Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration Plan to Put Thousands of USAID Workers on Indefinite Leave; Possible Negative Effects of Trump Administration's Reduction of USAID Staff Examined; Plane that Disappeared in Alaska with Ten People Found with No Survivors; Severe Winter Weather Affecting Parts of U.S. Midwest and Northeast; New York Governor Temporarily Shuts Down Live Bird Markets as Proactive Measure against Bird Flu; Former California State Assemblyman Interviewed on Recovery Efforts in Southern California after Devastating Wildfires; President Trump Expected to Attend Super Bowl in New Orleans; Hamas Releases Three Hostages to Israel; Actor Debra Messing Produces Documentary on Anti-Israel Sentiment after Hamas Attacks; Documentary Examines Career of NBA Star Kobe Bryant. Aired 2-3p ET.

Aired February 08, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:01:49]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

And we're following new developments on the fate of USAID. The major humanitarian relief agency on President Trump's chopping block. A federal judge has temporarily blocked a plan by the Trump administration to put thousands of USAID workers on indefinite leave or firing them. Hours before the ruling, crews were seen removing signage from the agency's headquarters in the nation's capital. The president's executive order would have left the agency with fewer than 300 employees. The judge's ruling preventing more than 2,200 people from being placed on administrative leave. He also ordered the government to reinstate 500 -- the judge, rather, ordered the government to reinstate 500 workers who have already been placed on leave. It's an agency Trump's daughter Ivanka once championed when she served as a White House adviser.

CNN's Betsy Klein is joining us right now. Betsy, help us understand what this court order for now means.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: That's exactly right, Fredricka. And President Trump and his team have taken steps to actively dismantle USAID and reimagine U.S. humanitarian aid around the globe. Now, to put this in some perspective, USAID's annual budget was about $40 billion this year out of about $6.75 trillion overall for the federal government. So a very small portion of U.S. federal spending abroad.

But President Trump on day one had an executive order ready. He issued that on reimagining and reevaluating U.S. foreign aid. After that, we started to see stop orders on these USAID projects. And then workers, of course, as you mentioned, physically dismantling the USAID signage.

But all of this after acting leadership announced all direct hires would be placed on leave just before midnight on Friday. That would bring this 10,000-person workforce down to just about 300 people, so significantly dismantling their efforts. And all of that halted when a federal judge in Washington, and we should mention it was a conservative judge, issued a temporary block that says more than 2,000 USAID officials will not be placed on administrative leave.

Now, of course, this was welcome news for USAID employees, but the future of the agency is really quite uncertain right now. And Trump has actively criticized this agency he once championed as a part of his daughter Ivanka's portfolio on women's economic empowerment. But now, in recent days, he has criticized the agency as being run by radical lunatics.

So a lot of questions about the future of a lot of these programs, which are major tools for soft power abroad, really promoting U.S. values. And a big question, and concern from a lot of people we've spoken to about who will fill that vacuum in the absence of U.S. leadership.

WHITFIELD: And Betsy, Trump also announcing an aggressive plan to gut the existing board of trustees at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

[14:05:5]

And he himself would take over as chairman?

KLEIN: That's right. I mean, last night, we have seen President Trump use his executive authority and really expand, reimagine how he uses that. But last night, announcing that he would be gutting the existing board of trustees of the Kennedy Center and replacing its chairman, which is currently David Rubenstein, that billionaire philanthropist who was a close aide of then President Biden, and installing himself as the head of the board.

Now, this is a board of trustees with a long bipartisan tradition. Presidents appoint them. They serve long terms, and they work together to select the Kennedy Center honorees each year. But clearly a move aimed at political retribution. We have reached out to a number of the trustees who were appointed by Democratic presidents. Reached for comment last night, one told me that they had not received any further communication from the Trump administration. But the Kennedy Center says this is within Trump's authority. They say there is nothing in the Center's statute that would prevent a new administration from replacing board members. Of course, an unprecedented move by President Trump, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Betsy Klein, thank you so much.

So from fighting disease to feeding the hungry, USAID is credited with saving the lives of millions of people around the world. Humanitarian groups say without the agency, deaths will be inevitable. CNN's Brian Todd reports on the growing fears. (BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

TODD (voice over): At this hospital in Thailand Refugees from war- torn Myanmar say services at their refugee camp came to a sudden stop after the U.S. froze aid to the region.

