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Don Lemon Tonight

More Than 200 Russian Aircraft Downed By Ukraine Troops; No Shortage Of Challenges For President Biden; Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Met With Russian Counterpart; Former President And Vice President Endorses Different Candidates; Baby Formula Shortage Could Last For Months; Student Athletes Victim Of Racial Profiling; Unrest Seen In Journalist's Final Rest. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired May 13, 2022 - 22:00   ET

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

[22:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Today, we can report only 200 downed Russian military aircraft. Russia has not lost so many aircraft in any war in decades, and Russia has lost almost 27,000 soldiers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Now I need to tell you CNN cannot independently confirm that number, but it would be a stunning blow for Russia. And just look at this. Ukraine says it blew up a Russian helicopter on Snake Island, they're famous for that now classic Russian warship go F yourself exchange.

That, as Vladimir Putin may be getting exactly what he doesn't want, meaning Finland, and potentially, Sweden, moving closer to joining NATO amid fears of Russian aggression. And in the face of all of that, a warning from defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Russia, urgently calling for an immediate cease in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, one challenge on top of another for the president of the United States Joe Biden. Ukraine, inflation, the markets, and now a nationwide shortage, a baby formula. The president pushing back when asked, if he could have acted sooner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: If we've been better mind readers, I guess we could have. But we moved as quickly as the problem became apparent to us. And we have to move with caution as well as speed, because we've got to make sure that we are getting is in fact first grade product.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So that baby formula shortage, coming in the middle of worldwide shortages of grain and cooking oil. What can we do to make food supplies more stable in an unstable world? And we have got shocking video tonight. Watch what happens, this is

Jerusalem, inside a funeral of an Al Jazeera journalist was shot dead while she was reporting.

CNN's Atika Shubert was there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the funeral procession began Israeli riot police first blocked the coffin from moving forward, then charged, hitting several pallbearers with batons. The coffin nearly falling to the ground.

Thing are very tense here. The funeral procession tried to walk out of the hospital gate. Israeli police did not allow it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: We'll have more from Atika's report, coming up.

But I want to get right to Nick Paton Walsh's report, from just outside of the northern city of Kharkiv, where Russia's retreat from the area is revealing the brutality of the war.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Charred, chewed, northern Kharkiv scars seem infinite. Putin's troops breathing artillery fire down the neck of this city of a million for two months. But even still, it's a shock to see just how close the Russians got on the other side of this road.

We are told this is from the mining, a controlled blast. Yet, here everything is fluid. Ukraine stopped Russia's advance here on the first day of the war, killing two soldiers by this armor. Three civilians shot dead in this car then, and their bodies recovered only two days ago.

You can see the colossal force used against armor here. A tank tart literally about a full distance of tank body.

The village of Zarichne lies ahead, liberated days earlier. "People are starting to go back," he said, "but they're still shelling it." Two women died two days ago, when they walked under tripwire trapped set in the village, and even around these factories, special forces here warned us a soldier was wounded by a booby trap three days ago.

The zed markings of Russia's invasion, still a deranged sign of their collective insanity, even two months on. Why do they do this?

They say they reclaimed this area about a week ago, but they're now under a difficult task of demining what they can, but look around here. There's really not much left to make safe.

These civilians evacuated from the next village, (Inaudible) just two kilometers away. "It's a nightmare," she says. "The shooting is heavy. We drive around and we let them race on." Desperation takes different forms here and caught by another kind of survivor, Dmitri (Ph). His wife moved away a while ago, wheeling back food he's got for his six dogs.

"I haven't really left my own for two months," he said. "I crossed the fields, passed the bomb fragments to get the food." His gentle stroll in the open, a sign of how long the violence has swelled here, not that it is slowing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: Now, Don, we understand that tonight, as in previous nights, that village has been shelled by Russian forces. And it's part of a pattern what we're seeing here.

[22:05:03]

Yes, the Russians retreat, they pulled back closer towards their border. But they shell the things that are in their wake, making ordinary life very hard to return here.

