Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

CNN International: Emory University Faculty Members Call For No-Confidence Vote; Blinken In Saudi Arabia To Press Ceasefire, Hostage Talks; Hamas To Discuss New Proposal for Ceasefire & Hostage Release. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired April 29, 2024 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ERICA HILL, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": It's good to have you with us this hour on CNN. I'm Erica Hill in New York.

Anger and frustration on campuses across the United States, as pro- Palestinian protesters refuse to back down. We are live for you at a number of campuses around the country. Plus, America's top diplomat is in Saudi Arabia, Antony Blinken attempting to push through a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. We are also keeping a close watch on the deadly flooding in Kenya, which has washed away homes, claimed dozens of lives. We'll bring you a live update from that area.

From coast to coast, students at some of the United States top universities are speaking out against Israel's war in Gaza. Their calls getting louder and more worrisome to university officials. Classes are, of course, supposed to be winding down at this point in the school year. Students should be studying for exams, schools prepping for graduation. Yet, many university leaders are still struggling with how to deal with these protests. Some areas bringing the police, and in some places, those police officers have really cracked down on the demonstrators.

This weekend at UCLA, pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed when security barrier was breached. Officials say additional security measures are now in place. In Atlanta, faculty at Emory University have actually begun a no-confidence vote on the school's president following last week's arrests of protests, including a professor. We're also just hearing from Columbia University, which told protesters today, students need to be -- clear that encampment that is there by 2 p.m. local time, and we're going to get you a live update from them just a little bit later in the hour.

I want to start, though, with our team at a number of these other campuses around the country. Camila Bernal is at UCLA, Nick Valencia live at Emory, and Gabe Cohen who is live at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Camila, let's start with you on what we saw over the weekend, that clash between different protesters at UCLA, and it turned physical. CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Erica. It was violent, and we were here to see it. I think the problem that the university was having was when both sides would collide. Right? So, you had the protesters that were here to support the Jewish students, and you had the pro-Palestinian group. And there were times when they did not have barriers between them.

So, the security guards here at UCLA, they tried to keep these metal barriers, that you see here behind me, between the protesters, trying to keep the people in the encampment, which is what you see here behind me, separate from the other people that came to either support them, or came to support the Jewish students. And when these two groups would collide, that's when you would start seeing the fights. It was people pushing each other. You would see them verbally and physically attacking each other, just screaming and yelling their beliefs, obviously, that was going nowhere. And officials did everything they could to keep the two sides separate.

I spoke to people on both sides of this issue, and I would ask them about the violence and what we were seeing. And a lot of people just didn't want to address that part of the protest. When I would talk to the pro-Palestinian group, they would say, well, you needed to look at what's happening in Gaza, and when I would talk to the pro-Israeli group, they would say, well, we need to defend ourselves and we're not backing down. Take a listen to part of the conversation I had with people on two sides of this issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELI TSIVES, FRESHMAN JEWISH STUDENT LEADER AT UCLA: The only people that are calling for aggression are the people hiding behind those masks because they are too afraid to show their face. Do you see anyone here with a mask on this side of the protest? No, because we stand with what we believe in.

THAWRA KHALID, PALESTINIAN YOUTH MOVEMENT: They terrorize us all the time and they censor us. Students are constantly getting doxxed. If they're going to attack us, we're not going to back down, but we're going to take precautions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: So, you see these energies very high, and UCLA now saying that they have additional security guards to keep the students safe. They were not using police officers. What we saw yesterday was all of the security guards first engaging with those protesters and eventually pushing them out of campus. And behind them, you had some campus police in riot gear, but they did not interact with the protesters yesterday. So, we did not see any arrests here at UCLA this morning.

If you take a look here behind me, the two people that you see there are part of the encampment and they're not allowing anyone in. In front of me, there is a screen that was put up by the Jewish students and it is playing some images of things that Hamas has done. So, the Jewish students also saying that they're going to stand up to this protest or to the encampment, and so, both sides here without obviously a resolution and as we wait for the university to figure out what they're going to do or how long they're going to allow these students to stay here, Erica.

[11:05:00]

HILL: All right. Camila, appreciate it.

Nick Valencia is in Atlanta, as I mentioned at Emory University. Nick, bring us up to speed on what you're seeing there.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the outrage and anger was still very much so evident this morning. You see a member of the facilities crew here from the university cleaning off what was graffiti this morning. But, the real drama happened here on Thursday, if you want to just walk with me here a little bit here. We're outside of the university. There was 28 violent arrests, 20 of them affiliated with the university, including the economics professor here, a prominent one, Caroline Fohlin. She spent the night in DeKalb County jail along with 27 others.

