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Biden, Harris Hail Alliances That Led to Historic Prisoner Swap; Harris Campaign Says it Raised $310 Million in July, Doubling Trump's Haul; IDF Says it Killed Another Senior Palestinian Militant in Gaza. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired August 02, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, three Americans freed from Russia now back in the United States, greeted with understandable amounts of tears and hugs and overwhelming joy after their plane landed in Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich and Russian- American Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva reunited with their families after unimaginable ordeals being wrongfully detained.

Whelan telling reporters, every day of the five years, seven months and five days that he was held, he was singing the national anthem. Gershkovich telling his Wall Street Journal colleagues who were on the tarmac, I'm home. And Kurmasheva running into the arms of her two young daughters, reporters on the ground saying that you could hear the little girls sob from many yards away. One of the girls, one of her girls, turns 13 years old today.

These three Americans are returning home after a massive prisoner swap that started breaking on this show yesterday, the likes of which have not been seen since the Cold War, 24 people involving 7 countries, a deal that President Biden says he was convinced his administration could get done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We put back together relationships with countries we haven't had before. We rebuilt NATO. We rebuilt the circumstances that allowed this to happen. That's why it happened.

REPORTER: What is your message tonight to Vladimir Putin?

BIDEN: Stop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: And in the wee hours of this morning, the newly free Americans, they left Maryland and landed in San Antonio, Texas, at an Army medical center there for checkups.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is at the White House to start us off this morning. Priscilla, what are you hearing from the White House today? PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, yesterday was certainly a joyous day at the White House, as officials celebrated that these Americans were coming home. And what you see those images there, the freed Americans arriving on U.S. soil, a remarkable moment that concluded what was a complex and historic diplomatic effort.

Now, the president and the vice president greeting those Americans, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva at the tarmac just after 11:30 last night. Now, as they each disembarked the plane, the president and the vice president embracing them. Later, the president gave Paul Whelan one of the pins on his suit and put it on Whelan's lapel.

Now, this had been a moment that had been built up over weeks and months, and that was such a theme of the day yesterday at the White House, talking about the importance of alliances, and why you have to keep friends across the world. That, according to the president, because it was those relationships that he had to lean on to make this come to fruition, particularly with Germany and Slovenia.

So, the president on the tarmac telling reporters that it was the toughest call, but it was not just for the U.S. It was also for allies.

Now, the vice president also using the opportunity to reflect on the moment while underscoring the stakes of the election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy and strengthening alliances.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:05:16]

ALVAREZ: So, you hear her there alluding in some ways to Republican and former President Donald Trump's isolationist policies when it comes to foreign policy. Now, of course, these free Americans did go to San Antonio, where they're going to receive medical evaluations and any other needs that they have that the government will be trying to meet over the next few days, but certainly sort of that feeling of elation yesterday also spilling into today among officials.

BOLDUAN: It's great to see you. Thanks so much, Priscilla, as always. An amazing day.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: An incredible day. We knew it was going to be historic, but this seems to be now just like the beginning of a process, a very serious one though.

And that's why we've got Rosa Flores in San Antonio now for us, where the three Americans are receiving a medical checkup. And, Rosa, it's our understanding that you were able to speak with Paul Whelan as well. I mean, what did you see at the conditions of these folks? What did he tell you?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a very emotional moment. What happened here in San Antonio is all three freed Americans got off the plane. They were here with their families and they mingled for a little bit with some of the U.S. State Department officials.

And then Paul Whelan did speak. He wanted to share a few things. He said that it didn't feel real, that none of this felt real to him until he was flying over England. And, of course, he's also a British citizen, and he says that he looked down, and at that point, that's when it hit him, that this was real, that he was heading home.

Now, if you look closely at the video of him here in San Antonio, you can see that he is wearing an American flag lapel pin, and he explained that this is the lapel pin that President Biden gave to him on the tarmac there in D.C. He says that they were just chatting and that the president gave him the pin as a keepsake.

And he said that this was a good homecoming to American soil. He said he was nice to hug his sister and that he's looking forward to recuperating here. But he also took a few moments to criticize the Russian government for his experience. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL WHELAN, U.S. MARINE VETERAN FREED IN PRISONER SWAP WITH RUSSIA: I went on a two week vacation, you know, the FSB grabbed me, said I was a spy. I'm apparently a general in the Army, a secret agent for DIA. This is the nonsense narrative they came up with. They wouldn't let it go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: And, Omar, he also mentioned and his immense gratitude and he just wanted to thank the thousands of people from around the world who have been praying for him and have also written letters to him. He says he received those letters in detention and he was just so grateful.

JIMENEZ: And, Rosa, look, it's not just a medical checkup that's happening here. Can you just explain to everyone -- they are obviously going to the Brooke Army Medical Center, but also what happens there and what the beginning of this process actually is?

FLORES: You know, that's a very important question. The Brooke Army Medical Center is the gigantic building that you see behind me. And the state of the art reintegration program for the Department of Defense, that's what's happening behind us.

