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VP Harris Blasts Florida for Claims about Slavery; Thousands March in Israel; Tribute to Tony Bennett, Interview with K.D. Lang; Navalny Awaiting Extremism Verdict in "Punishment Cell"; JFK's Grandson Blasts RFK Jr, Calling Him "An Embarrassment"; Investigators In Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Case Think Suspect May Have Murdered Victims In Home; 28 Bodies Found In Graves In Mexico Border Town; Trump Surging Ahead Of DeSantis In 2024 Race; U.S. Women Beat Vietnam In World Cup Opener. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired July 22, 2023 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:01:27]
JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. Good evening.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is lashing out at Vice President Kamala Harris for her criticism of the state's new guidelines on Black History education. Harris made a last minute trip to Jacksonville last night in Florida where she voiced outrage over a portion of new state education guidelines that require teachers to instruct students on how slaves may have received a, quote, "personal benefit from being taught certain skills while enslaved."
DeSantis is accusing Harris of flat-out lying about the revised curriculum guidelines.
And CNN's Kevin Liptak joins me now from the White House. Kevin, the vice president certainly seemed to want to take this issue head on, it seems?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: yes, she only put this trip on her schedule on Thursday, so a day before hand. So there was a last- minute scramble to arrange this trip. And Vice President Harris really excoriating (ph) of Republicans and these new educational standards that critics say sanitize African-American history.
She didn't go after Ron DeSantis by name, but she did go after what she called "so-called leaders" saying they were willingly misleading students.
Listen to a little bit of what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These extremist so-called leaders should model what we know to be the correct and right approach if we really are invested in the well-being of our children. Instead they dare to push propaganda to our children. This is the United States of America. We're not supposed to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIPTAK: Now, this trip is really demonstrating how central these cultural, social issues will be to the upcoming campaign. And you've seen that play out on the Republican side, but what's so interesting here is you are starting to see the Biden team start to weigh in on this in a much more forceful way.
They do believe that this will be galvanizing for their coalition of voters. Young people, people of color, and they do view Kamala Harris as a key messenger on this issue, and they have internal polling that does bear that out.
Now Governor DeSantis did respond to the vice president yesterday. He said that she was misleading in how she characterized these new educational standards. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She's going to come down to the state of Florida and try to chirp and try to demagogue. All she's doing is ignoring the responsibilities that the administration has to secure our border.
I think that they're probably going to show some of the folks that eventually parlayed you know, being a blacksmith into doing things later in life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIPTAK: Now, the strategy here really seems to be to have Vice President Harris out talking about these issues while President Biden remains focused on the economy trying to stay out of the fray. But it is clear that this is going to be an issue that continues to dominate this campaign going forward, Jim.
ACOSTA: Yes. Kevin, I was just going to ask the question, do we think the president might weigh in on this?
LIPTAK: Well, I certainly think he will. And I do think it was interesting in that announcement video that he made when he announced his campaign back in April, that issue of book bans really came up in that video, and he really tried to present himself as standing in the way of these limits on things like educational curriculums, on book bans, on talking about race and gender in schools.
[17:04:54]
LIPTAK: The president's aides do believe that this will be a key issue for the Democratic base that they are working to enthuse as this selection goes forward. That has been an issue for President Biden.
Democrats just don't seem enthusiastic about this election yet. They do think that this issue could inject some enthusiasm into the electorate as next year's (INAUDIBLE), Jim. ACOSTA: All right. Kevin Liptak over at the White House for us. Thank
you very much.
Thousands of Israelis, we should note right now, are taking to the streets to protest a controversial plan to overhaul the country's judicial system. Some of them have been taking part in a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to oppose the changes.
The protests come ahead of next week's vote in parliament in Israel where Israeli lawmakers could decide as soon as Monday whether to approve the first part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to strip the supreme court of much of its powers.
Our Hadas Gold is in Jerusalem for us.
HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Jim, this is the main entrance into the city of Jerusalem but it's been completely taken over in the last few hours by thousands of protesters. This is actually the culmination of a five-day march that these protesters have set off on from Tel Aviv into Jerusalem. And today was the culmination of that march.
We saw thousands of people along the main highway leading into Jerusalem. It is incredibly hot today. I'd say around 95 degrees, and these marchers were marching in the heat to make their way into Jerusalem.
