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CNN International: Harris Promises "New Way Forward" In Acceptance Speech; Harris-Trump Matchup Set; 74 Days Until U.S. Election Day; RFK Jr. Expected To Suspend Campaign Today. Aired 11a- 12p ET
Aired August 23, 2024 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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RAHEL SOLOMON, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Good morning or good evening, depending on where you're watching. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York.
Ahead on CNN Newsroom --
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KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S., (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I accept your nomination to be President of the United States of America.
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SOLOMON: Historic moments in America, Kamala Harris officially accepting the Democratic presidential nomination. Both sides now shifting into high gear with just 74 days until Election Day. Plus, senior U.S. diplomats are in the Middle East, trying to secure a ceasefire and a hostage deal in Cairo, as talks resume. We are live in Tel Aviv with a look at how they hope to reach a breakthrough. And the time has come. America's top central banker signaling that lower interest rates are finally on the horizon.
Well, with just 74 days ago, the race for the White House has entered a new phase in what could be one of the closest presidential elections in American history, Vice President Kamala Harris now formally her party's nominee against Donald Trump.
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HARRIS: On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination to be President of the United States of America.
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SOLOMON: In her acceptance speech, Harris talked about her life growing up as the daughter of immigrants, her mother from India and her father from Jamaica. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: At the park, my mother would say, stay close. But, my father would say, as he smiled, run, Kamala. Run. Don't be afraid. Don't let anything stop you.
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HARRIS: The Vice President vowed that a future Harris administration would revive the border deal that Donald Trump opposed.
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HARRIS: I refuse to play politics with our security, and here is my pledge to you. As President, I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed and I will sign it into law.
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SOLOMON: And the number of times, Harris underscored the contrast between herself and her Republican opponent.
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HARRIS: I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong Un, who are rooting for Trump, who are rooting for Trump, because they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump won't hold autocrats accountable because he wants to be an autocrat himself.
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SOLOMON: And with the DNC wrapped up, Harris and running mate Tim Walz now move forward in a race against what's expected to be a competitive race against the Trump-Vance ticket.
We have CNN's Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny, who is joining us from Chicago on the phone. Jeff, always good to have you, even if it is by phone. Talk to us about the night that Kamala Harris had last night, and what stood out to you, Jeff?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN U.S. CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (VIA TELEPHONE): Hey, Rahel. We are actually standing inside the United Center convention hall, but this is the day after the convention. So, apologies for this. Our camera went down moments before coming to you. But look, as I stand here in the hall, there are still remnants of this party. There are balloons scattered on the floor, a few still in the rafters. But look, Democrats now have 74 days to go. And when Vice President Harris was leaving the convention hall last night, she said, this was a good party. Now we're moving forward.
So, really, the question is, what did the country make of this convention? Democrats, of course, were enthused. Democrats, of course, were really excited and boosted by this. But, how did it play in swing states? How did it play with independent voters in, say, Pennsylvania or Michigan or Wisconsin or other battleground states? So, that really is the central question hanging over all this.
But, there is no doubt the unity inside this party and the momentum that Harris has built over the last month, is going to propel them forward. The open question, though, of course, is when this -- the next key moments of this campaign, like the debate just 18 days away in Philadelphia, when Donald Trump and Kamala Harris stand on stage together? Certainly, the next defining moment.
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But, there is no doubt, as we reach the almost end of summer, an entirely different picture then when the summer began.
SOLOMON: Absolutely. And so, Jeff, I mean, you do have that debate, as you said, 18 days away. We're also still waiting for her first major sit-down. I mean, give us a sense of what we can hope to expect, perhaps, that's coming next for Harris.
ZELENY (VIA TELEPHONE): Well, look, I mean, she'll be catching her breath this weekend, I'm told, but then will be campaigning next week, and that's right. I mean, she has yet to do really an unscripted moment as a presidential candidate, as the nominee of the party. She has yet to do a major interview. I do expect that to come maybe, if not, before Labor Day, perhaps right after Labor Day. But look, she has been drawing major crowds. She has been drawing a considerable enthusiasm and energy. But, how does that translate into votes?
One thing about this convention, of the Democratic Convention, and of course, the Republican Convention as well just a month ago in Milwaukee, they're organizing tools. So, they're really using these to organize their troops, if you will, their volunteers across the country. But, you have a sense here that the Biden campaign is a -- it seems like a very long time ago. Even though President Biden addressed the delegates, addressed the convention on Monday, the page has been turned in an extraordinarily fast way.
SOLOMON: Yeah. I mean, it has been just remarkable to watch this, even as an observer, no matter who you side with, just sort of how quickly the landscape has changed in the last few weeks.
