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One World with Zain Asher

Millions Of British Voters Cast Their Ballots Today In A General Election; President Biden Expected To Deliver Fourth Of July Speech At The White House; Italy's Mount Etna Back In Action After Four Years Of Silence. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired July 04, 2024 - 12:00:00   ET

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[12:00:30]

ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, coming to you live from New York, I'm Zain Asher. My colleague, Bianna Golodryga is off today. This is "ONE

WORLD".

And it is a crucial day in the U.K. where millions of British voters are heading to their polling booths to cast their ballots in a general

election. That will decide their next government. They have until the polls close at 10 P.M. local time, which is 5 o'clock late afternoon Eastern

Time.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife voted earlier in Mr. Sunak's Yorkshire constituency in the north of England. Labour leader Keir Starmer

and his wife also cast their ballots in London, as well, also voting in London. The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, joined by his wife,

as well.

CNN's Nada Bashir is standing by from us in London. So Nada, just walk us through what you're seeing, so far. What can you tell us?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: We've been seeing voters arriving at this polling station behind us throughout the day. Polls opened at 7 A.M., and

there's still a few hours to go before, of course, polls close at 10 P.M. local time, 5 P.M. Eastern Time in the U.S. But, of course, there are tens

of thousands of polling stations like this one up and down the country.

So, people have had the whole day to go out and cast their ballot. Now, of course, we are expecting those polls to close at 10 P.M. at which point the

count begins. And for those parties across the country that are competing in this election, what they are trying to secure is a majority.

There are 650 seats in the House of Commons, up for grabs, 650 constituencies. Unlike in the U.S, of course, and in some other countries,

here in the United Kingdom, voters are casting their ballot for their local member of parliament, their local representative. And each party is looking

to ensure and secure that their members of parliament are winning in these local categories, in these local constituencies, in order to secure that

majority for the leaders of the parties.

Of course, later on be declared the new prime minister of the country. Now, of course, when polls close at 10 P.M, that is when the exciting or

interesting bit begins, of course, because that is when the counting begins. And many people will be staying up overnight to watch that vote-

counting process, seeing the results come in constituency by constituency.

And we are expecting to see that counting take place into the early hours of Friday morning. Now, there will be early exit polls throughout the

night, giving us a sense, perhaps, of where the country may be swinging, which parties may be in the lead. But, of course, it won't be until Friday

morning that an official result is announced before the successful party is able to declare itself the winner and form a government.

So, still, some time to go before that begins. But, of course, there is still also time for people to vote. We've seen people arriving at this

polling station. There are tight restrictions around what we can and can't say, of course, because polls are still open. So, there are restrictions

around what we can report.

We've seen other media outlets, of course, as is often the case in U.K. elections, focusing on the pets arriving, for example, at the polling

stations. Of course, that tends to be a bit of a tradition here in the United Kingdom.

But the weather is good, so we have seen many arriving. It's unclear what the turnout is just yet. We won't be expecting to see any figures around

the turnout until later on tonight. But, again, lots to get into tonight, lots of debate, lots of analysis, and that will certainly all be unfolding

when we begin our special coverage once polls close.

ASHER: Yeah, there are so many restrictions, and so we have to save all of the analysis for a few hours' time from now. Nada Bashir, thank you so

much. Appreciate you being with us.

All right, Israel says it has been striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon throughout the day. It comes after what the Israel Defense Forces

is calling a massive barrage of projectiles fired at northern Israel. Hezbollah says it launched rockets and drones after the killing of a senior

commander in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

It comes amid a report that Israel has approved the largest land seizure in the occupied West Banks as the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. Rights

groups are criticizing the move, saying it will make it even harder to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Meantime, an Israeli source

says Israel and Hamas appear to be on the brink of a framework agreement for a ceasefire and hostage deal.

[12:05:03]

An Israeli official says that Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized a negotiating team to return to indirect talks with Hamas. U.S. and Israeli

officials say the prime minister will discuss these developments with U.S. President Joe Biden by phone later on today.

Let's bring in CNN's Jeremy Diamond, who joins us live now from Jerusalem. Let's talk about the tension building up in the northern part of the

country. We, of course, know that Israel essentially killed a Hezbollah commander.

