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Five People Trapped in Cave May be Evacuated Soon; Polling on Trump; 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee Final Tonight; Alfre Woodard is Interviewed about "The Boroughs." Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired May 28, 2026 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[09:30:28]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, we're getting some news just in. Rescuers now say they may attempt to evacuate the five people trapped in a cave in Laos tonight our time. We're seeing new video of the five people communicating with rescuers. They have been trapped under there for a week.
Let's get to CNN's Mike Valerio, who's been following this.
So, they're going to try to get them out pretty soon, Mike?
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. They're going to try. And I mean it's nightfall here in this part of the world. And they usually stop when things get dark.
But we have a new message from Facebook from one of the Thai cave divers who helped save that Thai soccer team back in 2018. He said they're going to try to do it tonight, John. But if they cannot pump out enough water, they may save it for tomorrow and try again. We're thinking that perhaps that is more likely.
But we want to share with you this video, John, that is far and away the most compelling moment of the day. It's when one of the Thai rescuers, again, a veteran from the 2018 soccer team rescue, posted this video to Facebook. It's his GoPro camera. The moment where he's able to meet the five people we know survived so far on the ledge when they've been perched there for more than a week, no food, no clean water. He tells them essentially, we are here to help. Everything's going to be fine. Don't panic. Do not cry. Trying to comfort them. Can you imagine seeing them with their headlights on after more than a week?
And then a new quote that we have this hour. It's from a man named Kong (ph), who says to the world, through this guy's camera, he says, "to mom, my wife, my child, don't worry about me, the rescuers have reached us already. Tomorrow or the day after I should be able to get out. Mom and my wife, stay strong." I mean, the humanity there is incredible.
You know, if you missed it, when we were on the air at 7 a.m., coming from here in Beijing, this, John, is what rescuers are going to have to deal with, spaces that are about 23 inches wide. Trying to have, you know, these men with all of their equipment get through these spaces. And I was most surprised and taken with, you know, these rescuers saying that they have to exhale, John. They have to be as squished essentially as possible to get through those spaces and then reach back on the other side and get their equipment.
Adding to the anxiety of this enterprise, of this rescue operation are the pockets of toxic gas, hydrogen sulfide, which, if you breathe it in large enough quantities, it essentially shuts down your respiratory system. So, they need oxygen tanks spread throughout that cave in order to make it safe. So, let's look for tomorrow. That's probably the highest likelihood of this operation going forward.
And in terms of what they've been eating, we have word, John, that they have gotten soft, very easily chewable food in there somehow. So, they've finally eaten as of today, John.
BERMAN: Yes, the part of it that I just can't fathom is the patience it takes, once the rescuers reach you, then to wait for another day or two to even try to get out. It is just remarkable.
VALERIO: Right.
BERMAN: All of it is.
VALERIO: Yes.
BERMAN: And this new video is great news. And we'll await word, Mike, for when the actual rescue operation begins.
VALERIO: Yes.
BERMAN: Thank you so much for that report.
All right, today is the day, the final round of the National Spelling Bee. Who are the word athletes who will take the stage?
And then one reviewer called it "Stranger Things" meets "Cocoon." A retirement community takes on other worldly foes in a brand-new show.
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[09:38:19]
BERMAN: All right, this morning, we've got brand-new numbers on inflation. The Federal Reserve's key gauge, their preferred gauge of inflation, PCE, up to 3.8 percent. That's the highest level in about three years. It's almost double the rate that they want to see.
So, what's the impact of all these prices on voters as we head to the midterms? With us now, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten.
Today I'm also told reliably --
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yes. BERMAN: By someone in the know, it's the three year anniversary --
ENTEN: Three month.
BERMAN: Three month. Three month. Happy anniversary.
ENTEN: Happy anniversary.
BERMAN: Three-month anniversary of the U.S. war on Iran. So, how have views of the president changed on inflation over that time?
ENTEN: You know, Donald Trump has been struggling on inflation basically for well over a year now. It was, of course, what got him reelected back in 2024. The fact that Americans disliked Joe Biden's handling of inflation. But the Iran War has taken it to a whole new, historic level.
I want you to just take a look here. OK, Trump's net approval on inflation. Pre the Iran War, according to Fox News polling, he was 30 points underwater. Look at this drop over just three months' time, 52 points underwater. I went back through the history books. There's no president before Trump who ever had a net negative inflation rating of at least 50 points underwater. And now Trump is doing it in the Fox News poll at minus 52.
