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A Former Southwest Airlines Pilot Sentence To Probation After Watching Porno Mid-flight; Texas Police Arresting A Man Over Alleged Plans For A Mass Shooting At A Wal-Mart; U.S. Senators Voted, There Will Be No Bipartisan Commission To Look Into The Capitol Attack; It Is Crunch Time For The Race Of The New York City Mayor; Dramatic Video Just Released Of The Masked Gunman Behind A Mass Shooting In Florida. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired June 01, 2021 - 07:30   ET

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

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JOHN BERMAN, NEW DAY, ANCHOR: A former Southwest Airlines pilot sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to a lewd act during a flight last summer. According to a plea agreement, Michael Haak admitted watching pornography on a laptop mid-flight while he was in the cockpit and exposing himself to a female first officer. Haak retired shortly after the incident, federal prosecutors agreed that he will not have to register as a sex offender.

BRIANNA KEILAR, NEW DAY, ANCHOR: And Texas police arresting a man over alleged plans for a mass shooting at a Wal-Mart. The initial threat comes just days after Texas lawmakers passed a vast expansion of gun rights. CNN's Laura Jarrett is with us now to talk about this. Tell us about this, Laura.

LAURA JARRETT, EARLY START, ANCHOR: Yes, Brianna. It could have been another deadly mass shooting. Thankfully, though this time authorities disrupted the plot just in time. Twenty-eight-year-old Coleman Thomas Blevins had been chatting with people online but what he didn't realize is that he was talking to undercover cops.

Authorities claim in one message Blevins made a specific threat of a mass shooting, one that included Wal-Mart. Coordinating with FBI and Secret Service police swiftly arrested him the next day, and the Kerr County Sherriff said this in a statement, quote, "This case reminds us that we need to always be vigilant. And (sic) many think that 'can't happen here', and it was well on the way to happening."

A search of Blevins' home turned up firearms and ammunition even though he's on felony probation and he's not supposed to have the guns. Officials also found materials they described as radical ideology paraphernalia. He's now been charged with making a terroristic threat. Prosecutors may also seek federal charges in this case, Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, Laura. Thank you so much for that. BERMAN: So, a majority of U.S. Senators voted for it but there will be no bipartisan commission to look into the January 6th Capitol attack. John Avlon with a Reality Check.

JOHN AVLON, CNN, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Heading into Memorial Day weekend, Republicans killed a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6th attack on our Capitol. It was a gut punch to our democracy. It died by a vote of 54 in favor to 35 votes against. You heard that right. Having a clear majority did not matter.

Despite six Republican Senators, Cassidy, Collins, Murkowski, Portman, Romney, and Sasse joining with the Democrats. Eleven senators didn't even bother to show up for the vote. And of these, Democrats Kyrsten Sinema, Patty Murray, and Republican Pat Toomey say they would have voted for the commission.

Even still, it would have failed with 57 votes for it and 35 votes against. That's a sign that something's deeply wrong with our democracy. But remember, the dictionary definition of democracy is government by the people, especially ruled of the majority. We're experiencing a sustained assault on those ideas.

Majority rules increasingly undermined by the Electoral College and partisan gerrymandering. As well as voting in -- restrictions being jammed through Republican legislatures. In Congress, we've become numb to bills that command clear majority support being blocked by minority of senators.

And the filibuster is almost always the murder weapon when it comes to killing these ideas just as it was with the January 6th Commission. Even centrist Senator Joe Manchin came to the realization that Republicans were not negotiating in good faith, telling reporters "I'm very disappointed, that politics has trumped-- literally and figuratively-- the good of the country."

Republicans backing the big lie, the sedition caucus seem to hate Democrats more than they love our democracy. So, what could we do? How about (ph) listen to the co-author of "How Democracies Die" on Reliable Sources.

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DANIEL ZIBLATT, "HOW DEMOCRACIES DIE", CO-AUTHOR: Democracy requires constant mending.

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And so we can't just simply stand still and assume that democracy's a machine that runs of itself.

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AVLON: Now, Joe Manchin opposes ending the filibuster but this latest insult makes the case that it's time to mend it, if not end it because the filibuster isn't some grand tradition. This graph shows how the filibuster's been abused in recent years. It used to be really rare, but then the talking filibuster was replaced with the silent hold in the mid-70s, which combined with hyper-partisanship has resulted in off-the-rails obstruction.

