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Biden: U.S. Will Respond Militarily if China Invades Taiwan; Biden: Putin Trying to Eliminate Ukrainians' Identity; Biden Eases Monkeypox Warning; First Baby Formula Shipment Arrives from Germany; Stacey Abrams Aims to Energize Democratic Voters in Georgia; Pence Defies Trump to Campaign for Kemp in Georgia. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired May 23, 2022 - 06:00   ET

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


ANNA STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a Davos with such big head winds: from the war in Ukraine, the resulting inflation, the risk of recession for big economies, as well as climate change and the pandemic -- Christine.

[06:00:12]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: So much. All right. Anna Stewart, we know you'll be following it for us this week. Thank you so much.

And thanks for joining us to start your new week. I'm Christine Romans.

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Laura Jarrett. NEW DAY starts right now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Berman with Brianna Keilar on this NEW DAY. President Biden catching his own administration off-guard with a tough message for China, and moments ago, China responds.

The first shipment of desperately-needed baby formula arrives in the United States as more babies are hospitalized.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And President Biden shifting his warning about monkeypox as another possible case is being investigated in the U.S.

And the Republican showdown in Georgia. Former President Trump and Vice President Pence campaign for dueling candidates as voters prepare to head to the polls.

BERMAN: Good morning to to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. It is Monday, May 23.

President Biden making unexpected headlines in Tokyo this morning. It's even breaking news to his top aides. The president was asked if the United States would, quote, "get involved militarily," I should say, if China were to invade Taiwan. This is the exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are?

BIDEN: That's a commitment we made. We agree with one China policy. We signed onto it, and all the attendant agreements made from there. But the idea that -- that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not -- is just not appropriate. It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in -- in Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The United States already provides defensive weapons to Taiwan and has previously maintained what is called strategic ambiguity about intervening militarily in the event of a Chinese attack.

The comments this morning seem a little less ambiguous. As to whether they were strategic, CNN has learned the president's comments caught his top aides off-guard. They are already issuing some clarifications this morning. Beijing issued a response a short time ago, as well.

KEILAR: The president also announced that 13 nations will be joining an Asia-Pacific economic framework. The goal is to level the economic playing field with China.

President Biden also ripping into Vladimir Putin for attempting to eliminate the identity of Ukraine. He says Russia must pay a long-term price.

And when asked about the challenges facing the U.S. economy, the president insisted a recession is not inevitable. CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins traveling with the president, she is live with us now from Tokyo with the very latest here -- Kaitlan.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there were no conditions when the president made that striking comment about Taiwan, no clarifications that he offered later on as he was talking about this remarkable position that he had just taken on Taiwan.

He had gone close to that before but never this assertive as he was today during that press conference, where he said, yes, very bluntly, that the United States would come to Taiwan's aid militarily, should China attack Taiwan.

And that is, of course, incredibly significant. It caught some of the president's own advisers who were in the room off-guard, because they did not expect the president to be that unvarnished in his view of what the United States would do if China were to attack Taiwan, something that the United States obviously has been concerned about and other allies, including Japan, ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That's only amplified that.

And the reason this is so significant is before, the United States has warned China against using force in Taiwan, but they've been very vague on purpose, purposefully vague on what they would do if China did, if they did use force in Taiwan. That has been this -- this purpose, this really intent called strategic ambiguity where they're not saying what they would do, what they would not do.

And President Biden has tiptoed close to that before only for aides to later walk it back. And shortly after he made comments today, you did see aides go out and tell CNN on background, of course, meaning there is no name attached to it, that the president's position on Taiwan had not changed.

But certainly, saying that, yes, he would come to their aid militarily is a big change, compared to just simply providing them with defensive weapons, with lethal weapons like the United States has said they are doing and would be prepared to do going ahead.

And so I think when you look back at what the aides say when they do walk back these comments, there's only so many times that aides can walk back a comment that the president makes before it's very clear what his intent is and what his belief is, should this rise to that matter, if China did attack Taiwan.

[06:05:15]

KEILAR: Yes, clearly, there's a shift. I think it's very obvious, as you listen to him in that case there.

