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Hala Gorani Tonight
Trump To Reveal Supreme Court Nominee In Just Hours; Court Orders Reunifications Of Immigrant Children; Trump To Reshape Supreme Court With New Nominee; Trump To Hold Summit With Vladimir Putin On Monday; Political Turmoil For Theresa May's U.K. Government; Starbucks To Eliminate Plastic Straws From All Stores. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired July 09, 2018 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:43]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, everyone. Live from CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Paula Newton in for Hala Gorani.
Tonight, major pressure on U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May as she loses not one, but two key cabinet ministers over her position on Brexit.
Also, ahead, divers rescue four more boys trapped inside a vast cave system. The latest on when they plan to try to save the rest of that
group.
And, of course, the big week for President Trump as he prepares for high stakes meetings across the Atlantic. We'll speak to his former head of
communication, you'll remember him, Anthony Scaramucci.
Now it has been another day of absolutely seismic shocks. This is not hyperbole for Theresa May and her U.K. government. It has been plunged
into turmoil with the resignation of not one but two major names over her plans for Brexit.
Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary and one of the leading faces of Brexit, dramatically quit just a few hours ago. In an absolutely scathing
resignation letter, he said the Brexit dream was, quote, "dying, suffocating by needless self-doubt."
David Davis, meantime, the Brexit secretary and key negotiator with the E.U. was the first to go. After all that, the prime minister had the
unenviable job of facing parliament and trying to defend her Brexit plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: (Inaudible) said that and I quote, "As we leave the European Union, we will no longer be members of a single
market or customs union. But we will seek a deep and special partnership including a comprehensive free trade and customs agreement and that is
exactly what the proposal agreed by the cabinet seeks to achieve.
What we are proposing is challenging the E.U. It requires them -- it requires them to think again to look beyond the positions they've taken so
far and to agree on a set of rights and obligations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: The opposition clearly sensing weakness there as are many others. We want to take you to the heart of the action. Nina dos Santos is with us
from Westminster. Nina, somebody has to take a deep breath there today after all of the events. We'll talk about Boris Johnson's actions in a
moment and especially those words that he felt that the U.K. would become a colony, a colony of the E.U.
But first to the matters at hand, Theresa May, will she survive this and is there any hint that her own party will toss her out as prime minister?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's unclear at this stage but it certainly looks like it's a pretty big risk, Paula. This is the most
pronounced political crisis that Theresa May has faced since that ill-fated decision to call a general election a year or so ago when she famously lost
her party's mandate.
Since then presumably patience has been wearing thin especially among euroskeptic members of the conservative party, who believed that she's been
too acquiescent when it comes to her dealings with Brussels.
And all of this situation over the last couple of days or hours, indeed, has been precipitated by the government's decision to try and right the
cabinet round, the checkers the official country residence of the prime minister where she basically had an offsite with her government ministers
to try and sit them down in a lock down to desperately try and get them to agree to a proposal that she thought would be soft enough for Brussels to
go for.
Despite the fact that most of those cabinet members eventually left from that meeting over the weekend saying they backed her, obviously David Davis
felt that this particular paper was just one step too far. The U.K.'s opening negotiating positions with the E.U. was too weak and didn't want to
stand for it.
The problem is when David Davis decided to resign that set-in motion a whole domino effect where other prominent leaders have decided to resign as
well. That's why we've seen Boris Johnson stepping down.
The big question this evening is will other key members who advocated that the U.K. leave the E.U. in the 2016 referendum, will they also now decide
to ditch what is increasingly looking like a listing ship -- Paula.
NEWTON: A listing ship and yet no easy answers there especially when the Brexit plans as they reflect a turmoil really that has been there since the
moment Britain voted for Brexit. We along with the E.U. continue to watch all of this. Nina dos Santos, thank you for the update.
[15:05:14] Now with the day in such turmoil it's not surprising that Theresa May's opposition party was in a mood for attack. They do sense
weakness. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY CORBYN, BRITIS LABOUR PARTY LEADER: Two years on from the referendum, 16 months on from Article 50 being triggered, it's only this
weekend that a cabinet managed to agree and negotiate a position among itself, and that illusion lasted 48 hours. There are now only a few months
left until these negotiations are supposed to conclude.
We have a crisis in government. Two secretaries of state have resigned, and still we're no clearer on what future relationship with our nearest
neighbors, our biggest partners will look like. Workers and businesses deserve better than this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Wow. What a day of turmoil and the number of questions, of course, remain, what does this mean for Theresa May and what does it mean
for Brexit itself. With us is our political analyst, Carole Walker.
Carole, you wrote in the first week of May as a headline, a week of hell for Theresa May. What the heck is this, Armageddon. It's only Monday.
She has a NATO meeting and then Donald Trump at the end of the week.
You know, we were just talking about the fact that it looks like the Tory Party will not risk tossing her out. Is that that inflection point that
counter intuitive angle to everything that look, she got rid of two very troublesome ministers and now she could actually be in a stronger position.
