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Senators Chase And Confront Secret Service Director At RNC; COVID Forces Biden Off Campaign Trail At Critical Moment; Vance Formally Accepts GOP Vice Presidential Nomination. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired July 18, 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]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: The confrontation you saw there between GOP senators and the head of the Secret Service on the floor of the Republican Convention. The senators absolutely furious after they were briefed that the shooter had been identified as suspicious a full 19 minutes before he tried to assassinate Donald Trump. The lawmakers demanding to know why the Secret Service still allowed the former president to take the stage at his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R-WY): We have questions that we wanted to ask you, but we didn't get any of the responses that were necessary from you. I'm very disappointed in your leadership. We have called, I have called, for your resignation, and either resign tonight or start answering our questions right now.

SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN): Can you give us an explanation? Why would anyone allow the president to go on stage when you know that you've got a potential threat and you've got snipers that are trained. Why?

KIMBERLY CHEATLE, DIRECTOR, SECRET SERVICE: I don't think that this is the forum to have this discussion.

BLACKBURN: Oh, yes, it is (PH).

BARRASSO: Well, you hung up on us!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Wow.

And we're learning new details about what the gunman was doing in the days and hours leading up to his attempt to assassinate Donald Trump.

CNN's Danny Freeman is in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania near the shooter's home. What can you tell us about this investigation and what is happening at this hour?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, frankly, as you alluded to, we have learned quite a bit more information in the past 24 hours thanks to that briefing provided to lawmakers and thanks to a new statement by Butler Township, and, of course, thanks to new video obtained by CNN.

So I want to talk about some of that video first. Let's take a look at this video obtained by CNN affiliate WTAE in Pittsburgh. It shows -- if you can see on your screens right now -- a person wearing clothing resembling Thomas Matthew Crooks in front of that building complex where he would ultimately perch on top of one of the buildings and fire at former President Trump. And this video was taken about an hour before the shooting, so clearly, one crucial part of this investigation moving forward.

Plus, we also have new dramatic video that was obtained by CNN showing law enforcement officials actually ramming fencing with one of their vehicles in order to gain access to the outer perimeter where the shooter was taking shots at the former president. This video coming just after that shooting took place.

Now, Sara, this all comes as we're getting more information about the larger investigation as well. Law enforcement sources telling CNN that there were pictures on the shooter's phone of both President Biden and President Trump. But law enforcement sources also noted that there were other political figures on his phone as well, including pictures of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Mike Johnson. But no threatening language accompanying any of those photos.

The other thing that was a piece of new information is that Crooks apparently has searched for information on major depression disorder. But still, law enforcement officials say that there's no evidence that he, himself, had any diagnosis.

And the last thing, Sara, that I'll note is from the House briefing, law -- I should say legislative sources were telling us that the shooter actually visited that rally site twice before the shooting, and cell phone data shows that he was at that rally site at least 70 minutes prior to the shooting -- Sara.

SIDNER: Those details disturbing to anyone who saw what happened -- the death of one of the rallygoers, injuries, and he almost shot and killed Donald Trump.

Thank you so much. Danny Freeman there live for us from Pennsylvania.

I'm going to throw it back to you, Kate, in Milwaukee.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah. I mean, as we learn more about that very scary situation against Donald Trump, we also have new details today about a man now charged with threatening to kill President Joe Biden.

And also this. A boy's grandfather had a medical emergency, going unconscious while driving 70 miles an hour. And then, this 11-year-old jumps into action. How he saved their lives.

(COMMERCIAL) [07:33:03]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, a Florida man accused of threatening to kill President Biden has made his first appearance in court. Police say the threat came to light when the 39-year-old was being checked into a mental health center.

CNN's Katelyn Polantz is with us. What's the latest here, Katelyn?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, John, this man, Jason Patrick Alday, from the Florida Panhandle -- he's 39 years old. And he is arrested and detained now because of alleged threats he was making both toward federal officers -- Secret Service agents -- as well as toward Joe Biden.

