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Sports Writer Grant Wahl Dies While Covering Quarterfinals; Jan. 6 Committee Weighs Criminal For 4 Trump Allies; U.S. Could Face A Triple-demic As Cases Of The Flu, COVID And RSV Surge; Pfizer Gets Fast Track For Combined COVID-Flu Vaccine; Putin Considers Abandoning "No First Use" Nuclear Doctrine; "Time" Names Ukraine's President Zelenskyy Person Of The Year; More Than A Game: Army-Navy. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired December 10, 2022 - 13:00   ET

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

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[13:00:22]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. And we begin this era with a miraculous victory in the World Cup. Morocco stunning Portugal one-nil to advance in the soccer tournament. Morocco becoming the first African nation to ever reach the semifinals. The last quarterfinal match between England and France begins in just under an hour.

But the jubilation of the World Cup is also being met with sadness after the tragic death of renowned sports journalist Grant Wahl. He was covering the match between Argentina and the Netherlands when he collapsed. The circumstances of his death remain unclear. While champion soccer as a sport in the U.S. for decades, but was also a fierce critic of Qatar's hosting of the World Cup and its government's human rights record.

The U.S. State Department says it is in close communication with Wahl's family during this very difficult time. For more on all of those, let's bring CNN's Don Riddell, Patrick Snell and Jennifer Hassler. Don, to you first there in Qatar. What do you know about the circumstances of Wahl's death? And what are Qatar's authorities saying?

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, the details are brief. But I guess at this point, we know enough. And to be honest, many of us have just spent the entire day trying to make sense of it. Because we were all covering the game together yesterday between Argentina and the Netherlands. We were in different parts of the stadium. But to leave the game, so enthralled with what we've witnessed.

And then a few hours later to get the news that he wasn't just sick, but he had died as absolutely knocked the stuffing out of a lot of us, I can tell you. What we do know is that he was covering the game. His actual final tweet came with the very last kick of the 90 minutes when the Netherlands scored an extraordinary equalizer. And while 80,000 people in the stadium were then absorbed by the drama that subsequently unfolded. We know from a witness that's spoken to CNN that he collapsed and the medics spent 20, 25 minutes trying to revive him. Ultimately, unsuccessfully, we do believe that he was taken to hospital in an ambulance, but he didn't survive.

We know because he's such a prolific broadcaster and podcaster and writer that he's been talking about this tournament and how it's challenged his health. It's not his first rodeo, as he put it, this was his eighth Men's World Cup tournament.

But he was -- and he said, you always get sick when you cover these. You burn the candle at both ends, you don't get much sleep, many of us in this profession will echo those thoughts and sentiments. But he admitted that he was -- his health was struggling. He admitted that, you know, he'd sought medical attention for days previously. He believed he might have had bronchitis.

But of course, he and nobody else thought it would end like this. And as I say, it's something that many people are still really struggling to come to terms with.

WHITFIELD: Understandably. Patrick, while, you know, certainly left an indelible mark on soccer and the sports world as a whole and how he would cover it and his devotion to it. So, how is he being remembered?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. You know, I was just reflecting as Don was talking now, you know, over the years, we've all spent time with Grant, we've had him on World Sport shows and always kind, always carrying, always deeply respectful, so passionate about what we routinely refer to as the beautiful game, but he really did embody that. He was the very definition of the beautiful game and taking soccer, football to outside America's borders.

You know, impactful, a pioneer for North American Soccer as a whole. The CONCACAF region as a whole, including the Caribbean. And it is no surprise to me that tributes have been coming in on this day from all over the world, not just the sport of football, but way beyond it. I do want to get first of all to the FIFA president himself, Gianni Infantino in his statement earlier on this day. That statement reading, only some days ago, Grant was recognized by FIFA for his contribution to reporting on eight consecutive FIFA World Cups.

And his career also included attendance of several FIFA Women's World Cups as well as a host of other international sporting events. His love for football was immense and his reporting will be missed by all who followed the global game.

