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New Day Saturday

New York Times: Democrats Are Now Putting on the Table an Additional More Than $1 Billion in Border Related Funding; Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Warns President Trump That His Plans to Withdraw All U.S. Troops From Syria is Not a Good Idea; Women's March, Inc., Overshadowed by Controversy, Including Accusations of Anti- Semitism; It's Now Day 29 of This Partial Government Shutdown; Almost 2,000 Flights Already Canceled This Weekend as a Massive Storm is Slamming The Midwest and the East Coast; Chef Jose Andres Opens a Pop- Up Kitchen to Feed Federal Workers Affected by the Shutdown; Former Chicago Police Officer Will Spend Almost Seven Years in Prison for the 2014 Shooting Death of a Black Teenager; The Largest Great White Shark on the Planet Spotted Out of the Coast Of Hawaii. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired January 19, 2019 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] CHRISTI PAUL, HOST, CNN NEW DAY WEEKEND: To the nation from the White House later this afternoon, but together, these developments could be some of the first signs of progress. It's a record government shutdown as you're waking up is in its 29th day now.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, HOST, CNN NEW DAY WEEKEND: And joining us now, CNN White House reporter, Jeremy Diamond. Jeremy, what are you learning about this potential coming closer together, maybe not together yet, but at least advancing toward one another?

JEREMY DIAMOND, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, CNN: Well, that's right. It does seem like we are seeing some movement, whether that movement is enough to actually bring the two sides together appears unlikely at this point Victor. But what the New York Times is reporting this morning is that Democrats are now putting on the table an additional more than $1 billion in border related funding, that includes $524 million for additional infrastructure at ports of entry and $563 million to fund additional immigration judges to process some of these asylum cases.

Interestingly enough, both of those points - the additional funding for both of those issues were included in the White House's earlier proposal earlier this month that was viewed at the time, the White House at least characterized it as an olive branch to Democrats, offering them funding for some of the things that they believed were also important here. So, it seems like Democrats are at least now putting that on the table as they try and end these shutdown negotiations.

The President for his part will deliver an address at 3 PM this afternoon, but presenting what a senior administration official tells us will be his latest proposal to Democrats. So, it appears that both sides now are putting on the table some kind of new proposals. What the President will be offering this afternoon as of now that is unclear, but the senior administration official is telling us that the President is not going to be moving away from his demand for a border wall and again, that has been this intractable issue prolonging this government shutdown, which is now entering of course its 29th day today.

So, we are about to hit a month here in this government shutdown and no end appears to be in sight. But again, it does appear like both sides are trying to at least show some signs of negotiation here with these latest proposals, Victor.

PAUL: So, Jeremy, is there any indication how quickly Congress or President Trump is willing to act if either of these are acceptable to either. In other words, is there going to be the possibility of movement by the end of the day?

DIAMOND: We don't know. Again, it appears that the central issue here which is border wall funding. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House has refused to provide any funding for that while this government shutdown is ongoing. The President has insisted that funding for that is necessary to reopen the government. That seems like a pretty wide berth still between these two sides and it appears unlikely that that is going to be resolved today or frankly in any of the coming days. But again, there is at least some discussion here, some conversations happening, though for now of course there are no additional face-to- face negotiations on the books right now.

PAUL: All right. Jeremy Diamond, we appreciate it so much. Thank you, sir.

BLACKWELL: Senator Lindsey Graham is in Turkey this week meeting with the Turkish President to discuss the war in Syria. And this morning, the Republican Senator is warning President Trump that his plans to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria is not a good idea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: The roadmap to Manbij is the most important thing to be accomplished in the near term. So, I would hope that President Trump would slow the withdrawal until we truly destroy ISIS. And if we do not do this, our withdrawal is going to create holy hell for Turkey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Senator Graham also weighed in on Saudi Arabia's alleged role in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He said, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman must be dealt with for U.S.-Saudi relations to move forward.

