Return to Transcripts main page
The Lead with Jake Tapper
Harris Campaign Maps Out Race, Possible Paths To Victory; Tonight: Biden Address On Dropping Out Of Race; Israel's Netanyahu Slams Critics And Iran In Speech To Congress; Netanyahu: "Will Not Rest" Until All Hostages Are Returned; New Details About Attempted Assassination Of Trump. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired July 24, 2024 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:03]
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Electronic voting starts just days later on August 1st, then will wrap up by August 7th, in time to avoid potential ballot litigation in Ohio.
So far, Vice President Kamala Harris is the only nominee to reach this threshold.
And to our viewers, thanks very much for watching our special coverage.
I'm Wolf Blitzer, alongside Dana Bash.
Always a pleasure to work with you.
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Back at you, Wolf.
BLITZER: I'll be back 6:00 p.m. Eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM"
Stay with us. THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER starts right now.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: We are finally about to hear from President Biden.
THE LEAD starts right now.
President Biden hours away from something of a swan song, ready to share the information as to why he dropped his reelection bid, as the newly minted Kamala Harris campaign takes hold, and outlines what it sees as a, quote, expanded universe in a path to victory.
Plus, major moments on Capitol Hill. Inside an address to Congress from the Israeli prime minister. Dozens of Democrats boycotting the speech and protests erupting outside.
The parents of a hostage still being held by for moms who were inside the chamber for the speech will join us, ahead.
Plus, shocking new details from the FBI director about the would-be assassin who targeted Donald Trump, and the drone that the shooter flew over the rally area just hours before pulling the trigger. Plus, troubling JFK assassination details he tried to Google.
(MUSIC)
TAPPER: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.
This is a huge day of news here in Washington, D.C. Today, Vice President Harris is in the Midwest, addressing a key group of voters as her campaign here in D.C. explains why she has more possible paths to the presidency than did President Biden, who, by the way, tonight in Washington, D.C. will deliver a speech from the Oval Office about his decision to drop out of the presidential race, under immense pressure, scrutiny and questions about his wherewithal.
Former President Donald Trump for his part is about to hold his first rally since Biden dropped out Sunday and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is also in D.C., highlighting the Israel-Hamas war which has played a notable role in the presidential campaign here in the United States so far.
We're going to start today with Vice President Harris speaking in Indianapolis this afternoon, to one of the largest historically Black sororities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We know when we organize, mountains move. When we mobilize, nations change. And when we vote, we make history.
(CHEERING)
HARRIS: So let us continue to fight with optimism, with faith and with hope, because when we fight, we win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Black voters and female voters being demographics that Vice President Harris hoped she can excite more than her predecessor was able to. This all comes as a brand new CNN poll shows a slightly tighter race between Harris and Donald Trump, Trump at 49 percent, Harris, 46 percent. That's within the poll's margin of error. It's a closer contest than earlier CNN polls found between Biden and Trump.
CNN's MJ Lee starts off our coverage from the White House where history is about to be made.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Joe Biden, preparing to address the American people tonight in what is certain to be one of the most defining speeches of his career.
He speaks just three days after his stunning announcement dropping out of the 2024 race in a letter. Biden sources said is set to explain that decision to end his reelection campaign. In his letter Sunday, Biden wrote, it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down.
The president also planning to lay out his agenda for his remaining months in office.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations, Mr. President.
LEE: And reflect upon his most significant accomplishments of his first term.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: So, he certainly wants to build on what we've been able to do. You heard me say this has been a -- certainly what he's been able to accomplish publishing the four -- for four years in this first term.
LEE: Wednesday's primetime address, only Biden's forth from the Oval Office.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My fellow Americans --
LEE: The last one had come only days before, on the heels of a failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. As Biden begins, the closing chapter of his presidency, and half century in public service, his vice president, beginning a new one.
Kamala Harris, quickly marching towards her party's nomination after receiving the president's endorsement.
HARRIS: I wanted to just share with you a little bit about him. He has extraordinary determination and profound compassion for the people of our country. And I say that because I know that we are all deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation.
