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CNN This Morning
China Kicks Off Two-Day Security Summit; Xi, Modi Talk Friendship In A "Chaotic" World As Trump's Tariffs Hit; Florida May Lose Millions On Controversial Detention Center; Florida Cities Face Deadline To Remove Rainbow Crosswalks; California Democrats Launch Redistricting Campaign; Chicago Mayor Signs Over To Resist Planned Immigration Crackdown. Chicago Mayor Signs Order to Resist Planned Immigration Crackdown; House Committee to Receive Epstein Documents This Week; Cardi B's Trial Testimony Goes Viral. Aired 7-8a ET
Aired August 31, 2025 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:00:08]
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Good morning, welcome to CNN This Morning. It's Sunday, August 31st. August flew by, didn't it? It's all over now. I'm Victor Blackwell.
The leaders of China, Russia, India are among the nations meeting this hour at a critical time for global relations. We're live at the scene of the summit that's happening right now.
Plus, is it just paint, or is it something more? Cities across Florida are facing a deadline in just days to remove rainbow crosswalks. I'll speak to a South Florida mayor who is pushing back.
CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And as summer starts to wind down, that fall feel settles in. Look at that forecast coming up.
BLACKWELL: Our China is the site of a major summit where leaders from around two dozen countries, including Russia, India, North Korea, are meeting to discuss security in Eurasia. Right now, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is hosting a gala reception and dinner for the leaders and the dignitaries.
China's leader, Xi Jinping, is hoping to take full advantage of his platform to stake China's claim as a more predictable option to President Trump, who is not at the summit. Trump's trade policy has strained relationships and alliances around the world.
India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, already had direct talks with Xi. Modi had not been to China in seven years. Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, also at the summit. He and other leaders, including, as we said, Kim Jong-un will be there on Wednesday when China will flex its military muscle with a military parade.
CNN Senior International Correspondent, Ivan Watson, is at the summit. Ivan, catch us up. IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, Victor, the motorcades are just arriving at this big grand building over here, and that's where the heads of state are gathering for the opening of this 25th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. As you mentioned, this is a chance for China to flex its diplomatic muscles, where the buzzword, really, is the call for a multipolar world.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded by Russia and China and some Central Asian states, and Russia and China have made it no secret about the fact that they don't really like the fact that the world has been dominated by the U.S. and the West, really, since the end of the Cold War. They're calling for a multipolar world order, and they're also conceding that things are increasingly chaotic right now.
In comments today, she pointed out that the world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic. Among the leaders that are gathering here, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, a little bit more than two weeks since he met face-to-face with President Trump in Alaska, he's coming here.
His partnership with China has only grown over the last couple of years. These are strategic partners. They're doing military cooperation. Their bilateral trade has reached new levels. Also worth noting that the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is here.
And that's really important because over the last five years, relations between India and China, two neighbors, had sharply deteriorated. Their armies fought deadly skirmishes against each other in a disputed border region starting back in 2020.
In the meantime, the U.S. had been kind of grooming India as a democratic counterweight to China for about 25 years. Well, in the last couple of months, the Trump administration has slapped 50 percent tariffs on India.
It has been seen in India to be siding with India's arch-rival, Pakistan. So Modi is here patching up differences with the Chinese leader. Both of those leaders face-to-face, calling for an improvement in relations, re-establishing direct flight links that have been frozen for some time.
And experts are saying the tough line that the Trump administration has taken on India has helped push or reinvigorate the resumption of relations between India and China. In other words, kind of pushed Modi into the arms of Xi Jinping. And as you mentioned, in a couple of days' time, we'll have a huge military parade put on by China in Beijing.
And that will be attended not only by Vladimir Putin, but also the leaders of North Korea and Iran, all watching thousands of Chinese soldiers marching in formation together. Victor?
BLACKWELL: Important moment. Ivan Watson reporting, as you say, the motorcades are arriving for the reception and dinner. Thank you so much.
Florida taxpayers, they could be on the hook for the $218 million spent to build the detention center that's dubbed Alligator Alcatraz. The facility may soon be completely empty. A judge this week upheld her decision ordering operations to wind down indefinitely.
