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Kim Jong Un's Daughter Makes Second Public Appearance This Month; Biden Allows Chevron To Pump Oil In Venezuela After Freeze; Long Lines In Georgia As Early Voting Begins In Senate Runoff. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired November 28, 2022 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:32:49]

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: So, look at that little dot right there in the middle, OK? This morning, dramatic video showing the moment a man was saved after falling overboard from a Carnival cruise ship. Rescuers say that the 28-year-old may have been in the water for more than 15 hours.

He was reportedly at a bar with his sister and disappeared after leaving to use the restroom. She reported him missing when he didn't return to his room overnight.

I cannot believe that they found him if you look at that. A multi-crew search by air and sea was quickly underway. The cruise ship even turned back to look for him.

The Coast Guard says that the search extended more than 200 miles in the Gulf but finally, they spotted him. The Coast Guard then hoisted the man aboard a helicopter. They say that he was responsive but exhibiting hypothermic-like symptoms. He is in stable condition.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, you're going to want to see this because, for the second time in a matter of days, the world has gotten a glimpse of Kim Jung Un's daughter. It has raised questions about why she is appearing in public -- why she is appearing in public now. It's also fueled speculation over his potential succession plans.

In one photo that was released by state media, the father-daughter pair were seen posing by a truck that was loaded with a large intercontinental ballistic missile, we believe. Kim's daughter is believed to be around nine years old. Remember, she was seen publicly for the first time with her dad at a missile test site in recent days.

So, joining us now to talk about this mysterious public appearance is Newsweek columnist Gordon Chang. He is the author of the books "Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World," and "The Coming Collapse of China" -- two very important topics for us today.

So I just want to start with what we are seeing with his daughter appearing in public because it's a break from precedent of what we've seen past leaders in North Korea do where typically, they haven't appeared with their children in this way unless they were confirmed to be their successor.

What do you make of this?

GORDON G. CHANG, COLUMNIST, NEWSWEEK, AUTHOR, "THE COMING COLLAPSE OF CHINA" AND "NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN: NORTH KOREA TAKES ON THE WORLD" (via Webex by Cisco): Well, the most likely explanation, Kaitlan, is that little Ju Ae is his successor. But this is North Korea so probably, the most likely -- the most common-sense answer probably is wrong.

[07:35:00]

You know, it could also have something to do with Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, who is extremely capable and seemingly ambitious. And maybe Kim Jung Un is telling her to back away and forget about taking over if Kim Jung Un passes.

Remember, Kim Jung Un has a series of medical problems -- diabetes, heart issues, and some other things as well -- and so, succession is a matter of some importance in North Korea right now.

COLLINS: Yes, absolutely. And we had just learned about his daughter not that long ago from Dennis Rodman. We really didn't know much about her.

What do we know, and what have you learned? Because these photos are being released by state media. It seems, obviously, quite intentional.

CHANG: Yes. We don't know very much except that she's probably nine or 10 years old. Rodman is the reason why we know her name.

And the thing that's really interesting about these photos is that the mother, who was with them at the time, is not in the pictures. So we have to figure out what that means.

But right now, we know very little except that Kim Jung Un has three children. They're all very young. None of them are of the point where they could actually be groomed for a succession, so the designation of one of them is really unusual.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this, coupled with what Kim Jung Un and the regime said over the weekend, very explicitly, about wanting to be the foremost world nuclear power -- I mean, how do you think that this ties into that?

CHANG: Well, the pictures of the daughter are both in connection with the Hwasong-17 --

HARLOW: Yes.

CHANG: -- which is an intercontinental ballistic missile. It's been tested three times and been successful twice. And this is a missile that can reach any part of the United States.

Obviously, because North Korea is so small and its economy is puny, it could never become the world's -- have the world's largest arsenal, which is what Kim Jung Un was bragging about.

HARLOW: Yes.

CHANG: But we've also got to remember that Kim is a proxy for what could be the world's largest arsenals together, which is China --

HARLOW: China.

CHANG: -- and Russia. So we've got to be concerned that Kim Jung Un is signaling that he has the support of both Beijing and Moscow.

