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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
Trump Signs Funding Bill to End Government Shutdown; Authorities Seek Public's Help in Search for Nancy Guthrie; Russia Launches Huge Attack Ahead of Expected Peace Talks; Newly Released Photos Appear to Show Former Prince Andrew; NFC Wins 4th Straight Pro Bowl Flag Football Game; Behind the Scenes at the Westminster Dog Show. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired February 04, 2026 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:00:00]
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: One of the greatest victories in the history of sports. Right?
LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
MICHAELSON: I mean, you think -- remember Kerri Strug in 1996.
COATES: Yes, I do.
MICHAELSON: When her leg was injured and she had that incredible moment in gymnastics. I mean, it would really be something.
COATES: But, you know, that happened in the middle of the games. I wonder if the person who might be next in line is saying, well, if you can't compete, can I go in your place? And there's, I'm sure, someone a little bit salty right now thinking about that. But you know what? I've never been an Olympian.
MICHAELSON: Probably not getting another chance at this. And she's worked (INAUDIBLE) it. And she was winning a lot of the competitions coming into this. This was not just a, you know, it was, she had a real, real, real good chance of winning the gold.
COATES: Look, go USA, I'll chant nonetheless. Have a great show, Elex.
MICHAELSON: Have a good one, Laura.
THE STORY IS starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: THE STORY IS President Trump signs the bill to reopen the government.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The federal government should get involved.
MICHAELSON: But doubles down on his plan to nationalize U.S. elections.
THIS STORY IS a potential ransom note.
SHERIFF CHRIS NANOS, PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: We have someone's life who is in jeopardy.
MICHAELSON: "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie's mom is abducted from her home.
JON EDWARDS, FBI ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, TUCSON: Please help us bring Nancy Guthrie home.
MICHAELSON: THE STORY IS Super Bowl LX. Chad Brown has played for both the Seahawks and the Patriots, and joins us live with unique perspective on both teams.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson.
MICHAELSON: And welcome to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.
The top story is President Trump's desire to, quote-unquote, "nationalize" U.S. elections. The president insists he only wants voting that is fair and honest. He doubled down today on his demand for Republicans to take over elections in a number of states.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I want to see elections be honest. And if a state can't run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it because, you know, if you think about it, a state is an agent for the federal government in elections. I don't know why the federal government doesn't do them anyway.
The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can't count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So the U.S. Constitution explicitly gives states and localities the power to run their elections. And even some Republicans are downplaying what President Trump means when he says nationalized voting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The president had called yesterday for a takeover of federal elections, to nationalize in some states. Is that something that you think you should do? The Republicans should do, take over elections?
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): The president is expressing his frustration about the problems we have in some of these blue states, where election integrity is not always guaranteed. So we have to -- we have to figure out solutions to that problem. And that's what I think the Save America Act have to do.
RAJU: Take over?
JOHNSON: So we're working on it.
RAJU: Take --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, guys.
JOHNSON: No. No. No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So the president is not talking about taking over elections in Republican areas where he does well. He's talking about taking over in Democratic strongholds like in Atlanta, where the FBI seized hundreds of boxes of election related material last week. The director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was there. White House says that Trump has now tapped her to oversee this issue of election security.
Now, all of this came up as the president signed the spending bill to reopen the federal government after the three-day government shutdown. But funding for the Department of Homeland Security runs out in two weeks. Democrats are demanding changes in the administration's immigration enforcement tactics.
A lot to dig into with Ron Brownstein, CNN senior political analyst, opinion columnist at Bloomberg. He joins me live here in Burbank.
Ron Brownstein, welcome to THE STORY IS.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to be back.
MICHAELSON: So nationalizing elections, that's not legal.
BROWNSTEIN: Right.
MICHAELSON: That's not constitutional. What's really going on? Why is he bringing this up?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think one of the big lessons of the second Trump term is that there is no idle musing in this second Trump term. It doesn't mean he gets to do everything that he talks about. But I think it does mean he tries in some way to do everything he talks about, like acquiring Greenland, you know. And I think what we're looking at here is a warning signal that they are envisioning in various ways in unprecedented, and as you suggest, likely unconstitutional degree of federal role and interference in the November election.
You know, when the members of Congress say, we're not going to pass legislation to take over control. No kidding. It's in the Constitution. They can't do it. They don't have 60 votes in the Senate. What happened in Georgia may be a better signal because what we've seen on so many fronts in Trump's second term is that he's not asking for Congress to act. [00:05:07]
He's asking for them not to stop him as he asserts new boundaries of presidential power. And, you know, the idea that what they did in Georgia could be a test case for trying to seize ballots in Detroit or Dallas or Houston on election day, or prevent the counting of mail ballots that are received after election day, I think that is more the threat.
