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IDF Expands Military Operations Against Hamas; U.S. Destroyer Shoots Houthi Drone In Red Sea; Trump Calls Biden Destroyer Of Democracy; World Central Kitchen Delivers Meals In Gaza; Unbeaten Florida State Left Out Of Playoff; CNN Reports On Kennedy Center Honorees. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired December 03, 2023 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:03]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: Just in. Alaska Airlines says it's acquiring Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion. The surprise announcement made today by the Alaska Airlines CEO saying the acquisition will lead to the fifth largest commercial fleet in the country. But the union that represents 9,000 flight attendants between the two airlines says it will determine if the merger will improve conditions for flight attendants before supporting that deal. I want to thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Jessica Dean. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Jim Acosta right now.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. Good evening. We begin with an urgent call for evacuations across Gaza as Israel expands its fight against Hamas. The Israeli Defense Forces are now telling civilians in parts of both southern and northern Gaza to evacuate as it carries out hundreds of airstrikes. The U.N. estimates that more than 1.8 million people, nearly 80 percent of the population of Gaza, have had to leave their homes for safety since October 7th.

And in the Red Sea, a U.S. Defense official says an American warship shot down drones and responded after a cargo ship from the Bahamas was attacked. Let's go straight to CNN's Matthew Chance live in Tel Aviv for us. Matthew, what is going on? What's the latest?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well in terms of that attack on the cargo ship in the Red Sea, it issued an alert, a warning and a call for help, a distress call, after a ballistic missile was fired towards it by Houthi forces. These are Iranian backed forces inside Yemen. Their naval forces fired this missile towards this civilian ship.

The USS Carney, which is on patrol, is a destroyer in the Red Sea, went to its assistance. And in the meantime, on route, shot down another aerial vehicle, a drone or something like that, which was heading towards civilian shipping as well. We've seen quite a few of these attacks on civilian shipping in the Red Sea, particularly coming from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen very close by who are firing out of, I suppose, sympathy if you like, for what's happening in the Palestinian territories, specifically in Gaza.

In Gaza, Jim, there have been an intensification of the fighting from Israel against Hamas in an attempt to destroy that group, but also to release the 130 or so hostages that are still being held captive inside the Gaza Strip. Much of the emphasis over the past several weeks has been on the north of the Gaza Strip, and that was continuing today with another attack on the Jabalia refugee camp where dramatic images of the aftermath of that attack, which is the second of which in as many days which has caused widespread casualties, according to Palestinian health officials, of course, who work in the Hamas- controlled Palestinian Health Ministry.

But I think the most interesting new thing that's happening now is that Israel is shifting its focus away from the north of the Gaza Strip towards the south. Now, that's where the vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of people who evacuated their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip, have gone to try and avoid the intensity of Israel's military operations in the north of the Gaza Strip, well now, they are in the line of fire, if you like.

And now, Israel's trying to mitigate against causing more civilian casualties or, you know, excess casualties by issuing maps that divide the Gaza Strip up into what it calls evacuation sectors, each with an assigned number. And then it tells people in that given sector to leave ahead of any military operation.

But because the internet is so bad and power supplies are so bad and communications are down inside the Gaza Strip, it's not clear how effective that messaging is. And so that's caused a degree of concern internationally about the plight of civilians across the Gaza Strip. Israel, though, are saying that it will press ahead, put pressure on Hamas in the south, just like it did in the north. Jim.

ACOSTA: Alright, Matthew Chance for us in Tel Aviv. Thank you very much Matthew, we appreciate it. As the fighting inside Gaza intensifies, the death toll among the Palestinian people is mounting. CNN's Ben Wedeman gives us an inside look at the devastation there. We want to warn you this report contains disturbing and graphic images.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Look around. This is Gaza City's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. Where the wounded are treated in the open on wooden pallets. The emergency ward is already jammed.

[17:05:00]

The courtyard is full of body bags. Dozens were killed in a series of Israeli strikes Saturday. Many more are still under the rubble. Israel claims one of those strikes killed a senior Hamas commander who helped plan the 7th October attacks. He was, perhaps, one dead among many, many others. This woman lost her daughter and grandchildren and names them all.

