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New Day Sunday
Trump Revives Hope For U.S.-North Korean Summit; American Held In Venezuela Reunites With Family; CNN Original "1968" Premiers Tonight; Hero Teacher Released From Hospital; Subtropical Storm Alberto Set For Memorial Day Landfall; Senior White House Official Met Reporter On Status Of U.S.-North Korea Summit Aired 6-7a ET
Aired May 27, 2018 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:00:05]
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY weekend with Victor Blackwell and Christi Paul.
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: So glad to have you here on this Sunday, May 27th.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to your NEW DAY. The top stories this hour.
PAUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says he is committed to giving up his nuclear weapons just as long as he gets to secure his (INAUDIBLE).
BLACKWELL: President Trump's trouble with the truth.
CNN knows. This is a fact. It happened.
So why is the president now denying an official briefing from the White House podium ever took place?
PAUL: In Indiana, a middle school teacher who risked his life by tackling a shooter in the classroom is out of the hospital this morning and tributes are pouring in for him.
BLACKWELL: And honoring those lost in America's wars. The Memorial Day weekend. Lieutenant General Mark Hertling joins us to talk about the hash tag campaign GoSilent.
Well, this is a crucial weekend for the Trump administration beginning with the pair of major international developments.
PAUL: Yes. Just moments ago, our moments I should say after welcoming home an American who was detained in Venezuela two years, President Trump reviving hope that he is going to sit down with North Korea's leader next month, despite the fact that he had cancelled the meeting last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We can be successful in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It would be a great thing for North Korea, it would be a great thing for South Korea. It would great for Japan and great for the world.
It's moving along very nicely, so we are looking at June 12th in Singapore. That hasn't changed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: And overnight, the president of South Korea is speaking about second summit with North Korea for the first time and announcing Kim Jong-un is still committed to denuclearization with one important caveat.
CNN's Matt Rivers is live in Seoul, South Korea.
Matt, what is that caveat?
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're learning for the South Korean president after his meeting on Saturday with Kim Jong-un that the leader of North Korea is seeking further security guarantees. Basically that the United States will not pursue a policy of regime changes at some point.
The president of the United States has already publically said that but apparently that hasn't been enough so far for Kim Jong-un. But it's important to point out here what Kim Jong-un is agreeing to is denuclearization of the entire Korean Peninsula. He is not agreeing to go unilaterally give up his nuclear weapons.
And this is a very important clarification. He wants that security agreement but when the North Koreans talk about denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula traditionally that has meant, sure, they might give up their own nukes but they also mean that the U.S. military presence in South Korea will also be removed.
The North Koreans have looked at that traditionally as a nuclear threat so they are not committing to unilaterally giving up their own weapons. They are not committing to disarming merely on their own.
There are other things involved when the North Koreans define denuclearization, but that is the kind of stuff that is trying to be worked out behind the scenes. That is what this upcoming summit, if it happens, will be all about. And we heard a little bit from the South Korean president this morning here in South Korea about what needs to happen behind the scenes in order for this summit to move forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOON JAE-IN, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (via translator): There will be practical talks between North Korea and the U.S. very soon. How well the practical talks will go is going to decide if the summit between North Korea and the U.S. will be successful or not. But I believe the practical meetings and I expect the summit on June 12th will go very smoothly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: And so we know the Americans and the North Koreans and South Koreans all engaged in behind the scenes diplomacy, that's what it's going to take to make this summit happen and hopefully to make it a success -- Christi, Victor.
BLACKWELL: All right. Matt Rivers for us in Seoul. Matt, thank you.
PAUL: Thank you, Matt.
A homecoming two years in the making. An American held in Venezuela since 2016, look at him there, back in the U.S. last night and this is how he is reuniting with his family there in that moment. Josh Holt and his wife were welcomed into the West Wing to meet with President Trump as well.
BLACKWELL: CNN's Sarah Westwood is live in Washington. Sarah, the White House says it "offered nothing" -- a quote there for Josh's release so what do we know about how did this happen.
SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, like Christi had mentioned this was two years in the making, talks between the U.S. government and the Venezuelan government trying to secure the release of 26-year-old Utah native Joshua Holt who had been held in that Venezuelan prison for more than two years. Trump hinting that this was just the start of prisoner releases when he welcomed Joshua to the West Wing last night.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It's really very special to have you both. You've gone through a lot.