MICHAELSON: I mean, because most previous presidents would ask for permission from Congress to do things.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
MICHAELSON: This president asked for forgiveness.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Or that and the court.
MICHAELSON: Or not even -- or doesn't even ask for forgiveness.
BROWNSTEIN: And from the Supreme Court.
MICHAELSON: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: Which has on occasion said no. They've said no on the National Guard. But more often have said yes. And with unsigned orders. So the -- I think the key to watch here is not that they're going to pass legislation that somehow tries to seize control, it's that he is going to do things that effectively add up to seizing control or something like seizing control through executive action and count on the Congress and the Republican majority on the Supreme Court to defend him.
And by the way, as I think I've said to you before, if he succeeds in trying to subvert the election in a meaningful way, it's not like blue America is just going to say, OK, you got us. You know, at that point, he is taking the country into a whole level of conflict that we have not seen in, you know, basically 160 years.
MICHAELSON: And there's been great conflict over what's going on right now when it comes to immigration, which is why we are in this situation now where we have this two-week pause, because the (INAUDIBLE) some time to cool things down politically. Two weeks is not a long time.
BROWNSTEIN: No. It is to some of us.
MICHAELSON: To figure out how to (INAUDIBLE) what to do about immigration. Is there any deal that you could see where both sides sort of save face and we move forward on this?
BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Look, I mean, I've said to you before that, you know, a government shutdown is not a powerful enough lever to get a president to do something he doesn't want to do. That's the history of it, from Clinton to Obama to Trump. But the asterisk is, what does the president want to do? I mean, you know, he has taken an issue that was his strongest, one of his strongest, immigration, and where there is still substantial support in the country for what he has done on the border.
And they have converted it from an asset into an albatross or an anchor. I mean, you know, we're seeing consistently 60 percent or more of Americans saying ICE is going too far. So does the president want to use this moment to try to recalibrate and basically say to his base, hey, the Democrats made me do it? I mean, that would be the pathway toward some incremental changes. Obviously, it's not going to solve the whole issue, but can Democrats get some concessions?
I would say they have a better chance than is typical during a government shutdown.
MICHAELSON: Meaning some things like --
BROWNSTEIN: Face masks, masking.
MICHAELSON: Or take off the face mask.
BROWNSTEIN: I mean --
MICHAELSON: You're going to wear body cameras.
BROWNSTEIN: Maybe even --
MICHAELSON: Which Noem was already saying --
BROWNSTEIN: ICE asserting that they can enter people's homes without a warrant, forcibly enter homes without a warrant. I mean, there's got to be a lot of libertarian Republicans who are looking at that and saying, imagine if Barack Obama or Bill Clinton said that about the ATF and gun owners.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Well, and you look at the language Bill Clinton used on immigration from years ago.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
MICHAELSON: It sounds very Republican. But let's talk about what's happening broader in terms of the politics of this moment. You've got a new column out in Bloomberg, and it is titled Trump's base is tiring of him at a bad time.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
MICHAELSON: And essentially you looked at what traditionally has been the most important voting bloc in America.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
MICHAELSON: Which is non-college-educated whites.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
MICHAELSON: Right? BROWNSTEIN: You know, and that has been the foundation of Trumps
coalition since he emerged. I mean, all three of his races for president, he's won two-thirds of white voters without a college degree. Right?
MICHAELSON: Yes. Right. Well, look at this number.
BROWNSTEIN: And look at the number now.
MICHAELSON: So this number is now 51 percent approve, 48 percent disapprove for that group. That is a group that was with him at about 67 percent.
BROWNSTEIN: Three times. Three times.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: The best for any candidate since Reagan. And that is obviously a major drop off. And that is the key, Elex, to the lock for Democrats widening the map. And the reason I say that is because if you look at the 10 states Senate seats that are considered the most competitive, in eight of them, there are more non-college whites than there are nationally in the electorate. If you look at the roughly three dozen House seats that Democrats are targeting in roughly two dozen of the three dozen, there are more non-college whites than the national average.
What has always been a kind of circuit breaker or ceiling on the Democratic opportunities in this election has been the persistence of Trump's strength with that group. But now there are multiple polls showing his approval right down to around 50-50. And yes, those voters are deeply skeptical of Democrats as well.