UNKNOWN (FOREIGN LANGUAGE): Ayah (ph), Ghanim(ph), Mus'ab(ph), Usmail(ph), Ujuri (ph), Ayush(ph), Adam (ph), Muhammad(ph). Hasbiyallah. WEDEMAN (voice-over): And may God judge those watching us die, she

cries. It's a similar scene in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza. More wounded, many of them children. And more dead, many of them children.

They bombed an entire street, says Saad (ph). He pulled his brother Mohammed from under the rubble. But his brother Mohammed was dead. Says Saad, let me say goodbye to him.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

My father's been killed cries this boy after a strike on the Jabalia refugee camp Sunday. The seven-day truce seems like the distant past.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (on camera): Now, the Palestinian Health Ministry says that the death toll in Gaza has now reached beyond 15,000 -- 6,000 of them children, 4,000 of them women. Now what we're seeing in these strikes in Jabalia, (inaudible), and elsewhere don't seem to be precision strikes. These are strikes taking out entire blocks. That's why we're seeing this huge jump in the number of casualties and so many of them women and children. Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Ben Wiedemann in Jerusalem for us. Thank you very much for more on this. I want to go straight to my next guest. Joining me now is former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He was part of an elite unit in the Israeli Defense Forces, has enlisted in the IDF reserves. Mr. Bennett, welcome back to the program. We appreciate it.

Is there anywhere left for residents in Gaza to safely evacuate? I don't know if you saw that report we just showed from our Ben Wedeman or heard what Ben was saying, but we saw images there of children who were talking about how they pulled their brothers and family members out of rubble.

One boy lost a father in one of the strikes, I suppose, carried out by the Israelis. What is your sense of it right now in terms of is there anywhere safe for the Palestinian people to evacuate to, to get out of harm's way? The civilians.

NAFTALI BENNETT, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: Yes, there are dozens of designated safe zones, but I do admit that it's a very complicated situation because Hamas has two goals, to kill as many Jews as possible, but also to kill as many Gazans as possible in order for Israel to be accused of all of this, and they do it deliberately by putting civilians at harm's way. So, it's a very complicated the operation and we don't really have a choice. We have to eliminate Hamas. When we succeed in eliminating Hamas, all of this carnage will stop.

ACOSTA: And Mr. Prime Minister, is there -- are there any second thoughts in your mind as to whether or not these operations are, to use an expression that was used during the U.S. War on Terror, creating more terrorists than killing. BENNETT: Look, we got that answer on October 7th. I just want to set

the context. During that period, there was more and more economic prosperity in Gaza. The current government had opened Gaza up to even more, you know, workers that come in every day. So, things were in a positive trend. There was a total truce. And out of nowhere, out of the blue sky, they attacked, raped, murdered, burned families.

So clearly this goes to some very deep fanatic religious motivation that is divorced from the actual facts on ground.

[17:10:00]

No one wants this. We don't want this. We handed Gaza over to the Palestinians back in 2005 and told them, go build your own future. Unfortunately, Hamas decided to take it to destroying Israel so we don't really have a choice.

ACOSTA: I'm sure you've seen that Vice President Harris spoke about the need to protect civilian life. She was at a climate summit in Dubai yesterday. Let's listen to that and we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: As Israel defends itself, it matters how. The United States is unequivocal. International humanitarian law must be respected. Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Frankly, the scale of civilian suffering and the images and videos coming from Gaza are devastating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Do you think -- what do you make of what the Vice President had to say there?

BENNETT: Well, Israel is abiding by international law. And contrary to our enemies, you know, there's no soldiers out there that are looking to kill civilians, whereas Hamas deliberately focused on civilians. There are no Israeli soldiers that are raping Palestinians, whereas Hamas deliberately went out to rape Israeli women as part of the plan. We're not out there severing heads or burning families, whereas Hamas did that. What we are doing is hunting down Hamas, and Hamas is bending over backward to ensure that more and more Gaza civilians die.

Precisely so on CNN, you'll be asking me, and so the vice president will be saying this. And it's very complicated, but there is one way to make it all go away and it's to defeat Hamas or for Hamas to lay down its arms and demilitarize Gaza. One thing is very clear, we will no longer tolerate a Hamas terror state on our border because we can't allow this to repeat itself.

