Return to Transcripts main page
One World with Zain Asher
America Votes Today in First Major Test of Trump's 2nd Term; Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney Dies at 84; Government Shutdown Looms Over Election Day in the U.S.; IDF's Former Top Lawyer Arrested Amid Criminal Investigation; Hurricane Leaves Apocalyptic Devastation in Jamaica; Wicked's Jonathan Bailey Named "Sexiest Man Alive". Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired November 04, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has died. "One World" starts right now. We'll look back at the life
and legacy of Dick Cheney, who was considered one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history.
Plus, it's election day in America, with many races seen as a test of President Donald Trump's popularity. And the strongest hurricane ever to
hit Jamaica has left entire towns in ruins. We'll take you to Melissa's ground zero. And talk to survivors still waiting for help.
Live from London, I'm Christina Macfarlane. Great to have you with us. This is "One World". And we begin with breaking news. Former U.S. Vice President
Dick Cheney has passed away at the age of 84. He is considered by many to have been one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history.
From Congress to the Pentagon to the White House, Dick Cheney's imprint on U.S. politics was immense. In a statement, his family said he died of
complications with pneumonia as well as cardiac and vascular disease. They go on to say Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children
and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness and fly fishing.
We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble
giant of a man. We've here to talk more about this is Nic Robertson. And Nic, Dick Cheney was certainly many things to many people.
There was a touching tribute there, obviously from his family. But I think for many international watchers, what he will be widely remembered for is
being the architect of the war in terror and the two decades of war that led to in Iraq and Afghanistan. How is his passing being felt
internationally today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know, I think the perception will be that there were errors of judgment on his part, and some
of them perhaps could have been foreseen, and others perhaps not foreseen. If you go back to when he was defense secretary under first President Bush,
it was the build up to the Iraq War, Gulf War One in against Iraq.
Saddam Hussein had invaded the Iraqi Dictator had invaded Kuwait, and it was down to Dick Cheney, or at least is credited with bringing the Saudis
on board to be host to huge multinational, international force that would eventually oust the Iraqis months later from Kuwait.
But in so doing, bringing these forces into Saudi Arabia, one couldn't have known at the time, but this would be used by Osama bin Laden, who was a
Saudi and others, as an example of why people should join their sort of Jihadist beliefs, that the home of Islam, if you will. Saudi Arabia
shouldn't be host to Christian forces.
So, there was that in the background. But I think it's the Iraq that people will remember him for and drawing a link between Saddam Hussein and Osama
bin Laden, who, a couple of years prior, had attacked the United States with the 9/11 attacks. That was -- that the allegation of connection was
never sort of found by the 9/11 commission.
But the legacy was that Cheney wanted to go into Iraq and depose Saddam Hussein. And if you look at this interview from 2007, four years after that
invasion. You know, his assessment was necessary, job well done. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, 46TH VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: What we did in Iraq and taking down Saddam Hussein was exactly the right thing to
do. The world is much safer today because of it. There have been three national elections in Iraq. There's a democracy established. There a
constitution, a new, democratically elected government.
Saddam has been brought to justice and executed. His sons are dead, his government is gone, and the world is better off for it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
CHENEY: You can argue about that all you want. That's history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: But history does sort of continue to argue about it. Unfortunately, you know, almost two decades after he said that the
assessment would probably be in the region that the U.S. invasion, perhaps not because of the reasons for it, but the conceptualization of how it
played out, brought about instability, brought about the rise of al-Qaeda, the rise of ISIS, Iran's greater influence inside of Iraq.
[11:05:00]
And arguably as well, distracting the United States from its core focus at the time, which was an invasion of Afghanistan. Which weakened what they
could achieve in Afghanistan and that also became the U.S.'s longest war.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
ROBERTSON: So, this is a massive amount of history there to shape the international, particularly Middle East perception of Cheney and his
legacy.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and obviously, fundamentally, it also impacted how the current administration kind of view their foreign policy and their foreign
intervention today as well. Nic, thank you. Now we will have more on Dick Cheney's life and legacy later this hour with Margaret Talev, the Director
of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship at Syracuse University.
Stay tuned for that. But as we were saying at the top of the show, it is election day across the U.S., and even though Donald Trump isn't on the
ballot, the results could tell us a lot about how voters feel about his first nine months back in office. There are state and local races across
the country, but political pundits are really watching the elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia as well, of course, is the New York
mayor's race.
