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New Day

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is Interviewed about Immigration and Abortion Legislation; Nicaraguan Government Takes CNN Off Air; Jim Rutenburg and Jonathan Mahler are Interviewed about Rupert Murdoch; U.S. Privately Warned Russia over Nukes; Autistic Driver Speeds to Success. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired September 23, 2022 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:31:45]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The Biden administration says it is fully expecting and preparing for the possibility of Republican governors in Florida and Texas sending more groups of migrants to Democratic cities in the coming weeks. An administration official tells that to CNN.

This as Governor Ron DeSantis says he is proud of his decision to flying about 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): Hopefully we're going to be talking about this a lot more now. This was not an issue of concern even two weeks ago. Now it seems to be on the front burner. So, we're proud of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: With me now is republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina.

Nice to see you and meet you in person.

REP. NANCY MACE (R-SC): Good morning.

BERMAN: There's been a lot of talk about what happened in Martha's Vineyard. I guess what I want to know from you is, how does this help solve the problem on the border, and where can you find solutions maybe with Democrats on the border going forward?

MACE: Right. Well, you know, and I see Republican governors doing this. Last year President Biden's administration was doing very similar things, relocating illegal immigrants. And so it's hypocritical of one side bashing the other because both sides have done it and are doing it.

So far, in the last year and a half, we've had about 4.2 million illegal immigrants cross the border. I don't think this issue is really that complicated when you look at the visa system that we have, the arbitrary caps on, for example, H-2B visas. If we could look at looking at raising those arbitrary caps, because a lot of people that come here, they don't notably want citizenship. They want to come here. They want to work and they want to go home or work and send some of that -- what they make and what they earn back to their families and their countries. That's one way to address the issue.

The other ways that we can do that is looking at the supply chains and looking at ways that we can create better manufacturing facilities or creating those in countries south of us, Central America, South America, where countries prosper, there's peace, less illegal immigration, there are jobs and good wages and safe neighborhoods and communities. And that's where we've got to look. I think those are the first two places to start in looking at solving that issue.

BERMAN: Of course the problem here is the country that most of these people are coming from right now, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, we don't have the relationship to create industry or jobs in those countries.

MACE: Right.

BERMAN: And just one other point, the migrants at Martha's Vineyard, not technically illegal immigrants at this point. They're waiting for their asylum hearings right now. So they're in the United States waiting for the next process.

The senior senator in your state, Lindsey Graham, has proposed a national ban on abortion after 15 weeks. You've got concerns about the exception that he has as part of this proposal. Explain what your concerns are.

MACE: Well, I think, you know, starting out, both sides right now are -- neither one really seemed willing to negotiate. But starting at gestational limits, whether that's 15 or 20 weeks is a good place to start because the vast majority of Americans, they're not -- there's no consensus on abortion for any reason up until birth. Like, there's no consensus on banning all abortions. So finding that middle ground, that common ground, is - gestational limits are a great place to start but we have to have exception for women who have been raped, for girls that are victims of incest.

Just the other day - we should be looking at fetal abnormalities. In Louisiana, I was reading in the mainstream press that a - that a woman had to travel all the way from Louisiana to New York but she was -- because she was carrying a fetus with no skull. And so, you know, those kinds of things can really impact a woman's health, but maybe sure that we protect them and we show that we care, that we are trying to protect women's right, but at some point where do we make the determination that the right to life should be protected?

[08:35:03]

So, finding that balance is really important.

BERMAN: And in his bill the exceptions - there are exceptions for rape or incest, but if it's reported within a certain timeframe. MACE: Right. The devil's always in the details. Having a woman who's been a victim of rape, requiring her to report it to police is a non- starter for me. I was - I was raped when I was 16. I know how traumatic that experience can be. It's harrowing. It's been a lifetime of trauma for most women like myself. I can't imagine the judgement, the fear that women have for reporting it. I talked about my story three years ago in 2019 when South Carolina was doing its heartbeat bill, and that was 20 plus years after my trauma. And the way that women are treated when they come forward, it's disgusting. And I can't imagine a young girl, a woman having to be required to report that rape to police when she's not ready. That would be - that would be something that would be a non-starter for me personally.