PAUL: Well, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is scheduled to speak this weekend at the Women's March in Iowa.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Ahead of that visit, the New York Senator releases a statement here condemning anti-Semitism, noting it, "it has no place in a women's movement for women's empowerment or anywhere else." Why is she doing that? Well, critics have accused one of the leaders of the D.C. march of anti-Semitism. That question has left the cloud over hundreds of events planned across the country. CNN National Correspondent Erica Hill joins us now from Boston.

Erica, good morning to you. Tell us, how was this affecting the march where you are and what it means for the marches across the country?

ERICA HILL, CNN REPORTER: So, Victor and Christi that confusion is still playing out despite statements from a number of local marches across the country. In fact, here in Boston, the Executive Director of this March, the President of the NAACP, the Executive Director of a Jewish organization in Boston penning an op ed earlier this week in The Boston Globe to clarify that this is a locally organized march as it has been for the last three years that anti-Semitism or hate of any form are not welcome here.

Despite those statements though from across the country, there is still confusion over how these marches are or are not connected to the event in Washington today.

[08:05:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: A movement that energized and unified so many just two years ago is today overshadowed by controversy, including accusations of anti- Semitism within Women's March, Inc. The group that organizes the D.C. event.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Women's March unequivocally condemns anti- Semitism, bigotry ...

HILL: Remarks about Jewish people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, and we have repeatedly.

HILL: Lewis Farrakhan, a man known for his hate speech aimed at Jews and the LGBTQ community. Co-President Tamika Mallory attended an event last year where Farrakhan called Jews his enemy and posted this photo in 2017 calling him the Greatest of All Time. She has denounced anti- Semitism, but not his comments.

TAMIKA MALLORY, CO-PRESIDENT, WOMEN's MARCH: As I said I don't agree with many of Minister Farrakhan statements.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You condemn them?

MALLORY: I don't agree with these statements. At the end of the day ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You won't condemn it.

MALLORY: No, no. To be very clear, it's not my language. It's not the way that I speak. It is not how I organize. And I think it is very clear over the 20 years of my own personal activism, my own personal track record who I am.

HILL: Shortly after that exchange on the view, Women's March, Inc. canceled our scheduled interview. We sent them a list of questions. They have yet to respond.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The problem starting with the Farrakhan issue in the beginning is they did not come out forcefully enough.

HILL: Vanessa Ruble helped plan the first D.C. march, but left the group shortly after for what she described to CNN as a bundle of reasons, including anti-Semitism. Current leaders telling The New York Times, Ruble's departure had nothing to do with her being Jewish citing growing pains at an evolving movement.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's impossible to grow up in today's America without coming to this work with biases that are both unconscious and conscious. I think that it is important for those biases to surface, so that we can actually address them, move on and become a stronger movement.

HILL: Ruble later co-founded March On with a goal of getting more women elected in 2018. They're also offering support to marches around the country this weekend.

National headlines are weighing on local events. In Los Angeles, New York City and Florida, Stark statements publicly distancing those marches from Washington and the D.C. leadership. New York City dealing with the added confusion of multiple events this year. A march organized for the third year by the Women's March Alliance and now, a rally organized by an offshoot of the D.C. group and the New York Immigration Coalition.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has the confusion impacted your support at all?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it absolutely has.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it has. There is no question. I mean, the reality is people don't know the difference. Women's March, Inc., Women's March Alliance, people only hears Women's March. Are you guys anti-Semitic? That is going to be a question that gets brought up. We are 100 percent not in any way, shape or form.

HILL: A group in Eureka, California postponed its own event over concerns it was "overwhelmingly white", while Omaha's march was renamed and moved to March 10th to coincide with International Women's Day. With all the changes and confusion, who are these marches for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have conservatives pro-life and pro-choice on our board at Women's March Alliance, because at the end of the day women's rights are for every woman.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Women's March is open to all.

