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CNN This Morning

Major Winter Storm Creating Dangerous Travel Conditions; Blizzard Warning In Place For Eastern Kansas, Western Missouri As Storm Intensifies; Severe Storms, Tornado Threat Expected In The Southern Mississippi River Valley; America Bids Farewell To President Carter; Vice President Harris To Certify Trump's Presidential Win; Speaker's First Full Week With 119th Congress, Razor-Thin Majority; Biden And First Lady To Visit NOLA Monday After Deadly Truck Attack; President Biden To Sign Social Security Fairness Act; Biden To Deliver Remarks To New Democratic Members Of Congress; British Citizen Tied To Royal Family Killed In The New Orleans Attack; Coroner Released 12 Of 14 Victims' Names Killed In the New Orleans Terror Attack; Remembering Carter's Deep Commitment To His Faith. Remembering Carter's Deep Commitment To His Faith; Oral Arguments Over TikTok's Future In The U.S. Start Friday; Meta Replacing Top Policy Exec With A Prominent Republican; CDC: Cases of Norovirus Stomach Bug Are Surging; "K-Pop: A Star Is Made" Airs Tonight At 8PM ET; Inside Washington, D.C.'s First Booze-Free Bar. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired January 05, 2025 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:37]

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news as we come on the air. Millions of people across the Midwest are facing treacherous travel this morning as the strongest storm of the season is coating roads with ice and snow. We've already seen pileups and spinouts in Salina, Kansas, and the storm is far from over.

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And just how bad is it out there? Well, take a look at this. These are the numbers of calls about crashes and stranded drivers the Missouri State Highway Patrol received in just a matter of minutes. Good morning. I'm Danny Freeman in for Victor Blackwell.

WALKER: And I'm Amara Walker. Right now, a major winter storm is affecting 70 million people, with nearly 4 million under blizzard warnings as dangerous snow and ice spread across 1,500 miles.

FREEMAN: We're taking a live look right now in Missouri, where a winter storm warning is in effect. Officials are urging drivers to be cautious of black ice as the storm moves across the Midwest. CNN's Allison Chinchar is tracking this truly wicked weather from our weather center. Allison, what areas right now are of most concern?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. So imminently, the biggest concern is going to be across the Central Plains, as well as portions of the Midwest. This is a look at Kansas City right now. And it's a little blurry on the right-hand side. It's not the camera that's broken. That is a thin layer of ice that has formed on the camera, making it very difficult to see. The temperature right there in 21 degrees.

Now, we talked about this yesterday. There was going to be a thin layer of ice coming down in a lot of these places, and then the snow on top of it, making it more dangerous on the roadways because you just can't see that ice.

Look at some of these numbers coming in several locations. We are talking at least a quarter of an inch of ice that can bring down trees, power lines, not to mention coat the roadways. But you even have Colby, Kansas, getting dangerously close to half an inch of ice. And keep in mind, in a lot of these places, it's still coming down.

Look at this. You've got the white indicating snow. You've also got ice. We've got rain. We've got thunderstorms. We even have thunder sleet coming down in a few spots right now. So, a lot going on on this map.

When we zoom in a little bit closer, again, you can see for a lot of these areas like Wichita it's going back and forth. So, you're getting some snow. You're getting some freezing rain back and forth. Kansas City also getting some. Saint Louis now transitioning to snow. But again, you've still got some of that freezing rain component there in some of those southern suburbs.

When you look at how widespread a lot of these alerts go, look at this. It stretches 1,500 miles for all of these winter weather alerts across portions of the Central U.S. as well as the Ohio Valley and into the mid-Atlantic.

The biggest concerns we have, the two top concerns, are really going to be the very dangerous, if not impossible travel in some spots, and also the potential for widespread power outages in some of these locations. Especially, this spot right here where you're talking portions of southern Indiana where it meets that Kentucky state line.

This is where we have a level four out of four, the extreme category, the highest you can get. Where we're looking at potentially substantial disruptions to daily life in some of those areas.

Now, the system right now is in the Central U.S. By the time we get to this evening, it really kind of focuses that target right over the Ohio Valley. Then by early tomorrow morning, centered over the mid- Atlantic, including places like Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

Then finally, by tomorrow night, the low-pressure system moves back out over the water. But you still have some of that residual moisture on the back edge of it that's really going to continue to cause some problems there. Widespread totals likely about four to six inches at least, but there will be some spots that could easily pick up over a foot of snow from what they have over the next couple of days, so about 24 to 48 hours from now.

