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Protests Expected At Trump's Civil Rights Museum Visit; Trent Franks Reportedly Offered Aide $5M To Have His Child; Army VS Navy: 118th Edition Of America's Game; Protesters To Greet Trump At Civil Rights Museum; Trump Rallies For Accused Child Molester Roy Moore; First Death Reported As Fires Rage In Southern California. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired December 09, 2017 - 07:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:00:00] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This guy is screaming we want Roy Moore.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a president that's down there telling people to vote for someone where there is, to me, irrefutable evidence, written evidence that he was preying on underage girls.

TRUMP: We need a Republican in the House. We need a Republican in the Senate. So, get out and vote for Roy Moore. Do it. Do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be Alabama that decides whether they want Roy Moore to be one of the two who are the voice for Alabama in the Senate. We'll see what happens next week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIANE GALLAGHER, CNN ANCHOR: Good Saturday morning, everyone. I'm Diane Gallagher, in for Christie Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good morning to you. Next hour, President Trump will leave for Jackson, Mississippi for the opening of a new civil rights museum there, but he will likely be greeted by many protesters. Now, this is coming after Congressman and Civil Rights Icon, John Lewis, says he will skip the opening because the president will be there and calls the president's visit a mockery of the civil rights movement.

GALLAGHER: Trump's visit to Mississippi comes just hours after campaigning for embattled Alabama Senate Candidate, Roy Moore, who is an accused child molester. But Moore also raised more eyebrows this week after a report surfaced where he appears to praise the era of slavery.

BLACKWELL: Let's start with CNN White House Reporter, Kaitlan Collins, who was at that rally last night. So, we've seen tweets, we've seen suggestions, this now is the strongest endorsement from the president of Roy Moore yet.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, it certainly was, Victor. The president came to Florida just 20-mile from the Alabama state line in an arena that was filled with Alabama voters and told voters to get out and vote for Roy Moore on Tuesday, just days ahead of this highly contested Senate election. Now, this comes after the White House said repeatedly that the president would not come to Alabama to campaign for Roy Moore after he'd endorsed him, but he certainly did just that last night here in Pensacola.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We can't afford to have a Liberal Democrat who is completely controlled by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.

(CROWD BOOING)

TRUMP: His name is Jones and he's their total puppet, and everybody knows it. He will never ever vote for us. So, get out and vote for Roy Moore. Do it. Do it.

(CROWD CHEERING)

COLLINS: Not only did President Trump endorsed Roy Moore last night, he also mocked one of the women who has accused Roy Moore of sexually assaulting her when she was just 16 years old. Beverly Nelson has brought forward her yearbook as proof that he sexually assaulted her because she said that Roy Moore signed an inscription in her yearbook. Now, the Moore campaign has cast doubt on that saying it's a forgery. And because Beverly Nelson said yesterday that, yes, she did add the date and that location underneath his signature.

The Moore campaign took that say that she was lying. President Trump brought that up last night. We know that privately, he has doubted these women. And all this comes as President Trump is heading to Jackson, Mississippi today to tour that opening of the civil rights museum, something many Black leaders have boycotting because the president has been invited. And this also comes as some comments of reservice in recent days that Roy Moore made back in September where he asked the last time he believed America was truly great, and he brought up a time when slavery still existed. And said, despite the fact that slavery existed, at least families were united during that time. Diane.

BLACKWELL: I'll take it, Kaitlan. Thank you so much. Kaitlan Collins for us there in Pensacola.

GALLAGHER: All right. Joining me now to discuss, CNN White House Correspondent Abby Phillip; and Washington Examiner White House Correspondent, Sarah Westwood. All right, ladies, the president coming out last night, overwhelming support. This most -- full endorsement of Roy Moore, and also choosing -- as Kaitlan was saying -- to discredit at least one of Moore's accusers publicly.

