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The Lead with Jake Tapper

GOP Candidates Hit Key Early-Voting States On July 4th; 9 Dead In Overnight Mass Shootings; Lawsuit: Police Had Hidden Camera In Women's Locker Room; Officials: 12 Killed, 100 Injured In Israeli Raid; Zelenskyy Thanks U.S. For "Unwavering" Support On July 4; Kremlin: Talks On Prisoner Exchange Must Be In "Silence"; L.A. Officials Sounding Alarm Over Poisoned Sea Lions. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired July 04, 2023 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:29]

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: What could be more American than eating 62 hotdogs in 10 minutes?

THE LEAD starts right now.

From Iowa to New Hampshire to the White House lawn, candidates hit parade, kissed babies, and tried to make their case face to face with voters with one notable exception.

Then, a burst of blast, but not fireworks. Three more mass shootings in Texas, Indiana, and Philadelphia are the latest sites of a uniquely American tragedy.

Plus, hidden cameras in the women's locker room exposed a troubling pattern of sexism and abuse. In this case, it was the police behind the offense. See what a CNN investigation reveals, and meet the brave women who want answers.

(MUSIC)

PHILLIP: Welcome to a special edition of THE LEAD. I'm Abby Phillip, in for Jake Tapper.

We start with our politics lead. Today is Independence Day in America, but it is no holiday for the many who are hoping to become the country's next commander in chief. Republicans are all out on the campaign trail in the key battleground states of Iowa, New Hampshire, where voters pride themselves on getting to know their candidates before casting the first ballots in the nation.

CNN is following these candidates as they celebrate the 247th anniversary of America's independence.

Kyung Lah is in Boone, Iowa. Omar Jimenez in Meramec, New Hampshire. But we begin with Jeremy Diamond over at the White House.

So, Jeremy, lest we forget President Joe Biden is a candidate in this race, also running for re-election here. So, how is he spending the Fourth? JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, he certainly is,

Abby. And today, President Biden focusing on honoring military families and veterans, as well. The president in an hour's time is going to host a barbecue, like many Americans around the country. But this one will be with active duty military families.

The president is also expected to deliver remarks to those military families, focusing on the 50th anniversary of the U.S. military becoming an all-volunteer force, also commemorating the 75th anniversary of the military desegregation as well as the integration of women into the force.

But I'm also told, Abby, that the president is going to be hitting on familiar campaigns. Some of which we hear from the president in official events, but also on the campaign trail. This notion that democracy is not guaranteed but it must be fought for, and also the work that remains to unify the country and to live up to this -- the nation's founding ideal that all men are created equal.

Now, the president will then host a broader celebration this evening at the White House where he will also be watching fireworks, we're expecting some musical guests at the White House including the Brothers Osborne, and my personal favorite on the list tonight, Neo -- Abby.

PHILLIP: Yes, we love some Neo.

Jeremy Diamond, thank you very much.

And now on to Omar Jimenez. He is in Meramec, New Hampshire.

Omar, you've been following a couple of presidential hopefuls around, Ron DeSantis, and also South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. How are they marking this Fourth of July with some campaign stops I take it in this critical battleground state?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, they've been marching in parades, what have been wet parades over the course of today. Despite it raining on these parades, it didn't stop people from coming out and enjoying themselves and wanting these presidential hopefuls coming through.

You mentioned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He made multiple stops across this state, marching not just here in Meramec but also elsewhere in the state of New Hampshire.

And one thing that really hangs over all of these GOP hopefuls here is are they going to be able to make inroads with what polls have shown so far to be the leader in this fight, former President Donald Trump. And, of course, that's why they come here on the ground to meet folks on the ground and try to make, again, inroads to some of these early voters.

