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Early Voting Underway In Georgia Ahead Of Key Senate Runoff Race; Biden Facing Broad Set Of Domestic Challenges In Moths Ahead; Biden Extends Freeze On Student Loan Debt Payments Amid Legal Challenges To Relief Program; Forecast: Return To In-Store Shopping Will Drive Holiday Retail; CDC Chief: RSV Levels Easing In Parts Of The Country; "Triple-Demic" Of Viruses Pushing Hospitals To The Brink; Trump Hosts White Nationalist Holocaust Denier At Mar-a-Lago. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired November 26, 2022 - 12:00   ET

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

[11:59:56]

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): That was the voice of Irene Cara, singing her Oscar winning song, Flashdance What A Feeling. Her publicist announcing early this morning that the actress and singer died in her Florida home.

Cara was also known for singing the theme song for and starring in the 1980 movie, Fame. As a student of New York's School of Performing Arts, she also starred in the 1976 musical, Sparkle.

In a statement to CNN, Cara's publicist says "Irene was a gifted woman whose body of work is loved by millions of people the world over. She became an icon for music lovers of the 1980s, and inspired many of today's most influential singers. We are all mourning her death but we'll celebrate her legacy as a bright spot in our lives." Irene Cara was 63 years old.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Thanks for joining me. I'm Alex Marquardt. In today for Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour in Georgia, where early voting is now underway ahead of a key runoff race for the final seat in the U.S. Senate.

MARQUARDT (voice over): Democratic candidate Senator Raphael Warnock and his Republican challenger Herschel Walker now in a 10-day sprint to their December 6th runoff election.

The race will determine whether or not Democrats hold an outright majority in the Senate.

CNN's Eva McKend joins us now from a Warnock campaign event just outside of Atlanta.

Eva, Republicans had tried to prevent early voting from even taking place today.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER (on camera): They sure did, Alex. You know, Senator Warnock about to be joined here on stage with Senator Cory Booker in just a little bit.

But you are absolutely right. In more than two dozen counties across the state early voting underway here, including right here in Fulton County that has several sites up and running.

We are in Sandy Springs, Georgia that is a suburb of Atlanta. And it is arguably here, where Herschel Walker has to drive up his numbers among moderate and independent voters.

Senator Warnock, of course, competing here as well.

Herschel Walker, though has no listed campaign events this weekend. We reached out to his campaign for an update, waiting to learn more on that. But both campaigns battling it out on the airwaves.

Let's take a look at what Georgia voters are seeing on television.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): Herschel Walker will vote for Georgia, not be another rubber stamp for Joe Biden. That's why I'm backing Herschel. And I hope you'll join me in voting for him too.

SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA), SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: You think Herschel Walker would want to explain what he do in the Senate if he actually wants to represent Georgia. Instead, he repeats the same lies trying to distract from what we all know is true about him.

But I think Georgians will see his ads to what they are, don't you?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: So, Senator Warnock entering this final stretch here with a bit of a fundraising advantage. From October 20th through November 16th, Senator Warnock raising $52 million to Walker's $21 million.

But ultimately, that is only one measurement of the campaign's strength, what the runoff is really about is turnout, which campaign can turn out the most voters. Both Walker and Warnock. That is their real challenge,

Alex?

MARQUARDT: And Eva in terms of closing arguments, what are these candidates trying to drive home in order to get those voters to turn out?

MCKEND: So, Alex, the arguments that they're making on the campaign trail now really mirror what they said in the general election.

Senator Warnock says that this race is about competence and character. Arguing that Herschel Walker is not fit to lead in the United States Senate, does not have the necessary experience to do so.

But Herschel Walker has argued that Senator Warnock is too closely aligned with national Democrats, and it is principally more concerned with Washington Democrats. And he does. He is everyday Georgians.

So, we'll have to see if the weight of those arguments make Georgia voters ultimately change their minds and they're able to get new voters out in this runoff that did not participate in the general election. Alex?

MARQUARDT: And arguably, the biggest national Democratic former President Barack Obama is expected to campaign for a Warnock in the final days of this race.

Eva McKend, in Georgia. Thank you so much for that report.

