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CNN This Morning

Witnesses to Testify Tuesday before Georgia Grand Jury; GOP Candidates Flock to Iowa to Court Voters; States Prepare for Triple Threat of Respiratory Viruses; Damar Hamlin in First NFL Game Since Cardiac Arrest; NOAA's Warning for this Year's Hurricane Season. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired August 13, 2023 - 08:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOBBY FLAY, FOOD NETWORK HOST (voice-over): But they're not going over the dinner specials.

[08:00:02]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's really meaningful is when you look at the percentage of sales comparative to last year, that's a huge jump.

They're in a meeting with Kachka owners Bonnie and Israel Morales who are discussing the restaurant's finances.

FLAY: One of the things that you guys do that I haven't really seen a lot of is that you share your P&L statement, your profit and loss statements, with your employees. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you're faced with something catastrophic and it turns your whole house upside down, like you can't go back to old practices sometimes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Don't miss the new episode of the whole story with Anderson Cooper tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.

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SOLOMON: Good morning to you, and welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. It is Sunday, August 13th. I'm Rahel Solomon, in today for Victor Blackwell.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Amara Walker.

Good to be with you, Rahel.

SOLOMON: Thank you.

WALKER: And thank you for spending a part of your morning with us. A lot of news to get to this morning and here is what we're watching for you. The Fulton County Georgia district attorney investigating former President Donald Trump and his attempts to interfere in Georgia's election is expected to present her case to the grand jury this week. What we're learning about some of the key witnesses ordered to testify.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOSH GREEN (D-HI): This is the largest natural disaster we've ever experienced. It's also going to be a natural disaster that's going to take an incredible amount of time to recover from.

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SOLOMON: The death toll from the Maui wildfires jumped to 93, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in the past century. We're live in Maui as help pours in and we're also hearing from residents who say they are frustrated with the response.

WALKER: Doctors are warning of a triple threat this fall as a new COVID variant emerges. Their concerns heading into cold and flu season and what we're doing -- what we should be doing to prepare.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAMAR HAMLIN, BUFFALO BILL'S SAFETY: I'm back in the element. I'm back in that mode. Just back, a part of my team.

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SOLOMON: And back in action. Buffalo Bill's safety Damar Hamlin stepping back an on the field just seven months after collapsing midgame from a sudden cardiac arrest. Highlights from his big return just ahead on CNN THIS MORNING.

WALKER: We are learning new information about the efforts by Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Now, sources say prosecutors have texts and emails linking Trump's legal team to a voting system breach in Coffee County, Georgia.

SOLOMON: This comes as the district attorney investigating Trump in Georgia appears to be close to an indictment. D.A. Fani Willis is expected to see charges against more than a dozen people. She is likely to begin making her case to the grand jury this week.

CNN reporter Marshall Cohen has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, Rahel and Amara.

It looks like all systems are go for the Fulton County district attorney to present her case to a grand jury early this week, possibly as soon as tomorrow in the investigation of former President Donald Trump and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. CNN previously reported that this was expected in the coming days, but

we now know that some of the key witnesses who were subpoenaed to testify were told specifically to show up on Tuesday. And the grand jury meets on Mondays and Tuesdays.

One of those witnesses is an independent journalist named George Chidi, and in 2020, he actually witnessed some of the fake pro-Trump electors meeting in the state house in Atlanta. Another key figure who will head to the grand jury this Tuesday is former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan.

Here is what he told our colleague, Fredricka Whitfield, yesterday about the subpoena.

GEOFF DUNCAN (R), FORMER GEORGIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: I did just receive notification to appear on Tuesday morning at Fulton County grand jury, and I certainly will be there to do my part in recounting the facts.

I have no expectations as to the questions, and I will certainly answer whatever questions put in front of me. And I certainly don't go on a deeper than that to jeopardize or compromise the investigation. But, look, for me, this is a story that is important for Republicans to here, Americans stay here. Let's hear the whole truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about Donald Trump's actions and the surrounding cast of characters around him.