But there's no question that Russia is being pushed back towards its border, and that Ukraine is regaining control of large waves of the area around Kharkiv's north. They are too, it seems, Ukrainian forces pushing east. And that may threaten some of Russia's key supply lines, particularly those that go down from Slovyansk inside Ukraine, that's kind of near Belgorod, one of the main cities Russia has on the border here.

From Slovyansk all the way down to Izyum, one of Russia's key fronts on their bid exercise great to control Donbas.

Don, you just got to ask yourself, here we are, so far into the second phase, the reset, if you, lack of Russia's unprovoked invasion. No move, really, for them in the south, to speak of. Nothing significant, stalemate over there. In the east, maybe some incremental moves, forward slowly, perhaps, yes, even Ukrainian officials accept that.

But here, to the north of Kharkiv, frankly, something which I'm sure Russian military plans would have thought would've been easy to take earlier on. They're in retreat, and their supply lines are potentially at risk. When quite Russia wrestles control of its narrative here, again, I don't know. What we're looking at here is a stalemate, if not a slow collapse of their positions, Don.

LEMON: Nick Paton Walsh, thank you very much for that. And new tonight, the Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking with his Russian counterpart for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine started.

Here to discuss, the former Defense Secretary William Cohen. Good evening, secretary. Good to have you. Thank you so much.

WILLIAM COHEN, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Good evening. Good to be with you, Don. LEMON: So, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy tonight claimed that 27,000

Russian soldiers have been killed. If that is true, that is a huge loss for the Russian military, no?

COHEN: It would be a major loss for the Russians. And coming in such a short time, if you compare the number of the soldiers they lost when they were in Afghanistan, in the period of time during 10 years, it would not amount to what's happened in just two months, a little over two months.

LEMON: The Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, as I said, in my introduction to you, speaking with the Russian ministry of defence, Sergei Shoigu, for the first time since February 18th. Now, Austin urged for an immediate ceasefire. So, take us inside that conversation, if you will. Just how tough would Austin be with his Russian counterpart?

COHEN: I don't think it would be a tough call. At this point, the most important thing is secretary of defense made -- took the initiative, and has, as I understand, been taking the initiative, trying to send some message, or establish some line of communication with his counterpart.

That's a good thing to do, if we can, because the longer this war goes on, rather than the special mission, the longer this war goes on, the more likely it is, or probable it is that we're going to have some miscalculation. And therefore, expand it into a much wider war than it is today.

So, it is a good thing. I think the secretary of defense, they only talk for a short time. By the time he gets through the translation, it cuts in half. And therefore, it was a short conversation. I think the Secretary Austin can judge from the tone of the general on the other side, or his administer on the other side of the phone call.

He can tell by tone, perhaps, whether there is any anxiety, any real sense of an ability to communicate going forward. So, we're going to learn something in a call like that, but I don't think it was, hey, we want a ceasefire, and you better have a ceasefire. I don't that's that kind of call.

I think he's saying it's a good thing if we have a ceasefire and stop the slaughter that's taking place, and talk about ways in which we can resolve all of our differences. But I don't think it's a call where you call up in a harsh tone, saying, you better do this. It's just not the way it's done.

LEMON: The Pentagon, Secretary, is saying that if Congress does not pass that $40 billion Ukraine aid supplemental by next Thursday, that it will start impacting the United States ability to provide Ukraine military aid, uninterrupted.

So, GOP Senator Rand Paul blocked its passage, saying that he wants more oversight before he will vote yes. What is the impact of this possible delay? COHEN: Time is of the essence. Every day, every hour, every day,

someone is in danger of dying. Some Ukrainian citizen or soldier is in danger of dying. So, time is of the essence. I don't think anyone questioned what you need to have more oversight with inspectors general. But the timing here is critical.

And I would point out, the inconsistency of those who are holding this up, or Rand was holding this up, go back to 2020, I think it was May in 2020. Donald Trump fired five inspectors generals in a period of six weeks.

[22:10:00]

And the inspectors general, and the Department of Defense, intelligence, transportation, Health and Human Services, those, and others, I think, were involved, he fired and very little criticism coming from Republicans. Maybe one or two or three, I don't know if Senator Rand Paul was part of those who objected, but it seems to me, when you're talking about firing inspectors general, rather than here, where we're trying to get as much material, food, ammunition, fuel, everything that has to go to carry this war on.

