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Sen. Dianne Feinstein Briefly Hospitalized After Falling At Home; Rare Look Inside Trenches In Southern Ukraine; FDNY, NYPD Using Drones To Monitor For Sharks After Rare Attack. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired August 09, 2023 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, we just learned that Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein is at home recovering after suffering a fall that led to a brief hospital stay. CNN's Lauren Fox joins us now with the latest on this. Lauren, what have you learned?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Senator Dianne Feinstein suffered a minor fall yesterday in her home. And this is what the statement her office sent out and is telling us today. It says Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home. All of her scans were clear, and she returned home. So, she is no longer in the hospital, John, I think it's important to point that out.

But this comes as there have been a series of barrage of questions about Senator Dianne Feinstein's health on Capitol Hill. Remember, she was hospitalized back in February because of complications from shingles. She was then away from the Senate for several months. And when she returned, there were some Democrats who called for her to resign.

We should also note that she has suffered a few moments of confusion here on Capitol Hill, including one back in July, right before lawmakers left for a month-long August recess in which she was part of the Defense Appropriations markup. And they were voting to pass that bill. And she thought that they were perhaps discussing more why they supported the bill.

She started to read a statement. Her aide told her just to vote, aye. And then you can hear Patty Murray, who's the chairwoman, also telling her just vote aye, which she did a few minutes later.

At that time, her office said it was a confusing situation. It was a hectic appropriations hearing. And she just got confused.

But obviously, there had been a lot of eyes on Senator Dianne Feinstein's health here on Capitol Hill. She is 90 years old, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate. But obviously, she is now back home after suffering a minor fall yesterday, John.

BERMAN: All right, Lauren Fox, obviously people watching this very closely. Her vote on the Judiciary Committee is crucial for Democrats. Thank you very much. Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely. So, the economy and the climate. That is the focus for President Biden today continuing his three-state swing out west. He's speaking in New Mexico today as climate activists are pushing him for more urgency.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond is at the White House. He's joining us now. Jeremy, what is the president going to be pushed pressing on today?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, today, Kate, it's all about clean energy manufacturing and other manufacturing investments that the president is going to say are spurred on by the CHIPS and Science Act, which celebrates its one-year anniversary since being signed into law today. As well as the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes the largest-ever investment in combating climate change. The president's going to do this at a groundbreaking of a wind tower manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And he's going to pitch it as part of this -- these billions of dollars of investments that we're seeing around the country in manufacturing as well as in the clean energy space.

Now, this is part of a broader effort that the president is undertaking during this three-state swing to talk about what he has accomplished in terms of his legislative record and on the economy and climate. Specifically, the president this morning -- an interview aired this morning on The Weather Channel in which the president was doing that very sales job on climate change. Specifically talking about the $369 billion in investments in fighting climate change in the Inflation Reduction Act, talking about his efforts to spur on electric vehicles. But in doing that sales pitch, the president also got a bit ahead of himself. Claiming that he had declared a national emergency, which he has not.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANIE ABRAMS, METEOROLOGIST, THE WEATHER CHANNEL: Are you prepared to declare a national emergency with respect to climate change?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've already done that. (INAUDIBLE) We've conserved more land. We've moved in directly -- we join the Paris Climate Accord. We've passed a $360-billion-dollar climate control facility. We're moving. It seems -- is this the existential threat humanity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: And when the president was pressed again by that interviewer on whether he actually has declared that national emergency he said. "Practically speaking, yes." But the reality is that the president despite calls from some climate activists for the president to declare that national emergency, he has not done so. And that declaration is a formal step that the president could take that climate activists say would unlock sweeping authorities.

[11:35:03] Including being able to restrict certain exports of crude oil outside the country. Would also be allowed the president to stop some oil and gas drilling on federal lands. So, that is a step that he has not taken the climate activists would like to see him take.

Now, beyond that, of course, the reason why the president is talking up his actions on climate, we know that climate is a motivating issue for young voters in particular heading into the presidential election. And the president very much trying to shore up the various coalitions who support and whose turnout he's going to need if he's going to recapture the presidency next year. Kate.

BOLDUAN: Jeremy, it's good to see you. Thank you for that. John.

BERMAN: So, we have an exclusive look from the front lines of Ukraine, the human cost -- the human toll of this deadly battle.

