Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
"New Normal" In U.S: Record-Breaking Coronavirus Cases Daily; Favorable Jobs Report, Unemployment Claims, Further Economic Shutdowns; Florida Seniors May Swing Away From Trump In November; Respect for U.S. Plummets Amid COVID Crisis; Inside India's Massive COVID-19 Field Hospital; North Korea's COVID Response "A Shining Success"; National Security Law Tightens China's Grip on Hong Kong; Police Unions Shielding Brutal Cops; Man City Thrash Champions Liverpool 4-0. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired July 03, 2020 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. hits yet another record high of new coronavirus cases as experts warn that public celebrations marking the 4th of July holiday will only drive the death toll higher still.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN DUDLEY: He doesn't have a chance. He blew it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Amid all the chaos and daily tweets, we hear from Florida voters who backed U.S. President Donald Trump four years ago, and are now having second thoughts.
And later in the program, no chance to rest on their laurels. Liverpool's first matches as English Premier League champions didn't exactly go as planned.
Hello, and welcome to another hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton.
OK. So we've been talking for months, right, about the new normal in the age of coronavirus.
And while that means a lot of different things, right now the new normal, unfortunately, is a record-breaking number of infections every day here in the United States.
More than 51,000 on Thursday alone. Staggering.
So far, almost 129,000 Americans have lost their lives to the virus.
Compared to just last week infections are rising in at least 37 U.S. states. As you see there, only Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode island are heading in the right direction.
And President Trump continues to downplay the threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The crisis is being handled. We have some areas where we're putting out the flames or the fires and that's working out well.
Now we're opening it up in it's opening up far faster than anybody thought even possible. And more successfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, Chicago is ordering travelers from 15 states arriving in that city to quarantine for two weeks.
And in south Florida, Miami Dade County will impose a 10:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew to stop the spread of the virus.
CNN's Jason Carroll has more headlines from right across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just today, Florida hit a record high; 10,000 new positive cases in the state.
Tonight, this message from coronavirus task force member, Dr. Deborah Birx, to all young Floridians.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DEBORAH BIRX, WHITE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR: So we're asking for everyone under 40 that, if you were in a gathering, please go and get tested. Please wear a mask.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GREG ABBOTT, (R-TEXAS): Wearing a mask is --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has issued an executive order requiring Texans in counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases to wear face coverings in public.
Doctors there are overwhelmed by the number of COVID patients. So many in some parts, there are waitlists for ICU beds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JEFFREY DELLAVOLPE, PULMONARY PHYSICIAN, SAN ANTONIO METHODIST HOSPITAL: I got 10 calls, all of whom young people who otherwise would be excellent candidates to be able to put on ECMO (inaudible).
They're so sick that if they get put on, they don't get that support, they're probably going to die. I had three beds.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CARROLL: At least 23 states have changed or paused reopening plans due to spikes in COVID cases. The nation's top disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told the BBC some states may have reopened too soon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: In the United States, even in the most strict lockdown, only about 50 percent of the country locked down.
That allowed the perpetuation of the outbreak that we never did get under very good control.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Another top U.S. health official testified before the house today, and said the increase in numbers across the country is due to new cases, not new testing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADMIRAL DR. BRETT GIROIR, ASST. U.S. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: There is no question that the more testing you get, the more you will uncover.
But we do believe this is a real increase in cases because the percent positivities are going up. So this is real increases in cases.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: For now, New Jersey is continuing some of its reopening efforts. Casinos opened their doors today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAUCI: But the thing that is --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Dr. Fauci was bluntly asked today if the U.S. is winning the war against coronavirus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BBC INTERVIEWER: You've been losing this battle, haven't you, recently?
FAUCI: Admittedly, yes, we have. We cannot give up because it appears that we're losing the battle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: So many cases nationwide and yet some city officials are looking into and trying to get to the bottom of so-called COVID parties.
And in Rockland County just about an hour outside of new York city, city officials investigating a cluster of cases linked to a party.
[01:05:00]
And Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Where city officials there are trying to get to the bottom of a COVID party where apparently the first person able to catch the virus wins a cash price.
Jason Carroll. CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: OK. Some good news. Even though the cases in the United States are surging, the death toll has actually slowed.
Though CNN's Jim Sciutto asked Dr. Sanjay Gupta if he's concerned about fatalities in the country hitting, believe it or not, the one million mark.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I guess one can only say we hope we don't -- we hope that doesn't happen, Jim.
I remember talking to you about this back in early March and telling you that we could be at 150,000 people this year.
And I remember you looking at me, thinking, wow, that's really grim.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
GUPTA: And here we are, right? And it's July.
So if the curves continue to go upward, and they're steep and they're sort of going into exponential growth, this could be really, really tragic. And that's what everyone's been trying to avoid.
