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Quest Means Business
Trump, Harris Campaign Trade Attacks as Election Draws Near; Harris, Walz Sit Down for Exclusive CNN Interview; The Brooklyn Bridge: A Historic Feat of Art and Engineering; United States Defense Secretary Meets With Ukrainian Counterpart; TSA Expects This Labor Day To Be Busiest On Record; I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream At The Cost Of Ice Cream. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired August 30, 2024 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:06]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Closing bell ringing on Wall Street as we come to the end of a difficult week, I would
say -- economic news, political news, geopolitical. You can see from the Dow Jones how we are ending the week. NVIDIA was such a talking point as we
moved through, but we are down for the week -- for the day. It is just worries of what is coming next.
Now, sir, hit the gavel. Hit the gavel. Trading is over. Better late than never. Those are the market -- those are the markets, yes, our first summer
Friday and the main events that we are following for you today.
Vice President Harris and Donald Trump baffled to control the media message as the start of the early voting looms large.
The Ukrainian defense minister is in Washington. He wants to loosen the restrictions on the use of American weapons inside Russia.
And it doesn't get more News York than this. I walk across the Brooklyn Bridge with a descendant of the couple who built it and the man who
designed it, and they are all in the same family.
Live from the rooftop overlooking at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport, with the Brooklyn Bridge glorious behind me.
It is Friday, August 30th. I am Richard Quest and I mean business at the Brooklyn Bridge.
Good evening from the Brooklyn Bridge, Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. It is a QMB tradition that is continuing.
Now, we didn't do as many Summer Fridays this year because the news agenda was so great. But as we come to a holiday weekend with Labor Day, we are
taking a breath and a breather. It may be the official end of summer, but we have decided, it is certainly time for a Summer Friday.
We are at the rooftop at Pier 17. Magnificent entertainment venue five storeys, I should say, above the East River. Just look at it.
There is the East River, there is Brooklyn. There is the Brooklyn Bridge. The historic bridge of these opportunity focus of joys, summers, weekends,
and city life. We will be getting to all of that over the course of the program.
Summer is just about over and it is now time for both the Trump and the Harris campaign to amp it up, if you will, with barely just over two months
left before voting day, and in many cases, early voting is just about to start.
The two campaigns need to capture the attention, particularly of those early voters to solidify support while they can. Donald Trump's running
mate, JD Vance spoke to CNN earlier today. The Republican criticized Kamala Harris' interview, which of course was on CNN yesterday.
He said the US vice president had plenty of time to implement the very policies that she is now campaigning on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JD VANCE (R-OH), 2024 VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She is the sitting vice president of the United States. If she wants to tackle the
affordability crisis or close down the southern border, she should be doing it now and I think it takes a lot of shame -- shamelessness, I should say
to be able to stare at the American people's eyes and say, I am going to fix your problems now when I've already been in power for three-and-a-half
years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: So that's the vice-presidential nominee for the Republicans, JD Vance.
CNN's Dana Bash asked the Democratic nominee last night about the White House's economic record bearing in mind that the vice presidents been part
of it for the last nearly four years.
The vice president said, the Biden administration had many accomplishments with which she was proud to run up on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS (D), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am very proud of the work that we have done that has brought inflation down to less than
three percent --
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR AND POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: So you maintain, Bidenomics is a success.
HARRIS: I maintain that when we do the work of bringing down prescription medication for the American people, including capping the cost of the
annual cost of prescription medication for seniors at $2,000.00; when we do what we did in the first year of being an office to extend the child tax
credits so that we cut child poverty in America by over 50 percent; when we do what we have done to invest in the American people and bringing
manufacturing back to the United States so that we created over 800,000 new manufacturing jobs, bringing business back to America.
What we have done to improve the supply chain so we are not relying on foreign governments to supply American families with their basic needs,
I'll say that that's good work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[16:05:03]
QUEST: Now, CNN's political analyst, Julian Zelizer is a professor at Princeton University and is with me now.
As I listened, I watched last night and I'd seen the reaction. There was no -- it was difficult for the vice president. She sort of -- she struggled to
find direction initially and then found it, but I am not sure we were much the wiser about what she is going to do or am I just being unfair?
JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well I think the nature of these interviews is not to provide an abundance of information. I am sure many
will see areas where she could have provided a little more substance and explain some of the shifts in her positions, but I think from the
campaign's perspective, she offered a few key areas such as immigration and outlined her position and she is leaving the rest for the next few weeks
for the debates, the rallies, other interviews, and all the positions that come out.
So, I think there are just limits to an interview like this, and the key was not to make a big mistake and I don't think that happened.
QUEST: The answers on values that values haven't changed. Now of course, everybody is going to try and sort of pick a hole in that and show that
values have changed or not as the case may be.
Do you think that she made a strong convincing argument on that bearing in mind, the significance of fracking in places like Pennsylvania.