[13:05:04]

Major League Soccer as well in a statement. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken over the tragic passing of Grant Wahl. He was kind and caring person whose passion for soccer and dedication to journalism were immeasurable. Grant was an important member of the soccer community for more than two decades. And he will be deeply missed. Our heartfelt condolences with his wife, Celine, his family and loved ones. And also, I think no greater accolade, Fred, we reflecting earlier, weren't we? The great LeBron James, you know, who Grant profiled when James was a high school athlete back in 2002. Take a listen to this, watch it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS FORWARD: He was always pretty cool to be around, he spent a lot of time in my hometown of Akron, covered me over the course of time before that shoot came out and -- or before that cover story came out. And I've always kind of watched from a distance, you know, even when I, you know, moved up in the ranks and became a professional and, you know, he kind of went to a different sport and things of that nature over the years.

Anytime, his name will come up, I'll always think back to me as a teenager and having Grant in our building down at St. Louis. So, tragic losses. Unfortunate not to lose someone as great as he was.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: That was worth right there, Fred, as great as he was. A very, very somber heavy day for us all.

WHITFIELD: Yes. It's horrible to have to talk to -- talk about him in past tense and never, you know, people, their memories are just so current and fresh. Jennifer to you now. The U.S. State Department says it's in contact with a Wahl's family. So, how are officials they're handling the situation?

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Well, Fred, they are working with the Qatari government there where the World Cup is taking place to assist the family and doing anything they can to support them during this incredibly difficult time. We heard from State Department spokesperson Ned Prize last night, I'm going to read you his tweet. He said, we were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Grant Wahl and send our condolences to his family with whom we have been in close communication.

We are engaged with senior Qatari officials to see to it that his family's wishes are fulfilled as expeditiously as possible. The White House Press Secretary this morning, Karine Jean-Pierre called him an inspiration to many and reiterated that those State Department officials are working with the local government there to help the family in whatever way they can to navigate what is going to be a very difficult process throughout this grief to make sure that they can get his body back home and try to ease that process as much as possible.

WHITFIELD: Thank you, Jennifer. And Don, you know, despite this tragedy, you know, and people are still trying to figure out what happened. I mean, really, people are very much shell shocked. The tournament, you know, carries on and we just saw a stunning result of Morocco upsetting Portugal. So, set the scene on play. You know, what is taking place there?

RIDDELL: Yes, yes. I mean, for all the grumble was critical of this country hosting this World Cup. He would never have complained about the action on the field. And it has been extraordinary and he would have loved this game. Portugal have been knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal have been knocked out for this tournament beaten by a Moroccan side that is just absolutely ripping up the rulebook.

This was just an extraordinary performance by the Atlas Lions again, beating Portugal by a goal to nil here tonight. They have just been on this incredible run throughout this tournament. They're now into the semifinals becoming the first ever African team to get this far in the World Cup. It is of course the first ever World Cup in the Middle East. Morocco are the first Arab team to get this far in a tournament.

And they're feeling like the home team now to be honest and, you know, whenever I've been speaking with the fans after their run of games, you're never just speaking to Moroccans, you're speaking to Saudis, you're speaking to Egyptians, like this football team has really united the whole Arab region, which is no mean feat. If you follow your politics, as I'm sure you do, Fred. So, it has just been absolutely remarkable.

The fans I've spoken to are not stopping here. They'll play either England or France in the semifinal. That game is going to be played later on this evening. But these fans are now thinking they can -- they can win the whole thing. I mean, frankly, the way they're playing, why not?

WHITFIELD: Just good happen. All right. It's going to be an extraordinary day, much more of football and still a very sad day with the passing of Grant Wahl. Thanks so much to all of you. Jennifer Hansler, Patrick Snell and Don Riddell, appreciate it.

So, the news of Grant Wahl's death is hitting so many, very hard. Those who followed him, his writing and those of course who knew him and that includes CNN's John Berman who has been friends with him for years.

[13:10:09]

John, so glad you could be with us on the phone. You know, this is stunning news. How did it hit you? How did you learn? And what are your thoughts?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR (via telephone): I got a text from our friend Brianna Keilar last night, as I was sitting in my living room watching T.V. and I couldn't believe it. I literally could not believe what I was reading on my phone. It's just so sad. I first met Grant in 2010 covering the World Cup in South Africa. And he was so incredibly generous to everyone around him.

