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CNN International: Harris and Walz Campaign Together Today in Wisconsin, Michigan; Intense Diplomacy As Israel Braces For Possible Attacks; Russia Claims "Massive" Attack By Ukraine; Far-Right Groups Gather Across United Kingdom; NASA: Boeing Starliner Astronauts Could Return Home In 2025. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired August 07, 2024 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:01:05]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: It's 8:00 p.m. in London, 10:00 p.m. in Jeddah, 2:00 p.m. in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 3:00 p.m. here in Washington. I'm Jim Sciutto. Thanks so much for joining me today on CNN NEWSROOM and let's get right to the news.
The 2024 presidential race goes Midwest. Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced running mate Tim Walz at a lively rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, just three miles from where Donald Trumps running mate, J.D. Vance, made his own pitch to voters.
Following it all is CNN senior White House correspondent Kayla Tausche.
Wisconsin is, of course, like Pennsylvania where they were yesterday, a key swing state in this election what are the vice president's plans, especially with her new running mate?
KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Jim, it's a critical state and it is also the neighboring state to Tim Walz, Minnesota, where he has been governor for the last few years, burnishing his governing credentials. And as a governing partner, those were some of the -- the most sought after skills when Vice President Harris was looking for her running mate, they will -- they will engage in this rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which is in the western part of the state, stronghold of swing voters.
And then they'll travel on to Detroit, Michigan for a series of events today and tomorrow, where the pair will essentially continue introducing Governor Walz to the crowd and to those critical voters to try to re-establish his Midwestern, his Midwestern bona fides to these voters who are so crucial to either party in their quest for an electoral victory in November.
Of course, there was a very truncated vetting process that led up until this point, but the Harris-Walz campaign feels that at least the Democratic Party views the choice as a success, and just the last 24 hours racing 36 million in grassroots donations since having announced Governor Walz, and now there'll be traversing these battleground states to refine their message and to visit with these crowds of thousands of people who are coming out with new energy in the Democratic Party to see what this pair is all about.
Now from here in Michigan, there's going to be a big discussion about some endorsement since from unions, specifically the United Auto Workers, whose leader Shawn Fain had previously endorsed President Biden and just in recent days has reiterated that support for Vice President Harris. That's a critical constituency in the state of Michigan, but, of course, there are questions about whether rank and file auto workers and workers and other unions share that support.
Of course, they are going to be taking their message on the road, a message of what the campaign says is one of joy as they are trying to bring a more optimistic message to American voters than the hell fire and brimstone messaging of just a few weeks ago, Jim. We'll see how the crowd in Wisconsin receives it just few miles, as you mentioned, from where J.D. Vance, vice presidential candidate, on the other ticket is holding his own rally.
SCIUTTO: Yeah, a lot of changes that just over two weeks, two-and-a- half weeks here. Of course, the candidate, but also now the message.
Kayla Tausche, thanks so much.
TAUSCHE: Sure.
SCIUTTO: Also on a swing state tour following Harris and Waltz, in fact, J.D. Vance launched this attack earlier today on the vice president's new running mate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country. I did it. I did what they asked me to do it and I did honorably and I'm very proud of that service. When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him, a fact that he's been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people that he served with. I think it's shameful to prepare your unit to go to Iraq to make a promise that you're going to follow through and then to drop out right before you actually have to go.
He said we shouldn't allow weapons that I used in war to be on American streets.
[15:05:03]
Well, I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war? When was this -- what was this weapon that you carried into war given the you abandoned your unit right before they went to Iraq, and he has not spent a day in a combat zone. What bothers me about Tim Walz is the stolen valor garbage do not pretend to be something that you're not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Well, facts are important. With us now to fact check that charge is Tom Foreman. The fact is both the vice presidential candidate served in the
military, neither candidate at the top of the ticket did. And in fact, Walz more years than J.D. Vance. But tell us what the facts are of his service and what the facts are of J.D. Vance's -- J.D. Vance's allegation there.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's some truth in what Vance says and there's a lot that's not true about it.
