Return to Transcripts main page

Inside Politics

Biden's Decision Transforms Race With 106 Days Until Election; Harris Marches Toward Nomination Party Coalesces Behind Her; Now: Secret Service Director Testifies On Trump Assassination Attempt. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired July 22, 2024 - 12:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:32:47]

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's get some reaction to Joe Biden's decision to leave the presidential race. And before we do, I want you to see on your screen the committee hearing where the Secret Service head is getting grilled is continuing. We will check back in on that in just a bit.

But first, we want to talk to Democratic Governor Jared Polis of the great state of Colorado, who is the president of the National Governors Association and is one of the many who have now endorsed Kamala Harris for president. Thanks for being here, Governor.

24 hours ago, this was a rematch between two old white men. Now, this is a very different race. What do you think Democrats need to do to harness this new energy and not squander it?

GOV. JARED POLIS (D), COLORADO: Well, look, the Democrats needed something to mix it up, and we got it. We got a vibrant, exciting, experienced young candidate with a vision about the future of our country. We also have somebody who's uniquely qualified to be president.

I mean, she's put criminals behind bars, right? She's served in statewide office, and of course, she was right alongside President Biden on the international stage and working to be ready day one to lead the most powerful and most important country in the world. So I'm excited, and that excitement out there is palpable.

Kamala Harris is going to be an amazing president. And as the father of a 10-year-old daughter, I was so excited to be able to tell her yesterday that our country is about to have our first woman president. It's about time.

BASH: Have you spoken to the Vice President since President Biden dropped out?

POLIS: No, I last spoke to her a couple weeks ago. I'm looking forward to catching up. I've spoken to senior members of her team and, of course, texted back and forth, and I'm hoping she is making the calls that she needs to make. I'm all ready to go and have everything we need.

We got the entire Colorado delegation supporting Vice President Harris, all of our members of Congress. We are so excited here in Colorado. This is about turning the page. Look at all the contrast now. The other side has a nominee that can barely get a sentence out. He's approaching 80. He's -- he brings us back to the past.

We have somebody who's about the future of our country, who's put criminals behind bars, who knows firsthand how to do the job and, frankly, can identify with most Americans in a way that President Trump just never could.

[12:35:03]

BASH: Let me ask you about the first, assuming that she gets the nomination, the first very big decision that she makes is who is going to be on the ticket with her. A lot of the names being floated are governors. We've heard about Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania. What do you think of any of them, and would you like to be on that list?

POLIS: Well, thank you, Dana. That's, you know, flattering. Look, I hope she puts her time into it and picks the person that will best help her win and can be a governing partner for her. I mean, this is a very personal thing. The relationship is important. I think there's a lot of great people out there.

Frankly, I like the idea of governors. They are executives. They're ready to go, whether they bring a swing state, whether they bring a key demographic. I think it's a great opportunity to grow.

But, look, this is always decided on the top of the ticket, right? So this is going to be Trump, if he stays in and doesn't drop out, versus Kamala Harris. And I think we have really a lot going for us on our side with a powerful vision for America's future versus taking us back to the divided days of America's past. And I'm excited to help out however I can.

BASH: If she asked you to be her running mate, would you accept?

POLIS: Well, Dana, we're not even there, Dana. I appreciate the question. I love the job I'm doing. You know I love Colorado. It's great. Obviously, if somebody asks, I take a serious look at it. But my phone hasn't run yet. Look, if they do the polling and it turns out that they need a 49-year-old balding gay Jew from Boulder, Colorado, they got my number.

BASH: That was very funny. Let me ask you about what is already coming at, not just the vice president, but Democrats in general. House Speaker Mike Johnson, for example, he is warning that Democrats could face legal challenges if and when they try to replace Biden as the nominee. Listen to what he told my colleague Manu Raju just this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: In some of the states, there are impediments to just switching someone out like that. 14 million people went through the process and chose this nominee, Joe Biden. Now a handful of people have gotten together and decided he's no longer suitable.