You ended up having Hezbollah retaliate just in terms of launching attacks into Israel, as well. Both sides at this point, Jeremy, are saying and have

reiterated they don't want an all-out war. But what is being done to prevent the worst-case scenario here?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is difficult to see, and ultimately it will be a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in

Gaza that could potentially unlock a calm on Israel's northern border to try and reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

But for now, what we are watching in northern Israel as well as in southern Lebanon is, once again, an escalation in the cross-border skirmishes that

we have witnessed between Israel and Hezbollah over the last nearly nine months.

Yesterday, Hezbollah firing a hundred rockets towards Israel. As you mentioned, Israel also killing a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon. And

today, we are watching Hezbollah's severe retaliation for the killing of that senior commander, firing more than 200 rockets at northern Israel, at

the Golan Heights specifically, I should say. It appears to have sparked wildfires.

Several hits appeared to have been identified in the Golan Heights as a result of those rockets, as well as several drones that were also fired by

Hezbollah towards that very same area. Israel overnight, and continuing into today, striking multiple Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, as

well. And so, we are watching quite a significant escalation between these two sides, one, of course, that we have been tracking very closely over the

last several weeks.

So far, it is difficult to see both exactly what could potentially trigger an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, but also what might

potentially appease the tensions between these two sides and lead to a de- escalation on both sides in terms of this cross-border fighting that we have been witnessing for months now.

ASHER: Yeah, and just in terms of, as you touched on, the one thing that is going to be the saving grace here is going to be a ceasefire deal, and

we are seeing that this ceasefire deal, a potential ceasefire deal, is showing signs of life. We know that Hamas is coming up with new ideas that

they're proposing to mediators. We also know that Netanyahu and President Biden are going to be speaking by phone later on today. No doubt, a

potential ceasefire and movement on that front is going to come up.

DIAMOND: Yeah, no question about it. This is -- we are witnessing a lot of progress happening on the front of those ceasefire talks after weeks of no

progress at all. In fact, right now what we are witnessing is potentially a breakthrough in those negotiations as we are watching the Israeli prime

minister today now agreeing to send the Mossad director David Barnea to lead detailed negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar with Hamas for

months now.

We have been watching as Israel and Hamas have been negotiating to try and reach a framework agreement, leaving many of the key details aside. But

now, they are entering this new phase of negotiations, talking about the details of what a ceasefire agreement would look like, including things

like the identity of Palestinian prisoners, as well as the sequencing of the release of those Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli

hostages being held by Hamas.

And so, this is really entering a new phase, one that we have not seen this kind of progress in months now over the course of these negotiations. We

shouldn't caveat all of this, of course, with the fact that even as they enter these detailed negotiations, which could, if successful, secure an

agreement within a matter of a few weeks, that outcome is certainly not assured.

And certainly, while there appears to be perhaps the makings of a framework agreement at least here, there is certainly not a final ceasefire and

hostage release deal on the table at this hour. But again, very significant progress.

And along with that significant progress, we're witnessing not only the Israeli prime minister set to get on the phone with the U.S. president

later today, the Israeli prime minister also convening his cabinet in Tel Aviv this evening. And again, the Mossad director now expected to head in a

matter of hours or days to Egypt or Qatar to engage in those detailed negotiations with Hamas via those indirect talks.

[12:10:12]

So, very significant progress. I'm getting a lot of cautious optimism from the sources that I am speaking with, and we will just have to watch over

the days and weeks ahead whether or not it can actually unlock a final deal. Zain?

ASHER: All right, Jeremy Diamond, live for us there. Thank you so much. All right, let's turn to U.S. politics now, where Joe Biden is pretty much

fighting for his political life. The White House now admits that Biden saw a doctor in the days after his halting and weak debate performance. But

officials say it was just a brief visit to check on the cold that Biden was suffering, not a full check-up.

Biden is trying to fend off questions about his mental fitness and whether or not he should abandon his campaign for re-election altogether. Biden is

due to preside over independent state festivities in Washington today, including delivering a speech. And he has a major interview scheduled with

ABC News on Friday as he attempts to calm Democratic fears about his campaign.

Let's bring in CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz with more. So, Arlette, we know what President Biden is saying publicly. But privately,

how torn is he behind closed doors about whether to stay or whether or not to go here?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zain, it's been one week since President Biden's debate against Donald Trump, and so far, it

appears he hasn't fully assuaged the concerns within his own party about him remaining in the race and also his ability to serve a second term in

the White House.