And now what is happening is this DOD reintegration program that is normally used for members of the military is fitted for civilians and for civilians who have experienced isolation events, just like these Americans who were detained. They were in isolation, they were in conditions that were unspeakable. And so what's going on behind me is a medical evaluation, first of all, Omar, but also they get to decompress, and they get to reintegrate to physical exercise, to a regular diet. And also the key factor is reintegrate into their families.

Their family will also be staying in the base that you see behind me, and they're going to integrate both the medical evaluation and the time that they can spend with their families finally after this nightmare is over for them.

JIMENEZ: And we've been showing video just in San Antonio of Evan Gershkovich laughing and smiling with some of his family members and folks around him. But, of course, as you laid out, this is the beginning of a process to try to stem some of what could be some long- term effects as well, something to keep an eye on.

Rosa Flores, I really appreciate the reporting. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, eye popping numbers this morning. The Kamala Harris campaign is announcing a monster fundraising total for the month of July, $310 million dollars raised.

[07:10:03]

Plus, we have new CNN reporting that President Biden may send more military deployments to back up Israel against Iran's threatened retaliation for the killing of a Hamas leader on their soil.

And the U.S. is way on top in terms of the overall Olympic medal count, but still trailing China in gold. The very latest from Paris coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:15:00]

JIMENEZ: All right, welcome back. Breaking overnight, a massive presumptive Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. Her campaign says it raised $310 million in just the month of July. That's more than double what Donald Trump raised last month, but also just a wild amount of money, period. It's also a clear sign of the energy felt by both high dollar donors and grassroots supporters with the change to the top of the Democratic ticket.

CNN Senior Reporter Isaac Dovere joins me now. So, Isaac, can you tell us just a little bit more about the fundraising haul, how this came together, and where this money is coming from?

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, well, a lot of that money came just in the first few days. After Harris became the expected Democratic nominee. And I think, Omar, you compare that to the Trump numbers for this month, that's an important number. It's also an important number to think about where the Biden numbers had been expected to be for this month. Sources that I've talked to were thinking even pre-debate that they were going to have a rough July. Obviously after that debate and all the trauma that the Democrats were going through and Biden was going through, it was much lower.

So, this is a big amount of money for the Harris campaign. They are saying that 94 percent of the donations that came in here are under 200. That means that those people can give again, that there are new donors that are coming in, a lot of them, and also means that there is a lot of money theoretically there from some of those big donors that we always hear about, the people who can write the giant checks to the super PACs that are potentially going to be flooding even more money into this race.

We don't know what that looks like yet and whether those donors who had spent a lot of time in July saying that they wanted Joe Biden out of the race will be giving the money to support Kamala Harris here.

JIMENEZ: And we're just showing on some of these graphics here, just the change in amount from January to February, March. And then you have this explosion there at the edge in July, just, you know, as you mentioned, giving a sense of the enthusiasm that's come since Kamala Harris entered the race.

We're also just days away right now, as we expect, to find out who Kamala Harris' running mate will be. And we've heard names in the mix, several top contenders, Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who even joked about being in the mix. Take a quick listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): Lollapalooza is happening this weekend here in Chicago. And my kids and, I mean, tens of thousands of others are going to be there. You know, I've heard other governors talk about how they've canceled their weekend plans. I was going to perform, of course, with Blink 182 on Sunday, but I've canceled in order to clear my schedule.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: It seems like everyone's clear in their schedules, obviously him having a little bit of fun there. But you also have some new reporting this morning about the seriousness of these new contenders and how close the Harris campaign may be here.

DOVERE: Yes. One of those contenders, Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, whom I reported yesterday, had planned to be spending this weekend in the Hamptons, in New York, fundraising. That schedule got pulled down. The Shapiro campaign -- or the Shapiro spokespeople, didn't specify exactly why. But obviously we know that this process is coming to an end here, with an expected decision early next week.

We do expect that Vice President Harris will be doing her own interviews with the contenders over the next few days. And one of them -- one of the factors here that is on a lot of people's minds when it comes to Shapiro, as mentioned, I've got new reporting on our site right now, there are some Jewish Democrats who are wondering is America ready for a Jewish vice president, Jewish running mate? Shapiro is Jewish, he's observant in a way that is different from a lot of Jewish politicians who are in public life and that is one of the many considerations here as people think about what the way forward is between the six options that Harris has in front of her.

JIMENEZ: Isaac Dovere, I really appreciate the reporting and perspective. Thanks for being here.

Also breaking overnight, Israel says it has killed a top leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as the U.S. weighs more military deployments to the region.

