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The Situation Room

Americans' Opinions on Trump Administration?; Lead Contamination Crisis in Milwaukee Schools. Aired 11:30a-12:00p ET

Aired May 09, 2025 - 11:30   ET

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

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[11:32:56]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now, Milwaukee's school district is dealing with a growing lead contamination crisis. Officials say old paint is the source of this issue. And because of recent mass firings, the CDC says it can't help.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Local officials are doing what they can to try to inspect the buildings, relocate students, and screen for potential exposures.

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is on the ground for us to investigate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Any building built before 1978 in America probably has lead-based paint in it, which could poison kids.

Our story starts here, Milwaukee. In January, a kid was found to have four times the amount of lead in their blood as expected. So they started to investigate. And they did not find any lead in the child's home. And that brought investigators here, where, for the first time, they were able to link lead poisoning in children to the city's aging schools.

Specifically, they found evidence of lead-containing paint in the elementary school bathroom. Since then, at least three more children have tested positive for elevated blood lead levels, and eight schools have also been found to have unsafe lead levels as well.

In fact, here at Westside Academy, these kids had to be relocated to another school just this week. They found evidence of red flaking paint on the outside and lots of problems on the inside, paint that was flaking on doors and walls and windowsills.

City's now got a big job on their hands. They have to inspect around 100 buildings. The health commissioner has invited us to come take a look at the lab, where they're analyzing a lot of the samples that have been taken from schools. DR. MICHAEL TOTORAITIS, MILWAUKEE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH: They will

be diluted and then actually tested within this machine. We look at that concentration and decide, OK, can school reopen safely, or does it need more time to be closed?

GUPTA: These shavings of paint, they're sweet. They taste sweet. Is that why kids eat them?

TOTORAITIS: Yes. So, they actually have a sweetness to them. So that's why we are generally concerned about children under the age of 6 who are crawling around on the ground and constantly putting things in their mouth.

GUPTA: What is the lead actually doing in the body?

[11:35:05]

TOTORAITIS: It gets it absorbed into the bloodstream and can cause long-term cognitive delays and behavioral issues.

GUPTA: Do you guys have enough resources to accomplish what you need to do?

TOTORAITIS: We have enough of a team right now.

I think the long-term investigation into the potential chronic exposures of students at the districts is a part that we were really looking to the CDC to help us with. And, unfortunately, HHS had laid off that entire team for childhood lead exposure.

These are the best and brightest minds in these areas around lead poisoning, and now they're gone.

GUPTA: So, for now, the city is trying to do the best that they can. In fact, they've set up a testing clinic here at this high school to screen up to 300 children today.

Basically, the kid comes in. They sit down. There's a little lancet here that they do a finger prick test on. The -- it goes into this machine over here, and they will get a result back right away, basically then telling the parents, look, your kid's lead level may be too high.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Again, I implore you all to shift to prevention, not reaction.

GUPTA (voice-over): While we are at the screening, a parent-led group gathered nearby, making some demands about lead remediation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My grandchildren have the right to go to school without the threat of exposure to lead.

GUPTA: Now, you should know that one of the most cost-effective and straightforward ways to control exposure from old paint is to paint over it. But schools in the school district fell behind, and now the superintendent is under a lot of pressure to get this done. (on camera): This is particularly concerning if it's down low like

this.

DR. BRENDA CASSELLIUS, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: That's right, because it's where kids handle their materials.

And if you're pulling things out, you could certainly just chip. So we remediated these surfaces. And then now we have to go back and paint it. But it's a constant cleaning, a constant upkeep, a constant painting. Painting a room can cost $800.

We've got tens of thousands of square feet in just one school. We anticipate this could cost up to $20 million.

GUPTA: Do you have the money?

CASSELLIUS: Well, we -- we do in our reserve. So, right now, I'm just saying I need to just spend every dollar. We are working with urgency, and we are not sparing any expense because one student with lead is too many.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: We want to thank Dr. Gupta for that excellent and very important report.

And if you have any questions about lead contamination, scan this Q.R. code and submit them there. Dr. Gupta will be back later today, 2:00 p.m. Eastern, to answer some of the questions we have been getting about all of this.

BROWN: Really concerning stuff there. Glad that he is shining a spotlight on it.

Coming up: a new pope, tariffs, and tax cuts. Just ahead, we're talking with a pair of political talk show hosts for our weekly series "Your Voice." They fill us in on what their listeners are saying about everything in D.C. and beyond right now.

We will be back.

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[11:42:12]

BROWN: And now to our weekly series "Your Voice."

Every Friday, we check in with talk radio and podcast hosts across the country to hear what their listeners are thinking and saying about what's going on here in Washington.

And, today, we have got the co-host of "For You Pod," Cameron Kasky in New York. He is also the co-founder of March For Our Lives. And from Des Moines, talk show host Jeff Angelo.

