Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Biden Tells Democratic Governors He Needs More Sleep, Plans To Stop Scheduling Events After 8PM; Netanyahu Authorizes Detailed Talks With Hamas; New Lawsuit Accuses Sean "Diddy" Combs Of Sex Trafficking; REO Speedwagon Ready For 4th Of July Show Tonight. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired July 04, 2024 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

TIA MITCHELL, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTIC JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: And I think that they want to -- because even Clyburn, initially, he said, you know, I'm with Kamala, but he expressed an openness to a more open type of mini primary.

I think they want to try to do both. I think most Democrats will say privately, it's probably going to be Kamala if there is a change. It would be hard for it to be someone else.

But they want to give some sense of allowing other people to throw their hat in the ring so they're not just creating an heir apparent.

But that, again, is a fine line because they also don't want to look like they're trying to cast Kamala Harris aside or have someone leapfrog over her because that would likely also be problematic.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Ron, one of the conditions that we are reporting shows Biden said to a confidant would make him consider stepping aside was if polls we're tanking, also if donor support was tanking and the interviews are going poorly.

But when you talk to pollsters, I just -- I wonder what you're hearing. Because he -- it's only a few months until the election, last time until people actually start casting ballots.

There's a lot of time for polls to move, but there isn't actually that much time for Biden to make a decision.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Right. So when Donald Trump said, "I could shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and not lose any support," he wasn't really only talking about himself. He was talking about the modern era of American politics.

It really isn't possible anymore for the floor to fall out under a candidate. We're too polarized. We're too dug in. Negative partisanship locks in too many people. There are too many people who don't want Donald Trump to be president but the floor to completely fall out under Joe Biden.

But as I said, going into this debate, he was the one who was trailing. If you look at the Electoral College, the two southeast swing states of North Carolina and Georgia look almost completely out of reach.

The two southwest swing states of Arizona and Nevada, not quite as bad, but close to being that bad for Biden.

And I think most Democrats understand that the only realistic path at this point for him to get to 270 again would be to sweep Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, three of the states that we're in what I call the Blue Wall.

And I have seen post-debate polling in all three of those states that have Biden down six to seven points. States that, in all likelihood, Brianna, he has to sweep.

Now, you could say, OK, well, that is kind of an inflated number because we're still in the immediate blast radius of the debate. But even if some of that rolls back, we're still talking about deficits of three, four and five points.

With the question of, where does he go to get those extra votes, given the numbers I mentioned to you before, among people voting for third parties or people who haven't voted in 2020.

And 85 percent of them are saying he's too old for the job, 70 percent or so are saying they disapprove of his job performance, his policies have left the country worse off.

It may be a raw deal for Biden, but among political professionals in the Democratic Party, there is enormous skepticism that this is something that can be recovered from.

A lot of doubt about Harris, whether she would be better, but at least that would be shaking up the deck, in the view of many of them, rather than sticking with what looks like now, a hand that has almost no chance of winning.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Ron Brownstein, Tia Mitchell, we have to leave the conversation there. I appreciate you both.

[14:33:32]

Up next, Israel and Hamas entering a new phase of negotiations that, if successful, could result in a hostage and ceasefire deal within a matter of weeks. The latest from Israel, after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:38:09]

KEILAR: New today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed off on his negotiators entering detailed talks with Hamas to try to broker a hostage and ceasefire deal.

This is a move that follows months of intense pressure. And it's coming on the heels of an updated response from Hamas to an Israeli proposal.

More than 100 hostages remain in Gaza and that includes Americans. And right now, it's unclear how many are still alive.

CNN international correspondent, Jeremy Diamond, is in Jerusalem for us on this.

Jeremy, is this deal getting any closer?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly seems to be, Brianna. And what we are witnessing right now is the most progress that these negotiations have made in months.

We are not yet there in terms of a final deal, but we are entering a new phase of negotiations where Israel and Hamas, they simply have not been at this stage before.