MAUNG LAY, INJURED REFUGEE FROM MYANMAR (through translator): We don't have money to buy medicines. We will all die if we have no medicine at the camp.

TODD: Part of the fallout worldwide of President Trump's decision to gut the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, the agency that provides food and other humanitarian assistance to millions around the world. The president citing alleged waste and fraud unearthed by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

SAMANTHA POWER, FORMER USAID ADMINISTRATOR: Sixty percent of the budget goes to humanitarian emergencies, literally to provide shelter, food, and medicine to keep people alive.

TODD: In 2023, USAID says it provided nearly $2 billion in food assistance to more than 45 million people around the world. But now, food services in famine stricken places like Sudan are already shutting down. Programs to provide safe drinking water for billions of people in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and India, are under threat. And the impact on treatments for disease could be catastrophic.

ANDREW NATSIOS, FORMER HEAD OF USAID UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH: There are health clinics around the world that are treating people for HIV/AIDS, for measles. For children who get measles, 50 percent of them die in the developing world. We had a campaign to eradicate polio. That's been stopped.

TODD: And USAID's ability to detect and treat diseases doesn't just help people in faraway lands.

DR. ATUL GAWANDE, FORMER USAID ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR GLOBAL HEALTH: We're responding to diseases that threaten populations and can come to the United States. A case example is right now in Uganda is a very serious Ebola outbreak in the capital city.

TODD: And another malaria uptick in the U.S., like the one in Florida in recent years, is possible if agencies like USAID can't detect it overseas first. USAID also works with security agencies to safeguard Americans.

STEVE SCHMIDA, FORMER USAID CONTRACTOR: There are organizations monitoring ISIS, right, in Syria, trying to keep an eye on extremist groups to make sure they don't attack us again. You know, these are -- they've gone dark.

TODD: Work often done by USAID employees who are putting themselves in peril.

ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: You have USAID employees in incredibly dangerous areas that are impacted not just by disease but also conflict and war. At least some of these workers are in places where they are risking their lives.

TODD: And in some cases, dying. In 2023, A USAID contractor was killed in an airstrike in Gaza. In 2010, suicide bombers stormed a USAID compound in Northern Afghanistan, killing four people.

According to analysts and two former top USAID officials who spoke to CNN, another disturbing ripple effect is that as USAID pulls out of developing nations, Americas adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran could move right in to fill that void and distribute their own aid to those countries, winning hearts and minds on the ground, something Chinas already been doing in places like Latin America and Africa.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, a plane that disappeared in Alaska Thursday with ten people on board has been found. No survivors. Officials are working to recover remaining victims and the wreckage in Nome, Alaska, with harsh winter weather already on the way.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is joining us now with the latest on the recovery effort efforts. Julia?

[14:10:00]

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, we are learning the identity of two of those victims. The two men, Rhone Baumgartner, utility operations technician, and Kameron Hartvigson, a utility operations specialist. They were both working for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. They were there to repair very necessary infrastructure for this remote location, for this community. The organization they worked for saying they gave the ultimate sacrifice for the people that they serve in Alaska.

Now, as you mentioned, these inclement weather conditions, it is winter in Alaska, but both slushy ice and snow and wind has made it quite difficult for rescue crews to get to this plane. Almost 24 hours after it went missing and lost control, lost contact with the control tower, that's when a team was able to arrive. The Coast Guard says an MH-60 Jayhawk was able to locate that aircraft on the afternoon of Friday and lowered two swimmers to the wreckage. They were able to get to the front part of this aircraft and find three people, as you mentioned, with -- not with life. The seven other passengers that were in the rear part of this aircraft have not yet been removed. They say that the conditions are so difficult it might take hours or days. Listen to some more of what the coast guard had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN MCINTYRE-COBLE, COAST GUARD LIEUTENANT COMMANDER: Around 3:18 p.m. yesterday afternoon, this aircraft experienced some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed. What that event is, I can't speculate to. (END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: And Fred, we are waiting to hear from the NTSB later today on more of that investigation of the cause of what might have made that plane lose the connection with the control tower at that time. But there is an inclement weather warning for Alaska for the area of western Alaska, including Nome, up until 9:00 p.m. tomorrow, which could put even more of a hamper on these rescue operations.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Vargas Jones, thank you so much.

