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Palestinians: 26 Killed By IDF Near Aid Distribution Site; WFP: Desperate Civilians Looted Food Trucks In Gaza; Witkoff Slams Hamas Response To Gaza Ceasefire Proposal; Walz Tells SC Dems Party Must Fight For Working Class; Mexicans Voting In Judicial Elections Amid Violent Political Season; Smoke Pours Into Major U.S. Cities From Canada's Wildfires; Police Investigating If Suspect In Stabbing Case Sent Threatening Letter To Keep Migrant From Testifying; GOP Senator Offers Sarcastic Apology For "Well, We All Are Going To Die" Comment. Universities Quietly Negotiating with White House; Suge Knight Urges Sean " Combs to Take the Stand; NOAA Forecasts 6 to 10 Names Storms to Become Hurricanes. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired June 01, 2025 - 07:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:00:41]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Good morning. Welcome to CNN This Morning. It is Sunday, June 1st. I'm Victor Blackwell.

Here's what's happening today. We're learning of chaos at an aid distribution site in Gaza as people tried to get food. Health workers say at least 26 people were killed after Israeli forces opened fire on the crowd. We've got the latest for you in a live report.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

GOV. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: This woman is a Democrat, and she said a deer in the headlights. She said it's like they see the car coming, but they just stand there and get run over by the damn thing anyway.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BLACKWELL: Former Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Walz offered a blistering critique of his own party during a gathering of South Carolina Democrats. His message was that the party needs to show some fight if it hopes to win back the White House.

Mexico will hold historic judicial elections today. Hundreds of judges and justices are on the ballot. This is an election that has been marked by violence. We'll talk about that.

Plus, today marks the start of hurricane season. Forecasters say it could be an above average season. Allison Chinchar is here with a look at what to expect.

Plus, picture this. You're on a flight, you're watching your movie, it's interrupted by a kid singing through the intercom. And singing and singing and singing. How would you feel about that? It happened on a Delta flight. We'll talk about it in the morning roundup.

All right, Palestinian Red Crescent says that at least 26 Palestinians were killed and more than 80 others injured after Israeli troops opened fire. This was near an aid distribution center in southern Gaza. The site is run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This is a private organization backed by Israel in the U.S. It's faced some heavy criticism from the U.N.

Meanwhile, Hamas said that it has responded now to the latest temporary ceasefire proposal put forward by the U.S. U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas' response totally unacceptable.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz joins us now from London. Of course, there needs to be this pause in fighting because of the situation in Gaza. Tell us about the chaos that broke out.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and you were just playing the images there of people flooding into the hospitals. Dozens who were wounded. You mentioned the death toll, 26, but we've just received an update. Actually, 31 people killed when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of desperate and hungry Palestinians. That's according to the only medics that were at the scene, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

They say that these Israeli forces opened fire while people were struggling to grab whatever they could. You have to remember that Gaza is being described by the United Nations as the hungriest place on earth. And the U.N. is warning of an impending famine. The distribution that was carried out this morning where this violence, deadly violence broke out, was carried out by that controversial group you mentioned, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The U.N. says that the way in which it carries out what it describes as distributions is a violation of humanitarian norms and puts Palestinians at risk. We can see why, of course, with dozens killed and wounded this morning. You're hearing humanitarian organizations pleading, begging for unimpeded access.

They fear more scenes like this will play out. And what's clear now, Victor, is Palestinians are not just dying from bombs and bullets, from a lack of medical care, from preventable diseases. They are literally dying trying to get food.

BLACKWELL: So talk to me about the latest on this ceasefire proposal.

ABDELAZIZ: Yes. So on that ceasefire proposal, we did get a response from Hamas yesterday, which was neither a no nor a yes. It laid out more demands that the group had, which included a ceasefire that was unconditional, a long ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire, rather, and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Mr. Witkoff, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East who put forward this draft ceasefire proposal called Hamas' response unacceptable. There's been a lot of diplomatic back and forth. But what you need to take away, Victor, is for mediators. They absolutely continue to open the door to negotiations. [07:05:00]

They want to see something happen yesterday because you have 2 million people trapped right now in a hellscape, Victor. And again, these aid organizations need the bombs to fall silent so they can get that aid to the people who need it most.

