starting at 8:00 p.m. you never know what's going to happen. ♪ this is "new day weekend" with victor blackwell and christie ford. >> good saturday to you. overnight epa became the latest government department to shutdown. telling its 14,000 employees to shut down. >> it stayed open the first week of the government shut down, but overnight the money ran out and over 800,000 government employeest out of work or reporting to work with no promise of a paycheck. on twitter the president blamed democrats for the shutdown which is now in i8th day, even though

in the oval office he said he'd own it. the livelihoods of 800,000 are threatened here and that's what it comes down to. it's not just about the numbers, it's about the people. >> real people need the money and they need it on a day they were depending on it. federal workers suddenly find themselves without a reliable income. >> reporter: with president trump unable to secure funding for his border wall. >> i can tell you it's not going to be open until we have a wall, a ferns, whatever you'd tluk call it. >> reporter: the government shutdown will likely continue into the new year, effecting an estimated 25% of the federal work force, 380,000 are furloughed and another its are not working. smith sewnium will be closing

its doors. the president said on christmas federal workers support the shutdown. but it's causing many who live paycheck to paycheck to worry about when they may see their next one and they're fed up. >> i haven't eevrven looked at my check account is going to balance out. extracurricular activities, putting food on the plate for their kids, those are all things that make it even more disgusting with what's happening with the federal government right now. >> reporter: a local steward and a physical scientist with the epa which shut down friday at midnight. she received this email referring employees to the for additional guidance. like trading maintenance work

like painting and carpentry for rent paumts. >> federal workers are going to be penalized for not paying their bills on time when we just want to do our jobs that we were hired to do. >> most federal employees are democrats but they say politics shouldn't matter. >> we're hired to do our work. at epa we're hired to help the environment. if he wants to madge us as democrats and not civil servants, that's his problem and i hope congress can step up and be the adult in their room. >> and republicans leaving without fulfilling the campaign promise. >> and president trump, we derss demands.

but is there any ininto who he may be talking to? >> reporter: no indication so far this morning the president has had discussions with any democrats about a potential solution to the shutdown. he was joined by vice president pence. his incoming acting chief of staff nick mulvaney and not traveling to mar lo-a-lago withs wife. our sources say the president is sting around it capitol until the government reopens. and there's really no ground between these two sides. mulvaney essentially told us he believed all the cards were in nancy pelosi's hands. he's trying to make the argument that she wants this shutdown to

secure the votes she needs to be speaker of the house. according to our sources she had the votes well before the shutdown. on the the democratic side, democrats have promised that after they take power oen that day, they're going to vote on one of three measures to reopen the federal government. none of which include any funding for this's border wall. the president so far today has been quiet on twitter. yesterday though we heard him loud and clear. he was making threats to close the entire border between the united states and mexico. the president mocking that threat. the question is how serious that threat is, considering the etremendous ramifications to

america's economy if the border were shut down, not to mention a stock market that has been slumping. further he was talking about going back to the days of free nafta. it's uncertain if the president was mentioning or suggesting the united states would undue the new nafta he helped negotiate and has bragged about for some time. likely to be alone here for the holidays. we're refreshing our twitter feed to see what he has to say. >> this shut down is effecting hundreds of federal workers and they're taking to social media to talk about how they're going to pay their bills. >> we're both vettens. four combat tours. we will not be able to pay our

mortgage if this persusts. . >> saying my insurance premium is $600, my son's insulin and pump are additional $600per quarter. barely making it. now i'll be going to work paid in the future. >> i spent the day calling the banks for the mortgage, gas comp an, credit card comp an. i'll be okay for a bit. won't be buying the new car to replace the 17-year-old toyota now. >> got things for christmas i'm not unpacking and receipts are in my purse if needed for grocery money. >> national president of the national treasury employees union. >> this was in the "daily harold" of chicago.

you said i've rr had members coming to me saying they're returning presents they bought because they're wered a about paying rent. congress should be doing everything in its power to get the government up and running again. what are you hearing from people who have no idea how long this is going go on? >> first all of thank you for having me on. i'm hearing a great deal from our members who have a great deal of anxiety, fear and candidly they have a great deal of anger and that's certainly to be understood. you know what i'm also hearing is that folks are very upset that they have been kind of cast in the middle of a fight not of their creation and that they do not have the power to resolve. they're fearful of not being able to pay their college tuition bill for their children

and they want congress to do their job. congress and theed a minvation for to do their job. so there's a great deal of anxiety and fear out there. i think one good story. one i think is worth hearing. we had an individual let us know that recently his wife died. he is unable, because of this shutdown, to pay for her tombstone. and said he is broerkken hearte over that. that, i think in someways incapsulates what's happening to federal workers. our federal workers do a great service to this country and to be treated the way that they are is indeed unfortunate