Keep in mind some of those locations, especially if you saw maybe the lower totals, say two, four, five inches of snow, it may be on top of a layer of ice. In some of these spots quarter inch, half an inch, even a few locations of three quarters of an inch of ice underneath that snow. That's what we're talking about. These treacherous conditions on the roadways making it very dangerous.

Now, on the southern end, it's going to be warmer. So, you don't have the snow or the ice component to worry about. But we do have severe thunderstorms potential, especially right through here. This area where Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana come together, we have the potential there not only for damaging winds, but also even potentially a few tornadoes, especially late this afternoon and into the evening. Back to you.

FREEMAN: Oh, man. So scary. Hope people take your warnings seriously. Allison Chinchar, thank you very much.

WALKER: Today is the second day of the state funeral procession for former President Jimmy Carter.

[06:05:01]

The late president is lying in repose this hour at the Carter Center in Atlanta, where members of the public are expected to pay their respects today. Several dignitaries will also pay tribute, including the Carter Center board of trustees, the consuls general of Atlanta, and representatives from Emory University.

Carter will remain in repose at the Carter Center before heading to Washington, D.C. for a national funeral on Tuesday. This morning, the former president's home church, the Maranatha Baptist Church, will hold its first Sunday service since Carter's passing. It comes just a day after his hometown of Plains, Georgia, bid farewell to their most cherished son with both his grandson Jason and son Chip paying tribute to the 39th president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER (voice-over): A quiet, solemn Saturday morning as the nation bids a final farewell to the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. With the family looking on, former and current Secret Service agents loaded the flag covered coffin into the hearse and escorted it out of the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia.

The procession made its way to Carter's hometown of Plains, Georgia, passing mourners lining the main street out paying their respects to the town's most cherished son.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was just an awesome person with courage and character and intelligence and -- and he was just a -- he was just a good guy.

WALKER (voice-over): And it's outside his boyhood home and farm where the procession came to a stop. The national park service honor guard rang the famous farm bell 39 times, honoring the 39th president.

The procession made its way north to Atlanta, pausing in front of the State Capitol for a moment of silence led by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. And then it was a short drive to the Carter Center that he and his late wife, Rosalynn, founded in 1982 to promote humanitarian efforts around the world.

JASON CARTER, GRANDSON OF FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: His spirit fills this place.

WALKER (voice-over): Jason Carter, the grandson of the former president, opened the ceremony, reflecting on his grandfather's lasting influence and the continued work of the Carter Center.

JASON CARTER: I know in my heart, and you all do, that his legacy will live on not only because of the millions of people that he touched across the globe, but very specifically because of your spirit and your knowledge and the work and the track record that you do every day.

WALKER (voice-over): But it was Carter's son, Chip, who offered a poignant and emotional reflection on both his father's and mother's legacy.

JAMES EARL "CHIP" CARTER III, SON OF FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: He was an amazing man, and he was held up and propped up and soothed by an amazing woman. And the two of them together changed the world. It was an amazing thing to watch from so close, and to be able to be involved in. And I thank you for your service.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: It was an amazing thing to watch for the world. And later this hour we will take a look at the importance of Jimmy Carter's deep faith and how that shaped not only his time as a peanut farmer and his presidency, but also his life after the White House.

FREEMAN: Exactly four years after Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to certify his second election win. We're going to take a live look right now from the Capitol, where enhanced security is in place as electoral votes are expected to be counted and certified. Now, that task is always handled by the vice president on January 6th, following a presidential election.

Joining us now to discuss it all and what to expect is Akayla Gardner, White House reporter for Bloomberg News. Akayla, so great to see you this morning. Thanks for getting up.

Listen, this is the vice president's job. It's not the first time a vice president has had to certify their own election loss. But you got to imagine after this particular election, this one has to hurt for Harris. Tell us, what should we expect tomorrow?

