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Uvalde Parents Demand Answers On Police Response To Shooting; Trump Speaks At NRA Convention Days After Deadly School Shooting; The Politics Of Pointing At Everything But The Gun; AAA: 39M-Plus Americans Will Travel For Memorial Day Despite Inflation, High Gas Prices; "Julia" Premieres Monday At 8:00 P.M. ET. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired May 28, 2022 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:31]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

And this just in, Vice President Kamala Harris has called for an assault weapons ban in the wake of back-to-back mass shootings. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On the issue of gun violence, I will say, as I've said countless times, we are not sitting around waiting to figure out what the solution looks like. You know, we're not looking for a vaccine. We know what works on this. It includes let's have an assault weapons ban.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The vice president made the remarks before attending the funeral for one of the mass shooting victims in Buffalo just a day before President Biden travels to Texas to mourn the lives of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas.

There's growing outrage in that Texas town about the police response to the shooting at the elementary school. Police now admitting the on- scene police commander at Robb Elementary School chose to wait to confront the gunman who slaughtered innocent children and two teachers, a devastating explanation that shatters the initial police narrative of a quick response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R), TEXAS: I was misled. I am livid about what happened. There are people who deserve answers the most, and those are the families whose lives have been destroyed. They need answers that are accurate, and it is inexcusable that they may have suffered from any inaccurate information whatsoever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: For about 80 minutes, students and teachers in two classrooms sat helpless, as the gunman sprayed bullets telling them it's time to die, while sadistically playing music. Authorities say the school district police chief somehow believed the active shooting situation was over. This despite the ongoing 911 calls from young children, some covered in the blood of their friends begging to send the police now.

But the entire time police were there. At one point up to 19 officers were in a hallway just feet away from the gunman. And more law enforcement waited outside. Instead of confronting the gunman, some were busy fending off parents who pleaded with them to stop the shooter.

The children who did survive say the wait for a long rescue felt like a long, excruciating exercise. Finally an elite Border Patrol team breached the door to the classroom where the gunman was barricaded but the gunman was waiting for them. He emerged from a closet and began shooting before the agents killed him.

Today sadly would have been the first weekend of summer for the 19 children killed and two teachers who were also killed in that attack. Instead their families are planning their funerals.

Let's go now live to CNN's Adrienne Broaddus in Uvalde, Texas.

Adrienne, authorities say the gunman -- the decision not to storm the gunman was wrong. What are you hearing from the parents?

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're hearing rage, Jim, in their voice, and we see the pain on their face. Here in Uvalde rage and grief coexist, but who do you hold responsible? Is it a member of law enforcement? I mean, these parents are saying the shooter is dead. You can't send him to prison. They know the shooter is responsible for what happened inside of the school, but they want someone to be held accountable.

We spoke to parents whose children are among the 19 children who were killed, express frustration about the response time, as well as anger over the decision made by the person who was in charge of this scene that day to hold his officers back.

Then parents are asking more questions, some of the same questions we've asked. Where was the school resource officer? Why wasn't that person on campus? We learned from authorities yesterday that the resource officer heard what was happening over the radio, drove back here to the school, but drove past the shooter nearly an hour, really more an hour passed between the time the first 911 call was made by that panicked teacher inside and when the shooter was killed.

Listen to some of the rage from these parents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER GAITAN, DAUGHTER WAS IN ROBB ELEMENTARY DURING SHOOTING: They were not concerned about the real trauma that was happening inside.

[15:05:00] Honestly I think they did, they waited too long, too long, because I was out here. I was out here and I mean, I'm not the only parent that witnessed it. It's sad that a lot of parents witnessed it. And then to see that they're saying that it was, you know, they had gotten here quick and handled business. That's not -- that is not the way that happened.

ALFRED GARZA, DAUGHTER AMERIE JO WAS KILLED IN ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING: Had they gotten in there sooner and somebody would have taken immediate action, we might have more of those children here today, including my daughter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROADDUS: And that last person you heard from was Mr. Garza. His daughter called 911, he believes, on the cell phone she got two weeks ago for her 10th birthday.

