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CNN This Morning
"The Reign Begins: Charles And Camilla" Airs This Sunday 8 P.M. ET/PT; Key Inflation Gauge Tracked By Federal Reserve Cools; Fed To Release Findings In Its Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Probe; Roy Wood Jr. Gears Up To Host Tomorrow's W.H. Correspondents' Dinner; "Vet Crew" Cares For Pets Left Behind In Ukraine. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired April 28, 2023 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[08:32:03]
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: The coronation of a new British monarch has only been televised once before, right, when Queen Elizabeth was -- the second who was crowned. That was 70 years ago. Now, as final preparations are underway for the crowning of King Charles III, many are asking questions about what this moment, this man mean in the modern world.
This week on the whole story, our Erica Hill traveled to London in a -- in search of some of those answers, meeting with leading British scholars, journalists, and some of those closest to Queen Elizabeth thinking Charles himself. Watch this.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a great deal of similarity, I think, between the Prince of Wales at times raging against the machine and saying, well, I want to do this and I want to talk about that. And by the way, I know what I'm talking about and I'm not afraid to say it. Who does that remind you of? Reminds me massively of Harry.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR AND NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In his book "Spare", Harry writes that, "Charles had always been discouraged from hard work, he told me. He'd been advised that the heir shouldn't do too much, shouldn't try too hard for fear of outshining the monarch. But he'd rebelled."
Is Charles a rebel? Does anyone feel he is?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't call him a rebel. I think that he has developed a sense of self-awareness and gone at things in a different way. But I wouldn't say that that would be -- I wouldn't call that rebelling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he'd like to see himself.
HILL: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- as a rebel and revolutionary. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: King Charles is not a rebellion, certainly not revolutionary. I wish he was, but I doubt he would do anything to write the book.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Charles had points when he was absolutely raging against the machine in exactly the same way Harry did. There are so many parallels.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now, again, CNN Anchor and National Correspondent Erica Hill.
HILL: Good morning.
CORNISH: Good morning. Now he's taking the throne. A completely different kind of commonwealth, right?
HILL: Yes.
CORNISH: Racially, religiously. The demographics have changed, so is there any one view of this moment?
HILL: I think, you know, it's such a great question, is there one view? The short answer is no, because it is a much more diverse country, both in the U.K. and within the Commonwealth. And as we -- you know, as, I think, we would probably see on this side of the Atlantic, but certainly as we learn from these fascinating discussions that we had with scholars and journalists and those who used to work for the royal household, there's a different sensibility.
And there are more questions in general being raised about not only what is the role of the monarchy in 2023. A lot of those questions spurred by the death of Queen Elizabeth, a 70-year-reign gone, gives people time to pause and think about what does this really mean?
But also, and especially among the younger generation, there are more questions about how did we get here? And how did this small country amass so much wealth and so much power for hundreds of years? And are we taking a close look at that history and what it means and how are we addressing it?
CORNISH: But will any of that come out in a coronation? I mean, that's by definition, pomp and circumstance.
HILL: It is absolutely pomp and circumstance, and that was part of what gave monarchs their power, right? It was this pageantry and this pomp and this glitter and gold and jewels, and it all made it feel very mysterious and majestic and powerful because you didn't see, sort of like "The Wizard of Oz". You didn't see what's going on behind the scenes.
[08:35:09]
So to your point, what's going to change, the coordination ceremony is almost a thousand years old. It's a religious ceremony. It's only been televised once before. But what they are trying to do, and they being the royal family is, make it smaller, right? Because there are -- the optics alone, the cost of living issues, and also make it more inclusive that this is no longer just about the Church of England. There will be other faith leaders there.
There will be a gospel choir. There will be perhaps a more inclusive service. Maybe if we think back to the wedding of Harry and Meghan, that effort is there. I think it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out and honestly how it's received next Saturday.
CORNISH: Although people are obsessed with whether Harry will be there.
HILL: He will be there. Don't worry.
CORNISH: Thanks for that reporting.
HILL: He will be there. Where he will be sitting? We do not yet know. But I think he'll be there.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: But Meghan will be there.
HILL: She's sitting back in California, she said with their kids. Their son, Archie, of course, his birthday is also Saturday. He turns four. Same day as the coronation. So lots to celebrate for the whole family.
