♪ [ applause ]

what a powerful moment there, president volodymyr zelenskyy, gifting speaker nancy pelosi and the vice president kamala harris, with the ukrainian flag signed by ukrainian troops on the front lines. good morning, everyone. poppy is off. what a historic night -- historic day. >> the 20 historic moments all packed into one day, amazing. a lot to get to but we mean it this morning. president zelenskyy spoke to america and the world with grit and defiance more on his plea and how russia just responded. get ready for a polar plunge, a once in a generation storm that is bringing freezing temperatures and blizzard conditions. and the january 6th committee releasing transcripts from 34 witnesses who refused to testify. but we begin with president zelenskyy delivering a historic

and emotional wartime message from the u.s. capitol last night. lawmakers giving zelenskyy a standing ovation for more than two minutes. he sought to rally support against russia's unreleenting assault and put the fate of millions of ukrainians in the hands of congress. earlier in the day president biden and president zelenskyy put up a united front. and president zelenskyy made clear he'll continue to ask for more weapons and aid. let's get to jeremy diamond. this was a major day for ukraine and the united states. >> reporter: a visit by the ukrainian president that comes at an inflection point in ukraine a winter test ahead as russia continues attacks crippling the infrastructure. and here in the u.s. a change in

the political landscape as republicans who have cast doubt on aid comes to power. so president zelenskyy making clear he needs much more headed into a decisive year. a historic visit to the united states, ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy meeting face-to-face with president joe biden. for the first time since russia's invasion of ukraine nearly one year ago. >> 300 days you've been going through this since putin raised a brutal assault. >> reporter: zelenskyy expressing gratitude to the administration and the american people. >> all my appreciations from my heart from the heart of ukrainians. >> the american people have been with you every step of the way and we'll stay with you. >> reporter: biden making good on the promise, announcing a

fresh package of military aid. >> $1.85 billion that includes direct transfers of equipment that ukraine needs. >> reporter: that equipment includes the patriot air missile defense system. >> after that we will send another signal to president biden that we would like to get more patriots. >> reporter: zelenskyy's visit closing with a primetime address before a joint meeting of congress where he received a rousing welcome and delivered a show of gratitude to the american people. >> i hope my words of respect and gratitude resonate in each american heart. >> reporter: in his speech, zelenskyy tried to shore up public support in the u.s. and back home in ukraine. >> ukraine didn't fall. ukraine is alive and kicking.

ukraine holds its lines and will never surrender. >> reporter: a promise in times of celebration for many around the world. >> we'll celebrate christmas. celebrate christmas and even if there is no electricity, the light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out. >> reporter: despite his optimism, zelenskyy argued that ukraine must continue to defeat russia on the battlefield in order for the war to end. >> your support is crucial, not just to stand in such fight but to get to the turning point to win on the battlefield. >> reporter: he argued defeating the russian invasion is a worthy investment. >> your money is not charity. it's an investment in the bloebl security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way. >> reporter: and we are now getting reaction from the kremlin today, which is saying

that the -- president biden and president zelenskyy showed no willingness to listen to russia's concern. the kremlin spokesman arguing there were no real calls for piece. both biden and zelenskyy did talk about peace and their desire for peace but made clear it is in russia's hands to end this brutal invasion of ukraine and ultimately we saw president biden and zelenskyy express a united front on the future of the war even though zelenskyy said a just peace that's difficult to achieve given russia's brutal what he called terroristic assault on his country. more unanthan 100 million americans are under weather alerts as a deep freeze is c crossing the country. look at this, 0% visibility in wisc wyoming and in utah blowing snow and freezing temperatures have

officials urging people to stay home. the snow is keeping thousands from heading home over the holidays. pete muntean is live at o'hare airport. what are you seeing when it comes to cancellations and delays as of this morning? >> today was supposed to be the busiest day pre-christmas for air travel in terms of flights scheduled. key word there is was supposed to be the busiest. look at the huge security line right now. the security checkpoint is way back there. at least it's moving a little bit. just checked flight aware cancellations keep piling up, o'hare is the number one airport in the country in terms of cancellations. i've seen boise, houston, san francisco, the cancellations keep coming in. the latest number, 1200 flight cancellations in the u.s. the big issue is that o'hare is a huge hub and connecting airport and the storm is coming