And I've seen it in a number of polls as well. And this decline matches. It has taken Trump from low levels to historically low levels in just three months' time. You rarely see this type of movement. But the Iran War has hit American's wallets, and they are taking it out on the president of the United States.
BERMAN: That's the part of it that I just think is incredibly unusual. A 20-point drop in three months.
ENTEN: Just three months' time.
[09:40:01]
BERMAN: All right. Among whom?
ENTEN: Among whom? This is where it gets even more interesting, because just take a look here. Groups that shifted on inflation. OK, Trump's net approval on inflation by your 2024 vote. Look at this. Harris voters have stayed pretty constant. They don't -- they don't like Donald Trump very much at all. They went from minus 92 to minus 94.
But look at Trump voters. This is where the decline is coming from. Trump voters have turned on Trump when it comes to inflation. Pre-war he was at plus 37 points on the net approval rating on inflation. Look at this now. Trump voters, he has a negative net approval rating on inflation among Trump voters. We are talking an over 40-point decline in just a few months. That is the power of the Iran War on the Americans while -- and Republicans while Trump's voters lost.
BERMAN: Forty-point swing. Trump voters. Three months. ENTEN: All of that, correct.
BERMAN: K. What does this do in terms of which party people trust more on the issue?
ENTEN: Yes, OK. If you -- if Republicans who are running in the midterm elections don't think this is going to touch them, they got another thing coming. They got another thing coming. Because here's a reality check for you.
OK, party trusted more on inflation in the midterm cycles. You go back to the last midterm cycle. Look at this. Republicans were trusted more about this point by 19 points on inflation. Look at this now. Democrats, that's an over 25 point switcheroo in the Democrats' direction when it comes to inflation.
And then I'll just note, look, you were talking about PCE earlier. What about this, chance May's CPI, a different measure of inflation, is April's 3.8 percent. Look at this, 96 percent chance per the Kalshi prediction market. So, the prediction markets, the people who are putting their money where their mouths are, don't think it's going to get any better anytime soon.
BERMAN: Yes. They're saying it's going to get worse.
All right, Harry Enten, and thank you very much for this.
A lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.
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[09:46:18]
BOLDUAN: Hours from now, a competition like no other, requiring speed, smarts, nerves of steel. The Scripps National Spelling Bee finals kicks off today. Some of the smartest spellers in the world, all in pint size, will be putting it all on the line, all for the glory of being crowned champ.
CNN's Coy Wire, kid at heart for sure, is there covering it all. This is always one to watch and always reminds us how much better of a speller I could be.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: It humbles us. Yes, it humbles all of us. The Scripps National Spelling Bee, Kate, it's the only sporting event where a single vowel can end your season.
What started with 247 competitors on Tuesday is now down to nine finalists looking to win it all. Smart? Of course. These kids can spell words most adults think are prescription medications.
But having spent some time with these contestants, Kate, at the semifinal, I quickly learned that they don't possess some sort of special talent or gift. Every one of them told me they made it this far because of their hard work, their discipline, and their sacrifice. Some of them have coaches to prepare for this. Their super bowl. And ahead of the final tonight, where nine kids will go letter to letter, I asked them, how do you keep calm under the bright lights when everyone is watching?
Listen to this.
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SARV DHARAVANE, SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINALIST, 12 YEARS OLD: I think about how much work I did and how many words I know now, and I just clench my fists and I take a deep breath and I say, I can do this.
AVISHKA DUDALA, SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINALIST, 13 YEARS OLD: I'm actually not that calm. I'm like really nervous. And I'm really scared. But once I hear the word and I feel like, OK, I know it. And then when I hear them say, that's correct, then I'm calm.
KUSHI GOTTIMUKKALA, SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINALIST, 13 YEARS OLD: It's really nerve wracking knowing that there's a lot of cameras watching you and a lot of people watching you. But it's also really fun and exciting because being here itself is like a huge achievement.
WIRE: I love that. When the lights shine bright, you shine brighter.
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WIRE: All right, the final is tonight, Kate, where kids will politely destroy each other with vocabulary for the $50,000 cash prize. Look out for Sarv Dharavane, 12-year-old from Dunwoody, Georgia. Took third last year. And also Zwe Spacetime. Yes, his name is Zwe Spacetime, 14 years old, tied for 10th last year. His sister Zaila won back in 2021. Good luck to all the finalists.