ZELIZER: It is the start. I am not sure that was enough. I think on some specifics like fracking, she will have to answer more.
I think she will just have to be direct as she was in the last part of the answer about how her views have evolved and at this point, she is not
opposing fracking, but she is complementing fracking with green jobs.
On other issues like immigration. I think she kind of laid out what she is going to say and she is actually going to flip the script on Senator Vance
and say it is the Republicans who oppose border control.
So its beginning. Again, It is an opening. And I think she created enough room where she will be able to continue with these kinds of explanations
and arguments. But there is a lot of work to be done.
QUEST: Now when we take the totality of what is on one side versus what is on the other, it becomes increasingly -- the gap gets ever bigger and is
likely to get larger, which makes it more difficult for those voters who are in the center in a way, doesn't it, to make that choice.
How would you expect to see the polls develop with that in mind?
ZELIZER: I don't think they are going to change is that much from what we've seen in previous election. It is a 50/50 election with a very small
number of people who are in the middle.
So, I think both campaigns will try to take some of that very slim middle in key states. But I really think what the campaigns are going to be
focused on as Harris was in Georgia is driving up the vote of people in the party, focusing on those who were not planning to vote or who don't vote
usually as opposed to kind of flipping the people.
But. I think you're right. The gap between these two candidates, what they believe, what they stand for is very, very significant and it is going to
be hard to close that. These are candidates who have antithetical worldviews about where the United States should go.
QUEST: Grateful to you, sir. I appreciate it. Thank you very much.
Donald Trump -- the other side -- Donald trump is on his back foot on a couple of different issues. His campaign was rebuked by the US Army after
that visit to Arlington National Cemetery, ANC as it is abbreviated.
The Army says a worker there was pushed aside after being trying to enforce decorum and what they say, the laws. The worker has declined to press any
charges.
The president or the former president said he did nothing untoward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: While we, were there, they said, could you take pictures over the grave of my son, my sister, my
brother? Would you take pictures with us, sir? I said absolutely, I did.
I go there. They asked me to have a picture and they say I always campaigning. I don't need -- the one thing I get is plenty of publicity. I
don't need that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: So now, Mr. Trump is also avoiding a firm stance on abortion rights. He was asked about a ballot question in Florida, where of course the
president has his home and votes as a resident. The ballot initiative would allow abortion or not allow abortion after six weeks. The former president
who lives in Florida was noncommittal.
[16:10:09]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think the six-week is too short. It has to be more time and so that is -- and I've told them that I want more weeks.
REPORTER: So you'll vote in favor of the amendment?
TRUMP: I am voting that -- I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now, to make Trump's week even more difficult, the special counsel in Washington filed a superseding amendment -- indictment, I should say, on
the election interference case reframing it, following of course, the Supreme Court's ruling that the president enjoys widespread immunity.
Shermichael Singleton is a Republican strategist who has worked on three presidential election campaigns and is with me now.
when you look at the various individual happenstances, if you will, and you look at the polls do suggest that Vice President Harris has eked out a
small gain in crucial states. Which way does the Trump campaign go now, do you think?
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, it is good to be with you again, Richard. I think for the Trump campaign and Republicans writ
large, I think Pennsylvania is ultimately going to be the deciding and de facto factor in determining whether or not the former president can win
this election.
Despite the competitive nature of North Carolina or Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. I still think the foreign president will win those states, but
Pennsylvania is still a tossup.
Trump has to win Pennsylvania. He could win everything else and lose Pennsylvania and lose. Vice President Harris has to win Pennsylvania. She
can win other states that Biden won in 2020 but lose PA and still lose.
And so I think Pennsylvania is going to be that deciding factor where both campaigns are going to probably spend a significant amount of money over
the next 60-plus days to try to sway, I believe it is about five percent of voters left in that state who are still undecided.
QUEST: The fighting ground, obviously on the Democrat side that could well be fracking and the vice president's position on not on that and it would
appear to be the flip-flop in her positioning. For Donald Trump, it becomes much more nuanced and especially when we see things like, for example the
abortion vote in Florida and how he, if you will, square that circle so he doesn't lose further support.
SINGLETON: Look, Richard, I think we have two-and-a-half years of electoral data that suggests that the reproductive rights issue is a big deal for
Republicans. We have lost races that we should have quite frankly won, if it were not for this issue.
About three months ago, I did a focus group on behalf of a major Republican donor with Republican voters in South Georgia, rural Georgia evangelicals,
they fit that profile and the fundamental concern of the focus group of my qualitative analysis was to figure out whether or not they would provide
enough room for the former president to moderate on this issue while still supporting him.
If it meant winning the election in November, every last one of those participants in my focus groups said absolutely, yes. Even though they
disagreed with the moderation, they were more principally concerned with winning.
And so I think Trump has a lot more room than people in the media actually fully realize is on this issue.