AKAYLA GARDNER, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, BLOOMBERG NEWS: Tomorrow is going to be a big day for Vice President Harris, because she will essentially be the face of the certification of the election. And that's going to be a big deal, because she's really remained a low profile ever since she lost November's election. And just to put this in perspective, this is typically a very routine and mundane process that Congress does every four years. And yet, after what we saw on January 6th, 2021, we are now seeing security ramped up. The Secret Service consider this amongst their highest security events, in line with inaugurations, with the DNC, with the RNC, that has significantly changed.

And she will also be the face because Biden will be in New Orleans, of course, after the horrific events that we saw there on New Year's day. So, she will certainly be the face of this. And Biden has particularly marked this day pretty much every year since he has taken office and used it really as a bid for his reelection campaign, saying that Donald Trump was a threat to democracy.

[06:10:08]

That is exactly the message that Harris also adopted in her campaign. And yet here she is certifying Donald Trump's election and not only winning the Electoral College, but also the popular vote. So, this is going to be a hard pill for her and, frankly, Democrats to swallow, realizing that their path to election, this rhetoric that they felt was going to be effective simply was not.

FREEMAN: Yes. January 6th is a date looming large for so many different reasons tomorrow. Akayla, I want to pick your brain on what the Trump team has been doing, though, because they've obviously been working in the background since November to really get all of his cabinet picks and his larger team shored up.

But it was interesting, you mentioned New Orleans. Specifically, after or in the wake of the New Orleans attack, there was a new push to try and quickly or streamline, confirm some of these nominees. What more can you tell us about that?

GARDNER: Yes. Well, after we saw those events again in New Orleans, but also in Las Vegas with that Cybertruck explosion, we have really seen allies of the former president name dropping some of those controversial picks that he has in the national security sector. They believe that the Biden administration has dropped the ball when it comes to security. And so, they want to see Congress quickly rush to confirm some of these nominees, like Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, Tulsi Gabbard for the director of national intelligence, Kash Patel for the FBI.

And some of these folks are really controversial. And there have been questions about them. But we're starting to see some hearings on the calendar, particularly for Hegseth on January 14th. And I think that's when we're going to really see what Republicans, particularly in the Senate, feel about some of these candidates.

A lot of the dissent is still happening behind closed doors. And once we see that hearing, we'll be able to hear in questioning, even people just verbally saying where they stand on these nominees, because as we've seen in some of these fights in Congress, there are quiet dissenters. There are people who are willing to buck Donald Trump. And so, we're just going to have to see those hearings play out in the weeks to come.

FREEMAN: Again, just continuing to see just how busy this January is about to become. Speaking of a busy January and weeks to come, this will mark, this coming week, the first full week of Speaker Mike Johnson's new speakership of the 119th Congress, a razor -- razor-thin majority here.

But we understand that behind closed doors, he's talking with President-elect Trump about pushing one big policy bill. Can you tell us a little bit about what that might include? And frankly, if that's even feasible?

GARDNER: Well, right now there's pretty much disagreement when it comes to this reconciliation bill. Some Republicans want to see it done in two parts. Trump obviously wants to see it done in one. But this is really highlighting the problems that Johnson is just going to have to face, frankly, for the next two years.

He has the slimmest majority in pretty much a hundred years here, and we saw him retain his speakership on Friday. But again, he is far from out of the water here. We saw these warnings, particularly from the House Freedom Caucus, that they're going to be willing to go to bat with him, particularly on spending, particularly on the debt limit.

And because Republicans do not saw that in the last spending fight, Democrats are going to be looking to hold that over Johnson's head. And I think any negotiations that he does across the aisle is certainly going to put him in hot water with some of those conservatives, people on that far right flank of the party.

But he has a huge debt to owe to Donald Trump, who helped him get out of situation. And certainly, we're going to have to see if that lasts here, if Donald Trump will continue to go to bat for him, because I think a huge part of that was you had the certification coming up on Monday. Trump is very keen to get his agenda hit the ground running here. But again, that loyalty might not last for the next two years.

FREEMAN: Again, an incredibly busy start to the year. Akayla Gardner, always great to see you. Thank you for breaking it all down for us.

WALKER: All right. Happening now, President Biden and the first lady will meet survivors and families of the New Year's day attack in New Orleans.

FREEMAN: Plus, Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested in a heated confrontation with police in Miami. We have details ahead.