[06:05:00]
JOSH HOLT, AMERICAN RELEASED FROM VENEZUELA: They were very, very, very difficult two years. Not really the great vacation that I was looking for, but -- but we are still together, starting off a marriage rough but now we are going to be together and I am just so grateful for what you guys have done and for thinking about me and caring about me, just a normal person.
TRUMP: You were a tough one, I have to tell you. That was a tough -- that was a tough situation, but we have had 17 released and we are very proud of that record. Very proud.
And we have others coming. We're in the midst of some very big negotiations to get others out and, in most cases, they are Americans but we can try to help other countries too with this injustice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WESTWOOD: Now this all comes against the backdrop of a tensed relationship between the Trump administration and Maduro regime. The White House maintaining its position that the recent elections in Venezuela were undemocratic. And the U.S. is not going to soften its stance for Venezuela according to this White House just because Joshua Holt was released -- Victor.
BLACKWELL: Sarah Westwood for us there in Washington. Thank you so much.
Here now with us is Siraj Hashmi. A commentary writer and editor for "The Washington Examiner." Siraj, good morning to you.
All right. I see you moving but can't we hear him? One more time. Siraj, good morning to you.
SIRAJ HASHMI, COMMENTARY WRITER AND EDITOR, WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Hey, good morning.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: There we go. Now we got you. All right.
So let me talk about the -- one of the elements we heard from Matt Rivers there in Seoul. The definition of denuclearization that we heard that Kim Jong-un wants from both the U.S. and from South Korea. It's actually a type of demilitarization of the entire peninsula, not just giving up his nuclear program but also he wants to see some changes from South Korea.
What is the likelihood that the U.S. will commit to any type of his definition of denuclearization?
HASHMI: That is a tough one to say, Victor, at this point, because what we are really looking at -- and there are two likely scenarios that can happen. The ideal one is to get the Korean Peninsula most specifically focusing on the North Korean regime to completely denuclearize. The chances of that happening seem pretty slim at this point.
But what I think President Trump and his administration are really going after is really getting rid of all of the ballistic missiles and any missile programs that currently exist in North Korea. That -- at least you can reduce the likelihood that a nuclear weapons test or strike can occur. So whether they have capabilities to launch a ballistic missile with the warhead or not, that likelihood -- that possibility will at least be off the table.
The idea that we can get the North Koreans to denuclearize at this time seems like a pipe dream but, of course, the talks being on and off again, it definitely sounds like the North Koreans are trying to express some good faith and at least get some of these economic sanctions lifted off of them.
BLACKWELL: Yes. You know, we spent so much time talking about the wedding and not the marriage with June 12th and will the talks happen, will they, you know, be at the table or not in Singapore.
Let's talk more about what they will agree to and this is what President Moon of South Korea says that Kim is committed to his -- committed to denuclearization but he says that what Kim is not so clear on, what is not clear to him is how firmly he can trust the United States' commitment to ending hostilities, hostile relations and providing security guarantees for his government should it denuclearize.
Enter the Libya model comments, the Iran deal withdrawal. I mean, the administration may have to do some work to convince him moving forward in these talks. No?
HASHMI: Right. I mean, that is the thing. Is like, how good is a guarantee from President Trump that North Korean -- the North Korean regime will be safe from any regime change?
That is tough to say, concerning the fact that the United States seems to be engage in a lot of adventures -- expeditionary adventures abroad in which they are trying to at least stabilize regimes or at least replace regimes and stabilize them with democracies. I mean, we saw that Iraq, we saw Afghanistan, and North Korea could very well be on the table if, you know, they don't act right for (ph) instance (ph). So it's tough to say.
BLACKWELL: And that's the fear that Kim has is that he will see what the world saw with Gaddafi, those cell phone videos of him being dragged from the streets.
HASHMI: Exactly.
BLACKWELL: President Moon also suggested a three-way summit first, including the South Koreans, in hoping to first secure the end of the Korean War.
Does it appear that the administration would be open to kind of this incrementalism working up to denuclearization, maybe establishing a hot line as suggested by President Moon to deal with that one element first and then maybe another bite at the apple, and then reaching an agreement on denuclearization sometime down the road?
HASHMI: I honestly don't see a peace treaty come to fruition without denuclearization on the table and signed and agreed to first, because I don't understand why they would actually agree to a peace treaty and have all of these economic sanctions lifted if they're still -- have the capabilities to launch a nuclear weapon.
