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Record Heat Wave Fueling California Wildfires; Michael Cohen Calls Trump A Bully, Racist, Predator In New Tell-All Book; Experts Fear Labor Day Gathering Could Spark Surge In Coronavirus Cases; Former Senior Administration Official Backs Up Allegations Against Trump; Members Of Trump Administration Defend President Amid Claims He Disparaged Fallen American Troops; Jacob Blake Shares Message For Supporters From Hospital Bed; Protesters Welcome Decision To Form Grand Jury In Daniel Prude Case. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired September 06, 2020 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:17]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining me, I'm Bianna Golodryga in for Fredricka Whitfield. This is a Labor Day weekend edition of CNN NEWSROOM.

And we begin this hour with a desperate situation unfolding in California. Wildfires are burning out of control across the state and overnight in Northern California rescuers saving hundreds from flames engulfing part of a national forest. But officials fear many more may still be trapped, calling this a mass casualty event with a dozen people already injured. The fire exploding in size and cutting off the only road to safety.

It is one of at least 15 burning right now in California. All fueled by a record-breaking heat wave that saw temperatures soar in some places to over 120 degrees.

Meanwhile, fears are growing about another disaster and that is the coronavirus. Experts project scenes like this one on a holiday weekend, packed beaches, could lead to a new surge in cases and deaths. With one new model projecting more than 410,000 deaths in the U.S. by the end of 2020. The current death toll 188,000 and counting.

All of this as we get new damning details about President Trump from a new tell-all book obtained by CNN. The president's former attorney, Michael Cohen, calling his long-time boss a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator and a con man.

But let's begin with those wildfires burning in California. A terrifying situation playing out as hundreds of campers tried to escape the flames of the Creek Fire in the Sierra Forest. Just take a look at the harrowing moments when a group of hikers tried to drive to safety as the fire closed in on them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just keep going.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just keep going. Just keep going.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go, go, go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We did it, we made it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all right. (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: My goodness, that is horrifying. Overnight more than 200 people were airlifted to safety after the fire cut off the only access road and officials worry many more are still at risk,

CNN's Paul Vercammen is monitoring the latest from Los Angeles.

Paul, these fires, we know, are far from contained. What's the latest on rescue efforts?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, you're right. They are -- it's not contained at all up there at the Creek Fire and that, as you said, is in the Sierra National Forest. On the rescue efforts, I just got off the phone with a sheriff's spokesperson and she said that only two people remain at that Mammoth campground from where they had to be evacuated from Mammoth Reservoir and those two people chose to stay there.

As you well pointed out, 224 people rescued from the campground and the National Guard stepped in and transported them by plane. We know that 20 of those people had to be moved to Fresno area hospitals and their injuries range from broken bones to burns.

This fire set up a massive pyrocumulus cloud. They're saying right now that 36,000 acres have burned but many climate experts are projecting that it could be triple that. The cloud going eight or nine miles into the air, creating its own weather system. It is so bad they're now warning other people in the National Forest and the surrounding area that they may have to leave as well.

An evacuation may soon come out an order for Bass Lake. They are telling boaters to go only five miles per hour because they call it fog-like smoke in the area. So others throughout California to be evacuated. Here in Southern California excessive heat warnings all over the place, 115, 116, 117 projected in some of the inland valleys for today.

They have banned people from hiking in many places in Southern California this Labor Day weekend because of the rescues yesterday and there was one fatality they're looking into that might be a heat- related death while hiking.

The weather is just horrific throughout the state, Bianna, and firefighters and others are bracing for what could hit them next.

GOLODRYGA: Unbelievable, Paul. We were looking at the images of the time lapse there you were on yesterday talking about that heat wave and now we see the consequence of it. Every week you keep coming on with new natural disasters there unfolding, particularly fires in the state of California. Those firefighters and first responders really working hard there. And of course our thoughts are with everybody who was caught in the crosshairs.