Thank you both for being here with us. It's good to see both of you back here on the show. I know we have had you on before for this.

So, Cameron, to kick it off with you, what's top of mind for your listeners from this week?

CAMERON KASKY, CO-HOST, "FYPOD": A lot of people in our audience are very upset with RFK's autism registry and just the way his whole effort has been mischaracterizing people with special needs as a whole.

It's extremely dangerous. It's dehumanizing and it's just terribly inaccurate. So you have got J.B. Pritzker, who is standing up against this in Illinois. You see that he's signing an executive order to prevent a lot of private data from being seized in a way that is very, very dangerous.

But people are seeing this and calling into question whether RFK and his whole team know what autism really is at all, because he's saying these people can't pay taxes, they can't use the bathroom. And it doesn't make any sense.

BROWN: It's interesting because that happened, I think, a couple of weeks ago, and he since came out and he said, oh, he clarified, I'm just talking about just a small percentage of those with autism. Did that make any difference for your listeners, Cameron?

KASKY: People can see right through RFK's nonsense. I mean, it's hard to understand what he's saying because he sounds like he's choking on sand.

But, right now he's going after Medicare and Medicaid information, to the point where they are looking at taking information from people's smartwatches and everything like that. And the efforts are continuing. The rhetoric is getting more dangerous. And people aren't -- standing up. People aren't having this.

BROWN: Jeff, I want to bring you into the conversation here. There's a lot going on. There's that, obviously, from a couple of weeks ago, but then also a new pope, right, an American pope. And we have seen some nice comments from the White House about this pope. A lot of people are excited.

But then you have also seen some prominent MAGA figures that are already attacking him for some posts from an X account listed under Prevost's name with links to articles critical of Trump's immigration policies. I'm curious if you have heard anything from your listeners about that and any reaction to this new pope.

JEFF ANGELO, RADIO TALK SHOW SHOT: Well, I think there's two categories of listeners, Pamela. I think there are folks that always see everything from a political lens.

And the primary focus of their conversation is, will he be a liberal pope? Will he be a conservative pope? But for a lot of listeners, this is just a celebration of their faith and the role that their faith plays in their lives, a lot of listeners very emotional over the naming of the new pope and talking about their mission, what their faith means to them, going forward who needs to be ministered to.

[11:45:23]

So there's faith and there's politics. I know often we see both intertwined, but, for some listeners, this is just a celebration of the faith that runs through their life and how it informs and inspires them day-to-day, and it isn't a conversation about liberalism versus conservatism.

But there always is that portion of the audience, Pamela, that is going to divide everything up into a political point of view.

BROWN: All right, Cameron, to bring you back in, and I also just want to follow up, because when you were talking about RFK Jr., where you said it sounded like he was choking on sand, he does have a neurological disorder that impacts his vocal cords. And I think that that's really just important to make clear to our audience.

But I want to ask you about former President Joe Biden, who spoke about the 2024 election on "The View" yesterday. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So why do you think the vice president lost and were you surprised?

JOE BIDEN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have never seen quite a successful and consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman couldn't lead the country and a woman of mixed race.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you take any responsibility for Trump's reelection?

BIDEN: Yes, I do, because, look, I was in charge, and he won. So I take responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So, Cameron, is that something that your listeners want to hear?

KASKY: My listeners are of the belief and a lot of people are of the belief that, had President Biden fulfilled the promises he had made to step down and allow for a healthy primary to choose who the next presidential candidate would be, the Democratic Party would have been in a much better spot.

But at some point during his presidency, Biden said, no, I am going to run for president again to be the oldest president in United States history. And he left the election too late, and he did not give Kamala Harris time to prepare. The Harris campaign had to come together at the last minute.

And he wouldn't allow for a primary, which is part of how our democracy is supposed to work. So I think President Biden should be focused on efforts to support whether that's humanitarian efforts or the types of things Jimmy Carter was doing after he was president.

Coming out right now and talking about how, ooh, perhaps he would have won against Donald Trump, I think that that is not helpful. I think it's distracting. And I think that it is a very unfair effort to throw Vice President Harris under the bus after Vice President Harris did everything she could to be elected president, even with all of the struggles that came with being associated with the Biden administration.

BROWN: So it sounds like that that's the sentiment coming from your listeners.

Jeff, President Trump has been trying to blame anything negative with the economy on Biden, like higher prices from his tariffs, while also taking credit for anything positive, like lower gas prices, for example. Do your listeners buy that?

ANGELO: I think we're in wait-and-see mode right now, Pamela. I think it's expected political behavior that you take credit for everything great, try to blame your predecessor for everything that is bad right now.