In New York, Trump is so dead set on stopping the progressive Democrat Zohran Mamdani that he has endorsed Andrew Cuomo, who is also a Democrat
but is running as an independent. Mamdani says Trump's endorsement of Cuomo is no surprise, and that the Former New York State Governor would be
Trump's puppet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NY): It's written out for the entire world to see. This is the man that Donald Trump wants to be the next mayor of New York
City, and not because he'll feel good for New Yorkers, but because he'll be good for Donald Trump and New Yorkers are exhausted of this agenda in
Washington. They don't want to see a mimic of it come here to City Hall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, Cuomo is pushing back, saying Trump is not endorsing him, but rather opposing Mamdani, who is a Democratic socialist. We want to
focus now on the New York mayor's race. And let's bring in CNN's Jason Carroll, who's in Manhattan for us. Good to see you, Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Christina.
So, we haven't just had that endorsement, Jason, from Trump of Cuomo overnight, but we've also had Donald Trump issuing a threat to Mamdani's
voters on truth social last night to cut federal funding to New York City if he wins. So, Donald Trump very much looming large today.
CARROLL: Very much today. And to be honest, let's be honest, it's every day in New York City. You talk to any New York City voter, and they'll tell you
about who they want to vote for, and Trump is always usually there in the same sentence in terms of how it relates to this particular race.
Look, when we've been talking to voters all morning long, it's really come down to two things, and we've heard pretty much an even split of people who
support either Cuomo or Mamdani. It's really come down to the man with the fresh ideas versus the man who has the experience.
Mamdani, as you know, has run on this platform of affordability, more affordable housing, more affordable transportation, more affordable child
care. Cuomo, for his part, has run on the affordable issue -- affordability issue as well, but also on the issue of public safety and experience.
Experience in terms of governing, and also experience in terms of dealing with Donald Trump. Trump, as you know, has come out in support of Cuomo,
calling Mamdani a communist. He is not a communist. He's a Democratic socialist. But he's also threatened to withhold, as you had mentioned,
federal funding from the city, if the city were to, in fact, vote for and elect Mamdani as mayor.
And so, as you can imagine, this morning, when we heard from both candidates, both of them had something to say about their campaign and the
president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW CUOMO, NEW YORK CITY DEMOCRATIC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: President Trump, you know, President Trump is pragmatic. He is telling them the reality of
the situation, which is, if you do not vote, Mamdani is going to win. Who is Mamdani? I don't know, but he's a Democratic socialist. He'll bring
socialism to New York City. New York City will not thrive with a socialist economy.
MAMDANI: We have a president who is looking to rip up the very fabric of this city, and that means being ready preemptively for these kinds of
threats, as opposed to hoping that they don't come to bear. And we have a law department in New York City that used to be one of the most storied law
departments in the country.
It was a in the country was on the front lines in fights for equal rights. That department currently has fewer lawyers than it did before the
pandemic. We have underfunded so many of the most critical parts of city agency work. That's part of what it means to Trump proof.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: And you know, look, the candidates don't agree on much, but here is a point where they do agree. They do agree that high voter turnout would
actually help their campaigns, both of them saying that about their individual campaigns, and that is what we've seen in the city so far,
record turnout.
[11:10:00]
Here at this location, record turnout throughout the city, we'll have to see who that ends up helping. In the end, the polls close at 09:00 p.m.
Eastern standard time. Back to you.
MACFARLANE: Well, it certainly still looks like it's buzzing behind you, Jason, we will keep a close eye on proceedings. Appreciate it for now.
Thank you. And as we mentioned, the New Jersey Governor's race is also in the spotlight today. Polls show that Democratic Congresswoman Mikie
Sherrill with a small lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, New York, New Jersey has been democratic for a while.
But it's been getting closer and closer in recent elections. Virginia currently has a Republican Governor, but seems poised to elect Democratic
Abigail Spanberger. The state has hundreds of thousands of government workers who are being impacted by the prolonged government shutdown.
And in California, voters are being asked to approve Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan that should give Democrats five more seats in
Congress. Well Newsom put the plan forward in response to Republican redistricting efforts in Texas. All of this happening against the backdrop
of the U.S. government shutdown, which will become the longest ever in just a matter of hours.
