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Demonstrations in Berkeley Getting Out of control; Israeli Fighter Jets Reportedly Target Warehouse Near Damascus Airport; U.S. Special Forces Failed to Rescue Hostages; Strong Typhoon to Hit Philippines; "Rolling Stone" Retracting Story on UVA Rapes

Aired December 7, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.

President Obama paying a surprise visit to the hospital, but a lot of unanswered questions remain. Sanjay Gupta weighs in next.

And a new look inside the failed rescue attempt of two hostages in Yemen, including an American photojournalist, and why Chuck Hagel is being forced to defend the mission then.

Breaking windows attacking police and looting stores. Check hold protests take a violent turn in California, but will we see a repeat tonight? That's next.

Hello, again. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. The U.S. is standing by its decision to order a hostage rescue mission in Yemen. Even though it ended with the deaths of American photojournalist Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korkie. The hostages were killed by their Al-Qaeda captors as Navy SEALS closed in on the militants' compound.

It was the United States' third attempted rescue mission in recent months, and today during a visit to Afghanistan, defense secretary Chuck Hagel was asked by a reporter if the Pentagon needs to take a harder look at how it conducts these raids in light of the outcome. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: There's an immense amount of focus and time and review that goes into each of these operations. So I don't think it's -- it's a matter of going back and having a review of our process. Our process is about as thorough as there can be. Is it imperfect? Yes. Is there risk? Yes. But we start with the fact that we have an American that's being held hostage and that American's life is in danger. That's where we start. And then we proceed from there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Joining us right now from the White House, CNN's Sunlen Serfaty. So Sunlen, the secretary is pushing against any suggestions that there

may have been a problem in the planning. What more are you learning about the operation?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, U.S. officials say that this mission ended up ultimately failing not because of any error made on the part of this SEAL team, but they say because the element of surprise was taken away.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SERFATY (voice-over): The mission? Extremely risky and made urgent when U.S. intelligence shows American Luke Somers would be murdered by Saturday morning. By mid-morning Friday, the president authorizes the rescue, giving no hint of the drama about to play out. Just a few hours later according to U.S. officials, two b-22 ospreys under cover of darkness touched down in a remote area of Yemen, some six miles from the compound where the hostages are held.

About 40 special force commandos, mostly Navy SEALS, move undetected over the rough terrain. But suddenly everything goes wrong when just 300 feet away they are exposed, maybe by a barking dog. A firefight breaks out. And as a U.S. drone watches overhead, one terrorist runs back inside and shoots both hostages.

U.S. forces kill five AQAP terrorists, the rest flee. And in one of the most dangerous parts of the mission, a combat medical team needs to spend a tent half hour on the ground trying to stabilize the two greatly wounded men. Finally, they are flown back to the USS Macon island off Yemen's coast, but one dies on the way, and another dies on the ship.

JONATHAN GILLIAM, FORMER NAVY SEAL: You have to really look at this from a very surgical point just like a heart surgeon or brain surgeon. Some will live. Some will die.

SERFATY: As word of the failed rescue mission leaks out, the president called Luke Somers' killing a barbaric murder. Vice president Biden promises the U.S. will be relentless in seeking justice.

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The women and men special forces who were engaged in these two rescue missions did an incredible job, and inflicted serious damage on the captors, but this time -- this time they were unable to save Luke.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SERFATY: And we're told President Obama monitored the mission from here at the White House, Fred, and he followed along in real-time with every tense moment -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And, of course, the other big story coming out of the White House. The White House playing it down quite a bit. The hospital visit the president made. But whenever a president goes to the hospital, it is a big one in which to watch. So what happened? SERFATY: That's right. It is a big one to watch, and White House

officials are pushing back saying that the president had a sore throat. He had complained of it for some time. We know from his diagnosis yesterday after that hospital visit that it's due to acid reflux. He had some inflammation in his throat. The White House doctor then recommended he go in for some extra tests, and that's what really prompted this hospital visit yesterday.