So, with that accuser amending her yearbook claim, saying that she did add the date and the location there -- and the president highlighting it there, does this make it easier for Moore? Does it empower the GOP base there in Alabama? And therefore, does it make it almost impossible for Doug Jones to win, Abby? ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's not clear whether it's impossible for Doug Jones to win, but this is a Republican state. It's important to remember that these are Trump voters by and large, and it's very difficult for a Democrat to win in Alabama, to begin with. But I think the fact that the president believed that it was important to do this, to sort of play almost like a trick, going to the Alabama border but not actually going in Alabama, endorsing Roy Moore, urging people to vote for him, suggested the White House believes that it's important for them to give Roy Moore a boost toward the end.

In the past, the president has expressed some disappointment that maybe he came into some races too late to really give the candidate enough support to push him over the finish line, and doesn't want to make that mistake again. So, I think that's what we're seeing here with the White House, they want to be responsible for Roy Moore's victory. And frankly, the president thinks that the vote -- the Republican in the Senate is way more important than virtually anything else at this point.

[07:05:40] GALLAGHER: Yes, Abby, he said that said basically we need to have a Republican in the Senate. This small margin they have right now. Real quick, Sarah, why not? If the president thinks that he has this influence -- and he does over so many of these Republican voters in Alabama -- why not just go to Alabama and stump with Roy Moore?

SARAH WESTWOOD, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Well, I think the White House wanted to have it both ways. They wanted to be able to say if Roy Moore does end up losing on Tuesday, that, look, the president never went to Alabama to campaign on behalf of Roy Moore. If he had gone to Alabama, Trump's support in the state would've made the difference. They made the mistake of traveling down to Alabama to campaign on behalf of Senator Strange when his victory in the primary was far from sheer of thing. Then, when Strange did lose that primary, it reflected poorly on the White House and raised questions about President Trump's clout and his ability to steer his base towards his preferred primary candidate. So, now, there's still a chance that Roy Moore could lose on Tuesday. I think the White House just wanted to preserve the option of arguing that it's not President Trump's fault.

GALLAGHER: All right. I want to, sort of, move on to what's been going on here in Washington this week. You've got Democrats John Conyers and Al Franken, you have Republican Trent Franks, all announcing their resignation amid sexual misconduct allegations. Roy Moore, though, still hanging on. And it appears, the GOP voters support him, at least some of them. And, of course, the RNC does now.

The GOP, a lot of them seem to be using this denial technique. The president himself is facing several allegations of sexual misconduct from several women, Roy Moore as well. But those who seem to deny and deny, and deny, and say I have not, are not seeming to think these repercussions. Can this continue to work in the midterms? Are we really seeing a reckoning in Washington, and is that going to translate? What are the implications here, Abby? PHILLIP: Well, it's unclear how far this is going to go. Clearly,

the Democratic Party wants to create a contrast between the Republicans who are going back into that Alabama Senate race supporting Roy Moore and their party, which ousted Al Franken, although they have several other members who are caught up in this as well. The key thing to watch here is going to be women voters and suburban women voters in particular and how they are going to react to this entire atmosphere that that's been engulfing the entire country.

It's possible that these women in other parts of the country, maybe not in Alabama, a really red state, but in a purple state like Virginia, like we saw earlier this year, might rebel and say, we want a zero-tolerance policy. But, again, I think it's just a little too early to tell and the Alabama race will give us a little bit of a clue about how far this idea goes in some of the redder states in the country where there will be some competitive races like there is this year.

GALLAGHER: Sarah, the president's visit to the civil rights museum in Mississippi today is prompting Civil Rights Icon, Congressman John Lewis, And Congressman Bennie Thompson not to attend. Here's what the chairman of the CBC said: "This White House is not serious about civil rights. From dismantling the civil rights division in the DOJ to equating peaceful people who protested racism, to neo-Nazis and White Supremacist, they just don't get it." Why is the president going, Sarah? Is there a learning and teachable moment or is it just a distraction and a photo-op?