You know, these parents are wondering, what if, you can't go back in time, but moving forward they're trying to process not only what happened, but how do they prevent this from happening from other communities -- Jim.

ACOSTA: And Adrienne, what comes next in the investigation?

BROADDUS: Pardon me, Jim. It's loud here. Can you repeat that question?

ACOSTA: Yes -- no, just wondering what comes next in the investigation.

BROADDUS: Well, yesterday we heard Governor Abbott say he was livid, said he was upset. And members of law enforcement plan to investigate this, but who will be held responsible? We know President Biden will travel here tomorrow to meet with family members, and he's also planning to meet with community leaders, most likely members of law enforcement.

And I can't help but to underscore, when the president meets with the families who were left behind, he will tell them he understands what they're going through. It's something he too has been through -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Adrienne Broaddus, thank you very much.

Joining me now CNN law enforcement analyst and former acting Baltimore police commissioner Anthony Barksdale, and journalist Dave Cullen, he's the author of two books on school shootings, "Columbine" and "Parkland: Birth of a Movement."

Gentlemen, thank you very much for being with us. We appreciate it.

Anthony, let me go to you first. The commander on the scene, I guess, this is what we've learned in the last 24 hours, decided this was no longer an active shooter situation, despite the gunman being inside the room and despite these children still calling 911 over the sounds of gunfire. All of this is contrary to the guidance posted on a Texas government Web site about how to respond to active shooters.

And we've heard from law enforcement and experts over and over again, the officer's first priority is to move in and confront the attacker. Here it is right here in this law enforcement guide, "The best hope that innocent victims have is that officers immediately move into action to isolate, distract or neutralize the threat, even if that means one officer acting alone."

How do you square that with what happened?

ANTHONY BARKSDALE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Jim, it can't be squared. This was failure at the highest level to say we're going to a hostage barricade situation, when clearly it was still an active shooter situation. There's no way to justify this. You train over and over again until your hands are tired from practicing, until your arm is tired from carrying a body bunker to pretend that someone is shooting at you.

There's no excuse here. That chief should have been relieved or ignored immediately by those on the scene. He didn't know what he was doing. He made a bad call so you still push. Let him charge you later. Let him file charges against you later, but you get in there for those kids. He must be held accountable. No doubt about it.

ACOSTA: Yes. Dave, what do you think?

DAVE CULLEN, AUTHOR, "COLUMBINE" AND "PARKLAND: BIRTH OF A MOVEMENT": Same. I mean, God, you know, taking a bad -- a horrible situation and making it worse, and worse for the families. You know, I think of Dave Sanders' family, who was the teacher who bled to death for three hours in Columbine. And, you know, it took a long time for his family to get over it because that didn't have to happen.

And that's actually why the active shooter protocol came into effect because of him and the other people at Columbine, they rethought this. And yes, we'd hoped we'd been past it. You know, I was just relieved yesterday that the law enforcement on this like finally came clean, stopped covering up and lying about it. I mean, the governor said they lied to him. So they stopped that, and they, you know, stopped the bleeding.

You know, they stopped making it worse, stopped rubbing salt into the wounds. The only thing that irritated me yesterday about the press conference, I really appreciate the guy in charge saying that clearly mistakes were made.

[15:10:03]

But he kept saying, you know, in hindsight, I'm like, look, I don't see how in the present, like, you know, looking at just, you know, I don't know what we can see, but you know, that was a mistake. it's just terrible.

ACOSTA: Yes. Yes, Anthony, I mean, I keep coming back to the same thing. Whether it's an active shooter, whether it's, you know, somebody who's barricaded himself and all of the victims have died and that can somehow be confirmed, I mean, I suppose if there's nobody left alive you would potentially wait, but I don't understand they don't just charge in with the thought that even if one person is alive?

BARKSDALE: Jim, you're right. What if somebody, one of those little kids was still alive, and you could get them out of there, pick them out, get out of my way, I've got to get them to the ambu, let's go, let's move. Maybe even just one. They didn't do that.

