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Johnson Defiant over Speakership; Revolt Against Johnson; Ariona Lawmakers Move on Abortion Ban; Biden Calls for Tariffs. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired April 17, 2024 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Could be catastrophic.

And, charged with murder. New details on why a man shot and killed an innocent Uber driver he believed was working with a scammer.

I'm Kate Bolduan, with John Berman. Sara is out today. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Kate reminds me what I meant to say is, it's 9:00 a.m. House Speaker Mike Johnson, do you know where your job is? Will he make it till tomorrow? Till Friday? Till next week? It's probably an important question for Mike Johnson. It might be life or death for the people of Ukraine.

As "The New York Times" notes this morning, everything has to go right for Johnson this week, for the House to pass aid to Ukraine and for Johnson to keep his job. A few Republicans are threatening to revolt. Johnson has refused to step down, calling it an absurd notion. He says we are simply here trying to do our jobs.

With us now, CNN's Lauren Fox and Alayna Treene.

Lauren, let's start with you and get a sense of where things stand at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning for Mike Johnson.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John, the biggest thing that is happening right now on Capitol Hill is what we haven't seen, and that is the legislative text. Exactly what the plan is to keep several funding bills moving through the House of Representatives. We still don't know what the plan is to fund Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel, and another fourth bill that includes miscellaneous items that Johnson says are a priority for the House. Right now, without that legislative text, House Republicans cannot begin the process of even reviewing the legislation or knowing how they would vote. This vote also would likely slip into the weekend if they reveal that text today because House Republicans have a 72 hour rule that requires them to look over that text for three days.

So, that's the first item of business. Is that just not happening because it's taking time to write the legislation? Or is that not happening because there is this threat against Johnson relating to whether or not he keeps the speakers gavel?

Right now we know of two Republicans who are saying that they would well be willing to oust Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and then Thomas Massie announcing that during a Republican conference meeting yesterday behind closed doors.

There's a level of frustration among Republicans who say it is just time to govern. It is just time to do what they have known they need to do for months now, which is get money to Ukraine that needs that funding urgently.

But again, Mike Johnson still not clear on what the plan is moving forward. Just saying that he wanted to move something on Ukraine, but not precisely spelling out what that is going to look like in the days ahead.

John.

BERMAN: Yes, two Republicans said they wanted to oust him. I will note the two Democrats right here on this show have said that they would try to block that. In other words, they would come to the rescue for the Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, which is notable.

But, Lauren, as you said, with no text this morning, the big question is, is it still coming? We are waiting on that.

In the meantime, there is no Republican in this country more powerful than Donald Trump. Presumably with one word or one sentence he could make life better for the House speaker. He was given that opportunity. Alayna Treene, yesterday after his day in court, to come to the rescue of Mike Johnson, make his life easier. Didn't seem like he took that opportunity.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: He did not, John, you're exactly right. And, you know, Donald Trump has a lot of influence here. He could come out and really say, look, we need to stay the course. We cannot have another major House leadership shakeup in the middle of the 2024 election cycle. Not just for the former president's campaign, but also for many of the House Republicans who don't want to see this chaos playing out on the House floor and in Congress yet again with just months to go until November.

But that's not what Donald Trump did. He did not offer some unwavering support for Johnson last night. Instead, it was a far loose - excuse me, less enthusiastic, you know, him saying, we'll see what happens.

Take a listen to how he put it last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Mr. President, how -

QUESTION: Are you going to protect Speaker Johnson?

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, we'll see happens with that. (END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: So, we'll see what happens with that. He just left it there.

But I will say, John, you know, last week we did see House Speaker Mike Johnson make the trek to Mar-a-Lago, old a joint press conference side-by-side with the former president. And Donald Trump had more supportive words for him then. He said that he supports Mike Johnson. That he thinks he's doing a very good job and that it's difficult to see what is happening in Congress. But look, I can tell you from my conversations with Donald Trump's campaign, they're not looking to get too involved in this fight at - on one hand, like I mentioned before, they don't really want another messy House speakership and leadership shakeup happening right now. They're really focused on his trial, on his campaign, and they recognize that this chaos in Congress, and particularly this Republican infighting, isn't helpful to the party.

[09:05:06]

But at the same time he is not going so far to say that, you know, we need to keep Johnson in place. And that's definitely going to be something that, of course, many House Republicans are keeping in mind as they make this calculation.

BERMAN: Yes, you have to believe that Mike Johnson might have wanted a little bit more than what he got out of Donald Trump yesterday when he was asked about it.