Now, publicly, the president, in a call yesterday with campaign staff, insisted that he is staying in this race. He said in a pair of interviews

this morning that he's focused on just keep moving forward. And the White House, of course, has said that he has no plans to drop out. But at the

same time, the president has privately acknowledged to at least one key ally that he is aware of just how critical the coming days will be to the

future of his candidacy.

Now, the president will be speaking here at the White House a bit later this afternoon for these fourth of July festivities. He's spending the day

with his family, who I'm told remains all in on him staying in the 2024 race.

But there are also a number of key tests facing Biden in the days forward. He will hold that major interview with ABC News, something that his allies

have encouraged him to do, to sit down for interviews, to hold more press conferences and have these more impromptu informal settings to show

Americans that he has the stamina and ability to serve into a second term.

Biden will also be traveling to the battleground states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in the coming days, putting him directly in front of voters.

And this morning, there were two interviews that Biden taped yesterday that aired on black radio stations across the country. And in one of those

interviews, the president tried to take his message directly to the people, saying that he understands how important the black community will be in the

upcoming election. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (D): The vote of the black community matters intensely, intensely. Look, it would make up a

significant portion of the American population. Who's going to represent you except folks like me? And we're not going to be able to represent you

if you're not showing up, in fact, to vote. It matters. Your voice has to be heard. Lots of close elections the last couple of years, and every vote

counts."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: So, one of the big tasks for President Biden behind the scenes is not just trying to assure his own allies, top Democratic Party officials,

but also taking that message directly to voters. Now, we'll see Biden when he speaks a little bit later this afternoon. Vice President Kamala Harris

will also be attending those fourth of July festivities.

Of course, this is a moment to celebrate the nation's independence, and it comes at a time when Biden has really made the fight for democracy,

preserving and protecting democratic institutions, a key hallmark of his campaign.

He sent an e-mail to supporters a short while ago where he said, "I give you my word as a Biden. As long as I'm president, we're not walking away

from our ideals, our alliances or our democracy." Of course, President Biden now is also in a fight for his own political survival following last

week's debate.

ASHER: All right, Arlette Saenz, live for us there. Thank you so much. All right. Hurricane Beryl is pulling away from the Cayman Islands after

tearing a path of destruction through Jamaica. The category three storm is bringing heavy rain, destructive winds and a potentially dangerous storm

surge as it heads towards Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Meantime, the death toll is rising, with nine people now killed in the Caribbean by this storm. And communities across Jamaica are picking up the

pieces after Beryl pounded the island with 12 consecutive hours of powerful gusts and multiple months' worth of rain. CNN's Rafael Romo reports.

[12:15:00]

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was one of the most powerful hurricanes that I've ever seen. Beryl hammered the island for several hours with

devastating winds and torrential rains. And as you can see behind me, the winds were powerful enough to carry a boat across the bay and make it crash

here by the old pier and now, it's partially sunk.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he believes the country is now entering into what he called the second phase of the disaster and response

efforts after Hurricane Beryl dumped rain and brought hurricane-force winds to the island on Wednesday. Holness told CNN, storm surges have damaged

coastal infrastructure in some areas. The prime minister also said that some 500 people have been displaced and are now staying in shelters.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the eyewall of Hurricane Beryl brushed the southern coast of Jamaica last night with hurricane

conditions occurring throughout much of the island. It continued raining on and off overnight. We have seen downed power lines, boats that were not

properly secured and were sunk like the one right behind me and debris all over the island. Prime Minister Holness says that his government is ready

to face the challenges ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW HOLNESS, JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER: We're now entering into the second phase of this disaster, which is now the actual response. So, we

have seen that there are some persons who have been dislocated and are now in shelters. We have been told about some areas that have been affected by

storm surges, which would have damaged coastal infrastructure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Earlier, I had an opportunity to speak with Donna McLeod, a former Georgia state representative who was born here in Jamaica. She spoke for

many when she expressed the serious concerns she has for her native country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA MCLEOD, FORMER GEORGIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE (D): I'm going to cry because this is the place I was born. It's been nine years since I've been

back, and Jamaica is beloved around the world. And so for me right now, it's very emotional. And so, we're just praying that we can get through

this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Mexico has already upgraded its tropical storm watch to a tropical storm warning for the northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, which

includes popular tourist destinations like Cancun. Beryl is expected to then emerge over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico Friday night and make a

northwest turn, becoming a threat to parts of Texas. But it's still too early to know the actual path it will take. Rafael Romo, CNN, Kingston,

Jamaica.