We knew this was a contagious virus. We knew that when things started to open up there would be more people who got infected than otherwise would have. But it was a question of what are we willing to tolerate?
The problem is we did not do what we needed to do so far --
SCIUTTO: Yes.
GUPTA: And we're still not. That's the thing that concerns me more than anything else.
Even at this point, we are still minimizing the problem --which has been the unifying problem all along, is that we minimized it. That led to poor testing, not implementing mask rules, not -- shutting down too late, opening up too early, you name it.
It's all because we minimized this problem.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NEWTON: Concern, of course, that the July 4th holiday weekend here in the United States could make the crisis even worse as people celebrate in bars, and beaches.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. WILLIAM HASELTINE, CHAIR & PRESIDENT, ACCESS HEALTH INTERNATIONAL: July 4th factors in for people who are planning to get together without masks, without social distancing, indoors, to celebrate. It is a frightening prospect.
Let me just look ahead a little bit from where we are now.
If this epidemic doesn't get under control, we're not talking about 150,000 deaths, we're talking about a million deaths over the next year. This is deadly serious today.
SCIUTTO: A million death.
HASELTINE: I can tell you every time I hear these numbers, every time I hear those numbers, I wince. It hurts. I know those people, I know people who are dying, we know people who are gravely ill.
And another aspect of this epidemic that people aren't focused on is the wounded. We count the dying, but in any battle, you count the wounded.
And a lot more, maybe fives time as many people are injured for the rest of their life because of this infection.
This is deadly serious. And I hope we begin, all of us, to exert our responsibility to take it seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: OK. Now a surprising new study shows the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine helped some COVID patients survive in hospital.
Now researchers in Michigan found mortality rates for those given the drug were in fact much lower.
A number of other studies have found no benefit. And the U.S. withdrew emergency authorization for the drug earlier this month.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been a strong proponent of hydroxychloroquine even taking a course of the drug himself earlier this year.
Now COVID-19 cases are also going up in Melbourne, Australia and thousands of people there are going under lockdown again.
But this time there are claims that contracted workers did not follow protocols and that was at hotels used to quarantine international arrivals.
CNN's Michael Holmes has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police in Melbourne are stopping cars, checking IDs and enforcing new lockdown measures after coronavirus cases jumped in the state of Victoria.
More than 300,000 residents in 10 post codes will be under tight restrictions for a month as authorities try to get a handle on the spike in cases hitting Australia's second most populous state.
The new orders mean residents can only leave their homes for necessities or essential services. The setback causing a mixed reaction among citizens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANALDO KAKOS: I don't like it because I get to miss out on my holidays. I'll get to stay trapped home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEOFF HAXTON: I'm sure the people making the decisions know what they are doing, so not I'm not going to second guess what they're doing. And I guess the next couple of weeks will tell whether it has an effect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NORMAN RAINZ: We're feeling some -- insecure and fear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Australia saw the number of cases per day rise in June. The country currently has more than 8,000, but Victoria has seen double- digit increases over the past two weeks.
International travelers arriving in Australia are required to stay quarantined for 14 days at a government-managed facility or hotel.
[01:10:00]
Authorities have launched an investigation into allegations that employees at one such hotel ignored social distancing measures, including reportedly having sex with people in quarantine.
New testing sites have been set up in the 10 post codes under lockdown. Some international flights will also be diverted to other states.
Meanwhile, Victoria's chief health officer advises that practicing safety measures is the best mitigation against the spread of the virus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRETT SUTTON, CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: I'm really emphasizing that even though these restrictions are in place in those restricted post codes, there's an obligation on all of us to consider how we minimize our interactions with other people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Melbourne not alone in going through a localized lockdown.
It happened in Leicester in the U.K., and around a meat-processing plant in Germany, for example. As countries that are generally doing well see new local outbreaks.
Michael Holmes, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Hong Kong police say nine of the 10 people arrested under China's new national security law are now out on bail. One of them, a 15-year old girl.
Now they were arrested Wednesday as 10s of thousands of people turned out to protest.
The controversial law criminalizes secession, subversion or terrorism in Hong Kong, and its broad strokes have pro-democracy activists worried. Some are closing their organizations, others are leaving altogether.
Like the prominent activist, Nathan Law. He says he has left the city to fight for freedom on the international stage.
Our Anna Coren is live for us in Hong Kong, and we've been following all of this.
This has been, of course, fierce fallout from this law already.
And now, Nathan Law saying, look, I'm leaving my home, I'm leaving Hong Kong.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Reluctantly, Paula. I don't think any of these people who are leaving Hong Kong immigrating to other countries actually want to do so, but they are terrified as to what this new national security law means for them.
As you say, 26-year-old Nathan Law has left. He posted that on social media yesterday, making that announcement. He hasn't revealed his whereabouts due to security reasons.
But, as you say, he is going to continue the fight for Hong Kong's democracy, for Hong Kong's freedom, from abroad. He feels that he can do his work there.
