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Harris Makes First Primetime Interview with Walz on CNN, Tackling Pressing Issues and her Platform for her Presidency; U.S. Calls for a De-escalation in the South China Sea Conflict between China and the Philippines. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired August 30, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom."

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, sit down with CNN for an exclusive interview. It's Harris' first since her historic nomination for the presidency.

Harris reiterates her call for a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas.

And she says she will support and sign a bill aimed at securing the U.S. border with Mexico.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris faced a wide range of questions Thursday as she sat down with CNN's Dana Bash for her first on-the-record interview since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris, alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, took in-depth inquiries as she looked to lay out her plans for the presidency.

She defended her record on immigration and the Biden administration's handling of the economy. And with less than 70 days until Americans head to the polls, she looked to frame the race as a new way forward, after nearly a decade in which Trump was a central political figure. She also defended her policy shifts on issues like fracking. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS (D), U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's be clear. My values have not changed. I believe it is very important that we take seriously what we must do to guard against what is a clear crisis in terms of the climate. And to do that, we can do what we have accomplished thus far. The Inflation Reduction Act, what we have done to invest by my calculation over probably a trillion dollars over the next ten years, investing in a clean energy economy, what we've already done creating over 300,000 new clean energy jobs that tells me it from my experience as vice president we can do without banning fracking

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Harris says she would include a Republican on her cabinet and spoke about the importance of building consensus. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: -- traveling the country extensively, I mean I'm here in Georgia. I think somebody told me 17 times since I've been vice president. In Georgia alone, I believe it is important to build consensus and it is important to find a common place of understanding of where we can actually solve problems.

DANA BASH, "INSIDE POLITICS" ANCHOR: On that note, you had a lot of Republican speakers at the convention. Will you appoint a Republican to your cabinet?

HARRIS: Yes, I would. I have spent my career inviting diversity of opinion. I think it's important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences, and I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my cabinet who was a Republican.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Harris' running mate fielded his own questions and was pressed about how he once described his military service. Walz says he misspoke when he said he carried weapons in war while addressing gun violence in 2018. The Minnesota governor served 24 years in the Army National Guard but didn't deploy to a combat zone. Walz said he may have been imprecise in his language, but he owns his mistakes. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: You had to clarify that you had said that you and your wife used IVF, but it turned out you used a different kind of fertility in order to have children. And then when you ran for Congress in 2006, your campaign repeatedly made false statements about a 1995 arrest for drunk and reckless driving. What do you say to voters who aren't sure whether they can take you at your word?

GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN), U.S. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I've been very public. I think they can see my students come out, former folks I've served with, and they do, they vouch for me. I certainly own my mistakes when I make them. The one thing I'll tell you is, I wished in this country we wouldn't have to do this. I spoke about our infertility issues because it's hell, and families know this. And I spoke about the treatments that were available to us that had those beautiful children there.

That's quite a contrast in folks that are trying to take those rights away from us. And so, I think people know who I am. They know that record. They've seen that. I've taught thousands of students. I've been out there. And I won't apologize for speaking passionately whether it's guns in schools or protecting over reproductive rights. The contrast could not be clear between what we're running against the vice president's position on this has been clear.

[03:05:06]

And I think most Americans get it if you've been through that. I don't think they're cutting hairs on IVF or IUI. I think they're cutting hairs on as an abortion ban and the ability to be able to deny families the chance to have a beautiful child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now following the interview, some praised Kamala Harris for her composure and how she addressed her reversals on several key issues. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHLEY ETIENNE, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR KAMALA HARRIS: Part of the goal was to also answer the criticisms that was coming from the Republican Party and from Donald Trump. And I think she did that. I think the other thing she achieved so especially well is she looked in command. She looked strong. She looked very comfortable answering those very tough questions. And I think hats off to her. I mean, she's demonstrating that she's ready for the job, that she can handle the tough questions, the criticisms not affecting her in any sort of real way.

I think the part that I thought was the strongest was this answer about my values haven't changed. That was the strongest answer. You know, I've done two tours of duty in the White House, and I will tell you, you don't know what you don't know until you get into that room.