He had a CT scan. The White House says that the results of the scan were normal. That this was done out of an abundance of caution and no biopsy is done or planned. But of course, questions still remain. The president is a well documented former smoker. And the big question, of course, even though the White House says he has quit smoking is what sort risk, extra risk was he at because he was a past smoker.

Here's what CNN Sanjay Gupta has to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOCTOR SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: If he is still smoking -- we don't know, obviously, if he is though, then that certainly could be contributing to his current symptoms of acid reflux. Smoking definitely makes acid reflux more likely and worse.

But based on his past history, and, again, this is an abundance of caution. We hear the CT scan was normal, but you got the sort of history of smoking. You got the symptoms of acid reflux. A cat scan could be being performed to make sure there's no other mass or something that may represent cancer or swelling of the lymph nodes. And again, nobody is saying that that has occurred. He had CT scan was read as being normal, but that is the sort of abundance of caution. You want to look at that area very thoroughly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: And a White House official tells us today that this condition of acid reflux has had no impact on the president's schedule or routine over the last few weeks.

Now, Fred, in just a few hours, we'll hear from President Obama from the first -- for the first time since the diagnosis. He had a previously scheduled event here at the White House for Kennedy center honorees -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sunlen Serfaty at the White House. Thanks so much.

All right, Israel is not responding to reports out of Syria that Israeli war planes launched two air strikes near the capital today. Syrian state television said that one of the attacks targeted a warehouse near the Damascus airport. We talked about it with Ben Wedeman in Jerusalem a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As far as why the Israelis might have struck in the past it's believed that they are very concerned about the possibility of a developed weapons system making their way from Syria to Hezbollah, which, of course, Israeli has also had a series of wars with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And no casualties were reported.

An ugly turn in California to those protests demanding justice in the death of Eric Garner.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: Demonstrators smashing windows and pelting police with bricks and other objects. Police responding with tear gas when protesters refuse to disburse. Two officers were hurt. Once suffering a dislocated soldier.

Dan Simon in Berkeley. What's the latest?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Well, hi, Fred. We're in front of a Trader Joe's store which has its windows smashed. This happened along a major thoroughfare in Berkeley. A very busy part of the town. This is university avenue. This protest started out as peaceful as they usually do, and then at a certain point according to police members of the crowd became unruly. Started throwing things at police officers like bricks and smoke grenades. Some of these protesters, according to police, were also wearing masks. At that point police responded with tear gas and fired rubber bullets, ask then things became even more chaotic with some of those protesters smashing up businesses like the trader Joe's. They went to a Wells Fargo bank branch, and also vandalized a radio shack and looted -- took off with some merchandise. And here's what some of those store workers had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just here to work. And next thing you know that window breaks, that window start breaking, these two windows break.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Came with the hammer when comes in, (INAUDIBLE) like he was going to light the store on fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just took stuff, yes. And I thought we were going to get attacked because they had weapons and hammers and crow bars and things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: Well, right now things are calm here in Berkeley. This store, for instance has reopened. The question is what is going to happen tonight? We've seen on social media that some are trying to organize another protest at 5:00 tonight. Will that occur? And if it does, how might the protesters behave and how might police respond? Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dan Simon, thanks so much from Berkley, not far away from the university.

All right, "Rolling Stone" quietly changing its apology for the UVA rape story. Find out what the magazine is saying now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: "Rolling Stone" magazine now changing its apology for that article it published about an alleged rape on the University of Virginia campus. The managing editor added more details to the original apology saying this now.

Quote "Jackie herself is now unsure if the man she says lured her into the room where the rape occurred identified in the story as "Drew" was a pie psi brother. We have come to the conclusion that we were mistaken in honoring Jackie's request to not contacting the alleged assaulters to get their account. We should have not made this agreement with Jackie and we should have worked harder to convince her that the truth would have been better served by getting the other side of the story. These mistakes are on Rolling Stone, not on Jackie," end quote.

