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President Joe Biden Campaign To Brief Senate Democrats At Special Meeting Thursday; Vice President Kamala Harris Attacks On Donald Trump At Black Sorority Convention; Vice President Kamala Harris Maintains Loyal Stance As Democrats Fret Over Joe Biden; President Joe Biden Takes Part In Long Days Of High-Stakes NATO Meetings; Nancy Pelosi To Worried Democrats: Let's "See How This Week Goes". Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired July 10, 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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[14:01:11]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: They remain divided. More Democrats are suggesting that President Biden should reconsider his decision to stay in the race including one of the most influential voices in the party as one of the biggest names in Hollywood piles on, George Clooney, a huge fundraiser for Democrats saying that Joe Biden is a friend, but that he needs to quit the race.

Meantime, Hurricane Beryl made history. It's worrying a lot of forecasters who see the potential for a half dozen major hurricanes this season, and the areas hit by this storm are still rebounding from its impact.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: And no room for privacy. A new CNN investigation revealing how Airbnb fails to protect guests from hidden cameras. If you've rented a vacation home, you don't want to miss this story.

We're following these major development stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: There are some new cracks in the Democratic dam. Today, the White House is facing more doubts about President Biden's political future as two of the most influential Democrats on the Hill, both longtime Biden allies are now publicly suggesting that Biden's decision to stay in the race is not final. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We're all encouraging him to make that decision.

I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that's the way it is.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is his decision final?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): I have no idea. Ask him. I don't know. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: We're covering every angle of this story. CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju is chasing down lawmakers on Capitol Hill. But let's start with the White House perspective with senior White House Correspondent Kayla Tausche.

Kayla, democratic insiders have consistently said there are three factors that could force Biden's hand. Number one, congressional leadership. Number two, bad polling and number three, signals from donors. I understand you have new reporting about that third one.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, many donors are still waiting for the dust to settle a dynamic, they say simply has not happened yet.

And I spoke to one donor in Chicago earlier today who said that planning for a lunch during the Democratic convention that was expected to feature several dozen high dollar donors who had previously contributed millions to President Biden's 2020 campaign has been halted with the host committee suggesting that there was just too much ambivalence about how and whether to move forward with the event.

Now, the Biden campaign is still holding other events in Texas, Colorado and two in California. And a Biden campaign spokesperson says that that Chicago lunch was not affiliated with the official apparatus. But many donors tell us that if you are having an event that there are large odds that it is up in the air.

John Morgan, who is a Florida attorney is planning a September event and he said that the planning for that event is still uncertain too.

Now, President Biden has suggested that it's not the donor class that he's worried about. When he called into "Morning Joe" earlier this week, he said that he's not too worried about that dynamic.

But I spoke to a senior adviser to Biden yesterday who acknowledged that there are few in Biden's inner circle who believe that the cracks in the president's Teflon position have really become material at this point.

But this advisor said that only the president's family could convince him to change his position. And only if they had hard data. This advisor telling me, "Jill and Valerie won't let him go down in flames," using the president's wife and his sisters first names there.

Now, we've learned that the president's top campaign brass are going to be going to Capitol Hill and when we speak to officials here at the White House, there was really a desire to get back to business as usual.

[14:05:09]

Sources telling me and MJ Lee that they really want to move on to their day jobs. They're done talking about the debate. But the problem is with dominos continuing to fall and a lack of certainty from members of the president's own party, it's still a discussion that's live, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Kayla Tausche live for us from the White House. Thank you so much, Kayla.

Let's go to Capitol Hill now with CNN Congressional -- Chief Congressional Correspondent, the anchor of "INSIDE POLITICS" Sunday, Manu Raju.

Manu, you've got some new reporting about a meeting between Biden campaign officials and Senate Democrats. What are you learning?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's going to happen tomorrow afternoon. This comes amid anxiety -- major anxiety in the ranks among Senate Democrats about Joe Biden's chances in November.

Three senior campaign officials and Biden advisors will be coming to brief Senate Democrats off site not far from the Capitol to talk about the state of the campaign. This comes in the aftermath of three Democrats going behind closed doors yesterday, and saying flatly that they believe Joe Biden will lose.

One of them came out publicly last night on CNN, Michael Bennet of Colorado, saying that -- saying that not only will Biden lose it, it could be a landslide and the House and the Senate can go along with it. That concern still is prevalent within the Democratic circles even as many are refusing to say so publicly.