In just a few minutes, the Senate is set to vote for the 14th time on a Republican spending bill that's not expected to pass. And Speaker Mike
Johnson is still refusing to call the house back into session following a recess lasting nearly seven weeks. And yet, a short time ago, here's what
he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Over the past 34 days of the shutdown, the Republicans have been the only ones working in good faith to end the
shutdown and get everyone paid and get the services flowing again, and we have voted that way 14 times. That's on one side of the screen.
On the other is the Democrats. And it's such a stark contrast, because in the last 10 months, the only thing that, that party has accomplished for
the country is to shut down the federal government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, despite that, some lawmakers insist they're making progress towards the deal to end the shutdown. Meanwhile, the Trump
Administration says it will restart partial SNAP benefits after two federal judges ruled that freezing funds for the food aid program is unlawful.
But officials say it could be weeks or even months before those SNAP benefits come through. CNN's Alayna Treene is joining me now live from the
White House. So, Alayna, against this backdrop of this shutdown, it was noteworthy yesterday to hear Senate Majority Leader John Thune come out and
say that he was optimistic an agreement could be reached this week on the shutdown. How widely shared is that optimism? What are you hearing?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: There's not a ton of it, Christina, and look, I mean, as you mentioned, it is a big day, at least in
history when it comes to the shutdown, because today means that it is tied for the longest shutdown in ever history. The last time I would note was
during the president, President Donald Trump's first term in all this.
But it is widely expected that this current shutdown that the country is going to break the record and continue over the next couple of days. Look
when it comes to the Senator, Senate Majority Leader, John Thune, and his optimism. We'll see. I will say there are some people in Congress who
believe that this is the time that the dam will break.
We should note that really, both sides have been at a stalemate. There have not really been any serious or substantial negotiations over how to end
this impasse that they have found themselves in both parties. What people think could be different this week are a few things.
One is, you mentioned you were talking about the elections that are happening across the country, local elections, I should say. But still, a
lot of Democrats, of course, paying attention to those. Some Republicans are arguing that perhaps once the elections pass, Democrats might be more
willing to have some negotiations, because it wouldn't impact the politics of the elections today.
I'm not sure if Democrats agree with that, but that is what some Republicans are asserting. But there's also some other dynamics at play.
One, of course, is that Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. One of the biggest impacts of the shutdown has been the impact on the FAA and travel
and flights across the country.
A lot of people concerned about the safety, but also cancelations and delays of flights and other issues as this continues, and particularly as
we move closer to that holiday weekend. Another is President Donald Trump, and the man you know in the building behind me changing his mind at all, I
would say, you know, he's been traveling a lot.
He just got back last week on a major trip to Asia spanning roughly almost an entire week, perhaps now that he's back in the White House, and people
are hoping that that means we can really see more negotiations begin in a more earnest way, but it's unclear if they'll be able to do that.
Some other thoughts, as you know, all of this comes down to on the Democratic side, at least their concerns about health care and the
subsidies for health care expiring at the end of this year. And that is the demand they want.
[11:15:00]
They want to be able to have real negotiations and movement on some of that, whereas Republicans, for their part, are saying we should not be
negotiating until the government is back open and functioning. But I think the real-world impact here is, of course, the number one thing that matters
so many families you mentioned the SNAP benefits, food stamp benefits.
But there's so many other Americans across the country who are failing to have their paychecks met. They're working to feed their families and so all
of that as well as weighing on a lot of members, and hopefully they think that they can at least begin negotiating in a real way this week.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, there is so much at play, isn't there? Alayna, appreciate it for now. Thank you. Seung Min Kim is a CNN Political Analyst and a White
House Reporter for the Associated Press. She joins me now live from Washington. So great to see you, Seung Min.
So, as Alayna was saying that, I mean, all could things considered, this is a pretty seismic day. And it was interesting that she was saying, you know,
the Republicans perhaps are viewing the shutdown as something that might come after these elections have gone and out the way.
But I'm just wondering whether or not you know they will see these elections as I mean, it's a bellwether, is it not for the midterms just a
year away. And do you expect that if we see a democratic sweep here, that could shift Republican tactics, especially on the prolonging of the
shutdown?
SEUNG MIN KIM, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: So, I have had senior Republican officials tell me that their strategy is going to remain unchanged,
regardless of what happens tonight in Virginia and New Jersey, because I think the polls show that Democrats, or at least in Virginia, are on a good
track to winning the governor's race there now in New Jersey.
