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New Day
Trump to Unveil Immigration Plan; Trump Attacks Biden; Warren Slams Fox News; Bill Weir's "Champions for Change" Story. Aired 8:30- 9a ET
Aired May 15, 2019 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[08:33:08] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, a little breaking news because CNN that is just learned that President Trump is expected to announce the details about his immigration plan as early as tomorrow. So far protections for dreamers has not been discussed in meetings with lawmakers.
So what will this mean for the 2020 race?
Let's bring in Jonathan Martin, he's a national political correspondent at "The New York Times." We also have our David Chalian, CNN political director.
So, do you know what this new immigration plan would look like, David, from the president tomorrow?
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: No, we -- we have not seen details of this plan. And the timing of this news that we're learning from Jim Acosta that a plan may come as soon as tomorrow is also intriguing because of all the reporting that came out of Capitol Hill yesterday that our reporting and others that Republican lawmakers were rather underwhelmed with what Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller sort of presented to them.
And so if the president's now going to roll out a sort of full immigration plan that already we're hearing rumblings that Republican lawmakers are not entirely on board with, that's an odd place to start with a rollout, which is why I'm a little skeptical that this is going to be some plan that instantly we're going to see Democrats and Republicans rally around.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm on team Chalian here. I'm a little skeptical that we'll even necessarily see a plan in the next few days. This feels a little bit like clean up on aisle Trump after "The Washington Post" story which said that Jared Kushner stumbled a little bit behind closed doors when he was trying to explain the immigration stuff to Republican lawmakers.
So I want to move on to some big 2020 news.
Jonathan Martin, to you, you had a very compelling piece in "The Times" this morning with our friend Maggie Haberman describing what is either a White House strategy or a Trump strategy vis-a-vis Joe Biden, or an accidental posture. Now, the Joe Biden people have been thrilled, apparently, that the president keeps on talking about Joe Biden.
JONATHAN MARTIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Right.
BERMAN: And there are Trump advisers who think it's an accident. But on the other hand, and this is what you get to that I think is so interesting, there are people who suggest that the president is doing it purposefully. President Trump has told advisers he believes he can portray Mr. Biden, a longtime Washington veteran, as a representative of an ossified political class the same way he did Hillary Clinton, wounding him with enough attacks and put downs that Mr. Biden will either stagger into the general election or collapse in the primary. Explain.
[08:35:29] MARTIN: Well, the president, since Biden got in the race late last month, on a nearly daily basis, has been targeting him on Twitter, in interviews, in comments to the press and formally. He's given him two variations of a nickname through his talk of his top lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was going to go on a mission to the Ukraine to try to like get some dirt on the Biden family.
So it's been this sort of frontal assault and it has not escaped notice of the Biden campaign, other Democrats in the race, or certainly GOP officials, who don't get -- the latter -- don't get why the president is elevating somebody that they don't necessarily want to face next year in the general election.
Here's why, Biden does not want to talk about his primary. He wants to focus on Trump entirely. He wants to avoid these litmus tests that are taking place on his left flank and wants to basically stay above the fray. And by Trump attacking him, he sets up this Trump/Biden frame that let's Biden effectively do that.
And so if Biden can just sort of exchange fire with Trump every day, Biden is really enjoying that.
CAMEROTA: But, David, who could blame President Trump for thinking that this will be an effective successful strategy to cripple Joe Biden by the time the, you know, convention or whatever, the general comes because that's what he did with -- you know, he vanquished 17 Republican challengers in this very way.
CHALIAN: Yes.
CAMEROTA: So he's going back to that playbook.
CHALIAN: Yes, I'm not sure this is necessarily a terrible thing for Donald Trump to be doing. I -- there's no doubt, as Jonathan reported so well, and as we've heard from Republican operatives, it makes them nervous because of exactly what Jonathan is saying, it plays entirely into the Biden playbook. But that doesn't mean that Donald Trump, with all this running room ahead of him, knocking at the guy that is the front runner, that may take him on right now, I -- first of all, I just don't think you're going to be able to stop the president from doing that, if you are in his inner circle.
MARTIN: That's right.
CHALIAN: And so there is a potential upside for the president, which is to start building that frame around Joe Biden right now and trying to take him down several pegs, even if it -- even if he emerges as the Democratic nominee.
BERMAN: Jonathan.
MARTIN: Real fast, John, I think the question here is, you know, does Trump believe that Biden's nomination is inevitable? And if he does, this strategy makes more sense, right, because if you think he's going to be the standard bearer next year, you may as well start now.
There's a lot of folks from both parties, though, who aren't convinced Biden's going to be the nominee and they'd rather have somebody else, the Republicans would, and they don't want to sort of make him the inevitable nominee. And that's where the concern comes in.
CHALIAN: And if one of those other people that Jonathan's referring to emerges, then without being touched at all for months at a time they emerge --
MARTIN: That's right.
CHALIAN: And they are the dragon slayer of Biden and then they emerge in such a stronger position where the president and his team have not touching them as effectively.
CAMEROTA: Is that a "Game of Thrones" reference right there?
