FOR THE FIRST TIME BEIJING IS ADMITTING THAT A SECRET BALLOON SPOTTED OVER LATIN AMERICA THIS
WEEKEND BELONGS TO CHINA AND, QUOTE, USED FOR FLIGHT TESTS,
CLOSED QUOTE. A FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THAT
BALLOON SERIOUSLY DEVIATED FROM THE PLAN DUE TO WEATHER.
YOU HEARD WHAT THEY SAID AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
THE POSITION OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT IS THE POSITION OF CHINESE OFFICIALS THIS MORNING?
>> POPPY, THEY'RE STILL STICKING TO THE CLAIM IT WAS A WEATHER
BALLOON. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY'RE
ACKNOWLEDGING ANOTHER BALLOON IN ADDITION TO THE ONE SPOTTED OVER
THE U.S. WHEN I ASKED THE MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESPERSON ABOUT THAT BALLOON SPOTTED OVER
LATIC AMERICA, SHE SAID IT CAME FROM CHINA.
AND AS FOR HOW IT GOT THERE, THE EXPLANATION WAS VERY SIMILAR TO
BEIJING'S CLAIM OF HOW THE OTHER BALLOON ENTERED THE U.S.
THE BALLOON OVER LATIN AMERICA IS CIVILIAN AND DUE TO THE
WEATHER AND LIMITED ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIR SHIFT, IT
FLOATED INTO THE AREA BY MISTAKE.
TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS OTHER EXCHANGE I HAD.
>> THE U.S. IS CONFIDENT THOUGH THAT WHAT THEY SHOT DOWN IS IN
FACT A SPY BALLOON DISCLOSING THAT IT CONTAINS SURVEILLANCE
EQUIPMENT NOT NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH CIVILIAN
RESEARCH LIKE COLLECTION POD EQUIPMENT AND SOLAR PANELS.
THE BALLOON WAS FLYING OVER SENSITIVE AREAS.
CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD BE A WEATHER BALLOON?
>> Translator: THE AIRSTRIP IS ALSO CIVILIAN IN NATURE.
WE MADE IT CLEAR THIS WAS AN UNEXPECTED INSTANCE.
BUT THE U.S. SIDE IS DELIBERATELY HYPING IT UP AND
ATTACKING BY FORCE WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IRRESPONSIBLE.
>> POPPY, STATE MEDIA IS USING THAT LINE AND BLAMING DOMESTIC
POLITICS FOR KAES ESCALATING TH. IF IT WAS DELIBERATE, THEY'RE
EMBARRASSING FOR BEIJING. XI IS ON A CHARM OFFENSIVE,
TRYING TO RESET RELATIONS WITH COUNTRIES BADLY DAMAGED DURING
THE PANDEMIC. AND NOW THIS SETS THEM BACK
DIPLOMATICALLY MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM TO CONVINCE THEY CAN
PLAY BY INTERNATIONAL RULES. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORTING
FROM BEIJING. >>> JOINING US IS TO JOIN US IS
JIM HEINZ OF CONNECTICUT. GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR
COMING IN. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> GOOD MORNING, DON. >> LET'S GET TO IT.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY UPDATES ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND IN
THIS DEBRIS? >> NO.
I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY HAS WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF D.C. FOR THE
WEEKEND. WE HAVEN'T FWBEEN IN A POSITIONO
GET INTO A SKIFF TO GET A BRIEFING.
>> DO YOU THINK ANYTHING THEY FIND IS USEFUL INTELLIGENCE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE THAT IS AN ELEMENT LOST IN THIS CONVERSATION.
BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE HOPEFULLY UN
UNDAMAGED, WHO KNOWS, A CUTTING EDGE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IS
HUGE INTELLIGENCE WIN. >> SO YOU WILL GET A BRIEFING?
YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN A BRIEFING ON THIS?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING TO
RECEIVE A BRIEFING TOMORROW AS A MEMBER OF THE SO-CALLED GANG OF
EIGHT. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO HEAR?
>> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE -- YOU'RE HEARING A LOT OF BREATHLESS
CRITICISM OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS.
A LOT OF THAT IS PARTISAN, RIGHT?