To people who may not have known the game, as well as he did. And of course, if you were a sports fan at all, you knew who Grant Wahl was because he was -- until the very end, the preeminent U.S. soccer journalist in the country. But he was also just a towering Sports Illustrated writer, really one of the last great magazine writers, you know, when magazines actually used to come out in print and people used to buy them every week. He talked about the Lebron James cover story. He brought LeBron James out into the world. So, he was a towering figure in sports journalism, but just so kind, and generous. And the way he wrote about soccer, I think, reflected that he wanted everyone to be part of the beautiful game, o jogo bonito as they say in Portuguese. And he would have reveled in the fact that Morocco made it to the semifinals and the first African.

He had to make it there because he wanted it to be a global game and he wanted everyone to enjoy it. You know, so I knew Grant -- again, I met him in 2010. And then, you know, we were like texting Twitter friends, that type over the years. And he always humored me, right? I'm not -- I'm not a sports journalist, I'm a sports fan who dabbles in sports journalism. He always -- whenever I would write my crazy texts, like, oh, how come the U.S. and (INAUDIBLE) this guy, or I can't believe this game, he would always write back and make me feel good about it.

And, you know, I had texted him quite a bit. When he was at the World Cup, just telling him -- I mean, he was doing a podcast every other day. And I lived for it. I mean, I literally lived to listen to this podcast and figure out what was going on over there and to hear his reflections and to read his newsletter every week. I actually have his last podcast saved on my phone. I couldn't bring myself to listen to any recorded Thursday.

But he had been writing and talking about the fact that he was under the weather over there. That this was hard. He was 48. And I get that. I mean, either, you know, we're not as young as we used to be. And you cover these events, and it takes so much out of you. And this is taking a lot out of it. And he wasn't waiting for Sports Illustrated anymore, right?

WHITFIELD: Right. You're not sleeping, you know, you're in a different time zone. You're just working around the clock.

BEMAN: Yes. I've got a cold of getting over it. Oh, but it's just, you know, it's so sad to hear and I think everyone who came in contact with them feels the same way. Look, I actually joked with him once. I actually one of the only guys has interviewed you and your wife, his wife is Dr. Celine Gounder who just -- and helped us understand COVID. And I, you know, I would choke and cramp. Like I get to talk to both of you. How lucky am I?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

BERMAN: You know, it's just all -- you -- I was -- you watch the World Cup through his eyes. So today this morning when I was watching Morocco and Portugal was so weird, because all I want to know was what Grant thought about the game. And now we don't have them.

WHITFIELD: Yes. That's terribly sad. The phone broke up when you were mentioning. His wife that you, I have interviewed, Celine Gounder, Dr. Celine Gounder, particularly during the pandemic with her knowledge of COVID and conveying that on our air and of course, all of our hearts go out to her and this loss now of Grant Wahl. So glad, John, you could join us and tell us about your special friendship and most recent conversation with Grant. And I know so many hearts are heavy, including yours of course. John Berman, thanks so much.

Still to come. The January 6Ccommittee investigating the Capitol insurrection expects to reach a decision on criminal referrals this weekend but we'll wait until later on this month to actually make it public. We'll have the latest. And later, the U.S. could face a triple-demic act as cases of the flu, COVID and RSV surge. Many children's hospitals already overwhelmed and some local officials are considering implementing mask mandates.

I'll discuss it with an internal medicine specialist straight ahead.

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[13:18:50]

WHITFIELD: The House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot is expected to make a decision on criminal referrals during a virtual meeting tomorrow. CNN has reported that the committee is considering criminal referrals for four key Trump allies over their roles in the Capitol insurrection. The committee is planning to issue a final report before Republicans take control of the House in the next Congress.

CNN's Marshall Cohen joining me now from Washington. Marshall, good to see you. What more are you learning?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Fred, we're in the end game. The committee after almost two years of investigation is near the end. They're putting together their final written report. They're looking at December 21st as a possible release date. And as part of that report, they may announce criminal referrals to the Justice Department. As you mentioned, there'll be meeting behind closed doors virtually.

I guess a virtually closed doors on Zoom tomorrow to discuss this and probably make some decisions. Criminal referrals, possibly for Donald Trump, the former president and some of his allies, not just him, but members of his inner circle. Folks like Mark Meadows, Trump's chief of staff in the White House. John Eastman, a right-wing attorney that worked with Trump to try to pressure Vice President Pence.

[13:20:06]

Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who worked with Trump to use the DOJ to help overturn the election. And of course, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's former attorney, four men, among the group of people that this committee is thinking about sending criminal referrals for the -- to the Justice Department. But Fedricka, I want to be very clear about this. In some ways, this whole question of a criminal referral is kind of just a glorified press release.

