Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Mass Shooting At A Food Festival In The Northern Californian Town Of Gilroy; Senator Kamala Harris Trying To Clear Up Some Confusion About Her Plans For Healthcare; Trump Attacks Black Congressman, Black Leader in Baltimore. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired July 29, 2019 - 14:00   ET

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

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And that is it for me. Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin starts right now.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Brianna, thank you my friend. Hi there and thank you so much for being with me here. I am Brooke Baldwin, live in the 313. We are in Detroit, Michigan the site of CNN's Democratic Debates. And we'll certainly be talking about, of course, how the candidates are preparing.

But first, I want to get to the breaking new details about the victims in Sunday's mass shooting at a food festival in the northern Californian town of Gilroy.

Among the dead, a young man in his 20s, a 13-year-old girl and Steven Romero, six years young. His mother and grandmother were also wounded. His father describes the moment his wife called him with the devastating news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALBERTO ROMERO, FATHER OF SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY, KILLED IN SHOOTING: She said that they shot my son and they took him from her -- like officer.

QUESTION: And she -- so she was shot in the stomach at the time?

ROMERO: Shot in the stomach and hand.

QUESTION: What did you think when she told you this?

ROMERO: I could not believe it was happening -- that what she was saying was a lie, maybe I was dreaming. They told me he was in critical condition that they were working on him. And then five minutes later, they told me that he was dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Twelve people were also injured and officials have identified the suspect now who was killed within one minute of that shooting. But a manhunt is underway for possibly a second suspect. Let's take you there. CNN's law enforcement analyst Josh Campbell is in Gilroy.

And Josh, of course, while so much of our focus is on the victims and also the survivors, you've been really, you know, have some sources on the investigation. Tell me what you're learning. Why did this happen?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: So, a multi-faceted investigation underway here in California following this deadly shooting at a festival here behind me.

What we're learning from law enforcement officials is that the subject has been identified as a 19-year-old local resident. Now there were Initial reports that came out that there was perhaps a second suspect that was involved that came from eyewitness testimony. Now, to this point, we have not received any definitive determination that that is the case. However, officials tell us that they continue to run that angle down again, just to ensure that this is someone who did not have outside assistance.

Now, for his part, we are learning new details about the weapon that was used in this deadly attack. This is an AK-47 assault-type rifle that authorities tell us was legally purchased in Nevada before the shooting here.

We also learned from FBI officials and local police said -- behind us the scene is very much an active investigation and active crime scene. There are a number of personnel that are here on scene from the FBI's evidence response team as well as local officials combing through the area gathering shell casings, identifying every single round that was spent here as this gunman open fired.

And lastly, as you mentioned, the victims - we are learning that children were gunned down. There's no other way to say it -- children gunned down here. Let's listen to how the local police described it just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOT SMITHEE, GILROY, CALIFORNIA POLICE: Well, I think anytime a life is lost, it's a tragedy. But when it's young people, it's even worse. And, you know, it's very difficult, right? I don't know what if any association there is. It seems that this was a random act. But again, we got a long way to go before we can come to the determination, what his motivation is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: Truly heartbreaking here, Brooke, learning those details about the victim. We are also learning from the F.B.I.'s Assistant Special Agent in Charge here, from the San Francisco division that their agents are looking into the motivation and the shooter and trying to determine if there's any ideological motivation that was driving him as well as trying to determine whether he was possibly part of any larger hate groups. That's all part of this ongoing investigation, multifaceted, and going on here on the ground and in multiple locations here in the community.

BALDWIN: I have run out of words to respond to these sorts of things that keep happening in our country. Josh Campbell, thank you so much. While this community is of course, gutted, mourning the loss of such

young lives, there are others who will be forever changed by what happened on Sunday. Families whose children now know what it's like to witness in mass shooting in America. Children like seven-year-old Paul Davies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL DAVIES, SEVEN-YEAR-OLD WHO WITNESSED FESTIVAL SHOOTING: I thought I was going to die.

QUESTION: Why did you think that?

DAVIES: Since they were like -- like 40 feet away from us.

QUESTION: What did you do?

DAVIES: I went under a table.

QUESTION: And you stayed there?

