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CNN International: Trump: Presidents Should Be Granted Immunity; Biden Campaign Watches GOP Contest as DeSantis Suspends Bid; Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York Diagnosed with Skin Cancer; India Prime Minister Modi Inaugurates New Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired January 22, 2024 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianca Nobilo.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour.

Donald Trump is expected to be back in a New York courtroom later today. He'll be there, as a jury here's arguments on how much money he has to pay E. Jean Carroll in her defamation case against him.

And with one day until the New Hampshire primary, Nikki Haley is planning to campaign throughout the state today. Her main Republican rival, Donald Trump, is expected to give remarks at a campaign rally in New Hampshire after spending the day in court.

NOBILO: And as Trump is scheduled to appear in court in the coming hours, he once again doubled down on presidential immunity, saying that U.S. presidents deserve complete immunity from prosecution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONAL TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to have to do this immunity for the president.

If you have a president that doesn't have immunity, he's never going to be free to do anything because the opposing party will always indict him as soon as he leaves the White House. And you can't let that happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: With Ron DeSantis now out of the race for the White House, President Joe Biden's campaign is closely monitoring the Republican contest and gearing up for a possible one-on-one contest with Trump.

Sounds familiar.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Ron DeSantis' decision to drop out of the Republican contest didn't come as much of a surprise to President Biden's campaign advisers, but it certainly does bring them closer to this one-on-one contest with the former president, Donald Trump.

And in fact, in their statement on Sunday, Democrats didn't really go after DeSantis much in particular. They were much more focused on President Trump, saying that DeSantis was the latest member of the Republican Party to fall in line behind the original MAGA brand and that he had pinned his entire campaign's hopes on the same extreme MAGA agenda both Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are still running on.

At the end of the day, President Biden's team really do view Trump as the most likely Republican nominee. Of course, polls bear that out, and they have long sort of looked past Ron DeSantis and his fellow Republican candidates to the general election, to this contest with President Trump.

And they are very eager for this to become a one-on-one contest. They do have internal research that shows many undecided voters just don't believe that President Trump will become the Republican nominee. And until that happens, it's very hard for them to make this choice argument, this contrast argument, when it comes to President Biden.

And they are very eager to do that, but it is much harder to do when it's just President Biden and a Republican candidate in the abstract. They think it will be much easier to get voters engaged and to make their own argument for President Biden when it is President Trump as the nominee or at least the likely nominee.

Now, next week, you will see President Biden and Kamala Harris really ramping up their campaign activity. They will appear at their first joint appearance in Northern Virginia on Tuesday, trying to counter- program the New Hampshire primary. Their focus there and over the next several days will be on reproductive rights, on abortion. This is pegged to the anniversary of the original Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.

And what you'll hear President Biden do is make the argument that President Trump is as much responsible for the overturning of Roe v. Wade through his three Supreme Court nominations as anyone else. And in fact, that is an argument that President Trump has made himself on the campaign trail. And certainly, President Biden's team believe this is a galvanizing issue for voters and something that will help turnout voters come next year's election.

Kevin Liptak, CNN, traveling with President Biden at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:35:03]

FOSTER: Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is once again questioning former President Donald Trump's mental fitness. Saying it's clear he's suffering from a mental decline.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you look recently, there have been multiple things. I mean, he claimed that Joe Biden was going to get us into World War II. I'm assuming he meant World War III. He said that he ran against President Obama. He never ran against President Obama.

Don't be surprised if you have someone that's 80 in office. Their mental stability is going to continue to decline. That's just human nature. This is different. I mean, we're seeing he's just not at the same level he was at 2016. I think we're seeing some of that decline.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: Over the weekend, Trump also appeared to confuse Haley with former U.S. House Speaker and Democrat Nancy Pelosi, saying she was in charge of capital security on January 6th.

FOSTER: CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein says there is a limit to which Nikki Haley will publicly address Trump's character flaws. He notes that it could end up doing her a disservice in the campaign ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: She has shown this week that she will go so far and no further in criticizing Trump. What seems to me the line that she will not cross is expressing a value judgment about him, with one exception.

Mostly she criticizes him either that he's too old, I'm more electable, or this week, you know, more than before, you know, he's losing his memory. She won't weigh in on areas that reflect on his character or behavior.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Now turning to the brutal winter weather in the U.S. that's cost a growing number of people their lives. At least 82 people in 13 states are now reported dead. That's following back-to-back winter storms since the second week of January.

NOBILO: The death toll increased Sunday after both Tennessee and Mississippi reported additional weather-related deaths.

