Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Netanyahu Says Intense Phase is about to End; Two Years Since Roe was Overturned; Polls about Debate Watching; Todd Graham is Interviewed about Biden's Debate Prep; Reese Wins Rematch with Clark; Terry Virts in Interviewed about the Starliner's Return to Earth. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired June 24, 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]

REP. BYRON DONALDS (R-FL): The entire country's economy was shut down. And at that point, yes, Congress and the White House had a responsibility to step into that gap, to make sure that Americans didn't just have their lives completely destroyed by Covid-19. It was a very tough period for our country.

That being said, the Trump agenda, when it comes to economics and when it comes to federal spending is one where we will have larger growth projections than we have today under Joe Biden because his growth is anemic. Number two, we will be cutting inflation. Joe Biden doesn't even want to talk about inflation except to say that right now the year over year growth is 3 percent. But if you look over his presidency, prices are up 20 percent. That is devastating for working families. It's devastating for seniors. This is why Americans are demanding a change from Joe Biden to Donald J. Trump.

But number three, if you want to talk about debt projections, it is crystal clear, Joe Biden has no concern about - about taxing and spending on the backs of the American people. Donald Trump will have a plan in order to be able to curtail federal spending, to get our debt under control. Covid-19 was an anomaly, not just in terms of what it did for public health, but also what it did for our debts and for our deficits. That is something that we should not continue.

And I will add, it is Joe Biden and his administration that wants to continue elevated federal spending using the Covid-19 spending levels as a model for federal spending going forward. That's simply not sustained.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Congressman, I appreciate you being with us.

Just to be clear, the math is the math by this organization that did this report and "Axios" and "The New York Times" today, it was the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (ph) -

DONALDS: And I will tell you, that organization is wrong -

BERMAN: OK. OK.

DONALDS: Because I'm on - I'm on Capitol Hill. That organization is wrong.

BERMAN: All right. Well, they'll put their math up against yours. You guys can fight it out.

DONALDS: Sure.

BERMAN: But the fact of the matter is, the budget debt projections grew more under Donald Trump according to them than President Biden.

Representative Byron Donalds, thanks so much for being with us. I appreciate it.

DONALDS: Thank you.

BERMAN: A major announcement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He says the intense phase of the war against Hamas is about to end.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:37:09]

BERMAN: New comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting the war in Gaza is about to change.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Jerusalem with the latest.

Paula, what are you hearing?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, this is really the most clarity we've had from the Israeli prime minister since October 7th about where the war is going in Gaza. So, he said that the most intense phase is over. But this means that the military can now focus on the northern border with Lebanon where we have seen an increase in cross-border attacks over the last few weeks between Hezbollah and the Israeli military.

Now, Netanyahu, in this interview with Channel 14, did also say that this doesn't mean the end of the war in Gaza. What it does mean is that the current stage in Rafah, where we have seen the most intense fighting over the last months, has come to an end.

Now, he also said something interesting that he supports and is ready to sign up to a partial deal with Hamas, saying that that would be a deal to release some of the hostages, saying that after a ceasefire the war, in his mind, would continue because he wants to continue to try and eliminate the group, the Hamas group, saying he hasn't given up on that idea.

Now, on the face of it, it does appear to be at odds with this ceasefire hostage deal. The U.S. backed deal that the Biden administration has said Israel signed up to. And we have heard from some but the hostage families saying - they condemn it. It's simply not good enough. It has to be all of the hostages or none.

BERMAN: Paula Hancocks, thanks so much for being with us this morning. Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, will the Supreme Court farther limit abortion access, this time in emergency rooms? A decision from the court may come down this week. And today marks two years since the Supreme Court release the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe versus Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion. Since then, 14 Republican controlled states have passed near total bans on abortions with limited exceptions.

In 2023, abortions reached their highest point in more than a decade, but now more people are traveling to access care or relying on self- managed abortions at home.

CNN's senior Supreme Court analyst Joan Biskupic is joining me now.

Joan, the Supreme Court still deciding on that other case that could impact abortion access. Tell us a bit more about what that means to the public.

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN SENIOR SUPREME COURT ANALYST: Sure, Sara, it's good to see you.

And it is startling to consider all that has happened in just two years. You know, in addition to those 14 states that outright ban abortion, there are several other states that have imposed restrictions. And just think of how much that Dobbs decision has altered the debate over even in vitro fertilization, how much it's altered the dynamics of political campaigns and will probably factor into this year's presidential election.

[08:40:05]

The court itself has said little about Dobbs in the past two years, but, you're right, that with this new case that's pending right now, that we could get as soon as Wednesday when the justices returned to the bench, there's a major test of access to abortion. What it does is pit an Idaho law against a federal legal safeguard having to do with medical treatment. The Idaho law, a defense of life act that was - became enforced right after Dobbs, prohibits - makes it a crime to either perform or assist in an abortion, except to prevent the death of the woman. So, it's a pretty strict ban on abortion.

