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Biden Heads To West To Tout Legislative Wins, Economy; GOP Ex- Rep. Mo Brooks Rips Trump, Character Matters; 30 Million Under Tornado Watches From Pennsylvania To Tennessee; U.S. Helps Americans Flee Niger After Coup; Former GA Lt. Gov. Subpoenaed To Testify Before Fulton County Grand Jury In 2020 Election Probe. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired August 07, 2023 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And then the president on Thursday heads to Utah to talk about the Pact Act, focus on providing veterans benefits to service members affected by burn pits and chemical exposure. But on the economy and on the climate change front in particular, Jim, here is what the president is facing.

On the economy, 63 percent of Americans disapproving of his handling of the economy, 37 percent approving. And then you have on climate change, 57 percent of Americans disapproving of his handling of that issue. And what's really notable about that climate change number is that if you dig into the poll there, what it shows is that Americans really haven't heard much about the Inflation Reduction Act, or they don't know much about its climate change provisions.

And so, that is ultimately the fundamental challenge that the White House faces, is to try and make Americans aware of this. To then prove to them it is helping the economy, helping these climate change fighting efforts, and that kind of the broader challenge for this White House.

So what they believe is as Americans see these pieces of legislation being implemented, start to feel the effects of that cooling inflation that we have been witnessing over the last several months, they believe that those numbers are going to turn around in the coming months and over the next year as we head into the presidential election.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: We'll see. Jeremy Diamond at the White House, thanks so much -- Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: On the GOP side, one of former President Trump's biggest former allies unleashed a blistering rant against him today and fiercely defended former Vice President Mike Pence. Former Alabama Republican Congressman Mo Brooks sent out a fiery tweet where he pointed out that Pence is not a serial adulterer, was not found guilty of sexual assault, and did not pay a porn star hush money. Brooks, closing the rant by saying character matters.

We have CNN political director David Chalian with us now. Perhaps not entirely surprising, David, because Brooke has been in an all-out war since Trump switched his endorsement from Brooks to Katie Britt in the Senate race last year. But this is amping up a lot of rhetoric against Trump.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, I'm glad you noted that because there is no love lost between these two obviously. Donald Trump, in typical sort of Trump fashion with a lot of flair ripped away his endorsement in that Senate race. In so obviously, Mo Brooks was not incentivized to be with the former president here. And I think it's a question that hangs over the Trump candidacy as it has asked does character matter? Does character matter? You know, and I think that that's a question that still hangs over this race for the voters to answer as we proceed.

But clearly, Trump and Pence obviously have had the famous or infamous rift since the 6th of January, Brianna, in 2021. It's only getting more volatile now. I mean, Donald Trump just lashed out at his former vice president this weekend because he now sees him perhaps as a pretty critical witness for the prosecution in the case against him.

KEILAR: Yes, that's right. You mentioned does character matter? Well, it's interesting because Trump's rivals are still pretty hesitant to attack. And maybe that's because what ordinarily might be an Achilles heel for him, this character issue, the legal woes, they really aren't, and here is why, in particular, Ron DeSantis says he's not taking on Trump directly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DESANTIS, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If the election is a referendum on Joe Biden's policies and the failures that we've seen, and we are presenting a positive vision for the future, we will win the presidency. We will have a chance to turn the country around. If on the other hand the election is not about January 20, 2025, by January 6, 2021, or what document was left by the toilet at Mar-a- Lago, if it's a referendum on that, we are going to lose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So that's why he says he's not pushing a positive vision for the future. Though, I don't know if that's necessarily what I would say Ron DeSantis' brand is.

CHALIAN: Yes, and I don't know if that soundbite you played supports his thesis, right? I mean, that's about as strong a contract as we've heard from Ron DeSantis when it comes to Donald Trump. When you start talking about documents by the toilet at Mar-a-Lago, you're not mincing your words. Everybody understands you are dealing with your opponent there in this race and see a potential opening.

So we are starting to see this tiptoeing to this place that you are right to know these Republican candidates have been reluctant to go for fear of alienating the core Trump supporters, which make up the core base of the Republican primary electorate.

KEILAR: Is it having their cake and eating it too? I mean, is he having it sort of both ways? CHALIAN: He is certainly trying to because he does not want to

alienate a section of the party. But it does seem -- and it's not just DeSantis -- we're seeing from some of the others who have been reluctant to start not being so careful. We're talking about degrees here though, Brianna. This is still largely a field that is not taking it directly to Donald Trump because what the data show is that is not what Republican voters want to see.

[04:35:00]

KEILAR: Yes. President Biden, in the meantime, he is heading out west, and yes, he's going to talk about climate. Yes, he's going to talk about Bidenomics as he loves to talk about, but he has some clear goals here.

