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Record Gas Prices Help Drive Inflation To A 40-Year High; White House: Inflation "Uncomfortably High" As Prices Skyrocket; March For Our Lives Returns To D.C. Amid Gun Debate In Congress; Next Hearing To Focus On Trump's False Claims About Election; Zelenskyy Calling On Asian Leaders To Help Stop Russia; PGA Tour Suspends Golfers Playing In Saudi-Backed Series. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired June 11, 2022 - 11:00   ET

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

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[11:00:35]

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everyone. And thanks for joining me on this Saturday. I'm Amara Walker in today for Fredricka Whitfield.

The price of gas in the U.S. is hitting levels never seen before. AAA saying the national average is now $5 a gallon -- an all new-time high. Prices climbing at a dramatic pace, 60 cents in the last month alone. And they're expected to rise even further as we reach peak summer travel season.

The high prices also driving inflation to the highest level since 1981. The Consumer Price Index jumping 8.6 percent in May compared to the same time -- same month last year. Now the White House calling that staggering increase uncomfortably high.

CNN's Christine Romans has more now on these troubling new numbers and how Wall Street is reacting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: American consumers are still feeling the pain of higher prices for just about everything, but especially at the pump. Look, the May Consumer Price Index, that number up 8.6 percent from the year before, the fastest since 1981.

And when you look at just the month, prices rose 1 percent from April to May, 1 percent, that's a big move in one month. Core CPI, that's when they strip out food and energy which could be more volatile, that rose 6 percent from last year.

Prices across the board more expensive than last year largely driven by shelter, the biggest yearly gain there since 1991. Food up 10.1 percent, the first double-digit increase in 41 years. And with the gas prices rising nearly 50 percent, up 4.5 percent in just the past month alone as prices hit record after record.

Now, this high pace of inflation means the Federal Reserve is all but certain to continue to aggressively raise interest rates when it meets next week.

This is an inflation fire, the Fed is the firefighter. There are some who are wondering whether the fire is raging too strongly for the Fed to really be able to get it under control with only a 50 basis points interest rate hike. We will see when the fed meets next week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right. Christine Romans, thank you for that.

As Americans look for answers, the Biden administration is working to tamp down economic fears.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is in Los Angeles where President Biden is attending the final day of the Summit of Americas.

Hi there, Priscilla.

So the White House is acknowledging the pain Americans are feeling right now, but they're also shifting blame for this rapid rise in inflation we're seeing.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN REPORTER: Well, that's right. And yesterday here in Los Angeles President Biden spoke at a port in which he said that lowering inflation is a top economic priority.

And this came, as you just heard from Christine, as the Consumer Price Index showed that the record gas prices drove inflation to 8.6 percent and that food prices rose 11.9 percent. And that has been the reality for the Biden administration as Americans feel that in their pockets and in their wallets.

Now Biden did blame Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine for the soaring prices. Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Make no mistake about it. I understand inflation is a real challenge to American families. Today's inflation report confirmed what Americans already know. Putin's price hike is hitting America hard. Gas prices at the pump, energy and food prices account for half of the monthly price increases since May.

ALVAREZ: Now Biden also recognizes in those remarks how uncomfortable and what a challenge this has been for Americans. He called on Congress to pass legislation to cut shipping costs in order to lower the price of goods and he called out oil and gas companies, urging them not to take excessive profit.

Now as you mentioned earlier, the president was here in Los Angeles attending the Summit of the Americas which was hosted by the United States. And in that this also came up -- the war in Ukraine and the ripple effects it is having across the western hemisphere as we have seen here at home, while the White House calls inflation, quote, "uncomfortably high", Amara.

WALKER: A lot of people would say it's quite uncomfortable and painful, to say the least.

Priscilla Alvarez, thank you.

[11:04:53]

WALKER: So As Americans are finding it harder than ever to stretch their dollars, that's having an impact everywhere.

Joining us now is CNN retail reporter Nathaniel Meyersohn. So Nathaniel, I mean, we all see it, right. Every time we go to the grocery store, milk is more expensive, meat is more expensive. Why is inflation on groceries so high right now?

NATHANIEL MEYERSOHN, CNN BUSINESS RETAIL REPORTER: Right.