CULLEN: Yes, at Columbine Patrick Ireland was unconscious until, like, 2:00 or something, for a couple hours laying there. The killers actually committed suicide at the table right beside him unaware that his lifeless was still alive. He lived, went up, the window finally later. He's very famous, graduated valedictorian, and I'm sure in all this -- police know that. Obviously, you know, usually there are almost always surviving people.

It's almost unheard of that everyone is dead. So, I mean, that's not even really a realistic -- but you know, I hope we can move on because clearly this guy -- he made a huge mistake. You know, thank you for your other -- because I'd even thought about, you know, overruling them. I don't know what it's like to be a cop. Like, that sounds right, though, too. You probably sort of just like, look, I'll take the hit, I'm going to save these kids. And if you want to like --

BARKSDALE: That's right.

CULLEN: Sue me or (INAUDIBLE) my career, you know, just like, deal, because I'm going to save these kids.

BARKSDALE: That's right. Charge me, suspend me, I'm going in for those kids.

ACOSTA: Right.

BARKSDALE: Whoever the members are on the attack team --

ACOSTA: The parents had to be restrained. They wanted to run in.

BARKSDALE: Good. That's what we're supposed to be, Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes.

BARKSDALE: That's what we've sworn to do. Good for them.

ACOSTA: Yes. And Dave, you speak a lot with former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Herself a survivor of a mass shooting. I remember when that happened. I mean, that was devastating what happened to her and in that supermarket that day. What does she have to say about this latest shooting and whether there's any I guess reason to hope that this will finally be the one that brings about change?

CULLEN: Yes, she has a lot of hope, and not necessarily for the immediate future. And I think she, and I also talked to Shannon Watts yesterday, from Moms Demand Action, they don't see like any one thing solving it or any one event, but making, you know, incremental changes. And people don't realize that behind the scenes like the world has dramatically changed since Sandy Hook.

Both of them have organizations now, Giffords Courage in every town which includes Moms came into existence because of Sandy Hook. They are now beating the NRA on most of the state battles where most of the battles have been fought. The NRA is badly weakened. There's now a team in the field. Democrats a lot of them are finally running on this. So a lot has changed, but it's going to take a lot of different changes, not just one thing. And it won't be just like one event.

You know, I contacted Gabby Tuesday night because she's the smartest person I see on this and I wanted to talk. Because she has aphasia, a bullet to the head, she still cannot speak clearly like you or me, so we went back and forth with e-mail for three days. But she's so smart and partly, because most people don't (INAUDIBLE) about this, she's not just from Tucson, she grew up in a ranch. She's a little cowgirl.

I call her Gabby Oakley who was always pictured like on a horseback with gun in hand. She is a real cowgirl. She gets these people. She was shot with a Glock. She still has one in her house.

ACOSTA: Yes.

CULLEN: Because she already owned a Glock. Because she likes them, so she gets these people. And for her, it's about meeting in the middle and gun safety, not this horrible idea of gun control, but finding common ground because most gun owners actually want some changes. They just don't trust liberals to do it. So that's the hard part.

ACOSTA: Yes. And Anthony, Vice President Harris was just commenting on this, and she said essentially that it's time to bring back the assault weapons ban that you had in the mid-1990s. It expired in the mid-2000s. What do you think? Would that help cops? In many cases they're outgunned.

BARKSDALE: Yes, absolutely it would. I mean, look, I support the Second Amendment. I get all of that, but we are seeing incidents where officers are not only outgunned, but the suspects are showing up now set to defeat regular service weapon ammo.

[15:15:08]

They're able to defeat a 40 caliber, 9-millimeter .45 ammo coming out of a Glock or some other type of firearm. So yes, I'm for it now. At bare minimum, at least keep these assault rifles -- if you can't get that passed because the Republicans don't want to budge, if you can't do that, can we at least move the minimum age up? It's clear, some of these kids should not -- yes, I'm calling 18-year-olds kids.

They should not have such lethal weapons in their hands. They just shouldn't. And if I could piggyback what my fellow guest said, the police coming clean, that's horrible that they have to come clean. If people like Shimon weren't pushing them and challenging on what was being reported, would they have come clean? I don't know -- yes, I do know. I don't think so. We wouldn't have gotten that. So it's crucial that the media keeps

pressing not on this incident alone, but every type of incident like this because sometimes it's not all at the bottom where the fault is. These officers do as told. Where are the orders coming from? And hold these executives accountable for what occurs.