HARLOW: Lots to celebrate.
HILL: They're just doing it in different places.
HARLOW: There you go, Erica.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARLOW: Cannot wait to see it.
HILL: Please watch.
HARLOW: We will.
HILL: We're pretty proud of it.
HARLOW: We will.
HILL: Yes. A lot of interesting questions and discussion.
CORNISH: Yes. Be sure to tune in to "The Reign Begins: Charles and Camilla" on The Whole Story. That's this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
COLLINS: And as we wait for that, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation was just released. It could play a major role in whether or not your interest rate is going to go up. We'll show you the numbers right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08:40:23]
HARLOW: All right. This just in the Fed's preferred measure of inflation just released by the Commerce Department. This could be critical, right? And what the Fed does next on interest rates.
Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans here to break it down.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I think it shows that the fed's rate hike campaign, aggressive rate hike campaign is working, this PCE price index. This is consumer inflation the fed really likes to look at. It grew only 0.1 percent from February to March.
That's good. That's a more normal rate of inflation than some of the terrible numbers we had been seeing. When you look year over year, it's still too hot up, 4.2 percent. But that's down pretty dramatically. It was 4.6 percent last month. It was 5 percent the month.
And so, you know, it's good to see that number coming down here. There's another number that came out. The employment cost index. ECI is a quarterly number. I know you've covered this before too, that shows that wages picked up, though, in the quarter.
So here's this split screen. Wages are still rising. That's good. I mean, I -- everybody wants to get a little more money in your paycheck. That's good for people. But the fed has been worried that that is inflationary. So on the one hand, those prices are cooling and that's showing the fed's medicine is working, but wages are still strong.
Good for people. But will the fed like that? I'm not so sure.
COLLINS: Yes, we'll see what they say. Also, they're about to release the findings of that investigation.
ROMANS: Yes.
COLLINS: And to basically what caused. What happened with Silicon Valley Bank? What are we expecting?
ROMANS: So we get that at 11. We're also going to hear from the FDIC later today. What happened to Silicon Valley Bank? Did the feds miss something or was this just a case of bad mismanagement? A bank that grew too quickly? It grew way bigger in assets and deposits than it did say in compliance and risk management, which is bad. You know, it's just banking 101 that they made some big failures there.
So we're going to get -- this is really sort of the postmortem of what happened there. And hopefully, it'll tell us more about whether the feds or the federal government is more aware now of the similar problems that might be happening at other banks. We'll be watching First Republic sharers today.
CORNISH: And whether it is other banks, right? ROMANS: Yes, exactly.
CORNISH: Or whether it was just this bank.
ROMANS: Exactly.
COLLINS: Yes.
ROMANS: First Republic sharers are up this morning, but you know, they've lost half their value this week. So there's a lot of pressure and a lot of behind the scenes maneuvering to figure out what happens next for First Republic. So watch that space.
HARLOW: OK, we will. Christine, thank you. Have a good week.
ROMANS: You too.
HARLOW: Thanks.
COLLINS: Thanks.
CORNISH: And we are one day away from the White House Correspondents' Dinner. President Biden will be there, and so will comedian Roy Wood Jr. ready to roast Washington's elite.
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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have a Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and family.
ROY WOOD JR., HOSTING WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER TOMORROW: Who you know go to trial and talk -- about the judge? He can destroy you and you riling him up. You about to fight cocaine, man. You don't offer him crack first.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Roy Wood Jr., is here in the studio live to preview his big night here with us.
COLLINS: I got both of those on (INAUDIBLE).
HARLOW: So nice to meet you.
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[08:47:20]
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In our fast- changing world, traditions like the White House Correspondents' Dinner are important.
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY, COMEDIAN: I mean, really? What is this in? And why am I required to come do it? CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER, COMEDIAN: Connie's (ph) the one, you know, being very diplomatic in the meetings, you know? Well, that's good. That's great. We're all on the same pattern because at the end of the day, you know, freedom is what we all want.
The leaves will come out late. North Korea said what? OK. All right, all right. Hold my purse, Mr. President. Hold my purse.
TREVOR NOAH, COMEDIAN: Fox News is sort of like a waffle house. Yes. It's relatively normal in the afternoon, but as soon as the sun goes down, there's a drunk lady named Janine (ph), threatening to fight every Mexican who comes in. You can throw me out. I know the real president.
