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State Of Emergency In North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland; Growing Crisis In Texas Amid Surge In Border Crossings; Writers And Studios Hold Talks For Fourth Consecutive Day; Rupert Murdoch Steps Down As Chair Of Fox And News Corp. Ukraine: Dozens Killed In Strike On Russia's Black Sea Fleet Headquarters; Zelenskyy Facing Growing Opposition For Additional Support; Senator Charged With Bribery, DOJ Seizes Gold Bars, $500K; NASA Astronaut Breaks Record For Longest Time In Space. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired September 23, 2023 - 12:00   ET

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

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[12:00:44]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

A state of emergency is in effect for Maryland and Virginia as Tropical Storm Ophelia moves up the East Coast.

Powerlines exploding in North Carolina where Ophelia made landfall this morning. And so far, more than 50,000 homes and businesses are without power, and that number is expected to grow today.

Allison Chinchar is tracking the storm from the CNN Weather Center and Brian Todd is in Alexandria, Virginia.

Allison, let's begin with you. What is Ophelia doing?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. So, it's still kind of chugging along, making its way across the state of North Carolina. But when you look at this expansive wind field here, you can see we've got those outer bands stretching all the way up into places like Pennsylvania, New York, even Massachusetts.

The sustained winds right now are 50 miles per hour gusting to 65. But again, those rain bands, that's where we're really seeing how expansive and widespread this storm is.

Now, with that said, the heaviest rain is really focused over Virginia and North Carolina at the moment. You've still got some pretty heavy bands, although, the bulk of it is now really starting to push inland and away from the coastal areas, giving them a little bit of a break at the moment.

You've got several flood watches, and even some flash flood warnings in Raleigh, and then off towards the east. And these locations, they've already picked up about two to three inches of rain. Now, you're going to get an additional one to two inches on top of that. So, there is the continued concern for the flood threat going forward this afternoon.

Then it begins as we head into the evening to spread more into the mid-Atlantic. And then, by Sunday, the concern really becomes areas of the Northeast. That's where the bulk of the moisture will be located, especially Sunday morning and around Sunday at lunchtime. So, a flood threat for both today, and tomorrow, just two separate locations, you'll see today.

Again, the focus is more across North Carolina and Virginia by tonight spreading into the mid-Atlantic. And then, by Sunday, again, the main focus really becomes Pennsylvania, stretching over towards Massachusetts.

But both of these areas have that potential for very heavy rain. The storm itself will continue to weaken over the next 24 to 36 hours, but that's really more of a determining factor for the winds, not necessarily the rain.

So, as that storm spreads north and then eventually out towards the east, the winds component will start to come down, Fred, but the rain component is still expected to be quite strong.

WHITFIELD: OK. Allison Chinchar, thank you so much.

Brian Todd, where you are, it doesn't look like the rain is there but the wind is. Or you best describe it for me.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, it's been kind of an odd weather pattern overnight and into this morning here in the D.C. area. We're in Alexandria, Virginia, in an area right by the Potomac River that is vulnerable to flooding.

Take a look at how close we are to the Potomac River right here. High tide here is going to come in roughly three hours, then, there is going to be another high tide tomorrow morning.

This is very vulnerable to flooding, even in normal rainstorms. And when I talked about the kind of weird weather pattern as we kind of walked down the street here and show you some of the homes and businesses down here that really are expected to be flooding -- flooded in the street -- on the street later on today.

What I can tell you about the pattern of weather overnight and into this morning is that we started to feel those bands of rain that Allison was talking about overnight. And then, it ultimately, kind of had drizzled and heavy rain and wind, and then, it would kind of fade in and out. But we are expecting, you know, again, more rain later on today.

This area is particularly vulnerable because we talked to two business owners near here. And what they say is that the problem in this area of Alexandria, Virginia is it's not only load of the water, and that that surge from the high tide is going to kind of push some of that water up onto the street.

But also, the sewers around here are kind of old and antiquated, they tend to flood very, very easily. So, a couple of business owners did tell me they expect this area here and my photo journalist and I will kind of move over this way.

