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Sen. Darline Graham Wins South Carolina GOP Runoff After Trump's Push; Markey & Moulton Square Off in Massachusetts Democratic Primary on Tuesday; Global Tributes Pour in for Music Legend Dolly Parton; Actor Tim Curry Dies at 80; Study Finds at Least One in Four Former NFL Players Who Died From 2016 to 2021 Had CTE. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired August 26, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:31:42]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": We're less than 10 weeks from the midterm elections and President Trump is demonstrating the strength of his political influence. Trump-backed South Carolina Senator, Darline Graham fending off her Republican rival, Ralph Norman, in Tuesday's special primary runoff.

Graham took over for her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who suddenly passed away in July, and she quickly earned the president's praise and endorsement. She's heavily favored to win in November when she takes on Democratic nominee, Annie Andrews, in the deep red state.

Massachusetts Democratic Senator, Ed Markey is with us now. He is facing a primary challenge from Congressman Seth Moulton. And I wonder Senator, we're watching these Senate races shape up. Obviously, South Carolina would be tough for Democrats, but there's a lot of other ones that are on the map here. Do you think that Leader Schumer has put Democrats on a path to the Senate majority?

SEN. ED MARKEY, (D-MA): Yeah, I think the Republicans have big problems this November. We have very strong candidates in Maine, in North Carolina, in Ohio, in Alaska, in Iowa, in Texas. And these Republicans, you know, we have a great author up here, Nathaniel Hawthorne, his book, "The Scarlet Letter."

Well, there's going to be a scarlet letter right on the forehead of every Republican Senate candidate this year and it's just going to have Donald Trump up there and he is going to be someone that all across this country, Independent voters especially, are going to want to vote to change, to check, because there is an all-you-can-eat corruption buffet which he has been serving to himself, his family, and to his cronies. And there is going to be a rejection of this because it is cascading right onto the kitchen tables of families and as an affordability crisis and a national security crisis in the Middle East.

So yeah, they've got big problems because they are going to pay the price that Donald Trump is going to extract from the voters of our country.

KEILAR: I do want to ask you about your Senate leadership though. I think it's important here. Your challenger, Congressman Moulton, said his first vote in the Senate will be for new leadership. You just said a short time ago on another network that everything should be on the table, but you won't actually answer the question of whether you think Chuck Schumer should remain in charge. Don't you owe voters your position on Schumer before you ask them to take a position on you?

MARKEY: Well look at -- I've made it very clear. First we have to win the election and then we have to have all leadership, all of an agenda for the future on the table for deliberation, for debate. And by the way, Congressman Moulton hasn't said who he's going to support either. So he is right now in a situation where he has to defend his record.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: But he's come out against Chuck Schumer. I guess the question I have for you is, would you like to see new leadership? Because that really is the question at hand here and you're saying you have to win the election before determining that. But you do have, if you're a Massachusetts voter, options among Democrats in this race. Do you owe them an answer on the Schumer question?

[13:35:00]

MARKEY: Well, obviously, as I said, all leadership questions should be on the table, all issues should be on the table. But in this race, right now, I support Medicare for All and Seth Moulton does not. I oppose the $1 trillion for the defense budget, which Trump is using in Iran. And Seth Moulton voted to give Trump the $1 trillion. I support a Trans Bill of Rights. Seth Moulton threw the trans kids under the bus.

I say tax millionaires and billionaires. Seth Moulton says that's class warfare. That's the decision people in Massachusetts have to make in the next six days. That's on the table. And I'm the progressive in this race, with Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez backing me, and Seth Moulton is over here as a corporate Democrat taking $350,000 from corporate PACs in this race, and I take none. That's the choice which Massachusetts voters have to make next Tuesday, and I think there's a clear choice.

KEILAR: You are strongly opposed to the president's trade war, to his tariff threats. What do you plan to do to combat those things if Democrats do regain control of the Senate? What can you do? What are you planning to do?

MARKEY: Well, I have insistently, persistently, consistently brought a resolution out onto the Senate floor to exempt, for example, the 700,000 small businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the 33 million small businesses across our country, from his tariffs. They were illegal and unconstitutional in the first instance.

Right now, they are deeply damaging to the economy of Massachusetts. Canada is our largest trading partner, and to the rest of our nation. So we're just going to have to continue to battle, but once we win the House and Senate, I will be the Chair of the Small Business Committee in the United States Senate. And there, I will have the platform in order to ensure that these tariffs, which are punishing Main Street, which are turning Main Street into Pain Street, are in fact put on the table and the pressure going back on the Republicans to vote to ensure that these tariffs are taken off of the books.

KEILAR: Data centers and A.I. have been one of the really big issues right now, I think, just in the zeitgeist, certainly on the campaign trail in this midterm cycle. You've released what your website calls draft A.I. environmental impacts legislation to create a national framework to address data center harm and an A.I. accountability agenda to respond to the risks posed by A.I.

