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Julian Assange Ends Stalemate With U.S., Returns To Australia; CDC Warns Surge In Global Dengue Cases Raising Risk In U.S.; Espionage Trial For Detained U.S. Journalist Begins In Russia. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired June 26, 2024 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

ALEX THOMAS, JOURNALIST: Hundreds turning up at a small hotel about 10 minutes away from Canberra Airport just outside the capital of Australia -- the political hub of this country and certainly, close to the seat of power that's been so instrumental in securing Julian Assange's release.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaking several times today. And he was flanked by the chief lawyer in charge of getting Julian Assange this plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice. And Albanese saying no matter whether you agree with what Julian Assange did or not, this has gone on long enough and it's about time he is free.

And he's now back on Australian soil as a free man after accepting and pleading guilty to one felony count. The judge agreeing to the plea deal and he's going to be free after time served in Belmarsh Prison in London.

And he's now back here to be reunited with his father who is waiting for him, his wife, and his two young children who are five and seven years old. He's never seen them in the free -- in freedom, if you like.

So, yes, the press conference is going on as we speak. I'm outside in the -- in the chaos in the hotel lobby and it is extraordinary scenes there.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah. We saw how he greeted his wife just there as he came off the plane once he got to Australia and before this press conference.

We'll be checking back in with you to see if we hear from him and what comes out of that conference. Alex Thomas, thank you so much for joining us live there.

All right. Ahead, breaking news. Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger is endorsing President Biden for reelection. He joins us live in moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:35:00] SIDNER: President Biden on the attack this morning, calling former President Trump unworthy of representing the United States on the world stage. His words come as the final countdown to the historic CNN presidential debate tomorrow. Sources tell CNN Biden will draw a stark contrast between himself and Donald Trump.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is joining me now from the White House. We see what he's doing now but you're getting word on what he is not planning to do, Arlette.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Sara. You know, President Biden remains up at Camp David preparing for all scenarios in the debate. He is practicing at a podium as he is preparing to make his contrast with Donald Trump clear on that debate stage.

And sources have told CNN that the president is not planning on unveiling any new policy or personnel announcements in this debate as he did in previous debates back in 2020. Instead, he is trying to keep the focus on drawing that contrast with Trump.

Now, Biden's advisers have signaled that they really see three key issues as being key contrast points for Biden heading into this debate. That includes democracy, abortion rights, and the economy. But there's another issue that advisers are also anticipating to come up that really has dominated a lot of Biden's time in office, and that is foreign policy.

Now, this debate is a bit different than others in years past where there have been focused sections devoted and announced ahead of time relating to foreign policy and national security. But Biden's advisers believe that it will come up on that debate stage.

And Biden's team has long argued that foreign policy is just one of those areas where Biden has a completely different worldview than former President Trump. He is expected to try to paint Trump's approach to foreign policy as dangerous. And as one campaign official put it, "President Biden stands up to dictators and defends freedom. Trump is a loser who is too dangerous and reckless to ever be anywhere close to the Oval Office again."

So foreign policy has long been one of those areas where Biden has sought to draw these contrasts with Trump. He's criticized his approach towards Russia and Ukraine. Recently, the president really leaning into the fact that Trump has said that Russia should be able to do whatever the hell it wants to NATO countries not meeting their obligations. And so, Biden, in many ways, will try to draw a lot of these contrasts on the debate stage.

Of course, Biden has his own foreign policy issues. There are a lot of people in the Democratic progressive base of his party who are frustrated with his handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

All of these things could get discussed on that debate stage as Biden is gearing up to try to make as stark a contrast as possible with Trump not just on foreign policy but also democracy, painting him as a dangerous threat. SIDNER: All right, Arlette Saenz there live for us from the White House. Thank you so much -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: We also have this breaking news this morning, only on CNN.

Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who says he's still a proud conservative, is now endorsing Democratic President Joe Biden for reelection.

