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At Least Five Killed In Sydney Attack; Iran Expected To Strike Targets Inside Israel; Trump Hush Money Trial Jury Selection To Begin Monday; Famine Already Present In Parts Of Gaza; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Reacts To Trump's Land-For-Peace Idea; Vice President Kamala Harris Slams Trump And Arizona Abortion Ruling; The Masters. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired April 13, 2024 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Well, welcome to all you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

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QUESTION: What is your message to Iran in this moment?

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Don't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (voice-over): President Biden warns, an Iranian attack on Israel could be imminent. We'll have a live report on what it means for regional escalation. Plus:

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KAMALA HARRIS (D), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This ban here in Arizona is one of the biggest aftershocks yet.

BRUNHUBER (voice-over): Vice President Kamala Harris in Arizona ripping into Donald Trump over abortion rights. We will look at how the former president's past comments on this issue could affect his chances in the battleground state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (voice-over): And high winds couldn't stop Tiger Woods from setting a record at the Masters. "CNN SPORT's" Andy Scholes joins us live from Augusta National with all the details.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: We'll get to those stories in a moment.

But we begin with breaking news out of Australia. We're going to bring you a live look at Sydney, Australia. Police there say at least five people are dead after a stabbing attack at a shopping mall.

At a news conference earlier this hour, police said one of their officers shot and killed the attacker. The New South Wales assistant police commissioner said the attacker raised his knife at the officer and she opened fire.

And have a look here in this video, you can see people running from the scene to escape the violence. This was at the Westfield Bondi Junction Shopping Centre. One witness said the scene was pandemonium.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, as I saw a woman lying on the floor in Chanel. So I didn't see him properly. I was running. But it's just -- it was insane. It was insanity. I wasn't expecting it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if some guy running around, stabbing people seems pretty random, probably a terrorist attack.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we're just looking at somebody who is injured down there. We're just looking because everyone was looking to see what was going on. And then we saw all these people running toward this. And then we heard a shot. And the husband dragged us into a dairy (ph) shop.

And then we've got the lady there, trying to lock the doors. And then she couldn't lock the front door. So we went in the office, which is all locked. And then we were in there until the police came together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Emergency services confirmed to CNN that eight people, including a child, were taken to hospital. There's no word on their conditions. Investigators say they're not ruling anything out when it comes to a possible motive. Angus Watson joins us now from Sydney via phone.

So Angus, I mean, take us through what we've been learning about this knife attack.

ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER: I'm, we're right here now outside Westfield Bondi Junction. There is still a major police operation underway.

Looking through the glass here at this mega mall, very large Westfield Shopping Centre, you can see heavily armed police moving through the shops from the outside windows, in heavy tactical gear, with very large guns. This is still unfolding here.

There are still ambulances on scene, authorities checking to make sure there are no people still in this shopping mall, Kim. Now what we know is this all happened just before 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon here in Sydney, when this area, Bondi Junction, was incredibly busy.

Thousands of people enjoying a sunny day out shopping when a man who police are saying acted alone, entered the shopping mall with a knife, stabbing people. He, the police say, that he engaged, they say, with at least nine people.

Now, five people, as you say, have been tragically killed. And the man in question has been shot dead. Now you mentioned that the police are not ruling anything out. But they have said that, right now, there's no initial indication that this was a terror attack.

They are not ruling out terror. But there's nothing at this stage to say that that's what this man's motivation was. Take a listen to what police had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's nothing that we're aware of at the scene that would indicate any motive or any ideology.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) ruling out terrorism (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not ruling anything out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: So, Kim, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has sent his well-wishes to the families of the people who were injured.

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Saying that those people are in his thoughts. But we don't yet know who they are. We don't have any identification on the potential -- on the victims here, Kim, or the offender.

BRUNHUBER: All right. And we'll have -- we will bring more information to our viewers as we get it. Angus Watson in Sydney, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

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BRUNHUBER: New information from U.S. sources about a possible Iranian attack on Israel. A senior administration official and a source familiar with the intelligence tell CNN they expect Iran to carry out strikes inside Israel and they also say Iranian proxy groups could be involved in the attack.

