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Argentina Defeats France To Be World Cup Champions; January 6 Committee Expected To Make Criminal Referrals Against Trump; Migrant Border Crossings Surge Ahead Of Title 42 Repeal. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired December 18, 2022 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:23]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

And we begin in Qatar with the thrill of victory for Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi, World Cup champions at last.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

ACOSTA: That was the moment in Buenos Aires, pure euphoria as the nation brings home the championship for the first time in more than 35 years.

It was a hard-fought game against France, 90 regular minutes, two overtime periods and finally a shootout to seal the deal for Argentina. For Messi it was a swan song like no other, the 35-year-old playing in his last World Cup.

Let's go to CNN, Don Riddell in Qatar.

Don, I was on the edge of my seat. I suspect much of the world was as well. What was it like on your end of things? Just incredible to see how this one played out? This was a real classic for the ages, it seems.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT HOST: Yes, you know, I've just witnessed history. I think I've just witnessed destiny and I might just have witnessed the best football match, or the best soccer match of all time. It was absolutely incredible.

There was a point in extra time where honestly, I didn't know whether I was going to laugh or cry and I wasn't cheering for either the team so can you imagine what it must have been like to be an Argentine or a French fan in this stadium.

It looked as though Argentina had this one in the bag and Lionel Messi was going to fulfill his destiny, finally getting his hands on the World Cup trophy that has eluded him throughout his career because he has won everything else.

But the French seem to come from nowhere and turned the game around, towards the end, then Argentina went back in front with another goal from Lionel Messi and then France equalized again with a hattrick from their megastar, Kylian Mbappe, and then it went to penalties.

And by the end of it, I mean it really took us a good minute to really process what we had just witnessed. And it wasn't just the drama and the entertainment, which was so compelling. It was all these other storylines.

Mbappe is an extraordinary young man. He came within a whisker of two world titles at the age of 23. That's Pele territory. But as it is, it is Lionel Messi that is the star of the show, and this is a moment that means so much to him and all of Argentina.

ACOSTA: Absolutely, Don. It was heartbreaking for France. I mean, Mbappe, as you were saying a few moments ago had just an amazing game, that hattrick as you mentioned, but you know, we're looking at some pictures right now of Messi holding up the trophy, holding up the Cup along with the rest of the Argentinian team, and we also have some live pictures in Buenos Aires in Argentina right now, just a sea of humanity.

You know, I've been to BA, it is such a fun town. It has got to be the funnest ever in Argentina tonight.

What does this mean for Argentina do you think, Don?

RIDDELL: Well, I mean, you know, Argentina is one of the sort of legacy World Cup teams. They've won the World Cup twice before. They did so in '86, the last time with Diego Maradona, one of the all-time greats...

ACOSTA: Right.

RIDDELL: ... leading them to victory. So I mean, this is a tournament that they expect to win. And then of course, when Lionel Messi entered the stage, and quickly became such a brilliant player and such a brilliant club player, they all assumed that they would be winning many more World Cups with him at the helm, but it has not been that way.

It's been very, very difficult. Messi has actually endured a lot of criticism. He's been accused frequently of caring more and playing harder for his club team, Barcelona when he was with them than with the Argentina team. But I just think the pressure was so much upon him. The comparisons with Maradona were very, very difficult to navigate.

And so he has finally done it, I think the entire nation is just so pleased for him. They are thrilled for themselves of course, this proud footballing nation.

By the way, this is the first World Cup to have been played since the passing of Diego Maradona, a couple of years ago. So this one really does feel as though it was written in the stars, but it was far from guaranteed.

They lost their first game here to Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago, which was a disastrous way to start the tournament. The fact that they recovered from that and came all the way through, and the fact that it was so close tonight at times against France means it was very, very difficult for these fans to watch, but they will now be celebrating long into the night and for days and weeks to come I'm sure.

[15:10:02]

ACOSTA: Absolutely, Don. I mean, I even got a text from my mom about the World Cup. That goes to show you the saturation of the sport here in the United States. My mom is a huge professional American football fan, not so much the other football.

But you know, everybody was watching it here in America and around the world. It was just such an amazing match.

Don Riddell, thanks for the coverage. Safe trip home. Appreciate it very much. Thank you.

The other big story we are following this afternoon, the House Select Committee investigating January 6 prepares for its final act. In less than 24 hours, the panel is expected to make criminal referrals to the Justice Department recommending the prosecution of former President Donald Trump.

