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Pressure Mounts On Netanyahu For Ceasefire Deal; ISIS Recruiting Teen Terrorists To Target Olympics; Wildfire Rage In Canada's Largest National Park. Harris Says She "Will Not Be Silent" on Gaza Suffering; Harris Fine-Tunes Campaign Message as She Takes on Trump; J.D. Vance Faces Backlash for "Childless Cat Ladies" Remark; How Music Has Helped Shape Presidential Campaigns over the Years; Typhoon Gaemi Hits Southeastern China; LE Breaking Makes Debut in Paris Summer Olympics. Aired 01-2a ET
Aired July 26, 2024 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:28]
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes, I appreciate your company. Coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS (D), US VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done.
HOLMES: Kamala Harris taking over the messaging on the war in Gaza and amps up the pressure on Israel's prime minister for a ceasefire and hostage deal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who would think of a 13-year-old as a terrorist?
HOLMES: Warning about terrorists taking aim at Paris during the Olympics using social media to try to recruit teenagers to do their dirty work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An emergency worker clings on to this woman as she's hoisted into a boat.
HOLMES: And Typhoon Gaemi making landfall in China wreaking havoc, bringing torrential rain and flash flooding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Michael Holmes.
HOLMES: And we do begin in Washington where Israel's prime minister is facing growing calls to reach Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday, the President's first meeting with a world leader since announcing he would drop out of the presidential race.
The White House says President Biden stressed the need to finalize the deal as soon as possible. US vice president, Kamala Harris, echoing that message in her own meeting with Mr. Netanyahu, now the presumptive Democratic nominee to replace Biden. Harris expressed support for Israel while saying she will not be silent about the suffering in Gaza.
Mr. Netanyahu also under pressure from families of American hostages held in Gaza after a meeting with the US and Israeli leaders. Some family members said they hadn't been this hopeful in months that the ceasefire deal could actually happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN, FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE SAGUI DEKEL- CHEN: We feel probably more optimistic than we have since the first round of releases in late November, early December where a little over a hundred of Israel's hostages were released. And we got absolute commitment from the Biden administration and from Prime Minister Netanyahu that they understand the urgency of this moment now to waste no time, ad to complete this deal as it currently stands with as little change as humanly possible within it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Vice President Harris looking to set herself apart from Joe Biden now that she is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, and that includes tougher rhetoric towards Israel's handling of the war in Gaza. CNN's MJ Lee with more now from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Vice President Kamala Harris shifting gears quickly and adjusting to the new role that was thrust upon her only a few days ago when President Joe Biden left the 2024 race after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu here at the White House. The vice president making remarks. She said that it is time to get this deal done, referring to the ceasefire negotiations that are still ongoing.
And then, she spoke directly to camera addressing the many people across the country who had been calling for a ceasefire in the war since the war began on October 7th. Take a listen.
HARRIS: As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done. Let's get the deal done so we can get a ceasefire to end the war. Let's bring the hostages home, and let's provide much needed relief to the Palestinian people.
HOLMES: The vice president also delivering some forceful remarks on the civilian casualties in Gaza.
HARRIS: I've said it many times but it bears repeating. Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters. I also expressed with the prime minister my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.
HOLMES: The vice president clearly appearing to want to seize this moment in her meeting with the Israeli prime minister to put down her own marker when it comes to one of the most important and challenging foreign policy issues that she would be inheriting from President Biden were she to be elected president. One senior official I spoke with right after her remarks said, there was no question that this was a part of the vice president's attempt in recent days to prove herself and prove herself quickly.
[01:05:11]
They said they saw this as a putting a punctuation point at the end of an eventful and important day. And up until Sunday, it's important to note, Israel has been one of those issues where the White House has insisted over and over again that there's no daylight between the vice president and the president. But this has been some of the most forceful remarks that we have heard from the vice president on this issue, so it's going to be an important space to watch. To see if in the coming days and in the coming weeks, we do start to see a little bit of that daylight start to creep in. MJ Lee, CNN at the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Let's go live now to Tel Aviv and former Israeli Consul General to New York, Alon Pinkas, to talk more about it all. It's good to see you again.
So, Netanyahu did meet with both the president and vice president, but it was Harris who gave the remarks and she did make those points of she supported Israel, but she spoke directly to the suffering of Palestinians. And when you think that she also declined to preside over Netanyahu speech to Congress, how differently might she handle Netanyahu?