ACOSTA: All right. Well, I think well said all around. Anthony Barksdale, Dave Cullen, thank you very much. Dave Cullen, we should also mention, the author of two books on school shootings, "Columbine" and "Parkland: Birth of a Movement." Great stuff.

Dave and Anthony, thank you very much. We appreciate your time.

Coming up, large protests outside the NRA's annual convention while inside former President Trump calls to arm more Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Plus, with gas prices soaring, millions of Americans are traveling and making preparations to shell out big bucks for the Memorial Day weekend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:21:21]

ACOSTA: Just a four-hour drive from Uvalde, protesters are calling out the NRA as thousands of gun enthusiasts gather in Houston for their annual meeting. Some of the demonstrators are holding out photos of the Uvalde massacre victims and carrying caskets.

CNN's Camila Bernal joins me now from Houston.

Camila, many high-profile Republicans have been speaking at the convention, as you know, including former President Trump. A speech that included moments like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The terrible murder of 19 innocent children and two adult teachers, with many badly injured was a savage and barbaric atrocity that shocks the conscience of every single American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But then his speech ended this way.

(VIDEO OF TRUMP DANCING AT THE NRA)

ACOSTA: Not sure what they're celebrating there in Houston, Camila, but what else did the former president have to say and others have to say at this convention?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, I think in the beginning, the president wanted to make it clear that he was not like the other Republicans who didn't show up. He said he wasn't here to disappoint his supporters. He of course rejected efforts to overhaul gun laws in this country, and then went on to essentially copy that Republican message that says that you need to focus on schools.

So the former president saying that you need to have just one entry at schools, and at that entrance have an armed security guard and just any sort of police officer at the entrance. He also said that there are some teachers that need to be armed. He copied the exact same line from Senator Ted Cruz who spoke earlier saying that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun. Listen to part of his message yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The existence of evil in our world is not a reason to disarm law-abiding citizens who know how to use their weapon and can protect a lot of people. The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens. Sadly before the sun had even set on the horrible day of tragedy, we witnessed a now familiar parade of cynical politicians seeking to exploit the tears of sobbing families to increase their own power and take away our constitutional rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: Now, of course, there are a lot of people who reject that message who say that more needs to be done. There were hundreds and hundreds out here yesterday demanding change. There's a significant group here today, a lot smaller, but still just as passionate, saying that they need to be listened to, that this is enough. They do not want to see another person killed by gun violence.

You're hearing the chants now, they're saying vote them out. There is a huge focus on voting and what can be done not just out here on the streets, but later on in November. They're telling people to get involved, to reach out to their senators, to their representatives, because that's the only way that they believe they will get change -- Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Camila Bernal, thank you very much.

Coming up, Republican Senator Ted Cruz storms away when asked about America's mass shooting problem. Hold on for that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why is America the only country that faces this kind of mass shooting?

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): You know what --

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: But you can't answer that, can you, sir?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:29:16]

ACOSTA: After the latest mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, opponents of new gun safety laws in the U.S. are tap dancing around a key question that keeps coming up. Why does this only happen repeatedly here in America? Here's Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz speaking with Sky News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why only in America? Why is this American exceptionalism so awful?

CRUZ: You know, I'm sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: I think this aspect. I think this aspect of it.

CRUZ: You know what, you've got your political agenda.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: No, it's honestly --

CRUZ: May God love you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Senator, it's not. I just want to understand why you do not think that guns are the problem?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why is this just an American problem?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It is just an American problem, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:30:00]

ACOSTA: Cruz and many other gun-control opponents have their familiar talking points, from arming more staffers at schools to forcing students to use just one door to enter and exit campus. But they are adamant, no new restrictions on firearms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Look, the killer entered here, the same way it entered Santa Fe, through an unlocked back door, and unlocked back door.

