Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

TSA Expects 15-Year High for Thanksgiving Travel; Millions Packing Roads, Airports to Get to Thanksgiving Destinations; ByHeart Recalls Formula After Infant Botulism Cases; Data: Young College Grads Losing Their Find-Jobs-Fast Advantage. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired November 26, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For her to go back to the state hospital.

[08:00:02]

But yesterday, she waived that extradition. Her head was down in court, but she waived it. So, now it's a matter of Waukesha, Wisconsin, because they have the custody and control of her because that's where the case originated. They're going to pick her up. They have 50 days, but I think they'll do it very soon. They'll take her back to Waukesha.

And we do know the district attorney said that she fully supports revoking that conditional release for her to go back to the hospital. But Dane County in Madison, they've got to look if there are new charges here.

Now meanwhile, she went to Illinois with a friend. They took a bus. They walked to this small town. Now our affiliate who interviewed her, they asked our affiliate WKOW to identify the friend as Charley Mecca. Charley Mecca listened to this person of why they went to Illinois and what he thinks of Morgan Geyser.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLEY MECCA: She ran because of me. She already made it clear if I didn't go with her or not, she was still going, and she was not going back to jail and I know what that means. And I was scared and I was nervous and I still chose to. For my friend. Who I knew wasn't going to make it on her own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: And he believes she is not the person she used to be. And so there will be a court hearing once she gets into Waukesha, Morgan Geyser. We'll see what the future holds.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, we need to see what's in all these filings too. They're sealed right now.

Jean Casarez, thank you very much for all of this. A brand-new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now. Uh oh, blizzard warnings just as millions are traveling for

Thanksgiving. What you need to know before you leave the house or decide not to?

New CNN reporting the penalties the defense secretary hopes to impose on the U.S. senator for the video he made telling troops not to obey illegal orders. And is it possible you might not be as old as you think? I think I'm about as mature as a 17-year-old. The surprising new study on your brain and aging.

I'm John Berman with a very young Kate Bolduan, even younger Sara Sidner. This is "CNN News Central."

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the usefulness of this team in a second. Let's focus now on the real issue at hand. This morning, it's time to hit the road, folks, and get where you're going for Thanksgiving.

But there is already some severe weather setting in that could throw a wrench in people's travel plans across the country. Heavy snow and winds led to a pileup on a highway in Minnesota. Just look at these conditions already.

And there's also more snow and even blizzard warnings to watch out for in the coming days. If you are leaving today, you are in good company. AAA forecasts today will be the busiest day on the road. They also say the best time to leave is before 11 a.m. So, finish watching the show and then, you know, pack the car.

If you're flying, the advice is exactly what one would expect. Arrive early. TSA expects a 15-year high for Thanksgiving travel, with agents screening an estimated three million people through Sunday.

CNN's Pete Muntean is at Reagan National Airport. I think this is when we start calling you the mayor of Reagan National Airport.

Pete, how are things going?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Standing by for the key for the city in the mail and also my sash. You know, the unofficial title doesn't come with many perks, although I will say, you know, yesterday the TSA said it was going to be a really big day, 2.7 million, and today would be about the same. Although, I got to say, having been here for a little bit already, it's already feeling a little bit busier and it's harder to get to the airport.

All of the parking spots are full, just an indicator of how huge it's going to be today. 17.8 million people screened at TSA security checkpoints over the next seven days. We're averaging about 2.5 million people a day. We're at the morning rush here at DCA right now, and so things will get a little bit busier as the day goes on. Of course, a lot of people waiting to leave until the last moment of the day, especially here in D.C., a big-time working crowd.

Remember, it's not going to be totally smooth sailing, though, because of the weather that you mentioned. In fact, there is a ground stop in place here for flights to DCA. The FAA just implemented that, goes until 8:30 in the morning. The departures board, though, looks pretty good, at least right now.

Only a little bit of yellow, a couple delays, not a lot of cancellations. The latest numbers from FlightAware shows the numbers are still pretty low, but remember, the day is still young. Yesterday, we ended the day with very few cancellations, but the delays climbed into the thousands.

You know, I've spoken to travelers here going to Alabama, to Texas, to North Carolina, to Minneapolis, and they say that they're really taking all of this in stride. Listen.