And that is to say that over the last several months, what we have witnessed is Israel and Hamas working to negotiate a framework agreement, effectively, the broad strokes of a potential deal.

They have been leaving the details to the side while they work on that. And now, today, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreeing to send his Mossad director, David Barnea, the head of his negotiating team, to engage in those detailed negotiations for the first time with Hamas.

And that is certainly a significant indication of progress. Now, and several important caveats apply here.

While we could see a deal actually come together over the course of the next several weeks, I'm told that those detailed negotiations will last two to three weeks, but the outcome is far but assured.

A lot of these details that have to be negotiated include the exact number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, the identities and the severity of the charges facing some of those prisoners. For example, the sequencing of how this is all going to happen.

[14:40:02]

But it does come as there has been major progress over some of the key sticking points after the United States submitted new language related to the scope and the sequencing of the negotiations during the first phase of a ceasefire deal in order to get to a second one.

And today, the Israeli prime minister and U.S. President Joe Biden speaking over the phone about this important progress.

And what we heard from the White House after this call was very notable, framing Netanyahu's decision to send his delegation to further detailed negotiations as a, quote, "effort to close out the deal."

And I think that right there says it all. We are now at the point where these two parties, after months and months of start-and-stop negotiations, are now going to try and close out the deal.

Whether or not they can do so remains to be seen -- Brianna? KEILAR: All right. We'll be watching.

Jeremy Diamond, live for us from Israel, thank you.

Next, more disturbing allegations against Sean "Diddy" Combs as a new accuser comes forward with sex trafficking and sex assault allegations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:45:38]

SANCHEZ: Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing yet another lawsuit, this time a woman who says that she worked for him, is claiming that she was forced to engage in prostitution and sex work.

This marks the ninth lawsuit against Diddy since November. He's been directly accused of sexual assault in eight of those lawsuits.

CNN entertainment reporter, Lisa Respers France has more.

So, Lisa, what is this latest accuser alleging?

LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: This latest accuser is alleging sex trafficking, being forced into prostitution. It's really, really bad. And as you point out, this is the ninth lawsuit since November.

Let me read a little bit from her suit, which encapsulates what Adria English is alleging that Diddy did.

She says, "The plaintiff agreed to" -- what the suit says. "The plaintiff agree to what she believed to be legitimate employment with defendant Combs and BBE as entertainment at the 'White Parties' in The Hamptons, New York, and Miami, Florida, from 2004 to 2009.

"Plaintiff did not agree to a lifetime of aftermath of being used as a sexual pawn for the pleasure and financial benefit of others."

So what she's alleging here is that Diddy was using her to have sex with influential people. And one of the reasons why people are so interested in this particular suit is because those "white parties" that didn't use to throw, from 1990 to 2009, we're a huge deal.

I mean, the most coveted invitation you could get. And it include people -- included people from the entertainment industry, from the financial world. I mean, huge names, who's who in entertainment, pop culture, Wall Street.

And so people are really wondering, if this goes to court, who we might see as potential witnesses.

Naturally, Diddy's people are pushing back. We have the statement from the attorney, who says that, "We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason and without any proof. No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won't change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone."

And unfortunately, Boris, with so many lawsuits, you know, being piled up against him and our own reporting, where we broke the video of him assaulting Cassie Ventura, and she was the first lawsuit, his former girlfriend.

People are not thinking that they can really trust anything that comes out of Diddy's camp.

SANCHEZ: Lisa Respers France, thanks so much for that update. Appreciate it.

Stay with CNN NEWS CENTRAL. We're back in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:51:56]

KEILAR: CNN's "THE FOURTH IN AMERICA" is back with an all-star lineup. Tonight, you will see performances from artists like B.B. Wrexham, Keith Urban, T-Pain and REO Speedwagon.

Joining me now is the front man of REO Speedwagon, Kevin Cronin, and Sarah Pancheri, the president and CEO of the Milwaukee World Festival.