BERMAN: So you could not vote for the Lindsey Graham bill as it --

MACE: Could not. Not as it stands and - with those requirements.

The other in the bill would be putting doctors away in prison. That's another issue that you're not going to get folks on the Democrat side of the aisle. We've got to have legislation that can be bipartisan. And those are some of the details that have to be worked out.

BERMAN: You are, I understood and I read this and I was a little surprised, the chair of the Golf Caucus in the House. I guess it's in --

MACE: Co-chair.

BERMAN: Co-chair. Informal co-chair.

MACE: Jimmy Panetta and I, together, the Democrat.

BERMAN: A, how do you get a job like that? That sounds like a good job.

You hosted Greg Norman with the LIV Golf Tour. And that was pretty controversial. What did you want to know from Norman?

MACE: Well, both Jimmy Panetta and I, he's also the co-chair of the Golf Caucus, we hosted the PGA yesterday and the day before that LIV Golf. They were up on The Hill for the first time. And really it was just more or less an educational session, informational session about what they're trying to do, which sounds like they've got a couple tournaments they're doing here in the U.S. this year and they want to go around the world and understanding sort of why they're there and what they're trying to do and just listen at this point.

BERMAN: Obviously the support of the Saudis is controversial. You know, Chip Roy, who was there, said, you know, don't sell us, this is just about competition when they won't answer about a billion dollars to buy off PGA players resulting in billions of dollars of PR for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

MACE: Well, I mean, looking at Saudi Arabia, the family's wealth fund they're invested 40 billion plus in American companies. Like, they're invested in stock in Starbucks and Apple, for example. They have horses that they race here. So, I guess, where do we draw the line if we're going to have this debate. And it's a good debate to have. But they're already invested in American companies. And so, do you draw the line - just you circle it around golf or are we going to look at the entire spectrum?

And learning, really understanding where the money's coming from. Is it all Saudi or is there investment from others? For example, the team playing that LIV wants to do, they want to give players ownership. Then there's the anti-trust issue that golf players like Phil Mickelson have raised awareness on those issues. And so those are all things.

I want to hear from the players next. I think that would be a good next step to hear where they're coming from as well and what this means to them, both the good, the bad and the ugly.

BERMAN: Congresswoman Nancy Mace, great to see you. Thanks for coming in.

MACE: Thank you.

BERMAN: So, just in, we are getting word that the U.S. has been warning Russia in private against the use of nuclear weapons for months. We have new reporting ahead.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, CNN suddenly pulled from the air in Nicaragua. It is the latest on the government's crackdown on independent journalism.

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[08:42:22]

KEILAR: This morning, CNN En Espanol is off the air in Nicaragua. There is still no official reason, but the move is consistent with the five-term president, Daniel Ortega's crackdown on both the press and on critics over the past two years.

CNN En Espanol writing in a statement, CNN stands by our network's reporting and our commitment to truth and transparency. We believe in the vital role that freedom of the press plays in a healthy democracy.

Joining us now is Rafael Romo, he is the senior Latin American affairs editor of CNN Worldwide.

Rafael, how big of an impact is this going to have on the people in Nicaragua?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN WORLDWIDE, SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: Hi, Brianna.

It's a big impact. And we don't often quote other media here at CNN, but as Reuters reported Thursday, CNN En Espanol was the only remaining outlet critical of President Daniel Ortega available to Nicaraguans. Let's remember that Ortega ha sharply cracked down on both the press and his critics over the past two years. I've talked to multiple Nicaragua journalists who have had to flee to countries, like Costa Rica, because they were facing arrest simply for doing their job, Brianna. Some are now in Miami as well.

There has been plenty of condemnation against the Ortega regime for taking our signal off the air. Former Nicaraguan ambassador to the Organization of American States, Arturo McFields, said that taking CNN E's signal off the air is a sign of fear, clumsiness and arrogance. They want to have a society of sheep that would only listen to and obey the official narrative.

There's also reaction from Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who said, following the footsteps of the Menudo Narco (ph) regime. The Ortega (INAUDIBLE) offer atarian (ph) dynasty, banned CNN E. The Nicaraguan regime is shamelessly censoring yet another outlet critical of their authoritarian grip, SOS Nicaragua.