Alayna Treene, our thanks to you.

Lauren Fox, as always, terrific reporting. Thank you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now is Maura Gillespie. She's a former press advisor to then speaker of the house, John Boehner, more recently, Adam Kinzinger, and Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky, co-founder of Lift Our Voices.

Thank you guys for being here.

Maura, let's start here. Are these foreign aid bills that this is all wrapped up in when we're talking about Mike Johnson's job, are they a path for Mike Johnson to save his job or is he sure to lose his job, do you think?

MAURA GILLESPIE, FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL, BLUESTACK STRATEGIES: I think this was the best-case scenario for him. He saw it as a way to protect his members and in hopes to protect himself. And by breaking it up and giving members coverage so they could vote individually on these issues.

I don't know why he decided to then have a conversation, you know, more recently with the House Freedom Caucus to try and appease them even more. I don't think that's going to help him. I think how he heads up this - this kind of plan was the best-case scenario for him. So, it still may end up where he has, you know, Marjorie Taylor Greene or Thomas Massie bringing this motion to vacate the chair to the floor, but hopefully, you know, enough members won't show up so that they can table the motion.

BOLDUAN: So, let's talk about - so, some Democrats, as John was saying, are publicly suggesting that they are ready to help him out. Jared Moskowitz is one of them and he wrote this, "Massie wants the world to burn. I won't stand by and watch. I have a bucket of water."

And I think people may be glossing over what I think how big of a deal this is. The same Democrats who were happy to set - to stand by and watch the mess that ensued after Kevin McCarthy was ousted, they are now, some of them, publicly saying they are ready to help to make sure it doesn't happen again. That's big.

JULIE ROGINSKY, CO-FOUNDER, LIFT OUR VOICES: It's big and they're right because the world is on fire.

BOLDUAN: Why?

ROGINSKY: Well, the world is on fire. Look what's happening with foreign aid right now. You've got a mini World War III starting out already. You've got a conflagration in Ukraine that's been going on for years that is going to not go well for the Ukrainians, And God knows what that means for the rest of eastern Europe if the United States doesn't step in. You've got a massive situation happening in the Middle East right now, a war potentially breaking out between Israel and Iran, when will make the Iran/Iraq War look like a garden party. It will probably make, to some extent, our involvement in Iraq look like a garden party.

BOLDUAN: Wrapped up with policy is always politics on Capitol Hill.

ROGINSKY: Always politics.

BOLDUAN: Politically, why is this beneficial to Democratic to not let the fire continue to burn.

ROGINSKY: Because - because Democrats need to show that they can govern. Democrats need to show that they are the party that can take this all the way to the American people and show that they actually have an ability to get things done. And Republicans are not interested in governing. They are - and that's what they have to do.

BOLDUAN: They can show that at this moment.

ROGINSKY: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Maura, you may have a unique perspective on Thomas Massie. As I was just mentioning, he was part of the conservative rebellion in 2015 against then Speaker John Boehner. What is going on here?

GILLESPIE: It's all for show. I mean, Thomas Massie doesn't have a plan. You know, he talked about how he has more people ready and rally behind him then ousted Kevin McCarthy, yet he did not mention a single name. He did not promote anyone who could actually get the job. .Not even get the job done, but get the job, get the votes to become speaker. He doesn't have a plan. And so this is where I get really frustrated with the House Republican caucus because they don't want to show that they can govern, they don't want to play ball and do the right things for the people that they purport to represent. So, we've got a real problem as far as not only does this impact what's happening in our foreign aid with our allies and here at home, because our - you know, support for our allies supports us here at home.

But for the election, what donor is going to look at this Republican conference and think, I should put my money there. They're ready to govern. They're taking this seriously. I don't know that you're going to find that. So, it's going to hurt them in the election as well.

BOLDUAN: Maybe that's part of what Mike Johnson is saying in, you know, in the rock and hard place he's found himself between.

Also not lost here is that nowhere in the bills that are being discussed and being put on the floor is any of the border security measures that were demanded by House Republicans as a condition of approving foreign aid, especially when it comes to Ukraine. It is not hard to find quotes like this from the last few months. Byron Donalds, "I will not be voting for any Ukraine funding as long as the border is not secure." Senator Roger Marshall, "at the end of the day, Republicans aren't budging" on Ukraine funding "until we secure the border. That's the question that all America is asking Joe Biden right now. Why do Republicans have to beg Joe Biden to secure the border? That's part of his job."