We want to show you a little bit about what happened on Thursday. We were nearly arrested. Thankfully, we weren't. We were allowed to continue to bear witness. And we want to warn you, what you're about to see is graphic. We had planned on showing our video from on Thursday, a violent arrest happening here, Erica. We will throw it back to you.

HILL: All right. Nick, appreciate it. Just one more question for you, though. I know you've been reporting on this for the last several days, talking about what happened at the end of the week, and that professor as well. What is expected today on campus?

VALENCIA: So, there is a no-confidence vote. Those ballots have made their way to faculty here. It's a referendum on the university president. Basically, after those violent arrests, the tenured faculty met for a meeting here on campus that we were at, and they voted to put forward this motion to the rest of the school to vote a no- confidence, not just say that they didn't like the way things were handled here by university administration, but that they have no confidence in their leadership here.

We're also hearing something very interesting. We mentioned those 28 people that were arrested and charged. Now, defense attorneys are telling me over the weekend, university officials spoke with defense attorneys, and are considering dropping all of the charges against those who were violently arrested here in the quad. That still has yet to be seen. Erica.

HILL: All right. Nick, appreciate it.

And Gabe Cohen is in the nation's capital there, George Washington University, where some of those -- we see -- I see you've shifted positions a little bit. It looks like there are really a large number of tents there behind you, Gabe. What is happening this morning on that campus, and if some of it was pushing out into the neighborhood over the weekend?

GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erica. That's right. This is day five of this encampment here on GW's campus and on the street beside us, and it appears that the protest, for me at least having been here for days, is as big as it has been throughout. What you're seeing behind me here, these are barricades that overnight many of the protesters ripped up, pulled out from where they were surrounding a part of this camp, and then they were piled up here. And since then, what we have seen is so many more of these tents spreading around university yard here on GW's campus that is property of GW.

But, we're also seeing a lot of those tents out there on H Street, which of course is just part of the District of Columbia. And the big question now has become, when if at all will D.C. police come in and potentially clear or even arrest these protesters, because having spoken to so many of them, they've said they are ready to stay here until their demands are met for the university to divest from Israel, or they're prepared to be arrested if police come in. They say they're going to stand their ground here.

But, as of now, Erica, MPD has said, even as all of this is happening, they don't want to come in and arrest people, that they don't want the optics of that arresting protesters. And so, we are still waiting to see what Monday will bring. We know it's going to be very hot weather here. And we also know that the tensions as well have been rising. And so, the school seems to be mobilizing in some way. But, as of this morning, a source of mine within Metropolitan Police has told me there is no change in the police department's posture or their approach. But, of course, we will see what happens in the hours ahead.

HILL: Yeah. We'll be watching for that. Gabe, Nick, Camila, appreciate your reporting. Thank you all.

Just ahead, following more developments out of the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Saudi Arabia now there with a new effort, of course, trying to help reach an agreement for that ceasefire and also the release of Israeli hostages. Blinken is meeting with key players in the region. This is his seventh trip since the war in Gaza began.

And while that is happening, Hamas negotiators are also in Egypt there to discuss the framework for a new ceasefire plan that could see the release of as many as 33 hostages. Secretary Blinken has said it is critical that Hamas accept this latest proposal. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel. And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: CNN's Kylie Atwood is live at the State Department.

[11:10:00]

That push, of course, for this agreement, is there any indication at this hour, Kylie, that Hamas is close to accepting it in any way?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: We really don't have an indication as to how Hamas has received, has processed this proposal, this new proposal that has been put on the table. But, as you can see there, the Secretary of State trying to build some momentum towards an acceptance of this deal from both sides. He said the onus is effectively on the side of Hamas because Israel has put on the table, in his words, as you played there, an extraordinarily generous proposal. He went on to say that Hamas has to decide and has to decide quickly.

And time is of the essence here, Erica, because U.S. officials are cognizant of the fact that there have been so many efforts on trying to get the ceasefire in place, trying to secure the release of these hostages over the course of the last few months, and they have just been stalled. They haven't come to fruition. There hasn't been an agreement that both sides can agree to. And U.S. officials are concerned that as time drags on here, that Israel will go ahead with that invasion into Rafah, that they have said they're going to, and that will obviously complicate things even further, and make it virtually impossible for the version of the agreement that they have been working on to actually come to fruition.

HILL: And that, understandably, the biggest concern as to what happens, and that all plays out. Do we have any sort of a timeline at this point, Kylie, in terms of -- I know, we don't know the exact developments and this is such a delicate situation. But, any sense of a timeline in terms of when we could hear something?

ATWOOD: I think the expectation from our colleagues in the region is that Hamas could respond as soon as tomorrow, and the key word is as soon as because there are challenges when it comes to communication with the Hamas leaders who are in those tunnels in the West Bank in Gaza, trying to get out messages and get in messages. So, it often takes a while. But, looking ahead to tomorrow as the possibility for when Hamas could give their response here, and then we'll have to just watch and see if it is a response that opens the door to an agreement or opens the door to this moving forward and getting closer to an agreement. It's a very tenuous moment, Erica.