Is there anything to that?
CAROLE WALKER, POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, undoubtedly this is the most serious crisis for the prime minister since the general election. She is
in a really perilous position to lose your foreign secretary, such a high- profile figure, the key figure in that campaign to leave the European Union.
On the same day that she lost the man who until now has been her main negotiator on this whole Brexit process is undoubtedly a very serious blow.
We've had other more junior ministers resigning. It's a febrile atmosphere.
There are lots of rumors swirling around that other pro-Brexit cabinet ministers could also resign but no confirmation of any of that yet. At the
moment, there is a meeting going on in parliament.
The key group of pro-Brexit MPs, I'm told that there are more than 80 MPs there tonight, which is a much bigger number than normally would be for
this group and I think that is going to be crucial in deciding Theresa May's fate.
Because until now those Brexiters have shown, yes, disgruntlement and fury at the plan that she managed to get a temporary agreement at that checkers
meeting on Friday, but there's no agreement on where to go next, even amongst those staunch Brexiters, even among those Brexiters who want to try
to stop this plan.
Some of them think it's time for Theresa May to go. Others say we should keep her in place because otherwise there is a risk of the whole Brexit
process being derailed. So, we're in a very turbulent atmosphere.
But, yes, at the moment there's still a very strong possibility that Theresa May could face down her critics, face down the other challengers,
get through this crisis, appoint other ministers, and dig on in as she has done over the past couple of years.
NEWTON: I mean, one has to say that Boris Johnson adding to this did not come at a good time to say the least. Making that checkers meeting looking
like a hostage situation. Once they were freed they were out.
It's that word "colony" used in terms of refer ng to what the U.K. would look like if the soft Brexit, that Theresa May is peddling would come to
fruition. He says we're now in the ludicrous position of asserting we must accept huge amounts of precisely such E.U. law without changing an iota
because it's essential for our economic health.
That is the Theresa May stand. He goes on saying we're headed for the status of a colony. I mean, where do you fit that square peg into a round
hole? You can turn the clock back. These were the exact arguments made about a soft or a hard Brexit in the weeks after the vote.
WALKER: Paula, you know, there are a number of key figures on both sides of this argument who fear that because of the deep division, and because of
Theresa May's very vulnerable position, and her need to compromise every stage, that we are heading for the worst of all worlds.
[15:10:06] That's why you had Boris Johnson in his resignation talking about how we seemed to be heading to a semi-Brexit, the status of a colony.
What many of these people are very concerned about was the phrase in this complicated plan that Theresa May came up with that talked about a common
rule book on trade.
So, that British business, if they wanted to trade with the E.U. would have to follow the same standards and rules and regulations. And I think what
they fear is that we wouldn't be in a position to shape those rules and regulations, but we still have to follow them in order to trade with the
European Union.
Now Theresa May said, well, look, Britain can decide that. Parliament can decide whether or not it wants to sign up to particular rules and
regulations. But David Davis who was negotiating Brexit until this morning said well look this is like the sword of Damacles hanging over parliament.
If they want to say no to any particular rule or regulation, it will have to say goodbye to a large amount of trade with the European Union. So, I
think that's what is really angered many of those who fought for Brexit because they wanted Britain to be free to trade, free to trade around the
world, free of many rules and regulations that govern so much of the way the country is run.
And they fear what we're heading for is something that will leave many of the people who voted for the vision that they gave that they will feel
betrayed. As Boris Johnson put it in that statement, he feels that the dream is dying, suffocated by needless self-doubt.
The key question, of course, is whether he's going to go beyond attacking the deal and be prepared to challenge the prime minister. There was no
hint of that in the statement that he put out.
NEWTON: That's what's so stark here, right? It is so easy to use those words and yet very difficult to stand up and take some action. I get the
sense that right now people are willing to let Theresa May get on with it and let her wear this politically. And yet, where does that leave Britain,
whether you favor remaining or wherever you were for Brexit and all in? The negotiating position here, Carole, cannot be good. Everyone can see
that.
WALKER: Undoubtedly, this has been a real setback not just for Theresa May's leadership, but for her prospects of negotiating a good deal for the
United Kingdom. I think the only hope that there will be of the team around her is that European leaders who have been restrain in saying
anything at all to this unfolding drama that they will feel well, perhaps we the Europeans do need to compromise a bit to help Theresa May, otherwise
maybe we will end up with having to do with a hardline Brexiter.
But I think undoubtedly where any negotiator looking at the disarray in the ranks of those that they are trying to cut a deal with, well, we got the
cards and it's very difficult, indeed for the U.K. to try to negotiate the sort of Brexit which many of those who campaigned for it had hoped for.
NEWTON: Yes, there's something to that logic. Better the devil you know. Boris Johnson, a biographer of Churchill will really reflect on the, quote,
"Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm. It seems Theresa May at least is one for that and we'll see as the hours and
days ahead unfold.