ALON PINKAS, ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL, NEW YORK: Well, look in the in the 100 or so days, Michael, until the election, I would venture and estimate that you would try and get away from the issue. I mean, there's nothing good in it for her to deal and dwell on. She might be forced to react to it, she might be forced to issue statements, but I think he's going to be busy campaigning.
If she does become president, and I assume that's where you're going with the question, you will see change. You will see change that is not necessarily different than what you saw from Barack Obama eight years ago, or 16, or, I'm sorry, 12 years ago.
Because, you know, the aberration here, the man standing out in terms of how Israel is being treated and what the American policy is with Joe Biden. I mean, at least sent him mentally and emotionally and viscerally. I don't see a different emphasis.
HOLMES: Yes. Do you think Netanyahu really wants a deal? I mean, it's been close to a deal for a month.
PINKAS: No, he does not. Look, immediately after Vice President Harris made her remarks. A "senior diplomatic" source, which is Mr. Netanyahu's now defunct alias, said that these remarks may hamper, may derail a deal. And his detractors in Israel, on the media and social networks, and he said, all right, here we go again. For the 17th time, he's finding some lame excuse to bail himself out of the deal.
HOLMES: Yes.
PINKAS: Now, that does not mean my goal. And, you know, I know we don't have time so I can't go into -- but that does not mean that he will not entertain in the next two or three weeks some kind of a partial agreement to the first phase of the deal, hoping that perhaps it will be violated by Hamas, and the whole thing will collapse. But I would not put my bet on it.
HOLMES: You wrote an article in Haaretz's newspaper in Israel and wrote about Netanyahu speech to Congress and Biden's address to Americans in a contrast way. I just want to read for people the sub headline that was on that piece.
And it's, "The differences of style and substance between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu were never starker than in their speeches Wednesday, it was a case of grace versus victimhood, truth versus mendacity, genuine versus phony, and real versus fake." You know, you've also described Netanyahu in Haaretz as "a man who thinks he can govern through speeches rather than policy."
How much domestic pressure is on Benjamin Netanyahu right now?
PINKAS: Well, there are two ways of looking at it, Michael. One is looking at the polls and seeing that over 70 percent think he should resign, over 70 percent of Israelis think he's solely responsible for the debacle and the calamity of October 7th, in both the policy leading to it of strengthening Hamas for political reasons to weaken the Palestinian Authority, and also the prosecution of the war.
And another way of looking at it is the expectation, which I admit I, too, had them prove and been proven wrong. That mass demonstrations against him would be much broader, wider and deeper, and that hasn't happened yet. That does not indicate any kind of approval for his policies. But in terms of the pressure, I think that if you take the polls reflecting public opinion, if you take the not as massive as I expected demonstrations.
[01:10:04]
But you also take into account coalition cracks inside his coalition for a variety of reasons, not necessarily the hostage deal. And on top of all that, Michael, you have the military, the Israel Defense Forces, the IDF, and two intelligence agencies, the Mossad and the General Security Service, the internal service, the so called Shin Be (ph).
If you think those three heads of services, they are all pressing him hard for a deal. Add to that Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and even Mr. Trump who yesterday said this should be done immediately.
HOLMES: That just led me very neatly into the final question I wanted to ask you before we have to leave, Netanyahu meeting with Donald Trump, he's going to be meeting in the next day. Far right coalition member then go there openly endorsing Trump in the US election. Do you get the sense Trump is seen as Netanyahu's preferred candidate?
PINKAS: No, I don't think so at all. And, you know, Trump is, you know, he's transactional, we all know that, and I don't see what he thinks he can get from Netanyahu. He also bears a lot of grudges, and he has several major grudges against Netanyahu. And he also has this childish infantile vision of winners versus losers and success versus failure, and he sees October 7th as Netanyahu's failure. I don't think Trump prefers Netanyahu in any way.
Now, if you had asked it the other way around, doesn't Netanyahu prefer Trump over Kamala Harris, a hundred percent.
HOLMES: Fascinating. Check out Alon Pinkas' article in Haaretz, it's a fascinating read. Always good to get your thoughts, sir.
PINKAS: Thank you, Michael. Always good to be with you.
HOLMES: Well, US authorities have arrested two alleged leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, one of them the son of notorious drug lord El Chapo. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was taken into custody in El Paso, Texas on Thursday, along with Ismael Zambada Garcia, who is also known as El Mayo and thought to be the current Sinaloa leader.