HILL: Yeah. Certainly is. Kylie, appreciate the reporting, as always. Thank you.

Also with us this hour is CNN's Jeremy Diamond, who is in Jerusalem. Jeremy, let's pick up on what we're hearing from the Israeli side of things. Where does this stand, especially as there is concern about the potential for an incursion in Rafah?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is no question that the Israelis are using the threat of this Rafah offensive, a very real threat. It is certainly not a bluff. But, they are using it to put more pressure on these negotiations, to put pressure on Hamas, of course, but it also has put significant pressure on the Egyptians. Rafah is right on their doorstep. They do not want to see this military offensive happen there. And so, they have kind of come up with this, what can only be described as a last-ditch effort to prevent that offensive, and to instead bring together Israel and Hamas in a new ceasefire agreement that would see dozens of hostages released.

Now, this latest framework that they've put on the table with significant input from the Israeli government would see the release of some 20 to 33 Israeli hostages over the course of several weeks. And then, in a second phase, it would see a one-year restoration of sustainable calm, effectively diplomatic speak for a longer term ceasefire here, and one that would see the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, including the bodies of dead Israeli hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Now, this latest proposal is now in the hands of Hamas officials who are in Cairo as well as the Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. His response to this latest proposal is expected over the course of the next several days, and his response may determine whether or not Israeli officials as well as the mediators see a way forward for these negotiations, or whether it's really officials are instead going to start to put those plans in motion for a major ground offensive in Rafah, which, as we've heard, the American officials are continuing to express serious concerns about even as Israeli and American officials have been holding multiple consultations over the possibility of that Rafah offensive over the course of the last several weeks.

HILL: That has certainly dominated the conversations. Looking at the situation, though, on the ground, Jeremy, can you bring us up to speed on what we're seeing?

DIAMOND: Well, we're continuing to see Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Overnight, there were airstrikes in Rafah, that city where Israel is threatening a major ground defensive. The Israeli government says that there are still four Hamas battalions there. That's why they want to go in on the grounds. But, in the meantime, they're continuing to carry out these airstrikes.

[11:15:00]

And as we've seen throughout the course of the last nearly seven months of this war, those strikes often do result in heavy civilian casualties, and certainly that was the case overnight, as more than 20 people were killed in a family home, including two -- at least two children, a toddler and a baby. Several more children were also believed to be killed in the strike as well as women. An absolutely atrocious situation for the families who were at the morgue. Excuse me. We saw the scenes of grief pouring out and people simply asking for an end to this war. All of this happening, of course, as those negotiations are pushing forward. But, certainly, until there is an agreement, there is no slowdown in the Israeli air campaign in Gaza.

HILL: Yeah. Jeremy, appreciate the reporting, as always. Thank you.

The toll is growing in Kenya after deadly flooding there. Just ahead, more on the latest incident sparking new concerns in that affected area. Plus, CNN's David Culver, who is deep inside Haiti's gangland, to speak with the man who is leading one of those gangs and also just happens to be on the FBI's most wanted list. That exclusive report ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: A CNN team in Kenya is reporting dozens of people are dead after the latest disaster in weeks of flooding that has hit that area. At least 71 people were killed in one town, more than 100 hospitalized. Flooding in the area just made all the more worse following the burst of a dam. Their homes swept away, trees uprooted, vehicles overturned, as you can see in this video. Weeks of flooding have now killed more than 100 people across the country.

CNN's Sarah CNN has more for us from Nairobi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Overnight in Kenya, another sign of the devastation brought on by recent heavy rains that have been pounding all over East Africa, a dam bursting its banks about 50 kilometers northwest of Nairobi in Mai Mahiu. A multi-agency search and rescue team on the scene right now trying to reach survivors. But, it's been made extra difficult because part of the road had been cut off due to recent heavy rainfall. She says, after this dam burst its banks overnight, it swept everything in its path.

And social media videos have shown the harrowing situation there of the search and rescue operation. They have been clearing debris in this area, trying to reach survivors, trying to pull out some bodies, sending them to hospitals. They have set up a place in a nearby town for families to report any family members that have -- are still missing. But, that also is a sign of deeper problems with the recent heavy rainfall in the country.

Overnight, the government of Kenya postponing the reopening of schools nationwide for at least a week to avoid endangering the lives of learners across the country. There have been recent calls to the government to do so but it did it at the absolute 11th hour of that. There has been devastation all across the country.