Jeff Zeleny live for us there from Chicago. Jeff, thank you.
And reactions to Harris' speech are pouring in, including from her Republican rival, former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a new interview with Fox News, Trump attacked Harris' record, accusing her of not accomplishing policy proposals while serving as Vice President. When Harris took the stage in Chicago Thursday night, Trump commented in rapid succession on his Truth Social platform. Here you can see just some of his criticisms. They range from how much time Harris talked about her childhood, to slamming her on the issue of illegal immigration.
And now that Kamala Harris has accepted her party's nomination, Donald Trump could, he hopes, get back the spotlight today with a major endorsement. The Republican nominee says that it is possible he will be meeting with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today, any moment now. The independent presidential candidate is expected to formally announce that he is suspending his campaign after filing papers to withdraw from the presidential race in the state of Arizona.
Now, both Trump and Kennedy are separately scheduled to appear in Arizona later today, but right now, an endorsement is not guaranteed. That is the big question.
So, let's bring in Steve Contorno, who is covering the Trump campaign. Steve, Trump did tease ahead to this possible meeting with RFK Jr. today. Certainly, that question lingers, what could we see today in Arizona between these two camps? What more do we know about this?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Well, it is the hope, if not the expectation of the Trump campaign that if RFK Jr. does indeed drop out of the race today, he is likely to endorse Donald Trump. Now, we are being told that is not a guarantee, but Trump's team has been working behind the scenes really for several months now, laying the groundwork for RFK Jr. to exit the race and to endorse Donald Trump, and they believe that this will be a significant win for them. There is not a lot of support for RFK Jr. still out there. A recent poll had it at just about two percent.
However, this is going to be an exceptionally close race, potentially, in a number of key battlegrounds, and any sort of support Trump can win over from RFK's voters, especially those anti-establishment types or anti-vax parents that people like that they are hoping to bring into the fold. Trump actually commented in recent -- last 24 hours on the potential for an RFK Jr. endorsement. Take a listen to what he said.
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DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We haven't talked about that yet, Ali, but we'll find out, and we'll see. I have a lot of respect for him, and I think he has a lot of respect for me. But, it would be my great honor if he wants to endorse me. I have good respect for him. Smart guy, little different, very smart, and we will take his endorsement.
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CONTORNO: Rahel, I should note that Donald Trump's campaign is teasing a quote "special guest" at his event tonight, although, after what happened at the DNC with quote "special guests." Perhaps we shouldn't read too much into that.
SOLOMON: And just for those who may not have been waiting with bated breath last night, like me, yes, there was a certain report that a certain pop star, i.e., Beyonce, would be performing, and she did not show up.
Steve, let me ask, before Trump goes to Arizona, he will be in Las Vegas, speaking. Talk to us about what we know about his message today. I mean, we have heard for weeks now, his advisors and top Republicans say, please stick to the message. Stop insulting her. It's not working. What do we know about what he is expected to say? CONTORNO: Yeah.
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Well, look, Trump is Trump, and he is going to -- you sort of take what you get with him. It's the style that made him endearing to Republicans in a certain part of the country in 2016 and with the base again in this election cycle. So, I think you'll see what you've seen all week, which is in Vegas, for example, he is supposed to do a speech on his policy to get rid of taxes on tips. He will probably talk about that to some degree. However, all week long, he has held these sort of similar policy-focused events, and instead of sticking to just that, he has also been providing commentary and reaction to the Democratic National Convention. It's been very clear that he has been watching the speeches closely. He was commenting on Vice President Harris' speech in real time last night.
And I think as much as he is going to focus on no taxes on tips, you're going to see his continued reaction to what transpired in Chicago this past week, Rahel.
SOLOMON: OK. We'll watch for that. Steve Contorno, thank you, live for us there in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Let's discuss this further and welcome in our panel. We have Lynn Sweet. She is the Washington Bureau Chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. We also have CNN Political Commentator Errol Louis, who is also a Political Anchor for Spectrum News, and the host of "The big deal with Errol Louis." Good to see you both.
Errol, let me start with you and pick up where Steve Contorno left off there, this intrigue about whether RFK Jr. is in fact suspending his campaign, dropping out, but also endorsing Trump. How much would that change the race, if in fact that happens?
ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, & HOST, "THE BIG DEAL WITH ERROL LOUIS": Well, look, it doesn't change the race so much. There was always an underlying assumption that RFK, because if you looked at his donor list, a lot of his support was coming from Trump supporters, so, there was always an assumption that he was intended to help Trump in whatever way he could. Back when Biden was in the race, the assumption was that he would help in a particular kind of way, perhaps even running as a Democrat or trying to peel away some Democrats.