[07:05:14]
That remote detention center was built on an abandoned airstrip in the Everglades, and it's been plagued by reports of unsanitary conditions and detainees being cut off from attorneys.
CNN Correspondent, Rafael Romo, has more.
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, good morning. When the migrant detention center was built two months ago, Florida state officials said it would have capacity for 3,000 detainees. At one point, it held almost 1,000, but now the Associated Press is reporting that last week, it held only 300 to 350 detainees, citing U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost from Florida, who said he was told this figure while touring the tent facility.
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction nine days ago halting further expansion due to environmental reasons. And then, in a message to a Florida rabbi a day later, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said, quote, "We are probably going to be down to zero individuals within a few days."
The correspondence was about chaplaincy services, but the official's message sent us an email appears to confirm the migrant detention center is about to be emptied out. An immigrant's rights advocate welcomed the news, saying a tent facility in the Florida Everglades in the middle of the summer during hurricane season should never have been built in the first place.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
THOMAS KENNEDY, POLICY ANALYST, FLORIDA IMMIGRANT COALITION: Because it's come to sort of symbolize the excesses and cruelty of Trump era immigration policy. Remember, this was a state-run extrajudicial site that was operating under no legal authority or contract from the federal government where people were denied due process and even an appearance before an immigration judge or court.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
ROMO: And as we have reported in the past, the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil and immigrants rights groups sued a Trump administration and state officials claiming lack of access to legal counsel and violations of due process. But Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier told Fox Business on Thursday that the effort to use his state to help the Trump administration deport migrants is still ongoing.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP) JAMES UTHMEIER, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: The facility is still operating. Obviously, there's a lot of deportations that are ongoing, taking people out of the facility. The judge has said no more new people can go in, but we disagree with that order. We believe we're right on the law and we've appealed it to the 11th Circuit.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
ROMO: Florida taxpayers may lose hundreds of millions of dollars in the end. Shutting down the facility endorsed by President Trump last month will cost the state anywhere between $15 million and $20 million according to an analysis of court filings by the AP and the Florida Division of Emergency Management may lose most of the value of the $218 million it has spent making the airport suitable for a detention center.
Victor, now back to you.
BLACKWELL: All right, Rafael, thank you.
And cities in Florida are facing a deadline to remove rainbow crosswalks. The crosswalk battle comes after the Florida Department of Transportation issued a June 30th memo saying its policy prohibits pavement or surface art or markings not directly supporting traffic control or public safety on crosswalks and travel lanes. That includes pavement surface art that is associated with social, political, ideological messages or images.
Joining me now is Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniella Levine Cava. Thank you for being with me. This deadline is coming soon. Will you comply?
MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA (D), MIAMI-DADE COUNTY: Well, thank you so much, Victor, for having me. This is a street in the city of Miami Beach under their jurisdiction, so they will decide what actions they'll take. But I certainly oppose this.
This is simply a matter of erasing people. It's not just erasing a crosswalk. And in fact, the governor is getting so much pushback about this that he's actually now blaming this on others. You have research that shows that these could be safer, in fact, for both pedestrians and automobiles because it actually calls more attention, makes the crosswalks more visible.
And these are not just paint on pavement. These are symbols of love, unity, and respect. And we here in Miami-Dade County, we stand for all of those things.
BLACKWELL: And so talk to me about the importance of, I mean, I started the show with saying, is it paint or is it something more.
CAVA: Yes, for sure.
BLACKWELL: Expressing that love and support in some other way. I mean, is this something, again, you say Miami Beach will make their decision, but is this something worth the fight with the administration when that could be expressed in some other way that does not, I guess, risk some funding or support from the federal government?
[07:10:11]
CAVA: Basically, this is an attack on people's identity. It's attack on local control. If there is no demonstrated harm, which there isn't, what is the logic? This is actually something that was policy for a long time and never was enforced or interpreted this way. And it simply is done, we believe, as a show of force, something to try to negate community input, community position, community love, and acceptance.
BLACKWELL: Yes, and people have been crossing Rainbow Crosswalks without a threat to their safety for many years --
CAVA: Exactly.