They expect this area here to become completely flooded in a couple of hours. Take a look at that sewer opening over there. It's already started to happen again. We don't see a lot of flooding here right now, but it's coming probably in the next couple of hours. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes, a little but standing water, some flooding known for that area. Sometimes even when you don't have a kind of crazy deluge like you might be expecting today.

But it sounds like also that those conditions are not deterring some music playing.

[12:05:03]

It sounds like you're maybe near a music festival or somebody just having a good time with their music on this Saturday morning or midday?

TODD: Well, yes. There's a lot of people still kind of milling about. This is a very popular area for people on the weekends here. And there are people here playing music and walking around. But that probably will cease later on today, because we do expect more rain, and again, more flooding.

These businesses and homes over here are very susceptible to flooding.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

TODD: Some of the people, this bike store and the cafe right over there, they told us a short time ago, Fredricka that they may be stacking sandbags later on. They got to see what the weather does.

The owner of that cafe, actually, just told us that she is more worried about what happens at high tide tomorrow morning, because that's when it tends to get worse. That early morning high tide after a storm like this, they may have to sandbag these two businesses over here.

WHITFIELD: Oh, could get very serious. All right. Brian Todd, thank you so much there in Alexandria, Virginia.

All right. Now, to the ongoing response to this week's surge of migrants at the southern border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has resumed operations at the international railway crossing bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas after the agency shut it down to redirect personnel because of the influx of migrants.

Meantime, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is set to visit the Rio Grande Valley in Southeast Texas today. CNN White House reporter Priscilla Alvarez is joining us along with CNN correspondent Rafael Romo.

All right. Let me begin with you, Rafael, first. You know, what is happening at the border, and is there a response coming from the Texas governor?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. So, the first thing that we've noticed is that in the last 24 hours, especially, Friday, the number of migrants being detained at the border has decreased significantly.

We were talking to the mayor of Eagle Pass, and he says, anywhere between 800 to 1,000 people were detained. That's much lower than we had seen during the week. So, that's one development.

The thing is that we got in touch with the government of Panama. And they are telling us that 10s of 1000s of migrants have crossed through their territory just in the last few weeks alone.

And number two, Texas is going to start busing again, many migrants to municipalities around the country, mainly the ones being run by Democrats.

Take a look at these numbers, Fred. Just to our nation's capital. Nearly 12,000 migrants being bused there. New York, 14,000 plus; at Chicago, 8,700. So, that gives you an idea of what Texas is doing in.

They're specifically sending, according to the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, buses to two cities. Eagle Pass, and El Paso, specifically, to send those migrants from the border to those cities that are run by Democrats.

WHITFIELD: And then, ahead of that, Priscilla, as Secretary Mayorkas is visiting Texas today. What is his response been thus far about, you know, the surge of migrants, the growing frustration from local officials there from El Paso, as well as other city officials throughout the country who are saying they have reached their limits with being able to assist.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, the secretary is going to join the president of Honduras when he visits the Rio Grande Valley today. And what the two are expected to discuss is how they coordinate and cooperate when it comes to slowing irregular migration in Latin America.

Now, of course, when you talk to White House officials, this is an issue that they see can only be solved with regional partners, as they face unprecedented mass movement in the Western Hemisphere. As you heard there from Rafael, we know that there are still 100s of 1000s of migrants who are moving through Latin America, especially those from Venezuela, coming to the U.S. southern border.

And this was a week where I put all of that into sharp focus. As we saw border crossings go up to 8,600 a day. We haven't seen those numbers since the late spring.

And in May, as a point of comparison, numbers were around 3,500 daily encounters. So, a market increased this week that really put pressure on the White House and the administration to have to shore up resources to the U.S. Mexico border. And it also underscored not only the logistical challenges and the humanitarian challenges for this administration, but also the political challenges, because as all of that was unfolding, Fred, the administration also announced that they were going to make nearly half a million Venezuelans eligible for work permits who are already in the United States, addressing a major stress point with New York City.

