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Obama Comments on Election Lies; Rachel Spiegel is Interviewed about the Condo Collapse; Unprecedented Heat Wave; Gas Stations Running Out of Fuel. Aired 9:30-10a ET.
Aired June 29, 2021 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:00]
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: But folks need to realize what -- it raises the stakes for really delegitimizing our democracy going forward.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: So, Barack Obama, certainly not alone among Democrats.
AVLON: Yes.
SCIUTTO: He's actually not alone among Republicans either. There are some -- George Will has written about this too -- about these laws being -- you know, equivalent of suppression.
AVLON: Yes.
SCIUTTO: Are Biden and the Democratic leadership in Congress listening and do they have a splash to respond to this that, you know, gets over this disagreement within the party about the filibuster?
AVLON: That's where it's all blocked. But I think it does increase the stakes for why Democrats need to deal with whatever combination of issues it is. Whether it's the For the People Act, whether it's the Manchin compromise where I think things get a little more stark in terms of Republicans not negotiating in good faith given that he gave them --
HARLOW: A lot.
AVLON: Voter ID.
SCIUTTO: Right.
AVLON: Or the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. But they -- you know, even the John Lewis Voting Rights Act doesn't deal with this new issue of election subversion. So I think it raises the stakes and should raise the intensity because this is (INAUDIBLE). HARLOW: Explain to people why that is because it does deal with the
issue of pre-clearance and what was gutted from the voting rights act in Shelby v. Holder. But explain where you think it's lacking in terms of the -- this moment.
AVLON: The essence of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act is to reinstate, as you said, elements of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that were knocked down by the courts. That issue that the country was dealing with at the time and still deals with today, which is the system -- systemic disenfranchisement particularly of black voters is not as deep as the issue of state legislatures trying to take power to overturn elections by overseeing election administration. It is a different -- it is a different kind of problem that the one solution doesn't necessarily address.
SCIUTTO: Which is, by the way, exactly what Trump attempted during this past election cycle was to pressure state election officials and legislatures to overturn the election.
AVLON: Yes. Correct.
HARLOW: Right.
SCIUTTO: And really, you know, oftentimes the response from them was, the law doesn't allow us to do it.
HARLOW: But now --
SCIUTTO: Does the law now allow them to do it?
HARLOW: Yes.
AVLON: Well, that's the incentive structure that's being set up, right? I mean, infamously, you know, on tape President Trump calls Brad Raffensperger --
SCIUTTO: Find --
AVLON: And says I want you to find me 11,780 votes to flip the election.
Now, Georgia, after censuring him, a member of their own party, by the way, who did the right thing --
SCIUTTO: Yes.
AVLON: Is saying, we're going to -- we cut you out of the decision making loop when it comes to the board of elections.
So the incentive structure, it becomes, hey, if you want to rise in your state Republican Party, you have to be willing to overturn elections when somebody comes a calling.
HARLOW: But Merrick Garland and the Justice Department, I think it was Friday, is now going after Georgia on this. No one knows where it's going to lead or how it's going to -- but there is that. AVLON: OK. There is that. And to Jim's point about what's the plan, it
does seem that the Biden administration is trying to put a lot of emphasis on what they can do through -- for voting rights through the Justice Department. But that is not a slam dunk, so to speak.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
AVLON: You know, because these are -- these are state laws that are in place. So there are cases to be made, but there is the danger that it's insufficient and you don't find out through the courts until it's too late.
SCIUTTO: And there's a case before the Supreme Court, which we're going to hear the decision --
HARLOW: Maybe today.
SCIUTTO: This week, possibly today even, which will get at what the, you know, basically the definition, right, of voting rights in effect and test for these kinds of laws.
AVLON: That's right. But keep in mind, just pull back for a second, this is about democracy.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
AVLON: This is about the integrity of our democracy and the legitimacy of our democracy. So if you believe authoritarian regimes are rising, you want to defend our democracy. If you want to say you're a patriot, you want to defend democracy. Anything you're doing counter to that means you can't really call yourself an American patriot.
