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Connect the World
Trump Camp says Media Interviews are his Debate Preparation; Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse Crowds in Nairobi; Polls Open Friday after Two Conservative Candidates Drop Out; CNN Talks to Voters about their Most Important Issues; First Presidential Debate Hours Away; More Decisions after Idaho Abortion Case Leaked. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired June 27, 2024 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, it is a massive day in the United States. We are just hours away now from the first Presidential
Debate that CNN stage set in Atlanta, Georgia. We'll have all the details on what we can expect in terms of the issues and how Donald Trump and Joe
Biden have been preparing.
Also the Supreme Court set to release opinions on a variety of cases. We're still waiting on a presidential immunity ruling and we may have had a sneak
peek at one important ruling on abortion. It is 9 am in the U.S. Capitol. It's 5 pm here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching "Connect
the World" also happening this hour angry protesters on the streets of Nairobi, Kenya and the leader of an attempted coup in custody in Bolivia.
Let's get you look at the stock markets which will open about 30 minutes from now and if the futures are any indication, it is a pretty weak mixed
not if the opening on those markets so keep an eye on them back at those at half past this hour.
Well, the stakes are high as U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump take to the stage in the coming hours for CNN's Presidential Debate in Atlanta,
Georgia. It is an historic event. The first time a sitting U.S. President and a former president face off in a debate.
CNN's latest poll of polls shows no clear leader in the 2024 race, underscoring just how critical it'll be for both men to make their case for
a second term in the White House as they debate on CNN's stage. Let's bring in our Jeff Zeleny joining us now from Atlanta. Good to have you.
Let's set the stage for our viewers. Biden, as I understand it chose to be on the right podium after winning the coin toss that of course allows
Donald Trump to have the final word in closing statements just explain the choreography Jeff, the rules and what viewers can expect later today?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well Becky, this is the biggest moment of the presidential campaign so far aside from
the decision for both of these men to seek re-election which is history making in its own right.
But perhaps the biggest change from debates gone by will be there is no live audience. There is no studio audience of supporters to applaud or
listen, it is simply the candidates, no advisors, and it is the two moderators. That is going to be how the two candidates are seeing this
tonight.
There'll be in our studios here in Atlanta, as you said, and they've not been in the same room for four years since the debates in the fall of 2020.
Of course, so much has changed since then. Back then it was all about the Coronavirus pandemic, and the Trump administration's record and their
handling of it.
This time, of course, it is President Biden's record that center stage on inflation on the economy on immigration on world affairs. So certainly a
different moment in every respect another sort of stage detail the microphones will only be working when the candidate speaking has the floor.
So there will be not as many opportunities for interruptions that we've seen in previous debates between these two men who have so much acrimony
between them.
ANDERSON: Jeff, we've been talking this week about how candidates are preparing or not. In the case, it seems Donald Trump to a certain extent
who has said that, and I quote him here debating is an attitude more than anything else. But his team he does have a team helping him prepare,
including potential vice president picks, as well. Tell us what's happening in these final hours.
ZELENY: Look, I think Donald Trump's been doing more preparing than he has been letting on. He's also has several of these debates under his belt. He
did three general election debates with Hillary Clinton in 2016. He did two of them with Joe Biden in 2020.
And he has acknowledged that he came in too hot during some of those debates in 2020 when he was interrupting and hectoring Joe Biden. So the
type of attitude that he talks about I guess is a question which one does he bring?
But his advisers certainly have been preparing him and urging him to be more calm, less chaotic, and making this all about Joe Biden. Of course for
President Biden's sake he has been at the presidential retreat outside Washington Camp David preparing for about the last week to mock debate
sessions. Standing for 90 minutes being hectored himself to see how of course he responds.
[09:05:00]
So I think the biggest question overall hanging over this debate, can President Biden show the American voters and indeed a global audience, that
he has the stamina and fitness for to be elected for a second term? He's 81-years-old. There is no doubt he will look different and sound different
than four years ago, but Donald Trump is 78.
They are contemporaries. He also looks different and sounds somewhat different than four years ago. So both of these two men come into this
debate, neck and neck in the polls the only agreement is that the majority of Americans still wish they had other candidates, but they don't. It's
Trump versus Biden. And this debate tonight could set the tone for the rest of the 4.5 months to come, Becky.
ANDERSON: Well, that is 9 pm Eastern time so we are just shy of 12 hours to go. Like you say it would be really remarkable if both camp weren't deep
into that preparation at this point. And we are expecting this to be quite historic. Good to have you, Jeff always a pleasure thank you, sir.