These are politicians, not prosecutors, it will be up to the Justice Department to decide what to do with those referrals. There's already a robust January 6 investigation going on with DOJ. But nonetheless, this would be a historic moment for the committee and for the history of January 6.

WHITFIELD: Yes, indeed, Marshall. Let's also switch gears, you know, to a totally separate matter tied to the former president's handling of classified records. CNN has learned that a federal judge declined to, you know, hold Trump in contempt of court right now, during a closed-door hearing on Friday. How might this potentially be resolved?

COHEN: Fred, the headline here from this closed-door hearing yesterday was that Donald Trump won't be held in contempt with regards to this investigation of the documents that were taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago. So, no contempt for Donald Trump at this moment. This whole question is about a subpoena that was issued in May, the Justice Department demanding back in May that Trump turned over any classified documents that remained in his possession at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump's team gave back a dozen documents or so but as we know now, that wasn't everything. There were dozens of additional documents that the Justice Department and the FBI ultimately found when they searched the premises. You can see some of them on your screen here. They searched in August, which basically left prosecutors wondering, well, did the Trump team intentionally withhold these documents?

Was -- were they trying to deceive the investigators? Trying to obstruct the investigation? They wanted to punish him hold him in contempt. The judge declined, but the investigation Fred, still continues under the purview of Special Counsel Jack Smith.

WHITFIELD: All right. But as you, you know, use those operative words, it's at this point. All right. Marshall Cohen, thank you so much.

All right. Coming up. The U.S. could face a tripledemic as cases of the flu, COVID and RSV surge in New York City. Health officials are urging residents to use face masks when indoors or in crowds. That's straight ahead.

[13:27:12]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. New numbers show a dramatic surge in flu cases in the week right after Thanksgiving. The CDC says more than a third of the hospitalizations and deaths. This flu season occurred in just the last week. About 80 percent of beds are in use nationwide. But it isn't just flu that is pushing many hospitals around the country to the brink, it's a triple threat rather of COVID and RSV infections as well.

And now New York City and the CDC are encouraging people to once again put their masks on when they are in crowds. Brynn Gingras is on the story for. So, Brynn, what are New York officials saying?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, you know, they're saying this is a complex challenge right now precisely for what you just mentioned that triple threat of COVID-19, the flu and RSV cases and hospitalizations. Let me read particular to New York Department of Health what they said. The number of laboratory- confirmed flu cases has nearly tripled over the past three weeks and flu hospitalizations have more than doubled. In addition, COVID-19 continues to pose a significant threat particularly for unvaccinated or under vaccinated New Yorkers as the virus remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. So, there is a lot going on, not just in New York. But of course, all across the country. This city in New York City as well as Seattle, they're saying, hey, let's put the masks back on if you are feeling sick, if you are immunocompromised, if you maybe have children in the house, it's not a mandate.

It's just an advisory to slow down the spread. But you talked about those hospitalizations, Fred, that there's just the highest that we've seen since earlier this year when the Omicron surge was happening. Well, if you think about the flu, that's actually surging even more out of the three viruses. According to the CDC, 26 hospitalizations for flu for every 100,000 people and that's the most are the highest in more than a decade.

So really, the advice here is to take precautions, wear a mask if you can and stay up on your vaccines, if possible, to stop this spread ahead of the -- of course, end of the year festivities and into the New Year, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. All good advice. Brynn Gingras, thanks so much. All right. Dr. Jorge Rodriguez is a board-certified internal medicine specialist and a viral researcher. So good to see you, Doctor. So, based on what we just heard, you know, should we all expect to see another surge after the holidays?

DR. JORGE RODRIGUEZ, BOARD-CERTIFIED INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST: Absolutely. Well, we're seeing another surge now, Fred. I mean -- and that's what really needs to be sort of drummed home is the fact that we are now in a precarious situation with this perfectly imperfect infectious storm. The flu is skyrocketing more than it has in 10 years and COVID is not over.

[13:30:00]

And so many people are not getting vaccinated that, right now, as was stated, hospitals are almost at 80 percent capacity throughout the United States and 90 percent in some cities.