So we're seeing manufacturers and grocery stores, the costs are going up for transportation, labor, fuel, commodities, the raw materials that are needed to make these goods and food. And the companies are passing off these higher costs onto the consumers in the form of higher prices on the shelves.

WALKER: So I guess, you know, you have to adjust to these times, right? So what are people doing? Are they changing their shopping behavior because of these rising prices?

MEYERSOHN: Right. So the major grocery stores and big box retailers in the United States are saying that consumers, particularly on the lower income side, are really starting to change their shopping behavior, shopping habits. Walmart said that it's seen consumers switching from buying a gallon of milk to a half gallon of milk. You see Dollar stores saying that shoppers are driving to stores closer to their homes to save on gas and not burn as much fuel.

Consumers are switching from buying more expensive products like televisions, furniture, and really focusing on the necessities like food and household staples, that sort of thing.

WALKER: You mentioned, you know, some retailers. Are there certain places like I guess a Walmart or a Target that people are tending to shop at more often?

MEYERSOHN: Right, so under these types of economic conditions, Walmart is very popular among shoppers who are switching over there. Dollar stores are also, you know, a place that shoppers go more frequently when times are tough.

So you have Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, there are actually more Dollar stores in the United States these days than McDonald's, and we really see more shoppers start to go there when prices go up.

WALKER: Difficult times in so many ways, especially with shortages of supplies, as well, right. So what are some ways people can save as they go grocery shopping?

MEYERSOHN: Right. So there are a few tips that experts suggest for managing these types of times. So the first is make a shopping list before you go to the grocery store. Try to stick to that shopping list and not be tempted by, you know, sweets and all of the indulgence that grocery stores try to get you to spend on when you're there.

Shop around, make sure that you're going to the stores that offer the best prices. Look for deals when you can. Try to buy things on sale. Look for specials that stores are having. And also try to switch from -- when you can -- from name brands to private label and store brands. Those are usually high quality but are cheaper than the name brands.

WALKER: Yes. And if you're a weak parent like I am, try not to take your children who are going to be whining, you know, for every little snack that they see in those aisles.

Nathaniel Meyersohn, great advice. Thank you so much for that.

MEYERSOHN: Thank you.

WALKER: Ahead this hour, students rally across the country demanding change on gun safety in America. We head live to the nation's capital next.

Plus, some of the world's top golfers giving up their PGA affiliation to be part of a new Saudi-backed series. How they're responding to the controversy.

[11:08:55]

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WALKER: Demands for tighter gun laws are echoing across the country as hundreds March for Our Lives rallies are scheduled nationwide today. Those taking part want lawmakers to finally address the gun violence epidemic after a series of horrific mass shootings from Buffalo to Uvalde, Texas.

The massacres have reignited outrage and put new pressure on legislatures -- legislators, I should say -- to take action.

The first student-organized mass demonstration happened in 2018 after the deadly high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Today more than 300 cities are participating, including New York and D.C. which is where we find CNN's Whitney Wild.

Hi there, Whitney. Tell us what are you seeing now?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well good morning, Amara. I want to direct your attention to this really striking display here at the March for Our Lives event. This is a 250-foot lineup of all of the people who have been shot and killed in mass school shootings since 1966 -- since that shooting at the University of Texas Austin -- that bell tower shooting that took so many lives.

And when you see them lined up like this, it is just so striking, it is so gut wrenching. There are names, ages, dates here. And what it is a reminder of is that the gun violence epidemic began nearly 60 years ago.

We are still battling this same problem, and that's the message here today. It's been four years since that last enormous march happened in downtown D.C. The last time, they were children at the time begging lawmakers to do something about gun violence. How many lives have been lost since then? And the question now is how many more lives have to be lost before something meaningful happens. So that's the message here today. This display, again, about mass school shootings.

[11:14:52]

WILD: But the other main message here today is that gun violence exists in many neighborhoods across the country.

So today the lineup of speakers includes people who have lost loved ones in mass shootings, people who have been victims of mass shootings, but also people who are victims of gun violence in neighborhoods all across America.

So a diverse list of people speaking today, but that all centers on the same problem which is gun violence in America is an epidemic, and something has to be done. Again, that's the message coming out of here, downtown Washington, in the shadow of the Washington Monument, Amara.