BLACKWELL: Salma Abdelaziz, thank you.

Ahead of the 2026 midterms and the presidential election in 2028, Democrats are trying to regroup. National Party leaders are meeting in South Carolina to shore up their message and to rally local leaders. Minnesota governor and former vice presidential nominee Tim Walz joined Maryland Governor Wes Moore in South Carolina.

Walz had some harsh words for the Democratic Party.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

WALZ: I'm doing some soul searching, and I was the guy who was there during this last one. But I'm convinced there's an appetite out there for this style of governing. This idea of competency, this idea of compassion, this idea of being able to get things done.

When you poll people, they love our policies, but they can't love those policies if we don't enact them. And if we don't elect Democrats, we don't get a chance to do it.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN's Camila DeChalus joins me now. What else did he have to say?

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN REPORTER: Well, Victor, Tim Walz made two really big points at the dinner yesterday. The first big point he made was saying that Democrats need to do a better job at defining who they are as a party. And he pointed to Republicans saying, hey, look, they did a really good job telling voters where they stood on certain issues when it came to public safety or the economy.

And the second point that he made during the speech is that he told them Democrats really need to, yes, messaging is important, but also getting things done is as important, if not more important than that, and really telling voters these are the policies that we want to get done, but actually implementing them afterwards.

And he said in the speech that this is how they're going to set themselves up, is really crafting policies towards a working class of people and families and actually implementing them to really ensure voters that they are -- stand for their best interests.

Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

WALZ: We lost a big chunk of the working class in this last election. And the thing that bothers me to no end and drives me to do something about it, we didn't just lose the working class, we lost the working class to a billionaire who gives tax cuts to other billionaires.

That -- I saw recently that apparently the Democrats got together and hired a bunch of people and they went into with -- the hotel to discuss how we could best message to people, how we could come up with -- calibrate our words that we're using. That's how we got into this damn mess. Because we're really cautious.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

DECHALUS: Victor, as you can see there, Tim Walz's biggest message there was saying let's focus less on words and more on action. And this is pretty notable because he gave some pretty tangible examples of what Democrats can do at this point in time, especially on the state level, like implementing a child tax credit or providing free meals for students at schools and other policies that will really help working class families.

And he's saying in this messaging, in his remarks that that if we do this, then that will better position us for the elections ahead, like the midterm elections or in the 2028 presidential elections.

BLACKWELL: But of course they can't do it in the minority, so we'll see if they take the advice on messaging.

Camila DeChalus, thanks so much.

Happening today, Mexico is holding its first ever judicial elections on Sunday. Mexicans will be going to the polls to elect nearly 900 federal judges, justices, and magistrates. It's been a violent election season already, and the surging violence is prompting an increase in the demand for armored vehicles.

CNN Senior National Correspondent David Culver has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What do you take out when (INAUDIBLE)? Everything comes out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to be like this.

CULVER (voice-over): Across Mexico, fear is fueling a push for personal protection.

GADI MOKOTOV, OWNER, ETTS BLINDAJES: This, if you want to take a shot from inside. And this door, it's like a scapegoat.

CULVER: An escape door?

MOKOTOV: Yes.

CULVER (voice-over): For 16 years, Gadi Mokotov's company has armored vehicles for Mexico's police, military, government officials, VIPs.

MOKOTOV: This is the level 5.

CULVER (voice-over): But now, he says he's getting more and more requests from lower-level politicians, and even from those who work for those elected officials.

CULVER: So you're seeing staffers now say, we need armored cars too.

MOKOTOV: Here, one of them.

CULVER: Oh, this is a staffer.

MOKOTOV: This is one of them.

CULVER (voice-over): Spending tens of thousands of dollars, not for status, but survival.

MOKOTOV: It's not nice to see moms coming here and, you know, I need to protect my sons. But they're afraid --

CULVER: But they're scared.