Now, I think it will be a different dynamic, but the underlying goal has always been for RFK Jr. to try and help Donald Trump. I assume that whatever serious support he has, people who just like RFK for no other reason that that will go to Donald Trump, and in a close state, it could make a big difference.
SOLOMON: But, I want to turn back to last night in the DNC, and your last piece, which actually touched on something that I think observers who have watched the DNC this week have likely heard a lot of, this emphasis from the Democrats on joy. Talk to us about what you have learned in terms of how Democrats hope to translate that joy into actual votes. LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: So, this is something that just emerged, that just happened organically. Kamala Harris had been talking about joy now and then, in some ways. It hadn't stopped. Governor Walz talked about it now and then. This is not a poll-tested theme. This is not messaging group thing. It happened, and the campaign will now try to harness the lightning and translate joy, which is defined a few ways by different speakers, or just using the word into votes.
Part of it is, I think, and my analysis in the column is that there had been a doom and gloom thought for a while when voters had a choice between two elderly men, one President, one former President. Now, when that changed, something lifted. The mood lifted. Every data point lifted, crowds, money, polls, and they're talking about it. And the way you use joy is to they still attack Trump, but you could talk about bringing joy to life, into politics, economic policy. We'll see how it mobilizes people, because we've seen that enough to know that this politics of joy can mobilize people and that the campaign is big enough to organize it. So, that is something that you can't just dream of, something that will be hard for Trump to duplicate.
SOLOMON: Errol, you say that you thought it was smart that Kamala Harris didn't spend a lot of time bashing Donald Trump, but focusing more on Project 2025. Let's take a listen to one click from last night.
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HARRIS: He plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions. Simply put, they are out of their minds.
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SOLOMON: Now, Errol, that's a recommendation from Project 2025, not necessarily Trump. But, nonetheless, why do you think that that's a smart move and the right move to focus there on Project 2025, and less specifically on Donald Trump?
LOUIS: Yes, to the extent that there are persuadable or undecided voters out there, they may like Donald Trump. They may not object to him, his personality, even though the rough and childish and juvenile nicknames and so forth.
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But, what a lot of people would object to is some of the extreme policies that are laid out in Project 2025. So, it becomes a much more coherent target, and it's written out in chapter and verse. So, they could pull out that big book several times during the campaign -- during the convention, and they would open it and they would just read from it, and say, this is what you're going to get. It's a really smart way to focus people on it. In fact, if you look at the Democratic platform, over and over again, it refers back to Project 2025, to the extent that they want to make a programmatic attack on their adversary. It's smarter to go for the policies which are unpopular than Donald Trump himself, who, in at least some quarters of this country, is very popular.
SOLOMON: But, Errol, I mean, as Donald Trump attempts to distance himself from Project 2025, do you think that that perhaps get in the way -- gets in the way of that strategy? If they're attacking Project 2025 and Donald Trump says, listen, I'm have nothing to do with it, I mean, how does that work?
LOUIS: Well, yeah. I mean, look, they spent four days tying it around his neck, and he is trying desperately to take it off of his neck. But, if you look at -- I mean, look, there is footage of him saying that he endorses not just the people, but the plans that they were making to come up with an agenda. If he doesn't like the agenda, at the end of it, that's one thing, but he can't now turn around and say he didn't know anything about it. There is just too much footage of him standing next to people at the Heritage Foundation and elsewhere, saying, hey, go to it. Create an agenda for me if I should become President again.
SOLOMON: Lynn, all indications at this point, still, even after Kamala Harris has been in the race for about a month now, is that this could still be a very close race. She seems to accept that. She seems to allude to that, not just allude to it, I mean, specifically say that it's -- they still have a lot of work to do, but you wouldn't necessarily think that listening to Trump. Listen to Trump.
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TRUMP: But, we're doing very well. We're leading now, as you know, in the election, and we're leading in all of the major categories, like border, like economy, like all of that. It's really good. It's really good. Things are happening that are very good.
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SOLOMON: So, Lynn, I'm curious if you think this is just bluster, political bluster, or are Republicans making the same mistake that critics say Hillary made in 2016 and taking certain states or taking the outcome for granted?
SWEET: Well, his campaign may not be taking these states for granted. They do have some organization. They have money. The candidate is taking this for granted, not figuring out how to run against Harris. We know this. You can't just be insulting her on her looks or taunting her or calling her names. Take 2025 for a quick example. Instead of saying he had nothing to do with it, which won't necessarily be effective, because the Democrats are going to keep making that a central line of attack on him, say what you're for, and just do what you often do in politics, say that you're not for something, that is the point. He hasn't disavowed it. He has disavowed whether or not and his name is on it, which we know it's not.
