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President Biden Delivers Address on Earth Day; Kevin McCarthy Caught on Tape; Russia Targets Southern Ukraine. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired April 22, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:28]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Victor Blackwell. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. Alisyn has the day off.

Russia has now announced a new goal for its war on Ukraine. And it goes far beyond the special operation it announced for the east. State media reports that a Russian general detailed phase two, which aims to take control of Southern Ukraine.

Now, the general confirmed for the first time that, by seizing Donbass, Russia would have a land corridor to Crimea. The general added Southern Ukraine to that plan, pointing out that, by having the east and the south, Russia would then have access to a Russian separatist enclave in the nation of Moldova. We will get back to that in a moment.

But, in the east, heavy fighting continues, with Ukrainians saying Russians are making advances in the Luhansk region. And, in Donetsk, a senior Ukrainian officials said that 42 more settlements have come under Russian control.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people are trapped by Russia's unrelenting shelling in Mariupol. New satellite images show evidence of mass graves outside that port city. And the mayor gave an estimate of the death toll so far in the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VADYM BOYCHENKO, MAYOR OF MARIUPOL, UKRAINE (through translator): We have around 20,000 dead, civilian deaths in Mariupol. And these were people who were buried by enemy shelling, by enemy bombardment, buried under the rubble.

And, at the moment, we are witnessing the enemy trying to hide the evidence of their crimes, using the instrument of mass graves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Let's go to Ukraine now.

CNN's Matt Rivers is in the city of Lviv. That's in the West.

Matt, anyone able to get out of that city today or anyplace else, actually?

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's start with Mariupol, Victor.

And, unfortunately, the answer is no, at least through any official channels. What we know is that no humanitarian corridor was agreed to between Russia and Ukraine. That was after a few days in a row where a humanitarian corridor was opened up. None was able to be opened today, although it's not like what we saw yesterday and the day before was all that effective.

We know that the evacuations out of Mariupol have been painfully slow. We're talking about dozens of people who made it out. Yesterday, some 200 people, we're told by Ukraine's deputy prime minister, lined up to go, but they weren't actually able to leave because of Russian shelling.

And that is the theme after all of this, is Russian violations of cease-fires that do not allow these humanitarian quarters to go forward, that, according of course, to Ukraine's government. Russia says that they are facilitating this.

But I think what we need to be clear is that Russia controls the vast majority of Mariupol. If they wanted to let people leave safely, they could do so. We were at a train station here in Lviv, Victor, today. And the -- there was a train designated for evacuees. Hardly anyone got off that train, and very emblematic of what we're seeing as of right now.

BLACKWELL: Now to this heavy fighting in Eastern Ukraine, also in the south. Tell us what you know about that.

RIVERS: Yes.

So, there continues to be heavy shelling all across the front lines in the east going from Kharkiv all the way down to those smaller settlements that you talked about. And we continue to hear calls from the officials in the region of Luhansk, for example, and Donetsk, but Luhansk specifically, urging people to get out.

And yet we know that there have been people who are leaving, evacuees, some two dozen, for example, in Luhansk that were actually fired upon, according to Ukrainian officials, by Russian soldiers. So, even if people can find the bus to leave, even if they want to leave, they're coming under fire.

And I think it's -- we can't really stress enough how important it is that Russian officials came out for the first time publicly and said what we have all been thinking, that the Russians want to control Southern Ukraine.

I think what that does is it puts the city of Odessa in Russia's crosshairs in a way that perhaps some were not expecting, a city that has largely managed to avoid the kind of destruction and bloodshed in other parts of Ukraine, now very much seemingly a target of Russia's military leadership.

BLACKWELL: Matt Rivers for us in Lviv, thank you.

Let's talk about that, that new revelation, the admission of wanting to take the east and the south.

Joining me now to discuss is retired Army Brigadier General Steve Anderson.

General, welcome back.

Let's start there, with this general acknowledging, Russian general acknowledging what the map has suggested for some time, is that the Russians want the east, they want the south. And that could take them all the way over to a place most people haven't heard of, Transnistria in Moldova. What's your assessment?

BRIG. GEN. STEVE ANDERSON (RET.), U.S. ARMY: Well, thank you for having me, Victor.

