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Kamala Harris Accepts Nomination in Rousing Speech at the DNC; Gauging What Matters to Voters in Crucial Swing States; CIA Director in Cairo for Ceasefire, Hostage Talks; Beirut Fears Israel's "Dahiya Doctrine" May Return; India's Prime Minister Meets with Ukraine's President; RFK Jr. Expected to Quit Race, Might Endorse Trump; Kamala Harris Promises to be President for All Americans; Federal Reserve's Crucial Message About Its Next Move. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired August 23, 2024 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:31]
ERICA HILL, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill in New York in today for my colleague, Becky
Anderson.
What a historic week here in the United States. Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the first black woman and South Asian woman to be nominated
for president by a major party.
So, can she carry some of the momentum and enthusiasm we saw in Chicago this week into November to defeat Donald Trump? We'll take you live to
Chicago.
Donald Trump for his part back on the campaign trail today. But the biggest headline on this Friday may go to the independent candidate, Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr. as we wait for his next move,
Plus, take a look at this video. Ukraine striking a Russian railroad ferry at a key port connecting Russia to the Crimean Peninsula.
Just 74 days now until Americans elect a new president in what the newly minted Democratic nominee is calling a choice between the past and the
future. Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting her party's nomination on Thursday night with a rousing speech in Chicago where she
also made the case for normalcy, painting a stark contrast between what she described as what her time in the White House would look like versus a
second term for Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our nation, with this election, has a precious fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism,
and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a new way forward.
I promise to be a president for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country above party and self.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Harris in her speech laying out a number of major policy proposals, including promises to revive border legislation, which of course Donald
Trump urged Republicans to reject. Also talked about passing a tax cut for the middle class and protecting reproductive rights. It turns out Donald
Trump was watching, reacting in real time on his Truth Social platform, repeatedly criticizing Harris for not implementing the proposal she talked
about in the speech during her three and a half years as vice president.
That speech, of course, capping off quite a four days in Chicago. It was full of enthusiasm and excitement. There was music, there were celebrity
appearances, there was Democratic star power, and there were also lots of Republicans.
Here's Julia Benbrook with a look at some of the bigger moments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a star-studded night in Chicago. All leading up to Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her
party's nomination for president.
HARRIS: America the path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected but I'm no stranger to unlikely journeys.
BENBROOK: During her speech, Harris shared her story and record with Americans.
HARRIS: We know a strong middle class has always been critical to America's success and building that middle class will be a defining goal of my
presidency.
BENBROOK: And contrasted her vision with former president Donald Trump's.
HARRIS: In many ways Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences, but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the
White House are extremely serious.
BENBROOK: A theme speakers have hammered home all week.
BILL CLINTON, 42ND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Don't count the lies. Count the I's.
MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY: We see a mountain in front of us. We don't expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top.
BENBROOK: Democrats now hoping to turn the momentum they felt this week into a movement that propels Harris into the Oval Office.
Reporting in Chicago, I'm Julia Benbrook.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: And joining me now from Chicago, Jeff Zeleny.
Jeff, great to see you this morning. So as we watched Kamala Harris take that stage last night, she was really capping off this week where there was
an effort by Democrats to rally around what they were putting out there as very American values. What really stood out to me last night, I have to
say, is this real push by Democrats to in many ways take back the patriotism, even Adam Kinzinger mentioning that in his speech.
[10:05:03]
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Erica, no question, I mean, the number of flags, the number of patriotic songs, country music,
you almost had the feeling that you were at a different type of Democratic Party's convention. I mean, this was a -- I've been to several of them over
the years. This did feel like a different moment. It's a different time, there's no question.
But that's as we step back and really, you can see the a few balloons still left in the arena here. They're cleaning up this United Center. Really what
the Democrats have is a united party behind them. The entire swath of the Democratic Party is united behind Kamala Harris. That did not have to
happen. Monday night seems almost like an eternity ago when President Biden was addressing this crowd to the end of the week when Vice President Harris
is going on her way on a 74-day march toward November.
But I think I was struck by this serious nature of the speech. For all the talk about potential celebrities, is Beyonce coming or not, no. The star of
the show was Vice President Kamala Harris, and it's a very serious election. I was struck by the foreign policy she was talking about in her
speech and the consequences of what a Donald Trump reelection would be in her view. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong-un, who are rooting for Trump. Who are rooting for Trump. Because you know they
know, they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump won't hold autocrats accountable because he wants to be an
autocrat himself. In the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: I mean, something like that could easily have been said at a Republican Party convention in a different era. I mean, that was very much
in the spirit of Ronald Reagan, if you will, very much in the spirit of building alliances, but also talking about the Americana foes and enemies.