BERMAN: Almost. Almost. Winter is coming.
David Chalian, Elizabeth Warren, quickly, if we can, she's not going to do a Fox News town hall. And the reason, she says, is she doesn't want to be as involved, as she puts it, in the hate for profit machine. That was an interesting way of saying no, David.
CHALIAN: Yes, it's a way that works really well in grassroots fundraising e-mails to supporters.
MARTIN: Right.
CHALIAN: It's a way that works really well to energize that part of the base of the Democratic Party that she so desperately needs. She needs to keep slicing away from Bernie Sanders' support, a natural fit there for her. And this is -- it's a no-brainer. And, by the way, it's just as a no-brainer for some other candidates running who want to do the Fox News town hall and reach out to some voters. But for Elizabeth Warren's strategy here, who is not doing big fundraisers, she's living off these e-mail grassroots donations, trying to build a list of supporters, I think this makes perfect sense for her.
CAMEROTA: OK. We've got to go. J. Mart, David, thank you both very much. MARTIN: Thanks, guys.
CHALIAN: Sure.
BERMAN: So if there's a New York Knicks fan in your life, they probably need a hug today.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The third pick goes to the New York Knicks.
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[08:39:43] BERMAN: Zion Williamson, he's not coming to the big apple. So who gets the number one pick? Well, you just heard out loud. We'll cover all this, next.
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CAMEROTA: Time now for the "5 Things to Know for Your New Day."
Number one, Alabama's lawmakers effectively banning all abortions in the state, setting up a direct challenge to Roe versus Wade. Under the bill, doctors could face 99 years in prison or life. The governor now has 60 days to sign it.
BERMAN: Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about President Trump's trade war with China, as talks have stalled. But the president insists, quote, we're winning, dismissing the impasse as a little squabble.
CAMEROTA: Donald Trump Junior reaching a deal to testify behind closed doors before the Senate Intelligence Committee next month. This as the House Intelligence Committee opens an inquiry into claims that Trump's legal time edited then Trump attorney Michael Cohen's 2017 testimony.
BERMAN: CNN has exclusively learned that hundreds of TSA officials, including federal air marshals, will be deployed to the southern border to bolster security, just as the busy summer traveling season picks up.
CAMEROTA: And Zion-mania is gripping New Orleans. The Pelicans winning the NBA draft lottery and the right to select coveted Duke star Zion Williamson with the number one pick in June, John.
BERMAN: We're out of time so I can't even taunt the New York Knicks fans.
For more on the "5 Things to Know for Your New Day," go to cnn.com/newday for the latest.
[08:44:57] Here's what else to watch today.
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ON SCREEN TEXT: 9:30 a.m. ET, Harris New Hampshire town hall. 2:45 p.m. ET, Trump/Pompeo meeting
3:00 p.m. ET, Colorado shooting hero memorial.
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CAMEROTA: All right, now this. What is the secret to a long life? We will introduce you to someone who has looked into that very question and is bringing his research home to America. Bill Weir's "Champions for Change," next.
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BERMAN: So this week we're bringing you stories of remarkable people who are making a lasting impact around the world. We call the series "Champions for Change." And this morning Bill Weir catches up with longtime friend Dan Buettner in Fort Worth, Texas. They last met in Acaria (ph), Greece, one of five so-called blue zones, places where active healthy lifestyles are common and so, too, are people living beyond the age of 100.
Bill Weir joins us now with the secrets to life, with like the whole thing.
BILL WEIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE) friends. Fountain of youth right here, baby.
CAMEROTA: And thank goodness. We should have talked to you earlier.
WEIR: Here's a statistic for you. Every eight seconds a baby boomer turns 73 these days. And depending on where you live, that's either the beginning or the end or just a turn in a long road.
[08:50:05] So my "Champion for Change" went around the world, found these pockets of longevity to see if he could steal their secrets for you.
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WEIR (voice over): If you take a ferry from Mikonos (ph), past landmarks of Greek mythology, you will discover Ikaria, an island where people forget to die. A place where people live to age 90 at a rate up to four times greater than Americans, with a fraction of our rates of dementia and Alzheimer's.
DAN BUETTNER: So life expectancy in America is 79. We should be able to live to 92. Somewhere along the line we're leaving 13 years on the table.
WEIR: And when a National Geographic explorer named Dan Buettner found this place, something clicked.
BUETTNER: So my quest is, how do we get those extra 13 years and how do we make those extra 13 years good years?
WEIR: That one question sent him on a lifelong quest to bring back the secrets of the happiest, healthiest centenarians in the world. Every time his team found a pocket of longevity, they'd circle it on a map in blue ink. And they learned that in these blue zones, nine key lifestyle choices mattered just as much or more than good genes.
WEIR (on camera): Can you rattle off the nine?
BUETTNER: Move naturally every day. Be able to articulate your sense of purpose. Have daily rituals that reverse the stress of everyday living. Have a little wine at 5:00. Eat mostly a plant-based diet, especially beans and nuts. Eat a huge breakfast. Belong to a faith- based community. Put your family first. Keep your aging parents nearby. And curate a special group of friends, four or five friends, who are going to nudge you in the right direction.
