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Hala Gorani Tonight
Turkish-Backed Syrian Rebels Advancing Close To Syrian Regime Forces; European Ministers Meeting In Luxembourg Ahead Of Brexit; Impeachment Inquiry Continues Behind Closed Doors; Biden Family In Spotlight Ahead Of Democratic Debate; White Former Officer Charged With Murder Of Black Woman; The Problem Of Racism In Football; Saudis Play Historic Match Against Palestinians; LeBron James Weighs In On NBA-China Dispute. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 15, 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 INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, everyone. Live from CNN London, I'm Hala Gorani.
Tonight, U.S. out, Russia in. New pictures today from the rapidly changing situation in northern Syria.
And one CNN stage, 12 Democrats, all fighting for their moment in the spotlight. U.S. Democratic presidential hopefuls are set to debate in a
crucial swing state.
Also, monkey chants and Nazi salutes, unrelenting racist abuse at a Bulgarian stadium. Why aren't football authorities doing more to stop
this?
Filling the vacuum as the U.S. pulls out of northern Syria, Russian forces are moving in. We're seeing the first images of Russian-flagged military
vehicles inside northern Syria.
We can reportedly see inside one of the recently abandoned American bases in another video. As you can see, it's a selfie video, filmed by a Russian
journalist who frequently embeds with pro-regime forces.
He says, in Russian, good morning from Manbij. I'm on an American base where, yesterday morning, they were here.
Couldn't get much clearer than that. Moscow says its military police are patrolling the territory separating Syrian and Turkish forces.
Now, an entire week into Turkey's invasion, the Trump administration is calling for a ceasefire. It's sending Vice President Mike Pence to try to
resolve the crisis. But isn't it too little, too late? Especially after the U.S. was seen a greenlighting the entire Turkish incursion in the first
place.
The fighting has taken a huge toll on civilians, as it often does. The Kurds say it has forced more than 275,000 people in northern Syria from
their homes.
Our Nick Paton Walsh just got back from Syria. He's following developments from across the border in Iraq. CNN's Matthew Chance is following Russian
President Vladimir Putin's visit to Saudi Arabia and the region.
So, Nick, I'll start with you in Erbil. Talk to us about what these regime forces, backed by the Russians, are doing now in northern Syria. What's
the latest on the ground that you can tell us?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you saw there from those videos, we know that the Americans are no longer west of
the Euphrates River, which for the most part, delineated where Syrian Kurdish territory ended and areas under regime control began. Manbij was
an exception to that, which is always contested.
Many, frankly, felt the Syrian Kurds pushed into it to give them negotiating power with the regime at a later date. That's now evaporated
because the regime are clearly in there.
Those videos you saw, hard to complete verify but they appear to be on an American base, which is now deserted by the Americans, and another one, in
fact, released by a different Russian reporter, seems to show the base pretty much as you would expect it to have been when the Americans were
actually there. They would, of course, taken (ph) away their vital equipment.
Quite where that force now is, is unclear. It seems the Americans are bringing themselves back to their key bases to consolidate forces before
they pull out, if they haven't already done that in substantial numbers too.
In terms of regime movements, though, we've heard from an eyewitness on the main highway that runs from west to east, the M4, where we were on Sunday,
where we saw Syrian-backed Turkish -- sorry, Turkish-backed Syrian rebels establish checkpoints, cutting it off.
It appears that they've actually moved down that highway, all the way nearly to a town called Tal Tamr, which is just south of the border town
where there have been lots of clashes. Ras al-Ain, really bringing the Syrian regime right up close, again, to those pro-Turkish forces.
We understand that in the Manbij area, Russian military police, possibly the ones you saw in those still pictures, are acting as kind of like the
monitors between those two forces. We do know that Presidents Erdogan and Putin spoke just before this all began.
So it appears now, as the U.S. hastily withdraws from this area -- frankly, we always knew they were going to leave one day, but never like this -- but
Russia and Turkey seem to be delineating territory amongst themselves. That highway, it seems, providing a border, to some degree, of where
Turkey's area ends and the regime's begins -- Hala.
GORANI: And, Matthew what is -- what kind of presence will Russia maintain in that part of Syria, longer term?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, I can't imagine they're considering, at this point, pulling out. Although
they've always said that if the Syrian government, which they back, of course, requests them to leave, they will. But I think there's very little
chance of that.
I mean, the whole reason they went into Syria in the first place -- what was it, back in 2014 -- was to bolster the defenses of the retreating
military of Bashar al-Assad, their sort of longstanding ally.
[14:05:04]
They did that, they did more than that. They turned the conflict around with the, you know, some might say excessive use of the air power. And,
you know, launched a campaign, then, backing the Syrian army, in which it has retaken vast swathes of territory.
But never as much as the thousand square miles or so that they've basically taken over with their Syrian allies as a result of this deal with the --
with the Syrian Kurds, and as a result of the abandonment of those positions by U.S. forces in northern Syria. So these are huge territorial
gains by the Russian military and their Syrian proxies.
But these are also -- this is also a massive symbolic moment for Russia as well because it is now -- Vladimir Putin is now front and center of these
geopolitical shifting sands in Syria and in the Middle East.