The referrals are expected to include the charges of insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy to defraud the Federal government. It will be the culmination of almost a year and a half investigation into the former President, his allies, and the attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): As a former prosecutor, I think there is sufficient evidence to charge the President.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: You have got a conviction now?

SCHIFF: Well, I don't know what the Justice Department has. I do know what is in the public record. The evidence seems pretty plain to me.

This is someone who, in multiple ways tried to pressure State officials to find votes that didn't exist. This is someone who tried to interfere with a joint session, even inciting a mob to attack the Capitol. If that's not criminal, then then I don't know what is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Joining me now, one of the officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, CNN law enforcement analyst and former DC Metropolitan Police Officer, Michael Fanone. He is also the author of the book, "Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One cop's Battle for America's Soul."

Mike, thanks again for being with us. As always, we appreciate it. You know, we're at the end of a 17-month Congressional investigation into everything that happened that day. You and I have talked about this several times. I know you've been pessimistic about any kind of prospect of Trump being brought up on charges, ultimately, for his role in what happened on January 6th. Does the Committee offering up these criminal referrals to the Justice Department, do you think does it move us in that direction of seeing charges, real criminal charges, a prosecution brought against the former President? What do you think?

MICHAEL FANONE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I mean, I don't know if this is going to have any influence on the Department of Justice. I mean, obviously, at that executive levels of government agencies, politics does play a part in their decision making, despite them saying it does not.

I think it is appropriate that this is the way that the Select Committee concludes their 17-month investigation, although for me, I don't need a piece of paper referring criminal charges for individuals that were the target of that investigation.

I mean, the investigation, and the evidence that it turned up in and of itself, to me is, is the criminal referral.

ACOSTA: And as we just mentioned, the Committee is expected to urge the Department of Justice to prosecute Trump on three charges, including insurrection, the referral of criminal charges against the former President will forever be a moment in American history. I assume we'll close out the day tomorrow, with that headline in every newspaper across the country on every television network across the country. Will that feel like any measure of justice for you?

FANONE: I mean, for me personally, no. I mean, there are a lot of people that that I've spoken to specifically in Washington that are like, well, he was twice impeached, and that's a big deal.

Well, I think for the average American, that doesn't mean anything. You know, there were no consequences as a result of that. And quite frankly, I don't believe political accountability is real accountability.

You know, this is a person who -- there is a significant amount of evidence that has been turned up that committed criminal acts, as well as many of his allies, some of whom are still in power today.

And so I think that, you know, the only accountability is criminal accountability. Donald Trump should be indicted, as should his co- conspirators and allies that have supported the crimes that he committed and even committed crimes themselves. And those individuals should be put on trial before America.

And as I've said before, we should accept the results of that trial, even if they are, in fact, a conviction with which leads Donald Trump to serve time in prison.

ACOSTA: And what would that charge be? What should he be indicted on, do you think?

[15:10:09] FANONE: Well, obviously, I believe that he is guilty of obstruction, and I do believe that he, along with members of his administration and his allies, engaged in an effort to defraud the American people by lying about the results of the 2020 election, which was proven to have been free and fair, and that as a result of those lies, and the pressure campaign that he and his allies engaged in, that we saw the violence that played out on January 6 at the United States Capitol.

ACOSTA: And the Committee is also considering whether to hold Republican lawmakers accountable for defying their subpoenas during the investigation.

I mean, Mike, as you saw throughout this investigation up on Capitol Hill, several Members of Congress were able to just thumb their nose at the Committee and not participate. What do you think should happen there?

FANONE: I mean, listen, I was a cop for 20 years, and if you defied a subpoena, you were arrested. That's it.

I know that, you know, there have been talked about, or there may not be any official mechanism to do so, other than I guess, the United States Capitol Police, or maybe it's the House and Senate Sergeant-at- Arms.

But listen, you know, they need to -- if you're going to restore the credibility of Congress in leading these types of investigations, people that defy subpoenas should be arrested.

ACOSTA: And Adam Kinzinger, a key member of the January 6 Committee, he is leaving Congress and in his farewell speech on the floor, he reflected on the cost that came with pursuing the truth. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM KINZINGER (R-IL): Had I known that standing up for truth would cost me my job, friendships, and even my personal security, I would, without hesitation, do it all over again.

