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Violent Paris Protests; Touching Cartoon of Bush Family; Kareem Hunt Released. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired December 3, 2018 - 06:30   ET

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


[06:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just wanted give, I think, us less.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: There you go. Merry Christmas.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: That's not a negotiation.

BERMAN: Merry freaking Christmas to everybody.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

Thank you, guys, very much.

All right, listen to this story. An engagement ring dropped in the subway grate in Times Square mid proposal.

BERMAN: Oh! Oh!

CAMEROTA: That is not a good way to begin, OK, the engagement.

BERMAN: That's not a good place to be in.

CAMEROTA: Well, police launched a social media campaign to find the couple to give them some good news, and we're going to tell you the story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Violent protests continue in Paris at this hour. French President Emmanuel Macron says he is considering all options after more than 400 people were arrested and more than 100 others injured in these clashes between demonstrators and police. The anger is moving beyond just rising gas prices.

CNN's Melissa Bell is live in Paris at the scene of another protest for us.

[06:35:01] What's the latest, Melissa?

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, this is the scene this morning on the Place Charles de Gaulle (ph), the end of the Champs-Elysees. A different sort of protest than the one we saw on Saturday. This time ambulance drivers protesting changes to the way the system is run. But this, of course, just after Saturday night when you saw those extraordinary images of those fires and that damage that was caused, and even as the cleanup operation continues all around. And I think this protest has the numbers really in terms of those arrests you mentioned really speaks to the fact that there is this anger out on the streets of France right now directed at Emmanuel Macron, directed, Alisyn, at his liberalizing reforms. And that sort of explosion of violence that we saw on Saturday much worse than what we'd seen on the two Saturdays before. Not simply the sorts of troublemakers who came out to make trouble, was we've seen, to cause the violence that we've seen in the past. Much more anger and almost insurrectional attitude on the part of the yellow vests themselves the numbers in terms of those arrested seem to stand up that impression we had Saturday night as those fires raged around Paris and that violence continued. So difficult for the authorities to contain.

BERMAN: Wow. Melissa Bell for us in Paris. Quite a scene there behind you. Thanks so much for being with us. We'll watch this carefully all morning long.

Breaking overnight, Qatar has announced it will withdrawal from OPEC, the oil cartel, on New Year's Day. The Gulf country, which actually produces just a small amount of oil compared to other member nations, says it will now focus on natural gas production. It produces an enormous amount of natural gas. This announcement comes days before a key OPEC meeting on possible oil production cuts.

CAMEROTA: Hundreds of messages sent by murdered "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi may shed new light into his gruesome killing. CNN has exclusively obtained ten months of What's App messages that Khashoggi sent to a fellow activist in exile the year before his murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. In these messages, Khashoggi describes the Saudi prince, the crown prince, as a, quote, beast who would devour all in his path. The messages also lay out plans to form and fund a youth movement back in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, "The Wall Street Journal" reports the CIA has evidence the crown prince repeatedly communicated with a key aide around the time a hit team, believed to have been under that aides' command, murdered Khashoggi.

BERMAN: Hanukkah being celebrated around the world last night was the first night. You're looking at pictures from Pittsburgh, of course. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Tree of Synagogue where 11 people were murdered in October.

Those on the scene there said it was an opportunity to honor the dead and embrace Hanukkah's theme of survival. The Festival of Lights lasts for eight days.

CAMEROTA: All right, here's the story you've been waiting for.

A wedding proposal in New York could have ended very badly without some assists from social media. This started when the engagement ring fell off the woman's finger right into a sidewalk grate in Times Square. These are not the most hygienic places, John. BERMAN: Really?

CAMEROTA: Yes.

The New York City Police Department tweeted video showing the man dropping to the ground to try to retrieve the ring but no luck. Police found the ring and then courtesy of an all-points bulletin on Twitter located the foreign couple, John and Daniella (ph) in their unidentified home country. I'm not sure why we're protecting that. I don't know. The NYPD tweeted the case was closed. Arrangements are being made to reunite the couple with their ring. John was apparently so convinced that the ring was gone, he bought another one.

BERMAN: Wow. That ring was not cheap either.

CAMEROTA: No. After returning home.

BERMAN: John has shelled out some serious money for rings.

I will note, this is a victory for Twitter and social media, which you've chosen to leave.

CAMEROTA: You're right.

