Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

Biden Is Running Out Of Options To Tame Record Gas Prices; Vice President Attended Buffalo Shooting Victim's Funeral And Met With Families; Pelosi's Husband Charged With DUI After Crash In California. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired May 30, 2022 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:31:32]

JOHN AVLON, CNN ANCHOR: Gas prices hitting a record $4.62 a gallon as AAA predicts nearly 35 million Americans are traveling by car this Memorial Day weekend.

Well, CNN's Rahel Solomon is here. What, if anything, the president can do to lower these prices at the pump? That's the key question, right?

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That is the key question. And for the first time, according to AAA, the average cost of gas in all 50 states is more than $4.00, so the pain is widespread across the country.

So, John, it's understandable why Americans would be wanting the president to do something. But as Mark Finley of Rice University just told me about an hour ago, there's very little any sitting U.S. president can do in the short term to try to lower prices.

President Biden has already pulled the short-term levers at his disposal. He has tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserves. He has appealed, unsuccessfully, to Saudi Arabia and OPEC to try to increase global supply. But again, that was unsuccessful.

I want to show you Brent, the global benchmark for oil and you can get a sense of sort of what we're experiencing.

AVLON: Right.

SOLOMON: You see the price spike there. Brent spiked 60%-70% over the last six months. And so, this is a global phenomenon that we're all dealing with.

OK, what now? What can the president do? Well, let's take a look at sort of what goes into the price at the pump. Part of it is taxes, right? You see at the top there, taxes, which is why there have been calls for a tax holiday.

AVLON: Yes.

SOLOMON: Not a ton of support at the federal level -- perhaps, at the state level.

Refining capacity. When I spoke to Patrick De Haan of Gas Buddy about this, he said look, that could be a solution, but in the long term -- so not helpful here.

And the bulk of prices, of course, is crude and demand is such an important part of that. There's not much the president can do about demand.

AVLON: But let's talk about what the president can do. I'm into solutions, right? So let's talk --

SOLOMON: OK, fair.

AVLON: -- solution.

So, if tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserves didn't help. It didn't even make much of a ripple. What's --

SOLOMON: The proverbial drop in the bucket.

AVLON: That's right. So people are going to blame the president even though this is global. So what is left for this administration to do?

SOLOMON: Well, you know, I asked that because I, too, am about solutions.

AVLON: Yes.

SOLOMON: I asked Mark Finley -- well, what can he do? And he said at this point, perhaps petitioning some of the oil investors -- shareholders to prioritize investing and not just shareholder dividends. But we know that oil companies have been losing money for years. And so, it's going to be a tough sell to try to get them to now -- as they're increasing their profits, to give some of that back.

AVLON: They're trying to get some money off the table.

SOLOMON: Yes.

AVLON: But what about OPEC? What about the Saudis? What about them --

SOLOMON: Well --

AVLON: -- increasing (INAUDIBLE)?

SOLOMON: -- OPEC has said that they feel like the market is in balance even though it's feeling quite tight on this side.

And, John, I want to tell you two things that some of the experts I'm speaking to told me to watch out for. June first -- right around the corner. Of course, that's the beginning of hurricane season --

AVLON: Yes.

SOLOMON: -- and it's when the city of Shanghai, a city of about 25 to 30 million people, starts to come back online after these lockdowns. And so, now you have about 25 to 30 million more people tapping into demand. That's not going to help either.

And so, the unfortunate reality for President Biden is there isn't much he can do in the short term. We know the energy secretary told our colleague Matt Egan last week that all options are on the table and so it remains to be seen what creative solutions they'll find. But the options are looking pretty bleak at this point.

AVLON: It sounds like a global problem is going to need a global solution, and that's going to require some of the key oil-producing countries to start increasing production because there's no evidence that this is an equilibrium, at least when it comes to people at the pump.

SOLOMON: Yes, well said.

[07:35:00]

AVLON: All right, Rahel Solomon. Thank you very much.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: As funeral services are set to begin today in Uvalde, Texas, the last victim of the Buffalo mass shooting was buried over the weekend. Vice President Kamala Harris attended the funeral of 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield, the oldest victim of the attack that killed 10 people. And she also met with families of several other victims.

Joining me now from Buffalo is Michelle Spight, who is the cousin to Margus Morrison and the niece of Pearl Young, both killed in the attack. And Pamela Pritchett, who is Pearl Young's daughter, as well as Dominique there -- or pardon me, we are not joined by Dominique, who is also a cousin to Margus as well.

