1 00:00:11,945 --> 00:00:19,085 . >>> IF RUSSIA STOPPING FIGHTING, THE WAR ENDS. IF UKRAINE STOPS FIGHTING, 2 00:00:19,152 --> 00:00:29,763 UKRAINE ENDS. >> ANTONY BLINKEN HAS A WORLD OF TROUBLE ON HIS HANDS. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FACES 3 00:00:29,829 --> 00:00:38,638 DANGEROUS TENSIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AND CHINA AND TAIWAN. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE KREMLIN 4 00:00:38,705 --> 00:00:46,813 WHO CAN TELL VLADIMIR PUTIN NO, IF HE DECIDES TO LAUNCH A BATTLEFIELD NUCLEAR WEAPON? >>> TONIGHT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR 5 00:00:46,880 --> 00:01:00,160 FROM A STAFFER INSIDE THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE WHICH RESUMES HEARINGS WEDNESDAY. >> SOMEONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE 6 00:01:00,226 --> 00:01:08,768 WAS CALLING ONE OF THE RIOTERS? >> SURE. AND YOU KNOW THE END OF THAT CALL. 7 00:01:08,835 --> 00:01:34,127 THERE ARE CONNECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE EXPLORED MORE. >>> BY ACTING AS NATURAL BUFFERS, CORAL REEFS PREVENT 8 00:01:34,194 --> 00:01:42,235 DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THE SITUATION IS SERIOUS AND MARINE BIOLOGISTS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO RESCUE THE REEFS. 9 00:01:42,302 --> 00:01:49,008 AND PART OF THAT INVOLVES MEDDLING WITH THE SEX LIVES OF CORAL. HOW DO CORAL HAVE SEX? 10 00:01:49,075 --> 00:01:58,151 >> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES AND MORE TONIGHT 11 00:01:58,218 --> 00:02:05,792 ON 12 00:02:07,093 --> 00:02:14,100 . >>> AFTER HUMILIATING DEFEATS IN UKRAINE, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN TOLD HIS PEOPLE 13 00:02:14,167 --> 00:02:22,575 THAT THE U.S. IS BENT ON DESTROYING THE RUSSIAN HOMELAND. ON WEDNESDAY, HE DRAFTED 300,000 RESERVISTS AND THREATENED 14 00:02:22,642 --> 00:02:30,783 NUCLEAR WAR. THIS IS NOT A BLUFF, HE SAID. UKRAINE DOMINATED THIS PAST WEEK'S ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE 15 00:02:30,850 --> 00:02:39,626 U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK ATTENDED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN AND MORE THAN 120 WORLD LEADERS. FRIDAY WE MET THE U.S. SECRETARY 16 00:02:39,692 --> 00:02:49,869 OF STATE, ANTONY BLINKEN, TO TALK ABOUT A WORLD OF CHALLENGES AND PUTIN'S NUCLEAR THREAT. HOW CONCERNED SHOULD AMERICANS 17 00:02:49,936 --> 00:02:56,342 BE ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF NUCLEAR WAR? >> SCOTT, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF IRRESPONSIBLE RHETORIC COMING 18 00:02:56,409 --> 00:03:05,151 OUT OF VLADIMIR PUTIN, BUT WE'RE FOCUSSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ACTING RESPONSIBLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS 19 00:03:05,218 --> 00:03:12,158 KIND OF LOOSE RHETORIC. WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH THE RUSSIANS PUBLICLY AND AS WELL AS PRIVATELY, TO STOP THE LOOSE 20 00:03:12,225 --> 00:03:19,432 TALK ABOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS. >> PRIVATELY, THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE KREMLIN ABOUT THESE THREATS 21 00:03:19,499 --> 00:03:27,574 OF NUCLEAR WAR. >> YES. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT MOSCOW HERE FROM 22 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:33,012 HEAR FROM US AND KNOW FROM US THAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE HORRIFIC AND WE'D MADE THAT VERY CLEAR. 23 00:03:33,079 --> 00:03:41,454 >> YOU CALLED THE NUCLEAR TALK LOOSE TALK. BUT ISN'T VLADIMIR PUTIN TELLING US WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO IF HE 24 00:03:41,521 --> 00:03:46,559 IS BACKED ANY FURTHER INTO A CORNER? >> VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS A CLEAR WAY OUT OF THE WAR HE STARTED, 25 00:03:46,626 --> 00:03:55,868 AND THAT'S TO END IT. IF RUSSIA STOPS FIGHTING, THE WAR ENDS. IF UKRAINE STOPS FIGHTING, 26 00:03:55,935 --> 00:04:04,110 UKRAINE ENDS >> IS THERE ANYONE IN THE KREMLIN WHO CAN TELL VLADIMIR PUTIN NO IF HE DECIDES TO LAUNCH 27 00:04:04,177 --> 00:04:11,584 A BATTLEFIELD NUCLEAR WEAPON? >> THEY HAVE A CHAIN OF COMMAND. WHETHER IT WORKS OR NOT, TO BE SEEN, BUT WHAT I THINK YOU'RE 28 00:04:11,651 --> 00:04:19,592 POINTING TO IS A LARGER CHALLENGE, AND THAT IS THE ACHILLES HEEL OF AUTOCRACIES ANYWHERE. 29 00:04:19,659 --> 00:04:26,332 THERE IS USUALLY NOT ANYONE WHO HAS THE CAPACITY OR THE WILL TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER. AND PART OF THE REASON I THINK 30 00:04:26,399 --> 00:04:33,272 RUSSIA HAS GOTTEN ITSELF INTO THE MESS THAT IT'S IN IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE IN THE SYSTEM TO EFFECTIVELY TELL PUTIN HE'S 31 00:04:33,339 --> 00:04:40,113 DOING THE WRONG THING. >> IN OUR INTERVIEW LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT BIDEN TOLD US THAT HE HAD A MESSAGE FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN 32 00:04:40,179 --> 00:04:48,054 ON THE USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. >> DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. 33 00:04:48,121 --> 00:04:55,161 >> HE WENT ON TO SAY THE U.S. RESPONSE WOULD BE CONSEQUENTIAL. WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT? >> I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO 34 00:04:55,228 --> 00:05:04,003 WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE. ANY USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS WOULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS FOR, OF COURSE THE COUNTRY USING 35 00:05:04,070 --> 00:05:08,608 THEM, BUT FOR MANY OTHERS AS WELL. >> IF YOU CAN'T GIVE US SPECIFICS ABOUT A U.S. RESPONSE, 36 00:05:08,675 --> 00:05:14,914 CAN YOU TELL US THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A PLAN? >> WE DO. >> IS IT A PLAN THAT WOULD 37 00:05:14,981 --> 00:05:21,854 PREVENT WORLD WAR III? >> PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT AS WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THE 38 00:05:21,921 --> 00:05:32,899 UKRAINIANS DEFEND THEMSELVES, AS WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RALLY OTHER COUNTRIES TO PUT PRESSURE ON RUSSIA, WE'RE ALSO 39 00:05:32,965 --> 00:05:38,604 DETERMINE THAD DETERMINED THAT THIS WAR NOT EXPAND. >> AS WE SPEAKING TO SECRETARY 40 00:05:38,671 --> 00:05:49,782 BLINKEN NEWS BROKE THAT A U.N. INVESTIGATORY COMMISSION FOUND EVIDENCE OF RAPE AND TORTURE OF CHILDREN IN RUSSIA-OCCUPIED 41 00:05:49,849 --> 00:05:56,389 UKRAINE. IT GOES ON IT SAY IT HAS CONCLUDED THAT WAR CRIMES HAVE BEEN COMMITTED IN UKRAINE. 