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CNN This Morning

Dangerous Flooding, Heat, and Wildfires Threatens Millions; Flooding Forces Evacuations in Iowa; Crashed Cargo Ship Crew Members Allowed to Go Home; One Dead in St. Louis Shooting; Destructive Power of Volcanoes; Trump Claims Biden Will "Come Out All Jacked Up" At Debate; Biden & Trump To Face Off In CNN Debate On June 27; Biden Campaign Hosting 50 Events To Mark Two Years Since Roe V. Wade Was Overturned; Rescuers Report Casualties After IDF Strikes Overnight; Netanyahu Defends Decision To Go Public With Complaint On U.S. Weapons Supplies. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired June 23, 2024 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

AMARA WALKER, CNN HOST: He's into it.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Yes. I mean, let the man have a good time. It's his birthday. He has his kids. He's into the music. I'm all for it.

WALKER: And he doesn't care. You know, he knows pips (ph). Someone might be recording him. I mean, he's got some fast moves, I got to say though.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

WALKER: But, hey, he's having a good time.

BLACKWELL: He's in a stadium. He's a future king. He knows somebody's recording him.

WALKER: For sure, for sure.

BLACKWELL: Let it loose.

Next hour of CNN This Morning starts right now.

WALKER: Good morning, everyone. Is it hot out there? Welcome to CNN This Morning. It is Sunday, June 23rd. I'm Amara Walker.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thank you so much for joining us.

Here is what we are watching for you this morning. Two presidents, two very different strategies. Just four days away now until their showdown, former President Trump is on the road. President Biden is focusing on formal debate prep. They're already taking some shots at one another.

WALKER: Plus, anti-government protesters hit Israel's streets, demanding a hostage deal and calling for early elections. This as we learn of new strikes overnight in Gaza.

BLACKWELL: And after months of being stuck on a board, a cargo ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, several of the crew members have finally been allowed to go home. What we know about those who are still on board, we're going to speak with the Port of Baltimore chaplain who's been in touch with the crew.

WALKER: Plus, catastrophic flooding is prompting evacuations and rescues in several states across the Midwest as heat alerts persist for more than 100 million people through the weekend.

Yes, we are counting just four days away from the CNN presidential debate. While President Biden is in intense preparations with advisers, former President Trump is on the campaign trail. The president and his team have spent the weekend at Camp David in intense preps.

The Biden campaign says he and advisers are going over briefings, focusing on Trump's prior comments and holding mock debate sessions. That approach is a sharp contrast to Trump's back-to-back public appearances.

BLACKWELL: But Trump addressed Christian conservatives in Washington. He touched on familiar campaign messages against migrants. He also stressed his efforts to undo the federal right to an abortion by nominating the justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade.

In Philadelphia, he honed in on crime and claimed the city was being ravaged by bloodshed. CNN's Steve Contorno is traveling with the former president. He is live for us now from Philadelphia.

Steve, good morning to you. The president talked about the debate that's coming up in a few days, but he also hinted at this decision he's made about a running mate.

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: That's right, Victor. We have learned that there are three frontrunners who have emerged in Trump's VP search. Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Now, Trump yesterday said that he has made his decision, though, he's not letting that person know yet, nor the public. Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do they know?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No. Nobody knows.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President --

TRUMP: Who do you like is VP?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like you --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Who do you like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: J.D. Vance.

TRUMP: You like J.D.?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like J.D. --

TRUMP: Who do you like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

TRUMP: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

TRUMP: Oh that's your J.D. (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CONTORNO: Those remarks made at a stop for Philly cheesesteaks during a full day of campaigning by the former president. And he is clearly enjoying juxtaposing how he spent his final Saturday before the debate versus Biden's more studious approach.