ASHER: All right, coming up, a path forward or pulling out? We dig deeper into Joe Biden's options as he faces a crucial decision about his run for

re-election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER (voice-over): Plus, singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw is celebrating America's birthday with CNN. He tells us what makes tonight's performance

so special. All that and more after the break.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[12:20:32]

ASHER: All right. It is the 4th of July. And for many Americans, that means barbecues and fireworks as the U.S.A. celebrates its Independence

Day. CNN is ready to honor America's birthday in style with live fireworks from across the country and musical performances by the killers Ashanti, En

Vogue, and many more, including a favorite, Gavin DeGraw.

(GAVIN DEGRAW MUSIC VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: And joining me live now from Washington is Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw. Gavin.

GAVIN DEGRAW, SINGER AND SONGWRITER: Hello.

ASHER: So, so, excited to have you on the show.

DEGRAW: Excited to be here.

ASHER: I'm really excited for your concert tonight, as well. Thank you so much for taking part. One of the questions I have for you is that you're

from a family of veterans, right?

DEGRAW: Yeah.

ASHER: You've performed alongside veterans, for veterans, multiple times throughout your career.

MCGRAW: Yes.

ASHER: And tonight, you're going to actually be performing with the Air Force Concert Band. Just talk to us about how significant that is and how

much that really means to you.

MCGRAW: For me, it means the world. I mean, growing up in a household where I knew my granddad served and my great uncle served and my dad

served. My mom was in the reserves. It's an important part of the family culture and the whole national pride thing is a big deal for us.

Today also is a big day for me because it's the anniversary of my grandfather's death. So, it was a big deal -- for me, every 4th of July is

very, very personal. And also knowing that I'm performing with the Air Force Band is just one more special thing for me as an American citizen, as

someone coming from a family like that. It's an honor to be included.

ASHER: It's really special. I was reading an interview where you said that, you know, every artist, I think this is actually really true, every

artist is afraid of being a one-hit wonder. I mean --

MCGRAW: Oh, for sure.

ASHER: for your career, I mean, you're the total opposite of that. You've had five best-selling albums. And it's an interesting point, isn't it?

Because it's not just about that big break, that initial big break. It's also about staying successful.

MCGRAW: Right.

ASHER: Staying successful in many ways is actually much harder than the initial big break. Take us through that.

MCGRAW: Oh, yeah, for sure. You know, you spend your whole life when you're an unknown artist hoping to get a chance, right? And, but I think a

lot of people actually ultimately get a chance. And once you do get your chance, then I think the huge phobia of, okay, is that going to be the only

time or what? You know, what's going to happen next?

So, it's really about staying in the grind and staying busy, keeping your community working with you, finding allies and companions who are also in

the world that you're in and the business that you're in and kind of pushing each other forward and helping each other out. And I think that's a

huge part of it. Of course, you know, there's no guarantees. This is just the nature of any business, I think.

ASHER: Mindset also is a big part of it, I think.

MCGRAW: Huge part.

ASHER: Yeah.

MCGRAW: Huge part of it, for sure, yes.

ASHER: In terms of your new album, your upcoming album has actually returned to your original album, Chariot, which really sort of changed your

life. It opened so many doors for you.

MCGRAW: Oh, yeah.

ASHER: Talk to us about what's different here, why you're sort of reimagining it, and what you hope the public can get out of the second

version of the album.

MCGRAW: Oh, for sure, for sure. All right, so, it's 20 years later, I've been given the opportunity to recut the record. Now, I'm no longer in my

early 20s, so I wanted to kind of reimagine the record as a 47-year-old man. And I think I've developed a lot. You know, it's been 20 years of

performing these songs and 20 years of living in these songs and living in general and taking them to a new level, a new sonic level.

[12:25:00]

And I think to a new singing level, a new performance level. And I think it's just -- it's just true to who I am, and it was time to recut it.

ASHER: You know, it's interesting. One last question for you. I always wonder whether artists get tired of going back to their original material

and having to re-sing it, or whether for you, you really honor your first album because it did change your life. You know, you have reverence towards

it, is what it sounds like.

MCGRAW: Oh, a hundred percent. A hundred percent, absolutely. Yeah, it's something I never really understood. When an artist would say, oh man, I'm

not playing the early hits anymore. I don't want to play that stuff anymore. That never -- that never occurred to me. You know, for me, this

particular album is the one that changed my life the most, because it took me from, you know, living on two slices of pizza and a cup of coffee a day

--

ASHER: My gosh.