An Iranian attack on Israel could be retaliation for the Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria last week. That attack killed three Iranian generals and several other people.

At the White House on Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden said an attack from inside Iran or from its proxy forces in other countries could happen soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) QUESTION: How in (INAUDIBLE) the attack on Israeli (INAUDIBLE) Iran, (INAUDIBLE)?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to get this security information but my expectation is sooner than later.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Mr. Biden, what is your message to Tehran in this moment?

BIDEN: Don't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh is live in London.

So Jomana, what is the latest on this threat from Iran?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Kim, since that strike by the Israelis on April 1st, that killed senior commanders of Iran's IRGC, the Revolutionary Guard Corps in that strike on the diplomatic, the consular compound in Damascus, everyone in the region has really pretty much been on edge.

Especially in Israel, as they wait and anticipate the Iranian response. And the Iranians have been clear, saying that they will retaliate. And it is something you would expect after such a brazen attack by the Israelis on high level commanders from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

So the question has been since then, what sort of a retaliation are we going to be seeing?

What form is it going to take?

What is the scale?

Where, how will it be Iran directly carrying out this retaliatory strike or strikes or are we going to be seeing Iran using its proxies and allies in the region to do this?

Now what we are hearing from various U.S. sources, U.S. officials, in the last 24 hours is that they're saying that this is pretty much looking imminent at this point. As you heard from President Biden, there, they are also saying that this is going to be Iran carrying out an attack inside Israel.

It could also potentially be using its proxy in these attacks, that it would potentially involve drones and missiles. And one -- and a number of U.S. officials as well, telling CNN that they have intelligence that the Iranians have been moving assets, military assets and weapons inside the country, including drones, cruise missiles.

According to one official, up to 100 cruise missiles being readied. It is unclear whether this is going to be used in the Iranian retaliation or if this is posturing, Kim, because Israel has made clear, if it is attacked, it is going to respond as well inside Iran.

So if this is Iran posturing in anticipation of any sort of response but we also need to keep in mind we have also heard from sources, Kim, saying that the Iranians want to respond as they have made clear.

But at the same time they want this to be a calculated and measured response.

The big question also remains not only how will Iran respond but how will Israel respond to any sort of attack by the Iranians as well?

BRUNHUBER: Yes, so much is still unknown. Appreciate the update. Jomana Karadsheh in London. Appreciate that.

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Now, joining me is Farzan Sabet. He is a senior research associate with the Geneva Graduate Institute.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So to build on what we were just discussing there, in terms of Iran's likeliest options, Tehran could, for example, carry a type of tit-for-tat, an attack on an Israeli diplomatic facility in another country. They could attack Israel directly.

And you think the likeliest here might be an attack carried out via one of Iran's proxies?

What do you think is the most likely scenario here?

FARZAN SABET, SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, GLOBAL GOVERNANCE CENTRE AND SANCTIONS AND SUSTAINABLE PEACE HUB, GGI: (INAUDIBLE) thank you very much for having us. We're having (INAUDIBLE) questions.

So I think Iran is less likely to retaliate using one of its proxies simply because they may be seen as up to snuff in terms of responding to the damage that Israel (INAUDIBLE) as well as killing three very senior military officers. And (INAUDIBLE) officers.

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So I think some (INAUDIBLE) on direct retaliation by Iran itself is in order (INAUDIBLE) for Monday's supplemented (INAUDIBLE) attacks from absolute resistance (INAUDIBLE) Yemen work with Syria and Iraq.

BRUNHUBER: You talked about sort of pleasing hardliners.

I wonder who's actually making the decisions on this and what role do those hardliners play here?

SABET: At the most senior level, these types of decisions are made by the supreme national security council, which is the hottest decision- making body on national decision, national security questions and enforced any attack of this level would have to have the sign-off of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Probably at this moment, the instinct of these very senior decision-

makers is to base them (INAUDIBLE), which is then if the attack is perceived as being too weak, not (INAUDIBLE) anger, (INAUDIBLE) have perceived that Iran has not responded (INAUDIBLE) enough to the assassination and killings of Iranian (INAUDIBLE) officers even going before October (INAUDIBLE).