It's a bigger question, but I would still say at this point that Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate in New Jersey, is favored to win the
governorship at this point. Now that again, that raises a lot tighter than many of us had expected earlier. But Republicans, you know, generally, have
been saying the same line that we are willing to talk over these health care subsidies, but Democrats have to reopen the government first.
Now it's notable that I think Alayna hinted at this, that it's Republicans who are saying, maybe once the shutdown is over, that we can have some
serious negotiations. Democrats aren't really the ones saying that here, but you have to remember the real pressure points coming up are already
happening for lawmakers.
What it relates to this, what it comes to the shutdown, obviously, the SNAP benefits that are so essential for many families across the country that
has broken through in ways that other impacts of the shutdown do not because you have communities, local communities rising up to help their
fellow neighbors, and that impact is seen so much more viscerally.
And also obviously, the Thanksgiving travel plans, the air traffic delays that have already been happening because of weather that could aggravate
much further if the shutdown continues. And one smaller factor too is that, you know, senators are getting might be getting moved because their own
staff aren't getting paid.
They haven't been paid since October 1st, since the shutdown began, a lot of them are still working. And when you're senator, your closest aides
aren't getting a paycheck, and they're working basically, time for you. I would imagine that can move some people.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, that could be potentially problematic. Listen, let's turn to the elections today, because on the face of it, you know, these
Virginia, New Jersey races are, of course, important electorally, but it's the New York mayoral race that has really captivated the nation in many
ways.
KIM: Right.
MACFARLANE: I mean, how consequential could this election be, especially if Mamdani goes on to win it by quite some margin?
KIM: Well, it's just a fascinating political story. First of all, you have this man who is essentially unknown before he won the Democratic primary
out of nowhere against this you know, summit of New York politics in the Former Governor Cuomo. And just what makes it really even all the higher
stakes are the role that New York City plays, not just in the federal government and the interactions with Washington, but also with President
Trump himself.
You know, President Trump is now a Florida resident, but he still is a child of New York City. He has a lot of friends up there who have talked to
him. I've been told by sources close to the talks that the president has heard from his Republican friends in New York City who are concerned about
the prospect of a Democratic socialist mayor, which is why he sort of, which is why the White House sort of, at times, entertained different ways
to get for the current New York City Mayor Eric Adams out of the race.
And obviously that didn't come to fruition in terms of them actually giving Eric Adams something at least we know of at this point, but the president
has been very, very adamant that New York City would lose federal funding if and when Mamdani wins the race on Tuesday for mayor.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
[11:20:00]
KIM: And that they he will use the leverage, he will use the control that he has over the federal government to hurt New York City, which is why he
threw his support for Andrew Cuomo, which -- and I'm not sure Andrew Cuomo really loves at this point in the race when he is running to be a mayor of
a city where Trump is broadly unpopular, obviously lost that city by wide margins last year.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, he certainly tried to deflect, didn't he, earlier today?
KIM: Right.
MACFARLANE: Something I just wanted to get your perspective on, because it's been reported that election monitors are being deployed to polling
stations in New Jersey and California ahead of that prop 50 vote. At the request of local Republican parties, I mean, critics are saying this is an
attempt to sow doubts in those election results.
How unusual is that? I just wanted to get your take on, what you make of that?
KIM: There have any -- there have been different ways that, that there has been sort of these monitors or increased scrutiny on voting. And obviously
the president, the current president has falsely, you know, caused concerns about the integrity of the voting processes. He still refuses to admit that
he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
So, I especially that's something that we at the Associated Press are watching very closely. We have reporters and journalists, you know, fanned
out at these key election -- key election states and key election areas, to watch what is happening at the polls, or to kind of learn what is happening
at the polls and to hear what is happening on the ground?
Especially, and any sort of questions about the integrity of these election results obviously matter when the election results are a lot closer. And
New Jersey like we mentioned earlier, we're expecting that governor's race to be closer than the margin in Virginia, where I should point out.
President Trump hasn't even endorsed the Republican candidate for governor in this race. He's really kind of dismissed that race. He's downplayed it
as a semi local election, which we know there's a much broader national implication than that when it comes to the governor's race.
The only really Republican race that he's gotten involved in with his endorsement is actually for the Attorney General Jason Miyares.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
KIM: So, the focus really will be on New Jersey, and, like you said, California, on what happens there, and making sure everyone who can vote
gets the right to vote.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
KIM: -- the opportunity to vote.