This shocking apology now has many people fearing the broader issue of campus sexual assault. And will that be lost?

Our Sarah Ganim has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ASHLEY BROWN, SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVOR: Honestly I was terrified when I first heard the news.

SARAH GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sexual assault survivors like Ashley Brown immediately began to worry after "Rolling Stone "magazine backed away from its explosive reporting of an alleged gang- rape at the university of Virginia fraternity house.

BROWN: Whether or not every letter of it happened exactly as it was written, that doesn't change the fact that sexual assault is a huge issue.

GANIM: Several survivors we've talked to say there is still too much tolerance at UVA where rape is so misunderstood there's even a nickname for it.

Bad experience?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. That's the overwhelming thing is that you just had a bad experience with a person or you had a bad experience with that party or at this house or whatever.

EMILY POWELL, SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVOR: Do you know what I am talking about, but I'm not actually saying it.

GANIM: Emily Powell says she was assaulted by an acquaintance last year.

POWELL: I remember crying. I remember crying when it happened, and I remember saying no, and I remember pushing him off of me, and then I remember sobbing.

GANIM: According to university officials, 38 UVA students reported to the university that they were raped last year. None of those reports led to expulsions, and there's no way of knowing how many more are like Emily and didn't report what happened to them.

POWELL: You really start wondering, well, is it actually going to do me any good to report it? For some people it's worth it, and for some people it's not.

GANIM: Laila Batel (ph) started the process of reporting her attack, but found it too hard to finish.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was having panic in campus. I was literally covering my face sway hood and running from class to class because I was so fearful of running into the person that hurt me.

GANIM: Eventually Bartel (ph) dropped her case, but told CNN she witnessed disturbing scenes like having to carry friends out of frat parties where she says they were drugged.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People use words like, that's the rapy (ph) frat.

BROWN: The majority of the narratives I have heard have been, well, you're not hot enough to get into this party or, you know, try a different frat.

GANIM: Members of the inter-fraternity council released a statement acknowledging there is a bigger issue saying quote "we ask that our community does not become mired in the details of one specific incident, but rather that we continue relentlessly pursuing institutionalized survivors support.

A sentiment university president Theresa Sullivan agrees with.

THERESA SULLIVAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: There's a piece of our culture that is broken. Now, I ask your help in coming together as a strong and resilient community to fix it.

GANIM: Welcome words for survivors like Ashley Brown.

BROWN: I think the altitude doesn't really existed. But I will say, I think a lot of the agreed system is finally waking up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GANIM: Now, Fred, the police investigation into the alleged gang-rape of Jackie, it continues. In the meantime, we've spoken to several of her friends and they say that they do believe that something bad happened to Jackie, but what's becoming clear to them is that "Rolling Stone" may have gotten some of the key details wrong like where it happened and who was involved. That's now for police to figure out -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sarah Ganim, thanks so much on the UVA campus.

All right. If you are looking for a job, it's time to party like it's 1999. Why it's throwback time, and where the jobs are next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, this is shaping up to be the best year for a very long time for the job market. The November jobs report came in stronger than most analysts actually expected, prompting President Obama to say this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So we've got an opportunity to keep up this progress if Congress is willing to keep our government open, avoid self-inflicted wounds, and work together to invest in the things that support faster job growth and high-paying jobs. That means exports, infrastructure, streamlining our tax code, immigration reform, giving minimum mum wage workers a raise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN Christine Romans has more details.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. The job market is gaining momentum, 321,000 new jobs added in November, the most since January 2012. And the trend is encouraging. Ten months now of job growth over 200,000. The best year for job creation since 1999.

Now, digging inside these numbers Fredericka, the quality of the jobs is improving. The first several years of the recovery was featured low paid work, but now the labor department calls jobs growth widespread, spanning professional business services, retail, health care. Yes, the economy is still adding bartenders and fast food workers that tend to pay less, but hiring is picking up in warehouses, in factories, office parks, hospitals, labs.

