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Former Vice President Joe Biden Wrapped Up His Campaign Launched Today With A Rally This Afternoon; Senator Bernie Sanders Is Trying To Shore Up Support After A Recent Drop In The Polls; Exclusive Interview With Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) On New Abortion Bill; Mayor Pete Buttigieg Is Talking Up His Military Experience Even More Than His Mayoral Experience; Protesters Jeer as NYC Mayor Announces Presidential Bid; Harris: Biden "Would Be a Great Running Mate" as Number 2; Iran Foreign Minister Trolls Trump: "The U.S. Doesn't Know What to Think"; FAA Issues Warning to Commercial Flights over Persian Gulf; Harry & Meghan's Baby Born in Hospital, Not at Home; Prince Harry Wins Lawsuit against "Splash News"; Internet Sensation "Grumpy Cat" Dies at Age 7; Biden Holds Campaign Kickoff Rally in Pennsylvania. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired May 18, 2019 - 16:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[16:00:00] TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- miracle met so long ago. A local hero --.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yankees fan. Really, nothing is going to change though.

FOREMAN: But then they were all heroes this day, hitting a grand slam of giving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With this transplant, I will be able to see my children. I will be able to see them graduate. I will be able to go to their weddings. I will be able to see my grandchildren and that's very special to me.

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Top of the hour. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York.

Joe Biden pulling no punches. The former VP wrapped up his campaign launched today with a rally this afternoon. It was in the heart of Pennsylvania, the state where Biden was born. Also a state Democrats must win if they want to take control of the White House, and that's exactly what Biden plans to do. In fact, he explicitly said during his rally that beating Trump is the single most important thing for the country. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He was the President now for three years. Look at what he is doing, instilling fear. I mean not joking. Instilling fare, sowing division, stroking racial division, undercutting every institution that was designed to check the abuse of power by the President or anyone else.

Let me ask you. Are we a nation that believes there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan and those with the courage to stand against them? No, we don't, but Trump does. Trump said there is a moral equivalence. Are we a nation that believes ripping children from the arms of their parents at the border? No, we don't, but Trump does. Are we a nation that embraces dictators and tyrants like Putin and Kim Jong-un? No, we don't, but Trump does.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: CNN political reporter, Arlette Saenz was there.

Arlette, this rally was supposed to happen. Overarching message of unity, but based on what we just played, was that the case?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, Ana, Joe Biden did want to hammer away at the unity saying that the country needs to come together, but he also did paint President Trump as a divisive figure.

But Biden also pushed back on the notion that he might be naive in thinking that Democrats can work with Republicans to achieve consensus. Biden said that they knows when to go toe to toe with Republicans, but he also knows that there is a time to come together, saying that we need to stop fighting and start fixing.

And I want to play for you a piece of sound where he talked about President Trump and warned that the issues voters care about, whether it's a woman's right to choose or combatting climate change, that nothing will -- progress will not be made if Donald Trump is still President. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: The country is sick of the division. It's sick of the fight. It's sick of the childish behavior. There isn't a single person among you or anyone in this country that could get away in their jobs while he is lashing out at his political opponents, obsessing over personal grievances.

Look. The rest - here is the most important you remember. The rest of the world isn't waiting. It isn't waiting. China isn't waiting. They are building 5G, mastering A.I. They are rewriting the rules of the internet. They are moving into areas that should not be abandoned by us. The rest of the world hasn't given up on the Paris climate accord. They are pushing it. They know it's essential to human existence.

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: The greatest challenges is we face in the future will be over technology, intellectual properly, clean energy, a warming planet. There is not a single thing that building a wall or imposing another tariff can address on any of these issues.

As long as Donald Trump is in the White House, none of these critical things are going to get done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now Biden held back official kickoff rally here in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he is also basing his campaign headquarters, and it is a state where Biden sees a possible opening. This is a state that President Trump won back in 2016. The Democrats want to bring over to the blue column in 2020. And there is a recent poll that showed what a possible head to head matchup between former vice president Joe Biden and President Trump would look like with Biden beating Donald Trump 53 percent to 42 percent.

Now while Biden was here in Philadelphia, President Trump is coming to the state on Monday to hold a campaign rally of his own. I'm sure to be pushing back a bit of what vice President Biden had to say here today in Philly - Ana.

[16:05:06] CABRERA: All right. We will wait. We will see.

Arlette Saenz, thanks for that reporting.