So I was just struck by the seriousness of the degree to which she was mocking Donald Trump. Yes, there was some mocking in there, but it was not
about crowd sizes or anything like that. This was about the consequences of the election.
And also, Erica, I think just a big takeaway here when we compare to 2016 Hillary Clinton obviously spoke. Things complacency was the word I heard
over and over again. Democrats cannot be complacent in this election, which many of them thought they were in 2016, no one imagined that Donald Trump
would actually be elected. He was. So having that muscle memory of what happened in that 2016 campaign was really coursing through so many of our
conversations here this week.
HILL: Yes, and a number of the speeches that we heard as well. This real sense of urgency and even from the vice president last night noting that
there is essentially a limited window here in her view.
Jeff, appreciate it. Great to see you. Thanks.
ZELENY: Great to see you.
HILL: Independents and undecided voters are likely to determine the outcome of this election. John King has a look now at some of those key
battleground states that we talk about and what the polls show really matters to their voters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Let's look at where we are. Consider this sort of a bench line -- benchmark. Where we came into the
convention and then we'll watch where we are in the polling a week from now, two weeks from now, and when we get to that debate.
First, let's just start where Gary just was, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, as he mentioned, 53 to 46 when you round up last election,
right. So Kamala Harris needs to win Lehigh County, and she needs to win it by a margin roughly around there if she wants to carry the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
Was what we just heard there -- that was anecdotal, right, eight people in a room. Was that what the country is going to do after tonight? That is the
question. Is it anything like that after this? So let's just look at a couple of benchmarks. This was a "New York Times"-Siena poll in the -- this
is the Sun Belt battleground states. It's not the whole country. Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina. But what type of change will you bring?
I'm telling you from my travels the country wants change. Democrats, Republicans, they want something different. 40 to 36, good change versus
bad change. Not bad but not great. Even Donald Trump, 44-44. A week or two from now, three weeks from now, after the debate, is that number better for
Kamala Harris? That's the challenge. I'm the agent of change, the preferred agent of change that you want.
One more to look at as we go, and again this is coming into the convention. All right. And so, what does it look like after the American people heard
her, heard the other guests here tonight, Donald Trump right now in these critical Sun Belt battleground states, viewed more favorably by a dozen
points on the economy. Did what voters heard from Harris tonight change these numbers? Absolutely essential. She's in a good position now to be in
a great commanding position. She has to improve that.
She had the lead on abortion rights. Absolutely critical in the suburbs with women voters and other progressive voters to keep the base excited.
[10:10:03]
She had it coming in. Can she stretch it? That would play into the gender gap and with suburban voters. And here again, down by almost 10 points
there on the issue of immigration. Right? And so nine points there. Can she improve that number?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: We'll be watching for all of those things. Well, quite possibly the most divisive issue among Democrats themselves this election -- cycle,
rather, is Gaza. Last night, Harris walking that tightrope as we have seen. She vowed to continue to support Israel and its right to defend itself but
also emphasized the rights of the Palestinian people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Let me be clear. I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself. And I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend
itself because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas cause on October 7th.
At the same time what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate, hungry people fleeing
for safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Pro-Palestinian activists had asked to play a role in the convention. And as you know, protesters have been marching throughout the week outside
the convention hall in Chicago. A request, though, for a Palestinian- American to take the main stage at the DNC was ultimately refused. The Uncommitted National Movement, which of course emerged in an effort to
marshal a protest vote against the Biden administration's support for Israel, has also been outspoken this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABBAS ALAWIEH, MICHIGAN UNCOMMITTED DELEGATE: We're just asking for a Palestinian-American to speak from the stage. He said the answer is no. I
was told to tell you the answer is no. On that call, the answer is no, but we want to continue engaging. We're offering you a meeting or something
else. That would have been the time to have the private discussion. He left us with no choice so we're going public with this discussion.
Let it be laid bare for the American public to know that the Democratic Party, unfortunately, as of this moment, I hope I get a call telling me
something different, but as of this moment is choosing to suppress the voices of Palestinian-Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Following those remarks, the gentleman you just saw there, the co- founder of Uncommitted, Abbas Alawieh, spoke with CNN and was asked why he isn't also speaking out against Hamas. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALAWIEH: I'm an American. I pay tax dollars to this country. I understand that our country, thankfully does not send weapons to Hamas. I do
understand that our country unfortunately sends weapons to the Israeli military, and the Israeli military is using those weapons to kill civilians
on mass. The kill babies on mass. And so what I want is for my government to play a productive role.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: We did of course hear some of those remarks from Harris last night, some of the most direct comments she's made in terms of talking about her
support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.
