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Panel Vote on CDC Chief Nomination; Trump Sees Low Numbers on Economy. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired July 30, 2026 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:00]
ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: There is a question of whether they're going to hear from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who, of course, whose nomination for attorney general is now in limbo a little bit.
So, this committee is trying to move forward as quickly as possible but is going to have to reconcile with this testimony and the anger from Giuffre's family as a result of it.
Sara.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Certainly they will.
Annie Grayer, thank you for your reporting on this. Appreciate you.
Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, gut-wrenching testimony in court. The trial of a mother accused of murdering her three young children is underway once again this morning after her ex-husband testified about finding his children dead in their basement.
And at any moment, a key vote on President Trump's pick to lead the CDC. What hurdles she could be facing here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:35:19]
BOLDUAN: A key vote is happening today on President Trump's pick to lead the CDC. Aan agency one can -- critical in general. Also an agency that has seen just crisis after crisis for months now. Job cuts, a revolving door in the leadership ranks, a measles resurgence and the cyclospora outbreak now. That's just some of it.
And Dr. Erica Schwartz is actually the president's third nominee for this important post since he came back into office.
CNN's Meg Tirrell watching this one very closely.
It was seen that this was like third time was definitely going to be a charm. Not to say it isn't here, but it got -- it's already gotten complicated again. MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It has. And that's because of
what happened in Dr. Erica Schwartz's confirmation hearing about two weeks ago. She was constantly pressed by senators on both sides of the political aisle in the Senate Health Committee, which is going to take the vote this morning, just in a few minutes really, about whether she would stand up to RFK Jr. and to Trump if pressured to do something that didn't go along with science.
Here's an example of that from Senator Bernie Sanders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Will you commit that you will report to Congress if you receive directives from Secretary Kennedy or any other individual in the Trump administration, to implement policies that are unscientific and could harm the health and well-being of the American people?
DR. ERICA SCHWARTZ, CDC DIRECTOR NOMINEE: Senator, I do not believe that the president or the secretary would ever do what you just mentioned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TIRRELL: Now, she was asked that multiple times, mostly by Democrats, but also by Senator Bill Cassidy, who's the chair of the committee, who is a doctor, who has clashed with RFK Jr. over vaccine policy in the past.
She, of course, as you noted, is Trump's third pick for this job. The reason they were asking her that question is that the last person who was in the job, who held it for only a month, Dr. Susan Monarez, was ousted by RFK Jr. after they clashed over vaccine policy, which she says was him asking her to accept the outside guidance of his hand- picked vaccine advisers sight unseen. He disputes that account. But, of course, she was only in the job for a month. So, it's been about a year since we had a permanent CDC director.
Trust in CDC throughout Covid fell.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
TIRRELL: But in the Trump administration has fallen even further. So, she's got a lot to contend with there.
She does come from a more traditional public health background. She was Trump's second -- or Trump's surgeon general deputy in his first administration. She's got a public health background.
We should also note, though, that there's another vote today on Sean Kaufman, who has been nominated as assistant secretary for preparedness and response. And he has expressed some views perceived as anti-vaccine in the past, some in deleted social media posts.
And Senator Bill Cassidy got pretty heated about that in the hearing. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Why would you say -- why would you repeat those damn lies? Because that destroys trust. And we don't start getting back to where we trust unless people speak the truth.
SEAN KAUFMAN, HHS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE NOMINEE: Within that post, Senator Cassidy, I did say that I've always believed that vaccines are the gold standard of public health.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TIRRELL: So, we're going to see how Cassidy has grappled with that this morning in this vote just a few minutes away.
BOLDUAN: Yes, I mean, and take it all the way back to he basically thinks that he was kind of like misled and lied to by Kennedy. And this is some of -- that's all kind of coming to fruition, why you can see Cassidy's frustration boiling over here.
It's great to see you, Meg. Thank you so much. Let's see what happens with these votes.
