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Russia's War on Ukraine; Ukraine Retook a Town Close to Zaporizhzhia, But Russia Objected; In a West Coast Swing, Biden Emphasizes Climate Plan; 2024 Primary Field Clouded by Trump Indictment; UK Legislators Vote on Johnson Partygate Report's Conclusions; During Water Rescue, Florida Deputy Sucked into Drainage Pipe; Doctors are Urged to Use Other Metrics for Assessing Health Besides BMI. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired June 19, 2023 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

LT. GEN MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST AND FORMER COMMANDING GENERAL, U.S. ARMY EUROPE AND SEVENTH ARMY: So, what we are talking about is the potential for Ukraine to continue their attack even though they have not reached the front-line obstacle belt, what the Russians are calling their zero line where they have the most obstacles and the most troops. It does indicate that Ukraine's offensive and multiple directions is succeeding, and even though it seems to be going fully, as a military guy, what I'll tell you, two or three, to five, to 10 kilometers a day is a pretty good offensive operation in multiple directions.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: Talk more about this if you can, General, because if the Ukrainians are making progress, it is slow progress and hard-won progress because the Russians are so dug in, particularly along this line right here. So, what does constitute success for them, particularly in this region?

HERTLING: Well, if you draw that line four more -- three more times, John, there are four different defensive belts that have been monitored through satellites. The first two, the Russians have limited number of troops defending them, although they do have minefields and wires, they do have some troops in the trenches. And the Ukrainians have been successful against those lines, although it's moving slowly.

That map that you're showing from the front line where the red begins all the way to the bottom where those three cities are, we just talked about, is probably close to about 70 miles. So, it is a tough offensive as you are going through various obstacle belts. And like I said, what the Russians are calling their zero line is the one furthest south. That's the one that has the most obstacles, supposedly the best trained Russian forces, although, in different parts of that line, you'll see different standards of quality in the Russian forces.

So, what Ukrainian forces are now trying to do is find the best place to continue their attack, and even in some cases have their special operations forces behind those lines and attacking from the rear along with the territorials. So, again, it'll -- it will be slow moving, we've known this from the start. There will be a whole lot of casualties along each one of those four lines on both sides, but it's going to be dependent on how stiff the Russian resistance is. And what we've seen so far is they are -- they have become stiff in some areas and they have runaway in others.

So, it's going to just -- I'm going to introduce you to a new doctrinal term this morning, John, and that's DOTS, depends on the situation that the enemy holds and which Ukraine can push through.

BERMAN: DOTS, I will use that in conversation and claim it as my own. General, super instructive. Thank you so very much.

HERTLING: That's informal.

BERMAN: Rahel.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good stuff there.

All right. New video, President Biden at this hour, heading west to California after holding the very first rally of his 2024 campaign this weekend in Philadelphia. In California today, he will deliver a speech on his plan to combat the climate crisis. Now, on the Republican side, only a few candidates are holding public events today. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, well, she is in New Charleston, South Carolina. And former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is making several stops in Iowa.

Over the weekend, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, made headlines, telling voters in Nevada that he envisions an America modeled after the state of Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have no income tax, which you all know well. I don't know why other states don't follow suit. We should follow suit at the federal level too, just get rid of the IRS and send it off into the sunset.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Meantime, another 2024 hopeful, South Carolina Senator, Tim Scott, brushing off some criticism from Former President Barack Obama. Scott has long said he doesn't believe that America is a racist country. Here's what Obama said on a podcast, and then Scott's response on other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I think there is a long history of African American or other minority candidates within the Republican Party who will validate America and say, everything's great.

REP. TIM SCOTT (R-SC), U.S REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no higher compliment to be attacked by President Obama, when the -- whenever the Democrats feel threatened, they pull out, drag out the former president and have him make negative comments about someone running. Hoping that their numbers go down. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: And in that same interview, Scott said that he believes he is the most conservative person running for president right now.

And Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says that he is determined to rehabilitate his party from the damage done by Former President Trump. His pushing back on the idea that all candidates must sign a pledge to remain loyal to whoever is nominated, even if they're convicted of a felony, calling it, "Useless."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, I think the pledge is just a useless idea, Jake. And by the way, in all my life, we never had to have Republican primary candidates take a pledge.

[10:35:00]

You know, we are Republicans. And the idea is you'd support the Republican whether you won or whether you lost, and you didn't have to have somebody to sign something. It's only the era of Donald Trump that you need somebody to sign something on a pledge.

Jake, I'm going to go back to 2016, again, and say I'm going to take the pledge just as seriously as Donald Trump took it in 2016.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Christie has also said, the only way for Trump to lose the election is if he and his fellow Republicans confront Trump head-on.