And all I would say to that assessment of that statement is, talk is cheap. I don't think they're going to be able to pull it off. They have got three major problems, OK? First of all is quantity.

[14:05:07]

Their forces have been significantly degraded. DOD estimates 25 percent loss of firepower since they started this war, 130 tactical battalions, tactical groups that started, now down to about 80, 85. And if you look, do the math, I mean, you're talking about a country of 40 million people; 140,000 soldiers are what they have left right now. They're outnumbered 280-1.

The second issue is quality. We know that there are problem -- they have huge problems, leadership problems. They don't have noncommissioned officers. Their morale is low, the quality of their troops. I mean, it's not like they're going to suddenly jump into a phone booth and emerge as Superman and change the way that they're conducting war fighting.

And the third issue is strategy. And let's look at this. I mean, now they're talking about going over here to Odessa. But they're also attacking up here in Kharkiv. We heard about the reports here in Luhansk and Donetsk. And then, of course, they got the ongoing fight in Mariupol.

He who attacks everywhere attacks nowhere. They have an issue with mass. They need -- they're violating the principle of mass. They need to concentrate their efforts in one area and attack in that way. They need to bring their artillery and their tanks online. And then they need to push on one axis of advance, not multiple avenues of advance.

So I think, actually, by this statement by this Russian general officer, it's really good news for the Ukrainians, because it shows they're going to continue to use their flawed strategy.

BLACKWELL: We heard from the British prime minister that it's, in his words, realistic possibility that Russia may win this war.

From what you're saying here is that, if they take this strategy of trying to go from the Donbass all the way over to the western border, and really make Ukraine a landlocked country, that's less realistic, less likely?

ANDERSON: Absolutely.

I mean, I don't believe that this -- the prime minister's statement was very helpful. But it all depends on how you define victory. And we know that Vladimir Putin is probably going to claim victory no matter what happens. But I would submit to you that, as long as the will to resist continues with the Ukrainian people, and NATO and the United States stand united behind them in resupplying them as they need, they will continue to carry the day with the Russians, and they will continue to win.

Now, what does ultimate victory look like? I don't really know that. Does that mean we have to push them all the way out, to include the Donbass? Do we need to reestablish the border as it was eight years ago?

That's for other people to decide. But the prime minister should not have made that statement. It's not true. I believe the Ukrainians will prevail.

BLACKWELL: So you talked about arming the Ukrainians. Let's talk about a new weapon that could be coming their way.

The French -- French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he's going to or the country will supply Ukrainian fighters with these self-propelled howitzers. Tell us about them and their significance in this fight?

ANDERSON: Well, it's not really operationally significant. It's a political message is what it really is. It shows that they're going to help.

And they're only -- I think the numbers are just a few dozen. These are very capable howitzers, but the Ukrainians aren't trained in how to use this. So they're going to need some time to do that. They probably don't have the logistics to sustain them as well. So it's going to take some time.

But it's a very powerful political message they have sent. And really what I think it does, it puts the pressures on the Germans to do the same. And that would be huge. I mean, all of NATO needs to step and understand this is an existential threat against NATO, the United States, the entire world, and everybody needs to participate in this fight.

BLACKWELL: Yes, the Germans certainly have offered more than they did at the start of this invasion, but, as President Zelenskyy has said, that the West needs to offer more.

Let me get your reaction to something that Ukrainian intel has released. They say that it is a recording of Russian forces talking about an order to kill prisoners of war. Let's listen. Then I want to hear from you.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What can I tell you, dammit? You keep the most senior among them, and let the rest go forever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Let them go forever, dammit, so that no one will ever see them again, including relatives.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Russia has already been accused of committing war crimes. This would be another one.

Your reaction to what you heard there?

ANDERSON: Well, first of all, we need to document it, of course, and process the war crimes, as need to happen.

But, I mean, to me, it gets back to my earlier point about the quality of the Russian soldier right now. They're poor. They have poor values. They don't share our values. And that should really scare the entire world, one more reason for us to step up. But they're -- they lack discipline. They don't have leadership at the lower levels. They don't have noncommissioned officers.

