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Erin Burnett Outfront

Harris Becomes First Woman Of Color To Lead Presidential Ticket; Americans Freed In Prisoner Swap Being Evaluated In San Antonio; Secret Service: Didn't Know About Armed Man Until Shots Fired. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired August 02, 2024 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:41]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:

New details and reporting on Kamala Harris's VP pick. There is one name Trump and Vance were already attacking, this as Harris makes history tonight, the first woman of color to lead a national ticket.

Plus, Americans back on U.S. soil, about to head to their own home for the first time. Tonight, I'll speak to an American who survived two years in a brutal prison abroad. His advice to the Americans just freed.

And an OUTFRONT exclusive, John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan, is now calling for an end to political violence. In his first interview since Trump's intended assassination.

Let's go OUTFRONT.

Good evening. I'm Pamela Brown, in for Erin Burnett.

And OUTFRONT tonight, breaking news: Harris makes history. Vice President Kamala Harris officially locking down the Democratic Party's nomination after securing the required number of delegates. Harris is now the first Black woman and Asian American to earn the top spot on a major political ticket.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are excited about the future, but we also know that we've got a lot of work to get there and we have a lot of work to do. It's good work. We like hard work.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BROWN: And President Biden is responding by posting online, one of the best decisions I've made was picking Kamala Harris as my vice president. Now that she will be our party's nominee, I couldn't be prouder. Let's win this.

Today's milestone comes as all eyes are now on who Harris will pick as her running mate. It is one of the most important decisions she will make leading up to the convention and Biden is weighing in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Have you spoken to Vice President Harris about her running mate?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes.

REOPRTER: Do you know who she's going to pick?

Sir, you have been a vice president before. What key qualities should the vice president be looking for when she picks hers?

BIDEN: I'll let her work that out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Well, Harris is expected to interview the finalists this weekend and then she's going to hit the road next week with her running mate, visiting seven battleground states in just five days, starting with Pennsylvania.

And that brings us to one of the top contenders for Harris as VP pick, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who today came out swinging against the Trump ticket.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D), PENNSYLVANIA: J.D. Vance is a total phony baloney. He is the most inorganic candidate I think I have ever seen on the national stage. He doesn't know what he believes.

Donald Trump really has buyer's remorse with his pick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Well, clearly, Shapiro not holding back there as Trump is already taking him on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If she picks Shapiro, she's going to lose the Palestinian vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: MJ Lee is OUTFRONT live, right outside the White House.

And, MJ, you're learning some new details about the VP surge and what President Biden thinks about the top VP contenders.

MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Pam.

As of tonight, we are told that the Harris campaign actually doesn't have a set time or even day yet on when exactly they're going to unveil Vice President Harris's eventually running mate pick, as she heads into this pivotal weekend, where she is going to be interviewing her top contenders. And making that decision by the deadline of Tuesday, because that is when she will have that first joint campaign event with her future running mate.

But one person who has clearly been in the vice presidency here is President Biden, though as you showed there, he was coy when reporters asked him, well, how have those discussions gone. But what we do know is what the president actually thinks about some of these top contenders that we have been reporting on.

We do know that one well-known favorite for President Biden, according to advisers, is Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. As one senior adviser put it to me bluntly, the president is a big fan of Shapiro's and given also, Pam, just that the president clearly sees Pennsylvania as being one of the most important battleground states heading into November, just as it was in 2020, for some advisers here at the White House, it's really impossible to imagine the president really up privately rooting for anybody, but Shapiro, that is anyone other than perhaps Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

[19:05:05]

And the most obvious reason as this adviser that I spoke with described to me is simply because he is just a blast. And I want to use an event from back in January to illustrate this point and illustrate why he is seen that way inside the White House, among some advisors, the president was in Wisconsin for an infrastructure event, and Walz happened to be one of the Democratic elected officials that joined the president on this day.

The president spoke at a brewery, and then the group all migrated next door to a tap room where beers were flowing, and this advisor recall that Walz was just having a great time and they said that that energy ended up being so infectious and that the president was in the best mood ever, so much so that advisors joked at the time, should the governor be around the president more so that he can be in a good mood all the time, as he seems to be whenever he sends time with them.

So again, we don't know what private discussions have taken place about this VP pick between the president and the vice president. But again, we do know that there are some personal favorites for President Biden.

BROWN: All right. MJ Lee, excellent reporting, thank you so much.

OUTFRONT now, Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton, Karen Finney, former senior spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's campaigns, and Hans Nichols, political reporter for "Axios".