That's not how this system works. They are violating democratic principles. And I think that's a real problem. And I think there'll be a lot said about that in the days ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: How concerned are you about potential legal challenges here from Republicans?

POLIS: That's total bunk. The truth is, the Democratic Party doesn't have our nominee yet. That's decided at the convention. President Biden has withdrawn. Kamala Harris and anybody else can run at that convention. Whoever gets the most delegates will be the Democratic nominee.

I personally have endorsed Kamala Harris. I think she has the momentum, and I'm excited to help support her to become the next president. But that's what the Democratic convention is for. We're going to have a great nominee coming out of Chicago, and I'm confident it's going to be Kamala Harris.

BASH: All right, Governor, thank you so much for spending time with me today. Really appreciate it.

POLIS: Take care.

BASH: We're going to come back and dip back into the hearing that is going on on Capitol Hill, the grilling that the Secret Service head is getting from Democrats and Republicans. And later, I'm going to talk to a Pennsylvania Democrat, one who told Joe Biden just last weekend that he probably couldn't win her state. The question, of course, is can Kamala Harris? Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan will be here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:43:00]

BASH: Welcome back. Let's go to Capitol Hill where lawmakers are grilling the Secret Service director as calls for her to resign grow. You're looking at Democrat Summer Lee of Pennsylvania asking questions.

SUMMER LEE (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Studies indicate that the United States is experiencing increasing levels of political violence and tension. Does the Secret Service see increasing political violence as a threat to its work? And if so, how is the Secret Service adapting its strategies and protocols to account for increasing political violence?

KIMBERLY CHEATLE, SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR: We are constantly evaluating the threats that we receive and monitoring that. And we make adjustments on a daily basis to our protectees based on what those threats are and what actions we need to take.

LEE: Yes or no, do you believe that stricter controls on the availability of assault weapons would make it easier for the Secret Service to fulfill its missions of protecting public officials?

CHEATLE: I think the Secret Service is tasked with providing a safe environment, which is why we put into place a number of mitigation factors.

LEE: Certainly. But do assault weapons make it easier or harder for you to do your job?

CHEATLE I think that any weapon makes it difficult for us to do our job.

LEE: OK, I yield back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chair now recognizes Mr. Donalds from Florida.

REP. BYRON DONALDS (R),FLORIDA: Thank you, Chairman. Director, real quick. At what time did -- was Secret Service aware of the active threat against President Trump? Director, what time?

CHEATLE: So the Secret Service was aware that there was an individual who had been identified as suspicious and that individual was attempting to be tracked down.

DONALDS: At what time?

CHEATLE I don't have a specific timeline other than to --

DONALDS: Director, it's been nine days.

CHEATLE: I understand that.

DONALDS: At what time?

CHEATLE: I want to make sure that I give you factual information, sir.

DONALDS: Director, have you talked to the agents on the ground that day?

CHEATLE: Yes, I have.

DONALDS: You've talked to all of them?

CHEATLE: Mm-hmm.

DONALDS: Your senior team has talked to every agent that was on the ground that day.

CHEATLE: Yes, we have.

[12:45:01] DONALDS: Have they all corroborated the same time they identified the shooter or they were made aware of the shooter either by attendees in the crowd or local police department?

CHEATLE: There are a number of reports of when those times were made --

DONALDS: Was it five minutes before the first shot rang out?

CHEATLE: No.

DONALDS: Generally speaking, was it 10 minutes before the first shot rang out?

CHEATLE: No, it was --

DONALDS: Was it 15 minutes before the first shot rang out?

CHEATLE: It was less than that time frame when it was identified as a threat.

DONALDS: How many days before the shooting took place did Secret Service actually do their advance work to secure the facility that the rally was going to be held at?

CHEATLE: Five days.

DONALDS: In the five days prior when the security advance team did their work, did they identify the rooftop as a potential threat?

