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At Least 29 Survive Christmas Plane Crash, But Dozens Feared Dead; Pope Francis Delivers Annual Christmas Day Address; Washington Braces for Donald Trump's Second Term. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired December 25, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

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KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: It's Wednesday, December 25th, Christmas Day. Merry Christmas.

Right now on a special edition of CNN THIS MORNING, the GOP with all three, what Republicans could do with the White House and both Houses of Congress under their control in the coming year.

Plus, which direction now for Democrats? New blood could be required after Vice President Kamala Harris' stinging Election Day defeat.

And the mission to Mars, could Elon Musk help remake our government by going where no man has gone before?

7 A.M. here on the East Coast, here's a look At the Philly holiday tree just outside of City Hall in Philadelphia, beautiful.

Good morning, everyone. Merry Christmas, happy holidays. Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us. We're going to have all of that and more ahead with our panel.

But, first, let's get a check of this morning's news headlines.

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Kasie. I'm Danny Freeman here in New York.

We're following breaking news this morning. Dozens of survivors, but dozens more feared dead after a Christmas Day plane crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan. And we want to warn you, some of this video may be disturbing. This right here was taken moments after the plane crashed as rescuers scrambled to pull people out of the burned wreckage.

CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now from London. Nada, what more do we know about this crash?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Danny, the investigations into the cause behind this crash earlier today are still ongoing. We have been getting updates from the authorities. According to Russian aviation officials at this stage, preliminary information suggests that the pilot may have been forced to attempt an emergency landing as a result of a bird strike. But, of course, we are still waiting for more updates.

This was an Azerbaijani airline's flight, which was traveling from the capital Baku to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya. As you mentioned, it was forced to make that emergency landing around two miles from the Kazakh city of Aktau. But, of course, we've seen that video emerging, showing at first from eyewitnesses, the plane circling the airfield somewhat erratically before attempting that landing and crashing. It burst into flames upon hitting the ground.

But, remarkably, authorities say there were survivors. At least 29 people are said to have survived, including two children. They have all been taken to hospital for medical attention. Emergency teams, of course, were quickly at the scene around the crash site. But as you said, dozens are feared to be dead.

We are still waiting for updates from the authorities on the status of those remaining passengers on board. There were a total of 67 people on board, 62 passengers, 5 crew members. We are still waiting for more details. And, of course, this is an anxious moment of waiting for the loved ones and family members of those who were on board that flight, waiting for more information. And we will, of course, be tracking those updates from authorities. Danny?

FREEMAN: Anxious moment indeed on this Christmas morning. Nada Bashir, thank you very much.

And we turn now to the Vatican, where just a short time ago, Pope Francis delivered his 12th annual Christmas blessing with special messages to the people of Gaza, Israel, and Ukraine.

CNN's Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb is back with us now. Christopher, always a poignant moment for Catholics around the world. Tell us what more did Pope Francis say?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Danny the Pope used his Christmas Day message to emphasize that Christmas is a time of peace and reconciliation. And he focused on Ukraine and Gaza, and here's what he had to say.

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POPE FRANCIS: May the sound of weapons be silenced in Ukraine.

May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation.

May the sound of arms be silenced in the Middle East. In contemplating the crib of Bethlehem, I think of the Christian communities, Israel and Palestine, and particularly to the dear community of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely grave.

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LAMB: Now, the pope on Ukraine has repeatedly called for a peace settlement, and his remarks come after a Christmas Day attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. And we are hearing that there is a possibility that peace negotiations could be entered into by both sides. And on Gaza, Francis has been recently more outspoken, saying that what's been going on there is cruelty.

So, the pope using the Christmas messages to reiterate his calls for peace in conflicts across the world.

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Danny?

FREEMAN: Christopher, while I have you, King Charles also expected to share a Christmas message today and he'll break tradition, I understand, when he does. What can you tell us?

LAMB: Well, yes, that's right. Normally, the king would give his Christmas Day message from a royal palace. But this time he's going to be doing so from the Fitzrovia Chapel, a former hospital chapel. Of course, the king has had treatment for cancer. So, by choosing to deliver the message from Fitzrovia Chapel, he's emphasizing the importance of the healthcare sector in the U.K. and, of course, reflecting his own health challenges. Danny?

FREEMAN: Christopher Lamb, thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it.

All right, turning now to a happy holidays and Merry Christmas from space. Four NASA astronauts on board the International Space Station recorded a video message to send back to Earth. Take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a great time of year up here. We get to spend it with all of our family up on the International Space Station. There's seven of us up here and so we're going to get to enjoy company together.

From all of us to all of you, Merry Christmas.

