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Former President Jimmy Carter Dead at 100; Officials Say, Mayday, Bird Strike Reported By Pilot of South Korea Plane Crash; Experts Warn U.S. isn't Reacting Fast Enough to Bird Flu Threat. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired December 30, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The world is mourning and honoring former President Jimmy Carter who has died at 100 years old. He served just one term in the White House but redefined what the post-presidency life could be. We're looking at his legacy and his impact around the globe.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, new details in the investigation into the deadliest aviation disaster for South Korea in nearly 30 years, What we've now learned happened moments before a jet crash landed and the pilot's final words to the control tower.

As of today, millions of people heading home from holiday trips. But winter storms and staffing shortages, well, that could cause some delays.

I'm Rahel Solomon here with Omar Jimenez. Sara, John, and Kate are out today. This is CNN News Central.

JIMENEZ: This morning, remembering the life and legacy of the longest living U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, as the nation now prepares to honor him with a state funeral.

Now, overnight, President Biden declaring January 9th as a National Day of Mourning. As of this hour, flags at the White House and across the state of Georgia are flying at half staff in honor of the peanut farmer who became a president and lived a life of great service and great love.

Carter died peacefully at the age of 100 yesterday afternoon surrounded by his family at his home in Plains, Georgia, as mourners left tributes outside the Carter Center in Atlanta. World leaders and all five living U.S. presidents paid their respects to the man who once said, I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can.

CNN's Ryan Young is live in Plains, Georgia, this morning. Good morning, Ryan. Where's the sense in Jimmy Carter's hometown there? RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this morning, Yes, Omar, you get a sense of love and appreciation for a man who fought so hard for so many. You've got to think about the state of Georgia. It's really tied to agriculture. So, to have a peanut farmer become the president of the United States still stands, it's something that a lot of people have a lot of pride in.

And, of course, as we moved our way through the state last night just to be here for this live shot. A lot of the way people were talking about him out loud and talking about the things they remember. We talk about Habitat for Humanity, for instance, and all the people who have been served by that.

Even in Atlanta, you saw people coming out to the Carter Center to show their respect for a man who grew larger than his town. When you come into this Plains, Georgia, you realized how just small this community is. And so many people have been touched by his life. Listen to the mayor talk about the love that he had for a man who stood as a giant in this country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. MAYOR BOZE GODWIN (R-PLAINS, GA): I've known him since I was a child, he was not only my friend, though, he's a friend to everybody in town. And we've lost not just a president, but a friend, and a person that never forgot the people here, regardless of what position he held. And also he's going to be buried here, and it's very close. That's a deliberate move to keep people coming back to visit on his part. Even in death, he didn't forgot the town.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Now, Omar, there are so many questions about what happens next. We know people have been planning to see what would happen. And so far, the family has not released what the next steps are. We know there's going to be a long mourning period. There'll be remembrances in Atlanta and D.C.

But right now, I think there's just a general shock. I mean, look, obviously, he was 100 years old. He's the longest living president, but there's this idea that he just survived over and over again. We know he's been in hospice care for quite some time. But this is a community in a state in an area that just loves Jimmy Carter. So, it'll be interesting to see as first light comes up in this small town, how people start to remember the former president.

JIMENEZ: Yes, we've been talking about how he's being remembered on the global stage. But, of course, as you point out there in Georgia, you can't go far without seeing his influence, all of it stemming from right there in Plains, his hometown. Ryan Young, I really appreciate it.

Also this morning, President Biden is honoring Jimmy Carter as a remarkable leader and a dear friend.

CNN's Julia Benbrook joins us now from St. Croix, where the president is vacationing. And, Julia, what is Biden saying about his longtime friend?

[07:05:00]

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Joe Biden delivered very personal remarks about former President Jimmy Carter last night here in St. Croix. He's calling him an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian, as well as a dear friend.

Now, these two have a long standing relationship, one that spans about 50 years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: America and the world, in my view, lost a remarkable leader. He was a statesman and humanitarian. And Jill and I lost a dear friend. I've been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years, it dawned on me.

Jimmy Carter stands as a model of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, life of principle, faith, and humility. His life is dedicated to others.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: Biden was one of the first U.S. senators to endorse Carter back in his 1976 presidential bid. In fact, Biden says one of his fondest memories with Carter was when Carter grabbed him by the arm and said, I want you to help me with my campaign.

Now, Carter was not able to attend Biden's inauguration four years ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the two of them spoke on the phone, and Biden thanked Carter for his lifetime of public service during that speech.

In 2021 on Biden's 100th day in office, the current president and first lady traveled to Georgia and met with the Carters there. Now, he said that he has spoken -- Biden said that he's spoken with members of Carter's family and wants to ensure that he has remembered appropriately.

JIMENEZ: And, Julia, we're also learning that former President Carter's Secret Service detail has been privately reflecting and sharing stories about their time protecting the Carter family. Obviously, you know, it's a very personal relationship on top of the professional that they do so well. I mean, how are they preparing for the days ahead?

BENBROOK: And this is one of the longest serving protective details in the history of the Secret Service. And, of course, this group has witnessed some intimate moments throughout the years protecting Carter. A law enforcement official has told our team that they're sharing stories and really reflecting.