[16:05:05]
LEE: These seismic shifts in the American political landscape coming with breathtaking speed, following Biden's disastrous debate against Trump last month.
BIDEN: Dealing with everything we have to do with -- look, if -- we finally beat Medicare.
LEE: The Democratic Party spiraling into chaos for three-plus weeks amid growing calls for the president to drop out. New polling Wednesday showing the country overwhelmingly approves of the president's ultimate decision, and most also believed the president should finish out the remainder of his term.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEE (on camera): And, Jake, we do expect a clearer picture of the building of the Biden legacy to emerge in the coming weeks and months. But as sources have said, it's only been a handful of days since the president made public his decision to drop out. So those discussions have not yet begun in earnest. I'll also note that the White House is holding up currently the first White House press briefing since the president's decision and the White House press secretary has just told reporters that the suggestion that the president resigned from office before January is ridiculous.
She said he did not drop out because he believed he couldn't serve out a second term. She said it was entirely about putting country first -- Jake.
TAPPER: All right. MJ Lee, thanks so much.
Let's discuss with my panel.
David Chalian, let me start with another interesting part of this new CNN poll that shows Harris actually fares better than Biden with some key voting groups.
Tell us about that.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yeah, I mean, we took a look at young voters, Black voters, Hispanic voters, female voters. Just as four key demographic building blocks are Democratic candidate, and where Biden had been showing significant erosion from his 2020 support.
What you see here is whereas Donald Trump was seven percentage points ahead of Biden in the spring with young voters, Kamala Harris has now four points ahead. When Joe Biden had a 47-point advantage in the spring over Trump with Black voters, Kamala Harris now has a 63-point advantage.
Donald Trump at a 9 percent point advantage among Hispanics over Biden, now that's down to two points. And you see that Kamala Harris is a five point advantage over Trump among female voters, when it was tied back in the spring.
I would just note here, this is a critical step for her to sort of bring in the Democratic Party together in this way. But as you could see here for the Hispanic vote example, that's a demographic that Biden-Harris won by 30 something points in 2020. So the fact that she's down two to Trump is not where she needs to be to win this race.
TAPPER: Not losing as badly is still not a victory.
CHALIAN: At the moment, exactly.
TAPPER: And, Mo, I know from talking to Democrats, there are in -- well, those are the groups that she's doing better with, their concerns about groups that she might do worse with and Biden especially white voters, white working class voters, white voters in the suburbs independence, a moderate.
How will the Harris campaign win them?
MO ELLEITHEE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGETOWN INSTITUTE OF POLIITCS & PUBLIC SERVICE: Well, look, this campaign just got started, right? I mean, she's been a candidate for three days, maybe. She's -- and you're already seeing this massive swing, an 11-point swing with young voters, right? A massive swing with all of these subgroups, and she has been barely started. What is the main difference that we're seeing between the Harris campaign and the Biden campaign, that campaigns themselves, she's campaigning. She's getting out there. She's making a case. She's showing energy as a candidate.
It's one of the things Democrats were beating their heads against the wall, right, for the past several months when it came to President Biden, wanting to see him out there more. We are seeing her out there more.
And so, she's got to go into those suburban communities, right?
TAPPER: Yeah.
ELLEITHEE: She's got to make the case to them aggressively and you've seen it just in these first few days.
TAPPER: Erin, take a listen to what Congressman Ruben Gallego, he's a Democratic congressman from Arizona, he's running for Senate, told CNN's Manu Raju earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. RUBEN GALLEGO (D-AZ): Adding Kelly to the ticket will add that extra jolt to the campaign. And I think it'd be great for Democrats across the country. You have some of that, again, is a border state senator, understands border issues as an astronaut, married to Gabby Giffords. It's like it's all, you know, I would say a good combination right there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: So, not surprising he's advocating for Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.
ERIN PERRINE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: That is from the home team there, yeah.
TAPPER: You do expect that to happen, but he makes a decent case. And the truth is that the Senator Kelly is more moderate or conservative on border issues, than the Biden administration has been, and that is a huge vulnerability for Kamala Harris which is the -- as a Republican, which is the VP candidate, you want them to pick the least? Which one is a poses the biggest threat if you buy the idea that it running mates have actually have an impact one way or the other.
