Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

EU Urged Not to Recognize Belarus Election; New CNN Polls; Parkland Father on Joe Biden. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired August 19, 2020 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:33:58]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We have some breaking news.

Residents in Santa Cruz County, California, are being woken up and told to evacuate immediately because of wildfires. Officials also telling people in the surrounding area to get prepared to leave soon. Twenty-six fires now burning across the state of California in the midst of this historic heat wave. The fires have burned more than 145,000 acres.

We have a correspondent heading to that scene, so we will have a live report for you later on NEW DAY.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, developing this morning, a potential tornado touching down in central Florida. Some aerial video shows damage to homes, torn-down trees, power lines. The Florida Highway Patrol released this video from inside the cab of a truck. It shows a truck just being pounded by heavy wind and debris before flipping on its side. Officials say the truck driver survived this incident, amazingly, with only bumps and bruises.

CAMEROTA: Also new overnight, the opposition leader in Belarus urging the European Union not to recognize the results of last week's disputed election.

[06:35:00]

The EU holding an emergency meeting today.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is live in Minsk with the latest.

What's happening this hour, Fred?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Alisyn.

Well, the opposition certainly trying to keep up its momentum. They managed to bring about 10,000 people to one of the main squares here in Minsk last night. Of course, still demanding Alexander Lukashenko step down, demanding new elections and demanding also political prisoners and people who have been beaten up be freed. So far, however, what's going on this morning is that it seems as

though the regime is trying to stage somewhat of a comeback. I'm actually here in front of one of the main tractor factories which has been a site of strikes and walkouts over the past couple of days. But right now it's actually surrounded by riot police and security forces who are trying to stop people who wanted to support that action from walking out and, again, putting more pressure on Alexander Lukashenko. So it seems as though he's at least trying to fight back.

He also said that he's actually mobilized part of his army on Belarus' western border, on what he calls western intervention and western speeches that he's been hearing.

At the same time, diplomacy is really kicking up. There's an EU meeting going on today where they want to decide what they want to do. As you mentioned, the main leader of Belarus' opposition came out and urged the European Union not to recognize the results of that election that took place and to help the Belarusian opposition to fight their fight, to try and provoke change.

One of the things that we're seeing here on the ground is that the Trump administration really is not a factor at all in anything that's going on here. It really is the Europeans taking charge in all of this, first and foremost, the Germans and the French. And, of course, all of them talking to Vladimir Putin. Many people want to see what exactly Putin's next move is going to be. Obviously, a lot of concern that the Russians might be planning something here in Belarus, as well, guys.

CAMEROTA: Fred, thank you very much. Please keep us posted.

So, back here, we have a new CNN poll on how Americans feel about President Trump's handling of the pandemic. Here's one word they used, "embarrassed." Harry Enten breaks down all the numbers for us, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:55]

BERMAN: New this morning, President Trump's approval rating on the coronavirus pandemic sliding. A new CNN poll shows that just 38 percent of registered voters approve of the president's handling of the pandemic. That's down from 41 percent in June. That was low already, getting even worse.

Joining us now, CNN's senior political writer and analyst Harry Enten.

So here's the thing, Harry. People may know in our CNN poll, the president's only trailing Joe Biden by 4 percent. If he's doing so badly in the pandemic, how is it that he's relatively close to Joe Biden?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICS WRITER AND ANALYST: Yes, John, so, you know, take a look here. I think this sort of tells the story, right? So I have his approval rating among registered voters. The last one was adults. This is all registered voters. Forty percent of the coronavirus, the approval rating on the economy, up to 52 percent. And look right in the middle, support him against Joe Biden, 46 percent. So it's kind of splitting the difference there whereby you have the economy bringing him up, but the coronavirus bringing him down against Biden.

BERMAN: In general, as this pandemic has progressed, how have Americans' attitudes changed about him?

ENTEN: You're right, so I think this is a key question, you know, is the pandemic getting worse? Is the virus getting -- is the outbreak getting worse? And what we saw in April was 80 percent, then it dropped down to 52 in May, then 46 in June, but now it's back up to 55 percent.