But in particular, the spokesman for the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down acknowledged that he feels they are way behind when it comes to polling. Take a listen to some of his reasoning on why he thinks that is.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

STEVE CORTES, NEVER BACK DOWN PAC: Clearly, Donald Trump is the runaway frontrunner, particularly since the indictments. That was not the case before the indictments. It is the case afterwards. And it is understandable that a lot of folks want to rally to him.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: And now, something even I found out after the former President Trump was recently indicted for the alleged mishandling of classified documents. I spoke to some of his supporters to see if it swayed them one way or another, and it only seemed to embolden them.

[16:05:06]

It's why, again, we saw not just Florida Governor Ron DeSantis but South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.

We also saw former Texas Congressman Will Hurd, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and more. And for all of them -- for all the people that watched them come through here, for them they felt like it was a uniquely American thing to have as part of this Fourth of July. Take a listen to one parade goer we spoke to.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's my country, the leader of our country, it's good to see people that are trying to see how -- how they feel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: And for that voter in particular, he said his biggest worry was the border. But on a day like today, his biggest priority was patriotism. And as you watched the parade come through, no matter how much rain came down, what's more American than running for president and marching through on the Fourth of July? Maybe eating a ton of hotdogs, that's a separate story.

PHILLIP: I think hotdogs for sure. Presidential parades, that's the other one.

Omar Jimenez, thank you so much.

And CNN's Kyung Lah is in Boone, Iowa, where speaking of parades, former Vice President Mike Pence is there. And I saw him earlier doing what presidential candidates do best which is walking along a parade route on the Fourth of July.

What has he been up to, and what also is his rival and former running mate Donald Trump up to today?

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What I will say, Abby, is not just eating hotdogs and parades, but here in Iowa, it's to get to where I'm standing which is rural Iowa. What vice president, former Vice President Mike Pence is doing is he's traveling to the more rural areas. His plan is to hit six counties this week in an effort to do what he is calling the full Grassley.

So, he's inside doing his event, shaking hands, answering questions about SCOTUS, about, you know, the path forward that he sees as a conservative future for the country. But, earlier today, we did see him running that parade route. And when I say run, I mean run.

The former vice president many times broke into a full jog in this very hot and humid weather as he tried to shake as many hands as he could along a two-mile parade route. He is trying to say that he is well known but not known well. And, of course, he is well known for being the vice president to Donald Trump.

And it's something that he's had to address nearly at every stop. He is proud of what his administration when he was with the former administration, what they accomplished. But he's also had to field some questions. Reporters did ask what CNN has reported, that in the days after the 2020 election, that Trump did pressure Pence to call Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to try to find votes.

Take a listen to Pence's answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I was asked to check in with a few governors. But there was no pressure. I was simply gathering information, passing that along.

And you know, frankly, it was a very routine time. We were trying to determine where the process was in places like Georgia, places like Arizona that were going through a review of their election results. And I didn't receive any pressure from President Trump other than to gather an update on what was happening in those states.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: So not really taking a swipe at Trump in that answer, but he did point out when asked that Donald Trump was not spending the Fourth of July here in Iowa, that he was taking a very different tact, Abby, in how to get Iowans to caucus for him -- Abby.

PHILLIP: Very different indeed. Kyung Lah, thank you very much. Stay cool out there in that hot weather.

And let's discuss this now with CNN political analyst Natasha Alford. She's the vice president of digital content and senior correspondent for "TheGrio".

Also with us, CNN senior legal commentator, Scott Jennings, former special assistant to President George W. Bush.

Scott and Natasha, happy Fourth to you both. Thank you for spending your holiday with us.

Scott, I want to go to you first there. Donald Trump as was pointed out skipping the Fourth of July campaign trail. Nikki Haley also, Chris Christie also absent from the trail.

Does that surprise you, especially for the two who are kind of further down in the polls here, 18 months out from the 2024 election?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Little surprised about Nikki Haley. Not as surprised about Chris Christie necessarily. Certainly not surprised about Donald Trump. It's just not his thing. Of course, he doesn't need it. He's winning the primary right now.

Fourth of July parades are a great tradition. I'm glad to see most of the candidates out there. But for a lot of these campaigns it will take more than parades to bring them back from the lower reaches of the race right now.