42 00:05:56,456 --> 00:06:05,631 WHAT DOES JUSTICE LOOK LIKE? FOR UKRAINE? >> JUSTICE LOOKS LIKE ACCOUNTABILITY. 43 00:06:05,698 --> 00:06:14,941 ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE WHO PERPETRATED THESE WAR CREAIMES, THESE ATROCITIES, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ORDERED THEM. 44 00:06:15,007 --> 00:06:21,247 AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, SCOTT, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO COMPILE THE EVIDENCE 45 00:06:21,314 --> 00:06:31,057 AND TO INVESTIGATE AND ULTIMATELY PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE. >> YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE 46 00:06:31,124 --> 00:06:42,201 WAR CRIME TRIALS? >> I WAS IN IRPIN. AND I SAW BUILDING BLOCK AFTER BUILDING BLOCK TOTALLY BOMBED 47 00:06:42,268 --> 00:06:47,140 OUT. THIS WAS THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF FORCE. WHEREVER THE RUSSIAN TIDE 48 00:06:47,206 --> 00:06:54,147 RECEDES, WHAT'S LEFT IN ITS WAKE IS VERY CLEAR EVIDENCE OF WAR CRIMES. >> THE BODIES I SAW WERE NOT 49 00:06:54,213 --> 00:07:02,221 FAKE. >> ATROCITIES WERE LAID BEFORE THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL LAST THURSDAY, DRAWING FROM THE 50 00:07:02,288 --> 00:07:08,394 RUSSIAN MORIN RUSSIA FOREIGN MINISTER A DUBIOUS DEFENSE. >> WHEN SERGEY LAVROV SAYS THAT 51 00:07:08,461 --> 00:07:14,934 THE ATROCITIES HAVE BEEN STAGED AND IT IS RUSSIA THAT IS THE VICTIM, TONY BLINKEN IS SITTING THERE THINKING WHAT? 52 00:07:15,001 --> 00:07:27,513 >> THIS IS "ALICE IN WONDERLAND." IT'S THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN. WHITE IS BLACK, TRUTH IS FALSE. 53 00:07:27,580 --> 00:07:34,754 BUT HERE'S THE THING, ALL OF THESE WORDS RING TOTALLY HOLLOW TO EVERY MEMBER ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL. 54 00:07:34,821 --> 00:07:43,930 SO THIS SPEWING OF WORDS IS NOT HAVING AN EFFECT. ON THE CONTRARY. I THINK IT JUST SHOWS THE TOTAL 55 00:07:43,996 --> 00:07:50,903 DISCONNECT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRETY OF THE REST OF THE WORLD. >> AT THE MOMENT WE SPOKE TO THE 56 00:07:50,970 --> 00:07:59,512 SECRETARY, RUSSIA WAS HURRYING THROUGH WHAT IT CALLS ELECTIONS TO FORCE THESE AREAS OF UKRAINE'S OCCUPIED EAST AND 57 00:07:59,579 --> 00:08:05,685 SOUTH INTO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. >> THESE SO-CALL THE ELECTIONS ARE A SHAM, PERIOD. 58 00:08:05,751 --> 00:08:13,659 THEY GO IN. THEY PUT IN PUPPET GOVERNMENTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND THEN THEY PROCEED WITH A 59 00:08:13,726 --> 00:08:21,200 VOTE, WHICH THEY'LL MANIPULATE IN ANY EVENT, TO TRY TO DECLARE THE TERRITORY RUSSIAN TERRITORY. IT IS NOT. 60 00:08:21,267 --> 00:08:27,473 IT WILL NEVER BE RECOGNIZED AS SUCH. AND THE UKRAINIANS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO TAKE IT BACK. 61 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:33,646 >> BLINKEN CAME TO OUR INTERVIEW AFTER MEETING CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTER. CHINA HAS BEEN RAISING PRESSURE 62 00:08:33,713 --> 00:08:41,854 ON THE DEMOCRATIC ISLAND OF TAIWAN, WHICH, IN OUR CONVERSATION LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT BIDEN PLEDGED TO 63 00:08:41,921 --> 00:08:51,097 DEFEND WITH FORCE. >> SO UNLIKE UKRAINE, TO BE CLEAR, SIR. U.S. FORCES, U.S. MEN AND WOMEN, 64 00:08:51,163 --> 00:08:56,202 WOULD DEFEND TAIWAN IN THE EVENT OF A CHINESE INVASION. >> YES. >> BUT OFFICIAL U.S. POLICY IS 65 00:08:56,269 --> 00:09:05,878 AND HAS BEEN FOR DECADES TO REMAIN AMBIGUOUS ABOUT DEFENDING THE ISLAND. >>EN WHEN 66 00:09:05,945 --> 00:09:14,921 >> CHINA HAS ACTED INCREASINGLY TOWARD TAIWAN. >> THE FOREIGN MINISTER MUST HAVE ASKED YOU TO EXPLAIN THE 67 00:09:14,987 --> 00:09:20,326 PRESIDENT'S REMARKS. >> WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO TAIWAN. 68 00:09:20,393 --> 00:09:29,001 AND I REITERATED WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID. AND WHAT HE SAID CLEARLY AND CONSISTENTLY. 69 00:09:29,068 --> 00:09:38,711 OUR CONTINUED ADHERENCE TO THE ONE-CHINA POLICY. OUR DETERMINATION THAT THE DIFFERENCES BE RESOLVED 70 00:09:38,778 --> 00:09:45,451 PEACEFULLY, OUR INSISTENCE THAT PEACE AND STABILITY BE MAINTAINED IN THE TAIWAN STRAITS, AND OUR DEEP CONCERN 71 00:09:45,518 --> 00:09:52,291 THAT CHINA WAS TAKING ACTIONS TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT STATUS QUO. THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE IS. >> BLINKEN WARNS THAT TURBULENCE 72 00:09:52,358 --> 00:10:00,833 IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT WOULD WASH AROUND THE WORLD. >> TAIWAN ITSELF WERE ANYTHING TO HAPPEN, IT IS WHERE VIRTUALLY 73 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:08,307 ALL THE SEMI CONDUCTORS ARE MADE. ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE NOW INVESTING, SO HEAVILY, IN OUR 74 00:10:08,374 --> 00:10:14,480 OWN CAPACITY TO PRODUCE SEMI CONDUCTORS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. WE DESIGN THEM, BUT THE ACTUAL 75 00:10:14,547 --> 00:10:25,157 PRODUCTION IS DONE IN A HANDFUL OF PLACES AND TAIWAN PRODUCES MOST OF THEM.F IF THAT'S DISRUPTED THE EFFECT 76 00:10:25,224 --> 00:10:36,936 ON THE GLOBAL ECONOMY WOULD BE DEVASTATING. >> LAST WEEK, LESLEY STAHL WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CONSIDER 77 00:10:37,003 --> 00:10:46,178 RE-ENTERING THE NUCLEAR DEAL. >> >> IRAN HAS CONTINUED TO TRY TO ADD EXTRANEOUS ISSUES TO THE 78 00:10:46,245 --> 00:10:52,251 NEGOTIATION THAT WE'RE SIMPLY NOT GOING TO SAY YES TO. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT A BAD DEAL. THE RESPONSE THAT THEY'VE GIVEN 79 00:10:52,318 --> 00:11:04,497 TO THE LAST PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY OUR EUROPEAN PARTERS HAVE BEEN A HAVE BEEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT 80 00:11:04,563 --> 00:11:10,669 STEP BACKWARDS. >> ANTONY BLINKEN IS 60. ONE OF HIS GRANDPARENTS WAS BORN IN UKRAINE. 