Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Countdown to New Hampshire; New Hampshire's Primary is Just Three Days Away; Republican Presidential Candidates Focusing on Biden and Each Other; Tim Scott Endorses Donald Trump. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired January 20, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

Ahead on "CNN Newsroom," Republican presidential candidates are in New Hampshire this weekend ahead of Tuesday's primary. What a new poll says about taking on Joe Biden there, and how one candidate is reacting to a pretty big snub when it comes to an endorsement.

Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister seeks to explain his position on the two-state solution with Palestinians, the White House. A lot of live report from the region.

And missing out on the American dream, how one generation sees a very different economic landscape than what the indicators say.

New Hampshire's primary is just three days away and Republican contenders are campaigning furiously during the final weekend before the votes are cast. Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are all taking aim at each other, but also beginning to focus on the man each candidate hopes to face in November, President Joe Biden.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And with your vote four days from now, we're going to win another historic victory in the great state of New Hampshire. And then we're going to defeat crooked Joe Biden, the worst president in the history of our country. And we're going to make America great again.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's a question of what does that portend for November and how the Republican base is going to be energized or not energized.

We know the Democrats probably wouldn't be energized with Biden in the absence of a Trump nomination. I think that they would have trouble with turnout. But I think we also know that if Trump's the candidate, I think you're going to see big time uptick in Democrat enthusiasm. And I think it's going to give him an advantage.

NIKKI HALEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And if you look at those head-to-head polls, look at any of them, there's numerous. You look at the head-to-head polls, Trump and Biden on a good day are even. He might be up by two points. It's margin of error. It's going to be a nail biter of an election. We're going to end up holding our breath again. I'm in every one of those same general election polls, and I beat Biden by 17 points.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, Haley may not have seen the newest Marist College Poll of registered voters in New Hampshire. It shows Trump lagging behind Biden in a hypothetical match up, but the gap between her and Biden is much closer.

Now, people were asked whom they would support if the general election were held today, 52 percent picked Biden compared to 45 percent for Trump. In a matchup between Biden and Haley, there was a clear -- there wasn't a clear winner. Haley got 47 percent, while 44 percent chose Biden, and 9 percent were undecided. Now, the Marist Poll was conducted between Monday and Wednesday.

On Friday night, former presidential hopeful and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott made it clear whom he backs. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-SC), FORMER U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Came to the very warm State of New Hampshire to endorse the next president of these United States, President Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, the endorsement was supposed to come ahead of the South Carolina primary next month, but was pushed up because of the spike Nikki Haley has gotten in New Hampshire polls.

Now, in a speech, Scott said America needs a president who will unite the country and someone who would "close our southern border today."

Now, earlier, I spoke with Dante Scala from the University of New Hampshire, and I asked him just how much of a blow Scott's endorsement of Donald Trump is to the Haley campaign. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANTE SCALA, PROFESSOR, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: Well, I think personally, it's hard because they had a relationship in South Carolina. She, you know, brought him into the U.S. Senate. And for a fellow South Carolinian to not endorse her, I don't know that she was expecting that he would endorse her instead of him.

But still coming right now as we enter into the final weekend before the New Hampshire primary, it's just one more thing that she has to overcome. And I think when you're a candidate like Nikki Haley, and you're down by double digits, you know, you're thinking about the future and you're trying to finish the best you can while you're managing expectations. It's a lot.

[04:05:00]

And Trump, on the other hand, just seems to be rolling through. Nothing seems to much bother him or the people backing him. So, when you're Nikki Haley, you're a challenger, you're almost kind of hitting your head against a brick wall trying to figure out how to bust through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And you can see that full interview about the upcoming primary right here in about an hour.

Anti-abortion advocates converged on a snowy Washington, D.C. Friday for the annual March for Life event. It's the second one since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections in 2022.

Participants who gathered at the National Mall say they're now looking to states to pass abortion bans. At least 14 states with Republican majorities have banned the procedure, with little to no exceptions. More than a dozen states plan to hold their own marches in the coming weeks.

President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are downplaying apparent differences over the possibility of a future Palestinian State. The two leaders spoke on Friday for the first time in nearly a month.