Hans, lets start with you because you have some new reporting that all of the signs and the tea leaves are pointing to Harris picking Josh Shapiro for VP.

What is the latest on what your sources are telling you?

HANS NICHOLS, POLITICAL REPORTER, AXIOS: Well, there is a logic and there's math involved in the idea that it's going to be Josh Shapiro, and that is that you need those 19 electoral college votes from Pennsylvania and you need someone who can deliver him, and Josh Shapiro sitting on a 61 percent approval rating.

And so that's why there seems to be this great groundswell of support for Josh Shapiro because they're saying he's the obvious choice.

Now, here the caveats, and, Pam, you know, this as well as anyone, anyone that actually knows the decision has been made here is not necessarily talking to reporters. And the very fact that the president has, excuse me, the vice president has not spoken with many of the candidates, tells you that were just in the middle of this process.

So, yes, logic would apply that's going to be Shapiro, but chemistry might matter more than qualifications. And that's why these interviews are so important for potential would be vice presidents.

BROWN: Right. I mean, you can have all this data on paper, all the vetting done, and then you interview, right? Karen Finney, I know that you've been in that process, right, and an interview change everything.

How important is that that chemistry and just that intuition that Harris might have when she meets with her candidates.

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, I'm reminded four years ago, I was with a small group of people who via Zoom were making the case to then Vice President Biden and his team for Kamala Harris to be his vice president.

Look, there are the considerations that can -- Hans was talking about in terms of, you might look at, can they help deliver certain states or certain demographics? But at the same time, that chemistry is the most important thing.

Actually, there's two things, the chemistry and the belief that is that person going to be a good governing partner with me and with my style of leadership. The second most important thing as we know is God forbid something should happen, making sure that you believe that person would you ready to lead the country.

And so, those are two of the, you know, biggest parts of this decision. You know, all the papers been gone through, all the data, all of that, at the end of the day, it really does come down to your gut into the feeling that you have if someone is going to be the right governing partner.

BROWN: Before I get to you, Shermichael, and I promise I well, I wanted to just go back to this point about VP picks and whether they have the home-state advantage. There have been five times since 1980 that a major party VP pick has failed to win their home state, Paul Ryan from Wisconsin being the most recent in 2012.

So, you do have to wonder when you look at that, Hans, about, you know, whether is there too much important to be put on Pennsylvania here and Shapiros ability to bring that home? NICHOLS: Yeah, maybe. I mean, that's like the fact that a stat that you just put up or powerful points and I'm sure that -- I don't know if Tim Walz bribe to producer to put that up. Now, look, those are all states --

BROWN: I can assure you that didn't happen. This was my idea.

(LAUGHTER)

NICHOLS: We're joking. We're joking. Your idea, it's a brilliant idea. I meant to say and as a brilliant point, Pam, my mistake.

BROWN: Thank you. I wasn't credited --

(CROSSTALK)

NICHOLS: This is a conversation -- this is the conversations everyone's having, is like does it really matter? And, you know, I suspect that to Karen's broader point, it's about governing. It's about finding a partner. It's not just about the next 90 days.

[19:10:01]

Of course, if you want to get to the governing and then you want to get to the partnership part, you got to win the next 90 days. So it maybe -- maybe in everyone's favor to beat a little near-sighted right now.

But this is sort of when you look at the arc of Kamala Harris's career, what was she? She's attorney general, who were two people on our list, former states attorney generals, right, at the state level. And then as vice president, she served as a partner with the President Biden as same position that Biden was in under Joe -- under Barack Obama.

And so, she has a pretty good theory of the case of the kind of person that she wants supporting her should she win more than 270 Electoral College votes. And with that sort of tough math question, I'll toss it back to you guys because this is really though for the next 90, 95 days, it's about the math and we all know reporters are very bad at math.

BROWN: Yes. I, for one, I can speak for myself, horrible at math.

Now, I'm going to kick it you Shermichael on that note because there's a lot more focus on Shapiro, right now. Now, Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, are singling out Shapiro.

Let me play what Vance said today and how Shapiro responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's a lot of talk it's going to be this guy, Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania, who, you know, I've seen a couple of clips of him talking, he talks like Barack Obama. It's like -- it's like if I did try to do a really bad impression of Barack Obama, that's what it's -- what it would sound like is this guy, Josh Shapiro.

