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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
16 More Hostages Released As Four Hours Remain Before Truce Extension Expires; Netanyahu Vows To Fight "Until The End"; Secretary Of State Blinken In Israel As Truce Set To Expire; US Pressing Israel To Move Civilians Out Of Way If Israel Attacks In Southern Gaza; Granddaughter Of Freed Hostage On How Her Grandmother Survived; GOP Presidential Hopeful Chris Christie Joins 360; Haley Hits Back At Desantis For Labeling Her An "Establishment" Candidate After She Received Koch Network Endorsement; Influential Koch Network Endorses Nikki Haley For 2024; Netanyahu Vows To Fight Until The End As The Truce Is Set To Expire; GOP Rep. George Santos Is Likely To Face Expulsion Vote On Friday. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired November 29, 2023 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: At the beginning of the show I spoke with Yehuda Beinin, the father of American hostage Liat Beinin who was just freed. He was waiting to speak with her on the phone when we spoke. Well, I'm happy to tell you he let us know they did, in fact, connect. And he tells us his daughter is in good spirits and, in his words, seems hardly worse for the wear. That being said, he said Liat also told him this was the most challenging thing she has ever faced.
Yehuda is currently at the hospital, where he will be reunited with his daughter in person very shortly. His wife and her three children, his grandchildren, they're waiting as well.
Thanks so much for joining us tonight. AC 360 starts right now.
[20:00:43]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Tonight on 360, with just hours left on a truce that has been so -- seen so many hostages freed from Gaza, the latest on efforts now ramping up to extend it, but also tough talk on what might happen if it expires.
Later tonight, my conversation with Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie and why he's continuing his campaign and what he makes of the big boost of his rival, Nikki Haley, just got.
Plus, Gayle King and Charles Barkley here on set with me to preview their new program King Charles debuting later tonight.
Good evening. Thanks for joining us. Just four hours from now, the six-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to expire with no indication yet it will be extended, as it was two days ago. No word yet that talks now underway have yielded any progress.
And just a short time ago, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ramped up the war rhetoric, saying his answer is, quote, "unequivocal," unquote. Israel, he says, will fight until the end, his words, after what he called maximizing this phase of returning Israeli hostages. The question now, how long will this phase, as he put it, last.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has just landed back in the region. CIA Director Bill Burns arrived yesterday, both trying to delay new hostilities.
Tonight, another 10 Israelis are back in Israel, including one American-Israeli dual national. She's a high school history and a civics teacher. Her father says a tour guide at the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem as well.
Whether there will be more hostages freed now very much in limbo and that much more to bear for families with loved ones still being held, it cannot be easy either for the family of Shiri Bibas and her two young boys, Ariel and Kfir. Today, Hamas claimed without providing evidence that they had been killed by an Israeli airstrike. Israeli officials say they are investigating, but so far, there are no answers.
I want to start tonight with CNN's Clarissa Ward in Tel Aviv. So what more do we know about the latest release of hostages?
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So 16 hostages have been released in total today, Anderson, two of them dual Russian- Israeli nationals. That was brokered in a separate agreement between the Russian government and Hamas. Then there were four Thai nationals and 10 Israeli nationals, as well as that dual US-Israeli citizen.
Also, among those released today was Raya Rotem. You remember we talked about her before. She's the mother of Hila Rotem, who was released on Sunday, who was held with Emily Hand. So some much needed respite for that family and for Hila who was separated for her mother on the last two days. But now, of course, everyone's attention very much focused on the remaining hostages whether the truce continues, and no answers yet about it -- Anderson.
COOPER: Yes. I mean, are there any indications about the truce would -- if it would be extended?
WARD: Well, so we've got about four hours left until that deadline expires. The Israeli government has said that it's prepared to consider it, although they have also been putting out a lot of statements to the effect that they are very much ready to continue their military operations if the criteria aren't met.
Hamas publicly has said that they want to continue the truce. Qatar has said that they're optimistic about the truce.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel. He said publicly now that he very much wants to see the truce continues, that he believes it has -- it is essential in the sense that it has opened up the release of all these hostages, but also that it has allowed desperately needed aid to get into Gaza and given the people of Gaza -- the ordinary citizens of Gaza -- some respite from the consistent bombardment.
So now, it's sort of a game of sit and wait and see what happens over these next four hours as one can only assume critical last-minute negotiations are ongoing, Anderson.
COOPER: Clarissa Ward, thank you very much.
I want to go next to Axios Political and Foreign Policy Reporter and CNN's newest Political and Foreign Policy Analyst, Barak Ravid. Barak, your reporting on what Israeli officials say is a new offer from Hamas. What have you learned?
BARAK RAVID, AXIOS POLITICAL AND FOREIGN POLICY REPORTER: Good evening, Anderson. What I hear from Israeli officials that in the last few hours Hamas has sent through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, it wasn't even a proposal. It was sort of a feeler, asking whether Israel would agree, for example, to -- for a release of hostages that are not women and children because Israel has set forward the criteria that says that the top priority is women and children.
