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Obamas Endorse Kamala Harris; After Meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Harris Calls for Passing Ceasefire-Hostage Release Deal; Park Fire Burns over 160,000 Acres. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired July 26, 2024 - 06:00   ET

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

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: It's Friday, July 26. Right now, on CNN THIS MORNING --

[05:59:56]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (via phone): Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Kamala Harris taking a big phone call, getting that big endorsement from former President Obama this morning.

Plus, Harris's tough message to Israel after her face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

And this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE (via phone): I haven't agreed to anything. I agreed to a debate with Joe Biden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Why Donald Trump is so far refusing to commit to a debate against his new opponent.

And we're following this developing story out of Paris. Coordinated arson attacks on French train lines on the morning of the Olympic opening ceremonies.

All right, 6 a.m. here in Washington. A live. Look at the White House on this Friday morning. Good morning, everyone. Happy Friday. We actually made it to the end of what has been an absolutely ridiculous news week.

I am Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us. New this morning, yes, she can. Barack and Michelle Obama closing out

the week for Kamala Harris, endorsing her days after President Biden left the race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES (via phone): I can't have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.

B. OBAMA (via phone): We called to say Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Oh, my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me. I am looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug and I both.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Following Joe Biden's announcement that he was exiting the race on Sunday, the Obamas had initially held off endorsing anyone, expressing their confidence, instead, in the party and the process.

This morning's announcement, of course, yet another sign opposition to Harris as the Democratic nominee is effectively nonexistent. The Obamas join every other major Democratic figure in uniting behind the vice president. It includes the Bidens; the Clintons; Democratic congressional leaders Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and the former House speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

In a statement released this morning, the Obamas write this: quote, "There is no doubt in our mind that Kamala Harris has exactly what it takes to win this election and deliver for the American people. At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope."

And the Harris campaign may have more reason to hope. This morning a new poll of likely voters conducted by "The New York Times." It finds no clear leader between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. That's our parlance here at CNN. Just one point separates the candidates here.

And that stands in pretty stark contrast to the same poll conducted just three weeks ago when this was a different race. In the wake of his performance at the CNN debate, Joe Biden found himself six points behind Donald Trump. There was a very clear leader then, and there is no clear leader now.

Joining me now to discuss, CNN senior White House correspondent Kayla Tausche is here; Ashley Etienne, the former communications director for Vice President Harris; and Republican strategist Sarah Longwell joins us. Welcome to all of you.

So, the Obamas did hold off on doing this, Kayla, partly -- my understanding is -- everybody kind of wanted this to roll out in a sequential way. This was widely expected. But at the same time, it gets -- it gets everybody on the same team.

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And I think the Obamas also wanted to avoid the appearance of being seen as putting their thumb on the scale here: letting the rules committee process play out, letting the delegates line up behind Harris, and then coming out with their endorsement.

But it also -- the sequential nature of this also has the benefit of extending her honeymoon period slightly. I mean, this is quite a sprint to the finish line for Harris. She has a ton of momentum behind her. And when these things happen in these sequences, it only serves to extend her momentum, which I think is also part of the rationale here.

HUNT: Yes. So, Ashley, one of the things that stood out to me in that statement is that they explicitly said that they think Kamala Harris could win. Because there had been some reporting about nervousness that the former president, Barack Obama, may have had around whether she was capable of winning the election.

And that was a big part of the kind of behind-the-scenes conversation generally, as we approached this. That seems to be tamping down.

ASHLEY ETIENNE, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: I was laughing in my head, because I think people said the same thing about Barack Obama. Right? And so that's what I found very interesting, is -- is that he would make a statement like that about her.

But, you know, I love my former boss. I think he's great, and I'm glad that they both came out and endorsed her.

You know, and they came out at a time where it was very clear. There's no question that she's not only prepared, based on what we saw yesterday, but there's this huge enthusiasm from the grassroots to within the party and even beyond -- you know, we'll get into the polling -- for her.

