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Young Democrats Try to Win Over Gen Z Voters; Israeli Plan to Occupy Gaza City Draws Global Criticism; Deadline Day: Trump Says Russia Must Agree to Ukraine Ceasefire; Trump Puts Federal Law Enforcement Officers on DC Streets; Deadline Day for Texas Democrats to Return to the State; Trump Administration's Next Redistricting Battleground, Indiana. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 08, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Did Democrats have anything like this?

ZEE COHEN SANCHEZ, DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZER, NATIONAL GROUND GAME: Nothing. And I will say, like, Charlie Kirk is honestly one of the best organizers of our generation. And I think that, you know, as much as I disagree with Charlie Kirk, I believe that what he's doing has worked. And that's why I'm here to replicate what he's doing.

I'm not here to, you know, disrupt Charlie Kirk's events. I'm here to say that there are alternative ideas and that we need to build the same thing that he has because he is good at it.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Zee Cohen Sanchez has worked more than a decade on Democratic campaigns.

O'SULLIVAN: Is the DNC supporting this?

SANCHEZ: No, not currently.

O'SULLIVAN: Why not?

SANCHEZ: If Ken Martin's watching this, text me back. But really, I mean, I think it's disappointing that we haven't been able to see the DNC really get off the ground since the election because I think a lot of things have happened internally that have been distractions to the actual ground game that we need right now.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Back inside, the packed event giving the Un-F America organizers hope there will be appetite for similar debates on college campuses this fall.

CHARLIE KIRK, FOUNDER, TURNING POINT USA: I do 100 hours of this a semester, 100 hours, in addition to two hours of podcasting radio. I mean, the physical crowds are now three, four thousand people almost every time we do this.

O'SULLIVAN: And so the plan for this semester is Charlie Kirk shows up at campuses all across the country. And you guys are going to be there too.

SANCHEZ: Well, that's the goal. If we can raise the money enough money to get there, we absolutely will. People wonder why the youth vote shifted nine points to the right.

O'SULLIVAN: Yes.

SANCHEZ: And that's a big reason why. He's put the footwork in and we haven't.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, Israel's security cabinet greenlights plans to take over Gaza City. Why it goes against what the Israeli military recommends? What it means for the exploding humanitarian crisis in Gaza? And why families of the remaining hostages call the plan a colossal catastrophe.

And this morning, increased police presence on the streets of Washington, D.C., the White House ordering a surge of federal agents days after an attack on an ex-DOGE employee.

And it is deadline day for Texas Democrats. Return to the state or face expulsion. All over the Republican effort there to redraw congressional maps to help Donald Trump.

Sara is out today. I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, breaking news this morning. Protests this morning across Israel after the security cabinet there approved a plan to expand military operations in Gaza and take full control of Gaza City. This is a move that had been vocally opposed by some Israeli military leaders.

An Israeli source tells CNN the goal is for the first phase of the plan, the operation, to begin on October 7th, two years to the day from the Hamas terror attacks.

Some hostage families are calling the plan a, quote, total catastrophe, with the father of one hostage telling the BBC that Netanyahu, quote, prefers the hostages dead.

Let's get right to seeing as Matthew Chance in Jerusalem for the latest on the plans and the reaction. Good morning, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, John. The fact that the Israeli security cabinet took about 10 hours to debate this issue, debate this measure and finally agree it is, I think, a sign of how much division there is in the Israeli government about how to proceed with Gaza. And that's a division that's reflected countrywide.

Opinion polls have consistently indicated that about 70 percent of Israelis want an end to the war in Gaza as soon as possible. And a sense of normality to return to their country. And, of course, the hostages to be brought back.

There's a humanitarian crisis, of course, unfolding inside the Gaza Strip as well. People are starving. They lack food and medicine and shelter after nearly two years of a relentless Israeli bombardment.

And so there's a great deal of fear inside those Palestinian territories, inside Gaza as well, about a renewed Israeli military offensive. And the army itself has expressed its reservations, saying that it's basically overstretched and that, you know, many of its troops are suffering from, you know, exhaustion and things like that. It's been a long time since October the 7th, 2023. And Israel has been fighting wars on on various fronts. And so the military want a kind of close to this as well.

But there's one important group inside Israel and inside the Israeli government that do want a doubling down of the military operations. And that's the sort of extreme right wing, the right wing parties, Jewish nationalist groups that form an important part of Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition. They want the full occupation of Gaza. They want to build Jewish settlements in Gaza.