[08:05:08]

VIJAY KUMAR, TRAVELING FOR THANKSGIVING: It was a 70-passenger plane with 50 people on it, so it was like, actually, I don't know. I expected it to be packed, and it was not, so that was great.

MUNTEAN: Pretty easy day.

KUMAR: Yeah, I don't know why we've been taking the car for years instead of just flying here.

KEVIN BOEHIER, TRAVELING FOR THANKSGIVING: Be patient. That's the key. Just be patient. Go with the flow.

JILLIAN ANASTASIADES, TRAVELING FOR THANKSGIVING: Don't check bags in, it'll save you some time. Travel light if possible, but also, you know, be kind to others. Let people pass if they're trying to catch a quick connection, and yeah, just keep it simple.

MUNTEAN: Be patient and go with the flow. That's always good advice. You know, so many people will drive, though, because it's very much a driving holiday, and AAA anticipates about 80 million people traveling 50 miles or more over the rest of the holiday rush, 90 percent of them will drive. Today will be the toughest, especially in the afternoon, and so if you've really not gotten a start now, you should probably wait until Thanksgiving Day when the traffic is going to be a lot, lot less, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Yet again, Pete Muntean, just changing everyone's plans willy-nilly. You know, like, oh, you don't have to leave today. Just leave in a couple weeks. It'll be great. And go with the flow. And go with the flow. That, I love that advice.

Pete, thank you so much.

Sara?

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Kate really loves going with the flow, like, OK.

BOLDUAN: I mean, I exude going with the flow, Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, you do.

All right, speaking of which, joining us now as we go with the flow of the show, Clint Henderson. He is in his meditation pose, the Managing Editor of The Points Guy and Aixa Diaz -- Aixa Diaz, National Spokesperson for AAA.

I am going to start with you, Aixa. What is AAA projecting? We're hearing, you know, 90 percent of people drive to their holiday or Thanksgiving destination. And what advice do you have for those folks that are dealing with these blizzards in parts of the country?

AIXA DIAZ, NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON, AAA: Yeah, well, if the weather's that bad, you shouldn't be driving in the first place. So, I know, I know Kate doesn't like to change plans, but here's the thing. You do have to be flexible, especially when it comes to safety on the road.

So, you can adjust your departure time. And that's the beauty of driving, right? You're the one in control. Of course, if you're flying, then you're at the mercy of delays and cancellations. But preparation is key. Control what you can.

And you heard from those savvy travelers, avoid checking a bag. That's one less thing you have to worry about at the airport. But also think about the traffic going into the airport, too. Sometimes that can delay you a bit as well.

SIDNER: Yeah, that is a good point. I know going in and out of some airports, like LAX, for example, there is a long line once you actually get to the airport in your car.

Clint, what are some of the smart moves that people can make right now to try to avoid the delays and cancellations? We were kind of chuckling when that gentleman said, look, we've always driven. I don't know why. It's quicker to fly.

CLINT HENDERSON, MANAGING EDITOR, THE POINTS GUY: Yeah.

SIDNER: But sometimes things don't go so well.

HENDERSON: Yeah, and when you get a storm forecast like we're seeing right now, we saw earlier this week, Dallas was a mess. Yesterday was Atlanta. When you start to get a hub snarled, sometimes it's better just to cut bait. If you see there's a blizzard impact in your airport, just call the airline. Say, I'm going to go the next day, the day before. You know, obviously, it's hard to be flexible during these times.

But, you know, if there's a major storm, if there's a major incident like we saw in Houston a few weeks ago with three-hour lines, sometimes it's better just to say, I'm going to try to add a little flexibility. You know, if you want to get home for Thanksgiving, that's going to be harder to do. But if a blizzard is shutting down your airport, there's really not much you can do to travel that day.

SIDNER: Right. And on the roads, Aixa, when it comes to this, what should you have in your car for safety? What should you be thinking about if you end up on the road and you're like, all right, we're in the middle of it?

DIAZ: Well, first, you should leave with a full tank. Also, check your tire pressure, your battery, your fluids. Pack an emergency kit with extra water bottles, snacks, blankets, a flashlight, anything you would need in case there is a crash on the interstate, let's say, and you're stuck in traffic for hours and there's cold weather. What do you have in the car that can keep you safe?

