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Track and Field Events Begin at Olympics; Harris Set to Pick Running Mate; Lawsuit Accuses StubHub of Deceptive Pricing. Aired 11:30a-12:00p ET

Aired August 02, 2024 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:02]

PAULA REID, CNN HOST: Of course.

And, Maria, freedom is a big theme of the Harris campaign. I want to take a listen now to how Josh Shapiro has framed this choice in November.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): He goes over to the flag and he, like, hugs the flag. I mean, I love the flag, but it's a weird thing he does.

(APPLAUSE)

SHAPIRO: But while he's hugging the flag, you know what he's doing? He's ripping away our freedoms. It's not freedom to tell our children what books they're allowed to read.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

SHAPIRO: That's not freedom. It is not freedom to tell people they can go to work, but they can't join a union. That's not freedom.

It is not freedom to tell women what they're allowed to do with their bodies. That's not freedom.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID: But is freedom enough to win Pennsylvania?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think freedom and the theme around it is a really good frame with which to communicate what a Harris administration would want to do.

And a lot of it is based on freedom, Paula, because you just heard Governor Shapiro talk very eloquently about one of the very key issues in this campaign, and that is reproductive freedom. We saw that that was an incredibly powerful driver for why the 2022 elections did not see a red wave.

It's also freedom, period, right? The threats to democracy are a big issue for Americans as well, so I think that frame really does work. It also works, frankly, in terms of the freedom to work for what these families, American families, want for their future.

And it gives the ability for the Harris -- a Harris administration to talk about the future, to talk about how she wants to expand the middle class, how she wants to give more families the tools necessary to be able to not just survive, but to succeed and get ahead like she does, and then be able to make the contrast with a Trump/Vance administration that wants to take away rights and freedoms and take us back to a past where not everyone enjoyed what the values of this country meant.

REID: Well, before I get to Scott, though, I want to press this. The Dow is down 900 points. Are abortion rights and book bans, which he just referenced, is this going to be enough for voters to, again, give the election to Harris and whoever she selects?

CARDONA: It's not one or the other, though, Paula. Voters have the ability -- and this is what happened in 2022 -- to go into the ballot box with more than one issue on their mind.

I have talked to tons of women, not just in the 2022 election, but in this one. And, by the way, there are some indications that the economy is doing better. And what women say to me is, Maria, my -- the economy will come back, my freedoms won't. And that's what's on the line.

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yes, look, it's a question -- I think it's right. You look at 2022, and what people saw and the way that people voted in the end, they were saying economy was the top issue for them.

It obviously was a big issue. It remains a big issue. The question is whether, as, in 2022, there will be voters who are driven by abortion rights and by questions of freedom and democracy, like they were in those final stages of the 2022 midterms.

Those ended up better for Democrats than they were expecting. They're obviously hoping to repeat that this time around.

REID: And, Scott, I want to give you a chance to weigh in here with the Dow down 900 points. I mean, how much should more of an economic message be factoring in for Harris and whoever she selects as a running mate?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, I was just thinking about all the messages they have tried out this cycle. They started with Bidenomics that didn't work. Wither threat to democracy? We don't hear that anymore after they installed a nominee without casting a single vote for her.

So now they're onto this freedom thing, but you hit it. At the end of the day, most people are going to vote based on their own views about how the economy is affecting them personally. The conditions in the country hasn't changed. They changed out their nominee, but they haven't changed out the inflation.

They haven't changed out the economic anxiety that most working families are facing. And that's something she's still going to have to do -- deal with because she's not an independent actor. She didn't land here six weeks ago on a spaceship and said, hey, I will take over.

She's been sitting right next to Joe Biden for the last four years, and all of what came with that was a mid-30s approval rating and a country that most people think is wildly off on the wrong track.

So I think the economic messages will come. They're going to talk about everything but that, because they really can't run on that.

REID: I want to come back to you, Isaac.

Of course, Republicans are taking aim at Harris and the Biden administration the border. Senator Mark Kelly is far more conservative on the border than some of the other selections she has here. Is that someone that is well-positioned to help her shore up what Republicans argue is a key weakness?

DOVERE: There are certainly -- people who would like Kelly to be the pick who are making that argument. And he has not only the positions that he's taken, but the experience of being from a border state that would be there.

[11:35:00]

Look, Harris was charged with this somewhat vague, ambiguous mission of being in charge of diplomatic efforts with the Central American countries. It got her tagged as being in charge of the border, even though that wasn't technically her job.

But it also doesn't erase the fact that a lot of Americans clearly are concerned and have been concerned about what's going on in the border and illegal immigration and the moves that Joe Biden has taken, that even though we have seen some effect from them, from shutting down asylums and lowering the number of people coming over the border, have not so far had the effect in the polls that he would have been hoping for.