But also Israel's very likely to conduct such strong and forceful attacks that (INAUDIBLE).

BRUNHUBER: Messages have been going back and forth between the U.S. and Iran through diplomatic channels.

How effective do you think that diplomacy will be?

And how likely is it, do you think, that, despite that, this attack or after -- after the attack and Israel's response, it might trigger an offensive spiral that might eventually involve the U.S.?

SABET: I think probably given the number and the level of messages that have been going to Iran, both from the United States, indirectly for European officials, for Arab officials, through Turkish officials, as well as others, I think they're unlikely to be somewhat effective in scaling back the level (INAUDIBLE) of the response.

The other side of the goldilocks dilaudid (ph) we were discussing is that if Iran attacks it too strong, then Israel will feel forced to respond. And potentially (INAUDIBLE) conflict that Iran does not want.

And furthermore, could provide the (INAUDIBLE). So I think the weapons with here (INAUDIBLE) attacking two weeks (INAUDIBLE). And so these types of diplomatic decisions (INAUDIBLE) a very important role in helping Iran (INAUDIBLE) scale back (INAUDIBLE).

BRUNHUBER: We will have to leave it there but really appreciate your analysis, Farzan Sabet, thank you so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come, what Donald Trump is doing to help U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who faces the threat of being ousted by hardline conservatives.

Plus Trump's first criminal trial begins on Monday and he faces possible jail time. We'll take a closer look at how challenging jury selection could be. That's all just ahead. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Former President Donald Trump showed his support for House Speaker Mike Johnson during a joint press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Now it comes amid a push from fellow Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to oust Johnson from the speakership.

Trump said Johnson is, quote, "doing a very good job," adding that he knows Greene has a lot of respect for the Speaker. Trump also spoke about his criminal hush money trial set to begin Monday in New York.

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TRUMP: Jury selection is largely luck. It depends who you get. It's very unfair that I'm having a trial there.

I'm testifying. I tell the truth. I mean, all I can do is tell the truth and the truth is that there's no case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Despite Trump's continued efforts to delay the trial, sources say he will be in the courtroom when jury selection starts on Monday. He's charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, stemming from payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

CNN's Jessica Schneider is in Washington with more.

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TRUMP: This is election interference.

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump's outsized personality could present a challenge to lawyers Monday as they set out to find 18 unbiased Manhattan residents to decide Trump's criminal hush money case.

SCHNEIDER: You have a former president of the United States, someone who is very controversial, how difficult is it going to be to seat a jury based on the defendant here?

DR. LESLIE ELLIS, JURY CONSULTANT: I think it's going to be difficult. It's going to take a long time.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Dr. Leslie Ellis (ph) has worked as a jury consultant for 25 years. She estimates it could take more than a week for lawyers to settle on 12 jurors plus six alternates. And for both sides, it may be more about weeding out the wrong ones than finding the right ones.

ELLIS: One sort of overriding premise of jury selection is that it's a misnomer, it's jury de-selection. It's sort of finding those two or three people who really sort of scare you for whatever reason and to get rid of them.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Hundreds of potential jurors will arrive at the Manhattan criminal courthouse Monday morning. Once inside the courtroom, they'll come face to face with Trump. He has the right to sit through jury selection and sources tell CNN he plans to be there. Anyone with conflicts like knowing someone involved in the case or strong biases they can't disregard will likely be immediately dismissed.

Then the work begins.

Each juror will have to answer 42 very specific questions out loud inside the courtroom. They range from where they live to whether they support extremist groups like QAnon, the Proud Boys or Antifa. They'll even be asked to disclose what news organizations they listen to.

JEREMY SALAND, FORMER MANHATTAN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It's really getting to understand who this juror is. What this juror is going to do when he or she gets the evidence. How is this juror going to interact with his co-jurors?