ACOSTA: I also want to ask you about this ballistic missile attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea and the American warship that shot down two of these Houthi drones. What should be done about Iran and these proxy group attacks, do you think? What's the message to Iran? BENNETT: I think it's time to focus on Iran's regime. It's a rotten

state, a corrupt state, and a terror state. This regime is responsible for most of the terror in the Middle East. And I think it's time to target this regime and basically tell them that unless they stop, we're going to go after you. It's like an octopus of terror, but we've been fighting the arms of the octopus while the head has been immune from any attacks. And I think it's time to tell the head of this octopus in Tehran, we're going after you.

ACOSTA: And I do want to get back to the hostage negotiations. Do you think there's any hope of getting back to the negotiating table to try to get some sort of temporary ceasefire and get more hostages out? What's your sense of it at this point?

BENNETT: I think the only way to make that happen is to fully increase the pressure on Hamas so they have no choice but to come and with an offer to release the hostages.

ACOSTA: All right, former prime minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett, thank you very much for your time this evening. We appreciate it.

BENNETT: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Thank you. Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney says the U.S. is, quote, "sleepwalking into dictatorship." Coming up next, why she says the current House Speaker is a Trump collaborator, as she describes it. Our panel weighs in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:18:20]

ACOSTA: As the Iowa caucuses draw closer, former President Donald Trump made his return to the all-important state this weekend, trying to turn the tables on opponents who say his return to power would threaten democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Our opponents, and we have a lot of opponents, but we've been waging an all-out war in American democracy. You look at what they've been doing and becoming more and more extreme and repressive. They have just waged an all-out war with each passing day. You should go into Detroit and you should go into Philadelphia and you should go into some of these places, Atlanta, and you should go into some of these places and we got to watch those votes when they come in. Joe Biden is not the defender of American democracy. Joe Biden is the destroyer of American democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Joining us now to discuss CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona and CNN political commentator Republican strategist Alice Stewart. They're the hosts of the podcast "Hot Mics From Left to Right." Alice, let me start with you. What's going on here? What is Trump saying? Biden is the destroyer --

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: He's -- well, he's talking about Joe Biden, but you know --

ACOSTA: Sounds like Conan the Destroyer.

STEWART: He maybe gone wrong but my memory seems to go back to Donald Trump was the one that tried to overturn the election. Donald Trump is the one that's facing, you know -- been indicted for trying to overturn the election and refuses to accept the election results and says that we have widespread voter fraud. That to me, I don't know, but that sounds like a threat to democracy, and it's on Donald Trump's part and certainly not Joe Biden in his current administration.

[17:20:00]

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I actually think it shows Donald Trump's massive cognitive decline because he doesn't remember actually what he did. On several occasions, he doesn't remember the history of it. He doesn't understand everything that he did to actually destroy our democracy. So, I think the Joe Biden message of him being the one who is running to continue to protect our democracy is working, and I think Donald Trump's team should be very concerned.

STEWART: Well, what that was, though, is that type of rhetoric and those sentiments, that is red meat for his face. His face loves that and it fires them up --

ACOSTA: They're handing out these signs that say, Biden attacks democracy.

STEWART: Yeah. And that plays right into their hands. And he will continue to use that type of rhetoric and use those false claims, pointing the finger at Joe Biden, when in fact he is the one that is the threat.

CARDONA: You know, I also think, though, it shows that for the Biden campaign, and I think we're going to talk about this next, they really do need to continue to underscore the contrast. They need to get to this contrast really quickly because Liz Cheney is right what she said, that we are sleepwalking into a Donald Trump dictatorship. If people don't wake up and remember what Donald Trump was to the four years, what he tried to do to our democracy, and it was -- we were hanging by a string, that democracy.

And that Joe Biden is the one who actually is there to try to guard against it and every other Democratic and some good, common sense, you know, American values Republicans who did what they needed to do during the 2020 election when state by state, Donald Trump and his team tried to overturn it.

ACOSTA: Yeah, and you mentioned Liz Janey. Let's play this clip. She's been very critical of Trump, obviously, but she says that the Republican Party has its share of enablers, too, who have not been helping. Let's listen to what she has to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIZ CHENEY, FORMER WYOMING CONGRESSWOMAN: If you look at what Donald Trump is trying to do, he can't do it by himself. He has to have collaborators. And the story of Mike Johnson is the story of a collaborator and of someone who knew then and knows now that what he's doing and saying is wrong, but he's willing to do it in an effort to please Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Alice, what do you think about that?