In a primary debate with Moulton last week, you were asked this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADRIAN WALKER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, THE BOSTON GLOBE: Senator Markey, do you personally use A.I. platforms like Claude or ChatGPT in your work?

MARKEY: I use whatever is inside of my iPhone and my iPad, whatever comes up. And I don't know what companies my iPad might be using.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: No doubt A.I. is integrated in ways that people certainly do not realize. You had said that if your phone is using it, then, of course, you're using it. But do you think that you and other lawmakers need to have a better understanding of how A.I. is actually being used by Americans, including yourself, every day if you're going to discuss these data centers as a political issue and be writing policy around them?

MARKEY: Look, I just taught Mark Zuckerberg a big lesson today because there is an historic settlement that was just reached, $17 billion settlement against Meta. And you know what the Attorneys General of the United States use? They use my Child Online Privacy Protection Act. That was the basis for the decision. It's my law that they used to protect kids in our nation, to fine Mark Zuckerberg $17 billion.

Seth Moulton doesn't have any laws on the books, on A.I. or social media.

KEILAR: And that social media, I understand, you are saying --

(CROSSTALK)

MARKEY: He doesn't have any protections which he's ever worked on. It's my bill. A.I. and the environment, A.I. and workers, A.I. and children, A.I. and civil rights backed by all of the civil rights groups in our country. They're backing me and my agenda. Just last week, Seth Moulton said there was no A.I. in 2020. It's like he doesn't even understand the technology. Of course there was A.I. That's what I've been looking ahead and leading the way on. He has no record, no legislation. He doesn't know what he's talking about.

KEILAR: OK. Moulton aside, on this topic of A.I., there has been a lot of frustration with -- I want to address this. It's important, right? Because people are very concerned about this. They're concerned about this for their own use, as they have been concerned about social media with their children. Over the years, Congress has struggled to regulate social media, for instance.

[13:40:00]

A.I. is so quickly evolving. There are also questions about how Congress can adequately address that kind of thing. So again, let me just ask you that. How important is it that members of Congress fully understand this integration of A.I. as they're looking to make an issue of it politically and to put in place policies, A.I. specifically?

MARKEY: Well, I am the leader in the House and Senate on A.I. I'm the leader. It's my legislation. It's my legislation that just was used to win a $17 billion settlement against Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, today. It's my legislation. So I am the leader. I am looking ahead and leading the way. I know that one in four teenage girls contemplated suicide two years ago.

I know that one in nine teenage girls in the United States actually attempted suicide two years ago. I know that one in five LGBTQ youth attempted suicide two years ago. I know the Surgeon General has pointed an accusing finger at social media. I know this. That's why I have introduced the legislation. That's why I have passed legislation.

Because I know the deleterious impact that it can have upon our society. I am the leader. I have 11 bills all introduced to deal with it. Seth Moulton has none. He has only come to this issue late, except to the extent to which, serving on the Armed Services Committee, Web A.I. offered him an opportunity for early investment that would not be available to any other citizen. And he took advantage of that as a member of the Armed Services Committee and has enriched him to the tune of millions of dollars.

That should be illegal. That should be banned. He should divest all of that Web A.I. money that he has benefited from. It is just plain wrong.

KEILAR: Senator Ed Markey, thank you so much for being with us today. We appreciate it.

MARKEY: Great to be with you. Thank you.

KEILAR: Thank you.

Coming up, Dolly Parton impacting culture so much. Our next guest teaches a class on it.

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Tributes are continuing to pour in today after the death of music icon, Dolly Parton, even "9 to 5" from Buckingham Palace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: That is so cool. I love that. We're joined now by Sarah Phillips who teaches a course on Dolly Parton at Indiana University.

Professor, thank you so much for being with us. How are you remembering Dolly's legacy today?

PROF. SARAH PHILLIPS, TEACHES COURSE ON DOLLY PARTON AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY: Oh, in so many ways. It's been a really roller coaster of a 24 hours, but I'm blessed to be able to share Dolly with the world and with my students.

SANCHEZ: And how do you do that? What does a Dolly Parton curriculum look like? How do you teach it?

PHILLIPS: So this is a course called the "Anthropology of Dolly Parton" and it's really using Dolly Parton's life, her long career, her legacy as a lens to teach students about the basics of cultural anthropology and so basically what makes us human.

And Dolly is such a great lens for that because you can talk about regional stereotypes, regional identities, talk about class backgrounds in the United States, talk about her as sort of the OG feminist and thinking about gender relations, labor relations, if you think about the "9 to 5" movie and movement. So just so many ways that Dolly Parton really embodies everything about human relations and the human experience.

KEILAR: And of course, we're reacquainting ourselves with a lot of Dolly Parton material since we learned sadly of her passing yesterday. But as we enjoy looking back at her legacy, right, there have been so many classic interviews with her when we think about her cultural impact on society, including this moment that she had with Barbara Walters in 1977. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA WALTERS, AMERICAN TELEVISION AND RADIO JOURNALIST: But do you ever feel that you're a joke, that people make fun of you?