81 00:11:10,736 --> 00:11:18,277 HIS STEPFATHER SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST, AND HIS FATHER WAS U.S. AMBASSADOR. BRINKEN 82 00:11:18,344 --> 00:11:24,517 BLINKEN HAS SPENT 40 YEARS IN POLICY FOR DEMOCRATS MOSTLY IN THE SENATE AND WHITE HOUSE. THAT'S HIM IN THE BACK OF THE 83 00:11:24,583 --> 00:11:32,825 ROOM DURING THE STRIKE ON OSAMA BIN LADEN. HIS PHILOSOPHY ON AMERICAN DIPLOMACY IS ROBUST ENGAGEMENT 84 00:11:32,892 --> 00:11:40,366 WITH WHAT HE CALLS HUMILITY AND CONFIDENCE. >> IF WE DON'T ENGAGE, IF WE'RE NOT LEADING, THEN ONE OF TWO 85 00:11:40,433 --> 00:11:47,039 THINGS. EITHER SOMEONE ELSE IS. AND PROBABLY NOT IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO ADVANCE OUR INTERESTS 86 00:11:47,106 --> 00:11:53,879 AND VALUES OR NO ONE IS. AND THEN YOU TEND TO HAVE CHAOS. YOU GET A VACUUM FILLED WITH BAD THINGS BEFORE IT'S FILLED WITH 87 00:11:53,946 --> 00:12:02,121 GOOD THINGS, BECAUSE THE WORLD DOES NOT ORGANIZE ITSELF. THERE'S NOT A SINGLE BIG PROBLEM AFFECTING THE LIVES OF OUR 88 00:12:02,188 --> 00:12:08,828 CITIZENS THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY SOLVE OURSELVES, WHETHER IT'S CLIMATE, COVID, THE EFFECT OF ALL THESE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 89 00:12:08,894 --> 00:12:14,934 ON OUR LIVES, WE HAVE TO BE WORKING WITH OTHERS TO TRY TO SHAPE ALL OF THIS IN A WAY THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE 90 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:20,806 OUR PEOPLE AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE SECURE, A LITTLE BIT MORE PROSPEROUS, A LITTLE BIT MORE FULL OF 91 00:12:20,873 --> 00:12:27,713 OPPORTUNITY. >> GIVEN JANUARY 6th, GIVEN THE FABRICATED CONTROVERSY OVER THE ELECTION RESULTS. 92 00:12:27,780 --> 00:12:35,788 DO YOU FIND THAT COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE STABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES? 93 00:12:35,855 --> 00:12:41,594 >> IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITHIN OUR OWN DEMOCRACY. THEY'RE PLAYING OUT BEFORE THE 94 00:12:41,660 --> 00:12:46,532 ENTIRE WORLD. WE DON'T SWEEP THEM UNDER THE RUG. EVEN WHEN IT'S PAINFUL. 95 00:12:46,599 --> 00:12:54,006 SO I'M ABLE TO SAY, TO OTHER COUNTRIES THAT BRING THESE UP, YES, WE'VE GOT OUR PROBLEMS. BUT WE'RE CONFRONTING THEM. 96 00:12:54,073 --> 00:13:01,881 WE'RE DEALING WITH THEM. YOU MIGHT DO THE SAME THING. >> YOUR FATHER WAS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY. 97 00:13:01,947 --> 00:13:10,656 AND, AS WE SIT HERE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, HE PASSED AWAY LAST NIGHT. AND I WONDER WHY YOU DECIDED TO 98 00:13:10,723 --> 00:13:22,034 KEEP SUCH A BUSY SCHEDULE THE DAY AFTER THAT TRAGEDY IN YOUR FAMILY. >> MY DAD WAS 96 YEARS OLD. 99 00:13:22,101 --> 00:13:30,409 HE WAS IN SO MANY WAYS MY ROLE MODEL. HE BUILT A REMARKABLE BUSINESS, ONE OF THE LEADING INVESTMENT 100 00:13:30,476 --> 00:13:40,186 BANKS IN THIS COUNTRY OVER MANY YEARS. HE LED A LIFE OF DIGNITY, OF DECENCY, OF MODESTY THAT IS 101 00:13:40,252 --> 00:13:48,027 SOMETHING I'VE VERY MUCH ASPIRED TO. AND SOY G I GUESS I THOUGHT THA HONORING EVERYTHING THAT HE 102 00:13:48,093 --> 00:13:54,700 SHARED WITH ME, THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WAS TO CONTINUE DOING MY JOB. >> THAT JOB, FOR THE FORESEEABLE 103 00:13:54,767 --> 00:14:02,341 FUTURE, WILL BE CONSUMED WITH A QUESTION THAT HAS DEFEATED GENERATIONS OF DIPLOMATS. HOW TO KEEP A SMALL WAR IN 104 00:14:02,408 --> 00:14:09,148 EUROPE FROM IGNITING THE WORLD. ARE THERE ANY TALKS CURRENTLY THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE HEARD ABOUT? 105 00:14:09,215 --> 00:14:15,588 >> THERE ARE NO TALKS BECAUSE RUSSIA HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED ANY WILLINGNESS IN THIS MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL 106 00:14:15,654 --> 00:14:21,126 DISCUSSIONS. IF AND WHEN THAT CHANGES, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT A DIPLOMATIC PROCESS. 107 00:14:21,193 --> 00:14:26,832 >> IS VLADIMIR PUTIN LOSING THIS WAR? >> HE'S ALREADY LOST IN TERMS OF WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE. 108 00:14:26,899 --> 00:14:35,007 BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND, WHAT HE SAID VERY CLEARLY FROM THE START IS HIS OBJECTIVE WAS TO ERASE UKRAINE'S IDENTITY AS AN 109 00:14:35,074 --> 00:14:40,012 INDEPENDENT COUNTRY. THAT HAS ALREADY FAILED. UKRAINIANS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN LAND. 110 00:14:40,079 --> 00:14:45,618 THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN COUNTRY. THE RUSSIANS ARE NOT. AND THESE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS WHO 111 00:14:45,684 --> 00:14:52,191 ARE BEING THROWN INTO THIS CONFLICT, OFTEN NOT KNOWING WHERE THEY'RE GOING OR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THIS IS NOT 112 00:14:52,258 --> 00:14:58,530 SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO BE FIGHTING FOR. THE UKRAINIANS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN FUTURE, THEY'RE 113 00:14:58,597 --> 00:15:10,876 FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN LAND. THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN LIVES. >>> TONIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO 114 00:15:10,943 --> 00:15:24,857 HEAR FROM A FORMER SENIOR STAFFER INSIDE THE JANUARY 6 KMOOE WHICH COMMITTEE. 115 00:15:24,923 --> 00:15:31,864 THEY AREN'T HAPPY THAT HE IS TALKING TO "60 MINUTES" ABOUT THE WORK HE DID FOR THEM. NOR ARE THEY THRILLED HE'S WRIT 116 00:15:31,930 --> 00:15:39,605 AND BOOK ABOUT HIS TIME ON THE COMMITTEE CALLED "THE BREACH". WRIGGLEMAN HAS A HISTORY OF SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE. 117 00:15:39,672 --> 00:15:46,645 ONCE A MESSAGE OF THE ULTRA CONSERVATIVE HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS, HE WAS ENDORSED TWICE BY THEN-PRESIDENT TRUMP. 118 00:15:46,712 --> 00:15:54,987 BUT AFTER HEARING WHAT DENVER WRIGGLEMAN HAS TO SAY TONIGHT, IT'S UNLIKELY THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL BE BUYING HIS 119 00:15:55,054 --> 00:16:01,060 BOOK. DID IT HIT YOU AT ONE POINT THAT THIS IS WAY BIGGER THAN IT APPEARED IN THE BEGINNING? 