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Massive Storm Brings Multiple Threats; Easter Egg Roll at the White House; Literally Anybody Else is Interviewed about his Presidential Run; Clark and Reese Rematch. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired April 01, 2024 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

MATT HARRIS, HOST, "THE MURDAUGH FAMILY MURDERS" PODCAST: According to the feds. The state said it was about 1 million. The feds say it was about 6 million.

Also, we know that - we know for sure that he was asked about other people in his life, other attorneys in his life, and whether they were involved in any way. So, with dishonest answers, the feds want more from Alex Murdaugh if they're going to go through with this plea deal.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: What do you think it is that Alex Murdaugh wants here? Is he angling for something? And if so, what is it?

HARRIS: His ultimate goal would be to go to federal prison instead of state prison. A much better location. But Emily Limehouse (ph), the prosecutor - the process federal prosecutors said that's not going to happen she doesn't think. So then his next step would be to have whatever the feds give run concurrent with what the state gave. So, if by some miracle he would get of his double life sentences of killing Maggie and Paul, he could get out, say, sometime in his late 70s if they ran concurrent.

BERMAN: Do you think he's got that realistic goal of overthrowing the state murder convictions? Do you think that is how he spends his days, trying to figure out a way to get those tossed?

HARRIS: I'm guessing that's how he spends his days trying to get those tossed. I think it's obviously very difficult to get those things overturned, especially given that we had the evidentiary hearing about the tainted juror, that was tossed by the judge. Now, there's going to be all sorts of appeals down the road about that evidentiary hearing and there's some other things about what was let in by Judge Newman pertaining to the federal crimes during the murder trial. So, that's still, you know, a few years down the road before that even plays out.

But I'm sure that Alex, through his life, has gotten away with a lot of things and beaten a lot of charges and may still think that he has (INAUDIBLE) a little plug.

BERMAN: All right.

HARRIS: But I think he still has in his mind that he'll win. BERMAN: Matt Harris, thank you very much for being with us this morning. A big day for your coverage.

HARRIS: Thank you.

BERMAN: Appreciate your time.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, right now severe weather alerts are in effect from Texas to Virginia. Some areas could see hail, strong winds and tornadoes. Others might see some snowfall. This is an intense system that already savaged the rest.

CNN's Elisa Raffa is joining us now.

Some snowfall in April, rough.

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And with it is also going to come some intense, severe storms. We're talking about a multi hazard spring storm here.

Right now we're still watching it develop on radar. You could see some early morning lightning strikes not too far from Oklahoma City. We've been watching some of them near Omaha. The snow starting to build over the Dakotas.

But what's going to happen as we go through the day todays is the atmosphere is going to juice up and fuel up with a lot of humidity. We're looking at temperatures about five to ten degrees above average in the 70s and even some 80s, 80s for Jackson, Dallas, 79 degrees, some low and middle 70s across Springfield.

This will also come with dew points that will be pretty buoyant and pretty moist and humid in the middle 60s. That's going to let all that air rise, let the severe storms grow, and some of them will spin.

Here's a look at that risk from St. Louis to Springfield, back down into Dallas, where we're looking at damaging winds up to 70 miles per hour, tennis ball size hail and a couple of tornadoes, some of which we are afraid could be on the strong side, EF-2 strength or greater from St. Louis back down towards Springfield and Oklahoma City. So, we'll have to watch this very closely today and again tomorrow. The risk pivots to the east of the Ohio Valley, from Lexington down towards Nashville as we go through Tuesday for the same threats. So, something that we'll have to watch closely.

And you can see the storms really blowing up here across Missouri as we go into the afternoon and evening, blowing up again tomorrow from Ohio down into Tennessee. Also notice some of the cold air starting to clash for some of that snow up in the Great Lakes and then going into interior New England later in the week. All of this could come with some flooding rains as well. We have a two-day risk for excessive rain. So, like I mentioned, multiple hazards as we go through the next couple of days.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Elisa Raffa, thank you so much.

John.

BERMAN: All right, new concerns about bridge safety after a barge hits a bridge right underneath a busy highway. It happened again.

The White House Easter Egg Roll is upon us. We just heard from the president. Listen to what he said.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:39:26]

BERMAN: You are looking at live pictures of the White House Easter Egg Roll. The young man in the yellow slicker getting assistance, which I'm not sure is allowed, from an adult like figure. Meanwhile, in the aisle next to him, lane number one there, a similar event taking place. Two finishers now at the White House Easter Egg Roll.

CNN's Arlette Saenz standing by, watching this all unfold for us.

Who's won so far, or are there any losers, in fact, at an Easter Egg Roll?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I don't think there's any losers here today, but the White House Easter Egg Roll is officially underway, as you can see from those images.