Pamela, to you first. Can you just put into words what this has done to your family?

PAMELA PRITCHETT, RELATIVE OF TWO BUFFALO SHOOTING VICTIMS, MARGUS MORRISON AND PEARL YOUNG: Yes. I will begin by saying that you never expect to be a part of this family. And when I say this family, I mean the families all throughout the United States who have lost someone to tragedy.

I remember that day in May very clearly. My brother Damen and I were frantically calling my mom because we knew that she had gone to the Tops. And he's calling and we're getting voicemails. And my uncle, who is a bishop, is sending his son over to my mom's.

And what is very clear to me is my brother -- he was in such shock that all he could send me was a text that said "Mom's dead." And I just screamed and I hollered, and I was so overwhelmed and grief in those few moments because you are shocked that you become a part of a family like that.

Here in the United States, there are at least over 250 families who heard that same phone call -- got that same message that someone they loved was senselessly killed in a massacre by a person who hated them because of the color of their skin.

Right now, I said to Michelle it's difficult for me right now in this interview right now. I'm feeling overwhelmed and just grief, but I also know that my mom was a tenacious woman and that she would want me, in spite of everything that I am feeling right now, to have the opportunity to tell her story, and that's why I'm here right now.

KEILAR: And I know that you will --

PRITCHETT: That's it.

KEILAR: I know, Pamela, that you will tell her story and I can't imagine how hard it is for you to do that and the strength that it takes, as well, for you to do that.

Michelle, we did just show a picture of the meeting of your family with the vice president. What did you tell her? And what did she say to you?

MICHELLE SPIGHT, MET WITH VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS OVER THE WEEKEND: Just -- the meeting with the vice president was great two-fold. What she said to us, which we are so grateful for, was she offered her sincere, heartfelt condolences, and we felt that. We felt that not just with her words but by her presence. So we are eternally grateful for that.

The only question that I had for her, based on our family and being a liaison, is that we wanted to continue the conversation. So we knew that this meet and greet, as much as it was -- all of maybe 15 minutes or so, respectfully -- just wasn't enough time. So this was our opportunity to emphatically continue the assignment. And our assignment was to continue that conversation to effect change and take that compassion on to an effective change. So, we were so glad that she obliged us and we're excited about it.

KEILAR: That you will have a chance to go to the White House at some point? That's your expectation? What can you tell us?

SPIGHT: Absolutely. The only question I had for her -- I said, you know, we're really glad that you came. We are so grateful for your empathy and sympathy. But beyond that, we need a conversation. We want a chance to sit at the table and put some strategic planning together so that no other family in this country and this world, for that matter, is impacted the way that we were. And she looked me eyeball- to-eyeball and obliged. So, we're excited and we're just waiting for that date.

KEILAR: I mean, Dominique, there is never enough time to explain what the loss is of your cousin. What the loss is to your family here.

[07:40:00]

I know that your family wants to see change. They want to see an anti- Black hate crime bill. We see the data. We see the bias against Black Americans overwhelming comprises the largest category of reported hate crime offensives year-over-year. What does your family want Congress to know? What do they want to see?

DOMINIQUE DOUGLAS, COUSIN OF BUFFALO SHOOTING VICTIM MARGUS MORRISON: More than just my family, it's the community. As Michelle said, one massacre at one grocery store has touched one person and two families, right? So if you can imagine one person and two families, this has hit an entire community.

We need to not just see change in this hate bill. We need to go and sit at this table because there needs to be a systematic change.

SPIGHT: Absolutely. Absolutely.

DOUGLAS: This system is working exactly as it's supposed to work, which is why the murderous thug that killed all these people is still alive and walking, and sitting in his jail cell awaiting his trial while there are many, many Black people who have done less who are dead right now. A man who passed a fake $20 bill on live T.V. got his self strangled and choked -- suffocated to death.

So what we really need to see, what my cousin would be happy to see, what Pearl Young would be happy to see, what the other -- what all 10 of the Buffalo 10 would be grateful to see us do is go sit down at that table --

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

DOUGLAS: -- and have a -- have a real conversation about what systems were in place that allowed an 18-year-old who is not legally allowed to smoke cigarettes, to go buy an AR-15 and drive hours to another city and murder people for no other reason than the color of their skin. There are reasons that was able to happen and that's what we need to sit down and talk about.

