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Russia's War On Ukraine; Deadly Storms Kill At Least 12 Across Several States; Snow-Buried California Communities Brace For Another Winter Blast; East Palestine Residents Living In Fear A Month After Train Derailment; Alex Murdaugh Sentenced To Life In Prison; Haley, Pompeo Make Veiled Jabs At Trump During CPAC Speeches; Residents Of Plains, Georgia Reflect On The Life Of Jimmy Carter. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired March 04, 2023 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:00:08]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
And we begin in Ukraine, where Russian forces led by the mercenary Wagner group say they have the city of Bakhmut all but surrounded. Intense fighting continues on the outskirts of the city but Ukraine's military says its fighters are still in control and there has been no mass withdrawal of their troops. One Ukrainian commander saying every hour in Bakhmut is like hell.
In Friday's fighting, a Russian missile destroyed a vital supply bridge into the city. Bakhmut has seen intense fighting for weeks, as Russia tries to claim a victory in eastern Ukraine.
CNN's Melissa Bell joins us now from Kyiv. Melissa, where do things stand?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've just been hearing, Fredricka, from the British ministry of defense, saying that they understand that Ukrainian forces are under increasing pressure.
That's what we're hearing from the ground, with one soldier on the ground telling us that they were essentially outmanned four to one. And this has been the story for the last few weeks. So Russian forces sending in more and more men to try and take every trench, every defensive line, at huge cost to themselves, Fredricka, first and foremost.
There is also on the Ukrainian side, as we understand it, the lack of ammunition compared to what the Russians are throwing in trying to capture Bakhmut, but yes, for the time being, this town still stands with its four and a half thousand civilians still inside but increasingly encircled and of course, their prospects increasingly desperate as well.
This is already, Fredricka, the most sustained battle of this war so far. This siege has gone on for seven months. And if you think back to cities like Severodonetsk, Lysychansk in the past, where Ukraine has adopted a similar strategy of holding on to towns as long as they could, despite the huge cost to themselves and for civilians involved, because it forces the Russians to degrade their war capabilities, what they have to throw at this war, but also their men.
And that is what is happening in Bakhmut and has been happening these last few weeks with an increasing intensity of the artillery that continues to pound this particular town. Already Russian forces beginning to turn their artillery westwards to the next town that will surely follow once Bakhmut falls.
Still one soldier telling us inside that this could take two days, it could take 20 days. It is entirely impossible to tell at this stage just how long Ukrainian forces will manage to hold out.
WHITFIELD: All right. Melissa Bell, keep us posted there from Kyiv. Thanks so much.
Let's bring in retired U.S Army Brigadier General Peter Zwack. He served as the U.S. senior defense attache to the Russian Federation. And he's also the author of a memoir of his time in Russia called "Swimming the Volga". Good to see you, General. So how -- what does it mean if Bakhmut were to fall?
BRIG. GEN. PETER ZWACK, RETIRED U.S ARMY: Good to see you again.
It will be a set back but not strategic. I think it would be a tactical, what we call operational setback. The Ukrainians have built already successive defense lines behind it, this does not create an option for the Russians who have to break through, penetrating breakthrough.
And the way the Ukrainian defense, it is kind of defending the inside of the pocket now. And by, if they are -- if they do pull out and they probably will, they will be able to shorten their lines.
Also, this has been a World War I type artillery battle, which plays into the Russian's strength. The Ukrainians are noble (ph). The Ukrainians are flexible and they maneuver well. This is the type of ugly mano a mano fight that they have done very well in, but they're going to pull back probably and that will be I think tactically wise.
WHITFIELD: So you see that it is inevitable that they will pull back. How will they make that determination?
ZWACK: I think that -- you know, you make a -- if you're on the ground, you know, you're talking also to Kyiv, but it is really a battlefield decision.
And this is a prestige fight. Much like the fight in the summer, for Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. And ultimately Ukrainians pulled out of them and it wasn't the end of the world.
It's a prestige fight, certainly for the Russians they paid a grievous fall (ph) but the Ukrainians are losing a lot of people, too.
[11:04:52]
ZWACK: And they -- I think need to husband (ph), while pinning the Russians which they've done, husband their strength for this counteroffensive that we hear about that will be either on one side or the other of the big mud that will be coming up soon.
For the Russians, this has been a mess. But it's also been a prestige fight between the Russian army and Yevgeniy Prigozhin of Wagner. So there is a lot of stuff playing on just beyond the tactical fight.