LAH: Yeah, it's a good point. Natasha, though, Trump isn't on the trail, but he is on social media. He posted this meme, kind of stunning decision on his part.

[16:10:04]

It says, F Biden, and by F, I mean a four-letter word that I won't say on television. And it's a flag that says F Biden and F you for voting for him, happy Independence Day.

NATASHA ALFORD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, that certainly brings the country together on this holiday that is supposed to represent unity. Obviously I'm being sarcastic, but that approach, that aggressiveness has worked for Donald Trump, right? A lot of his supporters are disillusioned with the Biden administration, they look to him as a hero, as somebody who is calling out the wrongs in their eyes.

And so, that divisiveness has always been a tactic that's worked. I think it's going to continue. He has spoken of this campaign as the final battle, right? He's adding this sense of urgency and this sense of really doom for the country if he doesn't win the election. It's working, 50,000 people came out for him in Pickens, South Carolina, with, you know, so much energy that people stayed overnight just to see him speak.

So, he's speaking to his crowd. It works for him. Again, in a general election, will that bring people together? That is the question.

And I think, you know, it's quite a contrast with President Joe Biden who simply wished everybody a happy Fourth of July.

PHILLIP: And, look, I don't know that anyone's really expecting Donald Trump to be the one to try to bring the country together, but, Scott, Ron Brownstein, our friend here at CNN, today wrote in an op-ed for CNN.com that today's proliferating and intersecting pressures have reached a height that is forcing experts to contemplate questions few Americans have seriously considered since the civil war era.

Can the United States continue to function as a single unified entity, and if so, in what form?

That's a big question, but underlying it is really asking about the divisions that seem really everywhere and how much longer the country can remain that way.

What's your answer to the question that he's posing there?

JENNINGS: Well, yes, I think the country should, can, and will remain unified. I mean, we have our push and pull, but that's the way the country was designed. This was the point of our system is to have debate and then our system produces election results, and those results produce decisions, and then we do it again in two or four years.

And just because something doesn't go your way in the moment doesn't mean you stop believing in the promise of America is, which is the chance to do it again and continue to make your points and to try to make your case as Americans.

So, I disagree with Ron. I think he's been a little gloom and doom on the future of America for quite some time. I'm very bullish on America. I don't love everything going on with all the politicians most of the time.

But I believe in the American people, and the American people is sort of the foundation of what makes our country ultimately -- that's why we'll remain a unified country. I don't really have any fears about it.

PHILLIP: So, Natasha, this GOP field for the 2024 nomination has been its most diverse presidential field in modern history. You have Vivek Ramaswamy, you have Nikki Haley, both of them Indian Americans, Francis Suarez is a Cuban American, Will Hurd is biracial, Tim Scott and Larry Elder are both Black.

And yet here's the "Politico" headline that reads the GOP field is more diverse than ever. The GOP isn't heralding the achievement.

Why not do you think, Natasha?

ALFORD: Well, the GOP has invested so much time in bashing the culture wars, as portraying left and progressives as being obsessed with race and with gender. And so to then go and celebrate diversity which is a totally fair value to have, it opens them up to some criticism. And I think it gets at the underlying issue which is that representation for representation's sake just isn't enough, right? When you have someone like Tim Scott putting out a Fourth of July video saying, you know, don't cancel the founders, saying things like, you know, America is not racist, while it comes across as someone who is positive and optimistic, other voters see that as somebody who is putting their head in the sand about the realities of systemic racism in this country, about the realities of things that really impact people's lives.

And people are looking for leaders who address those issues and who don't just say I'm -- I'm the token in the room, I'm happy to be here, I'm proud to be an American, but they're not able to really confront those difficult issues.

So I'm not surprised that they're not addressing it. I'm not surprised that some of those candidates aren't addressing it, but they certainly are using their positionality whether it's Nikki Haley, you know, her background, or Tim Scott, we see the difference. We see that they are different candidates. They want you to appreciate that but at the same time downplay the importance.