BLACKWELL: -- now.
CAVA: Yes.
BLACKWELL: Let's talk about Alligator Alcatraz because CNN's reporting is that Florida could be out more than $200 million for that facility. And I know you've spoken out against it. If you go to Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's Instagram page right now and check that very first pinned post, it says that Alligator Alcatraz will be funded largely by FEMA's Shelter and Services Program.
But now DHS attorneys lately in court filings say that no final federal funding decisions had been made. What's your reaction to now Florida likely being on the hook for this facility?
CAVA: This was constructed hastily without regard to the environment, without due process protections, as many have mentioned. And, in fact, this is property that is owned by Miami-Dade County under our aviation department. So essentially it was seized under emergency powers of the governor.
And there was really nothing in place at the time. And I think the courts have brought that to light, that there was an expectation, but there was nothing actually confirmed and agreed as to who was running the facility and who was responsible for paying for it. That to be said, the judge has ordered that based on environmental concerns, which we called out from the beginning, this is not an allowable place for people to be detained.
BLACKWELL: All right, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, thank you so much.
CAVA: Thank you, Victor.
BLACKWELL: Labor Day weekend and temperatures are dipping in much of the East, leading some people to ask, are we on the way to fall a little sooner than the calendar suggests? Let's bring in our meteorologist, Chris Warren with what to expect. I love it.
WARREN: Yes, a lot of people do.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
WARREN: And some people are going to say, you know what? Fall is settling in this week. Other people are like, what are you talking about?
BLACKWELL: Right. Yes, yes, yes.
WARREN: So, I want to show you the differences here, but we start off with where there is a little bit of trouble. Most of the country is pretty quiet, but here in Texas is where there is a flood threat. This red outlined area right here, shaded area South of Dallas is a flash flood warning because of too much rain we've seen over the past couple of hours.
Parts of Hill and Limestone counties in that flash flood warning right now. Showers and storms, really the exception. When we look across the entire U.S., pretty quiet in the Northwest and the Northeast, but some areas are feeling that chill, feeling cooler air when you walk outside.
Similar to yesterday, temperatures running in the 40s and 50s in the Northeast, highs getting up into the 70s, 80s in the South, a few areas close to 90 degrees over the next couple of days, staying on the cool side in the Northeast. But we are looking at and going to see potentially some records this week. Record cool temperatures here in the Northeast.
Victor, while we're going to see in the West, we'll talk about this a little bit later, possible record highs and record warm lows as well. So it's going to be warm in the West and still pretty cool in the East.
BLACKWELL: Yes. So the folks out West are like, fall?
WARREN: What are you talking about?
BLACKWELL: Yes. All right, thanks, Chris.
Still ahead, if California voters approve the redrawing of congressional districts could shake up strongholds across the state. How voters in those districts are reacting to the move by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
Plus, Chicago is preparing to fight back against the Trump administration. Sources say the White House is preparing a major immigration enforcement operation that could come within days.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:19:11]
BLACKWELL: In California, the campaign to add more Democratic congressional seats is kicking off. The effort led by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is looking to alter the map to change seats from red to blue. Estate lawmakers have approved Newsom's plan, but now they need local voters to sign off in a special election.
CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In California's race to counter Texas, San Diego County is a big prize.
JONES: Where are we?
GARVIN WALSH, BOARD MEMBER, SAN DIEGO COUNTY REPUBLICANS: We're in Escondido, which you might call it the capital of North County San Diego. And this is Friday night. It's a regular routine during the summer. The town will be filled with antique cars, and it brings out people who wish they had one.
JONES (voice-over): This southern slice of the state stands to be most affected if voters approve an extraordinary mid-decade drive to redraw district lines that could add up to five Democratic seats in Congress. Local Republicans like Garvin Walsh call it a power grab.
[07:20:12]
WALSH: It's not a question of fairness towards Republicans. It's a question of, you know, principle and playing by the rules, and they're not doing that.
JONES (voice-over): Earlier in August, the initiative passed a California legislature, a tit-for-tat redistricting push to offset expected Republican gains in Texas. Republican Assembly Member Carl DeMaio is vowing to take the fight to the polls.
