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Daughter of Putin Ally Killed In Car Bomb Outside Moscow; NY State Reports First Minor Infected Monkeypox; Historic Drought; Fulton County DA Calls Sen. Graham Testimony "Crucial"; Education Secretary: Decision On Student Loan Pause Coming Soon. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired August 21, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:00:28]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin with a deepening mystery in Moscow. Police there say they have opened a murder investigation after the daughter of a prominent ally of Vladimir Putin was killed by a car bomb on the outskirts of the city. Investigators saying they believe the bombing was planned and an acquaintance told Russian state news that she had been driving her father's car when the explosion happened.

A Russian foreign ministry official implied that Ukrainians state (INAUDIBLE) were responsible for the explosion, a claim that Ukrainian authorities have denied with one senior official saying we are not a criminal state.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow for us. So Fred, where do things stand on this investigation?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. As you can see, I mean, a lot of this is still very much a mystery. At such dazzling times here right now in Russia as you have Russia's special military operation, as they call it, in Ukraine going on.

And so there were, of course, someone in the pretty high echelons here in Russia who believe that maybe the Ukrainians might be behind all of this. But right now, it still remains absolutely unclear.

The latest that we have from the investigation is that they say that the explosive yield of that charge was the equivalent of about 400 grams of TNT. They say that the bomb was placed inside the car. They've recovered some parts of it apparently and sent that in for a forensic investigation as well. But still very much unclear who might be behind all this.

Here's what we're learning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: A car engulfed in a massive fire ball on a highway outside Moscow. Police say the vehicle exploded and then crashed. The driver dead on the scene.

That driver was Darya Dugina, a well-known commentator and supporter of Russia's invasion of Ukraine who was sanctioned by the United States and by the U.K. She was also the daughter of prominent right wing idealogue Aleksandr Dugin who promotes Russian expansionism.

According to Russian state media, an explosive device detonated Saturday night, setting the vehicle on fire. Russia has opened a criminal investigation. The investigative committee says they believe Dugina was murdered.

"Taking into account the data already obtained, the investigation believes that the crime was pre-planned and of an ordered nature," a statement said.

While forensic work continue, the foreign ministry implied that Ukraine may be behind the attack. "If the Ukrainian trace is confirmed," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram, "then we should talk about the policy of state terrorism implemented by the Kyiv regime." The Ukrainians deny any involvement.

MIKHAILO PCDOLAK, ADVISER TO THE HEAD OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: I emphasized that Ukraine has nothing to do with this because we are not a criminal state which the Russian federation is, and even more so we are not a terrorist state.

But some in Russia believe Darya Dugina wasn't the actual target of the explosion but rather her father. Aleksandr Dugin, also sanctioned by the U.S. remains highly influential in Russia as he calls for the annexation of large parts of Ukraine. An ultra conservative philosopher and TV personality with roots in the Orthodox Church, he is a champion of Russian expansionism. Some claiming he may have influenced Vladimir Putin's decision to further invade Ukraine.

In 2014 Dugin said Russia must quote, "kill, kill, and kill" the people running Ukraine and that there should be no more discussion.

Darya Dugina was 29 years old when she was killed. Russian investigators say they are frantically working to find those responsible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: And Fredricka, those Russian investigators they were working that crime scene throughout the better part of the day. You could see that as the day progressed. Of course, that area outside of Moscow, widely cordoned off. There were some people who were going by there as well.

Have not heard anything from Vladimir Putin on this yet as we get into the late evening here in Moscow. But if you look at sort of the upper echelons of Russian politics and especially through the spheres of Kremlin controlled media, you do hear a lot of anger, they are in those fears and of course, also this sends chills through that society as well.

[14:04:50]

WHITFIELD: All right. Fred Pleitgen in Moscow, thank you so much.

Let's talk more about all this with Bob Baer. He's a CNN intelligence and security analyst and a former CIA operative. So good to see you.

So Russia is implying that Ukraine had a hand in this bombing. Ukraine saying it isn't a terror state. Where do you think things stand here?

ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY ANALYST: Well, first of all, Fred, this is a sophisticated attack. It was either remote- controlled detonator or pressure device with a very sophisticated timer. So it was somebody who knew what they were doing.

It could have been Ukrainian intelligence. Something they would never admit, or worse for Putin, if it was somebody inside Russia, trying to destabilize his regime. Either way, an assassination like this is so close to the Kremlin will really make Putin paranoid.

WHITFIELD: So if Russia is leading in this investigation, what do you trust about the investigation? And of the findings? And what would potentially be revealed?

BAER: I trust nothing. Putin may use this as pretext to pick up, you know, the assault on Ukraine. He may start assassinating people overseas. Prominent Ukrainians, something like this. He will use it as a pretext. But as for the facts of the attack, I don't think we'll ever see that.

WHITFIELD: So then do you feel, you already mentioned, this is a very sophisticated, possibly remote-controlled kind of bombing. Are these the hallmarks of any particular person, entity, or even country based on the kinds of crimes like this that have been investigated?

BAER: You know, Fred, again it is the precision. It looks to me, they went out of their way not to kill anybody else. She could have been killed in the parking lot. She could have been killed with a pistol, or any number of ways but it is the precision that should scare the Russians because we're talking about professionals.

There are people in Ukraine who could carry this off. I don't think it is your normal terrorist group, for instance, the Chechens or the rest of it (INAUDIBLE).

WHITFIELD: So a friend of the Dugin family told Russian media that Darya was driving her father's car when it happened. She's also been an outspoken Russian nationalist herself. Do you think that she was the target? Do you believe it may have been was her father who was the target? Or was there some suspicion that they would be together potentially in that car?

BAER: I think the suspicion so far is they'd be together. He went off in a different car. The real target, what was the father, Aleksandr, because he is -- he's almost called for genocide against Ukrainians.

He's a Eurasian nationalist, whatever that is. And he's pushing Putin, at least on TV, if not personally, to wipe out Ukraine. He's despised in Ukraine. He's looked at as, you know, somebody who's promoted mass murder.

He would be most likely the target. But again, we don't know. And again, the Russians are never going to tell us the truth.

WHITFIELD: Right. And so as we just heard from Fred Pleitgen, Aleksandr Dugin is a Russian idealogue. He is credited with being the architect or the spiritual guide to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

And while Russia wants to imply that it could have been Ukraine behind it, if not Ukraine that might have been behind this, then who?

BAER: Well, that's Putin's problem if it's an insider because there's a lot of people talking on Telegram that Putin needs to be assassinated. So if it is Russians that carried this out as an attack on the Kremlin, we can count on real serious instability in Russia.

I'm not saying it's going to happen but this could be a harbinger of what is to come.

WHITFIELD: And so when you say a harbinger of what is to come, do you believe there could be other either attempted assassinations or assassinations similar to this or attacks similar to this that you think are possibly soon to follow? That there is a real messaging going on here?

BAER: I think it is messaging. And I think there will be more -- more attacks in Moscow. And don't forget, Russia has a long history of assassinating czars. And the fact that people are talking going this on the dark net really makes you wonder where this is going.

But again Russia -- you know, it is the Kremlin curtain. It is really hard to see behind.

WHITFIELD: Would this in your view precipitate Aleksandr Dugin to now go into hiding? Or some kind of special protection now since his daughter was taken out and it is still unclear who was the intended target?

[14:09:52]

BAER: He should stay at home and have guards because we don't know what's next. His movement is opaque. Whether it is Ukrainian resistance, independent members, state or Russians, he doesn't know where it's going to come from.

Weapons are easy to get in Russia, as are explosives. And so he'd better be very, very careful.

WHITFIELD: All right. Bob Baer, glad you could be with us. Thanks so much.

Still ahead, a new cause for concern in the monkeypox outbreak. A person under the age of 18 tests positive in New York just as the Biden administration takes new steps to curb the spread. Details on that straight ahead.

Plus, a historic drought is fueling unprecedented water shortages in parts of the southwest. We'll tell you how states are responding.