They also said that they've been planning for this day for a while now. We know that they knew that at some point this would be coming, but still described this as a gut punch, going on to say, dozens and dozens of Secret Service agents had the honor of a lifetime to serve the Carters were coming to grips with the fact the era is now ending.

Now, the official notice that their work is not finished yet as they work to prepare for memorial services, and then, of course, getting Carter back to his final resting place in Georgia.

JIMENEZ: Julia Benbrook, I really appreciate the reporting. Rahel?

SOLOMON: All right. And with us now with someone who knew President Carter very well, his personal friend and former lawyer, Terry Adamson. Terry, welcome. Good morning.

A lot has been said about President Carter as -- good morning -- as a president and as a humanitarian, but you knew him as a friend. What was he like?

TERRY ADAMSON, PERSONAL FRIEND AND FORMER LAWYER FOR PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: Well, I've known him 62 years. And, of course, like many friendships it formed over time. It started out as an acquaintance and it had many other forms. I had the privilege of serving in his administration at the Justice Department, and then I had the privilege of being retained for a particular matter by him and Rosie just after he left the White House, and he continued on to serve as an attorney for the family, and then which became a friend, a real friend, and a counselor for the rest of his life. So, you know, I feel I've been a blessed person.

You just mentioned Rosie there. We, of course, know her as the former first lady, Rosalynn. What more can you share with us about their love story, an incredible 77-year marriage?

ADAMSON: Well, it was. It was incredible. It was -- they were together on everything in his public life. I first met her when I was a newspaper reporter for the Atlanta Constitution covering his 1970 gubernatorial campaign, and I knew immediately that she occupied a very special place in his life. I didn't know exactly what it -- how much it occupied until much later.

But, clearly, they were an incredible duo. And whatever he accomplished, she accomplished and whatever he accomplished, she accomplished, but I was also gratified that at her funeral last year, which we all, of course, mourned and celebrated her life, she got her own view as an individual, not just as a spouse, but as an individual who held beliefs and followed through them and was deeply committed to causes not only his but her own.

[07:10:08]

And speaking of deeply committed, I mean, having had such a rich life himself, Jimmy Carter, Terry, how do you think he would want to be remembered? Is that something that he ever shared with you?

ADAMSON: He was asked that many times. I heard him answer the question. And he wanted to be remembered as a peacemaker, largely, and dedicated to human rights. You know, but the fact of the matter is we have a whole lifetime of observance. When he was president, he was relatively new on the political scene, and perhaps people didn't know him as well as they came to know him after he was president.

And in those many years after he was president, he tried to live up to the standards and values in which he articulated as precedent, and I think people got to know him better. And as a result and result of history itself came to appreciate more of the qualities he brought to the presidency itself by the life he and Rosalynn lived thereafter.

SOLOMON: Yes. And then talk to us a little bit more in terms of his values. I mean, a lot has been said about how important his faith was to him. But what I thought was really interesting is that as devout as he was in his religion, he was also a staunch supporter of the separation of church and states and religious freedom.

ADAMSON: Indeed he was, and he thought that was the essence of America and our democracy is the separation of church and state. But religion guided almost everything he did. He was deeply devout. He was deeply religious. And a lot of his values that we came to know in terms of the secular world arose from religion, human rights, the right to medical care, the right of women to be equal, the right of races to be equal.

What he was able to accomplish in a lifetime of living that example is relatively incredible among our former presidents.

SOLOMON: Yes. He was a supporter of civil rights before it was necessarily politically advantageous for him to do so, at least early in his political career.

Terry Adamson, we appreciate your time today.

ADAMSON: Thank you.

SOLOMON: All right. And coming up for us, CNN is live at the scene of that deadly plane crash in South Korea with new details on why the pilot issued a mayday call moments before this disaster.

And another celebrity athlete targeted in a high-profile burglary, 30,000 worth of jewelry stolen from the home of this NBA star.

And a 1980s soda with a major kick is making a comeback with even more caffeine.

We'll be right back.

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[07:16:52]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. This morning, families are mourning their loved ones as new information comes to light about the deadliest air accidents in South Korea in decades. Officials have confirmed now that the pilot of the inbound flight from Bangkok made a mayday call due to a bird strike before attempting an emergency landing.

Now, two people survived the accident but 179 did not. The two people who survived are crew members who were in the tail section of the plane. The NTSB now leading a team of U.S. investigators to assist South Korean authorities. South Korea's acting president has declared seven days of national mourning as the early phases of investigating begin.

Let's go to CNN's Mike Valerio, who is live at the crash site in Muan, South Korea. Mike, bring us up to speed. What's the latest there?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rahel, we're getting a better sense of just how expansive this debris field is, and we're able to get so close to the epicenter of this disaster zone.

So, we're going to zoom in and you can see a few yards behind us, that is the nexus point. The tail of the aircraft, the 737-800, that careened through the embankment and was engulfed in flames 15 yards tall. And right underneath that tail, Rahel, that is where the two survivors were found, pulled out of the wreckage, and they're now in two Seoul hospitals about three and a half hours north of here.

