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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
Sticking Points Remain In Ukraine Peace Plan; Interview With Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA); French Police Arrest Four More Suspects In Louvre Robbery; FBI Wants To Interview Six Democratic Lawmakers; Inaugural Ceremony Will Honor Dance Artists & Innovators. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired November 26, 2025 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm an example. I purchased my first apartment. I purchased a car. I try to tell everybody it's an opportunity. Every place you step in, you take advantage of it. it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our young people are blossoming and blooming every single day.
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Elex Michaelson and THE STORY IS starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: THE STORY IS Ukraine. Late tonight, President Trump, speaking on Air Force One about a potential deal with Russia.
THE STORY IS health care costs. Republican lawmaker Kevin Kiley with us to talk about his plan to try to bring your costs down.
THE STORY IS dance hall of fame. He choreographed "Dirty Dancing," "High School Musical," "The Material Girl" and the king of pop. Kenny Ortega is here live.
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ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson.
MICHAELSON: We'll get to the dancing a little later. Welcome to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.
We begin, though, with big news around the world and peace talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine. President Trump says that he believes negotiators are, quote, "making progress." Late tonight, President Trump arriving in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday alongside the first lady of the United States.
After several days of talks with Ukrainian, Russian and European leaders, President Trump says the next step is sending his special envoy to meet with the Russians. He spoke with reporters tonight during that flight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're talking to Russia now. Steve Witkoff is going over, maybe with Jared. I'm not sure about Jared going but he's involved in the process. Smart guy. And they're going to be meeting with President Putin I believe next week in Moscow.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What kinds of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?
TRUMP: Well, they're making concessions. They're big concessions, is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land. Again, it's a war that would have never happened if I was president. This was not anything that was going to happen. This happened because of stupidity. It's too bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: And remember, Steve Witkoff was part of the negotiations to end the war in Gaza. President Trump's original 28-point plan to end this war is now being whittled down to 19. But three key sticking points remain. Those include Ukraine giving up territory, which it controls, but which Russia claims that it annexed. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says he is looking forward to more talks.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: That framework is on the table and we are ready to move forward together with the United States of America, with personal engagement of President Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Now, Ukraine's national security chief says Zelenskyy may head to the White House before the end of the month to speak with President Trump. After a virtual summit on Ukraine's European allies on Tuesday, Britain's prime minister says the talks are going the right way now for Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I do think we're moving in a positive direction. And indications today that in large part, the majority of the text looks as though Vladimir is indicating can be accepted. Ukraine is holding the line fearlessly. And it's the line of their sovereignty and their defense. But it's also our line as well, because this is about European freedom, our values and our security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So earlier, the president of the United States posted on social media, quote, "There are only a few remaining points of disagreement." However, the Russian foreign minister has indicated that Moscow could reject an amended peace plan if its terms are, quote, "fundamentally different." And as President Trump gears up to send his special envoy to Moscow, Bloomberg is reporting that in October, Steve Witkoff coached Vladimir Putin's senior aide on how the Russian leader should pitch his peace plan to President Trump.
So what does Ukraine think of all this? Here's CNN's Matthew Chance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, progress is being made on the U.S. peace proposals to end the conflict in Ukraine. But significant differences remain and no final text has been agreed. That's according to a Ukrainian source with direct knowledge of the negotiations. A consensus has been reached on most points, the source told CNN. But there's still no agreement on Ukraine surrendering territory, for example, that has been annexed by Russia but not yet conquered.
On the proposal for Ukraine to limit the size of its army to 600,000, which was the figure envisaged in the 28-point plan that was leaked last week. The source told CNN that a new number had been floated, but that Kyiv wanted further changes before being prepared to agree.
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And on the issue of Ukraine renouncing its ambition to become a member of NATO, the source told CNN that this demand is unacceptable to them because such a concession would set a bad precedent, the source said, that would effectively give Russia a veto over the Western military alliance. The problem is, all of those three points are key conditions of Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
Matthew Chance, CNN, London
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MICHAELSON: Back here in America, the Trump administration is looking to interview six Democratic lawmakers about this video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.
SEN. ELISA SLOTKIN (D-MI): You can refuse illegal orders.
REP. CHRIS DELUZIO (D-PA): You must refuse illegal orders.
SLOTKIN: No one has to carry out orders that violate the law --
REP. CHRISSY HOULAHAN (D-PA): Or our Constitution.
REP. JASON CROW (D-CO): We know this is hard.
KELLY: And that it's a difficult time to be a public servant.
SLOTKIN: But whether you're serving in the CIA.
CROW: In the army.
DELUZIO: Our Navy.
HOULAHAN: The Air Force.
