Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

NYC Marchers Praise State Action, Call For National Gun Reforms; Gas Hits $5.00 Per Gallon As Summer Travel Season Begins; Next Hearing To Focus On Trump's False Claims About Election; Record Heat Wave Spreading Across U.S.; Americans Facing Highest Inflation In 40-Plus Years; Justin Bieber Says He Has Face Paralysis Due To Rate Syndrome. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired June 11, 2022 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:13]

(PROTESTERS CHANTING)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A massive crowd of demonstrators make their way from Brooklyn over to Manhattan.

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These marches, this has to become an election issue.

MAN: Our enemy is not the left or right, our common enemy is gun violence.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The national average for a gallon of gas setting an all-time record.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in California, this is considered a great deal at $6.09 a gallon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're curtailing a lot of what we're doing, not taking any even short trips.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: The Capitol riot Committee's primetime hearing laying out in detail how the insurrection unfolded.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The politicians, the pundits who say that January 6th was anything short of a violent insurrection are lying.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Committee is promising many more details that we haven't learned before.

BROWN: Justin Bieber taking a break after getting a rare virus that has paralyzed half his face.

JUSTIN BIEBER, SINGER: I can't smile on this side of my face.

BROWN: I am Pamela Brown, you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

A call to action under a banner that sums up the high stakes. March for Our Lives in more than 400 cities across the country today, these rallies demand that lawmakers confront the explosion of gun violence and mass shootings. The largest was in Washington where significant gun reform has stalled for years in the Senate.

And right now negotiators working on a bipartisan package are expressing some optimism for a compromise. The public pressure is growing after the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and the racist slaughter inside a Buffalo grocery store. The son of the oldest victim in Buffalo spoke to demonstrators today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYMOND WHITFIELD, MOTHER WAS VICTIM OF BUFFALO MASS SHOOTING: The so many times that we sat there watching the victims of gun violence cry with them and then when the second is over, we can wipe away the tears and pull ourselves together and go on with our lives.

But when you're standing here, these are the tears you can't wipe away. These tears will last a lifetime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Our correspondents are fanned out across the country to cover these urgent demands for tougher gun laws. Let's begin with Polo Sandoval at the rally in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: I'm Polo Sandoval in New York where on Saturday, a large group of demonstrators adding their voice to the growing chorus across the country calling for meaningful gun reform at the national level.

We saw a large group of demonstrators with NYPD clearing the way basically marching from Brooklyn over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge and then coming together in Lower Manhattan continuing to call for that reform.

What's significant here, of course, in the last several days, New York State lawmakers have taken this step in that specific direction, not only introducing, but also enacting some of that meaningful gun reform.

What I heard from demonstrators today is that they are coming together today not only reflecting on that, but also calling on Federal lawmakers to take similar steps as well.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brian Todd in Washington where the March for Our Lives rally drew a healthy crowd here at the foot of the Washington Monument. Several impassioned speeches by leaders of the movement and others who are affected by gun violence that really kind of carried the day here in Washington. A lot of impassioned messages.

We also spoke to several people in the crowd who expressed frustration -- sheer frustration -- that more has not been done to end gun violence since the Parkland shooting in 2018, which got this movement going.

Two of the most impassioned speakers were the sons of Ruth Whitfield. She is an 86-year-old woman who was among the 10 people killed in the Buffalo supermarket shooting on May 14th.

GARNELL WHITFIELD, JR., MOTHER WAS VICTIM OF BUFFALO MASS SHOOTING: We are here to stand with those who are bold enough to demand sensible gun legislation that will help to reduce the gun violence in our communities, that will stop the slaughter of our most precious commodity -- people, human beings, sisters, brothers, fathers, grandparents, friends, and in my case, my 86-year-old mother.

TODD: And in addition to the passion and personal stories and frustration expressed here, there was a bit of a security scare which kind of illustrates the tension surrounding this debate on ending gun violence.