Carol, thank you. I know you have your ears to the ground on what's going on in that Tory Party. We'll continue to touch base with you. Appreciate
it.
Now in Thailand, rescue efforts have been suspended for night after an astonishing and hair-raising day in Chiang Rai. In the end, though, it was
utterly successful. Earlier four boys safely made it out of that flooded cave. Eight have now been rescued in total, meaning four others plus their
coach remain trapped.
Those freed have been flown by helicopter to hospital and are being treated and quarantine. Rescue workers need now at least 20 hours to prepare for
the next operation. They have to restage. But with the threat of more severe rainfall overshadowing everything, this is not a cliche, time is
truly of the essence.
We want to bring in our team on the ground there. Jonathan Miller is very close to the entrance of the cave. Matt Rivers is at the hospital where
the boys are. First to you, Jonathan. In terms of what we can expect, we know they have to pause. None of us like it. They need their rest, need
to re-equip.
What do you know about the operation to come and whether two things will make it more difficult. One is the incoming rain and what the conditions
are in the cave there, and two, the condition of the boys because we are told that the boys that remain there are perhaps not as strong and robust
as the ones that have already been saved?
JONATHAN MILLER, ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Just to that last point first, Paula. I mean, we've heard, although officials here have been pretty tight lipped
about the whole operation, but we heard among the first to come out were some of those boys who were judged to be the weakest. So, that would make
sense. We have no confirmation of that, however.
[15:15:03] In terms of the conditions down there, well, the weather has remained very fine today. Conditions down below are good. The plan
remains intact. And I think, you know, once this short hiatus of a few hours while they restock the oxygen cylinders and the compressed air tanks
down below, they will want to get going as fast as possible because as you say that weather is coming in.
I mean, it's raining down the road. Just now it's pouring about four miles down the road where I stand near the cave. The operation has gone
incredibly smoothly those. And, you know, it may be too early to call it, but people are beginning to dare to hope that there's light at the tunnel
and not the mission impossible it was once feared to be.
NEWTON: Already incredibly successful. We've been warned not to get complacent. Those rescuers won't be complacent. To the miracle of those
boys, and our Matt Rivers is there at the hospital. Matt, going back to their condition, what do we know of their condition and what do we know of
their families? Have they been able to communicate with them? Where are they right now as they continue this vigil for the remaining phase of the
rescue?
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, similar to what Jonathan just said authorities here at the hospital keeping pretty tight
lipped about the actual conditions of the boys here. We are expecting a press conference within the next 12 hours or so here at the hospital by
hospital officials, hopefully to update us on the conditions of those boys.
All they will say, though, is that they are not in bad shape. That's what we've been told officially. Also, at a press conference earlier that would
be on Monday here in Thailand, an official said the four boys who came out today actually were in better shape than the boys who came out at first.
So, the first set of four was actually in worse shape than the second set of four. Take from that what you will. But what we do know is that all
eight of those boys are in a specialized sterilized isolation unit on the eighth floor of that hospital. They are all in the same place.
Hopefully will be joined by their teammates relatively soon once that third rescue attempt goes ahead. We know that they will be treated for a variety
of things and kept in that isolation unit for one to two days because there's a threat of a weakened immune system.
They don't want to be susceptible to more illness. They don't want to spread any contagious illness. So, doctors really taking an abundance of
caution here in their treatment of these boys. As for the parents, none of the parents have come to the hospital.
There's a report that the parents haven't been told the identities of which boys have been brought out of the cave. There's a lot of rumors going
around in Thai press and elsewhere which boys have made it out of that cave.
CNN staying away from that reporting because we can't identify that independently. However, it wouldn't be a surprise if some of those rumors
made it back to the camp. For now, parents are staying at the cave site in a real show of solidarity, a sign that they are looking at this incident as
not being over until everyone comes out of the cave.
NEWTON: Absolutely not. That includes the rescuers risking their lives. Thanks to Jonathan Miller and Matt Rivers, who continue to be on this story
for us. We continue to wait. Appreciate both of you.
Now rescuers from around the world are working around the clock to help save those boys. It seems as though the entire planet is on their side.
Viewers in 71 countries commented on the Thai cave rescue during CNN's talk.
From prayers scents from a viewer in California to a tribute to the rescue workers here in India and this message of support from Egypt is a sample of
the comments but they illustrate how widely this story is resonating around the world. I mean, none of us could ever forget when we actually heard
those boys were found alive.
Now a breaking news update for you on our top story. We are getting word that Theresa May has responded to Boris Johnson after his resignation
saying that she was, quote, "sorry and a little surprised by it." She also said that it was right that he stood down if he cannot support the
agreement reached by the cabinet last Friday. Perhaps there's a tinge of relief in that for her. We will wait and see.
Still to come here, we'll go back to Britain where the latest Novichok case has taken a deadly turn and now Scotland Yard is looking for a very
important clue.