Time is of the essence. And you delay this until next week or thereafter, you're putting everybody on our -- on the Ukrainian side, to be sure, they're putting them at risk, and you're putting them behind the curve, and trying to weaken the ability of the Russians to carry on this war.

LEMON: Speaking of what is going on, the ability of, you know, to go on with this war. A senior U.S. official says that Ukraine artillery is quote, "frustrating Russian efforts to advance in the Donbas." And there is a lot of fighting, but not a lot of progress for the Russian forces in key eastern cities. What happens if Russia cannot meet in any of its goals in the east?

COHEN: Well, I think they will continue. I don't think Russia is going away. They, as I indicated before, I think Putin might try to call a ceasefire. At this particular point, there's something I don't think that President Zelenskyy could agree to, but nonetheless, that's what would put the burden on the west and those who are supporting Ukraine, to say, perhaps, there is a way to negotiate an end to this on a more timely bases.

But I think at this point, Putin is not going away. I don't think he afford to be seen as losing it, not only not to mention losing it in its entirety. I think it will be a crashy blow for him, calling to question his leadership, and perhaps even stimulate some kind of a reaction amongst the Russian people, criticizing what he has done, the mistakes he has made by going in and the barbarity with which he has pursued this war.

The barbarity, the futility of it all, and the insanity of it all. So, I think he has a lot to account for to the Russian people.

LEMON: There is a stunning video of fighting at that steel plant in Mariupol. Let's play it, and then, we'll talk about it. I mean, your first, the first thought when I hear that is, damn. I

mean, it is -- it's brutal. The situation on the ground is brutal. It's like something out of World War II. What do you think when you see that Ukrainian forces are, what they're up against?

COHEN: Well, they're up against great odds. The Russians have far more soldiers, more capability, in terms of arms and supplies at this point. But what they don't have is the will to fight that the Ukrainian soldiers are demonstrating. After this two and a half months, they're still fighting. And they're vastly outnumbered, and these soldiers have been under that plant for all of this time, with limited food, with limited ability to fight, and they're carrying it on.

It's something that the Russians, I don't think had the same will to fight that they do. So, all we can do is saying, these are real martyrs who are determined to fight to the death. And we need to do all we can to help get, help to them, those who are wounded, to get them out and to those who are still there who want to fight, continue to supply them, if we can.

LEMON: Thank you, Secretary. Be well. I'll see you soon.

COHEN: Good to be with you. Thanks, Don.

LEMON: You as well. So, who would have thought? Mike Pence says that he will campaign for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, which can't be making his former boss Donald Trump very happy? He's made Kemp one of his prime midterm targets.

Abby Phillip, Paul Begala, Charlie Dent, next.

[22:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A lot of big political stories on the agenda tonight from the White House, to the campaign trail in Pennsylvania and Georgia.

A lot to discuss with CNN's senior political correspondent, Abby Phillip. Political commentators Paula Begala, a Democratic strategist, and Charlie Dent, a former Republican congressman from Pennsylvania who, by the way, Abby says is showing off, because Pennsylvania is in the spotlight right now. I must agree with her as well.

And we have you here so you could show off. So, thank you.

Good evening to all of you.

And I'm going to start with Abby. Abby, the White House is facing really enormous challenges, inflation, baby formula issues, the Ukrainian war, the Republicans plus the Supreme Court looking like they are about to overturn Roe. Does the White House have a handle on all of this?

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it would be hard to say that they really have a handle on it, because some of it is completely outside of their control. They can't do really anything about the inflation issue. They really can't do anything about what the court might do on the issue of Roe. All they can do is take the hand that they've been dealt and try to turn it to their advantage as best as they can.

I think the one thing about this baby formula crisis in particular that I think is so concerning from a political perspective for the White House, is that it almost has become a kind of a symbol of the larger problem in the economy and the larger problems that American families are facing.

Things that people need are not where they need them when they need them. And that is really the heart of the matter. And that's the heart of the discontent, and that's why you've seen the White House so urgently moving to try to address this issue to stop it from getting worse before it becomes even more of a political football.