MICHAELSON: Yes, they are.
BROWNSTEIN: But in 2020, no matter what they thought about Democrats, 94 percent of working class whites who disapproved of Trump still voted Democratic in the House. The -- I think it is virtually guaranteed that if Trump's disapproval is anywhere -- among those voters is anywhere near what the polls show now, and there's no guarantee of that, Democrats will do a lot better among them than they have in the last few elections.
[00:10:13]
And that, as I say, is the key to opening a broader range of opportunities for them in November.
MICHAELSON: And also Democrats not doing anything to alienate those voters, which they clearly have done, certainly did in 2024.
BROWNSTEIN: Views of the presidents matter more than view of the opposition party is what I believe. I think the evidence is very clear that it's more what happens to Trump. If Trump can recover, Republicans will be in pretty good position. If he stays weak, Democrats are going to have opportunities in places like Ohio, Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania where they're contesting multiple seats with large concentration of those voters.
MICHAELSON: And not only -- not only potentially win the House, but maybe even win the Senate, which would be tough to do. But maybe.
BROWNSTEIN: That is the key to doing it. Yes.
MICHAELSON: Ron Brownstein, great analysis, as always. Thank you so much.
BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me. Thanks for having me.
MICHAELSON: Thanks for coming in. Appreciate it.
Now to Arizona and this horrible story there where authorities are asking the public for help in finding the mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie. Helicopters were used Tuesday in the search of 84- year-old Nancy Guthrie, who was last seen Saturday night at her home near Tucson. Authorities believe she was taken in the middle of the night against her will. Pima County sheriff says there are still no suspects, but his department is sharing any leads they have with the FBI.
While Guthrie's family remains hopeful, they say time is of the essence as Nancy is without the daily medicine that she needs.
CNN's Ed Lavandera once again in Tucson for us with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nancy, a white female, 84 years of age.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the mystery of what happened to Nancy Guthrie in her Tucson home deepens, investigators face the heartbreaking reality at this moment.
NANOS: We don't know where she is. We have a lot of work in front of us.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): On Tuesday afternoon, the Pima County Sheriff's Office said they're aware of reports of possible ransom notes for the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, saying, "We are taking all tips and leads very seriously."
It started with a TMZ report claiming they received a note that appears to be a ransom demand, which they turned over to authorities. In at least one other media organization in Tucson says they have received what appears to be a ransom note as well, but it's not clear if these notes are authentic. The sheriff was asked earlier Tuesday if ransom demands had been made.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You were asked if there was any ransom and you didn't say no. You said, we're following all leads. Does that mean a ransom has come in?
NANOS: We're following all leads we have. That's all I can tell you. We get -- we've got hundreds of leads. LAVANDERA (voice-over): Authorities say Nancy Guthrie was brought back
to her home just before 10:00 p.m. Saturday night.
Investigators are trying to piece together a visual timeline of those crucial late-night and early morning hours leading up to the moment when Nancy Guthrie's friends realized she had not shown up for church services on Sunday morning.
(Voice-over): This is what the roads around Guthrie's home look like in the darkness. Investigators are asking for anyone to share home camera videos or photos that could help them find clues. But this search is hampered by the darkness and homes scattered behind the desert landscape.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing around noon on Sunday. Law enforcement says there are no suspects in her disappearance, and a reward of up to $2500 has been offered for information leading to an arrest.
NANOS: Nancy was taken from her home against her will and that's where we're at.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): But there is an almost 14-hour window from when Guthrie was last seen to when the family determined she was missing.
Is there any way to narrow down the window of time from when she was last seen to when she was reported missing?
NANOS: You know, I really don't want to get into narrowing down the time because narrowing it down means we could miss some tips and leads.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): The sheriff and the FBI say they don't know if multiple people are involved in Guthrie's apparent abduction. And according to the L.A. Times, investigators say they're also trying to track leads from cameras inside the house and possible blood evidence.
NANOS: We've submitted all kinds of samples for DNA, and we've gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects.
EDWARDS: We're downloading and analyzing cell phones, obtaining cell tower information, conducting interviews. The FBI is doing everything in our power to bring Nancy Guthrie home.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Officials also say they don't know what she was wearing or how she left her home, but that critical medication was left behind.
In recent years, Nancy Guthrie made frequent appearances on the "Today" show with her daughter. Savannah Guthrie, who has traveled to Tucson, posted this plea overnight asking for prayers. And Nancy's neighbors are showing their support for the family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We truly hope that they find her.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): As the investigation into her disappearance continues for a third day.
