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Twenty-Seven States Report A Rise In Cases As Delta Variant Spreads; Updated CDC School Guidance Prioritizes In-Person Learning; Dr. Fauci: Children Should Return To In-Person Learning In Fall; PA GOP Lawmakers Pushes For New State Election Audit; Spectators Banned From Tokyo Amid COVID State Of Emergency; Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson Left Off U.S. Olympic Team; DOJ Releases Video Of January 6th Police-Dragging Attack; U.S. Launches Investigation Into Native American Children's Remains Found At Boarding Schools. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired July 10, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And number one "I Love Lucy" began the modern age of sitcoms with female star married to a Cuban man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I be on the show?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

FOREMAN: In real life couple shared ownership and management of their studio breaking barriers in ways that still resonate over the laughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even out of the moons.

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: And coming up in our two o'clock hour, I'll go one-on-one with Actress Cindy Williams, who starred in "Laverne & Shirley". It's a really fun conversation with her. And you can watch "History of the Sitcom" tomorrow at 9, right here on CNN.

Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me on Fredricka Whitfield. We began this hour with new concerns about surging Coronavirus cases in parts of the U.S., 27 states are now seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases over the previous week, and many are in areas that have low vaccination rates.

The Delta variant of the virus has now become the dominant strain in the U.S., leading to this rapid rise in cases and now this strain is in all 50 states. CNN's Polo Sandoval is in Little Rock, Arkansas, one of the states seeing a surge. So, Polo, you're at a mobile vaccination site. But vaccinations in that state remain low. So, what does it look like today? POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's a pop-up vaccination site here, Fred, and it is not as busy as authorities wished it was. And in fact, I'll step out of the shop for a quick second. So, you can just at least see that, you know, it's your usual setup here, this pop up vaccination location where health authorities are hoping that more people around the community will actually stop by.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences actually joining forces with a local church here in Little Rock they know that some of the most trusted some of the most established institutions and communities are churches so in order to try to gain the confidence of so many people who are still unvaccinated that they're out there right now trying to get that number of the vaccination rate here in Arkansas, just 40 percent.

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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Certainly, they need to listen to the CDC and the FDA.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): The nation's top infectious disease expert is saying listen to the CDC and not Pfizer when it comes to needing a vaccine booster. On Friday this is what Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN about a phone call he received from the Head of Pfizer.

DR. FAUCI: The CEO who's a really good guy got on the phone with me last night and apologized that they came out with that recommendation. So, there is no - not that apologize about the recommendation, apologize for not letting us know that he was going to do it ahead of time.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): This after Pfizer announced on Thursday was applying for emergency FDA authorization for booster shots to protect against COVID-19 a booster for Americans to get as early as six months after their second dose.

Pfizer set off alarms when they released a statement saying that the immunity from its vaccine was waning citing Israeli Health Ministry data the company said, "Vaccine efficacy in preventing both infection and symptomatic disease has declined six months post vaccination".

Hours later, however, the CDC and the FDA said fully vaccinated Americans do not need an additional dose of vaccine at this time. And other expert had this to say to CNN.

DR. PETER HOTEZ, CHAIR, TROPICAL PEDIATRICS AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: In the UK and Scotland and in Canada, there are now three studies showing over 80 percent protection, so pretty close to what we've seen. And that's the reason why we don't need to be concerned right now about getting the booster.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): This confusion coming is the U.S. is moving in the wrong direction when it comes to the number of COVID cases. According to the CDC, the highly contagious Delta variant makes up more than half of all new infections in the U.S. much of that rise in the Southeastern United States in a small portion of the Midwest.

Health experts say the best protection available from getting seriously sick from the Delta variant is still the full dosage of a COVID vaccine. And yet about half of the country is still not fully vaccinated.

Also, on Friday, the CDC updated its COVID guidance for schools saying that should remain open in the fall, encouraging them to keep measures meant to mitigate the spread of the virus in place.