It was also really interesting, Kaitlan, and I know it was to you, as well, Biden's comments when it came to Ukraine and what President Putin's goal is there.

COLLINS: Yes, of course, this was the larger context, really, of the Taiwan situation, because the president said, while he does not believe, ultimately, that China will invade Taiwan, he was talking about, basically, how the dynamics have changed. And people have been raising the question of the lessons learned from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and what that means.

And I think that is part of the reason you've seen such a strong action by the United States when it comes to arming Ukraine, providing them with all of this weaponry that they've been providing them with, is they want it to be a lesson. They know that China is watching closely, and they want them to be paying attention to how the world is treating Russia.

Basically saying, if this is what you do in Taiwan, this is how you will be treated by the rest of the world. And the president today talking about making sure that President Putin is paying the price.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: They're showing bombings of schools, you know, no military purpose. Schools, hospitals, day care centers, all the things -- museums, blowing up all the museums. I believe what Putin is attempting to do is eliminate the identity of Ukraine. The identity. He can't occupy it, but he can try to destroy its identity.

And the reason I bother to mention that is he has to pay, and Russia has to pay a long-term price for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: And those comments there really showing a lot of what the president's insight -- insight into what the president believes is happening here, saying that he doesn't believe, ultimately, Putin will be able to occupy Ukraine; but saying that this goal of what you're seeing happening on a daily basis, what President Zelenskyy was just talking about a few moments ago in his address, shows what Putin's true intent is, which he said is to eliminate the identity of the Ukrainian people.

And of course, this is something that has loomed over almost every conversation the president has had here in Asia.

KEILAR: Yes. Certainly. Kaitlan, thank you so much, live for us from Tokyo. We do appreciate it -- Berman.

BERMAN: Joining us now, Sue Mi Terry, former CIA, North Korea analyst and former White House official. She also serves as the director of the Asia Program and Center for Korean History and Public Policy at the Wilson Center.

Dr. Terry, great to have you here.

President Biden asked if the U.S. would get involved militarily if China invades Taiwan. His answer, yes. The significance?

SUE MI TERRY, DIRECTOR, ASIA PROGRAM AND CENTER FOR KOREAN HISTORY AND PUBLIC POLICY, THE WILSON CENTER: Well, it is significant, because even though U.S. policy towards China and Taiwan has not changed. We stand by one China policy.

China is not going to take this lightly. This is Biden's second or third time saying that he might protect Taiwan or get involved militarily. So it does send a very strong message.

And it is shift. It is a shift, because we always practice -- U.S. -- strategic ambiguity when we're pressed with this question. So I'm sure the aides are walking back, and they don't know -- you know, they're trying to manage this because of China. I'm sure Xi Jinping is not liking what he's hearing.

BERMAN: Richard Haass from the Council on Foreign Relations applauded what the president said just a short time ago and called it strategic clarity.

TERRY: Yes.

BERMAN: Do you think it's important to tell China what the U.S. position is here clearly?

TERRY: I think post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine, things have shifted; things are changed. I think this is Biden -- what President Biden is trying to do is really deter China and trying to send a very strong message. So I would have said maybe not, you know, pre-Russia's invasion of

Ukraine, but, again, post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I think it is important for us to send a very, very strong signal to China.

BERMAN: How has Ukraine changed China's view of the world, do you think?

TERRY: If I'm Xi Jinping, I would think twice about the whole Taiwan situation. Not that they don't believe in -- they will always -- it's not that China's vision of China -- Taiwan is different. It's just that how the world has responded, how the world came together to respond in terms of Russia, to respond against Russia, right? That's the coalition that the Biden administration was able to build. If I'm Xi Jinping, I would think twice about it.

BERMAN: Do you have a sense of how far the United States would be willing to go when it gets involved militarily, as President Biden just promised to do in Taiwan?

TERRY: I think for President Biden -- it might be different with a different president. For this president, I think he made it pretty clear. This is, again, not the first time, sort of implying this.

So I think for President Biden, for this president -- this president, if China were to attack Taiwan, I think he means it when he said we'll get involved militarily.

[06:10:03]

BERMAN: Dr. Terry, great to have you here. Thank you so much.