WALKER: And it's a triple threat. Norovirus, RSV and COVID cases surging nationwide. Details on how you can stay safe.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:18:12]

WALKER: President Joe Biden, along with the first lady, will visit New Orleans tomorrow in the wake of that deadly terror attack that killed 14 people and injured many others. The two are expected to attend a vigil honoring the victims while they are there.

CNN's Betsy Klein is live outside the White House. Good morning, Betsy. You have new reporting on Biden's visit. What are you learning?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Good morning, Amara. Well, President Biden is expected to step into that role of comforter and consoler in chief on Monday when he and the first lady travel to New Orleans in the aftermath of that attack that left 14 people dead and dozens more wounded.

Now, we are waiting for more details from the White House on what exactly to expect on Monday. But for now, overnight, a source familiar with the planning telling me that Biden does plan to attend a vigil honoring the victims in New Orleans on Monday. He will deliver remarks there. And the same source tells me that that vigil will be attended by local clergy, first responders and potentially some of the victims' families.

Now, we don't know yet whether the president intends to visit the site of this deadly attack on Bourbon Street, but he has pledged the full support of the federal government as this investigation continues. Of course, so many unanswered questions remaining.

But Biden has spoken with members -- family members of some of the victims. And, you know, we -- stepping back, we have seen him step into this role of consoler in chief so many times over the past four years, whether it's wildfire, storms, and frankly, too many mass shootings to count. He is able to help family members grieve and process just unimaginable loss, something he, unfortunately is quite familiar with himself, Amara.

WALKER: And just what, 15 days left for his presidency? What's on the president's agenda today?

KLEIN: Well, Amara, I think we've seen a very busy weekend public schedule for the president this weekend.

[06:20:04]

And I think that just underscores the recognition inside the White House that they are running out of time. So, among the unusual things today, we are going to see the president sign a bill on a Sunday. He will sign the Social Security Fairness Act into law. This is a bill that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, and it is something that will guarantee Social Security benefits for about 3 million Americans that were previously ineligible for Social Security due to their pensions through public sector jobs.

And that includes people like teachers, firefighters, and police officers who will now be eligible for additional Social Security benefits. And then later today, we will see him when he hosts a reception for new Democratic members of Congress, Amara.

WALKER: Betsy Klein, live at the White House. Thank you so much, Betsy. FREEMAN: This morning, Reuters news agency is reporting that the new vehicle barriers being installed in New Orleans are only able to withstand vehicle impacts of 10 miles per hour. And months ago, an assessment found a similar truck model could plow through that area at speeds up to seven times faster. Plus, the barriers on Bourbon Street were under repair when that deadly attack happened.

CNN's Rafael Romo has more on the previous warnings officials gave prior to the deadly rampage.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Danny and Amara, CNN has learned that a security firm warned five years ago that the Bourbon Street area in New Orleans was especially vulnerable to a vehicular ramming attack.

Both the FBI and ATF say the killer set fire to the short-term rental location where he stayed to destroy evidence, including precursors for bomb making material. The FBI also says the killer intended to use a transmitter found in his truck to set off two improvised explosive devices that he had previously placed on Bourbon Street.

In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser accused New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell of failing to secure Bourbon Street despite requests made years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GOV. BILLY NUNGESSER, LOUISIANA: The mayor and her team failed miserably. You know, today I sent out a video of the balusters in front of Jackson Square, historical Jackson Square. Two years we've been asking to get them replaced. I didn't let that out to the public because we didn't want people to know you could drive through that pedestrian mall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: New Orleans mayor Cantrell said the day after the tragedy that over 10 years ago, the city undertook an infrastructure project that included installing bollards on Bourbon Street. But they would frequently malfunction and had to be replaced. She also said at the time of the attack, there was already a plan in motion to get those bollards replaced.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL, NEW ORLEANS: We were able to build in bollard replacement into our Super Bowl infrastructure package. And because of that, the city of New Orleans has moved forward with that infrastructure that is nearing completion. Bollards were not up because they are near completion. With the expectation of being completed, of course, by Super Bowl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Danny and Amara, a royal source has told CNN that a British man killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack was the stepson of a woman who was the nanny of Prince William and Prince Harry. British media reported Edward Pettifer was the stepson of Alexandra Pettifer, formerly known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who served as nanny for both princes for several years and is remembered as someone who supported them after their parents, Charles and Diana, separated and especially following the death of the Princess of Wales.