120 00:16:01,126 --> 00:16:09,134 >> ABSOLUTELY. YOU GET A REAL AH-HA MOMENT WHEN YOU SEE THAT THE WHITE HOUSE SWITCHBOARD HAD CONNECTED TO A 121 00:16:09,201 --> 00:16:13,238 RIOTER'S PHONE WHILE IT'S HAPPENING. THAT'S A PRETTY BIG AH-HA MOMENT. 122 00:16:13,305 --> 00:16:18,577 >> WAIT A MINUTE. SOMEONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE WAS CALLING ONE OF THE RIOTERS WHILE THE RIOT WAS GOING ON? 123 00:16:18,644 --> 00:16:24,650 >> ON JANUARY 6, ABSOLUTELY. >> AND YOU KNOW WHO BOTH ENDS OF THAT CALL. >> I ONLY KNOW ONE END OF THAT 124 00:16:24,717 --> 00:16:28,287 CALL. I DON'T KNOW THE WHITE HOUSE END, WHICH I BELIEVE IS MORE IMPORTANT. 125 00:16:28,354 --> 00:16:34,727 BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONNECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE EXPLORED MORE. >> AS SENIOR TECHNICAL ADVISOR 126 00:16:34,793 --> 00:16:46,872 FOR THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE, DANIEL WRIGGLEMAN RAN A DATA-DRIVEN OPERATION, PURSUING PHONE RECORDS AND OTHER DIGITAL 127 00:16:46,939 --> 00:16:53,846 CLUES TIED TO THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL. >> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IF THE WHITE HOUSE, EVEN IF IT'S A 128 00:16:53,912 --> 00:17:00,452 SHORT CALL AND A CONNECTED CALL, WHO IS ACTUALLY MAKING THAT PHONE CALL. >> IS THERE A SIMPLE INNOCENT 129 00:17:00,519 --> 00:17:08,961 EXPLANATION FOR THAT? >> IT WAS AN ACCIDENTAL CALL? AND THE WHITE HOUSE JUST MISDIAL RIOTER ON THAT DAY, ON JANUARY 130 00:17:09,027 --> 00:17:14,666 6? PROBABLY NOT. >> DENVER WRIGGLEMAN TOLD US HE UNCOVERED A LOT OF DISQUIETING 131 00:17:14,733 --> 00:17:22,841 INFORMATION FOR THE COMMITTEE. >> DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY -- >> REPUBLICAN VICE CHAIR, LIZ 132 00:17:22,908 --> 00:17:29,782 CHENEY RECOMMENDED THE FORMER CONSERVATIVE CONGRESSMAN FOR THE STAFF, PARTLY FOR HIS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE BUT MOSTLY FOR HIS 133 00:17:29,848 --> 00:17:36,088 TECHNICAL EXPERTISE. >> I THINK LIZ AND SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HE DOES KNOW HOW CONGRESS WORK, HOW THE 134 00:17:36,155 --> 00:17:48,434 POLITICAL SYSTEM WORKS. HE WAS IN THE FREEDOM CAUCUS BUT HAS A BRAUB BAACKGROUND IN DAY INTELLIGENCE. 135 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:54,506 >> HE RAN HIS OWN DATA ANALYSIS FIRM. >> MR. CHAIRMAN. >> WHEN THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE 136 00:17:54,573 --> 00:18:08,520 CAME CALLING HE ASSEMBLED A SMALL SQUAD OF DATA MINERS AND ANALYSTS LIKE HE IN THE MILITARY TO COMB THEROUGH 20 MILLION LIN 137 00:18:08,587 --> 00:18:21,333 OF DATA. >> A WAY THAT HAD NEVER HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE WITH MILLIONS OF LINES OF DATA AND CREATE A GRAPH 138 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:27,506 THAT SHOWS HOW THESE GROUPS ACTUALLY INTERMINGLED. >> YOU WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SIX CENTERS OF GRAVITY? 139 00:18:27,573 --> 00:18:35,581 >> YEAH, THERE'S SIX PRETTY BIG CENTERS OF GRAVITY OR SIX GROUPS THAT WE LOOKED AT, AND REALLY IT CAME DOWN TO TRUMP TEAM, TRUMP 140 00:18:35,647 --> 00:18:46,358 FAMILY, RALLY GOERS, UNAFFILIATED DOJ-CHARGED OFFENDERS. SO WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE SIX 141 00:18:46,425 --> 00:18:52,531 GROUPS OF PEOPLE YOU CAN START LOOKING AT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEM. >> ONCE HE STARTED CONNECTING 142 00:18:52,598 --> 00:18:59,238 THE DOTS THIS COMPLEX GRAF EMERGED. EACH THICK LINE REPRESENTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CALLS AND 143 00:18:59,304 --> 00:19:05,244 CONTACTS AMONG AND BETWEEN THE GROUPS. ZOOM IN TO SEE THE DETAILS. THESE ARE CALLS AND TEXTS FROM 144 00:19:05,310 --> 00:19:14,853 JUST ONE PERSON OF INTEREST. MULTIPLY THAT HUNDREDS OF TIMES, AND YOU END UP WITH THIS GRAPH WRIGGLEMAN CALLS "THE MONSTER". 145 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:22,494 >> WE DON'T HAVE TEXT CONTENT. BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE IS HOW LONG THEY TALKED, WHEN THEY TALKED. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. 146 00:19:22,561 --> 00:19:28,300 AND REALLY DOES SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS MUCH MORE COORDINATION THAN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC CAN EVEN IMAGINE. 147 00:19:28,367 --> 00:19:39,244 WHEN IT CAME TO JANUARY O6th. >> FOR EXAMPLE. THE DATA REVEALED FIVE CALLS IN THE WEEKS BEFORE JANUARY 6 148 00:19:39,311 --> 00:19:47,152 BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THIS WOMAN. A STOP THE STEAL ACTIVIST NAMED BIANCA GARCIA. 149 00:19:47,219 --> 00:19:53,892 THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED THIS VIDEO FROM THE EVENING OF JANUARY 5th. SHE WAS PART OF A CLANDESTINE 150 00:19:53,959 --> 00:20:10,509 MEETING WITH THE HEADS OF THE PROUD BOYS AND OATH KEEPERS. THE PARRA MILITARY THE PARRA MILITARY GROUPS. 151 00:20:10,576 --> 00:20:14,246 >> IT IS THE THREAD THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED. IDENTIFYING ALL THE WHITE HOUSE NUMBERS AND WHY WE HAVE CERTAIN 152 00:20:14,313 --> 00:20:24,523 SPECIFIC PEOPLE, WHY THEY WERE TALKING TO THE WHITE HOUSE. >> SPECIFIC WHITE HOUSE RECORDS ARE PROTECTED FOR EVERY 153 00:20:24,590 --> 00:20:35,367 ADMINISTRATION. BUT IN HIS BOOK "THE BREACH", HE PUSHED HARD TO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IDENTIFIED. 154 00:20:35,434 --> 00:20:40,906 >> I WAS VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVE, GETTING THOSE WHITE HOUSE NUMBERS. >> DID YOU EXPRESS THOSE 155 00:20:40,973 --> 00:20:43,809 CONCERNS TO THE COMMITTEE AT THE TIME? >> YES. >> WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE? 156 00:20:43,875 --> 00:20:51,984 >> THE RESPONSE WAS GO FORTH AND DOT BEST CAN YOU DO THE BEST CAN YOU WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE. 157 00:20:52,050 --> 00:20:59,224 >> WRIGGLEMAN REQUESTED $3.2 MILLION BUT ONLY RECEIVED A FRACTION OF THAT. THEY BURROWED INTO THE DATA, THE 158 00:20:59,291 --> 00:21:06,798 MOTHER LODE DROPPED INTO THEIR LAPS, NOT JUST PHONE RECORDS BUT MORE THAN 2,000 ACTUAL TEXTS TO AND FROM MARK MEADOWS, FORMER 159 00:21:06,865 --> 00:21:10,769 PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CHIEF OF STAFF. THERE WERE NUMBERS, BUT NO NAMES. 