[11:20:00]

Kenya's longest and largest river, Tana River, also burst its banks, rendering some roads impassable, and some people have drowned in different parts of the country. So far, the government says it has a plan to provide shelter and basic necessities for those who've been affected, and to make sure that everybody is taken care of, and the government also asking Kenyans to move to higher ground wherever they are close to banks or places that are prone to flooding.

Larry Madowo, CNN, Nairobi.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HILL: As Ukraine waits for U.S. military equipment to arrive, Russian airstrikes have injured at least seven people. Ukrainian officials say more than a dozen settlements have come under fire over just the past day. Meantime, NATO's Chief Jens Stoltenberg is meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Their discussions centered on Western aid deliveries, as Russia prepares for more offensive actions.

Clare Sebastian has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, with new U.S. aid on the way, Ukraine's fight to stabilize the Eastern Front, in particular, is getting harder by the day. Over the weekend, the Commander in Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, admitting Ukraine had had to withdraw from a cluster of villages northwest of Avdiivka to preserve the lives of troops, as Russia claimed the capture of another village in that area.

Now, these are for now small parcels of land, tactical rather than strategic, but Russia is heading for more important higher ground, and the advance is not just happening in the east. There are now reports Russia is making headway in the northern Kharkiv region near the town of Kupiansk. That is an area that has been mostly stable since Ukraine took back a large portion of that region more than 18 months ago. Well, Ukraine's President said Monday, Russia is exploiting this moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (Interpreted): The Russian army is now trying to take advantage of a situation when we are waiting for supplies from our partners, especially from United States of America. And that is exactly why the speed of delivery means stabilizing the front, 155 millimeter artillery, long-range weapons and air defense systems, first and foremost, "Patriots". Our partners have all of these things, and they should be working now here in Ukraine, destroying the Russian terrorist ambitions. Russia's army is preparing for further offensive actions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: For now, Russia doesn't just have significantly more ammunition than Ukraine. It also has the manpower advantage, as Ukraine works to overhaul its conscription system to try to recruit more fighters. And Russia has air superiority, meaning, it can continue to launch those half-ton aerial guided bombs across the frontline. So, $61 billion in new U.S. aid is, of course, a game changer for Ukraine. But, speed is now its biggest concern.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Let's get you up to speed on some of the other international headlines we are watching today. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he will not resign. Now,

this comes five days after he canceled some public duties to quote "reflect on the job's future". It also comes as a Spanish court has opened a probe into Sanchez's wife to investigate alleged influence peddling and business corruption.

Barely a year into the role, Scotland's First Minister has resigned. Humza Yousaf's coalition government with the Green Party fell apart last week after his government decided to scrap climate targets. Yousaf took over as leader of the Scottish National Party last March, hoping to strengthen the case for a new referendum on independence.

In Georgia, protests across the nation over a proposed "foreign agents" law, opposition parties and Western countries have criticized the law for being pro-Russia and authoritarian. The law would require organizations receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. It is expected to advance to parliament on Tuesday. Georgia's President, however, has vowed to veto it.

French actor Gerard Depardieu has been taken into police custody, according to his lawyer. CNN affiliate BFMTV reporting the 75-year-old has been questioned over accusations of sexual assault by two women. Depardieu has previously been investigated for alleged rape and sexual assault allegations, previous allegations that he has denied.

As political pressure mounts for Columbia University to end campus protests, there are new developments on this Monday about efforts by the university to disband the encampment there. The very latest coming into us after the break. Plus, Joe Biden versus Donald Trump, it is the rematch that perhaps no one wanted, but they're getting. So, which candidate is seeing better results in the latest polling? We'll bring you that after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: New development this hour out of Columbia University in New York City, where the school has told organizers of the pro-Palestinian protest encampment there that they need to clear out by 2 p.m. today, that's in about two and a half hours, or face suspension. That ultimatum coming on the heels of a letter from nearly two dozen House Democratic lawmakers calling for the University Board of Trustees to act decisively or they're asking for resignations. A number of high- profile Republicans, of course, have also called for the university president to step down. In a statement issued a Monday from the school, officials said they regret not coming to an agreement with protesters.

These heated exchanges and police involvement during some of the protests across the U.S. over the weekend spilling far beyond the campus of Columbia University. Tension on U.S. campuses has forced a number of university officials to adjust classes, in some cases even canceling graduation ceremonies.

Here is CNN's Rafael Romo with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At university campuses across the nation, heated protests and some violent clashes between police and pro-Palestinian protesters.

MARTIN BERG, ARRESTED EMORY UNIVERSITY STUDENT: What I saw was unprovoked and severe brutality exacted by police.

ROMO (voice-over): On some campuses, as fast as the protests popped up, universities called police to shut them down by removing demonstrators, a move that has been harshly criticized, and not only by those protesting.