All right, turning now to the weather, severe weather threat. Snow is falling across portions of the upper Midwest as 90 million people are under winter weather alerts from the Midwest to the northeast. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar explains how back to back storms pushing across the country will bring several inches of snow and ice in the coming days.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: This is the second in a series of systems that will actually continue to make its way across the northern tier of the U.S. over the next several days. Now, the focus for the rest of the day today is really going to be the Great Lakes region and into portions of the northeast. So this afternoon, you can see a lot of that snow transitioning across the great lakes into portions of New England. A little bit farther south, the concern here is actually going to be rain, and yes, even an ice component as well across the mid-Atlantic.

By Sunday morning, we're really just seeing a lot of it linger across portions of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and into areas of Maine. And by later on into the day Sunday, most of that system clears out, maybe even getting some sunshine back into the mix for some folks.

Here you can see overall through Monday, widespread snowfall totals at least three to six inches. But it's not out of the question for some of these areas, especially in the northeast, that could pick up seven, eight, even as much as ten inches of snow.

Now, the other concern we talked about is going to be ice. And you can see that swath right through here, the pink color indicating up to about a 10th of an inch. But there will be some spots, especially across portions of southern Pennsylvania, that could see a quarter-of- an-inch, maybe as much as even a half-of-an-inch of ice. This is concerning not just because it provides that glaze on the roads but can also lead to pulling trees down and even some power outages as well.

But as we mentioned, this is just one of several that's going to be making its way through. As we start off next week, you've got the next wave, another one during the middle of the week, and then another one that arrives as we finish out the rest of the upcoming week and heading into next weekend. So back-to-back systems. And because it is expected to remain cold in the northern tier, all of that snow is likely just going to stay on the ground. You're not going to have waves of melting, and then before the new snow comes back in. Take, for example, Boston. The average high this time of year is in the 40s. We will spend every single one of the next day with those temperatures barely getting above freezing, if not even colder than that.

WHITFIELD: All right, Allison, thank you so much.

All right, coming up, inspectors in New York City shut down live poultry markets after inspectors detected several cases of bird flu. A live report straight ahead.

Also, one month after the start of the devastating L.A. wildfires, we'll examine the long road to recovery for victims who lost everything.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:19:25]

WHITFIELD: The highly contagious bird flu virus has hit New York, prompting the governor to temporarily shut down live bird markets as a proactive move in some counties. Governor Kathy Hochul made the announcement on Friday after inspectors detected seven cases during routine poultry inspections. Officials say there is no immediate public health threat.

CNN national correspondent Gloria Pazmino is following the latest developments. Gloria, what does this temporary shutdown mean for markets?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, markets like the one you're seeing here behind me, live markets like this one, are being forced to close for the next several days.

[14:20:03]

Now this, a store here behind me is not one of the markets where bird flu has been detected. But as you said, seven markets were found to have had the virus in the last few days. And that is what has prompted this order from the governor.

Now the order extends throughout New York City, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and it's going to be affecting about 80 live markets in total. The governor said that the markets are required to shut down, sell down their inventory if they have not had a positive test in their facilities, and then clean and disinfect the area. Then they're required to pass an inspection before they can reopen on February 14th.

Now, all of this, as you said, Fred, a precautionary measure. At this time, there has not been a public health concern that officials are talking about just yet. But we have been watching as the bird flu continues to spread around the country. About 130 cases in animals, live birds, and some cattle have been detected. Seven cases here in New York, and 64 people have been infected so far, 67 people, I should say.

Fred, one of those people who became ill with the virus did die as a result. And it is important to mention that everyone who has been infected so far was in very close contact with infected animals. So at this point, not a public threat that officials here in New York are concerned about, but they are taking these precautionary measures to make sure that these facilities are clean, disinfected, and that the markets where bird flu was detected have an opportunity to clean and disinfect before they can reopen again. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Gloria Pazmino in New York, thank you.

All right, coming up, one month after the start of that devastating L.A. set of wildfires, a former California state assemblyman joins us to discuss the long road to recovery for victims who lost everything.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:26:45]

WHITFIELD: One month after the start of the devastating L.A. wildfires, the long road to recovery is only now beginning for those who lost everything. The fire scorched entire communities, reducing them to smoldering ashes. In all, the fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures and killed 29 people. Officials are now honing in on cleanup and recovery. The months long process to remove toxic ash and hazardous waste is underway.

Here with me now is former California assemblyman Chris Holden. So great to see you.

CHRIS HOLDEN, FORMER CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: It's great to see you as well.

WHITFIELD: So you live in Pasadena. You had to evacuate during the Eaton fire. How are you and your neighbors doing?