MOKOTOV: -- of the kids.

[07:10:01]

CULVER: What does that say about the state of security right now in this country?

MOKOTOV: The people, it's scared. It's scared to go to the streets.

CULVER: And it was here on this street, where just last week, two close aides of Mexico City's mayor were gunned down. You can see they still have flowers and a memorial left behind for them. It happened just as the morning commute was getting underway.

CULVER (voice-over): Violent crime in the capital, including murders and kidnappings, is up more than 150 percent compared to this time last year. That according to El Pais. We've reached out to Mexico City officials to verify those numbers. All of this comes on the heels of Mexico's most violent election cycle in history.

Leading up to the 2024 elections, at least 37 political candidates were assassinated, with more than 800 attacks on campaign staff, officials, and their families. And yet, this democracy forges ahead.

CULVER: (Speaking in Foreign Language). How's the situation?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking in Foreign Language)

CULVER: As far as crime is concerned, it's bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in Foreign Language)

CULVER: He says, even with security, police all around us doesn't make you really feel any safer because criminal elements can seep in at any moment. CULVER (voice-over): It's no surprise that so many are turning to armor, desperate for any sense of safety. And outside, a line of cars waiting for their turn.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

CULVER (on-camera): So what's being done to stop this crime? Well, eight months into her role as president here, Claudia Sheinbaum has said that she's launched these targeted operations to go after these high crime areas. She's also enhancing coordination between federal and local law enforcement.

And then there's a social aspect to this as well, trying to reduce poverty, inequality, but then more specifically, trying to keep young people from being recruited by gangs. All of that aside, when you talk to folks, they're day in and day out is consumed with insecurity. Some folks even saying that they're too afraid to stop at stop signs now because it's become increasingly common that they could get robbed, carjacked, or even kidnapped.

David Culver, CNN, Mexico City.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, David.

Firefighters are racing to contain more than 170 active wildfires tearing through central and western Canada. Smoke from those fires is now pushing into the U.S. and setting off air quality warnings across several states.

CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is back now. How bad is the air for people?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In some of those areas, it is quite thick. I mean, you go outside and you can see what almost looks like a very thick summer haze, except it's not the normal haze you'd get in the summer. It's because of that smoke.

The good news is we are going to get some rain in the forecast, and that should slowly start to clear a lot of that smoke from the air and really just improve air quality as a whole.

Here's a look at where all those fires are. Again, you can see we've got nearly 200 of them stretched out over at least half a dozen provinces in Canada. Now, the concern is the ones, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, those are the ones that are trickling that smoke down into portions of the upper Midwest. But it's even into some southern cities where you're starting to see a little bit of a thicker haze than you normally would as we start off summer.

Here's a look, though. As we go through the rest of the day today and transition into Monday, you'll start to see a lot of that begin to shift a little bit farther eastward, so some of these states that have had a break the last 24 to 48 hours, it's now going to come all right back again. But it will be temporary because we have our next system that's going to be arriving in. And not only is it going to drop temperatures down, it's also going to bring rain chances, and you can see that here. So Minneapolis, very warm yet again today and Monday, but then you see not only the temperatures drop off, but also a chance for rain and hopefully will clear out the air, not just in Minneapolis, but also in portions of the High Plains and even into Canada as well.

Although it's not going to be all that much, Victor, you're likely looking at maybe a half an inch of rain, maybe one inch at best, but I think at this point they'll take anything they can get to improve conditions.

BLACKWELL: Something is better than nothing.

CHINCHAR: Yes.

BLACKWELL: All right, Allison, thank you.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made a stunning claim that an undocumented migrant threatened the president's life. Why investigators are now saying that migrant may be the victim of a setup. That's ahead.

And one of the nation's biggest grocery chains is at the center of a lawsuit by the maker of Oreos. Our panel weighs in.

And the NBA finals are set. Indiana Pacers are heading to the finals, first time in 25 years. Carolyn Manno checks in with sports in the next half hour.