CHEATLE: Again, I'm pulling those reports and that information --

DONALDS: It's been nine days, Madam Director. Did they know that -- did they notice a rooftop 150 yards away that was a potential threat? Yes or no?

CHEATLE: I am certain that the rooftop was noticed. I am pulling the reports.

DONALDS: What was the security parameters around securing that rooftop? What did they do?

CHEATLE: There was overwatch provided for that rooftop.

DONALDS: Did overwatch fail?

CHEATLE: I am waiting to hear what the results of the investigation were so that I can identify where the failure was.

DONALDS: Who did you talk to that was on the ground that day that was responsible for overwatch? What are their names?

CHEATLE: I'm not going to provide their names in this setting.

DONALDS: Did you talk to the people that were providing overwatch that day? CHEATLE: I've talked to the people that conducted the advance on that day and that were working the shift and were the counter snipers on that day.

DONALDS: So you talked to the counter sniper team. You talked to the people who were providing overwatch that day, and you talked to the advance team, correct?

CHEATLE: Yes, sir.

DONALDS: What did they tell you?

CHEATLE: We are putting together a comprehensive report so that I can identify exactly where the gaps and the failures.

DONALDS: When the counter sniper team was on the roof and they identified that there was a -- there was suspicious activity on the roof in question, what was the chain of command's orders around the person on said roof? Because I'm quite sure somebody saw in -- under your organization, the Secret Service, I'm quite sure somebody saw the shooter on the roof. So what was the communication through the chain of command to deal with said person?

CHEATLE: What I can tell you is that when the individual was identified by the counter sniper, they took one shot and neutralized that individual.

DONALDS: But that was after the shooter already took a shot, is that correct?

CHEATLE: That is correct.

DONALDS: So what you're saying now is that the Secret Service did not see the shooter on the roof until after the shooter took a shot?

CHEATLE: I do not have all of those details at this time.

DONALDS: If you don't have those details after nine days, Director, then what you're telling me is that you guys didn't see it. Is that correct?

CHEATLE: I am telling you, I don't have all the details of the sequence at this time.

DONALDS: Director, it's been nine days. Either you have the information or you do not. Is that correct?

CHEATLE: We are still in the process of conducting interviews and an investigation.

DONALDS: Some of my colleagues have texted me over the last couple days, bipartisan, about whether you should lose your job. And I've been quiet on that question because I wanted to see where -- what you were going to do today. In my opinion, you do need to be fired immediately. And it is because this is gross incompetence. And the fact that it's been nine days, and these are simple questions to answer, I'm quite sure if I asked any one of my kids if they got in trouble, and I told them to give me the details, I would get more answers from them than I'm getting from you right now. And that's what's frustrating on a bipartisan basis, on a nonpartisan basis. This is a joke.

And Director, you're in charge. And that's why you need to go.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chair now recognize Mr. Goldman from New York.

REP. DAN GOLDMAN (D), NEW YORK: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Director, I want to follow up and just understand a little bit why there is so much information about this out in the public, including some from you and your communications team. And yet you're here pursuant to a subpoena under oath in front of Congress, and you're unable or unwilling to answer some of those same questions. Can you just explain why you are answering so many fewer questions here than you have to the media?

CHEATLE: I'm answering the questions that I'm able to answer based on the fact that there are multiple ongoing investigations.

[12:50:02]

GOLDMAN: But you have answered some of these questions previously, correct, to the public, to the media?

CHEATLE: Which questions?

GOLDMAN: Well, for -- did you have an interview with ABC News?

CHEATLE: Yes, I did.

GOLDMAN: OK. And did you explain the interaction between local law enforcement and the Secret Service, and that local law enforcement was responsible for securing the perimeter of the building where the shooter was?

CHEATLE: I said that the Secret Service is responsible for designing and implementing and executing the security plan. And that we rely on the assistance of our local law enforcement partners to assist us with that plan.

