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Trump's Lawyers Seeking Delays Until after Election; Trump Stumps In SC Tonight After Being Indicted; White House Urging Federal Workers To Return To Offices; Teen Charged In Hate Crime Killing Of NYC Dancer; Calls Grow For Trump To Participate In First GOP Debate; Ron DeSantis Accepts Gavin Newsom's Challenge to Debate; Rise And Fall Of "Co-Conspirator 1" Rudy Giuliani; Taylor Swift Wrapping Up U.S. Leg Of Eras Tour. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired August 05, 2023 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:00:53]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. Good evening.

We being with a new deadline in the legal saga between Donald Trump and the special counsel following the historic the third indictment.

Trump lawyers are now hitting back at a Monday deadline set by the judge overseeing his election interference case arguing they should have until Thursday to respond to the special counsel's request for a protective court order. Special Counsel Jack Smith is firing back telling the judge the delay is unnecessary.

What's all this about? Well, the special counsel is seeking to stop defense lawyers from sharing with Trump copies of sensitive evidence. The special counsel is pointing to this social media post from Trump on Friday saying quote, "If you go after me, I'm coming after you." Despite all of the legal battles, the Trump campaign is staging rallies where the former president is slamming the special counsel. Soon he's set to address reporters in the early primary state of South Carolina.

Alayna Treene is there right now. Alayna, what are we expecting to hear from the former president tonight?

Last night in Alabama, he was really going after special counsel Jack Smith and engaging in more of this volatile rhetoric that is obviously now going to be a matter in his case here in Washington. What more can you tell us?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very well, Jim, I think that despite that court filing from the special counsel Jack Smith and other prosecutors, I think you can anticipate Donald Trump will use that same rhetoric that he did last night and characterize these charges as election interference, criticize Jack Smith directly and continue to argue that he is a victim of political persecution. Last night in Alabama, he did all of those things. And I think you're

going to hear him say a similar speech tonight. And also similar to last night he will speak to a receptive crowd. He'll be speaking to South Carolina Republicans in this room.

And so I think you can anticipate him to feel energized by that. He knows the crowd that he is playing to. He knows that he can be defiant with them and that he'll get the reaction that he wants.

I also just want to point out something he said last night. He's also been pointing to how these indictments are helping him politically. Let's listen to what he said in Alabama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every time they file an indictment, we go way up in the polls. We need one more indictment to close out this election. One more indictment and this election is closed out. Nobody has even a chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: Now, Jim, I can tell you from my conversations with Donald Trump's advisers that they do see the political advantages of these charges. They do recognize that among his Republican base and primary voters specifically these are helping him in the polls. These are helping him with his popularity.

Of course, the question is, if he is able to win the Republican nomination, of course, it's very far from now. We are not in the business of predicting that. But they will be worried about what this could mean for a general election.

And so I think you're going to continue tonight to see him lean in to his old playbook, wail against these charges , and continue to argue that these can help him in the polls, Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Alayna Treene, thank you very much.

Let's discuss more now with CNN law enforcement analyst and former D.C. Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fanone. He was attacked by Trump supporters on January 6th while he was defending the U.S. Capitol along with a great many other police officers. Mike, great to see you again.

Let's just start with what you're seeing from Trump in this social media post. He said if you go after me -- we can put it up on screen, if we have it -- you go after me, I'm coming after you. That was what he put on his Truth Social media account last night.

I mean, this is barely a day after he was arraigned in court and he's already inciting people with these kinds of messages. What did you think when you saw that?

[17:04:51] MICHAEL FANONE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: It's just more of the same. This is the same rhetoric that the former president used in the weeks and months leading up to January 6th which obviously, you know, those of us who are grounded in reality understand what took place that day.

But it's also deeply personal for me because as someone who's been outspoken against the former president, someone who advocated relentlessly for an indictment, you know, a lot of that rhetoric inspires attacks against myself and members of my family.