And good luck to you, Kate. We're going to put you to a little test that I put these kids to. A little game I call Real Word or Fake Word. I say a word, you tell me real or fake. Simple as that. I did it with the kids. All got them all correct.
BOLDUAN: Obviously.
WIRE: So, no pressure.
Round one. Flippertatum (ph).
BOLDUAN: Real.
WIRE: And that is incorrect. That's a fake word.
Round two, snollygoster. Snollygoster.
BOLDUAN: I wanted -- I just want it to be real. I like that one.
Real.
WIRE: Correct. It's a noun. It's a shrewd, unprincipled person.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
WIRE: Round three. Blurfulcrank (ph).
BOLDUAN: Is there a space in there or a hyphen?
WIRE: Nope. Blurfulcrank (ph). All one word.
BOLDUAN: Real.
WIRE: Incorrect.
Final one. Pulchritudinous.
BOLDUAN: Real. Everything's real.
WIRE: Ding, ding, you are correct. Pulchritudinous means beautiful. You are pulchritudinous, my friend. Check out the final tonight here at the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.
BOLDUAN: What was that, 50 percent? I feel like that's about as good as one can expect when your name is Kate Bolduan.
You are the best. I love -- I love you, Coy. This is going to be a great one to see whoever -- who -- I mean the man is literally a former NFL player and has fun doing absolutely everything and covers any story.
[09:50:02]
I love your range, Coy Wire.
Also with great range, kind of, sort of, J.B.
BERMAN: But I can't spell. But Bolduan, by the way, very difficult to spell, at least the way you do.
All right, in Worcester, Massachusetts, first responders had to negotiate with a patient who escaped from an ambulance and jumped into a lake. He was being transported for mental health treatment when he broke free. Authorities eventually managed to get him out safely.
A kitten was found safe after surviving a 100-mile road trip in the grill of a car. Police think the kitten hopped in when the driver stopped in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, and stayed there for the two-hour drive to the Pittsburgh area. The driver did not notice until he heard the kitten meowing the next day, and the kitten is now said to be living with the driver's neighbor.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Just making sure I'm in the right seat and I picked the wrong one. Apologies. And here I am. That was a classic, Kate. J.B., come on over. Here we go.
The creative minds behind "Stranger Things" are back with a brand-new show on Netflix. "The Boroughs" centers around a dark secret hidden in a picturesque retirement community.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you been following us?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I damn well have. I saw you, the both of you, with that hammer. And then all of the crazy lights.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shhh, take it easy, Judy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't tell me to take it easy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can explain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What? Well, talk fast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's complicated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, simplify it or I will pull this fire alarm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't want to do that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I want is for you to tell me the truth right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have we been friends, Judy? Huh? You know me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I may be many things, but I'm not a liar.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You lied to me this morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That doesn't count.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: It doesn't count. I'm going to use that. The show is packed with heavy hitters. Just look at that. Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, and the one and only, Alfre Woodard, who plays Judy Daniels.
And Alfre Woodard is here with us in studio.
Thank you for being here.
ALFRE WOODARD, ACTRESS, "THE BOROUGHS": I am so happy to be with you.
BOLDUAN: It is a delight to have you here, I'm so sorry for my -- the way that began. I stole John's chair. I wanted to just be closer.
BERMAN: It happens. It happens.
BOLDUAN: I'm so sorry.
This is a great show. You play a retired journalist in it.
WOODARD: Yes.
BERMAN: We'll all be there soon.
WOODARD: (INAUDIBLE) the benefits.
BOLDUAN: What did you -- what drew you to this? What did you like about it?
WOODARD: Interestingly enough, because she was a journalist. And I'm going to tell you, journalism was just one of the options by the time you got to middle school. But it was the Bernstein Woodward period that I went, oh my goodness, this --
BOLDUAN: Yes.
WOODARD: You know, this is -- this holds up the whole republic. And so, I started to pay attention. And, of course, in the past few years, where journalists have had a target on their backs, literally around the world, I just -- nobody's ever asked me to be a journalist. So, I took it very seriously. And every time anybody called me a reporter, I said, I'm an investigative journalist. So, that's what I do.
And actually, that's what carries Judy's character through the strangeness that is happening in the retirement community where we are. It's one of those places. It's 2,000 people and you get to wild out and do what you want to. There's no rules.