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[11:40:15]

BERMAN: This morning, CNN is getting a rare look inside the trenches of southern Ukraine. The front lines where some of the fiercest fighting of this war is taking place. The exclusive footage was shared by the Ukrainian military that highlights the grim job of gathering the bodies of those lost in battle.

Now, a warning. This is a graphic video. Our Nick Paton Walsh has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voiceover): Even saving the dead can be lethal work. It is dawn in freshly overrun Russian positions on the southern front where the assault is on trench networks spread out in the open. This is rare footage letting us see the point of view of a Ukrainian soldier and body collector, Svyatoslav (PH).

His unit tasked with bringing back the fallen. Their own, but also Russian dead too. This Ukrainian body seeming to have almost melted into the ground, the heat speeding up decay. Another factor in this grim grueling work, where they are often guided to their targets by the smell from which the masks aren't protection enough.

SVYASTOSLAV, UKRAINIAN SOLDIER: (TEXT) You will puke later. Now, switch off your brain, do the job. There's a drone. It's not a plane. It's clearly not ours.

WALSH (voiceover): Russian drones see them and they watch them back.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) Watch it. There it is.

WALSH (voiceover): Anti-drone rifles, a modern twist in trench warfare from the last century. It is exhausting work. While troops here focus on survival and taking cover, the Svyatoslav and his team must carry these heavy but vital burdens all the way back to the road where they can then bring closure to the grieving, the chance of burial, and goodbye. A week earlier, in another part of the trenches where the fight has clearly been ferocious, they pass Western-supplied armor that has been torn apart.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) Whose uniform is that? So, it's our boy.

WALSH (voiceover): Ukrainian remains found that the shelling is constant.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) That was quite close. There were seven incoming in total. And precise. Somebody has to be here. There's a smell.

WALSH (voiceover): The search, however, in these captured Russian positions is cautious, probing each spot for mines.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) I pulled out half the body from the dirt. The other half, we don't know where it is.

WALSH (voiceover): For the men holding the position day and night, body collector is a welcome relief. Taking away the reminders of how close death is.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) We move fast and stay put.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (TEXT) Whose drone is that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (TEXT) Who knows?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (TEXT) Shoot it down.

WALSH (voiceover): The Russians still looking for targets here among the men rescuing Russian corpses.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) I don't understand why the Russians don't let us just carry out their bodies. They know it's mostly their bodies.

WALSH (voiceover): It is the work nobody ever wanted to do out exposed in the open as Ukraine praise for a breakthrough. Now, we finally see Svyatoslav's face in the moment when they know they've survived another day.

SVYATOSLAV: (TEXT) Coming back home is the thing possible.

WALSH (voiceover): The relief they feel here nothing compared to the families who may feel some less agony and closure from the cargo they returned home. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Indeed, the agony of war. Thanks to Nick Paton Walsh for that. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Yes. Up next for us. A bird's eye view of New York's beaches. Why officials are enlisting drones now to patrol the waters after a rare shark attack? We'll be back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:49:01]

BOLDUAN: Officials in New York are using drones now to scan the waters for sharks after a rare attack just happened. A woman was bitten on her leg by a shark on Monday at Rockaway Beach. The first such incident there in 70 years.

That is where CNN's Miguel Marquez is today. Miguel, what are the drones doing and what do you see in there today?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they are watching for sharks. And I am braving the water now because the water is open again. The swimming is open again at Rockaway Beach.

This is the very beach where that 65-year-old -- 65-year-old woman was bitten by the shark. But you can see down the beach here there are a lot of people on the beach. When they say the beaches are closed, the beaches are actually open but swimming has been closed off at various points.

They opened it up today. They put up drones. They had helicopters up. They had a fire department boat all off the shore. There's about 11 miles of beach here in New York City. All to look for sharks are also doing good at both state beaches and other beaches around the city.

[11:50:02]

But you know, look. Today, this morning, there's -- you can still see there's a lot of birds out there. They are diving into the water fishing for food. That is the first sign that if you are out there either on a surfboard or swimming that it is possible that there could be sharks or other predators out here.

This woman who got bit, she was at this beach. She was on probably about waist-deep water. It came up behind her and bit her on the back of her left thigh very, very badly causing her to fall back.

And thankfully the lifeguards here were able to get a tourniquet around her. Get her to the hospital. And she will make a recovery. But very, very scary moment so New York City now watching the beaches very carefully.