GOLDMAN: Let me ask you something. Were you given any instructions about what you can and cannot answer here today?

CHEATLE: My ability to answer questions is solely reflective of the fact that there are multiple ongoing investigations. And I want to make sure that I provide accurate information that doesn't conflict with any of those investigations that are going on.

GOLDMAN: So is it your view that you can't talk about anything that happened that day until those investigations are completed? CHEATLE: My view is that I want to make sure that this committee and the American public gets correct and actual information.

GOLDMAN: And so is it your view that that has to -- that can only happen after the completion of the investigation?

CHEATLE: It is my view that when the investigations are complete, that we will be able to share that information.

GOLDMAN: And how about before that?

CHEATLE: If I have factual information that I can share before that, I absolutely will.

GOLDMAN: I'm guessing you have factual information as to when the suspicious photograph, the photograph of the suspicious person was relayed to the Secret Service. There's a timestamp on that text message or whatever it was, correct?

CHEATLE: Sir, I'm sure you can understand that when you're dealing with text messages, emails, and other communications, the timelines don't always match up.

GOLDMAN: Not really, if they're timestamped. But let me move on. Because you have acknowledged that this was a major security failure, is that right?

CHEATLE: Yes.

GOLDMAN: Do you acknowledge that it was a major security failure not to secure the rooftop of the building that the shooter shot from?

CHEATLE: I believe at this time that the rooftop was provided overwatch. I acknowledge that we are unaware at this time how the individual was able to access the roof.

GOLDMAN: Overwatch meaning from other counter sniper, other higher points?

CHEATLE: Correct.

GOLDMAN: And so was it a failure then that when that shooter was on the rooftop that overwatch did not identify him before he fired his shots?

CHEATLE: I don't have the timeline of how the individual accessed the roof, where they accessed the roof, or how long they were on the roof.

GOLDMAN: Let me ask a couple things quickly. You have testified here about all the resources that the Secret Service needed to deploy to protect the NATO Summit and all of the leaders here. Is that right?

CHEATLE: Yes.

GOLDMAN: Does -- did you have to rely more on local law enforcement because of the NATO Summit for this event? CHEATLE: The Secret Service routinely works with local law enforcement at every event. It doesn't matter whether it is a NATO Summit, NSSE, the DN -- I'm sorry, the RNC --

GOLDMAN: No, but that's not my question. Obviously, there's a natural give and take as to I'm sure how many agents you deploy and how much you rely on local law enforcement. Did you have to rely more on local law enforcement because there were fewer Secret Service assets available because of the NATO Summit?

CHEATLE: No.

GOLDMAN: I hope we get answers before the completion. I don't like the fact that the media has received far more answers than Congress has. If this is a function of getting your ducks in a row, I assume you have access to a lot of these reports and a lot of this information, and you should have come prepared here today.

And I would just want to flag, Mr. Chairman, before, you know, before I yield back, that I want to just point out one thing that my colleague from Texas was talking about. When he said he recreated the shooting twice with an AR-15, and he had a 94 percent success rate, 15 out of 16 shots, I don't know why that doesn't convince him that we should get rid of AR-15s, but clearly we need to do something about the prevalence of AR-15s and weapons of war on our streets.

And I yield back.

[12:55:09]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chair now recognize Mr. Perry from Pennsylvania.

REP. SCOTT PERRY (R), PENNSYLVANIA: Thank you, Chairman. Director, I guess 60 days is the time of the investigation. Is that the information that you've put out, or where did that come from, 60 days? Or is that just information that the committee members are talking about?

CHEATLE: I stated that earlier today. I've asked my team --

PERRY: OK, 60 days. So are you receiving regular updates? You're in charge of the Secret Service. This is about your organization. What happened nine days ago? Are you receiving regular updates from the FBI on their investigation?

CHEATLE: Yes, I am.