COHEN: Duncan, who is now a CNN contributor, is a Republican. And he was in office when Trump tried to pressure state officials to flip the results and overturn the will of the Georgia voters. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, an elected Democrat, launched criminal probe in 2021. The investigation has steadily expanded over the years and Fani Willis is now scrutinizing Trump's attempts to interfere with the vote counting in the election certification. She's also looking at the fake electors scheme, as well as breaches by Trump supporters of an election system in rural Coffee County.

State prosecutors are expected to give that one or two-day presentation to the grand jury this week, presumably starting tomorrow.

[08:05:05]

CNN has previously reported that prosecutors are eyeing racketeering and conspiracy charges known as RICO, and Fani Willis is expected to pursue indictments against perhaps more than a dozen defendants, Trump's allies in the state of Georgia.

Now, the former president has already been indicted on federal charges stemming from his attempts to subvert the 2020 election, and disenfranchise voters. He pleaded not guilty in that federal case, and he's argued that the Atlanta probe is just another witch hunt -- Amara and Rahel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right. Marshall, thank you.

And for a closer look now at how a fourth Trump indictment could potentially play out, let's bring in Darryl Cohen. He is a former Fulton County assistant district attorney.

Welcome, and thanks so much for coming in.

DARRYL COHEN, FORMER FULTON COUNTY ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Thank you. Good morning.

WALKER: So walk us through how all of this -- you expect to play out starting tomorrow? Because there's going to be a grand jury presentation by Fani Willis, they will be testimonies. And also talk about the timing, when you expect an indictment, if there is one to be handed out?

COHEN: I suspect there will be an indictment this week. And the testimony will be very simple, short, the investigative grand jury put it together. They wrapped it up, put it in a ball, put it in a nice piece of evidence.

Now, this grand jury has the ability to indict or, have a truth bill, or not indict. And frankly, when I was in the day of office, we used to say a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich. Well here, it's Donald Trump.

And this has been a complete circus and it will continue to be a circus, because we are speculating -- I'm not talking about the D.A.'s office doing the circus, but it's part of it. It's the law of unintended consequences.

SOLOMON: You know, one of the people that the grand jury will hear from, we expect, is the former lieutenant governor, Republican Geoff Duncan, who is, of course, also a CNN contributor.

I want to play a clip of what I told my colleague Fredricka Whitfield about what this investigation and we'll discuss. Take a listen.

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DUNCAN: I think the interesting part of this indictment is different than the others, is that it's going to be signaling that there's 12- plus co-conspirators. And these folks don't have the same level of loyalty they had to Trump when he was trying to change the election outcome in 2020, so it can be interesting to see which way they go. And, you know, these are serious charges that are being signaled, racketeering, conspiracy, RICO. I mean, these are things really kind of garnered for the mafia or the mob.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: I mean, there was a lot there. One, just the sprawling sense of this investigation in terms of who else might be sort of involved in this coconspirators. But also the potential charges here. Walk me through some of the standards that would have to be met to pursue charges, such as racketeering, or conspiracy. COHEN: Well, the start -- the grand jury doesn't need as much as a

real jury. The grand jury is saying, we have enough evidence that we believe we can go forward and obtain a conviction. A real jury, once it's out of the grand jury stage, wants a true bill, or official charges have been brought. The real jury has to decide, if it ever gets there, is he guilty or are they guilty beyond the exclusion of every reasonable doubt?

So that's a whole different situation. When we are talking about RICO, that's both the best and the worst --

WALKER: The racketeering --

COHEN: The racketeering.

WALKER: Yeah.

COHEN: The racketeering means that the D.A.'s office can reach out throughout Georgia, wherever something was criminal, related to this incident, and bring it in to the indictment, bring it into the trial. That way, something that happened in a different part of Georgia, can be made a part of the trial that will take place here in Fulton County. That's great. The bad side is, it's a lot more difficult to prove.

And also, we talk about the number of people indicted, or will likely be indicted.

When it's me that's going to be indicted, I'm going to start rolling, because I'm going to worry about my own skin. I don't want to go to prison. I don't want to be convicted.

If it's you, then it's different.

WALKER: Right.

COHEN: It's no longer you. It's me, or we.

WALKER: I want to ask you, Darryl, about some new reporting we have. And that's that Atlanta prosecutors actually have -- they are in possession of text messages and emails directly connecting members of Trump's legal team to the earlier January, 2021 voting system breach in Coffee County. How do you read into that? How significant is it?

