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Kamala Harris Expected to Name Her VP Pick; Global Markets Plunge Amid Wall Street Uncertainty; New Images of Suspects in Fatal Shooting of "General Hospital" Actor. Hurricane Debby Makes Landfall in Florida; Predictions of Destructive Potential of Hurricane Debby Examined; Presumptive Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris to Announce Vice President Running Mate. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 05, 2024 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

REP. GREG LANDSMAN, (D-OH): -- that they have people like Kamala Harris and me and others who are worried about them and who are just doing our jobs in making sure things get done.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it is good that you noted, I think you are a representative for about 800,000 Ohioans, and that includes vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance. We will see what happens. Representative Greg Landsman, thank you so much for coming on this morning.

LANDSMAN: Thanks, Sara.

SIDNER: A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And the breaking news, hurricane Debby makes landfall, a storm that could break records. Catastrophic rain on a slow motion march up the entire east coast.

And we are standing by not just for an announcement but the announcement by Vice President Harris on her running mate. The new clues emerging this morning.

And then record-breaking stock plunges around the world. Major new concerns with U.S. market set to open in 90 minutes.

Kate is out. I'm John Berman with Sara Didner and this is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

And the breaking news this morning, hurricane Debby made landfall moments ago, and this is just the beginning. Even as the Florida coast gets battered with winds and surge, the real story is what will happen the next few days as the storm crawls up the coast, bringing catastrophic levels of rain, feet of rain. More than 1 million people across three states are under the highest flooding alert possible already. But Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said this just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. RON DESANTIS, (R-FL): Now that hurricane Debby is making landfall, the most important thing to do is to just protect yourself and protect your family. Don't go out into this storm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, CNN meteorologist Elisa Raffa is in Steinhatchee, Florida, where the storm made landfall. It looks OK there right now, the worst may be moving in, Elisa.

ELISA RAFFA, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Winds are really picking up here. We are starting to get them back end of that eye wall. We are in Steinhatchee, Florida, where Debby made landfall just about an hour ago with 80 mile-per-hour winds as a category one hurricane.

What's remarkable is 24 hours before that, it was a tropical storm. It rapidly intensified because the ocean temperatures out here are in your record warm levels. We're talking upper 80s and low 90s. And that is a sign and symptom of climate change. And we continue to see this rapid intensification which is happening more because these ocean temperatures are just so warm.

Where we are here actually is only about nine miles from where Idalia made landfall last year. Now that was a stronger category three hurricane, but a lot of this area here took on a lot of flooding when Idalia happened last year. A lot of these docks that you see around me, are brand-new. They just replaced them. There will also showing us some condos and things here that needed to be completely gutted because of the way they flooded with Idalia last year.

So locals here were incredibly worried about what the storm surge could do in this area. Storm surge has already topped six feet in nearby places like Cedar Key. Rainfall totals around here have been around eight inches. So again, already seeing the impacts of water here in Florida.

The problem as we go through the rest of the week is Debby works inland and then just sits and spins and stalls. We're talking about a forward beat of about a walking pace. You could walk faster than this hurricane as it continues to move inland. The problem with that is it's going to dump prolific amounts of rain. We're talking 20 to 30 inches of rain.

BERMAN: I think the wind just blew out Elise's microphone right there. I think what she's talking about is the historic levels of rain. I can read lips here. Yes, it's going to rain a lot, bringing 20 to 30 inches of rain, she's saying, up the east coast as the storm moves into Georgia and then South Carolina. Savannah, and Charleston very much under alert over the next few days. We'll get back to Elisa in Florida shortly. First, let's go to sara.

SIDNER: All right, historically, flooding causes the most deaths during hurricanes. It isn't the wind. It is the rain. and Debby's rain and storm surge as you heard from John and Elisa there, is expected to break records. Meteorologist Derek Van Dam is tracking when and where are the threats

are the greatest as this storm sort of stalls over the next few states that it s going up, and we can see where it is right now, Derek.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that's the future of hurricane Debby. And it will slow down. That is a problem. We don't like to hear the word "slow down" and "tropical storm" or "hurricane" in the same sentence, right?

[08:05:00]

So right now, the latest, what is it, 8:00 a.m. advisory. They're doing hourly advisories and updates on the storm as it makes landfall. It's at 75 miles per hour, so it has weakened some, but still packing quite a punch. But really when we look back at this store, maybe in a week from now, maybe two weeks from now, depending on how slow it moves, it's really going to be about the rain and how much rain has fallen.

This is important to note because we still have a few more hours of storm surge that's right near the catcher's mitt, the big bend of Florida, Cedar Key, already reporting six feet of storm surge. That's above normally dry ground. So those forecasts have become realized from the National Hurricane Center. The eyewall made landfall roughly about 6:40, 7:00 a.m. this morning. There it is moving inland. And there goes the bulk of the heavy rainfall and also the severe weather threat. That red shading underneath that extending into southeast Georgia. That's a tornado watch that's valid through about 4:00 p.m. today.