HILL: Pledges of inclusion had an open invitation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Here in Boston obviously things a little quiet. It's also a little chilly as we know. Things are expected to kick off around 10 AM, at 12:30, the Honorary Chair of the speakers Congresswoman, newly elected Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, so we look forward to hearing from her at 12:30 in terms of what we are looking at for turnout, Christi and Victor. We do know from the organizers and in looking at the Facebook page here, about 6,000 people have RSVP-ed on Facebook, more than 21,000 say, they're interested, but there are genuine questions about interest in 2019, not just because of the controversy, but some concern as well from local organizers that with the elections of 2018 and what some organizers see as a victory, there could be perhaps a lower interest among turnout. We'll see how that happens today here. We'll be here throughout the day in Boston. Guys?

BLACKWELL: Erica Hill for us there in Boston. Thank you so much. Now, we also reached out to Teresa Shook, the Hawaii woman who - her Facebook post after the 2016 election planted the seed for the initial Women's March. She called for the D.C. leadership to step down. This was in November amid claims of anti-Semitism. The group responded by calling her statement "irresponsible" and that attempt to fracture the network.

In a statement, Shook says, we all have the same goals of fairness, justice and inclusiveness, even if our needs are different. Women must be the ones to lead the way.

[08:10:00] PAUL: Linda Sarsour, Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York with us now and Board Member of the Women's March National Team. Linda, thank you so much for being with us. First and foremost, after all of that ...

LINDA SARSOUR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARAB AMERICAN ASSOCIATION, BOARD MEMBER, WOMEN'S MARCH NATIONAL TEAM: Thank you.

PAUL: That we've seen in that story, do you denounce the words of Louis Farrakhan?

SARSOUR: We unequivocally have rejected the comments made by Minister Farrakhan on LGBTQ communities, on Jewish communities. We have said multiple times on statements on our website at womensmarch.com that we unequivocally reject anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia. And we welcome everyone to ask us questions directly to read our statement and to understand that we have been doing this work way before there was ever a Women's March and our track records are very clear that we have stood up for all communities. We are the first people on the front lines when there is a fight for justice in this country.

BLACKWELL: I want to talk about the agenda this year, which is new and also some of the other things happening, but let me ask you about what Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz wrote in a USA Today op ed, where she wrote this, while I still firmly believe in its values and mission, I cannot associate with the national march leaders and principles which refuse to completely repudiate anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry. Here's the operative sentence here. She says, I cannot walk shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders who lock arms with outspoken peddlers of hate. What's your response to that from the Congresswoman?

SARSOUR: First of all, no one was waiting for Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her opinion about whether or not she's going to march. She is one of the most divisive figures in America and actually had to step down for rigging elections and for being an irresponsible leader at the DNC. And so, for us moving forward, it's not about Debbie or about anyone else. This is about all women in America. We have actual injustice against our communities by this administration and that should be the focus.

The focus shouldn't be about one controversy. It should be about the controversial administration that cages children, that has kept the government closed for 29 days leaving 800,000 workers without pay. That is the true controversy, collusion with Russia. This administration is irresponsible and wreaking havoc on our communities and that is what our focus is at the Women's March.

PAUL: I know that you met with 13 rabbis, nine of whom wrote that they engaged in frank discussions about the issues that are dividing our communities. Nine of those rabbis have now endorsed the Women's March. What happened in those meetings that brought some sort of understanding? And why is it not being more broadly understood when there are still women out there who have - who seem to be uncomfortable with what's happening right now?

SARSOUR: I really appreciate that you brought up those nine rabbis, because what that proves is that we have been doing the work, we have been learning and evolving as a movement. And people have to understand that we are trying to create a big tent of women of all religious backgrounds, people with complex identities, people of color, people of different sexual orientations, even people across the political ideology. So, of course, we're going to have misunderstandings, people come with different biases. Islamophobia exists in all communities. Anti-Semitism exists in all communities, anti-black racism exists amongst all communities, including Muslim communities and Jewish communities. So, we have to have the hard conversations.

