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Trump: Only Way We Lose Election Is If It's Rigged, May Have To Redo Election Due To Mail-In Ballots; Interview With Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA); Georgia Man Just Released From Hospital After Three-Month Coronavirus Battle; Wuhan Hosts Massive Water Park Party As COVID Concerns Recede; Surge In COVID Cases In France Leads To More Restrictions; Cristina Jimenez, Co-Founder & Executive Director, United We Dream, Discusses Warning For Democrats Of "Potential Slide Of Latino Support". Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired August 18, 2020 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Just this morning, the president went a step further, suggesting that the election may have to be held again if universal mail-in voting is introduced.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By the way, absentee is great. It's been working a long time, like in Florida. You request, it comes in, then you send it back. Absentee is great.
But universal is going to be a disaster, the likes of which our country has never seen. It will end up being a rigged election or they'll never come out with an outcome.
They'll have to do it again. And nobody wants that. And I don't want that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Here to discuss, Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass, of California.
Congresswoman, thank you so much for joining us.
REP. KAREN BASS (D-CA): Sure.
COOPER: The idea that a state sending out ballots to everybody, to households in their state, it has been done in many states for years and years.
BASS: Right.
COOPER: Without massive fraud at all. I talked to the secretary of state, I think it was, in Washington, who is a Republican. Who said, you know what, she invited the president to come to Washington to see how it works. It works very well. And they don't have massive -- they had millions of votes. I think
about 100 people, you know, voted twice or tried to vote twice, and they are now facing the law.
BASS: Right. I think that we've known from the beginning, the president has been essentially saying things like this from the moment it became real to him that he did not win the popular vote.
And ever since then, he has been looking for mysterious voters, mysterious cheats.
You know, in the last election, the major case of voter fraud was with Republicans in North Carolina. And so we know that this is just fake.
But what bothers me about it the most, though, is to sow the seeds of dissent that, if and when he loses, that it means the election is rigged. That really sets the stage for a lot of chaos and could set the stage for civil unrest and violence.
And it's just shameful that he would be that desperate that he would resort to tactics like this.
COOPER: Yes. You know, he is shameless.
BASS: That's true.
COOPER: Somebody who -- even people who support him would admit that he is willing to say -- maybe they wouldn't be willing to admit -- but willing to say anything that comes into his head.
President Trump recently retweeted Russian propaganda about Joe Biden. And the U.S. Intelligence Community warned this was part of Moscow's ongoing effort to denigrate Biden.
BASS: There's so many new laws and regulations we need to look at when we get rid of this administration. We can never go through this again with somebody who is completely lawless and that would resort to anything to stay in power.
And I do believe that one of his main motivations for staying in power is that he's trying to run out the statute of limitations on so many of the laws that he broke, which I don't even think he would be able to do that if he had a second term, but heaven help us.
COOPER: Do you really think that's his motivation for running again?
BASS: Well, I think that's, in part, his motivation. Absolutely.
I think the other part is that he wants to see himself like the person that he admires so much, Putin. One of the reasons why he admires autocrats around the world is because they're able to stay in power. And that is something that he seems to have admired.
But we really need to use this time period to educate people about what we have lost in our democracy and regain it. So, I'm glad that the postmaster general has backed off of that
sinister plot to suppress voters by essentially putting the squeeze on the post office. I'm glad he's backed away from that.
But we do need to make sure the post office has the resources they need.
COOPER: Right.
Just for our viewers, we just learned the postmaster general announced the U.S. Postal Service is suspending changes that were put in place that raised questions about the upcoming election.
If they've already taken off hundreds of sorting machines, I don't know if that means they are going to be reinstating those machines.
BASS: We need to do everything to make sure that they do that. I know he's going to testify before the Senate, I believe, on Friday. And then we'll be back, of course, to vote on Saturday.
So, they will not be able to use resources as an excuse. The president said he would sign a stand-alone bill. Speaker Pelosi is preparing a stand-alone bill.
We'll be there Saturday to vote for that. I think the Senate would be hard pressed to not bring the bill up since the president said he wanted it. That would be plenty of money, $25 billion.
There will be no excuse not to put those machines back.
COOPER: Congresswoman Karen Bass, appreciate your time. Thank you.
BASS: Thanks for having me.
[14:34:56]
COOPER: Coming up next, I'll speak live with the man who was just released from the hospital after three months battling the coronavirus. What he went through, ahead.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: A Georgia family is finally back together after going through a grueling three-month ordeal with the coronavirus.