I sat done at roundtables with the families from Santa Fe. We talked about what we need to do to harden schools, including not having unlocked back doors, including not having unlocked doors in classrooms, having one door that goes in and out of the school. Having armed police officers at that one door.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (D-FL): The truth of the matter is they people will commit these horrifying crimes, whether they have another weapon they're going to have to with it. They're going to figure out a way to do it.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC); I can't assure American people there's any law we can pass to stop this.

TUCKER CARLSON, FOX HOST, "TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT": A person who is intent on committing violence is very hard to stop under any circumstances.

An act of Congress won't do it, neither will gun control. There are more guns in this country than there are people. There always have been.

However you feel about that fact, you can acknowledge we will never get rid of those guns. The Constitution prohibits that. And it would set off a civil war if you tried to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Leave it to Tucker Carlson to raise the prospect of civil war after a mass shooting.

But the pro-gun talking points have been falling flat this week. To be clear, a war is already being waged against this nation's school children who now live under a climate of fear doing mass shooter drills in their classrooms.

Of course, in many parts of the U.S., you only have to 18 years of age to purchase a weapon of war, an assault style rifle like the A.R.-15, the weapon of choice for most mast shooters.

Consider this list of recent shootings in the U.S. where A.R.-15-style weapons were used:

Boulder, Colorado, 10 dead, Parkland, Florida, 17 dead, Los Vegas, 160 dead, Aroura, Colorado, 12 dead, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, 26 dead, San Bernadino, California, 14 dead, Midland- Odessa, 17 dead, Southerland, Texas, 26 dead, Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania, 11 dead.

And don't forget Buffalo, just two weeks ago today. In some of those shootings, other weapons were used in addition to the A.R.-15. But it seems coming back to that gun.

Yet, at the National Rifle Association convention on Friday, a four- hour drive from the Uvalde school massacre, we heard the talking point -- all that is needed is a good guy with a gun.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRUZ: Ultimately, as we all know, what stops armed bad guys is armed good guys.

We must not react to evil and tragedy by abandoning the Constitution or infringing on the rights of our law-abiding citizens.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ACOSTA: Tell that to the people in Uvalde. The good guys with guns in Texas have already admitted they had made the wrong decision in waiting outside a classroom door as the shooter killed children inside.

A top Texas law enforcement officials explained the officers on the scene were afraid they would be shot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. CHRIS OLIVAREZ, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: They did not know where the gunman is. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots.

At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they could have been shot. They could have been killed. At that point, that gunman would have had the opportunity to kill other people inside that school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: They could have been shot. They could have been killed. Imagine how the kids felt.

If the cops were afraid, justifiably so, how are we supposed to arm teachers?

Yes, this is a uniquely American phenomenon. According to "New York Times," from 1998 to 2019, the U.S. led -- there it is right there -- the developed word in the number of mass shootings. It's not even close.

And the numbers here in the U.S. have only shot up over the last few years.

The last time the U.S. enacted a major piece of legislation was 1994 when the assault weapons ban became the law before expiring 10 years later.

Studies have shown that mass shootings fell during this period, and then rose again after the law expired.

Studies have also indicated that the ban's restrictions on high- capacity magazines also had an impact because they reduce the number of victims shot in these massacres. Since then, Congress has been essentially paralyzed on this issue.

Contrast that with other U.S. allies that have experienced mass shootings. They have done something about it, and it's worked.

After a mass shooting in Australia, in 1996, the government launched a gun buyback program and imposed tough new restrictions on gun ownership. That solved the problem in Australia.

Britain, Canada, Norway and New Zealand have all enacted sweeping new restrictions on firearms and have seen major declines in mass shootings.

[15:34:57]

So to all the people who ask, what can we do, what can we do, there are things we can do. But there are powerful forces standing in the way of new laws on firearms, namely the nation's top gun lobby, the NRA.

The NRA used to give money to both parties, but not anymore. Look at this graphic from Open Secrets, which tracks political contributions.

In 2012, 89 percent of NRA contributions went to the GOP. In 2016, it was 99 percent. In 2020, it was 98 percent. This year, so far, it's been 100 percent.

Which brings us for the filibuster, which is not a law, just a tradition in the Senate.

When Democrats control the House, they can pass gun control bills with a simple majority, but not in the Senate. You need 60 votes to overcome the filibuster and pass legislation in the Senate.