Meanwhile, the Orleans Parish coroner released the list of 12 of the 14 people who died in the attack. Seven of the victims were from Louisiana, but there were also others from Alabama, Mississippi, New Jersey and New York, as well as the British national, and one person who remains unidentified. Danny, Amara.

FREEMAN: Rafael Romo, thank you very much. Amara.

WALKER: All right. Still to come, honoring Jimmy Carter. How his faith shaped a life of service and leadership. Our special coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:28:21]

FREEMAN: Our 39th president, Jimmy Carter, is lying in repose at the Carter Center in Atlanta this hour. These are live photos right here. The public, of course, allowed to pay their respects. Carter was a man of deep faith, and that shaped his life as a peanut farmer, a president and a person.

WALKER: Yes. Over the last three decades, he inspired more than 100,000 volunteers across America and 14 countries to build, renovate and repair more than 4,000 Habitat for Humanity homes. And he worked on many of them personally.

WALKER: Jake Tapper has more on the legacy of Jimmy Carter and the spirituality that drove him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I, Jimmy Carter, do solemnly swear.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jimmy Carter faced the American presidency the same way he faced nearly everything else in his life -- with unflinching faith.

CARTER: I have just taken the oath of office on the Bible my mother gave me just a few years ago.

TAPPER (voice-over): And as Americans look to President Carter to lead them, President Carter looked to God for guidance.

CARTER: With God's help and for the sake of our nation, it is time for us to join hands in America.

TAPPER (voice-over): As a devout evangelical, the pride of Plains, Georgia, was active in his hometown church well into his 90s. CARTER: Well, thank you for coming this morning.

TAPPER (voice-over): Both as a student of faith and as a teacher.

CARTER: My father was a Sunday school teacher. He taught me when I was a child. I still teach Sunday school when I can.

TAPPER (voice-over): A commitment to God and family were long held hallmarks of the Carter home.

[06:30:02]

DOUGHLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: The Scripture was part of his daily childhood life. Every night at supper, they would not only say the Lord's Prayer, but would read the Gospel.

TAPPER (voice-over): When Carter left home for the Naval Academy, his faith followed.

BRINKLEY: He would spend his weekends on leave doing Bible classes, tutoring people in Scripture. He talks about Jesus Christ all the time.

TAPPER (voice-over): But in 1966, the lifelong Christian came to question his beliefs, his faith shaken after losing the Georgia governor's race in the primary.

JIMMY CARTER, FMR PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: I really felt let down by God.

TAPPER (voice-over): Carter's younger sister read him Scripture from the book of James, reminding the future president.

CARTER: That a setback in life should be an institution that results in perseverance and patience and self-analysis and renewed spiritual commitment.

STUART EIZENSTAT, PRES. CARTER'S FMR POLICY ADVISER: She made him into what evangelicals called a born-again Christian.

TAPPER (voice-over): With renewed conviction, Carter went on to serve as Georgia's governor. And later as America's commander-in-chief.

The 39th president and his new vice president, Walter Mondale, had Christianity in common. They bonded over it.

WALTER MONDALE, FMR VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: I grew up in a minister's family, and he recognized what I was about. And I think that's one of the things that pulled us together.

TAPPER (voice-over): It was also one of the qualities that helped Carter become the first president to welcome the pope to the White House.

CARTER: Let all of us here of every faith stand as one under God for peace and justice and for love. TAPPER (voice-over): The President's knowledge of world religion played a key role in his brokering of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty in 1979, a key accomplishment of his administration.

PETER BOURNE, PRES. CARTER'S FMR ADVISER: Because of his intimate reading of the Bible and other religious documents, he felt an intimacy with almost the land of the Middle East. And he just thought that was the most important thing that he could do as president.

TAPPER (voice-over): But Carter's devotion to service did not end with his presidency. The former peanut farmer dedicated his energy to humanitarian work, building homes for the poor, even as he neared his 95th birthday.

CARTER: I happen to be a Christian, and it's a practical way to put my religious beliefs into practical use.

TAPPER (voice-over): While he continued to refer to himself humbly --

CARTER: I'm a Sunday school teacher, but I have a lot of people that confide in me.

