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Hala Gorani Tonight
Aftermath of Kurt Volker Deposition; Protests Continue in Iraq; Protests Also in Egypt and Lebanon; Hong Kong Ban On Masked Protesters Goes Into Effect; Trump Urges China And Ukraine To Investigate Bidens; Phoebe Waller-Bridge Rises To The Top Of Television; Japanese Company Creates Process To Reduce Clothing Waste; World Leaders Share Uncomfortable Spotlight With Trump. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 04, 2019 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:20]
HALA GORANI, CNN HOST, HALA GORANI TONIGHT: Hello, everyone. Live from CNN London on this Friday, I'm Hala Gorani.
Tonight, Donald Trump is claiming he's battling corruption, but new damning text messages about Ukraine may tell a very different story.
Then, a controversial ban on face masks goes into effect in Hong Kong. Protestors are angry and say they will not back down.
And later, Hollywood's woman of the moment. We have the story of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's meteoric rise.
Let's get right to another incredibly busy day in Washington. The clock is ticking on a key deadline for the White House, to turn over documents in
the impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump. But the administration suggests it will only comply if Democrats meet their demand to hold a House
impeachment vote first.
Mr. Trump confirmed today that he's sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The president also gave a fiery defense of his open call for
foreign powers to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, insisting that it actually has nothing to do with politics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This doesn't pertain to anything but corruption. And that has to do with me. I don't care about
politics, I don't care about anything. But I do care about corruption.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, that was his defense. He repeated it, time and time again, in that Q&A with reporters before heading to an event in Maryland.
In the meantime, the inspector general who deemed a whistleblower complaint against Mr. Trump urgent and credible, is talking to Congress right now
behind closed doors.
But some of today's biggest headlines are coming from a marathon deposition, Thursday, on Capitol Hill. Former U.S. special envoy to
Ukraine Kurt Volker had a lot to say, and a lot of documents and text messages as supporting evidence.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux tells us how they clearly show the Trump administration pressuring Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Overnight, the three House committees, releasing an avalanche of new evidence after former
U.S. special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker met behind closed doors with investigators for more than nine hours.
House Democrats, releasing text messages provided by Volker, showing President Trump wanted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to
launch investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden before meeting with the newly elected leader.
Volker, texting Ukraine's top diplomat, Andrey Yermak, less than an hour before Trump's call with Zelensky, writing, "Heard from White House --
assuming President Z convinces Trump he will investigate/'get to the bottom of what happened' in 2016, we will nail down date for visit to Washington."
According to President Trump last month,
TRUMP: There was never any quid pro quo.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): But senior U.S. diplomat in Ukraine Bill Taylor, questioning if that's the case. Texting on September 9th, "I think it's
crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign."
More than four hours later, Ambassador Gordon Sondland, responding, "I believe you are incorrect about President Trump's intentions. The
president has been crystal clear, no quid pro quos of any kind."
The text messages, also revealing just how involved Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani was in setting up the call between Trump and
Zelensky. The whistleblower complaint alleging Volker held meetings with Giuliani where, in one, according to "The Washington Post," he warned
Giuliani "against trusting information he was receiving from Ukrainian political figures" about Biden and his son.
RUDY GIULIANI, PERSONAL ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP: If Volker had said to me that my sources were incredible or wrong, any of them, I would have
immediately said, did you do an investigation? Because I really wanted them to.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Republicans, insisting Volker's deposition showed no wrongdoing by the White House.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Not one thing he has said comports with any of the Democrats' impeachment narrative, not one thing.
REP. LEE ZELDIN (R-NY): The administration is in an even stronger place today than they were this morning.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Earlier, President Trump, making this stunning suggestion.
TRUMP: China should start an investigation into the Bidens. Because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): And doubling down on Twitter, despite his pending impeachment inquiry, writing he has "an absolute right, perhaps even a
duty, to investigate, or have investigated, CORRUPTION, and that would include asking, or suggesting, other countries to help us out!"
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): The president has confessed to his violation of his oath of office, right then and there. So we don't need (ph) too much
inquiry.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[14:05:05]
GORANI: And that was Suzanne Malveaux reporting. All this news surfacing, as this is surfacing the head of the Federal Election Commission is going
on Twitter and television to remind Americans of one fundamental point. Quote, "It is absolutely illegal for anyone to solicit, accept or receive
anything of value from a foreign national in connection with any election in the United States."
Let's bring in CNN White House reporter Jeremy Diamond for more. Despite that, the president is doubling down, tripling down, quadrupling down on
his defense that he is entitled to do this, that he can recruit the help and foreign government help, to help him investigate corruption even if it
means investigating a political rival at home -- Jeremy.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right. We heard the president, once again today, insisting that this was a perfect call with
the Ukrainian president, insisting that there was no quid pro quo whatsoever. And tried, once again, to make this about corruption rather
than about his political rival Joe Biden.
He said, this is about corruption, dozens of times today, during a 20- minute or so gaggle on the White House South Lawn this morning, insisting that this was about corruption and not about politics.