MCGRAW: -- to being able to go get, you know, a real dinner. You know, and spoil myself every once in a while. And so, you know, I'll always play

these songs.

ASHER: In very nice restaurants, I'm sure.

MCGRAW: Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah.

This is the album that changed my life the most, and that's all there is to it. I'll always play these songs.

ASHER: Although I do understand that maybe singing the same song over and over again and having to make it sound to the audience like you're just

singing it for the first time to give that kind of energy, I imagine that is difficult to do.

MCGRAW: No, no, I'm in it, man. When I'm playing these songs, I'm in these songs. It's -- they're as fresh to me as ever.

ASHER: A grateful heart.

MCGRAW: Yes.

ASHER: A grateful heart.

MCGRAW: For sure.

ASHER: That's really nice. Gavin DeGraw, I look forward to seeing you tonight. Thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it.

MCGRAW: You're right. Thank you. Happy fourth.

ASHER: Of course. Happy fourth. All right, as Americans across the U.S. celebrate Independence Day today, troops around the world are also marking

July 4th. CNN's Mike Valerio is visiting Camp Humphreys in South Korea, the largest overseas U.S. military base. Here's his report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right where we're standing, we're about 40 miles away from the heart of Seoul, South Korea, about 60 miles

away from the border with North Korea. But you would never know it, quintessential Americana all around us.

A couple minutes ago, we had a splash pad over my left-hand shoulder, American barbecue over my right-hand shoulder, mixed with a Korean twist,

Korean barbecue, K-pop bands, as well. But, you know, this is so important for a whole multitude of American families. As you mentioned, this is the

largest U.S. overseas military post.

Forty thousand people connected to the U.S. Department of Defense are on this base right now. And for a lot of new families, it's about a baby a day

born at this hospital on base. They need an experience like this, celebrating the fourth of July, not having the opportunity to celebrate

back home again with their new families.

Playing today are the band members from Hoobastank that released the 2003 hit single, "The Reason". We had an opportunity to talk to them before they

went on stage. Let's know what two of the band members told us.

DOUG ROBB, HOOBASTANK LEAD VOCALIST: There's a lot of just gratitude, and everybody seems so thankful and appreciative both ways, you know. And it's

something that you can't replicate just going to play a show, you know, at a theater somewhere. And it's really cool. I look forward to it. It does. I

can feel it for sure.

VALERIO: And Zain, interestingly enough, two names who we have not heard all day on base, Biden or Trump, I think it's certainly not an

understatement to say that people who are based here are motivated by a unique steadiness and sense of purpose preserving the security posture here

on the Korean Peninsula and the region at large. Zain, let's send it back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ASHER: Mike Valerio there. All right. Coming up, a defiant president and a nation in need of answers and Republicans threatening a major battle if Joe

Biden ends his re-election bid. We'll break it all down for you when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:32:29]

ASHER: All right, welcome back to "ONE WORLD". I'm Zain Asher. With each passing hour pressure is building on U.S. President Joe Biden to make a

decision on his political future and to make it quickly. Mr. Biden has unequivocally declared that he's not dropping out from the presidential

race. According to one source, he is defiantly telling his staff, quote, "No one is pushing me out". And here's what he said in an earlier interview

with a Wisconsin radio station.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Is there any reason for the American people to be concerned?

BIDEN: No, I had a bad debate. I had a bad debate. But 90 minutes on stage does not erase what I've done for three and a half years. I'm proud of the

record and we just got to keep moving.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: But according to an unnamed American ally, the president has also privately acknowledged his reelection bid might be hanging in the balance

following his disastrous debate performance. And today could be a deciding factor. Mr. Biden is set to meet with family members who are a crucial part

of his decision process.

Outside of that tight inner circle, however, the mood is much different, with more Democrats openly expressing serious doubts that the president can

beat Donald Trump in November. Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet, letting this Democratic drama play out. Meantime, we're beginning to see

the first indication from Republicans that replacing President Biden could lead to a messy fight.

CNN's Stephen Collinson joins us live now from Washington. So, Stephen, here's the thing. If Biden stays in this race, despite what people are

saying, despite people telling him to drop out, if he decides to stay in this race and then come November he loses, what will that do to his legacy?

Voters can be very unforgiving.