for it. a big hub for american airlines, the biggest hub for united airlines. just went behind the scenes at united where they are scrambling to save trips, move passengers onto different connections to other airports. the issue, not only the snow today but the biting cold. want you to listen to joe heinz, the vp of network operations he said the high here tomorrow will be 2 degrees fahrenheit and that will create problems. >> cold temperatures stay through friday, that's a challenge. people go on the ramp and experience the high winds in subzero temperatures are going to be a challenge to work safely. >> reporter: the big tip from airlines, down load their app, that is the best way you can get up to the information and stay updated on whether or not your flight is delayed or cancelled. the other thing, you may see a

long customer service line if your flight gets canceled. they may give you a qr code at united airlines that way you can scan it and do a video chat with a customer service agent at a different airport that's not experiencing bad problems like l.a. where the weather is good. >> smart, thank you. this morning the house january 6th committee releasing the first of hundreds of transcripts before a report is set to be released today. let's head to paula reed for more on that. how are the witnesses included in the transcripts? >> reporter: good morning, don. here in washington we're still waiting for the final report after the committee failed to release it yesterday. they did release more than 30 transcripts of interviews they conducted behind closed doors with key trump allies like former attorney john eastman, national security adviser mike

flynn and these transcripts confirm that these individuals refused to provide substantive answers to investigators and made use of the fifth amendment. eastman refused to confirm he wrote legal memos with their name on them. typically witnesses will confirm basic bio graphic information. but roger stone wouldn't even confirm his age. jeffrey clark, the plan who trump wanted to install as attorney general he stonewalled the committee over the course of two interviews and the second interview he invoked the fifth amendment 120 times. the transcripts revealed that eastman and flynn that pushed the baseless claims of widespread election fraud failed to provide proof to validate the claims. >> what happens next? >> reporter: they tell cnn, they'll release hundreds of

transcripts, they'll hold back some that they believe contain sensitive information. so we will get more of these. these are going to be of great interest to the justice department. special counsel jack smith asked the committee for all the information from the investigation. his team is going to be pouring over these transcripts and even president trump's legal team they tell me these likely will contain information the committee has not highlighted that could help trump. >> reporter: house republicans released a different january 6th report yesterday, what did they say? >> this was largely a rehash. that report focused on well documented security failures at the capitol january 6th and reiterated recommendations like reforming the capitol police board and bolstering congressional oversight at the capitol police but these were identified by both parties. but what was interesting is the gop report was silent on other efforts to disrupt the transfer

of presidential power after the election. and it's selective in criticism of political leaders. republicans are expected to dissolve the january 6th committee when they take over the chamber next year. >> paula reed in washington for us this morning. thank you, paula. also this morning lawmakers still scrambling to make an agreement on the omnibus spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown on friday. negotiations stalled out last night amid republican efforts to extend title 42 border restrictions. we've talked about title 42 and the border all week. but chuck schumer did sound optimistic that something might come through. >> we are making good progress as a procedural safeguard i'm filing closure but i'm hopeful we'll lock in an agreement shortly. >> lauren fox is live on capitol

hill. we just talked to pete about the weather. i imagine the senators are keeping a close eye on that when they are having their voting timing in mind. >> lawmakers are concerned, remember they're returning to homes across the country, many of the places now immersed in the severe winter weather but up on capitol hill, they have a bill, likely have the votes, they don't have an agreement to move quickly because like you noted, mike lee, a republican from utah has been insisting on an amendment to extend title 42, he wants this vote to happen at a 51-vote threshold. the reason that matters is there are a few moderate democrats who might support his amendment. adding it to the bill in the 11th hour would cause major headaches in the house of representatives where pelosi has a two-vote margin in his democratic caucus. so they cannot add it to the bill. and what they were talking about last night when they were striking the tone of optimism