[20:05:14]
Hamas gave another sort of proposal saying, is Israel ready to accept less than 10 hostages to be released? According to the agreement, Hamas would have to release 10 hostages in order to get one day of pause. Israel rejected all those feelers and said that if until 7:00 AM local time, which is four hours from now, it doesn't get a list, that is according to the priorities and the criteria that were set forward in the agreement, it will resume the fighting.
COOPER: So, what do you make of that? I mean, is that that they don't have enough hostages in their control who are women and children? Why would they be doing that?
RAVID: I think what I hear from Israeli officials is that there are two, I think, main thesis about what's going on. One is that Hamas, basically, doesn't have enough women and children under its custody. But I think what Israeli officials mainly think is that Hamas understands that the women and children are the main card that it has because it's a very sensitive issue for Israeli society, for Israeli public opinion, and for Hamas leaders to give up on this card. And this point in the war would be a big problem because they're looking at what can be a very long war.
COOPER: If a pause is extended, how long do you think it could realistically last, I mean, if the hostage releases continue? Do you see any possibility it could extend into a longer-term, you know, ceasefire?
RAVID: First, if Hamas really has what Israel thinks it has, which is another something like 30 women and children, you know, you have another three days of pause, which is not nothing. And in those three days, if Hamas really agrees to release those women and children, there is a basis for a conversation on further deals.
For example, on all the civilian men who are not soldiers and are under Hamas -- or and are held by Hamas as hostages, it's a couple dozen of people. It can buy you another four, maybe five days of pause. So there is a lot of room for maneuver. The main question is what Hamas really wants to do.
COOPER: CNN is reporting that Biden administration officials are talking to their Israeli counterparts about how to protect civilians in southern Gaza if, in fact, the IDF, you know, ground operation moves into southern Gaza where you have hundreds of thousands of people who have fled from the north.
You reported today that Biden spoke to Netanyahu about his concerns about an Israeli movement into the south. What's your understanding of the outcome of that, if any?
RAVID: Yes. I -- so I think in -- I published earlier today on Axios a story that shows that the conversation between Biden and Netanyahu on Sunday that was, you know, sort of marketed to us as a phone call about the hostages was not about the hostages, it was about Biden's main concern. And this is what happens if the pause ends and Israel resumes its operation in southern Gaza.
And I think Biden told Netanyahu, according to US officials, something very clear. He told them what happened in northern parts of Gaza cannot happen in the southern parts because you have two million Palestinians there. And the main thing Biden asked of Netanyahu is to hold consultations between the US and Israel about the IDF's operational plans ahead of any operation in southern Gaza, and Netanyahu actually agreed.
COOPER: The concern, of course, is -- I mean, again, it's all these people who have fled the south. Israeli officials have said, well, there are members of Hamas who have also gone to the south because it's somewhat safer there and that there are tunnels there as well. How does Israel do a ground operation in southern Gaza with all those people there? You know, where do those people -- where are they supposed to go?
RAVID: I totally agree with you because I just don't see how Israel can really go on, like, a serious operation in southern Gaza without creating huge civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure, and you name it.
Israeli officials I spoke to earlier today said, you know, we have some plans for specific raids, for targeted airstrikes, so on and so forth. Again, I think it's going to be very, very dangerous and problematic.
COOPER: Yes. Barak Ravid, thanks so much. When we left you last night, IDF forces were conducting military operations in the West Bank in and around the Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin. Today, the Palestinian health ministry said two children, aged eight and 15, had been killed.
[20:10:04]
CNN's Ben Wedeman visited the scene. We want to warn you, some of the video is graphic. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Israeli forces with bulldozers and jeeps entered the camp under the cover of darkness. This has become a routine. And this is the usual aftermath, wreckage and rubble, asphalt roads plowed down to the dirt. Once the damage is repaired, there's another raid, and it's the same thing all over again.
WEDEMAN (on camera): For almost two years, a low-intensity war has been raging in the occupied West Bank. Residents here in Jenin's refugee camp say that there have been more than 30 Israeli military incursions since August of this year.
WEDEMAN (voice over): The camp is home to militants who Israel has accused of involvement in attacks on Israelis but here, those whom Israel calls terrorists, are seen as fighters against a decades-long military occupation.
Wadiya Kuskas (ph) is not a fighter; he works for the local government.
WEDEMAN (on camera): Yes, it's the kids' room.
WEDEMAN (voice over): But last week, Israeli soldiers took over his home during yet another raid.
As he shows me around, the remains of what was a family's life crunched under our shoes.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)
WEDEMAN (voice over): Brutal is how Wadiya (ph) sums up the soldiers' behavior. Scars of battles past pockmarked the camps walls, debris on almost every corner.
(UM SAMI speaking in foreign language.)