It's your only opportunity to get a feel for them as people and not as number one, two, three, et cetera.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): This jury will be very different from the last one Trump faced during the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. That jury was in federal court and the jurors came not only from Manhattan but also a diverse array of surrounding counties.

[05:20:00]

This jury will only be drawn from Manhattan, where voters overwhelmingly chose Joe Biden in 2020, nearly 87 percent to 12 percent.

ELLIS: Political affiliation doesn't necessarily mean bias, right?

And that's what they're going to have to figure out. There may be lots of reasons for somebody to vote for a candidate that don't necessarily de facto translate into a bias for or against the other candidate.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): The jurors who ultimately get selected will not be known to the public. Their names, images and identities will not be released, even though lawyers on both sides will know their names. Dr. Ellis says Trump's attorneys and prosecutors will have to be on high alert for any potential juror who might hide their true feelings in an effort to ultimately upend deliberations.

ELLIS: I'm not a big believer that stealth jurors are everywhere. But in a case like this, there is definitely a higher risk of a stealth juror, meaning someone who intentionally keeps quiet about an opinion to get on the jury. They're not that common. They're not as common as a lot of people think. But here, that's a real risk.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Jessica Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And you can watch CNN's special coverage of the Trump hush money trial Monday at 9:00 am in New York, 2:00 pm in London.

All right. After the break, Israel now says it will flood Gaza with aid. But famine malnutrition are already there and that's next.

Plus former president Trump signals he could get behind more aid for Ukraine but he won't give it away. We'll explain. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

An update now on the breaking news in Sydney, Australia. Police say there are at least five people who've been killed after a stabbing attack at a shopping mall. Moments ago, Australia's prime minister said the attack was, quote, "beyond words or understanding."

At a news conference last hour, police said one of their officers shot and killed the attacker. The New South Wales assistant police commissioner said the attacker raised his knife at the officer and she opened fire. One man told reporters, he saw it happen. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll go out and getting (INAUDIBLE) on the bus. And (INAUDIBLE) just coming around the corner. I saw, yes, a fellow and green and yellow T-shirt. And he's gone that way.

But then I saw him go the other way and I heard people yelling and screaming, running. So I said OK and there must be something going on. So I saw the yell -- wanted a copper so I thought -- so I saw her and I followed her all the way upstairs, up near there.

And I followed her. And just as we got to around the clock, around the corner, because I saw them coming, just as we were coming around the corner, there he was. He just come in and just start a flattened (ph) toward us in order.

He was, put it down, and then she shot him. But we are not in -- she didn't shoot him. Well, he went to (INAUDIBLE). He was on the rampage. He was on quite a rampage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Emergency services confirmed to CNN that eight people, including a child, were taken to hospital. There's no word on their conditions. Investigators say they are not ruling anything out when it comes to a possible motive. Angus Watson joins us now from Sydney via phone.

So Angus, still a lot unknown but take us through what we are learning about this horrific attack. WATSON: Kim, right here outside Westfield in Bondi Junction, Sydney's

east, it is still a scene of a major police undertaking underway. Federal and state police officers here onto the -- on site as well as ambulances and paramedics here.

We are not sure right now what the status is inside the more there is a possibility that there still might be people inside. That's what the police are they're looking for. People still hiding hours after this attack happened.

When around 3:30 in the afternoon, a man, who police say was acting alone entered this very busy shopping mall, swinging a knife, stabbing people, killing at least five. One of the people that he injured was a baby, who has now been taken to hospital, Kim.

So as we just heard from the witness there, the attacker was taken down, shot by a police officer. Now prime minister Anthony Albanese, just speaking now, labeled her a brave hero. She was alone. She did not have any backup nor did she wait for other police officers to arrive before she entered the mall, tracked down the attacker and shot him dead there.

The prime minister saying that, if she hadn't done that, put herself in danger in that way, that more people would have died.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, an act of bravery and heroism for sure. And Angus, a public attack like this -- five dead, at least several injured, including a child -- I mean, it's not something Australians are used to seeing.

How are people there reacting to this tragedy?

