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Blinken Set to Visit Israel; Idaho Families Push to Stop Demolition; Mark Begich is Interviewed about Gun Legislation; Pistons to Set NBA Season Record. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired December 28, 2023 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:33:44]

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: This morning a new warning from Israel as tension along the northern border with Lebanon intensifies. Benny Gantz, who is a member of Israel's war cabinet and also the former defense minister, says, quote, the stopwatch for a diplomatic solution is running out.

Let's go to our colleague, Nada Bashir. She joins us live from London.

To hear that from Benny Gantz about what's happening in the north between Israel and Hezbollah, I mean it hasn't been getting as much attention, begs the question, how likely is a much broader regional war?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: That certainly is a primary concern for international partners, not least the Biden administration, which has called on the Israeli government to move towards what's being described as a lower intensity phase of the war. But, of course, we are hearing other messaging from Israeli officials. As you mentioned, Benny Gantz there warning of potentially another front to the war on the Israel/Lebanon border.

Now, we have seen that exchange of fire repeatedly now over the course of the war, but there are fears that this could be escalating. We have, over the last few days, seen that exchange of fire, shelling by Hezbollah across the border. We saw Hezbollah claiming to have shelled a region by the border on Wednesday. They say this came in response to Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese territory on the borderline. The IDF confirmed that they did carry out strikes they say targeting Hezbollah positions near the border.

[08:35:02]

But we have heard, of course, those reports from Lebanese national news agencies saying that at least three people were killed in those airstrikes. Only one of t hem have been claimed by Hamas to have been a member of the Iran-backed organization.

But, of course, we have seen those tensions mounting across the region. There have been, of course, vehement diplomatic efforts by the likes of Jordan and Egypt. But there are concerns that Iran-backed proxies in both Syria, Iraq and, of course, Yemen could be seeing an escalation in these hostilities or perhaps looking towards that escalation in response to the situation that we are seeing in the Gaza Strip, which has been very vehemently condemned by a number of regional leaders.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: Nada, we learned in the last hour or so that the IDF is now acknowledging, quote, "unintended harm to civilians" due to be a airstrike in Gaza on December 24th. I know they are reviewing that situation. What do we know now?

BASHIR: Well, this was a devastating airstrike on the al-Maghazi refugee camp. At least 70 people killed in that airstrike according to the health ministry in Gaza operated by Hamas. And there is, of course, mounting concern over the targeting of civilian areas inside the Gaza Strip.

Now the Israeli military has issued a statement, as you mentioned, that they caused unintended harm to civilians. That two targets were struck, which were, according to the Israeli military, adjacent to areas where Hamas operatives, according to the Israel military, were located.

Now, of course, the al-Maghazi refugee camp has been struck on a number of occasions. The Israeli military says it is carrying out further investigations into this particular airstrike. But there have been repeated warnings around the targeting of civilian areas as we know. The Gaza Strip is densely populated. And, of course, the -- while the Israeli ministry says it is targeting Hamas positions and has told civilians to evacuate southwards, it has proven extremely difficult for many civilians to move southwards, to evacuate to these safe zones.

And, of course, important to underscore that many of these so-called safe zones in many parts of southern Gaza, where the vast majority of Palestinian civilians are now taking shelter, have also been targeted by airstrikes. The U.N. calling for the Israeli military to take greater caution and to use all efforts to avoid a civilian death toll.

HARLOW: Nada Bashir, live for us, thank you very much.

MATTINGLY: Well, the Biden administration announcing a $250 million military assistance package for Ukraine on Wednesday. It marks the last such package the U.S. can provide to Ukraine without additional funding from Congress. The White House has asked lawmakers for more than $60 billion, more for aid to Ukraine, but that legislation still being blocked by Senate Republicans in a dispute with Democrats over U.S. border security.

HARLOW: Less than two hours from now this home in the town of Moscow, Idaho, will be demolished. It is the off campus residence where four University of Idaho students were brutally murdered last year. The victim's families are now pressing officials to try to stop that demolition because they say there could still be evidence there in the upcoming trial of the suspect Bryan Kohberger.

Our Veronica Miracle joins us live from Idaho.

Many people are surprised to hear that headline, the families do not want it demolished, but it's hours away from being demolished. What happens?

VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Poppy, I just want to let you know, we are being asked to move right now because this is a demolition area in just a little bit. I'm going to try to get through this live shot here.

