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Erin Burnett Outfront
Putin About To Arrive In North Korea To Deepen Ties With Kim Against U.S.; Obama Team Slams GOP Claim Biden Froze, Had To Be Led Off Stage; Surgeon General Speaks To OutFront About Warnings For Social Media; Bannon To Report To Prison With Inmates In Open Pods, Not Cells. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired June 17, 2024 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:51]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:
Putin heading for a major meeting. New reporting tonight on how closely the White House is watching Putin's trip and this face-to- face.
Plus, Obama fighting back, saying a viral video that Republicans claim is a clear example of President Biden freezing up is not what it appears. Our White House reporter who was in the room is OUTFRONT.
And is social media the new smoking? Surgeon general tonight calling for warning labels on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Is it enough?
Surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, is my guest.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news, Putin's power trip. So the Russian president is tonight just hours away from arriving in North Korea, tonight, touting an unbreakable partnership. In new comments just released, Putin telling a North Korean newspaper that the Russian-North Korean alliance is based on principles of equality, mutual respect, and trust.
Putin battering up Kim as the North Korean president rolls out the red carpet for Putin. Let's just show you some new satellite images. What appears to be, as far as we can see. So this is Pyongyang, large military parade preparations going on in the capital grandstands are growing up, going up, you can see those sort of along the edge. Construction taking place in one of the main squares in the city as well.
And this partnership newly close, is cemented in one key thing, taking down the United States. Look no farther than what Russian state television is pushing tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Billions of people would be happy to stand in line to get the opportunity to strike the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Today, the weather is ideal for conducting nuclear their strikes against NATO countries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We only have one target, the continental territory of the U.S.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: There's no nuance or ambiguity there. And state state- controlled television in North Korea saying the U.S. and other hostile forces are bound to meet unforeseen disaster.
So you hear all that rhetoric, right? But that rhetoric is actually turned into video. We've seem nearly identical simulations of nuclear annihilation of the United States.
Look for yourself what they've shown on Russian state media television is on the left and on the right is what you see in North Korea. These are simulations of U.S. cities going up in a giant mushroom cloud of nuclear annihilation nuclear strikes taking out U.S. cities.
It's grotesque, and the Russian-North Korean military partnership is deepening now, beyond rhetoric and video to reality. Kim paid Putin a visit last year, touring several secretive space and military facilities, at one point toasting Putin and vowing to have him back and what he called Putin's, quotes, sacred struggle against the band of evil in the west.
And just three months ago, North Korea TV showed Kim and his daughter, they were back in Pyongyang riding in a luxurious new limousine, a limo that was a gift from Putin.
And on Russian state television now, they are fawning over Kim.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): In the West, there persistently calling him a dictator. But our attitude is different.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Kim Jong-un, the life of the nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And this relationship is now affecting the war in Ukraine. Just a short time ago, Putin spoke to a North Korean newspaper, so he's giving all this access to them, right? And he said, quote, we highly appreciate the DPRK's strong support for the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
And Russia is relying on North Korea in Ukraine, make no doubt about it. I mean, according to South Korea, North Korea sent 6,700 containers of equipment to Putin, those could be filled with more than 3 million rounds of artillery shells, more than 500,000 rounds of multiple rocket launchers. There are also North Korean missiles being used. In return, the White House believes Putin may offer North Korea fighter jets, surface to air missiles, armored vehicles, and more. That has Washington growing increasingly concerned tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, NSC COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: What we are concerned about, Trevor, is the deepening relationship between these two countries.
There could be some reciprocity here that could affect security on the Korean peninsula.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[19:05:01]
BURNETT: Kayla Tausche is OUTFRONT live outside the White House.
I want to begin, though, with Will Ripley live in Taiwan.
And, Will, another Kim-Putin meeting now less than a year after the last one, right? It had been a several year break before that. They appear to be growing much closer.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Because they need each other, Erin, at least for now. Putin wants weapons and ammunition for his war on Ukraine. Kim wants cash and military expertise that could help his spy satellite and missile program to make his ballistic missiles potentially more accurate in a potential strike on the United States.
And, of course, Putin and Kim both have the shared goal of taking down the West, especially the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY (voice-over): The North Korean capital Pyongyang, preparing a supersized socialist's welcome for Russian President Vladimir Putin, a pariah in the free world, in Kim Jong-un's world, an invincible comrade in arms.
North Korean propaganda praising Putin's first Pyongyang trip in 24 years. He met Kim's father in 2000, months after becoming president. Kim Jong-un was still a teenager.
Moscow-Pyongyang ties today, the strongest since the Cold War, a grave and growing threats, say Seoul and Washington. They accused Kim of supplying weapons to Putin's army in Ukraine, in exchange for advanced military technology, possibly boosting Kim's ballistic missile and spy satellite programs, which could make Kim's growing nuclear arsenal more accurate, experts warn.