KELLY: Your vigilance is critical.
SLOTKIN: And know that we have your back.
CROW: Because now more than ever.
HOULAHAN: The American people need you.
SLOTKIN: We need you to stand up for our laws.
DELUZIO: Our Constitution.
KELLY: And who we are as Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So the lawmakers you hear there did not reference what orders that could potentially be illegal. But they and others have raised concerns about those military strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and the deployment of U.S. troops to U.S. cities.
President Trump has accused those Democrats of treason. The lawmakers issuing a joint statement saying, quote, "We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied. We will not give up the ship."
President Trump telling reporters on Air Force One that he is against extending Obamacare subsidies, while also acknowledging he may end up doing that after all.
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TRUMP: I like my plan the best. Don't give any money to the insurance companies. Give it to the people directly. Let them go out, buy their own health care plan. And we're looking at that, if that can work. We're looking at that. That's sort of taken off. That's what I like. Don't give the money to the insurance companies. They go out. They go out, and buy their own plan. You give the money to the people. I like it the best.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you planning to extend those subsidies?
TRUMP: I'd rather not. Somebody said I want to extend it for two years. I don't want to extend it for two years. I'd rather not extend them at all. It may be some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the un-Affordable Care Act has been a disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So just a day ago, the White House signaled an imminent announcement on a major health care proposal, but then abruptly postponed it until we don't know when. Hanging in the balance are 22 million Americans who rely on those Obamacare subsidies.
Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley of California joins me now from Sacramento. He, along with Democratic Congressman Sam Liccardo, have a bill to extend those subsidies. He is with us now.
Welcome back to THE STORY IS.
REP. KEVIN KILEY (R-CA): Thanks for having me.
MICHAELSON: So talk to us about your bill, and is there buy-in to actually get it done?
KILEY: Yes. It's got a lot of momentum actually. And the reason is because we're extending these subsidies for two years, but we're doing it in a fiscally responsible way. So we have cost controls, we have fraud prevention as well as we have what you call a pay for, reforms that will actually generate revenue and allow us to pay for the extensions so that we're not going further into debt and we're not having to raise taxes.
And so we've got several co-authors, bipartisan co-authors coming on board every day. And I think that, you know, there is the political will that exists to get something like this done. And I think that the bill we're offering could become the vehicle for doing that.
MICHAELSON: So in the House, ultimately the speaker has control of what bills go up for a vote. Is there any indication at all that Speaker Johnson would give this a vote?
KILEY: Well, not yet, but I think that one way or another you will see a vote around this issue of extending the subsidies, because the fact of the matter is this, Elex. We have 22 million people in this country who are about to see their health care costs go up massively, and particularly in our state, in California, where the cost of living is already so high, that's not something that I'm willing to accept, especially when you look at the folks who are going to be affected.
We're talking about small business owners and employees. We're talking about retirees who aren't yet eligible for Medicare. We're also talking about millions of independent contractors who have already been targeted in a lot of ways in California with laws like AB5 that have made it more difficult for them to practice their profession. And if we all of a sudden tell them that the health insurance that they rely on, the premium supports that they rely on are disappearing overnight, that's a hardship that a lot of people just are not going to be able to deal with.
So we need to get something done. And one way or another, I think that the will of the House will be heard.
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MICHAELSON: Yes. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the average insurance will go up 114 percent for those 22 million people, which, as you know, a whole lot of people cannot afford. So your take is that something is going to be done. You can't really see a scenario where because Congress can't do anything about much, that this just goes up for everybody.
KILEY: Yes, that's the way I see it, is that doing nothing is not an option here. And I think there are enough people on both sides of the aisle who believe that as well. So what the exact numbers are at the end of the day, what particular form the deal takes, I think that still remains to be seen, but I think that what Sam Liccardo and I have put forward and, you know, I give Sam credit, by the way, he's been working tirelessly to build bridges on this.
I think it is a great foundation for a deal that would get a lot of bipartisan support because of the elements that I talked about. It's temporary. It has cost controls. It includes reforms, and there are pay-fors.
MICHAELSON: So you have been outspoken against Speaker Johnson certainly in the way that he handled the shutdown situation. We've seen report in "Punchbowl" this week that suggested that there are Republican members of the House that may resign early because they're so frustrated by what is happening in the wake of what happened with Marjorie Taylor Greene, which could put the Republican majority at risk. Have you heard any of that? What are you hearing behind the scenes?
KILEY: I saw that. I haven't heard anything like that. I can tell you that I'm going to be serving out my term and running for reelection because we have a lot of problems we got to fix as a country. So for the folks who might be frustrated or might be tempted to do that, and I understand the frustration, I have voiced it more than anyone about the way that the House has functioned or failed to function this year, including during the two months when the speaker simply didn't have us there.