They're going to end this march at the Israeli parliament, the Knesset as well as the Israeli Supreme Court and what's prompting them is the judicial overhaul legislation. The final votes for one part of that legislation are expected to come up at the beginning of this week. And so that is why these protesters are taking to the streets.
The specific legislation has to do with taking away the Israeli supreme court's ability of declaring government actions unreasonable. And it's just one aspect of Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul package. But if it passes, it would be the first part of the legislation to pass the three votes needed in parliament.
And for many of these protesters here, they feel that if the supreme court cannot declare government actions unreasonable, then it would pretty much give free rein for Benjamin Netanyahu and any government in the future to take whatever action that they want.
And that's why these people have come out. Reservists in the Israeli air force have now signed a petition saying that they will not serve if this legislation passes.
Now that could have some serious implications for Israel's military preparedness, for Israel's security, and that's why we're hearing statements from people like Defense Minister Yoav Gallant who say that they are working behind the scenes to try and allay these concerns.
There are some reports even in Israeli media that Yoav Gallant -- he's actually a member of Benjamin Netanyahu own party -- is trying to find a way to try and delay the vote. But all indications from Benjamin Netanyahu and from his party and from the ruling coalition is that they want to push forward with the legislation and get it done in the early part of this coming week, Jim.
ACOSTA: Thanks so much.
In the meantime, tributes and remembrances continue to pour in for the late Tony Bennett. The beloved singer died Friday at the age of 96.
Here's a sweet moment he shared with singer and song writer K.D. Lang while recording the album "Duets: an American Classic".
(MUSIC)
ACOSTA: Amazing stuff, and K.D. Lang joins us now. Great to see you. You're such a legend yourself, so we really appreciate you making time for us.
You write that Tony was a friend and a teacher, that he's left an indelible imprint. I guess. your thoughts as a musician on the passing of this icon.
K.D. LANG, SINGER: Yes, it's really the end of an era, really, truly. He was the last remaining lineage master of the American traditional songbook, and he guarded it with his life and his soul, and -- but he managed, I think, to plant it in the hearts and souls of so many young singers, and I really believe that he might have had that predetermined.
ACOSTA: And how did it come to be that both of you started performing together? I remember this vividly. It was during this time when people were rediscovering Tony Bennett, falling in love with him all over again.
But how did it come to be that you were both working together? Because I remember, it was such an extraordinary thing to see you both performing together.
[17:09:51]
LANG: It was -- as it was. It was an extraordinary thing, certainly for me. In 1992, I believe it was, '92 or '93 for "Tony Bennett Unplugged", an MTV show back in the day. And he asked me to duet with him on a song called "Moon Glow" and we -- there was a chemistry there obviously as there is with a lot of singers.
You know, Tony just kind of embraced me and took me under his wings, and then about eight years later we made a duet record, called "Wonderful World: Songs of Billy Armstrong" and went on tour. And it was like I was in a very intense music university, entertainment and elegant university.
I mean, Tony, the way he carried himself in the airport or backstage or just on the airplane or wherever, it was always with the same degree of elegance and grace and generosity to everybody. And that is indelible to me. That is something that I think is rare and certainly Tony embodied it.
ACOSTA: And what was it like performing with him? I mean we were speaking with some artists yesterday -- Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr. Who remembered him so fondly, and I mean, it was becoming kind of an expanding universe of artists like yourself who had the pleasure of working with Tony Bennett, and I just have to wonder, was he on the phone with his agent saying I want K.D Lang, I want Michael Buble. I mean -- or I just -- how did this come about? I just don't know. I'd love to know.
LANG: Yes. I'm on the other end so I couldn't tell you what drove the interest in the young singers, but I really believe that it was to impart the love of the American songbook on young singers. I think he knew that he was sort of the last remaining holder of the tradition. And I really believe that he wanted to plant it in the young musicians to keep the song book contained and moving forward.
ACOSTA: And just correct me if I'm getting any of this wrong here, but a few years back you were saying the muse had left you and you semiretired, although you re-released new versions of your songs. Do you see Tony Bennett in the second and third acts that he had as an example of never saying never when it comes to your musical career?
LANG: Jim, that's a nice wish, I hope so. Let's hope so.
ACOSTA: And you worked with Tony Bennett many times. What were those times like? And what was it like sharing this time with him?
