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WNBA Star Brittney Griner Released In Prisoner Swap With Russia; House Passes Senate-Approved Bill Protecting Same-Sex Marriage. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired December 08, 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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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM.

After nearly 10 months behind bars in Russia, WNBA star Brittney Griner is on her way back home. President Biden announced the high- profile prisoner swap this morning with Griner's wife beside him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She's safe. She's on a plane. She's on her way home. After months of being unjustly detained in Russia and held under untolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Now, you'll recall, Griner was detained at a Russian airport in February after cannabis oil was found in her suitcase. She was convicted and sentenced to nine years that are hard labor prison camp. In exchange, Russia secured the release of convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout. Administration officials say it took months of negotiations to get here. Now, the swap did not include Paul Whelan, another American the State Department has declared wrongfully detained in Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERELLE GRINER. BRITTNEY GRINER'S WIFE: We do understand that there are still people out here who are enduring what I endured the last nine months of missing tremendously their loved ones. So, thank you, everybody, for your support. And today, it's just a happy day for me and my family. So, I'm going to smile right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: A big smile from Cherelle Griner there. Well, CNN has just spoken to Paul Whelan exclusively from his prison cell. We'll have more on that in just a moment. But first, let's bring in CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood and CNN Chief White House Correspondent Phil Mattingly. So, Kylie, from all the reporting that we've gathered, these negotiations are wrapped up in just the past 48 hours. Walk us through what happened.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. So, this has been months in the works. You'll remember that CNN reported over the summer that the United States -- Biden administration put an offer on the table for both Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner as part of that trading Viktor Bout, this convicted arms trafficker. But what they ended up with today wasn't that initial proposal. It is a different form of that with Paul Whelan remaining back in Russia and Brittney Griner being freed for Viktor Bout. And U.S. officials today are very clearly saying that this was the only option. That over the course of the last few weeks as the United States and Russia were going back and forth, it became clear that they had to move on this deal.

Secretary of State, he was in the Oval Office today when Cherelle Griner had a chance to speak with Brittney Griner. He called that an unforgettable experience to listen to the two of them talking. He spoke about why the Biden administration moved on this deal when it meant bringing Brittney Griner home but also meant leaving Paul Whelan in Russia for now. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This was not a choice of which American to bring home. The choice was one or none. We will never relent until Paul. And for that matter. Every other U.S. national held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad is free and coming home and joining their families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ATWOOD: Now, he also said that the U.S. officials put every possible offer on the table with Russia to also try and secure Whelan's release, but he said that wasn't possible in this moment. Now, U.S. officials are clearly saying that they will try to get Whelan home as quickly as possible. They'll stay focused on that. But for now, they're elated that Brittney Griner is on her way home. She should be in the United States in the next 24 hours.

And they're also thanking the United Arab Emirates because it was UAE, the Abu Dhabi, where Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout were actually exchanged today. And I spoke with a UAE official who said that the meeting earlier this year between the president of the UAE and President Putin is one of the reasons that Brittney Griner is on her way home today, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, backchannel negotiations there.

ATWOOD: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: Phil, let me get you to weigh in here because clearly, the White House has learned a lesson or two following the release of Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan's family not being involved or given a head-up prior to that. We know this was a delicate balance, obviously, a great day having Brittany coming home, but also that sobering that Paul is not there with her. And they have been very sensitive about reaching out to his family and letting them know that he is still top of mind.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's truly -- it's a great point because of the both progression and evolution you've seen, really over the course of multiple administrations but even within this administration over the course of their 22 months at the office when it comes to dealing with those delicate situations.

[14:05:06]

And keep in mind, President Biden and his team which Kylie and her colleague, Jenny Hansler, covered so extraordinarily well when it comes to hostage situations, they brought several home over the course of the last several months. You know that Trevor Reed had been swapped from Venezuela as well, and others. Brittney Griner serving as the latest in really what you've seen is a bit of a shift in strategy.

