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CNN This Morning
Harry Dunn is Interviewed about Receiving Gold Medal; Ultra- processed Foods May Increase Dementia; Christmas Tree Prices Higher. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired December 06, 2022 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:31:47]
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everyone, to CNN THIS MORNING.
Here is what's coming up.
Republicans are slowly turning on Trump for his comments about the Constitution, but many still remain silent.
Hours from now, congressional leaders will host a medal ceremony honoring the police who defended the Capitol. Officer Harry Dunn is going to join us live straight ahead.
And a sweet surprise. Neil Diamond popping up in New York City with a rare, impromptu performance. That incredible moment and how fans reacted straight ahead.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Can't wait to see that.
Well, today, we will find out what Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell thinks about former President Trump calling to terminate the Constitution. McConnell says he'll address all of that this afternoon at the former president says he didn't say the thing that he definitely said.
Saturday, Trump posted this about the 2020 election. Quote, a massive fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution.
Well, fast forward two days, now here is what former President Trump is saying. Quote, the fake news is actually trying to convince the American people that I said I wanted to terminate the Constitution. No, that actually is what he said and what he wrote, as you just saw.
So, now more Republicans are slowly coming forward to put some space between themselves and Trump on this. Here are Senators John Kennedy and Mitt Romney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): I disagree with the president. The Constitution can be amended. The Constitution can be interpreted. But the Constitution can't be suspended.
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): Well, as you know, the Republican Party has long been the party of the Constitution. And so when President Trump says he wants to suspend the Constitution, he goes from being MAGA to being rhino.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's not just those two. Senator John Thune told CNN the Constitution is, quote, the principle, the bedrock of our country. I could not disagree more.
Senator John Cornyn said, I don't know why anybody would say something like that. Certainly not an ex-president.
Senator Lisa Murkowski said, it's an affront to our republic.
Senator Mike Rounds, quote, no one is above the Constitution.
Some senators, though, some Republicans, are claiming they have not seen what Trump said, like GOP Senator Roger Marshall, who declined to condemn the comments and said he thinks the media should be focusing elsewhere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ROGER MARSHALL (R-KS): I don't know what President Trump said about the Constitution. I just don't think that's the issue. I don't think that's what you all should be talking about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Tim Scott declined to weigh in at all.
LEMON: So, this morning, law enforcement heroes who defended the Capitol on January 6th will be honored at a gold medal ceremony with congressional leaders. Congress passed a measure to award the medals by a wide bipartisan vote last year, but 21 House Republicans voted against this passage. A reminder that some members of Congress still do not acknowledge the truth about the deadly January 6th riot.
One of the officers set to receive Congress' highest honor today, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was inside the Capitol during the attack and was called the "n" word by rioters more than a dozen times that day. Months after the attack, he spoke about living with the emotional trauma from January 6th at a congressional hearing.
[06:35:06]
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OFFICER HARRY DUNN, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE: And for those of us in the Capitol Police who serve and revere this institution, and who love the Capitol Building, it was the saddest day for us as well. More than six months later, January 6th still isn't over for me. (END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn joins me now.
Harry, thank you for joining. How you doing?
OFFICER HARRY DUNN, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE: Hey, what's up, Don? Good to talk to you, man. I'm doing all right. How about you?
LEMON: It's good to - it's good to see you again. I'm doing very well.
Listen, I just want to know how you're feeling about today, because you've wait a long time. Look, you said you want answers. This is just an acknowledgement, a recognition of what you and other officers went through. So, how are you feeling about that?
DUNN: Yes. I just - I tweeted out last night about when I - when I started this speaking out about what we experienced on January 6th. It was all about accountability for everybody who had any part of the failures. Who was responsible for any part of the failures that day to be held accountable. But it's also about justice.
Today, though, this honor that wasn't sought out, it -- the historical significance behind it, it just means so much. And I'm truly honored and humbled to receive this.
I was looking over some of the list of -- the list over of some of the recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal. And, man, to be in some of those people's company is truly an honor. So, I'm thankful for that.