A win for Democrats in Georgia could give President Biden a gift for this holiday season. But the White House will head into the New Year facing quite a few new challenges, including inflation, a potential rail strike, and a GOP controlled House of Representatives.

CNN's Arlette Saenz, has been traveling with the president and joins us now from Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he spent the holiday weekend.

Arlette, President Biden does appear to want to get done what he can while he can still do it, while Democrats still control both Houses of Congress.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yes, Alex. And President Biden will be returning to Washington tomorrow with a very long to do list as they are trying to get some pieces of legislation across the finish line in this lame duck session, while Democrats still control both chambers of Congress.

Now, perhaps, at the top of that list, is trying to get a government funding bill across the finish line as government funding is set to expire on December 16th.

[12:05:03]

SAENZ (voice over): And the White House could possibly try to fold in things like COVID funding, also disaster funding, and more aid to Ukraine in that package.

The president is also hoping that he'll be able to sign a bill that protects same-sex and interracial marriages, if the Senate were to pass that this coming week.

And there's a host of other issues they're also trying to address, including the National Defense Authorization Act, and also raising the debt ceiling.

SAENZ (on camera): But here in Nantucket, President Biden also told reporters that he could possibly try to get some type of gun legislation passed in this lame duck session.

Saying that he needs to assess and count the votes and see what they might be able to do. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The idea we still allow this semi-automatic weapons to be purchased is sick. This sick. It has no, no social redeeming values. It is zero, none.

Not a single solitary rationale for it except profits for the gun manufacturers.

SAENZ: Can you do anything about gun laws during the lame duck, sir?

BIDEN: I'm going to try.

SAENZ: What would you try and do?

BIDEN: I'm going to get rid of assault weapons.

SAENZ: During the lame duck?

BIDEN: Whenever -- I got to make that assessment as I get it in and start counting the votes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, when it comes to passing an assault weapons ban, so far, the votes simply have not been there for the president to be able to do that. The House did pass such a measure over the summer, but it has languished in the Senate.

And with divided government expected to come in January, that path to getting an assault weapons ban becomes that much more difficult.

But it does come at a time when polls have shown Americans do want to see stricter gun laws.

Now, the president has also said that he plans to host congressional leaders of both sides, Republicans and Democrats at the White House in the coming weeks as they are preparing to get closer to that next session of Congress.

It's unclear when exactly that meeting would take place. But it would be an opportunity for the president to probably address some of the issues that he believes he could work with Republicans on in the coming months. Alex.

MARQUARDT: Yes, that new Republican controlled Congress just over a month away. Arlette Saenz in Nantucket with the president. Thank you very much.

Next, we go to one more problem on the White House radar. Court -- excuse me. Courts challenges to President Biden's plan to deliver up to $20,000 in student loan debt relief.

This week, President Biden extended the pause on student loan payments which were due to start up again in January. The president, saying it wouldn't be fair to ask 10s of millions of borrowers to resume their payments while the program is tied up with legal challenges. Joining me now is Mark Kantrowitz, a student loan expert and publisher and vice president of research at Saving for College.com.

Mark, thank you so much for joining me today.

You have written quite a bit about all the confusion around this program. Explain to our viewers the timeline that borrowers need to know about now with all of this happening.

MARK KANTROWITZ, PUBLISHER AND VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH, SAVINGFORCOLLEGE.COM: So, the payment pause and interest waiver has been extended for an eighth-time, until 60 days after either the court cases are resolved, or June 30 of 2023, whichever comes first.

So, they can have as little as the end of January, or end of August before repayment resumes.

MARQUARDT: So, if that resumes in the summer, what should people be doing right now?

KANTROWITZ: Well, people should, first of all make sure that their contact information is up to date with the U.S. Department of Education at studentaid.gov, and their student loan servicers.

They may wish to start saving the amount of money that they would be paying on their student loans, just in case and to get used to the restart of repayment.

Put that money in a high yield savings account and you could use it to pay down the debt when repayment does restart or use it to pay down other debts, saved from your holiday shopping, or to build or bulk up an emergency fund. I mean, there might be higher unemployment in this next year.

If you're struggling to repay your student loans, contact your student loan servicer to ask about options such as the economic hardship deferment, unemployment deferment, general forbearances, and income driven repayment plans.

