Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

January 6 Committee To Go Primetime On Public Hearings; Final Day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations; Congress Urged by Texas GOP Donors Pass Gun Laws; May Jobs Report Adds 390,000 Jobs. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired June 05, 2022 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

JIM ACOSTA CNN HOST: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. The January 6 committee just days away from bringing what it's found to you, me and the American public, and teasing a whole bunch of new stuff; witnesses, documents, nothing any of us have ever seen before connected to the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The public prime time hearing is set for Thursday. The committee members plan to show how it all leads back to Donald Trump and his desperate push to stay in power after losing re-election, but will there be a smoking gun? This morning a former senior adviser to the committee gave a preview of what we can expect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENVER RIGGLEMAN, FORMER SENIOR TECHNICAL ADVISER TO JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE: I think when you look at the totality of the evidence and some of these are my personal opinions, right? If you look at the totality of the evidence, it's pretty apparent that at some point President Trump knew what was going on, obviously. Right?

I mean, if you're having meetings within the White House, if you're having individuals that you're paying out there, you know, doing lawsuits, you know, the 64, 65 lawsuits, if you're pushing this sort of lie even on Twitter and social media, which is very important which I think the committee is going to concentrate on, if you look at what's happening and the message that's being pushed by President Trump himself on social media and other individuals, you start to see this pipeline of information that's very damaging and is pushing things like "stop the steal."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But as you might expect, Trump is mounting a counteroffensive. He expects his diehard ally up on Capitol Hill, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to defend his honor by writing off the hearings as a partisan witch-hunt.

Joining me now, former White House press secretary during the Trump presidency, Stephanie Grisham. Stephanie, thanks for being with us. Just last month you testified for a second time, I believe, in front of the January 6 committee. Did their questions give any clues as to what these new revelations might be that are apparently on the way when the hearings begin this week?

STEPHANIE GRISHAM, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I'm not going to get ahead of them in that regard, you know. I think that they have been very smart to hold so many things close to the vest. I think that's really important, because as you just mentioned, team Trump is going to try to come out with distractions and the normal, this is a witch-hunt, none of this is real. This is all partisan politics.

So, I think it's really, really smart that they've done that. I've got to say I'm really hopeful. Our country right now is facing a lot. We've had so many mass shootings. We've had -- we've got the pain at the pump. We've got record inflation and, of course, we've got the conflict in Ukraine.

And so, I hope that this will be done in a really well thought-out way that the American people will still be able to pay attention and understand, you know, what happened on January 6.

ACOSTA: And have you been asked to appear as a witness during any of these upcoming hearings?

GRISHAM: No, I have not. No. I spoke to them twice, like I said. And so, I have no idea if anything I said will be used in the hearings. I remain, you know, willing and able to help them in any way, but it sounds like from the few witnesses that have been released, Marc Short, I think that's fantastic. He is a really good person with a lot of integrity.

And it sounds like they've got some really key witnesses that are going to be important to telling the story. I, of course, was so far away from the West Wing at that point, so my testimony has been more of giving them a road map to, you know, who would know what, who should they talk to, how things were done, that kind of a thing.

ACOSTA: Right. And one of the things that was just released a few days ago when CNN obtained some of these text messages was that they were running things past the first lady on that day, and I know that you were familiar with some of that. Did the committee want to talk about some of those details?

GRISHAM: You know, not really, because I don't -- as you probably recall, I resigned so early that day. I resigned when it was all happening so there are no conversations, I would be aware of that they were running past her. I resigned, in fact, when she refused to tweet out, you know, a call for calm and no violence. So, I don't know. I, of course, heard those reports as well, but I'm not sure, you know, what if anything, they're going to talk about was, you know, was Melania Trump's role or her knowledge in all of this.

I think the important thing that I hope people will get out of this is that as commander-in-chief and as the former president of the United States, his job, his role, was to protect all Americans, and that includes the people who were in that building that day and who feared for their lives, not to mention his own vice president.