NANOS: We have someone's life who is in jeopardy and so job number one is we got to find her and we got to -- we got to work hard to do that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[00:15:09]
LAVANDERA (on-camera): We're now entering day three as I mentioned of this investigation, in this search for Nancy Guthrie.
And Elex, everybody here knows that they are up against the clock on all of this. And the more hours that pass by, it makes this an even more stressful situation for the Guthrie family -- Elex.
MICHAELSON: Ed, what exactly are they trying to get from talking to the public, giving these updates?
LAVANDERA: I think they're really keyed on, keyed into, trying to find some sort of video or photograph that can either be a photograph of the suspect or suspects, something having to do with the car that would give them a license plate, even a partial license plate. And from there they can start kind of tapping into that other network of video and everything to try to piece together that timeline of those crucial missing hours when Nancy Guthrie was here at her home, presumably by herself, before family members and friends discovered that she was missing.
They crucially need that at this point. Investigators do tell us, Elex, that they are getting people sending information to them. But so far, as far as we know publicly, they have not gotten that one piece of crucial evidence that would lead them to be able to pinpoint and go after a specific culprit.
MICHAELSON: We hope they do soon.
Ed Lavandera reporting from Tucson. Ed, thank you so much.
LAVANDERA: You got it.
MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Ed for joining us a little earlier.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at the number on your screen. It's 520- 351-4900. There is a reward of up to $2500 for information leading to an arrest in this case.
Still ahead, Russia and Ukraine ramp up the fighting as peace talks are expected to resume this week, with the U.S. president playing a -- or the U.S. playing a mediating role.
Standing by to join us live is Robert English, USC professor. Talk to us about what's really going on behind the scenes. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:21:37]
MICHAELSON: U.S. and Iranian officials say they will meet for nuclear talks later this week, though tensions between the countries remain sky high. A source tells CNN the discussions are expected to be held in Oman. Earlier, U.S. forces shot down an Iranian drone that, quote, "aggressively approached" the USS Abraham Lincoln as the aircraft carrier moved through the Arabian Sea.
Iran says its drone was flying in a routine and legal mission to collect surveillance. Separately, two Iranian gunboats approached a chemical tanker flying under the U.S. flag in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranians threatened via radio to board and then seize the tanker, which was in international waters. U.S. Military forces escorted the tanker away from that area.
Now, after weeks of tensions, the leader of the U.S. and Colombia say they can see a new path forward. President Trump hosting the Colombian counterpart at the White House on Tuesday. President Gustavo Petro described it as an optimistic and positive meeting. The pivotal talks come just one month after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and threatened Petro could be next if he didn't do more to stop drug trafficking. Petro says he has invited President Trump to Cartagena, a port city on Colombia's Caribbean Coast.
New video shows extensive damage to a power plant after the largest Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv so far this year. President Trump says Vladimir Putin kept his word by not attacking Ukrainian cities for a week, but that pause ended with this latest siege. The assault also knocked out heat to tens of thousands of people during bitterly cold winter temperatures.
Meanwhile, NATO's secretary general told Ukrainian lawmakers that reaching a peace deal with Russia will require difficult choices. The NATO chief says the recent Russian attacks indicate Moscow is not serious about peace. Still, U.S., Russian and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK RUTTE, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: And this plant was hit last night by five Russian missiles without any use in terms of military aims. It's only to create chaos and fear in ordinary citizens living in Ukraine and destroying civilian infrastructure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, Ukraine is still trying to get the upper hand on the battlefield and make the costs of war unsustainable for Russia. President Zelenskyy recently told his new defense minister to try to increase the number of Russian casualties to 50,000 per month. 50,000 casualties a month. Ukraine says more than 35,000 Russian troops were killed or seriously wounded just in December.
Professor Robert English is the director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California, an expert on Russian politics. Professor, welcome to THE STORY IS for the first time.
ROBERT ENGLISH, DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Glad to be here.
MICHAELSON: So we're heading into these peace talks and in the midst of that, this punishing attack from Vladimir Putin. What message is the Russian leader sending by that?
ENGLISH: That I'm advancing, that I've got the upper hand. You're running out of cards. Your European allies are telling you time to compromise.
[00:25:01]
President Trump is not offering any new support. In fact, he's praising Putin as a reasonable man. And the walls are closing in. This is the endgame and Ukraine faces some really painful choices. To be bombing the civilian infrastructure at this coldest time of year, subzero temperatures, is brutally inhuman, but it turns the screws up on the Ukrainians.