Also ahead for us, there's new video of the arrest of former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. What you're learning from what you see and hear here.
And a police chase ends and a suspect clings -- a police chase -- a police chase occurs. And part of it is, the suspect is clinging to the side of a moving SUV. The story behind this whole thing, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:43:38]
SIDNER: While the overall economic data is showing softness in the market, a slowing down, the newest data on inflation, it shows that it fell a bit last month for the first time in six years. It comes as the president sees a record low approval rating on handling of the economy, and even lower marks on inflation itself.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten here with us to talk us through it.
How bad are these numbers for the president when it comes specifically to inflation, which he very much ran on?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: He very much ran.
SIDNER: And won on.
ENTEN: And won on.
SIDNER: Yes.
ENTEN: He won on inflation. He was trusted more on inflation than Kamala Harris. That's the key reason why he got a second term in office. Sara, the numbers are laughably bad. They are laughably bad. But no one is laughing about these, because just take a look here.
Trump's net approval rating on inflation, our latest CNN poll that has been coming out over the last few days, the net approval, approval minus disapproval, 50 points underwater. I looked back at every single poll before President Trump that asked about inflation and the approval rating of the president. There has never been a president before President Trump who had ratings this bad. At least 50 points underwater. That's an over 50 point shift from where we were before the election where, of course, President Trump was more trusted on inflation than Kamala Harris, which is why he got a second term.
SIDNER: Honestly, that is an insane --
ENTEN: This is --
[09:45:00]
SIDNER: I don't --
ENTEN: Is --
SIDNER: Have you seen down 50-point anything?
ENTEN: No. Only on gas prices, which, of course, is part of this equation, right? I mean, as I said, laughably bad. You just don't ever see numbers like this.
SIDNER: All right. So, when you -- give us a sense of why they're blaming Trump. I mean it's kind of obvious, but go ahead.
ENTEN: Well, yes, but why? I mean just take a look at the cost of living direction. On the cost of living, the country is on the wrong track, the right track.
Look at this, 70 percent. Seventy-percent of Americans say we are on the wrong track when it comes to the cost of living. Even among Republicans, even among Donald Trump's own party, that sticks with him through thick and thin, the plurality, 50 percent of Republicans say we are on the wrong track when it comes to the cost of living. Just 38 percent say the right track. No wonder that President Trump is putting up historic numbers in the wrong direction when it comes to inflation.
SIDNER: So, what does this tell us about whether the prediction markets think that this is going to lead to an inflation hike by the Fed?
ENTEN: OK. So, I think there are two things that are going on here. I'm going to give you a little bit more information and then we're going to do the Fed hike.
Take a look here. I mean just take a look when it comes to, you know, lowering prices. Trump's focused too little on lowering prices. We're talking about 78 percent. Seventy-eight percent of Americans overall don't think he's focused enough. No wonder his numbers are so low. Even among Republicans it's 58 percent. It was just 48 percent where we were at the beginning of Trump's presidency. So, among Republicans, we've crossed the 50 percent threshold. Overall, it was already two in three. Now it's about four in five.
And, of course, this is the key question, right? Will there, in fact, be a Fed hike when it comes to interest rates, which, of course, would be a sign that they think inflation is bad. The chance that the Fed raises interest rates in 2026. You know, you go back to February 28th, it was just a 13 percent chance. Look at where we are now this year, a 64 percent chance that the Fed does, in fact, raise those interest rates, which is a sign that they're worried about inflation, just like the American people are, at least according to the Kalshi prediction markets.
SIDNER: Yes, he's being a little -- the Fed chairman is being a little bit different from other Fed chairman. A little mysterious.
ENTEN: A little -- a little vague.
SIDNER: A little vague.
ENTEN: A little vague. Which is something I never am. And these numbers certainly are not, minus 50 points. Historically bad. Laughably bad.
SIDNER: Truest thing said today that Harry Enten is never vague.