LEMON: Good morning, Gordon. It's good to see you again.

I want to ask you about these protests in China and Hong Kong. You -- in China. You've worked for almost two decades there and this is what you tweeted on Sunday. You said, "The third Chinese revolution has started."

How significant are these protests do you think, and how does it compare to previous protests from years past?

CHANG: This is extremely serious for the Communist Party, Don. You know, many people compare them to 1989 -- the Tiananmen massacre -- but I think that they are more serious than that. They go back to 1949. Nineteen forty-nine is when the communists took power, and they took power despite confronting a superior force, which was the nationalists of Chiang Kai-shek. And the nationalist forces actually melted away because as one great Chinese historian has said, the nationalists have lost people's hearts.

And what we saw since Thursday with this protest over the fire is that the Communist Party has lost the hearts of the Chinese people.

In 1989, protesters didn't demand that the Communist Party leave power. They're doing that right away now on the streets in China. The Communist Party has got to be extremely concerned.

COLLINS: Is that what you see as the key difference here -- that they are willing, some of them, to say that Xi Jinping should step down?

CHANG: Yes. And remember, they do this at great risk to themselves because China is a total surveillance state. The Communist Party can recognize everybody in the crowd -- what they're saying, what they're doing. And what they're doing can put them away for decades.

So, there's a boldness in the Chinese people right now. It can fade. It could very well fade because of the anger over the fire can dissipate. But we do know that will come back because the Chinese people have made it very clear they do not want the Communist Party, and they don't want Xi Jinping, and they want to govern themselves.

COLLINS: And you want President Biden to weigh in. What do you think he should say here?

CHANG: I think he should privately say to Xi Jinping that the use of force against the Chinese people will result in severe consequences, like the severing of relations with China. It's in our interest to make sure that this is resolved peacefully. And I would hope that President Biden, who has concentrated on working with allies, is on the phone with our friends and partners around the world to get them to say the same things to China. We do not need another Tiananmen Square massacre --

HARLOW: Right.

CHANG: -- and we certainly don't need someone like George H.W. Bush telling Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese leader, that it's OK that you kill the Chinese people.

HARLOW: Yes. Can --

CHANG: That is just morally wrong.

HARLOW: Gordon, can that successfully be done when you have, for example, the German -- the German chancellor was just there, right, and just made another big economic deal with China. If you have the U.S. saying one thing and yet, our allies -- big economies in Europe still having these increasing ties to China, what does that -- what message does that send?

[07:40:12]

CHANG: Yes. Chancellor Scholz's visit to Beijing was certainly disappointing. But we've got to remember that the Chinese and the Europeans were set to have this comprehensive agreement on investment in December 2020, which was a real slap to then-incoming President Biden. And the Chinese, through just terrible diplomacy, pushed the Europeans away. They're going to do that again, Poppy.

So I sort of think that the United States can exercise a lot of influence. And remember, right now, the Russians and the Chinese are working together and that means that it's easier for President Biden to get the West to work together as well.

HARLOW: Gordon Chang, thank you --

LEMON: Thanks, Gordon.

HARLOW: -- on all these fronts.

LEMON: Appreciate it.

HARLOW: So, Georgia -- early voting for Georgia's Senate runoff election, which is just over a week away -- well, early voting is underway. There was a huge turnout on the first day to cast ballots.

LEMON: Crazy.

HARLOW: Yes.

LEMON: Also this -- Jon Batiste becoming the next superstar to headline a White House state dinner. Coming up next, we're going to show you the company he is joining. HARLOW: He's so great.

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JON BATISTE, SINGER: Singing "I Need You."

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[07:45:43]

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BATISTE: Singing "Freedom."

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LEMON: So you know that guy. That is musician Jon Batiste. He can now add White House entertainer to his long list of accomplishments. Batiste was tapped to perform at President Joe Biden's first White House state dinner on Thursday that will honor French President Emmanuel Macron.

The New Orleans legend, who is from a long line of musicians, won five Grammy awards this year, including Album of the Year for "We Are." Until recently, he was the band leader and musical director of "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT."

