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China COVID Cases Surge; U.S. Prepares For Next World Cup Match; Passenger Survives Falling Off Cruise Ship; Black Friday Shopping. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired November 25, 2022 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:19]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Buenas tardes. Good afternoon. I'm Boris Sanchez in Washington, D.C. My colleague Ana Cabrera has the day off today.

So, you had the turkey and the stuffing, the beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes. Maybe you already had leftovers for breakfast or lunch. Now it's time to burn those calories with Black Friday shopping. But, this year, high prices and wavering consumer confidence could throw a wrench into the holiday shopping tradition. That's putting retailers and economists on edge.

To get a look at what's happening on the ground, let's go to one of the busiest department stores in the United States.

CNN's Alison Kosik is live from the Macy's flagship store in New York City.

And, Alison, it looks like there's no shortage of Black Friday shoppers where you are.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Boris, the crowds are definitely growing as the afternoon goes on right around here where I'm standing at Herald Square, the iconic Macy's, the department store right behind me, everybody feeling festive, everybody out, beginning their holiday shopping, because Black Friday is the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season.

And the deals and discounts, that's what's expected to really bring out record crowds for this holiday shopping season. Just this weekend, meaning the holiday shopping weekend that began on Thanksgiving Day, all the way through Cyber Monday, 166 million people are expected to get out there and shop; 115 million of those are just expected to shop only today, on Black Friday, across the country.

And most of those people are expected to shop inside stores, because what they're going -- what they're going for is those deals and discounts, because weighing on their minds, of course, is inflation. That seems to be the elephant in the room these days, how to sort of manage the budget and buy those gifts and keep that festive atmosphere going when you're dealing with inflation.

So a lot of shoppers that I have been talking to said they are managing their budgets. They are really sticking to their budgets this year. And they're really weighing on their decisions on how to decide on which gift they're getting based on the discount, how deep it is.

Also, one thing to think about, next week -- next week, the National Retail Federation is expecting that spending will increase 8 percent this holiday shopping season to around $940 billion to $960 billion, so a lot of positivity for this holiday shopping season, despite the weight of inflation -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Yes, interesting to see spending going up even as inflation is as high as it is.

Let's figure out why.

Alison Kosik from the Macy's in New York, thank you so much.

We're digging deeper now with nationally syndicated personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary. Her latest book is "What To Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide."

Michelle, we're grateful to have you today.

At this time last year, the concern was supply chain issues. This year, it's inflation. But as Alison just laid out for us, holiday sales are forecast to be up, especially compared to last year. Retail sales actually surged last month.

So why do you think it is that consumers are seemingly ignoring inflation?

MICHELLE SINGLETARY, PERSONAL FINANCE COLUMNIST, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Well, I think there's still a lot of pent-up demand from when people were shut in and mostly just shopping from home during a couple of holiday seasons.

And people -- so, people are out and about. They want to treat their family members. And so they are spending. Now, they may not be spending as much, even though the numbers up. The dollar isn't going as far as it used to go and did go a year or two. And so people's budget might be $800 to $900, but they're not getting as many items for that money.

But they're still shopping. And so I think people have cut their list down, so that their budget might be the same, but maybe they're buying for fewer people.

SANCHEZ: That's a really good point.

So we are learning that a lot of shoppers are leaning on savings and credit to buy their gifts, not advice, I imagine, that you would give for a lot of folks.

SINGLETARY: Absolutely not.

If you have to put it on a credit card that you can't pay off the next billing cycle, then you ought not to be buying that gift, now, with the caveat, if you're buying a big-ticket item, a TV, a computer, you do want to put it on a credit card, because you get more protections on that credit card than you do with cash or even your debit card.

However, if you cannot pay that bill off, please don't charge that item. It's just not worth it. And, as I always tell people, around this time, we're very giving. We want to share our abundance with folks, but it's all always about your presence, not the presents.

[13:05:04]

So, if you can't do this thing, gift giving, then just think about that. Think about what happened on the pandemic. We were so hungry to see our people, wrap our arms around them. Just remember that, so that you don't go over your budget.

SANCHEZ: I will see how well that plays out with my family members when I show up with no gifts and just say, my presence is a present, guys.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: So, Michelle, what trends are you expecting are going to play out this weekend? Do you think that any specific retail categories might be disappointed with sales?

SINGLETARY: Well, a lot of retailers are bulked up, because, last year, they didn't have enough because of the supply chain issues.

