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Gold Star Families Speak At RNC; COVID Forces Biden Off Campaign Trail; David Frum Is Interviewed About Biden And Politics. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired July 18, 2024 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:30:44]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: An emotional moment at the Republican Convention. Gold star families honored their loved ones who were killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal, and they placed the blame directly on President Biden.

CNN's Natasha Bertrand at the Pentagon with the latest on this.

Good morning, Natasha.

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

Yes, this was really highlighting one of the lowest and darkest moments of Joe Biden's presidency when a suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. service members, as well as 60 Afghans in a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate during that very chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. And some of the families of those service members did speak at the RNC last night and they say that they blame Joe Biden really for the deaths of their loved ones. Something, of course, that President Biden has repeatedly said was not the fault of his own. That, you know, the U.S. was basically forced to withdraw from Afghanistan because of a deal that President Trump had made during his administration with the Taliban.

But take a listen to what some of the families said just last night about how devastating they say this has been for them over the last few years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTY SHAMBLIN, MOTHER-IN-LAW OF LATE MARINE CORPS SGT. NICOLE GEE: 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.

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

HERMAN LOPEZ, FATHER OF LATE MARINE CORPS CORPORAL HUNTER LOPEZ: When Hunter and the other servicemembers' bodies were returned to the

U.S. in Dover, Delaware, Joe Biden met the plane. But he made the occasion more about his son lost to cancer than our sons and daughters lost on his watch.

Worse than that, he has never said their names out loud. And during -- and during last month's debate, he claimed no service members have died during his administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERTRAND: Now the National Security Council did release a statement saying, quote, "President Biden cares deeply about our service members, their families and the immense sacrifices they have made." And they noted the President Biden did attend that dignified transfer of those service members at Dover in 2021.

But look, this whole event last night was really an implicit rebuke to President Biden's repeated statements that President Trump does not respect U.S. service members, harkening back many times, as he has during the campaign, to those comments that Trump's former chief of staff said that he made about service members, that they were suckers and losers. Of course, something that President Trump has denied at many times.

John.

BERMAN: All right, Natasha Bertrand, at the Pentagon. Thanks, Natasha.

Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you so much, John.

Let's start right there.

Joining us right now is CNN political commentator, former communications director for Hillary Clinton, Karen Finney, and CNN's senior political commentator, and former special assistant to President George W. Bush, Scott Jennings is here with us.

That was heart-wrenching to listen to. In the hall, you could see people crying. Their stories, their pain, so real.

It was brutal what they said against - against Joe Biden. When - from the human level, the impact is the same in all this, it is absolutely horrible.

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely.

BOLDUAN: But the point of it being on the stage is that they want it to have a political impact as well.

What - as a Democrat, what is the political impact you see and how do Democrats counter it?

FINNEY: Look, I think many Democrats would acknowledge that the withdrawal from Afghanistan, while it was an important step, it was - it was messy. It was not appropriate. And, obviously, any loss of life is unacceptable. And certainly I think any - and how could you not hear their stories and not just be heartbroken? My heart breaks for them. And I, you know, if there's a way to rectify those - that situation, I hope the president takes it. I don't know what that would be at this moment because I'm not sure they would want it.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

FINNEY: But it was also, look, an important moment for the former - former President Trump, to be able to have the acknowledgement that they are supporting him. And that's what - honestly, that's what conventions are about, right? They're about telling the story about the individual, about what their platform stands for, about the issues. And so that was an opportunity, a very poignant opportunity, for them to do so.

[09:35:03]

BOLDUAN: Scott, you've seen it. You've been to a lot of conventions.

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.

BOLDUAN: You've been to a lot of Republican Conventions. What do you think of that moment and the impact would be?

JENNINGS: I have never seen something that devastating and impactful on a convention stage. It was - the atmosphere in this arena, people were emotional. I mean, angry, heartbroken for these families. And it was the most searing indictment of Joe Biden I could imagine. When this happened, by the way, in August of 2021, this - this was the original sin of Joe Biden's job approval dropping. When the Afghanistan withdrawal happened, he went under water and he's never come back.

And there's really two issues. There's the, you know, he failed as commander in chief on the withdrawal. But then he failed as commander in chief on the acknowledgment of these families. They don't remember them. They don't say their names. They haven't properly memorialize these soldiers. And I've not - I've not seen anything at a convention that will linger on the way that will over 25 years of going to these things.