[06:10:14]
That just doesn't seem like a smart negotiation tactic. I will say, though, that whether it comes to Kim Jong-un's likelihood of, you know, whether he wants to actually denuclearize for the survival of his own nation, he is not really in a position to leverage that concerning the fact that, you know -- he can't leverage much is what I'm saying.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
HASHMI: President Trump is really holding all of the cards in all this and, you know, I think South Korean President Moon Jae-in is really trying to kind of nuzzle his way in because the talks really have focused around Trump and Kim Jong-un. In kind of elbowed Moon Jae-in out of this.
BLACKWELL: He has so much invested in these talks being successful, President Moon, and all the principals seem committed to the June 12th date although they have not said explicitly that the talks will go on. We will see if the countries are prepared. We will talk more about that throughout the morning.
Siraj Hashmi, thanks so much.
HASHMI: Thank you, Victor.
BLACKWELL: And later this morning President Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is on "STATE OF THE UNION" along with James Clapper, the former director of National Intelligence. You can see that here on CNN 9:00 a.m. Eastern.
PAUL: He was shot three times by the school shooter that he tackled in the classroom. We are getting our first pictures of that teacher that so many people are calling a hero for the first time since the shooting.
BLACKWELL: Plus, three states already now preparing for a state of emergency on the Gulf of Mexico. What to expect from subtropical storm Alberto?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the spring of '68, you got the most violent period of the entire war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sick (ph) of (ph) it (ph). I'll be so glad to go home.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, AMERICAN BAPTIST MINISTER AND ACTIVIST: I've seen the Promised Land. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Martin Luther King was shot and killed tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For my parents' generation, King was the dream. And then he's gone.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY, FORMER UNITED STATES SENATOR: I'm announcing today my candidacy for the presidency of the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. Senator Kennedy has been shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was really the death hope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wallace knew how to get a crowd energized.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know a lot of words you don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police and demonstrators tussling (ph) over this busy interaction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The Graduate" is probably the most important movie of the '60s.
RICHARD NIXON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hope to restore respect to the presidency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the most traumatic and consequential years in history.
ANNOUNCER: "1968," a four-part, two-night CNN original series event starting tonight at 9:00.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:16:59]
BLACKWELL: Sixteen minutes after the hour. The teacher who tackled the school shooter in Indiana is now out of the hospital.
PAUL: Indiana Congresswoman Susan Brooks says she met Jason Seaman yesterday and she isn't the only state official who's calling him a hero. Here is Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ERIC HOLCOMB (R), INDIANA: To know that Jason put others before himself is not a surprise to anyone I found out that knows him. I am so proud that Jason is a Hoosier.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HOLCOMB: We are so fortunate to have a man like Jason teaching our young ones.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: The governor spoke at a vigil held in Noblesville. Look at all those people.
Thirteen year old student Ella Whistler was wounded along with Seaman. Her family says she is in critical, but stable condition. We certainly wish them the best.
All right. Tropical storm, we are talking about it already.
BLACKWELL: Subtropical storm.
PAUL: Subtropical. Excuse me. Thank you.
BLACKWELL: Subtropical storm that will (INAUDIBLE).
PAUL: And it's not even June first yet. But Alberto is getting set for a Memorial Day landfall no less. BLACKWELL: Yes. Alberto is the first named storm of the season already hitting South Florida with heavy rain. Next is the Gulf Coast.
Here is CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar. All right. How soon and how bad?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right now is the how soon and how bad really is going to be where exactly it makes landfall. However, all of the Gulf Coast is going to experience some type of impact from this particular storm.
We take a look at where it is now. Already starting to bring some of those outer bands of rain into portions of Florida. We are talking Miami, Fort Myers, even Tampa picking up some of those rain showers.
Tropical storm warnings in effect stretching pretty much all of the western coast of Florida and we have some tropical storm watches for areas of Louisiana, as well as Mississippi. Now subtropical storm Alberto is expected to continue to move north, right now moving north/northeast about 13 miles per hour. So it has picked up speed a little bit.
But probably the most notable difference since we spoke yesterday at the same time is the track has shifted. It has starting to begun to trend a little bit further off to the east, now expected to make landfall over areas of western Florida. That landfall time has also sped up, likely now about sometime tomorrow afternoon.