WALKER: All right. Whitney Wild, appreciate your reporting. Thank you for that.

So let's talk more about this. I want to bring in Manuel Oliver for his perspective. His son Joaquin "Guac" Oliver was killed in the Parkland, Florida mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Manuel, you and your wife Patricia have made this your life's mission since losing your son. I appreciate you joining us.

You founded an organization to prevent a mass shooting like the one that killed your son from happening again, but it did happen again and again in recent days. How do you process that as lawmakers on Capitol Hill are still trying to find common ground on a gun safety bill -- what, two more -- two weeks since at least Uvalde happened.

MANUEL OLIVER, FOUNDER, CHANGE THE REF: Well, that's unacceptable, you know. Like we've been working, as you said, very hard every single day. We work 24/7 on preventing these things from happening.

And we did our job. We have done our job. Our part was done. We went there, we voted for leaders, we created these organizations, but you know what, they failed. They betrayed us.

So now we are in a moment that it's like we have learned nothing since the last five years, and I think it's time to do things in a different way. I am hoping that the reaction is different this time.

WALKER: Are you optimistic over the fact that at least bipartisan talks are happening, and we're hearing from, you know, Senator Chris Murphy that, you know, he believes he will get at least ten Republicans or more to vote for a gun safety reform bill which will obviously be watered down from the bill that was passed by the House this week?

OLIVER: I mean, any move forward to prevent even one life to be lost by gun violence is more than welcome. I hate the fact that we are negotiating this. I hate the fact that they are dealing with the best option for negotiation between parties, between (INAUDIBLE), between ideologies.

Using the finance language as like negotiation, is really offensive when we're talking about kids, when we're talking about lives.

So I hope they do something, but we are doing something right now. And I don't need to hope for that to happen because I know it's happening.

WALKER: Yes. I mean you're right, when you say you've done your part, now it's the part for legislators on a national level to do something. And to that point, there's a whole lot of new polling that shows support for gun restrictions since -- in the wake of Uvalde.

And I want to show you some statistics and some polling in recent days, a Quinnipiac University poll showing 57 percent of adults say they support stricter gun laws. That's up from 45 percent in November of 2021. 83 percent support raising the minimum age -- excuse me -- to 21 to buy any gun. And 92 percent support universal background checks which, you know, that -- support for universal background checks has been high for many, many years.

But nothing changes on at least the congressional national level. Clearly it shows that the NRA has a stranglehold on many members of congress. Should we be focusing more on rooting out that problem, money and politics, or focusing on that at the same time as we also try to get new legislation passed?

OLIVER: You know what, we've done that. We have shown these numbers several times. And leaders from other nations get really surprised when they see these numbers. They cannot understand why this is happening and we cannot solve the problem.

So we know these numbers, they know these numbers. They don't want to do anything. The reality is that they don't want to do -- they don't feel the urgency. We need to create that urgency. Asking them to understand that enough is enough, feel sorry about me because I lost my son, that's not going to work.

These guys don't like the ethical principle of saving lives. They don't care. Their hands are tied, their souls are sold to the NRA and to the gun industry.

[11:19:56]

OLIVER: That is it. Our tolerance is all the way to the limit. We are the ones that lost loved ones. We have nothing to lose. You ask for this, you're going to get disruption and you're going to get a crisis, and you're going to get a whole movement that is willing to make things happen.

WALKER: So that's where you're putting your hope is in the advocacy of the people.

OLIVER: 100 percent -- I am putting my hope on me because when I was hoping that the leaders will take care of it, they fail. They show that they don't have the bravery that is required for this.

However, the youth, the young Americans, they know how to do things. And they ask and they beg and they knock doors in Senate and Congress, and they had conversations and they were ignored. Big mistake.

You do not ignore the youth because then you're going to have a whole movement that at the end of the day will have the final call.

WALKER: As I'm sure you're aware, there were CEOs from over 200 companies that sent a joint letter to the Senate Thursday demanding bold action, urgent action against gun violence. You tweeted a call for corporate America to speak up and demand change, specifically asking Converse to make a statement.

I'm sure those green Converses look familiar to many of those at home. This is an image of Mighty Rodriguez' Green Converse Hightops, it's become a symbol for the Uvalde tragedy. What do you hear with their silence in this moment?