THE VERY SAME SENATORS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN BRIEFED THAT ARE
ALL OVER JOE BIDEN RIGHT NOW. THEY HAD JOE BIDEN SHOT THIS
THING DOWN AGAINST THE ADVICE OF THE MILITARY ADVISORS, THEY KRIT
SUES HIM FOR THAT. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN IS
WHAT THE TIKTOK WAS. MUCH WHAT WAS THE DECISION MADE.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT A LOT OF VALUE IN OBSERVING AN
ASSET LIKE THIS. WHAT DID WE LEARN BY WATCHING
THIS THING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME?
WHEN WERE THE DECISIONS TAKEN? MOST INTERESTINGLY, WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO LEARN ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT?
WHO MADE THE SEMICONDUCTORS THAT ARE ON THIS THING?
WHAT ARE THE CAPABILITIES? WE'LL LEARN A LOT.
>> SPEAKING OF, WHEN YOU SAID IN THE FIRST PART OF THE ANSWER,
YOUR COLLEAGUE ON THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE MIKE
TURNER OF OHIO WAS VERY CRITICAL OF THE FACT THAT THE BALLOON WAS
ALLOWED TO ENTER USAIR -- U.S. AIRSPACE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
LISTEN TO. THIS.
>> THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO ENTER THE UNITED
STATES AND IT NEVER SLU HOULD H BEEN ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THE
MISSION F YOU ASK SOMEONE TOW DRAW AN X WHERE ALL OF THE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS INFRASTRUCTURE AND SITES, ARE YOU WOULD PUT
THEM ALL ALONG THIS PATH. CLEARLY THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT BY
CHINA TO GATHER INFORMATION TO DEFEAT OUR COMMAND AND CONTROL
OF OUR SENSITIVE MISSILE DEFENSE AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS SITES AND
THAT CERTAINLY IS AN URGENCY THIS ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T
RECOGNIZE. >> DO YOU AGREE WITH HIS ASSESS
SNENT DO YOU THINK THE PENTAGON AND WHITE HOUSE SHOULD HAVE
ACTED FASTER? >> YOU KNOW, MIKE AR TICTICULAT
ONE POINT OF VIEW. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESS WAS LIKE I DON'T.
THERE IS ENORMOUS VALUE IN OBSE
OBSERVING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AN ASSET LIKE THIS,
CAPABILITIES, MANEUVER, EMANATING, COLLECTING?
WE NEED TO SEE WHETHER THE DECISION WAS DELIBERATE OR
WHETHER IT WAS CARELESS. I'M GOING TO WITHHOLD JUDGEMENT
UNTIL WE GET THAT BRIEFING. >> DID YOU NOT WANT THEM TO
SHOOT IT DOWN. >> WHEN I LEARNED WHEN AMERICA
LEARNED THIS WAS NOT A WEAPONS PLATFORM THAT PRESENTED NO
THREAT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AS SOMEBODY WHO IS FOCUSED ON
INTELLIGENCE, I'M -- I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS THING, YOU
KNOW, A LOT LETS SHOOT IT DOWN OVER LAND.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THIS THING HOLE WHOLE THAN SCRAPING
CHARRED REMAINS OFF A FIELD IN NEBRASKA.
THERE IS VALUE IN HAVING THIS THING BROUGHT DOWN OVER WATER
WHERE WE CAN SALVAGE IN A MORE COMPLETE FASHION.
I THINK, AGAIN, I THINK BRINGING IT DOWN OVER WATER WHERE WE HAVE
NAVAL CAPABILITIES TO GET THIS THING IS A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT
IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE HAD IT BEEN SHOT DOWN AND, YOU KNOW,
FALL NOON A GRANITE MOUNTAIN
TOP. >> SO LISTEN, THIS IS NOT THE
FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. AND YOU HAD INSINUATED THE U.S.
USES SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
DO YOU FEAR RETALIATION FROM CHINA?
>> I DON'T FEAR RETALIATION BY CHINA.
THEY'RE AT THEY'RE THE AGGRESSOR.
THEY FLEW A MILITARY ASSET OVER OUR SOVEREIGN TERRITORY.