ACOSTA: Right. And one of the last times we spoke you told me about how former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows was involved in planning some of these off the books meetings in the days before the insurrection. On Friday, we learned both he and Trump's director of social media, somebody you're familiar with, Dan Scavino, will not be prosecuted for refusing to cooperate with the January 6 committee. What was your reaction to that?

GRISHAM: You know, I was confused. I think that the statement that the committee put out about it really encompassed what I was thinking.

[17:05:01]

I truly was confused by that, most certainly with Mark Meadows who, was again, chief of staff at that time and who was facilitating so many conversations and meetings and doing, you know, all of President Trump's bidding. I was puzzled by it. I actually wondered, are they cooperating with the DOJ? I mean, I was -- that's how confused I was by it.

I don't know. I don't know. That was weird to me. I was happy to see what happened with Peter Navarro. I think that was important. I think that, you know, the Trump team always gets away with no consequences. I know, because I was part of that world, and that was always the attitude.

We were very flippant because, you know, nobody was going to get us. And so, I think with the DOJ's latest decision specifically with Meadows, it's just more of, you know, they get away with it all and I think that's disappointing for a lot of people.

ACOSTA: Peter Navarro who once attacked you for your, quote, "betrayal of Trump," was just indicted by a federal grand jury. Your thoughts on that?

GRISHAM: A little like I said, I was happy. Look, I mean, Peter was -- he was always running, writing outside of the lines at the White House. He was a pain, I'll just say, in the butt for pretty much everybody in our administration. I always bent over backwards to try to make him happy because it was just the easiest thing to do, but I was happy to see that because he has been openly defying the committee. He has been openly defying everybody.

Yes, I don't think that is going to make him flip. I think he's going to, you know, turn himself into a martyr just like Steve Bannon wit this, but I was happy to see it. Because again, I think it's so important that we show people that your actions have consequences. I, myself, have been, you know, having to deal with consequences and I think that's very fair. And so, I think that anybody in that administration needs to deal with the consequences of their actions and needs to be punished.

ACOSTA: And getting back to those texts that CNN obtained, more than 2,000 text messages that Mark Meadows turned over to the January 6 committee. It included this one, that Trump's campaign spokesman, Jason Miller sent to both Meadows and Trump aide Scavino on January 6.

It says, "Call me crazy, but ideas for two tweets from POTUS; Bad apples, likely ANTIFA or other crazed leftists, infiltrated today's peaceful protest over the fraudulent vote count." Or he suggests, number two, "The fake news media who encouraged this summer's violent and radical riots are now trying to blame peaceful and innocent MAGA supporters for violent actions." I mean, Stephanie, right away, it sounds as though an effort was already beginning to create alternative facts for what happened?

GRISHAM: Did you just use alternative facts?

ACOSTA: I think I did, yes.

GRISHAM: Oh my gosh.

ACOSTA: Not the first time.

GRISHAM: No, but -- okay. So, you know, I think I can say that that was in the playbook. Immediately see how you can deflect and blame others. Immediately. I mean, that is what we went to. That is what I did, too. I -- that's why I saw it. I saw the text that Jason sent and, you know, I kind of shook my head because that's just what you did. You immediately blamed others.

And, sadly, a lot of people fell for it, you know, because look at how many people think the election was stolen. So, it didn't surprise me at all. It disappointed me, but also that just seems silly at this point. So, I guess we'll see what happens. You know, I am looking forward.

I know that I shouldn't say that, but to see all the things they're going to try to do this week to distract from the hearings, because I do know that they're nervous. I do know that they're nervous that a lot of the stuff has been kept very secret and they're not sure what's going to happen.

ACOSTA: I do know that as well, Stephanie. I spoke with a Trump adviser just the other day who said that they're worried about what's taking place down in Fulton County, Georgia with that investigation. That is something that they're concerned about.

GRISHAM: Yes. Yes.

ACOSTA: That that could lead to something.

GRISHAM: Yes. I've kept in touch with some people close to the Mar-a- Lago scene and so I've heard the same things.