Whether it's in the form of threats or individuals actually coming to our residence and harassing us. And it's been a pretty steady pace ever since, you know, the first time I gave a news interview.

ACOSTA: And given what we just heard in that report a few moments ago, it sounds as though this is going to be Trump's playbook all throughout these cases that are playing out in court.

He's going to go and have rallies. He's going to stir up his supporters. He's going to go after prosecutors and God knows who else during these proceedings. It sounds like based on your experience that some of these other folks involved in these cases may need to be prepared for Trump supporters to be lashing out at them in ways that you understand all too well.

FANONE: Most definitely. I mean I know a few people I've spoken to inside the Department of Justice have said that, you know, security has been tightened. You know, Jack Smith obviously, I'm sure, has a significant amount of security as well as the members of his team.

But I mean, it's a bizarre time in which you see a former president and so many members of his political apparatus attacking law enforcement and our, you know, career public servants in the Department of Justice.

ACOSTA: And last night he was talking about some of these indictments and his most recent indictment down in Alabama at an event he had down there. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxist, Communists and fascists indict me I consider it a truly great badge of honor because I'm being indicted for you. Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot.

They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Yes, I mean what's your reaction to that? He's obviously using these cases to rile up his supporters.

FANONE: Oh, no doubt. I mean he clearly is looking to maintain his base but also to profit from his many -- now many criminal indictments. I mean listen, I put a lot of bad people in prison, and you know, the courtroom process was always theatrical, and you know, Donald Trump is an entertainer, I think, down to the bone and this is just part of the performance.

ACOSTA: Let me ask you about the arraignment on Thursday. What did you think and did it give you any more faith in our justice system? Because you and I have talked about this a lot of times, and I know there were moments when you told me that you weren't very confident that Trump was going to be held accountable.

FANONE: I wasn't confident that we would get to that point until we got to that point, until I heard that the indictment had come down and really until Trump was arraigned. But I mean, for me it's -- it doesn't answer the question that I, you know, ask myself time and time again throughout my career, you know, is it true that no one is above the law?

But at least in this case I recognize the fact that there were some other individuals besides myself who felt that way and were willing to put their careers and their personal safety on the line and pursue an indictment. So for that I'm, you know, very grateful for Jack Smith and his team.

ACOSTA: You've got a little more confidence?

FANONE: I mean, I've got a little more confidence in a few individuals.

ACOSTA: Maybe not the whole system.

FANONE: Yes, I mean, listen, it's a work in progress, but where we go from here, I think, while I'm relieved to the fact that our justice system worked this this particular case, I've got a personal investment here.

Like I, you know, put myself out there and have drawn the ire of Trump and his cult-like supporters, and so, you know, it's still concerning, you know, what the inevitable outcome of that trial is.

[17:09:52]

ACOSTA: Yes, and I remember you were telling me just recently, in fact just this past week because I was wondering what this meant to police officers who were up there at the Capitol on January 6th.

And you were telling me one of the reasons you decided to speak out and start speaking out is because you looked, you simply looked at the body camera footage that came back from that day. And that was part of the reason why you decided to start speaking out.

FANONE: Yes. I mean, I saw what --

ACOSTA: Do you think people get that?

FANONE: I don't know if they do and I, you know, I talk about it -- I talk about it in my book. I saw this footage. I thought it was horrific and I knew that, you know, my story and the body-worn camera footage could serve at least in my mind, I thought it could serve as some, like, undoubtable evidence as to the significance of that day.

And you know, at first we talked about it was about correcting the false narrative that police officers used a disproportionate amount of force against Trump supporters than maybe they would have against people of color.

And then from there, you know, Republicans got involved and started to paint this portrait of the day that was so far from reality, simply to preserve and protect their own political careers and that of their, you know, party's leader, Donald Trump.

ACOSTA: What happens if -- we've heard this time and again, the Trump team, they want -- the legal team, they want to push these cases off until after the election. What happens if they're successful in doing that?