LEMON: Paul, then there is the House Republicans. They want payback after January 6th committee subpoenaed five of their members. CNN is reporting tonight that if they win back the majority, they are looking to subpoena House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, other top Democrats.

[22:20:02]

How messy could this get? And we don't have all night. Because I know it could get pretty messy. But go on.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's right. It could get awfully -- it could get awfully messy. What are they so afraid of? You know, I'm in Austin. I was visiting my University of Texas where I went in. On the main building there, etched in stone is the wonderful phrase from Jesus in the gospel, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

Well, apparently, for the House Republicans, ye shall know the truth and the truth will scare the daylight out of you. Why are they so afraid about simply telling the truth about what happened on January 6th? I think we have a right to that. We paid their salary. We citizens, so I think we have a right to that.

I'm really very curious. You know, the old saying that hit a dog bark, they're barking an awful lot. Terrible worries over on the Republican side.

LEMON: As a southerner, the phrase is, a hit dog will holler. OK?

BEGALA: You got it.

LEMON: Charlie, I got to bring you in. Can we talk about the former vice president, Mike Pence. I mean, he's going to campaign for top Trump target Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. While Trump is endorsing his opponent, David Perdue. Is he trying to make a clear break with Trump here over a year after MAGA, the MAGA mob was sick on him?

CHARLIE DENT, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I don't know that he's making a clean break, but I certainly think he's trying to one up Donald Trump. I mean, Mike Pence is going down. He's going down there to endorse the likely winner of the primary and Donald Trump has already endorsed the likely loser of the primary.

So, this may make Pence look much stronger than Trump in this case. And look, Pence really has no future, or not much of a future with the MAGA movement. They're still mad at him about the January 6th, you heard all the hang Mike Pence chants and the gallows. So, I think he really has much future with them. So, he figures he might as well try to drive a contrast with the former president wherever he can, especially when in this case he's going to be on the winning side.

LEMON: Abby, the president has started slamming Republicans and their, what he says, ultra MAGA policy. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Under my predecessor, the great MAGA king -- the deficit increased every single year he was president. I never expected the ultra MAGA Republicans who seem to control the Republican Party now. To have the name of a controlled Republican Party.

This MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization that has existed in American history. And in recent American history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, listen, Abby, my question is to you. But I got to say, Paul, were you wincing when he answered that? When he said the ultra MAGA crowd. Was that the wince from you?

BEGALA: No, it was a smile.

LEMON: OK.

BEGALA: I like when he chose in there and throws some punches.

LEMON: OK.

BEGALA: But he needs to connect up to people's lives. Those MAGA people are against child tax credits, they're against universal pre-K, they're against community -- free community college. They're against cheaper prescription drugs. Tell us, Mr. President, why that -- those MAGA crowd, why are they so damaging to the middle class?

LEMON: OK.

BEGALA: And he's doing that. And very happy with what he's doing.

LEMON: So, Abby, but really the Washington Post is reporting that the shift stems from months of polling which found in battleground states more than twice as many voters said that they would be less likely to vote for a MAGA Republican than they would likely be to vote for, you know, someone else or another Republican. Will all this tougher talk work? PHILLIP: Yes, I mean what the White House is recognizing is that the

generic Republican, if you are a generic Republican, you could be literally anybody in the world. You might perform better than a generic Democrat in this environment.

But what, you know, their researchers and pollsters are arguing is that if you slap the MAGA label on them, they stopped being the generic Republican and they start becoming something else that has negative connotations to a lot of voters.

I was interested to see, you know, one of former President Trump's advisers telling the Post that MAGA is the most successful political brand in American history. And that might be true, but it's also a political brand that lost the last election. And so that is what the White House is keying in on.

MAGA is associated with Trump, which was the loser the last time around. And I think they believe that if they can make this a real choice, not between two generic candidates, but between the status quo and something that has negative connotations, they can beat back some of the environment that is really, really bad for Democrats all over the country right now.

LEMON: Charlie, if you want to get in, you're going to have to get Paul's facial expressions to have to bring it back in because as Abby was talking, it looked like he wanted to jump in.