NOELLE MCAFEE, EMORY UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR & CHAIR OF THE PHILOSOPHY DEPT.: The real problem here is that the administration called the Atlanta Police.

ROMO (voice-over): The University of Southern California has canceled its main commencement ceremony citing new safety measures in place. Dozens were arrested Thursday at Emory University in Atlanta, including Martin Berg. The third year law students who is expected to graduate in three weeks says their protest was peaceful until the police showed up.

BERG: Nothing was disrupted, and anyone saying that campus was disrupted doesn't understand what a campus is. A campus is a place for open expression and exchange of ideas, and that's exactly what folks were doing out there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are gathering here and we stand firmly.

ROMO (voice-over): But, some Jewish students say that the last few months since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and Israel began its assault on Hamas in Gaza, they have been subjected to a hostile environment.

ALYSSA ACHIRON, VICE-PRESIDENT, EMORY UNIVERSITY, JEWISH LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION: Now, I believe everyone has a right to protest. The problem is when it becomes threatening, like holding up signs that say Jews are Nazis, and things of that sort, is not at all peaceful.

ROMO (voice-over): Others like this first year law school students say tensions within the student body have made it very difficult not only to learn, but to attend school altogether.

AVITAL KESSLER-GODIN, EMORY UNIVERSITY, FIRST YEAR LAW STUDENT: When these people are chanting, excuse my language, in unison (BEEP) Zionist on the quad lawn of Emory University, and I have to stand by and hear that and we're told that we don't belong on campus because we don't identify with their movement.

[11:30:00] To me, that says that they don't want to have a dialogue.

ROMO (voice-over): As schools get ready for graduation, they're under intense pressure to bring the situation under control, and many students say that's also what they want.

SUEDA POLAT, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEGOTIATOR: It is in our best interest to reach an agreement before commencement because we want students and families to be able to celebrate this milestone together on this campus.

ROMO (voice-over): The volatile situation has also become a political issue with leaders such as Texas Governor Greg Abbott blasting protesters. Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled, he said on X.

KESSLER-GODIN: I truly do think that dialogue is the only way we as a society are going to be able to come together to truly create lasting peace.

ROMO (voice-over): But, in an environment where the rhetoric is so loud, the few voices calling for peace are getting drowned out.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: There is also some new polling looking at the impact of the war between Israel and Hamas and how it stands in the United States. A new CNN polling shows some tough numbers for Joe Biden moving into the election. Looking at the number of respondents, you can see there, just 27 percent -- 28 percent of those polled say that they approve of Biden's handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. Perhaps the most concerning number, 71 percent disapproving is high, but 81 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 34 disapprove of the way the U.S. President is handling this. When it comes to those two choices, the presumptive nominees for President, 43 percent, as you see there, going for Joe Biden versus 29 percent for Donald Trump. Eight say they are still at this point undecided. Margin there, they're just under four percent.

Joining me now, Republican Strategist Rena Shah, and Democratic Strategist Chris Kofinis. Good to see both of you with us.

Chris, let's start with you. When we look specifically at those numbers in terms of the handling of the war between Israel and Hamas, we know that those numbers have been trending, certainly not trending in Joe Biden's favor, the fact that 81 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds say they do not approve of the way that he is handling this, that is not just an issue for voting bloc based on one issue. There is a larger concern about 18 to 34-year-olds for Democrats.

CHRIS KOFINIS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, & FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF FOR U.S. SENATOR JOE MANCHIN: I mean, if you look at past elections, the 18 to 34 bloc was a critical voting group it helped elect Barack Obama. It helped elect Joe Biden. When you don't win them in a significant majority, you're going to have a problem. Right now -- put aside -- people are debating about the CNN poll. Oh, is it one snapshot, and other polls showing different picture? Put all that kind of debate aside. If this poll is reflective of let's say the reality, that's currently the race, the Democrats and the administration are in real trouble. You've got pressure on the youth demographic. You have other pressure amongst independents, moderates, when it comes to the economy, and other key issues. They're kind of hitting each other and almost in a perfect storm.

And I think what's missing, and this is I think the part that as a Democrat I would say is frustrating, you're not hearing a very aggressive counter message by the White House. And when you have kind of a vacuum in message, it's either filled by noise, or it's filled by your opponents, and that's where we are kind of right now.

HILL: It's such an interesting point that you bring up, and I want to come back to that in just a second. I want to stick if we can for just a minute with what is happening in Israel, Hamas, and how that's translating on college campuses, because we've seen, Rina, we've really seen a lot of Republicans lean in here to this message of chaos over the last several years, really looking at college campuses. We saw, of course, the Speaker making his way to Columbia University along with other lawmakers. I noted that you said that -- you actually saw that move as a mistake. Did you see it as too political? Why do you think that was a bad move?