>> that is terrible that man can't pay for a head stone for his wife. i want your reaction to a tweet that came out in a link to templets in which they offered sample letters that furloughed workers could send to the creditors, to potentially their landlords and suggesting maybe you could do carpentry work or paint somewhere in the building in lieu of paying a portion of your rent. what do you make of the suggestion to kul your personal attorney if you're having troubles? >> i think it's laughable. i think it's unfortunate. i think lirtsz disgusting, candidly. in fact i heard from one of our members whose rar cvp officer who indicated to me yesterday maybe i'll work my shift because she is required to work right now through this shutddown, though she's not being paid.

maybe i can work my shift and talk to my landlord after i get off of my shift and see if i can go edo painting or carpentry work or something else that maybe i can use to try to reduce my rent. i got to it tell you to treat federal employees this way and to tell them somehow they should not have the dignity that should already have, to not provide them it dignity and respect too, provide them the pay that they have earned -- so you have federal employees wirng and not being paid and other federal employees who aren't working but want to be and they're not being paid. this entire situation is entirely unfortunate and it's

wrong. it's wrong to treat human beings this way. >> you brought up dignity is it hit me in that moment when we were reading i've contacted my utility companies, mortgage companies. are you getting indication that people are doing that and are they helping sng a lot of businesses will not make provisions for these people because they're a business. but do you see any moment of kindness? >> well, i can tell you i suskpekt there may be some out there. i'm not hearing about kindness. what i'm hearing about is moments of unkindness from congress and the administration directed at these federal ememployees. in my view federal employees

who -- remember sign on to do the important work of the american 350e78, should not sthufr indignity of having to go to a website and download a form letter that should be aubl to be used with their mortgage company or car loan company to save them from defaulting on their morj or rent payment or whatever. federal employees should not have to encounter that. it's absolutely wrong. >> and during this shutdown, the president reaffirmedyard that there will be no pay phrase federal employees in 2019. that happens when people aren't sure when they're going to get paid at all. >> that's exactly right. the executive order was issued

late yesterday andch in my view what it did was pour salt in the wound that is already there. so not only are we not going to pay you through the shutdown but once you do start working in 2019, you are not deserving of a pay increase at a time when we hear nothing out of thissed a nin stragz that the eonomy a doing great. and yet federal workers are not being provided a pay increase. it is wrong. >> thank you. >> thank you, very much. in his own words a guest recalls the moment he was kicked out of a hotel for talking on the phone. something he calls calling his mother.

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17 minutes past the hour and portland's mayor is condemning an incident where a black man was kicked out of a hotel lobby for talking on the phone with his mother. he said i hope this serves as a cat last for necessary changes that address a systemic nature of discrimination in all forms. >> paul. >> reporter: matthews says he returned from a concert, went back to his double tree hotel, found a quiet place in the lobby to call a family member about an emergency. >> you real a want this p.r. issue, earl? >> i'm calling police. >> thank you. call them. i'm waiting.

>> to escort you off the property. >> why? i didn't do anything to you. i'm sitting over here taking a phone call. >> reporter: he showed them the card key with his room number on it. they called police and he was kicked out. now his lawyers say the next step will be a strategy that includes both a political possibility and a litigation possibility. they say their client is overwhelmed and one thing, he does not want this to happen to anybody ls. interesting in all of this the lawyers also say he has experience in both human resources with a specialization in discrimination and he works for amazon right now in human resources. as for the hotel, it issued a

statement essentially an apology saying it was sorry and it wanted to sit down and talk to matthew about all of this. we reached out to the new employees responsible for kicking him out and they have not returned our phone calls. back to you. >> thank you. and here's how he described what happened. >> i was approached by the security guard you see in the video and he asked me was i can a guest at the hotel and i affirmed and told him yes. shortly thereafter he stood there and said what room number are you staying in and i said i don't know the room number. and at some point i showed him my room key and he continued to harass me and ask me questions on what my room number was and

from there i told my mom i would call her back and i started recording the incident. >> you end up eventually leaving the hotel? >> yes. >> you said you could have gone to jail had you responded differently? >> yes, absolutely. they gave me two options. i asked them what were my opportunities here? and they told me i could either stay and ignore their request and be arrested or i can comply and pack up my room j leave the hotel. >> so what have you heard from the hotel about this incident? >> i've heard corporate public relations and corporate gobbledy gook. we've asked them police explain in writing, publicly, why was he approached, intear gotted, tress passed. why did you call hum a security

