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Republican Voters Embrace Conspiracy Theories About Capitol Riot; House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation Into Rep. Gaetz; Medical Examiner Tells Jury George Floyd's Death Was A Homicide; Sal Khan, CEO, Khan Academy, Discusses The Impact Of Remote Learning On America's Children; Prince Harry Is Said To Return To U.K. To Attend Prince Philip's Funeral; Prince Charles Speaks After Death Of His Father; Third Explosion Of Volcano On St. Vincent In Caribbean. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired April 10, 2021 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But he does want to sit down and have a conversation with his colleague.
[15:00:04]
But this interview really underscoring what a linchpin for Biden's legacy, for Biden's legislative agenda, Manchin is right now. And I think Manchin is making it clear that while he's not sure he always wants to be in the spotlight, he feels like in this moment, this is the place where has to be.
For CNN, I'm Lauren Fox in West Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: And thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
The NEWSROOM continues right now with Jim Acosta.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.
And what would you do if you were a congressman under federal investigation for sex trafficking and prostitution? Well, if you're Republican Matt Gaetz of Florida, you'd head to Trump country and tear a page straight out of the ex-president's playbook, deny it and then talk about the deep state.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): They lie about me because I tell the truth about them, and I'm not going to stop. So when you see the leaks and the lies and the falsehoods and the smears, when you see the anonymous sources and insiders forecasting my demise, know this -- they aren't really coming for me. They're coming for you. I'm just in the way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: They're not after me, they're after you. I'm just in the way.
If that sounds familiar, that's because former President Donald Trump posted a meme of those same words back when he had a Twitter account, remember those days?
Gaetz, by the way, was speaking at an event sponsored by Women for America First. And besides the irony of having a man under investigation for sex trafficking, talked to women about women, there is something else. This is the same group that organized the January 6th rally right before the Capitol riot, the same kind of disinformation that led to the bloody siege at the Capitol was on full display last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Do you think the Trump supporters that did that that day -- it's sort of a black eye --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know that they were Trump supporters.
CROWD: Stop the steal! Stop the steal!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, obviously, some of the people that went in the Capitol were, but you can also see the doors were open.
(SCREAMING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And so, yeah, they were trespassing, but they didn't destroy anything. They didn't beat anybody up.
(SCREAMING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Now, those aren't lies. That is 100 feet down the rabbit hole. And how dangerous and how sad is it that we're so divided, we can't even agree on the definition of violence when clearly you can see it right there. That attack on the Capitol where people died.
But also consider that most of them get their news --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST: They didn't have guns but a lot of them had extremely dangerous ideas. They talked about the Constitution and something called their rights. Some of them made openly seditious claims. They insisted for example that the last election was not entirely fair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And later tonight, Republicans will also flock to Florida for a donor retreat headlined by the number one person who inspired that riot, yes, former President Trump.
CNN's Donie O'Sullivan joins us now from Doral, Florida, where he was covering the Women For America First event.
Donie, what did you hear from voters there? It sounds like not all of it lines up with reality.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jim. Good afternoon from the Trump golf course here in Doral where the big lie that the election was stolen is very much alive and well, and where attendees and speakers at this pro-Trump conference are trying to rewrite the history of January 6th.
I spoke to some of them. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KINNET EHRING MCSWEENEY, TRUMP SUPPORTER: And I do believe that the election was stolen and I do believe that it was a peaceful rally that day and just because people who were in the Capitol were wearing Trump shirts and Trump hats doesn't necessarily make them Trump supporters. Anybody can get one of those shirts.
O'SULLIVAN: But a lot of them have been shown to be real Trump supporters, right?
MCSWEENEY: How?
O'SULLIVAN: Through indictments that they've been a longtime supporter of Trump.
MCSWEENEY: I don't know that to be true.
O'SULLIVAN: I think some people who watch this who are not Trump supporters will see here's a Trump supporter who's in denial about January 6th. Would it not be better to sort of admit --
MCSWEENEY: You don't have to say that to me because I had friends and family already say that to me because they disagree. They think that I'm crazy, that I'm a conspiracy theorist because the election was stolen.