But when he was asked about what other corruption investigations he has asked other countries to launch, he could not name any others but the one
involving Joe Biden in Ukraine. So that much was clear.
All of this, though, is happening -- the president's denials, the president's claims are happening as we're seeing these text messages
between these U.S. diplomats, which, while you do see the pushback from Ambassador Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, that there
is no quid pro quo. You do also have, in these text messages, first of all, concerns from career foreign service officer, an ambassador, Bill --
William Taylor.
And you also have a clear sense that the Ukrainian government was under tremendous pressure by these U.S. diplomats, by the Trump administration,
to deliver on the fronts of investigating the 2016 election, investigating the company on which Joe Biden's son sat on the board, and doing so would
get them a better relationship with the United States, would get them the meeting that they had been seeking between the Ukrainian president and
President Trump.
So all of these pictures happening at the same time. But Congress, House Democrats are indeed moving forward with their impeachment inquiry, and the
White House is simply daring them to do so, calling on Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, to hold a vote on the House floor to formally open an
impeachment inquiry.
This White House and the Republican Party certainly want many of those vulnerable Democrats in Trump districts, on the record about their position
on impeachment -- Hala.
GORANI: And is that going to be the strategy, going forward? Just to keep on repeating that this is about corruption even though -- and it's
important to remind our viewers -- that was not always the explanation Donald Trump gave for what he asked the president of Ukraine to do.
Initially, it was that the European countries weren't paying their fair share and the United States was tired of always paying. Then it became
about corruption, corruption, corruption. So this is another version from the one we heard early on.
DIAMOND: Yes. It's certainly true. And we have heard multiple explanations. And of course, it was the president, just yesterday, who was
encouraging yet another country -- China, in this case -- to also investigate Joe Biden. We haven't heard the president make any other
proclamations about corruption investigations involving anybody else but Joe Biden, who we know the president has been singularly focused on
throughout this Democratic primary, believing that he represents the biggest threat to his re-election prospects.
GORANI: Jeremy Diamond, thanks very much.
The person who got the whistleblower report and deemed it credible and urgent has been testifying in front of lawmakers today. Michael Atkinson
is the U.S. intelligence community's inspector general. He's known as a straight shooter who is not involved in partisan politics. CNN will bring
you details on his testimony as soon as we have them.
Meanwhile, we're getting new details about yesterday's testimony from Kurt Volker, the former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine. Our congressional
correspondent Sunlen Serfaty has the very latest on that, and those remarkable text messages as well, that are shedding light on what top
diplomats were saying to each other, just a few weeks ago, about that phone call that Donald Trump had with President Zelensky of Ukraine -- Sunlen.
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Hala. And those text messages reveal just how extensive the conversations behind the
scenes were going, and the fact that there were many U.S. diplomats involved in these discussions. And certainly, we are hearing more of what
the former special envoy to the Ukraine, Kurt Volker, told lawmakers behind closed doors, where he spent nine hours yesterday.
CNN, as you mentioned, obtained the opening statement that he sent to the committee. I just want to highlight a few parts of that. In the opening
statement, he said he was not aware of any effort to Ukraine to specifically investigate Vice President Joe Biden. He delineates, in fact,
the investigation, making a point to distinguish between investigation for Joe Biden and that of -- into Burisma, of course, which is the energy
company where Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's son, is a member of.
[14:10:22]
And in that opening statement, he, in fact, says great things about Vice President Biden. He says, "Any suggestion that he would be influenced in
his duties simply has no credibility to me. I know him as a man of integrity and dedication to our country."
Now, perhaps more significant here, as we're seeing in this opening statement from Volker, a point that he's trying to defend himself,
portraying himself as someone that was constantly trying to essentially tamp down the influence of Rudy Giuliani, President Trump's personal
lawyer, and his influence over Trump about these investigations, trying to make sure that President Trump sees Ukraine as a new government, committed
to reforms. And that reflected in what he told the committee here, yesterday, at least in his opening statement.
GORANI: All right. Sunlen Serfaty, thanks very much.
Though many Republicans in Congress are sticking by the president, there are some conservative commentators who are concerned about the president's
actions. Joining me now is S.E. Cupp, the host of CNN's "S.E. Cupp: Unfiltered."
Thanks for being with us. First of all, your reaction to the president today, on the White House lawn, really just hammering this message that it
was about corruption, that requesting of foreign governments, to help investigate a political rival at home, that there's nothing wrong with
that. What did you -- what do you make of what the president has been saying just over the last 24 hours?
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, this is going to be a gut- check time for all of us. For voters on both sides of the aisle, for folks in the media, for partisans and nonpartisans. And also, for the global
community. The gut check is common sense versus whatever spin the president is going to use. And he's going to use it all.
And we've seen that over this week. We saw it today, but we've seen it ratchet up over this week, this strategy of inundating the field with
information, with conspiracies, with personal attacks, trying to drown out the seriousness of each and every one of these developments, and normalize
them.