For example, let's start with the first claim. The idea that somehow Walz who spent 24 years in the National Guard suddenly decided to get out of the guard so that he wouldn't have to ploy to Iraq.
The truth is that he was in for 24 years. He had filed papers to run for Congress in February of 2005. He retired from the guard unit in May, and the orders to go to deploy didn't come for two more months. Now, could he have known about ahead of time maybe, but not in any official channels.
So to suggest that somehow this proves that he was trying to dodge combat, that's simply not the case. We can note that J.D. Vance and his role was in a much more forward position, but also wrote himself that he never saw shooting combat and his time there.
Nonetheless, as we move on, we can also look at this question of whether or not when Walz said in this one statement, it came out from the video from the Harris campaign, there was a statement about where he said he talked about carrying weapons in war. He is talking about gun control and he said the kind of weapons I carried in war.
Well, the truth is, he was never in combat carrying weapons. You could say that when he was deployed during part of the Afghanistan conflict, when he was deployed to Italy, he was in a war zone, but not the way most of us think about it. He wasn't in a shooting situation where he was using a gun to shoot back at other people while they shot at him. In that sense, the criticism would be fairly well-founded.
So as I said, a little truth, a fair amount of false would in this also, I think well see more of it as a campaign goes home though, Jim.
Tom Foreman, thanks so much, for fact-checking.
Well, it is a new presidential race and according to the latest polls, a closer one. A new Marist poll shows no clear leader between Harris and Trump nationally, but Harris narrowly leading Trump, and that is a change from margin of error polls that showed Biden typically trailing Trump by several points. Is this a honeymoon or is the race shifting and a lasting way and how if at all might Walz help or hurt her chances?
Larry Sabato of the UVA Center for Politics is here with me now.
Larry, good to have you on.
You follow these numbers closely. We noticed that your prediction model made three rating changes just today. Minnesota now likely Democratic, from lean Democratic. Georgia, from leans Republican to toss up as well. But those are notable.
That suggests you see this change -- this race is getting more competitive. Shifting towards Harris?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UVA CENTER OF POLITICS: Well, the one that's significant obviously is Georgia, because to this point, it had been leaning to Trump and, of course, very, very narrowly, Biden carried that in 2020.
It's a critical state because if indeed it were to tip to a Kamala Harris, it would mean the southern route, the southern route to victory would be open to her -- Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, in addition, obviously, to the normal states for Democrats. So it's a critical state and that sense.
What it suggests is that since President Biden withdrew, the Democrats have been in a bubble of exhilaration and excitement and we saw that as Walz was announced and that incredible rally that they have in Philadelphia, just amazing the energy there.
This is having an impact. How can it continue? Because the Democratic convention is little more than a week away, the major part of it and that's a -- that's a TV commercial for a political party. The Republicans had their TV commercial and they benefited from it.
The problem for them, obviously, Biden was still in and they've had to adjust to a completely new on it and ticket.
SCIUTTO: Okay, drilling down into the cross tabs as folks often talk about on these polls, do you see evidence of where exactly Harris is gaining support? Is it particularly among women Blacks, young people? And I might ask on the flip side, are there places where she is less strong than Biden was?
[15:10:02]
SABATO: Well, I wouldn't say there's any place where she's less strong, but she hasn't made a lot of progress with non-college whites, particularly men and men generally are problem for her. They can be for Democrats, but they particularly are for her in this race.
But she's really made tremendous strides with women, with minorities, and that includes Latinos where Biden was having a real problem with young people who had showed almost no enthusiasm for Biden. They're showing great enthusiasm for Harris in this ticket.
SCIUTTO: Okay. In that same poll, 71 percent of voters said they have no opinion about Tim Walz. You -- and listen, there are some time, not a lot of time, there's some time to introduce them more thoroughly to voters here but in your experience, what impact if any, does the vice presidential choice have on the top of the ticket?
SABATO: It has an impact in individual states, but that's pretty much off the board, since Shapiro in Pennsylvania wasn't picked and Kelly in Arizona wasn't picked.
Walz has made Minnesota more definite for Democrats, but I think much counted that for Democrats anyway.