SHAPIRO: Barack Obama was probably our most gifted order of my time side. So, it's kind of a weird insult I guess. But, look, I'll say this about J.D. Vance -- it is real hard being honest with the American people when you're not being honest with yourself. J.D Vance is a total phony baloney.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: What's your reaction? Does it seem to you, Shermichael, that the Vance-Trump ticket or a little bit worried about a Shapiro? I should say Trump-Vance.

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, like it's like if you're a boxer going -- yeah, it's like if you're a boxer going into the match and not necessarily worried, you prepare for these things, and you hope that mentally, that you're ready to go, you know, the long route here.

But I would say, you know, J.D.'s point of Governor Shapiro not being Barack Obama who isn't incredible order and intelligent man, one of the best presidents I think many Americans would agree with, certainly I'm on the conservative side of things, but he was somewhat of a moderate Democrat, I think history will prove that to be true.

Josh Shapiro is not Barack Obama. He's not the real McCoy as they say to use that phrase.

But, look, Pamela, I'm looking at this differently as a strategist here, right? "The Philadelphia Inquirer" resurfaced some old remarks from Governor Shapiro where he stated Palestinians will no, cannot co- exist peacefully. Younger progressives are warning against choosing Shapiro. That will absolutely become a problem for the Harris campaign in states like Michigan, where they're going to need about 60 percent of the Muslim population in order to carry that state.

So, they have to be very careful here if they're going to try to maintain that 2020 Biden coalition going forward into November and it's clear that progressives want someone else because of the issues going on between Israel and Hamas and Gaza.

BROWN: So, Karen, to bring you in to Shermichael's point --

FINNEY: Yeah.

BROWN: -- a VP pick is supposed to do no harm, right? We're seeing what's happening with J.D. Vance. Everything is being dug up when he said in the past and everything.

So what do you say to this for Michael just mentioned?

FINNEY: Well, look, this is why there is vetting process and what tends to happen. And remember Donald Trump's sort of pooh-poohed, any sort of vetting process. But this is why there's a vetting process such that, you know, things can be un-earth I believe, you know, it's the kind of thing that you would then take Governor Shapiro and give him an opportunity to if you want if he chooses to apologize, I do believe it was an older comment of his, and certainly the situation in the Middle East has changed since he made those remarks.

But again, this is why you have a process whereby you look at the pluses and minuses and you decide, is this something that from a strategic perspective, we can deal with, if it does create problems or is it something that we believe is insurmountable?

I think Josh Shapiro is -- he's incredibly popular. People like him a lot. I think, particularly given that Pennsylvania borders Ohio, that's not insignificant. And look at, you're right, it's a do-no-harm situation, but I'd just bring it back to J.D. Vance and just suggest that does anybody really think that he should be president of anything anywhere ever? And that reflects poorly on president -- on the former president for that selection.

BROWN: Final word to you, Shermichael.

SINGLETON: I mean, look, I think Vice President Harris again is going to have to be careful here. Republicans, if she does decide to go with Governor Shapiro will do a mountain of opposition research. I used to be an opposition researcher and they're going to run ads after ads for the next 90 plus days in states like Michigan and other battleground states where there's a significant Muslim population of previous comments.

[19:15:07]

Maybe there's some of the comments he's forgotten about over the years. They will dig those things up. They will resurface.

And they're going to target those young voters, those young progressives, which she absolutely needs in order to get across the finish line to that magic number of 270.

BROWN: All right. Shermichael Singleton and Karen Finney and Hans Nichols, it's a big weekend in veepstakes. We'll be keeping an eye on all of it. Thank you all so much.

And OUTFRONT up next, the Americans from the historic prisoner swap are about to return to their families for the first time. What might be like for them? I'm going to talk to an American who was held in one of the worlds most dangerous prisons.

Plus, we have an OUTFRONT exclusive, John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan, he's now calling for peace in his first interview since Trump's attempted assassination.

And the judge in Trump's election interference case ready to jump- start the trial. So, will Trump finds himself in a courtroom before the election?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Tonight, surreal. That is the word used by one of the prisoners freed in that historic swap with Russia. [19:20:04]

Kremlin critic and a former guest on this program, Vladimir Kara- Murza, speaking out for the first time since his release.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA, RELEASED RUSSIAN OPPOSITION POLITICIAN: I was certain I was going to die in Putin's prison. I did not believe I ill ever see my wife again. I did not believe I'll ever see my family again. This feels really surreal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: The three Americans released along with Kara-Murza are being evaluated tonight at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and soon they will be headed back to their hometowns.

