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Biden Speaks On Curbing Gas And Energy Prices; Putin Declares Martial Law In Four Illegally Annexed Regions; Sources: Iranians In Crimea Training Russian Troops On Drones; Study: Your Smell Can Make You More Attractive To Mosquitoes. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 19, 2022 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That's why I have been doing everything in my power to reduce gas prices since Putin's invasion of Ukraine, caused these prices to spike and rattle international oil markets. Excuse me.

I focused on how we can protect American families from that spike and give folks just a little bit of breathing room, as my dad would say.

Today, I'm announcing three critical steps that my administration will take to reduce gas prices at the pump.

First, the Department of Energy will release another 15 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, extending our previously announced release through the month of December.

Independent analysis -- excuse me. Independent analysts have confirmed drawdowns from the reserve so far have played a big role in bringing down oil price, bringing them down. So we're going to continue to responsibly use that national asset.

Right now, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is more than half full, with about 400 million barrels of oil. That's more than enough for any emergency drawdown.

With my announcement today, we're going to continue to stabilize markets and decrease the prices at a time when the actions of other countries have caused such volatility.

And I've told my team behind me here to be prepared to look further -- look for further releases in the months ahead if needed it. We're calling it a Ready and Release Plan. This allows us to move quickly to prevent oil price spikes and respond to international events.

Secondly, we need to responsibly increase American oil production without delaying or deferring our transition to clean energy.

Let me -- let's debunk some myths here. My administration is not stopped or slowed U.S. oil production. Quite the opposite. We're producing 12 million barrels of oil per day.

And by the end of this year, we will be producing one million barrels a day more than the day in which I took office. In fact, we're on track for record oil production in 2023.

And today, the United States is the largest producer of oil and petroleum products in the world. We export more than we import.

And I still heard from oil company -- and I've heard from oil companies that they're worried that investing in additional oil production today will in case -- in case demand goes down in the future and they're not going to be able to sell their oil products at a competitive price later.

We have a solution for that. Today, I'm announcing a plan to refill the Strategic Petroleum Oil Reserve in the years ahead at a profit for taxpayers. The United States government is going to purchase oil to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve when prices fall to $70 a barrel.

That means oil companies can invest to ramp up production now with confidence they'll be able to sell their oil to us at that price in the future, $70.

Refining and refilling the reserve at $70 a barrel is a good price for companies and it's a good price for the taxpayers. And it's critical to our national security.

To put it in context, since March, the average price of oil has been more than $90 a barrel. The highest since 2014.

By selling from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at the higher price of $90 earlier this year and then refilling it in the future at a lower price, around $70, we'll actually make money for the taxpayers, lower the price of gas and help bolster production.

All while totally consistent with my commitment to accelerate the transition to clean energy.

So my message to oil companies is this, you're sitting on record profits. And you're -- and we're giving you more certainty, so you can act now to increase oil production now.

The third thing I'm doing is I'm calling oil companies to pass the savings on to consumers.

Consider this. In the second quarter of this year, profits at six of the largest producers of publicly traded oil companies were more than $70 billion. That's $70 billion in just one quarter, 90 days, $70 billion.

So far, American oil companies are using that windfall, the windfall of profits, to buy back their own stock, passing that money on to their shareholders, not to consumers.

In fact, in the first half of the year, those same companies spent $20 billion buying back their own stock and, most importantly, buying back -- a buy back -- the most significant buyback in almost the last decade.

[13:34:56]

That's great if you own a lot of stock in oil companies or if you're an executive in an oil company. Puts a lot of money in your pocket. That is how you get paid. But it's not the case for the vast majority of Americans paying at the pump.

Here's another thing. When the cost of oil comes down, we should see the price of the gas station at the pump come down as well. That's how it's supposed to work. But that's not what's happening.

In the past two weeks, the price of oil has fallen $4 a barrel. You think, thanks in large part to the steps we've taken this year, the price of oil has fallen nearly $40 a barely since mid-June. That's a 30 percent drop in the price of a barrel of oil.

But guess what? Gas prices haven't fallen that much. And it's not right. Gas prices at the pump should be lower.

In fact, if retailers and refiners were making the average profit they've made over the last 17 years, Americans would be paying at least 60 cents less per gallon for every gallon they buy.

Say that again, 60 cents less for every gallon they buy. That makes a big difference in a family.

My message to the American energy companies is this, you should not be using your profits to buy back stock or for dividends, not now, not while a war is raging.

You should be using these record-breaking profits to increase production and refining. Invest in America. For the American people. Bring down the price you charge at the pump to reflect what you pay for the product.

You still make a significant profit. Your shareholders will still do very well and the American people will catch a break they deserve and get a fair price at the pump as well.

One more thing I want to mention today. Our country needs to pass permitting reform to accelerate the development of clean energy. Right now, the process of getting clean energy projects approved is too cumbersome and too time consuming.

So I'm asking the Congress, pass a permitting bill to speed up the approval of all kinds of energy production from wind to solar to clean hydrogen, because we need to get this moving now, quickly, now.

