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Interview with The Independent Chief Political Commentator and Visiting Professor at King's College London John Rentoul; Boris Johnson's Final Speech Before leaving Downing Street; Liz Truss to Succeed Boris Johnson as U.K.'s New Prime Minister; Deadly California Wildfire; Fairview Wildfire, Southern California Claimed Two Lives; Western U.S. Wildfires Fueled by Heat and Drought; Western U.S. to Experience More Sweltering Temperatures; China's Sichuan Province Shaken by Fatal Earthquake; China Earthquake Leaves At Least 65 People Dead; Southwest China Struck with 6.6. Magnitude Earthquake. Aired 2- 3a ET

Aired September 06, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:39]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary church in Atlanta. The criminal investigation into Donald Trump's handling of government secrets is on hold after a federal judge grants his request for a special master.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Max Foster live in London where in a matter of hours, a new leadership takes over at 10 Downing Street just down the road. Embattled prime Minister Boris Johnson will make a final speech before Liz Truss begins her era. We'll bring it all to you live as it happens.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well, the U.S. Justice Department is considering its next move hours after losing a legal battle with former President Donald Trump. A federal judge appointed by Trump granted his request for a so called special master to review documents seized from Mar-a-Lago. As CNN's Sara Murray explains this throws a wrench into the Justice Department's investigation into potentially mishandled materials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A judge today granted Donald Trump's request for a special master to review the materials the FBI seized from the extraordinary search at Mar-a-Lago. Judge Aileen Cannon writing, because of Trump's role as a former president, the stigma associated with the subject seizure is in a league of its own. A future indictment base to any degree on property that ought to be returned would result in reputational harm of a decidedly different order of magnitude.

And a major victory for Trump, a third party attorney outside of government will soon be tasked with sifting through thousands of documents to identify personal items and materials that could be protected by attorney-client or executive privilege.

JENNIFER RODGERS, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: While it does delay things and slow it down, which of course is bad for DOJ in their case, I think at the end of the day, we're not going to see a lot of documents pulled by the special master.

MURRAY: The judge pointing out that some of the seized materials include taxes and accounting information. The ruling allowing U.S. intelligence agencies to continue their national security damage assessment, but halting the Justice Department's criminal review of its Mar-a--Lago home.

RENATO MARIOTTI, FORMER U.S. FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: I don't think this has a massive impact on their investigation in the long run. If I was the prosecutor working on this case, I'd say let's just trudge forward with the special master, get through this as quickly as we can so we can move on.

MURRAY: Even as the judge acknowledged there was not any evidence of a callous disregard for Trump's constitutional right, adding the Trump ultimately may not be entitled to return of much of the seized property or to prevail on his anticipated claims of privilege. That inquiry remains for another day. Meantime, Trump speaking at his first rally since the FBI searched his resort last month.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They rifled through the First Lady's closet drawers and everything else, and even did a deep and ugly search of the room of my 16-year-old son. The FBI and the Justice Department have become vicious monsters, controlled by radical left scoundrels.

MURRAY: The former president slamming law enforcement as high ranking Republicans offered explanations for why Trump made that hoarding top secret information.

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): You know, I have lived in the classified world most of my professional career. I personally wouldn't do that. But I'm not the president of the United States.

MURRAY: And allies like South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): But what I've tried to do is state the obvious.

MURRAY: Still cleaning up his comments warning of riots in the streets, if prosecutors charged the former president.

GRAHAM: We've had a standard set when it came to Hillary Clinton. If he does, what she did with classified information and he gets prosecuted, and she did, it will create a problem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY: And when it comes to the special master, the Justice Department had previously asked the judge to rule in such a way where they could appeal her decision down the road. The Justice Department now is saying that they're examining her ruling and considering what their next steps are. Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: We're just about two months away from the U.S. midterm elections. And President Joe Biden is hitting the road to help Democrats hold on to control of Congress. He campaigned in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania on Monday, touting his recent legislative wins and economic accomplishments. Mr. Biden is making it clear he wants voters to see the November elections as a choice between his leadership and the extremism of Donald Trump and his supporters.