A person familiar with the conversation tells CNN, Netanyahu explained that the public comments he made a day earlier, in which he appeared not for the first time, to reject the idea of a Palestinian State, weren't meant to foreclose that outcome in any form.

The White House says the president reiterated his support for an eventual Palestinian State once the war between Israel and Hamas is over. Biden says he believes Netanyahu would agree to a two-state solution, "given the right one."

CNN's Scott McLean joins me now live from Istanbul with the latest.

So, Scott, that conversation between Netanyahu and Biden. Take us through what was said and how you think that rift might impact the war.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kim. Yes. So, of all of the things on that call, at least according to the American readout, the need for humanitarian aid, the American push to -- for the Israelis to sort of transition this war into a lower intensity phase, the two- state solution was very last on that readout. And perhaps that's because it is the least realistic thing of happening anytime in the foreseeable future.

And this shouldn't come as a surprise. As you pointed out already, Kim, that Prime Minister Netanyahu has signaled this before, and President Biden is well aware of it. Even last month, he said that Israel is not interested in the two-state solution because, at least in part, Netanyahu is beholden to his far-right government in Israel, and Netanyahu had said that he wouldn't make the same mistakes of the Oslo Accord, the closest that Israel has come to a lasting peace in recent memory.

And so. the White House thinking on this has been sort of to brush it on the -- off to the side say that look, Netanyahu has made this kind of statements before and then come back to a more moderate position, and at least according to a person familiar with that call, he did as well yesterday saying that his comments on Thursday were not meant to close the door entirely on the possibility of a two-state solution. And in fact. that he found the possibility of a demilitarized Palestinian State backed, given security guarantees from abroad is something that he found intriguing.

This is something that's been pushed by the Egyptian president before, and also something that it appears President Biden is interested in as well. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: I think we'll be able to work something out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How?

BIDEN: A number of types of two-state solutions. There's a number of countries that are members of the U.N. that are still -- don't have their own military, a number of states that have limitations. And so, I think there's ways in which this can work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCLEAN: So, the Americans think that once the war is over, once the dust settles, there may be more of a pathway to talking about a two- state solution and the foundations of a Palestinian State.

But the other reality that you have to consider, Kim, is that Prime Minister Netanyahu may not be the man that they are ultimately talking to about this. Netanyahu's popularity in Israel is sinking to new lows. There are calls for fresh elections in Israel. The most recent people to call for that is a member of his own war cabinet and a former prime minister as well.

And so, Prime Minister Netanyahu certainly won't be in office forever.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Meanwhile, Scott, in Yemen, another round of strikes. Take us through the latest on what happened and the reaction.

MCLEAN: So, this is the sixth round of American strikes in Yemen on Houthi targets, Kim, in the last 10 days. This one, the Pentagon says that there were three targets that they -- that were hit, all of them anti-ship missiles that were pointed at the Red Sea, that were prepared to fire. And the Americans said that this represented a threat not only to commercial shipping in the Red Sea, but also to U.S. Navy ships that were in the area as well. And so, that's why they went ahead.

[04:10:00]

You've also had the Houthis, you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, this week successfully launched some of those anti-ship missiles. They say that they're not deterred by these American strikes. And even President Biden acknowledged earlier this week that they're not working, but they'll be continuing.

And so, there's no sign at all that any of this is going to stop anytime soon. A ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the United States was asked about this and he said that, look, the Houthis may still have ammunition but, at least now, they have less of it. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. Scott McLean in Istanbul. Appreciate it.

Well, it's a grim picture during what should be a joyous time since the Hamas attacks in October. Gaza has had nearly 20,000 births amid the Israeli bombardment and supply shortages.

UNICEF adds that mothers are being forced to undergo cesarean sections without anesthetic. Some are discharged from hospital mere hours after the procedure. Medical staff is so overwhelmed they can't even help women deliver their stillborn infants. Some mothers are just too weak to breastfeed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TESS INGRAM, UNICEF SPOKESWOMEN: Becoming a mother should be a time of celebration. But in Gaza, it's another child delivered into hell. Humanity cannot allow this warped version of normal to persist any longer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN is unable to independently verify these UNICEF claims.

