hostage in gaza. >> you cannot explain the emotions. it's pure joy. >> the four-day pause extended by another two days. >> we would like to see the release go on. we're very happy for the other families but it's really hard. >> there's relief that they've been set free but they still have to deal with that trauma. >> psychological, medical, nutritional, many deficiencies. >> the moment this pause is over the war itself is back on and all of its intensity. >> gaza is a total humanitarian disaster. there's going to be a huge amount of aid coming in to gaza. and that is going to save lives. >> two american women the white house was anticipating would be released were not. they do not believe that hamas was intentionally holding back the americans. >> we want to see them back with their families where they belong. ♪ and we do have breaking news this hour. our own clarissa ward has spoke on the the father of emily hand. this is his first interview since his little girl was let go, leading to that hug you're watching now after nearly 50 days in captivity. he was originally told, you'll remember, emily was killed during the october 7th terror attacks. clarissa is standing by to bring that to us. >> this comes as we are watching and waiting for hamas to release ten more hostages today after the temporary truce with israel was extended for two more days. a fourth round of hamas captives was released late yesterday. and that includes a mother and her 3-year-old twin daughters. their father, though, still being held hostage. take a look at this new video, that's 12-year-old, getting a big, emotional hug from his mom as they finally reunited last night. there are a lot of big developments this morning. but we want to go straight to cnn chief international correspondent clarissa ward. clarissa, you just spoke to thomas hand, the father of emily hand. you have been following this store fri day one. what did he say? >> reporter: well, as you can imagine, phil, he was extremely emotional at times. this has been a horrendous roller coaster. originally he had been told his daughter was dead. then he was told she might be alive. and then, of course, the moment he hadn't dared to even dream of, that moment when she was finally released after more than seven weeks in captivity. he told us that she was not held in the tunnels as many of the hostages were. that she was constantly moved from house to house in her captivity and that she referred to gaza as, quote, the box. talking about her captivity there. said that her physical health was relatively okay, but the psychological wounds, of course, are much deeper. i want to play you this clip, though, phil, where he talks about that first moment of being reunited with his little girl after an agonizing wait. >> she'll be here in a couple minutes. don't believe it. and all of a sudden the door opened up and she just ran. it was beautiful. just like in -- just like i imagined it, you know. together. i squeezed. i probably squeezed too hard. only when she stepped back a little i could see her, her face was chiselled, like mine. before she left, it was, you know, chubby, girly, young kid face. yeah, she lost a lot of body weight. and the color, i have never seen her so white. the other and most shocking, disturbing part of meeting her was she was just whispering. couldn't hear her. i had to put my ear on her lips, like this close and say, what did you say? [ whispering ] >> i thought you were kidnapped. >> reporter: she said i thought you were kidnapped. >> she thought i was in captivity. they thought they kidnapped me. she didn't know what the hell happened that morning. so, she presumed everyone is kidnapped or killed or slaughtered. she had no idea. >> reporter: emily also had to find out the very hard news that the woman she regarded as her second mother, tom's first wife, had been killed in the october 7th attacks. she said that she is getting stronger. she is eating well. she is smiling more. and psychiatrists at the hospital have been very optimistic about her progress. but still, it is a long road ahead. he is so keenly aware of that. he described to us how last night without indicating why she just hid underneath the covers and started crying for an hour and didn't want to be comforted and didn't want to talk about what it was that was upsetting her so much. and he said that the staff at the hospital had said it's very important not to try to coax things out of emily at this stage after what she's been through but to allow her in her own time to naturally process and begin to share more details of what she has gone through. >> clarissa, it's extraordinary to hear those details from the whispering in his ear, i thought, you were kidnapped as well. but there was something he told you they didn't hold her in tunnels. they moved her from house to house. >> reporter: right. the sort of working assumption, i think, had been that most of the hostages had been held under ground in this network of tunnels that hamas has built. but emily says that she was held, along with some others, including a 13-year-old who was basically her best friend, the girl she had gone for a sleep over with, that's how she came to be separated from thomas in the first place and her mother, riya expected to be released with them. she was a second mother to emily during captivity and then at the last minute for reasons that we still don't fully understand, hamas separated riya from hilla and emily. he says that emily told them they were moved from house to house. that there was bombardment obviously. she also said that they did not undergo any kind of physical abuse of any kind, but that she had learned the word now in arabic for be quiet. and you heard him talking about there, the whispering as well. that they understood that they were not allowed to speak very loudly at all. the only activities that they were allowed to do were quiet activities, like drawing and playing cards to pass the time. and one