PERRINE: If you buy the premise that running mates make a difference, I would be looking at Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, as likely a large threat to the Republicans.
[16:10:01]
Not saying in totality that would completely upend this election, but that's a key critical swing state and he is incredibly popular in that state as well. But this is about defining Kamala Harris, her candidacy, and defining the end of Joe Biden's candidacy right now, presidency as well.
When you're looking at this, how does she want to define herself? What does she want to make her mark with? Because if it is a Senator Kelly, she wants to lean in on immigration, which is something that Democrats are still underwater on when it comes to what the American people think is the right direction, wrong direction for the country policy- wise.
If she wants to become more moderate, especially if she wants to play towards a Jewish selection of the vote, a Josh Shapiro would make a lot of sense. But that's a tough spot if you're looking at the trouble that they've been having with Israel and the war with Gaza. So, all of that together, it's about definition and how does she want to define herself.
TAPPER: She has a lot of picks right now decide between -- decide among.
David, we're going to hear from President Biden in a little bit. It is -- I don't mean this to be snarky, but the most popular thing he has ever done in his administration is announcing he's not running for reelection.
CHALIAN: I mean, our new poll shows more than eight and 10 Democrats, more than eight in 10 Republicans, more than eight in 10 independent -- I mean, broadly popular, approve of his decision to step down from his candidacy, and three-quarters of Americans in this poll say he should not resign the office. He is totally good to serve out the rest of his term.
So, that immediate line of argument from the Republicans is being met by a large majority of Americans not buying it, but take a look here. We also asked, how do you feel Biden ending his campaign? Fifty-eight percent say they are relieved. Thirty-seven percent say they are hopeful, 28 percent surprise, 20 percent worried, only 17 percent of voters in this poll, Jake, say they were disappointed or angry that Joe Biden ended his campaign.
TAPPER: Mo, what do you want to hear from President Biden tonight?
ELLEITHEE: Look, I think this is very much has the potential to be a legacy defining speech writer, at least the beginning of defining the legacy. He is by all accounts going to explain a very personal decision he came to and I'm looking forward to hearing that. I expect that he's going to take some time, though, to talk about the work he has done. What I really want to hear is him talking about the work that he is going to do in these final months because not only will that help shape his legacy, but I think politically, it could be very helpful to the vice president, right, to talk about the agenda.
Republicans are already going to tar her, right, with the Biden-Harris Harris administration. They're going to try to. And so, to define what the future, even if that future has just a few months looks like, I think its going to be critically important.
TAPPER: What do you want to hear? He's your president, too. What do you want to hear?
PERRINE: He's my president. I want to hear how he's going to define this legacy and what he sees for these next few months.
I vehemently disagree with Republicans who are calling for him to step down. There's a difference between a few months and a few years of service. And as we end of this presidency, how is he seeing this as an opportunity to bring the country together? Because there is such division.
And if he really wants to cement a truly like I did this in the most altruistic way I could and put this country first, this is that defining moment and it would really shepherd in what could be a new age in American politics.
TAPPER: He did sign a lot of bipartisan legislation whether people want to give him the credit for it or not, is an opportunity. Hey, I got four months. Let's get a border deal or whatever.
ELLEITHEE: Right.
TAPPER: All right. Thanks, one and all for being here.
Ahead of Biden's address tonight, I'm going to speak with his former campaign co-chair as Republicans try to stop this campaign transition to Harris.
And breaking news, tense protests right outside the U.S. Capitol. Police in riot gear who say a one point the crowd engaged in criminal activity. The scene after the Israeli prime minister addressed Congress just moments ago. We're going to continue to monitor this and get more reaction from the speech ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:17:30]
TAPPER: We're back with our 2024 lead and Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware is walking back his previous statement that he believes President Joe Biden is, quote, the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump, unquote. Yesterday, he told CNN that Vice President Kamala Harris was right beside Joe Biden every step of the way while building a strong legislative record.