We are anticipating a big day at the U.S. Supreme Court with another set of key rulings due next hour and it is expected that the court will announce
one of its biggest decisions of the term after it was accidentally revealed for a short time on the courts website.
On Wednesday the case involves an Idaho law that denies emergency room abortions to women whose health is in danger. The document, first reported
by Bloomberg News indicates that the court ruled 6-3 that the law cannot be enforced, while a legal challenge makes its way through lower courts.
And one of the liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote the decision is not a victory for pregnant patients in Idaho. It is a delay. Well, Corey
Brettschneider is Professor of Political Science at Brown University joins me from New York at this point.
What more does this leaked document? Tell us about this Idaho case? Everyone seems to agree that this is kicking the can down the road. And the
Justice writing quote, Alito writing quote this, that question is as ripe for decision as it ever will be apparently, the court has simply lost the
will to decide the easy but emotional and highly politicized question that the case presents that is regrettable, your thoughts?
COREY BRETTSCHNEIDER, PROFESSOR, BROWN UNIVERSITY: This is a really important case. Of course, the Supreme Court and its Dobbs ruling got rid
of Roe Versus Wade and the national right to an abortion. So now the question is by the Biden Administration, can we revive the right to an
abortion and they've come up with frankly, legally a pretty brilliant argument.
The idea is and it frames the issue as one of healthcare. We have a federal law in the United States that requires and guarantees access to health
care, including life-saving health care, and to the extent that the state law limits abortion and denies that health care, the argument is, federal
law is supreme and federal law trumps.
As you said, the Supreme Court has not decided the issue. It looks like from this leaked document that leaves that they're sending it back for more
legal proceedings by the lower courts.
ANDERSON: Does that surprise you?
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Sometimes the court will do this -- you know especially with something that's very contentious as this is. And by the way, you see,
as you framed it really well that on either side of this there'll be liberal justices clamoring to decide it in favor of the federal government
saying that this really is a health care issue.
And conservatives saying what are you talking about? We already decided the Dobbs opinion, there's no federal right to an abortion. So it's just a
matter to be left to the states. So when you have a conflict like that, and a highly contentious issue, and the court is not immune to the facts of the
moment, which is that, we're in the midst of a presidential debate.
They're trying I think, partly not to make this an issue and they are making a decision so it's sending it back to the lower courts for more
review by some time. It also by the way temporarily does guarantees on life site saving treatment at the state level.
ANDERSON: Corey the abortion case just one of several key rulings still to be released by the court briefly what are we expecting?
[09:10:00]
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Well, the huge one is the presidential immunity and our January 6 case about insurrectionist. And what these cases do is they raise
the issue of a criminal president, a president who has not just committed a crime on January 6, and is indicted for insurrection.
But that ties in I think, to the matters in the debate about whether or not this president is threatening democracy, it's part of what makes the moment
so unbelievably historic. Certainly we've never had a presidential candidates get to this point where they are indicted on charges, not just
any charges, but charges of trying to stop an official proceeding really charges about an insurrection.
ANDERSON: Fascinating times, good to have you, sir, to help us through this all. Thank you. Well, in Kenya, the president may have bowed to protesters'
key demands on Wednesday, but that hasn't put an end to the demonstrations some locals.
Well, police and protesters are back on the streets of activists called for a 1 million person march in Nairobi. At least 23 people were reportedly
killed in clashes on Tuesday, which led to President William Ruto, Wednesday withdrawing a controversial finance bill that would have raised
taxes.
Well, Larry Madowo has been in the center of all of these protests reporting live in Nairobi witnessing the death of demonstrators on the
streets. Larry, good to have you. Why are they protests today, even though the president, frankly and did a complete U-turn and gave into their
demands?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky I can hardly hear you because I'm in the middle of protest. But I just want to show you what's happening out
here. Police are using tear gas one more time to clear the protesters from the middle of the City of Nairobi. And these protesters are not getting
sent away. They keep singing again and again that Ruto must go.
But what do you see back there is police using a lot of tear gas they've been doing all day. These protests are caused by 1 million man march and
what? That's the police van over there. That's why they're all running away. And they're throwing some stones at the police.
And oh, and that's what the police do whenever these protesters -- get out of there -- get out of there. We just got hit by teargas right there. And
so we have to get out of there. We have to get in there and get closer to the police. That's been the scene all morning as police throw tear gas. We
have to get past that as well.