Paul Vercammen, thank you so much.

Well, the situation in California is made worse, all the state sees a record-breaking heat wave, some areas seeing temperatures above 120 degrees. And meteorologist Tom Sater joins me now.

[13:05:08]

Tom, certainly a dire situation for everyone involved in these wildfires. How long can we expect to see these record temperatures?

TOM SATER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, for some unfortunately, Bianna, it's going to continue. Other states are going to get a break. But just imagine this, three of the four largest fires in California history are burning right now. And the heat in triple digits off the charts for even September and we're not even close to the peak of the wildfire season.

Let me show you a couple of things that will back up what Paul was saying. Obviously this pyrocumulus cloud, they had blue skies all day, in a matter of hours everything changed. Satellite images showing this rapid growth. In fact, a 600 percent rapid growth in this fire alone at Mammoth Pool Reservoir growing from 5,000 acres to over 36,000. We believe once they update the Web site it will be closer to 47,000.

But the view from space, I mean, it changed the view of all of California as you notice, of course, the smoke just billowing. The poor air quality as Paul mentioned is going to be in effect not just high terrain, this is down at lower elevations, too.

So when you look at the temperatures and what we've got going on, the red flag warnings all the way to the west of Montana, Nebraska, parts of Kansas, I mean, we've got over 80 high temperature records that will be broken in the next two days.

And then we're going to have about 100 low temperature records being shattered as we get into Tuesday. Woodland Hills 117 degree temperature yesterday breaking a record from 1955. But notice Denver at 101. Keep that in mind. Excessive heat warnings for California down into the desert southwest will remain for some time, at least the next two days. Los Angeles 103, Phoenix continues their record stretch, warmest summer by far.

But climate change isn't just about high temperature records. It's about an overall pattern shift in the atmosphere. And thanks to a couple of typhoons moving in the Korean Peninsula we're looking at a dramatic drop in temperatures. This is going to shock the system but it could really help some firefighters in western states such as Montana and Colorado into the Dakotas, down into parts of the Midwest.

Look at Denver. 100 degrees Sunday to 35 on Tuesday, there will be some snow, unfortunately not enough in western states to give the firefighters a break who have been battling this week after week after week. Above average temperatures unfortunately continue to the west but we'll take what we can get in, in any state when we're dealing with this kind of fire and the magnitude of them.

Unfortunately, you know they're exhausted, Bianna. I mean, it's just been an incredible fire season and as I mentioned we're not even near the peak which comes at the end of the month, even into October.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. One crisis after another for these first responders, this cold front can't come soon enough.

Tom Sater, thank you.

SATER: Right.

GOLODRYGA: And now to the new book by President Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, and its explosive allegations. "Disloyal: A Memoir" is out Tuesday but CNN has obtained a copy. The narrative adding to the growing list of insider accounts on President Trump and his character.

CNN's Brynn Gingras joins us now. And, Brynn, we had been anticipating this book would be hot, but a lot to unpack here. Walk us through what stood out to you?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Bianna. I think a lot of people are anticipating this book to be hot. Well, right off the bat Michael Cohen calls the president disloyal, a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man.

Now, of course, we've heard these adjectives used before to describe President Trump and even just Donald Trump as a person, but never really before coming from a man who worked for him for so many years, decades, in fact, before he was even president and also while he was in the White House.

And he touches on a lot of these issues right there that you're talking about, racism, politics, greed, and in particular gives many anecdotes about why he feels the president can be described in these ways.

Let's talk about the issue of racism for one. He essentially says that -- writes, rather, that the president called countries that were run by black leaders the S word, S-hole as we've heard before the president say, and so he sort of backs that up. And he also talks about that minority block of voters this prior to the 2016 election justifying sort of his feelings. Michael Cohen writes this, he says, quote, "Trump said I will never get the Hispanic vote like the blacks. They're too stupid to vote for Trump. They're not my people."

