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Allies Urge Trump to Stick to Policies Not Grievances; Biden and Trump Presidential Debate; Evan Gershkovich's Espionage Trial Begins; Big Loss for Key Progressive Democrat; Fallout After Kenya Deadly Protests; Kenyan President Withdraws Finance Bill; Julian Assange Agree to a Plea Deal with U.S.; New CNN Reporting One Day Before Critical Debate. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired June 26, 2024 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As well as immigration, they have seen those poll numbers and they believe that Donald Trump does better than Joe Biden on those three issues.

Now, they, of course, are preparing him, Trump, for several questions on abortion, on democracy, on his role in January 6th, as well as foreign policy. But they're also talking about ways for Donald Trump to pivot back to those three core issues.

Now, Donald Trump himself has been going on doing interviews saying that is part of his debate prep. Here's one clip from an interview last night talking about his preparation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think I've been preparing for it for my whole life, if you want to know the truth. And I'm not sure you can lock yourself into a room for two weeks or one week or two days and really learn what you have to know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, obviously there, Trump referring to President Joe Biden being at Camp David. But one thing to note is that we had spoken to senior advisers who said that part of the reason they began tempering expectations after months of saying that Biden was incompetent, that he couldn't string a sentence together, starting saying things like Biden was a formidable opponent was because of that intensive debate prep that Biden was doing. Now, we're talking to senior advisers who say they think that he could show up on Thursday.

Now, of course, the big question is going to be what version of Donald Trump shows up on Thursday. And I don't think there's anyone -- they say that he understands the gravity of the moment and they are hoping he stays on message.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. And, Arlette, the Biden campaign apparently is out with a new ad going after Trump and his role in the January 6th insurrection. What can you tell us?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim, President Biden is really protecting democracy, a cornerstone of his 2024 re- election bid, and that is something the campaign is really trying to lean into in the hours heading into this debate.

This morning, the campaign released a new ad blasting Former President Trump for his neglect of duty during the January 6th insurrection. It features a Michigan sheriff who says Trump did nothing to side with law enforcement on that day. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It should have been stopped. That's neglect of duty. As a sheriff, it's awful to watch police officers getting attacked. That's not supporting this badge and this uniform. I have no desire to work with somebody who divides. That's not what America is. But I'll work with anybody who unites. That's why I'm with President Joe Biden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: The campaign is also rolling out a key Republican endorsement today as Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who has been a vocal critic of Trump's actions on January 6th, endorsed Biden's campaign. It all comes as they're not just trying to highlight these democracy issues, but they are also trying to make efforts to appeal to anti- Trump Republicans, people who might have been turned off by the president's time in office by his actions relating to January 6th. And so, these are all messages the campaign is hoping to carry into tomorrow's debate and beyond into November.

AMANPOUR: And, Kristen, one last thing, a pro-Trump dark money group apparently is out with a new ad?

HOLMES: Yes, this is in Georgia. They are targeting voters there. Unsurprisingly, Jim, this is a group that has spent $14 million in two key states, both Georgia and Pennsylvania. These are battleground states. And both campaigns have said they are critical in the pathway to the White House. This focuses -- this ad focuses on inflation.

As you have -- as I have noted, Donald Trump's team thinks that one of the most important issues that Trump can continue to hammer home as well as his allies is this issue of the economy and inflation. So, this is just the beginning of what you are likely to see over the next several months. But obviously, today, targeting Georgia, since that's where the debate will be on Thursday.

AMANPOUR: All right. Arlette, Kristen, I know you'll be very busy the next 24 hours. Thanks very much.

We're less than 36 hours from CNN's historic presidential debate in Atlanta. Don't miss President Biden, Former President Trump on CNN and Max tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [10:35:00]

ACOSTA: Today, we are getting new video, disturbing video of American journalist Evan Gershkovich on his first day of his trial in Russia You can see him in court right here being held in a glass cell for the closed-door hearing. That's the latest video on the right, right there.

You can see in the year since the Wall Street Journal reporter has been in custody, his appearance has changed. His head is now shaved. He also looks maybe a little thinner than before. "The Journal" and the U.S. government does strongly deny the charges and have condemned this hearing. CNN's Hadas Gold is covering the story for us. Hadas, Gershkovich's family just released a new statement. Obviously, looking at that video, it's very disturbing what he's going through. What is the family saying?

HADAS GOLD, CNN MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim, 455 days. That's how long Evan has been detained in Russia, pre-trial detention. His trial is now finally starting. That's more than 15 months that he has been detained in Russia. And he is the first journalist to be put on trial for espionage in Russia since the Cold War. So, that is a rather depressing statistic, depressing record that he is breaking there.

This trial that is going to be held, it is being held in secret. Behind closed-doors. No evidence has been unveiled. The Russian state revealed no sort of evidence today to support its claim of espionage. No -- none of Evans family, his friends or even U.S. embassy staff will be allowed in the courtroom during this trial. Of course, there will be no cameras.

[10:40:00]

The video that we're seeing right now is when journalists were allowed in just for a few minutes before this hearing took place today. Now, he does look different. His head has been shaved. That is typical of Russian prisoners like Evan right now, and he does look different because, how can you not look different after more than 455 days in a Russian prison?