Should also beware of scams. Anytime there is a change in the federal rules or an opportunity that's being delayed like this, scam artists pop up out of the woodwork promise you the world like, we'll forgive your student loans, and they charge you a fee or maybe they're after identity theft. Your social security number or other identifying information.

MARQUARDT: Yes, can you just -- so, what are some of the red flags that people need to be on the lookout for in terms of scams?

KANTROWITZ: If you have to pay money to get money, it's probably a scam. Also, watch out if they ask for your social security number, Federal Student Aid I.D. number or other personal identifying information.

[12:10:05]

If you have any worries, you can contact your student loan servicer, or visit the U.S. Department of Education's web site, studentaid.gov.

MARQUARDT: OK. And there is several lawsuits that are looking to overturn this debt forgiveness program. What do you say to people who are concerned that this may not happen now?

KANTROWITZ: Well, it's a process, it has to work its way through the courts. Sit tight, there's nothing you can do to affect the outcomes of these lawsuits. It's entirely up to the judges and the plaintiffs and defendants.

It's going to take time, it could take as much as six months for an appeal to be heard, though the courts seem to be processing these cases on (INAUDIBLE), but in an expedited fashion.

MARQUARDT: All right. Mark Kantrowitz from Savingforcollege.com. Thank you for all of those pointers and tips. Really appreciate it.

KANTROWITZ: Thank you.

MARQUARDT: Now, if you are traveling this weekend, you should brace yourself.

MARQUARDT (voice over): Holiday travel headaches could be in the forecast along with severe weather.

And then, we'll inflation keep shoppers home this weekend? Retailers are rolling out all the stops to lure customers back in. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:15:21]

MARQUARDT (on camera): Millions of Americans heading home from Thanksgiving holidays this weekend are now facing some significant storms, which could slow down travel both in the air and on the roads.

Today, the South is getting hit by heavy rain and the Midwest and Northeast, they're expected to get hit tomorrow. Airports are preparing for a surge of passengers this weekend.

The are already more than 1,400 flights delayed today, and that number will be expected to rise.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is in the CNN Weather Center for us. Allison, how bad is it looking out there?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (on camera): Right. So, depends on which day or where you may be traveling to or front.

So, let's start in the center portion of the country. This is where the focus is going to be for the heavy rain today and even the potential for some strong to severe thunderstorms.

Just a little bit behind that, a separate system bringing some snow showers to areas of the intermountain west. The problem here is going to be any of the airline delays as that system begins to make its way up towards the Midwest and the Northeast.

So, the big delay cities for today are going to be Kansas City, Memphis, Atlanta, New Orleans, and then out to the West, places like Salt Lake City, as well as Seattle also looking at the potential for some delays.

Here is a look at the system. Again, you've got some of that heavier rain finally starting to exit Dallas, but really starting to take shape across Oklahoma City.

We're starting to see some of those first bands push into Little Rock. Same thing around New Orleans. But you also have that severe component along the southern side too.

The thing is the storm system is not moving very fast. So, that also increases the threat for flooding because of that slow moving nature.

So, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, stretching over towards Mobile, Biloxi. All of those areas have the potential for some isolated flooding concerns, not just today but also heading into this evening as well.

Looking at the severe weather threat, it's a very similar area. New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile, stretching over towards Pensacola. The main threats here are going to be damaging winds and the potential for some isolated tornadoes.

Now, as we go through the rest of the day, that system is going to gradually start to make its way farther to the north. By tonight and early tomorrow, the Midwest and even the Mid Atlantic become the bigger areas of concern.

By the time we get to Sunday afternoon and even Sunday evening, the Northeast is really going to be the target point, by the time we get to that later portion of the day.

Which means, in turn, if you have some travel plans for cities like Boston, New York, D.C., Baltimore, Raleigh, or even other areas like Cincinnati and Chicago, you may be experiencing some delays in those cities.

And then out to the West as our next system slides in, Denver, Alex, as well as Seattle and Portland may also have some delays as well.

MARQUARDT: All across the country. Well, best of luck to everyone out there who is heading home this weekend.

CHINCHAR: Yes.

MARQUARDT: Allison Chinchar, thank you so much for that update.