160 00:21:10,836 --> 00:21:19,344 SO WRIGGLEMAN TOLD US HIS TEAM MADE A GIANT SPREADSHEET, PAINSTAKINGLY IDENTIFYING THE PEOPLE BEHIND EACH NUMBER. 161 00:21:19,411 --> 00:21:27,319 AND WHEN THEY DID, THEY WERE PRIVY TO THE REAL TIME THOUGHTS OF TRUMP FAMILY MEMBERS. FORMER CABINET SECRETARIES. 162 00:21:27,386 --> 00:21:35,594 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, CONSPIRACY MONGERS, EVEN A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE'S WIFE. >> YOU'VE CALLED THE TEXTS FROM 163 00:21:35,661 --> 00:21:40,465 PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CHIEF OF STAFF, MARK MEADOWS, THE CROWN JEWELS. WHY? 164 00:21:40,532 --> 00:21:48,407 >> IT WAS A ROAD MAP. YOU KNOW. IT SHOWED ACTUALLY THE EVOLUTION OF THE BEGINNING ARGUMENTS FROM 165 00:21:48,473 --> 00:21:55,580 ALTERNATE ELECTORS ALL THE WAY THROUGH RALLY PLANNING, ALL THE WAY TO DAY OF. IT SHOWED CONSPIRACY THEORIES, 166 00:21:55,647 --> 00:22:01,720 THE SATURATION OF QANON. >> HOW DID YOU GET THEM? YES. >> GAVE THEM UP. 167 00:22:01,787 --> 00:22:08,193 >> DO YOU THINK WAS A MISTAKE IN. >> IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION I THINK HE 168 00:22:08,260 --> 00:22:13,098 WANTED TO GIVE UP SOME OF HIS TEXT MESSAGES. THIS IS A CAVEAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE GOT THEM ALL. 169 00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:21,640 BUT WHAT WE GOT IS PRETTY VALUABLE. >> YOU SAY THEY PROVIDE PROOF OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLOT AT ALL 170 00:22:21,707 --> 00:22:28,580 LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION. >> IRREFUTABLE. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT 171 00:22:28,647 --> 00:22:35,187 ALTERNATE ELECTORS AS SOON AS NOVEMBER 5th OR NOVEMBER 6th. >> RIGHT OFF THE BAT, COME ON. >> RIGHT OFF THE BAT. 172 00:22:35,253 --> 00:22:41,293 >> THE FIRST MENTION WAS TWO DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION. DONALD TRUMP JR. WROTE THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, THIS IS 173 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:50,135 WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND LAID OUT A RAMBLING SCHEME TO SEEK ALTERNATE ELECTORS, A PLOT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS 174 00:22:50,202 --> 00:22:56,975 INVESTIGATING. WE GET TRUMP ELECTORS, HE WROTE IN PART. IT GETS KICKED TO CONGRESS 6 175 00:22:57,042 --> 00:23:03,749 JANUARY, 2021. ONCE AGAIN HE CONCLUDES, TRUMP WINS. MANY OTHER TEXTS WERE OF BIZARRE 176 00:23:03,815 --> 00:23:12,724 ELECTION CONSPIRACIES. CHINESE PLOTS TO INSTALL PRESIDENT BIDEN AND TREATIES TO SEIZE VOTING MACHINES AS PART OF 177 00:23:12,791 --> 00:23:19,831 GOD'S PLAN. EVEN A CALL FROM REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW AND STAY IN 178 00:23:19,898 --> 00:23:29,574 POWER. FROM THE SHEER NUMBER OF TEXTS, IT SEEMS ALMOST AFTER THE WORLD HAD MARK MEADOWS' PHONE NUMBER. 179 00:23:29,641 --> 00:23:40,786 >> IT SHOWS YOU AN ADMINISTRATION COMPLETELY EATEN ONE A DIGITAL VIRUS CALLED QANON AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND 180 00:23:40,852 --> 00:23:48,794 APOCALYPTIC MESSIANIC BUFFOONERY. IT'S A LOOK INTO THE PSYCHE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TODAY. 181 00:23:48,860 --> 00:23:52,564 >> PEOPLE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WOULD SAY YOU'RE AN OPPONENT. YOU'RE THE OPPOSITION. 182 00:23:52,631 --> 00:23:56,768 OF COURSE YOU'RE GOING TO SAY THIS. >> I WOULD TELL THEM THIS. I'M NOT THEIR ENEMY. 183 00:23:56,835 --> 00:24:02,307 I'M JUST A GUY TRYING TO TELL YOU THAT THE DATA DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN. 184 00:24:02,374 --> 00:24:12,784 >> WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HERE -- >> DENVER WRIGGLEMAN III IS A PROUD SON FROM VIRGINIA. 185 00:24:12,851 --> 00:24:24,496 >> I'M AN APPALACHIAN BOY, MAN. >> IN 2013, HE SETTLED HERE IN 50 GREENE ACRES OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OUTSIDE 186 00:24:24,563 --> 00:24:36,141 CHARLOTTESVILLE WHERE HE HELPED HIS WIFE PURSUE HER DREAM OF OPENING A DISTILLERY. IT SMELLS DELICIOUS. 187 00:24:36,208 --> 00:24:42,747 YOU WANT TO EAT THE AIR. IT WAS HIS WIFE THAT GOT HIM INTO POLITICS. HE MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL RUN FOR 188 00:24:42,814 --> 00:24:49,688 GOVERNOR IN 2017. SOON, A SEAT OPENED UP IN VIRGINIA'S CONSERVATIVE FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 189 00:24:49,754 --> 00:24:59,064 HE RAN, AND TO HIS SURPRISE, HE WON. AND IN 2018 FOUND HIMSELF IN THE SEAT ONCE HELD BY JAMES MADISON. 190 00:24:59,130 --> 00:25:07,272 >> THE ACCIDENTAL CONGRESSMAN I CALLED MYSELF. >> A REPUBLICAN WITH A LIBERTARIAN BENT, HE JOINED THE 191 00:25:07,339 --> 00:25:13,778 FREEDOM CAUCUS, THE MOST CONSERVATIVE WING OF THE PARTY. HE VOTED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP 92% OF THE TIME, BUT SAYS HIS 192 00:25:13,845 --> 00:25:20,785 LOYALTY WAS QUESTIONED, BECAUSE HE'D SOMETIMES REACH ACROSS THE AISLE TO WORK WITH DEMOCRATS. KRISTINE TOLD US THE BEGINNING 193 00:25:20,852 --> 00:25:29,594 OF THE END WAS WHEN DENVER DECIDED TO OFFICIATE THE WEDDING OF TWO GAY CAMPAIGN WORKERS. >> SO YOU WERE THIS STAUNCH 194 00:25:29,661 --> 00:25:35,834 CONSERVATIVE. AND YOU OFFICIATE A SAME-SEX WEDDING. >> YEAH. 195 00:25:35,901 --> 00:25:41,439 KRISTINE'S THERE, YOU KNOW, HONEY, YOU MIGHT HAVE THE SHORTEST POLITICAL CAREER IN THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. 196 00:25:41,506 --> 00:25:45,543 I SAID IT WILL BLOW OVER IN TWO WEEKS. >> WHAT HAPPENED? >> IT DIDN'T BLOW OVER. 197 00:25:45,610 --> 00:25:53,952 >> NO, IT WAS BRUTAL. >> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HOW HE REACTED TO THE CRITICISM? >> I THINK HE STOOD HIS GROUND, 198 00:25:54,019 --> 00:26:02,994 AND HE DOESN'T REGRET DOING IT. >> HE TOLD US HE ALSO DOESN'T REGRET CALLING WHITE SUPREMACISTS CULTURAL PARASITES 199 00:26:03,061 --> 00:26:09,100 AFTER THEY MARCHED ON CHARLOTTESVILLE. >> QANON AND THE CONSPIRACY THEORY IT IS PROMOTES -- 200 00:26:09,167 --> 00:26:16,508 >> OR DENOUNCING QANON FROM THE FLOOR OF CONGRESS. >> THEY WERE SAYING THAT BECAUSE THE GAY WEDDING I WAS TRYING TO 201 00:26:16,574 --> 00:26:23,348 CHANGE THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OF CHILDREN. THAT REALLY IS A QANON-BASED CONSPIRACY THEORY. 