For years, North Korea has been threatening to use nukes against the U.S. in and the event of war. In April, Kim was quoted in state media. Now is the time to be more thoroughly prepared for a war than ever before.
The relationship really is built on a transactional relationship, not on mutual trust. The North Korean leaders lavish armored limousine, a gift from the Russian strongman, a symbol of Kim's strategic pivot away from failed U.S. diplomacy with former President Donald Trump, which experts say left Kim furious and humiliated.
SCOTT SNYDER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, KOREA ECONOMIC INSTITUTE OF AMERICA: So far, it seems like the doors shut and I would say that for North Korea and for Kim Jong-un, the real message is beware betrayal.
RIPLEY: Leaving President Joe Biden with very little leverage to pursue the fading prospect of North Korean denuclearization.
Satellite images of Pyongyang in recent days show possible preparations for a massive celebration. The Kremlin, unfazed by Western warnings, claiming it has every right to create closer kinship with neighbors.
The stakes are high. The symbolism powerful observers say Putin and Kim's dangerous alliance is bigger than politics, a defiant message from two leaders determined to take down on the U.S.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY (on camera) Tonight, we're learning Kim and Putin are expected to sign a new strategic partnership agreement, replacing previous document signed in 1961, 2000, 2001. Erin, the power dynamic between Kim and prudent has changed so much since Putin his last visit to Pyongyang 24 years ago.
The previous North Korean leader has felt like an afterthought when they were next to the Russian leaders. But these days, they know that at least while there's fighting in Ukraine, Russia needs North Korea's help.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Will.
And I want to go to the White House now. Kayla Tausche is there.
So, Kayla, obviously, now you've got another meeting happening. How significant is this? How closely is the U.S., the Biden administration watching this meeting which we understand between Putin and Kim is supposed to happen in just a few hours?
KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Erin, the administration is watching this incredibly closely. You heard various division State Department, Defense Department, the White House weighing in on this today in response to questions about exactly what could come out of this meeting.
Earlier today, I think there were suggestions from the officials that essentially this is a response to the G7 leaders who just a week ago pledged unwavering military and financial support for Ukraine. That was followed by a peace summit for Ukraine were more than 100 countries stood defiantly against Russia with Ukraine and essentially supported the withdrawal of Russian troops groups there.
But there is no secret here at the White House that they believe that North Korea has been materially aiding Russia, and for months, if not years. You mentioned that South Korean estimate of 6,700 containers. Well, just today, the State Department said that that number is closer to 11,000, and then its not hypothetical that those missiles in a minute, munitions have been showing up on the battlefield and they say that they know exactly what North Korea is providing Russia because of some of the trade data and some of the satellite data that you were just referencing.
But the bigger concern is what Russia may be providing Pyongyang.
[19:10:01]
Kurt Campbell, who's the deputy secretary of state, said last week, hard currency, is it energy? Is it capabilities that allow them to advance their nuclear or missile products? We don't know, but we're concerned by that, and watching carefully.
Meanwhile, Russian state media has said that the Kremlin is looking to partner with North Korea in all possible areas -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Kayla, at the White House.
And I want to go now to Democratic Congressman Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
Congressman, I appreciate your time.
So, Vladimir Putin now just hours away from this meeting with Kim Jong-un. It's supposed to be a two-day visit in Pyongyang. Second meeting for the two and less than a year and Will was just sharing those satellite images. I'll show them again for everyone. Preparations appear to be underway for very large parade to celebrate Putin's arrival.
What does this meeting signal to you, Congressman?
REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT): Well, it signals desperation, frankly. I mean, if Vladimir Putin who believes that he runs the inheritor of the Russian Empire, of the Soviets, is forced to go hat in hand to a country where the GDP per capita is $1,000 per person per year, it's -- the whole thing has a ludicrous field to it.
Now, look, there's a couple of serious things here. North Korea is passing on munitions to Russia, basic stuff like 155 millimeter artillery rounds and we do wonder what Russia is giving North Korea in return, and, you know, North Korea is a dangerous place.
But this whole thing, this idea that all these two leaders want to do away with the United States, Erin, you know, Putin couldn't invade Ukraine at the time. A third rate country without really much of a military, North Korea. You know, the Russians ought to look at who their leader is consorting with, right? In South Korea, GDP per capita is $50,000 a year. Its 1,000 in North Korea and this is where Putin with all his pretentious to -- pretensions to greatness is going. It's just ludicrous.
BURNETT: So, you know, it does come as Putin has deployed those warships off the coast of the U.S. and they are today. This is an image of them that I have, Congressman. This is them leaving Havana where they had docked for a few days. They were sailing off the coast of Florida, just a few days ago.