So, while they're trying to herald that. They are also navigating the complicated political landscape as they deal with an increase of border crossings.

WHITFIELD: And then, Rafael, what could potentially come from this meeting between Secretary Mayorkas and the Honduran president?

ROMO: It is very important because Honduras is not only a transit point for migrants, but it's also an origin country. And we were looking at some of the latest figures from CBP, Customs and Border Protection.

[12:10:00]

And Honduras is the second country in terms of people from that country that get detained by the U.S. Border Patrol at the southern border.

Take a look at those numbers, Fred. Mexico has about 12 times the population of Honduras, obviously, number one in terms of detentions. But Honduras comes second with more than 186,000.

Now, you were mentioning the president, Xiomara Castro, she is considered a leftist. She is been in power since January 2022. But just to give you an idea how unstable the situation has been in Honduras over the last couple of years, her predecessor, Fred, Juan Orlando Hernandez, is now in jail in the United States. He was extradited in April of 2022 on drug trafficking charges.

So, that gives you an idea of the situation that regular Hondurans are experiencing, and the reason why they feel like they need to come to the United States.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Yes.

ROMO: And seek of a better life.

WHITFIELD: So, one would think, too, part of the discussions would have to do with trying to incentivize Hondurans to stay in country, which would mean potentially, financial assistance or some other sort of promises of resources from the U.S. to Honduras, to allow the government or help the government to come up with plans like that?

ROMO: There is two main issues when it comes to Honduras. Number one is poverty. We have been there multiple times. And the level of poverty in Honduras is among the worst in Central America. So, that's issue number one. That's one of the reasons why Hondurans decided to migrate to the United States. And number two, security. There are entire areas in Honduras that are run by the criminal organizations that terrorize the population. And that's the reason why you see so many of these people who decide to just leave everything behind and try to make it to the United States.

WHITFIELD: All right. Rafael Romo, thank you so much. Priscilla Alvarez at the White House. Appreciate it.

All right. Renewed hope in Hollywood. Writers and major studio representatives are back at the negotiating table today. Will we see an end to the writer strike? And what could that mean for the striking actors?

Plus, one big step for mankind a new record has been set for the longest time spent in space by a NASA astronaut Frank Rubio reflects on his year in space, straight ahead.

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[12:16:26]

WHITFIELD: The Writers Guild and studios are meeting for fourth consecutive day today, offering a glimmer of hope that an end is near for a strike that is dragged on for nearly five months now.

CNN's parent company Warner Brothers Discovery is a part of the negotiations with the union. CNN's Camila Bernal, joining me now with more. Camila, how are things going?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, some of the writers that I've talked to are telling me they are so hopeful and so excited to see them negotiating on a Saturday and really seeing those CEOs, the heads of the major studios at the table.

I've also talked to other writers who've told me No way, this is just not going to happen. So, we really have to wait and see as it says day four of what's been marathon sessions over the last couple of days.

And again, at the table are the CEOs and the heads of the studios. It's Warner Brothers Discovery, NBCUniversal, Netflix, and Disney. And that's what a lot of these writers see as encouraging.

But I also talked to one writer who told me I understand that it's going to take a long time because these are very difficult issues. They want higher wages, specifically when it comes to residuals and streaming. And there is also the A.I. question.

These writers want it to be humans and not machines writing the scripts. So, it's complicated, it is going to take time, but a lot of people with different feelings about what's going to happen today.

Again, many are extremely hopeful. Here is one writer that I talked to.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATT CHESTER, TELEVISION WRITER: I'm you know, guardedly optimistic, seems to be a good sign, seems to be that they're both like finally, like sitting down in good faith and speaking with each other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And everybody that I've talked to has told me, look, we want to go back to work. We're tired of being home. And it's not just Hollywood, it's not just this industry. It's sort of a domino effect, where so many industries are also impacted by this strike and how long it's gone.

