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Record Number Of Billion Dollar Weather And Climate Disasters In 2023; Doctors Work To Give Girl Use Of Her Vocal Chords; Robert Kraft On Efforts To Fight Antisemitism. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired December 25, 2023 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Or even countries. I was just looking it up. Remember, we were talking about -- I think it was Sweden and Beyonce -- right, Rahel?

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I remember.

HARLOW: Beyonce and --

SOLOMON: Blaming Beyonce for inflation.

HARLOW: Come on.

SOLOMON: Yeah.

HARLOW: Come on. Come on. Come on.

You had a really interesting piece Catherine about the 'she-covery' in 2023.

CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMICS COMMENTATOR, OPINION COLUMNIST, THE WASHINGTON POST: Yes. So, 2023 was the year of the working woman. Not just famous women like the ones we've been talking about, but regular rank-and-file white-collar women around the United States whose numbers have hit record highs in terms of the share of traditionally working-age people who are employed.

You may remember that a couple of years ago there were all of these stories about the fear of the 'she-cession.' That the pandemic was disproportionately going to hurt women and did seem to hurt women, particularly those who had young children, and that they might be knocked off their career trajectories for -- if not forever for a very long time. That there would be these scarring effects.

Instead, the exact opposite has happened. Women -- working women have come back with a fierce -- almost like revengeful level of success that they are contributing financially to their households. They are somehow managing to make work and family commitments work out. And I don't know if I would go so far as to say women are finally having it all but they are really punching above their weight.

If we manage to avoid a recession next year, as many had feared not too long ago, it will be because of America's working women again powering this economy.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: Rahel -- you know, Rahel, to that point, is this -- can this be maintained? I know Taylor Swift and Beyonce are touring for, like, ever and I have no idea how they're doing that. They're absolute machines. But their success -- the success of -- like Catherine was just talking about, can this hold over a longer period of time?

SOLOMON: You know, it's an interesting point. I think at least for the time being because now you think about at least Beyonce having the documentary and movies, which is boosting, sort of, movie ticket sales, right?

So I think certainly, as long as they are offering a product. Beyonce is also now selling perfume, right, in addition to her production company and in addition to her IVY PARK line. I mean, there is always a way you can sort of cash in on being a Beyonce fan and I assume the same with Taylor Swift.

HARLOW: How have I made it through this year of going to neither of those?

MATTINGLY: Especially when you know that I have been to the Beyonce concert.

SOLOMON: Multiple times.

HARLOW: Totally, Phil.

SOLOMON: You still have time.

HARLOW: Best husband.

MATTINGLY: She's on tour for -- yeah, she's on tour forever.

HARLOW: Reminder: Phil surprised his wife in Paris with Beyonce.

SOLOMON: Paris.

HARLOW: Babe, are you kidding? Honey -- my husband. Isn't that amazing?

SOLOMON: Yeah.

HARLOW: I know, it's amazing.

OK, we've got to go.

MATTINGLY: Guys, thank you very much -- Rahel Solomon, Catherine Rampell.

HARLOW: The 9-year-old who could not use her vocal cords for her entire life now speaking for the first time after new a medical procedure. Her inspiring story is ahead.

(COMMERCIAL) [07:36:33]

MATTINGLY: Well, there have been no shortage of extreme weather events this year. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there have been a record-breaking 25 separate weather and climate disasters just through early November, each with losses exceeding $1 billion, from the deadly wildfires that ravaged parts of Hawaii to Hurricane Idalia that brought flooding and widespread damage across the Southeast, to months of flooding in California. The power of Mother Nature has been on full display.

HARLOW: Another benchmark was also broken. According to a recent report, the past decade was the warmest decade on record.

For much more perspective on what is happening and what is ahead let's turn to our chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, it's good to see you. It is the end of the year; almost the beginning of a new one -- but, how is the climate fairing?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Not good, Poppy. This is a red-letter year on every measure. Twenty-twenty-three shattering previous temperature records. Look at the anomaly charts. We're off the charts, headed in the wrong direction compared to decades past. Compared to anomalies going back to the 1850s, this year really said it.

And the actual El Nino warming cycle is just kicking in. So the even more grim news is this is one of the coolest years, unfortunately, of the rest of our lives. And what did that look like in terms of the weather created on an overheated planet?