All of this started a few weeks ago whenever he checked into a mental health facility in Tallahassee and said, at that time, "I don't like President Biden. I want to kill him -- slit his throat." The people at that facility called the Secret Service. And so then, they found the guy and they sat down and they interviewed him at the beginning of July at his parents' home.

And then, just a few days later, last week, the Secret Service found tweets that he had been posting. Racist, threatening messages about the agent that interviewed him. And then, more specifically, additional threats against Joe Biden -- one of them reading, "Sources: Joe Biden's health is declining rapidly. Not doing too good at all. Should I finish him off?"

From there, that's when the Secret Service and the Justice Department went to court and they did bring three different charges against him for these sorts of threats.

And, you know, John, one of these things is it did begin this investigation before the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, but that is something that is very top of mind for the Secret Service right now.

BERMAN: Absolutely. It obviously takes on a new meaning now.

Katelyn Polantz, thank you so much -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Forced off the campaign trail this morning, President Biden is isolating at his home in Delaware after testing positive for COVID. And the timing really couldn't be worse for his campaign. He's facing growing calls now from top Democrats to step aside, including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer -- a decision that he would have to reevaluate in the event of medical condition.

[07:40:05]

Sources say his symptoms are mild, though. And Biden posted, himself, on social media that's he's feeling good.

With me now is CNN's Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, it's always great to see you this morning -- DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

SIDNER: -- and any morning.

Biden, 81 years old. How does having COVID at that age impact someone? Is it different than if you're a younger person, for example?

GUPTA: Yeah, I think that's fair to say, Sara. I mean, we've known since the beginning -- excuse me -- that older people are going to be at greater risk of getting sicker. But at the same time, we're in a totally different place with COVID than we were a few years ago.

There are a lot of favorable indicators for the president as well. He did have symptoms. So he had this non-productive cough. He was feeling just generally tired -- general malaise. And that could be one of the symptoms that people have -- runny nose, and things like that. He did not have a fever. Had normal oxygenation as well. So those are favorable indicators.

So he's vaccinated, he's boosted. He also had COVID back in 2022, so he has a lot of protection.

One of the big questions we get -- and people ask because the guidelines have changed so many times in terms of what you do if you do get COVID. I just want to put them up on the screen here. It's interesting because now you really have to watch for symptoms more than anything else. You stay home. You stay away from other people until you are fever-free, off of any medications for 24 hours, and that your symptoms are getting better.

And then, after you come out of the isolation, which we don't know how long that lasts. He could be feeling better today or tomorrow. Once you come out, you're supposed to wear a mask for five days. That's the sort of guidance right now from the CDC.

One thing I will point out -- something to watch out for. He's taking this medication Paxlovid, and a percentage of people -- they do have what's called the rebound. Back in 2022, President Biden had COVID. He took the Paxlovid and he did get a rebound. So he tested positive and then for several days he tested negative. And then, a few -- a day later, he tested positive again.

So just something to keep in the back of the mind as well. They're going to be watching out for that, I'm sure -- the president's doctors.

SIDNER: You know, a lot of us think, like, the pandemic -- finally, it's over. It's 2024. But there's still COVID and it's going to be around, as you had mentioned when it first came into existence in our country.

What's the status of COVID right now?

GUPTA: Yeah. I mean, look, this is something that's here, right? I think people thought this was going to come and it's going to go. It's here, just like we probably think of flu. I mean, the flu virus that exists today probably is a descendant from the 1918 flu -- you know, more than 100 years ago.

But take a look at the map, Sara, to your question. Most of the country is seeing upticks in COVID right now. It's a little bit hard to tell. We don't have the same surveillance that we did even a year ago, let alone two years ago. But you can see the dark color there of where it's growing -- 45 states. In many of those states you see infections growing, but in the West and in the South, you're also an increase in E.R. visits and hospitalizations.

I will say this. It's -- those numbers are coming off very low numbers. In May, we had some of the lowest numbers we've had in four years. They were similar to sort of the spring of 2020 before this really started. So we've really got to see what happens.