They need ammunition. Ukrainians need lots of ammunition, and that's one reason this $400 million arms deal is so important.
WHITFIELD: So you described this latest battle in Bakhmut more like real mano-a-mano fight. The Ukrainians are lacking the resources to take it further right now in this battle with Russia in that particular location.
U.S. and Western allies had urged Ukrainian military members to leave, but they resisted. Military commanders decided they wanted to stay. Why do you believe they felt it was important? Even if they didn't have the resources, was there something about the symbolism of staying in this fight, and that's why they decided to stay as long as they did?
ZWACK: Absolutely, Fredricka. That is I think a major part. They are also inflicting terrible losses on the Russians. Saying that, though, they're in a proverbial Russian bear hug, meaning they're locked in tight, to the Russian lines, and the Russians have the artillery edge and the rockets and cannon and all of that.
And at a certain point, my instinct is the tactical commanders on the ground are going to make a determination. We have done all we can. We've bled the Russians, we've bought time, but let's shorten our lines.
WHITFIELD: President Biden met with German Chancellor Scholz yesterday. He is probably Biden's most important ally in this fight to support Ukraine right now. What do you think Biden's message was to Scholz?
ZWACK: I think that -- I think that what we're reading, is let's stay steady. No flash. Let's just stay linked. Coordinated. And this is, I think, what we've done best with the alliance and our individual allies and partners.
Yes, just stay close. Agree to disagree. Work through the issues. And I think, considering where Germany was a year ago, and now, I think we -- they have all come a long way.
One other point about Bakhmut, Fredricka, on the 24th of February, that was the day we think that Putin wanted to have a big victory show-off to his people and the Ukrainians held Bakhmut during that time and Putin ended up with nothing that day. I'm sorry.
WHITFIELD: The U.S. is continuing to commit more, you just mentioned the latest military package, allied forces do the same thing. Is it your feeling that the U.S. and allied forces continue to be committed because there is a feeling that Ukraine could win this?
ZWACK: I think that is certainly an aspect of it. I think it's also, it's a major aspect. The Ukrainians have shown the moxie and the determination and will to fight. That is a huge reason.
The other reason I think goes back more philosophically, who are we? Who are we and our allies? How can we let an aggression -- a monstrous aggression like this stand or risk succeeding? And I think that's the big piece of this, versus if you will, aggressive autocracy.
WHITFIELD: General Peter Zwack, great to see you again. Thanks so much.
ZWACK: Always.
WHITFIELD: The death toll rising this morning after a powerful storm system swept across the U.S., at least 12 people now confirmed dead as that storm brought tornadoes and golf ball-sized hail to the south. Intense winds tearing trees out of the ground and ripping homes apart in several states.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The back door started shaking. The house started shaking and I then couldn't see nothing but white. We didn't even have time to get anywhere. It was like right on top of us. The house was shaking. We were all close together in the middle room of the house.
Still, wow, this is the craziest thing I've ever been involved in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Wow indeed. More than 20 million people are now under high wind alerts in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Western U.S. And this morning, more than a million customers are still without power.
[11:09:52]
WHITFIELD: CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is tracking all of it for us. It just seems like there is no stopping these very drastic extreme weather systems.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It has been a very busy past 24 hours. You are correct, Fred.
Again, look at all these dots. That represents some type of severe weather reporting just the last 24 hours. Both of them were damaging winds. But we also had tornado and hail reports as well.
Here is a look at where the system is now. The good news is the severe component of the storm is no longer. What we are left with now is snow and very gusty winds. The combination of the two is triggering very low visibility making travel very difficult especially across New England. Here's a look at where we have the heaviest snow still across states like Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York. Some of these areas have already picked up over a foot of snow, and you're talking about adding an additional two to five inches of snow on top of that.
Wind also still a factor here, a lot of these areas, wind gusts around 40 to 50 miles per hour, some of them looking at 60 to 70. And that could take up even additional power outages on top of what we already have.
That is the eastern half of the country. The next big system we're keeping an eye on is actually just now entering the west coast. The main focus for right now is areas of Washington and Oregon, but we're also starting to see some of the heavy snow and rain beginning to push into areas of northern California, even a couple of thunderstorms as well.
That system is going to spread inland. So you're also going to start to see a lot of that snow tick up in the intermountain west, not necessarily today but as we finish out the rest of the weekend.