The jobless rate is 5.8 percent. Still the lowest, lowest in six years. And wages grew slightly in November, Fredricka, but this has been a missing part of the recovery for several years now. Even as demand grows for skilled and unskilled labor, wages have not risen. That makes workers feel the recovery less. Now, the White House argues these numbers are encouraging, but that a higher minimum wage is still needed to cushion those lowest paid workers.

On balance, Fredricka, this week taught us a lot about the health of the economy. The best November auto sales in years. Record high stocks. Very strong job creation. And the lowest gas prices in more than four years, all pretty good signs for the American economy and the American consumer -- Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: Good news. We like that. Christine Romans, thanks so much. All right, as we enter the holiday shopping season, the way we buy

gifts is being changed by technology. Here's Richard Quest with this week's tomorrow transformed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Remember the days when the only way to shop from your living room was with a catalog and a mail order form. That is until digital arrived. We may still leaf through the catalogs, but today when it comes to making the purchase, we probably use our smartphones or we go online where seemingly everything is available.

In China where there are more internet users than anywhere in the world, not surprisingly, e-commerce is booming.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One in two online citizens in China are now buying online, and that's going up.

QUEST: They're buying everything. Digital shopping carts are stuffed with computers, clothing, and even fresh seafood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The future, e-commerce, the main battlefield will be on mobile devices. By next year, the overall smartphone users where you can see that PC users. So can say that mobile commerce that may be the number one train.

QUEST: If today's online, the future is about the race, the speed of delivery. How to get that instant gratification even quicker. Forget next day, what about within the hour? That's the hope as companies like Amazon and DHL experiment with deliveries by drone. It's all bringing us one brick closer to the demise of the brick and mortar stores.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, 40 million people in the path of a devastating typhoon will take you to the Philippines for the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, bottom of the hour now. Welcome back. I'm Fredericka Whitfield.

Here are the top stories crossing the CNN news desk right now.

President Obama back at the White House today after making an unscheduled trip yesterday to the Walter Reed medical center in Maryland. The White House says the president underwent a routine CT scan because of a sore throat related to acid reflux. And in just a fuse hours, the president and first lady will host the Kennedy center honorees reception in the east room.

Israel has not responded to reports out of Syria that Israeli war planes launched two airstrikes today. Syrian state television says one of the attacks targeted a warehouse near the Damascus airport. No casualties reported.

And a "Washington Post" correspondent detained in Iran since July has been officially charged with unspecified crimes. The paper says Jason Rezaian who holds dual American and Iranian citizenship has been -- its Tehran bureau keeps (ph) in 2012. The paper said the Iranian government has not given a reason for his arrest and has denied him access to lawyer.

And Gitmo has six fewer detained today bringing the population at the Guantanamo prison down to 136 from a high of 750. Four Syrians, a Tunisian and a Palestinian were flown from Cuba to Uruguay over night. The United Nations will eventually repatriate them with their home countries. All six men had been cleared for release nearly five years ago, but it took years to find the country willing to accept them.

And we now know the makeup of the new U.S. Senate. Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, the last Democratic senator from the deep south, lost her bid for a fourth term in Saturday's runoff. Republican congressman Bill Cassidy swept to victory. Cassidy's win gives the Republicans a 54-seat majority when the U.S. Senate when new Congress convenes in January.

And the government of the Philippines is blaming typhoon Hagupit for at least two deaths. The slow-moving storm is losing strength as it moves northwest across the country and dumps heavy rain and that is the -- has the increasing risk of flooding as well. About 40 million people are in the path of the storm.

Our own Saima Mohsin is in Legaspi with an update.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Relentless rain and howling wind at great speeds, but don't let that deceive you. This storm is not going through the Philippines fast enough. It is going incredibly slowly bringing with it the sheets of rain.