threat? and you know we've not had a straight answer and i an tus pate a straight answer when we put people under oath. >> the people have been put on leave, correct? >> yeah, it doesn't mean much. what we're looking at is policy. why is a security guard deciding to exclude anybody from a public place in an open hotel in the lobby? why is he targeting this guy? why when he show as key is he still being harassed? there's something going on that has to do with pall as. >> well, again two hotel employees have been placed on leave and doubletree port lntd issued this statement. we will take appropriate measures to insure this will not happen agon. we have a zero tolerance stance

on discrimination of any kind. two more arrests after a manhunt for a cop killer. singh was killed the day after christmas in california. the new father was a immigrant from fiji who dreamed of becoming a police officer. seven others had been arrested inclu including his girlfriend and brother. they're accused of helping him hide from ploos. the environmental protection agency propose as new rule that can have a big impact on the air you broogt. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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27 minutes past the hour. sothere's a new government found aing on coal power plants andicize it could lead to mortoxins unyour air. environmental protection agency suggesting new rules. couldall somo could also moake it tougher for regulations. environmental activists say the dramatic change nin "new york times" could have -- >> and former offices of

government ethics drkter. let me start with you and the significance of this prupozed rule change. what this means potentially for the epa and the health of the american people. >> this is a significant new ruling really rolling back something obama administration saw as one of their signature achievements for protecting the environment and the health of americans can be effected by the various pollutants. they did a kwhachg change and they believe the new rules they put unplace would have saved thousands of lives. the trump administration has said the obama administration was being too fast and loose with the data and calculations and that these various rule wurz

way too costly and costing the coal industry too much money. so this is a major win for the coal industry. it shows the epa, is continuing to roll back environmental protections and move ahead with a pro-industry stance that trump embrace frumd his first day in office. andrew wheeler, former lobbyiest takes the role once held by scott pruitt. >> murray energy corporation stands to benefit from this rule change. and wheeler worked for a long time as a lawyer and lobbiest for them. >> i think there's two ways to look at it. on the one hand it's very

concern, it puts us all at risk. and you have to sit back and realize that when you elect somebody that runs on a pro coal platform, you're going to get regulations that are coal friendly friendship -- so this is something that gets worked out in the electoral process. when you have individuals connected to the companies that are going to directly benefit from it. unfortunately our ethics rules are weak. i can't have somebody come in and make decisions to an industry that they've spent their life representing and possibly go back to them and reap the rewards of their actions. i think some of this is the

consequence of lax ethics rules in terms of who's involved. if it wasn't one individual, they'd find another and simply agree and that's why i think it's important to recognize that decisions have consequences. >> just discussed a few moments ago with a union representative for treasury employees, this tweet in which they suggest you should contact your landlord and say can i clean the carpets or 96 banister for a cut of my rent or send one of these letters in or contact your personal attorney as if hundreds of thousands of federal employees have personal attorneys. what's your take on the way in which the office is handling this, the tone of the it. >> completely tone deaf.

the office of personnel management is a human resources agency. last time i checked they weren't with paint experts or carpentry experts. nor are they experts in negotiating from relief for rent or other financial obligations. so they're offering advice that a bunch of pointy heads bureaucrat cans sat in a room and wrote up. and it really kind of rubz salt in the wounds of employees suffering right now. particularly in d.c. where both family incomes come from federal employment. and they set up their life in a way that they expected to be able to pay a certain rent at a certain time, telling them go hand in hand and say to your landlord can i have a break on the render rent? haven't you always wanted a butler? and many of these people are

still working full days of work and having to come home and please and stay up all night try do that and earn some relief on my rent. there's no way they could do enough to -- it's just silly from an agency that -- >> you bring up in the d.c. area both incomes come from the it federal government. one-person households, that may be all they have. sources are noting that nancy pelosi is in hawaii and president trump is not going to the new year's eve celebration to his beach resort. that damage optics?

>> it depends on what happens in the next several days. they've been talking about how president canceled his vacation. we know he's spent a lot of time on the golf course at his mar-a-lago resorts. but the democrats have the opportunity to pass a clean funding bill and if they do that, it puts the ball back in the koicourt of republicans to decide whether to open up the government after january 3rd. so think about who you would put on the list of most admired women of 2018. there is such a list and they have very interesting top finds. in a moment. why go with anybody else? we know their rates are good, we know that they're always going to take care of us. it was an instant savings and i should have changed a long time ago. we're the tenney's and we're usaa members for life. call usaa to start saving on insurance today.