And just day one, we put her in the PDB, the presidential daily briefing with the president and that is transformative. When you get into that room and you hear what is not being reported on the news about the state of our nation, about the state of our world and what's at stake, I mean that transforms you when you spend three years on the -- on the trail talking and meeting with people and listening and hearing from you, that transforms you and she's been transformed by this particular role.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Well, some felt the vice president was being evasive when discussing fracking, one of the issues on which Harris has pivoted. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRYAN LANZA, FORMER DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TRUMP 2016 CAMPAIGN: I still have questions where she is on fracking. We have spent a lot of time. She clearly doesn't want to answer the question. And I'll tell you why she doesn't want to answer the fracking question. Because her San Francisco values are out of the mainstream of Pennsylvania.

You know, fracking has been a long part of her issues when she was attorney general, when she was district attorney. That's who she is. So, coming forward and trying to say this flip took place, which she doesn't want to address, she doesn't want to answer, which is actually her position, is just not going to fly between now and November.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: I want to bring in Thomas Gift, who's the director of the Center on U.S. Politics at University College London and he joins me live from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Good to see you again. So listen, before we talk about the issues, sort of big picture, soft factors, if you will, in interviews, Kamala Harris in the past has been somewhat guarded and defensive.

But this time, this was her first interview as the actual presidential candidate. So what do you make of her demeanor, her degree of openness, the perception that she would have given voters who are watching this interview?

THOMAS GIFT, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON-CENTER ON U.S. POLITICS: Thanks so much for having me, Kim. It's great to be with you. Now, I don't think that Harris won a whole lot of votes last night, but I also don't think that she lost a whole lot of votes. Harris essentially was looking to survive and make it to the next round without any major gaffes, and I think she accomplished that.

Now for weeks, Republicans have been attacking her for not speaking to the media. She hadn't done any sit-down interviews or press conferences. So that really did raise the stakes of last night, and it raised questions about the campaign's confidence in Harris to be grilled on tough questions.

Essentially, whether it was trying to lessen Harris' public exposure and kind of run out the clock before the election. You know, I do think that Harris gave some whiny answers, but she also gave some very strong answers and she looked at times presidential, which is what she wanted.

BRUNHUBER: She had to walk a fine line sort of touting the Biden administration's accomplishments while trying to say how she'd be different. And there didn't seem to be a lot of daylight between she and Biden on most issues, at least in this interview, is that fair?

GIFT: I totally agree with that assessment. She really embraced Biden's legacy, whether that was on the economy or whether that was on COVID or whether that's on the Israel-Hamas war. She really didn't have a whole lot of daylight, as you said, between her and Biden. You know, at the same time, she's trying to run on this campaign of change and reform, which I think is a little bit tricky for her just because she's invariably tied to the last three and a half years.

But she did say at one point that kind of the last era of politics, it's time to turn the page on. Dana Bash did kind of push back and say, well, you know, this is part of the Biden administration's record. But she's talking kind of more broadly. And so at the same time, I think she is trying to chart her own course.

BRUNHUBER: Republicans, of course, have been trying to paint her as phony and inconsistent because her views on some issues have changed since she last ran for president. So how do you think she answered the question about those inconsistencies over issues like fracking, for instance?

GIFT: Yeah, I mean, she kind of dodged the question a bit. She said that her values haven't changed. And if you look back to what she stood for in 2020, compared to what she stands for now, that those kind of fundamental principles that guide her approach to policy have remained more or less the same.

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I don't know if she completely, you know, kind of quelled some criticism among those, for example, in Pennsylvania where I am, that she was so against fracking and now says, so against fracking and now seems to be for it. So, you know, I think voters will kind of read into that, what they will if they're, prone to see Harris as someone who changes their opinions based on the shifting winds, then what she said last night probably won't change their minds too much.

BRUNHUBER: Alright, so turning to her running mate, he was asked about his misstatements or misrepresentations like overstating his military service. We knew that question was going to come up, so how did he do on that?

GIFT: Yeah, I mean again, I don't think that he necessarily answered the question. At one point, it seemed like he was filibustering when he was asked about his military service, gave a response surrounding school shootings. So he did say that he misspoke, said sometimes he doesn't get his grammar exactly right.

I don't know if I found that too convincing. Hasn't sort of come out and conceded that what he said was untrue. But Walz was really kind of in the background in this interview. Most of the questions were directed at Harris, and I think that that's what most people were paying attention to.

BRUNHUBER: All right, finally, turning to Donald Trump, he, you know, I guess was either watching or got reports about what was happening. He attacked Harris for not spending enough time in this interview talking about the economy or immigration, which are two issues about which polls say voters trust Trump over Harris.