what they are hoping they can put together is an amendment that gives moderates an opportunity to support something to extend title 42, make it clear on the record they want to do that, but would not put it in a position where they have to vote for the lee amendment and then that amendment would get added. two side by side amendments to give democrats the option to be politically on the record. but this is a mess really on capitol hill. >> that statement has never been said before. i did notice schumer said late last night, he filed as a safeguard. but do you think this is going to get resolved this morning, is that your sense from what you're hearing from sources? >> members were more optimistic leaving the capitol last night than they had been earlier in the day. but this is a jump ball on capitol hill, when lawmakers get back we'll get a better sense where things are moving if overnight things broke through but right now we have to wait and see because if they have to

file cloture and this goes into the weekend they could blow past the government funding deadline, we shouldn't say a shutdown is coming but there's always that chance if they can't agree quickly. just ahead this morning, president zelenskyy -- >> military and -- have been ta taking bakhmut since may. they have been taking it day and night but bakhmut stands. >> that was president zelenskyy defending bakhmut. currently the most bloody fight but also the most meaningful. and the biden administration set to release medicine from the national stock pile is that enough to ease access to medication many have struggled to find? >> tech: when you get a chip in your windshield... trust safelite. this couple was headed to the farmers market...

when they got a chip. they drove to safelite for a same-day repair.r. and with their insurance, it was no cost to them. >> woman: : really? >> tech: that's service ththe way you need it. >> singers: ♪ safelite repair, safelite replace. ♪ a must in your medicine cabinet! less sick days! cold coming on? zicam is the number one cold shortening brand! highly recommend it! zifans love zim's unique zinc formula. it shortens colds! zicam. zinc that cold! if you still have symptomsf moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis or aive psoriatic arthritis after a tnf blocker like humira or enbrel, rinvoq is different and may help. stand up to your symptoms with rinvoq. rinvoq is a once-daily pill that tackles pain, stiffness, swelling. for some, rinvoq significantly reduces ra and psa fatigue. it can stop further irreversible joint damage. and rinvoq can leave skin clear or almost clear in psa. that's rinvoq relief. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb.

serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin cancer; death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older with at least one heart disease risk factor have higher risks. don't take if allergic to rinvoq as serious reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. ask your rheumatologist for rinvoq. rinvoq. make it your mission. learn how abbvie could help you save. psoriasis really messes with you. try. hope. fail. no one should suffer like that. i started cosentyx®. five years clear. real people with psoriasis look and feel better with cosentyx. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting get checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infection, some serious and a lowered ability to fight them may occur.

tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. tell your doctor if your crohn's disease symptoms develop or worsen. serious allergic reaction may occur. best move i've ever made. ask your dermatologist about cosentyx®. could it be right for you? if you have a high risk factor, like being over 65, heart disease, diabetes, asthma,... or smoking... ...and you test positive, don't wait-ask your provider about oral treatment right away. >> to ensure bakhmut is not just a strong hold that holds back

the russian army but for the russian army to completely pull out more cannons and shells are needed. just like the battle of saratoga, the fight for bakhmut will change the trajectory of our war for independence and freedom. >> ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy making his case to congress and likening the war to america's fight for independence. bakhmut has been fighting a months long fierce battle that has become one of the war's bloodyiest. so joining me now retired major mike lions. good morning to you. how do you think he did? >> he did superb ly. well scripted. i was a former captain to the artillery. i couldn't have the same courage

that captain had. and then last night in front of congress you bring an artifact from the battlefield like that, as a soldier you look at that and that's something. i thought congress had the kind of respect they showed him. but he needs more. no question about it. there's more help he needs. there has to be an emotional attachment to what he's doing first and foremost. the package that the president provided is good. one patriot battery doesn't cut it, he needs four or five. if he wants to protect his country in a level he needs to. he's done the west a tremendous favor. he's wrecking, destroying the russian conventional forces in place, over 100,000 casualties, tanks, armored vehicles being destroyed. he's doing the west a favor. he has to be rewarded for that alone. >> explain what you mean by one patriot missile is not enough. that's one of the most powerful