What's interesting to me is that the Republicans have come right out of the gate. I don't think they waited ten minutes --
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
SABATO: Before they started attacking and tearing down Walz. That is revealing in and of itself. They're worried that his good guy upbeat demeanor will help to -- to help present Kamala Harris in a different form than she was presented before.
Being vice president means being stern and being in a supportive position. You'd never make decisions, you don't get out front. Well, obviously, Kamala Harris got way out front by picking Walz. But they're really going after Walz.
And we'll see how the Democrats respond. They've got a great respond on the draft issue that you and Tom were just discussing.
The head of their ticket, you may remember this, I'm sure you do, Jim, he was -- he dodged the draft, I think five times --
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
SABATO: -- during the 1960s for Vietnam and had imaginary bone spurs, and the doctor who wrote the phony note to the Secret Service was rewarded by Trump's father with a wonderful apartment. Sorry to summarize all that.
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
SABATO: But did you bring up that issue when you have that vulnerability on your ticket? It's very odd, very weird.
SCIUTTO: Well, you can -- you can imagine what Tim Walz's reaction will be to that attack, but -- well, self-awareness, not a lot of running around in politics.
Larry Sabato, thanks so much for joining.
SABATO: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: We are turning now to breaking news in Vienna, Austria. "The Associated Press" is reporting a suspected terror plot was foiled, which could have been targeting a Taylor Swift concert as part of the Eras Tour. Two suspected extremist were arrested today, one of them appear to be looking to launch an attack on an event in Vienna potentially, Taylor Swift's tour, which comes in town for three nights starting on Thursday, in fact.
The 19-year-old suspect had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, believed as so many of these cases has in so many of these cases to have been radicalized online.
Police say the concrete danger has been minimized, but they are now increasing security for Swift and her fans this week, plot foiled. Well, more than two years into the war in Ukraine, the country may be
making a first of its kind incursion into Russian territory. The Kremlin is saying that. Ukrainian and U.S. sources telling me the same. We'll have more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:16:55]
GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For 24 years, I proudly wear the uniform --
SCIUTTO: You're looking at a live picture there now. Tim Walz, in fact, let's listen in, and he's talking about his military service in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Let's have a listen.
WALZ: And that service, just as it did for my dad, a Korean war veteran, and millions of others, I got the G.I. Bill and it gave me a shot at a college education.
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: My dad was a teacher. My siblings were all teachers.
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: And three of them married teachers.
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: It's noble work. I had the privilege of teaching public school, social studies, and coaching football for 20 years.
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: And for all you Packer and Badgers fan, yeah, we did win a state championship. So -- that's what we do.
But it was my students who encouraged me to run for office. I never thought that much about it, but they saw in me what I was hoping to instill in them this idea of a commitment to a better world. A common good, a belief that one single person can actually make a difference.
SCIUTTO: Listening to Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, now, vice presidential nominee for the Democratic Party, announced, of course, just a couple of days ago, by the vice president. We're monitoring his address.
Harris will be speaking next and we're going to bring you those comments once they get started.
Overseas, high-stake talks are taking place that could determine whether the simmering conflict there escalates. Foreign ministers from dozens of Islamic nations are gathered now in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This at the request of Iran, which is threatening retaliation against Israel, after several high profile assassinations, including the killing of a Hamas leader on Iranian soil.
Iran's proxies are also threatening action. Hezbollah, chief among them, of course, based in Lebanon, it says its keeping Israel waiting as part of the punishment.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond joins us now from Haifa.
Jeremy, listen, Israel is been on tenterhooks for days now about potential Iranian Hezbollah military action. Can you tell us where they most expect an attack to come from at this point and are they resigned to won or they think they might dodge this bullet?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Israeli officials are certainly prepared for all scenarios. I mean, we heard today from the Israeli military's top general, General Herzi Halevi, saying that Israel is prepared for attacks on all fronts and its peak level of alertness and also prepared, interestingly, to switch very quickly from defensive mode to a very quick counter strike should that be necessary.
But you're right to ask the question of where is this attack going to come from, because it has now been over a week since Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's political leader was assassinated in Tehran. It's been a week since Iran vowed to retaliate for that killing, vowing to strike Israel directly.
