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Laura Coates Live
Trump's "Drain the Swamp" Promise Collides with His Bottom Line; Progressive Surge Jolts Democratic Party; Couple Arrested After Empire State Stunt; Trump Complains About Crowd Sizes at July 4 Events. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired July 01, 2026 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
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ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's Wednesday, which means a new episode of "Confessions & Obsessions" is now streaming. I sit down with a group of familiar faces, and they reveal some things that they want to get off their chests, including the horniest city, GLP1's, dating icks, and more. You can check it out at cnn.com/confessions&obsessions or on the CNN app.
Thank you very much for watching "NewsNight." "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Tonight, soaring money and soaring questions. Is President Trump profiting off the presidency? And how do Americans actually feel about it? Stephen A. is going to be here to talk about it. And the progressive surge jolting the Democratic Party. Plus, the daredevil proposal at the top of the Empire State Building. She said yes! Then the NYPD said, yes, you're under arrest. Tonight on "Laura Coates Live."
My opening statement tonight, time for a pop quiz, everyone. Can anyone out there tell me what the president makes a year? I'll give you some options. A, $400,000, the salary dictated by Congress. B, $400,000, give or take $2 billion. Yep, it's B, because no doubt you have heard about the crazy amount of money he pulled in last year, a total 2025 income exceeding $2 billion.
That includes $1.2 billion in crypto, $77 million from his Mar-a-Lago club where he raised the membership initiation fee to more than a million bucks, $4.7 million from Trump-branded watches, $208,000 from Trump-branded Bibles, $67,000 from Trump-branded sneakers and fragrances.
I know what you're wondering out there, of course. Laura, is this even legal? I thought there were ethical rules for federal employees about stuff just like this.
Well, the president is actually exempt from many of the basic ethics rules that apply to other federal officials. Most executive branch employees, they can't work on stuff that might impact their finances or even their spouses' finances. And even if it's just not a good look and bad optics and you might be making money, they may be even required to sell or divest assets. Well, the president doesn't have to do that. Most executive branch employees are prohibited from taking gifts from sources that their department regulates or have a vested interest in their work. The president generally can.
Now, this is not to say that he is somehow above all the rules or all the ethical rules. No. There are still anti-corruption laws, assuming there's an appetite to hold him accountable under any of them. And that's a big assumption, I recognize. You've got prohibitions on emoluments. Remember those? And anti-bribery laws and campaign finance restrictions. And, of course, he is required to file annual disclosures about his personal finances. In fact, that's why there's even daylight into this billion-dollar windfall.
And he was asked today if any of it shows that he's profiting off the presidency.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I don't get involved in my personal. We have funds that run my money. You know why I'm profiting? Because the stock market is going up. Everybody is profiting. If you have a 401(k), how's your 401(k) done?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: You should ask a lot of people out there that question. The problem is his own filing, it tells a different story. The bulk of this money didn't come from that shared market he's talking about, if you're even in that shared market at all. It came from crypto ventures tied to him and his sons, in an industry that boomed as his own administration dialed back enforcement.
He cashed in. A lot of people who bought in got crushed. His meme coin peaked above 70 bucks. Well, now it's just under two. A lot of people are calling this a lot of things, a conflict of interest, a grift. The president taking his first flight today on $400 million jet gifted by Qatar doesn't exactly help the optics, especially when taxpayer money was used to retrofit it as Air Force One.
But I want to boil this down to something even more basic, something that Trump's presidency was supposedly built on, an attack line he himself used over and over again.
[23:05:00]
Here it is. Remember drain the swamp? Do you remember speech after speech where he pointed the finger at the establishment for getting rich at the expense of the little guy? And there is a lot of tape.
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TRUMP: The insiders wrote the rules of the game to keep themselves in power and in the money. Hillary Clinton has perfected the politics of personal profit and even theft. These corrupt politicians and the radical leftists got rich bleeding America dry. The Bidens got rich, and that is substantiated, while America got robbed.
Politicians ran for office promising to protect American workers, but then they went to Washington, and they lined their pockets with special interest cash.
We will dethrone the failed political class, and we will drain the Washington swamp.
For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government, while the people have borne the cost.
The Washington establishment and the financial and media corporations that fund it exist for only one reason, to protect and enrich itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: For nearly a decade, that has been his case against Washington. Now, his own financial disclosure, is it Exhibit A against him? Here's the thing: I don't have to tell you that Americans are still living with huge economic uncertainty. Poll after poll shows his disapproval rating on the economy is sky high. And don't just go by the numbers, you can see it playing out in real time. And look at the recent primary elections. Voters are rebelling against a system they say is way too expensive, way too tilted toward the powerful.