We have to get past that and get closer to the police. All they've been singing all morning is Ruto must go, Ruto must go even though President
Ruto withdrew the finance bill he still for a lot of these people they no longer trust him. That's what they've been telling us. And that's what they
administrate.
They're upset about corruption. They're upset about the high cost of living. And they say they no longer trust President William Ruto. What we
see on either side, sir, come and talk to me here. This is one gentleman we will get to talk to before he was dismissed. Why are you out on the
streets? I'm sorry, even to --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm an active citizen of this nation. I pay my taxes. Actually, actually, my name is Jacob. I read --
MADOWO: You went for local seat a member of County Assembly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last --
MADOWO: I'm sorry take a moment if you need to. Take a moment. He says an active citizen. We're starting right by the police here. And there is tear
gas on every side even if we were to try and run away from this -- if you can show this side. There's no police coming from riot gear.
They deployed some teargas on that side. In fact, you can come to me with me on this other side as well. These young men are not getting pushed away.
They are not getting pushed away despite the police's best efforts. And as you can see, they've been trying to barricade the roads. They have some
trash on the road and police keep clearing that and they keep coming back.
So what we're about to see is a whole line of police. We're going to get behind them so we're not getting in the way as they try and clear all these
protesters from the streets. There's been a lot of tear gas. This is one of the busiest streets in Nairobi. We're just going to stay with them and see
what happens here and how far they can push back those protesters.
They keep trying and the young men keep getting coming back. There are some women that to be clear, it's not all young men, it's mostly young men.
They're all mostly in the late teens, early 20s. But there are some women as well who say they're active citizens, and they want to have their voices
heard, even after they -- first battle by getting President William Ruto to withdraw the finance bill that's not satisfied -- that's not satisfying
enough for them.
[09:15:00]
They want even more. They want -- they're going to have to get a lot more concessions from the government of President William Ruto before they are
satisfied to leave the streets. And so an active scene here, with so many young people barely moving, sometimes even dares the police to tear gas.
When the police are just politely asking them to move back to like, send some tear gas. OK, we're going to -- see for a moment as we get out of the
way of the police, in this dramatic scene on Moy Avenue, this is one of the busiest streets in Nairobi Becky.
ANDERSON: -- stay on these images. I'm going to --
MADOWO: -- watching right now.
ANDERSON: -- let you -- yeah, I'm wondering whether you need --
(CROSSTALK)
MADOWO: -- Becky.
ANDERSON: -- water or something or a bottle of water. OK, let's stay with you, Larry, if you do not feel comfortable --
(CROSSTALK)
MADOWO: -- unfortunately this is --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- at any point you do not --
MADOWO: -- Becky.
ANDERSON: -- comfortable you must let us know.
MADOWO: All right, understood. Unfortunately, covering protests in Kenya, this is not my first occurrence. This is a regular occurrence. You get used
to it after a while. And then as protesters also are used to this, and they no longer are particularly fazed by it.
It just pushes it back a little bit. If they can pick up the teargas canister, the throw it back to the police, and they keep moving. So what
the police are trying to do is moving into single file is to clear them from the middle of the city from the middle of the city center.
But the protesters are not -- are really taking that. As soon as the police clear out, they come right back. And the dare them some more -- into their
truck there trying to get closer to the protesters --
ANDERSON: Well, Larry I want to ask you --
(CROSSTALK)
MADOWO: -- we're going to walk in this direction.
ANDERSON: -- how many people are we talking --?
MADOWO: -- weekend.
ANDERSON: -- about the streets here? How many people would you say are out?
MADOWO: There are a couple of 100 people --
ANDERSON: -- protesting in the --
(CROSSTALK)
MADOWO: -- just in the street alone. There are a couple of 100. And this -- there are a couple of 100 in just the streets alone. But in other streets
across the city, there are a couple of 100 more. So I would say it's in the several hundred at this point, it could get more as the day wears on, we've
seen more people coming up to the streets Becky.
Just -- come and talk to me one more time with that -- I'm going to try and talk to this young man that we're talking to before that he had to take a
break because he'd been tear gassed. So what are you telling me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, as an active citizen of this nation this is so bad. It's unacceptable. As an active citizen, I pay my taxes. I come here
because I know the constitution. I need -- I mean, I have -- I have a right to demonstrate and pick it.
I don't get why the police, they actually today we even saw the military police in town. They were chasing us everywhere. Everyone is scared. That's
why you can see even the difference between the demonstrations in Nairobi and other cities are totally different.