There are two other Democrats who voiced similar concerns as Michael Bennett, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jon Tester of Montana, two of them in difficult reelection races.

We caught up with Sherrod Brown earlier today, as well as other senators and asked Brown directly about those comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Do you think there's a legitimate concerns of Ohio voters?

SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): My job is to fight for them on everything. To fight for lower drug prices.

RAJU: How concerned are you about his chances in November?

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): I'm very concerned, it's going to be a close race and we already knew that.

RAJU: But I mean, you have to be concerned about his viability, aren't you?

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I am deeply concerned about Joe Biden winning this November, because it is an existential threat to the country if Donald Trump wins.

So, I think that we have to reach a conclusion as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: And as the Biden team wants to shut down any speculation that he may leave the race, Nancy Pelosi's comments today suggesting that Biden hadn't made a decision has to have the actual opposite effect. In fact, many other Democrats are echoing that line, saying, we'll wait and see what Joe Biden ultimately decides to do.

Now, this building has been abuzz with activity behind closed doors, a number of ideological groups on the House side Democratic side have been having meetings, some of them talking about how to handle the prospects of Joe Biden running again, whether or not they should come out in opposition to him as well to voice their concerns publicly.

We have learned my colleague Annie Grayer, and I have learned that Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, who has been public in his support of Joe Biden plans to relay the concerns that he is hearing behind the scenes from his members directly to Biden in the coming days, he's the -- he's told that to members in recent meetings.

So, a lot of discussion and activity and concern as the Biden team tries to ease those concerns coming to Capitol tomorrow, but will that be enough? That is still uncertain in the days ahead, guys.

SANCHEZ: Manu Raju live for us on Capitol Hill. Manu, thank you so much. Jessica?

DEAN: And perhaps no one is in a more delicate position right now than Vice President Kamala Harris. She is maintaining a loyal stance. She just wrapped up a keynote speech at the annual convention for the historically black sorority Alpha Kappa -- Alpha Kappa Alpha in Dallas, Texas.

And in her remarks, Harris played up the president's policies and zeroed in on Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Donald Trump has openly vowed if reelected, he'll be a dictator on day one, that he will weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies, round up peaceful protesters and throw them out of our country.

And even -- and I quote, "Terminate the United States's Constitution." This is the most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetimes.

Sorors, this is a serious matter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Joining us now is New York Times White House Correspondent Katie Rogers. She's also the author of American Woman: The Transformation of The Modern First Lady from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden.

[14:10:00] Katie, great to see you. Thanks for coming on.

The role of vice president can be tricky no matter what. But this particular situation for Vice President Harris is particularly tricky. How is she handling this moment?

KATIE ROGERS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK TIMES: From everything we've reported, and we've done a lot of reporting on this in recent days, the vice president is steadfast in her efforts to show no daylight between herself and President Biden, who by the way, is really dug in on staying the candidate, staying the nominee, does not want to go anywhere.

And when you have a dynamic like that, the best thing that she and her advisors have determined to do is stay close to him, support him and be as, you know, on message as they can be, unless something above her changes.

DEAN: Yes. And to that end in your piece, you all write that the message that's gone out to her -- the members of her staff, donors, allies, the message is no speculating, no chit chat. The idea is that would only further -- it would only hurt her.

Did you find -- and it sounds like you did, did you find in talking with people that was the case that they're adhering to that kind of advice or rule?

ROGERS: Right. Well, the reality is, is that she has to have someone in this orbit, making calls, making plans, drawing up a list of people who could be on a ticket with her.

Of course, in our recording, we picked up that Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Governor Beshear of Kentucky are two people that people in her extended circle have identified as politicians who could ride on a ticket with her particularly because of their ability to deal with Republicans and legislate through relationships with Republicans.

DEAN: And did you get any sense of if or how this has changed her relationship with the president? Has it changed at this point?

ROGERS: I mean, certainly he has drawn her closer since the debate, he has, you know, attended lunches with her, attended events with her, held his hand up with her at the July 4th fireworks.

But she has been involved in some crucial, you know, foreign policy discussions in the Situation Room. They have a working relationship, but it has not been as physically close showing unity, emphasizing the Biden-Harris ticket until the this disastrous debate in Atlanta.

DEAN: It is such an interesting dynamic. Great reporting on this. Katie Rogers, thanks for sharing it with us. We appreciate it.

ROGERS: Thank you.

DEAN: Boris? SANCHEZ: Happening now, President Biden is back on the world stage. He's taking part in the first working session of the NATO Summit as the alliance marks 75 years of the military defense pact.