PHILLIP: All right, guys. We're out of time.

[16:15:02]

Big conversation, I'm sure we'll continue over the next several months. Scott Jennings and Natasha Alford, thank you both very much.

And coming up next for us, uniquely American tragedies on a day that is reserved usually for celebrating the United States. Three more mass shootings just in the last 24 hours.

And later, exclusive CNN reporting. How a police department was caught spying on female employees in a locker room.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIP: In our national lead, a string of deadly overnight mass shootings this holiday weekend has brought the number of mass shootings in this country to at least 346 -- 346 mass shootings just this year alone.

In Indianapolis, police say a 16-year-old girl is dead, and four others injured after gunfire erupted at a block party. In Philadelphia, a shooting which spanned several blocks left five people dead and two children injured. And in Fort Worth, Texas, three people were killed, eight wounded in the same place where a shooting happened exactly a year ago.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has more on the holiday weekend violence.

[16:20:01]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORREPONDENT (voice-over): Hundreds of people took over Horne Street in southwest Fort Worth for an impromptu and chaotic Fourth of July street party that turned deadly.

Mike Valles heard 30 to 40 shots as he ran from the scene to take cover.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody was right here, and there was just popping fireworks, like doing stuff. There was a lot of gunfire that just started ringing out. And then everybody started running everywhere.

LAVANDERA: Fort Worth police say three people were killed, and eight others wounded in the shooting. No arrests have been made, and it's not clear what caused the shooting to start.

CAPTAIN SHAWN MURRAY, FORT WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT: We don't know if this is domestic-related, if it's gang-related. It's too early to tell at this point. We know somebody shot multiple times, and a bunch of people were injured in reference to that.

LAVANDERA: Monday night, Philadelphia police say a man in his 40s using an AR-15-style rifle opened fire on victims as he moved through a neighborhood.

DANIELLE OUTLAW, PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER: As they were scooping up the victims and preparing them for transport to the hospital, they also heard multiple gunshots up the street.

LAVANDERA: Police say the gunman was wearing a bulletproof vest and carried multiple ammunition magazines. The suspect killed five people in a shooting scene that spanned several blocks. Police say at least 50 shell casings were found along the gunman's path. Officers chased the shooter down and arrested him after cornering the man in an alley.

OUTLAW: We're canvassing to get as much as we can, to identify witnesses, to identify where cameras are located, and do everything that we can to figure out the why behind this happening.

LAVANDERA: A year after a Fourth of July mass shooting in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park last year, the community returned. The city sponsored a walk to reclaim the space where a gunman killed seven parade watchers and wounded nearly 50 others.

MAYOR NANCY ROTERING, HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS: Nobody wanted a parade. It was inappropriate. But it was important for us to say that evil doesn't win, and this is our parade route, and this is our community that we are taking back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy 4th --

LAVANDERA: Back on Horne Street, families returned to enjoy the Como neighborhood Fourth of July parade. The route cut through the very spot where the deadly shooting kicked off this national holiday. And they watched balloons released into the sky honoring Monday night's victims.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (on camera): And, Abby, authorities in Philadelphia say that the gunman there will be arraigned tomorrow. He's expecting to face -- expected to face murder charges there. The names of the five victims have been released and include Daujan Brown who's 15, Lashyd Merritt, 20, Dymir Stanton, 29, Joseph Wamah, 21, Ralph Moralis, 59.

Here in Fort Worth, investigators now say they are looking for several men firing discriminately into the crowd. One of the victims was an 18-year-old by the name of Paul Timothy Willis. This is his family sitting behind me here on the street.

And, Abby, what is really striking of all the shootings not just in Philadelphia and Fort Worth but in various cities across the country in the last few days, is the staggering number of young people who have fallen victim to gun violence. PHILLIP: Yeah. Children injured, children killed. A horrible, horrible

trend there.

Ed Lavandera in Fort Worth, Texas, thank you very much.