Now, the Russians have been baselessly claimed that Evan was working for the CIA and getting information for them on a military facility. Of course, his family, "The Wall Street Journal," the U.S. government have all vehemently denied this. They've been calling this a sham trial. "The Wall Street Journal" said to even call it a trial is unfair. They call it a travesty to justice.

His family has released a statement saying, we're deeply disappointed that we'll have -- he will have to endure further attempts to discredit him and to paint a picture that is unrecognizable to anyone who knows him. Evan is a journalist and journalism is not a crime.

Jim, as you and I know so well, of course, journalism is not a crime at all. This trial is expected to take a few months. We will hopefully see him again when the trial resumes in early August. AMANPOUR: Yes. I mean, to see an American journalist with his head shaved in a glass box like that, it's just absolutely -- it's disgusting. Hadas Gold, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

Coming up, a big loss for a key progressive Democrat in Tuesday's primary race. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:45:00]

ACOSTA: Some stunning results out of New York, progressive incumbent Jamaal Bowman losing his House primary race to Westchester County executive George Latimer. The race was the most expensive House primary to date and was dominated by the Israel-Hamas war and its impact on voters.

CNN Senior National Correspondent Miguel Marquez joins us now. Miguel, this loss wasn't a total surprise. Outside money did make a difference in this race, but it was a big, big win for George Latimer.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A huge win for George Latimer. He is very, very well known in Westchester County. The district itself is fairly moderate. So, there were a lot of factors at play here but AIPAC and it's Super PAC put in $15 million of the $25 million dollars in this race. Look at this, the TV market in New York City. So, it's a very expensive market, but still it was extremely expensive. The number of ads, the mailers in indoors.

What was interesting about those ads, though, they didn't talk about Gaza and Israel and Bowman's take on all of that, they were about who could work better with Joe Biden. It's not something you hear in a lot of races. During their concession and their victory speeches last night, here's what the candidates said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JAMAAL BOWMAN (D-NY): And God help us. God help us build a better world where everyone understands when we say free Palestine, it is not antisemitic.

GEORGE LATIMER (D-NY), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Tonight, we turn a page and we say that we believe in inclusion of everybody in our representation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: And it really came down to this, who could strike a more moderate sort of tone. For Jamaal Bowman, it wasn't just that he was saying free Palestine. A lot of New Yorkers, a lot of Jewish New Yorkers would agree that they don't like what's happening in Gaza. They don't like Netanyahu's conduct of the war, but that he called for a ceasefire so early. He called it 75 years of occupation. He called it a genocide regularly. He called it -- he said that -- he denied that the rapes and the beheadings happened early on and denied some of the worst parts of what Hamas did. All of that set him on a course that was just far outside where the district is right now. And you know, he opened the door to where we are today. Jim.

ACOSTA: And are other members of the squad -- the so-called squad in the sights of AIPAC, Miguel?

MARQUEZ: Yes. Look, progressives are enraged at the amount of AIPAC money that went into this race, and Cori Bush in St. Louis, that is the next one they believe that AIPAC is going to target, and they are now raising money trying to protect her candidacy as well. It's going to be a much tougher district, I think, for AIPAC and for the Israeli lobby to make headway in. But that's one that they are watching. Jim.

ACOSTA: Very interesting. All right. Miguel Marquez, thank you very much.

Coming up, fallout after deadly protests in Kenya. We showed you this yesterday, an update just ahead. The president there making a major decision after all of this. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

ACOSTA: Breaking news out of Kenya, President Ruto of Kenya says he is withdrawing the controversial finance bill that sparked deadly protests across the country. The proposed tax hikes drew nationwide outrage. And CNN was there as protesters breached the parliament, as you might remember from our coverage yesterday.

A Kenyan police reform group says at least 23 people were killed in police shootings as protests swept the country. A markedly higher number than six people Ruto now claims died.

Also, this morning, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange now back home in Australia as a free man. Here he is getting off the plane just hours after agreeing to a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department. Assange has pleaded guilty to a single espionage related charge for publishing leaked classified military documents. Today, a U.S. judge sentenced him to the equivalent amount that he had already served. Listen to what he -- his wife said about his return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STELLA ASSANGE, WIFE OF JULIAN ASSANGE: Julian wanted me to sincerely thank everyone. He wanted to be here. But you have to understand, what he's been through. He needs time. He needs to recuperate. And this is a process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Back here in the U.S. President Biden is now pardoning veterans who were convicted of violating the military's ban on consensual gay sex. One U.S. official says the proclamation will affect almost 2,000 veterans. The military law was in effect for more than 60 years, from 1951 until 2013, when Congress re-wrote it. The pardon will allow anyone convicted under that provision to apply for a certificate that will help them receive withheld benefits. Coming up, the countdown is on to CNN's historic presidential debate. The new CNN reporting on how the candidates are spending the final 36 hours before they face off. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:55:00]

ACOSTA: You are live in the "CNN Newsroom." I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

We're less than 36 hours from Joe Biden and Donald Trump's historic face off right here on CNN. Their first-time going toe to toe in nearly four years. Their vision for the country diametrically opposed, of course, their message to the American people in stark contrast. It's a showdown of epic proportions that's said to be nothing less than historic, marking the earliest presidential debate in American history and the first time in decades that a network will host the debate with no live audience, a departure from these presidential debate commission debates.

[11:00:00]