DOLLY PARTON, AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER AND ACTRESS: Oh, I know they make fun of me. But actually all these years, the people, you know, have thought the joke was on me, but it's actually been on the public. I know exactly what I'm doing and I can change it at any time. I make more jokes about myself than anybody because I enjoy, I know, like I say, I am sure of myself as a person. I'm sure of my talent. And to me, and I'm sure of my love and for life and that sort of thing. I'm very content. I like the kind of person that I am, so I can afford to piddle around and do diddle around with make-ups and clothes and stuff because I am secure with myself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Her comments age well, so I feel like that probably helps as you teach a class about her. But -- and I don't know, maybe that clip there makes it into your class. But what are the kind of lessons when you're looking back at that era, the '70s, the '60s that you share with students?

[13:50:00]

PHILLIPS: Yes, I'm so glad you chose that clip. It embodies Dolly Parton in so many ways that we absolutely watch that clip over and over in the class and break it down. I mean, look at what she's doing there. She's owning her image. Right? She's saying I know exactly who I am. I know what I want. I know what I need to do to get it.

And I'm not listening to people who tell me I'm too over the top. I'm not listening to people who tell me I need to change my image to appeal to a different demographic. So that is so powerful, particularly for this generation of students who in many ways are feeling kind of lost.

You know, they're not sure what their place is going to be in the workforce. They find a lot of inspiration in this idea that you figure out who you are and go for it. And Dolly has so much to teach in that regard.

KEILAR: And so do you. Along with Dolly, Sarah Phillips, thank you so much for joining us. Wish I could take your class. Maybe I can audit it somehow.

PHILLIPS: Love to have you.

KEILAR: See that? I am in.

SANCHEZ: Very nice. Maybe do take online.

KEILAR: Yeah, I'll try.

SANCHEZ: Yeah.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: Thanks, Professor.

Well, from Dollywood to Hollywood, some more sad news to share. Actor Tim Curry has died, known for his starring roles in films like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Clue." Maybe you enjoyed him in "The Hunt for Red October" as I did too. Curry also received three Tony Award nominations for his Broadway performances.

SANCHEZ: Tim Curry was 80-years-old. We'll be right back.

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[13:56:20]

SANCHEZ: An eye-opening new study is looking at the potential dangers of playing America's most popular sport. Research published in the British Medical Journal found at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head that can only be diagnosed after death.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the NFL says the league, quote, "Continuously strives to make the game of football safer, including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts." The NFL remains committed to ensuring that the NFL community has access to a robust and expanding set of resources to enhance their physical and mental well-being.

We encourage former players to utilize these resources to identify and seek treatment when they are concerned about their health. With us now, the lead author of this study, Dr. Daniel Daneshvar. He's the Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham and the Founder of Team Up Against Concussions.

Doctor, thanks so much for being with us. What do you want people at home to take away from your research?

DR. DANIEL DANESHVAR, CHAIR OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION, MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM: Although this study was just looking at professional athletes, the exposure to the cumulative head impact burden that these athletes experienced didn't just happen at the professional level. It happened at the collegiate, the high school, and in some cases the youth level too, and all those impacts matter.

SANCHEZ: You note in this study that of the 878 former players who died in that five-year time frame of 2016 to 2021, only 235 donated their brains for research, which was when brain donations were the most frequent. The NFL in recent years has taken dramatic steps to reduce head blows for players, significant rule changes, limits to the number of contact practices during the season, also allowing players to wear guardian caps over their helmets to soften blows.

So, do you think the results of this study reflects where the NFL is today after these changes?

DANESHVAR: Yeah. So this study can only tell us about the individuals who passed away in that study window. But importantly, it can give us some information about the modern game. So for example, 93 percent of the former NFL players who unfortunately passed away under the age of 40, they also had CTE.

So I think at the same time as these rule changes are going into place, as the equipment changes have gone into place, the players have also gotten bigger, faster, and stronger. They've also started playing younger. And so it appears that it's not really making a major difference in the rate at which we're seeing NFL players with CTE.

SANCHEZ: Isn't it potentially true that the way that these brains were examined leads to some selection bias? In other words, the families that decided to have these brains studied perhaps thought there might be some sort of issue, and so you had a lot of players that didn't have their brains studied who may not have had CTE. Does that concern you at all in the research that the numbers may be slightly off?

DANESHVAR: Yeah, that selection bias is a huge issue with looking at brain donation registries to determine how common a disease is. Because you're right, people are more likely to donate their loved one's brain tissue if they think there's some question or concern.

And so that's what made this study so different. In this study, we weren't just looking at how commonly the disease process occurred amongst the people who donated their brains. We looked at it amongst everybody who played, even a single game, who passed away.

And so when we came up with that low number of 25 percent, what that number means is it's assumed --