And in our law and justice lead, West Virginia State Police are accused of spying on female officers including minors. A new civil lawsuit alleges male officers had a hidden camera in the women's shower and locker rooms over a ten-year period.

CNN's Brynn Gingras got an exclusive interview with two female officers who are now suing the department.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MEGAN TALKINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: That's all I wanted to do my entire life was to be in law enforcement. And now that, you know, going on 13 years this year, and I can't even view law enforcement the same as I have.

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Megan Talkington and Brenda Lesnett, active law enforcement in the state of West Virginia, their dream job. But now, everything has changed.

TALKINGTON: I don't want my daughter to walk the halls of the West Virginia state police academy, not unless there's reform from top to bottom.

GINGRAS: Both women now suing the agency that trained them after an anonymous letter written to top state officials including the governor and lawmakers went public in February alleged widespread misconduct within the walls of the West Virginia state police academy, including a hidden camera system inside the women's locker room.

BRENDA LESNETT, WEST VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: I was shocked to hear that happened. I was completely appalled. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Sitting here today I still feel exposed. And I'm constantly wondering who's going to see me next, who has already seen me, it's very nerve-racking.

GINGRAS: Those thoughts are constantly in your mind?

TALKINGTON: Yes, am I going to deal with this the rest of my life? Ten years from now will it show up on the dark web, the regular web, I don't know.

LESNETT: Every female that has gone through the academy, civilian or for law enforcement training, is a victim.

[16:25:06]

GINGRAS: How many we talking here?

LESNETT: There could be thousands.

TALKINGTON: Hundreds if not thousands. TERESA TORISEVA, ATTORNEY FOR WOMEN SUING WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE:

It's a hostile, misogynistic, toxic environment that's not just male dominated, it's anti-woman.

GINGRAS: Attorney Teresa Toriseva represents about 70 women who have similar allegations, including minors who took part in a junior program at the academy.

GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R), WEST VIRGINIA: I don't know how in the world many things could be much, much worse than that.

GINGRAS: The state doesn't dispute a camera existed. This is how Governor Jim Justice publicly addressed it in March.

JUSTICE: There was three troopers that found a thumb drive. And absolutely from that, they found the video. And then from what I understand, one if not all immediately jerked the thumb drive out and threw it in the floor and started stomping on it.

GINGRAS: Justice replaced the head of the agency and pinned the act on a high-ranking academy official who died in 2016.

You don't think he was the only one responsible?

TORISEVA: Common sense tells you he wasn't the only one responsible. It just doesn't make sense. It doesn't add up. And it feels like you're blaming somebody who can't speak for themselves.

GINGRAS: Toriseva's team names three current and former state police employees who they say are responsible for the recordings in a recently filed civil lawsuit. The first and what will be a long list of similar civil action taken.

It's a risk you guys are taking to file a lawsuit while you're still working. What do you fear?

TALKINGTON: I fear retaliation. I fear Brenda and I are going to have a target on our backs.

GINGRAS: There are two open state investigations.

JUSTICE: We're going to clean it up.

GINGRAS: Where they'll stand, unclear. We reached out to Justice's office and the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and got no response. The state police said no comment. Officials haven't reached out to the alleged victims either.

TORISEVA: Crickets.

GINGRAS: Disheartening.

TORISEVA: It is outrageous.

LESNETT: I feel like this hasn't been taken seriously. I think that there needs to be more investigation and more thorough investigation, and I think that we all want answers.

GINGRAS: Brynn Gingras, CNN, Charleston, West Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIP: Brynn Gingras, thank you for that report.

And up next for us, what Israel is calling its intended target in its military operation in the West Bank, the largest in more than 20 years.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:32:05]

PHILLIP: Topping our world lead, a call for the United States to, quote, interfere from a top Palestinian official today after Israeli forces conducted a massive deadly raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Monday.

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, referred to the area as, quote, a terrorist stronghold and vowed to continue the operation that's already killed 12 and left 100 injured, according to Palestinian officials.

