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One World with Zain Asher
German Chancellor Merz: U.S. not Powerful Enough to go it alone; Investigators Seek Footage from 2-Mile Radius Going Back to Jan 1st; Israel's Arab Communities Demand Government Action; Democrats Insist on Reforms to I.C.E. Enforcement Operations; Bondi Clashes with Lawmakers Over Epstein Files Transparency; Events Company Wants People to Ditch Dating Apps. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 13, 2026 - 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)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: World leaders are in Munich today for the annual security conference.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: "One World" starts right now. Strained U.S. relations with NATO loom over the Munich Security Conference.
ASHER: Plus, a surge in violent crime in Israel's Palestinian communities, we'll take you live to Tel Aviv for a look at why protesters say the
government is failing to act.
GOLODRYGA: And here in the U.S., a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security could take effect in a matter of hours.
Hello everyone. Live from New York. I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ASHER: And I'm Zain Asher. You are watching "One World". We begin with a sober warning from the German Chancellor, who acknowledged a rift between
the U.S. and Europe.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, Friedrich Merz says that the world order based on rights and rules no longer exists. He spoke at the launch of the annual two-day
conference in Munich, Germany, where dozens of world leaders and top diplomats are meeting under tight security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRIEDRICH MERZ, GERMAN CHANCELLOR: You have chosen a grim motto for this conference, under destruction. And it probably means that the international
order, based on rights and rules, is rules currently being destroyed. But I'm afraid we have to put it in even harsher terms. This order, as flawed
as it has been, even in its heyday, no longer exists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio is acknowledging the change, saying that nations are living in a new era of geopolitics. He met China's
Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the conference, and is expected to meet Ukraine's President as well. This is we learn the next trilateral
peace talks involving Kyiv and Moscow will take place in Geneva Tuesday.
GOLODRYGA: This year's conference comes amid a backdrop of multiple conflicts, and at a time when transatlantic relations and global norms are
being tested by U.S. President Trump. Some experts are calling it an era of wrecking ball politics.
ASHER: Let's talk about here. Let's bring in our Chief International Anchor, Christiane Amanpour joins us live now from Munich. So, let's just
talk a bit more about what the chancellor, the German Chancellor, had to say. I mean, he criticized Trump's obvious sort of about face, just in
terms of his stance in the sort of geopolitical arena.
But also, he criticized European allies as well, saying that they need to do more when it comes to their own security, and also the fact that they
are too economically dependent on the United States too Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: So, you can imagine that here we are at the Munich Security Conference, one year after these
allies were dealt a stinging rebuke by the American Vice President J.D. Vance, this time last year, in which he lambasted them, in which he
literally turned the world order upside down by making allies adversaries and warming up to adversaries such as Putin.
So, this has been playing out now for this whole year, plus a mike makes right American policy. Look at Venezuela. Look at the threats to Greenland.
Look at the other things that the President of the United States is doing. So here they called him the demolition man.
And therefore, all these world leaders are saying it is time for us to de risk, decouple, stand on our own two feet, actually claim our position as a
kind of a superpower as well. I mean, remember, Europe is 450 to 500 million strong, and they need to figure out what is Plan B, if the United
States is going to have destroyed this 80-year Transatlantic alliance that gives them the security, trade, peace, prosperity.
So, but there is a bit of a difference on how to do it. Do you go around or do you try to wait it out? So, this is also what Chancellor Merz said,
having said, you know, Europe needs to figure it out that this is all over now, but this is what, how he continued that speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERZ: Even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone. Dear friends, being a part of NATO is not only Europe's competitive
advantage, it's also the United States competitive advantage. So, let's repair and revive transatlantic trust together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:05:00]
AMANPOUR: Now I don't know about you, but I think it's no accident that he chose to utter those words in English so that the message is received loud
and clear by the American delegation, because everybody is waiting to see just how Secretary of State Marco Rubio will deliver the American response,
so to speak, the American position at this year's Munich Security Conference.
On the one hand, people are hoping that, because he is the diplomat in chief, he will be more diplomatic than the vice president was. On the other
hand, they do not expect him to break in any significant way at all from Trump policy. So how will he square that circle? How will he want to keep
allies on side?
Because don't forget what Merz just said, this 80-year alliance has not just been good for the world, but also good for America. America is
distinguished by its massive network of allies and alliances. That's part of what has kept it so strong and secure and powerful over these last eight
years.