At one point, someone scooped the crowd into thinking there was a threat. People started rushing in one direction. There was a bit of a stampede for a few seconds. There was a real panic that lasted only about 10 seconds.

What we were told later by the Park Police was that there was no security threat, but that someone was disrupting what they called a permitted event and that that person was detained and that an investigation is ongoing.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Nadia Romero in Parkland, Florida on the same spot where there was a vigil the day after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 students and staff members were killed.

[18:05:10]

ROMERO: And it's the same spot where there was a march for our lives more than four years ago, a month after that shooting, and here we are, again.

I spoke with one Parkland shooting survivor who tells me that she thought there would have been more change in all of these years on a nationwide level. Take a listen.

SARI KAUFMAN, PARKLAND SHOOTING SURVIVOR: I never expected for me to come back here to do another march, I expected our lawmakers to do their jobs.

So for me to be back here, it is emotional and it is upsetting. But I'm hoping that this time, they will do something and I do believe, you know, if they continue to have inaction, more and more kids will die.

ROMERO: I also spoke with a woman, Debbie Hixon, her husband was the Athletic Director and he died while charging the gunman trying to protect his students. She says that he would be so proud of his former students, many of them who are in college and will continue their activism.

She says she hopes that activism turned into action by Congress.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BROWN: Nadia Romero, Polo Sandoval, and Brian Todd, thank you.

And as Nadia mentioned there, March for Our Lives, was born in the shock and the grief of the High School massacre in Parkland, Florida back in 2018. A student survivor who cofounded the movement spoke to the crowd today in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID HOGG, PARKLAND SURVIVOR AND MARCH FOR OUR LIVES COFOUNDER: Here's the reality: If our government can't do anything to stop 19 kids from being killed and slaughtered in their own school and decapitated, it is time to change who is in government.

As we gather here today, the next shooter is already plotting his attack while the Federal government pretends it can do nothing to stop it. Since this shooting in Texas, the Senate has done only one thing, they have gone on recess.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: David Hogg joins me now.

Hi, David.

So in 2018, you said to the effect, we are the kids, you're the adults, do something. Here we are in 2022, is America abandoning its young people in your view?

HOGG: I don't think so. I think it would be wrong to say that America is abandoning our young people. I think our Senate is abandoning the American people, and what I mean by that is that we need action.

Americans across the country agree left and right, gun owners and non- gun owners, the millions that have marched with us in 2018 and at March with Us today agree we need action, not debate. And I don't think that we've let down our young people, I think our Senate has let down our young people.

BROWN: While the Senate as you know, is part of negotiating. There has been a group pulled together, Republicans and Democrats and here is what is likely on the table here: Incentives for states to enact Red Flag Laws, allowing background checks to access juvenile records, money for mental health facilities for all 50 states and for school security.

Do you think these potential reforms will have meaningful impact and potentially stop the next mass shooting?

HOGG: I think it's possible that some of these reforms could stop the next mass shooting, but we can't stop here. Whatever the Senate implements is going to be at best, moderate.

We need to focus on continuing this effort, continuing the momentum until no shootings happen in any community regardless of whether or not it looks like Parkland or whether or not it doesn't. And I think the reality is progress is progress, though. And that's

what we're here for. We're here -- even if these policies just stopped one Parkland from happening, it is progress.

As Americans, you know, I understand that we are living in a very divided time in our country and in our nation's history. However, I believe that we need to come back together and focus on what we can agree on. At minimum, that's our kids, right? They aren't Democrats or Republicans, they are Honor Roll students and T ballplayers. Let's focus on helping them and let's focus on creating more perfect union as Americans.

BROWN: And on that note, as you said, you don't want to see gun reform. You don't want it to be seen as a Democrat versus Republican battle. In fact, yesterday, you reached out to FOX News viewers with a letter published on the FOX website, and I want to read part of it to you, you say: "I don't know what the exact answer is, but I know that you should be at the table, your voice matters, your rights matter. Your decency matters."

