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Suspect In Killing 3 UVA Football Players In Custody; Uncertainty Over House Control Overshadows Lame-Duck Session; Biden Meets China's Xi In First Face-To-Face Of Superpower Leaders. Aired 2- 2:30p ET

Aired November 14, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

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ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone. I'm Alisyn Camerota. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you.

We begin with two events raising concerns about safety surrounding college campuses. In Charlottesville, Virginia, the suspect accused of killing three University of Virginia football players is now in police custody. A late-night manhunt sent the campus into a 13-hour lockdown. Now, university police said that at 10:40 last night, they responded to shots fired call near a parking garage. We now know those shots were fired on a charter bus packed with students who had just returned from a field trip.

CAMEROTA: Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler were all killed. Two other students are still in the hospital. Police say the suspect is Christopher Darnell Jones. He is also a UVA student and was a former UVA football player who had not been on the team in more than a year. He's charged with three counts of second-degree murder. The Chief of Police learned that Jones had been captured in the middle of a press conference.

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TIMOTHY LONGO, POLICE CHIEF, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: In fact, they followed up with Mr. Jones' roommate who did not report seeing the presence of a weapon pardon me. Pardon me. Thank you, Captain. We just received information the suspect is in custody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: CNN's Miguel Marquez joins us now live from Charlottesville. So, Miguel, what more do we know about that suspect?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Gosh. Well, one, he was a student here, the three dead were students here, the two injured here -- were students here -- students here, the three dead were all juniors all on the football team here at UVA. But I want to show you guys what's happening here right now. The bus that they were on -- that they were all on and where it sounds like all of this took place, they're getting ready to move it now. The state police had a vehicle in there that they were going through all the forensic material in there. And now they have that bus hooked up to a tow truck and they are going to move it.

We know that Christopher Jones, 22 years old, was picked up about 75 miles from here near Richmond, Virginia, and Henrico County by police there without incident, about 13 hours after all of this started. Witnesses tell us that they heard -- people who are close to that bus last night around 10:30, 10:15 or so said that they heard gunshots on the bus and then everybody exiting that bus.

It was coming back from -- they're watching a play in Washington, DC, they were coming back onto campus you know 10:30 p.m., on a Sunday evening just a normal day, and then this. Just shocking to hear how normal the situation was and then to hear witnesses say that they heard those gunshots on that bus, people then tumbling out of it getting off of there, three people killed on that bus all young men with their lives ahead of them, two others injured, one in good condition, one in critical condition, so let's hope that that last one makes it. But all part of the football team here as well.

The suspect in this, Mr. Chris -- Mr. Jones was also part of the football team back in 2018. It doesn't appear that he ever played on any games. And it doesn't appear that he was on the team in the last year or two but just shocked that it's happened yet again on yet another American Campus. Back to you, guys.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my, gosh. What an awful story. Miguel Marquez, thank you very much.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's head out west. The University of Idaho has also canceled classes today, four students were found dead at home just off campus. A Moscow Idaho Police Department says it suspects that they are victims of homicide, but they say there is no active threat on campus.

CAMEROTA: CNN's Martin Savidge is following this story for us. Martin, how is there no active threat?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that all goes back to what you just described there, suspected homicides here. There's a great deal of information authorities have not released but it doesn't lessen in any way the tragedy of what we do know which is that four students from the University of Idaho have died under circumstances that are still under investigation. And authorities do not believe though, that there is a threat to the community or anyone else involved with the university at this particular time.

In fact, the statement that has been released by the university reads says this. The Moscow police department is investigating and the families of the students have been notified. We continue to actively aid law enforcement's efforts. MPD does not believe there's an active threat. We're grateful for the support of the community and the ongoing efforts of the police department. And then as you heard classes have been canceled today.

[14:05:06]

So, here's what we know. Authorities were called to a home located just off campus shortly before noon yesterday. The report was for someone who had passed out. When they got there they found four individuals who actually had died. Now, the information is that the names of those individuals -- those students has been released by university authorities so that would imply that next of kin had been fully notified here. They range in age from 20 to 21. And there you see the names, Ethan Chapin of Conway, Washington, 21-year-old Madison Mogen of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 20-year-old Xana Kernodle of Avondale, Arizona, and 21-year-old Kaylee GonCalves of Rathdrum, Idaho.