thing that also just stuck with me so much, when he asked her, do you know how long you were held for, she's a little girl, passage of time can be hard to mark let alone if you don't have a clock or watch or calendar, she said she thought it was a year that she had been held in captivity. of course it was 50 days, poppy. >> wow. >> clarissa, the three of them being together, particularly since riya has not been released yet is a fascinating detail. but also her father, when we spoke to him here, you spoke to him, continuously referenced her birthday, which she was in captivity for, released shortly thereafter. did she know -- did you ask, did she know she had a birthday, that she missed her birthday? >> it's not clear that she knew that it was her birthday. i think the sort of any sense of time went out the window. he did say that they had celebrated a little birthday just now where they're currently staying for emily and also for her friend, hilla. he said it was very important that the two of them be together. they became really, truly in captivity like sisters. he described how emily would stroke hilla's ear in order to comfort herself, to fall asleep at night. hilla is a little older, 13 years old. one other detail that really stayed with me. he brought the dog, as i've reported before, to greet her at the border crossing. but when they got into the van and began driving back into israel, he said that the first thing she wanted to do was listen to some music. she wanted to put a beyonce song on his phone. and that was the sort of first comfort for her, the first distraction from the horror after what she had endured. >> and you know, clarissa, when you -- when speaking so many times you have with thomas hand, he talked about wanting to take her to a beyonce concert, right, to give her the world to take her to disney world. she's looking for those comforting things that every girl that age loves. can you speak more to hilla as well and obviously she provided such comfort for emily. >> i think the two of them have become inseparable. tom's focus absolutely right now is on doing everything he can to try to campaign for the release of riya. and he talked about seeing hilla's brother everyday and the pain of knowing that he is so lucky that emily is out and lucky that hilla is out and the pain of knowing that riya is not and he feels this enormous debt of gratitude to riya because she was a mother to emily during that time in captivity. she treated her the same way she treated her own daughter. she hugged her and provided comfort to her and stroked her hair. and that debt of gratitude that he feels, the only way that it can be repaid, is in person and by having her out. and he really had such a strong message on that front, not even just for riya but for all the hostages that the world can't forget and shouldn't forget and must continue to push as hard as humanly possible for their release, poppy. >> clarissa, how is he? >> reporter: he is -- i mean, this is something i asked him about. he talks so much about how emily is doing and what emily is going through. when you ask about her own well being, there's an element of guilt there that he's not being able to overcome fully, which is, of course, irrational but any of us as parents can relate to it, the idea that you were separated from your child that you weren't able to rescue them. he says when he found out that she might be alive, he would fantasize in his mind about trying to sneak into gaza to rescue her. he knew it was absurd and it was impossible. but he was so consumed with this desire, this need, to do everything in his power to get her back. and what kept him going during that time was the adrenaline, being on the road, traveling to new york, traveling to london, raising awareness, giving interviews. and now that that has sort of passed and emily has been freed, he really suddenly felt every ounce of energy, just drain from his entire body. he is completely exhausted. and yet, the only thing that really gives him the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other is firstly to continue to campaign for the release of the other hostages, but secondly to do everything within his power to help emily on what is going to be a very challenging, challenging journey. he said that starts out with giving her a beautiful hanukkah. he said it will be a big christmas. he said we've got to, you know, get her weight up, get her smiling more, get her playing more. and he understands that it will take time and he understands that he has to be patient. and i think he understands as well, we tried to impress upon him, how important it is for him to care for himself as well and to make sure that he also is getting all of the emotional support that he needs. because indeed, it's not only the hostages who have been through such a trauma, but also their loved ones who have been on the other side waiting, agonizing and now grappling for a still challenging journey ahead. >> clarissa ward, thank you for that. thank you for bringing us his story in the days after the attack and continuing to keep him and emily in the spotlight. we'll have a lot more of your interview with thomas hand a little later and get back to you soon, clarissa. thank you. so, again, another hostage release expected today after this temporary truce between israel and hamas was extended. we will speak next with the mother whose son was killed on october 7th and she is now waiting for the release of her 15-year-old daughter. and the suspect in the shooting of three palestinian college students in vermont, pleading not guilty to attempted murder charges. an update on the victims ahead.. ♪ the breaking news this morning, ten additional hostages expected to be released today as the truce between israel and hamas enters day five now. we are told the family members of those who are set to be released have been notified if their loved one is on the list. let's go straight to oren lieberman