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Trump's Sister Bitterly Criticizes Him In Conversations Secretly Recorded By Their Niece, Mary Trump; Marco Strengthens To Category 1 Hurricane, Takes Aim At Gulf Coast; Deadly California Wildfires Burn More Than One Million Acres. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired August 23, 2020 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:11]
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Bianna Golodryga, in for Fredricka Whitfield.
And on the eve of the Republican National Convention, President Trump is dealing with an unexpected family scandal. We are now hearing remarkable new audio recordings of the President's sister Maryanne Trump Barry unloading on her brother.
In tapes first obtained by "The Washington Post" and secretly recorded by the President's niece, Mary Trump, the former Federal judge harshly criticizes her brother's character, truthfulness and his record in office.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARYANNE TRUMP BARRY, SISTER OF DONALD TRUMP: This goddam tweet and the lying. Oh my God. I'm talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories, the lack of preparation, the lying, the holy [bleep].
(END AUDIO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: For the latest on this, let's bring in Jeremy Diamond who is at the White House and Jeremy, this drama could not come at a worse time as the President is preparing to make his case for reelection starting tomorrow.
These aren't his Democratic opponents saying this. This is his own sister.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And in these candid conversations, Maryanne Trump Barry, the President's sister describes him as someone who is cruel, someone who has no principles, a liar, and a phony, and someone who doesn't even read.
And that, frankly, isn't all too dissimilar from what we heard at the Democratic National Convention this past week as prominent Democrats and even some Republicans trying to make the case that this election in November is more about character than it is about ideology and policy.
We saw everyone from former President Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, the Ohio Governor Republican John Kasich, all describing President Trump in very similar terms of what we're now hearing from the President's own sister and she also describes the President as someone who only cares about himself talking about an incident where she had asked him for a favor to get his attorney, Roy Cohn to call President Reagan and help push ahead her nomination for a Federal judgeship.
Listen to her describing that moment.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BARRY: Donald's out for Donald, period. When he said -- he started to say something to me, "Boy, look at what I've done for you." And I said, "You have done nothing."
Deliberately I have never asked him for a favor since 1981 when I was being highly considered to go in the federal court on my own merit.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
DIAMOND: And the President's older sister also argued that President Trump hasn't accomplished anything in his life on his own, other than the multiple bankruptcies -- corporate bankruptcies -- that he has undergone.
Now, the President did respond to this in a statement last night provided by the White House, he writes, "Every day, it's something else. Who cares? I miss my brother, and I'll continue to work hard for the American people, not everyone agrees but the results are obvious. Our country will soon be stronger than ever before."
A reference there, obviously, to the fact that the President did just lose his brother, Robert Trump, who passed away a week ago yesterday.
Now, the President and his family, they will have an opportunity to rebut some of these allegations about his character. In fact, the President's children, all four of his adult children are expected to feature quite prominently during the Republican National Convention this week -- Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Every day is something else. Who cares? It seems to be another way of saying, it is what it is, Trump's famous words in a previous interview.
All right, Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much.
Well, right now there are two storms barreling toward the Gulf Coast that we're following. The first one, Marco, is now officially a Category 1 Hurricane. It's headed for the Louisiana Coast with a direct hit expected tomorrow, then within 48 hours, a second storm is expected to slam into the state.
CNN meteorologist, Tom Sater joins me now. Tom, what are the latest developments on these two storms that seem to be approaching one state just a few days apart from each other? TOM SATER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, within 48 hours, Bianna. I mean,
this is amazing. In fact, we've never had two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously. I think that's still going to be the case because by the time Laura reaches the Gulf, Marco will already make landfall and that's going to be tomorrow afternoon.
So Louisiana, you've got today to prepare for this and it looks like Marco which is Category 1 Hurricane will remain at that status. Little concerned about Laura right now, even though it's moving through the Caribbean, 500,000 without power; Dominican Republic, massive landslides. Homes had been destroyed.
