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Polls on Biden's Response to Israel; Biden Ignites Firestorm on Capitol Hill; Concerns over Russian Election Meddling; Aurora Borealis May be Visible Across U.S. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired May 10, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I've been in shootings. I know how it goes down. But I've also had situations where I - could I have shot? Yes. But did I? No. And the reason is because that instant, that split second, you still have time. And that's what you have to - you're looking at this thing in a matter of seconds or less than a second in terms of what your decision-making is going to be.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, one of the most disturbing parts of this is, after he is shot, you never - you never do see, even past the video that we were showing you because it's so disturbing, him raise that gun, but you do hear that he survived initially after the first shot there and says, look, I'm not holding anything. My gun is not in my hand anymore. So it is - it's really, really hard to watch. And our hearts go out to the family.

Charles Ramsey, thank you so much for detailing what officers and how officers are trained in a situation like this. Appreciate you.

Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, the new change coming to Target stores ahead of pride month this year after facing backlash over their merchandise for pride last year.

And wild video of a horse stranded on the top of a building for four days. The historic flooding that caused all of this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:35:46]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, just a few minutes ago we had Democratic Congressman Adam Smith, who is the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, tell us that he wishes President Biden had not gone public with Erin Burnett threatening to withhold certain weapons if Israel invades population centers in Rafah. What this shows is a bit of the politics surrounding President Biden on the issue of Israel.

With us now, CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten. And I thought that was illustrative.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes.

BERMAN: Of what you've been looking at in the data of sort of that President Biden's getting squeezed from both ends here.

ENTEN: He's getting squeezed from both ends. You know, I think it's important to note, let's look at the choice for president in 2024. Among Biden's 2020 voters, all right, because I think this sort of illustrates sort of how Biden's getting pushed a little bit.

So, if you like Biden on the Israel-Gaza war, look at that, he's getting 87 percent of the vote. RFK Jr. is getting eight. Donald Trump way down here at four.

But if you dislike Biden, if you disapprove of the job he's doing on the Israel-Gaza war, look at this, he's getting just 50 percent of that vote. My goodness, gracious. These are people who voted for him last time. RFK Jr. is getting 20 percent. This is just a 30-point margin compared to a 79 point margin among those who approve of Biden on the Israel-Gaza war. This is a huge dividing line within the Democratic Party. And that's something, of course, we're seeing right now between the progressive wing and those more centrist or mainstream Democrat.

BERMAN: And I - as a confession, we're such nerds that occasionally Harry sends me some of this data. And the number that jumped out here, RFK at 20 percent -

ENTEN: Yes.

BERMAN: Among people - Democrats who voted for Biden in 2020 and dislike him of the Biden war.

I think your next slide points to a little bit of what's going on here.

ENTEN: What exactly is cooking? Why do they dislike Biden on Israel?

OK, America's support for Israel is - now this is among 2020 Biden voters who are currently not voting for him. So, it's those dislike, those disapprovals. Take a look here, do you believe that America's support for Israel is too much? The clear majority, 60 percent of those folks who are currently not voting for Biden but did last time around say that America's support for Israel is too much. Just 24 percent say about right. You get this four percent who say not enough. But this group is double the size of the about right and not enough combined. And a lot of those folks at this particular point aren't necessarily going for Donald Trump, they're going for RFK.

BERMAN: I've got to say, the not enough is virtually nothing here. In general, what is Biden's support among those who were with him before?

ENTEN: Yes, this, I think, is the key point. Biden versus Trump 2024 poll margin. The reason Trump's ahead, he's holding on to more of his base right now of that 2020 voters leading by 81 points. Biden's just holding on, winning among that group by 73 points. That's the story of this election. It's why Trump is in much better position than he was four years ago.

BERMAN: These are really interesting numbers.

Harry Enten, thank you very much for that.

ENTEN: Thank you.

BERMAN: Kate.

BOLDUAN: And Donald Trump is definitely joining in the chorus of Republicans attacking - launching attacks against Joe Biden right now over the warning that he issued in his interview with CNN.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I wouldn't do what Biden did. He just abandoned Israel. I've never seen anything like if. People can't believe it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining me right now is CNN political commentator and former adviser to President Bill Clinton, Paul Begala, and Pete Seat, who is a former White House spokesperson for President George W. Bush.

It's good do you guys.

So, Paul, you had Harry and John running through some of the numbers that kind of relate to all of this. We also then have Donald Trump - and it's not just Trump. I mean setting any real policy assessments aside, Republicans are very clearly seeing a political opportunity. Just look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): What the president is doing here is capitulated because of electoral politics. And to me that's unconscionable.

SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): Joe Biden's de facto position is for a Hamas victory over Israel.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): This is all about President Biden and Lloyd Austin trying to take over the war from Israel. I got one message for Israel. Don't let them do it.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): It puts Israel's national security interests at risk. This is insane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:40:01]

BOLDUAN: You disagree with all of that assessment, Paul. You think Biden's kind of successfully threading a needle here with his position and what he's announced, but is that getting across?

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No. But we're 178 days from the election. Biden has been the most pro-Israel president in American history. Joe Biden has been the most pro-Israel president in American -- I'm a very pro-Israel Democrat. I like what Biden is - has been doing.

He has drawn a line at Rafah. He's trying as hard as he can to limit civilian casualties.

The - the - my problem with all of this is those lovely politicians you just show, they're just playing politics, OK. There's real lives at stake. There's one president, and he is pursuing America's national interests. He's defending Israel, helping it - helping them to take out Hamas, but also trying to protect innocent lives in Gaza. That's not an easy thing to do. Of course you're going to get static from both sides.

But as a political advisor, as a substantive matter, I'm glad Joe Biden's in charge and not - not the guy who quotes - not quote, who favorably comments about Adolf Hitler. According to a new book, Mr. Trump has said that - that, wait, let me get the quote right, "well, Hitler did a lot of good things," says Mr. Trump. So, I'm really glad he's not there. I'm really glad that Joe Biden is.

But, politically, you know, this is not driving voting behavior. This is not. The Harvard poll of young people, where he's really got a problem, Joe does, it's the 15th issue out of 16 asked. The ABC poll that came out this week, it was the tenth issue out of ten issues asked. Biden's got a lot of political problems. But Israel's not at the top of them. His substantive matter - I'm glad he's spending a lot of time, and I think he's doing it just right.

BOLDUAN: Pete, to Paul's point on, no matter the policy, when you look at it as a political matter, this is still - from what we see in pulling, when it comes to Biden's handling of Israel - of the Israel- Hamas war, it still is far lower on the priority scale for voters than let's say the economy. And the same day he did that interview with Erin Burnett, Joe Biden was in Wisconsin to tout a huge jobs announcement in coordination with a huge investment by Microsoft.

So, on some level, do you think politically that Republicans are wasting their time here?

PETE SEAT, VICE PRESIDENT, BOSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS GROUP: No, because, obviously, Joe Biden sees this politically. He's allowing campus - college campus protesters to write his foreign policy. The United States of America should stand up for our allies. We should be at their side when they are under attack. And the message that were sending, that Joe Biden is sending too allies is, you cannot trust the United States of America. The message he's sending to adversaries is, you don't have to fear or respect us because who knows what we're going to do.

There could be a little skirmish on the USC campus or at Columbia, and we're just going to change our policy that has been the policy for decades. So, obviously, Joe Biden sees the political consequences of standing with Israel because he wants that small sliver of votes in Michigan or wherever else that could potentially tip the balance.

BOLDUAN: We talk about strategy and how to approach this politically. I - I asked - it's a leading question, but I'm still going to ask it because I wrote it as a leading question. As a matter of strategy, is shading voters the right way to win them over? And the reason I ask that is because I want to play part of what Donald Trump said yesterday in responding to Joe Biden's interview.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If any Jewish person voted for Joe Biden they should be ashamed of themselves.

Why Jewish people vote for Democrats is beyond me.

Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: So, that was Trump in - that was Trump in March, that last - that last bit. And he faced a ton of blowback for that one, for playing into an anti-Semitic trope.

Is he trying to win voters over with the way he is approaching this though? I mean I don't - I don't see - I don't understand why he's doing it, Pete. And then, Paul, I want you to weigh in.

SEAT: Well, Donald Trump certainly has a unique way of saying things that are blatantly obvious, which is that Joe Biden -

BOLDUAN: You - would you advise him - would you advise him to be it - (INAUDIBLE)?

SEAT: Of course not, but he would ignore what I have to say. He's going to do whatever he wants. But he's - he's highlighting the wedge that Joe Biden has created. Democrats are united in their opposition to Donald Trump. They're not united in their opposition to Hamas. And that's what he's pointing out.

BOLDUAN: Paul, final thought on that.