OLIVER: I think they're waiting for -- for society to demand their response also. And by the way, they are afraid of taking that first step. But trust me, once they take that first step and they show that they stand for us, and Converse, for example, it stops being a recognized object which is exactly what happened with those green shoes. They can be a corporation that is supporting our movement. A brand that is with us. And there's a whole demographic for that brand.

They don't want to take that risk because they think it's a mistake, it's a financial mistake. Well, guess what, Dick's Sports Goods didn't think that way. And they made it, and they made a difference.

At some point all these CEOs will be on our side. I can promise you that. Once they discover that there's a whole nation waiting for that moment.

WALKER: You know, Manuel, moments ago President Biden tweeted this. "Congress needs to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, strengthen background checks, enact safe storage laws and red flag laws, repeal gun manufacturers' immunity from liability."

What do you think of this list? Do you agree? Is that enough?

OLIVER: I agree, but let me tell you something -- we're talking about the president of the United States. I can tweet something, I don't have the power to call members of Congress and Senate, lock them inside a room, pull up my sleeves and talk about this until we're finished and not leaving that room until we have answers for this.

So I appreciate the intentions of President Biden. I had this conversation with him, but it's time for more pressure. It's not asking. We don't ask Congress to do things that are obviously what they need to do. We demand them. They work for us. I'm going to vote them out or vote them in or keep them there. They cannot vote me or my son Joaquin out. They will never be able to do that.

WALKER: I'm taken and inspired by your passion. The urgency in your voice and obviously I still hear the pain, and I'm sure Joaquin is looking down on you very proud of the efforts you are making and the fight that you are fighting. Manuel Oliver, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

OLIVER: Thank you very much. And be ready for something different. Today we're doing something that no one has done before in terms of gun violence prevention.

WALKER: Thank you. All the best.

OLIVER: Thank you.

WALKER: Coming up -- one down, many more to go. Details on what we learned from this week's January 6 hearing and what's expected at the next one scheduled for Monday.

[11:24:08]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Starting tomorrow, international travelers no longer have to test negative for COVID to enter the U.S. At midnight Sunday, the CDC will lift its testing requirement. Experts say based on the science, it is no longer necessary. Now the CDC will reassess its decision in 90 days and only reinstate the rule if it's needed.

The travel industry has been urging the Biden administration for weeks to end the testing requirement, arguing it was hurting tourism.

Operation: Fly Formula will bring nearly one million pounds of baby formula into the U.S., but experts say that's just a fraction of what the nation's families need.

This week United Airlines flew in the first of 12 donated shipments expected over the next ten days. The 960,000 pounds coming in through the operation is about two days' worth of typical formula sales, that's according to a CNN analysis.

The crisis stemming from the February closure of the Abbott plant in Michigan due to safety problems. Production restarted last week. The plant will start shipping specialty formula June 20th, but it will take weeks for other formulas to come back.

[11:29:50] WALKER: The January 6 committee will hold its next hearing on Monday. The panel says they'll focus on former President Trump's effort to spread false information about the 2020 election.

Now this follows the committee's primetime hearing on Thursday that laid out in detail how the attack on the Capitol unfolded and pointed the finger at former President Trump.

CNN's Ryan Nobles has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The January 6 Select Committee has begun to make its case that Donald Trump is to blame for what happened on January 6. Using the words of Trump's closest allies like attorney general Bill Barr --

WILLIAM BARR, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I made it clear I did not agree with the idea of saying the election was stolen and putting out this stuff which I told the president was bullshit.

NOBLES: And family members --

IVANKA TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: I respect attorney general Barr. So I accepted what he was saying.

NOBLES: -- to lay the groundwork that Trump knew he lost the election but told his supporters he won anyway. The former president already pushing back, taking to his new social media platform to claim his daughter had, quote, long since checked out and was, in my opinion, only trying to be respectful to Bill Barr.

Meanwhile, the committee is forging ahead. The committee planning for seven public hearings in all. The second scheduled for Monday, the 13th. And the third on Wednesday, with a fourth to be held on Thursday the 16th.

Vice chair Cheney teasing out the themes each hearing will hit on. She says hearing two will show Trump's massive effort to spread false and fraudulent information about the election.