CHINCHAR: Thanks.

MARQUARDT: The stormy weather isn't dampening the spirits of holiday shoppers.

MARQUARDT (voice over): However, the official start to the holiday shopping season that got off to a strong start on Black Friday.

And despite inflation driving up prices, consumers were out in full force, hunting, as always, for the best deals.

And as CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich reports, retailers are hoping for a happier holiday season as shoppers return to stores after the COVID-19 pandemic drove many to buying online. Here is this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On this year's holiday shopping menu, more sales, but with a healthy side of inflation.

Setting up your circulation.

DENISE SALLETTE, HOLIDAY SHOPPER: I'm going crazy.

YURKEVICH: Denise Sallette is in the middle of her holiday shopping at Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, New Jersey.

SALLETTE: So, this is for my mom, and then I got stuff from my kids and my niece.

YURKEVICH (on-camera): Yes.

SALLETTE: And, oh, my God.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): But this year, the wish list is looking a little different. Last month, inflation cooled, but was still running hot at 7.7 percent year over year.

SALLETTE: So I've had a cut back on shopping because things are too expensive. I mean, I do have three girls. They do understand that, you know, times are hard right now and it's just me being a single mom.

YURKEVICH (on-camera): Despite high inflation, the National Retail Federation estimates that nearly 8 million more people will shop between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and spend up to 8 percent more this year than they did last year.

MATTHEW SHAY, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: We're looking at records in all categories. It is remarkable in the face of the cost and the price pressures that consumers are still finding a way to increase their spending, power the economy, drive economic activity.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Last month, retail sales beat expectations, up 1.3 percent in October. But this month, consumer sentiment fell. Still, higher prices haven't stopped some people from shopping.

YURKEVICH (on-camera): Has that impacted the way you're going to spend this holiday season? CYNTHIA PENDELTON, HOLIDAY SHOPPER: For me, not really, because I try not to overspend anyways. So, even before this is going on, I try not to exceed what I can do.

[12:20:03]

YURKEVICH (voice-over): And according to the National Retail Federation, while online sales are expected to increase this year, a return to in-store shopping will make up a larger portion of all holiday sales.

PENDELTON: Like I kind of like in-person more.

YURKEVICH: You do -- why is that?

PENDELTON: I don't know. It's just more of the feel of being able to touch it, being able to see it, being able to try it on for the stores that you allow to. And then being amongst everybody else.

YURKEVICH: It's that holiday nostalgia that Willowbrook Mall says will help this year's shopping season return to pre-pandemic expectations.

Do you anticipate that inflation will play a role in how people shop, people coming to the mall?

RYAN HIDALGO, SENIOR GENERAL MANAGER, WILLOWBROOK MALL: I think people are planning better in terms of what their spend is going to be, I think they've budgeted.

PATRICIA RANDO, HOLIDAY SHOPPER: Because I don't come back at Christmas.

YURKEVICH (on-camera): How many more stores are you going to?

RANDO: Oh, maybe five more.

YURKEVICH (on-camera): Five more?

RANDO: Maybe, I don't know.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT: Our thanks to Vanessa Yurkevich for that story.

Now, what holiday movie do you watch every year? Settle in with CNN for the stories behind everything that we love to watch at Christmas. "TIS THE SEASON: THE HOLIDAYS ON SCREEN" premieres tomorrow night at 8:00. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:25:41]

MARQUARDT: Colorado residents showing support for one of the heroes in the Club Q mass shooting. MARQUARDT (voice over): Richard Fierro reopened his family brewery Friday for the first time since the deadly attack on the LGBTQ club in Colorado, Springs, and long lines formed outside. People even traveling from across the state to rally around someone who has truly become a community hero.

The former army major is one of two people who police say took down the accused gunman in the nightclub shooting -- sorry, in the nightclub shooting preventing further harm to club goers.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Five people were killed and more than a dozen were injured.

And we are learning more details about the deadly mass shooting at the Virginia Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia. Officials say that the gunman wrote a death note on his cell phone before the attack.

CNN's Brian Todd has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSIE WILCZEWSKI, WALMART EMPLOYEE, SURVIVED SHOOTING: He just had the gun up to my forehead and yes, it's really hard.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Chilling new details released by police revealed that the man who killed six Walmart employees bought his weapon that very day.