CNN political analyst and "New York Times" politics editor Patrick Healy is here with me now.

Patrick, first, just your reaction to Biden's big rally today?

PATRICK HEALY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Biden is coming out pretty strong and saying that Democrats have to at least be offering a message that can pull in some independents, some Republicans and some Democrats who decided to vote for President Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. He wasn't giving the kind of red meat far left progressive speech with specifics on liberal policy the way that Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren is. He is making a case for national unity. Now the challenges Arlette was getting at is that he's also going hard after Trump.

CABRERA: Yes. I mean, it almost seems contradictory that he is calling for unity, but then going full throttle on the attack side against Trump. So in some ways he is maybe channeling the theory that's out there and finding the passion that's in the base?

HEALY: He is threading a needle and the needle is this. It's around that childish behavior idea. It's around the idea that there are Republicans, Independents, Democrats who may like Trump on the economy, who may like the tougher stands on China, but they are sick and tired of the endless tweeting and name calling, you know, frankly dog whistling, you know, racist behavior that can come out of this White House and this President. They are tired of that.

The Quinnipiac poll is very interesting that we showed. Biden is up 11 points on Trump in Pennsylvania, but a majority of the voters in that poll said that they thought that the economy was excellent or good. The majority of those voters -- those are the kind of numbers that usually benefit an incumbent president like President Trump. So basically you have Pennsylvania voters who are saying we think the economy is excellent and good, but we are ready to vote for Joe Biden by 11 points.

CABRERA: And it was so interesting because Biden actually did not shy away from talking about the economy today.

HEALY: Right.

CABRERA: He almost acted like this was one of his selling points because he talked about how the recovery started and has since continued from the Obama administration which he was part of, right?

HEALY: Right. That's right. And that is the case that he can make. What's a little hard sometimes and Democrats and Republicans have found this, is trying to remind people, well, the last guy deserves more credit than this guy. And what Biden is counting on is President Trump still making these, you know, cases against, you know, for tariffs on China that can send the stock market gyrating, that basically that President Trump will look like an uneven steward of the economy so that Biden can say it was much more stable and calm. Growth was happening under President Obama and I. That's the kind of sort of traditional normalcy that we can go back to on the economy, and not scaring people like some Democrats fear about the kind of Warren/Sanders approach to really remaking the economy.

CABRERA: Yes.

HEALY: And really overhauling the economy.

CABRERA: OK. Patrick, you are back with me in just a moment. So stand by.

It's not just Biden hitting the trail today. Right now from coast to coast, ten of the 23 Democratic presidential hopefuls are holding events.

Iowa is a key focus with four of the candidates pushing their message across the Hawkeye state.

Meanwhile Senator Amy Klobuchar is hitting both Michigan and New Hampshire today.

Also in New Hampshire, Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Former HUD secretary Julian Castro making his case to voters in Arizona.

And Senator Bernie Sanders and New York mayor Bill de Blasio who just threw his hat into the ring on Thursday, are both targeting voters in the south.

Now South Carolina is just one stop and Sanders has a four-state southern swing. He is trying to shore up support after a recent drop in the polls. Sanders is rolling out several new policies including a massive investment in education. And CNN's Ryan Nobles is covering that in Orangeburg, South Carolina -

Ryan.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's right, Ana. Bernie Sanders spending time today in South Carolina. Of course, a key early voting primary state. The first primary in the south. And it is a state with a heavy influence of African-American voters in the Democratic primary.

And today, Bernie Sanders is rolling out a comprehensive education plan with the specific nod to black voters here in South Carolina. This is called the Thurgood Marshall Education plan in homage to the Supreme Court justice who was sitting during the landmark Brown versus board of education decision 65 years ago.

And what Sanders talks about in his plan is using the federal government to enforce that standard that public schools across the country should be desegregated. And this is something African- American leaders have called for for some time. And this is something Sanders said that he is going to push for when he becomes President.

That's not the only thing that he talked about today. This was a ten- point plan. One of the big headlines, a call to end for profit charter schools across the country and call for much better accountability for charter schools that currently exist.

Sanders also wants to institute a $60,000 a year floor for teachers' salaries across the board. He want to invest in free universal meals for students across the country. And he also wants to invest about $5 billion in after school and summer school activities. These are all parts of this plan that he unveiled here today.

Now this is a lot. And it will likely be expensive. But one of the things Sanders did not talk about today is just how much this entire plan would cost and how he would pay for it. Sanders did though allude to the fact that some of that money could come back from rolling tax cuts that were eliminated during the Trump administration.

