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New Polls Show Majority of Democrats and Majority of Biden Supporters Believe President Biden Should End Run as Democratic Presidential Nominee; Vice President Kamala Harris Continues to Support President Biden; Another Day of Heat and No Air Conditioning for Millions in Houston; Two Dartmouth Greek Organizations Suspended After 20-Year-Old's Death. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired July 11, 2024 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: They're worried about everything from Trump potentially pulling the U.S. out of NATO, that's the most extreme, or forcing Ukraine to negotiate with Russia and possibly give up territory. But also all the increments along the way, not just intelligence sharing, but the U.S. still keeps a lot of troops in Europe. During the last Trump administration, there was a drawdown in those troops. Could you see something like that? All of these things mean that the Europeans have to take more responsibility for their own defense on themselves, and they're worried about that.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely. Kim, it's great to see you. General, as always, thank you so much.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: With brand new polling that shows a majority of his own supporters want him to drop out, can President Biden save his campaign with a press conference today?

Dangerous and deadly heat in Texas, temperatures soaring with more than 1 million people without power. And this is four days after hurricane Beryl hit.

And Dartmouth under investigation for an alleged hazing incident after a student was found dead.

I'm John Berman with Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BOLDUAN: Happening right now, President Biden's fight to stay in the 2024 race and disprove Democratic doubters comes to a head today with a press conference this evening, his first since the CNN debate, the exact unscripted type event that Democrats say President Biden has needed if he's going to shake off calls to exit, and if he's going to get Democratic lawmakers, donors, and voters to stop rethinking the whole thing.

Now add to that conversation new polling out from ABC News this morning showing Biden and Donald Trump continue to run evenly nationally with no real post-debate change in voter preferences. Yet the same poll finds 62 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaning voters in this poll said that he should step aside, 54 percent of self-proclaimed Biden supporters say that Biden should step aside.

And as -- this is also as the first sitting Democratic senator, Senator Peter Welch, says publicly in a new op-ed that he also thinks Joe Biden should end his run.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is at the White House for us. Another day, another round of headlines and more handwringing and real concerns being voiced amongst Democrats. What are you hearing from there about today and tonight, Arlette?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, President Biden is facing a key test today as he is set to hold that first solo news conference while he's looking to keep his candidacy alive. Now, these solo press conferences have become a rarity in the Biden White House. This will be only the 15th time that he has taken questions by himself at a press conference before reporters, and the first time that he is doing so this year.

It comes as his allies have really encouraged Biden to engage in press conferences, town halls, to try to show voters that he can engage in these impromptu, unscripted sessions following last month's debate. But it's also coming as the president is facing significant heat from within his own party about his decision to remain in this race. So far, there have been 10 Democratic lawmakers up on Capitol Hill who have publicly called for Biden to step aside. Many are expressing concerns privately, even as there are some very visible of public backers of Biden's candidacy at this moment.

Of course, yesterday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seemed to leave the door open to the possibility that Biden could reconsider his decision to stay in the race, even though he and his team have been adamant that he will see this through until November. There are also concerns about how Biden's debate performance and the path forward could impact fundraising for the campaign going forward. One source of familiar with the situation told me that it has been a rough go with donors as there have been a number of defections from the donor class. Another Democratic strategist saying, quote, "Everything is frozen because no one knows what's going to happen. Everyone is in wait and see mode." So these are all some of the challenges facing President Biden in this moment.

This afternoon, some key members of his campaign team and his team here at the White House, Jen O'Malley Dillon, Steve Ricchetti, Mike Donilon, will actually be briefing Senate Democrats up on Capitol Hill today. Sources told CNN that Senator Chuck Schumer invited the campaign officials. They are to talk to senators so they could hear out their concerns personally.

But it's been very clear in the last 24 hours that even as the president has been adamant about remaining in this race, there are still some serious concerns within certain pockets of the Democratic Party. [08:05:05]

And for President Biden, his main goals today are essentially to show voters that he is up for a second term, but also trying to keep any further Democratic dissent in check.