As CNN's Hadas Gold reports, just moments ago, Israeli military vehicles were seen leaving Jenin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A car ramming attack on the streets of Tel Aviv. The attacker shot by an armed civilian. Militant group Hamas taking credit for the attack, calling it a response to Israel's military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the largest incursion into the West Bank since the days of the Second Intifada.

Israel says its aim it to dismantle the hornet's nest Jenin has become for militants. Overnight targeting underground tunnels used to store explosive devices in the camp.

RICHARD HECHT, ISRAELI ARMY'S INTERNATIONAL SPOKESMAN: We're focused mainly on dismantling terrorist infrastructure and handing and seizing guns that are in this camp.

GOLD: Scenes of destruction as bulldozers ripped up roads to disable IEDs, damaged cars and homes. Inside the camp, streets are empty. Thousands of residents evacuating their homes overnight.

International aid groups accused Israeli forces of blocking access to medical care in Jenin and firing teargas near hospitals. The IDF refuting those claims, saying ambulances have a free pass.

Palestinian officials condemning the raid, calling it a new war crime and saying they will suspend contact with Israel. A general strike in solidarity with Jenin has been called in the West

Bank and East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Palestinian militant groups calling for action struck Israel by all available means.

As night fell on Tuesday, Israeli forces began withdrawing from Jenin as the cycle of violence goes on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLD (on camera): And although Israeli forces are starting to withdraw, they say this operation is not over yet. We are still seeing reports of clashes and even in the last two hours or so an air strike, what the IDF said it's targeting armed militants. And the IDF's chief spokesperson telling CNN in last two hours or so that although they're leaving, they could return to Jenin after the operation ends if they receive intelligence prompting them on this do so -- Abby.

PHILLIP: All right. Hadas Gold in Jerusalem, thank you very much.

And ahead for us, what a Russian spokesman had the nerve to call international terrorism today as Russia, his own country, pummeled civilian cities in Ukraine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:39:02]

PHILLIP: Welcome back to a special edition of THE LEAD.

Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted an Independence Day "thank you: to the United States for its, quote, unwavering commitment to protecting our common ideals of freedom and democracy. As his country is grappling with nearly 500 days of war and seeks to retake land in the east and in the south, just hours ago, Ukraine's deputy defense minister claimed new ground south of Bakhmut.

As CNN's Ben Wedeman reports from eastern Ukraine as civilians grapple with yet another horrific Russian attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A tiny plume of smoke rises above Moscow as blood seeps into Ukrainian soil near an apartment block. Two people were killed by Russian shelling in the southern city of Kherson Tuesday. Dozens of civilians also injured in an attack in the Kharkiv region with medics wrapping bandages around the heads of those wounded.

[16:40:04]

I was lying on the sofa, says this woman. There was an explosion, the balcony was blown off. Everything was blown apart.

The relentless targeting of Ukrainian civilian structures by Russia comes as the Kremlin says it intercepted five drones near civilian buildings in Moscow. DMITRY PESKOV, KREMLIN SPOKESPERSON: All these drones were either

destroyed or neutralized using the appropriate systems.

WEDEMAN: The defense ministry says there were no casualties or damage. But the foreign ministry spokeswoman called the attack an act of international terrorism.

An adviser to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy quick to point out the irony writing, a terrorist attack is when you have been deliberately firing cruise and ballistic missiles at residential areas and crowded pizzerias for 16 months. Terrorism is the main attribute of Russia today.

President Putin attempting to project a different image, one of strength and stability while addressing his allies for the first time since facing an armed insurrection by the Wagner Group.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The Russian people are consolidated as never before. I would like to thank my colleagues from the SCO countries who expressed the support for the actions of the Russian leadership to protect the constitutional order, the life and security of Russian citizens. We highly appreciate it.

WEDEMAN: Putin's gratitude, a sign of his questionable grip on power. His fate being tested as Ukraine makes slow progress on the front lines. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, acknowledging difficulties on the battlefield but claiming his military is retaking territory.