The U.S. is looking for answers after confirming a U.S. citizen was killed in the West Bank on Friday. Palestinian media reported that a 17-year-old Palestinian-American was shot to death. The U.S. State Department is looking to the Israeli government for more information on the circumstances around the death. Earlier, Israel Defense Forces and Israeli police told CNN that an investigation is underway.

Russian troops are taking heavy losses in fighting near one Ukrainian town. Next, why Ukrainian soldiers are worried they won't be able to keep up the pressure.

Plus, the Baltic country's new plan to defend themselves against a possible attack by Russia and Belarus. That's coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:15:00] BRUNHUBER: Ukraine says Russian troops are suffering heavy losses in fighting near the eastern city of Donetsk. But some Ukrainian soldiers tell our Fred Pleitgen and they're not sure how long they can hold out. We just want to warn you, this report contains graphic video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (VOICE-OVER): It's a site Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka see all too often, a massive Russian armored assault force coming right at them.

The Russian infantry moves with virtually no cover. The Ukrainians call these meat assaults because the Russian troops have virtually no chance of survival as Ukrainian drones hunt them down.

They assault with a large number of personnel, the head of the drone unit that filmed the videos tells me. Assault after assault, nonstop. If we kill 40 to 70 of them with drones in a day, the next day they renew their forces and continue to attack.

It's been going on for several months, as Russian President Vladimir Putin seems hell bent on taking Avdiivka. Russian vehicles under artillery fire as they get close to Ukrainian positions. The ground littered with dead and dying Russian soldiers trying to overwhelm the Ukrainian defenses here. The Ukrainians say they're holding back most of the assaults, but are outgunned and outmanned.

We need more people, more military, more equipment. We need more ammunition, more drones, he says. Unfortunately, we don't have the amount needed to win. We need a lot.

And the Russians not facing the same shortages are dropping massive amounts of ordnance on the Ukrainians, everything from artillery to heavy guided aerial bombs. One of the key defense points, a massive coke plant at the edge of town. And that's where these guys are setting up their defenses.

Under constant fire, elite snipers from Ukraine's Omega Special Forces. Here they have the cover to hit advancing Russian soldiers. Their anger visible in the hoodies they wear for our interview.

With the weapons we have, at distances up to 1,300 meters, the effectiveness of our work is 90 percent, he says. For that kind of precision, they need to keep their weapons in pristine condition all the time, they say.

Here At the beginning, it seemed the Russians could encircle Avdiivka very quickly, he says. But as we see, Avdiivka has been ours for three months and we're holding on.

Holding Avdiivka for now, even as assault after assault eats away at Ukrainian defenses.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, near Avdiivka, Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: Belarus has adopted a new military doctrine that would serve as the country's first step towards deploying nuclear weapons across the country.

On Friday, the country's defense minister said the nuclear option "is considered as important measure for preventative deterrence from potential adversaries," adding that it demonstrates Belarus "does not treat any nation as its enemy, regardless of the actions of the governments of these nations."

The doctrine is still awaiting final approval from the all-Belarusian People's Assembly, which will be held in April, according to Russian state media.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania say they're going to build new defensive installations on the borders with Russia and Belarus.

Estonia says the agreement between the countries includes a network of bunkers, support points and distribution lines. At the end of this month, NATO will hold the group's largest military exercise since the Cold War. All member nations and Sweden will participate.

The chair of NATO's military committee says the organization has no choice but to prepare for a possible war with Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADMIRAL ROB BAUER, CHAIR, NATO MILITARY COMMITTEE AND ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY: Not everything is going to be hunky dory in the next 20 years. I'm not saying it is going wrong tomorrow, but we have to realize it's not a given that we are in peace. And that's why we have the plans. That's why we are preparing for a conflict with Russia and the terror groups, if it comes to it, if they attack us. We're not seeking any conflict, but if they attack us, we have to be ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:20:00]

BRUNHUBER: Around 90,000 troops will take part in the drill.

And Kira Rudik is a member of Ukraine's parliament and leader of the country's Golos Party, and she was at the World Economic Forum this week in Davos, Switzerland to discuss security issues and she joins us now from Brussels.