We also should point out both she and President Biden have expressed support for a two-state solution. Of course right now, the main focus is on
a ceasefire and hostage deal. Two senior U.S. diplomats are in the region right now trying to secure exactly that. CIA director Bill Burns in Egypt
for the discussions which are set to continue into the weekend and Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk.
I want to bring in my colleague, chief U.S. security analyst, Jim Sciutto, who's joining me now from Tel Aviv.
Jim, as we've been walking this through, this very delicate -- these very delicate negotiations over the last several days, the fact that now you
have Bill Burns and Brett McGurk there in the region, where do things stand in terms of that hope that maybe there will be a breakthrough in the coming
days?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Listen, they're talking, right. They met today and that included U.S. official --
senior U.S. officials, the CIA director Bill Burns, Brett McGurk, top negotiator, Israeli officials, Egyptian officials, no Hamas officials. They
participate in effect via mediators. So they're talking and they will talk again this weekend. That's something. The talks haven't broken up.
It's not clear where they've made concrete progress, though, and the main sticking point at this stage remains. Israeli and Israeli military presence
along what's known as the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt. The Israeli prime minister insisting on an Israeli military
presence there and that to date has been the red line, one might call it, for Hamas but also a position that U.S. officials have described this week
as maximalist because it goes to a broader issue.
[10:15:11]
And that is, will Israel maintain a presence in Gaza after the end of this war? And that's something that the U.S. right up to President Biden has
explicitly opposed. It's not clear where and how they can make progress on that agreement without some sort of concession on that issue. And that
concession would either have to come from Israel backing off or Hamas accepting something that it has been loathed to accept so far.
So they're talking, not clear whether progress is, and we'll have to be watching very closely this weekend to see if it gets anywhere. And I think,
Erica, too, you know, the other danger here, right, is that clearly these talks have for now held off a significant military escalation in the
region, an attack by Iran or Hezbollah as revenge for the killing of the Hamas leader in Tehran, as well as other Israeli strikes inside Lebanon.
The talks, as long as they're going on, seem to have headed off that escalation but if the talks are going on without any progress towards
agreement, it's not clear how long that holds off that escalation, right, or reduces the risk of that. So, you know, you could talk a talk, but you
have to ultimately make some progress otherwise the risk of further military action grows, and that's the nervousness now.
HILL: Yes, and it's an understandable nervousness. It's a really important point. Appreciate it, my friend. Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
HILL: As these wider talks continue with that focus, of course, on the future of Gaza, Israel is also noting that it's gradually shifting its
military attention to Lebanon. Meantime, memories of 2006 still quite fresh there when Israeli jets reduced entire towns and villages to rubble.
Ben Wedeman was reporting for CNN from Lebanon during that war and joins us at this hour from Beirut.
So in terms of this gradual shift in strategy, what is expected at this point?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Erica, you know, since that war, both Israel and Hezbollah have been preparing for the next one.
Now the concern both here in Lebanon and in Israel if it comes to such a thing, a war, that it could be much more deadly and destructive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN (voice-over): This is Gaza today and this was Beirut's southern suburbs known as a Dahiya in 2006, following the 34-day war between
Hezbollah and Israel. And from that ravaging of an entire densely populated neighborhood where Hezbollah is based, came Israel's so-called Dahiya
Doctrine, a strategy of massive disproportionate use of force, including targeting civilian populations and infrastructure.
Until now, the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has been largely limited to the south. Yet after the Israeli strike in late July on Beirut
that killed a senior Hezbollah military commander ended the group's vow to retaliate, war threatens to engulf the rest of the country.
In the past few weeks, Israeli war planes have frequently broken the sound barrier in the skies over Beirut. A grim warning to all Lebanese of what
could come.
(Voice-over): A warning voiced Wednesday by Israel's defense minister. Our center of gravity, he said, is gradually shifting from the south to the
north.
The Dahiya Doctrine for all intents and purposes is being put into practice in Gaza where tens of thousands have been killed and much of the strip
reduced to ruins. Yet after almost 11 months of war, Israel has yet to achieve its goal of destroying Hamas.
Hezbollah represents a far greater challenge to the Israeli military than Hamas, says analyst Imad Salamey.
DR. IMAD SALAMEY, LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Hezbollah will be commanding a very wide area Hezbollah is much more equipped, much more
capable, much more experienced than Hamas is.
WEDEMAN: As Lebanon teeters on the edge of a broader war, there's a sense of resignation. Once they finished in Gaza, maybe they'll come here, Fuad
tell me, adding if they can finish in Gaza. Such apathy aside, the memory of past wars and the threat of yet another one loom large.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN: And what we've seen is that there's also pressure growing on in Israel for some sort of action against Hamas. We've heard in the past
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying that if Hezbollah launches a war on Israel, a large war, a large attack, that Israel will turn Lebanon back to
the Stone Age.