It's the very same anger that Trump used to get into the White House. And now, he is the establishment he railed against. His business empire is flush with fresh cash. And Americans, they are still asking, who is this economy working for exactly?
My first guest will surely have a hot take on all of these. Stephen A. Smith joins me now. He is, of course, the host of "Straight Shooter Politics with Stephen A. Smith." It airs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Channel 124 POTUS on Sirius XM. Glad to have you here and, of course, love the show.
Let's talk about this Wall Street Journal editorial board that's writing this. The Trump clan is cashing in on the presidency in big and sketchy ways. Now, I really am wondering this and what your opinion is because times have changed for a lot of people. And their viewpoints are different than they may be used to have been. Pearl clutching, very different. Do you think voters actually care about these financial conflicts when it comes to specifically President Trump?
STEPHEN A. SMITH, TELEVISION PERSONALITY, RADIO HOST, SPORTS ANALYST, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, ACTOR: I think they do, but not because of the reasons they used to. Back in the day, we held our politicians in higher regard, we held them to a higher standard, and that was the reason that we would judge them harshly. Whenever they deviated from decorum, from what was considered decent and above board, we certainly held them accountable for it. That's clearly not the case when it comes to him. When it comes to President Trump, you expect some of the things that are said about him, you expect him to engage in gluttonous behavior where he could be a billionaire, but he's out there trying to get even more billions for himself, his cronies, his family members, his brand, etcetera. He's all about that. He's all about making money. We understand that.
I think the difference is now is that you're going to see people judging him more harshly because the question is, what has he done for the American people? You know, we've had a situation where we collab with Israel, you know, with what happened in Gaza.
We bombed Iran not once, but twice. The first time you bombed them last June, you swore up and down they were obliterated, that they were nowhere near making a nuclear weapon. Then you bombed them a second time because you said they were about a month away from making a nuclear weapon. Then you denied we were in a war, but we ended up being in a war and spending billions upon billions of dollars.
Remember, this is the same administration that said, you know what, $2 billion for the month is not something that we had to give TSA workers who were working without receiving a check. But somehow, your financing award, of course, you built $2 billion a day, and still affordability is an issue in this country, inflation is still an issue in this country.
So, when you see that, it's one thing for the president to be profiting off of his position. But if the American people are profiting as much, they're not going to worry about it.
[23:10:00]
But when they're suffering and you campaigned on alleviating their suffering and, instead, you appear to be profiting yourself at the expense of the American taxpayer, let's not forget the $1.8 billion slush fund that he tried to have pushed through. That would have been taxpayer money that paid for that slush fund.
What are you thinking about doing that when you've gained over $4.5 billion since you returned to the presidency a year and a half ago? Clearly, you have it. What are you coming to the taxpayer for? To ask them to fit the bill. Those are the kind of things that I think will ultimately come back to haunt the GOP in the midterms because they've allowed this nonsense to happen.
COATES: Well, let's talk about what the Democrats are doing because you think that the Democrats are going to be haunted in a different way. I mean, another Democratic socialist defeated an incumbent, a long-term incumbent in Colorado, just last night. You had young voters showing up. They absolutely want change. They seem to be very against those incumbents who are really not being able to answer the question, what have you done for me lately?
But you've warned that Democratic socialism could end up handing the presidency to the GOP. Why do you think that? Because you've said that the GOP -- the Democratic Party need fighters, and that's what these candidates seem to be proposing.
SMITH: Yes. But in a capitalist society, I don't think you're pulling off socialism. That's my reason for saying that. I certainly think that Trump helps the socialists out there because they look at the way that he has behaved and they say, listen, we came to you because we had absolutely nothing to lose. Now, look what you're doing. It certainly isn't to our benefit.
So, when a guy like Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, comes and he's talking about affordability and the working class even though we know, by and large, you've got a bunch of the elitist out there voting for the Democratic Party or pushing the agenda of the Democratic Party, where under Trump, it seems to be a better relationship with the working class, at least before the election, still and all, when you look at his actions as he has been in the White House, that sort of builds the momentum that Zohran Mamdani is trying to build.
So, you're going to have places like New York and California, where you have an abundance of people who don't mind a socialist agenda because they're not viewing it as communism. They're looking at it as capitalism mixed with strong social programs. And if you do something along those lines, we've seen it succeed in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and places like that.
Why can't it succeed in the United States of America, instead of us being recognized as the richest country in the world, let alone we don't have universal health care, we're broke, we're experiencing affordability and inflationary issues and stuff like that? You're going to have people asking about those issues. I think that it will sell in New York and California. But will it sell in a general election? I don't believe so.