So sanders continues on. He is going to make another stop in South Carolina. He is going to be in Georgia. He is going to end up this tour on Monday in Alabama. The states he will across this tour states that were won by Donald Trump in 2016 - Ana.

[16:11:00] CABRERA: OK, Ryan Nobles. Thanks for that.

The state of Missouri, the latest in the nation to take up a restrictive abortion bill sending it now to the governor's next. Up next, reaction to the growing number of restrictive abortion laws now on the books.

You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was sex education class like when you were growing you up here? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As far as it goes, if you kiss somebody, you get

pregnant. If you get pregnant, I isn't raising it, like --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The wonder of human sexuality in two sentences.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly. So, you know, there was this not so cool thing where you take home the baby or the sack of -- I don't know what you all do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had sugar. A five-pound bag of sugar.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? I thought that only happened on like TV shows. Like sitcoms from the 80s.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a sugar baby.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the 80s. Mississippi is a sitcom from the '80s.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's one of those facts of life, different strokes or something.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. So we had those babies, but we didn't have, like, the education around sex.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:15:44] CABRERA: Backlash is still building over Alabama's restrictive new abortion law. No exceptions for rape or incest. A provision that could send a doctor to prison for up to 99 years, a life sentence for performing an abortion, and ten years for even attempting it. Even televangelist Pat Robertson thinks this is a bridge too far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAT ROBERTSON, TELEVANGELIST: I think Alabama has gone too far. There is no exception for rape or incest. It's an extreme law and they want to challenge Roe versus Wade. But my humble view is that this is not the case we want to bring to the Supreme Court because I think this one will lose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: So far this year, at least seven states have voted to restrict their existing abortion laws, and at least seven more have considered restrictions. Count Florida congresswoman Lois Frankel among the outrage. She calls it the all-out war on women's bodies and declares we will fight back.

And Congresswoman Frankel is joining us now. You are a law student at Georgetown in 1973 when Roe versus Wade was decided at the Supreme Court. What is it like to see such sustained effort right now to not only chip away at abortion rights, but to completely overturn Roe?

REP. LOIS FRANKEL (D), FLORIDA: Well, good afternoon. It's great to be with you, Ana. And thank you for having me on your show today. We are in a war, I call a message in this war against women, and we are not going to take it because millions of women are going to fight back because we are not going to go back.

Now I will tell you a story because I lived in the days before Roe v. Wade. And I remember as a teenager actually finding a friend. She was in bed with -- there was blood all over the bed sheets. She was in excruciating pain. We rushed her to the hospital and I later learned that she had a back alley abortion. And those were the days when girls or women could not get legal abortions. They were forced to drink poison or have a coat hanger used to abort their baby. So we're not going to go back to those days.

But I want to add something. You know, this fight is more than just about the morbidity and more death that will be caused by making abortion illegal. It's more than say, isn't it horrific that a 12- year-old who is raped is forced to have a baby and that is horrific. We are talking about a movement across this entire country, mostly by Republican men, to keep -- to take control away from women. To take our health care away, to have important decisions about when to have a child or where to have a child, to have those decisions made by politicians.

CABRERA: Now the fact that the Alabama law, there is no consideration for rape or incest, that has angered more than a new conservatives. And Alabama is not alone in that. Missouri is another one this week, but the political calculation is clear here. Anti-abortion activists won a case that goes to the Supreme Court, so that Roe v. Wade can be reconsidered. How likely do you think that really is in the next few years?

FRANKEL: Well, what I think is important for everyone to realize is that probably in the last ten years or so, there have been over 400 bills and state legislatures all over this country putting obstacles and roadblocks in front of women getting legal abortions. So these few that have just come to light, Alabama and Georgia and so forth which were much more extreme, this is nothing new. And this is really -- it's a plan to somehow get more and more of these cases to the Supreme Court not necessarily to completely overturn Roe V. Wade, but to put more and more obstacles in front of women, especially poor and working women who can't afford to fly or go to another state to have a legal abortion.

CABRERA: But do you believe that now with Justice Brett Kavanaugh, with you know, Gorsuch both on the bench, how the Supreme Court has been sort of remade since this President took office? Do you believe a conservative majority will overturn roe?