The filibuster may actually be hurting bipartisanship instead of helping it. So, here's a common-sense reform. Require 41 votes to sustain a filibuster rather than requiring 60 votes to overcome it. Put the pressure on the obstructionists rather than Senators trying to solve problems across partisan lines.

This idea, first proposed by Congressional Scholar Norm Ornstein and former Senator Al Franken, still provides plenty of protection for principled objections. Now, what would have allowed a vote on the bipartisan January 6th Commission to go forward? Republicans want to stop talking about the insurrectionist attack on our Capitol.

But the sustained attack on our democracy demands a response. Especially, when voting rights are under assault and political violence is increasingly in vote (ph). Not just by insurrectionists, or Matt Gaetz talking about second amendment solutions, or Michael Flynn appearing to endorse a military coup. The problem's more pervasive.

A new PRI (ph) survey shows that 28 percent of Republicans believe that, quote, "True American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country." So, let's talk about true American patriots, given that we just marked Memorial Day.

The fallen soldiers we honored did not die for any one political party, they died for our democracy. And the least we can do to honor their sacrifice is to hand our democracy to the next generation stronger, not weaker than it was handed to us. That's your Reality Check.

BERMAN: John Avlon, thanks so much for that. The race for the next mayor of New York City entering its final stretch. Up next, one candidate hoping to make history as the first woman elected.

KEILAR: And overnight another NBA fan behaving badly, security tackling him on the court. What is the tipping point for the league?

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BERMAN: So, it's crunch time in the New York City race for mayor. A race that "The New York Times" calls the most consequential election in a generation. Three weeks from today New Yorkers will vote in the Democratic primary, the winner of that contest heavily favored to win in the fall.

Joining me now is Kathryn Garcia, leading Democratic contender to succeed outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Thanks so much for being with us this morning, really appreciate it.

KATHRYN GARCIA, (D) NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: Thank you so much for having me.

BERMAN: Now, don't take this question the wrong way but you are running to make things better in New York. So, let me ask it this way, what's wrong with New York City?

GARCIA: We are facing overlapping crises. I am optimistic about how the re-opening is going but we still have a lot of recovery. We have over 500,000 people who are still out of work in this city.

We know that we are going to need to make equity a centerpiece of the next administration. We've got to come together and that's why I have a plan to bring back business but also make sure we're bringing back art, and culture, and restaurants.

BERMAN: One of the concerns you hear among people who live here, and people who come into work here is crime. What's happened over the last year I this city with violent crime on the rise. What are you going to do about that?

GARCIA: We have had an uptick in shootings, gun violence has to be nipped in the bud. And that is why I have a plan to also do buybacks for guns but also fund the gun suppression unit.

Really follow the data to make sure that we have police officers doing the investigative work to make sure that we're safe on these streets. It is foundational, you can't re-open the economy, you can't get kids back to school if people don't feel safe in this city.

BERMAN: I had Andrew Yang, who's also running for mayor in this seat last week and I asked him about criticism that he's got no experience in this business. His answer was, look, we've had insiders running New York City for a while now getting us into the problems, he says, that we're in. It's time for an outsider. You've been working in the government for a long time.

GARCIA: Yes.

BERMAN: So, is he right? Is he wrong?

GARCIA: You know, I am not a politician. I would say that he is actually a politician and most of my competitors are politicians. I've been doing the work for the last 14 years whether or not that was delivering water, picking up garbage, and during COVID literally delivering a million meals a day to people who are hungry and sick.

I know how to get the job done. And that is why "The New York Times" and "Daily News" endorse me because nothing is more progressive than actually making government work for everyone.

BERMAN: You'd be the first woman elected mayor of New York City. How important is that to you? And to your candidacy?

GARCIA: I am excited that I could be the first woman elected in New York City. Not only because I bring a wealth of experience of being a working mom, of having worked and lived here for my entire life, but also as a role model. I want young girls to see that we can hold the top chair.

BERMAN: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing an investigation over sexual harassment allegations. We don't know if he's going to run for re-election...

GARCIA: No.

BERMAN: ...as governor of New York state. Could you see yourself supporting his candidacy if he did run?

GARCIA: Oh, I'm not going to make any decisions that are a year out. That's too far in the future but I know that whoever is sitting in the governor's chair I will work with because we have to work together for New York City residents.

