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Debt Ceiling Talks, Ukraine Dominate Final Day of G7 Summit; At Least 12 Killed In Crowd Crush At Stadium In El Salvador; 36,000+ Evacuated Amid Italian Flooding, Landslides; Missing Girl Found After Stranger Recognizes Her From Netflix Series; Feinstein's Office Discloses Post-Shingles Encephalitis Diagnosis; One Year Later: Uvalde Remembers The 21 Killed At Robb Elementary; Storm Risk In Place Across Parts Of The Northwest. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired May 21, 2023 - 08:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:00:24]

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good Sunday morning to you all. Welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Amara Walker.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thank you for sharing your morning with us.

President Biden is preparing to leave Hiroshima after the G7 Summit and a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Now, he's shifting its focus to the debt ceiling crisis. Can the president and Speaker Kevin McCarthy avoid a default?

WALKER: And a soccer match turned deadly after fans try to rush into the stadium. Now at least 12 people are dead and nearly 100 others injured.

BLACKWELL: Plus, she went missing six years ago after a camping trip and then this week, an Illinois girl was found after someone spotted her from an episode of Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries". Her father will join us live with the incredible story.

President Biden is leaving Japan and headed back to Washington as debt ceiling negotiations stalled concerns about the debt ceiling have loomed over the G7 summit. Republicans have called for a deep spending cuts in exchange for their support to raise the nation's borrowing limit. But President Biden said that many of the demands made by Republicans are unacceptable. He says the possibility of raising revenue must be on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Part of what I've been arguing from the beginning is the need to consider the tax structure as well as -- as well as cutting spending. I'm willing to cut spending. I'm proposed cuts to spending over a trillion dollars.

But I believe we have to also look at the tax revenues. The idea that my Republican colleagues want to continue the $2 trillion tax cut that had profound negative impacts on the economy from the Trump administration.

There is a lot of things that they refused to entertain and they just said revenue is off the table. Well, revenues not off the table. And so, that's what I continue -- we continue to have a significant disagreement on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: We also heard from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who held meetings with several G7 leaders in Japan. In the end, Zelenskyy secured a new $375 million financial assistance package from the U.S. And the promise of advanced fighter jets from his European allies.

Now, the breakthrough in Japan happens as Russia's defense ministry and the Wagner mercenary group claim that they have captured Bakhmut. But Ukraine's president denies that the city is in Russian hands.

We have team coverage this morning. CNN's Sam Kiley is live on the ground in Ukraine with the very latest. We're going to begin, though, with Kevin Liptak in Japan.

And, of course, Kevin, the debt ceiling talks or lack thereof have been looming over much of the G7 summit. We heard Biden in that last press conference before he left back to the United States, using words like unacceptable and extreme to describe the Republicans' position. I mean, that doesn't sound very good, does it?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: No, the president really striking for quite a dire tone in his final press conference here. That is a shift from what we have been hearing over the previous couple of days.

The president over the course of the summit really sounding more optimistic, describing this bluster as more of what is expected in these talks. Now, the president really sort of laying down the line, describing Republicans as extreme in their proposals and really, reflecting the state of talks that are very far apart between White House aides and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Take a listen to a little bit more of what he said about the state of talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Now, it's time for the other side to move -- from their extreme positions because much of what they've already proposed is simply quite, frankly, unacceptable. Let me be clear: I'm not going to agree to a deal that protects, for example, $30 billion tax breaks for the oil industry which made $200 billion last year. They don't need an incentive of another $30 billion, while putting health care of 21 million Americans at risk by going after Medicaid.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LIPTAK: So, you see Air Force One taxiing there. But, really, the first order of business for the president when he gets in the air is this phone call with the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy had requested that President Biden said in his press conference that he hoped McCarthy simply wanted to talk to him and maybe get at negotiations back on track.

But this debt crisis certainly has overhung these summit talks even before President Biden arrived when he had to cut his truck and a half to return to Washington to deal with these negotiations.