And I believe that could ultimately spell doom for the Democratic Party. You can beat Trump. You can beat any of his successors. But in order to do so, you're going to have to come together as a party under one umbrella. And it's going to -- you can't be reliant on the fringes. You can't be at the mercy of those on the extreme left. You're going to have to be somewhat closer to the center because socialism, I don't believe, will work in a general election, and that's why I've taken the position that I've taken in that regard.
COATES: Well, certainly, it seems to have worked in part in Colorado. They had a little bit of a mixed bag of results. But to your larger point about how people are viewing the so-called fringes, that applies to Republicans and, of course, to Democrats alike.
SMITH: Sure.
COATES: But I'm curious about this idea of a unified party because, on the one hand, it wasn't too long ago, people complained about differences in the party as being the equivalent of a circular firing squad. Now, you've got Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer. They're facing pressure from both moderate and progressive wings of the party. Yes, Senator Elissa Slotkin even telling you in a recent interview that they should be replaced and let others lead. SMITH: Yes.
COATES: Do you agree?
SMITH: Probably so. I think that when you look at Chuck Schumer, I think he's being judged a little bit too harshly. He's in his 70s. You know, Father Tom is undefeated. And people look at the absence of a pep in his step, and they judge him accordingly, acting like he's supposed to act like he's 50 years younger than what he is. I think that's incredibly unfair to him.
COATES: Well, is it age or policy position, though? I mean, I think people have criticized him when he was younger.
SMITH: Well, I think it is age at this particular point because I think when you look at what Mamdani did against Andrew Cuomo, I'm here to tell you as a New Yorker that Andrew Cuomo, a three-term governor in the state of New York, could have easily handled the job of governing New York City as its mayor. But they went with a 34-year-old with zero experience because Cuomo, at 67 years of age, didn't necessarily have the pep in his step that a guy like Mamdani did.
So, what does that mean and what are you looking for? It doesn't mean they're looking for socialist policies. It means they're looking for young, vibrant individuals that got a lot of energy, that bring the heat, that bring the rain, that speak to the issues that ail American citizens and are ready to address it, but ready to address it in a fashion that is productive and isn't selling you pie-in-the-sky stuff.
[23:15:01]
The problem is if the alternative are people who are older, who've been around a long time, who are believed to be products of the system, then you don't see the potential for change in them. So, you say, why not go in this direction? But if there was somebody closer to the center that was as vibrant, was as articulate, was as pleasant as Mamdani comes across as being, somebody who's ingratiated himself with the younger generation in a very, very effective way, I think you'd see a difference.
The problem is they don't have that, so they don't mind leaning on him in places like New York and California. But, again, I don't think that's going to sell in the suburbs, and I don't think that's going to sell in general elections.
COATES: Of course, incumbents, and one of the downsides of being a long-term incumbent, and Cuomo is but one example of that among others, they come with baggage that voters recall, that they have to then balance against other things as well.
SMITH: Sure.
COATES: We know there was baggage in that instance here.
SMITH: Well --
COATES: But I want to move on to another point, though, because it's never truly a talk about 2028.
SMITH: Right.
COATES: You've got Vice President Vance, who just made a pretty bold prediction, Stephen A., about who will be the Democratic nominee. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL J. KNOWLES, COMMENTATOR, AUTHOR: The leading Democrat for '28?
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Hmm. I think it's got to be AOC. I know that's probably conventional wisdom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D), NEW YORK: I hope he is. That's what I'll say.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): That he is the Republican nominee?
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Now, walk me through your thought and reaction. He thinks it's got to be AOC. She thinks it's -- she hopes it's going to be him. So, what's your prediction here? Who might win in a hypothetical matchup between the two?
SMITH: Well, I think that he and many, many Republicans want it to be AOC because they felt like she embarrassed herself on a world stage, and that's something they can utilize against her. And they've seen Democrats going after her because of what they deem to be her lack of effectiveness, you know, in being a representative out of New York. How true that is, I'm not qualified to say, but I can tell you that's how a lot of them have articulated their thoughts about her.
As it pertains to him, there's an absence of trust when it comes to the president -- to the vice president. I think you see a lot of people on the left who believes he tries to appeal to white nationalists a little bit more than they would like. I think you also see them trying to be -- viewing him as an individual trying to be Trump-ish as opposed to being his own individual and his own man. I think that that's one of the reasons that they salivate for the opportunity to go against him.