And the more he talks about having done it, the more he publicly says, I'm going to continue doing it and there is nothing wrong, the more he hopes
you think it's normal and not that big a deal. And he might be successful in that. But it's --
GORANI: Will that work --
CUPP: -- up (ph) to all of us to trust our instincts here.
GORANI: -- but -- sorry to jump in, S.E. --
CUPP: Sure.
GORANI: -- but will that work this time, though? Because this time, you have big-name Republicans -- I mean, granted, Mitt Romney has been a Trump
critic in the past, he's run against him for the Republican nomination. He tweeted that the appeal to Ukraine and China is wrong --
CUPP: Yes.
GORANI: -- we've heard from Representative Will Hurd of Texas, also saying this is wrong, China is an adversary. Will it, this time -- I mean,
obviously, you know, most Republican elected representatives on Capitol Hill have remained silent --
CUPP: Yes.
TEXT: Mitt Romney: When the only American citizen President Trump singles out for China's investigation is his political opponent in the midst of the
Democratic nomination process, it strains credulity to suggest that it is anything other than politically motivated.
By all appearances, the president's brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden is wrong and appalling.
GORANI: -- but some big names have not. Is it significant?
CUPP: Not yet. And I'll say -- I'll add to that: Mike Turner of Ohio, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Justin Amash of Michigan
have also weighed in to condemn the president for what he has done, whether that's specifically through the texts or the phone call with Zelensky.
But it's not enough yet. As you mentioned, the majority of elected Republicans have either been silent or some of them -- in the case of Jim
Jordan, for example -- have defended the president and gone along with the spin that there was nothing wrong with the phone call, or nothing wrong
with the president's actions.
I saw Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, earlier, saying, when the president suggested China investigate the Bidens, he was joking. I mean, if we can't
take the president at his word when it's backed up by phone calls and transcripts and text messages, I mean, what's the point of having a
figurehead if you can't -- if you can't take him at his word.
GORANI: And these text exchanges, some of them are absolutely remarkable. One in particular has been quoted since yesterday. Bill Taylor, the top
envoy to Ukraine: "Are we now saying that security assistance and White House meetings are conditioned on investigations?" And Gordon Sondland,
who's the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, not saying yes or no but just saying, "Call me."
You know? I mean, here -- this is -- this is just tangible evidence. These are not theories --
CUPP: But this is what I mean --
GORANI: -- that people are spinning, yes.
CUPP: -- this is exactly -- yes. Exactly what I mean, Hala. It is in black and white. And yet, Trump, his administration, congressional
Republicans who support him, "Fox News" will spin this in multiple directions, and sow doubt in the American public.
[14:15:04]
It has worked. And it helped get him elected, it helped get him through a Mueller investigation. It has worked to President Trump's advantage. And
so we shouldn't underestimate how formidable an advantage Trump will have through this.
That doesn't make anything that he's doing right. But we have to acknowledge that when it comes to Trump versus reality, Trump versus common
sense, sometimes Trump wins. So, like I said, this is a call for all of us to trust common sense and everything that we're seeing come out of this.
GORANI: But I was struck by that poll, the CBS YouGov poll, in which 55 percent of all Americans -- not Republicans, obviously, but of all
Americans -- support the idea of an impeachment inquiry. But within the Republican respondents, there was a growing number of Republicans --
CUPP: Yes.
GORANI: -- who were open to the idea of hearing more about what this impeachment inquiry might reveal.
So I wonder, in a general election, that has to matter, right?
CUPP: Yes, yes. And I'm going to be watching for that Republican number as well, because we've seen in a few polls now, that the movement on an
impeachment inquiry is coming from Republicans, and especially young people, young Republicans. So I'll be watching that too.
But no question, in a general election, this could peel off some moderates or some people who were kind of holding their nose, saying, well, I don't
like everything he's done but the economy's good for me --
GORANI: Yes.
CUPP: -- this could peel some of them off, no question. But his base? His base is going to continue to defend this. We'll have to see whether
enough congressional Republicans, Republican lawmakers, decide enough's enough, I want out, I can't do this anymore.
GORANI: All right. S.E. Cupp, thanks so much for joining us --
CUPP: Thanks, Hala.
GORANI: -- as always.
Still to come tonight, Iraqi people are fed up with their own government. Dozens have been killed as weary residents fill the streets to fight for
jobs, basic services, and dignity.
Plus, the government in Hong Kong invokes emergency powers: what it says will no longer be allowed during protests.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: The Iraqi prime minister is pleading for calm after four days of violent street protests, and he's calling demands by the demonstrators,
valid.
Dozens have been killed and hundreds wounded by security forces in street protests that have caught authorities by surprise. Iraqis are furious over
government corruption, lack of jobs and basic services. Many are putting the blame directly on corrupt leaders, who they say do not care about them.
Iraq's most powerful Shiite cleric is rejecting the use of force against protestors, but also urging demonstrators to keep their actions peaceful.
Arwa Damon joins me now, live from Baghdad with more. So the prime minister is saying the demands are valid, but security forces are using
live ammunition on these demonstrators -- Arwa.