BOLDUAN: Yes, it really was - it had - it had an impact and it - it really did.

I just had Democratic Senator Alex Padilla on. He is a - he is a supporter of Joe Bidens, of course, and he is still with Joe. Because I wanted to get his sense on the - what is also potentially really important reporting coming out about the private conversations that Nancy Pelosi has had with Joe Biden to say, she sees - to show him pulling that she says says shows he cannot win against Biden - against Donald Trump. Padilla said the following, "I just happen to disagree with it," when it comes to the assessment. "I'm not just looking at the numbers and looking at the polls. I'm talking to people as well."

Does it -

FINNEY: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Can these two things be true?

FINNEY: Yes, absolutely. And I think it's important, we've been talking a lot about the high-profile people who - who - boldface names who have voiced their opposition. But President Biden does have very strong support still within members of Congress. As we've been talking about, 20 members out of about 200. I can tell you that -

BOLDUAN: That have come out publicly.

FINNEY: Publicly. But that makes a big difference whether or not you're willing to say it publicly. And I can tell you that there's a letter that's going to be coming out today from a prominent group of African American women leaders. We saw the president at the NAACP this week at Unidos. So, there are groups who are trying to rally around the president and make their voices heard. And so I think we need to hear both of it.

Look, here's the other thing, and I've said this before. If the president makes the decision that he wants to get out, which I don't see that happening because he still has the delegates.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

FINNEY: Right. It's not - it's, you know, he - we need to give him the space to make that decision. And so I -

BOLDUAN: It seems like that's what Nancy Pelosi has been trying to do. And it's - and maybe this isn't the next - the next step in it. I don't know.

FINNEY: I don't either.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

FINNEY: I - so. I know Scott wants to get on.

BOLDUAN: No, I'm actually not going to let Scott get in on it because -

FINNEY: Yay.

BOLDUAN: Because of the breaking news that you have actually been waiting for -

FINNEY: Oh.

JENNINGS: Oh.

BOLDUAN: Yes, has been confirmed.

JENNINGS: Has it been confirmed?

BOLDUAN: It has been confirmed.

FINNEY: Oh, my God.

BOLDUAN: I will now read it. And I - I will fully acknowledge, I do not know why he is so excited, but I'm going to read it nonetheless.

FINNEY: Giddy.

BOLDUAN: Because I like you, sometimes.

FINNEY: Right.

BOLDUAN: Hulk Hogan -

JENNINGS: Oh.

BOLDUAN: According to Kristen Holmes, with single-source approval, Hulk Hogan will speak at the final - on the final night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee -

JENNINGS: Oh, my God.

BOLDUAN: According to a source familiar with the schedule.

Why is this making your mind explode?

JENNINGS: I'm just - well, first of all, it's my childhood hero.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

JENNINGS: Grew up watching Hulk Hogan. I think it's super awesome. I - I - I et -

FINNEY: He's so giddy. It's really funny to watch.

JENNINGS: And - and something about this convention, the Republicans have become the fun party. We had Amber Rose. We've got Hulk Hogan.

BOLDUAN: Karen's saying your definition of fun is slightly different than hers.

JENNINGS: We're the fun party now. And what you're gonna do, brother -

BOLDUAN: Oh, God.

JENNINGS: With the largest arms in the world. Encourage you to get your ballot in, in a timely fashion.

BOLDUAN: That's the point. What - what's - other than pain -

FINNEY: There's so much about that that is just -

BOLDUAN: Other than being super fun and a throwback, what's Hulk Hogan getting him?

JENNINGS: He's a superstar celebrity. BOLDUAN: OK.

JENNINGS: Look, I remember the days when the most famous person that came to our convention was like Jon Voight. Now we have Instagram stars, we've got Hulk Hogan, we've got the UFC - we're the fun party. We're the fun party. America, it's the fun party.

Karen, you can come.

FINNEY: I'm here. I'm already here. Let's just say, I'm going to let you have your fun.

BOLDUAN: Just - wait, just give - just give him his moment.

FINNEY: I know, I'm going to let you have your fun.

BOLDUAN: Give him his moment, because he's actually levitating. I mean it was - it is something. And I needed a new 5-hour energy shot and I just got it in Scott Jennings.

Thank you, both. You say I never do anything for you.

FINNEY: See.

