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2 Victims Seen on Food Truck Video Hours Before Deaths; Ferocious Snowstorm Could Paralyze Great Lakes Cities for Days; Memo to Twitter Staff: Commit to "Hardcore" Work by 5PM or Leave; Fans Angry at Ticketmaster Over Taylor Swift Ticket Meltdown. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired November 17, 2022 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00]
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We now have new video of Madison and Kaylee alive, ordering at a late-night food truck at roughly 1:41 a.m. They are seen waiting about 10 minutes for their food. The video shows them chatting with each other and other people standing by the truck. They seem to look fine.
The manager of the food truck actually told CNN that the two students did not seem to be in distress or in any danger. The police chief yesterday saying the video was helpful for piecing together the timeline.
But, Ana, again, this is a quadruple murder case that remains wide open with no suspect, no weapon, and not a lot of information.
ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Yes. But we're told they were stabbed to death. And when police arrived, the scene was gruesome, there was blood everywhere. So a lot is not adding up.
Lucy Kafanov, thank you for your reporting.
We're going to keep working on this story and get more information.
Meantime, even by Buffalo standards, this weather is scary. Lake- effect snow pounding western New York right now. And it will keep pounding for days. Up to six feet could fall by Sunday.
The snowfall so intense people likely won't be able to see the roads assuming they even try to get out in this kind of weather. The governor has put 11 counties under a state of emergency and said the National Guard is ready to roll.
Millions of people in five Great Lakes states are under snow alerts right now.
CNN meteorologist, Jennifer Gray, is joining us.
This is looking like a historic weather event.
JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it really is. I don't think it's going to end up ranking number one for snowiest event, but this could definitely be the top five for several of these areas.
Several feet of snow in one event. That's a lot of snow. I don't care who you are.
So what's happening is, along the Great Lakes, the water temperature is much warmer than the air temperature above. So when you have these very cold winds swooping across the lakes, it causes the warm air to rise, basically forms into clouds and then pushes that snow over the land.
And so the wind's really steering where this snow is going to go. So right now, the lake temperatures are in the mid 50s. We know the air above it is much, much colder. So it's basically dumping the snow just to the east of the lakes.
And you can see this is a live radar now. We're already starting to see it develop. Now, this is really going to intensify by the time we get into tonight into tomorrow,
And a little bit of change in wind direction is going to direct a lot of the snow right over places like Buffalo. So just because Buffalo isn't in the snow really right now, we could see up to four feet of snow there by the time this is all said and done.
We still have those lake-effect snow warnings, winter weather advisories.
Here with some lake-effect snowfall totals so far. Boston, New York almost a foot of snow. Erie, Pennsylvania, has seen already almost a foot. And more is to come. We are going to see the forecast radar continue.
And look at that. We're seeing some really bright shades of pink, even reds in there. Could even hear some thundersnow in this region.
We are in this for the long haul, Ana. We are going to see this continue through much of the weekend.
CABRERA: Brr. And get your arms ready to shovel.
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: Going to be pumping some iron just doing the basic work there.
Thank you so much, Jennifer Gray.
Are you hardcore enough to work at Twitter?
Now, employees have hours left to decide if they are, after the Chief Twit, Elon Musk -- he gave himself that title -- told staffers that they have until 5:00 p.m. Eastern today to commit to extremely hardcore work or get out. And those who, don't get a three-month severance package.
CNN's senior media reporter, Oliver Darcy, is here with us now. I have an inkling this didn't go over well. What are you hearing from
Twitter peeps?
OLIVER DARCY, CNN SENIOR MEDIA REPORTER: Yes, I think the big question, Ana, is how many people are going to remain at Twitter by the end of the week?
Because the people I'm talking to are not too thrilled by Elon's ultimatum that they need to work, you know, extremely hardcore, which in some cases seems to be sleeping at the office.
The employees I spoke to today, I was talking to one, he said, I don't want to stick around to build a product that's being poisoned from the inside and out.
And another employee, a former employee who was recently laid off, who I was speaking to and he's been in contact with former colleagues, said people don't want to sacrifice their mental health and families' lives to make the richest man in the world richer.
And so keep in mind, this comes just weeks after Twitter laid off 50 percent -- about 50 percent of its workforce. So the question is, if more people flee the company, how are they going to keep the lights on or keep the main functions working?
CABRERA: Do we have any idea how many people are clicking no at this point? And is that a concern for those who are still running Twitter?
DARCY: We don't know exactly how many people are going to leave at the end of the day. I think we might have some more clarity on that when the deadline passes.
But even if 10 percent or 15 percent leave, you are talking about a company that's been depleted largely of large scores of people. So when it comes to content moderation or just keeping basic functions working on the platform, there's a real question of how it's going to work.
[13:34:59]
And also if you lose all these people, how are you going to attract other people to come to Twitter when you have Elon so erratic and telling people that they need to be hardcore without seemingly upping pay or any other benefits.
