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Trump Honors War Dead At America Cemetery Outside Paris; Topless Protester Runs Toward Trump's Car; Fire Wipes Out Northern California Town. Aired 11a-12p
Aired November 11, 2018 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
RICK FOLBAUM, CNN INTERNATIONAL FREELANCE ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Rick Folbaum, sitting in for Becky Anderson.
U.S. President Donald Trump will soon be in Washington after wrapping up a weekend visit to France to mark 100 years since the end of the First World
War. He gave remarks a short time ago at an American Cemetery outside of Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Each of these marble crosses and stars of David, marks the life of an American warrior. Great, great
warriors they are who gave everything for a family, country, God, and freedom. Through rain hail, snow, mud, poisonous gas, bullets, and mortar,
they held the line and pushed onward to victory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOLBAUM: President Trump, earlier joining dozens of world leaders in Paris. They gathered amid grey skies and they set aside their differences
to remember the millions of lives lost. Bells rang out to mark the moment the guns fell silent.
Leaders walk to the Arc de Triomphe where the French president delivered a warning on the nationalism that fueled the Great War.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACRON (through translator): Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism by saying our
interests first, who cares about the others, we erase what a nation holds dearest, what gives it life, what makes it grace. And what is essential,
its moral values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOLBAUM: Many of those leaders are now attending the inaugural Paris Peace Forum. But President Trump is not joining them. Jim Bittermann joins us
now from Paris. And Jim, gray skies fitting on such a solemn anniversary.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Rick. In fact, it was very appropriate to the day. But unfortunately, those gray
skies kind of made Donald Trump, MIA. Because the fact was -- he said that because of the weather here, he wasn't able to go to visit an American
Cemetery in Belleau Wood yesterday. Something that has brought about a lot of criticism both here in Europe and also in the United States.
They say that they could have probably gone by motorcade instead of the helicopter if the helicopter couldn't make the flight. In any case, he was
trying to make up with it. They have group makeup for it was that visit to the Suresnes Cemetery today. And he gave off a brief remarks in the rain.
And now, his on his way to the airport if not already there, and they'll be flying back right after that.
He has abandoned the meeting that other leaders are going to which is this Peace Forum that the French have set up. And in many ways, that many of
the leaders here didn't even get a chance to mix with Mr. Trump. He was not in the buses that they were coming up the Champs-Elysees. They all
those buses that you saw.
And he was not pictured at the dinner last night, although he was there. We do know that, but only from a tweet by the Turkish prime minister.
And the only thing that we know really took place in terms of substance was the bilateral meeting he had with Emmanuel Macron, yesterday morning.
So, it's been a kind of a weekend where we thought we were going to see Donald Trump quite a bit, but we really didn't.
FOLBAUM: Jim, we mentioned the comments of the French President Macron, who seems to call for a rebuke to President Trump who has called himself,
of course, a nationalist.
President Macron saying today that nationalism is the opposite of patriotism, a betrayal of patriotism. How were those comments received?
BITTERMANN: Well, we don't really know how Donald Trump felt about him. He said grim-faced a bit through the speeches and what got the ceremony
this morning, heart-to-heart telling what was going on in his mind.
It certainly is counter to everything that Donald Trump has said that he represents. And in a way this whole ceremony which was to celebrate
multilateralism and the way were nations can work together was counter to what Donald Trump is feeling.
He was -- he is somebody that says that he doesn't believe in many of the multilateral institutions like the climate change accord. And others have
they treaty with Iran and those sorts of things. He'd rather strike out on his own path, and if there was a symbol of that, it was the fact that when
they did arrive for that ceremony this morning, he came in the beast as it's called the big Cadillac limousine that goes everywhere the president
does. And was not joining the other leaders to walk up the Champs-Elysees. Rick?
[11:05:08] FOLBAUM: Jim Bittermann for us live in Paris. Jim, thank you so much.
