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Don Lemon Tonight

Trump's Camp Undeterred by Health Expert's Warning; Trump Cronies Agree There is Fraud in Mail-in Voting; President Trump Threatens Protesters At His Tulsa Rally; Louisville Seeks To Fire Police Officer In Shooting Of Breonna Taylor; Coronavirus Pandemic; U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 119,000; New Pod Cast, Silence Is Not An Option; Parents Of Toddlers In Manipulated Trump Video Speak Out. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired June 19, 2020 - 22:00   ET

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

[22:00:00]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Treyvor Noah, thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

NOAH: Thank you so much, Anderson.

COOPER: Treyvor Noah from The Daily Show. That's our conversation tonight. Thanks for watching.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: This is CNN Tonight. I'm Don Lemon.

Angry, threatening, and defensive. President Trump appearing to hold a campaign rally tomorrow in Tulsa, Oklahoma despite warnings from health experts that it's a bad idea to pack 20,000 people into an arena in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

Is the president concerned?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you look, the numbers are very miniscule compared to what it was. It's dying out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, that is a lie. And you have to ignore almost 120,000 dead Americans and climbing to make that claim.

CNN's very own Dr. Sanjay Gupta saying tonight that he cannot find a single medical expert who's endorsing the rally and that from a public health standpoint, this event should not take place.

The president looking forward to his rally despite concerns, tweeting this today. Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters, or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma, please understand you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene.

So, let's get this straight. So, any American who wants to protest his rally, a Trump, the president's rally. As they have the constitutional right to do so is lumped in with anarchist and looters.

Maybe the president, the authoritarian, Trump the authoritarian will do what he did to the peaceful protests who are not anarchists and looters and gathered in Lafayette Park near the White House just a few weeks back. Unleashing riot police on them where they were gassed and trampled.

The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany was asked if the president was threatening the right of people to assemble peacefully to protest this campaign rally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's not at all what he was saying. What the president was noting is that there are an excusable scene that we saw play out in New York and Seattle and Minneapolis. And that we would not see Tulsa, Oklahoma look that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, today, Tulsa's mayor cancelled a curfew that he'd imposed for the arena. Around the area. Around that arena. He initially put it in place because more than 100,000 people are expected to be in the vicinity of it.

Well, apparently, Trump pressured him to rescind it so his rally goers wouldn't have to obey it. Even the Secret Service thought the curfew was a good idea but Trump didn't. Trump also tweeting big crowds in lines already forming in Tulsa. My campaign hasn't started yet. It starts on Saturday night in Oklahoma.

His campaign hasn't started yet? The whole presidency has been one big reelection campaign. Quite frankly. Guess when Donald Trump alerted the Federal Election Commission that he qualified as a candidate for the 2020 race. Guess when. On the very day he was inaugurated in January 2017. Kayleigh McEnany is going to the rally. Will she wear a mask?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCENANY: It's a personal choice. I won't be wearing a mask. I can't speak for colleagues.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And why won't you wear a mask? Because it's sort of a personal political statement? Is it because the president would be disappointed in you if you don't wear a mask? Why --

(CROSSTALK)

MCENANY: It's a personal -- it's a personal decision. I'm tested regularly. I feel that it's safe for me not be wearing a mask. I'm in compliance with CDC guidelines which are recommended but not required.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: So, Trump and his top aides just refuse to take a leadership role in trying to battle this pandemic. Wearing a mask and encouraging all Americans to do so would help get rid of the coronavirus. Right?

But I want you to look, take a look at this tweet, it's from The Hill, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The gubernator, the former governor of California, remember the gubernator isn't afraid to wear a mask. Anyone making coronavirus masks a political issue is an absolute moron, he says. Indeed.

Dr. Anthony Fauci still trying to get Americans to wear masks. No doubt a message to the Tulsa rally goers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: The best way to protect yourself and to prevent acquisition of and spread of the infection is to avoid crowds. To be avoid crowds. If in fact the one reason or other you feel compelled to do that, which we don't recommend, then wear a mask at all times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Trump also getting in a dig at Dr. Fauci who says that NFL games may not happen this year if the coronavirus worsens in the fall.