[14:20:06]
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And that really goes to the core of the problem here, and that really serves to, as we have seen
time and time again, when governments use force against demonstrators, demonstrators are only angered and even more determined to continue to take
to the streets.
Look, in Baghdad, we're in the second day of a curfew. And even today, small groups of people were trying to get out into the streets, and they
were being fired upon. We heard, earlier in the night, sporadic bursts of gunfire. At times, it would be a couple of shots, at times, it would be
even more sustained.
The government, as you were saying, there, is trying to appease the demonstrators by acknowledging their grievances, and has actually just said
that it would be looking into establishing a committee, as per the suggestion of the Shia cleric, Ayatollah al-Sistani, a committee that would
be made of independent individuals, to directly address the demonstrators' grievances. Tomorrow's parliamentary session is meant to be focusing on
this.
But this country has really reached a breaking point. The people's patience has reached a breaking point. They sit on such oil wealth, and
yet so little of it is trickling down. Unemployment is a massive problem, people with higher educations are unable to find adequate jobs. They are
fed up with the poor basic services and not having enough electricity.
So what remains to be determined, now, is whether or not the people, the population will be willing to give the government another chance -- Hala.
GORANI: And they a point, these protestors. Iraq is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, according to the various transparency
indices out there. What is the prime minister promising -- how is the prime minister promising to give some of these frustrated and desperate
demonstrators what they want, which is a job and some, you know, basic, support in their daily lives?
DAMON: Well, at this stage, there is no concrete plan that is out there. Look, the prime minister said that they'll find ways to try to compensate
members of the population, who are struggling to find jobs, who are unemployed. He has said that they will be attempting to tackle corruption
both through this committee and in Parliament as well.
The issue is that a lot of the people who are very heavily tied into corruption, are members of the government themselves. And this is
something that has really been endemic in this country. It has been a plague, not just recently but for decades, really.
These issues that the Iraqis are demonstrating about are nothing new. Time and time again, they've attempted to go out. Time and time again, they've
seen these fairly brutal crackdowns.
And so the government really cannot afford to not turn its rhetoric into concrete actions. Because what everyone is concerned about, given that
these protests are leaderless, is that the situation here could very quickly escalate, especially given the violence that has transpired. Of
the 40 people who were killed -- 41 people who were killed, 38 of them were demonstrators.
People are struggling to bury their loved ones, to get access to hospitals. This curfew is really getting on people's nerves because of the
restrictions in the capital and elsewhere, not to mention the fact that, you know, businesses are shut down, restaurants --
GORANI: Yes.
DAMON: -- are shut down. So there isn't a large window of opportunity for the government, at this stage. And as we know, only too well, Hala, what
happens in Iraq --
GORANI: Yes.
DAMON: -- instability in Iraq, does not -- very rarely, does it stay confined to just this country's borders.
GORANI: And that's the perfect segue for our next story. Arwa Damon in Baghdad, thanks.
The fears and frustrations of civilians in Iraq are being echoed in Egypt and in Lebanon. Both countries are dealing with corruption, crumbling
infrastructure and sagging economies. As Ben Wedeman reports, the people are disgusted with leadership that just keeps letting them down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BENE WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iraqis have had enough. Thousands throughout the country are protesting against a
political system that has promised much and delivered little. Dozens have been killed, well over a thousand wounded in the past few days.
Iraq is blessed with the world's fifth largest proven oil reserves, yet it can't provide its citizens with reliable electrical power or potable water
or work.
We're not Sunni or Shiite. We're Iraqis, and they're shooting at us with live ammunition and tear gas, shouts this young man, who says he only earns
the equivalent of $8 a day.
Wars, sanctions, and more wars destroyed Iraq's once-modern infrastructure, and rampant corruption and incompetence have prevented the country from
getting back on its feet.
[14:25:07]
Our slogan, says this protestor, is those who are corrupt, get out.
Iraq's problems are uniquely its own. But across the Middle East, grievances are mounting over declining standards of living, corruption and
deteriorating public services. In recent weeks, Egyptians have braved the heavy hand of the security services to revive the battle cry of the 2011
revolution.
The people want the fall of the regime, they chant.
Since coming to power in a coup d'etat in 2013, field marshal turned president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has cracked down on dissent, jailed
opponents, real and imagined, slashed subsidies on food and fuel, and tried to revive the economy, which is one of the fastest-growing in the region,
but the fruits have gone mostly to the elite, especially the generals and their cronies. Even according to official statistics, more Egyptians have
fallen into poverty.
Protests have also broken out in Lebanon, where the economy, battered by the war in neighboring Syria, has ground to a halt. For years, the
government borrowed to keep the country afloat and depended on handouts from wealthy gulf states. But the loans and handouts are drying up.
Lebanon's currency, the lira, once stable, is losing value against the dollar. Nearly a third of the population here already lives below the
poverty line.
The government has announced an economic state of emergency, and passed an austerity budget that threatens to cut back on already woefully inadequate
public services.
