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Portland Mayor Criticizes Trump Over Unrest, Violence; Biden to Deliver Remarks Monday About Future of America; Tensions Rise After Deadly Shooting Amid Portland Protests; Trump Supporters Gather in Caravan in Los Angeles; Latest U.S. Job Numbers Forecast to Show Slow Recovery; Americans Struggle Amid Pandemic, Racial Inequality Protests; Historic Flight En Route Between Israel and Abu Dhabi; Potential TikTok Sale Must Clear New Hurdles from China. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired August 31, 2020 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome become, everyone.
Well, the mayor of Portland, Oregon, is blaming U.S. President Donald Trump for the unrest and violence that's gripped the city. For more than 90 days, protesters have denounced racism and police brutality. On Saturday, after a night of clashes between Trump supporters and protesters, one person was shot and killed. President Trump tweeted rest in peace about the shooting victim on Sunday and criticized the city's leaders over the violence. But Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler says it's the President who's to blame.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED WHEELER, PORTLAND, OREGON MAYOR: It's you who have created the hate and the division. You have tried to divide us more than any other figure in modern history. And now you want me to stop the violence that you helped create.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: President Trump has repeatedly taunted his rival, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden saying Biden would be a weak leader when it comes to taming the violence. But Biden is striking back, making it clear the unrest is happening under Donald Trump's leadership, and as CNN's Jessica Dean explains Biden is about to say much more about that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On Monday, former Vice President Joe Biden is going to talk about his vision of leadership for America in this moment as it compares to that of Donald Trump. Over the weekend, there were violent protests in Portland, Oregon, which former Vice President Joe Biden spoke out against condemning very vehemently. I'll read you a bit from his statement. He said, shooting in the streets of a great American city is
unacceptable, I condemn this violence unequivocally. I condemn violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same. It does not matter if you find the political views of your opponent abhorrent, any loss of life is a tragedy.
Now also in that statement from Sunday, he went on to make the case that Donald Trump is not able to meet the moment as President. That he's not able to do what a president needs to be doing right now, which in Joe Biden's opinion is bringing people together, lowering the temperature, and instead. And instead he believes that Donald Trump is fanning the flames of division, of racism. Just last week, he said that he believed that Donald Trump was rooting for violence in America. So, on Monday, we expect to hear Joe Biden talk about how he would proceed forward, what he would be doing to heal America in this moment, and to lead it forward.
Jessica Dean, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Joining me now in Charlottesville, Virginia, is Larry Sabato. He's the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Thank you for being with us.
Thank you so much, Rosemary.
CHURCH: So, Larry, we are seeing violence escalate on the streets of America with deadly consequences. Portland's mayor now accusing President Trump of creating hate and division. The President live tweeting during the mayor's press conference attacking the Democratic leader. Stir is president from stirring up trouble to distract voters from racism and COVID-19 to redirect focus, instead, to law and order issues to benefit himself politically?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: I think that's one of his motivations. I think his other motivation is to stir his base. It's no accident that the precipitating factor in Portland was the near invasion of the city by a bunch of Trump supporters, many of them armed. Some of them simply armed with their mouths, and Trump signs of various sorts, obviously that's a red flag in front of bulls. And it was guaranteed that it would develop into the kind of embarrassing conflict that it did in a deadly conflict.
CHURCH: But Larry, when protesters turned to violence and rioting, are they taking the bait and playing into the hands of President Trump?
[04:35:00]
Would it be more strategic for them to get off the streets right now until the election is done and take their views to TV and radio news instead. Because some voters who are sitting on the fence are now saying, you know, maybe our big worry now is this rioting, is the fires on the streets and the violence. Could that change people's votes with this law and order issue? SABATO: I think it could, particularly suburbanites. Again, they're
not right there in the city witnessing these things. They're seeing it on the television. Where do the television cameras gravitate, to the most dramatic places, where the looting is happening, where arson is taking place, where the shootings are happening. And yes, you better believe it affects some of the suburbanites and rural voters. Was interesting, your point is well taken. If the demonstrators that become looters were using good sense for politics, they obviously would not be doing this because they are playing right into Trump's hands. But I don't think too many of them are political analysts, Rosemary, that's my guess.
CHURCH: Larry Sabato, many thanks for joining us. I appreciate it.
SABATO: Thank you very much, Rosemary, as always.
CHURCH: Well supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump came together in Southern California Sunday. A caravan gathered in the Los Angeles area, and participants were encouraged to decorate their cars with pro-Trump flags and banners. CNN's Paul Vercammen has more now on the crowds that showed up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm in Woodland Hills, California, this is the main drag, their already headed to Studio City, and they are at least, at least 200 vehicles full of Donald Trump supporters. They said they wanted to come out and show how much they back the President in his attempt to be reelected in 2020. We talked to a number of people who are participating. There was one young man who went to this high school, Taft High School, that's where they're also staging this rally, and he said for years he voted blue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I voted Democrat my whole life I voted Obama both terms. I voted for Hillary in 2016, and then I just had this wakeup call because the left is angry and hostile.