People are hurting, they're struggling with gas prices, Paul, food shortages, Biden is going to look like he is just focused on politics, trying to destruct from issues that they care about, that he can't seem to solve, no?

BEGALA: No. The reason that that stuff -- some of it, is snag, is because the Republicans won't support it. Every single, not every single, almost every single Republican voted to send $2 trillion of our tax money to corporate America when Donald Trump was president even though corporate profits were at record high.

[22:2and 5:05]

Now those same Republicans are against helping the middle class, helping with childcare, pre-k, and prescription drugs, and health insurance, and community college. So, I think it's a great contrast. He got elected, not so much left right. It was up down. He said I'm Scranton against Park Avenue. And the voters he needs, thinks much more in terms of those populist messages than the left right messages that we analysts focus on.

LEMON: Charlie, I want you to jump in here. Because the Post is also reporting that how -- I'll let you jump in, but I want to get this question in for you. That some Trump followers are embracing that ultra MAGA label. Representative Elise Stefanik says that she is ultra MAGA and proud of it. What do you think this new line of attack will mean for midterms for both sides as we are discussing here?

DENT: Well, I think Biden is probably right to try to draw a contrast with some of these really extreme MAGA types, the ultra MAGA as he calls them. Look, in Pennsylvania we just go right back to it. You've got two great examples. The gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano and the surging Senate candidate, Kathy Barnette, they are way out on the fringe, and the Democrats are just salivating, hoping that they are nominated because in the gubernatorial race they'll be able to -- they'll win. They will win the race. And they'll likely win the Senate race, should she be nominated.

So, yes, anytime you get these candidates so far out on the fringe, and most of them aren't by the way, but in Pennsylvania, it's likely that we can have a terrible double nightmare scenario going into this election. While the wind is in the Democrats face, and I disagree with Paul a little bit. I've been to Scranton many times, I don't think Biden is doing so well up there in Lackawanna County, because of where they've been on the economy, especially with inflation, prices going up. And supply shortages and I think they went too big with build back better on top of six trillion and spending. So, I think there's real challenges for them on the Democrats side.

LEMON: So, Tuesday night, you said it could be a double whammy. What did you say?

DENT: Yes, it's a double disaster.

LEMON: Double disaster.

DENT: This is a, I mean, the GOP is in full panic mode. It's a full panic mode. I mean, this Mastriano, I mean this guy is, he's way out there. I mean, Don, you guys have been stories on him.

LEMON: Yes.

DENT: Same with this Kathy Barnette. She's unvetted, and she is -- she is a -- this is a train wreck that could happen should she win and he win, and they've endorsed each other to make it even worse. And so, Josh Shapiro, the Democrat gubernatorial candidate has got to be thrilled to pieces and they'll likely face John Fetterman in the Senate race, which will be -- he's going to be a tougher candidate for the Democrats to get through.

LEMON: Somebody knows Pennsylvania politics. Thank you all. Abby was right. He is showing off. Thank you, guys. Thank you so much.

PHILLIP: He's ready for Tuesday!

LEMON: Yes, he is. We all are. We'll see you guys on Tuesday. You will be leading our coverage. Thank you so much. Have a great weekend.

PHILLIP: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: Baby formula shortages, spiking prices at the grocery store. How long can we expect the supply shocks to last? And what products could be next.

[22:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, you probably heard about this next story. This nationwide shortage of baby formula. And when you did, you probably wondered, how it comes to pass that here in the United States of America, people are having trouble getting their hands on what they need to feed their babies?

Formula stockpiles are 43 percent lower than normal. The White House announcing efforts this week to address the shortage, including importing more formula from overseas, and calling on the FTC to crack down on any price gouging.

LEMON: So, President Joe Biden pushing back today on criticism for not acting sooner, saying the administration moved as quickly as the problem became apparent.

Joining me to discuss, Helena Bottemiller Evich, she's a senior food and agriculture reporter at Politico, who has been all over the story.

Hey, Helena, thank you for joining us. Fascinating. I'm so glad that you're here. So good evening to you.

President Biden, sounding someone defensive about whether his administration could have done something sooner. And you've been covering this crisis for weeks now. Could they have done something sooner, done more sooner?

