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Pope Criticizes U.S. Conservative Catholics Opposing Change; 11 People Taken To Hospital After Delta Flight Experiences Severe Turbulence Near Atlanta; Giuliani Loses Defamation Lawsuit From Georgia Election Workers; "Rich Men North oOff Richmond" Tops Billboard Chart. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired August 31, 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]

FATHER EDWARD BECK, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND RELIGIOUS COMMENTATOR: But I think the progressives are really pushing ahead with their agenda despite some resistance. So you're right, attendance is down, and I wouldn't say it's only among progressives, however. Some of the traditionalists have gone elsewhere. They want to celebrate masses in Latin, which Pope Francis has now limited. So they're kind of disgruntled too -- Jim.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Understood. Now there's a broader conflict within the Catholic Church globally, right, because you have more conservative views in places where the church is growing in membership. For instance, in Africa. I wonder, are these bishops to some degree looking forward to a chance to pick the next Pope and waiting in effect? For a Pope Francis, a Jesuit, to move on so that they could put their imprint on the church and try to pull it back on some on some of these issues.

BECK: Well, they can be waiting, but as you know, Jim, only Cardinals elect the next Pope. And this Pope has appointed 70 percent of the Cardinals who will be voting in the next conclave So you would think that if he named these men, they are more or less of his mindset and these are the men who will be electing the next Pope. So he is putting his imprint on the church, even by his appointments of who will elect the next pontiff. So it's important.

SCIUTTO: It's a great it's a great point. I'll tell you. I certainly don't miss Latin and masses. Made it heck a lot harder. Father -- Father Beck, thank you much for joining as always.

BECK: Good seeing you, Jim. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: A moment of terror, uncertainty and panic forever frozen in time on the front page of "The Daily Tar Heel." That's the student led newspaper at UNC Chapel Hill of course. It contains curse words, but we do want to show it to you exactly as it's published to fully capture the emotions running through campus, the moment that a gunman entered the school and killed a faculty member.

It lists texts that were sent during the lockdown. Some read:

Everyone is losing it. People are literally shaking. I'm so scared. And please pray for us, among others. Today, classes are back in session after thousands attended a vigil last night honoring the life of Associate Professor Zijie Yen. School staff says he was a beloved colleague, mentor, friend and father of two young children. The words Carolina Strong are now forever linked to Professor Yen. And school -- the school's unbreakable show of unity and resilience. Obviously, this is a community that is so very much affected by what they've had to deal with here this week -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Powerful message from those students there.

Well, some justice for two Georgia election workers who were the targets of 2020 election lies, repeated lies. What a judge decided in their defamation lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani.

Plus, what one women's college volleyball team did that no women's team has ever done before with the help -- you're going to want to see this -- of more than 92,000 people. It was a great moment.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: In Atlanta, a Delta flight landed in medical crews scrambled to meet it. Passengers and crew aboard Delta Flight 175 from Milan were injured when it hit severe turbulence. There were eleven people who had to be taken to the hospital here. We have CNN Aviation correspondent Pete Muntean following this story. What happened?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: You know it -- this is a good question. Because it's not totally clear just yet. And oftentimes pilots simply cannot see turbulence in order to avoid it. It's not always associated with a big weather system or a front or thunderstorm. We'll get to that in a second.

Delta right now says it's helping these passengers after some of them said they simply just came up out of their seats -- this turbulence was so severe. The FAA says this happened on Delta Flight 175. It was descending into Atlanta. Was it 40,000 feet, descend it to 12,000 feet, 40 miles outside of Atlanta when they hit turbulence severe enough to be described as severe.

This is the breakdown from the FAA. And you can see in the video here, there is severe turbulence so severe that someone actually hit their head on the overhead bin and cracked it. One crew member seriously injured. Another member of the crew -- three of them with minor injuries, eight passengers with minor injuries. We know that eleven of them were taken to the hospital.

But this is a really interesting case. Because this keeps happening over and over again. And even the CEO of United Airlines says we're probably going to see more things like this because it's simply thermodynamics 101. Hot air rises, the climate is getting warmer and we'll see more and more turbulence, incidents, more often. In fact, the NTSB says that this is the top cause of incidents on

board commercial airliners with about a third of these incidents resulting in at least one serious injury. Although, kind of the good news here is that nobody was too terribly hurt on this flight and typically doesn't really result in any damage to the airplane. So kind of a testament to the engineering of these things. Although we're seeing pretty often flight crew members who are up and working in the cabin, they're the ones the most at risk. So kind of underscores keep your seat belt on when the flight process to do it.

KEILAR: It sure does. Have you -- you've been in one of these right? Where you had really bad turning?

MUNTEAN: I fly a little airplane and it's always a little turbulent. It's only weighs about (INAUDIBLE) pounds.

KEILAR: But have you ever been on a commercial flight where it just sort of drops out of nowhere?