[10:20:08]
But we've heard that Itamar Ben-Gvir, the extremist Israeli national security minister, tweeted out today -- tweet focused at Gallant, saying,
you promised to return Lebanon to the Stone Age, but instead you're returning the north, the north of Israel, to the Stone Age. Instead of
attacking me on Twitter, start attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon -- Erica.
HILL: It's something. Ben, appreciate it as always. Thank you.
Still to come this hour, just weeks after meeting with Russia's president in Moscow, India's prime minister is now visiting with Ukraine's president
in Kyiv. A look at Narendra Modi's high-stakes diplomacy just ahead. Plus Donald Trump set to take on Arizona with a, quote, "special guest." Is RFK
Jr. his secret weapon to reclaiming the U.S. presidency? Details on this potential plot twist just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just wrapped up a visit with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine, and much of the discussion
between the two leaders, we're were told was spent, of course, on the war in Ukraine, that information coming from India's minister of external
affairs. There were also four agreements signed between the two countries which span from community development projects to drug control standards.
This high-stakes meeting, of course, taking place as the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on. Ukraine saying it attacked a Russian railroad ferry
that sank in the port of Kavkaz on Thursday. Moscow said the ferry itself was carrying fuel tanks. 17 crew members were rescued from that ferry. It
had been more than waters in southwest Russia. One person remains unaccounted for.
The attack comes as Ukraine's forces have taken some major steps in their effort to change the trajectory of the war, including of course that
surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk Region a little over two weeks ago. Russia, though, for its part, claiming progress near the eastern Ukrainian
city of Pokrovsk. Russia says that area does remain under fire as its forces advance rapidly, according to Russia, toward the city.
CNN's Salma Abdelaziz has been following all of these developments for us and joins us now with the very latest.
So we've got both the visit of course, but it's happening with the backdrop of this escalation into very important areas when it comes to this war,
Salma.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Erica, and this is an important visit because, as you highlighted there, Prime Minister Modi is
very much a man who is walking a tight rope, who's trying to balance two relationships. One could say he's even improved his relationships with
Russia since the beginning of its invasion, of its war in Ukraine. India is one of the few countries that continues to purchase Russian fuel.
But in that role, President Zelenskyy does see an opportunity in Prime Minister Modi because Zelenskyy is preparing for potentially the day when
talks do you happen, when there is conversation about the day after the war, and he hopes that Modi could act as a mediator in that sense, as a
conduit to push President Putin to any negotiating table in the future.
[10:20:14]
And we got that statement from Prime Minister Modi just a short time ago, urging an end to the conflict. And while these two men were speaking peace
of course that war very much grinds on. You mentioned the ferry. This was claimed by Ukrainian attack on a Russian ferry in the Black Sea.
The claim just coming a few hours ago, and it is significant because it yet again reminds Russian forces that Ukraine can strike at them even deep into
their own areas, such as the Black Sea and of course in Kursk where Ukrainian forces are continuing to push on that surprise offensive that
they launched just about two weeks ago, but are now facing tough resistance.
But I think top of mind for this conflict right now actually for Ukrainian officials is eastern Ukraine, where as you mentioned Russian forces are
advancing extremely quickly. There are very distressing scenes playing out because local officials have said everyone in Pokrovsk needs to leave their
homes as quickly as possible. They've given a two-week deadline. Parents are apparently hiding their children away from these mandatory evacuation
orders.
Truly concerning scenes that Ukrainian forces say will only continue to unfold as this Russian troop advance barrels on -- Erica.
HILL: Salma, really appreciate it. Thank you.
Let's get you up to speed now on some of the other stories on our radar at this hour. The Italian coast guard says divers have now recovered all of
the missing from the yacht that sank off of Sicily earlier this week. The final body which was recovered is believed to be that of the 18-year-old
daughter of British tech tycoon, Mike Lynch. His body was recovered on Thursday. Seven people were killed when violent weather hit that yacht on
Monday, 15 people survived.
Heavy rainfall and flooding are blamed for 36 deaths in Bangladesh and Northeast India. Hundreds of thousands are displaced at this point. India
had previously said that release of water from its Dunbar Dam was not to blame for the floods, but noted a breakdown in regular communication
between the two countries on Wednesday evening.
Authorities in Thailand are searching through the crash site of a small plane. Nine people were on board when it went down near Bangkok on
Thursday. The passengers were Thai and Chinese nationals. As for the cause of that crash, it is not yet clear.
Canada's two major freight railroads are preparing to restart their engines after the federal government forced an end to a management ordered lockout.