City officials say the shooter had no criminal history and that he legally bought the gun he used, a 9mm handgun. Officials releasing screenshots of writings found on the gunman's phone. The title, Death Note.

He describes the grievances he had. Writing, his associates were laughing and mocking him, saying, they "gave me evil twisted grins, mocked me and celebrated my down fall the last day. That's why they suffer the same fate as me."

In another part, he writes, "I wish I could have saved everyone from myself. My God, forgive me for what I'm going to do."

While the gunman spoke of specific people in the note, police say, none of them were his victims, and the names were redacted for privacy.

CNN reached out to Walmart to inquire if the shooter had any complaints against him or had ever been disciplined or demoted.

In response, Walmart said, "There is nothing that can justify taking innocent lives." One survivor, a fellow employee, told us earlier this week that she had been warned about the gunman.

BRIANA TYLER, WALMART EMPLOYEE, SURVIVED SHOOTING: I am new, but I heard from the very beginning that he was the one to watch out for.

TODD: The city also released the identity of the youngest victim. Now, identified as 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron.

Friends say the teen had just started working at the Walmart and use his first paycheck to buy gifts for his mother.

JOSHUA TREJO-ALVARADO, FRIEND KILLED IN SHOOTING: I was hoping maybe there was a (INAUDIBLE) until the day -- I wish he still -- he was -- he was here standing with me.

TODD: With two people still in the hospital, dozens gathered Thursday to pray for the victims.

As the community struggles to move forward, the survivor can't stop reliving the terror.

WILCZEWSKI: The sound of the droplets do replays and replays, and replays, and replays, and replays. Of how much blood was coming off, the different chairs it was making a rhythm, and it was one of the most disturbing things.

I what -- I think will never let go of that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: The mayor of Chesapeake, Rick West, has announced that a vigil for the victims will be held at City Park in Chesapeake, on Monday evening.

Walmart still not answering CNN's questions about whether any disciplinary measures had ever been taken against the shooter or whether any complaints by other employees had ever been made about him.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

MARQUARDT: Still, so many questions that need answering. Our thanks to Brian Todd for that report.

MARQUARDT (voice over): Now, as families come together for the holidays, health experts are sounding the alarm on the rising threat of RSV and other respiratory illnesses.

What you need to know to keep your loved ones, especially children safe? That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:33:29]

MARQUARDT: Anger continues to boil over in China over the government's unrelenting zero-COVID policies. Protests have erupted multiple cities across China demanding an end to strict government COVID restrictions and lockdowns. In some parts of the country, residents have been forced to stay in their homes for weeks on end. Officials there saying that the restrictions are necessary to protect lives.

Now despite the lockdowns, China is seeing a record number of COVID cases since the start of the pandemic. Authorities this week reported more than 30,000 new cases a day.

The Director of the CDC told CNN this week that levels of RSV are starting to ease in parts of the United States. RSV is the respiratory virus that can be especially dangerous for young children and has been overwhelming pediatric hospitals all across the country. But many parts of the U.S. are still struggling with a perfect storm of RSV combined with COVID and flu infections.

So let's bring in Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne. She's an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine. Dr. Clayborne, thank you so much for joining us on this Saturday. Do we have a sense of why RSV cases, in particular, are surging this year?

DR. ELIZABETH CLAYBORNE, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CAPITAL REGION MEDICAL CENTER: Yes, Alex. So, you know, we have to remember that a lot of children were on lockdowns over the last couple of years and/or masked in school. And so many of them have not been exposed to flu and RSV in the way that they normally would where they might have some mild infections and build up some natural immunity.

And so this year is really the first year that kids are venturing out into school, traveling and interacting with others, and so we saw a very early spike in RSV and flu.

[12:35:09]

And it seems like especially those kids where this is their first infection, they're getting especially hardhead becoming very sick.

MARQUARDT: There are some calls by health leaders who are so concerned that they're asking the federal government to declare an emergency to help support these pediatric hospitals. Do you think that would help?