"We have disagreed in the past, but we are not enemies. Our enemy is not a party or organization, it is gun violence."

So if this message didn't resonate in 2018, why now the country seems so much more polarized in many ways.

HOGG: I think the country may seem very polarized, but I truly believe the most polarized place in our country is our Senate.

I think Americans are sick and tired of seeing this carnage in our schools and communities on a daily basis. And ultimately, no matter you know, the average person on the left or right regardless of whether or not they entirely agree with me, we can all agree we need action to save our kids because just adding more good guys with guns has only done one thing, sell more guns.

They failed in Parkland. They failed in Texas, and they're going to fail again in the future because we can't just keep letting young men that get legal access to AR-15s and get on campus.

[18:10:08]

HOGG: You know, the shooter at my high school, he was not a criminal -- he was a criminal, but he was not a mastermind. He didn't have deep connections to the black market. He was a 19-year-old that was able to legally access an AR-15. The shooter in Texas was 18, and was able to do the same, and so is the shooter in Buffalo, and they weren't mentally ill.

They were hateful individuals who got a weapon, in my opinion, of mass destruction that shouldn't be out there in the first place, and nearly as easy as it is right now.

So at a minimum, let's try to raise the age to 21. And ultimately, this is a call to action to all Americans. You know, I want you to look at your kids, if you're a parent at home right now. I want you to look at your kids, your best friend, if you don't have kids, that person could be next. And that's why we need you in this fight.

If you want to join us text "Next" to 954-954. That's "Next" to 954- 954.

BROWN: Really quickly, you said these previous shooters, they weren't mentally ill. What do you say to those, particularly Republicans who say this is a mental health issue, and that these shooters were mentally ill and that we need to do more on the mental health front? And again, this all comes in -- I'm putting this out there as a caveat -- look, most people who have mental health issues are victims, not perpetrators and I want to make that clear.

HOGG: Yes.

BROWN: I don't want to -- I do not want to perpetuate a stigma, but I do want to let you respond to that, what we hear a lot of times from Republican senators, for example.

HOGG: Well, let me ask, you know, I would reframe it as, why are we only asking this when it is predominantly White mass shooters, and we only talk about mental health in that context, when it's not, we call them a terrorist, or we call them a criminal, or we call them something else, right?

Let's realized that radicalization and becoming a White supremacist is not a mental illness. It is a systemic problem in our country that it is going to take all Americans to address -- to address the hatred that is out there, because we can't just address how somebody gets these guns, we've got to address why did they pick them up in the first place, and address the fact that mental health does have a role to play in gun violence, but it's in addressing the two-thirds of gun deaths that are suicides that are predominantly men that are not talked about.

And it's also about addressing the daily trauma that Black and Brown communities especially experienced disproportionately in this country from gun violence.

You know, there are kids that are traumatized outside of their schools that do need mental health support. So, we do need to fund mental health more.

I'm just saying that's not use it as a scapegoat and stigmatize mental health, so that a kid goes to their teacher and says, "I'm depressed," and then gets put on a list of possible school shooters when they are way more at risk themselves than others.

BROWN: All right, David Hogg, thank you for coming on and sharing your perspective on this important issue and we will continue to be covering it on the show. Thank you.

HOGG: Yes.

BROWN: And heads up for tomorrow for our brand new CNN Special Report. Drew Griffin talks with people who know Alex Jones, "Megaphone for Conspiracy" beginning Sunday night at eight Eastern only on CNN. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. Coming up this hour: $5.00 gas. It is

now the national average per gallon for the first time.

Heat alerts for more than 60 million people as temperature break records.

And Justin Bieber forced to take time out because of facial paralysis.

Also does wearing glasses make you smarter? Our Harry Enten has the science behind spectacles.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:17:26]

BROWN: Well, tonight gas prices in the U.S. have crossed a line they have never crossed before.

The national average for regular unleaded is now $5.00 per gallon that is an all-time record. More than 20 states are at $5.00 or more.