MICHAELSON: I mean, let's talk about just how cold it is. I mean, it's literally --
ENGLISH: Subzero.
MICHAELSON: Subzero. And they have no heat and no real prospect of heat anytime soon.
ENGLISH: There's also a lot of power blackouts. So they're cold and they're sitting in the dark. And those that were unable to evacuate to the west, which is millions of people are suffering gravely, I'm afraid we will hear stories of people freezing to death and just horrific. And that's what Russia wants, to pressure Ukraine to concede.
MICHAELSON: I mean, Ukrainians have been so stubborn in fighting back and nothing stops their spirit. It's been amazing. People thought they would be done in a week. They're still going all these years later. But are they starting to get to a point? Are you starting to see signs with some of the officials there that maybe, maybe it's time to make a deal?
ENGLISH: Yes, there is dissent. On the one hand, there are opinion polls that show a majority still oppose territorial concessions of Ukrainians. But of course, that includes a lot of people in the western part of the country that's safer from these attacks. Those closer to central eastern Ukraine, Kyiv up to the Donbas, we see people saying enough, this is inhuman. Let's trade the land for peace.
We see regional officials, we see social media, even soldiers at the front line saying it's time to compromise.
MICHAELSON: Right. Because that's been the red line, right? Is that we are not going to give Russia any territory. That's been Ukraine's position. But now we're seeing even some of the mayors in Ukraine that are saying, give up some of the territory, we want to live.
ENGLISH: Yes. Now --
MICHAELSON: And it's too many people that are dying.
ENGLISH: The way they give it up, the devil is always in the details.
MICHAELSON: Right.
ENGLISH: Will likely be a Korean kind of solution.
MICHAELSON: Yes, that --
ENGLISH: Right? An armistice.
MICHAELSON: This is how you describe the endgame. The endgame to you is something like what we're talking about in the DMZ. What do you mean by that? What does that look like?
ENGLISH: Ukraine will not recognize a transfer of that territory legally to Russia. They will be forced to pull back and cede it. It might be partly a demilitarized zone. I don't know the details. Russia will move forward in some fashion. There will be a tradeoff there.
But Ukraine will not officially acknowledge this territory becomes Russian, and they will hope to regain it at some point in the future after Putin, when Russia presumably turns in a liberal direction and recovers from this nightmare. It looks so far away. But we know from history that that could happen in an instant.
MICHAELSON: And essentially both of these men with massive egos and then President Trump, who may have an even bigger ego, all need to figure out a way to save face, right?
ENGLISH: Yes. And there is a way to do that, but it's going to require more concessions from Ukraine now. And I think what the Americans, Marco Rubio, and especially the European allies are saying is this is not forever. Save your country for more suffering. Save your population and get to the rebuilding and reconstruction now. And you can realistically --
MICHAELSON: Putting pressure on Zelenskyy.
ENGLISH: Put pressure on Zelenskyy, but you will have a better chance of recovering that territory if you can make the rest of Ukraine prosperous, put it on the path to joining the European Union and then elections, plebiscites. Those people will vote to join you. Right now, though, it's just a wasteland.
MICHAELSON: And you can't even imagine how cold they must be sitting there in the dark. So much suffering.
Robert English, USC, thank you for bringing it to our attention. We appreciate you coming in.
ENGLISH: You're very welcome. MICHAELSON: Still to come, uproar in the U.K. after well-known names
appear in the latest batch of the Epstein files. So what we've learned about their connection to the late sex offender. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAELSON: In the coming hours, British politician Peter Mandelson is expected to resign from the House of Lords.
[00:33:55]
The U.K.'s national news agency says he will also face a criminal investigation into allegations that he leaked market-sensitive information from Downing Street to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Now, all this comes amid massive blowback after his name appeared, along with other prominent British figures, in the latest release of the Epstein files. Our Max Foster has more from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Epstein files are rocking the British establishment. In the latest tranche of documents, these three undated photos appear to show the king's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, kneeling over what appears to be a woman or girl whose face has been redacted, lying fully clothed and supine on the floor.
It' s unclear when or where the images were taken, no captions or context for the photographs was provided with the document release, and neither the photographs nor the email messages suggest any wrongdoing.
But they are a further embarrassment for Mountbatten-Windsor, who previously faced pressure to explain a 2001 photograph which showed him standing with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and a convicted child sex trafficker; and Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein and Andrew, who died by suicide in April.