And Senator Coons joins us now.
Senator, we now have a brand new CNN poll showing that the 2024 election is basically a toss-up. Trump is at 49 percent, Harris at 46. They're falling within the margin of sampling error. He still ahead in this poll, but this is a closer match up than it was between Biden and Trump.
Are you surprised?
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): I'm not surprised, given the energy and the new activity we're seeing from Vice President Harris, given that she is continuing the core policies of the Biden-Harris administration and given that the vice president gets to campaign on the remarkable record of accomplishment of Biden in his first term reducing prescription drug prices, capping the cost of insulin investing in bringing manufacturing back to our country, rebuilding our roads, addressing gun safety. She's got a lot to run on just as Joe Biden had a lot to run on.
I was with her in Wilmington as she came to visit a Biden-Harris, now Harris campaign headquarters, and it was electric. There was a lot of excitement in the room. And I think that reinforces that she's got both that strong record to run on and a determination to run and win this fall.
TAPPER: Have you spoken with Vice President Harris since President Biden dropped out of the race?
COONS: Yes, I have.
TAPPER: What advice would you give her on June 8th, choosing a running mate?
COONS: I give her advice that we've got a great group of capable senators and governors, that someone who continues as some of that same ability that President Biden has long had to connect with people to engage with some of our core swing states, as someone who has fought for the middle class and someone who shares the values of the Democratic Party.
This is a very personal choice for someone who's running for president and I think that she and President Biden had a strong one chemistry and a good partnership.
And my one other piece of advice was, yes, you have to look at electoral politics, but he also have to look for someone you can really trust, someone who has a good partner someone who is up to the job of serving as president in the event something happened to the president. That's part of what Joe Biden look for in Kamala Harris, someone he was confident could do the job on day one.
[16:20:04]
TAPPER: Tonight, President Biden is going to deliver an Oval Office address discussing his decision to not seek reelection. You were his campaign co-chair. How do you think he's doing now that he's made this monumental decision and what are we going to hear from him tonight?
COONS: Well, Jake, I think we'll hear his confidence that in the last six months that he serves as our president, there is more work to do and that he can get it done. Today, Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel spoke to a joint session of Congress. And I know one of President Biden's top priorities is finally securing the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas that he has worked so hard on.
I'll remind you that President Biden, in more than 50 years in public service really was a world leader in terms of foreign affairs, and he managed to get this peace deal between Hamas and Israel signed off by the U.N. Security Council, signed off and supported by the G7, closing this deal will be a critical next step in his legacy.
And continuing to invest in Ukraine's fight for freedom, making sure they are as best positioned as possible, I hate to say Trump-proofing it, but, you know, recognizing that former President Trump chose as his running mate, the most vocal opponent of funding Ukraine's freedom here in the U.S. Senate. I also think well hear some strong words of support and endorsement for his vice president Kamala Harris, as well as some reflection on the call that he put forth when he was sworn in, just three-and-a-half years ago for Americans to come together.
As you know, Jake, better than anyone, Joe Biden has long had real optimism about how much America can do when we come together. And I expect us to hear from him again, his optimism in our future, if we can put our partisanship aside and solve problems. That's a core part of the Biden record, and a core part of what I hope will continue doing together in the future.
TAPPER: All right, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, thank you so much for joining us.
And when President Biden addresses the nation tonight, keep it here for special coverage starting at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN. I'll be co-anchoring with Anderson Cooper.
Coming up next on THE LEAD, the Israeli prime minister and his address to Congress and his attempt to change the narrative about his country's war against Hamas in Gaza.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:26:47]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building, not that many, but they're there. You have officially become Iran's useful idiots.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: U.S. Capitol police say they arrested several people, the ones that Netanyahu called useful idiots, and deployed tear gas and flash bangs.
CNN also saw protesters burning in American flags. CNN saw another climbing the Christopher Columbus statue in front of Union Station and spray painting the phrase "Hamas is coming" on it.
