Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Failed Coup Attempt In Bolivia; Kenya Unrest; US Presidential Debate; US Condemns Russia's Gershkovich Trial; Julian Assange At Home In Australia; Former Army Chief Behind Failed Coup D'Etat in Bolivia Arrested; Candidates on the Stump Ahead of Friday's Vote. Aired 12- 12:45a ET

Aired June 27, 2024 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:08]

PAUL NEWTON, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here on CNN Newsroom.

A failed coup attempt leaves Bolivia on edge. The president calling the public to mobilize in defense of democracy as officials arrested military rebels. We are live in the region.

Plus, we are just hours away from the unprecedented Biden-Trump face off and America's first presidential debate of this year. And later, another whistleblower comes forward to reveal more of Boeing's dangerous secrets.

So an attempt to overthrow Bolivia's democratically-elected government has been stopped, and the former army chief behind the failed coup d'etat is now in state custody after a dramatic confrontation with the Bolivian president inside a government palace. President Luis Arce reportedly told one Juan Jose Zuniga, I am your captain and I will not allow this insubordination.

Zuniga was later shown handcuffed national TV before being forced into a police vehicle. This all comes a day after he was relieved of his duties. Earlier, armed vehicles were seen ramming the doors of the palace's armed troops around in government buildings in a main square in La Paz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, that was before the soldiers withdrew after the newly appointed army chief ordered them to back to their units. President Arce had call on the public to mobilize in defense of democracy.

Now, the Attorney General's Office is vowing to impose the maximum punishment on the perpetrators of this attempted coup. Journalist Stefano Pozzebon is tracking these developments from Bogota. I want to thank you for joining us, Stefano.

I mean, what can you say after what we just saw sketched out there for us? Incredibly dramatic, can you walk us through exactly what happened and the kind of details that are being revealed here?

STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, Paula. Surreal scenes in La Paz, dramatic scenes in La Paz. Unfortunately, however, scenes that we're not growing unfamiliar with when it comes to Bolivia. I remember I was there in 2019 when in the space of 48 hours, we witnessed a coup and a counter coup between the former President Morales and then the former President Jeanine Anez.

What happened today seemed to have lasted even less. I was speaking with people in La Paz that told me that the support end lasted less than the blink of an eye. And here's what happened. Here's how it played out in the streets of La Paz today. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POZZEBON: In the end, the tentacle was diffused in a matter of hours, but only after army units took control of the city center of La Paz and military vehicles quite literally round the doors of the presidential palace. But inside, they met firm response from the sitting president. Luis Arce telling rebel general Juan Jose Zuniga to stand down.

It fills us with bravery and courage to keep on resisting any coup attempt, because Bolivia deserves his democracy, which has been worn in the streets and with blood, brothers and sisters. Zuniga had been the head of the Bolivian army since 2022, was detained shortly after, and is now under criminal investigation. It appears Zuniga decided to move against the state after his dismissal on Tuesday. He was fired for threatening former President Evo Morales from running for reelection.

We are the armed wing of the people, the armed wing of the fatherland, a worrying sign of how Latin American militaries may have become more comfortable taking bolder actions.

GUSTAVO FLORES-MACIAS, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY, CORNELL UNIVERSITY: The armed forces have gained more and more involvement. They have a more of a say in public affairs. And frankly, this has emboldened the military in thinking that maybe, you know, civilians absolutely need them. And it generates this sense among the population that civilians may be unable to solve a policy problems, that they really need the military has to step in.

[00:05:00]

POZZEBON: In the meantime, Arce had immediately appointed a new army chief, and by sunset there were no more soldiers in the city center of La Paz, only regular citizens on the street defending democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: Paula, I think Professor Flores-Macias makes a very valid point because the role that military play in societies in Latin America is perhaps one of the greatest dissonance between this region and the rest of the world. Because what we're seeing in the rest of the world, the militaries are going more and more into the army barracks. Here, we're seeing that many leaders have brought military men back into civilian life, Paula.

Take, for example, former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, former president of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and the military dictatorships in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. What happened in Bolivia today was perhaps just the cry of alarm. Bolivian institutions, they seem to have held strong, not many presidents perhaps would have faced off one on one with a coup attempt in general.

But, of course, it's a cry of alarm that many people in the regions will pay very close attention to. Paula?

NEWTON: Yes, all just playing out in just a few hours there, as you say, in the center of that city. Stefano Pozzebon for us, grateful for your reporting. Appreciate it.