So, it's not all take, take, take, but it is also, you know, the Americans get stuff back. And I think that's certainly what Europeans and other
allies are going to try to impress on the American delegation. And we're just going to wait and see what happens. And at the same time, of course,
President Trump is talking about trying to end some of these wars.
We have no word at all that the negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, et cetera, are going in conclusive direction, and we really don't know what
the final U.S. plan is for Iran, beyond the fact that the president is increasing the military posture, the naval fleet, the two aircraft
carriers, apparently now that will be in the Arabian Sea area, while he says he wants to continue with negotiations with the Tehran government.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, such important points to make, Christiane. I went back and watched your interview four years ago with President Zelenskyy, just three
days before Russia began its larger scale invasion into Ukraine. And there was so much surprise and question whether he made the right decision to
even travel from Ukraine to Munich?
I remember him telling you that I had my breakfast at home and I will have my dinner at home, and that is where he stayed those four years now,
tragically, as this war has ensued. I do want to ask you about Iran as well as you just mentioned, the United States now sending its largest and most
advanced aircraft carrier to the region.
As President Trump says that he's still hoping that he can work out some sort of nuclear deal with Iran. You are sitting down with Reza Pahlavi, and
he calls himself the leader in waiting amid all of these mass protests that we saw last month in Iran. What are you hoping to hear from him today?
AMANPOUR: I think it's really important to hear because let's face it, he is in exile. It is a massive diaspora following that he has. There is a
big, big, big following for the monarchy amongst Iranians outside of Iran. And for the first time, in a significant way, his name was chanted during
some of these protests, particularly that fateful weekend when he and in fact, the president, called on Iranians to come out and really show their
protests.
Remember President Trump said, seize your institutions. Help is on the way. Well, help didn't come. The protests were crushed. And it doesn't mean to
say that the people have given up their struggle against a dictatorship that they want to be rid of. In other words, they want freedom.
They want their human rights. They want their democracy, and incredibly importantly, they want prosperity. All of this started in late December
when the bazaar started to close down the small merchants in the Tehran bazaar. And then that spread around the country, and then it became
political.
But they are under huge pressure from mismanagement at home, from the, you know, really draconian sanctions that have been imposed by the United
States and others. And it's very, very hard for them to make ends meet. So, what can Reza Pahlavi do?
A, to have a ground game in Iran. B, to have a united opposition. We saw during the Mahsa Amini protests a couple of years ago that actually there
was a moment when Reza Pahlavi took to the stage in the United States with a bunch of other Iranian influencers and activists, and, you know, declared
a united front in their struggle very soon thereafter that collapsed.
And I think that's super, super important. And then the other thing I would like to ask is, what will be if you know that his vision plays out and he
becomes a transitional or some kind of leader, what will he be saying to the millions and millions of Iranians who are saying still there who have
lived for 47 years under the Islamic Republic, even if not all of them believe in it, will there be retribution or will there not?
[11:10:00]
And I think he is quite strong on how he wants to see that vision unfold. I think he realizes the -- in Iraq in 2003 simply, you know, cause for
catastrophe after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by the United States. So, I think that's going to be very interesting as well.
Because, don't forget, while most people, and there's no doubt that most people, want an end now to this theocracy that is keeping them down and
poor. There are also millions of Iranians, who actually are very religious, who did vote in the last presidential elections.
And you know, they are also there. So how do you unite not just an opposition outside, but a country inside? It is exactly the same dilemma
faced by the current new president of Syria. How do you unite people in order to be able to have a successful transition from, you know,
dictatorship and war in Syria's case, to a peaceful, thriving democracy?
ASHER: Christiane live for us there at the Munich Security Conference. Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you, Christiane. And a quick programming note, as we mentioned, join us for Christiane Amanpour live interview with Reza
Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last Shah, in about an hour and a half. That is at 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time, 06:45 p.m. in Munich.
Turning back home to the U.S., we have new information in the case of Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing since February 1st. The FBI has released its
first official description of the person caught on Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera the night the 84-year-old went missing.
Investigators describe a male about four foot nine or ten with an average build. His backpack was a black Ozark Trail Hiker and a brand sold by
Walmart. The FBI has now doubled the reward for information in the case to $100,000. The Pima County Sheriff tells the local CNN affiliate that they
have good leads, but still don't know where she might be.