Thanks so much for being here with us again. So, you've been traveling, trying to get more support for Ukraine. How important is that given the political turmoil here in the U.S. that's threatening aid from America?

KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND LEADER, UKRAINE'S GOLOS PARTY: Hello, Kim. Thank you so much for having me. Well, indeed, it is incredibly hard to explain to the people who are fighting in the front what is going on and why they are not receiving everything that they need. And given that we have received the political promises, this famous, staying with Ukraine for as long as it takes, it is incredibly important that this as long as it takes happens now. Because we need the weapons now. We need the financial support now.

And every single day of the delay is showing Russia that West can be concentrated on their political differences rather on keeping the promise on the support in Ukraine.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, and you're, you're emphasizing the now on the timing. I mean, here in the U.S., there seems to be a growing realization in Washington that this might be the last chance for military funding before the presidential election. Obviously, as you know better than anyone, the stakes couldn't be higher.

Is there a sense of desperation at all in Ukraine that this is your one shot now for quite some time?

RUDIK: Well, exactly. We were expecting the support to come in the end of 2023, and that was like general understanding. And the fact that we entered 2024 without it was already a very bad sign.

And, again, right now when we are discussing our plans for the future, we know that we have to rely on it and the sense is desperation is there. Absolutely. So, it's hard to understand and to explain to people who do not -- or who are not like very deep into the political differences in the United States or on, one, why there is this delay and what are the chances of it being resolved.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, and this political paralysis that's affecting that aid, I mean, you know, how -- what damage do you think that this is doing to America's worldwide reputation?

RUDIK: Well, it means that even if there are political promises to stand with the country, that there could be many ifs. And these ifs could be if there will be a political will or if there would be no bureaucratic stoppers to that.

And again, who is winning in this matter and who is very happy about that? Well, it is Putin and his allies because they see that they basically can do whatever they want. And then, if there is a political decision in the United States, it may not be coming to life because like, well, there are things inside the country.

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, you were attending that this week. One of the ideas that seemed to be gaining traction was using frozen Russian assets to pay for reconstruction in Ukraine as well as to help fund the war. I mean, it's something that your president has called for, an idea you've championed as well.

I mean, what kind of support have you been getting for that idea?

RUDIK: First of all, we have Canada that already have passed the necessary legislation to do that. Canada does not have many of the assets confiscated and frozen right now, but is the first precedent. And I'm here in Brussels. And two days ago, I met with the prime minister, Alexander De Croo, who has made a champion steps forward to confiscate the taxes on their frozen Russian assets and use them for their Ukraine funds that will buy certain things for Ukraine and will show the first precedent of using Russian money for the sake of Ukraine.

It is very important again as the first step, as the precedent, to show that it's not that one country can start and full-scale invasion and then make the whole democratic country's taxpayers to pay -- to cover for it, because it's completely unfair and it is completely wrong. Russia needs to pay. And the best legal way of making them pay is to use the money that are being held by democratic countries right now.

[04:25:00]

BRUNHUBER: But I mean, you mentioned a precedent. Precedent can cut both ways. There are obviously many legal hurdles here. But even if you can find a way to sort of take the capital, not just the taxes, I mean, could it set a dangerous precedent for other countries perhaps to seize inappropriate funds?

RUDIK: Well, I think the dangerous precedent is not to have those assets frozen and to show Russia that they can do whatever they want. And then the democratic countries will still be playing the ball and saying, well, well, we will keep your money safe with us, no matter what you do.

What -- for which precedents does this action call, for all the other aggressors to start their wars as well? And then, to be sure that their money are safe.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Listen, we'll have to leave it there, but always good to speak with you. Kira Rudik, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us.

RUDIK: Thank you and glory to Ukraine.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the American dream, but at what cost?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Millennials speak out saying they now regret going to college because the debt isn't worth it and they can't afford to meal out, let alone more kids. That's coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom." Back to one of our top stories this hour. It was just three days to go before a big Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump picked up an endorsement from one of his former rivals for the nomination. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott got on the Trump train on Friday in New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:30:00]

SCOTT: We need a president who will close our southern border today. We need Donald Trump. We need a president. We need a president who will unite our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And Scott's endorsement is a bit of a snub to his fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley, who responded to Scott's announcement saying, "Interesting that Trump's lining up with all the Washington insiders when he claimed he wanted to drain the swamp."

Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are trying to drum up more support this weekend in the race to beat Trump in the Granite State. CNN's Omar Jimenez has more from New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: Four days to go. We are super excited.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All the candidates are back in New Hampshire. Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Donald Trump are making their final pitches to voters heading into the last weekend before the primary. One that Haley says carries enormous weight.

HALEY: This is a wakeup call for the Republican Party.

TRUMP: She's not going to make it. She has no chance. She's got no way. The MAGAs not going to be with her.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): He's continued to single her out, even calling her names on social media based on her birth name, Nimrada.

HALEY: The name calling, I know President Trump well. That's what he does when he feels threatened. That's what he does when he feels insecure. It's not going to waste any energy for me. I'm going to continue to focus on the things that people want to talk about and not get into the name calling back with him.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Haley has pulled within single digits of the former president in the past month and has increasingly focused her attacks on him.

HALEY: The reason he's throwing these temper tantrums is because he knows I do have a chance. The reason he's doing this is because he knows he's not able to defend his record. JIMENEZ (voice-over): She sees the Granite State as a two-person race, as DeSantis appears to have scaled back appearances in the state. But hasn't fully disappeared.

DESANTIS: Well, it's a little chilly.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): As he stresses, the road for him doesn't end in New Hampshire.

DESANTIS: As long as I'm in the hunt, that tells me that I have -- that I'm seeing a pathway. The minute I don't, then I'm not just going to do this for, you know, just for my health.

JIMENEZ: Now, DeSantis wouldn't speculate on what future states he believes he could win, but his campaign has stressed that he's in it for the long haul.

Meanwhile, Haley has tried to keep her momentum going despite any endorsement. She had a flurry of events over the course of Friday with more planned into Saturday, as well as Former President Donald Trump is continuing his campaign push, but also is expected to be back in civil court Monday, the day before the New Hampshire primary, as sources tell CNN.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, Manchester, New Hampshire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The U.S. presidential election later this year was a hotly discussed topic at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It just wrapped up after five days of meetings. But there was also plenty of talk about -- including Israel, Ukraine, and the challenging global economic outlook.

CNN's Julia Chatterley spoke with Ajay Banga, the president of the World Bank, about conflict, climate change, and the potential risks of A.I.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AJAY BANGA, WORLD BANK PRESIDENT: All conflict. You know, the Ukraine conflict is a challenge. Gaza and Israel is a challenge. The Red Sea issue is a challenge. The question really is, how much of this gets broader versus being still relatively localized?

The Red Sea one has the disadvantage also of creating instability around the movement of goods to the Suez Canal. So, I think there's a lot of work to be done there. But in general, today, where it is, it's less of an impact than so many other things that these developing countries are dealing with.

JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: You're pumping a lot of money into climate adaption and mitigation, which is crucial. Not been talked about enough actually here in Davos. Can it survive a Trump presidency? And I know we're predicting ahead, but the U.S. is your biggest shareholder. BANGA: Yes, I have no idea who's going to become the next president.

CHATTERLEY: I know.

BANGA: But just two facts. In the first Trump presidency, the bank did get a capital increase, and the U.S. was the contributor with the largest shareholding.

CHATTERLEY: Of course.

BANGA: So, remember the magic of the bank, which everybody gets in the math, is you put a dollar into the IBRD's balance sheet as capital, I can generate six from it, because we have a AAA sovereign debt rating, and we can raise the money from the bond.

In Ida, one dollar generates four. That math, everyone understands. So, if you believe that there is logic and rationality in this math, I feel you can work with governments. Not everybody will agree on everything. You know, that's my job. I got to work this.

CHATTERLEY: Can we talk about AI, please? I think we've seen both extremes here in Davos this year. The sort of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The existential crisis threat. Is the World Bank using A.I.? And where do you stand on where we are today and the risk?