You mentioned the Maui wildfires, which was a combination of drought and hurricane winds out in the Pacific there as well. In Phoenix, 30 days out of 31 over 110 degrees. The overnight temperatures can truly take a toll on the human bodies. Record number of deaths there evidenced.

But there was flooding in Libya. Weather whiplash in other places. Droughts around the world.

Here it is. This is what climate change looks like, guys.

MATTINGLY: Bill, not to minimize the negative, of which there is a lot, but we have spoken throughout the course of the year about a really positive element from 2023, and that's what's been done to invest in a greener future. What accelerates that in 2024?

WEIR: Well, the amount of private investment money that is now pouring into green technology, alternative fuels, power storage is off the charts. We are in the middle of another industrial revolution that a lot of people aren't paying attention to right now thanks in large part to the Inflation Reduction Act. Joe Manchin, the coal state senator, changing his mind. Since that has been passed over half a trillion dollars of investment, public and private, has gone into these places. EV sales continue to ramp up everywhere. Economists say we've passed a tipping point with market saturation there as more and more states make it mandatory. There's still some supply chain issues and a glut of cars in certain places right now, but that's changing.

This was the first year that more electricity was produced with renewable energy than coal. Texas is actually the greenest energy state.

HARLOW: Wow.

WEIR: They produce wind and solar power than California. These gains right now despite fierce ideological and political resistance there.

HARLOW: You do see people --

WEIR: Yeah.

HARLOW: -- adjusting to this new normal.

I wonder what sticks with you as people brace for a more uncertain world.

WEIR: Well, Poppy, I just left -- I spent yesterday filming in Paradise, California which, of course, was almost completely burned to the ground by the Camp Fire five years ago. About a third of the town stayed and rebuilt -- the people who really want to be there.

And I met a woman named Heidi Lange and her emotion -- this is just minutes after meeting here -- as I asked her about the decision whether to stay in a place like Paradise or go somewhere else -- listen.

[07:40:04]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEIR: Couldn't get you out of here even with the biggest fire in 100 years?

HEIDI LANGE, PARADISE RESIDENT: No. I considered it when I -- when I was deciding whether I was going to rebuild. I had to look at my options, but I kind of took an inventory of everything that was still here. And my community, and my neighbors, and my friends, and my church, and my job was all still here, so my little village -- that little village is here in Paradise and I'm happy to be here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WEIR: Hmm. There -- a lot of young people are moving to Paradise there. A lot of kids are filling the schools. There's a lot of life and hope in that town that was nearly burned to destruction.

So the takeaway, Phil and Poppy, here at the holidays, community is everything. The strength of neighbors who are prepared for the worst and they have to take care of each other if the worst happens is everything in this new warmer world.

MATTINGLY: I think that is something we can all agree on.

Bill Weir, as always, thank you.

HARLOW: Well, a heartwarming holiday story. After being born with an often fatal congenital condition, 9-year-old Delayza Diaz has spent most of her life not able to speak. But now, a new surgery is helping her continue to defy all the odds.

Our Meg Tirell is here to tell us how this remarkable little girl is finally finding her voice. Good morning.

MEG TIRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys.

Delayza really is an amazing little girl. She was born, essentially, with her airway almost completely blocked. And doctors were able to perform a number of surgeries in the first days of her life that allowed her to breathe, but she was never able to speak using her voice and her vocal cords. So now, she's gotten this major reconstructive surgery and she's learning to speak using her vocal cords and her voice for the first time in her life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIRRELL (voice-over): Nine-year-old Delayza Diaz is practicing how to use her new vocal cords. Delayza was born with a rare disorder called VACTERL association, which can cause problems throughout the body.

Derek Lam, her doctor at Oregon Health and Science University, showed us with this model.

DR. DEREK LAM, OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY: This whole area from here to here, including just below the vocal cords, in Delayza was not formed normally. The vocal cords were present but there was just no opening between them.

TIRELL (voice-over): Delayza learned to communicate using her tongue and cheeks to make sounds and form words known as buckle speech.

LAM: Can you say mama?

DELAYZA DIAZ, BORN WITH RARE VOCAL CORD DISORDER: Mama.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say thank you.

D. DIAZ: Thank you.

LAM: She was thriving like any other little girl except, of course, that she had no voice through any of that time.