In Nairobi, I mean, there's a whole cloud of fear. Everyone is scared. There was propaganda in the morning like everyone will be killed. And
that's why you can see there are very few people in town.
MADOWO: Tell me this sir. Why are you out on the street today? Yesterday, the president withdrew the finance bill that people were protesting about.
So why are you out on the streets today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Personally, and my supporters I wasn't actually supposed to come here for the protest. But my supporters even called me -- where are
you?
MADOWO: That just came right at us. The protesters are also throwing the rock. So we have to move we have to get out of here. We're going to try and
get closer to the wall. And, OK. All right. OK, we're going to go really quickly.
ANDERSON: Larry --
MADOWO: -- so that is not good to us.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: I'm going to let you just take a bit of time to get out of the way so that we ensure that you are safe and those around you are safe,
including your cameraman and producer, of course.
MADOWO: We are safe. Our crew is safe one more time. So we can keep going one more, Becky. Well, they have managed to push them a few 100 meters back
this running scene to the protests and the police. So we're going to leave that for the moment.
But you see there's a young mother here. She's got two kids. She's caught up in the middle of this. And it's not safe for her to be here with her
kids. There's a homeless person on this one other side. It's a chaotic scene. And again, I need to stress this is one of the city's busiest
streets, Becky.
ANDERSON: Understood. Larry listen, stay safe, keep the team safe. And we will get back to you. We'll keep in touch with you on the ground. Our
viewers will know that we are constantly in touch with Larry and his team on the ground and we'll get back to you as and when thank you sir Larry
Madowo in Nairobi.
We're going to take a very short break at this point. Coming up, this is an incredibly busy day as far as news is concerned campaigning is officially
over and the countdown is on to Election Day in Iran.
[09:20:00]
And it is debate day of course in the United States much more on that highly anticipated event throughout our show this hour and next. We will be
right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. The Bolivian President is called on the country to mobilize quote, in defense of
democracy. Two army generals were arrested after troops in the tank surrounded government buildings during a tense five hour standoff in what
was a failed coup.
The motivation behind the coup is in doubt with the now detained Army General Juan Jose Zuniga accusing President Luis Arce of staging it. Well,
the two candidates in Iran's presidential elections have dropped out ahead of the polls opening on Friday. Two men both described as conservative.
That leaves three conservative leaning and one reformist candidate in the race.
Campaigning has now ended and the mood in the country is tense. Inflation rampant, the economy serious -- seriously struggling there have been
widespread protests in recent years against government repression in the wake of Mahsa Amini's death at the hands of police of course. None of this
will be a surprise if you are a regular viewer of this show and this channel.
Now the election of course was called after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash last month. Well, my next guest Middle East Scholar Vali
Nasr believes the clerical establishment in Iran is rethinking what the last presidential election produced.
He says quote with Ebrahim Raisi's election the entire system became uniformly hardline conservative. Raisi purged the bureaucracy purged
universities, but ideological commitment above technocratic competence and what was the result?
The result was an incompetent government. Well, Vali Nasr joins me now from Paris. Welcome to the show. Vali, can you just expand on that? You believe
Raisi's leadership created an opening for the reformist candidate just describe who he is and why you believe there is this opening at this point?
VALI NASR, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: I think the Supreme Leader in Iran and the security forces the powers that be
faced the dilemma in that they need more Iranians to participate in elections.
[09:25:00]
And also that they would be a president who can actually manage the day to day affairs of the country economy, varieties of things that affects
people's daily lives. Then therefore, their list of the candidates that were allowed to run in this election, he does have hardliners, which are
much more in the mold of President Raisi.
But he has a more moderate conservative who used to be the Mayor of Tehran. And he's currently the Speaker of the Parliament, who I think is the
preference of the establishment because he is a better manager. And he's more moderate than his predecessor, but still is within the within the mold
of what the system wants.
And then they allow a more Maverick candidate in the form of a reformist moderate reformist Surgeon Dr. Pezeshkian to participate. And Pezeshkian's
presence is really it was designed to boost participation create some degree of enthusiasm among the public, so they would come and vote.
ANDERSON: Right.
NASR: And now the result really depends on how successful Pezeshkian is in bringing the people out.
ANDERSON: Right. And this is the question, isn't it? If he was -- if his presence on the -- on the ballot was to encourage people to come out, do
you believe the establishment at the same time is prepared for people to actually vote for him? Or I wonder whether there's a bit of wishful
thinking on the part of those who hope for a more reformist candidate here? Question is does he really stand a chance?