[16:20:04] FRANKEL: I certainly think it's possible. The President of the United States, that was one of his campaign promises, and I think that's the only reason he probably got into office, was because conservatives saw what he would do to the courts. That's why if you look at the United States Senate, the only movement they have on legislature to anything is to put more conservatives on the court. So do I think they are going to overturn -- completely overturn Roe v. Wade? I hope not, but this is -- I tell you we are in a war. It's a call to arms. Women better fight back. They better get to the polls. They better vote. They better support these organizations that are going to the courts whether it's ACLU or Planned Parenthood. We cannot depend on hope that maybe justice Roberts will see his way not to overturn Roe v. Wade. This is a call to arms.

CABRERA: What is your thought about Democratic governor of Louisiana Bel Edwards saying today that he supports the restrictive abortion bill that's up in his state?

FRANKEL: Let's say I don't agree with it. But I don't think it doesn't really matters whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. I mean, it is mostly Republican lawmakers across the country that are passing these restrictions.

But listen. I will call him out too. Women, if we are going to have productive lives, if we are going to be able to take care of our families. If we are going to be able to take care of selves, if we want to have more economically successful communities, then women have to be in charge of our own bodies. And so what I would say to him is change your mind. Veto any bill that comes your way that restricts any woman's right to choose.

CABRERA: Real quick, I want to ask you about an issue that affects your state, Florida, specifically, an area you represent, Palm Beach County. Immigration officials have talked about transporting up to a thousand migrants a month to South Florida. About 500 they say will go to Palm Beach County where they will be processed and then released.

You have said the Trump administration is using human beings as political pawns here. Tell me more about this plan and your reaction to it.

FRANKEL: Well, first, let me say when the President or the administration first announced it, and I think it caused so much commotion here. There was a lot of pushback from folks on both sides of the aisle. I think they have back off for now. But you know, with that said, you know, this whole thing about building a wall -- everybody, let's remember. That's a campaign slogan, and now using human beings as political pawns trying -- saying we are going to ship these refugees to the areas of the country that seem to be more sympathetic to them, that's just wrong. And sort of two things I think have to happen immediately aside from the long-term, having immigration reform, comprehensive immigration reform.

But two things have to happen right away. Number one, the Trump administration has to start putting back resources and aid to the Central American countries that they cut off because that's where the problems are. There is a lot of violence. There is tremendous poverty and we need to be using resources to change the conditions in those countries that are causing so many people to flee.

Number two, there needs to be immediately humanitarian crisis package that comes out of the Congress. I'm talking about billions of dollars that will go to deal with the thousands and thousands of people who are on the border, whether it's health care, shelter --

CABRERA: Right.

FRANKEL: Judicial processing. All that needs to happen now.

CABRERA: OK, Congresswoman Lois Frankel, we will have you back as soon that bill gets moving. We appreciate your time. Thank you very much.

FRANKEL: Thank you.

CABRERA: Mayor Pete Buttigieg using his service in Afghanistan on the campaign trail. How his time in uniform is helping him stand out from the crowded pack.

You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[16:27:54] JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: When you signed up, did you have any idea that credential you would get from this would in fact help you one day as you run for office?

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well. I'm not one of those who thinks you have to serve in the military in order to serve in public office. But it is certainly one way of demonstrating what you care about. That being said, you know, there have been times in our history when being a military was popular. There have been times it has been unpopular. And you never really know when you signed up what is it going to be like over the years.

I think right now, America is doing pretty good job in supporting service members even as people are skeptical in some of the policies around war and peace in this country. There have been other times in our history notably the Vietnam generation when often general public anti-war sentiment round up turning into anti-military sentiment. And you got to be ready to serve whether it is popular or not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: That was CNN's Jeff Zeleny speaking with Mayor Pete Buttigieg. He may be the youngest candidate in the crowded presidential field, but Mayor Pete is invoking his service in Afghanistan to defend his age and experience to go after President Trump.

Back with us now, CNN political analyst and "New York Times" politics editor Patrick Healy. And also joining us Ron Brownstein, CNN senior political analyst and senior editor at "the Atlantic."

So Ron, at times, it seems Buttigieg is talking up his military experience even more than his mayoral experience. Is that a smart play to not just maybe stand out from the pact but also to take on Trump?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, look. I think the breath of his experience at his young age is the kind of the combination that has made him attractive in the first instance to so many Democrats. I mean, all of the things that he has done don't seem possible, you know, given the limited number of years in which he has done them. And he has followed through on that initial kind of interest with very good performances whenever people have been watching. So he has really come a long way. He has filled an awful lot of space that Beto O'Rourke foot that he was going to take as kind of a fresh face, next generation Democrat.