Whereas here, he could very well be arrested and thrown in jail, if not taken to mainland China, tried there and put in a Chinese prison.
The maximum sentence is life in prison. And for those exceptional cases, they will be taken to Mainland China.
I think the other thing is, Paula, to take into consideration, is that this isn't just targeting Hong Kong citizens, permanent residents here.
This can also target foreigners who live in other countries who are, perhaps, traveling to Hong Kong or transiting even through Hong Kong. Authorities can arrest them if they consider them to be in breach of this national security law.
And that is what is very alarming for a city that considers itself a global financial hub, an international city. Authorities are saying that this is going to restore stability to Hong Kong.
And if the aim of this law is to create fear and intimidate, it certainly is achieving that.
On the 1st of July when people came out, thousands of people came out, protesting against this new law, 370 people were arrested in the space of 10 hours. As you say, 10 of those people on this new national security law, 9 have been released on bail, one is still with police.
But it is a telling sign. That if you have somebody like Nathan Law leaving Hong Kong, that others will definitely follow.
We know that countries like the U.K., Australia, Taiwan, they are offering refuge now to Hong Kong residents who feel they are at threat from this national security law.
NEWTON: Yes. In so many ways, Anna, the law has already been so much more repressive than any of us could've imagined.
Anna Coren for us, live in Hong Kong. Appreciate it.
Now ahead on CNN newsroom, millions of jobs have been added to the U.S. economy. But that's not the entire story.
Why the report may not be reflecting reality.
(CNN HIGHLIGHT)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Innovate Africa. In association with Dangote Transformational Projects.
CHALKER KANSTEINER, CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF GRIDX AFRICA: We really started the company as a way to provide a more effective and more rapid response to Africa's energy infrastructure gap.
I'm Chalker Kansteiner, co-founder and CEO of GridX Africa.
[01:15:00]
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, many of the utilities are state-owned and are the only option for power delivery throughout the given country. And GridX and the commercial and industrial solar sector has an
opportunity in creating an alternative option that is lower cost and ultimately can provide a better service, driven by sort of private sector competition.
The problem we're trying to solve is utilizing solar and battery technology to give our clients a better power solution and a lower- cost power solution.
We're operating through east and southern Africa at the moment. GridX has developed projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique and we're expanding into West Africa now.
The reason that it's exciting is that Africa has an opportunity to demonstrate to the world a totally new way that it can build its energy sector up and develop its power infrastructure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Transforming business, transforming communities. Dangote Transformational Projects. Transforming Africa.
NEWTON: So some encouraging news from the U.S. economy.
A new jobs report shows nearly five million jobs were added last month pushing the unemployment rate down to just 11 percent.
And that was something President Donald Trump was quick to praise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The number of unemployed Americans reentering the labor force rose by 43 percent, and fewer workers are dropping out of the labor force than before.
And the crisis is being handled.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: OK. There is much more to the story, though, given the economic hole the nation is in because of the pandemic, and the recent surge in cases, of course.
CNN's John Defterios picks up the story for us live in Abu Dhabi.
Yes. It was a bit of a surprise, I guess. But the economic data, it's certainly reflecting the picture, not now, but a few weeks ago.
We know the data's already out of date because we see the cases rising and we see the economy with those lockdowns having to pull back.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Yes, Paula. We don't want to go dump cold ice here on the jobs report because it was a record surge of nearly five million, as you're suggesting.
But it does not take into account what we see as the clear and present danger and that is the rise in the COVID-19 cases surging above 51,000 yesterday. And it's almost a daily clip at that level. And we see going from east to west, the major anchor states, if you
will, are starting to lock down again. That's Florida, Texas, and California. And that's not counting all of them, of course, but just the big ones.
So let's take a snapshot back which I think gives a clearer picture of what we're seeing today.
Over the last four years, we added nearly 10 million jobs, and then the hurricane hit, and we lost nearly 13.
In the last two months, we have added back seven and-a-half million. That is terrific.
But there is some other numbers that are very concerning. That still remains those filing for jobless claims which are high, at 1.4 million.
So our colleague, Richard Quest, asked the former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve how would he rank the overall government response.
Let's take a listen to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALAN BLINDER, FMR. VICE CHAIR, U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE: I'm probably around seven. And, as I said, it's not because the Fed's not doing its job, it's not because the treasury's not doing their job. It's because the U.S. Government is not doing its job with pandemic control.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEFTERIOS: So that's the answer there from the Federal Reserve, the former vice chairman.
And what's the lesson here, Paula? If you get behind the curve, it's very hard to catch up.
We still -- and this is the data you were talking about -- have 31 million Americans still collecting unemployment benefits. That's about one-fifth of the working population and then reoccurring jobless claims nearly 20 million.
It's not a full recovery by any stretch of the imagination after the shock to the economy.