[08:05:06]

It has been a topic of conversation among the world leaders. I don't think that should overshadow what a consequential G7 summit this has been. I think this is the ninth or tenth G7 that I have covered.

And I don't remember when that has produced so many outcomes and certainly the presidents of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy here in person, really galvanize these leaders, seeing him lineup with the G7 in that eighth spot that was once occupied by Russia when this was the G8, of course, before they were ejected because of the annexation of Crimea.

Really a powerful potent symbol against the backdrop of Hiroshima where the American atomic bomb blast really obliterated the city in 1945, really lending new significance to Zelenskyy's warnings of Russian escalation, really a powerful and symbolic summit but as President Biden departs, and other world leaders depart this threat of a default really acts as the biggest threat to global stability on the world stage at this very moment.

WALKER: Really, big sign of unity amongst the G7 leaders in some really pressing issues.

Kevin Liptak, thank you.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Kevin.

And we also, as Kim mentioned, we heard from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. He addressed claims from the Wagner group that the mercenaries have captured the city of Bakhmut. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I clearly understand what is taking place in Bakhmut. And we all clearly understand why all of that is taking place.

I cannot share with you the tactical of use of our military, of our warriors. But as of today, we can see that the country which dozens times is bigger than we are cannot occupy us, cannot win in this war, and we understand that a bit more and then we will be prevailing.

That is why we are acting how we are acting -- valuing lives of the people. The hardness if when Bakhmut had some military tactical mistake, for instance and people could be surrounded. Then, all the military know what could happen, how we could create the situation for people not to be captured.

Now, our people are accomplishing a very important mission. They are now in Bakhmut. I will not share where exactly but witnesses that Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Let's go now to CNN's Sam Kiley live in Ukraine.

Sam, what is the situation in Ukraine now?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, in Bakhmut, the Ukrainians, you heard from the president, his deputy defense minister has echoed those thoughts and made the point which is independently verifiable, that in the flanks around Bakhmut, the Ukrainians have been making some gains. Not massive, not as rapidly as they were a few days ago, but they have been resisting counterattacks.

But the broader point here is that notwithstanding the claims made by the Russians, as for the Ukrainians concerned, this is two things are going on. First of all, it's the natural ebb and flow of an ongoing battle in an around Bakhmut that isn't necessarily ongoing the Russian way.

And secondly, that this could provide ultimately a bridgehead for the Ukrainians if they were to take tactical advantage of what appears to be a Russian victory in the urbanized area of Bakhmut because that has now become, if the Russians are right and there are no Ukrainians there, a free fire zone. They are now arguably in the jaws of a military trap.

And maybe that that President Zelenskyy was saying he wouldn't be drawn on in talking about further. More widely I think the Ukrainians are delighted that the -- what President Zelenskyy's called the jet coalition is coalescing around the idea that the United States now is prepared to sanction the export of F-16s to Ukraine to the battle friend and indeed, the training of the Ukrainian pilots in the flying a fourth generation fighter bombers.

They won't be in time for the much more -- summer offensively will provide a considerable degree of strategic strength and depth in terms of their capabilities of striking deep behind Russian lines here inside Ukraine, and at the same time, ultimately, helping to protect Ukraine's borders if the Ukrainians are successful in attracting the Russians at some future date.

BLACKWELL: Sam Kiley for us there in southeastern Ukraine -- thank you, Sam.

With us now to discuss is retired Army Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. He's also served as former assistant secretary of state for political military affairs under President George W. Bush.

Thank you, sir, for being with us. Let's start with Bakhmut. If this war is a war of attrition and

certainly, Bakhmut is a battle of attrition, who really comes out of this months-long fight with the advantage?

[08:10:02]

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Neither. I think we understand at this point, that Bakhmut is symbolic. It's iconic but it's tactically insignificant.

It's much like Faulkner, sound and fury signifying nothing. Neither side will be at advantage or disadvantage. If they lose a city militarily, but, of course, it will have a psychological effect on the winner and the loser.