And we see this in another way as well, are you embarrassed about the response to the pandemic that we're seeing so far in the country? And what you see, this is just unbelievable. The embarrassed number is so high. Sixty-eight percent of all Americans say the U.S.' response to the coronavirus makes you feel embarrassed. Even 38 percent of Trump supporters feel that way. And the vast, clear majority, 95 percent of Biden supporters, do. It's just overwhelming.

BERMAN: So leave this up for just a second, Harry, because I think this helps explain some of the programming that we've seen the last two nights at the Democratic Convention. They don't go more than a minute or two without bringing up the pandemic, without talking about it. Jill Biden saying the quiet around here is stifling in her speech. It's a message that they are focused on.

ENTEN: Absolutely. And these numbers tell you exactly why they are focused on it. It is, honestly, for the -- you know, the economy may be a strong point for Trump, but the coronavirus is one of his weakest and it's a top, important issue. That's why you're seeing Democrats go after Trump on this and it's a good game plan, at least according to our numbers.

BERMAN: And, again, even 38 percent of Republicans say that they are embarrassed -- more embarrassed about the response there.

All right, the vaccine, this is an interesting number, Harry, because we don't have a vaccine yet, but if we do, only a bare majority of Americans say they would take it?

ENTEN: Yes, only a bare majority. In fact, it's going down. It was 66 percent in May. It's now down to 56 percent. And Trump supports, a majority in May, a slight majority, 51 percent, say they'd take it. Now it's just down to 38 percent. Even among Biden supporters, it's -- it's not that -- you know, it's a clear majority, but it's not all of them, about a quarter either say they're not sure or they won't necessarily take it. Only 74 percent say they will.

But here's the nugget that I think is so interesting. I went all the way back, all the way back to 1954, when we -- when there was talk about the polio vaccine, right, and would Americans take that? And what you saw was back then, among those who had heard about the potential vaccine, only 60 percent said yes. So when I see a number like that, 56 percent, I just kind of put into

context and recognize that a pre-vaccine world asking about the potential for a vaccine, whether or not you take it, is not necessarily going to be the world in which we live in once, in fact, if we do get a vaccine.

BERMAN: People want to know it's safe and it works before they weigh in and say, yes, I'm all in there.

Harry, talk to me about opinions on schools because we're getting more information today about schools that are trying to reopen, have reopened and having to shut down again. What do Americans think about this?

ENTEN: Yes, you know, all Americans, only 39 percent say that the K-12 schools should be open in your area. And there's all this talk, right, of division between parents and non-parents. But those who have a child under the age of 18, only 47 percent say we should, in fact, open the schools, 52 percent say we shouldn't. That's not much different than those who don't have children under 18. Just 37 percent of those say we should open the schools.

[06:45:00]

The big divide here, it's partisan. It's partisan. Seventy-seven percent of Trump supporters say we should open the schools, versus just 11 percent of Biden supporters who say that, John.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, it is always an education. Whether schools open or not, we learn from you. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.

ENTEN: Thank you. I hope it's a fun education.

BERMAN: It is. It is. Just like a frat party.

All right, a lot of emotional moments at the Democratic Convention. One of them came from Fred Guttenberg. His daughter was killed in the Parkland massacre. He spoke last night. He cast Florida's nominating delegates for Joe Biden and knows Biden personally. Hear why he thought it was so important to do this, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED GUTTENBERG, DAUGHTER DIED IN PARKLAND MASSACRE: When my daughter was murdered in Parkland, Joe Biden called to share in our family's grief. I quickly learned about his decency and his civility, but I also learned about his toughness and how he's beaten the NRA. Together, with the other victims of gun violence and our nation's youth, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take on the NRA again and win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: That was Fred Guttenberg. He lost his 14-year-old daughter Jamie in the Parkland school massacre in 2018.

[06:50:03]

He participated in last night's virtual roll call vote in support of Joe Biden's nomination. Guttenberg is the founder of Orange Ribbons for Gun Safety. He's also the author of the new book, "Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hope."

And Fred Guttenberg joins us now.