The reason why Trump is in office is because we as a nation are not having frank conversations and being able to speak across our differences. We are a polarized nation. So, we went to the rabbis. We had a meeting. We talked about issues and pain and trauma and historical trauma of Jewish people, but also the historical trauma of Black people in America, of Muslim people in America, of refugees. So, we will continue those conversations. We are very grateful for the Jewish women who will be marching with us today. Those Jewish women who have joined our steering committee and those that will be speaking on our stage today at the march.

BLACKWELL: Linda, we don't have much time left, but I want to talk about - I don't know if you heard the end of Erica Hill's report where she said that there might be a drop in participation not because of the controversy which we discussed, but because of the successes of women candidates in the 2018 midterms and people saying, OK, job done. What would you say to those people and how is that reflected in the agenda that you are - that the Women's March is pushing forward today?

SARSOUR: We just released a historic document that will go down in the history books. It's the boldest, most instead intersectional policy platform led by, written by, researched by women and it includes all communities. It is a tangible policy agenda that we can pass within the next two years. It's not enough to elect women to Congress, it's not enough to elect progressives. Now they've got to get to work and be held accountable to the communities that put them there.

On the issue of numbers, we don't look at the numbers. This is not about - it's not a numbers game. This is a third anniversary march. There has never been a movement in America that has been able to consistently bring out a million people three years in a row. This is about public dissent, ensuring that people continue to stand up and make sure this administration knows, enough is enough. It's not enough for people to be mad at home at the Trump administration, you've got to come out into the streets, and we will be out in the streets today in the cold.

[08:15:00] The weather is not on our side, but we're going to still be out here. Women have already texted me telling me their buses have already started to arrive in Washington, D.C. and we're fired up and we look forward for folks to read our agenda at womensmarch.com/womensagenda to see what it is that we stand for, who we are and what the successes that we have been able to accomplish over the last two years.

And I will just lastly say that in this country, those closest to the pain are closest to the solution and that is why we're looking at women's leadership being challenged in America and in particular, women of color. But we are not going anywhere because we have no choice, but to defend our communities in these United States of America.

PAUL: Linda Sarsour, we appreciate it so much. Thank you for being here.

SARSOUR: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Yes, Linda mentioned that the weather that in some of these cities where people are going to be struggling with this heavy snow, the ice that's coming, frigid temperatures. Hopefully, this comes after the marches. More than 100 million people now facing this massive storm that will stretch from Missouri to Maine.

PAUL: And it's dangerous. So, we're going to talk about that. Also, the New York Times reporting this morning, House Democrats have added $1 billion in border related spending to their package of bills to reopen the government. What does that move mean as we look forward to the President speaking later this afternoon? We'll talk to a Democratic Congresswoman about it. Next.

[08:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: It's now day 29 of this partial government shutdown. The New York Times is reporting House Democrats have now added $1 billion in border related spending to their package of bills to reopen the government. The money may be a counteroffer to a deal the President is expected to reveal at an announcement this afternoon. And while federal employees across the country are struggling, the White House is working to limit the pain for millions of other Americans. The White House has told IRS employees to report for work and begin processing their tax returns. But again, those workers who are showing up will not be paid. PAUL: So many rank and file members of Congress are not in Washington

today. They're in their districts. They're hearing from constituents. A Democratic Congresswoman from Massachusetts, Lori Trahan is with us now. Congresswoman, thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it. First and foremost, what do you think you need to hear from the President today.

LORI TRAHAN, CONGRESSWOMAN: Well, I want to hear from the President that we're going to end the shutdown. It's unconscionable that we're going to be asking more employees to go to work and without pay. So, I represent an IRS facility one in the third district in Massachusetts and I met with them last week and there are real people suffering as a result of foregoing their first paycheck. Now looking at their second, and we forget that so many of our federal employees are veterans. They're single parents taking care of a family. And what I'm hoping is that we're making a movement toward ending the shutdown quickly.