Meanwhile, there's a federal law enacted back in 1986, but which the Biden administration, after Dobbs, tried to bring new energy to for reproductive care, that emergency law, shorthanded with the phrase "EMTALA," which is the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act of 1986, requires emergency rooms that - at hospitals that take Medicare funds, which is a vast majority of hospitals nationwide, to provide stabilizing treatment to any patient. It was originally passed to prevent patient dumping of needy - needy patients through - across the country.

But the Biden administration says that that law should ensure that a woman who comes there with complications from a pregnancy can get an abortion to protect her health, not just to be handled in the event of preventing a death.

So, there's a real clash between these two provisions and the justices right now are deciding if federal law should prevent some of these state bans.

I do have to add, Sara, the Supreme Court did allow the Idaho law to take effect. So, that's not a very good signal for the Biden administration, but who knows. And we will probably learn over the next couple of days how the Supreme Court comes down on this next chapter in abortion rights.

Sara.

SIDNER: And the Biden administration, or the Biden campaign, already sending out an ad on abortion this very day.

Thank you so much, Joan Biskupic. We'll be waiting for that decision.

BISKUPIC: Sure.

SIDNER: John.

BERMAN: All right, in case you did not know, there is a big presidential debate in just a few days right here on CNN. Three days away.

Harry says, yes, I'm right about this. Second source right there.

Listen, one of the key voting groups who could be watching this debate are voters who say they don't like either of these guys, the so-called double-haters. Senior data reporter Harry Enten is going to stop doing the mime and start actually talking here.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes.

BERMAN: Double-haters. I mean how much of the vote do they make up?

ENTEN: Yes, so, you know, we'll - I'll just say they make up 16 percent of all registered voters.

BERMAN: OK.

ENTEN: So, it's a significant chunk. But I think the real question is, who are these folks? Who are these folks that potentially could be reached on Thursday night? And here's the two key things to keep in mind. Number one, they are disproportionately non-white. They're 44 percent dislike Biden and Trump. Forty-four percent of them are non- white versus 35 percent of voters overall.

How about under the age of 45? Overall, under the age of 45 voters make up 41 percent of the electric. But among those who disliked Biden and Trump, look at that, they make up the clear majority, 56 percent. They are groups that lean Democratic or at least have historically leaned Democratic, John.

BERMAN: Interesting. Younger and non-white, disproportionately, to how they have been otherwise. Sixteen percent of the overall population. How have they kind of changed?

ENTEN: Yes, so, you know, we mentioned that 16 percent of registered voters. And this, to me, is a group that Joe Biden really wishes that he can break through with on Thursday night because why? The voters who disliked Biden and Trump tell you who'd they vote for in 2020. They voted for Joe Biden by, get this, 21 points. That's a very wide margin. Look at how they lean today, though, who they say they'll vote for in 2024. They only leaned for Joe Biden by four points, which, of course makes sense, John, with what we've been seeing among non-white voters and younger voters generally. Groups that have traditionally leaned Democratic but have been trending in this election cycle to be more Republican. So, these numbers kind of line up with it, with being much more pro-Biden in 2020 verses today basically being a dead even split between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

BERMAN: So, are they getable on Thursday night for President Biden?

ENTEN: Right, so are they getable on Thursday night? So, this is to me sort of one of these slides that went, you know what, this kind of makes sense a little bit. But say that they'll follow the June 27th debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump will watch. Overall - the overall voters, look at this, 65 percent of voters overall say that they will watch. But amongst those who say they disliked Biden or Trump, just 37 percent say they will watch.

But here's where it gets really interesting. Will follow the news afterwards. That is may be susceptible to the post debate spin. Just 22 percent say that will be the main way that they will follow the news afterwards.

[08:45:01]

But among those who dislike Biden and Trump, look at that, the plurality answer, 39 percent say they will follow the news afterwards. So perhaps it might not just be what happens on Thursday night, but how the campaigns spin it, how the media digests it and then feeds it back to the public, that will be very, very important to this key group of voters who disliked Biden and Trump.

BERMAN: Look, and even this number is big enough to be important here.

ENTEN: Sure.

BERMAN: This number, absolutely.

ENTEN: Absolutely right, Mr. Berman.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, nice to see you. Thank you very much for that.

ENTEN: Nice to see you.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John. Thank you, Harry.

We are getting new details about how President Biden is preparing for Thursday's CNN presidential debate. Biden's getting ready for two different versions of Donald Trump that could show up, including what they're saying is a very disciplined Donald Trump.

