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Dangerous Weather Threatens Millions Over Memorial Day; Israeli Airstrike In Rafah Called A 'Tragic Mistake'; Search And Rescue In Papua New Guinea Following Landslide; Tornado Devastates Eddieville, Kentucky; Heat Wave Endangers Southern States; Trump's Criminal Hush Money Trial Nears Conclusion; Russia Intensifies Attacks In Ukraine; Trump's Controversial Memorial Day Message. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired May 27, 2024 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:01:20]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: More than 110 million Americans are bracing for dangerous weather this Memorial Day after powerful storms, including tornadoes, swept through the central US. Plus, after more than five weeks of testimony, we're less than 24 hours away from closing arguments in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial. We'll look at what to expect before the case is in the hands of the jury.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: And search and rescue efforts continue after a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea. We're learning about what triggered the devastation, and we're following these major stories and more all coming in right here to CNN News Central.

SANCHEZ: We begin this hour with breaking news. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now calling a deadly airstrike in Rafa a tragic mistake. He says that airstrike hit a refugee camp in Rafah yesterday, killing at least 45 people. Some 200 others were wounded in the strike. The Israeli military claims that it killed two senior Hamas officials.

DEAN: Now, those remarks come as hostage negotiations are set to resume in Egypt tomorrow, and we are following this breaking news and we'll bring you a live report from that region in just moments.

SANCHEZ: Meantime, major cities on the east coast are bracing for potentially dangerous weather after a storm hit people in the south central states this weekend. Today, teams are assessing the damage and beginning the cleanup amid soaring heat in some areas. The storms this weekend spawned multiple tornadoes, and at this point, it's not exactly clear just how many.

Dean: But among them was this tornado in Eddieville, Kentucky. Wow. The governor there gave an update a short time ago, saying one tornado was on the ground for miles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDY BESHEAR, (D) (KY): We had devastating storms that hit almost the entire state. So far, we believe at least a few tornadoes touched down, including the one that we know was on the ground for at least 40 miles. That tornado just barely missed the prison in Eddieville.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: CNN meteorologist Chad Myers is tracking the severe weather threat for today, and Chad, a lot of this is moving eastwards for the east coast today.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No question about it. I mean, if you're having a picnic today, what I want you to have in your plan book is a place to get away from the lightning. We're not going to see tornadoes today. I mean, maybe small EF0 if you have one. We're not going to see the kind of damage that they saw in Kentucky yesterday. But we will have the threat of lightning at your picnic, and you really need to get out of the way or at least have a chance to have some place to go when a storm runs your way. There's going to be more weather building behind this, but Philadelphia all the way up to almost the Delaware Water Gap now seeing thunder and lightning moving offshore there around Hampton roads and such. But still, the severe thunderstorm watch is in effect. There could be some wind; there could be some hail, but the biggest threat to life today, in my opinion, is if you are struck by a bolt of lightning. If you hear thunder, go indoors because that means it's close enough to hit you.

If you can hear it, it's not that far away. Yes, there's the potential for severe weather up and down the east coast, and yes, millions are in the way, but the big threat here will be the lightning strikes. Almost half a million people still without power from the storms that hit overnight. And let me tell you, the storm that hit Eddieville, the one that we just had pictures of, was likely a 200 mile per hour storm as it left Eddieville, went just along I-69, and then finally died off before it got into more populated areas. But they're going to find some significant damage. In the past three days, 58 reports of tornadoes. I don't think we're going to get any today. Let's hope not. Let's take a break from this for just a couple of days.

[14:05:09]

SANCHEZ: Let's hope so. Chad, please stand by. We'll get back to you in a moment. Right now we're going to turn to Samantha Taylor. She's the Emergency Management Director for Denton County, Texas. Witnesses there say that Denton took a direct hit from a tornado over the weekend. Samantha, thank you so much for being with us. Give us an update on the search and rescue efforts where you are. How are things going?