The lockout lasting in total about 17 hours. But boy, was it threatening to disrupt multiple sectors across Canada and the United States. We're talking
about lumber, auto parts, agriculture, all heavily dependent of course on cross-border trade.
The lockout threw some 9,000 rail workers on the picket lines. Their union protested the move and the decision by Canada's Labour minister to end the
dispute by sending the parties to binding arbitration. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN MACKINNON, CANADIAN LABOUR MINISTER: Canada is a trading nation. Our government will do everything in its power to preserve the stability and
certainty that are railways, an entire economy, are renowned for the world over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: There was of course much concerned about what could happen if that lasted. We're told trains themselves could start rolling again within a
matter of days.
Just ahead here following a historic week in U.S. politics, I'll be joined by two former presidential candidates, one Democrat, one Republican, also
former governors, for their thoughts on not only the DNC, but where the race goes from here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:35]
HILL: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill.
Donald Trump brings his campaign to Arizona and Nevada today, and could there be a possible endorsement to boost his chances of a second term in
the White House? Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate in this race, also in Arizona today. He's expected to announce that he is dropping
out of the race today and possibly endorsing Donald Trump for president, which would be getting another twist in a race that is quite frankly
already unlike any other in a number of ways.
CNN's Kristen Holmes is in Phoenix, Arizona, at this hour for us.
You know, it just keeps us on our toes, doesn't it?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't know that I can handle any more twist and turns, but today might bring yet another surprise. In
just a few hours RFK is going to going to take the stage, we are told, that he's going to suspend his campaign. And what we know right now is that
there have been high level talks between RFK's team and Donald Trump's orbit in securing an endorsement from RFK.
Now, obviously Donald Trump is appearing at a rally just outside of Phoenix about 30 minutes from where we are now. And he keeps teasing that he's
going to have a special guest. So might be able to put some pieces there together. But Donald Trump himself clearly does not want to get ahead of
this. This is what he said in an interview when asked about it yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have no idea if he's going to endorse me. I know he's got a news conference. We happen to be in the same
state, Arizona. We'll be in the same state but in quite different parts of the state. But it's possible we will be meeting tomorrow and we'll be
discussing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Erica, and just to be clear, it's not quite different parts of the state. Literally, he's going to be in a suburb of Phoenix and we are in
Phoenix right now. So it seems a little bit coincidental here that, and I don't really believe in coincidences when it comes to politics. And one
thing I'll tell you, we know that Don Junior and Tucker Carlson, they have been at the center of these kind of ongoing negotiations and talks.
So it seems pretty clear that anything that's going on, Donald Trump would know, but his team often does this when it comes to endorsements. They
don't want to get ahead of the other person, but I want to note one thing. There's probably a lot of questions as to why it matters if RFK endorses
Donald Trump. Let's talk about the state of Arizona. This is a critical battleground state, one they really want to win.
Donald Trump's team really wants to win. I mean, both sides really want to win. He lost it in 2020. RFK is currently polling here at 6 percent. That
is compared to Harris who is polling at 45 percent and Trump at 42 percent. Does the Trump team think that if RFK drops out and endorses Trump that all
6 percent is going to go to him? No, absolutely not. They understand that's not how this works.
However, can they siphon off enough of that to either tie it up or put Donald Trump ahead? Remember, both sides right now believe that this race
is going to be determined by razor thin margins. So any single vote that they can get, they believe that could help put them over the edge. And it's
not only Arizona. You're seeing this pattern in various places throughout the state. Overall, RFK is polling at around 5 percent.
Again, they don't think they're going to get all of this if RFK endorses Trump but if they can get anything from it, they view it as a win.
HILL: Yes. Every vote, I mean, every vote matters in an election. But boy, this year, the added weight is really something.
Kristen, appreciate it. By the way, I have faith in you. You can roll with this, at least through November 5th. You've got it.
HOLMES: Thanks. Thank you.
HILL: These battle lines, of course, for November are drawn at this point. Americans have now heard from both candidates at their conventions. The
candidates themselves have formally accepted their party's nominations.
[10:35:02]
Donald Trump we know was watching as Kamala Harris did that last night. He was watching and posting responses in real time on Truth Social,
criticizing Harris for talking a lot about her childhood, that she said thank you too many times, accusing her of lying about Project 2025, the
conservative blueprint for the next Republican president. Donald Trump, of course, has denied his connections to it, although it's important to note
the number of people close to him who were involved in drafting it.