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the new cnn original film uses special access to gilda's

diaries and letters to tell her story in her words. >> this is gilda ratner, her voice and her writing. my main priority is that i'm a girl. i've never wanted to be anything else. i'm fascinate would boys but i never wanted to be one. i agree. >> being neurotic is -- yes. >> i can't even begin to imagine how i got famous. seemed like i just took the next job and it seemed millions of people were watching me do it. >> maybe you do know me or maybe you don't or maybe you used to know me but don't anymore. but one time in my life i was famous and seemed like everyone knew me. >> lisa, the it director of "love, gilda" with us now.

tell us something about her that maybe we don't know that we'll learn from this documentary. >> she was an amazing writer and she documented much of her life. and even in the darkest of her journal entries, there's always a sense of light and humor. that i think is so inspiring. how she could really find a rainbow even in the darkest of times. >> what we saw there, i wonder if you learn she had challenges navigating things. >> i think in her professional life she was 100% confident. and she could play with the toughest of comedians and always pulled her own. i think it was in her personal life that she really struggled and the struggles she has had wer many of the struggles we

have and so i think gilda never felt beautiful. she was very insecure in her relationships with men but i think as a performer she was just really, really solid and loved whautsh love what she was doing. >> i wish i could do it but i wish i could find that rainbow. i wish i could find the light that gilda could find. even when she was struggling with her eating disorders and in her journals would talk about her struggles, there's always a sense of humor and she was funny. you always wonder if people are funny in real life and from what everyone told me she was really funny and in her audio recordings, she was a different and unique person. >> looking forward to watching this documentary.

"love, gilda" premiers new year's day, 9:00 p.m. eastern only on cnn. up next michelle obama is the most admired woman on the new pole by gala. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ the greatest wish of all is one that brings us together. the final days of wish list are here. sign and drive off in a new lincoln with zero down, zero due at signing, and a complimentary first month's payment. only at your lincoln dealer. you might or joints.hing for your heart... but do you take something for your brain. with an ingredient originally discovered in jellyfish, prevagen has been shown in clinical trials to improve short-term memory.

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so now a look at the women americans admire most. former first lady is topping the list this year. oprah win free came in second. the current first lady and melania trump both made the top five. cnn political commentator and strategist with us now. as well as cnn contributor and author of "first women.

dwaets what's interesting is this open-ended question. they don't have names to choose from. why do you think somany of the names come from the political arena? >> thatsz rar great question and i don't really know. i think it's fascinating that michelle obama is a celebrity in her own right. i thought it was really interesting that hillary clinton and melania trump, who are polarizing figures, are tied in the pole. but obviously michelle obama is in the public eye promoting her new book out and in this moment. >> that's something i thought stuck out a moment. melania trump and hillary clinton tied at number three. two opposite sides of the spectrum. what do you make of that tie. certainly you can imagine they

would be but the fact they garnered the same amount of votes. >> i think it goes to show hillary clinton still someone that people look up to and as this pole indicates, admired. but melania trump herself is somebody who is real a making her way on her own timeline with her own voice and becoming more welcome on the world stage. and what seesz rr doing as first lady certainly deserves to be admired and will grow as she grows into this role. what she's dwun the be best campaign and her work as first lady onmany fronts. certainly work wing with the opioid crisis, she's grow nothing to this role and i expect her voice and her name and her recognition in this pole and others to grow as her time in the white house grows. >> a lot of people say a woman with grace, no doubt about it. both obamas top the list. there's a male version, the most

admired man of 2018. we've got michelle obama on the women side, barack obama number one and right behind him, donald trump with 13%. not a big fan there. what do you make of that case? >> it speaks to how polarized this country is. kind of amazing to see them in the top two places. people who are huge supporters, democrats obviously for obama, republicans for trump. i was really intrigued not to see ethooer laura or barbara bush on those poles because it the it bush women are offen the most well liked first ladies and that was surprising to me because you see george w. bush on that list. i would say those are two names that especially barbara bush sort of popped out at me and these are two women -- i think because they were very traditional first ladies.