And so, you know, when he came here, to Saudi Arabia yesterday -- he's in the United Arab Emirates today -- it's almost like a victory lap where, you
know, for years, he's been pushing to reassert Russia on the international stage, and he has very much succeeded in doing that.
And he's seen now as a reliable ally, increasingly, by many people in the Middle East. He backed the Syrian government in spite of international
criticism, and he's seen that through. And now, he's there as well, essentially preventing the Turks in their onslaught against the Kurds. And
so, you know, his stock, if you like, has risen massively as a result of these latest geopolitical shifts -- Hala.
GORANI: And, Nick, the latest on these ISIS prisoners. Who's guarding them? I know some have escaped, according to reports. But those who are
still detained, who is securing these facilities?
PATON WALSH: It's very hard to really exactly get a grip on this. Some U.S. officials I speak to say the visibility isn't always a hundred percent
on all of these facilities.
Certainly in Hasakah, where there's a key one, we've heard reports that the Syrian regime are close to the area where the Syrian Kurds used to guard a
large number of those detainees. So perhaps it is the Syrian regime who have now taken custody. There was one European intelligence official who
suggested that was possibly a likely outcome. (inaudible) question whether or not, frankly, Russia and the regime really wanted to get involved in all
of that.
In other areas, too, we've heard reports from a U.S. official of the Turkish government and military deliberately shelling prisons, potentially
to release prisoners or perhaps there was another target there of Syrian Kurdish origin they were aiming at too.
But it's a key concern. U.S. officials said that a lot of the Syrian Kurds now appear to be trying to consolidate prisoners to one particular central
place away from border areas, to perhaps where it's easier to police or control them. They're very thinly stretched as it currently stands, as far
as we understand.
But the broader concern over time is if these facilities change hands or become out of control, that we could see mass breakouts and ISIS re-
establish themselves -- Hala.
GORANI: All right. Nick Paton Walsh in Erbil and Matthew Chance in Riyadh.
Well, as we mentioned, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says he'll travel to Turkey soon to help broker a ceasefire in this military conflict that the
U.S. president himself sparked when he decided to withdraw those troops from Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States of America wants Turkey to stop the invasion, to implement an immediate
ceasefire, and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: There is no sign, so far, that Turkey is willing to suspend its incursion. Arwa Damon joins us live from the Turkey-Syrian border. And in
fact, Arwa, essentially Turkey is saying -- they're very defiant -- they're saying they're vowing to continue with or without world support.
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They are, Hala. And what is also quite interesting is exactly how the U.S. thinks it's going to
be negotiating a ceasefire when it has effectively already given up most of its leverage, at least when it comes to what's happening inside Syria. And
when it doesn't really have much of a relationship with the Russians, and when it has zero relationship with the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and when
it has just thrown the one entity inside Syria it had a solid relationship with, the Kurdish fighting force, to the wolves.
Turkey, yes, is determined to press full ahead. And what we're seeing right now, it would seem, is something of a race over control of key
strategic areas like Manbij and Kobane, as well as a race over the stretches of border that both the Assad regime and the Turks would want to
see under their control.
What experts are saying is the most likely scenario, is that some sort of ceasefire will obviously eventually be brokered. That it's not going to be
brokered by the U.S., but that it is going to be brokered by the Russians. Russia is both the playmaker and the kingmaker when it comes to Syria right
now.
[14:10:15]
GORANI: All right. Arwa Damon, thanks very much, with the very latest from the Turkey-Syria border.
The Trump administration, under fire for abandoning the Kurds, is even facing backlash within the ranks of the military. Some American soldiers
and their leaders say the U.S. betrayed those Kurds, even personnel, special forces inside Syria.
CNN's Ryan Browne is at the Pentagon. And you've spoken with some of those within the ranks of the military, who essentially have told you that they
feel terrible about abandoning their Kurdish allies in northern Syria.
RYAN BROWNE, CNN PENTAGON REPORTER: Well, that's absolutely right, Hala. One senior official on the ground in Syria described himself as feeling
ashamed about the U.S. policy. Now, look, U.S. troops inside Syria had fought side by side with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces for
years, helping to clear ISIS from broad swathes of Syria, fighting over places like Manbij.
They're seeing these same places now either being ceded to Russia and the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, or being attacked by Turkish-backed
proxies that one U.S. official described as consisting of extremists, of bandits, of terrorists. So, again, real concern about the fate of
America's Kurdish allies from within the ranks.
U.S. military personnel, saying, you know, in effect, they feel like they've betrayed their solid partners who had helped protect them, who
helped aid them in this years-long fight. So real bad feelings.
And, again, it's hard because you have senior defense officials saying, look, what choice did we have, were we going to confront Turkey?
But, again, the U.S. personnel on the ground, feeling these feelings of betrayal largely because they had convinced the Kurds to pull back from the
border, to dismantle their defensive fortifications. They'd only lightly armed them with rifles and small arms, nothing compared to the Turkish
military which has, you know, modern tanks and warplanes, many of which, supplied by the U.S.
So these feelings are there. Secretary of the Army, saying, yesterday, while he appreciates the troops expressing these feelings, that they are
going to do what they're ordered to do, they're going to stand up and salute once national policy decisions are made. But those feelings of
betrayal, those feelings of shame, still very much there within those who have been serving in Syria -- Hala.