The president is trying to reassure leaders in the alliance, about the future of NATO and his own leadership amid growing concerns about his fitness for office and Donald Trump's possible return to the White House.

CNN's Alex Marquardt is joining us now live from the NATO Summit in Washington.

So, Alex is the upcoming U.S. election and the possibility of another Trump term heavy on the minds of these leaders?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, certainly this discussion over Biden and his political future is something that is hanging over this entire summit. The world leaders here, like so many in this country and Democrats particularly are watching closely to see how Biden acts, to see whether what they saw at the debate almost two weeks ago was an aberration and a one off or if it's a sign of something, perhaps more significant.

So, Biden spoke last night opening up the NATO Summit, he got a positive reviews for that, speaking very forcefully. Of course, that was a scripted speech.

Now leaders in this working session and in the next few days will get to see Biden up close. Certainly none of these foreign diplomats want to be speaking publicly about U.S. diplo -- domestic affairs or political affairs. But they are quite skittish because the fate of NATO will be very different depending on who wins the election in November.

Now, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine who of course is a main character during this summit spoke directly to the November election last night when he spoke here in Washington, take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Now, everyone is waiting for November. Americans are waiting for November, in Europe, Middle East in the Pacific. The whole world is looking toward and looking to November, and truly speaking, Putin awaits November too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[14:15:01]

MARQUARDT: Now, Boris, of course, Zelenskyy didn't say who he would prefer to win in November. He says he doesn't know who's going to and he didn't say how Trump would act if President Trump wins in November rather diplomatically there.

But of course, again, a different fate for NATO depending on who wins. NATO very much a cornerstone of Biden's foreign policy while Trump has spoken with some disdain about the NATO alliance and has in fact said that if NATO countries don't pay their dues, that Russia could do whatever the hell they want, if they want to, to those NATO members, Boris.

SANCHEZ: And Alex, just about an hour ago, we heard President Biden address the working group live. Obviously, central to the focus of this meeting is the future of Ukraine. What did we hear from President Biden and others on that front?

MARQUARDT: That really is the main topic of conversation here, the future of Ukraine, the need to really reinforce the structures around getting that aid to Ukraine, making sure that it is healthy in the long term, but then they're also talking about confronting China. China, of course, is a main player in that conflict and Ukraine because their main supporter of Russia.

Interestingly, the Indo-Pacific really is playing a real role here, leaders from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan also coming here to the NATO Summit, even though they are not members of NATO.

Cyber is a major issue, but also the alliance wants to celebrate their unity. We want to celebrate the fact that they have been together for the past 75 years. The NATO charter signed right here in Washington in 1949.

There's also a passing of the torch from the current Secretary General to a future Secretary General, but really, NATO -- Ukraine really is top of mind. We heard President Biden announced last night more air defenses for Ukraine. That's something that they have been pleading for.

Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken talking about F-16s that will be given to Ukraine. In the coming weeks, it will be in the skies over Ukraine this summer.

So, really, Ukraine top of mind here, making sure that they have the aid that they need as they continue to fight in this war against Russia, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Alex Marquardt, live for us from the NATO Summit. Thanks so much, Alex.

Ahead this hour on CNN NEWS CENTRAL. It was an interview meant to end concerns about President Biden's health. But now, ABC's George Stephanopoulos is one of the latest people raising questions about the president's abilities.

Plus, more than a million customers without power in the south amid tornado threats in the north. We're tracking the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.

And we're also live outside Senator Bob Menendez's federal corruption trial, we have the latest on closing arguments as jurors prepare to deliberate. We'll be right back.

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SANCHEZ: Support for President Biden remains an open question almost two weeks after his debate performance. And new comments today former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to leave the door open for the president to step aside from his own reelection campaign while also pleading with fellow Democrats to give him some space. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PELOSI: Let's just hold off, whatever you're thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don't have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Joining us now to discuss is Chris Wallace, anchor of CNN's "THE CHRIS WALLACE SHOW" and the host of "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE?" on Max.

Chris, the former speaker is a shrewd communicator, right? It's not a coincidence. It's not a gaffe. She means this specifically and the portion about letting Biden make his own decision, I think is very clearly a message to the president. No?

CHRIS WALLACE, CNN HOST: Absolutely. Because the reporter, she basically said, let's see what he decides. And the reporter said, well, he's decided, he said, I'm all in. You want to take me on at the convention, come get me. And she refused as a lot of top Democratic leaders. But most importantly, I think most influentially Nancy Pelosi refuses to take yes for an answer.