Listen to what he told a Philadelphia rally later that evening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: As you know, it's been reported that right now, Crooked Joe has gone to a log cabin to study, prepare. No, he didn't. He's sleeping now because they want to get him good and strong. So a little before debate time, he gets a shot -- and that's -- they want to strengthen him up. So he comes out -- he'll come out. OK, I say he'll come out all jacked up, right? All jacked up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CONTORNO: Trump went on to criticize Biden on crime, immigration, the border, as well as inflation in the economy, really sharpening those attacks just heading into this debate on Thursday. Victor and Amara?

BLACKWELL: Steve Contorno, thanks so much.

With us from Philadelphia, CNN's Camila DeChalus joins us now. Camila, the Biden campaign wants to paint this strong contrast between the president and former President Trump. Tell us about how they're working through it.

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Biden knows that there's a lot at stake in this upcoming presidential debate. And part of his strategy, he really wants to remind voters what he has done in the last four years while he's been in the Oval Office and what he will set out to do if he's reelected for a second term.

[07:05:10]

And another part of that strategy, Victor, it's really showcase how Trump is unfit for office and really hold him accountable for the policies he has implemented in the past. Now, they know that this is an opportunity for Biden to really showcase where he stands on certain issues.

And Biden really sees this as a pivotal issue, that is why -- a pivotal debate -- that is why he's spending so much time at Camp David this weekend and next week to really prepare of how he wants to respond to Trump when he's going head to head with the former president. But it's really to cement and show this sharp contrast to really prove why Trump is unfit for office and why Biden should be reelected for a second term.

WALKER: And one key issue is, of course, abortion rights. The Biden campaign is focusing on that, hosting dozens of events to mark two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

DECHALUS: That's right. The Biden campaign is expected to hold more than 50 events across the country to really mark the two-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade. And that's very pivotal because this is something that the campaign has focused on is how Biden is committed to preserving abortion rights and really enshrining those rights if he's reelected for a second term.

Now, what's really interesting to note here is that a lot of these events that are being held by his campaign surrogates are happening in key battleground states. And that really shows how he really wants to connect with voters and really prove the case, how his campaign and how Biden really wants to protect these abortion rights and thinks that this is a really big issue that is going to be in the minds of voters in this upcoming election.

WALKER: All right, Camila DeChalus, thank you very much.

Let's bring in CNN Political Commentators Scott Jennings and Maria Cardona to talk about all things political. Welcome to you both. Thanks so much for joining me this morning.

So, let's start with Trump's comments yesterday at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference. He was, of course, talking about a lot of things, including immigration. And he said that he suggested to the UFC president that he should start a sports league for migrants to fight each other. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I said, Dana, I have an idea. Why don't you set up a migrant league of fighters and have your regular league of fighters and then you have the champion of your league. These are the greatest fighters in the world. Fight the champion of the migrants. I think the migrant guy might win. That's how tough they are.

He didn't like that idea too much, but actually, it's not the worst idea I've ever had.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Maria, your thoughts?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. You know, when I heard that, Amara -- and I don't know why it surprises me because it shouldn't, because it's Trump but it was -- as an immigrant, it was so gut wrenchingly hateful and xenophobic. And it just underscores just how unfit Donald Trump is to hold another four years in office.

And what the Biden campaign is going to do, as they should, he's going to -- they're going to use those comments as yet another demonstration of just how anti-immigrant, anti-Latino, anti-American Donald Trump is, as he's trying to convince people outside of his MAGA coalition that he actually wants them to support him.

He's never going to be able to do that with these horrific racist comments that he's making. And he seems to enjoy what he's saying. And, yes, it riles up his MAGA base because they are as xenophobic as he is. But it does nothing to try to add support from the voters, the independents, the suburban women, the other coalitions that he needs in order to win.

So, as a Democrat, by all means, keep saying what you're saying. It's exactly who he is at his core. As a Latina and as an immigrant, it makes me want to throw up, frankly, to tell you the truth.

WALKER: Scott?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Two-thirds of the American people support Donald Trump's policy prescriptions for immigration right now, including a majority of Hispanics in the United States.