BANGA: In general, A.I. has so much good going for it. Productivity, medicine, cancer cures, all the good stuff that you could talk about. The bank uses it in various places as well, including to inform our own work.

[04:35:00]

But like everything else in technology, if you don't have the right guardrails, if you don't have the right rules of engagement and you just allow it to be a thousand flowers blooming, I think you lose the opportunity to harness the good and you can allow it to then run out of control.

How you find that balance, how you toggle those switches is going to be the magic of the coming five, 10 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A strong finish the week for the U.S. stock market. The S&P 500 closed at a record high for the first time in two years. The Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P are all positive for the year. Some investors are hoping the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in March.

Meanwhile, the University of Michigan's Survey of Consumers shows U.S. consumer sentiment is up 21 percent from last year. The survey's director says the numbers are supported by confidence that inflation has turned a corner.

Now, those strong market numbers don't necessarily translate to welcome news for millennials. Some of them told our Alisyn Camerota that they're struggling to achieve the American dream. They can't afford a second child, buy a house, or go out to dinner when they want, even though they're college educated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANNY NAVARRO, 25-YEAR-OLD WORKING THREE JOBS: I see 400 going towards my student loans and I see 545 going for HOA and I see groceries averaging about 150 a week.

Sure. Maybe for my wife's, you know, retirement portfolio, it might be looking great. But we need to get there first, right?

On Saturday we heard how MetLife Stadium is preparing for the World Cup Final.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Danny Navarro did not plan to be a TikTok creator.

NAVARRO: If FIFA decided to sell tickets for the 2026 World Cup --

CAMEROTA (voice-over): That was not his goal when he graduated with a history degree on a scholarship from the University of Virginia and started working at a nonprofit.

NAVARRO: I was at the $60,000 mark of my salary and the only way that I was going to crack 80, 90 potentially was to get a grad school degree.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): So, Danny went back to school for a master's degree in public administration.

NAVARRO: I had to take out $70,000 in loans. And so, it's almost like we just were basically thrown into the hole. And right away, we have to start climbing out of it.

CAMEROTA: So, your first generation. And what was the dream for you? What was the dream if you went to college?

NAVARRO: We would escape poverty. And you know, for immigrants that are coming to this country, that's always the thing that they tell you.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): Danny now juggles three jobs, soccer coach, tutor and TikTok video creator.

NAVARRO: Because I don't have a full-time salary jobs since November of 2022. And it's not without trying. I've tried to -- I've actually applied to about a hundred jobs --

CAMEROTA: A hundred jobs?

NAVARRO: I would say about in the past year and change. And a couple of them have gone into the final round, but just unfortunately not been selected.

RACHAEL GAMBINO, 33-YEAR-OLD PENNSYLVANIA MOM: Want to look outside. Come here. Look outside.

My life is very different than what I envisioned it would be.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): Rachael Gambino and Garrett Mazzeo (ph) followed the road map that previous generations said would spell success, go to college, get married, work hard, buy a house, start a family.

GAMBINO: This is the American dream, but it -- at what cost? So, we have all of those things and we appreciate every single one of those things, but we think about how we could lose those things very quickly if one of us loses our job, we're in a not good place.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): Between their college debt and monthly mortgage payment, they feel they've slipped into a lower economic class than the one they grew up in.

CAMEROTA: Do you describe yourselves as middle-class?

GARRETT MAZZEO (PH): I like to think we are.

GAMBINO: I would say lower middle-class.

CAMEROTA: Why?

GAMBINO: Because when I think of middle-class, I think about people who are able to just get up and go and do things within their means and like not extravagant things, but be able to get up and go to dinner whenever they want, or maybe take that trip, that long weekend trip. We don't have that luxury.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): Rachael works at a nonprofit, Garrett as an insurance underwriter. But their paychecks barely keep pace with their $3,400 monthly mortgage payment.

Rachael's 26-year-old sister, Kristen (ph), moved in to help offset costs for all of them.

CAMEROTA: So, all of this is affecting your family planning.

GAMBINO: You know, once we started getting daycare costs, it was like, we cannot afford to have another child until he's in a public school system. I'd love for him to have like a partner in crime, but we can't afford to give him that for at least four years.

CAMEROTA: And is that sad?