Let's just take you to sea. I mean, there you can see against the darkness all of that rain and water coming through well that wind, and that is the major concern here. And that is because as it moves slowly across the Philippines and all the islands here, it's bringing with it the potential for flooding, for storm surges, great concern, and, of course, landslides and mudslides. Not far away from us here in Legaspi is a volcano, Volcano Mayon. The major concern there is lahars. Now, they are volcanic debris that could be dislodged by this storm and comes crumbling down the side of the volcano, crushing anything in its path whether that be a town, a village. By the way, those have now been evacuated all around the volcano.

And, of course, the concern is that they realize that wherever it may be, may go into streams and rivers and cause further flooding compounding the problems. So flooding is a major concern. This rain simply hasn't stopped since we arrive Saturday. It is now Sunday night going into Monday morning. And there is concern for the vulnerable people low income families living in properties that aren't made of very strong materials.

The main have stayed out there. We saw many of them along the way here. But thankfully, many people have paid heed to the weather warnings and to authorities here in the Philippines. Of course, they have the painful reminder of typhoon Hayan from last year. They have been prepared. They set 3,000 evacuations centers just in this province where I am, Albay alone.

And so, right here, we believe that 630,000 people, that's around 128,000 families have chosen to take shelters in these evacuation centers. Beyond that, where the typhoon has just come through the Visayas, we have been called by authorities that 900,000 people chose to go into shelters and that may well have saved a lot of lives.

Saima Mohsin, CNN. Legaspi, Philippines.

WHITFIELD: And anger across the country after two decisions not to indict white police officers in the deaths of black men. Is this a case where President Obama needs to play a stronger role? Up next.

But first, we're just a few hours away from CNN Heroes. An incredible awards show honoring people changing our world, and here's a sneak preview of who you will see presenting tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, AC 360: You have been trying to get involve with heroes for a long time now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First of all, you have a lot of nerve even bringing up heroes to me.

COOPER: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Talk about a wounded warrior. OK? I have been wanting to present a hero forever because I think it's a truly amazing award show, and I believe I confronted you New Year's Eve about it.

COOPER: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's talk about heroes. Let's talk about heroes. OK, CNN heroes was an amazing show.

COOPER: And amazing night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly. Number one, not only was I not even invited, I --

COOPER: You said you are not invited?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told me that they didn't trust me.

COOPER: Do people not know you were actually volunteering and going overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq? That would seem to be --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I guess apparently over at CNN you guys are so worried of my potty mouth that they actually said you can't come to the show or present. However, what if we showed you mopping up in a soup kitchen?

COOPER: To make up for past wrongs, I would very much like you to present at CNN heroes. If that is something you do want to do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You trust me?

COOPER: I trust -- I absolutely trust you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm excited to go.

COOPER: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do I have to mop the floor?

COOPER: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just tell me that.

COOPER: No.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Following the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, which involve white police officers, many people are calling for the federal government to get more involved. President Obama weighing in on race relations in a BET interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: It's important to recognize as painful as these incidents are, we can't equate what is happening now to what was happening 50 years ago. If you talk to your parents, grandparents, uncles, they'll tell you that, you know, things are better. Not good in some cases, but better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: We're joined now by CNN senior political analyst and director at the national journal. Ron Brownstein and Errol Louis, a political commentator of (INAUDIBLE) anchor at New York One News.

Good to see both of two.

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good to see you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Ron, you first. To what extent or how much further should the White House be involved? The White House got the justice department involved. Is that enough?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, the president, I think, has had a very consistent and measured tone on issues like this throughout his presidency. I mean, he has tried to strike a balance. As you saw in that clip, saying things have improved certainly over the course of his life. But there are still challenges. And that on the third piece of the agenda has been a very Bill Clinton-like effort to balance calls for opportunity and reform with calls for personal responsibility in the African-American community. And that I think it's interesting watching this unfold, there is more polarization around these issues than there were even in the 1990s, and it's been hard for him to find stable ground to stand on. Because I think he has more pushback from black supporters than Bill Clinton did with similar messages. And there is I think more -- it is more difficult to go in the other direction at a time of intense racial polarization in our voting.