GORANI: But even strategically, though, Ryan, the U.S. armed, financed, supported this group that successfully contained the physical ISIS
caliphate, anyway. And now, essentially, they're handing over all of that training and that assistance to the Assad regime. I mean, how does that
make any strategic sense?
BROWNE: Well, it's hard-pressed to imagine this making any sense to U.S. policymakers. In fact, we had, just weeks ago, U.S. officials were saying,
look, ISIS is not defeated, there's still elements of the group operating there, that the U.S. still needed to be there to operate with the SDF.
The Assad regime, of course, has been accused of war crimes by the U.S., of other -- using chemical weapons. And so to see these kind of forces link
up -- I mean, to see U.S. bases in Syria being handed over to the regime without firing a shot, has definitely bothered a lot of U.S. policymakers
who have been focused on the Syria situation for some time.
Of course, you know, the president had talked about pulling U.S. troops out for a while now, but no one saw it happening this quickly without some kind
of solution to assist the Syrian Kurds. And so there is definitely feelings of concern that are widespread within the U.S. Defense Department.
GORANI: All right. Yes. Nobody really expected it to happen this quickly. Ryan Browne at the Pentagon, thanks very much. We'll talk more
about Syria a little later in the program.
I want to update you on what's going on with Brexit. A European diplomat tells CNN that the window for an agreement is still narrowly open.
European ministers met in Luxembourg as the clock ticks down toward the October 31st deadline for Britain's exit from the European Union. We're
just days away.
The French secretary of state for European Affairs says he's willing to discuss an extension, but only if, in his words, there is a significant
political change in the United Kingdom. We've heard that before.
The biggest Brexit stumbling block still appears to involve that border between Ireland, which will remain in the European Union, and Northern
Ireland, which is part, of course, of the United Kingdom.
International diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is here to talk about that. And we'll (ph) also -- word (ph) on Turkey in a moment. But Michel
Barnier, who's the E.U. negotiator, said there is time to turn good intentions into legal text. What does that mean?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Look, I think the subtext here -- and we've heard this from a number of European ministers --
is that they want to be positive, that they want to say that this can be done, that they don't want to be the ones walking away from the deal.
[14:15:04]
And the narrative today really has sort of focused on Britain. I think when Barnier speaks about turning these good intentions into legal text, he
is talking about the U.K.
You have heard this narrative from the European side, that everyone's ready to give it, potentially, a little bit more time. But the deadline to
actually have something ready for the European leaders when they meet there on Thursday and Friday, the deadline for that is tonight so Barnier can
take it to ambassadors and others tomorrow.
GORANI: So -- so let me just --
ROBERTSON: So the crunch point would be tonight. Would be. I used the word, "would."
GORANI: That's -- that's my question. That's my question because we've been at it for two and a half years now. One deal after the other. And of
course, each side is going to try to spin it, you know? And try to strengthen their position until the very last second, that's to be
expected.
But, tonight, there really is a very important deadline, right? Get something agreed or this summit will be for nothing in two days.
ROBERTSON: Or -- or get it to a point of belief, that just a little bit more time, like a couple of days, might be enough to do it.
GORANI: But what are we --
ROBERTSON: But there can be no more negotiating --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: -- what are we negotiating at this point?
ROBERTSON: This is, as you say, where it comes down to final positions and final compromises being met (ph). And it's very interesting that in all of
this, the most -- one of the sort of voices we've heard from least has been that of the British prime minister. He met with members of the European
Research Group, which are the sort of the hard-core Brexiteers.
And some of them came out of the meeting today, saying that what they'd heard -- and they didn't meet -- he didn't -- Boris Johnson, the prime
minister, didn't meet with them but others inside Number 10 -- that what they heard was tolerable and they could live with it.
So there's a sense, even from the hardliners, that whatever Boris Johnson gets is the deal. Yet others didn't seem so happy --
GORANI: This is going to --
ROBERTSON: -- and were saying there should be more conversations.
Yes, we're on the brink, we're on the brink. But --
GORANI: Right.
ROBERTSON: -- Boris Johnson still -- if he -- if his negotiators get to a point of semi-conclusion tonight, Boris Johnson will still have to get that
through Parliament on Saturday.
GORANI: Sure. But the sticking point has been and will continue to be the border between Northern --
ROBERTSON: The border -- the customs -- the customs --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: You cannot have a physical border there. Even Brexiteers agree, it's too big a risk to take.
ROBERTSON: So how do you manage that? And what -- and what Britain is saying is that Northern Ireland must be in the United Kingdom's customs
union.
GORANI: Yes.
ROBERTSON: -- and essentially, the European Union's point of view is that then it needs to be within the European customs territory somehow.
Boris Johnson has said his bottom line is that whatever deals Great Britain can forge with the rest of the world in the future, that Northern Ireland
must be part of that. The difficulty for him is, is that the Democratic Unionist Party, whose votes he's going to need next Saturday --
GORANI: Yes.
ROBERTSON: -- will feel cut adrift from the U.K. if there's anything less than -- if they feel that there's --
GORANI: This still sounds --
ROBERTSON: -- implication of a border up the Irish Sea. And I'm going on because the details go on.
