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CNN This Morning
Biden Says He Plans to Reform the U.S. Supreme Court Before He Leaves Office; Israel Vows Retribution After Rocket Attack Kills 12 Children in the Golan Heights; Paris Olympics' Triathlon Hangs in the Balance Over E. Coli Levels in Seine River. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired July 29, 2024 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00]
JIM SCIUTTO, ANCHOR, CNN THIS MORNING: It is Monday, July 29th, right now on CNN THIS MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, it's just plain weird.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Kamala Harris trying out a new tactic for attacking Donald Trump. Plus, how President Biden plans to reform the Supreme Court in his final months in office or tried to, and this --
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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): The state of Israel will not let this pass in silence. We will not overlook this.
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SCIUTTO: Israel is vowing retribution after a rocket attack kills 12 children in the Golan Heights. Five A.M. here in Washington, here's a live look at New York City, my hometown. Good morning, everyone, I'm Jim Sciutto in for Kasie Hunt today. It is great to be with you.
Just 99 days if you could believe it until the election and the race is just getting started. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris settling into a new reality that now President Biden is out of the race. Harris now all but assured becoming the new Democratic nominee. Trump is rolling out new attack lines at his rallies, trying to figure out what sticks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: If a crazy liberal like Kamala Harris gets in, the American dream is dead. She made Bernie Sanders look like a moderate. We have a man that can't put two sentences together, and now we're replacing him with worse than he is.
A dangerous person who is not smart. You know, she couldn't pass a law exam, right? Kamala wants to be the President for criminals and illegal aliens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: He said Kamala and Camila(ph), once changing the name there. The Harris campaign is also going on the attack with a more focused approach, labeling Trump and his VP-pick J.D. Vance as weird, a term now being used in Harris' official campaign releases.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Some of what he and his running mate are saying -- well, it's just plain weird.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: I mean, that's the bunch you put that in, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These guys are just weird. That's who they are --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, it didn't match up. But we're not afraid of weird people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're a little bit creep out, but we're not afraid.
DOUGLAS EMHOFF, SECOND GENTLEMAN: It's not about her or her opponent really, it's no matter what kind of weird stuff they keep saying.
GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): It's the weirdest thing, he'll go in like literally hugging American flag. Now, I love the flag, but I mean it's like weird when he does, right?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Joining me now to discuss the new dynamics of the race, Juliegrace Brufke; Capitol Hill reporter --
(CLEARS THROAT)
SCIUTTO: For "Axios". This issue about the weird thing is that if it sort of takes down the level of threat to some degree, right? Because Biden's approach have been threat to democracy, and they're kind of laughing a little bit at the Trump phenomenon.
JULIEGRACE BRUFKE, CAPITOL HILL REPORTER, AXIOS: Absolutely. And I feel like --
SCIUTTO: Yes --
BRUFKE: It's kind of a tactic we've kind of seen Trump go with nicknames and kind of --
SCIUTTO: Yes --
BRUFKE: Level things down a little bit. And I think it's something that's kind of worked for Trump and might be effective for Democrats. It's kind of a younger voters, swing voters, I think it's something that might resonate with them well.
SCIUTTO: And where did it come from? Did it come from Governor Walz?
BRUFKE: No, I think he kind of kicked it off there --
SCIUTTO: Yes --
BRUFKE: And we've heard a lot of surrogates and we've kind of seen it in Harris campaign releases now, and I think it's just definitely a line of attack that they're going to continue with. And we're seeing memes, we're seeing things taking off on Twitter.
So I think -- I think that's going to kind of continue to be their message there --
SCIUTTO: Yes, they're very smart about going after things that pick up off on Twitter, social media, with a deliberate focus, it seems on young voters when you think of like the coconut tree, the coconut tree memes last week.