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: What they're saying is it's really essential for us to get our kids all back in person in school in the fall. To do that we have to employ these layered mitigation strategies, meaning that we have to look at it as layers.

And so if you cannot maintain distancing in schools, which many schools can't, if they want to bring everybody back, then you has to do indoor masking, you have to improve ventilation. You also have to have weekly testing if you're unvaccinated.

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SANDOVAL: You know with so many parts of the country already doing much better obviously and, in many cases, even out of the woods here. Just a quick reality check on what's happening here in Arkansas alone.

One official with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said earlier today right here on CNN, Fred that based on what they're seeing in their emergency room right now with the number of COVID patients, what's happening in Arkansas seems to be sort of the upswing right now of what is likely their third wave happening right now in the summer of 2021.

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SANDOVAL: So that's deeply concerning. And so the big concern right now at least the bane effort, is to try to fight that kind of vaccine hesitancy by getting in the community. Here they're specifically targeting the Latino community working with the Mexican Consulate Office to get the word out and get more people vaccinated.

WHITFIELD: Alright, Polo Sandoval, thank you so much. So as states get ready for the fall school semester, the CDC is announcing new guidance to help them prepare. The new guidance emphasizes a need for in person learning.

The CDC also wants schools to offer vaccinations on site and to allow employees paid leave to get vaccinated. The CDC says anyone unvaccinated should still wear masks and social distancing at schools remains encouraged.

Here to talk to me about all of this is the President of the National Education Association, Becky Pringle Ms. Pringle, so good to see you.

BECKY PRINGLE, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: It's good to be with you Fredricka. WHITFIELD: So this new CDC guidance centers around getting students back into the classroom. But you know, just two days ago, the State of California passed a bill requiring public schools offer remote learning option next year.

So I imagine that you agree with the CDC on the importance of in person learning, but it also seems as though there are a lot of contingencies here. Can they be met?

PRINGLE: Fredricka, I think you probably know that I taught science for over 30 years. And can I just first say it is so refreshing, encouraging and hopeful that we have a president who actually believes in science.

And I have been saying all year long, follow the science, and listen to the healthcare professionals, the infectious disease experts, so that that can guide our thinking - none of us have ever been through this before.

And so we don't know. And especially with a new variant, that Delta variant right on - right on our doorstep, you just reported on how that is spreading across the country. It is so important that we're listening to the CDC guidelines. And, and we are very, very hopeful.

You know, I was in a school a couple of weeks ago, an elementary school and I talked to the educators there. And one of the things they said to me was they are so excited to be looking forward to being back all of their children being back in the fall.

And so they're planning to do that right now. And with the American rescue plan money, they are improving their ventilation. They're making sure they have PPE and they can disinfect. They can associate - they can socially distance where they can, but they're making sure that they are also involved.

The educators involved the community to try to make sure that all adults who can be vaccinated are vaccinated that is still the single best prevention strategy for our kids, even the ones who can't be vaccinated if our community rates are low.

WHITFIELD: So, I do hear your underlying message there. And all that, especially as a science teacher, and even Dr. Fauci has said too that science is about being adaptive. So there have to be - there are lots of things that are learned about this virus, about our behaviors about these variants all along the way.

So we all have to be adaptive, even though you've got these CDC guidelines that are really encouraging people, you know, to make some more adjustments. This was Dr. Fauci just this week.

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DR. FAUCI: Well, I think that the message from the CDC is clear, and I totally agree with them. We want all the children back in in-person classes in the full term, for sure. And we want to do everything we can to make sure that happens. Now, obviously, depending upon the age of the children, some will be vaccinated, some not those who are not vaccinated should be wearing masks.

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WHITFIELD: OK, so that's where it's going to get confusing and difficult, is it not, you know, for the fall semester? There are lots of states who have done away with mask mandates. And so, they've also conveyed that in school, it's not required, but then when you have children who are too young to be vaccinated, and we're hearing from the CDC and Dr. Fauci now about the dangers of this Delta variant.