[08:05:00]

And they say that's a way of defeating Hamas, destroying it and bringing the hostages home.

And the problem is, you know, they're just a minority of people in Israel who support them. But Netanyahu depends on their support for the survival of his coalition.

And so this whole issue of saying that Israel is going to occupy Gaza City and increase its military activity there is being seen by many Israelis as a political move by Benjamin Netanyahu to sort of ease the concerns of the fringe right wing parties in his coalition and to stay in power.

But the allegation is he's putting his own political survival ahead of the interests of the country. That's what critics of Benjamin Netanyahu are saying in this very sort of divided climate out of which this decision has been made, John.

BERMAN: Yes, we will see when and if we see a change on the ground and what the reaction is then. Matthew Chance in Jerusalem, thanks so much for your reporting -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Russia has launched a new wave of attacks on Ukraine overnight, just as President Trump's deadline day arrives for Moscow. We're told Russia deployed more than 100 drones in this latest wave, at least 10 different locations were hit. Four civilians were injured.

Now, this new attack comes as President Trump has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin must agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine by today or face severe new U.S. sanctions. But whether the president -- President Trump will follow through on this threat, that remains to be seen. He sounded less committal yesterday when he was asked in the Oval Office whether this deadline still stands. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to see what he has to say. It's going to be up to him. Very disappointed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: At the very same time, both the United States, the Trump administration and Russia are floating the possibility of a meeting between Trump and Putin as early as next week.

Joining us right now is CNN contributor Jill Dougherty, a former CNN Moscow bureau chief. Jill, it's great to see you.

There's a lot riding on today and a lot riding on it because President Trump has set it up to be that way when he's facing now this decision of this ultimatum that he has presented. What do you think the calculation is here? What do you think happens?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I guess we'll soon know.

BOLDUAN: Right.

DOUGHERTY: But, you know, the calculation is going on on both sides. So you have President Trump, you are right, who set this up as a deadline.

Putin has been reacting. And so there is kind of this desire by Putin to turn the tables a bit and insert himself as the person who's driving things. So he does not want to be perceived as a person who's always reacting to things.

So it's a very unpredictable situation. I mean, if you look at President Trump, he's got a few options. He could really, you know, put those sanctions into effect.

Granted, they would not have as much effect as they originally looked as if they were going to witness India, which says, you know, we are going to do what we have to do and continue to buy some Russian oil.

But I think, you know, Putin always wants to be the person who is ultimately going to be important in something. And he's won a lot.

He's going to be on the world stage if this happens with the U.S. president. He already won that he is not going to have to talk to the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. So there's a lot of maneuvering and very interesting maneuvering at this last, last minute.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. And we just had Senator Richard Blumenthal on, a Democrat who has been pushing this major sanctions bill, along with Republican Lindsey Graham in the Senate. And I asked him if this day comes and goes and the president doesn't follow through in his threat to impose sanctions, if not throw his support behind the sanctions bill, what that means.

And he says he'll lose all credibility. Let me play this for you. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I believe that his credibility will be damaged if he fails to follow through today on this deadline. There is no excuse for succumbing to this Putin ploy. The president has demonstrated that he means business.

He said he's disappointed with Putin. He ought to impose those sanctions on China, India, Brazil. They are buying Russian oil. They are sustaining his war machine. China, India, Brazil and others should pay that price. And the credibility of the president and the United States is at stake.

Putin is simply stringing us along.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Which had me thinking about this potential of this face-to- face between Putin and Trump, potentially as early as next week. It seems obvious as we're talking, maybe the upside for Putin of this photo op. What is the upside for the United States?

[08:10:00]

DOUGHERTY: Well, the upside for President Trump would be, number one, bring people together, get together with Putin, try to come to a ceasefire, which is a big, you know, big ask. Because Putin does not want a ceasefire. That's very obvious. He wants something else. He wants to continue the war and get what he wants.

So the upside also for President Trump would be a big summit with all of the pageantry, etc. And then also to, you know, look on the world stage as a peacemaker. And that is one of his objectives. He does want this.

And he wants to be perceived around the world and by Putin as the person who is driving this. The problem is, Putin doesn't want to look as if he is being dictated by the American president. And that sets up this kind of conflict.

BOLDUAN: Yes, absolutely a conflict for sure. Jill, it's great to see you. Thank you very much -- John.

BERMAN: All right, breaking overnight. President Trump ordered federal law enforcement to surge the streets of Washington, D.C. It does come at a time when violent crime across the board, really, in Washington is down year over year. Let's get right to seeing as Alayna Treene at the White House.