BRUFKE: Absolutely, so, I mean, I think that's -- we're kind of going to see them -- continue to see them. I think Harris kind of -- he's energized that base where before you kind of saw with a two-man race with Biden versus Trump, where --
SCIUTTO: Yes --
BRUFKE: There wasn't that enthusiasm. I think her kind of getting into the race, there's kind of -- completely changes dynamic.
SCIUTTO: No question. We're also seeing Harris allies directly hitting back at some of what Trump is saying. Listen to what Trump called Harris during a rally Saturday, and how then Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, of course, who is in the running for VP-pick, how he responded. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: She was a bum three weeks ago.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE) TRUMP: She was a bum. A failed Vice President and a failed administration with millions of people crossing, and she was the border czar.
[05:05:00]
Now, they're trying to say she never was the border czar, she had nothing to do with the border.
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): He called her a bum. If he wants to see a bum, he ought to look in the mirror, and what he'll see looking back are multiple bankruptcies and 34 felony convictions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: I mean, yes, taking that kind of nasty line of attack and tossing it back at Trump.
BRUFKE: Yes, so, I mean, I feel like we're kind of seeing the Harris campaign paint this prosecutor versus criminal, that's all it kind of been another line of --
SCIUTTO: Yes --
BRUFKE: Attack there. So, that's -- I think that's also something they're kind of going to try and hammer home there.
SCIUTTO: Yes, I know question --
BRUFKE: And I think going to --
SCIUTTO: With the prosecutor background as well.
BRUFKE: Absolutely. And I think the Trump campaign, I mean, they've really had to pivot. They were able to go after Biden is old and tired. We've kind of seen a pivot on the Harris campaign of going after him for the same thing. So, it's going to kind of be interesting to see how they try and counter that moving forward.
SCIUTTO: Well, we saw Pete Buttigieg, who's also been a what? He's a potential pick for VP, but he's also long been a favorite Democratic voice, particularly to go at conservative audiences on "Fox News", et cetera. Here's how he took on the age issue with Trump. Let's have a listen.
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PETE BUTTIGIEG, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, UNITED STATES: In Trump's personality cult, well take a look at Donald Trump and say he's perfectly fine even though he seemed unable to tell the difference between Nikki Haley and Nancy Pelosi even though he's rambling about electrocuting sharks and Hannibal Lecter.
Even though he is clearly older and stranger than he was when America first got to know him. They say he is strong as an ox, leaps tall buildings in a single bound. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: You know, not insignificant there because the Trump campaign had really built its apparatus and strategy around going after Biden's age, and now they have Democrats attempting to turn the tables.
BRUFKE: Absolutely. And I think that's going to -- the tables have kind of turned there on the messaging on the Democrat side. And I think it's going to be -- I mean, J.D. Vance is obviously younger, and I think they're kind of going to put -- try and put him out there more, but I mean, I've also spoken to a lot of Republican members that aren't super thrilled that he was the VP candidate.
SCIUTTO: Yes --
BRUFKE: Who feel like he's kind of not resonating with certain demographics they're trying to tap into.
SCIUTTO: Yes, if you like cats, right? And don't have children, they see a line of attack there on J.D. Vance, no question. Juliegrace, great to have you, appreciate you --
BRUFKE: Thanks for having me --
SCIUTTO: Joining us this morning. Coming up next, Israel is striking Hezbollah deep inside Lebanese territory, raising fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. Plus, what new text messages reveal about the law enforcement response to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. And this --
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm going to call for Supreme Court reform. This is critical to our democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: President Biden trying to make good on a promise before he leaves office.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:10:00]
SCIUTTO: Fears once again of a wider conflict in the Middle East this morning. The Israeli military releasing these images of overnight strikes against Hezbollah targets deep inside Lebanon. They blame the militant group for a rocket strike in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children this weekend.
Hezbollah denies that it was behind the attack. The U.S. wary of what the Israeli response could lead to.