LEMON: Yes. So, listen, again, it's an honor, but does this go towards accountability, you think, or is this separate and apart?
DUNN: I think it's separate. If they would just give a medal and that would be the end of it, then that wouldn't be enough. I'd decline it. You know, no thank you, get to the bottom of what happened. But I think that's separate. And I think the Justice Department is doing that, as we saw in some of the - the outcomes, the convictions that were last week and that are continuing to happen. So, I think it's slow but it - that's -- that the justice is happening, and the accountability. So --
LEMON: We're coming up on almost two years since this happened, since you - you know, your life was at risk fighting for democracy, right, and for the peaceful transfer of power. We're coming up on two years. Where are you now in the two years? Have you had any sort of resolution, or are you still feeling angst about it almost two years later?
DUNN: You know, now it's kind of like I'm just waiting and seeing. I never knew that an investigation, or, you know, this could take this long. However, I've never also seen an insurrection happen before. So, I don't have any, you know, baseline to gauge it off of, you know, as far as timewise.
But, you know, things are happening. Even if it's slow, things are happening. And I'm glad that the Justice Department is working on it and hopefully getting it right.
I do have my days where I'm, you know, a little down, a little upset, a little angry. I don't think that will -- those will ever go away because the memories of what happened that day will be forever ingrained in my, in my - my head, and - and in American history. But I - I deal with it. And I know how to deal with it a lot better than I did when it first happened. So --
LEMON: Yes. Listen, as a law enforcement officer, you took an oath. The former president of the United States also took an oath to the Constitution and is now saying that the Constitution -- or has said that the Constitution should be suspended. What do you make of that?
DUNN: That's a wild dude, man. Like, he -- just when you think he can't get any more outrageous, he just goes and does and says those things. But I'm not giving him any attention. Today is all about dedication to duty and the oath, to my co-workers and myself, and the Metropolitan Police Department took and fulfilled on that day. So, I don't want to give any attention and credit to that guy.
LEMON: Yes. Actually said it should be terminated, not suspended, but now he's trying to walk it back.
You and Officer Michael Fanone and others are going to receive that award today, and it is well-deserved. We're so proud of you and we thank you for appearing on CNN THIS MORNING. Thank you.
DUNN: Thanks a lot, Don. Good talking with you, man.
LEMON: You as well.
HARLOW: Well-deserved honor indeed.
All right, ahead, a big health headline this morning. You're not going to like it. A new study says eating junk food may increase your risk of dementia. We're going to tell you how to protect yourself, next.
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COLLINS: All right, I feel like me and you like junk food. There is a new study that shows eating ultra-processed foods can put you at an increased risk for dementia. If you're wondering what exactly an ultra-processed food is, that means frozen pizza, hamburgers, fries, hot dogs. An this new study says that if ultra-processed foods are 20 percent of your daily intake, you may be raising the risk for cognitive decline. And for the average diet, that's about 400 calories, or one sausage McMuffin with cheese from McDonald's, an eight-piece chicken nuggets from Burger King, or even a small bag of potato chips and a 12-ounce can of soda.
Joining us now with this awful news is CNN medical correspondent Dr. Tara Narula.
It's not surprising that junk food is bad for you. But the fact that it could put you at risk of dementia is kind of a wakeup call for those of us who actually do eat a lot of junk food.
DR. TARA NARULA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I'm always the bearer of bad news on this show.
So, I'm sorry to say, but ultra-processed foods -- what are they? Let's talk about that first.
It's, as you mentioned, it's foods that are really loaded with saturated fats, trans-fats, sugar, salt and a lot of additives.
[06:45:05]
They're designed to really be palpable and almost addictive in a sense. And they're pretty much anything you can think of that you would dream about eating, that your kids love, that you can eat easily or heat up easily. So, things like hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, french fries, cookies, pastries, candy and soda. And, unfortunately, they do make up a large part of the American diet. In fact, 58 percent of the calories we consume in America are from ultra-processed foods.