Donald Trump's appearance at the Paris ceremony drawing protests. Thousands of demonstrators converging on the French capital to show their
disapproval of the American president.
At one point, a topless woman got past a barricade and ran towards the president's car coming within a few meters before police were able to catch
up with her. There are reports that she had the words fake peacemaker written on her chest.
Melissa Bell joins us now from Paris. And Melissa, talk to us about the protest. How large have they been, and what is the main message of those
who are protesting on the streets?
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: Well, this was a protest that was planned, you saw those images earlier on in front of president's motorcade.
But here at Place de Republique, was planned of protests that brought together a number of different anti-fascist groups. They were hoping to
draw several thousand protesters.
Now, we've been here all day, certainly, the rains has dampened on things and the enthusiasm of those protesters come out to protest a number of
different issues. There were many pro-Palestinian demonstrators here earlier. The anti-fascist group, as I say, was protecting Donald Trump's
very presence in Europe.
And Emmanuel Macron's invitation to him. But really, these Place de Republique was entirely a lockdown by police who just watched a few of
those police vans leave. They closed off all the entrances, and the rain did the rest.
So, we saw a few hundred protesters and, of course, the Trump baby that made its way to London -- to Paris from London. You'll remember the back
over the summer, tens of thousands had turned up in London beneath of that balloon. It was here today, but the crowds were not.
FOLBAUM: And at the same time, Melissa, most of the commemorations, the ceremonies that we've been watching have gone off without a hitch.
Describe for us the mood on the streets of Paris during this weekend's events.
BELL: You got the sense really and I think this was true in watching the French president himself that people have always become used to what to
expect.
When you watch Emmanuel Macron received the American president yesterday, what had begun really more than a year ago is an attempt to reach out to
him and try and strike up a proper friendship that could allow for some room for dialogue, at least, on so many of issues that divide them
ideologically has given way to sort of somber realism where Emmanuel Macron is simply hoping to contain the anger, to get through the ceremonies as
best as possible.
So, on one hand, Europeans who've in a sense got used to what to expect. And on the other, the weather that has changed, of course, the optics of
this entire weekend. First of all, Donald Trump not making it to Belleau Wood, not making it to that American Cemetery, as he although, of course,
he wasn't the one that is closer to Paris today to make those remarks and the protests that really were much less than those who'd been organizing
them had been anticipating.
It has rained fairly suddenly here in Paris, and I think that has made quite a difference to so many of the images that have come out of this
weekend.
FOLBAUM: Paris such a beautiful city even in the rain. Melissa Bell, live for us there. Melissa, thank you so much.
Now, to the western United States and the destructive wildfires that are ravaging parts of California, at least, 23 people are dead, thousands have
been evacuated even as he was taking video of the dangerous flames all around his family's car, a father can be heard reassuring or trying to his
3-year-old daughter. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was fires. That was fire.
JOE ALLEN, EVACUEE, PARADISE, CALIFORNIA: And guess what, we're not going to catch on fire, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
ALLEN: We're going to stay away from it. It will be just fine, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
ALLEN: We're doing all right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOLBAUM: That is the voice of Joe Allen. Allen, his wife, and their two daughters escaped safely -- we're happy to report. Seems like that though
playing out all across California. There are three major wildfires burning in the state.
The Hill and Woolsey Fires in Southern California threatening thousands of people there. Residents in the city of Malibu known, of course, for its
celebrity beachfront homes were forced to evacuate. And you can see plumes of smoke filling the sky in California.
But the most destructive fire of all is up in the northern part of the state, it's called the Camp Fire. It's already the most destructive fire
in state history, and it's still growing. Thousands of firefighters are working to contain the massive blaze which has consumed more than 42,000
hectares, so far.
Let's take a look at the fire trucks and the emergency vehicles lining the roads in Chico, California. The person who took this video says this is
only half of the many units that she drove by. So, a major response.
One town in Northern California all but wiped out. Our Nick Valencia takes a look at what's left of Paradise, California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that the Welcome to Paradise sign?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's our Paradise sign.