BOLDUAN: That's a good point. It's good to see you, Arlette. Thank you so much for your reporting. Sara.

SIDNER: All right, now, CNN's chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Zeleny is joining us. The narrative surrounding President Biden has changed and gotten far worse in the last 24 hours. You've got senators coming out against him now, more than one, and now we've got this poll showing the number of Americans that think he should step aside. That's a big number. Is that going to break the dam now, which now has quite a few holes in it.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sara. It is a big number, and particularly I think 67 percent of Americans are saying in this new ABC News-"Washington Post" poll that President Biden should step aside. But look at the number of Democrats. That is about 55 percent, 54 percent there. So that is perhaps significant as well.

But I think the numbers that really have the attention of the Biden campaign and the White House, as well as, of course, Democrats on Capitol Hill are what down-ballot races are seeing. And if there's any numbers that will sort of drive a decision here -- and again, this isn't a decision only reached by numbers, it's built on so many things -- but it will be the damage that it could be causing to races for the House, races for the Senate. So that is what some of this worry is coming from here.

But of course, the Biden campaign and the White House will point to the fact that he's still essentially in a margin of error race, essentially tied with former President Donald Trump. But that's in a national poll. If you look battleground by battleground, and those battlegrounds had been expanding over the last couple weeks since the debate, that is causing worry for so many Democrats, Sara.

SIDNER: With this tight of a race, the battleground states are the key, and I'm sure they're watching them, as you said, very, very closely.

I want to talk to you -- look, we've seen some big donors, big Hollywood donors coming out against President Biden running for reelection. I'm curious what you think about what's happening with Kamala Harris. Is she waiting in the wings? She's still out there in front standing by the president, as you would expect a vice president to do.

ZELENY: She is, Sara. She is in the most unusual and complicated of positions here. You can think of it as a historic holding pattern. She is doing her day job, and that is to be the vice president of the United States. She is part of this ticket. It's the Biden-Harris ticket. So she's been campaigning across the country this week from Las Vegas to Dallas. She'll be in North Carolina later today. Don't forget, that's a state the Biden campaign is trying to make a swing state as well. They believe that they could gain some ground there.

But I was struck by some of her comments in Dallas yesterday as she's trying to rally those troops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, (D) VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our nation is counting on the leaders in this room to guide us forward, because we know when we organize, mountains move.

(APPLAUSE)

HARRIS: When we mobilize, nations change. And when we vote, we make history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So the vice president was addressing a sorority group there of African American women in Dallas and clearly trying to make key that the lifeblood of the Democratic Party, largely African American women, are still with the party. The question is, for what ticket?

So the vice president has been loyal to President Biden. There is no daylight between them. She said he is running. But Sara, the question is, if this moves along in a different direction, is she waiting in the wings? Of course she is. She's the vice president. It's what the role is for. But as time sort of moves along here, it does become more difficult to replace the Democratic ticket. But she, of course, is first among those who would be at the ticket. Again, it's the Biden- Harris campaign. So she would own the infrastructure, she would own the fundraising as well. But she has been dutifully campaigning here as all of these events have been unfolding this week in Washington.

But Sara, as we begin this day, there is no doubt that the president is in a much more precarious situation than he was just a day ago.

SIDNER: Very different from what we saw at the beginning of the week. I do want to ask you just about the unprecedented nature of this. We talk a lot about how Donald Trump is always doing these things that are unprecedented. This is also in that same ilk.

ZELENY: What Donald Trump is doing is in the same ilk -- I'm not sure I'm following you, Sara. Sorry, maybe --

SIDNER: I'm saying what's happening to President Biden, what's happening now to him, we often talk about President Trump and the unprecedented nature of the things that he does, the norms that he breaks. This is also in that same line of absolutely unprecedented movement among a party running for president.