GORANI: Exactly.
ROBERTSON: But this Irish Sea border could sink the deal yet, we don't know.
GORANI: The details go on because it's a virtually impossible problem to solve.
ROBERTSON: It's a round peg in a square hole.
GORANI: Exactly right.
Quick question on Turkey. The U.K. has joined Germany and France in banning new arms sales to Turkey. But the defense secretary, Ben Wallace,
raised some eyebrows a few days ago when he essentially said Turkey does face a legitimate, essentially, terrorist threat from the PKK, and
therefore the Kurds on the other side of the border.
And the Germans and the French saw that as sort of like signaling to Trump that they're kind of trying to align themselves with him, and that Brexit
is pushing the U.K.'s top diplomats and defense secretaries to detach themselves a little bit from their E.U. allies.
ROBERTSON: And we saw the foreign secretary today as well, sort of use a similar type of language. Britain's position is now that it's sort of
suspending -- it's reviewing its defense sales and won't grant new licenses, which isn't like a complete block but it's a sort of a halt on
the process of any new contracts going through.
You know, it's a little bit like the position of Britain relative to France and Germany, when it comes to weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. Britain's
future as a weapons -- as a manufacturer and seller of weapons on the international stage, is something that's at stake in their relationship and
their departure from the European Union --
GORANI: Yes.
ROBERTSON: -- because the Europeans are probably going to rationalize (ph) their defense industries, which will make them stronger, more competitive
with the United States, and put Britain at a disadvantage.
But is this a Brexit narrative or just Britain, you know --
GORANI: It's seen as -- what's important is, I think it's seen as Britain, now, divorcing itself, little by little and more and more, from its E.U.
allies and aligning itself more and more, perhaps, with the United States because of the pressures that Brexit is putting on it.
ROBERTSON: And the foreign secretary, in his speech today, was very careful to say how Britain is aligned with NATO and that Britain has
aligned itself with its European partners.
[14:20:00]
When the United States came, asking if European Union should be putting sanctions, as they have, on some senior Turkish figures, the European Union
said no and Britain stuck with that position. So they're still sort of hedging their bets.
But, yes, we're in a very awkward diplomatic period, and Britain does stand out from the rest of Europe in that it will sell weapons where some of the
others won't.
GORANI: Nic Robertson, thanks very much for joining us on that.
A lot more to come this evening. A former top advisor to the American president, Donald Trump, testifies that she raised red flags about a rogue
operation involving Ukraine. A full report on the impeachment inquiry, just ahead. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: As more key U.S. officials testify in the impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump this week, a disturbing picture is emerging of what was
happening behind the scenes as the Trump administration pressured Ukraine for political favors.
Today, career diplomat George Kent is talking to congressional investigators. He was subpoenaed after the White House tried to block his
appearance. Kent -- this is why it's important -- Kent oversees policy for Ukraine, and was a deputy mission chief at the U.S. embassy in Kiev, so
there's some knowledge here that congressional investigators want him to share.
Today, by the way, is the deadline for Rudy Giuliani to hand over subpoenaed documents related to Ukraine. It's also the deadline for Vice
President Mike Pence to do the same although, at this stage, his cooperation is voluntary. We're also learning from other top aides of the
president, that Rudy Giuliani is accused of having conducted a shadow foreign policy in Ukraine on behalf of the president.
Let's bring in congressional correspondent Sunlen Serfaty for more on that. Talk to us about what we learned about Rudy Giuliani's role in Ukraine on
behalf of the president of the United States.
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Hala. You laid out, really, the basics there, so well. But this came out of Fiona Hill's
testimony up here on Capitol Hill yesterday. She, of course, a top diplomat, the president, Trump's top Russia advisor -- former, at this
point.
And from what we're hearing from details of what she told lawmakers behind closed doors, she does lay out this shadow, you know, rogue diplomacy that
was essentially taking place behind the scenes, and pointing a lot of fingers at President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. She talks
about how she saw evidence of wrongdoing with the Ukraine policy, how she was encouraged by her boss to take it to her superiors and to report the
wrongdoing that she heard.
And that -- she talks about -- certainly, many notable portions in her testimony, according to sources -- a conversation with Bolton, the NSC
advisor at the time, how he talks about how the acting White House chief of staff, Mulvaney, as well as Rudy Giuliani and he says, at the time, Gordon
Sunderland were essentially operating outside of the official government channels.
[14:25:11]
And some very significant quotes coming out, saying that Bolton called it whatever drug deal that they're trying to operate. And he -- his
assertation was that Giuliani had a hand grenade, that was what -- how he characterized it. He said Giuliani's going to blow everyone up.
So certainly it's significant there, really underscores what we're hearing form lawmakers, from what they're hearing in these closed-door classified
sessions, how much the involvement of Rudy Giuliani was in operating behind the scenes.
GORANI: Yes. And a word on who we heard from today, George Kent? Who is he and why is it significant?
TEXT: Who is George Kent? Career foreign service officer; Top State Department official for Eurasia including Ukraine; Number two in U.S.
embassy in Ukraine, 2015-2018
SERFATY: That's right. George Kent, again, testifying under subpoena behind closed doors this morning, and not many details yet emerging from
what lawmakers are saying as they're leaving that testimony, is that he is, according to lawmakers, largely backing up what Fiona Hill testified
yesterday, really underscoring this behind-the-scenes effort that was taking place.