[11:10:01] NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: By the time most people in Paradise realized how quickly the fire was spreading, they were already in
trouble. This man couldn't believe his eyes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Town is on fire.
MAYOR JODY JONES, PARADISE CALIFORNIA: This is nothing like what we've had before. But here, you're looking at 90 percent of the homes are gone in
every single neighborhood.
VALENCIA: Jody Jones is the Paradise mayor. She says the speed and ferocity of the fire only gave the town five minutes to evacuate. The mass
exodus caused gridlock on the main road out of town. There was such panic. Some drivers abandoned their cars as they tried to flee on foot.
JONES: We did have an evacuation plan in place. We did implement it. It worked the way it was supposed to work. We just never anticipated having
to evacuate all zones, all at the same time.
VALENCIA: An automatic emergency alert was sent out to landlines and cell phones of registered residents.
But not everyone got a notification. Cole Wyatt and his family, they live here. And Cole tells me he was asleep at the time when the fire started.
Had it not been for a phone call from his brother, he says he might not have gotten out before it was too late.
COLE WYATT, RESIDENT, PARADISE, CALIFORNIA: He didn't even think it was bad enough to call. But something in his gut said I need to -- you know,
make sure my family knows. And thank God he did.
VALENCIA: Cole wasn't registered to receive the alerts.
WYATT: I just immediately started thinking about my daughter.
VALENCIA: In the chaos, Cole says, it took them two hours to find out his 8-year-old daughter had already been picked up from school by a family
member. When they finally did evacuate, stuck in the gridlock, he ran out of gas. A stranger stopped and gave him enough to get out of town.
I mean, has it hit-- has it hit you yet?
WYATT: No, no. I'm still in shock. I'm still waiting to wake up from this terrible dream. My daughter, she said, I know we hated our home and
we wanted to move out but it was our home and I'm sad that it's gone.
VALENCIA: Outside of Paradise, we meet James and Ruby Harris. Their car still covered in ash from the fire. They show us where it was damaged when
an RV crashed into them during the evacuation, trying to move it out of the way. The scene they describe is absolute mayhem.
RUBY HARRIS, RESIDENT, PARADISE, CALIFORNIA: And my husband had to get our son out of the car and into the wheelchair. And, you know, buckle him in
and -- you know, keep my other two autistic sons from taking off.
VALENCIA: And this is while flames are surrounding you.
HARRIS: Exactly. And everybody's running past us.
VALENCIA: Though they were both able to get out, both the Harris' and Wyatt's have nothing left to return to.
WYATT: A whole town was wiped off the face of the Earth in a matter of eight hours.
VALENCIA: The most destructive fire in California history has changed their town forever. Nick Valencia, CNN, Paradise, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOLBAUM: What a nightmare there. Meteorologist Allison Chinchar joins us now for more on the weather conditions in California. And Allison will
Mother Nature be offering any kind of help to the firefighters battling these massive flames?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately, not. No, really, in fact, the next 48 hours are actually going to be worse for those
firefighters on several different levels.
Now, we do want to give you an update. We do have some new numbers in, just in the last half hour from the Camp Fire. Those hectares have now
gone off to over 44,000 containment.
However, has also gone up slightly now to about 25 percent. They are still trying to get a very good hold on those containment lines. The problem is
winds are going to shift today and they're going to increase. And that's going to make it very difficult for those firefighters to really make a
huge improvement in those containment numbers.
You have over 25 million people in the state of California under a red flag warning today, basically, indicating you've got these very low humidity
levels and very strong winds.
In fact, in Southern California, you've got winds about 50 to 70 miles per hour or about gusting in excess of 60 to 70, even 80 kilometers per hour.
Especially, when you get into those mountainous regions. And you've got a lot of them down here in areas of Southern California.
Those Santa Ana winds are going to pick up in Southern California this afternoon and evening hours. So, while you have the elevated and critical
threat -- fire threat for Northern California, you have the addition of that extreme fire threat category in Southern California because of the
fact that those winds will be starting to increase there. One of the other things to note.