And of course Trump won 28 percent of the Latino vote back in 2016. So again, these are all sort of anecdotal and shocking claims Michael Cohen writes to really back up things that we have heard before but, again, this time coming from the president's personal attorney for many years.

Another issue that really struck out, Bianna, was his basically love for Vladimir Putin. Of course, we've heard that ever about, but Michael Cohen essentially says that he tried to cozy up to Putin to basically line his own pockets, trying to get a deal with Putin should he not win the presidency and be able to build that Trump Tower in Moscow.

[13:10:00]

And he talks about how he really started to realize, oh, I have a lot of power here if I do become president. Michael Cohen wrote, quote, "I honestly believe the most extreme ideas about power and its uses one really took shape as he began to seriously contemplate the implications of taking power and how he could leverage it to the absolute maximum level possible."

So again, a lot of these issues aren't shocking when you read them. We've heard them before but, again, this time coming from someone who was very close to the president, of course, now is working very hard to make sure he doesn't get reelected -- Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: And, Brynn, these racist accounts are jaw-dropping but of course the president's defenders will point to Michael Cohen's past, that he lied to Congress and why wouldn't he lie again in this book? How is the White House responding to this?

GINGRAS: Yes, Kayleigh McEnany sends a response to the "Washington Post," I'll read it here for you, essentially saying Michael Cohen is a disgraced felon and disbarred lawyer who lied to Congress. He has lost all credibility and it's unsurprising to see his latest attempt to profit off of these lies.

Of course, we know that Michael Cohen did plead guilty to nine federal counts including tax evasion and fraud and also, remember, he did say that he was part of that hush money payments and he did it at the hand of the president. So certainly he has his checkered past, he has lied, he has been a cheater himself.

He said throughout this book that he is apologizing for that. He's sorry for that. And he sort of leads the -- the reader, rather, essentially saying, Bianna, you know, you have now all the facts, take it as you will and you decide what you're going to do in November -- Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: And look, Brynn, we have the receipts. A lot of these allegations the president has played out before the public with regards to how he views Vladimir Putin. We've heard S-hole countries mentioned by other witnesses as well. So it's not just Michael Cohen who is saying this and that's something that viewers should take into account as well.

Brynn Gingras, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Well, still ahead, health experts worried about coronavirus this Labor Day weekend. Why officials in New Jersey are warning people that they may have been infected at a popular beach. We're live on the Jersey Shore coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:16:30]

GOLODRYGA: Labor Day weekend celebrations are currently in full swing and despite the advice of health experts we're seeing large gatherings in cities across the country, especially at beaches.

CNN's Evan McMorris-Santoro is at Asbury Park in New Jersey.

Evan, how are the crowds there?

EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me show you, I'm here on this iconic boardwalk in Asbury Park, and as you can see right over here there are people on the beach, a significant number of them. There is some distancing going on. They're trying to stay far apart. It's something that's very important to officials here this weekend. And back here on the boardwalk you can see here at restaurants there are people eating, there are people walking around. Mask wearing is not really happening that much here.

Well, Officials in Asbury Park say is that they're doing enough to try to keep the social distancing going here. There's a strict limit on beach passes. There's strict limit on capacity inside these restaurants. And the whole plan this weekend is to try to allow these beaches to be open but also keep the viral load down, Bianna. And officials say that they have the ability to do that.

GOLODRYGA: OK. Well, let's make sure. I know you were at movie theaters yesterday as they were trying to enforce that people follow procedures there, safety procedures. We're also hearing reports of a possible outbreak at a New Jersey beach involving a lifeguard. What can you tell us about that?

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: Well, that's right, Bianna. This is a very important story about what this weekend actually is and about being outside. You know, we hear about being outside, being safer, and it is, but it's not perfectly safe.

This is a beach in Ocean County, about 13 miles south of where I am. Mantoloking Township. As I mentioned that on August 23rd -- on August 22nd they had a lifeguard who had COVID and now they're urging people who may have contacted that lifeguard, been around that lifeguard to go and get tested themselves.