NEWTON: Yes. And when we think about the numbers in places like Florida, California, Texas right now -- important to keep in mind, right, John -- these are huge economies in their own right --
DEFTERIOS: Yes.
NEWTON: -- if you rank them on a global listing. So a lot to think about and a lot of fallout over the next few weeks.
John Defterios in Abu Dhabi. Thanks so much.
[01:20:00]
Now, Florida broke one of its own records, reporting more than 10,000 new infections on Thursday alone.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny looks at how the president's response to the virus could sway older voters come November.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN DUDLEY: Well, based on my friends, he doesn't have a chance. He blew it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John Dudley is talking about President Trump, who he supported four years ago but won't again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUDLEY: He had everything, we were so excited in the beginning. A businessman to run our country like a business. And it hasn't happened.
All he succeeded in doing was he juiced up the stock market and now that's gone to pot because of the coronavirus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Dudley is a retired banker and the face of a new Trump Campaign worry, losing the senior vote. Amid summertime signs of anxiety from the beach to testing sites for soaring COVID cases.
Here, in Florida, people 65 and older made up 21 percent of the vote in 2016. Trump won that group by 17 points.
Polls now show Joe Biden with an edge among seniors in key battleground states and nationally.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATTI WADE: I just think that this has got to be a wake up call to a big portion of America. I think a lot of people stayed home in 2016 because they weren't happy with Hillary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: For Trump, there is virtually no path to winning without Florida, which make places like the On Top of The World Retirement Community critical terrain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA SHELLING (ph): I had to change parties, I could not do this anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Paula Shelling abandoned the Republican Party. Marsha Lundh still considers herself a Republican but not a Trump one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARSHA LUNDH: I hoped that I was wrong in not voting for him and that he would turn out to be a great president. But it didn't happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Even loyal Trump supporter, Robert Blethen, wishes the president would do one thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT BLETHEN: Our president should wear a mask. Because we're doing it -- we're supporting him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: On Florida's gulf coast, Trump won Penillas County by one percentage point, the same margin he carried the state. Since then, Democrats have seen a new surge in voter registration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONNA LUKIS: There are more Democrats now than there used to be in years past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Do you know any people who voted for Trump last time who are not going to this time?
DAVE CORDES: Actually, I know several. Including my son and grandson.
The airwaves are already noisy. Including this Trump ad questioning Biden's fitness for office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOYCE MONAHAN: Trump is not that much younger. But, in the case of Joe Biden, I think his inherent wisdom and his desire to surround himself with the best people -- that's the wrong place to talk about age.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Trump: It's the great state of Florida.
(Crowd applause)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Sheila Griffin, secretary of the county GOP believes the president's record and resilience will lead to his reelection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEILA GRIFFIN, GOP SECRETARY, PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA: If you're talking to the base, his standing is as strong as ever. And it is not going to change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: But as Biden supporters gear up for November, Trump is also a motivating force for them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM DONELON, DEMOCRATIC CLUB PRESIDENT, ST. PIETERSBURG, FLORIDA: Trump is our biggest ally. Just an enormous amount of energy that I've have seen -- never seen before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: So four months before election day, Democrats do now have a voter registration advantage here in Pinellas County. Some 10,000 more registered voters than Republicans.
In 2016, Democrats and Republicans were essentially tied.
So that is one of the many dynamics here that is going to be playing out over the next four months.
Seniors so critical, of course, to President Trump winning Florida again.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, St. Petersburg, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Joining me now is the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, Larry Sabato.
And thanks so much, Larry, it is really good to see you.
And incredible, in terms of -- the last time you and I talked was a few months ago.
Politics and Trump have done a complete one one-eighty, we might as well be living on another planet.
And first and foremost, we talk about that economy, right.
And yes, in the beginning, perhaps, people didn't feel that the president -- that it was any fault of his. But now do you think his invincibility on this topic will actually start to dissipate given how closely connected the economy and the virus have become?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: I do, actually. At one point, I think, just six months ago, January 1st, almost everyone in politics thought that Donald Trump had a minimum 50/50 chance to be re-elected, and was even the favorite.
He was Teflon back then. You could attack him but it didn't seem to have any impact. And his base loved it. And while others didn't, they were pointing to the economy or other issues that they liked.
Today, Trump is Velcro. Everything's sticking to him because people are very unhappy about the pandemic, the way Trump probably missed five, six weeks that we could've organized and saved lives.
The economy, the economic collapse. Good numbers come out occasionally as they did today but that doesn't mean that the economy is improving rapidly.
[01:25:00]
And then, of course, the racial protest which really brought so many parts of America to its knees.
NEWTON: That's interesting. From Teflon, right, down to Velcro. We're here again.
I've heard a commentary in the last few days, given the controversy with masks in the United States, that if the president just wore a mask, that his electoral prospects would rise immediately. Do you buy that?