But still, he has a long way to go in terms of getting beyond what we could call sort of in the past the whole (INAUDIBLE) of kind of upscale liberal Democrats that are interested in these kinds of candidates.

[16:30:00]

You have to go way beyond that in particular. You got to show them you can appeal to the African-American voters. He hasn't done any of that yet, but no one should underestimate the amount of ground he has covered, and the extent to which he has moved past someone who was thought initially to be a much stronger candidate, Beto O'Rourke.

ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Patrick, another mayor joined the race this week, Bill De Blasio, of New York. Boy, he did not get a warm welcome from his hometown.

Here's what protesters shouted as he sat down for his first interview after announcing his candidacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: You know who is loving this? President Trump. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just heard that the worst mayor in the history of New York City, and without question, the worst mayor in the United States, is now running for president. It will never happen.

You would be better off if you got back to New York City and did your job for the little time you have left.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Patrick, does De Blasio have any path to victory?

PATRICK HEALY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: He has got a tough path. He has got -- he's in a very liberal lane with Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. And it's unclear what kind of case he can make for why he would be better than Sanders or Warren on these issues.

In terms of his record in New York City, he did start prekindergarten in the city for all young children. That was a signature achieves.

But far more, he spent a lot of time fighting with fellow Democrats, like Governor Andrew Cuomo, and dealing with issues that, particularly in terms of public housing and development in New York City, that he really can't go to Iowa and South Carolina and describe himself as the mayor who got things done in the city of New York or has this sort of record of achievement.

Why he is running, what he has to offer, you know, we're going to see in the next several weeks. But he does think there's some space in the race. With 23 candidates running now, Ana, as you know, it's very tough.

CABRERA: Let's talk about another candidate because I want to get through as many as possible because there have been a number of developments this week.

Senator and presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, she did come up with an answer to the talk about her perhaps becoming a running mate to the front runner, Biden, and here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): I think that Joe Biden would be a great running mate. As vice president, he has proven he knows how to do the job. And there are other candidates that would make, for me, a very viable and interesting vice president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Ron, she's saying, sure, he might be a great number two on her ticket. What doing you think of that?

BROWNSTEIN: It was a strong and snappy and witty answer. But, in fact, if Joe Biden is the nominee, there are an awful lot of Democrats who are going to want Kamala Harris to be his running mate if, in fact, he holds his lead.

I mean, her performance, so far, has been impressive in some ways and shaky in others. You know, she did make a bet, I think, initially, that the left would be ascendant in the Democratic primary. She identified with Bernie Sanders on Medicare-for-All, the version that would end private health insurance.

And that is an idea that stalled out, even among Democrats. The bill in the House, the sponsorship, less than half the House Democrats, fewer than the last Congress. There's a lot of interest in what Biden, the alternative from Biden and Beto O'Rourke and a few others, today, he was talking about, which was allowing them to buy into it, but allowing them also keep their private insurance if they want.

And she ultimately, I think, has to decide, is she going to run as kind of a tribune of the left or the tough-minded prosecutor?

She is still, I think, someone who can emerge at the very top of this field. She can be strong with both African-American women and college-educated white women, which is about 40 percent of all Democratic primary voters.

But I think she ultimately has to make that core decision. Especially with Biden at this point dominating so overwhelmingly among older voters who are often overlooked but are really the core of his formidable strength in his early polls.

CABRERA: OK, guys, I have to leave it there today.

Patrick Healy and Ron Brownstein, really appreciate it. Thank you.

HEALY: Thank you.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

CABRERA: The Iranian foreign minister trolling President Trump this week as tensions continue to escalate between the two countries. What he is saying about the mixed messages coming from the U.S.?

[16:34:19] You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Iran's foreign minister is declaring there will be no war with the U.S. The foreign minister, Javad Zarif, added that no one else is under the illusion of being able to fight Iran. This coming amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Plus, we're getting a new warning now from the Federal Aviation Administration for commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf. The FAA says those flights are facing, quote, "possible risk of miscalculation or misidentification by the Iranian military."

I want to bring in CNN senior diplomatic correspondent, Michelle Kosinski.

And, Michelle, the Iranians foreign minister was trolling the president. Meantime, there are other signs that Iran maybe trying to de-escalate the situation. What's going on?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT: The threat that the U.S. has been so concerned, about among other threats coming from Iran in the region, was that it had imagery and intel of Iran moving short-range missiles around on boats, including boats from the IRGC, Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, in the Persian Gulf, seeing that as a threat to U.S. assets as well as allies.