This as the Secret Service investigates reports of anti-Israel protesters releasing bugs literally insects into the D.C. hotel, the Watergate where Netanyahu is staying. Let's get right to CNN's Jeremy Diamond on the ground in Tel Aviv.
Jeremy, a leading Palestinian rights advocate reacted to Netanyahu's speech to Congress this afternoon saying it's, quote, full of lies. What stood out to you from the speech?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, I think there's no question that the Israeli prime minister tried to strike a bipartisan tone during the speech as he really tried to reframe Israel's fight against Hamas, arguing that our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight, really trying to strike up that kind of longstanding bipartisan support for Israel. And he did so by praising both former President Trump, as well as President Biden.
What he also did in order to try and achieve that objective was to really try and reject some of the allegations that have been made against the Israeli military. And he did so while not entirely sticking to the facts, including when he rejected claims about Israel starving people in Gaza as a total fabrication, although members of his own governments earlier in this war called for exactly that. There is also clear evidence according to humanitarian aid groups that Israel simply has not allowed enough aid into Gaza at various points. They've also shown that they can turn on and then back off the spigot at various points.
He also talked about this notion that Israel has effectively one of the best rates of civilian casualties in Gaza, citing one expert at West Point, who has, he has repeatedly cited. But I've talked to multiple military experts, Jake, and they all make clear that Israel simply does not stand up to the words that it says about protecting civilian casualties, that when you compare it to other conflicts, including those in which the U.S. is involved.
For example, the U.S. bombing campaign in Syria, which internally in the U.S. military was really viewed in some ways as a blight on the U.S.'s record in terms of civilian casualties, they say that what's happening in Gaza is far, far worse in terms of civilians. And we should note that of course that it comes as the death toll in Gaza has ticked up past 39,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which we should note does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
TAPPER: Jeremy, Prime Minister Netanyahu also addressed the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal. He made a point of saying he's not going to settle for anything less than total victory.
What does this mean do you think for the status of these ceasefire talks to release the hostages?
DIAMOND: You know, it's really interesting, Jake, and I think this is probably the part that will get the most pickup in Israel, which is that these really prime minister brought with him several former hostages and the families of hostage.
[16:30:07] He pointed to Noa Argamani, a former hostage in the gallery during a section of his speech. But if you look at the overall content of his speech, he overwhelmingly focused far more on this notion of achieving victory against Hamas, vowing that Israel will not stop its war until it achieves that victory over Hamas. Rather than on the prospects of this ceasefire deal, even as top U.S. officials now say that a ceasefire fire deal is effectively within reach, and that's very interesting.
The question is, is the Israeli prime minister making this kind of speech before he reaches a ceasefire deal to try and assuage his right wing or is he doing so for other reasons, perhaps because he doesn't intend to move forward with a ceasefire agreement at all.
As we've noted before, the Israeli prime minister certainly stands to gain more by this war prolonging than by ending it. That being said, an Israeli delegation is set to leave to meet with the mediators and the coming days to deliver Israel's latest response. And then we will see if there can be a deal -- Jake.
TAPPER: All right. CNN's Jeremy Diamond in Israel for us, thank you so much.
The parents of an American still being held in Gaza by the terrorists of Hamas were present for Netanyahu speech today. We're going to talk to them about what they made of the prime minister's remarks and the prospect of their son coming home, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:35:51]
TAPPER: Eight Americans are still believed to being held hostage in Gaza by the terrorists of Hamas. Israel and the United States government believe that five of those eight are still alive. Today marks 292 days for parents, friends, and family members of those hostages without their loved ones.
Joining us now from Capitol Hill, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, they are the parents of the Israeli-American hostage, Hersh Goldberg- Polin, along with Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa.
Thanks to all of you for being here.
Rachel, I'll start with you.
You and Jon attended Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech. What was your main takeaway?
RACHEL GOLDBERG-POLIN, MOTHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE: Look as parents of one of the American eight, we were saddened. We were disappointed. We really wanted to hear that the prime minister was on the brink of signing this deal, or that he was going to announce, I have signed or we are signing right now, this first phase of the deal, just to get some movement going. And we didn't hear that. So, we are laser-focused and that's obviously
as any parent can appreciate, our main objective, we didn't get that and so, we are continuing to be broken and moving forward and trying to be hopeful and optimistic.