I can rest easy at night, knowing that I fulfilled my oath to the office. I know many in this institution cannot do the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: What do you think about that, Mike? I mean, I suppose you probably can relate to what he just said there?

FANONE: Oh, absolutely. I mean, Adam is one of the few Members of Congress that I have a considerable amount of respect for. And also, I'm privileged enough to call a personal friend of mine, and there are a lot of parallels between his experiences and my experience, especially when it comes to the amount of threats that have been leveled against our families.

That being said, yes, I kind of developed this saying that when I speak to people, the truth will set you free from employment. And unfortunately, that seems to be the way of the world, at least with regards to here in America at this point in time.

ACOSTA: But you and other officers were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for your response to the riot to the insurrection. Have you had some time to reflect on that moment?

FANONE: I mean, in a way, I guess. I don't want to take away from, you know, the experience that these other officers that had that day, many of whom, it was the first time that they were recognized for what they did on January 6th, which was nothing short of incredibly courageous and selfless.

That being said, I mean, I unfortunately, got to see how the sausage was made with regards to that award. And so, it lost a lot of its significance and meaning for me personally.

And also, ultimately, I mean, I paid a high price to advocate or advocating for acknowledgement for all of those other officers that, you know, saw fight so bravely on January 6th.

ACOSTA: Well, Mike, you know, there are so many Americans around the country who still thank you for what you did on that day and the rest of the officers as you mentioned who defended the Capitol on January 6th.

[15:15:10]

ACOSTA: We'll all be watching together to see what ultimately comes out of tomorrow's meeting.

Michael Fanone, thanks as always for being with us. We appreciate it. Always good to talk to you.

FANONE: Thanks, Jim. Thanks for having me on.

ACOSTA: All right, appreciate it.

And be sure to join CNN for a special live coverage as the House January 6 committee holds its final public meeting, it all gets started tomorrow at noon Eastern right here on CNN.

Coming up, El Paso's Mayor says the influx of migrants on Wednesday will be incredible as Title 42 is set to expire. We're live on the Southern border next.

Plus, this is a live look at Buenos Aires. There they are, as Argentina celebrates a World Cup victory after a hard fought win on the soccer, pitch, a sea of blue and white all celebrating their blockbuster win. More on all of that coming up in a little bit.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:20:03] ACOSTA: The City of El, Paso Texas has declared a State of Emergency as officials brace for a massive influx of migrants. We're already seeing an uptick in border crossings, but officials are worried that number could double in the coming days. That's because the pandemic- era policy which allows Border Patrol to turn migrants away is set to be lifted on Wednesday. CNN's Gustavo Valdes is on the Mexican side of the Southern border. He joins us now from Ciudad Juarez.

Gustavo, what are you seeing? What's happening right now?

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Jim, we're seeing exactly what the El Paso Mayor is concerned about. The number of people that are not waiting for Wednesday, they are already trying to cross, they don't believe that Wednesday means anything to them. They're either going to be allowed in or not.

And the El Paso Mayor finally declaring a State of Emergency after facing pressure from local city officials who believe that they need more help to deal with this situation. The Mayor admitting that they could see up to 6,000 people on Wednesday, and they don't believe the Federal government is prepared to deal with them.

I just spoke with our reporters that we have along the border in Reynosa on the other side of McAllen, they tell me, in the Mexican side, they have 10,000 people waiting for Wednesday. So, this is not a problem only in El Paso, it is going to be all along the border.

And right now the situation on both sides of the border is also the weather. It's about 42 degrees, about seven degrees Celsius. It feels a lot colder than that. People waiting here with little makeshift fire places. We see this family we've been following for a few days, they are just picking up the trash left behind by other people and they are trying to stay warm.

You see it's just as a family, small children, many of them don't have a place to stay. They just try to stay warm until Wednesday and see what happens.

Many believe that Wednesday is an important date, and they will be allowed in. The US officials are saying that just because Title 42 ends, it doesn't mean that everybody is going to be just allowed into the United States.

ACOSTA: And Gustavo, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin said today that President Biden should ask for an extension of Title 42. That was originally a public health authority, but it now seems like Senator Manchin and others up on Capitol Hill want this as policy essentially.

VALDES: And that is, I think that's a problem that many see that they think that whatever little policy they can use to stop the flow is going to help them, but many here in the Mexican side question how they can use a policy that was meant to prevent the spread of COVID when the COVID emergency no longer exists.