WALKER: Well, what about his comments? I mean, do you see them as racist and xenophobic comments? I mean, he's painting migrants as, you know, being vile -- they have violent tendencies, right, and, of course, dehumanizing them to --

JENNINGS: Oh is he? Oh is he?

WALKER: -- you know, being entertainment for the rest of us.

JENNINGS: Is he painting them as being violent? I mean, would Laken Riley think they were violent? Would Rachel Morin think they were violent? Would Jocelyn Nungaray in Texas think they were violent? How about the girl that was raped in broad daylight in New York City? How about the girl that was kidnapped in Missouri?

Yes, there are violent people in the country. And yes, Donald Trump uses colorful language. But the bottom line is immigration is killing Joe Biden's campaign right now. This is why he has a low approval rating. This is why Donald Trump is honing in on this. And people are responding to it and people are fed up with it.

[07:10:05]

And if you want to call two-thirds of the country racist or xenophobic because they're in a mood right now that they want this fixed, yes, agree. By all means, go on. It's not going to work.

CARDONA: So I have to correct my friend Scott here because he's clearly looking at misguided polls. The vast majority of the country do not agree with Donald Trump's draconian policies. That's why they kicked him out of office in 2020.

They do not agree that babies should be ripped from the arms of their mothers. They do not agree that the country should set up mass deportation camps in a -- in another so-called wetback operation, the way that Donald Trump has been bragging that he will do in his project 2025 if he's elected again.

The vast majority of Americans understand that the way to fix this immigration system is what President Biden is now talking about and he should continue to talk about, which is strong border security, which is what you saw in his recent executive action. And extended legal pathways to citizenship for the long settled immigrants that have been here for years --

WALKER: Yes.

CARDONA: -- contributing $7 trillion to our economy. And these are people who are first responders, they are policemen, firemen, health care workers, teachers, grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers who, frankly, the underscoring of Donald Trump. He wants to separate all of these families. And that is not something that the vast majority of the American people want.

So, Scott, I hope that Donald Trump continues to talk about wanting to rip babies from the arms of their mothers. Let's see how well that goes for him in November.

WALKER: Let's move on to this other topic of the other key issue, you know, in this race and that's, of course, abortion. We heard Trump there at the Faith and Freedom Coalition touting the fact that he nominated the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. And as you all know that he has said he will not support or sign a federal ban on abortion, which is obviously at odds with the religious right.

Scott, this is a reversal from a promise that he made as a candidate in 2016. Do you think -- expect that Trump may reverse his position again to appease the evangelicals?

JENNINGS: No, I think he's laid out his position here, which is that under the Dobbs case, the overturning of Roe versus Wade, the states can now decide their own policies. That's number one. That's a long held Republican and conservative position.

Number two, he supports the three exceptions, rape, incest and life of the mother. That's what we used to call on the part of the old Reagan position. And number three, he strongly supports access to IVF technologies and he strongly supports access to contraception. So honestly, I think Donald Trump's got a pretty moderate center, right, moderate position on this. And I think it's going to be OK. I don't anticipate him changing it anymore. We're living under the circumstances we are. You're absolutely right.

He appointed the court that overturned Roe versus Wade. I fully expect Democrats are going to talk about that and they should for strategic purposes. That's absolutely a good issue for them. But for Trump, I think he's got a pretty center cut position that he can sell on the campaign trail.

WALKER: Maria, are the Democrats and, of course, the Biden campaign seizing on this opportunity, given that abortion is a key issue, the Biden campaign now hosting 50 events to mark two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned?

CARDONA: There's no question that Democrats are absolutely going to be talking about this. And the problem with what Donald Trump is trying to do is that he's trying to have it both ways. And Democrats are not going to let him get away with it, because on the one hand, Scott's right. He tries to moderate his position when he thinks that he is being overheard by, again, independent suburban women, the people that he needs to add to his coalition.

