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Biden Takes Question from Press; Biden Initiates Ukraine Compact at NATO Summit; Growing Optimism in Ceasefire Negotiations in Gaza; Over 60 Bodies Found in Shejaiya after IDF's Two-Week Operation; Kenyan President Sacks Cabinet After Weeks of Protests; Human Body Parts Found in U.K.'s Clifton Bridge; Crossbow Killings Suspect of John Hunt's Family Found; Biden Takes Questions As Reelection Concerns Grow; Fire Damages Cathedral In Rouen, France. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired July 12, 2024 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN HOST: Welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom." A make-or-break press conference for U.S. President Joe Biden. Will his performance ease fear among Democrats who say he can't beat Donald Trump in the election? As the NATO summit wraps, Biden launches an effort to support Ukraine's long-term security. And according to the U.S. there are positive signs for a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, but the Israeli prime minister says he's not ready to agree yet.

We begin with U.S. President Joe Biden trying to overcome concerns about his cognitive health and political future. He spoke with reporters at the end of the NATO summit in Washington. Biden insisted he is the most qualified person to run for president and to beat Donald Trump, but it's unlikely his performance will quiet the growing chorus of Democrats calling for him to step aside.

Now, at the start of the press conference, he misidentified his own vice president. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president until I think she's not qualified to be president. So let's start there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, the president recovered and explained why he thinks Vice President Kamala Harris is qualified to step in as president, if necessary. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: First of all, the way she's handled the issue of freedom of women's bodies to have control of their bodies. Secondly, her ability to handle almost any issue on the board. This was a hell of a prosecutor. She was a first-rate person and, in the Senate, she was really good. I wouldn't have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president from the very beginning. I made no bones about that. She is qualified to be president. That's why I picked her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: More now from CNN's senior White House correspondent, Kayla Tausche.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In high stakes press conference, President Biden unapologetic in his decision to seek a second term, saying that the gravity of the situation demands he finish the job, while acknowledging he has much more work to do to allay the concerns of voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: I'm just going to keep moving, keep moving. Keep moving and because, look, I got more work to do. We've got more work to finish. We made so much progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAUSCHE: Biden was far less defiant than he was in recent days, taking an opportunity to exalt his vice president, suggesting that she could serve as president on day one and that even she could beat Trump, though he said his team hasn't given him data to prove that he could it. Biden's team in the wake of this press conference relieved that he had an opportunity to talk about substance and personality and even hit back at his opponent in an opportunity he missed on the debate stage.

But Democrats aren't sold. Some texting tonight saying it was better, but not a home run. And in the coming days, his party will continue assessing his candidacy. Kayla Tausche, CNN, Washington.

BRUNHUBER: Ron Brownstein is CNN's senior political analyst and the senior editor for "The Atlantic" and he joins me now from Los Angeles. Good to see you again, Ron. So everything that Biden does these days seems to be preceded by the adjective high stakes. Last week's high stakes interview. Now this, you know, high stakes press conference. He is under the microscope. So how do you think he did and what does that ever-present microscope itself say about where things are right now?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, that's a really good way to phrase it. Look, I thought he did very well tonight. You know, it was a Joe Biden performance and that he mangled a few things, as he has done for literally decades. But he displayed a lot more energy and coherence and certainly a mastery of the detail of foreign policy that Donald Trump could not match for an hour.

The problem is, as you know, against the backdrop of that debate, the kind of verbal flubs that have been common for Biden literally for decades. I covered his 1988 presidential campaign. Those kinds of flubs now look different, you know, to certainly to analysts and people watching like us, but potentially also to voters. I think the bigger problem is it's really not clear to me that subsequent good days can erase the impression that was left by what he calls a bad night.

I mean, once voters know that card is in the deck and that level of difficulty of expressing yourself and focusing can come out, you know, I'm not sure it matters to voters whether it's once a week or once every two weeks or once every three weeks.

[02:05:06]

The fact that it's there at all is going to be a concern to a lot of Americans.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, the historical context of Biden's flubs seems completely washed away, as you said. One Democrat directly involved in the president's reelection efforts told CNN last night that Biden has no path to victory. I quote here, "we are doomed if he runs." I mean, with friends like that, right. So, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said, quote, "I still need more data and more analytics that show a path to success about Biden as president."

Now, the president himself in the press conference shrugged off the polls, basically saying the campaign won't really start in earnest until after Labor Day. So what do you see there in the data? Is there a path?