Now landfall is defined when the center of that storm crosses over but we have already begun to see the impacts from this storm. Tropical storm winds begin today. Landfall as we mentioned Monday afternoon time frame.
Rainfall is going to be a big concern, four to eight inches in storm surge, about two to four feet, but that's not the only issue. Water spouts were reported yesterday across areas of Florida and severe weather, including, Victor and Christi, tornadoes, more water spouts and damaging winds will also be a big factor today as well.
But a lot of the Gulf Coast states, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, even Texas are likely to experience some impacts from this storm.
[06:20:04]
BLACKWELL: And still days out from the start of the season.
CHINCHAR: Yes.
PAUL: All right. Allison, thank you.
CHINCHAR: Thanks.
PAUL: So fact. There was a White House briefing on Thursday --
BLACKWELL: Yes.
PAUL: -- by senior official. Dozens of reporters attended it. CNN was there.
Now President Trump claims the official does not exist. We are going to talk about the president's apparent trouble with the truth, next
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:25:06]
BLACKWELL: All right. Here are a few facts.
On Thursday, the Trump administration held an official background briefing. A senior White House official provided information to reporters.
PAUL: So how do we know this? Well, CNN was there along with several other news outlets. Yesterday, though, President Trump claimed the aide did not exist.
Brian Stelter, CNN senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES" with us now.
What? Brian, help us wrap our heads what is going on here.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: It's a really egregious example of the president's problem with the truth and I think it's worth talking through because a lot of times we on television say he is wrong about this. He is misleading people about that.
It's hard to actually prove it. Well, here is a really easy case. Let's show one of the president's tweets from yesterday where he talked about this "New York Times" story that he didn't like.
He said the source of the "The New York Times" story -- quote -- "doesn't exist." Well, here is the transcript from the briefing on Thursday.
This is a senior White House official. He was grand anonymity in order to speak candidly.
But you can see here the transcript to the briefing where all the reporters were told this is going to be off camera and the person can be described as a senior White House official. There was a male White House aide who was speaking with the press.
There were 50 people in the room, 200 on the phone, so we know this source wasn't made up because CNN and lots of other outlets were there. But let's go back to the president's tweet. He went on to say, you should believe real sources, not phony sources. He used this to attack "The New York Times."
The particular issue he was having was with "The New York Times" story about the on again off again North Korea summit. "The New York Times" said this White House aide on Thursday said it was impossible to meet on June 12th now that Trump had called it off.
However, the aide never actually used the word impossible. He just made it sound impossible. Do you see what I mean?
So technically the president may have one specific gripe against "The New York Times" but that is a very small gripe and the broader problem here is that the source clearly existed.
So, Victor and Christi, this is one of the cases where either the president doesn't know how his White House operates, doesn't know about that briefing on Thursday where there were dozens of reporters, or he is just lying. Either way it's bad but we don't know which one is for sure.
BLACKWELL: Yes. What we know is that it's not true, right?
STELTER: Right.
BLACKWELL: Whether he knows it's not true or he doesn't, it's not true.
STELTER: Exactly. This is one of those cases where it's not gray, it's black or white. But honestly I think this is one of the least damaging lies from the president over the weekend.
He also said on Twitter that murders in Chicago are at a record pace. They are not. Thankfully the number is declining even though it's still high.
He also said on Twitter the Democrats are to blame for separating immigrant children from their families. In fact it's his government that is in charge and a lot of blame to go around but his government is making it worse.
He also said why didn't the crooked highest levels of the FBI warn me about this Russia problem before the election? Well, they did. The FBI briefed him in August of 2016.
So, on a daily or hourly basis we see the falsehoods from the president. Some of them are just fibs, some are outright lies but the theme is his problem with the truth.
PAUL: All right. Brian Stelter, thank you so much.
STELTER: Thanks.
PAUL: Good examples there.
You can you see Brian later on "RELIABLE SOURCES" too. You know he'll be here at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
BLACKWELL: All right. Joining me now Maria Cardona, CNN political commentator, Democratic strategist; and Jack Kingston, CNN political commentator and former senior aide or adviser to the Trump campaign. Good morning to both of you.
MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning, Victor.
JACK KINGSTON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.
BLACKWELL: Jack, I'm coming to you first.