But let's start with Marco, winds at 75 miles per hour. It's going to take these winds and the water that's been upwelling underneath it right through the parishes of Louisiana.
Plaquemines Parish, you're going to have a pretty good storm surge here, maybe five and a half to six feet, but also you're going to have those strong winds that are going to be knocking out power.
Remember, Isaias three weeks ago, knocked out power to 3.3 million, but as we watch Marco, again, it's going to be late tomorrow afternoon. In red are the hurricane warnings, pink are watches, but this is going to be extended when Laura moves into the Gulf and that could go all the way over towards the Houston area. Big concerns in Galveston Bay in the coming days.
[15:05:13]
SATER: Surge four to six feet -- that's going to be a big deal in those parishes in the low lying areas. But again, Laura, which is only a tropical storm does not care about the high terrain. It has been fighting the high terrain. Usually, it rips them apart.
It's going to run through Cuba all night tonight and through tomorrow, but it is expected to not only reach Category 1, but forecast models Category 2 a little to the west.
We believe however, the longer it stays in these warm waters, if it takes more of a westerly trajectory, it could be stronger than a Category 2. So we're watching the warnings of course in this area, but both of these paths and cones of uncertainty, Bianna, are overlapping in a couple of areas such as Lake Charles and Lafayette.
The Grand Isle, I think this one may have its eyes on you and again that's tomorrow afternoon. It'll be Wednesday night for Laura.
Already evacuations of 114 gas and oil offshore rigs have been taken care of, so there's 600 of them, but 114 evacuations for these plot says a lot.
GOLODRYGA: Look, those are states that are well-prepared for hurricanes, but two within a couple of days of each other is something no state can really prepare perfectly for.
Tom Sater, thank you so much, and of course we're thinking about the folks there in the Caribbean as well with Laura.
And all along the Gulf Coast, people are bracing for days of hurricane force winds and potential flooding. The Louisiana Governor telling residents wherever they are tonight, they should be prepared to stay for at least 72 hours.
Martin Savidge is in New Orleans. Martin, what else did the Governor say about these preparations?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bianna, the people of New Orleans and certainly the people of Louisiana have grown accustomed to preparing for storms. August especially is a notorious month.
They've never had to prepare for two back-to-back hurricanes. And even though individually these two storms might be considered manageable on the part of emergency management operations, together, there's something unprecedented.
And so planning for that is extremely difficult. We've got some pictures, I think we show of just the public as they respond and seeing the long lines of people that are now heeding the Governor's warnings, stocking up on supplies because they're realizing now, it's not going to be just a 36-hour event. It's potentially a 72-hour event and beyond.
And it isn't just things like the power is going to go out because it will, it may not come back because the crews won't have enough time in between storms to restring the power lines; or the flooding that takes place, there may not be enough time for the water levels to begin to subside before the next round of flooding comes with the next storm.
Here's the Governor talking about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS (D-LA): This is a situation where you really need to be prepared, as we've always told you to ride out the storms and the first 72 hours is on you, and that is because the second storm comes in so close that there may not be much of a window when we can fly search and rescue helicopters, when we can get out with high water vehicles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: That search and rescue operation is the real concern if you have major flooding, trying to get boats and helicopters in to rescue people before the next storm, there just may not be enough time -- Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Well, F.E.M.A. definitely will have its hands full for the next couple of days, that is for sure when, you're thinking of all the folks there along the Gulf Coast. Martin Savidge, thank you.
Well, Houston could also be in the path of the second storm, Laura, which is expected to make landfall Wednesday night. So how do hospitals that are already battling the coronavirus outbreak, prepare for the impact of a hurricane?
Dr. Richina Bicette is an emergency medicine physician and the medical director of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Doctor, thank you so much for joining us.
How do hospitals handle a natural disaster in the middle of a pandemic and what lessons were learned from Hurricane Harvey that you could utilize today.
DR. RICHINA BICETTE, EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AND THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE - HOUSTON: Bianna, you know, it's like we just can't catch a break in 2020.