WEDEMAN (voice over): Um Sami shows me spent cartridges on the floor of her house, saying Israeli troops used this room to fire down into the street.
(UM SAMI speaking in foreign language.)
WEDEMAN (voice over): "They took my husband, bound his hands and pushed him outside in the cold," she says. "They kept him there from six in the evening until five in the morning." Eventually, the soldiers let him go, but took away her recently married son after ransacking his bedroom, searching for weapons.
Eighteen-year-old Mahmoud Awalhegi (ph) was shot last Thursday evening, shot through his bedroom window. His mother, Khitam, holding a bloodstained towel, recounts how Israeli soldiers wouldn't allow medics to take him to hospital.
(KHITAM speaking in foreign language.) WEDEMAN (voice over): "I was sure we were going to the hospital," she says. We went downstairs. A second officer was there and made the medics put the stretcher down. Mahmoud (ph) bled to death in front of his home.
Tuesday night Israeli forces raided the camp again, sparking gun battles with militants. And in the process, Israeli troops killed at least four people, including this eight-year-old boy. And then they left.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN: Now, a senior Israeli military spokesman said that this was yet another antiterrorism operation in the Jenin refugee camp and that they managed to kill Muhammad Zubeidi, a senior Islamic Jihad commander.
Now, I'm reminded 21 years ago, I was covering another Israeli incursion into the Jenin refugee camp, and they also killed commanders of other factions. And others have now taken their place. And after this commander was killed, another will take his place -- Anderson.
COOPER: Ben Wedeman, thanks very much.
Coming up next, the granddaughter of the freed hostage and what her grandmother went through in captivity, what she's going through now, and how she first knew that this formidable woman and powerful force in her family's life was really truly back.
And later, in the wake of Nikki Haley's big campaign endorsement, my conversation with her rival Governor Chris Christie.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:17:39]
COOPER: As we wait to see if the truce between Israel and Hamas is extended, it's hard to escape the clashing emotions that these last six days have brought. Each day has seen family members welcome a loved one home even as they mourn the loss of another. And every freed hostage's joy cannot help but be tempered by other feelings, which can't even be imagined by anyone who hasn't experienced what they have.
For Adina Moshe, who was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz October 7th, freedom has meant learning that friends of hers were murdered that day. It's also meant having her worst fears confirm that David, her husband of 53 years, whom she knew had been shot by Hamas gunmen while hiding with her in their saferoom, had indeed died of his wounds and that their home was destroyed. I visited that home in Nir Oz and their devastated community about two weeks after the massacre.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER (voice over): We found their home completely torched. Dishes were still in the dishwasher. They hid in their safe room when the gunmen came.
Inside the saferoom, a pool of dried blood evidence of what happened. David Moshe was shot holding onto the door handle to prevent the gunmen from getting in. Their attackers dragged Adina Moshe out through the saferoom window. She later appeared in this video posted online sandwiched between gunmen on a motorbike in Gaza.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, on Friday, Adina Moshe was freed. Earlier tonight, I spoke with her granddaughter Anat Moshe Shoshany.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (on camera): Anat, how is your grandmother?
ANAT MOSHE SHOSHANY, GRANDMOTHER TAKEN HOSTAGE, RELEASED ON FRIDAY: She's doing okay? We're taking it slowly, step by step. But the most important thing that she's with us, she's at home.
COOPER (on camera): And what has she told you about her experience, where she was kept? Was she in the same place the whole time? Was she in tunnels?
SHOSHANY: She was in tunnels underground, deep underground. They didn't see any sunlight, any -- they didn't know what time it is, whether it's day or night. The conditions were very tough. Very little food. She had no glasses on, so she couldn't see.
COOPER (on camera): Could she hear bombing? I mean, did she know war had begun?
SHOSHANY: She's saying that only at the first days she could hear. But afterwards, almost nothing, because they were so deep underground. So, they didn't hear anything. But she assumed that there is a war.
[20:20:14]
COOPER (on camera): Did she know how long she was being held for? I mean, being underground is very disorienting in the dark.
SHOSHANY: Yes. So, they found like this hand watch on the way in the tunnel, and they kept it. And they kept track on the days with the watch. It was hard, but they did it there because they needed to hold onto something, you know?
COOPER (on camera): Did she see any of the hostages being mistreated?
SHOSHANY: She did, mostly for the men.
COOPER (on camera): Did she say what kind of mistreatment she saw with the men?
SHOSHANY: She describes that the treatment was very hard, and they needed to -- she really spoke up for a lot of people there because she was not afraid. So, she stood up for the respect that she expects to get for the -- mostly for the older women and men that were there. And some of them are injured, so she's really concerned about them. And she still have a lot of concerns about the people that she, you know, left behind because she feels like she left them behind because they are still there and she is here with us.
COOPER (on camera): And what about her -- the release? I understand that was one of the hardest days for several reasons.