DAVIES: Yes. Until they -- until the police got them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Seven -- seven years of age.

[14:05:05] BALDWIN: My next quest has two young daughters. He was with them at the festival when the shooting started at Brendon Gorshe and his dad Tim. Thank you, too, so much for being here, and of course, we are thinking about you all, so, so dearly, all the way from here in Detroit.

And Brendon, let me just start with you because I understand you were you were near the gunman when this all began. How are you holding up? And really, how are your twin 12-year-old girls holding up?

BRENDON GORSHE, WITNESSED SHOOTING AT GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL: For the most part, you know, for whatever the case -- I think we are still processing stuff. You know, I don't know yet how it's affecting my daughters. I mean, they're happy right now but, you know, they're scared.

And my daughter is scared and didn't want to sleep alone last night. My daughter -- one daughter was scared even to walk out of Kentucky Fried Chicken last night. You know, I'm not quite sure how it has affected everybody yet.

BALDWIN: I can't even begin to imagine what they or even you or your dad are feeling it's, you know, it's barely even -- not even been 24 hours. Can you just take me back and share what you what you feel comfortable with? Tell me what you saw.

B. GORSHE: Yes, I saw pretty much from the point. He raised his rifle. We pretty much saw him from when he came over the fence. And, you now, we were leaving. We were driving out. We are heading home. Because we get the park inside, we work the festival and we are headed out behind the booth and we came around the corner. You know, a heard a pop-pop, and I kind of looked over in the direction and I saw a bunch of like teenagers take off and -- and a pop-pop-pop-pop.

And at first, I thought it was like why are these kids lighting on firecrackers? But then, I kind of looked over a little more. And I saw the gunman just gun raised pop-pop-pop-pop walking into the festival. You know, and I totally -- if I was close enough, I could have ran him over if I didn't have my daughters, I probably would have, you know, if I had a gun, I probably could have ended it right there. But you know, what do you do? It is like -- I was angry. I felt helpless. We all saw that little kid get hit. His grandma got hit. And ...

BALDWIN: You saw -- you saw the little boy get shot?

B. GORSHE: ... might get shot. My daughters did a little more. I was more focused on the gunman, like I was locked on him. But you know, as I turn my truck in reverse -- because the gunman -- I got on my truck. And I screamed at him like hey, and he started turning towards us. And there was another guy next to us, like out of the car, you know, trying to film -- a Mexican guy.

And when he started turning towards us. I threw it reverse and started backing up fast screaming at people to get down and run and, you know, the guy panicked, and he started running towards the fence. But for some reason, he changed his mind. And he turned around and he raised that gun and he just walked into the festival and continued, you know, and we were around the other side of the stage. You know, just trying to tell people to get out of there and get down. Medical help is --

BALDWIN: And while everyone is wondering why -- right, everyone is wondering why someone -- why? Tim, to you, you know, what did you see? And also, you know, police aren't still quite sure. They are looking into a possibility of a second suspect. Curious if you saw anything that may indicate someone else was helping him.

TIM GORSHE, WITNESSED SHOOTING AT GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL: Yes, I don't know if there was another suspect. I didn't see him coming over the fence. I was right there. I was getting ready to leave. You know, I've been doing this for 37 years with Guglielmo Winery and put my golf cart in and I happen to go get some Garli Garni which is right by the honey place where they -- he started shooting. And I had two minutes ...

B. GROSHE: We were behind them.

T. GROSHE: ... I walked away to go get something and I started back when I heard the pop and, you know, I hit the ground. But I was trying to think my grandkids are right there, my kids are there and I ran where the fire was. When I got there, you know, the police just shot the guy. And yes, the six-year-old boy was there. There was another guy that was shot in the gut. They both look like they were dead. And the lady had her calf shot off. We tried to get some tourniquets on her and it was pretty -- it was

pretty emotional, you know. I am pretty much numb about it. I, you know, I have been hunting all my life and, you know, see that but not human beings being hunted down and it's pretty sad. It's -- like I said, I don't know, it's, I'm still numb.

B. GROSHE: All I could think was someone had to stop this guy but I had my little girls. They came first, I had to choose, you know, I felt it was pretty horrific.