So one thing is a health emergency and one is the immigration issue that goes beyond whatever pandemic situation we had. So many don't believe that there is a standing to keep that policy in place on a legal basis, being that it is not a matter of immigration policy, it was a health issue. Perhaps something needs to be worked out in other existing laws to allow the Federal government to act more swiftly.

We've heard over and over from officials on the US side that they can say "don't come," but as long as people see that they are allowed into the United States, they are going to keep coming.

ACOSTA: All right, Gustavo Valdes, thanks very much for that report. A pretty vivid depiction of what is happening down on the border, we appreciate it.

Joining me now is former Trump National Security Adviser and United Nations Ambassador, John Bolton.

Mr. Ambassador, I want to talk to you about immigration in just a moment, but we were just talking to Officer Michael Fanone earlier on in the program, and I know you're going to be watching, we're all going to be watching what takes place tomorrow with this final public hearing of the January 6 Committee.

It's expected that the Committee is going to recommend criminal referrals aimed at former President Donald Trump issuing those referrals over to the Justice Department.

Congressman Adam Schiff says he thinks that the evidence seems pretty plain to him that Trump committed crimes. What do you think?

JOHN BOLTON, FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Well, I hate to say this in the context of Donald Trump, but I think our Founding Fathers had a great deal of wisdom in putting the prosecutorial function like other executive functions in the executive branch and not with Congress.

It's very easy to say indict Mr. X, indict Mr. Y. It's very different if you're a prosecutor and actually have to prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

So speaking as an alumnus of the Department of Justice, I can tell you when Congress did a lot of ballyhoo about this or that, the career prosecutors generally just tended to turn away.

So I'm sure it'll be a good show. I don't think it'll have much actual influence on what the Department of Justice does, and I think that's a good thing.

[15:25:14]

ACOSTA: And just a follow up that very quickly, do you think there is a case to be made that the former President committed crimes on January 6, or leading up to January 6, trying to overturn the election results, his actions, in terms of not trying to stop what was taking place on the Hill that day? BOLTON: I haven't seen the evidence for that proposition yet, and I think part of the problem that the January 6 Committee has had is that they give Trump too much credit.

To go through a plot like that, you have to have the capability to devise the plot and follow it. And Trump's basic method of operation was from one hour to the next.

Now, I haven't seen all the evidence. That's one reason we need to read this report. We don't know what the Department of Justice has. I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't see it yet.

ACOSTA: Okay. Now to immigration. You just heard, if the Supreme Court does not step in, if Title 42 is not extended, it is going to expire this week. Again, as Gustavo was just saying on the border a few moments ago, this is a pandemic-era policy, which allows the Border Patrol to turn migrants away.

The El Paso Mayor has declared a State of Emergency. He thinks there is going to be an incredible influx of migrants if Title 42 is allowed to expire.

These are live pictures right now. We're looking at Ciudad Juarez where migrants are crossing the border as we speak.

Senator Joe Manchin has said that the President should extend Title 42, keep that policy in place. What do you think?

BOLTON: Well, I think since there is no better alternative at this point, that would work, but we're looking at the outcome of really two years of mismanagement of this issue. And before that, four years of failing to address the issue adequately and before that, even worse mismanagement.

ACOSTA: That was when you were in the Trump administration.

BOLTON: You're right.

ACOSTA: Including that time.

BOLTON: The President at one point asked me would I take a look at resolving this question of these people coming across the border, and I thought about it. I gave him a one-page memo and said, if I can do this, I'll do it. He looked at it, put it in his pocket, and that was my last dealing with immigration.

But to be clear, there is no right for people to come into this country. We have a very complex legal immigration system that limits who can come in legally. Personally, I would expand that.

But if you're not willing to follow the legal route, the notion that you can just show up on the border and come into the country is flatly wrong, and it violates basically the International Refugee Conventions --

ACOSTA: What if you're asking for asylum? BOLTON: That's right, and to show -- to justify getting asylum, you have to show persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on political beliefs, religious beliefs, ethnic background, not simply that you live in a bad place and you want to be in the United States.

And by the way, there is another rule that the country that should consider an application for asylum, it's called the country of first asylum, the first country to which a would-be asylum seeker goes after he leaves his own country. And almost a clear majority, almost three quarters of the cases now, the United States is not even the country of first asylum.