Today, Mountbatten-Windsor's brother Prince Edward telling CNN in Dubai --
PRINCE EDWARD, UNITED KINGDOM: I think it's all really important always to remember the victims.
FOSTER (voice-over): The king stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles in October and began the process to evict him from the royal estate at Windsor.
Now, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Mountbatten-Windsor to testify before the U.S. Congress.
Meanwhile, the former prince's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, is back in the headlines for her links to Epstein. The latest files revealing emails she sent to Epstein after he was found guilty of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008, including one where she thanked him for being "the brother I've always wished for."
And in January 2010, she wrote, "You are a legend. I really don't have the words to describe my love, gratitude for your generosity, and kindness. Kiss, kiss. I'm at your service. Just marry me."
In another, she complained, "It was so crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeply. More than you'll know."
Ferguson was dropped last year as the patron or ambassador to several British charities after earlier documents showed she had called Epstein her "supreme friend."
At the time, a spokesperson for Ferguson said she regretted her association with Epstein.
On Monday evening, Ferguson's charitable foundation, Sarah's Trust, announced it will shortly close for the foreseeable future, after some months of discussion, according to the U.K.'s PA Media news agency.
The U.K.'s former ambassador to Washington, Lord Peter Mandelson, also dragged into deeper scandal in the latest release of Epstein files. He was fired from his post in September over the scandal when U.S. lawmakers released a birthday book compiled for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, in which Mandelson penned a handwritten note describing the financier as "my best pal."
The latest tranche of documents has revealed that, in 2009, when Mandelson was business secretary, he appeared to leak a sensitive U.K. government document to the financier.
They also show that Mandelson's partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, regularly received undisclosed payments from Epstein. A spokesperson for Mandelson told British media that neither the former ambassador nor da Silva has any record or recollection of receiving payments in 2003 and 2004, or know whether the documentation is authentic.
Mandelson resigned from the Labor Party on Sunday and is set to quit the House of Lords on Wednesday. In his resignation, he apologized "to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now."
CNN was unable to contact Mandelson for further comment.
Max Foster, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Max.
Disney has ended years of speculation about who would be its next chief executive officer. The company announced that Josh D'Amaro will succeed current CEO Bob Iger next month.
D'Amaro currently chairs Disney's hugely successful parks division. His promotion to the top post emphasizes how important theme parks and cruises have become to Disney.
Bob Iger will stay on as a senior advisor and board member until he retires at the end of the year. "The Wall Street Journal's" top reporter on the Disney beat will be here with us live in the next hour.
Here's a little good news. Some of your favorite snacks will be cheaper just in time for the Super Bowl. PepsiCo says it is cutting prices on Doritos, Lays and Cheetos by up to 15 percent this week.
The company says it's responding to customer complaints that the snacks have become too expensive.
It is the end of an era for Bahama Breeze. The Caribbean themed restaurant chain is shutting down after 30 years in business. Darden Restaurants announced it will close the remaining 28 U.S. locations in the coming months.
Half of them will be converted into the other chain it owns, like Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse. The final day of operation for Bahama Breeze will be April 5.
Well, we just talked about it. It is Super Bowl week. Former NFL linebacker Chad Brown played with both the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.
He is standing by live right now to offer unique insight into both franchises, including the coach of one of them, who he used to play right next to. Chad joins us live, when we come back.
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[00:44:27]
MICHAELSON: A live picture from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. You see the logos are up there. The New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks facing off on Sunday.
The NFC, though, has the bragging rights tonight. It beat out its rival, the American Football Conference, in the NFL's Pro Bowl flag football game.
It was the fourth straight win for the NFC, for anybody that's keeping track of those things. Final score, 66 to 52. Impressive comeback for the NFC, outscoring the AFC 30 to 8 in the second half.
[00:45:02]
Pro Bowl games put aside division rivalries, let the best of -- the best from each conference battle it out. Many of the best, at least.
It marks the first time the event was held during Super Bowl week. Usually, it's the weekend before.
Joining me now from Phoenix is former NFL player Chad Brown, a former Pro Bowler, who played on both the Seahawks and the Patriots and played for the Steelers, as well.
Chad, welcome to THE STORY IS for the first time.
CHAD BROWN, FORMER NFL PLAYER: Thanks for having me.
MICHAELSON: So, as a guy who played in the Pro Bowl when they actually put on pads, actually put on helmets, and actually played football, what do you think when you look at the Pro Bowl flag football game?