ASHER: "Today's Show" Host Savannah Guthrie shared home video and photos on social media as a tribute to her missing mother, writing that family will
never give up on her.
GOLODRYGA: Leigh Waldman is in Tucson, Arizona, and joins us now with more. So, officials there releasing some more detail about this suspect that
we've seen in that chilling video at Nancy Guthrie's door the night of her disappearance. What are they hearing? How many leads have they had thus
far?
LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's incredible that we're getting, for the first time, a definitive description of who this person is that we saw
on that doorbell camera video. You know, at first, it was just this person who was armed with a mask on and gloves on their hands, trying to cover
that camera.
But now the FBI is saying this is a man between the height of five nine and five ten a medium build. They were also definitively able to say what kind
of backpack he had on. It's a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker backpack. And you mentioned the leads, there's been over 1300 tips called into just
the FBI alone since February 1st.
Now we saw yesterday, and we mentioned it yesterday to you all, a white tent that was put up just outside of Nancy Guthrie's front door. Now we're
hearing from law enforcement sources that that was put in place to try and recreate the nighttime conditions that we saw on that camera whenever Nancy
Guthrie disappeared.
That's how the FBI is working to determine the height of this person and the different brands that he was wearing. They're trying to determine now,
jacket brands, ski mask brands, the kind of gloves he was wearing, to try and give more information, to give neighbors, people in this community,
someone who might know this person, something more to go off of. So, these tips actually lead somewhere.
All of this is coming as now we're hearing that they're expanding the ask area from a two-mile radius for neighbors to check any of their
surveillance camera footage from January 1st to February 2nd. Giving tips, giving information about people, cars, anything that seems out of place,
handing that over to the sheriff's office.
And our CNN colleague, Ed Lavandera, he spoke with the Pima County Sheriff's Office about some reporting that's come out about some the local
sheriff's office blocking any evidence from the FBI. He says that's not true. They're trying to make sure that every piece of evidence goes to the
same lab that's in Florida.
And Ed asked him if he was frustrated at all by this investigation. He said, yes, they're frustrated. Obviously, they want a conclusion to this,
but they're committed to working alongside one another, to one bring Nancy Guthrie home, and also to find who his responsible for this.
[11:15:00]
Now it's rainy here today in Tucson, and obviously a lot of the area that they're searching around this home is outside, and that can have an impact
on some of the evidence that they're trying to uncover here. But the FBI is telling us, despite these rainy conditions, they're committed to being out
here and continuing on with this investigation.
GOLODRYGA: It's hard to believe it's nearly two weeks now that Savannah Guthrie's mom has been missing. Of course, we are praying for the Guthrie
family. Leigh Waldman, thank you so much.
ASHER: All right, in the next hour, President Trump is set to travel to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that is where he will meet with members of the
U.S. military who helped capture Nicolas Maduro.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, last month's operation "Absolute Resolve" was the dramatic culmination of a months' long campaign to oust the now former president of
Venezuela. Since then, Maduro has pleaded not guilty to charges of narco terrorism. Acting Venezuela President Delcy Rodriguez tells CNN -- NBC
rather that she considers him the legitimate head of the South American country.
ASHER: Yeah, let's discuss all of this with Kevin Liptak joining us live now from the White House. I mean, obviously so many of us remember that
day, sort of waking up to the news that A, there were explosions in and around carcass, but then Nicolas Maduro had been captured, and then that he
was on his way to Brooklyn.
I mean, regardless of what you sort of think about, the operation this, you know, was objectively a huge success for the president. And when you think
about the fact that the new cycle for this administration continues to be dominated by the Epstein files and I.C.E. detentions, this is a win that he
wants to continue to champion, Kevin?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, I think so. And when you know, for example, see just yesterday, Chris Wright, the Energy
Secretary inside of Venezuela, touring oil production facilities alongside Delcy Rodriguez, the Acting President there, I think it just underscores
how much the administration is really banking on Rodriguez and banking on this mission to oust Maduro, to bolster American oil company's footprint in
that country.
So, they do view it as a success. And you're right. No matter what you think about the wisdom of taking out Maduro, you can't kind of question
that the raid and the operation that these Delta Force operators undertook really was executed quite flawlessly. It was, in a lot of ways, the
riskiest special operations mission since the SEAL Team Six operation to take out Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan back in 2011.