[02:05:09]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This new group headed by the former president, former defeated president, we found ourselves in a situation where we really going to look forward and look backwards. And it's clear which way he wants to look. It's clear which way the new MAGA Republicans are. They're extreme and democracy is really at stake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ron Brownstein is CNN senior political analyst and a senior editor for The Atlantic and he joins me now from Los Angeles. Good to see you.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to be with you again, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So Ron, as President Biden and Donald Trump traveled to battleground states exchanging political barbs ahead of the midterms. The big news Monday was Trump's legal victory getting the special master he requested. A federal judge granting his request for a third party to review more than 11,000 government documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago, delaying the DOJ investigation.

The judge saying this was to ensure at least the appearance of fairness and integrity. But many legal analysts say it amounts to special treatment of a former president. Was this a legal or a political decision?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, look, I, you know, I'm going to defer to the legal experts who have been almost uniformly excoriating of this decision of the logic of its disregard for precedent, of the appearance of preferential treatment for the president who appointed this judge. I don't think it will have -- I personally have been very dubious that Merrick Garland being a by-the-book institutionalist was going to take any further action against Donald Trump between now and the midterm election.

I always thought it highly, highly unlikely that you would indict a former president within weeks of a -- of a midterm election. So I'm not sure how much this slows them down in practice, but I do think that appear -- you know, that there -- for those in the U.S. who are worried about Donald Trump, who believe that he represents a threat to American democracy, which is essentially virtually the entire Democratic coalition.

This kind of ruling I think only inflames those fears and makes them more likely to show up in November.

CHURCH: And Judge Aileen Cannon who was appointed by Trump also ordered the DOJ to stop reviewing the documents until after the special master finishes their review, but the judge has set a Friday deadline for the DOJ and Trump's team to submit a list of potential candidates for the role of special master and to negotiate the duties and limitations of that role. So this could take months. Is this the Trump legal team strategy to simply delay the DOJ probe for as long as possible?

BROWNSTEIN: It always has been throughout his life. I mean, he has viewed delay as a form of victory, and use the legal system and use his resources to try to overwhelm his adversaries with -- his legal adversaries with delay. So yes, I think this clearly fits into that pattern. As I said, I have always been dubious that Merrick Garland was going to make any final decisions on this before the midterm election.

So, depending on how long this takes, it may not change the timeframe for them to reach kind of that final, you know, tipping point on whether or not to charge Trump. And don't forget, while this is going on, we have the investigation into his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election which the Justice Department is continuing to undertake. And the investigation by the grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia on possible election meddling there.

So there are still multiple tracks proceeding, but I would be surprised that we really hear much about any of them in a decisive way before November.

CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. And of course, once appointed, this special master will be looking for any material considered attorney-client privilege or anything relating to executive privilege, even though the DOJ has pointed out that doesn't apply in this case and a review has already been done anyway. Are we getting into strange and questionable territory here? And what are the politics of all of this?

BROWNSTEIN: Enormously strange and questionable territory. The, you know, the idea that the former president controls executive privilege at this point is one that is, as you might know, disputed by the Justice Department. There's legal precedent to question it. I mean, there have been really exhaustive critiques of this decision that have come out today. But in terms of the politics of it, you know, Republicans have felt that the investigation into Trump will further energize his base of supporters in November.

And that in that is certainly possible. But we have seen over the course of the summer this election morph from what it was into something else. [02:10:05]

BROWNSTEIN: I mean, the -- from the point of the New Jersey and Virginia governor's race last fall when Republicans did well in both. Through this early this summer, people were viewing this election in historic terms as a up or down referendum on the party in power on the president. And because Biden's approval ratings have been struggling, there was talk of a big red wave in reaction to that.

But what we have seen over the past few months through a series of events, the decision by the Supreme Court overturning the federal right to abortion. The increased focus on gun control as a result of the shooting in Texas and above all the increased visibility of Trump amid the growing the January 6 committee investigation and this investigation, the election clearly has transformed into something more like a choice between one path represented by Biden and Democrats and one path represented by Trump and Republicans.