And when they did that, Putin said:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We have come on acceptably close to the point of no return. Calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, which has the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons demonstrate the extreme adventurism of Western politicians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The direct reference to the arsenal is unusual for him to be so direct. But do you view this as desperation, Congressman? I mean, I'm just wondering in the context of about a month ago, you know, U.S. intel brief Congress and said Putin's military was now back stronger than it was before the invasion of Ukraine. We're now seeing larger gas imports from Russia to Europe than anytime since the beginning of the war.
I mean, you could look at this in some ways and say maybe Putin is stronger than it seems?
HIMES: No, he's not. He's far weaker than he seems. And sadly, I think to some extent the American media is complicit in this. They took three raggedy boats into Havana. By the way, Russian boats have been sailing in the Caribbean and making port calls all the time. One of our frigates could have very easily sunk all three of those ships without even thinking twice about that.
How do I know that? Because think about it, the flagship of the Russian fleet, the Moskva, the flagship, the best that they had is now at the bottom of the Black Sea, taken out by a bunch of Ukrainians with a pickup truck and a missile.
So, no, look, he's got nuclear weapons. That changes everything. North Korea has nuclear weapons, so we don't' -- we don't make too much fun of these people. But the idea that Vladimir Putin is going to attack the United States when he can't even really keep 15 percent Ukraine is just ludicrous.
BURNETT: I understand that, but I am curious with the gas imports to Russia overtaking supplies from the U.S. in May for the first time in two years and this is supposedly all these sanctions are killing him and yet his gas imports, exports, I'm sorry to Europe are now greater than those of the us. I mean, are you -- are you concerned about this? HIMES: Well, of course, I'm concerned about this because the Chinese
buying Russian oil and frankly are supposed friends. The Indians also buying Russian oil is allowing Putin to kill thousands of people in a murderous invasion of Ukraine. And so, of course, that's concerning.
I mean, you'd wonder how that all ends. I don't think it ends with a nuclear attack. It certainly doesn't end with the Putin attacking a NATO country, which would get his clock cleaned very, very rapidly.
But yeah, there's lots of Ukrainians dying because China and India in particular, but other countries are purchasing Russian energy.
BURNETT: Let me ask you one other thing before we go and this I know you've been briefed on congressman, so I'm curious your point of view, those eight Tajik nationals with ISIS tie suspected were arrested in multiple us cities. They all had come in over the U.S. southern border. The former CIA Director Leon Panetta told us that this is a 9/11 wake-up call.
Is that how you see it from your briefings or no?
HIMES: Well, it's certainly true. I mean, people are using a lot of bombastic language. You know, before 9/11, we had just all sorts of barriers to intelligence sharing.
[19:15:01]
We weren't focused on what we should have been focused on. That's not true anymore. That doesn't mean were not at risk.
And I think again, there's a lot of hyperbolic language out there. As it turns out, we arrested those Tajik with ties to ISIS, and, you know, we have not had a major terrorist attack in this country in a very, very long time.
So, that doesn't mean that we let our guards down. Of course not. And having people without whose identity we don't know inside the country --
BURNETT: But are you worried that there are a lot more of them came over the southern border though, a lot more people with -- that wish to do us harm?
HIMES: Well, yeah. I mean, you know, look, these people presented themselves seeking asylum, right? If you're a terrorist, that's a really dumb thing to know because we're going to take a picture of you. We're going to look into you, et cetera.
So, yes, of course, it's a danger. It's a danger that my Republican friends like to play up, even though in 30 years there has not been a single terrorist fatality engineered by an undocumented alien. That doesn't mean that we don't worry about it. But again, we've got to keep this in perspective.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Congressman, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much. HIMES: Thank you, Erin.
BURNETT: Congressman Himes, as I said, ranking member of the Intel Committee, I appreciate it.
And next, former President Obama fighting back, calling out Republicans who claimed Biden froze and had to be let off the stage by Obama at the end of the fundraiser in L.A. Our White House reporter was also in the room and she joins us next.
Plus, parents at their wits end when it comes to kids and cell phones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop filming. I'm sick of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Surgeon general of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, who's now calling for social media warning labels is OUTFRONT tonight.
And breaking news, Trump's longtime ally, Steve Bannon, will not be heading to so-called "Club Fed" when he is forced to report to prison soon. But tonight, we have new details and where Bannon is likely going to end up behind bars.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:21:11]
BURNETT: Tonight, Barack Obama's camp firing back after widespread claims on the right that he needed to leave President Biden offstage after Biden appear to freeze up at the end of the weekend fundraiser in L.A.
So, Eric Schultz is a senior Obama adviser and he has put out a statement saying, quote: This did not happen.