ACOSTA: And what do they say when they say this? When they talk about it?

GRISHAM: Well, they're just -- they're just nervous. Well, sadly, they're nervous that next week and, you know, the committee hearings that will be public are going to affect fund-raising. How sad is that? But then also that the criminal element in Georgia has a lot of people very, very nervous.

ACOSTA: And after all this is over, I have to ask you this, Stephanie. Do you fear that Trump will be let off the hook? That he's just going to escape all accountability? You've been with him or you were with him for many years. You're not with anymore, obviously, but were with him when he skated out of so many situations. You know, he can slither his way out of anything like a snake. What are your thoughts? Do you think he can slither away one more time?

GRISHAM: Yes. I don't like that answer, but, yes. I think he'll let everybody go down for him, and you know, I don't see him coming out swinging or protecting Peter Navarro right now. I think that anybody who's down, he's just going to play dumb and he's going to say, well, I didn't know about that. I didn't know what they were doing. I had no knowledge of that.

[17:10:02]

So, I do. I do think he's going to skate away from this. But what I hope is that if the committee can lay things out in a simple way that tells the story of the days leading up to what happened and that show what he really knew and that he stood by idly while people were scared for their lives and while Republicans were desperately pleading for help.

I hope that that will at least show people and have an effect on the '22 and the '24 elections. I don't think he's going to face any charges. I don't. But I think that if the American people can see what happened and know that this isn't partisan. That this is just being laid out like a legal case and see the facts, that maybe it will have an impact on, again, the elections.

Because right now, regardless if he runs for president, he is trying to put people in state office, at secretary of state level, governor level and then, of course, in Congress who will do exactly what he says if he's president or not.

And so, I really hope that that's something that can break through all of the other really important things that are happening in our country and have a firm effect on the elections.

ACOSTA: Alright, Stephanie Grisham, good to see you again. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate it.

GRISHAM: Good to see you. Thank you so much.

ACOSTA: Alright. Thank you for your time. And coming up, as we prepare for the January 6 hearings, the star witness during Watergate, John Dean, he joins us live. Coming up next, why he says rule breakers today are not being held accountable like they were during the Nixon days. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:15:00] ACOSTA: We are just days away from the January 6 committee's first televised primetime hearings. The hearings get away -- get under way I should say on Thursday. A member of the House select committee is sharing what the focus will be.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): I know a lot of people would like to see Donald Trump in prison for the rest of his life, but from the standpoint of the committee, that's quite beside the point because our goal is to strengthen and fortify the democratic constitutional order.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Joining us now is former Nixon White House counsel and CNN contributor John Dean. John, as the gentleman who was a star witness during Watergate, what needs to happen during these hearings to make them successful? Do they have to boil it down, make it as simple as possible for the American people to understand? What are your thoughts?

JOHN DEAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think they have to educate the American people. A lot of people are looking at this as pure partisan witch- hunting, but it happens there are some witches involved. So hopefully they'll find them and they'll explain to the American public why they are witches.

And that will be done this time in primetime, which I think is very important. Watergate was held mostly during the day with re-broadcast at night by public broadcasting, but they were daytime hearings and they were very slow to build and attract attention.

ACOSTA: And John, the Justice Department's decision not to prosecute Mark Meadows, the Trump White House chief of staff and the deputy chief, Dan Scavino, after they were both found in contempt for failing to cooperate with the committee. What is the message that you think that is sent to any future White House?

DEAN: Yes. I'm not sure it sends a message at all. I don't think they're out of the woods, so to speak. I can understand why they didn't want to bring misdemeanor accounts against witnesses who may get much more serious charges against them. Mark Meadows is right in the middle of this insurrection and the planning at the White House, and what looks to me like a rather vicious conspiracy to defraud the American people.

I don't think he's going to walk, and I just think this kind of resolves a minor side issue, his lack of cooperation. He did cooperate to some degree so the Department of Justice can dispose of this easily and say, well, he did partially help out the committee.

