[George Howell, Cnn Anchor:] A new vow from Kim Jong-un. He says he will shut down North Korea's nuclear test site next month. Plus this
[Natalie Allen, Cnn Anchor:] Donald Trump supporters showed their vocal support, endorsing him for the Nobel. That's what they are chanting because of North Korea's actions.
[Howell:] And Correspondents' Dinner controversy: the comedian who some say took the jokes too far.
[Allen:] There are also questions about that at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world. We are coming to you live from Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.
[Howell:] And I'm George Howell from CNN World Headquarters. NEWSROOM starts right now.
[Howell: 4:] 00 am on the U.S. East Coast. We start with new developments out of the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un putting forward a new timeline to denuclearize He says that his country's main nuclear test site will be shut down next month. And foreign experts and journalists will be invited into North Korea to ensure transparency of closure.
[Allen:] Mr. Kim also says he is not the kind of person to fire nuclear weapons at South Korea or the United States. All this is according to a South Korean official. Mr. Kim reportedly made the comments at the summit with South Korean president Moon Jae-in Friday.
[Howell:] Let's go live to Seoul, South Korea, CNN's Paula Hancocks live on the story this hour. Paula, these new statements from the North Korean leader, walking back some of his past war rhetoric and a timeline to shut down his nuclear test site certainly in stark contrast to what we've heard before.
[Paula Hancocks, Cnn Correspondent:] Yes. Just a year ago, he threatened to turn Seoul into a sea of flames. It's not the first time we've heard that rhetoric from North Korea. That was the standard rhetoric up until a matter of months ago. I think there were some eyebrows that were raised when he said I'm not the kind of person to hit mainland United States with a nuclear weapon. To be fair, I think there were few that truly believed that Kim Jong-un would ever do that. But clearly he wanted that capability to be able to come to this kind of negotiation and what we saw on Friday. But it is the exact opposite really that we have seen from Kim Jong-un over the past few years. There have even been videos made from North Korea, showing Washington being destroyed in a nuclear blast. Certainly that was a move from what we were used to. We do know we have a timeframe at least for this closing of the Punggye-ri test site. We know it's May at some point, according to the Blue House spokesman that was quoting Kim having spoken to President Moon. Again, this is still not directly from Kim Jong-un himself. But he did mention that there were two extra tunnels, two deeper tunnels that were actually in very good conditions. So Kim Jong-un, according to this official, did negate the Chinese geologists' rumors that Punggye-ri was obsolete and wasn't working anymore George.
[Howell:] Paula Hancocks, live in Seoul, South Korea, with these new developments. Thank you, Paula.
[Allen:] Statements from the Korean leaders come ahead of another potential diplomatic breakthrough, a summit between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump.
[Donald Trump , President Of The United States:] I remember, you know, it was very rough, three or four months ago.
[Howell:] This was Mr. Trump at a rally in the state of Michigan on Saturday. Some of his supporters there chanting that he should get the Nobel Peace Prize for the talks between the Koreans and a push for denuclearization. He says he's been speaking with the South Korean President Moon and a U.S. summit with North Korea could be weeks away. The prime minister of Japan is praising the North and South Korean leaders for their announced goals of seeking a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Shinzo Abe spoke to South Korea's President Moon on Sunday.
[Allen:] According to the South Korea Blue House, Prime Minister Abe expressed North Korea's move as "forward-looking," and hopes that this declaration will lead to concrete actions. Let's talk more about the developments, just how serious Mr. Kim is about peace and getting rid of nuclear weapons. We're joined from Seoul by Andrei Lankov. He's a professor at Kookmin University and the director of the Korea Risk Group analysis firm. Hi, there, Andrei; thank you for joining us. If Kim Jong-un is so ready and willing to toss out his nukes why taunt and threaten the world with nuclear annihilation up until the moment he said, I'm done; let's make peace, not war?
[Andrei Lankov, Korea Risk Group:] Well, there are two reasons probably. Actually, there are two possible explanations. And the exact answer is unlikely to be known maybe for many decades ahead. Some people say that he was just playing his usual trick. It's what the North Korean government has done for many years. You need something, you first create a crisis. You look dangerous. You threaten everybody. You promise to make Seoul or Tokyo, Washington, into the sea of fire. And then suddenly you change your tone, you smile broadly and you say, and let's talk. And for your willingness to essentially solve the crisis you yourself created in the first place, you are getting some concessions. Second option is slightly different, probably such a kind of diplomacy war is what the North Korean leaders initially wanted to do but they faced a completely different situation. There is Donald Trump, being the United States president. And over the last year there have been many signs, many leaks and hints that the White House was serious about a military operation. Such a military operation no doubt would become a disaster for everybody, including the Americans. But
[Allen:] I want to ask you that point you made in number 2, so do you give much credit to President Trump then for pushing Mr. Kim to this moment in his leadership? We just heard some of Mr. Trump's supporters chanting, "Nobel, Nobel," indicating they think he might be a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize if this continues along this path.