COHEN: By itself, it's not significant as all. Taken -- put together piece by piece, it becomes extraordinarily significant. Because you can charge someone and go okay, what did he do? What did they do?

But here, those texts will show a line, a direct line, to what took place in Fulton County, and as a result of that, it's going to take a long time to try this case, because you're going to have to convince every juror, not just one, but all 12, and some of the alternates, that what they are charged with, that is the defendants, that they are guilty of.

[08:10:16] And we haven't seen the indictment, I can speculate it's going to be lengthy, and it's going to take up very long time to prove it.

SOLOMON: Can I ask you really, quickly, unfortunately we're running out of time here. But you know Fani Willis. Obviously, she has been attacked by the former president and others, what can you tell us about the way she works? What can you tell us about Fani Willis?

COHEN: Fani is honest. She's a career prosecutor. She was out for a little while defending people. She does what she thinks is right.

She doesn't do it for political reasons. She does it because Fani Willis in her heart knows the law, knows the ethics, and knows what should or should not be done. And the fact that she's attacked, and be surprised if she wasn't.

WALKER: We were also talking about some dry runs that were done this week, and a lot of security outside the courthouse. So the preparations have been made. And we'll see how it all plays out.

Darryl Cohen, thank you for coming in.

COHEN: Thanks, y'all.

WALKER: All right. Turning now to the Lahaina fire, which is now the deadliest fires in the U.S. in over 100 years. The death toll now stands at 93. Hawaii's governor is warning that that death toll will go up as crews make their way through some of the hardest hit areas.

SOLOMON: Yeah, the scale of the damage was so vast that so far, this is hard to even believe -- only 3 percent of the fire zone has been searched with cadaver dogs. That's according to officials there.

And this morning, frustration just continues to mount for survivors, hoping to return to Lahaina to check on their homes, to see the damage. This video showing just the line of cars trying to get back to Lahaina. The main highway into the historic town has been opened, and that it was close, and then it was opened, most times, with little to no warning.

Let's bring in CNN's Gloria Pazmino. She joins us now from Maui.

Gloria, what are you seeing this morning? What are you hearing this morning?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that video that you showed of those cars lined up -- that was here in this place we are standing right now, yesterday. This is the area what people were told to come if they want to head back into Lahaina, to get them a chance, as you said, to get an idea what's happened with their property, what damage the buildings have suffered, to try and assess just how much people have lost.

Now, I want to give you an idea of what exactly we are. This is route 30, right here. And just behind us is a highway that would lead into Lahaina. There's only one way in, and one way out. But as you can see right now, this is pretty desolate, with the exception of the police vehicles here behind us. That is because this road he was closed to passenger vehicles yesterday, and it is exclusively now going to be used as a road for service vehicles and convoys of supplies and other official vehicles that are coming through the area to help in the recovery effort.

Now, that is creating a lot of frustration. It is hard to navigate around the island, and people are now being sent to another location, which would take them much longer to loop around and eventually make it back to where they are trying to get to, to town. So that is creating a lot of frustration among people trying to get back. I want you to hear from them directly, while they were waiting yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVEN DALKER, RESIDENT: They told us that three miles back, couldn't have been on a bullhorn or on the radio? Just pathetic.

GLORIA DALKER, RESIDENT: You sit here for an hour. The route they are trying to make us take is a dangerous route. Even on a good day.

TODD DORNECK, RESIDENT: We're trying to do the most we can, but it's really frustrating that you can't. We have better place I can open up, the power to stay, but I can't get to it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now, you can hear there that people are starting to lose patience. Now, I do want to note, the reason they are being so strict is because the area remains extremely dangerous. We've heard from the governor and other local officials yesterday, that the reason people are not being allowed back in is because it's just simply not safe. More importantly, is the fact that search and recovery operations are still ongoing, as you said, only 3 percent of the area has been searched.

We are expecting the death toll to continue to increase, as those teams get out there, with cadaver dogs hoping to find more victims, and just try to get a sense of how much has been lost here. But, caught in the middle, are the people that are trying to get back, and trying to get a sense of what they can do next, and how they can start -- what's going to be, surely, a long recovery effort -- Amara.

