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Biden Says 21st Century Jim Crow Assault Is Real; California Reverses Rules About Masks in Classrooms; Nearly 1.3 Million Bookings for COVID Vaccine After Macron's Speech; Democrat and GOP Stalemate Hold Up Capitol Police Funding; Inflation Hits 13-Year High, Fueled by Higher Gas Prices. Aired 3:30-4p ET.

Aired July 13, 2021 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This year alone, 17 states have enacted, not just proposed, but enacted, 28 new laws to make it harder for Americans to vote. Not to mention, gets this, nearly 400 additional bills Republican members of the state legislatures are trying to pass. 21st century Jim Crow assault is real. It's unrelenting. We're going to challenge it vigorously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: All right, so that was the President Biden a few minutes ago delivering that speech in Philadelphia blasting efforts to restrict voting as an assault on liberty that we're all seeing unfold.

With me now to talk more about is Damon Hewitt. He's a president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, he was part of that group of civil rights leaders who met with the president last week on voting rights. Damon, welcome back to the show. First, you listened to the president's speech. What did you think?

DAMON HEWITT, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LAWYERS COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW: Well, look, you know, there's two ways to turn the screw. You can use a power tool or you can do it manually. This was more manual. I think we're going to have to turn faster, harder, deeper. And we have a ways to go.

[15:35:00]

But to the extent this was a down payment. What's more to come, then I think today is good. But this cannot be the whole. But if this is a start, then it's a welcome start.

BLACKWELL: We'll stick to your metaphor. Sometimes you buy power tools because hand tools don't work. Is this the right start? Is this a passion enough? Did you hear the urgency from the president that you talked about we were having this conversation a little more than a month ago?

HEWITT: Look, I did hear the passion and the sense of urgency. I think what Americans are looking for is what's the action? What's the next step? Everyone sees what the Texas Democrats have done. Everyone sees what advocates are doing from Black Voters Matter to lawyers committee, to civil rights to every other organization. And so folks are looking for what will our nation's leaders do in terms of action? So this is why this has to be just a down payment. It cannot be the whole.

BLACKWELL: So let's talk about the action then. You know, the president did not mention the filibuster. We had heard from the co- founder of Black Voters Matter right before the speech who said it would be an epic fail for the president to deliver this speech on voting rights and not mention the filibuster. Well, he did not. Was that a failure?

HEWITT: Well, look, I'm not going to say it was a failure but it certainly isn't mission accomplished, right. Because we're way far from there. Look, I don't believe that this president is as much a fan of the nostalgia of the filibuster which has racist origins as some may think. I think the question is what tactics, what amount of political capital is he willing to use to breakthrough -- to breakthrough that morass? And I think that's what we're still waiting to see.

BLACKWELL: It sounds like to me and correct me if I'm wrong is that you're not satisfied that the actions match the words. That we heard the oratory today, we heard the rhetoric of, as he says, unfolding assault on democracy and liberty but not the action from a White House who really believes that something has to be done and that they can do it. Am I wrong on that?

HEWITT: Well, no, I'm not saying that I'm dissatisfied with the actions. What I'm saying is I never expected all the action today. I think one speech is never going to do it. Gone are those days. That's 30, 40, 50, 60 years ago. We can try to recapture that spirit.

The question is how fast can this administration move? How quickly will it deploy capital? Will we see the full on spread? Will we see cabinet secretaries, other members of the kitchen cabinet so to speak fanning out and talking to the American people in the same kind of change we heard today but even more so.

Will we actually see those screws really being turned in realtime and not just in a single speech. So this does not have to be the end of it. If it is, I will be disappointed. But this does not have to be the end. We just have to move very quickly.

BLACKWELL: We know that Senator Manchin of West Virginia, Senator Sinema of Arizona as well, they are opposed to reforming the filibuster including for things like voting rights. A close ally of the president, the House Majority Whip James Clyburn

told Politico that President Biden should endorse a filibuster cut out for voting rights. He told them that the president could pick up phone and tell Senator Manchin that we should have a carve out. He doesn't care if he does it in a microphone or on the telephone. That he should do it. You also met with Senator Manchin. Do you think he would be receptive to that type of call? That it could be persuasive?