[22:05:03]

Well, here's what Trump tweeted. He said, Tony Fauci has nothing to do with the NFL. They are planning a very safe and controlled opening. However, if they don't stand for our national anthem and our great American flag, I won't be a watching. And? The tone deafness of the kneeling issue is just staggering. Really. Especially in light of the nationwide protests calling out police brutality against African- Americans.

But it's not just Trump who is refusing to acknowledge the rising voices demanding social change in America. Tonight, the Vice President, Mike Pence declining repeatedly to utter the phrase black lives matter during an interview. Instead saying, all lives matter.

The reporter responded that of course all lives matter. But that black lives matter is a movement to acknowledge that there are many Americans who don't believe that black lives matter at all and people want to change that way of thinking. And just to be sure the reported asked Mike Pence three times if he would say black lives matter. And he wouldn't.

So, I have to ask. If he can't say black lives matter, do they matter to him? The Christian? Or does the opinion of the president matter more?

The president challenger Joe Biden is leading Trump in the polls. And that has Trump and Republicans nervous about the November election. Especially with the move by many states to expand voting by mail. OK? Trump claims repeatedly and without evidence, no evidence that mail-in voting is ripe for fraud. CNN has done a fact check. And Trump's claim is just garbage. It's more an effort on his part to suppress the vote.

Politico reports the GOP is spending tens of millions of dollars to prevent voting by mail. Which Trump's -- Trump believes will cost him reelection. And of course, the faithful ever faithful Attorney General Barr is out there echoing the false claim there's potential for fraud.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM BARR, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: The thing we have going for us especially when there's intense division in the country is that we have peaceful transfers of power and a way of resolving it is to have an election. But when governments, state governments start adopting these practices like mail-in ballots, that open the flood gates of potential fraud. Then people's confidence in the outcome of the election is going to be undermined.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Concerted effort by all of them to get you to fall for it. Don't fall for it. What Barr is saying is shameful. There is no evidence voting by mail leads to voter fraud. Remember, the president's commission on voter fraud that he had to disband because they found no substantial evidence? Keep that in mind.

If they really believe in their vision for America, they should not be afraid to put it to a vote and let the people decide. but they are afraid. So, what does that tell you? They know as well as everyone else does that their so-called silent majority is actually a minority.

And happening right now Juneteenth celebrations in Tulsa hours before the president set to hold his rally. His campaign rally there. And under the backdrop of a pandemic that has taken the lives of 119,000 Americans so far. The executive director of Tulsa's Health Department weighs in next.

[22:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Two major events in the city of Tulsa to tell you about. Thousands out celebrating the Juneteenth holiday today commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. And just about a mile away, Trump supporters lining up for the president's rally tomorrow that's expecting tens of thousands of people. The president is threatening anyone who plans to protest the rally.

Straight to CNN's Gary Tuchman who is live for us tonight in Tulsa. Gary, good evening to you. You're outside that Bank of Oklahoma Center where the president will hold his big rally tomorrow. How are things looking?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Don, I can tell you I've been to a lot of Trump rallies over the last five years. Never we've seen this many people lined up in advance for the rally. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who are planning to sleep out here tonight including these people right here. And we've been here for five days. There were dozens of people here on

Tuesday.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fake news. CNN fake news.

TUCHMAN: A lot of people are very antagonistic to us. So, we'll try to ignore them as we keep walking down here to give you a look at the people down the street here who are lined up, who are planning to sleep here for this rally that's taking place.

I can tell you is the stadium fits 19,000 people. People will be handed masks when they go in. But there's no mandate to wear the masks. There is no mandate for public safety whatsoever. And that's a big problem.

The health director here in Tulsa, in Tulsa County is saying he's worried about what will happen with so many people inside the BOK Center without masks. And the issue is this. The rally could be an hour and a half or two hours. But people are allowed in four hours in advance. They've been there for six hours.

That's clear President Trump won't be wearing a mask. But he won't be standing with everybody with 19,000 for five or six hours. The White House press secretary said today she won't be wearing a mask. But she won't be standing for four or for five hours with all these people.