Our Jason Carroll reports from Manchester, Michigan, home to former Marine Paul Whelan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL WHELAN, FREED IN PRISONER SWAP: I just say thank you to everybody. You know, thank you for all your prayers, you know, your good wishes. Thanks for doing everything you did. You know it all -- it all helped.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When she was finally able to set foot back on U.S. soil, Paul Whelan thanked all those who worked so tirelessly to bring him home and reflected on what's next now that he's a free man again.

WHELAN: Looking forward to seeing my family down here and just recuperating from five years, seven months, and five days of just absolute nonsense by the Russian government.

CARROLL: This is where he will be greeted with open arms. It's Manchester, Michigan, population about 2,000, where like many small towns in America, everyone seems to know everyone. It's where Whelan's parents lived.

So when word got out, he was its free, many here felt like one of their own was coming home.

LESLIE KIRKLAND, OWNER, MANCHESTER DINER: Once I -- you really saw it in writing, I can to tear like I cried for them like, you know, like what a relief -- what a relief.

CARROLL: Leslie Kirkland owns Manchester diners. She says Whelan's parents are regulars. His picture posted outside yellow ribbons on trees and front end throughout town have been a symbol of his return.

KIRKLAND: Anybody that wants to politicize it is, you know, it doesn't matter. He's home. Who did -- who did we trade for it? I don't care. CARROLL: Some were able to share their joy with Whelan's parents, Ed and Rosemary. They showed up at a church ice cream social Thursday night, making it all that more special for people like Brenda Maysano, and Janice Little.

JANICE LITTLE, SAW WHELAN'S PARENTS THURSDAY: There were so many people talking to her and the look of relief on their faces was a citable and I'm so happy for her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I congratulated them and told them how joyful, you know, the community and he was that their son was coming home.

CARROLL: Dawna Stockwell organized the social at Emanuel Church and got word Whelan's might stop by.

DAWNA STOCKWELL, SPOKE WITH WHELAN'S PARENTS THURSDAY: I was walking down the sidewalk in front of the church to plug-in up bouncy house and there they were walking towards me, and I just went -- and they went, chills down my body and we hugged and I told them, you know --

CARROLL: What a moment --

STOCKWELL: A moment.

CARROLL: -- it must have been.

Many in Manchester hoping Whelan will make an appearance with his parents when he's ready.

MICHAEL SESSIONS, MANCHESTER, MI CITY MANAGER: This community really wanted Paul back, really wanted him back for both -- you know, both the sake that Paul could be back here in the United States, but for the family as well.

CARROLL: If it happens to pay Manchester diner visit, Leslie Kirkland will have a dish waiting.

KIRKLAND: Maybe our country fried steak and maybe some biscuits and gravy. And I will be -- I'll hug him, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (on camera): A lot of folks here, Pamela, wanting to give out a lot of hugs. But the one point that I think a lot of people here wanted to make is that this is just not just only about the Whelans. It's about all of those families who endured throughout all of this and that its not just a time for the Whelans to be celebrating, but for all those families who can finally celebrate now that their loved ones are back home where they belong -- Pamela.

BROWN: Yes, that is absolutely home where they belong.

Jason Carroll live in Michigan, thank you.

And OUTFRONT now, Matthew Heath joins us. He's a former U.S. marine corporal from Knoxville, Tennessee. Heath was wrongfully detained in Venezuela for more than two years, accused of terrorism. He was released in 2022 as part of a prisoner swap where six Americans were exchanged for the two nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Mathew, thanks for coming on.

We were just talking in the break before this how all of this simple he is really bringing back a lot of memories for you. All of those hometown friends of Paul Whelan, you just saw that piece, so happy to have him home, hoping to see him soon.

What does that moment feel like when you first step back into your own home town and your home?

MATTHEW HEATH, U.S. MARINE VET WAS HELD IN VENEZUELA, RELEASED IN PRISONER SWAP: Hi, Pamela. Thank you for having me on.

Well, watching Paul come home is -- it reminds me of when I came home, my small town threw me a parade, the outpouring of love and friendship from so many people. It's wonderful. It's a little overwhelming.

I'm sure Paul is feeling a little overwhelmed right now. But just from so much love and friendship that are pouring around -- from around the world to him right now.

[19:25:07]

BROWN: When did it start to sink in for you that you were free and could go back to living your life?

HEATH: You know, it took a little over a year for me to really feel like I was at home.

