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Israel Send Negotiating Team To Paris For Hostage, Ceasefire Talks; Today: Trump, Haley Make Final Pitches Ahead Of Tomorrow's SC Primary; Pres. Biden Speaks To National Governors Association. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired February 23, 2024 - 11:00   ET

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

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SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: You're looking at live pictures where any moment now, President Biden is set to speak about what he just imposed on Russia, the largest single day round of sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine, the sanctions coming on the eve of the two-year anniversary of Putin's unprovoked war on Ukraine.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hostage talks are picking back up in Paris. Israel's top people are on their way right now as Benjamin Netanyahu reveals his first formal plan for the day after in Gaza.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Officers in Uvalde ordered to answer questions before a grand jury, potentially facing criminal charges for the killings there almost two years ago. I'm John Berman with Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, and this is moving day for the last time at this hour. This is CNN News Central.

SIDNER: Any moment we expect to hear from President Biden at the White House for the first time since he imposed the largest single day round of sanctions on Russia in years. We have team coverage at the White House and in Moscow. Let's first get to Priscilla Alvarez, who is standing by for Biden's remarks. Priscilla, what can you tell us Biden is planning to say as he welcomes the nation's governor to the White House?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Sara, President Biden has been very outspoken about Russia and levying consequences against the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. So this is an opportunity where he could weigh in after this fresh slate of sanctions that have been announced by his administration. That is the single largest set of sanctions in a day since Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Now we are getting more details about what these sanctions include. It's over 500 targets and that includes hundreds of entities involved in Russia's military industrial base as well as 26th third country entities facilitating Russian sanction evasions. That includes firms in China, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates. Now, we know leading up today that U.S. officials had been preparing a sanctions package to mark the two-year anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine. But then came the death of Alexei Navalny. And these sanctions have been supplemented to reflect that as well. Now in a statement this morning, President Biden saying the following, quote, these sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny's imprisonment as well as Russia's financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents.

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They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home. Of course, Sara, the U.S. has levied multiple sanctions against Russia since the war in Ukraine. Russia says they have adapted to them. Western officials, when you speak to them, say that this is long term, that it is hampering their economy. And in the end, U.S. officials frame this as one tool in the toolbox.

They are also keeping up the pressure today on Congress to pass $60 billion in additional aid to Ukraine, saying that, too, is necessary to continue this drumbeat and consequence against the Russian president. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, Priscilla Alvarez. Let's go now to CNN's Matthew Chance. He is in Moscow for us. Has there been any response there? And if so, what is it?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDEN: Well, actually, it's a public holiday here in Russia. And that's one of the reasons why there hasn't been a public response so far from the Kremlin that this latest wrath of U.S. sanctions. But I mean, there have been so many sanctions imposed by the United States and the E.U. and Britain and others over the course of the past several years.

I think it's pretty clear what the response will be. It's that they regard these kinds of actions by the United States and others as illegal, and they say that it won't affect Russia's ability to do business. I mean, clearly, it increases the cost of Russia doing business. They have to pay third parties. They have to pay middlemen. And so that's something.

But, you know, when they sanction individuals, for instance, who are senior in the Russian penitentiary service in response to the death of Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent critic. Well, within the context of Russia, it's almost like a badge of honor for an official to get sanctioned by the United States. And so that's something. The other issue, which I think is the most important one, is that despite the fact that Russia is the most sanctioned country in the world now, it's got more than 16,000 individual sanctions imposed against it by the United States, by the European Union, and by others.

It doesn't appear to have done anything to divert it from its course of action. The conflict in Ukraine, what it calls its special military operation, is continuing. The crackdown on opponents and dissidents inside Russia as we've seen with the death of Alexei Navalny, that continues as well. And that must be, I think that is very frustrating for people around the world and for Russians that want to see the situation to be changed. Sara? SIDNER: Matthew Chance, as always, thank you so much for your reporting as well as you there, Priscilla Alvarez, waiting on comments from President Biden. That should happen very shortly. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Yes. And there's so much obviously, on the President's plate, including keeping an eye on what exactly is happening overseas with hostage negotiations. Israeli negotiators are heading to Paris right now to try and continue talks over securing the release of more hostages from Gaza, hostages who have now been held by Hamas for four months. They will be joining CIA Director Bill Burns and Egyptian and Qatari counterparts in Paris to get these talks going once again.