The last time the Senate came close to approving a gun safety law was in 2013. That was after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

When the Senate failed to pass expanded background checks and what was the amendment, the vote was 54-46. Five Democrats and 42 Republicans voted against the amendment. That was nine years, and too many mass shootings ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It came down to politics. The worry that that vocal minority of gun owners would come after them in future elections.

So all in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And it has remained shameful.

Here in the U.S., opponents of new gun safety laws say the real issue is mental illness, as if the U.S. has a monopoly on mental illness. Of course, mental illness exists around the world. Only the U.S. has this problem with mass shootings.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness told CNN this in 2019. "If this were a mental health issue, and this was the only issue involved here, what you would see is roughly the same number of mass shootings around the world, and we're not seeing that."

There's the old saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. In this country, you have to been 21 years old to buy a beer or a pack of cigarettes, but you only have to be 18 to buy an A.R.-15. Authorities in Texas say the 18-year-old shooter in Uvalde not only

had an A.R.-15 style assault rifle with him, but also more than 1,600 rounds of ammo. He's 18. That's crazy.

Just like the alcohol and tobacco industry, the gunmakers do advertising, too. Daniel Defense, the gun maker of the weapon used in the Uvalde mass shooting, posted this online ad in the days before that massacre.

It shows a small child holding an A.R.-15 style rifle. The ad says, "Train up a child in the way he will go. When he is old, he will not depart from it."

It's a reference to a Bible Proverb. Here's another one: "We reap what we sow."

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:43:00]

ACOSTA: The holiday weekend is here, and millions of Americans are traveling to mark the unofficial start of summer.

TSA screened over 2.4 million passengers at airports across the country on Friday. That's 400,000 more passengers than on the same day last year.

Many travelers are also expected to hit the road, and they'll be paying record prices to fuel up.

CNN's Nadio Romero joins us now from a gas station in Atlanta.

Nadia, what are drivers telling you? I'm sure drivers are not happy.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of them are pretty frustrated from seeing those numbers go up and up.

And today is the day, Jim, we're seeing the highest reported average price at $4.66 a gallon. That's the nationwide average for regular unleaded.

If you look at what that numbers was this time last year, we're paying $1.55 more per gallon this year compared to last year.

Despite all of that, AAA is still expecting some 25 million Americans to hit the road, to travel by car. That's up 5 percent compared to last year.

We spoke with one woman, who is a rideshare driver, and she said she notices if people are traveling, what the gas prices might be in here areas. And she says it's affecting the industry.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VALERIE BARKER, ATLANTA RIDE-SHIRE DRIVER: Some Uber drivers that want to give up because of gas prices, and that's probably because they don't go out that much.

But me, myself, I've been all over. I've been to Tennessee, Alabama, north, southeast, west, Georgia, Florida. So it doesn't bother me as far as the gas prices are concerned. But I have seen how they fluctuated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: That was Valerie there. She has this great optimistic outlook, saying, if you don't want to drive, give her a call. She'll pick you up. She'll dead with the gas prices. She's trying to make enough money as she can this holiday weekend.

Jim, we spoke with the head of petroleum analysts, and he said that we should expect these gas prices to remain high throughout the rest of the summer -- Jim?

[15:45:00]

ACOSTA: All right, Nadia Romero. Not good news there. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.

A quick break. We'll be back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: It's an iconic photo from former President Barack Obama's years in office. Now Obama is giving an update on Jacob Philadelphia, who was just 5 years old when his dad brought him to the White House in 2009.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I was kind of standing there looking at him for a second, and then he said, is your hair like mine? I go, well, do you want to check it and see?

Then I leaned down, and I said, go ahead, tough it. I said, what do you think? He said, yes, that's pretty much what I got.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:50:08]

ACOSTA: Now, 13 years later, Jacob is graduating from high school. That's right. A perfect time to catch up with the former president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACOB PHILADELPHIA, TOUCHED OBAMA'S HAIR IN ICONIC PHOTO: Hello?

OBAMA: Is that Jacob? PHILADELPHIA: Yes, it is.

OBAMA: It's Barack Obama, man. Do you remember me?

