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CNN This Morning
Leaked Documents Show Taiwan's Vulnerability; Rival Generals Battle in Sudan; Experts Worry about Recession; Man Faces Life Sentence Again. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired April 17, 2023 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:00]
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: In terms of defense. I mean they outlined the fact that Taiwan officials are concerned their air defense systems can't accurately detect missile launches and that only half of their aircraft or even mission capable at this point.
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, and that it would be very difficult for them to move all of their jets into a safe location, right, if China did launch a kind of air blitz on the island.
HARLOW: Right.
BERTRAND: So, look, I mean, this is something that the U.S. military is very concerned about. And the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, he spoke to this just a few months ago. He said that China currently believes that war with the U.S. is inevitable, which is kind of a scary thought. But he cautioned that, saying that, you know, that there tends to be some overheated rhetoric and that it is not clear that China will actually move forward with trying to invade Taiwan by 2027, which we should note Xi Jinping, the president of China, has ordered his military to be prepared for. And, of course, the U.S. would likely come to Taiwan's defense if that were to happen. But there are a lot of questions here about whether the U.S. is sending equipment to Taiwan fast enough, and that is what Milley said is currently a priority.
HARLOW: Yes, speed, again, readiness.
Thank you, Natasha. Great to have you.
Ivan Watson, in Hong Kong, thank you both very much.
A deadly battle for control between rival forces in Sudan right now. Details on the vicious power struggle between the country's military leadership ahead.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, migrants risking their lives to make the journey to the U.S., crossing a dangerous stretch of jungle bridging North and South America. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh was there and he witnessed it along the route and he's going to bring us that story straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:35:50]
HARLOW: We want to take you now to the deadly violence in Sudan. We're entering a third day of it after months of rising tension between a paramilitary group and Sudan's armed forces. It all erupted this weekend into severe clashes. Nearly 100 people have been killed, hundreds more injured as the fighting intensifies in the capital of Khartoum where the presidential palace and the airport have also been attacked.
Our Larry Madowo is tracking all of this.
And, Larry, I think the question is, this has been a tightrope walk since really 2019, right, when you had the popular revolution, the ousting of a dictator and these two generals battling for control, but all erupting this weekend.
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All erupting this weekend, Poppy. And we can't tell for how much longer this will go on because it appears that this power struggle between these two powerful generals in Sudan is escalating instead of deescalating, despite calls from the U.S., the U.K., the U.N., the African Union, the European Union, the Arab League for them to go back to the negotiating table. Ninety-seven people dead so far, 1,100 people wounded. Those numbers will almost certainly increase.
I spoke to one half of this conflict, General Mohamed Hamdan. He was not on video because he did not want to reveal any clues as to where he is for fear of getting captured.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO (voice over): Two generals at war. Since Saturday, the forces of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, or RSF, have been locked in battle with the Sudanese army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The fighting comes as Sudan tries to finalize a deal to return to civilian rule after two military coups in recent years which temporarily united the army and the RSF.
In a phone interview, Dagalo, who is better known as Hemedti, told me ruling Sudan isn't his endgame.
MADOWO (on camera): What do you personally want from this situation, General Hamdan? Do you want to lead the army? Do you want to be the chief?
GENERAL MOHAMED HAMDAN DAGALO, LEADER OF PARAMILITARY RAPID SUPPORT FORCES (through translator): I don't want to be the leader of the army. There's a framework agreement between all the Sudanese stakeholders that should be adhered to. I don't want to lead anything. These are all propaganda they are making. MADOWO (voice over): As part of the agreement, the RSF, some 100,000 strong, would merge with the army. But differences over how long that would take and who would end up with more power aggravated tensions between the two factions, which have since erupted into open (ph) warfare.
Residential areas across Sudan have become battlefields with anti- aircraft weapons in the streets and warplanes hovering overhead. Scores of civilians have been killed. The army blames the RSF for the violence, with Hemedti pointing the finger back at al-Bruhan.
MADOWO (on camera): What is your message to the many people of Sudan who are scared about this fresh round of violence?
DAGALO (through translator): We offer a serious apology to them because what we can say is al-Burhan is the one that forced us to do this. It was not us who did this. We were defending ourselves.
