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Mounting Concerns Among Democrats on Biden's Future; Leaders Reaffirm Ukraine's Future is in NATO; Hatred Taught at North Korean Government-Run Children's Camps; England vs Spain in Euro 2024 Final. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired July 11, 2024 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: And "Inside Out 2" is now the highest grossing Pixar movie ever. Globally, the film has already earned $1.25 billion and it still isn't out in theaters. It edged out "Incredibles 2," the previous record holder.
Now, President Biden is set to hold a news conference in the hours ahead as the NATO summit wraps up in Washington. On Wednesday, he hosted a dinner at the White House attended by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other world leaders, but the summit has been overshadowed by mounting questions and concerns over President Biden's re-election bid. Earlier in the day, he sat down for talks in the Oval Office with the new British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Mr. Biden called the U.S. and U.K. the best of allies and said the two men had much to talk about, including soccer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Start off, we can talk about what we call football, what we call soccer. By the way, you know, soccer has become incredibly popular here in the United States. It really is growing.
And, uh, but at any rate, there's a lot going on. I think you're seeking closer ties in Europe. It's good for all of us, the transatlantic alliance.
I think it's a great idea that we're going to be working together on. I thought we had a good meeting today, NATO.
KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Very good.
BIDEN: I thought we had a good meeting. And, uh, I think things are moving in the right direction.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: President Biden has been looking to project strength during his meetings with NATO leaders. But so far, there's been little to ease the concerns of congressional Democrats worried about the president's chances for re-election. CNN's Manu Raju has more from Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Democratic fears are only intensifying in the aftermath of Joe Biden's debate performance late last month. In fact, all the efforts by the president to say, I'm running, I'm running, and the campaign saying that he's going to push forward, that has done very little to calm Democratic anxiety on Capitol Hill. In fact, many Democrats, they either said they want to see more or they're suggesting that Joe Biden has still may not run.
In fact, that's what Nancy Pelosi suggested in a national television interview just earlier in the day on Wednesday. And that led to a whole day of back and forth, including from some Biden allies who said that John Fetterman said this is a strange remark that she would make at this time. Others, however, echoed that remark and hope that Joe Biden would make the quote right decision.
Even if they were not trying to forcefully call him to step aside, suggesting that he should step aside because they're worried that he could take him down. They could take Congress down with him in November. Now there are still eight, only eight Democrats have come out publicly and calling for Joe Biden to step aside.
The eighth, Pat Ryan of New York. He is a New York swing district Democrat. Other swing district Democrats are also on that list. Some of them do harbor those concerns privately, including Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Senator Jon tester of Montana, two Democrats in red states who are facing difficult reelections in the fall. Both of whom said behind closed doors on Tuesday that Joe Biden would lose in November. They would not reiterate those same concerns when we asked them early in the day on Wednesday.
But speaking to Democratic senators it was very clear that there's still ample fear about what Joe Biden's candidacy may mean for them in November.
SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): I think he's going to win.
RAJU: You think he's going to listen to the legitimate concerns of Ohio voters?
BROWN: My job is to fight for them on everything, to fight for lower drug prices.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: How concerned are you about his chances in November?
SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): I'm very concerned. It's going to be a close race and we already knew that.
RAJU: But I mean, you have to be concerned about his viability, aren't you?
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I am deeply concerned about Joe Biden winning this November because it is an existential threat to the country if Donald Trump wins. So I think that we have to reach a conclusion as soon as possible.
RAJU: And this all comes at a critical time for the Biden campaign to ease those Democratic concerns. The Senate and the House go on recess after Thursday for a week. And on the Senate side of the Capitol on Thursday afternoon, three top Biden officials will be briefing Democratic senators about the state of the campaign.
Can they ease those concerns? That is a big question.
And we're also hearing that the Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, plans to relay the concerns he is hearing privately directly to the White House itself and to the president himself.
So this debate within the Democratic Party still playing out.
Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Since Manu filed that report, a ninth U.S. House member has joined the calls for President Biden to exit the race. Democrat Earl Blumenauer of Oregon said in a statement on Wednesday he hopes Mr. Biden will come to the conclusion that he should not be the Democratic presidential nominee.
[04:05:05]
More now on the NATO meeting in Washington. Canada has announced an additional $367 million military aid package for Ukraine on the sidelines of the summit.
NATO leaders issued a declaration affirming Ukraine's future is within the alliance and its path to membership is irreversible. They also, for the first time, called out China, expressing profound concern over its deepening partnership with Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: As NATO allies agree today in our summit declaration, China has become a decisive enabler of Russia's war against Ukraine. And China's support increases the threat Russia poses to Euro-Atlantic security. Allies have stated clearly that China cannot enable the largest conflict in Europe in recent history without this negatively impacting their interest and reputation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making the rounds with NATO leaders. He met Wednesday with the German Chancellor and the Dutch Prime Minister. And Mr. Zelenskyy is thanking Denmark and the Netherlands for donating U.S. F-16 fighter jets to his military. Additional aircraft will be coming from Belgium, Norway.
Nada's here. Does he go back from this summit better armed, at least? NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly. This is something that he has been pushing for, for some time. We know that the transfer of F-16 jets has been in the works for a couple of months.
Now we know that Ukrainian pilots have, of course, been training. We heard from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that the first batch of pilots who were undergoing training graduated earlier this year. So those jets are already on their way to Ukraine.
Of course, this comes just a day after we heard from the U.S. and other NATO allies saying that they were boosting their support when it comes to air defense systems as well.
This has been a huge goal for President Zelenskyy from the outset of the war, but especially going into this NATO summit, trying to secure those concrete commitments for more military support. There has been some suggestion over the last couple of weeks that Ukraine has been somewhat forgotten, left alone.
Clearly, this isn't the case. The NATO alliance really bolstering its military support. Canada as well announcing a new multi-million dollar aid package, military aid package for Ukraine.
So there has been that huge sort of pledge of military support from the NATO alliance. But of course, Zelenskyy also wants to see concrete commitments when it comes to Ukraine's membership of the alliance. That's something he's been pushing for, of course, from the outset of the war.
You mentioned that they said that this is irreversible, that Ukraine's place will be within the NATO alliance. But there was no clear timeline for when that might take place. There are still commitments that need to be fulfilled, still prerequisites that need to be fulfilled.
So until those conditions are met, Ukraine won't be fully admitted into the NATO alliance. But this is something that clearly member states have committed to and again reiterated their support for during this summit. But again, no timeline for that. And that is something that Zelenskyy has been asking for.
FOSTER: And in terms of the leaders there, a lot of them are facing domestic political issues where there are forces rising who are less inclined to give Ukraine financial support in future. Is there a sense that, you know, Zelenskyy had to get this deal now before, you know, whilst he does have that universal support in Ukraine, I mean, prominently obviously Donald Trump potentially coming in?
BASHIR: That is -- that's something that has really overshadowed this summit. What will the future of the NATO alliance be if indeed we do see another Trump presidency? That is a huge concern if the U.S. pulls out.
And the message that we've been hearing from many member states, including the Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, is that this is a matter of European and global security overall. It's not just about Ukraine's individual security. So these commitments that we're seeing have been framed as an effort to ensure that the world is protected from rising threats, including the threat posed by Russia and President Putin.
That's certainly the message that we've been hearing. But again, huge concern around what the future of the alliance will look like.
FOSTER: OK, Nada, thank you.
The Indian Prime Minister reiterating that war is not the way to find solutions to conflicts during his visit to Austria. Narendra Modi's trip included a meeting with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, making him the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country for leadership talks in more than 40 years.