KEILAR: Dominique, Michelle, Pamela --

PRITCHETT: And, Brianna --

KEILAR: Sorry -- go on. Go on, Pam.

PRITCHETT: Brianna, if I can just say one quick thing. I believe that this is unprecedented times and I want to go to Congress, and I know that's never happened. But I want to go to Congress and I want to tell Congress the story of my mother. They need to hear that story.

I want them to know what it sounds like when the funeral director says you have to bring a hat because of what a man did with something that was so powerful. I want them to know what it is like to touch a person's hair that's been filled with blood and so the softness of their hair is no longer there. I want to talk to Congress.

The allowed --

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

DOUGLAS: Absolutely. PRITCHETT: You know, January 6, insurrectionists came and put their feet in the House of the Senate. Why can't I come there and speak to them? I don't want to talk behind closed doors.

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

DOUGLAS: Absolutely.

PRITCHETT: I want them to hear my mother's story. Every American deserves that. We are not the children of the Congress or the Senate.

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

PRITCHETT: We are their constituents --

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

PRITCHETT: -- and they need to hear what we have to say.

DOUGLAS: They work for us --

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

DOUGLAS: -- and this needs to be looked at domestic terrorism as serious as 9/11 was. Because if we can -- if we can come together as a country and see the unity and the importance of unity against international terrorism --

SPIGHT: Certainly (INAUDIBLE).

DOUGLAS: -- how can we not see that against domestic terrorism?

SPIGHT: Absolutely.

PRITCHETT: Yes.

KEILAR: Look, you all deserve to be heard and we all deserve to hear what you have to say. And we appreciate you being with us this morning -- all of you. Thank you so much.

SPIGHT: Thank you for having us.

DOUGLAS: Thank you so much for having us and hearing us.

PRITCHETT: Thank you for having us. Thank you for the opportunity.

AVLON: Happening now, President Biden is attending Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church. He is in Delaware for the seventh anniversary of his son Beau's death. Afterwards, Biden will make his way to Arlington National Cemetery where he'll lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and deliver remarks on this Memorial Day.

Meanwhile, travel plans derailed across the country as thousands of flights are grounded this weekend. So what's behind it? KEILAR: And new details on the arrest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's

husband charged with a DUI following a car crash. How Speaker Pelosi is now responding.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:48:30]

AVLON: Americans are on the move this Memorial Day weekend but thousands of flight cancelations are derailing their travel plans.

CNN's Pete Muntean joins us now from Reagan National Airport in D.C. to explain what is behind the delays -- Pete.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, John, this is a huge test for airlines. Not only is this major holiday travel weekend coming when at -- the first time after the end of the transportation mask mandate, but also as airlines are facing these huge staffing shortages causing cancelations of flights.

Just look at the numbers, according to the TSA. It's screening about two million people or more for the last few days -- those numbers -- but 90% of what we saw back in 2019 before the pandemic, and the TSA says we could still see a number that is even higher than the same day back in 2019.

AAA predicted numbers pretty close to pre-pandemic levels, though not quite -- 34.9 million people hitting the road in total over the 5-day Memorial Day travel period, traveling 50 miles or more. Those numbers not all that far off from what we saw back in 2019.

We will see as this goes forward, though, so many people facing really high gas prices. The national average for a gallon of regular, $4.62, according to AAA. Even when you adjust it for inflation, this is the highest gas price that we have seen (audio difficulty).

[07:50:00]

AVLON: It looks like we lost Pete there outside Reagan National. But as you can tell, Americans are traveling like COVID never happened. But gas prices and delays are causing real problems on the road.

KEILAR: Yes. We are feeling that, John Avlon, indeed.

So we do have some new details this morning after Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after being involved in a car crash on Saturday night.

CNN's Lauren Fox is joining me now. Tell us about this. Where did this happen?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paul Pelosi, who is 82 years old, was driving on a road up in Napa Valley, California, and he was attempting to turn and crossed into State Road 29 in that area and was struck by a Jeep. Now, there were no injuries. This crash occurring around 10:30 p.m. -- that's when police

responded. But at 11:44 p.m., after police arrive on the scene, he is arrested for driving under the influence, taken to the county detention center, then released sometime early Sunday morning around 4:45 in the morning.