I'd say the solution to that is to demand that we reassert ourselves as a House and reclaim our legislative authority under Article One. And maybe with this ACA subsidy issue, this can be a way for us to start doing that.
MICHAELSON: The last time that we talked to you, it was about this concept of gerrymandering. You put forward a bill to basically say nobody gerrymander, not Texas, not California, nobody in the middle of the district. So we don't have to go through all of this. You obviously potentially could lose your seat because of what happened with Prop 50 and the gerrymandering that's now happening here in California. This week the Department of Justice, the Trump administration, backed Texas in their fight to the Supreme Court over the issue of gerrymandering. What do you make of that?
KILEY: Well, so we have legal challenges now in Texas and in California. It's not clear what's going to happen in either case. The Supreme Court will certainly resolve the case in Texas and may well resolve the case in California. And it's just added another element of chaos to all of this. And we have district lines being upended all of a sudden in an unplanned way, in the middle of the decade.
And now in Texas, they don't know. Is it going to be the new map? Is it going to be the old map? Similarly, in California, all of this is just so unnecessary. It's just completely needless chaos that is really undermining representation in states across the country. And I think serving to just further the disillusionment that a lot of people have with our political process. So, yes, you mentioned my bill. I think that this remains a viable solution.
We could vote on this next week when we get back to say that, let's just keep the maps as they were last year in Texas, in California, in the dozen or so other states that are talking about redistricting now. This is not something our country needs.
MICHAELSON: So bottom line of this, if Speaker Johnson would listen to Kevin Kiley, the ACA subsidies could be extended in a bipartisan way, and there would be no gerrymandering around the country. So we'll see. Mr. Speaker is welcome to come on. We'd love to hear his response.
But, Kevin Kiley, we appreciate you sharing your response. Happy Thanksgiving to you. And lastly, what are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving week?
KILEY: Oh, gosh, I got to say, family. I'm very lucky and going to get to spend quite a bit of time with family, at least over the next couple days. So looking forward to that and hope you have a great Thanksgiving as well.
MICHAELSON: Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Kevin Kiley. Thanks so much for coming on.
KILEY: You bet.
MICHAELSON: Tensions erupting on the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota, as federal agents clashed and sprayed a crowd. That was the gathering of a protest of an ICE operation. The Department of Homeland Security says a Honduran man in the country illegally was arrested. Witnesses say he wasn't the only person taken into custody.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've seen them aggressively arrest at least four people since we've been standing here that were doing nothing but --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Standing here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shouting too loud maybe. So that's not a crime its. I didn't think we'd see it in this neighborhood. And as soon as we found out, we rushed here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were here holding a line, trying to support the family and the people inside the house.
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They told us, move west, move west. That was it. And then they indiscriminately started tear gassing us earlier today.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MICHAELSON: Video also captured the crowd in St. Paul pushing back against federal agents. Tuesday's operation is the second one in the Minnesota state capital in less than a week.
Let's talk about travel now on this Thanksgiving week, you are looking at live images right now from Denver International Airport. Doesn't look too, too bad. It is now 10:14 p.m. Tuesday night there. The busiest day of travel of the Thanksgiving holiday. The FAA says more than 50,000 flights are forecast for Wednesday across the U.S., and that includes Atlanta, where it's already Wednesday right now.
Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. You see the live look. Looks like a rainy start to Wednesday morning. They had some weather challenges on Tuesday that caused some delays there as well. We've also seen delays in the Great Lakes area. The FAA says that bad weather accounts for more than 60 percent of those delays, which is why the forecast is so important.
With that, we turn things over to meteorologist Derek Van Dam with a look at what you can expect over the holiday. Derek.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It has been a challenging holiday travel period across the Deep South thanks to this large storm system that has impacted the eastern two-thirds of the country. We've got a trailing cold front that brought rough thunderstorms from Atlanta to Birmingham, even causing ground stops Tuesday morning at Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.
Now we're contending with rain across the Eastern Seaboard. More precipitation along that I-95 corridor through the course of the -- your Wednesday morning. That could impact some of the major airports here along the East Coast as well. Behind it, we're going to draw on a lot of cold air. So once that rushes over the relatively warm lake waters of the Great Lakes, that's going to kick in the lake effect snow machine for many locations.
So this is some of the first snowfall of the season. So it's significant. And its timing, of course, with a busy holiday travel period. Here it is. Several states under winter weather alerts, Minneapolis, you could pick up over four to five inches of snow. That's not as impressive as what's happening downwind of Lake Superior. Check this out. The Keweenaw Peninsula of Northern Michigan could pick up over a foot quite easily with this system moving through three to six inches across western Michigan, impacting places like Grand Rapids and Traverse City.