Do you believe parents and families are going to invite the idea of sending their kids to school with masks again?

PRINGLE: Fredricka I could not agree more with Dr. Fauci that in- person learning is exactly what all of our students need. You know, all of our educators including me, have been saying that all year there that we want to be back in-person with our students.

We did the best we could in a virtual environment, but we know we need to be with them and we want to be with them. However, we have to make sure that we are keeping them safe.

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PRINGLE: We have to make sure we keeping the families safe. We have to make sure we're keeping educators safe. And something that's not talked a lot about Federica. We have schools that are open all year long. And they started in September and stayed open.

And what the difference was between those that stayed open than those that didn't, was that the community came together parents and families, all the educators and health care professionals, they came together, oftentimes forming committees, but that is new CDC guidelines came out you're right, you're absolutely right.

We're continuing to learn. They came together. And they talked about it and then they put that made sure that they had the mitigation strategies in place. So, we're going to continue to educate the public about why it's so important to continue to wear masks where people are not vaccinated.

And we know some of our kids are not, but also to come together and do what's best for our students. So not only can they go back to school Fredricka they can stay in school.

WHITFIELD: Becky Pringle such a pleasure having you, thank you so much.

PRINGLE: Good to be with you.

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, Texas Republicans are trying to push through more restrictive voting measures. Will they be successful this time? Plus, no fans in the stands but the Olympic Games will go on despite a state of emergency in Tokyo. I will sit down live with Olympic Gold Medalist Gail Devers.

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WHITFIELD: Alright, right now Texas Republicans are mounting another effort to pass restrictive voting laws in that state as a special legislative session gets underway this weekend. Today, Texas lawmakers are holding a hearing on a contentious voting bill that would impose many new restrictions including a ban on drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting.

Five weeks ago, Texas House Democrats walked off the floor in the waning hours of this year's legislative session to block the Republican majority from having the quorum necessary to pass and even more restrictive voting bill.

Republicans have dropped some controversial parts of that previous bill for example, no voting on Sundays. But Democrats remained strongly opposed to the new measure, and still vowed to fight it either by staging another walkout or by attempting to eliminate the worst of the provisions.

And then in Pennsylvania, there's a new push to kick start a new controversial election audit in that state. State Senator Doug Mastriano, a fierce ally of Former President Trump wants Pennsylvania to launch a forensic investigation into the election results and procedures surrounding the 2020 general election and the 2021 primary.

It comes as Republican leaders across the country have continued to push the unfounded conspiracy theory that Trump won the election. In Arizona, a similar so-called audit is still underway months after it began an audit many election officials in the state have called a sham.

Joining me right now to talk about this and so much more the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, John Fetterman he's also running for the U.S. Senate next year as a Democrat Lieutenant Governor, so good to see you.

LT. GOV. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: OK, so this push for an audit comes after your state already completed two other legal audits, do you believe that there will be a third?

FETTERMAN: No, there won't be a third. It's already been shut down. And I just want your viewers to understand that this is just one wing nut with Microsoft Word and some stationery there's nothing more to it. It's not going to go anywhere.

It has no legitimacy never had any legitimacy. This is simply an attempt by him to endear himself to Donald Trump to get that rose, so to speak in his run for governor get his endorsement. This is not going anywhere. WHITFIELD: So, CNN has been able to confirm the Mastriano has requested election materials from three counties, Philadelphia, New York, and is it Tioga? So that the letters ask that they hand over the materials voluntarily. They have until the end of this month to comply. Should they hand over that information?

FETTERMAN: And Pennsylvania - our Department of State has already shut that down saying that that's not going to happen. And this you know I could write a letter to the Pittsburgh Steelers on my letterhead demanding they install me as starting left tackle for the 21 seasons.