And the share of voters who say that concerns about democracy is motivating their vote in November has been going up, that is one of the reasons why the enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats have closed all the advantages Republicans had earlier this year. They haven't been erased. Voters are so concerned about inflation, gas prices, grocery prices, but the prominence of Trump and the prominence in particular, the abortion decision really has changed the landscape and given the Democrats an opportunity to have a much better outcome, much more competitive outcome and seemed possible a few months ago.

CHURCH: Always appreciate your analysis. Ron Brownstein joining us live from Los Angeles. Many thanks.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, the U.K. is about to have a new prime minister. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will take over from Boris Johnson in the day ahead. And CNN's Max Foster is live this hour in London with all the details. Over to you, Max.

FOSTER: Rosemary, a really busy day ahead here in London. All sorts of movements. It's slightly different this time around because the Queen's up in Scotland as opposed to London. So the outgoing prime minister has to go up to Scotland to effectively resign and the incoming prime minister will have to go out there as well to be appointed the new prime minister. Liz Truss set to take the reins then, as the next British prime minister.

She won the leadership battle within the party, the Conservative Party which is rolling at the moment. She's already promising a bold plan to cut taxes, build growth and tackle the energy crisis crucially.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIZ TRUSS, BRITISH CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER: My friends, I know that we will deliver, we will deliver or we will deliver.

(END VIDEO CLIP) FOSTER: She talks a lot about delivering. We don't get many specifics though. That's the big criticism of her but we do expect to hear from her today. These are the live pictures from Downing Street. The first order of business of the day will be for Boris Johnson to leave Downing Street for the last time. He stayed there for the last time last night and he'll give his outgoing speech.

He's always gives a good speech, lots of entertainment involves so that's why all the media is there. Later on, Liz Truss will return to Downing Street. We can see Nada there who's a reporter on the scene. Nada, Liz Truss will join later on when she to give her opening speech or with some detail about her plans for the future. But first of all, we're going to hear about Boris Johnson, and presumably he'll lay out his legacy which is substantial as a prime minister.

NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: Absolutely, Max. We are expecting Boris Johnson to step out onto the streets outside 10 Downing Street in just around 20 minutes or so giving his final address as the British prime minister. It was opposed not long ago in July that we saw him speaking before this lectern before announcing his resignation. He said at the time, that he was sad to be leaving what he described as the best job in the world.

And he also laid out what he viewed as his achievements while in office and we are expecting them once again as he mentioned there to go through that legacy that he does leave behind here at number 10. Namely, of course, getting Brexit done. That was his catchphrase, which he coined and of course, that is one of the key moments many will remember by from the prime minister, but also he focused on rolling out the vaccine campaign for the United Kingdom during the COVID pandemic.

And in his words, standing up to President Putin over the course of the ongoing war in Ukraine. And these are all things that Liz Truss herself mentioned and commended in her victory speech yesterday describing Boris Johnson as her friend and commending him for the work he has done while at number 10. But he also, of course had similar message (INAUDIBLE) has been at his foreign secretary over the last few months.

He congratulated her yesterday in a tweet and called on his conservative party members to issue their support for Liz Truss. 100 percent he said but he also noted the significant challenges that lay ahead for the incoming prime minister. She's surely expected to be laying out the framework for her premiership over the coming months when she speaks here at Downing Street later today. This will be her first address as Prime Minister as you mentioned there.

[02:15:01]

Speaking after her audience with the queen where she'll be formally invited to form a government. Max?

FOSTER: OK, Nada. Thank you very much. It doesn't get much bigger here in Westminster in London than the new prime minister coming into number 10. So we'll bring you every twist and turn over the course of the day. We've also covering events out of Canada where police are asking the public for any information that might help them catch the only surviving suspect in the deadly mass stabbing attack after the other suspects was found dead.

Details on the manhunts when we return. Plus our coverage of Britain's next prime minister continues as we wait to hear from Boris Johnson live outside number 10 Downing Street for the very last time.

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CHURCH: One of the two suspects in a deadly mass stabbing in Canada's Saskatchewan province has been found dead. Police are urging the public to stay vigilant as the manhunt for the second suspect continues. The gruesome attack left 10 people dead and 18 wounded. CNN's Paula Newton has the latest details.