WEIR (voice over): His lessons stuck with me. And as I traveled the world over the years, I assumed that blue zones were only for small, simple, isolated societies, where the healthy choice is the only choice. This could never work in the modern land of the free, home of the Whopper, right?
WEIR (on camera): Yes, there he is.
BUETTNER: Top gun.
WEIR: Wrong.
BUETTNER: (INAUDIBLE).
WEIR: Good to see you.
WEIR (voice over): Bucking the status quo with science and common sense, Dan has blue zoned the entire states of Iowa and Hawaii, 45 American cities, including one of the biggest and unhealthiest in the land.
WEIR (on camera): When I asked for a blue zone in the United States and you told me Fort Worth, Texas.
BUETTNER: It's probably the last place you --
WEIR: I thought you were pulling my leg.
MAYOR BETSY PRICE, FORTH WORTH, TEXAS: When my kids were in high school, I watched their friends just getting more and more out of shape. And that's happening to our whole population, particularly in Texas, land of chicken fried steak, barbecue and Mexican food.
WEIR (voice over): When Mayor Betsy Price realized her city full of sedentary and obese smokers ranked near the bottom of national wellness surveys, she started holding rolling town halls and then she brought in Dan and blue zones.
BUETTNER: And the response from the room, all the leaders there, up in the 15th floor of the Fort Worth Club, was, I don't know, it sounds like you're taking our freedoms away from us.
WEIR (on camera): Uh-huh.
BUETTNER: And I said, fine, then keep doing what you're doing. And Betsy Price said, no, no, I think we ought to give Dan a chance.
PRICE: Show Bill how we roll in Fort Worth.
WEIR (voice over): The Republican mayor built more parks and sidewalks.
KIDS: I am (INAUDIBLE).
WEIR: And got behind the blue zone's idea to create walking school buses, which give seniors a sense of purpose each morning, tightens community and gets kids moving.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is part of it. It's --
WEIR: While the city bans smoking in bars and restaurants, Dan's team convinced convenience stores in food deserts to sell more fruits and veges.
BUETTNER: How much do you end up throwing away?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: None.
BUETTNER: None of it. It sells all. Oh, that's fantastic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it is.
BUETTNER: I love it.
WEIR: They got steak houses to offer more healthy options.
WEIR (on camera): This may be the first time in my life I ever ordered a vegetarian taco.
WEIR (voice over): And he taught the folks at Texas Health Resources that the most coveted parking spots should be the ones furthest away from the building.
BARCLAY BERDAN, CEO, TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES: You know, doing your row of the blue zones parking spaces encourages people to just take a little walk, not a big one, but a little walk.
WEIR: As the CEO explains, this only works with buy-in from everyone, government, business, faith communities. And in five years, he says they've moved up in wellness rankings from 185th in the nation to number 31, saving around $250 million.
BUETTNER: The people we saw in Ikaria, if you asked them how they got to be 100, they probably couldn't tell.
WEIR (on camera): Right.
BUETTNER: You know, they just live their life. They herd their goats. They tended their garden. They spent time with their family. They went to church on Sundays. They went to parties during the summer. But they were getting good sleep. They were eating mostly plant-based food. They were nudged into movement every 20 minutes as a residue of their environment. And we're just trying to take that blueprint from places like Ikaria and laying it over places like Fort Worth, Texas. And lo and behold, it works.
[08:55:12] WEIR: It works.
WEIR (voice over): And that is why Dan Buettner is my "Champion for Change," proving that with a few healthy nudges we can all create our own islands where people forget to die.
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WEIR: And the sad thing is, really the blue zones are kind of going extinct. These people in these little pockets lived in a sweet spot where they had modern medicine to stave off infectious disease, but they hadn't adopted all the modern lifestyles that give us the chronic diseases, right? But we captured that blueprint, right, and we know now we can just duplicate it regardless of where you are. You don't have to live on the Greek islands.
BERMAN: What I love about --
CAMEROTA: But I want to.
BERMAN: No, exactly.
WEIR: But we want to.
BERMAN: Clearly I'm going to choose the island over Fort Worth. But what I like so much about it is that it's attainable.
WEIR: Yes.
BERMAN: For the most part, those things are attainable.
WEIR: Right. It's little choices. We -- I went to Ikaria thinking there's a magic bullet. It's the honey or it's the water. No, it's these little things. It's friends that nudge you every day in the right direction.
CAMEROTA: So great, Bill, thanks so much for bringing that to us.
WEIR: My pleasure.
CAMEROTA: We are redoubling our efforts at longevity and wellness.
BERMAN: So you need friends. Good luck with that.
CAMEROTA: I need -- I need more --
WEIR: And sleep.
CAMEROTA: That's the problem.
Bill, thank you very much.
We have more inspiring stories this week. Tune in this Saturday at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time for an hour long "Champions for Change" special.
BERMAN: All right, much more news coming up. We'll be right back.
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