O'SULLIVAN: Speaking of your family calling you conspiracy theorist, Marjorie Taylor Greene is going to be speaking here this weekend.
[15:05:07]
She's known as the QAnon congresswoman.
MCSWEENEY: I don't know what's so terrible about QAnon. Can you tell me?
O'SULLIVAN: It's a baseless conspiracy theory.
MCSWEENEY: Well, what's so -- you know, what is so terrible about conspiracy theories anyway? Can you tell me?
I mean, there were conspiracy theories behind JFK's assassination. I'm old enough to remember all the conspiracy theories that swirled around his assassination. It's always -- it's always painted in such a negative way.
O'SULLIVAN: But these conspiracy theories are butting into the foundation of American democracy or helping inspire of violent insurrection.
MCSWEENEY: No, I don't believe that's the case. In what way? Can you explain?
O'SULLIVAN: The lie the election was stolen.
MCSWEENEY: Well, see, that's where we part ways. I don't believe that it's a lie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'SULLIVAN: And, Jim, Marjorie Taylor Greene, the QAnon congresswoman was supposed to speak here at this event tonight, but we've been told by organizers in the past few minutes that she will not be able to make it.
I just want to point out that, you know, some folks might watch the interview with that lady and say that is a fringe part of the Republican Party that embracing conspiracy theory. But it really isn't.
Take a look at this polling from "Reuters" this week where it says that almost two-thirds think that Trump is not to blame for starting the January 6th riot. Sixty percent of Republicans, by the way, say the election was stolen.
And, Jim, perhaps most bizarrely of all, 55 percent of Republicans say that the January 6th riot was led not by Trump supporters, but some way by left-wing agitators trying to get out of all culpability here.
ACOSTA: Donie, that's why reporting on disinformation and what you do is so critically important and we're glad you're there talking to those Trump supporters to see if perhaps, you know, you might talk some sense into them. You know, I had the same kind of experience before too where you talk to these folks and, you know, they seem just as nice as the day is long, but they are embracing these conspiracy theories and letting people off the hook for all sorts of bad behavior just because they agree with their point of view.
Donie, we'll check back in with you again on all this.
Donie O'Sullivan with great reporting from Florida. Thanks so much.
And now to the DOJ and House Ethics Committee investigations that have been swirling around Republican Congressman matt Gaetz. "The Daily Beast" is reporting on a trail of money between Gaetz and his friend, Joel Greenberg, a former Florida tax collector.
The site has obtained Venmo records from May of 2018 that show Gaetz sending Greenberg a $900 payment with a note "hit up" and a redacted woman's name. The next morning, Greenberg, we should point out, transferred money totaling the same amount to three young women. The notes on those payments, school and tuition.
Now, CNN has not confirmed the details of the allegations in "The Daily Beast" reporting, and there is no indication that the women involved were under the age of 18 at the time or that the payments were for anything illegal. We should also note Gaetz has repeatedly denied ever paying for sex or having sex with underage girls.
He hasn't been charged with any crimes, but his friend, Joel Greenberg, has and Greenberg has been indicted on 33 federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor and this week Greenberg's attorney said he's likely to strike a deal with prosecutors.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRITZ SCHELLER, ATTORNEY FOR JOEL GREENBERG: I'm sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And so far, just one Republican has called on Gaetz to resign, but it's clear Congressman Gaetz has zero intention of stepping aside. Here he is yesterday speaking at that women's summit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GAETZ: I take the words of Margaret Thatcher to heart. If you want something said, get a man. If you want something done, hire a woman.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And with me now is the Palm Beach County state attorney, Dave Aronberg, and CNN political commentator and political columnist for "The Bulwark", Amanda Carpenter.
Thanks so much to both of you for joining us.
Dave, the fact that Greenberg's attorney says he's likely to strike a deal and that Gaetz is probably feeling uncomfortable, I guess that makes sense. But what does that signal to you?