PAUL: Well, I know one IRS worker told you last week, it feels like my government abandoned me and the truth is, you're part of that government now. What do you - I guess I'm wondering what do you want to hear from the President today? He's saying that he is going to bring something to the table that will entice Democrats enough to get them back to negotiating and get the government reopened. What do you need to hear from him to make that happen?

TRAHAN: Well, I think what we have to end is the practice of using a shutdown to have a policy debate. It's not - we're not supposed to use the pain and suffering of hardworking men and women. As a leverage or as a negotiating tactic when we don't agree on a specific policy. So, I would hope we're 29 days into this shutdown. I would hope that the President has a message to reopen the government so that we can mitigate the damages that have already been caused. I mean when I took my oath of office, just two weeks ago, the government had been shut down. I've taken eight votes on the House floor to reopen the government. And the reality is, the government could be open today. If Mitch McConnell let that legislation be voted on in the Senate.

PAUL: Well, OK. So, the headline in The New York Times this morning now, just in the last couple of hours is that House Democrats are going to add $1 billion in border related spending to reopen the government. Basically, this proposal is going to include more spending on border measures. And it is scheduled for a vote next week. Will you vote on that? How will you vote?

TRAHAN: So, I look for - yes, so I absolutely look forward to looking at that proposal. I mean there is no question. We need to discuss openly, border security and the solutions that work. I think that that is where the difference lies right now between Democrats and Republicans. From what I've heard from experts, 90 percent of the drugs that are coming into this country, they're coming in through ports of entry where we need more scanning devices, where we need more technology and sensors and drones.

And so, I think it's important for us to have that debate and make proper, smarter cost-effective investment, so that we're actually solving the problems that we have today. PAUL: OK. So, one of the things that you mentioned and we're all

taking note of is the fact that people are meeting - people are being forced to go to work, these federal employees and they're not getting paid for it. Nobody is. There are no congressmen or women in Washington today. Do you think that you should be there to be focusing on this, this weekend that perhaps congressmen and women should be staying there to hash this out just as the federal employees are forced to go to work without pay until this is taken care of?

[08:25:00] TRAHAN: You know that's a fair question. I mean yesterday I was happy to be home in our district, because I wanted to hear, and I did. I got talk to prison guards who work in a federal prison in the district. I've been in close contact with air traffic controllers, our IRS employees, people who were working or not working at the Environmental Protection Agency because it's important that we magnify their stories and that the American public knows that there are real people who are hurting. These are their neighbors. These are people who are really having to make tough tradeoffs between affording their prescription drugs or putting food on the table for their family, when they miss a pay cycle.

We are ready to go back to Washington at a moment's notice and we've been told to construct - to structure our weekend that way, so that we can all get back and hopefully take a vote that will reopen the government that the Senate will also allow on the floor and do their job as well.

PAUL: Real quickly. Of course, we were just talking about the Women's March, the controversy that's following it. Are you going to be marching today?

TRAHAN: I am. There are two marches in the district that I represent, and I will be going to both.

PAUL: Are you concerned about the controversy that is surrounding the March right now that the co-Founder Tamika Mallory is refusing to denounce the anti-Semitic statements by Lewis Farrakhan?

TRAHAN: Certainly, the statements are concerning and they're rightfully under scrutiny. You know what I've observed with the Women's March is that, it is a - it's a bottom up movement. Certainly, those types of beliefs and comments have no place in our society and the Women's March doesn't represent. It's probably the most inclusive movement that we have had. And so, I do believe that this has taken on a movement in the last couple of years. I mean it has manifested in living rooms across the country and Facebook forums, in women running for office.

And I'm happy to be part of that. That activism - that woman-led activism. I feel it's less right now about the leaders. It has been a catalyst for a movement that needed - needed to have breathed new life into, so.