If you don't think this affects you because you may not have the flu or COVID, just imagine, god forbid, you may have a heart attack or you may be pregnant and have to go to the hospital because of early labor, and those hospitals are full.

So this affects everybody whether you are ill with the flu and COVID or RSV at this time or not.

WHITFIELD: Then how much of an impact do you believe a return to wearing masks might have?

RODRIGUEZ: Well, I have always been in favor of people just maintaining their masks in crowded areas, whether there appears to be a lot of COVID or not, because once we sound the alarm like now, it's a little late. So I think that using a proper mask, an N-95 or KN-95 in ICHB door

areas or crowded areas is essential. Folks, it's not a big deal, especially if it can save your life and those of ones you love.

L.A. is just like New York. We're at the point of instilling again a mask mandate because it is so critical now with hospitalizations and with the percentage of infections.

WHITFIELD: Right. In fact, Los Angeles County is now at the highest community level for COVID-19, but no mask mandate, you know, is required as the county, you know, has not hit all the three indicators that would trigger they're policy.

So, at the rate things are going, do you expect the public health director, Barbara Ferrer, to reinstate some to sort of indoor masking there?

RODRIGUEZ: If appropriate. I definitely expect Dr. Ferrer will instill a mask mandate probably within the next one to two weeks. That is where the trajectory of hospitalizations and infected people in Los Angeles is going.

And it probably is going to skyrocket over the next few weeks. We have Hanukkah, we have Christmas, we have New Year's where people congregate.

So, you know, a word to the wise, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure right now.

WHITFIELD: All right. There's also a shortage. You know, with all of this, there's that shortage of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. And those are great tools to help bring fevers down for -- especially for our little people.

So what's your advice to parents? When they cannot find that on the shelves of their nearest pharmacy, what can they do?

RODRIGUEZ: Well, first of all, if the fever becomes very high, over 102, 103, call your pediatrician or physician. Otherwise, good old- fashioned remedies to try to lower the fever. Putting ice on the child's forehead, their armpits intermittently.

That will lower someone's fever temporarily, even though obviously acetaminophen or any of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories like Advil will do it more systemically.

For the time being, lowering a high fever that potentially can cause seizures in children can be lowered gentle placement of ice in certain locations.

WHITFIELD: OK.

And we're also learning that Pfizer's two-in-one flu and COVID vaccine now has fast track from the FDA. Others vaccine makers are also working on theirs. How valuable will it be to have that kind of combo vaccine? RODRIGUEZ: Yes. I think it would be an excellent addition, you know,

to our armament of things we have available.

And just as an aside for people, you can get the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine given to you, two different shots, at the same time.

So I think it will lend to most people's, you know, ease to just get one shot and kill two birds with one stone.

WHITFIELD: And we're also learning the COVID vaccine will now be allowed for children as young as 6 months old. Do you believe parents will be taking advantage of that in a big way?

RODRIGUEZ: I do. I believe that the parents that have been waiting for that are going to be taking advantage of that. We have a 2-and-a-half- year-old niece, you know, and my in-laws were waiting impatiently for that.

Listen, I just recommend that all parents do this for their children. And even though people think, hey, you know, kids are going to survive it, we don't know yet the long-term effects of long COVID.

And if you get something as a child, it may have much more permanent damages later on as the child grows.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, great to see you. Thank you so much.

RODRIGUEZ: Thanks, Fred. Have a good day.

WHITFIELD: You, too.

[13:34:51]

All right, still to come, President Vladimir Putin says he is considering changing Russia's current doctrine that it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict. Details straight ahead.

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WHITFIELD: Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, is raising the threat of a potential nuclear strike for the second time this week. This time, suggesting that Russia may formally change its current military doctrine that prevents the country from being the first to use nuclear weapons during conflict.

CNN's Sam Kiley has the latest from Kyiv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: From the Ukrainian perspective, the latest statement coming from Vladimir Putin on his consideration to change Russian doctrine in terms of the use of nuclear weapons from purely defensive in his words to what he describes as the American option for preemptive action is being treated with a degree of indifference. They are used to Vladimir Putin's techniques here. They'll recall that

just a few days ago it was Vladimir Putin himself who said that the Russian nuclear arsenal was purely defensive and would never be used in a first-use strike.

[13:40:07]

And, indeed, had not been used to, in his words, "hold a knife to the throat of people around the world."

