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Inside Politics

July 4 Celebrated Amid Dangerous Heat Wave On East Coast; FBI Expands GA 2020 Election Probe With Another 260 Intel Officials; Gov. Shapiro Expects Trump To Try "Everything In His Power To Undermine Our Elections"; Cake Artist Creates America 250th Cake. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired July 03, 2026 - 12:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:12]

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: We are in the middle of the hottest day, in the most intense heat wave of the summer, and it's wreaking havoc on holiday plans. The largest July 4th parade in the country, Philadelphia's salute to independence, was canceled. Right now, it feels like 110 degrees in Philly, not much different from where we are in D.C., where it feels like 111.

And CNN's Derek Van Dam is somehow out on the National Mall with our remarkable crew as well. What's the situation right now?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Dana, it's so hot that it's difficult to keep our technology operating right now, keeping it cool enough where the batteries (technical difficulties) before. But this is the kind of heat that people are getting pulled away by emergency personnel in the back of some of the fire department's vehicles here, in sirens, going to cooler shade, trying their best to keep them and get down their internal lower temperature.

So how hot is it? Well, it's record-breaking hot. Red, hot, and blue, blistering under the sun. I've got the CNN weather app pulled up on my phone, so we're getting updates every minute here, basically. And the -- it feels like temperature is, right now, 111 degrees. The actual air temperature is 99.

We've been keeping this little chart here, just recording the temperature since we got out here. The record air temperature is 102, so we are getting there. And it's very likely that this will go down as the hottest Fourth of July celebration that this country has ever experienced here in D.C.

I want to give you a little bit of a scene set. This is the National Mall. There's the Capitol Building. We've got all of the various states around here giving their showcases. But look at the people that are showing up, regardless of the dangers of the heat.

And if you pan around this way, this is a very familiar scene, I think, too. Hey, you can probably hear the air show. The Thunderbirds are flying over. We saw Air Force One a few minutes ago, a B-2 bomber. I mean, it's been a spectacular sight to see.

But just how hot it is, people are jockeying for the little amounts of shade that is provided on the National Mall. So you can see how everybody's kind of huddled in this area. This is about the only relief that we get here. There's water refill stations that have run out of water, hopefully just temporarily, and they're going to get some.

But we'll find out, right? And it's not just here in D.C. I mean, we're talking about filling off the Atlantic City into New York City. I mean, when you step out into the sun, that is when you start feeling temperatures, especially into the pavement here.

Can I come through, guys? Everybody doing OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

VAN DAM: Drinking water, keeping yourself as cool as possible? The temperature difference between the shade from the arch and here on the open avenue here of 7th Avenue is astounding. We're talking maybe a 20-degree temperature difference.

BASH: Oh my God.

VAN DAM: You know what? I've got a nifty little digital thermometer to just prove that point. You take a reading of the temperature on the ground, and it says 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

BASH: Oh my gosh.

VAN DAM: That -- if you've got animals, that will blister the paws of their feet. If you're walking around without shoes, yes, that's going to be a problem. There they are. Thunderbirds. Incredible sight to see flying overhead. But, again, this is the spectacle that's drawing the thousands of people here, Dana, and they're enduring the heat using whatever shade they can find, including umbrellas.

But, you know, very, very little opportunity to cool yourself off here in what could be a record-breaking heat wave.

BASH: Derek, you are simply amazing. Thank you so much, and please thank your crew for us. Hopefully you can get under that arch or somewhere else where there's shade.

VAN DAM: Yes.

BASH: Thanks, Derek.

VAN DAM: I'll pass along the message. Thanks, Dana.

BASH: And up next, my interview with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. You'll hear what he calls the biggest responsibility he has ahead of the midterm elections.

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[12:38:23]

BASH: Now to new reporting on the Trump administration's push to relitigate the 2020 election. Sources tell CNN the FBI is trying to expand its investigation into Georgia's results from nearly six years ago. An internal memo seen by CNN labels the case a, quote, "priority" and calls for 260 additional intelligence officials to probe the President's baseless claims of voter fraud in the state.

Of course, multiple recounts and legal challenges did not change the certified result that Joe Biden won Georgia in 2020. It's an important reminder as the midterms draw closer. We're not just covering the campaigns, we're also focused on the elections and how your vote is protected.

I went to Philadelphia recently where Governor Josh Shapiro showed me around Independence Hall and other landmarks, which will air on Sunday on State of the Union. We also talked about the upcoming elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: How concerned are you about the midterm elections? You say that you feel confident that you're going to take the four swing Republican districts in Pennsylvania and you're going to turn them blue. What are you looking for and what are you looking at to make sure that the elections have, to borrow a phrase and a word, integrity?

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Sure. So let's separate out these issues, right? There's my desire to see these Democrats get elected, but also where the hat most importantly is governor and a responsibility to ensure that once again we have a free and fair, safe and secure election.

As we have had for years and years and years, including every single time Donald Trump has been on the ballot. I'll remind you that even in the year that Donald Trump won in Pennsylvania, a bunch of Democrats won as well. The year he lost, there were Republicans who were victorious.