WESTWOOD: Well, I think that the White House was, sort of, in a lose, lose situation once the invitation had been extended. He could have skipped the event and taken criticism for not taking seriously enough the opening of a monumental civil rights museum, or he could have gone and it draws attention back to his very fraught history with the issue of race -- that's always a tense issue for President Trump because he has made blunders on the subject before both on the campaign trail and in office. So, if Congressman John Lewis, as you recall, also boycotted the inauguration, there's love lost between Congressman Lewis and President Trump.

So, it's not entirely surprising then, that Lewis is also skipping this event. But President Trump going can be a good thing in the sense that it'll force news networks to cover the opening of this civil rights museum in Mississippi. I think a lot of folks out there probably wouldn't even know that this museum exists if President Trump wasn't going and forcing this to become a major topic of discussion. So, there are some positive aspects for President Trump attending, but, of course, it does raise the specter of his own very problematic history with race.

[07:10:05] GALLAGHER: Abby, at his -- Trump has said that there's a sick system in the country that he's working on course for it. I want you to take a listen real quick to his words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This is a rigged system. This is a sick system from the inside. And, you know, there's no country like our country, but we have a lot of sickness in some of our institutions, and we're working very hard. We've got a lot of them straightened out but we do have, we really do, we have a rigged system in this country and we have to change it. Terrible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: All right. So, a lot of people taking exception to that. Senator Jeff Flake, rebutting, "This is not a sick system, Mr. President, nor is it a rigged system. Let's not slow and sow distrust in our Democratic institutions." You know, Abby, what exactly is going on here with the GOP? Are we seeing this divide continue? I mean, Jeff Flake continues to vote with the president, so that isn't changing, but he is speaking out more, and we are seeing some who still continue to feel like they can retort when the president says things like this.

PHILLIP: Well, you're seeing more and more Republicans like Jeff Flake and others, John McCain, speaking out about moments like this. But you're right, Diane, they don't vote against the president when, you know, push comes to shove. I think, ultimately, they share a lot of the agenda items, whether it's tax reform or repealing and replacing Obamacare, and they will vote for him by and large on many of these issues. But Jeff Flake himself has said, when he feels like he needs to speak out, he's going to do it. At the same time, the question is: what kind of impact is this having?

The president's been saying these kinds of things since he was a candidate, and it's only increased as president. He's criticized sharply the FBI. This is something that for the Republican Party, it's fairly new, and you're still not seeing a kind of groundswell of pushback, especially from leadership to this idea that the Democratic institutions of this country are corrupt, and that only Trump can rectify that issue. I think there's still reluctance among on many Republicans in Washington to do more than just send out a few tweets and say they're disappointed or say that they agree. They won't vote against the president when it comes -- when it matters on big issues.

GALLAGHER: All right. Almost a year, and still debating on whether words matter or not. Abby Phillip and Sarah Westwood, thank you, both.

BLACKWELL: Let's take you out west now. The wildfires burning out of control in California. Conditions today are threatening to make it more. CNN Stephanie Elam is live in Southern California.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Victor. Nearly 170,000 acres have burned here just this week in California. I'll have a live update for you from the California wildfires coming up here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:17:04] BLACKWELL: 17 minutes after the hour now. And this morning, there's a critical fire threat in Southern California where these out of control fires may get even worse today. GALLAGHER: And these wildfires are now turning deadly as the medical

examiner's office confirms that a 70-year-old woman's remains were found in a car on an evacuation route. Dozens of homes have been destroyed, multiple firefighters injured, and still, it's likely that these fires will grow. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is keeping a close eye on the weather conditions in California. But, we're going to start with CNN's Stephanie Elam live in Ventura County. Stephanie, it looks absolutely devastating behind you. Are you seeing stuff like this everywhere there?

ELAM: It's -- you know, it comes down to channels on homes where it comes and the fire has run through some of these neighborhoods, Diane. And if you take a look at the overall expanse of what we've seen here in these wildfires in California, this fire where I am -- I'm standing in Ventura, the town in Ventura, in Ventura County right now. This fire alone, the Thomas fire has burned some 143,000 acres, more than 87,000 people had been evacuated. And the containment on this fire is only 10 percent.