You can see this home from campus. It's a daily reminder of the horrific crimes that happened here. And so ever since receiving this property, the university has wanted to tear it down. That's why this is happening today.

But as you mentioned, a couple of the victims' families are very upset.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIRACLE (voice over): In just hours, the off campus home where four University of Idaho students were killed will be leveled. It's here in November 2022 where Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves were stabbed to death in the middle of the night. And in a final push of desperation, the families of two victims writing, "stop this madness" and keep the house intact in an email to the Latah County Prosecutor's Office and the University of Idaho. But those concerns not enough to ultimately stop demolition.

JODI WALKER, UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: So, it's a daily reminder of the horrific event that happened there. And while we'll never forget, we can heal and we can take that next step forward. And taking that house down is that.

MIRACLE (voice over): After the owner gave the property to the University of Idaho earlier this year, school officials announced they'd demolish the house. But there were delays, partly because the Goncalves and Kernodle families were urging officials to keep the homestanding until the trial is over, arguing it's a key piece of evidence. Neither the defense nor prosecution objected to the tear down.

WALKER: So, we heard from the prosecutor last week who informed us that they are indeed finished with the house and that there is an Idaho code that actually says that the house has been changed enough on the interior as a result of the investigation that they wouldn't be allowed to take a jury there anyway.

MIRACLE (voice over): Crime tourists have been flocking to King Road in Moscow, Idaho.

[08:40:03]

Desiree Parks traveled two hours with her family after following the case since last year. DESIREE PARKS, COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO: Probably an unhealthy level of

extensive following. I follow everything. All the crazy 4chan and Reddit and the Facebook groups. But I wouldn't say I really had a morbid fascination to any other cases really. I think this one just hitting so close to home.

MIRACLE (voice over): Samantha Lewis, a true crime follower, traveled nearly six hours to see the teardown in person.

SAMANTHA LEWIS, TACOMA, WASHINGTON: This caught my attention. And I wanted to see the families get justice. Very dark. Very sad.

MIRACLE (voice over): Just a few miles away, the man who prosecutors say committed these murders remains behind bars awaiting his fate. To this day, prosecutors and investigators have not revealed a motive or connection between Bryan Kohberger and the victims but have claimed his DNA is a statistical match for DNA found on the sheath of a knife found at the crime scene.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your honor, we will be standing silent.

MIRACLE (voice over): A not guilty plea was entered on Kohberger's behalf by the judge. In recent weeks, a judge rejected a defense motion to dismiss the case. Kohberger's team now appealing that dismissal and asking for more time ahead of a potential trial date.

Meanwhile, the prosecution is hoping to start the highly anticipated trial by summer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MIRACLE (on camera): Once this house is demolished, this is going to be an empty lot. The University of Idaho wants to leave it that way. However, they are going to be making a memorial and a healing garden on campus.

Phil. Poppy.

MATTINGLY: All right, Veronica Miracle for us, thank you.

HARLOW: Ahead, in the wake of the Sandy Hook mass shooting, they voted no on gun reform. Now more than 11 years since that tragedy and so many more mass shootings, four current and three former senators say they have regrets. Our next guest is one them, former Senator Mark Begich, is with us next.

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[08:45:40]

HARLOW: Well, here's a line you don't often hear in Washington, quote, "I would probably have voted differently." Or how about this, "I was part of a failure. It's a regret."

Speaking to "The Washington Post," four current senators and three former senators now say they do regret some of their votes on gun safety laws following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary that killed 26 people, including 20 children, all younger than eight. And these are their faces.

After Sandy Hook, effort by the Senate to pass a comprehensive gun safety package failed. No expansion of federal background checks. No limits on firearm magazines. No ban on assault weapons. We don't know what would have happened had even one of those measures passed, but they may have prevented some of America's most deadly mass shootings since then, including the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting where 49 people were murdered by a shooter armed with a semi-automatic rifle, the 2017 Mandalay Bay shooting at that music festival where 58 people were killed by a man using multiple guns and high-capacity magazines, the 2018 Parkland High School shooting where 17 people were killed with an AR-15, and the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School where 21 people, mostly children, were also killed by a gunman using an AR- 15. All of the gunmen in those shootings obtained their weapons legally.

Mark Begich was a Democratic senator during Sandy Hook. He voted against those three gun safety measures after Sandy Hook and today he says he likely would have voted differently. He joins me this morning.