DAVE ARONBERG, PALM BEACH COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY: Jim, I've always thought that Greenberg would strike a deal because he's facing up to life in prison for child sex trafficking over the same 17-year-old girl at issue in the Matt Gaetz investigation. Plus, Greenberg right now is sitting in a jail cell awaiting trial because he violated the terms of his pretrial release, so he has every incentive to flip on Matt Gaetz.
It's a lifeline for him that Matt Gaetz is out there because normally the person who's most culpable is the one who has most to worry about.
[15:10:03] But here, there's a bigger fish, a member of Congress who may not be as culpable but is clearly a more important figure than a local tax collector.
So I think things are going to get worse before they get better for Matt Gaetz.
ACOSTA: It's not like Gaetz wrote sex on the memo line on this Venmo payment. How would prosecutors even prove that this money was for illegal purposes, if that's, in fact, what it was for, Dave?
ARONBERG: Jim, they don't need to prove that the money went for sex to prove child sex trafficking charges. That's the thing. When it comes to child sex trafficking, the statute is so broad that it's enough if Matt Gaetz just enticed a girl to have sex with Greenberg for money or provided drugs like ecstasy to help facilitate it. It's enough if he drove one of the girls back to the hotel room or paid for the hotel room.
You don't have to have a payment for sex to come under a child sex trafficking statute. And according to reports, the payments were for people who were of age. If that's the case, it's most relevant if there's adult human trafficking and that would require force, fraud, or coercion. But when it comes to young people, people under 18, you don't need force, fraud, or coercion, the statute is way broader.
ACOSTA: And that's important.
And, Amanda, Matt Gaetz has released a letter of support from the women of his office, the, quote, unquote, women of his office. I'll read it to you.
Congressman Gaetz has always been a principled and morally grounded leader. At no time has any one of us experienced or witnessed anything less than the utmost professionalism and respect. No hint of impropriety. No ounce of untruthfulness.
Amanda, what a great defense this would be if a single female staffer who actually signed her name to this letter. What do you make of that?
AMANDA CARPENTER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, it's extremely unusual and it makes me wonder about the pressure that the women of that office may be under. Quite frankly, I'm worried about that. It's highly unusual to issue a statement defending someone when you don't put your name on it and that is oddly absent in this entire storyline. There are no people willing to defend Matt Gaetz.
And so, you know, I'm glad you covered the federal investigation angle of this, but there's an ethics investigation that is going to look at all kinds of things. And to have a damning ethics report, he doesn't have to engage in illegal activity, right? They're looking at sexual misconduct, possible drug use, campaign finance violations.
And normally, it's pretty hard to get an ethics committee investigation to stick because the House Ethics Committee doesn't have subpoena power. But in this case, what you may have are a lot of people who witnessed bad behavior by Matt Gaetz who are willing to talk. I mean, we've seen the news reports as reported by CNN that he was flashing nude pictures in the House floor of women.
If members of Congress are willing to talk to the media about that, I think they need to talk to the House Ethics Committee because I'm sure there are other staffers who saw that as well that did indeed take place. So this can go a lot of different directions, but Matt Gaetz doesn't have to be convicted of criminal activity to be in trouble.
And this is a bigger problem for the Republican Party because let's say he does get stripped of his committee assignment, as Leader Kevin McCarthy suggested that he would be willing to do. That would be the third member in my recent memory of getting stripped of committee assignments. Steve King, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and possibly Gaetz. And that -- it's just a really bad look for the Republican Party.
ACOSTA: Right. And after the media began reporting that Gaetz was under federal investigation, he went on Fox News and had this interesting exchange with Tucker Carlson. Let's look at that again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GAETZ: I can say that actually you and I went to dinner about two years ago. Your wife was there and I brought a friend of mine. You'll remember her. And she was actually threatened by the FBI, told that if she wouldn't cop to the fact that somehow I was involved in some pay for play scheme that she could face trouble.
TUCKER: I don't remember the woman you're speaking of or the context at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Dave, based on all of the evidence that the media has, where do you think federal investigators are heading in this investigation? Could some of that tape be of interest?
ARONBERG: Yes, Jim. I think Tucker Carlson is going to get a call from a federal investigator asking him and his wife what they know. That may be why he's not appeared on Fox News since then because when matt Gaetz speaks, seems like it gets him and others in trouble.