He then took some time to speak with FOX News after Harris wrapped her acceptance speech. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It was a lot of complaining. She didn't talk about China. She didn't talk about fracking. She didn't talk about crimes. She didn't talk about 70
percent of our people are living in poverty. She didn't talk about -- the trade deficit. She didn't talk about child trafficking that she's allowed
to happen because she was the border czar and she presided over the weakest border in the history of our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Just a quick fact check here on what we just heard from the former president. China actually was mentioned in Harris' speech, when she said
she would make sure that America not China wins the competition for the 21st century, and went on to say would ensure that we strengthen not
abdicate our global leadership.
Look, there's a lot to get through here. So why not bring in some friends to do that. Former Republican governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson, and
Howard Dean, former Democratic Vermont governor, both guests of course who were also presidential candidates.
It's good to see you both today, gentlemen. Thank you. As we look at where things stand this morning, we are now officially in it, right, and I was
struck by what we saw over the course of the last week.
And Governor Hutchinson, I'm going to start with you on this one, in terms of the message that Democrats were clearly trying to get out there far
beyond their base, and that came from Republicans who took the stage. It came from the messaging and on the last night, this real push to show a
very Democratic, pardon me, a very patriotic party which Adam Kinzinger noted. He had learned Democrats are just as patriotic as the Republicans.
How important was that message, Governor?
ASA HUTCHINSON, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: Well, thank you. Democrats had a very good convention. They accomplished their objective of showing-casing a
broad appeal, staying away from scaring those that might want to consider Kamala Harris, showcasing patriotism. So I think it was good and I love
Kamala Harris' emphasis on her prosecutor background and the rule of law, which was a theme throughout all the week.
I don't know that they're going to get that big of a bump out of the convention simply because they've already had a bump leading up to it. So
the numbers increase was baked into the convention but they accomplished their objective. And now the race is on. The next thing is the big debate
that'll be coming up on September 10th.
HILL: Yes, the clock is definitely ticking to that debate.
Governor Dean, do agree that there isn't much more of a bump to be gained based on what we saw this week, or is there still some room there to
capitalize on the --
(CROSSTALK)
HOWARD DEAN, FORMER VERMONT GOVERNOR: Yes, I think there's a little bit of a bump. The numbers that you all just mentioned in Arizona. Well, that
doesn't add up to 50. In fact, that leaves about 6 percent or 8 percent unaccounted for. I doubt very much that all the RFK votes, if there are
any, would suddenly go to Trump because the reason RFK was getting any votes is because people didn't like either candidate.
So I suspect there is a little room for growth for Kamala. It was an extraordinary convention. I have to say I've been to 12 of them or 11 of
them actually, and this one I thought that she may have given the best acceptance speech of any of that previous conventions. It was extraordinary
in terms of its balance and as Governor Hutchinson said, staying away from the red meat issues for the most part and calling into question the biggest
weakness that Trump has, which is his unpredictability and his ability to exhaust the electorate.
HILL: In terms of that speech, Governor Hutchinson, you're there, right? You were there in Chicago. You were not there as one of the Republicans for
Harris, but there and you said what you would need, what she needs to do, rather, to persuade voters is that she needs to show her economic policy is
not so far to the left and that it makes sense for America that it doesn't scare people.
I want to play part of what she had to say about what she calls would be, in her words, an opportunity economy. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: We will provide access to capital for small-business owners and entrepreneurs and founders, and we will end America's housing shortage. And
protect Social Security and Medicare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: How is that playing this morning with Republicans, with independents who you may have spoken with?
[10:40:00]
HUTCHINSON: You couldn't ask for better language. Opportunity economy gives us a ring of Jack Kemp's opportunity society. That's really the job
creation language that Republicans like to use and so those are calming words in terms of the economy. What I was referencing that she can't scare
people is she's got to stay away from these price controls, that she didn't use that language and she needs to define that very carefully.
She'll go after price gouging and not go after price controls because that would destroy the economy and not the kind of language that would bring in
conservatives or Republicans, or those that want a different choice.
HILL: Governor Dean, when we look at what was laid out last night, there's always going to be some criticism the next day about whether or not it was
specific enough. Moving forward over these next several weeks, where do you think the vice president really needs to drill down in terms of the
policies that she laid out and how she would make them happen?
DEAN: Well, I agree with Governor Hutchinson. That's what one of the reasons I liked the speech so much that she was really careful not to go
too far into the red meat discussions about how, you know, business and all that kind of stuff. Her speech was aimed at middle-class people who haven't
made up their mind. And I -- that's why I thought it was so brilliant. She's got to continue exactly on this path.
She cannot veer into this sort of, you know, left-wing, anti-business stuff because most people in the country aren't there. You can be anti-big
business and certain corporations, but you can't be anti-business.
HILL: Where do you think on the ground, Governor Dean, where do you think the most effective efforts -- we talk so much about these swing states,
right? But even within those swing states, is it about going to the Philadelphia and the Phoenix or is it about going to the smaller towns and
meeting with the voters in those areas?