The economy is consistently the most important issues for voters, of course, but polls this week suggest his lead over Harris on that specifically is narrowing. So how significant is that at this stage? GIFT: I think that is significant, Kim, because really the economy has

been the signature issue for Trump and particularly inflation, but as we have seen the cost of living sort of cool in recent months and as we have seen kind of Harris talk about things like price gauging and price controls that does seem to be resonating with some American voters despite the fact that many economists question whether those policies will be effective. She talked last night about the child tax credit.

She talked last night about sort of giving subsidies for homeowners and maybe that's resonating with a -- with a fair share of Americans.

BRUNHUBER: All right, well I'll have to leave it there. Always great to speak with you. Thomas Gift, thank you so much.

GIFT: Thanks, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Donald Trump campaigned in the key swing state of Wisconsin on Thursday. He spoke about in vitro fertilization and proposed that the government should pay for IVF treatments or force insurance companies to do so. Trump positioned himself as a defender of the procedure from previous Republican threats seeking to ban or curtail it.

The town hall was hosted by former representative Tulsi Gabbard who spoke of her own IVF treatment and said it was both difficult and expensive. Here's the former president's response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've been seeing a lot of IVF and I kept hearing that I'm against it and I'm actually very much for it. In fact, in Alabama where the judge ruled against it and I countered the judge and came out with a very strong statement for it and the Alabama.

TULSI GABBARD (I), FORMER REPRESENTATIVE: You were very quick in your response to that.

TRUMP: I was but they were too. They were amazing. The legislature approved virtually my statement. I mean full IVF and it's really gone. It's terrific. And I said so what the tips and with the Social Security, no taxes on Social Security, I said maybe for IVF, and I've been looking at it, and what we're going to do is for people that are using IVF, which is fertilization, we are going to, the government is going to pay for it, or we're going to get or mandate your insurance company to pay for it, which is going to be great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The war in Gaza is bound to be a major foreign policy issue for the next president, so what would Kamala Harris do differently than Joe Biden? We'll have more from her exclusive interview with CNN, next.

Plus Harris will also have to deal with Ukraine if she becomes president, including the issue of Kyiv striking Russia with U.S. long- range weapons. We'll have more on all of that coming up. Please stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris repeated her call for a Gaza ceasefire during her exclusive interview with CNN. She and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, spoke with our Dana Bash in their first interview since ascending to the top of the Democratic ticket. Harris is trying to differentiate herself from President Joe Biden while also reassuring supporters when asked if she would do anything differently, like withhold weapons to Israel. Here's what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Let me be very clear, I'm unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel's defense and its ability to defend itself. And that's not going to change. But let's take a step back. October 7.

12,000 people are massacred. Many young people who are simply attending a music festival. Women were horribly raped. As I said then, I say today, Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters.

Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. And we've got to get a deal done. We were in Doha. We have to get a deal done. This war must end. And we must get a deal that is about getting the hostages out. I've met with the families of the American hostages. Let's get the hostages out. Let's get the ceasefire done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Paula Hancocks is following developments live from Abu Dhabi. So Paula, of course, many watching for what Harris would say about Israel and Gaza. So from that interview, what stood out to you? How similar is her position to that of the president?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Kim, it is a very similar position that doesn't seem to be light between the two points of view at this point. Probably unsurprising as she is the Vice President and has backed him in many of his policies.

But the main point that she is trying to put across is very similar to that during the Democratic National Convention, that Israel has the right to defend itself, that the U.S. will help Israel to defend itself. But there needs to be a deal and too many Palestinians have been killed during this war in Gaza. More than 40,000 have been killed since October 7th.

So we know that she is under some pressure from the progressive left of her party calling for arms sales to Israel to be suspended. But we did hear there when Dana asked her whether that would be the case, it wasn't unequivocal no and she then went on to say why but she has pointed out that this deal the ceasefire hostage talks which are still ongoing in Doha at this point really are the key to unlocking many other things. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: We have to get a deal done. Dana, we have to get a deal done when you look at the significance of this to the families to the people who are living in that region. A deal is not only the right thing to do to end this war, but will unlock so much of what must happen next.