I know he's hired some pretty expensive criminal defense lawyers. He should listen to their advice, which is to stop talking. He's not making himself look any better in the court of public opinion, and certainly it's not helping him in a court of law.
And so I think what's going to happen is that prosecutors are going to continue to speak with Greenberg to see if they can tie Gaetz not just to child sex trafficking, but also identity theft because there's apparently evidence that Gaetz was with Greenberg in the tax collector's office rummaging through old IDs as part of an identity theft operation.
[15:15:10]
And then they'll also look at campaign finance laws. And so, there's going to be a lot of hurt ahead for Matt Gaetz.
Another thing, just to conclude, is that Greenberg is rushing to the prosecutor's office to be first because the first one to the table eats and the last one to the table becomes dinner.
ACOSTA: Absolutely. That's very true.
And, Amanda, I want to get your quick take on this, this billboard that has gone up in Gaetz's home state of Florida. It says Matt Gaetz wants to date your child. I mean, this is just awful stuff.
And it just seems to be getting worse and worse every day for the congressman. Only one Republican member of Congress, Adam Kinzinger, is calling on him to resign. Does that surprise you?
CARPENTER: No, it doesn't, because most members of Congress will take the path of least resistance and are just waiting to see what happens in the courts and what charges are brought because that's the easiest thing to do.
What I'm concerned about where the people that gave Matt Gaetz such a platform that made him a rising star in the Republican Party, particularly when they're being targeted towards young kids. All throughout the summer, groups like American Conservative Union, Turning Point USA presented him as a role model to high school and college students. I think regardless of what happens, that needs to be accounted for and there should be some reflection by the people who put him on those kind of stages.
ACOSTA: Absolutely. We'll see if any of that actually happens. But it's a very good question to ask for sure.
All right. Dave Aronberg, Amanda Carpenter, thanks so much for those insights. We appreciate it.
Coming up, compelling testimony from one of the star witnesses in the Derek Chauvin trial as the medical examiner who conducted George Floyd's autopsy calls his death a homicide but it says drugs and heart disease also played a role. Does it give the defense an opening?
Our cross-exam segment with Elie Honig is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:21:14]
ACOSTA: Week two into the Derek Chauvin trial wrapped with key testimony from the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on George Floyd.
CNN's Sara Sidner has a recap of a dramatic day in court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the most important witnesses in this case for both the prosecution and defense took the stand.
JERRY BLACKWELL, PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: You conducted the autopsy on Mr. George Floyd?
DR. ANDREW BAKER, HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN MEDICAL EXAMINER: I did.
SIDNER: Unlike all the other medical experts, Hennepin County chief examiner, Dr. Andrew Baker, is the only person to testify that he did an autopsy on George Floyd's body. He determined the cause and manner of death.
BAKER: The law enforcement subdural restraint in the neck compression is just more than Mr. Floyd could take.
SIDNER: But prosecutor Jerry Blackwell asked if drugs or fluids heart disease caused Floyd's death.
BAKER: Mr. Floyd's use of fentanyl did not cause the subdual or neck restraint. His heart disease did not cause the subdual or the neck restraint.
SIDNER: Without those two things done by Derek Chauvin and the other officers, Mr. Floyd would not have died, he testified.
But the defense tried to poke holes in his determinations, pointing out that Dr. Baker did not include lack of oxygen or asphyxia in his autopsy report.
BAKER: That's just not something that I think we see as medical examiners, pressure to the back of the neck explaining strangulation.
ERIC NELSON, DEREK CHAUVIN'S ATTORNEY: Or an asphyxiation?
BAKER: Correct.
SIDNER: As for Floyd's previous health conditions and drugs --
NELSON: And so, in your opinion, both the heart disease as well as the history of hypertension and the drug, the drugs that were in his system played a role in Mr. Floyd's death?
BAKER: In my opinion, yes.
SIDNER: Also on the stand,
BLACKWELL: State will call for their first witness, Dr. Lindsey Thomas.