HEWITT: Look, you never know until you try. Senator Manchin said he'd never vote for the For the People Act. But then he voted in favor of the procedural vote, right, just a couple of weeks ago. Anything is possible. If you don't use the capital, you will never know if you don't try.

BLACKWELL: So the president also talked about how legislative path is not the only way to protect voting rights. If there is no passage of the For the People Act or the John Lewis Voting Advancement Act, what then for groups like yours working in cities and states to protect voting rights?

HEWITT: Well, it's difficult to know what more we can do. We filed more voting rights lawsuits in the last several years than the Department of Justice has done by far.

We have recruited tens of thousands of attorney volunteers through the election protection effort and work with over 200 -- almost 300 partner organizations throughout the country. There's not that more we can do. Legislation is not the only path but it's a necessary component. Otherwise, we're going to be faced with rampant voter suppression. And it's going to be the death by a thousand cuts variety, Victor.

It may not be the kind where an entire neighborhood can't vote but it is going to be just enough people to make a difference in election, just enough people who will be disaffected, just enough people to be racially discriminatory and that's not good for America or for anyone.

BLACKWELL: President and Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Damon Hewitt, thank you.

HEWITT: Thanks, Victor.

[15:40:00]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: All right, still ahead, when it comes to masks, school districts across the country are all over the map. Some are banning mask mandates. Others are requiring them and California is just causing confusion.

BLACKWELL: And the French president has announced that unvaccinated people will be banned from long rides in planes and trains and malls and bars and restaurants. It seems to have worked there is now a rush to get the shot.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:00]

CAMEROTA: OK, listen to this mask confusion. California was forced to quickly reverse tough new rules on wearing masks in schools. So revisions coming just hours after sending this initial guidance. Quote, schools must exclude students from campus if they are not exempt from wearing a face covering under California Department of Public Health guidelines and refuse to wear one provided by the school.

BLACKWELL: That's not where it ended up. Let's turn to CNN national correspondent Brynn Gingras. Brynn, so what's the guidance for California's public schools now?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean there was a lot of push back, Victor and Alisyn, of that initial tweet by the Department of Health against the governor, against the administrators.

And essentially just a few hours after that the Department of Health retweeted a new tweet saying, hey -- rather send out a new tweet, saying that school districts are going to make their own decisions based on their own communities. So they won't mandate masks and leave it up to the school districts. And that's actually something we are seeing, you know, really across the board in most places in the United States.

At this point, New Jersey being one of them, neighbor here to New York City but there are other states, seven of them by CNN's count which are saying you can't pass a mask mandate. Most of those states have Republican governors at the helm. And a lot of that spurred really by protests from parents, administrators, people showing up at school boards to fight that. So that's sort of the two different elements that we're mostly seeing here across the country.

But then there are other places like here in New York City, the largest school district in the country, who says, you know what, right now, we want to keep masks in place for students when they come back in the fall and it's a safety issue. If you think about New York City, how tight the schools are, the CDC also recommending keep three feet distance between students, not that easy in New York City public school system.

So they are saying let's keep the masks in place for the safety of all the student body. And Mayor Bill de Blasio announcing this yesterday but also saying, as we get closer to fall, as we get closer to the start date of school, we may change that but for now assume that all students coming back to New York City are going to have to wear masks.

CAMEROTA: You know what, it actually makes sense. It isn't one size fits all. Even though it's confusing, and it's a patchwork, it can't be one size fits all.

BLACKWELL: Especially for state with what? 40 million people.

CAMEROTA: Right, good point. Brynn Gingras, thank you very much.

All right, so unvaccinated Americans and the delta variant are driving case numbers up. Meaning in the wrong direction in 45 states. Look at this map. Look at all the deep red on this map. We haven't seen a map like this for a long time. 34 states experiencing a rise of 50 percent or more in new infections in just the past week.