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FREEMAN: I love that flying candy cane there. Two of those astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, had no idea when they arrived back in June that they would be spending Christmas in space. They've been stuck because of issues with their space capsule. They're expected to return to Earth no earlier than February.

All right, that's a look at your top stories on this Christmas day. Now, back to Kasie.

HUNT: All right, we are now just weeks away from Donald Trump's second inauguration. And as the former president prepares to move back into the White House, he'll bring with him a unified Republican government.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT ELECT: America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We have taken back control of the Senate. Wow. That's good.

And it also looks like we'll be keeping control of the House of Representatives. I will govern by a simple motto. Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises.

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HUNT: As voters rallied behind Trump in November, they also granted Republicans majorities, albeit, slim ones in both houses of Congress. That was also the case in 2016. But at the start of his first term, Trump was a newcomer to the politics of Capitol Hill, and his more unconventional ideas and approaches did not always land with his allies in Congress. Eight years later, that's a problem that the president-elect is unlikely to have.

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SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): We have a mandate from the American people a mandate not only to clean up the mess left by the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda, but also to deliver on President Trump's priorities.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): And I think what the American people have believed and what they've delivered with the mandate in this election is the demand that we shake up the status quo.

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HUNT: As Republicans in Congress attempt to deliver on Trump's agenda, they are almost certain to face legal challenges from Democratic groups and states, which brings us to what could be the most important change in Washington, the Supreme Court, now dominated by a conservative majority, with three of the sitting justices appointed by Trump himself. It's the same court that granted Trump partial immunity from criminal prosecution and would hear challenges to Trump's most controversial policy proposals, including on one of his signature issues, immigration.

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TRUMP: On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history. We're going to get the criminals out.

I will invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Think of that.

I will immediately ban all sanctuary cities in the United States.

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HUNT: And joining us now to discuss Mark Preston, CNN senior political analyst, Elliot Williams, CNN legal analyst, former federal prosecutor and known Star Wars fan. And I'm sorry, Elliot, I forgot what your sweater says.

ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Oh, this is, I find your lack of cheer disturbing.

HUNT: Well, you know, may the force be with you.

WILLIAMS: And also with you.

HUNT: Also with us, Meghan Hays, former director of message planning for the Biden White House, and Matt Gorman, Republican strategist, former senior advisor to Tim Scott's presidential campaign. Welcome to all of you.

So, Matt, let me start with you actually because there is going to be a significant difference in the Washington that Donald Trump is going to find when he is inaugurated and from the one where Paul Ryan, who you worked closely with, was running the House of Representatives. And I remember people, Republicans like him used to use the phrase, well, we're going to be the ballast in the ship of state, implying that they didn't think that Donald Trump could captain it. Well, they wouldn't say it in public. They'd say it in private.

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Now, everyone seems to be kind of singing off the same hymnal, no matter what room they're in.

MATT GORMAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Very much so. I mean, look, Republicans, Democrats, everyone could really, in a way, write off 2016-2017 as an aberration. Now, it's an affirmation in so many other ways. And I think one of the key things, right, I think in many ways, at least to find Trump's first two years, if not his presidency, when he came in, he was kind of boxed into repealing Obamacare, first off. You know, McConnell and Ryan really felt like it was a priority. They felt they needed to do it. Trump went along with it. And I think healthcare certainly defined the midterms and it left him, you know, for better part of a half a year working on something he really didn't believe in.

You're having him come in this year. His first two priorities most likely in a reconciliation bill energy and the border followed closely by taxes. Those are things that he, number one, knows about, number two, cares about more tactically. What that means is he's willing to get in the weeds and in these slim majorities, get folks who are a little nervous onto his side.

HUNT: Mark Preston what do you think the difference is going to be big picture here for Donald Trump that, I mean, the other thing is, this time, he comes in having won the popular vote.

MARK RPESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I mean, I would, again, stealing my language, an aberration, you know, an affirmation. No, I mean, look, the fact is Donald Trump now has people that he's going to put into positions of power, don't necessarily have to be Senate confirmed, that understand how government works. So, you know, Kash Patel, who does have to be confirmed, if he moves into the FBI, he's somebody who immediately can get to work and dismantle whatever Donald Trump wants to do at the DOJ. So, when you see the likes of a Patel and even folks that everyday people don't know their names, they're the ones that are going to be implementing the policy. Donald Trump is now experienced. And what was interesting in one of his most recent news conferences, and he loved it, too, when he said, gosh, they didn't like me a few years ago, but now everyone's coming down to see me. They all want to be my friends or whatever he said. I mean, Donald Trump really had his moment.