HARLOW: Is it just the meat stuff or like my daughter's vegetarian, so I heat up veggie nuggets, things like that?
NARULA: It can be that, too.
HARLOW: Oh.
NARULA: It's - yes, because it's all of those additives and things. You have to really read the label and look. And it's really the processed meats, too.
HARLOW: What about your hash browns?
LEMON: I - I -- I'm bad. I'm from the south. Kaitlan's from the south. They know. And we know you make something better is you just fry it, right?
NARULA: Yes, of course.
LEMON: So -
COLLINS: We order McDonald's to the set more days that not.
HARLOW: True.
LEMON: Listen - but, I mean, this is very serious.
HARLOW: Yes.
LEMON: How -- like, how much did it increase the risk of cognitive decline? Because this is a serious story.
NARULA: Right. And so we know about the link between ultra-processed foods and things like cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancers, but we haven't really looked that much at how it's associated with cognitive decline. And so researchers here took about 10,000 individuals in Brazil, who are average age of about 50, followed them for an average of eight years, gave them a food questionnaire and looked at their cognitive function. And they found, as you mentioned in the intro, that if their daily consumption of ultra-processed food, those calories that counted for over 20 percent of their intake, that it was associated with cognitive decline, global cognitive decline and also decline in their executive function, that's the part of the brain that's used to process information and make decisions.
And as you mentioned, it doesn't take a lot to get to that 20 percent. That's about 400 calories in a 2,000-calorie diet. And so how might this be happening? We think that these ultra-processed foods may increase inflation, they might affect our microbiome, the gut bacteria, that there's a link there. They may end up damaging the vascular system. And - but it is important to point out, this was not a cause/effect study. This was an association. So there are limitations there.
LEMON: Oh, boy.
NARULA: Yes. But, I'm sorry!
LEMON: I know.
NARULA: Be mindful. Mindful.
LEMON: Thank you. You just ruined -- I'm going to change my lunch now. Salad. I'm going to get a salad.
HARLOW: Are you really?
LEMON: No.
HARLOW: No.
LEMON: Look, honestly, it's terrible, but you only have one life, and so I'm going to --
HARLOW: Live it.
LEMON: Live it.
NARULA: Well, they did find that if you eat an overall healthy diet, Don, that that could negate some of the - some of this effect.
LEMON: Yes. I don't have an overall healthy diet though.
HARLOW: Nice try, though, Doc.
NARULA: I tried.
LEMON: Thank you, Doctor. Really appreciate it.
COLLINS: Thanks, Doctor.
LEMON: The price of Christmas trees going up this holiday season. We're going to discuss. Plus -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL DIAMOND, MUSICIAN (Singing): Touching me, touching you. Sweet Carline.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: A surprise performance from Neil Diamond on the opening night of the new musical about his life, made theatergoers feel so, so good!
COLLINS: That reminds me of Jimmy Buffett making his -
HARLOW: Oh, yes.
COLLINS: (INAUDIBLE).
LEMON: I always wonder -
HARLOW: What?
LEMON: If it annoys him when the bop, bop, bop, man that's so good, so - because that's not a part of the -
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[06:52:03]
LEMON: Well, I mean, we're kind of celebrating, but the truth is, inflation has hit America's bank accounts this year a little bit hard and now it's threatening to put a damper on holiday cheer. The price of real Christmas trees has skyrocketed this year with a vast majority of tree growers expecting a wholesale price increase anywhere from 5 percent to 15 percent. And those costs are being passed down to who?
HARLOW: You.
LEMON: The consumer. To you guys.
CNN's chief business correspondent Christine Romans and CNN's business reporter Nathaniel Meyersohn, both join us.
Good morning.
We hate to put a damper on Christmas, but what is happening? Why are these prices going up, Ms. Romans?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Higher - higher fuel costs, higher fertilizers costs. I mean you look at -- Christmas only comes once a year. And this year, compared with last year, a lot of the input costs are higher for these - for these tree growers. So, the wholesale prices could be up about 15 percent this year.