BERMAN: Do you choose now to take this moment to recant?

CAMEROTA: Twitter's going to have to do a lot better for me than just reuniting a couple and their ring. I'm waiting for Twitter. I'm waiting for a lot of flowers to come from Twitter and a lot of other, you know, kind love notes.

BERMAN: But a good first step.

CAMEROTA: Yes. A nice first step.

All right, so wait until you see this poignant cartoon. This is honoring President George H.W. Bush, and it's gone viral. The Bush family themselves have even shared it online. It's really touching. And we talk with the man who created the image, next.

BERMAN: And it's that time of year where we honor some of the best humanity has to offer, CNN Heroes. They're 10 extraordinary people who are doing extraordinary things around the world. Join Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa as they announce the 2018 CNN Hero of the Year live this Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

[06:40:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're humans helping humans. And they need our help.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are truly giving the gift of mobility.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're the best the world has to offer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're building something that matters a lot more than we do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're heroes today and every day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is nice.

(INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are (INAUDIBLE) how to program (ph). It's all about solving problems.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We serve anybody who has ever raised their hand to defend our Constitution.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My vision was to have a home where women could find safety and find themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our first goal was just to create this hospital based intervention.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want each and every one of them to feel special.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Join Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa live as they name the 2018 CNN Hero of the Year.

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE": Here, once again, celebrating the best of humanity.

KELLY RIPA, HOST, "CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE": Don't we need this tonight more than ever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," Sunday at 8:00 Eastern.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: So you may remember this powerful, this poignant cartoon that memorialized Barbara Bush when she passed away in April greeting her daughter Robin in Heaven. Robin was the three-year-old girl, the second child of George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush who died of leukemia when she was just three.

[06:45:11] Now, to honor President George H.W. Bush, "Clarion Ledger" cartoonist Marshall Ramsey has followed up with a touching tribute showing the former president joining Barbara and Robin in Heaven.

Marshall Ramsey, who drew both of these cartoons, joins us now.

Thank you so much for being with us.

You have not just touched a nation now twice, but also a grieving family twice, and that's quite an accomplishment. Tell us how you came to this second cartoon.

MARSHALL RAMSEY, EDITORIAL CARTOONIST, "THE CLARION LEDGER": Well, first of all, I want to pass along my condolences to the Bush family. And getting to know them a little bit after the first cartoon, they're incredibly gracious and kind. And I just wanted to say that I'm sorry and I'm glad the cartoons resonated.

This one's kind of a bookend to the first cartoon. The first cartoon came about because, you know, I have a friend who lost a child and I knew that was the one part of Barbara Bush's life that needed to be healed. And, you know, when he got really sick about a week or two after she died, I kind of came up with this idea as king of a bookend cartoon. So, you know, to have him arrive and that they were waiting. And, of course, him being him, he obviously pulled out of it. But then when I found out Friday that he had passed, I went ahead and drew the cartoon.

BERMAN: And he arrives in Heaven as the Avenger. The plane that he flew as the youngest naval aviator for a time in World War II.

And as I said, you touched the family, which is such a wonderful thing to do in a moment of grieving. Jenna Bush Hager, the granddaughter of George H.W. Bush wrote, this brought me such comfort this morning when she saw it. She also noted she'd spoken to her grandfather about death and asked him what he wanted, what he was expecting. And he said, when I die, I'm going to be reunited with these people that I've lost. I hope to see Robin, the three-year-old girl that had meant so much to the Bushs so many years ago. Remarkable.

RAMSEY: Yes, I had no idea, to be honest with you. And then when I found that out after she had passed away, it almost made me wonder, OK, this cartoon came from somewhere else, I guess, I don't know. But it just really touches me that that was why the cartoon resonated so well with the family.

BERMAN: It's interesting, too, because one of your first cartoons I guess when you were in college was in Tennessee where then candidate for president, George H.W. Bush came and visited your college. I think we have that cartoon to throw up on the screen here. Wasn't nearly as flattering.

RAMSEY: Yes, go ahead --

BERMAN: Go ahead.

RAMSEY: Yes, go ahead and how my seventh grade school picture, too, if you're going to go ahead and embarrass me. That's fine.

BERMAN: No, but you can see him there among the candidates who were coming, yes.

RAMSEY: Yes. I like my Al Hague (ph) there with all the medals and everything. I thought that turned out pretty well too. Yes, I've come a long way in 30 years.