BOLDUAN: You see what I just did. I got - we got it confirmed. We got it confirmed.

JENNINGS: You did it. You did it. You get a nice fruit basket from me I can assure you today (ph).

FINNEY: He's blushing. He's blushing.

BOLDUAN: Let's move on.

Sara, please, take it.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: It seems to me that you guys are in the middle of a WWE smackdown, and I am concerned, but I will -

[09:40:01]

BOLDUAN: Wait. Wait, wait, wait, important, important. If we were, who would win, Sara?

FINNEY: Come on, Sara. Who's your girl? Who -

SIDNER: Kate, my money is always on you. Kate. Kate.

JENNINGS: But - yes.

FINNEY: Who is your girl? Oh.

SIDNER: It's - it's all you.

FINNEY: Oh, OK. All right. All right.

SIDNER: Sorry, guys.

BOLDUAN: Thank you. Thank you.

FINNEY: OK.

SIDNER: She can take just about any one, including Hulk Hogan, but that's another - that's for another day.

FINNEY: Fair.

SIDNER: All right, President Biden, right now, isolating and off the campaign trail because he tested positive for Covid. What might this mean for his candidacy, for his campaigning, and where do we stand in this country with the numbers of people getting Covid? We will have details from our Sanjay Gupta, ahead.

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SIDNER: This morning, forced off the campaign trail, President Biden isolating in his home in Delaware after testing positive for Covid-19. 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 Biden said he would re-evaluate in the event of a medical condition. Sources are telling us his symptoms are mild and that Biden posted himself on social media here. He says, look, he's feeling good.

With me now is CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Sanjay, there are a lot more things to help you deal with Covid then when we first started during the pandemic. But he is 81-years-old. What kind of impact does that have - his age have on the fact that he has Covid now?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think when you're this age, there is going to be more cause for concern. I mean that's remained true. But as you pointed out, I mean, it's a very different time in the pandemic compared to a few years ago.

There's also the concern about with repeated infections the possibility of long Covid later on. So, you know, there are these concerns.

[09:45:02]

But overall I think the indications are pretty favorable.

What we know is that he had some symptoms, upper respiratory symptoms. He was feeling pretty tired. That's what prompted the - the Covid test in the first place. Did not have a fever. His oxygenation is OK. So, those are important indicators.

He's also vaccinated, he's boosted and he's had Covid before back in 2022. All of that provides layers of protection.

One thing, Sara, you know, the guidance on what to do if you get a positive Covid test has changed so many times. We're getting a lot of questions about this. So, basically, think of it like this, when you are likely to be contagious, that is when you should be in isolation. So, if people have symptoms, they should be in isolation and they shouldn't come out until they're fever-free for at least 24 hours without medications. Again, he doesn't have a fever, so that's not really a concern.

After you come out of isolation, the recommendation is five days with a mask. That's the current recommendations from the CDC.

One thing to look out for, he is taking a medication known as Paxlovid. And he took this before back in 2022. It can be helpful. But one of the things that they're going to be - probably be looking out for is something known as rebound. It doesn't happen often, but it can happen. It happened to President Biden. It happened to Dr. Fauci in the past. Basically, he tested positive and then he tested negative for several days and then he tested positive again. So, that's something that they're probably going to look out for to make sure he doesn't have resurgence of symptoms. They may not be testing him regularly, because that's not part of the recommendations, but they may be looking out for a recurrence of his symptoms, Sara.

SIDNER: All right. And can you just give us a sense of what the current status is of Covid in the country right now. You talked about the things that you need to do if you get it, because more people are getting it. Is there a spike?

GUPTA: Yes, there's a spike. I mean if you look at the map, you know, we - we see these summer spikes with Covid. That's different than, for example, with flu. It's not a huge spike, but it is there. About 45 states now all showing that the numbers are actually increasing. That's a number of infections overall.

The truest sort of measure is really people who are going to the hospital, going to the ER or going to - being admitted to the hospital, and that's gone up in some places as well, primarily in the west and in the south. So, it's something that people are keeping an eye on.

But I will say this, this is coming off some of the lowest numbers of Covid in May of this year that we've seen really since the beginning of the pandemic. So, while the numbers are going up, they're starting from a very low baseline. Something to keep an eye on over the next few weeks and months, Sara.

SIDNER: I know you will. And thank you so much for coming on again this morning for us, Sanjay.

John.