The third will focus on how the former president, quote, "corruptly planned to replace the attorney general." Then a hearing devoted to what the committee says was Trump's idea to get then-Vice President Pence to refuse to count electoral votes for Biden.

CROWD: Hang Mike Pence. Hang Mike Pence. Hang Mike Pence.

NOBLES: Trump claiming he never endorsed his supporters' chanting "Hang Mike Pence", calling it a, quote, "made-up story".

After that testimony that Cheney says describes how Trump corruptly pressured state legislatures to hand him the presidency.

And finally hearing 6 and 7 zeroing in on how Trump summoned a violent mob to the Capitol that led to a deadly riot -- all with the aim of convincing the American people of a conspiracy to overturn the election directed by Trump.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): It's a pretty simple story of a president who lost, who couldn't stand losing.

NOBLES: Republicans like Congressman Jim Jordan who was a focus of the investigation attempting to downplay the committee's work.

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): This was a partisan production put on by the former head of ABC News. I don't think we learned anything new.

NOBLES: And committee chair Bennie Thompson telling CNN the committee has a lot more to share.

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON (D-MS): We have a number of witnesses who have come forward, that people have not talked to before, that will document a lot of what was going on in the Trump orbit while all of this was occurring.

NOBLES: And the impact of the violence on January 6 still being felt today.

CAROLINE EDWARDS, CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER: That day it was just hours of hand-to-hand combat, hours of dealing with things that were way beyond any -- any law enforcement officer has ever trained for.

NOBLES: And as the committee continues to make its case, President Biden is endorsing their work and encouraging Americans to pay attention.

BIDEN: It's important the American people understand what truly happened. I tell you what, there's a lot going on.

NOBLES: And among the revelations from Thursday was one from Vice Chair Liz Cheney that there were Republican members of Congress that asked the former President Donald Trump for pardons before they left office. And she identified one of them -- Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

Perry pushing back on that claim in a post on Twitter saying the idea that he ever sought a pardon for himself or anyone else is an absolute shameless and soulless lie. Cheney says the committee has evidence that he did just that.

We'll have to see if that evidence is revealed before these hearings are complete in the month of June.

Ryan Nobles, CNN -- on Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Joining me now is CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams. He is a former federal prosecutor and a former deputy assistant attorney general.

Elliot, always good to see you. Thanks for joining me.

So what did you think overall, how effective was Liz Cheney in building her prosecutorial case and presenting it to the public?

ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes look, you know, it all comes down, Amara, to what the point of this hearing was. And a lot of people are focusing on, well, how many people watched it and did ABC, CBS, or anything like that's just not -- you know, that's not what this was about.

The question is did they draw a nexus between President Trump's conduct and what happened on January 6. And they laid out quite clearly and, frankly, quite persuasively what the roadmap will be for the next several days.

[11:34:50]

WILLIAMS: What we're seeing is a narrative that, number one, the former president was behind what happened on January 6, and that the underlying threats to our system of elections continue to this day. They made that point repeatedly, that none of this has gone away.

WALKER: So then what is the ultimate goal of these public hearings? I mean, is it to get criminal charges and for the DOJ to pick those up, or you know -- I guess it doesn't have to be and/or, but is it also to make sure that there are political consequences in 2024?

WILLIAMS: That's -- you know, the most perfect point you made there, Amara, is that it doesn't have to be and/or. Congress has the power, number one, to refer charges to the Justice Department if they -- and this is in every context, not just this one.

But if they uncover something in an investigation that they believe that there's been some criminal wrongdoing, to pass it on to the Justice Department for them to prosecute.

It seems pretty clear -- well, they've already done so with criminal contempt proceedings for some witnesses, and they may do so again with either the president or some of his allies.

So number one, they can do that.

Number two, they are a political body, and some of this is speaking to the future for political consequences either about whether the former president is a candidate for office again, if people in his orbit are -- are candidates for office again.

And number three, as Congress does, it's a bully pulpit and notifying the American people about some issue that they ought to care about.

So all those things kind of fit together. And you see this in every congressional hearing. This is just the biggest, most high-profile one we've seen certainly in my career of watching these.

WALKER: What were some of most compelling moments for you? I mean a few things that stuck out to me was number one, you know, we heard from some of those who participated in the riots and they were suggesting that they came out to riot because Trump asked them to do so.