So much we don't know. And it is unclear -- we do know a suspect is supposedly being sought but no description has been given. I guess the only positive news is that they don't believe there is a further threat to the community at large. If we get more, we'll let you know certainly right away.

BLACKWELL: All right. Thank you for that, Martin Savidge, reporting for us.

CAMEROTA: OK. Meanwhile, Congress is back for its lame-duck session. That's the period after the midterms before the newly elected Congress begins. They have a long to-do list with one critical unknown, who will control the House in the next term.

BLACKWELL: But while we wait to find out, the power struggles for party leadership that's already begun. CNN's Manu Raju joins us now from Capitol Hill. So, let's start with the Republicans, both House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, facing some headwinds, you'll tell us how strong these headwinds are but some headwinds from their own party.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And this is all the result of a very disappointing election night. Republicans thought they would sweep the midterms, that they would be in the power in the Senate, and that they would have a significant majority in the House. Instead, they are in the minority in the Senate for the next two years and they're looking at a very narrow House majority, assuming that they do get the majority, which seems likely at this point.

But still, the fact that is very likely going to be a narrow Republican House Majority as a problem for Kevin McCarthy because on the floor of the House in January, he needs to get 218 votes to become a speaker. If they have a majority of say 220 seats or so that they lose a heavy -- they lose a handful of defectors, hardliners who are already threatening to vote against him, that could be enough to complicate his bid to center the speakership.

Later this afternoon, House Republicans meet behind closed doors to start to discuss their way forward. And then tomorrow, the House Republicans will actually vote to nominate their choice for Speaker. At that meeting, we do expect a potential challenge from the right. One person who was mentioned, Congressman Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican, in an effort to try to show that McCarthy does not have the votes right now to get to become a speaker forcing him to make negotiation -- make some concessions to that hard light -- hard-right faction.

On the Senate side, Mitch McConnell does have the votes to become leader once again. But there are a number of conservatives who are saying, hold on, let's hit the brakes, let's not move forward on this leadership election on Wednesday because of their concerns that this election did not go the way they wanted. But at the moment, House -- the Senate Republican leaders are plowing ahead, plan to have that vote on Wednesday, and we'll go behind closed doors to hear those concerns tomorrow afternoon, guys.

CAMEROTA: Manu, how about the Democrats? What about Nancy Pelosi's future?

RAJU: That is really the big question because House Democrats have been waiting to see what Pelosi decides to do. She had said several years ago when she won the votes to become a speaker that the end of 2022 would be her last term atop the House Democratic Caucus. Now, she has not fully shut the door on that issue yet. And in talking to Democrats today, it is clear that they are waiting, they're watching her very closely, and they're not seeing yet whether they would back her again for the top Democratic spot. Listen.

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RAJU: Do you think Pelosi should do it again?

HILLARY SCHOLTEN, DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT, MICHIGAN: I think Pelosi will make that decision for herself.

RAJU: But you're -- it sounds like you're undecided on who you think should run.

SCHOLTEN: I think we're going to take a look at whoever is running.

RAJU: Do you think that Speaker Pelosi should run again?

MAXWELL FROST, DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT, FLORIDA: I don't know. Let's see what she decides. I mean, she's obviously been such a leader for our caucus and has pushed some of the most impactful legislation through that we've seen in this country's history -- I mean the work that she's done and so I want to wait to see what she decides to do.

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RAJU: So those are two incoming Democratic members, part of the new class of freshmen who are in Washington this week meeting and trying to get a sense of what to do next. But what Pelosi does next will have a significant impact on the Democratic Caucus as a leadership scramble will ensue if she decides to step aside, guys.

CAMEROTA: Yes. And, of course, she has said that the attack on her husband will color her decision but she hasn't said in which way it will affect her. BLACKWELL: And it could go either way that she needs to be with her husband who is recovering or that is still her resolve and she will stay where she is, so we'll see.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. Manu, thank you very much.

BLACKWELL: All right, Democrats will keep their narrow Senate majority for the next two years after winning key races in Arizona and Nevada.

[14:10:06]

CAMEROTA: In the House, Republicans, as Manu said, are inching closer to the 218 seats needed for a majority votes are still being counted in 19 uncalled races. CNN's John Berman is at the magic wall for us. So, John, it looks like, of course, Republicans have the easier path to take control of the House. Where are things at this hour?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, they definitely have an easier path. You can see they have 212 seats right now. They would need six more to get 218, which would give them the majority. Democrats would need 14 more to give them the majority. So, if you look at this map here, that means the Democrats would have to hold on. I can actually show you the uncalled races. There are 19 uncalled races, every race has got a color here has yet to be called. The Democrats would need to hold all the blue ones and flip four of these red ones to blue in order to maintain control.