STEWART: There's some truth to what she said there. There are a lot of people that do enable Donald Trump and allow him to get away with false rhetoric and allow him to get away with inflammatory comments because they recognize the fact that Donald Trump has a chokehold on the base and the voters. And right now, he is 40, 50, 60 points ahead of the other challengers in this 2024 race.

So, there's a significant portion of the GOP that will stand by Donald Trump and go along with what he's saying because they know that doing the opposite would alienate a lot of the base. And you go across this country and you speak to people in Iowa, in Arkansas, and there are a lot of people that believe what Donald Trump says. And they're going to go with him, and that's why you're seeing people like Mike Johnson and many others that will repeat what he says and go along with it.

CARDONA: Kowtow to do with it.

ACOSTA: Yeah. And Maria, speaking of Mike Johnson, this weekend the speaker said he is likely to open up a formal impeachment inquiry against President Biden. He says he has the votes to do so.

CARDONA: I think these plays into exactly what Alice was saying. He knows that in order to continue to have the support of his MAGA overlord, Donald Trump, he has got to do what Donald Trump wants. And he knows that Donald Trump wants Republicans in the House to start a formal inquiry into impeachment because he feels slighted because Democrats did it twice to him and how dare they, right?

And so, Speaker Johnson, who also, let's remember, was the author of one of the lawsuits to try to overturn the election. So again, he is doing Donald Trump's bidding, and that's one of the dangers that exist of him being in such a powerful position as Speaker of the House. But I actually think it will not work for Republicans. I think it will be detrimental to them because a massive amount of voters don't believe that should be a priority.

ACOSTA: Yeah. I also was going to ask you. Does this make good political sense, just from a strategic standpoint?

STEWART: Well, Republicans can walk and chew gum at the same time. They obviously need to focus on the funding and appropriations and making sure that we work to reduce crime and work on the economy. But there is some validity to the need for this impeachment inquiry. And listen, this has nothing to do with Donald Trump. You and I both know the truth never changes. And when you say the truth, it should never change.

Joe Biden and his administration have said for years, what is your involvement with your son's business dealings, his foreign business dealings? And he has said for years, I've never talked to Hunter about his business dealings. That was the line -- you've said it many times. And then all of a sudden, six months ago, their story is he was never in business with Hunter Biden. Why it was the change? Why did the -- their rhetoric change?

CARDONA: Because he was put on the phone to say hi to the people that were there with Hunter. I mean, that's ridiculous. Let's remember --

[17:25:00]

ACOSTA: Do you think by now, though, Alice --

CARDONA: -- those -- the witnesses --

ACOSTA: -- all these years after these questions started --

CARDONA: Yes, there's nothing there.

ACOSTA: That there should have been some evidence brought forward.

CARDONA: Five years. And the witnesses themselves, Alice, said that there's no evidence of wrongdoing. The witnesses that Republicans brought to talk about this. This is completely insane. But you know what? Yes. Do it. Bring it on. It will underscore just how incredibly spectacularly unfit the Republicans are to govern the House of Representatives in the United States of America.

STEWART: Look, again, this is for inquiry. This is to get further information. There are many Republicans that feel as though they're not getting the proper feedback and information from the administration, so an inquiry would be the right thing to do. But look, we all know if they were to hand down impeachment, it's never going to go anywhere in the Senate. So, in reality, it's a moot point. But I do think there are reasons for inquiry and asking further questions because they're not getting all the answers.

CARDONA: I don't think it's gonna do any good to the 18 Republicans that won in Joe Biden districts. So, again, bring it on. I think this is gonna give Democrats more of a chance to take back the House in 2024.

ACOSTA: All right, Maria, Alice, thanks a lot. I knew it would be a lively debate. Thanks a lot, appreciate it.

CARDONA: Thank you.

ACOSTA: All right, good to see you. Aid for Palestinians in Gaza is coming from many places. Chef Jose Andres joins us next to explain what his group is doing to help. There he is right there; our friend Jose joins us in just a few moments. Stay with us. You're live in the "CNN Newsroom."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:25:01]

ACOSTA: Israel has resumed its heavy bombing in Gaza after talks between Israel and Hamas broke down, setting back humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Today, 108 trucks from Egypt delivered food, water and medicine today but relief workers say it's nowhere near enough. World Central Kitchen has been helping deliver food, bringing freshly-cooked meals to thousands of people in Gaza.