[14:10:00]

They don't have the kind of value systems that we have grown up in. And it shows that life is cheap to them. So, this should scare everybody. And we -- and it should inspire us all to push the attack to the Russians even more.

BLACKWELL: Retired Brigadier General Steve Anderson, thank you, sir.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Victor.

BLACKWELL: New audio reveals House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy detailing a conversation he had with then-President Trump and the role that Trump admitted to playing in the insurrection.

We will play that for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: There is new audio obtained by "The New York Times." It's House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy telling his Republican

colleagues that former President Trump admitted that he beared some responsibility for the insurrection.

[14:15:09]

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): But let me be very clear to all of you, and I've been very clear to the president. He bears responsibility for his words and actions, no ifs, ands or buts.

I asked him personally today, does he hold responsibility for what happened? Does he feel bad about what happened? And he told me he does have some responsibility for what happened. And he need to acknowledge that.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Reports about this very phone call have been out there for months.

Now, here's what McCarthy said about it before the audio leaked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Did you tell House Republicans on a January 11 phone call that President Trump told you he agreed that he bore some responsibility for January 6, as Chairman Thompson's letter indicates?

MCCARTHY: I'm not sure what call you're talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Let's bring in CNN is Melanie Zanona from Capitol Hill.

So, I understand that former President Trump, Leader McCarthy, they have had a conversation.

MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Yes, that's right.

McCarthy has really been working behind the scenes to contain the potential fallout from this bombshell reporting. That includes speaking to Trump last night. And he's also been dialing up key Republicans today. And what he has told Republicans in those conversations is that Trump is actually not upset with the new reporting and is not concerned, in part because McCarthy never ended up advising Trump to resign in the immediate aftermath of January 6.

But, since last night, there has been new audio that we have obtained from "The New York Times." And it paints a very different picture of how McCarthy was talking about Trump behind closed doors vs. how he talked about him publicly. Take a listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MCCARTHY: All right, I know this is not fun. I know this is not great. I know this is very tough.

But what I want to do, especially through here, is, I don't want to rush things. I want everybody to have all the information needed. I have had it with this guy. What he did is unacceptable. Nobody can defend that. And nobody should defend it.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

ZANONA: So, while McCarthy's attempts at damage control appear to have worked, at least for now, there could be other shoes to drop. There could be more audio to come. And he will have to face the entire House Republican Conference next week when they gather for their weekly meeting.

BLACKWELL: Yes, there could be more audio to come. But there's already audio out before this clip that's a bit problematic for McCarthy.

ZANONA: Yes, that's right.

I mean, he was caught in a complete lie yesterday. What happened was "The New York Times" initially reported that he had told House Republican leaders on a private conference call just days after January 6 that he thinks the impeachment resolution was going to pass and that it would be his recommendation that Trump were to resign.

But then him and his aides both went on the record and vehemently denied that reporting. The problem for them is, there were receipts. Take a listen to some of that audio clip.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MCCARTHY: I'm seriously thinking of having that conversation with him tonight. I haven't talked to him in a couple of days.

From what I know of him -- I mean you guys know all know him, too. Do you think he would ever back away? But what -- what I think I'm going to do is, I'm going to call him.

The only discussion I would have with him is that I think this will pass. And it would be my recommendation you should resign.

I mean, that would be my take, but I don't think he would take it. But I don't know.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

ZANONA: Now, we have asked McCarthy's office, why did they tell us he didn't make those comments when he very clearly did? But we have not heard back yet from him, Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right. Melanie Zanona for us on Capitol Hill, thank you very much.

Let's go to Seattle now.

President Biden is delivering remarks on Earth Day.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... all stepping up.

And there is a lot more. Here in Washington state, you're going to triple the federal commitment to your -- we're going to triple the federal commitment to your link light rail system, speeding process in the largest transit...

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: As my colleagues in the Senate will recall, I was referred to as Mr. Amtrak.

I have taken over 1,200,000 miles on Amtrak, commuting every single day -- you think I'm joking -- for 36 years every single day the Senate was in session to go home to see my kids.

And -- but, folks, it is a simple proposition. Most people don't realize it. Given a choice to go from point A to point B on rail, electric rail, or drive your automobile, if you can get there fast, as fast or faster on rail, you take the rail.