The main thing to do that I think --

ACOSTA: There's a lot of migrants coming in from Cuba and places that --

BOLTON: After they go to Mexico.

ACOSTA: Right. Yes.

BOLTON: Yes, so that's the country of first asylum.

The Trump administration succeeded in one thing, it made it clear who would the asylum seekers, that their chances of getting in were quite small. And what that did was deter people from coming in the first place.

What's the point of walking from Honduras through Central America and Mexico to get to the Rio Grande and not to get in? We need to have a serious conversation about how to admit this country, but we should not as a nation as a whole be pressured into taking people in just because they want to come in across the Rio Grande.

ACOSTA: Obviously, lots of different issues there that you brought up that we don't have all the time in the world to address. I want to ask you about the swap -- the prisoner swap -- Brittney Griner for Viktor Bout. After that went down, you tweeted this: "The Bout for Griner prisoner swap is not a trade. It's an American surrender. This is not what American strength looks like. Terrorists and rogue states are smiling." What did you mean by that?

BOLTON: Well, I think there's a serious objection to any kind of quid pro quo arrangement to get a hostage back whether it is a swap of one or more individuals for the hostage, whether it's payment of ransom, whether it is some other benefit conferred on the hostage takers, because that puts a value on the life of an American citizen and that price only goes up. It's an incentive for hostage takers, would-be hostage takers all around the world.

Obviously people have a humanitarian concern for the individual who is taken. A President has to have a humanitarian concern for 330 million Americans who are potential hostages, so as an advocate --

ACOSTA: But you can't just -- can you leave Brittney Griner rotting in a penal colony? [15:30:08]

BOLTON: No, but it doesn't mean you have to do it --

ACOSTA: Even if --

BOLTON: It doesn't mean you do a swap. It means you put more pressure on the Russians.

ACOSTA: What if that pressure doesn't work? She's stuck there. Women's basketball player.

BOLTON: The question -- the question is have you put enough pressure on them? But the other point is even if you want to be in the swap business, it ought to be like for like, and the problem we face is that Russians, terrorists, people all over the world trump up charges unfairly against Americans to use them as pawns. This swap is completely disproportionate.

ACOSTA: Let me ask you about the case of Paul Whelan. The former Trump National Security Official, Fiona Hill told CBS that Trump was not particularly interested in Paul's case, in the way that one would have thought he would be.

What was your recollection of it? Was Trump interested enough in freeing Paul Whelan?

BOLTON: I don't think he was interested in it, but frankly, I wouldn't swap anybody for Viktor Bout.

What we know about him publicly is bad enough. There are other things that are not publicly known, and it goes back to the basic point. Ronald Reagan said in 1985, it's our policy not to do these kinds of exchanges. It was the right policy.

ACOSTA: Well, he did arms for hostages, but that's --

BOLTON: And that's exactly the point that when you make exceptions, they seem to be extremely important. They just lay the precedent for more exceptions and more hostages being taken.

ACOSTA: But just a quick follow up. Trump in terms of the Whelan case, did he show enough interest, do you think in your view?

BOLTON: Well, I don't think the Russians ever gave us the --

ACOSTA: Fiona Hill's recollection.

BOLTON: Yes, I don't think he was interested because it would have been a difficult deal with Putin. But I think leaving Trump out of it, you know, we talk about Trump a lot when it's really not the main issue. The issue of swapping Viktor Bout, for an unfairly seized American was not a trade to make.

ACOSTA: And so how do you deal with somebody like Brittney Griner? I mean, if you were the National Security Adviser today, and you were still serving in the Trump administration, and Brittney Griner had been taken at that time, she would still be there.

BOLTON: Yes, I would put...

ACOSTA: You would have left her there.

BOLTON: ... even pressure, sanctions on Russia. Part of our problem with sanctions is today they're more virtue signaling than anything else. They're not enforced effectively.

I would be in favor of very harsh sanctions to teach people a lesson that there is no market for Americans.

ACOSTA: All right, Ambassador John Bolton, we had a lot to unpack there. There wasn't enough time, but we'll try to get some other time. Thanks so much.

BOLTON: Thanks for having me.

