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First Black Woman Confirmed to Supreme Court; City of Borodyanka Has Been Reduced to Rubble; Rising Costs Causing Medical Debts to Rise; Tiger Woods Enters Second Day of Masters; Serena Williams to Compete in Wimbledon. Aired 10:30-11a ET
Aired April 08, 2022 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[10:31:32]
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KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: On this vote the yeas are 53, the nays are 47 and this nomination is confirmed.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: And with that, Vice President Kamala Harris announced the U.S. Senate vote confirming Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. She will be the first Black woman to sit on America's highest court. History being made. Jim?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: In 233 years, today at the White House President Biden will celebrate Jackson's groundbreaking confirmation.
Joining us now is former Senator Doug Jones. And he was actually selected as Judge Jackson's Sherpa, as it's known, her guide through the nomination and confirmation process. Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
DOUG JONES (D), FORMER SENATOR OF ALABAMA: My pleasure, Jim. Thank you.
SCIUTTO: This is -- this is a day, it's a moment, it's a week filled with history here. I do want to ask about the confirmation process, because this court has before it, in the coming months, an enormous number of life-changing issues for this county on Roe v. Wade, voting right, gun laws, potentially consequential decisions for many years to come. But the focus in the confirmation hearing was on this GOP narrative that -- that she was somehow weak on child pornography. You know the politics behind that.
JONES: I do (ph).
SCIUTTO: But as you watch this, is the confirmation process for our highest court broken?
JONES: Well, it is not in good shape, I'll -- let me put it that way. I think we have seen in such a partisan world today that folks are more interested in sound bytes sometimes and fundraising for potential future ambitions than they are about really doing their constitutional duty. And I think what you saw here was really a stretch by a number of folks to try to find something that they could hang their hat on to oppose this incredible, amazing jurist.
Most people, I think, looked at this with an idea that she was going to be not an activist, but a justice that is going follow the rule of law, do her due diligence and is going to be a pretty solid member of the court.
And so, I think the process really needs a lot of work. But, it's going to have to start, Jim, with individuals. Each senator's going to have to come to that table with their own ideas of trying to fix this system. It can't be fixed from outside the system.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: You know, ideological differences are expected. They're even welcome, right, in this country.
JONES: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: That is what we're all about in the United States. I'm just wondering, given the context of what's going on in the world, an unprovoked war at the hands of Russia, thousands of miles away, Vladimir Putin constantly trying to amplify our differences in the United States and our problems. And Lord knows, we have a lot in this county.
But, in a moment like we saw yesterday, where history was being made, was it a missed opportunity to only see one Republican senator take in the moment and appreciate what it says about this country at least trying to strive --
SCIUTTO: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: -- to be a better and more perfect union?
JONES: Well, you know, I'm glad you mentioned that, because I think you're absolute correct. I think it was a missed opportunity by a lot of people on that Senate floor yesterday, not just to stay there and soak in the moment of history. But, to be a part, to be on the right side of history. This was not a vote that people on the Republican side of the aisle should be afraid of, not at all.
This was a justice who has a solid record following the rule of law. I could have been a very easy vote, but it -- we let things get out of hand. But, I do think you're correct.
[10:35:00]
We could have sent a strong message about democracy, the rule of law, our constitutional principles. And instead, we saw partisan divide. Fortunately, we got bipartisan votes and I'm very, very thankful for the three Republican votes that we got.
I think we -- she deserved more and I'm disappointed that we couldn't get more.
SCIUTTO: I want to ask, if I can, a question to look forward here, because you're so deeply steeped in these issues. But, as we mentioned, the court it has a whole host of consequential decisions to come that are going to change people's lives, right?
I mean, Roe v. Wade being front and center, including how the court has addressed it so far. But, the makeup remains the same, 6-3 conservative liberal with Judge Roberts sometimes siding with liberals, but still outnumbered by the conservatives.
For folks at home who don't follow the court closely, is the live -- are the lives of American people, the rights as we know them, about to change significantly?
JONES: I think that's hard to say, Jim. And, you know, Justice Jackson will not take the bench until after Justice Breyer formally steps down. And so, some of those decisions are going to be made before she actually takes the bench. But, every term, the Supreme Court of the United States makes decisions that effect people's daily lives.
I think people often forget about the consequential nature of every Supreme Court decision in one way or another. And so, I -- you know -- right now the court is taking a look at a number of different things and they're going to continue to do that in the near-term.