Eduardo Gamarra is a Politics and International Relations Professor at Florida International University, and he is with us now from Miami. I think we need to all take a deep breath here given the events that so many witnesses today. What do you make of the generals attempted coup, and the motivation behind it?

EDUARDO GAMARRA, POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PROFESSOR, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY: Well, I don't think we're going to get to the full explanation for a few days, but I do think that there is a lot of political theater going on in La Paz these days, as there has been for at least the last five or six years.

One of the most recurring explanations is that this was a self coup, that this was something staged by the president in the context of a very bitter battle with his former boss, so the former President Evo Morales, both of whom are vying for a chance to become, in Arce's case to become -- to be reelected, and in Morales' case to be re-reelected. In other words, he wants to return to power after having been out for five years and after assuming that Arce would give way in return power to him.

So we don't really know. We do know that this General Zuniga gave a talk, gave an interview to the media over the weekend, where he threatened to go after Morales, and where he essentially acted., many say, at the behest of the current president. So we really don't know what happened, how much theater there was, whether in fact this was a -- a real coup or a self coup that now strengthens Arce's hand in the next few days and even next year.

NEWTON: We should say we have absolutely no proof of anything at this point. And, you know, you've made that point quite clear in the sense that we still do not know, may not know for several days. But I asked you, given the fact that some people are already speculating, and it's funny when you look at the video there, it does seem like something that will shot scene by scene, hour by hour out of some scripts. Again, we don't have any proof of that.

So then I asked you, what do you make of the blow, if any kind of a blow here to Bolivian security at this hour? Because imagine if you're sitting in Bolivia right now, you are wondering what the heck is going on.

GAMARRA: Yes. In fact, the reality is that this was a -- this was something that occurred over a matter of hours from beginning to end. There are reportedly 9 people wounded. There are no other signs of violence. And this is a very sharp contrast to, for example, what happened in 2019 when there were many, many people killed.

So this was done in a very orderly fashion, and it's done by the way a week after the Bolivians accused the US of trying to orchestrate a coup. The Bolivian government in fact called in the US has charge d'affaires, accusing the US of attempting to stage a coup in Bolivia.

[00:10:00]

So all of these, you know, are the ingredients for this very, very interesting plot that that leads many reputable people to conclude that there was -- that this is mainly political theater in in -- in an attempt to strengthen a very weak president with very weak political institutions.

NEWTON: Yes. And that will come as very little comfort again to those Bolivians who are suffering through a very profound financial crisis, and perhaps now a political one as well. Eduardo Gamarra for us, we'll have to leave it there. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

GAMARRA: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now meantime, protesters in Kenya are set to take to the streets once again in the coming hours for a one million people march. And it comes after more than a week of deadly protests over a controversial finance bill that made its way through Parliament. Protesters torched government buildings and cars around Nairobi in response.

In a surprising turn of events on Wednesday, Kenyan President William Ruto withdrew the bill after vowing to protect the country from violence. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM RUTO, KENYAN PRESIDENT: I concede, and therefore I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill, and it shall subsequently be withdrawn. And I have agreed with these members, that that becomes our collective position.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, at least 23 people died in clashes with police, that's according to Kenyan Civil Society Organization. Kenya's president reports six people were killed in that violence.

OK, buckle up. We are just hours away from the biggest events so far of the 2024 US presidential campaign, the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Now, the 90 minute face off will take place at CNN World headquarters in Atlanta. It's the earliest general election debate ever and the first between a president and a former president. It's also the first with a convicted felon on the stage is set, and the podiums, they are in place.

The two men will be standing just eight feet apart, much closer than in any other time they've debated. Now, there is no clear leader in CNN's latest polls, and there has been no shortage. As you know, dissatisfaction for months now with either candidate. We're expecting close scrutiny of both men's age and mental acuity, the economy, immigration and crime are among the most important issues for voters.

The Biden campaign says the president will focus on a number of key issues including abortion rights, and the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, attacks on democracy, political violence and 2020 election conspiracies and Donald Trump's economic plans. Sources say Mr. Biden is also preparing for Trump to go after his son, Hunter, who was convicted on three felony gun charges earlier this month.

More now on how Trump is getting ready for the debate from CNN's Kristen Holmes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN US NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Former President Trump's on the day before the debate at his Mar-a-Lago home with some of his closest senior advisors. His other aides and advisors were here in Atlanta getting ready to greet the former president.