MACFARLANE: Important to keep eyes on that. Seung Min, always great to have your analysis. We appreciate it. Thanks. Now, still ahead, a major scandal
is brewing in Israel. It involves a video allegedly showing an assault at a notorious prison and a top military lawyer who approved the leak of that
video a live report ahead.
Plus, it's been one week since Hurricane Melissa left entire towns in ruins across Western Jamaica. Just ahead, we talked to residents stuck in
survival mode who are still waiting for help.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:25:00]
MACFARLANE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls it the worst PR disaster in Israel's history. Israel's Former Top Military Lawyer is at the
center of a national scandal. She was arrested as part of a criminal investigation into the leak of a video. It shows the alleged abuse of a
Palestinian detainee inside a notorious IDF prison.
In her resignation letter, Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi acknowledges she approved the release of that video. She's long been a
target of the Israeli far right. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is joining us with more on this from Jerusalem. And Jeremy, I know there's been a lot of focus
in Israel around the leak of this video, but at its heart is a Palestinian detainee suffering terrible abuse. Just walk us through this scenario.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that's exactly right. It was just over a year ago that the Israeli military opened an investigation
into and ultimately detained multiple Israeli soldiers in connection with allegations that this Palestinian detainee was abused at this notorious Sde
Teiman prison in Southern Israel.
Then shortly thereafter, this video surfaced on Israel's Channel 12 news, showing the alleged act. You see several Israeli soldiers grab one of
dozens of Palestinian detainees who are blindfolded and kneeling in what seems to be, you know, a courtyard of this prison, and then you see three
soldiers raise up shields, seemingly to hide what is happening from view.
One soldier is positioned behind the detainee, and that is when he, the detainee was allegedly sodomized by those soldiers. Those soldiers, it's
important to note, were arrested, charged, and they are still awaiting trial, although they are not currently in Israeli custody.
But following that, fast forward now, a little over a year later, and you have this revelation that it was, in fact, Israel's military advocate
general responsible for investigating this incident who had actually -- who is now taking responsibility for leaking that video to the press.
But you know, perhaps what is most notable here is the fact that the scandal in Israel has become not the abuse, the alleged abuse, of this
Palestinian detainee, but rather the military advocate general's decision to leak that video. And frankly, initially just her investigation, her
decision to investigate this case in the first place.
That is where she had initially faced this major right wing backlash last year for even, you know, deigning to carry out an investigation into this
type of abuse. You heard the Israeli Prime Minister over the weekend saying that this was, you know, the worst PR disaster in Israel's history.
And so, the focus from so many of these right-wing politicians in Israel, and indeed many more mainstream politicians as well, is not on the alleged
abuse, but rather on the revelation of it and the decision to investigate it. And so now you have this military advocate general, who has resigned,
who has been detained and is now facing some very serious potential charges of breach of trust and related to her handling of this investigation.
And it really raises serious questions about the ability and the willingness of the Israeli military, of the Israeli government to
investigate itself, particularly in light of the, you know, dozens, if not hundreds, of allegations of war crimes against the Israeli military.
Throughout the conduct of this war in Gaza, we have seen very little investigation into those allegations.
And then when you have one incident where the military advocate general actually does seem to pursue this case seriously. They face significant
backlash as a result.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, that's a really important point, Jeremy, how closely the IDF are treating other Israeli war crimes and accountability. Jeremy
Diamond there, live from Jerusalem. Thank you. Now he was a giant in the world of politics. After the break, we'll look back at the life of Dick
Cheney and the legacy he leaves behind.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
MACFARLANE: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Christina Macfarlane in London. Here are some of the headlines we're watching today. It is election
day in the U.S., and one of the most closely watched votes is happening in New York. 34-year-old Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani appears poised to
win the mayor's race despite Donald Trump coming out firmly against him.
Mamdani has ignited excitement among younger voters and is promising progressive change in the city. And in just a matter of hours, the U.S.
government shutdown will become the longest in American history. The Senate is set to vote for the 14th time on a spending bill today that's expected
to fail.
And Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to call the House back into session. Despite that, some lawmakers say momentum is building for a deal. Now e-
commerce platform Shein has announced it is banning sex dolls on the site. The decision came after France threatened to cut off Shein's access to the
French market.
France's anti-fraud office accused the fashion platform of selling sex dolls with a childlike appearance. Shein which was founded in China, says
the items were removed as soon as it became aware of the issue. Now, Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84.