And now it is her moment. And so, I'm excited for her. I think this endorsement was just additional cherry on top of a 15-tier cake with icing already flowing all off of it for her.

And I think what she represents today, the example which she embodies, is what's possible when you turn the page. That's also what Barack Obama exemplified.

[06:05:10]

Turn the page on yesterday. Turn the page on what's old. Turn the page on sexism, racism, all the isms. And now we're seeing what's possible, not just for her, but for the nation and for the party.

HUNT: Yes. Sarah Longwell, you talk to voters all the time. And a little bit later on in the show, we're going to -- we're going to hear from some of them and what they've had to say recently. But let's, like, look at this "New York Times" poll a little bit more

in depth. Because I mean, 48-47 is the head-to-head between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris right now.

But then let's look at what happens when you add in third-party candidates. You get 44, 43, 5 percent. I mean, it -- clearly, her being there is -- is changing the calculus on how a third party is affecting things.

What are you hearing from voters about how this race has changed?

SARAH LONGWELL, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, look, here's the thing. So, I've been talking to voters about Kamala Harris for years now. And the No. 1 thing they would say is they had sort of a -- a negative impression of her, but it was steeped in this idea that they didn't see her.

They felt like I don't know what she does. I don't see her around. I was excited about her, but now I just -- she's invisible.

That -- for a long time, I think that was the reason people were nervous about her. Because they felt like there was this negative impression.

And the only time you did see here is when Republicans were doing, like, a mean supercut of her laughing or something.

But if you're listening, actually, what you hear is all the upside, because the voters didn't know her, which meant she had this opportunity to completely reintroduce herself to the country and have them take a fresh look at her.

And what's happening right now in the focus groups we've done subsequently with swing voters, which I think we're going to listen to, is you're starting to hear people saying, yes, give me your pitch.

Because they were, like, so desperate for something else besides a race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, that even if they were, you know, not sure how they felt about her, they were like, OK, give me your best shot. I'm ready to listen. I'm here.

HUNT: Yes. One of the most interesting things to me about this election is just how right the voters have turned out to be, right? In that they were telling us all the way along, we don't want this, we don't want this.

And the number of people that would come up to me and say, seriously, this is seriously the campaign we're going to get? And I'd be like, well, it seems that way.

TAUSCHE: Well, 70 percent of respondents in polls in April 2023 said that Joe Biden's age was an issue. And yet, that month, he and his team decided to launch another bid for the White House, even though the voters were telling them then, as they ended up being right again this summer, that age is an issue. It will continue to be an issue.

HUNT: It will. Kayla, can I ask you -- I mean, you've covered. You've been covering the White House for years now.

What Sarah was saying about Kamala Harris not really being present, can you kind of walk us through how the Biden team has deployed or not deployed Harris? Because she clearly has, you know, kind of had a growth trajectory recently, but she had a tough start.

TAUSCHE: She had a tough start, and certainly, I was talking about some of her -- her policy assignments with folks who know her well, earlier this week.

And they were making the point that yes, she had very tough assignments, but she also has a much smaller staff. And she has a much smaller budget. So she doesn't have the travel budget. She doesn't have the expertise in-house that someone like a president or even an agency would.

And so, the argument from some people who have been in the fold with her was that -- not necessarily that she was set up to fail, but that the infrastructure around her was not necessarily benefiting her.

Certainly, those are people who want to see her succeed now.

But I think that her -- her record on the border and immigration is going to come under very harsh scrutiny in the next few months. And her record on some of the other issues. Ashley, I know you want to get in here, too.

ETIENNE: I just want to get in on this issue, because I was actually there from day one with Kamala Harris.

And this -- this narrative that she was not present, wasn't doing anything, is a completely false narrative. I think it's out of context.

You know, I talked to a lot of reporters then. I still talk to a lot of reporters about this now. You've been writing these --

HUNT: Ashley, let me push pause on you. I'm so sorry. We're having a technical problem with your microphone.

ETIENNE: OK.