The economic impact already surpasses $5 billion. And again, people just want to return to work. But the reality is that the actors are also on strike. So, even if the writers do come to an agreement, it is going to take some time before these productions go back to normal.

And so, a lot of people just hoping and praying that this comes through. The union telling people that they are just thankful that they've been out on the streets, they've had encouraged everyone, as many people as possible to come out yesterday. And we did see that on the streets of Los Angeles.

So, of course, they're thanking people for coming out to the picket lines. And again, they are saying they're going to continue to work towards the deal that these writers deserve.

That's what a lot of these writers are hoping for, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Right. A lot of people impacted from, you know, caterers to set design, construction, hair and makeup, all of it.

All right. Camila Bernal in Los Angeles. Thank you so much. Let's get more analysis now on these developments.

Brian Steinberg is the senior T.V. editor at Variety. All right. Brian, great to see you.

So, what do you suppose is happening behind the scenes now? What kind of progress?

BRIAN STEINBERG IS THE SENIOR TELEVISION EDITOR, VARIETY: My sense is that they are getting -- they are engaging very closely on nitty- gritty issues. These is the things that take time to work out. You know, you mentioned A.I., but also residuals, number of episodes, and that sort of thing.

I think they're really kind of locked in on the real nuts and bolts of what's going to get this thing to go forward. The fact they have met together for several days in a row is very encouraging. But the sides have had this happen before and broken apart. So, I think it's wise to become cautious about what was -- what's going to happen next.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And if there is, you know, a deal that's it's worked out. We're talking about the, you know, the Writers Guild, their strike has been going on since mid-May. [12:20:02]

And of course, SAG-AFTRA folks, you know, the actors and writers, also, and producers are who have been, you know, striking since what? Late July? I mean, they are watching closely. What's going to work in terms of negotiations and what is going to fall flat? So, you know, is it going to be, you know, kind of what works for the Writers Guild is ultimately going to work for SAG in terms of the approach of negotiations?

STEINBERG: Well, ultimately, look, this is -- the fact of matter is the media business is changing. The way people watch T.V. and movies are changing as well. And these have created new models of business where things may not be as lucrative as they once were, or you may have to hop around and take multiple jobs to make things work. So, there is, I think, a recognition by the studios that life has changed, the people who work for them would go a long way.

I also -- I would also say that, you know, if the writers do sign a deal, the studio will have done yet with the directors and the writers leaving the actors union as the last one to kind of become a (INAUDIBLE) be out there. They may have, you know, a common -- some common threads and common terms they've already gotten with the director and the -- and the writers that may help them in their crusade to kind of -- so, this labor deals up.

WHITFIELD: OK. Hey, let me shift gears if I could. A monumental shift, you know, this week when Rupert Murdoch announced that he is stepping down as the chairman of Fox News, you know, and he said, Lachlan is going to be the one who, you know, follows suit for him. What do you suppose is next potentially, for this company?

Is it going to be changed in a significant way? Or has Rupert been essentially, you know, grooming Lachlan to carry on what he put in place?

STEINBERG: I think this move of making Lachlan the sole chairman is probably a lot of a nod to Wall Street. I think that when your guiding executive is 92 years old, there may be some worry from investors and those observers around the company. I think Rupert will still have influence on the company, he still run owns the voting shares that the kids have not inherited yet, and won't until he passes on or decides to lose.

I thought of all the media companies as they stayed true on linear T.V. business. They still don't put their sports on streaming. You know, Fox News and Fox Sports depend on big live audiences. They want to try and keep it that way.

When Rupert sold his -- most of his stuff to Disney, that kind of made it pretty much smaller unit, and they've tried to keep true to linear stuff. But the world is changing very quickly. And I'm not sure how much longer they can kind of not dive into digital in a more meaningful way.

WHITFIELD: Do you expect there will be a type of programming shift even at Fox News?

STEINBERG: They had gotten to streaming live with Tubi and Fox Nation. I think Fox News -- I don't think Fox News is going to change the stripe radically anytime soon. They just change their primetime lineup to accommodate the point wait for election cycle. This is all done before Rupert stepped down. I think those things are in place -- in place firmly.