It has been a longstanding tradition to showcase some of the country's most talented artists at the White House.

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FRANK SINATRA, SINGER: Singing "I've Got the World on a String."

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LEMON: Artists like ol' blue eyes, the ultimate crooner, Frank Sinatra's performance in 1973 at the Nixon White House. Performances often reflect the musical tastes of the first families or their guests.

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JULIO IGLESIAS, SPANISH SINGER-SONGWRITER: (Singing foreign language).

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LEMON: In 1984 -- you know that guy. Well, this was during President Reagan's time. He invited Julio Iglesias who sang for the French president.

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DIONNE WARWICK, SINGER: Singing "Alfie."

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LEMON: Man, I could definitely listen to more of that. Three years later, Dionne Warwick took the stage and sang for the French prime minister.

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WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER-ACTRESS: Singing "Love's In Need of Today."

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LEMON: That was a voice -- Nippy -- Whitney Houston. She was invited by the Clinton White House to sing at the state dinner for South African President Nelson Mandela just a few months after he was elected.

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STEVIE WONDER, SINGER-SONGWRITER, ELTON JOHN, SINGER-SONGWRITER: Singing "Money."

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LEMON: Elton John and Stevie Wonder also performed during Clinton's presidency for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

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KENNY CHESNEY, SINGER-SONGWRITER: Singing "Back Where I Come From"

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LEMON: And country singer Kenny Chesney was the featured headliner in 2006 during a state dinner for the Australian prime minister during the George W. Bush presidency.

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MARY J. BLIGE, SINGER-SONGWRITER: Singing "Ain't Nobody."

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LEMON: All right, Mary J. During the Obama administration, the star- studded headliners ranged from Mary J. Blige to John Legend, Beyonce, James Taylor, and Gwen Stefani.

COLLINS: All right. Before that state dinner happens later this week, though, there are other moves being made at the White House, including a significant shift in the Biden administration's policy on Venezuela. After officials announced that they were allowing Chevron to pump more oil in the South American -- South American country once again.

That follows an announcement that Venezuela had reached an agreement with the opposition government when it comes to humanitarian relief. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is live at the White House this morning. Jeremy, I know officials were talking about why they made this decision. What's their explanation?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. Well, the Biden administration is lifting this key oil sanction on Venezuela, allowing Chevron to begin pumping oil again and exporting it only to the United States. And the administration says that this is all about the progress that's being made in Venezuela between the Maduro regime and the opposition party.

With talks resuming in Mexico City on Saturday, this sanctions relief was issued on that very same day. It also follows an agreement by the Venezuelan regime to allow the United Nations to manage a fund of billions of dollars in frozen assets and allow that to be used for humanitarian relief.

But the U.S. is being very clear that this is the only sanction that is being lifted at this time. The Treasury Department saying, quote, "Other Venezuela-related sanctions and restrictions imposed by the United States remain in place. The United States will vigorously enforce these sanctions and will continue to hold accountable any actor that engages in corruption, violates U.S. laws, or abuses human rights in Venezuela."

[07:50:09]

The administration is also being clear here that this oil, for now, can only be exported to the United States and no profits can go to Venezuela's state-owned oil company.

COLLINS: And Jeremy, I've seen some Republican criticism of this. I think a big question -- and I wonder what officials are saying about the extent that this has to do with easing energy prices. Because obviously, that has been a big issue globally ever since this war in Ukraine started.

What did officials say this weekend about that?

DIAMOND: Yes. Look, these officials are saying that this is all about the humanitarian progress in Venezuela -- the political progress between the opposition and the regime. But we should be very clear here that this does send a pretty strong signal to global oil markets.

And we do know that over the last several months, since last spring, the Biden administration has been looking for other countries to export more oil to replace Russian oil on the international energy markets to hurt Vladimir Putin, who has been profiting from oil sales and fueling -- using that to pay for his war in Ukraine. A senior administration official said that his move will have a limited impact on the international oil market, though.

But again, it does send a signal. And the U.S. has made clear that if there is more progress, there could be more sanctions relief on the way for Venezuela in the future as well -- Kaitlan.