KINGSTON: You know, Victor, in this town with 50 people in the room and 200 on the phone, I think somebody should all just say here is the senior official and sort of end the dispute.
BLACKWELL: OK.
KINGSTON: I think that would be very appropriate.
BLACKWELL: There is no dispute here. There isn't a dispute. The president is just not telling the truth.
There are no two sides of this.
KINGSTON: But what I'm saying is putting the name on the table.
There are two sides of it. Maybe the president isn't right on his side but put the name on the table. I think that wouldn't be a bad thing but -- you know, look --
BLACKWELL: So what you're asking the reporters to do now is to go back on their word and identify the official that the White House asked to not identify? Is that what you're asking for?
KINGSTON: Let me say this. I've been on these kinds of calls and sometimes there are 10 people on it and sometimes there are 200 and they say, please attribute this to a senior White House official. It doesn't say, do not tell. Does everybody on the phone agree?
I mean, there is an implicit agreement but it's not like everybody went out and gave their word.
CARDONA: That is just so not true. No, Jack.
KINGSTON: It's absolutely true.
CARDONA: Oh, my gosh, no.
KINGSTON: I'm on a call at least once a week.
BLACKWELL: Maria, go ahead.
KINGSTON: I'm saying end the dispute and put the name on the table.
CARDONA: No. No. No. Absolutely not.
I have been in communications for more than 20 years. It is what I do. When you do a background briefing and reporters agree to that, there is absolutely an explicit agreement that you are not to put any name on the table because it is on background.
[06:30:03] That is what background briefings mean.
KINGSTON: Just like the FBI spy.
BLACKWELL: Let her finish. She let you finish.
CARDONA: And so when you -- when you go back on your word, that means that journalism essentially is in a bad place. Now we are in a bad place with journalism because of this president, because this president has a governing philosophy of lying every time he opens his mouth.
KINGSTON: Well, OK. Let's -- let's remember --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
Can we, first, stipulate -- and, Jack, I think I'm hearing this from you, that the president is not telling the truth here?
KINGSTON: I think somebody is and I think just the way to do it would be --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Who is somebody?
CARDONA: Somebody.
BLACKWELL: This is like --
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: Can you name the name?
BLACKWELL: The president is not telling the truth.
There was a briefing. There were 50 people in the room. Hundreds on the phone.
There is no dispute. There are no two sides. It happened.
He says it didn't -- the person doesn't exist. He was wrong. Is that not a set of facts?
KINGSTON: I think that is a set of facts. Now let me get to something that is very important --
CARDONA: Thank goodness.
KINGSTON: Maria is acting like journalists are the standards of truth. And let's just remember a couple of things. For example --
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: Many of them are. The majority, frankly.
KINGSTON: So Brian Ross' story -- my turn.
BLACKWELL: Let him finish.
KINGSTON: Brian Ross' story with ABC News that crashed the stock market 350 points, David Weigel's report with "Washington Post" saying that the stadium at one of the Trump rallies was only half full when it was absolutely not true. "Time" magazine --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: What on God's green earth does that have to do with what we are talking about, Jack?
CARDONA: Thank you, Victor.
KINGSTON: Victor I'm glad you asked. I'm glad you asked because Maria was saying journalists would never go back on their words, they have a high standard. I'm just saying that, you know what? Sometimes --
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: I didn't say they would never go back on their words. That's not what I said.
BLACKWELL: That is not -- that is not in reference to -- if I -- if I had an agreement with the source that I wouldn't reveal your identity --
CARDONA: Don't be Trump, Jack.
BLACKWELL: -- and then I'll just turn around and said, oh, because it's a little uncomfortable I'm not going to say who you are.
I'm going to burn (ph) that source and (INAUDIBLE) that (ph) I (ph) have (ph).
KINGSTON: Victor, I'm conceding the point to you, my good friend, and to Maria. But what I'm also saying is there is somewhat of a love/hate relationship with this White House and there is also this footsy relationship with the Trump on both sides.
And that's why the David Weigel story that said the --
CARDONA: No, it's not both sides.
KINGSTON: Well, what about "The Washington Post" when they said that the stadium wasn't even half full for one of the Trump rallies? They (ph) totally (ph) are. Some outlets reported this week that he called all immigrants animals which was absolutely --
CARDONA: He did.
KINGSTON: -- not true. (LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
KINGSTON: He did not.