You notice they didn't mention Marco Rubio because Marco Rubio was a senator, a longtime senator, he's the secretary of state, and his credentials pretty much speak for itself. Not only that, he seems to be an adult in the room whenever Trump and some of his nonsense is going on. Marco Rubio has been around for a long time. His position is well known on a plethora of issues, and he doesn't get caught up in all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds Trump and his vice president in advance. And because of that, you don't hear them mentioning him because I think everybody on the Democratic side recognizes how formidable Marco Rubio would be, not to mention the fact that he's bilingual, which is something that I think would help him tremendously in an upcoming election.
Whereas with AOC, obviously, you look at her, and you're wondering about her record and whether or not she's going to be able to carry the weight in a general. You get the impression that nobody believes that to be the case. There's no doubt that she could win the Senate seat in 2028 over Chuck Schumer with the heat that he has been taking, but nobody is going to believe that she's going to win a general election because they have too many soundbites, her with the squad, her in some of the positions that she has taken. I'm not saying I disagree with them. I'm just telling you what they say about her. They think she's a far less formidable candidate than some others that they can point to on the Democratic side, which is why they're throwing her out there, because they want her to be the candidate.
COATES: I wonder. A lot of people do believe in her nonetheless. But I have to ask you because you're here.
SMITH: In New York.
COATES: Well, she's got a lot of support around the nation. I do take, of course, for your word, that some of the comments she has made might be alienating to different parts of the country, but so is J.D. Vance. Stephen A., thank you so much.
SMITH: All right. Take care.
COATES: Well, next, she got a ring, and then they both got handcuffs. The 1,400-foot proposal that has got everyone asking romance, recklessness, and how did they get up there?
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UNKNOWN (voice-over): Yes, what's with all the hoopla going on over there?
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Two geniuses climbed to the top of the Empire State Building at the top of the spire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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[23:20:00]
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UNKNOWN (voice-over): Yes, what's with all the hoopla going on over there? UNKNOWN (voice-over): Two geniuses climbed to the top of the Empire State Building at the top of the spire. It's a male, female dressed in black. They had some flag they were waving when they were up at the top. And he just proposed to her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
COATES: I just love that whole exchange. They say, love is in the air tonight, and I do mean literally, like 1,450 feet in the air. These two geniuses or Russian climbers scaled their way to the very top of the Empire State Building. They waved the flag with a message about the power of love, and then he got down on one knee all the way up there and proposed. Well, not long after, officers met them at the top and took them into custody.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: How you doing? Well, you can't be up here. What? All right. All right.
UNKNOWN: Yes, I'm OK. Yes.
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COATES: Tonight, these two climbers are facing multiple charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and criminal tampering.
[23:25:00]
But we should note, this is not their first rodeo. They've done many of these types of climbs in the past, documented in the Netflix film "Skywalkers: A Love Story."
Joining me now, retired NYPD detective David Sarni. Good to see you, Dave. I mean, I have to tell you, this is one of the most heavily- visited and monitored buildings in the country. How did they do this?
DAVID SARNI, RETIRED DETECTIVE, NYPD: Well, that's the unfortunate thing. Thank you for having me. What we found now, I think, is something that's important to realize, that one of the most recognized national and international buildings had its weak spot for security, and that's going to have to be addressed because that, you cannot let happen.
We are fortunate that the individuals involved in this were not violent or looking to do something violent because when you start this type of situation and you have people climbing Empire State Building and then putting a sign out there, we're thinking, as police, as law enforcement, this is something dangerous. This could be something a terrorist act at that point.
You know, we can look and laugh now, but the reality is the resources used and utilized to deal with this incident, this reckless action by these individuals, regardless if they're climbers or whatever, this is something we cannot have happen in New York City with all the tensions that are going on throughout New York nationally and internationally.
COATES: I'm glad you point this out, about the resources involved, to try to investigate in real time what is unfolding before law enforcement in a location like this. It's not in an isolated part of the country. It's in a densely-populated area in Manhattan. How much planning would have to go into not only this sort of stunt, but also tell me about the logistics of trying to track down what is happening and the resources that would have been involved.
SARNI: Well, once you get that initial 911 call and notifications, you're going to have to now address the situation. People on top of the Empire State Building, you're going to have to freeze the area around there. In other words, you're going to have to have police surround the building or create a perimeter right there, you're going to have to put aviation up there, you're going to have to send emergency service units out there, you're going to have to send more cops to that location because we don't know what they are doing.
They have in their head what they're doing, but the reality is, as police, we cannot think in their terms. We're thinking of the fact that this is a dangerous situation. We do not know until we know what's going on. And regardless of what people feel about it, as a cop and being that way for so long, this is something you cannot allow happening. And when they're arrested, they have to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, which means that burglary charge needs to stick, and it needs to be pursued fully.
COATES: There's got to be, of course, a deterrence so that no one else copies this in some way. I mean, this happened. You talked about threat resources.