As far as Ukraine is concerned and, indeed, the international community, you'll recall earlier on over the last year or so that in the middle of this war, if we consider this now nearly a year old this year, about six months in, Vladimir Putin and his people were starting to hint at the possible use of nuclear weapons, possibly even a tactical nuclear weapon. That is a battlefield weapon.

He's now saying that it is on the table for consideration that Russia might actually adopt the option of a first strike with a nuclear weapon.

Now, he's also saying -- and I think this is more important, Fredricka -- that he is looking at the technological edge that Russia claims to have over the United States.

Specifically the United States, and specifically when it comes to what they call these hypersonic missiles, these more than supersonic, very much more than supersonic missiles that we used they say at the early stages of the invasion of Ukraine.

Now, in that context, that is a barely veiled threat and his threat about a threat, which is the reconsideration of the doctrine of nuclear weapons, is all part, as far as the Ukrainians are concerned, Fredricka, of this ongoing stirring of the pot.

Creating doubt, keeping the opposition, whether it's the United States or the Kyiv government, on the wrong foot as far as the Kremlin is concerned -- Fredricka?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Sam Kiley, thanks so much.

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has been the public face of the war with Russia and defying threats against him to continue to make public appearances and give updates on the state of the war.

And now "Time" magazine has named him its Person of the Year for 2022.

Simon Shuster is a correspondent for "Time" and he wrote the article for the year-end edition.

And it will be a year, Simon, in February, since Russia invaded Ukraine. You have been on top of this all the way through. You've had probably more conversations and interactions with Zelenskyy than anybody else. So, what did you want to make sure was included in this year-end piece

about him?

SIMON SHUSTER, CORRESPONDENT, "TIME" MAGAZINE: I think the focus of the piece tries to give readers, you know, a kind of backstage look of what his life has been like and how he has changed as a leader, as a person, but also how he understands victory, what victory would mean to him and where he sees the war going.

As you mentioned, the access we've had throughout the invasion has been really amazing. Zelenskyy and his team have been more generous in letting me kind of a fly on the wall and observe them.

So for this piece we got to travel with him by train to the city of Kherson in the south that had just been liberated from the Russians about two days before we arrived.

So the piece really kind of takes you inside his world now about nine, ten months into the war.

WHITFIELD: And of course, Zelenskyy wants this invasion to be over. But what were his impressions of being named Person of the Year?

SHUSTER: Yes. He said it's very strange. He was appreciative. But he said essentially it's too early to make these historical judgments about his actions and his success as a leader.

He said I'm not done yet, I'm not done with this great, important action that I'm trying to achieve for Ukraine, and history will be our judge later on.

And as we continued talking, it became clear that the action he meant wasn't just the war, it wasn't just some kind of battlefield victory or returning pieces of Ukrainian territory from Russian occupation.

He made clear that he wants to end the kind of historical cycle of Russian suppression, subjugation, violence that has been committed against Ukraine by Russia for generations, as he sees it, since long before President Zelenskyy was alive.

So he sees this as a historical cycle that's been very damaging to Ukraine, but he's intent on stopping that while he's president.

WHITFIELD: You've been on the ground there from the very beginning. It will be a year, you know, come February. And what we have seen, what the world has seen is a resiliency, you know, in the people of Ukraine.

And I wonder maybe even, you know, more recently in the time that you are there, are you seeing that people are getting more weary or are they just as steadfast in this resiliency and this fight to keep what is theirs?

[13:45:06]

SHUSTER: Well, in their private moments, I think there's a -- it leaves a trace. So people do feel the fear. They feel the concern certainly about this winter because the Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure that we've all been seeing on the ground in Kyiv.

It's more than an inconvenience there to lose heat, power, water, right. This goes on for days. It really wears you down.

You know, morally, it also is dangerous because the cold gets so severe in Ukraine during winter that they're people could freeze to death, you know, especially in these tall apartment buildings and big cities across Ukraine.

It's very hard to do anything. You can't build a campfire in your apartment on the 20th floor.

So I think people, as they stare down the next months of winter, they are deeply concerned about how that's going to go and how they're going to cope.

But outwardly, if you sort of stop people on the street, the first response is always going to be, we'll be fine, we're going to get through it. They're very gung ho.