MADOWO (voice over): Doctors' unions say it's been difficult for medics to move about amid reports of many people being trapped near fighting hotspots. Despite a U.N. brokered temporary truce, there were reports of gunfire in Khartoum, which Hemedti again blamed on the army.
DAGALO (through translator): We're under attack from all directions, they're attacking us with marked and unmarked vehicles. Unfortunately, they're not stopping.
MADOWO: It's unclear what side was firing during the ceasefire, but the army says it retains the right to respond if any violations occurred.
Sudan's neighbors are looking for ways to deescalate the violence. Egypt and South Sudan have offered of mediate talks between the two sides. The African Union and the Arab League both held emergency sessions with more calls for an immediate end to the hostilities. The army has said there will be no dialogue until the RS is dissolved. Hemedti says the stakes are so high in Sudan that any possible negotiations would have to be serious.
DAGALO (through translator): We are not refusing to go to the negotiating table as long as the negotiation is true and truthful, honest, not playing games.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MADOWO: This morning, we've seen a joint statement from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, asking for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and the return to the negotiating table.
[06:40:07]
The African Union is sending several leaders to Sudan, including the presidents of Kenya, South Sudan and Djibouti to try to get these two warring generals back to the table to discuss. Sudan is Africa's third largest nation and has had the most number of successful or attempted coups. So, a real concerned, Poppy, what happens there.
HARLOW: Yes, of course.
Larry, we appreciate the reporting very, very much.
Also, take a look here, stateside. You're looking at live pictures. The Boston Marathon set to get underway in a few hours. We're live on the ground.
LEMON: I just saw a guy walked by in a tutu over his shorts for the marathon.
HARLOW: For the marathon?
LEMON: Yes, a tutu.
HARLOW: Celebrating.
LEMON: Celebrating.
Plus, love may be blind, but it's not always patient. Netflix apologizing for technical difficulties after a big delay in what was posed to be a live reunion for the popular "Love is Blind" series. How viewers and Netflix competitors reacted.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:45:42]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK LACHEY, HOST, "LOVE IS BLIND": We actually have no idea what's going to go down at this reunion.
VANESSA LACHEY, HOST, "LOVE IS BLIND": You know why? Because we're doing it live.
N. LACHEY: That's right, the first live reunion in the history of Netflix. That means -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anything could happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Literally anything.
V. LACHEY: And when it does, we will be just as shocked as you are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: You should hear our conversation. We're like Nick - Nick - I always call him Lachey, Lachey. Which band was it?
HARLOW: You guys, it was always Lachey.
LEMON: I know.
HARLOW: 98 Degrees. Get with the program. LEMON: I don't know. But we're talking about now "Love is Blind." Yes, millions of fans were shocked with Netflix last night and this morning. Netflix is apologizing after a highly anticipated live "Love is Blind" reunion wasn't exactly live. Eager fans tuned in to watch the dating reality show. Its scheduled start time was supposed to be 8:00 p.m. Eastern, only to stare at a waiting room screen for 90 minutes. Can you imagine the hearts (ph)?
HARLOW: A 90 minute delay.
LEMON: Eventually, Netflix opted to tape it for streaming to air later today. Netflix tweeted an apology, saying, to everyone who stayed up late, woke up early, gave up their Sunday afternoon, we are incredibly sorry that "Love is Blind" live reunion did not turn out as -- as we had planned.
Twitter had a lot to say about the technical snafu from fans. Its competitors, Bravo tweeting, we will never make you wait for reunion. Blockbuster also got in on the action, writing, remember renting VHS from us? You could start it on time, no problem.
I miss those - those days. So, I did not see it. Did you? Did you? Are you a "Love is Blind" fan?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I am not, but I think it's so interesting. They - they had great success with the "Chris Rock: Selective Outrage" live streaming.
LEMON: Right.
HARLOW: Right.
ROMANS: And a lot of these streamers are now getting into the live action business because people want it. But all those teases about anything could happen.
LEMON: Yes, it did - it did happen.
ROMANS: Well, anything did happen. It didn't actually happen. So they actually taped it and then they streamed it later.
