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McCarthy Works To Win Over GOP Holdouts On Debt Ceiling Plan As Biden Threatens Veto; "Politico": FL Surgeon General Altered COVID Vaccine Study; Five Of Six Accused In "Sweet 16" Party Killings Appear In Court; Protest Erupts As Transgender Lawmaker Silenced In Montana. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired April 25, 2023 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:31:32]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Welcome back. After months of hinting that he would be running for re-election, President Biden made it official this morning. In a three-minute video, he said the battle for the soul of America is not over.

At 80 years old, Biden is the oldest man to serve as president and now the third oldest to run for office. A major source of fodder for his critic. But Democrats seem to agree Biden is unlikely to face a serious challenger from within the party.

And the White House says the violence is still too dangerous to undertake a government-coordinated evacuation of U.S. citizens who are stuck in Sudan. But a source tells CNN that the Pentagon is considering a plan to send U.S. troops to the Port Sudan in the Red Sea. And it's sending two warships there, effective immediately.

Despite a 72-hour ceasefire, journalists reported hearing gunfire and also fighter jets in Khartoum this morning.

Jim?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Dicey situation there.

Well, a handful of GOP defections could sink it. And the president says, if it gets to him, he could veto it.

That's the uphill battle the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is now facing with his debt ceiling proposal. It would raise the debt limit by $1.5 trillion but in exchange for hefty domestic spending cuts, which Democrats oppose.

The last hour, the White House made it clear Biden would veto the measure if it reaches his desk. But House GOP leadership still eying a vote on the bill tomorrow despite that.

CNN's Manu Raju has been following it on Capitol Hill.

Manu, I understood you caught up with the speaker a short time ago. The key question is, does he have the votes in his own caucus?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He would not say if he did. And I asked him the other question about whether or not he would have to change the bill in order to win over skeptics. Also would not respond to that.

But that is the big question here going forward because he has met resistance within the ranks among some Iowa Republicans, four of them who want changes to the FML tax breaks that are repealed in the legislation.

And also some conservatives who are pushing to strengthen, to make stricter the work requirement proposed for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Something -- both things that leadership does not want to do. They do not want to change the bill because they believe that will complicate its chances of passing.

But when I asked the speaker that moments ago, he didn't say what he intends to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Do you have to change the bill for election?

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): I'll let you know.

RAJU: (INAUDIBLE)

MCCARTHY: You're the first person I'm going to call.

RAJU: When is the vote going to happen?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: So, he said, I'd be the first person to call. I'm still waiting by the phone. No word yet from the speaker.

But there is very little margin for error for the speaker to get this through the House. He had hoped to get this done by Wednesday. It is unclear whether or not that will happen.

Because more than four Republican defections would be enough to tank this bill in the House, given that all Democrats are expected to oppose the plan given it's tied to spending cuts that they largely oppose.

There are some members, like Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who said today he's, quote, "still a no." And Congressman Matt Gaetz, also saying he wants changes or he's a no. And you have four Iowa Republicans signaling there are nos. So there are no changes here.

Jim, you see the math challenges ahead for Speaker McCarthy as he works behind the scenes to lock down the votes and get this bill through the House. Even if it passed the House, the Democrats in the Senate say they're

not going to act on this bill. The White House says the debit limit needs to be increased without spending cuts, without any conditions, a position strongly opposed by the speaker of the House.

[13:35:07]

Therein all lies the challenges for Washington to try to get together, try to get a deal and avert the first ever debt default as soon as June.

SCIUTTO: That reminds me of the counting of the votes before the speakership vote, which he did manage, we should note, to get through.

Manu Raju, on the Hill, thanks so much for us.

Boris?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Rising serious ethical questions today. "Politico" is reporting that Florida's top doctor, Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, altered key findings in a study with Covid-19 vaccines.

Last year, Ladapo personally changed a Florida Department of Health analysis to suggest that mRNA vaccines pose a significant health risk to men ages 18 to 39.

CNN's medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, joins us now.

So, Elizabeth, what does the CDC say about the cardiac risks associated with mRNA vaccines? And what did the surgeon general change?

DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Boris, the CDC is very clear that these events do happen, that they're rare. So this would be myocarditis after getting an mRNA vaccine, like Moderna or Pfizer.