LANG: It always felt extremely precious, sound check, you know, in the afternoon. Being on the airplane, he was constantly sketching somebody in the crew. He was playing tennis in the morning. He was reading some sort of biography, some big thick biography of somebody.
The man never stopped really. He never stopped creating or learning or producing. And I think the year I toured with him he -- I think he did something like upwards of 300 shows a year, which is just astonishing.
ACOSTA: That is astonishing.
LANG: and he was just -- yes, I mean, he was just the epitome of the word "professional". There's no other way around it.
ACOSTA: And I guess I'm curious because -- I mean, I kind of felt like I rediscovered his work as a Gen X-er. And you know, it just seems to be as each generation came on to the scene it seemed like that new generation found a reason to fall in love with Tony Bennett again.
Is it the music? Is it the band? What was it, do you think?
LANG: It was Tony. It was Tony. It was Tony and Tony's love of a good song. I mean, he drummed that into my head over and over and over again. Always pick a good song, good melody, good lyrics, good song is everything.
And I think he -- he loved the energy of the young singers. I especially really loved the combination of him and Amy Winehouse. That was so special to me. And he just embraced the young singers and really, really took them under his wings and tried to include them in his world because he cared so much about the songs.
ACOSTA: Yes, it was a gift I mean to multiple generations of artists like yourself, and I guess that's how this music lives on and Tony's gift lives on.
[17:14:59]
ACOSTA: But K.D. Lang, what a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you so much for your time.
LANG: Thank you, and sweet --
(CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: I have memories of me listening to your music.
Yes, thank you so much. Really appreciate your time.
LANG: Well, thank you. Appreciate it.
ACOSTA: All right, take care. Thanks so much.
And don't miss our tribute next hour, another acclaimed singer/songwriter, James Taylor. Of course, you know who he is -- will join us live to share his memories of Tony Bennett. Can't wait for that conversation. That's James Taylor coming up in the next hour.
Stay tuned for that.
In the hours ahead -- still ahead this hour, new concerns about jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after Russian prosecutors asked for a 20-year sentence.
The director of the Oscar award winning CNN film about Navalny is about to join us live next to react to all that.
Plus damning assessment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s White House run from his own family. The relative now calling his candidacy a, quote, "embarrassment".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've listened to him. I know him. I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president.
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[17:16:06]
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ACOSTA: Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is spending the next 13 days in what his team is calling the "punishment cell" as he awaits the verdict in his trial on extremism charges. Russian prosecutors are calling for Navalny to be sentenced to 20 years in a maximum security penal colony for allegedly creating and financing an extremist community.
Navalny's team published what it called "The Last Word from the Opposition Politician", which reads in part, everyone in Russia knows that someone who seeks justice in court is completely defenseless. The case of such a person is hopeless because in a country ruled by a criminal, controversial issues are resolved by bargaining power, bribery, deceit, betrayal and other mechanisms from real life, not by some kind of law.
Joining me now is Daniel Roher. He's director of the Oscar award winning documentary film "Navalny". Daniel, great to talk to you.
As always very concerned about how Alexei Navalny is doing. Do we know how he's doing? Do you know how he's doing?
DANIEL ROHER, FILM DIRECTOR, "NAVALNY": Well look, Navalny is in prison, he's in solitary confinement in horrible conditions. So he's doing as well as you can imagine.
But Navalny's spirit is inextinguishable. It cannot be put out. It's unbelievable his resilience. And that's the headline note. That's what we see.
In spite of the darkness, Navalny is a shimmering light for the Russian people. And that's what I think is so remarkable.
ACOSTA: And prosecutors want Navalny to spend two decades at a maximum security penal colony. he's already serving an 11 year sentence for fraud, the Russians say and other charges.
He's been charged with a laundry list of minor offenses during his time behind bars. Obviously all of that is almost entirely trumped up, I would imagine all of it's trumped up.
What would an additional 20 years mean for him, if it's all layered on top of one another? Does this mean he's essentially serving the rest of his life behind bars?
ROHER: Well, the first thing I have to just point out is --
ACOSTA: Yes, please.
ROHER: -- the fact that in contemporary Russia you can take a murderous mercenary army, to ride this army within 150 miles of the Kremlin, to murder 11 Russian service members in the process, in this coup that Prigozhin organized a few weeks ago. And a few days after the coup, Prigozhin is invited to have caviar and tea at the Kremlin with Vladimir Putin. While Navalny is languishing in prison on extremism charges.