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[07:19:11]

BLACKWELL: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem went public on social media last week. She claimed a migrant had created a letter that threatened to kill the president. But CNN has obtained police records showing authorities have been investigating whether that migrant had actually been set up.

Well, ahead of Noem's post, we got some other information. CNN's Holmes Lybrand explains.

HOLMES LYBRAND, CNN REPORTER: That's right. So, if we take a step back, we have this tweet Wednesday from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing this man, Ramon Morales Reyes, of sending a letter threatening to kill Donald Trump before he self-deported.

Now, the issue with this tweet that included a copy of the letter, it also included a photo of Morales Reyes. Investigators believe that the letter was a part of a setup against Morales Reyes days before Noem had ever tweeted out this accusation.

[07:20:11] Now, why do they believe this is a setup and who is setting up Morales Reyes? Well, investigators believe that a man who allegedly assaulted Morales Reyes in 2023, stabbing him with a box cutter, that this man actually orchestrated this letter being sent out to try to get Morales Reyes deported.

Why do they think that? Well, a few reasons. One, the handwriting simply does not match. They have compared handwriting from Morales Reyes to the letter. Those handwritings do not match. And lawyers for Morales Reyes have actually told me that he does not speak English and he cannot write in English, certainly not to the degree of this letter.

The second part of this is also jailhouse phone calls from the man who allegedly attacked Morales Reyes in 2023. Those phone calls, which I have obtained, show that the individual was discussing how, under Trump, migrants and undocumented immigrants were really less likely to show up to court and that he really wasn't worried because ICE would deport Morales Reyes.

Because he, according to the individual, they -- called Morales Reyes an undocumented immigrant who didn't know a lick of English. The phone calls also show, these transcriptions also show that the individual was planning to send out letters and orchestrating with others how he would send out letters.

He was asking for the address of Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as the address to the local ICE office where the letter was eventually received. He discusses sending letters. He discusses having a hell of a plan to get out of the trial, which is set for July in the case.

Now, investigators are still going through this, that they are still kind of working through the case as it is, but they are investigating it as stolen identity. Now, the Department of Homeland Security has not told me whether or not they'll be issuing a correction, and it's really unclear how this case is going to move forward.

June 4th, Morales Reyes has his deportation hearing. However, if he is deported or if he remains behind bars and is eventually deported, it is unclear how that July trial against the man who allegedly assaulted Morales Reyes and may have set him up with this letter, how that will unfold if the individual Morales Reyes is not there to testify.

Holmes Lybrand, CNN, Washington.

BLACKWELL: Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst posted a video of a sarcastic apology for her "we're all going to die" comment to a constituent who is concerned about cuts to Medicaid. We'll play it for you, and we'll have a reaction from my panel. That's next.

And American Coco Gauff extends her historic streak at the French Open. Carolyn Manno has all the action later in sports.

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[07:27:31] BLACKWELL: My favorite part of the show, the morning roundup. A GOP senator apologized sarcastically for her comments at a recent town hall.

Joining me now, CNN Entertainment Reporter Lisa Respers France, Madeleine Simmons, attorney and partner with Stewart Miller Simmons and Alex Sanz, a fellow at the Poynter Institute. Good to have you all in this morning.

All right, so this is Republican Senator Joni Ernst. On Friday, she had a town hall in which she was discussing Medicaid reform. There were concerns from the audience about SNAP benefit cuts. And someone shouted out, people will die. She replied, "Well, we're all going to die".

And she's been ridiculed for that. She posted on social media this apology. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

SEN. JONI ERNST (R), IOWA: I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall. I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize. And I'm really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BLACKWELL: So that was her apology. Why can't you just say I'm sorry and leave it at that? Is that out of fashion now just to apologize and move on?

ALEX SANZ, FELLOW, POYNTER INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA STUDIES: I mean, the words are important. But I think in this time that we're in and we step back, what we saw happen is no different than what we've seen for months at many of these town halls. And while the answer is what we're talking about this morning, it's really the step back and how uncertain people feel about the change happening around them across the country, whether it's specifically the impact on Medicaid, on some of these benefits.