I wouldn't expect to see Joy Reid pop up on Fox News Channel anytime soon.

WHITFIELD: All right. Brian Steinberg, good to see, Variety. Thanks so much.

STEINBERG: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, an escalation by Ukraine against Russia. Kyiv says its strike on Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters has left dozens dead and injured, including senior leadership.

The latest from the region, next.

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[12:27:42]

WHITFIELD: Ukraine's Special Operations Forces say the attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters left dozens dead and wounded including senior leadership. We're also seeing new video today of black smoke billowing from the building in the aftermath of that strike.

The special forces also claimed the strike was timed to hit while senior members of Russia's Navy were meeting. The attack comes as Ukraine continues its counter offensive against Russian forces.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen has more.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka.

Well, the Ukrainians certainly believe that they have a bit of momentum going for them. In fact, I was able to sit down with the commanding general of Ukraine's counter offensive in the south, and he confirmed that they have managed a bit of a breakthrough near a town called Verbove.

And, of course they do still have a long way to go. But he also said that, that strike on the Russian headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet is very important to their progress.

Here is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice over): Smoke billowing from Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol. Moscow blaming Ukrainian launched cruise missiles. Kyiv, only confirming they hit the building.

I sat down with the commanding general for Ukraine's counteroffensive in the south, Oleksandr Tarnovsky, and he tells me strikes like these are invaluable for his troops.

BRIG. GEN. OLEKSANDR TARNOVSKY, UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES (through translator): A destroyed commander means a destroyed command link. And if there is no command, then there are no coordinated actions. Hitting infrastructure like factories, bases, warehouses containing weapons is also a factor for victory.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): In the past weeks alone, the Ukrainians say they've hit a Russian ship, a submarine, an airbase, and a surface-to- air missile system in occupied Crimea. Still, Ukraine's president faces skepticism, both from many Republican lawmakers and the public about the U.S.'s continued support for Ukraine.

Tarnovsky asking for patience.

TARNOVSKY (through translator): We have one goal: liberation of our territories. However hard it is, we will keep on working. And I want to thank even the skeptics. Their criticism also influences our task success.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): It's been a slow grind for the Ukrainians on the southern front. Progress, so far, incremental.

PLEITGEN: But the question is that do you think that there will be a point when all there will be a big push?

[12:30:01]

TARNOVSKY (through translator): I believe so, and I think this point will be Tokmak. They are relying on the depth of the offensive line there. I'm worried less about the Surovikin line, more about the crossroads, tree lines, and minefields between the tree lines.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): But the U.S. has cautioned time might be running out as fall progresses, making the earth here soggy and movement difficult.

(on camera): How much do you think that you can achieve before the winter sets? And how far do you think your forces can get realistically?

TARNAVSKY (through translator): The weather can be a serious obstacle during an advanced but considering how we move forward, mostly without using vehicles. I don't think the weather will heavily influence the counter offensive.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): General Tarnavsky says he remains optimistic that Ukraine's counter offensive will be a success, especially if Ukraine continues its campaign targeting Russian forces in the rear like Crimea.

(END VIDEOTAPE) PLEITGEN: As the commanding general of Ukraine's counter offensive in

the south, he also said that that strike on the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet very important to boost the morale of his forces that are fighting in the field. And he also said it's really important because he believes it really hurts the morale of the Russians. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Fred Pleitgen, thanks so much.

All right, let's bring in U.S. Army Brigadier General -- retired Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. He is also the former Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs under President George W. Bush. Great to see you General.

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT (RET.), FORMER ASST. SECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL-MILITARY AFFAIRS: Sure, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So in your view, does it appear that the Russian defenses were caught off guard by that attack, and that this is pretty defeating?

KIMMITT: Well, they certainly were caught off guard. So I mean, the fact that you could allow a headquarters of that magnitude get hit, without any air defense or defenses around, it indicates an incredible lapse in their operational security will make a difference.