SABATO: No, I don't. I don't think his prospects would rise. It's the right thing to do, though, if he's concerned about the country and not just his reelection prospects.
What really is interesting to me is that Trump is encouraging his base to walking that machismo lane that somehow you are not manly if you wear a mask.
This is counterproductive, it's damaging, it probably results in additional deaths. It's incredible that it's happening.
Because it isn't happening in most other places around the world.
NEWTON: I have a theory that even his base is a bit shocked by the fact that he hasn't been able to rise to the occasion as a leader through this.
SABATO: Well, he has not been challenged with a massive crisis until his fourth year. I think he'd been lulled into a belief that being president was relatively easy and things were going well, and his reelection was nearly guaranteed.
Well, we now know because of all of these black swan events that have worked against him, that isn't the case. But it's actually useful for the voters because sooner or later, every president has a crisis or two or three.
And you want to see how they react and how they deal with it. Well, Americans have.
In these three black swan events in 2020, they've seen how Donald Trump has handled them. And I think he's left a lot to be desired.
NEWTON: So I'm going to ask you to slip back into that role of presidential historian here. Mount Rushmore in the next day; fireworks, patriotism, July 4th.
I mean, he clearly wants the symbolism of that and he's talked about it so many times before. He's finally getting it, at this point in time in history.
How risky do you think it will be and do you think -- in terms of actually cementing his legacy, do you think this will be a moment?
SABATO: Well, it may be a negative moment. He actually told the current South Dakota governor when she was in congress that he wanted to be on Mount Rushmore.
And at first, she thought he was kidding. And she realized as the conversation went on that he was very, very serious about it. So there he is, he got to Mt. Rushmore, but I don't think he's likely
to ever be on it.
And beyond that, the governor has said she doesn't care about social distancing. The president doesn't care about wearing masks.
You're going to have a large number of people gathered closely together, kind of another Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Do they ever learn? Apparently not.
NEWTON: And before I let you go. To that point, we've had reporting from Florida -- Florida which is unfortunately suffering through a huge spike in cases right now -- voters turning on him there.
We certainly had anecdotal evidence of it. And again, through the spike that you see there, the spike of coronavirus cases.
How much of a pivotal focal point will Florida be in the next election, given everything they're going through right now?
SABATO: Well, as we learned in the 2000 near tie between George W. Bush and Al Gore -- Florida, Florida, Florida.
It's very important. Trump only won it by one percent and it was the critical big state for him that helped to put him over the top. So, absolutely.
If he doesn't carry Florida, if he's losing Florida on election night, we can go to bed early. Because he's not going to get reelected.
NEWTON: I had forgotten about the fact that he had just won that by a margin of about one percent. So I thank you for putting a fine point on that.
And, of course, for so many reasons right now, the first and foremost is health and safety. All eyes on Florida.
Larry Sabato, thanks so much. Really appreciate your time.
SABATO: Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
NEWTON: You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, how Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic -- we were just talking about it -- is also damaging the U.S.'s reputation on the world stage.
Plus Kim Jong-un declares that his own handling of the outbreak, quote "a shining success."
We're live in Seoul right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:32:24]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back to our viewers around the world.
I'm Paula Newton and you're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Now the U.S. has broken another record -- the final count for Thursday is now more than 52,000 new coronavirus cases in just the past 24 hours. And public health officials are especially concerned about what the upcoming July 4th holiday weekend could bring.
The nation's top infectious disease expert says it's possible to reopen businesses and resume activities and protect people's health at the same time. But Dr. Anthony Fauci says right now, the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Florida is reporting a single day record with 10,000 new cases. And in Texas, the governor is mandating that people wear face coverings in public.
President Trump meantime, his handling of the pandemic, isn't winning him much support from the U.S. public. And it's even worse on the world stage.
More now from CNN's Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Americas COVID-19 infection rate is putting it on an exponential path to pariah. This week, U.S. citizens barred entry from Europe as a recent poll shows Europeans trust in Trump's America is tanking.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries. ROBERTSON: From his inauguration, Trump's America First has
accelerated the U.S. along a road from international respect to unreliable ally.
TRUMP: We've been talking about this for a long time.
ROBERTSON: Within days, shunning global trade deals, banning citizens of seven Muslim majority nations from travel to the U.S. E.U. leaders meeting in Malta soon after sounded the alarm.
On his first overseas trip at NATO HQ a few months later, Trump bullied his peers, manhandling one leader, yanking the hand of another, capping it all refusing to endorse NATO's founding principle, Article 5 -- an attack on one, an attack on all.
And now, three years later concerns at NATO run so deep that some senior officials fear that if President Trump is reelected, it could render the transatlantic alliance irrelevant.
But Trump's decision to pull 9,500 troops from Germany without telling Angela Merkel is emblematic of a bigger problem for the United States as an unreliable ally and not just about NATO.