I mean, the NYPD has a lot on their plate. They've got the World Cup, they've got the America 250 celebrations, they've got the expected Taylor Swift wedding at Madison Square Garden. They've actually planned an unauthorized 2022 climb in Malaysia during the World Cup, hoping security would have been distracted at that time, so they thought maybe this through again.
Did the timing of this maybe help them go unnoticed and how should law enforcement react knowing that they may have been trying to tap into a blind spot?
SARNI: Well, that's the thing. This is where private security is involved because the Empire State Building has their own security. So, they're going to have to reassess what they do. Apparently, they got up to an observation deck that was unavailable to the public. They were able to access that. That's one thing. Did they have security on the observation deck? Did they see this happening or were they looking at cameras?
You know, that's where private security has to really harden those target locations, by bringing more surveillance cameras. They're bringing more personnel. That's usually the way it works, is bringing more people to it. But what the police have to do is all the resources we have to utilize to keep doing this.
It's frightening to see this continue. And we cannot accept this as just a joke and being humorous. We have to accept this as a breach in security of one of the most well-known buildings in the world.
COATES: Very scary to think about. David Sarni, thank you.
SARNI: Thank you. Stay safe.
COATES: You, too. Ahead, the president's plea ahead of the 4th of July.
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TRUMP: Your favorite president will be speaking. So, please, show up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: And the hard sell comes as no surprise because crowds at his state fair have been a little thin to get him to pack the Washington Mall by the 4th. We've got the two TMZ reporters in D.C. who have been making the rounds, next.
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[23:30:00]
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COATES: What better way to celebrate America's 250th birthday? By going to the fair. The Great American State Fair, that is. But by the looks of it, not everyone is lining up at the National Mall to see it. Through the first few days, the crowds have looked, well, sparse, and the lackluster attendance got the attention of the president after he opened the fair last week. Sources say he became furious after seeing an aerial photo showing how empty it was. White House staffers deleted their posts about the speech, and Trump posted to Truth Social that the fair was packed to the brim. But this photo from Trump supporter and actor Dean Cain tells a different story. It quickly went viral online, and critics say that it proved the fair is a flop. But Trump supporters say, ignore the haters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN CAIN, ACTOR, TRUMP SUPPORTER: So, I took that picture and said, look at how gorgeous this is. And everyone was like, oh, there's nobody there. There are tons of people around here. It's going to get more and more crowded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEHMET OZ, ADMINISTRATOR, U.S. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES: There are always going to be naysayers. But the reality is go out and live life, enjoy life. (END VIDEO CLIP)
[23:34:58]
COATES: With me now are two reporters who attended the fair, TMZ DC reporters Charlie Cotton and Jacob Wasserman. Glad to have both of you guys here. All right, well, I'll then put the issue to rest. What was your experience at the fair?
JACOB WASSERMAN, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ DC: You know, I think it's a lot more crowded than people are giving it credit for. I mean, if you look at those photos, yes, of course, there's a lot of empty space there, but we spent time there, and we see a lot of different people.
The issue that they had is that they made it way too big. There's just so much space. And also, there's not much shade. The only place that you can really find shade is inside where they sell the food.
CHARLIE COTTON, MANAGING EDITOR, TMZ DC: It's too hot.
WASSERMAN: Yes, hot.
COTTON: It's just too hot. So, the photos you see of the grass and stuff, there's no one out there because it's too hot. They're all indoors. So, there are some people. It's not like it's like DC Coachella or anything like that.
(LAUGHTER)
But, you know, I think, like give the fair -- to be honest, like it's just not a fair either, is it? Like it just doesn't have fair style.
COATES: Well, what is it? What can you do there?
COTTON: It's kind of like a really cool trade show. You know, it feels like a convention. It feels like if they'd had the same thing in the national sort of conference center here, it could have been kind of cool. But there's no like, you know, clowns going like this and pop the ping pong ball in their mouth.
WASSERMAN: Yes.
COTTON: There's no like -- like bad food. It doesn't feel like a fair.
WASSERMAN: I agree. The name was wrong because everyone hears county fair, state fair.
COATES: Right.
WASSERMAN: They think about, oh, I'm going to get like curly fries, hot dog. But there's not really that type of food there. It's actually pretty educational. I actually think the fair is a good place for families to go. It's not for me and my 28-year-old buddies. Like it's not that event. But to go, it's free, which won every family looking for a free event. And for kids, yes, you pop into each state, you look at the big facts on the wall, you learn, oh, there are peanuts in Georgia, and they give you a bag of peanuts.
COTTON: I didn't know that.
WASSERMAN: And you just pop to the next one.