I think, as the general said, and as Fred said, it will be a morale boost to the Ukrainians, it may hurt the morale of the Russians. But I don't think it's going to be very consequential in isolation. But there is a very interesting factor. And there's very interesting shift on the battlefield. But I think this is part of it.

WHITFIELD: And even if senior leadership may have been killed or compromised during that strike?

KIMMITT: Good militaries always have people that can step in for leaders. That's the nature of war, leaders get killed, somebody's got to be ready to step up.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was on Capitol Hill this week. He was trying to shore up a U.S. support in Congress. Is it your expectation that the U.S. support in terms of aid, money, arsenal to Ukraine will soften as we head into an election year? And if so, will that ultimately lead to a loss as President Zelenskyy said, he said, you know, they will lose the war if there's diminished us support?

KIMMITT: Well, I don't think that we're going to see diminished support, I just think this administration needs to make a harder case, and so does President Zelenskyy. And I think he's doing that now. The subtle shift that I'm seeing is very interesting. We're seeing less and less focus on the ground counter offensive in Ukraine and more and more activity against the naval forces on the sea and as we saw this hit against the naval headquarters on the land.

So it could very well be that the shift on the battlefield, from focusing in Ukraine to focusing on Crimea. Number one, will certainly lift the morale of the Ukrainian forces. But I think it will also demonstrate to the Western allies that there is been progress on the ground, there is progress being made on the ground, not necessarily in the north. But certainly what's happening down in Crimea on the ground there in order to sea.

WHITFIELD: The new U.S. aid package to Ukraine would include controversial cluster bombs. Will that make a huge difference?

KIMMITT: Not really. We've had cluster bombs being used by both sides for quite some time for about six months now. But will make our differences also this announcement that we will start using the long range ATACM missiles, that will have a consequence on the battlefield.

WHITFIELD: All right, let me shift gears now to the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, saying Israel is close to a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. This is what he told CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Do you feel that a deal is likely?

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I think it's possible. I think it's likely because I think Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States share a common goal, to change history to make this quantum leap, another quantum leap for peace. We had one with the Abraham Accords with the United States. And we now have an opportunity with the United States to change the Middle East forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:35:00]

WHITFIELD: So General would this kind of agreement dramatically shift the state of play in the Middle East?

KIMMITT: Well look I think the Netanyahu talk was very important. But even more important was the talk with Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince inside of Saudi Arabia. He made a larger shift in policy to my mind than any other Saudi leader has in 50 years. The fact that Saudi Arabia is now willing to normalize with Israel, Israel has always wanted to normalize under the right conditions with Saudi Arabia. But this flexibility being shown by Mohammed bin Salman, for the purposes of normalizing Israel is tremendously significant. And in fact, it could lead exactly what President Netanyahu said, which is good relations between those two countries in a way that we haven't seen before.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Mark Kimmitt, thank you so much. Good to see you.

KIMMITT: Great.

WHITFIELD: All right, refusing to resign, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez says he's not going anywhere as he faces federal bribery charges and a growing chorus of calls to step aside. We'll discuss next.

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[12:40:19]

WHITFIELD: New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez is resisting calls for his resignation after being charged with several corruption related federal offenses. U.S. Department of Justice, prosecutors accused Menendez and his wife of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for the Senator's influence.

This is the second time in the last decade Menendez is facing corruption charges. Prosecutors say the bribes included gold bars, cash, home mortgage payments and a luxury vehicle. Menendez denied the accusations and responded to calls for his resignation, saying he is quote not going anywhere. Neama Rahmani is a former federal prosecutor and the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers. Neama, great to see you so we'd love your perspective on this. What is your reaction to this string of indictments?