You are not in the business of giving Republicans so much advice, but what case can and should Johnson and Republicans make for why they said that then, what they're presented with now, and what - when they want to look at border funding going forward?

[09:10:11]

ROGINSKY: Well, first of all, we had a border bill that you remember Donald Trump tanked, right?

BOLDUAN: Yes. Yes.

ROGINSKY: So, if you want to blame somebody for that, it's not the president of the United States.

BOLDUAN: It's just not so - often so blatant.

ROGINSKY: Blatant, right? And so you can't - you're absolutely right, you can't turn around and tank a really good border bill that was a really, really, really great border bill for Republicans.

BOLDUAN: IT got Biden in trouble with some of the left.

ROGINSKY: Exactly. And then all of a sudden say, well, wait a second, the border is in chaos, so what are we doing supporting Ukraine? I mean, take the win, right? But they don't want to take the win. And the problem is, they don't want to take the win because they need something to campaign on in November. And Democrats understand that. There's nothing you can give

Republicans now, and I think, Maura, you probably would agree, that would allow them to then say, great, we worked in a bipartisan way to secure the border. It's not a good message for them with their base. And that's why Democrats are serious about the fact that there's nothing they can do to appease Republicans on this issue.

BOLDUAN: And it also kind of comes all together. You've got now the impeachment of the Homeland Security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, headed to this Senate. Mayorkas out this morning saying it's on Congress to actually get something done now. The situation at the border is quite serious. Are they back at square one when it comes to moving together, if that's even humanly possible at this point, on any additional work at the border?

GILLESPIE: I don't - you know, I think they missed a big opportunity there. And Senator Lankford has expressed his frustration because they really threw him under the bus. He did the work. He made that bill so that Republicans would have wins. So - but what they are going to try and do, which they've already announced, is they're going to continue to push HR-2 and -

BOLDUAN: How do you message it though? I mean I stopped my Google search like two searches in with some of these quotes.

GILLESPIE: They continue to say that Schumer should at least see it. Schumer should at last look at the bill. And their frustration is that they're not even taking it up to the Senate side. So, you know, that's going to be the argument, but -

BOLDUAN: If you bring it - OK. If Mike Johnson is going to allow votes to come to the floor, and just see where votes land, which is what Democrats are calling, you know, OK, maybe there's a slice of the message that people should be taking.

It's good to see you both. Thank you very much.

ROGINSKY: Great to see you.

BOLDUAN: Coming up still for us, he claims that the plane could potentially break apart mid-flight. A Boeing engineer, now a whistleblower, and about to testify before Congress.

Arizona lawmakers have the chance now to repeal that Civil War era abortion ban that we have been talking so much about.

And Nike's new outfit design for the U.S. women's Olympic team sparking a wave of criticism. What athletes are saying about the Paris 2024 uniforms.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:17:12]

BERMAN: So, new this morning, a Boeing engineer turned whistle-blower will testify before Congress over concerns that the Boeing 787 could break apart over poorly assembled parts. The engineer has said that he thinks all 787 jets should be grounded to allow for proper safety checks of the plane.

This is just the latest in what has been a nightmare stretch for Boeing since a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight.

CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean is with us now for somebody of a preview of what we're going to see today.

Pete.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Boeing has already been on the defensive ahead of these dueling Senate hearings today, John. Both are putting the spotlight on Boeing's safety culture when it comes to manufacturing. The key witness is the whistleblower who alleged last week that the 787 is unsafe. The whistleblower's name is Sam Salehpour. He was a quality engineer on the 787 line. He saw those big sections of the 787 fuselage being put together. He says the gaps in the fuselage are too big, which could lead to fatigue failure over time.

Boeing insists in the 16 years the 787 has been flying for airlines, there has been no evidence of that. There are about 1,100 787's flying right now. None lost to a crash.

Salehpour was on NBC ahead of this hearing, and he takes his accusation one step further. Here is the section of that interview in which he says the 787 is at risk of falling out of this sky.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should Boeing ground the 787 right now to check the gap sizes?

SAM SALEHPOUR, BOEING WHISTLEBLOWER: I would say they need to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The entire fleet worldwide.

SALEHPOUR: The entire fleet worldwide, as far as I'm concerned right now, needs an attention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: Now, the Federal Aviation Administration says it's investigating right now. Boeing held a press briefing on Monday addressing these safety and quality concerns. Boeing executives would not comment though directly on Salehpour's allegations.

Here was what Boeing says in a statement. "We are fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner. These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft."