Fred, great to see you, as always. Tell us --

FRED GUTTENBERG, DAUGHTER DIED IN PARKLAND MASSACRE: Thank you, Alisyn. Good morning.

CAMEROTA: Good morning to you.

Tell us what last night was like for you.

GUTTENBERG: You know, emotional. I've -- and I've spoken to you about this before. I'm on this journey, mission, to achieve something with regards to gun safety that I'm incapable of stopping of until we get there. And I feel like we're close. I feel like we finally have the chance to elect a president and a Senate that understands the value of the lives of those we love matter, more than the money they receive from a gun industry and who are committed to doing more so parents like me don't have to worry every second when we wake up and send our children to school. And last night, to put it on the national stage, was a big deal.

CAMEROTA: Fred, tell us about how it came to pass that you developed this relationship with former Vice President Joe Biden. I mean I understand that he called you after Jamie was killed. And so tell us about that.

GUTTENBERG: He did. Probably ten days later. And then I had a chance to meet with him a few weeks after that when he was down in Florida doing a fundraiser for Beau Biden's foundation. At the time he was not a candidate for anything. And he spoke to me, Alisyn, about getting through grief. He shared things with me, from his experience, that, honestly, he's the only person who ever did. And had he not done those -- shared those things, I don't know that I would have gotten through this the same way.

As an example, talking to me about what to expect within my family. Talking to me about how no two people go through grief in exactly the same way and being prepared for that. Talking to me about opening myself up for the moment when the pictures and videos that make us cry now will bring a smile to our face. And talking to me about mission and purpose. He gave me the template that I needed and he -- honestly, the skills and the -- just the awareness to go forward. No one else spoke to me about some of the things that he did, and he was right.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh, Fred, that is really remarkable. What a remarkable testimonial. I mean you say that his advice changed you. And did it change your

path? Were you already on this path or did that conversation change something?

GUTTENBERG: You know, when he and I spoke, I was on this path. I was like a whirlwind. You remember those first ten days. And I had made a decision that I am going to fight for change. I didn't really know what it meant. I was still in a very emotional place. I was still very much in this place where I needed to be there for my family. And him using -- he used a phrase with me over and over, that kind of became my personal rallying call, which was mission and purpose. He said, for him, that's how he always got through grief, was putting himself into mission and purpose.

And it did change me. It did -- his conversation with me caused me to just really keep myself very focused on mission and purpose, while knowing that I was going to be the only one in my family doing that. And that's why the other part of what he said to me was so important because it kept me grounded in a way of watching also what was happening to my family, which was choosing a different way to go through this and making sure that we were always there for each other and supporting one another.

He did change me. He gave me the tools. I know this sounds maybe overly dramatic, but it's true. He gave me the tools that I needed to move forward from that time.

CAMEROTA: Fred, we only have about 30 seconds left. Tell us about the book, "Find the Helpers." What do you write about?

GUTTENBERG: Well, you know what, I mean this conversation is an example. It's the helpers that stepped into my life and carried me and brought me forward. I tell the story of what happened to my family with my brother and my daughter, but I highlight the people, including people like you in the media, who stepped into my life, who carry me forward by doing helpful things that I just never expected.

[06:55:07]

And it is the help and support of others that brought me to this place. And I hope anyone who reads this book will now think in terms of who their helpers are and who they maybe can be a helper to. This country is going through a tough time right now and we need each other.

CAMEROTA: The book comes out on September 15th. It's called "Find the Helpers."

And, Fred, you're an inspiration to us, as well. So I --

GUTTENBERG: Thank you so much.

CAMEROTA: I always appreciate talking to you. Thanks so much for being with us on NEW DAY. We'll speak again soon.

GUTTENBERG: Have a great day, Alisyn. Thank you. CAMEROTA: You too.

Coming up, we have the biggest moments from last night's Democratic Convention and new reporting on what Kamala Harris and President Obama plan to say tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Indiana cast 86 votes for the next president, Joe Biden.

[07:00:00]

JOHN KERRY, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: America deserves a president who is looked up to, not laughed at.

JILL BIDEN, JOE BIDEN'S WIFE: We haven't given up. We just need leadership. That's Joe.

END