Official say El Mayo boarded a plane thinking he would be inspecting a property for sale in Mexico, but that plane went to the US, across the border, where he was met by the FBI. The Justice Department says the Sinaloa cartel is one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world, both men facing several charges for allegedly running the cartels criminal operations. Similar to his other co-founder, El Chapo, was convicted of course in the US in 2019 on 10 counts linked to federal drug offenses.
Well, even before the curtain goes up in the coming hours on the Paris Olympics, the games have been rocked by the first allegations of cheating. Bev Priestman, the head coach of Canada's women's football team, has been suspended for the remainder of the games over allegations that drones have been used to spy on rival teams. The Canadian team beat New Zealand 2-1 on Thursday.
And as women's football took center stage, the US easily defeating Zambia. You see there, Trinity Rodman opening and scoring for the Americans, a quick turn and strike there, and pass the keeper. And two more goals came within eight minutes. Final score, 3-0.
Thursday saw a new world record in women's archery, two was South Korea's Lim Si-hyeon, scoring 694 points in the individual ranking round. And will she when she two years after Celine Dion was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, the French Canadian singer will reportedly sing at Friday's opening ceremony, which for the first time will not be held inside a stadium but instead on the famous River Seine, which weaves its way through the City of Love.
By the way, rain is forecast for Paris, that could put a damper on things. In the coming hours, showers possible for the opening ceremony along with windy conditions. Rain expected all day Saturday, clearing by Sunday and when the clouds start to clear by the start of next week.
The heat will return. Daily temperatures well above average. It's not meant to be 90 degrees Fahrenheit at this time of year CNN's Melissa Bell gives us a closer look at the final preparations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Paris is preparing for what Parisian authorities say should be some of the most spectacular games we've ever seen, certainly, the opening ceremony take place here on the River Seine. It's never been done before, and what they say is that they feel properly prepared for what has proven over the last few months, a massive security challenge.
Forty-five thousand police men and women will be deployed across the city, 18,000 soldiers. It is a six kilometers stretch through the river that we'll see the boats carrying the athletes go down. There also be artists, dancers on the roofs -- rooftops of those buildings lining the sand. They're promising a spectacular show, but remaining very tight-lipped about some of the artists that will be involved.
[01:15:18]
Even though it's been a massive security operation, so many parts of Paris locked down. They also believe that this opening ceremony will give a great deal of enthusiasm to the French, even those who've been inconvenienced by some of these security fences that have been put up around the River Seine.
And then of course, the games themselves, a couple of weeks that we'll see 10,000 athletes compete for those medals. Parisian authorities also bringing another ambition to the heart of these games, and that is having some of the athletes those involved in the triathlon, those involved in the marathon, swimming events, that will compete in the River Seine itself.
It was one of the big pledges of the Paris Games. Paris officials believe they're ready and that that will be able to take place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Melissa Bell reporting there for us now. Israel's foreign minister is warning the French government of a potential terror threat during the Olympics. He says intelligence suggests Iran and other terror groups are planning to target the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists. We were told the warnings are based on intel from Israel's National Security Council. It says several related arrests have already been made including two in April and May.
Meanwhile, experts say ISIS is making a resurgence with the help of social media. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Once battered, but now flourishing in the shadows, ISIS seems crushed in Syria, but ahead of the French Olympics, extremism experts are seeing a troubling resurgence, one disturbingly targeting teenagers using social media platforms like TikTok to recruit.
According to a landmark study by researcher at Peter Neumann, nearly two thirds of ISIS related arrests in Europe in the past nine months have been of teenagers.
PETER NEUMANN, PROFESSOR OF SECURITY STUDIES, KING'S COLLEGE LONDON: We're also seeing groups like ISK, Islamic State-Khorasan, specifically targeting young teenagers. And a lot of these young teenagers, they may not be very useful. They may mess up, they may change their mind. But at the end of the day, some of them may actually be quite useful, not at least, because they are less suspicious. Who would think of a 13-year-old as a terrorist?
PATON WALSH: This study collect public data on the arrests, some startling. Two teens aged 16 and 18 arrested in April and May for plots on the Olympics, one with a bomb belt. A 14-year-old on a mall, a 15-year-old on a synagogue and a 15 and 18-year-old plotting together.
