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Carol Leonnig is Interviewed about Her New Trump Book; Oregon Faces Third Largest Fire in History; Climate Crisis Affects Infrastructure. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired July 23, 2021 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:34:00]

JOHN AVLON, CNN ANCHOR: A new best-seller by authors and "Washington Post" journalists Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker shed new light on former President Trump's last year in office and his state of mind following the loss of last year's election. In an audio clip of an interview with the author, conducted with the former president back in March 4th (ph), "I Alone Can Fix It," which is in stores now and which is genuinely great, you should get it, Trump shares his thoughts on some of the events that transpired during the January 6th insurrection.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: It was a loving crowd, too, by the way. There was a lot of love. I've heard that from everybody. Many, many people have told me that was a loving crowd.

In all fairness, the Capitol Police were ushering people in. The Capitol Police were very friendly. You know, they were hugging and kissing. You don't see that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: Man.

Joining us now to discuss, co-author Carol Leonnig.

Carol, it's great to see you on set. There is so much scoopage (ph) in this book.

CAROL LEONNIG, CO-AUTHOR, "I ALONE CAN FIX IT: DONALD J. TRUMP'S CATASTROPHIC FINAL YEAR: Oh.

AVLON: I mean every chapter has news, which is hard to do given the depth of coverage.

But you sat down with him at Mar-a-Lago and you've released the tapes, as we just heard. [06:35:02]

And one of the things that's stunning is just how deep the delusion seems to go. And you distill it really well at one point in the book. You say, many of Trump's failures can be explained by a simple truth, he cares more about himself than the country.

LEONNIG: That's absolutely right, John. And, you know, it was a trend we found when we reported the first book. Phil and I kept seeing that basically his priorities were his political gain, not American democracy, not American safety, not American lives. It became pretty tragic and with huge consequences in 2020, a year when there was a real crisis. He did not have the tool kit for that because he was thinking about winning the day, winning the news cycle, short-term, my political fortune, re-election.

And I think what Phil and I found the most shocking, even though we covered this in real-time, the thing we found the most shocking as we interviewed more and more people is how panicked some of his most ardent supporters were about the peril he was willing to put America in, again, for his gain.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and I would argue he put himself in peril by putting America in peril. It was odd that he couldn't see past that, even if he's motivated by what benefits him to see that would benefit him.

But you write about a November 13th meeting where Trump was actually -- he was upset because of the vaccine. He really wanted it approved before the election and that's not what the FDA ended up doing. So he was upset that the Emergency Use Authorization wasn't given until after Election Day.

And he said this about face masks. He said, I can't hear you when you talk through those things. I hate those things. Meaning through masks. Mr. President, they work Azar said. The evidence is conclusive that they work. He described data showing that at one meter distance between two people both wearing masks, the chance of infection was reduced by 72 percent. Really, Trump asked. He genuinely sounded surprised. Yes, Azar said. Trump pondered this for a moment. Well, just be sure to take it off when you go to the microphone, he said. It looks silly.

This is not the beginning of the pandemic, Carol.

LEONNIG: No. We are talking, Brianna, at the -- in the fall of 2020, when more than 200,000 Americans have died. When the research is so consistent and proven that masks stop and slow the transmission, right? It's through droplets through your nose. And from our reporting, the Health secretary, Alex Azar, feels like he's on an extended, comedic loop because he keeps telling the president, masks work. And this is the second time, the example you just gave, the second time that Trump says, really, they work, are you kidding? It's almost as if certain information that he doesn't want to hear doesn't get through.

AVLON: Yes, it's almost like that.

So let me ask you about a case where certain information he didn't want to hear led to a crisis in our democracy. You speak about how his staffers, people who were loyal to him, or try to be, are deeply concerned about what he's doing to democracy through the big lie, but his supporters on the streets don't know that. They don't have that perspective.

As the attack on the Capitol is occurring, what is Trump's state of mind? What is the feeling inside the White House?

LEONNIG: You know, it's amazing because we all lived it. We're in journalism. But we -- and America lived it through TV. And he is in his dining room, off the White -- off the Oval Office watching it and almost giddy because, I mean he does watch a lot of TV, but here he is seeing thousands of his supporters basically trample up to the steps, breakthrough barricades, all rallying for him to try to stop the certification of the election for Joe Biden. And he feels really supported and emboldened by that. And, again, giddy.

Keep in mind, that when these people are regardless of their intention, when they are storming the Capitol and going through those barricades, they're committing a crime.

AVLON: Yes.

LEONNIG: They're pushing past police who are trying to hold them back. This is before they breached the Capitol. But what Trump then realizes is, oh, shots are fired. There are reports on the news within a half hour of this. And he, according to our sources, says, oh crap. And it isn't, oh crap, I've got to do something. It's, this doesn't look so good anymore.

KEILAR: For him.

AVLON: The optics are bad for him.

LEONNIG: The optics are bad. That is the consistent, important priority for the president at that time.

And it takes, though, two hours for a series of aides, including his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, to get the president to get it right about call off the dogs, right, to get people to realize this violence has to stop. The president has to say something. But he is the last person to realize what is required and what he needs to say.