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PAUL NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Police say this stabbing rampage began in the pre-dawn hours Sunday in an indigenous community in central Saskatchewan.

[02:20:06]

At 5:40 a.m. Central Time Sunday morning and for several minutes afterward, police say they received reports of multiple stabbings in several locations in James Smith Cree Nation. By 7:12 a.m., Saskatchewan law enforcement issued a dangerous persons alert, telling residents to shelter in place. Later that hour they identified the suspects as brothers, Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson.

By 8:30am the manhunt was extended by hundreds of miles. And at 9:45 a.m. police alerted that there was at least one stabbing victim in the neighboring village of Weldon and that some victims were randomly attacked.

RUBY WORKS, RESIDENT, WELDON, CANADA: I was thinking that could have been me. They could have killed me. I don't know why they did this. They took innocent people's lives and shatter this community.

NEWTON: And then by 12:07pm in Regina, Saskatchewan, a 3-1/2 hour drive away, police say they had a credible tip the suspects were in the city driving a black Nissan Rogue. Then the trail goes cold. Police appeal to the public once again. And late Monday announced that Damien Sanderson has been found dead but Myles Sanderson is still at large.

CHIEF EVAN BRAY, REGINA POLICE SERVICE: I think the most recent reliable information we have says that he is in Regina or was in Regina, the most recent. That most recent information is a day old. We acknowledge that. But we have nothing that can tell us differently.

NEWTON: Crucially, police also say Damien Sanderson's wounds were re not believed to be self inflicted and his body was found in the community of James Smith Cree Nation, the scene of the first attacks. Despite an expanded search Myles Sanderson remains on the run. Police are telling all residents in Saskatchewan to remain vigilant and that the suspect is dangerous and has an extensive criminal record.

The tight knit indigenous community is devastated by these vicious attacks that has now shattered so many lives.

HAROLD BURNS, ELDER, JAMES SMITH CREE NATION: It affects everybody from James Smith. Whether you're -- they're all part of -- they're all part of family. You know, I have -- a niece was killed, first cousin was killed. You know, so how do you speak on that? How do you respond?

NEWTON: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is marshaling resources to the communities but conceded how unnerving this savage crime has been.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA: Sadly, over these past years, tragedies like these have become all too commonplace. Saskatchewanians and Canadians will do what we always do in times of difficulty and anguish. We'll be there for each other.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: People in these tight knit communities are describing this as a massacre and police would like to think that Myles Sanderson, if he is injured will come forward or that someone will come forward with more information about his whereabouts. Paula Newton, CNN, Ottawa.

FOSTER: Welcome to London where we are awaiting the final speech of the outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The scene is set in Downing Street. He always gives a big speech and this is going to be one of the biggest of his career. Arguably, this is going to be cementing his legacy. You can see the media line there up on the right. We're looking at the shoulders of Boris Johnson staff.

And in the distance there you can see all of the loyalists, Boris Johnson loyalists, so all those M.P.s that stood by him throughout, are furious about the fact he's been forced out of office. He's also got members of family there as well. You can see the podium in between where Boris Johnson will give that final speech and speak to his legacy. And it's not an insubstantial legacy when you consider that this is the man that took Britain out of the European Union.

The most historic moment really in British politics in decades. He also oversaw the pandemic response and he was also -- he's gained a big reputation in Ukraine as one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine during the invasion of that country by Russia. So, these are the sorts of things he could speak to but he's a highly unpredictable figure. Let's bring in chief political commentator with the independent visiting professor at King's College London, John Rentoul whose followed, you know, many prime ministers and he follows Boris Johnson as closely as the others.

What do you expect Boris Johnson to say in this final moment in front of the cameras as prime minister?

JOHN RENTOUL, CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, THE INDEPENDENT: Well, as you rightly said, just there, Boris Johnson is an unpredictable speaker and that's part of his -- it used to be part of his charm before the charm wore off and the British public decided that they'd had enough of it.

[02:25:09]

RENTOUL: So yes, he will -- who knows what he's what he's going to say. But as you said, he will claim -- he will claim credit for a remarkable record and for having achieved what nobody thought he could achieve, actually which is -- which is Brexit. Because the Parliament did seem to be deadlocked three years ago and yet he managed to -- he managed to break that deadlock and get Britain out.