TERRY: Thank you.

KEILAR: More than --

BERMAN: More than -- all right, sorry. Got to go ahead.

KEILAR: Sorry. No reason (ph).

More than 100 confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in 12 countries, including the U.S. After saying that it is something, quote, "Everybody should be concerned about," yesterday President Biden eased that warning. This morning, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Thus far, there doesn't seem to be a need for any kind of extra -- extra effort beyond what's going on. And so I just don't think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19 or -- and the smallpox vaccine works for it. So -- but I think people should be careful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And CNN's Jacqueline Howard is with us live now. So he's shifting, it sounds, on how worried we should be. So how worried should we be here, Jacqueline?

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brianna. Really, we should not panic, but this is something of scientific concern and it's definitely something that the public should be made aware of.

And the reason why, we're seeing cases in countries where the virus is not endemic. So these are countries where we typically don't see many monkeypox cases.

And we should have a list here or a map, I should say. You see Australia, Belgium, Canada. The United States is also highlighted on this map.

Here in the United States, the first monkeypox case was confirmed in Massachusetts. We heard in New York officials were investigating possible cases and most recently in Florida officials announced a presumptive case. So they're looking at a possibility there, as well.

And, Brianna, just yesterday, the White House's COVID-19 response coordinator, Dr. Ashish Jha, spoke on ABC's "This Week." And as Dr. Jha said, that compared with COVID, monkeypox is not as contagious. We know this virus, we know how it spreads. You really need direct contact with someone, like direct contact with large respiratory droplets, bodily fluids. And the disease causes lesions on the skin, so direct contact with lesions.

And really, some of these cases that have been identified most recently, officials have looked at the cases associated with possible sexual activity. So that's another example of how you really need direct contact for this to spread.

So bottom line, we should not panic. But, again, this is something of scientific concern, and I'm sure we'll hear more from officials soon -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes. The numbers are low. Let's hope that they stay that way. Jacqueline, thank you so much.

BERMAN: To the first shipment of baby formula has arrived in Indianapolis on a U.S. military flight from Germany. It was carrying more than 70,000 pounds of formula.

The flight was the first of several Operation Fly Formula shipments expected from Europe this week. CNN's Polo Sandoval live in Indianapolis.

You know, Polo, this is symbolic, but a much-needed shipment.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, John. And clearly, the Biden administration is trying to regain the confidence of frustrated parents across the country, some 35 tons at a time. That was yesterday's shipment.

But it's important to point out that this particular shipment that arrived here in Indianapolis at the airport that you see behind me yesterday, it has a very specific goal here: to address the nutritional needs of children with dietary restrictions, perhaps with an allergy to the protein found in cow's milk.

So that's why those 35 tons will be going, not to supermarkets or shelves, but instead to hospitals and other healthcare facilities, as well.

But I have to tell you, there's certainly an expectation not just here in Indianapolis but also throughout the country that future shipments will address the wider -- the wider demand for this product here.

Also, an interesting perspective from the Air Force's 521st Airborne Mobility Operations wing. Those servicemen and women who actually flew this particular shipment from Germany here to Indianapolis yesterday, in the last year alone, they have basically flown families out of Afghanistan; Ukrainian help into Europe; and now, baby formula into the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STAFF SGT. MEGHAN LEI KALISEK, WING MOBILITY, SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE: I can't tell you the amount of family members that I have personally that are affected and the community of people that I work with. So we are just so fortunate to be able to be a part of this, to be here to help out.

You know, usually we're in the war fight. You know, we're over in Afghanistan, Ukraine, things like that. So being able to be here and actually help out our fellow man, you know, our people, is such an amazing opportunity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: So the biggest question, what is the Biden administration going to do now to address the wider need? We heard from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday, who was on hand to receive this shipment, saying that the approach is really kind of a three-prong approach here.

To make sure that that plant in Sturgis, Michigan, is beginning to resume full production of its product domestically, also engage in these conversations with manufacturers of baby formula in Europe to try to import more excess formula.

Then finally, the secretary said more of these flights, John and Brianna. He mentioned that he expects another flight in the coming -- the coming days.