MEGHAN HAYS, FORMER BIDEN WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF MESSAGE PLANNING: I think most importantly though, it's not just Donald Trump's experience, the people he's putting in power to what you're saying, in these career positions of staff are also now experienced, and they know how these agencies run, they know the different bureaus and components in the agencies, and can really get things done and go to on the first day. There's no time. They don't need any time to sort of figure it out and find out what can work.

HUNT: And let's just run down a little bit of a reminder of what Donald Trump, Elliot, has, did promise on the campaign trail. Watch.

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TRUMP: For those who have been wronged and betrayed. I am your retribution.

We're going to put the tariffs on your products coming in from China.

When I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips.

We're going to take care of Israel, and they know that.

I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine totally settled.

We will get critical race theory and transgender insanity the hell out of our schools.

Going forward, the future children of illegal aliens will not receive automatic U.S. citizenship.

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HUNT: So, even just that last one, Elliot, birthright citizenship would be an enormous thing that he may try to do.

WILLIAMS: And he very well might. But the things that I caught there, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, social issues, we're talking about trans issues and so on, and birthright citizenship, left out of this is the fact that Congress is going to be 219-211 in the House with 5 vacancies, the Senate, 53-47. Any -- the president can't afford to lose the support of any Republicans, really, on any of his major priorities. And the question is, how do you I think it's important to get things through a narrowly divided, even Republican Party? Forget about winning Democrats over. These are all very important priorities of his, but they still got to govern. And it'll really be fascinating to see how you count the 50 or 218 when this -- when it counts.

HAYS: So, do you think that might bargains more that he will do a lot of this through for executive orders versus using Congress because if he won't, you know, through the House, it's extremely difficult. So, it will be interesting to see on day one how many E.O.'s he puts through.

HUNT: Yes. Well, Matt, how do you think each -- because the House, it's almost like you're going to have, you know, 218 Joe Manchins in the House of Representatives, right? Any single one of them could decide to, you know, on any given day. Well, now, there's going to be a fear of a primary of how, you know, Donald Trump and the MAGA crew would treat such a person in the event that they were to go against him. But also there's this thing about ego and politics where if there's a big upside for you and a chance to get famous or whatever, I mean, those two things are going to be intention for all these people, who wins out?

GORMAN: I think -- but as you said in the open, I think is it Donald Trump controls the Republican Party, right? And I think it goes to point two, he's willing to fight for immigration, for taxes. He's willing to call up the 218th person might be on the fence to say, get the heck in line, right? And whether that's --

HUNT: The word that starts with F.

GORMAN: Yes, exactly, (INAUDIBLE). But one other thing to note, when I was at the NRCC in the first two years of the Trump administration, on the healthcare bill, for instance, it was the people in back then it was Hillary Clinton won districts that were Republicans.

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That, I would say, gave us trouble, but that were one of the ones in the fence.

There's only two of those now. The Harris district Republicans have shrunk dramatically.

WILLIAMS: Yes, I only named the various issues I named because on every one of those, there's four or five Republicans somewhere across the country who are not in line with President Trump on the issue, whether it's Israel, whether it's Ukraine, whatever else. He has to craft a governing majority in this very now Republican majority.

And, you know, there are moderates in the caucus, and I just wonder when it's that close and you can only afford to lose two or three folks on any given thing, how he threads that needle.

PRESTON: I went to that point, though, when Matt said at the beginning, the top three issues are going to be Republican issues, right? It's the extension of the tax cuts. It's the border, which the Republican Party is, you know, 1,001 percent behind. And its energy, you know, In the sense, he's playing these populist issues right now that will help him get through some things.

But the fact is the list of things that he has talked about, I've looked at it too, there was no way he could get a quarter of it. You get a couple of people with the flu, 100 percent. WILLIAMS: Literally, and it gets complicated.

HUNT: The human reality is sometimes people lose sight of how important they can be.

All right, coming up next for Democrats, the path back to power could start with new leadership. Coming up, who might rise and lead the party in the new year?

Plus, Mark McKinnon tells us what he's looking for as Trump returns for a second term in Washington.

And blasting off for Mars, a new potential timeline for going to the red planet.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going back to learn to live in a deep space environment for long periods of time so that we can go to Mars and return safely.

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HUNT: We are just a little under a month from Donald Trump's second inauguration on January 20th. Backed by majorities in the House and Senate, Trump is set to enact what he says is a, quote, powerful mandate from the American people. His inauguration will mark the beginning of another Trump era in Washington that last time started out with a rather dark tone.

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TRUMP: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation.