FOSTER: Remind us what brought him down. There was scandal after scandal, but there was also untruths lying to put it frankly, and that is what undid his credibility within parliament, the parliamentary party, right?

RENTOUL: Well, above all, it was the fact that his staff and he himself broke Coronavirus law during the -- during the pandemic. It all started with a report at the Christmas party last December, we heard a report of a Christmas party the previous year. I mean, it's an astonishing story really, that a whole year went passed before this was reported. But it was -- it was the way that Boris Johnson dealt with it when it was reported.

That lost him his support catastrophically with the -- with the British public. And obviously he was in an unusual situation because half the public didn't like him anyway because of Brexit because that divided the nation. But the half that did approve of Brexit. Were absolutely outraged by the way that he handled these Christmas parties, the locked down parties in Downing Street. And the British public felt that he wasn't being straight with them.

And that was catastrophic for his opinion, poor ratings. And Conservative M.P.s acted upon that.

FOSTER: I was interested to see the betting yesterday, the most likely successor to Liz Truss appears to be Boris Johnson. Just explain what the thinking is there. He gave a speech, didn't he? Where he suggested that there was more to come after his premiership. But there's also the idea that the next premiership of Liz Truss is going to be incredibly difficult and that people will long for Boris Johnson again, that's according to his loyalists anyway.

RENTOUL: Well, that is what we expect to hear from him shortly, is some kind of hint, some kind of witty suggestion that he would like to come back at some point. He end -- his last words in Parliament were hasta la vista baby which weren't very prime ministerial, but gave a very clear indication that he was -- he was intending to be back. I think there's a small minority of his diluted supporters in the Conservative Party who think that he can make a comeback.

I suppose if any prime minister could defy the odds and make a comeback because comebacks are very rare in politics these days. Harold Wilson came back as prime minister after a period in opposition, but he never lost the leadership of the Labor Party. I think Boris Johnson is finished but there are clearly people who would like him to come back, including himself. FOSTER: We're just seeing the cameras pan across those loyalists Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries. These are the thoughts of senior political figures who feel that the Conservative Party has done absolutely the wrong thing in appointing yet another prime minister. We've had how many in the -- four in the last six years and this is quite disillusioning as well to many members of the public who can't really keep up with all the ups and downs of Westminster right now.

RENTOUL: Well, I mean, you say that but on the other hand, the conservatives have been in power for 12 years now. They've managed to -- they've managed to cling on. And the reason they got rid of Boris Johnson was because they thought he was going to lose them the next -- the next general election. And of course, the problem that they now have is that since his resignation, the energy -- the world energy crisis has become so much more serious.

That it is going to be quite a challenge for Liz Truss to win the next election in those incredibly difficult economic circumstances. I mean, then the next two years, which is the period until the next election is going to be horrendous and it's most unusual for a government to be able to to hold power when inflation is rising, when you're in recession, when the economy is flat on its back.

[02:30:08]

So, yes. The Conservative Party is in a difficult situation, but I don't think it will be in a better situation if Boris Johnson had stayed up.

FOSTER: All right. John Rentoul, speaking to us. And we're just looking at the images there of Downing Street. Boris Johnson has spent the night in Downing Street for the last time. And he's preparing to come out to speak at the podium. And this will be his final speech as prime minister and it will be an opportunity for him to lay out his legacy.

And, John, I mean, to be fair to Boris Johnson, whether you're a fan or not, he has lived through and overseen some big moments in British history. And that guarantees his place in history. Actually, we're going to go to Boris Johnson, because he's coming out now. There he is with his wife alongside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, OUTGOING BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Well, this is it folks. Thank you everybody for coming out so early this morning. In only a couple of hours, I will be in Balmoral to see her majesty, the Queen. And the torch will finally be passed to a new conservative leader. The baton will be handed over and what is unexpectedly turned out to be a relay race. They change the rules halfway through but never remind that now.

And through that lacquered black door, a new prime minister will shortly go to meet a fantastic group of public servants. The people who got Brexit done. The people who delivered the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe will never forget. 70 percent of the entire population got a dose within six months faster than any comparable country. That is government for you. That's this conservative government.