FANONE: I mean that's -- I don't know. You know, there's people that say that Donald Trump has a very good chance of becoming president of the United States. I can't even fathom what another term with Trump at the helm would look like. I can't fathom what it would look like for this country other than it wouldn't be good.

And I can't imagine what it would look like for me as, you know, a police officer that served at the Capitol on January 6th, tried to protect, you know, my fellow officers and the people inside of the building, spoke out about it and, you know --

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: What do you think when you see these big rallies and these people show up and they want to hear from him? They want to support him? These polls show he's way out in front of the other Republicans running for the nomination.

FANONE: I mean --

ACOSTA: What goes through your mind?

FANONE: It's infuriating. It's hard not to take it personally. I mean I see all these Americans -- I mean let's be realistic here, these are people that you know, two and a half, three years ago I probably would have been, you know, sitting at a bar drinking a beer with and now they are, you know, all in and wish some of the most disturbing things to, you know, happen to me and my family members, simply because of the fact that I told the truth about what happened to me and a hell of a whole lot of other police officers on January 6th.

ACOSTA: Well Mike, we're going to keep this conversation going. Thanks for coming and thanks for reacting to this latest news. We'll get you back in here again.

FANONE: Yes, man. Thanks for having me.

ACOSTA: Good to see you. Thanks a lot. Appreciate it. FANONE: Good.

ACOSTA: All right.

In the meantime, does Donald Trump need to debate his Republican rivals? He doesn't think so. Can he afford to be a no-show with this commanding lead we've been talking about.

Our political panel weighs in next.

Plus, how Swift-onomics is pumping billions into the economy around the country. We'll talk about that as well.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[17:13:53]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Work from home days may soon be a thing of the past for many federal workers with an election just around the corner. The White House is asking cabinet agencies to bring employees back to the office in the coming months.

In an internal email obtained by CNN, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients cites the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency as the reason for the shift.

And CNN White House reporter Kevin Liptak joins us now. Kevin, I can hear a lot of federal workers groaning from their living rooms as they're hearing this.

A lot of folks think that they're going to be more productive at home. But it sounds like the chief of staff is saying, nope, you got to come back to the office.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. And this has been an issue that's been playing out in workplaces all across the country and the federal government is no different.

And then that email to all heads of cabinets, departments, agencies, Jeff Zients saying that this is a priority of President Biden's. And he says that he believes that productivity will increase if workers return to the office. But he also says that these face-to-face interactions will help younger workers in the federal government as they work to boost their careers.

Now, this had been something that the Republicans had been putting pressure on the White House to start doing.

You have also seen pressure from the mayor of Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser who had voiced concern about the amount of vacant office space if her city. But as companies do this across the country, they are facing resistance from some workers who had built their entire lives around this idea of working from home. Now, in that email, Jeff Zients says that he doesn't want to eliminate

remote working entirely. He says he wants to enable a solution while ensuring we have the in-person time we need to build a strong culture of trust and in-person connections.

[17:19:53]

LIPTAK: Now, he does say he wants these agencies to aggressively execute the shift. And he says he wants it to happen over the next several months, Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. We'll be watching. Kevin Liptak, thank you very much.

A short time ago New York police charged a 17-year-old with a hate crime in the stabbing death of professional dancer O'Shae Sibley (ph). Sibley was stabbed to death last weekend at a Brooklyn gas station after dancing to a Beyonce song.

At a news conference today, the New York Police Department announced the charges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH KENNY, NYPD ASSISTANT CHIEF, DETECTIVE BUREAU: The suspect is identified as a male, 17 years of age, he resides in Brooklyn and he attends a nearby high school.

Members of the NYPD Fugitive Enforcement Unit and the U.S. Marshalls Regional Fugitive Task Force were assigned with the task of locating and apprehending this individual. Their efforts led to his apprehension yesterday.