He is a career diplomat, he was the deputy assistant secretary, focusing on Ukraine. So someone who really knew what was going on. And certainly,
this highlighting the efforts before that July 25th phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president.
And notably, George Kent was one of the few who tried to shield the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, before she was abruptly
dismissed from her role earlier in the year.
GORANI: Sunlen Serfaty on Capitol Hill, thanks very much.
Now to the parents of a British teenager, searching for justice for their late son. The parents of Harry Dunn will meet with Trump administration
officials at the White House in the coming hours. They raised money for the trip on a GoFundMe page.
Dunn, you might remember, was killed in Britain in August when his motorcycle was struck by a car allegedly driven by the wife of an American
diplomat. Anne Sacoolas returned to the U.S. after the accident, after promising police she would not leave the country. And Dunn's family wants
her extradited back to the U.K.
Still to come tonight, we are hours away from 12 U.S. Democratic presidential candidates facing off. A look at how the impeachment inquiry
could play a role in tonight's debate. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is under pressure. He will be center stage for CNN's Democratic debate in Ohio tonight. His family,
though, is also in the spotlight, fighting back against allegations pushed by the American president and his allies.
[14:30:07]
Joe Biden's son, Hunter, is answering questions for the first time about his former role serving on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
Mr. Trump has ceased onto those foreign business ties to accuse the Biden family of corruption. Hunter Biden tells ABC News those allegations are a
ridiculous conspiracy idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTER BIDEN, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S SON: I think that it was poor judgment on my part, is that I think that was poor judgment
because I don't believe now when I look back on it. I know that there was -- I did nothing wrong at all.
However, was it poor judgment to be in the middle of something that is a -- it's a swamp in many ways?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
BIDEN: And so I take -- I take full responsibility for that. Do I -- did I do anything improper? No, not in any way. Not any way whatsoever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: At this time though, there is -- and this is important to underline, there's no evidence of wrongdoing by either Joe or Hunter Biden
and this has become very much a political issue.
Arlette Saenz joins me now from outside tonight's democratic debate hall in Westerville, Ohio.
So, Arlette, talk to us about what to expect this evening, 12 candidates, they're all on the same stage, what should we be looking out for?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, Hala, as Joe Biden is preparing for this debate, tonight. It's his son, Hunter Biden, who is in
the spotlight talking in depth about his business dealings both in Ukraine and China, which have come under criticism from President Trump.
Hunter Biden, a focal point right now in the impeachment inquiry into the president. And as you heard just a short while ago, Hunter Biden said that
he acknowledges that he may have had poor judgment in deciding to serve on the board of that Ukrainian company. But that he did not do anything
improper. There were no ethical lapses in deciding to sit out on that board.
Hunter Biden also acknowledged that he may not have gotten that position on the board if his last name were not Biden. And take a listen to a little
bit more of what he had to say in that ABC News interview earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: No. In retrospect, look, I think that it was poor judgment on my part. Is that I think that there was poor judgment because I don't believe
now, when I look back on it. I know that it was -- I did nothing wrong, at all. However, was it poor judgment to be in the middle of something that
is a swamp in my ways?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
BIDEN: And so I take -- I take full responsibility for that. Do I -- Did I do anything improper? No. Not in any way, not any way whatsoever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAENZ: Now, this comes at a critical juncture for Joe Biden who has really been ramping up his pressure and criticism of President Trump in recent
days, last week, calling out right for his impeachments. Biden also will be up there on that stage with 11 other democratic presidential contenders.
So far, the Democrats, for the most part, have really defended the former vice president and his son in this matter for this criticisms from
President Trump. It's unclear whether any of his democratic opponents might try to raise questions tonight.
But another element to watch this evening, you know, this is the first debate that's taken place since the impeachment inquiry was lost.
Also, Elizabeth Warren has really been rising, her and Joe Biden, right now, are the frontrunners in the democratic field. So, will more
candidates try to go after Warren? Particularly moderates who are trying to create a contrast.
Also, Bernie Sanders, just a few days ago, he already tried to point out that there are differences between himself and Warren. We're going to see
all of this play out in just a few hours here in Westerville, Ohio. Hala?
GORANI: All right. We'll be watching. Arlette Saenz, thanks very much.
As we mentioned tonight, Joe Biden and the U.S. democratic candidates will face off once again. Twelve of the presidential hopefuls will take center
stage in Ohio for the debate hosted by CNN and `The New York Times."
This is a -- is this a live look? It is, I think. It's a lot -- no. There it is. That's the live look at the event hall. I think that -- I
didn't think that looked too much like an event hall.
Just hours before the debate gets under way. There you have it. Twelve candidates on that stage.
Let's take a look at what we can expect to see from the candidates. Senior political analyst, Ron Brownstein, joins me now live from Washington.
What will you be looking out for tonight, Ron?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I think the biggest question is the one Arlette mentioned is, do the other candidates begin to challenge
Elizabeth Warren more than they have so far? I mean, you can argue looking at the polls overall that she is at least a co-frontrunner, if not, the
absolute frontrunner in the race at this point.