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[14:14:44]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

New troubling signs in the monkeypox outbreak. For the first time a person under the age of 18 has tested positive for the disease in New York state. There are at least two other known cases previously identified in children in the U.S.

And it comes as the White House launches a new program to make monkeypox vaccines available at large LGBTQ events including this weekend's Pride Festival and Parade in Charlotte, North Carolina.

And that's where we will find CNN's Dianne Gallagher joining us live. So Dianne, what are you hearing there?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred.

This is the first time that Charlotte has been able to celebrate pride in two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are tons of people here and a lot of excitement but health officials say now they're not just worrying about COVID. They are worrying about the monkeypox outbreak.

Of the roughly 200 cases in North Carolina confirmed so far, just about 95 of them are here in Mecklenburg County. And so it was welcome from the Biden administration. They were going to send 2,000 doses to the Charlotte Pride Festival events this weekend.

Now look, you can kind of see behind me. there's a lot of people here. They're going around, there is this parade here. There are stipulations to that.

And I'll be honest, we haven't seen a lot of advertisement here at the parade today for the vaccine but there are people walking around telling people that they can get it for free here.

There's actually one man that we ran into, said how he found out and was able to get vaccinated at the festival.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABE GADIKAN, RECEIVED MONKEYPOX VACCINE: I think there is a lot of questions as far as where to get it, how to get it. And doing it at an event like this, and having people reaching out and telling people where to get it, when to get it.

Especially if you can get it right now, you don't have to make an appointment. Made it very easy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: Now again, they just have those 2,000 doses here. This is part of 50,000 doses that are being sent out to Prides and other LGBTQ events across the nation right now by the Biden administration to accelerate their response for the monkeypox outbreak. It is first come, first serve. And there is stipulation.

They want to avoid the stigma here because anybody can get monkeypox but right now it is predominantly showing up in men who have sex with men or transgender people.

And so that is the criteria to get the shot here at this event. Basically you either have to have close contact with someone who has tested positive and or you need to be a man who has sex men or transgender people and fits other criteria within the past 90 days.

Another key, there is no residency requirement. In cities across the country, there have been waiting lists including here in Charlotte for those who want to get the monkeypox vaccine. The idea is without a residency requirement coming and meeting people where they're at Fred, you have a better chance of getting the vaccine to the people who need it the most.

Now look, here in Mecklenburg County, they are going to be doing it intra-dermally which is how they can get those five vaccine doses per vial. There were some controversies surrounding that. But the people who I talked to here say that they're just glad to get the vaccine it right now. It is something they haven't been able to get.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dianne Gallagher, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thanks so much.

All right. Coming up, a historic drought is gripping the southwestern, worsening disastrous water levels. How communities are responding, next.

[14:18:08

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WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

In the southwest of this country, severe drought conditions are sparking real concerns about the water supply. In June, the federal government mandated that states sharing the shrinking Colorado River form a plan to significantly cut back on water consumption but that deadline came and went with no plans in place.

And this past week, federal officials announced the river will run in a tier two shortage condition beginning in January. And that means Arizona and Nevada will have to significantly reduce their Colorado River use beginning in January.

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly weighed in on the ongoing water crisis this morning on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): We have this climate crisis that is affecting water in the west. And these reservoirs -- Lake Powell, Lake Mead -- have gotten to now historically low levels. And the rate of decline is such that we have to do more.

Let me make it clear. We've got other sources of water other than the Colorado River. I mean this is water from the Salt River. Salt River

But the Colorado River is a good amount of our water. It is important for agriculture. It is important for communities across the state. But, you know, we're good at solving, you know, hard problems and we're going to work our way through this one. We do have the tools in place.

What we don't have is the partnership right now with other states. Arizona has made an offer to put more and leave more water up in Lake Mead, by far, than any other state. So we need the other upper and lower basin states to step up and do their part.