CARL DEMAIO (R), CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER: A lot of what our campaign will be focusing on is getting the truth to voters, making sure that they understand that these lines were drawn by the politicians. These lines are not about fairness.
JONES (voice-over): California's 48th district is a Republican stronghold stretching from just east of Orange County all the way down to the Mexican border. The newly proposed lines would take out some of the reddest parts of San Diego County and add in liberal-leaning Palm Springs voters, which could give Democrats an edge in the midterms.
JONES: Much like in Texas, support for redistricting here in California is split along partisan lines. These people here are fully in favor of Governor Gavin Newsom's efforts to redistrict California. They're saying they don't care this is a political move. It's along the lines of their belief system.
JAMES CASSIDY, ESCONDIDO RESIDENT: I voted for the independent districting, but we have to fight fire with fire.
DEBBIE, DEMOCRATIC VOTER, ESCONDIDO RESIDENT: This is simply to counteract what's going on and try to make sure that Trump does not wield control over Congress.
JONES (voice-over): At the forefront of this fight is Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar.
CROWD: Yes, we can!
JONES (voice-over): Twice his run in this part of the state and lost. The last time was in 2020 against longtime Republican Congressman Darrell Issa. But Campa-Najjar is hoping the new borders will help push him across the finish line in 2026.
AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR (D), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Are you guys ready to turn out on November 4th for the ballot measure?
CROWD: Yes, sir!
CAMPA-NAJJAR: We have to win this ballot initiative. Once we get into office, we could raise the bar and hopefully fight for a national independent commission like we have here. But if we're the only ones doing it, we're at a disadvantage.
JONES (voice-over): Back on the main drag, these cars are parked right at the current district's border. New maps would fold all of these blocks into the new 48.
WALSH: They're making it more difficult, but I don't think we're going to give up.
JONES (voice-over): Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Escondido, California.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
BLACKWELL: Still ahead, the Epstein estate is set to turn over the mysterious birthday book that allegedly contains a doodle from President Donald Trump. What that could mean in this ongoing controversy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:27:13]
BLACKWELL: President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in Chicago could start this week, and the mayor is preparing for it. Let's bring in our guest for the morning roundup. With me now is Kim Ford, a professor of Entertainment Journalism at Morehouse College, Former U.S. Attorney Michael Moore and former TV News Anchor Malena Cunningham.
Welcome to you all.
MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Glad to be with you.
MALENA CUNNINGHAM, FORMER TV NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you. Good morning.
BLACKWELL: So the mayor, Brandon Johnson, he signed this executive order, reported first on CNN. Among other things, Michael, I'm going to start with you, he demands that President Trump "stand down," in quotes there, from deploying military forces to Chicago. And if they come, refrain from wearing masks, they use body cameras, identify themselves to members of the public. What's the legal utility of this at all?
MOORE: Yes. I don't know that it's much, but posturing on both sides, and I'm glad to be with you. You know, this is a different situation than Washington. You know, in Washington, he has a right as the president to come in and, you know, bring the military in. And he sort of controls that city, if you will.
Here, it's a little different. So what we're seeing is that he's using this activity to bring in and claim that he's doing a federal purpose, that is immigration or protecting federal properties. And so now you've got cities saying, well, you can't come in and take over our police force, which is right. Under very, very limited circumstances, could you see anything like that?
But he's using this, I think, really as a smoke screen. And what it's doing is it's driving his numbers up with his base and his poll numbers, because people think he's doing something on crime. But really, he's doing nothing but coming in and moving around and sort of masquerading, if you will, this -- his immigration enforcement, which he can do as the president. I mean, that is under the federal purview with this idea that he's coming in and being tough on crime.
BLACKWELL: Yes. And Malena, as Michael mentioned here, his poll numbers, AP-NORC poll found that his approval rating on crime is 53 percent.
CUNNINGHAM: Yes.
BLACKWELL: This is weeks into his deployment in D.C. That's higher than his overall rating, his approval on the economy, immigration, Russia, Ukraine. Are Democrats struggling to message on crime?