But, the issue is, when you look at those proposals and that are you for them or not, he has not said what he is for and against there, which gives the Democrats ability to keep going at it overall, though. I think that this is something that is unusual for Trump running against a female who is black, who is a Vice President, who does not have anything hanging on her like Hillary Clinton did with the emails and other baggage --
SOLOMON: Yeah.
SWEET: -- and this is something he does not know how to do.
SOLOMON: Yeah. I mean, because you could make the argument -- yeah. I mean, you could make the argument. I mean, there is sort of standard politicking and then there is sort of wading into waters that some might say as misogynistic or racist. And so, it's a very sort of delicate balance.
SWEET: I would like to say, go a little more when you start calling somebody ugly, and I -- it's sexist in that. On the other hand, if this is going to be a race to who is better-looking, he might want to watch out.
SOLOMON: OK. Well, on that opinion, we'll leave it there.
Lynn Sweet, Errol Louis, thank you both. Appreciate your time.
All right. Still to come, critical negotiations in Cairo. CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to sit down soon with other international mediators for a last-ditch effort to try to end the Gaza war. Plus, the bodies of all victims of the sunken yacht near Sicily have been recovered. We'll have the latest from Italy.
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HARRIS: President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure. The hostages are released. The suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.
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SOLOMON: A roar from the crowd there, as Kamala Harris addressed one of the Democratic Party's biggest divisions this election year, the war in Gaza. Protesters outside the convention hall in Chicago accused Democrats of not doing enough to secure a ceasefire. Activists against Israel's war pushed for but did not get a platform to speak of the convention itself. Last night, Harris spoke on the suffering in Gaza, but she also forcefully came to Israel's defense.
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HARRIS: Let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on October 7.
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SOLOMON: Mediators are trying once again to broker a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to arrive in Cairo today to join the latest round of talks, and the White House National Security spokesperson says that discussions so far are constructive. The U.S. insists that Israel is on board with the plan, but Israel says that it will not withdraw from a key corridor along the Gaza- Egypt border. This so-called bridging proposal on the table, it aims to close the gaps between Israel and Hamas.
A statement today by the World Health Organization, meantime, underscoring the urgent humanitarian need for a ceasefire. Traces of the poliovirus were detected in sewage in Gaza last month, and now the WHO says that a 10-month-old baby who contracted polio is paralyzed. The UN says that it is ready to begin vaccinating Gaza's children this month, but says that it would be extremely difficult to do so, quote, "under a sky full of air strikes".
Let's get more now from CNN's Jeremy Diamond, who is live for us in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, I feel like, almost daily I ask you what the latest status is of these talks. But, almost daily, we question sort of, how are things moving along here?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, the negotiations are certainly continuing. Talks are being had in Cairo today, working- level delegations trying to sort through all of the issues that need to be discussed and need to be finalized, should a ceasefire agreement actually come through. A lot of this is about laying the groundwork for a potential agreement, so that once the parties agree to one, if they agree to a deal, then it can be swiftly implemented from the moment that it is actually signed.
But, in terms of to what ends are these talks actually leading to, that remains very unclear still. We've heard a lot of optimism from the United States talking about the fact that talks are advancing. The CIA Director now set to arrive in Cairo today to join those ongoing discussions.
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But, it's not clear that real progress is actually being made, and part of that stems from the fact that so far we haven't seen a change from Hamas' posture, which has been to say that that bridging proposal submitted by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, according to them, caves far too much to Israeli demands than it does to accommodating some of Hamas' demands, or coming closer to the kind of original framework that had been agreed to in -- a couple of months ago.
So, we know that these talks are ongoing. The key question is, we're expecting this summit to take place in Cairo, most likely on Sunday, but will Hamas attend? Last time, there was a major summit like this, last week in Doha, Qatar. We know that the Hamas delegation, they were nearby. They listened and spoke with the mediators after those negotiations happened between the Israelis, the Qataris, and the United States, but they didn't actually participate in the talks. And so, now the question is, will Hamas actually join these
negotiations on Sunday to have what are known as proximity talks, where you have Hamas in one room, Israel in another room, and the mediators kind of going back and forth? And so, we will see in the next 24, 48 hours. This is kind of the critical timeline now whether or not they choose to engage in those talks, and that will give us a sense of whether this is actually going anywhere or not.
SOLOMON: And Jeremy, one thing that you talked about in your reporting is how the Philadelphi Corridor is one of the sticking points in these conversations. Why does that seem to be one of the major obstacles here?