[09:40:06]

About 40,000 people are expected to be on hand here for the day festivities. It includes about 64,000 actual eggs that came from farms in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. This is a tradition going back to the 1870s. Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to allow children to roll those Easter eggs with a wooden spoon. And that tradition has continued on today.

President Biden, a bit earlier today, said that this is a great opportunity to open up the (INAUDIBLE) for these Easter festivities.

But this family friendly events is also coming against the backdrop of some political controversy over the weekend, especially stemming from the president's proclamation declaring March 31st, the Transgender Day of Visibility.

Now, the president first issued this proclamation back in 2021, and it said that March 31st each year would be Transgender Day of Visibility. That is something that Republicans seized on this year because it just so happened to fall on Easter Sunday, even though Easter Sunday rotates each year and falls on a different day.

Now, the House speaker, Mike Johnson, said on social media, quote, "the Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter." He added, "the American people are taking note." But if you take a look at some tweets from the presidents account, there was one relating to Easter Sunday where he sent his warm wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Christ's resurrection. And then there was also a tweet relating to Transgender Day of Visibility. He said that on that day, "I have a simple message to all Trans Americans. I see you. You are made in the image of God and you are worthy of respect and dignity."

Now, President Biden, this morning, did an interview with the "Today" show and he wasn't asked specifically about this, but he did laments the negativity that is in politics today. And he thinks it's something voters are tired of.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just think people are so tired of the negativity that is propagated, that they just - they just wanted to get engaged. They want to change things. And I'm optimistic. I really am.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, we are expecting to hear directly from President Biden and the first lady in just a few hours. And this event is going on rain or shine. As you can see, there's some rain trickling down, but there's many families here hoping to enjoy the festivities today.

BERMAN: It looks like a lot of fun. I am trying to figure out what the best technique is with the wooden spoon and the egg to get it to role the furthest and the fastest. We will work on that here.

Arlette Saenz, great to see you. Thank you very much.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, you've got to stay around for this one. A 35-year- old Texas teacher, an Army veteran, is running for president. But he's changing his name legally to "Literally Anybody Else." And he started a third-party presidential campaign using that name. He needs 113,000 signatures from Texas non-primary voters by May to secure his name on the ballot. And if that fails, he is urging supporters to write him in this November. "Literally Anybody Else" joins us now.

Now, first of all, sir, I'm not sure what to call - do you go by Mr. Else, or should I refer to you as Literally? That's the first problem I have here. So, I just want to make sure we're good. Mr. Else, does that work for you?

LITERALLY ANYBODY ELSE, THIRD-PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That - I answer to all three. Whatever you want to call me.

SIDNER: Your first, middle and your last name.

Can you give me just some sense of why go through all this trouble, because it's not some - a small thing to change your name and then to get on the ballot.

ELSE: Yes, so, I mean, it's - it's about as serious as you expect, just changing your identity. And, you know, if it had been anything, you know, frivolous, you know, it totally wouldn't be worth it. But I think this message is definitely worth spreading.

And, you know, the support that I've been getting from this has just been absolutely overwhelming. I mean it's - I was an unknown last Thursday and now I have pretty much like - virtually an army of volunteers that I'm just - that are just waiting for my call to just get this sentiment out. I mean this has resonated with a lot of people. You see the headline, "Literally Anybody Else for president," you know exactly what it is and if it resonates with you or not.

SIDNER: You've really touched on something because both campaigns, the Biden campaign in particular has said this, that they are concerned about people not showing up to vote. Can you give me some sense of what your big issues are with having these two candidates, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, back at it again in 2024?

ELSE: You know, the way I view it is kind of like a bad relationship. You know, if you're with someone, it's not necessarily that they are bad for you, or it's just they bring out the bad in you. And, you know, when these two are in the Oval Office, when these two are in power, America is not the best that it could be. And it's one of those things it's like you just - you have to - we have to have a breakup.

[09:45:04]

You know, in order for us to be better, we need to end this relationship we have with those two candidates. There's just so much negativity now just because -

SIDNER: You are -

ELSE: Go ahead.

SIDNER: Go ahead.

ELSE: Yes, there's just so much negativity now surrounding both candidates. And, you know, it's come to a point where they can do no good. You know, from the eyes of the other camp, they can do no good. And that's - that's ridiculous. You know, we should be able to honestly assess, you know, when somebody has positive traits or negative traits. But, you know, they - their - it's become so divisive and that's, you know - it breaks my heart that America is this way right now. And this candidacy kind of sets the floor. Hey, this is where the average American would be, because I consider myself the average American. If our two main party candidates cannot rise above this bar, then they don't deserve to be in office.