Or what about -- what about the story in "Time" magazine that he had removed the Martin Luther King statue from the Oval Office?
BLACKWELL: Jack --
CARDONA: Come on, Jack.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: OK. But here is the difference -- here's the difference, Jack. Here's the difference.
KINGSTON: You don't need to concede to me on a few things.
BLACKWELL: Jack, here is the difference. There were corrections issued --
CARDONA: Yes. Thank you.
BLACKWELL: -- about the bust in the Oval Office. There was a correction issued by "ABC News" in the case of Brian Ross --
CARDONA: Yes.
BLACKWELL: -- and that reporting on Michael Flynn. The president we will stand by and see if another tweet comes out. But I can't remember a situation in which of the 3,000 plus that "The Washington Post" fact checkers have listed of false statements and falsehoods -- new words that we've come up with for saying -- for describing things that aren't true. We used to just call them lies -- that the president has come out and now corrected or offered some correction, or the White House has offered a correction.
Actually let's offer one now. This is from the commencement at the Naval Academy this week. Let's look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We have got you a big pay increase. First time in over 10 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Let's put up the numbers. The president says the first pay increase in over 10 years. The military has gotten a pay increase every year for decades and here is -- this is a graph of the pay increases and it's not even the largest in 10 years.
Jack, how does the president -- how do you defend a statement that on its face is not true? KINGSTON: Let me say this. I was a member of the defense Appropriations Committee who did those raises for the last 10 years. So I know for a fact that the service men and women have been getting pay increases. But -- let me --
CARDONA: So the president lied? Right?
KINGSTON: You know, it's probably an exaggeration just like when Barack Obama said he went to 57 states.
CARDONA: You can say it, Jack. Come on.
KINGSTON: I don't know what the 57 states are --
CARDONA: The president lied. The president lied.
KINGSTON: Just like when Barack Obama said, you can you keep own health care and you can keep your doctor.
CARDONA: Come on. You can say it, Jack. Come on. Three thousand lies --
KINGSTON: Let's trade lies, Maria.
BLACKWELL: And, Jack --
CARDONA: -- since (ph) he took office.
BLACKWELL: Jack, you make a good point there on --
CARDONA: The president lied.
BLACKWELL: -- if you want to keep your doctor or if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. And six years ago, we held the president accountable for that. But you bring that up as if that absolves this president about asking questions about this.
CARDONA: And that was more -- and that was more of an unintended consequence. It's not like it happened --
KINGSTON: No, Maria, it really was. All I'm saying is --
CARDONA: No, it was, it was. It's not like it happened and then he -- the president lied about it knowing that that was true.
KINGSTON: He never came back. He never came back and said, hey, I was lying to get the bill passed.
[06:35:02]
Or when they said Obamacare --
CARDONA: No, he didn't say he was lying. He said he was incorrect.
KINGSTON: They said Obamacare is going to --
BLACKWELL: We can't -- we can't both do it at the same time. Maria, finish.
CARDONA: The president did not go back and say he was lying but he did say that he apologize for being incorrect.
When has this president -- when has Trump ever apologized for being incorrect, in fact, for lying? More than 3,000 lies, Jack. This whataboutism on your part is getting really tiresome.
KINGSTON: OK. Let me tell you this Barack Obama --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: All right. And -- all right. And last word from you, Jack, then we got to go.
KINGSTON: Yes. Barack Obama was very good at apologizing and went around Europe and apologized for America's behavior so maybe he was good at it.
CARDONA: Again, defending lies.
KINGSTON: I don't remember him --
(CROSSTALK)
KINGSTON: -- when he said that -- he said your health care was going to --
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: When you're defending lies, Jack. When you're defending lies, I think you have got to look at yourself in the mirror.
KINGSTON: Maria, all I'm saying --
(CROSSTALK)
KINGSTON: All I'm saying is --
BLACKWELL: Maria, Jack, we have got to wrap it here. Thank you very much. We actually went a little long there --
CARDONA: Thank you, Victor.
BLACKWELL: -- but we at least had the acknowledgment that these two statements specifically from Jack, we know they were not -- were not true.
CARDONA: Absolutely.
BLACKWELL: All right. Thank you so much.
A quick break. We'll be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:40:20]
(VIDEO PLAYING)
BLACKWELL: Tolls of that bell honor a soldier who died in World War II. His funeral just now being held nearly 75 years later.