And so, I think this visit down in Fort Bragg today is really meant to underscore how successful that was, you know, notwithstanding all of the
uncertainties and the questions about what will happen in Venezuela going forward? You know, the last time the president was down in Fort Bragg was
back in June.
That speech, if you'll remember, was quite political turned, you know, quite fiery. The president talking about protesters back then were there in
Los Angeles, talking about them as animals, talking about, you know, his bid to crack down on some of these protests.
It was pretty widely criticized at the time, because, you know that when the president speaks in front of a military audience, typically, they sort
of avoid outward displays of politics. But the president has never really been one to adhere to those kinds of traditions. And so, we'll see how he
addresses the crowd today.
You know, the White House has been trying to put the president out on the road more and more. He was last in North Carolina I think it was sort of
middle of December. They're focusing clearly on states that will play a role in the midterm elections later this year.
The focus had originally tried to have been on the economy. The White House had at one point said that the president would be out delivering economic
speeches once a week. So far, he's only done it twice. But clearly this trip intended to get the president out of the White House bubble in front
of what he hopes will be a supportive crowd.
ASHER: All right, Kevin Liptak, thank you. All right, still to come, protests erupt across Israel demanding an end to Palestinian violence in
the country. What Israeli officials are saying just ahead.
GOLODRYGA: Plus, a partial government shutdown is about to hit the U.S., Department of Homeland Security. What that means on the ground that's ahead
after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
GOLODRYGA: The U.S. is turning up the pressure on Iran as tensions soar between both countries. The Pentagon is now sending a second aircraft
carrier group to the Middle East.
ASHER: Yeah. A source close to the matter says the USS Gerald Ford, which is the world's largest carrier, will join the USS Abraham Lincoln in a few
weeks, expanding President Trump's options for a potential strike on Iran if it doesn't agree to a nuclear deal. The move comes even as Trump says he
hopes to get a deal with Iran over the next month.
GOLODRYGA: Meanwhile, a wave of protests is sweeping across Israel, this time over a surge of violent crime in the country's Palestinian
communities. Jeremy diamond is in Tel Aviv with more. And it's interesting, Jeremy, over the last few weeks, we have seen those protests that we were
so familiar with as it related to October 7th and prior to that, as it related to judiciary reform and overhaul.
And now this is something that has been widely criticized within the country, and it's with these protests and your reporting becoming something
that the world is watching now too. Just tell us more about why people are taking to the streets?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that's right Bianna. It's almost like there is suddenly more space in Israel for debates
and protests about other issues now that the hostages are back home. And indeed, one of the major issues that has been a centerpiece of protests in
recent weeks has been this surge of violent crime within the Arab community in recent years.
It's been happening over the course of the last three years, really closely correlated to the entrance of this far right Israeli government. And many
of the protesters are saying that government inaction is adding fuel to the fire.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): A groundswell of protests erupting across Israel, this time demanding action on an issue these protesters say the government
is ignoring. A surge of violent crime in Israel's Arab communities. The demonstrators are mostly Palestinian citizens of Israel, Muslims and
Christians who make up about 20 percent of the country.
And yet, last year, they accounted for more than 80 percent of all murder victims. 252 Palestinian citizens of Israel were murdered last year. 45
more have been killed this year alone, and violence that officials say is largely driven by Arab organized crime groups. But this is the most
alarming statistic. Israel's police solves only 15 percent of those murders, compared to 65 percent when the victim was Jewish.
DIAMOND: If your son was a Jewish citizen of Israel -- believe within an hour.
QASSEM AWAD, BEREAVED FATHER: You're asking me, if my son was Jewish, how long it would take? One hour, that's all.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Qassem Awad had been waiting for more than an hour for justice. His son was murdered more than a year. Dr. Abdullah Awad was
treating patients inside a clinic in Northern Israel when a masked gunman came in and shot him. His father says there's no reason why his son would
be a target.
[11:25:00]
Why until now do we not have any information? We have nothing Awad says. The police came the first few days and said they would follow up, but they
never did. The crime and violence in the Arab Palestinian community is orchestrated by the Israeli State. Let them kill each other while we sit
back and relax.
DIAMOND: The police will say, though, that there is a problem in the Arab community as well. What do you say to that?