GAMBINO: I'm sad. Like our family is dictated by our financials. And yes, I just never thought it would be that way.

MAZZEO (PH): Rach, we have $435. It will last until the month.

GAMBINO: What?

MAZZEO (PH): Actually, until February 4th.

GAMBINO: That's even worse.

MAZZEO (PH): I know.

CAMEROTA (voice-over): So, what would they do differently, if they could do it all over again? Avoid student debt, even if that means rethinking college.

[04:40:00]

GAMBINO: I think this idea of going to college is something that I don't know, if Miles will do, and we have decided we're not going to. push him there either. I think a lot of millennials were forced into saying like, you need a four-year degree in order to be successful. And it's like, I have a communications degree, and I definitely did not need that to be successful.

And so, I think like it starts with when you turn 18, you're already put into a disadvantage. And I think we need to like change that mindset for the next generation.

NAVARRO: Did I go to college to go do TikTok videos? No. But is that the one place right now where I can make, you know, money? Potentially. So, let me go make my TikTok videos while I'm at it. And hopefully, find a new way to live the American dream.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still ahead, actor Alec Baldwin facing new charges in that deadly shooting on a movie set. We'll have details on a grand jury's indictment after this break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: The Los Angeles Innocence Project says it's now representing convicted murderer Scott Peterson. A jury in California found Peterson guilty in 2004 of killing his wife and their unborn child.

The nonprofit works to free people who are wrongly convicted and incarcerated. It says it's investigating Peterson's claim that he's innocent.

Now, 51 years old, Peterson was originally sentenced to death following his conviction in the murders of Laci Peterson and their unborn son, Connor. Peterson had reported his wife missing back in 2002 before their bodies were found months later in the San Francisco Bay.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Innocence Project filed a motion this week requesting documents which were not available to Peterson's defense attorneys during his trial.

And in New Mexico, a grand jury has indicted actor Alec Baldwin with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. It's the second time that Baldwin's been charged in connection with the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of the western film "Rust."

CNN's Josh Campbell has the latest. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:45:00]

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Actor Alec Baldwin once again criminally charged, that according to an indictment issued Friday by a grand jury in the U.S. State of New Mexico. The actor's new indictment for involuntary manslaughter pertains to his alleged role in the fatal shooting on the set of the movie "Rust" in 2021 in which a gun Baldwin was holding discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin has long proclaimed his innocence, insisting he never pulled the trigger on the gun before it fired. His attorneys issued a brief statement after Friday's indictment was announced, indicating, "We look forward to our day in court."

Baldwin had been previously charged with involuntary manslaughter, the lead prosecutor at the time describing for CNN a culture of alleged negligence on the movie set.

MARY CARMACK-ALTWIES, NEW MEXICO FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY: There was such a lack of safety and safety standards on that set. That there were live rounds on set. They were mixed in with regular dummy rounds. Nobody was checking those or at least they weren't checking them consistently.

And then, they somehow got loaded into a gun, handed off to Alec Baldwin. He didn't check it. He didn't do any of the things that he was supposed to do to make sure that he was safe or that anyone around him was safe. And then, he pointed the gun at Halyna Hutchins and he pulled the trigger.

CAMPBELL: Those initial charges against Baldwin were dropped early last year after authorities learned the gun used in the shooting may have been modified, that according to a law enforcement source speaking with CNN.

However, prosecutors said the case could be refiled at a later date. Forensic analysis commissioned by authorities indicated the gun could not have been fired without someone pulling the trigger.

In October, prosecutors said, "Additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin has criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins." And signaled a grand jury would decide on recharging the actor.

If convicted of the new accusations, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.

Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A special grand jury has been chosen to investigate the police response to the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. That's according to a local newspaper.

The move marks the first known development within the criminal justice system into the botched response. It follows a scathing new report from the Justice Department that called law enforcement's actions that day a "failure." CNN has reached out to the local prosecutor and court officials about the special grand jury, but hasn't heard back yet.