BERMAN: Well, but what about the allegations on their face? What about what these women say happened? Are they in and of themselves enough to give you pause to endorse a candidacy for re-election?

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GARCIA: Well, I've been very clear. I asked the governor to step aside when these came out. But I know that my job as the next New York City mayor is to fight every day for New York City residents in Albany and to make sure that we're collaborative and getting the work done.

BERMAN: A lot of people left New York City. We don't actually -- it's hard to tell exact numbers but people who were working here don't come into work here anymore, people who lived here left. What's the number one thing that you think will get people back to New York City?

GARCIA: Oh, there are really two pieces to that puzzle because I've been talking to a lot of employers in the city. Crime, feeling safe on the subway and the second one is kids got to get back in school. It is a huge barrier to returning physically to the office to be doing Zoom school with your kids.

BERMAN: Kathryn Garcia, a few weeks left in this very unique election where, you know, getting second place on some people's ballots may actually...

GARCIA: Actually, that helps.

BERMAN: ...that helps.

GARCIA: You want to be one and then you want to be two.

BERMAN: Really appreciate you being with us, thank you.

GARCIA: Great to be here.

BERMAN: So, dramatic video just released of the masked gunman behind a mass shooting in Florida. The one big piece of evidence that just turned up at the bottom of a canal.

KEILAR: And the untold stories of George H.W. Bush. His struggle after losing the White House and his final moments with his beloved wife Barbara.

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KEILAR: A new book reveals the struggles by former President George H.W. Bush trying to adapt to his post-White House life. And these stories capture the essence and the heart of his presidency from one person who probably knew him better than anyone. Joining us now is former chief of staff to George H.W. Bush, Jean Becker.

She is the author of the book "The Man I knew: The Amazing Store of George H.W. Bush's Post-Presidency." Jean, thank you so much for being with us. This is really fascinating these moments that you detail.

And I think one of the most interesting parts and sort of a glimpse into former President Bush is that rough time coping with that sudden transition, that loss after one term from being president to private citizen. Tell us what it was like.

JEAN BECKER, "THE MAN I KNEW: THE AMAZING STORE OF GEORGE H.W. BUSH'S POST-PRESIDENCY", AUTHOR: Well, first of all, good morning, and thank you Brianna and John for having me on. It's publication day, I'm so excited. So, what a great way to start that day with the two of you.

It was tough, it's as I say in the book, you wake up on -- one day, January 20, 1993, and you're the most powerful person in the world. You live in this beautiful house, you have a great staff, you have a plane called Air Force One. And then you wake up the very next day on January 21st, you no longer have a house, a plane, a staff, or a title.

And it's -- I think it was -- even though he knew this day was coming it was still quite jarring. So, I sort of had a front-row seat those first few months watching him deal with this and watching him lick his wounds. And then I -- suddenly one day he woke up and I think he must have said to himself, "I'm back."

Because after that we were off and running for the next 25-years.

BERMAN: What I love most about this book is the stories. You tell such wonderful and specific stories. And one of the things he did where he was getting over the loss and moving forward was, first of all, he and Barbara went on a cruise.

Which, I had no idea they did. They went on a cruise, the former president of the United States and former first lady just went on a cruise? I mean, like, you can do that? And during the cruise he wrote himself a letter, what was that like?

BECKER: Well, first of all, John, I've been thinking a lot about that cruise the last few days, ever since Gavin MacLeod died. Because they basically went on a Princess -- The Love Boat. President Bush was seeing these advertisements on TV for a cruise and he surprised Mrs. Bush with this cruise on what I call The Love Boat. I think maybe if he'd told her ahead of time maybe she would have tried to talk him out of it. One of the funniest stories about that cruise is he had worked out on the ship, he was in the locker room taking a shower, and he came out and there was a man waiting to take his picture and he was stark naked.

He'd only been out of the White House for a month. And I think that, again, was another example of oops I'm not in the White House any longer. But, you're right, John, it was on that trip that he wrote a memo to himself what he felt his post-presidency should look like.

And sort of his goals and one of the things he wrote in that memo is he wanted to stay out of President Clinton's way. He wanted to stay out of the way of the new president, he wanted to not try to define his legacy, he basically said let historians decide.

He wanted to make a difference, he wrote I want to make a difference; I want to get involved in several causes where I can really help. And that's exactly what he did.