If we were going to make another film, it might have to make a comedy. It's so ridiculous. The court system in Russia doesn't exist. Everything is arbitrary, and
what Navalny knows he's looking at is life in prison. It's just a question of whose life, his or Vladimir Putin's because I think whoever is running the country after Putin will have to negotiate Navalny's release.
It's not tenable to keep him behind bars, and I'm just hoping Navalny is the one who outlasts his foe.
ACOSTA: That's an excellent point Prigozhin because we were covering this a few weeks ago and there was all of this talk of well, you know, Prigozhin better not stand next to any open windows. He better be careful that he has a food taster and so on.
And it doesn't seem clear at this point, I suppose there have been predictions, the CIA director was saying the other day that Putin might go after him.
But it hasn't happened yet, and here you see Navalny sitting behind bars for who knows how long. And I guess, Daniel, there's just nothing the outside world can do about this, is that right?
ROHER: No, this is a Russian domestic issue. And it just so happens that the guy who's running Russia is a murderous thug. He's more like a mafia boss than a president or a head of state. And as Navalny points out everything he does is filtered through that lens. What's the best way to solve his problems.
And I think one thing that our film certainly illustrates is that he often -- more often than not solves his problems through violence and murder.
What Russia needs is a Navalny-like figure, someone with the resilience and skill to install a Democratic tradition in that country, and although right now it seems like it's an impossible dream, the night is darkest just before the dawn, and I think for millions of Russians, Navalny is that flicker of light.
But we can't forget who we're dealing with and in Putin we have to think of him not as a president but more of like a gangster mafia boss because he's really more akin to that in every way.
ACOSTA: And Navalny's hearing on Thursday was behind closed doors, but we know he spoke out about the war in Ukraine. Is that right?
[17:24:47]
ROHER: At every available opportunity whenever Navalny has a chance to speak out in his own defense, he uses that platform to speak out against this brutal murderous invasion. And I think that just goes to show what Navalny's priorities are. He is serving time in, perhaps a life sentence in prison for the future of his nation, and you know, it's sad.
It's a real tragedy. Our film doesn't have a happy ending. Navalny hasn't seen his family in over a year. His parents who made the arduous six-hour trip from Moscow to be in the courtroom were denied entry. No cameras were allowed. There were no recordings.
This is the Russian judicial system, kangaroo courts built in prisons, administered by judges with no accountability. It's all a big joke. If it wasn't so sad and tragic, we could laugh about it.
ACOSTA: All right, Daniel Roher, thank you very much for you time. Please keep us posted on how things progress.
What a sad and awful situation. But we appreciate you laying it out for us. Thanks so much.
Coming up, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims he is not racist, anti-Semitic or anti-vax despite his previous statements. How his recent comments are costing him support even among his own relatives, that's next.
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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[17:30:14]
ACOSTA: It is family feud, Kennedy edition. This week, JFK's grandson took to social media to speak out against his cousin, RFK Jr, accusing him of spreading conspiracy theories for personal gain.
Jack Schlossberg, the son of Carolina Kennedy, ridiculed the Democratic presidential candidate in a video posted to Instagram saying he's disgracing the Kennedy family name.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK SCHLOSSBERG, GRANDSON TO JOHN F. KENNEDY & COUSIN OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR: He's trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame. I've listened to him. I know him.
I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is his candidacy is an embarrassment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Joining us now to discuss is the director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, Larry Sabato. He wrote the book "The Kennedy Half Century." There it is right there on screen.
Larry, I wanted to talk to you because I know you studied the Kennedys for so many years. Just your initial take on this bizarre behavior that we have seen from RFK Jr.
That crazy blank show hearing that we saw up on Capitol Hill this past week. It's just nuts. What is going on?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CENTER FOR POLITICS & AUTHOR: Well, I wish I weren't a political scientist for this one. I wish I were a psychologist. I'd probably be able to give you a better answer.
I don't know what's going on with RFK Jr. I think he's had some of these strange theories about Covid and vaccines and other things for quite some time.
And let's remember, he's got his First Amendment rights to express himself. And the Kennedys are a very big family. There are a lot of them.
