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Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine Hit the Campaign Trail; Russia Hacking into U.S. Elections?; U.N. Warns of Humanitarian Disaster in Aleppo; Russian Weightlifters Banned Before Olympic Games; Tropical Depression Will Strengthen to Typhoon. Aired 3-3:30a ET
Aired July 30, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[03:00:12] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: With the convention behind them, Hillary Clinton and her running mate hit the campaign trail, amid new concerns about a hack of her campaign communications, connecting (ph) point to Russia.
Syria and Russia open humanitarian porters on the siege city of Aleppo as U.N. warns of a humanitarian disaster there.
And just one week before the Olympic Games, Russian weightlifters are banned.
It's all ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. We're live in Atlanta. Thank you for joining us. I'm Natalie Allen.
As Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton hit the post conventions campaign trail there are new questions about whether Russia is trying to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. First, it was the Democratic National Committee being hacked, then the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and now Hillary Clinton's own campaign targeted by hackers. The common link as we learn from Jim Sciutto could be Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Wouldn't it be nice if we actually did get along with Russia?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump trading compliments with Russian president and U.S. adversary Vladimir Putin.
TRUMP: When people like me, I like them, even Putin.
SCIUTTO: Their relationship now under new scrutiny with U.S. officials now saying it is likely it was Russia that hacked 20,000 e- mails from the Democratic National Committee.
WikiLeaks released the e-mails on the eve of the Democratic Party convention. The timing raising questions about whether it was an attempt to influence the U.S. election, perhaps in Trump's favor.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told us that while it's too early to say with certainty it was Russia, the Kremlin does have an interest in undermining the U.S. political process.
Is it your view that Russia has the intention of -- if not influencing this election, undermining confidence in the U.S. political process?
JAMES CLAPPER, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: They see a U.S. conspiracy behind every Bush. They believed that we are trying to influence political developments in Russia. Their natural response is, is to retaliate.
SCIUTTO: That is a very serious concern for the U.S. government.
CLAPPER: Was this just to stir of trouble or was this ultimately to try to influence an election? And of course this is a serious proposition.
SCIUTTO: When asked for Erin Burnett, Trump's campaign manager discounted the theory that Russia leaked the documents to help put Trump in the White House.
PAUL MANAFORT, TRUMP CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN: It's just observed, because I don't know anything about what you just said. You may know it. If you do, then you are to expose it.
SCIUTTO: In fact, Trump maintains that he has no connection to Russia, whatsoever. And CNN has not been able to find any current business operation there.
TRUMP: I have nothing to do with Putin. I've never spoken to him. I don't know anything about him.
SCIUTTO: But when he brought his Miss Universe pageant to Moscow in 2013 Trump said he spoke personally with Putin.
TRUMP: I was in Russia. I was in Moscow recently and I spoke indirectly and directly with President Putin, who could not have been nicer.
SCIUTTO: And now Trump's favorable comments about Russia has U.S. allies worry about whether the U.S. would defend them against Russian aggression.
CLAPPER: Such rhetoric armory (ph) bothersome to our foreign marketers, our foreign partners and I hear that from my counterparts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Jim Sciutto reporting there, as he mentioned, WikiLeaks published thousands of Democratic Party e-mails that Russian hackers may have accessed. In an interview with CNN, WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange indicated more material, pertaining to the U.S. election could be released.
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JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS FOUNDER: There has been multiple hacks of the DNC over the last two years. The DNC and the RNC, of course, they have been Swiss cheese in terms of their security. And the DNC has been notified quite some time ago if that is the case. And it has legal responsibilities that it must carry out to notify its donors if it is aware, but their confidentiality has been breached by a hack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Assange also refused to confirm whether if Russia is behind the hacking. Meantime, Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine, hit the road. They're traveling by bus to Pennsylvania and Ohio, the goal to go after working class white voters which make up the core of Trump supporters. Jeff Zeleny is on the campaign trail.
[03:05:02] JEFF ZELENY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The new Democratic ticket is taking its show on the road.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: As of tomorrow, we have 100 days to make our case to America.
ZELENY: Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine on a three-months sprint to Election Day.
CLINTON: What better place to kick off this campaign than right here in Philadelphia where it all started 240 years ago.
ZELENY: After a convention steeped in nostalgia, their challenge now, tapping into the country's hunger for change.
CLINTON: I'm not telling you that everything is just peachy keen. I'm telling you, we've made progress, but we have work to do and we're going to make sure everybody is included.
ZELENY: Their fight with Donald Trump is now fully joined as they try making him in an unacceptable choice.
SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The Republican convention was like a twisted and negative tour. It was a journey through Donald Trump's mind and that is a very frightening place.