If they see something out there that appears to be a shark. They had two possible shot -- sightings just east of where we are. They had a confirmed sighting just west of where we are yesterday. So, if they see something, they'll shut the beaches down or they -- or swimming down for about an hour or so, give the all clear and then people can go back in the water and it is very nice. Kate.

BOLDUAN: That is exactly what I was going to ask you. It looks like a beautiful day out there. And as long as you're safe, you're looking good, my friend.

What -- but you're wearing -- I was going to say, are you wearing jean shorts? But no. You're wearing rolled-up jeans. We can get into your fashion choices later.

MARQUEZ: I won't -- I'll go to the -- (INAUDIBLE)

BOLDUAN: We'll get into your fashion choices later.

MARQUEZ: Yes.

BOLDUAN: We'll get into your fashion choices later. You just stay right there.

MARQUEZ: Yes.

BOLDUAN: You just be you, Miguel. You just you. It's so good you use those drones. Keep you posted on that. John.

MARQUEZ: I'm away from the rough wave.

BERMAN: The drones taking pictures of Miguel's rolled-up pants.

BOLDUAN: I mean he -- you know it's a -- it's a choice.

BERMAN: You rock.

BOLDUAN: It's a fashion choice.

BERMAN: You rocked it. So, the city of Baltimore rallies behind an announcer reportedly benched for telling the truth. The owners who managed to create bad feelings around a winning team, that's a hard thing to do.

Also, someone won Mega Millions. Maybe it was you but you won't know unless you stick around until after the break.

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[11:56:40]

BERMAN: All right. We wanted to update you on the outrage surrounding the treatment of Baltimore Orioles play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown. He has not been on the air for weeks. Listen to the chants at Camden Yards last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So, the fans are chanting free Kevin Brown. Now, Brown has been missing from the broadcast for a few weeks. Reportedly, his apparent crime was noting that while the Orioles are really good now, they're in first place, they had seasons where they played really badly, especially in Tampa, which was true. They stunk, but now they're good. And that should make Baltimore fans and Baltimore owners happy.

But Reportedly, the owners were not happy to be reminded about past troubles and that led to Brown's absence and the Free Kevin Brown chants. So, congratulations to the Orioles owners for turning a successful, uplifting season into a story about rich owners making apparently capricious decisions censoring speech. Way to go. Brown will reportedly be back in the booth on Friday. It really will be interesting to see if the ownership here apologizes.

So, one ticket and one big jackpot. $1.58 billion. That's one person who won Mega Millions which means that millions and millions of people did not win. If you happen to buy a ticket in Neptune Beach, Florida, maybe you're smiling today.

Let's go to Carlos Suarez to find out about the winner. What we know if anything, Carlos?

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, I am one of those folks that played at the Mega Millions yesterday and I'm here. I didn't win. So, we don't know a whole lot about the person that won this Mega Millions jackpot. In Florida, folks that win the lottery, they have a few months to come forward and to claim all of that cash.

But at some point, we are going to learn who the person is because Florida law says that you have to disclose their name publicly. You've also got to say in what city the winner lives in. As you said, the winning numbers. Last night's were 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and 14. That jackpot, a lovely, very nice $1.58 billion.

And for that one person up in the Jacksonville area that won this prize money, if they take that one-time payment, we're told that is going to be $783 million that goes right into a -- hopefully, a checking account and some sort of investment fund. We're told that the winning ticket was a quick pick. So, that person decided to let the machine, go ahead and make them a pretty rich person. The last time that someone won the Mega Millions jackpot was back in April. And so, that amount of money just kept rolling week after week after week.

Now, we are outside of a convenience store in Hollywood, Florida. That's near Fort Lauderdale. And while no one here won the exact jackpot, there was one $2 million ticket that was sold here. We're told that the person here was able to get five out of the six numbers.

[12:00:07]

John and Kate, the last time I joined you guys, I got a little bit of grief saying that the person that one that two million dollars, it's going to have to think about the fact that they were shy by one number to take all that money back. But here we are.

BERMAN: Carlos Suarez, great to see you. Thank you so much for being there. And thank you for being here, Kate, for the end of the show.

BOLDUAN: I'm sorry.

BERMAN: You were missing a little bit.

BOLDUAN: You punched me in the face. I have a thing.

BERMAN: Anyway --

BOLDUAN: It's not what happened.

BERMAN: Talk about winning the lottery, there's the "INSIDE POLITICS" lottery which begins right now.