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah. Yeah, well, look, you never say never. I mean, Donald Trump recovered from the "Access Hollywood" letter in 2016, obviously with another big intervening event from James Comey. But the reason this debate existed at all was because the Biden campaign and Democrats realized that he was trailing and he was not on a trajectory to win.

You know, if you compare where he is now to where he was in 2020, going into the debate, his biggest problem was that he was underperforming with younger nonwhite voters, black and Hispanic voters, especially men. And as a result of that, the Sunbelt states where those voters are critical to the Democratic coalition look to be almost out of reach for him. North Carolina and Georgia in the southeast, Nevada in the southwest, maybe Arizona is a little better, but not much in the southwest.

And that meant that in order to get to 270, he had to sweep Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, three states in what I once called the blue wall. He's trailing in all three of those at this point, you know. And so it is a very difficult path. And especially if you consider, as I said, his biggest problem is younger nonwhite voters.

The debate solidified, cemented one of his biggest problems with them in that "New York Times/Siena" poll, 85 percent of people under 45 said that he's too old to do the job of president effectively. And when you kind of add all of this up, I think there are many -- there's a growing sense among Democratic professionals, certainly, but also elected officials that despite all the challenges Kamala Harris would face, at least she offers an opportunity to kind of reset the, you know, the chessboard and giving you at least a different set of contrasts with Donald Trump.

BRUNHUBER: Right. And looking beyond the data, maybe just as damaging in a different way have been the words of his celebrity erstwhile allies like George Clooney, who've talked about their personal experience of Biden, what they see. And he said he's diminished and he should step aside. Obviously, he, you know, Michael Douglas also came out and said the same thing. It's not exactly as though one could say if Biden has lost Hollywood, he's lost Democrats. But what do they represent in terms of visibility and maybe more importantly, fundraising?

BROWNSTEIN: So a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I wrote a book called "The Power and the Glitter," which was the history of the relationship between Hollywood and politics from the 1920s to the present. And, you know, there are a lot of -- they've always been politicians who kind of resent celebrities meddling in politics. But I'll tell you one thing that one celebrity gives or provides is the opportunity to say things in public that politicians often will only say in private.

We haven't exactly seen the profile and courage from the Democratic congressional leadership on this. They've been very cautious. And George Clooney said what a lot of Democrats are saying. It reminded me a little bit of 1968 when the only major surrogate that Gene McCarthy could get when he was challenging Lyndon Johnson, even though many Democrats felt that Johnson through the war in Vietnam was kind of rendering himself unelectable was Paul Newman.

Paul Newman was the only one who would go to New Hampshire and say publicly because he was kind of like, you know, he was immune. I mean, he was a rich celebrity. He didn't need the usual political kind of rewards. And I think Clooney actually fits a little bit to me in that lineage where, you know, he is not the only person who has thought this. And what was so significant about what he said was that he didn't only say that he didn't think Biden can win. He said that the Biden he saw was like what they saw at the debate.

And, you know, as we saw tonight, that's not going to be Joe Biden every day. But, you know, if voters know that that is a possibility, you know, on X percent of days, can you erase that concern by having a good day in public? I'm not sure you can.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, that is the question. We'll have to leave it there. Always appreciate having you on. Ron Brownstein in Los Angeles. Thanks so much.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Now, concerns about his future aside, Biden got down to business at the NATO summit.

[02:09:54]

On Thursday, he launched what's been called the Ukraine Compact, a joint effort by the alliance to support Ukraine's long-term security. That includes boosting its future military capabilities and supporting it in case of another Russian aggression down the line. But Biden made another verbal slip when he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.

(APPLAUSE)

President Putin, he's going to beat President Putin. President Zelensky.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, Zelensky didn't make a big deal of the verbal gaffe, but he did express appreciation for NATO's support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: There are 23 strong agreements and there will be agreements with other countries. And we have a historically significant security agreement with the United States. All of these helped us obtain the necessary air defense systems, thanks to America and to all the partners, to all the leaders and your societies, your people, of course.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Ukraine has lined up tens of billions of dollars in future aid from NATO during the summit that ended on Thursday. But Kyiv is also asking for a free hand to use Western weapons to bring the war back home to Russia. Fred Pleitgen has the details.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Ukrainians have shown themselves to be quite satisfied with some of the assurances and pledges they've gotten from the NATO alliance at that meeting in Washington, D.C. Of course, the U.S. announcing another security assistance package. Joe Biden, the U.S. President, announcing that on the sidelines of a meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. And part of that package is a surface to air missile system, a Patriot that is made in the United States.