[06:40:06]

KEILAR: It's -- it is illuminating and it is incredible.

You also talk about how Trump reflects on his presidency, which I think is very interesting. You say -- he said in a certain way I had two presidencies.

AVLON: I love this one. KEILAR: In -- he said, in the first, when the economy was roaring

Trump argued that he had been unbeatable. I think it would be hard if George Washington came back from the dead and he chose Abraham Lincoln as his vice president. I think it would have been very hard for them to beat me, Trump said.

Then he lamented, came his second presidency, the pandemic killed his chances.

That is -- those are some people to compare yourself to.

AVLON: It's just -- the idea that he's talking to you and like, if I could have a wrestling match with a reanimated Washington and Lincoln, that would be a tough -- I mean what kind of mind?

LEONNIG: Well, it's so -- I love the passage you read because our jaws were also dropping on the floor as he said this. And the reason is not making fun of him. Not mocking a former president. But most American historians have concluded that this presidency was one of the most tragic. And so for him to say that he could beat Washington teamed up with Lincoln is pretty striking.

Also, I love this, Brianna, that this emphasis on this moment because he sees himself as a victim of COVID. You know, he had -- I had two presidencies. I had this really big burden, instead of seeing Americans died, Americans suffered. And his own -- his own kitchen cabinet and serious cabinet feel that -- feel that he made it worse.

KEILAR: Yes.

AVLON: Well, all evidence would -- all signs point to yes as the 8 ball would say.

I want to ask you, every day we have new information about the administration coming out. It's kind of a moving target. You may have to do different editions of this book. But one of the things we're finding out is more information about the Kavanaugh hearings, Brett Kavanaugh, appointed to the court by the president, jump ball moment. The president decides to stick by him but the FBI gets 4,500, you know, pieces of information from the public.

KEILAR: Tips, yes.

AVLON: Tips, according to new CNN reporting. Some of them are brought on to the White House.

What -- what is your read on that particular chapter and this new information about the FBI passing on this information to the White House about a Supreme Court nominee, now justice?

LEONNIG: It's stunning. But one thing that we need to keep in mind as well, it's amazing reporting, is the president was actively working with Mitch McConnell to make sure that that FBI investigation was limited, that it didn't go any further because they didn't need to -- want to know anything else. They needed this confirmation. And now let's fast forward to the interview that Phil and I did with

the president, the former president, in Mar-a-Lago. He's disappointed with Kavanaugh. He thought Kavanaugh should have been by his side and concluded that the election was rigged.

So even though, you know -- even though he did everything he could to stop information coming out, anymore bloopers, anymore more bad information, anymore more reports about women and Kavanaugh or beer and Kavanaugh, now he's actually disappointed in this judge and disappointed in all the Supreme Court justices he appointed. They didn't deliver for him, and that's what he expected.

AVLON: Real loyalty is overturning an election.

LEONNIG: Correct.

AVLON: Carol, it's a phenomenal book. Great reporting, as always. And it's wonderful to see you on set at NEW DAY.

LEONNIG: Thank you, guys, for such good questions.

KEILAR: Oh, you're welcome.

AVLON: Thank you.

All right, we have a fresh wave of American officials suffering from symptoms consistent with the mysterious Havana syndrome. And now the CIA is reviewing new clues.

KEILAR: And Ted Cruz calling out Democrats, Texas Democrats, for flying to D.C. to block a vote on voting restrictions. We're going to roll the tape on his history of political stunts.

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[06:48:26]

KEILAR: Texas state Democrats finishing up week two of their sabbatical in Washington and, objectively, it's been a PR nightmare. Their reason for leaving their state, to call attention to unprecedented voting restrictions, but that has been overshadowed by the trip becoming a super spreader event.

Now, most say they're vaccinated. Some are asymptomatic, but this is ripe for criticism from Republicans.

And now Texas Senator Ted Cruz has weighed in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): What you're seeing the Democrats do here is a political stunt.

This is, at the end of the day, politics, and they need to get back to doing their jobs.

Here's the good news, Harris, this stunt's going to fail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now love or hate this sojourn by Texas state Dems, the last person who should be chiming in about political stunts is Ted Cruz. It's like a black fly in our chardonnay or a death row pardon two minutes two late but then Cruz must have missed track number ten on the 1995 masterpiece, "Jagged Little Pill."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): I do not like them, Sam I am. I do not like green eggs and ham. Would you like them here or there? I would not like them here or there. I would not like them anywhere. I do not like greens and ham.

We're at the edge of the river. On the other side of the river is Mexico. The other side of the river we have been listening to and seeing cartel members, human traffickers, right on the other side of the river, waving flashlights, yelling and taunting Americans.

My friend, and the next vice president of the United States, Carly Fiorina.

[06:50:16]

KEILAR: Now, that last scene was a desperate attempt to save the Republican nomination from Donald Trump. He would drop out of the race just a few days later. But there's one phrase that really stood out in his recent Fox interview more than political stunts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS FAULKNER, FOX NEWS HOST: Senator Cruz, this is your home state of Texas. You have seen what I know with my relatives in Texas, we don't do, we don't cut and run. That's what I've heard some Republicans accuse them of.