Germany to make arrests of an 18-year-old for a knife attack plot and also three teens aged 15, 15 and 16 for an ISIS inspired plot.
NEUMANN: So ISK is by far the most ambitious and aggressive part of ISIS right now. They are trying to target young people on the internet with a lot of social media outreach. We've seen a lot of platforms like TikTok especially attracting younger people, teenagers, young teenagers, almost through algorithmic amplification, drawing them into bubbles.
PATON WALSH: TikTok said they stand against violent extremism and take down 98 percent of terror promoting content before it's reported to them. The new reach of ISIS' remnants emerges as their latest offshoot, ISIS-K, originally based in Afghanistan, becomes increasingly focused on the West, and powerful in nearby Turkey. And UK security source telling CNN the so-called directed terror threat, plots instructed by remote from afar, have become a greater concern over the last 18 months, with ISIS-K the most potent group under scrutiny.
ISIS-K reappeared violently in Istanbul earlier this year with this brutal attack on a Catholic church. And Turkish court documents obtained by CNN portray a vast network of ISIS-K radicals in the city. Some detainees from a plot to attack the Swedish consulate describe how they got orders from ISIS-K's external operations chief known only as Rustam hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.
One said how Rustam deletes his Telegram messaging accounts every 15 to 20 days as a precaution after he would contact me with another username. Turkish police have launched a vast wave of raids against ISIS-K one shown here, last year alone saying 426 ISIS suspects were arrested in 122 operations. Yet, ISIS-K's ambition grows with experts fearing they seek to make their brutal name under the red lights of terror of blinking game. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:20:07]
HOLMES: Still to come here on the program, how US officials are reacting after Chinese and Russian bombers was spotted patrolling the skies near Alaska together. And areas of Canada's largest national park, including a town being reduced to wrath (ph). We have both of those stories and more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: The White House says the US "remains concerned" about the collaboration between China and Russia after their bombers conducted joint air patrols near Alaska. On Wednesday, US and Canadian fighter jets intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers, that's according to military officials. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying it wasn't a surprise though, and that Russia and China are "always testing America."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, US DEFENSE SECRETARY: This is first time that we've seen these two countries fly together like that. They didn't enter our airspace. I think the closest point of approach was about 200 miles off of our coast. So, this is a thing that we track very closely. We're able to intercept. And if it happens again, if there's any kind of challenge from any direction, I have every confidence that NORTHCOM and NORAD will be out there ready and will be able to intercept.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: China's military says the joint air patrol with Russia is part of an existing program that goes back to 2019, and claims this is actually the eighth time the two militaries have conducted similar operations.
And for the second time in a matter of weeks, Russia's Navy is dispatching a small flotilla to Cuba. Four military vessels paid a visit, you might remember, to the island last month led by one of Russia's most modern warships, as well as a nuclear-powered submarine. This time three other ships will arrive on Saturday which Cuba is depicting as a regular practice among friendly nations. The US said last month's visit was not a threat, but Moscow's repeated show of force near US shores comes amid high tensions between the two countries over Washington support for Ukraine.
Two fight fires are devastating Canada's largest national park and leaving street upon street in a town within it reduced the ash and ruins. Parts of Jasper National Park in Alberta are burning, and 25,000 residents and visitors have fled the town with the same name. Jasper's mayor says the fire has "ravaged our beloved community." You can just see some of the damage there, extraordinary. In an emotional statement, Provincial Premier Danielle Smith estimated that up to half the town's buildings may have been either damaged or totally destroyed.
[01:25:08]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIELLE SMITH, PROVINCIAL PREMIER: My thoughts are with the people who have evacuated and are watching this as well, and also those who are still in the community. Make sure if you can leave, please leave safely, take care of yourself. Also to the emergency responders and firefighters, we wish you all the luck in fighting this fire and keeping safe as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has approved federal assistance for evacuation and firefighting, and firefighters from Mexico have arrived to help combat the blaze.
And high winds and extreme temperatures have caused explosive growth in a California fire. CNN's Michael Yoshida has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The park fire in California exploding overnight, growing to more than 45,000 acres in just four hours fueled by temperatures topping 100 degrees and wind gusts between 20 and 25 miles per hour.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These embers are like dollar bills with fire.