QUEST: Good to speak to you, sir. I see you're in New York, I am not sure how far away you are. You could have come down here and joined me. Pier 17,
I had bought you an ice cream --
SINGLETON: Well, Richard, your view is much better than mine.
QUEST: My view is worth a billion dollars and more, sir, as indeed are your contributions. I am very grateful for you. Thank you for joining us.
Shermichael joining us there.
Now, the view that I have, he is quite right, look at it. What a view.
That of course is the icon that is the Brooklyn Bridge. We use that word "icon." We overuse it, but I think it is fairly appropriate for that
gorgeous creature. It is an overstatement, but not now, the Brooklyn Bridge standing majestically behind me.
There it is, in its majesty on this late summer afternoon, as we are doing a Summer Friday I am so glad that we were able to get a Summer Friday.
The Brooklyn Bridge opened nearly 150 years they go in 1883. And since then, it has been a landmark ever since. It is older incidentally, here is
one for you, it is older than the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Penn Station, which has been built and rebuilt and then
knocked done, built again. And nearly every other structure in this city is younger the Brooklyn Bridge.
So put it all together and it is very hard to imagine this city without that.
[16:15:03]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST (voice over): Its existence was once thought impossible. The idea of a bridge to connect the one-time independent cities of Brooklyn and New
York always seemed doomed.
Now, the Brooklyn Bridge towers over the East River. Its vibrations like the beating heart of the city.
QUEST (on camera): Not only can you see the Brooklyn Bridge, you can feel it, traffic going over the balustrades, helicopters overhead, sirens along
the FDR, the Brooklyn Bridge attacks all the senses in a way.
It is truly New York-a-rama writ large.
QUEST (voice over): Upon its completion, people marveled at this brilliant feat of 19th Century engineering. It became a symbol of the era's optimism
built upon underwater caissons, pressurized chambers that the builders entered to dig the river's floor.
They now form the foundations for the towers. After all, this is one of the first suspension bridges of its size ever built and it paved the way for
connections between Brooklyn and Manhattan.
QUEST (on camera): There are actually three bridges covering the East River. There is the Brooklyn, next to it, the Manhattan; behind that, the
Williamsburg. And you can remember the names rarely simply -- BMW.
QUEST (voice over): The Brooklyn Bridge is a tourist attraction that has been immortalized in books, berms, and movies.
("THE FANTASTIC FOUR" VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
QUEST (voice over): The great bridge has changed in the 141 years since it was finished. The city has undertaken numerous refurbishment projects to
make sure it stays standing.
And only a few years ago, it opened a protected bike lane to allow for more cyclists.
The Brooklyn Bridge has been a national historic landmark for 60 years, and today, every effort is made to ensure it will stay forever locked in the
heart of New Yorkers and people everywhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST (on camera): Phenomenal, and later after the break, we are going to be talking about the whole tourism industry here in New York, Pier 17, the
South Street Seaport, major attractions but are the tourists coming? Are they spending and how does inflation, the latest numbers, how does it
affect what people are prepared to spend?
We are in New York. It is a Summer Friday, yay, we managed to get one. We will have another one before the season is over and it is QUEST MEANS
BUSINESS live next to the Brooklyn Bridge.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:20:35]
QUEST: The Fed got some good news and reassuring numbers on inflation as it gets ready to host its September meeting, where it is widely expected, it
will cut rates. It was the PCE Index, which is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and it rose two-and-a-half percent last month. Now, that is
still above target of two, but it is certainly moving in the right direction and it is moderating.
And consumer spending accounts for basically the bulk of the US economy picked up by about a half a percent; again, encouraging news for places
like where I am, the South Street Seaport, Pier 17, and the concert venue, the rooftop. It is the rooftop at Pier 17, which sits above the East River,
extraordinary views of the river, Downtown Manhattan and our dear friend, the Brooklyn Bridge behind me.
The venue itself, which opened in 2018 has played host to Billie Eilish, Ringo Starr, and Diana Ross and Matt Partridge is the Chief Financial
Officer of Seaport -- hello. How are you, sir?
MATT PARTRIDGE, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, SEAPORT ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: Hi, good to see you.
QUEST: Good to see you. First of all, thank you.
PARTRIDGE: Thank you.
QUEST: Thank you it is not boiling hot and it is not raining.
PARTRIDGE: Yes.
QUEST: I am sure you a hand in that.
PARTRIDGE: We had a perfect day today.
QUEST: Tell me about this. What is the difficulty now in this environment of running this sort of attraction where it is very well-known. It is
probably very expensive to run -- anything that is in New York.
PARTRIDGE: Yes.
QUEST: And we know consumers are a bit stretched.
PARTRIDGE: Yes, for us, we have a unique venue, right? Where else can you get 360-degree panoramic views of Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, the
Brooklyn skyline, so for us, the demand has not waned the way maybe it has in other venues throughout the city.
