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New Day

The Rocky Start Of New British Prime Minister Liz Truss. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired October 04, 2022 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Chaos inside a prison this morning in Ecuador. There are reports of at least 15 people killed and 20 injured in a riot. Police spent four hours trying to get the situation under control and casualties are still being identified and counted. Our CNN correspondents bring you this morning's headlines from across the globe.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Will Ripley in Taipei. For the first time in five years North Korea has launched a ballistic missile over Japan. It was in the skies over that country for about a minute. There were air raid sirens waking people up on Tuesday morning, urgent warnings telling them to get inside or get underground. The Japanese Prime Minister strongly condemning this. And the South Koreans saying that they track this missile travel at a distance of almost 2800 miles, which analysts tells me might be the longest that North Korea has actually - ever actually flown a missile, even though they've launched and tested missiles capable of going much further, including hitting the mainland U.S.

This was a mid-range ballistic missile. Most experts agree one that North Korea has tested many times before and it is a sign they say that the tests and the provocations will continue from Pyongyang as the world's eyes are on Ukraine.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm David McKenzie in Johannesburg. Nearly 8 million people in Somalia face a human catastrophe. According to a UN official, there has been the worst drought in four decades and the expectation is, there'll be a famine announced in the coming months or weeks. People have lost millions of livestock with the changing climate there. There is a prospect of that way of life ending for good. There has been an increase in aid deliveries especially from the U.S., but the situation is very dire indeed.

CLAIRE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Claire Sebastian in London. The Russian journalists who staged a protest live on state TV back in March holding up an anti-war poster is reportedly now a fugitive from the law, according to Russian state media. Marina Ovsyannikova's ex- husband reported that she had escaped from house arrest on Saturday with their daughter and she is now on the Interior Ministry's wanted list.

A lawyer told CNN simply that she has gone. Ovsyannikova cover was placed under a two-month house arrest pending trial back in August for allegedly discrediting the Russian Armed Forces charges that carry a maximum 10-year penalty. her disappearance another setback for Russia, because it tries to contain growing opposition over the war in Ukraine and maintain tight control of information.

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: From one controversial Prime Minister to another Liz Truss off to a rocky start after replacing Boris Johnson

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in the UK. Just listen to her first month here the death of the Queen. A significant increase in energy costs, the British pound tumbling in value, UK debt downgraded by the S&P, and now she's reversing her plan to cut taxes for the rich after it's sent the markets into chaos.

Joining us now is CNN anchor and correspondent Bianca Nobilo. She is in Birmingham, England, at the Conservative Party Conference. I wonder Bianca how many of these issues would have existed for anyone who just came in to be prime minister and how much are of Liz Truss's own making?

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: So, Brianna, there is no doubt that this prime minister inherited a poison chalice, double- digit inflation, a party brand in chaos to name but a few of the issues. However, her active weeks as prime minister because of course, there was an interlude of political activity because of the Queen's funeral have been an exhibit of unforced errors, there was the fact that the markets weren't adequately informed of this quite radical economic package. There was the decision from her government to cut taxes for the richest at a time when the country is facing this biting cost of living crisis.

And a lot of people in Britain don't know if they can afford to feed themselves at winter and their energy bills. Then there's the way that she's conducted her media interviews, which have basically been by all estimations, very poor, ordering, embarrassing, and the fact that she hasn't sought to unite the party. So, even though it was a very difficult hand that she was dealt, she certainly hasn't played it well.

BERMAN: No, Bianca, that list of issues that we put up there, aside from the death of the Queen, which is totally separate, all of them actually stem from one thing, which is this economic plan that she shocked this system with by coming out with not adequately warning people. And now there's this reversal, at least on the top tax rate, talk to me about this reversal, how surprising it is and how it's being received.

NOBILO: Well, there has been a big push for that reversal, the public fury at that decision, even though that tax cut for the wealthiest in Britain was a relatively small part of the broader economic package. It was the political optics of favoring the wealthiest at a time when people are struggling so much in the country that got people up in arms. So, there was a push to reverse it from the moment that it was announced.

But quite simply, the reason it ultimately happened that announced on the morning of the first real day of the political convention here in Birmingham, was quite simply that the prime minister had been informed that there was no way she was going to be able to get it through parliament. That was becoming obvious. And in the United Kingdom, as in some other countries, a big measure like that, which is essentially a budget issue. If you put it through parliament and you fail to get it through as a government, pretty soon your government fails itself, because it's saying that your own lawmakers don't have confidence in your ability to lead and confidence in your policy.

So, she would not be long in that job had she tried to continue with that policy. So, it was a face-saving measure, essentially and one for her political survival.

KEILAR: Yes, quite a shock though. Bianca Nobilo, thank you so much for that report. Actor Will Smith making his post-slap return to the big screen in this civil war epic? Will Hollywood and the public embrace him? And this?

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BERMAN: It is the question that Marvel fans have been asking, who will be the new Black Panther.