[15:20:01]
And so far, we haven't seen that happen yet. And that could be for a range of reasons. One of those could be that Iran is simply getting its ducks in a row, trying -- taking some time to get its proxies to carry out simultaneous attacks, preparing perhaps as for the slippery slope that could lead to an all-out regional war. Or there is the other possibility, which is that they are entertaining these diplomatic efforts that we've seen over the course of the last week including today in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
And there does seem to be at least the possibility in the air of a diplomatic off-ramp should Western nations as Iran's president told the French president today, should Western nations pressure Israel to agree to a ceasefire that, that could be potentially a path towards de-escalation. But, of course, there is also the possibility that Hezbollah which has vowed retaliation not only for the killing of his Ismail Haniyeh, but also for the killing of its top military commander in Lebanon hours earlier last week that Hezbollah could act either alone or perhaps with, with not a full, in full coordination with Iran.
And so, there are potential -- there's potential for attacks from multiple fronts. And that's obviously keeping folks here very much on edge.
SCIUTTO: No question. Jeremy Diamond, thanks so much.
Well, now to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and a significant development. Ukrainian and U.S. officials tell me that Ukrainian forces have broken through Russian lines, crossed into Russian territory on Ukraine's northeastern border in what Russian authorities are calling, quote, a massive attack.
It appears to have caught Russian forces off guard. This marks the first incursion of its kind by Ukraine in the now 2-1/2-year-old war.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has covered the conflict extensively from Ukraine. He joins me now from London.
It's the first of its kind, a significant incursion across the border. As you speak to sources do they know what the intention is here? Is it meant to be diversionary or is it meant to occupy territory?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it's the first of its kind, if indeed as Russia says these are Ukrainian regular troops conducting this particular incursion. We've had previous, Russian citizen volunteers fighting for Ukraine in smaller militant groups had in over. This is a whole different ball game though, Jim, it does appear that there are about three to four miles inside of Russia possibly deeper towards a town called Sudzha.
Now it is entirely clear from what we can see from the videos we're getting what the target of this raid was. Certainly, as you said, huge embarrassment to the Kremlin who've called it a major provocation and claimed that Ukrainian forces are firing indiscriminately towards the civilian and residential areas. A bit rich, given Russia's history of that in the last two years in Ukraine.
But the chief of staff of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, had said, look, we've halted this advance, but videos from the ground show a different picture of Ukrainian forces potentially in multiple directions here. Sudzha, it seems have forces inside of it, called very tense by its mayor. And I think a feeling here that Ukraine has a lot of momentum moving inside that border area.
We don't know the size of this force or quite what its target was. Distraction, certainly for Russia, that's seeing some success in the Donbas region, incrementally moving come forwards towards Ukrainian military hubs there. But there is a thought they might potentially here, Ukraine have a gas terminal in their sites near Sudzha. It is key for the transit of gas from Russia to Ukraine, to Europe.
It seems to still be functioning, but that may be one of the larger infrastructure goals here. But above all, it's a headline and if Ukrainian success militarily, when we've heard nothing but bad news from them over the past weeks -- Jim.
SCIUTTO: Yeah. Exactly on the ground, at least.
Nick Paton Walsh, thanks so much.
Joining me now for more is CNN military analyst, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling.
Good to have you on, sir. You follow this war as closely as anyone. How significant a success is this for Ukrainian forces to break through Russian lines, and it seems be able to advance perhaps several miles?
MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Jim, first, I'd say it's probably not a very well defended area by Russia. This oblast, this just north of Kharkiv, hasn't had a lot of action coming out of it, border patrols primarily some soldiers in the area of defending.
This town of Sudzha that Nick Paton Walsh was just talking about, a very small town of about 5,000 people that lies about six miles or ten kilometers from the border with Ukraine. The acting head of the region of Kursk said Wednesday that several thousand people citizens had left that town over the last 24 hours because they weren't getting the support that they claim that they needed.
Nick was absolutely right. This was a town that had -- it was the last remaining point where natural gas flowed from Russia to Europe after the Nord Stream pipeline was damaged.