We have 60-plus shows a year. As you mentioned, Billie Eilish, all of these great artists come here, want to play here in this unique venue. So for us
while the consumer might be a little stretched right now, we haven't seen it in our concert venue.
QUEST: And the actual or the way in which all parts of the --
PARTRIDGE: The seaport?
QUEST: The seaport, thank you. I will try to work out what you call the seaport. The way all parts work.
PARTRIDGE: Yes.
QUEST: It is crucial to the success.
PARTRIDGE: It is. So not only do we have the rooftop at Pier 17 venue.
QUEST: Exactly.
PARTRIDGE: We have waterfront dining with the Fulton and Malibu Farm. We have the Tin Buildings by Jean-Georges that has almost 20 different food
and beverage concepts. We have the cobblestone area with the Lawn Club, so we have a lot of different venues that people can interact with and it all
builds together for a great customer experience.
QUEST: And are you seeing -- I mean, we saw the bucket list coming on from the -- after the pandemic, but are you seeing numbers holding up? Are you
seeing economically as inflation comes down, people are prepared to spend?
PARTRIDGE: Yes, we are. We are year-over-year growth in revenues. We are seeing still good spending from a food and beverage standpoint. So we are
still seeing strength in the consumer down here.
QUEST: US domestic or overseas?
PARTRIDGE: Both, both. So we are seeing tourism increase and we are seeing the New Yorker, as well as visitors to New York all come down to the
seaport.
QUEST: What do you need from the city? Because when we've done our Summer Fridays, we constantly try and find out what people need.
PARTRIDGE: Yes.
QUEST: From the city.
PARTRIDGE: Yes, for us, we would love more integration along the water front. Brooklyn does a phenomenal job. You can see it in the background. We
think the East River has opportunity to connect and create more green space along it. So we would love to work with the city on those projects.
QUEST: The investment necessary to do that.
PARTRIDGE: Yes.
QUEST: And the relationship, I guess it is sort of a -- it is a question of where the burden lies, doesn't it? Public-private partnerships,
infrastructure, new subway lines. New York has done what it can and we've got an election coming up which could help one way or the other.
PARTRIDGE: Yes, so for us, we have had a constant partnership with the city and I would encourage people along the East River or throughout the city to
engage the city on those partnerships, because for us it has been fruitful.
But to your point depending on the infrastructure project or what is going on, some of that burden or obligation lies at the city and some of it lies
with the private sector.
QUEST: How many times have you walked across the bridge?
PARTRIDGE: Once.
QUEST: What?
PARTRIDGE: Once yes.
QUEST: Only once?
PARTRIDGE: Only once. I take the subway.
QUEST: All right, now we are going to get -- we are going to walk across the bridge.
PARTRIDGE: Sounds like a plan.
[16:25:09]
QUEST: We'll do. And then we will have -- I mean, we will eat one of your restaurants and I will pick up the bill.
PARTRIDGE: Terrific. I look forward to it.
QUEST: Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is just a rite of passage in this city that you have to do and many New Yorkers have a personal connection to
the bridge, none more so than Kriss Roebling who looks like can the other pedestrian strolling across the bridge, but he has a unique attachment to
it -- his connection runs through his blood.
I got a chance to walk with Kriss across the Brooklyn Bridge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: This is amazing. We are sort of on the bridge, the noise of helicopters, sirens.
KRISS ROEBLING, GREAT, GREAT GRANDSON OF WASHINGTON AND EMILY ROEBLING, THE BUILDERS OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE: Right, there is a lot of life here.
QUEST: Traffic.
ROEBLING: Yes.
QUEST: What is going on?
ROEBLING: It is wonderful chaos here.
QUEST (voice over): When Kriss Roebling's great, great, great grandfather came to the United States, new technologies were taking the world by storm
-- the telegraph, sewing machines, the railroad -- all of it made people optimistic about the capabilities of human engineering.
And John Roebling was ready to make his mark.
ROEBLING: John did not come up with the idea office suspension bridge, but he did come up with the idea of a suspension bridge that would actually
stay up.
It was not a reliable technology until John developed it.
QUEST (voice over): The great bridge would be longer than any before in history. Through projects in Cincinnati, Niagara Falls, and other places,
John Roebling earned the trust of officials and was ready to start building.
And then disaster struck, he died after an accident. It left his son, Washington to face the problems of actually building the thing. The budget,
and the corrupt officials who were involved.
Eventually, Washington would fall so ill that he was bedridden and it will be his wife who suddenly assumed a prominent role.
ROEBLING: What she really was, was the chief field engineer.
QUEST: Really?
ROEBLING: Which was an immense -- I mean, to me I don't see why -- I don't see why that isn't just amazing in itself.
QUEST: Through their joint expertise, this husband and wife duo would overcome all the challenges.