[03:20:05]

I remain committed since I've been on October 8 to what we must do to work toward a two-state solution where Israel is secure and in equal measure, the Palestinians have security and self-determination and dignity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Now that is in lockstep with what we've heard from U.S. President Joe Biden as well. We do know that there has been some support for the Democratic Party that has been lost because of this policy on Israel that there's a perception that more has not been done to stop the number of Palestinian civilians that have been killed in Gaza. And as I say, more than 40,000 killed overall.

There is no definitive number of militants versus civilians but it certainly is something that will be asked about in coming months as well. She mentioned those talks ongoing in Doha and really we have seen the U.S. side, the Biden administration, being the most vocally optimistic about those talks. We have not heard such optimism from Israel or from Hamas but certainly the Biden administration is the one that is trying to continue this momentum and get the deal through. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Alright, and Paula, meanwhile Israel has been conducting more raids in the West Bank. What more can you tell us?

HANCOCKS: So this started in the early hours of Wednesday morning, we're now in Friday morning, and at this point, we understand from the Ministry of Health that 16 Palestinians have been killed, and from the militant groups themselves, they say that eight militants have been killed. We don't have a breakdown of the civilians caught up in this at this point, but it is an ongoing operation.

There's no indication of when it will end. Israel's saying it's necessary to try and stop attacks that have been linked to Iran being created and produced from the West Bank and then carried out in Israel.

But from the Palestinian side, we're hearing from, for example, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society that there is a severe lack of drinking water in the three main areas where this operation is ongoing at this point.

We've seen that Israeli military bulldozers have been digging up the roads in some areas. We have images of sewerage as Sue was running through the street. And so certainly infrastructure damage on top of everything else is something that is concerning the Red Crescent. They also say their movements have been restricted to try and get to some of those who are asking for help. Also, we understand that there are some curfews in place. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Alright. I appreciate those updates. Paula Hancocks live in Abu Dhabi. Thanks so much.

After the break, Kamala Harris plays defense, blaming Donald Trump for border security issues in her first major interview since clinching her party's nomination. We'll have more on that coming up. Please stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Ukraine will be another major foreign policy issue for Kamala Harris if she wins in November. Later today, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart at the Pentagon. The Ukrainian lawmaker told CNN Kyiv will hold face-to-face meetings with U.S. officials this week to push for removing restrictions on strikes allowed inside Russia with U.S. weapons. The lawmaker also said Ukrainian officials will present the U.S. with a specific list of potential targets.

So for more, we're joined by Salma Abdelaziz from London. So Salma, a lot for the Ukraine and the US to discuss here. So take us through some of the key issues on the agenda and their importance.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And as they meet today, of course, Kim, Ukraine's defense minister can point to overnight strikes. Yet again, we're just hearing reports of the damage, the injuries, the killed in these most recent wave of drone attacks and missile attacks fired by Russia. We've seen this all throughout the week.

It was on Monday that President Zelenskyy said Russia had launched its most massive aerial assault on the country since the beginning of the conflict. And in sitting down with the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, you can expect Ukraine is going to point to these events and say, we need these restrictions lifted.

This is the top priority for Ukraine right now. It wants to see its ability to a green light essentially to use the U.S.-provided weapons to strike deep inside Russia. You may remember that it was only recently that U.S. officials and NATO did give the okay for Ukrainians to use those long range missiles as counter fire in Russian territory essentially to strike back when hit.

But what Ukraine is doing here is it's going to provide a list of potential targets. It's going to make the argument that if it does not hit these targets inside Russia, it will be very difficult to change the course of the war in its favor and to ultimately achieve the victory that the U.S. and NATO want to see.

But for U.S. officials, of course, they will be wary when looking at this list of potential targets when hearing of this request to green light strikes deeper into Russia because of the fear of escalation, because of the fear of provocation.

U.S. officials are also concerned that any high-value Russian assets have been moved so deep into Russia as to not be reachable by these long-range missiles and therefore they might think this is not a wise gamble for Ukraine.

For Ukraine's defense minister's part, what he's going to say is, look at Kursk. We have crossed into Russian territory, we have claimed Russian land, and yet that has not provoked the beast of Putin that has not materialized in those massive threats of nuclear otherwise from Russia.

Meaning, and President Zelenskyy said this earlier this week, meaning to Ukraine that those red lines for Russia aren't there, aren't, are soft essentially. So a lot to go through there. Ukraine continuing to push for these restrictions to be lifted and as always asking and demanding for more from its partners.