But people typically think of fall and winter being the sort of respiratory virus. With COVID, it's sort of -- it's sporadic. You can get these summertime surges as well, which is what I think we're seeing right now.

SIDNER: Wow. I just learned something new, as always.

Thank you, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. I appreciate your time this morning.

GUPTA: You got it. Thank you.

SIDNER: Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right. And joining us right now is David Polyansky. He's a Republican strategist and former deputy campaign manager for Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign. And also back with us, S.E. Cupp, CNN political commentator and host of "Battleground."

First, a quick conversation with the control room. Let me know when David's mic is now fixed so we can get -- so we can bring David in. You get to be a silent participant for one second.

DAVID POLYANSKY, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST, FORMER DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER, DESANTIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: I appreciate it.

BOLDUAN: Exactly. Just the way we like you, David.

S.E., from a Republican -- from the GOP perspective, Biden and COVID -- beyond a medical diagnosis, how does the timing of this --

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, HOST, "BATTLEGROUND": Um-hum.

BOLDUAN: -- impact what has already been an extremely tough go for Biden right now?

CUPP: Yeah. Well, I talked earlier about the -- what I'm calling the 'Trump Trifecta' and it's this momentum that has been a one-two-three punch. He got momentum after that bad debate performance. He got momentum after that assassination attempt. He will get momentum after this RNC. And unfortunately, this COVID diagnosis comes at a time when Biden's

campaign is experiencing the opposite of momentum. It's experiencing inertia. And getting COVID and having to leave the campaign trail right now is really sort of a double hit into inertia, or maybe even worse -- momentum in the opposite direction.

[07:45:08]

And so, I mean --

BOLDUAN: Um-hum.

CUPP: -- this is sort of the last thing that the campaign needed. On the other hand, it could also be an opportunity, Kate, for some real world reality checks for the Biden campaign. And maybe it's time -- maybe it's time to step aside.

BOLDUAN: Maybe the pause button really has a real --

What do you -- what you think the impact is? I mean, it's been -- if you compare, like, the last couple of weeks for Donald Trump and Joe Biden, it's -- the series of events are wild how it's going in terms of -- I mean, horrifying in some respects, of course, when we're talking about an assassination attempt, but just where the momentum is right now.

And then -- I mean, a lot of people are like not on my bingo card with now, Joe Biden getting COVID, and hope he gets well.

But the impact, do you think, in this moment on the race?

POLYANSKY: I mean, look, three weeks ago, nobody would have believed that we're going to sit here today and likely see the incumbent sitting President of the United States step down as their nominee 110 days out from the election. I mean, it's unprecedented not just from a historical perspective but I think if we were writing a political thriller nobody would buy this book. It just is unbelievable.

So I don't even think it's momentum. I think at this point, Democrats see it as viability. Can he win? I think they've come to the conclusion Joe Biden can't. The question is can Kamala Harris or anybody else in their -- on their bench take a shot at it? And to be honest, 110 days out, I wouldn't -- especially coming off the heels of what -- the terrible events of this past weekend and what we're seeing here this week in terms a unified GOP and, frankly, voters who buy this messaging, that's a tough place to step in for anyone.

BOLDUAN: So let's talk about tonight. Let's talk about last night. Tonight, we're waiting to see what unity means for Donald Trump now, and we'll wait to see what he says.

But, S.E., there's also last night -- J.D. Vance. He leans really heavily on his lived experience. He repeatedly, also in his message -- obviously, it's been described as economic populism -- he really hit the ruling class we heard over and over again, trashing free trade. He went after Wall Street, calling Wall Street barons -- saying they

crashed the economy. He went after big corporations. He spoke up for the working man.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), U.S. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ...things did not work out well for a lot of kids I grew up with. Every now and then, I will get a call from a relative back home who asks, did you know so and so? And I will remember a face from years ago and then I'll hear they died of an overdose. As always, America's ruling class wrote the checks. Communities like mine paid the price.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: A lot of people said in hearing J.D. Vance's message, S.E., it sounded like a speech that Bernie Sanders would be giving. I mean, what does that mean for the Republican Party?