KEILAR: You had a long and wonderful relationship with him and you talk about the five scariest words, which were, "Jean, I have an idea." What normally came after that?

BECKER: And it was always this time of day. He got up at 5:00 every morning, drank a pot of coffee, read three newspapers, and he would hit the office about 7:00 am Houston time. And he would plop himself in my office and say, "Jean, I have an idea."

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And sometimes it would be let's get pizza for lunch and I confess I would be a little relieved. And then other times it might be, "Jean, I want to start jumping out of airplanes again," or "Let's get George Clooney on the phone and invite him to go do an event with us." Like, George Clooney, we don't have his phone number. But nothing ever stopped him. And by the way, George Clooney did do an event with him.

BERMAN: You found the phone number sooner or later.

BECKER: We found the phone number.

BERMAN: Jean, you know, you talk about the relationship that George H.W. Bush had with Barbara Bush and you talk about the end, the end of Barbara Bush's life with some really poignant moments there. Talk about that.

BECKER: He -- well, she died with him holding her hand. He was a little bit in denial about the fact that she was dying. A couple days before she died one of their doctors, myself, and President Bush's aide Evan Sisley, we sat down with him at the request of Hospice to talk about the fact that the time was near.

And they wanted them -- him to have a conversation with her. And basically give her permission to die. And so we told him that her time was coming to an end but he looked at me and he said, "This is the worst news I've ever heard." And it was just so sweet, it, you know, he wasn't ready, they've been married for 73 years.

And he wasn't ready to lose her. But my favorite moment toward the end was about a week before she died he was in the hospital. She'd actually gone home from the hospital. But we got word that she was headed back to the hospital by ambulance, she, unfortunately, had taken a downward turn.

And I was at the hospital with President Bush and I told him that she was on her way back. And after they got her settled in he said I would like to go see her, I want to go sit with Barbara. And quite frankly he looked like hell, his hair was sticking straight up, he had on an oxygen mask, he was wearing a hospital gown, he looked about as ragged as you can look.

He looked like someone who'd been in the hospital for a week. But they got him in his wheelchair and they wheeled him into her room and she was not in a coma but she was somewhere else. She was in a very deep sleep.

And he's just sitting there holding her hand, and all of a sudden she opened her eyes and she looked at him and said, "My God, George, you are devastatingly good-looking." And then she closed her eyes again and it was just such a sweet moment.

She looked at him and she was still that star-struck teenager who had met him 74-years earlier. And President Bush caught my eye and he sort of shrugged like well, it is what it is.

KEILAR: Well, Jean...

BECKER: A (ph) devastatingly good-looking.

KEILAR: Jean, that is -- it is such a beautiful story and the anecdotes are amazing. But just for the romance of that moment alone, I'm so glad that you wrote this book. I know that you thought about not writing it, and that over the course of the pandemic you decided it was something you had to do.

And I think that it's something that is so wonderful that you have shared with so many people. And we're very excited for this big day for you. Thank you so much for being with us.

BECKER: Thank you, I -- thank you so much for letting me tell a few of the stories and I will just tell everyone buy the book. There's 100 great stories, there's some great behind-the-scenes stories so buy the book and he taught us how to live a life well-lived. He left us a blueprint.

BERMAN: Yes.

BECKER: So, buy the book.

BERMAN: Go do it, again, I covered...

BECKER: Thank you. BERMAN: ...I covered Bush work (ph) for years and there are stories in here I had never heard of at all. I mean, there's a lot of new stuff in here, it's really great. Congratulations to you.

BECKER: That makes me so happy. New stories.

KEILAR: We'll be reading. Jean Becker, thank you.

New Day continues right now. I'm Brianna Keilar alongside John Berman on this New Day. Packed planes and mobbed airports. Just into CNN, proof of a post-lockdown travel boom in the U.S. Plus, Democrats revolt against restricted voting laws in Texas. Could it be a rallying cry for Democrats in Washington to take a stand too?

BERMAN: Michael Flynn, now denying he would back a military coup would have put Trump back in power, his own words might suggest otherwise. And NBA fans gone wild, the new incident just last night. Two basketball legends talked to us about why it's happening and how to stop it.

KEILAR: Good morning to viewers here in the United States and around the world. It is Tuesday, June 1st, and just into CNN, another sign of life in the U.S. returning to normal for COVID weary Americans.

BERMAN: Blockbuster, new numbers.

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