Here's a look at the forecast. Again you really start to see. It is going to be wave after wave of a lot of these rain and snow bands that come in.
So this isn't going to be one and done unfortunately for this area. Yes, they still need some of this rain and snow because of the drought. But we've made huge improvements in just the last five to six weeks.
Looking at the forecast, you're talking snow being measured in feet across this area. Likely one to three feet for most of those areas. Along the coastal regions now you're talking one to two inches of rain.
But even in some of the other areas of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, still looking at, at least a half a foot of snow, to top out in a lot of these places.
The concern is getting into the short period of time -- we've talked about this before, Fred -- the concern becomes mud slides, a lot of travel concerns, so we'll have to keep a very close eye on this in the coming days.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, keep us posted on that. Allison Chinchar, appreciate it.
Yosemite National Park in California still closed as crews continue to work on clearing roads from all that heavy snowfall -- up to 15 feet falling there and even more expected throughout the weekend.
CNN's Camila Bernal is in San Bernardino, another hard-hit area of California in a different way. What's going on there?
CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, no one can essentially go up the mountain. And everyone that is there is stuck if they can't make their way down. So there is so much frustration.
People who say they need more help, they need to be able to clear the roads, and officials are saying that they are making some progress, the sun came out today and yesterday, and the weather looks good over the next couple of days.
There are members of the National Guard, up in the mountains, who are trying to clear the roads. But a lot of the residents that I talked to have told me it is just not enough. They're frustrated, and they are scared.
They all shared similar concerns saying look, there's no food up here at times. People need formula for their babies, food for their pets, and medicine. They cannot get medicine, because all the pharmacies are closed, so there is just so much anger and frustration from the residents there up in the San Bernardino mountains and cannot do anything. They say they've been cleaning up for days and haven't seen a lot of progress.
I talked to many residents, over Zoom, because you cannot get up there. Here is what one of them told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANNAH WHITEOAK, CRESTINE, CALIFORNIA RESIDENT: It's one of the roughest experiences, and you still go into survival mode, and you keep pushing through. You know, I feel incredibly bad for anyone that hasn't got that physical presence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERNAL: And a lot of people just helping each other because there are elderly up there who cannot be shoveling snow. People are dealing with walls of snow. That's what authorities are saying.
They're apologizing for the process taking so long. But they are optimistic, and want to make progress over the next couple of days, but again, are telling people to be extremely patient.
And what they're saying is that people might not be able to get down or up over the next five days, so people have to prepare to be inside of their homes for another five days or so. And so that is where a lot of that frustration is coming from. People want the process to be a little quicker, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Oh yes, Five days, that's a long time if you're running low or you've already run out. All right. Camila Bernal, thanks so much.
[11:14:55]
WHITFIELD: All right. Still to come, a new health assessment in East Palestine shows residents are experiencing headaches, anxiety, coughing and fatigue one month after the toxic train derailment. We'll bring you the latest.
Plus, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole for the murders of his wife and son. His defense attorneys plan to appeal. Straight ahead.
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WHITFIELD: Preliminary work is under way to remove tracks near the site of February's toxic train derailment in Ohio and it comes as the EPA is waiting for Norfolk Southern to update its remediation draft plan. The agency asked the rail company for a plan that includes analysis of soil contamination and how they plan to clean it up.
CNN's Polo Sandoval joining me right ow. Polo, we're learning more about health assessment findings for residents of East Palestine. What you can tell us? East Palestine, rather.
[11:19:52]
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Right Fred.
You and our viewers may recall that we told folks that there was going to be this sort of assessment teams that would be coming into the affected areas to hear from residents and more of the symptoms that they had been experiencing.
So this is the first set of data that's been released just yesterday as a result of that survey after hearing from about 170 residents, average age in their mid 50s, and let's list some of those findings according to authorities again.
This is -- these are some of those findings that were released by authorities just yesterday. You see the most common symptoms -- headaches, anxiety, some coughing, also fatigue and tiredness, and also some of the irritation, pain, burning sensation on their skin.
This is what residents reported the last couple of weeks. Ohio's Health Department basically working with local, state and federal authorities, assessing the conditions of folks there, and to see if this may again, may be potentially linked to the derailment that happened a month ago.
Meanwhile, officials do continue with the testing of private water systems. So far they have tested some 157 of them, and they said that they have found no signs of any sort of contamination as a result of this derailment.