I think they may be struggling somewhat, but here's my concern with what's happening in D.C. and what's happening in Chicago, is the citizens. You know, the citizens are the ones who are caught in the middle. Yes, we all want crime to not be issues no matter where we live.
But also, as a citizen, you don't want to be perceived to be a criminal and just snatched off the streets. No questions asked, but no due process. So the question for the Democrats, I think, is how do you calm the fears of citizens, stay tough on crime, but also recognize that you don't want to have police states.
None of us want to be in a city where we're afraid. We're afraid of the police. We're afraid of, we don't know if you are the police or not.
BLACKWELL: Yes. And that's actually the rest of that executive order --
CUNNINGHAM: Yes.
BLACKWELL: -- from Brandon Johnson, talking about how Chicago police officers will operate and conduct themselves if they -- the federal government comes to Chicago. Let's turn to Congress. And the return now after the August recess, the Epstein birthday book has been subpoenaed from the estate. How much do you think that this will change any of this fervor to get answers? Let's get a reminder here from what President Trump said about the Wall Street Journal's reporting that he has a note in that book.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you maintain you did not write a letter for Jeffrey Epstein's birthday book?
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I don't even know what they're talking about. Now, somebody could have written a letter and used my name, but that's happened a lot. All you have to do is take a look at the dossier, the fake dossier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Kim, I mean, let's say there's a note in there, this is what the president's going to say.
KIM FORD, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALISM PROFESSOR, MOREHOUSE COLLEGE: Of course. This is -- he's doing exactly what he normally does. He deflects, deflects, deflects, anything to keep away from what the real issues are. The issue is, he did something immoral and illegal, and a lot of women are hurt behind it. So, right now, he's deflecting. He wants everyone to look at everything but what's really going on.
BLACKWELL: And the person who has had done something illegal is Jeffrey Epstein. The president's not been connected to anything, any wrongdoing, but the question is this connection to this friend that he has obviously tried to create some distance.
MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY AND PARTNER, MOORE HOUSE: My guess is on the day that the book comes out and we see this letter that you're going to suddenly see some big story about the -- what's happening in Chicago and crime enforcement. I mean, that's been the -- that's the norm.
MALENA CUNNINGHAM, FORMER TV NEWS ANCHOR AND FOUNDER, NEWSLADY PRODUCTIONS: Or will we see the book at all? Will the book have been tampered with? How will we know? Will the letter be in there, you know? Who else has a copy of the book? Is this the only one? And that's the thing that, you know, journalists have to try to get to the bottom of. We want to make sure that if this book is coming out, it's legitimate and hasn't been tampered with.
BLACKWELL: Yes. The book's going into the House Oversight Committee. And as you suggest, the last time we got the recordings of the interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, that was the day that there was a search of Bolton's home in office the same way.
MOORE: It's always a smokescreen. It's like the tail wagon and the dog. That's -- that'll be the next thing that we see. BLACKWELL: OK. Michael, your story, the adage is that you can indict a ham sandwich with a grand jury. Apparently, it's tough to indict the man who throws the ham sandwich. This is your story about U.S. attorney Janine Pirro.
MOORE: Yes. You know, this has been interesting because she's failed to get indictments in cases where it should be fairly simple for a prosecutor to do it. There's really a low bar when you present evidence because the prosecutor's only telling their side of the story. So, they're just telling this grand jury, look, if -- you need to return indictment, let the facts sort themselves out at trial, but at least this lets us go forward to a trial. Here, she's been unable to.
BLACKWELL: Tell the story of what's happening here.
MOORE: Well, I mean, she's bringing some charges and they really are dropping the hammer on people who have been caught up in some of the crackdowns, whether it be the hitting somebody with a sandwich, a law enforcement officer or a National Guard person, we've seen them, you know, really throw the book at folks. And that's just not -- first off, it's not how it -- what's meant to happen.
And finally, frankly, you're seeing some pushback, not only from the grand jury, but the courts are starting to push back. Our courts have just let sort of the administration run rampant. You know, they've sort of been lost in this idealism that, well, this is the president and this is the normal process. Let democracy take its toll. That's like a parent whose kid's running around the kitchen with a steak knife saying, well, they're just being a toddler. I mean, he just -- we're at a point now where something's got to stop.