The two leaders discussed trade ties, climate change, as well as the war in Ukraine. Modi says both parties support restoring peace in the region.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The loss of innocent lives is unacceptable wherever it occurs. Both India and Austria attach great importance to dialogue and diplomacy in order to rapidly restore peace and stability. Both countries are ready to provide all possible support to this end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:10:00]
FOSTER: Modi's comments echoed his words to Vladimir Putin when he visited Moscow earlier this week. He told the Russian president they must, quote, adopt a path to peace through dialogue.
Hatred for perceived enemies drilled into children from a very young age. CNN has received a firsthand account of what it was like inside an international children's camp run by North Korea.
Will Ripley spoke to a Russian graduate student who went there as a teenager.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Russian and North Korean leaders' budding alliance at full speed for the world to see. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un toasting a stronger partnership than ever before, intent on taking down the U.S.
YURI FROLOV, VISITED NORTH KOREAN CHILDREN'S CAMP: My president is also a murderous dictator. So, there's no surprise.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Yuri Frolov is a Russian graduate student, studying in the U.S. He was in high school in Russia in 2015 and 2016 when his parents sent him on two summer trips to North Korea. Russia, one of the only nations Pyongyang still allows in on government- controlled sightseeing trips.
FROLOV: We landed in Pyongyang and we spent two days in the capital. They showed us some attractions. They showed us like, their museum. They showed us like dolphins.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Frolov says he's not surprised to see rising Russian tourism in Kim's heavily sanctioned secret state.
FROLOV: Russian tourists is one of the pipelines they can use to get this currency in the country because once I was there it was one of their purposes just to use the people like milk cows just to get like the most -- the money they wanted.
RIPLEY (voice-over): He visited the same souvenir shops I did on my 19 reporting trips to North Korea.
RIPLEY: You don't need to read Korean to know what this means here, the U.S. Capitol there. The symbolism says it all.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Shops overflowing with anti-U.S. propaganda.
FROLOV: It wasn't like straightforward propaganda. It was brainwashing you like in through different ways.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Frolov spent two weeks at this international children's camp on North Korea's east coast. Summer fun mixed with daily chores like cleaning giant statues of the late leaders.
FROLOV: Which was also very strange. It was like six o'clock in the morning and we were just called to clean some dust out from this monument.
RIPLEY (voice-over): After morning chores, mandatory music lessons.
FROLOV: Sometimes the people would force us to sing propaganda songs about like the great leaders of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-Il, and Kim Jong-un, and basically, we were forced to speak the songs, as well. But they were like in Korean, but they were translated into Russian.
RIPLEY (voice-over): He says even the video games had an anti-American theme.
FROLOV: They were like driving tanks, like destroying the White House in the U.S.
RIPLEY (voice-over): It reminds me of this exchange with two North Korean campers playing that same video game.
RIPLEY: Who do you want to fight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): To fight the sworn enemy, Americans.
RIPLEY: What if I told you I'm an American? Do you want to shoot me, too? UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Yes.
RIPLEY (voice-over): A lesson from Kim and Putin to the next generation.
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: The Copa America semi-final ends on a rough note with the two teams brawling with each other and then some players scuffling with fans as well. We'll show you the details.
Plus two NASA astronauts can't come back from the International Space Station. At least not right away. We'll explain why.
[04:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: It's been about 58 years of waiting but England's football team now has a chance to do what it hasn't done since 1966 and that is win a major title. On Wednesday, the Three Lions secured a spot in the Euro 2024 final after a victory over the Netherlands that went down to the wire. Pretty hard to watch.
Patrick Snell has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: So the final of the European football championship is now set. Spain will play England on Sunday in Berlin at the Olympia Stadion as the two countries battle it out to be crowned kings of Europe. On Wednesday night in Dortmund a dramatic meeting between Holland and the Three Lions.
The Dutch ahead after just several minutes. It's a stunning strike there from Xavi Simons. A superb hit right into the back of the net. It flew past a shot Jordan Pickford approaching the 20-minute mark. A moment of controversy as England's Harry Kane gets his shot away as Denzel Dumfries challenges for the ball in the box. Penalty given. Kane takes it himself and knocks it in perfectly. He's now the all- time top scorer in knockout games in this competition with six.