BEGALA: BS. Democrats are completely opposed to Hamas. Donald Trump praised Hezbollah on October 12th. Right after Hamas' attack, he praised another anti-Israel vicious terrorist group, Hezbollah. Donald Trump broke bread with Nick Fuentes, who is reportedly an anti-

Semite and a Holocaust denier. As already mentioned, he praised Adolf Hitler, according to his own chief of staff, or four star general.

[08:45:01]

So, you know, Biden, we all make mistakes, but dear God, all of us who love Israel, how you could turn to Donald Trump is really beyond me. And here he is again, insulting American Jews. It's a - it's a real stretch. I'm sure there are very fine people on both sides, Kate, but Donald Trump is not one of them.

BOLDUAN: There's so - there's always - you always do this thing at the end of our interviews that you like drop - you drop this thing that I - we'll talk about it in the commercia break is what I'm about to say to you.

BEGALA: I'm sorry. I know, I'm being too nasty and it's a Friday. But this really - this is really serious stuff. I mean people are dying and Mr. Trump is playing politics with a history of really scary anti- Semitic statements on Mr. Trump's part and anti-Semitic allies. And I do think it's frightening.

BOLDUAN: I'm not following you on it. I struggle myself and like we need - we need to focus on the policy and there are lives at stake, and also then you have to work in the political, which is some - which is a huge part about it as well, which is kind of where I struggled and where we continue these conversations. But, we do, and I'm very thankful you both are here.

Thank you both. It's great to see you.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, ahead, in schools across the country, transgender athletes are fighting for the right to play sports on a team that aligns with their gender identity. Opponents are arguing its completely unfair and it's putting families at odds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I see these old pictures, like, in some of - in the younger ones, you know, I'm just a child. They're, you know, when -

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're below the age of five, you're just living life to the fullest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But like, five on, I think I started to see like my trapped self.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If I could turn back the clock, I wish - I wish I could have done some things differently.

I remember in my Bible study, you know, I said I need prayers. My oldest came out as transgender. And I just don't know what to do. And it just didn't sit well with me. I feel like God made you you for you. Like and we're not supposed to change any parts of ourself. We're made - like, that's just in my mind, what I've always known. And I probably said some mean, hurtful things just because I'm scared. It's a fear. It's a - I failed my kid. I didn't do enough. Why didn't I see this? Why didn't I do more? I lost a little boy that - like, I accepted a little boy who wasn't a macho boy, you know. And I remember laying in bed and saying, well, listen, you didn't lose a kid. You have a kid right in front of you. You have a choice. It may not be what you want it to be, but you have a choice. And I had to choose. I had to choose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: More of these deep, complicated, heartfelt conversations. A new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER" airs Sunday at 8:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

All right, just ahead, a Virginia school board honoring the losers of the American Civil War by restoring the confederate names of two schools. Outrage by critics saying the school board is taking students, quote, "back to the time in history that was very cruel." The fallout of their decision ahead.

And Oprah Winfrey apologizing for her decades-long role in helping promote the unhealthy diet culture.

All that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:52:32]

SIDNER: All right, we've got some breaking news for you. We have just learned the next witness in the case against Donald Trump here in New York. Michael Cohen will be called to the stand on Monday. Perhaps one of the most important witnesses, but it will be an intense exchange, especially in cross-examination. Again, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former fixer, former attorney, while he was in the White House, at the center of the case against him, will be testifying on Monday.

OK, now to some other news across seas. Brazil bracing for more intense rain as the country continues to deal with the fallout from last week's catastrophic flooding. More than 100 people are dead, nearly 170,000 people have been displaced after entire neighborhoods were left submerged.

And amid all of this chaos and sadness, a really unconventional rescue. Very sweet. Look at this poor horse. Social media users call it Caramelo. He was stranded on this rooftop in southern Brazil for days before being rescued by the military. Caramelo was sedated, of course, before being put on a boat. The rescue even caught the attention of President Lula de Silva, who posted about it on X. All right, a Virginia school board voter voted early this morning to restore the names of confederate leaders to two schools in their district. The Shenandoah County School Board voted five to one to restore the names of Stonewall Jackson High School and Ashby-Lee Elementary School, saying it was to remember the state's heritage. But critics say this is outrageous, honoring a time that was cruel. One black student told the board, if the names are restored, I would have to represent a man that fought for my ancestors to be slaves. The two school's names were changed back in 2020 following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer.

All right, Target is dialing back their pride month merchandise this week. The retail giant is limiting the number of stores that will sell LGBTQ-themed products for pride month in June following a boycott from right-wing activists last year that took a toll on Target's bottom line. About half of its 2,000 stores will sell the pride collection according to Bloomberg. The merchandise will also be available on Target's website.