SIDNER: You know, are you getting response from people? What are people saying to you as they see this headline, Literally Anybody Else. You're out there, you know, looking to raise money for your campaign and trying to get those 13,000 signatures of registered voters who didn't vote in the primaries, which is a hard thing to do. I think by mid-May. What are people saying to you? What are you hearing from the average, as you say, the average American? Are regular folks seeing your name out there?

ELSE: Yes, I mean, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I mean there's been a few who are concerned about the spoiler effect, but, you know, and that 113,000 is just Texas. Some states have as low as 800 signatures and some states, like California, have 200 signatures. I mean it's a whole litany of requirements. I think Florida is the most tricky because they actually require you to pay $14,000 just to verify the votes. And, you know, there's - each state has different requirements, but I've had volunteers in many, many, many states. I mean, yes, Texas has the most of them because that's where I am, but, you know, I have all the way from Maine. I had a guy in Hawaii boots on the ground. Florida. I think we have some in Massachusetts. You know, they're all over the country and they're all overwhelmingly in support. I'm getting phone calls all the time just people thanking me for actually having the courage to step up and be this voice.

SIDNER: We know from the polling that there are a lot of people who feel very similar to you, but you took the extra incredibly difficult step of literally changing your name to Literally Anybody Else.

I thank you for taking this very seriously and coming to talk to me this morning.

ELSE: It was a wonderful time. Thank you very much.

SIDNER: All right.

AT&T customers listen up, millions of you have had your personal data hacked and put onto the dark web. We'll tell you what information may have been stolen and what you might be able to do about that.

Also, a rematch of the blockbuster women's basketball national championship tonight. What Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are saying about any bad blood between them.

That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:52:56]

BERMAN: What a game on tap. This is the matchup that everyone has been looking at for weeks. Tonight, a rematch of last year's women's national basketball championship. Tonight, though, it's in the round of eight between Iowa and LSU.

Let's get right to Carolyn Manno.

I think everyone's going to be watching this.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: LSU and Iowa, John, need you as their hype man. I mean this is a fantastic rivalry. It's done such a great deal in terms of increasing interest in the sport of women's basketball. And it is centered around Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who are both 22, both extremely talented, both extremely confident, both trash talkers and really good teammates to boot. And so this is personal in the sense that it's about winning, it's about bragging rights, it's about all of the things which makes sports really compelling for sports fans.

Clark's the biggest college star in the country. And she has said that the chance to play against a team that she lost two in a national championship is incredibly motivating for her.

Angel Reese is also incredibly motivated to defend that championship. But both of them agree that off the court there is no added animosity between them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAITLIN CLARK, IOWA HAWKEYES GUARD: It's so good for women's basketball. And to be honest, I've watched a lot LSU games and what they're doing for women's basketball and the way their fan support is tremendous. And it's been fun to watch and they've had a great season. So, I know it's going to be a great game and both teams are going to be ready to go.

ANGEL REESE, LSU TIGERS FORWARD: I don't think people realize, like, it's not personal. Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other. Like, I want everybody to understand that. It's just a super competitive game. And like I would just wish people would realize that. Like, once I get between those lines, it's no friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: The game tips off tonight in Albany just after 7:00. It is going to deliver. I know that for a fact. And it's just not out of the question to think that viewership could be around 10 million people to watch this game, to see who will advance.

On the men's side the final four is already set. You've got Alabama UConn, Purdue, NC State playing for the title. We do have a bit of a Cinderella in the 11th seeded wolf pack. They are led by a pair of super seniors, DJ Burns, DJ Horne, pulling off another upset against Duke.

[09:55:01]

Burns just working his way to a team-high 29 points, while Horne had 20 against the Blue Devils in a 76-64 comeback win. The wolf pack, a lot of people know this already, needed to win five games in five days to win the ACC tournament, just to get this invitation to the big dance. And now they have somehow managed to rattle off nine in a row and are heading to the final four for the first time in 41 years.

And then you've got Purdue, who are final four bound for the first time in 44 years. Tennessee all American Dalton Knecht, he deserves so much credit. He was really brilliant, leading the Vols. He had 37 points. But Boilermakers big man Zach Edey, this was his moment, proving why he is the front-runner to win his second straight national player of the year award. He put up 40 points, a career high. And note, with the game on the line, had this big block to help seal the sixth point win.

And after the game, of course, when you're seven foot four, you don't need a ladder to cut down the net, John, do you? Which is even better.

BERMAN: That's what I always say. That's what I always say. I never need that ladder to cut down the nets either.

MANNO: Not you. Not you.

BERMAN: Carolyn Manno, thank you very much. Great to see you. Some great games in store. Really appreciate it.

SIDNER: (INAUDIBLE) Reese and Clark. I cannot wait to see that. It's going to be good.

BERMAN: It's going to be good.

SIDNER: All right, thank you so much for joining us. This is CNN NEW CENTRAL.

"CNN NEWSROOM," up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)