BLACKWELL: And is the psychological effect worth the investment for Ukraine?

KIMMITT: I think both sides think it's worth the investment. Obviously, there will be parades in Moscow if Bakhmut false, there will be parades and Kyiv of Bakhmut is held. It's more about innervating and energizing the civilian populations that there are victories to be had after these months and months of almost trench- like warfare.

But again, after the parades, everybody's going to say, okay, what was it worth?

BLACKWELL: Let's talk about the F-16s now. For a year, Ukraine has asked for planes. They've asked for air cover from the West. The U.S. and the West have said that they are giving Ukraine what they need, when they need it.

Considering that context and that justification, why F-16s now and not before?

KIMMITT: Well, I think we're recognizing that the war is not going as quickly as everybody would've anticipated. The counteroffensive is -- has not kicked off. And I think more important is the notion of getting the pilots ready so that if a decision is made by the United States to either give United States F-16s. Or the other countries come through F-16s. That the pilots will be ready to hop on those planes as soon as they arrive.

BLACKWELL: Do you think the president should be asked as confident? He said that he received a flat assurance from President Zelenskyy that F-16s supplied by the West would not be used to attack inside Russian territory. Should the president be as confident in that assurance as he appeared to be at the end of the G7?

KIMMITT: Well, I think Zelenskyy understands that he cannot continue to prosecute this war without continual aid coming from the West. We just announced another $375 million package, mostly HIMARS ammunition and other artillery ammunition.

If he violates the terms of that agreement, then it will be clear that it not only the U.S., but most of the West will stop the spigot of support. So that's a significant inducement for Zelenskyy not to use those F-16s inside of Russia.

BLACKWELL: Do you think this decision comes too late?

KIMMITT: I don't know. I'm not certain things sort changed had the F- 16s come earlier. Look, I think we've also got to understand that the F-16s will not be the wonder weapon. They'll not be a game-changer.

The Russians have a very, very capable air defense system there between the S-300s and the S-400s. It will allow the F-16s to attack some of those logistical bases but not much more.

Now, if you are talking about should we have provided all of this from the beginning of the war, that's a different question and it may have escalated far out of control.

So, I think at this point, most people would agree that Biden has either given equipment on time or just a little slow, but certainly nothing to be criticized for.

BLACKWELL: Yeah. On your point of giving everything at the top would've escalated this, and probably been seen by Putin as provocative. There's been the threat at every incremental addition to the support.

When the tanks came along, with the leopards were promised, when the Patriots missile system was promised from Russia that this is the line. Be careful, you're crossing it. Of course, it came again when the announcement of training of these pilots.

Is this any more provocative than any of the other additions to the -- at the cache of weapons and supports coming from the U.S. and others?

KIMMITT: No, I really don't think so. I think, in fact, the Russians will probably be less concerned about the F-16s coming in since it had the opportunity to get those advanced air defense weapon systems in. So, you're right.

Every time something comes in new, there is going to be this nuclear bluff and nuclear screaming and yelping coming out of Russia. But I think they understand that they're not willing to extend this war at this point beyond the territory (AUDIO GAP).

[08:15:02]

If they can't beat one of the smallest countries' armies in the region, there are certainly not going to be able to beat the combined armies of NATO.

BLACKWELL: All right. Retired Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, thank you.

WALKER: Coming up, a new warning for Black Americans. The NAACP issues a travel advisory for Florida, urging the Black community to avoid visiting or even moving to the state. We'll explain. Coming up, devastating scenes in El Salvador. At least a dozen people

are dead and 90 more injured after a crash at a soccer stadium. The latest on that.

And the week marks one year since one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. We're going to sit down with the father of one of the 19 children killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Time now to take a look at some of the top stories that we are following this hour.

[08:20:00]

The state of Minnesota is on track to legalize recreational marijuana after the state's legislature passed the bill and send it to the governor's desk. Democratic Governor Tim Walz has said he plans to sign the bill which would allow Minnesota residents 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana flower in public, and two pounds at home starting August 1st.