And they shut down all of the lifeguarding. They suspended it starting on August 27th. And so for now the way it works at that beach is that there are no lifeguards, swim at your own risk, but they say they have staff that have shown up.

They're going to make sure to enforce those beach pass numbers. But when this story is actually about is it shows that even when you're outside at one of these beaches you have to be cautious, you have to wear a mask. And here on this boardwalk we're just not seeing it that much -- Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. I don't see that many people behind you wearing masks as well. Hopefully they will at least try to remain socially distant.

Evan McMorris-Santoro, thank you so much and be safe yourself.

Well, here with me now to discuss is Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis. She is an infectious disease physician at the Washington University School of Medicine, along with Dr. Celine Gounder, CNN medical analyst and host of the "Epidemic" podcast.

Dr. Gounder, first to you, I want to get your reaction to some of these large Labor Day gatherings that we've been seeing. We are entering this holiday weekend with a higher daily case count than we did going into Memorial Day. We're at about 40,000 new daily cases right now versus 22,000 per day ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Add to that people having quarantine fatigue.

How worried are you about these next few weeks?

DR. CELINE GOUNDER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, look, Bianna, we know that if you're outside your risk of transmitting to others, to being infected are lower, but they are not zero. And when you come into the holiday weekend with a lot more virus in the community, the risk of transmission is going to be correspondingly higher. We did see an increase in cases after Memorial Day, after the Fourth of July, and I certainly expect we'll see something similar again after this weekend.

GOLODRYGA: And Dr. Davis, this comes as parts of the Midwest are seeing a sudden increase in cases as well. Why do you think we're seeing that?

[13:20:01]

DR. MATIFADZA HLATSHWAYO DAVIS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Well, we have seen a similar phenomenon right around the Fourth of July and what we're seeing here in the Midwest is an increase specifically in the 18 to 25-year-old age group.

And I think that's for multiple reasons, first, these are the folks who had heard over and over again that the highest risk was the older age group and to their credit they listened and they protected their grandparents and folks around them that were at risk.

Second, these are the younger folks who are more mobile, who are more social, and who work in areas where they will be at greater risk. But finally as we all know schools have recently opened and that may be playing a part in what we're seeing. GOLODRYGA: Right, college campuses reopening, and that's why many

health experts are advising that students remain on campus as opposed to going home and infecting their communities as well.

Dr. Gounder, the "Wall Street Journal" is reporting that at least three of the companies working to develop a coronavirus vaccine are now putting together an unusual joint pledge that's promising not to seek approval for their vaccines until they have been proven safe and effective. Does this action reassure you that the vaccine will not be politicized or does it simply reinforce that concern even more?

GOUNDER: Well, I do applaud the companies that have agreed to sign on to this pledge, which includes, by the way, Moderna and Pfizer which have some of their vaccines farthest along in development. This pledge does not include AstraZeneca which has partnered with the Oxford vaccine. They have said that they may have data that they will be submitting to the FDA as early as October.

You know, and I think big picture we really do want to see a vaccine that is safe and effective and proven to be so. I think most of the vaccine manufacturers anyway understand that this will hurt them in the long run if they put something out there that is not safe and effective.

GOLODRYGA: And of course vaccines are only effective if people become vaccinated, right, so they do need the public's trust now more than ever.

Dr. Davis, what concerns do you have about the safety and effectiveness of a possible vaccine when one does become available and how else can these companies ease those worries that so many people are currently having?

DAVIS: Well, I trust the science. We've been doing this for decades. We've learned from the past and there are so many checks and balances to make sure that we do get to a safe and effective product, including community advisory boards.

My greatest concern is paying attention to marginalized populations and the areas that we know have been hard hit which are black, Latinx and Native American communities. Making sure that we are paying attention to equitable recruitment and equitable implementation and dissemination when that time comes. So that this is available to those who need it most. Everyone. Right?