We know that of the structures that have been lost, all of these structures, it could be an outhouse, it could be a home, but we know it's 476 of them that have been lost like this one here behind me. And you're right, this fire we now know has been deadly. One person lost in this fire, and this fire now they're saying is also spreading north into Santa Barbara County. So, you've got a wide swath of the southern part of the state that has now been dealing with this fire.

There was also a fire in the northern part of San Diego County, the Lilac fire. That fire, some 475 acres, they've got 15 percent containment on it. But think about this, they said at one point, when this fire started, it started half an acre and within 20 minutes was 500 acres. That was how quickly it was spreading because of the winds. Take a listen to one man as he describes how he's feeling after knowing how much has been lost.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK HULSIZER, WILDFIRE DESTROYED HOME: There are people who are way worse off than us. And how fortunate we are, really. My wife got out. We have a lot of friends calling. Everybody wants to help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: It's just devastating to hear the pain in his voice. And let me correct myself, the Lilac fire has burned more than 4,000 acres. And the issue here is the winds, and the winds are expected to be an issue heading into Sunday. And so, that is why fire officials are saying they're not out of the clear yet. They do, however, have gotten a handle on some of the smaller fires that have been burning in the region, but you still have this behemoth like this one, the Thomas fire that they're very much concerned about, Diane and Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right. Stephanie Elam for us there in Ventura. Thank you so much. Now, the question is, will those firefighters get some help from the weather today? GALLAGHER: Yes, that really is sort of the question in everybody's

mind. Well, CNN Meteorologist, Allison Chinchar, tracking the forecast in the CNN Weather Center. And Allison, is there any relief on the way for them?

[07:20:14] ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately, it's going to get worse before it actually gets better, and that worse will begin later on this evening. Now, when we take a look, it's not just one fire we're talking about. As Stephanie points out, you have numerous fires across much of this area and each one of them is going to be a concern tonight because those winds are going to be widespread. Now, once we get to say about 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 tonight, some of these wind gusts will already be up to about 50 to even 60- miles-per-hour. As we transition into the day tomorrow, now you're getting even closer to the 70-mile-per-hour range.

Not only can those winds take those embers and spread those fires incredibly quickly, but it also takes the smoke -- and that's also a concern not just for the firefighters but the people around, they have to inhale that smoke. Here's a look at how far that smoke extends. About 1,000 miles, this taken from that NASA, this imagery. But to put that in perspective of how big that is, that would be like smoke extending from New York all the way down to Miami. Again, that's an incredibly large swath of smoke. What they really need is moisture, and they're just simply not going to get it in the forecast in the coming days.

Now, the area where we are seeing the majority of the moisture is in the eastern half of the country. Well, we're talking rain as well as snow. This stretching from Alabama all the way up towards Maine. Now, it was the southeast that had the really high totals of snow yesterday and into this morning, but that's going to begin to shift. Right now, we've got heavy snow even around the city of Atlanta, Georgia, but snow also extending up into the northeast as we speak. This is where it's going to shift. So, really, the bigger totals for today are going to be for places like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, even up towards Boston and Portland, Maine.

Widespread, you're talking about two to four inches. But there could be some pockets of even six to eight inches of snow total. But you have to understand, with all the snow that the southeast got yesterday, that means they've actually had more snow than areas of the north. Take, for example, Jackson, Mississippi has had five inches of snow just from yesterday; Minneapolis has only had three inches so far, this season; Buffalo, New York, 1.9 inches now.

Now, that Buffalo scenario is going to change as they get some snow in the forecast the next 48 hours. But take another look, for example, Wood Valley, Georgia, 10 inches of snow. That's more than Anchorage, Alaska has seen so far, this season, Diane, and even Denver, Colorado, again only a little less than what areas of Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama saw from this storm yesterday.