WATSON: With shock certainly, Kim, because not expected here in Sydney. This was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, people out shopping in a busy and vibrant area of town, enjoying themselves, going about their business.

And this attack occurring is just -- has taken people absolutely by surprise and the horror that you heard from the prime minister as well, saying that there aren't words to describe the horror that people here have seen, just as they go about their business, Kim.

Police here now marshaling the situation. Much more information will come out about the motivation for this horrific act of violence. We just don't know yet.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, police say the threat is over but the motive still unknown. Angus Watson in Sydney. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

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BRUNHUBER: All right.

[05:30:00]

Now to the violence and turmoil in the Middle East. Two sources tell CNN they expect Iran to carry out strikes inside Israel. Now that comes from a senior administration official and a source familiar with the intelligence.

Last week Israel struck an Iranian consulate in Syria. U.S. President Joe Biden says he expects Iranian retaliation will happen sooner rather than later.

Asked what message he wants to send to Iran, Biden replied, "Don't."

Israel says it carried out airstrikes on Friday against Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The IDF says the strikes hit military buildings Hezbollah was using. Hezbollah says it retaliated by firing dozens of rockets into Israel.

Now amid the Israel-Hamas war, the United Nations has warned repeatedly that Palestinian civilians were at risk of famine. As Jeremy Diamond reports, it's happening now in parts of Gaza.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rami Uttar(ph) has been waiting two months for this single box of humanitarian aid, cans of meat and vegetables to feed his

family of seven.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This will be gone in 10 days. He says his frustration unmistakable. I don't know how it's going to be enough

for seven people. I've been suffering here, being stuck for the last six to seven months and the U.N. hasn't brought me anything to at least satiate

my hunger.

Six months into the war, famine is creeping into parts of Gaza. Humanitarian aid agencies have been sounding the alarm for months but now

amid ramped up U.S. pressure, Israel is suddenly taking major steps to increase humanitarian aid. "We plan to flood Gaza with aid," Defense

Minister Yoav Gallant said this week, describing a new phase of humanitarian assistance that will see more aid flow into Israel's port of

Ashdod and into Gaza via a new northern crossing point.

Overnight, the first trucks of food aid crossing into northern Gaza via that new crossing point. Israel says it has nearly doubled the number of

humanitarian aid trucks getting into Gaza over the last week, screening close to 400 trucks per day.

JAMIE MCGOLDRICK, HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR, UNITED NATIONS: Yes, we're dealing with the wrong part of the system --

DIAMOND: Jamie McGoldrick; the U.N.'s Humanitarian Coordinator says it's clear Israel is suddenly shifting its approach to humanitarian aid.

MCGOLDRICK: Well, that's for sure. I mean, there has been a change. We've been asking for this for months. The fight, we would ask for more -- they

say Kerem Shalom to be open longer. We've asked for more routes and the corridor for job and we've asked for all of the things that no start to

say they're going to give us.

They'd ask the question, why didn't we get it before?

DIAMOND: For months, Israeli leaders have rejected accusations that they are limiting aid into Gaza or intentionally starving its population.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL: Well, our policies is to not to have famine but to have the entry of humanitarian support as needed and

as much as it's needed.

DIAMOND: But the sudden ramp-up, almost like flipping a switch suggests Israel could have done a lot more a lot sooner.

MCGOLDRICK: Well, I think it was never seen to be a priority. I mean, I think for them, it's the war aims, the objectives of the war, that was

first and foremost. We're either seen as a -- of a second priority or even a nuisance value.

DIAMOND: Data from UNRWA, the U.N.'s main agency in Gaza shows that Israel has steadily allowed more aid into Gaza since opening up humanitarian

crossings on October 21st, with the exception of February, when the number of aid trucks dropped to less than a 100 per day before slowly increasing

again in March.

But those numbers are all well below the 500 humanitarian aid and commercial trucks that entered Gaza every day before the war. The impact of

insufficient aid has been obvious for months. It is marked all over the emaciated face of little Layla Jained (ph), barely three months old.