PAUL: Yes. Across the country, six soldiers killed in action in World War II are finally being laid to rest this Memorial Day weekend. I want to share with you their names. Here are their names. Francis Drake, Harvel Moore, Elden Grimm, Thomas Murphy, Jack Krieger, and Walter Backman. Their remains were just recovered in the South Pacific decades after they died.
BLACKWELL: And here in Hamilton, Ohio, you see a big group here paying respects and welcoming home Thomas Murphy.
Each veteran is being buried with full military honors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is one of those days where it's sad, but as well as a joyous day, because we were able to bring him home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like living legends right here. You know, you talk about super heroes. Look, those are super heroes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America has started this hash tag campaign called #GoSilent. It's for Memorial Day. They asked Americans to take one minute out of their day to honor someone who has died.
A friend. A family member. An acquaintance that died in America's wars.
CNN military analyst and retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling says in an opinion piece -- quote -- "This isn't a day for thanking, it's a day for reflecting. Reflecting on the devotion and the diversity of those who serve and a rededication by the living to our nation's values respect the dignity of our fellow citizens, and selfless service to liberty."
He is with us now. General, good morning to you.
LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Christi. How are you?
PAUL: I'm well. Thank you.
So I know that you're participating in the #GoSilent campaign and I know that you have something special there. Share it with us and help us understand what this means to you.
HERTLING: We had the Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America started this #GoSilent campaign as you mentioned and you can go on the Web, sign up for it. They will remind you at 3:00 eastern time tomorrow that they are trying to get as many people in the country as they can to just take one minute for each individual that you might know, a loved one, or just to take that minute any way, interrupt your -- the start of the summer or your picnic or your barbecue and just reflect for a second to see, first of all, how you can better contribute to America but also how you can remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and given their lives for our country.
PAUL: The picture --
HERTLING: Yes.
PAUL: -- we showed, let's talk about the cigar box you have there, what's in it and why it means so much to you.
HERTLING: Yes. When the campaign started and I have the box here on my desk, when the campaign started, I have a tradition. I have a box along with a few other people.
Here is -- here is the box that -- it is a cigar box that I bought for myself and three other of our comrades, General Martin Dempsey and General Mike Scaparrotti and Sergeant Major Bush who -- we were together in 2003 and 2004, General Dempsey had a tradition of making cards at every memorial service. And as you see inside this box, I'll try and open it up without spilling it.
There were cards with the pictures and the details of not only the individual as a person but how they died and where they died, where they sacrificed. And as our tradition came about in combat we would -- General Dempsey would make those cards.
We each have them. Carrying them in our uniform pocket over our heart but, truthfully, as the war continued, we had too many to keep in the box or in our pocket. So we would alternate.
When we got home from that deployment in 2004, I saw this box in a cigar store in Virginia so I bought it and had the engraving of "Make It Matter" which was something we would always say to each other when we lost a soldier that, yes, they sacrificed so we have to go back out there and make it matter in their memory.
PAUL: Oh, my gosh. That's pretty profound.
You mentioned diversity in your op-ed.
HERTLING: Yes.
PAUL: The diversity of these soldiers. And here is what you said. Unique -- the unique mix makes our military and our country great.
What can we as a society that seems so divisive right now learn about diversity from the military?
HERTLING: A lot of the commentary goes around with our very divisive society right now it struck me as I was preparing for this hash tag campaign, I can -- I realized that one minute on Monday wasn't going to be enough because there are 253 cards in this box that come from a variety of deployments where I was either in command or contributing to the command.
[06:45:12]
And so as I was looking through I said, well, I'm going to give one minute to each of them over the four-day period. So I established an hour a day, Friday through Monday, and then an additional 15 minutes tomorrow, but as I was looking through it on the first day, I realized that it was a unique group of people because of their diversity.
About 20 of them are African-Americans, 17 Hispanics and a Vietnamese. We had an ally soldier from Latvia and some American-Samoans. Some of the individuals in here weren't citizens yet.
So they had actually come as immigrants to country hoping their service in the military would help them become American citizens. Some of the soldiers who worked for us and served under our command actually became citizens later on, the ones that came home and survived and now they contributing members of society as American citizens.