GALLAGHER: Absolutely unbelievable those snow totals there for the south. All right. Allison Chinchar, thank you so much. Coming up next in the Alabama Senate race, a full force endorsement for Roy Moore by Donald Trump but it's still not enough to convince some young Republicans. We speak with one of them, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:27:26] GALLAGHER: Welcome back. I'm Diane Gallagher, in for Christie Paul this morning.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. 27 minutes after the hour. Good morning to you. Now, in a few hours, President Trump will be attending the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. One African-American leader who's staying away from the event is Congressman and Civil Rights Icon, John Lewis, who has called the president's visit a mockery of the civil rights movement.

GALLAGHER: Now, Trump's visit to Mississippi comes the day after he campaigned for embattled Alabama Senate Candidate Roy Moore. Trump backed the man accused of assaulting a 16-year-old, molesting a 14- year-old, and pursuing other teen girls when he was in his 30s. Trump says that Moore is the candidate that the country needs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We need somebody in that Senate seat who will vote for our make America great again agenda. So, get out and vote for Roy Moore. Do it. Do it.

(CROWD CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: So, the decision will be made Tuesday is difficult for some Alabama Republicans. They say in this race they're a bit conflicted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISAIAH PYRITZ, CHAIRMAN, BALDWIN COUNTY YOUNG REPUBLICANS: There are a lot of undecideds who were just kind of like, you know, I simply vote Republican, you know, but I just don't know what I'm going to do this election cycle.

MICHELLE STENCEL, ALABAMA VOTER: I will make my first Democrat vote ever.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you feel about that?

STENCEL: Mixed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Well, joining us now is a Michael Bullington, a Member of The Greater Birmingham Young Republicans. Michael, good morning to you.

MICHAEL BULLINGTON: Good morning.

BLACKWELL: All right. So, first question here, Greater Birmingham Young Republicans prided itself on being the first Alabama GOP group to revoke its endorsement of Roy Moore and to sensor him as well. Is the group, are you like the RNC, like the president, like many on Capitol Hill back in behind Roy Moore?

BULLINGTON: I don't speak for the whole group. I know myself and most of the people that I talk to are not on board. The -- nothing seems to have really changed to affect the concerns that we laid out in that resolution, including his history in office. And despite some developments on one of the allegations against him, there are still eight other serious allegations that have come out against him and he has yet to be forthright, honest and open in his defense against those. And because of that, he just is not qualified at this point to deserve to be the GOP candidate.

[07:29:59] BLACKWELL: We'll talk about those developments in just a moment with Beverly Young Nelson and the inscription there in the yearbook. But you have not endorsed or supported Roy Moore, what's your view on the president now going to Pensacola, to the Alabama border and saying, vote Roy Moore? The RNC is spending money to get him elected to the Senate?

[07:30:21] MICHAEL BULLINGTON, CO-HOST, YOUNG ALABAMA, PODCAST: It's a disappointing to me, especially or -- I mean, he never actually unsupported him, but he -- but the President expressed concern there initially last month and the RNC did as well, the Senate leadership did. The President's daughter had very strong words about it and it's, it's disappointing to see that get backtracked. I still though agree with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, when he said he had no reason to doubt the women and that's the chief law enforcement officer of the United States. So, if he says that, that's got to mean something.

BLACKWELL: So, let me ask you about, as you called, the development in one of the accusations. Beverly Young Nelson, yesterday in Atlanta with her attorney, Gloria Alred, said that she added notes to the inscription that she says, Roy Moore, and here it is, wrote in her yearbook back in 1977. Nelson says that she added D.A. to remind her of who he was, District Attorney although at the time he was the assistant district attorney, the date and old hickory house, the location where allegedly it was signed and she worked.

Considering that was not initially disclosed, what's the significance for you of that disclosure if any?

BULLINGTON: Well, unfortunately, because of not being upfront and open about that, just by the basic send of admission. Her entire account to me might as well just be discounted or -- and unfortunately, I hate that if it's true but because that wasn't open in the beginning, you have to call everything into question now at this point.

BLACKWELL: Well, we should also highlight that she was separate from the four women who initially reported on -- back on October -- November 9th, I should say, by the Washington Post. Let me read a portion of the November 16th resolution from Greater Birmingham, Young Republicans. And here it is, "The Greater Birmingham Young Republicans recognize that not believing consistent credible stories from multiple victims has on many immoral individuals have risen to power. And that moral and intellectual consistency is necessary to maintain the validity of the Republican Party." That from, from the group of which you are member. Do you support President Trump?