[12:40:14]

The will of the people has been respected. As governor and as the person who appoints our secretary of state who oversees our election, we expect Donald Trump to try and do everything in his power to undermine our elections as he's done in the past. I'll remind you back in 2020 when he lost here in Pennsylvania, he sued me 43 different times to try and throw out certain votes in Pennsylvania.

I went 43 and 0, he went 0 and 43. We had a free and fair, safe and secure election. We are prepared going forward, whether it's in a court of law or out on the streets, to ensure that every legal eligible voter has access to the ballot box, whether they vote by mail or they vote in person.

BASH: Are you worried about that that's going to happen being on the streets? SHAPIRO: And we will have another free and fair, safe and secure election. I am, of course, concerned given the irresponsible, dangerous rhetoric coming from the President and his enablers, but I am confident in our system here in Pennsylvania. The Republican and Democratic clerks of elections from each of our 67 counties to once again go out and do their jobs to ensure their neighbors have access to the ballot box and the will of the people is respected.

BASH: His -- and you guys are still in a lawsuit about voter rolls.

SHAPIRO: Yes, the President demanded that I turn over the private personal information of all Pennsylvania voters, and I said no, and they sued us over it. Look, I don't care if you're a Republican or Democratic voter here, you don't want your private personal information being turned over and being used in ways that undermine your own individual security.

I'm standing up for the legal responsibility I have here in Pennsylvania. I'm standing up for every voter here, whether they vote for me or not, whether they vote for the President or not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And our panel is back and the governor's concerned -- obviously, he's not alone in that, and it's against the backdrop of the chaos that we've seen on Capitol Hill with Republicans multiple times now having to leave town early. Why? Because President Trump is so insistent that no legislation should come to his desk until and unless they pass what he calls the SAVE America Act, which changes the law and federally changes the law, obviously, to what a lot of people think would be to disenfranchise voters and not make it easier for voters to actually show their Democratic decisions in November.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is really an issue that is creating a lot of angst among Democratic lawmakers, governors, attorneys who are trying to figure out what the President's moves could be as it pertains to the 2026 midterm elections and potentially even beyond. We have seen the President and the actions that he and his backers took back in 2020, and there are concerns that there could be efforts like that underway once again.

And when you think about what's playing out in Georgia, it really just highlights this hyperfixation that the President and his team have on the results of those 2020 elections. He has not let that go, despite a lot of these claims being debunked and proven false. But this is certainly something that Democrats have a lot of anxiety about heading into these midterm elections.

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN REPORTER: And to our last point, the fact that now he has appointed federal agencies to investigate this further just even further proves that point that the President is not letting this go. But the bigger issue here, and I think this is something that your interview got to with Shapiro's point, is that there's a fear that President Trump's efforts on this is going to undermine people feeling that their vote is going to count or feeling that the voting system that we have in different states are very secure. And so when you have this playing out in real time months before the midterm elections, which there's no secret that these midterm elections that are coming up is going to play a big deal on how the House and the Senate go forward, whether it flips, whether Republicans remain in control. The fact that there's just so much at stake here is even more paramount that state officials are kind of coming out now and saying, hey, no, our voting system is secure.

BASH: Yes, and this is not a partisan concern. Jack Smith, who was the special prosecutor looking into many things regarding Donald Trump in 2020, he broke his silence since leaving the federal government 10 days after Trump was sworn in. He spoke with Nicolle Wallace, and one of the things that he talked about was his concern about this upcoming election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLLE WALLACE, MS NOW ANCHOR: Do you agree that we are covering in real time an assault on our elections the upcoming months?

JACK SMITH, FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL: I'm very concerned of what's going to happen in the next election. Absolutely. I think the state attorney generals have a tremendous role to play here. They can make sure the rule of law functions in their state.

And I would also say that I think a thing that all of us can do, is support election workers and election officials. The last time around, we saw that those people stood firm and they were, in many cases, the difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:45:20]

TAMARA KEITH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, NPR: Yes, state election officials, Republicans and Democrats alike, are very concerned. They are making a lot of preparations. My colleagues have been covering this extensively. This is the hurricane. This is the thing that you prepare for. And they are preparing for any number of things.

One thing that's really important about the election system in the United States is that it's administered at the state level. It is not a federal operation. It is administered in states and counties and cities all over the country. And what we've seen in just the last week or two is the Trump administration, the President's efforts, his executive orders on elections, all of these are being blocked by the courts because of this very thing.

BASH: Yes, and it was going back to 250. That was how the framers --

KEITH: Yes.

BASH: -- intended it for the elections to be administered by the state. Speaking of that, you can see more of my interview with Governor Shapiro. We were at Independence Hall in Philadelphia where they signed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, small documents like that. Plus, I'm going to speak with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that's -- this Sunday, 9:00 a.m., noon Eastern.

But don't go anywhere because up next, a very special birthday cake makes its debut for America 250. And we are going to get -- we're not going to get you a slice, but at least we're going to show you what it looks like and how it's being made. Stay with us.