She is among the 30 percent of children in northern Gaza who are suffering from acute malnutrition and who desperately need more aid now -- Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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BRUNHUBER: Ukraine says at least two people were killed in a barrage of Russian strikes over the past 24 hours. Officials say more than 20 others were injured in attacks targeting at least three Ukrainian regions. About 20 settlements in the northeast took artillery fire.

And the Donetsk region was struck by mortars and artillery more than 2,000 times.

Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump may get on board with more aid for Ukraine if Kyiv eventually pays it back. He spoke after meeting House Speaker Mike Johnson at Trump's resort in Florida on Friday. Johnson has been holding up about $60 billion in military aid for months.

Ukraine's president warned in recent days his country will lose the war without more U.S. help. Trump, who is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're looking at it right now and they're talking about it and we're thinking about making it in the form of a loan instead of just a gift. We keep handing out gifts of billions and billions of dollars.

[05:35:02]

And we'll take a look at it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Vice President Kamala Harris is on the offensive over reproductive rights and she's blasting Trump for his role in rolling back abortion protections. More on her push to energize voters after the break. Plus we will look at where Arizona voters stand on the issue and if it turns the state from red to blue. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: After bragging about his role in ending the constitutional right to abortion in the U.S., Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he no longer supports a federal abortion ban. That's just one of his recent flip-flops on the issue. Here's what he said on Friday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: You have both considered yourself pro-choice and pro-life. Which one is it?

TRUMP: Well, you know exactly which one it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Well, Vice President Kamala Harris blasted Trump at a rally in Arizona. Harris warned that a second Trump presidency would be worse than the first when it comes to reproductive rights.

She also slammed Arizona's supreme court recent ruling that upheld an 1864 law banning almost all abortions. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has more from Tucson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Vice President Kamala Harris' trip to Tucson, Arizona, provided a window into 2024 and how Democrats are framing the issue of abortion and how they plan to attack former president Donald Trump, only moments before the vice president took the stage.

Trump said that he broke Roe versus Wade and also said that states are doing exactly what they should on the issue of abortion. The vice president immediately hitting back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS (D), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And just minutes ago, standing beside speaker Johnson, Donald Trump just said the collection of state bans is, quote, "working the way it is supposed to."

And as much harm as he has already caused, a second Trump term would be even worse.

[05:40:08]

Donald Trump's friends in the United States Congress are trying to pass a national ban.

And understand, a national ban would outlaw abortion in every state, even states like New York and California. Now Trump wants us to believe he will not sign a national ban. Enough with the gaslighting. Enough with the gaslighting.

ALVAREZ: The vice president also said that Donald Trump wants to take America back to the 1800s, referring there to the law that the Arizona supreme court ruling revived earlier in the week.

Then also saying that that decision was, quote, "inflection point" and trying to tie these unpopular abortion bans across the country to Donald Trump calling them, quote, "Trump abortion bans."

Now of course, the Biden campaign sees this issue as a salient, political one heading into November and one that they're trying to use to mobilize voters to the polls later this year.

The vice president uniquely positioned on this issue. She, earlier this year, launched her Reproductive Freedoms Tour. She's on six stops nationwide where she has repeatedly talked about this and tied the overturning of Roe to former president Donald Trump.

Now the Biden campaign is also pouring more money into the state of Arizona, where they will be airing more abortion-related ads in this critical battleground state, where voter turnout will be important for the Biden campaign -- Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: For more on this, I'm joined by Barrett Marson, a GOP political consultant.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So you're in Arizona; you're seeing plenty of visits from high-profile Democrats these days. Obviously, they're keen to seize on this abortion as a winning issue. They want to transform the 2024 race into another referendum on abortion rights.

So what do you make of what the vice president said and the efforts especially to tie Donald Trump to these policies?

BARRETT MARSON, GOP POLITICAL CONSULTANT: Well, first of all, thanks for having me on, Kim. I appreciate it.

Well, look, there is no one else to blame that is still alive, at least for the 1864 pre-statehood law that bans virtually every single abortion. Donald Trump will be the one who bears the brunt likely for letting this essentially come into law.