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, and the whole centerpiece of Biden's legacy would be the fact that he was the person that

ejected Donald Trump, the most aberrant American president of the modern age from the White House. If, therefore, he then delivers Trump the Oval

Office in November, his standing in history and his entire legacy in many ways will be wiped out figuratively because of that equation I was just

talking about.

But also, Trump will quickly set about undoing almost all the things that the president was able to do, at least with executive power, gutting, for

example, environmental regulations, trying to overturn a lot of his legislation.

[12:35:03]

So, I think that is something that the president has to think about as he weighs this issue. The purpose of his presidency was to purge chaos and get

America back on track. If by staying, he just bequeaths a new era of chaos, the legacy you were talking about will be in tatters.

ASHER: Let's just look at things from President Biden's perspective. I mean, I can sort of understand why it is really difficult for him to sort

of say goodbye to the Oval Office. This is a man who's tried three times to become president of the United States. He first attempted in 1988, then it

was 2008, then, of course, third time's the charm. In 2020, he finally made it.

And then, when you think about the fact that he's been part of our political lives in the U.S. for, what is it, half a century? Since 1973, I

mean, it's taken him a lot to get into that chair and I can understand why it is very difficult for him, despite what his advisors are saying, for him

to just sort of give up.

COLLINSON: That's true. And in addition to that, I think the president and his family have somewhat of a chip on their shoulder about all the times

that Biden was passed over. Remember, in 2016, there was some anger in the family that President Obama saw Hillary Clinton more as his likely heir

than his own vice president, Joe Biden.

When you talk to people around these two presidents, Biden and Obama, the tension actually is still there between these camps all the years later. At

the same time, however, it is a personal decision, but the president is the president of the United States. He's the chief executive, and his biggest

duty is the well-being of the country. And he has to think outside himself.

There have been occasions in American history, from George Washington to Harry Truman to Lyndon Johnson, when presidents were contemplating when is

the right moment to step down. And in a way, the decision to cede power is as much about democracy and fulfilling democracy as running for office and

winning the presidency. You have to find the right time.

And even though the president would always seek to get a second term, because that's how presidents judge themselves, if they can win and then

win again, and that's how history judges them in many ways, they have to pick the right moment to leave.

ASHER: Yeah, in many ways, if he does leave now, his legacy, at least among Democrats, is protected, right? It is safeguarded. He was the man

that delivered Democrats from Trump, and from the liberal perspective, he sort of saved the country. If he then sort of hangs about, you know, long

after a lot of people are telling him to leave, then that obviously changes if he loses.

I can't tell, Stephen, which way this is likely to go. Yesterday, I was convinced that there was so much pressure on the president that he was

probably at some point going to have to cave in. Then we had the meeting with a lot of Democratic governors who said that they addressed their

concerns to the president, but were very defiant in the fact that they are sticking by him.

And on top of that, President Biden is saying, listen, I'm not going anywhere, guys, sorry. So, then, based on these new developments, I mean,

which way do you think things are going to turn out next week?

COLLINSON: It's difficult to say. The -- if the president can get through this big interview he has on ABC News tomorrow, has a good weekend on the

campaign trail, he has the NATO summit coming up next week in which he'll be playing the role of statesman, if he can get through a news conference

there, sure, he can continue and he can hang on.

The problem is that he went into this debate down on former President Trump. It was close, but he was clearly losing this debate. He needed to

use the debate to turn the situation around. Instead, he's in a much worse position than he was before. He's validated many of the concerns that

Americans say they have about him being able to serve a second term.

So, how does he close the gap now between himself and former President Trump? What happens? And I think that is the thing that is on the minds of

many Democratic congressmen, for example, who are very worried about losing the House and the Senate and the White House, and then ending up with an

era of total Republican dominance.

And that, particularly in the wake of the threats that Trump is making about what he'd do in a second term, is something the president may not be

able to overcome.

ASHER: So interesting, isn't it? Because throughout the Republican primaries, it was Donald Trump that decided that he, in a way, especially

as somebody who had a record as president, had the most to lose. So he chose not to debate during the primaries.

[12:40:00]

When you look back at this announcement that we got a month and a half ago, that President Biden had agreed to debate Donald Trump and it was going to

take place on CNN, there's obviously so much excitement about that. Was that now a mistake by Biden to agree to that debate?