It doesn't mean it's going to go anywhere. It's that same kind of absurdity and all of this. This is not going anywhere in Pennsylvania.

WHITFIELD: And you say it's not going anywhere, but Mastriano I mean, he's digging in his heels hair here saying that a full forensic investigation is critically necessary for our Commonwealth for the sake of transparency and accountability. There is nothing to fear if there is nothing to hide. What's your response to something like that?

FETTERMAN: It would be no different if you were standing on a street corner with a sandwich board yelling at the end is near or something. You know, just one - I guess that one guy with some stationery isn't going to amount to anything.

And again, the Department of State's already shut that down. And no audit is going to be occurring in Pennsylvania. Remember, this is the same another good they're trying to get the band back together. This is the same band that back in 2020 went one for I think 58.

And this - we are not the sharpest knives in the Republican drawers that are involved in this right now. And there is no chance that this is going to be successful.

WHITFIELD: You're running for the U.S. Senate next year. What are your concerns about these audits? These many attempts, still, you know trying to re litigate the 2020 election.

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WHITFIELD: If you were to win that U.S. Senate seat, do you feel like there needs to be a different or even a federal plan to circumvent what appear to be kind of repeated attempts to overturn the 2020 election?

FETTERMAN: I do. I believe we need to eliminate the filibuster. And Democrats need to vote like Democrats, and we need to enact the "For the people John Lewis Act". We'll make sure that we have universal federal protections, because otherwise we are going to continually be pushed around by these red states.

And they are going to dictate the terms by which Democrats can vote you. You just described what's going on in Texas or in other states. You know, Democrats need to vote like Democrats. And we need to step up for voting rights for all Democrats in this country, because clearly, that's their strategy for both 22. But of course, the big prize would be 2024.

WHITFIELD: President Biden is set to visit your state next week and give a major speech on a voting right. So far Republican led efforts in 17 states have enacted 28 state laws since the 2020 election, restricting ballot access. What can the president say?

FETTERMAN: The president can say what I think he's always said that this is just a continuation and re litigation of the lie of 2020. We saw it, you know, I was in the front lines of that, you know, defending Pennsylvania's electoral integrity.

But the truth of the matter is, if the Republicans plan on running on that in 22, they aren't going to win. And you know, that every Republican I talked to honestly doesn't believe that there's any - there is any fraud.

And they understand that as a party they don't want to be talking about this and re litigating it, but they're being dragged into this, because those that are running for governor are trying to get that critical Trump endorsement, and the only way you can do that is to endear yourself by repeating the lies that Donald Trump won when everyone would honestly concur that that just obviously isn't the case.

WHITFIELD: All right, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman thank you so much for being with us this weekend.

FETTERMAN: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right still ahead, an Olympics like no other a state of emergency and no fans in the audience. I'll sit down live with Olympic Gold Medalist Gail Devers to discuss all of that and more.

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WHITFIELD: Alright, the games will go on. But this year's Olympics in Tokyo will look far different than years past. Just take a look at this Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony. Alright, no packed stadiums, no big fanfare Olympic organizers decided to stage events without spectators after Japan announced a state of emergency amid surging Coronavirus cases.

Athletes will have to compete without crowds at the Tokyo venues. CNN's Will Ripley joins us now from Tokyo. So Will I mean this is all happening just two weeks before the games begin? What's the mood like there are what are official say and what are the Japanese saying?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You certainly get the sense that we are about to witness history, Fred because this is the first time in Olympic history that a host city has not had spectators in its venues.

This is the first Olympics that have ever been postponed. There have been Olympics that have been canceled during war time, but never postponed and never without spectators. So there is that unique aspect to all of this.

But frankly, the mood on the ground here in Japan is pretty somber. A lot of Japanese for months now according to public opinion polls have not wanted the games to happen at all. They have felt that bringing in thousands of athletes and their delegations from hundreds of countries just isn't safe.