NASR: I think he does stand the chance. In other words, this is a risk the Supreme Leader and the establishment had to take. If they just went with a
-- with a very hard line choices, a list of hardliners, then people would not participate that would further delegitimize the government and perhaps
produce another incompetent government.
They had to take this risk. I think the sense is that if the participation remains around 50, 55 percent, which is much higher than the last time, it
will not produce a Pezeshkian victory, reformists victory, the election likely go to a second round, and then we'll see.
But even if Pezeshkian wins, let's say with a 60 percent participation, 65 percent participation, it's not as easy for him to basically open the doors
completely. He has to get approval for his cabinet and work with a very hardline parliament. There are many ways in which the system can block him.
I think for in many areas, like including wearing of hijab, it might be an improvement for the daily lives of Iranians, but it not does not mean a
radical shift for Iranian politics.
ANDERSON: Yeah. And it's consequential -- you know as the next president will be to a degree for domestic Iranian politics. I just wonder, finally,
what your sense is, as to how these candidates will deal with foreign policy. How they will deal with a relationship with the U.S. for example,
with the East, going forward?
And as we sit with the Gaza conflict front and center and the potential for a widening conflict with Hezbollah, what you think the likely consequences
of this election are going to be going forward?
NASR: I mean the American elections are in the background of the Iranian presidential election. Iran -- this election comes a number of months
before they're going to try to get ready for a new American administration, with Biden or Trump. And I think it depends on who is Iran's next Foreign
Minister.
But a more moderate face at the -- in the presidency, particularly if Pezeshkian makes it easier, at least to have conversations with Iran,
particularly around the nuclear issue around regional issues. It makes it easier for countries to engage Iran on trade and the like. The issue of
Gaza and Iran's role in the region is, is deeply embedded in the Revolutionary Guards and is not really up for debate at this point in time.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you, sir. As Iranians of course go to the polls much of the U.S. and many people around the world because this is, of
course broadcast on CNN. This is a CNN Presidential Debate. We'll be watching the rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. I hope you will be
too I know you will be keenly keeping an eye on what is going on in Iran. Good to have you as ever, sir. Thank you.
Well, new accusations against Boeing ahead what a new whistleblower is claiming and what the company is now saying about that door plug that fell
out while a plane was in the air, more on that is coming up.
[09:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. Time here is just after half past five in the evening. You are watching "Connect the World".
Just after half past nine in the morning, which means the markets are up and running in New York and that is the state of play. Let's call it mixed
showing.
Well, another whistleblower has come out with claims about Boeing. A former mechanic says he saw workers drilling holes that were too big on the 787
Dreamliner at a supplier plant in Kansas. The whistleblower says he was fired after raising concerns.
Boeing says the issue has been investigated and it doesn't pose a safety issue. Well, Boeing of course is already under scrutiny after a door plug
blew out during Alaska Air flight in January. Boeing now blaming missing paperwork for that incident. CNN Aviation Correspondent Pete Muntean asked
a company spokesperson about that on Wednesday, have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: How confident are you that the door plug incident what led to it will not happen again?
ELIZABETH LUND, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF QUALITY, BOEING: I'm extremely confident. I am extremely confident that the actions that we took have
ensured that every airplane leaving this factory is safe. I feel very confident that it will not happen again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's the position from Boeing. Well, tonight U.S. President Joe Biden and the Former President Donald Trump will have a chance to speak
directly to voters who may be on the fence about who they want to vote for in November series. CNN's John King has spent the last few months talking
with people all over the map about what is important to them. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Ray Flores owns a handful of restaurants in battleground Arizona, and is unimpressed with both men who
will share the debate stage.
RAY FLORES, ARIZONA VOTER: At this juncture they both had four years. And I'm just eight years more frustrated than I was before. I wish we had a
candidate that had more of a middle of life and middle of the road perspective. And I'm very uncomfortable right now with either choice.
KING (voice-over): We hear that a lot our "All over the map" project is that 60 voters and counting across 10 states. Yes, President Biden has his
share of true believers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Biden! Biden! Biden!
KING: Do you like it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely. I think he's done a great job.
KING (voice-over): So does Donald Trump.
CHRIS MUD, IOWA VOTER: I liked what happened in our economy for four years when Donald Trump was President. I liked the America first mindset.
[09:35:00]
KING (voice-over): But many voters dislike or have doubts about both, which makes this debate a critical campaign crossroads.
KIM CAVALLERE, GEORGIA VOTER: I just don't feel comfortable with Biden's age and I don't feel comfortable with Trump's mouth.