So what's going on here, Alayna?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, so we saw this increased federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C. begin overnight. John, they had planned to really put this strategy into effect around midnight, we were told. And actually, we saw some pictures, including from ATF, they posted them on their account, showing some ATF agents standing beside people wearing U.S. Park Police vests. So already, we're starting to see some of that in the streets.

Now, what we have heard from the White House, because a White House official gave us some more details on this. They said that the increased presence began at midnight. And it's part of a seven-day effort for them to try and, you know, make sure that laws are being enforced and crime is down. I will note that this comes after we know that a well-known former DOGE staffer was assaulted in D.C. just a few days ago. And we also heard from the official that this presence will be, quote, focused on high-traffic tourist areas and other known hot spots.

Now, all of this comes, John, as we know, that the president has said that he's having his administration consider maybe wanting to take over, having the federal government take over D.C., particularly as it relates to crime.

And he also noted that potentially maybe that could include bringing the National Guard in. Now, of course, it's very unclear at this moment whether or not the National Guard is even going to be involved in this increased law enforcement presence.

But I want to take a listen to how he put it this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're going to do something about it. So whether you call it federalized or what -- and that also includes the graffiti that you see, the papers all over the place, the roads that are in bad shape, the rate of crime, the rate of muggings, killings and everything else. We're not going to let it -- and that includes bringing in the National Guard maybe very quickly, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: So you heard him saying there that it could include bringing in the National Guard.

Now, just to give you a sense of the different agencies that are actually on the ground here, it includes U.S. Park Police, which is leading this entire effort. But also there's going to be participation from the U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, U.S. Marshals, D.C. Police, D.E.A., and other agencies as well. So something we're, of course, monitoring at this moment. And unclear how long this is actually going to be in effect. For now, they're saying at least seven days -- John.

BERMAN: All right. Alayna Treene for us at the White House. Thanks, Alayna.

Texas Democrats have fled the state, told to return by today or risk losing their seats. As new polling shows why Republicans might be pushing so hard to redistrict. The majority could be in jeopardy.

And a state trooper using tourniquets and a truck to save himself and others being ambushed by a shooter.

And President Trump clears the way for the use of private equity and 401K plans. So what does this mean for your retirement?

[08:15:00]

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BERMAN: All right, this morning, Texas Democrats who fled the state to try to stop redistricting efforts there, they face a deadline. The Texas attorney general says if they do not return by tonight, he will move to vacate their seats. By the way, Florida has just jumped on board. Republicans there are trying to redistrict to pick up seats.

And later, Harry Enten is going to explain maybe why Republicans are trying to do this. Polls might be shifting against congressional Republicans.

Let's start, though, in Texas with the very latest from there. CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Austin. Ed, what do you see?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, once again, later today, in a few hours, the Texas House is going to try to gavel into session. But we fully expect Democrats not to be here once again. And that is going to set off another round of back and forth between Republicans and Democrats here.

So we're watching a couple of things. One in particular is in the courts, where you have the governor who has asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove the chairman of the Democratic caucus, Gene Wu. The representative is supposed to respond to the Supreme Court at some point today.

And you also have the attorney general saying that if the Democrats aren't here, when the session opens up at 1 o'clock central time, that he will begin the process in trial courts to have them all removed. So all of that continues to happen.

[08:20:00]

Democrats are saying that the attorney general and the governor do not have legal authority or the law is not on their side to be able to do that, that they're essentially weaponizing the legal system to fight back against their political opponents.

But the governor is also continuing to escalate here the threats and again, and punishment against Democrats as well. Listen to what he has said here in the last 24 hours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): The Democrats always come back. It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. It could be next month. They're going to come back or we'll be able to track them down. One way or the other they're coming back and it's going to end with these maps being passed.

And, you know, what I'm thinking now is if they don't start showing up, I may start expanding. We may make it six or seven or eight new seats. We're going to be adding on the Republican side.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So we don't know there if the governor is kind of talking in gesture, just how willing they are to to carry out something that would require a redrawing of the maps that are already on the table and under consideration. So all of that escalation continues. Meanwhile, Democrats, John, still not showing any signs of coming back just yet -- John.

BERMAN: Ed Lavandera in Texas this morning. Thanks, Ed -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: So Republicans are also looking to Indiana as a possible next target for tearing up congressional maps and redrawing them to gain a seat or two. Vice President J.D. Vance was just in the state yesterday, meeting with the Republican governor and Republican leaders in the state legislature. After that meeting, Governor Braun called the conversation -- said the conversation was, quote, pretty good.