TAPPER (voice-over): President Carter and his namesake Carter Center touched the lives of millions.

CARTER: Well, the work at the Carter Center has been, I'd say, more personally gratifying to me.

TAPPER (voice-over): Founded in 1982 as part of his presidential library, the Carter Center has worked to ensure the fairness of more than 100 elections in nearly 40 countries and is credited with virtually eliminating diseases like guinea worm that had long burdened parts of Africa.

CARTER: Guinea worm is probably one of the oldest diseases remembered by human beings. It's in the Bible. We think it's a fiery serpent.

TAPPER (voice-over): For his work, Jimmy Carter earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

In addition to his philanthropic work, Jimmy Carter was a prolific author. He published more than 25 books touching on his belief in God, country, and kindness.

You only have to have two loves in your life, he wrote, for God and for the person in front of you at any particular time. The person with Carter most was his wife, Rosalynn, who worshipped alongside him for more than seven decades.

CARTER: When I'm overseas or when she is, we read the same passage in the Bible and we kind of, you know, communicate silently.

TAPPER (voice-over): Even when cancer threatened to take Mr. Carter from his wife and from the life he loved, he kept his faith and looked again to God.

CARTER: Now I feel that it's in the hands of God whom I worship and I'll be prepared for anything that comes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Really a remarkable legacy.

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Truly, truly. Good to look back.

WALKER: Absolutely.

FREEMAN: Yes.

WALKER: All right, well, still ahead, the Justice Department pushes back against Trump's attempt to halt a TikTok ban. What they're arguing to the Supreme Court.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:38:39]

WALKER: Here's a look at some of this morning's other headlines.

In South Korea, hundreds of people gathering near the home of impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. Some rallying in support of him, while others have called for his arrest and removal. This comes after investigators paused their efforts to arrest him over a short-lived martial law decree.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit South Korea later today, the first high-level U.S. official to do so since the political crisis began.

Body cam footage shows U.S. Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley being arrested and tased. And we want to warn you, the video you're about to see may be disturbing.

Now, the incident happened Thursday in Miami, after police say Kerley approached officers about his vehicle while they were investigating an unrelated case. Police claim Kerley pushed an officer and resisted arrest. In court Friday, his attorney criticized the officer's actions in a statement to CNN. The attorney called the footage, quote, obscene.

Kerley faces several charges, including resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

FREEMAN: Oral arguments start Friday in the Supreme Court in a case that could decide the future of TikTok in the United States.

They'll begin just days before the legal deadline, which says the app must be sold off or banned in the United States. The widely popular social media app is owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance, and right now TikTok is refusing to separate from that company.

[06:40:07]

President-elect Donald Trump first considered banning TikTok during his first term in office, but now he says he opposes the ban.

And Facebook parent company Meta is making a major leadership change, replacing a senior policy executive with a well-known Republican who has been with the company for years.

WALKER: Yes. CNN's Clare Duffy has the latest now on who is taking over as Nick Clegg steps down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE DUFFY, CNN WRITER: This is one of Meta's most important jobs. It's top policy executive, chief global affairs officer. This role has been held by former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, who joined the company in 2018 and has helped Meta navigate some really thorny issues, everything from concerns that its products were harming young people to questions about foreign election interference, regulatory pressures from the U.S. and the EU. But Clegg says he is now stepping down and handing the role to his deputy, Joel Kaplan, who is one of the company's most prominent Republican leaders. Kaplan has been working on policy at Meta since 2011, but he previously held several key roles, including deputy chief of staff of policy during the George W. Bush administration.

Also moving up into Kaplan's current role, VP of global policy, is Kevin Martin, who has been with the company for a long time, but also previously served as FCC chairman under George W. Bush.

This of course all comes as Meta is preparing for a second Trump presidency and as CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been seeking to cozy up to Trump. We did see Zuckerberg visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago after the election. Meta has said it plans to donate a million dollars to Trump's inaugural fund.

And the company has said that Zuckerberg wants an active role in policy discussions, tech policy discussions with the Trump White House. The Trump White House is going to have some big decisions to make around tech policy, including presumably deciding whether and how to move forward with an antitrust lawsuit against Meta, as well as whether and how to regulate and to regulate artificial intelligence, which of course Meta wants to be a global leader in.