Given that the pandemic is still raging across much of the world in this new highly contagious Delta variant has really thrown a wrench into the plans of Olympic organizers who have been hoping that Japan's numbers would go down allowing them to have at least 50 percent capacity or up to 10,000 people in venues.

But over the last three weeks Fred the numbers have just been going up. There are the highest levels that Japan has seen in matter of months since May. And it's just not safe organizers say to have people in the stadiums aside from VIPs.

These are the Olympic Committee members and sponsors, journalists and others who have a role to play, according to organizers in the competition itself. But for the athletes who draw from the energy of the crowds who hope to have their friends and families there. It's incredibly disappointing.

It's also incredibly disappointing for some people here in Japan, who not only did their tax dollars pay for these multibillion dollar brand new venues that are now going to sit empty, but they entered lotteries to try to get the handful of seats and tickets that were available some of those tickets selling for more than $1000.

So now they're going to have to issue refunds. People in Japan can't even go to restaurants or bars to watch the events because this fourth state of emergency since the pandemic began also means that restaurants have to stop serving alcohol completely and people cannot gather in groups because Japan says that this Delta variant could be a very big danger for a population that is only around 15 percent vaccinated right now, Fred.

[12:30:15]

WHITFIELD: Gosh. I mean, I get it, circumstances have changed and they continue to change with now just two weeks away before opening ceremony. Will Ripley, thank you so much in Tokyo.

So all of this in a week of highs and lows surrounding the games, one of the world's fastest women is stopped from going to Tokyo, USA Track and Field says 21-year-old Sha'Carri Richardson, who was disqualified in the individual 100 meter after testing positive for THC will not compete in the games at all. Richardson admitted to smoking marijuana coping with the death of her biological mom.

And in her first television interview after being disqualified, she said, I know what I'm not allowed to do and I still made that decision. And then she later tweeted, the attention that is on track now and was because of very few names. So if that's where fans support lay, you can't be mad at that. And then also this week, the world's number one tennis player Naomi Osaka, who will compete in the Olympics for her home country of Japan, pours her heart out penning in Time Magazine about her mental health struggles. Joining me right now someone who knows all about competing on the world stage, the pressures that come with it, coping and persevering three-time Olympic gold medalist in 100 meters and a 4 by 100 meter relay in 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta games, Gail Devers, so good to see you.

GAIL DEVERS, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL RUNNER: Nice to be here.

WHITFIELD: You are our first live guest here on this set in more than 17 months so, so glad you could be here.

DEVERS: I'm super excited.

WHITFIELD: I'm so glad you're well during this whole pandemic.

DEVERS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: OK, we got a lot to talk about. I mean, maybe the first one is the easiest, which is, what is it like to be an Olympian, when the stands are full, you know, you get that energy, I think about the high jumpers and the long jumpers.

DEVERS: Right. And the clapping.

WHITFIELD: You know, who -- yes, clapping, waving hands. So what's it going to be like for these Olympians who will have silence coming from the stands?

DEVERS: Well, kind of -- they've had, they're used to that now based off of training and as an athlete, you're taught tunnel vision. And I know even in the 100 meters, they tell you to be quiet. They want everyone quiet so that you can focus on your start. So I think this year, they're really going to have to focus on that.

What we bring with us in our hearts are our fans, you know, sometimes your fans can't go all the way to wherever they are. So I think that's what they're going to carry. You're going to see great times just because of all this. Everybody is excited just to be able to compete.

WHITFIELD: And with the postponement that meant, I mean, more anguish, more training --

DEVERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: -- and more potential pitfalls and injuries for some of these athletes.

DEVERS: True.

WHITFIELD: Are they more than anxious likely, you know, to compete butterflies? How does all that competing in their bodies?

DEVERS: You know what, you set goals for yourself and it was a different time, we didn't know if we were going to get the green light to be able to compete or not compete, so everybody stayed ready, so that when they said yes, you can you get out there and accomplish. So they were able to breathe a little bit because they made the team and now they're going to go out there and perform.