In California, it's a lot more. The average there is $6.43 per gallon.

CNN's Paul Vercammen has been talking to drivers in Los Angeles.

Paul, I imagine they're not very happy right now as the summer travel season that's kicking off.

VERCAMMEN: And you are right and I'll borrow a California term for it, if you don't mind, Pam, they are totally "bummed" here and irate with these high gas prices, and that's because this is the time of year as you've alluded to where Californians like to take their day trips, go up and down the coast a hundred miles or so.

You look behind me, $6.09 a gallon. That is considered a great deal here in Southern California, and I'd have to say, there is a cluster of Californians that are being sort of zen about this. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not necessarily. We're actually planning on probably hitting the coast sometime this summer with our baby. We have a new child -- a newborn. So we're going to be making adjustments as necessary.

But we'll continue, life goes on. And unfortunately, it is a high tax state. So, we're going to be feeling it in our pockets very soon and quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: And now back here, what is at play? Fifty one cents a gallon gas tax here in California. There was a proposal floated by the Governor that he'd give a $400.00 rebate per car up to two cars per family.

Right now, we are waiting for more on that. Can he find some co- authors or can he find authors in the State Legislature to go forward with this? The people here at this gas station say, "Yes. Get, us that $400.00 rebate" yesterday.

Reporting from Los Angeles. I'm Paul Vercammen.

Back to you, Pam.

BROWN: No surprise there that that's what they want. Paul Vercammen live in Los Angeles for us. Thanks so much, Paul.

And it's not just gas prices. A new government inflation report shows record price hikes across the economy. Since last May, the cost of groceries has jumped 10 percent. Used cars are up 16 percent, and overall, the report shows the steepest inflation spike since 1981.

Now despite that, President Biden says the economy is in a position of strength.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is in New Mexico where the President landed just a short time ago. Arlette, tell us more about the President's messaging around inflation.

[18:20:00]

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, President Biden insists that fighting inflation remains his top economic priority as so many American families are feeling the pain of those high prices at the gas pump and grocery stores and really across the board.

The President yesterday and today talking about those high prices, attributing the high gas prices now hitting $5.00 a gallon to Russia's war in Ukraine and he spoke about that with reporters a bit earlier today when leaving Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: As outrageous as what the war in Ukraine is, but -- and we're trying very hard to make sure that we can -- we've significantly increased the number of barrels of oil that are being pumped out of reserves we have. We've got 240,000 barrels as well coming from other nations. We're going to keep pushing on it. We are going to keep pushing on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, the President has argued that the overall U.S. economy is in a position of strength, but they had been hoping to see some moderation in these numbers.

But that Consumer Price Index released yesterday offered a dismal report for the Biden administration, especially as they are grappling with the possibility of this being a major political liability for Democrats and the President heading into those November elections.

But the President is insisting that he is trying to take steps that he can to alleviate some of these prices across the board when it comes to gas and food and other items.

BROWN: And of course, this may be his top economic priority, but there's a lot more that he is having to deal with.

Right now, he is in New Mexico, where he is getting briefed about the ongoing wildfire crisis. What more can you tell us about that?

SAENZ: Yes. President Biden is currently meeting with state officials to get an update on their response to the historic wildfires that the state is seeing.

Currently, there are two of the state's largest ever fires burning across New Mexico at this moment. President Biden, speaking just a short while ago at one of those briefings, said that the Federal government will pick up 100 percent of the response cost to those wildfires.

He also acknowledged the role that the National Forest Service played in one of those fires, the Hermit's Peak and Calf Canyon Fires are massive, scorching more than 318,000 acres here in New Mexico. The President, noting that one of those fires was set by a prescribed fire by the National Forest Service. He said most of the time, those are controlled but there was a tragedy with this one, and the President is insisting that the Federal government will be there to help New Mexico as they recover as so many people have lost their homes and are wondering about the future of their state with these wildfires burning.