And I am deeply grateful for your time, sir. It is not often that we hear people reflect and change positions in Washington, or even after they have served. And I wonder why now? Why do you feel differently now?

MARK BEGICH (D), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Well, I think, you know, it's easy to look back in time and say what you could have done and would have done .But I think one thing is clear is the amount of these kind of mass shootings, and any one single shooting is a tragedy, but I think - I don't think anyone would have predicted where we are today versus back in 2013.

And, you know, we, as you just said, every one of those individuals that you mentioned bought their guns legally. And so the background check system still is not working. And so there is, you know, some common denominators.

HARLOW: Yes.

BEGICH: One is mental health. One is the type of gun, as you described there. And we have to, as a society, take a different look at how we're going to approach this. Last year Congress did part of that. That bill they did was many of the things that I proposed back in 2013. They finally have taken a decision to move forward.

But I think there is a change. And I think you're right. You know, looking back is, you know, people will say -- I'm sure after this interview they'll say, oh, it's easy to look back and have a different decision, but it is a tough thing to look back and say, could we have made a difference. But today I look at those common denominators and we have to think of different ways to approach this.

HARLOW: You bring up mental health. I'd be remiss not to ask that you were -- you introduced a bill during your time in the Senate on mental health and guns. That was a big push for you.

BEGICH: That's right.

HARLOW: But one of the things you also say is that maybe you made a mistake focusing on what you call hyper local issues in your state of Alaska.

BEGICH: Right.

HARLOW: We hear that a lot from lawmakers that say, well, what about hunting, for example. One of the things you actually though bout that was reported was people using AR-15s to protect themselves from polar bears. And I think that sounds -- will sound ridiculous to some people watching. But what you're saying is, maybe I shouldn't have focused on that. Maybe I should have focused on the bigger picture.

BEGICH: Right. And I think that's a good you point. And just on the mental health first aid program that I introduced was a year before Sandy Hook. And I struggled getting support for it because people didn't think it was - you know, some actually said it was a copout dealing with public safety issues. And reality last year, as I mentioned, now Congress has taken significant actions.

But I think politicians, and I will be one of those that acknowledge this, sometimes we get so locally focused that we forget or don't pay attention to the broader, bigger issue at a time when maybe we got to step back and you take some hits locally and maybe not get re-elected. And that's a challenge in leadership today on many aspects. I don't care what issue you pick. But on this one, you know, looking back, very focused on what mattered to Alaska, especially in the rural Alaska where 260 communities you can't get to by vehicle or any other means except by a plane.

[08:50:12]

And -- but looking back, you know, some of us probably focused too heavily on the local and didn't look at the bigger, national picture.

HARLOW: Yes.

BEGICH: But, again, as I said, it's easy to look back, but it's harder to figure out what you do now.

HARLOW: I know that you have kept a picture of children murdered at Sandy Hook next to your computer. You did after the shooting for when you served, and you have it today.

You also talked about what you called backroom politics that affected all of this when you guys were considering whether to pass these gun safety measures. And I wonder if now, Senator, you think those backroom politics cost children's lives in the years since?

BEGICH: Yes, I'm not sure if I can say it cost lives. But I can't tell you, getting good legislation that brings people together has been the bigger and growing problem in Congress on, you know, gun safety legislation, immigration, crime. Look at what's happening right now on the support as you just reported on, international wars that are occurring.

I think what I got back then was, you know, I did vote for a piece of legislation. There were a lot of things I supported. Supported by Senator Graham and myself, who worked on many issues - as a matter of fact, one of the pieces, again, on mental health, we had support across the board, NRA, administration, Democrats, the mental health providers, even Gabby Giffords' group, they all support it, but I couldn't get it into the Manchin-Toomey bill, which made no sense to me. And I think what was happening behind the scenes was I heard it from people within my own party that, well, if we do that then it's a cop out. Well, my view was, do something, and here are some suggestions to do it.

I think this is a growing problem within Congress on many issues because it is so hyper partisan now and localized - or hyper partisan but also people just want to get a message up, get a campaign commercial for or against something and then move on. And that's where, I think, Congress is failing on the longer-term issues.

HARLOW: So, Senator -

BEGICH: And this was one of them I think back then.

HARLOW: Yes. You know, Senator, "The Washington Post" editorial board also had an editorial yesterday, along with this really important reporting they did, and they said, "what will today's lawmakers have to say for themselves a decade from now?"

So, I wonder if you have any advice for sitting lawmakers?