ROEBLING: What we've got going on here as is a late 19th Century superstructure that was considered one of the great wonders of the modern
world.
QUEST: Wow. Are we at the middle?
ROEBLING: We are at the middle, yes, we are at the middle, so we are at roughly 135 feet above the East River now, which at that point in time was
also besides being this huge expanse from side-to-side, was also about the highest point you could be in New York City.
You have to keep in mind, around the same time, buildings that were being built that there were huge were maybe six or seven stories high. And so
when you are standing here, you're sending almost twice the height of the tallest building that you could climb into at that point in time.
QUEST: What is the most fascinating part for you of this bridge?
ROEBLING: The aspect of how they were going into the dark when they created it, because most structures that are so ambitious and grand are created
with immense levels of safety nets which is simply previous knowledge.
And so much of this bridge was built and designed, figuring out the science and the technology behind it as they were doing it.
QUEST (voice over): It was an unprecedented project. Its accomplishments go beyond the world of engineering. It is a majestic gathering point for all
New Yorkers.
QUEST: When you walk across it now, what do you think?
ROEBLING: I still think it is stunningly beautiful and having lived in the city my entire life, I tend to forget that I have a familial relationship
with it, unless I am in a situation like this so it is, as John said, the people's bridge, and that means it is everybody's and I am simply one of
the people.
QUEST (voice over): In some senses, Kriss is indeed one of the people. His job in the music industry has nothing to do with the architecture or
engineering, but his knowledge of the bridge runs through his blood with artifacts from his relatives passed down through the generations.
ROEBLING: It was all consigned, the blueprints, that were made using those implements right there. Those were his drafting utensils and he used to
keep them on him at all time including apparently at nighttime that he had them in a leather pouch that he kept with him, so even if he had an idea in
the middle of the night, he could very quickly pull them out and start drafting.
QUEST (voice over): Taking the bridge from those drafting tools to reality wasn't easy. More than a century later, the problems are forgotten and New
Yorkers have all kinds are enjoying a towering landmark for generations. QUEST: How many times have you crossed it?
ROEBLING: More than I will ever be able to remember.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: "More than I will ever be able to remember." I think I am up to about two or three times. It is one of the things you tend to do when
people come to visit.
If you'd like to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge with me, well, if you're visiting, just tweet me @RichardQuest and you know the e-mail address, it
is richard.quest@cnn.com. I might even buy an ice cream.
This is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS live from New York on a Friday, a Summer Friday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:30:32]
QUEST: Hello, I'm Richard Quest. There is a great deal more of QUEST MEANS BUSINESS, from the Brooklyn Bridge coming up as we continue this Friday.
The pandemic reshaped. How this city gets around and gets to work and goes out to play? We'll talk to the New York City transportation commissioner,
and I'm responsible for moving us around.
And hard times for Mister Softee, the ice cream, the New York City's iconic ice cream trucks. A dying brief (PH).
Before that, this is CNN. Of course, on this network, the news always comes first.
Plans to begin a first round of polio vaccinations in Gaza on Sunday, Israel and Hamas have agreed to pauses in fighting, so, the vaccinations
can take place.
It follows the fact Gaza recorded its first case of polio in a baby boy in some 25 years.
[16:35:01]
The U.S. National Hockey League is mourning the death of the Columbus Blue Jackets player Johnny Gaudreau, the all-star and his brother were hit by a
suspected drunk driver whilst riding bikes in New Jersey. It happened on the eve of their sister's wedding. Johnny was 31 his brother, Matthew was
29.
A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has ordered X to be shut down in Brazil. The decision follows the -- after Elon Musk failed to name a legal
representative for the social media platform in Brazil.
The two men have been in public feud for months over content moderation policies for Brazil.
We go to Ukraine now, where the President Zelenskyy has fired his air force chief. This follows the top Ukrainian pilot being killed in the crash of a
U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet on Monday.
It's not clear if the two incidents are related, and if so, how? The dismissal comes as Ukraine presses the U.S. to lift restrictions on the use
of American weapons on Russian soil.
Earlier, Ukraine's defense minister was meeting his U.S. counterpart, Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports from Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Never before seen footage of some of the first Ukrainian troops entering
Russian territory in early August. This video given exclusively to CNN by one of the assault units spearheading the charge.
We just crossed the border, one soldier says. And then, glory to Ukraine.
Soldiers from the same unit also provided us this video, showing them coming under fire as they advanced deeper into Russia.
The incursion into Russia is one of Ukraine's main building blocks for what the country's president says is his plan to force Moscow to the negotiating
table.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): I will present this plan to the president of the U.S. The success of this plan
depends on him. Will he give what we have in this plan or not? Will we be free to use what we have in this plan or not?
PLEITGEN (voice over): The Ukrainians want a lot more U.S. weapons, and they want Washington to allow them to use those weapons to strike deep into
Russian territory.