This is a hugely winning issue, at least in Arizona. We are a swing state. The Biden administration hasn't been kind to Arizona. Interest rates for homes are 7 percent. Gas is $4 a gallon and even eggs are $3-$4 a dozen.

It was -- he, the president, faced a lot of headwinds. But this issue turns -- potentially turns Arizona from a Trump state to a Biden state. So it's no doubt they will take advantage of that here in the state.

(CROSSTALK)

BRUNHUBER: Donald Trump ran away from a national ban and did call for abortion to be decided by the States. And then a day later, this Arizona decision. So I mean, you've called this issue an albatross around Trump's neck.

Will that albatross stay put basically throughout the race, given that he has come out and said the Arizona law goes too far?

Will that make a difference? MARSON: Well, the problem is he has said many things about abortion. It depends on the day and while sure, leaving it up to the States is great and it has been a Republican ideology for decades, the problem is in Arizona.

Leaving it up to the States means a near-total ban and that is not where the Arizona electorate is. There will almost certainly be a initiative, a citizen initiative, on the ballot in November.

So Donald Trump will be running at the same time that there is a initiative to allow abortion up to 24 weeks, which is much more liberal than the 15-week abortion ban that we -- that is sort of current law for a few more weeks.

BRUNHUBER: You talked about the electorate there. So I want to ask you about this. The argument, I guess is that it won't hurt Trump with his own voters, who understand, as you said, he has no particular ideology.

And they'll stick with them no matter what he says or does, I guess. But you've seen the polling among independents, that almost seven in 10 independents support a federal right to abortion.

MARSON: Yes. But it is not just independents. It is right-leaning independents but moderate Republicans and even some conservative Republicans who would consider themselves pro-life. They still want for abortion to be legal, though rare.

[05:45:00]

And if you give them a choice of zero or maybe something a little too liberal, they are likely to pick something a little too liberal that goes a little too far rather than an absolute ban. And that's the problem for Republicans up and down the ballot, starting with Trump and U.S. Senate candidate --

(CROSSTALK)

BRUNHUBER: Yes, let's talk about that, up and down the ballot. You've already said Arizona, of course, a battleground state and not top of the presidential race. There's a toss-up Senate race, a pair of close congressional seats up for grabs.

I mean, many Arizona Republicans have been pretty consistent, calling for strict abortion bans. Now they're the no proverbial dog that caught the mail truck on this issue. And now they're trying to run as far as they can the other way.

Senate candidate Kari Lake's flip-flop on the issue comes to mind.

So how much more competitive does this issue make those seats?

MARSON: Well, I think you see what it does. Kari Lake was a staunch pro-life candidate in the last election that she lost for governor. And now she's practically pro-choice. It is an amazing flip-flop that we have seen from her in such a short period of time. Because one thing she does understand, she does understand where the

Arizona electorate is and they are not supportive of an 1864 law that practically bans abortion in the state.

So she is at least smart enough to flip-flop.

BRUNHUBER: What we're seeing in Arizona is obviously a battle that we will see across the country in 2024. Republicans say they want to take the abortion issue off the table.

So how do they do this when polls show so many people care deeply about this issue, including their base?

MARSON: Yes, the problem is it's been laid on the table. And look, it has been Republican ideology for a couple of generations, right, to get rid of Roe v. Wade and bring it back to the States. And that is exactly where it is.

And now that that has occurred, it's a problem for in a -- even in a -- still a Republican state, still a conservative state but also a libertarian state, such as Arizona, because there is support for having some legal access to abortion. And Republican candidates are going to have to go up against that this cycle.

BRUNHUBER: Be fascinating to see how this plays out in Arizona and across the country. Barrett Marson, thank you so much for speaking with us. Really appreciate it.

MARSON: Thank you. Have a great day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Still ahead, Tiger Woods overcame wind and weariness during day two of the Masters and set a new record for the legendary course. "CNN SPORT's" Andy Scholes joins me next from Augusta National to tee it up for us. Stay with us.