To the left, you can see the yellow crane that's just beyond those contractor lights that is helping to move pieces of the wreckage. And then let's see if we can tilt slightly lower, just beyond that yellow caution tape. You can see pieces of the aircraft that were jettisoned beyond the cinder block wall that forms the perimeter of the airport.

And, Rahel, I will tell you, you know, it was striking. Let's see if we can pan a little further to my right. Just getting a sense of how far pieces of debris were hurled down. It's difficult to see at night, but beyond that barbed wire, Rahel, we were looking at tray tables, yellow flotation devices that were inflated, pieces of seats that were mangled, so getting a better sense of these mangled pieces of the wreckage will certainly be key for investigators that are coming here from the United States, the NTSB.

They're due to begin their work to usher in the next phase of the investigation. Because why this matters well beyond the borders of South Korea is to see whether or not what happened, the landing gear not coming down after perhaps a bird strike. Investigators are going to try to see if that is a problem that was pilot error, specific to this aircraft or perhaps a problem that the wider fleet needs to worry about of these Boeing 737-800s.

And right now, all of those answers are unclear. We're uncertain what, if anything, a potential bird strike would have to do with the landing gear of this plane not going down. But just so arresting and breathtaking to see this up close, it's going to be months before this is all cleared, Rahel.

[07:20:00]

SOLOMON: Yes. I mean, when you describe the wreckage there and the fact that the only thing that appears intact is the tail, it really is incredible.

Mike Valerio live from the scene there in Muan, South Korea, Mike, thank you. Omar? JIMENEZ: And this morning, we're learning about new details about another landing incident in Canada over the weekend, thankfully one with no injuries. An Air Canada Express flight, quote, experienced a suspected landing gear issue upon arrival in Nova Scotia from St. John's, Newfoundland.

Now, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says the plane skidded down the runway for a decent distance, as it was described, and passengers saw flames on the aircraft's left side.

Now, the cause of the landing gear failure still unknown right now, but an investigation is underway to determine that cause.

All right, health experts are issuing a warning over how the U.S. is tackling an outbreak of bird flu among cattle and wild birds, but why they're increasingly worried about human transmission. That's next.

And the holiday rush continues. How severe weather could impact your travel plans for the New Year. We'll break it down, coming up.

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JIMENEZ: Welcome back. This morning, health experts are concerned that the U.S. isn't acting fast enough to contain the bird flu outbreak in wild birds, poultry, and dairy cattle.

[07:25:05]

The CDC says samples from a patient hospitalized with bird flu show a, quote, concerning mutation that potentially could make the virus more transmissible among humans.

CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us now. So, Jacqueline, I mean, bottom line, what is the risk to the public right now?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Omar, even though there are concerns, bottom line, the risk to the general public is still low. That's partly because we have not seen human-to-human transmission yet. There have been 66 confirmed human cases, but those cases have been tied to exposures to infected animals. About 40 of those cases have been tied to exposures to infected dairy cattle. About 23 have been tied to poultry farms. There's one case that has been tied to another type of animal, and there are two cases where the exposure is still unknown.

But overall, the reason why there are concerns is if we continue to see more cases, if we continue to see certain mutations happen or a process called re-assortment, where someone may be infected with bird flu and infected with the seasonal flu at the same time, we could see this risk of human-to-human spread developing. And that's why health experts say we really need to keep a close eye on this.

JIMENEZ: Okay, so no human-to-human transmission at this point, but I guess what our health experts saying should be done at this point?

HOWARD: Experts say we need to do more testing. They're really calling for more widespread testing, especially among farm workers who do have frequent exposures to animals. But, Omar, the CDC has pushed back on that. In a statement, the agency said that despite asymptomatic infections being rare, CDC changed its recommendations back in November to widen the testing that, to include testing asymptomatic people with high risk exposures. And the CDC also said it has partnerships with commercial labs and bird flu tests are available at doctor's offices.

But, again, Omar, health experts say these steps that have been taken are good, but we need even more steps to really monitor this because there is this overall worry about the possible risk of seeing human- to-human spread develop.

JIMENEZ: Definitely something to keep an eye on. Jacqueline Howard, I really appreciate it. Rahel?

SOLOMON: All right, Omar. One of the final busiest travel days of the year, how weather could snarl those plans.

And still ahead, new details on the plans for honoring former President Jimmy Carter on his death at the age of 100. Among those remembering him, ordinary Americans who had the privilege of hosting him when he was president. In 1977, after he took office, Carter continued to practice he adopted on the campaign trail, staying in the homes of Americans when he was on the road. On a West Coast trip, the carter administration handpicked Portland Oregon couple Janet and Paul Olson and they say they remember the night clearly. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANET OLSON, HOSTED PRESIDENT CARTER IN 1977: Would you be open to having the president spend the night at your house? And, you know, so it was an unusual request.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was stunning. A motorcade pulls up in front.

OLSON: President Carter took his tie and his shoes off and he just relaxed and, you know, just like having sort of an old friend come in and visit. I kept thinking, oh my gosh, the president of the United States is sleeping in the room next door.

I really enjoyed staying in your home.

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