SAMANTHA TAYLOR, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR IN DENTON COUNTY, TX: Well, Boris, thank you for having us here today. So, so far, search and rescue efforts have been completed. I know a second swep was done yesterday, and so far we do know that everyone is accounted for. Right now we're doing another secondary sweep of damage assessments, so we can enter that information into the T-DEM portal to kind of capture what all has been impacted, and then we can do follow-up with case management to see how we can truly help the community on individual needs. SANCHEZ: Yeah, we're relieved to hear that. Everyone thus far has been

accounted for. We have gotten some reports of significant damage to buildings and other property. We're seeing some of the footage. From your vantage point, what does it look like on the ground right now?

TAYLOR: Well, on the vantage point on the ground right now, it's just total destruction. We're watching the community, you know, pick up the pieces to kind of rebuild back to where they were before, and hopefully they got a good night's rest because they've been up for a good 30 hours from the day before after suffering. And they really are trying to go through the event that they just went through. We're here in Pilot Point right now trying to assess the community's needs, working with non-profits and other volunteer agencies to get the chainsaw crews out, start tarpon some roofs before the severe weather hits us again.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, it's an ongoing process I imagine. I know that Governor Abbott signed a disaster declaration for four additional counties yesterday, including Denton. What kind of support do you think folks need most right now what kind of resources would best help?

TAYLOR: Right now we are just trying to help get the vegetated debris and other debris cleaned up and brought to the curb so waste management can pick it up and they can actually move their vehicles in and out of the affected area other than that would be monetary donations so they can actually go out and buy what they need on an individual or family basis such as food; clothing; baby formula or whatever they need specifically to them whether it be getting prescription refills and things of that nature.

SANCHEZ: Sure it is going to be a long process to get back to the way things were before but we appreciate you sharing the perspective from the community thanks for being with us.

TAYLOR: So, thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: Off course.

DEAN: And adding to the suffering ongoing in the South right now. A dangerous heat wave is absolutely suffocating parts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. More than 25 million people are facing heat advisories this Memorial Day holiday. The heat index is expected to top more than 110 degrees in Houston. That's according to the National Weather Service. CNN's Rosa Flores is live in Houston, and Rosa, this sort of heat can be life-threatening.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know it can, and it could be a public health emergency as well, especially when millions of people are being impacted at the same time. Just take a look around the country, take a look at this map. It speaks to the heat risk, and you can see that there is an impact from coast to coast. The colors on this map range from a light tan to a deep, deep red. Those are the levels of risk, from minor risk to extreme risk. Now, the Biden administration has been taking all of this very seriously. We're expecting OSHA to present themselves with a regulatory framework in the next few months to try to protect workers who are forced to work outside in these conditions. This is after OSHA released an initiative in 2022 to inspect workplaces for heat-related risks and conditions.

Now, one of the factors that OSHA takes into consideration are the number of deaths. Now, the number that I'm about to share with you is not just work-related, but overall heat-related deaths in the United States. Take a look at these staggering numbers. This data is issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And back in 2021, the heat-related deaths were about 1,600. Then a year later, it went up to about 1,700. And last year, 2,300 people died in the United States in heat-related deaths. Now, you can see around me that people are working out, even though it's really hot here in Houston right now. So, it doesn't stop people from working out, doing activities outside. I talked to some of them about some of the precautions they take when they exercise out in the heat. Take a look.

[14:10:09]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REGINA WILTON, HOUSTON RESIDENT: When you see me break out in the sweat, I have really gotten really hot, but I haven't broken out in the sweat yet.

ANETTE SAGERS; HOUSTON RESIDENT: Hydrate. Water, water, water. Do not deprive. If you feel, if you get chills on your skin or anything that's a sign that your body is asking for some water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Now, some of the hottest areas around the country are going to be right here in Texas and along the southern border. Take a look at these temperatures. Some of these cities are breaking records today. Del Rio, 110. Laredo, 109. San Antonio, 102. And Jessica, if you look down there, you also see Houston at 98. But Jessica, when you add the humidity here in Houston, I love Houston, but it's a bit of a swamp. The heat index today is expected to be between 108 and 113. So you can only imagine that with people are going to be doing here today is drinking a lot of this, a lot of water as they enjoy Memorial Park here in Houston. Those are the folks that you see out here at Memorial Park.