Now, one of the things I heard from a number of these advisors and allies close to Donald Trump was a change in posture when it came to the format of the debate. For weeks, they had been criticizing the format, particularly the fact that the mics would be muted and that there would be no live audience. Part of the complaint was that Donald Trump, they say, feeds off of the audience, that he gets his energy from the audience, that any kind of environment without that would harm him.

However, what we've started to hear from these same allies is that they're actually hoping that this helps the former president stay on message. They have honed in to him that the most important thing that he needs to do on Thursday is focus on three topics. One, the economy and inflation in particular, two, immigration and, three, crime. The reason they are focusing on these three issues is because looking at recent polling, it shows the Donald Trump pulls ahead of President Joe Biden in these areas with voters, and they want him to continue to hammer that down.

They are hoping that without a live audience, he won't go on those riffs and rants you see traditionally at his big rallies. The other part of this is those muted mics. They had said that part of his strategy at one point was the fact that he was very aggressive going after Biden. Now, they are hoping that because the mics are muted, it seems like he is less aggressive, more on message.

One of the things Donald Trump himself seems to have done in the last several days is reflect on his own past performances. He did a very candid interview with Washington Examiner when she said he was too aggressive in the debate in 2020 with Joe Biden.

[00:15:06]

Now, of course, it is still unclear what version of Donald Trump is going to show up on Thursday. Perhaps the former president himself doesn't know. But one thing that is clear, is that his senior advisors, allies, everyone in his orbit is stressing to him the gravity of this moment and how he needs to remain focused and on message. Kristen Holmes, CNN, Atlanta, Georgia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Joining me now is Caroline Heldman. She is a Political Scientist at Occidental College and Lanhee Chen is a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. Thanks for joining us. We're ready to rumble here at CNN.

But I need to boil this right down to what we're hearing from voters, right, to make it very simple. They're looking to figure out if Joe Biden is senile and if Donald Trump is sane. And a question now to both of you, could this debate give them the answers they're looking for? I want to go first to you, Caroline.

CAROLINE HELDMAN, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: Well, I don't think debates, if you look historically, matter very much and this one is happening early on. But as you pointed out, you know, Biden has been framed as old and feeble, and he really needs to go Dark Brandon in this debate. And Donald Trump has been framed as unhinged, and he needs to be sticking to the issues not be chaotic or mean in his responses.

So I think there's some possibility of maybe reaching some undecided voters, although who was undecided after having both men in office for the last eight years who could possibly be undecided at this point. I think without a major stumble or big faux pas. This probably won't really affect the outcome of the election.

NEWTON: Lanhee, what do you think because, you know, this is an opportunity, one could say, for the two of them to really put some of their, you know, reputations to rest, shall we say. And really strike down some of the criticisms against them.

LANHEE CHEN, FELLOW, STANFORD UNIVERSITY'S HOOVER INSTITUTION: I do think it's an opportunity. I think it's particularly an opportunity for Joe Biden, because of the nature of the race, obviously, given Donald Trump's positioning in the key swing states that will decide the selection, the six key swing states where Donald Trump has, in some cases, a very narrow advantage, but an advantag nonetheless.

I think for Joe Biden, he's got to look for opportunities to alter the nature of the race, to alter the trajectory of the race. And this debate presents an opportunity. Now, how long that impact lasts, I think Caroline's point about public opinion, you know, it's not clear that there will be a long lasting impact. But there will be an impact probably on the race, at least in the short to intermediate term. And Joe Biden is looking for every break he can get at this point, I think. So there is an opportunity for Biden, certainly there is an opportunity as well for Trump. But I do think that from the perspective of who this debate matters more to, I have the answer pretty clearly as President Biden and the Biden team.

NEWTON: Interesting. And, Caroline, in light of that we have no audience, the muted mics, do you think this could help distill the message for President Biden and conversely, for Trump, maybe help him stay on track look like the disciplined leader who can connect with voters?

HELDMAN: Well, Biden will certainly be able to get a word in edgewise, right? Not what we saw in 2020 with his debate with Trump. But I do agree with the analysis that's out there right now, that this benefits Trump tremendously, because he needs to stay on message. He needs to stay on the policy message, and not get pulled off by, you know, following the audience and meandering which sometimes he is known to do.