HELENA BOTTEMILLER EVICH, SENIO FOOD AND GRICULTURE REPORTER, POLITICO: Well, I think it's important to note that this is really been brewing for months, if not, years. So infant formula supplies were actually pretty tight last summer. They got worst. Stocking rates got worst over the holidays.

I was already hearing from parents complaining about supply, and then, we have a massive recall. Some of the biggest brands from the country in February. So, this has been, I'm calling it a slow-moving train wreck, it has been building for a long time. But part of it you know, was a response to a safety concern, so it's hard to say whether or not, you know, Biden himself you know, acted or didn't act here.

Certainly, Republicans are seizing on that and you are hearing just relentless attacks from Republican lawmakers, trying to pin as much blame as possible on the president directly. Clearly, they see some political points to be gained here.

LEMON: So that massive recall you spoke about is from -- it was Abbott nutrition. That was in February. But manufacturers are now saying that they're producing at full capacity. So why is this shortage still as dire as it is, Helena?

EVICH: It's a really good question. I'm not sure we have that fully figured out. There are a lot of questions here. The FDA is saying that actually, we are producing more formula by volume than we were before the recall.

[22:35:06] So, it's not actually that we don't have enough formula. It's that it's very unevenly distributed. It's clearly not getting to the right places fast enough. Where you live, and what retailer you shop at, it makes a huge difference here. Something a lot of variability.

Some places, the out-of-stock rates might be over 50 percent. In other places, it's 80 percent, which is a little bit more normal. So, it's really hard to get a grasp of the national picture here, but certainly, parents are stressed about this.

LEMON: Yes.

EVICH: They are struggling to find the exact type of formula they need. And really, folks with special medical needs are very, very worried about the supply of some of these formulas. This plant had a near monopoly on a certain type of formula that's used by thousands of folks with metabolic conditions and other unique medical needs, literally to survive.

So, I've been on the phone with parents, and it's just crying, very stressed about when this is going to be resolved.

LEMON: Yes, and it's not just baby formula. We are seeing a disruption and shortages of grain and cooking oil due to the war in Ukraine and other factors as well, Helena. How that this could be for the global food supply, including here in the U.S.?

EVICH: Yes, I think world leaders are very concerned about skyrocketing food prices. The war in Ukraine, Russia's war against Ukraine has really exacerbated what was already a tough situation. Food prices were already increasing. You know, we've been seeing inflation broadly, and supply chain disruptions.

You know, labor tightening throughout the pandemic. And this war has made things much, much, much more serious. Prices are going up sharply. Cooking oil, wheat, so many staples are really, really important. And Ukraine, you know, it was a major supplier, particularly for the Middle East and Africa. And folks are right to be very concerned about this.

LEMON: Yes, you just mentioned it, but I just want to make it clear. Let's put a backup, that full screen backup. Food prices are spiking, they're up 9 point -- they're up nine percentage point -- 9 percent overall, excuse me, in the last year. The margin is up nearly 24 percent. Eggs are up nearly 23 percent.

Are there other causes then the war, causing these huge increases? Because you know, the Biden administration is saying, you know, it's the war, you know -- but there's got to be other things, not just the war?

EVICH: Yes, global food prices are actually up a lot higher than that. So, we are -- we are a little bit more protected from commodity prices here in the U.S. We are very blessed with an abundant and, you know, relatively affordable food supply. So, we are more insulated from inflation. Inflation certainly is heading food prices, you know, food prices. There's no question about that.

But we are not seeing the really intense spikes that other parts of the world are contending with. One big issue here, though, and we are going to hear more about this, is the question of consolidation, and how resilient our supply chains really are. We are seeing this with infant formula.

Democrats are now asking a lot of questions about why the infant formula industry so consolidated. Four companies control nearly 90 percent of the market, and that's true across a lot of different agricultural or pieces of the food and ag system, if you will. Fertilizer, seeds, meatpacking is really consolidated. So, I think you're going to hear more about this as we see prices go up, and as we see supplies, you know, supply chains continue to be disrupted.

LEMON: I have to run to report something else. But do you see it easing at all? Is there any help for anything that we discussed?