And I think to that effect we need to be partnering with community leaders and organizations that have done the work of rebuilding some of the trust that the medical community has lost, and rightfully so, in the past with instances of historical structural racism that occurred in these communities. So with that in mind I do know that these companies have really tried to make an effort to do so and I think that the push needs to be there in that direction.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Reaching out to the black and Hispanic community is especially crucial at this time.

Dr. Gounder, Dr. Davis, thank you so much for your time and have a wonderful holiday weekend and stay safe. I know you will.

DAVIS: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, new fallout over derogatory comments President Trump allegedly made about fallen troops. We'll have reaction from the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:28:16]

GOLODRYGA: A former senior Trump administration official has now told CNN that President Trump did refer to fallen U.S. service members in crude and derogatory terms. That former official largely confirmed details from an explosive article published in the "Atlantic" magazine which cited sources who said the president referred to fallen U.S. soldiers from World War I buried at a French cemetery as, quote, "losers and suckers." The president continues to forcefully deny that report. Today House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted to the claims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): It breaks your heart, but let me just say this because he's denying, he said he called Melania to say how sad it was -- called home to tell her how sad it was when she was actually on the trip. So he doesn't even have his mind straight, but nothing unusual about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: For more on this let's bring in Kevin Liptak at the White House.

And Kevin, the speaker does raise a point there when he uses calling Melania as sort of his alibi, but she was with him, in fact. That doesn't add to his defense of the allegations.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Yes, this is certainly becoming a question of credibility for the president. It's not something he's necessarily built up over the last four years in office.

The president is still clearly enraged by this article, lashing out on Twitter and saying that it's a political smear by his opponents even as much of what is contained in that "Atlantic" article was borne out in reporting by CNN and a number of other outlets including the idea that the president used derogatory language about fallen U.S. service members at the Aisne-Marne cemetery in France when he visited there in 2018.

Now the chorus of former and current administration officials who are denying this report on the president's behalf has continued.

[13:30:02]

A number of them were out on Sunday morning shows saying that they had never heard the President say disparaging things about servicemen and women. Listen to what the Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie and the Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Have you ever heard the President disparage US service members or veterans?

ROBERT WILKIE, US VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY: Well, absolutely not. And I would be offended too if I thought it was true.

STEPHEN MNUCHIN, US TREASURY SECRETARY: I think this President has enormous respect for the military, and for the generals. And I've been at the tank at the Pentagon with him, I bid at 911 at the Pentagon with him, this president respects and supports the US military.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIPTAK: Now, all of those denials are facing what is amounting to a wave of corroboration, corroborating reporting from various outlets and the things that the President has said himself in public, including about the late Senator John McCain.

Now, this is looking to become a major political issue. You saw on Friday, the former Vice President Joe Biden lay into the President on these topics. Democratic aide tells me that they expect Biden to continue those attacks later this week.

GOLODRYGA: And, Kevin, President Trump is once again ramping up his culture war battle, threatening to investigate a school project on slavery that he claimed is unAmerican. What more can you tell us about that?

LIPTAK: Yes. This came via tweet this morning. The President says the Department of Education will investigate whether California public schools are using the 1619 project in their curriculum. And now, you'll remember that's a New York Times project that seeks to reframe American history around the date of August 1619, which is when the first slave ships arrived on American shores.

And the President retweeting an unverified account that said that that project was being used in California schools. He said the Department of Education is looking at this. If so, they will not be funded.

Now, this follows a pattern by the President of disregarding attempts to reckon with this fraught racial history that is undeniably the case in this country. Just on Friday, the President's budget chief wrote a memo seeking to end racial sensitivity trainings that used white privilege or critical race theory, all of this in attempts to boost the President's base 60 days before the election.

GOLODRYGA: Well, Kevin, let me tell you, as somebody who's been covering education and getting kids back to school for months now, this seems to be at the bottom of the list of issues that parents and teachers want to be focusing on right now. They need the kids to be healthy and back in class as soon as possible. Kevin Liptak, thank you so much.