And yet, her proposals really have not gotten a lot of scrutiny. In particular, the idea of a single payer Medicare for all system. How would
you pay for that?
You know, depending on the versions of that idea, the annual costs could be equal to or exceed the total cost of social security and Medicare combined.
And yet, both her and Bernie Sanders have not said it all how they're paying for that. I think that's the biggest thing.
[14:35:05]
The other thing, I think, is whether Joe Biden can improve his performance from the first debates. I mean, I think in each debate, he has eroded what
has been his principle asset. His principle asset in the race has been the belief among Democrats that he has the best chance to beating Trump, but
his performance on the stage, I think, has been somewhere between acceptable and below. It's never been exemplary.
And I think that each of -- that pattern has hurt him. He really needs a better performance tonight.
GORANI: And Elizabeth Warren is really the one to beat tonight. I mean, does this format -- who does this format benefit, 12 people? Because it's
still too many people to really get into the meat of an answer, right? So you're going to get snippets from everybody at this stage, still.
BROWNSTEIN: It benefits the frontrunners for the reason you say. It's hard to have a sustained debate. I think a lot of Democrats are frustrated
of how many candidates are still on the stage, especially when you look at polling that, essentially, you have a top tier of Biden and Warren, both
nationally and in the states, Sanders has, unquestionably, fallen a big step behind those two.
Buttigieg probably is in the next position because of his strength in Iowa, and then Harris. And then after that, everybody is kind of struggling
along almost always below five percent, even below four percent. So like - - you know, Democrats are frustrated that whether they're -- you know, all those people should be on the stage.
On the other hand, Hala, I would say that these -- as crowded as they have been, as frustrating, and kind of cut up is the answer that sometimes had
been, they have had an effect on the race. I think there's no question. They have taken some of the shine off Joe Biden. They held Elizabeth
Warren. And now, she kind of gets her turn in the barrel.
GORANI: So -- and what about the big topics? What will -- I mean, wonder, for instance -- we're on CNN International, very, very interested and so
are our viewers by what's happening. And Syria on that precipitous, withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Does foreign policy -- I mean, in previous debates, just in the last few months, foreign policy really hasn't made it onto the stage as a big topic.
Could it be different this time?
BROWNSTEIN: It has not. I think it could be, yes. I mean, look, I don't think impeachment itself is going to be a big defining issue. I'm
surprised will if any of the other Democrats echo Donald Trump's attacks on Joe Biden's son. I mean, that would be seem to be doing the president's
bidding. You know, the guy has five percent approval rating among Democrats. I don't think that's going to be a big issue.
They have sparred a lot about healthcare. That has been probably the biggest issue. And I wouldn't be surprised if it comes up again, because
Pete Buttigieg, in particular, has been ramping up some of his criticisms of the single payer plans from Elizabeth Warren and Bernie sanders.
But, yes, I do think that there is going to be an opportunity for more discussion of foreign policy. I mean, we're talking about a disaster of
potentially historic magnitude in the last few weeks in terms of U.S. interests in the Mideast. And I think there will be differences among the
candidates.
I mean, you had some like Sanders and Warren who are also extremely skeptical of any U.S. presidents, and this may be an issue where Biden
tries to kind of, you know, move to the center or the right of them be more forceful. So I would be surprised if that do not emerges as well.
GORANI: All right. Ron Brownstein, thanks very much. We'll be watching. Really appreciate you on the program. Be sure to tune in for that CNN New
York Times presidential debate. Twelve candidates taking the stage tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, that's 1:00 a.m. Wednesday here London. And
8:00 a.m. in -- you'll be waking up in Hong Kong to a presidential debate live.
Still to come tonight, the football pitch was the setting this week for historic coming together in a troublesome old nasty trend, pulling people
apart. Racist chants. What are football authorities going to do about this? We'll be right back.
Also, basketball legend, LeBron James weighs in on the NBA-China controversy. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:49]
GORANI: Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan, is in Saudi Arabia, days after his visit to Iran and an attempt to defuse rising tensions in the
gulf. He is, in fact, not in Said Arabia. He was there previously.
CNN's Max Foster sat down with him in Islamabad to talk about regional relations and what the U.S. president asked him to do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So you're working with President Trump on the Iran-Saudi situation. You had even empowered by him
to mediate or facilitate there.
IMRAN KHAN, PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN: Well, President Trump, when I was in New York, did say that we should try and be go between Iran and the
United States. And I did speak to President Rouhani when I was in Iran about the U.S. offer.
And that's an involvement situation. So let's see if it gets anywhere.
FOSTER: Are you able to say to President Rouhani that there may be a goodwill gesture at some point coming to the United States to help with
that bilateral relationship?
KHAN: But the U.S. is a little more complicated. So I wouldn't go into too much into details about it and to some response from both sides.
FOSTER: Are you positive?
KHAN: I think so. I think there's a realization. I think President Trump, you know, say whatever people will say about him and criticize him.
But at least, he -- what I like about him is he does not believe in wars.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: That was Imran Khan in Islamabad speaking to Max Foster.
An update now on a story we brought you yesterday. Police in Texas say the white officer who shot and killed a black woman in her own home, is now
facing murder charges.