YOSHIDA: The fire has burned an average of 50 football fields per minute since it started Wednesday. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in Butte County where the state's deadliest wildfire, the Campfire, killed more than 80 people in 2018. Across the Western United States, first responders are battling dozens of wildfires. In Oregon, that Durkee fire remains the largest in the country, forcing some to evacuate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It wasn't a knock, it was a pound, a pound, pound, pound, pound. Opened up the door. Get out now. Leave now.
YOSHIDA: High temps, extremely dry conditions and strong winds are fueling the fire which has injured people and destroyed homes and other structures. The Red Cross has set up an evacuation center to provide displaced residents with food supplies and a place to stay.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd bring records just be on the safe side. And any special medications, they should definitely bring those as well.
YOSHIDA: In Washington, I'm Michael Yoshida reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: When we come back actress, Jennifer Aniston becomes one of the latest to slam US Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance over his comments about "childless cat ladies."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Welcome back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM with me Michael Holmes.
Now, just four days after becoming the presumptive Democrat nominee for president, Kamala Harris appears to be laying the groundwork for her own foreign policy, notably the war in Gaza. She expressed her serious concern about the humanitarian crisis during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Afterwards, speaking to reporters, Harris laid out what she wanted to be a very clear position, saying Israel does have a right to defend itself, but how it does so matters. She called on all sides to push for a ceasefire deal and eventual two-state solution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ultimately, I remain committed to a path forward that can lead to a two-state solution. And I know right now it is hard to conceive of that prospect, but a two-state solution is the only path that ensures Israel remains a secure Jewish and democratic state. And one that ensures Palestinians can finally realize the freedom, security, and prosperity that they rightly deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The Harris-Netanyahu meeting came just four days after the U.S. vice president took over the Democratic presidential ticket. It was her first foreign policy test since becoming the presumptive presidential nominee, but also an opportunity to start fine tuning her message to U.S. voters.
CNN's Kayla Tausche with the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: We choose freedom.
KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kamala Harris, ready to bring it on.
HARRIS: That's right. Bring it on.
TAUSCHE: Rallying teachers and releasing her first campaign ad.
Less than a week after Trump's call for unity, the gloves are off.
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I get a kick out of one thing. They say, sir you just got hit with a bullet, maybe he's changed. Be nice. And I'd love to be nice, but I'm dealing against real garbage. TAUSCHE: And four days into her presidential campaign, Harris refining
her case.
HARRIS: Project 2025 is a plan to return America to a dark past. Donald Trump and his extreme allies want to take our nation back to failed trickle-down economic policies, back to union busting, back to tax breaks for billionaires.
Donald Trump and his allies want to cut Medicare and Social Security.
TAUSCHE: Harris sounding, eager to confront Trump on the debate stage.
HARRIS: And I'll tell you, I'm ready to debate Donald Trump. I have agreed to the previously agreed upon September 10th debate. He agreed to that previously. Now appears he is backpedaling. But I'm ready.
TAUSCHE: Now Harris faces her first foreign policy test since rising to the top of the ticket, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the U.S. tries to clinch a ceasefire deal, a position she was early to stake out.
HARRIS: So before I begin today, I must address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating.
And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza there must be an immediate cease fire.
TAUSCHE: On a private call Wednesday, sources tell CNN her campaign telling major donors her stance may differ from Biden's and it may take a few more days to figure that out.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I want to thank President Trump.
TAUSCHE: On Capitol Hill this week, Netanyahu praising Trump before meeting him at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Trump is also calling for a truce.
TRUMP: I want him to finish up and get it done quickly. You got to get it done quickly because they are getting decimated with this publicity. And you know, Israel is not very good at public relations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, it's been nearly two weeks since he was targeted in an assassination attempt. And Donald Trump now saying, the Secret Service should have kept him off the stage at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The biggest mistake they made is allowing me to go. There wasn't even a car. It was like a tent, but the tenth was safe. Nobody knew you were there.
And they shouldn't have let me go on the stage. Now, they just weren't communicating properly with the local police. Different groups of people knew there was some nutjob on the roof and he was up there. And one woman, a real Trumpers got trampled over she's screaming, there's a guy with a gun on the roof and that was, you know, quite a bit before I walked up to the stage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, while the former president has been praising Secret Service agents for their bravery, he says the incident is a quote, "blight on their reputation".
[01:34:40]
HOLMES: Meanwhile, Donald Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, is facing growing criticism for some past comments he's made about people, mainly women who do not have children. There's a lot of backlash too and some of it from a well-known Hollywood star.
CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister with that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Actress Jennifer Aniston becoming one of the latest to criticize Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance for his resurfaced comments he made about people without children.
SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're effectively run in this country via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made. And so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.
WAGMEISTER: Wednesday, Aniston sharing Vance's 2021 Fox News appearance on her Instagram story, writing, quote, "I truly can't believe this is coming from a potential VP of the United States."
In the post, she went on to call out Vance's stance in favor of restricting reproductive rights.
That post coming almost two years after Aniston made rare public comments about her fertility journey in an "Allure" cover story saying, quote, "I was trying to get pregnant. It was a challenging road for me, the baby-making road. I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it."
The most famous and proud childless cat lady, Taylor Swift has yet to give any presidential endorsement, but many of her fans have taken hold of Vance's comments. Swifties flooding social media in an uproar.
In that same interview, Vance also called out Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats.
VANCE: It's just a basic fact, you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC, the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children. WAGMEISTER: Harris became a stepmother to Cole and Ella Emhoff in 2014 when she married second gentleman, Doug Emhoff. She spoke about her love for them to CNN in 2019.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Now, you are a mom, a stepmom.
HARRIS: Yes, I am.
TAPPER: What do they call you Momala?
HARRIS: Momala.
TAPPER: You wrote an essay about this --
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
TAPPER: -- talking about your step -- your stepchildren.
HARRIS: Yes, I love those kids.
WAGMEISTER: Emhoff's ex-wife, the biological mother to Ella and Cole, calling the attacks against Harris "baseless". Telling CNN, for over 10 years since Cole and Ela were teenagers, Kamala has been a co- parent with Doug and I. She is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective and always present. I love our blended family."
And Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is also defending his family.
PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: The really sad thing is he said that after Chasten and I had been through a fairly heartbreaking setback in our adoption journey.
He couldn't have known that, but maybe that's why you shouldn't be talking about other people's children.
WAGMEISTER: Buttigieg and his husband adopted two babies in 2021 after struggling with adoption for a year.
Vance has also received some support for his comments.
Former Arizona GOP senatorial candidate Blake Masters posting on X, "Political leaders should have children. Certainly, they should at least be married."
Now, we, have reached out to the Vance campaign who provided CNN with a statement from his sister. She says, quote, "J.D. was raised by some of the strongest women I know and went on to marry an incredibly strong woman in Usha. J.D. is a testament to the women in his life and the attacks from the media and the Democrats that assume anything otherwise is vile."
Of course, this has generated so much conversation in Hollywood and beyond, really striking a chord with women both on the right and the left.
So it will be interesting to see what more is to come, guys.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, Vice President Kamala Harris, releasing her first campaign ad on Thursday featuring a familiar tune from one of the world's biggest stars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We choose freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: That of course is Beyonce's song, "Freedom" playing there. the singer hasn't officially endorsed Harris' candidacy, but she did give the campaign permission to use her song.
As our Randi KLaye now reports Kamala Harris is far from the first political candidate to use music to help shape their campaigns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One of the best-known political campaign songs of all time, Tippecanoe and Tyler Too. The 1840 hit sang the praises of Whig Party candidate William Henry Harrison and his running mate John Tyler. The song referenced the site of Harrison's 1811 battle between his Indiana militia and native Americans.
For years candidates used folk songs and show tunes before that gave way to the popular music of today. All of it setting the tone for a campaign.
In 1960, Frank Sinatra changed the lyrics of one of his hit songs, "High Hopes" tailoring it to John F. Kennedy, the Democratic candidate for president.
[01:39:48]
(MUSIC)
KAYE: This was Michael Dukakis at the 1988 Democratic National Convention with a little help from artist Neil Diamond.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: By 1992, Bill Clinton leaned on a hit song from 1977 "Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow" by Fleetwood Mac and turned it into his anthem.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: For Barack Obama's campaigns, it always came back to Stevie Wonder. (MUSIC)
KAYE: And for Mitt Romney.
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): So I'm happy to introduce a son of Detroit, a friend, a guy who makes great music who introduces me by DVD everywhere I go, Kid Rock.
KAYE: Kid Rock's 2010 hit "Born Free" was his go-to song in 2012.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: In 2016 Rachel Platen's pop anthem, "Fight Song" became the unofficial anthem of Hillary Clinton's campaign.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: In 2020, then-president elect Joe Biden celebrated with Coldplay's "Sky Full of Stars" after he was declared the winner on November 7.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: And at his inauguration, Katy Perry.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: More recently, President Biden had been using Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down".
