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New Day

Coronavirus Pandemic Update from Around the World; Floyd's Death Impact on 2020 Election; U.S. Prosecutors Seek Interview with Prince Andrew; Tropical Depression Soaks Midwest and Southeast; Bubba Wallace on Confederate Flags. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired June 09, 2020 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:32:21]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, a major milestone in the coronavirus pandemic. Globally, cases have now topped 7 million with more than 400,000 deaths. And this morning, Israel has slammed the brakes on its reopening after a spike in new cases there.

CNN has reporters all around the world to bring you the latest developments.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Oren Liebermann in Jerusalem, where Israel has stopped its planned reopening. Already at this point, schools are back in session, malls are open and restaurants are reopening, but now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's hitting the emergency brake on reopening after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.

As of about two weeks ago, there were only 20 new infections a day or so. On Monday, there were 174 new infections, according to the government, the highest number in at least a month. And it's because of that sharp rise that the next phase of reopening, which would have been the resumption of train service, as well as the reopening of music halls and cultural venues, that is now on hold for at least a week.

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Shasta Darlington in Sao Paulo.

Over the weekend, President Jair Bolsonaro was accused of trying to hide the severity of the coronavirus pandemic after the health ministry stopped reporting cumulative figures for both deaths and cases. Well, faced with widespread backlash, on Monday, they reverted to providing comprehensive figures. More than 15,000 new infections, bring the total to over 700,000.

This comes after Bolsonaro threatened to withdraw Brazil from the World Health Organization over what he called political and ideological bias. MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Matthew

Chance.

And this morning, Russia is lifting some of its tough pandemic restrictions, abandoning measures to electronically monitor residents in Moscow, allowing some businesses to reopen and easing border patrols. But it's doing this despite coronavirus infections remaining stubbornly high. Latest official figures say more than 8,500 new infections were recorded in the past 24 hours alone. Russian authorities are declaring victory against the virus, but critics say the Kremlin is trying to bolster its popularity ahead of a public vote next month on extending Vladimir Putin's rule.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ivan Watson in Hong Kong.

New Zealand is celebrating. They've detected no active cases of coronavirus for the first time since the end of February. So, all of the restrictions have been lifted on schools, workplaces, social gatherings, with the exception of international travel. Non-citizens are not really allowed in, except for some notable exemptions for, for example, James Cameron, the director who's been allowed into the island nation to film the sequel of the "Avatar" blockbuster movie.

[06:35:13]

BERMAN: Our thanks to our reporters. Look, New Zealand may be far to go for a haircut, but it may be necessary soon.

Major, new developments in the 2020 campaign. How to turn the protests into votes. That's next.

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ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: If you want to see real change, what is more effective, protesting or voting? And how do activists turn these nationwide marches into votes in November?

Joining us now is LaTosha Brown. She's the co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund. That's a non-profit effort to turn out the black vote.

LaTosha, great to talk to you.

So, all of these events of the past two weeks and all of the nationwide marches and protests, how hard will it be to harness that energy and direct it towards the voting booth in November?

LATOSHA BROWN, CO-FOUNDER, BLACK VOTERS MATTER FUND: Good morning.

[06:40:00]

I think that there's a lot of energy right now. What we're seeing is we're seeing protests in all 50 states. That says something.

We're also seeing a lot of these protests be led by young people. And we know that in recent years there's been a drop of young people participating in the process. I think what we're going to see is we're going to see young people coming out. They're energized right now. And they're upset and they're going to demand some accountability in this country.

I think the third thing that we're seeing as well is that there is a multiracial, multigenerational of protesters that -- that are literally demanding and are in alignment. The kind of diversity that we're seeing on the protest line, that is really reflective of America. And so I do think that there's a particular kind of energy that now, because of these issues, it's going to be critical. This election cycle is going to be one of the most critical election cycles in -- in our -- in my adult life.

CAMEROTA: I can just imagine, though, that it is hard to sustain that level of energy over these next four months. And when you talk about what we've seen in recent years from young, black voters, here's just one snapshot. This is millennial voters in the last election. So this was -- Donald Trump was running, obviously, and people already knew who Donald Trump was and what he stood for, and yet the black millennial vote dropped, so down to only half of those eligible in 2016 to vote voted. So, how do you make sure this time is different?