EVICH: Yes. Yes. I think that, you know, global food prices are much more urgent concerns in terms of, you know, making sure that we can get the grain out of Ukraine. And I know a lot of leaders are working on that trying to get ports functional, and get grain and other commodities out in other ways. That's a really urgent concern.

But I think in the U.S., I think the infant formula situation will improve. There are a lot of -- there's a lot of focus on this. I think parents can expect things to become much more normal in the coming weeks. Hang in there. Do not make your own formula. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble getting formula for your child.

LEMON: And that's why we have Helena Bottemiller Evich on. Thank you. I really appreciate it. We'll have you back as this continues. Thank you so much.

EVICH: Anytime, thanks.

LEMON: So, the next story I want to talk to you about is that this woman, we reported about it a little bit earlier this week. But this woman across at historically Black college not backing down from their claim that they were racially profiled by Georgia police during a traffic stop.

A new body cam video shows officers going through their personal items, even though the sheriff says that it didn't happen.

[22:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, this is one of those stories. I'm just going to play it, the video for you and let you decide. Because tonight, there's new police body cam video backing up claims by the women lacrosse teams at Delaware State University that Georgia deputy searched their bags allegedly for drugs during a stop for an allege traffic violation.

Now the sheriff claimed that searches of personal items did not take place. Now we are learning that the university, a historically black college will file a federal civil rights complaint over an incident claiming that the women were racially profiled.

I want to bring in now CNN legal analysts Areva Martin and Joey Jackson. Boy, boy, boy.

Hello to both of you. So, Areva, the sheriff said that this didn't happen. But now this body cam video clearly showing the officer is going to the girls' bags and luggage. What's your reaction to this? I mean, why would the sheriff say that there is no search when it's right there on video?

[22:45:01]

AREVA MARTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: A couple of things, Don. We have to assume that maybe those officers that were involved in this illegal search relayed that inaccurate and false information to their boss, or maybe their boss knew it when he was making that an accurate statement.

We've seen many police officers come forward once a crime or once some kind of incident has been committed regarding officers and give the public a false narrative. So, this isn't the first time we've seen this. And it really makes it very difficult I think for young people in this country, particularly young people of color to have any trust in law enforcement when they come forward and make such a publicly false statement that is contradicted by this body cam video.

This whole incident, Don, is so disturbing. We are learning about it weeks after it happened. And thank you for covering it, because it was not getting a ton of national attention. I think it deserves a lot of attention. So, I'm glad that we are talking about it tonight because --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Well, thank you, Areva. Thank you. Let me jump in here, though. Because I want to -- you didn't say allegedly, you said illegal search. You think it was illegal? Not legal. Meaning not legal?

MARTIN: Based on what we know, I don't see where there was any probable cause.

LEMON: OK.

MARTIN: Obviously, the Constitution protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. And if a car is involved, there has to be consent given to search that vehicle. There has to be probable cause that a crime has been committed. And we haven't heard anything.

We heard about the bus driving in a lane where buses weren't supposed to drive. And that was the alleged cause for the stop to begin with.

LEMON: But why search. MARTIN: But beyond that, we see and we have told by these young girls that these officers entered the bus and started making all of these serious accusations against them in terms of them having drugs on their possessions. And start this very invasive search.

But no evidence as of yet, or statements by the police. And I don't know if we could believe it maybe even if they were told to, but no evidence to suggest that they had probable cause.

LEMON: If I was -- the way looking at these officers going through these things, I'd be hot. If it was me, it this happened me, I would be furious. By the way, CNN reached out to the sheriff. We got no response.

Joey, I spoke with Sydney Anderson, one of the student athletes on the team. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SYDNEY ANDERSON, ATHLETE: Like my coach, Pamella Jenkins, I also felt violated. And in the moment, I felt very inferior. I feel like there was nothing we could have said or done to change their actions. As Delaware State Women's lacrosse, we are compliant to their needs. They said they were going to search our bags. We didn't -- we didn't give them any hard time. We just let them do as they did. They took their K-9 and they started going through our personal luggage and our personal belongings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That bus was originally stopped, Joey, for a minor traffic violation, as Areva mentioned there. There was no indication of any drugs on board the bus. Again, same question. Was this an illegal search?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It certainly looks that way, Don. Good evening to you and Areva. Listen, the police certainly have the ability to stop a bus if it's engaged in any infraction, be it wrong lane or otherwise. That's one thing, that's not disputed. What is disputed is the intrusion thereafter.