Its founder, the great chef, Jose Andres, joins us now from Spain. Chef Jose, great to see you as always. I know you must be saddened by the fact that the fighting has started again and how it's going to impact aid efforts going into Gaza. What can you tell us? How are things being impacted at this moment?

JOSE ANDRES, CHEF AND FOUNDER, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Well, obviously, any time we have stopped the ceasefire, it is not good news for the people of Palestine, for the people in Gaza, for the humanitarian efforts. But I know all the organizations are trying to bring aid into Gaza. We don't stop.

Today, we had members of World Central Kitchen that were able to visit the different locations we have in the southern part of Gaza, visiting the different warehouses we set up. The different partners like Anera, which is an amazing humanitarian organization, it has been almost 50 years inside Gaza. They specialize in medical care.

We've been partnering with them now for a few years to do what World Central Kitchen does best, which is food, and using all their knowledge of the area to provide food and water to many different people.

So, right now, obviously, the situation again is very tense, very dangerous. We see that the efforts, obviously, by Israel to keep attacking Hamas, obviously, unfortunately, is having also negative effects on the civilian population. But again --

ACOSTA: Yeah.

ANDRES: -- this is a true humanitarian crisis. We need to make sure that food and water and, obviously, medicine is a universal right, and we need to make sure that humanitarian aid, doesn't matter what happens, will not stop coming into Gaza so that two million people inside will have access to food, water, medicines, and other things they need to keep living their lives.

ACOSTA: But do you really need a ceasefire, a truce, to get the aid in there? It is one of the questions I have. It was so desperate before that truce got started, Jose. Were you and other groups able to really make good use of that truce last week? Was that a good amount of time to get trucks and aid in there? What was that like?

ANDRES: Well, we see that hundreds of trucks have been going in over the last days. I can say that World Central Kitchen, we've been able to put into Gaza more than 65 trucks. We have probably more than 140 trucks in route between outside Cairo and the southern entry into Gaza through Rafah. We have right now more than 25, 30 trucks leaving every day our main warehouse in Cairo.

But again, we need hundreds of trucks crossing the southern border so we are able to cover the basic needs of food and water. Obviously, it will be always easier to do it under a ceasefire. Let's hope another one is reached, an agreement between Israel, Palestine, and the different groups trying to come to this kind of negotiation. But again, that matters, how much food we put in right now. It is a true humanitarian crisis.

We know that Cindy McCain, the director of World Food Program, has already said that right now what's going on inside Palestine is really desperate. We know that because we have people inside, we have partners, we have members of World Central Kitchen that have been going already in and out. We need to make sure that the humanitarian aid, that no matter what happens, will never stop.

[17:35:00]

But the most important is that all these hostilities, all these actions, obviously, but Israel trying to defend themselves from further attack by the terrorist organization Hamas will stop quicker rather later because the most important is that the children, the women, the elderly, they need desperately these food and water, will get it as soon as we can. If not, this is going to be already is a major humanitarian crisis.

ACOSTA: Yeah. I mean, we were showing this piece, Jose, earlier on in the program. Might not have had a chance to see it or hear it, but from our Ben Wedeman, showing the children in these bombed-out areas in Gaza. Just an incredibly desperate situation amid all that devastation. How is this affecting the children of Gaza?

ANDRES: Well, obviously, myself, personally, I've not been in, but I've been in other crises, and I can speak by what I only see. We see that Russia has attacked Ukraine now for almost two years, and I've seen the faces of children. I think everybody will agree with me that war should never ever happen anywhere in the world.

We should be an earth full of peace where children, elderly women, will not have to suffer the devastation that weapons create in their communities. Civilians should never be under these situations. So, let's hope that we all agree that war is never the answer, but respecting each other.

Obviously, what's in (INAUDIBLE) right now is not only in (INAUDIBLE). We've been in Israel. Why? Because Hamas did total destruction to many communities around surrounding areas of northern Palestinian territories. Many people, you see how many died. You see all the people that were taking hostages into Palestine. Nobody should be taking hostage. Nobody, Israelis, Palestinians.