AWAD: Why are these issues happening in Arab communities to begin with, upgrade our schools, upgrade our safety and security. If you did all these
things, people won't think about violence or crime or protection. They'll think about living.
DIAMOND (voice-over): At this protest in the Arab Town of Sahnin (ph), there is anger at Palestinian organized crime, but above all, at Israel's
right-wing government.
DIAMOND: Among the chants that we have been hearing at this demonstration have been against Itamar Ben Gvir, the Minister of National Security, who
so many here hold responsible for the inaction, they say, of Israel's police force, a policy that they say is deliberately aimed at increasing
crime among Arab communities in Israel.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Ben Gvir rejects any responsibility, instead blaming local Arab leaders for turning a blind eye to crime. But murders in Arab
society have sky rocketed on his watch, more than doubling since he took office in December 2022. Aida Touma, a Palestinian member of Israel's
Parliament, sees a direct link.
AIDA TOUMA-SULEIMAN, MEMBER OF ISRAELI PARLIAMENT: I believe there is a very racist policy that is committed by the government. It's not a double
standard anymore. It's a policy that they know what they are doing. They want these criminal groups to control our society, to fragmentize us and to
kill more of us.
DIAMOND (voice-over): At this peaceful protest, Israeli police are out in force resources the residents here wish were put to better use.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (on camera): And these protests certainly are forcing Israeli officials to respond to this crime wave. This week, the Israeli Police
Commissioner declared that this situation of rising crime in Arab society is a national emergency, and urged more resources to address the problem.
But for now, we are continuing to see these murders be carried out. There has been more than one murder a day among these Palestinian citizens of
Israel since the beginning of this year, with six being reported in Israeli media in just the last 24 hours, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: All right, Jeremy Diamond reporting live from Tel Aviv for us. Thank you so much.
ASHER: All right, still to come here on "One World", funding for America's Homeland Security Agency dries up at midnight tonight as lawmakers leave
Washington for a break with no deal insight, details for you next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. Here are some headlines we're watching today.
Germany's Chancellor says the rules based international order no longer exists. Speaking at the opening of the annual security conference in
Munich, Friedrich Merz warns that even the U.S. wasn't powerful enough to go it alone. U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio will be addressing
delegates tomorrow.
ASHER: A landslide victory has put Bangladesh's opposition party back in power after nearly two decades. The Leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist
Party, Tarique Rahman, is now set to become prime minister, position his mother once held. Rahman has its work cut out for him. He has to restore
political stability after months of unrest.
GOLODRYGA: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed the names of the six children and two adults killed Thursday in one of the country's worst mass
shootings in recent history. Investigators say an 18-year-old woman fatally shot her mother and step brother at home and then opened fire inside a
school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
ASHER: The High Court in London has ruled that a government ban on the activist group Palestine Action is unlawful, though the ban will
temporarily remain in place, as the British government says it plans to appeal the decision. Today's judgment marks a significant victory to civil
liberties campaigners who argue the ban was an overreach on government power.
All right, a bitterly divided Washington, a partial U.S. government shutdown is just 12 hours away. After Congress failed to pass a funding
bill of the Department of Homeland Security, again, Democrats are delaying the funds for the agency amid the shooting deaths of two American citizens
in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Lawmakers want to see changes to the way agents from immigration and custom enforcement operate. There's still nowhere near a resolution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Funding for I.C.E. in the Department of Homeland Security should not move forward in the absence of dramatic
changes that are bold, meaningful and transformational. Period full stop. That's the House Democratic Caucus position, and that's the Senate
Democratic Caucus position.
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): It seems to me the appearance here is that some Democrats, House and Senate want a government shutdown. They want to impose
more pain on the American people for what I have no idea. The I.C.E. funding is already done for you -- for the entirety of the Trump
Administration, so they're not affecting that in any way. What they're going to do is shut down FEMA, Coast Guard, TSA and things that hurt real
people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Nearly all DHS, workers will stay on the job, but many will not get paid. Lawmakers are now on an 11-day recess, and funding is set to run
out at midnight tonight.
ASHER: CNN's Lauren Fox has a closer look at what's happening on Capitol Hill and whether a deal can be negotiated in the next 12 hours.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well after not clinching a deal over the course of the last two weeks, Republicans and Democrats have
gone home from the House and Senate for a week-long recess. Their leadership telling them that they will be called back if a deal comes
through in the next couple of days.