SOLOMON: All right, Gloria Pazmino, live for us here.

[08:15:00]

Thank you, Gloria.

And we continue just here harrowing tales of escape this morning. Mike Cicchino captured terrifying videos of the flames, approaching as he tried to flee the fires last week. The Lahaina resident believe that believed that he was going to die, so he called his family, he said his goodbyes, he and his wife got trapped on Lahaina. And they were forced to jump over the seawall to stay safe from the flames, but they did make it out, but with no cell service, he wasn't able to tell us family that he was alive. But eventually as we can see in this photo here, they were reunited.

And this is all, take a look at this, that's the left of the house in Jordan Saribay's neighborhood. He and his grandmother got no warning to leave he tells us and didn't make a run until it was almost too late. Jordan said that when they saw the flames approaching, that's when they knew it was time to go, but with only one way out, they couldn't know if they would make it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORDAN SARIBAY, MAUI FIRE VICTIM: We were inching. We were not moving at all that fast. So what felt like what may have been only like 5 to 10 minutes felt like an eternity because you just watch, you see the smoke get closer, you see, in the furthest distance, you can see the houses, the trees, is catching on fire already.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: We are joined on the phone now by Steve Scott, who made a narrow escape himself when the flames rushed through Maui last week.

Steve, thank you for being here with us on the phone. So, walk us through what happened to you and your family on Tuesday. I mean, when did you first notice that the fire was approaching.

STEVE SCOTT, MAUI FIRE VICTIM (via telephone): Well, the winds were just were extremely high maybe in the 50 to 60, 70 miles per hour range. Then we smelled smoke, and then we started seeing a fire over at plantation there in Lahainaluna road, I got a hose and special nozzle and I was just getting the roofs and trying to fight the fire. My wife was behind me and she was trying to fight the fire when it just totally trapped us.

We literally dropped the hoses. I didn't have a chance to grab my wallet, not a single thing. We left and ran, just ahead of the flames. We ran over to the harbor, and the flames were coming right behind us.

I then put her in touch with a friend and ran her down to prison street, walked her down there. And then I went back to see them fighting the fire a bit more. Jumping in the ocean was not an option for me because at the harbor, the boats were on fire, leaking gas and oil into the water. So the water was on fire. So I didn't -- I didn't see that as an option.

But my wife and I got separated for about 30 hours. I stayed in Lahaina because it's our home. That's our culture. That's our history.

I mean, there is so much history and artifacts, and Lahaina town is everything, and I just could not get in a car and drive away. We had to fight.

SOLOMON: Talk to me a little bit about what communications have been like. As you said, you were separated for 30 hours with your wife. How did you reunite? How did you reconnect?

SCOTT: You know, truly, I need to have a sign made or something in a future home. We lost everything. We lost our home. My car blew up. I mean, everything, literally, my shirt.

And we have been -- this is our fifth night in a car, and we don't even know whose car it is. We are here at the harbor. I heard a description. We are next to the highway that leads to the west of Maui. And of course, we can't go anywhere.

So this was our fifth night here. Now, we did to get separated, and truly by kind of -- by tremendous grace. My wife was able to make it somehow. She had been fighting down in Launiupoko and then Olowalu, as she got pushed further and further out of west Maui. She ended up making it to Walmart to get a charger. I don't know exactly how she got there.

I ended up fighting all the way and then a police officer asked me to take some people in a vehicle to the hospital. And I didn't want to leave west Maui. But I went ahead and did it.

And now, I'm in that car. I took the people to the hospital. And now, I am in that car. And I don't know whose car it is. It's a nice car.

So, anyway, to answer your question, she got a charger and started somewhere charging her phone. And I found the man who had 6 percent left, and he had no family. He lost everything also.

I said, can I use your phone to make one attempt to call my wife? We had one shot. And I called her, she answered, unbelievable.

[08:20:02]

And I just said, be quiet. Tell me, get to the McDonald's in Wailuku -- it is just a building now, but just get there.

This big truck pulls up, big diesel truck. I had no idea who this was. And she was in there. She pops out.