BULLINGTON: I support the President, I support the office of the President personally and again, I do not speak for all young Republicans. I did not vote for him in the -- in the election last year. I didn't vote for Hillary Clinton either, I did a write-in because of these same concerns but he is the President now and I support the office of the President.

BLACKWELL: OK. So, then, let me ask you the follow-up. Obviously, you clarified which seems like the clear inconsistency that if you support the President, then you also should have questions or logically would have questions about the more than a dozen allegations against him.

But, if Roy Moore is elected to the U.S. Senate, will your -- will your support of Roy Moore change as apparently, it has for President Trump now that he's in office?

BULLINGTON: My support for the individual would be separate than my support for the office that they hold.

BLACKWELL: OK. So, let me ask you about what was discussed early on after these first accusations and allegations were made, that there was discussion in the Senate of immediately moving to expel who would be, then, Senator Roy Moore. Would you support that, that the U.S. Senate working for the first time in more than a century and a half trying to expel a member over the, the wisdom of the people of Alabama?

BULLINGTON: I would support it if it involved -- and a clear and open investigation into the legitimacy of the claims against him. And also into the legitimacy of claims against other Senators, as well.

BLACKWELL: All right, Michael Bullington, member of the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans, who still unlike the RNC, unlike the President, unlike many in the Congress and Senate, still do not support the nominee from the Republican Party for the Senate in Alabama there, Roy Moore. Michael, thanks so much.

BULLINGTON: Thank you.

DIANE GALLAGHER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, many civil rights leaders including Congressman John Lewis are planning to boycott the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum because President Trump is going to be there. The NAACP is also going to hold a separate event to recognize civil right activist without the President there. CNN's National Correspondent Athena Jones, explains.

[07:35:07] ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Protests are expected to greet President Trump at the grand opening of Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. Organizer Talamieka Brice told CNN affiliate WAPT News, they say, no to hate demonstration she's helping lead will include hundreds of people from across the State.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TALAMIEKA BRICE, OWNER, BRICE MEDIA: Some of us will kneel and some of us will turn our backs, we'll call it, turn our backs to hate. Turn our backs towards the motorcade as he drops by.

JONES: And Brice isn't alone in opposing Governor Phil Bryant's decision to invite the President. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, denounced Trump's record on civil rights, saying in a statement, "He has created a commission to reinforce voter suppression, refused to denounce white supremacists and have created a racially hostile climate in this nation."

U.S. Congressman Denny Thompson, who was from Mississippi and John Lewis, a civil rights icon are planning to skip the event in protest, writing, "President Trump's attendance and his hurtful policies are an insult to the people portrayed in this civil rights museum."

And while some Mississippi Democrats called on the governor to resend his invitation to Trump, Bryant descended to move.

GOV. PHIL BRYANT (R), MISSISSIPPI: The President of the United States should be able and we're very thankful that he is going to come for this is historic occasion.

JONES: The White House expressed disappointment with the plan protest and boycotts.

SARAH SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think that would be honestly very sad. I think, this is something that should bring the country together to celebrate the opening of this museum and highlighting civil rights movement and the progress that we've made.

JONES: President Trump has been criticized for racial insensitivity. He launched his campaign in June of 2015 by bashing Mexican immigrants.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists.

JONES: He questioned the judge's ability to rule fairly in a Trump University lawsuit because he was Mexican-American.

TRUMP: We're building a wall, he's a Mexican.

JONES: And he has repeatedly slammed mostly black NFL athletes protesting racial inequality.

TRUMP: When somebody disrespects our flag, to say, get that [ bleep ] off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired!

JONES: But it was his response to violence in Charlottesville, Virginia last summer that (INAUDIBLE) the people in both parties. When he acquitted neo-Nazis and white nationalists protesting the removal of a Confederate statue with activist demonstrating against them and the ideas they represent.