DIAMOND: Well, it's a critical issue, mostly because the Israeli Prime Minister has been demanding that Israeli troops remain posted along the Philadelphi Corridor, which is kind of this critical strategic route between the Egypt-Gaza border on the Gazan side. It's an area where Israelis say that Hamas has been smuggling weapons into Gaza for years now, and then from there, into tunnels, and spreading them out throughout the Gaza Strip.
And so, the Israelis set their sights on this Philadelphi Corridor very early in the war as something that they felt they needed to conquer in order to regain security control of the Gaza Strip. They captured the Philadelphi Corridor in May, and since then now, the Israeli Prime Minister has been saying Israeli troops need to remain there. Hamas, meanwhile, wants Israeli troops to withdraw from that corridor during the first phase of a ceasefire agreement.
And we should note that the previous -- the initial framework that these two parties had reached, it did not mention Israeli troop presence along the Philadelphi Corridor. It talked about Israeli troops withdrawing from population centers in Gaza, and the Philadelphi Corridor is right along the key Palestinian city of Rafah in Gaza. And it was only weeks after that that the Israelis said that one of their key demands was that troops needed to remain along the Philadelphi Corridor. So, that appears to be, if not the major sticking point, then certainly one of them that needs to be resolved if a deal is to be reached here.
SOLOMON: OK. That is the big question. Jeremy Diamond live for us in Tel Aviv. Jeremy, thank you.
Well, all victims of a sunken super yacht have now been recovered. Earlier, Italian search and rescue teams brought to shore the body of the last person missing in the disaster. The yacht went down on Monday after being hit by a tornado off Sicily. 22 people were on board when the storm hit. Seven of them died.
Here is CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau with the latest.
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BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Specialized dive teams have now wrapped up their search and recovery operation five days after a tornado struck a luxury yacht here off the coast of Sicily, sinking it to the bottom of the sea. The first victim that was brought up on Monday after the incident was that of the onboard chef, the final victim, 18-year-old, Hannah Lynch, the daughter of Mike Lynch, whose family owned the yacht. 15 people survived the accident, including a one-year-old baby girl whose mother held her above the waves while they tried to reach a lifeboat. Also surviving, the captain of the ship, who has been the focus of an investigation.
As we know right now, they have opened up a criminal investigation into the events surrounding the disaster to try to determine if there was criminal negligence that led to the death of these seven people. The focus has largely been on what the captain and the crew did before the disaster. There were other yachts nearby when the storm struck, those which did not sink. We've also heard from the ship maker who said his yacht was unsinkable and alleged that in fact it only sunk because of human error. We'll understand over the weekend exactly where the criminal investigation is going and if the captain will hold any responsibility.
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Porticello, Sicily.
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SOLOMON: And still to come, Ukraine is sending out a warning, as Russia advances on an eastern city. We'll have the details straight ahead. Plus, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell giving hope that interest rates may soon drop.
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We will have a live report with his remarks coming up.
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HARRIS: I promise to be a President for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country above party and self, to hold sacred America's fundamental principles from the rule of law to free and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power.
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SOLOMON: Welcome back. You're watching CNN Newsroom. I am Rahel Solomon live in New York.
Kamala Harris there giving the political speech of her lifetime during the last night of the DNC. The 2024 Democratic National Convention is now officially over. Harris told her story. She laid out some specifics for a potential future administration. We're going to have more on her acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination a little later on, as well as a complete DNC wrap-up with radio and CNN host Michael Smerconish.
But, before then, let's turn to some international headlines that we're watching for you today. In Thailand, search crews are still combing through the crash site of
a small passenger plane. All nine people on board are believed to have been killed. On Thursday, the charter flight took off from Bangkok's main international airport with five Chinese and two Thai passengers, as well as two pilots on board. The search has been difficult because of the rough and muddy terrain. As of now, there is still no word on what caused the crash.
At least 36 people have been killed following heavy rainfall and flooding across Bangladesh and northeast India. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes. In Bangladesh alone, more than a dozen rivers were flowing above danger level on Friday morning. India has previously said that the release of water from its Dumbur dam was not to blame for the floods, but it has also acknowledged a breakdown of communication between the two countries and that an automatic release occurred at the dam due to high water levels.
For the sixth time in less than a year, a volcano in Iceland is spewing fountains of red hot lava. The volcano sits on a peninsula southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. Now, these are so-called fissure eruptions and do not cause large explosions. They usually don't disrupt air traffic either. Scientists warn that this peninsula could face repeated outbreaks for decades or even centuries to come.
And a historic and complicated visit is taking place in Kyiv today. It's between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It comes just weeks after Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
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India says that it is committed to helping in the war in Ukraine.