But both Scavino and Meadows have lawyers. They were not defiant towards the committee like Bannon who openly belittled the committee. So, I think there's a good justification and not really much of a message in what they did. ACOSTA: Interesting. And I want to turn to your new CNN Series

"Watergate: Blueprint for a Scandal," 50 years ago this month. A bungled break in at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., tipped off the biggest political scandal of the 20th century. You were President Nixon's White House counsel at the time, and you're telling your story like never before, and there are so many parallels to what's happening today. A note to our viewers. Let's watch a preview here and talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LESLEY STAHL, JOURNALIST: Haldeman had that funny crew cut so he always looked like he was from another era. He had no humor. Just the facts man. That's the way he presented himself. Dark.

DEAN: One of the questions that Haldeman asked me was, can I be loyal to Richard Nixon? It struck me as a strange question because I thought we were all on the same team.

ASHA RANGAPPA, FORMER FBI AGENT: The loyalty is about being a member of the group. That becomes the paramount value. If you're not loyal, then you get kicked out of the group. So, to maintain your tribal membership, you have to go along with whatever the leader says, and that's incredibly dangerous.

RICHARD NIXON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A vice president, a member of the cabinet, a member of Congress who was a member of the president's party, he should always consider that he is dispensable and should do what the man wants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[17:19:59]

ACOSTA: In this series, John, you say that Watergate was not just about the break-in or even the cover-up but something more. What did you mean by that?

DEAN: I meant that it was -- it was not the bungled break-in, in the sense there was an atmosphere in which that bungled break-in occurred. When I testified, I thought my role, because I had -- yes, I had knowledge. I didn't know all of the details of what had happened at the Watergate and who had done what and who had planned everything, but I did know the atmosphere in which it had happened.

I actually tried to block it earlier. So, I thought my job was to put that atmosphere front and center, and that atmosphere happened to include a lot of criminal activity that I became privy to. Breaking in Daniel Ellsberg psychiatrist's office using the same people that were used in Watergate. That was the reason the White House was so nervous about the arrest that occurred at the Watergate.

So, the big picture was important, get that to the public and that became my role in a 60,000-word statement I ended up having to read to the committee. ACOSTA: Incredible. And I have to ask you, and I know you and I talked

about this the other night, the National Archives here in Washington where we previewed this Watergate series. Do you think democracy was in as much trouble back then as it is today? And what gave you confidence back then that the system would hold?

DEAN: Well, I didn't feel the threat to democracy at all during Watergate. I assumed that Nixon, trained as a lawyer, would honor the rule of law. I was right. I was worried. To me, the crisis that lay in the big picture was whether he would comply with the Supreme Court once his tapes were revealed. He did and left because he knew not only the tapes that were called for that were released by the court, but more were going to be inevitably made available, and it would -- he couldn't survive that.

So, when we leaped that, I knew, one, it was the end of the presidency, but I also knew that democracy, the process, was going to work. I don't sense that is the situation today. I have -- I'm not (inaudible) and I've watched the system disintegrate over the years and this gives me a lot of unease. That's why I think it's very important that people pay attention to these hearings.

That's why I think they need to understand what happened during Watergate, and we couldn't be more fortunate in the timing of this documentary that looks at -- kind of brushes away the cobwebs of the last 50 years to tell that core story of Watergate so people realize the system can work and hopefully it will work again.

ACOSTA: And it works when good people put the country first and I think that is what occurred during Watergate and I think that's what got the country through that scandal. It's what we need now. John Dean, hats off to you. This is a great series. Encourage everybody to watch. Thanks for being with us this evening. We appreciate it.

DEAN: Thank you, Jim.

ACOSTA: Alright. Appreciate it. And be sure to tune in "Watergate: Blueprint for a Scandal" premieres tonight at 9:00 right here on CNN.

Coming up, a surprise appearance from Queen Elizabeth on the final day of her platinum jubilee celebrations.