But part of that strategy is making sure families are as in the loop as they possibly can be. Something that those families made clear early on in this administration. They felt like those efforts had fallen short. In the lead-up to this announcement, senior U.S. officials had spoken to members of the Whelan family. President Biden is prepared to speak to members of the Wayland family. When they communicate, that there's a right time for that.

Now, President Biden acknowledged that this decision to secure the release of Brittney Griner without the ability to secure the release of Paul Whelan was a difficult one. Administration officials call it painful to some degree. But they also noted that there was a very clear difference in how Russian officials were treating the two individuals which led them to this point. This was how President Biden framed it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: For totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul's case differently than Brittney's. And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul's release, we are not giving up. We will never give up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: I will note there has been no sense of what any potential pathways forward are if there are other potential deals on the table at this point in time, but administration officials make clear that on this day was such positive happy news for one former detainee. On another's case, they very clearly still have a lot of work to do.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Paul Whelan has been detained for nearly four years now, wrongfully detained in Russia. Phil, Kylie, thanks to both of you.

We're here to discuss with CNN contributor and sports broadcaster Cari Champion, and David Sanger, CNN political and national security analyst. He's also a New York Times White House and national security correspondent. Thank you both for joining us.

Cari, let me begin with you because clearly, this has been such an ordeal for the Griner family. And I'm just curious, in your view, how important was this public push by her family and the pressure by the WNBA as well on the Biden administration to make sure that this case was front and center and that they were on television and giving as many interviews as possible? How big of an impact do you think that had in her release ultimately?

CARI CHAMPION, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that's why she's home. I think that's why she's on her way home. You remember in the beginning when she was detained, February 17. There was a messaging that was simple.

Let's not talk about it. She's in Russia. She's been playing basketball there for nearly a decade. Let's see if we can bring her home quietly. Let's see if we can get this worked out quietly without bringing any type of you know, I don't know, shame to the league. And her wife said no, that this is not how it's going to go, with the help of her agent and in the WNBA.

These women were so dedicated to keeping her name in the headlines and keeping her image everywhere. And they didn't have to do it. They risked a lot to do it. There were some pushback. And they said, no, we are here for our sister.

And just in terms of context, everyone is now debating whether or not it was Brittney versus this person or other wrongfully detained Americans, I really appreciate the fact that the messaging from her camp has always been, let's bring Brittney home, but let's also bring home every wrongfully detained American all over this world. And if they did not, and I'm referring to the WNBA, and I'm referring to her family and her loved ones, get in contact with people, lawmakers, politicians, people who had pool, I don't think we would have seen her here.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

CHAMPION: When she was sentenced and moved to a penal colony, I didn't think December, less than a month later, she'd be here. I don't know about anyone else. I had no hope. And this is such a hopeful day. I do want to add that. This is a hopeful day for so many people.

GOLODRYGA: It is, indeed, a hopeful day. David, you'll probably agree with me. You and I both have been following Vladimir Putin and Russian politics in general. As soon as she was sent to that penal colony, I was really concerned and lost all hope that she would be home anytime soon. And yet, here we are.

CHAMPION: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: David, it's interesting because the White House has been very public about how frustrated they were in these negotiations. And in many times, they said that Russia was not negotiating in good faith. And yet all of this came about in the last 48 hours. What do you think changed in terms of the Kremlin's approach to this situation? DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, first, it is a great day. And as you heard Secretary Blinken say and the president say, any day you can get an American home is a huge victory. This one came at some cost, as everyone in the White House has acknowledged because they had to give up the one man who Vladimir Putin wanted the most, Viktor Bout, the world's most notorious arms dealer at a time that Russia is having a hard time getting arms to prosecute the war in Ukraine, and they had to exchange him for somebody who they had wrongly detained on what was clearly a trumped- up charge.

[14:10:17]

And so, the White House have gone into this talking about Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan in the same sentence at all times. Like, you know, the two of them alone wouldn't even equal giving up a proven arms dealer like Bout but that they were clearly willing to do it. And in the end, as the president said, and as you heard Secretary Blinken say, they didn't have a choice between the two. They had to take the offer on the table or take nothing. And they took the offer on the table.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And on the note, Paul Whelan, this being a bittersweet day just because he still remains behind bars in Russia and his health is of concern, as well.