BROWN: Yes, very, very sad. All right, Arlette Saenz, thank you so much.

And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Saturday. The January 6th Committee is putting its case before the American people claiming then President Trump had a seven-part plan to overturn the 2020 election. Former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent joins me next, we're going to talk about what we're learning and what's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:27:30]

BROWN: Well, after getting off to a dramatic primetime start this week, the January 6th Committee will hold its next hearing on Monday and members say evidence will show that then President Donald Trump knew he had lost the 2020 election, but had a seven-point plan to stay in power. And the panel also intends to prove that Trump directly incited the violence on Capitol Hill.

And there is shocking new video from that day. The Justice Department released footage from a GoPro camera worn by a 22-year-old Texas man who took part in the protests. I will warn you there is strong profanity in this footage, but it is important to convey the reality of what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOLAN COOKE, ARRESTED AND CHARGED IN CAPITOL RIOTS: Get them. Get them.

Get these mother fuckers.

We're coming through. We're coming through.

We love our countrymen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: That young man, Nolan Cooke was sentenced yesterday in D.C. District Court to a year and a day in prison.

Joining me now is CNN political commentator and former Republican Congressman, Charlie Dent.

Hi, Charlie. So not exactly the loving crowd that Donald Trump claimed showed up that day, as we heard, but as we get new glimpses of the mayhem and hear new testimony, what has stood out to you the most?

CHARLIE DENT, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: What stood out to me is that the Committee is trying to demonstrate the American people that this attack was planned and premeditated, and that people in the White House, including the President may have been part of this conspiracy. I think that's what they're after.

They want to show that this was not just some spontaneous eruption on the day of the attack. And I think they're doing that pretty effectively thus far.

Their big challenge, of course, is getting much of the American public, you know, who have heard -- they feel like they've heard it all already. And so the Committee has a challenge to make sure that they bring forth new information that's different than what we've heard up to this point.

BROWN: Well, Liz Cheney, as you well know, Republican may well sacrifice her own little political career for the stand that she is taking. What did you make of her presentation? And do you think that she could have changed any minds in terms of how people in her own party view what happened that day?

[18:30:08]

DENT: I actually thought that Liz Cheney was superb in her presentation and I thought the Committee was smart to put her out front and prosecute the case publicly. I think it's important that she and Adam Kinzinger do this prosecution and do it in a way that where they're using the words of other Republicans, Trump supporters who saw what happened and also said that the election was over and that Trump lost, and who were also very dismayed and disheartened and frankly, you know, offended by what happened on that day in the former president's conduct.

So I think that Liz, I have to give her a great A for her - for what she's done so far. I hope she keeps it up and I hope that the Committee then provides some of the evidence to support some of the charges that she made on Thursday night.

BROWN: Yes, that will be key is seeing the evidence to back up some of the statements that were made. I'm wondering what your reaction, and speaking of evidence, what your reaction is to what the Committee said that these Republicans allegedly lined up for pardons before Trump left the White House.

Now, we should note that Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry was named. He denies he made such a request. Liz Cheney, other lawmakers say there's evidence of this, what do you make of that?

DENT: Yes. Well, Scott Perry's district was adjacent to mine when I served in the Congress, but look if it's in fact true that members of Congress saw pardons from the president, it's based on the fact that they felt that they were - they did something wrong, illegal and criminal.

I mean, why else would one seek a pardon? I mean, they're seeking preemptive pardons because they knew that they should not have been making phone calls to the Department of Justice, to try to get them to change an election outcome. I mean, this is quite a big deal.

As a former member of Congress, let me tell you, I really didn't ever try to call the call that Justice Department to influence anything. I mean, I just was - we're very cautious about any interactions, let alone to do something of this magnitude. So it's clear to me that some of these Republicans, in fact, did seek pardons have a lot of explaining to do.