He has been charged with Murder 2 and that is being charged as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon. He has been remanded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: An NYPD spokesmen says the department does not know yet whether the suspect will be charged as an adult.

We'll stay on top of that very important story. We'll bring that to you.

In the meantime, does Donald Trump need to show up to the Republican debates? Our political panel here on hand and will be answering that question in just a few moments.

Stick with us. You are a live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

[17:21:15]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Calls are growing for former president Donald Trump to participate in the Republican's first presidential debate. Sources tell CNN, top executives dined with Trump this week encouraging him to join other GOP candidates at the network's debate later this month.

Now his old running mate turned rival is saying even he hopes the debate-wary Trump is on the stage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I hope he's there and we're preparing either way. Because frankly whether the former president is there or not there's some real differences between me and others who will be on the stage as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Joining us now to discuss "Vanity Fair" special correspondent; Molly Jong-Fast and Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton.

Shermichael, you're here in the studio with me and Molly is London. Let me turn to you, first.

This new poll it says nearly six out of ten Independents approve of this week's indictment against Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. That's pretty remarkable.

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It is.

ACOSTA: And, I mean, you know, we could look at these polls in all sorts of different way, the poll numbers that show there's a significant number of people who still think the election wasn't legitimate. We'll just not talk about that for a second. But 59 percent agreeing with, you know, this -- that this indictment is legitimate, it sounds like what they're saying in this poll. That's important.

SINGLETON: It is important, because we know the last election was won on the margins. Donald Trump won in 2016 against Hillary Clinton on the margins. And what he cannot allow, if he is the nominee of the party, Jim, is not to be able to reach across the aisle and get some of those Independent-leaning conservative or moderate-conservative voters.

I also think when you look at the polling data, we've got about 45 percent of Republicans that have told pollsters if the president is found guilty on any of those charges, they will not vote for him.

Now, that's bad news for a Republican Party that's hoping to regain the White House. We're looking at the Senate. We're looking at improving numbers in the House. Do you really want the top of the ticket really dragging down the rest of the candidates?

That's something that party official are going to have to really ask themselves.

ACOSTA: Yes. And Molly, I mean I can imagine Donald Trump just thumbing his nose at this debate. Why does he need to debate at this point? He's way up in the polls. What -- 53 percent or something like that. Ron DeSantis is sort of slumped back into the rest of the pack and he

can hold these rallies and go off on the special counsel in these cases which is by design, of course. He doesn't need to be in these debates.

MOLLY JONG-FAST, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, "VANITY FAIR": No, Trump does not need to be in the debates. I do think that eventually he will go in the debates because he loves to be the center of attention.

And one of the reasons why he wins these primaries or has historically is because he eats up all the oxygen. So even though he is not, you know, debating at this moment, he's still taking up much of the Republican air.

And you even see when they talk to these other candidates on the stump, mostly journalists want to know what they think about Trump. And you see, again and again, these other Republicans defending Trump, talking about Trump, protecting Trump. So ultimately he is kind of the star of this primary contest.

ACOSTA: Yes. I mean, and Shermichael, I want it ask you about a bunch of other stuff that's in the political news this past week, but Molly brings up a good point. I want to ask you about it.

Why is it surrounding this indictment and arraignment of the former president, you are seeing so many of his rivals almost coming to his defense? As if they are running for vice president or part of his cabinet or something like that?

You and I have been around the block a time or two. I've covered a number of these campaigns and you've been out there working for other candidates. In the past, rival candidates would have seized on a candidate or the frontrunner --

(CROSSTALK)

SINGLETON: Oh, without a doubt. Oh, without a doubt. Yes.

ACOSTA: Why is it different now?

SINGLETON: I mean this is truly a litmus test for many of these candidates because even if you're somehow able to usurp Donald Trump's lead and become the nominee of the party next year, you still need that 37 percent of the base. You cannot win without those individuals. Even if you pair them with a sliver of folks in the middle, it is not enough to beat the sitting president.