[15:25:08]
Excuse me.
But let's talk about the mission now. What was this? Is this a major attack? Probably not.
Could it be -- you know, I'm going to give you a military definition of a raid, which is a surprise attack against the position for a specific purpose. It doesn't -- it isn't meant to hold territory or seize terrain. It may have been a faint to pull Russian forces off of the front line further from the south, where they had been having some limited success, or it could be something that the military terms, a demonstration which is a show of force in an area that actually isn't meant to engage with the enemy, but its just meant to deceive the enemy as to what's going on.
So, all of those things could be real.
SCIUTTO: I imagine that breaking through, causing some damage is a different proposition. Then breaking into Russian territory and attempting to keep a hold, occupy that territory.
HERTLING: Yeah, because what are you trying to keep a hold, Jim, you know that you not only have to have the initial engaging force, the raiding party, if you will, but if you're planning on staying there for awhile, especially with armored vehicles, which it appears the Ukrainians have taken across the border. You have to have resupply, and you have to have ways to get food, water, fuel, all -- ammunition, all sorts of things to that force in anticipation of continued engagements with the enemy.
I don't think -- I would -- I would say the odds are greater than 50 percent that this raiding force or this faint or demonstration, whatever you want to call it, depending on the mission, is going to be out of there shortly, probably with a few prisoners, probably after causing a little bit of damage and scaring the bejesus out of the Russian forces that are in that area, not expecting this kind of action. SCIUTTO: Can you characterize the overall state of the war because on
the eastern front, its been largely static for months with some incremental Russian gains in a bloody, bloody, just bloody combat and enormous losses on the Russian side. You've had a number of Ukrainian successes, taking out Russian aircraft, Russian surface ships, et cetera, and now an attack like this. Does it -- does that still fit into a stalemate picture in your view?
HERTLING: You know, I wouldn't call it a stalemate, Jim. I -- you know, I -- if I could walk you through this and it would take about an hour, I think we're in about phase seven of the Ukrainian campaign. And what that means is they had that big delay of weapons supplies and resupplies from the West, especially the United States that really clogged up their supply lines and delayed a lot of things.
At the same time, President Zelenskyy made a lot of changes in his command and control structure. He made some announcements in terms of mobilizations of a large number of forces. The Russians have been trying to do that at the same time.
But I would say the Russians are at a disadvantage because they don't have that many forces to push forward. Both sides are very, very fatigued after fighting through the winter, you know, you're now into the summer months and getting ready and preparing for the fall, where Ukraine is going to get more equipment, more ammunition, the F-16s are starting to flow in. They've been training new forces for a awhile.
So yeah, right now, I would say it's not so much of a stalemate as it is a limited slugfest in a couple of small areas. Russia has continued to lose a lot of forces. So has Ukraine.
And I think what we're waiting for right now is the after effects of mobilization of new forces on both sides, and the re-institution of those supply lines by Ukraine going to the front lines with what Western ammunition.
SCIUTTO: Yeah, you forgot how long it takes for that, for that weaponry, that ammunition to get there after Congress finally voted a number of weeks ago.
Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, thanks so much for joining.
HERTLING: Pleasure, Jim. Thank you.
Coming up, another day of far right unrest in the United Kingdom. We're going to be live in London on exactly who and what is driving this violence and what's being done about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:31:03]
SCIUTTO: Breaking news, live comments from Vice President Harris in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Now, she's alongside her new vice presidential nominee.
Let's listen in.
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- your words, your leadership, your voice. It's so important. Lis (ph), thank you for everything you are in, and everything you do for our country.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And it is good to be with so many incredible leaders, including the most magnificent, wonderful Governor Tony Evers.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: Every time I come to Wisconsin, Tony meets me on the tarmac. He's such an incredible human being.
I want to thank Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Ben Wikler.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And my dear, dear friend, Senator Tammy Baldwin.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: I served with Tammy when I was in the United States Senate. I'm going to tell you, she was always, always, always fighting for the people of this state. And in November, we are going to reelect her to the United States Senate.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And please give it up one more time for Wisconsin's own Bonnie Blair (ph).