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COLLINS: It's the White House Correspondents' Dinner. A uniquely Washington tradition. The first dinner actually took place back in 1921. Only had 50 people. This year it's going to be star-studded. It's going to have a guest list over 2,500 people.
It's a rare chance for the Press Corps to let its hair down and socialize with Washington brokers and celebrities, sometimes gets criticized for that. 16 presidents and vice presidents since Calvin Coolidge have attended the dinner. One who did not.
Donald Trump never made an appearance during his presidency, instead sent his press secretary. In recent years, a speaker, typically a comedian, does roast the commander in chief.
And this year's roaster is joining us now, standup comedian and correspondent of The Daily Show. Roy Wood Jr. who we're all hoping --
WOOD: Yes.
COLLINS: -- forgets our names by tomorrow night.
CORNISH: Yes, you never met us.
WOOD: Yes.
CORNISH: Wipe it clean. Wipe it clean.
WOOD: Kaitlan and Poppy, good to see this.
HARLOW: And Audie --
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: -- Cooper, it's great to meet you.
CORNISH: OK. This is our weirdest gig, right? Like the people in the room aren't your audience, and how do you practice?
WOOD: Yes. It's, you have to still remember that regular people also watching this. that room represents like the 1 percent of the power then how decisions are made in this country. But the people that are affected by those decisions are watching the program too.
So I think there's a way to honor both like -- both audiences. But ultimately at the end of the day, it's a gig. And that's what I have to tell myself while I sit and comb through these jokes at 1:00 in the morning in New York, but it's a good time. And I think it's an honor to be able to do it because when you really look at the way the power dynamics are set up in this country, very few citizens get an opportunity to have a microphone in front of everybody.
Everybody who has stuff that needs to be heard. Now the important part is that you want to make it funny. I don't think I need to get up there. And be just right. Like there's a humor to righteousness balance that you have to find within what you're doing.
[08:50:04]
So that's the part you can't do in the comedy club because you cannot go, oh, joke, joke, joke. Oh, Joe Biden and Kamala., oh, reelection. Also, did you know that journalists are getting locked up abroad?
COLLINS: Right, right.
WOOD: This is just a --
CORNISH: Which is the line you have to walk, right? It's half a political event.
WOOD: Yes.
CORNISH: I mean, fundamentally, do you have a sense of like, how do you even make a joke in the age when there is no shame?
WOOD: Well, I think you still make the joke. There's still a punchline. Now the shame part is about whether or not the joke can influence change. I don't think the correspondents' dinner -- I mean, we would have to check and do the research, but I don't know if any politician, they got hit with a joke and was like, you know what? Let me go ahead and reconsider my whole platform.
COLLINS: Donald Trump?
WOOD: Well --
COLLINS: Run and go.
WOOD: He said, let me start a platform.
CORNISH: Right.
WOOD: But like to just -- there's nothing I can -- you think the Ron DeSantis jokes I got in the clip --
COLLINS: OK.
WOOD: -- but tomorrow and you think that Ron DeSantis tomorrow's about, you know what, man, you're right. Go on and put the black history back in the books.
CORNISH: A glimmer of where this is, is going here, I'm hearing.
WOOD: We would hope. We -- I saw you had that hope in your eye. You like, you hope it runs.
CORNISH: It was brief and then like a flame went out.
WOOD: That's he's fighting Mickey Mouse.
CORNISH: OK. You know this is --
WOOD: He's fighting Mickey Mouse. You can't change that person's mind with a joke. It's possible -- I'm raising my voice.
CORNISH: No, I love it. It's morning energy.
COLLINS: We love it. We love energy.
HARLOW: All jokes, but I love your story too. I want our viewers to get to know you a little bit before they see you up there. The fact that, you know, you're born here in New York, but then you grew up now in Birmingham.
WOOD: Yes, I was born in New York. I grew up in Birmingham. My father was a radio journalist, but he deliberately embedded himself in pretty much any black conflicts ever going on. Black platoons in Vietnam.
HARLOW: In Vietnam, yes.
WOOD: Soweto. He was in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe now. And then I got to college. Stuart Scott was my North Star for journalism. I wanted to be funny and talk about sports. Got down to college. Got in trouble.