And so what most of these candidates have learned like Ron DeSantis is trying to play back again, to come back around and talk positively about Trump. If you say something negative about Donald Trump you will find yourself in 1 percent or 2 percent. It is not the appetite that the Republican base has right now.

And again, if you want to beat the guy you got to appease those voters.

[17:29:51]

ACOSTA: It's truly bizarre. And Molly, speaking of debates, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has accepted California Governor Gavin Newsom's challenge to debate on Fox apparently. Why is DeSantis interested in debating Newsom? This one, I don't understand. Newsom is not president.

[17:30:04]

JONG-FAST: I mean, I think that Ron DeSantis the only answer is that Ron DeSantis is running for governor of California. I mean, it's just baffling. I don't know what he's thinking. I think that it works out well for Newsom because it keeps him the national spotlight and it shows him as a possible, you know, if something were to, God forbid, happened to Biden, he's able to, sort of, you know, grow his popularity, be on the national stage in a very low stakes way.

And if he wins it, you know, Newsom has had a lot of success on Fox News, so this could be very good for him, but DeSantis it's just -- it cannot help him. But, you know, DeSantis is really struggling, and he's trying anything he can to go at Trump without going at Trump.

ACOSTA: Yes, I'm not sure debating Gavin Newsom is going to be a cure all for Ron DeSantis, but Shermichael let me ask you, this week's, Trump indictment from Jack Smith says Trump called his vice president too honest when he refused to comply with overturning the 2020 election. Now, Pence is trying to use those words to his advantage.

He's selling these T-shirts and hats that have the words Too Honest emblazoned on them. Is Pence going to get anywhere with this?

SINGLETON: I mean, look, you have about 25 percent of the Republican base that's in the group of never-Trumpers. Then when you break down the polls even further, you look at the cross tabs, you have about 37 percent that are persuadable. About 17 percent of them are leaning Trump, and then you have about another 12 that are someone else but Trump.

And so I think that the vice president's team, they're looking at the math and they're trying to figure out, well, can we pull some of those voters to at least increase in the polls, to increase our ability to fundraise and stay longer, especially after January. That's what I think the calculation is, Jim.

But again, this is a hard primary to be in as a Republican if your name is not Donald Trump. If you don't agree with what he's doing, you want to criticize him, that's not going to help. You don't necessarily want to say why I support this, because you're thinking, well, if I can somehow increase in the poll numbers and become nominee, this won't help in a general. So you're adorned if you do.

ACOSTA: Yes. And Molly, let's get back to the arraignment. Trump arraigned in D.C. on Thursday on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election. One of his lawyers spoke to reporters outside the courthouse, made some baffling I'm trying to be nice about very strange remarks. Let's listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALINA HABBA, TRUMP ATTORNEY: Everybody was made aware that he lost the election, but that doesn't mean that was the only advice he was given. If anybody understands what happens in the Oval Office, there are a numerous amount of advisors and politicians and lawyers, not just one or two that are giving you advice and telling you what they believe is true. The president has a right, as every one of us do, to listen to several opinions and make their decisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Molly, don't those remarks undercut the entire legal defense for the Trump team. Everyone was made aware of that he lost. That's what she said.

JONG-FAST: Alina Abba is just trying to flood the zone, right? She's just trying everything she can. You know, she is a right wing television star. And earlier on in that interview, she talks about Hunter Biden for about, you know, a long time.

So I do think they're just trying whatever they can to distract, deflect, kick the can, put this off, you know, they'll do anything they can. I don't think that Trump's people really care. What did he know. When did he know. They just, you know, they have decided that this is not about Trump, but this is somehow about Joe Biden. So, I do think she's just trying to obfuscate and kill time.

ACOSTA: But Shermichael, you know, if she's out there saying everyone was made aware that Trump lost the election, I mean then why did we have January 6?