But also think about the safety of others when you're behind the wheel. So, always drive sober. Don't be distracted. And slow down, move over. That is the law in all 50 states. That means when you see flashing lights on the side of the road or anyone pulled over who has a flat tire or an emergency, reduce your speed and then change lanes to give them room.

SIDNER: Are there times that you are really bad to drive, like timing- wise, whether you should leave in the morning, the evening, the afternoon?

DIAZ: Yes. Yes. Leave right now. Today is going to be bad. Any time after lunchtime between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. is just brutal on the roads. And not just today, Sara, coming back on Sunday is going to be very bad. So, can you come back Monday? Can you come back on Saturday? Again, I'm thinking about Kate. I know she doesn't like to do this, but Sunday is a bad day.

[08:10:02]

SIDNER: Kate is yelling from the other room saying, no, no, I'm perfectly fine. I'm good. I change all the time.

All right. Clint, to you, airport lines -- airport lines. We saw the cars. We know there are going to be lines there in the streets. But there's like, what, three million or so people are going to go through TSA on Sunday alone?

HENDERSON: Yeah.

SIDNER: What's your best advice to trying to deal with that?

HENDERSON: So, get there a little bit earlier than normal. Remember, there's a lot of people traveling who are maybe once a year travelers, so they don't know all the rules. They're still taking their shoes off when they go through the lanes. Just give yourself and other people grace. But also clear, TSA pre-check, biometric screening. There's all these new speedy security ways to get to the airport. I usually, I have all three, and I usually say, OK, which line is the shortest? That's the one I'm going to use. It's usually biometric screening if your airport has it.

So, these programs cost money, but sometimes credit cards will give you a statement credit for the cost of them. I say they're worth it, especially if you travel more than once or twice a year.

SIDNER: That is really good advice. Clint Henderson, Aixa Diaz, thank you both for talking us through this and giving Kate the best advice you possibly could. I appreciate it.

John?

BERMAN: Yeah, and I'm here for the Sara Sidner impersonation of Kate Bolduan, by the way.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: 8:05, the time this show officially went off the rails.

All right, one of the largest baby formula manufacturers says all of its formula may be tainted with botulism, fears of a nationwide outbreak. Firefighters raced to save a dog trapped more than 12 feet underground after chasing a raccoon there.

And then monster snake on the lam. Seriously, where's the tail? This is the last thing you want to see swimming through the floodwaters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:16:02]

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, an Arizona family is suing the makers of an infant formula company. Their baby is one of at least 34 infants who fell ill with botulism after consuming the formula from maker ByHeart.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YURANY DEXTER, MOTHER: I felt like I was in a nightmare with all the things that happened for us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Right. There is worry the numbers of those affected could rise as officials reopen cases of infant botulism for earlier in the year. ByHeart said two weeks ago it recalled all its infant formula, but the FBA said last week it's received reports formula was still on some store shelves.

Let's get right to see a Medical Correspondent, Meg Tirrell, for the latest on this. It's a scary word.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely. And all 31 of these infants have been hospitalized. Luckily, there have been no deaths reported. But this is the largest outbreak of cases related to baby formula that experts we talked to can ever remember. They're really shocked by the number of cases we're seeing here. And this is across 15 states.

You can see there it's really all over the entire country. And there are concerns among experts that people don't know about this and that these cans of formula might still be on shelves. And the recall affects all lots and all sizes of this ByHeart formula.

Now, it's important to note that ByHeart makes up only about one percent of the market for baby formula in the U.S. So, there aren't concerns about baby formula shortages like we had a couple years ago. So, that's really important context.

But folks should know this is the kind of formula that is being recalled. If they see it, you're not supposed to buy it. You're not supposed to use it. The company is saying on its website it's putting out an apology there. It's not commenting on the litigation. But it is saying that folks can get refunds if they bought this on their website going back to August because that's how far back some of these cases were reported.

BERMAN: I mean, what we all know about botulism is be careful of canned and jarred goods there.

TIRRELL: Yeah.

BERMAN: But what about symptoms?