Authorities say Aaron Dean did not identify himself as police before firing his gun through a window and tragically killing 28-year-old Atatiana
Jefferson as she played video games with her nephew.
Omar Jimenez has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Less than three days after Atatiana Jefferson was killed in the bedroom of her own home,
the officer who police say fired the shot --
ED KRAUS, INTERIM POLICE CHIEF, FORT WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT: Aaron Dean, I.D. 4598, was the officer who responded to the call and fired the shot
that killed Atatiana.
JIMENEZ: Aaron Dean, now charged with murder.
But for the family of Jefferson, justice is still a long way off. The family's lawyer, civil rights attorney, Lee Merritt, tweeting, "The family
of Atatiana Jefferson is relieved that Aaron Dean has been arrested and charged with murder. We need to see this through to a vigorous prosecution
and appropriate sentencing."
ADARIUS CARR, BROTHER OF ATATIANA JEFFERSON: I'm watching the video. I don't understand -- there's no way to go in thinking that you have to shoot
someone every time you're on the call.
JIMENEZ: The call was for what was supposed to be a simple welfare check. A neighbor was concerned about open doors, so he called the non-emergency
line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the front doors have been open since 10:00 and I haven't seen anybody moving around. It's not normal for them to have both
of the doors open this time of night.
JIMENEZ: Police released edited body camera footage showing the responding officers moving through Jefferson's property in the dark with a flashlight.
No announcement that officers were outside the window.
Then, Dean quickly approaches a window with his gun drawn, yelling, and within seconds firing a single fatal shot.
AARON DEAN, FORT WORTH POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER: Put your hands up. Show me your hands.
(GUNSHOT)
JIMENEZ: Atatiana Jefferson was killed as her 8-year-old nephew in the room watched.
AMBER CARR, SISTER OF ATATIANA JEFFERSON: The first thing he told me was he was sad. And I asked him why was he sad, and he told me because the
police had killed his -- had shot his aunt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody looked at that video and said there's any doubt that this officer acted inappropriately.
JIMENEZ: Now, Dean is charged with murdering Atatiana Jefferson, killed less than 10 minutes after that initial call for a welfare check in the
bedroom of her own home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Omar Jimenez reporting.
After the break, racist chants at the England-Bulgaria football match. Now, European football's governing bodies has both teams will face charges.
[14:45:59]
And in the Middle East, football as diplomacy? We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: European football's governing body has opened a disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria. It comes after Monday's match and Sofia, it
was stopped twice due to racial abuse directed at players. It was some shocking stuff. I'm talking monkey chants, Hitler salutes. Don Riddell
has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR (voice-over): It was a disgraceful evening for the beautiful game. Racist chants and what looked
like Nazi salutes by some Bulgarian supporters directed at England players.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is certainly not a surprise.
RIDDELL: A shameful sight stealing the spotlight throughout most of the game and consequences well beyond the pitch.
The head of the Bulgarian Football Union, Borislav Mikhailov, announced his resignation less than 24 hours later after the country's prime minister
called on him to step down.
Boyko Borissov condemned the racist chants, but also said they didn't represent his country as a whole.
BOYKO BORISSOV, PRIME MINISTER OF BULGARIA (through translator): We don't comment on the delirium of the English hooligans throughout Sofia and don't
give the notion that that is the face of the English nation. Bulgaria is the most tolerant country.
RIDDELL: His counterparts have deviled racism on display in Sofia had no place in football and threw his support behind the England team.
British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, also demanded strong and swift action from European football's governing body, UEFA.
On Tuesday, UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Bulgaria football union charging them with racist behavior.
Earlier on the day, UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, blamed Monday's event on the rise of nationalist sentiment across Europe.
Defending UEFA's anti-racism protocols, claiming they're among the toughest in sports. But UEFA's critics say it needs to go even further.
PAUL MORTIMER, FORMER SOCCER PLAYER AND ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGNER: What they have to do now is suspend nations from competitions. It's as simple as
that. That's what has to happen now. I'm talking about all European competitions until their behavior is of the right standard to be -- to be
able to be accepted internationally.
Bulgaria failed to meet that standard on Monday with racist chant audible, even before the game had started.
TYRONE MINGS, CENTRE BACK, ENGLAND NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM: I mean, I heard it before I even got to outside the pitch and the warmup.
RIDDELL: England defender, Tyrone Mings was one of those targeted and he immediately alerted the referee.
The game was stopped twice and fans warned before a group of Bulgarian supporters thought to be at the center of the abuse was seen leaving the
stadium.
At halftime, while Bulgaria's captain pleaded with his crowd, England players were given the possibility of walking away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a discussion in the change room and everyone might to carry on players.
HARRY KANE, CAPTAIN AND STRIKER, ENGLAND NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM: And we thought it was important that we'd heard it that the protocols have been
followed. And if it happens again, we would move then, perhaps, move on to the next step and come off the pitch.
RIDDELL: But they never did. Even as the chants continued in the second half of the game. And many say they should not have been put in that
position.
Don Riddell, CNN.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here is Harry Kane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, speaking of football and politics. There was some history made during a football match today. For the first time ever, Saudi Arabia
played the Palestinian side in the West Bank. It was a World Cup qualifying match, and it ended fittingly in a diplomatic draw. But there
was -- I mean, there was some significance to it for that reason.