Derek Duncan, father and husband, spent more than three months battling the virus, much of that time in intensive care. His family, because of COVID restrictions, couldn't be with him. Derek was finally able to go home yesterday.
Derek Duncan, his wife, Carline, and their son, DeJuan, join us now.
Thank you so much for being with us.
Derek, how are you feeling? You look good. You just got out of the hospital. How do you feel?
DEREK DUNCAN, SPENT THREE MONTHS IN HOSPITAL BATTLING COVID-19: I feel wonderful. I feel great.
COOPER: What you've been through, you are incredibly strong. It's just unbelievable.
Carline, DeJuan, what was it like when Derek was in the hospital, to not be there in the hospital? Were you able to communicate with him at all?
[14:40:04]
CARLINE DUNCAN, WIFE OF DEREK DUNCAN: We communicated more so with the nurses and the doctors. It was very hard, difficult. Thank God we had family and friends that, you know, kept us in prayer.
But it was really difficult trying to communicate, just trying to get the full understanding of what he was going through.
The doctors and nurses reached out to us and gave us time to let us know exactly what was going on with him. So, yes.
COOPER: Derek, you started feeling sick way back in April. What do you remember of being in the hospital? I assume you were unconscious for a lot.
D. DUNCAN: Yes. I just had a lot of Dreams. When I felt like the symptoms were coming on, I went straight to the emergency room.
And from there, they put me on a respirator for a full month and a half, almost two months I was on a respirator.
COOPER: Carline and DeJuan, that must have been scary to know he was on a respirator and not be able to be there, hold his hand.
What do you want other families to know about what helped get you through? What advice would you give to other families?
DEJUAN DUNCAN, SON OF DEREK DUNCAN: The advice we would give to other families is just keep praying. The relationship starts at home. If you and your family are still close to each other and everyone is in it together, then that can take you so far.
Because like we said, with us, we wasn't able to communicate with our father and we wasn't able to do a lot of things. Mom at least could talk to the doctors. And our immune system was still good and we were able to get through it.
COOPER: What does the road ahead look like?
C. DUNCAN: It's a long road ahead. Derek still has to get physical therapy. He has been at two different physical therapy hospitals. Now he's going to start physical therapy here at the home.
COOPER: I have talked to so many families. I know it can be a tough journey. I'm so glad you're all together and there for one another.
Derek, I'm so glad you're there at home. You know, you made it this far. You're so strong. We wish you the best in the weeks and months ahead.
Thank you, Derek, DeJuan, Carline Duncan. Thank you.
C. DUNCAN: Thank you.
D. DUNCAN; Thank you for having us.
DUNCAN: OK, thank you.
COOPER: It was the epicenter of the pandemic. Now look at this. Wuhan is hosting a massive water park party.
Plus, cases in Paris are up six-fold since the beginning of the month. Fears of a second wave grip Europe.
And some Latinos say they feel left out of the Democratic convention stage while Republican voices take center stage. More on that ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:47:47]
COOPER: New Zealand hitting back at President Trump after he call a new outbreak there called, quote, "terrible," in an effort to downplay the pandemic in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Did you see what's happening in New Zealand? They beat it. It was like front page because they wanted to show me something. Problem is, big a surge in New Zealand. So, it's terrible. We don't want that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That surge he's talking about, nine new cases on Monday. Today, officials reported a handful of additional case ss, b the country went more than 100 days with zero new cases of community spread.
By the way, they had nine new cases. Now it's 13 cases. They decided to postpone the elections because they take it so seriously.
The prime minister fired back today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACINDA ARDERN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: I don't think there's any comparison between New Zealand's current cluster and the tens of thousands of cases that are being seen daily in the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: To keep that small cluster of cases from spreading, New Zealand has ordered strict new lockdowns and postponed elections for a month that, by the way, that prime minister's party is supposed to do very well in.
Wuhan, China, the former epicenter of the coronavirus, has appeared to move on. With no new infections, a massive crowd of people gathered for a water park festival in Wuhan. Few wore masks or were social distanced.
Steven Jiang has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU SENIOR PRODUCER: Over the weekend, thousands of revelers packed the pool to the brim at a local water park in Wuhan, ground zero of the pandemic, waving to the beat of the music and cooling down in the water without any masks or social distancing measures in sight.