[08:10:03]

ZELENY: It absolutely is. I'm sorry, I need another cup of coffee this morning to follow your line of thinking, my friend. (LAUGHTER)

ZELENY: But look, it is unprecedented. This is something that there is -- history is not our best guide for this here. And for all the calls for President Biden to reconsider, a lot of people are giving him space. I am still hearing from so many people what Speaker Pelosi said yesterday, wait until the week ends, and then let's see what his decision is.

This is a decision, again, that only President Biden can make. He and his family can make this alone. So for all of the sort of angst about this, and there is considerable angst, we still do not know if his mind has changed at all.

But sara, it's unprecedented in the sense that we are less than four months before the general election. It almost feels like the primary campaign for Democrats that never happened is unfolding right now. And that is not a position where they would like to be because they wanted it to be talking all about Donald Trump. Instead this has become all about Joe Biden.

SIDNER: Jeff Zeleny, we all need a little extra coffee. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. John?

BERMAN: All right, dozens are dead from record-breaking heat and more than a million remain under threat due to power outages.

A new move by convicted felon Alex Murdaugh and his fight for a new trial.

And water slides, friendship bracelets, a defensive strategy against the west, the fun activities available to children in North Korea at a new summer camp.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:16:03]

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, at least 28 suspected heat-related deaths have been reported in the US this month. In Texas, more than one million customers are still without power four days after Beryl hit, at least two people died from carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to cool their homes and an elderly woman died after the generator running her oxygen machine shut down.

CNN senior national correspondent, Ed Lavandera is with us from Texas, also meteorologist Derek Van Dam.

Ed, first to you, I know people in Texas are getting frustrated now.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there has been mounting frustration, not just from residents, but from city leaders, even the governor calling for an investigation of how the power restoration has been handled, so a great deal of criticism centered at a accompany, a power utility company called CenterPoint, which services most of the Houston area. Overall, 1.3 million customers still without power, about almost 1.1

million of those customers in the Houston area and really the frustration has been geared toward the lack of communication that residents feel and community leaders feel from the power utility companies as to why the progress being made on the power restoration.

And so people resorting to all sorts of tactics to kind of get themselves cooled off. One family had found an AC unit that they connected to a generator and sealed off with plastic tarps, filled themselves off into one small room in their home to keep cool.

There's also been concern among animals. Folks in the Houston area concerned about the dogs out in the heat so people resorting to sitting in a car with their dogs to making sure that they're okay.

So those are the kinds of things that many people are dealing with in the Houston area, John, as the heat continues to intensify and the CenterPoint company is saying that this is the largest power outage they've ever had to deal with, defending their actions, saying that they've got one million people back online within 48 hours and they say that another 700,000 or so will be back online by the end of this weekend -- John.

BERMAN: End of the weekend? All right, that's a whole lot of days they're going to have to be sitting in that heat, Ed.

Derek Van Dam to you. So what is the forecast over the next few days?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, well here in lies the problem.

I was in Houston. I saw the damage on the ground. There is a lot of trees, shrubs, there's a lot of downed power lines and trying to do the post-storm cleanup in heat indexes that are reaching 100 degrees or more is downright dangerous. Heat advisories in place for the Greater Houston Metropolitan Area, even though there's a slight onshore component to the wind keeping the metro area of Houston slightly cooler than the past day or so, it really doesn't make much of a difference considering that there is very little electricity across this area because of what was Hurricane Beryl that barreled through the region earlier this week leaving in the destruction behind in its wake.

So authorities are warning people to be familiar with the signs of heat-related illnesses -- dizziness, headaches, confusion, muscle cramps. That is when you start to see the warning signs and you need to take note, you have to cool that individual down, immediately call 911.

Even now, just a few hours after sunrise, we are starting to feel the impacts of the humidity and the mercury in the thermometer, it is going to be downright brutal going forward. So the days -- over the next couple of days, the race is on to get that power turned back on to the people, cool them down as successfully as possible.