CHALIAN: He does. And on Bidenomics piece, I mean, his clear goal is to narrow the gap between how Americans perceives the economy and these positive economic indicators that we have been seeing. He wants that to get more narrow. But you are right. This president, Joe Biden, has work to do with Hispanic voters -- big time. We've seen a long- term trend now drifting towards Republicans that Democrats want to shore up. That's one reason to go to Arizona and New Mexico, right. And yes, he wants to talk about climate change. He also wants to make sure young voters, who are particularly engaged in that issue, stay.

So we have pieces of the Biden coalition that needs shoring up as he heads into this reelection season. And so this is not just, oh, let's find out where we can talk about climate change. He has particular political business to do in these states as well.

KEILAR: We'll see if he gets it done. David Chalian, thank you so much -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Coming up next, an update from Niger as the military junta currently running that country refuses to seed power.

And a massive multi-alarm fire rips through a New Mexico plastics factory. Look at that smoke.

[04:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: We have some of the other headlines we are watching this hour.

Tou Thao the ex-Minneapolis officer who held back a crowd of bystanders doing George Floyd's arrest, has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for his role in the killing. Thao addressed the court for about 20 minutes, delivering a religious sermon after revealing he had rediscovered Christianity after Floyd's death. The judge told Thao he was hoping to see more remorse and regret from the former officer.

Also, an out-of-control multi-alarm fire burning through a plastics factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico is now thankfully under control. Not before city officials had to issue a health alert over the thick black smoke from that fire. We're told the fire originally started as a small one outside the facility, quickly spread though, sending up thick black smoke for several hours.

And a notorious black bear known as "Hank the Tank" has been captured near Lake Tahoe, California. He is said to be relocated to Colorado. Hank has a bit of a reputation. DNA has tied her -- yes, Hank is actually a girl -- to 21 home invasions and she is suspected of several more. Officials say three cubs who accompanied her during some of the break-ins will be relocated along side her -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Oh, Hank. Oh hank.

All right, happening now about 30 million people from Pennsylvania to Tennessee are under tornado watches, and that includes here, us here in Washington, D.C. The Storm Prediction Center says intense super cell storms are possible through the afternoon with some winds gusting up to a hurricane force of 74 miles per hour. The system has already caused major damage in the Midwest in Paoli, Indiana. Apologies if I mispronounced that. Winds blew the roof off of his house. They not over large trees. We have CNN meteorologist Chad Myers tracking all of this for us. Chad, tell us what we are watching because this is pretty big.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is. It's a line of whether stretching from New York to Georgia and then kind of a detail back toward Alabama. These are a lot of people in the way. 170,000 homes, already without power at this hour, and it's just getting going. This is the area, Philadelphia, D.C., Baltimore, that has the greatest risk. But the risk extends all the way down almost to the Gulf Coast.

There are now dozens of already severe thunderstorm warnings in effect. And I know we had at least a couple tornadoes, small, in rural areas, but I know they have been on the ground because the radar signature shows the debris in the air. It's just possible for any of these storms, if they're all out by themselves, they could rotate and they could put down a tornado.

These are not your summer type thunderstorms. These will produce significant wind because they are moving so fast. And with them moving so fast, it means you're not going to have time to get noticed. Make sure that you already have your notice. D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, this is 6:00 tonight, all the way down to Charlotte. It's on its way. It's going to be a bumpy, bumpy night. Obviously now, so many thousands of planes either delayed or canceled because of this line of whether that's really just getting going -- Brianna.

KEILAR: We see the red line there. You have federal offices here in D.C. already closed, telling people to head home. Chad, thank you so much. We're going to keep an eye on this. And we'll be right back.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The U.S. has helped around 100 Americans leave Niger on a charter flight. These evacuations coming as that country has been engulfed in political chaos ever since President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a military coup. CNN's Larry Madowo is joining us now on this. Larry, tell us what's the situation there now?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, Niger under a path to a showdown with the other West African countries called ECOWAS. That is the Economic Community of West African States, that gave the military junta one week to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum for it would use all measures including force.

What the military has done is to try and showcase that it's got public support. By this big stadium show on Sunday, for instance, they filled that stadium to show to the world that even though it's been condemned by the international community, it's got the support of the people.

So far, France has helped evacuate more than 1,000 French and other European citizens out of the country, including Americans. And the U.S. says that it helped evacuate at least 100 Americans out of there on a charter flight on Friday. Here's more from the State Department.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:50:00]

MATT MILLER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: We have not seen significant other requests from American citizens for assistance with leaving the country. But obviously, we're in communication with any American citizens that are there to wish for assistance. We've asked them to register on our website and if we do get further requests for assistance, we will seek to accommodate those.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: The State Department also says it's been in touch directly with the military junta in Niger and told them to step aside. The U.S. only recognize the presidency of Mohamed Bazoum who remains holed up as a hostage in the presidential palace.