Also, a programming note, this Thursday, Former President Obama will sit down with CNN for an exclusive interview from Greece. His wide- ranging conversation with Christiane Amanpour, that's going to air at 10:00 p.m. eastern, "Obama and Amanpour, Will Democracy Win?"

John.

BERMAN: A damning report about Boris Johnson's handling of Partygate and how the U.K.'s parliament is voting on the consequences. How that vote is expected to turn out?

A Florida deputy says, he is lucky to be alive after being sucked into a drain pipe while trying to rescue a driver trapped in floodwaters, the entire incident was caught on camera.

And we have a live look at Milwaukee's Juneteenth parade happening right now. The federal holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates the achievements of African Americans over the past 158 years.

And be sure to tune in tonight. A CNN concert event returns with some of the biggest names in music. Watch "Juneteenth, A Global Celebration for Freedom" live coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. eastern time right here featuring Sara Sidner. We know her.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:40:00]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. And right now, lawmakers in the U.K. are taking a vote to approve a report detailing Boris Johns' -- Johnson's COVID era of conduct. The year-long investigation found that Johnson deliberately misled parliament over his rule-breaking parties at his office during COVID-19 lockdowns. The vote comes as London police have obtained a video of Johnson staffers partying at a 2020 Christmas party. The video was taken at the U.K. Conservative Party headquarters.

CNN's Nada Bashir following the story for us pretty closely. Nada, so, what repercussions could Boris Johnson face if the report is voted through today?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, Rahel, the allegations in this committee report are serious enough to warrant a 90-day suspension from parliament for serving MPs and that could be long enough to then trigger a bi-election. But, of course, Boris Johnson, perhaps, pre- empting the outcome and response to this committee report did step down from his role as member of parliament just over a week ago.

So, what MPs are debating on right now, what they are expected to be voting on later this evening isn't necessarily Boris Johnson's parliamentary future, but whether or not they agree on the findings of this committee report. And crucially, whether Boris Johnson should be rejected from having a pass member's access to the palace of Westminster.

Now, Boris Johnson in response to the findings of this report described it as a charade. He's accused the committee of twisting the truth in order to serve its purposes. But, look, there are still real anger, real frustration being directed towards the government, and those working under Boris Johnson over those Partygate allegations. And of course, as you mentioned there, this is still very much in the headlines. Just over the weekend, "The Mirror", a British tabloid releasing that video footage of Boris Johnson's own aides taking part in a party during a time when the country was under strict COVID lockdown restrictions. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's for party.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as we don't stream that we're like, bending the rules.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: And this is a video dating back to December 2020 when many, of course, were separated from their loved ones. Of course, this is a country which saw a soaring death toll over that period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. And there were strict restrictions enforced. So, you can imagine the real anger that has been and continued to be directed towards the Conservative Party and the government over the clear flouting of those rules put in place by Boris Johnson's own government.

Now, of course, we are still waiting for the outcome of this debate by MPs. The Met Police, as you mentioned, has already said it is considering this video as part of its ongoing investigation. That vote by MPs expected to take place later today.

SOLOMON: Nada Bashir, live for us in London. Nada, please keep us posted.

John.

BERMAN: A straight -- state trooper is dead after a manhunt in central Pennsylvania. A second trooper is in the hospital fighting for his life. Officials say, the suspect opened fire on a police barracks. They say, he then led officers on a dangerous game of cat and mouse, exchanging gunfire several times. The gunman was eventually shot and killed.

New video shows the catastrophic damage in Mississippi this morning after a large tornado touched down in Louin last night. This drone video shows the large swath of damage through the small town. At least person is confirmed dead, and nearly two dozen more were injured. The threat not over yet. More tornadoes could develop today across the southeast.

SOLOMON: This morning, a Florida sheriff's office has released this dramatic video. It shows the moment a water rescue -- the trapped motorist took a frightening turn. Both the driver and the officer were sucked into a drain pipe and then swept away.

[10:45:00]

CNN's Athena Jones has been following the story for us. Athena, the officer said he's lucky to be alive. What happened here?

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. He certainly is. And yes, we were talking about severe that was threatening some 40 plus million people. We saw tornadoes, we saw lose in power. But nothing, perhaps, as frightening as this. This sheriff's deputy who got stuck or sucked down that drainage tripe -- pipe while trying to make a rescue. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEPUTY WILLIAM HOLLINGSWORTH, ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: I'll be out with several disabled vehicles here.