BY THE WAY, THERE IS GOING TO BE RETALIATION AGAINST WHOEVER
EF ENGINEERED THIS OPERATION INSIDE
BEIJING. BUT, NO.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO BE VERY CLEAR HERE, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE
SAYING THIS IS NEW AND UNPRECEDENTED.
ITS NOT. WE'VE SEEN THE BALLOONS
ELSEWHERE. IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO
ANYBODY THAT THE CHINESE ARE SPENDING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS TRYING TO GET OUR SECRETS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY CLUMSY
ATTEMPT TO DO SO. >> THEN ALL THE HYPER
VENTILATION, IS THIS HIP OF COURSE -- HYPOCRISY ON OUR PART?
>> WE HAVE NOT FLOWN ANY BALLOONS OVER CHINESE AIRSPACE.
THAT IS A VERY AGGRESSIVE AND STUPID ACT.
IF THEY'RE ANGRY WE SHOT THIS DOWN, SORRY GUYS, DON'T FLY YOUR
MILITARY ASSETS OVER OUR COUNTRY.
WE SHOULD WITHHOLD JUDGEMENT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT IT WAS DOING
AND THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS. >> DO YOU THINK TONY BLINKEN
POSTPONING THE TRIP IS RIGHT? >> YES.
HE DID THE RIGHT THING. >> WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM
THE PRESIDENT TOMORROW? >> I'M HOPING FROM THE
PRESIDENT, I'M HOPING THAT A TWO YEAR RETROSPECTIVE.
THIS PRESIDENT AND THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS THAT CAPPED
THE PRICE OF LINS LYN FOR AMERICANS AT $35, FOR THE FIRST
TIME EVER, NOT EVER, BUT A GENERATION DID A MAJOR
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT THAT IN A BIPARTISAN WAY GOT A
SEMICONDUCTOR DEAL DONE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
GETTING OUR SEMICONDUCTORS FOR CHINA.
THE LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTES IN LAST TWO YEARS IS REALLY
DRAMATIC. I HOPE HE FOCUSES ON THE KITCHEN
TABLE ISSUES AFTER A WEEK OF TALKING ABOUT BALLOONS.
>> IT IS INTERESTING. EVERYBODY COUNTED JOE BIDEN OUT
EVEN WHEN HE WAS RUN AND NOW PRESIDENT BIDEN.
WHY HE IS TRYING WORK WITH REPUBLICANS?
HE'S NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED.
HE DEFIED EXPECTATIONS. YET, THERE IS NEW POLLING OUT IN
"WASHINGTON POST" AND ABC NEWS THAT AMONG VOTERS WHO LEANED
DEMOCRATIC ONLY 31% WOULD LIKE TO SEE PRESIDENT BIDEN RUN IN
2024. 58% WOULD LIKE TO SEE OTHER IN
THE TOP OF TICKET. WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> I SAY THAT IF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE LOOK AT WHAT HE DID AND
HIS FIRST TWO YEARS AND WHEN THE DEMOCRATS HAD THE HOUSE AND THE
SENATE AGAIN I COULD SPEND TEN MINUTES TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT
LOWER DRUG PRICES, INVESTMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, THE FIRST IN
GENERATION GUN SAFETY BILL, A LOT DONE ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS.
WHAT ARE THE REPUBLICANS OFFERING?
THEY'RE TAKING OMAR OFF COMMITTEES.
I WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SEE THE CONTRAST BETWEEN A
PRESIDENT, LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, WHO IS DELIVERING FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE EXTREMISM THAT WE'RE SEEING IN
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. >> HIS POLLING IS ONLY A
SNAPSHOT IN TIME. DO YOU SEE HIM ON THE TICKET?
>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A DEEPLY PERSONAL DECISION FOR HIM
AND HIS FAMILY. I DON'T -- I DO INTELLIGENCE.
I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION ON THAT.
>> YOU WOULD LIKE HIM TO RUN? >> I THINK HE'S GOT A HECK OF A
RECORD TO RUN ON. AND AT THE END WE'LL SEE.
THE CONTRAST WITH REPUBLICANS AND THE NEXT TWO YEARS, SO I
THINK THAT IF HE CHOOSES TO RUN HE'LL BE A VERY STRONG