Now, that's extremely important for the Ukrainians. And of course, the U.S. President had said that the NATO alliance would give Ukraine another five strategic surface to air missile systems. Those very important as the Ukrainians face an increased Russian missile threat. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the alliance for its support, but he also says that the Ukrainians believe that restrictions on the use of Western weapons, for instance, striking Russian territory, need to be lifted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKY: If we want to win, if we want to prevail, if we want to save our country and to defend it, we need to lift all the limitations. I spoke about it with partners, with U.K. leader, with United States President, with Secretary, all of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Another very important announcement for the Ukrainians was the alliance saying that F-16 fighter jets provided by several European countries should be in the skies above Ukraine this summer. That, of course, key for the Ukrainians as they face that increased Russian missile threat with a flurry of Russian missiles hitting this country on Monday, killing more than 40 people.

One of the things that the Ukrainians were a little bit maybe disappointed by is the fact that while the NATO alliance announced that Ukraine is on an irreversible path to NATO membership, there isn't yet a timeline for when this country will actually be a member of the alliance. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.

BRUNHUBER: A Russian college student has been sentenced to five years in prison for reportedly disclosing the locations of Russian troops in Ukraine. A state news agency says the sentence was handed down in a city in eastern Russia near the border with China. He reportedly collected the information online and passed it on to Ukraine's security service in exchange for a material reward. The news agency says he received a lesser sentence because he cooperated with investigators.

The White House says it's seeing positive signs for a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. However, sources tell CNN there are still tough issues to resolve. Israel says it's sending a delegation to Cairo to continue negotiations. Now, speaking in a graduation ceremony for new military officers, Prime Minister Netanyahu had this to say about the latest talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translation): I am committed to the plan to free our hostages. But the Hamas assassins continue to adhere to demands that contradict the plan and endanger Israel's security. As prime minister of Israel and out of a sense of national responsibility, I am not prepared to accept these demands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, Israel carried out airstrikes in northern Gaza a day after ground forces wrapped up a two-week operation in Shejaiya. Emergency teams have so far recovered 60 bodies, but officials fear dozens more could still be under rubble.

Gaza civil defense estimates more than 120,000 people have been displaced in Shejaiya with 85 percent of buildings destroyed since October 7th. Tens of thousands have fled nearby Gaza City since Sunday following the IDF's evacuation orders.

[02:14:58]

The Israeli military has acknowledged it failed to protect civilians in the southern Israel kibbutz during the October 7th Hamas attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAELI ARMY SPOKESPERSON (through translation): The IDF failed in its mission to protect the residents of kibbutz Biri. It is painful and difficult for me to say this. The IDF was supposed to protect the residents of kibbutz Biri. But unfortunately, we were not there for long hours of fighting. For hours, the residents of Biri defended their families with their bodies while they were alone against the terrorists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The IDF inquiry found the military struggled to assess and respond to the Hamas siege on the kibbutz with forces spread thin that day. The head of the Israeli army said this led to troops waiting outside the gates, quote, "while the massacre continued inside." He said this cannot be allowed to happen again.

The kibbutz Biri was one of the hardest hit. Hamas militants killed 101 of its residents, including children, and abducted 30 people. A spokesperson for the kibbutz said the findings helped members understand the events of that day. But some important questions remain unanswered.

Andrei Kozlov was nearing the end of his shift as a security guard at the Nova Music Festival when the Hamas fighters attacked. The Russian- Israeli citizen was soon captured and taken to Gaza as a hostage. In an interview with CNN, Kozlov detailed his months of captivity, the psychological torture he endured, the threats he faced. And finally, after his rescue, the emotional reunion with his mother. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: We all saw the video of when you were reunited with your mother at the hospital. As a mother, it brought tears to my eyes to see how you fell down on your knees, hugging her. Do you know how -- how difficult I would imagine you do those eight months were for them?

ANDREY KOZLOV, RUSSIAN-ISRAELI CITIZEN RESCUED FROM HAMAS CAPTIVITY: I was so afraid not to see them.

GOLODRYGA: Do you thought you'd never see them again?

I was afraid. I imagined how. That my mother and father and brother will not hear the words, I love you anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And you can see the full interview with rescued hostage Andrei Kozlov Friday on "Amanpour" at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, that's 6:00 p.m. in London and 8:00 p.m. in Tel Aviv. It'll also air on "Anderson Cooper 360" on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 p.m. on the U.S. West Coast. All right, still to come, Kenya's president has fired most of his

cabinet after weeks of anti-government protests. How people there are reacting next.