They have to now come back to the office full-time. This was a remote- work company. So a lot of things happening here.
CABRERA: I guess he's being transparent about what his expectations are.
DARCY: Yes.
CABRERA: That's one thing he's got going.
Thank you, Oliver Darcy. Can he have it both ways? Former Vice President Mike Pence wants to
tout his accomplishments in the White House alongside former President Trump. But can he distance himself from his old boss at the same time? We'll discuss.
But first, she survived an assassination attempt. But that was only part of the battle. A new CNN film, begun just weeks after former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot, it explores her recovery and her activism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When we heard that Gabby had been shot, we were heartbroken and scared. I already knew Gabby well, knew Mark. And when I visited with Gabby, she was out and uncommunicative.
A few minutes after we left her room -- and some of her colleagues from Congress were in the room -- Gabby opened her eyes for the first time.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Gabby opened her eyes for the first time.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Even in the darkest, most difficult times, there was always that glimmer of hope that we can cling to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: "GABBY GIFFORDS, WON'T BACK DOWN," premieres this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:41:33]
CABRERA: Same-sex and interracial marriages in the U.S. are one step closer to being protected under a bill that cleared a key procedural vote in the Senate.
That chamber still needs to vote on final passage. Then the bill returns to the House before President Biden can sign it into law.
This bill would not set a national requirement that all states legalize same-sex marriage. But it would require individual states to recognize another state's legal marriage.
He ran with Donald Trump back in 2016, but that doesn't mean former Vice President Mike Pence thinks Trump should run again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think we'll have better choices than my old running mate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: In a CNN town hall last night, Pence left open the possibility that he himself might challenge Trump and seek the Republican nomination this time around.
He also talked about the January 6th capitol insurrection and he called it, quote, "the most difficult day" of his public life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENCE: When I saw the images of people smashing windows, ransacking offices, and creating the mayhem that ultimately cost lives, I was filled with a simmering indignation.
I'd served in the Congress for 12 years. I dreamed from the time I was a little boy, as I wrote in my book, about someday representing my hometown in Congress.
And to see what was happening there, the first time since 1814 that our capitol building -- I just found myself thinking, not this, not here, not in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Joining us now is Olivia Troye. She was an adviser to the former vice president.
Great to see you, Olivia.
As somebody who knows Pence, as you watched that town hall, what stood out most to you?
OLIVIA TROYE, ADVISER TO FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: Hi, Ana. Thanks for having me.
I have to say I was struck by -- it just came off as over-rehearsed and disingenuous. I just thought that it was inauthentic.
Pence is always best when he speaks from the heart. And I just felt like -- I don't know who prepped him, I don't know who advised him, whoever it is he might want to reconsider that.
But I just think it was just over-rehearsed. And it felt like everything he delivered was a talking point to a focus group. And he had the opportunity to really separate himself from Trump and Trumpism, and I don't think he did.
CABRERA: To your point about maybe being over-rehearsed or scripted in some of his answers, I just want to play a quick example of something he has said repeatedly about Trump on January 6th.
Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENCE: Well, I must tell you the president's words and tweet that day were reckless. They endangered my family and all the people at the capitol.
I mean, the president's words were reckless. It was clear he decided to be part of the problem.
And I do believe that what I saw that tweet come across that criticized me directly at a time that a riot was raging in the capitol hallways that the president's words were reckless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: So he kept using that word "reckless." I guess that's just one example of a line that he has now said multiple times.
You don't think he's being real? This isn't the Pence you know?
TROYE: I have no doubt that he was really angry that day. But honestly, I feel like I'm more angry for him still today. And it seems like he's just sort of decided to give this a pass.
I think -- I kind of felt like I was watching someone that self- appointed himself as an apologist for Trump, especially when he started talking about how remorseful Trump seemed with his family. In the moment -- yes, maybe so.
[13:45:08]
He also talked about Trump telling him to turn to God and praying. I didn't see Trump pray once in two and a half years in the White House ever. I don't know if he led his staff meetings with prayer. Pence certainly did. Every single one was led with prayer.
I'm just trying to figure out the angle here that Mike Pence is taking. I think if he's really considering a run for president, I think he's going to have to actually dig deep and figure out who he wants to be.
And I don't think he can tout policy successes in the Trump administration but also cater back and pander to Trump and how horrific of an individual he is while this person tried to get him and his family killed.
CABRERA: And you say he actually was genuinely very angry on that day, but it doesn't come through, does it?
TROYE: No. I don't understand it. Honestly, I think he just needs to just say it and actually answer the questions.
That was another thing that I found frustrating last night, is he was pivoting a lot, and that's what I think came off as over-rehearsed.
I also -- look, I've been in the room. Mike Pence rarely forgets a name. I was shocked because he did forget people's names twice during that town hall.