SHOSHANY: Yes. So the release, as she described, was one of the hardest days, first of all, because they had to walk a few miles underground while they're already exhausted. And then they had to climb, and it was very hard.
And what was the hardest was the fact that once they got to the vehicle, the Hamas, probably coming from Gaza City, just got out and started to scream at them, to throw rocks at the vehicle. So, they were so scared. They just felt like in any minute the rock will get in and kill one of them. So they really was afraid. They had fear for their lives, you know?
COOPER (on camera): In the video in which we see her being released, she swats the hand away of a Hamas fighter who reaches out. Did she say something to you about that in that moment?
SHOSHANY: My grandmother needs the control in her hands, so she will not allow anyone to touch her or to be near her if she doesn't feel comfortable about it. And this is why she just moved his hand. She didn't want it in her space, so she just threw him off.
And I think that this is just who she is. She treats people as people. And if she don't want you to touch her, you won't touch her. And this is also one of the reasons she's such a strong woman who knows how to stand for her own, even in the extreme conditions like this.
COOPER (on camera): I heard that you other -- you and other members of your family were sort of trying to tell her, you know, we'll tell you things in due time, and she was demanding answers right away.
SHOSHANY: Yes. She -- as I said, she needs to be in control, and we are gladly giving her the control back of her life that we miss her so much.
COOPER (on camera): Has she -- she's always been that way?
SHOSHANY: Yes. One of the first questions she asked us is, how is the boys? How are they doing? Because some of her grandchildren are in the IDF, and she knew there was war out there.
And we told her, you come back here and we'll talk about everything. And she told us, remember, I'm still your grandmother. You answer me when I ask you something. And we laughed a lot because this is just who she is. She's just the same, so ...
COOPER (on camera): So you have her back. SHOSHANY: ... and we miss (inaudible) -- yes, it's really unbelievable. And yet, we are also very -- we're still in a fight, and we can't be completely happy and to heal until every single one of the hostages will be back home. We can't leave anyone behind.
[20:25:10]
COOPER (on camera): Anat, thank you so much for your time.
SHOSHANY: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, just ahead, the rivalry among the 2024 Republican presidential field is intensifying with less than seven weeks until the first nominating contest in Iowa. Presidential hopeful and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie joins me to talk about the race, the Republican party and more next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Republican presidential candidates, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, have now traded jabs with each other over who the, quote, "establishment candidate" is after Haley received a huge endorsement Tuesday.
Nikki Haley gained the financial backing of Americans for Prosperity Action, which is a powerful, influential political network associated with the billionaire Charles Koch. They and the other remaining candidates, however, still face the challenge, of course, of defeating the former -- or the frontrunner, I should say, the former president.
Sources tells CNN the former president's advisors believe Iowa could be a wildcard with the former president potentially falling short as he did in 2016. The focus is also on New Hampshire, where independents can, of course, vote in the primary.
CNN's latest polling shows the former president is maintaining a lead in the state. But our next guest, who has been campaigning in New Hampshire extensively, has also seen a rise in support there. Joining me now is 2024 candidate and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Governor Christie, good to see you. Ambassador Haley is on the rise and DeSantis is on the decline all while the former president holds. What does that mean for you?
CHRIS CHRISTIE, FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: I'm on the rise, too, as your poll just showed. I think we're both benefitting, both Governor Haley and I, from Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy's drop. As you could see, he's dropped significantly as well into the single-digits.
[20:30:10]
And so, you know, I think we are going to see a three-person race in New Hampshire, and I'm looking forward to fighting up there in New Hampshire for every vote. And I believe we are going to do very, very well on January 23rd.
COOPER: Would a third place showing for you be enough for you to continue?
CHRISTIE: Look, Anderson, it depends on what that third place showing looks like. And, you know, what's the margin, all the rest. So, how about this? We've got about eight weeks to go before we get there. How about we wait to see what happens? I'm pretty good at this. I've been around for a while, and I'll know whether what I've done is good enough or not to continue. But I absolutely anticipate it will be. I see us on the rise. And we're going to continue to do well because, Anderson, look, we're the ones speaking the truth in this race.
We've been speaking the truth about Donald Trump. Ron DeSantis won't speak about Donald Trump much at all. And Nikki Haley was in South Carolina two days ago saying that for some reason, drama seems to follow him. Well, that is trying to make Donald Trump out to be an innocent victim, when in fact I could tell you why drama follows him, because he creates it. He creates chaos and drama by lying to the American people about the results of the 2020 election, by trying to steal that election, by being indicted four times.
You know, there's no mystery as to why drama follows him. And I think that's just a way of someone trying to sound like they're being critical of Donald Trump but not too critical because they don't want to criticize him. That's just not the way to run to beat someone. That's running for second place.