So it just struck me. When you take a look at the women, the African- Americans, the Filipinos, all the people that were part of our task force it was a representation of who we are as Americans. And if we would all come together as opposed to being so divisive, we will have a better society.
PAUL: Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, some very wise words there. Thank you, sir.
HERTLING: Thank you.
PAUL: We appreciate all of your insight and perspective today.
HERTLING: Thank you, Christi and Victor.
PAUL: Absolutely. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:50:46]
BLACKWELL: The defending champions survived to play another day.
PAUL: Vince Cellini has more on this morning's "Bleacher Report."
VINCE CELLINI, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: The Warriors are so much fun when they play Warrior basketball and they did in the second half. Humbled in their two previous games the defending champion, Golden State Warriors, were down double digits in an elimination game six only to suddenly realize, we are the Warriors, completely with another scoring gear erupting in the second half turning back Houston.
This "Bleacher Report" is brought to you by Ford going further so you can. Steph Curry seemed very, very concerned that this was possibly his last game of the year. That's good team work with the staff at Oracle, down by 10 at the break, the Splash Brothers take over. The understated brilliance of Klay Thompson, the threes began to fall.
Steph Curry did not shoot like (INAUDIBLE). He was five of 14 from three but it did get for 29 and then this it's Thompson reminiscent of his 2016 game six recue against Oklahoma City in the finals, 35 points, nine threes. Thompson and Curry outscore the entire Rocket team 37-25 in the second half.
So there will be a game seven Monday in Houston. Big beat down and it's what Klay lives for.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KLAY THOMPSON, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: I don't know if I was born for it but I definitely worked my butt off to get to this point. And I mean, I guess, you could say I was born for it.
(LAUGHTER)
THOMPSON: I guess -- no. I guess everything happens for a reason.
STEPHEN CURRY, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Game seven but it's going to be fun. It's what you play for to be in a situation you're one win away from going to the finals. Pressure both ways because of how big the moment is. And got to want it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CELLINI: Forty (ph) now (ph) Champions League final on Saturday Liverpool, Real Madrid, the goal everyone is talking about right there, Gareth Bale of Real, came off the bench to do this. The overhead kick, one of two goals for the reserve.
Real Madrid winning the European Cup for a third consecutive year, four in five years and he kind of stole the show from Ronaldo, the team's biggest star, yet and still Cristiano Ronaldo remains the dreamy heartthrob and he now has another trophy to go along with that.
BLACKWELL: Can't beat that. Can't beat the --
(CROSSTALK)
CELLINI: The dreamy heartthrob?
BLACKWELL: Yes.
PAUL: That kick does, though. Backwards right there?
CELLINI: I think --
(CROSSTALK)
CELLINI: You're a dreamy heartthrob for everybody. (LAUGHTER)
PAUL: Not really. All right.
CELLINI: I know.
PAUL: Vince, thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
PAUL: That's (ph) true. That's not what I meant.
CELLINI: What are trying to tell me?
(LAUGHTER)
PAUL: All right, listen.
Melania Trump, we haven't seen her in public for more than two weeks. What she has been up to and when are we going to see her again? We will talk about that in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:57:50]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The engines are on three, two, one. We have liftoff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As 1967 faded into 1968, the visions in the country were widening. The race riots, oppositions to the war was building to a crescendo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) the war in Vietnam.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think anyone could have imagined that 1968 would turn out to be one of the most dramatic and consequential years in our whole history.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's stampeding people. They just ran someone down back there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In '68, young people had a sense that they had no power. They were being drafted and ordered to fight in a war that they did not believe in. And they sensed the people who sent them there did not believe in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think it's worth it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I -- I don't know. They say we're fighting for something. I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that couldn't stand forever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The political pigs, your days are numbered.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what the cop did.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.: We've got some difficulties days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody can really say why this happened. It's just pent-up anger.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think in '68 everything felt a lot more on the edge. It felt like the country could turn into just a sea of turmoil.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, I don't mind speaking here, but when you start throwing rocks that size -- who threw it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nix on Nixon, that's what it's got to be.
RICHARD NIXON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Take off the gloves and sock it to them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are watching this on the evening news and they're saying, oh, my gosh, things are out of control. We have to do something.
CROWD (chanting): The whole world is watching. The whole world is watching.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this what you want to do, destroy the country?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll destroy a whole bunch of you all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Kennedy has been shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator Kennedy has been shot. Is that possible?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