CUPP: This is red meat for the Republican Party. It's a little -- it's a little rich -- this Ivy ticket, right? This ticket of do Ivy League-educated, ruling class -- ruling class candidates. I mean, he's a -- he's a tech bro, right? Railing against the ruling class is a little rich.

But this is a message that works for Republicans in that room, and Republican voters all over the country, and that's why he's there. He's there to speak specifically to Rust Belt Midwestern, blue-collar voters who Democrats have left behind in their minds. And that will work.

The question is will that message work outside of that room with Independents in the swing states? That's the group that Donald Trump still needs to win. And are they into that message that's a little darker, a little bleaker than maybe they're up for? We'll see. We'll see how that hits for those Independents and moderates in swing states, but it absolutely works in the Republican Convention.

BOLDUAN: And, David, there was some real emotion in this room in the program last night. Everyone was noting the impact of the Gold Star families -- the families of the servicemembers who died at Abbey Gate during that Afghanistan withdrawal. And their stories and their emotion was heart-wrenching and they were -- it was -- it was brutal -- their assessment of President Biden.

Let me play just -- I mean, it -- just a touch because it was lengthy. Let me play a touch of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTY SHAMBLIN, GOLD STAR FAMILY MEMBER: While Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice, Donald Trump spent six hours in Bedminster with us.

CHERYL JUELS, AUNT OF LATE MARINE CORPS SGT. NICOLE GEE: Joe Biden said the withdrawal from Afghanistan was an extraordinary success.

(BOOING)

JUELS: Joe Biden may have forgotten that our children died, but we have not forgotten. Donald Trump has not forgotten.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:50:00]

BOLDUAN: Inside the room -- inside this hall -- I mean, the impact was evident. You could see people, I mean, breaking down in tears.

What is the impact of that outside of this room? I mean, when the conversation -- this is part of a conversation about a commander in chief but also a conversation about foreign policy. Also a conversation of how interact with military families. What do you see is the real impact?

POLYANSKY: Well look, I think it actually goes into J.D. Vance's message last night, which is people across the country, especially in places like the Rust Belt, have paid the price in terms of failures in Washington and politics in terms of the economy.

But it's also these young men and women who have lost their lives. Have served our country. Have paid both with their lives. The physical and mental impacts that come with going to war and traveling overseas in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. And in this case, years later, with the withdrawal.

And those families touched on not just the sacrifice and the failures of this administration to really recognize it, but especially in terms of those 13 young men and women who served our country so ably and with such incredible courage. It's lost on me how a president -- and I think most notably, a vice president -- would never utter their names publicly and acknowledge that sacrifice to the families and to the country.

BOLDUAN: There really are two things. I mean, it is just the pure pain that you could -- that you -- that -- the human element of what happened.

And also, then separate, but it was very intertwined last night was the policy of the -- what Donald Trump had put in place with the deal that he had struck. How Joe Biden did -- the manner that Joe Biden went about the withdrawal. Those are two separate things but the program last night -- it was all put together, and it's something that Democrats and the Biden team will need to respond to, for sure.

POLYANSKY: Absolutely.

BOLDUAN: It's good to see you, David. Thank you so much.

S.E., it's great to see you. Thank you -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. And now to the good stuff. A Georgia boy taking heroic steps to save his grandfather and himself in a dire emergency. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DRAKE LINN, HELPED SAVE GRANDFATHER: My papaw is a diabetic and panicking, and we're on the side of the road. I pulled him over. I'm with him now. I pulled him over on the side of the road. OK. Can you hear me?

DISPATCHER: Yeah, I can hear you.

LINN: OK. I pulled him over on the side of the road. We're at the sign. It says we're at Resaca-Lafayette and it's exit 320. We're right at exit 320.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: I mean, that child had his wits about him. His papaw, as he said, was having a diabetic seizure and he took to the wheel. The 11- year-old was in the car with his grandad. He had that diabetic episode. He passed out. And this 11-year-old just jumped in and said OK, I'm going to do this.