And an emotional homecoming, what's next for those Americans freed in the historic prisoner swap now back on U.S. soil.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:20:00]

BOLDUAN: Breaking overnight. Israel says it has killed another leader of another Iranian proxy. We're talking about Mohammed al-Jabari of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

Now, this comes as President Biden is now considering sending over more U.S. defenses for Israel as the country prepares for an expected Iranian retaliation, which officials say could even include an attack on American forces. Biden also telling reporters he had a very direct call with the Israeli prime minister Thursday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: I'm very concerned about it. I had a very direct meeting with the prime minister today, very direct. We have the basis for a ceasefire. He should move on it and they should move on it now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: So much going on with this right now. Joining us right now from the White House, the spokesman to the White House National Security Council, John Kirby. John, thank you for coming in.

So, according to the readout of the Netanyahu call, Biden said that the United States would support Israel's defenses against threats, which would include new defensive U.S. military deployments. What does new defensive U.S. military deployments mean?

JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESMAN: I don't think it'd be good for me to get into too much detail on that, Kate, but I can tell you that we're always reevaluating our force posture in the Middle East to make sure that we've got what we need to defend ourselves, our troops, our facilities, but also our allies and partners, such as Israel.

[07:25:07] We've heard the supreme leader loud and clear that he intends to avenge this killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran, and that they want to conduct another attack on Israel. We can't just assume that we are also potentially going to be victims of that kind of an attack.

So, we've got to make sure we've got the right resources and capabilities in the region. The Defense Department is working their way through that. I'm just not in a position to talk about it in any detail at this point.

BOLDUAN: When you're talking resources, is that people or is that hardware?

KIRBY: It's most likely going to be a combination of both, of course, because it's not just hardware when you're adding capability to a region. You've got to add troops into that mix as well to maintain and operate that equipment.

BOLDUAN: Things already got more complicated in the region this week with the assassinations that we're just talking about, the promises of retaliation. Now, the IDF is claiming it took out another top figure of another Iranian proxy Islamic Jihad in Gaza. What is the impact of this? I mean, I'm counting now three in the last, you know, month of what Iran's calling assassinations on their proxies. What is the impact of this, on the president's goal of getting hostages out and getting a ceasefire in place and obviously avoiding this breaking out into a wider regional war?

KIRBY: Well, I can't confirm this individual report here that we're talking about, this strike killing an Islamic Jihad leader. What I can assure you is that Israel continues to conduct operations in Gaza. They continue to put pressure on the leadership of Hamas and other groups in Gaza that pose a threat to the Israeli people.

And as President Biden made clear in his call to Prime Minister Netanyahu last night, we're going to continue to make sure they have what they need to defend themselves. No country should have to live next to that kind of threat.

As for an impact on the ceasefire deal, I think all of this activity in the last few days, it's just too soon to know whether there's going to be a direct effect on our ability to get this ceasefire deal done. What I will say is that we have a team in the region right now. We continue to have conversations with our counterparts, including our Israeli counterparts, including last night between the prime minister and the president. And we believe that this is the best way to get a six-week ceasefire and maybe even work towards a cessation of hostilities.

We still believe, Kate, that the gaps between the sides are definitely closable. They are narrow enough that they can be closed. The details are small enough that they can be hashed out and we're fully dedicated to getting that over the finish line.

BOLDUAN: Yes. But has Hamas like deputized a new person to be the lead negotiator since Israel allegedly took him out? KIRBY: I'm not aware of any such move by Hamas. We continue to have conversations with our partner, Qatar, who, of course, has direct communications with Hamas. We still believe, even with the reported killing of Mr. Haniyeh, that the ceasefire deal is possible, that negotiations are still achievable, and we're going to keep working to that end.

BOLDUAN: Americans freed from Russia now back on U.S. soil. Seeing the video overnight, it is hard to not get emotional seeing those homecomings, those hugs. What are you hearing? How are they doing? What has the president -- what has been conveyed about what the conversations with the president that you can -- to the extent, you can tell us about those meetings with them last night?

KIRBY: They're very, very happy. Obviously, that's for all the world to see. They're very excited to be back on American soil. And those family members are obviously just overjoyed at being reunited with their loved ones.

Now, as you know, they're on their way, or they arrived in San Antonio in the wee hours so that they can get the medical and mental care that they might need as they try to reintegrate back into society. They've been through -- particularly Mr. Whelan, just a horrific experience now for what, in his case, almost six years.

So, they're going to need a little time to readjust. And we want to make sure that they have that time and that space and the privacy to do so. The president heard loud and clear from all of them, though, how grateful they were for his personal leadership and efforts to getting them released, how glad they are to be back on American soil. And he assured them that he's going to continue to work to get other Americans that are wrongfully detained overseas back home as well.

BOLDUAN: Administration officials have said that the president and the team had tried to get Marc Fogel out in this group. Why were you not successful in that?

KIRBY: The Russians just weren't willing to throw him into the mix, and we tried many different times. I mean, from a very, very early stage here, when we knew we had to work on a new deal, we included Mr. Fogel. Regrettably, they just weren't biting at it.

But I will say this, Kate, and I said the same thing after we got Brittney Griner home and we couldn't get Paul home at that time.

[07:30:03]