SANGER: In four years. Yes, one more time.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, for four years now approaching. he Had spoken to our Jennifer Hansler in an exclusive CNN interview today following the news of the release of Brittney Griner. And here's what he said. Let's play it for you.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

PAUL WHELAN, AMERICAN DETAINED IN RUSSIA: I don't understand why I'm still sitting here. I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. They've always considered me to be at a higher level than other criminals of my sort. And for whatever reason, I'm treated differently than another individual here from a Western country that's also on a charge of espionage.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: And as we noted, the United States officially declares him as somebody who was unlawfully imprisoned in Russia, even though Russia has charged him with espionage. So, David, what more can the United States do in terms of offering something clearly Russia believes they have some leverage by keeping him?

SANGER: Well, this was the debate that President Biden had to go through internally because he knew that once he had turned over Viktor Bout, he had turned over the best card the United States had to play. So, the question is, is there anything you could offer the Russians that would make up for this? Well, I -- you -- the U.S. could go out and arrest some spies and, you know, try to trade them. But the U.S. has argued that Paul Whelan never was a spy. So, that would not be a reasonable way to go.

It's possible, I imagine. I don't know, that what the Russians are looking for here is to start up a bigger conversation about Ukraine with President Biden. He said at a press conference not long ago that he was willing to have at least some limited conversation. And maybe they think it is a swap for something related to the Ukraine war, territory, ceasefire, something like that, in which Paul Whelan would be, you know, the unspoken trade-off. I think that would be a really hard thing for the U.S. to do, especially because they've said, as you know, nothing about Ukraine without the Ukrainians.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Cari, before we let you go, you know, one could argue that Brittney celebrity helped elevate this cause. And given what a recognized figure she was, it was a situation that was that garnered a lot of attention. On the other hand, though, now that she's coming home, we know, it -- I mean, we can only imagine actually, what the mental strain has been on her, physically, emotionally, and now she's going to need some privacy. Are you worried at all that she's not going to be able to get that privacy in that time that she needs right now to heal with her family?

CHAMPION: Yes. I think that's beautifully said. I don't believe that we can really, truly understand. We woke up this morning and we felt like this was great news. So, imagine the hope that she has now because I'm pretty sure when she does decide to talk about this, she'll tell you, she didn't have much hope. She does have celebrity, but we must remember that there was messaging early on that -- I mean, she's really not that much of a superstar considering the sport that she plays and her gender.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

CHAMPION: What I am noticing now is that what she was able to do, not of her own volition, but what she was able to do with her calls was bring more attention to women's sports, right? And this is not trivializing what's happening but she was able to do that.

And she also was able to put what I like to say a human aspect on something that so many people never pay attention to. And so, when she gets home, I can only imagine that she'll try to have some time with her family. But I think the recovery begins right now and it's going to be long, it's going to be hard, it's going to be difficult.

[14:15:03]

And I think that if she's even able to return to playing in the WNBA, that will be a win. I'm not hopeful that this -- that this won't take much of who she is. The Brittney who left on February 17, it's not the Brittney returning today.

GOLODRYGA: It is a win that she's returning and that says it all and she has so much such a big support system here waiting for her. Cari Champion, the host of the Cari Champion show on Prime Video, David Sanger of The New York Times, thank you so much for joining us.

SANGER: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: And joining me now is Ekaterina Kotrikadze. She's the news director and anchor for TV Rain. That was the only independent Russian-language channel now broadcasting on YouTube and exile in Latvia, you have since left Russia after being deemed a foreign agent. Katya, thank you so much for joining us. So, let me quickly ask you, why do you think Vladimir Putin -- you followed Russian politics so closely, why would he agree to this deal now?