Now, the "this" is in response to a tweet by "The New York Post", which is pushing the claim of Biden freezing up. So, here's the video that "The Post" linked to its article that many have seized up.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
BURNETT: All right. Now, there are still questions about what exactly happened there, but that clip comes just days after the far right selectively edited video to claim that Biden was one honoring off like some dementia patient from other world leaders during the G7.
So I want to show you the video that they use to push that narrative, and it looks like, right, he's now -- you see, okay, like staring off it looks bad, right? Well, when you extend it a little bit longer and it's unedited, you see a different story. You see the Biden briefly turned away and walked over and not two the middle of nowhere, but to give it thumbs up to several parachutists that you actually see them there, along with the parachute rigger who is kneeling on the ground.
So it wasn't just wandering off, right? He was interacting with somebody.
So let's go straight to Arlette Saenz at the White House.
Arlette, I want to note you were there at that fundraiser. Where do we just showed the video of former President Obama and president Biden together onstage. So I know it was a packed room. It was all kinds of celebrities raised nearly $30 million.
What can you tell us about, you know, what happened, and what the White House is saying happened that night?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, this moment came at the end of the fundraiser as the conversation between President Biden, President Obama, Jimmy Kimmel was ending. All three men stood up. The music came up in the room and they went around the stage waving, giving thumbs up, and President Biden looked out at the crowd of for a few seconds before walking off stage with former President Barack Obama.
Now, there have been Republicans and right leaning media outlets who have used this moment to say that President Biden froze and that he had to be led off the stage by President Obama. That is something that the White House. And also Obama allies have been pushing very hard back again since this video was released.
As you mentioned, one of President Obama's former advisors, Eric Schultz, tweeted that this did not happen. Andrew bates is spokesperson here at the White House, as said in a post on X, quote, by pretending the president taking in and applauding crowd for a few seconds is some somehow wrong, all they're really admitting is once again because they cant take on the leadership that's fueling the strongest economic growth in the world and bringing violent crime to have 50-year low.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in the briefing today when she was specifically asked about this, said that Obama and Biden are friends and what you saw was that they were friends and that you saw President Biden walking out with Obama with his the arm around him. But it does come at a time when the White House has been pushing back on some of these types of videos, and these narratives taking hold in many right-wing, right-leaning publications, I should say.
You noted that video from the G7 last week, and today, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pushed back on some of these types of videos, saying that they are done in bad faith and that is how the White House is responding to these types of videos this evening.
[19:25:06]
BURNETT: All right. Arlette, thank you very much.
David Urban and Jamal Simmons are now OUTFRONT. I mean, the one at the G7 very clearly shows when you extend it that he was interacting with a parachuters on the ground, extremely different than the way the clip had been cut before.
But, David Urban, the White House and President Obama are pushing getting back. Obama saying no, that President Biden did not freeze that their friends, that this is not -- it did not happen the way that it is being portrayed.
So what do you think? Is it time for people to stop selectively clipping videos and putting them out?
DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Come on. Oh, come on. So, first, let's go back to the G7, right? So the rest of the G7 leaders are getting their standing there. They're all kind of hanging out together. They clearly know there's a photo going to be taken. Are they know their schedule, what's going to happen next.
And apparently, the president forgot what's going to happen next. Look, I know he turned around, he went over --
BURNETT: Well, maybe just wanted to interact with the parachuters who was flying into the ground. I mean, you know, I could see it.
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: You know what, listen, Erin, maybe did, but why the rest of the G7 leaders, the prime minister of Italy went over and grabbed him and pulled him back in. I mean, clearly, there was something going on there.
Look, you see it, right? Watch it again. I mean, he goes over standing and waiting for a photo. He kind of wanders off --
BURNETT: Well, until the parachuters come in, it's disturbing.
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: They're trying to cover for him, they're trying to move -- the whole group kind of moves with him. And she's like, look, we got to take this picture.
The video that you just showed with President Obama, I don't know how more clearly it can be demonstrated. That is not doctored. It is not a selectively edited. He was standing there for whatever reason, maybe it was taken in the crowd. I don't know.
I'm not saying he froze. I am not saying that. All I'm saying is that former President Obama went back, took his hand, didn't put his arm around him like, hey Joe, he took his hand like I would take my elderly father's hand and say, come on, dad, time to go, right?
BURNETT: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's actually not what happened, Dave.
(CROSSTALK)
SIMMONS: I watched video three times, that's not what happened.
Listen, first of all, let's just gather ourselves here. The president of the United States' body moves a little slower, but his mind is just as quick as ever, right? What we saw happen in when he was in Europe and keep in mind, this is a man who has been a Europe two times over the course of 10 days, went to Los Angeles, sat on stage and had 40 minutes of conversation with two other people for the entire audience to watch before for this moment that it is that you're talking about.