So now, in addition to having that and more U.S. assets moved to the region, you have the rhetoric still there and the war of words. The war of words between the U.S. and Iran is something we see quite often. But when you couple that with actual threats and people openly talking about the possibility of war with Iran, it's quite extraordinary.

So you had Trump tweeting last week, "With all of the fake and made up news out there, Iran can have no idea what is actually going on."

So he is blaming the press for Iran being confused.

And now you have Iran's foreign minister calling Trump's aides, including national security adviser, John Bolton, the B-team, and saying that the B-team is saying one thing and Trump is saying another, claiming that it is the U.S. that doesn't know what's going on and is the confused one here.

But you are hearing people on both sides saying that war is not an option, that it's not possible, that it's absolutely undesirable on both sides, coupled with the possibility that Iran may be moving some of these missiles, that it was -- it had on boats away.

[16:40:13] There does seem to be at least a sense here of physical de-escalation de-escalation, despite this back and forth of tweets and whatnot.

CABRERA: Now what are you hearing about these commercial flight warnings? Just how common are they?

KOSINSKI: Yes. Well, they happen on occasion, but it's usually in areas of war. And sometimes the FAA will prohibit U.S. commercial aircraft from flying over places. We saw that in southern Ukraine just a couple of years ago. Other war zones like Syria and Iraq, North Korea, where there's a risk of weapons hitting a U.S. plane. So it's unusual to see this over the Persian Gulf.

And the FAA, I might add, was careful to say that it's likely Iran has no intention of hitting a U.S. aircraft, but with weapons being moved around, the tensions increased, there was a risk, as they put it, of miscalculation, misidentification of aircraft.

And this did happen back in the late '80s on the part of the U.S. during another time of great tension when the U.S. shot down an Iranian passenger plane by accident. Misidentifying it, was how the U.S. described that situation back then.

So these things can, extremely rarely, happen. So the FAA wanted to put out that warning.

And it is extraordinary, too, when you think about the amount of traffic in that area. Dubai's airport being the busiest in the world in terms of international passenger traffic, even busier than London's Heathrow -- Ana?

CABRERA: Michelle Kosinski, thank you.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:45:49] CABRERA: One of the biggest mysteries surrounding the birth of the royal baby has been solved. The birth certificate for Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex's son, Archie, reveals he was born at a private London hospital and not at home as was believed to be Meghan's preference.

Prince Harry and Meghan made clear during the pregnancy they wanted to keep details surrounding the birth of their first child private. And it was only after a news agency obtained the birth certificate that Buckingham Palace offered a comment on this issue.

Joining us now is CNN royal commentator and expert on all things Harry and Meghan, Victoria Arbiter.

Victoria, do we know why Meghan gave up plans for a home birth?

VICTORIA ARBITER, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: I think really she was just following the advice of her doctors. We never actually heard her say, I would like a home birth, but that's what a number of friends had let everyone believe. If was very much in keeping -- she is a California girl, and all about natural living, wants to have as natural an experience as possible when it came to childbirth.

But Meghan is 37. This is her first pregnancy. And given that little Archie was a little bit late making his debut into the world, doctors advised her that the most sensible option would be a hospital birth.

CABRERA: This hospital, I understand, is pretty swanky and has been a place where other famous mothers have given birth?

ARBITER: Yes,, well Portland Hospital is very well known. It has got American connections. It's an American-owned hospital.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie was born there, the children of and Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew. But there's been a lot of celebrity births there. Victoria Beckham had her children there. Yes, the Portland Hospital of course, has those luxurious benefits that celebrities gravitate towards. But more importantly, particularly, in Harry and Meghan's situation, is the discretion and the loyalty.

It's amazing that Harry and Meghan managed to get to a hospital, have a baby, and get home to Frogmore Cottage before the world even knew she went into labor. That just goes to show that the Portland Hospital is very good when it comes to keeping secrets.

CABRERA: You say Baby Archie has a ton of pressure on him. Explain.

ARBITER: Archie has a lot of pressure on his little shoulders. And we're seeing Harry and Meghan and they have drawn a line in the sand in terms of privacy for him moving forward because he is, although a member of the royal family, he is essentially a private citizen.

But Archie is the first baby of mixed-race heritage to be born into the royal family. For historians, this is very exciting. This is an amazing time in terms of a turn in the chapter, I suppose, for the royal family. Suddenly, members of the commonwealth will have a baby they can identify with. That picture of Doria with the queen, Prince Philip and Harry, that

was symbolic in so many ways. People will be able to identify with the royal family, now recognize themselves in the royal family.

But Archie's only just almost two weeks old. So thinking of that sort of burden, I suppose, that historical burden carrying forward, that's quite immense for those little shoulders. So I think Harry and Meghan will do everything they can to protect him.

CABRERA: Such a precious little guy.

When we talk about privacy, we have learned this week that Prince Harry has accepted substantial damages and an apology from "Splash News" over some photos taken of his home using a helicopter. What happened there?

ARBITER: This was so out of line. And this is really good that Harry took a stand.

Back in January, "Splash News," they hired a helicopter and they flew so low over the couple's rented estate in Oxfordshire that they were able to get pictures of the couple's living room and dining room and also their bedroom.

They were renting this estate, but they had chosen it very specifically because it is surrounded by farmland. It's somewhere they could go and decompress and be private, which, of course, is very important.

But "Splash News" getting those photographs and they were published in "The Times" in the U.K. and online. It compromised their privacy but it compromised their security.

Imagine if that camera was a gun. Imagine people that suddenly now have a layout of this couple's home. That's valuable information.

So Harry and Meghan, understandable, they said, we can't live here anymore. They were bulldozed out of their home because of paparazzi photographs.

And Harry did file a lawsuit. They did win the lawsuit. "Splash" has apologized and they said they will not be selling any further images of their home.

CABRERA: Wow.

Victoria Arbiter, always great to have you with us.

ARBITER: Thank you.

[16:49:52] CABRERA: Thank you.

He was the cat that helped us all release our inner curmudgeon. "Grumpy Cat" has died. Ahead, we'll take a look at the amazing life of the most famous feline online.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: "Grumpy Cat," the frowning feline, who took the Internet by storm and launched a thousand memes, has died at the age of 7.

CNN's Zain Asher looks back at her grumpiest moments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): "Grumpy Cat," the pet with the perpetual pout that made the Internet smile, has died at age 7. The web sensation known to her family as Tartar Sauce, died at home from complications of a urinary tract infection this week, according to her owners.

Her signature, look, a mix of scorn and gloom, channeled our worse moods and the drama of human existence spelled out in big block letters into a laugh out loud Internet meme.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): She's, like, an emotional expression of everybody's bad day.

ASHER: "Grumpy Cat" pounced on the Internet six years ago, and since then, her bad mood has become a big business. She has appeared on TV commercials, and had a best-selling book, and even starred in a lifetime movie called "'Grumpy Cat's' Worst Christmas Ever."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you serious?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Of course, I'm serious. Look at my face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: "Grump Cat's" owner says, despite her celebrity, she was just a sweet cat that loved to be cuddled.

And her famous frown came from a condition called feline dwarfism.

With 1.5 million Twitter followers, she won the hearts of many a man, even one known to be a dog lover.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're, like, "Grumpy Cat."

(LAUGHTER)

ASHER: Fans are posting tributes online of how the spirit animal touched their lives, whether it was dressing up like her for Halloween or having a "Grumpy Cat"-themed birthday party.

[16:55:09] So, RIP, "Grumpy Cat." It's our turn now for the sad face.

UNIDENTIFIED OWNER OF "GRUMPY CAT": She was thrilled. As you can see, she's still thrilled. ASHER: Zain Asher, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Just into CNN, we have images of the aftermath of a confirmed EF-2 tornado in Oklahoma. We'll tell you who is in the bull's-eye for more dangerous weather on the way.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera, in New York.

You might think Joe Biden officially launched his campaign months ago. You would be wrong. We begin this hour with Biden's official kickoff campaign rally just this afternoon in his home state of Pennsylvania. That's where he was born.

The former vice president wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses, giving a quick hug to his wife, Jill, before he stepped up to the mic.

Biden today devoted a lot of time to emphasizing unity for the nation he hopes to lead.

[17:00:00] JOE BIDEN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We choose hope over fear.

(CHEERING)

BIDEN: Truth over lies.

(CHEERING)

BIDEN: And yes, unity over division.

(CHEERING)

BIDEN: So vote.

(CHEERING)

BIDEN: It's time for us to lift our heads up --

[17:00:00]