GOLODRYGA: I know.
BICETTE: As if the coronavirus pandemic wasn't enough, now we're in the middle of what many weather experts are saying is going to be the busiest and the most active hurricane season in recent history.
Luckily for us, hospital systems are a lot better prepared to handle these natural disasters versus the rest of the population. So for example, they do have hurricane impact windows and doors. Hospitals will typically have industrial size and industrial strength generators to power the entire hospital and all of the equipment in case the power lines go down.
They also prepare the staff by creating what some call right out teams or disaster teams, which are basically teams of staff that come into the hospital prepared to stay anywhere from two up to seven days at a time, eating, sleeping and showering at the hospital to ensure that we always have staff available to take care of the patients.
GOLODRYGA: Look, I'm from Houston. We've covered and lived through many hurricanes there and the city is well prepared, but doing this in the midst of a pandemic is something really unprecedented.
Speaking of the coronavirus, I want to turn to that and the upcoming election. You know, President Trump as you know, is tweeting today and the past several weeks about mail-in ballots, and he is dismissing the idea of using mail drop boxes and ballots and suggesting that they could spread COVID, among other things.
[15:10:24]
GOLODRYGA: Twitter has already flagged this and marked it as misleading health claims that could potentially dissuade people from participating in the vote.
But let me ask you as somebody who is a medical physician, should people be alarmed by catching coronavirus at drop boxes? I'm assuming the answer is no. Right? They are safe.
BICETTE: Well, Bianna, Donald Trump's Twitter account has been filled with a litany of inaccurate and irresponsible tweets during the tenure of his presidency. This is just one of many that we can add to the list. Of course mailboxes are dirty surfaces, but so are any surface that
multiple people touch. I don't think that the American people need to be alarmed that they're going to catch coronavirus by mail using mail- in ballots.
The most important thing that we can do is perform hand hygiene. Put your ballot in the mail, then use hand sanitizer. It's pretty simple. It's not Quantum Physics.
What is riskier is standing in a line without social distancing with people who are not wearing masks in order to wait to try to vote in person.
GOLODRYGA: Well, thank you for clarifying that for us. So many people walking around with Purell just to do that, right, after you do something and touch a surface that may not be clean, you wash your hands right away and use Purell if you need to.
Talk of the coronavirus vaccine has been ramping up in the past week with the announcement of course that Russia has one that will go into production as soon as next month. Should we be putting this much of our resources into a vaccine? Or should we be putting it in other places like therapeutics? Or does it have to be a binary issue? Can we be doing both effectively?
BICETTE: I definitely think that we can be doing both effectively. Finding a vaccine is important. We need to figure out a way to immunize the American population in order to help stop the spread of COVID.
However, a vaccine is at least one year away, if not several years away. So what are we going to do right now? There have been 176,000 American lives lost to coronavirus. How are we going to prevent more deaths today? A vaccine is not going to be the way to do it.
Operation Warp Speed, which is funded by the United States government has allocated billions of dollars in funds to vaccine development. Johnson & Johnson had been allocated over $400 million. Moderna has been allocated almost $500 million. AstraZeneca has been allocated $1.2 billion in funds to search for a vaccine.
Why not take some of those funds and dedicate it towards supplying PPE for hospitals. Hospital systems are still reusing and limiting PPE resources.
Let's support teachers and schools, so that we don't feel forced to open our schools and continue to propagate this virus.
Let's support small businesses so that small business owners don't feel forced to open and put their health and their lives at risk.
GOLODRYGA: Dr. Richina Bicette, will have to leave it there. Let's also hope that the hurricane manages to avoid Houston and the U.S. in general. We're thinking of you and wishing you the best. We appreciate it. Thank you.
BICETTE: Thanks, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Well, as many colleges and universities reopen for classes, many are struggling to handle coronavirus outbreaks.
Some student journalists have a message for school leaders, "Don't make us write obituaries." Wow.
Well, two of the students behind this headline will be joining me coming up.