[01:34:52]
ROBERTSON: Whether on Syria, North Korea, Trade or NATO he is unpredictable. Perhaps most so on China.
TRUMP: I think our relationship has never been better.
We are very much involved with them right now on the virus that is going around.
ROBERTSON: In January he backed China. By April, he wanted them castigated for failing to contain COVID-19, and withholding information.
At WHO's annual meeting in May, all of Trump's E.U. allies effectively sided with China. Sweden's former PM, an experienced global diplomat, Carl Bildt tweeted, "Observing the post American world, a confident and assertive China with a clear strategic approach. And E.U. trying to rescue what's left of global cooperation and a disruptive U.S. more keen on fighting China then fighting COVID-19."
Worse, Trump's own words on COVID-19 whether on ingesting bleach --
TRUMP: By injection inside -- or almost a cleaning.
ROBERTSON: -- or use of the ineffective virus drug hydroxychloroquine have rendered his opinions almost worthless.
If COVID-19 were Trump's only crisis, U.S. allies could be more forgiving. But he has jangled so many nerves, threatening war with North Korea, almost starting one with Iran, while apparently being in the thrall of dictators, helping create an unstable global environment that they have seized upon. On his watch, Russia's Putin has effectively become president for
life, as has China's Xi, who has also flouted international norms snatching control of Hong Kong.
This Independence Day, the United States will be more alone than in decades. As COVID-19 spikes from state to state, old allies will be watching helpless and transfixed, knowing their fate is still tied to Trump. Until the world's biggest economy recovers, everyone is at the mercy of the pandemic.
Nic Robertson, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: India is also trying to deal with one of the world's worst coronavirus outbreaks. Officials in Delhi have been transforming a spiritual center into what they say will be the world's largest field hospital for COVID-19.
CNN's Vedika Sud shows us what it looks like so far.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VEDIKA SUD, CNN PRODUCER: Hundreds of columns of biodegradable cardboard beds topped with mattresses and pillows, set up at a socially safe distance from each other with chairs by the bedside.
That's what officials claim is the biggest COVID care center in the world. Located in India's capital, this facility as the size of 22 football fields.
Delhi has been witnessing an exponential rise of COVID-19 cases, with the Delhi government predicting over half a million infections within the next 16 days. Preparations are on a (INAUDIBLE) footing to complete the ambitious project of 10,000 beds.
DR. DEEPAK K. TEMPE, ADVISORIES COMMITTEE MEMBER, DELHI GOVERNMENT: If the number of total cases -- positive cases goes up, then there is a large population who will be requiring for care center and health centers. So in this (INAUDIBLE) these beds at this particular center is going to be of immense benefit.
SUD: From manual cleaning of the ground, to covering the earthen floors with carpet, installing 18,000 tons of air conditioning, and preparing 800 washrooms, at least 1,500 people, including volunteers, have been working tirelessly to meet the deadline. The facility will then be handed over to paramilitary forces.
By the time when Delhi's health care system is already over burdened, a hospital of this magnitude with 10,000 beds would need a huge workforce of medical staff and security.
BM MISHRA, DISTRICT MAGISTRATE, SOUTH DELHI: Each cubicle will be managed by the personnel in a ratio of one is to five -- one medic -- one doctor and five staff, nurses, medics and other people. So in that sense, they need to only look over their particular hundred bed or 110-bed facility. They need not to worry about the whole 10,000.
SUD: While smaller COVID facilities are being prepared to counter rising COVID-19, over 500 old railway coaches have been converted into isolation centers. These coaches will help increase Delhi's capacity by 8,000 beds.
The Indian army and its medics have been roped into operating these isolation centers, housing patients with masks and tents.
"Our priority is the patients get the right treatment, good facilities and proper food. Doctors should attend to them properly, " says Rajiv Chaudhry, general manager of Northern India Railways.
[01:39:57]
SUD: While the Delhi government scrambles to ready more COVID facilities, its chief minister claims the situation, at least for now, is under control.
But the real test will be in the coming weeks when Delhi's health care system will be put under enormous strain amid the predicted onslaught of cases.
Vedika Sud, CNN -- New Delhi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: So meantime, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is bragging about his country's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, calling it quote, "a shining success". The supreme leader is warning people not to get complacent and to stay on maximum alert.
CNN's Paula Hancocks is live this hour with us in Seoul for more.
And you know, beyond the fact -- Paula, that you can't really get verifiable information about what's going on there, what are your sources telling you about how the virus has really gone through the population there?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula -- certainly officially what we heard from Kim Jong-un is that there are still zero cases. That North Korea has managed to make sure that the virus has not infiltrated into the country.
But diplomatic sources in Pyongyang have been telling me that the regime is very confident. That in Pyongyang at least, they have it under control. They said that people in the streets, everyone, is wearing masks. There is some level of social distancing.