Now, I asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office to respond to this yesterday and this is the statement they are putting out from her spokesman Drew Hammill, saying quote, "The Speaker will not be commenting on this private matter which occurred while she was on the East Coast."

So, the speaker not with her husband as this incident occurred but obviously significant given the fact this is the Speaker of the House.

KEILAR: Yes, it certainly is.

Lauren Fox, thank you so much. I know that you'll continue to follow this story.

Uvalde school officers had been trained to confront an active shooter just two months ago. So what went so wrong during the shooting? We have new reporting, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:55:53]

AVLON: For decades, beloved culinary icon Julia Child and her legacy has been inspiring at-home and professional chefs with her unmistakable voice and lighthearted approach to cooking. Now the new CNN film "JULIA" tells the story of the legendary cook and T.V. superstar who changed the way Americans think about food, television, and the roles of women in American life.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Julia never called herself a feminist although she was clearly really important to the feminist movement.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Women were treated pretty badly in cooking school. Teachers were all European male chefs and they'd rather not have women in their kitchen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Most women felt that they couldn't really have a career making money in food. But her success really opened up a career path to a lot of women who may not have thought about it at the time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I started working with Julia, we'd walk into a restaurant to have a meal. Then afterwards, they'd want to give us a tour of the kitchen. And the first thing she would say is "Where are all the women? How comes there's no women in here?"

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She absolutely expanded the possibilities of what women could do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: All right. Joining us now, the director of the CNN film "JULIA," Betsy West. Betsy, great to see you.

BETSY WEST, DIRECTOR, CNN FILM "JULIA": Nice to be here.

AVLON: So -- I mean, such an iconic figure. Such an iconic voice. I remember my grandmother watching Julia Child. I called her Julia chef because that's who she was.

What drew you to this story because her outsized impact is extraordinary?

WEST: Yes. You know, Julia Child was a superstar chef but somebody who actually didn't learn how to cook until she was 39 years old, and didn't go on television --

AVLON: There's hope for us all.

WEST: I know -- and didn't go on television until she was in her 50s. So this is a very unlikely, fascinating story that's full of passion and a lot of determination, and a great romance. My filmmaking partner Julie Cohen and I just couldn't resist.

AVLON: Well, I have to say one of the very cool things about her is that before she was a chef, she worked for the OSS, which was the precursor to the CIA, although sadly not a secret agent because I would -- that alternate history would be fascinating.

But what's great about her is that -- is that she is without any guile. She is so authentically herself. She just rolls up her sleeves and showed people how to cook.

And there's a direct line. I mean, this person created a genre. There's a direct line from Julia Child to the Food Network -- to a thousand imitators.

WEST: Absolutely. I mean, there had been a few cooking shows on television before Julia, but nobody who had Julia's joie de vivre. You know, as you say, Julia's authenticity -- audiences loved here. They loved the fact that she was herself. They made fun of the voice. And they were often waiting to see what mistake she was going to make because she loved making mistakes, in a way, so she could tell people what to do.

AVLON: I appreciate the assist --

WEST: Yes.

AVON: -- because there's the clip we're going to play where she embraces those mistakes and kind of demystifies them.

WEST: Yes.

AVLON: Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIA CHILD, CHEF: I'm going to try and flip this over. It is a rather daring thing to do. You'll just have to have the courage of your convictions, particularly if it's sort of a loose mass like this. Well, that didn't go very well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If she made a mistake, she was not remotely rattled.

CHILD: I didn't have the courage to do it the way I should have. But you can always pick it up, and if you're alone in the kitchen who is going to see?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She felt that making a mistake was a good thing just so that she could then show you how to fix it.

CHILD: Any time that anything like this happens you haven't lost anything because you can always turn this into something else. We'll pretend that this was supposed to be a baked potato dish.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: This is -- so for anyone who perfection is paralysis, she's saying don't --

WEST: Yes.

AVLON: -- sweat the small stuff. This is just cooking. Have fun with it.

WEST: Yes. I mean, she was a confidence builder. She loved to cook and she wanted other people to love cooking as well.

AVLON: Very cool.

Betsy West, thank you for bringing us "JULIA." Appreciate it.

WEST: Thank you so much, John.

AVLON: All right. Be sure to tune in to this all-new CNN film "JULIA" which premieres tonight at 8:00 eastern right here on CNN.

NEW DAY continues right now.

[08:00:00]