SIDNER: Veteran forensic pathologists Lindsey Thomas is unequivocal in her assessment of how George Floyd died.
DR. LINDSEY THOMAS, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST MEDICAL EXAMINER: There's no evidence to suggest he would have died that night, except for the interactions with law enforcement.
SIDNER: She agreed with Dr. Baker's autopsy report that Floyd's heart was enlarged and that he had drugs in his system.
So, Chauvin's attorney then asked a hypothetical question.
NELSON: You find a person at home, no struggle with the police, right? And you -- the person doesn't have a heart problem. But you find fentanyl and methamphetamine in this person's system at the levels that they're at. Would you certify this as an overdose?
THOMAS: Again, in the absence of any of these other realities, yes, I could consider that to be an overdose.
SIDNER: But on redirect, she testified that is not how George Floyd died.
THOMAS: The cause of death was the law enforcement subdual restraint and compression, and the manner of death is homicide.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER (on camera): The jury heard over and over again those two words, restraint and compression as the cause of George Floyd's death. And the prosecution pointed out the only way that that was happening to his body was because of the officers, including Derek Chauvin, who was on trial for his murder, their actions that day.
Sara Sidner, CNN, Minneapolis.
ACOSTA: And that brings us to our weekly cross-exam segment with CNN legal analyst and former federal and state prosecutor, Elie Honig. He's with me now to answer your legal questions.
Elie, the Hennepin County medical examiner official autopsy made no mention of asphyxiation as a cause of death, but an independent autopsy commissioned by Floyd's family said he died of asphyxiation from sustained pressure. One viewer wants to know how much of a problem is this for the prosecution that there are two different medical examiner reports? It's a good question.
ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yeah, Jim, it is a good question. It's not ideal for the prosecution, but I felt they did a really effective job last week of dealing with it.
[15:25:05]
Like you said, like Sara's report said, the Hennepin County examiner found the cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest, meaning essentially the lungs and the heart shut down. But that other report, the private report found the cause of death was asphyxiation.
Now, the prosecution did a really good job showing both of those terms would actually be describing the same thing, a lack of oxygen caused the heart and lungs to shut down. And importantly, both reports find that George Floyd's death was a homicide, meaning it was caused by another person and both reports find that the predominant cause was Derek Chauvin's actions, and that's a key concept in this trial. The prosecution does not need to show that Chauvin's actions were the
only cause of death. It's enough legally to show that Chauvin's actions were one substantial cause even if there were other contributing factors.
ACOSTA: And another viewer asks what kind of evidence do you expect Chauvin's lawyers to introduce in his defense case? What do you think?
HONIG: Yeah, Jim, that defense case could be starting early this week. In our system, first of all, no defendant ever has any burden of proof. They don't have to put on any case at all. That actually happens sometimes.
That said, I do expect Chauvin's team to put on evidence this week. First, they're going to focus on excessive force. I'm really interested to see, are they going to find a police officer who can take the stand and testify that what Chauvin did was reasonable, that it was within policy and training? I'm a little dubious, but I guess we'll see.
And then they're definitely going to focus on medical causation. They're going to put on evidence to support their theory that Floyd died not because of Chauvin but because of a drug overdose combined with his pre-existing conditions.
As far as Chauvin himself, he has the right to testify. I think it's highly unlikely he does so. Most defendants do not testify in their own defense, it's risky. I think it would be especially risky here.
ACOSTA: Right. Another viewer wants to know, given your experience, it's a great question, how has the presence of cameras in the courtroom influenced the way the lawyers have handled the trial?
I always worry about this aspect of legal coverage and whether that is affecting things. What do you think?
HONIG: Yeah, the prosecutors are worried about it too. They actually objected to having cameras in the courtroom. The judge overruled them given the massive national and international interest in this case. I think we've been really lucky so far because this thing could have devolved into a circus, shocking to say, but some lawyers like to grandstand, like to play to the cameras.
But instead, this case has really gone very, very smoothly. We had minimal objections, no real disruptions, no one screaming and moving for mistrials. The judge remained in control. The lawyers for both sides have really done a professional job.