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What people here are telling us, a lot of people -- some people say COVID-19 doesn't exist. It's made up. Others say COVID-19 is the same as the flu. They're not worried. Some people say COVID is a problem but if they're personal responsibility and they want to be able to go in.

When we do ask people if you go in and you get infected aren't you worried that you'll get people sick outside of the building? Your parents, your grandparents? A lot of people say well, I haven't thought about that. That's a personal question. And then they get mad at us for asking that question.

Either way, health officials here in Tulsa County, State of Oklahoma and throughout this country are very worried about what could happen here tomorrow night. Don, back to you.

LEMON: Short on masks, Gary, and too bad, short on common sense for some in that crowd when you're there to show their support for the president and they're trying to get in the way of it. Too bad. Thank you, Gary. I appreciate your reporting. Stay safe out there.

I want to get now to Dr. Bruce Dart. He is the executive director of the Tulsa Health Department. Doctor, thank you so much. I appreciate you joining us this evening. The president told Axios tonight that he won't be wearing a mask to his campaign rally. Quote, "not as a protest but I don't feel that I am in danger should the president -- he said I'm in danger." Should he be wearing a mask? What do you think?

BRUCE DART, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TULSA HEALTH DEPARTMENT: You know, absolutely. I mean, there's -- we have such little tool to keep people safe. We have no vaccine. We had no clinical therapies. One of -- one of -- few tools we've actually gathered. Social distancing and wearing a mask so we can break that chain of transmission of this virus.

LEMON: Yes. Listen, I got to tell you - I got to tell you because the Tulsa -- Tulsa County is now reporting the highest seven- day average for new cases. You were hoping that tomorrow's big rally would be postponed. Obviously, that is not happening. There's also the Juneteenth celebrations going on now. Is this the making of really a health disaster, I should say, a health disaster in the making?

DART: You know, my concern is that from a helicopter perspective we're coming up on a perfect storm of disease transmission, and frankly, it's a perfect storm that Tulsa can't afford.

LEMON: The Tulsa rally didn't come up at today's Coronavirus Task Force meeting. Medical professionals have been discussing this. Should Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci have brought that up at this meeting?

DART: You know, I think it's something that we need to talk about. We need to be aware of. We need to have conversations about what it is to do to stay safe. And not having large gatherings. It's probably the number one thing we need to do to stay safe until we do get vaccine and therapy.

LEMON: Doctor, wearing masks at the Trump rally tomorrow obviously is optional. You heard our Gary Tuchman reporting many there saying that they didn't believe it was real. That it was a hoax and so on and so forth, they weren't going to take any preventative measures. How big of a difference would it make if everyone wore one?

DART: You know, we think one of the reasons behind the spikes here in Tulsa County is that people have quarantine fatigue. They're extremely tired when we were sheltering in place and they went so hard to resume their life pre-COVID-19. And they now are going out in public, they are gathering and they are gathering without wearing masks, without social distancing. And we think that's part of why we're seeing the spikes in Tulsa today.

So, social distancing and wearing a mask, and hand washing hygiene really are the three most important things people can do. And I think we're starting to see a lax in that movement and action. And unfortunately, resulting in spiking in cases in Tulsa County today.

LEMON: Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta here at CNN he's on earlier and he broke down the numbers of potential infections this way. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: If you look at the incidents of the virus in that area right now, you'd expect about 100 people roughly would show up at that event already infected. Maybe they don't know they have the virus but they have it. If you look at certain principles of public health about 20 of those

people are going to be significantly shedding the virus. So, 20 people there out of 20,000.

Here's the problem. Because of the sort of environment there, those 20 people could infect 40 to 50 people each. Which means 800 to 1,000 people could become infected as a result of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, 800 to 1,000 people could get infected based on the modelling and those people could go on to spread it in other places. I mean, this is a type of super-spreader event. health officials really have been warning about for months.

DART: Absolutely. We -- so we actually ran a similar model of what a large indoor gathering would be. And we used our R naught figure or the figure that we think that one person how many people they can infect. And we came up with a similar model. Very close to the one that the doctor just expressed.