Championing the fight ahead by drawing inspiration from Ukraine's strongest backer, the United States, on their independence day.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Only the brave gain independence, and only the best of the brave are able to pass the freedom from generation to generation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (on camera): And this evening, President Macron spoke with -- rather, President Zelenskyy spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and warned him that the Russians are preparing what he called a dangerous provocation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the biggest nuclear power plant in all of Europe currently under Russian occupation -- Abby.

PHILLIP: Ben Wedeman from eastern Ukraine, thank you for that report.

And meanwhile, in Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says that Russia is now open to talks with the United States over potential prisoner swaps, but those discussions, he says, must be carry out in, quote, complete silence. This coming one day after the United States ambassador to Russia was granted access to detained American "Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich, for the first time in months.

CNN's Kylie Atwood is at the State Department. Kylie, it does sound there that Peskov is leaving the door open, and

it also sounds almost reminiscent to the kind of talk that we were hearing a few months before eventually Brittney Griner was released from detention in Russia.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Abby, it is noteworthy that Peskov acknowledged that there have been conversations about a prisoner swap, because historically, you know, what we have seen with Russian officials, particularly when U.S. citizens are on trial facing charges in the Russian system, is that Russian officials won't even comment at all on conversations to secure their release because they say they need to go through the entire trial system.

So, it's noteworthy. However, it does sort of also reflect what our reporting is, that U.S. officials have really been looking around the globe to try and see what options they can gin up to try and offer to the Russians to secure Evan Gershkovich's release and, of course, Paul Whelan, as well.

PHILLIP: That's right. And it's going to be quite difficult because they don't have anyone in custody right now.

So, Kylie, as Ben mentioned, today, Putin made his first remarks to some sympathetic world leaders since the Wagner rebellion. And that was at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. How big is this group, and what is its mission exactly?

ATWOOD: Well, it's really a group that seeks to counter Western influence in central Asia. It is an economic and security group. It's not a defense alliance like NATO, however there are some defense qualities to this organization. And there are nine member countries, Iran is one of them, it just joined this week. But the major ones, of course, are China, Russia, India.

And when you include countries that aren't actually in the alliance itself but are partners of the alliance, it's a pretty broad group. And it accounts for countries that would represent more than half of the world's population. So it's a large number of folks that it touches upon. It was noteworthy that these were Putin's first comments after the challenge from Prigozhin because it is him speaking with his allies, of course.

PHILLIP: Yeah. Definitely trying to speak to a friendly crowd there.

Kylie Atwood, thank you very much.

And let's bring in now, CNN's Alex Marquardt with a look at what's coming up next in "THE SITUATION ROOM".

So, Alex, we are learning more about a strange story about a powdery substance at the White House Sunday night. What's the latest on that?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Abby, this is certainly something that the Secret Service is trying to get to the bottom of. A white powdery substance found in a work area in the West Wing in a ziplock bag on Sunday night. The Secret Service says that preliminary tests indicated that it is possibly cocaine, but it has been sent for further testing just to make sure.

It was Sunday night when this temporary evacuation happened. The president was not there. He has been at Camp David for the past few days for the Fourth of July weekend.

The president coming back today. We are expecting to hear from him in just a few moments at a Fourth of July celebration at the White House with active duty military families.

He'll be honoring the military in his remarks. We also expect the president and likely the first family to be watching the fireworks on the National Mall tonight. As you know, the Truman balcony has a great view of the National Mall.

So, I'm sure they will enjoy. So, we've got that and a lot more news at the top of the hour in "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- Abby.

PHILLIP: Yeah, arguably the best view in all of Washington of the fireworks. Alex, we'll see you in a few minutes at the top of the hour in "THE SITUATION ROOM". Thanks for joining us.

And up next on THE LEAD, the crowning at one of the most bizarre professional events in American history.