JONES (voiceover): Sheriff's deputy, William Hollingsworth, arriving on scene in Escambia County, Florida, Friday, to help a stranded driver stuck in rising floodwaters. After exiting his patrol car, he says he saw a driver vanish underwater and immediately went in after him, only to be sucked under himself. The sheriff's office says, for 30 terrifying seconds, Deputy Hollingsworth was pulled underwater, sucked through a drainage pipe for nearly 100 feet.

His body camera capturing the rushing muffled sounds of being submerged. Until finally, he is able to resurface. Deputy Hollingsworth immediately rushing to the driver to see if he is OK.

HOLLINGSWORTH: Oh, Jesus. David. David. David. David, can you believe what just happened to us?

JONES (voiceover): The two, audibly emotional about their near-death experience.

HOLLINGSWORTH: Just breath. Just breath, brother. Oh, my God. Oh, thank you, Jesus. Oh, God. Oh, Jesus thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I almost died.

HOLLINGSWORTH: Oh, Jesus. Me too, buddy. It sucked me in. Oh, my God. I never held my breath like that in my life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Me neither.

JONES (voiceover): Afterwards, the driver thanking the deputy for his actions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm glad. Just thank you, man, for like, being there when I came up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES (on camera): So, just a terrifying experience the sheriff's deputy had. And of course, the person he was trying to rescue, I just can't imagine having to hold your breath while being sucked under in this drainage pipe indefinitely. In the end, they were able to be rescued and come out on top. But he's -- I'm sure we're not going to be forgetting this any time soon. Rahel.

SOLOMON: Absolutely not. Just really incredible, also, to hear what appears to be him grasping and gasping for air, just really incredible. Athena, thank you. Great to see you. Glad they're both OK.

John.

BERMAN: All right. It has been the tool doctors have used to screen for obesity for more than half a century. Now, experts want the medical community to think outside the body mass index.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

BERMAN: A new assessment this morning of a tool used for generation. BMI or body mass index, has been used for decades. But now, the America Medical Association is warning it has significant limitations with a history of use for racist exclusion.

CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell here to explain. So, what's going on here?

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. This is really interesting. You know, the BMI has actually been around since 1832. It was initially devised by a Belgian mathematician, trying to characterize, "Normal man". It wasn't until 1972 that a physiologist actually adopted it for its current use, which is really as an assessment and of screening tool for obesity, but that itself was done primarily in men.

And so, the American Medical Association is just pointing out what, I think, a lot of doctors have already been saying, this is kind of a problematic tool when used for individuals. It said last week, that it significantly correlated with the amount of fat mass in the general population but loses predictability when applied on the individual level. And this is really what the issue is.

It really doesn't apply well when you're thinking about it as a measure of individual health risk. It doesn't account for differences among races, among sexes, among ages. There's all kind of issues with it. Including that it doesn't account for where fat is stored on the body which can be a really important health marker. The middle versus the hips and the thighs, for example.

But this is something that's used incredibly broadly. It's on every medical record. It's used as, sort of, a gatekeeper for weight loss drugs. It can determine your eligibility for certain surgeries. It can also play into life insurance rates. So, this is something that really requires more scrutiny.

BERMAN: Yes, it's amazing how something so limited can be everywhere all at once. What should be used instead?

TIRRELL: So, doctors are already using things in conjunction with BMI. Things like measuring waist circumference, for example. Trying to assess visceral fat or that fat around the organs. And also, just measures of your metabolic risks. You know, your triglycerides levels, say that three times fast. Your blood pressure, and things like that. So, really trying to use it in conjunction with other measures is the way that it should be going.

BERMAN: Yes, it's just been for a long time. You know, we know better than just to lead into the BMI all the time for everything.

TIRRELL: Yes.

BERMAN: All right. Meg Tirrell, thanks so much. Great to see you.

TIRRELL: Thank you.

BERMAN: Rahel.

Oh, well, I'll do it. Tensions are an all-time high between the U.S. and China. And now with the critical talks over, where do the two super powers go from here?

Plus, a new museum in South Carolina sheds light on a dark chapter of U.S. history. The site of a former slave trading post is now a memorial and research center. In our next hour, genealogists help CNN Anchor Victor Blackwell tell the story of his ancestors.

[10:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: New developments in the criminal case against Donald Trump, details on how a judge's order will limit what the former president can say about the case.

SOLOMON: Also, Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President, Xi Jinping, in Beijing. What the two men talked about during their high-stakes meeting.

BERMAN: At least one person is dead and nearly two dozen others injured after a large tornado touched down in Mississippi. And the threat of severe weather, not over yet. This is "CNN News Central".

[11:00:00]