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: It's a good afternoon. It's a good afternoon.
And let me say, I also want to -- I want to bring greetings from our incredible President Joe Biden.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: He loves Wisconsin. He loves Wisconsin. And I know we are all deeply grateful for his lifetime of service to our nation and for all he continues to do. That's right.
(APPLAUSE)
CROWD: Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!
HARRIS: That's right. I'm going to tell him what you said.
So, Wisconsin, this has been a big week. On Monday, I officially became the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And yesterday I announced my running mate in this campaign, Governor Tim Walz.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And as you just heard and the Minnesotans here know, Tim has an incredible record as governor of the great state of Minnesota.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And to those who know him best, Tim is more than a governor. To his wife, Gwen, he is a husband. To his kids, Hope and Gus, he is dad. To his fellow veterans, he is Sergeant Major Walz.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: To the people of southern Minnesota for 12 years, he was a congressman.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: To his former high school students, he was Mr. Walz.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And to his former high school football players, he was coach. Coach.
(APPLAUSE)
(CHANTING)
[15:35:05]
HARRIS: And in 90 days, the nation will know Coach Walz by a new title, vice president of the United States of America.
(APPLAUSE)
CROWD: VP Walz! VP Walz! VP Walz!
HARRIS: Oh, it really is good to be back in Wisconsin.
So, listen, let me tell you: I am clear the path to the White House runs right through this state. And with your help, we will win in November. We are going to win.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: We are going to win.
And I've been here many times as you all know, recently and even before, and many of you know, then, before I was elected vice president, before I was elected United States senator, I was an elected attorney general and before that, an elected district attorney.
And before that -- and before that, I was a courtroom prosecutor.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: So, in those roles, I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, scammers who broke the rules for personal gain, so hear me when I say -- I know Donald Trump's type.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: I know his type. In fact, I've been dealing with people like him my whole career.
For example, as attorney general of California -- well, hold on. You know what the courts going to handle that part of it. What we're going to do was beat him in November.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: So, I'll tell you as attorney general, I took on one of our country's largest for-profit colleges that scam students. Well, Donald Trump ran a for-profit college that scammed students.
(BOOS)
HARRIS: As a prosecutor, I specialized in cases of sexual abuse. Well, Donald Trump was found liable for committing sexual abuse.
(BOOS)
HARRIS: As attorney general, I held the big Wall Street banks accountable for fraud. Well, Donald Trump was just found guilty of fraud, 34 counts.
(BOOS)
HARRIS: So, in this campaign, I'll tell you, I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: Any day of the week.
But let's make no mistake: this campaign is not just about us versus Donald Trump. It's about two very different visions for our nation. Two very different visions.
One, for us, focused on the future, the other, focused on the past. And Wisconsin, we -- we here, we fight for the future. We fight for a future where every worker has the freedom to join a union.
(APPLAUSE) HARRIS: Wait -- union strong.
CROWD: Union strong! Union strong! Union strong!
HARRIS: We fight for a future where every senior can retire with dignity.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: A future where we build a broad based economy, and one where every American has the opportunity to own a home, to start a business, to build wealth.
(APPLAUSE)
HARRIS: And understand in this fight, as Tim Walz likes to point out, we are joyful warriors, joyful warriors.
Because we know that while fighting for a brighter future maybe hard work -- hard work is good work. Hard work is good work.
And so, we will continue to fight for affordable housing, for affordable health care, affordable childcare, and paid leave.
(APPLAUSE)
[15:40:09]
SCIUTTO: We've been listening to Vice President Kamala Harris there speaking to a rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, of course, a key swing states and appearing alongside the governor of the neighboring state of Minnesota, Tim Walz, who, of course, is now her new running mate. We'll continue to monitor those comments.
Meanwhile, we have been following the story overseas. This in the U.K. where social media is playing a major role in fueling days of violent riots across the United Kingdom and anti-immigrant misinformation campaign has been stoking outrage over something that took place last week, the stabbing in Southport, England, a stabbing that left three children dead.