ZELENY: So the Democratic candidates set off on a bus tour of Pennsylvania and Ohio, evoking memories of another journey back in 1992 with the Clintons and Gores. This time the Clintons are along side Tim Kaine and his wife Anne still focusing on the economy.
CLINTON: We're going to be visiting a few places where people are making things. Donald Trump talks about make America great again. He doesn't make a thing in America except bankruptcies.
ZELENY: A Democratic convention rich in history ...
CLINTON: I accept your nomination for president of the United States.
ZELENY: ... is now the script for how Democrats hope to defeat Trump. TRUMP: Russia, if you're listening ...
ZELENY: She said he doesn't have the temperament for the oval office.
CLINTON: A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.
ZELENY: Safety and security now a central piece of her argument.
CLINTON: Donald Trump says and this is a quote, "I know more about ISIS than the generals do". No, Donald, you don't.
ZELENY: After a week in historic Philadelphia, Clinton made clear the history making moment that matters comes in November.
CLINTON: I believed every time we knock down a barrier in America it liberates everyone in America. Every parent in this country could look at their son or their daughter and now say the very same thing, "You too could be president of the United States." Thank you all. God bless you.
ZELENY: Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Philadelphia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Donald Trump says he is changing his tune. He told supporters on Friday he will not be Mr. Nice guy anymore. Jason Carroll is following his campaign.
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TRUMP: Just remember this, Trump is going to be no more Mr. Nice guy.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump on offense taking aim at Hillary Clinton on the heels of this week's Democratic National Convention.
TRUMP: I've been saying let's just beat her on November 8th, but you know what, well, no. You know what, I'm starting to agree with you, I'll tell you. After watching that performance last night, such lies. I don't have to be so nice anymore. I'm taking the gloves off, right?
CARROLL: Trump is also ignoring the advice of a friend who he says told him to stay focused on Clinton.
TRUMP: I was going to hit one guy in particular, a very little guy. I was going to hit this guy so hard. His head would spin. He wouldn't know what the hell happened.
CARROLL: Trump going after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who delivered a scathing attack against Trump at the convention.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, FORMER MAYOR NEW YORK CITY: Trump says he wants to run the nation like he's running his business. God help us. I'm a New Yorker and I know a con when I see one.
CAROLL: Trump tweeting this response, "If Michael Bloomberg ran again for mayor of New York he wouldn't get 10 percent of the vote. They would run him out of town." Trump's prolific tweeting not lost on Clinton.
CLINTON: A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.
CAROLL: Trump firing back.
TRUMP: If somebody tweets, I do what I do. Who cares? I think -- I'll tell you, I think I have the best temperament or certainly one of the best temperaments of anybody that's ever run for the office of president, ever, because I have a winning temperament.
CARROLL: The GOP nominee as he has done so many times in the past calling Clinton several names on Twitter.
[03:10:03] All this while his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, took issue with name calling after the president referred to Trump as a home-grown demagogue, during his speech Wednesday night.
GOV. MIKE PENCE (R-IN), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I don't think name calling has any place in public life, and I thought that was unfortunate that the president of the United States would use a term like that, let alone laced into sentence like that.
CARROLL: That is event here in Colorado Springs. Trump attacked everyone from the local fire marshal to New York City's former mayor. The question is will those types of attacks work in terms of bringing in others into the campaign bringing in other supporters that certainly works with his base supporters. Will it bring in moderates? Will it bring in independents? That still remains to be seen.
Jason CAROLL, CNN, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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ALLEN: Well, Moody's said Hillary Clinton's plans would create more than 10 million jobs, however, but it's also says lower economic growth could hurt Clinton's election chances. Clinton admits the U.S. economy isn't doing enough for everyone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I've heard from many who feel like the economy sure isn't working for them. Some of you are frustrated, even furious. And you know what? You're right. It's not yet working the way it should. Americans are willing to work and work hard. But right now, an awful lot of people feel there is less and less respect for the work they do and less respect for them, period.
Democrats, we are the party of working people. But, we haven't done a good enough job showing we get what you're going through, and we're going to do something to help. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: We're looking at other news we're following around the world. Right now, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls calls the church attack in Normandy that killed a priest a security failure. He told Lamont newspaper, the French justice system should have been able to prevent it. Authorities were familiar with both the attackers and caught one of them attempting to fly to Syria
Save the Children says the bombing of the maternity hospital that is support in Idlib. Syria (ph) is shameful and illegal. Two people were killed, several injured including pregnant women and baby. It is the only maternity hospital in Idlib that serves more than 1,000 women per month. It's unclear who carried out the bombing.