Now, this is a look at California. This is where Los Angeles is. For most of yesterday, the winds were taking out smoke away from the city. But
Saturday night and into early Sunday, those winds began to bring that smoke back in. This made the visibility near zero for those firefighters to try
to continue. And unfortunately, that makes it even more difficult, not to mention, the air quality is also horrible for those folks trying to breathe
that in.
FOLBAUM: Wow. Allison Chinchar, thank you so much. And still, to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, there is a razor-thin margin in several key races in
last week's U.S. midterm elections. Officials in the state of Florida are now recounting votes, reigniting an already bitter contest.
Plus, the U.S. says it will no longer refuel Saudi warplanes conducting airstrikes in Yemen. What's behind the move and what does it mean? Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:17:40] FOLBAUM: Well, the U.S. midterms were last week, but right now, officials in Florida are recounting ballots in several pivotal contests.
Democrats and Republicans watching a bitter campaign season culminate in extremely narrow margins at the polls. CNN's Jessica Dean has the latest
now from Florida.
JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Rick, the recount is officially underway here in Broward County. It got started around 7:00
this morning when they began calibrating machines inside this building right here behind me. That's the Supervisor of Election's Office where
they will be completing this machine recount of all the votes cast here in Broward County.
This is happening all across Florida today and into the next couple of days as they head toward a Thursday deadline to get all those unofficial ballots
back in to see if any of these races including the governor's race and the Senate race fall within a 0.25 margin.
And if that happens, that's going to trigger a manual recount of the over ballots and the under ballots. That's pretty much exactly what it sounds
like. Ballots for anyone voted for more than one candidates in this particular race where they didn't vote in a particular race, they're going
to take a look at those by hand.
But we've got to get to Thursday to determine if we're going to get to that point. In the meantime, we have seen protesters outside the Broward County
office since Friday. We expect to see them all day today throughout Sunday. They've already begun arriving here. We will see how the recount
continues to move forward much more to come from Florida.
FOLBAUM: Jessica Dean, thank you. Saudi Arabia says its warplanes flying missions in Yemen will no longer be refueled in flight by American forces
because it can now handle the job itself. But a spokesman for the French president says the U.S. is suspending the refueling to put military
pressure on the Saudis.
Sam Kiley, joining us now from Abu Dhabi. And Sam, what is really behind this move, and what does it mean for the war in Yemen?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's a combination of things, Rick. First of all, you had -- we had at the end of
last week indications from the Pentagon, then, confirmed by Jim Mattis, the Secretary of Defense that this refueling operation would be suspended or
stops. The Saudis more or less simultaneously came out with the statement saying, we don't need it, so we've asked the Americans to stop it.
Now, this I think is largely in response to two things. The first is pressure being brought on the Saudi government more widely over the
killing, alleged murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post journalist who disappeared into the Saudi consulate.
And then, on top of that, the renewed fighting -- uptick in fighting around the port city of Hodeidah. Between the Saudi-led coalition and the Iranian
back Houthi rebels in the Yemen.
Now, the United States, about 10 days ago, now called for a ceasefire in 30 days, and that's been met not with a demonism but an increase in the
violence.
So, I think you could see it in that context. The other, more cynical interpretation, Rick, is that this is virtue signaling -- virtue signaling
by the Trump administration without having to do anything that actually matters.
The United States and her allies support a Saudi operation there with intelligence, with vast amounts of arms. The French are helping with the
counterinsurgency operations at sea. The British are there with training teams helping the Saudis in assess bomb damage -- make bomb damage
assessments. And so, none of that stuff has been suspended.
So, I think this is much more about signaling than any kind of military effect. In fact, as the Saudis say, we'll have no military effect. Rick.
[11:21:20] FOLBAUM: Sam, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is just devastating. 14 million people, more than half of the population on the
brink of famine, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. Is there any end in sight to this 3-year long conflict?