My understanding is people in the audience were shouting and yelling at him. He's taking things in. The president comes over -- Obama touched him on the hand, actually lets him go. They walk away. Then he puts his arm around him as they walk off.
Watch it again, and you'll see it. He did not hold him by the hand the way you would hold the child. That's just actually not true.
BURNETT: You know, to this point, David, I can just say, you know, I was with him at a town hall a few years ago. I was with them a few weeks ago at an interview and then afterwards he stays around. He talks to people and interacts with them until basically he's forced to leave.
Is it possible, David, that this is just who he is? Yes, he's older. Yes, he moves slower, no question about that. But he's just -- he was wants to talk to someone and until someone comes in, pulls them away, he's going to continue the conversation.
URBAN: Erin, you make -- your viewers probably don't recall this, but I was Senator Arlen Specter's chief of staff. My former boss, Arlen Specter and Joe Biden, were very close friends.
I used to ride the Acela from Washington, D.C. to Wilmington, Delaware, with Joe Biden. I can tell you President Biden likes to talk. I guarantee you that I know that firsthand, okay?
But I can also tell you that President Biden is a different person that he was then and exhibit person he was four years ago. Look, it's natural. Father time is undefeated. It's all our fates. You're going to slow down.
And, Jamal, listen, I hope it can do all those things because he is running to be the leader of the free world, the most important job in the world. So I hope he's up to it. I hope you can get on planes and fly. That's the job requirement.
If he can't do it, he shouldn't apply.
SIMMONS: Well, look, we're in about 10 days or so, eight days. We're going to see that right here on CNN, right? Were going to have a debate where were going to see the president United States stand on stage I have to do it, the same way he did it at the State of the Union Address.
So, remember what we're hiring here, we're hiring for president --
URBAN: Well, a little bit different.
SIMMONS: Hold on one second, Dave, what we're hiring here, we're hiring judgment. And what you're trying to argue is that because his body is slower, that his judgment is not sound. I would say that's not true.
Meanwhile, we have Donald Trump, who claimed his judgment was sound in 2020, who said who told -- who told Bob Woodward, but he did not tell Americans how bad COVID was going to be because of the politics, that he did not let three -- for three months did not let them have briefings about COVID because of the politics. And in an August 2020, did not weaken the standards for testing because he didn't want the testing numbers go high because of politics.
That's bad judgment, and that's the reason why we need to pick Joe Biden again, because he's somebody concerned about the people. But Donald Trump sees only be concerned about himself as own political position.
BURNETT: All right. Hold on, David, before you jump in. I know a lot to say there, but I want to give you a chance to respond to this because on this issue of Biden has come out and said, oh, hey, look, age is just a number on his happy birthday to Trump last week, right?
[19:30:04]
And don't worry, buddy, you're only three years younger than me. We're the same.
So, actually when you take a look at it, obviously, Trump physically does not present as slow as Biden, right? I think any American can look at that and know that. However, what he says, sometimes, David could be seen as very disturbing if you take it and clip.
So here's what he said the other day, this weekend, he forgot the name of his Dr. Ronny Jackson and he called him Ronny Johnson more than once. And the context here was cognitive testing and that President Biden should take a cognitive test. Let me play it, David.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think he should take a cognitive test like I did. I took a cognitive test and I aced it. Doc Ronny, Doc Ronny Johnson, has everyone know Ronny Johnson, congressman from Texas? He was the White House doctor and he said I was the healthiest president. He feels in history. So I liked him very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Okay, that's just one example. Let me just play a few more and give you both a chance to respond. Here's Trump. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
TRUMP: Did you just see Maduro Venezuela -- it's unbelievable.
We are a nation that just recently heard that Saudi Arabia and Russia well repeat -- ah, will be reducing.
A man Viktor Orban, did anyone ever hear of him? He's probably one of the strongest leaders anywhere in the world and he is the leader of, right? He's the leader of Turkey.
Nikki Haley, you know, they -- do you know they destroyed all of the information, all of the evidence, everything, deleted and destroyed all of it. All of it because of lots of things like Nikki Haley is in charge of security.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
BURNETT: Obviously, meant Nancy Pelosi there and Viktor Orban, of course, is the leader of Hungary. So, David does any of that give you pause?
URBAN: No, listen, that's hundreds -- I don't know how many hundreds of hours of videotape that's taken from. But to say that Donald Trump and Joe Biden are cognitively the same, are at the same place in their aging is just not even realistic.
American people, look, it's not for me or Jamal or for you. The American people are saying this and a poll after poll, after poll, they are coming back and saying that Joe Biden is too old. He's too old. That's what they're saying.