If they do that, we're not going to have, as you say, a catastrophic collapse of the system. We will be able to stabilize it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Senator Kelly, an astronaut, talked about the view of climate change from space.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLY: The deforestation that you see across the planet is evident from space. And if one guy can see changes in our planet from low earth orbit, we've got a problem. We're putting more carbon up into the atmosphere every year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That water crisis isn't only an issue for the basin states. Mexico also has to make cuts to its water usage from the Colorado River, a country that is dealing with the worst drought in decades.

[14:24:52]

WHITFIELD: CNN's senior Latin affairs editor, Rafael Romo joining me now with more details on this.

Rafael, Mexico is dealing with dramatic effects of this drought.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AFFAIRS EDITOR: Yes, that's right, Fred.

Even with the serious drought effects in some western states here in the U.S., people can still more or less take for granted when they open their faucets at home, water will come out.

The situation in many cities in Mexico including some of the most important ones is so bad that taps are running dry and people need to stand in line for hours just to be able to get enough water for a day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMO: It had the feel of an outdoor festival or county fair. But this public gathering in northern Mexico is a citizens group response to a crisis, a severe drought that has caused extensive water shortages in Coahuila State.

During a recent day long event they called Waterton, they were collecting bottled water for distribution in neighborhoods where taps have run dry.

"It is urgent to send truck loads to those communities," this organizer says, adding that their goal was to collect ten metric tons of bottled water for people in need.

Coahuila is not the only Mexican state facing a severe drought. It's so dry in Nueva Leon which borders with Texas that Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador declared an emergency there late last month as most of the country suffers rain shortages since 2020 and 2021.

"In an emergency situation, people's needs should be the priority," the president said. His decree means that the government they can tap into industrial and agricultural water allotment to quench people's thirst.

The leader of the largest industrial association in Monterrey rejected any suggestion that companies are taking more than their fair share of water.

GUILLERMO DILON, NUEVA LEON INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION CHAMBER (through translator): There are companies that are not using all their water. But on paper, they have the right to use that much water. Well, those permits can be transferred so the water utility company can legally take more water from the sub soil to inject it into the drinking water network of the Monterrey metropolitan area.

ROMO: Monterrey, one of Mexico's most important cities, is Nueva Leon's capital state. The industrial hub of nearly 6 million depends mainly on two reservoirs including Cerro Prieto (ph). But as these NASA satellite images show its water levels dropped to 0.5 percent of its capacity of 393 million cubic meters in the last seven years.

For residents like Ruth Gonzales, the situation means spending several hours every day in a desperate effort to find enough water for her family's daily needs.

She says there was no water in her neighborhood and was afraid she wouldn't be able to find any at the vending machine, which proved to be true for a third day in a row. Earlier this month, drought conditions and low levels at a reservoir in central Mexico prompted rationing measures in Mexico City, the capital, and the adjoining Mexico State.

At more than 26 million, together they formed the most populated metropolitan area in the entire country, and one of the largest in the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMO: And Fred, just to give you an idea about how bad the situation is. The latest report from the Mexican agency that monitors this situation says nearly 60 percent of the Mexican territory is experiencing drought conditions. Even if it started raining tomorrow, Fred, it would take many months or years for those reservoirs to go back to their normal levels.

Back to you.

WHITFIELD: That's incredible. We are all feeling it -- everywhere, every corner of the earth right now.

All right. Rafael Romo, thank you so much.

All right. Stranded for hours -- quite the opposite. A flash flood, trapped nearly 160 people Saturday at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Park rangers tried to evacuate the park but the only road in and out quickly became impassable, as you see right there.

The tourists were forced to shelter at the park's visitor center. Robert and Stephanie Saavedra and their three kids were among those stranded. They were about halfway done with their tour when the evacuation started.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT SAAVEDRA, TOURIST: It took us about maybe 20, 30 minutes to get out.

STEPHANIE SAAVEDRA, TOURIST: The road center washed out and we can't pass. They don't even know about food and water for us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow, the Saavedra family says the park had food but only for purchase and they didn't have enough to feed everyone. The tourists were finally evacuated around midnight.

And this quick programming note. Hawaii is a paradise. But for whom? W. Kamau Bell goes beyond the crowded beaches in Hawaii to explore the tensions between visitors and locals in an all new episode of "UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA WITH W. KAMAU BELL".