The goal is to reach a deal ahead of Ramadan next month. Now in another significant step, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed a formal proposal for the first time, really, for post Hamas, a post Hamas future in Gaza, a day after plan, one that would include Israel maintaining security control in Gaza and at its entry and exit points. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is following all of this. He's back with us now from Tel Aviv.

Jeremy, let's start there. What does -- let's start with the meeting in Paris. What does the meeting in Paris at this point, in this moment, what does it say about the negotiations that have been long and hard and tough?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it indicates that at least there is movement here. And the fact that these negotiators are getting together in Paris with the CIA Director who has been present for meetings at key inflection points, it does give an indication that perhaps progress is being made or can be made going forward. And it's interesting because when we started off this week, Kate, it very much seemed like were at an impasse. Both Hamas and Israel were taking very, very hard lines.

The last time Israel sent negotiators to one of these meetings, they were really just there in listen only mode, not really actively engaging in these negotiations. But as this negotiating team left Israel today heading for Paris, they were going not only with the approval of Israel's war cabinet, which voted last night to send them, but also with what has been described to me as expanded authority to negotiate more power to try and influence the direction of these talks, to try and strike a deal.

This came after Brett McGurk, President Biden's Middle East coordinator, was here in Israel yesterday meeting with top officials, including the Israeli prime minister, urging the Israelis to reengage in these talks. I'm told that one of the key reasons why Israel agreed to reengage in these talks and send a delegation to Paris is that they received proof via the Qataris that is -- that the hostages in Gaza had indeed received the medication that was sent to them via the Qataris as well as French officials.

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So Israel clearly choosing to reengage. And we're also hearing some kind of positive chatter, including from Benny Gantz, a key member of the war cabinet, who said that there were indications that indicated the possibility of progress in these talks. But we will see what the outcome actually is today. But certainly this is a critical meeting coming at a critical time, as Israel has made clear that if there is not a deal in the next two and a half weeks or so before Ramadan, that Israel will proceed with that offensive into Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah.

BOLDUAN: Jeremy, there are also some new satellite images that were released this morning showing Egypt building a massive buffer wall, buffer zone and even a border wall on its border with Gaza. What are you hearing about this?

DIAMOND: Yes, these images from Maxar satellite imagery, they say that this buffer zone that they can see is about 16.5 square kilometers over 6 square miles of area that has been bulldozed. And they've been doing this over the last several weeks. They actually began this bulldozing process on February 6th. So it just kind of gives you a sense of the scale of this project, not only clearing this entire six square mile area around the border, on the Egyptian side of the border, but also creating this border wall there.

And all of this is because Egyptian officials are concerned that if Israel pushes into Rafah, where there are 1.5 million Palestinians currently sheltering, that that could provoke perhaps a mass exodus of Palestinians heading into Egypt. Israel has indicated that it is not their intention to send Palestinians into Egypt. They've said instead that they are working on plans to evacuate civilians further north in Gaza.

But this, of course, raises enormous questions about that military offensive, the potential ramifications. And today, the Israeli prime minister, as he talked about his post war plans for Gaza, he very much envisions this very same area, the Egypt-Gaza border, being controlled by Israel for security purposes. And that would certainly be a key part of any potential Israeli offensive into Rafah.

BOLDUAN: Jeremy, thanks for tracking it all. Really appreciate it. It's good to see you. John?

BERMAN: All right. What do Nikki Haley and Donald Trump have up their sleeves in the final hours before the South Carolina primary?

Officers who responded to the Uvalde School shooting have been ordered to appear before a grand jury investigating the police response into the incident.

[11:12:47]

And going where men went 50 years ago and then decided to stop, fresh pictures from the lunar surface.

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BOLDUAN: All right, we're going to take you to the east room of the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris kind offering welcoming opening remarks as the national Governor's association, a bipartisan group of governors are gathered there. And we're going to be hearing from President Biden soon. Let's listen in to what the Vice President is saying.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- represented here today, and I've seen firsthand the vitality of small business and knowing that that is essential to the vitality of our communities as a whole, not to mention how the growth of these small businesses generate tax revenue, which makes up, of course, a significant portion of the annual revenue of your states.