LEMON: So, I told you, but I had -- my weekend was awesome because there were two "Colombo" marathons on at the same time.
ROMANS: Wow.
LEMON: I know.
ROMANS: Don, that - wow.
LEMON: I know. And a "Law & Order." I love old television.
ROMANS: He loves "Law & Order."
LEMON: So, I'm watching, you know, I think it was on Sundance and Cozy TV and, blah, blah, blah. And I'm just watching - I'm watching the whole thing.
ROMANS: Oh, my goodness.
HARLOW: With the pups, right? All three of them.
LEMON: With the pups and my new sheets.
HARLOW: Oh, well that's - that's a win.
LEMON: That was amazing. It was an amazing weekend.
HARLOW: Those are the things that make me happy in my older age. Cozy sheets.
ROMANS: Well, sometimes it's nice to be alone, right? Sometimes it's just nice to be alone, you know?
LEMON: It was. Yes, Tim's - Tim's out of town on business, so I had the whole bed, and my new sheets and two "Colombo" marathons, which, nothing (ph) better.
ROMANS: Boy, Don, I don't even know what to say. Really, I don't know what to say.
LEMON: I know. That I'm old.
HARLOW: Because you definitely didn't have that weekend with three boys.
ROMANS: No, I did not.
HARLOW: But you are our chief business correspondent as well. Let's talk about hopeful signs for the economy right now.
ROMANS: Sure.
HARLOW: And recession fears lower?
ROMANS: So, it's kind of a riddle. And a lot of people have been asking me this, you know, how come we have what looks like a strong economy and signs of progress a year after the Fed has been raising interest rates, but there's still so many recession warnings. And both of these things are true. You look at CPI, PPI inflation as we reported here last week. It appears that they have peaked. And they're coming down pretty rapidly here. So, the inflation story is getting better.
You also have a job market that is still pretty strong here. Even with a little bit of weakness lately, it is still an overall strong job market.
And we have the Treasury secretary this weekend who told our Fareed Zakaria that, look, you can have both things happening at the same time, a strong job market and lower inflation.
Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET YELLEN, TREASURY SECRETARY: I think we probably need some easing of stress in the labor market to get inflation down. But that doesn't mean that we need to see unemployment rise significantly. I believe a strong labor market and bringing down inflation are compatible goals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Interesting because there's that cruel kind of trade off that we keep hearing about that you're going to have to have some job loss to get inflation down. She's saying maybe we can do both.
But we have banking stress in the system. We have the lag effects of all those Fed rate hikes. So there are still plenty of recession warnings out there.
HARLOW: Also, what happens with the debt ceiling? Will we shoot ourselves in the foot by not, you know, raising the debt ceiling? Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, was asked about this in a really interesting interview with Margaret Brennan on CBS yesterday. Here's what she said.
[06:50:01]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE LAGARDE, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK: I have had confidence in this country. And I just cannot believe that they would let such a major, major disaster happened of the United States defaulting on its debt. This is not possible. I cannot believe that it would happen. But if it did happen, it would have very, very negative impact, not just for this country, where confidence would be challenged, but around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: She also said, look, I understand politics. I get it. But there are times, and this is one of them, were the health and the good of the nation rises above that.
ROMANS: Yes. And this is one of those times here. We're going to have Kevin McCarthy at the New York Stock Exchange later this morning talking about what his strategy is.
HARLOW: OK.
ROMANS: There's a solution here. Three simple solutions. You just raise the debt ceiling cleanly, you raise the debt ceiling with some sort of conditions attached for future spending, which is what McCarthy is going to point out today, or you get rid of the damn thing. And plenty of people think that - just take the politics out of it, it has now become a tool for, you know, for funding the government anymore, it's become a political football. And that's -- that's not good. That's not good for America.
HARLOW: Yes. Yes.
LEMON: Take the politics out of it? Christine Romans, come on, you're being way too logical this morning.
ROMANS: I'm just -- you know, I'm just trying to give you a solution. Easy, simple solution.
LEMON: Thanks, Christine.
ROMANS: Bye.
LEMON: Yes. New sheets. Linen sheets will change your life.
HARLOW: Really? I'm not a -
LEMON: Yes, I splurged.