People who organized those prompt, early supplies of weapons to the heroic Ukrainian armed forces, an action that may very well have helped change the course of the biggest European war for 80 years. And because of the speed and urgency of what you did, everybody involved in this government to get this economy moving again from July of last year, in spite of all of the opposition, all of the naysayers, we have and will continue to have that economic strength to give people the cash they need to get through this energy crisis that has been caused by Putin's vicious war.

And I know that Liz Truss and this compassionate conservative government will do everything we can to get people through this crisis and this country will under it and we will win. And if Putin thinks that he can succeed by blackmailing or bullying the British people, then he is utterly deluded. And the reason we will have those funds now and in the future is because we conservatives understand the vital symmetry between government action and free market capitalist private sector enterprise.

We're delivering on those huge manifesto commitments, making streets safer, neighborhood crime down 38 percent in the last three years. 13,790 more police on the streets. Building more hospitals. And yes, we will have 50,000 more nurses by the end of the decade. And 40 more hospitals by the end of -- 50,000 nurses by the end of this parliament, I should say. 40 more hospitals by the end of the decade. Putting record funding into our schools and into teachers' pay. Giving everybody over 18 a lifetime skills guarantee so they can keep upskilling through their lives.

Three new high-speed rail lines, three, including Northern Powerhouse Rail. Colossal road programs from the Pennines (ph) to Cornwall (ph). The role of gigabit broadband up over the last three years. I am proud to say since you were kind enough to elect me. From seven percent of our country supremacies having gigabit broadband to 70 percent today.

And we, of course, providing the short and the long-term solutions for our energy needs. And not just using more of our own domestic hydrocarbons, but going up by 2030 to 50 gigawatts of wind power. That is half of this country's energy electricity needs from offshore wind alone. A new nuclear reactor every year.

And looking at what is happening in this country, the changes that are taking place, that is why private sector investment is flooding in. And more private sector, more venture capital investment than China itself. More billion-pound tech companies sprouting here in the U.K. than in France, Germany, and Israel combined.

[02:35:00]

And as a result, unemployment, as I leave office, unemployment down to lows not seen since I was about 10 years old and bouncing around on a space hopper, my friends. And on the subject of bouncing around in future careers, let me say that I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function. And I will now be gently reentering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific.

And, like Cincinnatus, I am returning to my plant. And I will be offering the government nothing but the most fervent support. This is -- I'll tell you why, this is a tough time for the economy. This is a tough time for families up and down the country. We can and we will get through to it and we will come out stronger on the other side.

But I say to my fellow conservatives, it's time for politics to be over, folks. It's time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her team and her program and deliver for the people of this country. Because that is what the people of this country want and that's what they need and that's what they deserve.

I'm proud to have discharged the promises I made to my party when you were kind enough to choose me. Winning the biggest majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979. Delivering Brexit, delivering our manifesto community, including, by the way, including social care. Performing social care, helping people up and down the country. Ensuring that Britain is once again standing tall in the world.

Speaking with clarity and authority from Ukraine to the AUKUS Pact with America and Australia. Because we are one whole and entire United Kingdom whose diplomat security services and armed forces are so globally admired. And by the way, as I believe I -- as I leave I believe our union is so strong that those who want to break it up, they'll keep trying, but they will never, ever succeed.

Thank you to everybody, behind me in this building. Thank you to all of you in government. And thank you, everybody who's helped looked after me and my family over the last three years, including Dylan, the dog. And I just say to my party, Dylan and Larry, can put behind them their occasional difficulties, then so can the Conservative Party. Above all, thanks to you, the British people. To the voters forgivingly he trans to serve all of you who worked so tirelessly together to beat COVID to put us where we are today.