And, Brianna, we have tried to get in touch with the Nicaraguan government in multiple ways and so far there's been no answer or explanation as to why they might have decided to do so. Our signal went off the air at exactly seven minutes past midnight Thursday morning Eastern Time, or 10:07 p.m. Wednesday local time in Nicaragua.

CNN En Espanol issued a statement that says in part that we believe in the vital role that freedom of the press plays in a healthy democracy. Today, the government of Nicaragua pulled our television signal, denying Nicaraguans the news and information from our television network, which they have relied upon for 25 years.

Brianna, back to you.

KEILAR: Yes, it is essential and it tells you what is happening there.

Rafael, thank you so much for the report.

[08:45:00]

The NFL announcing a new partner for its Super Bowl halftime show, putting an end to the partnership the league had with Pepsi over the last 10 years.

BERMAN: A new CNN original series details just how the - how Rupert Murdoch built a media empire over the last several decades. We're going to speak to the producers of the series.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: So, media titan Rupert Murdoch has built one of the largest media empires in history over the last several decades. Now the new CNN original series "The Murdochs: Empire of Influence" reveals, through exclusive reporting, how one family's ambitions are shaping business, media, and politics around the world.

This is a preview. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN MAHLER, STAFF WRITER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE": New York City in the 1970s was about as unglamorous as a place could possibly be. And yet, despite all of its problems, it still remains the media capital of the country. And maybe even the entire world. And that is exactly what Rupert Murdoch wants to be.

[08:50:03]

Rupert lands in New York looking for opportunities to build his empire.

JOYCE PURNICK: Rupert Murdoch decided that he was going to put his stamp on the city of New York. Here I am, you better pay some attention. And I'm going to have one hell of an impact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, with me now, Jim Rutenburg, writer at large for "The New York Times," and Jonathan Mahler, a staff writer for "The New York Times Magazine." Jim and Jonathan are consulting producers for "The Murdochs: Empire of Influence," and the series features their exclusive reporting.

So, you know, Jim, we talk about this global empire. One of the biggest media empires in history. But, like, how big? How profitable are we talking?

JIM RUTENBURG, WRITER-AT-LARGE, "NEW YORK TIMES": I mean, well, it's - it's -- first of all, there's nothing really like it on the planet. Rupert controls a lot of the media, and - Rupert Murdoch and his company and his family, it's a publicly held company, though, we should say. It controls a lot of the media in Australia, a lot of the newspapers in the U.K., and here in the U.S. he's got "The Wall Street Journal," he's got "The New York Post," and, of course, he has Fox News.

BERMAN: And wildly profitable I think is the answer.

RUTENBURG: And not to mention a broadcast network on top of that, The Fox Network.

BERMAN: Which people always forget.

You know, how did he get to this point, Jonathan? From, you know, some newspapers in Australia to global titan?

JONATHAN MAHLER, STAFF WRITER, "NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE": Yes. Well, it was - it was a sort of step-by-step methodical process. And the key really to it was that, with each kind of step, he would accumulate a little more power. You know, one publication would give him some power. Two publications would give him twice as much power. And he was able to wield that power, really, by supporting and attacking the right politicians to get what he needed to take the next step. So, you know, he starts in Australia. He moves into the U.K. Then he comes to the U.S. And, you know, before you know it, he has -- and then he - then he moves to Asia. And he's got this sort of massive, global empire. But he did it very, very methodically, and mostly by accumulating and wielding power.

BERMAN: You know, I'm sure he loves all his products, but does he love one more than another?

MAHLER: I think it would be fair to say that he is -- he has a -- sort of a special affinity for Fox News, probably given - given how he really, you know, built that from nothing, the first, you know, real kind of conservative cable news network in the country. And given how powerful it has become and how influential it has become. It, for instance, gave him -- finally gave him real entry into the White House, gave him real power in making or breaking presidents. I mean he had that to a much smaller extent with papers like "The New York Post." But Fox News is what really gave him entre to the White House.