And just a head, wildfires burning out of control in California. They've already scorched more than one million acres. We'll have a live report coming up for you next on CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:17:56]
GOLODRYGA: Firefighters in California are struggling to contain more than 600 wildfires stretching across the state. At least four people are dead and more than a million acres have burned.
President Trump has granted disaster relief for the state, this as officials are bracing for more thunderstorms and lightning, which could mean even more fires.
CNN's Paul Vercammen is in Calistoga, California; and Paul, these firefighters must be exhausted.
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are exhausted. They're trying to catch a rest as there's a brief break in the weather.
As you alluded to Bianna, we've got a lot of problems potentially on the horizon literally, dry lightning strikes forecasted for later today.
This is the Command Post where they're gearing up for that, where some firefighters are taking a rest. And let me show you how they do plot strategy and talking about the fire in context.
Here's your map and citizens have been coming up here in Calistoga and looking at it. Actually, three fires make up this LNU Complex. This is 341,000 acres and then over here, you can get a sense for what they mean when they talk about containment.
Containment can be gained through a backfire for digging line and over here the black is containment. All through here down here. But then look at the rest of this, uncontained, 17 percent of this fire only contained right now. That's why they're worried about these lightning strikes, unprecedented in California.
They just said a short time ago in here, 1.3 million acres have burned and again, that red flag warning throughout almost all of Northern California and Central California.
Rich Cordova, Captain with CAL Fire put in perspective for us. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICH CORDOVA, CAL FIRE CAPTAIN: This is historic, I mean, something that we've seen in the past, but not to this magnitude. Our resources are stretched thin and what we're worried about is the system coming in, causing the same havoc throughout the state and trying to get resources to protect the citizens of California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERCAMMEN: And protecting those citizens of California has earned some respect for all of these first responders.
Another darling sign. They're just so cute. They're all over the town. "Thank you, first responders for protecting us, for fighting the fires," and little hearts. A strong sentiment here in Calistoga where they've had some tough times with fires in the last few years -- Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: We are so grateful for Captain Cordova and all of the firefighters. They're working relentlessly throughout the days and nights and it's unfortunate to hear it's not even near containment.
Paul Vercammen, thank you so much and I know you'll be following the story for us.
Well, colleges around the country are struggling to cope with the coronavirus as they try to bring students back to campus, and some student journalists sent a startling message to college administrators, "Don't make us write obituaries."
I'll talk live with the students behind that headline coming up next. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:25:18]
GOLODRYGA: The University of Notre Dame has confirmed that more than 400 people have tested positive for coronavirus since students returned to campus earlier this month.
This, just days after the school student newspaper issued a dire warning releasing an editorial headline, "Don't make us write obituaries."
The piece implores the campus community to approach the virus in a serious manner in order to save lives. Notre Dame just releasing a statement in response, writing in part, quote: "We're on the same page. Students, faculty and staff are all in this together, and it's only by working together that we can stay safe."
Well, joining me now is Maria Leontaras, the editor-in-chief of "The Observer" and a senior at St. Mary's College; and Mariah Rush, "The Observer's" managing editor and a senior at Notre Dame. Ladies, thank you so much for joining me on your weekend especially.
Maria, do you agree with what the university said that that everyone is on the same page here?
MARIA LEONTARAS, EDITOR IN CHIEF, THE OBSERVER: Yes, it's good to hear that our message has been received and that everyone on campus is working together to better our situation.
GOLODRYGA: Well, that's a move in the right direction, I would say, but Mariah, the editorial is asking everyone -- students, the administration and faculty -- to do everything in their power to make sure that students stay safe. Is that what's happening because we continue to hear about parties off campus and students breaking rules that are not enforced, what is your make of that?
MARIAH RUSH, MANAGING EDITOR, THE OBSERVER: Well, we really hope that people took our editorial seriously. That was one of the major reasons for it. We saw some of our peers taking coronavirus as maybe just a minor inconvenience for them. Maybe they just have to quarantine for two weeks, and maybe they'll bounce back.