So, for these reasons, our focus has been to nurture the ambition and ans -- aspirations of everyone from young entrepreneurs to multi- generational families to help them with their success. And since taking office, we have seen a record number of small businesses in terms of their growth, the most small businesses ever created, in fact, in any three years in history, which is indicative of the overall growth of our economy.

In addition to access to capital, together, we have also taken on the issue of the maternal mortality crisis. It is something we cannot talk about enough, in terms of the significance of this crisis.

For years, federal public policy has not adequately addressed that before, during, and after childbirth, American women die at a higher rate than in any other wealthy nation in the world. The women of America die at a higher rate than the women of any other wealthy nation in the world.

Over the years, I have spoken with too many people who have suffered because of this crisis, mothers who have lost babies, men who have lost their spouse, children who have lost a parent.

And of the many factors that contribute to this crisis, one of the most significant is that millions of women in America, in particular, in low-income communities, do not have access to adequate postpartum care.

In fact, when we took office, the vast majority of American women on Medicaid were only entitled to two months of coverage for postpartum care, meaning two months after giving birth, she could lose access to lifesaving care, such as cardiac screenings, mental health counseling, and vaccinations.

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BOLDUAN: We're listening to Vice President Kamala Harris right there teeing up some of the big issues that the White House cares about that governors across the country are being faced with. This is a gathering of governors that are in the East Room of the White House. We're going to wait also to hear from President Biden, many issues he could be taking on and addressing today. We're going to bring you those remarks when they begin as well.

We're also watching this because it's almost Election Day. The battle for votes, the hunt for delegates, and the quest for survival, politically speaking, takes us to South Carolina. Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, they are there today and polls are open in less than 24 hours, Haley will need to defy the odds to win in her home state. This morning, her campaign just released a new ad taking on Trump, calling him the commander in chaos.

CNN's Kristen Holmes, she's in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Donald Trump is heading there, Kristen. What are you -- Nikki Haley is making clear she's running hard. She's running through the tape and she is not quitting. What does that mean? And how is Donald Trump and his team reacting to that position?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, not quitting even if she loses by 30 points, which is what the polls currently show. You talk about commander and chaos. That has really been Nikki Haley's main message, that everything that surrounds Donald Trump, whether it's his legal issues or his political issues, ends in some sort of chaos. She's even created the slogan Make America Normal Again. But despite all of her efforts, despite the fact that she has completely outpaced him on the campaign trail, she has completely outspent him on the campaign trail.

Those recent polls still show her up 30 points, but that's not stopping her from that last minute attempt, as you said, releasing this digital ad really linking Donald Trump to dictators and a highlight reel of every controversial and at times hateful thing that Donald Trump has ever said.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The President had planned a secret meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David just a few days before 9/11.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump sided with Putin over his own director of National Intelligence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Criticized American allies.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Take the guns first, go through due process second.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: American farmers hurt by tariffs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's lost on trade.

TRUMP: We are reducing debt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Adding $8 trillion under Trump's watch.

TRUMP: It's so easy to be presidential.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Calling her a dog.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Horse face.

TRUMP: Very fine people on both sides.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: H.R. McMaster's out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: James Mattis is leaving.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And Kate, I want to take you all the way back to before the Iowa primary when there was a report released by a PAC that was run by a group that was trying to stop Donald Trump, where they said essentially all the advertising that they tried didn't work when it came to the former president. And that seems to be what we're seeing here, not just in South Carolina, but if you look at those Super Tuesday states, which is now in about a week and a half, he is leading in every single one of those states, making it look more and more likely that he will be the Republican nominee.

BOLDUAN: Kristen, it's great to have you there. We'll get back to you. John?

BERMAN: All right, with us now, CNN political commentator and former White House communications director, Kate Bedingfield. Kate, it's great to see you. A few seconds ago, were looking at Vice President Kamal Harris speaking to the National Government Association at the White House. And this comes amid all kinds of reports that she is going to take a more prominent role in the campaign. You've had an interesting history with the Vice President. What do you think she can do for the Biden reelection campaign?

KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh, she can do a tremendous amount for the re-election campaign. I think having her out, having her vocal, having her lead on issues where she is clearly passionate and forceful is nothing but good for the Biden ticket. You know, you've seen her. She's been really at the forefront of their arguments on Roe, on abortion, on guns. You know, she has become somebody who really can carry that core Biden-Harris message forward.

BERMAN: Hey Kate.