Serving under President George W. Bush, Cheney was one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history. He also served as a U.S. Congressman
and defense secretary. His family says he died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease. Let's take a further look now
at Dick Cheney's legacy.
[11:35:00]
We're joined by Margaret Talev, who covered politics for many years before becoming Director of Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy,
Journalism and Citizenship. Great to see you, Margaret. So, we know, Margaret, that Cheney was a formidable political figure, an inside
operator, a divisive character.
But in recent years, he emerged to as a counter figure in the Republican Party to President Trump. And I want to begin there, because I guess the
irony of that, is that -- was a reaction against Donald Trump and the MAGA movement that in many ways, Cheney helped pave the way for.
MARGARET TALEV, DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY, JOURNALISM & CITIZENSHIP: Yeah, I think you're getting immediately to sort of the
complexity both of the man of Vice President Cheney, and the context in which he, he lived and exerted extraordinary power, as you mentioned, as a
vice president.
And you're right that I think for many younger people, some of the students that I teach, for example, or my daughters or their generation, think of
Dick Cheney's name. They may think of him as Liz Cheney's father, or the former vice president to George Bush, who became an arch critic of Donald
Trump and said that he was too dangerous to be returned to power, that you have to put, you know, country over party.
And all of this in the wake of January 6th. But the story begins a long time before then. In fact, it begins before the Iraq War. Begins before the
2001 attacks. It begins when Dick Cheney came of age in the sort of Vietnam and post-Watergate era. And so much of the way he shaped his political
career was in reaction to what he saw as Congress and the press and the publics over correction and diminishment of the presidency.
And so, when he came back into office in the Bush Administration around the turn of the millennium, you know, he really worked hard at expanding, re
expanding the power of the presidency to meet the moment what he saw as these imminent threats the United States after the 2001 after the 9/11
attacks.
I don't think that he -- that in his mind, he was thinking about the potential for someone like Donald Trump to take advantage of a greatly
expanded presidency, of the deference that Congress would come to give presidents over the years, and the culmination of that in the era of Trump.
But you're exactly right. The -- what we know of as the MAGA movement, the sort of nationalistic no more forever wars America First, you can draw a
circle around this movement, and in many ways, inside the Republican Party, it is a branch of Americans who were reacting against so much of the policy
and the legacies of those Bush and Cheney years. So, it is a quite a narrative arc when you put it all out on the page that way.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, it seems that you know his evolution, as you say, is really kind of even the manner in the way in which he went about his vice
president. It's helped pave the way for what we are familiar now with the Trump Administration, with the president himself.
His contemporaries saw him as kind of the power behind the throne of President George Bush. And it was often said that he used his political
acumen to sort of dominate in that relationship, and especially in decision making over the war in Iraq. How true a depiction is that?
TALEV: It's a little more nuanced than that, because, of course, George W. Bush, President Bush, empowered him to take on those roles. And you know,
Vice President Cheney had served with President Bush's father, and had again, previously been a defense secretary, as well as a member of Congress
and a White House Chief of Staff.
So, the role of vice president in the United States, in many ways, it's a portfolio of nothing. And what Dick Cheney did is he made it a portfolio of
everything, but he did it with President Bush's support. Now that relationship changed as Americans began to turn against the wars and became
critical of some of the consequences of those policies, whether it was a diminishment of civil liberties or some of the torture accusations, you
know, that beset aspects of the administration.
So, there were many unpopular threads and that strained the relationship. But Dick Cheney showed that if a president wants to empower that vice
president, a vice president's portfolio can actually be quite unlimited.
MACFARLANE: Yeah, and he certainly proved it in office. And of course, it was a career that spanned Nixon, Ford, Bush had so many eras of politics
that are really coming to an end with his death today. Unfortunately, we have to leave it there, Margaret, but we appreciate your insight. Thank
you.
[11:40:00]
Former Vice President Dick Cheney dead at the age of 84. May his memory be a blessing. We'll be right back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACFARLANE: One week after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, the death toll there continues to rise. Jamaican officials say at least 32
people were killed across the island, and that number could go higher as more bodies are discovered under the debris. As you can see here in these
images, entire communities are wiped out in the western part of Jamaica, that's where the Category 5 hurricane made landfall last Tuesday.