DEAN: Both, you need to do both. You can't -- I mean, the retail nature of the campaign is really nonexistence is stage. You're not going to win by
going to all these tiny towns in the states, but you're going to go to some of them and hopefully the TV coverage will bounce you to all of the rest of
them.
HILL: And Governor Hutchinson, before I let you both go, you obviously have been a prominent Trump critic. As far as I know, you don't have any plans
to vote for Kamala Harris at this point. Last I saw you, you said you plan to write someone in. Is there anything that you heard or saw over the last
several days that's changed your mind?
HUTCHINSON: Well, I think it was reassuring on her economic message, but there's a lot to see left in the debates. So let's see how that goes. I
don't plan -- he won, but I'm very engaged and concerned about the direction of the country and obviously I'm not going to be supporting
Donald Trump.
HILL: So as the kids would say, you're saying there's a chance.
Governors, it's good to see both of you. Thank you both for your insight.
DEAN: Thank you.
HUTCHINSON: Thank you. Good to be with you.
HILL: Well, Kamala Harris' grandnieces with a little help from actress Kerry Washington may have stolen the spotlight for just a little bit last
night with this lesson on how to pronounce their auntie's first name.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KERRY WASHINGTON, ACTRESS: And what are you here to do?
AMARA AJAGU, KAMALA HARRIS' GRANDNIECE: To teach you how to say our auntie's name. You say comma, like a comma in a sentence.
LEELA AJAGU, KAMALA HARRIS' GRANDNIECE: Then you say la like la, la, la, la, la.
WASHINGTON: Put it together and it's, one, two, three, Kamala.
L. AJAGU: Kamala.
A. AJAGU: Everybody over here say Kama.
AUDIENCE: Kama.
L. AJAGU: Everybody over here say la.
AUDIENCE: La.
WASHINGTON: Together.
AUDIENCE: Kamala. Kamala. Kamala.
WASHINGTON: For president!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: So why the lesson in pronunciation there? Well, as Kerry Washington pointed out, you have likely heard people often mispronounced Kamala. She
also noted sometimes it's intentional, which is seemingly the sense when it comes to Donald Trump, who often seems to do it on purpose. We'll see if
the lesson holds.
Just ahead here on CONNECT THE WORLD, all eyes on Fed chief Jay Powell and boy, did he have something to say in this speech that he just gave in
Jackson Hole. A crucial message about the Fed's next rate move. Stay with us. That's after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:46:49]
HILL: The ocean surrounding South Africa are teeming with life, but in places there are also really concerning buildups of plastic waste that are
impacting the ecosystem.
On today's "Call to Earth," CNN tags along with a rescue unit on Cape Town's waterfront, a unit that helps protect one of its most playful
inhabitants from the perils of plastic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): It's an early and quiet morning at one of South Africa's most visited tourist destinations. Cape Town's
iconic V&A Waterfront, which attracts around 24 million people annually. Situated in the oldest working harbor in the southern hemisphere, it's also
a welcoming host to an entirely different breed of mammal.
MARTINE VILJOEN, MARINE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME, TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM FOUNDATION: Over the past 20 years, we've had a population of wild Cape fur
seals making use of our harbor acting as an extension of our oceans and to them, I really think they believe this to be their home. It's a swap of
point or safe space. They're not (INAUDIBLE), but they move in and out as they please.
CHATTERLEY: Aside from playing the part of waterfront attraction, they also play a vital role within the marine ecosystem.
VILJOEN: They help balance everything up from being a prey source to being a predator themselves. They indicate how the health of the ocean is doing
and they give us valuable insights how the bigger picture of our ocean health.
CHATTERLEY: Once heavily hunted Cape fur seals are now a protected species in South Africa. And it's estimated that around two million inhabit the
coast of Southern Africa. Still, they face significant challenges with climate change, human wildlife conflict and more recently rabies, all areas
of concern.
Here on the waterfront, a team from the nearby Two Oceans Aquarium looks after them.
BRET GLASBY, MARINE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME, TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM FOUNDATION: The program that we run here, the Marine Wildlife Management
Program, is unique. It's the first of its kind in the world where we are essentially reducing conflict between humans and animals within the space
of a working harbor-slash-tourist destination. We are the buffer.
CHATTERLEY: But one of the most widespread and tangible threats facing these curious creatures is plastic pollution.
GLASBY: We are actually on a second patrol of the day looking for any seals that have plastic around the neck in the hope that we can actually get them
disentangle this morning.
CHATTERLEY: Removing the plastic items which is most often commercial fishing debris can be a challenge so they have to get creative.