And also then this later on Fox News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BRAUN, (R) INDIANA GOVERNOR: Here in Indiana, we've become more Republican over time. And these maps probably need to be looked at anyway. It is unusual to do it outside of a census.

But here I think you're going to find Missouri, Ohio, Texas and maybe other states doing it.

Here, I think we're going to look at it. Logically, do what makes sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining me now is Pete Seat, former spokesman for the Indiana Republican Party and former spokesman for the George W. Bush White House. Hey, Pete, what -- can you decipher -- can you can you speak, Governor Braun, for me? Can you decipher what he's saying there? I mean, what are you hearing about this meeting?

PETE SEAT, VP, BOSE PUBLIC AFFAIRS GROUP: Well, I can't divulge all my secrets. I need to keep some mystery and suspense. So you keep inviting me back, Kate.

But my general sense is that the enthusiasm meter among the legislators is low and the hesitation meter is incredibly high. They are not interested in redistricting the state of Indiana because we take a lot of pride in our map. Humbly, of course, but we take a lot of pride in the map.

If you look at it right now, it maintains and respects communities of interest and existing boundaries. Only eight counties in the state. We have 92 counties. Only eight are split between two different congressional districts. And we did all of this. We did all of this with only a standard deviation of two, not two percent, but two people between the largest district by population and the smallest.

All of this is why we got an A rating from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. So that hesitation is real.

But the governor is right. This is a Republican state. Around 90 percent of all county elected officials are Republican. You cannot deny that reality.

BOLDUAN: For sure. So then there's also the reality of President Trump, right? If Trump launches into one of his no holds barred pressure campaigns where he's ready to shame and blame until Republicans in the state relent because there is a supermajority in the state, you could call a special session. You could push it through even faster than Texas is trying to because of the supermajorities.

Do you think Indiana's Republican supermajority will be able to withstand that pressure or would eventually bend to his will?

SEAT: I think there's a desire to be team players. It's part of Hoosier hospitality. We want to all row in the same direction and be helpful when we can be.

But at the same time, is that desire there to redo everything and start from scratch? I'm not hearing that right now, either from legislators that I speak to directly or secondhand conversations that make their way to me.

There's going to be pressure. I'm sure Vice President Vance was twisting some arms when he met with the trio of leaders, the governor, the speaker, and the Senate President Pro Tem yesterday here at the Statehouse. We'll see what happens.

[08:25:00]

The governor can call a special session, but the legislature really has the power to dictate the agenda of that special session.

Our governor is constitutionally weak in the state of Indiana. So they all -- those leaders all need to be on the same page if they're going to go down this road.

BOLDUAN: I had a Democratic -- Indiana Democratic State Rep Matt Pierson on the show yesterday, and he was saying that he thinks that the new focus on Indiana is a result of Texas Republicans facing pushback from Democrats within that state, which is slowing down their effort. Let me play what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT PIERCE, (D) INDIANA STATE HOUSE: The Republicans have a supermajority in the state, so they can establish quorum with their own members. So we don't have that option. But you can rest assured that if they decide to go ahead with this, we'll use every procedural mover -- maneuver available to us to try to slow it down and try to defeat it and try to give the public an opportunity to weigh in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: What are the options available for Democrats in Indiana to fight back against an effort if this happened? I mean, this is obviously in the very early stages. I mean, what are you watching for next here?

SEAT: I'd like to remind Representative Pierce and inform viewers that the reason Republicans have a supermajority in the state of Indiana is because Indiana Democrats in 2011 did something very similar. They went to Illinois for five weeks and hung out at a comfort suites hotel in Urbana, Champaign, because they did not like right to work legislation that was being proposed and debated in the Indiana Statehouse. How were they rewarded for absconding to Illinois? Supermajorities being held by Republicans since 2012 up to today.

So this -- these tactics don't work. They backfire. Democrats will scream and yell. They had a little rally yesterday. They got some attention and headlines. But if Republicans want to do this, it will happen.

BOLDUAN: Let us see. Pete Seat, Hoosier hospitality? Good to see you. Thanks so much.

Coming up for us, right now, evacuations are being ordered in two California counties as the state's biggest fire of the year grows to nearly 100,000 acres burned.

And two Pennsylvania state troopers were ambushed. What we're now learning this morning about the suspect who killed his neighbor before attacking the officers.

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