But it does have larger consequences for them since we don't really know the long term effects on young people, and it has larger consequences for the Notre Dame community and the surrounding South Bend community, and it determines whether or not --
GOLODRYGA: Go ahead, I'm sorry.
RUSH: And it determines whether or not we'll be able to stay on campus.
GOLODRYGA: Well, and that is the end goal, I guess when the university is saying we're all in this together, this is the experiment that they're hoping works out.
I remember it being quite ambitious for Notre Dame even back in May announcing that they will be returning for in-person classes. A lot of students throughout the country are envious of the fact that they are not on campus despite having to wear masks and the protocols that are enforced right now.
Do you think that the students are risking being able to be on campus when so for so many other students across the country, it's considered a luxury now?
LEONTARAS: Yes, of course, there are risks with being on campus, and you know, if we don't comply with the rules as students, if anyone in our community isn't following the guidelines that are being set in place, we are risking making the situation much worse than it is.
So as we stressed in our editorial, we just really want everyone to be taking the situation and the guidelines seriously so we can all work together to make sure everyone can stay healthy and on campus.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, and Maria on the editorial, it also notes that administrators have largely blamed the outbreaks, as we mentioned on students attending off campus parties, which has allowed them in at least the editorial standpoint to deflect responsibility for themselves, after insisting that they've been prepared for students who return to campus with adequate PPE and testing.
So in your view, did the university do enough to prepare for students to return?
LEONTARAS: Yes, as we saw the first few weeks back on campus, there were a few things that we wish would have been in place before we returned just like proper testing strategies, releasing more information to everyone in the communities via that Here Dashboard, just so we could have some transparency about the process and see what's going on.
And, you know, the University put surveillance testing in place on Friday, so that is one thing we wish would have been happening as soon as we were on campus.
But you know, we believe that the blame for the situation cannot just lie on one party, whether it be students, administrators, faculty, staff, anyone.
This situation is happening because of how our community has responded as a whole, and we really just hope people can read our editorial and receive the message that we are a community and our actions have greater consequences than just for us and that as a community, we have to take care of one another.
[15:30:10]
GOLODRYGA: And Mariah, Notre Dame is planning to go ahead with a football season this year. It's going to look quite different, but they are planning ahead with that. Are students on board with that decision right now?
RUSH: I think students want everything to be as normal as it could possibly be under these circumstances, and that may be a reason for in the first couple of weeks, things not being taken as seriously as they could have been.
But I know, we just want to stay on campus as long as we can safely and we don't want anything worse than what's happening right now to happen.
So if it means that lives are at stake personally and for, I think Maria thinks, too, we don't want anyone else to get hurt.
GOLODRYGA: Well, look, Maria and Mariah, we can all sympathize with you. You all deserve to have a full college experience as much as a healthy one as you can have. We hope you can get to stay on campus, stay safe and enjoy college as best as you can right now and wear your masks.
LEONTARAS: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you for joining us. Well, after years of coping with tainted tap water, there's a massive
legal settlement for the people of Flint, Michigan. Finally, residents will get most of a $600.00 million settlement with the State of Michigan. But the problems in Flint may only be the tip of the iceberg.
Erin Brockovich will join me next to discuss Flint and what could be lurking in other communities' water supplies.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:35:34]
GOLODRYGA: In Flint, Michigan, a long overdue victory for victims of the water crisis there. A court has ordered the State to pay a $600 million settlement that will provide hundreds of millions in direct payments to Flint residents.
Joining me now is Erin Brockovich, world-renowned environmentalist and consumer advocate. She's also author of the upcoming book "Superman's Not Coming." Erin, thank you so much for being with us.
First, let me begin by getting a reaction to the agreement. I know you called it a great day. It has consumed over five years of legal action and negotiations.
Talk about the significance of this agreement and what it means for those who fought and sought for justice.