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ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: We also don't want to see the conflict escalate. We don't want to see it spread. That has been one of our goals from day one, from October 7th on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: CNN's Salma Abdelaziz joins us now from London. Salma, we're seeing yet again a cycle here and attack a response, threats of retaliation. But there does seem now to be some deliberate communication, as we understand it between the sides that they don't want this to escalate too far. Is that what you're hearing?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An absolutely vicious cycle that I think has everyone in the region on edge. If I could first bring you some breaking news we just received just moments ago, Jim, of two people killed and three wounded in a double-drone strike in southern Lebanon.
This drone struck a car near the border inside Lebanon, again, wounding two people and then a motorcycle that arrived was hit by a second drone. Again, this is right on that border inside Lebanon. We do not know who is behind the drone attack. Of course, we're working to find out more.
But yet, another indication of that firepower along the border that is feeding this fear of a wider regional war. You hit it right on the nail, right on the head there, Jim, when you said both sides don't want this, both sides have not wanted this for years. The firepower, the exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel has continued for years, but it has ramped up, of course, since October 7th, there's been nearly daily tit-for-tat between Hezbollah and Israel.
And the question is with this attack over the weekend on the Druze community, 12 children killed, more than 40 wounded. Does Prime Minister Netanyahu now have the impetus to go after Hezbollah in a larger and wider way. There are calls from Iran to Beirut to even D.C. to step back from the brink.
But Prime Minister Netanyahu has promised Israelis safety. It has promised -- he has promised Israelis safety from the skies. That means, eventually at some point, you would have to degrade or destroy Hezbollah, is that moment now or is there too much happening already along that border? Again, mediation efforts happening all across that region, hope that people will pull back from the brink, but always that fear that just one more mistake, just one more rocket could tip it over the edge. Jim.
SCIUTTO: Salma Abdelaziz following this from London, thanks so much. Well, ahead on CNN THIS MORNING --
[05:15:00]
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(BUSHFIRE)
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SCIUTTO: Good Lord, it's getting bigger. California wildfire torching hundreds of thousands of acres and it's less than 15 percent contained. Plus, new polls spotlighting the appeal of Kamala Harris with voters. It's growing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Now, to the Paris Olympics where a triathlon training session in the River Seine has been canceled for a second day. The reason, poor water quality. Triathlon events are supposed to begin tomorrow. CNN's Melissa Bell joins us now live from Paris.
[05:20:00]
Melissa, you know this better than anyone. You tested the water yourself, you went for a swim there. I mean how worrisome is this and do they expect it to dissipate?
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is their hope. But at this stage, so much depends on the weather, Jim, and that was one of the big gambles at the heart of these games. The fact that you were going to hold the triathlon swimming event, but also the marathon swimmer later on in this Olympics in the River Seine was always a massive gamble. Why? Because when the water falls, as it did so spectacularly during the opening ceremony, but also throughout the course of Saturday.
When it rains, the E. coli levels inside the River Seine rise. We saw them rise to ten times. The acceptable levels over the course of the weekend as a result of that rain that we saw, they've now fallen to two times the acceptable levels -- I'm talking about overall bacteria here.
So, the fact that the training sessions have been canceled extremely worrying, but they're hoping that the readings we're about to get will allow those triathlon male swimming events to take place tomorrow. We did speak a couple of weeks ago, Jim, to one triathlete about the gamble that was being taken with the possibility of them being able to do their swim in the Seine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE LEHAIR, LUXEMBOURG TRIATHLETE: I understand as to why they want to do in Paris, I mean, even the athletes, when we -- last year, we raced there, everyone was like, oh, my God, I raced under Champs- Elysees and near the Eiffel Tower and things like that. So, for the athletes, it's really cool.
For the crowd, it will be cool, but it's true like at what cost? If it cause us to not do a triathlon, then it's a bit sad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: So, all lies very much on these latest tests we're going to get from River Seine. Remember that organizers, Jim, have organized it so there are contingency days. They don't have to hold the event tomorrow or for the women the day after tomorrow, they can shift it. But there will be a limit to that. And the possibility that the triathlon has to become a biathlon, Jim.