And says, well, let's see what he decides, even though he supposedly has decided. And I think that's their way of saying you may think, Mr. President, this is a done deal. It isn't.

SANCHEZ: What do you think about the fact that she gave it until the end of the NATO summit that she said, let's keep these doubts in house private until the end of the week and see where things are?

WALLACE: Well, as a practical matter, you know, this is what makes it so hard, because at any point, a gaffe by Joe Biden, whether it's at the NATO summit, whether it's tomorrow at his big news conference, solo news conference, whether it's next week during the Republican Convention, any gaffe is going to be jumped on by doubters inside the Democratic Party. As I see, he's not up to it.

But I think, as a practical matter, if he is still firmly in the race by next Monday when the Republican convention begins, awfully hard to get him out.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Chris, I'm wondering what you make of two things. First, this George Clooney op-ed. And then this video published by TMZ of George Stephanopoulos who conducted the first interview with Biden post-debate, telling someone on the street that he doesn't think Biden could make it another four years. It strikes me that this will resonate with those folks out there who

are saying that this is all a media constructive narrative, a narrative by the elites who believe that Joe Biden can't make it four years but it's disconnected from everyday voters. What do you make of all of it?

WALLACE: I -- you know, Biden very much push that narrative when he was with "Morning Joe" on Monday and he said, I'm tired of the elites, the elites in the party, the elites in the media. This isn't the elites, look at the polls, 74 percent in the latest New York Times poll say Biden is too old to be president. 36 percent approve of his job that he is doing.

[14:25:15]

This is the voters who are sending a message. We're really concerned about Joe Biden being reelected president for the next four years.

To a certain degree, I think the elites have protected Biden all along. And when you see Biden playing into what I think you have to just call fake populism. But you know, it's those elites, it's us against them.

Well, the us, the rank and file Democratic voters are expressing grave concerns about Joe Biden, and whether he's the person they want to take the fight to Donald Trump.

The lesson of George Stephanopoulos is even if you're on the street, and even if it's another person, and it's not a big camera crew or just somebody with a phone. Be careful.

I thought George did a great job in the interview last week with Biden, I -- as he, in effect, said himself, he wishes he hadn't made that comment on the streets of New York today or yesterday, whenever it was.

SANCHEZ: Yes. I'm wondering how you assess the White House and the campaign's response to all of this, and specifically, the way that the White House has handled having to clarify and then re-clarify certain questions about the president's health?

WALLACE: Well, they clearly have not handled that very well. And, you know, the lesson that I learned a long time ago is if a negative story is going to come out, get it out right away, deal with it right away, because if it lingers, you just are expanding the amount of time.

Where I give this White House high marks is since the debate and particularly this week, they have run a really aggressive campaign to try to shut down and so far they have succeeded in shutting down a majority of Republicans in the House and the Democrats, in the House and the Senate, him saying right away in that letter to House Democrats on Monday, I'm in it. I'm not giving up, the warning, Joe appearance, and listing the black Congressional Caucus.

All of these have really made it very, very hard for Democrats. And at this point, they are refusing or failing to step up and say what I think most of them think, which is that it's going to be very hard for Biden to win and very hard to hold on to either the House or the Senate, with Biden as the lead candidate.

SANCHEZ: And if the Democrat's worst case scenario does happen, how does that change Biden's legacy?

WALLACE: If they were to lose the White House to the House and the Senate? I would -- I think it completely -- I mean, what he will have accomplished in the first two years will still be there. Of course, a lot of it will get undone by Donald Trump.

But the man who is widely celebrated for having, Tthese are the Democrats words, "Save America from Trump, save democracy from Trump," will now be seen as having decided to put himself, his ego, his ambition over it and given it all back.

SANCHEZ: Chris Wallace, always great to get your perspective. Look forward to watching you on Saturday.

WALLACE: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much. And next week at the convention too.

WALLACE: Next week at the convention. Maybe we'll grab a drink.

SANCHEZ: I'll look forward to it. Thanks, Chris, on you.

WALLACE: Hopefully on CNN.

SANCHEZ: Yes, maybe, we'll see. Thanks so much, Chris.

A potentially deadly situation is unfolding in Texas where hurricane Beryl has left more than one million customers without power, as the heat index is expected to hit triple digits. We'll take you there live, next.

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