NEAMA RAHMANI, PRESIDENT, WEST COAST TRIAL LAWYERS: Well, it's certainly a bad look for the Senator. But let's not forget he's beat these charges or similar charges once before. And if you're looking at the U.S. Attorney's indictment, it really is a speaking indictment. I mean, we're seeing this more and more obvious in the Trump cases where the indictment contains pictures of the evidence seized in the case, the gold bar, the cash in the pockets, as well as the senators own words, saying that congressional officials they're not supposed to intervene on behalf of private interest or interfere in the judicial process.

WHITFIELD: So speaking indictment, is that an indicator of, you know, an exceptionally strong case that prosecutors are willing to share some of what they have. And if that seems strong than the other things they must have must be really rock solid?

RAHMANI: Well, you're dealing with very politically charged prosecutions here. You know, there are folks that are going to argue that, you know, the senator was just acting on behalf of his constituents. These were his friends. These were his wife's friends. Again, this is the playbook from his previous trial, which ended in a mistrial, but it was really 10 to two in favor of acquittal with the judge dismissing the charges. So I expect the Senator to follow that same approach and argue that this is what members of Congress do.

WHITFIELD: So Menendez likely learned from that mistrial, as have prosecutors. So in this case, what will prosecutors need to do to prove that these gold bars, the money, the cars, the mortgage payments were indeed, gifts, bribery gifts, substantiate these corruption charges?

RAHMANI: Well, it's interesting how the U.S. attorney charged this case, they didn't charge the substantive offenses like broad bribery or honest services, wire fraud. They charge different conspiracy counsel. Prosecutors in this case, they're really focused on those text messages, those dinners at the fancy restaurants to say, there was an unlawful agreement here between Menendez, his wife and the three co-defendants to participate in these bribery schemes.

So it's not necessarily the bribery was actually committed, but that they agreed to do so. So those text messages, meetings and any witnesses, they're going to be critical.

WHITFIELD: OK. You had mentioned Menendez learned something a thing or two, which is why he perhaps preemptively put out the statements that he did. And in these charges, Menendez is accused of secretly aiding the government of Egypt. And in a statement, Menendez says prosecutors, quote, misrepresented the normal work of a congressional office. So does that sound like a salient defense that of course, he would have interactions with the Government of Egypt or any other because of his position?

RAHMANI: Well, it is a possible defense, but hopefully, the Department of Justice has learned and, you know, this raid was executed last year. So quite some time has passed from the raid to this indictment and the senators, lawyers have been meeting with Department of Justice officials to try to stave off this indictment.

So there was a possibility of a deal, but I think this time around, the Department of Justice is going to be a lot more careful. That was really a black guy to lose that case. So hopefully, at least from a former prosecutor's perspective, the same thing won't happen this time.

WHITFIELD: All right, Neama Rahmani, great to see you. Thanks so much.

RAHMANI: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right, what started as just a six-month endeavor turned into a record setting year in space. CNN spoke to the NASA astronaut about his unplanned journey. That's next.

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[12:44:43]

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: If you had known at the time you launched that you were going to be up in space for a full year instead of six months. Would you have still done it?

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WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back, an American astronaut has set a record for carrying out the longest U.S. space mission ever. CNN space and defense correspondent Kristen Fisher has more on the highly anticipated reunion with his family.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And lift off.

FISHER (voice-over): A few weeks before NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio launched to the International Space Station with two cosmonauts on a Russian Soyuz rocket. I spoke with him about the geopolitical tensions that he'd be leaving behind on Earth.

Did you ever have any second thoughts about flying on a Russian Soyuz in the middle of this conflict with Ukraine?

FRANK RUBIO, NASA ASTRONAUT: You know, again, not really because I do, I trust my crew wholeheartedly, if anything, right there's a little bit of nerves about the whole big picture of going to space for the first time, spending six months up there.

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FISHER (voice-over): But six months quickly turned into a full year after his ride home, the Soyuz spacecraft was struck by a small object in space, puncturing the Soyuz's radiator and spilling coolant into space.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A stream of particles.

FISHER (voice-over): Russia Space Agency, Roscosmos decided the spacecraft was unsafe. And a replacement Soyuz would need to be sent to bring the crew home. For Rubio, who was on his first spaceflight and had just become the first Salvadoran American to go to space, it meant being away from his wife and four children for double the time that he'd been preparing for.

