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Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) Responds To Biden's State Of The Union Attacks; NYC Mayor: We Are Not Sending Migrants To Canada; "Hogwarts Legacy" To Release Amid J.K. Rowling Controversy. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired February 09, 2023 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: I understand you're saying it has an impact on drugs. That is different though than saying that they cut Medicare when they're saving money on the cost of what those drug cost to Americans.

SEN. RICK SCOTT (R-FL): OK, but then what -- then why did Jake Tapper say that an $880 billion cut in Medicaid is a cut?

COLLINS: I'm sorry, Senator. I don't think that's the defense that you think it is.

But I want to go back to this point in your proposal on Medicare and Social Security because you're saying that is not what your intention was with your proposal last fall. But even Republicans came back and came out against that, including Sen. Mitch McConnell who said we will not have this part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within an even -- within five years. Even Republicans thought that was what you were suggesting.

SCOTT: So here -- let's -- first off, I think I probably cut taxes more than almost any Republicans. I did taxes and fees 100 times as governor. I never supported a tax or fee increase -- that's one. Number two -- and I won't support any.

Number two is I've been clear. I will not reduce Social Security and Medicare benefits, all right? I've been clear. And I was clear in my plan that Congress needs to fix Medicare -- I mean, make sure that Medicare and Social Security survive. I said we've got to tell them what we're going to do -- all the recipients -- and how we're going to do it. Does that sound like somebody that wants to cut Medicare and Social Security?

But in contrast, we have a president that proposed it time and time and time again, and we've got Democrats that have done it just in the last few months.

COLLINS: Senator, if that wasn't your intention why didn't you put an exemption for Medicare and Social Security in your plan?

SCOTT: Well, I was -- I was very clear. It's my plan. I wrote it. I told people all along what I believed. I've fought for Medicare and Social Security the entire time I've been up here and I'm going to continue to fight for it.

And look, Joe Biden has proposed this and he wants to say I have done it. No -- I'm the opposite. I fought (PH) it.

COLLINS: But you actually did propose it. It's in -- it's --

SCOTT: No, I didn't.

COLLINS: It was online. It --

SCOTT: I wrote the -- Kaitlan, I wrote the plan. I mean --

COLLINS: I know.

SCOTT: -- you didn't write the plan. I wrote the plan and I've been clear about it. If anybody asked me what I meant, I've been very clear.

Nobody believes that I have a goal of reducing it. I don't know any Republicans that want to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits. But I know Democrats that have done it and you've got a president that proposed it time and time again.

COLLINS: OK, so let's say --

SCOTT: We've got to live in reality.

COLLINS: Let's -- we are living in reality. And let's say your plan passes and this happens, and then every five years it's up for a vote. We're watching what's happening with the debt ceiling right now and how some Republicans in your party are trying to use it as leverage. So wouldn't it basically subject Social Security and Medicare to these potential extortion tactics by Republicans down the road?

SCOTT: We have $31.5 trillion worth of debt. If you care about preserving Medicare and Social Security we will figure out how to start living within our means because there is coming -- there will be a day in time that we can't borrow more money. I want to make sure we balance our budget and preserve Medicare and Social Security and I've been clear all along.

So what I want to do is get rid of wasteful programs that we never review up here. They just -- they just -- we -- they get passed and nobody ever looks at them.

COLLINS: Like which ones?

SCOTT: And I've been very clear.

Say it again, please.

COLLINS: Which programs?

SCOTT: Oh, there's a -- there's a variety of things. We don't review anything. When I was governor of Florida there was 4,000 lines in the budget.

Every year I went through the budget saying are we getting a return on your tax dollars?

I mean, we don't have unlimited dollars. I mean, we can't -- I mean, there's not -- we don't -- we can't just keep borrowing money the way we've been borrowing money. We've got say what's in a program that makes some sense and which programs it don't.

I mean, 87,000 more IRS agents is something I would cut immediately.

COLLINS: It's 87,000 more IRS employees --

SCOTT: I mean, there's a whole bunch of Green New Deal stuff that makes no sense to me.

COLLINS: You -- President Biden is coming to your state today. You've put out a new ad saying that he should resign. What is behind your call for the president to resign?

SCOTT: He's a failure. He's a complete failure.