Plus, British police have been unable to talk to the man they say murdered the family of a BBC sports commentator with a crossbow. What authorities are saying, that's next on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:20:00]

BRUNHUBER: Kenya's president, William Ruto, says he's forming a new government after a controversial tax bill sparked weeks of violent protests across the country. He's calling it the most extensive transformation in Kenya's history. CNN's Larry Madowo has the latest from Nairobi.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Many Kenyans consider it a win that President William Ruto has been forced to dissolve his entire cabinet, save for two. But they said that's just the start. There is so much more corruption in his government that he has to deal with or he himself has to go.

When we talked to the people on the streets who've been protesting these past few weeks, they told us that the cost of living is too high, that corruption is out of control in the country. And they also want some justice for the dozens of mostly young people who were killed in protests against President Ruto's government.

But this today for them is a celebration that they have forced President William Ruto to climb down and listen to the demands. Here's some of their responses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: He has not done anything he promised he's going to do during his campaign. There's nothing he has done up to now. So one of the things that we as the Gen Z want Ruto to go home, literally.

UNKNOWN: Mr. President has shown himself to be very crafty for some reason. So he doesn't have trust to a lot of people in this country. But if this is going to be for the good cause, then we might give him a chance to redeem himself.

MADOWO: What the young people of Kenya protesting have accomplished is extraordinary. It has been discussed in the parliaments in Ghana, in Tanzania, and there are other African citizens watching as a blueprint to see how they too can hold the government accountable. But the young people we spoke to on the streets told us they were here to fix this country. They were draining the swamp. And this is just the beginning.

They forced President William Ruto to abandon that controversial and popular finance bill that would have raised taxes. They forced him to fire his entire cabinet. And they're not stopping there. They want him to tackle corruption head on, the high cost of living, and make sure that the government is truly responsive to the people. And President Ruto, on his part, has promised to be responsive to these people.

He's promising even more radical changes in his administration. And these young people will be holding him accountable throughout that time. Larry Madowo, CNN, Nairobi.

BRUNHUBER: I'd like to bring in Nicodemus Minde. He's a researcher with the East Africa Peace and Security Governance Program at the Institute for Security Studies, and he is in Nairobi. Thank you so much for being here with us. So what do you make of the president's extreme step here of firing the entire cabinet?

NICODEMUS MINDE, RESEARCHER, EAST AFRICA PEACE & SECURITY GOVERNANCE PROGRAM: I think it's a step towards the right direction. Of course, there will be more demands about accountability and justice for the victims. But I think the pressure has yielded and the president had to yield to this pressure by sacking his cabinet. And, of course, rearranging his government is a sign of to win back political legitimacy, which he so far seems to have lost.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. On that idea of legitimacy, you know, the protesters have been insistent in calling for the president's resignation. Is his position truly under any threat, do you think?

MINDE: Well, if these demands continue, then, of course, people would say that his position is under threat. But constitutionally, of course, Kenya being a democracy, there are, of course, channels through which a president can be forced to resign, or it's through an election where you have to change a president.

But these demands actually are putting a lot of pressure on the president. And the president had to act in certain ways in order to bring these reforms. In the past week, he has been able to constitute to assent to a bill on the Electoral Commission so that it can be able to now set a stage for more broader reforms.

He has also promised broader consultation in terms of inclusivity and dialogues and amongst all stakeholders, including the youth. So if he continues with that, probably he's going to save his political seat. But, of course, the pressure is still very, very high for the president.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. So presumably this is a big win for the protesters. Now, in those protests, the so-called Gen Z protests, some 41 people were killed during clashes with police. Many more were arrested. Do you get a sense that there will be any accountability for the alleged, you know, trampling of human rights here that have been documented?

MINDE: Without a doubt, I think the president has shown that that it is high time for him to listen to most of these demands, because there was a time when he actually called these protesters criminals and they are actually prisoners, which, again, didn't go very well with the protesters.

[02:25:00] So going by his desire to bring this broader consultation, broader reforms, especially now that he has sucked the cabinet, I think the bright or the wise thing for him to do is also to take it a bit higher and bring about accountability and justice for the for those who lost their lives. I think if he really wants to win back the hearts of the people, that is a wise thing for him to do and he has to do it.

BRUNHUBER: Despite these latest moves by the president, do you expect to see any more large-scale protests? And do you think that the authorities will handle them any differently?