TRUMP: We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides, on many sides.

JONES: He revised those remarks two days later.

TRUMP: Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacist and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold hear as Americans.

JONES: But then, said.

TRUMP: You had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people on both sides.

JONES: Today's event is an opportunity to answers some his critic. Athena Jones, CNN, Jackson, Mississippi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: We'll talk more about that visit of later this morning. A question, why did Congressman Trent Franks, now former Congressman allegedly offer to pay an aide $5 million to have his child?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:43:14] GALLAGHER: So, Congressman Trent Franks announces his resignation from Congress would be immediate after new details came out that he offered a former aide $5 million to be a surrogate for his child.

BLACKWELL: CNN Correspondent Sunlen Serfaty is on Capitol Hill with more details for us.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are new allegations and details to those allegations coming out against Congressman Trent Franks. I spoke to a confidant of one of the accusers who detailed her side of the story to this confidant.

She says, she was a former aide with the congressman and she was asked by the congressman to be a surrogate in exchange for money. The woman says, she was asked to look over a contract to potentially carry his child and if she conceived his child, she would be given $5 million.

Now, this account comes from Andrea Laugherty. She's President of the traditional values coalition and she was in the room last week, when she along with the accuser presented this side of the story to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan's office. And this of course was first detailed and reported by the associated press.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, quickly called for his resignation after a very swift condemnation. He called the charges very credible and very serious. Now, the congressman pushed up his deadline for his official resignation, he did that on Friday instead of resigning officially on effective January 30th. He -- 31st, he resigned on Friday, so, he is out the -- Franks publicly, punting a bit to his family. He says that his wife was admitted to the hospital with an ongoing ailment, it's the thing right now for the family to have him go on resign. But it was very clear up here on the -- in the halls of Capitol Hill, that were -- there was just no appetite for him to stay a day longer. Sunlen Serfaty, CNN on Capitol Hill.

[07:45:08] GALLAGHER: All right, thanks, Sunlen. Meanwhile, an example of what journalism looks like in a country without a free press. According to state media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, just climbed a famous mountain through thick snow. And he supposedly did it wearing black leather shoes and no hiking gear.

BLACKWELL: No hiking gear at all. Look at this, this -- he's on top of the mountain here. Kim reportedly ordered that a monument in nearby education compound, be spruced up and that a new hotel be built. The peak has (INAUDIBLE) in Korean folklore and in the Kim family propaganda here. So, here is the picture of Kim who allegedly hiked up that mountain.

GALLAGHER: Not very much warm clothing, either.

BLACKWELL: Not, not at all. All right, on the battlefield, they are teammates on the football field today, rivals.

GALLAGHER: All right, CNN's Coy Wire is at the Army-Navy Game. Coy?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: The 118th Army-Navy Game, America's game. Army and Navy about to go head to head on the field behind me, but wait until you hear because that's a Midshipmen do off the field to keep this rivalry even greater, that's coming up.

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BLACKWELL: All right, time for "STAYING WELL", and I'm talking to my folks who were dealing with the snow and cold weather. Listen, it's Saturday, take a hot bath, enjoy it. But, it not only feels good, but it can actually be good for you. Watch.

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DON BENEDICT, BACK PAIN SUFFERER: I've had three back surgeries and the last one didn't do so well. I come to the springs in Idaho City three times a week. A hot water makes me feels much better, the pressure seems relieved too.

DAVID BURKE, CHAIRMAN, EMORY REHABILITATION MEDICINE: When you step into a hot bath and you're core temperature goes up, a number of things happen that help with pain. You relax the muscles that takes the tension off the nerves, it run through the muscles. Hot baths expand blood vessels until now the healing properties within the blood to be delivered.

BENEDICT: I was on 60 for an OxyContin's, 14 goes a day. Not only did I dropped the pills in numbers, I dropped the medication in potency.

BURKE: If you do this for a long period of time, three or four times a week, we know you risk of cardiovascular deceased, you risk of heart attack, of stroke goes down by this immersion in hot water or steam.