We ask all Lebanese people to forget which religion or political party they belong to, and demand the most basic human rights: to live in dignity, to
demand electricity and hospitals, to demand a decent live, says protestor Rula (ph) Hamoud (ph).
In Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon and elsewhere in the region, people are demanding just that, a decent life. In the past, the rulers blamed their many
failures on others: imperialists, Israelis, terrorists, their political opponents. Those excuses are wearing thin, as is the people's patience.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Yes, those excuses are really falling on deaf ears, and have been for a while now. So much frustration.
Let's bring you up to speed on a story developing in France. Authorities are considering terrorism a possible motive in a deadly knife attack in
Paris. A source tells CNN the case has been forwarded to the terrorism prosecutor.
Three officers and an administrator were killed Thursday inside of police headquarters. The attacker was a longtime employee of the police. He was
shot and killed during the incident.
Still to come tonight, all the trains are shut down right now in Hong Kong. What started as a peaceful protest has devolved into flames and violence.
[14:28:28]
And who is hacking Prince Harry? The Duke of Sussex takes legal action against some intercepted voicemail messages.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:58]
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hong Kong authorities are cracking down after a day of mass demonstrations spiraled into violence. A 14-year-
old boy is now in critical condition after being shot by a police officer who was being attacked by a mob.
Protests erupted after the city's chief executive invoked emergency powers. Andrew Stevens is in Hong Kong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): This is becoming an increasingly familiar site here in Hong Kong. An entrance to a
subway in flames, as protesters vent their anger against the government's over the latest issue which is a ban enacted just a few hours ago by the
Hong Kong government on anyone wearing face masks or anything that partially, at least, disguises their facial features when coming to an
assembly like this.
It has sparked anger across this city. This is just one of about 15 parts of the city now where protesters are gathering, most of them are young to
say they are not prepared to give up their mask and they are not prepared to stay away from the protest.
This is Hong Kong's busiest shopping district on a Friday night. And as you can see, now, it is completely closed down from the protests.
What they fear is that if they are arrested under this new law, they will face one year in prison and a $3,000 U.S. fine. This is the third night
now of protests since October the 1st when saw violent outbreaks across this city in retaliation in response to the October 1 ceremony of the -- of
the communist party.
And you can say across that ground, another entrance to the subway. As you can see now, flames leaping out through that entrance.
The anger here is just seems to be getting more and more focused and certainly shows no sign of backing off any time soon.
We saw October the 1st the first time police shooting a protester with live ammunition, which again has been a critical trigger point for the protest
once again gathering momentum here in Hong Kong is likely to go on this weekend.
The usual form of communication on social media is calling on protest to meet right across this city for the next two or three days.
Andrew Stevens, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Thanks, Andrew. And we were discussing earlier, the Hong Kong Chief executive, Carrie Lam's decision to invoke emergency powers
forbidding people or outlawing the active wearing of face masks. She was asked about this decision a short time ago. This is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARRIE LAM, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF HONG KONG: The decision that the chief executive in council has made this morning. As I've said, it's not an easy
decision, OK? Especially when we are invoking a piece of legislation that has not been used for some time. Of course, it is our objective and our
aim, so deescalate a situation and to end the violence.
We are not 100 percent sure that the step, the single step that we have taken today will achieve that objective. If the situation worsens -- I
suppose that's your question -- then as a responsible government, we will continue to have to identify other means that we protect all the situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, Donald Trump has refused to criticize China about those Hong Kong protests. And CNN has learned from two sources, that the American
president promised China that the U.S. would stay silent on Hong Kong because he didn't want to make trade talks between the countries any more
difficult.
The promise came on a phone call in June where Mr. Trump also asked China to look into business ties between Joe Biden's son and Chinese companies.
The spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry shot down any talk of an improper relationship between Hunter Biden and China.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[14:35:08]
GENG SHUANG, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN (through translator): The relevant statement is entirely a case of chasing the wind and clutching at
shadows.
GORANI: The June phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi was treated like Mr. Trump's call with Ukraine. It was moved to a
secure server and it was not stored in the same way as other presidential phone calls. Some people are asking why.
I spoke a short time ago with CNN David Culver in Beijing. He said China has no interest in talking about its connection to Mr. Trump's political
scandals.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- official reaction. That's somewhat expected given we're in the midst of a weeklong national holiday, so
government offices are closed. We certainly put forward the questions and are waiting to hear back.
But we are getting some response and that is through censorship, if you will. Our conversation here likely not to be making air right now here in
Mainland China, and that's been the case as we've been talking about this topic throughout the day. They have been blocking us out.
And it seems to suggest, Hala, that they really want to keep create the separation between any sort of scandals surrounding President Trump and
President Xi. They want to keep that up hard, even as I was reading through some of the digital articles on a mobile device that connects to
internet here in the Mainland. That was cut off as well.