BALDWIN: Those girls are your priorities, still are your priority. I appreciate both of you being on. And again, I just -- there are no words for this kind of thing that keeps happening in America. And I appreciate both of you. And I'm glad you're okay. Tim and Brendon, appreciate you both.

T. GROSHE: We're okay.

B. GROSHE: Thank you, yes.

T. GROSHE: Okay, thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you, guys, thank you. Well, moving on -- two days, just two days before she takes the CNN debate stage here in Detroit. Democratic Presidential candidate and Senator Kamala Harris, is trying to clear up some confusion about her plans for healthcare in this country.

[14:10:07] BALDWIN: She just launched her proposal today, which finally settles her stand on if private insurers would have a place and if the middle class would see a tax increase.

So let me run through some of this for you. These proposals situates Harris' plan, sort of between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Biden wants to expand Obamacare and offer private insurance plans, while Bernie Sanders wants the government to back all healthcare with his Medicare-for-All and it would eliminate all private health insurance.

However, Harris' version of Medicare-for-All would allow for private health plans, but only those that would adhere to strict Medicare-for- All benchmarks. Here now is the Sanders' campaign hitting back followed up by Harris' talking about her new plan today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FALZ SHAKIR, BERNIE SANDERS' CAMPAIGN MANAGER: She would like to introduce more insurance companies into Medicare. Obviously, that introduces more corporate greed and profit seeking into the Medicare program. That's dangerous for Medicare in general.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Over the course of these many months, I have heard from people and they want -- they want a different way. And so, I went back to the drawing board and said, okay, let's create our own plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: So let us talk about all this. With me now, here in

Detroit, CNN political reporter Arlette Saenz, and CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny, happy debate eve to both of you in hot Detroit, Michigan. Starting with you, Jeff, in terms of how -- like cost, how does she pay for this?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, she is making clear that she's not going to pay for this by raising middle class taxes. So it raises the question of, then how is she going to pay for it?

BALDWIN: Exactly.

ZELENY: So it is a little vague at this point. But she's putting a benchmark, you know, if a family is making about $100,000.00 a year, those who make less than that would not pay an increased taxes making more than that would. But what is really happening here -- she's going to bow into the political reality. She's been all over the map on this over the last six or seven months, but she's also --

BALDWIN: She has had a hard time explaining her position.

ZELENY: But she's also doing some of the candidates don't often do. She said, "Look, I'm adjusting my plans based on what I'm hearing from voters."

So initially, back in January, when she told our Jake Tapper at that town hall, "Yes, get rid of insurance. Get rid of all of it." Voters did not like that. That's wildly unpopular among the masses. So she is now trying for a hybrid plan, if you will.

But what she's also is right in the middle of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, and we're going to see that play out right here on stage in Detroit, but she is saying that she's not going to raise middle class taxes -- going to get it from Wall Street, other places, but she's now going to have to defend this plan. And she has struggled doing that really over the last several months.

BALDWIN: Yes, I want to come back to that in just a second -- just more on the weeds of this whole thing. How long is she saying -- compared to say a Bernie Sanders, how long would it take for her to enact this plan in this country?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, Kamala Harris is proposing a slower transition period than Bernie Sanders. So, she's proposing a 10-year phase and period, whereas Bernie is at four years. Her campaign argues --

BALDWIN: It's quite a difference.

SAENZ: Yes and her campaign argues that this will help decrease some of the costs of Medicare-for-All, the program overall. But she's also being criticized by Joe Biden's campaign on that very issue about that 10-year transition.

They point out in a statement today that that's going to take place over two administrations. Each term is four years. And so that will get into a second President. And Biden's campaign is calling this -- having it every which way approach. It's very clear, Biden is itching for this fight. He's been laying the groundwork, kind of previewing how he's going to be at odds with her when it comes to eliminating private insurance or raising -- he argues that there's no way you can have Medicare-for-All without raising tax hikes on the middle class. So that's some fireworks that you could probably expect.

BALDWIN: And obviously, there is a reason why she is coming out today, right, before our big debate to be clear on how she feels and it will be interesting to watch the incoming, based upon her confusing, confusing stance the last couple of weeks.