(LAUGHTER)
COTTON: I didn't know that.
WASSERMAN: It's good for like Charlie's young kids.
COATES: Charlie, there are peanuts in Georgia.
COTTON: And you get a few free ones, too. So, you can go along and get free --
COATES: All right. But there are 11 states that aren't doing it. So, how are they represented? How can Charlie learn about those states all of a sudden?
COTTON: They're there. They're there. They're just not run by like the officials or whatever. They're there. Like in every state, you know, giving it their old college try. And it's kind of fun. You know, yes, it could be better.
COATES: But the heat -- I mean, listen, you really can't -- I'm from Minnesota. I have to tell you, the heat in D.C., especially right now, it's a lot. I mean, you're from Australia. Compare it to back home.
COTTON: Well, it's the humidity here. You know, yes, it's hot back home sometimes, too. But the humidity here is just whoa. You know what I mean?
COATES: Yes. I have natural hair. I know the whoa you talk about. Yes, it is a whoa moment. I have a bun today. Well, let me ask you, though, I mean, who is attending? Are we talking about just everyday tourists who come to D.C. all the time in spite of the heat, by the way, or are they more skewed towards Trump supporters? Are you seeing a variety? Who's at the fair?
WASSERMAN: Yes. I mean, it's definitely more Trump supporters, it feels like. But, at the same time, they seem pretty happy to be there. I mean, I'm not seeing a lot of MAGA hats. I'm seeing a lot of America 250 gear. And today, I was actually on the Capitol, and I saw a ton of tours. I mean, like -- of course, there's usually a lot of tours. But a lot of people were rocking their new merch.
COATES: Yes.
WASSERMAN: And I actually think that's why the celebration is and could definitely be like a great thing. I mean, it makes people more civically engaged, gets people to go to the Capitol. So, that's all great. People are politicizing this a lot, and I think it's just more of like a logistical issue.
COATES: Yes. WASSERMAN: It's like who thought that an outdoor fair in July would be a good idea?
COATES: Well, let's talk about the fair that is the Capitol because I know you all have been in D.C. for quite some time and interviewed so many people. I mean, TMZ is also known, obviously, for celebrities. Compare it for me. What it has been like actually having TMZ in D.C.?
COTTON: I mean, amazing. Amazing. Like --
COATES: Amazing like unexpectedly so? Everyone is so friendly. They want to tell you everything. Amazing.
COTTON: That, too. Like we have Congress people coming up to us, pitching us ideas, like, could this work? And I'm like, ah, it's a bit too CNN. You know what I mean?
(LAUGHTER)
COATES: Oh, now, I'm curious. Give me an example. What is too CNN?
COTTON: Well, I don't know.
WASSERMAN: They're like FISA, and we're like --
COTTON: Yes. That's a Romano question. You know what I mean?
(LAUGHTER)
But, I mean, we're loving it, and I think we're here at the perfect time. You know, we just love, you know, building relationships with these people as well as like working with them. You know, I mean, 95 percent of the conversations we have with these Congress people are off camera, just shooting their crap.
COATES: Yes.
COTTON: You know what I mean? And I feel like, you know, you develop trust and relationships, and then like you can have more fun clips. And also, when you need to hold them accountable for something, they get that you're fair. They get that you're like not just out there to get them. You've had this history with them on and off camera so far. So, when you need to go, hey, buddy, this, this, and this, they listen to you, I think, a bit harder and like maybe respect your opinion a little more.
COATES: And maybe the people who are viewing look at these people as people, right?
[23:40:00]
Not just people who are on the Hill, but people who actually can be held accountable to them.
WASSERMAN: Yes, and that's the point. It's like we're trying to talk to them the same way that you would at like a bar or a town hall meeting. And in that way, I think a lot of people are gravitating towards podcasts for that reason. They want to see people more off- the-cuff, natural. And we're just trying to be kind of like give that podcast cadence, but on the Hill.
COATES: I love it. Well, there's peanuts in Georgia.
COTTON: How do you follow that?
(LAUGHTER)
I need a t-shirt. Charlie, Jacob, that's wonderful. Thank you so much.
WASSERMAN: Cheers.
COATES: Well, despite the heat wave gripping Washington, D.C., President Trump will ring in the Fourth of July on the National Mall with a campaign-style rally. As you know, Trump sometimes describes his lengthy rhetorical style as the weave, and he says he'll do the same thing on Saturday, even in the heat wave.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: And this week, we look back on 250 years of glorious freedom, and we took so much time and so much effort. And, by the way, on July 4th, it's going to be approximately 107 degrees out. And I'm going to go, and I'm going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: With me now, Republican strategist Leslie Shedd and Democratic strategist Joel Payne. OK, I know he was -- he got a laugh in that response, but why make a really long speech? Why do that on a day like that? What is the point for him?