I thought President Kennedy's grandson did an excellent job in summarizing from a Democratic perspective how people look at RFK Jr's candidacy. It can only hurt President Biden.
And while I haven't polled the family, I suspect, if a poll were done, the overwhelming majority of them would be supporting President Biden's re-election and the overwhelming majority would be upset and probably embarrassed by what RFK Jr has done.
ACOSTA: And, Larry, JFK's grandson wasn't the only Kennedy to speak out. RFK Jr's sister, Kerry Kennedy, condemned comments he made suggesting that the coronavirus was, quote, "ethically targeted to spare Jews and Chinese people."
What do you make of this pushback that RFK Jr is receiving not just from the public but from his own family?
And I guess to put your political hat on, I'm asking two questions at once here. How is it that he has been able to attract not a significant or large number of Democrats in certain polls, but even a slim number, enough that it shows up in the polls. I suppose it's just the Kennedy name.
SABATO: It's the Kennedy name. Because not many Republicans are going to be voting in Democratic primaries and caucuses.
And look, some of it is residual affection for his father, former Senator -- the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and, of course, the late President Kennedy.
But I think it's also true -- and he must know this -- the Republicans are using this daily. Not just that hearing, that ridiculous hearing that the Republicans held in the House of Representatives last week.
People like Steve Bannon, among the most obnoxious Trump people, they're using this to cause problems for President Biden.
I honestly don't know what the motivations are or if those mote motivations are even rational. But the other members of the family clearly don't want to speak out against a fellow Kennedy.
The Kennedys are rightly known for their unity and loyalty to one another. But they had to take action.
And I'm going to be surprised if there aren't additional Kennedys when take action as long as RFK Jr remains any kind of visible -- it won't be serious -- but any kind of visible primary challenger for President Biden. It's last thing President Biden needs.
ACOSTA: And this week, Republicans invited RFK Jr to Capitol Hill to testify at a hearing on government censorship, weaponizing government.
RFK Jr has not been censored. He's been able to say pretty much everything he wants, every outlandish theory. I don't know why he says he's being censored.
He tried to rewrite history on previous comments he made about Anne Frank and vaccines, all sorts of Anti-Semitic comments. Do you think elevating him will come back to bite Republicans?
[17:35:01]
SABATO: I don't know whether it will, but it ought to. It's disgraceful. It's disgusting. And they know most of what he is saying is absolutely untrue.
And they are participating in the misinformation and disinformation spread because they think it will benefit them politically. Both their nominee for president and probably their own re-election races.
Politics sinks to low depths sometimes. And this is setting a new standard for at least the 2024 presidential election.
ACOSTA: And I just have to ask you because you have studied the Kennedys and wrote the book about the Kennedy half century.
Is there something that ties the tragedies of the Kennedy assassinations in the 1960s to what has become of RFK Jr's life, or is that just being too charitable? He's a man, he should be held responsible for what he says.
But could it be it was such an awful experience being RFK Jr that he became this person with all of these theories. Like you said earlier, not a psychiatrist. But does it somehow tie to these tragedies of the Kennedy family?
SABATO: Well, it might very well. But he's 69. And you know, he has a lot of brothers and sisters and cousins. We've heard from some of them. We'll hear from others. And most of them seem to have turned out quite well.
So I don't know why that would be a specific reason why he is doing the outlandish things he's doing.
You know, normally, when you come across someone like that, you should feel sympathy for them and then you should ignore them.
ACOSTA: All right. Well said.
All right, Larry Sabato, great to talk to you as always. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.
SABATO: Thank you, Jim.
ACOSTA: All right, we'll be right back.
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[17:40:55]
ACOSTA: Authorities are trying to determine whether the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer committed murders in his own home.
A source tells CNN investigators are operating on the theory that the accused killer, Rex Heuermann, may have lured the victims into the residence when his family was away.
Authorities also believe Heuermann may have taken and kept items from the victims as possible trophies.
CNN's Polo Sandoval joins us now with the latest.
Polo, how long have investigators been working on this theory?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a good question, Jim. Since at least this spring, according to a source close to the investigation that tells CNN this is the working theory for at least two reasons.
A, they have confirmed that Rex Heuermann's wife was actually out of the state at the time of these murders over a decade ago.
And, B, the cell phone triangulation data that investigators have been able to analyze basically places the victims here closer and closer to Massapequa Park, Long Island.