And now, remember, also in Egypt, we have Palestinians that are not able to cross into Gaza. In a way, they are refugees. We see what's going on in Lebanon at the same time. We see what's going on also, obviously, in Jordan.

This is not only a Gaza situation, but this is a situation that is involving many countries surrounding Palestine. So, let's hope again that this conflict comes to a situation that we can start reconstruction, we can start taking care of every single individual not only in Palestine, but in all the other countries that in a way, they are affected by this.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. All right. Very well said indeed as always. We know how much great work you do in Ukraine as well. Definitely want to have you back sometime soon to catch up on how things are going in Ukraine. You've done great work there and all around the world. Chef Jose Andres, thanks so much for your time this evening. Really appreciate it. Good to see you.

And if you would like to know how you can help with the humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza and Israel, please go cnn.com/impact. You'll find a list of organizations providing an assistance that we have vetted for you. again, that's cnn.com/impact.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:42:24]

ACOSTA: Chaos today in the world of college football as the top four teams for this year's playoffs were revealed. Michigan coming in at number one followed by Washington and Texas. But the big headline centered around that number four position. Here's the moment we learned that Alabama and not undefeated Florida State made the cut.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Who's number four? And Alabama returns to the playoff. And so, we have another unprecedented situation as Florida State winds up at number five.

ACOSTA: And you can see the reaction there from Florida State. Not good, clearly upset with the decision.

Let's discuss with CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan. Christine, here's what the Florida State head coach is saying about this. He says he's disgusted with the decision and calls it a sad day for college football. There's the rest of it there. A team that overcame tremendous adversity found a way to win doing whatever it took on the field. It was cheated today. It's a sad day for college football. Mike Norvell, the Florida State head coach, is he right?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: On one hand, he is, Jim, absolutely. This is the first time ever that an undefeated Power 5 conference champion has not made the final four, has not made the playoffs, first time in the 10 years of this form of playoffs. So, that's unprecedented as we heard. That is unusual.

The Florida State fans have absolutely every right to be furious and angry. The ACC, the conference itself is furious. And again, they have every right to complain which, of course, is the lifeblood of college football playoffs and college football rankings and has been for as long as they've been ranking college football games and teams through seasons.

In other words, I'm not discounting it but arguing, and controversy has been a part of college football as long as I've loved it, probably as long as you've loved it.

ACOSTA: Oh, yeah.

BRENNAN: And that is just the way it goes. We're so passionate about it and the alums and, of course, the fans, and the players, of course. Your heart breaks for those players. They did nothing wrong. They did everything asked of them. They won every game --

ACOSTA: Yeah.

BRENNAN: -- and they did not pick the playoffs. That, of course, is the controversy.

ACOSTA: Yeah. And I have to ask you -- I mean, does all of this basically rest on the fact that the star quarterback of Florida State got injured and he hasn't been able to play the last couple of games? I mean, is that why the college football overlords are keeping them out of the playoffs? I mean, that just seems tremendously unfair to the other players with the Seminoles who worked their tails off all season long to be undefeated.

[17:45:00]

BRENNAN: What we're hearing from the committee and sources throughout College Football Gym is that the injury to Jordan Travis, the Florida State quarterback, did play a factor. And in that sense, you're right, it is completely unfair because, of course, Florida State has won yesterday and has done everything that they could possibly do.

But what the committee is looking at is the best games possible. So, I like a snapshot in time, so to speak, and I'm not necessarily (INAUDIBLE) them of this -- from this controversy in this conversation, but when you look at the difference between Alabama, which is now on the rise, obviously, beat number one Georgia, the two- time defending champ Georgia, 27, 24 --

ACOSTA: Yeah.

BRENNAN: -- in the SEC championship, that's huge.

ACOSTA: Sure.

BRENNAN: And the SEC (INAUDIBLE) the last four college football playoffs, the national championship, and six of the nine. And so --

COATES: Yeah.

BRENNAN: -- it is really hard to deny an SEC team.

ACOSTA: Well -- and I just wonder if there's some unfairness there because -- I mean, why does the SEC just get a spot in the top four? You know, you're looking at Florida State, they're undefeated. Alabama lost to Texas. I'm sorry. You lost to Texas. One loss on your record. Florida State, no losses. I think a lot of people are wondering whether or not this has to do with the influence of Alabama Nick Saban and the SEC. This or another team from another conference? With that, would it still be the same situation that we're watching unfold tonight?