Certainly, some potential delays with this system moving through for Chicago O'Hare, that's for the day today. And then the East Coast. We finally see this system depart by Thanksgiving morning. So the cold front will be off the Eastern Seaboard, with the exception of the trailing cold front here, potentially bringing some thunderstorm activity to Miami. We will dry out, clear out, but there will be plenty of wind. And again, some snow across the Great Lakes.
Look at the temperatures as they drop as this cold front advances eastward. This is more seasonable for this time of year. You'll want to definitely bundle up as you head to family, friends and loved ones for the holidays because, well, we've got quite a wake-up call with our temperatures coming up.
Back to you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Today we continue a time honored American tradition. Well, that's a well-trained turkey.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: President Trump using his pardon powers to spare two turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Gobble and Waddle received the honor this year. The annual pardon ceremony featured a few political jokes as well, with President Trump taking jabs at former president Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He used an autopen last year for the turkeys' pardon. So I have the official duty to determine, and I have determined that last year's turkey pardons are totally invalid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: This year's turkeys hail from North Carolina, and were only hatched in July. Gobble actually won the competition hosted by the First Lady's office to appear at the ceremony, but Waddle ultimately given a pardon as well.
Up next, double the suspects. Authorities are questioning more people in the Louvre jewelry heist. And later, the man who is behind some iconic film and concert dance moves is one of the new inductees in the first ever Dance Hall of Hame. He'll be here on set to teach us all a thing or two.
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MICHAELSON: The president of Colombia says that he knows why the president of the United States is pressuring Venezuela and that drug trafficking actually has nothing to do with it. He spoke exclusively with CNN's Isa Soares.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUSTAVO PETRO, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT: A negotiation about oil, I believe that is Trump's logic. He is not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone the narco trafficking. They are going to get the oil almost for free, because that's what the anecdotal evidence suggests. Trump is not negotiating with Maduro when it comes to drugs because Trump is not a fool.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MICHAELSON: So Gustavo Petro's comments to Isa Soares there come as the U.S. amasses thousands of troops and more than a dozen warships in the Caribbean. President Trump has signaled that he is open to direct talks with Venezuela's Nicola's Maduro, but he has repeatedly expressed frustration with the South American country.
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TRUMP: They've caused a lot of problems and they've sent millions of people into our country. They had -- I mean, they were probably the biggest abuser with Tren de Aragua and all the others that they sent in, the drug dealers and drug lords.
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The people that they sent in, the jail -- they opened their jails and prisons and dumped them into the United States, and we're not happy about it.
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MICHAELSON: The president clearly had a lot to say on that Air Force One flight tonight. Meanwhile, the European Union's highest court ruled that same-sex marriages should be respected throughout the bloc. The case centered on a Polish couple that got married in Germany in 2018. Poland refuses to recognize their union because same-sex marriage is against Polish law. But the court, the E.U., said that infringed on the couple's freedom to move and reside throughout the bloc, and the court's binding ruling does not require a change to national laws, but it does require nations to recognize same-sex marriage as they would any other foreign marriage.
French authorities have detained another four people they say were involved in that brazen Louvre heist last month.
CNN's Max Foster reports these new suspects joined four others already in custody.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the heist of the century, the theft in broad daylight of France's crown jewels. Now, more than five weeks since the audacious robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, four more suspects have been detained, French authorities announced on Tuesday, without releasing further details about possible charges. The new suspects, two men aged 38 and 39, and two women, 31 and 40, all from the Paris region.
They were detained by police as part of the investigation into the heist, and are now to be questioned by investigators, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday. CNN affiliate BFMTV reported that one of the suspects is the alleged fourth member of the gang that carried out the heist. Authorities say that four suspects stole more than $100 million worth of jewels in just seven minutes.
But they left many clues behind not just the equipment they used to get in like this angle grinder and the truck witnesses say they tried but failed to burn as they fled. But also a glove, a helmet, and one of the scooters they used to make their escape. With more than 150 DNA traces left at the scene of the crime, a match was soon established.
But whilst investigators now believe they know more about the suspected thieves, who they say were known for targeting jewelry stores, questions remain about who might have masterminded the operation. And still at large, the jewels that were stolen. The tiaras, necklaces, earrings and brooches of the royalty of 19th Century France.
Max Foster, CNN.