There are people that have cardiovascular conditions where they should check with their physicians before they engage in a treatment.

SUSAN BENEDICT, DON'S WIFE: Then, he gets some corner there and I can see in his face that he is totally calm. It impacts us in every way possible.

D. BENEDICT: What I'm trying to do is get back some quality of life that I enjoy.

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ANNOUNCER: "STAYING WELL" brought to you by Aleve. All day strong, all day long. And by famous Idaho potatoes.

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[07:52:26] GALLAGHER: It is America's game, we are talking about army and navy. One of the oldest and most respected rivalries in college football. But, but when it kicks off this afternoon, there is more on the line than, you know, just a football game.

BLACKWELL: Is it Coy and Diane, geek about the game? Some of them back out and just let you all do it. Coy Wire there in Philadelphia, Diane Gallagher here in Atlanta, go for it.

GALLAGHER: I'm a biased individual on this game here, Coy. And I was -- honestly.

WIRE: Yes, I know you are. And we will not out you right now because you might have a lot of people to answer to this lineated rivalry. And to quote our 34th President Dwight Eisenhower, he said, the army and navy are the best of friends. 364 and a half days out of a year but on this one Saturday afternoon, they are the worst of enemies. This rivalry though extends well beyond just the players on the field.

Yesterday and today, cadets and Midshipmen go toe to toe in a patriot games. It tests their minds and their bodies, yes for a victory over their brothers and sisters of service but with the utmost respect for one another. The winning service academy is awarded the patriot game trophy on the field during the game and the crowd goes wild.

Now, as for the players on the field, they're going to battle in the 118th edition of this iconic rivalry. At their chance to earn bragging rights for a lifetime and it's our time to celebrate the future defenders of our nation. It's one of our greatest sporting spectacles we caught up with some of the players from both teams, and they know this is so more than just a game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DJ PALMORE: Army and Navy is definitely the best rivalry as worst it is. But everything going on in the world right now, urge even just in our country, this is the one thing everyone can come together and just watch Army-Navy Game.

JEFF MONKEN: This is the only game where every competitor on the field that these people are going to watch are willing to put their life on the line for everybody that's watching, there's no other game like that.

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WIRE: Now I have played in NFL playoff games, big-time college bowl games. I've been to the super bowls and the in the 500. I may have been to a world series but I have to say this is the most dynamic, outstanding and incredible sporting spectacle in our country. I cannot wait to watch our future defenders of our nation go out here and do their thing and we can celebrate them today.

GALLAGHER: All right. So, Coy, do you think that army has a chance to extend their streak? The -- that the one-game streak? They got so fresh uniform, those all whites.

[07:54:57] WIRE: They are going to have an advantage possibly. They're expecting two to four inches of snow. During the game, they're going to be wearing all whites. The Pando Commando are coming out and yet, they want to extend that one game winning streak over their rivals. The Midshipmen, either way, is going to be an incredible game. The number one and number two rank rushing teams in the nation. Not a lot of passing, but a whole lot of bang-bang can't wait for it.

GALLAGHER: All right, Coy Wire, thank you so much. Not a bad assignment today. I know you don't get it. (INAUDIBLE) spot.

BLACKWELL: I mean, I get it -- I get it. I'm just you know not as passionate as you are. So, I thought, you know, let's you have it.

WIRE: All right. Thanks, guys.

BLACKWELL: OK, President in a good mood on Twitter this morning after the rally in Florida. Tweeting this a few minutes ago, "Great evening, last night the Pensacola, Florida Arena was packed to rafters. The crowd was loud, loving and really smart. They definitely get what's going on. Thank you, Pensacola."

But the President also tweeting this a moment ago, "Big contingent of very enthusiastic Roy Moore fans at the rally last night. We can have a Pelosi, Schumer and liberal Democrat Jones in an important Alabama seat. Need your vote to make America great again, Jones will vote against what we must do for our country." (INAUDIBLE) politics in just a moment. Stay with us.

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