(VIDEO PLAYING).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:25:00]

ACOSTA: A triumphant end to a historic celebration.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

ACOSTA: There she is, Queen Elizabeth, making a surprise appearance today on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on the last day of her platinum jubilee celebrations marking her 70-year reign. Her appearance followed a huge parade through London in the queen's honor which included her majesty's four-ton golden carriage.

The queen was not inside, but archival footage for the day she was crowned was projected on to the carriage's windows. The queen skipped the platinum party at the palace last night, but in a pre-recorded video, she did team up with another British icon, Paddington Bear, to open up the event and as it turns out, they have a lot in common.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PADDINGTON BEAR: Perhaps you would like a marmalade sandwich. I always keep one for emergencies.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: So, do I. I keep mine in here.

PADDINGTON BER: Oh.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: For later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Just in case. And to celebrate the queen, street parties took place today all across the U.K. on this final day of jubilee celebrations. CNN's Anna Stewart reports clouds and drizzle could not dampen the excitement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): (Inaudible) British street party is a long-standing tradition for marking royal events. Coronations, royal weddings and jubilees. Thousands took place across the U.K. Sunday in spite of the typically British weather. This one on a very aptly named street.

UNKNOWN: Of course, Elizabeth Street and Queen Elizabeth has got to be done really.

UNKNOWN: So, they come all this way to be at the street parties closest at to Buckingham Palace.

STEWART (voice-over): It's a party catering for all ages, for military veterans to some much younger residents.

[17:30:00]

(On camera): How do you describe Mr. Punch for an international audience? Ooh!

(Voice-over): This mischievous puppet speaks mostly gibberish, but luckily has a translator.

UNKNOWN: He says he likes jubilees because he gets lots of work.

STEWART (voice-over): This street has some notable shops, including hatter to the royals, Philip Tracy, and they're all a part of the celebrations. UNKNOWN: Actually (inaudible) across the road, so it's part of my

neighborhood. In Elizabeth Street we've always had like a villagey atmosphere so I think it's come across really well.

STEWART (voice-over): Above all, street parties are about uniting communities. It's a moment to break bread, or in this case, (inaudible) sandwiches, meringues and of course, some bubbles.

UNKNOWN: Cheers! Happy platinum jubilee!

STEWART (voice-over): Anna Stewart, CNN, from Elizabeth Street in London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Looks like fun. And it was the platinum jubilee for the queen, but her great-grandson may have stolen the show. Have you seen all of this? The entire weekend featured many adorable moments of the mischievous Prince Louis including this moment from the platinum jubilee pageant parade earlier today.

There he is. You can see the 4-year-old friends clearly not appreciating the redirection from his mother, Duchess Catherine. His protests include trying to cover her mouth, shaking his hand at her, and making faces. Yes, he is a kid, too. He's going to act like one from time to time. Great for Prince Louis. Crossing his arms there as 4-year-olds often do.

Coming up, gas prices surge towards $5 a gallon. Is there anything the president can say to win back voters who are worried about just filling up their tanks these days?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:35:00]

ACOSTA: One of the officers who was beaten by the mob on January 6 says he will attend this week's hearing on Capitol Hill when House lawmakers promise to reveal new information and evidence about the insurrection. But Michael Fanone says he doesn't think these hearings will lead to justice when it comes to former President Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Are you worried Trump is going to be let off the hook, that he's going get to off scot-free in all of this?

MICHAEL FANONE, FORMER DC METROPOLITAN POLICE OFFICER: I believe he's going to get off the hook. I believe he's going to, you know, get out of this unscathed, and I think that there's a significant possibility that he becomes president again in 2024.

ACOSTA: Why? Why do you think that?

FANONE: Just because the amount of support that still exists out in, you know, the U.S. for Donald Trump. I mean, you go outside of, you know, the beltway and a lot of them, you know, urban areas in the country and there are still a, you know, very significant part of the population that supports Donald Trump, even after January 6.