PERRY: So you know some things are true, some things are probably not true. We want to talk to you about the things that we're hearing about and find out if they're true. Have you -- you've been in contact with the FBI, then you're getting updates on a daily basis, right?

CHEATLE: Yes.

PERRY: Based on what you said. OK, so, and are you confident that the person in question, Mr. Crooks, was the only person firing that day against the president or the crowd? Is he the only one? I'm not asking you yet --

BASH: As we continue to monitor this hearing happening on Capitol Hill with the Secret Service director, I want to now talk to my guest here in the studio, Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, also from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I want to obviously talk about the presidential race, but what do you make of the answers or non-answers that your colleagues are getting?

REP. CHRISSY HOULAHAN (D-PA): Certainly, I've been able to watch while we were waiting to talk here, and what I saw was pretty unforgivable, really, honestly, a pretty bipartisan, resounding questioning of her, and she didn't have anything to say, as near as I can tell, that would help us understand what happened.

It's unforgivable that any sitting president or former president or anybody under this security of our Secret Service should ever be exposed in the way that they were, he was, and in the way that people at the rally were. And so I'm, alongside my colleagues, kind of deeply unnerved by the lack of answers and response from this hearing.

BASH: You were not in law enforcement, but you were an Air Force officer, so you have a sense of sort of operational situations, chain of command. I mean, do you have any sense of, just even listening here, and I'm sure reading and being briefed elsewhere, of how this could have possibly happened?

HOULAHAN: I don't have a sense of that. I was hoping to hear some answers from this testimony and haven't heard anything that's given me any sort of assurance that there was such a protocol or action. I think that the buck does stop with the director there, and my guess is that you will be hearing for her calls for her resignation. I know you probably already have heard that.

BASH: Do you think she should resign?

HOULAHAN: I do.

BASH: Let's talk about the presidential race quickly because you, not this weekend, but the last weekend, were on a call with the president, President Biden, and you were among several lawmakers who were trying to convince him that you don't see a path for him to win, including and especially, you were talking about polls in your state of Pennsylvania. Do you believe that Kamala Harris can win Pennsylvania?

HOULAHAN: I absolutely do. And I think that the problem with President Biden was that we couldn't turn the conversation away from anything other than the debate performance. I'm an enormous fan and admirer of the President. I endorsed him, his first election, and was with him in Iowa as well as in New Hampshire.

I very much believe in the President and his patriotism and his selflessness is demonstrated by the fact that he recognized that there was no path, specifically in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as one example. And he did the absolutely most patriotic thing I could ever think a human being could do in stepping aside and allowing for us to have Kamala step forward. BASH: Democrats, I don't need to tell you, win the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by doing well in the cities, but also in the suburbs around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. What is your message to suburban women specifically who will probably decide Pennsylvania?

HOULAHAN: Absolutely. And I've just been in my district for the last 10 days, and yesterday was, of course, a newsmaking day, but I had the chance to visit within my district a variety of different places, and frankly, no one was bringing up the decision that the President made.

They were all bringing up, you know, what can we continue to be doing to protect our democracy, to protect our freedoms, to protect our institutions, to finish the job that President Biden has started. And the follow-on with Kamala, I believe we'll be able to do that.

And I believe that, you're right, it will come through the suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, which is my district, Chester County and Berks County, and I believe we will show up. I absolutely believe that we will be successful.

BASH: Just real quick, what is going to be the difference this time around than in 2016 when that didn't happen for Hillary Clinton?

HOULAHAN: I think we appreciate more than ever the stakes at this point in time. I think that we were awakened first with the election of President Trump the first time around, then with, of course, the successful election of President Biden. And now I think we've seen the consequences of a return of President Trump. And I think that we will absolutely understand where the stakes are, how existential this election is, and we will show up.

BASH: Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, thank you so much for being here.

HOULAHAN: You're welcome. Thank you.

BASH: Really appreciate it.

Thank you for joining Inside Politics. Don't go anywhere. CNN News Central is starting right now.

[13:00:00]