things in the u.s. arsenal. we they're getting one, the u.s. has 50 or so. are you saying it's not enough compared to the volume of the russian incoming? >> right. that system can be overwhelmed at some point if they chose to do that. and i think the risk the united states has with that is this, the patriot system is a chaser. it potentially can acquire a russian jet, for example, and chase it over the border. right now the border in ukraine is a hard line of where the war starts and ends. so you take an american missile system and acquires a russian plane that flies back to russia, i think that's what the united states is concerned about. >> did they wait too long? it takes time to train them on this. they're not going to get it tomorrow in kyiv. >> no. not a video game in any aspect. i'd like to think we're training them in the background, probably a little bit out in front of it. but no question there's going to

be a lag with regard to the effectiveness of this situation. >> let's talk about what you said. you talked about the ukrainians operating american-made war systems, right? >> um-hum. >> russia said that providing these missiles would be seen as an escalation by the u.s. and warned of unspecific consequences to that. so are you concerned about the provocation? what happens if the scenario you said plays out? then what? >> i'm concerned about russia stepping up their cruise missile attacks. every day i get up and check the weather app to see what the weather is in kyiv and dnipro, it's 41 degrees right now and that's the warmest it gets today. that's the issue. vladimir putin is trying to draw millions of european refugees out of ukraine into europe, i think european countries have to step up and do more from a military perspective. right now if the ukraine military can hold their own,

inoculate themselves in place right now and wait for the spring to come, then they have a chance to go back on the offensive. >> i have not heard that before. you're saying in part what putin is doing by bombarding infrastructure in ukraine is trying to push ukrainians out into the european counteries so it can split nato and the unity when it comes to backing ukraine? >> i think that's part of his plan exactly. economic state craft has not worked, sanctions have not work. we saw a report yesterday there's only a 2% deficit within their military budget. there's still 100 nations in the world supporting russia. so we've not put enough pressure economically on russia to stop. what's the leverage to get russia to stop. >> it sounds like you're saying this is a never-ending war. >> look at history, a classic stalemate that takes place. and thistory shows the country

with the highest industrial out put wins. overnight russian president putin speaking , reaching out t israel's benjamin netanyahu to congratulate him for his return to power. hadas what do we know about the conversation and the bigger picture when it comes to netanyahu's new government? >> reporter: the timing here so interesting. while volodymyr zelenskyy was in washington d.c., benjamin netanyahu right up on the deadline when he was able to do so announcing he was able to form a coalition government one that is the most right wing likely in israel history. and this morning vladimir putin calling netanyahu to congratulate him. they talked about iran and ukraine and benjamin netanyahu told putin he hopes they'll be

able to find a way to end the war. they said that russian/israeli relations will continue to develop. this relationship between netanyahu and putin is an interesting one. benjamin netanyahu used to tout his relationship with putin at one point during one election putting up a giant billboard in tel aviv showing the two together. but the question is, once netanyahu comes back to office, how will the relationship develop? while netanyahu has been out of office, russia has invaded ukraine. flu season hit hard this year now the biden administration taking action. the impact this could have. plus -- >> translator: my classmates informed me about us being banned from universities. i cried a lot. i had all of my study materials but i couldn't study. >> international outrage this morning as the taliban is banning women from studying in

universities. we'll have more ahead. i i was born here, i'm from here, and i'm never leaving here. i'm a new york hotel. yeah, i'm tall. 563 feet and 2 inches. m on top of the world. yeah, i'm tall. i'm looking for someone who likes toe in the middle of it all, but also likes some peace and quiet. you hungry? i know a place, and few others nearby. it's the city that never sleeps, but hey, if you need the rest, i've got you covered. i'm getting vaccinated with prevnar 20®. a pfizer vaccine! so am i. because i'm at risk for pneumococcal pneumonia. i'm asking about prevnar 20® because there's a chance pneumococcal pneumonia could put me in the hospital. if you're 19 or older, with certain chronic conditions like copd, asthma, diabetes, or heart disease