We could see a repeat of scenes like this from just this past weekend. Right now, far-right protesters and counter-protesters are planning action tonight. They are expected to target locations connected to asylum seekers and immigrants.
CNN's Clare Sebastian joins us now from London.
Clare, these scenes have been -- they've been alarming from so many cities in the U.K.
And I wonder, do you see -- there's got to be an enormous amount of worry about plans tonight. Do authorities have a handle on this?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, so far, they do. You're right, there was an enormous amount of worry as we drove into this part of London, Walthamstow, in east London. We saw a lot of shops boarded up. There is a heavy police presence.
But what you're seeing behind me right now, just to be very clear, this is a counter protest. This is anti-racism groups. This is members of the local community, many of them Muslims, have come out to show and they are by the way standing in front of an immigration lawyers office that was on a list that was spreading online, part of a rumor spread by far right groups that they could turn out and target these officers.
They have now effectively barricaded it. They are here to show that their voices are louder than the far right. What we've been hearing from people locally is that they want to be seen as peaceful, but they all very worried, I should say about the disinformation that you've seen.
One person told me that she was afraid, not of the kind of violence breaking out here in London that we've seen in other cities. But the fact that disinformation online in itself could provoke that kind of violence. She wants to see more regulation.
And, of course, there is a lot of pressure on the government to really come down on this end to make this violence stop. And we're seeing the policing, as I said, step up. But also, we saw three people sentenced today, one of them to three years in prison for the disorder caused initially in Southport and Liverpool. I think that's not just the severity of the sentencing with the speed event that is designed to be an effective deterrent.
I think we're going to have to watch this evening to see if that is actually worked.
SCIUTTO: Let's hope for peace on the streets there.
Clare Sebastian, thanks so much for covering. We will continue to keep an eye on that story overseas, as well as politics here, back in the U.S.
And we'll be right back after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:46:12]
SCIUTTO: Well, they're getting a little more than they bargained for. After 63 days aboard the International Space Station today, NASA says astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore might not return to earth for another six months. That's at least one of the contingency plans a space agency is considering.
The two you remember, were originally supposed to be in space for just a week after the successful launch of the Starliner spacecraft back in June. But they found some problems. They're still up there.
Kristin Fisher covers space for CNN.
So -- I mean, a couple of questions here. One is, I mean, do they have a safe way back today?
KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: They theoretically Starliner, the Boeing Starliner spacecraft has been cleared to return these astronauts, Butch and Suni, back to Earth in an emergency situation.
But under normal conditions, no. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has not been certified to do that just yet. That's what the debate is happen -- that's the debate that's happening right now at NASA, Jim. And what we learned today during a news conference that NASA held just a few hours ago, was that there is deep internal divisions within NASA about whether Butch and Suni should come home on Starliner and they need to make a decision fast because time is running out for them to make that decision.
They say they need to decide by mid-August, which is, you know, just a little over a week away.
And so, Jim, to your next point -- what are the options? If they can't come home on Starliner? And the answer to that is SpaceX. SpaceX's crewed Dragon capsule, which is currently attached to the international space station.
It's a different vehicle and so what they would do is essentially there's another crew, and other NASA crew that's supposed to launch in mid-August, that was pushed back to September. So, what they would do so there were going to be for astronauts on that mission, they would take two of them off. So that when it launches, there's two empty seats. And then when that vehicle goes home, Jim, Butch and Suni would hitch a ride on that SpaceX crew Dragon capsule. But that would not take place until February of 2025.
So, Jim, what started out as an eight-day mission, could extend to eight months.
SCIUTTO: I wonder if there's any viable on the ISS of sort of like the house guest that stays a little long. You know, it's like shouldn't you guys be going home? Well, anyway, I'm sure they're all very cordial up there.
Kristin Fisher, thanks so much.
FISHER: Thanks, Jim.
Just after the break, CNN's Coy Wire goes one-on-one with the Olympics swimming phenom Katie Ledecky in Paris.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:51:25]
SCIUTTO: Day 13 of the 2024 Paris Olympics is underway. The U.S. dominating the medal count, 90 medals total, 25 golds. Second is China, France, the host, of course, with 48 medals.