HUNT: So, we'll go to break. We'll get it fixed, and we'll continue this conversation on the other side.

Up next here on CNN THIS MORNING --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: It is time for this war to end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Finalize the deal as soon as possible. Kamala Harris lays out a very clear position on Israel.

Plus, sabotage in Paris. French rail lines targeted by arson attacks just hours before tonight's opening ceremonies at the Olympics.

And why the governor of Kentucky, a V.P. hopeful, issued this strange apology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): Folks, I've been a person that -- that when -- sometimes I've gone over the line. I wanted to make sure that I set the record straight. So, I do owe an apology to Diet Mountain Dew.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:14:25]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: I just had a frank and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I told him that I will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself.

I also expressed with the prime minister my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Kamala Harris declaring she'll not be silent about the suffering in Gaza right after her face-to-face meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Axios, Netanyahu was angry about her comments, suggesting that they could hurt ongoing ceasefire and hostage release negotiations.

Netanyahu also sat down with President Biden at the White House. It was the president's first meeting with a world leader since announcing he's withdrawing from the presidential race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU: Mr. President, we've known each other for 40 years. And you've known every Israeli prime minister for 50 years, from Golda Meir.

So, from a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the state of Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: "A proud Irish American Zionist."

Kayla Tausche, the tone from Kamala Harris, notably different on this issue than President Biden has been. What do you make -- this is -- you know, the presidential race hangs

over how she deals with this, right? Because it's something that's really split the Democratic Party. What are -- what is your reporting around, kind of how she views this and why she did what she did yesterday?

TAUSCHE: Well, there had been some tensions in the White House for recent months, just based on some of the tone that she had taken in her official capacity as vice president.

There was one event in particular back in March in Selma, Alabama, where she led with the suffering in Gaza. It was the very first thing that she said. And she talked -- she talked very emphatically about the need for an immediate ceasefire, which at the time was under negotiations, just as on a temporary basis.

And she did in that speech say that Israel had a right to defend itself, but it was seen as buried in those remarks. And there was a lot of tension within the White House about whether she was coming across as breaking with the president in those remarks.

And I was told at the time, and even recently, that she's not substantively different than the president. She's tonally different. She is more emphatic about the things that she cares about. And she does believe that there's room for both sides of this debate in a way that the president and his own team were very slow to embrace that throughout the course of this conflict.

She had a very clear goal in those comments yesterday, and that was to put her mark on the administration's position and to step out and identify her own position on Israel, on Gaza. And it was something that had been at the center of many discussions in the campaign.

I mean, the national finance committee chair told donors Wednesday, they said, what is her position on Israel. And they said, wait a few days. We've got to get it ironed out.

HUNT: Yes.

TAUSCHE: There may be more nuance than there has been before, now that she's able to so, you know, plant the flag on her own policy.

HUNT: And Sarah Longwell, what kind of opportunity is there with voters here for Kamala Harris, especially I'm interested in Michigan, you know, as one of the states the Democrats absolute really have to win if they want to get to 270.

This has been something that's really divided the Democratic Party, and it's something that young voters are very focused on, for example. Like, how big is the opportunity here for her on this issue?

LONGWELL: Yes, I think the biggest opportunity is that she's able to articulate nuance in a way that Joe Biden was really struggling to do. Simply as a communicator, Joe Biden was having trouble, I think, being able to express clearly, like a complicated position. And I think she is doing a pretty good job of trying to find the sweet

spot, more for Democrats than the total electorate. But certainly, Democrats want to hear an acknowledgment of the suffering in Gaza.

And I think she is coming out now, and she is emphasizing her support for Israel while mentioning the suffering in Gaza, which I think for the Democratic coalition feels like the right space.

And I just saw a poll this morning out of Michigan in which she is now -- there was a nine-point swing toward her.

I think Biden just had too much baggage with voters on this. They were too angry at him among Democrats. When I do focus groups with, you know, young Democrats, it was the only thing that you would hear them talk about.