CLAYBORNE: Yes, I think that people don't understand how serious this is. And the pediatric intensive care units are really still at capacity, meaning, it is very difficult to find a bed. In my hospital, in particular, we're not a pediatric hospital. So if I get a sick child with RSV, I need to transfer them.

And it has been really almost impossible to get these kids out, which means I board them in the E.R. I'm taking care of them where they don't have the best resources. And then we also kind of see a rise in the wait times. And people should also remember that this isn't just related to RSV because the hospitals both adult and pediatric are overrun with patients that may have flu, RSV and our COVID. It's actually hard for us to take care of any patients.

So even if you feel like your kids in the clear, or you're not particularly worried about getting flu or RSV, any kind of illness, a heart attack, a car accident, will be something that would land you in the emergency department and you may not be able to be as well taken care of as you could because we're overwhelmed with the number of sick patients that we're seeing due to this rise in the tripledemic, all three of these viruses really hitting the population hard at the same time. MARQUARDT: And we are, of course, at just the beginning of a succession of holidays. You know, people were getting together this weekend for Thanksgiving, we've got several more holidays coming up, basically back-to-back. So how concerned are you about families and friends getting together and a potential surge?

CLAYBORNE: I will tell you, as an emergency physician, my colleagues and I are extremely worried. I know a lot of people are traveling today and tomorrow returning from the Thanksgiving holiday. And in contrast to last year, they may not be wearing a mask, they might not have gotten their flu shot, they may not have gotten their, you know, bivalent booster for COVID.

We know that more than 80 percent of people who are eligible for that booster have not gotten it. And so, it will actually play out in the next one to two weeks to see the spike in cases of RSV, flu and COVID that have arisen from the travel over the holidays. And that won't really target our hospitals, we won't see that rise until mid- December. And then we'll come up on the heels of travel related to Christmas.

So all of us in health care are really bracing for what could be an onslaught of really sick patients. And so I really implore everyone to take this seriously. And to, you know, do basic hygiene, wear masks when you're in crowded places and most importantly to vaccinate, both get your flu vaccine and your COVID booster.

MARQUARDT: Yes, I want to ask you more about that, because there have been a number of questions about the new COVID-19 variants that are showing up, how effective that these new boosters are the new bivalent vaccines. What are you explaining to people to really drive home the message that they need to get this latest booster?

CLAYBORNE: Yes, I know some people are frustrated because they feel like they are still getting sick or still getting COVID even though they've been vaccinated. And I'll remind everyone, you know, just as we tell people get the flu vaccine, not because we think maybe it will 100 percent protect you from getting the flu, but it is much more likely that you will have mild symptoms.

You avoid a hospitalization or death if you are vaccinated. And that is true, both of the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine. The patients that I see that have flu and COVID that have been vaccinated have much more mild symptoms, often are patients I can discharge home and are avoiding having serious complications and/or infecting other people who may be at risk in their family. So it is still very much worthwhile to get vaccinated, even if you do indeed end up getting sick with one of those viruses, because your symptoms will be more mild.

MARQUARDT: So what are you telling people to do in terms of precautions to protect themselves? Of course, a lot of people are really tired of some of the precautions we took during COVID-19. And no one's suggesting that we go back into, you know, imposing some of those measures. But what are you recommending, particularly, as we look ahead to the holiday season? CLAYBORNE: Sure, that's a great question, Alex. And what I really emphasize to parents and family is that, you know, travel is always risky and it is still risky, especially now because we're seeing really a coalition of viruses, flu, COVID, and RSV, all kind of coming together at a time and displaying themselves in ways that we haven't seen.

And so, you should still focus on prevention. So if you're traveling, I would still implore you to wear a mask, handwash. If you're sick, please stay home from work or stay home from school and make sure that you're getting your vaccinations. That is the best method to protect yourself and your family members, is to try to avoid getting seriously ill and avoid spreading these viruses, especially as we kind of come up on this busy travel season.

MARQUARDT: It's very simple, and we all need do it. Dr Elizabeth Clayborne, thank you so much for your time today. I really appreciate it.

CLAYBORNE: Thanks for having me.

[12:40:04]

MARQUARDT: A $3.5 million per treatment, that's how much a new drug for treating hemophilia costs. It's called Hemgenix, and it's now the most expensive drug in the world. About one in 40,000 people, mostly men, have hemophilia. The new treatment is a one-time IV infusion to help patients who lack the protein for normal blood clotting. The FDA approved the drug this week.