So I would encourage Paul to take his time.

BROWN: Well, a little over a year. I mean, you experienced a lot of unimaginable things in prison. You were stripped naked, electrocuted. You were threatened with rape.

How much of your experience do you carry with you and your day to day, even now?

HEATH: Well, a wrongful detention is it's not a problem that can be fixed. There's a before and there's an after. So this is something that you carry with you for the rest of your life.

But like anyone who has something negative, very negative happened to them I choose to not allow that to define me. This isn't the only thing that's ever happened in my life, so I don't -- I don't base my identity on that.

I'm a United States marine. Paul Whelan is a United States marine. We're in a brotherhood and, you know, what did they teach us in the Marine Corps? Just keep driving on.

BROWN: And you certainly have done that with your own life. A special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens,

helped secure your release, as well as the release of Gershkovich, Whelan, and Kurmasheva. And here he is with Brittney Griner, I believe we have a picture of that.

You actually spoke with Carstens last night? What did he tell you about these newly freed Americans?

HEATH: Well, Ambassador Carstens is a personal friend of mine, and he's an absolutely amazing person.

His nickname is Captain America. We speak often. We don't go into the details of the current trades just because it could jeopardize the actual trade. Until they're an American soil, we keep everything really quiet. But Roger, Roger said that everybody that was flying back was smiling and very happy.

BROWN: We do know. I mean, it is so -- so positive and happy that we've got these Americans back, right? That is certainly cause for celebration, but we do know there for other Americans who are still wrongfully detained, including Marc Fogel in Russia.

Here's what his sister said about him being left behind speaking with Erin last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNE FOGEL, SISTER OF MARC FOGEL: It's been one of the most frustrating times of my life to not be heard or taken seriously. He's fallen multiple times. It's very cold where he is and there's lots of ice and things are just not going well for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: What is your advice to her and to mark and to the others who were are held in wrongfully detained and their families?

HEATH: Well, I'd like to say to them, to all the families and to all the detainees out there, that you can trust that I know the process is difficult. I personally can say. It's very difficult to go through.

But you have Roger Carstens working on this and there's nobody in the world that I would rather have working these issues. My advice to the families specifically is it is critical that your family member is designated as a wrongful detainee under the Levinson Act and allows the U.S. government so much -- so many more options for their release.

BROWN: All right. Matthew Heath, thank you.

OUTFRONT next --

HEATH: Thank you, Pamela.

BROWN: -- an OUTFRONT exclusive, John Hinckley Jr., the man who tried to assassinate former President Ronald Reagan speaks out against political violence. His first interview since Trump's shooting is next.

Plus, the judge in Trump's election interference case is back in control and ready to jump-start proceedings. Could Trump be back heading back into a courtroom? We're going to talk about that up next. So stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:32:59]

BROWN: Tonight, a Secret Service failure. That's what the organization's acting chief admits led to the assassination attempt of former President Trump. He revealed that his agents didn't know the man who tried to kill Trump had a gun until after shots were fired and he acknowledged that agents, quote, should have had eyes on the roof where the shooter was perched. And he said local law enforcement was not to blame in any way.

Whitney Wild is OUTFRONT.

And, Whitney, this is some of the strongest, most direct language we've heard yet about the failures of the Secret Service.

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Acting Director Ron Rowe provided much more detailed today about some of the breakdowns here. And one of the major breakdowns here was communications and what Ron Rowe revealed today was that the radio communications seemed pretty scattered. Some people were using the radio, some people were using text messages, some people were making phone calls.

And the problem here, Pamela what we learned today was that there were basically two command posts. There was a single command posts where the local law enforcement was. They called that the unified command post, but there was another room, the security room where the Secret Service at a Pennsylvania state trooper were stationed. Those two rooms were not on the same radios, so they weren't hearing in real time. That local law enforcement was looking for that suspect.

And what we know is that that is critical because there was a radio transmission that went out about 30 seconds before the shooting, but that was on the local radio channel. That information never got to the Secret Service, and that information was critical because that's when local law enforcement realized that man had a gun.

So that was critical information that never made its way to the Secret Service because they were not on the same radio. We also learned today, Pamela, that that rally was the first time that Secret Service snipers were accompanying former President Trump to a rally like that.

And then finally, Pamela, there's a big question about experience and accountability here. And Director Roe made very clear that no ones going to be disciplined or placed on administrative leave until after these investigations are finished and only upon information that warrants being either on administrative leave or discipline.