RINA SHAH, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I'm not currently advising any congressional Republicans. But, had I been asked, I would have said I think the visit should have been of a different tone. And I also think the visit was a real missed opportunity when I reflect back on it and hear the words these members were delivering from the stairs of this private university.

Look, let's zoom back for a minute and realize that the playbook for Republicans for many years in this modern era has been to rail against the elite, those who are college educated, particularly at Ivy Leagues, and say we represent a voter that is different. We represent the little guy that has these needs, who wants to move up in life, socioeconomically, but shouldn't have to attend a prestigious university just to have a better life. But, here what we heard last week was completely nonsensical to me, and why I called it a missed opportunity is because these members could have been speaking directly to students.

[11:35:00]

In fact, what I heard was a real admonishing of them, almost attacking them for showing up to peacefully protest. They were painting with a broad brush. They said all the students were engaging in a hate-filled speech. Instead, they should have said, look, we encourage you to take a look at us, Republicans, who have always promoted free speech, who understand your right to demonstrate and to express your grievances about the situation, particularly how Biden and his administration are handling the response over there in Gaza. They are giving weapons and aid on one hand to Benjamin Netanyahu and saying do what you want to do with it. But, on the other hand, they're saying here is billions of dollars in humanitarian aid that's only trickling into Gaza.

So, these students are really engaging in a critical thinking exercise. It's something that the Republican Party should be embracing and promoting, which is what they normally do. Instead, it seems that they were going for sort of the "you all are terrible". Again, you all are anti-Israel. And they were really just taking the religious message, and they were almost saying that, again, this is about the elites against us. It was a really, really bad move.

HILL: It's interesting too, because I think we have seen -- first of all, we see the division within the Democratic Party. Right? We've seen some more progressive lawmakers out there. We're also seeing today this letter from a number of, I would say, mostly more moderate Democratic lawmakers calling on Columbia University trustees to make some decisions here, or perhaps face a resignation.

Chris, when you look at this, is this also a missed opportunity for Joe Biden, to Rina's point, have a more substantive conversation? It does seem that a lot of times that's what's missing here from a lot of these lawmakers. They end up doing a photo op, as Rina pointed out, but there isn't substance behind that conversation.

KOFINIS: I think there has been a lot of missed opportunities across the board. I think anytime when you are seeing this kind of national upheaval on certain college campuses, and let's not exaggerate it, these are campuses that have 10,000, 20,000, 30,000 students and -- but a few hundred or more can obviously bring a campus to a standstill. But, it speaks to a larger issue. And I think the problem in the in the country about the Middle East, Israel, Gaza, all these very kind of complex issues that the White House in particular, and the President I think has not come out and spoke forcefully about what his position envision is, again, feeds the kind of gap that we're seeing, and that gap is filled by either the extremist voices, the radical voices, or Republican voices, whoever else is going to speak on this issue.

So, I think the question is when, because here is I think that the real issue. These college campuses are approaching commencement graduation. Parents and -- are going to become incredibly upset and angry if their kid cannot walk for graduation. You already heard about one school, USC, doing that. If that becomes a norm, it will feed a lot of parental anxiety across the country, and that becomes a political problem. So, I think this is going to -- the time is coming for him to have to come out there and speak about this.

HILL: As we watch all that, I was fascinated in our new CNN polling, one of the things that really stood out to me is we talk so much and we certainly have over the last number of years about how divided this country is and how divided it feels. The fact that in this polling, when asked specifically -- asked to both Trump supporters and Biden supporters, the numbers are so high. I believe it's 71 percent of those who support, if we can put that graphic up, of those who support not about the war, but if those who support Donald Trump, I believe it was 71 percent. So, it couldn't understand why anybody would vote for Joe Biden. And 67 percent, I believe, these were the numbers, they would go -- of Biden supporters say they couldn't understand, Rina, why anybody would vote for Donald Trump.

To have it put in those stark numbers, I think just illustrates so well where this country is and how dug in people are, and how difficult it is then to have a conversation about whether it is what people are protesting and why, or what they want in someone to lead the country and what they believe that role is. We are stuck in these boxes, Rina, to the point where I can't even understand why my neighbor down the street would support the guy that I'm not supporting. How do you overcome that?

SHAH: We get back to our shared values, Erica, and we have to, again, really be very clear about the moment, and I also want to be clear about these college protests that are growing in number from coast to coast and going beyond just Ivy League schools. They are showing up on regular college campuses, and I actually am very supportive of these protests when they are non-violent. I think these tent encampments are a good thing. Non-violent protests are a good thing. Right now, we're looking at excessive police force, I believe. But, in every movement, there are going to be bad actors. There are going to be people who want physical confrontation and that is wrong.