And I've seen some of them competing now. Everybody is gearing up. It's going to be a fantastic Olympic Games. And we're going to see some great times, some Olympic records I think are going to fall and some world records.

WHITFIELD: Wow. It was remarkable that even one Australian tennis star, Nick Kyrgios announced that he will not participate in the games because of the decision to ban spectators. We haven't seen that from, you know, a number of athletes who are like the games go on and we're going to be there if we've qualified --

DEVERS: Right, right.

WHITFIELD: -- then we're on the team and we're going.

DEVERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right, huge track star Sha'Carri Richardson. I mean, she, you know, is being praised for really being very gracious throughout painful mistake. You know, what's the big lesson or moment out of this for other young athletes and really for the world for that matter?

DEVERS: I think the lesson to be learned, like, I'm glad she came out and accepted responsibility, the lesson is consequences for your actions. I tell my own kids that think about the consequences of your actions before you act, half the things you thought about doing, you probably wouldn't do. And I think that's what we're going to learn from this and she's going to come back and she's going to do fine.

WHITFIELD: And talk about lessons learned. Is it time now then, whether it's the I mean, for the sports world, world doping or, you know, IOC, is it time to start reconsidering where marijuana is on the banned substances, particularly because it is legal, you know, in some countries in some states as well as their the medicinal properties --

DEVERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: -- that are argued on behalf of marijuana. Do you think now is the -- is this another lesson learned?

DEVERS: Well, I think it's always time to visit or revisit things but until that's done, or if there are people who are against it, saying that this should be off the banned list, then you need to get on a committee to change it until it's changed. As an athlete, that's something that you signed up to do. You didn't have to be a track athlete, so you have to follow the rules.

[12:35:01]

WHITFIELD: Naomi Osaka, she took a lot of heat from the tennis world after she skipped press conferences at Roland-Garros because she explains you know, she wanted to exercise self-care, she even suggested in Time Magazine, perhaps we should give athletes the right to take a mental break from media scrutiny on a rare occasion without being subject to strict sanctions. Talk to me about, you know, the balance that many athletes have to strike taking care of your mental fitness --

DEVERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: -- and your physical fitness. And she's going to be competing in the Olympics for Japan.

DEVERS: It's a lot. I mean, you think about it. And she's a young athlete, too, when you talk about, you know, not even as an athlete, talk about everybody who went through this pandemic, and the things that there was uncertainty of what was going to happen with your kids, if you were going to have a job when you came back.

And so mental health and mental, you know, you -- that's something that's real. And we as a community need to get behind everyone to make sure that people have those coping mechanisms that they need. As an athlete, you've got people pulling from you from all directions, you've got to keep your physical side together, you've got your personal side, and then mentally, how do you, you know, keep that balance?

And so yes, you -- we do need to make sure that people have the time to make sure they're OK because as an athlete, you're paid to perform.

WHITFIELD: Right.

DEVERS: You can't perform if you're not taking care of yourself.

WHITFIELD: And your human being. But then what do you say to people who say, wait a minute, you know, I buy the certain products because of their endorsements --

DEVERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: -- you know, they're public figure, you know, I feel, I've heard this from people who say, I feel like, you know, they owe us, you know, their fan base, some time, whether it be in press conferences, et cetera. I mean, what do you say to them because sometimes it makes it sound as though athletes are property.

DEVERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: But from the athlete standpoint who needs that time, just as you just said. What do you say to the expectations from some people like that?

DEVERS: I mean, I think as athletes you want to perform, and you know, you're only as good as your last performance, and you want to give to your fans, but there are times when you need that break. And if you need it, I think you're not doing it every day, all day. You know, it's like, OK, this is -- it's, it's too much for me, and

I'm going to go to an expert to get that break to make sure that I'm OK. So when I come back, I give my fans exactly what they need. And I think that's the balance that we have to figure out.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And you've been very open and public about you dealing with Graves' disease. But at the time of your competing days, very few people knew about what you are --

DEVERS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: -- grappling with physically and mentally. So you really do speak from experience.