Essentially, luring them to the place where these murders may have taken place. So that's still something that investigators are working out.
Now, well over a week into the analysis and also examining the house of suspected serial killer, Rex Heuermann, here.
Now, in terms of the investigation itself, Jim, it's also really just widening out to include other jurisdictions.
Las Vegas, Nevada, for example, detectives taking a closer look at missing persons cases they have there because the suspect in this particular case had a timeshare there.
And then look at these other jurisdictions as well, Chester County, South Carolina, where Heuermann's brother not only lived but also where Heuermann himself had a property.
We know, based on some search warrants that have been reported on, that investigators there are looking through that property for any potential signs of evidence, trophies, personal effects and other things of that nature.
Also in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that is where detectives are taking a closer look at several murders of sex workers that remain unsolved to see if these are possible cases that may be connected here. But really does go to show that this investigation is far from over.
As for Heuermann, Jim, he remains behind bars. He pleaded not guilty. He maintains his innocence as this investigation continues to press forward.
ACOSTA: Polo Sandoval, thank you very much.
Tomorrow night, on CNN, see how new technology helped solve the decades-long Gilgo Beach murder mystery. The new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY," with Anderson Cooper, airs tomorrow night at 8:00 here on CNN.
In Mexico, meanwhile, a grim discovery.
And a warning, the images you're about to see are graphic.
Twenty-eight bodies found in clandestine graves on a property located in the Mexico border town of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas. Many of them cut into pieces.
A missing person's group made the discovery earlier this month after receiving an anonymous tip on Facebook. Officials say some of the bodies have already been identified.
CNN's Rafael Romo joins us now.
Rafael, Reynosa is known as a violent border city, dominated by various factions of drug and kidnapping cartels. Any leads on who did this?
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jim. There are no leads. A least nothing that authorities are disclosing publicly.
And you're right, turf wars have made the Mexican states of Reynosa one of Mexico's most violent for at least a decade now.
As you may remember, this is the same state where four Americans were kidnapped at gunpoint in March, two of them dying in the attack.
Interestingly enough, Jim, the most recent discovery was made not by police but civilians. A missing person's group whose members put themselves at great risk by looking for people who have disappeared.
This is what one of the volunteers had to say about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDITH GONZALEZ TREVINO, VOLUNTEER SEARCH FOR MISSING PEOPLE( through translation): Authorities have made the decision of helping us to search every month or every two months. So we made the decision to go out on our own to search.
These last few months is what we have been doing. We began to go out alone without police escort, without any type of protection. And well, we enter dangerous places, right?
But more than anything we want to find those missing to be able to locate them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[17:45:04]
ROMO: Now, Jim, the mass graves were located on a private property in the city of Reynosa near the Texas border town of Reynosa and, as you mentioned, across the border from McAllen.
The state's attorney office announced originally that it was 27 bodies later adding one more victim to the count. Several mass graves have also been found in the border state over the years.
In 2010, you may remember, 72 migrants from Central and South America were massacred there.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: What a brutal story.
All right, Rafael Romo, thank you very much.
Coming up, Governor Ron DeSantis is struggling to keep up with fellow Florida candidate, Donald Trump, in the GOP presidential nomination race. Why? Harry Enten is here to run the numbers next.
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:50:15]
ACOSTA: Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump were neck and neck in the race for the Republican nomination for president. That has changed a lot.
CNN's senior data reporter, Harry Enten, joins us to run the numbers.
Harry, what changed?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: I mean, Donald Trump went up and Ron DeSantis went down. Right, Jim.
I mean, take a look at this polling average compared from the beginning of the year to now. The beginning of the year was a two-man race. Donald Trump was ahead but only ahead by a little more than 10 percentage points. Look where we are now.
Now it's a clear frontrunner. Donald Trump, 52 percent to Ron DeSantis's 20 percent. They're not even on the same planet.
So at the beginning of the year, it was a two-man race. At this point, it's really Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, just way, way back.
ACOSTA: And he's not falling way behind Trump. He's become less popular overall. What do the numbers show us on that?
ENTEN: Yes. A lot of people would say, OK, Donald Trump surged up in the polls because of the indictments and the Republican base rallied around him.
But take a look at the very favorable ratings amongst Republicans. This is a key metric. It is not just who likes you. It is who really loves you.