live in tel aviv. day five longer than they thought it was going to be at the out set. what is the expectation today. >> reporter: absolutely. some time in the next few hours and just so our viewers are aware, it is just after 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon local time. sometime in the next few hours all goes smoothly seems to have gone until now unlike previous days in some cases we expect the hostage transfer to begin. the same process we have seen play out. hamas will transfer hostages to the red cross and different ways and different means they will be brought into israel. we heard from the family of 10 month old that his family's name is not on the list. tremendous effort to see what they can do to make sure he is somehow brought out. either the list is updated. today which seems unlikely or that he is on tomorrow's list. him and his family. meanwhile, for those who have gotten out, we have seen very emotional reunions playing out over the course of the last four days. this is video of 12-year-old running into the arms or stepping off into the bus the arms of his mother. you can see that hug there, a hug that is 51 days in the making. there's also this video. this is four members of that family were kidnapped. you can see the joy on their faces in the hospital. the dog joining in the welcome. he seems just as happy to see everybody as well there. in terms of the process to go from here, the prime minister's office, 173 hostages who remain in gaza, including 17 foreign nationals. according to the forum for missing hostages and for the families, six of those are children. >> oren, thank you for being with us every step of the way. everyone anticipating that expected release in a couple hours. six children under the age of 18 are still being held hostage in gaza. one of them is 13-year-old girl galia. she was declared a hostage after her 15-year-old brother was killed in the october 7th terror attacks. joining us now is their mother. thank you for joining us. i would start with what we just heard from oren. have you been notified at all that galia may be released in this next phase of these hostage releases? >> hi. it's very difficult time, these days, because everyday we're waiting for gali. at night we have the list. and each day until now we heard that he is not on the list. so, very difficult for us. but we're still hoping that maybe tomorrow she will be on the list and we're waiting for the telephone at night to tell us that. >> we're showing pictures on the screen right now of gali. when you see the reunions that w we've seen. when you know more than 60 hostages have been released up to this point. what do you feel? >> just spoke with one of them, the friend of gali that was released days ago, a few days ago. and i was so happy for her and for her family because we all -- from the same kibbutz. gali and her were friends. for me to know that some children was released, it's -- make me happy for them and hopefully know that maybe gali will be released also today, tomorrow or the day after so it's very difficult to see that butt also bringing hope for me. >> have you prepared for that moment what it will be like? >> wow. i can't -- imagine it for 53 days, but i think nothing will be like the moment itself because you can't prepare. we couldn't prepare for the 7th of october and the day after when the children was missing. and each day bring to me, bring to us, the family, another challenge, another new thing to deal with and we just imagine the meeting and the hugging and the quiet that we will be together and we deal with every situation. but we need her to be here with us. >> i do want to ask, i can't imagine, as a parent, going through what you're going through with your daughter while also trying to grieve for your son leor. he was i think a devoted fan. they had a tribute to him on what would have been his 16th birthday. i wonder how you think he would have felt about that as you grieve his loss. >> yeah. i have two children, leor and gali. every memorial that made until now for him, for us it's warm in the heart because we didn't make it ourselves yet. we will do it, but now we don't have time and don't have any -- we just want -- now we're making things that gali will come and leor will be the next grief that we will -- when gali come, we'll have time to grieve leor. until then, friends surrounding us, it's very warm in the heart. that they do it for us. >> the support the community certainly unequivocal. our hearts go out to you and your family. we're certainly hopeful for gali. reuma, thank you so much for your time. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> so striking to hear her talk about, she hasn't even been able to grieve, right, the loss of her son because she's waiting for her daughter. every single day praying that she is on that list. >> how many times over the course of the last seven weeks as a parent you try to think through -- you can't. you can't. >> you can't. >> it's unfathomable. >> we're hoping her daughter is on that list tomorrow. the aid hanging in the balance, aid for israel, the idf in washington making a push for senate democrats who have been critical of israel and want conditions on that aid to change their minds. and the suspect in the shooting of three palestinian college students pleading not guilty to attempted murder charges as officials are working to determine if it was a hate crime. we'll be live in burlington with the latest. stay with us. ♪ welcome back. we are learning a lot more this morning about the shooting of three palestinian college students in burlington, vermont. two of those students do remain in the hospital. one with critical injuries to his spine. the police chief calls this a hateful act as officials try to determine whether it was indeed a hate crime. the suspect, jason eaton pleaded not guilty to attempted murder charges. polo sandoval joins us with the latest reporting. >> here he is in vermont, small