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[12:51:11]

BASH: No birthday celebration is complete without cake. And America's 250th is no different, thanks to baker Grace Pak, who got some help making the cake in a surprising place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE PAK, AMERICA 250 CAKE ARTIST: I'm painting the Betsy Ross flag on this. I wonder who's making America's 250th. I reached out to the Commission, pitched the idea, and also pitched the idea of having our elected officials come together to create this gift to the nation.

So this is the design for the large cake.

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R), ALASKA: Oh, wow.

PAK: It's a large sculpted cake. It's 10.5 feet.

MURKOWSKI: It's going to be massive.

PAK: Yes, 10.5 feet long, 4 feet wide by 7 feet tall. The theme is American Made. This kind of bronze ribbon that's a continuation of the flag is where we're putting all the 50 states and U.S. territory items on there.

MURKOWSKI: OK.

PAK: For Alaska, we brought something that we will decorate.

MURKOWSKI: Oh, it's my Iditarod doggy.

PAK: Yes!

MURKOWSKI: I am an Iditarod junkie.

PAK: Do you attend? Like, can you go watch?

MURKOWSKI: So I -- yes. Well, I go to the start and I've been to the finish.

PAK: So I actually made a mold --

MURKOWSKI: OK.

PAK: -- of dogs.

MURKOWSKI: So this is going to be his -- PAK: Face.

MURKOWSKI: This is going to be his face?

PAK: Yes.

MURKOWSKI: We'll see about that. What a labor of love.

PAK: Yes. He's so cute.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, Grace.

PAK: We have your astronaut suit.

SEN. MARK KELLY (D), ARIZONA: That is the equivalent of what you're wearing as a chef, as a baker.

PAK: But like a million times cooler.

This is edible bronze. And then you're just going to go straight in to the modeling chocolate and then it's really going to bring out the texture with the edible bronze in there. What's your favorite part about the Grand Canyon?

KELLY: Before I was ever there on the ground, I, you know, saw the Grand Canyon from space. Anybody has doubts.

PAK: This is the Grand Canyon.

KELLY: This is the Grand Canyon.

PAK: We'll be going to the House side and we actually have a bipartisan session, which is really exciting. We've been asking the staff and members' offices, what can we make for your state? Can you guess what this is?

It is half of a V8 Engine. For New Jersey, we have our Diner Sign.

REP. BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN (D), NEW JERSEY: I want to make it perfect.

PAK: I think we're great. Yay!

And now we're going to take all this back to the kitchen. We have our New Jersey diner. So this happens every day. I'll come back from the Hill, unpack everything.

This is where all the 50 states and U.S. territory items are going on. This middle wave part is going to be the painted American flag really in motion. You can see that we actually use a lot of steel rods and wood in this just because it's so heavy. Those are some of the winners from the America's Field Trip contest.

And one of the main elements is actually this torch. But you see all these different hands, you know, from different backgrounds and ages. We just thought that was so beautiful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And look, there she is. Grace Pak is still finishing up the amazing cake. Wow. First of all, that was terrific. Trust me, as somebody who spends --

PAK: Thank you.

BASH: -- a lot of time trying to get Republicans and Democrats to go on together, that's the one thing I'm missing -- cake.

PAK: You just need cake. It's really -- it was really easy, actually. I say cake, and they're like, we're in.

BASH: What inspired? I mean, we see there Lady Liberty, and we saw the different parts of the cake from the different parts of the country. What inspired your design?

PAK: I mean, we also took a lot of inspiration from children's artwork from the America's Field Trip contest. And a lot of them actually painted Statue of Liberty. It didn't matter where they were from. We had submissions from all over the country. And the Statue of Liberty was something a lot of these children drew.

[12:55:01]

And the words opportunity and freedom also came up a lot. So I, you know, took that inspiration and said, we have to make this into a big piece because that's saying something. But if we look on this side, on this wall, you can see that one painting that has Lady Liberty's torch, and all these other hands are supporting it. And I thought that was such a powerful image. And that's why this main portion of the cake features that.

BASH: How long --

PAK: But I've also worked with Smith's --

BASH: Go ahead. How long did it take you to make that?

PAK: No. This piece -- oh, this piece probably took three days.

BASH: That's it?

PAK: Just the arm and the torch.

BASH: That's amazing.

PAK: Yes.

BASH: Well, listen, I know that it's edible because I know that you are going to come join Boris Sanchez and me on the mall tomorrow. And we get to taste a piece of that cake --

PAK: Yes.

BASH: -- which I'm very excited about. PAK: Exactly.

BASH: Grace, thank you. Thank you so much. Looking forward to meeting you in person --

PAK: Thank you so much.

BASH: -- and tasting your masterpiece there.

PAK: Thank you.

BASH: And as I mentioned, be sure to join us tomorrow to celebrate the Fourth. Anderson Cooper is going to join me and Boris Sanchez for Fourth in America. It's going to start at noon Eastern, and it's going to go all through the night.

Have a very happy and safe Fourth. CNN News Central starts after the break.