WHITFIELD: And so, Errol, you know, do you think fairly or unfairly that more is being expected of this president particularly because he is black?

LOUIS: Well, I think we may give it a little bit more attention, we in the media. But the reality is there is definitely a federal role in overseeing and investigating police departments that there are credible charges of abuse of authority or of excessive force.

I mean, the justice department has initiated a whole bunch of investigations. One just came out on Cleveland. It's really devastating. And it got something like 15 different consent decrease with various departments around the country, some of which pre-date of this administration. So there's clearly a federal role.

Now, if people are looking for something more than that, while they may be a little disappointed, but we shouldn't underestimate the reality that there are police departments which if and when they get out of control, it is the role of the federal government to come in, mount an investigation, find out if there's a systemic problem, and recommend serious change.

And by the way, that doesn't necessarily have to happen, especially in the case of New York, But the feds will take a look and see if there's any kind of systemic problem. And you know, that's really I think what the public wants. To know that, you know, if there's a problem or if there's an allegation of a problem, some neutral outside party with some credibility and resources is going to take a look at it before we just kind of sweep it under the rug.

WHITFIELD: And Ron, you know, there have been some who try to make comparisons of the president's involvement when Cambridge police officer and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates (ph) had their run-ins when the officer suspected Mr. Gates of breaking into his own home. And then there became a beer summit and the president was involved. Why is this radically different as to why the president isn't or perhaps even shouldn't try to address it in the same manner?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think one clear difference is what (INAUDIBLE). There's a legal process going on here. The justice department is investigating whether there are civil rights allegations to bring specifically in the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. And those I think historically have been tougher to get to move forward than on these broader systemic investigations of police departments.

So, you know, they are in a very difficult position here. And I think there's a lot of expectations among their supporters that they may act in either or both of these cases specifically, you know, in the cases of Mr. Brown and Mr. Garner. And it is not clear they are going to be able to do that even if they move forward on the broader, more systemic investigations.

WHITFIELD: All right, let's move on now to another pressing issue. And we're talking about Thursday's looming government shutdown at the house and Senate and the president don't reach a budget deal by Thursday. Then federal agencies says might be running out of money, and here we go again. So Errol, realistic or is this, you know, pipe dream?

LOUIS: I wouldn't put any amount of dysfunction past the current Congress, which has, you know, some sort of underperformed even the last Congress, which itself had set a record for lack of achievement. So yes, they can find them their way to a blind alley I suppose.

I think, though, that the fact that it is now sort of a rough session, the fact that we got a lame-duck Congress, it's very possible, I think, that the Republican leadership will say, you know, we don't want this to be the first thing that people pay attention to as the new Congress comes in. That they can dispose of this. That they can sort of get beyond this and that maybe this immigration problem that they want to trump up is better handled when they have more control and a handle at the tiller. That would be my expectation, and, frankly, my hope.

WHITFIELD: And then, Ron, not again. Not near the holiday season. I mean, this -- I guess there would be a lot of people who would say did Congress not learn its lesson from last time because citizens were very upset specially those who are federal workers.

BROWNSTEIN: The Republican leadership is trying for a two-track solution. They want the Congress to vote to fund almost all of the government through the end of the fiscal year next September, but only fund the immigration agencies on short term through February or March of next year to give them another shot, as Errol said, when they have a bigger majority at trying to undo what the president has done for executive action.

The challenge is whether there are enough conservatives who will accept splitting the issue in that way, in the house. And if there are not, Fredericka, John Boehner is going to need votes from Democrats to get this pass.

Harry Reid in the Senate has said basically he would accept this deal. It's a little less clear that Nancy Pelosi and house Democrats will. So while they probably will avoid it, it is not 100 percent certain that they can avoid that blind alley that he talked about.

WHITFIELD: Boy, choose the season, but a different ring on those words.