So, it's not for us to decide it --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: But you're conflating -- and you're right, none of us truly know. David, I'll give you that. But, I mean, you're talking about Biden physically being slow and Trump's slurring his words right? One of those is physical. One of those is cognitive --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: I'm not pretending to know the full for either, but --
URBAN: Yeah, but, you know, to Jamal's earlier point real quickly, you know, Joe Biden had a very strong performance at the State of the Union. I'll give him that. He did, but he read off a teleprompter.
This debate is going to be a completely different ball of wax. It's going to be really different and I would encourage everybody to tune in and watch. It's going to be -- it's going to be more -- more popular than the Super Bowl.
BURNETT: That would be incredible.
Go ahead, Jamal.
SIMMONS: David, you said that's taken from ours. There is nobody who is in camera more than the current president of United States. He's always on camera all the time.
So this is obviously selective video. And I think if were being fair about this, we all need to recognize Joe Biden is not Mitch McConnell. He didn't freeze up in the middle of a Q&A. We know that looks like when we see it.
He was having a moment on a stage. So these are, these are cheap fakes with the White House and Biden people call them. I think we need to all be a little careful about what it is that we put out there because we never know when that boomerangs coming back.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you both.
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: Well, real quickly.
BURNETT: Go ahead, final word, David.
URBAN: Yeah, I was going to say, well, real quickly, as you recall, were -- Donald Trump is the victim of that more than you care know. Remember the speech, the autoworkers where he's talking about, you know, there'll be a bloodbath on imports and then everyone's like, oh, he's going to, he's calling for bloodshed the streets.
Talk about selective editing, right.
BURNETT: Right. Well, that was -- just put that in the category of we're not talking about age, as a separate -- a separate topic of how things are edited.
SIMMONS: And we didn't even talk about him being a convicted felon the entire time.
BURNETT: And we didn't even get to that, and it's actually a good thing.
URBAN: Well, remember Biden --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: I got go.
URBAN: The special counsel said he's too old.
BURNETT: Goodbye. I love you, David. See you soon.
All right. Now, you may have seen the videos, parents destroying their kids' electronics. No doubt you probably felt this way yourself. Social media -- is a warning label going to do something to actually change this crisis in America.
The surgeon general of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy is OUTFRONT next.
And Steve Bannon was hoping he'd get to serve as prison sentence at one of America's cushiest prisons. But those hopes have been dashed. We have new reporting this hour.
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[19:38:58]
BURNETT: Tonight, what some parents want to do with their kids' phones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Give me one reason why I shouldn't throw this to the pool?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to text people back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I have to.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, that's enough.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop filming. I'm sick of it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hate you!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Kids spend an average of nearly five hours a day on social media or not even talking about the Internet, YouTube, stuff like that. This is just social media, sort of destroying all screens which just isn't going to happen.
The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, my guest tonight, is proposing new warning labels like the ones that we all now see on cigarette boxes and alcohol and calling on Congress to require the warnings on social media platforms as well.
OUTFRONT tonight, the surgeon general of the U.S., Dr. Vivek Murthy.
And, Dr. Murthy, thanks so much for joining us.
So you and I have talked about this sort of on-camera and off-camera over the past couple of years. And tonight, you're calling for a warning label that would be similar to say tobacco or alcohol, which have surgeon general warnings.
[19:40:03]
There are some who might immediately roll their eyes and go, well, what is this going to do? It's done a lot for tobacco. So tell me what you think the impact of
this warning could be.
DR. VIVEK MURTHY, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: Well, thanks, Erin. And it's great to see you as well.
This warning label is part of a broader strategy to help address the harms that we are seeing associated with social media for kids.
And last year, I issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health, where I call for a series of measures that Congress can put in place to actually establish safety standards and require data transparency to make social media safer. Until that happens, we have to warn parents about what we are seeing in the data, which is that social media is associated with mental health harms for adolescents.
Now, warning labels based on our experience with tobacco and alcohol products, can be useful in both increasing awareness and changing behavior. And a recent study, Erin, of parents asking them whether specifically a surgeon generals warning about other harms is social media, if that would change how they approach social media for their kids, 75 percent of those parents said that it would.
So I have reason to believe that a warning label could be effective, but keep in mind it is one part of a broader solution and the main goal here is to make social media safe. That's going to require Congress to act. And that action cannot comes soon enough.
BURNETT: Right. I mean, we've seen all kinds of things. I mean, the link between depression and suicidal ideation and even just the like button, you know?
I mean, the studies are out there and they are everywhere. And perhaps it is by putting a statement on this, you're allowing parents to know it's not just you, you're not alone. This is a serious problem. You know, you're not imagining things.