COLLINSON: Well, given what happened, I guess it certainly was. But he did need that debate because he was behind and he needed to turn the race

around. I tell you what's going to be interesting. There's supposed to be another debate in September. If Biden is still the Democratic candidate,

what incentive is there for Donald Trump to give him another chance?

And added to that, if Biden isn't the candidate, the Democratic nominee will certainly be wanting a chance to stand beside Donald Trump and debate

him. Again, the former president may not have that great incentive. So, it's going to be really interesting to watch the tactics of the debates as

much as anything else in the next few weeks.

ASHER: All right, Stephen Collinson, live for us there. Thank you so much. Always good to see you. All right, still to come.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Why would they do this?

MERLE MEYERS, BOING WHISTLEBLOWER: Schedule. It's schedule.

MUNTEAN: To get points out the door. To make money.

ASHER (voice-over): A former Boeing manager turns whistleblower over alleged safety violations at the aerospace giant. You'll hear his story

after the break.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:43:51]

ASHER: All right, a former Boeing employee alleges the company routinely used scrap parts to build commercial planes. He says he was forced out of a

job for bringing up major safety issues just like that one. CNN's Pete Muntean sits down with the Boeing whistleblower in his first network T.V.

interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN (voice-over): If Everett, Washington is a Boeing company town, then Merle Myers was a company man. A 30-year veteran of Boeing, Myers says

his job as a quality control manager put his kids through college. It's a family tradition. His late mother was a Boeing inspector, able to

unilaterally decide if a new airplane just off the factory line was fit to fly.

MUNTEAN: What would she think about what is happening at Boeing?

MEYERS: She'd be absolutely livid.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Myers' new allegations detail an elaborate, off-the- books practice centering on parts deemed not safe to put in new airplanes. He is the latest whistleblower to come forward with claims of quality

control lapses at Boeing. This is his first T.V. interview, inspired by the January 5th door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9.

[12:45:02]

Spray-painted red, bad parts deemed not up to Boeing's standards are taken from Boeing's Everett plant and sent to its scrap facility in Auburn. But

then one day in 2015, Myers says a crate of bad parts were improperly sent back from Auburn to Boeing's Everett factory. Myers alleges the practice

continued for years, tallying that more than 50,000 parts escaped Boeing quality control.

MUNTEAN: Fifty thousand parts?

MEYERS: That's what we counted at the time.

MUNTEAN: It seems like a heck of a lot.

MEYERS: It's a heck of a lot, indeed.

MUNTEAN: What does that say to you?

MEYERS: Well, that says it puts people's lives at risk, not just passengers but flight crews. And a lot of these are flight critical parts

that made it back into the production system.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Company emails show Myers repeatedly flagged the issue to Boeing's corporate investigations team, pointing out what he says

were repeat violations of Boeing safety rules. But Myers insists investigators routinely failed to enforce those rules.

In a 2022 email he wrote that Boeing investigators ignored eyewitness observations and the hard work done to ensure the safety of future

passengers and crew.

MUNTEAN: Why would they do this?

MEYERS: Schedule. It's schedule.

MUNTEAN: To get planes out the door? To make money?

MEYERS: Yeah.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Myers believes he was forced out of Boeing last year and is concerned there are still problems at the company.

MEYERS: Well, I think they need to punish, they need to fire people that blatantly violate the process and endanger the flying public. It's a huge

problem and a core requirement of a quality system is to keep bad parts and good parts apart.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): In a statement Boeing says it encourages employees to speak up and that " -- to ensure the safety, quality and conformance of

our products, we investigate all allegations of improper behavior such as unauthorized movement of parts or mishandling of documents. We then work

diligently to address them and make improvements."

Myers says he is coming forward now because of the pride he has in Boeing. He goes so far as to call it a wonderful company. One he says has been

going astray and is in desperate need of change.

MEYERS: But you have to care. Leadership has to care to do that. But if you can't even keep parts segregated from good parts, what else aren't you

doing right?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN (on-camera): The mystery here is that we did not have an exact accounting of where these parts are. They range from the superficial like

fasteners to the critical wing flaps used for landing. If these parts weren't returned to the scrapyard, our whistleblowers worry that they ended

up on new planes delivered to airlines and other customers in the last decade or so. How big a deal is that?

Also hard to know since we don't know exactly how or where they were used. But there is no question that these scrap parts should not have been put on

planes. Pete Muntean, CNN, Washington.