KILEY: Well, if you like, there is a hope amidst the chaos at the moment. And that is because there has been an increase in fighting. It would
indicate certainly that the Saudi-led coalition and to a lesser extent perhaps. Even their Houthi enemies are scrabbling for strategic positions
ahead of a ceasefire.
In these sorts of wars, when frequently sees an increase in operational tempo in this -- in the violence on the ground ahead of diplomacy kicking
in. Because, of course, once cease fires occur, those front lines get frozen. Rick.
FOLBAUM: Sam Kiley live for us in Abu Dhabi. Sam, thank you very much. More now on the remembrances surrounding the 100 year anniversary since the
end of the First World War -- the Great War.
The pain and sacrifice of millions of families still resonating a century later. One British family lost more than -- most of -- more than four of
their sons killed in the Great War. Nick Glass, shares their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK GLASS, CNN ARTS REPORTER: The words were intended to give solace. He died for freedom and honor. Every British and Empire family who lost
someone was sent a bronze memorial clock. The name on this one, Charles Leopold Shallis.
Along with some old newspaper cuttings, now yellow with age, and a few old black-and-white photos, these are treasured momentous from the Great War.
Back then, the bronze discs were known as dead man's penny. And every family dreaded receiving one, the Shallis family of North London received
four. The medallions all look the same but look closely, the Christian names are different.
The family's grievous loss made it into a national newspaper, The Daily Sketch in 1916, with a patriotic headline, Sons Who Upheld the Traditions
of a Fighting Family. From left to right, Bert, Leo, Harry, and George, the Shallis boys.
KATE SHALLIS, NIECE OF THE SHALLICE BOYS: Two of them died within the same week, which I -- you know, from my grandmother, you just think how did she
cope.
GLASS: The oldest boy, George Shallis, who was in the Royal Navy went down with his ship after he hit a sea mine off Ireland in 1915. He was 26 and
left a widow. Bert Shallis, an Army private was killed in action at Gallipoli in what is now Turkey, again in 1915, he was 21.
Harry Shallis also an infantryman died on the Western Front in France, again in 1915. He was the youngest of the four, just 20. Leo Shallis,
like George, also in the Navy died in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, when his ship was shelled and sunk. He was 24.
Their parents, Corporal George Shallis and his wife Kate were pictured alongside the boys in the newspaper. To this day their grief remains
unfathomable, especially, the mothers. Four sons lost in less than a year and a half.
But just after that, men arrived at their house in North London with call- up papers for their fifth son, Jack.
K. SHALLIS: My grandmother came out with her with a -- with a broom or a mop. And basically, told them to get off of her path that they'd had four
of her sons, didn't they think that, that was enough.
[11:24:59] GLASS: Kate Shallis, fiercely stood her ground. Here she is in mourning black with 19-year-old, Jack, beside her. A military tribunal
made a rare exception. In 1917, it was decided that Jack didn't have to fight.
10 years later in 1927, Kate Shaliss was invited to the annual Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph in London. And she was photographed proudly wearing
her son's campaign medals. She reflected on the day in a national newspaper.
K. SHALLIS: I felt that the King and Queen, and I, and the masses of people were just one big family thinking together the same dear thoughts of
our million sons who died for us. I could see the Queen's face quite clearly. I felt she was proud of my four boys who gave their lives for
King and country. I felt proud of my four sons in their courage. I felt proud that I was their mother.
Kate Shallis' uncle's died long before she was ever born. But she's inherited their memorial plaques, gleamingly polished for the centenary of
the Armistice, these dead man's pennies remain eternally symbolic of the slaughter and the sacrifice.
The staggering fact is that so many of them were ever issued an estimated 1.3 million. Nick Glass, CNN, in North London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOLBAUM: And some wounds still fresh 100 years later. I'm Rick Folbaum. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thanks for watching. "PASSION TO PORTFOLIO"
is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