Humanitarian concerns in Syria are widespread as you know to the Northeast of Idlib taking full control of the city of Aleppo would be a significant victory for the Syrian government. The U.S. says though it's skeptical, humanitarian corridors there would not be used as a way to empty the city.
Here's Senior International Correspondent Clarissa Ward.
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CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is what remains of much of Aleppo, once Syria's most populous city now an apocalyptic moon escape.
This video was released by the Syrian army as it celebrates cutting off rebel forces in the eastern part of the city.
Leaflets had been dropped on the besieged areas warning residents to leave. Syria's President Assad says he will offer amnesty to armed rebels who surrender. Russia claims humanitarian corridors will be opened. But after months of relentless bombardment, many are too afraid to leave their homes, and recent history has taught people here to be highly suspicious of government promises.
JOHN KIRBY, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: What needs to happen is that the innocent people of Aleppo should be able to stay in their homes safely and to receive the humanitarian access which Russia and the regime have agreed, in principle have agreed, certainly according to the U.N Security Council resolution to provide.
WARD: We made the drive into rebel-held Aleppo just a few months ago. Burns of earth (ph) flank the road to protect the way from enemy fire.
We now have to drive extremely quickly along this portion of the road because on one side you have the regime, and on the other side you have Kurdish fighters who are now fighting against rebel forces. And there are snipers all around here, but this is the only road to get into Aleppo.
That road is now completely cut off, leaving some 300,000 people trapped. The U.N. paints a grim picture of life inside, prices are up as much as 300 percent. Food will run out within weeks.
STAFFAN DE MISTURA, U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR SYRIA: The clock is ticking for the Aleppo population that the commodities probably available in eastern Aleppo are sufficient for maximum three weeks.
[03:15:10] WARD: For most here, the memory of the siege of homes is freshened their minds. Government forces cut off all food and supplies as they continue to bombard the city for years. A siege in Aleppo would likely be even longer and uglier, though it's hard to imagine how much uglier it can get.
Clarissa Ward, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Four people in Florida have been diagnosed with the Zika virus, and it does not appear to be travel related. We'll talk about that in just a moment here. Also, the Russian Olympic team gets a little bit smaller. More athletes get the boot from Rio.
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ALLEN: Pope Francis continues his 5-day visit to Poland stopping at a number of holy sites in Krakow. The Pope is visiting the Shrine of Divine Mercy. These are -- this is live video here, before hearing confessions with some young people there.
Coming up later, Pope Francis will hold mass with Polish priests at a shrine to John Paul II. On Friday he made a historic trip to Auschwitz, the site where an estimated 1 million Jews were killed during the holocaust.
The treaded Zika virus has made its way to mosquitoes in the continental U.S., federal health official say four people have transmitted the disease locally.
CNN's Polo Sandoval has more.
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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Health officials had expected this for months. This is not come as a surprise. They believed that it was a matter of time before Zika-carrying mosquitoes would infect people within the continental United States. Well now, three men and one woman in South Florida believed to be the first cases of this kind.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that the four patients were infected while in this area in early July, it's commonly known as the Wynwood Art District, a neighborhood not only residential but it's also a very popular retail and also dining district just north of down town Miami. It also draws in people from across the region.
And not all type of mosquitoes don't necessarily travel very far during their lifetime span, so the current preventative efforts right now are focused squarely on this area, hoping to eradicate any of these possible infected insects.
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ALLEN: Well, (inaudible), health officials say they expect more cases of Zika. Blood collection centers in Florida mean time are now testing all of their donations for the virus.
Russian weightlifters will not be the competing in Rio. They are the latest Russian athletes to be punished in the wake of doping allegations. The counties track and field stars have been banned for months now and a group of swimmers and rowers were added to what is quickly becoming a long list of Russian athletes accused of cheating.
[03:20:04] The Australian Olympic team says about 100 of its athletes and staffs were evacuated from the team building at the Olympic village after a fire broke out in the basement. The fire is now under investigation as possible arson.
Here's Shasta Darlington.
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SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One week before the Olympic Games start, and the problems just start letting up. The latest, a small fire in the Olympic village in the basement of the apartments where the Australian team is staying, they were briefly evacuated. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Now on the security front, the officials have announced they've actually had to beef up security around the torch relay after protesters in a small coastal city here in the state of Rio mobbed the relay and actually extinguished one of the torches of the runners. Now, riot police are being incorporated right into the relay to keep it safe from protesters.
Here in the city of Rio, you almost feel like it's already on lock down. There are soldiers on every corner, navy boats off the coast of Copacabana beach, where a lot of the hotels are. In total, we're looking at roughly 85,000 soldiers, police and fire fighters on hand to securities games. That's more than twice what we saw in London and yet even in mad (ph) area we've seen problems.