And we'll break down Donald Trump's incredibly high stakes week ahead with a former White House communications director.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:21:41]
NEWTON: Welcome back here to HALA GORANI TONIGHT. I'm sitting in for Hala. Now one poison, two poisonings but Scotland Yard says it still
doesn't know if the Novichok that killed a woman came from the same batch used on a former Russian spy.
The 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess died Sunday more than a week after she was exposed to the nerve agent. Her partner remains in critical condition.
Police are investigating her death now as a murder.
We want to take you live to Salisbury where the first poisoning happened back in March. Our Phil Black is with us and he's been following this
story since March. Phil, fill me in here. When you look at the reaction from both the U.K. government and Scotland Yard, there is still a great
degree of caution in terms of them actually making a connection between the two attacks. Why?
PHIL BLACK, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's caution but they have a logical theory. The logical theory being that these two people who
most recently struck down by Novichok were simply innocent victims, collateral damage, if you like, from that attempted assassination, the
failed assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal, the former Russian intelligence officer and his daughter here back in March.
The theory is that these people have simply somehow, somewhere found a container that was discarded by whoever tried to kill the Skripals. Now,
it's only a theory because they simply don't have the evidence to back it, to make the firm connection yet.
And crucially and this is the key point and really police say the focus of the investigation they still haven't found the contaminated object. A
source of Novichok so potent if you follow their theory that it still has the ability to kill four months after it was discarded -- Paula.
NEWTON: Such a sad story and especially as the mother of three lost their life. Of course, Skripal survived that attack. You know, Phil, the U.K.
government is saying look, we're not at this moment in time going to sanction Russia.
And yet of what you know about this investigation it seems to me that it's not escalated to a point geopolitically so far. Is that because Scotland
Yard does not have the evidence? Russia has always denied it's been involved and we've not had any forensic evidence from the U.K. government.
They have been involved.
BLACK: Well, I think it's simply a case of the government giving the authorities a chance to build a case, essentially, to find the evidence.
That's what we've been hearing from the British government in recent days.
When you think about the fact that now stands here and that is that a British citizen has been killed by a Russian nerve agent here on British
territory. You can only assume that inevitably that will lead to a further inflaming of relations between the U.K. and Russia.
But for the moment the British government is taking a pretty moderate line and that is let the police do their work. Let them find the evidence. Let
them build the case. And I think it's worth to take a moment to think about the victim, Dawn Sturgess, 44 years old.
She lived here just behind me, a social housing facility for some of the most desperate, a mother of three. People who knew her say that she
battled addiction, everything points to her having a pretty difficult life. No one could possibly have predicted that she would die like this -- Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, definitely an innocent victim there. And, again, the community still, obviously, showing a lot of concern that this could happen
even after that first attack in March. Our Phil Black continues to follow this very mysterious story. Appreciate it.
[15:25:07] Now days of torrential rains have left more than hundred people dead in Japan. Streets have turned into rivers and hillsides have given
way, burying houses in mud and debris. The pictures are extraordinary. There are still dozens missing.
CNN's Robyn Curnow tells us now the challenge is reaching those who remains stranded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The rain has slowed but the storm has left behind a rising death toll and growing number of missing or
displaced persons in eight regions of Japan. Rescue teams are assessing the damage.
Wading through flooded streets and dodging mangled structures to get to those in need before taking them to join 10,000 people already in rescue
centers. Crews are tasked with trying to figure out to reach victims in remote areas while trains are down, and streets are eroded or covered with
debris.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled his upcoming trip abroad to concentrate on disaster relief and allocate resources to the recovery
effort.
SHINZO ABE, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): There's still many people missing. We're increasing the number of self-defense forces to
73,000 members, who are doing their utmost to rescue and assist locals.
CURNOW: The unprecedented downpour forced 2 million people to flee their homes. With hundreds of houses destroyed or damaged, those who stayed
described clinging to whatever they could for survival.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): First I stayed at the ground floor but noticed the water coming up above the floor around 5:00 p.m. We felt
the pitch and went to the second floor. We thought that should be safe based on our past experience.
CURNOW: The house is still standing. About 17,000 of them are without electricity and more than 200,000 are without water. Government officials
warn people in affected areas still face the threat of landslides, flooding and extreme weather conditions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My house was totally messed up. The car was washed way. At least I survived. We'll be trapped if we go
into the affected areas. We cannot move from there.
CURNOW: Business and personal activity has come to a halt in the aftermath of the storm as a full scale of the damage is still being assessed. Robyn
Curnow, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Still to come tonight, how is Europe looking at those key resignations of two British cabinet members? We will go to Brussels to get
their view.