BROWN: Right. And again, we'll look forward to see more about this, but I've reported back then, around January 6th, me and Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak, that indeed several Republicans approach the White House asking for pardons. So we have the reporting now, this is what the Committee is saying and we'll look for more evidence. What do you think about Republican lawmakers, though, who are downplaying what the Committee is doing, downplaying these hearings, saying it's a democratic show, we should just move on and not be so focused on what happened that day?

DENT: Well, of course, they'd rather be talking about anything else because this was clearly a real stain on the former president and, frankly, on the Republican Party, that so many went along with his nonsense about the election being stolen. So I'm not surprised they're trying to downplay it.

But at the end of the day, they (inaudible) much more concerned about other things like inflation of the price of groceries and gasoline that seems to be driving the narrative. I'd also say that I've noticed this too, I've talked to a lot of folks, just anecdotally, who've told me that, yes, we've heard it all before they're not totally tuned in, so this is a challenge for the Committee. But I do think Republicans know that this is a very sensitive topic

for them. They don't want to talk about it. They don't see that - obviously, it doesn't help them, because if we're focused on insurrection day and all that happened then and the former president, they're not talking about the agenda they want to advance, which is to make the Democrats out as the villains in the midterm, which usually midterms are driven by the party in power and the president who's - has a sagging approval rating.

So that's why they're downplaying this right now, even though they all know that what happened was horrendous that day and that the former president was largely responsible for what happened that day.

BROWN: And, of course, that's what really the Committee was trying to convey, right, that the former President Donald Trump was at the center of this conspiracy. As you know, he has denied any wrongdoing here. Donald Trump continues to hold rallies and he is certainly behaving as though he is considering a run in 2024.

Our Harry Enten is out with a new article saying he is more popular than ever with Republicans since January 6th. That after - right after January 6th, his popularity went down and it has since gone up, what do you think about that?

DENT: I think Harry's polling is probably correct that the former president is still the strongest figure within the Republican Party today.

BROWN: So why do you think that is?

DENT: But I also think there's a lot of fatigue with - well, I think because there really hasn't been a strong counter narrative to the former president. I think there needs to be a strong push back and there just hasn't been. And so I do think that the President - the former president is a diminished figure. He is still a dangerous figure, but I do think there's a lot of fatigue with Donald Trump.

I mean, I saw editorials (inaudible) they mattered that much but in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post really lambasting the former president. And so that - I mean that speaks to potentially more of conservative audience.

[18:35:05]

But end of the day, Donald Trump, right now, he still is favored to win a nomination should he win and the more candidates in the race, the better for him because of a crowded field will - his supporters will make him prevail. But I still think that he's a weak general election candidate and nobody should think for a moment that a midterm - a successful midterm for the GOP will translate into a successful 2024. We've seen this show before.

BROWN: All right. Charlie Dent, great to have you on. Thank you so much.

DENT: Thanks, Pamela. Great to be with you. BROWN: And be sure to stay with us for special live coverage of the

January 6 committee public hearings and it starts Monday morning at 9 Eastern right here on CNN.

Well, summer officially is more than a week away, but across much of the United States it feels like we are right in the thick of it. More on the record heat gripping much of the country of next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:34]

BROWN: A record breaking heat wave is making its way across the U.S. More than 60 million people are under some type of heat alert. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar breaks it down for us.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're right, Pamela. It's a lot of people from California all the way over to Louisiana that are under some type of heat alert and that number of states could increase in the coming days as that heat is expected to spread across the rest of the country. Take a look at some of these temperatures. Bakersfield, California expected to be still in the triple digits on Sunday, Las Vegas topping out at 108, even Phoenix looking at about almost 10 degrees above their average temperature this time of year.

It's not just the afternoon highs though, it's those overnight low temperatures not cooling off. Look at Tucson looking at a low overnight of only 83. Phoenix dropping to only 90, even Dallas dropping down to only 82.

The concern there is you need that temperature to drop below 80 degrees to really allow your body to cool itself off and protect it for the next day when those temperatures rebound once again into very high levels. Dallas, Houston a lot of areas of Texas looking at multiple days of triple digit heat. In fact, Houston and Austin could end up breaking up to five consecutive days of record high temperatures, but they're not the only ones.