So, we got together again I guess late Wednesday night or Thursday morning, the days are kind of funny.

SOLOMON: Yes, Steve, it is so nice to talk to you, and it is so nice to hear the story of you and your wife reuniting. And it's just really awful, awful tragedy. We get these sort of glimpses of stories of people reuniting and reconnecting, and it offers just a bit of some heartening news.

Steve Scott, we're glad you are okay. And we appreciate you being on the program today, thank you.

And for more information on how you can help the Maui wildfire victims, go to CNN.com/impact, or you can text Hawaii to 707070 to donate.

WALKER: So glad to hear that he reunited with his wife, what a relief.

Well, just months after he collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest during a game, football star Damar Hamlin returns to the field. We're going to have more on his incredible comeback.

Also, scientists have warned that record hot temperatures are having a negative impact on the ocean's ecosystem.

Coming up, what they say it could mean for the number of hurricanes this season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:25:34]

SOLOMON: Welcome back.

President Biden is asking Congress to approve a temporary housing program for migrants. According to a homeland security official, the money would come from a broader funding request.

WALKER: Officials have seen an uptick of families crossing the southern U.S. border.

CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright joining us now.

Good morning, Jasmine.

So, fill us in on the president's plan, and whether it's likely to be approved?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Amara, it's certainly going to set up a fight between the Biden administration and Republicans and Congress. But you're right. It comes after officials have been monitoring a steady uptick of migrant families crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

So, the Biden administration is requesting about $2.7 billion in funding for border management operations from Congress. That is part of a larger $40 billion funding request from the administration to Congress that would fund key priorities, like Ukraine, like disaster relief, and also the border.

Now, a homeland security official tells CNN that this money are part of that $2.7 billion, would go to setting up this new temporary facilities for migrant families to say, as they go through asylum, potentially deportation processes.

Now, we know from that homeland security official that this is kind of a new concept here when it comes to families crossing the border, and border management. It would be new facilities that allow families to go in and out of these facilities but they must check in and they must remain overnight.

Now, when we talk to officials, they were very quickly quick to say that they not believe this is a family detention program, that the Biden administration and did that in 2021. Instead, they say this was a humane way to deal with migrant families. We know a variable, broad border population as they continue to cross the border after Title 42, that pandemic era policy on migration was lifted earlier this year. Now, to punctuate this point, the homeland security official told CNN,

and I want to read you this in a quote, they said this supplemental package would allow DHS to fund temporary housing facilities and services to manage families through immigration process quickly, and facilitate the removal for those who do not have a legal basis to stay.

Now, of course, the Biden administration is not the first administration to deal with migrant families crossing the border, but it is currently the one that is in power. So therefore, they are trying to get ahead of this, potentially growing problem and deal with it. And what they call in a humane way.

But of course, it could face some contention when it comes to Congress. But we know that migration is an issue that President Biden is judge very intensely on as we head closer and closer to the 2024 election, which he wants to be reelected for -- Amara.

SOLOMON: Of course, he does.

Jasmine Wright, thank you.

All right. Still ahead for us, an Atlanta prosecutor has made the most significant indication yet, on the decision to seek indictments and the investigation of how Trump and others tried to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. We'll discuss after the break.

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[08:32:26]

WALKER: As soon as tomorrow, the Fulton County D.A. in Georgia could start presenting her case to a grand jury as former Donald Trump faces a possible fourth indictment.

SOLOMON: This case is related to Trump's alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in that state and we've learned that some of the key witnesses subpoenaed to testify have been told to show up on Tuesday.

We're joined by "STATE OF THE UNION" host and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper. Jake, good morning. Always good to see you.

So we also learned this morning --

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Good morning.

SOLOMON: We also learned this morning that Atlanta area prosecutors have text messages and emails directly connecting members of Trump's legal team to a voting system breach in early 2021. Jake, as you know, we get keeping these drips of information. But his opponents -- Trump's opponents are still reluctant to try to capitalize. I mean what is the calculus?

TAPPER: Well many of them are that way, they have been pretty mum about all of this. There have been a few that have been willing to criticize former President Trump. Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson, two former governors and former Congressman Will Hurd from Texas who will be on "STATE OF THE UNION" later today.