PHILADELPHIA: Yes. I remember you telling me that your hair was going to be gray next time.

OBAMA: And I was not lying.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: It is gray.

As for what's next for Jacob, he's heading to the University of Memphis to study political science. Good for him.

Julia Child once said, with enough butter, anything is good. The legendary chef is the subject of this brand-new CNN film, "JULIA."

And as we get ready for the premier, CNN's Ana Cabrera gives us a taste of the delicious life led by America's first food icon.

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ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST (voice-over): There would be no Emeril.

(SHOUTING)

CABRERA: No Barefoot Contessa

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Looks pretty good.

CABRERA: No iron chef.

ANNOUNCER: Iron chef, Bobby Flay.

CABRERA: Or Rachael Ray.

RACHAEL RAY, CELEBRITY CHEF: Yummo.

JULIA CHILD, FORMER CELEBRITY CHEF: Welcome to "The French Chef."

CABRERA: If not for Julia Child.

CHILD: Today, we're cooking a goose.

CABRERA: The original television celebrity chef --

(MUSIC)

CABRERA: -- who brought elevated French cooking to the American masses.

Julia was first introduced to cooking in France where she lived with her husband, Paul, after World War II. CHILD: As soon as I got into France and realized what it was all

about, it came upon me that that was what I'd been looking for all my life.

I decided that I would really like to do serious delving into cuisine, so I enrolled in the Cordon Bleu.

CABRERA: After the Cordon Bleu, Julia partnered with friends and fellow chefs to write "The Culinary Tour de Force, Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

CHILD: You're about to see a French omelet.

CABRERA: To promote the cookbook, Julia appeared on the Boston public TV station, WGBH.

CHILD: The only way you learn how to flip things is just to flip them.

CABRERA: Where she demonstrated how to apply French cooking techniques at home in an American kitchen.

The appearance was such a success, the producers at WGBH offered Julia, already in her 50s, her own show.

"The French Chef," one of the first cooking shows to ever appear on American television, premiered on WGHB in 1963.

CHILD: This is really the stew of stews.

CABRERA: Julia Child became a TV powerhouse, enchanting American audiences with her distinctive voice and approachable demeanor.

CHILD: Julia Child presents the Chicken Sisters.

CABRERA: Becoming a beloved cultural icon.

DAVID LETTERMAN, FORMER HOST, "LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Please welcome Julia Child -- Julia?

(APPLAUSE)

CABRERA: It's hard to overstate the impact Julia Child had on American cooking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her coming on television and telling America that they could make great food out of the supermarket virtually changed the landscape of food in America.

CABRERA: And it created a whole universe of charismatic chefs taking to TV and social media to teach people at home that everyone can cook.

CHILD: This is Julia Child, bon appetit.

Ana Cabrera, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ACOSTA: Be sure to tune in. The all-new CNN film, "JULIA," airs Monday night at 8:00 right here on CNN.

And we're back in a moment.

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[15:58:10]

ACOSTA: The Uvalde school massacre has left millions of Americans profoundly shaken. The shooting happened just days after a gunman killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo.

And the shock of these violent tragedies has many parents asking what do we say to our children.

2014 top-10 "CNN Hero," Annette March-Grier, who helps kids and their families cope with grief, shares some advice.

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ANNETTE MARCH-GRIER, CNN HERO: The tragedy that we all just experienced in Texas has resulted in a traumatic event that has impacted not just Texas families.

Children around the world may experience some type of stress response. It could trigger previous crises that they may have experienced.

And it's really important for adults to observe the reactions that their children may have as a result of this event.

Having sleep problems and eating problems, having anxiety and worries. They may be more clingy to their parents. They may even have a fear of going to school.

Hug your child. Ask them questions about their feelings. Don't provide more information than what they're asking. Help them to understand that things happen sometimes and we have no answers.

Keep some type of structure and routine in their lives so that they can feel safe.

We all need to learn from this experience how we can best help our young people to grow up to be healthy individuals psychologically, emotionally, and physically.

[15:59:55]

We can get through this crisis. We can get through together, supporting one another. So that, hopefully, we can prevent something like this from ever happening again.

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