We talk about the earlier conversations we've had about the institutions and how they're changing, how it's impacting people in very real ways every day. I think that's what's this reflecting of. It's happening in cities across the country. People are afraid in many cases. And that's what's getting us of this conversation today.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: I think that some of these politicians are underestimating how angry people are and how upset people are. So, you know, I love that you started with apology --

BLACKWELL: Yes. FRANCE: -- because it came off incredibly snarky. It was not funny. And I think there's a disconnect in that they -- some of these politicians think that everyone thinks like they do and everyone agrees with them so that they can have a little fun with it. But you can't have fun with the fact that many people do believe that folks are going to die because of some of these cuts.

There's nothing funny about that. So, coming with a sarcastic apology I do not think is helpful in this moment. It absolutely didn't meet the moment, but I think it just further inflames people and just makes them more upset.

MADELEINE SIMMONS, ATTORNEY AND PARTNER, STEWART MILLER SIMMONS: Yes, I agree with you there. You know, people are struggling across the nation. They're complaining, rightfully so, to elected leaders at municipal levels all the way up to the federal level about being able to put groceries on the table and being able to afford their regular day to day expenses.

So, when you hear a leader, a politician respond to people in the audience that are expressing real concern about how this will continue to impact them and their families, it's disheartening.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Do you think this fades in a day or two?

ALEX SANZ, FELLOW, POYNTER INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA STUDIES: We move on quickly. That does not mean that people won't feel the impacts of this. So, when we think about the actual benefits, we have ideas of what we think that means. As we've talked about with Washington, this big, broad, all these powers, but at the very personal level for a lot of families, for individuals who need this care, Whether it's a senior citizen, someone who's disabled, these have real impacts for them.

And people across the country are waking up today wondering, will this change next week? What happens if in just a few weeks I lose these benefits made?

BLACKWELL: Madeleine, let me come to you with this. We've learned that the White House is now in negotiations with some of these elite universities to change some of their policies as we're seeing this fight with Harvard in the courtroom. And it's similar to what we've seen with big law firms and trying to bring them to heal and get them to donate hundreds of millions of dollars of pro bono work. What do you think about what we're seeing and some of the conversations we're not seeing trying to bring these universities in line?

SIMMONS: Sure. Well, I think that the education sector is different from how it impacted the legal sector, because these universities have to plan for the upcoming years. And right now, they are left in a situation where they don't know what funding they're going to get. They don't know if they're going to have their international visa student program impacted. They really can't adequately plan to have classes, tuition, all of the things that a university needs to be able to do to give a good program to their students when there is so much confusion about what the administration at the federal level is going to be doing with them.

So, I understand why they're having this delicate walk and having these conversations because they have to be able to plan for the school year. And right now, they're not able to do that.

BLACKWELL: Yes. A source told -- who's close to these conversations told CNN, quote, "They want Trump to be able to stand up and say he made a deal with so and so, an Ivy League schools, some sort of name brand school that gives him cover so they can say, we don't want to destroy higher education."

Why is this a priority? I mean, this isn't what the president ran on, Ivy League schools.

SANZ: It's not, but think about the contrast. It's a president who came into office saying, I will do all these things. And week by week it is checking off a different priority. Some which were certainly much more discussed. And then there are some like these. But again, when you look at the example with sets (ph), on the one side you have Harvard and then you have another school. As some of his supporters would say, the wrong way to handle this and then the right way to handle this, and that's the example he can bring out to universities across the country.

BLACKWELL: Yes. We saw Columbia make some changes pretty quickly when their money was at risk.

Suge Knight has some opinions about the Sean Diddy Combs trial. He was on with Laura Coates this week. Let's play what he said from prison.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUGE KNIGHT: He probably was advised not to without the -- I feel if he do tell his truth, he would really would walk. He can humanize his old self and a jury might give him a shot. But if they keep him sitting down, it's like he's scared to face the music. He should just have affecting God, put up his pants and go up there and tell his truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Lisa, who knew he cared.