COLLINS: We'll be watching closely. Jeremy, thank you.

HARLOW: Well, people really got out to vote this weekend in Georgia. Nearly 80,000 people cast their ballots on the first Saturday of early voting in the state. And this came after Georgia's Supreme Court delivered Democratic candidate and current senator Raphael Warnock a victory last week allowing that early voting to start this past Saturday in his runoff race with Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

Eva McKend has been following all of this and joins us live for CNN this morning. Good morning, Eva. I mean, it's fascinating to see those numbers, right? And this was a big thing that the Warnock camp was fighting for. They took it all the way up to the state's high court.

Is it expected that early voting is more beneficial to Warnock than Walker? Do we know?

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Well, good morning to you, Poppy.

Things well underway here in Atlanta. I just want to show you behind me here just the long line. It does seem that things are moving pretty quickly and people getting in and out this morning.

But, yes, you are absolutely right. This was a big victory for Sen. Warnock -- for Democrats. You know, over the weekend, I met college students who told me had not there been for the Saturday voting they may not have been able to vote. They didn't get their absentee ballot in time. And so, there was just a lot of enthusiasm among Democratic voters for the early voting.

So, Democrats not only won it in a practical sense on that front, but they also won in terms of elevating it as an issue. We know that the issue of voting rights is an issue that galvanizes the Democratic base.

And this is why Sen. Warnock was speaking to this, this weekend, at a Souls to the Polls event. Take a listen.

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SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): We filed a lawsuit so you could vote on Saturday. They filed a petition asking for emergency relief. What you ought to ask yourself is what do they want relief from? You want relief from people voting?

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MCKEND: So we also saw a tremendous amount of Black Georgians come out and participate. I asked Sen. Warnock about this. He said that he was proud of the multiracial coalition that Democrats have built in this state.

HARLOW: Don was just noticing all the young people. I mean, you're just at one polling site in Atlanta, but noticing all the young people there, too. A lot of young people coming out. Can you explain to people the answer to Warnock's question? What was the argument by the Republicans that did file that emergency petition about what I said -- I know they said they interpreted the law differently but what was the crux of their argument?

MCKEND: Well, they also argue that Democrats essentially were trying to change the rules in the middle of the game and that this would unfairly benefit Democrats. That you would have all of these Democratic counties that would be able to be prepared to be ready relatively quickly to offer that Saturday voting in rural counties where their voters were not.

But there were some heavily Republican counties that offered Saturday voting as well. What was notable, though, was that Herschel Walker was not on the campaign trail --

HARLOW: Hmm.

MCKEND: -- this weekend during this early voting period. You know, it was the Thanksgiving holiday. We understand that he was celebrating his mother's birthday the last few days -- his mother's 85th birthday. But still surprising not to see him.

But I think it also speaks to sort of cultural difference in how Democrats and Republicans talk about early voting. Democrats really just put a lot more emphasis on it, whereas Republicans do not. They do not --

HARLOW: Yes.

[07:55:00]

MCKEND: -- emphasize early voting as much as we've heard Democrats do so.

HARLOW: A week from tomorrow -- very close.

Eva, thank you for the reporting for us from Atlanta.

Well, a soccer match turned into a geopolitical showdown. Why U.S. Soccer and the State Department are trying to cool tension with Iran.

LEMON: Plus, the world losing another eighties icon.

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IRENE CARA, SINGER, SONGWRITER, ACTRESS: Singing "Fame."

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CARA: Singing "What A Feeling."

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COLLINS: That is the unforgettable voice of Irene Cara, singing her Oscar-winning song "Flashdance" -- What a Feeling -- from "Flashdance" -- What a Feeling.

The 63-year-old singer, songwriter, and actress died Saturday at her Florida home, according to her publicist.

Many are remembering her, though, as starring in her role as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 movie "Fame." She also sang the title track to the movie and the T.V. show of the same name.

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CARA: Singing "Fame."

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LEMON: These are the stars -- they were -- this was "GLEE" before "GLEE."

COLLINS: It's the best karaoke songs.

LEMON: Yes. I mean, really great.

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