ACOSTA: All right, coming up. It's been a hit on Netflix, but not so much with the British public. Of course, we're talking about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new series taking on the Royals.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:37:21]

ACOSTA: Former captain of Iran's national soccer team has been arrested for publicly supporting the anti-government protests that have swept across the country. He was detained in Iran after taking part in recent protests in Germany. The dual German-Iranian national was barred from leaving Iran last month. Another detained Iranian soccer player could face execution. He is charged with rioting against authorities and that could bring the death sentence.

The protests began in September after 22-year-old, Mahsa Amini died following her arrest by Iran's Morality Police.

It's been a turbulent time for Britain's Royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, using their Netflix series to unload stories about screaming matches and suicidal thoughts and tabloid hit pieces.

So how is the British public taking all of this in?

With that, here is CNN's Scott McLean.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me and my father saying things that simply weren't true and my grandmother quietly sit there and sort of take it all in.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The final accusations made in Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries have been met with silence from Buckingham Palace. As for the public, some sympathy, but also a lot of eye rolls.

SHELAGH FOGARTY, LBC RADIO HOST: Rachel Lithgow (ph) from Manchester. Hi, Rachel.

RACHEL LITHGOW, RADIO SHOW CALLER: I am absolutely stressed and fuming and I'm here to put this side. Of all the people, we think Harry, for God's sake just shut up, man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he should move on and not throw his family under the bus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seemed to have division, complete division. It's the Royal family. It's sort of broken apart.

MCLEAN (voice over): And of course there is strong reaction from much of the tabloid press. The image of the Prince and Princess of Wales carrying on with Royal duties was on nearly every front page, to contrast it in "The Daily Mail" with Harry's savage onslaught.

"The Sun" said he and Meghan had declared war on the Royal family. Others question the couple's motives and their honesty.

PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN UNCENSORED": And this was all apparently a heroic fight for family privacy, but we have to learn about that fight in a hundred million dollar reality TV show.

EMMA WEBB, DIRECTOR, COMMON SENSE SOCIETY: It looks like revenge as well, it looks like that's -- they're being vengeful in the way that they've approached this because they are just slinging unverifiable mud at his brother.

They used particular footage of Brits that make us look like we're just an eccentric bunch of racists.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But we're not racist, but we are quite eccentric.

MCLEAN (voice over): A poll taken between the first and second chunk of episode shows the once wildly popular a couple have more detractors than fans in the UK, with a net popularity rating of minus three for Harry and minus 19 for Meghan, still far better than Prince Andrew, but far worse than King Charles or Harry's brother, Prince William.

The same poll found out almost six in 10 Brits think that releasing the Netflix series at all was a bad idea.

MCLEAN (on camera): Do you think they should have made it in the first place?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. If they are seeking privacy, probably not.

[15:40:10]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just think if you are going to run away from the press, run away from the press, you know. Don't -- I'm leaving London because the press had been awful to me, but then I'm going to let Netflix into my house.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think anything will ever change. Racism just can't change. MCLEAN (voice over): But even sympathy was sometimes paired with skepticism.

FOGARTY: I am disposed to them when it comes to the distress that was clearly part of their experience of the last four or five years. However, there were moments when I was like, "Oh, come on. Oh, come off it," you know. I wasn't buying chunks of it.

MEGHAN MARKLE, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: Kensington Palace sounds very regal. Of course it does. It says Palace in the name. But Nottingham Cottage was a small --

PRINCE HARRY: The whole thing is on a slight, slight lean, really low ceilings.

FOGARTY: All right, look, just around the corner from Kensington Palace, there are people sleeping on the street, so I wouldn't go too far down that route if I were you, as you know, speaking as the Duchess. Not a great look.

MCLEAN (voice over): Scott McLean, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Still ahead, a CNN exclusive: The story of three brave men who stepped in when a dangerous fuel leak nearly scrapped NASA's launch back to the moon.

And celebrations continue right now in Buenos Aires. There they are there. They are still partying there in Buenos Aires after Argentina and Lionel Messi claimed World Cup victory in Qatar, their first in more than 35 years.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:31]

ACOSTA: As the most powerful rocket ever built prepared for liftoff last month, a highly flammable fuel leak threatened to upend the multibillion dollar launch that is until a specialized NASA team known as the Red Crew swept into save the day.

Our Kristin Fisher has the CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At T minus three hours, 17 minutes, and counting until the third launch attempt of the most powerful rocket ever built. NASA's launch team detects a problem.

NAIL: The launch team is tracking an intermittent leak.

FISHER (voice over): Highly flammable liquid hydrogen fuel is leaking at the launch pad, and there is only one way to stop it.