[14:50:20]
Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem with more.
Talk to us about how this all unfolded today, Oren.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Hala, of course, there was ostensibly a football match here. Saudi Arabia versus Palestine in World
Cup qualifying. They're in the same groups. Saudi Arabia sits on top of that group.
But there was much more than that here as well. This was just as much about politics. The first ever official Saudi visit to the area that is
Israel or the Palestinian territories, meaning they crossed through an Israeli border checkpoint, they entered Jerusalem, they visited the Al-Aqsa
Mosque, and that is why this game was so much more than just a sport.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Sports are supposed to be above politics. But on this pitch, the football is almost a sideshow.
It's Saudi Arabia versus Palestine, playing in Israeli-occupied territory, the first ever official Saudi visit here.
Marking the historic visit, the Saudi team met Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah Sunday.
YASSER AL-MISHAL, PRESIDENT, SAUDI SOCCER FEDERATION: Since we were children, we have known and loved Palestine. We have wished and dreamt
about visiting Palestine. Thank God. I consider myself very lucky to be the first president of the Saudi Federation and possibly the first Saudi
official to reach the Palestinian territories.
LIEBERMANN: Saudi officials visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the holiest site in Islam outside of Saudi Arabia.
JIBRIL RAJOUB, PALESTINIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION: Saudi Arabia was always committed to our justice cause, supported us everywhere, in everything all
the time.
LIEBERMANN: The Faisal Husseini Stadium sits here on the edge of Jerusalem. The stadium entrance faces the separation barrier, a daily
reality for Palestinians living here.
LIEBERMANN (on-camera): In a match of two teams here, there are three sides who claim to measure a victory. The Saudis, who see this as playing
for the first time ever in Palestine. The Palestinians, who see this as the Saudis standing with their cause, and even the Israelis, who see this
as a measure of growing ties with the Arab states.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Arab teams have played here before. Iraq played a friendly here last year, and the United Arab Emirates played a match here
in 2015. But that same year, the Saudis refused to play here, saying it would be normalizing ties with Israel. When asked why come here now, the
coach of the Saudi team shifted the conversation back to football.
HERVE RENARD, MANAGER, SAUDI ARABIA NATIONAL TEAM: If we can have one world with peace everywhere, it would be perfect. Of course, it's not the
case, but we are not a politician. We are football players and coaches.
LIEBERMANN: It might be easy to read too much into this match, but like Israel's Judo team competing in Abu Dhabi for the first time one year ago,
this symbolism matters.
Right now, sports is out in front of politics. The question is whether the politics cares to follow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: It would seem this would be an obvious opportunity for Israeli leaders to brag about growing ties with the Arab States, but the prime
minister and foreign minister were very quiet here. Well, why? Perhaps if they were to put a statement boasting about those growing ties, the Saudis
would have to put out their own statement and that would be very pro- Palestinian. Hala?
GORANI: All right. Oren Liebermann, thank you.
Basketball superstar, LeBron James, is breaking his silence surrounding that NBA/China dispute. The controversy began when the Houston Rockets'
general manager tweeted in support of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and that angered Beijing.
James now is siding -- well, not with that manager. He said the manager was, quote, misinformed. David Culver has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: For the first time, NBA superstar, LeBron James is addressing the pro-Hong Kong democracy tweet
sent out by Houston Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey. The now deleted tweet, sparked an international corporate crisis and caused a massive rift
between the NBA and China.
Making it deeply uncomfortable for James, his Lakers teammates and the Brooklyn Nets. You see the controversy played out during their scheduled
exhibition games in China, and essentially forced them to stay quiet while in China and had to cancel fan events, fearing that another word spoken
could cost an irreparable break between the NBA and China.
Now, back in the U.S., here is what James told reporters Monday night referring to Morey's tweet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEBRON JAMES, FORWARD, LOS ANGELES LAKERS: When you're misinformed or you're not educated about something, and I'm just talking about, you know,
the tweet itself. You know, you never know the ramifications that can happen.
[14:55:01]
And, you know, we all seen what that did, not only did for our league, but for all of us in America, for people in China as well. And sometimes you
have to think through things that you say.
CULVER: James then took to Twitter to clarify his remarks. Saying, he does not believe there was any consideration for the consequences and
ramifications of the tweet, adding, "Nobody stopped and considered what would happen."
In the recent years, James has taken public stances on causes and issues like Black Lives Matter and police shootings on black man. He's even
called out Donald Trump, tweeting that the president has made hate fashionable.
Some on Twitter now slamming James, alleging that he's selling out to communist China.
Take a look at this. I passed by this Nike store in (INAUDIBLE) today. Look at the main display. It's all about number 23. And while many on
Twitter are criticizing James, behind China's great firewall, no access to Twitter. But on Chinese social media, we found a lot of praise for James.
One person calling him, so reasonable and objective. And other, appreciating that he spoke out under the anti-China pressure.
David Culver, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: All right. Well, thanks for watching tonight. I'm Hala Gorani, we'll have a lot more on the other side of this break. Richard Quest is in
London. He'll have all the latest business news for you. I'll see you same time, same place tomorrow. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