BRENNAN: You know, possibly not, Jim, because the SEC does carry a lot of weight and has a lot of power. And also, the last week or so, the SEC and its commissioner, they have really made a case for Alabama if Alabama were to be Georgia. There is the public relation side of this. You and I are in the media world. We get the idea that people are pushing their agenda.

ACOSTA: Yeah.

BRENNAN: And the SEC did a really good job of pleading the case of Alabama if Georgia lost. The ACC wasn't quite as vocal, and the ACC doesn't have that power and that history behind it that the SEC has. That's part of the game. Should it be part of the game? Probably not, but it is. It's a reality as you're trying to sway people's opinion.

It is not a computer, it's the committee, and that is, of course, the nature of the beast, but what you've got are 18 to 23-year-olds who are heartbroken today for sure.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. No question about it. Although I have to mention, I'm very proud of my alma mater, the James Madison Dukes. They are going to their very first ball game. They will play against Air Force. Please, everybody, pardon the plug for my alma mater.

But Christine Brennan, thanks very -- and I know you know JMU being a Washingtonian yourself, but thanks very much, Christine. Appreciate the time.

BRENNAN: My pleasure. Congrats to JMU. See you.

ACOSTA: Yeah. Thanks a lot. All right. In the meantime, the stars are out in Washington tonight. This year's Kennedy Center Honors happens just a short time from now. We'll talk about who's being honored next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:52:21]

ACOSTA: For 46 years, the Kennedy Center Honors has been an annual event celebrating the brightest lights in the arts. This year, the impressive slate of honorees includes acclaimed soprano Renee Fleming, singer-songwriter Bee Gee Barry Gibb, rapper and actress Queen Latifah, singer Dionne Warwick, and actor, author and comedian Billy Crystal.

CNN's Arlette Saenz has more on this signature event in Washington. Arlette, this is such a prized achievement. And Billy Crystal, the amazing Billy Crystal, told "The Washington Post" he got very emotional when he got the call about this. I have to think that this happens for all of the honorees. It's an amazing thing to be honored for.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Jim, and I can tell you, I was in the room in the White House a little while ago while President Biden hosted them, and Billy Crystal got emotional as he walked on stage, taking a big breath and putting his hand over his heart. But as you noted, this is one of the most prestigious awards that musicians, artists, and actors can receive.

President Biden spoke about the importance of the contributions they are making in the performing arts and how that really has shaped the soul of this country. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's simple as it is profound. Performing arts are more than just sound and scene. They reflect who we are as Americans and as human beings. That's especially true for more than 200 Kennedy Center honorees over the past 46 years who have helped shape how we see ourselves, how we see each other, and how we see our world.

Honor is not just based on the length of the career or the scope of the work or the height of the fame. But because of their unique place in the conscience and the very soul of our dynamic and diverse nation, you're an incredible group, you really are. This year's class continues that legacy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: And the president went on to speak about each of the honorees. He said that he was a big fan of Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees. He also talked about the way that Queen Latifah has really paved the road for so many female hip hop artists. In fact, she is the first female hip hop artist to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.

He also talked about Renee Fleming and how she had performed at a private mass for him and his family just before his inauguration in 2021. And then he paid tribute to both Billy Crystal and Dionne Warwick, talking about some of the efforts that they have done beyond their musical and acting careers. Billy Crystal helped New York City to rebuild after super storm Sandy, in 9/11. And also, Dionne Warwick teaming up with Stevie Wonder and Elton John back when the AIDS epidemic was raging, trying to address that, including through their music.

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And so, this was really a moment for the president to participate in this transition, hosting these honorees here at the White House before the official festivities kick off over at the Kennedy Center in just a short while.

ACOSTA: All right, Arlette Saenz, an incredible slate of honorees should be an incredible night. Arlette, thank you very much. In the meantime, former President Donald Trump, who urged his supporters to go to the Capitol on January 6th, now says President Biden is the real threat to democracy. We'll discuss that with former Senator Al Frank. There he is. He's coming up in just a few moments. Stay with us.

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ACOSTA: You're live in "CNN Newsroom." I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. Good evening.