One other official on the ground told me that it is his expectation that that flight will contain more of that general use formula and that's what parents have been pleading for for several months now.

BERMAN: Yes, the beginning of a solution perhaps. Polo Sandoval in Indianapolis. Thanks, Polo.

The Republican showdown in Georgia as Donald Trump and Mike Pence campaign for dueling candidates for governor.

And just announced, the White House considering tapping emergency diesel reserve -- the emergency diesel reserve to ease spiking fuel prices.

KEILAR: And this just in, a Russian soldier charged with committing war crimes in Ukraine learns his sentence. CNN is live at the courthouse.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:20:00]

KEILAR: It's primary eve in five states holding elections tomorrow, and the spotlight will be on Georgia. While the Republican race for governor is getting much of the attention, on the other side of things, Democrat Stacey Abrams is running unopposed. The question is, though, can she energize voters in time for November?

CNN's Eva McKend is live for us in Atlanta. What are you seeing there, Eva?

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Brianna.

You know, so many organizations working to get out the vote in this state are connected to Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams. They tell me that though they recognize this this is a tough midterm environment for Democrats nationally, if Georgia Democrats focus locally on their races, they can be insulated from some of those challenges.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCKEND (voice-over): As Republicans go head to head in the closing hours of the Georgia primary, less turmoil at the top of the ticket for Democrats in the state, where candidate for governor Stacey Abrams is running uncontested.

Still, as inflation and high gas prices loom, it's a difficult midterm environment for Democrats.

STACEY ABRAMS (D), GEORGIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: We are spending our time on the ground reaching into communities that feel like they've been left behind.

MCKEND (voice-over): In 2020, Joe Biden was the first Democratic presidential candidate in 28 years to carry Georgia. Two months later, a pair of Senate runoff wins delivered Democrats the majority in the chamber.

More than a year later, Biden's job approval as president now stands around 40 percent, and the Democratic agenda in Washington is stalled.

MCKEND: Will you ask President Biden to come campaign with you here?

ABRAMS: I look forward to inviting every single Democrat to come to the state, because we need every single Democrat to turn out in the state.

MCKEND: Well, President Biden specifically, would you welcome him as a surrogate?

ABRAMS: Absolutely.

MCKEND (voice-over): Democratic voters in the Peach State appear eager for a rematch. Of the 2018 race between Abrams and incumbent Governor Brian Kemp.

GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): Good to see y'all. Thanks for coming.

DEBORAH THOMPSON, DEMOCRATIC GEORGIA VOTER: I'm enthusiastic about it, and anything that I can do to help, I'm right there.

MCKEND (voice-over): Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock is one of the most endangered Democrats up for reelection this fall. He faces a likely general election matchup with former football great Herschel Walker.

SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): I'm Raphael Warnock. I'm a dad, a senator, a pastor, but a magician, I'm not.

THOMPSON: Like he said, he's not a magician, but I think he's been doing a good job for Georgia, trying to get things done.

MCKEND (voice-over): From moderates to progressive younger voters, Democrats rely on a diverse set of coalitions. They will have to keep together to win in November.

ANDRA GILLESPIE, EMORY UNIVERSITY: Georgia is more competitive now than it was a decade or two ago. The Democrats have figured out how to organize in the state. They have figured out how to do voter mobilization.

MCKEND (voice-over): More than 800,000 voters participated in the early vote period, despite a controversial voting law signed by Governor Kemp last year. Most were Republican voters, but Democratic turnout is up, as well.

ABRAMS: We have to remember that voter suppression isn't about stopping every voter. It's about blocking and impeding those voters who are considered inconvenient.

The moral equivalent of saying that voter turnout diffuses or disproves voter suppression is like saying that more people getting in the water means there are no longer any sharks.

MCKEND (voice-over): Grassroots organizers like the Abrams-founded group Blue Georgia Project are confident they can build on the gains they made in recent years. They say they have a plan in place to turn out 150,000 new voters.

KENDRA COTTON, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, NEW GEORGIA PROJECT: This isn't about Democrats in Washington. It's about Democrats here in Georgia and how we are framing our messaging at the door as we've gone very local. We haven't been leaning, if you will, on what's going on federally.