So that seems to suggest that they're trying to create this gap between the two. When we go back to that June 18th call, according to sources,
President Trump mentioned vice president, former vice president, Joe Biden, his political rival in all of this. And at the same time -- and here's
what's crucial, mentioned that he would remain quiet when it comes to the democracy protest in Hong Kong. And that is really interesting of the
timing of all of this. We're putting a greater context, Hala, if you will, we're just about a week away from trade talks continuing.
So you then link President Xi, President Trump, Biden, and Hong Kong, the trade talks, it's all interconnected and that's what we're seeing play out
right now.
And as far as responses are concerned, we haven't heard anything officially, but one Chinese diplomat telling CNN that this is all so
chaotic, they don't want to be in the midst of U.S. politics, domestic is something that they want to stay far away from.
And one trump ally outside the White House told CNN that a Chinese government official came to them and essentially said, is the president
serious? Is President Trump, honestly, asking us to investigate the Bidens? It seems there's confusion there, too. A lot of this going
around, the head of -- again, crucial timing of trade talks. We're expecting that to start late next week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: David Culver in Beijing.
With China joining Ukraine as countries President Trump is asking to investigate his political rivals, it would seem the U.S. president is all
about insuring his own reelection.
But Mr. Trump says, this in fact is not about politics at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't care about politics. But I do care about corruption. And this whole thing is about corruption.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Let's talk more about the president's claim that he's only interested in stopping corruption.
Joining me now is CNN contributor, Larry Noble. He's the former general counsel for the U.S. Federal Election Commission. Thanks for being with
us.
First, for the benefit of our -- for our international viewers, and this is, I think, the question that comes up most often. What Donald Trump
asked of Ukraine and China on the White House lawn yesterday, is that legal or illegal in the United States?
LARRY NOBLE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think it's illegal for several reasons. One of the reasons is that we have a law that prohibits anyone
from soliciting any foreign for anything a value. And if you're asking a foreign government to run an investigation of your political opponent,
that's asking them for something of value and that's a violation of federal law and can be a felony. So that's one way. Then there are other problems
if he's offering them something for doing or if he's going to withhold something. So there are number of issues here.
In terms of what he's doing, at the very least though, I think you have a campaign finance violation, you have an abuse of power. And then you may
have issues involving bribery and other problems.
GORANI: Yes. So what happens if a president, a sitting president of the United States in America does something that could be considered illegal?
What happens then?
NOBLE: Well, that's a good question. Because of a Department of Justice legal counsel opinion that goes back a while, the president of the United
States could not be indicted for a crime while in office.
But that just means it's left up to Congress, and that's the impeachment proceeding. And that's what we see starting, at least, in early stage now
where they are investigating. And if Congress decides if the House of Representatives decide that there are high crimes and misdemeanors, they
can do what's called a bill of impeachment.
It is sent in the Senate for trial and, ultimately, the president could be removed if convicted. It hasn't happened. We've gotten to the Senate
before but you've not had a president removed before.
[14:40:05]
GORANI: And ultimately, this is a political process, right? So it doesn't -- it wouldn't be treated in the same way as a criminal case for a
civilian, an ordinary American not president of the United States.
What Donald Trump has said and he's defended himself on Twitter and on the White House lawn once again today, he said, I'm allowed, basically, to ask
foreign government for help.
"As president, I have an obligation to end corruption," he tweeted. "Even if that means requesting the help of a foreign country or countries. It is
done all the time."
What's your reaction to that tweet?
NOBLE: Well, you know, it's either he's not understanding how the law works or his role as -- of president or it's his just again continuing to
try to obfuscate and confuse people about this.
It is true that our government works with other governments to rule out corruption. It's true that there's an exchange of information between the
Department of Justice and other countries when they're trying to prosecute corruption.
What is not true is that the president of the United States can target his political opponents and ask for an investigations of corruption. And when
he was asked about, whether or not, he's done it for any nonpolitical opponents, he said, we'll have to check on that.
It's a frightening foot that the president can target his political opponents and then ask other nations to investigate them.
GORANI: So if it is a frightening thought and many people in the United States, it has to be said, usually, Democrats, not Republicans, would agree
with you. What can be done to stop it?
NOBLE: Well, I think what's going on now is the initial parts of the investigation by the House of Representatives. New things are coming out
all the time. Every morning, I wake up and read what came out overnight and now, we have new text messages involving Ukraine and -- involving
Ukraine and involving the request visit with the White House and what they were going to -- what the White House wanted in return which was the
investigation of Biden.
I think every day, we're going to see more and more. At some point, the Republicans are going to have to face up what's happening. I think it's
important to realize that with Ukraine, they're not defending really -- or at least most Republicans aren't defending what's going on. They may be
attacking the -- whether or not --
GORANI: They're silent. They're staying silent.
NOBLE: They're silent on this.
GORANI: Yes.
NOBLE: And I think more and more are getting nervous about where this is going.
GORANI: But really, ultimately, isn't it about whether or not they believe that being associated with the president or supporting the president could
be toxic electorally that that's where you will see a tipping point?
NOBLE: Unfortunately, yes. I'd like to believe that there are a number of them, I'd like to believe all of them, would think at some point, the
interest of the United States comes before they're getting reelected.