And I do think we're early enough in the administration. And particularly talking about tariffs as an economic strategy, we haven't seen this in our lifetime. So a lot of my listeners are in wait-and- see mode. But there is a point where you start to take a turn toward the next election, and voters start holding the president accountable for the state of the economy.

I don't think we're there yet. But as we get closer to the election, if the price of my eggs and the price of my gas are up, voters are going to say, look, this tariff thing's not working and they will take it out on the Republicans.

BROWN: Jeff, just to follow up on that, from talking to your listeners, when do you think that tide could turn? I mean, right now, they're giving grace, but how long until you think it's going to backfire?

ANGELO: I think it could backfire probably by Christmastime. I mean, I think if you're -- I want to be very practical about this. If you're trying to make out your Christmas list for your family and you don't have the money for your Christmas gifts because you're just trying to get your utilities paid, I do think you start to -- your mood starts to sour toward the current administration.

So I think that's why you're seeing such an urgency in this administration right now to start rolling out trade deals and tell the American people, we're making deals. Look, everything's going to be all right.

[11:50:01]

BROWN: So interesting to hear the perspective of those that are calling into your shows. And I love having you both on.

So thank you for your time today, Cameron Kasky, Jeff Angelo. I appreciate your insights.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: It is a big week here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Our very own Wolf Blitzer, the icon, is celebrating his 35th anniversary at CNN. And as part of the Wolf pack, we all want to say congratulations on this incredible milestone, Wolf, 35 years.

Let's take a look at some of Wolf's most memorable moments over the years, from calling presidential elections to appearing in "Mission: Impossible."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK SESNO, FORMER CNN ANCHOR: CNN military affairs correspondent Wolf Blitzer joins us now live from the Pentagon with the very latest -- Wolf.

BLITZER: The president said this was strictly an air operation for the time being. When does the U.S. decide to send in the ground forces?

[11:55:01]

JOHNNY CARSON, FORMER HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Probably nobody in the country who doesn't know who is now. Would you welcome please Mr. Wolf Blitzer?

(APPLAUSE)

BLITZER: We're here in Oklahoma City, where, later today, the president and first lady will be attending a memorial service.

It must be so amazing for you to see where you are right now.

NELSON MANDELA, FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: The fact that I spent so many years in prison is part of my life.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is your last trip with me, so I want to thank you for 6.5 good years.

BLITZER: I'm Wolf Blitzer, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where news and information from around the world arrive in one place simultaneously.

One quick question. Do you want to be president of the United States?

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to be the best U.S. senator for the state of Illinois that I can be.

BLITZER: You know there's people talking about that.

OBAMA: Well, that's silly talk. BLITZER: CNN can now project that Barack Obama, 47 years old, will

become the president-elect of the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who the hell is Wolf?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can get into it. You know what I'm saying? See, there's a lot of this. (INAUDIBLE) Now, now, now, now.

BLITZER: This is Kim Il-Sung Square. As you can see, it's really huge. This is a brisk, cold day on this Friday here in Pyongyang.

How are you going to make them pay for the wall?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will, and the wall just got 10 feet taller, believe me.

Did we get it?

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: Of course we got it.

BLITZER: Told you we would get it.

Let's go to our senior White House correspondent, Pamela Brown.

Pamela, another shakeup in the Trump administration.

BROWN: It's very exciting.

BLITZER: We're going to have fun here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

BROWN: Yes, we are.

And we thank you for all for joining us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Oh, Wolf, what a storied career, and so many more years to go, by the way.

BLITZER: I loved you at the White House over there.

BROWN: I for -- I -- right. That's a blast from the past.

BLITZER: It was very impressive. Both of us were at the White House.

BROWN: We were.

BLITZER: Yes.

BROWN: You did your stint. Actually, when I did my stint at the White House, there was memorabilia from when you were there, like your old notepads and stuff.

BLITZER: Yes.

(LAUGHTER) BROWN: So, isn't that funny?

But, Wolf, we just treasure you here at CNN. And you have so many more years to go. We all laugh that Wolf is going to outlast all of us here.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: Look, I love CNN. You know, and CNN, when Ted Turner hired me many, many years ago and sent me to the Pentagon, I wasn't sure it was going to be much of a beat, because the Cold War was winding down.

And then, a few months later, Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait, and we know what happened after that.

BROWN: You know, and everyone -- after that, you became a household name. And now, whenever I go out with Wolf Blitzer, everyone wants to take pictures, get his autograph.

(LAUGHTER)

BROWN: And you're always so gracious and kind. And you are, I really believe it, the Walter Cronkite of our time.

BLITZER: Thank you. That's so sweet of you. Thanks.

BROWN: All right, thank you so much for joining us this morning. See you back here Monday.

BLITZER: And every weekday morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

"INSIDE POLITICS WITH DANA BASH" is coming up next.