PAUL: Well, Congresswoman Lori Trahan, we appreciate you taking the time to be with us today. Thank you so much.

TRAHAN: Thank you.

PAUL: Absolutely.

BLACKWELL: Almost 2,000 flights already canceled this weekend as a massive storm is slamming the Midwest and the East Coast, 100 million people are already under weather alerts. We'll have the latest next.

[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: It's coming. Get ready for it. Thousands of flights already canceled, and more than 100 million people are under a winter weather alert. This is from the Midwest to the Northeast happening in this weekend.

PAUL: Yes, of course it snows we're talking about, but even more dangerous can be the ice that's expected in the north and then we've got heavy rain, severe weather, slamming the south. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar in the CNN Weather Center with the latest. Because I know about this cold front coming behind the rain and the ice, how long could that ice event last?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Days. So, even for the kids who are thinking, Oh! Man, I'm not going to get a snow day today, because it's Saturday. Well, you may still end up having school off on Monday, just because this snow and ice isn't going to have any time to melt over the next couple of days. Here's a look at what is happening right now.

You've got snow coming down for cities like Chicago, Detroit and it's now starting to creep into places like Dayton and Columbus, Ohio. On the southern end, this is where our big concern for severe weather is. We have a tornado watch in effect for areas of Louisiana and Mississippi until 1 o'clock this afternoon. You have a winter weather alert stretching from Missouri to Maine and it's a combination of some areas getting snow, some getting ice, some getting freezing rain, sleet and even a little bit of rain and some getting just about everything.

By tonight say about 8, 9 o'clock, cities like Cincinnati, Columbus and Pittsburgh will start to see that transition from snow into ice. Cities like New York, you'll initiate as snow and then you'll start to see it change over into just a little bit of everything over the next 24 hours. Then the system finally begins to exit, but you'll may get some wrap around snow once again in a city like New York once we get into tomorrow. Not to mention some lake effect bands may set up in places like Erie, Pennsylvania and Cleveland even as we go into the day Sunday.

Overall, accumulations expected to be the highest proportions of interior New England. 18, 20, if not even 24 inches is possible. Cities like Columbus and Cleveland about eight to 12 inches are expected. Ice is going to be the biggest concern and especially for cities like Boston down to Hartford, this is where we expect those highest accumulations. But we talked about this. It's not going anywhere, because these temperatures are going to remain cold for the next several days. So, whatever comes down, even if you are to say, a city like Philadelphia or Washington, D.C. guys, because these temperatures are going to hold tight, that rain is actually going to freeze over Victor and Christi and that will cause problems on the roadways, Monday.

BLACKWELL: And that's going to go for some time, maybe even Tuesday if that temperature sticks around. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

CHINCHAR: Thanks.

PAUL: So, four Americans killed in a suicide attack in Syria are returning home to Dover Air Base. Days after that attack in a Syrian city, not under ISIS control.

BLACKWELL: The U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces say, it will escalate military operations inside Syria. CNN's Chief International Correspondent, Clarissa Ward is inside Syria and takes us to the frontlines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARISSA WARD, CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: The battle against ISIS is still raging.

[08:35:00] As the U.S. allied Syrian Democratic Forces known as the SDF push in on the last sliver of territory under the militants' control. Here, the fighters prepare to move into the village of Sha'fa. Flares turn the dark night in today. Coalition aircraft circle overhead providing crushing air power.

By daylight, they push further in. This is where ISIS ends, SDF. Commander Simcoe Shikaki tells his men. Moments later panic breaks out. ISIS has launched a counter attack. The SDF fired back and Sha'fa is quickly liberated.

We traveled down to the front line as they approached the next village. Our escorts insist on taking an armored vehicle even liberated territory is far from secure. These roads are still dangerous, especially early in the morning, because there are ISIS sleeper cells in the area. They come out overnight and they plant roadside bombs.