SINGLETON: I mean, you know --

ACOSTA: I mean this goes back to the special counsel's case that was made in the indictment. And I heard this from my own sources. Many of my colleagues heard this from their sources, that Trump was fully aware that he lost the election, would grumble at times, how did I lose to this guy? And that sort of thing.

And for one of his attorneys or she's -- whatever she's doing for the campaign or for Donald Trump to get out there and say this, it's kind of remarkable.

SINGLETON: I mean, Jim, I sort of unpack this in two camps. You have what's going to be discussed in the courtroom, and politics will not interfere. There will be a judge who oversee it. There will be a jury of Trump's peers, and they will look at all of the evidence. Much of it we will not have access to.

Then there's the public component of this, which I think the former president has been pretty effective at, and that's articulating this case to the American people, making this a political persecution of the guy who will likely be the arch rival of the current president. Does this look like it's OK to you? Do you think that this is acceptable that the Justice Department of the sitting president is investigating the guy who may be running against him, and they're trying to make that argument.

[17:35:06]

Now, we'll see if it's salient enough to move numbers, but I think that's how they're trying to unpack this for the American people. And I do wonder if at some point, Jim, will indictment fatigue set in? And if it does it benefit the former president?

ACOSTA: Molly, what do you think about that? Because, I mean, we haven't really gotten into Trump's social media post last night, which was just downright dangerous. He's inciting people again. And I was talking with Michael Fanone about this earlier. He's concerned as well that somebody could get hurt in all of this.

And there's a whole new cast of people that Donald Trump can put in danger with this kind of incitement. But it sounds as though this is the plan, to go out on the campaign trail and do this sort of thing.

JONG-FAST: Well, Trump is always sort of doing the kind of worst thing you can imagine, right? Like that truth that we saw last night was shocking, but it wasn't unexpected. Right. We've seen him do things like that before.

I think Trump world had said that three indictments somehow helped him, that once he got more indictments, and even yesterday night at an event, he said, you know, he just needs one more indictment to get the primary.

And I think that is true. I think with Republican primary voters, this works very well. But the question is, can you grow the electorate? Can you convince a purple state voter that you really want to go along with this guy again? And I think that's what it's going to be.

And look, he doesn't have to win the popular vote. He just needs to win the Electoral College. So it's a game of much smaller numbers in much swingier states, but I still think that this does not grow the electorate.

ACOSTA: Yes, and we saw that in 2018, 2020, 2022. All right. Molly Jong-Fast, Shermichael Singleton. Thanks very much, guys. Appreciate it. Safe travels, Molly.

SINGLETON: Thanks, Jim.

JONG-FAST: Thanks.

ACOSTA: And a quick programming note. Tomorrow evening, I'll be speaking live with Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson. I'll get his reaction to Trump's third indictment and find out whether he thinks he'll be on the first GOP debate stage later this month. We'll talk about that with Mr. Hutchinson tomorrow. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:41:22] ACOSTA: This week's federal indictment says former President Trump started efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The day after his campaign attorneys conceded he had lost the vote count in Arizona. The indictment says Trump turned to someone listed as co-conspirator 1. This person, he announced, would spearhead the efforts to challenge the election. Co-conspirator one, we now believe is Rudy Giuliani, a one time political star whose reputation has fallen far for the man once known as America's mayor. CNN's Randi Kaye has more on the rise and fall of Rudy Giuliani.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR: What happened to there's no black America, there's no white America? There is just America. What happened to it?

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Rudy Giuliani at the 2016 Republican National Convention. This was not the kid from Brooklyn that America had come to know. Giuliani had earned a reputation for being tough on crime as a young assistant U.S. Attorney.

At 39, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, zeroing in on organized crime and white collar criminals.

GIULIANI: Hi. Rudolph. William Giuliani.