I think a lot of the individuals running for president against Trump are afraid of contradicting the narrative that Trump and others in the right wing media like Fox and others on Capitol Hill, like the Matt Gaetzes of the world has been pushing out there this lie that the election was stolen and they are afraid of upsetting the Republican base which has been fed this lie now for several years and according to polls, largely believe it.

WALKER: And as we are watching this weekend, Jake, you know, the Republican candidates, many of them were at the Iowa state fair, the place where they all have to go to court voters before the Iowa caucuses.

There were no real breakout moments for some of them. Of course, President Trump's dominating the conversation. Will it be more important to watch for the governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds and who she may endorse knowing just how popular she is at least with the party?

TAPPER: I agree that that is the key. I would contradict you on one thing. Vivek Ramaswamy rapping one shot from Eminem's "Eight Mile". I would call that a breakout moments of sorts. Not necessarily that will help him get elected president. But just as an observer, I was pretty impressed with the rap skills.

[08:34:47]

TAPPER: But that said, I agree. The most important player in Iowa politics right now is their very popular two-term Republican Governor Kim Reynolds who is perceived to be supportive of Ron DeSantis although she has not endorsed anyone as of yet. Although she said she might before the caucuses in January.

SOLOMON: Jake, I want to put politics aside for just a moment and grab something over here because you have your third book under your belt. Not only are you our chief Washington correspondent and host of "STATE OF THE UNION" but also writing now your third book.

Tell us a little bit more about "All The Demons", what it's about and what people can expect.

TAPPER: So "All The Demons Are Here" is a thriller that takes place in 1977. And it is such a fascinating year. I was eight years old so I don't remember a ton of it. And I'm guessing that neither of you, your parents were at that point. But I will say it was a weird era and a lot of fun to write about.

You have this celebrity stuntman Evil Knievel, you have the death of Elvis, you have the summer of Sam, the Son of Sam murderer, the serial killer in New York City, the rise of tabloid journalism, the New York City blackout and a whole bunch of other things going on. It was a real period of distrust in this country after Watergate and after the Vietnam War. So I have two main characters who are the kids of the heroes of my

first two novels. Ike is an AWOL Marine, Lucy is an aspiring journalist and I put them in these adventures that intertwine and deal with the 70s but also deal with just some classic thriller questions and whodunit questions.

WALKER: Some of, you know, the story lines in your book obviously mirrors some of what, you know, we're seeing today, right. So how do you choose, you know, what reality that the real things that are happening today to go into your fictional book?

TAPPER: Well, I tried to just pick things that will make the book the best. It is all in service to the readers. So there is -- there are threads of Evil Knievel that have to do with leaders today, politicians today. I have Evil Knievel running a fictitious race for president. And there is 1977 it was the rise of tabloid journalism and one of the main characters Lucy works for a tabloid that is loosely based on Rupert Murdoch and what he did with the "New York Post" and some other newspapers.

But those are just threads for me to play with. It is really all about just telling the best story and having the most exciting yarn for readers to dive into. I know that when I write a book, I'm not only competing with other novelists, I'm competing with Twitter, I'm competing with Threads, I'm competing with Netflix, I'm competing with you guys. So, I need to make sure I'm writing as compelling a novel as possible.

SOLOMON: Yes, very competitive time. Jake, I will say that if you get around to a fourth book, the 80s and the 90s were also a very interesting few decade and Amara and I know --

WALKER: We can tell you what it was like --

SOLOMON: Right, we know about those things.

(CROSSTALK)

WALKER: I was in one of those decades. I won't tell you which one. Thank you Jake.

SOLOMON: Jake Tapper, thank you. Good to see you.

TAPPER: I don't think you know the 80s. I don't think you know the 80s.

SOLOMON: The 90s.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: I'll hit you up when I get to the 90s. Ok.

WALKER: Sounds good.

We both have a copy of your book so we'll definitely be delving into it. Thanks so much Jake. The book is called "All the Demons Are Here". TAPPER: Awesome. Thanks, guys.

WALKER: And of course, make sure because you know when he's not writing a book, he's also anchoring. Jake at the top of the hour will be on "STATE OF THE UNION" and will sit down with Republican presidential candidate and former congressman, Will Hurd.