And also that things have effectively gone back to normal, that construction sites are open. Shops, hotels are open, schools according to these sources went back in June. So it is almost business as usual. They did mention though that there were boxes of PPE, the personal protective equipment that were piled up on the border, waiting to come into North Korea, as for the longest time, North Korea was not allowing anything to come into the country, although they do believe that that has started to trickle through.
So it does appear to be life as normal, or at least as normal as it can be in Pyongyang according to these diplomatic sources. And it's certainly simply what North Korea wants the rest of the world to know as well, the fact that they have managed to control this virus, although as you say, Kim Jong-un this morning as well, at least according to state run media, did also warn the diplomats, the politicians that he was speaking to not to get complacent.
Which was interesting because the images that KCNE (ph) did provide for the world show that there was no social distancing and also showed that no one was wearing a mask around the North Korean leader, which in itself, is quite unusual -- Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, I guess that shows not -- that shows in fact the complacency that apparent he's saying to ward against.
Paula -- good to see you. Thanks so much for the info.
Now, Hong Kong's new national security law has been in effect for just a few days and it's already causing confusion. It was written in secret and the details were only made public when the law went into effect on Tuesday.
Our Ivan Watson spoke to the city's justice minister just last hour. He asked her, what kind of message Beijing was sending by rolling the law out this way?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERESA CHENG, HONG KONG SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE Well: I guess, one has to bear in mind that, of course, the national security law is one of the most important things that any state would do. That's part of the exercise of a sovereign right.
So I think going through what Hong Kong has gone through in the past year in particular and of course for 23 years we haven't been able to legislate any national security legislations, the central authority see the need of having something that will ensure that the territorial integrity, the sovereignty as well as the unity of the state is preserved.
And of course, very importantly, a message to the world and of course to Hong Kong that the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong is going to be maintained because once these laws are enacted as they are now, people will then be able to be more vigilant about ensuring that no such activities that's going to affect the sovereignty is going to arise.
And therefore the national securities preserved prosperity and stability comes as a matter of course. IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I might add that
the -- it's been three days since the new law has gone into effect. Your government has been the independence flag for Hong Kong. It has been the slogan "revolution in our time, liberate Hong Kong"
Are you also going to ban songs, like the "Glory to Hong Kong" anthem that has been popular for protesters?
CHENG: Well, I guess using the word ban is a little bit too broad. What I think is important is that certain words and certain phrases connote certain meetings that people will have to understand and people would understand independence of Hong Kong is something that is naturally affecting the unity of this nation and the unity of the state. And therefore understanding the meaning of those words is one thing.
[01:44:51]
CHENG: The important thing when we are talking about the national security law is to ensure that the act that is going to affect -- separating Hong Kong from China or changing the legal status of Hong Kong is going to be -- is going to be taking place.
And those are the actions that are being criminalized, and actions have to be taken. So when you say the word banning certain phrases, I think that's not entirely accurate because one has to look at the whole context of the evidence, and how things happened, and how those words were chanted, and what we are seeing behind and everything together with the evidence and law before anything can be criminalized.
WATSON: Will the commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen Square massacre -- the June 4 Museum here in Hong Kong -- will that be allowed in the future under this national security law?
CHENG: Anything is -- first of all, I think it's important to bear in mind that in the national security law, as well as now basic law, we reiterate the importance of preserving the rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong.
And so that is still going to be very much a core of our rule of law and of our values here in Hong Kong. So that's not going to change.
So when people ask will that happen or will that be allowed in the future? I think it all has to be put in context. If it doesn't violate any of the provisions in the national security law, indeed any other laws that are in Hong Kong, there is no reason why people do not continue to enjoy exactly the same freedoms and rights that they have endured all these years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: And that was Teresa Cheng, Hong Kong secretary of justice speaking to CNN's Ivan Watson.
Coming up, a CNN investigation into police unions. Are the powerful organizations thwarting accountability for officers? And real reform for the communities they serve.
We will be right back with that story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: In the U.S. nationwide protests against police brutality are putting pressure on local law enforcement leaders to reform their departments. But it's the police unions that ultimately shield many misbehaving officers from accountability.
Our senior investigative correspondent Drew Griffin has been digging into this and has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: The words coming out of the San Antonio police officer's mouth are awful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what's (EXPLETIVE DELETED)? The way you were raised.
GRIFFIN: A young black man in a San Antonio Texas mall in 2018 is being arrested for trespassing. When he asked why, the officer says this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For being a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
GRIFFIN: As shocking as it sounds, the bigger shock is the officer is still on the job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can get out. Let's go. Run. Do something.
GRIFFIN: So is an officer who uncuffed a man and challenged him to a fistfight. An officer who tried to give a homeless man a sandwich made of feces had his firing overturned. It took a second poop incident to get rid of him.
[01:50:01]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You react, I react.