[15:40:00]

MUNTEAN: Yes, you know, I feel bad sometimes doing these stories because I feel like it makes people afraid of flying. And one of these passengers said, you know, this is kind of a freak thing. Yes and I'm not afraid of flying after this. You know, these kind of things happen. But yes, I mean, you've been in it too. Like you feel the drop, you feel the pit in your stomach and you worry about it, right? Like you know, and it just sort of underscores, you know, make sure you're following the cruise instructions. Keep your seat belts on even when there's really no reason to.

KEILAR: That's right.

MUNTEAN: And so you know --

KEILAR: It comes out of nowhere. Honestly, I thought I was going to die, but the take away was, we didn't. We were absolutely fine. These airplanes are built for this, but not the human body and that is why --

MUNTEAN: I want to go back to the causes for a second if we have enough time. You know that that was a good graphic because it sort of underscores the reasons why that pilots can't avoid this, you know, sometimes sure it's thunderstorms. But sometimes it can be in clear air, like windshear and mountain wave. And so that's something that you can't see. So the technology is getting better and Delta has its own weather system to try and make it so that they can avoid these things, forecast these things a little bit better, but it's not perfect. And so, if you can't avoid it and you can see it, you can get around it, but it's not going to happen all the time.

KEILAR: The seat belt that thing, that thing is perfect, Pete Muntean.

MUNTEAN: Yes, yes.

KEILAR: Keep it clipped. Thanks so much -- Jim. SCIUTTO: Now to some of the other headlines we are watching this hour. A new world record for a women's sporting event was set in Nebraska yesterday. More than 92,000 fans packed in the Lincoln Memorial Stadium to watch the NCAA champion Cornhuskers volleyball team take on their rival Omaha. It's a huge scene for good measure. The Huskers 3 to zip.

Also, a recall from Trader Joe's, the grocery chains were calling this brand of black bean tamales, saying they may contain milk allergens. In recent weeks, Trader Joe's also recalled a line of crackers that may have contained some metal and two types of cookies that possibly contained rocks. And Oprah and The Rock -- the other rock -- are joining forces to aid communities impacted by the Maui wildfires. The pair launched the new relief fund with an initial donation of some $10 million. And they're now looking for more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY: We have created the Peoples Fund of Maui that will put money directly in the hands of the people who need it right now.

DWAYNE JOHNSON, THE ROCK: I know a lot of people out there, as Oprah and I have been Finding are just Having a hard time trusting where the money goes. What organization should I send money to? How can I help?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: You didn't know it. Dwayne Johnson was actually born in Hawaii. Oprah owns a home there. And now I kind of want to move there -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, So glad that they are teaming together to do that, so, important.

So Rudy Giuliani may have to pay out thousands, if not millions of dollars because he has lost a defamation lawsuit by default. A federal judge ruling against him after he failed to provide information that was ordered by subpoena. Giuliani lost to 2020 election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. They are mother and daughter. They sued him, saying that their lives and safety were upended from Giuliani's lies. Claiming they tampered with Georgia ballots. Freeman testified about her suffering on Capitol Hill last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBY FREEMAN, ELECTION WORKER IN FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA: I've lost my name and I've lost my reputation. I've lost my sense of security. All because a group of people starting with number 45 and his ally Rudy Giuliani decided to scapegoat me and my daughter, Shaye. To push their own lives about how the presidential election was stolen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: We have Jake Tapper with us, of course, anchor of "THE LEAD." You're going to be talking to the attorney of these two women coming up. But this really -- this drives home of the story of just these normal people, these election workers who were just doing their job and found themselves in the middle of this hurricane.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, THE LEAD: Yes, a hurricane full of lies and smears. And let's remember, one of the things that Rudy Giuliani said about these women. He said that tape showed them -- Ruby Freeman and Shaye Freeman -- Moss -- quite, quote:

Quite obviously, surreptitiously passing around USB ports as if they're vials of heroin or cocaine.

Unquote. That's the language they used. Now what actually they were passing around was a ginger mint from mother to daughter. Really shocking, interesting language in terms of referencing vials of heroin or cocaine. Whether or not they get a payout is another matter.

But I have to say, one of the big questions I have for Mr. Gottlieb, their attorney is, why is Rudy not even responding, thus forfeiting his right to his right to -- his rights and losing the case just cause he's not even responding? Is he just completely out of it? Whatever is going on with him, he's obviously not the same person we knew 25 years ago.

[15:45:00]

Or is what is in discovery. What he would have to turn over in order to be responsive so much more. Is what is in discovery. What he would have to turn over in order to be responsive, so much worse than the potentially millions of dollars he would have to pay in this civil suit. It was just again -- that was the decision he made. This is so bad and could result in something so much worse than millions of dollars in defamation payments. I'll take the defamation payments.

KEILAR: It's really odd that someone like Rudy Giuliani, with his extensive legal experience, would not comply with discovery. Even though he is not the person that he used to be. That's certainly something to say.

Yes, I mean, he was Time Magazine's person of the year in 2001, and now he is whatever he is, codefendant number two. I mean, it's shocking.

KEILAR: All right, Jake, thank you so much. We'll be checking that out. That's going to be a very interesting interview.