HOLDEN: I appreciate that. We are recovering, but we are not the ones that were as greatly impacted as our friends and neighbors in Altadena. I live in Pasadena, probably a mile-and-a-half from where the fire encroached into out of Altadena and into Pasadena. We were hit by more of the wind and smoke and how that was carrying and filled our homes, so we had to evacuate. We self-evacuated just because we could not stay in the home overnight with the smoke that was billowing around us. But it was a -- to experience hurricane force winds that we did and to have the impacts of all kinds of debris and toxins that are blowing through the air, the cleanup is going to be for a while for everyone. But for the people who live in Altadena, we are we are locking arms with them and moving through a process to help them endure.

WHITFIELD: The EPA is saying that it will complete phase one of the debris removal cleanup by the end of the month. You know, what do you make of the local and federal response to this disaster to be able, I guess, to clear the air, you know, and the minds of people about being on the road to recovery?

HOLDEN: Well, I'd like to say that the Army Corps of Engineers has been working, as I can see, very diligently with the community and with local government to start that cleanup. I know that the local elected officials, the L.A. County officials, as well as the state have held numerous meetings to help educate and hold the hands of those who are most impacted to understand the EPA's process, FEMAs process, as well as the SBA. And this is all very hard for families to focus on, but they have to nonetheless.

And so I give a lot of credit to the state for putting $2.4 billion into try to help in the recovery for L.A. County fire victims, and also the county for its and local government for its efforts to try to make sure that the process was as seamless and understandable as possible. And that, I think, has gone a long way to helping calm nerves and to help understand the difficult process that this rebuilding and going through government processes require.

[14:30:06]

WHITFIELD: In your time as a California assemblyman, you actually sponsored a bill to set up a $21 billion wildfire fund, mitigating risks for utility companies who may be at fault for the fires. So help people understand. You couldn't have anticipated something like this from happening, but give us an idea of what your intention was for this fund, how you would believe it would be able to kick in to assist.

HOLDEN: Well, the fund was established to ensure that if a utility had responsibility in some form or another with the causation of a fire, and that they were held to strict liability under the current California law, which is still the law. But this fund was designed to at least create a safety net so that it would protect victims in this particular situation where a utility caused the fire. And if they were responsible, but they did what they needed to do under this bill. Wildfire mitigation plans were required every year. Those wildfire mitigation plans would require the utilities to spend money on hardening their infrastructure, undergrounding wires, putting in technology so that they can predict high wind events, so in the case of what we saw a month ago with the hurricane force winds, they could predict that and then shut down power lines to deactivate them so that there wasn't live wires that could come down and create problems, and removing brush around their infrastructure.

So these are the things that require responsible action. And if they were doing these responsible actions and investing, as they should be, all the utilities, the three main utilities that are subject to this fund, PG&E, SDG&E and Edison, then they would be given a certificate. And if they were to -- their infrastructure was to have caused a fire, then they would be able to have access to this fund to help relieve the pressure for those victims that ensures that they were going to be compensated for their loss.

WHITFIELD: So quickly will --

HOLDEN: And the utilities would be eligible.

WHITFIELD: So, so quickly, I wonder, do you think this fund is going to make a dent? Because estimates have been in the hundreds of billions of dollars in terms of destruction or damage here.

HOLDEN: Let me just say, the fund is going to be tested. We are -- this fire has raised the stakes, if you will, because of the horrific nature of how the winds exacerbated the flames and impact. Usually, these fires stay in the foothills, and maybe into the canyons. In all the years that I've lived here and those who have lived here even longer than I, have never seen anything like this where the flames were so impacted by the winds that they moved to the flatlands and into the community of Altadena and into Pasadena. That's unheard of in terms of what we've seen in the past.

So having a fund that was established four, five years ago to address the normal, the new normal at that time, we have now something that's happened -- never happened before, and we didn't predict when we put this fund in place. So with this being January, and we're having such an impactful fire, not just this, but Palisades, it does beg the question as we move into what is traditionally fire season, will we be ready?

WHITFIELD: Yes. It's all still so hard to believe. Chris Holden, so glad you could be with us today. Thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:38:47]

WHITFIELD: All right, with Super Bowl LXI kicking off in New Orleans tomorrow, security is a major priority. Around the French quarter and the Caesar's Superdome, at least 700 Homeland Security officers are on the ground. The enhanced safety measures come after a terror attack on New Year's Day. And officials say that there are no specific, credible threats this weekend. That's good news.