Apparently, you have to pay for clothes when you go to the mall. You do not just get to leave with them, you have to give them money.
HARLOW: But that --
WOOD: I did not, but that's what got me in a stand-up.
HARLOW: Because that year you had that FAM University let you -- won't let you -- gave you a year off to think about things.
WOOD: Suspensions. Suspension is the word.
HARLOW: That's when you started.
WOOD: Yes, yes.
HARLOW: That's when you started this comedy, right?
WOOD: But to the credit of Florida A&M University, they allowed me to come back and get that journalism degree --
HARLOW: Yes. WOOD: And that gave me a double-edged sword because now I'm a comic and I'm a journalist and I was doing radio. And the irony of it now is that as much as I didn't want to be like my father topically speaking, that's literally what I do now is talk about the world issues. I'm just a little funny.
COLLINS: It's poetic. Who are your targets for tomorrow night?
WOOD: See you all. I know what you're trying to ask me and I'm trying to answer this for now. Yes, I'm going to talk about what happened this week. I got to talk about everything this week. Let me just say that --
CORNISH: Did something happened this week?
WOOD: There was a lot of stuff that happened this week. There were many things that happened this week, and those things have to be discussed in a fair way. In a very fair way.
COLLINS: Kevin McCarthy, I think is bracing for that.
HARLOW: Yes.
COLLINS: So don't worry.
HARLOW: Yes.
WOOD: No, trust me, I'm not going to lose my job. I'm not trying to get in trouble, OK?
COLLINS: Rood Wood Jr. --
WOOD: That's the most important part of the Correspondents' Dinner, is leave employed.
COLLINS: That's your goal, leave employed. I love that.
WOOD: That's the goal.
COLLINS: Roy Wood, Jr. , we're all going to be there. We cannot wait to see what you have prepared and I know you've been preparing really hard for this. So --
WOOD: Thank you all.
COLLINS: -- can't wait.
WOOD: Thank you.
COLLINS: And to see what those jokes are going to be, who his targets are. And President Biden also going to be there. Make sure you tune in. That's tomorrow night, 8:00 p.m. Eastern. CNN will be covering the White House Correspondents' Dinner live here.
HARLOW: You are a joy.
WOOD: Thank you all.
HARLOW: My friend. We can't wait.
All right. 50 -- that means you can't make fun of me tomorrow night. 55 million people --
COLLINS: Yes, she's buttering up.
HARLOW: -- crosses south are racing seriously from really severe weather. What you could expect in the hours ahead.
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[08:58:24]
HARLOW: Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a flood of refugees. Many of them were pet owners, who had to leave their dogs, their cats, their beloved pets behind for what they hoped would only be days for two veterinarians who specialized in exotic animal rescue. The situation led them to a new mission -- caring for these beloved but abandoned pets.
This week, CNN Heroes salutes Ukraine's Vet Crew, Leonid and Valentina Stoyanov. Anderson Cooper shares their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALENTINA STOYANOV, VET CREW: A lot of people think that all this situation in Ukraine will be three, four days. So a lot of people just closed animals in apartments, in houses, and think that everything will be fine.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST (voice-over): For more than a year now, the Stoyanovs have been rescuing and caring for dogs and cats by the hundreds in Ukraine. Despite the danger, they put their lives at risk, even driving to the front lines, to vaccinate and feed animals.
LEONID STOYANOV, VET CREW: Russian army a lot of times shooting our car. And we have a lot of holes.
V. STOYANOV: Each animals for us, it's like our family.
COOPER (voice-over): The Vet Crew's work earned them support from millions on social media. They say it's all those encouraging messages that keep them going.
V. STOYANOV: A lot of people write us, guys, hold on. You are heroes. It's huge, huge support and we are very grateful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARLOW: Well, to get the full story on Ukraine's Vet Crew and to nominate your own CNN Hero, go to cnnheroes.com.
COLLINS: And a special thanks to Audie for joining us this morning at the table. CORNISH: Thank you guys for having me. This is awesome.
COLLINS: Yes, a lot of fun having you here.
HARLOW: We always make it happy.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARLOW: Thank you, Audie.
COLLINS: And thank you for joining. Yes. We'll see you all tomorrow. We'll be in Washington at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
But, of course, the news continues right now with CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