At least two people are dead and dozens are missing in southwest China after a landslide hit two villages early this morning. And that's according to state media.

FOSTER: Rescue operations are underway in Yunnan Province and more than 500 residents have been evacuated amid freezing temperatures. One witness described the landslide on state-owned TV saying, quote, the mountain just collapsed. The cause of the slide is still unclear. Storm Isha hammering the British Isles with high wind alerts in effect for much of the U.K. Large waves crashing against England's southwest coast on Sunday. The storm has brought powerful wind gusts, heavy rain and milder temperatures to the region. Nearly 300 high wind reports were recorded on Sunday.

NOBILO: Those strong winds have led to some difficult landing attempts at London's Heathrow Airport. British Airways flight here scrapped its landing and took off again after failing to touch down. More than 100 flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Sunday and more than 300 others were delayed. And in Ireland, more than 100 flights were cancelled at Dublin's airport due to the storm. Dozens more either had to abort their landings or divert to other airports.

FOSTER: U.S. officials are warning airlines that an earlier generation of Boeing 737 planes have an identical door plug design to the Boeing 737 MAX 9. You'll remember about two weeks ago, a door plug failed in an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 mid-flight, ripping a hole in the fuselage.

NOBILO: MAX 9s are still grounded while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration inspects them for safety. But now the FAA warns that the 737-900ER may have the same issue and are urging airlines to inspect them as soon as possible.

And Max, we're also hearing about another health concern from inside the British Royal Family. What can you tell us?

FOSTER: Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, she was being treated for cancer, breast cancer. She had a mastectomy and they noticed some moles and they sent them off for tests and they've come back as malignant. So, she's now obviously got concern on two fronts.

NOBILO: And this is now the third member of the British Royal Family. And Sarah Ferguson had recently been brought back into the fold. I think it's fair to say she's been seen more publicly.

FOSTER: Yes, so she was very much ousted from the family, wasn't invited to anything and that followed the divorce with Andrew.

But we did see under Charles something quite interesting at Christmas. They had the family Christmas at Sandringham and she was invited to the church as part of that group. So, she has been brought into the fold, which is interesting. But also she is the mother of the two princesses, which are very popular within the family and very close to Charles.

NOBILO: She used to come to my primary school and read books to all the children. She was always extremely down to earth and very kind and much more open, I think, and more relatable as far as normal people are concerned than a lot of the other royals.

[04:40:04]

FOSTER: Yes, and she was integral to the family. She had this connection with Diana. Both of them went through similar experiences. And they supported each other. So, she's certainly, you know, a big part of the family and she's tried to do her best, really. A lot of people would say going off and try to make her own career. And I think that in a way, you know, that's sort of respected by Charles when it might not have been by Philip, dare I say.

NOBILO: And just briefly and lastly, what do we know about the prognosis or the next steps for her?

FOSTER: So, we're just waiting to hear. I'm not sure how their team's going to handle it. They put out this statement. She actually said that she wanted to make sure people knew about it. So, more people got their moles checked. And that had a really positive impact when Charles did the same last week about prostates. You know, he said men need to get themselves checked and that had a big impact on inquiries to the National Health Service website.

So, I think that there's a slight new era of openness in the royal family as well, being less private about the medical details, which were fiercely protected before, because they're figureheads and they can raise awareness.

NOBILO: I always find it so impressive when public figures are open about private medical details to try and raise awareness and help other people like our own Sara Sidner.

FOSTER: Absolutely.

NOBILO: She's usually impressive and characteristically kind and thoughtful.

A new Ram temple has been inaugurated in India today. The controversy on how it came to be built, that is coming up for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: India Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new multi- million-dollar Ram temple in Ayodhya on -- it was today, wasn't it? The construction of the temple fulfils his long-standing promise in an election year. The controversial Hindu temple stands on the site of an ancient mosque.

NOBILO: Hindus believe the god Ram was born in the town thousands of years ago. But a mosque was built over his birthplace by a 16th century Muslim emperor following the demolition of the temple there.

[04:45:03]

Hindu and Muslim groups tried unsuccessfully to resolve the dispute through talks for many years.

FOSTER: Eventually, Modi's Hindu nationalists, Bharatiya Janata Party, launched a nationwide campaign to build a temple there that led to the mosque's demolition in 1992, triggering riots that killed about 2,000 people.

Vedika Sud joins us live from Ayodhya. It's not necessarily normal, is it, for the head of the country to open a religious site like this? VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: It's not normal. In fact, the constitution

of India has the word secular in it. And once the word is in the constitution, one would assume that the head of a nation would not be presiding over a religious ceremony to do with Hindus.