MINDE: Sure. Protests have actually been planned for next week. Of course, it's still early days where these protesters, the Gen Z's are mobilizing through social media. And now they're actually calling for broader accountability, especially on questions of corruption. Now that the cabinet has been sucked, now they're calling for a return of this loot that has actually been stolen by most of these government officials and public officials.

So with that, you will expect probably more protests. But I think with the lessons of the protests from the past two or three weeks, I think the government will deal with the protests a little bit better, especially now that they're in this very, you know, pressure that has come domestically and also internationally.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. Listen, you say internationally. I mean, Kenya obviously has such a huge role on the continent and as a partner to countries in the West, especially over security issues. So how worried should the international allies be over the political chaos that seems to be engulfing the country, that it might reduce their confidence in Kenya as a reliable partner?

MINDE: There's a common adage that goes around here that if Kenya sneezes, the rest of the East African countries catch a cold. And this is because of the economic and political significance that Kenya has in the region, especially on issues to do with transit goods, infrastructure and other forms of finance and trading.

And of course, Kenya is still an important anchor state, not just in the region, but of course in the African context. And this in itself makes Kenya an important nation. Of course, as you rightly put it, these people also be observing and be worried about a way in which this can actually be settled once and for all, especially now that the Kenyans are really demanding for greater accountability and political accountability and as well, a broader inclusiveness in terms of governance.

BRUNHUBER: Nicodemus Minde in Nairobi, really appreciate getting your expertise on this. Thank you so much.

MINDE: Thank you so much.

BRUNHUBER: British police are searching for men they believe may have dropped two suitcases containing human remains off a bridge in the southwestern city of Bristol. Avon and Somerset police say it got a call close to midnight on Thursday about a man acting suspiciously on the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Officers responded and found the two suitcases, but there was no sign of the man who they described as a black man with a beard dressed all in black with an Adidas baseball cap and a black backpack. Police say they're not aware of any current threat to the wider public.

U.K. authorities say the man suspected of killing the wife and daughters of a BBC sport commentator with a crossbow is in serious condition in a London hospital and has yet to speak with police. Kyle Clifford was found by British police Wednesday after an overnight manhunt. Police also say a crossbow has been recovered. The victims were the wife and two adult daughters of BBC horse racing commentator John Hunt.

Police responded to the Hunt's home in the town of Bushey Tuesday night and found the women with serious injuries. All three died a short time later at the scene. A vigil was held Thursday for the Hunt family, where the community came together to mourn and remember the victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID STEVENSON, RECTOR OF BUSHEY PARISH: For it is with John and his family and his friends that we suffer pain. We bear the heavy cross of grief at this time and trying to understand why such a cruel and inhuman thing should take place in our community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Police are still waiting to talk to Clifford, but say they believe he is known to the Hunt family.

U.S. President Joe Biden takes questions from reporters at the end of the NATO summit. We'll see how anxious Democrats are reacting to his performance. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:32:49]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to all you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

White House is calling Joe Biden's NATO press conference a success as he tries to end calls for him to exit the presidential race. Biden spoke in detail during the nearly one-hour event discussing the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as his domestic achievements. He pitched himself as the best person to take on Donald Trump and defend democracy. And he said neurological tests shows he's in good shape, but if his doctors told him he needed another test, he'd take it.

Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I always have an inclination whether I was playing sports or doing politics, just to keep going, not style. I just got to just pace myself a little more.

I'm determined on running. But I think its important that I real -- I allay fears I seen -- let them see me out there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Eric Sorenson of Illinois is now be 17th congressional Democrat, urging the president to withdraw his reelection bid.

Many in the party are worried about losing their own races with Biden at the top of the ticket.

CNN's Manu Raju reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now the number of congressional Democrats were calling on Joe Biden to step aside in this presidential race is only growing, in fact, in the aftermath of Joe Biden's high-profile Thursday night news conference. Jim Himes, top Democrat on the House Intelligence committee just moments after that press conference ended, put out a statement saying it is time for Joe Biden to protect his legacy in step aside for the good of the country because he said the country he needs to stop what Himes calls MAGA authoritarianism from taking hold.

There is a view among many Democrats, including many who have yet to come out publicly. The question is will they come out publicly?

The expectation that some of them will. It could be a slow trickle of the next several days designed to put pressure on Joe Biden in trying to urge him to step aside from this race. Although when he made clear in his press conference, he has no intention of doing so. He plans to remain a candidate, tried to prove his colleagues he can do this job and hit the battleground states next week, and the like and suggested that could take some time.