[Lankov:] Well, I would say I would credit President Trump. But it's also it's sort of disappointing to see how something which cannot be described in any way by international blackmail does work. However it is a very risky game. And I'm afraid that this success will lead to more, I would say, generous application of the same blackmail tactics. In many places in Korean current opinion so and it is likely not just backfire but bring very dangerous results. For example, if North Korea is under
[Allen:] Andrei Lankov, we so appreciate your thoughts. And we hope to have you on again with us to talk more about it. Thank you.
[Howell:] Well, here in the United States, the political divide on full display in what you could call a tale of two Washingtons. Here's the Washington, D.C., Saturday night, the White House Correspondents' Dinner is historically a place where they roast politicians. Many of the punchlines this year targeting the man right there, the U.S. president.
[Allen:] If often does. But there has been war between the media and the president for some time now. In another Washington, more specifically Washington Township, Michigan, President Trump targeted the media and Democrats. Our Boris Sanchez starts us off from the president's rally there in Michigan.
[Boris Sanchez, Cnn White House Correspondent:] The president kicked off his event here in Washington Township, Michigan, by noting that he was invited to another event in Washington, D.C., alluding to the White House Correspondents' Dinner, but saying that he would rather be here among his supporters. The president calling that event "phony" and saying that he did not want to sit there and smile as he was being insulted. The president also took aim at a number of his favorite targets, including the media and certain Democrats, like Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the governor of California, Jerry Brown, before targeting Montana senator Jon Tester. Of course, Tester is the ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee and he had some role in sinking the president's nominee, Ronny Jackson
[Sanchez:] for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The president at one point seemed to threaten Tester. Listen to what he said during his speech.
[Trump:] Senator Jon Tester of a really great place, Montana, who voted by the way in favor of sanctuary cities, who's weak on the border, didn't vote for tax cuts. He took a gentleman, who is a truly high- quality human being, and what they said about him, what they said about this great American doctor, Ronny Jackson, an admiral in the Navy and Tester started throwing out things that he's heard. Well, I know things about Tester that I could say, too. And if I said them, he would never be elected again.
[Sanchez:] The president calling what Jon Tester did "a disgrace." One other noteworthy moment, President Trump accusing Vladimir Putin of planting Natalia Veselnitskaya, that attorney that was in a meeting at Trump Tower in June of 2016 with Paul Manafort, Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner among others, saying that Putin intentionally had her declare that she was an informant to the Kremlin this week in order to sow chaos within the United States. One of a number of claims by President Trump during his speech here. He also talked about immigration and trade, a number of his favorite topics. And the crowd ate it all up to different chants of "Build the wall" and at one point also chanting, "Nobel, Nobel," suggesting that the president should win the Nobel Peace Prize for the ongoing talks between North and South Korea, moving toward denuclearization. The president also saying that he looks forward to the potential meeting between him and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un Boris Sanchez, CNN, traveling with the president in Washington Township, Michigan.
[Howell:] Boris, thank you. Now we're joined by Steven Erlanger. Steven the chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe for "The New York Times," live in Brussels with us this hour. Steven, always a pleasure to have you on the show. Looking ahead to next month, there is potential for a really big meeting between the U.S. president Donald Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Let's put this into context. The midterm elections are just around the corner. Could such a big possible win eclipse the controversial patterns of this president to bolster his party?
[Steven Erlanger, "the New York Times":] That may be one of the ideas. Trump is in trouble with the midterms. Everybody knows that but his advisers keep telling him about it. And he is quite confident; this other part of his characteristic. He just doesn't believe bad news. And it is possible that they will try to, you know, do the PR version of the Kim meeting to help his stature in the world. He would be better off pushing ahead to voters tax reforms, tax cuts. That's what his aides are telling him. Now on the Kim question, you had very some good discussion. But nothing's really happened. Let's be fair. And I would be shocked, shocked if Kim denuclearized. It is nuclear weapons that make him important in the world. As someone said, North Korea without nuclear weapons would be like Saudi Arabia without oil. No one would care. And it is very important that Kim keep his stature because he is running a cult-like country with deep, deep economic problems. So let's see what happens. It's better that they chat, better that they talk and better that they smile. But if Mr. Trump goes in expecting real commitments to real denuclearization, I think this could be very disappointing indeed.
[Howell:] I want to talk about two points that came up at the rally, first, the issue of border security came up when the president was speaking in Michigan. And another threat coming from the president of a possible government shutdown. Let's listen.
[Trump:] We have to have borders and we have to have them fast. We need security. We need the wall. We're going to have it all. Again, that wall has started. We are $1.6 billion. We come up again on September 28th. And if we don't get border security we'll have no choice. We'll close down the country because we need border security.
[Howell:] We have heard threats like this before, Steven. When do statements like this just become empty threats?