And you do talk about it in your own life, Dr. Murthy. Your children, you talk about how they're six and seven in calling for the warning labels. You've said you won't let them have a phone until high school, and I should say there are studies out there that show every single year you can delay giving your child a phone is a huge gift, is a huge gift for their happiness, their lack of depression, their confidence.
So when is the right time?
MURTHY: Well, Erin, I'm glad you're asking this question. This is something look, all of us, you may, all of us parents are grappling with right now in our lives and thinking about what you showed at the top of this segment which really illustrates a struggle that parents are having right now with technology and their kids.
And what I worry about and what I find to be disheartening as a parent is that the entire burden of managing all of this social media, technology more broadly for our children has fallen on the shoulders of parents despite the fact that we didn't grow up with this technology, despite the fact that you have some of the most well- resourced companies in the world with some of the best product engineers in the world designing these platforms to maximize how much time our kids spend on them.
BURNETT: Yeah.
MURTHY: So we've got to get help to parents.
Here's what I'm planning to do with my own kids. Number one, I am planning to wait until at least after a middle school for my kids to use social media. And when they're in high school, my wife and I will reassess them based on their maturity, what the data says about safety and whether their safety standards in place.
But there are additional steps that we can take as well. If your parent and kids are already on social media, establishing technology free zones in their day to protect sleep, in-person interaction, physical activity. This is really vital that can look like making mealtimes tech free, making our time an hour before bedtime throughout the night, tech free, device free zones as well.
But the bottom line, Erin, is you and I had both recognize that this is hard to do alone. And as parents, if we can come together, have each other's backs and make a pact that let in place these rules for our families. It's easier for us. It's also easier for our kids who will know will not be alone in establishing those guardrails.
BURNETT: And I know there has been a sort of wait until eight as in terms of eighth grade, things going around now, in schools, to try to have parents band together on this.
But how frustrated -- I mean, what can Congress do right now, Dr. Murthy? Because this is coming from, sure, you know, humans, we're all by nature addicted to these screens -- TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, all of these websites are designed with one thing, which is to get more people to use them and for a longer period of time at all ages. And they can say whatever they want to say, but they are eager to have young children and they market to young children.
What can be done to stop it at the source?
MURTHY: Well, there's actually a lot that Congress can do. Congress can put in place the kind of safety standards that will protect our kids from harmful content like violence and sexual content. And protect their privacy and protect them from bullying and harassment online.
Congress can also protect kids from the features that would seek to manipulate their developing brains into excessive use.
[19:45:01]
And these are all things that Congress can do right now. I've been encouraged by the fact that there's bipartisan interests in making social media safer and in taking action. But the bottom line is that until Congress actually does act and implement those solutions, life has not changed for kids, and life has not changed for their parents. And that's why I feel a great sense of urgency.
Look, Erin, I'm quite aware of the fact that this is a complicated issue. And that it may be hard for Congress to take action on this. I am also aware that this is a challenging year for Congress to act.
But the truth is none of that matters to our kids. None of that does anything to assuage the pain and struggle that parents are going through right now. It is our moral responsibility as a society to take care of our kids.
And in that mission, when it comes to social media, we are not doing well, we are failing, but we have a chance to get it right. And that's why I believe that to put kids first means passing the kind of legislation that would protect them from the harms of social media, now because our kids cannot wait.
No, they can't, and it is urgent and to have it fall at the feet of the political cycle is an embarrassment.
All right. Thank you very much. I appreciate your time, Dr. Murthy.
And, next, Steve Bannon was hoping to serve out his prison sentence at the facility known as Club Fed. But tonight we are learning that that is not going to happen and we have new reporting on what might happen.
And 80 million people facing a dangerous and potentially deadly heat wave record shattering across the United States.
You're in mid-June. How hot will it get?
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[19:50:39]
BURNETT: Breaking news: Steve Bannon denied his request for the so- called Club Fed when he's forced to report to prison. Sources telling CNN that the longtime Trump ally will not get a cushy prison assignment, but as likely to serve time in a Connecticut prison, where it could be placed with violent criminals and sex offenders, a prison that does not have individual cells, but rather an open pod layout for inmates.
And CNN is learning tonight, but there is also a chance Bannon could be sent to New York City's infamous Rikers Island.
Let's go straight to Katelyn Polantz. She broke this story.
And, Katelyn, I mean, this is a significant development and not at all what Bannon was hoping for or frankly he seemed to be expecting.
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: No, not at all, Bannon -- no, Erin, not at all what Steve Bannon was wanting here. He had expected and his lawyers had expected that he's non- violent. He had not had any prior convictions, and so maybe he would go to a prison camp, very minimal security in the federal system. That's not what's happening. He's being told now by the Bureau of Prisons that he will be going to
a low security prisons. So he's behind the wall is what they call it. It's different than a camp. It has more confines for the inmates that are kept there also violent offenders can be kept in a low security prison, like the one Bannon is going to be reporting to in just a couple of weeks in Danbury, Connecticut.