I mean, look at what the people of -- the people of my state care about. Inflation, he caused it. Gas prices, he caused it.

We've got open border. He caused it. We have -- we've got now people that are taking -- putting their life at risk, taking little rafts to come from Cuba to try to get to Florida because they believe if they get there they can stay. Sixty-five people died. He's put these -- he's put these people at risk.

I mean, look at the -- look at the Chinese spy balloon. He let that thing go clear across this country before he did anything.

And there is no transparency in his administration. So he's been a complete failure. And now he lies about what I want to get done and I don't appreciate it.

COLLINS: But does this have to do with the president invoking a proposal you made that has caused backlash among your own party in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night? Is that behind your call for him to resign?

SCOTT: No, no. It's his failures. I mean, think about it. Inflation, gas prices. Look at the -- look at the border. I mean, why couldn't he make sure that Putin didn't invade Ukraine? There's all sorts of things he's failed at.

COLLINS: You think it's the president's fault that Putin invaded Ukraine?

SCOTT: He didn't do enough to deter him and it didn't happen before he was president.

And by the way, 70,000 people dying of fentanyl. I mean, what -- you know, he has no fentanyl proposal. I have fentanyl proposals. He won't sit down with me and talk about them. But the most important ones, secure the darn border.

[07:35:06]

Why can't this president do the basic job of keeping Americans safe? Secure the darn border. I don't get it.

COLLINS: OK, Senator. This was about the Social Security and Medicare proposal that you made. I know this is something that President Biden is going to bring up when he's in your home state today. So thank you for joining us this morning with your perspective.

SCOTT: Thanks, Kaitlan. Have a good day.

COLLINS: All right. Also this morning, there is new CNN reporting that New York City is buying bus tickets for migrants who are headed to Canada. We're going to talk about it with Mayor Eric Adams. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome back here, everyone, to CNN THIS MORNING.

The New York Times is reporting that New York City is busing -- buying bus tickets, I should say, for migrants who want to seek asylum in Canada. City officials once condemned Texas leaders for busing migrants from the southern border calling the treatment, quote "inhumane."

NYC shelters are really buckling under the strain of the migrant arrivals. More than 44,000 people have been bused to the city since last spring.

[07:40:05]

And last weekend, the New York City mayor, Eric Adams, spent the night at a migrant facility in Brooklyn. You're looking at the video there. There he is. The mayor slept on a cot and said, quote, "I would never ask anyone to do something that I wouldn't do and that I wouldn't be willing to do myself."

Well, the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, joins us now. Mayor, good morning to you. Thank you very much. Thank you for joining us.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS, (D) NEW YORK CITY: Good morning, Don. Good to see you. Thank you.

LEMON: Good to see you as well.

So can you tell us how many migrants recently have been given bus tickets out of the city to travel to Canada?

ADAMS: No. We don't send migrants to Canada and that needs to be clear. We are doing what other municipalities, particularly the governor of Texas, was not willing to do. We found at the beginning of this issue last year when we spoke with migrants we learned that they there compelled to come to New York City.

We're sitting down and giving them health care, education, food, shelter, but we're also asking them what are your desires. What do you want to do? Some stayed here. Overwhelmingly, the numbers stayed here. But there were those that wanted to go to other locations throughout this country and that is what we're doing and that's the right thing to do.

LEMON: So is The New York Times' reporting inaccurate then that you're buying bus tickets for migrants who want to seek asylum in Canada? Is that inaccurate?

ADAMS: Yes, it is. Yes, it is. We are not encouraging anyone to go to another country. We speak with the migrant, interview them, find out their desires, and make sure that we are assisting them like we've done, as you stated.

On January 1, 2022, Don, we had 45,000 people in our shelter system.

LEMON: OK.

ADAMS: In one year we had 43,000 that has gone through our system in one year and we have handled each one of them with a -- in a humane way.

LEMON: I just want to understand. I'm trying to figure out the distinction here because you slammed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's program to bus migrants from Texas to New York. You said it was inhumane.

I just want to play what Abbott said and why he was busing the migrants, and then get your response. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GREG ABBOTT, (R) TEXAS: They needed relief and busing was one of the ways of providing them relief and thus began the process of busing the migrants to cities that self-identified as sanctuary cities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK, so he's saying self-identified as sanctuary cities. You are saying self-identified as places where people wanted to go. And he's saying that he's sending them to places where they want to go.