BLACKWELL: All right. Kim, Michael, Malena, stay with me. Right after the break we're going to get to one of your stories, Kim, about, a tennis player who's now apologizing for what she said on the court, calling another opponent uneducated and with no class. We'll take a break. We'll be right back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you call her fat?
CARDI B, RAPPER: No, I was calling her -- yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:35:00]
BLACKWELL: Welcome back to the Morning Roundup. And we're starting at the U.S. Open. And, Kim, let me start with you. Your story of the week is the fallout from Jelena Ostapenko, the Latvian player, and her tirade against Taylor Townsend. She said she had no class, no education. Well, now, Ostapenko has apologized on Instagram. Let me read it. She says, I wanted to apologize for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match. English is not my native language. So, when I said education, I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette. But I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court. She's now apologized. It's all good?
FORD: Absolutely not good. It is absolutely not OK. Like Naomi said, the worst thing you could do is call a black person uneducated and that we have no class, right? We always have this thing that we have to prove, and we shouldn't have to. You know, Taylor has already proven what she needs to, she wins from round to round to round.
Now, mind you, this happened on HBCU Night. She received all of the applause. And shout out to my HBCU Grambling State University and Morehouse where I teach. But she received a standing ovation. And it seems like Jelena's emotions got the best of her, and she didn't like not winning.
BLACKWELL: And, Malena, it was three days between the tirade and this apology online. And Taylor Townend said, she posted that online, she'd never came to me and apologized. So, that's something different.
[07:40:00]
CUNNINGHAM: It sounds like it took her a while to get a good PR firm to get her to come up with the excuse of, I don't speak good English. I should have used the word etiquette instead of education. Too little, too late. Sorry, that doesn't fly. And then, hats off to Taylor also for letting her action speak of being dignified and classy, but also winning. People who didn't know Taylor Townsend's name before now, they know her now.
BLACKWELL: And she won that next match --
CUNNINGHAM: Yes, she did.
BLACKWELL: -- that some people thought she had a tougher time getting through, but she pulled it out. Kim, one more for you. Cardi B.
FORD: Yes.
BLACKWELL: And her testimony in this civil trial is all over socials going viral online. She's being sued by a former security guard for an alleged assault in 2018. Cardi was at a medical office going to her obstetrician. Let's get a taste of Cardi on the stand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yesterday, you had black hair, short hair. Today, it's blonde and long. Which one is your real hair or are they both real?
CARDI B, RAPPER: They're wigs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said she's bigger than you, is that correct?
CARDI B: Absolutely. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you know that?
CARDI B: I mean, look. She is like --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? Say it.
CARDI B: Security heavy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does security heavy mean? Just tell us. There's no harm. What does that mean?
CARDI B: Like she just looks a little like she could protect the building type big. You know what I'm saying?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
CARDI B: She just looked more developed than me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: And I think maybe it's the authenticity that really is connecting with viewers who are outside the courtroom. What do you see in this?
FORD: I mean, for one, we're definitely going to have a new meme, security heavy.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
FORD: That was absolutely hilarious. But Cardi is winning right now on the stage. And the unseriousness of this trial, I think it's a whole waste of taxpayers' dollars, first of all. But, I mean, Cardi is winning because she's authentic. And more than likely the jury is going to do that because they're laughing and she makes all very valid points and the attorney that's asking her those questions, he doesn't seem like he's prepared at all.
BLACKWELL: Yes. Several of his -- the -- her defense attorneys' objections are being sustained because of what's happening in the courtroom. What do you hear when you hear a jury or people in the room laughing with Cardi B on the stand?
MOORE: Yes, it depends on if you're the one trying to do the comedic line or not. The lawyer who's trying to get the laugh. You know, but, you know, typically, you don't want to hear it, especially if you're questioning a witness or you're questioning a key player in there. You've hoped that you score some points and you sort of show people how serious it was because you're asking for a lot of money. And so, they've come, in this case, they're asking for millions of dollars over something that seems completely in doubt about what happened, but probably the -- they're also fighting the impression that they're there just to pick her pocket. And that seems to be the case.