SCIUTTO: So, what is the backup plan here? I mean, can you delay further? There's no -- is there a -- is there a plan B that does not involve the River Seine?
BELL: There is no plan B that doesn't involve the River Seine, and that is what has a lot of these athletes worried. They can shift it by a few days, but of course, that is limited in time. These games will last for a couple of weeks and no more. And remember, Jim, that for those biathletes whose strength for instance is a swimming event, it would be a catastrophe --
SCIUTTO: Of course --
BELL: For them that this should become a biathlon which will essentially go run, bike, run, excluding their swimming event put together, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Yes, I mean, imagine that for another Olympic sport, taking out a whole -- a whole event from like the decathlon or something. Melissa Bell, thanks so much for joining. Well, just on 22 minutes past the hour, here's your morning roundup. After a year tied up in the courts, Iowa's heartbeat abortion bill goes into effect today.
The law bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected, that's usually about six weeks into pregnancy.
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BLINKEN: We have serious concerns that the results announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.
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SCIUTTO: Secretary of State Antony Blinken quite publicly questioning the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. and multiple nations in the region are skeptical about official results, handing a third six-year term to the Venezuelan strong man.
Police in Pennsylvania were texting about the Trump rally gunman 90 minutes before he opened fire. It's a story first reported by the "New York Times". One officer even took a picture of the suspect before losing track of him. A member of a local SWAT team told 'ABC News" this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was this a failure of communication?
PATRICK YOUNG, CHIEF DETECTIVE, BEAVER COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES: Multiple agencies working together is always tasking no matter what the problem. I know that we could not communicate with Secret Service or Pennsylvania State police or really in effort the patrol directly.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SCIUTTO: Right, communication failures. Well, the Park Fire now
destroying more than a 100 structures in northern California, burning more than 560 miles, square miles of land. And it's still only 12 percent contained. Ronnie Dean Stout accused of arson for allegedly starting the fire, makes his first court appearance this morning.
The firefighters in the west could see relief from record heat with some showers over the next several days. Meteorologist Derek Van Dam is tracking all of this for us. Derek, I mean, are they going to get any relief out there?
DEREK VAN DAM, METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Jim, and the catalyst for that is this cold front that you see bringing some rain to the Pacific northwest. Some of the hardest-hit areas within Oregon will get light showers, we'll take what we can get in terms of the Park Fire, unfortunately, no rain really anticipated there.
But conditions will improve in terms of the heat. In fact, you can see that with the temperatures going forward over the first parts of this work week, really in the upper 70s, lower 80s, edging backup towards Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
[05:25:00]
But we've got this narrow window of time where maybe perhaps firefighters can get a bit of containment built on those wildfires. There's 103 active large wildfires. Of course, lots of smoke associated with this billowing into the atmosphere, degrading the quality of the air. This will be the story of the Summer, right? And it was last Summer as well. This is going to blanket much of the horizon from Montana to Idaho, Oregon, northern California, portions of Nevada and the state of Washington.
We still have high fire red flag warnings in place for those regions. But look at the below average temperatures, lots of blue on this map. And then we start to shift our chance of heat that's going to build across the central and eastern portions of the country through this week.
So, I'm looking at you, St. Louis, Oklahoma City to Omaha, you can see the watches and warnings in effect there. Those are heat advisories, and really, we're going to see that mercury in the thermometer climb over the next several days for some of these major cities, including here in Atlanta, one more cool day before we see 90s return into the equation, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Wow, a lot of red on that map. Derek Van Dam, thanks so much --
VAN DAM: Yes.
SCIUTTO: Still to come on CNN THIS MORNING, Vice President Harris' campaign shattering fundraising records in just her first week. Plus, President Biden's plan to reform the Supreme Court before his term is up. Is it realistic?
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