I think that's a really good and important thing because the world is watching this trial. Of course, the verdict is the final word. That's the most important thing.
But I also think it's really important that we have a fair and substantive and measured process to give the public faith in the legitimacy of what we're doing here.
ACOSTA: All right. Elie Honig, thanks so much for that. Appreciate it.
HONIG: Thanks, Jim.
ACOSTA: Instead of a year in the classroom, it was a year front of a computer. Coming up, the so-called poster boy for online education, Sal Khan, gives me his take on pandemic learning and its impact on students.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:32:39]
ACOSTA: It's a feeling all parents have shared during the pandemic, this fear your kids are falling behind, whether it be educationally or socially, or both.
There's also this constant guilt that you can't make this year of learning in place seem normal for them. And while we don't know yet how much our kids have been set back, we know they probably have been.
Take this new study out of the Netherlands, for example, that found that after just eight weeks of remote learning there, children showed a learning loss of 20 percent. Again, that's just after eight weeks.
Some children here in the U.S. have been learning remotely for more than a year. And not everyone has had the same access.
An estimated one in six children here in the U.S. do not have the necessary equipment in their homes to participate in online learning, whether that be Internet access or even a computer.
My next guest has been referred to as the poster child of online education. Sal Khan is an educator who has dedicated his life to ensuring that all children have access to a quality education.
You may have heard of or used his nonprofit, Khan Academy. It's a completely free platform that offers lessons in math, sciences, and humanities in 50 different languages.
Sal, thanks for joining us.
I think every parent would like a one-on-one with you right now.
I want to start on that study that found a 20 percent learning loss after just eight weeks of remote learning. It's staggering.
Can you quantify just how much American children may have lost over the last year? It may be a lot.
SAL KHAN, CEO, KHAN ACADEMY: Yes. You know, there's examples of summer learning loss we see every year where students aren't learning for three months. They're also forgetting what they learned the previous year.
What we are seeing with COVID is it's kind of -- there's certain students who have been able to thrive in this environment, having the agency that their families have been able to support them.
But we are seeing -- that one in six number is about right -- there's about 15 percent of the population that has really fallen off the radar.
One of my neighbors is a public-school teacher. And she's talked about -- and this is in a pretty upper-middle-class neighborhood - 10 percent, 15 percent of her students she's not able to connect with anymore. They don't have the right supports at home.
There's another, probably, a quarter of the students who, they are able to engage but they just don't have all of the social and emotional support.
So it is something we have to be worried about because these types of gaps, if we're not able to fill them in, we're just going to build on them and these kids are going to suffer later on.
ACOSTA: And without the ability to catch up. No question about it.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest in the country. And students there have not stepped in a classroom for more than a year.
[15:35:04]
A new report found that an alarming number of students in this district are now at risk of not graduating.
And 20 percent of the class of 2021 -- look at this -- 43 percent of the class of 2022, 37 percent of the class of 2023, and down it goes.
As the poster child of online education, as you've been called, did you expect this? Was this preventable? Did the schools go overboard? What do you think?
KHAN: Yes, I don't think any of us could have predicted this a year ago.
And the not-so-happy answer is, even before the pandemic, even amongst high school graduates, we saw 70 percent of kids, who go to community college have to get remediation, usually at the middle school level in reading and mathematics.
And the pandemic just made things even worse.
And it's not just the academic gaps. It's the social-emotional.
And as you mentioned, I guess some people consider me the poster child for online learning. I'll be the first to say online learning by itself is not ideal.
For my own children, for anyone's children, I would want the best of both worlds, incredible teachers, in-person interaction with friends, and being able to use things like Khan Academy to learn at your own time and pace. That's why we're trying to do everything we can, in partnership with
states around the country, to provide ways to fill in those gaps.
That's always been one of the goals of Khan Academy as a not-for- profit, to get as much practice and video lessons as you need.
Another not-for-profit, called schoolhouse.world, that anyone can go to, anyone listening, it's free tutoring, literally free tutoring for anyone in the world.
We're able to do that by having high-quality, vetted volunteer tutors from all over the world.