HARLOW: All right, I'm not a fan of the linen ones.
LEMON: I totally splurged. And, Poppy -- let me tell you. Sorry. Poppy convinced me. Poppy said on this shift you have to pay attention to your sleep. It's very important.
HARLOW: It's the most important thing.
LEMON: She convinced me to get new pillows and new sheets.
HARLOW: Oh, yes, I did tell you about what pillows to get.
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: Did you get them?
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: And you're happy?
LEMON: And I'm happy. Very happy. They're good (ph).
HARLOW: I'm very happy for you.
ROMANS: A sound machine is good, too. You need a sound machine.
HARLOW: I do need that as well.
LEMON: Not a Miami Sound Machine. Too loud.
ROMANS: I'll send you a link. There's a good one.
HARLOW: OK.
LEMON: Thanks.
Dominion Voting Systems high stakes defamation trial against Fox delayed at the 11th hour. Details on the possibility of a settlement out of court straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:55:56]
LEMON: So, a man who spent decades behind bars for a murder he says he didn't commit is set to turn himself back in today. Crosley Green spent the last two years free. That was after a judge overturned his murder conviction. But the state appealed that ruling and won. Now Green, who has maintained his innocence since the 1989 killing, is due back in prison.
CNN's Carlos Suarez reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's been two years since Crosley Green was conditionally released from prison. During that time, the 65 year old bonded with his family, held down a job, and fell in love.
CROSLEY GREEN, ORDERED BACK TO PRISON: (INAUDIBLE). This is my woman. This is my future wife. Hopefully. I pray that. And it's going to come true.
SUAREZ: One of Green's prayers for more than three decades has been for freedom. But on Monday, his prayers will continue from behind prison walls. The thought of the separation makes his fiancee anxious.
KATHY SPIKES, CROSLEY GREEN'S FIANCEE: I've been with this man for two years. To not be able to I have a 5:00 phone call to say I'm home. For me to say, what do you want for dinner. That's what I'm anxious about.
SUAREZ: In 1990, Green was sentenced to death by an all-white jury in the 1989 shooting death of a 21 year old man in Mims, Florida. It's a murder Green said he did not commit. According to his attorneys, no physical evidence linked Green to the scene and three key witnesses later recanted their testimony, including what they said under oath about Green confessing to the crime.
GREEN: Well, I can't be angry with no one. I don't want no one else to be angry at no one. Anger ain't going to take you nowhere. And it will due but harm you.
I'm happy. I'm not happy about going back because I got my wife, my future wife, I got my friends that came along up here with me. I got my family.
SUAREZ: In 2009 Green's death sentence was changed to life in prison due to a legal technicality. And in 2018, a federal judge ruled prosecutors improperly withheld evidence that police suspected Green was not the shooter. His original conviction was overturned. The state of Florida could choose to retry Green or release him.
In 2021, Green was allowed to go home while his case was being appealed. A year after he was freed, an appellate court ruled against Green siding with Florida's Attorney General Ashley Moody. When asked why Green should be incarcerated, Moody's office said, quote, the Florida Attorney General's Office is charged by statute to represent the state of Florida in upholding judgments and sentences sought by the state attorney in each circuit and imposed by trial courts when they are appealed. The U.S. Supreme Court was his final hope to win his legal battle. The high court declined to hear the case. That means clemency or parole are his only options of freedom.
JEANE THOMAS, CROSLEY GREEN'S LAWYER: It's heartbreaking. It's - it's as though, you know, you've given something to him and then -- and then taking it away again. And is -- it's gut wrenching.
The context of all of this is that he is actually innocent of this crime, and there's a tremendous amount of evidence. And I think that that would be part of any petition or application to get relief.
GREEN: I ain't going to preach, though, but that do make me feel good.
SUAREZ: Green spent his final Sunday as a free man at church, relying on his faith to find hope.
GREEN: If everyone can just believe in themselves the away I believe in myself with the Lord, I mean, then you can understand and say the things I can say about not letting anything come in between you and your faith.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[07:00:00]
SUAREZ: Green's attorney tells me they plan on moving forward with seeking parole in the coming months.