But, you know, it was really kind of neat, right after that, I actually got to see him in person on campus. And so, you know, he was my first president to draw as a cartoonist. So, in a way, it's kind of special too that this cartoon has so much meaning. BERMAN: And, again, you heard from Jenna Bush Hager. I think you've

received notes from other family members.

RAMSEY: Yes.

BERMAN: What is it like to hear from them in a moment like this?

RAMSEY: You know, think about it, the whole world is grieving, the whole world is reaching out to them, and then one day I come home to my little house here in Jackson and I opened up the mailbox and there are handwritten thank you notes from the family. I've got to tell you, that absolutely blew me away. And it, you know, I'm raising boys, and, honestly, I want them to be like that. I want them to be able to be tough, but to be able to be civil, especially in this day and age. It's kind of a nice lesson for them to learn.

BERMAN: And I just want to note for people who don't know, President George H.W. Bush will be laid to rest at Texas A&M alongside his wife Barbara and Robin, who is there as well. And Jenna Bush was remembering one saying that Robin often told her father, I love you more than tongue can tell. You can see the love that they all held together.

RAMSEY: Wow.

BERMAN: I know, right? And you captured that, Marshall. And I think that's why you're seeing such an outpouring of emotion this morning.

RAMSEY: It has been amazing. And, Alisyn, I just want to let you know one thing about Twitter. You know, I'm a little bit of a skeptic myself, but I would say 99.8 percent of the outpouring that I've received on Twitter has been positive. And I don't think -- I mean talk about -- bigfoot could walk in the room and I'd be less shocked. It's been amazing.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh. I am just as stunned as you. I really appreciate you saying that. I'm skeptical, but I'm going to take your word for it, because that is a -- if Twitter is changing its tune, then I'm open.

BERMAN: You boke the Twitter code, though, by doing something nice, Marshall, I have to say that.

RAMSEY: Yes. Oh, I know.

BERMAN: Marshall Ramsey, thank you. Thank you for what you did. These are beautiful, beautiful parts of history now.

RAMSEY: It's been an honor to be on you with today.

BERMAN: Have a great day.

CAMEROTA: OK, that's beautiful.

BERMAN: Right.

CAMEROTA: That is beautiful. I'm so glad we got him on and heard his (INAUDIBLE) voice (ph).

[06:50:00] BERMAN: And he's so touched. I mean imagine getting the notes from the family members after drawing something.

CAMEROTA: I mean, look, what goes around comes around. That was just a really beautiful cartoon.

OK, now to this story. The NFL player who was captured on video abusing a woman. Well, Kareem Hunt is now speaking out. The "Bleacher Report" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: OK, former Chief's running back Kareem Hunt speaks out for the first time since being cut from the team after that video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman.

Lindsay Czarniak has more in the "Bleacher Report."

Hi, Lindsay.

LINDSAY CZARNIAK, CNN SPORTS: CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Alisyn.

Yes, the NFL says it's still pursuing a complete understanding of the facts, but the Kansas City Chiefs had seen enough. The Chiefs releasing Hunt on Friday after video of that incident surfaced. The video is jarring, but the team claims the 23-year-old running back also didn't tell them the truth about what happened at a Cleveland hotel in February. Hunt admitted to lying to the team about the incident in an interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREEM HUNT, FORMER CHIEFS RUNNING BACK: Honestly, I just want to let the world know, you know, how sorry I am for my actions, and, you know, it has been a tough time for me and I'm extremely embarrassed because of that video. I made a poor decision and I'm willing to take full responsibility of any actions that come, you know, from this point on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:55:10] CZARNIAK: Hunt hopes that he will get a second chance, but he says he doesn't know whether that will happen or not.

Meanwhile, Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes said releasing Hunt was a decision the team had to make.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK MAHOMES, CHIEFS QUARTERBACK: We had a close relationship. I saw the stuff that happened. And, I mean, we don't -- we don't do those things. But, at the same time, I was kind of focused on our organization, the Chiefs, and I know we have to move forward and keep going out there and winning football games if we want to have success this season. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CZARNIAK: Mahomes and the Chiefs moving on without him. They got another win over the weekend.

Berman, back to you.

BERMAN: All right, Lindsay Czarniak, thank you very, very much.

Former President George H.W. Bush begins his final journey to Washington today as the nation bids farewell. We remember America's 41st president, next.

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