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MICHAELSON: Move over Tokyo, Jakarta is now considered the world's largest city. A new U.N. report shows that the Indonesian capital now has almost 42 million people living in it, jumping from 33rd on the biggest city list to the top spot in just seven years. Talk about expansion. Dhaka in Bangladesh comes in second with a population of nearly 37 million and Tokyo falls to third with 33 million. The report predicts two-thirds of the world's population will be living in cities by 2050.
Check this out. This is a live look -- wow -- at lava flowing right now from the Kilauea Volcano, which is located in a national park on Hawaii's big island right now, where it's 6:28 p.m. This is one of the world's most active volcanoes. We could just stare at this for, like, the next hour. That's amazing.
Well, up next, joining us live here on set, maybe they'll blow, too. Conservative commentator Alicia Krause, former U.S. federal prosecutor Will Rollins, our political panel here to talk about everything, when we come back
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STEPHEN MILLER, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: Under the under the law and under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for a seditious conspiracy against the United States of America.
This is completely open and shut. Straightforward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: So, that is White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on FOX News Channel, doubling down on President Trump's pursuit of six Democratic lawmakers who told the military not to follow unlawful orders.
Let's unpack that and more with our panel. Will Rollins is a former federal prosecutor and former Democratic candidate for Congress. And Elisha Krauss is a conservative commentator and op-ed writer for "The Washington Examiner."
Welcome back to THE STORY IS.
ELISHA KRAUSS, OP-ED WRITER, "THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER": Thanks.
WILL ROLLINS, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Thank you.
MICHAELSON: Our first returning panel.
ROLLINS: Yes.
MICHAELSON: It's great to have you guys here. Will, as the lawyer here, as the prosecutor here, what do you think of this whole thing?
ROLLINS: Well, it's so weird that Stephen Miller said those things. Spoken like a guy who's never been to law school. You know, there is nothing more fundamentally un-American than being prosecuted for what you say.
And I think what this story kind of underscores for me is just how hollowed out the Department of Justice's public integrity section is.
Because, if you were in normal times, you would have to get so many layers of approval to even open an investigation into Democratic members of Congress or Republican members of Congress for a good reason.
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But unfortunately, that department, that section of the department has gone from about 40 lawyers down to two. And the FBI is investigating these members. And I think the worst part --
MICHAELSON: Is interviewing. They have not said the word "investigating." They say "interviewing."
KRAUSS: They just want to talk.
ROLLINS: Interviewing, interviewing. And they're taking counterterrorism agents to do it, too, which I think is, frankly, an entire massive waste of taxpayer dollars.
MICHAELSON: Do you think this is a good idea, necessary?
KRAUSS: Oh, I -- you know me, Elex, I like -- I'm very conservative, but I'm a kind of shoe on the other foot type of conservative that, if Democrats had been doing this to Republicans when Biden and Obama were in office, we would probably take issue with it, as well.
Listen, I'm also the proud daughter, granddaughter, and niece of -- of many lines and generations of active-duty military members who didn't vote for Obama and Biden and didn't agree with everything that they did, like unconstitutional drone strikes. And they never stood up and said anything.
And I do think that it is wrong for the Democrats, specifically Democrats who served and took the same oath that they're telling military men and women to renege on now, I don't think it's a good look for them to do this.
Because military men and women, when they take that oath, the only reason that they can go against it is if it's against the Geneva Conventions, the United States Constitution, or federal law that is currently on the books.
And if Democrats can't prove that, then I do think it's just -- it's just really disingenuous and very political football that they're trying to play here with the American people and specifically the American people. And I don't like it.
MICHAELSON: If you said that drone strikes were a problem in the Obama administration, one of the things that Democrats are frustrated with now is this idea of dropping bombs in the ocean on -- to some of these Venezuelan alleged drug boats --
KRAUSS: Yes.
MICHAELSON: -- without any sort of trial for any of these people. And basically, watching them die like a video game. Are you problematic? Is that problematic?
KRAUSS: Well, being the daughter of a Coastie who fought those drug cartels for a long time and plucked Cubans out of the -- the, you know, the ocean that were fleeing to the freedom of the United States of America, I think time will tell.
I think some of the cases that we've heard about, if we are now deeming, like Dan Crenshaw and the president, and other Republicans are saying, the Homeland Security Department is saying, if we are deeming them as narco-terrorists --
MICHAELSON: Right.
KRAUSS: -- which some Venezuelan leaders, like Nobel Prize-winning Maria Machado, have said that they are; if we're deeming them as terrorists, then maybe the rules of activating against terrorist organizations are what should -- we should be following.
ROLLINS: I just think there's a big difference between, you know, the executive's authority in the foreign sphere and what's happening with these members of Congress.
And this did not come out of nowhere for the members. I mean, federal judges have said that the president issued unlawful orders, and those members said you may disobey unlawful orders.