Well, the federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop winding down or changing any census field operations. The order applies nationwide. In August, the Trump administration announced that it would shorten the 2020 census after originally planning to extend it due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At a hearing, Friday, the government argued that it was only winding down operations in places where more than 85% to 90% of households were considered complete. Several other lawsuits are also pending in courts across the country.

And just ahead Jacob Blake is speaking out from his hospital bed after being shot in the back seven times by police. We'll have his emotional message to supporters.

[13:33:23]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: At least 9 people are arrested during the fourth straight night of demonstrations in Rochester, New York. Protesters taken to the streets demanding justice for Daniel Prude, a black man who died following an encounter with police back in March. This as State Attorney General Letitia James announces that the case will go before grand jury.

CNN's Polo Sandoval joins me now from Rochester. And, Polo, how are local leaders responding to the grand jury announcement/

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been largely well-received, Bianna, and not just local leaders but also members of the community here as they hear that news from the Attorney General's Office. And I have to tell you that there is still a sense of frustration though among members of the community. I'll give you an example.

Yesterday, we went back to the neighborhood where Daniel Prude had that encounter with police in late March. We've all seen that very disturbing video of that encounter. And you do get a sense that criticism, it's really extending beyond the police department.

A lot of it be-named also add city officials, many of people asking why it took months to actually see what went down that day, that there was a large, a very peaceful group of demonstrators are gathered in that neighborhood. They were asking for accountability. They were asking for a closer look at the training procedures and protocols that are in place for officers responding to these kinds of calls.

But at the same time, there's also a call for honesty. We recall that the city here has doubled down on their claim that the attorney general's office additionally had asked them not to release any information as that investigation continues. But as you're about to hear from one protester, you simply want transparency from officials

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MORRIS MOORE, PROTESTER: When things of this magnitude happen, especially to our people, we look for full transparency. We look for opportunity to know that this community can trust our leadership. So yes, there's a lot of frustration and anger, but the people are out here and they're ready to protest. They're ready to do it in a non- violent way. And we're going to pursue this thing until justice is served.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And on that stream there of non-violent protests, I have to tell yesterday, for example, we saw a demonstration starting at about 6:00 pm. And they went all the way until about 1:00 am. According to Rochester Police, it wasn't until really the last two hours that things got a bit tense.

But I have to tell you also, we did hear from two restaurants, for example, whose operations were disrupted by protesters and even they are saying that is always the actions of a few agitators. They're amplified by the various conclusions that people reach after seeing multiple videos.

So this really is a cycle that we continue to see here in Rochester, Bianna. Protests mainly peaceful, that they do get tense towards the end.

GOLODRYGA: And that grand jury announcement by the New York State AG is just moving get in the further direction where so many local leaders and people there on the ground wanted to go. Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

[13:40:04]

And we're now hearing from Jacob Blake in his own words, two weeks after he was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake sharing a message for his supporters from his hospital bed in a video shared online by his attorney, Ben Crump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACOB BLAKE, SHOT BY KENOSHA POLICE: I just want to say my two other young cats out there and even older ones, older than me. It's a lot more like to live out here, man. Your life and not only just your life, your legs, some that you need to move around and move forward in life could be taken from you like this, man.

And I promise you, the type of stuff that you will go to, staples. I got staples in my back, staples in my damn stomach, you do not want to have to deal with this, man.

24 hours, every 24 hours it's pain, nothing but pain. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to sleep. It hurts to move from side to side. It hurts to eat. Please, I'm telling you, change our lives out there. We can stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out here, man, because there's so much time that has been wasted. (END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Blake is still recovering after a police officer shot him in the back seven times as he tried to get into his SUV on August 23rd. The shooting left Blake paralyzed from the waist down, and as you can hear from him clearly still in daily pain. No decision has been made on whether or not the officers involved will be charged.