All right, Ron Brownstein, Errol Louis, good to see both of you. Gentlemen, thank you so much.

LOUIS: You too.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, still to come, the duke and duchess of Cambridge about to become New York city's most famous tourist. Details of their U.S. trips straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Will and Kate are on the way. Not sure if they're going to be wearing that, but a little bit like an hour or so from now Prince William and Duchess Katherine will arrive in New York city for a whirlwind three-day trip. It will be their first real visit to the city, and their schedule is packed from the moment they arrive. It includes meeting President Obama in Washington and then taking in an NBA game in Brooklyn.

CNN Max Foster has more on the royal visitation.

So OK Max, you have your topper on, you got your coat. And you know, everybody is going to be watching what in the world is, you know, Kate is going to be wearing. So, how ready are New Yorkers for their arrival? What is the roll-out going to be for them?

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, here's the hotel where they'll be staying. It is the Carlisle. They have a rich history, of course. It's also where Princess Diana used to stay when she came here. And so much reminiscent really of Diana, isn't there, whenever royals come to New York.

The crowds are starting to gather just over the road there. They did have a nice position. They got pushed back by the police. But there's a lady there with some flowers. She's hoping to present to the princess, the duchess. It really is a very packed two days really on Monday and Tuesday.

Just today, all they do is arrive here. We will have those pictures as you say. Everyone will analyze what they are wearing, what she is wearing in particular. And then they off to a private dinner tonight to meet donors to their foundations. So it is a very well Brits in New York. A small number of them, very private dinner.

So that's -- we don't have any sort of pictures from that. But tomorrow they really do pick things up. And we will go to Washington to meet the president and the vice president as well and will hold a speech and a lot of what they do in next couple of days will promote that cause.

So for example, tomorrow William be talking about his campaign to end the trade in illegal wildlife products. And then he will come here to New York and hold another event around that with secretary Clinton as well. So they are meeting all the powerful people, also rich people, some celebrities along the way, I'm sure as well, but a very busy two days, Monday and Tuesday.

WHITFIELD: All right. All eyes on them. And you, too. Because you are one of the few who get to watch them and follow them up close as you do. Max Foster, thanks so much. Keep us posted.

All right, meantime, quite the contrast here. Gas fire in the streets of Berkley, California. Protests over the New York chokehold case got violent. How far police and protesters went coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tonight CNN observes a holiday tradition, CNN Heroes, an all-star tribute. Join us as the stars turn out to salute ten extraordinary people who give back all year long. The event airs tonight at 8:00 eastern and CNN's Michaela Pereira has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL PEREIRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At first glance it might look at every other award show. But CNN heroes and all star tribute hosted by Anderson Cooper is an event like no other. Here then everyday people doing extraordinary work to help others take center stage and the stars turn out to honor them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a great night. First time many people are being honores for just doing good because it just pushes humanity forward.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's basically recognizing people for what we should all be doing every day. We are just kind of thinking beyond ourselves.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here with my daughter because that's what I want to teach her that the individual really can make a difference.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Reach. Reach. Reach.

PEREIRA: Individual like a man who helps people with disabilities get stronger inside and out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is my honor to hug the weight lifter with the biggest heart ever, Ned Norton.

PEREIRA: The woman who works with them aside to save lions from extinction. And a rabbi with a black belt who helps kids fight cancer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Given the opportunity, these children can inspire the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're killing me CNN. (INAUDIBLE).

PEREIRA: It's a night full of emotion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those are my babies.

PEREIRA: Laughter.

COOPER: My friend, Cathy Griffin. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Jake Tapper. Hi everybody.

PEREIRA: An uplifting message.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even in the darkest of places, decency and love can persevere.

PEREIRA: And performances that inspire. And it ends with a life changing moment.

COOPER: The 2014 CNN hero of the year --

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Watch the entire show, CNN heroes an all star tribute tonight at 8:00 eastern. We have so much more starting in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.