And on the battlefield now in Ukraine, Ukraine now confirming that its forces attacked a Russian railroad ferry that sank in the port of Kavkaz on Thursday. Russian authorities say that the ferry was carrying fuel tanks. 17 crew members were rescued. One person is still missing. Now, this area serves as a major logistical hub in one of the largest passenger ports in Russia. Meanwhile, Russia is claiming progress near the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. Ukraine is warning its citizens that Russian forces are rapidly advancing on the key city, but some parents are hiding their children from Ukrainian authorities to try to avoid mandatory evacuation.
Salma Abdelaziz tracking all of this for us, she joins us live from London. Salma, let's start with this attack on a ferry in the Russian port. What more have we learned about that?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, we have a claim of responsibility that came from Ukraine just a few hours ago, Ukraine saying that Russia was using this ferry to move fuel to Crimea, using it essentially to -- as a crucial supply line to that area, and that that's why Ukrainian forces attacked it. Russia saying, for its part, and you do have that video there showing the fires that emerged after that attack, Russia saying that the ferry did sink and it did have some 30 tanks of fuel on board.
Yet another reminder, Rahel, that Ukrainian forces can strike Russia's war machine even deep inside their own territory, including, of course, in Russian territory in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces are continuing that surprise offensive they launched just about a couple of weeks ago, but now are facing tough resistance from Russian troops who have been able to reconfigure themselves and face this assault.
But, I think for Ukrainian forces right now, the major destruction, the major issue is, of course, in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are advancing more quickly than expected. Their local officials are pleading with families to leave as quickly as possible. They've given them a two-week deadline. Some families even going so far as to hide their children from these mandatory evacuations. So, truly distressing scenes playing out in eastern Ukraine, where families are simply preparing for Russian troops to just barrel on through in the coming days.
SOLOMON: Yeah, as we watch that video there.
Salma Abdelaziz live for us in London. Salma, thank you.
All right. Is the U.S. economy ready for a cut in interest rates? Well, Fed Chair Jerome Powell says, yes, it may be time. Just a short time ago, the head of the U.S. central bank gave a keynote to an annual gathering of central bankers and economists. This happens every year in Wyoming. Powell said, quote, "The time has come for policy to adjust." He also said that it's possible for the U.S. economy to pull off a so-called soft landing. That's when inflation is contained without a sharp rise in unemployment, essentially avoiding a recession.
Joining us now from New York with more is CNN's Matt Egan. So, Matt, what stood out to you most about Powell's speech? The time has come, I think, where the words heard around the world. What else can you tell us about the speech?
MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Rahel, this is a big moment. I mean, for the last two years, the Fed has been going all out to try to fight inflation, right, those monster interest rate hikes designed to get prices back under control. And today, Jerome Powell, he all but declared victory over inflation, saying that his confidence has grown, that inflation is going back where it belongs, right, back to two percent. And he has made it clear that the strategy here has shifted. The mission has shifted, right? They're going from fighting inflation to fighting unemployment. And so, that means they've got to use different tools. Instead of interest rate hikes, they're going to be doing interest rate cuts. Powell made that clear today. Take a listen to the key line from the speech.
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JEROME POWELL, CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE OF THE UNITED STATES: The time has come for policy to adjust. The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. We will do everything we can to support a strong labor market, as we make further progress toward price stability.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
EGAN: So, the direction of travel is clear, and he said, everything we can to support a strong labor market. So, that's pretty black and white. He really didn't hedge much there, and even went further when he talked about his concerns around the jobs market. He noted that while the unemployment rate is historically low, it's unmistakable that the jobs market has cooled off. And he said, Fed officials, they would not welcome any further cooling here. So, Rahel, you put all this together, and he effectively pre-announced an interest rate cut in September.
SOLOMON: Yeah. It's interesting, Matt. That caught my attention when he said, we do not seek nor welcome any further loosening in the labor market, which I think signals they get it. They're watching. They don't want to see any further weakening, as they say, in the labor market. Matt, what does this mean for the chances for a rate cut in their meeting just a few weeks from now, in September?
[11:40:00]
EGAN: Well, Rahel, before Powell started speaking, it was 100 percent priced into the market that the Fed will be cutting interest rates in September. It remains that way. But, the question, of course, is by how much. And so, I was just looking a few moments ago, and there is basically a two-in-three chance that the Fed does a small interest rate cut, its first since COVID, of a quarter of a percentage point. But, Powell, he basically kept alive the possibility that they could do a bigger cut of a half a percentage point, because if he wanted to, he could have pushed back against that thinking today, and he really didn't. So, the market is still pricing in about a one-in-three chance of that larger cut.