But then things start to happen. And one of our compatriots gets taken out. And so, we saddle up and we solve it ourselves. We solve it, and we take care of business. I'll say that.
BERMAN: I mean, I watch anything with you in it, but you did such a good job selling it right there.
BOLDUAN: Exactly.
BERMAN: And now I'm absolutely super going to watch.
BOLDUAN: Exactly.
BERMAN: So, we saw the cast there. Incredible performers. Who was the hardest to work with?
WOODARD: Oh, good -- no one was hard to work with. Maybe me, but --
BERMAN: No, I was going to say --
(CROSS TALK)
WOODARD: I was like crying, everybody crying. I'm trying to think.
But I -- you know, that was the cool thing. Probably the first ten people on the call sheet were over 65. And when you have been, you know, a prime storyteller since you were in your 20s, by the time you get to that decade, you're more of who you have always been because you let go of things you don't need. So, everybody was top flight. It was like being on an Olympic relay team. You just put your hand out. That baton is there. It was fabulous.
BOLDUAN: I love that.
BERMAN: I was going to ask, because you've been at the top of your game for a long time, as young as you are, for a long, long time. How do you approach things differently maybe now than you did right out of school when you were crushing it on stage and film?
WOODARD: Right out of school I probably still had the fumes of training on me. But when you walk away from training, what you do, whatever you're training for, if you've been paying attention, you can trust yourself. Let go of all of it. And whatever was there that drove you in your heart to want to do that will be something that you can use. And that is where you discover your process and you just always stay true to your process.
[09:55:03]
BOLDUAN: I just love -- the fact that you -- like think of it as like an Olympic relay team. It's just -- that -- I just -- this is just fantastic.
You've been in -- you've played so many amazing roles. And one that I have never had the opportunity to meet you to talk to you about, so I have to bring it up now.
WOODARD: OK.
BOLDUAN: Is one of -- you star on one of my favorite films of all time, which is "Scrooge."
WOODARD: Ha.
BOLDUAN: It is -- I talk about it. Every time the holidays come around, I'm like asking John if he -- has he seen it yet? It's a very important film in my family's -- in my -- in my family unit. And what -- how do you reflect, you know, looking back on that film set, if you can?
WOODARD: Oh, my goodness.
BOLDUAN: Being part of that amazing cast as well. And did you know then you were going to be part of one of the best Christmas movies of all time?
WOODARD: No. When you work, you stay present, you commit to it and it becomes your reality. You're with -- that probably had about 300 people, including the crew. And, you know, some of those people remain your family as the years go by. But then you put it, you put your product out there and it belongs to your viewers, to, you know, because everybody receives it in a different way. So, you let go of it.
But I am touched by -- everywhere I go in the world, in different languages, people come up and that's one of the main ones.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
BERMAN: There was a quote -- I read one quote, your interviews are amazing and you have great quotes.
BOLDUAN: They really are.
BERMAN: But one of them was that everyone thinks you went to high school with them. There are like two decades worth of people who think you went to high school with them?
WOODARD: Yes, it's kind of narrowed out more that -- once I hit the 70 mark. But still, people like 50 to 70, think I went to high school. And one person actually got really peeved with me. He says, you work -- you -- we worked at the Vons (ph) together. I said, I never worked at the Vons (ph). That's like the AMP. Like the grocery store. I said, no, I didn't work in the Vons (ph). He goes, oh, OK, now you didn't work at the Vons (ph). I wish I could. I couldn't operate back then. You had to be able to operate the cash register.
BERMAN: Well, it's because people want to know you because you're so incredibly likable on screen and in person.
Thank you so much for coming in.
WOODARD: Yes. I'm excited. I just have to say this to you guys. I live with you. I do.
BOLDUAN: I didn't know we were roommates and I'm so now excited. This has been a really big day for me.
BERMAN: We've got the coolest roommates, it turns out.
Thank you very much.
BOLDUAN: Alfre, thank you. It's so sweet of you.
WOODARD: Oh, it's my pleasure. Have a sweet and soulful and safe summer.
BERMAN: Yes, thank you.
BOLDUAN: Thank you.
BERMAN: "The Burrows" is streaming now on Netflix.
BOLDUAN: Thank you all so much for joining us today. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL with Alfre Woodard. "THE SITUATION ROOM" is up next.
BERMAN: Our roommate.
BOLDUAN: Our roommate, Alfre Woodard.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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