BRUNHUBER: All right, appreciate that. Salma Abdelaziz in London. Thanks so much.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is now giving voters a closer look at her plans for the presidency in that high-stakes interview with CNN's Dana Bash. In her first major interview since becoming the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, Harris also defended some policy shifts on issues like fracking and decriminalizing southern border crossings.

When pressed on the Biden administration's delay in implementing asylum restrictions, Harris blamed Donald Trump. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: -- the root causes work that I did as vice president that I was asked to do by the president has actually resulted in a number of benefits including historic investments by American businesses in that region. The number of immigrants coming from that region has actually reduced since we began that work. But I will say this, that Joe Biden and I and our administration worked with members of the United States Congress on an immigration issue that is very significant to the American people and to our security, which is the border.

And through bipartisan work, including some of the most conservative members of the United States Congress, a bill was crafted, which we supported -- which I support. And Donald Trump got word of this bill that would have contributed to securing our border, and because he believes that it would not have helped him politically.

[03:30:00]

He told his folks in Congress, don't put it forward. He killed the bill, a border security bill that would have put 1,500 more agents on the border. And let me tell you something, the border patrol endorsed the bill. And I'm sure in large part because they knew they were working around the clock and 1,500 more agents would help them. That bill would have allowed us to increase seizures of fentanyl. Ask any community in America that has been devastated by fentanyl what passing that bill would have done to address their concern and a pain that they've experienced.

DANA BASH, "INSIDE POLITICS" ANCHOR: So you would push that legislation again?

HARRIS: I just want to push it. I will make sure that it comes to my desk and I would sign it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: And Attorney Raul Reyes is an immigration analyst and CNN opinion writer and he joins me live from New York. Good to see you again. Thank you so much for being here with us early this morning. So on any failures to control the border. It seems Harris' tactic is basically to switch the blame from the Biden administration to Donald Trump.

RAUL REYES, ATTORNEY, IMMIGRATION ANALYST AND CNN OPINION WRITER: Right. Well, at least in this issue, with this interview, what we're seeing is a preview of the strategy she's likely to pursue in this abbreviated campaign. She's putting Trump on the defensive on immigration, which is really one of his signature issues, pointing out, again, making the case again that he tanked this very significant border bill, which as she said, to be true, it would have increased manpower at the border. It would have increased. It would have been more money for processing of asylum seekers. All the many things that conservatives have long wanted.

So I think strategically, it's very wise of her to bring that up since Donald Trump has really, up until now, I would say on this issue. We've seen in the last three and a half years, President Biden was often hesitant to fully engage with this issue. And the result was something of a void of information and rhetoric. And Trump filled it. So now we see the vice president going ahead with a reminder about what this bill could have done, her pledge that she will sign the bill, and showing how she's willing to be perhaps a little more aggressive on the issue than President Biden.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, she as well highlighted her experience in California prosecuting criminals who cross the border. It seems to sort of fit into one of her campaign themes that she's the prosecutor and either overtly or by implication that Trump is the criminal. But it still seems to be a question that she'll be hit with again and again. If immigration on the border is such a huge problem, why didn't she do more over the last four years? Will Republicans be successful painting her as the failed borders are? REYES: That remains to be seen. But from my view, I think if you look

at the politics around this issue, which are so contentious, over the last few years, as a country, the country has moved to the right on immigration.

I mean, we have something like 35 percent of the American public who now says that they would be okay with the idea of mass deportations, which would have been unthinkable, just say, 10 years ago. So it seems to me that the Harris approach is to meet the public where they are. So as the public has gone rightward, she herself is moving towards the center and trying to thread that needle of balancing the need for border security along with this pledge that we can have a more humane, efficient, and compassionate system. That's a tall order.

For me, when I listened to the exchanges about immigration, one thing that I did feel was a missed opportunity is that we heard talk about gangs, smugglers, the border, fentanyl. We heard all of this discussion, but I think it would have served her well just to remind people that immigration at its core, it's about people. It's about people who need a better life. It's about people who want to be part of the United States often because they're coming from a horrendous situation in their countries of origin. I think she could have missed, perhaps drawn a contrast in that sense with her plans to take a humane approach with Donald Trump's more extreme policies.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, and speaking of Donald Trump, I mean, you said that he, you know, has basically owned this issue. Immigration is consistently the third most important issue for voters in this election. It's still an issue in which Trump leads Harris though less than against Biden. Do you expect this to be a huge topic during the debate?