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BERMAN: Sorry, I'm watching. I know you want me to talk but I'm watching the trailer This is the new trailer for Black Panther, Wakanda forever, it is out and man, it is tantalizing. The question everyone has been asking who will be the new Black Panther. Well, we got our first glimpse, look at this.

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BERMAN: So, it's unclear who the woman in the Black Panther suit is, but leaning candidates are the stars of the first film, Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright, and Danai Gurira, the original Black Panther Chadwick Boseman, of course died in 2020. After a battle with colon cancer. Fans of the film have wondered how the actor's death would be handled in the sequel; the film hits the theaters next month.

Also, by the way in the trailer for real Marvel fans that we got our first glimpse at Namor, the Submariner, just saying that's in there too. A lot going on there. KEILAR: So much they know how to tease us and to get us interested in this. So, Will Smith is returning to the big screen in his first big project since getting banned from the Oscars for slapping Chris Rock. Smith will be playing a slave on a journey to reunite with his family. This is a preview of the upcoming Apple TV plus film Emancipation.

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KEILAR: Alright, let's talk about this now. A CNN Senior Entertainment Writer, Lisa France. Lisa, I mean, it looks captivating. But I just wonder, obviously, that's not the only thing. It's not just about the plot. It's not just about the story here. How do you think Will Smith is going to be embraced or not as he returns?

LISA FRANCE, CNN SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER: I think people want to embrace Will Smith because it's Will Smith. Part of the issue with the slap is that people had so much love for Will Smith, they couldn't imagine him doing something violent. So, I think a lot of people are ready to move on. And this role had been talked about even before the slap and before he won the Academy Award for King Richard. People were saying that this was going to get him nominated.

I don't think necessarily that he will get nominated. But I don't think that the controversy is going to hurt the film, because the film looks incredible.

BERMAN: How is the public responded to the trailer?

FRANCE: The public has said it looks intense. People have said they can't wait to see it. It is also a film dealing with slavery. So, some people are uncomfortable with it. And that always factors in too, some people don't want to see the pain. But Will Smith has said that this is about triumph. It's about humanity. It's about so much more than slavery because he's been approached to do slave films before. And he said he's turned them down. This is about freedom, he said.

KEILAR: It's really interesting. I wonder what you think, Lisa, about some people, they get the comeback. Some people don't get the comeback. Why does he get the comeback?

FRANCE: Because he's the Fresh Prince. He was so beloved for so many years. And ultimately people want to think that Will Smith is just a good guy who got caught up in the moment. So, I think that if anyone is going to have a comeback, it's going to be Will Smith, just because there's been so much adoration for him for years and years and years.

KEILAR: Yes. I'm curious to see this new project myself. I will say lost in all of this is Chris Rock's jacket. I want to see that make a comeback. Do you see that? The blue velvet jacket? I just see that in the pictures as I look sort of past that moment, which was such a horrible moment. But--

FRANCE: Yes, it was a bad moment. Yes, but Chris Rock. He's fine. He's joking about it. He's doing pretty good. KEILAR: Alright, Lisa France, thank you so much.

FRANCE: Thank you.

KEILAR: So, one of President Biden's biggest critics forced to about face in the wake of Hurricane Ian, we have a reality check on the politics of disaster aid next.

BERMAN: The death toll now above 100 from Hurricane Ian, rescue efforts will continue today. We're going to bring you the latest from the ground, next.

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KEILAR: Criticism is mounting as Florida lawmakers who once denied hurricane relief funds to other states are now turning around and asking for assistance themselves in the wake of Hurricane Ian. John Avlon has more in today's reality check.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Dealing with natural disasters as a way of waking us up from the petty fights of hyper partisan politics. It forces us to face facts and find a way to work together. Now, a lot of folks have been pointing out the hypocrisy of leading Republicans from Florida voting against hurricane relief when it was needed by other states. But now they're dealing with a devastation at home, and they want the federal government to step in and help their state to recover.

Now, of course, it shouldn't take a massive disaster to realize that we have a responsibility to help each other in times of crisis. And actually, for what it's worth, I appreciate Senator Marco Rubio saying that he'd vote against the Florida relief bill, if it was loaded up with pork projects. At least he's been consistent, and in an election year no less.

But as we turn toward the hard work of recovery, which will take months if not years on the west coast of Florida, there may be some irony coming into play. To quote this Daily Beast headline, irony meter explodes as migrants lured to Florida for Hurricane Ian clean- up. Yes, the details for the New York Post reporting say refugees from Venezuela are reportedly making their way to the sunshine state by band from New York, lured by the promise of work. And of course, it was refugees from Venezuela.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flipped on Martha's Vineyard and played the bass stunt a few weeks ago, allegedly lured by the false promise of work and cash assistance. That was a troll move that prompted a class action lawsuit and a sheriff's investigation, but DeSantis' defender said it was intended to draw attention to our porous border with Mexico, which just exceeded 2 million apprehensions, that's a record.

But here's the real underlying hypocrisy beneath all the bitter culture war debates over immigration. It's about work. Get this, at 2020 Pew survey found that 77 percent of Americans say that undocumented immigrants mostly do jobs that U.S. citizens don't want to do. They're right. Here's another uncomfortable fact.