[22:20:05]

So, we know that the risk of disease transmission is high. And the risk of that transmission going throughout the country from here is high as well. So, we're not only afraid for Tulsa and Oklahoma. We're afraid for anyone from outside the state who attends this rally.

LEMON: OK. Having said that, people are coming from -- coming to Tulsa from all over. When they return home, OK, should they get tested? Should they quarantine? Should they hold off on visiting grandma and grandpa and people who may have underlying conditions or preexisting conditions?

DART: Absolutely. You know, in all honesty to be truly safe they really should quarantine for 14 days at a minimum. They should at least self-monitor for 14 days. But we will recommend that when you think you've been at an event where you've been exposed minimum, when you leave your house you wear a mask. You're out in public you wear a mask. You continue to socially distance.

But it's important that at some point because we do know that there's going to be people probably who are incubating or infecting at these events. You should plan to be tested at least a week after you gone to this rally.

LEMON: Doctor, I have to ask you because there are concerns with the Juneteenth celebrations as well. But there is less -- less risk being outside than inside. Right?

DART: You know, there is. And you know, we -- and we've expressed that we're concerned about any large gathering whether it's indoors or outdoors because people come together. And they stand close together. So, the potential for disease transmission is there. But the risk is less. So, I mean, you're moving around and you have air movement and

hopefully your mask is at Juneteenth. I've gotten calls from people who attended our Juneteenth celebration and they express that many people are wearing masks. So that's great. That's going to minimize risk somewhat.

But outdoors is safer. Although, as we said, our biggest concern about infection is any large gathering where people come together whether it's indoors or outdoors, so we can -- you can pick your poison.

But either way it's important that you be safe, you follow the recommendations that the CDC has expressed around social distancing and wearing a mask. And take your hand sanitizer with you especially to these rallies.

LEMON: Right. Dr. Dart, thank you, I appreciate your time. Tulsa, Oklahoma --

DART: T--

LEMON: -- one city showing the big ideological differences happening throughout the country. Juneteenth celebrations meet MAGA rally. We're going to talk about that with Anthony Scaramucci and David Swerdlick. There they are. They're next.

[22:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, you saw some of them there in Gary Tuchman's live shot. Thousands of people preparing to pack into a Tulsa arena tomorrow for President Trump's first rally in months. But coronavirus cases on the rise in Oklahoma. And Tulsa, you know, the county has more infections than any other county in the state.

I just spoke with a public health official warning that they are concerned about this event. So, let's discuss now. Former White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci is here. And also, CNN political commentator David Swerdlick. Good to see you both.

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Hi, Don.

LEMON: And happy to talk to you both about this. Anthony, let's start with you first. The president is going ahead with this huge rally in Tulsa. And we get it. He's over coronavirus. He wants things to go back to normal. But people are going to get sick. Does he just not care?

SCARAMUCCI: Well, he's pushing back. He's saying, you know, if the people can have the rallies in the streets why can't I have a rally indoors. And I see all of that. But I just have to say it's not responsible as the leader of the free world and as the executive on top of the most important job in our political system. Great leadership would require him to be selfless in a situation like this. But this is a super-selfish act and he's going to put a lot of people

at harm's way that want to go out and support him. So, it's a sad thing so see. If people get sick, Don, what I'm worried about is who is he going to blame it on. He's not going to blame himself. So, he'll start stirring the pot on things that will make our lives even more tense.

LEMON: And there was -- listen, there was concern about the protests being super-spreader events. But those are much more sort of random events where people come together because of something that happened. Not planned. And no one inviting them to sit inside of an arena. I understand that, you know, that -- but --

(CROSSTALK)

SCARAMUCCI: Yes. That's bad leadership.

LEMON: -- it's not -- it's not apples and oranges. I mean, it's apples and oranges. Yes.

SCARAMUCCI: I agree.

LEMON: So, David --

(CROSSTALK)

SCARAMUCCI: I agree what you're saying.

LEMON: David, we have the Juneteenth celebrations --

(CROSSTALK)

SCARAMUCCI: It's bad leadership on his part.