And then U.S. President Donald Trump's big week kicks in just a few hours when he reveals his nominee for the Supreme Court. That's a decision that
could affect U.S. policy for decades.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: All right. We want to bring you up to date on the latest from a day of political chaos in Westminster in the space of just 24 hours, two
pivotal members of Theresa May's cabinet have quit over her Brexit plans. Now one of them was Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary. And one of the
leading faces of Brexit. Now, in just the last few moments here, we have heard Theresa May's response telling Boris Johnson, she was quote, "Sorry
and a little surprised that he had quit." She also said, quote, "As we develop our policy on Brexit, I have allowed cabinet colleagues
considerable latitude to express their individual views but the agreement we reached on Friday marks the point where, that we can no longer make that
the case. Now, if you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interest of the United Kingdom, it is right that
you should step down." That is the rebuttal there to Boris Johnson in his surprise resignation.
Now, of course, a very busy week for Donald Trump as well. NATO meetings, of course that visit to London with Theresa May and then a high stakes
summit with Russian president, Vladimir Putin. All of that on Donald Trump's agenda over the next seven days. But his big week actually kicks
off in just a few hours, primetime event here when he announces his highly- anticipated nominee for the Supreme Court. CNN's Abby Philip has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm very close to making a decision. Have not made it officially yet, obviously. Have not made it
filed up.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump teasing tonight's primetime Supreme Court announcement after some last minute behind-the-
scenes jockeying at his New Jersey golf club.
TRUMP: Let's say it's the four people but they're excellent. Everyone. You can't go wrong.
PHILLIP: Republicans praising the four leading candidates who sources say include federal appeals court judges Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett,
Raymond Kethledge and Thomas Hardiman, the runner up to President Trump's first pick to the high court.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Republicans are holding four lottery tickets and all of them are winners.
PHILLIP: Sources tell CNN that Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell has been urging President Trump to choose either Kethledge or Hardiman who he
feels will have the best odds of getting confirmed quickly in this crucial midterm year.
SEN. ROY BLUNT (R), MISSOURI: I think the president has to think about who is the easiest to get confirmed here.
PHILLIP: Democrats vowing to stonewall any nominee who would seek to overturn rulings protecting minority rights.
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: I've never seen a president of the United States, in effect make himself a puppet of outside group and
choose from a group of right-wing fringe ideologues.
PHILLIP: But blocking the appointment will be near impossible for Democrats. The Senate only needs 50 votes to confirm a Supreme Court.
Meaning that if all but one Republican vote along party lines, they will not need any Democratic support. Three Democrats voted in favor of
President Trump's first nominee, Justice Neil Gorsuch and newly elected red state Democrat, Senator Doug Jones signaled he plans to vote independent of
party.
SEN. DOUG JONES (D), ALABAMA: I don't think my role is a rubberstamp for our president, but it's also not an automatic kneejerk no either.
PHILLIP: This as the Trump administration struggles to reunite the youngest children separated from their parents at the border before
Tuesday's deadline. The administration requesting more time and releasing a list of roughly 100 kids under the age of 5 to the American Civil
Liberties Union. Government officials say they still need to track down dozens of parents who are no longer in custody, including 19 who were
already deported.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Vote you out, vote you out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where are the babies, Mitch?
PHILLIP: Protesters confronting McConnell about the separated children as he left a Kentucky restaurant Saturday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you doing with those babies, Mitch?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And we have just learned from two sources that Mr. Trump has now made his decision for Supreme Court pick. We have to wait until 9:00 p.m.
Eastern to find out what that is though. He is keeping it secret until the big reveal and we want to hear now from one of Mr. Trump's most loyal
supporters, former White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci. He's joining me now live from New York.
Your timing, impeccable. Couldn't be a better time for you to be talking with us. Appreciate it. You are a Harvard trained lawyer. Not out of the
question that the president might call you about this. He spoke to lots of people. Have you spoken to him about a Supreme Court pick?
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: I never talk about those sorts of privileged conversations. But honestly, no, I
have not talked directly to the president about it. I do have a good relationship with Leonard Leo and members of the Trump transition team that
worked on the added list and the prior list during the campaign. So, I have a pretty good idea what the president is looking for. But I think
it's a close call right now among the four people. I always thought that Hardiman would get it. Again, that's just my personal opinion because of
his work on the Third Circuit and I think he is easily confirmable. It's not the same Nothing negative about the other candidates. But I just think
when I look at the math and the intersection of his opinions, who he is as a person, his upbringing and background, he would be the person that I
think would be most likely the person the president picks. So I'm going to be 25 percent right up until 9:00 and then I'm either going to be 100
percent right or 100 percent wrong after that.
[15:35:36] NEWTON: You got the math right. Even with your legal bearing there. Many have said that this pick, whoever it is, will change the
complexion of the United States not just judicially but obviously culturally. How much do you think that, that gives to the president's
insight, that gives to the president's final decision and how much do you think that abortion debate also plays in here?
SCARAMUCCI: So, listen, I've been on your air in the United States talking about this. I don't know mind swaying it internationally. I don't think
it's going to do that at all. In fact, I think what's been grounded in the court, the Roe v. Wade decision and even the marriage equality decision
most recently, I think those two things are grounded now into the law of the United States.