But nonetheless, there's still plenty of frustration on the ground. Our colleague Miguel Marquez reporting all week from there and telling us that basically residents there, they want certainty, they want absolute answers about whether or not it is safe to continue to live in that community.
And officials for their part insist that so far it is, that they do have the monitoring software and the equipment that is going to be necessary long term, as that cleanup continues and the track replacement also continues that likely will extend, Fred, into April.
WHITFIELD: The long haul.
SANDOVAL: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And possibly even longer than that, right?
SANDOVAL: Right.
WHITFIELD: I'm sure people are bracing for that.
SANDOVAL: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: Polo Sandoval, thanks so much.
SANDOVAL: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. In North Carolina, Alex Murdaugh will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a judge sentenced the former South Carolina attorney to life in prison for the murders of his wife and son.
Murdaugh was processed at the South Carolina Department of Corrections yesterday, where he will undergo a medical evaluation before being sent to a maximum security prison.
As CNN's Dianne Gallagher reports, Murdaugh's attorneys say they plan to appeal the verdict.
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JUDGE CLIFTON NEWMAN, SOUTH CAROLINA CIRCUIT COURT: I sentence you for a term of the rest of your natural life.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two consecutive life sentences for disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh for the murders of his wife Maggie and his son Paul. The end of a dramatic six-week trial.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Murdaugh --
GALLAGHER: Murdaugh spoke in court, again saying he did not kill his wife and son.
ALEX MURDAUGH, CONVICTED OF MURDERING WIFE AND SON: I'm innocent. I would never hurt my wife Maggie and I would never hurt my son Paul- Paul.
GALLAGHER: But Judge Clifton Newman offered a different take.
NEWMAN: It might not have been you. It might have been the monster you become when you take 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 opioid pills. Maybe you become another person.
GALLAGHER: Judge Newman saying this trial was, quote, "one of the most troubling cases" of his career.
NEWMAN: I know you have to see Paul and Maggie during the nighttime when you're attempting to go to sleep. I'm sure they come and visit you. I'm sure.
MURDAUGH: All day and every night.
NEWMAN: I'm sure.
GALLAGHER: The prosecutor again pointing out Murdaugh's lies.
CREIGHTON WATERS, LEAD PROSECUTOR: The lack of remorse and the effortless way in which he lies, including here, sitting right over there in this witness stand.
GALLAGHER: Friday's sentencing comes just one day after the jury found Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder and two weapons charges.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Guilty verdict.
GALLAGHER: One juror spoke to ABC News about the jury's decision saying the cell phone video placing him at the scene sealed Murdaugh's fate.
CRAIG MOYER, JUROR: The evidence was clear. Clearly. Everybody else could too.
GALLAGHER: So it took basically 45 minutes for you guys to come to a decision.
MOYER: Probably about that. 45 -- maybe an hour.
GALLAGHER: Craig Moyer also saying Murdaugh's reactions during the trial were not convincing.
MOYER: His response, how quick he was with the defense and his lies, steady lies -- I didn't see any true remorse or any compassion or anything.
GALLAGHER: Murdaugh's defense team spoke to CNN Friday about their decision to put their client on the stand.
JIM GRIFFIN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: By putting him on the stand, I think the jury also got to see his emotions about Maggie and Paul, which were very raw and real. But then, you know, the next day on cross- examination, we've got to give credit where credit is due, I mean they clearly painted Alex as you know, a liar.
GALLAGHER: Vowing their fight is not over.
GRIFFIN: We're appealing and we feel good about an appeal. He's a liar and he's a thief and he admitted that. He's not a murderer.
[11:24:48]
GALLAGHER: Now, the defense team says that they believe the fact that the judge allowed the inclusion of the financial crimes that Alex Murdaugh is accused of, to be used as evidence in this murder trial, well, it tainted the jury's perception of their client. And if they weren't included, the defense team says maybe we could be looking at a different outcome. Now, Alex Murdaugh may be now in state custody, but he still has to
face those pending charges, about 99 of them, mostly related to those financial allegations against him.
The attorney general tells me that just because he was sentenced to life in prison for these murders does not mean that they are not going to go after him for the financial crimes as well.
Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Walterboro, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And still ahead, former president Donald Trump set to take the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference later on today. How the high profile event is highlighting potential fractures in the Republican Party -- next.
[11:25:48]
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WHITFIELD: All right. Former President Donald Trump is set to headline the Conservative Political Action Conference today. Over the last few days, declared and potential presidential contenders have been making their pitches in Maryland.