BEGICH: Well, you know, always former lawmakers have lots of advice to give. But, you know, I think it is a tough call and I think you have to be willing to lose your political seat for the greater good. And I think that is the toughest call for any elected official. And don't be captured by the small minority of different issues or constituencies. That is a tough call because they're the ones that send you emails and call you and post and harass you at events. I can just tell you that. But, you know, I think that's the advice I'd give.

And sometimes it means that you have to say and do things that may be contrary to your majority in your own state for the greater good.

HARLOW: Yes.

BEGICH: I think that's a lesson that's a hard one for people. And being not afraid to lose.

HARLOW: Yes.

BEGICH: You're going to - you might lose your election over the issue, but the end result could be ten, 15 years from now you can look back and say, I made an impact. As I mentioned, on mental health, we lost a generation of kids because we didn't have that available for many of these young people who are very stressed in many ways, especially after Covid and what happened there with our school systems to allow them to have the services and resources they need. And now finally they're doing it.

HARLOW: Well, former Senator Mark Begich, thank you for joining us and it's important when you wish you had done something differently to come forward and - and say it. And it - it impacts people. They listen.

I really appreciate your time this morning, sir.

BEGICH: Thank you. Thank you for taking the issue and thank you for focusing on what matters to Alaskans and Americans.

HARLOW: Thank you.

As we go to break, another look at the faces of the 26 lives lost at Sandy Hook more than 11 years ago.

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[08:58:20]

HARLOW: Maybe the Pistons will win tonight. What do we think?

MATTINGLY: Yes, I wouldn't put money on it.

HARLOW: Maybe. The Detroit Pistons will face off against the Boston Celtics. Everyone is going to see if they can etch their mark deeper in history. Not a great mark. Earlier this week they became the team with the longest losing streak in NBA history. If they lose tonight, they will be the team with the all-time highest - how do you say it, longest losing streak regardless of the season.

Here to explain is Harry Enten.

I love Detroit and I feel like this is just mean.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: No, I don't think it's mean. Look, Detroit has had a lot of heartache, all right. So, you know, they had the most losses in a row in a season. If you look back to 2003, the Detroit Tigers had the most losses in an American League season of all-time.

You look at the Detroit Lions back in 2008, they won zero games, but, hey, they have actually won their division this year. It's the first time they've ever won the NFC North. So, maybe things are looking up, at least for the Detroit Lions.

We should point out, though, that even though you're losing, you know, a lot of games in a row, or the most in a season, there's even more heartache for these clubs. So, the longest streaks without a league title, the Arizona Cardinals, 76 seasons. You have to go all the way back to 1947. Charley Trippi returned a punt for a touchdown in that championship game. The only guy ever to do that in the NFL.

MATTINGLY: Where were they located?

ENTEN: They were located in Chicago back then. MATTINGLY: Well done.

ENTEN: The Cleveland Guardians, 75 seasons, back since 1948. And the Sacramento Kings, 72 seasons. They were the Rochester Royals back then. Whenever I get to say Rochester Royals on air, I feel like I've had a good segment.

MATTINGLY: Just sheer happiness.

Do people root for the underdogs? Like, I want the Pistons to win because I feel kind of bad for them. Is that what normal people do?

ENTEN: It is what normal -- it's one of the most normal things you do, Phil. When Americans root for their favorite team, when their favorite team isn't playing, 67 percent root for the underdog -- that's me - 33 percent root for the Yankees.

[09:00:03]

I guess, you know, the favorites. I call all favorites the Yankees.

But here's the one thing I will note because I want to end this on sort of a sad but happy note.

HARLOW: Oh, God.

ENTEN: Our long suffering teams.

MATTINGLY: Wow.

ENTEN: Poppy's Vikings still haven't won a Super Bowl. Harry's Bills still haven't won a Super Bowl. And Phil's Yankees, no World Series appearance since 2009. That's tied for their longest streak in over a century, Phil.

MATTINGLY: Harry Enten waking up and choosing violence today. We appreciate that greatly and we appreciate you, Harry.

HARLOW: First of all - no, no, no, we're not going to - have you - they have a new coach. The Vikings new coach, I just sat down with him. You're going to hear all about what's coming up for us.

MATTINGLY: (INAUDIBLE).

HARLOW: Super Bowl ahead, I believe. And this is going to change.

How do you write on this thing? I hate that.

"CNN NEWS CENTRAL" starts now.

I can't believe you did that.