[03:35:04]

REYES: Oh, absolutely. It will come up again during the debate, I think, with much -- with more questions, maybe a push for more substantive answers. But it will also be an opportunity for the vice president to point out, for example, that border numbers since June when the president tightened asylum restrictions, border numbers have plunged. Right now they are at their lowest level in four years. They are certainly at their lowest level of Joe Biden's presidency.

And Harris will have, I think, more of an opportunity to make that case. And then to contrast that with some of what Donald Trump pledges that he wants to do, which is, as I mentioned, mass deportations, detention camps. He hasn't ruled out family separations, and he also wants to revoke birthright citizenship. So yeah, the issue will certainly be there. We'll go, likely go in these public debates and forums into more discussion of it.

And I think Kamala Harris would do well to just, in a strategic sense, to keep drawing that contrast between herself as a reasonable, composed daughter of immigrants with Donald Trump, who has many extreme ideas. And I think it's fair to say that he is very undisciplined across many different issues in many different venues. So that's a pretty clear choice depending on what voters want looking ahead.

BRUNHUBER: Alright, we'll have to leave it there. Raul Reyes in New York, thank you so much.

REYES: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: And we'll be right back. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. It wraps up his three-day visit in Beijing aimed at bolstering fractured lines of communication between the two countries. Xi says he's committed to a stable, healthy relationship with the U.S. While Sullivan hinted at further talks between President Joe Biden and Xi in the coming weeks, he says Biden wants to ensure that, quote, "competition does not veer into conflict."

Now Sullivan also addressed one of those flashpoints for potential conflict, escalating incidents between Chinese and Philippine ships in the South China Sea. CNN's Ivan Watson has that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Collisions. Water cannons. And screaming matches. Involving sailors armed with knives and axes. A spree of incidents and collisions in the last several days, adding new tensions to months of skirmishes between China and close U.S. ally, the Philippines, in contested waters of the South China Sea.

A David-and-Goliath struggle CNN witnessed firsthand earlier this year.

[03:39:58]

WATSON: And as you may see, there is a large Chinese Coast Guard ship directly in front of this Philippines Coast Guard vessel

WATSON (voice-over): Growing concerns that one of these confrontations in the South China Sea could spiral out of control.

DR. RAHMAN YAACOB, SOUTHEAST ASIAN SECURITY EXPERT, LOWY INSTITUTE: Are we going to see a military conflict between the Philippines and the Chinese? Could be.

WATSON: The confrontations revolve around several contested reefs and shoals. Most of them are located well within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. And as you can clearly see, much further away from mainland China.

WATSON (voice-over): Beijing places the blame squarely on the Philippines.

LIN JIAN, SPOKESPERSON, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY (through translator): We urge certain individuals in the Philippines to stop going further down the path of stirring up trouble and making provocations.

WATSON (voice-over): Meanwhile, the Philippine president issued this warning back in May.

FERDINAND MARCOS JR., PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT: If a Filipino citizen is killed by a willful act, that is, I think, very, very close to what we define as an act of war. And therefore we will respond accordingly.

WATSON (voice-over): Washington has a mutual defense treaty with Manila. At a meeting with the Philippine Armed Forces Chief this week, a U.S. Navy commander suggested U.S. ships could get directly involved in the maritime dispute.

ADM. SAMUEL PAPARO, U.S. INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND COMMANDER: Escort of one vessel to the other is an entirely reasonable option within our mutual defense treaty among this close alliance between the two of us.

WATSON (voice-over): However, during a visit to Beijing on Thursday, President Biden's National Security Council advisor called for a de- escalation with the People's Republic of China.

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Nobody is looking for a crisis, not the Philippines, not the United States, and we hope not the PRC.

WATSON (voice-over): But things can get very unpredictable very quickly when large ships play a dangerous game of chicken on the high seas.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well before we go, a female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has taken her first steps outside at a big cat sanctuary in southern England. Have a look.

A lioness known as Yuna lived inside a private home in Ukraine. She suffered from shell shock and concussions after explosions near her home when the war broke out. Yuna was evacuated in a journey through Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France to her new home in southern England, and the big cat sanctuary says Yuna is showing signs of emotional well-being including playing and exploring her surroundings.

All right. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Kim Brunhuber here in Atlanta. We have "World Sport" next, and then more news in about 15 minutes with Max Foster in London.

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(WORLD SPORT)