GLASBY: So we gave them the dedicated seal platform you're going to see behind me there with all the seals resting on it. The added benefit to the
seal platform is that we've made the gaps between the wooden slats very wide, and for very specific reason. We have around 100 seals a year that
come into waterfront with plastic entanglements just like these around their necks. But if they come and rest on our platform here with the wide
slats, we get to climb into wetsuits, swim below them, and disentangle them.
And we use a very special tool for that. This is our cuter and it is a hooked blade on the inside, very thin to fit through the wooden slats, and
the idea is that we'll swim in a wet suit underneath the platform.
[10:50:01]
We poke this through the slat, hook it onto the entanglement and give it a really good tug and that'll snap it off the seal's neck. From the seal's
point of view, he's resting in the sun. You'll feel a tug on his neck, you'll stand up, you bark at the seal next to him and lie down again. He
doesn't even know there was a human involved in removing this plastic off his neck.
CHATTERLEY: Bret Glasby says in 2023, they disentangled 124 seals at the V&A Waterfront alone. A statistic that is increasing year after year.
VILJOEN: Seals need our help. We put them in situations that they can't get out of themselves. And we have to step in to help and it's our
responsibility. And I really love being a part of that change.
GLASBY: I can spend hours standing here the seal platform watching them busy, tussling and wrestle with each other. (INAUDIBLE). So they have
obviously their natural role in the environment, but they also have a role in terms of engaging people's hearts and minds and getting them passionate
about something with regards to the sea. All you need is a little bit of passion and then the ball starts rolling, and you start caring about more
and more of our environment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: And let us know what you're doing to answer the call using the hashtag "Call to Earth."
Stay with us, CONNECT THE WORLD continues after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. Let's take a look how Wall Street is reacting to these remarks by Fed chair Jerome Powell coming in the last
hour. So you see a little evening out a little bit more here. We can see a little bit of a spike after Powell said the time has come for policy to
adjust.
Boy, talk about those words getting a lot of reaction. This of course happening during his eagerly awaited address at the annual meet up for
central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Of course, it's not just central bankers paying close attention. Investors were, too, and frankly, a lot of
Americans because they know how much is riding on this speech and what it could signal in terms of a potential rate cut coming their way.
I want to bring back my colleague, Julia Chatterley, the anchor of CNN's "FIRST MOVE."
Well, I would say we don't really have to read between the lines there.
CHATTERLEY: No.
HILL: It seems pretty clear, Julia.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. The time for policy changes is now and that they will cut rates in September, and I agree with you. He literally couldn't have made
that policy pivot clearer. Just listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEROME POWELL, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: The time has come for policy to adjust. The direction of travel is clear and the timing and pace of rate
cuts will depend on incoming data. The evolving outlook in the balance of risks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: So that signals the first rate cut in four -- more than four years. In fact, again, as we were talking earlier, we don't know how big
that cut is going to be, but the assumption from what he said, a quarter of a percentage point, if all else stays the same. We also don't know what it
means in terms of a path of rate cuts, and as he said, were data and risk dependent. But one of the other things he made really clear and I think
it's important to point out that inflation is no longer their number one issue, but that they don't want to see any further weakness in the jobs
market. Just listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: We do not seek or welcome further cooling in labor market conditions. Overall, the economy continues to grow at a solid pace, but the
inflation and labor market data show an evolving situation. The upside risks to inflation have diminished and the downside risks to employment
have increased.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[10:55:02]
CHATTERLEY: So in English, this means that the August payrolls report is going to be critical. If that's weaker than expected, similar to what we
saw for last month then it will open the door to perhaps a half a percentage point rate cut. We'll also watch the jobless claims very
closely. And of course the other wildcard as we were discussing earlier, is the presidential election. And we were correct. He didn't mention that.
One thing, though, that I do want to point out very quickly for at least one of the presidential candidates. Powell talked about a moment two years
ago when they realized that inflation wasn't transitory. It was too high and they had to cause considerable pain by raising interest rates in order
to bring it back under control. And he said they didn't flinch in the face of that. Just listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: Yet we obviously did not flinch from carrying out our responsibilities and our actions forcefully demonstrated our commitment to
restoring price stability. We raised our policy rate by 425 basis points in 2022 and another 100 basis points in 2023. And we've held our policy rate
at its current restricted level, restrictive level since July 2023.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: And caused a lot of pain for consumers and borrowers in the process, Erica. And it's far harder for a politician to make that call
which is why you keep monetary policy and government separate and independent.
HILL: An important note. Julia, appreciate it as always and always appreciate the translation, my friend, too. Thank you.
Thanks so much to all of you for joining me on CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Erica Hill in New York. Be sure to stay with CNN. NEWSROOM with Rahel Solomon is
up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