FRANCE: I did not have this on my Bingo card. So, I'm probably the only person on this panel who's actually interviewed Suge Knight, and I just have to say this, sitting down, he was bigger than me standing up. He is an imposing man. And there has been no love loss over the years between him and Diddy. I mean, people of a certain age, remember the East Coast, West Coast, and they were the representatives for that beef and for that battle.

So, to hear him come out and be like, this is what Diddy needs to do to be found innocent, was interesting to me. You know, he really believes that if Diddy were to take the stand, that this will enable people to see him as more of a human being and have more sympathy. Because right now, it feels like what the defense is trying to do is they're trying to say, so, you may not like his sex life, you may not like some of the things that he did privately, but this does not add up to RICO.

[07:35:00]

And so, now, since we're at the point where he may or may not be taking legal advice from Suge Knight, this trial has been wild and we're only like not even what, like, two weeks in. So, it feel -- I mean, I've been covering it, so it feels like longer than that. So, I'm not even sure what day we're on yet.

But, yes, Suge Knight, he has some thoughts. And do you really want to take advice from somebody who's sitting in prison?

BLACKWELL: I don't know that that's the person you go to first. But is there any scenario in which you would put Diddy on the stand in his defense?

SIMMONS: So, to the Suge Knight part, to your point --

BLACKWELL: You want to take that one first?

SIMMONS: Well, I mean, they have had b for so long. I just don't how genuine this advice is because, to your point, anybody that has been listening to this trial has heard the just horrific and damaging and days long testimony that if Diddy were to take the stand, opens him up to a brutal cross-examination, I can't imagine why that would ever play in his favor.

BLACKWELL: All right. We've got more. Lisa, Madeleine, Alex, stay with us. More of the Roundup, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:40:00]

BLACKWELL: All right. Back with my panel now, CNN Entertainment Reporter Lisa Respers France, Madeliene Simmons, an attorney and partner with Stewart Miller Simmons, and Alex Sanz, fellow at the Pointer Institute.

OK. There's this moment from a Delta flight, and again, I should say the people on this flight, they were delayed. They had to circle Orlando, sit on the tarmac without air conditioning. They were there for about 45 minutes. And then, someone says, hey, little girl, you want to sing a song? And hands her the crew mic. And this is what happens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See the line where the sky meets the sea, it calls me and no one know how far it goes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: That went on for more than two minutes. Sweet moments or girl sit out?

FRANCE: Can it be both?

BLACKWELL: No.

FRANCE: The internet makes us forget that you could have two things be true at the same time. It could be cringey and some people could find it darling at the same time.

BLACKWELL: And how do you find it, Lisa?

FRANCE: Oh, do I really have to comment on that?

BLACKWELL: Yes, indeed.

FRANCE: Keep it to "America's Got Talent." Like, yes, I don't -- I think that the people on that flight had already endured enough. And I think it sets a bad precedent. You know, I mean, I can't sing at all, but now I feel like I should be able to jump up there and just have somebody hand me the mic. So, why not?

BLACKWELL: I feel like, you know, it probably was a sweet thought and maybe if she just sang like the chorus. But the whole song?

SANZ: I mean, but think about it, as a parent, we do all --

BLACKWELL: OK. Yes. That's the difference. Yes.

SANZ: -- of things for our kids. So, if it's an eight-minute delay, OK, maybe we get through it 80 minutes, 90 minutes, maybe not. But again, think of that moment for her and how special it is. We're all having the conversation about this this morning. The internet, as you know, is on fire. But it's also a reflection of where we are as a country. We can't agree even on something like this, is it OK or not for this young girl to sing on a Delta flight.

SIMMONS: And to be fair, they were coming back from Orlando. They were probably coming back from Disney. Where "Moana 2" is the biggest thing right now. So, there were probably people on the plane that appreciated it a little bit. But to your point, I probably wouldn't be having my child sing for two whole minutes.