With me now is Todd Graham, debate director at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

I used to work there years and years and years ago. And Kate Gerardo (ph) and near Carbondale.

Todd, I'm curious for you, how does one prepare for two different versions of their opponent?

TODD GRAHAM, DEBATE DIRECTOR, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE: That's a fine question, and welcome back to the region.

SIDNER: Thank you.

GRAHAM: I think that you can prepare for Donald Trump to be interrupting you. I think you can prepare for Donald Trump to go a little over. But the muted microphone certainly didn't help in the last debate. So, I think if you're Biden, you just go and prepare with your strengths. I've always told my debate teams that we shouldn't worry about the opponent's strengths, we should always debate to our own strengths.

So, that's what I would do. I wouldn't worry as much about Trump, but I would go back and know exactly what he usually does in a debate.

SIDNER: You know, you are the knower of all things debate. You've been - you've been doing this for a long time. Can you discuss what is a pitfall for incumbents in their very first debate?

GRAHAM: I'm glad you asked that because I've actually talked about that before. The incumbents usually have a poorer debate because they haven't been practicing. So, you're incumbent president four years ago was Trump. He hadn't been practicing but Biden had been because he had to go through the primaries. So usually I think there's a little sleeper effect in the first debate for the incumbent president. If you remember, Obama had it when he debated against Mitt Romney. He came out very soft and almost they thought like he was a little sleepy. And then Mitt Romney took care of that debate and had a really good one.

So, I think that's important that both Biden and Trump, who have not debated - this is the first time we'll have a debate between two debaters who haven't debated in four years. This is the first time this has happened in a long time. So, what we need is both of them to go over their old notes and try to get better because, unfortunately, every time I watch them in a new debate after four years, no matter if it's a primary or general election, they usually have a very poor first debate.

SIDNER: I do want to ask you about the preparation. Joe Biden's doing mock debates. He's sort of hunkering down with his close aides. Donald Trump, on the campaign trail, but also, of course, talking to advisors about how to handle the debate.

Is it - is it a mistake not to do a mock debate?

GRAHAM: I do think it is a mistake. However, I think that's more of Trump's style. And one thing that I do teach people is, don't change whatever you're doing if it's been relatively successful. So, would I, as a coach, have a mock debate? Yes, I would. But Trump had them in - I don't know if he had them in 2016, but I know he had them in 2020, and people in that debate prep talked about how it wasn't very useful, it didn't get a lot done, et cetera, because he didn't want to be criticized in the debate.

So, that's just one of the things that he's used to. So, I think he should practice what he's good at and then not worry about the rest of the prep because debate prep would be new to him and the word is he just doesn't like it how it's traditionally done.

SIDNER: You alluded to this, the rules for this historic debate are different. There is, for the first time, going to be a couple of commercial breaks. Staff is not allowed to interact with their candidate during that time. Uniformed podiums. You're seeing the list there. The mics, as you mentioned, will be muted throughout the debate unless it is that candidates turn to answer the question. There are no props or notes and no audience.

When was the last time there was a - not an audience for a debate? And how might that affect each candidate?

GRAHAM: I'm trying to remember if the second debate between Biden and Trump - I remember after Trump got Covid in the middle of the debates four seasons ago, I'm trying to remember if there was an audience for their final debate. And I'm not sure. But otherwise, there's been an audience for the last couple decades, as long as I can remember. And I'm really against debate audiences for presidential debates.

So, I think this is a wonderful turn of events. What happens when you don't have an audience is they're not always getting in the way. Sometimes audiences clap at what's frankly wrong answers, and so all of a sudden a candidate thinks they gave a good answer. So, without an audience there to give feedback, Trump is especially used to feedback at rallies, et cetera. So - but without the audience there, I think it makes the answers more naked by themselves. You have to listen to their policy (INAUDIBLE) because there won't be an audience there.

[08:50:02]

Audiences have also interrupted the moderators before and just booed them out of asking particular questions. So, without that, I think your moderators are going to be sharper. I think the answers will be clearer in that we'll know if one of them understands the question or not. So, I'm all for the no audience.

SIDNER: All right, Todd Graham, thank you so much for chatting with me this morning. I appreciate it.

And, of course, you've got to join CNN as President Biden and former President Trump meet for the first debate of the 2024 election. Jake Tapper, Dana Bash will be the moderators. It's all live from Atlanta this Thursday beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

All right, ahead, Sha'carri Richardson just ran faster than any woman in the world this year and is now eyeing Olympic gold. We'll have that store and more coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark quickly solidifying as one of the great rivalries in all of sport. After two losses, the Chicago Sky finally got their first win over the Indiana Fever this season.