Kinzinger served Illinois in Congress for 12 years as a Republican. In his final term, he played a big role in the January 6 insurrection congressional committee as one of just two Republicans on that panel. And he just put out this video statement on social media.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM KINZINGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, (R) FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: I'm a proud conservative. I always have been. As a proud conservative, I've always put democracy and our Constitution above all else. And it's because of my unwavering support for democracy that today, as a proud conservative, I'm endorsing Joe Biden for reelection.

So while I certainly don't agree with President Biden on everything and I never thought I'd be endorsing a Democrat for president, I know that he will always protect the very thing that makes America the best country in the world, our democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: President Biden quicky responding to the endorsement this morning, thanking Kinzinger and saying, "This is what putting your country before your party looks like."

And joining us right now is former congressman Adam Kinzinger. It's good to see you again.

KINZINGER: Yeah, you bet.

BOLDUAN: Why announce today?

KINZINGER: I mean, it just feels right. Look, we -- we're getting ready to really hit the heat of the general election. I think it's really important for people to understand, particularly, that 20 percent of -- let's just call them the 20 percent of Haley voters -- for them to understand that this is stark choice. This isn't just who do I agree with more on certain issues? I actually don't even really know where Donald Trump stands on many issues.

But this is about does democracy survive the way we love it or does it not, and do we continue to change these standards?

I lived through January 6. I didn't watch it on TV. I was there. And I have a 2 1/2-year-old kid that I do not want raised in a country where things like that are OK to happen. So, for me, it's just we've got to put decency above, maybe, political differences, and it's just the right thing to do.

BOLDUAN: Over our many conversations since you -- well, you're in -- well, since you left Congress, it is -- you made no secret of your disagreement and distaste for Donald Trump -- what he stands for and what he's done. But did you wrestle with this decision? What did you wrestle with most in making this choice?

[07:40:08]

KINZINGER: I mean, I guess I wrestled to the extent of, like, OK, you know, endorsing a Democrat as a Republican is a big deal. But to me it wasn't much of a -- I didn't have to look in the mirror and look into my soul or anything like that.

I have spent the last few years on a committee -- the last couple of years in Congress -- looking at the direct link between Donald Trump and what happened on that terrible day. And I -- and I -- and I hear the acidity, the acrimony that comes out of many people who are supporting Donald Trump and some of the people around Donald Trump because he's created a culture of just anger and division.

And for me, it wasn't a hard thing to say look, I really put a lot on the line when I decided to on the January 6 Committee. I'll do it at this because this is truly the most important election of my lifetime. And I want, like I said, my kid, Christian, to be raised in a country where decency in the greatest office in the land is still something that people look up on and not have a president that continues to punch down because he's such a whiney, weak victim that he's scared to death anybody that says anything mean about him, like Donald Trump does.

BOLDUAN: Would you -- could -- would you frame it that you're voting -- are you voting more for Joe Biden or more against Donald Trump? Which framing is it?

KINZINGER: I think it's actually a little more for Joe Biden. Because the difference here -- now, granted, if it was somebody else running, who knows -- you know, in the GOP?

BOLDUAN: Right.

KINZINGER: But Donald Trump is the face of -- he is the head of the Republican Party. Obviously, I don't like anything he's about. I don't like -- but Joe Biden has shown himself to be a decent man even when we disagree on issues.

And this is a tough thing in America. We've gotten into this box in the last couple of decades where we feel like it's all about -- we have to line up with one party 100 percent or another. No. This is about decency versus a man who is all about himself and doesn't care about you, truly.

And so I think it's a little more for Joe Biden than it is against Donald Trump. BOLDUAN: You know all of this. We've talked about it over the time. But looking back at some of the things that have been said about you by elected Republicans, including Donald Trump, over time -- you know, calling you a sick Republican, a horrible RINO. Andy Biggs calling you a spy for the Democrats --

KINZINGER: (Laughing).