The conversations you overhear in the streets, and you have people at cafes, is, where are you going to get your diesel generator? What are you going to do for firewood? Are you stocking up on blankets?

These kinds of things that people talk about, about how they're going to cope. That's what they're focused on. Not giving in to despair and depression but finding ways to cope.

WHITFIELD: Tell us about the photographer you've been working with. We've interviewed him a few times as well.

Help us understand, through his pictures, what the story -- the stories that are being told either, you know, in concert with the words of the stories, you know, that you were telling or perhaps even as a stand-alone.

SHUSTER: Well, Maxime and I have been friends for about eight years now. We met during the revolution in Ukraine in 2014.

And we've covered the war ever since it started that spring, ever since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexed Crimea, took over parts of eastern Ukraine.

So we've been covering the war pretty consistently together side by side throughout that period. So it was a real privilege and a lot of fun and great to have him for this assignment as well.

I think the wealth of his experience and his archive of photography going back, you know, all those years and throughout this year of the invasion.

And now we're able again to travel with President Zelenskyy and really get that intimate look into his world. I think it lends another dimension to Maxime's photography. And it's just amazing to see how rich and thorough his work is in covering this war.

WHITFIELD: Simon Shuster, thanks to you.

And our thanks to Maxime as well for always being available and helping us really be there and experience the storytelling.

And congratulations on the cover story of this Person of the Year.

SHUSTER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[13:52:44]

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Go Army.

CROWD: Beat Navy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, that says it all. America's game is back in the city where this country was founded, Philadelphia.

And our Coy Wire is there.

Coy, both sides saying they wait 364 days every year for this day. So explain what this means to everybody.

WIRE: I played in NFL playoffs games. I played in the Rose Bowl in college. But I have never been part of something as magical as the Army/Navy game.

(CHEERING)

WIRE: Dating back to the 1890s.

(CHEERING)

WIRE: It honors the best and brightest that America has to offer.

It is said the young men who play this game are willing to sacrifice their lives with everyone who is watching.

I'm here with a special group of alumni from Army and Navy.

This is Dr. Benny White, a receiver at Army, a 1987 graduate. Now Councilman White. He's running for mayor in Naperville.

Tell me what makes this special. BENNY WHITE, U.S. ARMY, RETIRED: I tell you, this is the 123rd meeting

between the two teams. It's a special, special game especially for the players.

Oftentimes for the seniors it's the last opportunity to go show their stuff off. It is an amazing opportunity.

It is great to be doing it now as a fan more or less. I get to see this side of it and be around with our great alumni from the naval academy and so on. It's a great, great day.

WIRE: It's a special honor and privy to watch. You see he people who flood in from all over the country. Troops put down what they're doing overseas to watch the young men compete.

I'm here with Rich Abramson, and he served 23 years in the Naval Academy.

RICH ABRAMSON, U.S. NAVY, RETIRED: Navy. Navy. Lift it.

WIRE: What makes this game so special.

ABRAMSON: We have a lot of mutual respect for each other. We're all here for each other. The guy next to you might be Army or Air Force. We fight together, live together, and we die together. We understand that. We appreciate it.

WIRE: Yes, sir.

(CROSSTALK)

WIRE: That's what it's all about.

This young man looks like he can still play. He played tight-end back in the day.

Your name and year you served

[13:55:02]

ROB DICKERSON, U.S. ARMY, RETIRED: Hey, I'm Rob Dickerson, retired in 2017. Did 30 years.

Teammate, teammate. What makes this game America's game, I got my teammates. I got my neighbors. I got my son. I got my friends, daughters. Everybody loves this game. It's America's game.

Go Army, beat Navy!

(CHEERING)

(SINGING)

WIRE: I was wondering why he was warming up.

(CHEERING) WIRE: It is the --

(CHEERING)

WIRE: The 123rd Army/Navy game.

(CHEERING)

WIRE: This is America's game --

WHITFIELD: All right.

WIRE: -- honoring our nation's best and brightest.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: I love it. Go, America!

All right, thanks, Coy.

That is so fun. Wish I were there. Maybe next time. Onto Philly.

And now this quick reminder. Don't miss an all-new "THIS IS LIFE." A large part of Los Angeles's homeless people suffer from mental illness. Hear from those on the street and the families trying to save them. An all-new Lisa Ling, tomorrow night at 10:00 right here on CNN.

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)