202 00:26:23,415 --> 00:26:33,358 >> BUT HIS INDEPENDENCE RILED THE REPUBLICAN BASE. HE LOST HIS SEAT IN 2020 TO A REPUBLICAN FURTHER TO HIS RIGHT. 203 00:26:33,425 --> 00:26:37,128 DO YOU OCCONSIDER YOURSELF A REPUBLICAN TODAY? >> NO. NO. 204 00:26:37,195 --> 00:26:41,599 I LEFT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TODAY. I'M AN INDEPENDENT. I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT 205 00:26:41,666 --> 00:26:46,237 INDEPENDENT. I'M UNAFFILIATED. I'M JUST ME. >> NOW THIS UNAFFILIATED 206 00:26:46,304 --> 00:26:51,876 EX-CONGRESSMAN HAD A SKILL SET THAT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE. HE JOINED THE STAFF IN AUGUST OF 207 00:26:51,943 --> 00:27:02,320 LAST YEAR. WRIGGLEMAN'S DATA TEAM WAS FIRST TO IDENTIFY A TELEPHONE NUMBER IN MEADOWS' TEXT BELONGING TO 208 00:27:02,387 --> 00:27:17,068 GINNIE THOMAS. SHE TEXTED LINKS TIED TO Q ANON, INCLUDING THIS WON, SAYING THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY AND BALLOT 209 00:27:17,135 --> 00:27:27,412 FRAUD CO-CONSPIRATORS ARE BEING DETAINED AND WILL BE LIVING IN BARGES OFF GUANTANAMO BAY TO FACE MILITARY CHARGES. 210 00:27:27,479 --> 00:27:33,718 I HOPE THIS IS TRUE. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THOSE TEXTS? >> IT WAS HELLACIOUSLY 211 00:27:33,785 --> 00:27:40,625 INSIGHTFUL. >> IN WHAT WAY? >> ABOUT HOW THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND THIS DIGITAL VIRUS 212 00:27:40,692 --> 00:27:44,763 HAD REALLY METASTASIZED IN THE GOP. >> YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE AN INFECTION. 213 00:27:44,829 --> 00:27:55,507 >> IT IS AN INFECTION. BUT GINNIE THOMAS SPECIFICALLY, SOMEONE WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE PRESIDENT AND MARRIED TO A 214 00:27:55,573 --> 00:28:02,047 SUPREME COURT JUSTICE PUSHING THAT SORT OF NONSENSE TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT, THAT SHOULD AND EYE-OPENER FOR 215 00:28:02,113 --> 00:28:06,718 EVERYBODY. >> WRIGGLEMAN LEFT THE COMMITTEE LAST APRIL. HE TOLD US ONE REASON. 216 00:28:06,785 --> 00:28:16,528 THEY WOULDN'T SUBPOENA GINNIE THOMAS. THEY PROVIDED "60 MINUTES" A STATEMENT THAT SNAS PART, MR. 217 00:28:16,594 --> 00:28:22,534 WRIGGLEMAN HAD LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF THE INVESTIGATION. HE DEPARTED PRIOR TO OUR MOST IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIVE WORK. 218 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:36,848 THE COMMITTEE HAS RUN DOWN ALL THE REEDLEADS THAT AROSE FROM H WORK. LAST WEEK, GIN EYE NY THOMAS AG 219 00:28:36,915 --> 00:28:56,034 TO BE INTERVIEWED. >>> WHAT WRIGGLEMAN SAID HE GINNI THOMAS >>> AS HURRICANE FIONA LEFT A 220 00:28:56,101 --> 00:29:07,412 SWATH OF DESTRUCTION ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN AND NORTH ATLANTIC THIS WEEK, IT WAS A REMINDER OF THE DEVASTATING ABILITY OF 221 00:29:07,479 --> 00:29:19,457 COASTAL STORMS. ONE OF THE BEST EXISTING SOURCES OF PROTECTION FROM WAVES AND FLOODS IS DYING OFF. 222 00:29:19,524 --> 00:29:26,865 THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH HAS BEEN HIT BY 18 HURRICANES OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST BARRIER REEFS IN THE 223 00:29:26,931 --> 00:29:32,904 WORLD. BUT NEARLY 90% OF THE LIVING CORAL IN THE FLORIDA KEYS HAS DISAPPEARED DURING THAT TIME. 224 00:29:32,971 --> 00:29:39,844 THE SITUATION'S SO SERIOUS THAT MARINE BIOLOGISTS HAVE STEPPED UP THEIR EFFORTS TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO TRY TO RESCUE 225 00:29:39,911 --> 00:29:45,150 THE REEFS. AND THAT'S WHAT OUR STORY TONIGHT IS ABOUT. IT INVOLVES STRANGE UNDERWATER 226 00:29:45,216 --> 00:29:53,124 FARMS, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND MORE THAN WE EVER THOUGHT WE'D NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SEX LIVES OF CORAL. 227 00:29:53,191 --> 00:30:16,147 WE LEFT MIAMI BEHIND US AND HEADED TWO MILES OFF THE COAST WITH MARINE BIOLOGIST ANDREW BAKER AND DIEGO LERMAN. 228 00:30:16,214 --> 00:30:22,587 >> FLORIDA KEYS PROBABLY LEADS THE WAY IN TERMS OF THE SHEER A CORAL THAT HAS BEEN LOST. >> THAT'S WHY IN THIS SPOT IN 229 00:30:22,654 --> 00:30:32,697 THE OCEAN, THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI HAS BUILT SOMETHING YOU'D NORMALLY VISIT ON LAND TO BUY A TREE OR ROSE BUSH. 230 00:30:32,764 --> 00:30:41,272 A NURSERY. >> THIS IS OUR NURSERY. JUST LIKE ON LAND. YOU GROW YOUR CORALS, BRUNPRUNEM 231 00:30:41,339 --> 00:30:47,579 AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE ON A NATURAL REEF. >> DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE YOUR BREATHING VALVE. 232 00:30:47,645 --> 00:30:54,552 >> THE WATER WAS MURKY AND THE CURRENT STRONG AS WE WENT TO TAKE A LOOK. A NURSE SHARK CHECKED US OUT BUT 233 00:30:54,619 --> 00:31:04,963 QUICKLY LOST INTEREST. CORALS ARE OFTEN CONFUSED WITH ROCKS OR PLANTS, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY COLONIES OF TINY 234 00:31:05,029 --> 00:31:11,669 ANIMALS CALLED POLYPS WHO BUILD THE REEFS AND PROTECT THE SHORES. AFTER A SHORT SWIM WE CAME TO AN 235 00:31:11,736 --> 00:31:19,477 AREA WITH 40 OF THESE TREE-LIKE STRUCTURES. HANGING FROM THEM LIKE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS ARE PIECES OF LIVING 236 00:31:19,544 --> 00:31:24,582 CORAL THAT HAVE BEEN PRUNED FROM HEALTHY COLONIES ALL OVER FLORIDA. THEIR POSITION CLOSE TO THE 237 00:31:24,649 --> 00:31:33,958 SURFACE SO THEY GET LOTS OF SUN LIGHT AND NUTRIENTS AND OCCASIONALLY CLEANED OF MICRO ALGAE THAT CAN DAMAGE THEM. 238 00:31:34,025 --> 00:31:42,400 HE EXPLAINED. >> THEY ALLOW US TO GROW CORAL TISSUE VERY QUICKLY. THEY GROW FASTER IN THESE TREES 239 00:31:42,467 --> 00:31:52,710 THAN THEY DO ON THE REEFS. >> MANY OF THE CORALS GROWING HERE ARE IMPORTANT AND THREATENED. 240 00:31:52,777 --> 00:32:00,952 EVERY DIVER KNOWS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH CORAL, SO IT WAS ODD TO BE HANDED A CLIPPER AND TOLD TO START CUTTING OFF 241 00:32:01,019 --> 00:32:10,662 PIECES. WE BROUGHT THE STAG HORN CORAL I CUT TO AN AREA NEARBY CALLED RAINBOW REEF THAT THE PROFESSOR 242 00:32:10,728 --> 00:32:24,108 AND HIS TEAM BEGAN REPLANTING TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO. IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THE CORALS DON'T GET KILLED OFF 243 00:32:24,175 --> 00:32:30,048 BIT SAME FORCES THAT KILL THERE HAD PREDECESSORS. WATER POLLUTION, DISEASE AND A PHENOMENON CALLED BLEACHING IN 244 00:32:30,114 --> 00:32:35,753 WHICH CORAL CAN LOSE THEIR COLOR AND DIE BECAUSE OF RISING OCEAN TEMPERATURES CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. 