But then when he's in front of Christian conservatives, he brags about being the one that is -- that's the one that overturned Roe v. Wade because of the justices that he appointed. On a Fox News interview, he bragged that all of these horrendous laws that are being passed in the states now because Roe v. Wade has been overturned are a beautiful thing.

Those beautiful things, Amara, have been putting women's lives in danger because one in three women live in those states where abortion and reproductive health care are no longer available to them. And we've heard the nightmare stories of women who have had to travel long distances just to try to get lifesaving care.

So, yes, Democrats are absolutely going to take advantage of this. The vast majority of Americans agree that Roe v. Wade should not have been overturned. The vast majority of women who are the majority electorate in this country, including Republican women, believe that they should not have to -- have daughters and raise daughters in a country that had less rights than they did to very mobilizing and energizing issue for Democrats.

[07:15:01]

WALKER: Let's look forward to the debate and four days from now hosted by CNN. Just this split screen moment, right, where you have Trump on back to back campaign stops while President Biden is, you know, hunkered down at Camp David with his team going through policy discussions and holding these mock debate sessions.

Trump's campaign is obviously relishing, you know, this contrast of the two candidates and the way that they're preparing or not. Biden is studying, Trump isn't. Is that a good thing that Trump is making note of that? I mean, it is the norm, isn't it, Scott, for presidential candidates to study before debate?

JENNINGS: I mean, a guy's been in office for over 50 years. How much does he need to study? Are we really going to do a cram session with a week to go after 50 years in public office? He's a traditional politician. This is how a traditional politician would study for a debate or prepare for a debate. So not unexpected move for Joe Biden.

And if I had access to Camp David, I'd go there for a week, too, I guess. But Trump's not a traditional politician. This is how he prepares for debates. Yes, I went back and watched the two debates from 2020. It was really amazing to me how different Trump was from one to the next.

He had a disastrous first debate and then he cleaned up his act and had a really good second debate. But by then it was too late. Now, my sense is he's probably pretty cognizant of what happened in that first debate. And he needs to turn in a performance more like the second debate.

But Trump, to me, looks loose and ready and Biden's doing what he needs to do. I think this is going to be one of the most fascinating things that has ever happened in American political history. Two former presidents, the heads of their parties squaring off this early in a presidential election.

Everybody should watch CNN because we got the best thing going right now --

WALKER: Thanks for that plus, Scott.

JENNINGS: -- in the politics. This thing is going to be fascinating.

WALKER: Well, we'll leave it there. Scott Jennings and Maria Cardona, great to be with you both. Thank you.

CARDONA: Thanks, Amara.

WALKER: And be sure to join CNN as President Biden and former President Trump meet for their first debate of this cycle. Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate the CNN presidential debate live from Atlanta at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN and streaming on Max.

BLACKWELL: Still to come, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defending his decision to go public with his complaints about U.S. weapons supplies. What he's saying that's we have for you next.

Plus, millions of people across the U.S. are sweltering in the record breaking heat wave. Others in the upper Midwest, they're contending with catastrophic flashfloods.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:22:09]

BLACKWELL: We've got some new insight into the strained relations between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The prime minister says that he went public about delays in the supply of weapons from the U.S. because months of private discussions had not yielded results.

WALKER: In Gaza, rescue crews are reporting casualties after the Israel Defense Forces struck dozens of targets in southern and central Gaza overnight. CNN's Elliott Gotkine is following the developments from London. What more can you tell us about what Netanyahu is saying?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Amara, Netanyahu appears to be doubling down on his criticism of the United States, which he made in a video in English, which he put out on social media earlier this week, in which he criticized the U.S. administration for effectively slowing down the supply of weapons and ammunition over the past four months.

And so he spoke again at the beginning of a cabinet meeting on Sunday morning in Israel, saying, "About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the United States to Israel. For weeks, we asked our American friends to speed up the shipments. We did it time and time again."

Adding that, "We did it at the highest levels and at all levels and I want to emphasize," he goes on, "we did it behind closed doors. We got all sorts of explanations," he said. "But one thing we didn't get, the basic situation didn't change."