And take a look at DeSantis' very favorable rating among Republicans. At the beginning of the year, nearly 50 percent. A majority of the Republican base really liked Ron DeSantis.
That 34 percent now is still considerably high. But it's considerably down from where it was. Dropped by 15 points. That really does mirror the drop that we've seen from DeSantis in the horse race.
So the fact that it's not just that Donald Trump is going up. It's that Ron DeSantis himself is going down. And this to me is a very troubling metric. Because the more Republican voters have gone to no Ron DeSantis, the less loved he has become.
ACOSTA: Yes, it looks like some of the DeSantis supporters just shifted to Trump is what has taken place.
And, Harry, earlier this month, the campaigns reported fundraising numbers. There was a worrying sign for DeSantis there as well. Can you tell us about that?
ENTEN: Yes, you know, money is something that can keep you in a presidential race. And it's also something that can boost perhaps those very favorable ratings back up.
But this to me is a very troubling sign. Let's look at the donations to Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign. About 70 percent of the donations that came in were from folks who gave the maximum amount. That'll means they can't give any more money.
Only 15 percent, about 15 percent, came from small donors. The folks who could give over and over and over again. The folks who powered Bernie Sanders back during his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Just 15 percent were small donors.
So the fact is, DeSantis is beloved by the rich donors, or at least had been historically speaking. The small donors, the ones powering his campaign going forward, have not really liked him.
It's something he really needs to work on if he wants to stay in this race for president.
ACOSTA: It's hard to do that when you're becoming less popular. That usually doesn't translate into those kinds of small donations.
And switching gears, on a much lighter note, the U.S. women's world cup team, they won last night. Some are giving them a hard time because they're not winning every match 10-0, although they won last night against Vietnam.
I watched it. They look fantastic. I mean, they didn't win 10-0. It was 3-0. That's not bad either.
But they have an incredible track record. It is kind of a sight to behold, isn't it?
ENTEN: It really is. I like winners, Jim. America is full of winners and I like winners. The U.S. women are winners.
Look at this. How many world cup titles have they won? They have won --
(LAUGHTER)
ACOSTA: You sounded like Donald Trump right there. I don't mean to interrupt. But just --
(CROSSTALK)
ENTEN: No, no, no, no, no. Sound like winners, right? Winners.
They have won four, won four titles. The men have gone all the way back since 1930. They've won zero. The women are winners. The men left something to be desired.
ACOSTA: They are remarkable. They're probably going to win it this time, too, right? It is just looking that good.
Last night, even though wasn't 10-0, they just dominated the Vietnamese. What I saw last night, I mean, speaking of the numbers, I don't know if the Vietnamese got any shots on goal, which is pretty remarkable when you think about it from that standpoint.
Harry, great stuff as always. Thanks so much. Really appreciate it.
ENTEN: Thank you.
ACOSTA: Not a bad impersonation either, actually. If we had more time, we could delve into that.
Thank you so much. Multitalented. Harry Enten.
Be sure to check out Harry's podcast, "MARGINS OF ERROR." You can find it on your favorite podcast app or at CNN.com/audio.
[17:55:00]
All right, shifting gears. More than 30,000 American veterans are homeless. Many are living in or near military towns.
Fayetteville, North Carolina, near Fort Laree, this week's "CNN Hero" was struggling to survive after a brain injury when she saw veterans in need.
Meet Stacey Buckner. (END VIDEO CLIP)
STACEY BUCKNER, CNN HERO: It takes boots on the ground to get back there, find them and meet their needs.
We provide clothing, food. There's a full kitchen in the back. We also do laundry.
Your pants are almost done spinning, baby!
It's filling a basic human need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like this establishment.
BUCKNER: This is my brick and mortar.
Even though I'm not a veteran, I do have mental health issues that come with having a traumatic brain injury so I can relate.
You've been burning the road up in that walker. I know that much.
Sometimes I really do surprise people with who I am. Look at me. I look really rough around the edges, right?
Hey, what's up, brother? What else do you need?
I'm all tatted up. I may throw out a cuss word every now and then but I'm just Stacey.
It's important to show veterans that there are organizations out there that want to provide support to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: To see all the ways Stacey's off-road outreach is offering help to veterans in her hometown, go to CNNheros,com. And while you're there, nominate your hero. Nominations close July 31st.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