TAPPER: And, Jon, we interview a lot of hostage families on this show and we've heard from many of them who believed that Prime Minister Netanyahu doesn't actually want a hostage deal anytime soon so that the war continues. He gets to remain prime minister.
I know you're reluctant to wade into the politics of this, but what's your assessment of it all?
JON POLIN, FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE: My assessment is that the prime minister wants to do a deal. I think he understands that there could be no victory without bringing home the hostages. I think that as the son of an historian and somebody who himself appreciates history to prime minister understands that his legacy see, is going to be very much shaped by whether or not he's able to bring home these hostages.
So I know he wants to get this done as all of the families, what were trying to push on is Dr. King's fierce urgency of now, and we need this to happen few days. We believe there's an opportunity. And so we hope that that's going to happen.
And hopefully, today's speech solidified the support from both sides of the aisle that we know has been present, but that we think that the prime minister is going to take out a Washington this week. And it's going to give him the energy and the -- everything he needs to go out and get this deal done imminently.
TAPPER: Senator Ernst, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been accused of making this speech just to shore up support back home domestically, back in Israel. He's also been accused of trying to stoke division in the U.S. domestically because obviously his leadership is not universally praised, shall we say? I think about 80 Democrats from Congress did not attend, many of them were meeting with hostage families.
How do you see it all?
SEN. JONI ERNST (R-IA): Well, I do think its important that the prime minister lay out for the United States what his plan is to return not only the American eight, but also all of the hostages. And we also did hear a little bit about the day after plan, what he hopes to accomplish as soon as the war concludes. I was able to briefly speak with him after the speech and asked him, please to get that American eight hostages home as quickly as possible.
And he did respond that they are working on it. And I also think that the United States needs to shape an influence where we can, we should not tell Israel how to run the war, but certainly we can shape an influence because we cannot forget, that nearly 40 Americans were killed on October 7th, eight of them were taken hostage. Among those, Hersh. So we need to do what we can as America to help Israel find a way to
win this war and bring our hostages home.
TAPPER: Well, Senator, given the fact that 40, more than 40 Americans were killed on October 7 and eight Americans are being held hostage, what do you make of the protesters outside the Capitol today?
[16:40:03]
I don't know what you saw in terms of images or video but an American flag was burned. Somebody spray-painted on the statue of Christopher Columbus outside Union Station. "Hamas is coming" with one of those red triangles, which is a target indication for Hamas to hit.
These are presumably Americans in the street. What's your reaction?
ERNST: Well, we do know that Iran funds a number of these demonstrations through many means and secondary and tertiary groups that claimed to be maybe non-profits. So I would say Iran is really stoking the fire here in the United States. Let's never forget that they chant "death to Israel", as well as "death to America". It's a really sad situation.
I appreciate that we have our First Amendment right to protest, but to do it peacefully and not destroying other people most property. So it's really unfortunate that we see this. And I think that many of those protesters don't fully understand the loss of American life on October 7th. They probably have no idea that an Americans are being held by Hamas.
Hersh, we know, was badly injured by Hamas on October 7th, and he has yet to be released. So, I would just challenge those that are out there protesting. Do they truly know what they are protesting for and who they are protesting for?
TAPPER: Rachel, what is it like for you to see? Those protesters I think Senator Ernst is interpretation of their ignorance is some might say charitable. What do you think?
GOLDBERG-POLIN: Look, I think part of living in a democracy is that you have the right to express your opinions. And I don't have to agree with your opinions and you don't have to agree with my opinions. And I think that that is part of the vibrancy of living in a place like America, where many places in the world, you don't have that ability to express yourself.
And I do agree with the senator that, unfortunately, I think many of the people not all, but many of the people protesting don't even understand the core source. And the real -- very textured complicated background and history of this conflict.
TAPPER: Jon, tell us about Hersh. What do you miss most about him right now?