And that's what's exactly happened today, Max and Bianca. We're seeing the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, preside over the ceremony, which is very close to the hearts of millions of Hindus.

Now, you know, we've been in Ayodhya for the last few days, and we've seen this temple town transform into a city of saffron, a color associated with Hindu nationalism. It's a pledge that Hindu nationalist organizations have taken over decades, along with Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, his political party, to ensure that a Hindu temple stands where the mosque did once. And that pledge has now been completed. Their dream has come to an end with this huge, massive mosque -- massive temple that you see in Ayodhya.

Now, in the inner sanctum of this temple, we saw Narendra Modi alongside the RSS chief, which is the main Hindu nationalist organization in India. And like I said, this was a campaign building over the years. It was a promise Modi made in 2014 and again in 2019, two election years. And in 2024, India goes in for yet another election.

According to opposition leaders, most of them have boycotted this event. They say and they claim that Modi is using this for political gains to further consolidate on the Hindu vote base.

Behind me, you can hear firecrackers go off. Now, this is part of the wider celebration that is happening straight off the consecration of the Rama Idol that took place a couple of hours ago.

Now, there is a minority community here in Ayodhya, the Muslims, as it is across the nation. And we've spoken to them as well. A lot of them lost their family members in the 1992 riots that you spoke of. And most of them have said they will be watching the celebrations from a distance because it reopens old wounds.

But clearly, there's a bigger picture here, which is for the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has completely sealed his legacy and cemented his legacy as an Indian Hindu nationalist going into election seeking a historic third term. Back to you.

FOSTER: OK, Vedika, thank you so much.

NOBILO: It's always surprising as well when you consider that even though Muslims only make up, I think, 11 percent of the Indian population, that is around 240 million people.

FOSTER: Yes, it's a huge number.

NOBILO: And it is the fastest growing religion in India as well.

Now, Travis Kelsey shows some love for his girlfriend and Kansas City Chiefs fans after scoring against the Buffalo Bills last night. We've got the highlights for you next.

FOSTER: Thank you.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: In the NFL playoffs, the Detroit Lions are giving their long- suffering fans a season for the ages. They're headed to their first NFC Championship game since 1991, after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in Sunday's divisional round. The game was slugfest throughout, with Tampa Bay keeping things close until the closing minutes, when the Lions' defense stepped up with some key stops. Detroit is now head west to take on the San Francisco 49ers, with a shot at the Super Bowl on the line.

And the Kansas City Chiefs are headed to their sixth straight AFC Championship game, facing the Buffalo Bills in New York on Sunday. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with tight end Travis Kelsey for two touchdowns in the game. Kelsey's girlfriend Taylor Swift, if you didn't know, clearly impressed with that.

The Chiefs held a three-point lead late into the fourth quarter, when Buffalo missed on what would have been a game-tying field goal. Chiefs win 27-24. They'll now face the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday for the conference title, and a chance at another Super Bowl.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK MAHOMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS QUARTERBACK: There's no weakness there. It's going to take our best effort. Defense, offense, best teams, they do it all. It's always a great challenge, and that stadium's going to be rocking, so we're excited for the challenge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: And that game is in the spotlight for more reasons than one. Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelsey was spotted at a tailgate party before the game. He was in Buffalo to cheer on his younger brother, Travis.

A social media account for the brothers' podcast shared this video taken by a fan on Sunday. Rumors are currently swirling about the future of the older Kelsey's NFL career. Multiple reports have surfaced that he's retiring from football, but so far there's been no public announcement.

And a 20-year-old golfer has just become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROWD CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: History in the desert.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: College student Nick Dunlap won the American Express tournament, or the Amex, on Sunday in California, but there's bad news.

[04:55:00]

Because he's an amateur, he can't accept the cash prize of $1.5 million. Ouch. That money will go to the runner-up instead. But there's good news as well. The tour says that this victory allows Dunlap to turn pro at any time. He can join the 2024 PGA Tour with automatic membership.

And lace-up skaters Canada's legendary Rideau Canal Skateway, the world's largest natural ice-skating rink, reopened yesterday for the first time in two years. Officials say a lack of ice forced them to close the Ottawa rink last year for the first time ever. Sunday, skaters made their way up and down the nearly five miles of the canal. The Skateway opened more than 50 years ago and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I felt like we're all a bit tired of Max Foster, so I got rid of him and I thought I'll be taking over the show from now on. I'm kidding. He's got commitments and you'll see him next hour.

And we'll both see you tomorrow. "EARLY START" is up next here on CNN.

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