But at this point, it doesn't look like the White House and Senate Democrats are any closer to finding a middle ground. If you remember,
Democrats were insisting on reforms to how immigration enforcement was happening around the country, things like requiring officers to wear body
cameras, requiring them to display their IDs, changing the way the warrant system worked.
But those that very sticky negotiating points are still being worked out with the White House. There wasn't enough progress made. The Democrats felt
like they wanted to vote for a short-term spending cap to keep moving those negotiations forward.
[11:35:00]
So instead, at midnight today, we expect that funding for the Department of Homeland Security will stop. But it's important to remember that because of
the president's big beautiful bill that was passed earlier this year, they do have money to continue immigration enforcement around the country, so
the agencies that are going to be most affected are TSA as well as the Coast Guard.
ASHER: Thanks to our CNN's Lauren Fox for that report.
GOLODRYGA: OK, let's bring in our guest now, Former Governor of Arkansas Asa Hutchinson, as well as CNN Political Commentator and Former Advisor to
the 2016 Clinton Presidential Campaign Karen Finney. Welcome both of you. Governor, let me start with you, because all of this is weighing down the
president's approval rating right now.
According to a Reuters IPSOS Poll, Trump's net approval on the economy, on jobs and unemployment, is down 22 points. It's down 37 points with
independents. And at the same time, we know his net approval on immigration, both of these issues, we should note are his strong suits, and
were his strong suits going in to the presidential election.
They have hit a record low, given what we have seen transpire with I.C.E. and the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Is this something that
you think the Republican Party can or the president himself can address in a way that won't see a massive defeat for Republicans in the mid-terms?
ASA HUTCHINSON, CEO, HUTCHINSON GROUP LLC: I do actually this partial government shutdown was going to it will take a while, because both sides
believe they have moral high ground. You have the Democrats wanting reduced enforcement of I.C.E. and you want the administration to be able to
continue to enforce our immigration laws.
Both sides are totally different on that point in terms of the impact on the elections. You know, Trump, strength is the economy. Republican,
strength is the economy and immigration enforcement. But they've lost ground on that one because of the affordability issue and inflation, which
is making progress.
But the other one is what happened in Minnesota is perceived as going too far in an inhumane way, on the immigration enforcement. And so perhaps they
could reach a compromise that both will be given something, but I think it's going to take a while, because the pressure points are not there yet,
with 96 percent of the federal government being funded, only a small part is going to pay the price for the shutdown.
ASHER: Karen, let me bring you in. I do want to sort of just talk specifically about how Democrats should be fighting back based on and
comparing that to how they are currently fighting back. And obviously, there have been some tangible things that Democrats have done.
Obviously, Asa was just talking about this partial government shutdown, delaying DHS funding. But as we all know, and as we've talked about, you
know, it's I.C.E. and CBP are actually adequately funded. That is the irony in all of this, that it's more of a symbolic gesture here.
And then you've got Chuck Schumer essentially sponsoring a bill that limits or gets rid of the statute of limitations for sex abuse survivors in
response to the Epstein files. But again, our Senate Republicans going to necessarily sign off on that. So, just give us your take on the sort of
muted effects of some of the ways in which Democrats have been fighting back here.
KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Sure. Well, look, I do want to point out that one of the things actually both on the Epstein files and
frankly, with what's happened in Minnesota and I.C.E. it's not just Democrats. Republican members of Congress are hearing from their
constituents as well, who are terribly alarmed.
Particularly when we see American citizens being shot and killed, but also concerns, just in general, that this is, you know, these very aggressive
tactics. And so, for Democrats, they are using the leverage that they have, which is to negotiate and to try to hold the line here on these specific
elements.
And look, what they're really asking for is something that a majority of Americans actually agree with, and that is just accountability, that people
should not be wearing masks. They should have to identify themselves. They should actually have a judicial warrant, meaning you've got to raise the
bar for just storming into people's homes.
And so, they're going to continue to press that. I'd like to see them talk more about the measures that they're fighting for, because, again, the
polling that I've seen and the focus group work that I've seen people agree with that. And so, I think they need to amp up that conversation.
And then with regard to the Epstein survivors, I mean who among us is going to disagree that these women don't deserve more time to try to fight their
case.