And more than 50 people are arrested overnight in Portland, Oregon as demonstrators gather for the 100th night of protest in a row. Portland Police declaring the demonstrations a riot, claiming protesters were throwing Molotov cocktails, rocks and other items.

Police say at least one officer was injured and one bystander was taken to a local hospital after being struck by a fire bomb. The demonstrations began in late May and response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

And still to come, it's a disaster within a disaster. Fast moving wildfires threatening California communities all in the midst of a global pandemic. Next, I'll talk to the co-chairs of an organization working to help those in harm's way and give them some knowledge as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: We're continuing to follow this breaking story, the increasingly critical situation in California. Twenty-two major wildfires burning right now and more than 45,000 acres have been burned in the creek fire alone. We're hearing harrowing stories of people fleeing for their lives literally. More than 200 people were airlifted to safety when the only access road from the Mammoth Pool Reservoir Area was blocked as the fast moving fire closed in.

12,000 firefighters are battling the fires and authorities warned there is imminent threat to life. And not helping things is a scorching heat wave that is blanketing the state creating a critically high fire danger. All of this, of course, is a disaster within a disaster as California tries to stem the coronavirus outbreak.

Justin Knighten and Karen Baker are co-chairs of Listos California, which is a company that help vulnerable populations prepare for disasters. Both Karen and Justin also work for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

First of all, let me just say thank you so much to you both for your service and your good citizenry. They're helping fellow Californians there in a time of crisis. Justin, let me begin with you. You are looking at those terrifying pictures as we all are, what can you tell us about the areas and the people who are still in danger?

JUSTIN KNIGHTEN, CO-CHAIR, LISTOS CALIFORNIA: Thank you for having us on, Bianna, and thank you for creating space to talk about disaster preparedness. It's so urgent that we think about disaster preparedness in a way that is hopeful and positive. We are anchored here in the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, a campaign Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers to really reimagine and redefine what preparedness looks like, you know, images of darkness and destruction, which is so part of 2020.

We actually know prevents people from getting prepared. 88% of people in California know that they need to be prepared. But vulnerable communities know that they have challenges getting prepared because they find that it's scary, time consuming and expensive. So we're really working to overcome these battles, these challenges.

GOLODRYGA: And, Karen, it's an uphill battle to prepare for these types of challenges in time when you don't have a global pandemic and an economic crisis. Talk about having to help the most vulnerable for these types of emergencies when they've already had to deal with other emergencies as well.

KAREN BAKER, CO-CHAIR, LISTOS CALIFORNIA: Yes, you're so right, Bianna. I want to let you know that I think the secret has been partnerships, partnerships that we've had with fantastic community- based organizations, faith-based organizations, local-elected leaders. And by forging those partnerships and having a trusted broker that a vulnerable member of our community really does believe in, they are much more willing to hear our five steps of preparedness when it comes from that, you know, trusted friend.

GOLODRYGA: And what are those five steps?

BAKER: They're very quite simple. It's, first of all, making sure that you have the alerts that you need. Here in California, it's at calalerts.org. And then you look up the county that you're from, and you can put them on your phone. But in anywhere across the United States, you can contact your county emergency manager.

Your second step is making sure that you really connect and protect your people. And that means having a list of all the people that you want to be in touch with, with their phone numbers, their addresses, and that you have a place to meet up, and an evacuation route. Step three is a go-bag that you pack with essentials like documents, medications, and other items.

[13:50:04]

And then four, is a stay box. Just in case you have one of those disasters where you have to stay in place, you're going to need that water and food that will at least keep you set for at least three days. And then lastly, you'll definitely want to make sure to spread the word to neighbors and friends. And all of the details of this is available on listoscalifornia.org.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, five critical steps that can save lives. Justin, how is your organization reaching the most vulnerable populations? Many of them don't have bandwidth. They don't have internet. They don't have access available the way others in the community do.