Lots of precipitation associated with this system, but how much is still in question. Nonetheless, we are picking up on the latest computer models, what will this system due in the next several days. Well certainly, it will bring heavy rainfall and the potential for flash flooding. We've got this rare level four of four from the weather prediction center. First today, centered across southeast Georgia and just starting to move into the low country of South Carolina. But look at Tuesday, this is when we anticipate the storm to move offshore, so reinvigorating it from the warm waters of the Atlantic ocean, helping drive in more moisture from this area.

And there's the latest model runs. This is where we're kind of honing in on some of the heaviest rain. And notice Savannah just north of Jacksonville and just south of Charleston, that's where we could see rainfall totals seating one foot, perhaps higher where we've got some computer models picking up on 20 inches or more locally. And of course, that is going to challenge some of these longstanding records from tropical storms and the prolific rainfall. Remember, Florence back in 2018 in the flooding that it created across this area.

Here's what I'm talking about. Look how slow this system moves. Then it exits off the coast. This is when that meandering takes place and we drive in that Atlantic moisture bringing more rainfall to the coastal communities of Georgia. Sara, John?

SIDNER: We know what Idalia did to the west coast of Florida. Fort Myers is going to be rebuilding for years going forward. What is level four of four mean when you're talking about this rain event? What does that mean to the folks that are in that path where the storm is just sitting on top of them?

VAN DAM: Well, it's one of the rarest excessive rainfall events that the Weather Prediction Center actually issues. So when they start using this high risk, a level four of four, that means you really need to pay attention because they will only reserve this for the most rare events. And so they're seeing, just like the meteorologists here at CNN center are seen, is that this area in particular where we've highlighted that shading of pink, that is an area where we anticipate flash flooding, rapid rises in rivers, and the potential for catastrophic flooding. Remember, Sara, it's not only the surge component working inland, but it's also the inland and flooding working against it. So that water has nowhere to go but up.

SIDNER: A serious disaster there, the rain, not the wind. Thank you so much, Derek Van Dam, for your reporting there for us. John?

BERMAN: All right, Vice President Kamala Harris preparing to reveal her running mate really at any moment, what are the new clues this morning about which way she is leaning?

Los Angeles police release new photos of three suspects in the fatal shooting of a former "General Hospital" star.

And RFK Jr. confesses to dumping a dead bear cub in Central Park 10 years ago. He had plans to skin and eat it, but time got away from him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:13:30]

SIDNER: And then there were three. The search for Kamala Harris's running mate is in the final stretch, and we are standing by for an important announcement that could come at any time.

CNN's Eva McKend is in Washington following this for us. Eva, many people on edge because today is the day. This could come at any hour, correct?

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: It could, Sara. And it seems like it all could come down to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. Those are the people that we believe that she is deciding between. Shapiro, affectionately known as Baruch Obama, a nod to his Jewish style -- excuse me, his Jewish faith. But also like his style and cadence that many people say mirrors the former president Barack Obama.

He could help Harris with moderate voters as could Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut who runs to the right of the administration on issues like immigration. We have seen Shapiro get some pushback from progressives, but you have centrists in the party saying this is a really good strategic choice, or it would be. And then you have Walz. His supporters saying he's the Midwestern dad that America needs. He's good at making progressive policies like universal free meals in schools popular.

Now, the former president, Donald Trump, as well as his running mate, they are dismissing all of this excitement around the veepstakes for Harris, saying it doesn't really matter who she chooses. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't care. Let them do whatever. They still want to have open borders. If she picks Shapiro, she's going to lose the Palestinian vote and that's fine. Everybody has their liabilities.

SEN. JD VANCE (R-OH) VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I don't really care who she chooses as a running mate. It's not going to be good for the country and we're ready. Meaning President Trump and I are ready to take the case to the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: Now, Sara, as for her stops this week with the running mate, we know about Philadelphia tomorrow, then she heads to Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada all this week.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Eva McKend, thank you so much. I appreciate your time. I do want to quickly ask you. You know, Donald Trump had talked again about crowd size. They were both in the same place in Atlanta one after the other with these huge crowds. Can you give us some sense of what it's like being in the room when these crowds are there for Kamala Harris?

MCKEND: You know, there's just so much energy and enthusiasm, Sara. It almost felt like the Atlanta rally at least -- that recently almost felt like a concert more than a traditional political event. You'll also see lots of women showing up in pink and green. They are AKAs. We know that Harris, of course, is an AKA so she has a lot of support from her soro-ers.

A lot of young people, right, they were swag surfing, dancing at her Atlanta rally. So it's just a much different vibe and feel than when President Biden was on the trail just a few weeks ago.