ERIN BROCKOVICH, WORLD-RENOWNED ENVIRONMENTALIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE: Well, I think you know, the significance is very important, certainly for the people of Flint. They've been going through hell, literally for 10 -- not 10 years -- five years, apologize -- over this situation that should have never happened if you back it up to this is a perfect storm where the municipality was doing everything wrong, shockingly from an agency and an entire state cover up that left these people in a lurch.
They responded by rising together. I admire them so much, and this is a victory for them. Wheels of justice can spin slow. It took too long in this situation, considering the circumstances, the contamination, the danger to the children and to the community.
But I'm so proud of them and they stuck together, and they stood it out to see this resolved, for assurance that this doesn't continue to happen.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, it was a relentless fight for sure.
BROCKOVICH: It was.
GOLODRYGA: You mentioned children, 80 percent of the money would go to claims filed on behalf of minors and children.
I know you joined forces with mothers in Flint and you know, you're being credited for your voice in this. How will this settlement impact those children specifically?
BROCKOVICH: Those children will carry the scars of what happened in Flint forever. There would never be enough money to make that okay.
But it's a start to get them on a track, get them the help that they need. They'll forever be scarred, but that it will send a message they're rising, they're speaking out in this settlement that we cannot afford to allow this to happen and other communities, which unfortunately it is, and that we need to take action to change how we are dealing with water, specifically lead, how we're treating it, and the ultimate impact that it has on the community, and especially our children.
GOLODRYGA: And Erin, for those who are watching and aren't aware of the specifics, give us a sense of what happened to many of these children, some of their medical issues and traumas, as you said that will scar them for the rest of their lives.
BROCKOVICH: Well, they've just been put behind the eighth ball, if you will, unnecessarily and it never needed to have happened.
One thing that I think was difficult is they have symptoms, they experience something. They know something is going on. The mothers know something is going on, but it's constantly dismissed.
And when they start complaining, you know, whether it's fatigue or brain fog, or however it is you can explain to a parent that something is changing. They reported things about hair loss, rashes. They noted little things that were building up and you know, Dr. Mona out there, she was the doctor, she started really realizing this.
And so I think they really carry emotional scars as well for life because of what happened to them that should have never happened, and that's concerning.
GOLODRYGA: And it's unacceptable that it fell on deaf ears for so long right and has impacted so many families. Let's talk about you and your impact here and how you're helping contribute to others in this country?
It's been 20 years since you became famous and people became familiar with your name. Julia Roberts portrayed you, not so bad, as that crusading fighter in fighting for water safety for millions of Americans.
You've now written a book, basically serving as a manual on how other Americans can also be their own environmental crusaders. What are some of the basic tips that we could all do to help ensure the safety of our cities, our communities and our water supply?
BROCKOVICH: Don't be afraid to get involved. Don't be afraid to say something. This is the one thing that I see throughout communities and why I wrote "Superman's Not Coming."
There is an idea or an expectation that there's some blanket or agency or system that will just automatically deal with these issues for us. [15:40:15]
BROCKOVICH: And one of the first things we need to do is, understand that's not happening, and ourselves, take it upon ourselves to say something. Say something to your neighbor, get involved at City Council. These are things -- the first thing that you can do is take an action and where I see that I could give my best work to all these communities is oftentimes they don't want to speak up or speak out because they're afraid that they will be labeled or perceived as crazy or there's nothing wrong with the water. You're making this up. And that's not true.
And this is where I'm seeing mothers make an amazing rise and I'm going to be their biggest cheerleader, because they know and they need to take that step, "I'm going to ask questions, I'm going to pick that phone up. I'm going to get involved." That's what I see missing, more often than not in the communities.
And so "Superman's Not Coming" is a book, whatever your causes, you need the tools to know how to fight back and organize and that's what we're hoping to do. And that's the best thing that I can do in every community.
But I will assure you this, every single community I'm in, once they get it, they know it, they understand it, they act, and they get involved, and that's what it will take from us, the people, and not just expect that somebody else is going to do it for us.