Just four months ago, the city was emerging from a brutal 76-day lockdown during which its 11 million residents were mostly confined at home.
Such sweeping measures are now being credited by the government here for containing the virus not only in Wuhan but also in the rest of China.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Is it fun to stand in a pool with thousands of people? I don't know. Maybe I'm just really old. Set aside coronavirus, I just don't know.
Steven Jiang, thanks for the report.
A surge in COVID cases in France is leading to restrictions there. In Paris, the number of cases has jump sixfold since the beginning of the month.
Melissa Bell has detailed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[14:50:04]
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: Here in Europe, concerns over the coronavirus figures in several countries, in France and Spain and Greece and Croatia. So many of those countries of Europeans making the most of the open borders in the E.U. and have been visiting in this holiday period.
In Paris, there has been a sixfold increase coronavirus cases in just 15 days. And new clusters around Marseilles, the south of France, where many tourists have been heading. Fresh restrictions considered looking beyond the holiday period after
returning to work with clusters associated with open-plan office spaces. Regulations being looked at there that would make the wearing of masks compulsory.
In other countries, restrictions being put in place as result of those riding figures in Spain and Italy but also in Greece and Croatia to try to limit the number of new cases that we've seen in countries that have so far been largely spared, like in Greece and Croatia.
Europe looking at how it can contain this summer burst of tourism, of activities, of travel, and get the figures back under control.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: The theme for the 2020 Democratic National Convention is uniting America. But there's concern the lineup of the speakers is not all inclusive. Some feel it lacks Latino voices.
DNC Chairman, Tom Perez, addressed the issue this morning on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM PEREZ, CHAIRMAN, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: I would ask people to look at the list of speakers. We have Captain Cortez Masto and Governor Michelle Gresham. Ad I'll be speaking tonight and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is speaking.
The diversity of our party was on stark display last night and I'm proud of it. It will be on stark display all week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Joining me, Cristina Jimenez, the co-founder of a group called United We Dream, the largest immigrant network in the country.
What do you think of Perez's response?
CRISTINA JIMENEZ, CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED WE DREAM: Anderson, to win this November, Joe Biden needs the support of Latino voters in a big way.
And it is concerning to see not more Latino representation within the DNC, programming, especially from Latino political figures, that have inspired and mobilized the Latino community.
Like Secretary Julian Castro, who is also a former presidential candidate, and marginalizing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to only 60 seconds of the main programming.
Meanwhile, you saw Republicans taking speaking slots in the opening day.
COOPER: Julian Castro said the Democrats could win the presidency in November and lose support with Latino voters which could benefit Republicans in years to come.
Do you agree?
JIMENEZ: Look, let's remember that Latina voters supported Bernie Sanders because of the progressive policies that he championed, like Medicare For All and stopping deportation during the primary cycle.
So the Biden campaign needs to do more work to engage this community and unify the party and mobilize Latina voters who are key to winning in this November.
And, quite frankly, given even the programming of the DNC, the message of the campaign to Latino voters right now is they want to reach out more to Republican voters that voted for Donald Trump than reaching out and engaging Latino voters that are needed to win this November.
COOPER: Do you think that kind assume Latino voters will naturally flock to Democrats, which is an obvious assumption, I assume, no party should make.
JIMENEZ: We should not be taken for granted, Anderson. And actually the surveys reveal a very concerning number, over 60 percent of Latino voters are saying that they have not received outreach from a presidential campaign.
That is a big number and a big concern when Latino voters are going to be the largest ethnic group of our electorate during this cycle.
And we have to recognize that they're also younger and we know that young people are going to play also a defining role in this election.
So if I was in the Joe Biden camp, I would think about how engage the Latina community more effectively, how to leverage the visibility that someone like an AOC or Julian Castro or even movement leaders have in Latina communities engage that community effectively and not take it for granted. Because that is a very risky decision.
COOPER: Cristina Jimenez, thank you for your time. Thank you very much.
JIMENEZ: Thank you.
COOPER: Our special coverage continues with Jake Tapper in a moment. I'll see you tonight at 8:00 for special convention coverage.
[14:54:59]
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
JAKE TAPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.
And we begin with breaking news in the fight over the November election and mail-in voting.
[14:59:51]
This afternoon, the Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, announced he is suspending planned changes to the U.S. Postal Service to, quote, "avoid even the appearance of impact on election mail," unquote, after accusations that the Trump administration was purposefully trying to undermine mail-in voting ahead of the November election.