VERCAMMEN: But just across the street you can see over here, a group of anti-Trump demonstrators, among other things, there's signs saying let's finally end racism in the USA and one of them said that she was stunned that so many Trump supporters turned out here in the San Fernando Valley.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Basically, what we know about the Valley and particularly Woodland Hills is bad consistently 65 percent vote Democratic. So, we know that Democrats are in the large majority here. So, I find it very concerning that the enthusiasm for Trump, it doesn't really reflect how we actually vote in this area. And this enthusiasm, how are we going to match it on the Democratic side in November? How are we going to match that enthusiasm?
VERCAMMEN: Well, you can see the pro-Trump supporters in trucks, they were in motorcycles, even an 18 wheeler and more. A large turnout in the San Fernando Valley, surprising people in Los Angeles, which traditionally votes very blue. Reporting from Woodland Hills, I'm Paul Vercammen, now back to you. (END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Thanks for that. Well, the latest check on the condition of the U.S. economy is coming up later this week. Analysts expect further recovery in the jobs market, but it would still mean only about half as many jobs recovered as were lost in March and April. Many positions remain at risk, especially in the hospitality and travel industries as they continue to flounder in a pandemic. Christine Romans has more on what to look out for.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS, CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Can the stock market keep setting records with main street mired in a health and jobs crisis. Record highs for the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq with millions of people out of work. It's a reminder the stock market is not the economy. New evidence the road to recovery will be long. We learned last week after five months of layoffs during the week ending August 8th, more than 27 million people are receiving some sort of a jobless check.
This week investors turn their attention to the August jobs report. Will the jobs recovery continue, or has it stalled? The President and the White House have repeatedly taken credit for a record 9 million jobs added in May, June and July, ignoring the more than 22 million jobs wiped out in March and April. The jobs hole is still deep, down almost 13 million jobs in this pandemic. Lasting damage is a key concern. A majority of the members of the prestigious National Association for Business Economics, don't expect the jobs market to fully recover until 2022 at the earliest.
[04:40:00]
In New York, I'm Christine Romans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter shows us how behind the numbers there are personal stories of Americans struggling to get by.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: The most important story this week was never the lead story on the nightly news or the top story on the home page. Instead it was a story on Friday's "Washington Post" page. Below the headline about Trump drawing battle lines. Across from the story about hurricane Laura. The headline says, "Unemployed Americans feel the sting of abandonment."
Abandoned by Congress. By lawmakers, who let jobless benefits lapse in the middle of a pandemic. This story is about the jobs crisis that too many people are still in denial about. That too many politicians are still ignoring.
The story is about Americans like Shawn Gabriel, a single father of two in Parma, Ohio. Let me read from the "Washington Post" story here.
It says, Gabriel has learned what it means to struggle since he lost his construction job in March. His landlord sent him an eviction notice after he was a few days late on August rent. Gabriel keeps looking for work. But for now, his family is living off $189 a week that he gets in unemployment benefits, which is not enough to cover his $950 rent, let alone food, electric, internet, and other expenses.
$189 a week. Is this the best America can do? No. But this is how the Gabriel family is surviving right now. Do you think their top concern is, I don't know, the President's tweets or street violence in Portland, Oregon? Of course, the overnight shooting in Portland is important. It matters and so does Kenosha, and so does the recent march on Washington. So many of these stories are connected. They all relate to a wakeup call about systemic injustices, inequality, a society under duress.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Coming up, we will go live to the Middle East for the latest on the historic flight between Israel and Abu Dhabi. What the trip could mean for Trump advisor Jared Kushner and the president's reelection efforts. Back with that in just a moment.
[04:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: White House senior adviser Jared Kushner is in the Middle East and he took off a short while ago on this historic flight from Israel to Abu Dhabi. He's aiming to go push Arab leaders to attend a signing ceremony for the normalization deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Sources say it's an effort to boost his father-in-law's reelection efforts. So, let's discuss this further with CNN's Sam Kiley. He joins me on the line from Abu Dhabi. So, Sam, what is the latest on this, its significance, and of course Jared Kushner's role in all of this.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, Rosemary, I'm actually at the presidential flight reception area waiting for this historic flight carrying El Al aircraft that is not only flying to about two Abu Dhabi. It is not the first flight between the two nations. There were earlier flights by Etihad Airways earlier this year.