This would make Minnesota the 23rd state to legalize cannabis use for adults. The measure would also automatically expunge low-level marijuana convictions and create a board to review higher level offenses.

BLACKWELL: The NAACP has issued a travel advisory for Florida and is urging Black Americans to avoid visiting or moving to the state. According to the statement, the advisory comes in direct response to Republican Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history. It calls Florida openly hostile towards African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.

CNN has reached out to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for comment, but has not received a response.

WALKER: The Colombian military has deployed survival kits to aid for children aged 11 months to 13 years old who have been missing in the Amazon for more than two weeks after the plane they were aboard crashed in the jungle. They are believed to be still alive. Officials hope that if the missing children find those survival kits, which have been dropped in various locations and contain items like water, flour and fire starters, that they can use them to sustain themselves until help arrives.

The military has vowed to find the children as the incident has become a national concern in Colombia.

And we are following developments in El Salvador where at least 12 people were killed and dozens more injured after a crowd crushed yesterday at a soccer stadium in the country's capital.

BLACKWELL: A preliminary information from officials indicates the incident started after stampede of fans try to enter the arena to watch the game and authorities say, whoever the culprits are, that they will not go unpunished.

WALKER: CNN's Stefano Pozzebon is live in Bogota, Colombia, with the latest.

Stefano, what do we know about how this all transpired?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Yes, Amara, the authorities in El Salvador are still investigating what happened and what could create such madness, frankly. Some of the images that we're seeing on screen are shocking to imagine and even hard to watch.

These happened late last night in a match between Alianza and FAS, which are two of the most popular clubs in El Salvador soccer. Think about it as the Red Sox against the Yankees of the Yankee Stadium because they were playing at the Estadio Monumental Cuscatlan, which is the largest and the biggest in Central America. Over 50,000 fans are believed to have attended the match, which was a quarter finals of the national cup.

This is also a big test for the president of El Salvador who has tweeted that he wants to clarify every -- clarify the accident and wants to bring the people responsible to account, to justice. El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, has cemented his primaries in recent years with a clear disdain for democracy. But at the same time on the promise that he would bring back order and peace in the country that has a massive organized crime problem.

And, of, course these images that we're seeing are anything but peaceful and orderly. So, it's interesting to see how the president would react to these shocking accidents frankly and we have just heard that 12 people have died over 100 have been taken to hospital, Amara.

BLACKWELL: I'll take it. Stefano Pozzebon for us there -- thank you so much.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expected back in Italy today after appearing at the G7 in Japan. She'll be touring the Emilia- Romagna region in northern Italy which has been devastated by flooding and landslides.

WALKER: Our reporter Barbie Nadeau has the very latest on the natural disaster that has led to the death of at least 14 people and the evacuation of tens of thousands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Evacuations continue in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna where heavy flooding and landslides have displaced least 20,000 people. We've seen heroic rescues with the first responders trying to lift people from rooftops after their homes have been flooded. More than 500 roads have been washed out after almost 300 mudslides and landslides isolated some areas.

Now, they're trying to tell in some places, people to just stay in their homes, moving up to the upper levels until the water passes. We've seen reverse crest, we've seen continued rain. We've seen heroic, heroic evacuations take place.

The Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called her trip short to Japan at the G7 to tour the area on Sunday ahead of an emergency meeting which will be held Tuesday next week.

[08:25:06]

They should free up funds that have been desperately needed for the region.

Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Barbie, thank you.

Just ahead, a little girl allegedly abducted by her mother six years ago is now back with her father after she was found in North Carolina. And it's important thanks to a show on Netflix. That girl's father will be joining us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: An Illinois girl missing for nearly six years has been found in North Carolina. And it's all in thanks to a Netflix show called "Unsolved Mysteries".

Kayla Unbehaun was just nine years old when she was abducted from the town of South Elgin in Illinois. Her dad had full custody at the time. But she was with her mom when she disappeared.