To them, you know, January 6 was a 1776-esque event. It's something that, you know, participants are proud of and that, you know, there are parts of this country that celebrate that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Joining me now is CNN political commentator and host of PBS "Firing Line" Margaret Hoover and CNN senior political analyst and author of "Lincoln and the Fight for Peace," John Avlon. Either one of you, whoever wants to jump in. It is somewhat depressing to hear Michael Fanone talk about it in that fashion, but, I mean, he is being realistic about this. Either one, lead us off. What do you think?

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, look, I think, you know, Officer Fanone is doing is reflecting a kind of despair that comes from suffering what he did on January 6 and still seeing the super majority of the Republican Party rally around Donald Trump and the big lie, despite all the evidence. And that will make folks cynical. That will make them despair about our ability to reason together.

But I'd push back on his notion that this is somehow inevitable. It's not. I agree accountability is the ultimate check on that kind of unprecedented power grab, an attempt to overturn our election across the heart of our democracy. But the second thing I'd remind folks that it was just a month or two ago, a CBS/YouGov poll showed that two- thirds of Americans, 65 percent did not want to see Donald Trump run again.

Now, we can't get 65 percent of Americans to agree on almost anything these days. And that just shows that there is a super majority against the second Trump turn. The hardcore Trump supporters are loud, they are vocal, that is true. But do not mistake them for anything close to a majority. They're not.

ACOSTA: So why is it that almost the entire Republican leadership is going to help Trump counter program these hearings and run defense for him, Margaret?

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, and in particular, Jim, that's the House leadership or the Republicans, the House of Representatives in particular, who are tying their fortunes and have tied their fortunes to Donald Trump and his success. They believe that they're going to have a 27, 28, 30 person majority.

The wins are going in their direction for that and they recognize that Donald Trump is still a force and that is undeniable. And that's what Michael Fanone's despair is about. That Donald Trump still owns this party.

[17:40:01]

It's not about ideas. It's about one person and it's about power. And Donald Trump have not been held accountable politically, in the context of these kind of hearings or an impeachment or a conviction. He was impeached, of course, but not convicted, but he has been held accountable in the eyes of history and will be. His reputation is not getting any better as the days go by.

AVLON: Yes. It's short-term political cowardice on the part of the House leadership. Let's be real.

ACOSTA: Yes. No question about that. Let's talk about the economy a little bit and the current occupant in the Oval Office because the national average for gas prices is inching closer to $5 a gallon. President Biden labeled it a Putin price hike because of the war in Ukraine. Of course, there is some truth to that, but there's also a whole lot price gouging going on it appears.

When I spoke to veteran Democratic strategist James Carville about this, he said it's time for the president to get tough on the oil companies. James was being vintage Carville. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES CARVILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I can tell you who's doing well. Exxon, Chevron, Shell. Every oil company's stories today about how much they're selling stocks back that they're worth. And if anybody doesn't think that these oil companies are manipulating these prices to their advantage and I have no idea what to tell you because you're strictly naive.

I talk to people that do focus groups endlessly and they all say the same thing, that they're being manipulated and the president needs to be strong and stand up to these oil companies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And James went on to suggest a tax on these oil companies so that money could be returned to consumers especially those making less than $100,000 a year, kind of like a tax rebate. We've seen previous presidents do this tax rebates. Why not send tax rebates to people out there so they can pay for these ridiculous gas prices.

HOOVER: Right. James Carville is nothing if not, an excellent Democratic strategist, right. You know, he's trying to give the people who are a little incredulous that this is all about the invasion of Ukraine. Gas prices were going up before. It's certainly clear that it has impacted, but the fundamentals in terms of gas prices going up was already going in the wrong direction before Putin invaded Ukraine.

That said, so, Biden is being a little too cute by half, but so is Carville. Then suggesting that you just blame all the oil companies, I mean, Biden could do things. Biden could remove barriers to domestic oil production much more aggressively than he has. That would change the attitude, the confidence of the markets. It's not going to fix everything but it would put things going in the right direction.