(MUSIC)
KAYE: For years, former president Donald Trump favored songs from The Village People.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: until a cease-and-desist letter from the band put an end to that.
Trump's preferred entrance song, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: And at the RNC convention last week, this was Kid Rock warming up the crowd.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN -- Palm Beach County, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Typhoon Gaemi makes landfall in southern China, bringing even more rain to a region already devastated by months of deadly downpours and floods. We'll have the details after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:44:51]
HOLMES: Typhoon Gaemi is continuing its path through southeastern China. It could bring up to 400 millimeters or 15 inches of rain to already-soaked provinces.
In a summer marked by natural disasters, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter is forced to come face-to-face with the deepening challenges posed by climate change.
Our Marc Stewart brings us the latest from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tropical Storm Gaemi blasts China with another round of heavy rain, the latest blow in a summer of flooding. A frantic rescue in central China an emergency worker clings on to this woman as she's hoisted into a boat. She points to her grandparents, still trapped in the fast-moving floodwaters.
Further south, another scene of desperation as elderly people are carried to safety after a deadly flash flood hits their village.
In another province, this is what's left of a water-ravaged bridge submerging at least 25 cars claiming more than a dozen lives.
Scenes of devastation like this water-covered home as government scientists warn China is sensitive to climate change.
Recent disasters have cost the world's second largest economy more than $10 billion in economic losses in the first half of the year. Over 32 million people have been impacted according to government data.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: According to the flood forecast for the critical period of July and August floods may occur in all seven major river basins.
STEWART: As muddy water rages across the landscape, China, a country working on a green energy future faces the immediate challenge of extreme weather.
Even though the storm has lost some of its strength, it still does not make things any better here in China. The ground is so saturated all of this extra water is likely going to be a potential problem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STEWART: If we look at China's response though to this flood issue, it has made some progress, particularly when it comes to infrastructure, to flood detection and flood warnings. But some experts say this is not happening fast enough and there are
some vulnerable areas, particularly villages in remote areas, where a lot of older elderly people live. They may not have the resources.
So unfortunately, Michael, this is likely a topic we'll discuss throughout the remaining months of the summer here in China.
HOLMES: And to that point, what exactly is China doing to try to address climate change to which it contributes so much.
STEWART: Right. You know, China is, as you mentioned, the biggest contributor, the biggest emitter of greenhouse gas, but it is also working on the technological front, trying to be an innovator to try and curb these emissions because it does impact people's everyday lives, including food.
It brings up a lot of issues with food are surrounded to greenhouse gas. That leads to economic issues at a time when Chinas economy is having a lot of rough spots.
So it's concerned about it from an environmental standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint. And it's an issue that China definitely wants to be on the forefront of not only from a scientific standpoint, Michael. But it wants to keep the population happy and healthy.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes. I appreciate the reporting. Good to see you, Marc.
Marc Stewart there in Beijing for us.
And more than 250 people are dead in southern Ethiopia and local authorities warn that toll could nearly double after the country's deadliest ever landslides earlier this week.
And the threat is far from over. The U.N. warns thousands remain at risk for more landslides, including many children and pregnant women and says they should be evacuated immediately.
Africa's second most populous country, Ethiopia, has seen mass displacements in recent months due to flooding triggered by heavy rains according to the U.N.
Still to come on the program, a young tennis phenom is hoping to add gold to her growing trophy collection in her Olympic debut. Our one- on-one with Coco Gauff when we come back.
[01:49:18]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: NASA says engineers are making headway and troubleshooting the problems on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. It's docked, of course, at the International Space Station during its first crewed test flight last month, for what was supposed to be about a week-long mission.
But that the Starliner, it's still there along with its two astronauts because of helium leaks and faulty thrusters. Now, NASA says ground testing may have given engineers a better idea about could be behind those problems. However, the agency says it is still not ready to say when veteran astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams could fly back home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE STICH, MANAGER, NASA'S COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM: Our focus today, as Mark said, as Mark and I have been working for the last number of weeks. It is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner.
I think we're starting to close in on those final pieces of the flight rationale to make sure that we can come home safely. And that's our primary focus right now.