KING (voice-over): For the incumbent the cost of living is a giant challenge.
KING: Are your day to day costs the same now as a year ago?
FLORES: Oh, no, they're higher.
KING (voice-over): Rising rents came up a lot in Milwaukee and in Las Vegas, and in other places Biden must dominate, like Atlanta.
CAREY FULKS, GEORGIA VOTER: Everything here in Georgia is so expensive. I can only afford so much you know with whatever job I find.
KING (voice-over): Even strong Biden supporters complain of supermarket sticker shock.
WALTER ROBINSON JR., MICHIGAN VOTER: It is just me and my wife and it is $200 every time I go to the grocery store.
KING (voice-over): The president's age is already part of the campaign debate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No matter how many Taylor Swift references you make, you'll never understand us.
KING (voice-over): A bigger Biden problem with younger voters is anger at his handling of the Hamas Israel conflict.
IBRAHIM GHAZAL, MICHIGAN VOTER: I don't think anybody wants -- nobody wants to vote for Biden. If Biden wants to get certain votes he needs to change
course.
KING (voice-over): Trump though also has a long list of weaknesses that could be debate flashpoints. Joan London just left the Republican Party and
registered as an independent.
JOAN LONDON, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I had more, more of a positive vision just a different emphasis. And I'm -- and what I'm seeing in the national party
just didn't reflect my values the way it had.
KING (voice-over): Linda Rooney hasn't ruled out voting for Trump, but January 6, is an obstacle.
LINDA ROONEY, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I remember watching it on TV, and I couldn't believe that it was happening and I was angry that he didn't --
that Trump didn't say something that Trump didn't stop it.
KING: And yet you still might vote for him?
ROONEY: I might. Yeah.
KING (voice-over): Matt Vrahiotes says the Georgia Christian Conservative pondering a third party vote because of doubts about Trump's character.
MATT VRAHIOTES, GEORGIA VOTER: Honestly, I wish that there was another candidate that would have come through the primaries instead of being just
-- you know Donald Trump.
KING (voice-over): Yes, many minds are already made up. But for those with doubts about both Biden and Trump, this is a giant test.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Coming up, Explorer Steve Boyce encounters one of the planet's strangest looking birds in a remote swamp in Zambia, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, this week on our show called "Call to Earth" we embark on an epic mission with South African Explorer Steve Boyce. As part of the
Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative he is on a multi-year expedition across Africa to scientifically document the continent's massive inland river
basins. Well, today Steve visits a remote region in Zambia to meet up with the scientists who is looking after one of the world's most peculiar
creatures.
[09:40:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE BOYCE, PROJECT LEADER, GREAT SPINE OF AFRICA: Bengweulu means where the water meets the sky in a local language and beautiful reflections of
the water.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): A vast wetland that stretches for almost 10,000 square kilometers Bengweulu is one of Africa's most diverse
ecosystems, home to some extraordinary species.
BOYCE: I've never been here to the Bengweulu swamps before. And I'm intrigued. Abandoned bird life thousands tens of thousands of literally,
you can hear the hippos calling you know the hyenas coming around. This system has a lot to teach us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): "Call to Earth" Guest Editor Steve Boyce and his expedition team have been joined on the water by -- Conservationist
Maggie Hirschauer, who has been living in the swamps for three years studying and rehabilitating one of its most iconic species.
Standing up to five feet tall with an eight foot wingspan and a large clog shape beat that gives them their name the Shoebill is one of the strangest
looking birds on the planet listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Bengweulu who is the southern-most population remaining in the world, with no more than
215 individuals surviving in these wetlands.
MAGGIE HIRSCHAUER, SHOEBILL PROGRAM MANAGER: A lot of people say they look quite prehistoric, like dinosaurs. They have a really sharp, massive hook
on the end of their beak and razor sharp edges to both the top and bottom of their bills. So they grab these slippery, powerful fish and then crush
their skulls with one or two champs.
BOYCE: I'm an Ornithologist, and I'm meant to be an expert. But Shoebill leave me lost for words. They do. You just look at it and yet
extraordinary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Unlike many of the systems Steve has explored in the past, Bengweulu also has an abundance of people around
60,000 living in the swamps. But Shoebills face the threat of -- to be sold on the illegal exotic pet market. And much of Maggie's job has been
educating and integrating the local fishing community into the bird's protection.
HIRSCHAUER: So the main core underpinning of this entire program is the community engagement. We have a nest protection program where fishermen
actually notify us when they find nests. And we then go into the swamps, we verify that nest. And we get data through those reports.
