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WH, GOP Reach Debt Limit Deal Just Days Before Potential Default; Russia Launches Rare Daytime Attack on Kyiv After Weekend Strikes; To-Ranked Tennis Player Says Online Racism Getting Worse. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired May 29, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

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[15:01:19]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: We have a debt deal, but will members of both parties support it? The work far from over. The hardest part could still be ahead. What we're hearing from lawmakers as leaders start whipping votes.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: And children sent racing for shelter for their lives in Ukraine as Russia launches a rare daytime attack on the capital Kyiv. Authorities are promising swift retaliation now.

But after months of talk, anticipation of a counteroffensive is coming soon. We are following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: So they have a deal, but do they have the votes? President Biden and Speaker McCarthy may have ended their stare down over the debt ceiling, but progressives and conservatives are saying their respective sides gave too much away and this compromise.

Here's where things stand right now, if the bill passes the U.S. avoids a default. And Washington won't have to deal with the debt ceiling again until January 2025. Probably not a coincidence that that's after the next election.

This bill also would cap future spending, leaving Social Security, Medicare and defense spending untouched. So both parties have some modest wins to point to.

CNN's Lauren Fox is at the Capitol tracking all of this. Lauren, some hurdles still remain on the Hill, walk us through them?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Yes. One of the key hurdles, of course, is some of that conservative outrage that you have been seeing on Twitter with lawmakers threatening to use every tool at their disposal, potentially to try and stop this. But even still, the expectation is that Republican leadership is still very optimistic that they are going to have a majority of their Republican Conference backing this bill.

I talked to two lawmakers in the last hour who told me that they are still very confident that they are going to be able to get this through the House of Representatives, in part because Democrats are also working very hard to secure the votes on their side.

Many Democrats wanting to back the President as he's seeking reelection, also many Democrats arguing that things could have been much worse in these negotiations. And this is a part of divided government when you have Republicans controlling the House of Representatives, Democrats controlling the Senate and the White House compromises have to be made.

And a lot of Democrats and the White House, in particular, is arguing the compromises made here are not nearly as bad as they could have been.

If the House passes this bill out of their chamber on Wednesday, that puts the U.S. Senate in the driver's seat. It's a question of how quickly they can move. Chuck Schumer, the Majority Leader in the Senate has warned members that they could have weakened votes. This could drag out just to that June 5th deadline if any one member slows this process down.

And as you know, things can move very quickly in the Senate when lawmakers are united when they have an agreement. But if they don't have that this could take a little bit of time.

SANCHEZ: Yes. And we have seen some serious disagreements hinging on just one or two senators before on major issues. So the expectation, Lauren, is that they will make it before that June 5th X date, right?

FOX: Yes, that is the expectation at this moment. But obviously, there could be a bumpy road ahead. And one of the key things to be watching tomorrow is any drama on the House Rules Committee. You have some conservatives warning that they are going to use every tool at their disposal to stop this bill there. Traditionally, Republicans back the rule if they're the ones who are in the majority.

[15:05:04]

But there are a number of conservatives who are on that committee and the numbers could work out in a way where you could have a very tight vote there. So that is one area to watch this drama play out. But like I noted, both Democratic and Republican leadership, very confident they're going to be able to provide the votes needed to get this out of the House on Wednesday.

SANCHEZ: The irony, of course, being that some of those conservatives on that committee got those assignments because they held back House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in his attempt to become speaker. Now, it may come back to bite him.

Lauren Fox, thank you so much for that. Jim?

SCIUTTO: All right. Joining us now to discuss a senior adviser to President Biden, John Podesta.

John, good for - good to have you on this morning. JOHN PODESTA, SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thanks for having me,

Jim.

SCIUTTO: This afternoon, I should say. First, does the President have the votes in his own caucus to get this passed?

PODESTA: Well, look, I think that we're talking - we've reached out to senators and members of the House Democratic Caucus where I've been involved in a number of briefings already on what's included in this bill.

And I think for the most part, we have been able to do what the President said he would do, which was to protect Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid to be able to have protect the historic investments that the Democratic Congress passed last year, particularly those investments in clean energy and climate change that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Republicans were gunning for that. They wanted to repeal that and they wanted to undermine bedrock protections in the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Toxic ...

SCIUTTO: Right.

PODESTA: ... Control Act. And we're able to avoid all of that. So I think, when it comes to the provisions that I'm particularly involved with, the - we have preserved the ability to tackle the climate and invest in clean energy and we're happy about that and I think most of the members recognize that.

SCIUTTO: As you know, work requirements were particularly unpopular concession among not just progressive Democrats, but really most Democrats. And by the way, the President himself had said some time ago, that was not a place he wanted to go. What's the impact of that on recipients of food stamps, for instance?