So it's efforts like this and partnerships with states, like New Hampshire, Rhode Island, partnered with Mississippi, Arkansas, North Dakota, to get the tutoring to as many students as possible.
ACOSTA: Is there an age group that you're most worried about? I would be worried about the little ones, who are just starting with the building blocks of education.
But I suppose, your older students, high school students, juniors and seniors going off to college, and so on, they just must be so nervous about the effect of all this.
KHAN: Yes. It's unfortunate. It's a different worry at every age group.
Exactly as you mentioned, for the young kids, you worry about their fundamental basics. Also some of that social-emotional, just getting into the patterns of school.
But then on the other side, you worry about the 16 or 17-year-olds who might have been on the fence of disengaging from the system, potentially dropping out.
And so there's a big fear out here that we'll see record dropout rates. If we don't have ways to re-engage the students, it can hurt a lot of young people.
ACOSTA: We don't want to see that. We want to see the kids back in the classrooms as soon as possible.
Sal Khan, thanks for all those great insights. We appreciate it. Great talking to you.
KHAN: Thanks for having me.
ACOSTA: New today, word that Prince Harry will head back to the U.K. to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip. What we're learning about the service is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:41:54]
ACOSTA: We now know Prince Harry will return to the U.K. to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip.
Next Saturday will be a scaled-down funeral, we understand, in part, because of the pandemic and, in part, because of Prince Philip's no- fuss attitude.
The 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth passed away at Windsor Castle yesterday. They were married for more than 70 extraordinary years.
Joining me now is CNN royal correspondent, Max Foster, at Windsor Castle.
Max, what can you tell us about this funeral? We'll, of course, all be watching.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're getting a better sense of it. As you say, Prince Philip didn't want a lot of fuss, so what's emerging is something pretty suited to what he would like.
Although, the queen would like to give him a bigger tribute as well. So there's a bit of a conflict there. But she signed off on the plans.
The wedding (sic) is on next Saturday. It'll be in the afternoon here, in the morning Eastern time.
There will be some quirks -- very Prince Philip moments. He'll be carried in his coffin in a Land Rover, which was customized by him. And the family will be walking behind that, everyone, apart from the queen, as we understand it.
Prince Harry is coming over for it. He'll have to quarantine under the rules. The duchess of Sussex isn't coming. We're told she can't travel. She's been advised not to travel by her doctors.
So it will be, in many senses, a state affair but with very few people. A maximum of 30 guests allowed.
We haven't heard much from the family so far. But Prince Charles did speak this afternoon from his country home on behalf of the family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE CHARLES: My dear papa was a very special person, who I think, above all else, would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him.
And from that point of view, we are, my family, deeply grateful, for all that. It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Lots of people, Jim, turning up at the palaces with flowers but they're being redirected because they don't want to create crowds. It's a real challenge, actually, at the moment. ACOSTA: Max, we understand the prime minister won't be able to attend.
What more can you tell us about the guests who will be attending the funeral?
And what about Meghan Markle? Should we make anything of the fact that she's not going, other than her doctors are advising her not to?
I mean, there was that explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, of course.
FOSTER: Yes. And it created a huge amount of tension in the family here. I don't know what we can read into it apart from we have to take it at face value that the doctors have said don't travel.
There will be a lot of focus on the dynamic between William and Harry, for example, but also Harry and his father. I think there will be a lot of focus on that.
But also on the queen and seeing her for the first time as a widow. I think that's where most of the sympathy and focus will be lying on Saturday.
The prime minister's not coming, he says, because there's a maximum on funerals of 30 guests. And he says he doesn't want to take up a space that could have been dedicated to a family member.
[15:45:03]
ACOSTA: Absolutely. That makes sense. Sounds very appropriate.
Max Foster, thanks so much for that report. We appreciate it.
Coming up, life on a serene Caribbean island has been upended after a volcano erupts. The pictures are unbelievable. Thousands have been sent fleeing in all of this.
Plus, the new series from CNN coming up, a CNN original series, "THE PEOPLE VERSUS THE KLAN," tells the true story of a black mother who took down the Ku Klux Klan after the brutal lynching of her son.