[14:29:58]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

W. KAMAU BELL, CNN HOST: Is it possible to move in Hawaii and not be (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

[14:30:02]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. So that's my question. BELL: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, man. OK.

I think in current times, especially if you know better, especially if it was a choice, no, there is no way to move to Hawaii in my personal opinion and not be a part of what contributes to our harm. So I mean --

BELL: I guess your T-shirt answered the question.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It really is, you're taking up space.

BELL: Even if you're touristing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even if you're touristing. And if you're touristing, you're directly contributing to an industry that commoditized and bastardizes our culture, uses us as an aesthetic, tells us what part of us are pretty but we're your servers. We are here to entertain you. We're here to take care of you and just give, give, give. But you don't give anything back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Whoa! That's heavy.

All right. You can catch the new episode tonight at 10:00 p.m., right here on CNN.

All right. Still ahead, Senator Lindsey Graham's ongoing court battle hits another bump. Will he have to testify in front of a Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election? We'll discuss, next.

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[14:35:22]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back.

New today, a federal appeals court judge has now temporarily paused an order for Senator Lindsey Graham to testify in Georgia. He was scheduled to appear in front a grand jury in Atlanta on Tuesday. The Fulton County district attorney calls Graham crucial to their investigation of Republican efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election votes in Georgia.

Here with me now, CNN's legal analyst Norm Eisen. He served as special counsel during President Trump's first impeachment trial.

Norm, so good to see you.

NORM EISEN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Fred, always a pleasure.

WHITFIELD: All right. This is a serious ping pong game, right? There is a lot of back and forth in this case. And I do need to point out that you filed amicus briefings in Georgia, arguing that Graham does not have complete immunity in this case. So what does today's ruling actually mean for Senator Graham? Will he testify or not on Tuesday?

EISEN: Well, he won't testify on Tuesday, Fred, but I don't think the ruling is good news for him either. He won't testify because there is a temporary stay while the district court, the appellate court, sent it back down to the district court.

What they said was they wanted briefing on partial quashing of the subpoena. To me, that is a hint that they think Graham can testify about non-legislative stuff. But speech or debate clause of the Constitution limits testimony about his official news.

WHITFIELD: So, it goes back to the other court. It's all hinging on the Constitution speech, or debate clause. And the Constitution's Speech or Debate Clause needs a little more explaining. What are those causes? Why are they relevant to this case?

EISEN: The Constitution establishes a distinction. Senators, members of the House of Representatives are not allowed to be questioned about speech or debate in Congress. But here you have a D.A. who has made clear, she wants to question about an array of other things that have nothing to do with that. Such as campaign contacts, or questions that Graham was asking about purely partisan political matters down in Georgia, disqualifying votes in strongly pro-Biden areas.

Those are not official duties, Fred. So the Constitution makes that distinction.

WHITFIELD: So Fulton County district attorney's office writing in a court filing last week that Graham should testify before the county's special purpose grand jury, because he possesses necessary and material information, but also because he is expected to bring information regarding additional sources of relevant information.

So, from your estimation, how important is Graham to this investigation?

EISEN: Well, he is important. He's not the most critical. You know, I think we're working our way hear to an eventual invitation for those at the top of the pyramid, former chief of staff Mark Meadows, Donald Trump himself. Graham is in the middle of the pyramid.

That statement, I believe, points to one of the nonofficial things that Graham can tell us -- I wrote about this in our amicus brief -- contacts that he had with the Trump campaign. Those are political, not official. They can give us some information on the activities of Donald Trump's campaign to try to illegitimately overturn the vote in Georgia or not. We'll see once he gets asked the question.

WHITFIELD: So it is a busy week. Not just in Georgia but Florida as well, because on Thursday, a Florida magistrate judge will appear from the Department of Justice. And DOJ would want to redact parts of the Mar-a-Lago search affidavit before their would be a release. What would be the benefit if indeed it is released so heavily redacted and people have to figure out a few words all out of context? EISEN: Well, Fred, it's very interesting because it involves the same

kind of compromise that I think the 11th circuit was hinting at when it called for partial quash. Here, it's partial release, partially not.