Let me let me read this because we have just gotten some new numbers in -- some poll numbers. Jeff, I'm going to post this to you.

ZELENY: Sure.

BALDWIN: Quinnipiac just released a new poll going into our CNN debate. Joe Biden extending his lead at 34 percent. Senator Harris has slipped. It's interesting because it comes well after that first rocky debate right between Biden and Harris.

ZELENY: It is pretty interesting. I mean -- and this is showing that Joe Biden also still has the majority approval 53 percent of African Americans' support.

BALDWIN: Huge.

ZELENY: That, of course, is the bedrock of winning any Democratic primary. But what this also shows is, debates can produce moments, but they're often fleeting moments. So there's no question senator Harris had a huge first debate that got her into, sort of, you know, the top cast of contenders.

But if you look at these numbers, this is up from 22 percent for Joe Biden, just over the last month or so. This is a national poll. You know, it's not -- that's not how primaries are run. They are run by early states. But this is a sign that there's still no one competing directly with Joe Biden. He's still the leader of this field. We will see if he leaves Detroit, as the leader after Wednesday night.

BALDWIN: You have been covering all things Joe Biden, what do you make of the numbers we just read?

SAENZ: Well, this is certainly something that has been tracking what his campaign has been saying.

[14:15:02] BALDWIN: Yes.

SAENZ: Biden even pointing out himself that he is still at the top of the polls and you kind of have seen this new, you know, aggressive approach from Joe Biden over the course of the past week.

But also, since that last debate, he's been doing more national interviews. He has had a lot of goggles with reporters. He has kind of synced in his element when he's been out there on the road with voters.

BALDWIN: Yes.

SAENZ: But the question is, is he going to be able to maintain these numbers, especially as he returns to a debate stage where he's going to be sandwiched right in between two of his biggest critiques?

ZELENY: That raises expectations for him here, too.

BALDWIN: Totally.

ZELENY: He has to bring it on Wednesday or those numbers as they've gone up, he knows more than anyone, they can go down.

BALDWIN: Back down. Huge, huge story -- we are following here in Detroit for the next couple of days. Arlette and Jeff, thank you guys very, very much.

ZELENY: Thank you.

BALDWIN: The lineups are set for the next two nights, right? So the CNN Democratic Presidential Debates -- two big nights, 10 candidates each night tomorrow night and Wednesday night at eight o'clock. Live from Detroit only here on CNN.

Now, President Trump is only escalating his strategy of racism, not letting go of his attacks on Congressman Elijah Cummings and the district that he represents, but so many Baltimore natives are standing up to the President's hate. I will talk to one of them live, next.

And the Trump's family connection to low income housing in the Baltimore area, troubled tenants have long been fighting their landlord about the living conditions. Their landlord, by the way, the President's son-in-law, this guy Jared Kushner.

And with Dan Coats -- out as intelligence chief. The President wants to get one of his biggest defenders to take his place, Congressman John Radcliffe, more on who he is if he could get the job. You are watching special live coverage here debate Eve in Detroit, Michigan. I am Brooke Baldwin and you're watching CNN. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:21:35] BALDWIN: We are back here, live in Detroit. I am Brooke Baldwin. You're watching special coverage here on CNN.

You know have seen this before, President Trump using race as political bait. But this time, his latest comments against the City of Baltimore and its Congressman, Democrat Elijah Cummings has really struck a nerve.

The President series of tweets calling Baltimore a quote, "disgusting rats and rodent infested mess was a call to action from many." Because it likely foreshadows exactly how the President plans to run his reelection campaign on a strategy of racial division. But the people of Baltimore are striking back, they are speaking out

along with so many other Americans and willing to stand for racism in any form. Maryland's former Republican lieutenant governor urged people to make their leaders accountable and he had this message for President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL STEELE, FORMER MARYLAND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Mr. President, your reprehensible comments are like water off a duck's back when it comes to this community. It just washes over them. It doesn't stick to them. It does not stain them. So my ask to you, sir, is to join me -- to join Jimmy camp, to join others in this community here in this space on this ground, let's walk this community sir. Let's talk to these folks face to face. And you'll begin to realize and appreciate the hard work and the commitment that they have made.