And, you know, Lanhee brings up a really good point about how much more this will matter for Biden, if it matters at all. It just he has a lot more ground to make up. The he's behind in five out of six swing states. He's especially behind, if you look at the polling right now in Arizona, he's behind even in Michigan by big digits and in Nevada.

And in fact, in the last week, we saw polling that Biden -- that Trump is now competitive in the states of Minnesota and Virginia, which are Democratic stronghold. So Biden certainly has a lot more to lose with this debate and a lot more ground to make up with it.

NEWTON: Then one would argue much more to gain. I mean, Lanhee, at this point in terms of giving the former President Trump some advice here, you know, he can at times, hew to the traditional end of the Republican Party. I know a few months ago, he was interviewed by Fox News really started to dig down into the issues.

Do you think he's capable of doing that again, here in this debate? That is certainly what his aides are saying he's aiming to do.

CHEN: I think he's capable of it. I think the question is whether Joe Biden is successful maybe at laying some traps for him, to walk away from a discussion about issues and to go to terrain, where the Biden team, for example, feels that the former president may be more vulnerable. But if Donald Trump is able to stick to talking about cost of living issues, the economy, immigration, issues where we know public opinion polling has told us over and over again, he has a commanding lead.

[00:20:12]

That is something that will work to his advantage. And I know that the Trump team has instilled the sort of ethos in him to say, listen, the more you stick to the issues, the better this debate is going to be. But this is really two humans debating at the end of the day, and that's why there's some unpredictability about where this goes. And whether in fact they both stick to the issues or not, we'll have to see.

Once things get started, it can be very difficult to control where that discussion goes, particularly when these two are involved.

NEWTON: Yes, exactly. And that's a very good point, especially depending on how personal they can get. I do want to say, though, Caroline, that more than two thirds of voters say that they will be watching this debate. I mean, that's just incredible. We'll see where the ratings end up.

But do you think that there is a risk here that it does not live up to expectations? I mean, I got to think about this. There is no audience, no one to play to, although a lot to play for. Do you think this could end up perhaps being with people tuning out after a few minutes?

HELDMAN: Because policy is actually not necessarily engaging? I mean, political scientists would love to believe that it is. Yes, that's a great point. Will it be the same without all of the crosstalk, and the back and forth, and the arguing, and the heckling? Yes, it might be a more subdued debate, which, you know, really -- really helps Trump.

But at the end of the day, you know, I imagine that it will much more be about style over substance, right? And so -- and interesting, you talk about expectations, Paula. Trump has way lower the expectations for Biden. I mean, he just has to show up and not basically, you know, fall asleep like an old man during this debate. And he will done just fine because of the low expectations.

But I think we will see some fireworks. We'll see some fireworks with Hunter Biden brought up. We'll also obviously see some fireworks with abortion and Donald Trump's 34 felony convictions.

NEWTON: Yes. And, Lanhee, last word to you here. Do you think Donald Trump can be disciplined enough to really stick to an issue like immigration and continue to hammer it home? Because polls show that's a real winner for him.

CHEN: Well, there are a lot of dimensions to the immigration issue, and it can be tied to the economy and tied to health care, and tied to all sorts of other issues that that Americans care about, in addition to the issue of immigration itself. So there are a lot of angles to go in.

You know, having prepared two presidential candidates for dozens of debates over the years, I can tell you that you go in with an expectation and a way to link issues to other issues and to have those conversations. But as I noted earlier, you know once those lights come on, once Jake and Dana get going and the questions are coming, it can be very, very difficult to stick to a set of attacks. So we'll see if Trump is a --

NEWTON: And we will leave it there for now. Lanhee Chen and Caroline Heldman, thanks so much for joining us. Really appreciate it.

Now, be sure to tune in to see the first presidential debate right here on CNN as we were just talking about you don't want to miss it, coming up Thursday at 9:00 PM Eastern, OK.

Still ahead for us, the trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich began Wednesday. What the US is saying about the espionage charges against him, that's next. Plus Julian Assange, a free man now back in his native Australia, what his wife says comes next for the Wikileaks founder and for five years in a London prison.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:25:52]

NEWTON: White House is expressing its support for American journalists Evan Gershkovich after his trial began in Russia on Wednesday, condemning his espionage trial as a "sham and a performance." US officials say they were not allowed to speak to Gershkovich before the trial, and Russian authorities still have not provided any evidence to support the charges against him.