POLIN: So there's so many things that I miss about Hersh all day, every day. But what it boils down to is I miss what I would call this simple moments in life, sitting around the dinner, table sitting at the breakfast table, just relaxing on the couch at night. Hersh is a guy who really universally light or I would even say loved by people of all ages. And it's not because he has a need to be a big personal now already here to take over room, he doesn't walk into a room and immediately make his presence known.
But he in not a long period of time after walking in, will have made ate his way in everybody's hearts. And we hope will be home soon. And we always say, we're not looking to go to Disney World or anything big. We want to get him home. And we wanted to relax at home quietly.
And with all due respect, Jake, not be talking to you much more.
(LAUGHTER)
GOLDBERG-POLIN: Right.
TAPPER: Well, I'm not going to take offense at that because I no, I know how you mean. But we're going to keep covering Hersh and the other four Americans and the other hostages. And I know it's not easy to talk about. I can't imagine what you're going through, but thanks to -- thanks to you guys.
And thank you, Senator Ernst, for talking to us today. Appreciate it.
GOLDBERG-POLIN: Thank you.
ERNST: Thank you, Jake.
TAPPER: Here are the names of the five Israeli American hostages thought to still be alive in Gaza: 20-year-old Edan Alexander, 22- year-old Omer Neutra, 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents you just heard from, 35-year-old Sagui Dekel-Chen and 65-year-old Keith Samuel Siegel, whose wife we interviewed yesterday.
We do all hope that they get home soon and there's peace in the region.
We are learning some shocking new details about the gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump. A drone was involved, but it was his, not the Secret Service's. Weapons were found. A Google search about the JFK assassination.
New revelations from the director of the FBI, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:48:23]
TAPPER: Our politics lead now, new details about the attempt to assassinate former President Trump. At a congressional hearing today, FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed that the gunman was interested in the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Lee Harvey Oswald.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRISTOPHER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: Analysis of a laptop that the investigation ties to the shooter reveals that on July 6, he did a Google search for, quote, how far away was Oswald from Kennedy. And so, that's a search obviously is significant in terms of his state of mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Director Wray also confirmed the Trump rally gunman did in fact fly a drone at the rally site several hours before President Trump was scheduled to speak.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WRAY: We think, but we do not know. So again, this is one of these things that's qualified because of our ongoing review that he was live streaming, viewing the footage from that again, about 11 minutes, and around the 3:50, 4:00 p.m. range.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two hours before he's flying a drone in the vicinity of the rally.
WRAY: About 200 yards away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: With us now, North Dakota Republican Congressman Kelly Armstrong, who was there for that testimony today.
Thanks for being here, Congressman. Really appreciate it.
Director Wray also testified that a gunman went to a shooting range the day before the rally, probably with the gun he used to try to kill Donald Trump.
Are you satisfied with what you heard from Director Wray and how forthcoming he was?
REP. KELLY ARMSTRONG (R-ND): As somebody who's been incredibly critical of the FBI, DOJ and Director Wray specifically, I will give him credit today. He came in. It's hard for them in the middle of an investigation to give you information.
[16:50:04]
Perfect example as they talked about the message that was on gaming counsel, as they have found out later that message was actually put on by some other than the shooter, and that's the risk you run when you do what they did.
So I thought it was very forthcoming. I thought it was honest. I think he really, really wants to make sure that people get the information as quickly as he can get it to 'em.
TAPPER: Let me play a clip of something you ask the FBI director earlier today. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARMSTRONG: You're looking at his online and seeing all that, but there's no evidence he had any other accomplices on scene that day, correct?
WRAY: Correct. Not that we've seen yet, certainly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: So no accomplices apparently as of what they know now. But you did express concern about all the conspiracy theories out there surrounding the shooting. Tell us about that.
ARMSTRONG: Well, and I think that's why it's important to do this. I mean, I think you start from the premise of the people in my state and I think just the general public at large cannot possibly comprehend how this was allowed to happen and so by being honest, being forthcoming and coming out with evidence, you run the risk. You -- you help us deliver the message. I mean, this is a terrible incident. It should have never happened, biggest strategic failure probably since JFK.