We stop at a house that the SDF took from ISIS just days earlier. Mortars are fired off at militant positions. Commander Shikaki takes us up onto the roof to show us the frontline. So, the next village over Sousa is where the front line is now and they're hoping that they'll be able to liberate that by tomorrow.

American forces provide assistance from just a few hundred yards away, but the commander warns the battle is not over. The pressure we had militarily is ending, he says. But the fundamental war is eradicating the ideology of ISIS. That will be a much tougher fight to win, support for ISIS still lingers here.

On the way back, we passed through another recently liberated area. This is what is left now of the town of Hajin. You can see it's basically been completely obliterated and to many of the people who were living in areas like this and others, this is what liberation looks like. Miles and miles of rubble.

Many here fear that buried in the destruction, the seeds are being sown for another war. Clarissa Ward, CNN Sha'fa, Syria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Well, coming up celebrity Chef Jose Andres opened a pop-up kitchen to feed federal workers affected by the shutdown. The line to get in on its first day stretched around the building. The kitchen's Executive Director is with us next.

[08:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: 22 minutes past the hour right now and former President George W. Bush calling for an end to the government shutdown. He posted a picture of himself on social media delivering pizzas to his Secret Service detail. Those agents aren't getting paid as a result of the shutdown.

As the shutdown, it doesn't seem to be any end in sight just yet but look at the cars we're seeing line up in parking lots for groceries at food banks across the country. In addition to the people that they already serve, food pantries are helping furloughed workers and their families with basic necessities as well.

BLACKWELL: And joining me now to discuss is Executive Director of World Central Kitchen, Nate Mook. World Central Kitchen is open at emergency kitchen in Washington, D.C. to support federal employees that are either working without pay or are furloughed. Nate, good to have you with us this morning.

NATE MOOK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Thank you for having me.

BLACKWELL: So, the Founder, Chairman Chef Jose Andres, he has tweeted out this and I want to share this. He's fed people after wildfires, after hurricanes and he tweeted this, never imagined we at World Central Kitchen would be feeding the Justice Department and FBI. I mean I assume they never expected they would need a free meal. What are you seeing and what are you hearing?

MOOK: Absolutely. You know this is new territory for us. As an organization, we tend to work after hurricanes, volcanoes, wildfires in the past year. We've served about 5 million meals to folks in need. And what we're seeing now is a different type of disaster. It's not a natural disaster, but a manmade disaster. And we're seeing a lot of folks that are struggling because of this. We have hundreds of thousands of hardworking federal employees that are now almost a month without pay. Some of them still have to go to work every day and they still have to pay their rent, their mortgages. They still have to put food on the table for their families. And really, it's been overwhelming to see how much need there is for a hot plate of food.

BLACKWELL: Yes, you talk about the need. I've been looking at the numbers. 4,400 meals served the first day, 5,558 on day two. And then day three, 6,488 meals. So, growing consistently. Are you surprised by the number of people are coming out?

MOOK: We are. I think on day one, we were expecting maybe to serve about 2,000 folks on the high end. And like you said, we had well over 4,000 individuals come through the kitchen and I think this just really emphasizes the critical nature of the emergency that we're in right now that folks are really hurting, hardworking Americans who want to be doing their jobs.

[08:45:00] For the first time in their lives, they're having to stand in line for a plate of food. Many folks are embarrassed. You know, they bring their kids in, they take food home to their families at the end of the night. We open every day at 11 AM and by 10:30, the line is around the block and pretty much is consistent throughout the day.

And in the evening, folks take food home back to their houses, sometimes put it on the dinner table. They send us photos back. And obviously, we're honored to be able to support them during this time. But we really want this kitchen to close as soon as possible, because this is not something that we're happy to be doing, but it is something that we feel compelled to be doing.