NAIL: The only way to fix it at this moment is to send the Red Crew.

CHAD GARRETT, ARTEMIS RED CREW SAFETY ENGINEER: That's when they said okay, Red Crew. We need to send the Red Crew.

FISHER (voice over): Chad Garrett is a member of the Red Crew, a team of highly specialized engineers trained to work inside the blast zone.

GARRETT: They asked my lead, "Who's your Red Crew person?" And he asked for a volunteer and I said, "I'll go."

FISHER (on camera): This rocket is basically one big bomb on the launch pad. You're volunteering to go into a very dangerous place.

GARRETT: Well, yes. Yes, I guess it was dangerous, but that wasn't really in my mind.

The urgency in my mind was let's try to get this resolved so we can continue with the countdown.

FISHER (voice over): With the launch on the line, Chad and two other members of the Red Crew, Billy Cairns, and Trent Annis made the four- mile drive to the launch pad. Billy had been on the team for 38 years.

But for all three, it was their first time going inside the blast danger zone, and standing next to a fully fueled rocket.

GARRETT: It is hissing, it is venting. You kind of get this feeling that it is a living creature, that it's -- you know that's a lot of energy, you can just sense it and feel it.

FISHER (voice over): As Chad monitored the air quality to make sure the leaking hydrogen wasn't exceeding the lethal exposure limit, Trent got to work trying to save a multibillion-dollar rocket launch by tightening the loose valve with a good old fashioned wrench.

GARRETT: He really had to work in there and really do some delicate tinkering to get that bolt torqued down to the right pressure.

FISHER (voice over): It took 30 minutes of dangerous work, but they stopped the leak.

NAIL: The work is complete.

Three, two, one. Boosters in ignition, and lift off of Artemis I.

GARRETT: I just -- I get choked up when I think about it and talk about it. It was just a magnificent, wonderful spectacle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now, we're actually joined by members of the Red Crew, and the three of you guys really, I would say saved the day today.

FISHER (on camera): What was more nerve wracking? Being out at the launch pad or being interviewed on TV? GARRETT: Probably being interviewed.

I was very, very comfortable, very confident in the test team and the procedures and our training. We did a great job.

TRENT ANNIS, RED CREW CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN: It's pretty scary. So on zero deck, my heart was pumping. My nerves were going, but yes, we showed up today. I think as soon as we walked up the stairs, we were ready to rock and roll.

FISHER (voice over): NASA Administrator, Bill Nelson thanked them for what he described as their heroism and professionalism, while astronaut, Nicole Mann up at the International Space Station told CNN that the Red Crew exemplified why spaceflight is a team sport.

NICOLE MANN, NASA ASTRONAUT: It is the team of people that come in in the last minute and make those fixes and make those corrections so that we can launch and be successful. It's really an effort of thousands and thousands of people.

GARRETT: NAIL started cheering and clapping and telling me, you know, hey, you guys saved the -- saved this -- the law. You saved the space program -- and all these things. I thought they were just pulling my leg.

It was very flattering and humbling because like I said, I mean, any one of my teammates could have done exactly what I did.

FISHER: Kristin Fisher, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Coming up, "SNL" says goodbye to one of its brightest stars.

(CLIP FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.")

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CECILY STRONG, ACTOR: Actually, I'm a little emo tonight because truth is, I'm here to say goodbye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wait, where are you going?

STRONG: It turns out prison. This is my time now. But I had a lot of fun here, and I feel really lucky that I got to have so many of the best moments of my life in this place with these people that I love so much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: That was Cecily Strong getting an emotional farewell to "Saturday Night Live" as her quirky character, Cathy Anne since joining "SNL" in 2012. Strong's memorable spot on impressions included Melania Trump and the girl you wish you had started a conversation with at a party.

Several other cast members have also left "SNL" this year including Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, and Pete Davidson.

At the end of last night's show, the cast -- last night's guest host, actor, Austin Butler serenaded Strong with the Elvis classic "Blue Christmas."

(CLIP OF "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.")

[15:55:36]

ACOSTA: We're going to miss her.

And as we had to break, let's take another live look at the celebrations in Buenos Aires as Argentina is still celebrating, and they're going to keep on celebrating for some time, I think, after winning the World Cup in an incredible final game against France.

We'll get an update from Argentina coming up after the break.

Stay with us.

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