And Oprah Winfrey opening up about her role in diet culture, apologizing about how she helped promote what she called unrealistic standards. And she said the comments at an event for Weightwatchers, the company she actually left early this year after nearly a decade as a director there.

[08:55:05]

She said that through her focus on weight she, quote, "set a standard for people watching" that neither she nor anybody else could uphold. In December, Winfrey said she had added a weight loss medication to her regimen. Didn't specify which drug.

John.

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, the FBI says it is monitoring whether U.S. support for Ukraine would lead Russia to take more risks in potentially interfering in the 2024 presidential election. A senior FBI official told reporters they are concerned that the Biden administration's supportive of Kyiv might be animating for the Russian.

CNN's senior law enforcement analyst Andy McCabe is with us now.

Do the Russians need an excuse, Andy, to metal in the elections in the U.S.?

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, no, they don't, John. And we know this from the long history of Russian meddling in U.S. elections, most notoriously in 2016. And we have to remember that that activity is motivated by Russia's main goal, vis-a- vis the United States all the time, which is to undermine democracy, to undermine U.S. faith in our own elections. And so that's perennial. It happens all the time.

The issue now is whether or not our support for Ukraine, their military adversary, provides additional motivation for the Russians to really step into our elections in a damaging way.

BERMAN: Any sense of how they would interfere in the elections?

MCCABE: Well, it's a great question. And I would suspect that intelligence and law enforcement officials aren't perfectly clear on that. But I think that the added incentive to Russians to intervene is likely supercharged in this election because of the way the politics in the United States play out around support to Ukraine. So you have one side, the Republicans, many of whom are opposed to continuing U.S. military support and financial support to Ukraine, and the Democrats who are - who are generally supportive of it. So, along those battle lines you have the possibility of Russian - the Russians being incentivized to actually intervene in a way that would help Republicans who would be adverse to additional Ukraine aid if - if elected, and to hinder the prospects of Democrats.

So, the general motivations are always there. But in this cycle, we think it's probably even more important to them.

BERMAN: You know, in a 30 seconds or less, Andy, is there some kind of decoder ring you can give voters or civilians to wear that will help them look for how or where there might be Russian fingerprints on the election?

MCCABE: In a word, John, it's all about information sources. You've got to constantly be questioning, where are you getting the information you're getting? How good are these sources? Is this something you just picked up off of social media? Can you tie it back to an actual legitimate media entity or information entity? If not, be very - be very curious and suspicious of the things that you hear out there in the social media sector.

BERMAN: That is such great advice. I found it on the internet. Not great sourcing.

MCCABE: No.

BERMAN: Andy McCabe, thanks so much for being with us today. Appreciate it.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: If you have see the northern lights on your bucket list, you may be in luck. Tonight, a powerful geomagnetic storm could trigger an extraordinary view of the aurora borealis across the United States. And the stunning show could stretch further, farther south than usual.

Meteorologist Derek Van Dam is tracking this one for us.

So, how far south? Who's going to get to see it? When are we going to get to see it? What are the details?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: All right, I'm looking at you northern Alabama, northern California potentially. Tonight, the maximum of potential would be between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. So, wake up early. Set those alarms. But heads up, man, the sun has been hurdling these solar flares as it reaches its solar maximum. This 11- year solar cycle.

Here it is over the past couple of days, right towards the earth. And, by the way, this is a future projection of those solar flares you saw just a moment ago. And check it out. Where is it headed? That's earth right there. And, of course, that is going to bring us the potential for northern lights. That's the positive. But it's also going to bring some negative impacts as well.

This is the first G-4 geomagnetic watch issued by the Space Prediction Center from NOAA since 2005. And you can see the greatest probability of viewing across the Midwest and into the northern plains, stretching as far south as Alabama. But it has negative impacts as well, potentially on power and communication. So, that's something we're going to monitor.

Here's a look at that cloud cover, Kate. You can see, it will be stocked in across the northeast, into Texas, and across the Great Basin. But there will be plenty of opportunities to catch those dazzling, beautiful spectacles we call the aurora borealis.

Back to you.

[09:00:00]

BOLDUAN: Awesome. It's great to see you.

VAN DAM: Nice to see you too.

BOLDUAN: Looking forward to the chance for many to see it for the first time.

It's good to see you.

A new hour of CNN NEW CENTRAL starts now.