The other big thing that came out of this speech is this question about whether or not the Fed can pull off a soft landing. And Powell did address that. He said that there is no reason to think that the economy is going to continue to weaken, that the jobs market is going to significantly weaken from here. And he also said that the Fed has room to cut interest rates further, if needed, to address any sort of weakening in the jobs market. I mean, he basically alluded to the fact that they have a lot of firepower here. When interest rates are above five percent, they can do a lot of cutting, if they need to, and he is basically signaling that they're prepared to, if that's what it takes to make sure that this is indeed a soft landing. Rahel.
SOLOMON: Yeah. It's interesting, Matt. Mohamed El-Erian, of course, who you know well, a prominent economist, told me a few weeks ago that he expects the Fed's benchmark interest rate to be about two percentage points lower within 12 months. So, to your point about there is room to go, there is a lot of room for them to play, I'll just say really quickly that investors also liking what they heard. The Dow is up more than a 400 points, almost a cool 500 points after that meeting just a short time ago.
Matt Egan, good to see you. Thank you. EGAN: Thanks, Rahel.
SOLOMON: Yep. Well, Democrats are riding high after formally nominating Kamala Harris for President. And while there was a whole lot of joy in Chicago this week, what are the real takeaways from the DNC? CNN's Michael Smerconish will join us in just a moment. We'll be right back.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward, not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: The now official Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris there. Of course, she was in a celebratory mood last night, but she also knows the real work now begins with just 74 days until November 5th. Harris will try to capture the trust of voters, something that she says Donald Trump has not earned.
[11:45:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: To be clear, my entire career, I have only had one client, the people. He would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States, not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had, himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: Now, Harris has made up a lot of ground in the polls since President Biden dropped out, but the race does still remain a tight one. The Vice President made sure she sent a message to voters in the blue wall state, states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, the three states that will likely decide who resides in the White House next year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: I will bring together labor and workers and small business owners and entrepreneurs and American companies to create jobs, to grow our economy, and to lower the cost of everyday needs like healthcare and housing and groceries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: I want to welcome in Michael Smerconish, the host of "Smerconish", Saturdays here on CNN. Michael, always great to have you on a Friday, especially after this DNC. That first clip we heard from Kamala there where she seemed to be really sort of getting at patriotism, not partisanship, I think that seems to be a theme we have heard quite a bit this week. We heard it from Tim Walz. We've heard it even from some Republicans who took the stage. What are some of your takeaways from this week? I mean, what are you left thinking?
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN HOST, "SMERCONISH", & CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I totally agree with you, Rahel, that patriotism has been something that, for folks overseas, this may sound odd, that it would be a partisan type of thing. But, Republicans have owned the flag more than Democrats have in the last several cycles. For example, Trump, at all of his rallies and at all of his events like the Republican National Committee, there is Lee Greenwood, and the song is always "God Bless the USA." I love the song. It gives me goosebumps. But, there has not been a Democratic response to it. Beyonce, "Freedom", was really the anthem of this debate, and from the get go on night one, like that was the song that launched the convention.
The chants of USA, USA, Vice President Kamala Harris saying last night toward the tail end of the speech that she loves the United States. How about this? The country stars, three acts in this convention, as compared to zero in the prior Democratic National Convention, just all signs, symbols of how we traditionally express our love for the country. Up until now, it was the Republicans who were always playing that card. Now, the Democrats have as well.
SOLOMON: That's a fascinating point. I didn't even really sort of make that connection in terms of the musical selection of the chicks and sort of getting at the sort of the country roots.
Michael, I want to play for you some sound from just different Pennsylvania voters, obviously a state you and I know and love very much, obviously a very important state for both candidates politically. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I thought she looked very confident. I liked how she spoke from her heart. I liked her message of unity.
DONNA, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: She hit all the points that I wanted to know about. I wanted to know more about her, her economic policies. She sounded presidential, and think she is going to be a unifier.
BRIAN, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: She wasn't clear enough on the policies. She did speak a lot of her personal history, on her personal history, which was great, but I still don't feel like she is ready. It was just not moving for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: So, it's interesting there, Michael. I mean, she seems to impress some. She seemed to not convince others, not necessarily a surprise. But, what would you expect to see from the campaign, as they try to keep their momentum going now?
SMERCONISH: Well, let me first say that I thought that the convention was flawless. I thought that all four nights were well-staged, well- choreographed. The one criticism that I would have is the timing on Monday night when President Biden had to speak in the midnight hour. That was inexcusable. He was deserving of more respect than that. But, the convention achieved its purpose, folks coming out of Chicago with a buzz about their ticket. And I think the Republican Convention was well done also.