Then last week at Nashville, North Carolina, nearly 700 miles away from Illinois, a store employee recognize the now 15-year-old. It was from this image that aired at the very end of an episode of "Unsolved Mysteries". That got her notice.

The girl is now safe. Her mother has been arrested and charged for the alleged abduction.

Here with me now is Kayla's father, Ryan Iskerka and his attorney John Vojta. Welcome to you both gentlemen.

Ryan, first of all, how are you doing, and how is Kayla processing all of this? I mean she was only 9 years old when she last saw you and now she is 15.

RYAN ISKERKA, FATHER OF KAYLA UNBEHAUN: It's hard to say exactly how she's processing it. I know it's very, very difficult for her, as it is for me and my whole family. You know, we have to completely start again in a sense.

And you know, she -- I'm going to have to build that trust with her all over again because of what happened. And we're all going to have to need a lot of help to get through this.

WALKER: I can't imagine how difficult the mixed emotions you must be feeling. Overjoyed to be reunited with her, but I'm sure there have been some tough conversations between the two of you.

ISKERKA: I'm trying not to press too much into that because I know it's very traumatizing for her. So I'm kind of going easy on that. I don't want to push too hard (AUDIO GAP) about what she's been through.

WALKER: What were the first moments like for you when you were reunited with Kayla after all this time? I mean you saw her for the first time, was it on Sunday or Saturday last week?

ISKERKA: Yes. It was on Sunday. Yes, because I had to drive out there right away and see her. And yes. It was difficult for her and me because, you know, for both of us seeing this person we hadn't seen in six years and, you know, I'm sure she was afraid and confused.

And me seeing her, it was -- it was surreal, because, you know, my last time I saw her she was 9 years old, and seeing a young woman and that was -- it was hard, but I had a lot of, you know, mixed emotions about that. But it was just -- it was so great to see her.

WALKER: I'm sure. I'm sure.

And John, walk us through, if you will, how an employee at a store in Asheville, North Carolina recognized Kayla? What was Kayla doing there? Who was she with, and how all of that led to Kayla and Ryan's reunion.

JOHN VOJTA, ATTORNEY FOR RYAN ISKERKA: We don't know all the circumstances. Ryan may know more than I do. But all we know is -- actually what I've read in the papers that she bonded out in North Carolina. I think she came back voluntarily to Illinois, turned herself in and she was freed on a $1,000 cash bond is what I understand.

I haven't had a chance to talk to the prosecutors yet, but I look forward to doing so.

WALKER: Yes. Because you're obviously not happy about the fact that, her name is Heather Unbehaun, that she is now out on bond. What are your concerns about that?

VOJTA: Well, of course. We're all very concerned that she would try to contact Kayla again and put her through, you know, even more difficulties. So yes, we're very concerned about that.

WALKER: And Ryan, I mean, what are your thoughts on this employee and how, you know, she recognized Kayla from an episode on Netflix, where her picture wasn't even, you know, shown for very long.

ISKERKA: I mean I don't know the details on that. That's something I learned as well in the news. So, I'm of course very thankful that that person chose to speak up, and you know, if I could thank that person, if they could somehow know that I'm very thankful that they had the courage to do that.

I think that's what it comes down to a lot in these cases of missing children, is somebody having the courage to contact authorities and not put their personal feelings in whatever, you know their feelings on a missing person on whatever they think the circumstances are of this person being missing and just leaving it to authorities to decide.

You know, that takes a lot of courage, and so yes, I'm so thankful that person was able to do that.

[08:34:52]

WALKER: We wish you all the best and peace in the days ahead as you try to reconnect with your daughter. Ryan Iskerka and John Vojta, thank you.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: California Senator Dianne Feinstein is expected back on Capitol Hill this week. Her third week of resuming senate duties since her return after a long bout with shingles.

WALKER: Her office confirmed this week that the senator developed a rare complication from the virus, post-shingles encephalitis. Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us to explain what that is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, encephalitis basically means inflammation of the brain. Itis means inflammation, encephala the brain.