BLACKWELL: You talked about the embarrassment, people have to set aside a considerable amount of pride to come and get a free meal. But the way you serve and what you serve, I mean grilled steak and caramelized onion sandwich, falafel quinoa bowl, vegan options as well. The love there is in what you're preparing. I also read as we wrap up here that this is not just feeding people, this is also a call to action. What's the call?

MOOK: Yes. You know I think at the end of the day, we want to bring folks together. Food is really a convening tool. We believe in building longer tables and bringing people together to break bread. Our kitchen is right on Pennsylvania Avenue between Congress and the White House. We have had many members of Congress already come through and visit the kitchen, some volunteering, handing out food.

We've asked members to bring - to invite members from the opposite party to come with them.

BLACKWELL: Bipartisanship there.

MOOK: Absolutely, absolutely. And maybe by coming together over a hot plate of food and for folks to see - for our leadership to really see the faces and hear the stories of those impacted by the shutdown that perhaps that'll spur some change, because at the end of the day, we really believe that food is more than just something that nourishes the body, it's more than just calories, it's something that nourishes the soul and our chefs really are working hard to create new menus every day and then put love into what they do and ...

BLACKWELL: Certainly, putting some love into these menus and I saw the videos online. A lot of volunteers coming to support as well. Nate Mook, thank you so much and all the work that everyone there at World Central Kitchen does for the people who are struggling during this period. We'll take a quick break. We'll be right back.

[08:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: A former Chicago police officer will spend almost seven years in prison for the 2014 shooting death of a black teenager.

PAUL: The video of Laquan McDonald's death sparked protests across the city remember and now nearly five years later, there is an historic verdict and a sentence. Here's Ryan Young.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My findings are an appropriate sentence would be 81 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections, two years mandatory supervised release.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A dramatic scene in a Chicago courtroom as former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke is sentenced to just under seven years for the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald over four years ago. Earlier in the day, the court heard testimony that in a separate encounter Van Dyke had been filled with rage placing a gun against the head of a suspect while he was in handcuffs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He put the gun to my temple. It was as if he was just infuriated, just out of his mind.

YOUNG: Van Dyke's wife asked for leniency testifying that he's a loving husband and father.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My biggest fear as that somebody would kill my husband for something he did as a police officer, something he was trained to do.

YOUNG: Van Dyke read a brief statement saying he prays every day for the soul of Laquan McDonald.

JASON VAN DYKE: (inaudible).

YOUNG: The night McDonald was killed; Van Dyke was responding to a 911 call of a man with a knife breaking into vehicles. McDonald who was walking erratically while holding a knife had been followed by other officers for several minutes before Van Dyke arrived on scene. Dash cam video showed that less than eight seconds after exiting his police SUV, Van Dyke fired the first shot at McDonald causing the teen to fall to the ground.

The 13-year veteran then fired 15 more shots over a 15 second period emptying his weapon. Police initially said, McDonald had lunged at them prompting Van Dyke

to shoot. The video which showed McDonald walking away was only released when a Cook County judge ordered it to be made public a year later.

Large protests followed. Van Dyke face up to 20 years for the murder conviction and up to 96 years on all the aggravated battery charges. The judge said, Van Dyke on what he called the most serious murder charge, not the aggravated battery charges. [08:55:00] Family members of McDonald were disappointed with the less

than seven-year sentence, but say they feel that some justice was served with a verdict that represents the first time a Chicago police officer has ever been sentenced to prison for killing someone while in the line of duty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This sentence represents the sentence of a second- class citizen at a reduced Laquan McDonald's life to a second-class citizen.

YOUNG: Ryan Young, CNN Chicago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: You know we had to put this music. The Great White Shark spotted out of the coast of Hawaii that leads to be the largest on the planet. Though I don't know how they track that.

BLACKWELL: I think it's - I guess Deep Blue is over 50 years old, 20 feet long, divers who snapped these pictures say, they highly discourage people from jumping into the waters. Good idea.

PAUL: Take good care out there. Smerconish is next.