DEAN: Yeah, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Rosa Flores, thanks so much for that reporting. Let's go back now to CNN meteorologist Chad Myers, who's been standing by. And Chad, a lot of people down there in Texas want to know, is there any relief in sight?

MYERS: No, not really. Not for many, many more days. Not until maybe a thunderstorm comes overhead. What I did notice about Rosa's shot was there. It was that it was at least a little bit cloudy. We don't have any clouds across the deep south part of Texas where the heat index will be 117. And with the sun out, if you're in the sun, it's going to feel even hotter than that. So this is the difference. Take care of the people that are outside. Make sure the elderly-there's a lot of people still in Texas without power from the storms that we had just a couple of days ago and again a week ago. Brownsville, the feels like temperature today is going to be 111. We saw that Laredo, Texas, and also back out along the Rio Grande may approach 105 to 110 air temperature today. And if you're in the sun, it's going to feel 10 to 15 degrees warmer than that. Please, please, please don't leave adults, children, pets, please don't leave anything in your car. It's that simple. It's that hot.

DEAN: That is good advice. Nobody needs to be inside a car at these temperatures. Chad Myers, thanks so much. We appreciate it.

MYERS: You're welcome.

SANCHEZ: We want to get back now to the breaking news we first mentioned at the top of the hour. Israel's prime minister is now calling that deadly strike in Rafah a tragic mistake. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is live for us in Jerusalem. Jeremy, what are we learning about the strike?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, this is not the first time that we have seen dozens of civilians killed and injured in a single Israeli airstrike. It is, however, the first time that we are watching the Israeli government go into full damage control mode with the Israeli prime minister acknowledging that this was a quote unquote tragic accident. The Israeli military's top lawyer launching a formal investigation into the matter, even acknowledging that this strike, according to the Israeli military, they did not believe in an assessment that they carried out before the strike, that it would cause any civilian casualties whatsoever. And I think this speaks, you know, the Israeli government will argue that this speaks to the uniqueness of this strike, this being an accident versus others that were proportional strikes in their view. But I think this speaks more to the moments that we are in where Israel is increasingly isolated on the world stage, facing growing condemnation from the United States and other countries.

Just days ago, the International Court of Justice compelled Israel in a formal order to stop its military operation in Rafah, an order that the Israeli government is effectively choosing to ignore. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden warned that Israel would be crossing a red line if it carried out an all out offensive in Rafah. And so Israel is certainly in a moment where they don't believe that they can afford the kind of moments that that this strike could present in terms of international condemnation. And we are already seeing that international condemnation pouring in with Qatar, one of the key mediators in these talks, warning that this latest Israeli strike in Rafah could potentially hinder further negotiations to try and reach a ceasefire deal. But we should focus, of course, on the human victims of this strike, 45 people including women and children who were killed in this single strike by the Israeli military overnight. About 200 people, additional people who were injured and the injuries are horrendous. The videos that I have seen, including some that are too graphic to air, show the absolute atrocity of what was committed here in terms of the damage to children's bodies, burns on people's bodies, women who were dragged out, their bodies charred from this from this.

[14:15:09]

And we should also note that this was a camp for displaced people who were living in western Rafah. This is not the area that the Israeli military has ordered to evacuate, and it is an area where people had thought that they were safe. Boris, Jessica.

SANCHEZ: Jeremy Diamond, live for us from Jerusalem. Thank you so much, Jeremy.

DEAN: Still ahead this hour, a not-so-welcome reception for Donald Trump, why the former president was booed and heckled at a libertarian convention.

SANCHEZ: Plus, Russia ramping up its attacks in northeast Ukraine, sending deadly airstrikes into Kharkiv, as President Zelensky urges world leaders to attend a peace summit next month. And the urgent search for survivors after a catastrophic landslide in Papua New Guinea. Thousands fear dead. This and much more, straight ahead.