So, there may have been a decision made that Kaplan would be better suited to navigate and to help the company navigate a Republican- controlled White House and Congress.

Clare Duffy, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Clare, thank you.

Still to come, norovirus, RSV and COVID cases on the rise across the U.S. What you need to know to stay protected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:46:40]

WALKER: Cases of a common stomach bug called norovirus are surging in the U.S. this morning, but that's not the only illness surging right now. After a relatively slow start to the respiratory virus season, COVID-19 and flu cases are ramping up once again.

Joining me now for a look at why this may be happening, the chair of the Department of Medicine at Emory University, Dr. Carlos Del Rio. Thank you so much for getting up so early this morning.

Doctor, as we were saying, the flu got off to a later start in 2024, which usually picks up around Halloween, peaks in February, and the flu has been on the rise in recent weeks.

Take a look at this map from the CDC, and you can see just in recent days that the influenza-like illnesses are very high. It's highlighted in purple and dark red, so you can see those colors across the south, the southwest, New York and New Jersey.

Doctor, what do we need to know about this flu season, and why are we seeing cases rise?

CARLOS DEL RIO, CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE, EMORY UNIVERISTY: Well, you know, typically, Amara, we have flu increases in the wintertime, and this is very typical. This is a time of the year where we see an increase in flu cases, and as the virus changes, as the virus every year gives a different strain of the virus floating around, we're more likely to get infected and to get reinfected, and that's why you've got to get vaccinated every year, because as the virus changes, you need a different vaccine to protect you.

The virus, as you know, spreads from person-to-person contact, so during the wintertime, we're more likely to be indoors. We're more likely to be at parties with people, hanging out with other individuals. We're more likely to travel.

So, for all those reasons, we're more likely to get exposed to the flu and therefore get infected with the flu. So, the first thing people should do is obviously get vaccinated, and the second thing, you know, the most important thing is if you are sick, you should stay at home. You should not be out with people, because many times you'll go to a party, you'll go to a restaurant, you're coughing, and you're infecting other people unknowingly.

WALKER: Do you expect this flu season to be worse, and also because we got off to a late start with the flu season, will it peak later then, perhaps even closer to spring?

DEL RIO: Well, you know, it's hard to predict every year what the flu is going to do, but I do think it's going to be a significant season, because our vaccination rates are pretty low in the country right now, so we're going to have more people infected.

One of the concerns also with the ongoing flu season, as you know, there's sporadic cases of avian influenza, of H5N1 flu happening, and while we're not seeing human-to-human transmission, if you're infected with, if you happen to be infected with regular flu, and then you get infected with the avian flu, there's a potential that the virus can recombinate, and as a result of that, the virus can become more transmissible to others.

So, the other concern we have about seeing the transitive influenza is, and we don't know what's going to happen, what is going to be the interaction with the avian flu, if it happens in some parts of the country.

WALKER: Is there an interplay with COVID here?

DEL RIO: There really is an interplay with COVID. COVID sort of, you know, has its own drumbeat, goes in a different direction.

Right now, we're seeing an increase in the number of cases of COVID, where we're not seeing the large peaks that we saw before. And again, you know, we're developing better immunity against COVID, but we still don't really understand how COVID, you know, the different seasons of COVID, the different peaks of COVID, and again, the most important thing there is to stay up-to-date on your vaccinations.

[06:50:06]

WALKER: And lastly, let's talk about these norovirus cases that are surging. I mean, it's -- it's been dubbed the cruise ship virus because it seems like that's where it's most prevalent. But you can also get the norovirus when you're not on a cruise ship. Are we seeing a trend here in terms of the number of outbreaks this year?

DEL RIO: Yes, we are. We are -- we're seeing a significant increase in number of outbreak. There were 91 outbreaks last week of December, which is very, very high.

And again, norovirus is probably one of the most transmissible virus. You know, as little as 10 viral particles are enough to infect an individual. And the typical symptoms of norovirus are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, you know, fever. You don't feel good for several days. There's no therapy for norovirus, but there's no really a vaccine for norovirus.

So, the most effective thing you can do to prevent norovirus is to wash your hands. Don't use a hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is not good enough to prevent norovirus. So, if you're going to cook food, if you're going to be touching individuals, touching services, keep your hands really clean. Avoid touching your mouth after you touch your hand, you know, touch some object or something else. And if you get sick, avoid contaminating food or other individuals in your family because it transmits very effectively.

