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Razor Thin Margins in Pennsylvania Senate GOP Primary; Boeing's Starliner Capsule Experienced Thrust Issue After Takeoff; Depp's Former Friends, Associates Testify About His Substance Abuse. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired May 20, 2022 - 10:30   ET

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

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Oz has not listened to Trump, at least not yet.

[10:30:03]

So, now is really the time for Republican officials across the country, I think, to look at what's happening with this race in Pennsylvania, look at what's happening with Governor Kemp who, again, held the line on Election Day and subsequently, fending off a challenge, fighting off a challenge from David Perdue who pushes the big lie. Now is the time for Republican officials to say, enough, enough. Let's stand with democracy. Let's stand with the idea of counting votes. And let's stop allowing threats to our election workers.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: It's past time and we'll see who is willing to stand up.

We also do want to talk about your CNN special report that's going to air Sunday night. This is the exclusive interview with Trevor Reed, former U.S. Marine just released after nearly three years in a Russian prison. Here's a quick look at what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Any prison is brutal. Russian prisons are notoriously awful and tough. Did you have a strategy for surviving?

TREVOR REED, FORMER MARINE RECENTLY RELEASED AFTER DETENTION IN RUSSIA: I did. I tried to kind of compartmentalize and focus not on being in prison, kind of, you know, distract myself, think about future plans, what university I was going to go to, what plans I was going to have with my family, all of those things, and just tried to distract myself from reality, which, you know, was not something that you want to think about.

TAPPER: Did you have confidence you were going to get out?

REED: No, I didn't. And a lot of people are not going to like what I'm going to say about this. But I kind of viewed their having hope as being a weakness. I did not want to have that hope of, like me, you know, being released somehow and then have that taken from me. TAPPER: You denied yourself hope?

REED: yes. I wouldn't let myself hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: That's a remarkable line there because there's actually a lot of science about this, about having some hope in life threatening situations, maybe not too much. Did that surprise you to hear that from him?

TAPPER: Yes. He said a lot of things that I found really surprising. He's a really interesting and impressive guy. He's 30 years old now. He spent almost three years in various forms of Russian imprisonment. He has a lot of strong views about how evil the Russian government is, about how much harder the U.S. government, in his view, should be working to get individuals like Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner and others held in prisons around the world unfairly, how the U.S. government should be working harder, not necessarily the office in charge of that, because they work very hard, but the politicians.

It was a very far, wide-ranging interview. We sat down with him for a couple hours. We sat down with his family and him. There were a lot of harrowing stories. There were tears. There was laughter, really impressive guy.

And one other thing, Jim, as I mentioned to you before, he has a little bit of a Russian accent. You hear it there, because he spent three years in Russian captivity. And, you know, he didn't speak Russian when he went into that Russian jail in August 2019, but he learned it within a year. And he says, you know, before the end of it, he was dreaming in Russian. And now he has a little bit of an accent, although that will probably leave.

SCIUTTO: Yes. When you said that to me, I was listening for it, you do hear it subtly in that interview. It's very remarkable.

Well, Jake Tapper, thank so much for joining us. Again, for folks at home, that special report, Finally Home, The Trevor Reed Interview, airs this Sunday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern only here on CNN.

Coming up next --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three, two, and liftoff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Liftoff. After more than two years in delays, the latest as NASA and Boeing Starliner aircraft head to the International Space Station. There was a small glitch, but how significant we'll see. They are still calling it a success. We are going to speak to the NASA administrator, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [10:35:00]

SCIUTTO: Right now, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is making its way to the International Space Station. The spacecraft finally on track to dock at the ISS tonight, this following past failed attempts in 2019 and again last year. Boeing says the capsule did experience a thruster failure at takeoff, but there were redundant systems.

CNN Innovation and Space Correspondent Rachel Crane joins me now. So, Rachel, first question, based on this launch so far, does it look like Boeing can stick to its goal to get a crew in space by the end of this year?

RACHEL CRANE, CNN INNOVATION AND SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, it's important to point out that Starliner still has yet to dock with the International Space Station. It will be docked for a few days. It will also have to make a landing back on Earth. So, there are several major milestones that are ahead of starliner in the next few days. And, of course, there are many things that could go wrong. Hopefully that won't happen.