Police are now having to take over screening at the venues because the contractor that was hired didn't itself hire enough staff. Of course the big question at the end of the day is, is enthusiasm growing? And on one hand you do see it. You see people lining up in front of the Olympic rings to take selfies, to take pictures. Unfortunately, that hasn't necessarily translated into ticket sales, where one week away still 21 percent of tickets up for grabs.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
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ALLEN: The continuous problems leading up to the Olympics, but we all know Rio is one of the most breathtaking cities in the world, but one popular way for tourists to see the soaring views will be closing for the Olympics.
Senior International Correspondent Arwa Damon takes flight.
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MARIO N. NAVARRO, EXPERT PILOT: Well, the hang glider is very popular in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The hang gliding is the best in the world.
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: An expert pilot, Mario N. Navarro (ph), is among the best in the biz here.
NAVARRO: Well demand is about 45,000 a year is lots of flights.
DAMON: Good luck.
(OFF-MIC)
NAVARRO: You'll be all right. OK, you'll be all right.
DAMON: I'll be all right.
NAVARRO: Yeah.
DAMON: OK, so maybe I was a little nervous.
NAVARRO: OK, Arwa, are you ready to run?
DAMON: I'm ready to run.
NAVARRO: I just need confident. Are you ready to run?
DAMON: I'm ready to run.
NAVARRO: OK, 1, 2, go run faster.
DAMON: Oh, this is terrifying spectacular. This is beautiful, the views from up here are unlike anything else and the air is so crisp and fresh. I love it.
NAVARRO: OK?
DAMON: Yeah. And what makes this unique among hang gliding spot is its location, starting up in the forest, flying over a sprawling urban landscape and Rio's stunning coastline. It's one of the best ways to experience the city.
It is a shame that people coming here for the Olympics won't be able to do this.
And that is because the Brazilian government is closing the airspace for the Olympic Games. It's a security measure. They did the same thing for the world cup. But its big bucks lost for the industry.
Manuel says he understands why the city needs to take these precautions. So if you want to try it out, schedule it in before or after the games. I totally recommend it.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
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ALLEN: Pretty cool. Thanks Arwa for that.
Well a tropical depression will intensify into a typhoon this weekend and its taking aim at the Philippines, the Hong Kong not far away. Here's Karen with that report.
Hi, Karen.
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hi. And Natalie, yes, it looks a little better organized over the last several hours as we look at the enhanced satellite imagery. Now, here in the Philippines, I mean, you start to see this eastern edge taking a shape a little bit better than it had been. In previous runs of these satellite images it was very poorly organized, didn't really look like terribly much, although some of the storm reports that we've seen come in over northern Philippines have been very impressive.
[03:25:12] This is going to be one of those events that this isn't necessarily the wind that is going to be problematic, although that could be different story for Hong Kong, I'll tell you about that, but it is going to be the rainfall that could produce some mud and landslides across this region as well.
Looks like there is going to be some fare interaction across the Northern Philippines, but over the next, maybe 72 hours then that's when we really have to watch out what happen as it makes its way towards Hong Kong.
Right now, it is still just lower below that typhoon intensity with supporting winds of about 55 kilometers per hour. As I'd mentioned that is eastern edge looking a little more impressive. We don't have a clearly defined system but that really doesn't make much difference at least at this point, because when it becomes a typhoon then batten down the hatches.
But already some reports coming in across the Philippines, very impressive as I mentioned just under 230 millimeters being reported in some of those northern locations and we are going to see the potential for mud and landslides that is very typical for the Philippines, especially with these tropical systems.
And then for the forecast radar, we go into Monday. We start to see it exit into the South China Sea, and then it looks like that organization really starts to kick in, rather impressively. So if you are watching us in the vicinity of Hong Kong, watch out, especially for Monday and then going into Tuesday, because this looks like it will make a landfall, probably within that time zone, with the heavy wind, with the heavy rain, and you're going to see some battering seas with this as well. How much precipitation can we expect? At least for the Philippines right now, it looks like between it 200 and 500 millimeters. For Hong Kong, it could be a different story. I just say, watch what happens. Watch us here at the CNN Weather Center. We'll continue to bring you updates on what's happening as the system moves out in the South China Sea and does take aim at Hong Kong. It's still pretty far away in the forecast, Natalie, but computer models are saying it looks as if that is the target right now.
ALLEN: All right, Karen, thank you so much and thank you to our viewers watching from around the around the world.
I'm Natalie Allen. State of the race is next right after our head lines.
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