LESLIE SHEDD, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think that he's having fun with this. He's just so excited to be the president on this big, momentous occasion. I think he's leaning into it. We'll see how long the speech is. He does tend to, you know, go on for a while. He's got a lot to say. He wants to share everything that he can. But I think it's really just he's excited about it. You can see the joy that he has when he's out there talking about this.
COATES: I see your nails. You're very excited about what's going on.
SHEDD: Oh, yes. Slow America, right? I'm super into it.
COATES: You're into America. He's interested in crowd sizes. Why is he focused on that?
SHEDD: I don't think he's focused on crowd sizes. I think he knows the Democrats and certain members of the media. Not you, obviously.
(LAUGHTER)
But some will absolutely go after him, right? And they will say that if he doesn't have a huge, overwhelming crowd there, that somehow this is some, you know, loss for him. But, really, it's because it's hot outside. It's going to be late. You know, I imagine that there will be a lot of people.
You have to keep in mind, too, the size and scope of the National Mall. It's massive. I play baseball and softball out there. When I used to work on the Hill, we could set up an entire baseball field on the National Mall. So, it's just really big.
COATES: Well, tell me, Joel, your take on it because, obviously, Trump has been known to make things about himself. He is, of course, excited to be the president of the United States. He has said so. But he also -- there was a congressional panel that he planned for this weekend, America 250. He then decided to create his own group, Freedom 250. And many believe that was the impetus for this, becoming all about -- the focus really on himself and the campaign rally. How do you see this?
JOEL PAYNE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, it's interesting. And your previous guest talked about how this becomes politicized. And, yes, it does. And you know the person who politicizes it lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue because everything is politics with Donald Trump.
This was an opportunity to bring together Americans from all over the country. This is a cool idea, to have a state fair to show off all the different customs and traditions in different states. But the fact that Trump could not allow for that to happen, he is the one that invited all those musical acts, and then because of the politicization of the event, pushed those folks away, he's the one that makes everything a litmus test on him.
I think so many of the American people just want to be able to check out other politics, be able to enjoy July 4th, whether you're a Democrat, Republican, independent. Donald Trump doesn't allow for that. He doesn't allow his supporters to do that. He doesn't allow people who aren't his supporters.
COATES: Well, the polling suggests that people have very different views about the future today and what their future holds later on. I mean, you've got a new poll saying that 59 percent of Americans are not confident that future generations would better off than people today. That's a sad testament about how people might be feeling about the world right now. What can change?
SHEDD: I mean, perhaps that's the way they feel right now when they're looking at kind of long term. But every person that I talk to when it comes to July 4th is super excited about it. They're pumped to be here. They want to come to D.C. They want to celebrate. There are celebrations that are happening, you know, all over the country.
COATES: Hold on. That's the July 4th. The poll is talking about how they feel about the future of the country. I mean, obviously, this is retrospective. It's like they're thinking about 250. They're thinking about the next 250. How do you address that?
SHEDD: I mean, I think a lot of it just has to do with there's a lot of upheaval right now, right? Especially with A.I. When you talk to younger generations, they'll tell you they're frightened of A.I. and what really comes for them next. The housing market, we're having a lot of problems with that. It's pricing people out.
So, I'd like to see us be able to address that and to reassure people because I can tell you that I think America is a great country to live in, and I think that our best years are still ahead of us.
COATES: You got more polling. Joel, I want you to address this because the same poll found that just 45 percent of Democrats are proud to be an American.
[23:45:02]
Now, I know polling can make people think, well, nobody asked me, but here's what it is. Do you think that Democrats are having their thumb on the pulse of the people at this point or are they being too pessimistic in that?
PAYNE: I think that polls like this can be ballot test, right? I mean, if there's a Democrat in office, you feel better about the country. If you're a Democrat -- if you're a Republican in office, you feel better about the country as a Republican.
Here's what I would say: The last, I'd say, five national elections have all been some degree of a change election. It's because people are very unhappy with the status quo and the establishment of both parties. And that's not just between the two parties. That's inside of both parties. You've seen upheaval within both political parties in the last 20 years.
And I think what you're hearing is a general pessimism and a frustration because that attempt at change every four and eight years is not netting what the American people want.
COATES: We'll see what happens come November and, of course, come this Saturday. Leslie, Joel, thank you both so much.