[11:40:00]

But again, what we have in the Constitution, trying for each one of us is our right to assemble and protest peacefully, and I'm delighted that younger Americans are paying attention and they're critical of our administration's actions of our unfettered support, it seems, that Biden is giving Israel right now. I believe in Israel's right to exist. I believe my friends who are in pain because of the immediate past of which their ancestors survived the Holocaust, or perished during it. I believe that every protester is somebody that has a voice, but I also believe that not all of them are antisemitic. In fact, I think there are very few number of antisemitic protesters. I think these protesters are not just are demanding things that are practical. They are. They are demanding a practical humanitarian look at our country's actions overseas, and that is what is at the core here.

So, when we talk about our shared values, about our humanity, we can get back to rational conversations where we understand each other, and understand that at the root of these protests, these students want the best for this country. They are engaging, again, in an exercise of critical thinking, and I think that is where we see democracy in action. We should want more of it because our democracy, which is a representative one, demands it. That's what our founders wanted for us. So, I'm encouraged. I hope they continue to be non-violent. I understand this is happening on private spaces, and universities can shut them down. But, we should want this instead of apathy.

HILL: Rina Shah, Chris Kofinis, we're going to have to leave it there. But, I appreciate both of you joining me today. Thank you.

SHAH: Thank you.

HILL: We do want to get you up to speed on some of these new developments coming out of Columbia University. As I mentioned just a short time ago, the university telling organizers of the pro- Palestinian protest encampment there that they need to clear out by 2 p.m. local time today, or face suspension. That's just a little under two and a half hours from now. We're also now learning that a Jewish student at the school has actually sued Columbia for failing to provide a safe learning environment.

My colleague Omar Jimenez has been following this story very closely from the beginning of these protests, joining us now with more of those updates live from Columbia. What more are we hearing at this hour, specifically about whether that encampment will actually be cleared out in the next couple of hours, Omar?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erica. We've got a lot of developments today on that encampment. Yes, that 2 p.m. deadline, 2 p.m. local time deadline for students to leave the encampment or face suspension, at the very least, ineligibility to finish the semester in good standing. And they have to sign a document committing essentially to follow the university's policies. It's some of the clearest direction we have heard from the university as far as any steps to quote "resolve the encampment" as many have been wanting them to do for quite some time now as they are going on almost two weeks of the encampment being at the university.

That said, one of the suspended, now suspended student groups is encouraging students not to leave the encampment. They show up at noon to protect the encampment and not to sign anything that the university is putting before them. So, we're going to see how many students actually go with what the university is offering versus actually face the consequences here. And we got clues that this type of action might be actually happening this morning, actually, when the university president released a statement saying that negotiations between the students and the teachers failed to come to a resolution. So, what that means is that the university will not divest from Israel, and that they will continue that relationship which, of course, was the central theme of why this encampment began in the first place.

But also, as part of that statement, they said that they are encouraging students to voluntarily leave, as they explore internal options to quote "bring" what they had called "a crisis to a resolution", and that internal word was key, because in the beginning stages of this, they called in the NYPD from the outside to clear out the encampment, and even now they've acknowledged that doing so again would be counterproductive to the process and likely raise the temperature, as we saw last time around.

But, of course, all of this is happening in the context of today is the last day of classes. Graduation is in a little bit over two weeks. And the university stressed that they plan to have their commencement here, which at the very least infers that they're going to have the encampment resolved, whatever way they believe it gets to being resolved and whatever way they believe it looks like because they do plan to actually have that graduation ceremony moving forward, Erica.

HILL: Omar, I'm thinking back to some of your live shots what I saw from you last week, and it does look -- and it's a neighborhood I know well, full disclosure, I used to live right there. It certainly looks a little calmer or a lot calmer, actually, what we're seeing. What are you noticing --

JIMENEZ: Yeah.

HILL: -- in the neighborhood today versus what we saw last week?

JIMENEZ: Yeah. So, one of the biggest differences today is when we've been doing a lot of our reporting in the beginning parts of the day outside of campus, essentially at the gates across the street, and previous days, there were barricades up.

[11:45:00]

There was a lot more of a security police presence, caution tape up to sort of corral any protesters that may show up into a single spot. When we got here this morning, this was the first time I remember at least over the last week not seeing that there. The security presents at least visibly was a lot less than we had seen in prior days. So, that was an indication.

Over the weekend, things appeared to be much more quieter. And then, over the past week and a half since this encampment began, we've really seen two sets of protests that have happened, one being led by the encampment on campus. The second had been and have included what the New York Police Department has described as outside agitators showing up at the gates of the university. Those are the protests that have tend to be -- tended to be a little bit more violent, a little bit more escalated in the rhetoric, antisemitic at times as well. And that's not to say that all Jewish students have felt safe on campus. Clearly, that's not the case. We have a new lawsuit from an anonymous Jewish student to prove that's the case. But also, there are many Jewish students who have remained on campus as well.