Now former President Trump fresh off his 2024 announcement hosted Kanye West and a Holocaust denier at his Mar-a-Lago estate this week. How he's defending that decision and that dinner, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:24]

MARQUARDT: New scrutiny for Donald Trump after he just hosted a white nationalist and Holocaust denier for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The dinner was at the request of rapper Kanye West who has now changed his name to Ye. Trump is acknowledging the dinner with the Holocaust denier whose name is Nick Fuentes. He's known for his antisemitic and racist comments. But he says -- but Trump says he didn't know who Fuentes was.

CNN National Political Reporter Maeve Reston has the details.

MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: So it's only been about a week since the former president announced that he is running again for the White House in 2024. But he's already facing controversy over some of the guests he hosted at his private Mar-a-Lago club this week. We learned from Kanye West's twitter feed that the rapper had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. And then he was accompanied by white nationalist and Holocaust denier, Nick Fuentes. West became engulfed in controversy as you guys know in October, after repeating antisemitic conspiracy theories and making other offensive claims during an appearance on a podcast. Those antisemitic remarks by West cause companies that he was affiliated with including Adidas to sever their relationships with him. But more recently, he's been spending time with Nick Fuentes, who the Anti-Defamation League has identified as a white supremacist.

Fuentes has also been banned from most major social media platforms for his white nationalist rhetoric. In the video that was posted to Twitter on Thursday, he claimed that Trump is really impressed with Fuentes. But a source familiar with the dinner told our Kristen Holmes that Fuentes was a guest of Kanye's and was not invited by the former president.

And I just want to read to you the former president statement on this on Truth Social. He said, "This past week, Kanye West called me to have dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Shortly thereafter, he unexpectedly showed up with three of his friends whom I knew nothing about. We had dinner on Tuesday evening with many members present on the back patio. The dinner was quick and uneventful. They then left for the airport."

So the former President clearly trying to distance himself here from Fuentes. But he did not ask him to leave the club, which would have of course been his right. And we've seen a Trump use this pattern of behavior before when he has been associated with controversial figures.

MARQUARDT: I did not see an apology in that explanation from the former president. Maeve Reston, thank you for that report.

Meanwhile, another political firebrand, the former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, she has lost her bid to win a seat in the House of Representatives. Palin's defeat is the latest political setback for someone who was once considered a rising star of the Republican Party.

Joining us to discuss this is Julian Zelizer, he is a CNN Political Analyst and historian, as well as professor at Princeton University. Julian, thanks so much for joining us. You just wrote a very interesting opinion piece on CNN.com. And you make the case that Sarah Palin has lost the battle but won the war.

You say, quote, "Palin's political legacy will endure. The former Alaska governor was a pivotal figure in mainstreaming a new style of Republican politics that ignored traditional guardrails. Her brand of conservative populism weaponized social and cultural outrage and mobilize working class Americans. Palin, in short, mastered Trumpism long before Donald Trump ever set foot in the White House."

So Julian, how is it that the person who arguably unleashed this phenomenon may now be out of politics?

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, she hasn't found the kind of electoral success that she's looking for. And it's unclear the kind of political legs that this kind of Republicanism has. That said, it's pretty clear how the Republican Party has changed. It didn't all start in 2017. And she was one of the figures.

I talk about Newt Gingrich has been another, who gradually changed what the Republican Party was, and open the door to a very fierce kind of reactionary populism that has been prevalent during the last few years for sure, but started a lot earlier.

MARQUARDT: Do you think this rejection of Palin by Alaska voters should serve as a warning sign to other Republicans in the same vein, like the former president who's just launched his -- he's just announced that he's running for president in 2024?

ZELIZER: It might but I think that would underestimate how deep this kind of politics is in terms of how rooted it is in the Republican Party. Parties don't change overnight. Parties won't change because of one midterm election.

[12:50:07]

My guess is, the fact they control the House will give them some sustenance. And I think it's going to take a series of election losses, meaning, many years of losing not just, I mean, one seat, but for Republicans to start to believe that they have to change their ways. I don't think the party is feeling that way right now. So, the brand that Gingrich, Palin, Trump all embody, I think is still alive and well in the party.