storybook town. you wouldn't -- we're just shocked. >> reporter: this morning, one of three palestinian college students shot over the weekend is out of the hospital, according to a source close to the families. the other two, remain in icu. the mother of victim hish m awartani has a long road to recovery. >> he has another month in hospital and several months of physical therapy. currently doctors say he lost function of mobility in his legs. >> reporter: relatives say men were visiting vermont over thanksgiving break where they were shot saturday night. >> the three decided to go around the block. they like to walk around the neighborhood when they're there. each of the other boys have been to my mother's house for thanksgiving twice. and hisham has been visiting burlington for ten years. he knows the community very, very well. >> they were just walking, talking amongst themselves. they were wearing their keffiyeh's, traditional palestinian scarves. this gentleman stepped out of the dark and pulled out a handgun and fired four times. >> reporter: investigators are trying to determine if they were the targets of a hate crime. >> there's no one with common sense who can think about three young men, two of whom are wearing keffiyeh's who were speaking a mixture of english and arabic, walking down a street to suddenly and randomly be without apparently any other motive, attacked by someone and shot by that person and not think that that seems like a crime driven by hate. >> reporter: officers located the suspect, 48-year-old jason eaton sunday afternoon near the scene of the attack. police say he lives in an apartment building in front of the shooting scene. according to an affidavit of probable cause, eaton told atf agents i've been waiting for you. investigators say a pistol found in his apartment matches the shell casings at the scene. and that eaton acquired the gun legally, just a few months ago. he was arraigned monday and pleaded not guilty. eaton is being held without bail. the families of the victims released a joint statement monday calling the attack a crime fuelled by hate and say they welcome the investigation and pursuit of hate crime charges. >> these three young men grew up in remolla. they're best friends from growing up. grew up under military occupation and who would imagine that they would come to a place like this to celebrate thanksgiving and this is when their lives would be at risk. >> reporter: and here in burlington, certainly no doubt that this was a hateful attack, but was it hate motivated? that is the complicated legal question that prosecutors now have to answer. we heard from them just yesterday, poppy, who say so far, it could change any moment, they have found no evidence to support the additional hate -- here at the hospital it's becoming clearer and clearer the more you hear the stories of these three young men, they face a very long journey to recovery, not just physically, but certainly emotionally as well. >> of course they do. that's an interesting and important development. polo, thank you very much for the reporting in burlington. in our next hour here, we will be joined by elizabeth price, she is the mother of h zirks ham awartani. one of the students still in the hospital. ukraine says a town on the eastern front of the war has seen non-stop shelling and fighting. coming up, we'll show you more of this new video from eastern ukraine recorded from a soldier on the front lines. chuck schumer warns that aid could be at risk. we'll be joined by republican senatotor mike rouounds, where thinings stand?? he's witith us next.t. ♪ well, this just in. we have learned israeli defense officials came to capitol hill last night and met with some senate democrats over their war with hamas. source telling cnn that the unclassified meeting gave democrats the opportunity to ask questions about the war as a growing number have grown concern about israel's prosecution of their campaign in gaza. >> this all comes as the end of the legislative session is fast approaching. congress has not yet passed additional aid for israel or ukraine and immigration reform is really the centerpiece of the log jam. senate majority leader chuck schumer says he will bring a national security package to the floor that ties together israel and ukraine funding. he could do that as soon as next week. republican leaders are insisting on making that aid contingent on tightening immigration laws. schumer warning those demands could sink the whole thing. >> the worst thing we can do is make something as bipartisan as ukraine aid on partisan issues as becoming law. sadly that's what may well be happening right now because the biggest holdup to the national security supplement is an insistence by some republicans, just some, on partisan border policy as a condition for ukraine aid. >> joining us now is senator mike rounds of south dakota. he serves on the intelligence and the armed services committee. sir, i'm glad to have you this morning. this is the sticking point, the last we heard in the reporting last night was the issue of parol, for example. you have been supportive of more funding for israel and ukraine, but you also say they've got to be tied to the border. at all costs? is it worth it if it sinks the whole thing? >> i don't think it will sink the whole thing. i think this is actually more of a bipartisan concern. democrats have also expressed similar concerns with regard to the fact that the southern border has to be addressed. we're really talking about the issue of amnesty and parol. these are the same items we've laid out now for several weeks. there are on going negotiations between republicans and democrats. they're serious in nature. i think they can come to a successful conclusion. but, in order to get this aid package, which the president has requested and in fact, he asked for additional funds for funding for border protection security, he's included that in here. and we're simply