BOLDUAN: -- at one point. And so on and so forth.

Your -- I make that point because your endorsement is not likely to win over people like that.

KINZINGER: Right.

BOLDUAN: If it -- you're reaching out to the Haley voter, if you will. The Biden campaign has been making that play as well, very clearly, and putting money to ads to that.

If it doesn't work -- if your endorsement and what you do from here on out until November doesn't make a difference, what does that say?

KINZINGER: I don't -- you know, look, I -- for me, personally, it's just about doing the right thing, so I hope it makes a difference. If it doesn't, oh well. I can look at myself in the mirror.

But I think for Republicans -- look, this is a big question. That 20 percent -- again, we'll just call them the Haley voters -- do they -- do they put the country and decency, and strength in foreign policy -- Donald Trump spent his time literally surrendering to every opposition of the United States -- to Vladimir Putin, giving him everything he wanted. Do we stand for that kind of strength or not?

And I think if nothing happens here -- if there's no change -- if no Republican votes for Joe Biden, which I don't see that happening, by the way -- I think many will -- it goes to show that we are in such a tribalistic moment that even decency can't beat out a man who only cares about himself.

And that man who cares about himself is, by the way, again, the most complain nous, bellyaching-ist. He was President of the United States for four years, the most powerful man in the world, and yet he's the victim of every plot everywhere. Everybody's out to get him. He can't defend himself.

I think there's a lot of Republicans that when they realize it don't want to follow a man who is a constant victim, a complainer, and as weak as Donald Trump really is.

BOLDUAN: Well, one man who is not -- has not been afraid to take a stand for quite sometime and is doing so again today is Adam Kinzinger. Thanks for coming on. Talk to you soon.

KINZINGER: Of course -- you bet.

BOLDUAN: And a reminder to all -- Adam Kinzinger will be watching right along with us as well -- the first presidential debate of the 2024 election, moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, airing live tomorrow right here on CNN at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN and Max -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. This morning, the CDC is warning doctors and the public to be on alert for new cases of dengue. The viral infection is spread by mosquitoes is surging -- cases are surging around the world.

CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us now. I have to say, my family has little experience with this, Jacqueline. Dengue seems to be on the move. What's the latest?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: It does seem to be on the move, John. And the latest is the CDC is warning because we're seeing this high global incidence of dengue that doctors need to be on high alert for this.

[07:45:05]

Here in the Americas -- in countries in the Americas, John, so far this year, in the year 2024, countries have reported more than 9.7 million cases. We're just in the middle of the year 2024 and we're already at 9.7 million. That number is twice as many number of cases as we saw last year in 2023 when in all of 2023, we saw a total 4.6 million cases.

And John, here in the United States, Puerto Rico already has issued a public health emergency because of dengue. In Puerto Rico, more than 1,000 cases have been reported.

And the CDC is also warning that we're seeing an unusually high number of cases among U.S. travelers, John. So far this year, 745 cases have been reported among travelers. So that's the situation that we're looking at.

And dengue itself -- like you said, John, it is spread through mosquitoes. So to reduce your risk you want to prevent mosquito bites. Try to wear repellant. Try to wear loose-fitting clothing when outdoors. Make sure your windows have screens on them so mosquitoes cannot fly indoors.

And the symptoms of this infection include aches and pain. It's a very painful infection. Some people experience aching behind the eyes. You may experience nausea, vomiting, or a rash. So if you do have any of these symptoms, definitely call our doctor, especially at a time like this, John, when we are seeing an unusually high number of cases.

BERMAN: And push your doctors to test for it. That's the thing. A lot of doctors in the continental United States don't know --

HOWARD: Yes.

BERMAN: -- how to deal with it or don't believe it's here. If you feel these things, push them.

HOWARD: Exactly.

BERMAN: Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for being with us.

All right. We are seeing levees failing and dams at total risk of collapse. New developments in deadly flooding overnight.