BERMAN: This morning, with growing calls from higher ranking Democrat that President Biden bow out of the presidential race, new reporting that he may be starting to open up, or at least be more receptive to hearing this type of thing.

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BERMAN: All right, new this morning, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says that reports about his meeting with President Biden are, quote, "speculative" and "uninformed." That's what our friend Carl Bernstein might call a non-denial, denial.

There was earlier reporting that Jeffries went to the president with concerns from the Democratic caucus.

With us now, David Frum, staff writer for "The Atlantic," former speechwriter for George W. Bush.

I just want to ask you about a bit of new reporting from Jeff Zeleny here, who says that Blue Rose Research, it was a Democratic research firm, is sending around research talking about concerns among down- ballot Democrats that say, quote, "defending Biden's fitness for office is an untenable position for down ballot Democrats." What do you think about that?

DAVID FRUM, STAFF WRITER, "THE ATLANTIC": Well, I find the whole political year so strange. 2024, tightest job market since the '90s, maybe since the '60s. Inflation is now subsiding. In fact, we may be heading into disinflation and even price drops. Housing starts, up. Marriages, up. Number of births, up. American troops in combat, zero. It's the safest and most prosperous year America has seen in the fourth year of a president since, I don't know, maybe Ronald Reagan in 1984.

Meanwhile, at the Republican Convention, there's an attempt to sell a nostalgia for the Trump administration, who's fourth year was the most disastrous in American history since 1932. And it's a fascinating contrast and puzzle. How can the - one conventions sell nostalgia for when things were terrible, and the other convention cannot sell satisfaction when things are good.

BERMAN: It is an interesting conundrum to be sure and one that Democrats are facing and need to face and come to some kind of conclusion with.

I was happy to mention that you were a speechwriter for George W. Bush, on the one hand because I think it's a lost art and I'd love to see it come back. But, number two, because it means you listen to language and you listen to words maybe more closely than most.

And you've noted, the - when you're listening to President Biden, you hear a lot of "I" and "me."

FRUM: Yes.

BERMAN: What do you mean by that, and what's the importance?

FRUM: Yes. When you are asked the question, why do you want to serve another term as president? Your answer needs not to be about what you - how you feel, and what you want to accomplish. It's how you can serve. I think often of a story a colleague of mine in the Bush White House told. She was walking on the beach and saw a sign. One of those advertising flyers behind an airplane that said, "Jill, come back, I am miserable without you." And she thought - "love, Jack." And she thought, bad message, Jack. Too much about you, not enough about her.

When you are selling a second term, it has to be about you. It has to be about us. And President Biden's fallen into a bad habit of talking about himself and the things he wants to accomplish.

BERMAN: And do you mean that specifically in reference over the last few weeks for the calls for him to withdraw from the race, when he says things, and I'm paraphrasing here, like, who's done more on foreign policy than I have, that kind of thing?

FRUM: That's exactly the kind of thing. The answer to why do you want to serve another four years is, well, we got the price of insulin down to $35 a month. Here's what I'd like to do for the price of, name some other important drug. We have done so much to bring - to stabilize our alliances. Here's more that we can do. We have so many more people in work than we ever have before and yet here - here's what I want to do for those who have been left behind by the prosperity we are enjoying.

You talk about the others.

[09:55:01]

But you also have to constantly hammer home, Donald Trump - Donald Trump is a great marketer of terrible products. Anyone can sell a good steak. Only Donald Trump can sell a terrible steak. Anyone can sell a good vodka. Only Donald Trump can sell a terrible vodka. And right now he is trying to sell a memory of 2021, one of the worst years in American history, that - the worst - disease, pandemic, massive unemployment, collapse of the American economy. And the president himself telling people to cure the disease, not by taking vaccines, but by injecting bleach, and yet he's able to sell nostalgia for that. Why can't President Biden and his team sell satisfaction with the extraordinary accomplishments of the year 2024.

BERMAN: If you are a Democrat, selling the idea of President Biden getting out of the race, in ten seconds or less, you're the wordsmith, how would you pitch that?

FRUM: Do it for your country.

BERMAN: That's ten seconds or less right there.

David Frum, there's a reason you were in this business. Thank you very much for being with us this morning. Really appreciate your time, as always.

FRUM: Thank you. Bye-bye.

SIDNER: All right. That is it for us for now. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "CNN NEWSROOM" is up next with Jim Acosta.

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