KNIGHTEN: Absolutely. And when we say vulnerable, we don't mean people that are less downright, and I think we just have to acknowledge that. These are communities that have historically been disadvantaged, are kind of either left out, forgotten or not included. And so, these are communities that need additional resources and attention and authentic engagement, right?

Older Californians, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, people with language barriers, communities of color, indigenous communities, all become a top priority for this work. And, you know, we have a variety of resources on our website, both accessible resources like this or disaster guide, where it uses a lot of graphics and materials to make it very accessible to communities.

We have a text-based campaign on our website, where you can text a number and get easy access to information. There's a 20-minute disaster preparedness training you can take right on your email rather. And really, you know, engage with this information in a way that it's accessible. It's not overwhelming, and we really advocate for steps and materials that are little to no cost.

And for those in the danger zones, once again, that website is calalerts.org. Justin Knighten and Karen Baker, thank you again for your work. You are really helping so many people in need right now. We appreciate your time and your effort. Thank you.

KNIGHTEN: Thank you.

BAKER: Thank you so much.

GOLODRYGA: And we'll be right back.

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[13:56:25]

GOLODRYGA: Democratic vice presidential nominee, Senator Kamala Harris, telling CNN today that President Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr don't understand the realities of race in America. And that she believes there are two systems of justice in the United States. Here's some of her conversation with CNN's Danna Bash on "State of the Union."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Attorney General William Barr said on CNN that he does not believe there are two justice systems in the United States for black and white Americans. He added, "I think we have to be a little careful about throwing the idea of racism around and I don't think it's as common as people suggest," what do you think?

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I think that Donald Trump and Bill Barr are spending full time in a different reality. The reality of America today is what we have seen over generations and frankly, since our inception, which is we do have two systems of justice in America. But here's the thing that gives me a sense of optimism, and a sense of belief in who we are as a nation.

We also have an ideal that is inscribed in marble on a Supreme Court that we all hold dear, which is that ideal of equal justice under law. And so, while we have two systems of justice, we also fight for equal justice under law. And that means doing what Joe Biden and I are proposing, which is having a criminal justice system that, yes, bans choke holes and carotid holes, make sure that we're going to require accountability for police officers who break the rules and break the law, that we are going to invest in communities and the economic strength of those communities.

But doing it all, recognizing that there are huge disparities in our country based on race. And it does us no good if we want to solve those disparities, to pretend they don't exist.

BASH: I want to ask about Russia.

HARRIS: Yes.

BASH: The Department of Homeland Security bulletin said that Russia is trying to amplify claims that mail-in voting will lead to widespread voting fraud and undermine the public's trust in the upcoming election. Are you worried that Russian interference could cost you the election?

HARRIS: I am clear that Russia interfered in the election of president of the United States in 2016. I serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee, we have published detailed reports about exactly what we believe happened. And I do believe that there will be foreign interference in the 2020 election, and that Russia will be at the front of the line.

BASH: Could it cost you the White House?

HARRIS: Theoretically, of course. Yes.

BASH: What would your mom say about where you are right now?

HARRIS: I think she'd be really extremely proud. And she would say beat Trump. My mother was a scientist. She had two goals in her life, to raise her two daughters and breast cancer. She was one of the, you know, all five feet of her, one of the strongest, most loving and toughest people you've ever met. And she raised us to live a life of service.

And she would look at the suffering right now. She would look at the denial of science right now, and it would piss her off. Excuse my language.

BASH: She would be surprised that her daughter was the first woman of color on a ticket?

HARRIS: I don't think she would. I think she would be immensely proud, but she always encouraged us to go for it. You know, she encouraged me to never listen to no except that she said it, you know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Spoken like a true tough mom who loves her children, great interview by Danna Bash. And for more on the candidates don't miss the back-to-back documentary event, "Joe Biden's Long Journey" and "Donald Trump's Presidency." It all starts at 8:00 PM Eastern right here on CNN.