Two former members of the Trump administration gave speeches on Friday. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. under the Trump administration and Mike Pompeo who served as Trump's secretary of state. Dropping veiled jabs about moving on from Trump without mentioning his name.
CNN's Kristen Holmes is at CPAC for us. So Kristen, it sounds like a full house there. What can you tell us about those speeches and what could be expected from Trump today?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well certainly, it is Fredricka. This is actually smaller than in previous years, however we are seeing a very Trump centered crowd. What expect to hear from the former president today is him making his pitch to be the president in 2024, the Republican nominee, and we expect the crowd to be much more enthusiastic than we have seen for Nikki Haley and for Mike Pompeo.
Now, the reason for that is that CPAC used to be the premiere gathering space for conservatives. This is a place that you could not miss if you wanted to run for president.
Now, it seems a lot more like a who's who of MAGA world. It is clearly the Trump show here. And several of those potential 2024 Republican hopefuls ended up skipping this event altogether. That includes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, as well as South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
Now, it did not stop all of the enthusiasm for Trump, did not stop both Mike Pompeo and Nikki Haley for making their pitches for themselves in 2024. And as you mentioned, without saying Trump's name, they indicated it was time to move on for the party to pick someone new.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKI HALEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you're tired of losing, put your trust in a new generation. And if you want to win, not just as a party, but as a country, then stand with me.
Mike Pompeo, former over the last few years, I've heard some who claim to be conservative, excuse hypocrisy by saying something like well, we're electing a president not a Sunday schoolteacher. That's true. But having taught Sunday school, maybe we could get both.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, one thing I do want to mention is that it did get a little bit ugly yesterday after former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley spoke. She was outside taking pictures with some of the attendees and they started gathering around her shouting Trump, chanting Trump's name.
Now then a smaller group started chanting back Haley's name but it gives you a little bit of an indication of what this primary is going to look like. And for a lot of Republicans they are concerned that it was going to fracture the party and get increasingly uglier.
WHITFIELD: All right. It will be interesting to see how or if it does coalesce.
All right. Kristen Holmes, thanks so much.
HOLMES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: With me now to talk about this and other CPAC developments, Seung Min Kim. She is a CNN political analyst and a White House reporter for the Associated Press. Seung Min, good to see you.
So what do you make of these speeches by Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo? I mean this was a crowd, you know, that Kristen just described. I mean this is Trump world there, and they were speaking not in favor of Trump, if we could put it lightly.
SEUNG MIN KIM, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Right, right. I think they were pretty anti-Trump. Without actually saying Trump's name. So you do see, you do hear accounts of the reporting there where they said the reaction to what Nikki Haley was saying and what Mike Pompeo was saying was a little tepid.
Obviously this is a very pro-Trump crowd. There is a reason why Donald Trump is the headliner tonight. You know, his son Donald Trump Jr. got a hero's welcome at this convention.
But I thought the message from both Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo who, let's remind our viewers, both served in the Trump administration, was fascinating. They both said that one thing that caught my eye, that seven out of the eight last -- seven out of the last eight presidential elections Republicans have lost the popular vote.
That is the (INAUDIBLE), and that really gets to the point of some of the Republicans who want to move on from Trump. They're tired of losing. And in that subtle way, both Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo are trying to make the case to this conservative faithful that we need to win elections. It is one thing to have principles, it is one thing to really be dug in, on what you believe, or what leaders say, but you have to win elections, and that's not going to be with Trump.
WHITFIELD: And this year's CPAC is also about who isn't there. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former vice president Mike Pence both chose to skip this year's CPAC event and both are seen as two of the biggest challengers to Trump's nomination should they run. So what do you make of their decision, what does this mean?
[11:34:47]
KIM: Well, Kristen made a really great point. I mean CPAC used to be, and I've covered CPAC when I was a much younger reporter, it was this cattle call for all sorts of people in the Republican Party to express their viewpoints about the party's principles and what the GOP should be to a wide variety, or to the party faithful.
And you don't see that. You go from this big conservative gathering to basically a gathering of Trumpism, which is also why you have a separate or dueling retreat this weekend by the conservative Club for Growth. It's a very deep pocketed, influential group that focuses on limited government. And that's group has made it clear that they want to move on from Trump.