245 00:32:35,820 --> 00:32:44,762 >> WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CORALS WE PUT OUT ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE NEXT VICTIMS FORLTS NEXT BLEACHING EPISODE. 246 00:32:44,829 --> 00:32:52,870 >> YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE PROCESS OF NATURAL SELECTION, FIND THE CORAL WHICH ARE HARDIER AND CAN SURVIVE IN 247 00:32:52,937 --> 00:32:59,444 HIGHER TEMPERATURES. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. >> TO DO THAT, PROFESSOR BAKER AND SCIENTISTS FROM THE SHEDD 248 00:32:59,510 --> 00:33:08,152 AQUARIUM IN CHICAGO ARE USING A TECHNIQUE TO ALLOW THEM TO DETERMINE THE SURVIVABILITY OF CORAL IN A FEW HOURS ON A BOAT 249 00:33:08,219 --> 00:33:15,259 ANCHORED ABOVE THE NURSERY. WHEN WE ARRIVED, RESEARCHERS WERE PUTTING SAMPLES OF ELK HORN CORAL JUST BROUGHT TO THE 250 00:33:15,326 --> 00:33:23,234 SURFACE INTO THESE CONVERTED PARTY COOLERS, CONTAINING INCREASINGLY WARM WATER TO SEE WHICH VARIETIES WOULD DO BEST IN 251 00:33:23,301 --> 00:33:30,675 WARM TEMPERATURES. A BIOLOGIST WITH THE SHEDD AQUARIUM. >> JUST LIKE ALL OF US ARE 252 00:33:30,742 --> 00:33:37,315 DIFFERENT GENETIC INDIVIDUALS, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT GENETIC STRAINS WILL VARY NATURAL IN HEAT TOLERANCE. 253 00:33:37,382 --> 00:33:45,089 >> JUST BECAUSE IT'S ALL ELK HORN CORAL DOES NOT MEAN IT'S ALL THE SAME GENETICALLY. >> RIGHT. 254 00:33:45,156 --> 00:33:52,997 WE WANT TO GET THE DIFFERENTIATION AMONG ELK HORN CORALS AND USE THEM TO OPTIMIZE RESTORATION PROGRAMS BY PLANTING 255 00:33:53,064 --> 00:33:59,504 MORE ON THE REEF. >> SCIENTISTS ARE ALSO TRYING TO BREETD MOST HEAT AND DISEASE-RESISTANT CORAL 256 00:33:59,570 --> 00:34:04,375 TOGETHER. IT'S CALLED SELECTIVE BREEDING. SHE IS A BIOLOGIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI. 257 00:34:04,442 --> 00:34:13,117 HER LAB IS FILLED WITH VATS OF FROZEN CORAL SPERM. SO THIS IS CORAL SPERM. >> THIS IS CORAL SPERM THAT HAS 258 00:34:13,184 --> 00:34:18,956 BEEN KEPT AT THESE REALLY, REALLY LOW TEMPERATURES NOW FOR A YEAR OR MORE. >> HER WORK IS SIMILAR TO THAT 259 00:34:19,023 --> 00:34:27,799 OF DOMESTIC ANIMAL BREEDERS. SHE AND HER TEAM MIX THE SPERM WITH CAREFULLY CHOSEN CORAL EGGS TO CREATE OFFSPRING THAT WILL BE 260 00:34:27,865 --> 00:34:36,240 MORE LIKELY TO SURVIVE DISEASE AND RISING OCEAN TEMPERATURES. >> I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT HOW DO CORAL 261 00:34:36,307 --> 00:34:41,579 HAVE SEX? >> ALL THE DIFFERENT COLONIES ON A REEF ARE USING CUES FROM THE ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY 262 00:34:41,646 --> 00:34:47,385 RELEASE THEIR EGGS AND SPERM ALL AT ONCE SO THEY'RE ABLE TO MIX WITH THE SPAWN OF OTHER COLONIES. 263 00:34:47,452 --> 00:34:53,858 >> SEX LIFE OF CORAL IS NOTHING TO WRITE HOME B MOST SPAWN ONLY ONCE OR TWICE YEAR AFTER A FULL MOON. 264 00:34:53,925 --> 00:35:01,933 SO SCIENTISTS HAVE TO BE READY TO CAPTURE THE SPERM AND EGGS AT THE EXACT RIGHT MOMENT. >> WE USE VERY FINE MESH NETS 265 00:35:01,999 --> 00:35:07,939 WITH A JAR AT THE TOP. AND THEY SLOWLY FLOAT THEIR WAY UP INTO THE JAR, AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS CAP OFF THE JAR AND 266 00:35:08,005 --> 00:35:15,046 TAKE IT WITH US. IT LITERALLY LOOKS LIKE BEING IN A SNOW GLOBE UNDER WATER. IT'S AMAZING. 267 00:35:15,112 --> 00:35:22,787 IT'S TOTALLY INCREDIBLE TO BE ABLE TOY IT. >> THIS IS WHERE WILLIAMSON RAISES WHAT SHE CALLS THE CORAL 268 00:35:22,854 --> 00:35:29,260 BABIES THAT SHE'S BRED. THE BLUE LIGHT MIMICS SUNLIGHT FILTERING THROUGH THE WATER HELPING THEM GROW. 269 00:35:29,327 --> 00:35:36,467 >> THIS CORAL BABY YOU'RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW IS ACTUAL LIT OFFSPRING OF A CORAL COLONY HERE IN MIAMI THAT WE THINK IS 270 00:35:36,534 --> 00:35:41,739 RESISTANT TO DISEASE GRCHLTS SO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF THESE POLYPS. >> YEAH. 271 00:35:41,806 --> 00:35:48,713 IN MANY CASES I COLLECTED THEM AS EGGS OR SPERM OR PUT THEM TOGETHER TO FERTILIZE THEM. HAVE BEEN THERE REALLY SINCE 272 00:35:48,779 --> 00:35:53,618 BIRTH IF YOU WILL. >> DO YOU FILE WARM AND CUDDLY TOWARD CORAL? >> I REALLY DO. 273 00:35:53,684 --> 00:36:00,458 >> IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT -- >> THEY DON'T SEEM TOO WARM AND CUDDLY. I SHOW CORAL BABY PICTURES TO 274 00:36:00,525 --> 00:36:06,264 PEOPLE AND THEY USUALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM. >> TODAY THEY'RE GROWING SLOWLY ON SMALL CERAMIC PLATES, BUT 275 00:36:06,330 --> 00:36:13,771 THEY MAY SOMEDAY BE GROWING IN UNDER WATER NURSERIES AND REPOPULATING REEFS. >> THIS ONE'S? 276 00:36:13,838 --> 00:36:19,610 >> ALMOST A YEAR OLD. THEY GROW REALLY SLOWLY. THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE CONSERVATION. 277 00:36:19,677 --> 00:36:30,421 WHILE WE'RE LOSING SOME OF THE BIG, OLD COLONIES, SOME ARE THOUSANDS OR HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD. 278 00:36:30,488 --> 00:36:37,795 THEY'VE TAKEN SO LONG TO GROW REPLACING THEM ISN'T EASY. >> MANY NEED PROTECTION RIGHT AWAY FROM INCREASINGLY POWERFUL 279 00:36:37,862 --> 00:36:44,368 STORMS THAT HAVE BEEN BATTERING THEIR SHORES. ONE WAY RESEARCHERS HOPE TO RESTORE CORAL AND PROVIDE MORE 280 00:36:44,435 --> 00:36:52,944 IMMEDIATE PROTECTION ALONG THE COAST IS TO CREATE HYBRID REEFS. THIS IS A SMALL SCALE PROTOTYPE. THE HONEYCOMB STRUCTURES ON THE 281 00:36:53,010 --> 00:36:59,884 BOTTOM WOULD BE MADE OF CONCRETE AND ARE DESIGNED TO ABSORB WAVE ENERGY IMMEDIATELY. THE CORALS ON TOP WOULD PROVIDE 282 00:36:59,951 --> 00:37:04,989 MORE AND MORE PROTECTION AS THEY GROW. >> WHEN THE WAVES BREAK, THEY THROW UP A LOT OF SPRAY. 