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[16:51:08]

PHILLIP: In our national lead, usually when you're at the beach, you're worried about sharks, maybe some jellyfish, maybe even a few seagulls.

But folks in Los Angeles County were greeted with a different warning this holiday weekend: stay away from the sea lions.

CNN's Nick Watt is in Redondo Beach, California.

So, Nick, what's happening with the sea lions? They were poisoned by algae?

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That is right, Abby. And more and more bodies are washing up on these shores, dead or dying sea lions. We saw two right here just this morning. And they were in a bad way.

And the rescuers from the marine mammal care center put them in a truck, take them to their center, and basically try and flush this toxin out of the sea lions. The problem is there are so many of them that that center is getting pretty full.

Now why is this happening? Well, there's a toxic algae growing out there that is then eaten by little fish, those fish are then eaten by the dolphins and the sea lions. And it attacks their brains, lesions, seizures, confusion. Making them sometimes a little aggressive which is why beach-goers on this beautiful perfect beach day, the sun is out, cooling wind, are being told to stay away. Now, I swim in this bay pretty much every morning. And usually the sea

lions don't come close to us. But about a week or two ago, one sea lion circled the group that I swim with and actually bit one of the people who I swim with.

Their brains are being eaten away by this neurotoxin. Why is this happening? Well, it could be upswell of cold nutrient-rich water that's feeding this algae. It could also be what I call city juice.

We've had a lot of rain here this winter which washes stuff off the streets of these coastal towns into the ocean, and also that is a nutrient for algae, city juice. Sounds horrible. It is.

So, they are saying that people should stay away from them. You should also not eat shellfish because the shellfish could be contaminated. And humans can die.

But listen, you can tell humans not to eat shellfish and stay away from the sea lions. You can't tell sea lions not to eat fish. So the only solution, take them to the center and keep them out of the water until they can prove that it's safe again -- Abby.

PHILLIP: Wow. I don't know what to say. I hope your friend is okay after that encounter with the sea lion.

WATT: She's fine. She's fine.

PHILLIP: Thank you very much, Nick Watt.

And on another topic, nothing goes better with America than hotdogs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four, three, two, one, put down your hotdog. Oh, my glory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP: All right. That right there is reigning champ Joey Chestnuts scarfing down 62 hotdogs in ten minutes, and securing his 16th win at the nation's hotdog -- the Nathan's hotdog eating contest in Coney Island, New York.

On the women's side returning champ Miki Sudo crushed 39 1/2 hotdogs in ten minutes.

Each top eater takes home the coveted mustard belt and a beefy $10,000 prize. Thankfully not actual beef.

But let's be honest, when it comes to the Fourth of July celebrations, we are pretty much counting down the hours here until we see some fireworks.

And that is exactly what Gabe Cohen is doing over on the National Mall. So, Gabe, I know that it's bad small talk to talk about the weather,

but it is really, really hot. So the festivities that are planned for tonight must be really good to get people out there on the Mall to see it.

GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it is pretty brutally hot. We just did have a little rain, but now it feels as hot as it's been throughout the day. That said it doesn't seem to be slowing folks down because we're seeing more and more people arriving here on the Mall.

[16:55:04]

And we expect many thousands more will be here when that fireworks show kicks off after the 9:00 p.m. It is going to be a packed house. Those fireworks are already in place just down the Mall from where I'm standing, near the Lincoln Memorial. It will be a 17-1/2 minute show.

But months of hard work went into making sure this could happen. We are talking about more than a mile of wire, thousands of circuits going into these fireworks. And it's an expensive show -- close to $270,000, Abby. But the folks who put it on say it's going to be worth every penny.

PHILLIP: I think it will be. I love some fireworks here in Washington. Gabe Cohen at the National Mall, thank you so much.

And look for Gabe, along with Dana Bash and Boris Sanchez tonight for CNN's Fourth of July special. We have fireworks from across the country and big-name musical performances. Live coverage starts tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time right here on CNN.

And that's it for this special edition of THE LEAD. Our coverage continues after this quick break.