Together, we have laid foundations that will stand the test of time, whether by taking back control of our laws or putting in vital new infrastructure. Great solid masonry on which we will continue to build together. Paving the path of prosperity now and for future generations. And I will be supporting Liz Truss and the new government every step of the way. Thank you all very much. Thank you and goodbye. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Boris Johnson giving the final speech of his premiership. Typically used to lay out a prime minister's legacy. And he very much did that. He's there speaking and thanking his loyalists, members of his family as he heads out of Downing Street for the last time with his wife, Carrie. So, that's a big moment for all of the people there who have stuck by him and actually feel as if he was unfairly forced out of Downing Street. And there was a hint to that right at the beginning of Boris Johnson's speech where he said, this is it, what has unexpectedly become a relay race. They changed the rules halfway through but never mind that now. Suggesting that he shouldn't have been going now but is accepting what's happened and throwing his full support behind Liz Truss's premiership.

And the reason he talks about, and he used pets as the example there and how his dog in the Downing Street cat managed to get over their differences suggesting that the Conservative Party are going into a very tough time in the British economy. And they really do need to unite in order for the country to get the best of it. But, taking these images as another prime minister, the fourth and six years, effectively leaves Downing Street for the very last time.

We don't know where he's heading later on in the day. But immediately, the next step will be Balmoral Castle in Scotland where the Queen is in residence. He will go up there to formally tender his resignation.

[02:40:00]

He is taking a fly-turner -- helicopter, we understand it, and some driving. So, quite a mission. And he'll be met up there, as well, by Liz Truss, who is his successor, who will then go into Balmoral Castle after Boris Johnson to be appointed prime minister.

We won't be getting any images from within the castle. But it would be interesting, wouldn't it, considering that Liz Truss was in about anti-monarchist back in her teens. She wanted to get rid of the monarchy. But I think she's changed her tunes since then. She'll have to if she wants to be appointed by the Queen to be prime minister, anyway.

So, there we are. A little moment there for Boris Johnson leaving Downing Street. The next time -- the next historic moment we'll have there will be later on in the afternoon when Liz Truss comes in and gives a speech about -- very the podium. There's Larry the cat, I don't know if we've got that image, but Larry the cat is the one consistent figure in Downing Street. He belongs to the House, not to the prime minister.

Nada, you're there in Downing Street. You were listening to all of that. Larry came out as well to observe your reporting. In terms of legacy, was what we expected. Pandemic response, Ukraine, talking about how well the economy went during his tenure.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Yes, absolutely. It's a similar message that we've heard from before from Boris Johnson outlining his pride really in presiding over getting Brexit done, over the vaccine rollout, overseeing the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and dealing with the war in Ukraine. He commanded his government for that early supply of weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces.

And really, he gave his thanks to members of staff, to his government ministers, to those who had supported his government throughout the last couple of years in those successes that he has laid out. But, of course, it's important to remember that this is a government, this is a prime minister who has been embroiled in scandal after scandal. He didn't touch on that of course.

But there is a significant feeling, at least, with news of the public that he has presided over a government that has really reduced trust in the Conservative Party. And that was certainly a concern from other members of the party as well.

But importantly, he also laid out some key points ahead for Liz Truss, namely those challenges that Liz Truss is set to face. In particular, of course, the cost-of-living crisis which is at the forefront of many peoples' minds, the energy crisis which the country is facing, prices soaring to unimaginable levels. And there was certainly was a heavy and piling and entry awaiting Liz Truss when she makes her way into Number 10 later today. Max.

FOSTER: OK. Nada, thank you. So, Boris Johnson, currently on his way to Scotland to tend his resignation with Queen Elizabeth II, and the successor also heading to Scotland to be appointed the new prime minister. We'll bring you all the twists and turns as they come through the day.

The big moment later on is really finding out how Liz Truss is going to go ahead and give detail on her premiership. Meanwhile, hot, dry conditions fueling a fast-moving wildfire in California. Thousands of homes are under evacuation orders. We'll give you the latest update on that coming up with Rosemary.

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CHURCH: A fast-moving wildfire in Southern California has claimed two lives. And officials say that a third person has serious burns. The Fairview Fire is raging in Riverside County. It's destroyed several structures and 5,000 homes are under evacuation orders. As of Monday, it was five percent contained.

So, let's bring in meteorologist Gene Norman for the latest. Gene, what can you tell us about this fire? And, of course, the record high temperatures that are not helping the situation.