But what we're saying is, you know, look at the incremental change that's going on here on the ground.

MCKEND (voice-over): Kemp appears ready for a rematch, as well, already telling voters Abrams is the great unifier of the Republican Party.

ABRAMS: I'm looking forward to unifying all of Georgia, and I'm glad he said I'm halfway there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKEND (on camera): You hear Abrams making light of Governor Kemp calling her the great unifier of the Republican Party. Kemp, though, still has a primary to contend with, and though polls suggest that he will run away in that primary against his main opponent, Trump- endorsed David Perdue, voters will have the final say Tuesday -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right. We'll be watching, Eva. Thank you so much for that report.

BERMAN: On the Republican side tonight, former Vice President Mike Pence will defy Donald Trump and campaign for Governor Brian Kemp. This is ahead of tomorrow's primary.

Trump has endorsed Kemp's opponent, former U.S. Senator David Perdue, in Georgia's governor's race.

Joining us now is the former Republican Philadelphia city commissioner, Al Schmidt.

Al, great to see you here. Obviously, Brian Kemp, the Georgia governor, did not cooperate with Donald Trump in his efforts to overturn the Georgia election results. As a result, Trump has endorsed his opponent. What do you see as being at stake in Georgia?

[06:25:10]

AL SCHMIDT (R), FORMER PHILADELPHIA CITY COMMISSIONER: Well, I think it's really remarkable because when the former -- when Governor Kemp sort of defied then-President Trump's lies about the election in Florida, I think everybody wrote him off for -- for reelection, and we're seeing something quite different.

We not only have Trump supporting Perdue, which is no surprise, but we have Pence supporting Kemp, which is remarkable. And are really rallying around the kind of institutional, traditional, conservative Republican candidate in Kemp and that not occurring for more populist Trump-supported, Sarah Palin-supported candidate Perdue.

KEILAR: I wonder -- I know you're watching Pennsylvania so closely, this Republican primary that is so [SIC] close to call. And right now, Mehmet Oz and Dave McCormick obviously in the lead, but McCormick is trailing. And he's urging that undated mail-in ballots should be counted. And I just think, Al, it's such a reversal of fortunes here.

SCHMIDT: You're right, Brianna, and it's a little surreal to observe this, especially from the vantage point of Philadelphia.

Like you said, there's really only about 1,000 votes between Oz and McCormick right now. Oz is ahead. The mail-in ballot votes that take longer to count, as everyone knows, have been benefitting McCormick, but just incrementally.

So while that -- while Oz's lead has diminished, it hasn't sort of caught up yet. And I think the real remarkable thing here, and when I said it was surreal, is, you know, you have the McCormick campaign conspicuously staffed with -- with people who used to work for the former president, who, you know, fought against us counting all of our votes in Philadelphia, when it comes to mail-in ballots.

And now, they're the foremost advocates for getting those votes counted. So I'm sure there's plenty of Democrats in Philadelphia who would be happy to let the Republicans borrow their "Count Every Vote" signs left over sitting in their garage or basement from the 2020 election to use this time around.

BERMAN: The very same people you bring up a very, very good point there. You know, neither Oz nor McCormick at this point, though, it seems, Al, have cried fraud, which is something obviously that happened right away in 2020.

SCHMIDT: You're right, John, and I think that's something to commend. With a race this close and with so much pressure to declare victory and cry voter fraud, neither candidate has -- has done that.

And, you know, when we're critical of people for doing the wrong things, I think we should -- we should applaud people for doing the right things. And that's something that we haven't yet seen.

BERMAN: This almost certainly will go to a recount, so it will be days, if not weeks, before we figure out exactly who won there.

Former Philadelphia city commissioner, Al Schmidt, thank you so much for being with us.

SCHMIDT: Thank you.

BERMAN: And be sure to join us tomorrow for election night in America. CNN's live coverage begins at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the first lady of Ukraine sitting down together and saying that the war has torn their family apart. The rare joint interview, next.

Plus --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MISSILES FLYING OVERHEAD)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Russian missile strikes targeting western Ukraine intercepted by air defenses with a CNN team watching from the ground.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:30:00]