The Shoebills typically lay two eggs, not always but typically. And almost always, if they lay two eggs, one of the chicks kills the other. It's just
competition, we can capitalize on that and we take one of the eggs or one of the chicks off the nest, we bring it into our facility and we raise it
without human contact, then we release them back into Bengweulu.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): The Great Spine of Africa Expeditions will provide Maggie and other scientists with a whole host of new information
about species like the Shoebill with that on the ecosystem surrounding them, and even new undocumented populations in other parts of the
continent.
BOYCE: Systems like this teach us that it is possible. It is possible to have living abundance and the pressure of people. People aren't pressure.
They're part of it. They're meant to be here. You can't value something. And so you can measure it, and you can measure change in it. So that is
what our baselines are, it's the beginning of measuring value.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, for more from Steve and his team tune in for "Call to Earth: The Great Spine of Africa" this weekend on CNN. We will be right
back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
ANDERSON: Well, the debate stage is set in Atlanta, Georgia the city home to CNN World Headquarters, and more importantly, the state could be
critical to determining who wins the presidency this November. I am talking the CNN Presidential Debate just less than 12 hours from now.
Of course, there is the stage back in 2020, Georgia flipped to blue giving Joe Biden one of his narrowest victories of any state in the race that led
to the now infamous phone call from then President Trump to Georgia election officials trying to find enough votes to win.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All I want to do is this I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one
more that we have because we won the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Hmm, Trump didn't win the state, losing by less than 1 percent. But the fallout led to criminal charges against former president in Fulton
County, which includes the City of Atlanta. Well worth noting that, while Georgia is now considered purple, it has previously been solidly red.
Trump and Mitt Romney won the state handily in 2016 and 2012 respectively. Well, there will be some important differences tonight from previous debate
CNN's Phil Mattingly and Victor Blackwell have the details for you.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF U.S. DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to the set of the CNN Presidential Debate. We want to give our viewers a sense of the
rules of the debate so that when they watch it, they can understand how President Biden and President Trump will be engaging with each other.
Just after 9 pm Eastern President Biden will enter from the right side of your screen, President Trump will enter from the left side of your screen.
The podiums are eight feet apart directly across from them the moderators CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
Now, a reminder, this is a television studio there's no audience. Candidates will have two minutes to answer questions and one minute for
responses and rebuttals. At the moderators discretion there may be an additional minute for follow ups, clarifications or responses.
So how does the candidate know how much time is left to speak? Attached to the cameras in the studio and in the candidate's field of view are the
timing lights. When the lights show yellow, there are 15 seconds left in a candidate's answer or response. When the lights flash red, there are five
seconds left.
And when the display is solid red, the time is up. At that point the candidate's microphone will be turned off, and the other candidate will
have their microphone turned on. My colleague Victor Blackwell has more on that.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Phil. If we go behind the podiums, you can see two green lights. When they're on they
signaled to the candidate his microphone is on. When the green lights are off they've signaled to the candidate his microphone is off.
Now I want to give you a sense of what it will look like for viewers at home if a candidate whose microphone is off interrupts a candidate whose
microphone is on. So I'm standing at one podium, and I'll ask Phil to come in and take the other podium.
And so let's say I'm answering a question. My light is green and I'm speaking Phil's microphone is off and his green lights are not illuminated.
He's going to interrupt me as I'm speaking and this is what it will sound like my volume remains constant while Phil's interruption can be difficult
to understand.
MATTINGLY: Let's try the opposite. My microphone is now on Victor's microphone is off and he's going to interrupt me. My volume remains
constant while Victor's interruption can be difficult to understand. We should know by agreeing to participate in this debate both campaigns and
candidates have also agreed to abide by these rules. The CNN Presidential Debate airs live at 9 pm Eastern
ANDERSON: Right. Well, one contentious issue likely to crop up in that debate, abortion access and that is what connects us to our other major
U.S. story that we are covering this hour. The Supreme Court we are moments away from the court releasing decisions on a raft of cases possibly
including presidential immunity and emergency room abortions.
[09:50:00]
Now we may have had a glimpse of what the court has decided on that second issue. According to Bloomberg News, the Supreme Court appears poised to
temporarily allow abortions in medical emergencies in Idaho after a document was posted on the court's website and then quickly taken down.
The court has acknowledged inadvertently posting the document and says it has not officially rendered a decision. Well, I want to bring in CNN
Politics Senior Reporter Stephen Collinson and Defense Attorney, Misty Marris. Steve, let's start with you. And hours from the debate moments from
more impactful rulings from the Supreme Court just put this day into context for our viewers, if you will.