And so, she's got an opportunity to reset. And I do also think voters might give her some grace. They might give her a little more latitude than they would have Joe Biden, because they feel like maybe she's slightly more with them.

HUNT: Yes. Ashley, as somebody who worked for Harris for a long time, I mean, what insight can you give us into how she thinks about this issue?

ETIENNE: Well, I think what you saw yesterday -- and I'm glad you asked me that. But what I think we saw yesterday is really her ethos.

She said it yesterday, "I see you" to both sides, and that is who Kamala Harris is.

I mean, I remember working for her. And she would tell us, when you go into the Oval Office, or when you go into the Roosevelt Room, you bring the people into those rooms who don't even know that those rooms exist.

And so, to have her do two things yesterday: one, reinforce her commitment to Israel, dating all the way back from when she was a child; to also say, "I see you" to the Palestinian people and say, You have a right to live free. I mean, that was a powerful statement to say that it's not a binary choice. I can see both sides.

And I think that's what makes her the leader -- the right leader for this moment. And I think -- I would -- I would also sort of add to that how strong she looked yesterday.

I mean, I think it's -- it's those types of things that we don't really talk about a lot on television that doesn't really show up in the poll.

[06:20:07]

But she looked in command. She looked commanding yesterday. She looked fortified in who she is, fortified in what she's capable of. And I think that came across very well yesterday. I've worked in that building twice, and I've never seen a vice president deliver such a remark; so profound on a such a big stage on such a -- with a world leader like this before. So that was incredibly impressive.

And it's clear that Joe Biden is moving to the left and giving her the stage now to commit.

But this is who she is as a leader, that she brings everyone to the table, everyone's perspective to the table. And she -- she made the point and reiterated. And that's a lesson for young people, as well, and the Democratic Party. This doesn't have to be a binary choice.

HUNT: All right. Coming up next here, Kamala Harris's V.P. frontrunners trying out attack lines against J.D. Vance.

Plus, the big mystery surrounding tonight's Olympic opening ceremony. Is Celine Dion performing?

(MUSIC: CELINE DION, "ALL BY MYSELF")

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:25:28]

HUNT: All right. Welcome back.

It's burning an average of 50 football fields per minute. The Park Fire exploding in size, raging out of control, only 3 percent contained.

A suspect is under arrest, accused of starting the fire by pushing a burning car into a ravine.

Today, we're expecting another day of hot and dry conditions out West, but some relief apparently could be on the way. Let's get straight to our weatherman, Derek van Dam.

Derek, good morning. What are you seeing out there?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Kasie, you can see the Park Fire from space. This is a satellite image. Look at the rapid-fire growth over the past 24 hours or so. Impressive.

Lots of smoke, of course, billowing out from this particular fire, multiple fires over the Western U.S. creating degraded air quality.

The Park Fire right now only at 3 percent containment. It has burned more than the area of the city of Atlanta. That puts it into perspective, as well.

Red fire warnings -- red-flag warnings, I should say, for the Central Valley of California, but not just there. You can see other areas across the Western U.S. as nearly 90 active large wildfires continue to burn, with poor air quality alerts in place from Oregon into the state of Washington.

Several wildfires from Western Canada also contributing to some of this lower air quality. And of course, hazy skies overhead. Now, we're going to pivot quickly, because I want to talk about the

opening ceremony this evening. All eyes on Paris and what we believe we -- will happen.

It's raining now in Paris. We'll get a break in the afternoon. And then just in time this evening, we do see the potential for light to moderate rain showers. That could put a dampen [SIC] on tonight's opening ceremony.

Of course, so much of the celebration reliant on the weather that occurs this evening -- Kasie.

HUNT: All right. Our Weatherman van Dam. Derek, thank you very much. Have a great weekend.

VAN DAM: All right.

HUNT: Coming up next, will we see another presidential debate before November?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Now it appears he's backpedaling, but I'm ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Coming up, the Harris and Trump campaigns battle over the terms of the debates.

Plus, potential V.P. picks, auditioning to be Harris's running mate. We'll talk about the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)