HARLOW: And it's beyond this country, although as the former president said, it's fundamental to protecting this democracy. It really matters on the world stage.
How do you think America appeared? As, you know, you pull back the curtain from the G-7, you were there.
AVLON: Yes.
HARLOW: In terms of, you know, taking America's word for what we stand for?
SCIUTTO: Yes.
AVLON: That is the biggest issue when you do the step-back. And Jim's written a lot about this, right? We do live in a time where the great contrast is between democracies and autocracies. And every authoritarian leader who says that this democracy stuff's over rated because I can give you efficiency and economic growth as long as you give up on a few civil libraries and the niceties of democracy points to January 6th and laugh.
They mock us because we have lost some of our moral authority by having a former president try to overturn an election and pressuring the Justice Department, which is why it's so important to stand up to those forces, particularly if you buy into it, as many Republicans do, that we do need to stand up to autocracies. Well, physician heal theyself first.
SCIUTTO: Well, it's part of this dynamic here where the division is so great politically that if you demonize the other side, then some come to the conclusion no holds barred. That all's fair in love and war and politics to get power because the other side is so bad, including breaking these norms.
AVLON: It's not true.
SCIUTTO: I know.
AVLON: Democracy depends on an assumption of good will among fellow citizens.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Yes. Well --
HARLOW: Thank you, John Avlon, as always.
AVLON: Thank you, guys.
SCIUTTO: When you find it, John Avlon, please show it to us.
HARLOW: Great to have you.
Well, we are not giving up hope. Those are the words from the daughter of Judy Spiegel. Judy is among the 150 people still unaccounted for this morning after her condominium building collapsed in Surfside, Florida. And her daughter, Rachel, will join us again. She is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:39:25]
HARLOW: This morning, family members of Judy Spiegel, a beloved mother and grandmother who is one of the 150 people still missing after the condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, say they are not giving up hope for a miracle after visiting the collapsed site last night.
Among them is Rachel Spiegel. She is Judy's daughter. And she has been going every single day. She told me on Friday that her mother was like a grandmother to everyone, beloved by the whole community. Grandma Judy, as they called her, would pick up her four-year-old daughter -- granddaughter Scarlet from school, always arriving early to make sure she was the first one there.
[09:40:03]
She would help with playdates and making dinner. And just days before the collapse, she had finally found the Disney princess dress that her granddaughter Scarlet had wanted so much.
Judy's daughter Rachel is with me again.
Rachel, good morning to you.
As I said, you know, we've been talking all weekend. You are in my heart. You are on all of our minds.
Do you have any updates on your mom this morning?
RACHEL SPIEGEL, MOTHER JUDY SPIEGEL IS MISSING AFTER CONDO COLLAPSE: No updates right now. You know, there are family meetings that are occurring every day at 9:30 and 5:30. So one is occurring right now. My husband's in the other room on the phone on the Zoom waiting for it start. He said it hadn't started yet.
HARLOW: Of course, if you need to go during this interview and join him, we totally understand.
But hearing from you, I mean your voice -- after we interviewed you on Friday, so many people reached out just to say how much you touched them. And I think in many ways it's because of the mother that you describe and the grandmother you describe, who did all of those things for not just your family but for the community.
I know on Friday you hadn't yet told your kids, but does Scarlet -- she's four now, does she know?
SPIEGEL: Scarlet knows. I told her on Friday afternoon when she got home from camp. We told her that there was an accident in the building. We didn't get into it. And we told her that grandma is missing. And she told me, she said, I can go get her. I want to go to her house because I know where she hides. I'm really good at finding her.
HARLOW: Oh.
SPIEGEL: And so like when she's telling me that, I'm like, crying even more, but at the same time trying to keep my composure because I don't want my four-year-old to worry too much, you know? It's just -- you know, this morning it was really hard to get out of bed. I mean she's been asking throughout the weekends. We took a walk in the neighborhood on Sunday morning. We ran into two of her friends. The first thing she told her little friends is, did you hear my grandma's missing? We can't find her.