or are 65 or older, you may be at increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia. prevnar 20® is approved in adults to help prevent infections from 20 strains of the bacteria that cause pneumococcal pneumonia. in just one dose. don't get prevnar 20® if you've had a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine or its ingredients. adults with weakened immune systems may have a lower response to the vaccine. the most common side effects were pain and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and joint pain. i want to be able to keep my plans. that's why i chose to get vaccinated with prevnar 20®. because just one dose can help protect me from pneumococcal pneumonia. ask your doctor or pharmacist about getting vaccinated with prevnar 20® today. when they're sick, they get comfortable anywhere and spread germs everywhere.

wherever they rest protection nothing kills more viruses, including the covid-19 virus, on more surfaces than lysol disinfectant spray. lysol. what it takes to protect.

welcome back to "cnn this morning." coming up the biden

administration set to release medicine from the national stock pile as flu cases surge. dr. tara narula is standing by in the -- sitting by next to me on the set here. the taliban began enforcing an education ban. leaving many women angered by the decision and moved to tears. and a one on one interview with the man who discovered whitney houston, clyde davis. the white house is now trying to help, offering to release tamiflu from the nation's stock piles to states that need it. joining us to talk about this is dr. tara narula. are we having a shortage of this? >> it sounds serious and we've been talking about shortages so

much. clearly it's been an early and severe flu season, 15 million illnesses. and last week,hhs told states they could release and use their own stockpiles now the administration is saying yes, if they need it they can have access to the national stockpile. they're saying it's not a shortage but the pharmacists association is saying there is a shortage of the generic version of tamiflu tamiflu. hopefully we'll see flu numbers coming down as we talked about yesterday. >> as we progress as the world and human beings, life expectancy you would think would go up with the advances in medicine. but this new cdc reports that life expectancy is the lowest

it's been since 1996, partially i'm sure because of the pandemic but what's going on? >> it doesn't sound great and over the last two years it has dropped. it was 77 years old in 2020 now talking about 76.4 years old. large contributors to this are covid and drug overdose deaths. we know that covid is the third leading cause of death after heart disease, point that out as number one, cancer number two. it caused one in eight deaths last year in 2021. add to that drug overdoses that was responsible for a little over 100,000 deaths in 20 21. that number increased five fold, it's accounting for a third of accidental deaths. so largest population for the drug overdose, 35 to 44-year-olds. >> so young. >> very young. >> thanks, doctor, appreciate it. >> thank you. new fallout this morning

surrounding incoming republican congressman, george santos. the records that contradict his claim that his grandparents survived the holocaust. plus. >> you were there for the highs and the lows. >> yes. >> i spoke with legendary movie executive clyde davis ahead of the release of a biopic of whitney houston how he describes heher life and legacy coming up. s to investing, with low-c-cost options to help maximize savings. from the plains to the coasts, we help americans invevest for their future. and help communities thrive. it's the last minute gift sale.

save up to 50% off dazzling deals. ( ♪ ) give the gift of shine at zales, the diamond stor did you know your health has more to do with your zip code than your genetic code? that doesn't seem fair. we agree. but where you live determines access to doctors, green spaces and fresh food. that's why we grow our own. smart. we don't think it's right that some people are healthier than others just because of where they live. that's why we're delivering food to areas with less access to it, and helping schools teach kids about gardens. wish they'd taught gardening at my school. you would have aced it. introducing elevance health. where health can go.