And the crime, and the gangs, and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

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HUNT: All right. Joining us now, former adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain, Mark McKinnon. He is also the creator of Paramount's The Circus. Mark, wonderful to see you. Thanks for being here.

MARK MCKINNON, FORMER ADVISER TO GEORGE W. BUSH AND JOHN MCCAIN: Happy holidays, Kasie.

HUNT: So, I want to talk a little bit about your latest piece for Vanity Fair, because you called it this, a New Year's resolution, accept the election results with grace, even as you dig in for the fight ahead. And you quote John McCain. You write, quote, as my old pal John McCain used to say, it's always darkest before it goes completely black. Tell us more about why you used that phrase looking ahead to the second Trump inauguration.

MCKINNON: Well, thanks, Kasie. You know, in 2016, I made the mistake of thinking that Donald Trump would be -- would moderate, that he'd be sort of a bipartisan guy, and then because he went to the Obama, Obamacare instead of, you know, an infrastructure bill, which I think could have created a whole different history, it became very partisan right from the jump.

And so the -- and I said at the time, you know, he's not going to be as bad as his opponents think or as good as supporters think. This time, I think I go in with eyes wide open just to say, listen, if you're worried about what Trump's going to do, you probably should be worried. And if you're excited, you should be excited because he's going to do what he said he's going to do and it's going to be on steroids. He's got -- you know, he's learned a lot from the last time around. He doesn't have the broken toys department working for him anymore. He's got smart, savvy people and a clear agenda.

So, I just think that the point is, for people who may be skeptical, that's fine. Skepticism is fine. But, listen, this is called the democracy because the majority gets to rule. And, you know, I think the good news is that we have a clear outcome. You know, we don't have a bunch of people running around saying that it's rigged this time. And so the point is for, you know, if you believe in the American system of democracy to say, okay, you know, Donald Trump won, he has a mandate, he's got a Republican Congress, he's got all branches of government in control. And so, you know, we got to sort of salute and say, okay, give it a shot.

HUNT: Mark, what's your sense of -- you know, we came in on that bite from his first inaugural address. And it stuck out, I think, to all of us at the time as remarkably dark in its sort of portrayal of the state of the country, even as it was a really, you know, hopeful big day for Donald Trump himself. What's your sense of the tone we're going to see coming in from Donald Trump this time?

MCKINNON: Great question. You know, that carnage speech was so dark, a long way from Ronald Reagan's shining city on the hill. But, you know, this is one place where I think maybe Trump may surprise us in the sense that, you know, it feels now like he feels like he's been vindicated.

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He's got his team in place. Even though he ran on this notion that I will be your retribution and he's putting people like Kash Patel in charge of the FBI and talking about going after his enemies, I do get a sense that he feels -- you know, it's a little bit of a different Trump just that he feels like I, you know, like he really won this time. Like it's like, you know, he's sort of been, you know, all the -- he's got all the marbles now. And so maybe we will see something a little sunnier this time. Although, you know, I'm not going to hold my breath. HUNT: Mark, the reality is that while Republicans did win majorities across the House, the Senate, and, of course, the White House, they're not enormous, right, especially in the House of Representatives. I mean, for a while here in the beginning of the new administration, it's likely to basically be one vote because of some of the vacancies in the House of Representatives. What do you think that that means for -- I mean, I think certainly for me, I covered the entire first Trump administration from Capitol Hill, and the defining word of that period of time, I mean, was chaos, right? For four straight years you would think things would be going a certain way and then there would be a tweet or, you know, a comment, and it would blow everything up, right? Is that the kind of feel you expect to come back to Washington or do you think we're going to see kind of a different way of doing things?

MCKINNON: Well, I think that Trump and the Republican Party recognize how slim that majority is in the House. And therefore, they're going to move on that mandate like lightning in the first year because that's about all the time that they've got. It's almost certain that it's going to swing back and Democrats will at least take the house back in two years. I mean voters are just cranky these days and basically what they want every two years is to change no matter who's there. So, I think Trump and Republicans recognize that.

So, I just think that we're just going to see a first, you know, 90 days, 100 days and first year of this Republican administration really try and get as much done as I can because I know that the window is going to close very quickly.

HUNT: Yes, for sure. All right, Mark McKinnon, very grateful to have you on our holiday program. Thank you so much.

MCKINNON: Prisoners of hope. Happy New Year, everybody. American democracy, let's go.

HUNT: Happy New Year. All right, Mark, thank you. See you in the New Year.

And coming up here on CNN THIS MORNING, what's next for Democrats? Who could succeed where Kamala Harris failed? And small steps for man, what could be the next giant leaps for mankind?

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