[11:40:00]
Because we know early on when back in the early 2000s when they were trying to get the federal government or law enforcement to pay attention, they
were pushed off. And so, they, you know, they, like other survivors, at times, need more time to be able to make their case and make sure that it's
prosecuted fairly.
So, look, I think, and again, that's another issue where Republicans, many Republicans, also agree and have been hearing from their constituents. So,
the leverage point is really the American people and using that to continue to put the pressure on Republicans to come to the table and negotiate.
GOLODRYGA: And Governor as it relates to the Epstein scandal and files, President Trump has repeatedly said that it's time to move on, that he
wants to close this chapter, and yet anything but is happening. We're seeing reverberations around the world, resignations.
And when it comes though to those around the president himself, he seems allergic at this point to firing or dismissing anybody in his orbit. We saw
him do just that in his first term, and he seems adamant that he will not be pressured into firing anybody in the second term, that includes everyone
from Kristi Noem and her performance.
And some of the criticism she's receiving, even from many Republicans for her handling of I.C.E. raids and specifically what we have seen transpire
in Minneapolis? And the same for Pam Bondi and her performance when she was testifying this week. Do you think that that is hurting President Trump?
HUTCHINSON: I do. President Trump is in a bubble on the Epstein file issues. He wants it to go by the wayside, but the public sees too many
redactions. They don't see all the information yet. They don't see the transparency that they expect.
And Attorney General Bondi and her testimony before Congress was not successful in changing the subject, and it denigrated into a shouting
match, which doesn't serve Congress well or the administration well. And so, the focus should be, I agree on the survivors and those that have been
hurt by this, and they simply want transparency and accountability.
And when you have the transparency, the accountability should follow, because the public will demand it. But President Trump is not facing
reality on this, and he will stick with his administration folks, until the public demands some type of a change.
ASHER: And Karen, last question to you just speaking of the Pam Bondi testimony, which we all watched. I mean, we saw her call Jamie Raskin a
washed up lose the lawyer. You know, I think one Democratic lawmaker told her that the Epstein victim, some of them were behind her, and they asked
her to turn around to apologize, and her response was something to the effect, of your time is up.
She appeared really unremorseful, unapologetic, especially on this idea of, you know, just how many names of victims had been laid bare in these files,
while some of the alleged co-conspirators and possible perpetrators names had been redacted.
You know, many would look at this and you know, this is what the Governor was saying, that this obviously, was, maybe to an extent, an own goal by
the administration. But on top of that, one of the other issues is that you have the Attorney General of the United States seeing herself more as the
president's sort of personal lawyer, as a sort of neutral arbiter of justice. How do Democrats combat that aspect of it?
FINNEY: Well, again, you saw one way toward combating. I'm not sure if it was particularly effective, but I know that the members have a hard time
kind of keeping their cool, because she was just so outrageously, just not willing to answer any questions. And clearly came prepared for the combat.
And one of the things, the issues that has come up after the hearing is the fact that in her notes, as we now know she -- it's clear that they've been
monitoring when members have gone in to look at the full-on redacted files, and that's going to be an issue.
Look, this is just not going to go away. I've said this for some time because these women are not going away. They deserve justice, and they've
been fighting for it for a very long time. And one of the issues that I think Democrats could talk a little bit more about.
Pam Bondi had an opportunity to help these women when she was the AG of Florida. They were trying to, you know, again, get their case heard by
officials, and for everything I've seen in the reporting, she dismissed them then.
[11:45:00]
And so, there's still a lot more on this. It's not going away. And I also think you it's an issue that people care about deeply, and it that -- one
of the things I think we should acknowledge, which is this is really the first crack that we saw with the MAGA base and Donald Trump and so I agree
with the governor.
You know, he's in a bubble, and they just wants it to go away, but it's going to go away, and Democrats know that keep fighting for it.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, really jarring moment when she seemed to deflect away from the Epstein questions and talk about the DOW hitting 50,000. Karen Finney,
Governor Asa Hutchinson, thank you so much for your time and insights. Appreciate it.
ASHER: All right. Well, you can't talk about African music, obviously, without mentioning Fela Kuti. His Afrobeats have influenced everyone from
Miles Davis to Burn a Boy to even Beyonce, and now his music is being honored. We'll take a look after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, decades after his death, Fela Kuti's music remains a force of resistance. His legacy is now being honored by the Recording
Academy with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, from Lagos to the world his influence shapes modern Afrobeats. He's this month's African Voices Change Maker.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEMI KUTI, FELA KUTI'S SON: Fela was never about music. He didn't see any love story that was more important than the suffering he saw on the
streets. There's a lot of mainstream musicians were inspired by my father. Miles Davis, even. So many people are listening to him, and I can imagine
the jazz wall sitting.