Meanwhile, there's a record breaking surge of vaccine appointments but in France.

BLACKWELL: So a national website says it was booking 17,000 appointments a minute after an announcement from the French president on new restrictions for the unvaccinated. CNN'S Melissa Bell has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Alisyn, what we've seen here in Europe these last few days are authorities really trying to get people to get themselves vaccinated even as that delta variant continues to spread. Here in Europe it's expected to represent 90 percent of cases by the end of August.

The French president took to French television on Monday night announcing first of all, that people were going to need to start showing their health pass that is their vaccinated status or their PCR test to get into things like restaurants, cafes, theaters and movies.

And also that those PCR tests which have been free until now are going to have to be paid for from this autumn. So a lot of incentives there to try and get ordinary French people out there to get themselves vaccinated. Health care workers will have mandatory vaccinations where they simply won't be paid after September 15th.

The result, Victor and Alisyn, was that last night just after Emmanuel Macron made that live TV address, the application here in France that allows you to book your medical appointments was overrun. They were making 17,000 appointments per minute immediately after his address began. And what we've seen over night in less than 24 hours is 1.3 million appointments made. That's a record as far as the application for making medical appointments go.

Really an indication of how that incentive both that PCR tests are going to have to be paid for and that people are now going to have to show their vaccinated status to get into all the fun places they might get any enjoyment of, really has helped focus their minds. The idea, to try and get beyond that wall of vaccine hesitancy against which so many European countries now find themselves, Victor and Alisyn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Yes, that one's working, that is something that we can take page from. That is working to increase vaccinations.

BLACKWELL: It's a vaccine passport some would call it and we know states are already outlawing that. So I don't know if it's going to happen.

CAMEROTA: OK, back here, inflation hits a 13-year high and what this means for the everyday items that we buy.

BLACKWELL: Plus time is running out for lawmakers to take care of the people who protected them on January 6, Capital Police, the National Guard. We're live on Capitol Hill with where things stand on a critical funding bill.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:50:00]

CAMEROTA: Here's new video out of Miami. Protesters blocking part of the Palmetto Expressway in support for the Cuban people. Anti- government protests have broken out in Cuba as food and medicine runs short amid the pandemic. The Biden administration says it's reviewing its policy towards Cuba. Today the State Department is calling for the government in Cuba to end its internet blackout.

[15:55:00]

BLACKWELL: The time is running out to make a deal to keep paying the salaries of the Capitol Police, the National Guard, if Congress does not pass a funding bill soon. That account runs dry as early as next month.

CAMEROTA: It's been 188 days since that violent mob attacked the Capitol with pro-Trump rioters beating Capitol Police. Senate Democrats have put forward a nearly $4 billion Capitol Security Fund, but Republicans are signaling resistance.

CNN's Ryan Nobles joins us from Capitol Hill. So Ryan, what's the latest?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's first focus on what both sides do agree on, Victor and Alisyn. And that is they do believe the Capitol Police should be fully funded and that they should reimburse the National Guard for their expenses that were incurred as a result of the riots.

But Senate Democrats say that's just not enough. Listen to what Patrick Leahy, The Senate Appropriations Chairman said on the floor of the Senate yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D-VT): The Capitol and its office building are not impenetrable, it's not a fortress. The windows can be broken, the doors can be breached. This complex is no longer shrouded with the protection of belief that it's not possible to storm these halls. Much like the windows, that protection was shattered and it was broadcast to the whole world on January 6th.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES (on camera): So what Leahy and Senate Democrats are saying is that there needs to be a lot more funded than just the Capitol Police and the National Guard in order to keep the Capitol complex safe. That's why they proposed this $3.7 billion plan to do just that. And here are some of the things that they're calling for.

They want funding to secure the windows and doors of the Capitol complex -- as you heard Leahy talk about there. They also want to do more beyond just security here at the Capitol providing humanitarian assistance for those Afghan refugees that are in danger if the military pulls out of Afghanistan.