COOPER: The -- as you mentioned, Nikki Haley obviously got this big endorsement by the organization funded by Charles Koch. That prompted DeSantis to blast her as the "Establishment Candidate." How do you see it? And can you -- I mean, it's a lot of money. Obviously, it's a big boost for Nikki Haley.
CHRISTIE: Well, look, good for her. Everyone's out there trying to get endorsements and help. And I'm doing the same thing. Good for her. Congratulations on getting that support. I think that's great for her. I don't think that voters in New Hampshire give a darn about who Americans for Prosperity supports. That's not the way they're going to determine their vote. Frankly, I think the way New Hampshire voters are going to determine their vote is who's telling them the truth, who is telling them the same thing in New Hampshire that they say in Iowa.
This is a big problem for Governor Haley. On the abortion issue, she has been out there saying let's not divide the American people anymore. This issue is too divisive. We should leave it alone. And then she goes to Iowa, where she's sitting at a very conservative forum, in front of Bob Vander Plaats, and says she would sign a six- week national -- six-week ban on abortion. I mean, look, what really is the truth? Which one are you for?
I make it very clear, I would not sign a six-week ban -- national ban on abortion. And the reason I wouldn't is twofold. One, we've been fighting for 50 years in this country to say the supreme court took these decisions away from the people of our country and put it in the hands of nine justices on the court. Now, Dobbs returned that to the people. I want to keep it with the people.
COOPER: Yeah.
CHRISTIE: Governor Haley wants to return it to politicians. Look, Anderson, all you need to do is look at the House trying to pick a Speaker and the Senate trying to do simple military promotions. Do you want to put the question of human life in the hands of those folks? I'd rather have the people of all 50 states make their own decision. Governor Haley is now taking the position she wants a six-week ban on abortion.
COOPER: Yeah.
CHRISTIE: I don't think that's something that folks in New Hampshire are going to agree with.
COOPER: Last time we spoke, you were about to travel to Israel. There's obviously been a pause in fighting as the hostages have been released. Palestinian prisoners have been released in return. We're waiting to see whether this truce is extended. Do you think it should be?
CHRISTIE: I think that's completely up to Israel. Now, look, I spent a lot of time, when I was in Israel, with some families of hostages. And they gave me this dog tag, which I keep with me since they gave it to me, Anderson. And it says, bring them home now. And I understand that each one of these families wants their loved ones home. And I think what Israel has to decide is, are these pauses significantly hurting their ability to be able to degrade Hamas' military capability over the long term well enough, so that people can return to their homes. And that's the real question here.
So, I'm all for as many of these hostages being released as quickly as they can, and Hamas should be releasing all these people, especially the women and children. But that's a decision for Prime Minister Netanyahu to make. I would say this, here are the three priorities. Priority number one, protect the territorial integrity and the safety and security of the Israeli people. Priority number two, degrade Hamas' military capability so that they can no longer do what they did on October 7th to the Israeli people.
I went to a kibbutz, as you know, that's 600 yards away from the Gaza border. Those people have to be able to return home and right now, they can't. And third, we have to get these hostages home.
COOPER: Yeah.
[20:35:00]
CHRISTIE: That's a delicate balance. It's difficult. That's why leadership is difficult, Anderson. If they can, they need to get more out. But ultimately, this cannot be a ceasefire because I don't believe, according to the Israelis, that the Hamas military capability is reduced enough at this point to make them not a threat to Israel's existence and the safety and security of its people.
COOPER: Governor Christie, appreciate your time. Thank you. Meanwhile...
CHRISTIE: Anderson, thanks for having me.
COOPER: On Capitol Hill, a source tells CNN the House is set to vote this Friday on expelling Republican fabulist Congressman George Santos. The House Ethics Committee released a damning reporting earlier this month laying out what they say is substantial evidence he misused campaign funds and committed unlawful conduct. That's to say nothing of the litany of lies he's been caught in over the past year -- in grandparents being Holocaust survivors, they weren't; in being a member of the volleyball team at Baruch College, he wasn't.
(LAUGH)
COOPER: But despite -- it's Harry Enten laughing. But despite growing support from Republicans to oust Santos, Speaker Johnson has expressed reservations over expelling him. Our favorite Data Reporter Harry Enten joins me now to break down how voters really feel about him. So, do voters think he should remain?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: No, they want him adios, amigos, right? I mean, when we think of people who leave their job involuntarily or would be forced out, we think of Richard Nixon, right, perhaps in 1974. I don't remember, perhaps you do. And about two-thirds of voters nationwide thought that he should resign from office.
Long Islanders, look at this, over 80 percent of them believe he should go adios, amigos. So the fact of the matter is, he has no support in his home territory, and we've seen this in poll after poll after poll.
COOPER: So it's -- how does that view about Republicans across the country?
ENTEN: Yeah. There's this idea, tomorrow, we'll see how many Republicans actually vote to expel him. But here's the deal. Most Republicans nationwide do not like this guy. His favor rating amongst them well below 20 percent. You compare that with Richard Nixon back in the '70s, right, I think there's this idea that there was a bipartisan push to get him out. In fact, there were a lot of Republicans who actually still liked him. His approval rating was 50 percent in the last Gallup poll that was taken for him (ph).