EKATERINA KOTRIKADZE, NEWS DIRECTOR & ANCHOR, TV RAIN: Well, because, Bianna, he thinks that this is the right time. He needs some political bonuses. I would not look at this situation as a signal for the negotiations, on Ukraine negotiations with the United States, on bigger issues, or something like that. This is not something that we need to take as a first step for the better relationships between Moscow and Washington. This is something very different.

In -- on this particular stage, at this particular moment, Vladimir Putin needs Viktor Bout to be back home. And he can use him. He can show him as a victory to his -- to his own electorate, to the citizens of the Russian Federation because, you know, lately, there are no victories for Russia at all. You cannot see anything on the front. You can see that Russia is on a -- in a very bad shape, in terms of war, in terms of politics, in terms of sanctions, economy, everything is almost ruined. So, he needs something to -- you know, to show to his constituents like see --

GOLODRYGA: Takes credits.

KOTRIKADZE: Here is Viktor Bout. We've been talking about him for so long, and now he's home.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, it's really telling that he would be broadcasting and championing a convicted drug dealer.

KOTRIKADZE: Absolutely.

GOLODRYGA: But clearly, he is characterized differently inside Russia with their propaganda. Why do you think Paul Whelan was not included here?

KOTRIKADZE: Because Russia would never agree to the two for one person, two Americans for one Russian citizen. Russia was negotiating, as you may know, Bianna, to the -- for the two citizens of Russian Federation coming back home and two citizens of United States. And it was impossible because of different reasons. So, that's why they would never -- I mean because Putin would look badly if he -- if he would exchange two representatives of the United States for one Russian citizen. That's why he would never do that.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

KOTRIKADZE: He wants to be on the same -- on the same level as Joseph Biden. And this whole war and this whole disaster is partly because of this. Because he wants to be, you know, the same level of a politician as the American president.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And now you know he's been viewed as a global pariah. Katya, before we let you go, your network has had quite the setback this week. You and your colleagues have been working there in exile in Latvia and you lost your licensing there in Latvia when one of your colleagues was on air and appear to say that he was offering his support for Russian soldiers. Now, you subsequently fired him but that did not keep you on-air there. A lot of Ukrainians have now lost a lot of support in your broadcast, what can you do to gain back their trust?

KOTRIKADZE: We will try our best. We have apologized several times. TV Rain has fired a person who did this huge unacceptable mistake. For us, the reputation is the main thing that we really think is most important for TV Rain. And we will keep on working. We will try to get back the license or maybe get another license in a different European country.

But this episode, it taught us a lot, Bianna, honestly. But still, we know that it doesn't mean that we have -- that we are different now. We always -- we are against this war, we have always been against this war, and we inform Russians who are still in Russia, and we will keep on working, definitely. And thank you for asking that.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. I guess Latvia said three strikes, you're out. Kind of warning for you. I think there had been some other mistakes you did.

KOTRIKADZE: It's not --

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

KOTRIKADZE: Well, it's unjust -- it's unjust. It's unfair, but it's -- but we're going to -- we're going to keep on working. We were fine.

GOLODRYGA: All right. Well, Katya Kotrikadze, thank you so much for your time and your perspective. We appreciate it.

KOTRIKADZE: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, a historic vote the House just passed a landmark bill protecting same-sex marriage. We're live on the Hill straight ahead.

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GOLODRYGA: A milestone for same-sex marriage in Washington today to the cheers of lawmakers.

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REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D-CA): The motion is adopted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Nancy Pelosi there, gleeful, that one of the last bills under her speakership is the Respect for Marriage Act. 39 Republicans voted with Democrats to pass the measure which the Senate approved last week. And President Biden said he will sign the bill promptly once he receives it. This expected federal law came up because Democrats feared same-sex marriage could be at risk since it's based on the same right to privacy used in the Roe v. Wade, which the Supreme Court overturned this past summer in that decision.