BROWN: Obviously, things are far different than what they were back in my day. I sound like an old man when I say something like that.
But these guys are afraid of being injured. And with the salaries that they make, the potential financial loss of getting hurt in a game that doesn't get you closer to the Super Bowl doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Now the NFL is trying to push flag football forward. It's now officially an Olympic sport. So, I can understand why they've made this move, but it certainly does not resemble the Pro Bowls of my time.
MICHAELSON: Yes. It was. It's kind of a bizarre thing to watch, which is why the ratings have not always been very good for it. But we'll see. Maybe this year they cracked it.
It's some interesting news. You know, you played for the Patriots, for Bob Kraft, who was the owner. News from ESPN that he was not voted into the Hall of Fame, which is similar to what happened to Bill Belichick, the coach of the Patriots, who won six Super Bowls.
Are you surprised? How is this happening?
BROWN: I think upon first hearing the news, you can't help but be surprised. Bill Belichick not a first ballot Hall of Famer? Robert Kraft not a first ballot Hall of Famer?
But once you understand the Hall of Fame voting process, it makes a bit more sense. So, the voters are asked to induct folks from a category that's called "Coaches, Contributors and Senior Players." And all three of those categories are lumped into one vote.
So, some of the voters have come out and talked about, well, I wanted to see some of these senior players who haven't been able to get in to get in. So, I didn't vote for Coach Belichick or I didn't vote for Mr. Kraft.
They weren't denying their first ballot worthiness. They were trying to get these guys who have been in this logjam of senior players, trying to get inducted to the Hall of Fame.
So, it's got less to do with people pushing back on Mr. Kraft's ownership or some of the controversy surrounding Bill Belichick, particularly lately, and more to do with the inefficiencies in this voting process, which I think, due to this, will probably be revamped before the next vote next year. MICHAELSON: Yes. And you pointed out that the way it works in baseball
is if you hit a certain threshold in terms of your worthy, they could have sort of an unlimited number of people, as long as you're worthy. And maybe that's the way to go, going forward.
Let's talk about -- about the Super Bowl this year. Mike Vrabel is the coach for the New England Patriots. He's somebody you were a fellow linebacker with. You played with him as a teammate. And you say even as a teammate, he reminded you of a coach.
BROWN: We had an incredible linebacking crew in New England when I was there. Junior Seau was in the room. Rest in peace. Hall of Famer Teddy Bruschi, other very veteran players.
In fact, Bill Belichick got rocking chairs for all players who had ten years or more in that linebacker. Mike Vrabel was one of those guys.
So, we shared a linebacker room for two and a half years. We went out to dinners with our families. I got a chance to know Mike really well.
And over my 15 years of playing in the NFL, I had lots of incredible teammates, lots of Hall of Fame teammates, but no one was more suited to be a head coach than Mike Vrabel.
He could go blow for blow with Coach Belichick, with schematic stuff, with "X's" and "O's," with, hey, remember this thing we did back in the spring? That might be good for this opponent, because they run X, Y, and Z.
So, it was amazing to watch a player go to -- you know, toe-to-toe with a coach who I consider to be the greatest of all time and the smartest coach I had ever been around.
That gave me some insight to what kind of coach Mike Vrabel would possibly be, and he's proven to be just that kind of guy, as evidenced by him being in the Super Bowl his first year as the head coach with the Patriots.
MICHAELSON: Which really is amazing.
You also got time as a Seattle Seahawk, to experience what they call the 12. The 12th Man, their fans. Can you talk about that and the impact of -- of the Seattle fan base who are traveling in big way to Santa Clara right now?
BROWN: I think lots of NFL teams think of their fans as, oh, we've got a great home field advantage.
I don't think anyone in the league has the same type of home field advantage that the Seahawks have. And sometimes in games like this, the Twelves, as they call their fans, are going to travel. They literally becoming 12th man on the field, assisting those players on the field.
[00:50:10] That Seahawks stadium is the loudest place I've ever been in my entire life. There's always a couple other stadiums in NFL, Kansas City being one of them, where they take pride in how loud their stadium is.
I've been on the field in Kansas City playing a football game. I've been there as a coach. Nothing compares to how loud the Twelves are in Seattle. It is impossible to communicate on that field with verbal. You have to go with hand signals and things -- things like that.
The twelves, I'm sure, will make the trip to Santa Clara for this game. They probably won't have as much of an impact, but I'm sure they're going to try to support their team, because there's such an advantage for the Seahawks, particularly when they're on defense.