Netanyahu adding that he was happy to be a kind of martyr for Israel and take all of the personal criticism that ensued, if it was for the good of Israel. Now, after his initial comments in that critical video of the United States in English, which he put out on social media, the response from the U.S., from Amos Hochstein, the U.S. Special Envoy, who was in Israel and Lebanon this week to try to de-escalate tensions, he said that Netanyahu's comments were, in his words, unproductive and completely untrue.

Amara, Victor?

BLACKWELL: So there were also airstrikes last night. Tell us about those.

GOTKINE: Yes. So there were these protests in Tel Aviv and other cities across Israel on Saturday evening. These have been happening on a weekly basis. And the two main demands really are to get the hostages back into Israel and also increasingly demanding that fresh elections be held because they don't believe the government has been making it a priority to get the hostages back.

Now, on Saturday evening, there was added poignancy to the demonstrations that were taking place because it was the 20th birthday of Naama Levy, who viewers may recall was seen in a viral video on October the 7th, being dragged by her hair at gunpoint with sweatpants covered in blood before being bundled into the back of a Jeep and being driven away.

Her parents addressing the crowd last night and her father speaking on camera in English just before the rally was due to take place.

[07:25:00]

WALKER: All right, Elliott Gotkine, we'll leave it there. Thank you so much for your reporting.

Still to come, 11 people are in the hospital in Seattle after a bus collided with a building. We will have the latest on what police say caused this crash.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: And when Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark meet up, it is Appointment TV. The WNBA's two superstar rookies are ready to meet for their trilogy. We'll have more on this afternoon's blockbuster matchup coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: We're following a developing story out of Columbus, Ohio. Police there are asking for help locating a vehicle involved in a shooting where 10 people were shot.

[07:30:00]

The victim's ages range from 16 to 27 years old. One person is in critical condition. Nine others are in stable condition. Anyone with information on this vehicle or those involved in the incident are urged to call Columbus police.

BLACKWELL: A fourth victim in the mass shooting at an Arkansas grocery store on Friday has died. The suspect in the shooting is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow. Police say that Travis Posey started shooting Friday morning at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce. The victims range in age from 23 to 81. Nine others were hurt, four still in the hospital, including one woman in critical condition.

WALKER: New information on a bus crash in Downtown Seattle. Police say a mechanical malfunction caused the crash that injured 11 people yesterday, including the bus driver. Police say the malfunction sent the bus into a concrete retaining wall next to a federal building. The FDA and Passport Agency are in that building. There were no life- threatening injuries and the building was not damaged.

BLACKWELL: This morning, millions of Americans awakened up to dangerous weather. Some are dealing with flooding, others with wildfires, and so many, too many of us, triple digit heat.

Yes, those are tornado sirens in Northwest Iowa ahead of what governor -- the governor there called catastrophic flooding on Saturday. In some areas, rescue crews had to use boats to reach people trapped by the high water. And some people in nursing homes had to be moved to safety still in their wheelchairs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. JOE RODRIGUEZ, SIOUX CITY FIRE RESCUE, IOWA TASK FORCE: We did approximately 20 rescues since we've been here. Most of the water's probably to the top of most of the houses, at the top of their front doors. And most people that we evacuated were up on the second floor, moving again down. But there's cars everywhere underneath the water that we don't see. And we just don't know if there's any manhole covers that are up. So, if we're walking, we have to be careful with that, not to go into those areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: In Minnesota, the National Guard has been authorized to help with evacuations due to some lakes reaching uncontrollable levels. And those of us on the East Coast are going to be dealing with this record-breaking heat for at least a few more days. Allison Chinchar, good morning. Tell us about the heat and the storms that are expected in the northeast.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we've got a lot going on this weekend. We really do. Taking a look at even just the last 24 hours. We had over 100 total storm reports across portions of the Midwest and also into the east, and it's all from this system that was sliding through. It also brought a tremendous amount of rain over the last few days across the Midwest.