Everything they said is entirely protected under the First Amendment and the Speech and Debate Clause of the Constitution. There was no basis to even interview these members. And if the public integrity section still existed, they would not have been.
MICHAELSON: All right. You just took us to law school there. Let's stay on the legal framework here. KRAUSS: I don't think it's fair. I'm a college dropout. Not fair.
MICHAELSON: And talk -- talking about -- I'm not a lawyer either. But we talk about gerrymandering, which is something you've talked about a lot here in California. California just passed Prop 50.
KRAUSS: Unfortunately.
MICHAELSON: We know in Texas, they -- they gerrymandered, as well. And that's now going as -- to potentially the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice now siding with Texas and going to argue on their behalf.
Do you think that's a good thing, if you're against gerrymandering?
KRAUSS: No, not necessarily. It will be interesting to see what the justices decide. I think that -- that Chief Justice Roberts could agree with me.
I mean, I think Kevin Kiley is right that we should have a federal gerrymandering law that just says no across the board.
I'm really not surprised, though, that the Department of Justice is going to side with Texas here. I mean, they were -- they're Trump's Department of Justice. There's a lot of, like, Trump appointees there that have worked with Greg Abbott.
I think Greg Abbott is a great guy, and I hope he's a contender for the GOP nomination in 2028. But I just -- I cannot make it OK. The -- it's really bothersome to me, actually.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
KRAUSS: I don't see an argument for which it works, because then Democrats, like we did here in California, can just, like, compete with the same thing. And bad law is bad law.
MICHAELSON: Thoughts?
ROLLINS: Well, in keeping with the theme of our first panel, Elisha and I both agree that gerrymandering sucks. I think, legally speaking, Texas is in a lot of trouble, and it's almost comical how badly this has backfired.
Because they originally used a letter from the Department of Justice to claim that they needed to redraw the lines for fixing racial gerrymandering, and then they did that by racially gerrymandering districts.
And that's what a lower court held. And now that's going to go up to the Supreme Court.
But I agree: I don't think Texas is on strong legal grounds. And you can do partisan gerrymandering, which interestingly, is why California's redistricting will probably survive, but Texas's will not. MICHAELSON: But California is being challenged, as well, whether they
-- it was improper, the way they drew the lines, based off of race. And it was interesting to see what happens in terms of -- of that challenge going forward.
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You said Greg Abbott for 2028. Do you prefer him over J.D. Vance?
KRAUSS: Yes. And Marco Rubio. I think Marco Rubio was the best decision Donald Trump has made in this -- this second term so far.
MICHAELSON: Do you have a Democrat that you're especially excited about for 2028?
ROLLINS: I mean, I'm excited about a lot, but I'm a big Mayor Pete fan. You know, that's biased, self-interested. Yes.
KRAUSS: Oh, Will. Oh, Will. We're going to beat you, then.
ROLLINS: Great -- great communicator. I'm looking for somebody who will win.
Greg Abbott, I guess, would be sort of a return to a quasi-normal Republican, which I think we would all welcome. I think most of the country is looking for somebody who can truly unite us. And I don't know yet exactly who that's going to be. There's going to be a tough primary fight. But let's -- let's root for that.
MICHAELSON: And speaking of uniting us, so it's about to be Thanksgiving. There's a lot of people that are about to go to Thanksgiving dinner, potentially with people that they disagree with, which we like to do here on THE STORY IS, but not everybody's used to doing that.
So, do you have maybe some advice for people if you're going to dinner with somebody you disagree with in your family?
KRAUSS: Well, listen, as a conservative who spent all of my adult life in liberal meccas, I feel like I do this every single day. So, Thanksgiving is a reprieve for me, because I'm hosting, and it's my house. So, my rules.
No, I'm kidding.
Believe it or not, I don't talk politics at home and around my children and around my friends, because we can unite and agree on lots of other things like faith, and family, and floral arrangements, and really good food and cocktails. So, stick to those things.
I don't know. I was saying during the commercial break too, I feel like the Louvre heist has united all sides. Just show your crazy MAGA uncle, you know, or Bernie Bro cousin, like all those Louvre memes. Like, that should unite everyone.
MICHAELSON: Thoughts? ROLLINS: Love that. Amen.
I like to take the approach of getting responsibly drunk and placing weird prop bets that you parlay into other bets. So, for example, you know, take Detroit two and a half, and then parlay that with a surprise appearance from Taylor Swift performing "Ophelia" at the Kansas City game later.
And that usually unites.
MICHAELSON: You think that's -- you think that's -- you're betting on a Taylor Swift performance?