TAPPER: And great piece on the military spouses you did earlier today. Very important. Please send that to me. I'll retweet it out.

KEILAR: Oh, thank you so much. I sure will. Thank you so much. And be sure to tune in for "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper at the top of the hour right here on CNN -- Jim.

KEILAR: His song is now topping the charts. Even came up at the first Republican debate. Ahead, the story of the man behind rich men north of Richmond.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: "Rich Men North of Richmond." By now, you may have heard the song, or at least heard of it. It is the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. It has made Oliver Anthony the first artist ever to top that list without any chart history. He says, however, he's not interested in fame and certainly not how some folks have used the song. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich has more on this viral Virginia sensation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OLIVER ANTHONY, MUSICIAN: I've been selling my soul. Working all day. Overtime hours for bullshit pay.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the woods of rural Virginia, Oliver Anthony sings about what he knows --

ANTHONY: ... and back home and drown my troubles away ..

YURKEVICH (voice-over): -- and millions of Americans now know him, too.

ANTHONY: A lot's changed since the last time I sat here and spoke to you.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): He has the number-one song in the country.

ANTHONY: ... the rich man, poor for rich men.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): He was also featured at the Republican debate. Candidates were asked why they think it's resonating.

ANTHONY: It's funny seeing it as the presidential debate because it's like I wrote that song about those people.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Politicians are trying to claim his as Democrat or Republican.

ANTHONY: I'm going to write, produce, and distribute authentic music that represents people and not politics.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): The people from all walks of life are relating to what he has to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like that. A lot of people are going to relate to that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The lyrics are awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's this guy's name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, I got goosebumps, too.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): His real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford. His friends call him Chris. He lives here in the woods of Farmville, Virginia with his family, just over an hour west of Richmond. He's struggled with money, alcohol, depression and sings about it all. He's everywhere but nowhere at the same time.

NASH OSBORN, OWNER, NORTH STREET PRESS CLUB: I think that his lifestyle and what he wanted to do and, like, live off the grid and, you know, live in the country. I mean, maybe that's what he wants to do.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): On a random Wednesday evening he sang in town at North Street Press Club.

OSBORN: He wanted it to be so everybody here locally could come out and see him.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Oliver Anthony says he's turned down $8 million deals since he shot to number one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He seems like a pretty down-to-earth individual and this town is one town that's going to protect that if they can.

YURKEVICH: What do you think about what he's saying and why people are resonating from all over?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there's still a huge swath of people in the middle who just feel a little disenfranchised with the wealth disparity. Having somebody come out and sort of advocate or voice that frustration, it's not surprising to me that it resonates.

YURKEVICH: And how do you know Christopher?

ANTHONY DEMARCO, OWNER, MOUNTAIN CREEK SIGNS: He's my neighbor.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Anthony DeMarco has lived next door to Oliver Anthony for five years.

DEMARCO: We still live on a dirt road.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): He's now his merchandise guy.

DEMARCO: He's just a guy that smiles a lot. Just a fun guy to be around. He says what everybody is feeling, for the most part. We don't have a voice to say it to the rich men north of Richmond, and now we do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

YURKEVICH (on camera): And Oliver Anthony, just a few weeks ago was writing and filming himself, playing music on his cell phone and uploading it to YouTube. Now he has the number one song in the country. And Oliver Anthony says he's not interested in interviews. He's just doing the Joe Rogan podcast, which came out yesterday, and another upcoming podcast that he plans to do to get into what he says is more of the nitty gritty of his songs and who he is.

But, Jim, this song clearly resonating with so many Americans, the pain, the inequality, the injustice he talks about. Whether or not Americans have felt that before or are feeling it now, really it seems like this man, Oliver Anthony, is a voice for what many Americans are still feeling right now -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes, and not the voice that's some are claiming, right? If you actually listen, listen to the lyrics of the song and as he was referencing there and amazing he's turning down 8 million bucks, right? Could have very quickly. Vanessa Yurkevich, thanks for going out there -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Well, Jim, no bull, that is -- that's a real bull riding shotgun in Nebraska. You don't want him honking those horns. We're going to explain what's going on here next.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Well, this is something, Jim, that you just have to see to believe, right?

SCIUTTO: You've been waiting to the bull one.

KEILAR: Just been waiting. And my time has come. It's a bull riding a shotgun in a car on a Nebraska Interstate. Well, maybe no surprise someone called 911. And here's how a police captain described what it was like when officers realized what they were dealing with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The officers received a call reference, a car driving into town that had a cow in it. They thought that it was going to be, you know, like a calf, something smaller, something that actually fit inside the vehicle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Bull seat driver?

KEILAR: He technically fits inside the vehicle.

SCIUTTO: They did pull the driver over. He was given a warning. Told to drive the bull -- whose name is Howdy Doody back home. I guess they're going to be looking out for him again on the road?

KEILAR: Maybe not.

"THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts --

SCIUTTO: Don't look at the back of the car by the way.

KEILAR: Don't do that. You won't unsee it.

"THE LEAD" starts now.