TIRELL (voice-over): But last year, Delayza and her family decided to go ahead with a complex and rare reconstructive surgery to open her vocal cords.

Her mom, Lucero, was nervous. LUCERO DIAZ, DELAYZA'S MOM: I thought she wasn't ready yet but she was.

TIRELL (voice-over): The surgery took eight hours.

LAM: The bottom part of the voice box and the top of the windpipe -- had to cut that part out and then drill out the opening between the vocal cords here, and then add more cartilage borrowed from her ribs to make this party wider. And then, connect up the bottom part of her windpipe to the reconstructed voice box.

TIRELL (voice-over): Delayza wasn't able to speak with her vocal cords right away but after months of therapy her new voice emerged.

D. DIAZ: (INAUDIBLE).

LAM: That's great. That's fantastic. I think that's the first time I've heard you say a sentence with your normal voice.

TIRELL (voice-over): Delayza is working hard to improve her voice.

L. DIAZ: Can you say "E"?

D. DIAZ: "E".

L. DIAZ: "O".

D. DIAZ: "O".

LAM: Something that for the rest of us is unconscious -- for her, she's had to learn to use her vocal cords.

TIRELL (voice-over): And she so often uses what she and her mom call her squeaky voice because it's easier.

L. DIAZ: Twenty.

TIRELL (voice-over): And though she's been through a lot, Delayza has a message for other kids who may be facing challenges.

D. DIAZ: Don't be scared.

L. DIAZ: Delayza said, "Don't be scared."

D. DIAZ: Everything's going to be OK.

L. DIAZ: That everything's going to be OK.

TIRELL (voice-over): After years without working vocal cords she can now use hers to say some of the most important things.

D. DIAZ: Love you.

L. DIAZ: I love you, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE) TIRELL: And guys, Delayza's doctor, Dr. Lam, told us her positive spirit is really a big reason why she's been successful through all of this. And though, of course, as you saw, she is still working on learning how to use her voice. He said the fact that this surgery could be done shows that's it possible even with somebody born with so many complications and challenges.

MATTINGLY: It's such a great story and great news about --

TIRELL: Yeah.

MATTINGLY: -- so many others as well.

Meg Tirell, thanks so much.

HARLOW: A gift for the holidays for sure. Thank you.

[07:45:00]

So, ahead, the number of antisemitic acts rising around the world and the FBI director warning the number has increased to historic levels. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft spearheading an effort to counter hate. Our interview with him, next.

(COMMERCIAL)

HARLOW: Welcome back.

There has been a very disturbing rise in antisemitic attacks and threats across the world. Earlier this month, FBI Dir. Christopher Wray said the bureau is working quote "around the clock" to disrupt potential threats here in the United States.

Many people have jumped into action to help, including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. And recently, I spoke with Kraft who is spearheading an effort to counter hate. This year, his foundation to combat antisemitism launched a $25 million campaign Stand Up to Jewish Hate.

Here's our conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT KRAFT, OWNER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, FOUNDER, FOUNDATION TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM: It's really disheartening to see what's going on in this country. You know, when I started this foundation four years ago, I saw signs in this country of what was going on in Germany in the '30s. And that's why we started the foundation to try to educate and help all people understand that we have to stand up to Jewish hate, but all hate. And we've tried to do that through a sense of commercials. And if we don't do a good job controlling it, I think hate leads to violence.

And what we're seeing going on in this country now is really scary to me. And it's something we want to work very hard to try to prevent.

[07:50:00]

HARLOW: One of the approaches you take that I think is interesting and different is you try to reach non-Jewish audiences, but you say some of the approaches are too academic or too adversarial. Your team is trying to use empathy. How do you teach people not to hate in a moment like this?

KRAFT: Well, I don't know if you've seen any of our ads. We had a group of ads that went out over nine weeks and we reached two-thirds of the American public, seven to 10 times.

And, you know, this is the greatest country in the world. I know, myself, I went to school on a scholarship. I was able to live my dream. I want to keep it that way. And I see things that are going on internally that are changing it.

And that's why we started this foundation to try to educate people -- good people in America. Most people are good. But when you start seeing hate and it starts with Jewish hate, there will be hate against all minorities.

HARLOW: Yes.

KRAFT: You're next.