MICHAELSON: And when you were with the Steelers, you got to play in the Super Bowl itself. And interestingly, you told me that the breathing at the beginning of the game feels differently. Talk about what it physically feels like to be at the beginning of a Super Bowl.
BROWN: I think every kid who's ever picked up a football has dreamed about playing in the Super Bowl.
But when you actually get there, you spend the first series or two literally trying to catch your breath. And I've always given the analogy of like a scuba diver. When you're first time scuba diving, you're sucking air so fast you eat up all the oxygen in your air tank.
Well, when you're in the Super Bowl, you're breathing so fast and so out of control, you literally suck all the oxygen out of the arena and out of your body. And it takes you a couple of series just to get comfortable with the fact that, hey, I'm playing the Super Bowl. All this is at stake, but it's just another football game.
So, the coaches and the -- the teammates who have maybe been there before, who can provide some of that wisdom to these players on the field so they don't wear themselves out in the first couple series. They can approach this game as best as possible as just another game --
MICHAELSON: Yes.
BROWN: -- and let the football play itself out.
MICHAELSON: So, we're out of time. So, one-word answer: Seattle or New England. Who wins?
BROWN: Seattle, I think.
MICHAELSON: Well, see. Chad Brown, thank you so much. Great, great insight. Really appreciate the opportunity to talk with you.
BROWN: Thanks for having me on. I certainly appreciate it.
MICHAELSON: We'll go -- we'll be right back. We go to break with another look from Santa Clara and a reminder that I will be hosting our special coverage, postgame from the field, 8 p.m. Sunday after the Super Bowl. Eight p.m. Pacific, 11 p.m. Eastern. We'll be right back.
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[00:57:21]
MICHAELSON: The Westminster Kennel Club has crowned a new top dog.
Penny, a stunning four-year-old Doberman Pinscher, stole the judges' hearts and took home Best in Show. There she is.
It is the fifth time a Doberman has won at Westminster, but before the final moment, CNN's Harry Enten and John Miller -- our favorite buddy cop show, apparently, that we're trying out here at CNN -- got an exclusive look behind the scenes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: So, Johnny --
JOHN MILLER, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Yes.
ENTEN: I've decided to take you to one of my favorite places in the world. That is the preliminaries of the Westminster Dog Show. Because you and I both love dogs tremendously. I've met your dog, Bernie, who, of course, I call Bernaby.
MILLER: He still asks for you.
ENTEN: Oh, my goodness gracious. And of course, I think of my childhood dog, Cody, the Lhasa Apso, who I still think of whenever I want to bring a smile to my face.
Are you looking forward to seeing some dogs here today?
MILLER: I love dogs.
ENTEN: I know.
MILLER: It's going to be my favorite day.
ENTEN: And you work -- and you've got the doggie tie.
MILLER: I wore the dog tie. Yes.
ENTEN: Fantastic. And let's go see some dogs.
MILLER: Let's go see some dogs.
ENTEN: Let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Petunia Pugdashian, and this is her boy toy, Otis.
ENTEN: Now, Petunia, what do you think of John Miller? What about me? Do you have anything to say about me?
MILLER: Just gave a big yawn, Harry. I think that sums it up.
ENTEN: Oh, well.
MILLER: Are we getting our hair done here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, of course.
MILLER: There's a dog in there somewhere?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a dog in here somewhere.
ENTEN: So, do you prefer the smaller dogs or the bigger dogs?
MILLER: I always love a big dog. But if Bernie's watching, I also love the small dogs, too.
ENTEN: Yes, I think I'm a small dog type of guy. I'm of the belief that if a dog, for whatever reason, decides to turn on me, that I want to be able to control the dog. But I feel like I could take on a Maltese if it came down to it.
MILLER: Probably. Although I might bet on the Maltese.
ENTEN: All right, Johnny, my childhood dog Cody, the Lhasa Apso. Roger, who is waving hello or waving goodbye. I'm not quite sure which it is.
MILLER: Definitely. Hello. I think he's -- he's angling for a kiss, Harry.
ENTEN: Aww.
Hello, Roger.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's named after Roger Federer.
ENTEN: Oh, a champion tennis player and a champion dog.
MILLER: Hey, Brittany (ph). How are you doing? What are you thinking about?
ENTEN: Aww.
MILLER: Irish Wolfhound. Does he sleep in bed?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, he does. Whole bed.
MILLER: Oh, my God.
ENTEN: You should see John's face on that. John looks amazing.
All right, so it's not just about --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