NEWTON: OK. But just to hold up there, Anthony, that's controversial in and of itself for his base. Is it not? They are looking for different
rulings out of the Supreme Court when you have perhaps a swing vote there that could change.
SCARAMUCCI: Well, OK. So, again, there are people in his base, there's pockets of people in his base that, obviously, would like to see that
overturn but I think if you look at the polling in the United States on that issue it's 63-67 percent depending on the date of the polling that are
for leaving it exactly the way it is. And so Washington is still a political group of people. The Supreme Court fortunately or unfortunately
has to take a barometric pressure reading of the society and I don't think I think it's overturned. But I hear you and I'm sure there's people inside
his base right now that will be super upset with me for saying that. Although I did find last weekend, this past weekend many conservatives are
saying more or less the same thing that I'm saying after 46, 45 years of it being the law of the land, I think it's very unlikely for it to get
reversed. And so it doesn't matter who the next pick is. I think what is more at issue for the United States and what happens in labor regulation,
what happens in business contract law, what happens in merger activity both in the United States --
NEWTON: Doesn't motivate the base on either side. Doesn't motivate the base, so --
SCARAMUCCI: It doesn't motivate the base, but let me tell you something. Thirty-five years after the Reagan appointees, his judicial appointments
both at the court level and then the appeals court level had a huge impact on the American economy.
NEWTON: Undoubtedly you are right. It's just I'm not sure how much it's going to resonate.
SCARAMUCCI: Not going to change, Paula, but if it does change, you can invite me back to CNN and dunk me somewhere in the public square, but I
don't see it --
NEWTON: Challenge accepted. I'm in New York a lot. So you cannot escape me. So there you go. You just get it. We have it on the record.
SCARAMUCCI: I'm going to be wearing my casual clothes when you dunk me.
NEWTON: Yes. Well done. We are going to move on now to another opportunity for you because Donald Trump is coming on this trip. It's a
NATO meeting followed by a visit with Theresa May and the queen and then, you know, all to be anchored by this summit with Vladimir Putin. Go ahead,
give me your best shot. Explain Donald Trump's world view to the globe because right now people just can't figure it out. In the sense that he
seems to be rattling allies at a moment that those same allies are in very much difficulty, whether it's Britain, the E.U., or whether you look to
other allies even like Canada and Mexico.
SCARAMUCCI: Well listen, I mean, the joke for the Trump loyalists is everything is inside The Art of the Deal. And so if you read The Art of
the Deal what you find is that he hits a little hard in the beginning with some bellicosity or rhetoric. But under the surface of all that, he wants
a very strong relationship with our European allies. He wants to figure out a way if it's possible to have a good relationship with Russia. The
president has said very publicly that he's been super tough on Russia. I was only in the White House for 11 days but on one of those days and it was
a Friday, and since I was only there for two Fridays, I remember the Friday. He signed the Russian sanctions bill and so he's put a very tough
string of sanctions together. He did accept it from the Congress. He's been tougher on Russia than --
NEWTON: OK. But let's get into that. But let's get into that then. Why meet with them? What could possibly come of this meeting? Are we going to
come to something that actually helps out in a place like Syria? What are the parameters of this? What do you think he wants from it?
SCARAMUCCI: Well, again, I don't understand why it is a bad thing for world leaders, particularly, you know, the Russian government, whether
people in the world like this or not it covers 11 time zones. The largest land mass in the world. I think it would be a good idea for people to get
together and meet face-to-face. And so for some reason people don't want that to happen because it's Donald Trump and they're worried about Donald
Trump. But I'm telling you --
[15:40:22] NEWTON: It's not because it's Donald Trump. Let's be clear. What are the parameters of a meeting? What are your goals going in? Any
meeting that you take, I'm sure you set out what are the goals. So explain them to me and you're not going to get any argument from me that obviously
engaging Russia, given its geopolitical strength around the world is a bad idea.
SCARAMUCCI: Typically for the president, there's three or four goals that he has. The first goal is personal rapport. Secondarily, I'm sure he has
issues that he wants to talk to him about related to both Syria, Israel and Iran. I think that those are very important issues for the United States
as we're trying to develop a new blueprint for peace. I think the third issue is going to be the Crimea situation and what will come out of that.
I think that the Europeans, frankly, are right about the Crimea situation. And if you go back into the mid-90s, the promise to give up nuclear
weaponry by Ukraine came with it some promises of protection.
And so I think the president is way tougher on Russia than people want to give him credit for. He has a very stiff back bone. He doesn't care a
great deal about a lot of media rhetoric. And I think Vladimir Putin is no pushover either, but he's also not somebody that's going under estimate the
president. I think one of the big issues that happens whether it's the American media or American establishment politicians, when they've under
estimated the president he's taken advantage of that. So I don't think Vladimir Putin will do that, certainly. But I think the three or four
things on the table are Mideast peace, what to do about the Crimea situation, is there way to broker a sanctions piece, meaning where the
Russians give up some things in exchange for being re-invited back into the family of economic nations, particularly those in Europe. So I don't see
why that's a bad idea for those two guys meeting over those things.