But the political reality of it is such that, yes, that's going to factor into it for a lot of people. But occasionally, we do see profiles and
courage where members stand up, Republican members would stand up and they would say, this is enough. I cannot -- I could not tolerate this. And
we're seeing some cracks in the Republican wall on this. And so we may see more as more information comes out.
GORANI: Larry Noble, thanks so much for joining us. We really appreciate --
NOBLE: My pleasure.
GORANI: -- your time this evening.
NOBLE: My pleasure.
GORANI: Prince Harry is suing the owners of two -- and it's breaking news. Prime Harry is suing the owners of a -- suing the owners of two British
tabloid newspapers for alleged phone hacking. Buckingham Palace confirms that claims have been filed in court, regarding the illegal interception of
voice mail messages. News of the suspected hack came just a short while ago.
Anna Stewart joins me now with details. What more can you tell us?
ANNA STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Not much yet, Hala. I have to say. Now, the palace didn't confirm which newspapers we're being
referred to here. But we have heard now from the publishers of the Sun and the Mirror, both those publishers have had claims they received those
claims.
We know it's to do the interception of the voicemail messages. The big question, I think, is when? These alleged interceptions of voicemail
messages, are we talking about something recent or are we looking all the way back to 2005, 2006, the whole big phone hacking scandal?
GORANI: OK. Because if it really goes back that far, the timing would be interesting, wouldn't it?
STEWART: It would, but perhaps, it would make sense given in the last few days the Duke and Duchess of Sussex kind of launched their attack on the
tabloid press. You know, the Duchess of Sussex has decided to see the Mail on Sunday for allegedly publishing private letters that she wrote to her
father.
We then had Prime Harry publishing a statement that he wrote himself and wasn't edited (INAUDIBLE) sources, which was a really extraordinary
emotional attack on the press.
It said it was like malicious, fabrications, false propaganda, and so on. So perhaps, this is a continuation of that. But right now, we really don't
know. We're kind of guessing, because we haven't got much information yet.
GORANI: It would be remarkable if these were recent hacks alleged.
STEWART: Well, given what happened, we had journalists going to jail, we had lawsuits, we had the lump sum injury.
GORANI: Yes. Thanks very much, Anna Stewart.
The British prime minister will request a Brexit delay if the U.K. could not reach a deal with the E.U. in the next few weeks, according to a
document read in a Scottish court today.
[14:45:04]
The document appears to say that the government will comply with a law that requires it to ask the E.U. for an extension. All right. So that would be
the news today if it ended there. Except it didn't.
Boris Johnson then tweeted something completely different, in fact, diametrically opposed, "New deal or no deal, but no delay." Followed by
the hashtag, Get Brexit done and leave October 31st. Which is it? We don't know. And that's where we leave the Brexit update this evening.
Still to come tonight. Fresh off winning three Emmy Awards, the brains behind Fleabag is set to host "Saturday Night Live." We'll look at the
rise and rise of Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Comedian, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is still basking in the spotlight after her wins at last month's Emmy Awards, taking home outstanding comedy
series, best writing for a comedy series, and outstanding lead actress for her comedy series "Fleabag."
Waller-Bridge isn't planning on setting down her Emmy's anytime soon. This weekend, you can find her hosting "Saturday Night Live."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Phoebe is so cool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Isn't it strange how she hasn't put her Emmy's down all week?
PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE, ENGLISH ACTRESS: I'm up for anything. I can characters, I can do silly voices. I can -- water, water. Water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh. OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: But the comedian didn't always have an Emmy until ahead of Saturday night. I took a look at Waller-Bridges' journey to this point.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLER-BRIDGE: I feel like I've come in the back door and just like nicked something.
GORANI: She may, in her own words, feel like she's come in the back door, but Phoebe Waller-Bridge looked right at home at last week's Emmy awards.
WALLER-BRIDGE: You're pretending to be friends with your dad is. I'm joking he's just there.
GORANI: There were triumphs in several categories for both "Fleabag" and her other smash hit the 2018 drama, "Killing Eve."
This image at the Emmy's after party even went viral as fans across the world have begun hailing Phoebe as a new pop culture icon. It's a stunning
rise to the top for a comedian who just six years ago was performing "Fleabag" as a one woman show.
Phoebe's beginnings were, shall we say humble as this clear from this 2013 footage promoting her then fledging play. She even needed to raise nearly
$6,000 on Kickstarter to make sure the production could go ahead at the Edinburgh French Festival in Scotland.
Her talent was not immediately apparent to everybody who attended those early shows. One review from the Telegraph newspaper called her character,
distinctly unlikable and said her monologue gross worrisome.
[14:50:06]
Still Waller-Bridge's performance did win a festival award for best new writing that year and "Fleabag" was eventually picked up as a BBC T.V.
series.
WALLER-BRIDGE: I'm just going to ask her. He's going to come.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need to borrow money.
GORANI: The work in writing "Killing Eve" made even more people sit up and paying attention, catching the eye of none other than James Bond himself,
Daniel Craig, who requested her writing talents for the next "007" movie.