GOLODRYGA: Well, in the case of Flint, Superman may have not come but Super Women as mothers knew that there was something wrong with their children and they fought and fought for them. Thanks in large part for your advocacy as well.
BROCKOVICH: They did.
GOLODRYGA: Erin Brockovich, thank you so much. It's great to hear from you.
BROCKOVICH: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: I know you'll stay on this mission.
BROCKOVICH: Absolutely. Thank you, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: You, too. Well, President Trump is expected to speak each night during this week's Republican National Convention. We're hearing more about plans for the R.N.C. as secretly recorded comments from the President's sister threaten to overshadow the event.
A live report from Charlotte, North Carolina is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:46:42]
GOLODRYGA: Tomorrow, the Republicans will kick off their 2020 convention as the President will make his case for reelection and CNN has learned that President Trump is expected to speak at each event each night.
Trump campaign advisers are vowing to offer a cheerful positive convention that focuses on the President's accomplishments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON MILLER, TRUMP CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: We are going to see a very optimistic and upbeat convention this week from President Trump and our Republican allies and actually from our Democratic and Independent allies as well.
So we're going to talk about the American story, but all the accomplishments that we've had over the last four years with President Trump and what the President's second term vision is going to look like.
And this is a big difference, Chuck, between President Trump in his convention this week and the Democrats last week. Last week, it was a massive grievance fest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Republicans may have their work cut out for them, pushing an upbeat message with coronavirus taking the lives of more than 176,000 Americans and the pandemic showing no signs of going away anytime soon.
And adding to the President's troubles, stunning new audio recordings of the President's sister who harshly criticizes her brother.
In the recordings, Maryanne Trump Barry blasts the President's record and his character.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BARRY: This goddam tweet and the lying. Oh my God. I'm talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories, the lack of preparation, the lying, the holy [bleep].
(END AUDIO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: CNN's Ryan Nobles is in Charlotte, North Carolina. President Trump will arrive there tomorrow. Ryan, tell us more about what we can expect from this convention.
RYAN NOBLES, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna. It's interesting that we are back here in Charlotte for this Republican National Convention. This of course, was where President Trump envisioned a big huge party this week leading up to him accepting the nomination once again for his party as President of the United States.
But the coronavirus has thrown this convention planning for a loop. They initially planned to move much of the activity away from Charlotte to Jacksonville, Florida. Those plans were shelved because they just couldn't put it all together in a safe manner.
So now, the bulk of the convention will actually take place in Washington, D.C., but there is some business that will take place here behind me in Charlotte tomorrow, specifically the roll call vote where the President will once again be nominated.
And as you mentioned, he and Vice President Mike Pence are expected here tomorrow to accept that nomination and then the rest of the week, what we're really expecting is a lot of praise and adulation for President Trump.
The President is expected to appear in some form or fashion in the 10 o'clock hour, the primetime hour of the convention every day this week, and then the list of speakers at the R.N.C. is released, they all have a common theme.
These are all folks who have a deep loyalty to President Trump, among them, the former Ambassador to Germany, Ric Grenell. You have the former Ambassador of the United Nations, Nikki Haley.
You also have some of these culture war figures who have pledged loyalty to President Trump like the McCloskey of St. Louis who were seen waving guns in front of their house as Black Lives Matter protesters went by; and also, one of the speakers revealed today is Dan Scavino, who is the President's Director of Social Media, somebody that has been by the President's side from the very beginning.
So while the Democratic Convention last week was a display of unity between all the different factions within the Democratic Party, this week, Bianna, is going to be all about President Trump and of course, he has a former reality TV show star where they're going to try and bring some of that to the convention this week -- Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: It's going to be hard to have an upbeat environment there with 176,000 American deaths in just the past few months.
Ryan Nobles, thank you so much.
[15:50:14]
GOLODRYGA: Well, before President Trump and Vice President Pence make their bid for four more years, join Anderson Cooper with your guide to four unconventional days. The Anderson Cooper 360 R.N.C. preview is live tonight at 8:00 Eastern.