GRIFFIN: These officers and many others were fired and all of them got their jobs back thanks to a police union contract and state law that leaves final punishment of law officers in the hand of an arbitrator who's often chosen in a way that favors the police.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg has had enough.
MAYOR RON NIRENBERG, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: These are crimes of moral turpitude. And you would expect that in any profession that bears the weight of public accountability, that this would be a one-and-done type offense.
Yet, the cases in which the chiefs' discipline has been clear, have been overturned in these arbitration hearings, and people are rightly outraged by it. GRIFFIN: Fired San Antonio police officers were able to get their jobs
back in 42 percent of the cases that went through arbitration. That includes one cop who was reportedly fired six times.
NIRENBERG: It's egregious.
San Antonio is one of the most deferential to law enforcement interests.
GRIFFIN: Loyola University professor Stephen Rushin analyzed more than 650 police union contracts.
STEPHEN RUSHIN, PROFESSOR, LOYOLA UNIVERSITY: We have across the country, many cities made bad deals with police unions. Bad deals that make it difficult for us to investigate police misconduct.
GRIFFIN: The bad deals, according to Rushin, include giving the officer 48 hours or longer before being questioned, allowing officers to see all the evidence before being questioned, ignoring an officer's past disciplinary actions, and in some cases, banning any discipline where complaints aren't filed in a timely fashion.
L. SONG RICHARDSON, U.C. IRVINE SCHOOL OF LAW: And frankly, police unions have much more protection than other governments or other public unions.
GRIFFIN: Case in point -- Minneapolis. The officer charged with murdering George Floyd had a long history of complaints but was still on the force. A CNN analysis found just 1.5 percent of the thousands Hof complaints filed against Minneapolis police in recent years resulted in any serious discipline.
R.T. RYBAK, FORMER MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR: I have seen too much.
GRIFFIN: Former Minneapolis mayor, R.T. Rybak fought his city's police union for years.
RYBAK: So it's the time right now for elected officials to stop treating them like a traditional union.
GRIFFIN: The unions, of course, tell a different story. Detective Mike Helle is president of San Antonio's police officers association.
MIKE HELLE, PRESIDENT, SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION: Is police reform necessary? Sure it is. Do we need to have transparency? You bet we do. We should always have transparency in our police departments.
But the thing that we or and have negotiated for and we continue to hope for is that we just have a fair process, right?
GRIFFIN: Helle believes the current contract is fair, the state protections for police are balanced, and told us there is currently not a single bad cop on the San Antonio police force.
HELLE: There is nobody that wants bad cops on our department. GRIFFIN: Do you believe him? That -- that the union doesn't want these
bad cops on the force?
NIRENBERG: I want to believe him. But until these provisions change, then we are left in a situation where it looks like the union politics is against the general public's best interest.
GRIFFIN: There is already a push to change both state and federal law in regards to police reform, but experts say changing police union in contracts is much tougher, requires lots of public and local political support.
In Minneapolis, that is taking place right now. San Antonio's contract is up next year.
Drew Griffin, CNN -- Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM.
Liverpool has already clinched the English Premier League title, but their closest rivals, you know, they had a point to prove when they took to the pitch Thursday.
Patrick Snell will have more in just a moment.
[01:53:50]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: Now, we turn our attention to sport now, where Liverpool's first match as English Premier League champions -- it didn't go exactly as planned.
CNN World Sport's Patrick Snell has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Since England's top football division resumed last month, we have seen players, managers and officials alike showing their support for the Black Lives Matter Movement.
On Thursday, that show of solidarity front and center again as newly- minted champions Liverpool and last season's winners, Manchester City met at the Etihad Stadium taking a knee ahead of kickoff.
This in a week that saw the Premier League continuing its commitment to fight racism but adding it does not endorse any political organization or movement.
The match itself a rude awakening for the Reds who were given a guard of honor by City, but that's when the hospitality was abruptly ended.
The deposed champs strolling through victory with three first-half goals in 20 minutes. And the second a superb free play move that saw Raheem Sterling finish with delight (ph) for his first league goal against his former club.
20-year-old Phil Foden made it three after linking up impressively with Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne who grabbed the opener from the penalty spot. A chastening experience this, to say the least for Liverpool, who last week sealed a first topflight title in three decades.
Sterling almost grabbing a second, only for the Jamaican-born star to see his shot deflected into his own goal by Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.
In the end, a four-nil drubbing for Jurgen Klopp's team, City with an early warning they want the title back and this now the joint heaviest defeat for a team already crowned champions since Arsenals' demise by the same score line at the hands of guess who, Liverpool back in 1998.
Well, City's record of 100 points is still under threat, though Liverpool would need a somewhat challenging now 15 points from the remaining 18 available to eclipse them.
Patrick Snell, CNN -- Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And I am Paula Newton -- can't even get that out right now.
I'll be back with another hour of CNN NEWSROOM right after the break.
[01:57:35]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