[19:35:06] Our Holmes Lybrand asked more specifically about the experience of the Pittsburgh field office, and that's really critical, Pamela, because as you know having covered the Secret Service and covered the White House, that those events are run by the local field offices. We asked today what the experience of that field office was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD ROWE, ACTING SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR: It's difficult for them. They feel like they let their colleagues down. They feel like they let the country down. It's an open wound that they're carrying. They're very experienced office and what I will say is they are cooperating with the mission assurance.

They understand the gravity of this situation and they are definitely, definitely down right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: Many more questions to answer, Pamela, we will keep on it.

Back to you.

BROWN: I know you will. Whitney Wild, thank you so much.

And tonight, an OUTFRONT exclusive, Erin Burnett spoke with John Hinckley Jr. He's the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. This is Hinckley's first interview since the man shot and tried to assassinate former President Trump. And tonight, he is calling for an end to political violence. Here is Erin with more on that message and Hinckley story starting when he shocked the nation and clearly changed the course of American history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Hinckley shot Reagan as he left a Washington hotel in 1981. One of the bullets he fired punctured Reagan's lung and lodged just an inch from his heart.

He also seriously wounded White House Press Secretary James Brady, who was partially paralyzed and eventually died as a result of his injuries. Metropolitan Police Officer Thomas Delahanty and Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy were also shot.

Now, a jury acquitted Hinckley by reason of insanity but he spent 34 years as an inpatient at if a psychiatric hospital. He was released in 2016 and doctors at the time said he had recovered from mental illness two years ago. All court restrictions against him were lifted.

And John Hinckley, Jr. joins me now.

And, John, it's fascinating to speak to you tonight. After Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump, you spoke out, you posted on social media, you said violence is not the way to go. Give peace a chance.

Why do you feel the need to speak out? JOHN HINCKLEY JR., ATTEMPTED TO ASSASSINATE REAGAN IN 1981: Well, Erin, I feel the need to speak out because this country is just a really bad place right now. There's so much violence, so many guns, and its just really fraught time right now in America.

And I wanted to do speak out is someone who knows a little bit about what happened because of what happened to me in 1981. So I wanted to speak to the American public and just tell people to please try and reject violence and bring peace and love into their lives.

BURNETT: I know you have expressed remorse for trying to kill President Reagan, but, of course, it is surprising and uncomfortable for many people to hear you even now, commenting on the assassination attempt on Trump.

Who are you hoping to reach most with your message?

HINCKLEY: Just anyone and everyone who is out there in its going through hard times.

You know, back in 1981, I was going through really hard times. And of course always thinks it turned out differently but if I can reach people who are struggling in their lives and maybe, maybe looking for the right way to go. I'm just here to tell you the please, please go the right path and reject violence in just trying love your neighbor and love yourself.

BURNETT: Trump was the first U.S. president to be the target of an assassination attempt since you tried to kill Reagan. That was 43 years ago.

So what did you first think when you heard Trump had been shot?

HINCKLEY: Well, I was really sad. I wish it hadn't happened. I just felt a sense of sadness. It happened again after 43 years but I just truly wish it had not happened. And, you know, God bless the people who were injured. And of course, the man who lost his life bless them.

And overall, I just felt a sense of sadness.

BURNETT: You I know continue to take medication, anti-psychotic drug and antidepressant. And you've said you're no longer a danger to society.

Why do you believe that?

HINCKLEY: Well, I've demonstrated it for many years now. You know, I've been -- I've been a free man since 2016 when I got my release from the hospital and day after day, I approved that I'm not a dangerous man.

[19:40:01]

I live a peaceful life and trying to contribute to society in a positive way and we have a film coming out, a document -- documentary of my life. There'll be coming out August 30th. I'm hoping people will watch the because it shows my -- the way that -- the way that I live now in and how I'm trying to move forward with my music and my heart.

BURNETT: So let me ask you about that. That documentary is upcoming, of course. It focuses on what you're doing now and your life, and also on what led to the attempted assassination of Reagan. Also talks about your attempts now to overcome mental illness, to pursue a career in music, and the life that you live with your cat.

Let me play a clip of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HINCKLEY: I feel terrible that I've shot four people. Yes. I have tremendous remorse and what I did. I don't have to dwell on it, but I do have tremendous remorse for what I did in 1981.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: When you were granted an unconditional release and all the restrictions were lifted on your movement, on your speech, on your life, Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan's daughter, wrote this. I'm sure you've seen it. I want to read it.