COOPER: And if he's expelled, how likely is it that his seat will remain in Republican hands?
ENTEN: Yeah. So, this is the great question. I don't know what the heck is going to happen tomorrow and I don't know what would happen if he does get expelled. If we look at the history of the voting patterns in New York's Third District, yes, Joe Biden won that seat by eight percentage points. But it wasn't just George Santos who won back in 2022. In fact, the Republican candidate Joe Pinion for United States Senate won there by four points.
So if the Republicans were worried, "Hey, if we get rid of him, would that necessarily mean we lose a seat?" I would say not necessarily. Republicans have been doing really well on special elections and elections since Joe Biden was elected on Long Island. It would be a very interesting race to say the least.
COOPER: Harry Enten, thanks very much.
ENTEN: Thank you.
COOPER: Adios, amigos.
ENTEN: Adios, amigos.
(LAUGH)
COOPER: It's an exciting night here on CNN, the premiere of Gayle King and Charles Barkley's new series "King Charles" is tonight. The dynamic duo spoke with fans today ahead of their first show. They join me right here on set after the break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:41:35]
COOPER: Tonight is the night. Tonight is the night of all nights. In a little over an hour from now, Gayle King and Charles Barkley's new prime time series, "King Charles" will debut right here on CNN. They are with me now to talk more about it. Welcome.
GAYLE KING, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "KING CHARLES": We came now live and in color, Anderson.
COOPER: Yeah. You're vibrant. You look amazing.
KING: Live and in color.
CHARLES BARKLEY, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "KING CHARLES": She got so much money, she calls it magenta, not pink.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: That's when you know you've got a lot of money. You get to make colors up. Magenta!
(LAUGH)
KING: See, the thing is Anderson knows. You know that this is magenta.
COOPER: I could not have told you that was magenta. I'm sorry. I did not inherit my mom's color (ph) sense.
KING: See, already you're getting that Barkley's sense of humor.
(LAUGH)
KING: Already, you're getting a sense of that.
COOPER: How long have you two known each other?
BARKLEY: Oh, that's a good question.
KING: I was trying to think of it and I honestly, I couldn't even think of the time. Do you? We have old pictures.
BARKLEY: Well, I don't remember the first time I met you but...
KING: You don't remember?
BARKLEY: I didn't. You weren't that impressive.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: But...
COOPER: I remember the first time I met you. You probably don't even remember this.
BARKLEY: On the street.
COOPER: No, no. We were in -- we might have been on the street. But the time I really remember was we were in New Orleans. It was at some all-star basketball game. I don't know why I was there.
(LAUGH)
COOPER: But I was in one part of a bar. You were way at the end, and I was too shy, of course, to talk to you. We made eye contact. And you -- it was late. You start yelling my name.
BARKLEY: Because I'm a fan.
COOPER: And you're like, Anderson Cooper! Anderson Cooper! I can't say exactly what you said, but you try to keep them MFers honest, but you can't keep them honest because those MFers aren't honest.
BARKLEY: They are honest.
COOPER: And you scream, and literally the bar like quiets down.
(LAUGH)
COOPER: And then you come over and embraced me. And you were like covered in -- I don't know -- you were wet. It was very hot.
BARKLEY: Probably vodka.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: But it was so fun because I was a big fan. Then the other time I met you...
COOPER: Once you met me (inaudible).
BARKLEY: I was driving, I was up here doing some... COOPER: Well, I remember this.
BARKLEY: I was up here doing something, and I see a guy on a bike. I said, damn, that look like Anderson Cooper.
COOPER: Yeah.
BARKLEY: And I says...
KING: Riding a bike?
BARKLEY: Riding a bike, yeah.
COOPER: It was Times Square, I'm riding my bike and he's in his car.
BARKLEY: And I said -- so, we pass him. He come back, I said, that is Anderson Cooper.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: So, I jump out the car. I say, "Anderson, how you doing?"
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: It was really cool because I've been a big fan for a long time. Thank you for having us. We're glad to be part of this.
COOPER: I'm so excited.
KING: We are, we are.
COOPER: So, what...
KING: But it is a good question, though, about when we met because, honestly, I really don't remember. Do you?
BARKLEY: I don't. I told you, Gayle, it was a glancing.
(LAUGH)
KING: Yeah, I was not that impressive. It has been fun.
BARKLEY: We've been spending time together. Apparently we hate each other. That's what the internet says. Once it's on the internet, it is true.
KING: Yeah, there are some tabloid stories already.
COOPER: So, this is, I mean, a different gig from both of you. What should we expect? I have no idea what to expect.
KING: Well, the beauty of this show, I think, is that neither one of us was looking for another job.