And Joe Biden is revealing his motive behind choosing his running mate. In their first joint TV interview, Biden tells ABC News that he didn't feel any pressure to select Kamala Harris, just because she was a black woman. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: No, I didn't feel pressured to select a black woman.
I cannot understand and fully appreciate what it means to walk in her shoes to be an African-American woman with Indian-American background, a child of immigrants, she can assume exactly what it's like to walk in my shoes.
What we do know is we have the same value set, and I really mean that. And so it was -- it was easy for me. It was an easy decision to make.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Harris's story is now inspiring Asian-Americans as well, as the Democratic VP nominee makes history as the first black and South Asian candidate on a major presidential ticket. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), DEMOCRATIC VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In this historic moment, Senator Kamala Harris acknowledged her past through her mother.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And she raised us to know and be proud of our Indian heritage that pride shared by an entire group of Americans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator Harris is the VP nominee.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): From a Democratic organizer and South Asian woman in California.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: This is just incredible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): To 11 year old, Katerina Shadrach in Colorado.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: What's up, Denver?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): Katerina has been drawn to Kamala Harris since her presidential run.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Oh my God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): We first met her at a Harris presidential rally in Denver. Catarina was featured in a video that was part of Wednesday's convention program talking about what this means to girls like her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATERINA SHADRACH, 11-YEAR-OLD KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTER: Seeing someone who looks like me? Good. It is kind of like me seeing myself doing it because honestly, in my opinion, I do kind of look like her. You see yourself and you put that goal that yes, I'm going to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): A reflection that South Asians are celebrating across social media.
"Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi posted side-by-side pictures of her Indian-American childhood next to Harris's with the words "Representation matters."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MINDY KALING, ACTRESS: So we're both Indians.
HARRIS: Yes.
KALING: But actually, we're both South Indian.
HARRIS: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): Actress, Mindy Kaling, best known for her role in "The Office," talked about her Indian heritage with Harris in this video last year. She tweeted, "Was there ever more of an exciting day."
Katerina's father says Harris's nomination is a marker, not just today, but for tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHELDON SHADRACH, KATERINA SHADRACH'S FATHER: So Asians are a big part of the workforce, and not so much part of the leadership.
But we can lead. We can bring about change, and we can help and we can make people feel better about living here in the United States.
DITA BHARGAVA, KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTER: Oh my God, it's historic for me, and it's historic for my daughter, my son --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): It means being seen says Dita Bhargava. She is now organizing for the Biden-Harris ticket, hoping American politics will now reach and target Asian-Americans, the fastest growing racial group in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BHARGAVA: To see someone like her be able to not just crack those ceilings, but break through them, it is incredibly inspiring.
I think it's going to be having a huge impact on all of our communities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH (voice over): Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: And our thanks to Kyung Lah. Well, this Sunday, W. Kamau Bell is back with an all-new episode of "United Shades of America." The Venezuelan population in the United States has increased over 300 percent in the last 20 years due to economic collapse and widespread food and medicine shortages in Venezuela.
Well, this week, Kamau visits Miami to talk with Venezuelan immigrants about the problems facing their home country. Here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll give you a bill from 10,000 bolivares.
W. KAMAU BELL, CNN HOST, UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA: Ten thousand bolivares.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now, that's worth like a quarter.
BELL: When your country's money has like thousands on it and regular people are holding a 10,000 note, that's never a good sign.
So this is --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Origami.
BELL: That's origami.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, the restaurant in Maracaibo. They put like this like a napkin.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes.
BELL: As a napkin. I bet it's worth more as a napkin than it is as currency. (END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:55:00]
GOLODRYGA: Kamau shining a light on such an important story of a fallen nation.
Be sure to tune in, an all-new episode of "United Shades of America" airs tonight at 10 Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.
Thank you so much for joining me this weekend. I am Bianna Golodryga. CNN NEWSROOM continues with Ana Cabrera after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Hello on this Sunday. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Thanks for being here.
[16:00:07]