What is the distinction?

ADAMS: No, he didn't say that, Don. I heard him. I heard him. He stated he sent them to cities that self-identified as sanctuary cities. And not only did he send them there, he compelled them. They had to leave Texas.

And that's a big difference than bringing people in, interviewing them, speaking with them, and find out what were their original intentions and desires. And that's what we did in this city. That is not what Abbott did in Texas and what he did was inhumane.

We're showing a level of humane interaction with our migrants. Nowhere else is what we are doing is actually taking place -- nowhere else.

LEMON: All right. I just want to get to something else. This one relates to Mexico. The Washington Post is now reporting that the Biden administration is negotiating an agreement with Mexico that could allow U.S. authorities to carry out largescale deportations of non- Mexicans back across the border for the first time.

Could this be a breakthrough in addressing the problem?

ADAMS: I need to look through exactly what is being reported. I have not been part of those conversations with the White House.

Our concerns has always been to have a decompression strategy that we could ensure the entire country participate in this national issue.

LEMON: All right. Thank you for responding to that.

I want to play what President Biden said at the State of the Union about Tyre Nichols and policing. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But what happened to Tyre in Memphis happens too often. We have to do better. Give law enforcement the real training they need. Hold them to higher standards.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You're a former member of law enforcement. Biden said that it is time to finish the job on police reform.

What do you want to see from Congress and the president, and how soon do they need to act?

ADAMS: I agree with the president. And as you stated, I wore the uniform. Not only did I wear the uniform, I was a victim of police abuse as a child -- 15 years old being abused by police officers.

And I think we need to have real comprehensive police reform to make sure that we, number one, weed out those officers that are not suitable to do the job, and also give them the proper tools to do the job effectively.

But let's be clear. Every time we take away tools from police officers that are doing the job correctly, we are emboldened those dangerous people in our country and city. The recidivism is a real crisis. There are bad people doing bad things. We just lost an officer a few days ago who was shot and killed.

[07:45:10]

The gun violence and proliferation of guns in our country is a real issue. So we must have justice and public safety. They go together.

LEMON: I've got to ask you about something you said in an interview yesterday. And you said that woke Democrats are driving minority voters out of the party. What did you mean by that?

And I wonder if that's really happening because the President of the United States -- the leader of the Democratic Party had the nation's attention during the State of the Union and he said he did not want to defund the police. He wasn't acting as a quote-unquote "woke person." He said he wanted to fund communities.

So do you think that minority voters were -- are going to listen to him? Why would you -- why did you say that?

ADAMS: Yes, I think they are going to listen to him. And, you know, what has happened in this country -- the numerical minority -- they have hijacked the term "progressive." I have been progressive all my life. Look at -- you look at the issues I fought for, from police reform, housing, education. But we've allowed a small number that are the loudest and they've hijacked the true meaning of the Democratic Party.

We're not for defunding the police. We're not for attacking businesses. We're for jobs. We're for growth. And when you listen to those who have hijacked our narrative -- and there's a small number on the fringe ends of our party. And I support what the president stated and what I continue to state.

Right here in this city, we have a group that is -- they're calling for removing members of their own caucus if they don't sign a pledge to defund the police. That is not who we are as Democrats and I'm going to continue to stand and state that we're pro-public safety and we're pro-proper policing.

LEMON: The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams. Thank you for joining us this morning.

ADAMS: Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you.

COLLINS: All right, great interview there, Don.

Ahead, can a new Harry Potter videogame revive the struggling franchise? We have none other than Vanessa Yurkevich here to take it right from playing this game and explain it to us.

LEMON: We've been listening to it all morning on the set.

COLLINS: It was so loud during your interview. I was like I hope it's not distracting.