[08:55:04]

It was an 88-87 thriller.

CNN's Coy Wire here with the details.

Good morning, sir.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good morning, John.

Yes, there's been a lot of hand gesturing and there's been some ring pointing dating back to their college days. Caitlin Clark says it's good for women's basketball. The rivalry is becoming must-watch TV. The rookies, they let their play do the talking yesterday. Tickets for the game in Chicago averaged more than $350 per ticket. Clark set a franchise record with 13 assists and became the first rookie in the W ever to notch at least 15 points, ten assists, and five three-pointers in a game.

But Reese, she scored a career-high 25, John, 16 rebounds. Aliyah Boston's last second shot there was no good. So, Reese and the Sky come back from 15 down to win 88-77. That was Reese's eighth straight double-double. She said, I'm from Baltimore, that's just what I do.

Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGEL REESE, CHICAGO SKY FORWARD: I'm a god. You can't teach that. I'm going to go on and do whatever it takes to win. And every single night my teammates rely on my energy. So, being able to continue the energy, even if we're down, even if we're up, that's what I - that's what I do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, the Sky and Fever meet one more time in the regular season, August 30th, but we don't have to wait that long for the summer Olympics in Paris now just 32 days away. The U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, yesterday.

We technically only need 9.83 seconds to show you this highlight. Noah Lyles blazing to a first-place finish in the men's 100 meter final. The world champ pulled away at the midway point. It's bye-bye. See you in Paris. And check out mom watching on. You see the excitement there, John, but

also a little bit of relief.

Kenny Bednarek came in second. Tokyo silver medalist Fred Kerley in third. They too will represent the U.S. at the Olympics.

And as will Sha'carri Richardson, qualifying for her first Olympic games after winning the women's 100 meter final on Saturday. She won with a time of 10.71. That's the fastest time in the world this year. The 24-year-old won at the last trials back in 2021 but remember wasn't able to represent the U.S. in Tokyo after accepting a one month ban for testing positive for THC. She says that she acknowledged that at the time she was using marijuana to help cope with the passing of her mother, which happened a week before that qualifying race for the Tokyo games, John, that she's taken her adversity and she's now using these new opportunities. She's become a face of the games.

BERMAN: Yes, overdue, but it will be great to see her out there competing this time in Paris.

Coy Wire, thank you very much.

WIRE: You got it.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: Can't wait.

All right, the two astronauts on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft will spend at least another week in space. The Starliner's launch for its mission to the International Space Station was delayed until June 5th. The entire trip was only expected to last about a week. But helium leaks and issues with the thrusters have delayed the space's return. Now NASA says the craft and its two person crew won't return to earth until at least July 2nd.

Joining me now is former astronaut and retired Air Force Colonel Terry Virts. Thank you so much for being here, sir.

What are your concerns when you hear the couple of things that they're saying are wrong with the craft about this particular delay?

COL. TERRY VIRTS (RET.), FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: I wouldn't call it concerns. This is a test flight. And you're always going to have issues that happen during test flights.

During my last flight on the Space Station, when I was commander, we had three different cargo ships blow up at different times. And when the Russian one blew up, we - we ended up getting stuck in space. So, I understand what this Boeing crew feels like getting stuck on the Space Station. They should be coming back in a few days. And I think there will be a lot of lessons for Boeing and NASA to learn.

SIDNER: So, how long can the astronauts remain there when it comes to things like supplies and other issues? VIRTS: My understanding is the Starliner capsule has a 45-day battery.

The problem on the Space Station is not supplies. There's plenty of food and water and oxygen. So, they could stay there probably for as long as they needed to. But the capsule cannot stay there forever. So, I don't think there's any immediate concern that they can't come back the earth, they just want to take time to understand what's happening.

And also the Space Station is a busy place. They have two spacewalks coming up. There are other vehicles coming and going. You can't just do an undocking any day. Plus, they have to wait for the orbit to go over their landing site. So, the problems with the helium leak in the jets are not the only reason why they can't just come back tomorrow.

SIDNER: And just lastly, because you've been in this situation before, what is it like? What do you do with that extra week in space?

VIRTS: What I did, I worked on an IMAX movie called "A Beautiful Planet." And I shot a lot of that film. So, I was actually relieved to have some time - we didn't know how long it was going to be.

We also relocated a big module. So, I am sure that the Space Station crew is putting the Boeing crew to work. They're happy to get some free labor for a few days.

SIDNER: And perhaps the astronauts are sort of - it's such a beautiful scene - happy to be there for a little bit longer, although there may be a little bit of nerve still with the problems that they're seeing with this craft.

Colonel Terry Virts, thank you so much for explaining your incredible time in space.

[09:00:05]

And we hope everything goes off properly.

All right, a new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL