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New Day
War of Words Between Lightfoot and Abbott; Long-Term Plans to Support Ukraine; Counteroffensive Against Russia; Apple Unveils New iPhone. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired September 07, 2022 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COCO GAUFF, 18-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER: I'm definitely disappointed. But I think it makes me want to work even harder. And I feel like I know what I have to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Today, we will all be watching American Frances Tiafoe in his quarter final after he shocked the tennis world with a win over the great Rafael Nadal. Tiafoe's back story is just so inspiring. His parents came to the United States from war torn Sierra Leone. His father worked as a custodian at a tennis center in College Park, Maryland. Frances and his twin brother slept there. They began playing tennis at the age of four. All this at the tournament this year happened as perhaps the greatest of all time, the greatest of all time, Serena Williams stepping away from tennis, it seems. Her final match at the U.S. Open. It was the most watched tennis telecast ever on ESPN.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it just feels like there's a new chapter opening in tennis, and we're seeing it unfold before our eyes at this U.S. Open.
BERMAN: Look, Frances Tiafoe, man, he is the story of -- if he can win today, it is an incredible story.
KEILAR: I'm going to root for him. I am.
The war of words between Chicago's Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Texas Governor Greg Abbott is escalating over migrants. Abbott's Operation Lone Star has transported nearly 10,000 newly arrived migrants to the nation's capital and New York City by bus and now the Republican governor is busing more of them to Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT (D), CHICAGO: This is not a governor who wants to collaborate and cooperate with us. There's a way to do it. It's real simple. Pick up the phone, send me an email. That, to me, would show that he's -- importantly that he's regarding these folks as human beings who are deserving of respect and dignity and not treating them just like freight to be shipped across the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: CNN's Omar Jimenez joins us now live from Chicago on this.
Omar.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, Mayor Lightfoot says that she has been -- her office has been in regular communication with people on the ground in Texas, but that, as you heard, Governor Abbott is not one who wants to coordinate or cooperate. And she's said that he is manufacturing a humanitarian crisis.
Now, this goes back to last week when migrants first began arriving here in Chicago, another 50 got here Sunday afternoon and Mayor Lightfoot says Chicago will continue to offer them food, shelter, medical care, if necessary, as she wants Chicago to be a welcoming city.
But she's also said that Governor Abbott, as you heard, is treating these migrants like freight being shipped across the country. And she went so far as to call him a man without morals, shame or humanity.
Well, Governor Greg Abbott's office is responding through a statement that reads in part, instead of lowly personal attacks on the governor and complaining about a few dozen migrants being bused into their sanctuary city, Mayor Lightfoot should call on President Biden to take immediate action to secure the border.
Well, Customs and Border Protection has seen record amounts of interactions/encounters along the border, but Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said that when a state official acts unilaterally like this, it's thrown the federal system for processing migrants out of whack. And the state of Texas has already spent more than $12 million busing migrants to various other cities since the governor began doing this earlier this year, April into the summer.
Now, Mayor Lightfoot says she does plan to travel to Washington, D.C., later this week to meet with legislators and try to coordinate federal resources for here in Chicago and other cities as well to process some of these migrants. And Chicago, of course, is the third major city to receive these migrants from Texas on bus, of course, joining New York City and Washington, D.C.
Brianna.
KEILAR: All right, Omar, we'll be watching this. It just seems to be getting bigger between Governor Abbott and these mayors in Democratic cities.
The U.S. military is formulating long-term plans to help shape and support Ukraine's military. So, what could those plans look like? We have some new CNN reporting ahead.
BERMAN: And CNN sits down with American and British fighters who have joined Ukraine on the front lines. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:38:07]
BERMAN: This morning, sources say the Pentagon is working on establishing its long-term plans to support Ukraine. Not just the now, but the five years after the war is over.
CNN's Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon this morning.
Barbara, what exactly does this mean?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, John.
Look, what do you want the Ukraine military to look like? That's the question before the Pentagon right now. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, spearheading this analysis. What kind of weapons? What kind of strategy? What should the Ukraine military be capable of doing even once this war is over to defend itself against future aggression?
So, deep analysis, deep dive into all of this in coordination with the Ukrainians, of course, about what kind of weapons they might need, what kind of strategy do they want? Do they want to be a ground force? Do they want to have air power? Do they want to be strictly defensive? Do they want an offensive capability? All of this on the table right now.
Now, it is a delicate matter, of course, because it puts the U.S. in the position of telling Ukraine what it thinks it needs possibly. But Ukraine, of course, sovereign nation, they could decide to move ahead and go to other countries and seek to get the weapons they believe they need.
But, right now, this could lead to billions of dollars in additional multiyear contracts, long-term military training for Ukraine by the U.S. It sets the stage essentially for beyond the war. But, let's face it, also beyond a Biden administration. What it all may look like in the coming years.
And all important right now, this morning, in fact, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, taking off for Germany for a meeting tomorrow with the Ukrainians, NATO and about 40 other countries talking about future arm sales, future contracts, future support.
[06:40:04]
And all of this setting the foundation for what the Ukraine military will look like against the Russians possibly in the coming years.
John.
BERMAN: This is a long-term investment to be sure.
Barbara Starr, thank you very much. STARR: Sure.
KEILAR: Foreign fighters on the front lines say Ukraine is making slow but definite progress in retaking the southern region of Kherson. Their main challenge here on the battlefield is being outgunned and outnumbered.
CNN's Sam Kiley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
Go! Go! Go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No (INAUDIBLE). No (INAUDIBLE).
This normal. This normal.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Among the most forward troops in Ukraine's latest counteroffensive, this really is normal. When the crunch of incoming artillery is this intense --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guys.
KILEY: Casualties in this reconnaissance unit, which includes three foreigners, are inevitable.
Mark Ayres of Briton was lightly wounded on day one of the offensive. On day two, he was more seriously injured in the leg by artillery, alongside Michael Zafar, a former U.S. Marine from Kansas. He was hit in the hand, stomach and head. They joined Ukraine's army together but met fighting ISIS in Syria. Zafar is the former U.S. Marines' Kurdish code name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am fine. Go.
KILEY: As recon troops, they've been the tip of Ukraine's attacks on its southern front in the fight to recapture Kherson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go. No, go.
MICHAEL ZAFAR, AMERICAN FIGHTING IN UKRAINE: And then I just remember looking off to my left and then, pop. We couldn't see anything for a bit. Everything looked the same. Everything came to. Looked at my left, looked fine. Looked at my right, OK, I'm (EXPLETIVE DELETED) there. I'm (EXPLETIVE DELETED) there. All right, to the hole. To the hole.
KILEY: It's going to be a slow grinding fight, they say, whatever the claims of the Ukraine's government.
KILEY (on camera): This counteroffensive is being billed as kind of a quick process. Do you think that that's a --
MARK AYRES, BRITON FIGHTING IN UKRAINE: No, definitely not. It would - that won't be quick. I mean it's hard, slow fought. Meter by meter, our position by position, because we haven't got resources to do a massive blitzkrieg.
KILEY (voice over): U.S. weapons and other NATO equipment have proved useful, but not decisive as Ukraine has captured a handful of villages since the counteroffensive began. Here, Russian troops wave a white flag of surrender after precision artillery strikes by U.S. supplied howitzer's are monitored by Zafar's recon unit with a drone. Russia has motivated its troops with false claims that they're liberating Ukraine from Nazis.
KILEY (on camera): Do you feel sorry for the Russians?
AYRES: No. No. Not at all. It's not like Ukraine has invaded Russia. They've invaded Ukraine. They're here killing civilians, killing our soldiers. I've got no sympathy for them whatsoever.
KILEY (voice over): Ukraine's imposed a news blackout on the southern offensive and keeps its casualty figures secret. But, for these men, being wounded isn't the end of combat, it's an interruption.
KILEY (on camera): And are you going to go back?
ZAFAR: Yes, once everything heals on my body, probably within three to four weeks, I should be right back out there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: Now, John and Brianna, the initiative does -- at least on this southern front seems to be in the Ukrainians since this counteroffensive. And we're getting similar reports that there are slow advances being made in the Kharkiv area, in the north of the country. But in the east, the process is still being described there by Ukrainian soldiers as nothing short of a meat grinder. Casualties are escalating on both sides.
John. Brianna.
KEILAR: Sam, Putin made a speech this morning where he said that Russia has lost nothing in its special military operation in Ukraine. What do you make of that?
KILEY: Well, it's ludicrous and typical of the sort of propaganda that the Putin regime is putting out, which means that so many Russians still believe they're fighting a Nazi regime here in democratic west- leaning Ukraine that's presided over by a Jewish president. There are 40 countries about to meet to discuss the military support going forward for Ukraine. So they've lost strategically. The Russians have lost strategically. They've lost economically due to the gigantic levels of sanctions. They've lost many, many thousands of dead and injured in this war. And the indications are that the army itself is coming under deep pressure. It may even be crumbling in its rear because they are now having to reach out to none other than North Korea to try to buy more ammunition, particularly rockets and artillery, bombs and shells. So, in that context, it's very difficult to see where Russia hasn't lost. I'd love to hear where he thinks they might have gained.
Brianna.
KEILAR: Yes, very good point.
[06:45:01]
Sam Kiley, live for us in Odessa. Thank you.
Set to be unveiled today, a new iPhone, new AirPods and new price tags. What to expect at Apple's big event.
BERMAN: Why buff is the new rich for America's business moguls.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: The highly anticipated tech event of the season is here. Apple is expected to debut its iPhone 14 lineup later today. The keynote event will take place in the company's northern California headquarters. This year's tag line, far out.
With me now CNN chief business correspondent Christine Romans and CNN business correspondent Rahel Solomon.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Far out.
BERMAN: What can we expect today?
ROMANS: Well, maybe that far out could be a reference, experts say, to maybe a satellite connectivity for emergency calls. There's also probably a bigger screen, probably a bigger price tag, better camera, maybe a telephoto lens. Lots of little things around the edges to make people who want to upgrade their iPhone do it.
It always - I find it remarkable that people turn in a perfectly good, working phone to get another one and pay $1,000, but Apple has somehow plugged into this brand loyalty, haven't they?
[06:50:07]
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean I think part of it too is, once you have an iPhone and you see the newer version, suddenly your camera looks like gobbledygook. Like it - it just looks terrible in comparison. So, I think a big draw for this new iPhone 14 is the camera quality, especially for the selfie lovers out there. So that should really help --
ROMANS: That's you, John.
BERMAN: Yes.
SOLOMON: John Berman, that's directed at you.
Cost-wise, we expect it should cost about $100 more, especially at the higher end.
So, look, I don't think Apple's going to have any issues with demand here.
BERMAN: My arms aren't nearly long enough to get the --
ROMANS: I know.
BERMAN: You know, push back, push back, push back. I don't like it (INAUDIBLE).
ROMANS: My kids are like, don't even try it, mom. Just don't even -
BERMAN: Yes, I don't want to do the selfie.
What about price tag, right? Because there has been some inflation here. Are we going to see much more expensive iPhones?
ROMANS: That's the big question, I think. And the other question is - I think maybe $100 is what most people are thinking, it will be about $100 more.
SOLOMON: Right.
ROMANS: And we're in this period of inflation, right? But is this a tech essential that people will dig deep for? I think Apple is betting on the fact that people are going to pay for it. There's brand loyalty here and that the American consumer will pay for their gadgets.
SOLOMON: Also I think what's really interesting is more people are holding on to their phones. So that actually might benefit Apple this cycle. So, Wedbush put out a note recently saying that of the 1 billion active iPhones accounts, by their estimates, 240 million haven't upgraded their phones in three and a half years. So, that should really benefit Apple heading into this cycle.
ROMANS: That's a lot of phones.
BERMAN: I have two so I can do, you know, the selfie from two different angles. I have a cut away camera for the selfie right there.
SOLOMON: Ambitious.
BERMAN: All right, I think if there's one thing we've all noticed it's just how incredibly fit our bosses are.
ROMANS: Oh, my God.
BERMAN: Just - just what phenomenal shape they're in. "The Wall Street Journal" picked up on this and was talking about buff CEOs. You know, buff is the new rich.
SOLOMON: Rich and ripped.
BERMAN: Right. So, go ahead, explain. SOLOMON: Yes. This is clearly a thing. Rich CEOs are becoming more
fit. So it's not just Jeff Bezos. It's also Ari Emanuel. It's Strauss Zelnick. It's Jack Dorsey. May not be as fit but certainly health conscious.
What we're really seeing here is, I think, what we see just sort of amongst us mere mortals, a more focus on our image because of cameras, because of selfies, because of social media.
ROMANS: Some Mark Zuckerberg (INAUDIBLE).
SOLOMON: So, you know, CEOs, they certainly have the means to make sure that they look the best among us, I would say.
ROMANS: I think shareholder value, now shredded abs. It's part of their portfolio. You know, they've got the yachts, they've got the watches, they got the land, right, and now they've got a team and the time to make a nerd look like Thor. Essentially that is the ultimate status symbol, right? When you have the time and the people around you that you can make yourself look so great.
I was - I was thinking about this earlier. Imagine the CEOs of the corporate titans of the '80s and '90s. They were cigar chomping, you know, workaholics, right, who maybe played some golf, but certainly never looked like -- anything like this. This is very 21st century stuff.
BERMAN: Lee Iacocca looked awesome in a tank top. Seriously.
ROMANS: Imagine Lee Iacocca MMA fighting like Zuckerberg there. I don't know. I can't see it.
SOLOMON: I just want to say, it's not just the CEOs. Jim Coulter is very much having a moment.
ROMANS: True.
SOLOMON: I mean how many times a day do you hear, do you even lift, bro? I mean, all the time, right, John? u
BERMAN: You caught me. No, people can see. They don't have to ask me. You've got that all wrong.
SOLOMON: So - yes, exactly. OK. So, Jim Coulter certainly having a moment. But also, I mean, we have seen this explosion of male skin care. I mean men want to look good, too. And CEOs are not excluded. And I'm here for it.
ROMANS: I think that it's -
BERMAN: Well, look, we all do need supple skin. I mean, I don't - you know, seriously. The advantages of some supple skin, I can't even begin.
SOLOMON: You got it. You already got it, John. ROMANS: But I love that the yachts aren't enough. The yachts and the thousands of acres of, you know, of Wyoming ranches aren't enough, that they have to look really great, too. And I wonder if that's kind of maybe leveling the playing field. Women have always had this pressure -- public pressure, especially high-profile women, to dress perfectly, to look -- be fit.
SOLOMON: Yes.
ROMANS: And now, you know, the dudes are - the dudes are ripped.
SOLOMON: Bigger is better. It's not just money.
BERMAN: It's about time.
All right, Rahel Solomon, Christine Romans, thank you all very much.
So, he was once saved by a presidential pardon, but Steve Bannon might need more than that this time as he is set to surrender to New York prosecutors.
KEILAR: And new reporting on an explosive find by the FBI at Mar-a- Lago. A document describing a foreign government's military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:58:30]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SETH MEYERS, HOST, "LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS": New footage of the Titanic wreckage was recently released in the highest screen resolution currently available. They zoomed in as far as they could. And, bad news, you guys, no survivors.
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Trump's pal Putin has issued a new travel ban for 25 Americans are banned for life, including the secretary of commerce, six U.S. senators and Ben Stiller and Sean Penn are not allowed. Funny, every Russian we sanctioned is some sweaty, evil oligarch who owns a - who dumps poison in the ocean or something. Russia turns around and bans "Zoolander." We will never meet the Fockers. Yet.
JIMMY FALLON, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON": A federal judge unsealed the list of materials seized from Mar-a-Lago and it revealed that Trump had classified documents mixed in with newspaper clippings, magazines and clothing. Even T.J. Maxx was like, dude, get it together in there.
That's right, Trump had classified documents mixed in with newspaper clippings, magazines, photographs and even clothing, but right now millions of people are still defending Trump. What was that?
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Oh, nothing. Nothing, Jimmy, I just found your monologue very funny tonight. That's all. Just keep telling your funny jokes.
FALLON: Oh, yes, I will. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Yes, she was, of course, a guest with Fallon.
You know, I -- with Fallon, I noticed the vacation beard right there. He's got all that facial hair right now and it's oddly not gray. I'm wondering what he's doing to his beard to keep it from going gray.
KEILAR: Are you saying he's dyeing it?
[07:00:01]
BERMAN: I don't know. When I go on vacation and grow a beard, it's like all - I look like Gandalf. And he has this, like, wonderful brown beard. I want to know what he's doing.