BLACKWELL: I think the difference is that why did she have to have the crew mic, right? If you want to sing, you know, to people around you we all got to join in this. But you know, Nick Khalil is running the camera, thinks this is funny.

All right. Let's talk about this lawsuit, the makers of Oreo, Nutter Butter, and Chips Ahoy suing Aldi because they say you're packaging is just too close to ours and it is confusing people. So, let's put up some examples. Here at the top row, you see some of the brands that you see outside of Aldi. And these are the brands and the packaging inside. And now, let's take a look at this one. This is the one that I think really sells it. Wheat Thins on the left. Adli's Thin Wheat on the right. I respect it.

FRANCE: I don't knock the hustle.

BLACKWELL: I respect it that you get that close. Maybe too close now for this lawsuit. But what do you think?

FRANCE: What does it taste like? That's the question. Like the - what's written on the packaging is not as important to me as, do they nail the taste or not? And if it's less expensive, I mean, I'm not mad about it. I mean, you know, I think I -- they have a lawsuit. I mean, I get it. It is very close because a lot of people don't read. So, if you pick up Thin Wheats, you might think that you're getting wheat thins.

SANZ: It's that. And also, I don't shop with my glasses on. So, I'm going to rush down the aisle. I will pick the first box I see, not the first time I would've mistakenly grabbed the wrong box. It looks pretty similar.

SIMMONS: I'll say, you know, it was interesting to me as an attorney to see that they have been sued multiple times in other countries where they have -- you know, the brand that has been suing them has won because of this copyright infringement. And they were given notice prior to this lawsuit being filed here in federal court in America that, look, you are too close, right? We understand that generic brands are going to make food that attempts to look like brand names, but you're too close. Stop and we won't sue you. And they didn't. So, you know, they can't be surprised that when this lawsuit was dropped.

[07:45:00]

BLACKWELL: Speaking of brands now, there is a new soap that's available that includes Sydney Sweeney's bathwater. She posted on social media. You kept asking about my bathwater after the Dr. Squatch ad. So, we kept it. Introducing Sydney's Bathwater Bliss, a very real, very limited edition soap made with my actual bath water.

FRANCE: Who's buying this? I have so many questions.

BLACKWELL: I'm -- I bet you would say --

FRANCE: A lot of men.

SIMMONS: A lot of men.

FRANCE: I mean, and it's giving thirsty. It is giving thirsty.

BLACKWELL: Don't use thirsty and bath water in the same sentence.

FRANCE: Well, I know, the whole, like, I'll drink your bath water thing. That's very true. I was -- I didn't think that through. You're right, Victor. You're right. I did not think that through. Or maybe I did.

BLACKWELL: Oh, maybe.

FRANCE: Maybe it's clever. SIMMONS: I will say that, you know, she is capitalizing on her fame right now, and if the age of the internet has shown us anything with Etsy and Facebook marketplace, eBay, people will buy very unique and strange items. So, if she's able to, you know, make her money with this right now, I say more power to her. Will I be buying it? Probably not.

BLACKWELL: Probably not.

SANZ: And reading about this on the way in this morning, this isn't something that's happening in her house.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SANZ: Right. This apparently was during a photo shoot. There was -- we saw the pictures. That's the water that's being used for a limited edition --

BLACKWELL: I appreciate that that's your distinction here. It's like she didn't bathe at her house. It's not that house --

SANZ: I think the water (INAUDIBLE) will think about this.

FRANCE: It's special water.

BLACKWELL: And at the bottom of the packaging, the label says, and I'll leave you with this as we wrap this segment, It's Sydney's bathwater with medium grit.

FRANCE: Wow. Lisa Respers France, Madeline Simmons, and Alex Sanz, thank you all. It's the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, and it could be a busy one. Meteorologist Allison Chinchar -- what a transition -- takes a look at predictions straight ahead.

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BLACKWELL: The CNN original series, "My Happy Place," takes viewers on journeys across the world as celebrities show us the places where they go to feel most at peace to escape Tonight, academy award-winning actress Octavia Spencer takes viewers to New Orleans where she explores the city's unique traditions and culture, the art and the food. Be sure to watch a new episode of "My Happy Place with Octavia Spencer." It airs tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, only on CNN.