Disaster Relief is a growth industry in America. And migrant workers have been playing critical roles in helping towns clean up and rebuild after natural disasters from New Orleans to Houston, to North Carolina, to Florida, Florida, Florida.

The 2019 New York Times article called these workers hurricane chasers. It is hard, unnecessary work for us all and for migrants that can be profitable compared to wages at home. But it's also really risky, not just from the inherent dangers, but also the chance that the undocumented workers will be stiffed and then threatened with law enforcement. This is just more evidence for why we really need a functioning immigration system, one that accounts for segments of our economy's dependence on migrant labor, rather than forcing them into the shadows.

But until we get Democrats or Republicans to pass a bipartisan immigration reform bill, this twisted dance is going to continue. The real hypocrisy of it all, though is unmistakable. Now that there's a major mess to clean up, Florida needs migrant workers to recover and rebuild. And those Venezuelan refugees from the Maduro regime won't be scapegoated for political benefit. Instead, they'll be quietly dependent upon to help get Florida up and running again. That's a lesson we need to remember when there's not a disaster that clarifies the mind. And that's your reality check.

KEILAR: John Avlon, thank you so much for that. A new day continues right now.

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BERMAN: The death toll from Hurricane Ian continues to climb. I'm John Berman with Brianna Keilar. At least 101 people have now died in Florida from Hurricane Ian, more than half the victims are in Lee County. Fort Myers Beach is closed entirely even for residents so crews can focus on searching for survivors. There have been nearly 2000 rescues in Florida since the hurricane hit that state.

KEILAR: Officials say more than half the schools in Lee County suffered damage. New images this morning show the devastation. Officials say 14 percent of schools have major damage and a few maybe beyond repair. This morning, fewer than half a million customers are still without power in Florida and officials say power there could be out for a month.

President Biden traveling to Florida tomorrow for a first-hand look at the devastation. CNN Boris Sanchez is live for us in Fort Myers with the very latest. Boris.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Brianna. It is a very heart-wrenching and delicate process that is underway here near Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Officials cutting this area off to even residents as they continue to sift through debris and discover cadavers. And that is part of the reason that we see the death toll climbing in chunks because as officials move through what was once people's homes and businesses, they are discovering that more and more people were lost to Hurricane Ian.

I've got a chance to ask the sheriff of Lee County, how many people still remain missing? How many were unaccounted for? Here was his candid response.

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CARMINE MARCENO, LEE COUNTY SHERIFF: It's unknown how many people are still missing if they are, but that's why it's so critical for us to eliminate that traffic there, because we don't want someone going into one, place that's unsafe, or two, a place that's a potential crime scene.

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SANCHEZ: Yes, they want as little interference in that process as possible, obviously, very morbid scenes. And the impact is far reaching here in Fort Myers Beach, four of the city's five town council members have actually lost their homes, so they're now working to try to get people back on their feet while dealing with personal issues themselves, essentially stranded. John and Brianna.

KEILAR: Wow. The conditions there are just terrible. Boris, thank you so much for the latest.

BERMAN: Right, with me now is CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir. He reported last week from the hardest hit areas of Florida during the storm. I mean, you were in some of the hardest hit areas during the storm. And also reported on the aftermath. There are pictures of you in Punta Gorda, as the storm was bearing down. I want to focus first on Fort Myers Beach. Boris was standing there, Randy Kaye (ph), a reporter from there this morning, just showing us just how much of it's just been completely flattened.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: It was really stunning. We were trying to get in there. We had heard that they were some of the hardest hits. So that was sort of Ground Zero. It was great to see Randy (ph) there. I know a lot of people hungry for information. But that'll be a month or two or six before they even have the semblance of daily life, I think in that place. It's really - I mean, we were in a little bubble there in Punta Gorda, so we didn't know, we thought that we were going to be in the bullseye. And it turned out that cold front came and shifted it below.

But my goodness, Katrina is the top of the cost list when it comes to U.S. hurricanes. I think it's 65, less than $70 billion. It's hard to imagine this won't surpass that.

BERMAN: You know, it's interesting, because the pictures of you in Punta Gorda, we saw that was where the wind speeds were really, really high. The damage, though, was from storm surge elsewhere. Punta Gorda didn't see the storm surge. You saw the damaging winds and as a result, look, there's some damage in Punta Gorda, but nothing like we're seeing further south. WEIR: And it just - it bears out all those warnings we heard about, you hide from the wind, but you run from the water. And unfortunately, this is sort of the new reality we have as sea level begin to tick up little bit by bit because the poles are melting. And the intensification is the new watchword now because that warm water is steroids for these storms. And so, they can go from a two to a four or a five and hours, catching folks off-guard there as well.

But now I'm just - we're reaching that point where folks if they don't see some signs of help, if they've been going to the bathroom outside for the last week, if they're waiting an hour long gas lines, that's when it's a real test of the fabric of a community and it's vital these days now in particular to show these folks and signs of health.

BERMAN: Yes, people start getting angry.

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