And today, you know, it was really -- as I said, it was really hard for me to get out of bed this morning. And she woke -- she came to me and tapped me on the shoulder and said, did you find grandma yet? Is she still missing? And I said -- I said, Scarlet, look at me in the eyes. And I said, Scarlet, I'm doing everything in my power to find her. I'm not going to stop.
And I'm not going to stop. You know, that's my personality. I love her just so much. I can't even believe, a, that this happened, and, b, that this is day six. I can't believe it.
I'm concerned that, you know, there's been -- there's a lot of effort and I'm really thankful to all the first responders because they're putting their own life on the lines to help. But I'm very concerned that in terms of percentages, almost -- I mean most people are not found, 150 people, at least the last number I heard, are not found. And my mom is one of them. It kills me.
HARLOW: Of course -- of course it does. And I'm sorry that we're not there -- that I'm not there in person to comfort you. I know that you have been, it seems to me, like this rock for your family. I mean describing to my friend and colleague Don Lemon last night, you know, your dad, like the strength, right, of your family, in so many ways, collapsing on you and weeping.
SPIEGEL: I know. And, you know, last night -- it's hard. We have friends that are literally just showing up, you know. I mean we have good friends. Like people that really care about my mom. And, you know, we, obviously, have to eat. We had some dinner last night. And my dad, at the end of -- I mean he was just weeping. And, like, you know, I mean, he -- he always said, you know, I'm -- I'm going to be the one to die first. Mommy is never -- you know, she's going to live forever, you know.
My -- my parents have a very unique marriage in the sense that they, like, really love each other and they really support each other and, like, literally when we go walking they hold hands. They're very affectionate. Like I really admire their marriage.
Like, I -- I think that like this is -- I've never seen my dad like this. My dad's a very strong person and he is a hard worker. He does everything he can for us and for my mom. But really what we're realizing is how much my mom did for everybody else. Like, my dad didn't even know his car insurance company or any of the insurance companies.
[09:45:05]
Like, we've had to hack into her email and, you know, we're seeing other things that she bought that's on the way, you know, because she was at -- she was buying stuff on Wednesday night. And it's -- I don't even know how someone recovers. I mean all -- at this point, you know, there's so much to be concerned about. But, at this point, we -- we want to find a body and we want to find her. And I'm not sure -- I hope that people are alive. I hope my mom is alive.
There's nothing in the world I want more than to be with my mom and hold her hand and never leave her side and tell her she's safe and tell her we love her. But, you know, we also are very aware of the reality of the situation and the time -- I mean it's day six and, you know, the fact that they -- they aren't finding people is of tremendous concern.
HARLOW: Yes. Of course -- of course it is.
Rachel, we will get to all of the issues and the outstanding questions and the accountability and how could this have happened another time. But this morning is about honoring your mother and we are all right there hoping alongside of you.
I'm going to let you go and join your husband for that meeting now with the mayor.
Thank you, Rachel.
SPIEGEL: Thank you, Poppy.
HARLOW: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:51:07]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEANNE CRISWELL, ADMINISTRATOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: This past Sunday, I visited Surfside, Florida, and the scene of the Champlain Towers collapse. And it's difficult to put into words the devastation that this community is experiencing. And our hearts go out to all the families and loved ones that have been impacted by this event.
I am very grateful for the heroic efforts of the local first responders seeing firsthand the around the clock rescue efforts and how the community has come together in their time of greatest need.
FEMA is on the ground. We have a recovery center that is working directly with families and loved ones impacted by this tragic event to get them the assistance that they need. And we will continue to bring resources to support the ongoing response and recovery efforts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: That was, just moments ago, Deanne Criswell, the head of FEMA. She's addressing Congress, the House Homeland Security Committee, examining FEMA's readiness to meet its needs. A pre-planned hearing but obviously opening by talking about Florida.
SCIUTTO: Well, just an unprecedented, inexplicable, at this point, disaster in this country.
HARLOW: Of course.
SCIUTTO: One hundred and fifty people still missing. Of course, we're going to bring you the latest as it comes.
Well, an unprecedented heat wave is scorching the Pacific Northwest. Portland, Oregon, just saw a record high of 115 degrees. I mean these are -- they've never seen it before.