And I just think of, you know, what's going on with Hamas and what -- that's a terrorist organization, that in their charter, calls for the eradication of Israel and all Jewish people wherever they are in the world. And then, also, all infidels. And to see the kind of support they're getting, it's really disheartening to me. And I think a lot of that is what's going on, on social media.

HARLOW: So -

KRAFT: You know, 25 percent of social media are bots. And there's a lot of misinformation that young people are taking in and believing, and we have to push against that.

HARLOW: You know, in fact, in this new ad that we've been -- when playing for folks, it says, hate moves faster. And I believe you guys are talking about that. Can you address specifically what you're seeing happen on TikTok and how worried you are about that for hate and spreading it?

KRAFT: Well, yes, we've seen statistics that show us that 25 percent of all the data that's coming out through there are bots, and then it is being re-posted by another 25 percent. So that you've got 50 percent of what's being spread is lies and not accurate. And young people, unfortunately, are believing. And they're very sophisticated. They've done a good job.

But these are bad people. These are terrorists. These are people who cut off babies' heads in front of mothers and do things -- just think about if Mexico came here and went to one of our music festivals and killed people and raped women and paraded them on the street, beheaded the little babies, how would we accept that? And these people are out on the streets marching in support of that?

HARLOW: Well, I think -

KRAFT: It's just a lack of education.

HARLOW: And -

KRAFT: And we have to do a better job educating.

HARLOW: Yes. And we should note the difference between supporting the Palestinian people, right, and supporting Hamas.

I -- Robert, you're wearing the - you're wearing the blue square and that is a symbol of fighting all hate. You're a powerful voice in this conversation and I wonder if you could share with people your own experience. I know it was when you were young, with anti-Semitism, what you went through.

KRAFT: Yes. Well, I had people who didn't want to do business with me. They thought I had horns in my head. They'd never met someone from my background. And, you know, it just allows you to work harder.

I mean think of people with different skin color or people of different religions. They've all experienced it. And when hate goes in one direction, it doesn't stop. I mean you're next. And any minority should feel that and understand it. And we have to keep the fabric of this country the way it's been for all of us that have lived our dreams. And what's going on now is very, very concerning.

And that's why this symbol of the blue square, which is a symbol of unity and solidarity, and having all people understand what our -- how our neighbors really think and lock arm in arm, pushing back against hate. And we're going to continue fighting it.

You know, I'll just tell you, I had the privilege of being in Gaza about 30 years ago and met with Gazan fishermen and Israeli fishermen. These are great people. I feel bad for them. And I think if you took a vote, 90-odd percent wouldn't want these terrorists running their property.

[07:55:16]

HARLOW: Yeah, the majority of the polling does show that the majority in -- of Palestinians do not support Hamas.

But before you go, if you could speak to -- I know you've put a lot of your personal wealth to this cause. A lot of big donors, corporate and individual. But I'm struck by the amount of people that have been giving very small donations, Robert, like $11.00 to you guys, since October 7, right?

KRAFT: Yeah, you know -- well, thank you, Poppy, for -- one of the things that's been amazing when you start something like this, we have a website. In the last five months, we've had all -- over 11,000 people coming in with gifts of $10.00, $50.00, $100. Just small people. We don't solicit. And most of them are not Jewish. We can tell by the names. And it

really made me feel good and just motivates us more because it shows Americans just instinctively want to do the right thing.

And we have to continue to support them. We are going to continue our education campaign. And I think -- I don't think most people in this country understand the way this hate has grown. And we will continue to educate and try to get people to build bridges.

HARLOW: Well, as a foundation --

KRAFT: And that's what the blue square symbolizes.

HARLOW: And as the foundation says, when one hate rises, they all do.

Robert Kraft, thank you for the work that you and your team continue to do.

KRAFT: Thank you. And can I just say, if we don't control it, I think we see violence erupt. And that's what we all want to protect our people against.

HARLOW: Robert, thank you.

KRAFT: Thank you, Poppy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Such important work that he is doing and continues to do. I'm grateful for his time.

MATTINGLY: Absolutely.

Well, union workers from Hollywood all the way to Michigan rising up to fight for their rights. How 2023 reshaped the labor movement. That's ahead.

HARLOW: And from Kevin McCarthy losing his speakership to George Santos getting expelled from Congress, it was a chaotic year on Capitol Hill. We'll break down some of the most important political movements and what's ahead in 2024.

(COMMERCIAL)