i was injured in a car crash. i had no idea how much my case was worth. i called the barnes firm. when a truck hit my son, i had so many questions about his case. i called the barnes firm. it was the best call i could've made. your case is often worth more than insuran call the barnes firm to find out i could've made. what your case could be worth. we will help get you the best result possible. ♪ the barnes firm, injury attorneys ♪ call one eight hundred,est resul eight million ♪

for women in afghanistan anymore since they closed all the routes for women. the doors of schools and universities are closed for women, who are half the society. it means the process of human evolution and development is paralyzed. >> women in afghanistan have been banned from attending university. just the latest in a series of blows to women's rights under a strict taliban rule. since taking over, they've imposed restrictions on

everything from women's education to their ability to work to their right to go out in public. and the latest ban shows that following months of back and forth on education policies it's drawing criticism from leaders around the world. the question is what is going to happen next. joining us now to discuss this is the first woman to serve as ambassador. thank you for joining us this morning. this development of what we've seen banning women from going to university is just devastating. >> yes, indeed. it is another blow, as you describe it, and part of the restrictions that they are increasingly introducing. but no surprise at all. this is the same group that were in power in 1990s that turned the country to that of a like

state of zombie place where nothing was going on and that's what's going on now. they're changing their front of war now on afghan women. >> this story, a 21-year-old student who had two exams left, she found out about this, she said she kept studying anyway, she wanted to take her test, she went to the gates of her school and there were taliban armed guards they would not let her come in to take her exams. >> indeed. this is -- this is one of the hundreds of thousands of girls today in afghanistan that are facing their shuttering hopes and dreams. imagine what is going on in the head of this young woman not being able to write her exam.

and how this flashes her future in front of her eyes. what does it mean for her and her family. what does it mean in terms of defining the future in terms of trust and stability in the nation. this can go on and on. there is huge economic impacts of this decision. how is that going to be handled? this is, again, one step further into this dark hole and the tragedy continues unfortunately. >> it's a good point. just beyond the human rights aspect of this, the economic impacts a decision like this brings about. i wonder, are you worried about what happens next? >> i am. i'm -- i am worried about what's happening now and what's happening next, but at the same time, i am very worried that it

is taking afghanistan one step further towards further instability and potentially a civil war. where is this country going? for afghanistan what it means is restricting women from life, in general. it's just like putting them in prison. and then, what is next? how is this country going to find a way to live peacefully in some form of stability? and for the region and for the world what it means is further spread of extremism. and unfortunately which leads to terrorism. >> very powerful perspective from the first female afghan ambassador to the united states. thank you for joining us this morning. >> thank you for having me. also this morning the former ftx chief executive, sam bankman-fried is now back in the

united states today. what to expect from his court appearance that's going to happen in new york in a matter of hours. plus legendary producer clyde davis spoke to me about working with one of the best selling music artists of all time. that's whitney houston. he explains why her death was a total surprise. next. vicks vapoporub's ...medicated vapors go straight to the source of your cough... ...so you can relieve your cougugh to breathe easier. vicks vaporub. fast-acting cough relief.. you spend the holidays making everyone else smile, but what about your smile? it needs care too, and when it does, aspen dental is here for you. this season, and every season, we offer the cusm dental treatments you need, all under one roof, right nearby. so, we can bring more life to your smil and more smile to your life, affordably. new patients without insurance can get a free complete exam and x-rays, and 20% off treatment plans.

♪ for skin as alive as you are... don't settle for silver. harness the power of 7 moisturizers & 3 vitamins to smooth, heal, and moisturize your dry skin. gold bond. champion your skin. think about the best night's sleep you've ever had. at tempur-pedic, we're dedicated to helping you sleep like that. every night. so you get the deep, comfortable, undisturbed rest you deserve. experience the mattress ranked #1 in customer satisfaction by jd power, four years in a row.

as a business owner, your bottom line is always top of mind. so start saving by switching to the mobile service

designed for small business: comcast business mobile. flexible data plans mean you can get unlimited data or pay by the gig. all on the most reliable 5g network. with no line activation fees or term contracts. saving you up to 60% a year. and it's only available to comcast business internet customers. so boost your bottom line by switching today. comcast business. powering possibilities. ♪ ♪ i fall in love whenever we meet ♪ ♪ i'm asking you 'cause you know about these things ♪