SIDNER: Swag surfing, that is my new favorite word. Thank you so much this morning, Eva McKend, appreciate it -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, millions bracing for days of catastrophic flooding as the government issues a rare and the highest flood level alert possible.

Fears of the economic slowdown in the US sends shockwaves across global markets. The US market set to open a 90 minutes, there were record-breaking drops in some countries overnight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08:21:18]

SIDNER: Well, this doesn't feel good. We're a little over an hour before the opening bell on Wall Street and we're already seeing a significant global market sell-off.

Japan's stock market plummeted due to uncertainty in the US economy causing a ripple effect in other Asian markets. This downward trend is continuing in Europe and the US futures all pointing to a down opening. Dow futures as we are looking at them now, more than a thousand points down.

CNN's Marc Stewart is in Beijing for us. Marc, thank you so much. I know it's a little late there. What are you looking at these sell-offs and saying, okay, where do we stand right now and what do we expect when the bell rings here for the Dow?

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me start by saying this, Sara. I think this is one of those moments where a lot of people are taking deep breaths as we watch the open on Wall Street.

That includes traders, but also those of us who own homes or have a 401(k). That means Main Street because what we saw happen over the day here in Asia is quite extraordinary. Big losses in many of the stock markets, including South Korea and Japan, which saw its biggest daily point loss ever.

This is something that just doesn't happen that often, but it is part of a fear that is travelling around the world right now about the economic roadmap for the future. Look back to last Friday, the Jobs Report, the United States came out. It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that great.

But traders, they didn't like it and we saw a big selloff. Now, it was Monday morning here in Asia, almost what, eight or ten hours ago, when markets opened up in Japan, there was talk of higher interest rates by the Bank of Japan. That's not something traders like.

So we saw a big selloff here and what's so often happens is when one continent starts to have a big selloff, well, people around the world start to notice and then other markets selloff. So that's what's been happening.

So, as we look to Wall Street as to the open, the reason why there is so much concern is that there is potential for more bad news. There is concern of a recession in the works, so to speak. That is because we saw announcements of job layoffs last week from Intel; it's a big tech company. Tech companies should be thriving.

We heard from executives that Amazon talk about how their view of the future isn't as optimistic as it was in the past. So, these are all reasons to give traders pause, to give them concern, and to start selling off. And we saw declines already in Europe. So now, America is next.

Sara, something really interesting at CNN and if you go to our business section, we have what's called the fear and greed index. What's motivating traders right now? We look at all these different factors. Fear is the dominant feeling among traders that we survey as part of this explainer as to where the economy stands.

SIDNER: Certainly emotion plays a huge role in all of this as well. But nobody is looking forward to the opening of the Dow this morning.

Marc Stewart, thank you so much, appreciate it -- John.

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, Los Angeles Police just released new images of three suspects linked to the fatal shooting of former "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor. Let's get to CNN's Camila Bernal with the latest on this. What are you learning?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John. So, these are very grainy photos, but police and Johnny Wactor's family, his friends, his fans, really hoping that this is what helps find the people responsible for his death and they are hoping for justice.

Now, in the three photos, you see three men who were all wearing hoodies and police also saying that the shooter has a tattoo above his left eye and his right cheek. Now, in these photos released by police, they also show a black four-door INFINITI Q50. It has a tan interior and police saying that that car was stolen.

[08:25:19]

Now, they did not give any other details, but as we previously reported, the actor was shot and killed on May 25th. This is after he left work at a bar here in downtown Los Angeles.

His mother had told our affiliate, KABC that her son had been walking with one of his co-workers when he saw what he thought was someone working on his car, then he approached this person to talk, but instead, that suspect looked up and shot him. That's also what his mom had said.

And the LAPD at the time said that it was three men who were trying to steal this catalytic converter when Wactor interrupted them.

Now, one of the three men pulled out a gun, shot him, and then they all drove away. He was taken to the hospital, but unfortunately, that's where he was pronounced dead. Now, at the time and even now, with this new information, authorities urging people to come forward, urging people to look at these photos and to see if there's something or someone that they recognize and this of course, as all of his loved ones continue to remember him, not just for his role as Brandon Corbin in "General Hospital" and his acting, but also as someone who was caring and loving hanging hard-working and humble.

So again, just police and family asking people to come forward if they see or know anything -- John.

BERMAN: All right, Camila Bernal, keep us posted on this, thank you very much -- Sara. SIDNER: All right, ahead, former President Trump is stirring up old grievances going after Georgia's popular Republican governor. What it could signal about tensions within the Republican Party.

And, Hurricane Debby has made landfall and it's inching its way through Florida with strong winds, but it is the rain that could be a real threat, not just to Florida but to the states ahead of it. We will look at its path and what we're expecting with those flooding numbers coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]