LEMON: Yes, absolutely.

DAVID SWERDLICK, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Say again, Don.

LEMON: The Juneteenth celebrations we have -- we have the MAGA rally happening as well. The president is threatening protestors.

SWERDLICK: Right.

LEMON: So please put some perspective for us. Is it two worlds colliding here? What's going on?

SWERDLICK: Yes, happy Juneteenth first of all, Don and Anthony. Look, the context is this. That tweet that the president sent out this morning my immediate reaction was he sounds like the county sheriff in a movie about the freedom rides. Saying, you know, if you -- you know, meddling kids, you, agitators, you, protestors, you, lowlifes. He used the word lowlifes -- come into town we're not going to treat you well down here in Tulsa.

I mean, the idea that the president would set it up as a confrontation. First of all, is irresponsible. It goes back to Anthony's point about the president not wanting to model good leadership on public health, on the issue of black lives matter.

If you move your protest -- excuse me -- your -- where you protest -- if you move your rally from Juneteenth to the next day but then immediately undercut whatever goodwill you were trying to foster by doing that, then you've just been consistent with what President Trump has done all along.

Go back to last summer. Within just a couple of weeks of when he gave that Fourth of July speech where he tried to generate some goodwill.

[22:29:59]

Where the tweets about the go back to Africa tweets about the four freshman women of color, congresswomen. The president is not interested in setting a good example. You can't even say he's missing an opportunity. He doesn't want the opportunity.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Anthony, let's talk a little bit more about -- I got what you were saying about bad leadership. I was just trying to explain to the viewers that you know, there's -- because some, you know, may think he has a point. He has a point in a sense. But different things. Peacefully protesting Anthony, and trying in the constitution. Yet the president is calling out protestors warning them that they could be treated roughly. Interesting considering what's going on in the country. Why does he have to turn the heat up on an already volatile situation in this country? Why does he do that?

ANTONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, FOUNDER/ MANAGING PARTNER, SKY BRIDGE CAPITAL: Because he's focused on his base. He's looking at the math. The math looks terrible. He's making a play. It's a racist play frankly. He's looking at the 62 percent of the white voters last time. He knows he has to get that up. Because he's losing the rest of the country in terms of the diversity of the country.

I just want to expand on what David said. You know, that was the enough is enough moment for me when he told the four Congresswomen to go back to the countries they originally came from. You know, I'm Italian American. They told my grandmother to go back to the country that she originally came from. And they had these signs, Don, in the windows in Brooklyn said NINA, No Italians Need Apply.

She ended up becoming a maid and passed the baton to my mom. Which led to my American dream. You can't disvalue your personal integrity by tolerating non-sense like that. Particularly from somebody who is sitting in the White House. And so, you know, for me that was the last straw. As you and I we have talked privately. And I applaud David, for bringing it up. Because there's continuity here to the president's itinerate racism. It's nasty and it's mean spirited but it is designed to bring out a large base of voters.

SWERDLICK: Yes, Don, I think Anthony is right there. Ys, I'm just going to say, if I can --

LEMON: Go on. SWERDLICK: -- get my Ron Brownstein Jr. merit badge here for a second.

The president is likely to get a similar number. He got 8 percent of black votes last time around. He's likely to get a similar number. Likely he have a similar number of Latinos. Where this election is going to tip is with suburban white women with college degrees. So, when he does something like moves his event off of Juneteenth which he was unlikely to be thrilled about. It's because it's not because he's trying to bring a bigger tent to his coalition of people of color and the transgender Americans and you know, younger Americans.

He is trying to keep himself from tipping over of the edge with suburban white women voters with college degrees. And if he lose that, he's in big trouble in November. I don't make a prediction on how this is going to turn out. But the president like Anthony said can read a poll and sees what he has to do. Otherwise he is playing to his base as often as he can.

LEMON: Anthony, quickly here, because I don't have much time. But you study those polls. You know those polls and people compare what's happening now in the poll numbers to what happened in 2016. But there is a difference when you go inside of those polls. Especially considering what David just talked about.