As this heatwave spreads east, records are possible from California all the way through New York over the next five days. And you really see that heat rebound in the coming days across the southeast and Midwest, Nashville topping out at triple digits by the time we get to Monday and Tuesday, same thing for Raleigh by middle of next week.

BROWN: All right. Thanks so much, Allison Chinchar.

Well, the CDC says 45 probable or confirmed monkeypox cases have been found in 16 states and DC but officials have not yet identified any specific hotspots. CNN's Jacqueline Howard has more details.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN REPORTER: Pamela, monkeypox cases are cropping up around the U.S., not just in one particular area of the country. The CDC says at least three quarters of patients had traveled recently, but some haven't, suggesting there is some community transmission occurring here in the U.S. and that means increasing testing is crucial to catch the virus spreading in real time. Here's CDC official and veterinarian Dr. Jennifer McQuist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER MCQUIST, CDC OFFICIAL AND VETERINARIAN: CDC is very interested in making sure that we're improving testing among individuals who are presenting with a rash illness - precisely for that reason, we want to be sure that individuals with a characteristic rash like monkeypox are coming to the attention of healthcare providers and getting a monkeypox death and that's how we're going to know if there's community transmission happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD: And that characteristic rash she's referring to conform anywhere on the body and develop into pustules. And those can be contagious until the scabs fall off. But there are a number of other symptoms that can come even earlier in the course of this illness that people need to watch out for. Like fever and headache, sore throat and cough, swollen lymph nodes, back pain and muscle aches may can sometimes be mistaken for other diseases too. So that's why it's important for physicians and patients to be aware and just to be on the lookout, Pamela?

BROWN: All right. Thanks so much, Jacqueline Howard.

Well, you are in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Saturday. From inflation to the midterms, Harry Enten will run the numbers. Plus, he answers the question that has nagged humankind for centuries. Does wearing glasses mean you're smarter? We have props, don't miss it. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:48:41]

BROWN: Inflation has hit a 40-year high in the U.S. Numbers released Friday have inflation at 8.6 percent and surging gas and food prices are a big part of it. I want to bring in our CNN Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten. He is joining us to run the numbers. All right. Harry, give us the historical political context for this.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPOERTER: I mean, you kind of hinted at it right there. I mean, these numbers are ridiculous.

BROWN: Did I just steal it from you?

ENTEN: No, you didn't steal it from me, no, no, no.

BROWN: Okay. Okay. Because that's my biggest (inaudible)--

ENTEN: We got enough time. Yes, we could - you can take a little, I can take a little, it's all good.

BROWN: Okay, good.

ENTEN: Well, look, here's - good, here's the situation, look at look at where we are right now, the yearly change in inflation, that's the CPI-U that's urban areas. Look at this, now 8.6 percent that is the highest by far as much as I could get on this chart, right, it's double the next highest since 1998, 4.2 percent, way higher than pretty much anything else.

You have to go all the way back to 1974 for a midterm year in which at this point, the yearly change in inflation was this high or higher. It is ridiculous and it feels like deja vu when we did gas last week, another time in which this is literally off the charts.

BROWN: So then how important is it heading into the midterms?

[18:50:02]

ENTEN: It's everything. There's a reason why we're doing this segment right now. We were going to potentially do something a little bit different. I went to your executive producer, Adam, I said, no, we are doing inflation, because it is the thing that matters. The single most important issue in your vote for Congress far and away the economy that includes gas and inflation, 48 percent, nothing else is anywhere close, gun violence at 17 percent, abortion at 12 percent, immigration all the way down at 6 percent.

Remember, when Republicans going to potentially run on that in this midterm election, nuh-uh, they can easily run on the economy and that is what they're doing right now with record high gas prices and inflation that we just haven't seen in decades long before I was born.