NEWTON: Well, proof is going to be in the pudding to see what actually comes out of that meeting. I can't let you go without asking you about
Michael Cohen, the president's former lawyer. His quote is that the truth is not your friend. What does he mean by that message to his former
client, the president?
SCARAMUCCI: Well, you know, I have to let Michael Cohen say that. I'm actually friends with both Michael Cohen and the president. What I would
say to the president's lawyers is that the isolation strategy of Michael Cohen is probably not the most ideal strategy. I think people should
probably be reaching out to him a little bit, leaving him out there on an island by himself, to me, it never made sense to me. Doesn't make sense
today or will make sense two weeks from now.
NEWTON: But what does that mean? To infer that Michael Cohen does have a compromising information on the president and that's why he shouldn't be
isolated?
SCARAMUCCI: No. I've said publicly that I don't think Michael Cohen has compromising information on the president. I don't think there's anything
that the president's done that's illegal as it relates to his relationship with Michael Cohen. And I take the president at his word on that. But I
do think that there could be some activities there where he says the truth is not his friend. We'll have to see what he means by that. But for me, I
don't like the isolation strategy. OK? This is somebody that worked for the president for 12 years. I don't like the idea that he wasn't super
close to the president. He was right down the hall from him. I know both of these guys dating back into the early 2000s very well, and I think there
has to be a bridge built to Michael Cohen. Again, that's my personal opinion. But here's what I will say. The president is going to be
exonerated as it relates to Michael Cohen. He'll be exonerated as is relates to Russian collusion and hopefully they'll drop these cases and so
forth, so that we can focus on policy and help the most amount of Americans and the citizens of the world as possible. One of the things that I
despise about Washington is these constant scandals incorporated. And if Secretary Clinton were the president right now, there would be a scandal
related to her e-mail, her foundation, there'd be stuff related to her Uranium One quote-unquote "transaction" with the Russians. All of which, I
think, would be very side tracking for her and very, very unnecessary. And so in a bipartisan way, I'm calling for people to dial back --
NEWTON: Bipartisan? Are you kidding me? We are so far from that.
SCARAMUCCI: Look, the good news about me, Paula, is I'm not a politician. In fact, I only lasted 11 days in Washington. And so that's very good for
me because I can be very direct and very honest about this. If we don't -- if we don't figure out a way to bring the two parties back together, the
American people are going to grow tiresome of this level of polarity and then something even bigger and stranger to the establishment than Donald
Trump will manifest itself in the American body politics, so.
NEWTON: I have run out of time. Believe me, you, me, New York, it's going to happen. Remember when you get the phone call. We'll continue this
call. Appreciate it.
[15:45:05] SCARAMUCCI: No problem. Don't dunk me though because the abortion stuff is not going to be changing.
NEWTON: All right. That's fine. I won't dunk you. Other things may happen. Thank you, Anthony. Appreciate it.
Now, returning to our top story. Let's take a look at how Europe is reacting to all the turmoil in the U.K. David Herszenhorn is the chief
Brussels correspondent with Politico. He joins me now live.
Listen, in terms of Europe's reaction, I think I dare say they've been somewhat restrained. And I'm having trouble gauging this. Help me out.
On one sense, if I'm going a negotiator at that table, I'm thinking great, game on. Let's put this in a very negotiating position. And yet what you
hear from Europe, time and time again is no, this is not good for us. That we would actually prefer to have a strong British stand on what they want
out of Brexit and negotiate from there.
DAVID HERSZENHORN, CHIEF BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT, POLITICO: Well, you really have to understand how the E.U. comes at Brexit from the beginning
which is that this is a lose-lose proposition. And so remember going back to when Theresa May unexpectedly called national elections last year, the
E.U. was hoping that she would have emerge from those elections stronger with a bigger majority that she would then be able to push through a vision
of Brexit without the kinds of fighting that we've seen for more than a year now internally in London and the U.K. And so from their perspective,
this is just more chaos. Like recently, the reaction here is restrained is because David Davis resigned. Brexit negotiator and Boris Johnson, the
foreign secretary were not key players in the recent months on Brexit. Certainly making a lot of noise in Boris Johnson's days. But Davis was
mostly sidelined. All of his problems have taken over. Really speaking for the prime minister. And to the reaction in Brussels is that nothing's
changed except that now that her government seems in a much more precarious position. So they are looking for her to have some strength to be able to
negotiate a withdrawal treaty and so far, she doesn't seem to have that.
NEWTON: I want you to listen now to Donald Tusk. He tweeted this. But he also basically told everyone what his opinion was of what was going on in
Britain. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TUSK, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL: Politicians come and go. But the problems they have created for the people remain. And the myth
caused by Brexit is the biggest problem in the history of E.U.-U.K. relations. And yet, they're still very far from being solved.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: You know, I hope -- you heard that. But he's basically saying to me, it seems, David, as if there's this undercurrent not acceptance, but
again still going back to the day that they had to begin negotiating Brexit and having so much regret that you're almost paralyzed the negotiation. To
me, that undercurrent still seems to be at play in Brussels and the larger E.U. Like somehow, they're going to turn back.