REID: All right, Maria, Isaac, Scott, thank you so much.

And now to another issue that will unite all voters, concert ticket prices. A new lawsuit alleges StubHub is duping millions of sports fans and concertgoers. The attorney general behind the lawsuit joins me next.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:40:49]

REID: Are you thinking of heading to a concert or maybe a game? Well, a new lawsuit alleges that, if you're using StubHub to get those tickets, you're being duped.

The ticket resale giant is accused of fleecing customers out of more than $100 million using what is described as bait-and-switch pricing. Now that means that tickets are priced low and then increased with extra fees.

Now, in a statement to CNN, StubHub says they're committed to a transparent, secure and competitive marketplace and claims the company is not partaking in an illegal scheme.

Now, here with me now to discuss is the person who filed this lawsuit, Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb.

Brian, you have found the one issue that unites all Americans. What is going on with ticket prices?

BRIAN SCHWALB, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, Paula, thank you for having me.

The ticket pricing scheme that StubHub engages in is deceptive by design, right? It is designed to lure customers in with the promise of a low price at the front end, and then running customers through a series of screens, sometimes up to a dozen, with pressure tactics and clocks and the indication that the tickets are going away.

And then, at the end, when the customers ask to finally put their money where their mouth is and buy, the price is much higher than what they originally thought. And that's why, in this lawsuit, we have alleged it is a classic bait-and-switch scheme that we intend to put an end to.

REID: And why did your office decide to bring this action? Not to bring up a sore point, but, I mean, Taylor Swift didn't even come to D.C., right?

We don't have a lot of concerts. So why did your office take up this critical issue?

SCHWALB: Well, the District of Columbia is actually one of the most robust live entertainment markets in our country when it comes to sports, shows, concerts. D.C. residents and consumers spend more per capita on live entertainment than virtually every community around the country.

And so this is an extremely important issue for D.C., for D.C. residents and for our economy.

REID: And you accuse StubHub of drip pricing. What is that?

SCHWALB: Drip pricing is the phenomena that many people experience where, while they're in the process of buying something, the price continues to go up higher and higher and higher, dripping additional dollars in as the process is going.

And as we allege in our lawsuit, that's exactly the design that StubHub has, keeping the consumer on the screen, clicking through screens as the price gradually goes up and up and up. And at the end, what people are confronted with for paying for their tickets is much higher than what they thought at the beginning.

That prevents people from comparison-shopping at the front end and making a decision. Before we're going to commit to take our family to Taylor Swift or Beyonce, we want to know what it's going to cost. And if it costs much more at the end of the buying process, we're put in a terrible position. Either we don't have the tickets or we end up spending more than we actually wanted to at the front end.

That's deceptive. It's illegal. And that's why we filed this lawsuit.

REID: I think we have all experienced spending more than we intended to after buying concert tickets on StubHub or elsewhere. But they insist that they are not doing anything illegal. What is your reaction to that?

SCHWALB: Their conduct is egregious.

And it's important for people to know that charging fees, there's nothing wrong with that, as long as it's transparent, it's up front and people know what they're getting when they start a buying process. And their behavior is deceptive by design.

They knew back in 2015 that, if they did what they were doing at the time, which was transparent, open pricing, where people knew what the final price would be at the front end, that they would sell less tickets and make less profits than if they had adopted this design that they have put in place.

And since then, since 2015, close to $120 million in hidden fees have been charged, close to $5 million transactions here in the District of Columbia. And so StubHub is doing exactly what it planned to do, which was to boost its profits, put profits over people and take advantage.

REID: We often see state attorneys general get together to pursue an issue. Do you expect to see other states file this kind of lawsuit or join yours?

SCHWALB: I encourage other colleagues across the country, Republicans and Democrats, who are looking after their citizens and their consumers, just like I am, to look hard at this issue.

I know that the issue of consumer protection is a very important priority, bipartisan priority, for attorneys general. And I expect we will see others lead into this.

[11:45:00]

REID: I mean, aside from the opioids, this could be the first sort of bipartisan attorneys general lawsuit in a long time.

SCHWALB: We do a lot of work bipartisan, but this is one that I think is truly, across the board, something people should be happy we're leaning into.

REID: Well, thank you so much for joining us, sir. I appreciate it.

SCHWALB: Thank you for inviting me.

REID: And if you have ever fallen victim to an online payment scam, listen up.

Democrats in Congress are introducing a new bill to protect against fraud and make it easier to recoup your money. The legislation would crack down on payment scams on platforms like Zelle. A recent Senate investigation found the banks that run these platforms rarely reimburse customers who were duped.

In 2023, Americans reported losing $210 million to online scammers. The new bill would be a huge win for consumers if it passes, but faces potential opposition for both the banking industry and Republican- controlled House.