TIRRELL: Yeah, so for babies, I mean, this is really scary. This is a bacteria that causes spores. If it gets in the baby's guts, it can start making this toxin. Typically, the first thing that might happen to babies is constipation. But it can also cause feeding issues, a weak and altered cry, lack of head control. If it gets really serious, it can start to cause paralysis.

And, of course, another use for botulism is in Botox. So, if you think about paralysis, paralyzing those muscles that people use Botox for. So. this can be very scary. But there is a treatment. It's made by the California Department of Public Health. They invented it. And they're the only purveyors of it.

They also have a hotline if people are concerned about this. So, folks, check that out if they're worried.

BERMAN: Who knew? The California Department of Public Health.

TIRRELL: It's very interesting.

BERMAN: All right, Meg Tirrell, thank you very much for all of that.

Sara?

SIDNER: All right, up ahead, are college grads losing their edge in the job market? Why a new study is raising questions on whether a college degree actually pays off in the end.

And the trial that captured national attention, set to make its return to court, the South Carolina Supreme Court setting a date to hear Alex Murdaugh's appeal of his convictions in the murders of his wife and his son.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:23:19]

BOLDUAN: New this morning. For decades, having a college degree has given young graduates an edge in the jobs market. But that could be changing as new data is showing the unemployment gap between college grads and high school graduates without a degree has started to narrow.

CNN's Matt Egan is looking at this new data for us. He's joining us now. What are you seeing?

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Kate, you know, getting a college degree, it used to really just get you to the front of the line --

BOLDUAN: Yes.

EGAN: -- when it comes to getting a job. But not anymore. It's taking longer and longer to get from that diploma to actually landing your first job.

Look at the unemployment rate for those with a college degree ages 20 to 24. It's surging, 9.3 percent in August, 9.7 percent as of September. That is not only a four-year high. That is more than twice the national unemployment rate. And this is a problem that has really intensified as of late.

As recently as April, this unemployment rate --

BOLDUAN: Look at that.

EGAN: -- was only 4.4 percent. And now we're looking at almost double digits. And what's unusual here is that historically, recent college graduates, they were able to get a job a lot faster than those who graduated with only a high school diploma, right? But that situation is really reversed.

So, the Cleveland Federal Reserve, they have some research out that shows that between the mid-1970s and 2000, the pace of people getting out of unemployment, right, with a college degree was a lot higher than those who only had the high school degree. But now that has completely reversed, and it's actually taking longer for people who have a college degree to get out of unemployment. And this really matches with anecdotally what I'm hearing, right?

I'm talking to young people who graduated in the spring of 2024, and they say that they've had to apply to hundreds of jobs and it's taken them a year. And some of them, they get a job, but it only barely pays the bills.

[08:25:08]

BOLDUAN: What is driving this? I mean, there has to be a multitude of factors, of course, but what really is driving this?

EGAN: Well, it's tempting to blame this on either COVID distortions or A.I. or both, but this research shows that this is really a decade- long issue. And the researchers find that it coincides with a switch in the labor market, away from college-biased hiring to what they're calling education-neutral demand. In other words, getting a job now, it's less about whether or not you have a college degree, and it's more about what skills you have. And the researchers say that some of the long-standing job market advantages offered by having a college degree may be eroding. And the other factor here is that more and more people are going to college, which of course is a good thing, but it means that you're competing in that labor pool with other people who also have a college degree.

Now, this is not to say that all the advantages are gone, right?

BOLDUAN: Yeah.

EGAN: Research shows that if you go to college, you're less likely to get laid off, you're more likely to make more money, but, Kate, the problem is that you've got to get a job first before you enjoy those benefits, and that's no small feat in this job market.

BOLDUAN: And this is also just going to kind of add more fuel to the debate of, given how expensive college is, is it worth it to have to go through that and rack up debt, blah, blah, blah, all those things.

BERMAN: Exactly.

BOLDUAN: Matt, great to see you.

EGAN: Thanks, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thank you so much.

John?

BERMAN: Great news for the parents of 18-year-olds.

All right, she's been trying to thread the political needle all year long. Now, why the mayor of Washington is walking away. Then, we do a breaking news. Stunning and terrifying images. A high rise. Look at that. Top to bottom, up in flames. Some 4,000 people live inside there. This fire is still raging. We've got the latest from the scene.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)