ASHER: All right. For those planning to travel by car this holiday, at least those road trips won't break the bank. GasBuddy projects the national

average price for regular gas will be $33.49 a gallon. That's a penny shy of the price a year ago and down sharply from $4.79 two years ago when oil

prices spiked following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

All right. How would you like Judy Garland to read you a bedtime story or James Dean to tell you the headlines? An A.I. company has a new app to let

you do just that. Details after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:51:25]

ASHER: And finally, the voices of some of the most iconic actors from the old Hollywood era have found new life, thanks to artificial intelligence.

You can now listen to audiobooks and articles voiced by the late screen legends James Dean, Laurence Olivier, Judy Garland, and Burt Reynolds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AI RENDERING OF JUDY GARLAND'S VOICE: At that moment, Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: Wow. A.I. audio company Eleven Labs teamed up with the estates of the late actors to recreate their voices for its app. On the company's

website, Liza Minnelli, daughter of Judy Garland, says she believes the app will expose new fans to her mother's legacy.

All right. A recent ranking of the most livable cities in the U.S. found Tacoma, Washington, near the top. It's not a surprise the city finds itself

nestled in between majestic towering mountains and the peaceful waters of the sound there. CNN's Derek Van Dam challenged himself to do as many

different things as he could in 24 hours in Tacoma. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): There's no shortage of things to do and see in Tacoma, Washington. And because it's so far north,

there are nearly 16 hours of daylight in the summer to help you pack it all in.

My day begins on Mount Rainier. On this misty morning, I hike across a fresh dusting of snow. There are 26 glaciers on Rainier, and over 35 square

miles of the mountain is covered in snow and ice year-round. But I can't stay long because I need to make the two-hour journey back down to the

Puget Sound.

VAN DAM: There'll be oysters in there.

VAN DAM (voice-over): From snowshoeing to shucking. That's right, oysters.

VAN DAM: Look at that, that's the size of my head.

VAN DAM (voice-over): Mollusks thrive in these waters, and the Minterbrook Oyster Company harvests thousands of oysters here every day.

KENT KINGMAN, OWNER, MINTERBROOK OYSTER COMPANY: When that water comes in through the Straits of Juan de Fuca and it flushes into the sound, it

doesn't flush all the way back out. So, what you have is real rich growth of algae for the oysters. It's the algae, it's what the oysters eat that

makes it so awesome.

VAN DAM (voice-over): The Puget Sound also has an abundance of islands, including Vashon. After a short ferry trip, you can be transported to what

feels like another world.

VAN DAM: Berries are going to start popping here pretty soon.

VAN DAM (voice-over): Hike along wooded trails, rocky beaches, but it's also home to nearly 11,000 full-time residents. Some Tacoma residents,

including Dale Chihuly, helped put the Northwest on the map as a mecca for glass art.

VAN DAM: I don't think I've ever seen somebody so comfortable with a flamethrower.

VAN DAM (voice-over): So, I had to check out the Tacoma Museum of Glass, where new works of glass art are blown and molded in front of a live

audience.

BENJAMIN COBB, HOT SHOP DIRECTOR AND LEAD GAFFER, MUSEUM OF GLASS: Most museums are historical, and maybe the artists aren't alive anymore. Well,

if you want to see world-class artists working in a state-of-the-art facility, then this is the place to come.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ASHER: All right, a twice-stolen Renaissance painting, which was once found at a bus stop, just set a new record at auction. The 16th century

piece is called "The Rest On The Flight Into Egypt". It depicts a baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph. It's one of the works of Italian marcetician.

[12:55:00]

Measuring roughly 25 inches wide or 62 centimeters, the painting is tiny compared with some of the larger works for which the artist is known later.

It was looted by French troops in Vienna in 1809. Then in 1995, it was stolen again and vanished for seven years before a detective recovered it

inside a plastic bag at a London bus stop. Christie's said the $22 million plus selling price is the highest amount paid at auction for a work by the

artist.

And finally, one of the world's most active volcanoes is showing off again. Italy's Mount Etna was back in action this week after four years of

silence. Europe's tallest active volcano roared as it belched smoke and then spewed lava from one of its largest craters. The 3300 meter volcano is

believed to have the longest history of eruptions actually dating back to, get this, as early as 425 B.C.

All right, that does it for this hour of "ONE WORLD" on this July 4th. Happy Independence Day if you are in the United States. I'm Zain Asher.

Thank you so much for watching. "AMANPOUR" is up next. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END