PODESTA: Well, they've raised the age, but again there was - the administration was able to secure some exemptions for veterans, for people who are homeless, for people who are in the foster care system, up until the age of 24.

So I think the most vulnerable populations were protected in this deal and I think that it was something that obviously that was - we didn't propose, but I think where it landed was a fair compromise in any negotiation. You give a little bit, you get a little bit.

And I think, in this case, by protecting those vulnerable populations, we got something in return for raising the age.

SCIUTTO: As you know, that the President models himself as someone who can reach across the aisle and make compromises. But as you know, the politics are such today that compromises are not popular with the rank and file in many circumstances of either party, right?

Does this strengthen or weaken President Biden going into the 2024 cycle, given that some of these concessions are deeply unpopular with Democratic voters?

PODESTA: Well, look, Jim, I think what would have been deeply unpopular was - would have been given to the MAGA Republicans and let the country default, that would have cost millions of people their jobs, we would have rolled back the historic gains we've had in employment with the lowest unemployment in 50 years.

And I think that people respect the fact that the President is kind of the grown up in the room, he could bring people together. He was able to find a path forward that protected the key vital investments that that he pushed through in the last Congress.

SCIUTTO: Right.

PODESTA: Some on a bipartisan basis, some with only Democratic votes. But I think that they expect him to act in the best interests of all the people and he did that in this case.

SCIUTTO: But let me ask you, that cliff is exactly the point of some of his critics that he should not have let Republicans push him and Democrats up to that cliff. There - I mean, there was even some word that Janet Yellen had pushed for this to settle this during the lame duck session so that you didn't, in effect, have this game of chicken. What - does he regret not doing this, then?

PODESTA: Well, look, I think that was a choice that would - that was made back then. And I think that no one wants to see that. So I've been around here in previous administrations, it's sort of always the extreme conservative forces in the Republican Party who are trying to push either the government to shut down or push us over the cliff.

[15:10:05]

And you can only do so much until you stare them in the eye and get them to back off and find a way to move forward. And that's ...

SCIUTTO: Right.

PODESTA: ,,, what the President did. He held his ground. He said he wouldn't negotiate over the debt limit. He didn't ...

SCIUTTO: Hold that thought.

PODESTA: ... negotiate over the debt limit but he was always (inaudible) ...

SCIUTTO: Thank you. I'm going to have to cut you off there, because you mentioned the President - John Podesta, thank you very much - you mentioned the president and here's the President just moments ago, leaving the White House. So let's listen it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, give us an update on the debt ceiling deal. Are you confident it'll pass Congress? JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, you know I never say

I'm confident what the Congress is going to do. But I feel very good about it. I've spoken with a number of the members. I spoke to McConnell. I spoke to a whole bunch of people. And it feels good. We'll see when the vote starts.

And, look, one of the things that I hear some of you guys saying is, "Why doesn't Biden say what a good deal it is?" "Why would Biden say what a good deal it is before the vote?" You think that's going to help me get it passed? No. That's why you guys don't bargain very well.

Anyway.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President, what's your message to ...

BIDEN: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. So that's number one.

Number two, I spoke to Erdogan and congratulated Erdogan. And he still wants to work on something on the F-16s. I told him we wanted a deal with Sweden, so let's get that done. And so we'll be back in touch with one another. But I - it was basically a congratulatory call. And - yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, what's your message to House Democrats who have reservations about this compromise bill?

BIDEN: "Talk to me."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What would you tell them?

BIDEN: I'm not going to tell you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?

BIDEN: Look, you guys all get on and say, "Tell them what a good deal it is." How about if this was 100 percent deal for the Democrats? Do you think it would help me get it passed?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, who got the better deal?

BIDEN: Do you think it's going to help me get it passed? Come on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, who got the better deal?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think of the way that the 2024 Republican field is shaking out?

BIDEN: I haven't been able to keep up with it. It's moving so quickly. And I'm not being facetious; I'm being very serious. I haven't focused on it that much. It seems to have a lot of competent candidates who are trying to get the nomination. So we'll see.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will you whip votes yourself among Democrats and progressives? Will you make personal contact or leave that to the Hill?

BIDEN: Oh, I've made some calls already.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To who, Mr. President? Have you talked to Congresswoman Jayapal? And do you think you can get progressives on board?

BIDEN: The answer is: I don't know. I have a good relationship with Jayapal. I haven't had a chance to speak to her yet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who got the better deal? Who got the better deal, Democrats or Republicans?

BIDEN: It's a bipartisan deal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will this be done by June 5th?