On Tuesday, President Biden gave Olympic athletes Katie Ledecky and Noah Lyles congratulatory phone calls for their gold medals in the Paris Olympics.
Lyles, you'll remember took the gold medal home for the U.S. and the men's 100-meter dash final by a nose, making him the world's fastest man.
Ledecky won two gold medals in the women's 800 and 1,500-meter freestyle swim in addition to a silver and bronze medal, making her the most decorated female U.S. Olympian of all time with 14 medals overall.
CNN's Coy Wire spoke with Katie Ledecky. By the way, that's 14 more medals and me or you.
Coy, how has she been feeling after winning all of them?
COY WIRE, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, nine golds. Not imagined that the most dominant female swimmer we've ever seen, Jim, in great spirits. She joined us here at our WBD house studios this morning, beaming, especially personally after not having family around, remember to celebrate in Tokyo, Paris for her has been incredible.
Listen to this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Nine gold medals, 14 overall. If these medals from these games could talk, what would they say about how special these games have been?
KATIE LEDECKY, 9-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: I think they would cheer. I think you know, the energy here in Paris has been incredible. So I think they had just joined in on the cheering that all the prisons have been getting all the athletes here.
WIRE: Yeah. One thing I noticed in our conversations and anytime someone asked, what has it taken for you to be able to do what you do and you say stuck to the process. I take one day at a time, I sacrifice and that is true.
It can be that simple, and it is. But what are some of the things that maybe you take for granted that you do or have done over the years that other people might find fascinating.
LEDECKY: I think I just try really hard to be consistent each year it's not just every four years this for me. I'm competing at world championships in between Olympics and a lot of other meets as well. So it's not just a few races every four years. It's a lot of -- a lot of training, a lot of races in between these big moments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: All right. From an American legend to a hometown hero, Jim, French swimming phenom Leon Merchand has become one of the stars of these games, just 22-years-old, no Olympic medals coming in. He cleaned up four gold medals here, shattering four Olympics records, had a chat with him just a bit ago today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEON MERCHAND, 4-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: I like to tell myself, just to have fun, this week has been Christmas for me, you know, as a opening night, I guess, every day, trying to allow for that. So, really, really special, really unique. I really focused on my energy when I'm in the courtroom (ph) before the race, and the French public has been amazing to me. So, I was using that.
WIRE: What's something you've done throughout the career that might be a little quirky to other people, but to you is just norm?
MERCHAND: I don't think I need it out of motivation. I just want to win all the time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: All right. So, Merchand, also said, Jim, that this all feels like a dream. He's just waiting to wake up at any moment. You got to love it.
SCIUTTO: Yeah, to do that all at home. It's got to be special for him.
All right. So there's an athlete hear that gives hope to men like myself, of a certain age, someone's skateboarding well past the age you might imagine they do so.
What journey for 49-year-old Dallas Oberholzer from South Africa. He's more than double the age of Australia's 21 year-old Keegan Palmer, who won the park competition in skateboarding. Dallas's lifetime of skateboarding has taken a toll on his body, on his mind, he never really made much money in his sport but he had a dream of becoming an Olympian.
Again, he finished in the back of the pack at Tokyo Games, but he needed to find some clarity in life in order to become an Olympic Games.
So, Jim, he traveled to the Peruvian jungles, met a shaman, did ayahuasca and went on this spiritual journey. He said, I saw dragons. I was flying with dragons.
Whether it was that or just good old fashioned passion and hard work, he made it back. He said before these games, he already knew that he would probably come in last. He did in the preliminaries, but with all of his fist pumping and smiles after this ride, you thought he won gold. He said this is all about impressing mom who was cheering him on.
She hadn't seen him skate it competitively in 28 years and he said being around all those years downstairs, Jim, kept him young. He didn't rule out 2028. So look out.
SCIUTTO: Good for him. We're all trying to impress mom still, aren't we? So more power to him.
WIRE: That's right.
SCIUTTO: Coy Wire, thanks so much as always.
WIRE: You got it, Jim.
SCIUTTO: And thanks so much to all of you for joining me today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington.
"QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