BEDINGFIELD: And that's helpful.

BERMAN: I'm going to jump in right here and interrupt you because your former boss, the President of the United States, is speaking right now in the east room.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Folks, thank you very much. Governor Cox, Governor Polis, all the governors for being here.

I know you just heard, did Jill already speak, my wife?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BIDEN: Well, what the hell am I doing here then? You're -- Jill enjoys traveling to your states and to advance priorities like education and workforce development.

And thanks to Kamala for her leadership and her incredible partnership across the board. And to the members of our Cabinet, including former Governor, and we have two former governors here, are they both here today? Governor Raimondo and where is my Secretary of Agriculture? Is he here? Well, he's going to be here tomorrow, Tom Vilsack is going to be here tomorrow.

My Republican friends, I've got bad news for you. I actually like working with you. And it reminds me of the days I was in the Senate, you know, things, we'd argue like hell and then we'd get things done.

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And -- but look, before I begin, I want to say a few words about an important anniversary that we mark tomorrow. Two years ago, shortly before dawn, Russian troops marched across the border into Ukraine. And Putin believed he could easily bend the will and break the resolve of the free people of Ukraine, that he could roll into Ukraine and he would roll over them.

Two years later, he remains wrong. He didn't do that. He wasn't able to do that. Kyiv is still standing. Ukraine is still free. And the people of Ukraine remain unbowed and unbroken in the face of Putin's vigorous onslaught.

This is due to their sheer bravery and their sacrifice, but it's also due to us. Remember, the United States pulled together a coalition of more than 50 nations, 50 nations to support Ukraine. We unified and expanded NATO. We can't walk away now. And that's what Putin is betting on. He's betting on we're going to walk away.

That's why I'll be speaking to the G7 folks, some of the heads of the European Union and NATO today. That's why I'm announcing more than 500 new sanctions in response to Putin's brutal war of conquest, in response to Alexei Navalny's death. Because make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Alexei's death.

Yesterday I met with Alexei's wife and daughter in California where his daughter attends college. Alexei was an incredibly courageous man and his family is courageous as well.

I assured them his legacy will continue to live on around the world. And we, the United States, are going to continue to ensure that Putin pays the price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.

But let me be clear, the House of Representatives must pass the bipartisan national security bill. The bill provides urgent funding for Ukraine. And it passed overwhelmingly in the Senate.

And there's no question, none, none, if the Speaker called a vote in the House, it would pass easily today. Instead, they went on vacation. I mean, it's just -- any -- well.

Look, folks, all kidding aside, history is watching. The clock is ticking. Brave Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are dying. Russia is taking Ukrainian territory for the first in many months. But here in America, the Speaker gave the House a two-week vacation.

They have to come back. They have to come back and get this done, because failure to support Ukraine in this critical moment will never be forgotten in history. It will be measured, and it will have impact for decades to come.

And I want to thank all you governors here for -- and I urge you, if you agree with me, and many of you do, to urge your congressional representatives to force this bill to be brought up. America can -- to prove America can be relied on. America stands up for freedom. And we never bow to anyone, particularly Putin.

Look, folks, now on another important work we're doing. I want to thank you all for delivering historic results for the American people. You've been incredible partners. Governors know the measure of success isn't how many partisan points we score.

BERMAN: President Biden speaking to a gathering of the nation's governors, urging them, both Democratic and Republican governors, to talk to their congressional representatives to get them to vote on the aid package to Ukraine, that is right now languishing in the House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Johnson will not put it on the floor for a vote.

He said that the world is watching what happens here in the United States. And once again, he said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny. Back with us is former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield. Kate, sorry I had to interrupt you when the President started speaking there. But I am -- taken by the fact you are listening to the president speak about Vladimir Putin, speak about the situation in Russia. He called Vladimir Putin a crazy SOB.

He says in public that Vladimir Putin is responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny. Can you give us some insight about what he says behind the scenes when it comes to the Russian leader? What animates him most on this subject?

BEDINGFIELD: Well, John, I mean, one of the great things about Joe Biden is that what he says in public is also what he says in private. He is incredibly -- he finds Putin to be personally appalling. He finds his behavior appalling. Obviously, he believes -- and you see both in how he talks about him publicly, pulling no punches, calling him an SOB, which I would say, you know, we're -- we learned last week that Putin is murdering dissidents in his own country.