Meantime, President Trump is also expected to attend the big game tomorrow. Hence, a lot more security.

All right, CNN's Andy Scholes is live for us in New Orleans, where the party is already underway. Is that like the instead of the red carpet, it's the blue carpet? What's going on there?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Fredricka. Were here at the fanatic Super Bowl party on the blue carpet. This is always the premiere event on Super Bowl Saturday. You got Travis Scott, Post Malone performing, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, the Kardashians. They routinely come to this party on Saturday afternoon. So it's always a great time. You can just feel the electricity in the air here in New Orleans right now.

Now as for the Chiefs and the Eagles, they did hold one last walk through today before Super Bowl LXI. And when it comes to the Chiefs, history is certainly on the line for them. They're trying to become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls. It would be four titles in six years. And tight end Travis Kelce says he certainly is appreciating this moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[14:40:09]

TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TIGHT END: It's such a special time in in Chiefs history, and this legacy is just a, it's so fun to be a part of because of the people that we have here. And I'm just trying to, you know, cherish all these memories and make the most out of all these opportunities that we have chasing these rings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Now, when it comes to the Super Bowl these days, you can bet on absolutely everything. Here are some of the fun prop bets for this year's game. You mentioned President Trump is going to be at the game, Fredricka. Well, you can bet on how many times he will be shown on the broadcast. The over-under for that is one-and-a-half.

Now, of course, there's a lot of bets involving Taylor Swift as well. Her over-under of how many times she will be shown is six-and-a-half. And then you can actually also bet on whether or not she will be proposed to by Travis Kelce after the game. You only get seven to one odds if you bet yes on that. I'm not sure that that's a great bet.

And then Fredricka, 12 years ago the power went out here at the Super Bowl. You can bet on if that will happen again. But I mean betting no, you'd bet 100 bucks on no, you wouldn't even win a dollar. So the chances of it happening are not great.

Now Fredricka, when it comes to Super Bowl Friday night, it doesn't get any more fun than Shaq's fun house. And I got the chance to go there last night, hang out with Shaq. Not only does he have a big party where he DJs, he's got all kinds of carnival games going on the outside, so you've got fun on the inside, you've got fun on the outside. And I caught up with Shaq and I asked him, you know, why does he enjoy putting on this party so much every single year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, FOUR-TIME NBA CHAMPION: As you know, you go to these parties, there's a bunch of people talking and nobody having fun. So, you know I've always tried to have my brand be all about fun. So I want to throw a real party, carnival rides, games, games I'm going to beat you in, basketball game next.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

SCHOLES: And Fredricka, we did play the basketball game. And I will tell you what, it was a life moment for me because Shaq missed, and then I went up there, and then I made it. So --

WHITFIELD: What?

SCHOLES: Yes, very cool for me that I can say that I've now beat Shaq in a shooting contest.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes, that is incredible. I mean, big fun. Hey, that was a big necklace that -- he's the king of fun though, right? I like it.

SCHOLES: Yes. Necklace weighing him down while he was shooting.

WHITFIELD: That must have been it. Yes. OK, you had an advantage over him. All right, Andy Scholes, thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:47:15]

WHITFIELD: In Israel, celebrations quickly became muted after seeing the frail conditions of the three hostages released today. These are pictures of the three men before their capture and after their release. One family reacted as they saw their loved one being freed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, wow, wow, wow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All three released hostages were evaluated at the hospital and a short time later were reunited with their loved ones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: As part of this round of the ceasefire deal, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners today, many of whom also looking very frail. Some of the released prisoners are being sent to other countries as a condition of their release.

After the October 7th attack on Israel, "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing spent the next year fighting antisemitism. In her first television interview since then, Messing speaks out about the online abuse that she received for her activism that has been captured in her new documentary, "October H8te." CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBRA MESSING, ACTOR AND ACTIVIST: It really has awakened in me a pride and a strength, I think, that was laying dormant, and I think was -- I was too scared to reveal.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Debra Messing is talking about this, the October 7th attack on Israel, and her year of activism that followed.

MESSING: Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

MESSING: I'm Debra.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Including traveling to Israel and Gaza to meet with Israeli soldiers and victims of the attack.

MESSING: I felt compelled to go and to bear witness so that I could come back and share their stories and not be called a liar.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Messing has been called a lot worse as many social media users have taken aim at her unflinching pro-Israel stance. It's a much different identity for Messing than her time starring on the hit comedy "Will & Grace."