It would take -- you know, this -- if we do this, it would take historic clean energy investments that I signed into law and put them into action.

In fact, one independent analysis has already estimated that the $369 billion we're making in federal investments that will generate if we just that -- will generate $1.7 trillion in total public and private investments in the years ahead. You can increase oil and gas production now while still moving full

speed ahead to accelerate our transition to clean energy. That way, that way we can lower energy costs for American families, enhance our national security at a very difficult moment.

Let me close with this. I know it's been a rough four or five years for the country. For a lot of families, things are still tough. The choice is made by countries affecting the price of gas here at home.

That's why I've been acting so aggressively. Without the steps we've taken over the past several months, to ramp up production and lower prices and get relief to consumers, gas prices would be higher than they are today.

And we'll keep doing everything we can to keep it going to ensure that our energy independence and security is available and to lower gas prices here at home and to give folks a little bit of breathing room.

We just have to remember who we are. We're the United States of America, for god's sake. There's not a single thing we can't do when we put our minds to it.

And we can strengthen our energy security now and we can build clean energy economy for the future at the same time. This is totally within our capacity, totally within our capacity.

Gas prices are coming down. We're going to do everything we can to make sure they continue to come down and companies act responsibly so it's reflected at the pump.

Thank you all. And may God bless you. May God protect our troops. Thank you. Appreciate it.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, what is your response --

BIDEN: I don't hear. Can you speak louder?

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What is your response to Republicans who say you are only doing this to help Democrats in the midterms?

BIDEN: Where have they been the last four months? That's my response.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is it politically motivated, sir?

BIDEN: No, it's not.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- before the midterms.

BIDEN: Look, it makes sense. I've been doing this for how long now? It's not politically motivated at all. [13:40:00]

It's motivated to make sure that I continue to push on what I've been pushing on. And that is making sure there's enough oil that's being pumped by the companies so that we have the ability to be able to produce enough gas that we need here at home, oil we need here at home.

And at the same time, keep moving in the direction of providing for alternative energy. That's what I've been doing.

Now, the problem is these guys were asleep. I don't know where they've been. And they seem, you know -- the price at the pump should reflect what the price of a barely of oil costs. And it's not going down consistently.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- martial law in parts of Ukraine. What does that say to you, sir, about where his think something on the war in Ukraine right now?

BIDEN: I think that Vladimir Putin finds himself in an incredibly difficult position.

And what it reflects to me is, it seems his only tool available to him is to brutalize individual citizens in Ukraine, Ukraine and citizens to try to intimidate them into capitulating. They're not going to do that.

Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sir --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Sir, do you want to ban the export of U.S. petroleum products?

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: The president announcing action his administration is taking to help with the pain at the pump.

Announcing that they will release another 15 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an action that they've been doing pretty consistently has made a difference when it comes to gas prices.

But he addressed the timing of it, saying it's not politically motivated ahead of the midterms, that he is really focused on helping the American people win, and if he can. He also called out oil companies, saying they need to be passing on their profits to consumers. And he also added that they need to ramp up production.

And he's prepared to release more oil from the strategic reserve if it is necessary.

Meantime, this, in part, goes back to what's happening in Ukraine, right, and the invasion reducing energy markets.

Vladimir Putin is defying international law again, declaring martial law in the four regions that he illegally annexed in Ukraine. So what impact could that have as the battle still rages?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:47:06]

CABRERA: Vladimir Putin tries to tighten his grip on Ukraine. He is now declaring martial law in the four regions he illegally annexed. The State Department calls it a desperate tactic to try to enforce and control those areas.

Russia doesn't fully control the regions, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk. And it appears Moscow thinks it may lose ever more ground, especially in the south.

Right now, Russian-installed leaders in Kherson are texting people, telling them to leave ahead of what they think will be a major Ukrainian counteroffensive. Yet, this area still a Russia stronghold.

Ukrainian officials say Russia is trying to escalate hysteria and intimidate people there.

As for the areas Putin doesn't control and, for now, has no hope of controlling, the goal appears simply to make Ukrainians suffer.

Russia's relentless strikes continued today. At least three power plants reportedly were hit. The head of the E.U. calling these attacks on Ukraine's power and water facilities a war crime.

Retired General Mark Kimmitt is joining us with a closer look at the situation in Ukraine.

General, thanks for taking the time.

Let's start with Putin declaring martial law in the four regions. What does that mean and why do you think Putin went there?

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY, RETIRED: Well, technically, what it means that is that he replaces his civilian officials with military uniformed people in those jobs as mayors, district organizers, district community representatives, so on and so forth.

What it means is the military has taken over. But candidly, what that means, in practice, is that he has now replaced civilian stooges with military stooges. That's all.

CABRERA: So, I guess it comes at this crucial moment in the campaign and in which we're really seeing Russia depend on Iran for some of their military might.

We're learning Iran is sending military personnel to Russian-occupied territory inside Crimea to train and to advise Russian fighters on how to use their drones.

What do you make of Russia's reliance on Iran right now?