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[14:20:09]

SANCHEZ: Right now, prosecutors and defense attorneys are making their final preparations as closing arguments are set to begin tomorrow in former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial. This is gearing up to be a pivotal week. The jury could begin deliberations as soon as Wednesday, with the historic verdict coming just about any time after that.

DEAN: The former president spent the holiday weekend on the campaign trail. Yesterday, he attended the Coca-Cola event and was the first to be on the campaign trail of the 600 NASCAR race in North Carolina, where he appeared to get a much warmer welcome than he did on Saturday.

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DEAN: The presumptive GOP nominee was loudly and consistently booed throughout his speech at the Libertarian Party's national convention in Washington, DC. CNN's Steve Contorno is joining us now.

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DEAN: Steve, you were there at the convention on Saturday. How did it read in the room?

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: It was tough to tell, Jessica, amid all the booing and the shouting and the heckling and the chanting. There were even some physical confrontations between his supporters and the convention attendees. But look, his team says that he is not afraid to go into unfriendly crowds, and this is not necessarily about winning the people who showed up at the convention, but those voters across the country who might be considering a third-party candidate. They are increasingly concerned about the interest in RFK Jr., who spoke at the convention on Friday night and has been making outreach to libertarians as well. They are hoping that this is a group of people that ultimately will decide, look, we have more in common with Donald Trump than we have with Joe Biden or with some of the other candidates. And he gave this pitch that was sort of interestingly put. Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: The Libertarian Party should nominate Trump for president of the United States. Whoa, that's nice. Only do that if you want to win. If you want to lose, don't do that. Keep getting your 3% every four years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CONTORNO: Now, the Libertarian Party did not nominate Donald Trump. And he ultimately said he wasn't actually interested in the nomination. They instead went with Chase Oliver. He was the candidate for the Libertarian Party in the U.S. Senate race in Georgia in 2022. He also ran for house there in 2020.

SANCHEZ: Steve, obviously today we're honoring Memorial Day. Former President Trump took the opportunity to go on the attack yet again on social media. What can you tell us about his Memorial Day message?

CONTORNO: A very different message, Boris, than the one that President Biden delivered earlier today at Arlington National Cemetery. Trump wrote on Truth Social, quote, Happy Memorial Day to all, including the human scum that is working so hard to destroy our once great country. And to the radical left, Trump-hating federal judge in New York, that presided over, get this, two separate trials. And he went on from there to disparage the judges that have overseen some of the cases, the E.G. Carroll defamation suit, the one that has ruled against his business interests there. And then he ended with a parting shot at the judge in his hush money case.

DEAN: All right, Steve Contorno with the latest from former President Donald Trump. Thanks so much for that reporting. And I want to talk more about this with former Republican Congressman of Illinois, Joe Walsh. He's also the director of Mission Democracy and the host of the White Flag podcast. Also joining me is Democratic strategist and former Clinton White House aide, Keith Boykin. Great to have both of you here with us this afternoon. Joe, let's start first with you. Why did Trump go to this libertarian convention this weekend?

JOE WALSH, FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE (R-IL): Jessica, that's such a great question. Look, this libertarian party is utterly irrelevant. But here's what Trump is doing and you know what I think about Donald Trump. I think he's a lawless, un-American psychopath. Let's not forget, Jessica, as we honor those who died for our country today, Donald Trump referred to those people as losers and suckers. Look, he's trying to go everywhere, Jessica, because he's trying to contrast himself with Joe Biden. Trump wants to make the case that Biden is not going to get out there and Biden is not going to get in front of anybody who disagrees with him.

[14:25:09]

It's why Trump went to the Bronx right last week. Trump's not going to win New York. He's trying to give this perception that he's way out there and he'll go in front of anybody to contrast himself with Biden.

DEAN: And Keith, RFK Jr., not just a threat to the Trump campaign. Our CNN polling shows among all voters, Kennedy stands at 16 percent, with some strong indications he's siphoning support from both Trump and Biden. So what should the Biden campaign be doing to guard against this?