And coming up: Track and field events are under way at the Olympics. Will the U.S. come out on top? We will go to Paris for the latest on Team USA.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:50:32]

REID: Right now, some major track and field events are under way at the Paris Olympics.

Some other highlights from today, the women's water polo match against France, men's 50 meter freestyle swimming, and the BMX racing finals.

So let's go to Paris, where CNN's Coy Wire joins me.

Coy, you always get the best assignments, but tell me what is happening right now in Paris.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Come on over, Paula. It's beautiful here.

REID: I would love to.

(LAUGHTER)

WIRE: You can do your show.

(LAUGHTER)

WIRE: Hey, listen, one thing we're keeping our eye on is this race to become the fastest woman on the planet.

America's Sha'Carri Richardson and Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce headlining this sprint. Richardson crushed her opening 100-meter heat, finishing in 10.94 seconds. She's 24 years old. She was suspended before the Tokyo Games due to the positive test for THC. She's the reigning world champ now, and she is looking for redemption. Now, tonight, it's time for the splash and dash, the race to become

the fastest man in the pool on the planet. USA Superman Caeleb Dressel looking to defend his title in the 50-meter free and claim a ninth career Olympic gold. With one more gold, he would Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz for the second most by any American Olympian behind Michael Phelps.

I asked Caeleb what these Games are like now that he's a dad with him and his wife, Meghan, recently welcoming their baby boy, August. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAELEB DRESSEL, EIGHT-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: I can't imagine my life before August was here of what I was doing. So, yes, it's very, very different. Yes, pretty much all I have time for is him and swimming, but I don't really want to be doing anything else, earlier bedtimes for myself, more naps.

It's strange to think of what was I doing before this, and I don't really want to be doing anything else now. So, yes, it's pretty much just have time for those two things at the moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: So, Caeleb one of the hardest workers you ever meet, Paula, but, of course, now he's working double time, two jobs, being dad at home.

He has never won any color other than gold when he swims in the pool in the Olympics. It's a tough field tonight. We will see if he can make it happen again.

REID: Now a lot of folks watching the Games on two screens, right, the TV screen and also social media.

A major social media star of the Paris Olympics for Team USA has, of course, been a women's rugby player. And you got to talk to her. What did she tell you?

WIRE: Yes, so we're talking about Ilona Maher.

She and her fellow team are inspiring the next generation. The women's rugby team, they won the U.S. its first ever medal in rugby seven, but Ilona Maher is the heartbeat of the team. She's become that social media sensation with her positive messages.

I caught up with her to ask about her heartfelt talks about empowering young women and what societal norms she's sick of. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ILONA MAHER, USA RUGBY SEVENS PLAYER: I think I didn't realize it even after the final whistle blew. It was exciting, but it was when I got to interview, somebody asked me, like, what it meant for our program, what it meant for me, and that's when it really got me. And I think it was seeing my family behind as I was answering that

question really hit me. And then so a lot of emotions, a lot of -- it was three years of hard work, and so really paid off.

WIRE: Following your journey, I know that medal meant more than just you and your team. What does it represent?

MAHER: It just shows our value, our worth, that we're -- they're worthy of funding, worthy of money and of attention.

WIRE: You have been so outspoken about gender bias, about body issues, empowering the next generation of young women out there. Why is that important to you?

MAHER: I think it's kind of like, if you can see it, you can believe it. I get to see it every day with my teammates around me, Naya Tapper, Nicole, and they help me to see it.

So if I could just spread that to them -- it's hard to be confident. It's hard to be that. But if you can see somebody else do it, maybe it'll help you.

WIRE: And what is your hope for the sport moving forward, as now the Olympic Games come back to the United States the next time around?

MAHER: Yes, my hope would be that more athletes get into it.

I think it can be a first choice, not just the soccer, basketball, but rugby is up there the first choice. And realize rugby is a -- sevens is about being and athlete being fit. And we have girls on our team who started rugby three years ago, and here they are at the Olympics.

So there's a place for you and there's a spot for you possibly on that L.A. 2028 team.

WIRE: Do you think you have been chosen to get have this platform that you have been given?

MAHER: I was just thinking about that today. It was like, why me? Why me? And it's a kind of a scary burden at times, but I'm excited to get to carry it, but just trying to stay grounded.

And I'm -- I think it's why me is that I'm -- feel comfortable sharing myself, and I hope that other people resonate with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: And that's the real reason to be jealous of not being here in Paris. It's people like that, Paula, right?

[11:55:05]

I mean, they are so inspirational, using their platform to do good. And we're going to keep bringing those stories just for you here on CNN.

REID: Coy Wire, thank you.

And thanks to you for joining me. I'm Paula Reid.

Stay with CNN. "INSIDE POLITICS WITH DANA BASH" starts after a short break.