>> wow. i love whitney houston. i was just a mere little chap. i think i was a freshman in college when this came out, maybe a senior in high school. this morning a new biopic is coming to theatres about the life of whitney houston called "i want to dance with somebody" produced by music legend clyde davis who discovered houston and called her, quote, the voice. he talked to me about being by whitney's side for the highs and also the lows. >> how are you doing, clyde davis? >> i'm doing well thank you. >> it's so good to be in your home interviewing you. >> it's really nice to have you here. >> as you know you're one of my heroes. >> thank you. >> so was whitney houston. she and aretha were my favorites. >> okay. >> so tell me the story. you have this wonderful new movie coming out. the first time you met whitney houston? >> the first time i met whitney

was at her audition for me. she had been doing background singing in her mother sissy's act. sissy was playing sweet water club -- >> tonight legendary record executive mr. clive davis. >> my voice is gone, you start the show tonight. >> and whitney sang two songs that night. one was "home "from the wiz. and the other was "greatest love of all". she didn't know, many people didn't know, i had commissioned the song "greatest love of all" eight years ago for a movie. i had recorded it with george benson, we had a top ten r&b hit. and then this beautiful

19-year-old girl, okay, gets to the microphone and as soon as she started singing that song, i was stunned. ♪ learning to love yourself ♪ ♪ it is the greatest love of all ♪ >> you said the purpose of this film is to show the full whitney. you shared stories about whitney being at your house, you advising her, going over the catalog, what she should sing, what she should do with her career next. you say people don't know the full portrait of whitney. so tell us the full portrait. >> i know what the public is interested in. and with the great writer anthony mccarten who wrote the script, whether it's whitney's sexuality, when there was

reaction to does she seem black enough, i just didn't sign her. going through all the years, except the movies where the process was different, it was whitney and me alone. i would work all during the year with my very valuable and incredible staff to go through hundreds and hundreds of songs. i would narrow it down to 20. she and i would meet either in my office or my monthly bungalow at the beverly hills hotel and it was whitney and i. i would put the demo in, she would react, we would talk about it. all of that is captured in the film. >> what was the biggest moment, the height of whitney houston's career? was it "the bodyguard"?

>> two things. one is "the bodyguard". ♪ >> it's the biggest selling sound track album to this day of all time. it's very close, maybe now it's over 40 million copies. so the combination of "i will always love you" and "i'm every woman" coupled with the movie being seen all over the world, there's only one rival to "the body guard" as far as the highest point. and that's the national anthem. there's no one before or since that approaches what whitney does with the national anthem. and that is still the largest female selling single of all

time. >> so you saw the heights, the highest of the high. >> yes. >> were you there for the lows? >> i was there for the lows. >> when did you figure out the lows were coming? >> later than some because she was loyal, devoted. she always was on when she was with me. so, admittedly, i didn't see the sign early on, but i would say. at that time when she was auditioning with the academy award people, there was a problem, she was not prepared for. for me she was always prepared, but clearly unmistakably, the lowest -- if you ask me the lowest would be the michael jackson concert at madison square garden. she walks out on stage and i

can't believe my eyes. she's a skeleton. now whitney was so full of pride of her fashion, of her look, her dress. you never suggested to whitney what to wear, what her hair style would be. i never saw her looking like that. i was scared stiff. i wrote her a letter. >> what did you say in the letter? >> i said, you have a severe problem, and you have to deal with it. and it's a matter of life and death. she didn't listen. or never replied to the letter. >> is it alcohol? is it marijuana? is it cocaine? is it pills? >> it has been at times -- >> do you deal with the diane sawyer interview in the film?