[14:40:01]

I think the things we can still learn from the redacted affidavit are: number one, what exactly does the Justice Department believe. There's probable cause, evidence to show that Donald Trump did, contrary to these three statutes, the Espionage Act, 18 USC 2071, and also, obstruction of justice, three statutes that have all documents specific. Those statutes are so broad.

I think we're going to find out the theory of the case. Kind of like when the prosecutor bombs up to start explaining to the jury. Here's the statutes. We'll find out some law.

I think we may find some facts. For example, who in the Trump camp signed that document apparently falsely stating there was no more classified information and there was classified information. We may get tips like that. What did they see on the surveillance tape?

So the judge made clear he wants the provide more information. I think just this week, one lie, willful retention of national defense information was released in a set of documents that led to days of coverage. This affidavit will have hundreds, maybe thousands have lines that will be parsed, even with redactions.

WHITFIELD: And it is not your concern that you're saying the theory of the case might be exposed and it would compromise what is an ongoing investigation. That's what the DOJ has been arguing.

EISEN: I am concerned anyone who has dwelt the search warrants and affidavits as I have for three decades knows they often contain super sensitive name of informants could be threatened. Lines of inquiry that could be blocked. More obstruction.

So you have to be very careful. Classified information in this case could compromise national security. I think you can redact that out. Cover it up.

And what's left can be informative without causing harm.

WHITFIELD: OK. All right. Let me shift gears a little bit, Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the January 6 House Select Committee, has said the panel still wants to hear directly from former Vice President Mike Pence regarding their investigation.

And today, she said this about the former president. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): I don't want to get in front of committee deliberations about that. I do think it is very important, as I said in the first hearing, the second hearing, his interactions with our committee will be under oath.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, Norm, do you see a scenario where the former President Trump speaks to the committee under oath?

EISEN: I think that the committee seems to be contemplating inviting him, Fred. We did something very similar in the first impeachment. And there is a dance, a public dance that goes with that and that has a value because it educates the American public, draws their attention to the issues. I think the former president would require a court order to do that. He might surprise us all.

I think the former vice president Mr. Pence might be a different story. He might be willing to honor a subpoena. I think having been through it in the first impeachment, it is a pretty tough hill to climb to get the president. We invited him but he chose not to attend.

WHITFIELD: All right. We shall see.

Norm Eisen, always good to see you. Thanks so much.

EISEN: Fred, thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, borrowers are in limbo as the expiration date for President Biden's freeze on federal student loans inches near. He has yet to say if he'll extend the pause. How can borrowers prepare? We'll discuss, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:48:27]

WHITFIELD: All right. Student loan borrowers, you may have to start making payments again. The current payment pause is set to expire at the end of the month. And President Biden has not decided whether to extend the pandemic related freeze on repayments again. But his education secretary says borrowers can expect a decision soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIGUEL CARDONA, EDUCATION SECRETARY: We know August 31st is the date that many people are waiting to hear something from. We've been talking daily about this. And I can tell you that the American people will hear within the next week or so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Okay. Let's discuss how you can prepare with Michelle Singletary. She's a syndicated personal finance columnist for "The Washington Post." So good to see you.

MICHELLE SINGLETARY, SYNDICATED PERSONAL FINANCE COLUMNIST, THE WASHINGTON POST: So good to see you as well.

WHITFIELD: Awesome. So, Michelle, it's been more than two years since student loan borrowers have been required to make a payment. As we just heard from the secretary, August 31st is right around the corner. So, what do borrowers need to be doing right now to prepare for inevitably what might be a new bill?

SINGLETARY: Yeah. So what I've been telling folks, to just prepare to start making that payment. It may be that there is another pause, possibly until the end of the year. But the fact of the matter is, you're going to have to start those payments back.

So prepare yourself now, whether they announce it, that there's going to be another pause. So for example, if you moved, you need to let your loan servicer know that you've moved. If you have lost your job, your income has been impacted, you need to apply an income-based repayment plan so your payments can come down.