The last thing in the world we need is a vacuum of information where it gets filled by a lot of things that just quite frankly aren't true.
TAPPER: It just does seem stunning though, doesn't it? I mean, the idea that like everything we have to go through just to get on an airplane and then what did not happen for people to get, you know, within 500 yards of Donald Trump.
ARMSTRONG: He's walking around with a rangefinder. People notice him, then they lost him. We have literally had a local cop picking up over a roof. He climbed to drain pipe and he got within 150 yards line of sight people in the rally were pointing at him on the roof before everybody knows what's going on.
TAPPER: Right.
ARMSTRONG: That's what I mean. It's important that we get this information out.
I mean, there are -- obviously, the Secret Service director resigned. I think there's going to be more accountability coming. I mean, you don't get Jamie Comer and Jamie Raskin to co-sign a letter very often in Oversight, but it's really important to get this information out because it's almost hard to believe this was allowed to happen.
TAPPER: Director Wray revealed the shooter did that search for how far away was Oswald from Kennedy, referring to JFK assassination. That makes the gunman intention, I think pretty crystal clear. Don't you think?
ARMSTRONG: Yeah. That was a pretty solemn -- I mean, just when you're -- when that is how you're doing. I mean, we don't know what his modus where yet. I don't think conferring anything into that, but obviously, it's pretty clear he had -- I mean, if the shot wasn't clear enough, we know that now.
TAPPER: Wray also warned lawmakers about the possibility of a foreign terrorist attack here in the U.S. even if this one was not related to a foreign entity, he said that it remains a real threat, a foreign motivated attack. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WRAY: We are increasingly concerned about the possibility, not just a foreign terrorist-inspired attack, which is very much very much a concern, but the even the potential for a coordinated foreign terrorist attack, perhaps like what we've seen against the concert hall in Russia, for example, but just here in the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Do you think that we, in the United States and the government and the FBI and Homeland Security, e cetera, you think we're paying enough attention to that potential threat?
ARMSTRONG: No, I don't, and I really don't and it's somebody who represents a northern border state and recognizing that particular -- I mean, we know, Iran's posture is aggressive. I mean, he testified to that today specifically, and knowing that -- I mean, we're diverting 30 to 40 percent of our resources, either on computers or actual physical staff to the southern border right now, when you know -- I mean, the friends and allies and neighbors in Canada, it's a lot easier to get into Canada from some of the places that from some of those countries than it is to get into the United States. So that was the last question I asked him. I mean, we're not paying enough attention to it.
TAPPER: Lastly, I have to ask you because the house is heading home tomorrow for the August recess, coming back after Labor Day, without approving all the spending bills needed to prevent a government shutdown in a couple of months. What's going on? It seems like the kind of the dysfunction that we've seen from -- I know you have a narrow majority.
ARMSTRONG: Uh-huh.
TAPPER: But it does seem like Republicans are having a tough time governing sometimes.
ARMSTRONG: Yeah. And I mean, I would distinguish -- we pass our -- us passing our appropriations bills out of the House don't mean there's not going to end up being a CR in September either way. I don't think the Senate will move a single appropriations bill right now. But, you know, when you're voting on 8, 10 amendments at 10:00 at night and then the underlying bill gets pulled out, I don't think there's a real easy way to say that that means were clicking on all cylinders right now.
But this was always going to end up in a CR, sometime around September 20th, that's where -- where were going to go. And so now, we get everybody home, maybe take a couple deep breaths and figure out how we get -- how we keep the government funded through the election.
TAPPER: Congressman Kelly Armstrong, thanks so much for being here. Really appreciate it. Good to see you, sir.
Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is coming up next. What he would tell primary voters who feel like they did not get any say in choosing the Democratic presidential nominee.
Also ahead, one of the names once floated to be vice president for Kamala Harris and her new 2024 campaign.
[16:55:02]
How's he feeling about the veepstakes now?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TAPPER: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.
This hour, after a month of covering Democrats in disastrous disarray, you can be forgiven for forgetting the degree to which House Republicans can sometimes barely govern their way out of a paper bag.