What gives the officers the ability thereafter to go and be so intrusive? Wherein, you're looking through bags, you're plucking and doing other things. What basis did you have? What facts were there to suggest that you had reasonable suspicion of criminal activity?

And so, when you have these young brilliant ladies who are college athletes representing their school with dignity and grace going to Georgia on a trip to compete, should they be subject to that humiliation? The Constitution protects us all. It should have protected them.

So, in the event that the police got onto the bus, if there were some indicia of criminality that the police noticed at that time, that's one thing. But when you see people of color and make the determination, you didn't even show the take yet, Don, I don't know if you have time to, where the officer is indicating, well, you know, there could be drugs here. And it's a shaft road they are going to be very disappointed.

In the event that we find them and we know there may be something here. What gives you the basis to say that other than you see people of color who are on a bus? And so, again, to Areva's very good point, absent other information presented to me, which would be clear, specific and articulable facts with respect to criminal activity, there lacks probable cause.

And that lacking of probable cause gives the police no basis whatsoever with regard to searching bags are doing anything else other than giving it a citation for the bus driver, saying ladies, nice to see you all. Have a nice day.

It's humiliating. It's frustrating, and to the young ladies' point was made before, brilliant student athlete who you just showed, I mean you can't even imagine how she's feeling. How her parents are feeling, how her teammates are feeling. It should not happen. We are in 2022.

LEMON: Thank you both, Areva, especially thank you for saying that we will continue to cover it, because the story does deserve attention. And we'll follow it to the very end. We appreciate it. Have a good weekend. See you soon.

[22:50:01]

A funeral for a Palestinian American journalist turning violent in Jerusalem. Israeli police hitting mourners with batons. Look, there it is right there. The coffin almost fell to the ground.

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LEMON: Violence today in Jerusalem at a funeral of a prominent Palestinian journalist who was shot dead this week while reporting on an Israeli military raid in the West Bank. Israeli police beating back mourners who were trying to carry Shireen Abu Akleh's coffin to a cemetery.

Now Palestinians are angry and grief stricken about her death, claiming she was killed by Israeli soldiers. Israeli officials say her death is under investigation.

[22:55:03]

We have more on today's violence from CNN's Atika Shubert.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHUBERT: Muslim prayers at a Catholic hospital, a display of Palestinian solidarity for Shireen Abu Akleh. but as the funeral procession began, Israeli riot t police first blocked the coffin from moving forward, then charged, hitting several pallbearers with batons. The coffin nearly fell on to the ground.

Things are very tense here. The funeral procession tried to walk out of the hospital gate. Israeli police did not allow it. They threw in tear gas, had flash bombs here, tried to disperse the crowds, and now it appears the hearse the car is being brought here to try to bring the coffin out.

Israeli police insist that they acted against stone throwing by mourners providing video as evidence, but CNN did not see any stones. But did witness dozens of plastic bottles being thrown at police. What is clear is that Israeli police ultimately used force to try and contain this outpouring of grief and anger.

Shireen Abu Akleh was beloved by Palestinian viewers for giving them a voice and chronicling their struggles. Born and raised here, Jerusalem was her home.

LAREEN ABU AKLEH, SHIREEN ABU AKLEH'S NIECE: She meant everything to me, and clearly to everyone. We can see she had a huge impact on Palestine and all the people. She left -- she left her fingerprint in everyone's heart.

SHUBERT: Israeli authorities did finally permit the family to bring her coffin to the church by car. Thousands of mourners were also ultimately allowed to swell the streets, carrying her atop of river of grief, anger and defiance to her final resting place at the Mount Zion Cemetery.

Even at her own funeral, it seemed Shireen Abu Akleh gave voice to the struggles and frustrations of so many Palestinians.

Atika Shubert, for CNN in Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Atika, thank you so much. Primary season heating up. And a lot of candidates are getting attention, but not for the right reasons. We're going to take you through the big races. Next.

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