Which to me, told me that he was nervous. I think maybe he was nervous about the fact that he was going to publicly speak out against Trump. But even so, it was measured.
Granted, he is a measured person. He's a gentleman in meetings. He was super kind to me and my family. That's how he behaves when he conducts business.
And it would be nice to see someone in the Oval Office behave like an adult for once on the Republican Party side of the House. But I don't think he's going to get there if he continues to kind of be half in on MAGA and half now the.
CABRERA: And now he says he won't testify before the January 6th committee.
He said last night that would perhaps set a terrible precedent for a congressional committee to summon a vice president to discuss deliberations held at the White House. He argues this would violate the separation of powers.
How do you see it? Do you think he owes the American people answers?
TROYE: I absolutely do. And, look, I think that's a convenient cloak that he's using.
He should want to testify. He should want to address the American people and tell the truth, especially if he plans to seek that office. I think that would be the best thing for the country, to hear it from him, himself.
I also thought it was rather ridiculous to say that he wanted a 9/11- style bipartisan independent commission. Yes, so did I. Many of us did. But it was the Republicans that torpedoed it. They're the ones that voted against it. His own party.
So don't use that as an excuse for why you don't want to come forward and testify when people like Cassidy Hutchinson, Sarah Matthews -- there have been so many others that have come forward, Rusty Bowers.
All Republicans, who have sacrificed a great deal, who are getting the vitriol right now, have sat there and told the truth before the committee, told the American people the truth.
I mean, come on.
CABRERA: Real quick.
TROYE: Let's grow into the role if you want to be presidential.
CABRERA: I've got 10 seconds left here. Would you vote for Pence in 2024?
TROYE: That's a tough one. I was known for being very loyal to Pence in the White House. I think most people would attest to that.
I think he is a traditional Republican. Some of his more extreme stances on things like women's rights and gay marriage I don't agree with. But would I choose him if I were going to vote Republican over Trump or DeSantis? Yes.
CABRERA: Olivia Troye, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much for joining us.
TROYE: Thanks for having me.
[13:48:35]
CABRERA: Up next, I'm sorry but the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Because she's busy breaking the Internet. A top lawmaker is calling out Ticketmaster after fans scrambling to buy Taylor Swift tickets crashed the site. What happens now?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:53:16]
CABRERA: OK. I'm going to try to include as many song names as possible in this one. So if you're a Taylor Swift fan, get ready.
It might be considered champagne problems to some, and others saying shake it off. But Ticketmaster has Taylor Swift fans seeing red, or maybe like maroon.
Ticket pre-sales overwhelmed the site, leaving many fans believing they will never, ever get tickets, like ever. And resell ticket prices aren't giving fans a reason to think they need to calm down.
CNN's Chloe Melas joins us.
Chloe, there is a lot of outrage aimed at Ticketmaster. And now, even lawmakers are ripping the site, too. What went wrong?
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: First of all, Ana, that might be my favorite intro ever to any segment that I've ever done with you.
Fans of Taylor Swift are so upset because they have been waiting for Taylor to go back on tour since 2018 and now most people can't get tickets.
I actually spoke to Ticketmaster's competitor, StubHub, asking them, why is this happening? And they say it shouldn't be happening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADAM BUDELLI, STUBHUB SPOKESMAN: To tunnel through one point of purchase, Ticketmaster, it's on fire. That's kind of what we're seeing, being queued up and queued up, and maybe for a chance to buy tickets.
Certainly, there's a lot of pent-up demand for the tour. And this type of demand isn't always suspected because it funnels through that one point of purchase.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MELAS: The problem, Ana, is that Ticketmaster is the only place that you're only able to get Taylor Swift tickets right now. And that they're saying, because of all of these artists, they have these deals with Ticketmaster as the sole ticket distributor.
And essentially, even lawmakers are saying that Ticketmaster has a monopoly right now.
[13:55:03]
CABRERA: But even StubHub, right, is seeing some price gouging going on from what I hear?
MELAS: Look, I mean, if you go on StubHub, I asked them directly. I think it's over $70,000 for one ticket price listed for the Atlanta, Georgia, April 28th concert. Look at that, $89,000.
I asked StubHub, why are those prices listed? That is price gouging. They say those prices, though listed, they're not selling.
They're contacting the 3rd-party sellers to find out if these are typos. Why is that happening? They can't control what the ticket prices are listened for, but that everybody needs to just calm down, wait a couple weeks, and this will level out.
CABRERA: OK, we will see. Thousands of dollars, that's insane.
By the way, my producer gets credit for that creative intro.
(LAUGHTER)
CABRERA: Thanks, Chloe.
And that'll do it for us today. Thank you so much for joining us. I'll be back, same time, same place tomorrow.
Until then, the news continues with Alisyn and Victor right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