Have you heard that new cat from Lagos, who Fela Kuti, Fela Kuti, you know, because of the format of which he was playing long albums. He never really
got mainstream, but he inspired so many people. Everybody talking about, have you heard Fela Kuti, Fela Kuti, Fela Kuti? And even after he passed
on, it's become louder.
ADDY AWOFISAYO, HEAD OF MUSIC SUB SAHARAN AFRICA YOUTUBE: Fela is an absolute legend, right? So, anyone who has heard about Africa, African
music has heard about Fela. Even the new artist today, when they say who has inspired them, they all say Fela.
KUTI: He didn't want to pick up a gun. He didn't want to kill anybody. So, he now came with the phrase music is a weapon. So, I now think he saw his
music as an arsenal to attack corruption.
AWOFISAYO: Fela created Afrobeat without the S, right? So, he created the sound. The drums, the trumpets, the instruments and so today, when you hear
Afrobeats with the S, it really has taken that sound and infused it into what we know today as Afro-pop or R&B.
[11:50:00]
KUTI: My music is very political too. My son is political. My brother is political. There are many Afrobeat bands. My DJs continue to play by press
men continue to honor and respect the legacy. So, it's a very huge collective effort that has been going on for many years, people introducing
new people to the sound.
AWOFISAYO: Fela just showcases how staying true to your sound is so important, and staying true to the African sound is an incredible
statement.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: With Valentine's Day upon us, tomorrow, love is certainly in the air. UK company wants people to put down their phones and try an old-
fashioned way of finding romance.
GOLODRYGA: CNN's Anna Cooban reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Firstly, thank you guys so much for coming tonight.
ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS & ECONOMICS REPORTER (voice-over): It's after hours at a comedy club in Central London, except tonight, this audience is
engaged in a far more serious pursuit, finding love.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Best case, my husband's here and the love of my life, and it's great. Worst case, I've met some -- made some new friends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really chill. I'm just hoping to have a couple of drinks, talk to a couple of people.
COOBAN (voice-over): Weary and worn down by dating apps, these singles are banking on some real-life connection.
ELIN SIAN, LOOKING FOR LOVE: I'm romantic. I want to be with a pirate. I want to be with someone who's like, big and bold. And I feel like people in
London are very non-calanthe and very cool, and I don't want to lay their heart on the line.
COOBAN (voice-over): Assisting tonight is an algorithm.
COOBAN: Do you fall in love quickly?
SIAN: Yes, I love at first sight.
COOBAN (voice-over): Elin fills out a questionnaire by Matchbox, a software that claims to pair people based on their values.
SIAN: It's better to have loved and lost. Elin to never have loved. Yeah. Submit.
COOBAN (voice-over): With answers submitted its now time to mingle before these singles meet their match.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I -- like Gary met my husband on here.
COOBAN (voice-over): Hosting tonight is Thursday, a dating company that used to match people via, you guessed, it an app, until they dumped it last
year --
JAMES ORMEROD, HEAD OF LONDON EVENTS, THURSDAY: Everyone's sick of the swiping endlessly, only to get maybe a couple responses. The dating events
is basically taking it back to basics.
[11:55:00]
You have to make those in real life connections, and people are literally, I can't produce enough events for the demand that's out there.
COOBAN (voice-over): Thursday says it's made more than 20,000 matches using this algorithm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Got my match. Finally, here it is. I think it's him.
COOBAN (voice-over): And the verdict --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The age gap, it's possibly this far.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: By far it is non-negotiable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It can be --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It could be first one us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It can work on it.
COOBAN (voice-over): For many in this room, the search continues with or without an app, Anna Cooban, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: And in sort of continuation with our theme of dating, this Valentine's Day, we're going to be taking a time out next hour to speak
with the Gottmans, John and Julie Gottman, the Co-Founders of the Gottman Institute, which aims to foster and sustain greater love and health in
relationships. Less about finding love, more about keeping love when you've actually found it.
GOLODRYGA: We asking them some tough questions, stay with us. We'll have more "One World" after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