Now, the US is accusing Moscow of treating Gershkovich and other detained Americans as bargaining chips. Russian state media says the trial will resume on August 13th.

Julian Assange's wife is asking for privacy now that her husband is home in Australia and a free man. The Wikileaks founder agreed to a plea deal with US prosecutors on a single espionage related charge. Journalist Alex Thomas has those details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX THOMAS, JOURNALIST: Julian Assange's opponents said he should not and would not be given a hero's welcome on his return to Australia. But there was a celebratory atmosphere when hundreds of his supporters turned up to this hotel near Canberra Airport to catch a glimpse of the WikiLeaks founder.

In the end, Assange didn't speak to the media, but his lawyers and his wife did.

JULIAN ASSANGE'S WIFE: He needs to recuperate, and this is a process. I asked you please, to give us space, to give us privacy, to find our place, so that art family, your family before he can speak again, at a time of his choosing.

HELDMAN: It has been a whirlwind 48 hours for Assange since news broke that he had agreed a plea bargain with the US Department of Justice released from the high security Belmarsh prison in London, to fly to a court hearing in Saipan, where a judge agreed to the deal of time already served and released him.

Then another flight of more than six and a half hours to Australia's capital, landing after the country's prime minister Anthony Albanese had welcomed his release and into the arms of his wife, the first time he had ever spent time with her as a free man. Alex Thomas, Canberra, Australia.

(END VIDEOTAPE) NEWTON: The US has identified about 400 migrants who were smuggled into the country by human trafficking network that may have ties to ISIS. Federal authorities are carrying out additional security screening now. Most of the migrants are from Central Asian nations.

Now, a US official says the smuggling network has ties to another network that brought a group of Uzbek nationals across the southern border by a facilitator who had ties to ISIS.

Now, much more ahead on our top story, a dangerous coup foiled, how Bolivian authorities got soldiers out on the streets and away from the presidential palace.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: More now on our top story, Bolivia's dramatically -- democratically, pardon me, elected president has stopped -- stared down an ill-fated attempt at a coup, orchestrated by the country's former army chief, who was fired earlier this week.

[00:31:27]

He sent troops and tanks into the streets of La Paz on Wednesday, surrounded government buildings, and filled the main square. But the soldiers later stood down after the newly-appointed army chief, General Jose Sanchez, ordered them to return to their units.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones is joining us now from Los Angeles.

Julia, good to see you as we try and break down exactly what happened here. I mean, as you point out, political turmoil is not new for Bolivia, but these events certainly seemed to break new ground. What more are we learning about what happened here? And I have to say this at times seemed to unfold like a made-for-TV movie.

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, we saw those images there unfolding this afternoon, Paula, as that vehicle rams into the doors of the come out of Quemado Palace in the main square of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.

Then we see the head of the military, former head of the military, Juan Jose Zuniga, walk out followed by these soldiers with masks covering their faces. They go into the palace.

And then he faces off with the president, Luis Arce. That is, to me, one of the defining images of today, that moment where the president, a democratically elected president, as you pointed out, faces off with the former head of the the army and then stands his ground, says you're not welcome here. And democracy prevails, at least for now in Bolivia.

But after that, we learned that he had lost his job, the head of the military, after making remarks, disparaging remarks, and threatening remarks about a possibility of military action if former President Evo Morales was to win next year's presidential election. Of course, Evo Morales was president for three terms in Bolivia. He is a mentor, was a mentor to Luis Arce, the former -- or current president.

The two had a falling out and believe it has seen all this turmoil since 2019, Paula. We can get more into that later.

But today's actions, what happened, it was definitely not unheard of in Bolivia. It's had its fair share of coups and protests over its, you know, 200 years of history. But for the time being, we do have calm back in Bolivia, and the message from Arce to his supporters, right after all this unfolded in the square, was that Bolivia deserves democracy. And we will not stand against another coup.

That message was echoed by leaders across the region and the world, from Europe to Mexico and the European Union, condemning the attacks of today, Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, such a good point that a lot of that regional support and beyond was important, really, to kind of distill the events of what happened today and really put a more calming influence on the streets.

We'll leave it there for now. Julia Vargas Jones for us live from Los Angeles. Appreciate it.

The Israeli prime minister's office says the government is looking for Gaza civilians as well as countries in the region to run the territory after the war ends. But did not give any details.

It did make clear that one day would come only once Hamas -- that day would come only once Hamas is defeated.

