and then at the same time, cable has decided, well we can get into it now Carson has left and who do they find? They find Jon Stewart, and that's also part of the show tonight.

So this is an incredible era of great talent in late night.

WHITFIELD: Oh, it's fantastic and then all of our sleeping patterns were all messed up because then, we were staying up all night, trying to take in and watch all of them.

CARTER: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: Well, we will be staying up tonight to watch your brand new CNN Original Series, "The Story of Late Night" that's at 9 o'clock Eastern and Pacific.

All right, thanks again, everyone for joining me this weekend. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

The CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Jim Acosta.

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