So, you work with your witnesses, you work with your victims sometimes. But I mean, frankly, some things happen in court and you just can't control it, but you never want to hear somebody laughing for it might be you who's the butt of the joke.
BLACKWELL: Yes. Kim, one more for you here. Cardi's got an album coming.
FORD: Yes, she does.
BLACKWELL: Next month. It's her second album. Follow up seven years since the first one. You think this helps with sales? Does one influence the other?
FORD: Oh, this absolutely helps, because this is only drawing more attention to who she is and how relatable she is and how authentic she is. Most people probably forgot about this case way back in 2018. We all had to catch back up to say what happened. But the timing is perfect for her because from what I saw from a source that after she goes to trial, she goes at night to do her promo, and then she has to go back to do this trial. So, it's an inconvenience, but it's actually going to work for her.
BLACKWELL: Malena, let's talk about Jordon Hudson. Not a lot of people know her name.
CUNNINGHAM: Yes.
BLACKWELL: But they know her boyfriend, former coach Bill Belichick. Well, he is now a college coach, former NFL coach.
CUNNINGHAM: Yes.
BLACKWELL: He's 73. She's 24. No commentary there, but she has now applied for a trademark for the term gold digger. And she wants to use it, she says, as Michael puts his head down and shakes it, uses -- she wants to use it for jewelry and key chain. I think it's genius.
CUNNINGHAM: I agree.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CUNNINGHAM: You know, it's interesting how things that used to be taboo to folks now are socially acceptable. I didn't even know you could trademark gold digger. I understand she's in line because she's not the only one.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
CUNNINGHAM: But the interesting thing is I was looking up her background. She got a degree in cosmetology and philosophy. I would've assumed it was marketing because even -- ever since she's been in this relationship with Bill Belichick she has really used marketing in a lot of ways to push herself, you know.
[07:45:00]
And if she wants to be called a gold digger, and she has an older boyfriend who's OK with her being called a gold digger, hey.
BLACKWELL: Yes. You know you like it, I love it. Right?
FORD: She's trying to lean more so into that because she probably wants to conjure up some money of her own with him. She can't get any of Bill Belichick's money, but if they can get some money together, that's probably what she's setting up.
BLACKWELL: The jackpot for Powerball, $1.1 billion.
CUNNINGHAM: Oh, wow.
FORD: Oh, God.
BLACKWELL: This is my question. If you're spending -- and we got to go quickly through the line. If you're spending dumb money, what's the thing you buy? Malena first.
CUNNINGHAM: OK. I bought Powerball tickets.
BLACKWELL: OK. All right.
FORD: I'd probably buy either some Trump crypto, because it looks like there's going to be no holds barred or I'd buy some congressional seats and try to flip it.
BLACKWELL: Oh, OK. All right. Well, apparently, they're for sale. Kim?
FORD: I don't think it's dumb, but I'll definitely spend a lot on scholarship money for college students. In addition to that, a whole lot of glam, because this stuff is expensive.
BLACKWELL: OK. All right. Well, Kim, Michael, Malena, thank you all. Still ahead, college football, back in action. The highlights from the dramatic season openers. And tonight, back-to-back. New episodes of "Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain." Here's a look
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVA LONGORIA, HOST, EVA LONGORIA: SEARCHING FOR SPAIN (voice-over): To make awful more appealing and contemporary, Haba (ph) to uses El Bulli style visual trickery.
LONGORIA: See, I don't know if that's a mushroom or kidney.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to offer this to young people. So, we need to make it fun.
LONGORIA: Accessible. Yes, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We have many people in our restaurant that come and they don't want to know --
LONGORIA: Don't tell me what I'm eating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
LONGORIA: Yes, yes, yes. I might sometimes be one of those people. What herb is this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It's from -- it's carrot because --
LONGORIA: Carrot, the carrot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, the rabbit eat carrot.
LONGORIA: Pretty poetic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But our grandfathers and grandmothers eat bad food, but not like that.
LONGORIA: So, this is a traditional dish with a modern twist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. That's it.
LONGORIA: The mashed potato, carrot leaf, and rabbit kidney is a perfect combination.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't know what is kidney or mushroom?