But, Erin, the reason is because all of this is complicated by a case Steve Bannon is facing in New York where he's going to trial on this accusation of defrauding donors hers to a foundation he was on top of. That is not just complicating things with this. It also means that if he's behind bars in the federal prison, whenever that case goes to trial and September, that's when he may have to be in Rikers to attend that trial -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much. Katelyn. I mean, it's important new reporting.
And Katelyn's reporting comes as Bannon is also vowing payback for Trump enemies if Trump wins, a second term.
Tom Foreman is OUTFRONT with that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP STRATEGIST: Are you prepared to fight? Are you prepared to give it all? Are you prepared to leave it all on the battlefield?
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a fiery shout to the MAGA faithful, Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, is demanding prosecution of anyone tied to the former president's wide ranging legal problems, including current President Joe Biden and his family.
BANNON: It's a family of feral dogs. We're going to have to fumi -- we're going to have to fumigate and have an exorcism. You are going to be investigated, prosecuted, and incarcerated. Okay? We are not going to stop.
FOREMAN: It echoes a call by the conservative Heritage Foundation for the Justice Department to no longer act as an independent body, but to prosecute whomever a re-elected Donald Trump would choose, which Trump has suggested could include President Biden and many other Democrats.
TRUMP: When this election is over, based on what they've done, I would have every right to go after them.
AD NARRATOR: He's been convicted of 34 felonies, found liable for sexual assault.
FOREMAN: That push from team Trump, however, is slamming up against the toughest campaign ad yet from Biden and maybe even reinforcing the message for some voters.
AD NARRATOR: This election is between a convicted criminal who's only out for himself and a president who's fighting for your family.
FOREMAN: It's all paving the way for our titanic debate hosted by CNN and less than two weeks. There will be no live audience and mics will be cut when it's the other persons turn to speak, ruling out Trump's inclination to shout down opponents and Biden's sharp comebacks.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Would you shut up, man?
TRUMP: Listen --
FOREMAN: But will that be enough to contain the chaos after months of Trumpers advocating all out battle.
STEPHEN MILLER: We can't just sit back and say, oh, I hope everything corrects itself. You have to get in the game, Republicans.
FOREMAN: Team Trump insists its campaign is not about revenge. Still, it's hard to miss its fast-growing fury over the rapidly approaching election.
BANNON: Ladies and gentlemen, it's very simple, victory or death!
(CHEERS)
(END VIDOTAPE)
[19:55:06]
FOREMAN (on camera): Bannon swears that no jail cell can shut him up. But this is something we already know. Even if his side wins, its very clear that he and other people in Trump world are not interested in a peaceful transfer of power now -- Erin.
BURNETT: Victory or death, something that I would assume is horrific for anybody watching here.
All right. Thank you very much, Tom Foreman.
FOREMAN: You're welcome.
BURNETT: And next, dangerous heat wave suffocating nearly 80 million people, rolling in now, how long will it last?
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BURNETT: Tonight, a record-breaking heat wave not seen in decades, affecting more than half of the United States population, with new records expected in 200 cities.
Chad Myers is tracking it.
And, Chad, I mean, this is just incredible the way to even lay it out like that. What is this?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's a big high pressure system that's sitting over the East Coast. If you remember, last week, we talked about how hot it was in the West. Well, that whole thing kind of moved off from West to East. And now it's sitting over the Northeast part of the country, including the Midwest and the Great Lakes, 150 new record highs will be set by Saturday.
So, yes, we have heat warnings all across the East Coast, temperatures tomorrow. Look at the size of this though, from Omaha and Kansas City in the 80s all the way into the 90s, all the way back toward the southwest, everybody is orange here. Temperatures are going to be hot.
Pittsburg, you've seen one 90 degree de this decade. We're going to see -- you're 95 degree. We're going to see more 95 degree days this week than you've seen in the past ten years.
New York City, all the way to 93, your average, I should be at and even for St. Louis, very warm temperatures and not a dry heat for sure.
We're also watching this -- potential tropical cyclone number one that will be Tropical Storm Alberto by tomorrow night. This is the storm that will make its way into Mexico, but could spread an awful lot of rain into Texas as well.
Some of the models predicting more than 10 inches of rain in Texas. I know it's been dry. But you don't need ten or more inches that quickly -- Erin.
BURNETT: No, you don't, sort of be careful -- careful what you wish for, but unbelievable, the flooding and the fires in the West, the heat across the country.
Chad, thank you very much.
And thanks to all of you.
It's time for Anderson.