KEITH BOYKIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I'm not sure exactly how RFK Jr. cuts in the election. We know that third party candidates don't win in American politics at the presidential level. They tend to be spoilers. And I think once people have a clearer focus on what the race will look like, with Trump's campaign, they're going to be able to guard against this. I don't know that Trump versus Biden in the fall. I don't know that RFK Jr. makes much of an impact. I think that the Biden campaign would be wise to allow its surrogates to make the argument against RFK Jr. He's not really a Democrat. He doesn't really pull, I think, in terms of traditional Democratic issues. He's a conspiracy theorist with no political experience, never held office, and is running a mate, a 38-year-old tech executive who's never held office. So the idea that RFK Jr. is somehow offering something new. He's not going to be able to guard against this. He sounds a lot like Donald Trump, another 70-year-old guy who came in with no political experience, who promoted conspiracy theories. I don't think that's going to fly well with Democrats come the general election in the fall. I also think that independents have probably more of a likelihood of leaning toward RFK Jr. But I don't think they're even going to support him once they see what he really stands for in the fall.

DEAN: And Joe, Senator Tim Scott continues what is essentially an audition to be Trump's vice. I want to listen to what he told my colleague, Dana Bash, about a two-tiered justice system as it applies to the former president. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TIM SCOTT, (R - SC): I saw the video of the SWAT team from the FBI raiding Mar-a-Lago. I have not seen the same video of them raiding Joe Biden's garage. So I'd love to have that comparison. But more importantly, once again, we find ourselves reinforcing this two-tiered justice system where we see a different standard for Republicans and specifically, a different standard for Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Now, we, of course, know multiple Biden residences were searched by the FBI multiple times in that classified documents case. But, Joe, Tim Scott continues to carry water for the former president. Do you think it's worth it?

WALSH: Jessica, it makes me so sad. Look, you know most of my former Republican colleagues all sold their soul to Trump. I got elected with Tim Scott. So many years ago, and it so disappoints me because I never, ever thought Tim Scott would lower himself like this and do this. Is it worth it? Gosh, I don't know. You're asking the wrong person because I'm a Republican who stood up against Trump. But they don't want to lose their jobs. Look at what Nikki Haley did. They want to stay relevant. Tim Scott knows what he said about this two tiers of justice is just bull crap. He knows that, Jessica. He's trying so hard to be Trump's vice president. It's pathetic.

DEAN: And, Keith, we're expecting an outcome of some sort from this hush money case in the coming days. What do you how do you think the Biden campaign is viewing this? And are they factoring in counting on a conviction here?

BOYKIN: I don't think the Biden campaign is counting on conviction at all. I mean, the Biden campaign and the White House have wisely stayed at arm's length from this case in New York and from Trump's other three criminal cases. I think that the truth is that this is a big contrast to the way Donald Trump actually handled cases that he was supporting or against when he was president because he was putting his thumb on the scales of justice with his Justice Department under both of his attorneys general. So I think that Donald Trump doesn't have any room to speak, especially considering the fact that he was out there leading chance for lock her up about Hillary Clinton in 2016 and weaponizing government, willing to weaponize the government to attack his political opponents.

And still willing to do the same thing right now. So in the end, you know, Trump supporters aren't going to be moved by the outcome of this election, excuse me, by the outcome of the of the of the case. Whatever the verdict is, I think Trump supporters will continue to support him. Remember that Donald Trump said that he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody. He wouldn't lose any supporters. And you have people like Tim Scott, who is willing to go on CNN, as he just did just yesterday, and deny that Trump was even booed at the Libertarian Convention, which he clearly was. So they're all in this cult of delusion. I don't know what you could say to possibly convince the Trump supporters to see reality.

DEAN: All right. Keith Boykin and Joe Walsh. Thanks again. Thanks for stopping by on Memorial Day. We appreciate it.

BOYKIN: Thank you.