[02:35:03]

Well, if he changes his mind down the road, it's only going to get harder to replace him. Then he suggested that that would not happen. So, what will happen now? That is going to be the big question for Democratic leaders, Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, huddled behind closed doors with his colleagues to the course of the earlier in the week. And then in a press conference on Thursday, he said that here we have continued discussions, private discussions with his 213 colleagues about the best way forward.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Democrats are engaged in conversations with House Democrats at this moment in time. Those conversations have been candid clear-eyed, and comprehensive, even though Joe Biden has made clear that he is still running, Democrats still believe that he might change his mind, which is only going to intensify this discussion about finding a replacement. It is key juncture of this campaign was Democrats fear is slipping away from Biden in the aftermath of that disastrous debate performance that he had about two weeks ago.

So all of this now coming to ahead, even though as Joe Biden is saying, critics can call me to step aside, but I'm still moving ahead.

But what will the Democratic leaders do? What will Hakeem Jeffries do, Chuck Schumer do, and Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker? So far, they've indicated they support Biden, but does that mean that they want him to run or will they come out publicly, and change their approach to all of this?

All huge questions at this consequential time in American history.

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: A new ABC News poll/"Washington Post" poll is offering mixed results on the U.S. presidential race. That was taken before President Biden's news conference on Thursday. And it shows Donald Trump at 47 and percent Biden at 46 percent. But on the question of whether President Biden should step aside, 67 percent of adults say yes, 56 percent of Democrats agreed.

All right. When we come back, a massive fire breaks out at a cathedral in France. If you want latest on that, please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: A fire broke out in the spire of a cathedral in Rouen, France, on Thursday morning. Smoke billowed out of the top of the gothic, Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral in Normandy. The cathedral which has an important example of French medieval architecture is currently undergoing restoration work, firefighters put out the blaze, the damage is now being assessed. It was five years ago that massive fire broke out in the Notre Dam Cathedral in Paris.

Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award at the 2024 Espy Sports Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday. He was being recognized for creating the Invictus Games, sports tournament for military veterans founded in 2014. Tillman was a university and NFL football player who served in the U.S. army after the 9/11 attacks and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

[02:40:04]

In accepting the award, Harry said it was important to highlight the Invictus Games' allies, athletes, and families for their achievements, spirit, and courage.

Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY, ESPY PAT TILLMAN AWARD RECIPIENT: Moments like these help us reach those that need Invictus most and reduce more than 20 veterans a day talking -- taking their own lives in this country alone. We live in an age marked by polarization and division. Conflicts rage around the globe. Anger and resentment towards those who are different seemed to pervade societies everywhere.

Our community challenges that. Our community proves that unity is not just possible but formidable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, the award wasn't without controversy. Tillman's mother was, quoting, calling the prince controversial and divisive and said there were more fitting candidates.

Seven people were injured in Pamplona's running of the bulls on Thursday. Now, a spectacle takes place each day during the annual week-long San Fermin Festival in the Spanish city. Six fighting bulls were bred for the purpose led by a 60 years and they chase runners through the narrow passageways of Pamplona's old quarter.

Each year, many people are, of course, injured taking part in any event, mostly due to falls. In the past, there have been fatalities, but luckily, not this time.

A new art installation in Manhattan is highlighting the importance of biodiversity mean the fund and unique way. Have a look. New Yorkers can grab a seat next to some of the most endangered animals in the world. Now, the bronze statue titled the Wild Couch Party and Friends features the artists livid, hybrid characters, rabbit woman and dog man. The pair are shown hosting 12 animals on a communal couched as they enjoy coffee, tea and pastries. The animals are among the most recognized species worldwide that are dangerously close to extinction. The sculpture will be on view through next May.

Australian magnificent tree frogs are usually greens, so how do you explain this? Well, scientists in Western Australia were surprised when a blue frog sat down on a bench at their wildlife sanctuary. One called it a once in a lifetime chance. Now, it seems there is an extremely rare genetic mutation that takes away yellow pigment from their skin in terms of bright blue. And other scientists said, quote, I've seen tens of thousands of frogs over the years and only seen one blue frog and it was nowhere near that spectacular as this magnificent tree frog. Magnificent, indeed.

All right. That wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

"WORLD SPORT" is next, and there's more CNN NEWSROOM in about 15 minutes with Max Foster in London.

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