So you have Ron DeSantis speaking about their retreat, Nikki Haley is doing both. She will be speaking there tonight. But I thought those two retreats were just kind of another, you know, metaphor, if you will; a symbol, if you will, of this divide in the Republican Party, whether you should stick with a person who does still excite a portion of the base like Donald Trump or you should really move on to someone else, and that is a fascinating debate we're seeing right now.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And this year's event, you know, has also exposed the growing divide in the Republican Party over continuing support of Ukraine with this war, you know, with Russia. So take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): I'm still committed to saying no money to Ukraine and that country needs to find peace not war.
And while I will look at a camera directly and tell Zelenskyy, you better leave your hands off of our sons and daughters because they're not dying over there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Mike Pence and top Republican leaders in Congress have been very vocal about the importance of supporting Ukraine. Could this turn into a major divide within the party among the potential candidates?
KIM: I think it already is a major divide, both in Congress, among Republicans on Capitol Hill, and certainly among the people who are either already running for the Republican nomination or are considering to run for it.
And it really is this deep strain of isolationism that again, the former president naturally had and is now spreading through the Republican Party. You do hear a lot of that messaging from some of his closest allies on Capitol Hill.
There was criticism from the most far right Republicans when President Joe Biden made that secret trip to Ukraine last month. And they questioned, you know, why for example, why isn't he going to Ohio, and why is he going to Ukraine instead?
It is that isolationism that is really taking over or competing with this view that the Republican Party had for such a long time, the top issue, that involvement in the world, that the United States should take a stand against autocracies such as Russia.
And you know, it really is a deep ideological fundamental divide in the right now, whether it manifests itself into aid actually being cut to Ukraine, I don't see that happening any time soon. But it is certainly a fascinating policy debate within the party, and again another -- it is something that we will see what happens in the primary, and what Republican primary voters decide on that issue.
WHITFIELD: All right. And at CPAC today, Trump is expected to speak. Is there any feeling for what might be the content of his speech?
KIM: I think what you've seen from Donald Trump lately is kind of obvious because it is Donald Trump, but kind of doing the things of a traditional candidate. You know, he is holding kind of these smaller events in New Hampshire, he is rolling out policy proposals, and trying to make himself into the ideal candidate. He is making his first trip to Iowa in the coming weeks.
But we also know with Donald Trump, that he can't resist an insult among his -- against his challengers, whether they're declared or not.
You know, it has been really fascinating to see this turn in the relationship between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. You know, Trump took significant credit for DeSantis's victory in that Florida gubernatorial primary and then obviously DeSantis becomes governor, becomes one of the most powerful and popular governors in the country.
And you see, you see Donald Trump resenting that a little bit, and coming up with these nicknames and I think that we've all covered Donald Trump for several years, and it would be hard to see him not take kind of pot shots at these candidates when he has such a broad platform like that tonight.
WHITFIELD: All right. We shall see.
Seung Min Kim, good to see you. Thanks so much. KIM: Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, the connection between President Jimmy Carter and his hometown. How residents of the small town of Plains, Georgia are reflecting on Carter's selfless actions in and out of the national spotlight.
[11:39:45]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It's been two weeks since the residents of Plains, Georgia learned that their neighbor, former President Jimmy Carter, would begin receiving hospice care at home. Carter has remained closely connected to the small town where he was born and raised, even later returning post-presidency.
Well now, Plains residents are reflecting on Carter's selfless actions in and out of the national spotlight. The message -- never bet against Jimmy Carter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Plains Georgia is Jimmy Carter country.
GEORGE MCAFEE, PLAINS RESIDENT: He is one of a kind in my book. One of the best.
MCKEND: Few American presidents are so closely connected to where they were born and raised. That's why the impact of former President Carter's failing health is felt so acutely here in this town of about 500.
This tight-knit area is where Carter grew up, attended high school, Met and married Rosalynn, the love of his life, and where he returned after serving in the White House.
[11:44:55]
AVERY DAVIS ROBERTS, THE CARTER CENTER: This place, this geographic place where we are in this land has influenced him, influenced how he saw the world.
MCKEND: This train depot, it's a museum now. It was Carter's campaign headquarters during his presidential run. He went from here to the White House back to his house, just down the street.
But to the people here, the former president will always be Mr. Jimmy. Embodying the spirit of Carter, George McAfee volunteers by walking around Plains, cleaning up the streets.
McAfee has lived in the area his whole life, and would frequently see the former president and his wife riding their bikes around town.