BROWN: You know, I think part of -- a critical mistake that has been made -- there has been a paradigm shift in politics, that this idea that you have to have -- that it is the candidate that drives, instead of people want their issues. This isn't about participation. This is about power.

And so to the extent that people actually are able to connect, voting isn't -- voting to them really being able to have some substantial change and really be able to see structural change in their community and their demands, I think that makes the difference.

What we've seen, and young people have been saying that, they don't have the same kind of attachment or party loyalty. It's not going to be just a candidate. We've been saying that all along. Just clearly saying that it's Trump and we've got to defeat Trump, that will not be enough to that -- to energize the base.

But people want something for their vote. People want their material lives shifted. People want some real, bold changes, policy changes, in this country that includes criminal justice reform and health care. And so when we're talking about part of why 50 percent of Americans don't vote, I don't think it's because they don't care about their lives, they don't believe that the process, that this process can actually bring them what it is they desire.

I think there's a real opportunity in this election cycle for us to really speak to what people are telling us on the ground, that it will not be enough just to say that we've got to defeat Trump, but that we literally have to connect this to some policy changes that people are demanding for and they've been waiting for and they're willing to fight for.

CAMEROTA: That's really interesting. And I hear what you're saying, that it's not about any one person. But that said, because you're on the ground, do you have a sense of a person that Joe Biden could pick as a running mate that would energize people to vote?

BROWN: You know, I think it is -- I don't know if I think it's a person. I think, at this point, what people are looking for is where there's an alignment in values of what they want and that the ticket really is reflective of a kind of diversity that we see in America, that the ticket is reflective that those issues, because even when you look at the Democratic base, there's a spectrum. It's not just moderate and conservative Democratic voters that we constantly hear about, but the most active, energized base of the party are progressives. And they are demanding -- they're looking for a candidate that can actually push their issue (INAUDIBLE). They're looking for a candidate that actually has a deep understanding in structural racism and will be bold to make sure that the Biden ticket is more attractive to a broad spectrum of voters.

CAMEROTA: LaTosha Brown, Black Voters Matter Fund, really appreciate your perspective on all of this. Thank you.

BROWN: Good morning. Thank you for having me.

CAMEROTA: Meanwhile, Prince Andrew finds himself back in the middle of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. So we have the latest on this international war of words, next.

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[06:48:03]

BERMAN: Developing this morning, the U.S. Department of Justice formally requesting an interview with Prince Andrew as part of its sex trafficking investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. His lawyer's pushing back on claims that he's not cooperating.

CNN's Max Foster is live at Windsor Castle with the latest on this.

Max, what's going on here?

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: John, this transatlantic row between these bastions of the establishment has been boiling up for some time now and is really does seem to be coming to a head with the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York leading on this Epstein investigation. And they said they've asked -- they've consistently asked Prince Andrew to cooperate in that inquiry and he's consistently said no. So they've asked the British government to intervene, according to our sources.

Then we have Prince Andrew's lawyers coming back pretty strongly yesterday saying they've offered to cooperate three times this year, and this is really about publicity for the U.S. Justice Department. They went on to say, it's a matter of regret that the DOJ has seen fit to breach its own rules of confidentiality, not least as they are designed to encourage witness cooperation. Far from our client acting above the law, as has been implied by the press briefings in the U.S., he's being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen.

Now, the attorney general, William Barr, actually had to step in on this on Fox News to address actually what they want from the U.K.

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WILLIAM BARR, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I think it's just a question of having him provide some evidence.

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FOSTER: So it doesn't mean that Prince Andrew will appear in a U.S. court, but he could potentially appear in a U.K. court, under oath, answering questions about his relationship with Epstein. So, potentially, it could be seismic for the U.K., and indeed the U.S., on this investigation.

Currently, he's in lockdown. He doesn't have a public role. He gave that up because of these allegations. But he wants to make a comeback to public life. It's very difficult, Alisyn, to see how that's possible whilst these allegations are there.

[06:50:05]

CAMEROTA: Excellent point, Max. Thank you very much for all of the reporting from Windsor for us.

Well, the remnants of a tropical storm still dumping a lot of rain in the Midwest and the southeast U.S.

Check out this photo of the storm system from space. That looks big.

CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray has our forecast.

What do you see, Jennifer?

JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Alisyn, yes, there's still a big- time flood threat all across the Mississippi River Valley as this storm lifts to the north. And so that means the lower Mississippi River Valley that was flooded so bad, it's still not over for you yet because all of that water is going to drain south.

Now, this weather is brought to you by Boost, the nutrition you need, the taste you deserve.

So, let's take a closer look. You can see the radar. And all of that rain pushing northward. St. Louis in on it today. Omaha, you're going get some rain. This is all going to push up through Minneapolis. Along with that comes a threat of severe storms, damaging wind, large hail, the possibility of isolated tornadoes can't be ruled out.

And then, as this storm lifts to the north, it's eventually going to combine with a cold front and shoot straight up to Canada and be out of here, leaving us with much drier conditions, nicer weather across the country's midsection, although we do see some showers and storms for Thursday evening across the eastern seaboard.

The storm totals are going to be big, though. We're looking at anywhere from two to four inches. Some isolated amounts up to six inches across the Midwest. So still looking at some flooding for the next couple of days.

Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Jennifer, thank you very much.

A powerful statement from tennis star Venus Williams about racial injustice. Details in the "Bleacher report," next.

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[06:56:27]

CAMEROTA: Race car driver Bubba Wallace says Nascar should ban the confederate flag from racetracks.

Andy Scholes has more in the "Bleacher Report."

Hi, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Alisyn.

So Bubba Wallace is the first full-time black driver at Nascar's highest level in nearly 50 years, and he is certainly making his voice heard on social justice issues. Wallace was talking with CNN's Don Lemon last night and he said a symbol for slavery and oppression has got no place at mass sporting events like Nascar races.

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BUBBA WALLACE, NASCAR DRIVER: My next step would be to get rid of all confederate flags. There should be no individual that is uncomfortable showing up to our events to have a good time with their family that feels some type of way about something they have seen, an object they have seen flying. No one should feel uncomfortable when they're -- when they come to a Nascar race. So it starts with confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them.

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SCHOLES: Now, Nascar has taken steps to help phase out the confederate flag. It is not allowed to use of the flag in any official capacity and started encouraging fans to stop bringing them to races back in 2015.

All right, in the meantime, tennis star Venus Williams is also speaking out on the Black Lives Matter movement sweeping the country. In a lengthy post on Instagram last night, the five-time Wimbledon champion wrote, I'm amazed at the solidarity that has erupted across the USA. It has brought me to tears. Just as sexism is not only a women's issue, racism is not only a black issue. Venus adds that when majority groups stay quiet, they unwittingly condone the oppression of marginalized groups.

And, Alisyn, finally, this morning, you know we're -- we're still no closer to a Major League Baseball season. And sources telling ESPN that the owners proposed a plan for 76 games with the players getting 75 percent of their prorated salaries yesterday. That comes after the players wanted 114 games and 100 percent of their prorated salaries. That was rejected by the owners. You know, they had targeted an early July start to the season, but as they continue to fight over the finances, it certainly seems like starting early July is unlikely at this point.

CAMEROTA: That's a lot of math for this early in the morning. So just let me know when the season is going to start as soon as you know.

SCHOLES: I'll try.

CAMEROTA: Okay, thanks so much.

SCHOLES: All right.

CAMEROTA: Thanks, Andy.

All right, an extraordinary defense from one of the officers charged in George Floyd's death.

NEW DAY continues right now.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the public's last chance to say good-bye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God uses us in ways we could never imagine at birth and I think he's going to use him to change the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we're talking about major structural reform, I am fully on board.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you defund law enforcement, you are punishing all those good officers.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): We are continuing our decline. The rest of the country is still spiking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Florida has added more than 1,000 new cases a day, Texas now adding an average of over 1,500 cases a day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This kind of coming together of a perfect storm. We had the Memorial Day weekend. A lot of folks were being very lax.

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ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

BERMAN: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY.

George Floyd will be laid to rest in just a few hours. And most Americans seem determined to make sure his death was not in vain.

This is a live look outside of the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston where the private memorial service for George Floyd will be held. Thousands came there to pay their respects yesterday.

[07:00:00]

Last night, hundreds more gathered at a candlelight vigil at Floyd's high school.

This morning, the attorney for one of the officers accused in Floyd's death is offering up this jaw.

END