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[05:50:00]

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BRUNHUBER: Well, we've officially hit the halfway mark at the 88th edition of the Masters and the weekend begins with a three-way tie at the leaderboard. "CNN SPORT's" Andy Scholes joins me now, live from Augusta ahead of the third round.

And Andy, I understand that it's also known as moving day. So explain that.

And who's making a move today?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's called moving day because we get to see who can move up the leaderboard and really have a chance to win this tournament on Sunday.

And hey, Tiger Woods is still in it. He was able to survive the wild wind gusts we had out here yesterday in Augusta and make a record 24th straight cut at the Masters. Tiger had four birdies and four bogeys on the day to finish at even par.

That leaves him at one over through the first two rounds of this tournament. Certainly an impressive showing for Tiger. He had finished his first round yesterday morning and played a total of 23 holes on the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, GOLF PRO: I'm tired.

I've been off for a while competing, grinding. It's been a long in 23 holes, a long day. But last night really did some good fighting today and was -- we've got a chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

The Tiger tees off at 12:45 Eastern later today, he's seven shots back of the lead. You got three guys tied at the top of the leaderboard right now. That's Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa.

Scottie Scheffler, he's ranked number one in the world right now, the overwhelming betting favorite coming into this tournament. He's looking for a second green jacket after winning two years ago.

He had to play late in the afternoon yesterday and he was able to survive those crazy wind gusts. Now Homa, meanwhile, he had his best start ever to a major in his career here in Augusta this year. The 33- year-old has become a fan favorite, you know, over the past few years.

He's looking to break through for the first time. Homa one of only seven golfers to shoot under par here yesterday in those brutal windy conditions. His best finish ever at a major is tied for 10th at the open championship last year. So he's certainly hoping to beat that.

And let's take a look at the leaderboard where we stand right now. So this is a very important leaderboard, 36 out of the last 37 Masters winners, including the last 12, they have been in the top 10 following the second round. So history tells us one of these guys is going to win the Masters this year.

Now 2020, U.S. open champ Bryson DeChambeau, he was doing everything he could to make sure he stayed on top of that leaderboard yesterday. Check him out on 13. So he went into the trees and he had the idea to try to go right.

But one of those Masters iconic patron signs was in the way. So he just went over and yanked it out of the ground to give him the shot he wanted. Well, a rules official came over and said, yes, you can't do that. So he had to put it back.

Bryson, though, was still able to birdie the hole and he certainly gave everyone a nice laugh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU, GOLF PRO: I think that the signpost I'm trying to direct people. I try to give people go the restrooms or -- I had a great shot out around the corner and was able to take advantage of a pretty open interest to the green to that back right flag and that was a pretty putt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: It's not very often you see one of the players just walk your route, carrying one of those giant signs.

(CROSSTALK)

[05:55:00]

BRUNHUBER: Yes, I don't know much about golf but I'm pretty sure you're not allowed moving the furniture, right?

SCHOLES: Yes, Yes. Not supposed to do that but, yes. Yes, it's not going to be nearly as windy as it has been out here today. It should be beautiful, so we're looking forward to round number three here in Augusta.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll, look forward to it. Andy Scholes, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani is hoping to move on from the gambling scandal involving his former translator. He thanked investigators and says he wants to focus on playing ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

It's his first public comments since accusations emerged as his former translator stole millions from him to fuel what prosecutors call a voracious appetite for illegal sports betting.

The former translator surrendered to authorities on Friday. He faces a federal charge of bank fraud and up to 30 years in prison if convicted. He was released on bond and is expected to enter a plea next month.

And finally, it's been a busy week for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan. The pair attended a charity polo match in Florida on Friday, a day after Netflix confirmed they would be producing two new shows on lifestyle and polo.

The Royal Salute Polo Challenge benefits Sentebale, a charity Harry founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to support children in Lesotho and Botswana. And yes, Harry, did play some polo. In case you're wondering, his team won.

All right. I'm Kim Brunhuber. "CNN THIS MORNING" is next with more on the breaking news, multiple fatalities in a stabbing attack in Sydney, Australia. Stay with CNN.