This is just the latest chapter in this five-year long saga of Boeing issues. Really more like six years. Two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people abroad. Then, this past January, on the fifth, there was a door plug blowout on that Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9. But remember, this latest issue has to do with the 787. But that plane's not been without its problems because deliveries of all plans were paused in all of 2021, most of 2022 because of quality issues. Some of that is because the tolerances are extremely tight, John. The gaps allowed between the parts of the fuselage are five one thousandths of an inch.

[09:20:06]

We're talking about the width of two sheets of paper or the width of a human hair. Really, really tight tolerances. It sometimes makes it hard to get the airplane out the door.

BERMAN: All right, Pete Muntean, I know you'll be watching these hearings today. Let us know when there is news. Appreciated it.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Today in Arizona, lawmakers are facing a pivotal vote toward repealing the state's near total ban on abortions that was triggered by the state supreme court last week. This is that Civil War era ban that sparked outcry.

CNN's Natasha Chen has the details on it for us.

So, Natasha, what are they considering and what does this mean with regard to repealing it?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kate, they could possibly repeal this 1860s era law. The house is going to consider that process today. Now, first, they have to get over the hurdle that any bill typically has to be heard in committee before it goes to the full floor. So, they're going to vote first on whether to bypass that. If it does, then we have a pretty good sense of whether there is interest and urgency in getting this repealed.

Right now there is a razor thin margin of a majority for the Republicans in both chambers here. So, in order for this to go through, there has to be a couple of Republicans who join Democrats and that is if the Democrats all vote along party lines here. And right now we're sensing that there is some interest. At least Representative Matt Gress (ph), who represents an area in Maricopa County, he is in a tight race and so he could potentially be one of those Republicans who votes for this. And there have been a couple of others who have, you know, expressed that perhaps this 1860s era law just goes too far.

And to remind folks what it really is, it states that abortion is pretty much near illegal, except for in the case of saving the life of the mother. And it could be punishable, to the provider, for two to five years in prison. And so it is very severe. Some have called it draconian. And you've heard from former President Donald Trump even who said that this has its gone too far and he has stated that the state lawmakers could rectify this.

And so what you're seeing before you today is an attempt to figure out exactly how to, quote, fix that. Right now the reason that the Arizona Supreme Court had to go with this particular law in their logic was that the 15 week ban, which Arizona passed in 2022, a few years ago, that was only valid because Roe versus Wade was in existence. Now that Roe is overturned, they said that leaves this 1860s law.

And so we are going to see what happens today in the statehouse.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Good to see you, Natasha. Thank you.

So, admonished by the judge. The warning Donald Trump received already while sitting in court - in the courtroom of his first criminal trial.

And an Uber driver is dead, an 81-year-old man is charged with her murder, and now police say both of them were manipulated by a scammer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:27:53]

BERMAN: New this morning, President Biden is in the heart of American steel country, calling for a huge hike in steel tariffs on Chinese imports. The president will propose tripling tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum as he meets with steel workers at their union headquarters in Pittsburgh this morning.

CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz joins us from the president's hometown of Scranton.

So, what do we expect, Arlette.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, President Biden is making another play for blue collar union voters today as he visits Pittsburg where he'll speak at a steel union headquarters a bit later this afternoon. The president, while he is there, will call on his U.S. trade representative to consider trip the existing 7.5 percent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum. An effort to try to show that he is a defender of the U.S. steel industry.

This comes just a few weeks after President Biden publicly opposed the sale of U.S. steel to a Japanese company. The president saying in a statement that it is vital that the company remains American owned.

Now, this also comes as he and both -- also former President Donald Trump had been trying to make this play for working class voters.

Another thing that we will hear from Biden today is highlighting his administration's efforts to crack down on China's efforts to flood the market with cheap products, which makes it more difficult for U.S. companies producing higher quality products but at higher prices.

Now, these moves from Biden could also seek to insulate him from GOP criticism that his policies are weak towards China. His opponent, Donald Trump, took many steps in his administration to raise tariffs on China, making that a focal point of his global, economic policy. And that is something that he is likely to do if he were to win a second term.

Now, while Trump has spent the start of the week in a New York City courtroom, President Biden has been on the road here in battleground Pennsylvania for a three-day swing where he's really zeroing in on the differences the two men have when it comes to the economy. The president took aim at Trump for his policies when it relates to taxes and made the argument that Biden is working for the middle class while Trump is on the side of the wealthy.

[09:30:03]

Take a listen to a bit of his argument just yesterday here in Scranton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I look at the economy,