saying, it will not work unless you change the policies that are in place right now at the southern border. about 77% of americans agree with us on that issue. and we think the vast majority of democrats quietly agree with us as well. it's a matter of getting it done in an appropriate fashion. >> it's about time and how you get there. let me ask you what some of your democratic colleagues in the senate are saying, dick durbin the majority whip said this is a big ask and pointed to the fact that it's been 1986 is the last time we saw comprehensive immigration reform. chris murphy said, i wish republicans weren't demanding that we solve a really complicated domestic political issue in order to keep putin from marching through europe. is that a point worth considering, senator? >> well, i wouldn't phrase it in those terms at all, in fact. i think this is very doable. the american people are simply saying, look, you're asking for about $109 billion for defense purposes. but why aren't you fixing the policies at the southern border where you had 8.4 million encounters in just -- since biden took office. the reality is it's a policy issue which has got to be changed. and it can be changed. and this is not something that should cause a great upheaval within the united states. this is one that should actually be a part of the package. and it's a good thing to get done. we should be defending the southern border. and doing so, you'll get support for the entire package. >> there are currently on the senate calendar 14 days left for you guys to get this done. and you said if we carry into next year it will be, quote, too late and the funding will be gone. is it realistic to get done really you think from those closed door conversations with those across the aisle? you'll get it done in two weeks? >> i do believe that that is entirely possible. and here is the reason why. we know what the aid package looks like. and the vast majority of us recognize we want to support israel. we want to support ukraine. and we recognize also, though, that vast majority of the folks back home are saying why are you sending money elsewhere when we need to fix our own southern border. but this is doable. and the issues are not that difficult. it is not comprehensive in nature. it is specific. it is amnesty and it is parole. it's those two issues. they are both fixable and easily within the realm of getting it done. >> they are big issues. i do want to move on -- >> they are. >> they are. i want to move on to israel and if you agree with some senators, bernie sanders, one of them chris murphy another one, who are saying more aid to israel has to come with conditions. senator sanders has been asking for things like a freeze on settlement expansion in the west bank, commitment to a two-state solution, a real change in israel's approach to the bombings in gaza. do you think it needs to be conditional, more aid to israel? or unconditional? >> you know, i go back to what happened after 9/11 for us. our allies didn't walk in and simply say, we're going to have the following conditions before we help you. and i think right now, as an ally of israel, we have to look at that and say, look, this is their 9/11. let's help them right now. but it's okay for us to discuss with them long-term how that support continues on. >> okay. >> and if their losing the public relations battle, then they need to be told, you may have to look at other approaches to getting this job. >> do you think they are? >> i think they are, yeah. i think they are. i think they are very cognizant of the fact that they need to win the public relations battle as well, but they have to take out hamas. and we should be supportive in that but also be providing them advice. but not necessarily limiting it saying we're not going to provide assistance if you don't meet the following conditions. i think that would be a mistake. >> don't condition it now. senator mike rounds, thank you very much. come back soon. >> thank you. ukraine's eastern front continues to get bombarded by russian forces. coming up, new video from the trenches of the front lines taken by a ukrainian commander. after 50 days of being held hostage, 4-year-old abigail edan final lly reunited with her family. look at that. we'll speak with two of her family members about her return. that's ahead. ♪ ten people are dead in ukraine after severe winter storm left hundreds of towns without power over the last two days. engineers are currently trying to restore electricity to the areas coming as the city of kharkiv completed mandatory evacuation of children. after local officials said there have been increased russian attacks on civilian targets. nearly 300 children left since the november 3rd order. it highlights escalation on the eastern front of the war right now, fierce fighting has raged for more than a month. russian forces have launched a large-scale attack with around the clock shelling and waves of armored vehicles in an attempt to encircle certain towns. we're getting a new look at the front lines from a soldier who recorded his experience in the trenches where he and his team came just feet from russian tanks. cnn's anna coroen has the story >> reporter: cacophony of military fire power fills the air. in coming explosions, out going fire. as one of ukraine's assault infinity units, the 47th mechanized brigade tries to take back trenches, captured by russian forces. we need drones. we need drones says company commander oleg filming on his go pro. the bastards are sitting in the tree line shooting at us, he explains. in a rare interview, the former film maker imprisoned by the russians in 2014 for five years tells me about last month's mission in what has become the hottest spots on the eastern front. >> translator: my goal was for people to watch this and know what this war is really like because it's very important to record it so that people know now and know later what a cruel and terrible war it is. >> reporter: one of his troops has been hit. they remove his body armor to reveal a duck, the tank is coming, yells one of them. and then the war from the sky begins. drone, drone, fpb, says a soldier. i see it, another shouts back. minutes later another soldier is hit, this time shrapnel to the legs. while talking on the radio, reporting on his injured troops, oleg also gets hit, but doesn't realize for a few moments. there is a small hole. you are bleeding, says the female paramedic. patched up, oleg remains focused and composed until suddenly they hear the rumble of tanks. oleg's unit tries to bury themselves had the earth as 1-1 drives by. the female paramedic cries, we are surrounded, the tanks are shooting on us. approximately 40 tons of terror so close, the earth is shaking. drone footage taken by the ukrainian military shows four russian tanks firing on the line. positioned in the trees, three ukrainian groups in trenches spread out over a kilometer. oleg's unit is in the middle. they were the only ones to be spared. >> translator: we failed to hold our position and had to retreat. we had injuries but survived. but the other two groups were almost completely destroyed. >> reporter: this is the first time oleg has failed a mission as commander in the almost two years that he has been fighting. the 47-year-old tells me he wants the world to know the truth on the front line. a war this father of four is returning to this week. phil, this is the reality on the front line. this is what the war in ukraine looks like. and may have fallen from the headlines, the global headlines, but this war is made for every -- being fought every day by those brave soldiers. president zelenskyy described the battle as an onslaught, said that this is the battle that will determine the course of the war, and recently we heard from the commander-in-chief of the ukrainian armed forces who admitted this war is now a stalemate, that both sides are fighting these fierce and bloody fights just to hold ground. >> that's a remarkable piece. thank you. well, this just in. brand-new reporting about what mike pence told the special counsel investigating january 6th. his private warnings to former president trump and why investigators are even zeroing in on a comma in pence's book. and thomas hand waited 50 days to see his daughter emily return from crypto. clarissa ward just spoke to him about their reunion. that powerful l interview w is . president mike pence's conversation about jack smith. abc news is lorpg specific details from the conversations earlier this year. pence was questioned about personal notes he took after meetings with then-president trump and one line of questioning had to do with the placement of a comma in a quote from pence's book. pence wrote that he told trump on christmas day 2020, you know, comma, i don't think i have the authority to change the outcome of the election on january 6th. that comma there is key. abc news reporting pence told prosecutors it should never have been placed there, it was an admonishment. elie, without getting into the comma, what does to tell you that is smith is being that granular about their process here? >> well, phil, this is what prosecutors do. let's remember this trial is going to happen. it is under 100 days away. mike pence is going to be a pivotal perhaps the pivotal witness for the prosecutors. he has this sort of unique standing here where he is both an eyewitnessnd a victim. he is a victim in the sense that he was the recipient of donald trump's pressure campaign. he was the one who the rioters were chanting for. but he is also a witness to crucial one-on-one conversations at times that he had with donald trump and there is no other person on the planet who can give prosecutors the kind of insight that mike pence can give them. the key reporting here is that pence directly told donald trump he had seen no evidence of election fraud, add mike pence to that long list, he didn't believe he had the constitutional authority to throw out the votes. mike pence is a crucial witness and it makes sense that prosecutors are digging in at that level of granularity. >> can we get that the commas for a moment? you read it, you know, i don't have the authority to change the outcome of the election on january 6th or you know i don't have the authority. i mean, that is a huge difference, is it not? what would it do for the prosecution? pence is saying it's the latter. >> commas matter. every word matters. every piece of punk ways matters. think how that changes the meaning of this sentence. it's writing with a comma, which means you know in the conversational sense. you know, sir, i don't think i have the authority to do that. without the comma, which pence says the comma shouldn't be there, you know, donald trump, you know that i don't think i have the authority to throw out the election. so that comma may seem trivial but makes a difference in the meaning of the sentence. >> pence could take the stand when this goes to trial. if you're trump's lawyers, how do you cross examine and question pence as a witness? >> yeah, i think there is a couple of things. first of all, mike pence wrote a book where he came out with some of the details, many details, but not all of them. i think the argument you will hear from trump's lawyers is anything he didn't put in the book is what we call a recent fabrication, something he made up after the fact. he has said that at times he believed there were irregularities in the voting, though ultimately he comes around to at view there was in evidence of fraud. i think he will press mike pence on the fact that donald trump was hearing different pieces of advice from different advisors, some seen as more responsible telling trump there is no evidence of fraud, others say there was evidence of fraud and push ahead. defense lawyers for trump are going to focus on the latter part. >> thank you. commas matter. appreciate it. cnn morning morning continues now. ♪