MARQUARDT: So even after this blow to Republicans in the midterms, you don't think that they're going to change, you don't think that they're going to be able to cast Trump aside?

ZELIZER: No, I think they might offer a different version of what we call Trumpism. And maybe that's Governor DeSantis, or maybe that's the former president trying to position himself in a different way. But as the story you started with suggests, that's going to be very hard. But I don't think the party is going to change as quickly as some observers believe.

MARQUARDT: All right, Julian Zelizer, it will be very interesting to see what happens both to the party and to Sarah Palin herself. Julian Zelizer, thank you so much for your time.

Now, the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2022 have been announced, one of whom will be named the CNN Hero of the Year by you, our viewers. So we are reintroducing each of our top 10 as you vote for your favorite. The high cost of home renovations lead this top 10 CNN Hero to discover the joy of doing projects herself. Eventually, she realized that teaching these skills to other women could help her entire community. Take a look.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to talk about putting the sheathing on the roof today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our students learn a little bit of everything, the basics, like safety, tools and materials, construction math. And then we go into hands on stuff, carpentry, electrical, plumbing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 126 and three quarters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, our program is actually solving two problems at once. We're training women for living wage paying jobs in the construction trades.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is where it gets fun.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we're also helping older adults age in place. That's really a win-win. And you get to watch something come together that you built.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That feel like it's going to work for you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Great.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's just such a feeling of accomplishment. If we don't see women out there doing this, other women, they'll never see this as an opportunity. If you can't see it, you can't be it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: Go to cnnheroes.com right now to vote for her for CNN Hero of the Year or any of your favorite top 10 heroes. We'll be right back.

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[12:57:20]

MARQUARDT: The waters off of eastern Cuba are beautiful and they're also teeming with sharks. The island nation is letting visitors swim with them for the first time to learn and help boost tourism. Patrick Oppmann takes us underwater.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Usually they are the last thing you want to see in the ocean. But sharks are the reason why we have come here to the waters off eastern Cuba. We're hoping to see the predators up close and with no cage.

Local guides say this is the only place in Cuba, perhaps one of only a handful in the world where divers can safely swim alongside bull sharks. We are taking them at their word, praying the sharks had a big breakfast. Bull sharks are considered some of the most aggressive in the world, but the ones we see seem mostly curious. Swimming around me for a closer look before gliding away.

Guide Lazaro says they want to teach visitors to respect sharks and to protect them.

The shark is the perfect machine, and the perfect predator, he says. It's inspiring, emotional and satisfying to interact with them.

Marine biologists say robust shark populations are necessary to maintain healthy coral reefs. In 2015, Cuba placed restrictions on shark fishing, one of an increasing number of countries in the Caribbean to realize that sharks are not only important to the environment, but a way to track visitors.

(on-camera): People in the Caribbean used to commonly catch and kill sharks, either for food or because they were considered a nuisance. But warmer countries in this region are now taking steps to protect sharks. It's not just about conservation, shark tourism, visitors specifically, coming to a country to dive with sharks, can generate millions of dollars in revenue.

(voice-over): Just before her first dive with sharks, Canadian tourist Carrie tells us she's been terrified of them ever since seeing jaws.

CARRIE PREVOST, DIVING WITH SHARKS: I watched the movie very young, and I was even afraid to swim in pools, let alone the ocean. So this is a challenge to overcome.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Guides spearfish to attract the sharks, but are careful to use the minimum bait necessary. They say they've never had an attack involving a climb or guide, and that people who come to dive here gain a new perspective on sharks.

It's the myth of the shark being dangerous, a man eater that is aggressive, he says. Then you manage to see a shark a meter and a half away from you. And when you come out of the water, they say, this is the best I've of my life.

The sharks we swim with are undeniably powerful and also incredibly beautiful. At the top of the food chain, but never seeming to threaten us.

(on-camera): And they said, a shot of adrenaline in your arm. They were not kidding. I wouldn't admit to being afraid, but they were very impressive creatures.

(voice-over): Creatures that there are now more and more reasons to try and protect.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Playa Santa Lucia, Cuba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)