MCAFEE: He had told me one time, when we first moved here, and me and my wife was out here, he tells me, he said, if you ever have any problem or anything, he said call me.
MCKEND: As they brace for the inevitable, people here say they are comforted by their faith.
MARVIN LASTER, FORMER CEO, JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB: All is well with him. All is well with his spirit. All is well with his soul. And that he has lived as the Master would have him to live.
MCKEND: Marvin Laster is the former CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Albany, Georgia. That includes the location in Plains, that bears the name of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. He has gotten to know the former president well over the past five years especially when Carter resisted having his name on the club.
LATER: The only time that I've ever had a disagreement with him was about the naming of this club. Just as he did with the Geneva Accords when he was riding his bicycle in between houses to negotiate peace, we negotiated peace that day.
MCKEND: Respect and adoration echoed by many, whose lives crossed paths with Carter.
ROBERTS: He really liked learning about what people's life experiences were, and trying to think about ways that we could contribute as the Carter Center to making life better and easier for people.
MCAFEE: He's everything here in this town. We are going to miss him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Eva McKend, thanks so much for your reporting on that.
Still ahead, eight years ago, these first responders saved the life of a newborn baby boy who stopped breathing. And now, they are again going beyond the call of duty.
[11:47:20]
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WHITFIELD: Firefighters in Green Bay who once helped save the life of a Wisconsin newborn have come to the rescue once again. Eight years later they have helped Little Doug with health issues that nobody saw coming.
CNN's Adrienne Broaddus has more on the first responders who went beyond the call of duty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Behl family kitchen is a battleground for Little Doug. But his parents, Doug Senior and Cami say playful moments like this almost didn't happen because their son was born at home premature.
CAMI BEHL, MOTHER: He was about 5 and a half weeks early.
DOUG BEHL SR., FATHER: His eyes were open, but he wasn't breathing. Chad had him in his hand and he was carrying him downstairs.
BROADDUS: That's Chad Bronkhorst --
CHAD BRONKHORST, GREEN BAY FIRE DEPARTMENT: That was intense. BROADDUS: -- now a battalion chief with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department. These three were among the six firefighters and paramedics responding to the unresponsive newborn call eight years ago.
BRONCORS: -- with two fingers for a while. And the you're done. Thumb for a while.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll never forget when he let out a little bit of a scream. We were high fiving in the back of the truck.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was like, this is hope.
C. BEHL: They came to visit him in the hospital. They brought him a stuffed animal, which he still has.
BROADDUS: They've kept in touch, attending birthday parties, trips to the fire station.
And then this summer, when a mechanical pump that does what Doug's heart can't began to fail, they showed up.
D. BEHL: Just again, being right there for us.
C. BEHL: So we were in the hospital in Milwaukee they had put him on end of life care. That's where the firemen were such a blessing because they had such a strong belief in him.
They just knew, this is a little fighter here. and he's going to make it and he's going to be ok.
BROADDUS: They started a Dollars for Doug fundraiser so he could open his own bank account, one of Doug's wishes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's tough.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I cried. It was a punch in the gut just because of the connection we had.
JEFF HUGUET, RETIRED PARAMEDIC AND FIREFIGHTER: Him coming back from day one was a miracle. I was like this miracle can't end.
BROADDUS: Then a surprise the firefighters weren't expecting. Dr. Adachi (ph) with Texas Children's Hospital in Houston took a chance by performing a life-saving surgery.
DR. IKI ADACHI, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: Little Doug is making a history of the medical community. It's really rare. That makes him a survivor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if this is what happens, keep taking chances.
BROADDUS: Now, Doug is changing the batteries on the machine that pumps his heart and making life deposits.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has paid us in ways that you can't put any dollar amount on.
BROADDUS: Adrienne Broaddus, CNN, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That's sweet.
And this quick programming note. How did HQ trivia go from Internet obsession to total meltdown? The million dollar question. What happened. The new CNN film "GLITCH: THE RISE AND FALL OF HQ TRIVIA" premiers tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN.
We'll be right back.
[11:54:54]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Hello again. Thank you so much for joining me.
I'm Fredericka Whitfield.
And we begin this hour with severe storms wreaking havoc across the country, leaving a deadly wake of destruction. The death toll rising this morning. At least 12 people killed as powerful storms brought tornados, hail and heavy rain to much of the south.
[11:59:59]
WHITFIELD: Intense winds tearing trees out of the ground and ripping homes apart in several states.