And also hearing from people within his inner circle, including Ivanka Trump, who said that she actually respected Bill Barr when he -- and his opinion that all of the voter fraud conspiracies that Trump continues to spin was a load of BS. WILLIAMS: Yes. So I think the two things -- number one, the fact that

the case is being built by people who are rock-rib conservatives and allies of the former president. The first voice we heard from that wasn't Dick Cheney -- pardon me, Liz Cheney or Bennie Thompson was former attorney general Bill Barr using the term BS -- I won't say the word.

But this is not -- they could have called Nancy Pelosi as a witness here, but she's just not the messenger that's going to deliver this message. And so it's people around the president. That was very sort of persuasive for what they needed to do.

And number two, the point about pardons that Ryan talked about in his piece before this, is also very important. The fact that people thought that their conduct was either so disgraceful or potentially criminal that they might have sought pardons from the president.

Now that's a big claim for the committee to have made, and they better be able to back it up if they're going to say, you know, look, people asked for pardons, they better have evidence that somebody did. But that was a very powerful and strong point.

WALKER: And another one I want to mention, I want to play sound for a quick few seconds because the committee introduced several videos showing members of the extremist groups, you know, the Proud Boys and the Oathkeepers, in meetings ahead of the riots and marching on the Capitol.

And committee chair Bennie Thompson hinted that the panel had evidence that members of these groups had conversations with Trump's inner circle, trying to draw that direct line. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Are there going to be witnesses that describe actual conversations between these extremist groups and anyone in Trump's orbit?

THOMPSON: Yes.

TAPPER: There will be?

THOMPSON: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Ok, so if it's proven that Trump's inner circle talked with them prior to the riot, how significant would that be at least from a legal standpoint?

WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes, there's two big things. Number one, it can show that they were aware that there was going to be violence on the grounds of the Capitol that day which debunks a lot of the argument that this all came as a surprise.

And so -- there's a big public safety point there that they did not, for instance, notify the National Guard or other authorities that could have been there despite the fact that they'd known that these extremist groups might have been there, number one.

Number two, yes, there's possible criminal liability if it can be found that folks in the president's quote/unquote "orbit", that's the word, we don't know how close it gets to the president, were complicit in the violence if they knew it was coming and either encouraged it, supported it, or helped it take place. Now again, that is a very significant charge and claim to make. But

it's an open question now that we know that some testimony or evidence might come up about it.

WALKER: Fascinating. So glad we got to talk to you this morning. Elliot Williams, appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

WILLIAMS: As always, Amara, thanks.

WALKER: And don't forget, there is a new CNN episode of the "ORIGINAL SERIES" tomorrow night. What made John Dean decide to testify against Nixon? The tension heats up when the "CNN ORIGINAL SERIES, WATERGATE: BLUEPRINT FOR A SCANDAL" continues tomorrow night at 9:00 Eastern on CNN.

[11:39:58]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Now to the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore where world leaders are gathered for discussion on Indo-Pacific security, but where Ukraine has dominated talks. In a virtual address, President Zelenskyy said he's confident his country will prevail over Russia, but also urged Asian leaders to help.

[11:44:53]

WALKER: Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pointing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an example of what happens when nations veer from international laws.

CNN's Oren Liebermann with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Shangri-La dialogue on Saturday afternoon saying the future rules of the world are being decided on the battlefields of Ukraine and that the countries that have continued to provide so much support to Ukraine over the course of the past 108 days since the start of this conflict should continue to do so.

He thanked the countries that have provided that aid and also said it's not just for Ukraine, it's also for you. As he's done so often in the past, Zelenskyy tailored his comments to the venue and to the conference here in Singapore. He quoted Lee Kwan Yu, the first prime minister of Singapore as he spoke. That added effect to make it clear to the audience here he knows his audience, he knows who he's talking to and the importance of all of those in attendance. Military leaders, defense ministers from so many countries around the world, and of course in the region here.