Hey, something just happened for the first time since 2002. And now, the U.S. men's national team is going to a round of 16.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN (voice-over): -- has beaten Bosnia, Herzegovina and has moved on to the next round of the World Cup.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNKNOWN (voice-over): We're coming back, Monday night in the round of 16. The United States, despite being down a man for half an hour, has beaten Bosnia, Herzegovina and has moved on to the next round of the World Cup.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: A historic night for Team USA. They just won their first match in the World Cup knockout round since 2002, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina two to nothing. And fans went absolutely wild in cities all across the country. You're looking at fans reacting to the win in real time right here in Washington, D.C. Team USA now heads to the round of 16 where they'll face Belgium this Monday night in Seattle.
I want to talk about it all with sports journalist and professor, Clinton Yates. Clinton, good to see you. I mean, look, the first knockout win for Team USA in 24 years. What does this moment mean for U.S. soccer fans like yourself?
CLINTON YATES, PROFESSOR, SPORTS JOURNALIST: You know, some of us are old enough to remember exactly what we were doing back in 2002. We're not going to get into that. But it means a lot generationally in terms of the plain level of achieving success. I'm sorry, when it comes down to the knockouts, wins and losses matter. They got through. That's important. There are other things that we can discuss later as to how that happened. However, they're still playing, they're still on home soil. And people like where you are in the nation's capital, where I'm from, are very happy.
COATES: They're very happy. And they really want not only one win, they want two. But that hasn't been done in knockout games in one tournament, to win two of them. For this team, the next big test will be against Belgium on Monday night. The winner of that match heads to the quarterfinals. How far can USA really go?
YATES: I mean, look, I think at this point, you've got to look at this as if they're not going to win it, who is, if you're that team? And that's not simply based on skill level or, you know, hubris or anything else. But that's why you play the games.
If you continue to win -- and, again, I was on this network a couple of days ago. I was at the game where they lost to Turkey. Not their best outing. However, showing up in the knockout rounds and being able to deliver like this, even with 10 men, even after you had to jump over a hurdle, which was being down a player -- look, I'm sorry. If you're not going to believe, if you're a player or a fan of that team, that that squad can win it all, what are you there for? And I think at this point, with so many other squads, particularly large ones from Europe, down and out, why not? Give it a rip. That's why, again, you're there.
COATES: I mean, the leading scorer for Team USA this tournament is Folarin -- how to say it? Balogun. There we go. It's now in my brain forever, Balogun.
YATES: Balo is what we call him. COATES: Balo. Look, I won't forget it ever again. He was suspended from the next match over (INAUDIBLE) tonight.
YATES: Yes.
COATES: That was deemed dangerous. How big of a loss is this?
YATES: Tough laws. And, quite frankly, I know this is a controversial call for a lot of people, I think he deserved it. Intent is one thing. But (INAUDIBLE) is always a difficult call at this stage of the game. It is tough. It is a bad situation.
However, it would have been worse had they dropped this match. The fact that they were able to pick it up and without him, even though they're not going to have him for the next match, I think this team is a team that can absorb that.
And, quite frankly, again, Pochettino, as a coach, has been worth his weight in gold in ways that I don't think a lot of people appreciate before the U.S. took the field in this tournament. And guess what? It has worked out. They're still there.
COATES: Who else are you watching? Because if it is not Team USA, then who?
YATES: (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
Listen, until the French get eliminated, any tournament that Kylian Mbappe (ph) is playing in is a tournament where I'm going to believe that the French have a chance, not only have a change, but likely to win. They've got three of the best five players in the tournament (ph), as we used to like to say. I just really think that team is fun.
COATES: So, how will they get to match up against -- what has to happen? USA is going to win the next one. France has to win what? How are they getting together? What?
YATES: I don't have the bracket off the top of my head. But I will tell you this: Belgium is a matchup in the next round that is not easy. The Belgians are a team that has been dealing with kind of a golden era situation for like one to two to three tournaments, World Cups and Continental matchups. And if they're going to get a signature win for who that collection of players is, Lukaku, etcetera, this might be it.
However, I also think that, on the other side, the American team is a team that you're not going to be able to win a World Cup unless you can beat this Belgian team. This is a worthy matchup at this stage of the tournament, especially because there's that extra round. It makes things a little difficult. Should be a fun game to watch.
COATES: And now, I know all the pronunciations to the players. Clinton Yates, thank you so much.
[23:55:00]
(LAUGHTER)
YATES: Lukaku's first name is Romelu.
COATES: Oh, Romelu. Well, that's hard to forget. Thank you all so much for watching. Thank you so much. "The Story Is with Elex Michaelson" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: I'm Elex Michaelson, live in Los Angeles. Welcome to "The Story Is."
[23:59:58]
The top story is the men's national soccer team is moving on round of 16 at the World Cup for the United States. We are live from outside the stadium.