283 00:37:05,056 --> 00:37:14,865 >> INSIDE THIS SIMULATOR AT THE ROSENSTEEN SCHOOL, PROFESSOR BRIAN HOUSE AND HIS TEAM CAN CREATE THE EQUIVALENT OF A 284 00:37:14,932 --> 00:37:23,107 CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE WITH WINDS UP TO 155 MILES PER HOUR. >> I'LL TURN ON THE PADDLE AND YOU'LL SEE IT REALLY CHANGE A 285 00:37:23,174 --> 00:37:31,082 LOT. LIKE THEY START HITTING THOSE LIKE RIGHT NOW, BOOM, RIGHT? >> WOW. 286 00:37:31,148 --> 00:37:37,688 OH, MY GOD. >> YOU CAN SEE THE WAVES ARE BREAK OVER THAT STRUCTURE. >> THE SIMULATOR CAN TEST HOW 287 00:37:37,755 --> 00:37:51,469 WELL DIFFERENT STRUCTURES AND TYPES OF CORAL ABSORB WAVE ENERGY. >> CATEGORY 5, WOW. 288 00:37:51,535 --> 00:38:02,213 >> UNIVERSITY MIAMI IS DEVELOPING THIS FOR DAR PA, THE PENTAGON'S AGENCY. THEY ARE LOOKING TO PROTECT 289 00:38:02,279 --> 00:38:11,956 PLACES NEAR THE COAST LIKE TINDALL AIR FORCE BASE IN FLORIDA, WHICH GOT DAMAGED. THEY PLAN TO GIVE THE UNIVERSITY 290 00:38:12,023 --> 00:38:17,695 OF MIAMI UP TO $20 MILLION TO BUILD A HYBRID REEF OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. 291 00:38:17,762 --> 00:38:26,937 WHAT ROLE DOES CORAL PLAY IN THAT AS OPPOSED TO JUST A MAN MADE HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE? >> DEPENDING ON THE TYPES OF 292 00:38:27,004 --> 00:38:33,344 WAVES CAN YOU HAVE 60% DISSIPATION OF WAVE ENERGY BY HAVING COURSE ON TOP OF THE STRUCTURE. 293 00:38:33,411 --> 00:38:38,883 THEY ADD FRICTION TO THE SURFACE. >> THIS ISN'T JUST A MAN MADE STRUCTURE STATIC BECAUSE OF THE 294 00:38:38,949 --> 00:38:42,887 CORAL. IT WOULD EXPAND AND CONTINUE TO GROW. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE REAL 295 00:38:42,953 --> 00:38:51,996 EXCITING THINGS ABOUT THIS. IT'S ESSENTIALLY SELF-HEALING F IT GETS IMPACTED BY A STORM IT CAN GROW BACK. 296 00:38:52,063 --> 00:38:57,902 >> THEY WILL PROVIDE THE CORAL WITH SPECIFIC GOALS IN MIND. THEY HAVE VERY AMBITIOUS GOALS FOR YOU. 297 00:38:57,968 --> 00:39:03,474 >> THEY DO, AND I THINK THAT REFLECTS THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM TO BE HONEST. WE KNOW FOR EXAMPLE CORAL REEFS 298 00:39:03,541 --> 00:39:16,520 ARE GOING TO BE FACING INCREASING WARMING TEMPERATURES. SO HERE'S A PROGRAM ASKING US TODETERMINE WHAT CORALS WILL 299 00:39:16,587 --> 00:39:30,434 WILL EXPERIENCE. >> THEY WANT YOU TO FIND CORAL THAT CAN RESIST A 2-DEGREE CENTIGRADE RISE? 300 00:39:30,501 --> 00:39:36,173 >>THAT'S RIGHT. >> WERE YOU SURPRISED DARPA WAS INTERESTED IN YOUR WORK? >> IT WAS THE FIRST AGENCY TO 301 00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:44,281 COME FORWARD AND SAY HEY, YOU GUYS, AS A COMMUNITY WHY DON'T YOU THINK BIG. >> DARPA ALSO AWARDED 302 00:39:44,348 --> 00:39:51,122 CONTRACTING TO RUTGERS, TO USE OYSTERS RATHER THAN CORAL. AND TO THE UNIVERSITY HAWAII CREATING A DIFFERENT 303 00:39:51,188 --> 00:40:02,566 CONFIGURATION OF CORAL AND OTHER MATERIALS. AND DARPA ISN'T THE ONLY GOVERNMENT AGENCY TAKING ACTION. 304 00:40:02,633 --> 00:40:12,243 NURSERY GROWN CORAL IS USED FOR SEVEN REEFS. THERE ARE MANY POTENTIAL OBSTACLES TO RESTORING CORAL 305 00:40:12,309 --> 00:40:23,053 REEFS AS DIEGO LERMAN AND HIS TEAM LEARNED AFTER 2017. >> IT WAS MAJOR SETBACK. WE LOST 90% OF ALL OF THE CORALS 306 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:27,658 THAT WE HAD BEEN GROWING FOR A DECADE. >> WOW. >> IT WAS A HUGE LOSS. 307 00:40:27,725 --> 00:40:34,732 BUT WE ALSO REBUILT VERY QUICKLY. >> THERE'S NOT MUCH ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT A MAJOR HURRICANE. 308 00:40:34,799 --> 00:40:40,805 BUT PERHAPS THE BIGGEST CRITICISM OF RESTORING REEFS OR CREATING HYBRID ONES IS THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO DO THIS ON 309 00:40:40,871 --> 00:40:46,410 THE SCALE THAT'S NEEDED. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU GOT IT, MAN. >> THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO 310 00:40:46,477 --> 00:40:56,287 THINK THIS IS LIKE SPITTING INTO THE OCEAN. THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO COUNT IER ACT CLIMATE 311 00:40:56,353 --> 00:41:01,559 CHANGE. >> WE GET THAT ALL THE TIME. BUT IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE IN THE MEANTIME WHILE 312 00:41:01,625 --> 00:41:08,666 WE DEAL WITH THE LARGER SOCIETAL PROBLEMS WE WON'T HAVE ANY CORAL REEFS LEFT BY THE TIME WE GET THIS OTHER PROBLEM UNDER 313 00:41:08,732 --> 00:41:13,304 CONTROL. >> WITHOUT A MEANINGFUL REDUCTION OF CARBON GASES TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, WILL YOU 314 00:41:13,370 --> 00:41:21,579 BE ABLE TO RESCUE THE REEVES? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE MANTRA IS WE ARE BUYING TIME. 315 00:41:21,645 --> 00:41:30,487 >> THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL THINKS 99% OF THE CORAL REEFS COULD BE LOST IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS. 316 00:41:30,554 --> 00:41:38,662 THAT'S A PRETTY DIRE ASSESSMENT. >> THAT'S RIGHT. SO CORAL REEFS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO BEING THE FIRST GLOBAL 317 00:41:38,729 --> 00:41:47,404 ECOSYSTEM THAT WILL LOSE AS A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANG 318 00:41:48,873 --> 00:41:54,178 . >>> THE LAST MINUTE OF "60 MINUTES" IS SPONSORED BY UNITED HEALTH CARE. 319 00:41:54,245 --> 00:42:04,655 GET MEDICARE WITH MORE. >>> TONIGHT, AN UPDATE ON A STORY WE FIRST REPORTED LAST NOVEMBER ABOUT A GROWING NUMBER 320 00:42:04,722 --> 00:42:13,764 OF AVIATION COMPANIES RACING TO DEVELOP A NEW GENERATION OF SUPER SONIC PASSENGER JETS. ONE OF THEM, THE AMERICAN 321 00:42:13,831 --> 00:42:25,142 STARTUP COMPANY, BOOM, AND ITS FOUNDER BLAKE SHOAL HAD ALREADY CREATED A TEST PLANE WHEN WE VISITED THE FACTORY. 322 00:42:25,209 --> 00:42:33,250 TURNING THAT TEST PLANE INTO A PASSENGER TRANSPORT CALLED OVERTURE AS WE SAID IN OUR STORY, WAS A LONG SHOT. 323 00:42:33,317 --> 00:42:43,327 >> AND WE'RE WORKING WITH ROLLS-ROYCE ON A CUSTOM ENGINE THAT WILL POWER OVER TOUR. >> THIS ENGINE DOES NOT EXIST 324 00:42:43,394 --> 00:42:50,200 YET? >> IT IS A LIGHTLY CUSTOMIZED ENGINE. PART OF THAT IS ROLLS-ROYCE'S 325 00:42:50,267 --> 00:42:57,708 WORK WHERE THEY ARE TURNING DESIGN KNOBS. >> ROLLS-ROYCE WITH DREW FROM THE PARTNERSHIP AND LEFT BOOM 326 00:42:57,775 --> 00:43:04,148 ACTIVELY SEARCHING FOR ANOTHER ENGINE MAKER. I'M BILL WHITAKER. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH 327 00:43:04,214 --> 00:43:04,949 ANOTHER EDITION OF "60 MINUTES."