Don't miss this powerful new series. "THE PEOPLE VERSUS THE KLAN," premieres with back-to-back episodes tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:50:23]
ACOSTA: Take a look at this. The Caribbean island of St. Vincent waking up to ash falling from the sky and a strong smell of sulfur.
A volcano, which had been dormant for decades, has erupted three times since Friday, shooting ash and smoke miles into the air.
Can you image being on vacation there any looking up and seeing that?
CNN's Patrick Oppmann has been following the latest developments, safely, in Havana for us.
Patrick, thousands have been already forced to evacuate. Thank goodness they were able to get out of there.
Is there still a threat right now? What's the latest?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. According to officials on these islands, the worst may be yet to come, Jim, because this volcano has continued erupting, is expected to continue erupting.
And as you were saying, a usually beautiful, green, lush island is now covered in ash and soot.
And luckily though, even this is something that has not happened in 40 years, scientists in recent months and over the last couple of days have been witnessing the volcano activity taking place, warning people by late Thursday that they had to evacuate.
And that's really why we haven't heard of any casualties, any injuries, any deaths so far.
Because they were able to get thousands of people away from this volcano, sometimes even sending in empty cruise ships, that are not being used for any other reason right now, to get them away from the center of this volcanic activity.
Of course, that is another risk because, as people are being evacuated from these shelters, there is the risk being contaminated -- becoming sick with the coronavirus, with COVID.
So officials are warning people to -- if they can't get the vaccine, to get tested, because it's likely to go on for weeks, if not months.
Jim, this is not over by any stretch of the imagination. Officials warning that the volcano activity could continue on another four months.
So a long road to go here still.
ACOSTA: Just incredible images out of this explosion, Patrick. And as you and I both know, so many CNN viewers in the Caribbean. Hope they're all staying safe as we keep tabs on all of this.
Patrick Oppmann, thanks for bringing that to us. We appreciate it.
Developing right now, at least two are dead and seven others are injured after a possible tornado rolled through Louisiana overnight.
These images from St. Landry Parish show the extent of the damage caused by the severe storms. Homes were reduced to rubble. Cars smashed.
Right now, crews are still working to get power restored to the thousands of homes left in the dark.
There's also the threat of flash flooding today along areas of the gulf coast. Of course, we'll keep tabs on that as well.
Everyday people are changing the world. And since 2007, "CNN Heroes" have celebrated hundreds of these amazing individuals.
They're all around us. And you can help shine a light on their efforts by nominating them as a "CNN Hero."
Our Anderson Cooper shares more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "A.C. 360" & CNN HOST, "CNN HEROES": It's been a time of challenges and change. But it's also a time for hope. (SINGING)
COOPER: This year, "CNN Heroes" celebrates our 15th year honoring everyday people doing extraordinary things.
From frontline workers fighting against the coronavirus pandemic, to those battling for racial equity and social justice --
(SHOUTING)
COOPER: -- from spontaneous acts of courage to those who have dedicated their lives to making a difference.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to see the world differently.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Anyone can have an impact, no matter their age.
(SINGING)
COOPER: Everyday heroes are all around us. Do you know a hero? Tell us about them. Nominations for 2021 "CNN Heroes" are now open at CNNheroes.com.
Now, more than ever, the world needs heroes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Remember, you don't need to personally know your hero to nominate them. It only takes a few minutes. You can do that right now at CNNheroes.com.
[15:54:33]
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: A new report from the Capitol Police inspector general exposures more failures ahead of the January 6th attack on the capitol. According to the report, the Department of Homeland Security warned
Capitol Police two weeks before the attack that maps of the tunnels used by members of Congress were posted on a pro-Trump Web site.
The report also suggests the department's leadership failed to stay on top of routine housekeeping items.
The summary shows shields were not stored at the correct temperature, rendering them ineffective. Some ammunition in the armory also had expired.
The Capitol Police inspector general is expected to testify on Capitol Hill next week. That will be worth watching for sure.
[15:59:58]
And you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.
We begin this hour with troubling proof that even as vaccinations ramp up, we are not out of this pandemic yet. Not by a long shot.