If Phoebe's writing process for her now famous "Fleabag" character's anything to go by, the next Bond could include much more complex female
figures than we're used to seeing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was a joke.
WALLER-BRIDGE: Oh, no. I know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. That was like, OK.
GORANI: And if all of that wasn't enough, Amazon has now tied the star to an exclusive deal worth a reported $60 million. With so much critical
success, expectations are high for Waller-Bridge's next project.
From a low-budget theater production to a multi-million dollar Amazon deal, fans believed if anybody can deliver on such pressure, it's Phoebe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: From $6,000 to $60 million in six years. Not bad, Phoebe Waller- Bridge. Frankly, she deserves it. She's a genius.
More to come, including the uncomfortable spotlight foreign leaders are finding themselves in while standing alongside Donald Trump as he lashes
out. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: The world's obsession with fast fashion is having a huge environmental impact. One Japanese company though thinks it has a
solution. Here's Kristie Lu Stout.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Japan, it could be the plastic we use just once or the clothing we wear and get
tired of. Short for Japan Environment Planning, JEPLAN was established in 2007 where they aimed to promote a circular economy in recycling,
particularly with clothes.
MICHIHIKO IWAMOTO, CO-FOUNDER, JAPAN ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING (through translator): I think clothes have a couple of environmental problems. The
first problem is that half of all brand new clothes don't actually sell and is dispose of. Another is that there's a lot of clothing thrown away each
year, and most of it is incinerated. It's wasteful, isn't it? That's why I establish this company to solve these two major issues.
LU STOUT: At its plant in Kitakyushu, Iwamoto's vision has made possible by a chemical recycling process that JEPLAN developed. The company sorts
donated clothes dissolved a polyester in the apparel to a molecular level, purifies it, and then forms it into pellets of polyesters resin, which can
then be used as a raw material to produce new garments.
By partnering with major retail brands across the country, JEPLAN has the goal of recycling 10 percent of the world's unwanted garment.
These t-shirts are made in large part from old clothing. They embodied JEPLAN's vision to prevent or used or unwanted clothes from ending up in
landfills or incinerated.
Instead, with technology JEPLAN's clothes can be given new life.
IWAMOTO (through translator): We'd like to improve the technology to recycle not only clothes but a variety of products. And that's what's most
important. It's not just the technology but finding ways for people to participate. Because as people participate, they start thinking about the
environment. This is how we can create a better society.
[14:55:11]
Kristie Lu Stout, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: A number of world leaders are finding themselves becoming involuntarily -- in voluntary participate in the U.S. political circus.
This week, Finland's president was the latest, sharing an awkward spotlight. Our Jeanie Moos has that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: OK. I think --
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the moment President Trump touched the Finnish president's knee --
TRUMP: Finland is a happy country.
MOOS: Talk about a kneejerk reaction. We knew this world leader was in for a doozy of a visit, a visit overshadowed by impeachment.
TRUMP: Quid pro quo. He's a lowlife, shifty shift, who should resign.
MOOS: President Sauli Niinisto, seemed resigned.
TRUMP: Listen to this one, President.
MOOS: Even amused what a Finnish newspaper later called the "Cirkus Trump."
TRUMP: Look at all the press that you attract. Do you believe this? That's very impressive.
SAULI NIINISTO, PRESIDENT OF FINLAND: I guess, they are not after me.
MOOS: What was the Finnish president thinking? Beam me up, Scotty. Me, trying to get the check. My dad yelling at a waitress.
TRUMP: The enemy of the people.
There are those that think I'm a very stable genius.
MOOS: Imagine President Niinisto's postcard home. Greetings from the White House, home of the stable genius.
Some viewers even took to Twitter to say sorry. "Dear Finland, I apologize on behalf of sane Americans."
Any leader who meets with President Trump these days can expect to be sucked into the impeachment whirlpool. Australian Prime Minister, Scott
Morrison, became a character witness.
TRUMP: I've had conversations with many leaders. They're always appropriate. I think Scott can tell you that. Always appropriate.
MOOS: Finland's president never expected his joint press conference to feel like a scene out of Taxi Driver.
TRUMP: Are you talking to me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You talking to me?
MOOS: And when a reporter talked to President Trump too much --
TRUMP: We have the president of Finland. Ask him a question. Ask this gentleman a question. Don't be rude.
CHURCH: When the reporter did ask the Finnish president a question, President Trump cut in.
NIINISTO: I tell you, I think the question is for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, the question --
MOOS: Imagine being the one translating this encounter.
TRUMP: You know, there's an expression -- he couldn't carry his blank strap. I won't say it, because they'll say it was so terrible to say.
MOOS: How do you say jockstrap in Finnish?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Alasuojus.
MOOS: Now, we're finished.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: That'll do it for me on that note. Thanks for watching. I'm Hala Gorani. If it's your weekend, have a great one. Stay with CNN. "QUEST
MEANS BUSINESS" is coming up next.
[15:00:00]
END