DEVERS: Oh, yes.

WHITFIELD: And how are you doing?

DEVERS: I'm doing great.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

DEVERS: But I covered my mirrors because of that.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

DEVERS: -- you know, I couldn't stand the way I looked. And so there is a time when you're in that dark spot, but as athletes, what we're going to have to do is find that inner strength that we all have, not just as athletes, but as people to conquer. And I just want to say, we got a couple of days into the Olympic Games. I am go you, Team USA and we are sending a great team over there. You're going to see some great performances, really.

WHITFIELD: Gail Devers --

DEVERS: I love you.

WHITFIELD: -- always good to see you.

DEVERS: I love you, I love you.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic. Thank you so much being our first guest during the pandemic.

DEVERS: First of many, more will come.

WHITFIELD: That's right. That's right.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: All right, fantastic.

DEVERS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you, Gail. All right, coming up, a stark warning from the U.S. Justice Department why they are concerned we could see more violence from Donald Trump's supporters.

Plus, another brand new CNN original series is coming History of the Sitcom. It's bringing you all the stories behind your favorite sitcoms. Here's a sneak peek. Do you have favorite?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You come home turn on that television. What do you want? You want comedy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there you go situation comedy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bazinga.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Laughter opens you up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you do about Willis?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We get to know these sitcom characters. They're your friends.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We all share these experiences.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Laughter is a great way to deal with a very tricky world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Discussing race and a sitcom you're able to kind of take in new ideas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, hi, neighbor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You hope that you'll have those kinds of relationships in your real life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was revolutionary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Laugh out loud funny.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's one of the great accomplishments of the modern age.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The stories behind the moments we share. History of the Sitcom premieres tomorrow night at 9:00.

[12:39:18]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Department of Justice has released new body cam video of one of the most horrifying assaults during the January 6th Capitol insurrection. And I want to warn you the video is disturbing. The graphic videos shows D.C. police officers being attacked with crutches, flagpoles, and fists after going into the crowd to try to help a pro Trump rioter who was being trampled.

The video was released after CNN and other media outlets sued the DOJ for access. CNN's Marshall Cohen joining us now with more on this. Marshall, the Justice Department has also issued a warning about more potential violence in the coming weeks. What can you tell us about that?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Fred, good afternoon. This was really surprising and important note -- words from the DOJ, a court filing earlier this week just yesterday in one of the Capitol riot cases. Prosecutors are saying that they are worried that in the coming weeks, there could be more violence from these diehard Trump supporters who were involved in the riot because of what Trump himself is saying about the 2020 election and about his insane theory that he might be reinstated next month.

[12:45:07]

Let me read you a quote from these court filings. Prosecutors said quote, that former President Trump continues to make false claims about the election, insinuate that he may be reinstated in the near future as President without another election and minimize the violent attack on the Capitol. So prosecutors say because of all that, because of what Trump is saying, and because of what Trump's allies in right wing media are doing to promote all those claims, that material, that environment could further insight and inflame his supporters.

It incited them on January 6th. Prosecutors are saying it could incite them again going forward. So the crazy thing here, Fred, is that Trump really never pays a price for his words. He says whatever he wants, there's no consequences. But in this situation, his words could have a real negative impact on some of his strongest supporters. People that want to get out of jail, people that want to end their house arrest, and his words are making it tougher, Fred.

WHITFIELD: A lot of other people paying a price. That's right. Marshall Cohen, thank you so much.

All right, coming up hundreds of human remains found in unmarked graves, the story behind the children who vanished at an indigenous boarding school, next.