You know, the one thing I think that Judge Jackson brings to this court though, is the ability to find common ground. She is a real consensus builder. And I think the court's own reputation, I think the way people see the court will be enhanced.
If she can bring people together and we don't have so many 6-3 decisions, we don't have folks in, you know, like yourself in the media talking about conservatives versus liberals. But yet, just a majority of the Supreme Court caring today. I think there's a long way to go, but I'm -- I really believe that this justice will have the opportunity to bring people together on that court.
GOLODRYGA: Well, you helped make this happen and facilitate it. Doug Jones, Sherpa Jones, maybe that's how we'll call you now. Thank you so much for joining us. Have a good weekend.
JONES: Thank you. You too.
GOLODRYGA: Well, still ahead, the Borodyanka mayor says Russians left the city in near pre-historic conditions. The latest on the situation around the capital of Kyiv. That's coming up next.
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[10:42:05]
GOLODRYGA: Well, the image is of the complete and utter destruction, the Ukrainian city of Borodyanka are just heart wrenching. And as the town of works to clear its rubble, the city's mayor is now speaking to CNN.
SCIUTTO: Listen, this is something we've seen from city to city across this country. Those strikes, not by accident, often guided missiles hitting civilian targets. CNN's Brianna Keilar joins us now from Lviv.
And Brianna, it is almost exhausting, right, to see these images every day and to interview and witness the civilian suffering. You spoke to the mayor earlier today. How did he describe it all?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: He basically described, Jim, a city that is raised, right? As these were high-rise buildings and they have been pancaked with people inside of them.
We heard from President Zelenskyy saying that Borodyanka is even more dreadful than Bucha. Of course, there were about 300 dead believed in Bucha. And the size of this tragedy in Borodyanka believed to be even larger.
He also said, when I interviewed him, that there's a lot of rubble, but he doesn't have much hope of survivors.
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GEORGIY YERKO, ACTING MAYOR OF BORODYANKA, UKRAINE: The city is completely destroyed in terms of its infrastructure. The powerlines are down. Water and gas supply pipelines destroyed. Even sewage pipelines are destroyed. So, effectively the city was turned into the pre-historic conditions and it's uninhabitable at the moment.
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KEILAR: So right now this is what people, Ukrainians on the eastern side of the country are looking at. They're looking at what the Russian forces left as they departed from the Kyiv area, including Bucha, including Borodyanka.
It's part of the reason, Jim, why -- Jim and Bianna, why panic has set in so much and people are trying to get out of the area. It's terrible. It's incredibly terrible what we've seen there, just blasted to bits, this city.
GOLODRYGA: And I would advise people to go on Google, go online and just type in these names, these city names and look at what the pictures were like --
SCIUTTO: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: -- just a few weeks ago, before Russia came in to --
KEILAR: Definitely. GOLODRYGA: -- quote, unquote, "liberate" this country. And it's just frightening to think of what Mariupol most look like, right? If this is what we're seeing from these cities.
Brianna Keilar, thank you.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
Still ahead, gases -- gas and groceries are not the only things that are costing more these days. We're sure you're noticing healthcare costs are also on the rise. We're going to have more on that coming up.
[10:45:00]
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SCIUTTO: The recent surge in inflation has sent costs soaring for, among other things, medical care as well.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, for many in the middle-class the medical debt is piling up and some are putting off much needed care because they just can't afford it.
CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich joins us with more on this. So, first they putting it off, Vanessa, because of the pandemic. And now, inflation.
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, medical care costs are the biggest issue right behind gas prices for Americans, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. But, food and gas is something you can cut back on. Medical costs, prescriptions, not so much. And we are hearing that many Americans are having to do just that.
[10:50:00]
And we spoke to a couple who says they are spending almost their life savings just to keep up during this very intense time of inflation.
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OLGA MCGARITY, COUPLE STRUGGLING WITH MEDICAL DEBT: Thirty eight dollars and twelve cents, 329, 440.13, 15 --
YURKEVICH (voice over): Olga and Kevin McGarity are sitting with four years of medical bills.
O. MCGARITY: That is the gap that the government won't pay.
YURKEVICH (voice over): Taking care of their health and keeping track of the costs consumers every day life.
KEVIN MCGARITY, COUPLE STRUGGLING WITH MEDICAL DEBT: I have Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. I had a bout with cancer that seems to be in remission at this point. And, Olga?