[08:39:51]

DR. GUPTA: A lot of people have heard of meningitis. That is inflammation of the outer layers of the brain. But encephalitis oftentimes is inflammation of parts of the brain, or really all these different areas of the brain.

It can be a serious diagnosis, as you might imagine, it can also be difficult to discern sometimes. I mean you start with fever and headache, that could be lots of different things. People may have sensitivity to light, develop a stiff neck, mental confusion.

There was probably a high degree of suspicion with the senator, given that she had had shingles and that probably led to a variety of tests including imaging tests like an MRI scan to see if there's any evidence of inflammation, an EEG to see if there's a change in electrical activity of the brain, and even a lumbar puncture.

What you do, you put a needle into the spine to take some fluid and examine that spinal fluid to see if there's any indication of encephalitis.

Again it could be a challenge in diagnosis and some of the short term symptoms like fever and headache may go away, but some of the other symptoms such as confusion or memory problems, they may persist. That's rarely. It's rarely associated with shingles.

Another thing rarely associated with singles is Ramsay Hunt, which is something the senator also seems to have had. People have heard of shingles.

This is caused by a virus that typically causes chickenpox as a child and then the virus never really goes away. It stays dormant, and gets reactivated some time as an adult.

It can affect all of these different nerves in the body, including this nerve here, the facial nerve. When that nerve is affected, people can develop weakness or even paralysis of the face. They may develop those rashes or lesions all over the face. It can be very painful. They can be in the ear, the eye and the mouth.

If someone is given antivirals and steroids, they recover more quickly, but it still can take a while to recover from Ramsay Hunt as well.

Now it's similar to Bell's Palsy, except that with Ramsay Hunt it's typically something that's more severe and lasts longer which is why the shingles vaccine is recommended.

Get to age 50, the shingles vaccine is recommended. You get one dose of that, one dose and then another two to six months later. You take it between the ages of 50 and 69. It's a 97 percent sort of effectiveness. After the age of 70, it's still very effective. So even if you've not taken it in the first two decades, you should still get it, because you still get 91 percent effectiveness.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.

And still to come as we approach one year since the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, families are still desperately searching for answers. The father of one of those victims, 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, joins us next.

[08:42:36]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: This week marks the one year anniversary of one of the most deadly school shootings in American history. On May 24th of last year, a gunman walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and killed 19 students and two teachers.

In the year since the shooting, we have learned about numerous law enforcement failures on that day. It took 77 minutes for the nearly 400 responding officers to confront the killer as children inside called 911, begging for help. Families in the community have been demanding for full accountability for a year now.

One of the victims was 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza. She had just celebrated her birthday just two weeks before she was killed in her classroom.

We're joined now by her stepfather, Angel Garza. And Angel, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

I can't imagine it gets any easier. We're coming up on the one year of Amerie's death. How do you get up every morning?

ANGEL GARZA, STEPFATHER OF AMERIE JO GARZA: I guess every day is different. Some days are definitely easier than others. Kimberly and my son, Zane, really you know, keep me going. I know I have to be strong for my family.

Don't get me wrong. Some days it's like -- seems like it's impossible. I mean, you wake up and it seems like you're just right there at the first day, and you want everything, you just want it to only be a dream. Yes that's -- I'm sorry.

(CROSSTALK)

WALKER: Her little brother, I'm sorry to cut you off there. You mentioned Zane, is that her little brother? How old is he? I can't imagine, he must be asking still so many questions about her.

GARZA: Yes. So Zane is 4. They were super close. Amerie was, you know, his best friend, you know. He got in trouble with me and mommy, both Amerie, she was just everything to him. She was so patient with him. She loved to play with him. Loved to teach him things.

I don't think he's quite old enough to really understand the severity of what happened. But he definitely realizes, you know, his sister isn't here anymore.

WALKER: You know, there are so many failures from that day. And we know that getting details from law enforcement and investigators about what exactly happened that day have been extremely difficult, even until today. If you had questions that you can get answered right now, what would you ask them?