The reason why these evacuations happened is because the Nigerian air station remains closed. There's a possibility of a Niger confrontation between West Africa countries that insist that President Bazoum is returned to power. And this military junta that maintains they will stay in power. So a really bad situation there.

Niger is an important part of the Western strategy for security in a region called a Sahel. It's been a peaceful part of a dangerous neighborhood. There's been coups in this region -- two in Mali, two in Burkina Faso, in Guinea, in Chad, in Sudan -- and that is why, for instance, there's 1,100 U.S. troops in this country involved in counter-terrorism operations. Because its efforts from the jihadist insurgency, huge attacks from armed groups affiliated to Islamic State and to Al Qaeda there. So if this does become destabilized, Brianna, that could have ripple effects across the region.

Yes, so important and we'll be keeping our eye on things there. Larry Madowo, live for us. Thank you -- Jim. SCIUTTO: This just into CNN. News in the Fulton County district

attorney's 2020 election interference investigation of the former president, former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan, Republican, was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury there this month -- that according to a source with direct knowledge of the investigation. We should note, Duncan is also a CNN political commentator.

This comes as it is considered possible that an indictment could come in this case at any moment. CNN political correspondent Sara Murray joining us now. And Sara, we know that several other witnesses to the president's attempt to overturn the results in Georgia have already been called by the Fulton County district attorney. In addition -- including people who were on that famous -- infamous rather -- phone call where the president asked to fine the votes necessary to overturn. Why would Jeff Duncan be significant now as a witness?

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. You know, I think Jeff Duncan is an important voice in terms of his public criticism of Donald Trump's efforts to over turn the 2020 election. We talked to him extensively for a documentary we did. And he said that he was really embarrassed for instance to see Rudy Giuliani, Trump's former attorney as well as this other band of Trump acolytes show up in Georgia before the Georgia State Senate and give this presentation to the lawmakers. And at the time the lieutenant governor was also the president of the Georgia State Senate.

He also told CNN he didn't sanction those meetings ahead of time. So he may have more to provide the grand jury just about how this wasn't in line with what the rest of the government was thinking. How he had never signed off on these kinds of presentations that were playing out before Georgia state lawmakers.

And obviously, he lends a voice in this that is in line with what the Fulton County district attorney would want to be presenting. He's a pretty sympathetic witness as far as the DAs office with the concern. But as you pointed out, he's just one of a number of people we've heard from who have been subpoenaed. Another former Georgia Democratic State Senator, an independent journalist in the state, it's pretty clear that District Attorney Fani Willis's team is lining up their potential grand jury presentation, putting these folks on notice for when they do want to call them and put them before a grand jury. Which is a pretty clear sign that she's going to be seeking indictments in this case -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Given there is a lot of speculation that that indictment decision is coming soon, what would the significance be of calling a witness now? Would that indicate there is much more work to be done?

MURRAY: No, I think what that really indicates to you is that they are trying to sort of craft a narrative that they want to present before this grand jury. That they are going to ask to hand up these indictments. So, you know, there has been discussion about whether they would only use their internal investigators to try to present this case. The fact that they have issued a number of subpoenas is an indication they may want to, again, present live witnesses to sort of craft the narrative around what Donald Trump and his allies were doing in the state in 2020.

SCIUTTO: Well, lots of attention on that courthouse there in Fulton County, Sara Murray, thanks so much. And we'll be right back.

[04:55:17]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: All right, dog owners. California authorities are looking for a man who is suspected of stealing a bike from someone's garage and somehow along the way, making friends with the homeowner's truly ferocious guard dog.

KEILAR: Oh, so ferocious. Let's look at this surveillance video here. Right as the thief tries to take off with an expensive electric bike -- oh, there he is. The family dog running after him -- poor Cuttles -- and the suspect stops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're the coolest dog I've ever known. I love you too. You're a sweetheart. I want you to come home with me. Where's your dad? Your dad should know not to leave the garage open. (BLEEP) Dad, where are you? Aw, I love you, too. Ha, ha, ha.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: OK, I know that people will say this dog, he didn't do anything. I disagree though, Jim. He got that guy with an unmistakable laugh.

[16:00:00]

We've heard him laugh. You see his orange shoes. He even got him looking straight at the camera. They're going to find that guy.

SCIUTTO: So we have a golden retriever and that little wagging tail. I mean, it kind of tells the story. They just want to make friends. But it worked.

KEILAR: I think that he got all that they need to catch this bike thief.

SCIUTTO: Fair enough. That is a golden retriever, the crime dog.

And "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.