(COMMERCIAL)

[07:51:27]

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, the highly anticipated release of the new Harry Potter game "Hogwarts Legacy" is shrouded with some controversy. Some fans are expected to boycott it to protest author J.K. Rowling's comments offensive to the transgender community. Our Vanessa Yurkevich reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

"HOGWARTS LEGACY" TRAILER: In light of your unique situation, joining us as a fifth year, we've devised something extraordinary to ensure your success.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Harry Potter is back but not in the way diehard fans may be used to. In the new Open World video game, "Hogwarts Legacy," players can experience the world of Harry Potter but set in the 19th century and with new characters. The players isn't Harry, Ron, or Hermione, but their very own witcher wizard avatar.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's pretty much like my dream of being in Hogwarts.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels like a real-life Harry Potter.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): "Hogwarts Legacy," made by Avalanche and Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, has been five years in the making. After two rollout delays, the game is finally hitting the market.

JOOST VAN DREUNEN, PROFESSOR, BUSINESS OF GAMES, NYU: The expectations are quite high not just from the consumers but also from the game-makers themselves.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Some estimates suggest the game cost $150 million to make, but in a $200 billion industry bigger than film or music the payoff could be huge.

VAN DREUNEN: My expectation for this title is that it's going to easily sell 10 million copies, which puts it very much into the black very quickly.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): The game already broke a record on Twitch for being the most-watched single-player game played by streamers who got it early. And it's the number one presale this week on the gaming platform Steam.

Warner Bros. has 20 years of experience putting out Harry Potter videogames but based on the movies.

YURKEVICH (on camera): How is Warner Bros. been in terms of a game- maker?

DAN MARTIN, GENERAL MANAGER, VIDEOGAMESNEWYORK: A little rocky. They definitely put out some big titles and work with some big franchises but their games have been hit-and-miss. This definitely feels as something new. Harry Potter is --

(Phone ringing)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold that thought. YURKEVICH (voice-over): One of two calls during our interview from someone looking for the game.

VAN DREUNEN: It's not a commercial risk so much as it is a cultural one.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, has made a series of offensive comments about the trans community, forcing pushing from some of the movie's actors and fans -- some who are boycotting the new game. Warner Bros. Discovery says Rowling is not involved in the game but stands to make licensing royalties.

CAMILA RODRIGUES, HARRY POTTER FAN: I thought it was going to impact my view on the whole Harry Potter world but right now I am able to separate the situation with J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter world.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): But the controversy has turned some fans off.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Are you still a Harry Potter fan?

JACOB FORD, HARRY POTTER FAN: No. I think just -- I think it's become weirdly divisive and I'm old now so I don't care.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Divisive how?

FORD: Because of the weird tension between the creator, the fans.

VAN DREUNEN: It perhaps has a -- has room to develop something new to iterate on the existing relationship with the fan base. So perhaps making it into this big production videogame allows the franchise to kind of save itself a little bit from the drag that it's been experiencing culturally.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

YURKEVICH: And we have CNN producer Carolyn Sung playing the game live right now on television.

The reviews have been really good for this game so far. People love the visual look. They feel like it's very realistic. They love that they can create their own character. They're learning as they play the game.

[07:55:06]

But some are complaining that it takes a little too long to learn certain skills to then fly the broom. That's sort of what Harry Potter is known for.

And as you notice, Carolyn is playing as a single player. We can't play with her because this is not a multiplayer game.

And some videogame experts are saying that that's actually a revenue lost opportunity for the brand. Because when you have multiplayers it allows you to purchase into the world of which you can play together. You can also do in-game purchases and create new worlds and levels by purchasing more. So some experts say that we will eventually get there.

But as of right now, this is just you as your person. That's supposed to be me.

But this is the Harry Potter world of today and as of right now, people are really excited to see what it can do. This is the Christmas for Harry Potter fans and gamers tomorrow when it comes out.

What do you guys think?

COLLINS: Carolyn, which house are you in?

CAROLYN SUNG, CNN PRODUCER: I'm sorry?

COLLINS: Which house are you in?

SUNG: I have -- I'm in a bank vault and I'm stuck. And I need to beat these statues at some point.

YURKEVICH: And this is what people are saying. It's like you get stuck in here for a little too long and you can't move on to the next level. But there's still a lot to do while you're here.

LEMON: OK, Poppy.

COLLINS: Poppy and Don are, like, too old.

HARLOW: Too old.

We'll be right back.

COLLINS: They're so -- what do I -- back in a moment.

LEMON: Oh, boy.

HARLOW: Don's like what?

(COMMERCIAL)

[08:00:00]