[Erlanger:] Well, it is an empty threat because no one's going to shut down the country. That makes no sense. You couldn't shut down the country even if you wanted to. You actually, if you look at the figures, you'll find illegal immigration for Mexico way down and the Mexican economy is doing better. More people are going home. Fewer people are actually coming. But it's a big border and even if there's a wall, there will always be a tunnel. Just look at Gaza. It's not hard to get under walls. So shut down the country? We are an open country. We are a country that believes in trade. We are a country of immigrants. We have been built as the country of immigrants. So this one does Trump very often has a point. This point seems to be simply political. You cannot shut down the country nor would it be a very good idea. This one, I think, is an empty threat.
[Howell:] All right. Also at the rally, the crowd there was chanting. Let's listen to the chant. The chant there, "Nobel, Nobel." This obviously due to the possible breakthrough with North Korea, Steven. The question though, Mr. Trump and a possible Nobel honor, your thoughts.
[Erlanger:] Well, maybe the crowd thought he should get the prize for literature. Who knows what they thought? I mean, making a joke, of course. But you know, I think we are pretty far down to road. Let's see what happens in North Korea. I mean, it's a crowd that loves him. That's why he went there. The White House Correspondents' Dinner was going on at the same time. Trump said at his rally, very honestly, why should I sit there and take shot after shot and pretend to smile? He said that seems no fun. I'm sure it is no fun. And he had much more fun where he was in that other Washington. So the crowd will love. They also were shouting things like "lock her up" about Hillary Clinton. They were shouting some of the things that marked the Trump campaign. This was a campaign rally, the people who were clearly his supporters. Now does it mean a lot? Probably not. Trump did all of his old tried and tested goodies. And they still work with a lot of people who still loved him. I'm sure he enjoyed that much more than he would have done at the other Washington.
[Howell:] Steven, you had me when you turned the corner with the word "literature." So we'll have to see how this
[Erlanger:] Well, I don't think it will be chemistry or physics or economics but maybe it'll be literature.
[Howell:] A pleasure to have you on the show, Steven, always there in Brussels. We'll stay in touch with you as we see what happens next month. Take care.
[Allen:] Maybe they need you to create a new category for President Trump, Nobel. Well, while the president skipped the White House Correspondents' Dinner, he repeatedly encouraged his staff to attend.
[Howell:] But White House officials may not have been amused with some of the jokes made at their expense, as our Kate Bennett explains.
[Kate Bennett, Cnn White House Correspondent:] The annual White House Correspondents' Dinner is wrapping up here at the Washington Hilton Hotel. The annual Nerd Prom, as people like to call it, that mash-up of journalists who cover Washington and the White House, politicians and, although no president Donald Trump was here again, several members of his administration and his staff at the White House. We were told the president personally encouraged members of his team to attend this year when last year they were told not to come. Everyone seemed to be getting along fairly well. There was Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' attorney, chatting on the red carpet with people like Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Sanders. The dinner got underway. Scholarships were handed out. There was a lot of celebration about the First Amendment and the importance of journalism. And then comedian Michelle Wolf took the stage. And that's when things got a little iffy. We always expected the comedians at this dinner to make fun of the president, to sort of joke and roast. However, about midway through her routine, Wolf got a little personal specifically when it came to press secretary Sarah Sanders, who was also sitting at the main table just a few feet away from Wolf as she was giving her routine.
[Michelle Wolf, Comedian:] I actually really like Sarah. I think she is very resourceful. But she burns facts and then she uses that ash got to create a perfect smoky eye.
[Wolf:] Like maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's lies. It's probably lies.
[Bennett:] One topic Wolf didn't avoid was the controversy with Stormy Daniels and the president and the alleged affairs and the salacious headlines. She actually made a joke, saying if we wanted her to be quiet, she might accept a similar payment to the one Michael Cohen made the porn star.
[Wolf:] I'm a woman so you cannot shut me up unless you have Michael Cohen wire me $130,000.
[Bennett:] All in all, I have to say, toward the end of the jokes we watched the room go quiet. We watched people's faces get stony-faced. I'm not just talking about the members of the White House staff or the president, I'm talking about journalists, who also felt somewhat uncomfortable that the comedian might have gone a tad too far in her personal attacks on members of the president's administration, from Kellyanne Conway, again, to Sarah Sanders, Reince Priebus. She also made jokes about Ivanka Trump. The evening, the reviews might come out a little bit differently than previous years. But still Nerd Prom 2018 is a wrap I'm Kate Bennett at the Washington Hilton for CNN.
[Howell:] Kate, thank you. And the U.S. president choosing not to be there for those jokes.
[Allen:] The first president to not attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner other than Reagan, who didn't because he had been shot.
[Howell:] Still ahead here, Mike Pompeo makes his first visit to the Middle East and the U.S. secretary of state and he is bringing a message from the U.S. president.
[Allen:] Also you may have to pay more for your favorite bottle of wine. We'll tell you why global wine we'll tell you why global wine production has hit a historic low.