ROLLINS: Yes. Long odds. But if you win, you're looking at millions of dollars.
KRAUSS: Taylor Swift with CeCe Winans would be the duet I didn't know I needed. Like, seriously.
MICHAELSON: Speaking it into existence here on THE STORY IS.
By the way, up next, speaking of great music, Kenny Ortega, one of the great choreographers of all time, is going to be live on our set. Maybe teach us a few dance moves or so, so we can rock out to our theme song as we go to commercial break here. Kenny Ortega coming back next.
Look at Elisha. Look at Elisha go.
ROLLINS: I want to be able to come back on the show. So --
MICHAELSON: Just to be able to. I've got the head move. Yes. Stay with us. We need some help.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:47:25]
MICHAELSON: Iconic lift in "Dirty Dancing" is one of so many moments choreographed by Kenny Ortega. He is among the inductees into the first ever class of the Dance Hall of Fame, which is happening next week, December 3.
Also in the class, Alvin Ailey, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Stephen "Twitch" Boss, Misty Copeland, Bob Fosse, Gene Kelly, Jerome Robbins and Twyla Tharp. How about that list?
Welcome to THE STORY IS. Kenny Ortega joining us live here on set. Thank you so much. Congrats.
KENNY ORTEGA, CHOREOGRAPHER: What a pleasure. Thank you so much. Great being on THE STORY [SIC].
MICHAELSON: Thank you very much.
So, what does that mean to you? The first ever Dance Hall of Fame, with that list?
ORTEGA: I know. I mean, to be inducted into that circle. These are legends. You know, every one of them has impacted my life. Every one of them.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ORTEGA: You know, I could go on and on about each and every one of them and how they -- how they -- Gene Kelly. I mean --
MICHAELSON: Yes. Your mentor, right?
ORTEGA: My mentor.
MICHAELSON: What did Gene Kelly teach you?
ORTEGA: Well, Gene Kelly and I -- you know, we were working on this little movie called "Xanadu," and they wanted him to dance, and he said, I'll do it, but Kenny's going to choreograph and direct it.
So, he gave me my first job as a director and choreographer on a film, put a viewfinder around my neck. And then, you know, when we went -- he invited me back to his home. Patricia and Gene invited me to their home. And he taught me his art of designing choreography for the camera.
And he said, Kenny, you're never going to be happy with the end result of your work in film if you don't -- if you're not responsible for where the camera is.
And so, he would break down all of his movies for me and talk to me about why he put the camera in a position, how he moved the camera on a dolly and changed my life, you know? Yes.
MICHAELSON: And so, you not only choreographed, but you directed so many movies and TV shows yourself. I want to put up on the screen a list of some of the things that you have choreographed, which is unbelievable.
So, "Xanadu," you mentioned. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Dirty Dancing," "Newsies," "Hocus Pocus," "Michael Jackson's This Is It," "High School Musical," "Descendants," Olympic opening ceremonies.
That's not even the full list. And you think about that. Some of the most iconic moments in the history of film.
ORTEGA: Thank you so much.
MICHAELSON: Including "Dirty Dancing," which -- which is going to be honored as part of the Hall of Fame ceremony.
ORTEGA: Yes, it is. Yes. My partner from "Dirty Dancing," my lead dancer, Doriana Sanchez, and I have got a little something that were going to be doing there with dancers on the night.
MICHAELSON: Yes, and that's the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center here in Los Angeles on December 3rd.
[00:50:00]
And -- and so many of those things have impacted people. But you say the Disney work really is kind of the biggest or --
ORTEGA: Oh, sure. Well, I mean, you know, Rich Ross and Garry Marsh, when they invited me in to do "A High School Musical with them, said, We've been waiting for years for the right guy to come in. We believe there's an audience out there that's going to love this.
And lo and behold, it really became a phenomenon. And -- and - and I -- you know, it's the impact that it's had on young people, you know? And they come back to it, and they come back to it, and they come back to it because they see a reflection of themselves in it, you know, and they see their own potential, you know. And it's -- it's an -- it's an empowering work, as all of my stuff at Disney has been.
And -- and so it's what keeps me working. It's what I enjoy the most is, is saying yes to projects that I believe are going to be more than just entertaining, but that are going to impact the viewer in ways that can empower, you know, and inspire, and help them grow.
MICHAELSON: Why does dance matter?
ORTEGA: Well, my goodness. I mean, from the beginning of television and film, it was the first thing there. Choreographers were the first people invited in when they were testing cameras to see what they could do for live broadcast. That dance can tell story. It can. It can move you, you know, in ways that words, perhaps, you know, need a little help with.