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WHITFIELD: All right, new discoveries of hundreds of human remains in unmarked graves at two indigenous residential schools in Canada, sending shockwaves across the border. Shortly after the discovery, President Biden's administration announced, it would launch an investigation into the United States own history of Native American boarding schools. For more than 150 years. Those schools tore Native children from their

families in their culture, and many never returned. Most Americans have no knowledge of this history, even as most Native Americans still live in its horrific legacy. Here's CNN's Martin Savidge

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MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the Rosebud-Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, America's nearly two century effort to eradicate native languages and cultures continues to traumatize.

(on camera): Was it a hard day?

MALORIE ARROW, SICANGU YOUTH COUNCIL: Yes, it was.

SAVIDGE (voice over): In 2015, Malorie Arrow went to Washington, D.C., with their tribe's youth council. They stopped at a former Native American boarding school in Pennsylvania.

ARROW: Getting there it was -- I didn't feel anything. I didn't -- like I felt like I was supposed to feel getting to the school. But it wasn't until we got to the grave sites.

SAVIDGE (voice over): They found graves of Native children their age from their very own Sicangu Lakota Tribe taken from their very reservation more than 100 years ago.

ARROW: We all started crying. Like we all felt that energy there.

CHRISTOPHER EAGLE BEAR, SICANGU YOUTH COUNCIL: It's like mourning a relative you didn't know you had.

SAVIDGE (voice over): They left with one question.

BEAR: Why don't we bring them home? I mean, we didn't have an answer for that, you know? Why don't we bring them home?

SAVIDGE (voice over): During the 19th and much of the 20th century, generations of indigenous children in the U.S. were forced into boarding schools, many run by religious organizations or the federal government, part of a campaign to assimilate them into white Christian culture.

RODNEY BORDEAUX, PRESIDENT, ROSEBUD-SIOUX TRIBE: Take the Indian out and save the child was kind of the talk back then.

SAVIDGE (voice over): Many children suffered sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, malnourishment and disease. No one's really sure how many died. But the more than 900 unmarked gravesites found near just two Canadian schools is a grim indicator of what could be found in the U.S.

CHRISTINE CLEAVE, CEO, NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN BOARDING SCHOOL HEALING COALITION: If you look at the numbers here from the United States, we had twice as many schools. You can basically just estimate that our numbers will be double what they found in Canada. SAVIDGE (voice over): Many tribal leaders believe the generational trauma from erasing people's identity directly relates to the chronic issues on reservations today, poverty, addiction, suicide.

(on camera): So no one went untouched?

BORDEAUX: No. No one went untouched. No family went untouched. So we need to find out the truth.

SAVIDGE (voice over): Finding that truth is what the federal investigation is all about. But it's likely to be uncomfortable.

As for those children, Malorie and her friends found in that graveyard years ago, they are coming home. In the largest repatriation of its kind, the remains of nine Lakota children, from that former Pennsylvania boarding school, will begin the journey back next week.

ASIA "ISTA GI WIN" BLACK BULL, SICANGU YOUTH COUNCIL: We saw a change that we needed, so we became the change.

SAVIDGE: The young Lakotans plan to escort the children home. Christopher may even sing to them in their own language, something the boarding school would have forbidden.

BEAR: (SINGING).

SAVIDGE (on camera): Is it the end of something or really just the beginning?

BULL: It's the beginning. There's so much more boarding schools that we have yet. This is just the start.

SAVIDGE (voice over): They know much more needs to be done. Many more children need to be found.

BULL: You look at it as, why do these schools with, you know, a lot of the white children got to attend schools with playgrounds. Our children had to attend schools with graveyards. And it should be a wakeup call now.

SAVIDGE (voice over): Martin Savidge, CNN, On the Rosebud-Sioux Reservation, South Dakota.

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[12:55:04]

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead, Texas Republicans are mounting yet another effort to restrict voting. They're meeting right now on the latest bills. We'll have much more straight ahead.

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WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

[13:00:02]

All right, concerns are growing this weekend about the potential for a third wave of the coronavirus. The Delta variant is now spreading fast --