[14:25:07]

CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju has the latest from Capitol Hill. So, Manu, we should note this bill does not legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. So, tell us exactly what it does.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it does. It requires states to recognize another state's legally valid marriage. This -- you're right, does not set a national standard. But essentially what does is repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act which defined marriage between a man and a woman, also denied -- allowed some states to deny other states' same-sex marriage. This will -- now because of this legislation, which will go into law when Joe Biden signs, that will no longer be allowed.

It would also as some exemptions for religious organizations who may not want to perform a same-sex marriage. They don't have to worry about their tax-exempt status being revoked. That was a compromise that Democrats and Republicans struck in order to win over GOP support. In the Senate, 12 Republicans broke ranks and supported in the Senate, got it over the finish line there. And then today in the House, where 39 Republicans joined and supported a bill that had 258 votes in the affirmative.

Now, in speaking to one congressman, Congressman Mark Pocan, who is gay and who is married, he defended the compromises that were made. And he also said gay couples no longer need to be worried about the Supreme Court potentially targeting their marriages.

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RAJU: Did you hear a lot of concerns from your friends? Did you have concerns that the court could come and ruin -- you know essentially nullify your marriage?

REP. MARK POCAN, (D-WI): The next day, I was getting calls and texts from people worried that their marriage could be taken away. And it's because rightfully so, we've watched it's been a tough period to get that far. That's why this was very significant to have done. And now we don't have to worry about a court looking at the law and interpreting it a different way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: So, 169 no votes in this bill, those are all Republican votes, including the Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy. I did ask him why he voted against it. He didn't respond, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Still notable that there were Republicans who voted in favor of this. A truly historic day for them, for lawmakers in Washington, and for the country. Manu Raju, thank you.

Joining me now is Congressman Ritchie Torres. He stood by Speaker Pelosi there in the pink tie that he's still wearing as he signed the Respect for Marriage Act in a ceremony earlier today. Torres is the first openly gay black member of Congress, and he is the co-chair of the congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. Now, he presided over the debate on the Respect for Marriage Act earlier today.

Representative Torres, thank you so much for joining us. First, I have to begin by asking you what was that moment like for you. What is this day been like for you?

REP. RITCHIE TORRES, (D-NY): It has been emotionally overwhelming. I mean, there's nothing more gratifying than affirming your own equality in the chamber of the United States Congress. You know, I grew up in public housing living in fear of coming out of the closet, struggling to come to terms with my sexuality. And I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would become a member of Congress and have the honor of opening and presiding of the debate for the Respect for Marriage Act. So, this is a deeply empowering moment for me, as the first Afro- Latino LGBTQ member of Congress.

GOLODRYGA: What role and your view to the overturning of Roe by the Supreme Court have in jumpstarting this historic legislation?

TORRES: We are not legislating in a vacuum. The Respect for Marriage Act comes as a response to the right-wing judicial activism of the Supreme Court. You know, the United States Congress is doing for the right to marriage what we should have done for the right to an abortion. We're enshrining it in federal law, in order to protect it from the whims of the Supreme Court.

Clarence Thomas has said publicly that he is on a mission to overturn cases protecting the right to privacy, the rights to marriage, the right to intimacy. And so instead of waiting passively and allowing our rights to be stripped away, we are harnessing the power of federal law to protect those rights.

GOLODRYGA: And the power of voters and the country and the direction that it's moving in. I mean, 39 House Republicans, 12 Republican senators signed on to the bill. The New York Times has a piece talking about what was happening behind the scenes, the big impetus and the multimillion-dollar push by gay leaders, influential donors who were calling these senators and saying this is the right thing for them to do not just morally, but politically. What does that tell you about the direction the country is headed in?

TORRES: Look, it sends a powerful message that the long arc of American history bends toward LGBTQ equality. You know, as I was presiding over the debate, you know, I would say to the Republican opposition, your time has expired, and I meant that in more ways than one. The Republican opposition to LGBTQ equality has expired. It's a relic of the past and we're moving in the direction of ensuring that every American has an equal right to marry under federal law.

GOLODRYGA: This is coming as we've seen an uptick in crimes against the LGBTQ community.

TORRES: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: Obviously, the nightclub there in Colorado.