BARKLEY: Right.
KING: He's got a couple jobs...
COOPER: You're both like the hardest working people around.
KING: I've a couple of jobs. And we're also very happy in the jobs that we have. But when somebody presented the idea and said, "Would you ever think of," and they said his name, I go ooh!
COOPER: That's a trend (ph).
KING: I would -- that's what I thought.
(LAUGH)
KING: I didn't even know what the concept was.
COOPER: Right.
KING: But I thought me and Charles bantering (ph) is interesting.
COOPER: Is it true? Who came up with the name? I heard it was a -- I heard you...
KING: I did, I did, dad. I did, I did.
BARKLEY: I don't know how it -- first of all, I don't believe that.
(LAUGH)
KING: I did, Charles.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: I don't believe you came up with the name.
KING: King Charles?
BARKLEY: Yeah.
KING: I did. Because they had some sports thing or something.
BARKLEY: No, we don't want that.
KING: Like time-out or sports something. I said, "King Charles" because Gayle King and King Charles -- and Charles Barkley.
(LAUGH)
COOPER: I got it.
KING: You say you got it, but today, I said this on the show. When I was leaving the dentist, some lady stopped me and she said, I'm really looking forward to your show "King George" with Charles Barkley.
[20:45:00]
COOPER: Oh, interesting. KING: Yeah. That's what I said. I said it's called King Charles.
BARKLEY: No, but I'm...
KING: Here's some branding you do.
BARKLEY: You know, the cool thing about the show, as you know in your business, like, obviously, your stuff is a little bit more serious and things like we're going to tackle all the time. It's something new happening all -- every day.
COOPER: Right.
BARKLEY: So...
KING: No, that's not what you said. You said, people do stupid beep every single day.
(LAUGH)
KING: So, we will always have something to talk about.
BARKLEY: That's true.
KING: That's what you said.
COOPER: You don't actually have to beep here because...
KING: Oh, you don't?
COOPER: Yeah. No, it's not the same (ph).
KING: Well, what did you say?
BARKLEY: I said, people are going to always do stupid shit. Where (ph) I promise you, something happened, like we get like a...
COOPER: I wasn't saying you had to say that.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: You can't say I can say it and then tell me not to.
(LAUGH)
KING: But that is what he said, that is what he said.
BARKLEY: But something always is going to happen in our world.
COOPER: Yeah.
BARKLEY: And, like, I tell you, I know in your life the next year is going to be fascinating.
KING: Yeah. BARKLEY: Like, I can't imagine what it's like to be, like, cover politics for the next year in the United States. It's going to be crazy.
KING: We were talking about George Santos tonight.
COOPER: Yes, yeah.
BARKLEY: Can you imagine he told all those lies -- he probably wouldn't be here.
COOPER: But, what I love about the combination of both of you is, you both have such a wide variety of interests and knowledge about a whole bunch of stuff. And you can pull from all of that and have whoever you want on and do whatever -- I mean, it all makes sense.
KING: I have a lot of useless information stored up there. So, I love pop culture...
COOPER: Yes.
KING: I love politics, I love sports. We have one of the best athletes in the world on the show.
BARKLEY: Used to be.
KING: No, it's not (inaudible) maybe used to be. But back in the day, you were huge and you were good.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: You're the black Ernie Johnson.
(LAUGH)
BARKLEY: He's full of useless knowledge. I always tell him he should go on "Jeopardy!." Those people on "Jeopardy!" they know all that stuff that never comes in handy.
KING: I'm really good in trivial pursuit (ph).
COOPER: I have been on "Jeopardy!" four times.
KING: I am really -- have you?
COOPER: Yeah.
BARKLEY: Did you win?
COOPER: I won twice.
KING: Did you?
COOPER: I thought it was the dumbed down celebrity version of "Jeopardy!" So it is not...
KING: Wow!
COOPER: I mean, it's not like I really won.
BARKLEY: See, now, you're calling the other celebrities dumb. Who were they?
(LAUGH)
COOPER: You know who was really good at "Jeopardy!"? Cheech Marin, which I under estimated.
KING: Cheech & Chong?
COOPER: I was against him and I under estimated him.
KING: Oh, wow! Cheech & Chong!
COOPER: He crushed me.
KING: Wow.
COOPER: He was so smart. His synapse -- I thought his synapses would be slow because of the Cheech & Chong movie.
KING: Yes.
COOPER: No. He was really fast on the buzzer. He's really smart. He's really good.
BARKLEY: (Inaudible) people think I'm smart because I worked with Kenny and Shaq. They're dumber than rocks.
(LAUGH)
KING: The thing is though -- the thing is Charles is very smart.
BARKLEY: Thank you, Gayle.
KING: (Inaudible).
COOPER: Are you going to taking calls lately (ph)?
KING: Yes.
BARKLEY: Yes.
COOPER: I love that.
KING: Yes.