[14:50:05]

The idea is you have to start planning, because those payments are going to come back to your budget and soon.

WHITFIELD: Oh, boy. You know it's coming back.

All right. So, what about broad student loan cancellations? It's been reported that, you know, President Biden is considered canceling as much as $10,000 for millions of borrowers, but again nothing yet.

So, what's your message to people?

SINGLETARY: Yeah. I have been hearing from people saying I will wait and see if the 10,000 is coming or maybe 50,000. I'm not very optimistic about that. For lots of borrowers it will be a drop in the bucket. If you have over $100,000 that will help but not get you out of debt.

So, I like to plan that I have to pay. You need to put yourself in that posture because they have been teasing this loan forgiveness since the pandemic started. Who knows what will happen? So, you prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

WHITFIELD: And so, whatever the administration decides to do about student loans it is really just a band aid for much bigger problem, right? Because going to college is a lot of money and the costs seem to be soaring. So, this is a systemic issue. What does the priority in your view need to be to perhaps lessen the financial burden for young people and families who want to pursue higher education, college?

SINGLETARY: You are so right. This is a problem long before the pandemic. We told young people to go to college at any cost but it is decades of debt. So, what I tell students and parents is to don't put more on you than you can afford.

Coming up in November -- November 1st is early decision date. Lots of kids are applying for college for the first time and looking at schools that they cannot afford. You know, Ivy Leagues, the brand names, no. Apply where you want except don't go if you can't afford it. That's the message I always told parents and our three kids. We have

three kids, three college educations. No debt. We said, you can apply where you want but if you don't get free money to match the money we saved you cannot go.

And it's important lesson, because, listen. I work at "The Washington Post." wonderful newspaper, top of the industry and the person who sat across from me. I went to state school. He went to Ivy League school, and guess what? We both ended up at "The Washington Post."

And I think that's the lesson we have to tell -- there are many good, affordable schools. If you can't afford a university, start at a community college. There are wonderful community college systems across the country that you can start in.

And guess what? When you graduate, nobody is going to ask you where you went why they want to know that you have the skills for the job.

WHITFIELD: All sage advice. Michelle Singletary, that's why we love having you. Just breaking it down. Short and sweet. You get the message, don't go into further debt.

All right. Michelle, good to see you. Thank you so much and congrats on putting three kids through college. Awesome.

SINGLETARY: I know. All three got a job, too. Whoo!

WHITFIELD: I love it. All right. Michelle, thank you.

All right. Still to come -- Fritz or Ferguson? The Cincinnati zoo named the newest baby hippo. So, what does hippo birth control have to do with all this?

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[14:58:25]

WHITFIELD: All right. A new baby hippo at the Cincinnati zoo has a name. Meet Fritz. So cute.

CNN's Jeanne Moos has more on the back story behind the name.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAP)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bobblehead meets hippopotamus. Am I cutest hippo or what? And now, he has a name.

From 200,000 suggestions, it was down to Fritz or Ferguson.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we decided on Baby Fritz.

MOOS: Fans approved, especially the father of this other Fritz. I like pork chop instead tweeted one killjoy, but it's impossible to kill the joy brought by the latest hippo born at the Cincinnati zoo.

The senior hippo keeper Jenna Wingate described his birth on "The Today Show".

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I heard a plop.

MOOS: Fritz is the baby brother of the famous Fiona, she was born, blink and you'll miss it, six weeks premature and was hand raised by keepers for a while.

It took Fiona weeks to take these first steps. But her brother Fritz started walking right away, even if he ended up taking a few spills as he followed in his mother's footsteps.

He is winning hearts merely by wiggling his ears, to open the valves that keep out water.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you want like a gum message?

MOOS: You betcha. Reminds us of the time their mother Bebe patiently let sister Fiona mouth her tongue, explore the roof, practically crawl down her throat, and now Fritz is opening wide.

As for the name Fritz, zookeepers joke that it's apt because of Bibi the mother's contraceptive fail.