And American journalist Evan Gershkovich back inside a Russian courtroom and now looking different. You can see he has a shaved head now. The new outrage from U.S. officials as his so-called trial begins.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:50:30]

SIDNER: It's hot and ice cream can certainly hit the spot, but a warning for you this morning. Some of the most popular brands of ice cream are being recalled for possible listeria contamination. Totally Cool, Inc., which makes more than a dozen ice cream brands like Friendly's, and Chipwich, and Hershey's, announced the recall this week. No illnesses are reported so fall but -- far, but listeria can be very serious or even deadly in people who are pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised.

Now, Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps blasting the World Anti- Doping Association. He told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the agency's failures to enforce rules consistently is sending a message that athletes who engage in doping will not face consequences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL PHELPS, 23-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: We need to hold them responsible. As athletes, our fate can no longer be blindly placed in the world of the Anti-Doping Agency, an organization that continues to prove that it is either incapable or unwilling to enforce its policies consistently around the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Phelps' testimony follows allegations that top Chinese swimmers who won medals at the 2021 Olympics had tested positive before those games for a banned performance enhancing drug. Phelps said if this continues the Olympics could end up in peril.

And in central Oregon, a fast-growing wildfire -- look at those pictures -- forcing residents to evacuate there. Firefighters battling the Darlene 3 Fire, as they're calling it, tripled in size overnight. It has charred 1,700 acres so far and is zero percent contained. Several thousand people are also without power because of it -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: And more horrible weather. We have a new look this morning at the catastrophic flooding that's still hammering the Midwest. Right now, more than 20 river gauges are in major flood stage.

In Iowa, a levee failed, prompting evacuation orders for people in communities along the Little Sioux River. There's a lot going on still and it's kind of been relentless.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is tracking all of this for us. It's still bad out there, Allison.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And there's more rain on the way, which is the last thing a lot of these areas want to hear. Yes, when you look at the video like you can see behind me -- of all of that water -- the thing is where can it go? Even if it stops raining short term it's going to take a long time for that water to recede.

And you've still got a lot of the creeks, rivers, and streams that are well above where they normally would be -- 21 at major flood stage, 24 at moderate, and over 60 in minor flood stage.

Now, the thing is we're going to start to see some improvements in some areas and then gradual increases in others. You've still got flood warnings but notice most of them really are lined up exactly with where those rivers, creeks, and streams are.

The worst of the problem off to the north. These are the areas where over the next couple of days we should start to gradually see some improvement. But all of that water is going to continue to flow southward and that means that a lot of these other river gauges on the south side -- the closer you get to St. Louis -- are actually going to start to see numbers ticking back up.

Take, for example, the Mississippi River at St. Paul. Still rising and not really expected to crest or peak until we get to this weekend. Then we'll start to see things finally start to come back down.

Now, getting some relief because that cold front finally starting to exit and slide a little bit farther south and to the east, allowing a lot of these areas to dry out in the short term.

Now, severe thunderstorms expected today across the Northeast and even into the Central U.S. But a lot of those other areas get more rain coming back into the forecast late Thursday and into Friday.

BOLDUAN: Allison, thank you very much -- John.

BERMAN: All right. New this morning, there was no evidence. The message from U.S. officials in Moscow as the so-called espionage trial for detained U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich began overnight. The State Department says The Wall Street Journal reporter has been wrongfully detained for more than a year.

You can see right here he appeared in court with a nearly totally shaved head, or at least much shorter hair.

The trial is now expected to last months.

CNN's Hadas Gold is here with the latest -- Hadas.

HADAS GOLD, CNN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, John. This trial is considered a state secret and that's why it's being held behind closed doors. And as you noted, no evidence has been presented yet.

Not only will the trial be behind closed doors but also, Evan will not have any of his family, he'll not have any of his friends, no embassy staff from the United States will be permitted to be in this trial. And he faces some 20 years of potential prison if he is found guilty of these -- what are really trumped-up charges of espionage.