Take a look at this area right through here. So, we're talking southern Minnesota, Northern Iowa, areas of red and even pink, that's indicating numbers of six to 10 inches of rain. Some spots even higher than a foot of rain has fallen. That is why you're seeing all of these dots here in the dark colors. 26 of them are river gauges that have reached major flood stage. 28 have reached moderate flood stage and almost 50 of them have reached minor flood stage. And now, we're talking about maybe just a small slight reprieve before more rain comes back to these areas in the coming days.

But this is the system that's been responsible for the severe weather. This one is going to continue to slide eastward as we go through the day today. And that cold front really starting to fire up some showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon across the mid-Atlantic in the Northeast. By Monday, finally, we start to see an exit to that.

But today, there is still the potential for some severe thunderstorms. You're talking hail, damaging winds, and even tornadoes, especially across New England. This is going to be that highest target point for some of the tornado activity later on today.

The one bit of good news is it will drop temperatures back at least temporarily. So, you can see Philadelphia going from a high of 98 today down to only 84 tomorrow after that rain comes in. New York, D.C., Pittsburgh, all looking at those temperatures to get closer to normal once we get to Monday before they start to jump back up again.

So, we still have one more day really of the excessive heat along the East Coast. That does include another day for Washington, D.C., which just hit 100 degrees yesterday for the first time since 2016. Pointing out, by the way, D.C. has had their first triple digit day, but southern cities like Atlanta, New Memphis, and Charlotte have not yet hit 100 so far this summer. But that could change later on this week.

Take a look. More heat advisories starting to pop up in the Central U. S. and that could spread across the southeast in the coming days because this is really the area that's going to be the concern for heat going forward as we make our way into the upcoming week.

Notice this purple color really starting to become more widespread. That is the extreme. That's the level four out of four, the highest category you can be on the heat risk scale. So, again, you can see a lot of those cities really starting to see those temperatures jump back up. Take, for example, Dallas. St. Louis, Atlanta, even D.C. again, getting that brief reprieve there, but then the temperatures go right back up.

[07:35:00]

But a lot of these southern cities are going to really start to see those numbers coming back up, especially by Tuesday and Wednesday of the upcoming week. The exception will be Chicago as more of that rain, we mentioned, for places like Iowa and Minnesota starts to spread across portions of the Midwest.

BLACKWELL: All right. Allison, thank you so much. Still ahead, several of the crew members who were stuck on board that cargo ship that crashed into the Baltimore Bridge have now been allowed to go home. But what happens to the people who are still on board the Dali? We'll speak with a chaplain for the Port of Baltimore, who's been in contact with those folks still on board. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:40:00]

BLACKWELL: The company that manages that cargo ship that crashed in Baltimore says that some of the crew members that were stuck on board for months are now starting to go home. It's been 12 weeks since the Dali cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Six construction workers were killed.

Joining us now is Reverend Joshua Messick. Reverend Messick, thank you for being with us. I know that you've been in contact and communication with the crew on board. So, first, do you know how many were allowed to leave yesterday and start that journey home?

REV. JOSHUA MESSICK, CHAPLAIN, PORT OF BALTIMORE AND DIRECTOR, BALTIMORE INTERNATIONAL SEAFARERS' CENTER: Yes, that number is up to 10. So, it was eight initially then two cadets in training have been added.

BLACKWELL: OK. So, the total was 21. So, now, now by that math, 11 are still stuck on board. Do you know how long they will be required to stay on board the Dali?

MESSICK: So, the replacement crew is already on board, and the original crew is being moved off right now. So, a little at a time, they're finding accommodations ashore.

BLACKWELL: OK. Now, will they all be allowed -- I know that there were 20 Indians and one Sri Lankan. Will they all be able to go back to their home countries?

MESSICK: Probably not for the foreseeable future. They will likely remain here as litigation plays out, and that could take up to a year or more.