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah Becky, I've covered a lot of presidential debates. They're always a big event. But this one seems
more profound than all of them, simply because of the different paths the United States could take after November's election, depending on whether
President Biden gets a second term, or Former President Donald Trump gets a non-consecutive second term.
The stakes in this debate are absolutely massive. These are issues that are very important not just to Americans, but will reverberate around the world
because a Donald Trump lead United States that would probably be more volatile and unpredictable than it was in his first term could have huge
consequences for the U.S. posture in the world, the way it interacts with its allies, and even its enemies. So this is a profound day, I think, in
American politics.
ANDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. We've got the U.S. Supreme Court, likely to drop a number of other key opinions on cases. And there are a number which
are hugely impactful. Misty, let's focus on that court for a moment the draft ruling on the Idaho abortion case that we saw a glimpse of yesterday
reported by Bloomberg News, it was taken off as quickly as it was posted. Can we expect that to be the decision? And if so, what does it tell you
about the courts' relationship to the abortion issue?
MISTY MARRIS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, first of all, that decision being posted inadvertently, according to the Supreme Court, it leads me to
believe that that was likely the final decision. There could have been changes. We don't know. But it sounds like the court is afraid that there
was a leak or anything like that, that it was inadvertently put out there.
So what did they say? Well, this case was struck down if that decision is accurate, what we saw yesterday, and that's the final decision, because the
court said it was improvidently granted for the Supreme Court to become involved at that time.
So that means in Idaho relating to this specific law, emergency room care for conditions other than when a mother's life is at risk. So when her
health is at risk is available to them. So emergency room doctors can provide that care.
If this is the decision, it did not answer the bigger question about whether or not a federal law relating to emergency room care is going to
apply across the country. So because the court was saying we really shouldn't have taken this up at this time.
It's a good result for that Idaho case relating to emergency room care for the Biden Administration. But it does not answer the bigger question that
needs clarification for doctors to act nationwide. So it's kind of a narrow decision.
ANDERSON: Kick the can down the road is another way of describing this one. Steven, abortion, of course, an issue that Joe Biden does want to discuss
in the debate and the Supreme Court may help put that even higher on the agenda. What is Donald Trump want to talk about?
COLLINSON: Donald Trump certainly doesn't want to talk about abortion, because he has a very dicey position on it, given the fact that it was the
conservative majority on the Supreme Court that he built that overturn the right to abortion, which has seen this chaos unfold across the country. And
that could play into Democratic hands.
What Trump would much prefer to talk about is the crisis at the southern border. Large numbers of arrivals are those some of those have diminished
somewhat following some pretty hardline policies that were adopted by Biden recently on asylum.
But he's creating this narrative that United States is in this dystopian state, facing a tide of what he calls invaders for of abroad undocumented
migrants he wants to focus on the state of the economy a lot of Americans are really struggling still with high prices for food for cars.
[09:55:00]
They can't get mortgages. It's difficult for a lot of people to pay rent. The dividend from the post pandemic era really hasn't filtered through to a
lot of those Americans, despite the strong U.S. economy. And he wants to create a picture of a country that is stalked by violent crime.
All of these things kind of intersect together. That's the picture I think that Donald Trump will try to build tonight. And he will say that Biden
this week on the global stage, a lot of these conflicts that are happening in Ukraine, the Middle East, he says wouldn't have happened if he was
president, even though he's given no sense of what he would have done to stop it.
ANDERSON: Misty you've got 30 seconds, the presidential immunity case may be the most politically controversial, does the court consider the timing
of releasing such a decision hours before this first debate for it -- for instance, does that come into their thinking?
MARRIS: Well, there's no rule on the books that says it should or shouldn't. But my guess is it definitely is coming into their thinking. I
doubt we will see that one today dropped on the day of this historic debate. I think we're going to see that one a bit later. It's likely to be
the most talked about and controversial decision no matter which way it goes.
ANDERSON: Yeah. And Misty as you were speaking, my producer, getting into my ear letting me know that we are expecting three to four opinions
decisions today from the Supreme Court there. There's a raft to come, we know that there are three or four key ones, it's whatever drops. That's
important. And that will happen in a couple of minutes time.
Thank you very much to both of you. That's it viewers for the first hour of "Connect the World". It's been a busy one. Do not expect the next one to be
any less busy. Stick with us. We'll be back after this short break.
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[10:00:00]
END