GENE NORMAN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Exactly right, Rosemary. Years of drought, exacerbated by our climate crisis, increasing global temperatures. We have drought. We've got long-lasting heat waves. They're all combining to cause bigger, bigger -- bigger and bigger problems.

68 large active fires burning across nine states. And on Monday, we had more records set in California. In fact, we had a lot of all-time temperature records set in the month of September. In Vacaville, Sacramento, Marysville, and Stockton. And then in Livermore, they set their all-time highest temperature ever, regardless of the month.

So, this long-lasting heat wave doesn't show any signs of letting up until possibly toward the end of the week. Heat advisories, excessive heat warnings are in effect. And the utility companies are telling people, don't use your heavy appliances and try to raise that thermostat a bit between 4:00 and 9:00. That's the peak time for heating. And that's, unfortunately, when we could see the potential for blackouts if everyone is using their electricity all at the same time.

Triple digits continue, right across the board here till maybe Thursday or Friday. And the heat wave we've had in the west is also connected to the flooding that we're talking about in the east. So, Rosemary, all of these factors coming together, not making for a good situation.

CHURCH: Yes, certainly not. Gene Norman, thanks for keeping a close eye on that. Many thanks.

And do stay with us. We'll be right back with more on CNN Newsroom.

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EDLIRA DIBRANI, FINNISH SCHOOL OF KOSOVO: Our mission is to see this young generation of leaders growing up, make change in the world. My name is Edlira Dibrani and I'm the communications officer of the Finnish School of Kosovo here in Kosovo, Europe.

We created the Wall of Freedom, which is still in our halls. We organized a bake sale where we collected over 500 euros which are going to be donated to an organization against domestic violence. I would say the one that we are most proud of is the set in stone garden.

For over a month, each student gathered rocks. We took these rocks. We wrote down our vows and pledges to end modern-day slavery. And then, we took all those rocks outside in the middle of our school yard and we spelled out, My Freedom Day. So, we had this really cool shot where everybody was shouting out, My Freedom Day. Sort of, like a symbolic way to say that our pledges are actually set in stone and they will remain there forever.

This, I believe, has made a very long-lasting, impact on them. And it's something that they have vowed to actually take on in the following months. You'll see them around the school still doing the things for My Freedom Day.

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CHURCH: Rescuers in China are digging through rubble trying to reach anyone still trapped inside of demolished buildings after a deadly earthquake hit Sichuan Province. It was the strongest quake to hit the region in five years. The epicenter was located in a mountainous area more than 200 kilometers from the provincial capital Chengdu.

So, let's get an update from our Kristie Lu Stout. She's been following the latest developments for us from Hong Kong. Kristie, a day after the quake, we are getting a clearer picture of the damage and devastation. What are you learning?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, we have been learning that the death toll is rising and that aftershocks are continuing in Sichuan Province after that magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the region. The strongest suck earthquake to hit the area since 2017.

According to the state-run media, they're reporting at least 65 people have been killed, at least 240 people injured, a dozen people at least remain missing. We've heard from Chinese President Xi Jinping through the state-run media urging for an all-out rescue effort to minimize casualties and to save lives.

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We've also seen images of the devastation of the homes and the residential buildings that have been demolished, especially near the epicenter as a result of this earthquake. I want to show you this, a dash cam video that shows the precise moment when the quake struck.

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STOUT: This was taken in the epicenter in Sichuan. And in the video, you just see the full force of the earthquake, the shaking of the trees lining the street and the structures as well. And at one point, as you see the aftermath of that, the front of a facade of a building just completely crumbles apart.

Keep in mind, the people in Sichuan Province, they have suffered so much during this cruel and brutal summer. Not just dealing with the aftershocks and the 6.6 magnitude earthquake, but also for the residents in Chengdu, they've been under lockdown.

I want to show you quickly this one video here of residents venting their frustration for what happened to them because even though they just experienced this frightening 6.6 magnitude earthquake, they remained under COVID-19 lockdown. This underscoring just the tension among residents there. The anger rising on many corners there in the quake zone. Back to you.

CHURCH: All right. Kristie Lu Stout, many thanks. And thank you for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. Do stay with us. I'll be right back with Max Foster and with more on CNN Newsroom.

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