The estimates take -- it will take millions of vehicles off the road, the largest transit construction project in the country that runs entirely on clean energy.

The bipartisan infrastructure law provides $66 billion. It's passed, $66 billion for freight rail, $39 billion for public transit, $10.6 billion for clean electric buses, and $2.5 billion for clean ferries on my coast of Delaware and out here for you all.

[14:20:20]

This will take millions of cars' worth of pollution off the road and get people to places quicker.

Look, I think one Amtrak train carries as many passengers -- I know this statistic -- as six lanes of a major interstate highway. That's how many passengers it carries. Look, it matters. We saw new standards -- we set new standards. We slashed methane and brought over 100 nations together when I was at the -- at the big meeting we had in Europe, 100 nations around the globe.

And I got them to -- I -- there's two things I was able to accomplish. One, I got a pledge, a pledge from 100 -- I think it was 144 of them, that they would eliminate methane and do the same thing we're doing to keep it. It's the most damaging of all the pollutants that are going up.

We also set new standards for super polluting HFC emissions. Remember the big fight we had? I know, because when I almost lost an election because DuPont company makes -- long story. Anyway...

(LAUGHTER) BIDEN: But, look, we set new standards for cleaner cement.

You say, what the hell you talking about, Joe? This is the probably only audience will understand cleaner cement. Cement is an incredible pollutant, an incredible pollutant. And it matters, because cement is responsible for 8 percent of the global climate emissions, cement.

I got to admit you, as long as I have been involved in this, until two years ago, I didn't know that. And we're delivering across the country. Lots of folks have promised it, but my administration is actually delivering, revitalizing communities across Appalachia.

Look, folks, I come from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where I was raised. The reason I got to Delaware is, coal died. My dad was not in the coal mines. He was in sales, but the whole economy died. And you can understand why, in places like West Virginia and Southeastern Pennsylvania and -- why people were worried about doing away with coal.

But it's their jobs. They wonder what they're going to do. But guess what? In the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the law is going to help us cap and seal abandoned mines. There's thousands of abandoned mines. Cap and seal them. You are no longer to see pollution in the air or the water.

The law is putting abandoned mine workers to work at the same salary they were working digging the mines in the first place. There are several thousand of these wells that have to be capped. And they have to harvest the energy. And they're going to get paid. So we have provided alternatives. They're manufacturing and installing solar panels where they once dug for coal.

Look, here -- out here in the West, we're repowering retired power plants, and clean energy -- clean hydrogen and advanced nuclear, making them economic hubs again. And in the heartland, in the fields that feed our country, we're planting cover crops to pull carbon out of the air and out of the atmosphere.

They're becoming carbon sinks. Look, across the country, we set the first ever national conservation goal in protecting more land and water than any other administration and record in our first year, because we can do it. And now the farmers are beginning to realize, if I put things in conservation, I get paid for putting cover crops down that absorb carbon. It makes sense to me. It keeps the land open, and it makes the environment much better.

And they get paid for it. And they should get paid for it. This is their land. We're protecting natural wonders and cultural treasures, national monuments. I remember a little girl came up to me with her -- I don't know where -- how it happened.

But I was walking outside. And a woman came up with her little girl and said -- she said: "Mr. President, please protect Bears Ears."

I said: "I beg your pardon, honey?"

She said: "Please protect Bears Ears."

I said: "Bears Ears?"

She said, "Yes."

And I knew what Bears Ears was, because I have tried to take my kids to almost every national park. And I said: "OK, honey."

She said: "Promise me. Promise me."

(LAUGHTER)

BIDEN: And we did. Bears Ears forest like (INAUDIBLE)...

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: And, by the way, we got...

BLACKWELL: .. in Seattle marking Earth Day.

He will be signing an executive order aimed at helping to protect the nation's forests, specifically older growth, also to combat global deforestation, President Biden there in Washington state.

Up next, we're going to take you to a town in Eastern Ukraine that is living through some of the heaviest fighting, dozens of people trapped in the basement of a bombed-out theater.

[14:25:00]

They have been there for weeks and then terrorized by the sounds of war.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)