Ukraine has hung over for these conference for two reasons. First, it's been the biggest story in the world for the course of the past 108 days, but also because of the parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan. Russia, the larger, more powerful country, invading its smaller, less powerful neighbor, and the possibility the warnings coming from the U.S. that if China the more powerful country trying to dictate the future of Taiwan, its smaller, less powerful neighbor there.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaking earlier than Zelenskyy on Saturday morning said that's one of the key issues here, and though the U.S. is still committed to its one-China policy it has the right and the ability to arm Taiwan with defensive weaponry under the Taiwan Relations Act, and it will continue to do so.

Austin also expressed concern that it was China that was trying to change the status quo when it comes to Taiwan with its increasingly aggressive actions in the region, not only against the U.S. but also its allies. China in a statement shortly after Austin's remarks said that it was the U.S. and that speech trying to instigate a conflict and that it was some false rumors and false accusations against China. So very much on n the issue of Taiwan, the U.S. and China seeming to talk past each other.

Oren Liebermann, CNN -- in Singapore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Thanks for that, Oren.

Still ahead, the list of golfers joining the controversial Saudi- backed series is growing, and that's despite the PGA tour suspending 17 players for participating. We'll talk about that next.

[11:47:20]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: The list of players joining a controversial new golf tour is growing. Bryson Dechambeau is the latest blockbuster name to sign on to the Saudi-backed Liv Golf Series. He joins six-time major winner Phil Mickelson and former world number one Dustin Johnson as headliners for this new venture.

The PGA responding with suspensions for 17 golfers participating and warning the same will happen to other players who jump ship.

CNN's Brian Todd has more.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Top sports figures again converging with politics and drawing controversy. The PGA tour has suspended some of golf's biggest stars who have decided to play in a new breakaway golf series called Liv Golf backed by a Saudi wealth fund chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and the man who U.S. intelligence said approved the operation which led to the murder and dismemberment of "Washington Post" columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 which bin Salman has denied.

DANIEL RAPAPORT, STAFF WRITER, GOLD DIGEST: These are significant names in the world of golf who are making this jump to this new entity and the PGA tour finds themself in a really, really precarious position right now.

TODD: The biggest names to jump to the Saudi series, former world number one player Dustin Johnson, former U.S. Open champion Bryson Dechambeau, and player whose jump has caused the most controversy, six-time major tournament winner Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson and Johnson are each reportedly getting a nine-figure payout to take part in the Saudi series. Earlier this year, the author of a biography on Mickelson quoted the golfer of saying of the Saudis, "They're scary mother-fers to get involved with. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it. Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA tour operates."

This week Mickelson said he doesn't condone human rights violations.

PHIL MICKELSON, PROFESSIONAL GOLF PLAYER: I'm aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi and I think it is terrible. I've also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history and I believe that Liv Golf is going to do a lot of good for the game as well.

TODD: Hardly satisfying to Mickelson's critics.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: He knows where the money is coming from and he's doing it willingly and he's helping MBS to burnish his business. He has really been brought to be a part of the PR machine of the Saudis.

TODD: Mickelson is not the only golf star who's been criticized for downplaying Saudi human rights abuses. Former world number one player Greg Norman, now the CEO of Liv Golf, was quoted as saying, "Look, we've all made mistakes and you just want to learn by those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward."

Some critics accuse the Saudis of sports washing, sponsoring lucrative sporting events in an effort to clean up their reputation. One analyst says that's only part of the kingdom's ambition.

DAVID SHENKER, FORMER ASST. SECRETARY FOR NEAR EASTERN AFFAIRS: They want to go from 30 million tourists to 100 million in the next 15, 20 years. They're building golf courses and building beach communities. They've got a Six Flags amusement park they're building. They have got Mariah Carey concerts.

[11:55:00] TODD: One of the biggest questions here remains only partially answered. Tiger Woods was reportedly rejected a massive pay day offered by Liv Golf. But many eyes in the golf world are still watching to see if Woods will definitively renounce the Saudi golf series.

Brian Todd, CNN -- Washington.

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WALKER: Inflation hasn't risen this quickly since December of 1981. So let me take you back.

The top song on the Billboard charts then, Olivia Newton John's "Physical". The TV everyone was watching "Dallas". And the top movie --

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HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: I don't know. I'm making this up as I go.

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WALKER: And we all feel you Indy. We'll talk about where Americans are getting hit in the wallet hardest when we come back.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Jones, you're a man of many talents.

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