And so now there's a lot of inventory. So, if there is a popular item where they have a lot of, expect big discounts on those areas. So it's still the big holiday shopping things, electronics, phones, televisions, whatever the trendy toy is, clothes. So all of those major items are where people go for in the stores.

And I think you are going to see more discounts, particularly when you go to the brick and mortar stores. But don't ignore online. What I do is, I have my phone while I'm shopping in the store, and I'm price- matching to make sure that I'm getting the best deal.

SANCHEZ: Very smart.

I also wanted to get your expertise on this, because I have seen debate online. And I was curious. A lot of folks say that you shouldn't actually go shopping this weekend. You should wait out a few more weeks. Is that good advice?

SINGLETARY: It depends.

We still have some supply chain issues. And so if it is a highly popular item, I would not follow that advice. I would get it when I see it because it may not be there. Same thing with ordering online. It may not get there in time. I mean, I ordered something from a retailer like four weeks ago, and I still don't have because it was a popular item.

It was just something for me personally. And I imagine my stress level would be higher if I was trying to send that to somebody for the holiday. So if it's something that your heart desires, and you really want to get it for someone, I would say get it when you see it, because it may not be there if you wait.

SANCHEZ: That is great advice.

Michelle Singletary, thank you so much for the time and happy Thanksgiving.

SINGLETARY: Oh, happy Thanksgiving to you too.

And all the viewers out there, I hope you have a safe and frugal holiday.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: Very smart. Thanks so much, Michelle.

So we have a Thanksgiving miracle to tell you about today, because a cruise ship passenger fell overboard and somehow survived hours and hours in the middle of the ocean, the U.S. Coast Guard rescuing a man who was floating in the Gulf of Mexico for as long as 15 hours. He had been on the Carnival Valor which was sailing to Cozumel, Mexico, from New Orleans.

He was last seen on the ship Wednesday night. He wasn't reported missing until Thursday afternoon.

And that's where CNN Nick Valencia picks up the story.

Nick, this is nuts. This story usually doesn't end in a happy ending like this.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, this is nuts. It's the wildest story of the day, and I think this guy, this 28-year-old is going to have a story for the rest of his life, Boris.

The U.S. Coast Guard says he was a passenger on the cruise ship for Carnival Valor, and that was scheduled to depart Wednesday from New Orleans to make its way for a five-day cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. And it was about 11:00 p.m. that this 28-year-old man's sister says that they were at the bar.

And it was at 11:00 p.m. that he said he was on his way to the restroom, but he never came back. She went to bed, wakes up the next morning, reports him missing at about noon. They check the vessel. And it was at about 2:30 that the Carnival cruise Valor locator -- notified, rather, the U.S. Coast Guard.

They got involved in a search-and-rescue operation. The ship actually stopped, retracing its route to try to participate in that search-and- rescue and spot him floating in the water. He was eventually located by a crew for a bulk carrier. They spotted him floating.

And, by our math, it was about 8:30 p.m. That's more than 20 hours that he was potentially in the water in the Gulf of Mexico. We understand it was about 70-degree water, we heard this morning from a lieutenant with the Coast Guard that we're about to hear in just a little bit.

Carnival Cruise releasing a statement to CNN saying, in part: "We are greatly -- we greatly appreciate the efforts of all, most especially the U.S. Coast Guard and the mariner who spotted the guest in the water. We will defer to the U.S. Coast Guard officials on any other information to be released."

Just really quick, this man, we understand, is 28 years old. He is listed in stable condition, was transported to get medical attention in New Orleans. And we are told that, as of 7:00 a.m. this morning, the man's family was still on the vessel. So we don't know if they were just unable to get off, but, again, Boris this man in stable condition with a miracle of a story on Thanksgiving -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: And, notably -- it kind of slid under the radar, but, notably, he was last seen at the bar. That may tell you something about how he ended up overboard.

VALENCIA: We don't want to speculate, but you know...

SANCHEZ: We will find out. We will find out.

(LAUGHTER)

VALENCIA: We will find out. Right.

SANCHEZ: Nick, thank you so much, and happy Thanksgiving.

VALENCIA: You got it. Happy Thanksgiving, brother.

SANCHEZ: So, we are joined right now by Coast Guard Lieutenant Seth Gross. He actually coordinated the search-and-rescue mission here.

[13:10:02]

Lieutenant, we're very grateful to have you and obviously grateful for your work as well.