MESSING: But apparently I wasn't good enough for your kebabs.

(LAUGHTER)

[14:50:00]

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Messing feels she's on an island in Hollywood, with the Israel-Gaza war becoming a flashpoint that much of the industry has been reluctant to take on, like when Messing and other Jewish figures in the entertainment business launched a campaign calling on the U.S. government to prioritize the return of the hostages.

MESSING: And people wouldn't sign it.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): She talks about it in the new documentary "October H8te," out March 14th in theaters, which takes a critical look at the explosion of antisemitism around the world following October 7th.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're taking the kidnap posters down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- Israel, that's why.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Messing executive produced the film.

MESSING: I have been an activist for 25 years. And I have marched and stood behind every leader of every marginalized community that has been seeking equity and inclusion. The thing that I have had to mourn the most is the fact that when I look to my right and my left, the people who I supported were not with me.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): One of the first celebrities to speak up about the Hamas attack on Israel, Messing has used her voice on social media. But this is her first television interview since October 7th. She's joined by the documentary's director, Wendy Sachs.

WENDY SACHS, DIRECTOR, "OCTOBER H8TE": How did we get to this moment, this explosive time between social media and media bias that have sort of portrayed this whole situation as a fight against Israel rather than a fight against terrorism?

WAGMEISTER: How difficult has it been for you to secure distribution for this film?

SACHS: I'd been told by pretty much every agent and every agency in Hollywood, great film. No one's going to touch it.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): With the death toll in Gaza over 45,000, the pair don't hide from those who lay the blame on Israel for the staggering death toll.

MESSING: What is happening in Gaza is -- is devastating. Any loss of life is devastating. War is devastating. The thing that has been very hard to understand is -- is how people can't seem to hold two things at once. How you can be pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel at the same time.

WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Messing says despite the ridicule she's received, her activism won't stop.

MESSING: All of that hate just washes over me and it -- it doesn't touch me anymore.

SACHS: Debra has a courage that I haven't seen in so many others, and I applaud her for that.

MESSING: One of the most beautiful parts of Judaism for me is that it is always about finding the light in the dark and bringing light into the dark. I believe that that can change everything.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you so much for bringing that to us.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:57:43]

WHITFIELD: The final episode of CNN's "Kobe, The Making of a Legend," airs tonight at 9:00. It recounts the moment when Kobe Bryant suddenly retired from the NBA and details his life outside of basketball.

Joining us right now is sports journalist "Scoop" Jackson. You first met Kobe, Scoop, when you -- when he was just 17, right? So I'm wondering what characteristics do you think were consistent with him throughout the years?

ROBERT "SCOOP" JACKSON, SPORTS JOURNALIST: I think his belief in himself. He had an early belief in himself and his ability to play. There were a lot of people that were in high school at the time and in college that we thought, you know, may come out in the draft that he came out in that we thought would be special. We knew Kobe was going to be all right, but if anybody sat there and told you that they saw him coming and becoming what he became, they'd be lying to you. But that's the one thing that carried him through is that at 17, he had the confidence that you rarely, rarely see in grown men. But he had it at 17, so.

WHITFIELD: Wow. You knew he was going to be great, but you didn't realize you know how great. It sounds like that's what you're saying.

JACKSON: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

JACKSON: Yes, we didn't know. We didn't see that coming. There were two people in that class, because that class is amazing. That's a legendary draft class. But Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant were the two in that class that you didn't see that they were going to reach the heights that they were able to reach. And I think they did it in two different reasons. The difference is that I think if you ask Steve Nash at that time, he'll say, no, I didn't see myself getting and elevating the way that I did. But Kobe at 17 would be like, oh yes, yes, I saw this coming. You all just didn't.

WHITFIELD: Oh, wow. And we saw in the previous episodes where he said, he wanted to make a difference beyond basketball. And we saw some of it, right? I mean, as an advocate for women's sports, being a girl dad and beyond. How do you see that he made that impact beyond basketball?

JACKSON: I think the one thing that Kobe understood, and I'm not saying he was chasing Michael Jordan, but he understood to get to that level, to be mentioned in those conversations, you had to impact people in more than what you just did on the court. You had to shine in other parts of life so that people can see what you did on the court with them through things that you did off the court. And I think he saw that in Michael Jordan and in his connection to what he did --