We have contingency options. We've put those in play. NASA always has contingency options. We know a little bit of what those are and we haven't worked on them a whole bunch. But we kind of know what those are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Less than a year ago, Spain had never won a major women's football tournament. Now, they are the reigning World Cup champions and the undisputed number one team.
In their Olympic debut though they fell a goal behind to Japan and a phenomenal strike from Aoba Fujino.
Spain's Golden Generation (INAUDIBLE) at goal by Fujino.
Strike. Yes, they weren't behind for long though they're Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati equalizing shortly afterwards. And Bonmati was involved in decisive goal in the 74th minute.
Mariona Caldentey with the decisive cup, there it is 2 - 1, the final score. Japan can be happy with their performance though.
As excitement builds for the Olympics opening ceremony, a bit of street counterculture will be making its way into the competition for the first time.
CNN's Melissa Bell introduces us to a group of break dancers hoping to pop and lock their way to Olympic gold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: from the sidewalks and subways of the South Bronx to the Paris Olympics, breakdancing is about to take center stage.
MENNO VAN GORP "BBOY MENNO", DUTCH BREAKDANCER: It's not like the Olympics picked us up from the street and be like, hey, what those guys doing on the street is nice, let's grabbed this, you know. We already really set also our community on a huge platform ourselves. BELL: A huge platform that's already global from the U.S. to France,
Pakistan, India, Libya, and Yemen. And for a dance that is highly competitive, judged along specific criteria.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE), execution musicality, technique, and vocabulary. So you need to be the most complete and you're dance show you master all parties from making and to mix or and to make the best position in the movements with the music.
BELL: Now, breakdancing is coming to the Place de la Concorde, where battles will be held at the very end of the Paris Games.
France's team is working on its moves and its confidence.
NOE SOBESKY "BBOY NEOSAN", FRENCH BREAKDANCER: You just have to be the most connected to the moment possible. I think that's the key.
For me during a battle it's forget, everything and just face the opponents and be there, hear the music, look at the crowd, look at the judges and enjoy the moment.
BELL: A far cry from its early beginnings and an opportunity for the world to discover just how far breakdancing has come.
Melissa Bell, CNN -- Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:54:49]
HOLMES: Now at just 20 years of age, Coco Gauff, of course, is the reigning U.S. open champion and the world number two.
Now the American tennis star is gearing up to make her Olympic debut in Paris. Plus she's going to be carrying the flag for Team U.S.A. alongside NBA icon Lebron James.
Our Coy Wire caught up with her to ask how she's processing it all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's very excited to be here at her first Olympics. It's a pretty special moment.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I want you to walk me through this moment here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think because you are so special. You have the honor a wearing this jacket during the opening ceremony and being the flag bearer with Lebron James.
WIRE: What was going through your mind at this point?
COCO GAUFF, TENNIS PLAYER: At this point, I just thought, you know, Chris is like a brother to me and he always, you know, talks about how proud he is of me. And so I thought he was just doing a little bit too rich talking.
And then yes, once I got told that I was going to be flag bearer, obviously you can see by the reaction I was just shocked and I didn't really know what to say. I think a lot of people were laughing at me saying, oh, because I really didn't know what to say.
WIRE: Have you started the process yet that you will be repping your country alongside Lebron James.
GAUFF: No. I like I don't know when I'm going to meet him, but I'm like already like stressed about it really.
WIRE: So you've never met him before?
GAUFF: No, no, I've never met him before. I'm excited to meet him and I'm excited to be flag-bearer alongside him. There's no other athlete I think I would have chosen to do this with.
You've talked about the racket has the potential to change the world, as divisive as times are right now, with everything going on what do you make of it all? And also, what are your hopes for the game's potential ability to bring people together. That's what sports can do.
Gauff: Yes, I just hope that me being a person representing Team U.S.A. and I think all of the I don't want to speak on behalf of all Olympians on Team U.S.A., but I feel like majority of them would agree that we all just want to promote positivity through our game and through our sport and through our competing.
And I think that we all just wanted to show how passionate we are and share that passion with the supporters that we have that hopefully have a lot of success too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right. Don't forget to watch our special one-hour program "AIMING FOR GOLD" Friday, 7:00 in the evening, Paris time; 1:00 p.m. Eastern time if you're in the U.S.
All of our correspondents covering the Olympics in Paris will share the excitement of the opening ceremony.
Thanks for watching, spending part of your day with me.
Stick around. The news continues with my friend and colleague Kim Brunhuber after a quick break.
[01:57:24]
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