The CDC is very clear. They don't hide this. They say it's rare, that it happens and that it resolves easily and -- they don't use that word - but it resolves quite quickly.

That it is not a difficult case. These are no difficult illnesses. People do not die from this and it's rare.

And your chances of getting very sick from Covid are way higher than anything bad happening to you from the vaccine.

So, let's take a look at what the Florida surgeon general did. He deleted a sentence that said, "Increased risk of cardiac-related deaths are no longer significant. So, it said it was no longer significant, he took that away.

He added a sentence that said that "mRNA vaccines may be driving increased risk of cardiac-related deaths."

There is no data behind that. These are illnesses that resolve quickly. These are not deaths.

So that's what happened in the situation with the Florida surgeon general -- Boris?

SANCHEZ: So what is he saying now about this new reporting?

COHEN: So, he has put out a statement. Let's read part of it.

So the Florida surgeon general is saying, "The public has been the recipient of biased data and interpretations since the beginning of the mRNA Covid vaccine campaign. I have never been afraid of disagreement with peers or media".

Also the Florida Department of Health, because this was a Florida Department of Health analysis, says, "This analysis was never conducted or classified as research. This is a surveillance conducted within Dr. Ladapo's authority as state surgeon general."

"MRNA Covid-19 vaccines are associated with increased cardiac risk, and reports of sudden deaths shortly after their administration should be communicated to the public."

We don't know what they mean by reports of sudden death because they don't say what they mean. They don't give any data. They don't give any background.

They just put it out there that there were these deaths when, in fact, there aren't reports like that. It's unclear exactly what they're talking about -- Boris?

SANCHEZ: Important to point out there's no evidence. They put forward no evidence of that.

Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much.

Brianna, over to you.

KEILAR: Coming up, mass shooting suspects in court. Five of the six accused in the Sweet 16 birthday party shooting in Alabama in front of a judge today to see if they're denied bail.

And they're some of the most crucial eyes in the skies. But the FDA is having so much trouble finding air traffic controllers it's now asking some airlines to cut back on flights. We will tell you where.

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[14:43:08]

SCIUTTO: And now to some other headlines we're watching this hour.

Executives at JetBlue Airlines say that staff shortages in air traffic control towers are getting worse.

The airline claims the FAA has been pressuring the company to cut flights to and from New York-area airports this summer as a result of those staffing issues. The FAA says one in five controller positions nationwide is actually vacant.

And in Chicago, a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old are now charged with misdemeanors after their involvement in a horrific car crash that resulted in the death of this 6-month-old baby.

Police say the teens stole a car, took it for a joyride. And this surveillance video shows you how fast the car was going before it hit the family's pickup truck, which then crashed into a tree.

Police say the investigation is ongoing. The baby's family, however, is calling on the state's attorneys general office to upgrade the charges against those teenagers from misdemeanors.

And an American woman was arrested in Sydney, Australia, after airport workers there found a 24-karat-gold-plated handgun in her luggage. The 28-year-old did not hold a permit to import a firearm.

Australia does have some of the world's toughest rules on gun ownership. She was released on bail. The maximum penalty for the offense is 10 years in prison.

Brianna?

KEILAR: In court today, five of the six suspects arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama. They were all young men, ages 20o to 15-year-old. The youngest suspect, the 15-year-old, was not part of today's hearing, has not been named at this point.

We have CNN's Nick Valencia following this for us.

Nick, this was a bond hearing. What did the judge decide to do?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Brianna. Today's hearing was known locally as an Aniah's Law bond hearing. It's really a law that was passed late last year to allow a judge to make it easier for the judge to deny bond for violent offender until trial.

[13:45:06]

There were no cameras court, no cell phones allowed either, so it's been incredibly difficult to get reportable information out of the courtroom.

But our local affiliate, WBMA, is reporting that the judge will decide in the next 48 hours whether or not he will allow or deny bond.

You mentioned just five of the six suspects were in court. All of them have been charged with reckless murder but they do include a minor, 15 years old.

Of course, those details from just about two weeks ago that 32 people were injured and four people were killed at a Sweet 16 party in Dadeville -- Brianna?

KEILAR: Any word on the motive yet? It's been 10 days since this happened and we've been waiting to find some answers.

VALENCIA: It's not just today that it's been difficult to get information. Really, all of this time reporters have been covering the story, the local officials have been very tight-lipped.