He will also be joined by Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono and Congressman Dan Goldman. That's at 9:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

SOLOMON: In the meantime, still ahead for us, states are with gearing up for a triple threat of flu, COVID and RSV this fall. Everything you need to know, coming up next.

[08:38:33]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Your other headlines this morning. Police say they are looking for five suspects in Philadelphia after a shooting near a basketball court in the north end of the city Friday. Officials say two young men were killed, two others were injured and a search is now underway for the suspects.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER JAMES KELLY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: It does seem like they had a specific group or person they were going after. If it is one group against another group, that is what we have to be concerned with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: No arrests have been made so far. Patrols are monitoring that playground area.

SOLOMON: Now to a flash mob that struck a high-end store in southern California making off with about $300,000 worth of merchandise. Police say a group of at least 30 suspects rushed into the Yves St. Laurent store in Glendale overwhelming the staff.

The owner of shopping complex now offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. And health officials across the U.S. are warning that we could be

facing a viral triple threat this fall as a new COVID variant emerges.

WALKER: The CDC said COVID hospitalizations are increasing for the first time since early this year. And experts also say they are bracing for a possible surge IN RSV and flu cases in the fall.

CNN's Jacqueline Howard has more.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Amara and Rahel, this fall is the first time we'll have immunizations against the triple threat of viruses. Seasonal flu, COVID and RSV. And for the flu, vaccines are already available at some pharmacies and doctor's offices for everyone six months and older. For COVID we're expecting an updated vaccine to be ready in the coming weeks. And then for RSV, there is an injection available for newborns that can prevent infections and a vaccine available for adults 60 and older.

We're also hearing that some states may host vaccine events this fall to make it easier for people to get their immunizations. In a briefing this week, state health officials said they are preparing for anything to happen this season.

Here's Connecticut State Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani.

[08:45:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MANISHA JUTHANI, CONNECTICUT HEALTH COMMISSIONER: We're in uncharted territory. We don't really know what the season is going to look like and it is going to look different in different areas of the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD: And to prepare for this flu season, health officials have a saying called flu before boo. That means to try to get your flu shot preferably before Halloween, sometime in mid to late September or October.

And some health officials say that that Halloween deadline can be applied to getting your COVID shot and RSV vaccines as well if you're eligible. Back to you.

WALKER: Jacqueline, thank you.

So what is it really like for restaurants in the post pandemic world. Well The Food Network's Bobby Flay joins "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER" to see how the industry is adapting.

Don't miss the new episode tonight at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

SOLOMON: Coming up for us, his students call him Mr. W. to baseball fans, he's a winner. Coming up the story of the substitute teacher who dominated big league batters. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: So, just over seven months after a cardiac arrest caused him to collapse on the field, Bills safety Damar Hamlin is back in action.

SOLOMON: Yes. The 25-year-old played in Buffalo's first preseason game yesterday.

Coy Wire joins us now. So Coy, the score didn't count, the moment does.

[08:50:00]

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

SOLOMON: Absolutely.

WIRE: Well, the score did count because the Bills won. And I'll count that.

SOLOMON: Ok.

(CROSSTALK)

WIRE: But imagine, you know, seven months after his dying on the field after trying to tackle someone, imagine the emotions he must have been feeling yesterday, his first game back. Before the game, there he was, he was sharing an embrace with one of his heroes of the day, Denny Kellington, the trainer who performed CPR to save his life during that Monday night football game.

Now, during this game, Hamlin made three tackles all in the first quarter alone. One was a big fourth down stop. Coach Sean McDermott calling it a remarkable display of courage, strength, and faith.

The Bills win 23-19. Hamlin signing a jersey afterwards and then watch this, he runs it over and hands it to his mom. Here's Hamlin on how he felt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAMAR HAMLIN, NFL PLAYER: Amazing. You know what I'm saying? Just makes me feel like I'm back in that element. I'm back in that mode. Back -- a part of my team.

And you know, I honestly couldn't imagine not being a part of this. When you step in between the lines, you're putting yourself at risk by hesitating and by reserving yourself. You know what I'm saying? So I made the choice that I wanted to play.