COOPER: You are going to me like, (inaudible) for the hour. Cleveland, hello.
KING: Guess what our number is. Tell him what the number is.
BARKLEY: 1-855-3434-king. KING: Do you know what the 3434 stands for?
BARKLEY: Oh, my God, of course, he knows my number.
COOPER: Yeah. Of course, I knew that. I'm a huge sports fan.
KING: Anderson, that's his basketball number.
COOPER: No, it's really...
BARKLEY: He knows it.
COOPER: Yeah.
KING: 3434 KING.
COOPER: I have this jersey. Yeah. He's a great football player.
(LAUGH)
KING: Here you go. We'll cover a wide variety -- a great football player. We'll cover a wide variety of things.
COOPER: Charles Barkley, I look forward to it.
KING: What's the name of the show?
COOPER: "King Charles" airs Wednesdays. It's on tonight, premiere just one hour away, 10:00 p.m.
KING: Yes.
COOPER: I'll be watching.
KING: We'll be ready.
BARKLEY: Thanks for having us, Anderson.
COOPER: Appreciate it. Coming up, I want to talk to you a little bit about grief, which is not something we talk about much. I realized a few months ago that despite experiencing a lot of loss in my life -- this is a good transition -- I've never really allowed myself to grieve. And there's a lot of people I know like me out there, who push it away. But grief doesn't stay buried forever. Today, I launched a new season, my podcast about grief and loss called "All There Is," and I want to take you behind the scenes why I made it. We'll be right back.
I'm so excited.
KING: We are too (ph).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:52:10]
COOPER: I've never really talked much about my grief before publicly or even to friends until last year, when I started a podcast about grief and loss. It's called "All There Is" and the second season starts today. If you look at the right corner of your screen right now, you will see what is called a QR Code. You can point your phone's camera to that code right now and follow the link that appears on your phone, and you will be directed to your first episode. Or you can find it wherever you listen to podcast.
I didn't think I would do another season of "All There Is." Talking about grief is painful but not talking about it is even worse. In the last few months, I realized that I have never really allowed myself to grieve. I've been running from it most of my life. But it doesn't go away. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER (voice-over): The basement in my house is still filled with boxes of stuff belonging to my mom who died in 2019, and to my dad and brother who died decades ago. There are photographs and letters and notes, have been sitting here, waiting for me to find the courage to sift through them for nearly a year.
I had started to go through the boxes last year, during the first season of "All There Is," but I had to stop. I found it overwhelming. All this stuff brought up a lot of pain and sadness that I buried long ago as a kid when my dad, Wyatt Cooper, died and then again when my brother Carter died by suicide. It turns out grief doesn't stay buried forever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have never shared anything like this before.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I lost my father when I was ten.
COOPER (voice-over): I was reminded of that this spring when I started listening to more than 1,000 voicemails I had received during the first season of the podcast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had to grieve the person that I was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have to endure it. We have to get through it.
COOPER (voice-over): It took months, but I listened to all your calls. More than 46 hours of messages, and they moved me profoundly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We lost our son, Brad, eight years ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want you to know my son's name, Ian Alexander Lahikainen.
COOPER (voice-over): I learned the named of your loved ones. I heard your pain and your love. And I don't know how to explain it exactly, but it awakened something inside me. And I realize now for first time that I have never really allowed myself to grieve. And in burying that pain, I have also buried my ability to feel joy. And I don't want to do that any longer. I can't. I want to feel all there is. And so, that's why I'm doing another season of this podcast. I need to talk with others, living with grief, and learn from them how I can too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the impulse, at least for me, was just sort of how do I fix it? How do I manage it? And none of that works with grief. You can't fix it. You can't manage it. You can't push it away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was at a grocery store, feeling like nobody could see me. And I was just screaming inside.
[20:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It felt like this unraveling of our family, like to be the only one left and to have no one I could really call and talk to, and be like, remember when this happened?
COOPER (voice-over): In the first episode, I talk with Author Francis Weller about what grief can actually do for us in our lives.
FRANCIS WELLER, PSYCHOTHERAPIST, AUTHOR AND SOUL ACTIVIST: We are told to buck up, just to get over it, to rise above it. But we are never taught how to be with it.
COOPER (voice-over): And in the next episode, I will talk to President Biden at the White House about list grief and how he has come to live with it.
JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I think it's critical people understand that they are always going to be with you. Your mother is in your heart every single day. Your brother, in your heart, they are there every single day. And there will come a time, as you can sort of welcome that, that you have that and you had that, that it was there.
COOPER (voice-over): There's a lot I don't understand about grief. But I do know that talking about it is the only thing that makes me feel less alone in it. And I hope it does for you as well. The new season of "All There Is" starts Wednesday, November 29, wherever you get your podcasts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Again, you can scan the QR Code there on the screen or to download "All There Is" or you can search for it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. I hope you like it and I hope find it helpful.
The news continues. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