That's why I love, you know, telling story, you know, driven by dance and song. Because I feel that it's just a great partner in storytelling.
MICHAELSON: I mean, you have worked with the greatest of all time.
ORTEGA: Yes.
MICHAELSON: I mean -- I mean, Gene Kelly, Michael Jackson, is that one, 1A? I mean, who would you say is --
ORTEGA: Michael Jackson was another incredible mentor, younger than I, but my God, his whole thing about, you know, Kenny, we can't let fear into the room. Fear only gets into the way of creativity.
You know, he would lock those doors up and keep anyone out that might want to be talking about anything other than the creative process, and that -- that was his genius. That's why he was able to accomplish what he accomplished, that the rooms were always filled with, you know, optimism and belief, you know.
And -- and that the only argument was, you know, whether we believe something would stick on the wall overnight and still be valuable to us the next morning, you know. But an amazing human being to work with. So, so gifted and knowing of so much more than I think people ever realized. And I --
MICHAELSON: How so? What do you mean by that?
ORTEGA: Well, I think, you know, "This is It," the documentary that we made, which was never going to be a movie, I think, exposed his genius, his understanding of -- of music composition, of orchestrations, of choreography, of concept.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ORTEGA: We were full-on partners, and boy, he kept me running.
MICHAELSON: There's this great moment when you guys were doing "Human Nature," right? And he just says, like, simmer, right? And like, just keep --
ORTEGA: I want to simmer, yes.
MICHAELSON: And just like the way that he controlled everything was so amazing to witness.
ORTEGA: Generous, loving, special human being.
MICHAELSON: So, there's a lot of people that are scared to dance, that are embarrassed to dance. They go to a wedding, they stand in the back. They don't know what to do.
ORTEGA: Yes.
MICHAELSON: What do you say to those people?
ORTEGA: Speaking of weddings? Don't do the "baby Johnny lift" at your wedding unless you've got a choreographer that is -- or a dance teacher that is working with you. Because so many brides have fallen on their heads.
MICHAELSON: Yes. And their grooms throw their back out.
Talking about the "Dirty Dancing," the lift. What would be your advice for people that maybe are starting out in -- in dancing or don't know that much but want to feel good at something like that?
ORTEGA: I think you have to trust yourself. You know, you have to throw caution to the wind. You have to believe that there's a dancer inside of you, you know, waiting to come out, waiting to be awakened.
You know, I've worked with a lot of people. Matthew Broderick, when we did "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," he sat on the floor. We were stretching the first day we ever met, and he was like, "Aaaa!" You know?
And then and then he, you know, he turned into a rock star out there in the middle of that parade sequence, days later.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ORTEGA: That I think it's just really about surrendering your fears and just trusting that, you know, that that exists within all of us.
MICHAELSON: What did you tell Matthew Broderick that got him there?
ORTEGA: I think I just said, "Relax. We're going to have -- we're going to have a ball of fun." You know? That, you know, I like to work from inside out, not the outside in. I'm not going to throw anything on you that doesn't feel organic or authentic to yourself.
MICHAELSON: So obviously, we're seated right now. So -- which is not the way you would usually dance, but if you have somebody else and you're giving them some advice, you want to train me up for a move. If you're sitting in the chair, what would you suggest?
ORTEGA: Well, I would say we're the waist up here, but we've got these swivel chairs. And I think it's important to, you know, loosen up your hips.
MICHAELSON: Can we get some music going?
ORTEGA: Can we get a little music?
MICHAELSON: All right. Yes.
ORTEGA: Grind to the right and to the left. Yes, that's a little "Dirty Dancing" right there.
MICHAELSON: That's a little "Dirty Dancing."
ORTEGA: Loosen up those hips. Yes. Open up the vessel.
MICHAELSON: OK. There you go.
ORTEGA: You got it. That's it, Elex.
MICHAELSON: I'll see. Look at that rhythm.
ORTEGA: Loosen the shoulders. That's it.
MICHAELSON: Were almost there. I've got a little more work to do, but thank you very much. Congratulations.
ORTEGA: My pleasure.
MICHAELSON: Hall of Famer.
ORTEGA: Thank you.
MICHAELSON: Kenny Ortega. That sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
ORTEGA: It's an honor, man. A real honor of a lifetime.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ORTEGA: Thank you.
MICHAELSON: Well done. We could talk to you all day. Could do a podcast for an hour with you. But in the meantime, take it -- take us to break with the -- show us a little.
ORTEGA: There you go. You got it. Yes. Roll those shoulders back a little bit. There you go.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAELSON: THE STORY IS football. And after more than two months on the sidelines, Joe Burrow is back. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback confirming he'll start Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens.