Many Jamaicans still have no power or running water, but aid is arriving slowly. France has sent in humanitarian supplies, including tents, food and
water treatment equipment. CNN's David Culver saw the damage firsthand and has more now on how people are struggling to survive after the storm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALANDREA BROWN, DISPLACED BY HURRICANE MELISSA: We are catching some water, because that's the only way we can get water. We all damage here in
Jamaica. Real bad.
DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Across much of Western Jamaica, the storm has passed, but you feel it everywhere.
Survival mode has kicked in.
BROWN: In here in Belmont, we are very destroyed, and we really need some help, because you have persons who are very homeless and we don't really
have any food supplies.
CULVER: This is where you live here.
BROWN: Yeah.
CULVER (voice-over): Now they're coming to terms with what's left, and for many here, it's not much.
CULVER: This was your bed?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.
CULVER: It's all mashed up. You're right. You're right.
CULVER (voice-over): As we're heading out, a man points to a nearby house.
CULVER: He just told us that, that there's somebody in this house up here still, that his body hasn't been recovered yet. Right there? Did you know
this gentleman?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His mom's supposed to be here? His mom live at white house.
CULVER: But nobody has come to collect his body.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not yet. Not everybody know that he died --
CULVER: Just blind, lifeless in there. I mean, it's absolutely horrible. Just by himself.
[11:45:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody looks. When he did. We're not sure when he died.
CULVER: They're not sure when he died. I mean, seeing that is obviously very, very difficult, and it's worth pointing out. The neighbors there,
it's not neglect on their part. They simply don't have cell service or any sort of connectivity to be able to report that.
And they say that they were trying to tell passersby, but nobody came in to actually inspect. So, for them, we were the only ones who they could tell,
and we ultimately, once we had connectivity here, our colleague Omar here made the call to report that, that body was, in fact, still in the house.
CULVER (voice-over): Night brings relief from the day's heat and humidity.
CULVER: You get around with the flashlight on your phone --
ANDREZ ANDERSON, BLACK RIVER RESIDENT: Yeah. So, this is --
CULVER (voice-over): But there's no water.
ANDERSON: What -- this is the only water we have here, you see.
CULVER (voice-over): And no power.
ANDERSON: We have no roof there, you know, partially, just this alone. So, the rain actually coming now, so you feel it inside.
CULVER: -- yeah.
ANDERSON: You know, so, we'll be more damages, you know, as the rain comes by. So, we just keep deteriorating until we can get some --
CULVER: How do you live in this.
ANDERSON: It's really rough, it's very hard. It's hard to cope. We just have to try to keep the kids mentally stable and try to tough it out, you
know. So, you know, we are just grateful here right now to know that we are alive.
CULVER (voice-over): Mornings bring no rest, just long lines, people here waiting for hours for gas.
CULVER: You've been out here for this morning -- It's tight -- seven hours. And if water is not running in your home, you go to the source. Nearby
along the riverbed, dozens gather. They're saying that nobody has come to help at all.
SIMONE GARDON, MONTEGO BAY RESIDENT: I guess it doesn't really hit as yet, because after two weeks when it's all settled down and we're all like, wow
--
DR. SHERIFF IMORU, SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER AT BLACK RIVER HOSPITAL: -- understand that even up to this point in time, we don't even know what our
death toll is.
CULVER: Do you think you're going to find more bodies?
IMORU: I would think so. I hope not. But the reality is --
CULVER (voice-over): At the hospital in Black River.
CULVER: No power, no pole, no water, no water, but the emergency room is still operating?
IMORU: Yeah.
CULVER (voice-over): Dr. Sheriff Imoru walks us through what's left.
CULVER: I mean, this is your hospital?
IMORU: Yes.
CULVER: And when you look out now, I mean, I know you're focused on patients' day to day as well.
IMORU: Yeah.
CULVER: But like, have you been able to process this moment?
IMORU: No. The one thing I can tell is that I'm very heartbroken, extremely heartbroken when I see this.
CULVER (voice-over): And still his staff shows up.
IMORU: Every single person --
CULVER (voice-over): Even though, like him, many have lost their own homes.
IMORU: There are no words to describe it. I said to you, apocalyptic, that's the only thing I can use.
SHANIEL TOMLIN, SON INJURED DURING STORM: No. Everything is gone. Everything in the house is gone. Need help towards my kids, my house, and
everything.
CULVER (voice-over): Shaniel Tomlin's baby Jamar (ph), just a year old, fell after the storm.
TOMLIN: Yeah, they're going to look up this -- but they give me a prescription to fall.