>> we deal enough with her lows that we don't try to recreate a tv interview or another tv show. but it is dealt with at length and it's dealt with how it happened. and she seems as low as you can get. >> so let's talk about then, clive, i was on the air. you're having the grammy party at the beverly hilton. i walk out of the studio and they said we just got word that whitney houston died. >> breaking news. >> you know, every once in a while you have to report something that you thought would be the worst thing that could happen and it was going to happen and now it has. singer whitney houston, one of the greatest voices of our generation. cnn has gotten confirmation from a representative, has died. >> and you're there at the beverly hilton where it all

happened. what is going through your mind? what is happening behind the scenes with clive davis? >> when i get the call, it had to be 4:00 or 4:30 in the afternoon. first of all, i was shocked. i mean, two days earlier whitney spent the whole day with me. she had finished the movie "sparkle". she played me the song from "sparkle" that she had done. i played her a recording. and we spent the whole afternoon. she was totally her old self-. she told me how she had cleared her throat of all the nicotine and is ready to make a new album. how long will it take to gather the appropriate material for us to do it? and we said, well, august or september. there was no hint that she was

not back to her old self. so i was totally in shock when i got that call. >> so clive, i'm your friend and so i want to ask you about your storied career. and some of these questions i hope they're not insensitive. we're at a time now where we're talking about should a president run again at 80 years old. you're 90 years old. you're firing on all cylinders. what do you think? do you think age is a factor when it comes to someone's performance and viability? >> you can only deal with one person. i've seen people go over the hill when they're 50, okay. i feel those ready for retirement when they're 60. if you're active and if you're lucky enough. my mother died at 47. my father died at 56.

i was 18 years old within a year of each other. i had $4,000 to my name. so i know about death and how it affects life. i love what i'm doing. i try not to think about age. you're aware of mortality. i have four children. i have eight grandchildren. to whom i'm devoted. so that i try to make time, clearly as a priority for them. but i've got all these projects. so i try to ignore it. you just learn life is what you make of it, and you make it as adventuring or as satisfying or as nurturing. there are friends that you see the impact on. each case is individual. so i was just asked what do i think about joe biden at 80 with

all these stories should he run for president. i observe him when he's speaking. i observe what his accomplishments have been. the man, i think, is a real good president. so i don't see age as a factor in determining whether he should be fit, qualified, or believed in for the next presidency. i will work until it's time. it's discernible, i have got so many projects that excite me. >> from good sources, i was in the movie but then i got cut out of the movie because you changed the ending. but that's okay. i'm cool with it because i love you and i love whitney. >> see the film. >> that is so good. >> yeah. i wish we could -- we're supposed to sit down for a short

interview and i think we talked for an hour and a half. >> you were supposed to sit down for how long? >> it was a six or seven minute piece. he said you're going to do all this and then cut to six or seven minutes. there are many things that doing this job affords you. for me it has been meeting people like clive davis and befriending people like clive davis and him being a mentor to me, really. he said life is what you make of it, there are ups and downs and everything is individual. we talked about the age thing, my mom is 80, firing on all cylinders sharper than me. so it's an individual thing. what a person he is. >> and the close up look with whitney houston and being there for the low moments as you called them. a fascinating perspective. and saying he wrote her that letter and she never responded is heartbreaking. >> it's so many people that he has been around for when you think about the boss, like bruce

sprin springsteen. >> i want to watch the whole hour. >> you can watch the raw interview. we talked about a lot and did it from his house here in the city. and then, you know, he has another place i visit at, he and his partner. but he's a really great guy. thank you clive for doing that. another legend, dionne warwick, whitney houston's cousin. she brings her story to cnn, in her new film "don't make me over" it premiers new year's day. >> dionne was the first african american woman to win in the pop category. >> the music i was singing, nothing like anything any of them were singing. legacy of my family, music. >> deon warwick, don't make me

over, premiers new year's day at 9:00 on cnn. i can't! i'm just telling everyone!! hey! use your vision benefits beforere they expire. visionworks. see the difference. two loads of snot covered laundry. only one will be sanitized. wait, what? adding lysol laundry sanitizer kills 99.9% of bacteria detergent alon can't. ♪ ♪ mercedes-benz is turning electric... completely on its head. bringing legendary design... and state-of-the-art technology...

to a fully-electric suv. the all-new, all-electric eqb from mercedes-benz. see your dealer for exceptional offers on mercedes-benz electric vehicles. so it takes the right tool for the job... to keep it together. now there's new theraflu flu relief with a max strength fever fighting formula. the right tool for long lasting flu symptom relief. hot beats flu.