So far, the Ukrainians are only allowed to use missiles like the ground- launched ATACMS to strike in Ukrainian areas occupied by Russia and Russian territory close to the border.
Kyiv's Air Force saying they recently used U.S. provided guided bombs to take out bridges in the Kursk area. Ukraine's defense minister meeting U.S.
Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon to present a list of targets deeper inside Russia, the Ukrainians want permission to hit.
RUSTEM UMEROV, UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTER: During today's meeting, we will engage in detailed discussions about the situation on the front line,
including our vision, objectives, and plans. We'll also address Ukraine's critical needs, including necessary armaments, equipment and training.
PLEITGEN (voice over): While Ukraine is advancing in some areas, they are on the back foot on the Eastern Front, with Russian troops making slow but
steady progress. But Kyiv hopes a massive arms package from the U.S. could help them turn the tide, the senior Ukrainian official tells me in Kyiv.
MYKHAILO PODOLYAK, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER (through translator): Russia can be forced through a proper military strategy, through military
strikes, through increasing the cost of war for the Russian Federation. Increasing the cost of war means that the war will be fought on Russian
territory.
PLEITGEN (voice over): But as the war grinds on, the toll among Ukrainian civilians continues to rise. A massive missile strike on the northeastern
city of Kharkiv on Friday, killing several people and wounding dozens. Still, Moscow lashing out at the U.S. and its allies over even just the
talk of possibly lifting restrictions on the use of Western weapons.
SERGEY LAVROV, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, RUSSIA (through translator): This is an attempt to pretend that the West wants to avoid excessive
escalation. But in truth, this is not so. The West does not want to avoid escalation. The West how we say in Russia is looking for trouble.
PLEITGEN (voice over): Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Oren Liebermann's with me at the Pentagon.
Oren, the question of striking into Russia. Look, the reality is, every time the allies have said no to anything or wait to anything, eventually
they have capitulated, and it's taken place, including the F-16s. So, is that likely to happen here?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Clearly, that's what Ukraine is pushing for. And as you point out, Richard, we've seen that so many
times, the no, no, no, no, no, yes on F-16s, ATACMS, Abrams tanks, patriots, and more.
[16:40:08]
But, at least, at this point, it doesn't look like the U.S. is likely to shift on this one. And there are a number of reasons there. Having spoken
to a U.S. official over the last couple of days ahead of the meetings between defense secretary Lloyd Austin and his counterpart.
First, Ukraine has a very finite supply of ATACMS missiles. They have used them to effectively strike targets on occupied Crimea; like airfields, air
defenses, ammo depots, because all of Crimea is within that range.
But now, Russia has moved its highest value assets outside the range of ATACMS. So, changing that restriction doesn't really, according to this
U.S. official, give Ukraine that much of a benefit.
Instead, Ukraine has long-range drones that are more effective from that front, that are not us manufactured. The U.S. priority remains on air
defenses. They have diverted air defenses away from other countries to make sure Ukraine gets them first, as well as trying to get a better sense of
what Ukraine's plan is in this Kursk offensive. That's been an open question with the Pentagon, and one that almost certainly came up between
Austin and Rustem Umerov.
What comes of that? How much does the U.S. buy that plan, and how does that change U.S. thinking. That's something we're very much looking to see over
the course of the next several days and weeks. Richard.
QUEST: I'm grateful, Oren Liebermann, who is at the Pentagon.
As you and I continue from our summer Friday in the glorious warmth of Pier 17 and the rooftop, more than 2 million people are expected to fly into the
city over the next two days as part of the Labor Day holidays.
It's the sort of official end of the official summer, even though September, I think, is the best and most beautiful month here in New York.
Anyway, after the break, the man who has the responsibility of keeping us all moving in this city. The transportation commissioner.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: When it comes to travel, it's going to be a bumper weekend for this Labor Day weekend. One of the busiest on record in all spheres.
The TSA, which is the screening agency, expects to screen 17 million travelers nationwide, and 2-1/2 million will be coming to this city, New
York, in some shape, form or description.
The good news for drivers is that gas, of course, is the cheapest it's been over many years this Labor Day.
[16:45:05]
And more people could be driving on the roads as well. Which can -- which creates a raft of new problems testing the city's travel infrastructure.
Now, joining me to talk about it is Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City's transportation commissioner.
YDANIS RODRIGUEZ, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: Thank you, Richard.
QUEST: Good to see you, sir.
RODRIGUEZ: Good to see you.
QUEST: How do you do it? How would you keep it all moving?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, New York City, DOT, is responsible to manage 27 percent of our line. But also, we managed almost 800 bridges and tunnels. Brooklyn
Bridge more the best iconic and landmark structure that we have in the city, where among those 62 million tourists.
QUEST: How difficult is it to keep up the Brooklyn Bridge?