HERSZENHORN: Well, there's no question. The E.U. really doesn't like Brexit and just in particular has said even quoting from the Beatles, you
know, that he is dreaming, hoping for somehow Brexit to be undone. That's unlikely. Now, you also have to remember that right after he spoke at that
news conference today with the Ukrainian president -- commission president with some master trolling saying, look, what this shows is there was great
unity in the British cabinet at checkers over the weekend. Obviously, very sarcastic and very cutting. Pointing out that in fact, there was no
agreement that this is a mess that she hasn't been able to really hold her cabinet together. And, yes, I mean, perhaps the only thing worse than your
negotiator threatening resigning -- threatening to resign and not resign as Davis has done before, showing the other side that you're not actually
prepared to follow through on your threats. So E.U. is in watch and wait mode at this point. They really have their position set out, but they have
not budged from and this is important to understand they have not budged from in more than a year making clear that the core freedoms in the E.U.
The benefits of E.U. membership are indivisible, nonnegotiable. And so even what Theresa May has drawn up in terms of fashioning a new kind of
free trade zone is really unlikely to fly. And they're not even saying that out loud as yet. Saying the white paper very carefully.
NEWTON: And, David, you make such a good point there, right? It was that unspoken word that, OK, we won't protest loudly about this but as you said,
unlikely that they will go for that plan that Theresa May has put together.
David, thank you again as we continue to watch the reaction from Brussels. Appreciate it.
Now, still to come, life in plastic not fantastic. Why Starbucks says it's ditching its iconic green straws.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:50:48] NEWTON: They may still spell your name wrong on that cup, but Starbucks says it's determined to get something else right. The fight
against plastic waste. The company says it will phase out plastic straws from all of its branches by 2020. Starbucks currently uses one billion
straws a year, many of which risk ending up in our oceans. Instead, raise a glass to this. Look at that right there. Now, it is a new cup that will
feature a raised lip that you can drink from. Ingenious, isn't it? As long as it doesn't spill on my dress. Starbucks joins McDonald's branches
in the U.K. and Ireland in ditching its plastic straws. I'm all for it, even if we had a soggy paper straw, I'm sure we could all cope the use
there.
Now, Britain's Prince Louis was christened in a private ceremony today. The sleeping prince arrived with mom, dad, and elder siblings, George and
Charlotte. It was the first public appearance for the full family of five. The 11-week-old is fifth in line to the British throne. Queen and duke of
Edinburgh did not attend though. Report say that decision was made some time ago and their absence was not because of health reasons. We all know
the queen enjoys the christening, so I'm sure she's enjoying these pictures.
And we will have much more right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: All this week CNN is exploring a different side of India know for bustling crowds and a vibrant color. The country is now attracting surfers
and thrill seekers to its coastline of a bucket list beaches.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: India is massive. It's the seventh largest country in the world. Its bustling cities, crowded. But along the country's
seemingly endless coastline, you'll find this. Miles of sandy beaches. A perfect place for sun and surf.
RAMMOHAN PARANJAPE, AMBASSADOR, MANTRA SURF CLUB: So in the surfing world, India is one of the last surfing frontiers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: India is a newcomer to the world of surf, according to Rammohan Paranjape, a self-described surf swan from the southwestern state
of Karnataka.
PARANJAPE: Getting to surf is uncrowded base, with almost no crowd. So you have the beach and the waves to yourself. And on top of that, you can
get to experience an amazing culture.
[15:55:11] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He took a liking to the sport over 10 years ago and in time became an ambassador for it at the Mantra Surf Club.
PARANJAPE: Back in 2007, you know, surfing was still very unheard of. So we were the first surf club in India back then. From then onwards, we had
taught over thousands of people over the last 10 years, who come and who learned surfing or experience surfing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As one of a handful of first generation surfers, he's now passing on his love of the sport to the next generation. Including 10-
year-old, Brithe Hegde.
BRITHE HEGDE, SURFER: Before I knew about surfing, my father came, brought me in, all the strength. When we went to the beach, I saw them surfing.
So it was like exciting for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brithe can now hang 10 with her older peers, even taking part in surf competitions from time to time.
She's learning what Rammohan has felt for years, surfing can be more than just a sport, it's the way of life.
PARANJAPE: I think surfing is a very important aspect of my lifestyle, I would say. It's keep you very humble. Makes very small while you're in
the ocean with your best buddies, surfing and catching waves. You forget everything, all the things that are going back home. You have to leave
everything behind and then go surfing. You found all these things with you in the beach, or in the ocean and go surfing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Well, thank you for watching tonight. Stay with CNN. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
END