Now, we did see him today. He has a shaved head. That's typical of Russian prisoners. He's actually been moved from Moscow to the city where he was originally arrested to face trial.

[07:55:07]

The Russians accuse him, so far without showing us any evidence -- that saying that he was committing espionage -- collecting information for the CIA on what they say was a military factory. Now, Evan, his family, The Wall Street Journal, and the U.S. government all say that these are absurd charges and that he was a journalist doing his job. The U.S. government has accused the Russians of engaging in hostage diplomacy, they say -- essentially saying that they arrested Evan in order to use him later for prisoner swaps of some kind. T

The Wall Street Journal has been very forceful about Evan's detainment, issuing daily updates every day of the more than 15 months that he has been in prison. Pretrial, he's been in prison for more than 15 months -- counting the days that he has been wrongfully imprisoned.

They say in a statement -- they say in a statement, "To even call it a trial is unfair." They say this trial will be held in secret. They say, "No evidence has been unveiled. And we already know the conclusion: This bogus accusation of espionage will inevitably lead to a bogus conviction for an innocent man who would then face up to 20 years in prison for simply doing his job." John.

BERMAN: Fifteen months. And again, to call this a trial is misleading. This is a show, and a bogus show, as you said.

Hadas Gold, thanks so much for being with us -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. To continue the conversation and talk more about this we have Jason Rezaian, an opinion columnist for The Washington Post who was imprisoned himself in Iran for espionage while he was simply being a journalist there. Jason, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

We just heard from Hadas Gold that -- you know, what this is going to look like -- closed-door. Nobody from the embassy. No family. Nobody there, sort of, with him that he knows and loves as this is all going down.

Now that the trial is underway in Russia, do you have any doubt about what this verdict will be?

JASON REZAIAN, OPINION COLUMIST, THE WASHINGTON POST (via Webex by Cisco): Sara, so many of the descriptors of the process that Evan is being subjected to and has been subjected to for the last 15 months sound exactly the same as what I went through. If you just sub out the name Jason for Evan and Iran for Russia, it's almost verbatim what Iran was saying about me.

So, yeah, I think that the verdict is a foregone conclusion and I would urge people to focus their attention on the abuse of power and really, the miscarriage of justice that this entire ordeal has been to Evan, to his family, to The Wall Street Journal, to journalists, and to freedom-loving people everywhere.

SIDNER: Yeah, to journalists everywhere it is a terrifying prospect that he was doing his job there and then suddenly is accused of espionage and is on trial for potentially going to prison for 20 years.

I am curious your thoughts on whether you think a prisoner swap at the end of this is the only change that Evan has to get out of prison.

REZAIAN: I think in the -- in the current state of relations between the U.S. and Russia and the reality that a growing number of authoritarian states, whether it be Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, and handful of others have been relying on this method of taking U.S., or British, or Canadian citizens hostage and leveraging them against our governments.

I do think that a prisoner swap is the likely outcome of this situation. And I urge the U.S. government to do whatever they can to bring Evan, and fellow American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva who has been in prison for several months now, and Paul Whelan, an American, former military serviceperson who has been held for five years.

SIDNER: I do want to ask you as we look at these pictures of Evan in that glass box -- you know, he's shaven, as they do in Russia with suspects. I want to ask you your experience and to give us some understanding of what Evan is going through. Because you said if you just swap out the names and the countries, very similar treatment.

What was the hardest part for you to get through, and what would he be struggling with -- so many things now?

REZAIAN: For me, Sara, the hardest part was the not knowing how long this could go on. And also, having been a journalist for many years, as Evan has been, not having the ability to defend myself. Having my public voice stripped from me -- something that I relied on and used in my work every day and that Evan used every day, and now becomes the subject of a story and unable to influence really in any particular way how that story is written.