This resort -- the resources that they need, you can be help with. The energy they have, you will benefit from and begin to understand why this is such a vibrant and important community.

BALDWIN: Detrick Manning is a Baltimore native who grew up in the 7th District represented by Chairman Cummings. So Dietrich, thank you so much for being with me. And, you know, I want you to start with you tell me when you first saw the President's comments. How did it make you feel and the President does happen to watch a lot of TV. So what would you say to Trump about your home?

DETRICK MANNING, BALTIMORE NATIVE RAISED IN REP. CUMMINGS' 7TH DISTRICT: Yes, well, first of all, thank you so much for having me on. You know, when I saw the tweets, I was hurt. I was quite frankly disgusted to have my hometown be referred to infestation in the way that he referred to it. But at the same time, I can't say that was like so surprised.

Similar to his attacks on Representative Lewis, on the freshman Congressman Representative Tlaib, Representative Ocasio-Cortez, et cetera.

He has time and time again, shown that he is willing to attack and demean lawmakers of color. And so like, this was nothing new. I wasn't super surprised. But like so many others, like so many other people from Baltimore. Yes.

BALDWIN: So this is -- no, I was just going to say, I just can't help but think I mean, even though it's certainly part of a pattern, it's just -- this is where we are that we're not surprised, right, that this -- that he is exhibiting this kind of behavior?

MANNING: Yes, and it is extremely sad because I mean, if the President would even, you know, go to these areas and like actually talk to the people, you know, my grandparents had been living in this county for years, for decades. My mom and my little brother still live there and they are hardworking people.

I have friends that go there. I have mentors that go there. I have -- so many people are in my life that still live in this district.

[14:25:04] MANNING: And for him to just refer to the district as just like disgusting and a place no one would want to live is just so -- it should be beneath the Presidency to be quite frank.

BALDWIN: It should be. On the flipside, Detrick, since you and your family know the city so well, it does have its challenges, does it not?

MANNING: Yes and there is no doubt. Of course, Baltimore, like a lot of urban cities have their challenges. But I think it's important to recognize those challenges are oftentimes related to systemic issues. And not the, the, I guess, cause of one Congressman, of one Representative who has done, quite frankly, so much for black and brown communities in Baltimore.

And so, I think it's disingenuous for the President to blame some of the conditions in Baltimore on this one Congressman, who has, again, done so much for our community.

BALDWIN: If the President Detrick is making this -- how he's behaving, and you pointed out, right, this pattern of behavior, if this is a campaign strategy of his, you know, November 2020, is still ways away, right, this notion of stoking, racial tensions, playing to his base, maybe for a win in his eyes. What do you fear could happen in this country over the next year?

MANNING: What I am fearful, the most of his that his -- although he might -- maybe in his heart of hearts, he doesn't truly believe the things he's saying maybe he does.

But the point is, the President has so many followers and so many people who look up to him for guidance and look up to him for their own world views, and for him to call these places that are majority black majority people of color infestations and disgusting places and places no one want to live, that that mentality rubs off on people and that mentality sticks with people. And, you know, just because the --

BALDWIN: And what's the result of that?

MANNING: Yes, and so, the results of that could quite easily be someone demeaning or not hiring, or causing harm to someone of color, because they're, they're saying, "The President doesn't care about these people so why should I?"

And that's my biggest fear, you know, being a young black person in this country and growing up in this country and growing up and seeing, you know, seeing this President and his followers and his -- the people who support him, time and time again, make these racial comments -- these racist comments.

It's worrying, it's very worrying. And to know that like I could -- like a harm could be caused to me or I could be discriminated against, based on someone else's perception of what the President of the United States believes about an entire group of people. It's extremely scary. It's really scary.

BALDWIN: Detrick Manning, thank you for coming on and for using your voice through all of this. Thank you, nice to have you on.

MANNING: Of course, thank you for having me. Thank you.

BALDWIN: You got it. The debates here in Detroit are certainly make- or-break for some of the Democrats, we will see on that stage. We will take a look at the five candidates who have the most to lose.

And, he was one of the most aggressive Republicans in that Robert Mueller hearing last week. And today, he is the President's choice to be in charge of America's intelligence.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:30:10]