Thank you, guys, so much for being with us.

And, Kevin, you're in the band. You're there. You're in Wisconsin. You're playing for Summerfest once again. How does it feel to be back again?

KEVIN CRONIN, FRONTMAN, REO SPEEDWAGON: Well, Summerfest is our home in Wisconsin. We have been -- we have played Summerfest so many times. It's always packed. The place is wild.

You know, REO Speedwagon made its name here in Wisconsin. And I'm married to a Wisconsin girl, so I'm --

(LAUGHTER)

CRONIN: I'm feeling good.

KEILAR: Yes. You're fully committed there.

Rich legacy at Summerfest --

CRONIN: Oh, yes.

KEILAR: -- like you said.

Tell us about how the energy is. And what are the songs that the fans are really reacting to?

CRONIN: Well, the energy Summerfest is always amazing. It's the biggest music festival in the world. And there's just bands everywhere. There's food and drink and people are partying. It's just an awesome time.

And on Fourth of July, you put Fourth of July in the picture and it's just it's -- it's crazy here.

So we're going to be playing all the hits that the people are expecting. We have a -- there's a group of songs that, if we don't play them tonight, we will be faced with an angry mob on the tour bus after the show.

So we know what we've got to do. And we're here to deliver. And we love playing Summerfest. We love the people Wisconsin, with the people of Milwaukee.

And yes. And Fourth of July, come on, man, it's time from the party.

KEILAR: Yes. it's so awesome.

You've got to give them what they want. We do not want a riot on her hands here.

And, Sarah, I know. Kevin says yes --

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: But Speedwagon is a crowd favorite. How special is it having the band back for the festival's 56th year and also having their performance here on CNN?

SARAH PANCHERI, PRESIDENT & CEO, MILWAUKEE WORLD FESTIVAL: Well, you know, we just -- we love having REO. As Kevin said, it is always a great night. Lots of fun. Lots of partying. But also a rich, rich legacy.

I think it's 12 or 13 times that REO has played. And so we just love having them. And it's really, really special for us to have these bands that are just classic anthem bands that come back and help us celebrate the Fourth of July.

KEILAR: And of course, the gorgeous --

(CROSSTALK)

CRONIN: I mean, we're the house band of summer.

(CROSSTALK)

PANCHERI: Yes, and we love it.

(LAUGHTER)

PANCHERI: We welcome you anytime. You know, we -- you know, we -- we tried to offer a red carpet. You know, a Wisconsin --

(CROSSTALK) CRONIN: Oh, yes.

PANCHERI: I don't know why --

(CROSSTALK)

PANCHERI: -- when you see --

(CROSSTALK)

CRONIN: I do.

PANCHERI: But lots of rich legacy. And we're really -- we're fortunate to have our great Milwaukee fans at Summerfest who come out and support bands like (INAUDIBLE) again.

KEILAR: Kevin, before we let you get ready for your upcoming performance, I know that the band is co-headlining a national tour with Train this summer. So tell us what fans can expect to see?

[14:55:00]

CRONIN: Well, I'll tell you what, I'm really looking forward to this. You know, the guys in Train and the guys in REO have bonded. We actually played a promotional gig at the Whiskey in Los Angeles, which was a riot.

And we've done a number of promotional things together. And Patrick Monahan and I, we met at a charity event for the -- for Sammy Hagar's Acoustic for a Cure.

And so Sammy kind of brought the two of us together and we just kind of bonded immediately.

Patrick is one of the great singers of all time. And it's going to be a ton of fun and I'm really looking forward to it.

KEILAR: Yes, what a great double-header. And we cannot wait for your performance.

Kevin, thank you so much.

Sarah, thank you so much to you as well.

PANCHERI: Thank you.

CRONIN: Thank you.

KEILAR: And join us to see star-studded performances and live firework shows from across the country. CNN's "THE FOURTH AND AMERICA" airs tonight, 7:00 p.m. Eastern to 1:00 a.m. Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)