Those suburban white women and people who live in the suburbs in general who are tuned in because of this pandemic and they see what's going on in the country right now. And they are according to the polls they don't like what the president is doing and how he's handling it. And that could probably translate to November.

SCARAMUCCI: Well, quickly, he's getting smoked. Look at the differentials, 21 percent super support him, 49 percent super disapprove of him. But where he's really losing it is women over the age of 50. Demographically those women had checked out on him. It's a very, very hard to get those women back.

And trust me it will be guys out there like me explaining to those suburban women what a danger he has become to the civilized society. And so I'm going to make the bold prediction that he's going to lose. But we are going to have to dig in. He's a fighter. But we're also fighters and we'll see what happens. But I think he's going to lose, because he's lost those women. I think David is going to be ultimately right about that. That demographic piece.

LEMON: Wow. Anthony Scaramucci.

SWERDLICK: Bold prediction.

LEMON: Bold prediction. Thank you, sir.

SCARAMUCCI: We are going to make it happen. And Don, we are going to make it happen.

LEMON: OK.

SCARAMUCCI: You know, we know how to build a coalition. There's a lot of willing Republicans that had said enough is enough with this non- sense. The lying. I'm half way through the Bolton book. I know you guys probably won't read it because Ambassador Bolton didn't testify. Just go look at the book. You'll like going to be to, are you kidding me? Enough is enough. And people know that --

LEMON: Mine is on the way.

SWERDLICK: I know you are running out of time. The only thing I would say --

[22:35:00]

LEMON: I'm running out of time, but you got to go fast.

SWERDLICK: -- Bolton is not going to swing those voters though. I think it's going to be other factors in this election.

SCARAMUCCI: No, but you and I -- you and I are, David. You and I are going to swing those voters.

SWERDLICK: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: All right. Thank you guys.

SCARAMUCCI: Good to see you.

LEMON: I have an update tonight to a story that we have been following. The city of Louisville, Kentucky and its police department are taking the first steps towards firing an officer involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor that was back in March. The 26 year- old African-American EMT was killed when police broke down the door to her apartment in attempted drug sting and shot her eight times. Louisville's Interim police chief has accused Detective Brett Hankinson blindly firing 10 rounds into Taylor's apartment.

Up next. Florida reporting almost 4,000 new case of coronavirus today. And they're not alone. States that formally had fewer cases compared to the rest of the country are now spiking. We are going to bring you what you need to know about the threat of coronavirus and what it still poses.

Also, I just want to make sure that you know about my new pod cast. It's called, Silence is not an option. I'm taking on the hard conversation about being black in America. So you can find it on Apple pod cast. Or your favorite pod cast app.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:40:00]

LEMON: Coronavirus surging across nearly half the states in the U.S. as California, Florida and Arizona report a record of new cases for two days in a row. Joining me now is Dr. William Schaffner, he is a professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University. Good to see you again. I wish we had better news. Better things to talk about. But here we are, doctor. So, we can't under estimate the severity of this. We have 23 states

that are seeing spikes in cases. Eight of those seeing jumps of more than 50 percent including Florida, Texas and Oklahoma. When you look at what's happening around the country, what are you most afraid of, doctor?

DR. WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Well, Don, I'm afraid of more of the same. And even worse. Because as we open up people are opening up casually instead of carefully. They are not wearing masks. They are not paying attention to the six foot rule. They are going to large events. And so, when that happens, that's exactly what the coronavirus likes.

This covid virus that loves to spread in those circumstances and when it does that, some people are going to get sick, some people will show up in the emergency room. Some people will show up in the intensive care unit. And some people will show up in the mortuary. So, I mean, that's what's happening. We're not being careful enough, Don.

LEMON: Yes. Let's compare new cases, doctor. New cases in the U.S., Canada, Italy and Germany. All but the U.S. are trending way down. In fact the U.S. is actually trending up. I mean, it's like we have given up.