Do you have an update for us and how this man is doing after so many hours in the water?

LT. SETH GROSS, U.S. COAST GUARD: Yes, thank you for having me.

So, in speaking with our investigating officers, an investigation by Coast Guard Sector New Orleans is under way to kind of get the specifics of the case, what was the causative factor to him falling overboard and a timeline of when he actually entered the water.

Last reported to us was, he is in stable condition at a local hospital. But, aside from that, I don't have any current medical information for you.

SANCHEZ: Well, it sounds like he's OK, and at least in stable condition. So we're glad to hear that. Did he manage to tell rescuers what happened, how he wound up falling

over?

GROSS: No.

So, once the Coast Guard helicopter was able to recover him with a rescue swimmer, he was able to identify his name, confirm that he was the individual that fell overboard. He was showing signs of hypothermia, shock, dehydration. But, like I said, he was ambulatory, communicative, but gave really no clear indication of why he fell overboard or what time specifically.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

And, Lieutenant, when you receive that call that a passenger has potentially fallen overboard on a cruise ship, has been in the water as much as 12, 15 hours, what's going through your mind there? Did you think this was going to be a rescue or just a recovery?

GROSS: A hundred percent rescue.

So, any time we get notified of anybody in the water, we're looking for a survivor on the surface. So, we did -- we did what we're trained to do. We launched all available resources. We issued a broadcast, a safety net message and an urgent Marine information broadcast, basically alerting all mariners operating in the Gulf of Mexico of this potential distress situation.

We launched a 45-foot vessel from Station Venice, a helicopter out of Air Station New Orleans, and a plane from ATC Mobile, understand we did have a big time delay. The longer that somebody is in the water, the greater the search area is going to be. So, time was certainly of the essence.

SANCHEZ: I appreciate that disposition. You're going out there looking for a survivor.

But I know you have been doing this for some 17 years. I imagine it's not often that you have seen something like this happen before.

GROSS: It's not.

And this case was particularly challenging, giving the time delay in recognizing that he was unaccounted for. We have a high level of confidence that, if someone is in distress on the surface of the water, we're going to be able to find them. So, we executed the mission with that mind-set, with the goal of attempting to locate him.

Just to give perspective of how broad the search area was going to be, the vessel had tracked about 200 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. And we kind of determined an approximate search area. We're looking over 7,000 square nautical miles, which is essentially the size of Massachusetts, so a heroic undertaking by my team and the mariners operating in that area.

SANCHEZ: Yes. What do you think might have made the difference? How was he able to survive?

GROSS: Will to live.

I think, for this particular case, we were -- we were out there doing what we practice, what we joined the Coast Guard to do. And the fact that he was able to keep himself afloat and above the surface of the water for such an extended period of time is just something you can't take for granted, and certainly something that will stick with me forever.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it is impressive, not just, as you said, his will to live, but also the rescue effort that took place, an area the size of Massachusetts. It really is a miracle.

Lieutenant Seth Gross, thank you so much again.

GROSS: Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

Still ahead: Can the Americans overcome the odds? Moments from now, the U.S. is taking on a stacked England team in the World Cup. And while the Americans are underdogs, the U.S. has shocked the English twice before. We will take you live to Qatar.

Plus, disturbing new details in that deadly Walmart shooting in Virginia. What police are saying about a death note found on the gunman's phone.

And Elon Musk saying that Twitter is going to start restoring accounts that were banned for harassment or misinformation. Why some national security experts think that is a really bad idea.

NEWSROOM continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:18:40]

SANCHEZ: The United States is now just moments away from kicking off its second match of the 2022 World Cup. And they're going in as big underdogs.

They're taking on a star-studded England squad that is firing on all cylinders. Remember, England features some of the best players in the world, and they crushed Iran 6-2 in their first game. On the other hand, the U.S., they dominated Wales, but they failed to put them away. They barely escaped with a 1-1 draw.

Now, that's not to say the United States can't beat England. They're young. They're very talented. And they have a little thing called history on their side. In their first World Cup meeting back in 1950, a massively outmatched American side shocked the world, defeating the English 1-0. Their only other meeting was back in 2010, and the U.S. came out with a 1-1 draw.

Let's take you out to Doha now, with CNN sports anchor Don Riddell, who's live for us they're.

Don, the outcome of this game could have massive consequences for both sides. But Iran gave a huge gift to the United States today, defeating Wales, meaning that the U.S. doesn't have to beat England to get out of this group, right?

DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right.

I mean, the USA could even lose this game tonight, Boris, and still have a decent chance of getting out of the group. But, of course, their final game will be against Iran. And you may remember, back in 1998, Iran beat the United States in that World Cup in France.

[13:20:08]

So, of course, the Americans will want to play well, tonight. They will want to do better than they did against Wales. They came out with a really fast start against the Welsh team, but they just seemed to run out of gas towards the end.

And I think that will be a concern for such a young team. They know that they're the underdogs going into this game. They know the English players very well. In fact, a handful of American players actually play in the Premier League. So this is going to feel like quite an intimate affair.

If they are the underdogs, their captain, Tyler Adams, says they're certainly not scared of the English.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TYLER ADAMS, CAPTAIN, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM: Yes, I mean, England still a big team at the end of the day.

Intimidation factor? I wouldn't say there's many things out there that intimidate me other than spiders. So it's fine for me to obviously have the opportunity to play against all these big players. I have done it before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: And just remember, Boris, there have been some very, very big upsets at this tournament already. So let's not rule out another one happening tonight.

SANCHEZ: Yes, potentially. Don, we won't ask you any details about your allegiances in that match.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: But I do want to ask you about Qatar becoming the first host nation to be eliminated from the World Cup after just two matches. RIDDELL: Yes, it's great to be first, but it's not great to be the

first team to be knocked out of the World Cup, and certainly not one that you're hosting.

Yes, they were beaten by Senegal 3-1 tonight, a mini-triumph of sorts. Qatar scored their first ever World Cup goal. But they have become only the second host nation to be knocked out in the group stage and the first nation to be knocked out after just two games.

There are jokes on social media in this part of the world saying, Qatar is always first. But, yes, this is not something they wanted to be first at doing.

SANCHEZ: Don Riddell, reporting live from Doha, thank you so much.

So, the scenes of thousands and thousands of World Cup fans gathering without masks is a stark contrast to the harsh restrictions in place across China right now. And that juxtaposition could be contributing to growing anger and protests over China's zero COVID policy.

Now that outbreak of dissent is being met with a fresh COVID outbreak, China reporting a record number of cases for the second straight day.

Let's go to Beijing now, because CNN's Selina Wang has an update for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anger is rising, and tragedies are mounting, but China is showing no sign of budging on zero COVID.

And for the second straight day, China reported its highest number of new COVID cases since the start of the pandemic, reporting more than 30,000 new cases. And authorities are responding with more lockdowns, mass testing and quarantine. And people here are getting more and more frustrated.

Adding to that anger is a fire that broke out in the capital of China's far west Xinjiang region on Thursday night; 10 people were killed and nine injured in a fire at an apartment building. Most parts of Xinjiang have been under lockdown for more than 100 days. The deadly fire sparked nationwide outrage, because widely circulated videos, which have now been censored in China, show that COVID lockdown measures very likely delayed firefighters from getting to the scene.

State media claims that people in the compound were allowed to leave the building. However, videos show fire trucks unable to get close to the scene because the compound entrance was partially blocked. The video shows it's blocked with fences, tents, and metal barriers that are normally used as part of COVID measures.

The video shows smoke and flames coming from a high floor of the building, but the water failing to actually reach the fire. What adds to the tragedy is that those who died in the fire likely spent their last three months largely confined to that building, if not entirely. This tragedy really struck a chord with the public here, because these

scenes of suffering and tragedy have played out over and over again since the start of the pandemic, so many stories of people struggling to get enough food, necessities and emergency care in lockdown.

Three years into these harsh policies, frustrations are more frequently turning into protests, which are normally rare in authoritarian China. So, last week, in the southern city of Guangzhou, some residents revolted during lockdown by tearing down barriers and marching through the streets. Then there were violent clashes at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou this week.

But, still, there is no end in sight to zero COVID.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Selina Wang for that report.

It is something that he called a death note. Officials in Virginia now revealing what they found on the Walmart shooter's phone. We have those details for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:29:44]

SANCHEZ: Today, police identified the youngest victim of Tuesday night's mass shooting at a Virginia Walmart. His name is Fernando Chavez-Barron. He was just 16 years old.

Authorities are also revealing new details about the gunman's potential motive. They released a -- quote -- "death note" they discovered on the shooter's phone.

Let's bring in CNN's Brian Todd, who's following this story since it happened, pretty much.