[08:49:53]

GARZA: As into what I would ask, who am I asking these questions?

WALKER: To the people who were in charge that day, and the officers who, you know, didn't go in, even though they were hearing the gunshots happening?

GARZA: I don't -- I don't believe I would have any questions for them. I don't think anything that they could say would be able to justify the things that we saw on that video that day. There's just no excuse.

Like I said, I mean I've seen officers around town -- and it's just not -- yes, there's nothing they can say that can justify why they waited outside, while, you know -- I don't get how you can hear these things going on and be more concerned about your life than a child's.

WALKER: Do you have thoughts? I mean, what goes through your mind when you remember that day? Because You were outside the school as this was happening, right?

GARZA: Yes, ma'am. So I work probably like four blocks from the school, and I was -- I mean, I was there by maybe like 11:40-ish, before most of the police were there.

And it makes me mad thinking about it now, because it -- I mean, we're standing there and they are lying to us telling us one thing, you know, it is not an active shooter situation. And it makes you mad because you think about all the different ways that you would have, you know, played the situation, had you known what exactly was going on.

WALKER: Of course. Well, Angel Garza, I know it is so difficult for anyone, any parent to still talk about this almost a year later. We thank you for your time and wishing you and your family peace in the days ahead. Thank you.

Make sure you tune in to the new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER" tonight as Shimon Prokupecz returns to Uvalde, Texas where the community is still seeking answers and families have turned to CNN for the footage that Texas authorities refuse to release. That is tonight at 8:00 p.m. on CNN.

We'll be right back.

[08:52:44]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: There is a severe storm risk in place for parts of the northwest that might help shift any smoke from the wildfires in Canada that has been blowing into the U.S.

WALKER: CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is at the weather center. Allison, so this could give these areas a break from the haze?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. so it's kind of a good news/bad news thing because yes you want some rain to be able to move in not only to help put the fires out but also clear a lot of the smoke out and be able to improve a lot of the air quality in the region.

The flip side to that is we're not just talking regular rain, we're talking strong to severe thunderstorms. So you also have that potential for areas of eastern Washington, portions of western Montana, Idaho, as well as Oregon as these rounds of showers and thunderstorms roll through later today.

There will be the potential for some damaging wind and even some large hail for some of these communities. We're talking Spokane all the way down through Boise as we go into the afternoon and also into the evening hours.

But again that is really just going to be the focus out into the west. Elsewhere across the country it is warm. You're starting to get that sneak preview of summer in a lot of these places with the exception of down across Florida where we do also have the potential for some showers.

The key thing for Florida is it is not just today that is going to be a series of rain showers over the next several days. And when you factor all of that in, you are looking at some pretty high rainfall totals over the next several days. Just through Tuesday, again, you can see most of the area of Florida looking at widespread 2 to 5 inches of rain. Some areas could pick up even as much as 6 or 7 inches of rain when it is all said and done.

But not just Florida. Also areas of Alabama and Georgia also looking at repeated showers and thunderstorms across the region, which in turn could also produce, ending up maybe about 2 to 4 inches of rain just over the next three days. Back to you.

BLACKWELL: Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

Look back at Barack Obama's historic presidency and the defining moments that shaped the decade's politics. The "CNN ORIGINAL SERIES: THE 2010s" continues with "Obama: Legacy on the Line". Here is a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Boehner had been in congress for a long time when he becomes the speaker of the house.

JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I like the president personally. We get along well. But the president isn't leading.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: During 2010 he encouraged Tea Partiers to run. But initially he is setting out and saying, I'm going to work with Obama. We're going to work on issues like the budget together.

That quickly falls apart. As Congress debates raising the debt ceiling many Tea Partiers are saying we won't do it, which means the whole nation will go into default.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:59:53]

BLACKWELL: You can catch that tonight at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

And thanks so much for joining us this morning.

WALKER: "STATE OF THE UNION" is next.

Have a great day, everyone.