SCHAFFNER: Well, I don't think we have given up. But there are large cultural differences. These other countries have a great social consciousness. Here we're more individualistic. That's our whole tradition. And there are all kinds of people who just want to go out there and say I want to be me. This is what I'm want to do. I'm tired of this cabin fever. It's very difficult to persuade everyone really to wear those mask. And to behave in a prudent fashion. So, I think that is at the crux.

LEMON: I mean, I think individualistic or individualism is one thing. But ignoring facts or not believing in facts and science -- that's another thing, doctor. Places that struggled early on like many states in the northeast, now doing better. While states that didn't have many cases in the beginning are now seeing surges. Particularly in the south and in the west. Why are we seeing this flip=flop?

SCHAFFNER: Well, I think there was in addition to what we've just said. I think there was this hope that covid would go on a summer vacation. And that was really anticipated, Don. I heard that much discussed in my neck of the woods. And it's just not happening. Covid is not going away. It's with us. And will be with us I'm afraid. This is the uncomfortable but real much. New future.

LEMON: Dr. Schaffner, I appreciate it. Be safe and have a good weekend. Thanks so much.

SCHAFFNER: Thank you.

LEMON: So, I want you to take a look at this video. Remember this video? Father of the one of the Toddlers posted it last year. Because he thought it was a beautiful moment to share in the middle of the racism in the world, right. But now the president is manipulating it for his own message. Not a good message either. These children's parents speak out. Next.

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[22:45:00]

LEMON: I asked you often, well, sometimes. Not often. Please sit down and watch the story. You have -- you must watch this story. You must call everyone to watch this story. Record with your DVR right now. OK, so tonight Facebook and Twitter removing a video posted by President Trump. It was a crude and misleading edit of a video that went viral last year which shows a black child and white child running to hug each other. The version posted to Trump's account made it first appear as if the black child was running away from the white child.

So, I want to bring in now Michael Cisneros, he's the father of one of the toddlers in the video. And also Dan McKenna, the father of one of the boys. Ven Johnson is here as well, attorney for the Cisneros and McKenna families. I'm so happy that you are here, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for doing this and I'm so glad the way -- I'm just so proud the way you are raising your boys. And thank you for doing this. I really appreciate it.

Dan, I'm going to start with you. Neither of you gave the president permission to use this video of your sons. How did you learn what he had done and what was your reaction when you saw it?

DAN MCKENNA, FATHER OF TODDLER IN MANIPULATED VIDEO TWEETED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP: So last night after 9:00 p.m., one of our cousins Tim, messaged me. And said did you see this? And so I click on it and watched it through. It was something that we were -- I was and my wife wants to leave a message to Michael and Alex immediately and just very, very upset as to what was portrayed and who was portraying this.

[22:50:14]

LEMON: Michael, let me ask you the same question. I mean, you must have been horrified to see this.

MICHAEL CISNEROS, FATHER OF TODDLER IN MANIPULATED VIDEO TWEETED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, absolutely. It was just so hurtful to see this video made of love and with the hopes to inspire hope amongst everyone out there. It was, you know, I just -- I could not believe what we were watching. And you know, our phone was blowing up with everyone just reaching out for us to let us know. And so, we immediately started acting on it, and tried to, you know, go through the steps -- proper steps to have it removed.

LEMON: Yes. We're going to talk a little bit more about that, and also have Van, your attorney to weigh in that. But Dan, the White House press secretary, Kayleigh Mcenany was actually asked about the doctored video today. She said she thought it was funny. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE SPOKESPERSON: I think the president was making a satirical point that was quite funny if you go and actually watch the video.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, the president, she thought it was funny. The president used a beautiful video of your children to further his political agenda. Did you think it was funny?

MCKENNA: Not at all, no. I thought it was propaganda, to a base that we really -- I was really aghast immediately when I saw it. It was not funny. I did see that press conference earlier, and I just was kind of -- I couldn't understand how someone would share something like that, to think it was funny. Calling -- I'm not sure who they were calling, my son racist or what it was. But it's -- it made me very upset.

LEMON: Michael, you wanted to weigh in. But I mean, did you think the same way that Dan did, that they were calling his son racist by how the president was portraying a toddler?