KAYE: After becoming mayor of New York City in 1993, Giuliani took credit for making Manhattan safe. Then came 911. Giuliani was the picture of strength, with some calling him America's mayor.

GIULIANI: The city is going to survive. We're going to get through it.

KAYE: And Time magazine named him Person of the Year. Giuliani failed in his own 2008 presidential bid.

GIULIANI: Today, I'm officially announcing my withdrawal as a candidate for President of the United States.

KAYE: But in 2016, he was back on the campaign trail as a surrogate for Donald Trump.

GIULIANI: He will be the leader of the change we need.

KAYE: Soon, Giuliani became a regular on cable news.

GIULIANI: Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about.

KAYE: Bill Clinton asked me, what's this guy Romney like? You know what I told him? He's our Al Gore.

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: All right, Rudy, hold that thought.

KAYE: Giuliani also began peddling outlandish conspiracy theories. He insisted that Hillary Clinton had some mysterious illness.

GIULIANI: Go online and put down Hillary Clinton illness. Take a look at the videos for yourself.

KAYE: His behavior prompted this politico headline. Is Rudy Giuliani losing his mind? Things only got more strange from there.

GIULIANI: There you go, my dear.

KAYE: In October 2020, he made a bizarre cameo in Sasha Baron Cohen's second Borat movie. That's Giuliani in a hotel room outfitted with hidden cameras. On Twitter, he defended himself, calling the hidden camera video a complete fabrication.

After Trump lost the 2020 election, Giuliani claimed Trump won and pushed false claims about voter fraud. It all reached a bizarre crescendo at this now infamous November 2020 press conference. Flanked by Trump's legal team and held in the parking lot of Four Seasons Total Landscaping outside Philadelphia, Giuliani didn't offer any proof the election had been stolen as he promised.

GIULIANI: There are dead people voting no question about it.

KAYE: In a later news conference, sweating and with hair dye running down his face, Giuliani still offered no evidence of voter fraud and instead made a random reference to a popular movie.

GIULIANI: Did you all watch my cousin Vinny? You know the movie? It's one of my favorite war movies.

KAYE: And just as Giuliani railed against non-existent election fraud, he learned the race had been officially called for. Joe Biden.

GIULIANI: Oh, my goodness. All the networks. Wow. Now all the networks. We have to forget about the law.

[17:45:06]

KAYE: After Trump's election loss, Giuliani faded a bit from the spotlight, aside from hawking cigars and gold coins.

GIULIANI: Give them a call and tell them Rudy sent you.

KAYE: But Special Counsel Jack Smith hadn't forgotten about him and his closeness to the former president. Smith's team has interviewed the former mayor as part of the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. And he's a target in the Fulton County, Georgia investigation into election interference.

Giuliani is also being sued by both Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic for defamation over his election fraud claims. And his law license has been suspended in both D.C. and New York. America's mayor, it seems, has a lot of explaining to do.

GIULIANI: I don't know about it. I didn't hear it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Our Randi Kaye reporting there for us. Thanks to Randi for that report. In the meantime, Taylor Swift fans are pumping up the economy around the country. We'll take a closer look at the impact from the scene of a big concert last night. That's next.

Also this weekend, see how the face of cannabis has changed. Dr. Sanjay Gupta introduces you to senior citizens using plants to replace pills. It's a new episode of the whole story with Anderson Cooper tomorrow night at 8:00 on CNN.

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[17:50:48]

ACOSTA: Taylor Swift's record breaking tour is coming to an end in the US. For now, the wildly successful tour could gross over a billion dollars when it's done, and it's been a major boost for local economy. CNN's Camila Bernal joins us now.

Camila, you have an enviable assignment out there in California. I hope you get a chance to go in and see one of these concerts and we're not just having you post up outside, but something called Swiftonomics. This is a real thing.