And today marks the start of the hurricane season in the Atlantic. National Hurricane Center forecast an active season. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is with us. So, what can we expect?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. So, they are calling for an above average season. They are saying we are going to have a total of 13 to 19 named storms. Six to 10 of those are expected to become hurricanes, three to five of which will be major hurricanes, which means a Category 3 or stronger. Now, just to put this in perspective, a normal year would have 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. Now, when you put this into percentages, which is a little bit easier for most people to understand, you're looking at 60 percent chance that this season is going to be above average, 30 percent chance that this would be right around normal and only a 10 percent chance that this is going to be below normal.

Now, one thing to note too is that some of the names on the list have changed. That includes the name Dexter, which is on this year's list. That is the replacement name for Dorian, which caused a tremendous amount of damage back in 2019.

Now, one thing we are looking at, especially early into the season, are these very warm temperatures around the Gulf and the Caribbean that are already about several degrees above where they normally would be this time of year.

BLACKWELL: All right. Allison, thank you. Well, after a 25-year drought, the Indiana Pacers are headed back to the NBA finals. CNN Sports Anchor Carolyn Manno joins us now. Been a while.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: It has, Victor. And the Pacers also beat the Knicks in six games back in those 2000 Eastern Conference Finals that you're talking about. This time around though Indiana's depth was really on display. It's something that's made them one of the best teams in the league. And now, it's made them Eastern Conference champions.

Seven players in this game, scoring in double figures for Indiana, Pascal Siakam really set the tone early offensively. He put up 31 points in all, becoming the first player in franchise history with at least 30 points, five rebounds and three blocks in a series clinching game. The Knicks just couldn't take care of the ball. They couldn't keep up with Indiana. The Pacers outscored the Knicks 41 to 10 in transition. They scored 34 points off of turnovers. Indiana also did a tremendous job defensively on Jalen Brunson. He was contained for much of the game.

And after scoring just eight points in game five, Tyrese Haliburton was the difference in the fourth quarter. He finished with 21 points and 13 assists after adding just 10 points to the first three quarters. Not much time to celebrate though as Indiana gets set to meet League MVP Shea Gillis Alexander and the Thunder, game one of the finals tipping off on Thursday night.

Meantime, at the French Open, the top three American players on the women's side, Coco Gauff, Jess Pegula, Madison Keys all securing their spots in the round of 16. This was not a straightforward win for Coco Gauff after handling Marie Bouzkova with ease in the opening set. The pair traded breaks in eight consecutive games in a really tough second set for Coco. Lot of unforced errors, increased her ground strokes, kind of waning a little bit, but she did manage to escape in a one- sided second set tiebreaker to win 6-1, 7-6 and move on to week two at Roland-Garros for a fifth straight year. So, getting it done. And then on the men's side later today, American Ben Shelton is going to face world number two, defending Champ Carlos Alcaraz. So, that is must see.

[07:55:00]

Americans, Francis Tiafoe, Tommy Paul also taking the court. And you can watch all of that on TNT, True TV and Max. It's going to be a great day.

And as Coco was battling in her second set. On Saturday, tennis fans could hear the distant sounds of popping fireworks from the nearby soccer stadium that belongs to Paris Saint-Germain who fans gathering there for a watch party ahead of this 2025 UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan. The match shaking place in Munich, Germany. But fans all over the world watching PSG absolutely deliver a dominant five no win over Inter. Marking the most lopsided win in the history of the Champions League. PSG earning the top title in European soccer for the first time in the club's 55-year history. And as you can imagine, Victor, celebrations in France going deep into the night and all around the world. It was an incredible game and it should be a really good day at the French Open later on this afternoon as well.

BLACKWELL: All right. Carolyn Mano, thank you. And thank you for joining us for CNN This Morning Weekend. Inside Politics Sunday with Man Raju is up next.

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