She writes: Now, there is another fear that the man who wielded that gun and almost got his wish of assassinating the president could decide to contact to me there is no manual for how to deal with something like this. You just have to live with the fear and the anger and the darkness that one person keeps bringing into your life.

Does it impact you to know that it is you who bring this fear and darkness to her?

HINCKLEY: Well, I mean, I have no -- no -- Patti Davis, she has nothing to worry from me because -- I have no interest in Patti Davis, to be honest. But yeah, I wish -- I mean, I'm trying to bring a sense of light to the world today. I'm trying to bring a positive message out now with my music and my heart.

BURNETT: So, music is central to your life now. You've brought it up now twice, and I know you play the guitar. You have an album, but there are also times you can't perform because of your name and your past, your history, the threats you receive.

How do you think about what the rest of your life will look like?

HINCKLEY: I hope I can start performing in venues. I've been -- I've been blocked from many venues from performing. They booked me into the venue and then the venue starts getting backlash. And then the owner of the venue will cancel. This has happened about 12 or 15 times.

So, I'm hoping very soon I can start performing in venues, keep putting songs out there and hope that people can hear my songs and hear my message of peace and living in a nonviolent way.

BURNETT: And so you hope for a redemption?

HINCKLEY: Yes, I do. My tour -- my tour, if I -- if I ever get this tour going, is going to be called a redemption tour.

BURNETT: Well, John, thank you very much. I appreciate your time tonight.

HINCKLEY: Thank you, Erin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And OUTFRONT next, Trump's election interference case tonight is back with the judge who wanted the case to go to a trial to a jury before the election, will she get her way?

And other much lighter note, Harris, his rise to the top the ticket has given rise to a new generation of comedians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then also, you got to get the cadence, okay? And let me be clear -- let me be clear, the cadence, okay, so important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:47:55]

BROWN: Well, tonight, former President Trump's election interference case is now back in the hands of a judge who has left no doubt that she wanted to get to this trial under -- underway before the election. Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan must now decide what the Supreme Courts immunity ruling means for this case moving forward. It is now the only federal case against Trump after the classified documents case was dismissed by a Trump appointed judge.

Katelyn Polantz is OUTFRONT.

So, Katelyn, the big question, will Judge Chutkan jumpstart this case?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, Pam, she is poised to, but she hasn't done anything yet. So today was the day that Supreme Court formally told the lower courts of its opinion in this case and is giving their opinion down to the appeals court to hand back to Judge Chutkan.

Only one court at a time is allowed to be handling the case. And so, we had to wait for this procedurally to happen before Judge Chutkan could take things up again, and move things closer to a trial.

Now, we should be really clear. There is no trial on the calendar and no trial is expected at all before the election because there's so much work that's going to need to be done. In the coming days, we are expecting, Judge Chutkan to say what she wants to do.

She could ask both sides aides to come in and tell them what they think should happen next. And then we could be seeing deadlines. We could be seeing hearings. We could even be seeing things like witness testimony from Mike Pence or others who have some sort of things to say about the presidential immunity decision that the Supreme Court has made aid and about whether Donald Trump was working in some way in his official capacity as the president.

So there's a lot of work to be done. This case isn't dead. It is going to be going forward, but there's much to be seen in the weeks ahead, Pam.

BROWN: All right. Katelyn Polantz, I know you'll keep us updated on that.

And OUTFRONT now, Ryan Goodman, co-editor in chief of "Just Security" and former special counsel and the Defense Department.

Ryan, thanks for coming on.

So you just heard Katelyn kind of lay it a lot, that Judge Chutkan has a reputation for moving fast.

[19:50:03]

I mean, that was something brought up right by the Supreme Court and its opinion on immunity.

Realistically, do you think this case will ultimately go to trial? And if so, when?

RYAN GOODMAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: So, I think the only prospect of the case going to trial is sometime next year. So the when and if is dependent upon if Donald Trump is reelected. If he is, then trial will basically stop even though Justice Department has a rule that says an incumbent president is immune from any kind of criminal trial while they're president. So I think that's definitely off the table under that situation.

BROWN: So, even if there is no trial before the election, right, and it seems as though its just not going to happen. There could still be a political impact if there are, say and evidence hearing, right? Given the key evidence of witnesses that could come from it, do you expect that to happen?