What goes in must comes out - come out at the pay - you know, when you pay for it. HARLOW: Even though inflation has been easing? I guess it's sort of
baked in. We bought our tree this weekend. It's - it's perfect, but very - it was very expensive. We buy a real --
LEMON: Mine's been up before -
HARLOW: Because you buy fake ones.
LEMON: Well, no, I do - I buy a real one but we - this year we scaled back because, you know, I have to get up early and I can't - I can't - I don't have the energy to put up the real tree anymore and go find it.
HARLOW: The lamest - and like - anyway, it's vacuum the needles.
LEMON: Yes.
HARLOW: It was expensive this year.
NATHANIEL MEYERSOHN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER: Yes. So, wholesale prices up 5 percent to 15 percent, being driven by higher labor costs, higher transportation costs. Most of the trees in this country grown in North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania, and they have to be delivered across the country. So that's - that's why prices are up.
There are a few ways that customers can save. Big-box stores like Walmart will often offer discounts on Christmas trees. They want to draw in shoppers. They use them as loss leaders, and then get them to spend on decorations and gifts.
HARLOW: Yes.
MEYERSOHN: Everything you need for the holidays. And maybe if you want to save -- buy a smaller tree this year, or consider switch to artificial trees. Artificial trees, the retailers bought them about a year ago.
HARLOW: No.
MEYERSOHN: They locked in those prices before inflation hit.
COLLINS: Well -
ROMANS: A big sale cyber week on artificial trees. Big sales.
LEMON: I was so against it and now I'm for it. I - but I - I bought an artificial tree and it's easy. You just pop it in, boom, put the lights to the thing.
ROMANS: I'm 100 percent against it. We can fight it out later, but -
LEMON: Yes, we'll talk about it.
COLLINS: I agree and I'm team real trees.
HARLOW: Yes. COLLINS: But, speaking of luring people in to come in to get those - those artificial trees, one thing people have noticed going into stores more and more, there's more self-checkout. Not just, you know, at convenience stores and stores that you're popping in, popping out. At these department stores you're seeing more self-checkouts.
MEYERSOHN: Right. So Kohl's -- some of the stores that you wouldn't expect are rolling out self-checkout. Kohl's, Bed Bath & Beyond, H&M, Uniqlo, Zara. Self-checkout is very controversial. Some people love it. They think that it moves more quickly than going through traditional cashiers. Other people get so frustrated by it. Think about all of the errors. And then you hear, unexpected item in the bagging area or please place item in the bag.
HARLOW: Yes. I have - it happens to me every - I am team real tree with Kaitlan, OK?
ROMANS: And real cashier?
HARLOW: Favorite phrase here. And team real people! I want to say, hello!
[06:55:01]
How are you? Thank you.
LEMON: And also jobs because they -
HARLOW: And jobs.
ROMANS: But the problem is, they can't find the workers for these jobs.
LEMON: Right.
HARLOW: Right.
ROMANS: So, they're investing - we heard the Fed chief last week say that they're - you're going to expect more investment in technology to do jobs that they can't retain people for.
I was just at a Uniqlo and bought, you know, a bunch of sweatshirts for the boys. And I was so surprised. You just dump it all in the bin.
LEMON: I was just going to say -
ROMANS: And then it just - you wave your phone and you walk out. I mean it was so easy.
LEMON: You don't have to scan it.
HARLOW: What?
LEMON: You just put it in the bag and just put the bag on the thing, boom, and it just does it. ROMANS: It was amazing. You put the bag in the thing and then it - and
then you just press - I - it was so easy. I could have spent a lot more money. And I think that's what they wanted me to do.
HARLOW: OK.
LEMON: Thank you, guys.
HARLOW: Team real tree, team real people.
LEMON: Go spend more money. It's good for the economy.
ROMANS: Real tree, real people.
HARLOW: Thank you, Christine.
LEMON: Real tree, bad for the environment (ph).
HARLOW: Welcome to the program, Nathaniel. Thank you.
Well, it is election day in Georgia. Polls opening in just minutes. We're going to take you there live in this critical Senate runoff.
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