BLACKWELL: Wow. So, they'll have to stay in the Baltimore metro area for up to a year.

MESSICK: Correct.

BLACKWELL: You've been in communication with them. What has life been like on board that ship for almost three months now?

MESSICK: It's been incredibly tense. People see these ships and they're huge. But the accommodation space is not. So, they've been in cramped conditions, seeing the same faces, the same walls this whole time and not knowing what each day will hold and not really having any control over their own futures. So, that has been incredibly difficult and stressful for the crew.

BLACKWELL: Have they been able to communicate with family back home?

MESSICK: They have. So, they had their personal cell phones and laptops for a time after the accident, the FBI confiscated those, but they've been able to maintain some degree of contact between me and the unions involved, we were able to get them new cell phones. So -- and their data has been slowly returned by the FBI. So, they're able to get their contact information and remain in touch with your loved ones.

BLACKWELL: I mean, I imagine that, first, the initial trauma of being involved in that accident creates some anxiety and then, having to be, I guess, sequestered or required to stay on board this ship for so many weeks that there is a need for some mental health help, some counseling. Are they getting any of that?

MESSICK: To a degree, yes. They are still working on the vessel, which has been really helpful. It keeps them occupied. They have some semblance of a routine. And so, that has been good. What has been disruptive has been the constant investigations, the need to meet with prosecutors and the constant in and out of people, the salvage teams, you know, that are in their space.

So, my role and my hope is to be able to provide some break to that and to -- if not provide specific mental health care than at least alleviate some of the stresses that are on them to improve their mental health.

BLACKWELL: And that's why they're still on board. For these crew members who will have to stay in the area for up to a year as this investigation continues, what will be available to them from your community? What will you offer them?

MESSICK: So, my -- with Indian community groups in the area, they have already reached out and been incredibly supportive. I will also be able to provide transportation through my organization and, you know, whatever they need to occupy their time. They will be here and that -- that's one of their biggest concerns is, what am I going to do all day? These are gentlemen that are used to working constantly. And to have that disrupted has been difficult.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Reverend Joshua Messick, thank you so much for giving us some insight here into what's happening. I think some people have forgotten that there are workers who have been on that ship since late March when this crash happened. Joshua Messick, again, thank you.

WALKER: This just in. Homicide detectives are investigating a shooting that left one person dead and five others injured in St. Louis.

[07:45:00]

Police were called to the scene around 2:30 in the morning. It was unclear what might have led up to the shooting or whether police had any suspects in custody. We will continue to monitor the situation and bring you any updates as we get them in. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: The Olympics are just over a month away. But unlike three years ago, America's sprinting star, Sha'Carri Richardson, will be in Paris.

BLACKWELL: Yes, she was 21 years old when she qualified for the Tokyo Games, but then received a month-long suspension after she tested positive for THC. That was just long enough for her to miss out on her Olympic debut. Carolyn Mano joins us now and Sha'Carri finally gets her shot at redemption.

[07:50:00]

CAROLYN MANO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: She does. It was a great scene last night. Good morning to you both. She acknowledged at the time that she was using marijuana to help cope with the passing of her biological mother, which happened a week before the qualifying race for the Tokyo Games.

And after last night's win, it felt very redemptive. She went into the stands to find and embrace her grandmother, who is the one who raised her. And on the track, she is certainly one of the most electric personalities. The 2023 world champion qualified for this summer's Olympic Games. Her way last night, the Dallas native winning the women's 100-meter event at the U.S. Olympic trials Saturday by running a season best, 10.71 seconds, which is the fastest time in the world so far this year.

And as she looks ahead, Richardson is certainly a favorite for gold in the event in what will be her Olympic debut. But last night, she was looking back on this latest redemptive chapter.