But you mentioned the thruster issue. Boeing said in a press conference following yesterday's launch that 2 of the 12 thrusters on board failed. As you pointed out, there were redundancies on board and they were able to course correct.

[10:40:00]

And it is, in fact, on its way to rendezvous with the International Space Station, as we speak.

But Boeing, of course, and NASA, will be looking into what that issue was, and looking into these issues takes a lot of time. The last issue that prevented a successful launch was a valve issue on board. And that took eight months to solve.

So, if I was a betting person, I would bet a crude test launch will be happening more in 2023 than 2022. And the reason this is so important, Jim, is that NASA wants redundancies here. Not only have they spent over $4 billion on the program with Boeing to help birth Starliner, this capsule on this mission.

But right now, we are reliant on SpaceX and their Dragon to get us back and forth to the International Space Station. Luckily, their system has been running smoothly. They have done five missions to date over the last two years. But, of course, as we saw with this mission, it's important to have redundancies when it comes to space travel. You never want to have your eggs all in one basket, Jim.

SCIUTTO: As they always say, space is hard. Rachel Crane, thanks so much.

So, joining me now to discuss, someone who knows better than anyone perhaps, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson joining us from NASA headquarters here in Washington. Good to have you, sir.

BILL NELSON, ADMINISTATOR, NASA: Thanks, Jim. Rachel did a great job, by the way, summarizing everything.

SCIUTTO: Fantastic. Well, let me ask if you have an update and do you believe that this will, in any way, the thruster issue, although we should note again, the Starliner is still on its way to the ISS, but does the thruster issue give you concern that the current timeline will not be met?

NELSON: That's why we have a test flight before we put a human crew on board. And in this case, 2 of 12 thrusters had a problem. But you had the redundancy, as Rachel mentioned. So, that's all a part of learning to fly in space. And you said it better than anybody, space is hard. But we expect a docking this evening.

SCIUTTO: You and I have spoken more than once since the start Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and I've asked you, will the U.S.-Russia space cooperation relationship, including at the ISS, can it withstand this? And you have told me consistently, yes, you do believe it will. It must. I wonder, do you still believe that today? We're months into this war and no sign of it ending.

NELSON: Yes, and it still has. There is no hiccup. Everything is steady as you go in the professional relationship between the cosmonauts and the astronauts, between mission control and Moscow, and in Houston. And we expect that professional relationship to continue. Why? Because we both need to be able to control and operate the International Space Station. The Russian segment has the propulsion. The American segment has the electricity.

SCIUTTO: Understood. Okay. Let's talk about China for a moment, because you have acknowledged the U.S. is now in a space race with China and emphasize the need for effective cybersecurity, cyber, including theft of ideas and technology is part of that. Where does that space race stand then today? Is U.S. losing the space race to China?

NELSON: Quite to the contrary, Jim, because we're getting ready to go back to the moon, first time in a half a century. And the Chinese have indicated their intention to send astronauts to the moon. China definitely has a good space program. They're only the second nation to land successfully a rover on Mars. We did that 40 years ago and still are. However, I think it's going to be a race as to who gets to the moon and who does what on the moon, and that's occurring with China

SCIUTTO: One other concern is of course a space arms race in both China and Russia have tested and deployed space weapons. What needs to be done to prevent that from happening?

NELSON: Well, first of all, they need to be shamed that they would go up and obliterate a defunct satellite and put tens of thousands of pieces of space junk up there that, in fact, threaten cosmonauts, astronauts and taikonauts.

SCIUTTO: And also, for sure, satellites, right, both commercial and government satellites in space. You make it uninhabitable, in effect, do you not, for everyone who uses those orbits?

[10:45:02]

NELSON: Absolutely. They have a vigorous defense space program, military space program. But what we are trying to do in the civil space program is promote the peaceful uses of space. And we now have upwards of 20 nations that have signed on with us in agreement, called the Artemis Accords, about how we will use space going in the future.

SCIUTTO: Perhaps that could be the basis of a treaty. Bill Nelson, always good to have you on. We look forward to hearing more about the Starliner.