It wasn't nobody else's choices but mine. There's no other place I'd rather be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: The basketball hall of fame star-studded class showcased just how global the game has become. Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, Coach Gregg Popovich, and six-time WNBA all-star player Becky Hammon.

She's now a championship coach for the Aces. But before that, it was Popovich who made her the NBA's first full-time female assistant.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY HAMMON, BASKETBALL HALL OF FAMER: I've always strived for excellence, but I was also blessed with being around people of great excellence.

Pop, you're a man of principle and excellence. I know you weren't trying to be courageous when you hired me. But you did do something nobody else in professional sports has ever done. And you've changed the direction of my life and of so many other girls and young women. Thank you. I love you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Look at that emotion.

Here it is. Meet Mr. W. That's Alan Wynans. His students call him that back in Bakersfield, California. He fills in as a substitute teacher to supplement his income while pitching in the Minors. The 28-year-old was caught up by the Braves yesterday and he struck out nine batters in seven shutout innings as the Braves win 21-3 over the Mets, the team that drafted him in the 17th round back in 2018.

Teachers are amazing. It's proof that they're underpaid if you have to side hustle as a pro baseball player.

SOLOMON: The coolest substitute teacher ever.

WIRE: Right.

SOLOMON: Coy Wire, good to see you.

WIRE: Youk, too.

SOLOMON: Thank you.

All right. Still ahead, how record-hot ocean temperatures could impact this year's hurricane season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:55:00]

WALKER: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also known as NOAA, has boosted its Atlantic hurricane season forecast saying it is very likely that we will see more hurricanes this year.

SOLOMON: Yes, officials say that the above-normal forecast comes because of record warming ocean temperatures.

We are joined now by CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar. So tell us more about what prompted the change.

ALLISON CHNCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. because I think going into the season, you know, they issued a very first forecast in May and then they do do this subsequent upgrade in August.

This happens every year. But back in May, we knew the ocean temperatures were warm but it was also going to be an El Nino year. And typically in El Nino Years, that suppresses hurricane activity.

So I think what they're noticing is those ocean temperatures are so far above normal that they're thinking that's likely going to be able to compensate for whatever El Nino may try to suppress as we go through the season.

So yes, they did increase their numbers. They had previously been 12 to 17 named storms. Now up to 14 to 21. Keep in mind that low end of that new forecast, the 14, that is what we would normally see in a standard season. So it could be anywhere from the bottom, all the way up 21.

And then hurricanes we went from 5 to 9 up to 6 to 11. So not a huge increase, but I think it's the fact that we're increasing in an El Nino year that's really the takeaway here.

WALKER: When will we see the season peak?

CHINCHAR: Right. So the specific date is September 10th, that is typically the peak of hurricane season, but really it's the second half of August all the way up to October 1st. That's really the busiest six weeks traditionally speaking. So we have yet to really hit that part yet.

So that's I think another key point they're trying to say is look, I know things are coming in a low period right now, but we have yet to hit the peak part of the season and we're just about to enter that phase.

SOLOMON: It feels like the Atlantic season so far has been sort of quiet. I mean do we expect --

WALKER: You should not have said that.

SOLOMON: I know. I know. I'm almost afraid to say it.

WALKER: Blame Rahel for ruining the whole hurricane season.

CHINCHAR: Right. Keep in mind we have had several named storms. We've already been through the letter D. The next one is E. So yes, even though we're in a slow period right this very moment, we're still pretty far ahead of where we would normally be in the season and then like said, we're yet about to enter the peak time period normally in a season anyway.

SOLOMON: Well, I will say of course hurricanes being what they are, it'll also be impacting gas prices, which we've already seen starting to go up. So a lot to watch here.

CHINCHAR: Yes.

WALKER: Allison Chinchar, good to see you.

CHINCHAR: Good to see you.

SOLOMON: We've had a busy study.

WALKER: It's been fun to have so many guests and you.

SOLOMON: And it's been fun to be here with you.

WALKER: Yes. Thanks for coming. You've got to come back, Rahel.

Thank you so much for being with us this morning everyone.

SOLOMON: "STATE OF THE UNION" is next. Have a great day.

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