And then high drama as the English win it in stoppage time. Cole Palmer with the assistant. Ollie Watkins producing a superb finish right into the corner. It's a sensational strike.
What a moment. What a way to win it. Look at the joy there for the Aston Villa man. England and their delirious fans. England 2-1 winners and into the final.
So it's England who will face Spain then in Berlin on Sunday. La Roja seeking to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time. England their first Euros title beckoning. They hope -- they got to get past Spain first though -- but for now it's right back to you. (END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Colombia will fight for the title in the Copa America final after coming out on top in the semis against Uruguay. The Colombian team seal the spot thanks to this header in the 39th minute which gave it a 1-0 victory on Wednesday. Colombia will play Argentina for the trophy in Miami Gardens Florida on Sunday but the semi-final match was testy.
Some players from Uruguay getting into a scuffle with fans after the game. The team's captain claims the players were defending their family members from Colombian fans.
Just ahead why a rapper got into the swim of things with the U.S. Olympic water polo team.
[04:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Two NASA astronauts who are spending extra time on the International Space Station are praising the spacecraft that took them there. Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams spoke from the ISS on Wednesday more than a month after their arrival. The trip was originally supposed to last for about a week but their Boeing Starliner spacecraft is having technical issues so their return flight is on hold until that's resolved. And so far there's no timeline for their return.
Britain's Queen Camilla will make a surprise visit to Wimbledon on Wednesday as she met with staff including a ball girl and a boy at the famed all England lawn tennis and croque -- croquet club. This was of course yesterday.
And she later watched the women's singles quarterfinal from the Royal Box on Centre Court. Camilla was there instead of Catherine, Princess of Wales who is the patron of the club but is still undergoing treatment for cancer. The oldest tennis tournament in the world resumes today with the women's singles semifinals and the men's doubles semifinals.
We are approaching the final countdown to the 2024 Paris Olympics. There are just over two weeks left to go before the start of the Games would you believe. That's the opening ceremony.
On Wednesday Team USA revealed the leotards and apparel that gymnastics competitors will wear during the Paris Olympics. Women's leotards will be covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals. USA Gymnastics said the leotards will feature more than 47,000 crystals. This is the first time that gymnastics Olympic uniforms have been revealed before the Games.
The U.S. national water polo teams have a surprising and surreal new cheerleader, rapper and reality TV star Flavor Flav.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) FLAVOR FLAV, RAPPER: USA, USA. I don't have a six-pack, I got a one- pack. I have one question for y'all. Are you ready?
CROWD: Yes!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:25:02]
FOSTER: Flavor Flav is the official hype man for this year's USA water polo Olympic teams. He's also making a financial contribution to the women's team. The organization's marketing director says she knows how unexpected the partnership is but Flavor Flav himself says he's a girl dad and a champion of all sports and is thrilled to bring his energy and excitement to a sport that doesn't get the attention it deserves.
Now from the pool to the ocean it's an incredible video from a rower in the North Atlantic who was surrounded by a huge pod of whales.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM WADDINGTON, ROWER: I'm two hours in now, rowing with these thousands of whales. One ding the boat earlier but I don't know what to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Tom Waddington has more than 100 miles or was more than 100 miles off the coast of Canada's Newfoundland on Sunday when he realized he was surrounded by whales. He estimates there were more than a thousand in the pod. Waddington said they were so close he felt them brush his boat and he could hear them blowing bubbles adding that the sight was amazing but quote so, so scary.
And finally if you have a fear of snakes you may want to turn your head just for a moment. Chinese customs officials say they caught a man trying to smuggle more than a hundred live snakes into the country in his pants. That's trousers for non-brits.
Five species were identified including four that are non-native to China although none of them are venomous. Customs officials did not say whether they arrested the would-be snake smuggler.
Thanks for joining me here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. CNN "THIS MORNING" is up next.
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