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SHA'CARRI RICHARDSON, TEAM USA SPRINTER: I feel honored. I feel everything, every chapter I've been through in my life, designed to prepare me for this moment, to stand next to these amazing women that I'm standing here with, that I have the pleasure of training with. And it's a four-second moment, but I'm very appreciative, and I cannot wait to go to Paris and represent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANO: Elsewhere, the U.S. men's soccer team begins their Copa America quest tonight against Bolivia at Cowboys Stadium. Expectations are high for the U.S. coming off a round of 16 appearance at the 2022 World Cup in what's considered a golden generation of American players that are getting to play on home soil. But coach Gregg Berhalter says this team is not taking anything for granted.

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GREGG BERHALTER, USMNT HEAD COACH: You can't take any game for granted. When you do that, that's when you slip up. Our focus is on Bolivia. And then our focus will be on Panama. Then we'll move on to Uruguay. And then hopefully, we get an opportunity to play in the quarterfinal matchup and have a great game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANO: In the WNBA, Liberty superstar Breanna Stewart was unstoppable yesterday against the Sparks. New York's two-time MVP scoring 24 points along with five assists and six blocks in the first half and the first player in league history to do that. Stewart also had three steals, finishing with 33 points as the Sparks beat L.A. 98 to 88 for their 10th win in the past 11 games.

And lastly, for you this morning, call it Clark-Reese 3.0. This afternoon, Angel Reese in the Chicago Sky faced Caitlin Clark in the Indiana Fever for the third time in the past month as pros. It's four times in two months, if you include their elite eight matchup in the NCAA tournament back in April, and it's the fifth time in just over a year if you count their national title showdown that helped bring millions of fans to the sport who might not have been there before.

They might be rookies, they're still trying to prove themselves on the court with the big leaguers, but they are already two of the biggest stars in the W, and the ticket prices really reflect that. As of Friday, it cost around 250 bucks to get in the door in Chicago, which would make it the most expensive in the league's history and capacity. And capacity, there's 10,000. That's less than half at the United Center where the Bulls play. Caitlin Clark scratching her head about that one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAITLIN CLARK, INDIANA FEVER GUARD: I mean, I saw the ticket prices. I guess the only thing is, like, I'm surprised we're not playing at the United Center. I thought that would have been really good for the game and really good for all the women's basketball fans in Chicago. So, maybe there's a conflict of some sort that I don't know about. Obviously, that's a little above my pay grade. But we're excited. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MANO: Clark acknowledging that that's not her decision to make, but still making a good point that people are coming to watch them play and maybe the United Center was the best location.

BLACKWELL: Yes, if they can feel it, let's watch it there. Carolyn Mano, thanks so much.

WALKER: Good to see you, Carolyn.

MANO: You got it.

BLACKWELL: Coming up a look at the power of volcanoes and the ways that they bring massive destruction.

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BLACKWELL: This morning, the FBI has joined the investigation into the cause of deadly wildfires in New Mexico. They're now offering up to $10,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

WALKER: This is the aftermath of the 23,000 acres that have burned. Thousands had to leave and two people died. Meantime, residents of Ruidoso will be allowed back to their homes starting tomorrow. Officials are asking that residents bring at least a week's worth of food and drinking water as grocery stores in the area are not at full operating capacity yet.

BLACKWELL: The next episode of "Violent Earth with Liev Schreiber" explores our planet's sleeping giants, volcanoes, and how they bring massive destruction. Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VENUS DERGAN, SURVIVOR: The weekend of May 18th, my boyfriend at the time, Roald Reitan, and I decided to do a weekend getaway of fishing down at a fishing hole down by Mount St. Helens. Our campsite was on the South Fork of the Toutle River. We were about 25 miles to 30 miles from Mount St. Helens that morning. We did not hear a huge boom or a huge blast or anything like that.

We could hear rushing water and we could see the river rising towards our tent. Roald looked up and we saw this huge train trestle coming downstream towards our campsite, and it was holding back a bunch of debris like logs and mud. And we looked at each other and we need to get out of here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Tune in to "Violent Earth with Leif Schreiber." A new episode airs tomorrow at 9:00 p.m.

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