He's the one who canceled the XL -- the Keystone Pipeline. He's no -- you know, so there are things that Biden can do, but he's caught in a hard -- between a rock and a hard place because of his Democratic base. And Carville is going after the base saying go after the oil companies.

ACOSTA: John?

HOOVER: (Inaudible) political (inaudible).

AVLON: I love you, but the Keystone Pipeline has nothing to do with this.

HOOVER: But the point was Biden and what he's doing was --

AVLON: Yes. I understand. I understand. And look, and look, I think James Carville is a better democratic strategist than anybody inside the White House. When he talks about, you know, people waking up (inaudible) drag on the Democratic Party in terms of perceptions, I get that. You know, look, this is a global problem of oil prices. It's only partially about Putin. That's two cubes by half. I agree with Margaret on that.

It's also about OPEC and Saudi Arabia. It's also about record profits. Here's where Carville is right. Oil companies seeing record profits right now. But the idea of taxing oil companies and sending it directly back to consumers, that may play well in a focus group, but that's a whole different level of redistribution.

Now, you can remove -- we've already tried to reduce -- open the strategic petroleum reserves. Reducing federal taxes on oil would be a good idea but it wouldn't have that much for dramatic impact. The administration has not been seen as aggressive enough on this and inflation, but it is a global problem and it's not going to be one administration is going to have the solution. I know that's emotionally unsatisfying. Government can do more, but blaming one group for this is (inaudible).

ACOSTA: We're just getting ripped off. I just we're think getting ripped off right and left, and let's move on to another issue, because I want to talk about this, guys. It has been just another violent weekend across the country today. Let's talk about the gun debate because today CNN is reporting that since Friday, there had been at least eight mass shootings in America.

Republican Senator Pat Toomey who is part of the bipartisan negotiations that are taking place right now is part of these negotiations over gun safety laws in the past. He says expanded background checks are on the table. What do you guys think? Do you think, I mean, could this be, I mean, can I be Pollyanna-ish for a moment and say is this the time when this happens potentially?

HOOVER: Look, what we do know is that behind closed doors there are sincere Republicans and Democrats working together in the kind of fashion, like the Gang of Eight that you had for the COVID package, that you've had for a couple of other measures that have gotten through in this presidency.

You know, without the president being directly involved, you know, sincere Republicans and Democrats rolling up their sleeves to get something done and they're doing that right now.

[17:45:02]

And I do think there is a chance we can get some, you know, marginal kind of gun control measure passed. It's not going to be anything sweeping that is a comprehensive anything because you just don't get that done in this climate. But I think some kind of red flag law, some kind of background check, something that we can all hang our hats on as a degree of product -- progress, I do think is possible.

AVLON: And Toomey, remember, he was the one after Sandy Hook, wrote a bipartisan bill with Joe Manchin. Toomey-Manchin bill got 54 votes, was filibustered and what was seen as a big victory for the NRA at the time. So, Toomey has got real credibility on this. And Murphy and Cornyn and a whole bunch of Senators are meeting by Zoom. The Senate is on recess to do this.

Red flag laws, closing background loopholes, those are things that have super majority support among the American people.

ACOSTA: Right.

AVLON: We can get this done if they have the will and the courage to do it.

ACOSTA: That's it. Exactly. And Frank Guttenberg, I spoke with him yesterday, a Parkland father. And he said if they would raise the age limit for buying an assault rifle, his daughter would be alive today. And so, there are things that can be done. John Avlon, Margaret Hoover, thank you so much. We'll talk about this stuff at a later date. Appreciate your time.

In Texas, hundreds of self-declared gun enthusiasts including major GOP donors are urging Congress to pass gun control measures in the wake of the horrific mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. CNN's Nick Valencia joins me now from Uvalde. Nick, this open letter published in the Sunday Dallas morning news, pretty extraordinary, endorsing red flag laws, expanding background checks, raising the age to purchase a gun. What more are you learning?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is extraordinary, Jim. And you know, the eight mass shootings, at least eight mass shootings that we've had since Friday really underscores the epidemic of gun violence that we are experiencing right now in this country. And now, we're seeing some conservatives come forward in an open letter to the "Dallas Morning News" trying to work on reform when it comes to gun safety. Here's part of what that letter said.