LONGORIA: I don't know, yes. Because they have the same exact texture. The texture of the mushroom. It's all mixed in my mouth. I don't know. That's lovely. Also, this meat sauce.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: "Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain" tonight at 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. only on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:50:00]
BLACKWELL: Labor Day is tomorrow. Most folks want a pleasant day off. With me now, CNN Meteorologist Chris Warren. How's it looking?
CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Victor, most areas looking pretty good. There's going to be a few showers, possibly some thunderstorms today around the Gulf Coast and some scattered showers and storms right in the heartland. Otherwise, the story is going to be these temperatures. Feeling a lot more like fall across a lot of the Northeast with highs in the 70s, lower 70s in Boston, to 77 in New York. Still warm in the south, but the temperatures here in the Midwest are going to stay pretty cool for the next few days, and then even maybe say colder by the end of the week.
Here's what's going on and the potential here for some records to be broken. So, let's take a look at that. The overall pattern, that cold air coming down from Canada, reinforcing what's already in place. So, each one of these dots indicates where it could be either a cold high or a cold low for the day.
On the other side, the split to all this is the West Coast where it will be sizzling, baking in this summer heat here in the Evergreen State, the Beaver State, and the Golden State as well. So, it's going to be quite warm in the west. But right in the middle, right in the Midwest here we see how things just drop out in Chicago with overnight lows. Victor, just a couple degrees away from the 40s.
BLACKWELL: All right. Chris, thank you. Wild day of college football. Coy Wire is here. Some big wins, some big upsets.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I don't know if we had a bigger -- a big game on the opening weekend like this. We had number one Texas versus the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes. People expecting this high scoring affair. It was anything but. The Buckeyes defense dominate it. Holding Texas to one of five on fourth down, including that goal line stand. And the Buckeyes held Texas' Heisman hopeful quarterback, Arch Manning, to 170 yards an interception and a touchdown.
The game was seven-nothing into the fourth until the Buckeyes' Carnell Tate hauled in this 48-yard from New Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin, saying something. The defending champs, Ohio State, get their sixth consecutive win versus a top five opponent. 14-7 is the final.
Unranked FSU stuns number eight Alabama. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos hitting Squirrel White. What a name.
BLACKWELL: Hey, Squirrel.
WIRE: Castellanos said in June, they don't have Nick Saban who save them. I don't see him stopping me while he backed up his talk. Bama did bring it within one score late, but look at Gavin Sawchuk, dragging half the Bama's defense into the end zone. That is a statement run. And then, the students made a statement, storming the field. Florida State wins 31-17. The streets of Tallahassee need a thorough cleaning this morning, that's if the students are done partying.
Tigers versus tigers. Number four Clemson hosting number nine LSU. LSU down 10-3 at halftime, but they tie it up. And in the fourth, Garrett Nussmeier to trade as green. Incredible catch for the touchdown. Nussmeier going 231 yards in a touchdown in a 17 to 10 win.
[07:55:00]
To Flushing Meadows for U.S. Open action Coco Gauff making quick work of her third-round matchup with Magdalena Frech. One hour, 13 minutes, cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 win. She was not Frech-ing around. Naomi Osaka facing Daria Kasatkina. She wins in three sets, advances to her first major round at 16 since 2021. Guess who she has next? Coco Gauff. Here's what she had to say about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAOMI OSAKA, TENNIS PLAYER: Can somebody come to the match and cheer for me because -- oh, I mean, it's kind of tough playing an American here. But I hope you guys kind of adopted me as well. So, yes, I kind of also see her as a little sister. So, it's really cool to be playing her here again. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: That is going to be a huge match. And Americans doing really well. Jessica Pegula is in action today. And Taylor Townsend, who I heard you talking about a minute ago, she'll be in action today as well.
BLACKWELL: Coco Gauff and Naomi?
WIRE: I mean, that's a big one, right?
BLACKWELL: They're not Frech-ing around either. See? See how we did that? All right. Coy, thank you very much.
WIRE: You got it.
BLACKWELL: And thank you for joining us for CNN This Morning Weekend. Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:00:00]