It is not only Texas, but it is the Western US under the heat, extreme heat for Las Vegas. We know we've had five consecutive days where the temperature has reached 115 or greater, all-time record high temperatures set in Las Vegas earlier this week, really contextualizes what is happening over the western parts of the country.

Another hundred record high temperatures possible over the coming days with triple-digit heat from Palm Springs to Vegas, Bakersfield, northward into Sacramento -- John.

BERMAN: With so much of summer left to go, our thanks to Derek Van Dam, Ed Lavandera as well -- Kate.

[08:20:04]

BOLDUAN: A university has suspended a fraternity and a sorority over hazing allegations and after a tragedy, a student found dead in a nearby river. The new reporting on that we have coming up.

And the moment a flight is forced to abort takeoff after the crew is reporting more than one tire blowing out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Police are investigating whether hazing at Dartmouth College played a role in the death of one of the school's students.

The university has suspended one fraternity and sorority after a 20- year-old student died this weekend. Won Jang was found in the Connecticut River after he attended a social event held nearby hours before.

CNN's Athena Jones is tracking this for us.

Clearly, a lot not known but a true, true tragedy.

[08:25:10]

What are you learning?

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is, it is a sad story. Police are still trying to get to the bottom of it.

Friends of Won Jang said he was last seen around 9:30 PM on Saturday at the docks near the Dartmouth's boathouse on the Connecticut River. There was an informal gathering, that's where they last saw him.

When he didn't show up to an event the next day, they reported to authorities, a search began. Items were found near the dock that indicated Jang had never left the area and so they began searching that area. Divers entering the water, searching the water.

About three-and-a-half hours after Jang was reported missing, his body was found in that Connecticut River near the dock where he was last seen.

Now the cause of death, as you indicated is still unclear. The investigation is ongoing, but Police Chief Charlie Dennis called it a tragic event, asked the public to come forward, anyone with information to come forward to help the investigation. And he explained why police are looking into whether hazing might have been involved. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLIE DENNIS, HANOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF: There is some evidence of some alcohol involved, certainly from witnesses and in talking to things like that. So again, that's all part of our investigation.

We did receive an anonymous e-mail this morning through the college that there may be some hazing involved. So certainly we will look into that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: And so certainly, that's concerning. There has been a spate of hazing incidents at colleges across the country in recent years.

We know that Jang had been a member of a fraternity called the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, and the university has now suspended that fraternity along with the sorority, Alpha Phi.

A spokesperson wouldn't say what involvement these two Greek organizations may they have had in this incident at all, but they did say that at the time of the incident, the fraternity, Beta Alpha Omega was on alcohol probation after being on suspension in the fall, winter, and spring-term.

This sorority Alpha Phi was in good standing after being on probation in the fall term. The Beta Alpha Omega's local chapter and Alpha Phi's national chapter did not get back to us when we reached out for comment.

But Jang was described as an amazing guy who was always smiling. He was his high school's valedictorian in Middletown, Delaware, and he had been setting biomedical engineering and economics.

A friend of his responded to the news of his passing. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KLEDIAN MARINAJ, FRIEND OF WON: I was very upset when I first got the news. I met over with some friends right around here, and we just went on a walk talking about all the great things about Won, you know, how he always make jokes, makes people laugh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: So just a terrible story. We will find out more as this investigation unfolds, but we know that hazing is a real issue, and a very common one among Greek organizations at college campuses.

BOLDUAN: Just imagine the family getting the call. I mean, what seems like an amazing person with such a bright future ahead of him and then this. Thanks, Athena.

JONES: Thanks.

BOLDUAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, President Biden's precarious path to November. The new reporting, another of his top allies on the Hill, what that person is saying. Will he support a new candidate?

And summer camp in North Korea where kids from Russia and China go to learn all about the bad big news in America.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:08]