BIDEN: Oh, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No question?

BIDEN: Well, you guys are - you guys - you realize you're not in the real world. "No question." There is no reason why it shouldn't get done by the 5th. I'm confident that we'll get a vote in both houses and we'll see.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, Russia is doubling down on its attacks on Kyiv today (inaudible) ...

BIDEN: I'm sorry, I'm not ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have any reaction as to why is attacking on Kyiv today? They attacked three times today.

BIDEN: I'm sorry, I don't understand the question. I can't - I apologize.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Russia is doubling down ...

BIDEN: Russia is doubling down ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... its attacks on Kyiv.

BIDEN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have any reactions to that?

BIDEN: It's not unexpected. And that's - it's just pure - it's not unexpected. That's why we got to continue to give Ukraine all that it needs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it time, Mr. President ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, are you expecting any movement on Sweden's membership in NATO on Erdogan's part?

BIDEN: I may - I raised that issue with him. We're going to talk more about it next week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, is it time for aid package for Ukraine? Aid package for Ukraine.

BIDEN: That's still in play.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, on defense spending ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible), sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some Republicans are saying that this deal does not raise - does not give the Pentagon enough money. Can you guarantee that America's fighting force is going to have what it needs for the next couple years?

BIDEN: Look, whatever the fighting force needs, if there's another - first of all, they passed my budget, what I asked for in defense. They passed that. Obviously, if there's any existential need for additional funding, I have no doubt we'd be able to get it because we'd jointly do it.

All right. Thanks, everyone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uganda.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sir, does the U.S. (inaudible) in Uganda?

BIDEN: I'm sorry. I'm having trouble hearing you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On Uganda, sir. Any message to the people of Uganda?

BIDEN: Not right now, no. I think I heard the question.

Don't get your suit dirty, man.

All right.

[15:15:06]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got one. Did you see that Ron DeSantis said that if he became President, he would pardon Trump? Where are you on the idea of presidents pardoning Trump?

BIDEN: (Inaudible), guys. It's a great question. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: President on his way to Delaware there, following successful negotiations in principle with Republicans on passing a debt ceiling deal the president tongue-in-cheek perhaps saying that he couldn't advertise how good the deal was for Democrats because that wouldn't help get it across the finish line, including with Republican votes.

The President also said he spoke to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan just elected to a third term. And the President just at the end there asked a question whether the former president should be pardoned by any future president. The president laughed off that question and there is his plane heading off to Delaware. We'll keep you up to date. Boris, over to you.

SANCHEZ: A big smile from the president there as he was teasing the press. He was also asked about Ukraine. Ukraine is now vowing swift retaliation after Russia launched some rare daytime attacks on the capital of Kyiv. We're going to take you live to the front lines for the very latest from that.

Plus, a mystery in Venice. Italian authorities collecting water samples scanning CCTV footage and interviewing gondola drivers trying to figure out this. Why the Grand Canal suddenly turned fluorescent green. We are on this case.

And as Americans flocked to beaches, lakes and pools, experts are warning about a potentially deadly threat, a lifeguard shortage. What we're learning still ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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[15:20:53]

SANCHEZ: Russia launching a rare daytime attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Air raid sirens could be heard sending kids running for shelter as explosions were blasting in the sky. Watch this.

Today's attacks followed a massive barrage of drone strikes over the weekend. Officials describing it as the biggest attack of this kind to date. Ukraine's air defenses took down 77 of 89 drones and missiles according to the military. Keep in mind, this is the 16th time this month, the city has been the target of attack.

Let's take you now live to eastern Ukraine and CNN's Sam Kiley.

Sam, what are Ukrainian officials saying about being able to keep up with this kind of pace from the Russian air assault?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, they're quite guarded about what resources they have. But if you look at how much and how often they ask the international community for air defenses it's always top of their list because the Russians have been increasingly trying to overwhelm their air defenses and denude them ahead of becoming what's anticipated to be this summer offensive.

But the Ukrainians themselves intimating that that summer offensive may soon get underway, but none of them really are under any illusion of what that will mean for the ordinary soldier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KILEY (voiceover): These are new recruits training. They could be on the front line in a couple of weeks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (off camera): There's a whole lot of blue on blue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through interpreter): Why are you shooting our own guys? You're shooting our own guys.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In training mistakes are harmless.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (off camera): And what happened to you?

MAKSIM, UKRAINIAN RECRUIT (through interpreter): I got hit in the face with a pellet.

KILEY (off camera): How long have you been doing this training?

MAKSIM: Two months. I recently joined the Army. So for now I'm here for two months training.

KILEY (off camera): What do you think about the coming offensive? Do you want to get involved?