CULVER: But where do you fill a prescription around here?
TOMLIN: I don't even know.
CULVER: It's tough to find the words to describe the level of devastation, destruction and loss that we're seeing here, and perhaps it's best to just
look at the visuals, which, yes, are overwhelming, but really tell the story of several communities, not just towns like this one Black River
where we are, but we go mile after mile after mile along the southwest coast of this country, and you see communities that are simply wiped away.
LISA HANNA, FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AT JAMAICA: We are resilient people already there. There is almost an empathetic solidarity across the island
and across the world to get things here. We're not going to make our people starve, and anyone that comes here and visits us are not going to starve.
CULVER (voice-over): Officials are here trying, but it's a lot, and when you're desperate, help can't come soon enough.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Well to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa do go to cnn.com/impact. We'll be right back. Stay with us.
[11:50:00]
MACFARLANE: People Magazine is crowning its latest "Sexiest Man Alive". The title goes to British Actor Jonathan Bailey, who is best known for his
roles in "Wicked" and "Bridgerton". Bailey is the 40th man. There he is. Love -- just about looks.
LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN REPORTER: It's about looks, but it's also about buzz, right, you know? And Christina, I got to tell you, it's, it's chilly
in Atlanta today. I do not feel it while we are talking about this topic. Jonathan Bailey is just a beautiful man, and we are not here to objectify
him.
MACFARLANE: Yeah.
FRANCE: We're here to celebrate him.
MACFARLANE: I hear you continue.
FRANCE: Well, you know, he was a star over in the UK. He actually started as a child actor, but he became an international superstar because of
"Bridgerton" playing Anthony that second season, which was all about his character was one of the most popular. Everyone just fell in love with him,
and then to have him in "Wicked" and singing, and he's going to be in the sequel, which comes out in December.
And people were so excited to see him on the cover as the "Sexiest Man Alive", because he's adorable, but he's also just, like, charming and
witty, like we have his quote from when he finally realized that he was famous because of "Bridgerton". And it was, like, so endearing and darling.
I mean, as I look at him with his dog, he was saying that, you know, he had the radio set for his alarm, and, you know, he's in bed, and all of a
sudden, he hears them say on the radio, you know, oh, you know, here's the news at seven. But just before we go, let's talk about Jonathan Bailey.
And he said, you know, that was a moment for him, when he was like, is this real? He said it was wild. And I just think it's he's just adorable and
darling and so incredibly talented, Christina.
MACFARLANE: Oh yeah, all of that. And added to that, he is the first gay person to win this award, which, in the 40th year, honestly, is fantastic
news.
FRANCE: Yeah, the first openly gay man we believe. And you know, he even talked a little bit about, they asked him about, like, his first celebrity
crush.
[11:55:00]
And representation is always so important. I talk about this frequently when we're talking about celebrities. So, for him to talk about his first
crush being the character of Prince Eric from "The Little Mermaid", and also Trini and "Power Rangers". And how because he wanted to be like her,
is so very important, especially at a time when a lot of the LGBTQ + community is feeling like there's a sense of erasure that is happening
worldwide.
So, to have this happen with the 40th the "Sexiest Man Alive" is vitally important. But also, it's just so great to see somebody who just seems like
a genuinely lovely person get celebrated in this way. I mean, for goodness' sake, one of the covers is him clutching his dog, which is just like the
cutest thing ever.
He said he had to keep it a secret, but he couldn't keep it a secret from his dog. His dog --
MACFARLANE: You do not have to sell him to me, Lisa, I am sold. And actually, here's a fun fact for you that I was reading about. This
apparently, was Brad Pitt. You know this? I'm sure, Lisa, who was named the first "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1995.
FRANCE: Yes.
MACFARLANE: So, this is, you know, I mean, it's following in some good footsteps there.
FRANCE: Big footsteps, but also a lot of controversy sometimes, because sometimes people really don't see the vision when it comes to the "Sexiest
Man Alive". Last year's cover person was John Krasinski, and there was a lot of debate over, like, was he hot enough to be.
MACFARLANE: Yes.
FRANCE: But, you know, everybody in Hollywood, I think for the most part, there's somebody who thinks that they're hot --
MACFARLANE: We will have to leave it there, Lisa. I could talk all day about this, but appreciate it. Thank you.
FRANCE: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: We're going to have to go. We're going to have to leave, Jonathan. Stay with CNN. There's more "One World" after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