BROWN: Right. I mean, so speaking of the midterms, where do things stand right now in a historical context?

ENTEN: I feel like, again, deja vu that I'm just running my mouth and saying the same thing over and over and over again. This is off the charts. So look at the generic ballot, that's that national question that I asked, are you going to vote for the Democratic candidate or Republican candidate in your district and doesn't actually name the people who are running.

Look at that going all the way back since 1938. That is long before I was born. That's before World War II. Look at where Republicans are right now. It looks like, hey, wait a minute, they're only up two points. But that is the best position they have ever been on the generic ballot at this point.

And if you look at the other ones, the other in the top five, look at those, who won the majorities in all those years? Republicans, Republicans, Republicans, Republicans, look the past is not necessarily prologue, but if you're looking at the past and you're a Republican, boy almighty, you really have to like where things are right now.

BROWN: Boy almighty, and how does that translate into congressional seats?

ENTEN: Right - I put up a poll, you don't know what the heck that means. National popular vote doesn't necessarily mean very much of anything is Hillary Clinton learning and the Democrats have learned a few times over the last 20 years. But here we go, this is my estimate.

Keep in mind that this is - if the election were held today, which it isn't, right, we still got five months until the midterms, we'll have to see what happens, although history would suggest that things aren't necessarily going to get better for Democrats. But based on a formula that is based on historic race ratings from The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections at this particular point, if the election were held today, Republicans would get 236 to 241 seats, on average, Democrats would just have 194 seats to 199 seats on average.

This would essentially be the Republican majority that they got after the 2010 midterms, which, of course, was a blow up by historic proportions. At this particular point, this looks like a historic blowout for Republicans. But, of course, we have to wait and see. Let's see what happens with the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

But at this particular point, Democrats better hope something changes, because if it doesn't change, they are not only going to be in the minority, they are going to be deep down in the minority.

BROWN: Whoa. All right. So I want to get to what's coming up in your podcast this week, because we both brought props, right?

ENTEN: Oh, you brought props.

BROWN: I brought props too.

ENTEN: I brought props.

BROWN: Yup, I did. Here they are. I think they're a little - I think I need to clean them a little bit. Let me just clean them really quick. Okay, now I can see, all right. We're good.

ENTEN: Mine are dirty as heck, but I can see perfectly clear. Luckily my vision is actually pretty good. I should point out that I don't actually need glasses. My vision is actually perfect. But (inaudible)--

BROWN: Oh, I'm so jealous. I have contacts on underneath the glasses so everything is like really blurry for me right now. But the question is, do I look smarter. I mean, that's what you're looking at, right? Like do glasses actually make you seem smarter to people?

ENTEN: So this is interesting, right? The short answer is yes. They make you look smarter. Most people think that glasses make you look smarter. Court defendants even tried the nerd defense, right? They'll put on glasses if let's say they are accused of a crime and - which some in the jury might think, hey, you know what, a smart person couldn't actually commit that crime. But is it actually true? Do glasses make - mean you're smarter if you have poor vision?

Well, I'm not going to give it away right here, you're going to have to actually tune in to find out and you can tune in and find out if you go to Apple, Stitch or any podcast, download the episodes. They're a lot of fun just like the segment has been a lot of fun.

BROWN: Okay, real quick, do I look smarter?

ENTEN: You look smart no matter what. But with the glasses on, you continue to look smart.

BROWN: Oh, that was the right answer. That is the answer, but it's always an uphill battle because I'm blonde. Anyway, go blonde. Blondes are smart. Harry Enten, love this segment. I'm going to listen to your podcast, can't wait. Thank you so much.

ENTEN: Thank you. Have a good weekend.

BROWN: You too.

[18:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:59:42]

BROWN: Well, pop star Justin Bieber says he can't perform his upcoming shows because of a rare syndrome that has paralyzed one side of his face.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN BIEBER, POP STAR: As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can't smile on the side of my face. This nostril will not move. So there's full paralysis in the side of my face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[19:00:06]