CISNEROS: Absolutely. That's exactly what I think. You know, it was intentional, and it was just disgusting to watch. And for her to say that it was funny, you know, that seems to be their go-to answer now for every, you know, idiotic thing he says, that it's a joke. And this is not something that we should take lightly, and it is not something that is funny and if you do, then you should re-evaluate yourself.

LEMON: Think about -- Dan, if I can just ask you, you know, thinking about what is happening in the world right now, right? And you have a -- Michael, you have your son is black. Sorry. So, Michael, you have a black son now. And think about that. He's, you know, he's calling Dan's son racist. And saying your son was running away. And all that is going on in the world right now with racism, and police brutality, and everyone out on the street, like, who would share that and especially the leader of the free world?

CISNEROS: No, absolutely. And I mean, it's just terrible that the president of the United States is actually joking with something like this. And tweeted this out, you know, to bolster his base. Basically, this is what he's doing. And on the eve of Juneteenth. I feel like it was calculated, and I feel like it was meant to stir up something that was supposed to be on a beautiful celebrated day.

LEMON: Do you get tired, Dan, of people making excuses? There's always an excuse like Kayleigh Mcenany, it was funny, it was sarcasm, oh, he didn't meant it that way, you're taking it out of context, you are trying to stop free speech, your censoring us, on and on and on, you two are sensitive, your snowflake, there's always an excuse.

MCKENNA: There is always an excuse that he gives out. I don't think that there should be any more excuses. You know, he needs to stop and look at what he's doing, right? What is going on in the country? There are protests around the country, around the world about, you know, black lives. And he is just making fun of, making fun of it. You know, my wife and

I, we're a cisgender, white couple. We don't know what that feels like, what that bias feels like. But we are working hard to teach our son to be anti-racist. And for something like this to come out, it just makes me really sad.

LEMON: Let me ask you, raising a black son right now, what is that like? And does this make it harder?

CISNEROS: It makes it harder, yes. It's definitely harder. But it's something that is needed and it is something that, you know, I will continue to stand up for and to fight for. I will do all that I can and along with my husband to make to McKenna's to make sure that what to hopefully ensure that my son grows up in a safer, more accepting world, culture, country.

[22:55:20]

You know, it scares me to see these murders happen from you know, police officers. I mean just numerous, numerous. But I do feel that we are on --like, we finally had it. You know, the president needs to be held accountable. He needs to stop making these jokes. Stop making this racist comments to excite people. It's just -- he's inspiring all the wrong things that need to be brought up.

LEMON: Ven, I have to ask you about the legal recourses for these families. Do they have recourse?

VEN JOHNSON, ATTORNEY FOR THE CISNEROS AND MCKENNA FAMILIES: Well, Don, we got retained today, and we're obviously beginning to investigate all of that. Nothing is off the table. But when you have somebody that is clearly falsifying videos, adding your chyron, CNN, as if you folks came up with this. By the way, and such a great speller couldn't even spell toddler correctly. But talking about a toddler running from a racist baby, and the racist baby, probably a Trump voter. How that is funny, it's pathetic, and again Juneteenth being today, likewise with what is going on with our world relative to white police officers shooting and killing especially men of color, it's not funny.

It's disgusting, 17.2 million views today. I should say, last night, Don, as of 8:12 p.m. according to Twitter with 196,000 retweets, 418,000 likes. So, this is sick. It's demented, and absolutely we believe that there is potential cause of action against the website, if you will, that did this.

They've been in cahoots with the Trump campaign for years. Putting this crap on television and putting it all over social media. And it's interesting, sadly, that the most powerful person and leader in the world thinks that is funny. And 17.2 million people apparently want to see this crap. Disgusting.

LEMON: Well, I thank you. Ven, keep us posted. Dan, I want to thank you. Don't think I didn't hear what you said when you said you're raising your son to be anti-racist, which is what we need right now. And Max, well, good luck to you. And I'm just thankful for what you're doing. I just don't have the words to say it. And I'm so grateful that you appeared here. Best of luck, thank you so much, be safe.

CISNEROS: Thank you, Don.

MCKENNA: Thank you.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

LEMON: We'll be right back.

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