CAMILA BERNAL, CNNNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is, Jim, and it is fantastic because it starts with the fans, with the Swifties, who are often willing to spend the money. They're willing to stand in line. This is a line for the merchandise and the first person in line got here at three in the morning. The fans are passionate. They're traveling, staying at hotels, eating at local restaurants, benefiting local businesses. And we're not just seeing it happen here in L.A. but it's happened all over the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (voiceover): It's the words millions, including Julie Barfis, were waiting to hear, and it was a dream come true.

JULIE BARFUSS, TAYLOW SWIFT FAN: I'm trying to stick these crystals on.

BERNAL: But nine months ago she thought those dreams had been crushed.

BARFUSS: I was crying. I was really upset because it was just so long and every time you'd get in, you'd get kicked out or get an error or something would go wrong and it was just like nonstop drama.

BERNAL: Despite multiple tries, she wasn't able to get her tickets through Ticketmaster. She eventually bought them from another fan. Two tickets for $600, then $100 on parking, almost 400 on gas. She drove from Salt Lake City to Santa Clara, California. About 700 on a hotel. More than 300 on meals.

BARFUSS: Got matching.

BERNAL: And 200 on her outfit and makeup.

SANJAY SHARMA, FINANCE AND BUSINESS ECONOMICS PROFESSOR, USC: The multiplier effect is just enormous and it's a new phenomenon. It's not even compared. Super Bowl doesn't compare to this.

BERNAL: Sanjay Sharma, professor of finance at the University of Southern California, has been studying and estimating the Taylor Swift numbers. He says he could see the Eras Tour being what he called a $5 billion GDP type tour.

SHARMA: So that includes ticket sales, that includes hotels, that includes all of the small shopkeepers.

BERNAL: He says quantifying it is hard, but points out that the money stays in the U.S. boosting local economies, and it's happening from California to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania to the plains.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We kind of think this is the quintessential.

BERNAL: Welcome, the U.S. and soon the world benefiting from the Taylor Swift economics. And it's the Swifties, the faithful fans, who often don't hesitate to spend.

BARFUSS: Do you want a trade bracelet?

BERNAL: For Julie, it's not about the money. And it's not just the tour.

BARFUSS: This one has a date Era's Tour.

BERNAL: She's embarked on a long term mission against Ticketmaster and has sued over her experience when purchasing tickets, that will entail more money on travel, hotels, meals. Money she says is worth it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL: And I was there for the latest hearing on the case. Attorneys representing Ticketmaster said they did not want to comment, but they have apologized to Taylor Swift and to the fans. The fans that are here, they're already exchanging bracelets. They're so excited. The show starts in about three and a half hours here. Jim.

ACOSTA: All right, Camila, I've just been told you do have permission to use your corporate card to go see that concert tonight, so have a good time. Camila Bernal. Thank you.

BERNAL: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Thanks very -- I wish I could be there. Thanks very much. I appreciate it.

BERNAL: I wish.

ACOSTA: Yes.

BERNAL Thank you.

ACOSTA: You and me both. All right. In the meantime, unprecedented high temperatures are devastating coral reefs in Florida.

[17:55:00]

This week, CNN Hero is committed to restoring the coral reefs in the Florida Keys. Mike Goldberg and his nonprofit have transplanted more than 15,000 corals from a nursery to the ocean.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE GOLDBERG, CNN HERO: Coral reefs without them, nothing is here. Simply put, they are what it is that brings the ecosystem together. Sadly, I've watched us lose that coral reef and the disappearance of that diverse marine ecosystem.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, guys. Are we ready?

ALL: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, let's go down.

GOLDBERG: But then says, you know what? I'm going to do something. I truly believe we're going to be successful with this restoration work. It's amazing how fast this car is growing.

I see things every time I go in the water that give me hope. I love being a part of it. I wake up every day and say, look what I get to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: All right. Mike says much of the coral in deeper water is not showing signs of heat stress and believes they will survive this crisis. For the full story and to see his group in action, go to CNNHeroes.com.

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