And it's tough to find the numbers right now. There are a couple of very close races in California. This race here, just 84 votes separate the Republican John Duarte and Adam Gray, only 46 percent. And that could really go either way, a tossup. California's 22nd District David Valadao, he's up by nearly 3000 votes, but only 39 percent, some of the votes that's been coming back skews democrats. This is really a tossup also at this point.

But that's where it stops for the Democrats and gets much harder largely because of what we're just seeing, frankly, over the last 24 hours and in some cases the last hour in Arizona, this seat right here, David Schweikert, the Republican is ahead by 894 votes. But Saturday, the Democrats actually lead here. You can see over the weekend, more votes were counted there and that is now skewing toward the Republicans. Also in Arizona, down here, Arizona's 6th congressional district, we just received new vote counts 30 minutes ago from here. And John -- Juan Ciscomani has expanded his lead from about 7700 to 2074. So, he lead -- his lead seems to be growing incidentally.

If you want to look at the governor's race there in Arizona, since we're talking about Arizona, the Democrat Katie Hobbs leads by 24,772 over Kari Lake, but that lead narrow because of the same vote counts that just came into the congressional race it had to do with Pinal County, which is a Republican county. They got about 3000 new votes in there. And Kari Lake picked up about 1000. She was able to close the gap by about 1000 votes in Arizona, guys.

BLACKWELL: The count continues. John Berman watching all of it for us, thank you, John.

CAMEROTA: So, President Biden meets with the Chinese president face to face for the first time since taking office. He told reporters the talks were "open and candid," but admits it was not all kumbaya. And former Vice President Mike Pence continues to distance himself from his old boss. What he's saying in a new interview next.

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[14:17:14]

BLACKWELL: The leaders of the world's top superpowers met face to face today. President Biden spent three and a half hours with the President of China, Xi Jinping. This was their first in-person meeting since Biden took office.

CAMEROTA: Now, last month President Biden called China "America's most consequential geopolitical challenge." The issues of trade, Russia's war in Ukraine, and Taiwan all rising tensions between the two countries. President Biden says both leaders are striving for better communication.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I absolutely believe there's need not be a new Cold War. We -- 've met many times with Xi Jinping and we were candid and clear with one another across the board. We agreed that we would set up a certain -- set of circumstances where on issues that we're -- that we had to further resolve details, we agreed that we would have our chief of staff -- our -- the appropriate Cabinet members and others sit and meet with one another.

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CAMEROTA: CNN's MJ Lee is in Bali, Indonesia following the president's trip. So, MJ, tell us more about what the two discussed.

MJ LEE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, President Biden's tone after this marathon summit sounded rather upbeat. He sounded optimistic that the two countries could really improve their relations going forward. The president identified some areas where the two countries could work together going forward, like climate change, like ensuring that Russia doesn't resort to using nuclear weapons. They obviously also talked about a host of other issues, including human rights issues, the ongoing war in Ukraine, North Korea's various provocations, and notably, guys, on the issue of Taiwan, President Biden insisting that he thinks that he and Xi really came to an understanding. Take a listen to what he said.

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BIDEN: I do not think there's any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan. And I made it clear that our policy in Taiwan has not changed at all.

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LEE: And President Biden was clear in his remarks afterwards that a big goal heading into the summit was to try to avoid any future misunderstandings between the U.S. and China on a whole host of issues. He also said that he wants to ensure that the lines of communication between the two countries will remain open. And to that end, he announced that his Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, will travel to China at some point to continue the work and the conversations that he started with Xi Jinping earlier today.

You know, U.S. officials have been planning for this summit with their Chinese counterparts for a number of months now. But I do think it's going to be a while, weeks or months even before we really look back on the summit and see whether this was really the beginning of improved relations between the U.S. and China, guys.

[14:20:11]

CAMEROTA: OK. MJ Lee, thank you.

BLACKWELL: All right. Joining us now is CNN political analyst Josh Rogin. He's a columnist for the Washington Post, also the author of the book Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the battle for the 21st century.