And there could be some indication as to why. It was last week when the police chief held a press conference talking about how important it was for them locally to get this right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN FLOYD, CHIEF, DADEVILLE, AL, POLICE DEPARTMENT: We have one opportunity to get this right. Because this case is not just about making an arrest. That is not the finish line.

If we hurry, if we're careless, and we do make an arrest, but it does not result in conviction, it does not result in ultimate justice for our victims, we have failed our victims.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: It's been 10 days since the shooting. And police have yet to announce a motive -- Brianna?

KEILAR: All right, Nick Valencia, thank you for staying on this story for us.

Boris?

SANCHEZ: Still ahead, some tense moments on the floor of the Montana State House after supporters of a silenced lawmaker began chanting "let her speak" while the chamber debated legislation on transgender care.

Plus, two Bud Light executives placed on leave after a marketing partnership with a transgender influencer backfires. We'll bring you the very latest.

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[13:51:51]

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UNIDENTIFIED MONTANA STATE LAWMAKER: Members, will you please go to the side of the chambers? Members, please go to the side of the chambers.

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Those protests on the floor of the statehouse in Montana following debate yesterday over a bill that would limit transgender- affirming care for youth, for minors. Police arrested seven demonstrators who you heard there chanting "let

her speak." They were there in support of Democratic State Representative Zooey Zephyr.

Zephyr, who is transgender, has not been allowed to speak on the floor since last Thursday after she said her Republican colleagues would have, quote, "blood on their hands" if they banned gender-affirming care for minors.

CNN's Lucy Kafanov has been following this story.

Lucy, I know you spoke to one of the demonstrators who was arrested. What are they fighting for here?

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jim. I spoke to one of the seven who had been arrested, and all were released last night.

He said he arrived there for a peaceful demonstration in protest of Representative Zooey Zephyr, who's his Congress person, his local representative, being blocked from speaking on the House floor for three days now.

He described how the protesters entered the gallery, they were watching quietly, but then they observed again as Representative Zephyr was blocked from speaking, and that's when you heard those chants. The riot police were called in, the arrests began.

He told me that he's been watching the session and there is, quote, "an assumption by Republicans who have a super majority in both chambers that they can simply silence or speak over the voices they do not agree with."

And I think that what yesterday demonstrated was a pretty tremendous display and solidarity and support for Montana's transgender community.

Representative Zephyr has not been allowed to speak on the State House floor since Thursday because she told her Republican colleagues last week that they'd have, quote, "blood on their hands" if they banned gender-affirming medical care. That was the supposedly uncalled-for language that they reference.

And here's her on CNN describing why she chose to use those words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STATE REP. ZOOEY ZEPHYR (D-MT): I have lost several trans friends to suicide this year. I've had trans family members -- or trans Montanans and parents tell me about suicide attempts in their family.

Including one trans teenager who attempted to take her life while watching a hearing on one of these anti-trans bills.

That's the impact this legislation has. And that's why I rose to defend my community and hold those Republicans accountable for their actions. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: And keep in mind, Jim, gender-affirming care has been provided for decades. It is considered the standard of care by every major medical association.

SCIUTTO: Lucy, just to be clear and, briefly, does the law there allow for legislators to silence someone for saying something like this?

KAFANOV: Well, she hasn't been formally censured. They did try to attempt to do that last week.

But, yes, this is an ongoing battle, something the Democrats are trying to fight, but, again, they are in the minority.

[13:55:03]

SCIUTTO: Lucy Kafanov, in Montana, thanks so much.

Boris?

SANCHEZ: Anheuser Busch has reportedly placed two Bud Light executives on leave following the brand's partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, a popular transgender influencer.

The sponsorship included two Instagram posts by Mulvaney, who has nearly two million followers. The beer maker also sent her a custom can with her face on it.

Fallout went from calls for a boycott to physical danger when Anheuser Busch facilities began receiving threats.

It's unclear exactly how the controversy is going to affect the brewer's bottom line. But according to an analysis for the Nielsen data for the week ending in April 15th, sales of Bud Light fell by 17 percent.

Anheuser Busch did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.

Brianna?

KEILAR: President Biden launching his re-election campaign saying the battle for the nation's soul is not complete, but the battle to been over skeptics in his own party is also far from over.

This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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