RODRIGUEZ: Having a great team, almost more than 500 men and women engineer who oversee these bridges, plus other bridges. We do first of all, the
right investments. Mayor Eric Adams and the previous administration being invested $300 million to take care of the cable, but also for the
beautification or the great stone that we have right now that they used to look brown. But with the investment that we made, we invest on the
beautification and the meanings of the bridge.
QUEST: The goal, of course, of the bridge is to get people from one side and the other. So, it's a -- you know, it's a major artery in this city.
But you must also be aware, it's a phenomenal tourist attraction.
RODRIGUEZ: Well, by the way, 141 years ago, a Germany-American families starting building this bridge.
QUEST: The leveling, we've talking to it, yes.
RODRIGUEZ: And this is about the immigrant dream. As myself, I also was born and raised in another country. So, what they study here, 141 years
ago, now, 2024, provided space, not only for vehicle to move around, but also in the last four years, we built a protected bike lane and a space for
pedestrian to walk.
QUEST: Now, let's talk about bike lanes. I'm glad you mentioned bike lanes, because I am a great cyclist in this city, and I think your bike lanes are
very good. I think it's really impressive, because here you've managed to separate the cyclists from the traffic. It's controversial. Some people
hate it, some people love it.
RODRIGUEZ: And most people love it. And --
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: And natural motorists.
RODRIGUEZ: As Mayor Adams say, 8.6 million New York City, 62 million visitors, and there is 35 different opinions.
What happened with the bike lane is not only that we are building, we built 32 miles of protected bike lane last year, larger than what the numbers to
protected bike lanes there.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: But you -- but you haven't -- you haven't yet got the third parties in the main city, have you? Things like the other bike companies, Tier,
Lime and all of those. New York still doesn't have the wide range that other cities might have.
RODRIGUEZ: Well, New York City is the leading one when it comes to protected bike lanes.
QUEST: Yes.
RODRIGUEZ: And also, we worked and we leave, we run the city by, we are connecting with Mayor Adams. All community with micro mobility and city
bikes.
QUEST: Have you had a good summer?
RODRIGUEZ: Great wine.
QUEST: Sir?
RODRIGUEZ: I say a great summer. Yes.
QUEST: Look at that.
RODRIGUEZ: Same great wine. It's been New York.
QUEST: This is -- this is real New York. You want one, though.
RODRIGUEZ: I want that. Why not?
QUEST: (INAUDIBLE)
RODRIGUEZ: Yes, why not.
QUEST: Have another one. Go on.
RODRIGUEZ: Why not.
QUEST: When we come back after the break, we'll talk about this.
RODRIGUEZ: Sure.
QUEST: Thank you very much. And a very -- an ice cream. The ice cream truck, it cometh.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[16:51:07]
MARNIE, NIECE OF KARIS LAMBERT: There is an ice cream van there. Silly. Just two ice creams with two chewing gums in it.
KARIS LAMBERT, BURNLEY RESIDENT: Yes.
MARNIE: For bloody nine pound for two of it.
LAMBERT: nine quid for two.
MARNIE: Yes, nine quid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Nine quid! Nine quid! You can just feel the frustration in that viral TikTok posted by Karis Lambert.
Customers are facing a very rocky road as inflation is pushing up the cost of ice cream, both in the supermarkets, when you buy from the ice cream
truck. In the U.S. a container of ice cream, which is almost constitutionally protected. It's part of the Constitution has gone from 20
up 23 percent from where it was just three years ago. And that was when we were buying in bulk.
Some retailers have raised their prices even more. Nathaniel Meyersohn, what the heck?
NATHANIEL MEYERSOHN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER: Good afternoon, Richard. Sorry, it's a little -- it's a little warm out here, so, it's dripping.
But we have -- you and I, we visited Mister Softee.
QUEST: This is turn -- this is turning into a YouTube moment. I just got to enjoy.
MEYERSOHN: You know, we got it a little bit early, and its --
QUEST: I'm not -- I'm not taking you out of this one.
MEYERSOHN: And you don't want it. Where is your ice cream, Richard?
QUEST: My ice cream is out over there.
MEYERSOHN: Yes, you're going to be melting it with me.
QUEST: Right.
MEYERSOHN: We'll be melting together.
QUEST: OK. So, ice cream is very much part of the way things are.
MEYERSOHN: Yes.
QUEST: But tell us more.
MEYERSOHN: Yes. So, you and I, a couple weeks ago, we went and talked to Mister Softee, which is really the icon of New York. Have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MEYERSOHN (voice over): The Mister Softee ice cream truck. It's the sound of summer.
Bringing back memories of childhood and a simpler time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Run down the stairs. Ice cream van is coming!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's look at all the wonderful tasty treats Mister Softee brings to your door.
MEYERSOHN (voice over): Since the 1950s, Mister Softee has been part of the fabric of summer. It's no wonder people travel from all over.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. Have one.