"We vote for Republican senators. We believe in the Second Amendment. Like many, we are struggling for good answers to our current problem of gun violence in America. We are grateful that Senator John Cornyn is leading efforts to address the recent tragedies in Uvalde and elsewhere across our great country. He's the right man to lead this bipartisan effort, as he has demonstrated throughout his career."

Look, here we are in Uvalde, nearly two weeks since the mass shooting and there are still so many unanswered questions, major questions. It's almost embarrassing for the local officials here. The fact that they're not speaking. It was earlier this week that the Texas DPS stopped answering the media's questions and handed it over to the local district attorney for her to receive the media inquiries.

But earlier when I spoke to her, she hung up on me. And earlier this week when our crew caught up with her, she literally ran away from us. It's like I said, Jim, you know, it's embarrassing that these officials have yet to offer a full explanation of what happened here and the police inaction, but we are getting more insight to what happened that day including from an eyewitness who was one of the first to encounter the gunman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CODY BRISENO, UVALDE SHOOTING WITNESS: As he takes out his rifle, he's looking at me and I told my co-worker, oh, man, he has a gun. He has a gun. And as soon as I say that I tell him run, run, he has a gun. We both take off running, as I turn around, I fell. I fell on the street because there was a sidewalk and a little curb and I fell on the street and I scraped my elbow and I messed up my thumb.

And I'm looking -- when I fell, I'm looking back an I'm like this and he's trying to clip on the --

VALENCIA: Load it.

BRISEN: -- I knew what kind of gun it was. It was an AR-15 and I could see when he was trying to put that clip on that gun. And as I look up, my co-worker who was already, you know, across the street. And as soon as I'm getting up, I'm looking back and this guy is already pointing at us and you just hear pow, pow, pow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: This week in Uvalde we expect a visit tomorrow from DHS Secretary Mayorkas and also in Washington, D.C., victims of the Buffalo shooting and parents and victims of Uvalde will be there to speak in front of a House subcommittee or House committee to talk about the human cost of the gun violence in America. Jim?

ACOSTA: Alright. We'll all be watching. Nick Valencia, thank you very much, and we'll be right back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:50:00]

ACOSTA: We got a better-than-expected jobs report. Here is CNN's Christine Romans with your "Before the Bell Report."

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jim. While, recession fears are growing and inflation is at a 40-year high, but companies are still hiring. The U.S. economy added 390,000 jobs in May. Now, that's lower than in recent months but still a very solid number. And the unemployment rate, it had steady at 3.6 percent. Wages rose 5.2 percent over the past year. Not quite as fast as in recent months. That is calming fears of an overheating economy.

But it's not great news for workers since paychecks aren't keeping up with inflation. Remember in April, consumer prices jumped 8.3 percent from a year ago. This week, we get the numbers for May. Everyone from the White House to the Federal Reserve to Wall Street is hoping for signs inflation has peaked.

Already the Central Bank raised interest rates in March and May, trying to get inflation under control. Another rate hike is expected this month. In New York, I'm Christine Romans.

[17:55:03]

ACOSTA: Alright. Do you feel the need, the need for speed? Apparently, everybody else does. "Top Gun: Maverick" is wheezing to a second big weekend at the box office topping almost $550 million globally according to Paramount. That's just a 32 percent drop from its record setting opening weekend showing the Tom Cruise flick has some staying power past its premier.

The film has also earned rave reviews from critics and audiences as movie-goers flock back to the theater. I saw it. It was pretty good, I have to say. I have to admit that. Alright. That's the news. Reporting from Washington, I'm Jim Acosta. I'm your Maverick. I'll see you back here next Saturday at 3:00 p.m. eastern. Pamela Brown takes over the CNN NEWSROOM live after a quick break. Goodnight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:59:59]