(on camera): If you had known at the time you launched that you were going to be up in space for a full year, instead of six months. Would you have still done it?

RUBIO: Yes. Hey, Kristin, it's good to talk to you again. I think it would have depended on what I would have found out. Obviously, if they had asked me up front before you start training, because you do train for a year or two years for your mission, I probably would have declined and that's only because of family, things that were going on this past year.

And had I known that I would have had to miss those very important events. I just would have had to say thank you, but no, thank you. But once you commit to the mission, once you're a part of the training, I would have been committed to the mission.

FISHER (voice-over): By the time Rubio returns to Earth next week, he will have been in space for 371 days longer than any other American in history. Three spacewalks conducted dozens of science experiments. But perhaps the most interesting experiment for this army doctor turned astronaut is the one that zero gravity has been conducting on his own body.

RUBIO: The reality is we're not standing, we're not walking. We're not bearing our own weight and so it'll be anywhere from two to six months before I essentially say that I feel normal.

FISHER (voice-over): And normal is exactly what Rubio is craving, spending time with his family and time outside these walls on Earth.

RUBIO: Oh, up here we kind of have the constant hum of machinery that's keeping us alive. And so, I'm looking forward to just being outside and enjoying the peace and quiet.

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FISHER: And if all goes according to plan, Rubio should be returning to Earth next Wednesday.

Kristen Fisher, CNN, Washington.

WHITFIELD: Incredible. And this quick programming note tonight, our special Champions for Change Series stories that spotlight everyday people who don't make headlines, but smash barriers and inspire others to do the same.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we, here we, come on. Let's go.

It was about how many people getting help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Join us for Champions for Change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel a source of inspiration and pride just coming together.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want you guys truly forget the word can't.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As CNN journalists spotlight, the changemakers who inspire them.

SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She teaches you to break through that fear to get to where you need to be.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It turns out that one human being can do a lot.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: She's opening a door for people that are desperate for freedom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These aren't throwaway animals. These are precious beans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See how these community champions use creativity, heart, and grit to lift society up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When the music starts, something happens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I surround myself with positive people. They help me be that inspiration.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Champions for Change, all this week on CNN.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: All right parents across the U.S. are facing another health risk for their kids. For the second year in a row, the common amoxicillin is in short supply. CNN medical correspondent Meg Tirrell explains what parents need to know.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, to put it into perspective, amoxicillin is the most prescribed antibiotic in the United States. In 2021, there were almost 43 million prescriptions of amoxicillin written now that includes both the liquid form which is the one that's in shortage and tablet forms of this drug. And this shortage started back in October of 2022, as we were going into that fall and winter season, faced with flu, RSV, and COVID.

Now, of course, those are all viruses ones that we are planning to have to anticipate this season as well. But what often can happen is you get secondary bacterial infections then that need to be treated with antibiotics. Now, there are four makers of amoxicillin listed on the drug shortages website from the FDA, only one of those drug companies gives a reason for the shortage, and that is increased demand.

But as we reached out to these companies, one of them pointed out that amoxicillin like many other antibiotics is a very inexpensive old medicine. It's a generic drug. It costs about $10 per bottle. Now, if you compare that with newer medicines, one like Keytruda, for example, that's a very powerful newer cancer drug. That drug costs more than $10,000 a dose.

And so drug shortages experts I've talked with have pointed out drugs like Keytruda will really never go into shortage unless something very bad happens. Because there's such an incentive for the makers of these medicines to ensure that there is continuous supply. Those incentives, those financial incentives just aren't there for older generic medicines.

And so what this often leads to is parents will have to go to multiple pharmacies if their kids are sick to try to find amoxicillin, the American Academy of Pediatrics put out some guidance last season for what to do if you encounter a shortage. One is really just watchful waiting. But that of course requires a certain circumstances where that's appropriate, more contact with your doctor so that's more labor intensive.

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