Now, the car was going 70 miles an hour and towing a boat behind it. And if you've ever driven a car with a boat being towed behind it, that is hard work to make sure that doesn't swerve all over the place. But quick thinking saved the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINN: All the stuff was going through my mind, like, what's going to happen. Are we going to get in a wreck or what? But it worked out perfectly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: He sounds like has an old soul. He sounds -- he sounds like he's a lot older than he is. He's only 11, guys.

The Gordon County sheriff later honored Drake with a Citizen's Service Award and some tickets to an Atlanta Braves game.

And we did reach out to the family to make sure that papaw is doing OK, John. He is doing just fine.

BERMAN: Oh, that's great. What presence of mind --

SIDNER: Amazing.

BERMAN: -- on him.

SIDNER: He knew the exit. He knew what was happening. He was very direct with the police.

BERMAN: And curiously, he knew how to drive several years before he's supposed to have a driver's license.

SIDNER: I'm not saying I knew how to drive at eight. I'm just saying that's cool.

BERMAN: We'll let this one fly. All right.

Why some say the Appalachia that J.D. Vance portrays in "Hillbilly Elegy" is not accurate or even his to claim.

(COMMERCIAL)

[07:57:06]

SIDNER: His memoir and the film that inspired back on the bestseller list and most-watched charts again this week. The country is snapping up J.D. Vance's autobiography, "Hillbilly Elegy" as they scramble to learn more about Trump's vice presidential pick.

And his wife introduced him at the RNC last night. The memoir took front stage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

USHA CHILUKURI VANCE, WIFE OF VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE J. D. VANCE: What could I say that hasn't already been said before? After all, the man was already the subject of a Ron Howard movie.

(LAUGHTER)

U. VANCE: J. D. has shared much of his life through his own eloquent words. In his book, "Hillbilly Elegy," during his Senate campaign, and now, as a sitting United States senator.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: All right. It's an emotional retelling of his often difficult upbringing split between Middletown, Ohio and Eastern Kentucky. But there are some folks in the region that says he's not truly from Appalachia and his characterization of it is actually hurting folks.

Joining is author Meredith McCarroll, who wrote the book "Unwhite: Appalachia, Race, and Film."

I do want to go to a clip of the film quickly here. This is "HILLBILLY ELEGY" based, of course, on his best-selling book, telling the story of his upbringing and a mother who was addicted to drugs, a child that was raised mostly by his grandmother, and the struggles of poverty in this country -- listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS, "HILLBILLY ELEGY": I thought your mama was going to be all right. Be happy. I know I coulda done better. But you -- you've got to decide if you want to be somebody or not.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SIDNER: Do you want to be somebody or not? He is now the vice presidential candidate. It is a real American story.

Did Vance's story resonate with you when you first heard it, saw the book, saw the movie?

MEREDITH MCCARROLL, AUTHOR, "UNWHITE: APPALACHIA, RACE, AND FILM" (via Webex by Cisco): Well, I first came to know about Vance because so many people told me that they had read the book, and, therefore, felt like they understood the place that I was from. I was living in Maine at the time that "Hillbilly Elegy" came out, though I'm from western North Carolina.

So when I first read the book, it was with a lot of curiosity. There were parts of it, certainly, that resonated. Mostly, I read as an empathetic reader and really understood, as any reader might, that his upbringing was difficult. And so, yes, I think that there were parts of the first part of the book -- the memoir part of the book -- the personal narrative part of the book that did resonate with me and a lot of readers.

SIDNER: What do you think was misrepresented about people who live in Appalachia when you sort of went through it? Because you said at the beginning of the book, it resonated. You -- it was his story. It was him telling it from a personal perspective. And it's very impactful to anyone who grew up with no means.

MCCARROLL: Sure. I think that what happened for me and for a lot of readers was this shift that happens from first-person singular where he's -- when he's telling the story.

[08:00:00]