so they were really beloved when they were holding the office. >> i think important to note it's great to see a split ticket with president obama at the top. my understanding this being a popular vote. i understand don it don won the electoral college vote on this pole. this goes to show people look up to political figures, their elected officials and i think admiration is something that crosses partisan bounds and people look up to leaders who stand up for what they believe in and this poll clearly demonstrates that. >> the meaning of this pole? i mean how much at the end of the day does it tell us? >> the fact that hillary clinton was at the top for so long and lost the election, i'm not sure that admiration coincides with

popularity boss obviously there are lot of people who don't like hillary clinton for whatever reason. so i don't can know. i think admiration is interesting and you admire peep ool who take risks and both donald trump and barack obama are people who firmly believe in their believes. i think it's interesting to see these two very different men at the top of the list. >> and let's be nice to alice for our current first ladies. she's criticized from everything from christmas trees to the clothes she waters. >> she is focussed on what is important to her. certainly being a mugter to her son is her top priority and being a wife to her husband is key but she doesn't get distracted by this and certainly not seeing how she fairs in the

latest pole and she does thijs in her own way, in her own timeline and i think it's important to also note the be best initiative is great to encourage kids live healthy lives and this is something -- the beginning of what i sees as a long list of initiatives she'll focus on. sgl thank you for taking time for us this morning. a lavish royal wedding, the death of the queen of soul and death at the box office. the top entertainment stories of 2018. ♪ jacky, would you like the take a knee? >> reporter: tv star booted off her own show and kanye bromance? number eight, ariana goran day,

"thank you, next". the lyrics say it all. the newest single is a deeply personal look back at 2018, a year fill would young love, break up and heart aches. she said it capped off one of the best years of her career and fans agree. on spotify she broke the global record for the biggest opening week by a female artist and her star-studded music video became the most watched on youtube. number seven pay inequality in hollywood. that golden globes stars wore black to raise awareness on issues like pay inequality. >> we're here standing in solidarity with women everywhere. >> reporter: this on the heels of an announcement from e!

news host saying she left after lurping that her male host was earning double. costar mark wahlberg was paid 1.5 million. wahlberg donating the entire sum of his payment to the times up legal defense fund. tonight bill cosby once nicknamed america's datd is -- >> reporter: number sirks cosby and weinstein woes. america's dad behind bars. bill cosby was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home, sentenced to 10 it years in pris andn classified as a sexually violent predator for life. it's the first celebrity assault trial, conviction since the #me too movement. and harvey wine stein faces dozens of additional accusations

but denies all allegations of quote nonconsensual sex. investigations are underway in the u.s. and abroad. kim and conyap dive head first into politics. first up kanye pleads to commute the drug ofence of alice johnson. trump commuted johnson's sentence. she was free from prison after serving 21 years. meanwhile, kanye's bromance flourished. they've admired each other since 2014 but yeezy sealed the deal during a bizarre visit to discuss prison reform. >> that was quite something. >> reporter: number four aretha franklin died. saying goodbye to a legend.

aretha franklin died in her home from pancreatic cancer in august. wellwishers lined the streets to honor her life and career. and her famous fans were just as sorry to say goodbye. it was a tribute fit for a queen. aretha franklin was 76 years old. >> breaking news, the top rated television comedy of the year is now cancelled. >> reporter: number three roseanne's reboot drama. it was bootd off after the show's star made racist comments on twitter. and as they say in hollywood, the show must go on. just days later the nettedwork announced it would go on without its namesake, the conners. >> just keeps reminding me of grandma.

>> reporter: the spin off premiered to 10.5 million viewers, that's down 35% from the original reboot. >> my son, it is your time. >> reporter: number two diversity ruled at the box office. "pangtser" bringing in 1.3 billion world wide. mostly black cast and a black director, this resonate would theater goers everywhere. >> so your family's rich? >> we're comfortable. >> that's exactly what a super rich person would say. >> reporter: and "crazy rich aegszs" making over $237 million globally. thirts first to fiche arpredominantly asian cast since "the joy luck club." and the highest grossing romantic comedy in years. >> the countdown to the royal

wedding is very nearly over. >> reporter: and number one a royal wedding. a story book wedding for harry and meghan markle. the dress, the ring, the fashion and of course the queen and the princes. no royal wedding is complete without a star studded guest list. a royal baby on the way due in 2019. kevin hart stepped down as the host of the oscars after homophobic tweets from his past showed up. who's going to step in? we'll find out soon? ♪

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so great fool have you with us on this saturday morning. >> cnn newsroom starts right now. >> overnight the environmental protection agency closed its doors. the latest department here to close as the government shutdown enters its eighth day today. >> now 14,000 epa employees join the nearly 800,000 people being told to start this day without pay or stay at home. while democrats and republicans bicker, the government employees are left to wonder and worry about what's next. january 1st utilities will need to be paid, rent, mortgages all due. last hour we spoke with