MAKSIM (through interpreter): Yes, I do.

KILEY (off camera): You're not worrying?

MAKSIM (through interpreter): I think we're going to win.

KILEY (on camera): These young men, they've been having quite a lot of fun running around in the woods and sometimes things get quite funny. But ultimately, this business is deadly serious.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (voiceover): These recruits could be weeks away from combat, pretend war, turning to this where death is all too real.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through interpreter): Two hundred. He's not breathing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through interpreter): What?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's not breathing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (voiceover): Wounded veteran Colonel Oleksandr Piskun runs the training.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. OLEKSANDR PISKUN, UKRAINIAN NATIONAL GUARD (through interpreter): I know what it's like to lose loved ones. But this is war and there is no other choice. Of course, once the unit goes into action some of these guys will die. They are all aware of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (voiceover): That experience is hard one. Oleksandr came face to face with the Russian who shot him in Bakhmut last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (off camera): What would you say to young volunteers or conscripts joining now?

PISKUN: That you have to be prepared for anything. To be prepared for the good and the bad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (voiceover): The hospital's got plans for dealing with the Ukraine's offensive, which is expected this summer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They will be tough to force back. Hard. They won't give up territory that easily. It's going to be a big fight, very big and a lot of casualties.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY (voiceover): Colonel Piskun knows that this will not be his last memorial service. This military cemetery has space to grow.

[15:25:01]

Soldiers are confronted with grim truth here that many young men are forever entombed in this parade of graves.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KILEY (on camera): now Boris, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are going to be putting a great deal of their faith in the modern weapons that they've been given by the West. A lot of them much more sophisticated than what they'll be up against when it comes to the Russians. But the Russians still have the edge in terms of numbers and the sheer volume of weaponry that they can bring to bear in this war.

SANCHEZ: Important to keep those details in mind.

Sam Kiley from eastern Ukraine, thank you so much. Jim?

SCIUTTO: Well, back here in the U.S., a top ranked us tennis player says that racist abuse on social media is only getting worse. Sloane Stephens made the comments as the first round of this year's French Open got underway. Officials at the open say they've got a new way of dealing with online harassment.

CNN's world - CNN World Sports' Patrick Snell joins me now.

Tell us how they're handling this. I mean, this is really, really hard to police. PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORT ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Jim, it really is and

that's why it is very, very encouraging indeed, to see the stance again taken by Sloane Stephens. There's no question she's a very powerful voice, a very powerful platform. And once again, she is using it to great effect, the 30-year-old from Florida who won the 2017 U.S. Open just to remind our viewers.

She has been speaking out in Paris, where she is currently competing in the French Open. Stephens a 2018 finalist as well at Roland-Garros saying racist abuse targeted towards her via social media has been a problem right throughout her entire tennis career.

And here's what's really, really concerning, Jim. She says it's only been getting worse. Stephens speaking to reporters earlier today after winning her first round match against Karolina Pliskova, the Czech Republic in straight sets. The American player was asked just how bad the abuse is right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SLOANE STEPHENS, 2017 U.S. OPEN CHAMPION: Yes, it's obviously been a problem my entire career and it's never stopped. If anything, it's only gotten worse. I mean, obviously, when there's FBI investigations going on what people are saying to you online, it's very serious. And obviously, it's been something that I've dealt with my whole career. And I think that, like I said, it's only continuing to get worse and people online have the free rein to say and do whatever they want behind fake pages, which is obviously very troublesome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNELL: A very strong words, indeed. Sloane who's currently ranked 30th in the world, she actually didn't provide further details on the abuse she's been receiving when speaking the report is Monday. But I will say those powerful words coming after tournament organizers in the French capital.

And this is the new development here, Jim. They actually announced last week the players will have their social media content actually moderated by an anti-online harassment and hate speech tool using artificial intelligence, the software basically filtering out abusive comments on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok.

Sadly tennis players, we've seen this all before sadly, you look at greats like the Williams sisters they've been targets of such abuse, pro athletes as well for the world of football around Madrid player - superstar player from Brazil, Vinicius, Jr., the most notable recent case after the despicable racial abuse he suffered in the primera La Liga in Spain.

Jim, back to you for now.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I was just going to say sadly, not confined to professional tennis by any means ...

SNELL: Yes. SCIUTTO: ... in recent weeks.

Patrick Snell in Atlanta, thanks so much. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Coming up, another reason you shouldn't skip leg day at the gym. How stronger quads could help you survive a heart attack.

And there's something in the water in Venice, a patch of the Grand Canal suddenly turning fluorescent green.

Has John Berman gone too far in is supportive the Boston Celtics? We'll find out when we come back.

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