The challenge for the Vice President now is that she has not faced the media and she has s not faced voter questioning. It's been really a bubble wrap launch and very controlled. She is going to have to now sit for interviews. And can she maintain the momentum when she is involved in exchanges with journalists and with voters? We're going to find out.
Rahel, the other thing I'm paying attention to is, the level of frustration on the part of President Trump is palpable. You can see how frustrated he is at her ascendancy.
[11:50:00]
I mean, a month ago, Republicans thought this race was over, that Donald Trump would face Joe Biden and have no difficulty in dispatching him. How will Trump act on the debate stage on September 10 if Kamala Harris' momentum continues? Because I feel like he is about to burst at the seams.
SOLOMON: Well, I mean, that is really a fascinating point, Michael, because you made the point this morning that if this race was going to come down to personality, he might lose it, but if it comes to policy or issues, he might win it. He probably would win it. And you hear this from top Republicans and his advisors, who are begging him to focus on the issues, and yet, he continues to focus on Kamala Harris and talk about her looks and talk about her intelligence. And I'm just curious sort of what you make of that, and sort of what you're going to be watching moving forward. I mean, if this is someone who wants to be back in the White House, why not --
SMERCONISH: Yeah. He --
SOLOMON: -- just take it back to the issues?
SMERCONISH: He lacks discipline. I mean, you could -- you can put the speech. You can load the speech in the teleprompter form. It doesn't mean that he is going to say -- stay confined to it. I'll tell you something I'm looking forward to. I think that later today is going to be very interesting, because Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is going to drop out of the race and presumably is going to endorse Donald Trump, the idea that there is a Kennedy family member standing on a stage in Arizona later today or tonight endorsing Donald Trump, yet another curveball in the most tumultuous, unpredictable election. I've been paying close attention since 1980. I've never seen anything like it.
And as I'm fond of telling my radio audience, there are events about to play out, and people whose names, we don't even know today, that are going to influence the way this thing resolves. SOLOMON: Yeah. It's fascinating. I was talking to Tim Naftali
yesterday, of course, a presidential historian, and I asked, it feels very historic. It all feels so unprecedented, put this in context, and he said, it feels that way because it is.
Michael --
SMERCONISH: Yeah.
SOLOMON: -- before I let you go, let me just quickly ask, Trump said something, and I'm curious if you think it's just bluster or if you think he actually thinks this, but he said, look, things are going great. We're doing great in the polls. We're winning on the issues. Do you think if he actually believed that he would be reacting the way he is to Kamala Harris? Or, I mean, what do you think is going on there?
SMERCONISH: Well, I put no stock in the fact that he said it and therefore there might be some validity in it. But, I'll say this, to go back to where you began the conversation. Kamala Harris has made up a lot of ground, but I think where we are today is that we are where we were before President Biden's collapse in that debate. So, she has not overtaken Donald Trump, but they're neck and neck. And I look at all the data, you look at all the data, it's within the margin of error. Whether it's viewed nationally or in the seven most important states, it is a neck-and-neck race.
And the debate in September is of enormous consequence, because as soon as that debate is over, people are going to begin casting their ballot. It's not like it used to be where in America, Election Day this year is going to be November 5th. No, no, no. November 5th is the final day on which you can vote. People are eager to start voting, and that happens soon.
SOLOMON: Yeah. Wow. Just fascinating. I mean, what a time to be alive? Michael Smerconish, what a time --
SMERCONISH: Thanks, Rahel. I agree.
SOLOMON: -- to be an observer of history. Thank you. All right. I appreciate you being here. And by the way, you can catch "Smerconish" every Saturday at 09:00 a.m. Eastern Time on CNN. That is 02:00 p.m. in London. I'll see you soon. Thanks, Michael.
All right. coming up, if you were touring the Great Wall of China, anytime soon you get hungry while there, we'll tell you the best way to get takeout food. We'll be right back.
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[11:55:00]
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SOLOMON: All right. Before we go, one more thing. If you plan on traveling to the Great Wall of China, you can now get takeout delivered straight to you. A Chinese shopping company is now providing a drone service that can deliver food, drinks, and medicine, to tourists and staff located at a section of the historic wall near Beijing. The drone route goes from a hotel rooftop to a watchtower on the Great Wall's southern extension, which has no shops or places to get refreshments. The company says that its drones can cover the same distance in just five minutes that it takes a person 50 minutes to walk.
All right. Speaking of time, we know your time is money. So, thank you for spending some time with me today. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York. Sick with CNN. One World is coming up next.
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