Josh, good to see you again. Let's start where MJ left off. She said it'll take some time. We need the context of the next maybe months or a year to determine the value of this summit. But today, what's your headline without any resolution to the big disagreements?

JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. Well, I'm a little bit more skeptical, frankly, Victor, than MJ on this point because I think that the problems in the U.S.-China relationship are structural, not personal. They're not going to be solved by anyone meeting. In fact, they're all getting worse. You know, what -- three and a half hours that they talk -- three and a half hours, but no actual progress. They have an understanding, but no agreement -- no overlap.

China is not going to stop menacing Taiwan. They're not going to ease up on their human rights abuses of the Uyghurs and the Hong Kongers and the Tibetans. They're not going to stop their unfair trade practices. In fact, everything that was in trouble about the U.S.- China relationship yesterday is even-- it's going to get worse over the next weeks and months. That's my prediction, frankly.

Now, the headline for today is like, OK, well, at least we're talking to each other. That's good. There's no doubt that we have to understand each other. It's great that they can sit down.

In that system, Victor, Xi Jinping is the only man with power. He just consolidated power. He's going to be a dictator for life. He's the (INAUDIBLE) to talk to so the headline is, at least we're talking. And that's a low bar, frankly but it's better than nothing, I guess.

BLACKWELL: Do you think that the third term -- this unprecedented third term for Xi makes progress on any of the most contentious matters even less likely in the short term?

ROGIN: Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

ROGIN: And this is talking to people in the region. I just got back from Taiwan. What they're gearing up for -- up for is Xi Jinping who is more emboldened, more empowered, more aggressive, more reckless, what happens when these totalitarian dictators get total power? How did that work out with Vladimir Putin? It always tends to end badly. Now, again, that's why we need to talk to them, we need to make sure that they know what our policies are.

But no, it never really happens that the dictator gets more powerful and then he gets nicer. That's not -- that's not really the expectation, frankly. And that's a big problem because the structural problem is that China's expanding in the region. They want us out of Asia. We don't want to go anywhere. And there's -- that's a problem that neither Biden nor Xi has a solution for it. So, let's keep talking but let's be clear-eyed about the totalitarian dictator that's sitting across on the other side of the table.

BLACKWELL: The president -- I want you to listen to what he said here, the role of the midterm elections in the U.S. on the perception of the U.S. around the world.

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BIDEN: I think the election held in the United States was still leaves a little bit uncertain, has sent a very strong message around the world that the United States is ready to play. The United States is -- the Republicans who survived and along with the Democrats are of the view that we're going to stay fully engaged in the world.

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BLACKWELL: Overstated, understated, what do you think?

ROGIN: Listen, I've been to Southeast Asia twice in the last couple of months, it's very clear to me that these countries are watching our democracy. And to be sure, I'm sure that they're very happy that our democracy didn't collapse. But again, that's a pretty low bar, Victor, when you think about it, and what the region really wants is more investment.

They want an economic plan that responds to their needs. They want America to put its money where its mouth is and that's the missing part of our Asia strategy. Yes, it's -- we need to have a functioning democracy so that we have credibility but A., I don't know if that's going to survive the next 2, 4. 8 years, neither do you -- neither does Joe Biden.

And B., functioning democracy is really the bare minimum. We need to show up in Asia with more than just three hours of talk. We need to show up with our economic might or diplomatic might, our soft power, and robust military presence to deter China from invading Taiwan. And, to its credit, the Biden administration is doing a lot of that but not enough at least that's the perception in the region and that perception will remain.

BLACKWELL: All right, Josh Rogin, always appreciate the insight and perspective. Thank you, sir.

ROGIN: Anytime.

CAMEROTA: So, House Republicans are planning to meet tonight to discuss who will lead their caucus. Kevin McCarthy is facing some pushback. So, who else stands a chance?

BLACKWELL: And federal investigators now looking into a deadly mid-air collision -- mid-air collision of World War Two planes at a Dallas Air Show. What we're learning just ahead.

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[14:29:30]

BLACKWELL: Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling out former President Trump for his tweet during the Capitol riot. He says it put his family in danger.

CAMEROTA: In a new interview with ABC News, Pence talked about his emotional reaction when President Trump accused him of not having the courage to overturn the 2020 election as the Capitol was being overrun.

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MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It angered me. But I turned to my daughter who was standing nearby and I said it doesn't take courage to break the law, it takes courage to uphold the law. I mean, the president's words were reckless.