Also funding to secure Federal courts after what happened here on January 6th. And also, they want to provide funding for a various -- different COVID-related needs that the Federal government is a part of.

And that's where the rub really comes for Republicans. They believe that this is packed in with way too many sweetheart deals that Democrats are trying to squeeze into this package and doing it under the guise of funding the Capitol Police. So as a result, Victor and Alisyn, we are at an impasse as we approach that crucial deadline before the funding runs out.

BLACKWELL: Yes, as Congress is on many things. Ryan Nobles, for us there, Ryan, thank you so much.

Question, have you been to a gas station recently?

CAMEROTA: Yes.

BLACKWELL: Tried to buy a car?

CAMEROTA: No.

BLACKWELL: A house?

CAMEROTA: No.

BLACKWELL: OK.

CAMEROTA: I did go to a restaurant though, and the bill was really high.

BLACKWELL: Yes. That's because things are increasingly becoming more expensive.

CAMEROTA: So there's these new inflation numbers that have been released just today. And they show the cost of living for Americans is at a 13-year high. And while the price of gas is up nearly 50 percent over last year, Americans are experiencing sticker shock on just about everything.

CNN's Matt Egan is tracking the new inflation numbers. So is that what's happening? Tell us.

MATT EGAN, CNN BUSINESS, LEAD WRITER: You are not imagining it. Things are definitely getting way more expensive as the economy reopens. Consumer prices in June up more than 5 percent from a year ago. We haven't seen a number like that since 2008. If you take out food and energy, this is actually the biggest gain since 1991. Now let me give you a few more real world examples. Used cars and trucks, up 45 percent over the past 12 months. That means a used car that was $20,000 a year ago is now $29,000. Washing machines up 29 percent over the past year. Airfare up 25 percent. This is all a side effect of this rapid reopening of the economy. Supply just can't catch up with soaring demand.

Now the big mystery of course is how long this is going to last? Now the White House and the Federal Reserve, they say it's going to be temporary. Prices are going to cool off as things kind of get back to normal.

I think investors on Wall Street seem to largely agree with that. But not everyone is sold. JP Morgan's CEO Jamie Dimon, he said today that he thinks that inflation could be a bit hotter than people expect and he doesn't know that it's really going to be temporary. But I mean at the end of the day no one can say for sure. There is no play book for what happens to inflation after a once-in-a-century pandemic.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I have a friend who's actually in the market for a used car and the premium over book value was $5,000 because they had such low inventory on used cars.

EGAN: And I talked to someone today who sold a used car for more than he bought it for more about six months ago.

CAMEROTA: But how do you explain my fried calamari? Because at the restaurant I learned what this feels like, I said, what, how did this happen? We had just taken my son out and this was not a big restaurant night, you know.

BLACKWELL: It was the margarita that was added onto the fried calamari that made the bill so expensive.

CAMEROTA: But that's usual that's standard, my husband goes inflation. I mean is that really happening at restaurants, even restaurants.

EGAN: Even restaurant prices have gone up. And there's no doubt about that. And another issue with restaurants of course is they haven't been able to find enough workers. So there's a shortage of labor and we have seen prices go up.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we've also seen pay for workers go up. As a lot of people said it's about time, but you're going to pay for that in your calamari.

CAMEROTA: I guess I am. I guess I am.

BLACKWELL: Matt Egan --

CAMEROTA: Thanks, Matt.

EGAN: Thank you guys so much.

BLACKWELL: I'm glad you brought up the calamari. CAMEROTA: It was shocking. That's all I'm telling you. It was a

shocking bill. I mean when I take my son out, I don't expect it to be three digits.

BLACKWELL: Oh no, just the one kid (ph)?

CAMEROTA: Yeah. I mean and my husband.

(LAUGHTER)

BLACKWELL: All right. The Lead with Jake Tapper starts right now.

END