GOODMAN: That's the -- that's the million-dollar question in a certain sense, the big decision point for Judge Chutkan and for the Department of Justice. Do they have an evidentiary hearing in which witnesses are brought in and then those could indeed be people who the American public have not really heard from, like, Mike Pence. Mike Pence did not testify before Congress and the January 6 committee and there's a very good argument for the Justice Department and say, this is what the Supreme Court called for, an evidentiary inquiry to try to look at their legal test and then apply it to the facts of the communications with Mike Pence.

So there's every reason to expect that might happen. But Judge Chutkan could say, I want to just hear them on the papers. We don't need any hearings and we don't need witnesses. BROWN: And DOJ could say, it looks too much like political

interference before an election. I mean, there's all kinds of variables there.

GOODMAN: Absolutely.

BROWN: Ryan Goodman, thank you so much.

GOODMAN: Thank you.

OUTFRONT next, meet the comedian who is taking the internet by storm after perfecting the Kamala Harris laugh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a Kamala-nomenon.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:56:37]

BROWN: Well, tonight, comedian Maya Rudolph will be back on "Saturday Night Live" as vice president and now presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. And Rudolph is not the only comedian who has capitalizing on Harris's rise.

Elizabeth Wagmeister is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Vice President Kamala Harris --

HARRIS: Are you ready to get to work?

WAGMEISTER: -- rocketing to the top of the Democratic presidential ticket.

HARRIS: Yes, you may clap.

WAGMEISTER: Not necessarily a laughing matter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a Kamala-nomenon.

(LAUGHTER)

WAGMEISTER: Unless you're a comedian like Allison Reese.

ALLISON REESE, COMEDIAN: Their stuff, I'm hilarious.

(LAUGHTER)

WAGMEISTER: Her impressions of Harris have lit up social media a few getting millions of views.

REESE: We did it, Joe.

(LAUGHTER)

REESE: I am the perfect nominee.

WAGMEISTER: Reese restarted impersonating Harris back in 2019.

REESE: Story time.

WAGMEISTER: President Joe Biden's sudden end of his campaign and hand off to Harris has boosted the L.A. base comedians platform.

REESE: It was like a cartoon with my jaw on the floor for a good like three minutes and just like in shock, it's go time. Let's do this. Let's make content.

WAGMEISTER: Give us the breakdown of what makes a good Kamala impression.

REESE: With a laugh, you got to start off like it's a big energy and then you really said like --

But then also you got to get the cadence okay. And let me be clear. Let me be clear, the cadence, okay. So important.

(LAUGHTER)

WAGMEISTER: Harris herself has said she likes impressions of her.

MAYA RUDOLPH, COMEDIAN: Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking. I'm speaking.

WAGMEISTER: Namely from "SNL's" Maya Rudolph.

HARRIS: I grew up watching "Saturday Night Live".

SETH MEYERS, COMEDIAN: Yeah.

HARRIS: So the thought that anyone would be it any way depicting me on "Saturday Night Live" was just -- I was a bit overwhelmed.

WAGMEISTER: Harris's pop culture relevance has exploded in the last, largely thanks to viral memes.

Pop star Charli XCX gave the vice president the ultimate effortless pool girls stamp of approval by posting just three words on X, Kamala is brat, a play on the singer's latest album, which propelled Harris into the Gen Z conversation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If a pop culture stuff gets a little silly, like could have some downsides? Sure. But that's also what movements are about. There are creators, there are artists, there are people who write songs, so that is all left to them and shell do what she does best, which is lets just say, if you elect me, here's what I'm going to do.

HARRIS: Well, let me just tell you something, I have my mother's laugh.

WAGMEISTER: Harris making no apologies for her style.

HARRIS: Don't be confined to other people's perception.

WAGMEISTER: Strategists point to pass pop culture success in pushing Harris to lean into the moment.

What's your message for her?

REESE: Kamala, if you're watching, please let me introduce you at the DNC.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: I mean, it is so spot on, wow.

Elizabeth, so, Allison Reese, a recent comedian you profiled, I mean, it just -- it's incredible. I mean, but impersonating Kamala Harris has also taken on a deeper meaning for her. Tell us about that.

WAGMEISTER: It has when I was sitting with her and when I wasn't cracking up, she was telling me that the reason why she wants to impersonate Kamala Harris, is not just for entertainment value. She also wants to put a spotlight on her.

Allison told me that she is a queer Black woman and to see Kamala Harris be in the position that she is in, as vice president and now likely running for president, she said it has a profound impact on her.

BROWN: All right. Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you.

And thanks for watching.

"AC360" starts now. Have a great weekend.