KIMMITT: Well, I think it says two things. Number one, it tells me that Russia is running out of precision-guided munitions, cruise missiles and other capabilities to attack targets inside of Ukraine proper.

And, number two, it says that he is desperate for his own drone capability probably running out, as well.

The Iranian drones are fairly mediocre, pretty easy to knock out. But unfortunately, a lot get through. And you've seen the kind of destruction that it's imposing upon the Ukrainian population and their infrastructure.

[13:49:59]

CABRERA: Our reporting is that Iran has provided two types of drones, one explodes on impact, can have a range up to a thousand miles, the other can carry both missiles and be used for surveillance.

Ukrainian officials say they shot down 13 of those Iran drones overnight in one region. Is it easier for Ukraine to shoot down those drones compared to Russian missiles?

KIMMITT: No, actually, it's more difficult. The problems that you have with drones is they fly low, they fly slow, they're small enough that they don't really get picked up very well on a radar set.

You see this around the world, that drones are now becoming the poor- man's weapon of war. We don't necessarily have the technology right now to completely eliminate that threat.

Zelenskyy has now gone to Israel to try to get their Iron Dome defenses situation -- defensive capabilities that the Israelis have been using against the Palestinians for years.

But I think what we can expect, more than the ability of technology to solve this problem, my view is that Iran will eventually run out of drones the way that Russia is running out of drones now.

CABRERA: So Ukraine's intel chief is predicting victory by next summer. One, is that realistic? And, two, do you think he should have set that time frame and that expectation?

KIMMITT: No, I don't think he should have set that expectation. That will be difficult because Ukraine has said victory is total victory. It is the ability to regain all the lost territories inside of

Ukraine, the four annexed republics, which they haven't had since before 2014. And victory is defined as taking back Crimea. That's a pretty tall task.

And candidly, I would be more concerned about Russia taking some extraordinary measures to prevent that from happening than from allowing that to happen.

CABRERA: Retired General Mark Kimmitt, thank you so much for joining us.

We have a piece of good news in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Just a few hours ago the Sanibel Causeway in Florida reopened. This bridge provided the only land access to Sanibel and Captiva Islands. It was impassable after the storm washed away entire sections.

Many residents will return to homes without electricity now if they have homes at all. The Florida governor says about 25 percent of Sanibel Island should have power back on this week. But parts of Captiva Island may not have power until November.

OK. We all know that one person who just gets eaten alive by mosquitos. Was it you? I'm one of them. But now we're learning more about why. A new study says it could have everything to do with how you smell.

CNN's Tom Foreman is here to explain.

I know there are a lot of people wondering why they're a mosquito magnet. Tom, help us understand.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course, this is really exciting research out of Rockefeller Research in New York where they do a lot of great work on this.

What they have found is that skin odor has a definite attractiveness to mosquitos in some people. How definite? So much so that, in some cases, they say the people who attract the mosquitos are 100 times more attractive than other people nearby in that circumstance.

Now, what is it about skin odor that makes a difference? They put these sleeves on people and collected their skin odor and tested them against mosquitos and they found that what it was, was a type of fatty acid, called carboxylic acids.

What do carboxylic acids do? Carboxylic acids really, really draw mosquitos. Only female mosquitos, by the way. Male mosquitos do not bite.

And they give a slight odor, these acids, of cheese and feet, which doesn't sound all that attractive to begin with.

(LAUGHTER)

FOREMAN: If mosquitos aren't bothering you, you might have another problem.

But here is the thing, Ana. The mosquitos -- they even tried to say what if we can cut off the receptors on these mosquitos so they couldn't smell it as well.

Didn't matter. They had backup systems. They still went after these people more than anybody else.

Now the question is, can you come up with some sort of a blocking lotion or something that people could put over their skin that would suppress this so, at very least, these people are not more attractive to mosquitos than anybody else? And maybe you can get to where they are not so attractive.

Big important deal because, remember, mosquitos, aside from just being a nuisance and being uncomfortable, 700 million people per year suffer from mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and Dengue and Malaria.

So this is big news. It may seem funny in a way but, in other ways, it could be important -- Ana?

CABRERA: Yes. I'm laughing because I admitted at the beginning of the segment that I was --

FOREMAN: Yes.

CABRERA: -- one of those people who gets bit all the time. And apparently, I'm putting off an odor of cheese and feet.

[13:55:07]

FOREMAN: Well, I guess. When you go to the beach next time --

(CROSSTALK)

CABRERA: I'm going to tell my husband that we learned that means you're extra sweet and have a wonderful scent.

(CROSSTALK)

FOREMAN: Yes. Yes. That would be a good play at this point.

Exciting news. And hopefully, next spring, when we are all dealing with this, maybe we have made more progress on figuring on if there's some way to stop this?

CABRERA: I'm going to go take a lavender bath when I get home.

(LAUGHTER)

CABRERA: Tom Foreman, thank you.

FOREMAN: Thanks.

CABRERA: Appreciate that. That does it for us today. Thanks for being here. I will see you back here tomorrow, same time, same place. Until then, you can always find me on Twitter, @AnaCabrera.

The news continues right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)