HARLOW: You were out there. It was hot.
SCIUTTO: I was. It was hot.
HARLOW: I mean but it's very dangerous, right? There are many, many homes, especially across the Pacific Northwest, who don't have air- conditioner because usually they have temperatures that are really mild. Chad Myers joins us now.
It is very dangerous. When is the relief coming?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It comes today. And then tomorrow. But not so much for Montana, Idaho, because that's where the air is going.
You know, you watch local news in the evening and they say, hey, the record high for today was 87. We got up to 83. That's for the day.
Let me take you and all up all the days, and those are called all-time record highs, which means 18 places in Washington and Oregon were never as hot on Sunday as they've ever been before, any day, any month, any hour, ever. Now there was even one place up in Canada that -- in British Columbia that broke the highest all-time for the entire country at 118. Twenty-one records were set yesterday, re-breaking some of the ones that were set on Sunday.
Now, Washington, Seattle, it's on the water. The normal high today and yesterday, 74. Yesterday it was 107. I mean you talk about unprecedented. That's what we're seeing here. Unprecedented heat and even to 118 in parts of Washington along the river there and that tied the record for the entire state of the all-time records.
Now, it has cooled down now. Today is a much better day. And, still, if you talk about 95 or 99, it's a much better day. But things will cool down.
Look at Yamaka (ph). Look at -- look at Spokane. You should be 98. You're going to be 111.
Guys, back to you.
HARLOW: And that's real temperature, not like heat index, right?
MYERS: Yes.
HARLOW: Wow.
MYERS: That's right. That's right.
SCIUTTO: Wow.
HARLOW: Wow.
MYERS: And it hasn't been a dry heat. There's been a lot of humidity out here, too. So we're not talking about Phoenix and Scottsdale in the winter time when it gets hot. This is muggy stuff too.
HARLOW: Yes.
SCIUTTO: Yes, you're talking about off the charts. These are literally off the charts.
HARLOW: Off the charts.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
HARLOW: Chad, thank you.
So what about this gas shortage? Seriously. AAA forecasts that more than 43 million Americans will hit the road for the Fourth of July weekend.
SCIUTTO: And if you're one of those drivers, you might have a tough time finding gas. This is a -- this is a supply and demand issue, it seems.
CNN's Alison Kosik has been following this.
Is this just, people want to get out and about and on the road?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jim and Poppy.
So this is not a gas shortage like you may initially think.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
KOSIK: According to Tom Close at The Oil Price Information Service, this is actually a bottleneck in the distribution system. Translation here, there's a labor shortage in the trucking industry. There just aren't enough tank truck drivers to get gasoline from the terminal where the refined product is and get it here to the gas station.
[09:55:10]
So that is the issue.
Here's the thing with the trucking industry. This labor shortage, it's actually been going on quite a while, but the pandemic has exacerbated it, much like it's exacerbated issues in lots of industries, finding shortages in employment, like restaurants and hotels as well.
And we're really seeing the issue with gasoline now because we are getting out. We've got this pent-up demand. We want to get out of our houses and drive. It's the summer driving season, so we're out there driving to take trips anyway. So we're seeing this gasoline issue really boil up.
According to Gas Buddy, what you can expect to see as you hit the road on this holiday week, holiday weekend, you could expect to see scattered outages, meaning no gas completely at certain gas stations, or certain times of gas you may not be able to find.
But one thing I want to make sure that you understand here, this is not a gas shortage, that consumers should not go ahead and top off their tanks. This is mainly a distribution issue.
Poppy and Jim.
SCIUTTO: Yes. And we saw that during the actual pipeline issue, that that exacerbated the situation, the shortages there.
HARLOW: Right.
KOSIK: Right.
SCIUTTO: Alison Kosik, thanks so much for bringing us -- bringing up to date.
KOSIK: Sure.
HARLOW: Thanks, Alison.
Well this disturbing development. A letter from the condo board of Champlain Tower South warned in April of this year that, quote, concrete deterioration at the building was accelerating. CNN has that letter. More dire details from it, next.
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