BERMAN: Talk more about that, Jim, for instance, because you talk about Rupert Murdoch reshaping media. What's different in media today than before Rupert Murdoch got involved? What's his legacy, do you think?

RUTENBURG: I -- his legacy is so wide-ranging, OK? But I would say, in the very first place, he brought a very British, but Murdochian British tabloid sensibility, first to newspapers. At "The New York Post," he sort of reinvented the American tabloid. And even it experimented in Texas when he first came to the country. Then he took that tabloidi (ph) approach and that sensational approach and brought it into Fox News, with a populous, political sort of bent to it. Not to mention the cultural impact of the Fox Network. Let's not forget "The Simpsons," this edgy kind of programming. Rupert Murdoch has had such a stamp on the culture and the politics of this country. One person. Unbelievable.

BERMAN: People forget, when Fox came onto the scene, a fourth network, people were like, what's a fourth network? Who needs a fourth broadcast network?

MAHLER: Yes.

RUTENBURG: It was - it was supposed to be impossible. So he -- again and again upended expectations. But it's had a political effect, right? I mean Rupert Murdoch is a businessman, everyone says first, but inexorably he's helped fuel a populist, conservative movement in this country.

BERMAN: No doubt about that.

Jim Rutenburg, Jonathan Mahler, thank you so much for sharing your work with us here at CNN.

MAHLER: A pleasure.

BERMAN: "The Murdochs: Empire of Influence" premieres with two episodes this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN. SO, just in, CNN has learned that the United States has privately communicated to Russia for several months that there will be consequences if Moscow chooses to use a nuclear weapon.

CNN national security correspondent Kylie Atwood with me now with this reporting.

Kylie.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so what we're learning from U.S. officials is that not just publicly, but also privately, the United States has warned Russia against using nuclear weapons as the war in Ukraine continues to go on. And the significance here is the fact that they felt like it was necessary. They felt like they should reach out through these private channels -- we don't exactly know the details about these channels -- but to reiterate, essentially, what we have heard publicly.

[08:55:02]

And just to remind folks, this comes as President Putin, just earlier this week, again, dangled that nuclear threat in his speech. And we have heard over the last few days, the secretary of state, Tony Blinken, here at the United Nations in New York, saying that those types of threats must stop immediately. We heard President Biden, just last weekend, in his "60 Minutes" interview, also warning the Russians against using nuclear weapons and saying that there will be consequences. It would depend on the extent to which they use those nuclear weapons, but not giving details.

But it's really interesting that they're using these private channels, we don't know when, but over the last few months, to reiterate, don't use nuclear weapons.

BERMAN: Yes, the mere existence of the private channel, interesting in and of itself.

Kylie Atwood, great reporting. Thank you very much.

So, a passenger sucker punches a flight attendant mid-flight. The video, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Nascar's first driver to discuss his autism diagnose publicly is revving up awareness and acceptance on the track and off. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has more in today's "The Human Factor."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For 22-year-old Nascar driver Armani Williams, this is a sanctuary.

ARMANI WILLIAMS: Being in a race car is just sort of my comfort zone.

GUPTA: Williams has autism spectrum disorder. Autism is a group of neuro neurodevelopmental disorders that can affect communication, learning and social skills. And Armani was diagnosed when he was two years old. With the help of speech and occupational therapy, he began to thrive. His parents enrolled him in a class to help him learn how to ride a bike.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the end of the first day, Armani was able to ride the bike. We were really floored. It's bizarre, if I'm being honest, his ability to stay focused and tunnel vision on some things. I think he has a level of concentration that I haven't seen.

GUPTA: His need for speed took off riding go-carts at an amusement park.

WILLIAMS : It's just like, again and again and again and again it became apparent to me that this is something that I wanted to do.

GUPTA: Armani started racing competitively when he was just eight years old.

[09:00:02]

He says his fixation on details and heightened sensitivity helped him zoom to Nascar's top tiers.

WILLIAMS: Because I have autism, you've got to have to almost be like the car. I have that laser-like focus. It just happens in a way that maybe not a lot of people have seen before. Autism can be a strength, not a weakness.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: And CNN's coverage continues right now.