All right. Just ahead, a tragic accident with a heroic ending, how a teen saved her neighbor's baby after a falling power line killed three. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:50:00]

BRUNHUBER: A commuter plane made an emergency landing on a busy highway in Virginia Friday. Southern Airways Express Flight 246 took off from Dulles International Airport near Washington, head to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The tracking site, FlightAware, shows the plane climbed only about 800 feet for about two minutes before landing on the roadway.

The 27-year-old pilot, another crew member, and five passengers were aboard the small plane. There are no reports of injuries either on the aircraft or on the ground. The cause is under investigation.

Meanwhile, in Florida, an Atlas Air cargo flight was forced to return to the airport in Miami after one of the plane's engines malfunctioned minutes after takeoff.

A witness captured this video Thursday night and described seeing fire and sparks coming from the Boeing 747. The flight crew declared an emergency and the jet landed safely. A softball sized hole was discovered above one of the engines. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation.

China reported a record low birth rate in 2023 as its population shrank for the second year in a row. The demographic trend is set to have a significant impact on the world's second largest economy. CNN's Marc Stewart reports from Shenzhen, China.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 35-year-old Jesse on the move. Her focus, a career in marketing, having children not on her agenda.

STEWART: Do you want to have children?

JESSIE, SHENZHEN, CHINA RESIDENT: No.

STEWART: No?

JESSIE: Not at all.

STEWART (voice-over): And that is a big problem facing China. For the second year in a row, its population dropped. A record loss of more than 2 million people, according to the government.

JESSIE (through translator): I think having children will disrupt all my life plans. I think life is already very hard.

STEWART (voice-over): Besides commitment, there's also the question of cost. Right now, in China, a sluggish economy makes it hard for young people to find a job. Getting married and having babies just isn't a priority.

JESSIE (through translator): Giving birth to a child is only one of my choices. It should be up to me, not anyone else.

STEWART (voice-over): Listed among countries with low birth rates, China now has more people who die each year than those who are born.

STEWART: This is not one of those issues where the government is staying silent. It is talking about it and has taken steps to encourage young people to have children.

STEWART (voice-over): This includes everything from financial incentives to more holidays for pregnant parents.

At a women's conference last year, President Xi Jinping even told female leaders to actively promote the idea of marriage, childbirth, and family among young people.

FRANCIS, SHENZHEN, CHINA RESIDENT: This is my first son.

STEWART: Yes. Do you want to have more children?

FRANCIS: Not, not, not -- no. No.

STEWART (voice-over): For some parents who already have children, like Francis, her little boy, Chen Chen, is enough. A reminder of the recent past when the government, fearing overpopulation, only allowed most urban couples to have one child, with forced abortions and sterilizations linked to its sometimes-brutal enforcement.

But this isn't just about choices. The population slump is a demographic blow to the world's second largest economy as it struggles to find a workforce for the future.

Marc Stewart, CNN, Shenzhen, China.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A Portland, Oregon, daycare worker jumped into action Wednesday after a live power line fell on a vehicle killing three people.

Portland fire and rescue officials say a branch fell onto a family's SUV, bringing the power line down with it. When attempting to exit the vehicle, two adults and one teenager slipped, causing them to come into contact with the electrical current, resulting in their death.

[04:55:00] But somehow, while still in the arms of his father, the baby survived. Eighteen-year-old neighbor, Majiah Washington, saw what happened and risked her life by running to the man and bringing the baby to safety.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJIAH WASHINGTON, TEEN WHO SAVED BABY: I honestly didn't think about it. I wasn't even thinking, like, I don't even think I was in my right state of mind. I wasn't thinking, like, oh, like, I could be electrocuted.

So, I was more so thinking like, I have to grab this baby. I'm not going to lie. I was just trying to put my --- trying to put it all into grabbing that baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A rescue official said Washington's acts were "selfless and heroic."

And finally, 16-year-old Luke Littler will have lots to celebrate when he turns 17 in a matter of days. The English teenager threw a rare nine-darter on his way to his first career world series title. And if you play darts, you know just how rare that feat is, how hard it is to do.

And not only did he do it, he became the youngest player to ever throw a nine-darter. Littler then defeated a former world champion in the semifinals, and the current world number two in the finals to win the crown.

All right. That wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kim Brunhuber. And I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Please do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)