Now, in inside Gaza, the fighting continues. A warning: the images you are about to see are disturbing. Hospital officials say an Israeli airstrike in the Northern part of the enclave killed at least eight Palestinians, including three children.

[00:35:06]

Gaza's civil defense teams say several more people were believed to be trapped under a collapsed building.

Meantime, the U.N. aid chief, Martin Griffiths, is expressing his concern over the possibility that the war in Gaza might expand across the region, including the West Bank and Lebanon.

Now, there are new allegations about manufacturing flaws at Boeing. And according to one whistleblower, that could mean two catastrophes on some passengers' jets. That story we'll have for you just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: A new whistleblower has come forward with claims about manufacturing problems at Boeing, and they involve the production of the 787 Dreamliner jet at a supplier facility in Wichita, Kansas. The whistleblower is a former mechanic who says he was fired months after Raising the red flag about the issue. He says saw workers drilling holes too big for what's known as forward pressure bulkheads on 787s.

Now according to the whistleblower, the problem may affect at least ten airplanes and could lead to, in his word, catastrophes.

But Boeing says the issue has been investigated, and it doesn't pose a safety concern.

Now, for the second time in two years, a major abortion decision from the U.S. Supreme Court has mistakenly been released before the official opinion.

Now, a document related to a case about Idaho's strict abortion law was briefly posted on the court's website Wednesday. The unsigned opinion, reviewed by Bloomberg News, showed three conservative justices -- John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett -- siding with the court's three liberals to block Idaho from enforcing a ban which only allows abortions if a pregnant woman's life was at stake but not her health.

It would be a win for the Biden administration if it stands.

Two years ago, a draft of the high court's opinion -- opinion overturning Roe v Wade was released prematurely, and it was essentially the same as the final opinion issued weeks later.

Candidates are making their final pitches to voters ahead of Friday's presidential election in Iran, following the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi. That was last month.

Now, only six out of 80 initial candidates were given the green light to run for the post by the country's guardian council, five of them hardliners. And no women were approved.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen went to one of the front runners' rallies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A children's group warms up the crowd. But things really heat up when Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf enters the room, one of the leading conservatives in the presidential race.

"The first thing people expect is economic development," he says. "There is no doubt that this development can happen through the path of elections."

[00:40:00]

Ghalibaf's supporters saying they also want a hard line towards the U.S. and Israel.

[00:40:14] "Under any condition, we will we supporting the oppressed and fighting

our enemies," this man says. "We are very determined."

And he says, "Ghalibaf is the one who supports the supreme leader and follows. Whatever the supreme leader says, he puts into practice."

PLEITGEN: Five of the remaining candidates considered conservative. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is certainly considered to be one of the frontrunners. And he has vowed that, if he becomes president, he will continue the hardline policies of Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash a little over a month ago.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): After Iran's embassy compound in Syria was bombed in April, killing several Revolutionary Guard commanders, and Iran retaliated for the first time, launching drones and missiles from its own territory, Iran is now warning it will hit Israel again if its assets in the Middle East are targeted.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticizing presidential candidates he thinks could seek ties with the U.S. Not naming names, but some believe he referred to Masoud Pezeshkian, the moderate left in the race.

Pezeshkian has called for improving ties with nations in the region. A Pezeshkian campaign event in Tehran on Wednesday was canceled abruptly.

PLEITGEN: The Pezeshkian campaign says after a long process, they didn't receive the necessary permission to hold their rally inside a stadium. So now, as you can see, the rally outside on the street screaming their vote for Pezeshkian.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Disappointed supporters saying they still believe Pezeshkian has a chance to win.

"The wave of support has added to people's hope in elections," this man says. "So we hope that those who are hesitant will come out and vote."

And she says, "In general, the change we need in politics is foreign policy so it will result in improvements in people's economic situation."

As the campaigns come to an end, Iranians will go to the polls on Friday to elect a new president.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And a sad moment now in Minnesota as the home of the Jenny Barnes family collapsed into churning waters after the partial breach of a dam.

"It's my childhood," Barnes told a local news station. "I grew up in the house. I've been there all my life." You see the video there. Just devastating.

The dam, built more than a century ago, was overwhelmed after severe storms and floods hit the U.S. Midwest. So many now going through those extreme weather events.

I'm Paula Newton. WORLD SPORT is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:45:31]

(WORLD SPORT)