And that's why we see outbreak. We see outbreak in cruises, but we also see outbreaks in schools --

WALKER: Yes.

DEL RIO: -- in nursing homes, in, you know, prisons, in places where a lot of people gather together. WALKER: It's really good to know that. I didn't know that the hand sanitizers did not kill off the norovirus. So good to know.

Dr. Carlos Del Rio, thank you for your time.

DEL RIO: Happy to be with you.

WALKER: You too.

FREEMAN: Still to come, it might just help you with Dry January. A bar without booze. Well, it exists in Washington, D.C.

We'll take a peek inside after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:56:03]

WALKER: For the last decade we have seen K-pop short for Korean popular music explode in popularity in the U.S. But while many people enjoy the music the origin of these bands is less understood.

FREEMAN: That's the focus of tonight's "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER."

Here's CNN's Kyung Lah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Explain it to me, what is this trainee program.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The trainee program? It's almost 24/7. You find these young people and they're going to train from early in the morning to late at night and they're doing everything dancing, singing, rapping, fitness.

LAH (voice-over): This is industry-wide all K-pop companies have similar versions of this demanding trainee program.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We arrive at the company at 9:50 and we go to the gym at 10 to 12.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two-hour cardio. And with this exercise too.

LAH: That's a lot of exercise.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then we eat lunch for an hour, and then we all have different classes like group vocal lessons, rap.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And a boom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dance, and vocal lessons. It's all in between 1 to 10. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they're very young they have to go to school and then right after school they have to train.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LAH: It's late.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FREEMAN: Oh, it's going to be good one. Be sure to watch Kyung Lah's new report on creating a K-pop band, "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER," tonight at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.

WALKER: It's a fascinating industry.

FREEMAN: Yes, absolutely. Meanwhile 2025 getting off to a sober start for millions of Americans who are taking part in Dry January.

WALKER: Whether it's for a month or maybe even longer more people are turning to so-called mocktails for sober socializing. I like that idea.

FREEMAN: Yes.

WALKER: In Washington D.C., there's actually one entirely booze free bar.

Here's a look inside.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERGIE ARANDID, OWNER, BINGE BAR: Maple syrup, coffee, a little bit of non-alcoholic bourbon.

My name is Vergie Arandid.

We're going to give it a shake.

Everybody calls me Gigi and I am the founder of Washington D.C.'s first fully non-alcoholic bar bench.

That my friend is a non-alcoholic espresso martini.

Dry January is insane. We're rolling out our Dry January binge incantations, which is pretty much a signature cocktails.

I really love that culture where everybody kind of like is so focused on bettering themselves.

You want to have your usual?

Sober curiosity, it's no longer a trend that happens during Dry January. This is people's lifestyle. I decided to stop drinking seven years ago. I got a DUI and I was instructed to attend the AA meetings and a bunch of other requirements to get me out of it. I just thought that in able for me to manage my sobriety if I was to go long term, I don't think that going to AA would be enough. I didn't really stop going to bars or going to restaurants when I stopped drinking, we used to only be able to order what water and sodas and sugary drinks.

What we serve here at Binge are elegant and elevated non-alcoholic cocktails. If this is that time for you to kind of reevaluate your experience or relationship with alcohol, there are tons of peoples out there in the same boat as you are. We try to make sure that everybody that steps into this space feel welcome.

[07:00:08]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, thank you so much.

ARANDID: Not because I'm Filipino, and we're like, you know, we're naturally hospitable, but because they feel a sense of security, a sense of familiarity.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): Cheers!

ARANDID: Connection is kind of like easy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: You know, I have to say I'm starting to really warm to the idea of going booze free, the majority of the time.

FREEMAN: And the mocktails are good.

WALKER: Yes.

FREEMAN: They're actually tasty.

WALKER: Yes.

FREEMAN: So, I'm about it too.

WALKER: As long as, you know, they keep the sugar a little lower, I think I -- yes --

FREEMAN: Yes.

WALKER: --that was work.

FREEMAN: You can be convinced.

WALKER: I am being convinced. Very slowly but surely.

Another hour of "CNN This Morning Weekend," starts now.