And so, those are all the dynamics that have sort of been at play. And at the center of it all, the university has been trying to figure out how to balance the ability, to how to balance free speech with the security of a good portion of their students that, again, some of them have decided that it is not safe enough, so much so to the point that they've decided to go home to continue their learning in that hybrid model.

HILL: Omar, really appreciate it. Thank you.

And stay with us. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: Elon Musk made a surprise visit to China where, according to state media, the Tesla CEO met with senior trade officials. The visit also coincides with Beijing's Auto Show where Musk is trying to make his case for China's approval to roll out Tesla's self-driving technology.

Here is CNN's Marc Stewart.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is "Auto China", the largest car show in all of China, and one of the largest in the world. There are a few gas-powered cars here, but the real focus is electric.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (Interpreted): I came here mainly checking on EVs. Now, there are many EV brands. So, there are lots of options.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Interpreted): We liked the standout eye-catching color.

STEWART: There are more than 200 EV makers in China. Take a look over here. This is the line to see the latest offering from Xiaomi. It's a Chinese tech company known for its phones. This is the much talked about Xiaomi SU7. Yes, it has an aerodynamic design. It can accelerate very quickly. Its battery can take you for about 500 miles. But, its most distinct point is this touchscreen. You can use it to control almost whole aspects of your life. It can turn the lights in your home on and off. It can even start the coffee maker. This isn't just about performance. Geopolitics plays a role too.

[11:50:00]

Elon Musk flew to China over the weekend on a surprise trip and met Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Musk has his biggest overseas Tesla factory in Shanghai. So, he has big stakes in China. According to state media, Li said that China is open to foreign business and wants to make it easier for global companies to come here. In addition, Musk said Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai is its best performing. Tesla wants to be an even bigger player in the Chinese market in addition to its American base.

ELON MUSK, CEO, TESLA: It's good to see electric vehicles making progress in China. All cars will be electric in the future.

STEWART (voice-over): As a piece of American technology, Tesla faced lots of restrictions in China out of security concerns. Until this visit, Tesla cars were sometimes not allowed to enter airports, government compounds and other sensitive areas. Well, this time, after Musk met Li, Chinese authorities announced that such restrictions on Tesla cars are no more because the company's China-made vehicles have passed the country's data security requirements.

STEWART: As Elon Musk looks for success here in China for Chinese carmakers looking to break into the American market, that may not be so easy. Top U.S. officials have expressed concern that Chinese cars could potentially collect data and send it back here to Beijing, a potential blow for China, the world's largest auto exporter.

Marc Stewart, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Just ahead, climate change's impact on a delicate bird population. I'll tell you really about the fears for the future of the emperor penguin. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: The emperor penguins of Antarctica are in peril. Low levels of sea ice driven in part by climate change are threatening their breeding grounds and causing colonies to simply die off.

Here is CNN's Lynda Kinkade with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Waddling and gliding through the Antarctic, some of these penguins have seen better days. The world's largest penguin species, emperor penguins, are severely threatened by climate change. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey say tens of thousands of emperor penguin chicks may have died as the species battle to survive record low sea ice in 2023.

PETER FRETWELL, BRITISH ANTARCTIC SURVEY: We know that they breed on sea ice. We know sea ice is one of the first things affected as temperatures, warmer ocean temperature, lower temperatures, and we're starting to see these losses in Antarctica now. Our models are quite dire.

KINKADE (voice-over): Dire because these penguins also lay their eggs and raise their chicks on sea ice. But, with the ice melting away, the chicks may fall into the sea before they get their waterproof feathers, leaving them to freeze to death or drown. Despite the recent losses, 2023 wasn't as bad as 2022 for the emperor penguins. Scientists say it's because some colonies adapted to the worsening conditions by moving south to find better ice, or to more stable ice shelves or icebergs.

FRETWELL: It was reassuring that it wasn't quite as bad as we'd feared with the worst ever sea ice, but it was still bad.

KINKADE (voice-over): Well, this is a good sign, Fretwell says. Work still needs to be done. Just save the emperor penguin, and we should do it before it's too late.

FRETWELL: It can be worse. But, that really depends on us. How much carbon and methane we put into the atmosphere?

[11:55:00]

Can we change the trajectory of global warming that we're on at the moment? If we can, we still have time to save the emperor penguin. But, if we don't, then emperor penguins is going to be one of the first major animals that will be lost purely by a warming planet.

KINKADE (voice-over): Fretwell and his fellow scientists predict that 99 percent of the emperor penguin population could be gone by the end of the century, a tragic loss for a majestic bird.

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: Thanks so much for joining me this hour. I'm Erica Hill in New York. Stay tuned. The news continues with One World.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:00]