What is the next phase that they're in now?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Real Texans don't cut and run, she says. Unless, of course, there's an historic winter storm leaving millions without power in your state and you really want to escape that freak deep freeze to go on a Griswold-style family vacation to Cancun.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): It was, obviously, a mistake. And, in hindsight, I -- I wouldn't have done it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, it's not like Cruz cut and run for a reason related to politics or policy. He left for pina coladas. So maybe the guy with this much baggage on the topic, certainly more than an overnight bag, should sit this one out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Well, listen, karma is a remarkable thing. And this episode really embodies, I think, all that's wrong with the modern Democratic Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Karma may be alive, but for Ted Cruz, irony is apparently dead.

AVLON: Such a strong "Jagged Little Pill" reference.

KEILAR: Right?

AVLON: "Phantom Punch" (ph). I appreciated it.

KEILAR: Yes. I mean, look, I think that you -- this trip by Texas Democrats has been completely overshadowed, right?

AVLON: No, and you're right, you could say objectively, spin it however you want, it's become a super spreader event, even if it achieves what they wanted (ph).

KEILAR: Yes, it just -- it's just pretty funny when Ted Cruz weighs in -- weighs in on it.

AVLON: Yes, you've got to check yourself before you wreck yourself.

KEILAR: Getting ready to -- he's left himself wide open on that one.

All right, Hunter Biden is actually expected to meet with perspective buyers at two of his art shows. And this is raising some new ethics concerns about people buying the works, his works, to gain influence with his father.

AVLON: Plus, Oregon's colossal Bootleg Fire is being fueled by extreme heat and dry conditions. Now it's one of the biggest fires the state has ever seen.

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[06:56:40]

AVLON: In Oregon, the monster Bootleg Fire is now the third largest in that state's history, as crews and improving weather conditions keep it just shy of 400,000 acres. Parts of the northwest remain under critical fire danger.

So let's go to CNN meteorologist Chad Myers to tell us all about it.

Chad.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: John, still windy again today. Dry, obviously, the drought is there and there's your area of worse concern for today.

The new drought monitor came out yesterday. The drought expanded. It didn't rain. So it's not really going to go away.

One spot that is getting some rain today, and the irony is of being in a drought and having a flash flood warning at the same time. Tucson, Arizona, that is your claim to fame today. It's raining so hard that it can't soak into the ground that needs it so much.

There's two to four more inches over the next couple days. A moderate risk of flash flooding everywhere.

When it rains in the mountains, it comes down these arroyos, which are really called dry washes. They're dry most of the year, but all of a sudden when it rains on top of the hill, all of that water goes down in one single place.

The haze is now across parts of Nashville and Atlanta. That's the smoke from the fires out west. The northeast doing slightly better today. And here are your afternoon highs.

John.

AVLON: Chad, thank you very much.

MYERS: You bet.

KEILAR: Climate change is melting roads and warping critical infrastructure in the U.S. The increasing severe weather is also affecting the Biden administration's infrastructure plan as costly climate resilient infrastructure becomes more and more necessary.

Pete Muntean has more on this.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, Brianna, the weather is getting more extreme, more often. So the Biden administration wants to spend $47 billion on what's called climate resilience. The goal is to better protect our critical infrastructure. The fear is that our roads, bridges, even commercial flights can't stand the heat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN (voice over): With roads buckling in the Pacific Northwest, a deluge drenching a New York City subway and fatal flooding across Europe, scientists say climate change is here and it's pounding our infrastructure.

JOSH DEFLORIO, CHIEF OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, PANYNJ: And the water was up to my eyeballs.

MUNTEAN: Josh DeFlorio heads climate resilience for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is beefing up its tunnels, airports and train stations to handle higher temperatures and higher sea levels. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy left this path commuter train station in New Jersey entirely under water. DAMIAN MCSHANE, ASST. DIRECTOR, PANYNJ CAPITAL PROGRAMS: We needed to

realize that climate change was real, sea level rise is real, and we needed to make sure that we were accounting for that as we move forward.

MUNTEAN: The Port Authority is even installing flood gates at station entrances, 7,000 pounds. They are designed to be deployed quickly in case of an unforecasted rush of water. The latest estimate is water levels worldwide will rise by 6 feet by the end of this century.

DEFLORIO: So I think people see it. I'm not sure that they understand how much worse it's going to get and how quickly.

MUNTEAN (on camera): During Hurricane Sandy, flood waters here entered through the elevator shaft. So the Port Authority re-enforced these structures with aquarium thickness glass. The concern about future floods is so real that the glass stretches nearly 20 feet up.

MUNTEAN (voice over): On the other end of the country, the concern is over the heat that melted some of Seattle's I-5 last month.

[07:00:05]

SHANE UNDERWOOD (ph): The material properties --

MUNTEAN: Shane Underwood (ph) researches asphalt at North Carolina.