Flying significantly over Saudi airspace that was in some doubt until the very last minute. We understand from our team on the aircraft that they have confirmed they're flying through Saudi airspace, which shortens the journey considerably from Israel to Abu Dhabi. In what was at least a giant publicity stunt for El Al., the Israeli national airline.
In terms of what they achieve diplomatically, it's being condemned roundly by the Palestinians who feel this is very much a betrayal. Elsewhere in the Arab world it's been greeted with a sour but nonetheless a degree of interest. I think is the best way to put it. And of course, from the Iranian perspective, this is seen in two
different ways. First of all, as a strengthening of the bonds between and the anti-Iranian elements within Israel, which are very, very strong, and of course, the Gulf nations feel threatened by their neighbor across the Persian or Arabian Gulf. But equally the Iranians can now increasingly paint themselves as very much champions of the Palestinian cause in the future.
Now the Emiratis have said that the normalizations of relations with the Israelis are very fundamental to preserving the possibility in the future of a two-state solution involving the Palestinian and Israeli state. Viable on both sides, living side by side in peace. But as part of this deal, the Israelis under Benjamin Netanyahu's Prime Minister, Rosemary, only have agreed to suspend their plan to annex about 30 percent of the West Bank -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right, Sam Kiley bringing us up to date on all of that, appreciate it.
Well, TikTok is one of the most popular video sharing apps in the world, but a change in regulations could make it harder to strike a deal for the platform's U.S. operations. We'll take a look at that when we come back.
[04:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: A U.S. basketball star is speaking out about George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Two African-Americans killed during encounters with police. Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray scored 50 points Sunday to carry his team to a big win over the Utah Jazz. But it was the shoes he wore that caught everyone's attention. They have both pictures of Floyd and Taylor. After the game, Murray became emotional as he spoke about them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMAL MURRAY, DENVER NUGGETS PLAYER: You find things that hold value, things to fight for, and we found something worth fighting for. As the NBA, as a collective unit, and I use these shoes as a symbol for me to keep fighting, all around the world. So, I can say they give me a lot of power to keep fighting. We want to win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: George Floyd's death in May reignited Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. and around the world.
Well, the potential sale of the popular social media app TikTok is now facing new hurdles. China's government must approve any sale of U.S. operations by TikTok's parent company ByteDance. Government ministers said regulations will change to protect national security.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to ban TikTok unless it's sold by the Chinese parent company. The U.S. has given ByteDance until September 20th to address certain security concerns involving TikTok's technology. So, joining us live from Hong Kong is CNN correspondent Selina Wang. Good to see you again, Selina. So, what more are you learning about this and where is it all going?
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, great to be with you. This is just another unexpected political hurdle that's being thrown at TikTok as its struggling to keep its U.S. operations alive. This is also as technology becomes increasingly central to this broader geopolitical clash between the U.S. and China.
Now on Friday, China announced these new restrictions on technology exports. They include data processing, text and speech recognition. These are all technologies that are important for TikTok. Especially for its AI recommendation algorithm, which is what makes the app so powerfully addictive. TikTok has said that it would strictly comply with these rules that could potentially undermine or delay any potential transactions. You have companies including Microsoft, Oracle, Walmart, that are all vying to purchase this company.
Now China says that the reason why they're making these changes is because of national security. But experts I spoke to say that it's more likely this is about getting some leverage over the situation. China wants to make it clear that the U.S. doesn't have full control over the future of TikTok's operations in the United States.
[04:55:00]
They say it could also be seen as a retaliatory move to hit back at the U.S. in a sort of tit for tat move.
Now what's also interesting here is that China hasn't made any changes to this export list since 2008. But in a way, you could look at it as being analogous to what Trump has done in terms of hitting back at Chinese companies. For instance, many Chinese companies have been blocked from making acquisitions of sensitive technologies in the United States. The Trump administration has also blocked the exports of technologies to blacklisted Chinese companies which include Huawei.
Now, a professor at Georgetown law, Anupam Chander, put it to me this way. Here China is certainly putting up a roadblock to this deal, but they're not significantly escalating the situation. They could have taken much stronger action, for instance, by hitting back at U.S. multinationals operating in China -- Rosemary.
All right, we'll continue to follow this. Thanks, Selina Wang, appreciate it.
Well, flying cars have been a staple in science fiction for years, now a Japanese company is one step closer to make this fantasy a reality. Watch as the pilot of this car takes it out for a test flight. It circled a test flight in Japan for about four minutes. The CEO of the company says his goal is to help create a society where flying cars are a safe and accessible means of transportation. The company will continue to develop the car with the hopes of launching in 2023. Other companies around the world are trying to develop their own flying cars as well. And we all look forward to flying our very own someday. Thanks so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. "EARLY START" is
up next. You're watching CNN. Have yourselves a great day.