MEYERSOHN (voice over): The taste may be sweet, but selling it is harder than ever. Inflation and competition now threaten franchise owners.
CARLOS VASQUEZ, ICE CREAM VENDOR: Easy, easy, slow, slow.
MEYERSOHN (voice over): When Carlos Vasquez started ten years ago, a vanilla cone cost $1 now it's up to five bucks well beyond the rate of
inflation.
VASQUEZ: It's part of the war. Gas go up, milk go up, all the parts of the milk has go up.
MEYERSOHN (voice over): The price isn't the only thing that's going up. The temperature has been rising.
You'd think people want ice cream when it's hot, but surprisingly they're staying home.
VASQUEZ: It melts. You get dirty and you ask for the extra napkin. If the weather is really hot, it's not really good for business. It's weird.
MEYERSOHN (voice over): Ice cream is best shared with a friend, whichever toppings you like.
QUEST: I want the famous standard vanilla cone.
MEYERSOHN (voice over): To talk economics and ice cream. I invited along my friend, Richard Quest.
QUEST: You know the sprinkle man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm traditional.
QUEST: No. That's not traditional, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vote for me in.
MEYERSOHN: That looks good.
QUEST: Yes.
Why did you want to tell me about this?
MEYERSOHN: It's a symbol of New York, but it's also changing and the future, I think is very much up in the air.
We have to look at it as a small business that is -- very much could go extinct at some point.
QUEST: No, we don't.
MEYERSOHN: No?
QUEST: We have to look at it. As bloody good ice cream on a hot, sunny day. Cheers.
[16:55:00]
MEYERSOHN: Cheers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Dignity required that I sort of put mine to one side. Nathaniel doesn't have any such qualms.
MEYERSOHN: I don't have much dignity.
QUEST: As much to say. Yes.
If the ship is sinking, let it go down with all hands. Listen, you just said that about it that if the truck becomes extinct. Why would it matter?
There's a million and more places to buy ice cream.
MEYERSOHN: Because it's a loss of tradition. And, you know, I think we have to hold on to some of the, you know, these memories of childhood. You know,
the things change, but, you know, we need these parts of our youth. And, you know, the knockoffs, they are just, it's not Mister Softee.
QUEST: All right. But ice cream, and the costs of ice cream are going through the roof. And, I mean, well, only wonders how Kamala Harris will
stop price gouging with ice cream.
MEYERSOHN: Good, good luck. But Richard, I will say this. I have been trying Mister Softee, Van Leeuwen, Shake Shack. You know, Mr. Softee's
prices there, still hanging in there.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: Careful. Right.
MEYERSOHN: Van Leeuwen --
QUEST: Heys, yes, yes, yes, yes. They are on the program last year.
They are all delightful. They are wonderful.
MEYERSOHN: Wonderful.
QUEST: You really want to be -- you just keep digging that.
Just keep digging at that. I've always thought it's best.
MEYERSOHN: I have a knack for that. I really just have a knack for that.
QUEST: You really do. You really --
I got --
Mys Yes.
QUEST: You got a knack for something else.
I certainly wouldn't have worn a dark suit with that.
Quick question. Have you had a good summer?
MEYERSOHN: Good summer? We're looking forward to the fall. We got the -- we're watching the U.S. Open now, another great New York tradition.
QUEST: Excellent. All right. Go take a slip.
Oh, yes.
MEYERSOHN: The last drops.
QUEST: We will. Our summer series continues from Pier 17 and the rooftop. We're going to be going in the opposite direction on Monday, which is
actually the day of the holiday. We will be live from the Museum of Modern Art, MOMA. Taking a deep dive into the art world, touring the galleries,
hearing from the museum's director.
It's just going to be sensational, and that's coming up on Monday's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS.
I'll have a "PROFITABLE MOMENT" with you after the break. (INAUDIBLE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Tonight's "PROFITABLE MOMENT" from New York.
There was so much news around over the course of the summer that we weren't able to bring you anywhere near the summer Fridays that we'd hoped. There
is no point in setting all this up and then having to postpone or delay when news gets in the way.
And so, we were determined that with this end of the summer, Memorial Day, Labor Day. Now it's the end of the summer we were going to do summer
Friday. And nowhere more brilliant and better, in a sense, than the Brooklyn Bridge, produced by Josh Gursky. And it has just been phenomenal
to walk across the bridge, to see the tourist, to meet the great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, whatever it is, grandson of the
person who built it.
Because the important part about it is this is not just a bridge that connects two sides, which it does every day. It's a real bridge doing real
business, but it is also an icon people want to cross over. They want to come and visit.
[17:00:00]
They want to ride on the bikes, and as you heard from the commissioner, hundreds of millions have been spent keeping it exactly that a working
monument to travel, and tourism. And you don't get much better than that.
END