NELSON: Thanks, Jim.

SCIUTTO: I love those space stories.

Still ahead, the gripping testimony that jurors in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial will sit with over the weekend as court watchers wait for Depp to take another stand again.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

SCIUTTO: The Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial is in recess today but we could see Depp take the stand again later next week. Yesterday, former friends and coworkers of the actor testified about his substance abuse problems and how difficult he was to work with.

CNN Entertainment Reporter Chloe Melas has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER (voice over): Fans cheered on Johnny Depp as he arrived to court Thursday. But inside, it was silent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

MELAS: Jurors in the actor's defamation trial against his ex-wife saw a series of taped depositions describing Depp as increasingly difficult to work with.

JOEL MANDEL, FORMER BUSINESS MANAGER: It became clear over time that there were issues with alcohol and drugs, and that translated into more erratic behavior.

MELAS: Former friends and associates testified that their relationships with the actor had deteriorated and his career suffered as his substance abuse worsened.

Depp has instead alleged that it was a 2018 opinion piece Amber Heard wrote in The Washington Post which did not mention him by name that falsely painted him as an abuser. He claimed that caused him to lose out on a multimillion dollar payday for a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean Film. But a long time Disney executive couldn't recall seeing the article. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you aware of any decision-maker within Disney who has ever said they are not casting Johnny Depp in Pirates 6, or any other role, because of Amber Heard's op-ed?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

MELAS: Depp's former agent of 30 years said his alleged substance abuse issues contributed to his unprofessional attitude on set, including needing to wear an earpiece in order to be fed lines during filming.

TRACEY JACOBS, DEPP'S FORMER AGENT: Because his start had dim due to him harder to get him jobs given the reputation that he had acquired due to his lateness and other things.

MELAS: Depp's former business manager said he became verbally aggressive when confronted with his dire financial situation.

MANDEL: The strains in his relationship with Amber, his use of alcohol and drugs, made my job more challenging.

MELAS: Depp sued Mandel's company in 2017, accusing it of mismanaging his finances. It settled in 2018.

MANDEL: The ability to coordinate and find times when he would weep became more difficult.

MELAS: Actress Ellen Barkin testified how Depp was drunk most of the time during their brief sexual relationship in the '90s.

ELLEN BARKIN, ACTRESS: Mr. Depp threw a wine bottle across the room, the hotel room, on one instance in Las Vegas while we were shooting Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

MELAS: Barkin also said that he was jealous and controlling.

BARKIN: I had a scratch on my back once that got him very, very angry because he insisted it came from me having sex with a person who wasn't him.

MELAS: One of Depp's former friends also expressed concern about his drug and alcohol use and testified that he had seen injuries on both Depp and Amber Heard at one point, including a bruise on Heard's upper arm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you tell me more specifics about that bruise, what did it look like?

BRUCE WITKIN, RECORD PRODUCER, FORMER FRIEND OF DEPP: Like I said, it just looked like she was grabbed. That's all. That's what it seemed to be, finger marks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And did you ever talk to Amber about that bruise?

WITKIN: No. MELAS: Depp has testified he never abused his ex-wife.

WITKIN: I have never seen them physically abuse each other, no.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MELAS (on camera): So, this has gone -- this entire defamation trial has gone incredibly viral from so many different moments. But people need to remember, like I just said, it's a defamation trial. Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard for allegedly defaming him for her The Washington Post op-ed that she wrote in 2018. This is not a criminal trial, although it appears that fans of both of them may feel that way on social media, saying who is going to win, be who is going to lose.

And remember, Amber Heard is countersuing Johnny Depp.

[10:55:02]

He is supposed to get back on the stand next week, Jim. It is all going to come to a massive head next week and the jury is going to start deliberating on Friday. If you thought you saw fireworks this past week, Jim, I can tell you, I think it's going to get even more spectacularly crazy next week.

SCIUTTO: Yes, just so much disturbing testimony. Chloe Melas, thank you so much for covering.

And thanks so much to you all for joining us today. I'm Jim Sciutto.

At This Hour with Kate Bolduan will start after a quick break.

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[11:00:00]