O. MCGARITY: I have thyroid cancer. And it's been pretty much all the time going to the doctor.
YURKEVICH (voice over): Medicare doesn't cover all the medications and visits they need, but private insurance helps pick up the rest. But, at a significant out-of-pocket cost.
O. MCGARITY: Every year the average cost for the last four years was $37,000.
YURKEVICH (voice over): One of the biggest issues facing Americans is inflation and rising costs, with 58 percent worried about how they would cover unexpected medical bills, a top concern.
O. MCGARITY: It's going to cost our life savings.
YURKEVICH (voice over): Medical bills are paid with credit cards, making up nearly all of their $70,000 worth of debt. It's the difficult choice they're making to try to save their home.
O. MCGARITY: That keeps me up every night. It does, because eventually we will be destitute. That's probably the hardest part.
K. MCGARITY: Well, the other --
O. MCGARITY: I will not leave anything to my son.
YURKEVICH (voice over): Fifty-one percent of Americans say they have put off or gone without medical care in the past year because of cost. Nurse practitioner Tarik Khan sees it first-hand at his clinic dedicated to serving low-income Americans.
TARIK KHAN, NURSE PRACTITIONER, ABBOTTSFORD-FALLS FAMILY PRACTICE: The cost of living is going up, the cost of drugs are going up, but they're not making more money to make up for it.
With people finding it hard to make ends meet, it's only making those physical health problems worse.
YURKEVICH (voice over): Which is why this food pantry, just down the hall from the clinic, has been critical. And in the last year he's noticed it's been busier.
YURKEVICH: Why are more patients coming in and using the food pantry?
KHAN: I think with the increased costs it's making it more difficult for patients to be able to afford to buy food on their own.
YURKEVICH (voice over): Inflation is the key issue facing President Biden, who is trying to make healthcare more affordable by capping the price of drugs like insulin. That would bring immediate relief to millions of Americans like Kevin. That legislation is sitting in Congress.
YURKEVICH: Are you hopeful?
O. MCGARITY: I am really worried. I don't think anybody that can truly help is getting it. K. MCGARITY: I tell Olga, I said, I try to put a positive spin on it.
I say, we've been married for 40 years, and I said, we've -- you know -- we're pretty much the same person almost at this point. I said, if we end up in a cardboard box that's just the way it is.
YURKEVICH: And next week will get a key inflation measure from the Labor Department, that's the CPI report. Analysts are expecting that it's actually going to be higher than the year-over-year 7.9 inflation that we're seeing today. But, for many Americans they're wondering when this will end, when they'll see lower prices.
One bank, UBS, suggests that after this month we may see a cooling down. Of course, that's a projection. But, I think for a lot of Americans who we -- like the ones we just heard from, they're really looking for a little bit of hope right now. And even that slight projection that things might be getting better makes people like the McGarity's feel a little bit better about their future.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, the McGarity's need help right now. Are there any places they can turn to?
YURKEVICH: They have looked. They have tried. They feel very much on their own right now. They looked to the administration for help, they look to see if they'll low prescription drug costs, cap certain out-of-pocket costs, but they're just not finding those answers right now. And so many Americans need help right now. They can't wait much longer.
GOLODRYGA: It's so important to tell their story. Vanessa Yurkevich, thank you.
YURKEVICH: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, we will have the latest on the ground in Ukraine, where dozens of Ukrainians killed, possibly hundreds more now. The count keeps rising. Wounded in an attack on civilians at a train station. The alarming pictures and the stories. We'll have more.
[10:55:25]
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SCIUTTO: In just a few hours Tiger Woods will return to the course in Augusta for a second day at the Masters. This the first tournament he's played in since that horrible car crash in February 2021.
I remember covering the news of that crash. It's amazing to see him where he is now. He was walking with a slight limp. Shot a 100 par though in the first round. He almost hit a hole-in-one.
He's tied for 10th place, four strokes behind the leader. If he won it would be his sixth. He tees off today at 1:41 Eastern pm -- 1:41 pm Eastern time.
GOLODRYGA: Unbelievable comeback there. And it looks like Serena Williams will also be returning to compete at
Wimbledon this year. The tennis legend strongly suggested in an Instagram story that she'll be back at the All England Club when the tournament kicks off in June.
Williams said, she can't wait. The 23-time Grand Slam Champion hasn't competed since last year's Wimbledon, when a hamstring injury forced her to bow out of a first-round match.
Wow, great news on all fronts.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: Well, thanks for joining us today. I'm Bianna Golodryga.
SCIUTTO: And I'm Jim Sciutto --
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