ENTEN: Never, ever, ever vague.
SIDNER: Never in his life. And that's true. You can put money on that.
ENTEN: Blunt, blunt, blunt.
SIDNER: All right. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:51:58]
SIDNER: All right, on our radar for you this morning, new video showing the moments just before former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee for allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY ROMO, DALLAS COWBOYS QUARTERBACK: Did I pass this test?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Turn around.
ROMO: No, I didn't pass?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: Oh, boy. All right, according to police, Romo was seen driving erratically and cutting drivers off before they ended up pulling him over. They also claim he failed some standard field sobriety tests at the station.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any head injuries? Any head injuries recently? Any kind of (INAUDIBLE)?
TONY ROMO, DALLAS COWBOYS QUARTERBACK: Well, over the years, yes, but not recently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: Well, police said that they also arrested him for unsafe overtaking on the right lane. Romo initially denied consuming any drinks. He blamed his poor field test performances on previous injuries and back surgeries. He is scheduled to appear in court in September.
All right, to another story where a police chase occurred. This is in Ohio. It might be one of the wildest ones we've seen in a long time. Police say a shoplifting suspect took off running after they pulled him over for a traffic stop. An officer tried to run after him, ended up stumbling. You see him there do a tumble. A quick roll, jumps up, but he still can't get to him. Then police say the suspect tried to carjack a woman, even breaking her windshield. When the driver refused to stop, tried to keep going. He couldn't quite get inside. He ended up clinging to the side of this car as it drove down the highway. He eventually fell off and, yes, they finally got him. He was arrested. Unbelievably, nobody hurt in all of this.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Wow. The news CNN original series "Decades in Sports" takes a deep dive into the cultural shifts and major political movements that helped shape sports in America over the last 50 years.
But we're also taking a look at how some of those incredible moments in sports have helped define our culture.
Here's CNN's Omar Jimenez.
(BEGIN VIDE CLIP)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In New York City, the summer started with history. The New York Knicks bringing home an NBA championship for the first time in 53 years.
SPIKE LEE, DIRECTOR: It's a love fest here. Everybody's wearing a Knicks t-shirt, a hat.
The word is connection.
JIMENEZ: Yes. Yes.
LEE: And it's a beautiful thing.
And I know people who don't live here think that's some B.S., but this is straight up.
JIMENEZ: You can even feel it on the New York City subway.
CROWD: Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!
JIMENEZ: It's one of actor and superfan John Turturro's favorite places to be after a Knicks win.
JOHN TURTURRO, ACTOR: It's like a small town. All of a sudden you're like, I'm in the city that no one ever looks at each other and everyone's talking to each other.
JIMENEZ: Yes.
TURTURRO: And that's the power of -- the beauty of sports. It's egalitarian, you know, and everybody can share that.
JIMENEZ: And this was just how the summer started.
[09:55:00]
Enter the World Cup, lighting up stadiums across the country and living rooms, offices during work hours, and sports bars across the city.
There were more than 100 free watch parties in every one of the five boroughs put on by the city. But of course, there can only be one winner. With Spanish fans storming the streets in victory, it caps off one of the most beautiful eras in New York sports history. But it represents a feeling that transcends anything that could happen on a court or on the pitch.
Turturro puts it like this.
TURTURRO: It's like when the Yankees won the World Series in 2001, even though they lost, they brought, you know, after 9/11, they brought the city back, back to life.
JIMENEZ: Yes.
TURTURRO: Because you could focus on something for a couple hours.
JIMENEZ: Yes.
TURTURRO: And that's irreplaceable. It's one of the joys of being alive.
JIMENEZ: A joy captured in a matter of weeks in New York City, but remembered by those who experienced it for a lifetime. Myself among them.
Omar Jimenez, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: "Decades in Sports" premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. on CNN.
Thank you so much for joining us. "THE SITUATION ROOM," up now. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
